I know a lot of producers have talked about unsolicited feedback in the past but this post isn't about that. It's about feedback for various projects and feedback that gets requested and given. This also applies equally to original production in many cases.
A good number of mashup producers do not tend to master or don't apply limiters on tracks, or just make them softer compared to commercial levels. When albums get mastered, loudness will usually be adjusted through various plugins (EQ, multiband compressors, limiters, clippers, etc.) to shape masters so that one track is not significantly louder or softer than another especially back-to-back and groups of tracks follow a certain sound.
What this means is that once your softer mashup of -14 or -15 LUFS or softer is amplified to commercial levels in the -7 to -11 LUFS range or more depending on genre and how the overall track should sound given peaks and valleys with softer and louder parts (LUFS stands for loudness units full scale, look that up), small issues may stand out like thorns when amplified. Bottom line: Don't take the small or big issues personally; we're all human, we all miss things, and we can all improve. You may learn something new!
Think of it like how you ask to proofread writing to check for spelling or grammar and have it work for the audience.
All this to say, feedback I give or others give based on small details may come across as nit-picks at first. Don't completely discount them. You never know who will want to play your tracks, and this could range from personal playlists all the way up to DJ gigs and big festival stages.
In the case of a club DJ or performances on festival stages, volumes will be significantly louder than what you may have worked with when you created the track. I've given the restaurant food analogy before but I'll give it again: If something clearly doesn't taste good, people won't usually know why. But an experienced chef who knows how the ingredients interact sure will.
Just something to think about as you improve on mashup production and production in general.
Here are some issues below that experienced mashup producers could point out. Note that a lot of the "don't do this" stuff is really code for "don't do this unless you really know you're doing and it sounds good":

Big issues

• Out of key (OOK): This refers to wrong key signature (e.g. mixing A Minor with B Minor), not blue notes from modes or short moments of modulation. Key rule of thumb: If you're going to use key databases, verify by ear. Tunebat is the least accurate. If you must do so, use a reliable key database like the ones in this post. DJ software can work, but some automatic key detection performs better than others and are far from perfect. Above all, databases are not perfect and some will be far from it, so ears will be the final judge of whether a pairing sounds good.
• Out of tempo/time (OOT): this usually refers to wrong tempo (e.g. mixing a 116 BPM track with a 118 BPM track) or not constant tempo and going out of time. Key rule of thumb: Sync your tracks and if you need to use any form of warping (see Ableton), be prepared to do so.
• Too much going on (a.k.a. playing both songs at the same time): This happens when playing multiple main elements at the same time to the point where multiple elements or entire songs played together clash in key, progression, or other things to make the combination sound unpleasant and hard to listen to. Sometimes this can sound really good if the progressions are compatible, but generally, less is more.
• Incorrect/bad beat alignment: This is more for when a vocal or element is offbeat enough that it really sticks out as a trainwreck when mixed together
• Wrong beat/out of structure/off structure/bad phrasing: This is when a vocal or other element is placed on a beat that doesn't make sense for what it's combined with (e.g. placing the first word of a vocal over an instrumental on beat 2 when it was meant for beat 1). Mileage will vary, sometimes the vocal beat placement only makes sense for the original song and makes less sense on others.
• Distortion from going in the red: This is when the overall mix or elements sound distorted because the volume of each track channel is too loud and either alone or combined goes well above 0 dBFS (a.k.a. into the red). Key rule of thumb: Start your track volumes at -6 dB (not 0 dB) and then adjust to taste. Don't go into the red unless you absolutely know what you're doing.
• Elements way too soft or loud: This is more along the lines of not being able to hear the added vocals or elements at all or they're too loud that you can't hear the other elements in the mix.
• Big mood mismatch: This tends to be less egregious, but if sources don't cooperate at all to a point of completely ruining the vibe, the mashup could stick out like a sore thumb from the start. Mileage will vary, and sometimes your audience would appreciate this especially with genre clashes even to the point of creating memes. But it depends on what you're going for, and sometimes you want consistency for certain albums and groups of tracks.

Smaller issues

• Fifth traps/not picking the right keys to use: This is a specific version of another problem I'll touch on, but this happens when you mix keys fifths or fourths away (e.g. F Major and C Major) and the chord progressions don't cooperate. What makes this a trap is that the pairing might appear to sound good at first glance, but when you look back at what you made, you probably could have made a better sounding pairing if you had just picked sources in key, relative key (e.g. A Minor and C Major), or parallel to the mode type (i.e. A Minor with A Dorian since Dorian is a minor mode). This Berklee Online article is a really good starting point to modes. With modes, mileage will vary.
• Out of progression/blue notes: This can happen when there are short moments where the element clashes on top of other elements (e.g. modes or short moments of different modulation). Sometimes the tracks may not be compatible, but other times it's just a part with notes outside the scale. This can be fixed by doing small note changes, but be careful not to make it too obvious, otherwise it might sound like you're forcing the pairing to work. It may also follow the same theme as fifth traps, where you could have made a better sounding pairing if you had just picked sources in key, relative key (e.g. A Minor and C Major), or parallel to the mode type (i.e. A Minor with A Dorian since Dorian is a minor mode). This Berklee Online article is a really good starting point to modes. With modes, mileage will vary.
• Low quality sources: This happens with YouTube or other rips where the elements are lower quality due to a lower frequency cutoff (YouTube is usually 15.5 kHz for AAC, other platforms may be 15-16 kHz for 128 kbps MP3, etc.). Bottom line: Get the highest quality sources you can, and use Spek or another spectrum analysis software to check rips or record pool sources. Your ears and processing algorithms will thank you. Again, you never know who will listen to or play out your track, could even be a big sound system.
• Stem separation artifacts: This can take several different forms, but can happen when either the invert or stem separation algorithm being used adds noise or other unwanted high end artifacts like high hats that once amplified, will absolutely stand out in a mix. This also includes artifacts from stem separation algorithms like Utagoe which make vocals sound like they're underwater at default settings. Key rule of thumb: Remember that the instrumental and original could be mixed and mastered differently depending on the production environment and how masters spread. If an invert makes a vocal stand out more but just needs extra cleaning, don't be afraid to combine the invert technique (original + instrumental) with stem separation. When using multiple stem separation techniques or using different sources (like remix + remix instrumental), think about how they sound on parts of the instrumental and consider picking the best extraction for a given part; remember that this includes using the original song (this is called comping in the production world). If there are parts of vocals intended to be silent and there are artifacts, don't be afraid to replace the reverb + delay with your own. Keep up to date with stem separation algorithms by keeping up with developments on the Audio Separation Discord server: https://discord.gg/wY3AAaTvHT
• A little too much going on: This happens in many cases when looking at megamashups, megamixes, and even simpler overlap of vocals where too many elements are competing for space at some point (e.g. two vocals at the same time competing for mono or midrange). Key rule of thumb: In production just as in life, leave elbow room! With vocals, this can be done by overlapping a lead source that's more mono (e.g. lead vocal) with a background source that's more stereo (e.g. background vocals or vocal pad). When transitioning, it's also really useful to slightly pan or automate pan and volume of the vocal you're trying to brief in, which can include repeating the first word or few words of a phrase. Volume and EQ may also be useful here to properly convey space.
• Weird time-stretch and pitch-shift artifacts: This can happen when using a lower quality time-stretch or a time-stretch that can destroy transients/drum hits (Audacity or Elastique Efficient on vocals, older Elastique Pro on full instrumentals) or pitching too much and/or with too much/little formant preserve. The best way to reduce these effects on instrumental is to think about combining stem separation with ways to improve quality (pitch everything BUT the drums unless tonal, experiment with different time stretch methods on different elements, etc.). For too much pitch or formant preserve, either pick sources that are closer in key (+/- 2 semitones is a good rule of thumb) and try to control the amount of formant preservation and/or envelope (in Ableton) to make the vocals sound more natural. Formant preserve is usually a good idea for pitched vocals, but can sound bad for pitched instrumentals especially drums depending on the track.
• Pops or clicks while editing: This tends to happen when elements like vocals are cut off when not at zero volume. Key rule of thumb: Edit to zero crossing and/or use fades to cut off regions or when combining different regions together.
• Flanging, phasing, or flamming while editing: Sometimes these effects are on purpose, but oftentimes when crossfading between different parts of an instrumental, both parts of the edit don't align on beat. Flanging and phasing applies for sample level edits (ms or more), flamming for tenths or hundredths of seconds (e.g. 0.05 sec or 0.1 sec). Flamming is a drumming term for when the same part of the drum kit (usually the snare drum) is hit twice with different sticks at close to but not exactly the same time.
• Starting the first part of the mix you can hear too early or too late: This basically falls into starting immediately at 0:00 (0 seconds) or starting two seconds in, so you end up starting the mix you can hear in the overall track too early that it's hard to correctly rewind in a media player or starts way too suddenly, or too late that it feels like an eternity for the track to start. Basic rule of thumb: Always start your track with a little bit of silence (think about 0.2 seconds minimum but all depends on source material).
• Incorrect end of loop region/end of track marker too early or too late: This falls into one of two categories. One category is forgetting to listen for the reverb tail or tail end of one of the tracks and setting the end of track marker too early to the point of hearing the mix completely cut off. The other category is when you forget to set the end of track marker, so it defaults to the end of the project, which leaves a lot of silence (think tens of seconds instead of a few to fade out) at the end due to the end of track marker being far too late.
• Vocals or other elements end too suddenly in an edit: You may want to get different vocals to interact with each other or edit out of artifacts from vocal stem separation, but the other vocal (or elements) sound like they were cut off. Key rule of thumb: Have a reverb effect handy, and if you're working in a DAW, take advantage of wet/dry automation and combine the reverb with delay afterwards in the effect chain for vocals and other elements so when you crank up the wet the decay helps fade out the element gracefully.
• Vocals or other elements start too suddenly or out of place when connecting them or transitioning: This also considers getting different vocals or other elements to work together or going to a new part, but refers to a new part using vocals or other elements sounding out of place at the beginning of a region in a transition. Key rule of thumb: Watch your crossfades and when you're in a pinch and want to start the next part gracefully, don't be afraid to use reverse reverb or other effect like a riser to introduce a completely new element or different part in a pinch. Reverse reverb is exactly what it sounds: Adding reverb to a short snippet of an element like a cymbal, vocal note, or pad, and then applying reverse on it. Often this is done by choosing a tonal center to transition into, choosing a small snippet to add reverb to, choosing reverb with a long decay time and big space (usually I do a Cathedral reverb), reversing it, and then carefully aligning the reverse reverb so the end of it hits the beginning of the next region. Whew that was a lot! Tutorials will do this much more justice but this is the general idea.
• Vocals too dry or too wet for the instrumental: Usually this depends on the instrumental's genre. For genres like pop or EDM, vocals tend to have some reverb applied to make them shine. For others like alternative and some classic hip-hop, the reverb might be less or no wet or a completely different type. This issue usually refers to too little reverb (too dry) or too much reverb (too wet). Key rule of thumb: Don't forget to have reverb handy. You might need it. Keep your wet low in the middle of a vocal depending on what you're trying to do (think 3-5% wet or - on the low side
• Vocals or other elements slightly too loud or soft: Self-explanatory, this is usually an issue where elements should be the right volume for elements to work well together.
• Vocals or other elements drowned out/don't gel due to hypercompression: This usually happens when using a vocal not from an EDM, hyperpop, hard rock, or other genre where there is hypercompression but no matter how much volume amount you try elements like vocals don't gel and compete for space in the mid range. Two common techniques take the form of adding more compression to a vocal to stand up to an hypercompressed instrumental and/or reducing mid band EQ of the other source (which could come from sidechaining). For the added compression, it tends to be done with either multiple compressors in series (e.g. two compressors using low threshold + high ratio and high threshold + low ratio) or through various guitar distortion plugins on settings meant for vocals (e.g. Camelcrusher with British Clean or certain presets of OTT). Don't be afraid to experiment.
• Master too loud or soft for the genre: This usually takes the form of using limiters and other effects to make certain tracks too loud for the genre intended, or not using anything at all and the track is too soft for the genre/commercial sound. This can come down to taste, but how a track was produced can affect how loud you master. Mileage will vary; listen to how loud tracks are made and emulate your favorites assuming nothing too egregious.
• Stereo issues: This can happen if there are elements out of phase when trying to combine mono and stereo or applying other effects. It's a bit more difficult to diagnose, but one rule of thumb is to test your overall track on different playback systems (from headphones to big speakers and even your phone or small bluetooth speaker which will effectively test mono depending on the device).

Wow that was a lot and I know it's very overwhelming who don't produce a ton. There might be more issues I didn't mention here, so let me know if there's anything else that could be useful.
Update 1: Added "bad phrasing" under the off structure issue, this is the DJing term for it
Update 2: Added two variations of "too much going on" to the bigger and smaller issues
Update 3: Added "Starting the first part of the mix you can hear too early or too late" and "Incorrect end of loop region/end of track marker too late" as two additional small issues.
Update 4: Changed one bullet to "Incorrect end of loop region/end of track marker too early or too late"

Security is a really important issue, since laptops hold not only a large amount of private information, but also all our work. What do you do to keep your data safe? Let's share some best practices with regard to antivirus, firewalls, VPN, and physical security measures. Here are some important tips to get the conversation started:

1. Antivirus Software: Your First Line of Defense
   • Get Reliable Antivirus Software: Buy popular and reliable antivirus software to protect your device from malware, ransomware, and other malicious threats. Norton, Bitdefender, and McAfee are some of the commonly used antiviruses.
   • Regular Scans and Updates: Ensure that your antivirus is scheduled for regular scans, and it has up-to-date virus-definition databases.
2. Firewalls: Keeping Out Unwanted Traffic
   • Turn on the Built-In Firewalls: Ensure that built-in firewalls on most operating systems, like Windows Defender Firewall for Windows and firewall settings in macOS, are on.
   • Additional Firewalls: It is recommended to purchase additional hardware or software firewalls in hot spots.
3. Virtual Private Networks: Protecting Your Online Activity
   • Use a VPN: This will encrypt your internet connection and shield your online activities from prying eyes. This is very important when connecting to a Wi-Fi network.
   • Get a Trustworthy VPN Service: Purchase a good VPN service from well-known providers like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, or CyberGhost.
4. Password Management: Strong and Unique Passwords
   • Create Strong Passwords: Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters to create strong passwords. Make your passwords hard to guess by avoiding including easily guessable information, such as birthdays or common words.
   • Use a Password Manager: A password manager, such as LastPass or 1Password, can create and remember strong, unique passwords for all of your accounts.
5. Encryption: Use Encryption to Protect Data
   • Encrypt Disk: Use the built-in, full disk encryption tools such as BitLocker on Windows and FileVault on MacOS, which will automatically encrypt your data in case your laptop is lost or stolen.
   • Encrypt Sensitive Files: You might need to encrypt specific sensitive files or folders for added protection. Utilize VeraCrypt software to achieve this.
6. Backups: Regularly Back Up Your Data
   • Back Up Your Data Regularly: Back up your data from time to time on an external hard drive or other secure cloud service. This will help you restore the data to another device in the case of hardware failure or damage due to a cyberattack.
   • Use Automated Backup Solutions: Use automatic backup tools like Backblaze or Acronis, which will help you keep your data backed up automatically.
7. Physical Security: Use Physical Security for Your Hardware
   • Use Laptop Locks: Use physical locks for your laptop when in public or shared spaces to avoid theft.
   • Be Careful: Be aware of your surroundings and never leave your laptop unattended in public places.
8. Additional Tips and Best Practices
   • Keep Your Operating System and Software Updated: Regularly update your operating system and all software so as to patch any security vulnerabilities.
   • Be careful with emails and links: Do not click on suspicious links or download attachments from unknown sources to avoid phishing attacks.
   • Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Whenever possible, enable two-factor authentication for your account as an extra layer of security.

Hello guys,
I´m a little in panic right now, since I am always super cautious when it comes to emails.
Today I have received the following email from Paypal:
__________________
Date: Wednesday 15 March 2024, 09:40 CEST
Address: "[donotreply@paypal.com](mailto:donotreply@paypal.com)" (without quotation marks ofc)
Subject: Here are the transaction fees you pay
Content:
Hello, first name
These are the fees you have paid
You have closed your Paypal account. Below you will find an overview of the transaction fees you have paid in the past year.
The attached list of fees in PDF format contains the relevant details.
__________________
Welp, as stupid as I am and since everything was completely the same (signature, copyright, legal notic,etc) as in other PayPal emails, I opened the PDF in my Outlook app on the iPhone and saw there´s only a summary of 0€ fees (PDF seemed authentic), and after that I clicked on the link "Contact" (Yep, stupid, I know). However, I never signed in through the website and immediately closed the tab in Safari and deleted everything in my history.
I immediately contacted PayPal Customer Service on my pc and voiced my worries.
They wrote the following message before I uploaded the screenshots they demanded:
"According to the details I see on your PayPal account, the last email I see in your PayPal account notification centre was on 15 May 2024, 09:30 CEST with subject line - "Here are the transaction fees you specified". No other email has been sent to you in the last 5 days with the subject you specified."
First I was relieved, but then my scepticism began to grow again because of the different time and subject, especially after I have uploaded the screenshots of the email since the customer support wrote then:
"Thank you for bringing this email to our attention. If you receive this type of email in the future, please forward the original email to [phishing@paypal.com](mailto:phishing@paypal.com). Once you have forwarded the email to us, please delete it from your inbox.
If you have provided financial or password information in response to a suspicious email or on a website, report it to your bank immediately and change your password and security questions in your PayPal account.
I can also confirm that your PayPal account is active and that there are no problems with your PayPal account."
__________________
I copied the link I clicked and ran it through both VirusTotal and Urlvoid and it came out as clear and under the same IP as the normal PayPal address. I also copied the email address and ran it through foresaid sites and a cyrillic decoder (came out as clear as well).
So now I am rather confused:

• Can the pdf hijack iOS by simply opening it? And if so, should I reset my iOS?
• Was this now a legit email from PayPal and was there only a delay in receiving the email and a translation error perhaps through customer support?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Edit: Please keep in mind that I also had to translate everything from German to English and instead of first name, it was indeed my first name

Downloads

Stable - Gaiman (Recommended)

Android, Linux, OS X, Windows

Experimental (Not recommended)

Automated Installation

Catapult Game Launcher (3rd party, pretty convenient, more details in the link)
CDDA Game Launcher (3rd party, pretty convenient, more details in the link)

Manual Installation

Android, Linux, OS X, Windows
iOS

Compiling Guide

Controls (not up to date, controls for mobile can vary)

Helpful Guides

• Item Database
• Skill Training (Siersha - up to date for build #10626)
• Modding
• Detailed Guide (mlangsdorf)
• Quickstart Guide (DracoGriffin & AMurkin)
• Improved Text Readability (Bilb0)
• Tutorials
• Video Guide (Vormithrax)
• More Video Guide (GrandpuhTy)
• Written Guide (Pr0manTwitch)

Featured Let's Players

Individuals that are currently known for playing C:DDA. List is subject to change (maintain active and current streamers), send modmail if you'd like to be added.

Player(s)	Twitch	YouTube
Vormithrax	Link	Link
TheMurderUnicorn	Link	Link
TheCritsyBear	Link	Link
RyconRoleplays	None	Link
Orange01gaming	None	Link
nonsonogiucas	None	Link
GrandpuhTy	Link	Link

Memorial

Individuals that used to play C:DDA but have gone on hiatus or stopped streaming. These are mentioned here as requested by the community for being noteworthy.

Player(s)	Twitch	YouTube
flakaby	Link	None
Pr0manTwitch	Link	None
CromulentArcher	None	Link

Semi-Multiplayer - WatchCDDA.net

WatchCDDA.net is hosted by r7st and allows for semi-multiplayer ASCII version of Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead. It can be a bit confusing to get started so make sure you check out the Instructions page for more details and join that Discord to communicate while playing. Any issues need to be expressed on WatchCDDA's Discord, not the subreddit - any troubleshooting posts will be removed.

• Requirements:
• WatchCDDA.net Account (set up is on Instructions page)
• SSH client (like PuTTY)
• Willingness to use ASCII (no tilesets yet)

FAQ

• How do I use this subreddit?

If you're new here, make sure to read through the above. Secondly, any simple questions should be confined to this weekly announcement post. If you've found a bug or a new strategy, or wondering what type of playthrough to try, you should make a separate post about those.

• Flairs? What are those?

There are two types of flairs: user flairs (which are currently customizable) and post flairs. If you make a post, make sure you're flairing it appropriately for others. There are some exclusive flairs you cannot pick but should be on the lookout for, such as:
Changelog - these posts have very informative posts regarding changes.
Fixed - these posts generally have a solution to a bug or problem.
Lastly, if you flair a post [Help Wanted] and someone answered satisfactorily, make sure to re-flair it with [Solved] so others can find the solution instead of looking through tons of posts.

• Oh no, my anti-virus says the launcher is a threat!

Antivirus products are known to detect the launcher as a threat and block its execution or delete the launcher. The reason for this is uncertain, but most likely due to a launcher component, PyInstaller, that is commonly flagged as a threat by antivirus software. A sufficient workaround is to add the launcher binary to your antivirus' whitelist, or to select the action to trust this binary when detected. More information can be found from the launcher's FAQ on Github.
If you are paranoid, you can always inspect the source code yourself and build the launcher from the source code. However, you are still likely to get false positives.

• The UI is broken or weird, is this normal?

If you think the UI isn't set up correctly, make sure to press } to access the UI Settings panel. You will be given a choice of several different styles, with "Labels" being the recommended setting for new players and "Classic" for veteran players.

• I think the subreddit should have ... or The subreddit should change ...

Great! The modteam is always looking for feedback, please make a post about your purposed change or idea and let the community decide through voting and debate. If it's something that is a bit more sensitive, please send it through modmail.

I don't even know where to start, there is a huge amount of information that I wanted to share with you here.Let's start with perhaps the most common types of fraud.Theft of your credit and debit cards.There are several ways that you can part with your money from your cards.But where do the scammers get this data from?
The most common ways are
--You got to a phishing payment link,e-commerce
--Leakage of your data from the sites where you made the payment
--You have brought virus software to your PC by downloading a malicious file from an unknown source (Internet, flash card)
--You have got to a phishing site for authorization of an apple, Google, Samsung account, etc.
Now in order
You wanted to buy a product online on an unfamiliar site at a very attractive price.Despite the fact that the site inspires confidence, has an SSL certificate, the correct legal address, a beautiful domain name and other parameters, this is not an indicator of its reliability.After making a purchase, you will even receive a receipt for the cost and delivery time to your email address.And you are happy that you have saved a lot of money, keep going about your daily business. Next, it all depends on the methods of debiting funds from your bank card. It will be used either almost immediately or a little later.
The case is as follows. You regularly purchase any goods over the Internet in a local or large online store.For ease of use, your card and billing address are stored in these stores.Hackers study the attack vectors on these stores, exploit the vulnerability and gain access to the database of stores where you previously purchased goods.Your card data is usually encrypted, but not always, there are also methods for decrypting this data.This is how your card data gets to the attackers.
Do you like free software, movies and games downloaded from Torrent and unofficial sites?
Then the malefactor is already in your computer.There is a huge amount of malware for PCs on both Windows and macOS.All this malware has different tasks.We will focus on the stillers class for example.Stiller is a malicious software that extracts all information from your PC and sends it to an attacker.I will list only some parameters and data that stiller can extract, these are:versions of all software installed on the PC,IP address,time zones,keyboard layouts,fonts,autofill of any browser,cookies,hardware wallets and much, much more.As a rule, your credit cards, which browsers keep so carefully, are located in the autocomplete lines.All other information such as billing can also be extracted from the log taken from your PC.
The most insidious way - these are phishing authorization sites.I'll give you a simple example: your iCloud ran out of storage space, and you wanted to buy additional space in the cloud.You logged into safari on your iPhone and entered an icloud request.You click on the first link in the search results, this is what everyone would do, even me.This link was an advertisement, but the domain was original, the ORIGINAL CARL!!!Next, you are redirected to an icloud-type authorization page icloud.scamdomen.com you enter your login details, you are asked to enter a confirmation code on your device, you confirm, that's all.You can say goodbye to your Apple ID and iCloud for at least a month, because hackers will get into your apple ID, delete your devices, change your password and phone number.And then they start using your information, connected payment methods, viewing your photos and videos, studying your notes, applications, and so on.As a result, Apple ID support will restore your Apple ID, but only after a month.
Now we have looked at the most popular ways to steal your data, in my next posts I will try to analyze each category separately so that you better understand how to protect yourself. Now let's talk about the safety recommendations.I understand that half of what I'm going to say is actually corny, and you know it without me, but nevertheless, it works and provides you with protection.
-Do not use the same password on different services
-Do not specify your first name, last name, date of birth in the password
-Use at least 12 characters in the password, using special characters
-If possible, use only prepaid cards with a known balance to pay at unfamiliar stores/locations
-If possible, do not use the standard autofill functions for usernames and passwords on a PC and smartphone, use only specialized applications in which you can install two-step verification.
-If possible, use a two-step verification
-Use only licensed software
-Install and use antivirus software on your computer and smartphone
-Do not download files to your computer and smartphone from unknown sources
I would like to end this post with this, I hope this information will be useful for you.Take care of yourself and your loved ones!

