Holiday inn express petosky mi

My boss sent me a very long text message about my performance when I was on PTO and it was a holiday. Seemed like it came out of nowhere. I appreciate criticism, but there were no solutions offered. When I tried to ask more specific questions to get to the root of the problem…boss replied “that’s enough for today, go enjoy the rest of your day.” Should I opt to discuss in person and express why I felt this was an inappropriate method and time to communicate?

This highly-detailed report of the strange experience of Len and Cynthia Gisby and Geoff and Pauline Simpson comes from the Strange but True? Casebook by paranormal investigator Jenny Randles (pp154-163):
No Room at the Inn
Len and Cynthia Gisby and Geoff and Pauline Simpson were firm friends. It was no surprise when in late 1979 they all decided to take a late summer holiday together. The plan was to take the ferry from near their homes in Dover, Kent, and travel through France, sharing the driving and travelling overnight to reach their Spanish holiday destination the next day. Then, after two weeks of early autumn sunshine, they would set off back for England by the same route.
Everything went well until the end of that first long and hot day in France. Len wanted to continue and take advanage of the clear road, but Cynthia and Pauline were growing very weary. Apart from brief stops they had been car-bound for twelve hours and so, somewhere near Montelimar, it was agreed that they should try and find a place that offered a bed for the night, an evening meal and breakfast.
They came off the autoroute at Montelimar North, where a sign indicated there was a motel. Len got out and went to investigate. The receptionist said that unfortunately there was only one room left, but suggested that the visitors try the little back road towards Avignon. There they should come upon a smaller hotel that might have vacancies.
An Old-Fashioned Place
Cynthia remembers what this little side road was like. "It became very quiet. There was fencing along the road. Pauline and I laughed at the old photographs and posters that were stuck on the wall - one advertising a circus."
As the road became just a narrow, cobbled track they began to worry that they were not going to find the hotel. Then a long building, like a barn with an extra storey on top, loomed ahead. Len stopped and went to the door.
He remembers what he found inside: "It was actually a restaurant, and so I went in and asked the chap behind the counter - a wooden counter - if he had accommodation." It took a while to get him to understand, but eventually, despite his limited French, Len discovered that they did have two rooms. Everyone in the car was relieved.
Pauline Simpson took her overnight bag from the car up to the bedroom. "The room was weird," she says. "The sheets were bleached white. They were very thick and large and we didn't have pillows - just a round bolster that went right across the top of the bed." There was only a dim light in the room - no electrical switches. Later, to climb the stairs, they were even given candles! The bathroom was even odder - at the end of a long corridor and huge. But the antique bath was sunk into the floor and the soap was stuck into a metal spike on the wall. The windows to the rooms were just as unusual as everything else in this building, with slatted shutters but no glass.
Downstairs in the dining room Len and Cynthis Gisby were feeling equally bemused. A woman in an old-fashioned dress and a fringed cap asked them what they all wanted. They recognised the word oeuf, meaning egg, and Cynthia ordered that. The women ended up with egg and sautéed potatoes and the men had steak for their meal. Even the cutlery was strangely heavy and basic-looking. Len was particularly impressed - in quaint old jars with stoppers, and like nothing they had tasted before. Everyone enjoyed their meal.
In the next room some rustic-looking Frenchmen were sitting around a large wooden table and, as Cynthia comments: "We just thought it was old rural France and had a laugh. We thought it was part and parcel of the holiday."
They did not stay long in the restaurant as they were all desperately tired. None of them remembers dreaming and they all fell asleep quickly. The road outside was completely devoid of passing traffic, but Len recalled a whistling or hooting that may have come from a nearby railway line.
story continues in comments

First off, I still haven't got my $3000 back from when they cancelled flights to Japan as COVID started. These had been booked a year in advance mid 2019. Could have invested that money 3 years ago if they gave it back right away as they should have according to ACCC, when the service was not provided and 'a reasonable time' has now been long surpassed. Have called these scammers 6-7 times, waiting hours and hours on hold to try my luck. Even gave them medical certificates for recent surgeries, still nothing just a voucher extension. The worst part is that this 'voucher' is now running out at the end of the year and we have no leave from work to use the value. So messed up. All that money down the drain in this economy...it's beyond infuriating. If anyone has any further suggestions on this please let me know
Second, the guy who checked our bags on a recent flight from SYD to OOL in was an absolute c*nt. For no reason. My spouse and I are both in healthcare and have worked retail/hospo jobs and go out of our ways to be extremely polite to people who are serving us. This guy was huffing and rolling his eyes from the moment we said good afternoon, spoke in a super sassy, demeaning tone, had a full convo with a coworker whilst I was waiting (not wanting to interrupt) with stuff in my hands to ask him how much weight we had left on our check-in bag, then whisks the bag off without even looking at us. When I asked he said "it was 10 kilos under but too bad, you should have asked earlier" (during his convo with his back turned?), and that he "doesn't have to tell me anything," making the most exaggerated, rude expressions. For what? If you hate your job that much then go find something else to do, don't work in customer service with your disgusting attitude, dishing it out to random travellers on holiday. Wish I got a name to write a complaint, though I suppose I have sufficient reason to doubt this company gives a shit about customer service at any level