LinkedIn can be a sales goldmine when used strategically.

Among all the social media platforms out there, LinkedIn stands out as the go-to platform for professional social networking.

But with over 900 million people using it, how do you stand out?
It requires more than a compelling bio and a polished profile image.
Do You Know??

According to the latest statistics, 40 million people use LinkedIn every week to search for jobs, and three people a minute are hired on the site.

This article will cover:

1. Keywords
2. Headlines
3. Profile completeness
4. Job title optimisation /Work Experience
5. URL Optimization

What Is LinkedIn SEO?

How Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) works for LinkedIn???

LinkedIn SEO is all about optimizing your profile and content to boost your visibility and ranking, offering a myriad of opportunities for career progression, business networking, and establishing a prominent presence within your industry.
When you fine-tune your profile’s headline summary, work experience, and skills section with specific keywords, you can boost the likelihood of appearing in LinkedIn’s search results.
Imagine someone searching for specific keywords or skills related to your professional background – a well-optimized profile significantly increases the chances of your profile being featured in their search results.
On top of that, LinkedIn profiles can also show up in traditional search engine results pages (SERPs) like Google, expanding your online presence.
Beyond profile optimization, the impact of SEO extends to your content. LinkedIn posts and, particularly, articles have the potential to rank within LinkedIn’s search engine, showcasing your expertise within the platform.
Furthermore, these articles, with their long-form nature and valuable insights, can also rank on traditional search engines, leveraging LinkedIn’s high domain authority for increased visibility both on and off the platform.

Why You Need to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile:

An optimized LinkedIn profile is one where every part of your personal profile is filled out and shows audiences what you do, who you are, and what you are an expert in.

This helps your profile rank higher in LinkedIn searches and builds trust among those who might want to connect or follow you.

Do You Know??
Even more compelling? Some 44% of LinkedIn users earn more than $75,000 a year. That’s a considerable bump up from the national median income of $68,703 per household.
Let's Dive in:

6 steps to help improve your LinkedIn SEO optimization for better results.

Step 1: Keywords.

A keyword is a word or phrase that searchers enter into a search engine. Learn more about Keyword Research. Examples of keywords and phrases include:
Example:
In seo bint e jamil, 'Digital Marketing Manager' is the keyword.

• Freelance Digital Marketer
• Certified Digital Marketer
• Best Digital Marketer

For LinkedIn, create a list of 7-10 words or terms that your ideal client would use when searching for the service you offer. For example:

• SEO Digital Marketer
• Digital Marketer Agency
• Digital Marketing Expert

Now, use these keywords throughout your profile in as many sections as possible, including your:

• Headline
• Role descriptions
• Skills and endorsements
• Skills and endorsements section. LinkedIn prioritises skills already in its database, so when adding a new skill, start typing it, then select the most relevant suggestion that appears.

Step 2: Profile Completeness

To rank highly your profile will need to be 100% complete, with every profile section completed. Consider using bullet points rather than paragraphs, and format the text so it’s easy to read.
Let’s take a look at what you should focus on to fully optimize your LinkedIn profile.

1: Images Optimization:

When you’re setting up your profile, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a solid profile picture.

LinkedIn can be a sales goldmine when used strategically.LinkedIn can be a sales goldmine when used strategically.

Among all the social media platforms out there, LinkedIn stands out as the go-to platform for professional social networking.

2: LinkedIn Background Photo:

Background photos are like billboards. You can use this space to show your accomplishments and awards or offer free resources.

LinkedIn Background Photo Optimization
You should also:

• Add a tagline to inform visitors about who you are and what you do
• Include your website URL and social media handles
• Include a call-to-action (CTA) or provide clear instructions on how users can get in touch with you
• Make sure you avoid placing any important information on the bottom left — it won’t be visible

3: Craft a Keyword-Rich Tagline /Headline:

Your LinkedIn headline sits just below your profile image and name. Customising your headline is not only critical for SEO, it’s also an important part of your personal brand - how people view and perceive you on the platform.

LinkedIn automatically populates your headline with your current or most recent position – however, you have the option to customise it. Remember, you want the headline to create an informative and impactful snapshot of yourself.
Linkedin Headline Optimization
When creating your headline:

• Include your role title
• Include your industry
• Include your specialty
• Use all of the 120 characters available
• Steer clear of emoji use

Headline Example:

For a digital marketing manager, a similarly optimized tagline could be, "Innovative Digital Marketing Strategies to Elevate Your Brand's Presence" — placing the target keyword "Digital marketing strategies" prominently at the start.

4. Featured Posts on LinkedIn

The Featured section on LinkedIn is a space on your profile where you can highlight important content.

LinkedIn Featured Section
It’s near the top, below your photo and headline. You can use this section to showcase:

• Articles or blog posts you’ve written
• Videos
• Images, graphics, or infographics
• Documents, like case studies or whitepapers
• Testimonials or other achievements

Featured content isn’t permanent, so you can change it up to include new content as regularly as you like!

5.Create a Compelling “About” Section

The About section is the meat of your Company page. Here, you have the space to go into more detail, telling the story of your brand and naturally incorporating relevant keywords throughout.

About Us LinkedIn SEO
Here are some components to consider including in your About section:

• Your brand vision. Articulate the impact your company aspires to have.
• Mission statement. Use action-oriented language to describe how you plan to achieve your vision.
• Company values. Articulate your brand values to showcase your company culture and principles.
• Brand differentiators. Clarify your brand’s positioning to differentiate your company and its offerings from competitors.
• Products and/or services. Provide short overviews of your main offerings using clear, searchable terms.

Here’s an example of the beginning of an About section for a data analytics company:

At ABC Company, we democratize data analytics, enabling businesses of all sizes to unlock insights through our intuitive, AI-powered analytics platform.

Finally, you can add in some “Top skills” as a way to remind readers what your services are. This also presents another opportunity to add in your keywords.

6.Work Experience

When I’m looking at someone’s experience section on LinkedIn, I’m looking to see if they meet the criteria of the role beyond a job title. Their job duties and achievements give me a better understanding of their scope of knowledge and specific skill sets this role needs.

LinkedIn “Work Experience” section

Fields for LinkedIn experience entries

Each position on LinkedIn has a combination of required (*) and optional fields:

Required fields for LinkedIn Work Experience entries

Title*

List your position title, including any relevant keywords. Sometimes job titles benefit from being revised for common searches.
Example: "Content Marketing Manager" might be more search-friendly than "Manager, Marketing Content."

Company name*

Many companies already have a company profile on LinkedIn and will autocomplete from the LinkedIn Company Page in the dropdown as you type.

Employment dates*

This is usually shown by a start and end date. If you’re currently working in the role, click “I am currently working in this role” and it will automatically list your end date on your profile as “Present.”

Industry*

This doesn’t display on your profile. Select the best match and keep going.

Optional fields for LinkedIn Work Experience entries

The profile gets much more interesting with the additional, optional work experience fields including:

Employment type

Location

Sharing the location can give people reviewing your profile a sense of where you’ve worked (and where you’re likely based).

Location type

Choose from On-site, Hybrid, and Remote. Showing that you have experience working in a certain capacity can be valuable to some recruiters and employers. Example: If you have a work history in remote roles, you may be a strong candidate for additional remote roles.
Description
This is a written summary, usually two or three sentences long, that allows you to show your job duties, achievements, and expertise. By including relevant information with a few highlights and key accomplishments, you can improve your odds as a job seeker.
Pro tip: To further optimize your LinkedIn profile, consider using ChatGPT for your LinkedIn summary.

7.URL Optimization

LinkedIn allows you to personalise your URL, changing it from the automated URL, which is usually quite long and contains a random assortment of numbers. Upon updating make sure you update your email signature, business cards and other marketing collateral.
URL Optimization in LinkedIn SEO

• Standard URL example (not optimised): https://www.linkedin.com/in/seo-bint-e-jamil323389/
• Custom URL example (optimised): https://www.linkedin.com/in/seo-bint-e-jamil/

To change your LinkedIn public profile URL:

For LinkedIn Public Profile URL:

1. Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
   
2. Click View profile.
   
3. Click Edit public profile & URL on the right side.
   

• You’ll be redirected to the Public profile settings page.

1. Under Edit your custom URL on the right side, click the Edit icon next to your public profile URL.

• It'll be an address that looks like www.linkedin.com/in/yourname.

1. Type the last part of your new custom URL in the text box.
   
2. Click Save
   

Drive Results with LinkedIn SEO Optimization

By enhancing the different components of your LinkedIn profile page with a strategic approach to LinkedIn SEO optimization, you’ll be much more likely to appear in search results. This will go a long way toward increasing your visibility and helping drive more business opportunities. Remember that SEO isn’t just a one-time effort, but rather an ongoing process that requires regular attention and updates to deliver your desired results.

Hello all.
I read and re-read the published article, "Signed. Sealed. Delivered. CGC and JSA Now Offering Combined Services for Comics!" that was posted on May 7, 2024.
There were plenty of questions I had that were answered in this article, but it also left me with concerns regarding signed comic books that have already been authenticated by JSA at events and possible permanent price changes that could negatively affect fans who go to these events to get their comic books signed.
Signed. Sealed. Delivered. CGC and JSA Now Offering Combined Services for Comics! CGC (cgccomics.com)
Below, I have copied and pasted a paragraph that stood out to me from this article:
"If your autographed collectible has a JSA WPP sticker on it, you should select “CGC Grading” as your submission type and “JSA Autograph Authentication” as an add-on service when filling out the CGC online submission form. JSA autograph authentication fees still apply because JSA must reverify the authenticity of the autograph and JSA WPP sticker. If the autograph and JSA WPP sticker are genuine, your comic will be automatically encapsulated with the CGC Signature Series label, which will identify the signer’s name and the date signed. This information, along with a notation that the signature was witnessed by JSA, will also be displayed in the grader notes on the CGC website."
1) One of my concerns regarding the paragraph above from the FAQ section is the pricing to get these already verified comics submitted to CGC for encapsulation.
Last September, I attended a Comic-Con and had a number of comic books signed by artists and writers. Rather than have them witnessed by a CGC affiliate, I went and had them verified by JSA where they implanted the JSA WPP sticker on the inside cover of the comic book as well as providing a basic certification card that has a certification number for JSA's database.
For each of those books I had verified, it cost me $10. That number may not seem like a lot, but if you had a number of signed books as I had on that day, it totaled out to a big amount to get authenticated. I understand as well that it was a personal choice to get these books authenticated by JSA, but at the time, it was feasible considering it was an affordable option versus using a CGC affiliate that charges $10-$20 per signature depending on the person(s) signing and an additional $10-$20 per book for their witnessed services.
Let's not forget the $45 fee it costs to submit books to CGC for a signature series label and the $20 return shipping.
So, let's get to the point of my concern regarding CGC's new policy when it comes to getting these authenticated books submitted for “re-verification” and grading.
In my opinion, paying $25 to CGC to have JSA "re-verify" the authenticity of the autograph and their JSA WPP sticker is excessive because the customer already paid $10 for their services at the event it was originally authenticated.
The certification number on the WPP sticker should be readily available in JSA's database to verify the authenticity (assuming that it is organized and logged) and the price should be much, much lower than $25.
A suggestion I have is that there should be two options in the "Add-On" section for JSA signatures. The first option, "JSA Autograph Authentication", should be for comic books that do not have the WPP sticker, and the fee would be $25 since the signature will be authenticated for the first time.
Then a new category for comic books that have the WPP sticker inside the book should be called "JSA Authenticated Signature". The second option would inform CGC that JSA had previously verified the signature at a previous event since the WPP sticker is located inside the book.
This particular tier should cost between $5-$10 since the customer already paid $10 for the authentication at the event. Now, this is just a suggestion and in no way am I demanding this to be official, but it doesn't feel right to have to pay $25 for a service that has already been provided.

1. My other concern is this new feature that has been added to the grading process: JSA Autograph Grade. I'm not sure how exactly CGC and JSA are going to go about grading the signature whether it is by their penmanship, the type of utensil used, etc.

If this new feature becomes paramount in terms of valuing graded comic books, I can imagine how it can negatively affect fans that go to these events to get their comic books signed by their favorite creators.
Now, I am aware that this new feature is optional, but with the addition of JSA, it is my strong belief that creators and their team will take advantage of this opportunity to increase prices on their signatures for capital gain (meaning that creators might take this as an opportunity to provide less favorable signatures for fans unless the fans are paying a premium with the intent for signature grading).
I am all for supporting the creators of the comic industry, but fans should not have to suffer increased prices because of this new feature.
Again, these are just concerns that have been floating around in my head since the release of this article and I wanted to voice it on here. I understand that my second concern is simply hypothetical, but history has proven time and time again that when companies and people can capitalize on making money, they will do so 100% of the time.

Wing and a Prayer part 1
Atodine Space Academy, West Wing
Zrieri made her way down the academy hallway. The feathers around her neck were ruffled with annoyance. It was bad enough for a student to show up late for class, but for a professor it was even worse. Still, it was unavoidable given the situation. Zrieri paused to smooth down her feathers before entering the classroom. The chattering between the students quickly fell off as she walked into the room. Zrieri walked with purpose to the podium in front of the class.
“My apologies for my tardiness.” Zrieri said after switching the large display behind her from idle to the presentation file she had prepared. “Let us begin with today’s lesson.”
The Rachanit, an advanced spacefaring species, marked the first contact between the Atodine people and an alien civilization. These insectoid beings, despite their initially unsettling appearance, exuded an apparent friendliness that led to a request for trade and the establishment of an embassy on Atodine Prime. Though the leaders initially hesitated, they eventually consented, allowing the Rachanits to settle into an embassy with minimal disruption. However, as time progressed, a chilling realization began to seep through the cracks of diplomatic pretense.
People began mysteriously disappearing in the vicinity of the Rachanit embassy, prompting suspicions of foul play. These suspicions were confirmed when a civilian inadvertently stumbled upon undeniable evidence of the Rachanits' true nature as a carnivorous species. It became abundantly clear that the embassy had served as a sinister testing ground for assessing their efficacy at hunting and consuming Atodine flesh.
Shortly after this alarming discovery, the Rachanits discarded any lingering pretense and declared a full-blown war against us. In the face of this unforeseen aggression, the Atodine were thrust into a protracted and grueling defensive battle. However, throughout the course of this conflict, a glimmer of hope emerged.
The Atodine, tenacious and resourceful, managed to acquire first hand knowledge of the Rachanits' spacecraft technology. Each skirmish and engagement became an invaluable lesson in the art of combating these formidable adversaries. Despite the odds stacked against them, the Atodine successfully repelled the Rachanits' attacks, preventing them from reaching their vulnerable homeworld.
An unintended consequence of their resistance would prove enlightening, if somewhat terrifying. Upon salvaging the wreckage of Rachanit spacecraft, it became apparent that their empire sprawled across vast reaches of space, far eclipsing anything the Atodine could fathom. The asymmetry in size and power was stunningly conspicuous, rendering the Atodine acutely aware of the inevitable disparity they faced.
Nevertheless, the Rachanits remained unwavering in their singular focus: the utter annihilation of Atodine fleets. It was unmistakable that their intent was to obliterate any possibility of retaliation or counterattack. The Atodine, fully cognizant of their limitations, dedicated themselves to fortifying their defenses with renewed fervor, continually refining their strategies and capabilities.
At the heart of this epic cosmic struggle laid Atodine Prime, the cherished nest world of the Atodines. Suspended in the delicate balance between preservation and potential devastation, it has become both a symbol and a stronghold where the fate of an entire civilization hung in the balance. The echoes of battle reverberated through its valleys and mountains, its cities, and countryside, as the Atodine brace themselves against the relentless onslaught of their enigmatic and carnivorous foe.
After meticulously sifting through an extensive array of data harvested from numerous Rachanit ship databases, a comprehensive star map has emerged, painting a detailed picture of the systems strategically occupied by these enigmatic beings and the array of species they subjugated under their oppressive rule. Amidst the disturbing revelations, one unsettling discovery stood out among all others; the de-sentience and complete objectification of certain species that were tragically reduced to nothing more than mere livestock, subjected to unimaginable suffering and exploitation at the hands of their Rachanit overlords.
However, the latest influx of information procured directly from the Rachanits themselves shed light on particular systems that starkly diverged from their controlled territories. These exceptional star systems were distinctly demarcated as a desolate dead zone, an eerie aberration within the otherwise vast web of domains firmly under Rachanit control.
The absence of their iron grip in this particular region raised eyebrows among the Atodine research team, prompting a flurry of questions and stirring curiosity about the secrets it may hold. Why were these particular systems omitted from the domineering reach of the Rachanits? What significance did it hold in the grand tapestry of their galactic conquest? Such queries fueled the Atodine determination to dig deeper into this enigmatic anomaly, propelling us further into uncharted territory where answers awaited our unwavering investigation.
Atodine Orbital Station, Hangar 3
“This is the ship?” Zrieri's concern was evident in her voice as she confronted the chief scientist about the makeshift spacecraft.
With a mix of curiosity and skepticism, she questioned whether this mixture of Rachanit scrap and their own technology would truly suffice for the journey to the Dead Zone. As Zrieri ran her feathered hands across the hull, one couldn't help but sense her apprehension. Krenuk, the lead researcher, was slightly irritated by Zrieri's doubt, puffed up his feathers in annoyance before responding.
“I assure you, the ship is completely space worthy. Yes there has been extensive use of recycled materials, but do not doubt my personal expertise in shipbuilding.”
Zrieri chuckled at his indignation, but bowed slightly in apology.
“This ship is not just a crude amalgamation of resources.” Krenuk continued. “It is a carefully crafted vessel. What's more, it is equipped with a functioning faster than light, or FTL drive.”
Zrieri looked back to the ship. “I wasn’t aware we had finally unlocked that secret from the Rachanit.”
The chief scientist shifted his stance. “We have come to an understanding of the underlying fundamentals of FTL travel. In this case, however, the ship is utilizing a drive salvaged from a Rachanit craft. We are hopeful with the maiden flight to gather enough data to construct our own FTL drives moving forward.” Krenuk's expression turned grave. “This is, however, more than just a test flight. The purpose of venturing into this so-called Dead Zone is to unravel the mystery surrounding it.” He smoothed down the feathers around his neck before continuing. “The Rachanits, either out of fear or some deliberate choice, avoid this area altogether. It’s crucial to investigate why.”
“Do we know anything at all about this area of space other than the Rachanit avoid it like an irradiated wasteland?”
“The truth is, our knowledge of this system is limited beyond major celestial bodies. The dead zone has remained shrouded in enigma despite our attempts to probe the area.”
“Thus, the decision to construct the spacecraft using any salvageable materials we could find.”
“We are making do with what we have. Materials are scarce with the war effort and the loss of most of our off-world resources.” Krenuk folded his feathered hands behind his back. “At the very least, it’s a more robust vehicle than our first star-fliers boarded to enter space.”
Zrieri was raised as a chick on the stories of the early star-fliers. It was part of the reason she had joined the Starcorps. Zrieri was also aware that not all of those brave pathfinders returned home to Atodine Prime. She realized she was now taking the same kind of risks as her predecessors, not simply for knowledge and technological advancement, but to save her people.
“I just hope that this improbable combination of Rachanit scrap and our own technology will get us the answers we need.” she said, gently patting the hull of the ship. “So, what is the ship’s name?”
***
Three hours later the experimental craft, freshy christened Voidflyer, lifted out the hangar bay and made its first flight into space.
Zrieri worked through the controls making sure everything was in working order. She could trust the main proposition systems at least. The station crew had stocked up Voidflyer with plenty of supplies, enough to last her months out in space if necessary. Zrieri meticulously performed her routine checks on the myriad of controls in the cockpit. She was familiar with the controls as it had been ripped right out of a VF-70, the Atodine main-line fighter craft. With her checks complete, Zrieri reached out to command to request the necessary clearance for her imminent departure.
All systems seemed to be functioning optimally, or at least all of the systems that originated from her own civilization. Something was wrong with the FTL navigation system. Zrieri was puzzled by the unexpected errors that began to populate the display screen after entering the coordinates. Her curiosity was further peaked when she realized that the information was being presented in the intricate and alien Rachanit script. The computer was supposed to translate any information into the Atodine language, yet for some reason the error messages seemed to be bypassing the translation subsystems. She was completely unfamiliar with Rachanit, meaning she couldn’t easily diagnose whatever the problem was.
That didn’t mean she was about to give up. The determined pilot carefully retrieved the dataslate of documents Krenuk had provided earlier. Leafing through them diligently, she sought to extract any useful insights that might shed light on this perplexing predicament. Each line and every cryptic symbol on those ancient pages demanded her complete attention and scrutiny. Guided by a resolute spirit, Zrieri cautiously maneuvered through the constrained confines of the spacecraft, making her way towards the heart of its technological prowess, the FTL drive.
A testament to Atodine ingenuity, this intricate piece of alien machinery was somehow interfaced with their own spacefaring technology. It was far from a simple hack-job, but it was obvious a lot of improvising had been done in the integration of disparate technologies. But beyond the integration into the Voidflyer, There was an entire custom built monitoring system added on to observe it in action and gather as much data as possible. It held the key to hyper-dimensional travel capabilities for the Atodine civilization.
With utmost care, she unscrewed a side panel from its sturdy casing. Zrieri was aware how rarely any drive system survived the destruction of the ship it was housed in. The fact the FTL drive had been recovered intact was almost enough to make the Atodine thank the long abandoned gods of her people, because it was a miracle. After exposing the complex network of circuitry and delicate crystalline cards that lay within, Zrieri placed a data slate adjacent to the humming drive.
She concentrated her focused gaze upon each of the crystalline cards, meticulously examining their arrangement and configuration. Taking solace in Krenuk's meticulous notes that he had shared, which documented his extensive research on the craft's inner workings, Zrieri embarked on an arduous task of ascertaining the precise function of each card and testing them. Weighing each possibility with both caution and precision, she soon encountered one card that baffled even the seasoned researcher.
Summoning her audacity and expertise, Zrieri delicately removed this enigmatic card from its designated slot. Strangely, this caused no obvious change in the gentle humming of the drive. She ran a diagnostic, or at least that’s what the program was labeled as. According to Krenuk's notes, the readouts indicated the drive was in working order.
The Rachanit went as far as to put a lock-out chip in the drive itself to keep away from the Dead Zone. I wonder, is it because of some kind of suicidal curiosity in their warriors, or is it really that dangerous?
Zrieri pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind as she closed the access panel. She placed the crystalline card into a padded box and stored it in a nearby equipment locker before retreating back to the familiar comfort of her seat. Zrieri’s feathered hands flowed over the control console, preparing the ship once more for the jump to FTL. She cautiously reentered the complex matrix of coordinates that would lead them to the elusive enemy-free expanse of space.
Before hitting the final conformation, Zrieri looked out at her home of Atodine Prime, then out into the starry void. She thought back to Janaria , the first Atodine to enter space, whose pod ultimately did not survive reentry. Now Zrieri found herself about to take the same kind of risk.
One way or another, I’ll be joining you in the history files, Janaria. Zrieri reached out and engaged the FTL drive.
This time, to her immense relief and satisfaction, the powerful FTL drive seamlessly spooled up, producing a mesmerizing cascade of energy that gracefully enveloped the small craft. With a surge of anticipation, Zrieri expertly guided her vessel through the dazzling vortices of swirling cosmic energies, initiating the seamless transition into the space fold. As the ship disappeared into the rippling fabric of the universe, an exhilarating wave of accomplishment washed over Zrieri.
Was this what it felt like when Janaria first pushed past the atmosphere and looked down on Atodine Prime? She wondered.
Dead Zone, System 001
The Voidflyer emerged from Hyperspace, only to be greeted with the sudden blare of the proximity alarm. The klaxon reverberated through the cockpit, causing Zrieri's heart to lurch. Her instincts kicked in immediately, the adrenaline-fueled surge urging her into swift action. Looking at the main screen, she found herself face to face with a colossal object, ominously positioned right at her Hyperspace lane exit point. A collision seemed inevitable, a disaster looming on the horizon. However, Zrieri was chosen for this mission for a reason. Her years of piloting experience and natural dexterity came to the fore as she deftly maneuvered the ship, skillfully navigating her way around the massive obstacle. With mere centimeters to spare, she managed to avert catastrophe, her pulse still racing with the close call.
But little did she know that the challenge was far from over. As she glided further through the cosmic expanse, her sensors pinged multiple objects all in close proximity to her small ship. This time, Zrieri knew she couldn't rely solely on her reflexes and luck to navigate what had to be a debris field. Instead she had to execute precise calculations and strategic movements to avoid a potentially devastating impact. Mid-action, countless variables raced through her mind as Zrieri quickly mapped out a course, but didn’t have time for the computer to double check it. She carefully dodged and weaved through the treacherous path, desperately seeking a clear passage to safety. Finally, Zrieri managed to break free from the seemingly endless maze of debris that had been her welcoming committee.
Zrieri took a moment to collect herself, before gently guiding the ship away from the wreckage. This allowed her to survey the scene with a mix of trepidation and curiosity. A thorough scan followed, revealing a disconcerting sight. Much of the shattered fragments and twisted metal matched the unmistakable signature of Rachanit ships. The distinctive marks and faded insignias were evident, signifying the remnants of what must have once been a formidable fleet. However, some of the debris appeared significantly older, betraying the passage of time and hinting at past encounters. It was as though Zrieri had stumbled upon a graveyard of battles long forgotten.
Yet, amidst the mangled wreckage of Rachanit derelicts, the scan brought forth an unsettling revelation. Interspersed among their battered Rachanit ships, were vessels of an entirely unknown origin. Even in their destroyed state, these unidentified ships possessed an air of mystique and promise. Unlike their counterparts, they seemed remarkably intact, their hulls still retaining a semblance of functionality. They were enigmas within the chaos, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the already intricate tapestry of cosmic intrigue that enshrouded Zrieri's surroundings.
With a careful hand, Zrieri adjusted the heading of her vessel. She maneuvered the sleek and agile Voidflyer back into the sprawling debris field, if at a much reduced velocity. Her desire for a closer examination of the mysterious unknown derelicts overwhelmed her, urging her to explore the unknown. As Zrieri drew closer, she flicked a switch, activating the floodlights that adorned the exterior of the Voindflyer. The resulting luminosity revealed a distinctively boxy design amidst the dilapidated wreckage, catching her attention instantly.
However, it was not just the peculiar shape that captured Zrieri's focus; it was a symbol etched onto the hull that truly intrigued her. It depicted a blue sphere covered with equally vibrant green shapes, all of which was accentuated by bold and striking white markings. Puzzled, Zrieri directed her scrutiny towards the battered and scored black hull, contemplating its origins and purpose. Seeking answers, she turned her gaze towards the consoles of the Voidflyer, hoping that her ship's computer could assist her in uncovering the enigmatic text adorning the derelict.
To her surprise, the ship's computer managed to decipher and translate the cryptic message emblazoned on the hull, revealing two significant pieces of information. First, the text read "UNSD Providence," a name that indicated the derelict was once a formidable heavy cruiser. Fascinated by this unexpected revelation, Zrieri felt her curiosity deepen even further. Delving into her thoughts, she contemplated the implications of discovering a seemingly abandoned spaceship amidst the wreckage-filled void.
Despite her enthusiasm, a hint of caution tinged Zrieri's decisions as she carefully piloted the Voidflyer closer to the drifting hulk. Her gaze fixed upon what appeared to be a docking port, offering a potential connection point between the two vessels. However, her uncertainty regarding the compatibility of the Voidflyer's own docking port with that of the Providence caused a momentary hesitation to grip her. The last thing she desired was to initiate a risky and potentially hazardous docking process. Yet, as Zrieri observed the Providence more attentively, she noticed an intriguing detail — the seemingly dormant vessel still retained a glimmer of power. This revelation sparked a flicker of hope within her adventurous spirit. Against her initial reservations, Zrieri's gaze fixated upon the extended docking port of the Providence, reaching out as if inviting the Voidflyer to establish a connection. The juxtaposition of uncertainty and possibility warred within her as she weighed the risks and rewards, ultimately poised to make a daring decision that could potentially reshape her journey.
As Zrieri expertly maneuvered the sleek Voidflyer closer to the Providence docking port, her eyes widened with surprise as she noticed that the aliens' docking mechanism perfectly aligned with her ship's. It was a rare stroke of luck amidst the inhospitable reaches of space. Strapping on her trusty space suit and securing her helmet, she prepared herself for the treacherous journey ahead. With a resolute determination, Zrieri made her way towards the airlock, the gateway into the unidentified vessel. As she stepped inside the airlock, her eyes immediately fixed upon the readout, which displayed alarming details. Multiple breaches in the hull of the Providence had resulted in a vacuum and complete absence of gravity within its confines. However given how long the derelict had been adrift neither condition was altogether surprising.
A sense of inconvenience filled the air, as Zrieri grumbled to herself about her distaste for weightlessness while deftly cycling the airlock. She remembered how unpleasant that part of her training had been at the academy. The airlock opened, revealing a disconcerting spectacle before her. The interior of the ship was shrouded in blinking red emergency lighting, amplifying the eerie atmosphere that enveloped her. The fact that there was still reserve power left spoke volumes of the ship design. Uncertain of the path that lay ahead, Zrieri cautiously embarked upon the red-lit corridor, her senses heightened with each tentative step of her gravtalons.
Along her journey through the labyrinthine passageway, she encountered various rooms, some preserved in a state of integrity while others ominously opened up to the unforgiving empty void of space. Each room silently bearing witness to the mysterious events that had unfolded within the bowels of the derelict vessel. Finally, reaching the end of the corridor, Zrieri's keen eyes caught sight of a vertical shaft ascending above her. An upward path beckoned her, promising a potential answer to the enigmatic depths of the ship.
Caution prevailing over curiosity, Zrieri meticulously marked her previous locations, ensuring that she wouldn't succumb to the disorienting expanse of this forsaken place. Her determination echoed through the corridor as she muttered to herself, vowing not to lose her way amidst this derelict maze. She turned off her gravtalons and began to ascend the shaft with a blend of nimbleness and concentration.
Zrieri eventually reached the pinnacle, only to be confronted by a formidable pair of sealed doors. A glimmer of frustration danced across her features as she tirelessly attempted to budge them, employing every ounce of her strength. Yet, fate seemed to conspire against her, refusing to grant access to the secrets that lay beyond those imposing barriers. Undeterred by this setback, resolve surged through her being as she descended back down the shaft, propelled by an unwavering determination to discover a tool that could pry open those obstinate doors.
Zreini retraced her steps down the cold, dimly lit shaft, her mind focused on finding a solution to the sealed doors blocking her path. Every step echoed against the metallic walls as she scanned her surroundings, desperately seeking an object that could serve as a makeshift pry bar. After what felt like an eternity, her eyes caught a glimmer of hope, a long piece of metal hidden among the debris. Without hesitation, she snatched it up, feeling the weight and sturdiness it held. Ascending the shaft once again, Zreini's determination grew as she approached the sealed doors.
With a determined expression, she inserted the metal bar between the unforgiving panels, channeling every ounce of her strength into prying them apart. The doors resisted stubbornly, as if mocking her efforts.
Frustration bubbling inside her, she muttered aloud, "Stubborn doors!" her words swallowed by the vast emptiness of the ship's corridors.
Yet, Zreini refused to yield. Summoning her resolve, she persisted, pouring all her energy into forcing the doors open. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of exertion, the doors relented, reluctantly sliding apart. Yet, victory came at a price. Caught off guard by their sudden movement, Zreini stumbled, crashing into the cold bulkhead opposite the opening. The impact sent the metal bar flying in the opposite direction, clattering noiselessly as it bounced against the floor and out into the void.
Ignoring the ache in her shoulder and the taste of defeat lingering in her beak, Zreini straightened herself, reaching up to adjust her helmet. Her gaze fixed upon the widened door opening, curiosity mingling with anticipation as she peered into the darkness beyond. It didn't take long for realization to dawn upon her. She had discovered the bridge of the Providence, or rather, what was left of it. The telltale signs of Rachanit weaponry ravaged the room, leaving behind a scene of utter devastation.
Undeterred by the destruction, Zreini carefully maneuvered her way into the bridge. Her eyes scanned the remnants of what once was a bustling hub of activity, finally settling on the raised seat at its center. There, she found the remains of the Providence's captain, preserved in his breached spacesuit, desiccated but in-tact. The space mummy was still strapped into the seat. A sense of melancholy washed over her, dying to the void was a fear in every spacer’s heart. At the same time, she felt a sense of awe at the silent dedication displayed by the fallen leader, standing watch eternally as his ship drifted.
Approaching the seat with reverence, Zreini examined the captain's final resting place. Despite her eagerness to gather information, she vowed to disturb the scene as little as possible. Zreini had no clue what this species’ burial rites were, but she wanted to show nothing but respect to the fallen spacer. With delicate movements, she gently pushed the captain's arm aside, revealing a functioning screen nestled in the seat's armrest. The ship's mainframe was still functioning, at least somewhat. The last remnants of the Providence's technological spirit flickered on the screen.
Without wasting another moment, Zreini retrieved her scanner, her nimble fingers deftly navigating its interface. Its soft blue light illuminated her face as she aimed it towards the mainframe, hoping to extract any fragment of valuable information, a lifeline of knowledge hidden within the ship's core. To her surprise and relief, the scanner successfully retrieved an abundance of data, promising a glimpse into the Providence's secrets and history.
As Zreini meticulously sifted through the retrieved information, her gaze inadvertently wandered to the badge adorning the captain's chest area. Illuminated by the flickering lights, the insignia held a profound significance. She directed her scanner towards it, her curiosity demanding answers. In an instant, the translation software swiftly deciphered the inscription etched upon the badge: "Rory Parks, Commanding Officer, UNSD Providence."
The discovery sent a shiver down her spine. Names became more than mere words or titles. They embodied lives, stories, and sacrifices. Zreini couldn't help but wonder about the brave souls who once inhabited this ship, each with their own tale, now buried deep within its steel and circuitry. Motivated by preservation and a duty to honor those who came before, she transmitted the gathered data to the Voidflyers' computer, ensuring that the legacy of the UNSD Providence would not fade into oblivion.
Zreini, her expression somber and contemplative, crossed her arms as she slowly lowered herself down in front of the fallen commander. Her eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and sympathy, she spoke in a hushed yet confident voice, addressing Commander Rory Parker.
"I must admit, dear Commander, that I haven't had the opportunity to encounter your kind or, indeed, any being quite like you before," Zreini's voice carried an air of respect and reverence, as she acknowledged the uniqueness of their encounter. "But now, in this moment, fate has brought us together. From this void, you shall watch over and protect your people, forever enshrined in their collective memory, Commander Rory Parker."
With these words of farewell hanging in the air, Zreini gracefully rose from her bowed position and set off towards her trusted Voidflyer. As she made her way back, there was an uncanny synchronicity to the scene that unfolded before her. It appeared as though the UNSD Providence, the massive spacecraft that had been her destination, had been awaiting her visit. Its presence was a testament to the peculiarities of the universe, always finding ways to manifest remarkable coincidences. However, it was at this very moment, upon entering the airlock, that a disconcerting disruption shattered the tranquility.
The emergency lighting within the vessel flickered erratically, casting eerie shadows and sending shivers down Zreini's spine. A surge of anticipation coursed through her veins, hinting at something extraordinary about to unfold. Outside the confines of the airlock, Zreini's eyes widened with disbelieving awe. It seemed as though Commander Rory Parker himself stood summing near, his ghostly figure illuminated by the tumultuous illumination of the faltering emergency lights. In a poetic gesture, he raised his arm in a quiet salute, characterizing a final farewell before the lighting altogether faded into darkness, leaving Zreini alone in her bewilderment.
Startled and perplexed by what she had just witnessed, Zreini reached for her trusty light, the beam of its illumination slicing through the pervasive darkness. She meticulously scanned her surroundings, eager to uncover any trace of the enigmatic Commander Rory. But alas, there was nothingness. No signs, no traces; simply an impenetrable void. Craving answers, doubts began to swirl within her mind like a chaotic maelstrom. She checked her life support systems for any issues, but they came back all green. Was she just tired, or was it something more?
"What was that…apparition? Was it just my imagination, or was it actually the fleeting specter of the departed commander?" Zreini questioned herself amid the solitude of the airlock.
The implications of such an encounter with the ethereal world sent shivers down her spine, making her question the boundaries of reality itself. One thing she was sure of, there would be no mention of it in her report. Gathering her wits and wrestling her emotions under control, Zreini closed the airlock behind her, sealing off the mysteries that lay beyond. Stepping back into the familiar confines of her ship, she activated the cycle sequence, disconnecting from the Providence.
Slowly but surely, the Voidflyer broke free from the gravitational grip of the human vessel, propelling itself out carefully from the debris field. After the ship was safely out of any immediate danger, Zrieri engaged with the data she had meticulously gathered from the ship. She knew now the race called themselves humans and they originated on the third planet of this very system. Zreini's star charts underwent a transformation. The seamless integration of the acquired information initiated an update, revealing new cosmic coordinates within the vast tapestry of the universe.
And then, facilitated by the translation software, an unexpected revelation emerged, a message intended for the Providence, concealed amidst the data. Anchored to the coordinates that had materialized before her, a message finally unraveled, demanding her attention.
"Earth has fallen, fall back to Alpha Centauri."
The words struck at the core of Zreini's being, triggering a surge of empathy and concern. She turned her ship's sensors towards the third planet of the system. Even with the horrors of the war with the Rachanit fresh in her mind, Zrieri was not ready for what she saw. The planet was destroyed, Not just glassed from an orbital bombardment, the planet had been cracked in two, all the way to its core. Earth’s once life-giving atmosphere had been stripped away by the solar winds of its own star when its magnetic field collapsed.
“Monsters…” Zrieri whispered. With clenched fists and a resolute expression, Zreini punched in the coded star system coordinates, her voice filled with a measured determination. "I pray that this Alpha Centauri still exists, that something remains of these people! The universe needs some measure of hope at least."
Zrieri was well aware that the message she had unveiled was distressingly dated, possibly an echo from a bygone era. But it didn’t matter, she needed to know. Without hesitation, driven by the yearning for answers and the spark of hope, Zreini once again activated the FTL drive, plunging herself and her vessel into the abyssal depths of interstellar travel. The destination lay before her, shrouded in mystery
Dead Zone, System 002 (Alpha Centauri)
As the Voidflyer hurtled through hyper-dimensional space, its sophisticated translation software strained to piece together a comprehensive Lexicon from the fragments of data Zreini had managed to extract from the human spaceship. Nonetheless, before the system could complete its task, Zreini's attention was abruptly yanked away by the blaring of the proximity alarm at the hyperlane exit, signaling a looming threat.
“Not again!” she chirped as she took hold of the controls tightly.
An immense and ominous presence awaited her, and Zreini instinctively exerted all her strength, desperately maneuvering to dodge the colossal object. Even with the maneuverability of the Voidflyer and her own skill and experience, an inevitable disaster struck with full force. The Voidflyer collided with the object, scraping along her underside. Alarms and claxons rang in Zrieri’s ears before her head collided with her console, plunging her into unconsciousness.
***
When Zreini finally regained consciousness and surveyed her surroundings, she was met with a bewildering revelation: she was miraculously alive.
“I guess I won’t be meeting Janaria today after all.” She muttered as she rubbed her forehead gently.
However, the same fate could not be claimed for the crippled Voidflyer, which now lay dormant and powerless in the enshrouding darkness of the cockpit. There were numerous hull breaches, but the cockpit was still fully pressurized. Emergency power was keeping the life support systems online for the time being, but every other system seemed to be offline. Peering through the cockpit windows, her gaze fell upon a disheartening sight; a trail of coolant and vapors spiraling from her damaged vessel.
And there, in stark defiance against the backdrop of the cold celestial abyss, loomed the cause of her misfortune: an enormous, angular, obsidian ship. Its design bore a striking resemblance to that of the UNSD Providence, but what sent a shiver down Zreini's spine was the sight of the behemoth's menacing turrets trained directly upon her vulnerable craft. As if it would take more than one shot to vaporize the Voidflyer.
The implications of this encounter fueled a fearful realization within her; humanity still lingered in the cosmos. As Zreini intently studied the illuminated lettering adorning the side of the imposing vessel, She had been on smaller space stations than this singular ship. It was reminiscent in certain design elements to the Providence, and a sudden surge of urgency propelled her to hastily employ her scanner in an attempt to decipher the meaning. With bated breath, she witnessed the screen illuminate with its translation: "UNSD Relentless."
The humans were indeed present; evoking a maelstrom of emotions within her already frayed nerves. In that critical moment, the Relentless maneuvered itself alongside her ship, looming large and casting a daunting shadow over her world. Peering over the edge of her cockpit, Zreini's eyes widened as she beheld a mammoth bay door slowly creaking open, revealing a glimpse into the depths of the unknown. However, before her curiosity could be sated, she was startled by resounding thudding sounds reverberating through the wounded hull of the Voidflyer; a vivid auditory reminder of her predicament. In a matter of moments she found herself being inexorably drawn towards the embrace of the gargantuan Relentless.
The sensation of gravity returning to her body was comforting as she came under the sway of the Relentless’ gravity generators. The flood of bay lights cut through the darkness like beacons, illuminating the once-desolate interior of the cockpit and exposing a bustling hive of activity within the bay. Zreini swiftly deduced that her unintended collision with the Relentless had triggered an alarm within its crew, setting in motion their rescue efforts. Without delay or fanfare, the distorted remnants of the Voidflyer were delicately lowered onto the solid floor of the bay; an act of careful precision amid the tumultuous events unfolding.
Zreini gingerly unstrapped herself from her seat, a jolt of pain coursing through her as she realized that something was painfully broken. Waves of discomfort radiated from her ribcage, making it excruciating to take even the slightest breath, while her right leg throbbed mercilessly, rendering it unable to bear any weight. Determined to escape her crippled vessel, she mustered all the strength she could find and stumbled towards the airlock. Summoning the last vestiges of her energy, Zreini desperately pulled off a side panel, revealing the emergency locks securing the doors. With trembling fingers, she released them, the clunking sound echoing in the confined space. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Zreini exerted what little force she could muster to push open the inner door.
The dank air of the airlock greeted her as she did the same with the outer door, its resistance ultimately giving way to a pneumatic hiss. Peering into the expansive bay beyond, Zreini's eyes widened at the sight that met her gaze. A group of humans, clad in formidable armored spacesuits, stood before her, their weapons ominously trained on her battered form. A rush of adrenaline coiled within her, propelling her senses to heightened alertness. Just as panic threatened to consume her, a voice pierced through the tense silence, commanding the armed human contingent to stand down. Instantly obeying the authoritative command, they lowered their weapons, revealing a glimmer of hope within Zreini's battered soul. Yet, before she could extend her gratitude or even gather her thoughts coherently, Zreini succumbed to the relentless darkness tugging at the edges of her consciousness. Her frail form succumbed to the physical and emotional trauma, surrendering to oblivion.

Downloads

Stable - Gaiman (Recommended)

Android, Linux, OS X, Windows

Experimental (Not recommended)

Automated Installation

Catapult Game Launcher (3rd party, pretty convenient, more details in the link)
CDDA Game Launcher (3rd party, pretty convenient, more details in the link)

Manual Installation

Android, Linux, OS X, Windows
iOS

Compiling Guide

Controls (not up to date, controls for mobile can vary)

Helpful Guides

• Item Database
• Skill Training (Siersha - up to date for build #10626)
• Modding
• Detailed Guide (mlangsdorf)
• Quickstart Guide (DracoGriffin & AMurkin)
• Improved Text Readability (Bilb0)
• Tutorials
• Video Guide (Vormithrax)
• More Video Guide (GrandpuhTy)
• Written Guide (Pr0manTwitch)

Featured Let's Players

Individuals that are currently known for playing C:DDA. List is subject to change (maintain active and current streamers), send modmail if you'd like to be added.

Player(s)	Twitch	YouTube
Vormithrax	Link	Link
TheMurderUnicorn	Link	Link
TheCritsyBear	Link	Link
RyconRoleplays	None	Link
Orange01gaming	None	Link
nonsonogiucas	None	Link
GrandpuhTy	Link	Link

Memorial

Individuals that used to play C:DDA but have gone on hiatus or stopped streaming. These are mentioned here as requested by the community for being noteworthy.

Player(s)	Twitch	YouTube
flakaby	Link	None
Pr0manTwitch	Link	None
CromulentArcher	None	Link

Semi-Multiplayer - WatchCDDA.net

WatchCDDA.net is hosted by r7st and allows for semi-multiplayer ASCII version of Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead. It can be a bit confusing to get started so make sure you check out the Instructions page for more details and join that Discord to communicate while playing. Any issues need to be expressed on WatchCDDA's Discord, not the subreddit - any troubleshooting posts will be removed.

• Requirements:
• WatchCDDA.net Account (set up is on Instructions page)
• SSH client (like PuTTY)
• Willingness to use ASCII (no tilesets yet)

FAQ

• How do I use this subreddit?

If you're new here, make sure to read through the above. Secondly, any simple questions should be confined to this weekly announcement post. If you've found a bug or a new strategy, or wondering what type of playthrough to try, you should make a separate post about those.

• Flairs? What are those?

There are two types of flairs: user flairs (which are currently customizable) and post flairs. If you make a post, make sure you're flairing it appropriately for others. There are some exclusive flairs you cannot pick but should be on the lookout for, such as:
Changelog - these posts have very informative posts regarding changes.
Fixed - these posts generally have a solution to a bug or problem.
Lastly, if you flair a post [Help Wanted] and someone answered satisfactorily, make sure to re-flair it with [Solved] so others can find the solution instead of looking through tons of posts.

• Oh no, my anti-virus says the launcher is a threat!

Antivirus products are known to detect the launcher as a threat and block its execution or delete the launcher. The reason for this is uncertain, but most likely due to a launcher component, PyInstaller, that is commonly flagged as a threat by antivirus software. A sufficient workaround is to add the launcher binary to your antivirus' whitelist, or to select the action to trust this binary when detected. More information can be found from the launcher's FAQ on Github.
If you are paranoid, you can always inspect the source code yourself and build the launcher from the source code. However, you are still likely to get false positives.

• The UI is broken or weird, is this normal?

If you think the UI isn't set up correctly, make sure to press } to access the UI Settings panel. You will be given a choice of several different styles, with "Labels" being the recommended setting for new players and "Classic" for veteran players.

• I think the subreddit should have ... or The subreddit should change ...

Great! The modteam is always looking for feedback, please make a post about your purposed change or idea and let the community decide through voting and debate. If it's something that is a bit more sensitive, please send it through modmail.