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The group of Administrators - former Administrators? No, I'll still need Administrators. These though? Maybe? - leads us through the promenade of the Starbase, past the gawking crowds. Now that they're pretty sure I'm not going to start a riot or a war, I have a lot more curious onlookers following a... respectful distance behind. We continue on through the promenade towards a...
group of shops?
They're small, ramshackle shops, selling hot food and other small trinkets. If tourists came to this Starbase, I'd call it a tourist trap but I have a feeling that many locals rely on places like this for their daily meals no matter how much the Aviens and Mariens say there is plenty of food.
We stand in front of a shop where one of the Insect people is frying something in a large, shallow pan with a flame under it. Oh!
"Rapid River Roaring, what is the name of this species of sapient?" I ask.
"They are known to us as Azurians."
I look at the Azurian. They are making small efficient movements, transferring food to the large fryer, turning them quickly, and then another moves the cooked food to a rack to dry.
"Good day, may I have one of those?" I ask gently.
"2 Skys, exact change." They say without looking up. I make a show of patting my pockets dramatically, and then look at The Smell Of the Ocean and raise an eyebrow.
"You stand in the presence of a Builder! Know your place!" He barks at the Azurian at the fryer.
The Azurian lazily looks up at them, then over at me with my royal blue outfit and crown and wings, and then back to The Small Of the Ocean and says "1 Sky then. Discount."
I tip my head back and laugh. Really, I love these Azurians. I need to make sure they're taken care of. They don't care a single bit about who I am. I look again at Ocean and say "Well? Pay them please. I would like to try what they're cooking."
Ocean looks at me with a shocked expression. I'm sure they had not planned on this when their day started, but even for that they're still surprised.
You are not how they expect a Builder to be.
Good. Maybe they'll stop trying to treat me like they already know how I'm going to react.
Ocean takes out a small purse and digs around and takes out a small, green, metallic coin. They plunk it into the box next to the fryer, and the Azurian who was removing the cooked treats hands me one. It's hot and oily and crunchy and delightful.
"These are so good!" I say around a mouthfull of food. I swallow and look at the Azurians cooking. "Thank you so much, those are amazing." I turn to Ava, Mei and Fer'resi. "You need to try these. Ocean, buy three more!"
The Azurian looks up again. "2 Skys each since they're not Holy."
I look at Ocean again and raise an eyebrow. They dive into their purse and pull out six more coins. Three fried treats are produced, and everyone tries them.
Ava gobbles hers down. "Melody! You're right, these are amazing! We have to make sure we can get more from them. I wonder if they'll give us the recipe?"
"Probably, but I know we can't get the ingredients back home." I say with a smile.
"Well then, we'll just have to stay here. These are worth opening up a trade relationship with the folks at home. Mel, Fer'resi, what do you think?"
I look over and the food is gone. Both of them practically inhaled them. Mei'la is grinning "Melody they're amazing! They taste...familiar. Like a food we eat during one of the festivals."
Fer'resi nods. "It's very similar to the fried treats we eat during... The Ceasing." He thinks a moment.
"The Ceasing?" I ask.
"These days, it's a harvest holiday. When the work in the fields cease and we take a week or two before rotating to our next fields so as to not overwork the soil. It's a time to get together with family and have a party, visit with your neighbors, that kind of thing. There were records of the holiday being related to something else in the old religion, but most people figured it was always a harvest holiday, but now I wonder."
"What, like celebrating the closure of the Gate?" I ask.
"Yes, maybe it originally celebrated when the Builders ceased coming."
Fer'resi looks at his empty skewer thoughtfully. "Well, we can research the history of K'laxi religion later I suppose. And as delicious as these were, why are we here?"
Actually, he's right. I turn to Ocean. "Other than the snack break, why are we here, Ocean?"
With a sigh, he walks between the stands. We follow.
The people running the stands stare as we weave through them, but nobody stops us or even asks what we are doing. The benefits of being a Builder with the station Administrators I guess. We reach the wall behind the stands and The Smell of the Ocean looks at Rapid River Roaring. "It's around here, isn't it?"
Rapid River Roaring nods "Yes, but neither we or any of the Mariens could work out how to open it." They turn to look at me. "Empress, the entrance to the Throne is around here, but as we are not Builders...we don't know how to open the door."
I look out at the wall. It looks ancient. Like it's been here forever. Soot and dust cling to the walls. There has to be a switch or a lever or something right?
No. It's designed for a Builder to open.
Yes, but I've been a builder for what, two full days at this point and Empress for one? I don't know what I'm doing.
Think like an Empress. Think like a Builder.
Ugh, that doesn't help. Everything I've felt so far as shown me that they're self righeous, demanding people who just... get what they... want.
Is it really that easy?
I look up at the wall again. We seem to be in the middle as near as I can tell. Over on one side, it goes for 10 meters or so and then ends in a decoration that looks a little like a pillar. I turn and look at the other side and... yes, it's the same.
This isn't a wall, it's the door.
I look at the door now, and think about it. It looks like it would slide into the floor, or up into the ceiling. I bet it hasn't been opened in centuries. I don't want to hurt anyone who has set up shop here.
Think like a Builder, Melody. What do Builders do? They Build.
Okay okay. Let's think. If I have enough Nanites that I can make clothes for myself and my friends and I can make a frigging glowing crown and wings then there is probably enough to be able to...
I look at the wall and concentrate. Think like a Builder they say. Fine.
A breeze erupts from me and a light fog flows around my feet towards the wall. It clings to the wall until it covers an area that would be a comfortable doorway. A moment passes, and
"Hey, a door!" Ava says. "How did you do that?"
I turn back to her and wink. "I'm a Builder. I have no idea." Ava giggles.
Mei'la looks at the hole. "What happened to the matter in the wall? You can't just make it disappear.
Hmm, I look around, the walls didn't seem to get thicker, and I don't think I took the wall material and rebuilt it into more nanites, but the floor... sure is dusty.
"Look at the floor Mei'la, I think it's dust now."
Drifts of dust blew at our feet as she looked. I guess it was the same color of the wall. That must be it.
I walk over to my new opening and stand there. It smells of stale air and dust. There are no lights and no air movement.
"Come on everyone, let's walk purposefully into the dark and scary hole I made into the wall without really having a good understanding about what I'm doing or how I did it!" I call out to everyone as I go through the door.
The light from the market illuminates a small patch in front of me. It's just bare, dusty floor. I look up and see... nothing. Okay, okay, think like a Builder, act like I own the place.
Because - in a very real sense - you do.
Okay, first thing I want are lights. I think about how I'd want it to be lit, and concentrate and...
There is a loud, distant humming sound and with a dramatic flourish, lights come on in the room, just the color I was thinking.
Ava pushes her way in behind me and stops dead. "Melody... is that your Throne?"
It's breathtaking. About 100 meters from us, nearly 10 meters over our heads is what can really only be described as a Throne, A wide staircase leads up to it with platforms every 10 steps or so.
The Throne itself is... massive. It's a chair made of green shimmering metal. Towering and spindly, it reaches up behind where the Empress would sit, almost organically, towards the ceiling. Touching the ceiling it spreads and branches like the roots of a tree and disappears into the ceiling. I think it's connected. Maybe data connections? It is clearly meant to impress.
Doesn't look too comfortable to sit in though.
"I think it is, Ava. At least the Throne for this Starbase. The Nanites tell me every Starbase has one."
"Do they all look like this?" She looks around, eye wide.
"I don't know. I suppose in time, I'll go and find out."
Mei'la comes in and hearing that turns to me, "So, you're going to stay? Be their Empress? After how many millennia of them not having one you'll just... show up and say 'Hey, I'm in charge now' ?"
It is your right.
"I-I think that I can do some real good here" I say, weakly.
You don't need to justify it to them.
"How Melody? You're an Information Warfare Officer, you never even had a command."
You are a Builder.
"But, look at the people here, look at the Aviens and Mariens who are in charge hate each other! It won't be long before they start shooting each other!" I'm feeling panicked and I don't know why. Mei'la is right, what am I doing?
She is nothing. You are everything
Mei'la crosses her arms. "The only person who has said that they hate each other is you Melody. Nobody else on FarReach who has been to the station has seen it."
They can't see. They won't see.
I look out through the door to the promenade. "The people that live here sure don't look like they're living a free and easy life. We met a slave! Those food vendors we bought treats from sure don't look rich to me. If you look around it looks like... poverty. Like people barely hanging on. I can fix that."
Mei'la keeps staring at me. "How Melody? How will you fix it? You don't know the first thing about how to rule."
I whirl around "Do you? Please, enlighten me then." Wow, I almost used the Voice. I have to be more careful. That was close.
I throw up my hands. "So, what do you expect me to do then, just... go home? With all this that's happened to me, with all that's been given to me, to just waste it on tricks and being able to watch movies without the subtitles? Dr. Irenimum says the Nanites can't be turned off. So now I live for who knows how long with the full package giving me the ability, the knowledge and the power to rule and... I don't?"
Mei'la looks at me, eyes wide. "Melody, what are you saying?"
Ava stands next to me and puts a hand on my shoulder. "She's saying she's an Empress now, and she intends to rule."
I nod without thinking. Ava gets it. Ava gets me. No, wait. What's going on, what am I doing? Ugh, I need a minute to think, my head hurts.
Mei'la turns away and looks over at Fer'resi. "Fer'resi, you talk some sense into her. She isn't interested in listening to me."
Hey, wait a minute, that's not fair
"Hey Mei'la, that doesn't seem fair. I've got... a lot of stuff that I've just been introduced to. I need time to... process it."
"Fine then, let's head back to FarReach, we can process it while we go to the next system." She turns to leave.
Ņ̶̛̞̬̲̪̲̝͑́͆̈́͌̈́̊͝ͅȍ̸̡̞̫̖͕͈̮͌̍̆́͌͗͛͛͒̌͘!̶̢̛̫̦̺̣͍͕͇̳̟̂̊̓̀̕͜͝
She stops without thinking. She turns and looks at me, fearful.
I clap a hand over my mouth. Uh oh.
"Sorry! Sorry! What I mean is... No. I'm going to stay here and think things through. You can head back to FarReach if you want." I look at everyone "You can all leave, you're free to go anytime, But I'm going to keep going and see what's here for me. I need to do this."
The moment I say they're free to go, the Aviens and Mariens with me bolt. They run away as fast as they can. Ugh, good Empresses don't have their subjects run from them in terror, do they?
No, **Great **Empresses do.
Mei'la looks at me sadly. "Goodbye, Melody." and turns to leave. Fer'resi looks at her, then back at me, then at her. "I-I'm sorry Melody." He stammers "I-I-I need to get back to FarReach and... learn more about these translators you got us. Thank you for them, and for showing us how to wear them." Looking back one more time he leaves.
Ava smoothly transitions her hand on my shoulder into a hug. "You aren't getting rid of me that easily. I'm here to see this through. This is too cool just to give it all up and go back to FarReach and continue on like nothing's wrong." I lean into the hug. Ava knows what I need right now.
She's right. See it through.
Fine. If I'm the Empress, then I'll be the Empress. With newfound determinization, I walk up the stairs. I approach the throne and look at it.
There's no dust.
It's completely clean, how did they manage that trick? I'll have to ask the Nanites later. I turn and plant my rear end into the Throne.
I lean back in shock and gasp.
First / Previous / Next