The universe is a really big place. Though it is believed to be infinite, the resources within it, however, are not...
According to the basic rules of commerce, depending on the availability of a particular resource at any given moment, its value can range from 'I'll pay you to take it' to 'I'll take both your arms, and your legs, and maybe your liver too'. Despite the advances in technology, one resource has never been successfully made more available through artificial means, resulting in the nature of the universe keeping its price at a premium. Every species owns at least one of this highly sought after resource in the form of their cradle world. To find an uninhabited world that is even mildly habitable, that can be lightly terraformed to suit one's preferences, is rare. It is more likely for one to discover a rift to an alternate reality than it is to happen across an unclaimed habitable world while exploring the universe.
Entire worlds have become commodities worth more than just the sum of the resources they contain. Emperors hold them up as prized jewels on their crown, trading the lives of millions within their populous for even a mildly habitable world located within the confines of another’s arbitrary defined territorial lines.
.
.
.
Location: Rift system connecting the Parsekian cluster to the newly accessible Orion cluster
On board the fleet ship Jonturas, Grand Admiral Hondach straightened himself out in the fleet admiral’s chair. Centered on the bridge with the captains chair moved behind and to the left of him, he was able to command the entire fleet from this position. Under his command was the entirety of the Ikarinan, his peoples, invasion fleet, the military ready fleet of the Fibulga Consortium and five war battalions along with two additional battalions for replacements. All recruited from territories he had a hand in annexing back home. They were all far from home, but every soul in the fleet knew the reason for their being here.
“We are in geosynchronous orbit Grand Admiral!” A soft squeak yells out across the room, drawing Hondachs’ attention to the largest viewscreen located on the bulkhead across from him. The myriad of smaller ones along its peripherals displayed important information such as troop counts, active squad vitals, the fleets loadout and even the lunch menu.
Hondach admires the view of the green and blue world they were currently in orbit of. A new habitable world for the taking after centuries without. The first of several hundred if the reports were accurate. Though he didn’t have any reason to doubt the surveyors, they’ve never been scandalized with bringing back false information.
“Put the system up on the main holographic display. Focus in on the planet. And can someone replace the lunch menu with a display of the status of our bio-ship.”
The displays would be updated to reflect his requests while the holographic projector descends from the ceiling. With an audible click as it locks into place, the space above everyone’s heads would light up in a spectacular spectral display of the entire system. Hondach would reach up and caress the tiny asteroids that whizzed by. He never got tired of the holographic system even after all these years. As he had requested, the view would shift such that the planet they orbited now hung just above his head. He reclines his seat, examining its splendor while taking note of the position of his fleet in orbit. Thin tendrils would reach out from his ships, slamming into the planets atmosphere, reflecting their selective orbital bombardment activities. They were few and far between, doing extremely focused devastation to not cause too much ecological damage. They wanted the planet after all, it would be a mistake to permanently damage its life supporting capabilities while eliminating the humans.
“Is the bioweapon ready for dispersal?”
“Bomber squadrons are prepped and entering low orbit sir. Ready for dispersal on your command”
Hondach stood up and took a step forward, approaching the southern pole of the planet as its display shifted overhead to compensate for his change in position. He reaches up to it, letting his fingers slip through the crust. The imagery shivering from their contact till he withdraws. Soon this world will be theirs, then the rest will follow.
“Cleanse”
With the uttering of that singular word, a multitude of points would appear across the face of the world, signifying the various distribution points for the bioweapon fashioned by his bio-ship.
With the realization that habitable worlds were a rarity in the universe, the nature of war had to change. There was no way around it. If an enemy decides to bunker themselves in, destroying the planet around them to claim it for yourself would be the same as stabbing yourself to sheathe a blade. You would be able to sheathe your blade sure, but you would also seriously injure yourself in the process. Destroying a world to kill an enemy would not only be pointless but would go against the very purpose of having waged war in the first place. As a result, new ways to fight had to be thought up, and besides falling back on the old vestige of using troops in large quantities, exotic methods of efficiently eliminating an enemy with minimal collateral damage had to be fashioned. One such method was the use of bioweapons that only targeted a specific genome structure.
Since the first human had been captured at the recently stabilized hyper link between the Parsekian and this once isolated cluster, the fleets bio-ship has been hard at work dismantling the human genome to formulate a quick death for them. The formulated bioweapon was then distributed to the carriers of his fleet and carefully loaded into their bomber squadrons for this moment.
Grand Admiral Hondach now watched as pockets of yellow fog blossomed from the various distribution points. The black specks of his bomber squadrons rise from the atmosphere, moving back to their mother ships as the fog envelopes the entire planet.
“What is the status of our troops on the surface?”
“No casualties reported since bioweapon dispersal. Observers are reporting full casualties on the human side. Fields of their soldiers lay dead sir.”
“Tell them to begin sweeping the corpses. Capture any survivors for our scientists. The corpses can be recovered for the bio ship.”
Hondach watched as his officers went about coordinating with the rest of the fleet and the armies on the surface to begin carrying out his tasks. Like a well-oiled machine, they’d strip the planet bare of its corpses and ready it for future colonization.
“Grand Admiral, Sir?”
Hondach turns to face the captain of the Jonturas, giving the stout female a nod to speak.
“We still haven’t deciphered a significant portion of the human DNA sir. Maybe we should be a little more cautious with our approach? We have the rift system now, it is under our control. None of our enemies will be able to slip by to lay claim on any of the other human worlds. The humans themselves have proven to be inferior to us technologically, there is no reason why we shouldn’t spend more time studying the abnormalities we uncovered.”
“A fair assessment Captain, but unfortunately, I do not wish to spend the rest of my life claiming one world at a time for our people. Our harvesters have scoured their entire genome structure and they have found no reason to be wary of what is yet to be deciphered. They believe most of it to be junk sequences according to their latest reports. Have you read it? No? Well I suggest you take the time to do so when you’re not too busy questioning my orders. I plan to secure my legacy with this campaign captain, do not let yourself be an obstacle, I can be a good friend for your career, or an unending nightmare.”
“Yes Admiral.” Captain Ompeck shakily nods, lowering her gaze in submission and support of her superiors orders before retreating to perform her duties.
Hondach glances back at the planet, examining the various points marked out for where troops were currently moving about on the planets surface. He clicks on one to bring up their feeds.
“Coms, patch me into this officer Lorte.”
-Down on the planets surface-
Lieutenant Lorte felt uneasy as he moved along the edge of the field. His entire company had been dropped off on this continental land mass near the equator. Each platoon having their own individualized mission, his being to secure the anchor point the humans had built for their incomplete orbital elevator. The populous here were made up of mostly engineers but they were an impressively innovative and tenacious bunch. The mechanized walking tank in his platoon bore the marks of that willful tenacity. Designed to survive a sub orbital landing without any protection whatsoever, it now had a gaping hole in its chassis where the humans had struck a blow. At least the fight didn’t last much longer after that once the bioweapon began enveloping the region.
As he paced the edge of the clearing where the humans had succumbed to the effects of the bioweapon, he notices a slight movement in the distance as a shadowy figure moved through the field of bodies and faded into the fog. For a moment, he thought he saw the figure holding on to a rather ancient farming instrument. Before he could investigate it any further, however, the Grand Admirals call signature appears across his HUD, sending a shiver down his spine.
“What is the status down there?” The Admirals voice greets him over his helmet's speakers.
“Greetings Grand Admiral, Sir. I think your coms officer must have patched you into the wrong interlink. This is lieutenant Lorte sir, not Captain Tobga. If you’d like I can get my coms officer to-“
“I contacted your platoon directly lieutenant Lorte. My coms officer didn’t get it wrong. Now, please update me on the situation on the surface as I’ve requested.”
“Ye-yes sir. Uhh..The enemy is no longer a threat sir. The bioweapon did its trick. They all fell down like flies clawing at their throats-“
“Yes yes. I do not need to hear the details of their ‘valiant’ struggles. I honestly just wanted to know if they’re all dead and if we can send down the scavengers to pick up the corpses.”
“They should be sir. I mean, I think I saw some movement but-“
“Movement? Our scanners are picking up nothing other than the life signs of our soldiers. Can you confirm that you saw movement?”
“No sir, I cannot. It might have been just an illusion. The light coming through the fog is rather distorted.”
Lorte regretted even thinking of mentioning what he thought he saw as soon as he heard the Grand Admiral let loose a long sigh over the coms. He gritted his molars, waiting for his commission to be rescinded.
“Take your platoon out across the clearing to meet up with the others of your company. We are reading their heat signatures north of your position. Get your soldiers to check the human bodies for any signs of life. Use your hands to find a pulse if you have to. I do not want any survivors to slip by unnoticed. Do you understand?”
“Yes sir, I do. I will make -click- uhh..hello? Grand Admiral? Sir?” Lorte glances over at his coms officer who shrugs sheepishly back at him. He groans, shaking his head as he begins relaying their new orders, herding his platoon out across the field and into the thick yellow fog.
As he began moving across the field, his men and women would begin firing out randomly as they spotted movements. Every moving shadow drew bursts of fire before silence washes over them once again. It was nerve wrecking, but the situation only grew worse as wind blows through, sweeping the fog aside to reveal a small contingent of humans still standing. Their hungry eyes starring back at them as their lips pull back to reveal teeth stained blue. All it took was the snap of someone stepping on dried vegetation for things to be thrown into a sudden frenzy.
-Back on the Jonturas-
Grand Admiral Hondach glances over towards the large screens where the fleets stats were being displayed. He notices a group of his bridge officers scurrying to one of the terminals as the bio-signs of several soldiers on the planet began to show problems.
“What is going on?” He queries loudly as he steps in their general direction.
“Several troopers are encountering weird phenomenon down on the surface sir” One of the officers replies as she turns around. She waves off the junior officer manning the terminal nearby, motioning them away as she transfers her terminal from her previous station to her current one.
“They are reporting bio-scanners supplying false life signs. Showing supposed neural activity in bodies long dead from the bioweapon. Medics are finding no physical life signs and commanders have taken upon themselves to shoot any bodies still showing life signs on scanners. But even still the scanners are showing sporadic signatures that can’t be identified. I am trying to get our low orbital ships to double check the readings using their sensors but that might take a little while sir.”
Hondach says nothing, nodding along to the assessment. He was amazed with the young officers initiative, taking special note to bring her up on commendations at a later date. If she showed sufficient promise, he might even see to getting her a command of her own. Who knows, maybe Captain Ompeck could be convinced to step aside before they move further into human territories. Hondach comes out of his daydream as he notices the officer and a few of her compatriots looking at him. He quickly waves his hand and nods “Continue. Your plan sounds…good.”
“Thank you…sir.”
As the officers turned their attention back to their terminals, a junior officer across the room calls out frantically.
“Sirs! Company Twelve is under attack from humans!”
“How many?”
“Unknown sir! It seems the bioweapon didn’t have any effect on any of them within the region. They just started waking up and began attacking-“
“Company fifty two is reporting a similar situation sirs!” Another voice yells out from the other end of the room.
Hondach watches as the bridge slowly erupts into a frenzy of yelling voices and growing disarray as conflicting information is being relayed around. He glances up at the world hovering above his head, watching dozens of pop up alerts begin colouring its surface as reports continued to flood in of the humans sudden reprisal. It seems his scientists might have gotten it wrong with their design of the bioweapon.
“Sirs I’ve got reports of weapons being ineffective-“
“Losses along the northern most continent are rising, we are loosing our foothold at point-“
“We just lost a shuttle craft along the-“
“Bio-scanners can’t pick up-“
“-life signs are growing erratic-“
“-movement reported at-“
“SIR!”
Hondach turns around just in time to see Captain Ompeck fall to the ground with her hands to her throat. Her pristine white uniform slowly turning blue as blood continued to seep through her fingers at an uncontrollable rate.
Her attacker stood by the bridge’s entry way, still smiling at him. Ompecks blood running down his chin and shirt as the human officer raises both of his clenched fists, displaying the armed incendiaries in his grasp. Hondach would notice the two charred blots on the humans uniform where plasma bolts had struck, presumably putting him down before he was brought up to the ship for his scientists to examine. How was it that they had missed this part of their life cycle, he did not know.
The human opens its mouth, but no words came forth for the bridge translators to work with. Just a crackle of grunts and wet squeals before it runs one hand over its own throat and points a broken digit at Hondach. It lets loose another wet cackle. Hondach watches as the human lowers both arms, pulling its lips back in a sickly display of ferocity before tossing the incendiaries in its grasp at the unaware officers still running around behind Hondach.
-On board the Bio Ship Tessius-
“We have confirmed with the Kelpeck, the explosions on the Jonturas bridge resulted in a hull rupture. Bulkheads were reported to have come down and sealed the breach, but the Grand Admiral is believed to be amongst those lost.”
Captain Grisel’Do shook her head in disbelief as the reports came in. “Any word on who is next in command?”
“Admiral Tomgat of the Fibulga consortium fleet is vying for command of the entirety of the fleet but none of the captains have yet responded. Everyone who has taken on human corpses for further studies are reporting deck to deck battles and even several of our ships who did not are reporting signs of sickness.”
“Captain? We are reporting some abnormalities within the ships ecology. There is some kind of virus running loose across the organic matrix. We’ve identified it as human in origin but we can’t identify its method of infection or source. The replicators just suddenly began spewing the viral loads out on deck fifteen where the first human captured was brought on board.”
“Well lets isolate-“
“Captain! Ensign Fogast is seizing. We need help-“
“OH MY GODS! Helsmith just bit off my fingers!”
Captain Grisel'Do turns from the sudden bloody mess towards the curious figure of a human partially digested by the ships recyclers. Its mouth opening, letting loose a sickly wet cackle.

The universe is a really big place. Though it is believed to be infinite, the resources within it, however, are not...
According to the basic rules of commerce, depending on the availability of a particular resource at any given moment, its value can range from 'I'll pay you to take it' to 'I'll take both your arms, and your legs, and maybe your liver too'. Despite the advances in technology, one resource has never been successfully made more available through artificial means, resulting in the nature of the universe keeping its price at a premium. Every species owns at least one of this highly sought after resource in the form of their cradle world. To find an uninhabited world that is even mildly habitable, that can be lightly terraformed to suit one's preferences, is rare. It is more likely for one to discover a rift to an alternate reality than it is to happen across an unclaimed habitable world while exploring the universe.
Entire worlds have become commodities worth more than just the sum of the resources they contain. Emperors hold them up as prized jewels on their crown, trading the lives of millions within their populous for even a mildly habitable world located within the confines of another’s arbitrary defined territorial lines.
.
.
.
Location: Rift system connecting the Parsekian cluster to the newly accessible Orion cluster
On board the fleet ship Jonturas, Grand Admiral Hondach straightened himself out in the fleet admiral’s chair. Centered on the bridge with the captains chair moved behind and to the left of him, he was able to command the entire fleet from this position. Under his command was the entirety of the Ikarinan, his peoples, invasion fleet, the military ready fleet of the Fibulga Consortium and five war battalions along with two additional battalions for replacements. All recruited from territories he had a hand in annexing back home. They were all far from home, but every soul in the fleet knew the reason for their being here.
“We are in geosynchronous orbit Grand Admiral!” A soft squeak yells out across the room, drawing Hondachs’ attention to the largest viewscreen located on the bulkhead across from him. The myriad of smaller ones along its peripherals displayed important information such as troop counts, active squad vitals, the fleets loadout and even the lunch menu.
Hondach admires the view of the green and blue world they were currently in orbit of. A new habitable world for the taking after centuries without. The first of several hundred if the reports were accurate. Though he didn’t have any reason to doubt the surveyors, they’ve never been scandalized with bringing back false information.
“Put the system up on the main holographic display. Focus in on the planet. And can someone replace the lunch menu with a display of the status of our bio-ship.”
The displays would be updated to reflect his requests while the holographic projector descends from the ceiling. With an audible click as it locks into place, the space above everyone’s heads would light up in a spectacular spectral display of the entire system. Hondach would reach up and caress the tiny asteroids that whizzed by. He never got tired of the holographic system even after all these years. As he had requested, the view would shift such that the planet they orbited now hung just above his head. He reclines his seat, examining its splendor while taking note of the position of his fleet in orbit. Thin tendrils would reach out from his ships, slamming into the planets atmosphere, reflecting their selective orbital bombardment activities. They were few and far between, doing extremely focused devastation to not cause too much ecological damage. They wanted the planet after all, it would be a mistake to permanently damage its life supporting capabilities while eliminating the humans.
“Is the bioweapon ready for dispersal?”
“Bomber squadrons are prepped and entering low orbit sir. Ready for dispersal on your command”
Hondach stood up and took a step forward, approaching the southern pole of the planet as its display shifted overhead to compensate for his change in position. He reaches up to it, letting his fingers slip through the crust. The imagery shivering from their contact till he withdraws. Soon this world will be theirs, then the rest will follow.
“Cleanse”
With the uttering of that singular word, a multitude of points would appear across the face of the world, signifying the various distribution points for the bioweapon fashioned by his bio-ship.
With the realization that habitable worlds were a rarity in the universe, the nature of war had to change. There was no way around it. If an enemy decides to bunker themselves in, destroying the planet around them to claim it for yourself would be the same as stabbing yourself to sheathe a blade. You would be able to sheathe your blade sure, but you would also seriously injure yourself in the process. Destroying a world to kill an enemy would not only be pointless but would go against the very purpose of having waged war in the first place. As a result, new ways to fight had to be thought up, and besides falling back on the old vestige of using troops in large quantities, exotic methods of efficiently eliminating an enemy with minimal collateral damage had to be fashioned. One such method was the use of bioweapons that only targeted a specific genome structure.
Since the first human had been captured at the recently stabilized hyper link between the Parsekian and this once isolated cluster, the fleets bio-ship has been hard at work dismantling the human genome to formulate a quick death for them. The formulated bioweapon was then distributed to the carriers of his fleet and carefully loaded into their bomber squadrons for this moment.
Grand Admiral Hondach now watched as pockets of yellow fog blossomed from the various distribution points. The black specks of his bomber squadrons rise from the atmosphere, moving back to their mother ships as the fog envelopes the entire planet.
“What is the status of our troops on the surface?”
“No casualties reported since bioweapon dispersal. Observers are reporting full casualties on the human side. Fields of their soldiers lay dead sir.”
“Tell them to begin sweeping the corpses. Capture any survivors for our scientists. The corpses can be recovered for the bio ship.”
Hondach watched as his officers went about coordinating with the rest of the fleet and the armies on the surface to begin carrying out his tasks. Like a well-oiled machine, they’d strip the planet bare of its corpses and ready it for future colonization.
“Grand Admiral, Sir?”
Hondach turns to face the captain of the Jonturas, giving the stout female a nod to speak.
“We still haven’t deciphered a significant portion of the human DNA sir. Maybe we should be a little more cautious with our approach? We have the rift system now, it is under our control. None of our enemies will be able to slip by to lay claim on any of the other human worlds. The humans themselves have proven to be inferior to us technologically, there is no reason why we shouldn’t spend more time studying the abnormalities we uncovered.”
“A fair assessment Captain, but unfortunately, I do not wish to spend the rest of my life claiming one world at a time for our people. Our harvesters have scoured their entire genome structure and they have found no reason to be wary of what is yet to be deciphered. They believe most of it to be junk sequences according to their latest reports. Have you read it? No? Well I suggest you take the time to do so when you’re not too busy questioning my orders. I plan to secure my legacy with this campaign captain, do not let yourself be an obstacle, I can be a good friend for your career, or an unending nightmare.”
“Yes Admiral.” Captain Ompeck shakily nods, lowering her gaze in submission and support of her superiors orders before retreating to perform her duties.
Hondach glances back at the planet, examining the various points marked out for where troops were currently moving about on the planets surface. He clicks on one to bring up their feeds.
“Coms, patch me into this officer Lorte.”
-Down on the planets surface-
Lieutenant Lorte felt uneasy as he moved along the edge of the field. His entire company had been dropped off on this continental land mass near the equator. Each platoon having their own individualized mission, his being to secure the anchor point the humans had built for their incomplete orbital elevator. The populous here were made up of mostly engineers but they were an impressively innovative and tenacious bunch. The mechanized walking tank in his platoon bore the marks of that willful tenacity. Designed to survive a sub orbital landing without any protection whatsoever, it now had a gaping hole in its chassis where the humans had struck a blow. At least the fight didn’t last much longer after that once the bioweapon began enveloping the region.
As he paced the edge of the clearing where the humans had succumbed to the effects of the bioweapon, he notices a slight movement in the distance as a shadowy figure moved through the field of bodies and faded into the fog. For a moment, he thought he saw the figure holding on to a rather ancient farming instrument. Before he could investigate it any further, however, the Grand Admirals call signature appears across his HUD, sending a shiver down his spine.
“What is the status down there?” The Admirals voice greets him over his helmet's speakers.
“Greetings Grand Admiral, Sir. I think your coms officer must have patched you into the wrong interlink. This is lieutenant Lorte sir, not Captain Tobga. If you’d like I can get my coms officer to-“
“I contacted your platoon directly lieutenant Lorte. My coms officer didn’t get it wrong. Now, please update me on the situation on the surface as I’ve requested.”
“Ye-yes sir. Uhh..The enemy is no longer a threat sir. The bioweapon did its trick. They all fell down like flies clawing at their throats-“
“Yes yes. I do not need to hear the details of their ‘valiant’ struggles. I honestly just wanted to know if they’re all dead and if we can send down the scavengers to pick up the corpses.”
“They should be sir. I mean, I think I saw some movement but-“
“Movement? Our scanners are picking up nothing other than the life signs of our soldiers. Can you confirm that you saw movement?”
“No sir, I cannot. It might have been just an illusion. The light coming through the fog is rather distorted.”
Lorte regretted even thinking of mentioning what he thought he saw as soon as he heard the Grand Admiral let loose a long sigh over the coms. He gritted his molars, waiting for his commission to be rescinded.
“Take your platoon out across the clearing to meet up with the others of your company. We are reading their heat signatures north of your position. Get your soldiers to check the human bodies for any signs of life. Use your hands to find a pulse if you have to. I do not want any survivors to slip by unnoticed. Do you understand?”
“Yes sir, I do. I will make -click- uhh..hello? Grand Admiral? Sir?” Lorte glances over at his coms officer who shrugs sheepishly back at him. He groans, shaking his head as he begins relaying their new orders, herding his platoon out across the field and into the thick yellow fog.
As he began moving across the field, his men and women would begin firing out randomly as they spotted movements. Every moving shadow drew bursts of fire before silence washes over them once again. It was nerve wrecking, but the situation only grew worse as wind blows through, sweeping the fog aside to reveal a small contingent of humans still standing. Their hungry eyes starring back at them as their lips pull back to reveal teeth stained blue. All it took was the snap of someone stepping on dried vegetation for things to be thrown into a sudden frenzy.
-Back on the Jonturas-
Grand Admiral Hondach glances over towards the large screens where the fleets stats were being displayed. He notices a group of his bridge officers scurrying to one of the terminals as the bio-signs of several soldiers on the planet began to show problems.
“What is going on?” He queries loudly as he steps in their general direction.
“Several troopers are encountering weird phenomenon down on the surface sir” One of the officers replies as she turns around. She waves off the junior officer manning the terminal nearby, motioning them away as she transfers her terminal from her previous station to her current one.
“They are reporting bio-scanners supplying false life signs. Showing supposed neural activity in bodies long dead from the bioweapon. Medics are finding no physical life signs and commanders have taken upon themselves to shoot any bodies still showing life signs on scanners. But even still the scanners are showing sporadic signatures that can’t be identified. I am trying to get our low orbital ships to double check the readings using their sensors but that might take a little while sir.”
Hondach says nothing, nodding along to the assessment. He was amazed with the young officers initiative, taking special note to bring her up on commendations at a later date. If she showed sufficient promise, he might even see to getting her a command of her own. Who knows, maybe Captain Ompeck could be convinced to step aside before they move further into human territories. Hondach comes out of his daydream as he notices the officer and a few of her compatriots looking at him. He quickly waves his hand and nods “Continue. Your plan sounds…good.”
“Thank you…sir.”
As the officers turned their attention back to their terminals, a junior officer across the room calls out frantically.
“Sirs! Company Twelve is under attack from humans!”
“How many?”
“Unknown sir! It seems the bioweapon didn’t have any effect on any of them within the region. They just started waking up and began attacking-“
“Company fifty two is reporting a similar situation sirs!” Another voice yells out from the other end of the room.
Hondach watches as the bridge slowly erupts into a frenzy of yelling voices and growing disarray as conflicting information is being relayed around. He glances up at the world hovering above his head, watching dozens of pop up alerts begin colouring its surface as reports continued to flood in of the humans sudden reprisal. It seems his scientists might have gotten it wrong with their design of the bioweapon.
“Sirs I’ve got reports of weapons being ineffective-“
“Losses along the northern most continent are rising, we are loosing our foothold at point-“
“We just lost a shuttle craft along the-“
“Bio-scanners can’t pick up-“
“-life signs are growing erratic-“
“-movement reported at-“
“SIR!”
Hondach turns around just in time to see Captain Ompeck fall to the ground with her hands to her throat. Her pristine white uniform slowly turning blue as blood continued to seep through her fingers at an uncontrollable rate.
Her attacker stood by the bridge’s entry way, still smiling at him. Ompecks blood running down his chin and shirt as the human officer raises both of his clenched fists, displaying the armed incendiaries in his grasp. Hondach would notice the two charred blots on the humans uniform where plasma bolts had struck, presumably putting him down before he was brought up to the ship for his scientists to examine. How was it that they had missed this part of their life cycle, he did not know.
The human opens its mouth, but no words came forth for the bridge translators to work with. Just a crackle of grunts and wet squeals before it runs one hand over its own throat and points a broken digit at Hondach. It lets loose another wet cackle. Hondach watches as the human lowers both arms, pulling its lips back in a sickly display of ferocity before tossing the incendiaries in its grasp at the unaware officers still running around behind Hondach.
-On board the Bio Ship Tessius-
“We have confirmed with the Kelpeck, the explosions on the Jonturas bridge resulted in a hull rupture. Bulkheads were reported to have come down and sealed the breach, but the Grand Admiral is believed to be amongst those lost.”
Captain Grisel’Do shook her head in disbelief as the reports came in. “Any word on who is next in command?”
“Admiral Tomgat of the Fibulga consortium fleet is vying for command of the entirety of the fleet but none of the captains have yet responded. Everyone who has taken on human corpses for further studies are reporting deck to deck battles and even several of our ships who did not are reporting signs of sickness.”
“Captain? We are reporting some abnormalities within the ships ecology. There is some kind of virus running loose across the organic matrix. We’ve identified it as human in origin but we can’t identify its method of infection or source. The replicators just suddenly began spewing the viral loads out on deck fifteen where the first human captured was brought on board.”
“Well lets isolate-“
“Captain! Ensign Fogast is seizing. We need help-“
“OH MY GODS! Helsmith just bit off my fingers!”
Captain Grisel'Do turns from the sudden bloody mess towards the curious figure of a human partially digested by the ships recyclers. Its mouth opening, letting loose a sickly wet cackle.