Go to this page for ExpressVPN Xiaomi Mi Box Sale. If you're looking for the newest coupons and promo codes, that page is the place to go. They always have the latest offers available.

We're out of season, but it's never too early nor too late for a Christmas thread. Credit goes to u/CleverHarwood who started the Christmas saga and then followed it up based on tips from fellow puzzlers.
The aim of this post is to create an easy-to-maintain Ravensburger Christmas resource linked to our Wiki. I will carry on updating this post, so don't hesitate to comment and point out any missing bits (even if you stumble upon it weeks or months after its original publication date). Thank you.
The focus is on Limited/Special Christmas editions: 500-2000 pieces (but I plan to add smaller counts eventually). I have hyperlinked the completed puzzle if it was posted on the sub and avoided external links. Multiple external links have lead to my post removal by reddit spam filters.
A very special thanks to u/hyperkid137 for sharing the Ravensburger link and the redditor who first shared the Puzzles by Lisa website link. eBay (active and sold items) and Puzzlelink are the other two resources that were useful in the data collection.
Last updated: May 2023
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Christmas/Limited Edition with the yellow star on the box Please note some of these puzzles were released by Ravensburger USA. I have provided this information if located/available
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Title	Artist	Pieces	Year on the box	Notes
Here Comes Christmas!	Ingrid Slyder	500	2023
Rockefeller Center Joy	Pierpaolo Rovero	1000	2022
Enchanted Christmas	Demelsa Haughton	500	2021
Christmas Songbirds	Ingrid Slyder	500 XL	2021	Sold in the Christmas Edition and 'standard' Ravensburger box
Christmas Eve	Zorina Baldescu	1500	2020
The Christmas Shop	Janet Kruskamp	500	2020
Christmas in The Square	Victor McLindon	1000	2019
Cuddly Christmas	Dominic Davison	500	2019
Packing the Sleigh	Liz Dillon	1000	2019
Playful Christmas Day		1000	2019
White Christmas	Dominic Davison	1000	2019
Christmas on Pet Street	Ingrid Slyder	1000	2018
Christmas Village	Marcello Corti	1000	2018
Christmas Wishes	Barbara Behr	1000	2018
Countdown to Christmas	David Krustkamp	1000	2018
Snowy Village	Barbara Behr	1000	2018
Christmas House	Steve Crisp	500	2017
Festival of Festivals	Roy Trower	1000	2017	Released as Santa's Christmas Party in the UK
The Joy of Christmas	Connecticut Community Foundation	1000	2017
Winter Wonderland	Ingrid Slyder	1000	2017
Christmas Joy	Interlitho (Stock art)	500	2016
Santa's Ready	Ingrid Slyder	1000	2016
NYC Christmas	Steve Klein	1000	2015
Santa's Final Preparations	Roy Trower	1000	2015	Released under the same title in the Limited Edition in the UK
Americana Christmas	Medana Gabbard	1000	2014
Christmas Train	Roy Trower	1000	2014	Released as The Santa Express in the UK
Mapping the Course	Elaine Maier	1000	2013
Idyllic Village	Debbie Cook	1000	2013
Santa Needs Directions	Roy Trower	1000	2013	Released as Which Way is Santa? in the UK
Joy of Christmas	Roy Trower	1000	2012	Red box edition
Santa's Sleigh Ride	Roy Trower	1000	2012	Released as Santa's Flying Visit in the UK
Santa's Caught	Simon Mendez	1000	2011
Snowy Day	ddfa (Stock art)	1000	2011
The Christmas Shop	Tricia Reilly Matthews	1000	2010	Ravensburger USA. Modular box
Holiday Baubles	Caroline Valeureuse	1000	2010
Not a Creature was Stirring	Nicky Boehme	1000	2010
Santa's Arrival	George Schriemer	1000	2010
Santa's Story Time	Gilberto Marchi	1000	2010
Santa's Flying Visit	Roy Trower	1000	2010	Ravensburger USA. Modular box; released under the same title in the UK - standard box
Two Angels	Alessandro Scanziani	1000	2010	Ravensburger USA. Modular box
The Christmas Market	Roy Trower	1000	2008	Released under the same title in the Limited Edition in the UK
Joy of Christmas	Roy Trower	1000	2008	Blue box edition
Santa's Christmas List	Roy Trower	1000	2008	Released under the same title in the Limited Edition in the UK
White Christmas	Rolf Bunse	1000	2008
It's Christmas	Roy Trower	2000	2005
It's Christmas	Roy Trower	1000	2005
Santa Claus	Ute Thonissen	1000	2005
The Christmas Village	Roy Trower	1000	2004	Released under the same title in the Limited Edition in the UK
Christmas	Ute Thonissen	1000	2003	Comes in a metal tin box