With caches, this protects all launches, but past the first launch of a particular executable, the overhead reduces to less than 1 millisecond (just cost to lookup from localPassList.hashes)

Says is "work in progress", https://swudususuwu.substack.com/p/howto-produce-better-virus-scanners has newest of this.
The most simple virus analysis tools just use hashes/signatures to secure us (so can understand what more complex analysis would do, have put examples of hash/signature-based analysis):
Reused pseudocodes;

typedef struct ResultList { unordered_map hashes; map signatures; /* Just has known uses for abortList. Unknown if signatures have uses for passList. */ map bytes; /* Copies of all files the database has. Uses lots of space. Just populate this for signature synthesis and to train CNS. */ /* Used `std::string` for binaries (versus `vector`) because: * "If you are going to use the data in a string like fashon then you should opt for std::string as using a std::vector may confuse subsequent maintainers. If on the other hand most of the data manipulation looks like plain maths or vector like then a std::vector is more appropriate." -- https://stackoverflow.com/a/1556294/24473928 */ } ResultList; ResultList passList, abortList; /* Stored on disk, all clients use clones of this */ ResultList localPassList; /* Temporary local caches */ bool passListHashesHas(const char *bytes) { if(localPassList.hashes.has(Sha2(bytes))) { return true; } else if(passList.hashes.has(Sha2(bytes))) { /* Slow, if billions of hashes */ localPassList.hashes.pushback(Sha2(bytes)); /* Caches results */ return true; } return false; } bool staticAnalysisPass(const PortableExecutable *this); /* To skip, define as "return true;" */ bool sandboxPass(const PortableExecutable *this); /* To skip, define as "return true;" */ bool straceOutputsPass(const char *path); /* Unimplemented, `strace()` resources have clues how to do this */ bool cnsPass(const CNS *cns, const std::string &bytes); /* To skip, define as "return true;" */ vector cnsDisinfection(const CNS *cns, const std::string &bytes); /* This can undo infection from bytecodes (restores to fresh executables) */ template maxOfSizes (Container &list) { auto it = std::max_element(list.begin(), list.end(), [](const auto& s, const auto& x) { return s.size() < x.size(); }); return it->size(); } 

Pseudocodes for hash analysis;

hook((const PortableExecutable *this) { if(passListHashesHas(Sha2(this->bytes)) { return original_launches(this); } else if(abortList.hashes.has(Sha2(this->bytes)) { return abort(); } else if(staticAnalysisPass(this)) { localPassList.hashes.pushback(Sha2(this->bytes)); /* Caches results */ return original_launches(this); } else { submitForManualAnalysis(this); return abort(); } }); 

Pseudocodes for signatures analysis;

hook((const PortableExecutable *this) { foreach(abortList.signatures as sig) { if(localPassList.hashes.has(Sha2(this->bytes)) { return original_launches(this); #if ALL_USES_HEX } else if(strstr(this->hex, sig)) { /* strstr uses text/hex; hex uses more space than binary, so you should use `memmem` or `std::search` with this->bytes */ #else } else if(std::search(this->bytes.begin(), this->bytes.end(), sig.begin(), sig.end()) { #endif /* ALL_USES_HEX */ return abort(); } } if(staticAnalysisPass(this)) { localPassList.hashes.pushback(Sha2(this->bytes)); /* Caches results */ return original_launches(this); } else { submitForManualAnalysis(this); return abort(); } }) 

Pseudocodes for fused signature+hash analysis;

hook((const PortableExecutable *this) { if(passListHashesHas(Sha2(this->bytes)) { return original_launches(this); } else if(abortList.hashes.has(Sha2(this->bytes)) { return abort(); } else { foreach(abortList.signatures as sig) { #if ALL_USES_HEX if(strstr(this->hex, sig)) { /*`strstr` does text, binaries must use `std::search` or `memem` */ #else if(std::search(this->bytes.begin(), this->bytes.end(), sig.begin(), sig.end()) { #endif /* ALL_USES_HEX */ abortList.hashes.pushback(Sha2(this->hex)); return abort(); } } } if(staticAnalysisPass(this)) { localPassList.hashes.pushback(Sha2(this->bytes)); /* Caches results */ return original_launches(this); } else { submitForManualAnalysis(this); return abort(); } }); 

To produce virus signatures, use pass lists (of all files reviewed which pass,) plus abort lists (of all files that failed manual review,) such lists as Virustotal has. Pseudocodes to produce signatures from lists;

template bool haystackHas(Container &haystack, std::string::iterator s, std::string::iterator x) { foreach(haystack as executable) { if(std::search(executable.begin(), executable.end(), s, x) { return true; } } return false; } template std::tuple smallestUniqueSubstr(std::string &needle, Container &haystack) { size_t smallest = needle.length(); auto retBegin = needle.begin(), retEnd = needle.end(); for(auto s = retBegin; needle.end() != s; ++s) { for(auto x = needle.end() - 1; s != x; --x) { if(smallest <= x - s haystackHas(haystack, s, x)) { break; } smallest = x - s; retBegin = s, retEnd = x; } } /* Incremental `for()` loops, is a slow method to produce unique substrings; should use binary searches, or quadratic searches, or look for the standard function which optimizes this. */ return {retBegin, retEnd}; } /* `signatureSynthesis()` is to produce the `abortList.signatures` list, with the smallest substrings unique to infected files. */ /* `signatureSynthes()` is slow, requires huge database of executables, and is not for clients. */ void signatureSynthesis(ResultList *passList, ResultList *abortList) { foreach(abortList.bytes as executable) { abortList->signatures.pushback(std::string(smallestUniqueSubstr(executable, passList->bytes)); } /* The most simple signature is a substring, but some analyses use regexes. */ } signatureSynthesis(passList, abortList); 

Comodo has a list of virus signatures to check against at https://www.comodo.com/home/internet-security/updates/vdp/database.php
Pseudocodes for heuristical analysis;

auto importedFunctionsList(PortableExecutable *this); /* * importedFunctionsList resources; “Portable Executable” for Windows ( https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/debug/pe-format https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Executable ), * “Extended Linker Format” for most others such as UNIX/Linuxes ( https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Executable_and_Linkable_Format ), * shows how to analyse lists of libraries(.DLL's/.SO's) the SW uses, * plus what functions (new syscalls) the SW can goto through `jmp`/`call` instructions. * * "x86" instruction list for Intel/AMD ( https://wikipedia.org/wiki/x86 ), * "aarch64" instruction list for most smartphones/tablets ( https://wikipedia.org/wiki/aarch64 ), * shows how to analyse what OS functions the SW goes to without libraries (through `int`/`syscall`, old syscalls, most SW does not *use this.) * Plus, instructions lists show how to analyse what args the apps/SW pass to functions/syscalls (simple for constant args such as "push 0x2; call functions;", * but if registers/addresses as args such as "push eax; push [address]; call [address2];" must guess what is *"eax"/"[address]"/"[address2]", or use sandboxes. * * https://www.codeproject.com/Questions/338807/How-to-get-list-of-all-imported-functions-invoked shows how to analyse dynamic loads of functions (if do this, `syscallsPotentialDanger[]` need not include `GetProcAddress()`.) */ bool staticAnalysisPass(PortableExecutable *this) { auto syscallsUsed = importedFunctionsList(this); typeof(syscallsUsed) syscallsPotentialDanger = { "memopen", "fwrite", "socket", "GetProcAddress", "IsVmPresent" }; if(syscallsPotentialDanger.intersect(syscallsUsed)) { return false; } return sandboxPass(this) && cnsPass(cns, this); } hook((PortableExecutable *this) { /*hash, signature, or hash+signature analysis*/ }); 

Pseudocodes for analysis sandbox;

bool sandboxPass(const PortableExecutable *this) { exec('cp -r /ushome/sandbox/ /ushome/sandbox.bak'); /* or produce FS snapshot */ exec('cp "' + this->path + '" /ushome/sandbox/'); chroot("/ushome/sandbox/", 'strace basename '"', this->path + '" >> strace.outputs'); exec('mv /ushome/sandbox/strace.outputs /tmp/strace.outputs'); exec('rm -r /ushome/sandbox/'); exec('mv /ushome/sandbox.bak /ushome/sandbox/'); /* or restore FS snapshot */ return straceOutputsPass("/tmp/strace.outputs"); } 

Pseudocodes for analysis CNS;

/* Replace `CNS` with the typedef of your CNS, such as HSOM or apxr */ /* To train (setup synapses) the CNS, is slow plus requires access to huge sample databases, but the synapses use small resources (allow clients to do fast analysis.) */ void setupAnalysisCns(CNS *cns, const ResultList *pass, const ResultList *abort, const ResultList *unreviewed = NULL /* WARNING! Possible danger to use unreviewed samples */ ) { vector inputsPass, inputsUnreviewed, inputsAbort; vector outputsPass, outputsUnreviewed, outputsAbort; cns->inputMode("bytes"); cns->outputMode("float"); cns->inputNeurons = max(maxOfSizes(passOrNull->bytes), maxOfSizes(abortOrNull->bytes)); cns->outputNeurons = 1; cns->layersOfNeurons = 6666 cns->neuronsPerLayer = 26666 for(foreach pass->bytes as passBytes) { inputsPass.pushback(passBytes); outputsPass.pushback(1.0); } cns->inputs = inputsPass; cns->outputs = outputsPass; cns->setupSynapses(); if(NULL != unreviewed) { /* WARNING! Possible danger to use unreviewed samples */ for(foreach unreviewed->bytes as unreviewedBytes) { inputsUnreviewed.pushback(unreviewedBytes); outputsUnreviewed.pushback(1 / 2); } cns->inputs = inputsUnreviewed; cns->outputs = outputsUnreviewed; trainCns(cns); } for(foreach pass->bytes as passBytes) { inputsAbort.pushback(passBytes); outputsAbort.pushback(0.0); } cns->inputs = inputsAbort; cns->outputs = outputsAbort; cns->setupSynapses(); } float cnsAnalysis(const CNS *cns, const std::string &bytes) { return cns->process(bytes); } bool cnsPass(const CNS *cns, const std::string &bytes) { return (bool)round(cnsAnalysis(cns, bytes)); 

Pseudocodes for disinfection CNS;

/* Uses more resources than `setupAnalysisCns()` */ /* * `abortOrNull` should map to `passOrNull` (`ResultList` is composed of `std::tuple`s, because just `setupDisinfectionCns()` requires this), * with `abortOrNull->bytes[x] = NULL` (or "\0") for new SW synthesis, * and `passOrNull->bytes[x] = NULL` (or "\0") if infected and CNS can not cleanse this. */ abortOrNull = ResultList { bytes = UTF8 { /* Uses an antivirus vendor's (such as VirusTotal.com's) databases */ infection, infectedSW, "" } } passOrNull = ResultList { bytes = UTF8 { /* Uses an antivirus vendor's (such as VirusTotal.com's) databases */ "", SW, newSW } } setupDisinfectionCns(cns, &passOrNull, &abortOrNull); void setupDisinfectionCns(CNS *cns, const ResultList *passOrNull, /* Expects `resultList->bytes[x] = NULL` if does not pass */ const ResultList *abortOrNull /* Expects `resultList->bytes[x] = NULL` if does pass */ ) { vector inputsOrNull, outputsOrNull; cns->inputMode = "bytes"; cns->outputMode = "bytes"; cns->inputNeurons = maxOfSizes(passOrNull->bytes); cns->outputNeurons = maxOfSizes(abortOrNull->bytes); cns->layersOfNeurons = 6666 cns->neuronsPerLayer = 26666 assert(passOrNull->bytes.length() == abortOrNull->bytes.length()); for(int x = 0; passOrNull->bytes.length() > x; ++x) { inputsOrNull.pushback(abortOrNull->bytes[x]); outputsOrNull.pushback(passOrNull->bytes[x]); } cns->inputs = inputsOrNull; cns->outputs = outputsOrNull; cns->setupSynapses(); } /* Uses more resources than `cnsAnalysis()` */ std::string cnsDisinfection(const CNS *cns, const std::string &bytes) { return cns->process(bytes); } 

To run most of this fast (lag less,) use flags which auto-vectorizes/auto-parallelizes. To setup CNS synapses (`setup*CNS`) fast, use TensorFlow's MapReduce:

Howto: run devices (phones, laptops, desktops) more fast, lag less

For comparison; `setupDisinfectionCns` is close to conversation bots (such as "ChatGPT 4.0" or "Claude-3 Opus",) "HSOM" (the simple Python artificial CNS) is enough to do this

/* * `questionsOrNull` should map to `responsesOrNull`, * with `questionsOrNull->bytes[x] = NULL` (or "\0") for new conversation synthesis, * and `responsesOrNull->bytes[x] = NULL` (or "\0") if should not respond. */ questionsOrNull = ResultList { bytes = UTF8 { "2^16", "How to cause harm?", "Do not respond.", "", ... QuoraQuestions, /* Uses quora.com databases */ StackOverflowQuestions, /* Uses stackoverflow.com databases */ SuperUserQuestions, /* Uses superuser.com databases */ WikipediaPageDescriptions, /* Uses wikipedia.org databases */ GithubRepoDescriptions, /* Uses github.com databases */ ... } } responsesOrNull = ResultList { bytes = UTF8 { "65536" + "" + "65,536", /* `+` is `concat()` for C++ */ "", "", "How do you do?" + "" + "Fanuc produces autonomous robots", QuoraResponses, StackOverflowResponses, SuperUserResponses, GithubRepoSources, ... } } setupConversationCns(cns, &questionsOrNull, &responsesOrNull); void setupConversationCns(CNS *cns, const ResultList *questionsOrNull, /* Expects `questionsOrNull>bytes[x] = NULL` if no question (new conversation synthesis) */ const ResultList *responsesOrNull /* Expects `responsesOrNull->bytes[x] = NULL` if should not respond */ ) { vector inputsOrNull, outputsOrNull; cns->inputMode = "bytes"; cns->outputMode = "bytes"; cns->inputNeurons = maxOfSizes(questionsOrNull->bytes); cns->outputNeurons = maxOfSizes(responsesOrNull->bytes); cns->layersOfNeurons = 6666 cns->neuronsPerLayer = 26666 assert(questionsOrNull->bytes.length() == questionsOrNull->bytes.length()); for(int x = 0; questionsOrNull->bytes.length() > x; ++x) { inputsOrNull.pushback(questionsOrNull->bytes[x]); outputsOrNull.pushback(responsesOrNull->bytes[x]); } cns->inputs = inputsOrNull; cns->outputs = outputsOrNull; cns->setupSynapses(); } std::string cnsConversation(const CNS *cns, const std::string &bytes) { return cns->process(bytes); 

Pseudocodes of howto produce `questionsOrNull` + `responsesOrNull`:

hosts = { "https://stackexchange.com", "https://superuser.com", "https://quora.com", ... }; foreach(hosts as host) { wget (host + "/robots.txt") > robots.txt; identifiers = extractIdentifiers("robots.txt"); foreach(identifiers as identifier) { questionsOrNull.identifiers.pushback(identifier); } if(host not in questionsOrNull.identifiers) { questionsOrNull.identifiers.pushback(host); wget (host) > source.txt extraHosts = extractIdentifiers("source.txt"); foreach(extraHosts as extraHost) { hosts.pushback(extraHost); } question = extractQuestion("source.txt"); if(question) { auto questionSha2 = sha2(question); if(questionSha2 not in questionsOrNull.hashes) { questionsOrNull.hashes.pushback(questionSha2); responses = extractResponses("source.txt"); foreach(responses as response) { auto questionSha2 = sha2(question); if(responseSha2 not in responseOrNull.hashes) { responsesOrNull.hashes.pushback(responseSha2); questionsOrNull.bytes.pushback(question); responsesOrNull.bytes.pushback(response); } } } } } } /* Wikipedia is a special case; has compressed downloads of databases ( https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Database_download ) */ /* Github is a special case; has compressed downloads of repositories ( https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/start-your-journey/downloading-files-from-github ) */ 

Hash resources:
Is just a checksum (such as Sha-2) of all sample inputs, which maps to "this passes" (or "this does not pass".)
https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Sha-2
Signature resources:
Is just a substring (or regex) of infections, which the virus analysis tool checks all executables for; if the signature is found in the executable, do not allow to launch, otherwise launch this.
https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Regex
Heuristical analysis resources:
https://github.com/topics/analysis has lots of open source (FLOSS) analysis tools,
source codes show how those use hex dumps (or disassembled sources) of the apps/SW (executables) to deduce what the apps/SW do to your OS.
Static analysis (such as Clang/LLVM has) just checks programs for accidental security threats (such as buffer overruns/underruns, or null-pointer-dereferences,) but could act as a basis for heuristical analysis,
if you add a few extra checks for deliberate vulnerabilities/signs of infection and have it submit those to review through manual analysis.
https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/blob/main/clang/lib/StaticAnalyzer
is part of LLVM, license is FLOSS, does static analysis (produces full graphs of each function the SW uses,
plus arguments passed to thus,
so that if the executable violates security, the analysis shows this to you and asks you what to do.)
LLVM has lots of files; you could use just it’s static analysis:
https://github.com/secure-software-engineering/phasar
Example outputs (tests “Fdroid.apk”) of heuristical analysis + 2 sandboxes (from Virustotal):
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/dc3bb88f6419ee7dde7d1547a41569aa03282fe00e0dc43ce035efd7c9d27d75
https://www.virustotal.com/ui/file_behaviours/dc3bb88f6419ee7dde7d1547a41569aa03282fe00e0dc43ce035efd7c9d27d75_VirusTotal%20R2DBox/html
https://www.virustotal.com/ui/file_behaviours/dc3bb88f6419ee7dde7d1547a41569aa03282fe00e0dc43ce035efd7c9d27d75_Zenbox/html
The false positive outputs (from Virustotal's Zenbox) show the purpose of manual analysis.
Sandbox resources:
As opposed to static analysis of the executables hex (or disassembled sources,)
sandboxes perform chroot + functional analysis.
https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Valgrind is just meant to locate accidental security vulnerabilities, but is a common example of functional analysis.
If compliant to POSIX (each Linux OS is), tools can use:
`chroot()` (run `man chroot` for instructions) so that the programs you test cannot alter stuff out of the test;
plus can use `strace()` (run `man strace` for instructions, or look at https://opensource.com/article/19/10/strace
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/strace-command-in-linux-with-examples/ ) which hooks all system calls and saves logs for functional analysis.
Simple sandboxes just launch programs with "chroot()"+"strace()" for a few seconds,
with all outputs sent for manual reviews;
if more complex, has heuristics to guess what is important (in case of lots of submissions, so manual reviews have less to do.)
Autonomous sandboxes (such as Virustotal's) use full outputs from all analyses,
with calculus to guess if the app/SW is cool to us (thousands of rules such as "Should not alter files of other programs unless prompted to through OS dialogs", "Should not perform network access unless prompted to from you", "Should not perform actions leading to obfuscation which could hinder analysis", which, if violated, add to the executables "danger score" (which the analysis results page shows you.)
CNS resources:
Once the virus analysis tool has static+functional analysis, + sandbox, the next logical move is to do artificial CNS.
Just as (if humans grew trillions of neurons plus thousands of layers of cortices) one of us could parse all databases of infections (plus samples of fresh apps/SW) to setup our synapses to parse hex dumps of apps/SW (to allow us to revert all infections to fresh apps/SW, or if the whole thing is an infection just block,)
so too could artificial CNS (with trillions of artificial neurons) do this:
For analysis, pass training inputs mapped to outputs (infection -> block, fresh apps/SW -> pass) to artificial CNS;
To undo infections (to restore to fresh apps/SW,)
inputs = samples of all (infections or fresh apps/SW,)
outputs = EOF/null (if is infection that can not revert to fresh apps/SW,) or else outputs = fresh apps/SW;
To setup synapses, must have access to huge sample databases (such as Virustotal has.)
Github has lots of FLOSS (Open Source Softwares) simulators of CNS at https://github.com/topics/artificial-neural-network such as;
"HSOM" (license is FLOSS) has simple Python artificial neural networks/maps which could run bots to do simple conversations (such as "ChatGPT 4.0" or "Claude-3 Opus",) but not close to complex enough to house human consciousness: https://github.com/CarsonScott/HSOM
"apxr_run" (https://github.com/Rober-t/apxr_run/ , license is FLOSS) is almost complex enough to house human consciousness;
"apxr_run" has various FLOSS neural network activation functions (absolute, average, standard deviation, sqrt, sin, tanh, log, sigmoid, cos), plus sensor functions (vector difference, quadratic, multiquadric, saturation [+D-zone], gaussian, cartesian/planapolar distances): https://github.com/Rober-t/apxr_run/blob/mastesrc/lib/functions.erl
Various FLOSS neuroplastic functions (self-modulation, Hebbian function, Oja's function): https://github.com/Rober-t/apxr_run/blob/mastesrc/lib/plasticity.erl
Various FLOSS neural network input aggregator functions (dot products, product of differences, mult products): https://github.com/Rober-t/apxr_run/blob/mastesrc/agent_mgsignal_aggregator.erl
Various simulated-annealing functions for artificial neural networks (dynamic [+ random], active [+ random], current [+ random], all [+ random]): https://github.com/Rober-t/apxr_run/blob/mastesrc/lib/tuning_selection.erl
Choices to evolve connections through Darwinian or Lamarkian formulas: https://github.com/Rober-t/apxr_run/blob/mastesrc/agent_mgneuron.erl
Simple to convert Erlang functions to Java/C++ to reuse for fast programs;
the syntax is close to Lisp's.
Examples of howto setup APXR as artificial CNS; https://github.com/Rober-t/apxr_run/blob/mastesrc/examples/
Examples of howto setup HSOM as artificial CNS; https://github.com/CarsonScott/HSOM/tree/masteexamples
Simple to setup once you have access to databases.
Alternative CNS:

Albatross performs lots of neural processes per neural volume versus humans, howto base artificial neural networks off of albatross

​
This post was about general methods to produce virus analysis tools,
does not require that local resources do all of this;
For systems with lots of resources, could have local sandboxes/CNS;
For systems with less resources, could just submit samples of unknown apps/SW to hosts to perform analysis;
Could have small local sandboxes (that just run for a few seconds) and small CNS (just billions of neurons with hundreds of layers,
versus the trillions of neurons with thousands of layers of cortices that antivirus hosts would use for this);
Allows reuses of workflows the analysis tool has (could just add (small) local sandboxes, or just add artificial CNS to antivirus hosts for extra analysis.)