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Limited Edition UK puzzles
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Title	Artist	Pieces	Year on the box
26: Santa's Workshop	Roy Trower	1000	2022
25: The Christmas House	Roy Trower	1000	2021
24: Christmas is Coming	Roy Trower	1000	2020
23: Home for Christmas	Roy Trower	1000	2019
22: Let's Visit Santa	Roy Trower	1000	2018
21: Which One's Santa?	Roy Trower	1000	2017
20: Santa's Christmas Party	Roy Trower	1000	2016
19: Santa's Final Preparations	Roy Trower	1000	2015
18: The Christmas Farm	Roy Trower	1000	2014
17: The Santa Express	Roy Trower	1000	2013
16: Christmas Shop	Roy Trower	1000	2012
15: Which Way is Santa?	Roy Trower	1000	2011
14: Santa's Flying Visit	Roy Trower	1000	2010
13: Santa’s Christmas Supper	Roy Trower	1000	2009
12: Santa's Christmas List	Roy Trower	1000	2008
11: The Christmas Market (Santa's Secret Visit)	Roy Trower	1000	2007
10: The Christmas Fair	Roy Trower	1000	2006
9: A Country Christmas	Roy Trower	1000	2005
8: The Christmas Village	Roy Trower	1000	2004
7		1000	2003
6		1000	2002
5: Christmas Carols	Peter Bradshaw	1000	2001
4: Christmas Traditions	Kevin Walsh	1000	2000
3: The Ivy and the Holy	Carol Lawson	1000	1999
2: The Twelve Days of Christmas	Carol Lawson	1000	1998
1: Victorian Christmas	Gale Pitt	1000	1997

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Christmas Disney Puzzles
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Title	Pieces	Year on the box	Notes
Disney Snow Globes	1000	2021
Disney Princess Christmas Celebrations	500	2017
Disney Pixar Christmas	1000	2016
Disney Christmas Train	500	2016(?)
Disney Christmas	1000	2015
A Disney Christmas	1000	2011
Winnie the Pooh. Christmas Fun	1000	TBC	Developed in the UK

Have - Steam gifts (ROW, unrestricted, if you can't see the game in my inventory, it is still available, so add me for the trade)

Game name	Price	Notes	Stock	Game Status
Borderless Gaming	5 keys			Gift
Call of Duty World at War	25 keys			Gift
Droplitz	offers	removed game	subID 12638	Gift
F1 2011	offers	removed game	subID 11620	Gift
F1 2011	offers	removed game	subID 12677	Gift
F1 2012	offers	removed game		Gift
Faerie Solitaire	2 keys			Gift
Fortified	1 TOD Ticket			Steam key/add me
Hero Academy - Tribe Pack - Hatless Gift	4 keys			Gift
Hitman Collection (ROW)	12 keys		subID 49903	Gift
Iron Warriors T - 72 Tank Command	2 keys			Gift
Lucius	2 keys			Gift
Mount & Blade Complete	6 keys		subID 38003	Gift
NASCAR The Game 2013	45 keys	removed game	subID 28448	Gift
PAYDAY 2 Gage Weapon Pack 02	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
PlayWay's Sim Bundle	1 keys		subID 51669	Gift
Pro Cycling Manager 2012	offers	removed game	subID 15175	Gift
Pro Cycling Manager 2013	offers	removed game	subID 28407	Gift
Pro Cycling Manager 2014	6 keys			Gift
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Bundle	10 keys			Gift
Saints Row IV - Child's Play Pack	1 TOD Ticket	removed game	subID 35488	Gift
Shannon Tweed's Attack Of The Groupies	2 keys			Gift
Shogun 2 Fall of the Samurai Collection	10 keys		subID 17095	Gift
SteamWorld Dig	1 TOD Ticket			Steam key/add me
The Amazing Spider-Man	300 keys	removed game		Gift
The Holiday Express	4 keys		subID 35154	Gift
The Lord of the Rings Online Helm’s Deep Base	offers	removed game	subID 32781	Gift
The Lord of the Rings Online Quad Pack	offers	removed game	subID 32775	Gift
The Lord of the Rings Online Steely Dawn Pack	offers	removed game	subID 18483	Gift
The Sims 3 Diesel Stuff	10 keys			Gift
The Sims 3 Generations	10 keys			Gift
Watch_Dogs Complete	25 keys			Gift
Your Doodles Are Bugged!	offers	removed game	subID 8256	Gift

Want:

• Offers with TF2 keys are preferred
• CSGO skins
• Regarding Tether offers, buyer goes first and covers the transaction fees
• Please DO NOT offer game codes, Humble links, Origin, Uplay codes and 3rd party accounts.

Sending Trade Offers
Trade offer link: https://steamcommunity.com/tradeoffenew/?partner=99041861&token=oT95zjCo
Steam inventory: https://steamcommunity.com/id/routemasteinventory#753_1

We met when I was 17 and she was 15. It clicked really fast between us and we quickly got into a relationship. We've always shown a lot of verbal and physical signs of affection towards each other, and even though she has a way lower libido than me, we have the most gratifying sex. We've been together for 6 years, been living together for 2 and opened our relationship around one year ago. We agreed on opening because we both recognized we were young and inexperienced (we were each other's first in basically everything), and wanted to see what's out there while maintaining the love and comfort of our relationship. Neither of us has really acted on this freedom yet, but having the contract at least agreed upon was a dealbreaker for her, as she can easily feel smothered when her life becomes stale for too long
However, she told me three months ago that even though I held a dear place in her heart and she felt a lot of affection for me, she isn't in love anymore, and had been questioning and accepting this fact for a while now. She feels like we've grown into different people and developed different takes on life. There is also an accumulation of little things, rational and irrational, that tell her we may have grown incompatible. She also suffers from FOMO in multiple areas of her life, has a deeply ingrained aversion to routine, and feels trapped when in a situation that is too comfortable and predictable.
I was distraught and shocked. Never in the past have I felt so much sadness, distress, hopelessness, incomprehension, all at once. It is especially frustrating when it concerns problems that are so vague and intertwined that it's almost impossible to clearly define and address them. And it is difficult to accept that feelings cannot be rescued by purely finding rational solutions. I also know that passional love eventually fades out and that love starts becoming a choice, which is why I also feel hurt (but not resentful) by her stopping to choose to love me and put energy into the relationship.
I love this girl so, so much. I know it's slightly unrealistic to think that we could be together forever by starting so young, but this thought is not unappealing to me. And even as a 23 yo male, I honestly think I wouldn't mind having only her as romantic and sexual partner in my life.
She told me we didn't necessarily have to break up right away, because she values the time we spend together and she is quite happy. Since we initially moved in together because we study in the same University, we concluded that we would keep living our relationship as usual at least until exactly one year from now, when I will have finished my master's degree and her her bachelor's. She then plans to move out, because she will probably continue her studies in another city, and maybe another country. She also wants to gain the experience of taking care of herself on her own like an adult, an experience she has yet never had since she went straight from living with her parents to living with me. At this point, she made it pretty clear that I at the very least will not be considered her primary relationship anymore.
Since we had that talk, we have effectively not changed anything it the way we interact with each other. We still constantly hug and kiss, hold hands, banter, send kissing emojis, have sex with the same frequency... The only thing that really changed is, obviously, how often we verbally express our love. We used to say "I love you" almost everyday, multiple times a day. And this is where, to all these feelings, is added a new one : confusion. In the last three months, we've still had a few (4-5) really strong bonding moment, during which she told me she loved me. After I asked her, she told me that, in those precise moments, she genuinely meant it. Additionally, that none of her daily displays of affection are forced, and she still wanted to make plans for us to go on holiday this summer.
To add to the confusion, she does not love me with passion anymore, but for her I represent a mixture of a cousin, a friend, a son and her home. None of use knows what to make of it. It isn't clear for her what exactly she feels nor where it's coming from, but she knows that she couldn't bear having the same life in say 10 years. But she still mentioned that if we were 10 years older, she probably would be less hesitant about our relationship.
I am currently at a complete loss what to think, what to feel, and what to do. Even though there is a trickling hourglass over my head, all my fears and insecurities instantly vanish when she holds be in her arms. This girl makes me so happy. I think that the happiness she will bring me this following year will still outweigh the dread. Although I would do anything in my power to save our relationship, even a part of it, I know I need to refrain from chasing her, as she will only suffocate and become more and more distant. I am above all terrified of her disappearing from my life. To have built a life and a bond together for 6 years, and suddenly become almost strangers. I would at least want for us to meet sometimes, since we go along so well, and I believe she agrees. I'll need to evaluate at that moment if that represents torture or relief for me/us.
I am not a native english speaker so I hope I was articulate enough, though it is difficult to explain to strangers a situation that even the parties involved don't fully comprehend.
TL;DR : Three months ago, my girlfriend of 6 years confessed she wasn't in love with me anymore, and had been thinking about it for months prior already. Since then, we have continued living normally as if nothing had ever happened, and will probably maintain this lifestyle until next year, when she is likely to move out. This will mean either break-up, or at best us becoming a side relationship while carrying on with our respective lives in different directions. Yet, we still experienced strong emotional moments since, after which she told me she genuinely loved me in that specific moment. I am distraught and confused af.
I mostly need a reality check. Is this relationship irreversibly doomed ? Is it a bad idea for me to want to maintain ties with her, as long as it doesn't make me feel miserable ?
Thank you for your time and insight.

Hey guys, thought I might as well post this as I'm in a bit of a debacle.
I (M15) have been searching for a job for about half a year now. Finally, earlier this month I decided to apply via email to this Drive-In cinema. They invited me to an interview and it went really well. A week later I attended this (unpaid) training session where for about an hour I generally learned how it all works. It was a bit overwhelming, but it seemed like a good experience that I could probably achieve. It's a really nice environment too with lovely people. Plus I love film and want to get into that field at some point and having that as my first job would be amazing.
However, it is 50~ kilometres away from where I live. My parents have begrudgingly agreed to take me for my first few shifts and then I've offered to take public transport to get there. The amount of money it would cost to get there via car or public transport is like almost as much as I would get paid each shift. Public transport is also really difficult, I'd have to take the train to the end of its line and then take a bus (buses around that area will likely be filled with some characters which isn't necessarily an issue but is worth saying) to a really sketchy neighbourhood and then take an Uber to the Drive-In. It's a lot of effort and time and money for honestly not much pay. The hourly salary is AUD$15.04 (That's around $9.84~ in USD). My dad has even expressed that I'm naive and they are "ripping me off".
As to not 'overwhelm' me or my parents, the manager has scheduled me to start my first shift two weeks after that training session (this Saturday) and then every second Saturday, which is not a lot of time at all. On June 26 I'm going to be going on holiday for a week and will already be missing one shift. Later in the year I'll be going on an even larger trip which will impact my availability.
Overall, despite my excitement and positivity toward the position, it feels so inconvenient and not worth it all. I told my mum that I would stick with it until the family trip in late June and I would then start considering something else, but she said that if I'm already experiencing doubts I should just email saying I can't do it rather than quit after such a short time - it wouldn't be worth it and would be a bad look especially on my CV. So I'm really conflicted. Should I awkwardly turn down this very inconvenient yet great opportunity and stick with finding a job closer to me or stay with it and gain some good experience, have what seems like a dream first job to me, despite the almost impossible commute?