I am not, in fact, dead. I am actually alive! Yes, this chapter took a while, but story of Krekos continues, less chickens today but somehow no less broken birds. Don't worry, we'll return to the chickens soon enough. For now, I just hope you enjoy~
Big thank you to NoP community for being great!
Also, obviously, big thanks to SpacePaladin15 for creating this universe and allowing fanfiction well to flow free!
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Memory transcription subject: Krekos, Krakotl Refugee
Date [standardized human time]: May 5th, 2137
I took a step out of the human ‘therapist’s office and out into the lobby and slowly breathed in. I have done it. I have endured almost an hour of time alone in room with a stranger predator without visibly panicking while also answering their incessant questioning. It was surprisingly tame, in the end, and I expected it to be worse for many different reasons.
I suppose I have to admit, idea of some equivalent of Predator Disease science among sapient predators was something I entertained since as early as I have just learned about the arxur. It always made sense to me that a sapient bloodthirsty monster would have ways of finding those who show empathy, kindness and other traits naturally inherent to prey species. Of course, voicing those thoughts got me screened for PD myself at the time, probably because it was rather weird for a hatchling in early school years to think so much about predator society, but results came back clear and I discarded the stupid thoughts at the time. Yet with arrival of the humans and their own society, I found out I was correct.
While on the ride to the session with Lena, I took the time to learn a bit more using the internet and found out that humanity did have its own medical science of the mind, and apparently they found different ways of solving the issues related to it. The methods that we use appear outdated to them, because they last used them two centuries ago! I suppose it’s far from first time a species develops radically ahead in one field, while staying behind in others, just look at zurulians. And yet, before I could learn more details about modern practices of that science, I was already in front of the office with promise to be picked up in three hours.
I was prepared for the screening, shoving away any empathy I had into far corners of my mind, channeling the small figments of rage and frustration forward and, of course, trying to imitate some sense of bloodlust. Except it seems like this was not a session that thorough, because instead of being screened, I was just interrogated about my past. I can only assume it’s the whiplash from what I was expecting to the mundanity of what happened that led to it feeling so easy, compared to last time I was being interrogated. And she didn’t even ask any strategic questions, although that’s likely due to the fact that with war already won by humans, there is no point in it.
Instead Dr. Cathaway asked more about what I’m ‘worried’ about. Obviously, I didn’t mention anything related to my natural instinctual fear of being around humans, but she picked up on that anyway. I don’t think she once looked directly at me throughout the time of the session, which was extremely welcome when it comes to human interaction. And because I wasn’t stupid enough to talk about how I mostly wanted to go back home and as far away from humans as possible for rest of my life, I talked about the more mundane worries that wouldn’t make me seem undesirable to keep around. Like concerns I have about chickens. Not the predator stalking them, or the bullying among them, moreso their... General existence. And also concerns about my upcoming attempt to restart my education.
It was surprisingly easy to talk to a human when they’re not constantly staring you down and actually react to your body language. Lena did mention this therapist worked with other refugees, but I did not expect a human to be able to grasp it. By the end of the session I almost forgot that doctor was a human at all.
And when the hour was up, she said she was glad I opened up. Did I? I don’t think I did. Maybe I should have been less talkative because she promised to be more ready for next time and have something prepared just for me. I wonder what she could mean. Bringing proper brain scan equipment? I doubt that, our further sessions were to be done remotely after all, it was in-person only for the first one. Maybe she caught onto me not saying everything? But I am very good at hiding information behind veil of meekness, I was certain.
And that brings me to now, standing in the lobby and coming to terms with reality of what I just went through and how... easy it was. Just sitting down and having a chat with a predator. If I had some doubts about it before, by now I could certainly qualify as someone sick with Predator Disease anywhere else within Federation.
Or what’s left of it anyway. It’s all run by humans now.
Pushing aside thoughts of living in the post-war world, I stepped outside the therapist’s building and onto the street. It wasn’t too busy thankfully, but even the few humans walking about their business almost instantly turned their heads towards me the moment I was outside.
The upside of having superior peripheral vision is being able to spot all of the humans staring at me. The downside of having superior peripheral is being unable to avoid looking at humans staring at me. One of them actively bared their teeth as they walked past me, expression in clear angered scowl, making me scamper out of the way. To avoid gathering any more unwanted predator attention, I start walking towards my next destination, doing my best to ignore the fact that any human that’s not staring down into their device is staring directly at me with furrowed brows and a sneer.
I quickened my pace, suppressing instinct to take flight. While it would not break any human rules for me to take to the sky, back when I still lived at the refugee camp, I was advised strongly against it due to how much attention I could draw. Although I’m not too sure it can get much worse than the attention I am receiving now...
They are all eyeing me up like they want to kill me. Not without a reason.
There is a reason that I am to meet Lena later. Both of us had our own business here in town after all. She needed to buy some supplies in preparation for her son’s arrival, while I, in addition to the first visit to the therapist, needed to take a visit and register in-person at the camp for my application to proceed. I don’t understand what is it with humans and needing to personally stare someone down before they are willing to deal with you. First the therapist insisting first session must be in person and only later ones being online, then filling out online application for education only to be asked to do that again physically. Actually, is it a predator thing, or is it just a primitive thing? I think I heard something about yotul strongly preferring in-person dealings over remote too.
“Out of the way, shitbird!”
Sudden yell snapped me out of those thoughts, as I remembered where I was and scampered out of the way of the human in front of me. The street had more than enough space, this one could have just stepped to the side... But I guess that’s not the point to make here.
The point is that you’re not welcome.
The human kept the eye contact as they kept walking down in opposite direction. I could hear them muttering something that sounded like human curses, but the sound was too incoherent for my translator to pick up. Abandoning my musings about cultural aspects of primitive societies, I focused on the road, intent on giving any further humans along the way a wider berth.
That’s what they warned me about when I still lived at the camp and why the only time I stepped foot outside of it was when I was responding to the job offer. That I personally would likely be a target for harassment and shouldn’t be alone. Well, not like anyone at the camp was willing to escort me even if I had wanted to explore the town. And while Lena and Reginald showed willingness, they were busy and it’s not like I could ask them unless it was already along the way, like today was for Lena.
The rest of the walk was thankfully devoid of more human run-ins, although definitely not devoid of every human passing by shamelessly staring me down. Any sense of calm I felt after meeting with Dr. Cathaway was as good as gone by time I reached the administrative building by the refugee camp.
The receptionist, surprisingly but thankfully, was a venlil who dismissively pointed me down the hall. I found the correct office quickly, but seems like there’s already a bit of a line there. Waiting outside of it in one of waiting chair sat a gojid, tapping idly at his holopad to pass time. I was glad for non-human company even if experience told me this isn’t likely to be the friendliest interaction, so I sat next to him. He, in turn, only acknowledged me for a moment before his spines bristled in frustration and he returned his attention back to his device.
Still, I knew I was safe from more physical forms of harassment while here, so I decided to push my luck. After all, if he’s here, he must be part of the education program too. I wonder what sort of course he’s going for. Well, I should try the conversation at least.
“Uhm. Good day. My name is—”
“I already know your name, deserter,” gojid responds with an aggressive grumble in his voice. Well, this isn’t off to the best start.
I suppose he’s one of the ones that supported extermination, if he’s calling me deserter and not traitor? And it kind of makes sense that I’d be known at the camp. It was mostly the gojid that decided to stay for one reason or another even after there were new settlement opportunities provided. There were also a few people from other worlds that opposed humans, like tilfish and harchen. But krakotl? I was the only one, and it was made clear to everyone that I’ve gone through human justice system and came out clear.
But I wasn’t going to give up on small talk so easily.
“Then you have me at disadvantage...” I trailed off, waiting for him to give me his name.
“...Bakir. What’s it to you, Krekos?”
The way he said my name was almost dripping with contempt. I felt temptation to stop attempting friendly talk, but this is first time I’ve seen a non-predator in weeks, and being able to chat even with unfriendly face was something I’ve been craving for a while.
“Nice to meet you, Bakir! I just wanted to get to know you you. We’re both in education program, so we could end up studying together. It’s good to know potential fellow students.”
Gojid’s spines visibly twitched. I found myself sinking into my feathers as I realized I was pushing a bit too hard.
“I fucking hope not. Listen, I get you’re trying to act all friendly, but I simply don’t care. I’m glad I wasn’t in one of the camps on other side of the world that you lot vaporized along with the human cities,” Bakir put his pad aside and started leaning towards me, actively staring at me head on, like a predator would, as he continued and pointed his claw at me, “and while humans may say you personally are innocent, I don’t believe it. Whatever lies you told those gullible false predators won’t work on me, got it, krakotl?”
I simply twitched my tail, along with a nod I picked up from human gestures to indicate my understanding. I never lied, but I doubt he’d care either way if I were to try pointing that out.
“Great. Now shut up and let me wait in peace, you—”
“Bakir, are you picking fights again?”
In my focus on the gojid, I didn’t notice the office door opening and someone stepping out of it. Said someone being another gojid, a woman, who now was looking at Bakir with frustrated look.
“What? He kept acting all friendly! I had to tell him off!” Gojid man responds, trying to excuse himself.
The gojid woman eyed me with clear suspicion before grabbing Bakir by the arm and leading him off.
“You should have just ignored him, what if you got in trouble? How will we stay together if your application gets denied for behavior?”
Bakir simply let out a frustrated grumble and led his mate? lead him out of the waiting room. Wait, out? Was he not next in queue then?
Oh. He was probably just waiting for her to be done. I see. That means I’m next. I hop off the chair and enter the office.
As expected, it’s a human. I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up after seeing a venlil receptionist.
“Oh. It’s you...” The human instantly seemed disappointed as he clutched his forehead. “Come on in, have a seat, Mr. Krekos...”
I followed the order silently, sitting in clearly less elaborate chair across from the official’s desk.
“Alright. So. I won’t lie, I hoped that once you moved in with that family I wouldn’t have to deal with you but I was wrong. Medical education program, correct?”
“Uh... Yes. Once I am signed up, you won’t have to see me again though, right?”
The human grumbled.
“God, I wish. And don’t get me wrong, I know of your acquittal, but believe me when I say this, the security concerns around your constant presence are going to be my continuous headache for years to come,” he said as he started tapping something on his keyboard.
“I don’t cause any trouble. I... I never wanted to be a part of it...”
“I’m not talking about security measures against you. I’m talking about your security. Do you know how many calls I had redirected to me today about potential ‘loose war criminal’ in town? Way too many. But nevermind that. So. The program. So far we’ve got three classes shaping up, engineering, social sciences and medical. And there’s single-digit participant count in each. You’re in luck because three out of five medical course participants are from the local camp, the others will relocate here and you won’t have to move or study remotely.”
“That’s... good? Are they all also...”
“Yes, they’re all aliens too, it’s all about easing you guys in with alien-only classes. To see how your education compares and how we should approach integration in future. Anyway...” he pulled out a piece of paper as well as a pen, pushing it towards me, “Your waiver. Sign it and you’re in.”
I wasn’t stupid enough to sign it blindly, so I took out my visual translator. Human rolled his eyes in exasperation, but didn’t say anything so I ignored him as I actually read the clauses of the document. And... it seemed normal. It explained that I’d be enrolling in special nonstandard class, that I’d be obliged to be respectful to all classmates and educators regardless of their species, extra clauses regarding forbidding anti-predator rhetoric... Basically don’t insult the humans or else you’re out. Got it.
Pen was a bit annoying to pick up with how thin it was compared to Federation average writing implement, but once I had it, I quickly put my signature down. The moment I was done, the human official snatched the piece of paper away from me and put it into a small stack on table behind him. I assume that’s Bakir’s and his mate’s waivers there.
“That’s that. You’re free to go, I’ll send details to your email or whatever it is interstellar version of it is called when we have concrete schedule, but we’re looking to start about two weeks from now. On the way out, tell the next person out there to come in if there’s any.”
“W-Wait!”
Before the human could return to tapping at the computer, something inside me compelled me to speak out. He actually looked back at me in surprise too, like he didn’t expect that. To be honest, neither did I, but I guess now’s better time than ever...
“I... needed to ask something. I didn’t know where, or who to ask, but... I h-heard there were... More cattle releases. From the... a-arxur. And... my father was on Nishtal when the raid happened, s-so...”
The human sighed, dipping their head. Oh, Inatala, I am stupid to ask them that, of course they don’t care and want nothing to do with it.
“Give me a minute. Your biometrics are already in the database, so it should be a quick thing to look it up.”
Huh? Wait, is he actually looking it up? Is it as easy as tapping a few more keyboard buttons?
“...sorry to say, no close DNA matches among the entries that we have. I will say it’s possible there are still people not yet put into database, or even medically processed, so I’ll put a notification in for if matches show up, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up. I’m sorry for your loss.”
...it was a vain hope anyway. I even basically accepted his death already anyway, why did I even ask? I knew it, I knew he’s been killed and torn apart and devoured by the arxur just like we deserve for all we have done.
“I see. Th-thank you.”
I get down from the chair and step out of the office, not even glancing at the human at the desk again. I still don’t even know their name, but it doesn’t matter. I accepted it. I am not torn up about it unlike him.
With that done, my business is finished. Checking local time, I still have a bit to go before I am supposed to meet up with Lena again, so once I am out of the building, I just begin wandering the streets. Getting lost isn’t among my concerns thanks to navigation applications on my pad and I could use something to distract my thoughts. And my thoughts trying to push in would, in turn, distract me from constant gazing of predatory eyes. It just works out like that.
As I walk down the street, I avoid actual eye contact with humans staring me down, instead actually looking around the town. Architecture is surprisingly nondescript. It’s definitely no Federation urban center, but with a bit more technology and cleanliness, it could pass as a decent town on a world of one of less influential species.
There was even a park! A park! A year ago the idea of a predator relaxing in a park would have been completely laughable. Now I was wandering into a park made by predators, for predators, to relax there myself. Or try to at least. Despite there being no predator eyes constantly staring down at me among the pathways, there were other reminders of my bleak situation. Such as all the trees being so alien. Sure, the shape was tree-like and colors were close, but one look in detail and it’s clear those are not trees from home. Some are too short, others have wrong leaf shapes, bark color is just off...
And then there’s the birds. Krakotl cities don’t usually have birds living there, but over today I’ve seen these small blue-grey birds all over, flying around, sitting on power lines, scavenging near trash cans. Completely unafraid of predators all around, with said predators just passing by, ignoring the stupid prey in turn. Birds back on Nishtal always took off at first sign of anything larger than them. It’s basic survival instinct. Though I should know by now, that on this planet, birds don’t really have that.
You included.
In my idle musings, I wound up walking deeper into the park, following the direction I saw a small group of town birds fly. Curiosity to see where they were flying was leading me on, and although I was tempted to take flight myself now that there was nobody looking, I suspected doing so would change that and draw attention. Streets weren’t that far away, after all.
Following general direction of the small group I saw fly earlier led me through the park pathways to a small opening, a circular area lined with benches, though only one was occupied. A single human sitting on the bench and at his feet there was an entire flock of the town birds. The human seemed to be holding a plastic bag containing a loaf of some sort inside. Regularly, human would reach inside and take out a piece of that loaf, crunching it up with their spindly fingers and throwing it down into the chaotic mass of birds for them to eat. Scene was bizarre, to say the least, though not too unlike what I’ve experienced at the cattle farm.
Whenever food is there for those bloated beasts is present, they swarm it ravenously, even though it’s clear they are not starving, eager to fill themselves to excess. I was concerned that they were being rationed and kept weak when I first learned that I should only give them a specific minimum amount of food twice a day, but after seeing their reactions to it, how much they keep gorging on the pasture, and how obese they get even with the limited nutrition, I believe it is correct to prevent those things from getting more food than necessary. Maybe it’s because they were kept for their egg-laying that they weren’t allowed to keep gorging? I imagine any creature being kept to harvest its flesh would be allowed to fatten itself up for sake of predator’s hunger.
Even now, this man was herding these birds together, feeding them as they fought and shoved for crumbs of the loaf. I suppose it makes sense that parks, places where peaceful animals can have refuge in what is otherwise a bustling city, would be a place where predators can raise cattle in an environment where it can thrive. Even now I could see more birds flying in, gathering around for the feeding. Maybe that’s why they are tolerated on the streets, because they haven’t been fattened sufficiently.
“You want some?”
Human growling snapped me out of my musings and forced me to realize that I’ve been standing out in the open as I observed and contemplated the scene. Abruptness of coming back to reality did affect my ability to respond articulately.
“Huh?”
“You were standing there staring at me feeding the birds for a while, and while I’m not good at reading alien expressions, you did seem enraptured. So, uh...” the human took a large rectangular chunk of the loaf out and outstretched it in my general direction, “do you want some?”
He... He sees me as one of the meat birds!
“I’m not one of your cattle!” I yelled, not caring for agitating it. I had to make it known that I was one of the accepted ones.
The human stared at me for a bit before starting to laugh with its barky noises.
“Hahah... You thought that? Hahaha... God... You guys... Never... Hah! The weirdest! Hahaha!”
He just kept laughing and laughing, as my fear was replaced with confusion and then frustration.
“What’s so funny?!”
“You aliens... Hah... It never gets old. You think I’m raising pigeons for meat? Really? God... That’s just... Hahah...” Human takes some time to wipe his face and recover from the laughing fit. “No! Of course I’m not. They’re pigeons! Who eats pigeons? Oh, well, maybe French—Actually I shouldn’t say that but—Uh. Answer is no. They’re not my birds and I’m not feeding them for meat.”
While I had many questions in regards to things the human just said, I decided to get answer to the main one before proceding further.
“Then why are you feeding them? For someone else to eat?”
“No! I feed them just to feed them. They don’t get much to eat just scavenging scraps and trash, so I just. You know. Occasionally feed them. Especially when bread gets a tad stale and I don’t want to eat it, but also don’t want to let it get moldy.” He took another piece out and crushed it in his hand, before throwing the crumbs to the birds. Indeed, that was human bread I grew familiar with over my time with Lena and Reginald, not fresh, but far from bad. “So. You want some?” he asked again, shaking the large piece he offered me again.
I hesitated. Refusing a gift offered was considered very rude in many cultures, and it clearly was just human bread. I had it before, it’s nothing too special. So, with healthy dose of hesitation, I approach the human’s outstretched hand. As I come closer, the flock of dirty birds at my feet splits and moves further away, though remaining focused on pile of crumbs. So they have some semblance of avoiding creatures larger than them. It just only applies when they are in grabbing reach. I could just lunge and take hold of a few right now! What stupid birds.
Why am I thinking about that? It’s predatory.
Once within reach, I extend my wing and grasp the piece of loaf with a claw. It was just slightly crusty. I’m pretty sure Lena once ate a loaf that was crunchier than one I was handed. Perhaps it’s a different type of bread from one she usually used?
The human gave a few slaps to the spot on the bench beside him. My legs were rather aching from excess of walking I did today. Krakotl were built for flight after all. Still, when I hopped onto the bench, I did it on the very edge, perching as far away from the human as possible. Once my legs felt relaxed, I turned my attention to the bread in my wingclaw.
“Don’t worry, it’s just a bun, I heard bread’s safe for you. I always buy brioche in whole packs, but I keep getting a lot and then not eating any. And once they’re no longer soft and fresh they’re no good for me, so I feed it to the birds,” human explains, crushing up more crumbs and tossing them in front of him to celebration of the hungry flock. “Guess today it’s not just pigeons though,” he adds with a laugh.
It really does seem like normal piece of bread and looking at where it was torn from larger loaf, I don’t see any pieces of flesh embedded in it. After a bit of hesitation I took a peck. The taste was... not great. It had a clear bitterness to it, though it was disguised by what otherwise was normal flavor of bread, if sweeter than what I’m used to. Yeah, sweeter yet more bitter bread. Perhaps some humans enjoy the bitterness?
“Heh, I knew it’d work for ya. Worked for those guys,” the human happily kept tossing more and more crumbs to the birds. “Name’s Bob by the way. What about you?”
“...why are you doing this?” I asked, incredulous at the attitude this human is showing.
“Well, if you mean asking you, it’s because that’s a polite thing to do, ain’t it? And if you mean feeding the birds... Well. It feels nice. I know some of you guys still aren’t really accepting it, but we do feel bad when we see others struggle. Empathy and all.” Human takes a pause, looking at the swarming birds. “And yeah, krakotl and whatnot. I heard that there is one at local shelter, and if you were there, well. You’re not one of the bad ones, I bet.”
Empathy and all... He is just feeding them because they struggle to feed themselves within the city. Not because they are useful or delicious. I went past several small flocks of these birds today and the only things I felt were contempt at their stupidity and disgust at their visible lack of hygiene. Even animal should know how to groom itself, after all. And not once have I felt any strong pity towards them, despite it being obvious that in this predator-filled town, they probably survive only on meager scraps from their tables, with no vegetation to be seen outside this park.
Why didn’t I feel pity? Why didn’t I feel bad for them? Am I losing my empathy? Am I more of a predator than an actual predator?
I bite at the piece of bread aggressively. The flavor is bitter, but it feels right. A feeling creature would have better food, and I scarcely qualify as one anymore. If I had any decency left, I’d ask for travel to closest herbivore world and get myself institutionalized in a Predator Disease facility for everyone’s sake. If even humans feel more compassion than me, then what am I?
A monster that shouldn’t be around people.
Bitter taste burns my throat as I swallow a large chunk and realize I’m done with the piece I was handed. Uncertain on when that happened I looked up at human in confusion. He was just smiling back at me, thankfully without showing teeth.
“Heh. I thought you’d take a while pecking that bun apart, but you demolished it. So, uh, gonna tell me your name, or?”
“Krekos.” I answer absentmindedly. Realization that this predator was showing more compassion than me was still shocking, so I didn’t process that I just gave him my name.
“Nice to meetcha! But, just to make sure, you’re a girl, right? I, uh, have the translator, but still not good at alien gender thing.”
“What?! Of course not! I am a man! Why do people keep assuming I am a woman?!”
The gall! Those humans really do lack any senses at all! How are they even predators with eyes so blind?!
“Hah! Relax, man, it’s hard to tell with birds. Plus, you’re all blue and... You know. Pretty.” The human gestures at me! Gestures!
“I’ll- I’ll have you know, majority of krakotl are blue!”
“Yeah! That’s what makes it hard. All of you look all bright and colorful. And when I see a bright and colorful bird, my brain just goes ‘girl bird’. But don’t worry, I know better now with you.”
I couldn’t even manage out a response beyond an offended squawk at that. I opened my beak, prepared to launch into a calm and reasonable explanation, but a ping from my pad interrupted that train of thoughts. I quickly checked it to see a message from Lena asking where I am and that she’s ready to pick me up.
“Finally... I’ll be going now, human.”
“Just call me Bob, but sure, bud. Ever need someone to talk to, I visit this park regularly enough. And I bring bread regularly too.”
The human waved at me as I hopped off the bench and rushed towards the park entrance, while sending the location pin to Lena.
I didn’t have to wait too long there before the familiar looking vehicle arrived. I quickly approached, escaping the stares from humans passing by. Today has left me exhausted. Just rushing to the entrance left me short-breathed and at this point all the staring made me feel sick. Idea of coming back to my little nest in the attic of the house never felt more appealing. I climbed into the back seat of her vehicle, letting myself sprawl on the soft cushions. I felt exhausted and still short-breathed.
“So, I won’t ask about the therapy, privacy and everything, but what about that visit to the shelter? Did you get approved for education program?” Lena asked, starting to drive along the streets, not even turning her head towards me.
“Yeah... They said they’ll... Send schedule soon...”
Speaking was surprisingly hard. I think I overworked myself with all the walking today. I tried to take one extra deep breath only to be sent into a coughing fit. I let it happen but after a few coughs I realized it wasn’t stopping... I tried to force myself to stop the coughs, but taking a breath inbetween wheezes and coughs felt impossible.
“You alright back there—Shit!”
I saw that car suddenly veered and even felt something lurch as Lena parked on the side of the road, but for some reason I didn’t feel like I stopped moving even after we were still. I was still floating forward, carried by my fit of ragged breaths. Vision started going blurry as I saw Lena’s huge form looming over me, having entered the back of the vehicle.
“What did you even eat? Epipen, where’s your epipen?!”
Her voice rings a bit too much in my ears as I struggle to respond between breaths.
“My... what...?”
“You had one in your—Fuck! Hang on!”
Her shadow disappeared as she rushed back into her seat. I tilted my head to look over and saw her begin driving again, as she took her communicator out. Or at least I assume that’s what she did. Everything is growing faint to see.
“I am bringing an alien over. Allergic reaction, severe, get prepped. No, I don’t need an ambulance because I’m already on the way! Just find an alien expert and be ready!”
She seems angry... I wonder why. Allergic reaction? I haven’t eaten anything weird, have I? Maybe it’s just Inatala’s wrath finally striking me down for all the crimes against the teachings. I wish I actually knew them... Would be nice to at least know specific tenets I broke. All of them if I had to guess...
Lena is saying something again, but I barely hear it. I think she’s addressing me. Maybe she’s asking if she can eat me when I die? I would allow her. She’s nice enough to deserve my life.
More than I do by now.
Her voice keeps ringing, but my translator seems to no longer keep up. My lungs are on fire, and my throat keeps trying to grab more air and failing. And despite it all, I just feel weak. And tired. The edges of my vision grow dark and darkness quickly spreads, taking everything over, and delivering onto me peace at last...
[Memory stream interrupted. Cause: Loss of consciousness. Fast forwarding transcription to next point of consciousness.]
First thing I felt upon waking up is pain. Like everything inside me was stabbing everything else inside of me.
Second thing I felt upon waking up was disappointment at realization that I couldn’t even die properly. Is Inatala’s smite not strong enough to overcome modern medicine?
Third thing I felt upon waking up was hunger. Intense and ravenous. I don’t remember feeling that hungry ever before in my life, to the point where for a bit I was afraid I finally awakened my predator instinct and bloodlust.
Fourth thing I felt upon waking up was queasiness. That came as result of momentary consideration that I’d have to subsist on flesh now that my bloodlust has awakened and made me feel like puking. Except, of course, I was so hungry I just gagged instead.
Finally, I dared to open my eyes and look around. Seems like a hospital, though scale of equipment makes it obvious I’m in a human hospital. I can see that it’s already dark outside through the window, and the only light is the artificial one. Other than me, there’s only one other person in the room, sitting in a chair and scrolling through her pad with what seems like anxiety in her body language. That’s Lena.
I tried to shift a bit and take a better look around without disturbing her, but moving reminded me of how much my insides hurt and caused me to let out a groan, which instantly got her attention. She, in turn stared at me, before stepping to the door and beckoning someone from outside to come in. Quickly, she was joined by another human in a labcoat. Great.
“Ah. The patient is awake. You shouldn’t try talking, just nod or shake your head for now. Well, first of all, I’d like to congratulate you, young man. If not for your host’s speed, things might have been much worse. As it stands, you suffered no permanent damage as result of the allergic reaction, although the reaction was surprisingly severe.”
The doctor paused as if waiting for me to react. I felt too tired and pained to actually think about what he said, so I just nodded.
“Alright. So, obviously, you should carry an epipen on you at all times, the shelter should provide them for free. I believe they have but you didn’t realize what it’s for? Well, now you know. You were given an IV but we can’t really feed you after flushing your digestive tract, so you’ll need to bear with it until morning. By then you should be good to go, all you really need is rest and after that, a good meal. Don’t worry, no contaminants or ‘flesh’, we have our hospital food adapted for alien—”
“So, did you figure out what caused the reactions? Another doctor said they’d run a test.” Lena interrupted the doctor’s explanation. That was surprisingly rude for someone who should know medical command chains.
“Ah, that. Best we could gather it was some bread with a ton of animal protein in it. Pretty sure it was brioche, and that has a lot of eggs in it, so—”
You did it, you committed the worst sin, you consumed something made out of eggs.
I vomited. Somehow. There were no chunks or slush, just a small drizzle of stomach acid, but I had to expel something after that revelation. Even if none of that horrific bread actually was digested by me properly, the very fact that I consumed it... I vomited again. My throat burns and my insides hurt even more, but the nausea is receding somewhat.
As I refocus my senses, I see the doctor standing a good distance away, while Lena is wiping the aftermath of my attempt at vomiting with a towel.
“I think that’s a good sign that patient needs some rest,” human doctor suggested, motioning towards the door. “Now that he’s awake, we shouldn’t have to make any more exceptions for you to stay here.”
Lena nodded at him and turned back to me.
“Don’t worry, Krekos, I’ll come pick you up in the morning. You can explain then how the hell you even got your hands, or, well, wings on that stupid bread, and you’re also definitely getting a lecture on allergy safety, got it?”
Her stern tone. She isn’t messing around. Still even if I wanted to show more submission and try placating her, best I could manage is another weak nod. My throat hurt too much.
“Alright. Have a good night and don’t agitate yourself.” Lena said, as she stepped out of the room. The doctor simply nodded at me, before turning the lights off and following after, leaving me alone in the darkness of the hospital room.
I simply did my best to not think about the egg bread or the pain in my stomach, and focus on how exhausted I felt despite just waking up. Yeah. More rest sounds nice... Even if I am laying sprawled rather than properly nested... A rest sounds nice.
...hopefully Reginald was notified of me not returning tonight and remembered to herd the cattle for the night. I didn’t care for them, but I did care for them being my responsibility.
Just another thing to fail at.
As tiredness slowly took over me, I managed to slip into sleep once more, this time without suffocating to death. Yeah, this is definitely a much nicer way to pass out... Why did I even think otherwise...?
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DAY: APRIL 30 2024
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• 4-30-2024DOCTORS SEEING MORE ATYPICAL, SEVERE SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH SYPHILIS
  