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Tout a commencé sur Discord. Nous étions sur un serveur dédié à un jeu en ligne parmi des allemands en majorité, mais aussi des américains, turques, italiens et j’en passe. J’ai fais le premier pas. Elle est allemande, je suis français. Elle vient d’avoir 18 ans, j’en ai 23. Elle était dépressive, j’étais dans un gouffre, sans emploi mais je tenais debout. Nous nous déclarons vite en couple entre nous. 500km nous séparaient. Je refusais catégoriquement que l’on s’appelle en FaceTime car je tenais à garder la flamme de la première rencontre, découvrir sa manière de sourire, de parler avec son corps, l’expression de ses yeux. Nous échangions simplement des photos de nos visages. Elle était jolie, très belle.
Je l’ai bloquée à deux reprises sans crier gare pour diverses raisons. Premièrement, je ne savais pas où tout ça nous menait, et la différence d’âge me faisait culpabiliser. La distance, aussi, m’effrayait. Et elle avait fait preuve de mensonge et de presque infidélité en laissant un italien flirter avec elle, me dénigrant aussi lorsque je n’avais pas assez de temps pour elle. Elle avait laissé entendre sur le serveur qu’elle irait daté une fille prochainement (elle est bi). Mais je suis toujours revenu car elle me courait après et faisait des promesses qui ne m’ont pas laissé indifférent. Je pensais, et en suis persuadé aujourd’hui, qu’elle avait une sorte de dépendance émotionnelle. Elle m’avait fait part de ses traits borderline. Elle voyait une psy.
Au bout de six mois, nous organisons une rencontre. La veille au soir, j’ai été tenté de faire semblant de louper mon train et mettre un terme à tout ça. Malgré tout, et sous nuit blanche, je me retrouve dans un train en direction de l’Allemagne. Je n’ai jamais été à l’étranger, et je suis rempli d’à prioris infondés sur l’Allemagne et les allemands, et leur langue. Je me disais que peu importe l’issue de cette rencontre, j’aurais au moins voyagé un peu et vécu un truc après six mois reclus dans mon 15m2.
Le voyage commence. C’est long, si long. La frontière passée, la voix du train crache des messages en allemand. Je me dis que ça sonne pas si mal, l’allemand. C’est même plutôt beau, mais il va falloir m’y faire. J’arrive à destination. Elle m’attend là, sur le quai. Je suis dans un film. Nous sommes le 7 avril 2022, il fait froid, elle est emmitouflée dans une épaisse écharpe grise. Et ce jour-là, pour couronner la journée déjà bien clichée eau de rose, le ciel nous inflige une pluie torrentielle. Son petit nez est écarlate à cause du froid. J’aime beaucoup son petit nez qui pointe un peu vers le côté. Les allemands ne faisant pas la bise mais plutôt une accolade (j’avais bien demandé avant de venir pour ne pas avoir de quiproquo), nous sommes terriblement gênés, et nous arrivons à balbutier un petit bonjour et je lance les formalités, savoir si elle va bien, si elle m’attend depuis longtemps sur le quai. Même si en fait, on s’est échangé des messages tout du long.
Elle rougit quand je parle. Ses joues se fondent avec la couleur de son nez. Ses yeux pétillent. Et elle sourit bêtement. Je donnerais tout pour revoir ce sourire et ce regard. Tu étais magnifique. Nous allons dans un supermarché pour acheter quelque chose à grignoter avant de partir chez elle. Elle est si perturbée par ma présence qu’elle trébuche un peu partout, tandis que moi, je cache ma timidité par des blagues nulles. Il y avait cette marque de pâtes et autres produits alimentaires du nom de « Ja ». Je lis bêtement et à plusieurs reprises le nom avec un accent allemand caricatural. En espérant la détendre. Ça la fait rire. Je vois bien qu’elle est presque tétanisée. Mais je me dis que c’est bon signe. Dans le bus, dans un élan naturel, je pose ma main sur sa cuisse. Trop rapide, me direz-vous, mais elle est ma petite amie à ce moment-là et elle me partagera plus tard son bonheur indescriptible de sentir ma main se poser sur sa cuisse. Nous arrivons chez elle trempés jusqu’aux os. Elle vit chez ses parents. Son frère est là, ses parents arrivent plus tard et me reçoivent très bien. Sa mère parle un peu d’anglais, son père est plutôt silencieux de nature, chose que je constaterai au fil du temps. Elle a deux chiens. Un tout petit terrier, femelle, du nom de Cocco. Elle m’aime déjà beaucoup. L’autre, une sorte de bâtard mi-berger allemand mi-je-ne-sais-quoi, manque de me mordre à ma venue. Il déteste les étrangers. Une fois arrivés elle me montre la chambre dans laquelle je dormirai. Ses parents pensent que je ne suis qu’un ami français, un truc platonique. Elle avait installé sa Xbox dans cette pièce pour que nous puissions utiliser Netflix à deux. Au moment où elle sort de cette chambre, je la tire doucement par la manche de son sweat gris. Elle se retourne et m’interroge du regard. Et je la prends dans mes bras. C’est plus fort que moi, ça fait six mois que je peux enfin sentir son poids contre moi et je suis déjà amoureux. La rencontre a décuplé le sentiment. Nous nous enlaçons et restons là pendant 2 longues minutes. Je hume ses cheveux, son cou.
J’étais sensé rester quelques jours. Je suis finalement resté deux semaines. Deux semaines magiques desquelles je suis revenu avec quelques mots d’allemand en tête, un sentiment d’amour comme je n’en ai jamais ressenti depuis mes 18 ans, et une envie viscérale de rester là-bas.

I'd been desperately needing a car since being poor comes with many "poverty taxes" people often don't think about.
I had been driving a 20+ year old car I had paid cash for, but could only afford (required) liability insurance on, when I was involved in a hit and run accident. The ems and cops who showed up on scene said I really needed to go to the hospital to get checked out. I hate hospital bills, but they said insurance would pay for it.
Well, due to some pretty messed up loopholes, insurance didn't pay for anything. So basically, I was stuck without a car, during holiday/experience bill winter season, and with property taxes due of about $2000 on my 750 sq ft house, PLUS medical bills. Yes, you can lose a house you own or are buying in property tax states if you don't pay. And each month you don't pay, the price goes up crazy amounts.
So, enter my boss. He knows my husband and I had been sharing a car for us both to work with our different schedules. (Often, poor couples don't see each other or family or friends often due to shitty work schedules - another poverty "tax" on mental health)
Well finally, after the stupid damn taxes & medical bills took all the savings and (1/3 the amount last year as usual) holiday bonuses, with me still having to get rides for work, I got another car. Yes, it's 20 years old too, but I could afford it and it checked out to be pretty good. I decided to save and hustle a few side gigs to pay cash, since due to anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD and chronic pain I really didn't need to take on another monthly expense, as the mental toll of the financials of existence is often too much for me day to day as is - despite all these meds that are supposed to help, lol. 🫠
So my boss found out I got a car, then started asking questions about it which are absolutely none of his business. He expressed "worry" about the miles that were on it, etc. I was so pissed. I worked my ass off with a HUGE mental stress/emotional toll for many months to be able to finally get SOMETHING I could drive to work, while juggling all these expenses.
I personally feel he had no fucking right to do what came across as shaming me for buying a vehicle I could afford. After all, I had done much research on issues with that particular type car.
I still think it's better for my brain to pay cash and not have a monthly payment because that way if "something happens" (like a catastrophic emergency, job loss, or expense), a person doesn't lose their vehicle they're paying on, have bad credit, and not be able to get to their next job. I understand the "reliability" concern, but boss and I grew up in extremely different worlds. His dad owned a shop, and my dad was a veteran with terrible PTSD (from required military service, as he was drafted for combat) who had difficulty keeping any job (due to stress and psychological toll) much less running his own business.
Boss has surely heard of Dave Ramsey, with all the pop Christian YouTubers he listens to. I thought he'd understand "the borrower is servant to the lender"... Which would seem like another reason to avoid debt but then he wouldn't be as able to maintain appearance with the truck he bought new, and literally only uses to commute instead of actually hauling anything or using the 4x4. But, whatever lol
I have more experience than my boss, but some days I feel like my brain and body are just damaged too much beyond repair due to a lifetime of stresses that come with being poor. It keeps me too afraid to go out on my own to start my own business. Plus, higher taxes. Fuck taxes.

Cześć! Jestem tutaj, aby dowiedzieć się więcej o zdobywaniu obserwujących na Instagramie. Jestem początkującym blogerem i chciałbym wiedzieć, jak zdobyć więcej obserwujących na mojej stronie na Instagramie. Jakie strategie i metody polecacie na zwiększenie liczby subskrybentów?
Słyszałem o używaniu hashtagów i geolokalizacji, ale czy istnieją inne skuteczne sposoby? Jak mogę ulepszyć zawartość mojej strony, aby przyciągnąć uwagę większej liczby użytkowników? Jaką rolę odgrywa interakcja z subskrybentami i odpowiadanie na komentarze?
Czy możesz podzielić się wskazówkami dotyczącymi konfigurowania profilu i korzystania z funkcji Instagrama w celu zwiększenia liczby obserwujących? Jak określić, kto może być moją grupą docelową i jak zwrócić na siebie jej uwagę? Interesują mnie również płatne kampanie reklamowe na Instagramie. Jak skutecznie wykorzystać reklamę do zwiększenia liczby subskrybentów? Jestem wdzięczny za wszelkie informacje i rady, którymi możesz się podzielić, aby pomóc mi odnieść większy sukces na Instagramie. Dziękuję!