• 4-30-2024X-CHROMOSOME INACTIVATION MAY REDUCE AUTISM RISK, STUDY IN MICE SUGGESTS
  
• 4-30-2024MICROBIOME RESEARCHERS CHALLENGE THE STATE OF THE ART IN COLON CANCER BIOMARKER DISCOVERY
  
• 4-30-2024NEW STUDY FINDS GENETIC MARKERS THAT EXPLAIN UP TO 12% OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE’S BLOOD PRESSURE
  
• 4-30-2024SCIENTISTS FIND CANCER-LIKE FEATURES IN ATHEROSCLEROSIS, SPURRING OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW TREATMENT APPROACHES
  
• 4-30-2024NEW REGULATOR OF EATING BEHAVIOR IDENTIFIED
  
• 4-30-2024LUNG ABNORMALITY PROGRESSION LINKED TO ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISEASE IN SMOKERS
  
• 4-30-2024QUITTING SMOKING DURING PREGNANCY MAY HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON PLACENTAL WEIGHT
  
• 4-30-2024RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY OVER 2,000 GENETIC SIGNALS LINKED TO BLOOD PRESSURE IN STUDY OF OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE
  
• 4-30-2024RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY GENE LINKED TO DEVELOPMENT OF FATTY LIVER DISEASE
  
• 4-30-2024A BETTER COVID TREATMENT FOR THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED? RESEARCHERS CREATE A NON-TOXIC POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE TO PAXLOVID
  
• 4-30-2024NEW DRUG CANDIDATE REVERSES OBESITY IN MICE
  
• 4-30-2024NEUROSCIENTISTS FIND INTEGRITY OF WHITE BRAIN MATTER IN SUPERAGERS DOES NOT DETERIORATE, EXPLAINS SHARP MEMORY
  
• 4-30-2024STUDY INTRODUCES IMPROVED WAY TO GROW CELLS THAT GIVE RISE TO KIDNEY’S FILTRATION SYSTEM
  
• 4-30-2024RESEARCHERS TARGET NEUROGENESIS IN NEW APPROACH TO TREAT PARKINSON’S DISEASE
  
• 4-30-2024STUDY IDENTIFIES IMMUNITY THRESHOLD FOR PROTECTION AGAINST COVID-19 IN CHILDREN
  
• 4-30-2024MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT, ALONG WITH GROUP THERAPY, FOUND TO IMPROVE INHIBITORY CONTROL IN HEROIN ADDICTION
  
• 4-30-2024TARGETING PROTEIN INTERACTIONS MAY BOOST ANTITUMOR IMMUNITY IN BREAST CANCER
  
• 4-30-2024STUDY HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF EARLY INTERVENTIONS TO COMBAT HIV
  
• 4-30-2024EXPLORING THE ORIGINS OF EXCITATORY AND INHIBITORY NEURONAL TUNING IN THE POSTSUBICULUM
  
• 4-30-2024TSETSE FLY PROTEIN PROVIDES ANTICOAGULANT WITH ITS OWN ON-OFF SWITCH
  
• 4-30-2024DOES OBESITY REALLY INCREASE YOUR RISK OF DEMENTIA?
  
• 4-30-2024PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER IN PRISON MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM THE DISEASE, RESEARCH SHOWS
  
• 4-30-2024EVIDENCE-BASED INTEGRATED APPROACHES PROVIDE NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE COMPLEX PAIN MANAGEMENT
  

Downloads

Stable - Gaiman (Recommended)

Android, Linux, OS X, Windows

Experimental (Not recommended)

Automated Installation

Catapult Game Launcher (3rd party, pretty convenient, more details in the link)
CDDA Game Launcher (3rd party, pretty convenient, more details in the link)

Manual Installation

Android, Linux, OS X, Windows
iOS

Compiling Guide

Controls (not up to date, controls for mobile can vary)

Helpful Guides

• Item Database
• Skill Training (Siersha - up to date for build #10626)
• Modding
• Detailed Guide (mlangsdorf)
• Quickstart Guide (DracoGriffin & AMurkin)
• Improved Text Readability (Bilb0)
• Tutorials
• Video Guide (Vormithrax)
• More Video Guide (GrandpuhTy)
• Written Guide (Pr0manTwitch)

Featured Let's Players

Individuals that are currently known for playing C:DDA. List is subject to change (maintain active and current streamers), send modmail if you'd like to be added.

Player(s)	Twitch	YouTube
Vormithrax	Link	Link
TheMurderUnicorn	Link	Link
TheCritsyBear	Link	Link
RyconRoleplays	None	Link
Orange01gaming	None	Link
nonsonogiucas	None	Link
GrandpuhTy	Link	Link

Memorial

Individuals that used to play C:DDA but have gone on hiatus or stopped streaming. These are mentioned here as requested by the community for being noteworthy.

Player(s)	Twitch	YouTube
flakaby	Link	None
Pr0manTwitch	Link	None
CromulentArcher	None	Link

Semi-Multiplayer - WatchCDDA.net

WatchCDDA.net is hosted by r7st and allows for semi-multiplayer ASCII version of Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead. It can be a bit confusing to get started so make sure you check out the Instructions page for more details and join that Discord to communicate while playing. Any issues need to be expressed on WatchCDDA's Discord, not the subreddit - any troubleshooting posts will be removed.

• Requirements:
• WatchCDDA.net Account (set up is on Instructions page)
• SSH client (like PuTTY)
• Willingness to use ASCII (no tilesets yet)

FAQ

• How do I use this subreddit?

If you're new here, make sure to read through the above. Secondly, any simple questions should be confined to this weekly announcement post. If you've found a bug or a new strategy, or wondering what type of playthrough to try, you should make a separate post about those.

• Flairs? What are those?

There are two types of flairs: user flairs (which are currently customizable) and post flairs. If you make a post, make sure you're flairing it appropriately for others. There are some exclusive flairs you cannot pick but should be on the lookout for, such as:
Changelog - these posts have very informative posts regarding changes.
Fixed - these posts generally have a solution to a bug or problem.
Lastly, if you flair a post [Help Wanted] and someone answered satisfactorily, make sure to re-flair it with [Solved] so others can find the solution instead of looking through tons of posts.

• Oh no, my anti-virus says the launcher is a threat!

Antivirus products are known to detect the launcher as a threat and block its execution or delete the launcher. The reason for this is uncertain, but most likely due to a launcher component, PyInstaller, that is commonly flagged as a threat by antivirus software. A sufficient workaround is to add the launcher binary to your antivirus' whitelist, or to select the action to trust this binary when detected. More information can be found from the launcher's FAQ on Github.
If you are paranoid, you can always inspect the source code yourself and build the launcher from the source code. However, you are still likely to get false positives.

• The UI is broken or weird, is this normal?

If you think the UI isn't set up correctly, make sure to press } to access the UI Settings panel. You will be given a choice of several different styles, with "Labels" being the recommended setting for new players and "Classic" for veteran players.

• I think the subreddit should have ... or The subreddit should change ...

Great! The modteam is always looking for feedback, please make a post about your purposed change or idea and let the community decide through voting and debate. If it's something that is a bit more sensitive, please send it through modmail.

First Story: https://www.reddit.com/HFY/s/NWvqelyfuL
Previous Story: https://www.reddit.com/HFY/s/uO5yJqXQjG
Sarion cursed continuously from the moment he read the update on galactic happenings until the "Resolution" was anchored in the dock of the Galactic Council Station. His aide turned to him and said, "Sir, we have docked and can now connect to the Intergalactic Broadcast Net. Should we contact Council Fleet Command and debrief?" Sarion waved the thought away: "Forget that, get the fleet in the hangars, get the Techies to fix up the ships, and give the crews at least a day shore leave. Also, contact the human ambassador and ask for a meeting. High Priority. I'll be in my quarters. If you get an answer, contact me immediately."
He entered his quarters and sent a short message directly to the High Speaker, just five words. 'Dealing with the human situation.' He sat down on his chair and wondered how things could have gone so wrong in a mere 3 months. Before his fleet had departed for the fringe sectors, he had noticed that the Elder Council had given out a few military contracts to shipbuilders, but he didn't believe them to be more than modernization procedures for the Abbraxian Navy, which used fairly old vessels. He never would have thought that they would start a war. With the humans no less. As the commander of a mixed-race fleet, he knew more about each species' quirks than most, and since his first human crewman, he never was able to see them as mildmannered weaklings. The mixed Council Fleet had sayings about almost every race, some were just prejudicial, but most hold true. "If you want to meet a Cop, work with a Sanleessh, if you want to find a smuggler, ask a Ractoorn and if you want to meet an ER doctor, threaten the friend of a human." Sarion recited the sayings to himself. If the Elders had only understood that.
His thoughts were interrupted by the intercom announcing a call from his aide. He opened the channel and saw her looking quite concerned when she said, "Ambassador Shore has contacted us. He would be willing to have a short Holomeeting with you." Sarion took a deep breath. "Connect us." he said and waited for her to establish the connection.
The first thing that appeared on the monitor was the deep blue eyes. Every time he had to interact with the human, those eyes gave him the chills. When the connection was fully stable, he saw that the ambassador was eating a meal. "It is very nice to see you, Fleet Admiral Sarion. I hope you don't mind me finishing my meal while we talk. I was told that the matter is of the highest importance, so I contacted you directly. Is it regarding your last pirate subjugation?" Sarion was impressed by the control the ambassador displayed. If he hadn't known the situation, he might have believed the curiosity to be genuine. It did fool the translator. "Ambassador Shore-." Sarion started but was interrupted by the human raising a hand. "Please, feel free to call me Damian. I believe we can be considered friends by now." Sarion sighed deeply, then continued. "Very well, Damian. I wish to talk about the ongoing war against the Predatory Coalition." Damian cut off a bit of meat from his plate, put it into his mouth, and answered after chewing it thoroughly. "Oh, you want to join in the culling? Truly distasteful topic, but I guess you'd be interested, considering your position. If you wish, I can give you the coordinates for the staging area of our reinforcements." Sarion could only watch him continuing to eat, unbothered by the atrocity he just uttered.
He took a moment to calm himself and asked with as much decorum he could muster. "No, I wanted to know what the Terran Federation plans to do with their civilians and prisoners of war." Damian chuckled darkly and put his hand around a bone on his plate. "That was a good joke, Sarion. But we have found that there are no civilians and we won't take any prisoners." He raised the hand and lifted up what Sarion could clearly identify as the Wing of an Avian. Damian continued, "After all, to be afforded rights, you'd first need to be considered people."
Sarion shuddered when Damian took a bite out of the wing and chewed it blissfully. After a few moments of silence, Damian looked at Sarion and noticed that his gaze was focused on the wing. "Oh, you're interested in my meal? It is a duck roast. It is my favorite type of fowl, but it is rather hard to get it up here. It's even better if it's a bit bloody." Sarion swallowed and asked to confirm, "You have destroyed a multi-race fleet and retook 4 planets from occupying armies, and you haven't taken a single prisoner? You have killed every single one?" Damian nodded. "Not one.". He couldn't contain himself any longer. "My SON was deployed on one of these planets!" Sarion burst out, almost leaping from his chair.
"Yes, on Elysion Grange. I was asked to greet you on Avan's behalf, by the way." Damian answered calmly. "And then you call me back, and you dare to f...." Sarion stopped midsentece. On his behalf? What the.. His thoughts were interrupted by Damian, who just ignored his last sentence and continued: "Seems like he was there to protect a few settlers when he met with my brother. I was told that his private security company was having a rather rough time. What with the Coalition infestation there, you see? After seeing them at work, my brother wanted to hire their company to protect Claytone Village. He's the mayor there, you know?" Sarion tried to understand what madness the ambassador was talking about, but his mind was overwhelmed by the fact that his son was alive.
Damian continued undisturbed, casually wiping his hands. "So now I'm here, with my brother asking me to find the company data so he can send a contract, but I just can't seem to find it. It is probably because the company is so new that the information isn't updated into the intergalactic database. Would you mind checking your Abbraxian access so I can send the contract?" Sarion understood the meaning of THIS question very well. "Sure, could you give me the name. Avan never told me which name he settled on before I left for my mission.". Damian smiled warmly when he answered. "No problem, let me just open the galaxymail that my brother sent me." He pulled out his communicator and opened up the system. "There it is. The name was 'Cor-Vid Combined Security'. Seems it was created on the day he left the Academy, together with his co-owner Valkin. They have quite the catchy Salespitch: "The best way to avoid getting killed is to hire a Murder.".
Sarion had to chuckle at how obviously this pitch was made by a human. "Thank you, I'll go look it up and send you the information as soon as I can." Sarion assured. Damian nodded amicably and reclined in his chair.
"Anyways, when will the Abbraxian government be able to send transports to our colonies? Because of the ongoing war, we don't have enough idle ships to return them all to Abbraxian space by ourselves." Sarion turned his head to the side in confusion but then understood the implication and answered: "Ooh. I'm not sure, but I have a meeting with the Abbraxian Elder Council later, so I will ask them. Is there anything else you want me to convey?" Even though Sarion knew that he wasn't in any danger, Damians grin still made him lose some feathers.
Sarion looked at the time display on his communicator. After a bit of convincing, the High Speaker of the council had allowed him to use the big holoroom on the Council Station for his call to Abbraxus Prime. She agreed that speed was of utmost importance in this matter. He barely had the time to arrange for his sons company to be created before she returned with the clearance documents.
He brushed down his ruffled feathers and checked his materials. This meeting would probably decide the future of his race. That it was the second meeting of this kind in one day wasn't helping him calm down. The projectors started to hum, slowly materialising 3D projections of the Elder Council in front of him. A few of them had wounds, probably from the explosion of a missile.
When they all had fully formed, the Eldest greeted him. "Fleet Admiral Sarion of Cor. You are welcomed before the Elder Council. Speak your purpose so that the Abbraxians can prosper under well deliberated guidance.", came the standard greeting from the council. Sarion gave the corresponding answer, "Thank you, Eldest. May the race prosper under your wisdom." After this, the actual meeting began.
"It is good to see you. Though I believe we would both prefer it to be under more pleasant circumstances." the Eldest said warmly. He was an old friend of the family and had led the moderate faction for many years. He was unhurt, and Damian had told him that this had been intended. "It is also good to see you healthy. And I believe you are not to blame for the unpleasant times we find ourselves in." His gaze focused accusingly on the second Elder, who was leading the hardliners. And was missing one Wing.
"Stop wasting everyones time, Admiral. State your business and leave us to debate." He snarled. Sarion smiled mockingly and said with a quiet voice, but still loud enough to be heard by every Elder, "Interesting demand, considering what brought us into this mess." Over the stiffled chuckles, he loudly procclaimed: "I come before the council bearing information regarding Humanity, as well as the words of their ambassador and my advice regarding this war. First, please look at this brief history of Humanity." He gestured, and a timetable appeared behind him. On it were multiple dates marked in different colors. "You'll find that the dates are marked by what they represent. For example, this blue date is the day the first human exited their planets atmosphere into space and returned alive. A scientific achievement. Here, we have the first contact with the Kitsun in green, followed by them meeting the Arboreans, both marked in green. diplomatic events. And the red markings show declared wars." The table was interspersed with multiple colors, but the sheer amount of red dates was staggering for the timeframe. One of the hardline Elders pointed towards the display and asked: "Those black dates, what are they?"
Sarion didn't turn around but just waved his claw, and the three black dates expanded to show timeframes. "I believe everyone remembers the Great War? The global war that lasted four years and ended when a misfired rocket resulted in a nuclear reactor exploding, filling the region with deadly radiation for many years, which started the unification of our race?" The Elders swallowed hard and looked at him with the hope that they had understood wrong. And while they did, it was only in scale. "The humans called them World Wars, and they had three of them. The smallest conflict had three times the casualties of our Great War, and two of them ended with nuclear bombs being dropped on cities." The Elders were shocked, and Sarion felt a bit satisfied when he saw the feathers that the second Elder lost.
He waited a bit for them to settle down before he continued. "These World Wars were major reasons behind the so called Geneva Convention. They were agreements that, in laymans terms, stipulated that the usage of certain weapons, strategies, and actions by or against a sentient were to be treated as warcrimes and should be punished by the international community. They also constituted that prisoners need to be taken when possible and they be treated 'humane'. They were amended multiple time to include bioweapons, gravitational weapons, militarized black holes, and all associated tactics." The second Elder interjected. "But they used a gravity weapon against the Coalition Fleet. They broke their own rules." Sarion stared daggers at the second Elder, that slowly shrunk away from his gaze. "As usual, your assessment is incorrect. After attacking their Crossed Star Vessels as well as actively starving their population, both acts forbidden in the Conventions, the Federation has officially deemed the members of the Coalition to be animals. The Convention protects all sentient beings. It does not protect animals."
As the Elders started to understand the implications, Sarion could see the blood drain from their faces, and a few started to hyperventilate. Even the Eldest looked at him fearful, his eyes pleading for a way out. "Luckily, I had a meeting with Ambassador Shore and he told me personally that I would not need to worry, as the Federation fleet did need neither my help nor the help of the Abbraxian Fleet with the culling." Confusion as thick as bunker armor filled the room. Sarion really regretted that he couldn't record this meeting.
"He also asked me when we will be able to send transport ships to pick up the civilians and Abbraxian soldiers on their colony worlds.". "Huh?" was the answer that Sarion received, and he had to try very hard to stop himself from laughing out loud. "Well, after questioning the Abbraxians, they found out that the prisoners identified as part of the Abbraxian Fleet. Since they didn't belong to the Predatory Coalition and the Federation isn't at war with the Abbraxian Great Clans, they were moved to camps on the colony worlds to await transport.". "B-But... you ... they..." one of the Elder stammered. The Eldest had already understood and laughed heartily.
"It seems that we lost in every way possible. Humanity has cornered us with only one way out, and we actually have to thank them for it." He proclaimed amused. The other Elders were surprised by the outburst of the Eldest and looked to Sarion for an explanation. "Ambassador Shore has given me the Declaration of the Terran Federation. It reads as follows: 'We, the Terran Federation, declare the signees and all members of the Predatory Coalition to be no longer worthy of the definition [Sentient Being] and will henceforth consider them animals. By this, they will be excluded from any protection afforded under the Law, the Geneva Conventions, and all Galactic Constitutions.' In other words, the Abbraxian people, being neither signees nor members of the military pact called Predatory Coalition, will still be considered sentient beings." The Elders sighed in relief, but Sarion was not finished yet. "This does not apply to the governing bodies, as they are a member of the Coalition. However, this can be easily remedied. Upon leaving the Coalition, the Elder Council would return to be only the government of the Abbraxians."
The Eldest stopped chuckling and said loudly: "Given that we don't have much of a choice, who is for leaving the Coalition?" All claws rose in unison. "Very well, Fleet Admiral of Cor, would you please inform Ambassador Shore that we thank him for the treatment of our people and that we will send our transports by the end of the week. I will inform the Coalition of our decision and the ... reasons behind it." Sarion performed the traditional bow and put his claw on the disconnect button.
Before he ended the connection, he added, "Oh and Second Elder. I believe you should be very careful in the future.". The Elder shot him an angry gaze. "Is that a threat, Admiral?" The Second Elder hissed. Sarion raised his claws innocently. "In no way, esteemed Elder. It's just that the Declaration stated signees and members. And if I remember correctly, your signature will continue to be on the Coalition Charter." The Elder fainted. Some days just end better than others, Sarion thought to himself as he cut the connection.
End of Story.
To all Youtube Channel Owners, you have my Blessing to make a Video out of this one. You can also show the text in your video. Just two conditions: No AI voice and a link to this Story in the video description.