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Welcome to the guide on creating a "Schoolgirl" image for your social media presence, Reddit edition! If you're looking to stand out from the crowd and cultivate a captivating image that blends fashion and freshness, you've come to the right place. In this guide, we'll walk you through the critical elements of the style, offer tips on highlighting your youthfulness and playfulness through makeup and hairstyles, and share insights on creating content that resonates with the Reddit community. So, let's dive in! Keep reading to discover how to become an irresistible "Schoolgirl" in the realm of Reddit.
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Style Essentials
Define the key elements of your style. This could be a combination of fashionable skirts, pants, blouses, sweaters, and accessories. Aim to choose clothing that looks stylish and suits your figure without appearing provocative.
Example: Pair a floral-print midi skirt with a sweater and flat shoes.
Description: This outfit looks youthful and stylish, perfect for park walks or attending events.
​
Makeup and Hairstyle
Opt for a gentle and natural makeup look that accentuates your youthfulness and freshness. Experiment with hairstyles that add a touch of playfulness, such as cute ponytails or braids.
Example: Apply BB cream, rosy blush, a subtle lip balm, and mascara.
Description: This makeup enhances your freshness and natural beauty, with a focus on your eyes and smile.
​
Accessories
Use accessories to add personal charm to your look. These can include stylish backpacks, colorful bracelets, unique brooches, or necklaces. Pay attention to details that make your outfit memorable and special.
Example: Combine a geometric brooch with a cute pastel-toned backpack.
Description: These accessories add individuality to your outfit and make it more interesting and memorable.
​
Content Creation
Capture photos and videos in interesting and vibrant locations such as amusement parks, ice rinks, water parks, or near arcade machines. This will make your content attractive and diverse.
Example: Picture a young schoolgirl sitting on the grass, holding flowers, smiling, and looking at the camera.
Description: The photo showcases brightness and joy, making the content appealing to the audience.
​
Interactivity
Engage with your audience through videos, photos, and messages. Ask questions, conduct polls, and interact with your subscribers in the comments. This helps strengthen the connection with your audience and increases their loyalty.
Example: "What are your plans for the weekend, friends? Would you like me to make a video about my picnic adventure?"
Description: By asking questions and offering content ideas, the blogger strengthens the bond with the audience and increases their loyalty.
​
Thematic Publications
Connect your content with current topics or events such as the start of the school year, holidays, or seasonal activities. This will make your content more interesting and relevant to your audience.
Example: A video showcasing back-to-school stationery supplies.
Description: This video is timely and useful for an audience interested in preparing for the upcoming academic year.
​
Balancing Public and Personal
Share your interests, hobbies, and experiences with your audience, but keep some personal information private. This will create intrigue around your persona and increase interest in your content.
Example: "Books have always been my inspiration. What inspires you in life?"
Description: By sharing personal interests, the blogger reveals some private information, which helps create a closer connection with the audience.
​
Regular Content Updates
Keep your blog or channel updated regularly to maintain audience attention and demonstrate your activity. You can stay on top of trends and be aware of new developments in your field.
Example: Weekly video reviews of the latest fashion trends or book recommendations.
Description: Regular content updates will keep the audience engaged and involved in the process.
​
Collaborate with Other Bloggers
Establish partnerships and friendships with other bloggers who share similar interests. This will expand your network and attract new followers.
Example: Collaborative projects or mentioning other bloggers in your posts.
Description: Interacting with other bloggers helps expand your network and attract new followers.
​
Be Yourself
The most important aspect of creating a successful blog or channel is to be genuine and authentic. Your audience will want to follow you because they value your uniqueness and honesty.
Example: Publish a post acknowledging that not everything is perfect and that nobody should strive for perfection.
Description: Being sincere and original helps attract an audience that appreciates honesty and the uniqueness of an individual.
​
Crafting a "Schoolgirl" persona for your social media presence on Reddit is an excellent opportunity to express your individuality and infuse your content with a unique allure. Remember, it's crucial to curate clothing and accessories that align with your style while avoiding anything overly provocative. Delicate and natural makeup, playful hairstyles, and choosing interesting locations for your photoshoots will help you create diverse content that captures the attention of the Reddit community. Embrace your authenticity and originality—being true to yourself always hits the mark. So, venture into the realm of social media and showcase your one-of-a-kind schoolgirl to the world!