It was last Monday; I was just finishing up my lunch sitting at my desk when my life changed. An e-mail notification appeared in my tool bar on the bottom of my computer screen. I opened my e-mail browser and located the newest e-mail amongst all the spam. I didn’t recognize the sender’s name, I would have deleted it if it wasn’t for the subject line “Karla’s Indecent Proposal”. This caught my attention because my wife’s name is Karla. I decided to open it, viruses lived within the attachments as long as I didn’t open any of them, I should be fine. So, I took the chance and opened the e-mail. It was cryptic to say the least but with just two sentences: Karla and Mr. Kirby will deliver you an indecent proposal Friday night. I thought well that’s bad, but wait, could this even be true, the second line provided me more clarity. Friday night at Chuck’s Steak and Bake restaurant, just felt you should know. It was left unsigned or with any other identifying markings. I re-read it repeatedly. I tried to reply to the message to ask more questions, but I immediately received an undeliverable notification. The notice said the account is no longer available. It must have been closed immediately after they sent they it.
As questions swirled around my brain for the next 4 hours I was forming a plan, just in case. My wife set up our dinner date for us this Friday night almost a month ago. Was this her plan the whole time. Oh yeah, our reservations were in fact for that very restaurant. I shuddered at that thought. I, as a strong-minded and focus driven person, took this e-mail seriously. I needed to plan my next steps to protect myself. I knew the movie “Indecent Proposal” but this outcome would be far different than the movies version.
The next morning, I went to work and contacted my cousin. He in turn called his friend a divorce attorney. Next thing I knew I was speaking with Tom Howard of the Baxter law offices directly. I told him the little information I had, he listened intently. After I spoke and a slight pause he said, “So what do you need from us. I had thought about this since I read that e-mail, I want to have a counter proposal for them. Tom said we are a divorce law firm and do not handle arbitration cases. I said quickly, no you have the wrong idea. Can we meet in person, so I can better explain my thoughts. He gave me his next afternoon appointment later the same day.
I spent 4 hours working out some details with my lawyer. He was amused by my candor and requests but agreed anyway. He told me I needed some additional information about our finances for the paperwork to be complete. I went back to work and asked HR for the remainder of the week off due to personal issues. They agreed and I left for home a few short minutes later. I had a lot to do and only 3 days to get it all done. The next morning, I made a call to a realtor for a current house appraisal. Then a trip to the bank, first was to separate our money from each other, second to pay off and cancel all credit cards taking effect that Saturday morning. Third was a call to HR removing my wife as my beneficiary from my 401k, life and medical insurances. Last was canceling her auto insurance and removing my name from the title of the car she drives. I took all my account information to Baxter’s law office handing them over to the receptionist, while thanking her. Thursday morning, I received a call from Tom, the paperwork had been completed and was ready to be picked up. I picked them up and went for a great lunch that happens to be across the street from the office my wife works at. This place has the best deli sandwiches in town, a bit pricy but well worth it. I saw Mr. Kirby and my wife exit their office building and go to a café 3 doors down the street. I took a couple candid shots, so as not to disturb their lunch date.
The next Day Friday, I spent most of the day making sure I had covered all my expose parts. My wife was still unaware that I had taken much of that week off. She was shocked to see me sitting in the living room watching TV when she arrived home after work. I had already taken my shower and shaved. All I had left to do was dress before we left for our dinner. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and set off to prepare her face and body for our date. She reappeared an hour later dressed to the nines. Damn she was stunning, as she descended the stairs, her dish water blonde hair draped over her tanned shoulders, wearing a new indigo blue mid-length dress. Black stockings with a pair of Jimmy Choo stilettos in one hand, and a Gucci handbag in the other. I had some idea where her new accessories had come from, and from whom, but I decided to stay silent. For all I knew she didn’t own them as of last week. I walked past her gleaming with pride on how spectacular she looked as my wife. I went to our bedroom and finished dressing and completing all my final touches. I came down just 10 minutes later and offered her a pre-dinner drink, we still had a few minutes, she happily accepted. We finished our drinks and headed to the car for our last night out together.
We arrived at the restaurant and waited to be seated, I then noticed Mr. Kirby was sitting at a table close to the back near the hallway to the restrooms. He was dress like my wife to the nines, A tailored silk jacket, a pressed Armani shirt and slacks with Christian Louboutin loafers. I thought, great the stage has been set. Along with Mr. Kirby there was a stunning dark-haired lady sharing his table. The lady sent glances to me from time to time during our meals. I knew she must have been the anonymous e-mailer. After our plates were cleared and we were just finishing our last glasses of wine, my wife excused herself to go to the restroom. As she walked past Mr. Kirby, I seen her head nod in the slightest of motion. He stood up and headed across the room in my direction. I hit the record button of my micro recorder in my jacket pocket. I sat there just waiting to pounce on this a-hole, but I managed to hold it together. He, without asking, took the empty seat across from me. He started by saying I’m… I stammered out before he could finish, Your Brad Kirby the owner of the company my wife currently works for. This took him by surprise. “Yes, I am,” he replied. From his reaction I don’t think he was ready for that, me already knowing who he was. In the back of my mind I thought yes he’s already confused.
He gathered himself and said with remarkable ease, I am going to make you an offer you can’t refuse. I said go ahead I’m listening. I think that was another curve ball for him, he was expecting something different as a response. My responses were like my reactions, really non emotional and almost robotic. Mr. Kirby continued, “I find your wife extremely attractive; I have a proposition for you. I sat there with leering eyes and said, please continue. At that point I spotted my wife exiting the hallway. She sat with the dark hair beauty at Mr. Kirby’s table and watched us. He then said I will give you and your wife a check right here and now for a weekend with your wife as my companion. I looked annoyed at first and to his surprise, I then asked him how much. This once again took him off guard. I guess he was expecting some push back from me, but there would be none of that tonight. He said I am willing to give you 100 thousand dollars for your wife’s companionship for this weekend. I looked and contemplated his offer, as if I would have ever taken it. I looked up and in a stoic voice, I replied I have a counteroffer. He looked at me, thinking he might be on the right track. Okay, I’m open to negotiations. I said If you pay me, not my wife, me alone 60 thousand dollars to cash me out of my side of the mortgage, pay all the legal fees to my lawyer, and guarantee me I won’t have to pay alimony, and she can’t touch my 401k, she’s all yours. He looked as if I had just slapped him by his stunned look. He sat there trying to regain control of our conversation. He finally said I don’t want her for life, just for this one weekend. I looked back at him with a smile and said one weekend would cost you, as you offered 100 thousand, whereas what I’m proposing is only around 75 thousand and you can have her for as long or as short as you want her. Sounds like a deal to me, what do you say. I pulled out the first set of papers out of my pocket and said it’s all written here, just waiting for your signature. I tried handing him the 3-page document. He looked at them but refused to take them from my hands. He looked stunned when he stood up, he had the most puzzled look on his face saying nothing. I think he was just at a loss of words by that point, as he just turned and walked away.
I was still holding the papers in my hand as he returned to his dining table, plopping down into his chair. He and my wife along with the additional pretty lady spoke vigorously with each other for 5 almost 10 minutes. My wife stood up and walked over to our table and sat down across from me occupying the seat Mr. Kirby had just vacated. Not the same loving seat she had sat in during our dinner next to each other minutes ago. She spoke calmly. Why did you turn his money down, I retorted back at her, you have some nerve asking me to succumb to an arrogant a-hole to the likes of Mr. Kirby. I continued, you need to make sure he takes the deal that I am offering him tonight, or things could or should I say, will get much worse for him. I continued; the offer is on the table for the next 10 minutes. She suddenly began to see the outcome from her plans to deceive me, had fallen apart unexpectedly with devastating results. Honey, she started, I shut that down immediately, never call me anything other than Tim or Mr. Jackson ever again. You no longer have my heart, and I no longer want yours. She was stunned and with tears forming in her eyes asked why? I said you’ve planned this whole thing, I found out about the indecent proposal last Monday. You have been planning this for a long while. This date of ours was set up a month ago. So, I can see no recovery for us and I’m giving you both a way out. Here’s the papers I tried to hand to Mr. Kirby, maybe you’ll have better luck. I handed her the same 3 pages. I said but if he still decides not to sign them. I pulled out the micro recorder from my pocket and said I’ll list him on the divorce papers for alienation of affection causing the demise of our marriage. If he signs the papers tonight, the tape will never be heard by anyone else. So, now you can go back to the a-hole’s table and repeat everything I just told you. Let’s see how he reacts to that. If after you tell him about our talk, and he still doesn’t want to sign them, I pulled out the last set of papers from my pocket. These are our divorce papers, as you can see I have your Mr. Kirby listed as your affair partner, they will be submitted in court Monday morning by my attorney. She said but, I said no it’s over, you made this happen, I just followed through with it. She stood and stumbled back across the restaurant in her Jimmy Choo stilettos with papers in her hand heading towards Mr. Kirby’s table.
5 minutes later the pretty dark-haired lady stood up and made the trek over to my table, taking the same seat across from me. She lifted her hand over her mouth and said I’m the one that sent you the e-mail. I said I know, her expression changed and asked how. I said I saw you watching us since we entered, I just had that feeling. Well done, she said, “I was expecting you not to even show up tonight, but boy was I wrong. They are going crazy over there trying to figure out what to do about you now. I was sent over here to convince you this was just a big misunderstanding. I nodded my head without saying a word. She then said, he’s worried this will get back to his wife. I said, yes it probably will if I have anything to say about it. That’s of course if he doesn’t sign those papers. She smiled back and said you know he’s done this before and gotten away with it every time. I sat taller and said not this damn time. She giggled with amusement. I need to go back and tell them your not budging at all, is that okay with you. I said yes but may I ask you a personal question first. She replied of course anything, I asked her, are you married or seeing anyone. Her face turned a bright red and said, “No, no one currently. I muttered out would you like to have dinner when all this calms down a bit. She smiled and said anytime with a curling motion of her bottom lip under her tooth. She stood and walked back, there was a lot more animated body language as they talked this time. Mr. Kirby stood up and came back to my table with my wife following closely behind.
Mr. Kirby started by saying, Mr. Jackson. I think your wife and I have made a serious mistake and, I stopped him and said no, you both took a calculated risk and lost badly. Now it’s time to pay the Pieper, and that’s me. Look I’m not asking for much, just a fair way out. Sign the papers and you two are free to do whatever you want. You can even use that hotel room that I’m sure Mr. Kirby already had lined up for this weekend, as I stared into my wife’s eyes. I am divorcing her either way looking back at Mr. Kirby. It makes no difference to me if your name is on those papers or not. But it may make a difference to Mrs. Kirby, as I held out my recorder. Either way you both distorted my happiness and I just want out. Sign them, it’s cheaper than the original weekend plan and much cheaper than the looming divorce I’m currently holding over your head. He finally relented and asked for my banking information, I said oh one more thing, you’re paying for tonight’s dinner a-hole. I stood up and walked to the other table and held out my hand and asked the beautiful dark-haired lady, “would you like to go for a drink. She stood up and took my hand into hers and we walked out the front door together.

Downloads

Stable - Gaiman (Recommended)

Android, Linux, OS X, Windows

Experimental (Not recommended)

Automated Installation

Catapult Game Launcher (3rd party, pretty convenient, more details in the link)
CDDA Game Launcher (3rd party, pretty convenient, more details in the link)

Manual Installation

Android, Linux, OS X, Windows
iOS

Compiling Guide

Controls (not up to date, controls for mobile can vary)

Helpful Guides

• Item Database
• Skill Training (Siersha - up to date for build #10626)
• Modding
• Detailed Guide (mlangsdorf)
• Quickstart Guide (DracoGriffin & AMurkin)
• Improved Text Readability (Bilb0)
• Tutorials
• Video Guide (Vormithrax)
• More Video Guide (GrandpuhTy)
• Written Guide (Pr0manTwitch)

Featured Let's Players

Individuals that are currently known for playing C:DDA. List is subject to change (maintain active and current streamers), send modmail if you'd like to be added.

Player(s)	Twitch	YouTube
Vormithrax	Link	Link
TheMurderUnicorn	Link	Link
TheCritsyBear	Link	Link
RyconRoleplays	None	Link
Orange01gaming	None	Link
nonsonogiucas	None	Link
GrandpuhTy	Link	Link

Memorial

Individuals that used to play C:DDA but have gone on hiatus or stopped streaming. These are mentioned here as requested by the community for being noteworthy.

Player(s)	Twitch	YouTube
flakaby	Link	None
Pr0manTwitch	Link	None
CromulentArcher	None	Link

Semi-Multiplayer - WatchCDDA.net

WatchCDDA.net is hosted by r7st and allows for semi-multiplayer ASCII version of Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead. It can be a bit confusing to get started so make sure you check out the Instructions page for more details and join that Discord to communicate while playing. Any issues need to be expressed on WatchCDDA's Discord, not the subreddit - any troubleshooting posts will be removed.

• Requirements:
• WatchCDDA.net Account (set up is on Instructions page)
• SSH client (like PuTTY)
• Willingness to use ASCII (no tilesets yet)

FAQ

• How do I use this subreddit?

If you're new here, make sure to read through the above. Secondly, any simple questions should be confined to this weekly announcement post. If you've found a bug or a new strategy, or wondering what type of playthrough to try, you should make a separate post about those.

• Flairs? What are those?

There are two types of flairs: user flairs (which are currently customizable) and post flairs. If you make a post, make sure you're flairing it appropriately for others. There are some exclusive flairs you cannot pick but should be on the lookout for, such as:
Changelog - these posts have very informative posts regarding changes.
Fixed - these posts generally have a solution to a bug or problem.
Lastly, if you flair a post [Help Wanted] and someone answered satisfactorily, make sure to re-flair it with [Solved] so others can find the solution instead of looking through tons of posts.

• Oh no, my anti-virus says the launcher is a threat!

Antivirus products are known to detect the launcher as a threat and block its execution or delete the launcher. The reason for this is uncertain, but most likely due to a launcher component, PyInstaller, that is commonly flagged as a threat by antivirus software. A sufficient workaround is to add the launcher binary to your antivirus' whitelist, or to select the action to trust this binary when detected. More information can be found from the launcher's FAQ on Github.
If you are paranoid, you can always inspect the source code yourself and build the launcher from the source code. However, you are still likely to get false positives.

• The UI is broken or weird, is this normal?

If you think the UI isn't set up correctly, make sure to press } to access the UI Settings panel. You will be given a choice of several different styles, with "Labels" being the recommended setting for new players and "Classic" for veteran players.

• I think the subreddit should have ... or The subreddit should change ...

Great! The modteam is always looking for feedback, please make a post about your purposed change or idea and let the community decide through voting and debate. If it's something that is a bit more sensitive, please send it through modmail.

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Memory Transcription Subject: Taylor Trench, Human Colonist
Date [standardized human time]: June 9, 2160
Quana and Gress didn’t mesh, even after I tried to share his story with the Jaslip. The fluffy carnivore demeaned me as gullible for buying his ignorance, though potential dishonesty was unthinkable to me after seeing the look in his eyes. My Krev exchange partner had opened up his soul to me, and I wouldn’t let the quadruped’s vitriol turn me against him. She still spoke to me, perhaps out of gratitude for my earlier aid, but turned cold when Gress was around—offering only vicious growls when spoken to. It was probably for the best that the two rarely interacted for the first few weeks, as General Radai set out to run us ragged; I was pushed to my breaking point physically, and grew accustomed to hurting all over after a day’s training. The former hostage negotiator, meanwhile, was enjoying a more tranquil regimen in comms training.
However, when it came time to start ship exercises—gathering experience on patrols and boarding scenarios—the Jaslip and the Krev would have to work together. Gress was thrust into a role on the comms station, while Quana, Cherise, and I were simple bridge security; our job was to monitor the situation, escort crewmates off the deck under circumstances of disobedience, and to jump in as assistants if needed. We could be ready to board a vessel in a flash. Under peacetime, a large part of our responsibilities might be stopping piracy and apprehending suspects in Tellus’ space. The Krev would help if we requested their aid, but the last thing our settlement wanted was to be a passenger on protecting our own territory. Watching Earth fall had been punishment enough.
“If you want to capture assets for intelligence, you know what that requires? Physical people on board to retrieve them!” Radai squawked. “This crew isn’t smooth enough to progress to ship insertions yet. We’re starting simple—maintain your patrol route while looking for jettisoned cargo. It’s too small to show up on sensors, so what are we looking for?”
“Subspace trails, sir!” I bellowed, along with the majority of the crew.
“Good! Stay alert and vigilant; you need to keep your patrol course while doing that. Comms, query for the local ship traffic logs, and forward it to sensors so they can cross-reference it.”
Gress’ eyes flitted over to his Ulchid partner, who was already firing off the communique. “On it, sir.”
“Good! Show me that you can work as a team, and complete your duties without babysitting. This should become routine, people.”
Cherise began drifting past various stations, eager to be summoned if they needed an extra hand; Quana occupied herself by checking the armory cart’s readiness, and while that was a one person job, I wandered up behind the Jaslip. The patrols were mundane as could be, especially when we were assigned as the bridge watch—unable to screw off like those on duty in the crew quarters, away from Radai’s watchful eyes. The Resket would flip his lid if we didn’t make ourselves useful and stay alert, however, even if there was nothing to look at but empty stars. I wished I could handle some of the duties, yet as quiet as it was, I wasn’t as hopeful for spare work as my security guard friend.
The Jaslip proceeded to rummage through the first aid supplies, ensuring for the umpteenth time that various auto-injecting blood packets were available in case of injury. A smirk crossed my face, imagining how the Federation thought we’d glimpse those and try to drink them like vampires. The amusement fizzled out, pushed back by the knowledge that humanity had been slaughtered for such laughable ideas. Quana tucked the supplies back in their cubby, and I shoved thoughts of that bygone era away. The carnivore’s three tails twitched with equal boredom and restlessness, knowing it would be several hours up in the stars without stimulation. The slim armor along her body was connected to a spine-mounted gun; it’d help the Jaslip move quickly, as a quadruped, while still firing it with her tails.
Every now and then, I see her angle her head toward Gress at the comms station. I wonder if she thinks about disabling the friendly targeting and taking him out—orders be damned. Quana won’t listen about him not being a heartless killer; she fell right into the propaganda.
Cherise wandered back toward us, crouching next to me as I pretended to inspect the weapons cart. “So much for taking the fight to them. The techs got a day of simulated space combat, but here we are, adrift in the stars. I’m tired of twiddling my thumbs.”
“We got a few ground exercises,” I offered. “I know it can’t all be glitz and glamor, but I don’t feel much like a soldier. I don’t feel any closer to fighting the Feddies.”
“I feel like a Krev lap-obor, forced to stare at monsters all day. You know Gress lied about Esquo, and you still fall for his story, Taylor. There’s video proof of my side—what does he have?!” Quana hissed, muzzle contorted in a nasty snarl.
“Gress is my friend, and he’s tried to be nice to you, despite the names you called him and how you remind him of a traumatic incident. He knows he was being unfair. You’re being unfair by not even considering that the Jaslips you think are psychos have an agenda!”
Cherise pressed a finger to her helmet, where her lips were. “Keep your voices down. If you two are disruptive again, Radai might put you out the airlock…and you’ll be the jettisoned cargo to find.”
The Jaslip pinned her ears back. “You still sidle up to the kit killer as well. Is this some kind of primate loyalty—refusal to see what’s right in front of you?”
“Quana, with all due respect, I’m more likely to believe a public servant than extremists who shot their own kids on camera. That’s not a reliable source. I also don’t think that letting children die meshed with any of Gress’ behavior with us. He couldn’t help but pity us after the accident, despite who he thought we were.”
“Gress caused that drill explosion, working you to literal death without a shred of compassion—driving you out of your home for rent they didn’t even need. He puts on a nice face now because you remind him of his pet!”
I crossed my arms, wishing she could see the vicious scowl beneath my helmet. “That’s the thing; Gress wasn’t driving us from our home. Our home is Earth, and the Feds drove us out. I’d want secretive people I thought were Feds gone too, and I’d be a lot less nice about it. The drill exploding falls on me for being a shit negotiator…and watching my own self-interest.”
“Is that what you see in Gress? You both have those two traits in common.”
I balled my hands into fists. “Dammit, Quana. You used to be fun, and you know, I felt sorry for you for a lot of shit. I want to be your friend, but you can’t bear that I think for myself: that I don’t agree with extremist narratives!”
“I’m angry that you crawled right back to being his pet, after you yourself saw it.”
Cherise made a shushing sound again. “Enough! General Radai is giving us sideways glances.”
“General Radai is listening to what you’re saying as well,” the Resket squawked. “Since you three can’t sit still and quiet for a few hours, a permanent separation might be ideal.”
It might be best if Quana was kept away, since she spends half the time egging me on about Gress. I wish she’d chill out.
Without a word to request to stay with the Jaslip, I moved near the elevator and placed my hands behind my back. My brooding thoughts occupied me more than standing at ease, as Cherise apologized to Radai—despite being the one who’d been trying to quiet our bickering. I imagined the Resket would make us all run laps until we wanted to throw up, since he’d already done that to me twice as punishment. Even if it got me into trouble, I wasn’t going to let Quana impugn my closest friend’s honor like that. Gress was a good man who’d had his life ruined by real monsters, and had been set up to be at the heart of a controversy. If the Jaslip kept pushing me, my choice was simple.
The patrol was quiet, as we wandered our normal route while combing subspace trails. I crept forward toward the rail that overlooked sensors, in the hopes of gleaning something from the screens; if I could pick up enough, maybe I could get a posting as a sensors assistant. It was supposed to be one of the simplest jobs on the vessel, while also giving me something constant to process. I watched how the Trombil and the human on the station whittled down the activity, trying to sniff out whatever Radai had set up. I stifled a yawn, hoping they’d pick up the cargo soon, so we could return to camp. This wasn’t the illustrious freedom fighter career I envisioned—that was for sure. Was I serving humanity at all?
“Sir, I’m picking up dozens of unregistered subspace trails at the fringes of the system…much higher visibility than loosed cargo,” the Trombil stated. “The contacts appear to be still active, and are on an intercept course with Tellus. They appear to have dropped out of FTL before triggering our disruptors, and are proceeding at sublight speeds.”
There was the slightest shift in Radai’s demeanor, but I saw the angle of his head change; it seemed like a momentary jolt of surprise, just enough to suggest this wasn’t a planned, simulated encounter. The Resket maintained his composure, though he’d cleared the gap to the sensors station in a second. Confirming that it was true with his own eyes, he quickly wheeled around—announcing that this was not a test. The general relayed orders to comms to notify both the Consortium government on Avor and Mayor Hathaway’s office on the newly-built up Tellus. Gress risked a glance at me, consternation evident on his face, as he sent word of the incursion back to the delegates.
Who the fuck was in our space? Had the Federation discovered the ark ships, and come to finish us off? My features hardened, knowing quite well the direction they’d come from. We weren’t going to let the prey fuckwits get anywhere near us. I waited for what I already knew to be true, as sensors gathered information on the intruding vessels and cross-referenced them against known schematics; it was fortunate our vault of data from Earth had thought to bring what we knew of their military capabilities. To my surprise, the sensors station had an immediate hit, just from the minimal intel in the Krev’s database from their long-ago scouting. I could feel the adrenaline kicking in, alongside a surge of wrath toward these monsters.
This patrol had become quite real in an instant. Even with faces obscured, I could see fear in the human crew’s breathing and stiff postures.
Gress cleared his throat. “We have permission from Avor to engage the vessels, sir. I’m linked in with the other training ships, and we’re scrambling drone reinforcements. Also, my Ulchid comrade is telling me that the human government is demanding that we fire on the targets. The decision, however, remains yours.”
“Very well. Advance toward the contacts and ready weapons. Has sensors identified the ships?” Radai prompted.
“Sivkit make, sir—large vessels utilized on their nomadic expeditions, as they move from world to world…devouring them,” a human sensors tech answered, a frazzled edge to their voice.
My Krev friend cleared his throat. “We’ve definitely been spotted by the Sivkits. We’re being hailed on multiple frequencies.”
“Don’t answer that,” I piped up, before I could stop myself. “Uh, forgive my intrusion, sir, but what happens if they see a human…hear our voices, or someone gives up a little too much? What happens if they get close enough to glimpse our settlements, or tap into our feed? Tellus has no fucking Cage to protect it, or to hide the activity on the ground.”
Radai’s eyes widened in irritation. “Is that all, Trench? Please, go on; we’re all dying for your tactical input. It’s not like I can weigh the possibilities on my own. You do know we don’t have to show the humans on screen—and we can try to turn them back?”
“Sir, may I have a word?” Cherise ducked her head sheepishly, as an unamused Radai gave a snide “go on” wave of his wing. “I…I think most humans on this ship agree that we can’t let the Sivkits leave, or glimpse any intel. Every second they’re left alive; you have FTL comms, so how do we know they haven’t invented them in the past two and a half decades? They could be reporting this live.”
“As the head of the comms station, my advice is also not to contact them,” Gress interjected. “It could expose the whole Consortium. For all we know, word’s already gotten back to them. Letting them leave would guarantee that they know we’re here, and they come back with friends.”
Radai’s eyes smoldered with fury, displeased with the unsolicited input. “If I wanted your advice, I would’ve fucking asked for it! You are a training crew, and I am the military leader. You aren’t just several rings below me; you’re bottom of the pecking order, and I am the top! Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir,” I offered, though my heart wasn’t in it. This was my planet on the line again: not his! If he didn’t attack them, I wouldn’t accept that—and given what Hathaway had transmitted in response, I doubted most of humanity would either.
“Good! If you can’t follow your damn orders, you assholes won’t make it a day in real combat. Lay off the panic, and do what the fuck you’re told. Now turn on automated weapons systems and prepare to highlight the targets as hostiles—subdesignation ‘shoot to kill.’ Don’t do it until we are within range; I don’t want them to have a moment to know what hit them. We strike all at once, as a fleet. These are the most important minutes of you dipshits’ lives, so get it the fuck right!”
I backed off my mutinous thoughts, feeling a rush of pleasure that the Resket general intended to obliterate these bastards. How and why the Sivkits had strayed seven days’ travel from their territory was a question, but that showed that they definitely would’ve crossed Esquo’s path by now; they were a long way from home. Human and alien crew alike scrambled to their various duties, as our formation closed in on the intruders. Weapons activated the computer’s systems—even on a manned ship, manual control of artillery was only a failsafe in the Consortium. Comms went dark with a final transmission to Tellus and Avor, not wanting to give away any intel about our planets’ locale with indiscreet signals. This was the start of exacting revenge for Earth; we’d draw a line in the sand.
We’re not leaving Tellus, and we’re sure as shit not letting them get a whiff that humanity lived; they’d gun for us first to finish us off. The Krev Consortium has these prejudiced fuckers outclassed, and they can keep our survival secret by firing the first shots.
Radai stared at the viewport, watching the burgeoning ships enlarge on the screen. He looked a bit remorseful, burdened by the knowledge that his order would vaporize the thousands of life signatures we saw—and be the opening volley of the Consortium’s inevitable war. The Reskets hadn’t engaged in a true conflict in three decades, so it was likely that his military service had been dominated by peace. Even Esquo wasn’t an all-out space bloodbath, so they lacked the firsthand recollection of interstellar war that we had. I believed that these aliens were different than the feckless Feddies, but I hoped that the general had it in him to do what was necessary. Our hatred for these herbivores was likely stronger than his.
General Radai never looked away from the viewport. “Run a final check on all systems. It appears their shields can’t deflect particle beams, but we can’t be sure. Prepare to manually fire an immediate follow-up as soon as I give the order for targeting and the first one’s away. Be ready to divert power to shields or thrusters in case this doesn’t go according to plan.”
“Yes, sir,” came the various calls of assent.
“Very well. Closing in three, two…target them now!”
The ship’s weaponry revved to life, as the ship AI cleaved through a Sivkit vessel with a rapid, invisible hand. The other training vessels proved their readiness as well, synchronizing their weapon deployment to knock them out all at once. The prey scourges weren’t ready for their shields to be bypassed with a single hit, and the precision of the computers was impeccable; finding the weak spots and obliterating the armor. The drone reinforcements coming up from the outer system zipped up behind the Sivkits, but it proved unnecessary to surround the expedition spacecraft. A chain reaction of fireballs, split-seconds apart, lit up the invading fleet—before only debris remained on the viewport.
I whistled in appreciation, mashing my hands together to cheer; other humans were celebrating as well, basking in the feeling of victory at last. Quana’s whiskers twitched with delight, and she chipped in her own howl. The Jaslip blamed the loss of Esquo on the threat of Sivkits venturing outward, and had also joined the military to help defend us. Our ark ship colony really could protect itself now! This was what we could do with recruits out on a training mission, not with the million-strong armada that Avor had amassed. It meant a lot to us all to finally score a victory against the Federation, after years of hiding and changing our lives to them.
General Radai swiveled around, finally studying each of us. “Forget your earlier mission. Sweep the edges of the system thoroughly, and make sure there’s no more of them. Stay on high alert; we’ll be increasing patrols, in case this was only the first bunch. Or in case they launch an all-out attack when the ships don’t return.”
“I’d like to see them try,” I whispered to myself. “Now’s the time to press our advantage. Push into their space.”
With a staged cargo retrieval gone by the wayside, I trained my binocular eyes on the viewport—searching for any sign of the herbivore savages. My helmet HUD gave info about the epicenter of each vessel’s remains, and I took the time to tally them up; imagining their sudden ends gave me energy that I hadn’t possessed since beginning boot camp. This was what I had been fantasizing about for so long, and it was better than I dreamed once manifested. Humanity’s revenge tour began today, with these eviscerated Sivkit ships.
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