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[Thank you for agreeing to teach them.]
Volta nodded, not entirely sure if it was for the best, but recognizing a request—or in this case, a thinly veiled order—for what it was.
Ever since she had taught Scarlet and the others her field, the occasional rotation of Lilhuns would be assigned to work under her for a time. It made her job easier, especially since the settlement was expanding at a ludicrous rate compared to what she had heard from the new members of the pack.
The Atmo that had joined were quickly treated and cared for, those who did not require so much time for recovery quickly accompanying the existing insects in their tasks. The largest, Mama, frequently assisted in construction and decoration of structures, so they worked with her. Once they had oriented how things progressed and their part in it, they were paired off with a construction group to be assigned a project. It was to the point where there were as many as five buildings nearing completion at once, the majority of them being accommodation for the new members of the pack.
The remaining question was regarding the insect kits. The answer? Well, there were four Atmo slightly smaller than the purple ‘Queen’ that had requested Volta instruct them, the pearlescent shimmer of her scaled carapace dancing in the sunbeams afforded by the skylight the den had been constructed with.
Teaching Violet—as well as the two Atmo that Volta had escorted to this pack—in the ways of sanitation had been an interesting endeavour, all things considered. They held a remarkable dexterity in those long edged appendages, but the lack of something to properly grasp with made finding a way to secure a rag onto the ends difficult. Luckily, Heralt was receptive to assisting her with creating something that would attach to the blades.
It was little more than a mop that secured to the joint and braced around the cutting edge gingerly, the ends of the stick using ‘ironwood’ springs to clamp onto fabric pads that would soak in the cleaning solution and allow them to do the floors and walls. Were it not for how shockingly efficient the task was performed, she would have been useless through the laughter at the sight.
Each Atmo kit held two of the devices on their limbs, allowing them to travel in pairs and simply finish large spaces within the time it would take her to prepare the next batch of cleaners to use. They had only started a short while ago and yet two dens had been finished, Scarlet assisting her in doing whatever furniture or ledges the Atmo were unsuited to completing. The odd pack member going through what Head Sahari called ‘versatility training’ listened to her instructions in an oddly compliant manner, giving the blue-furred female pause at the unusual experience.
All in all; the cleaner was guiding the five insects and three Lilhuns in the ways of cleanliness. Scarlet was primarily keeping an eye on those who interacted with the purple-coloured Atmo, her contributions to the other tasks proficient, despite the split attention. Before, she would have assumed the servant quietly acquiescing orders, but the dark red-furred female was particularly vigilant in matters pertaining to the kit now.
Volta wasn’t sure what happened to the other servants that regularly assisted her on a rotation—save for Kaslin, the female seeming to have been unofficially inducted as Grand…. Toril’s assistant alongside his mate, Tersa—but Faye, the mild-mannered deep gold-furred female, and Raine, the polite and excitable brown-furred female, had been absent for many suns now.
It was almost lonely, in a way.
Almost.
“That should be sufficient for this den,” she announced to the gaggle of Atmo kits and Lilhuns, careful to remind them not to bother the few ‘rock-worms’ that Ferra kept separate from the rest outside. There were only four, the largest one adorned in an odd script, but they were apparently a selection of favourites of the female. Regardless, it would not do to irritate a mate of Atrox.
The brown-furred male was responsible for the ghastly armour that the Grand Hunter wore on occasion, and she was not in a hurry to see if the disturbing tendencies of the male extended to how he displayed his displeasure.
“Where is our next destination?” Scarlet asked, her tail brushing up Volta’s spine in an uncomfortable way. It wasn’t that she disliked the touch, but the owner of it worried her. Something about the servant struck her as more than what was presented, and it was obvious that the female thought of it as immensely entertaining. That much was obvious, even without the sly grin.
“We have proceeded much faster than I was expecting,” the blue-furred female admitted, mentally checking over her itinerary while subtly batting away the offending appendage. “I suppose we should attempt the barracks while the pack is engaged, then rest for a time.”
[May I leave to check on the other Atmo?]
Volta paused, unsure why it was being requested rather than merely presented as a fact. Violet was—as far as it mattered—completely beyond the cleaner’s station, if only because she was an adopted kit of the Grand Hunter, as well as a sort of leadership figure for the insects. It was an enigmatic blend of positions where the purple insect could very well order Volta to do things, rather than ask. Though the hierarchy was not nepotistic in nature, it was safer to adhere to the wishes of the den-kit than it was to disobey.
“You may. What of the others?”
[I will leave them with you and Scarlet.]
The mentioned servant frowned. “I am to accompany you.”
Violet chittered her curious laugh. [These young ones are your task. I must attend to my own.]
Volta discreetly jabbed the female with a claw, glaring at her not to question the wishes of her better. The less attention drawn from the Grand Hunter, the better. Just picturing the disturbing mask and piercing gaze was enough to make her blanch.
Either reminded of her position, or merely interested in playful retaliation, Scarlet sighed quietly, bowing slightly to the insect. “As you wish, young mistress. Do call for me if I am required.”
[I will. Thank you, Scarlet, Volta.]
Volta lowered her head, watching the Queen leave before returning her attention to the group.
“We will do the first barracks, then determine if we are of time to do the second. The kits are to await the floors cleared of obstruction by the Lilhuns before cleaning them. We will manage it in sections so as not to disturb any who may be taking a break. In future—assuming you are to operate independently from myself—it would be best if you are used to working in groups.”
The Lilhuns nodded their understanding, the young Atmo hesitantly conferring with each other before approaching Scarlet to have their mops freed of soiled cloth and materials placed upon their carriages.
The Atmo had all been outfitted with a specially made platform that fitted over their wider base, clasping underneath past their six legs. It allowed them to transport much, their carrying capacity much larger than one would suspect from their size. The kits could comfortably haul all of the materials for the sun by themselves, and the adults had been the subject of idle speculation for mounted weapon platforms—assuming the fragmented conversation she had chanced upon was to be believed.
Volta inspected the odd section that the Lilhuns under her tutelage completed while she waited for packing to finish. She was not necessarily pleased with the results, but it was more important for them to understand the procedure to take for various locations at the moment. They had proven that they understood what to do for the dens, so next came teaching them how to approach high-traffic areas.
Once everyone had been prepared and the materials gathered, they left the den and started towards the barracks, glimpsing the Grand Hunter sparring with some of the pack in the open.
Ever since the Atmo were delivered by a trade caravan, the male had taken to training much of the pack personally, Huntress Pan taking over much of his more mundane work. Those who were deemed adequate were then pawed off to Head Tel for some specialized training, though Volta was not privy to what exactly it was meant to accomplish.
Regardless, Head Sahari was in charge of rotating out the pack amongst tasks, only a few specialists being directly assigned to any one occupation. By all rights, Volta herself should be training under the male, but the nature of her work meant that she was typically better off doing her job when such was under way. Given that the Grand Hunter was a rare case of someone fully understanding the importance of her specialty—and how little she wished to interact with the alien—she was thankfully spared.
Disregarding the events going on, she motioned for her group to follow her. There was work to do.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
“Two up!” he called out, wiping the sweat from his brow. The exertion cleared his mind, and the break from endless paperwork was appreciated. With the influx of members and various training being required, he had gotten rather exhausted mentally. Between the Wraiths being gone for two weeks since he told them to do recon around the Atmo traders, regular interaction with various caravans, planning out what they needed to do, and Robert still not calling him since the man had left to handle something, he had been pretty high-strung.
As always, there was more on his mind. Harrow had become more elusive regarding him ever since he had her transcribe the Union documents regarding the Lilhuns, their conversations vapid and brief. Jax didn’t have anything useful to say about it other than that she wanted time to sort her thoughts. Toril, Idee, Mi’low, and Bratik were given copies of the file to go over recently, since they were the closest thing he had to a counsel unfettered by a close relationship.
His own makeshift family took the news in an odd way. There was a lot to unpack.
Jax had become quiet, his muscles tensing. Harrow ended up staying away from her mate for a few days until he had stopped brooding about it. In the end; the guy just told Joseph that he would trust the Grand Hunter’s decisions regarding it, finding himself at a loss otherwise.
Sahari and Nalah were approached about the bonding information, the latter denying any bond to him, as well as Sahari confirming the same towards her blond-furred mate. The only line of reasoning that they could think of to make sense was that Nalah’s circumstances had messed with her in some way. The two seemed rather distressed by the assertion, but calmed somewhat when he mentioned that nothing would change between them regardless. Sahari could tell how conflicted he was about the whole thing, he just wanted to give them something to hang on to.
It was a bigger deal for them than he had initially internalized. In retrospect; something revered as a literal gift from their god being denied really should have been an obvious point of stress. As begrudging as his acceptance was, he was linked to the whole ‘Great Hunt’ business in their minds, so he was aware of how deeply that belief ran. He didn’t personally subscribe to the religion, but they never really bothered him with anything besides overseeing funeral rites—not that he would have refused anyway.
Pan seemed to mirror his feelings on the matter—a dark feeling of helplessness and sorrow. She had fallen quiet when she heard about the trials on the defectives, that particular section hitting her harder than the others. After an entire day of silence, all she had to say about it was that she loved him, and then spent the night burrowed between him and Tel, unable to sleep. He had a hard time as well, but it extended well past the initial night.
Tel had informed him that his restlessness had made it difficult for her to get any shut-eye, his shifting disturbing her, but it was said in a slightly concerned tone. Her general reaction was fairly subdued compared to the rest otherwise, her lifetime of being at either end of a gun numbing her to the reality of things. It was weird for him, but he was deeply thankful for it on some level.
She kept him sane, her cold response being a candid ‘Wish it, and I will end all who displease you.’
For once, her more violent background gave him something to grip onto. It resonated in him—loose, yet present. A door within him, chained and locked, was brought to mind as he really considered what he wanted for those involved. The traders who abused the Atmo, those who seemed so bent on hurting his friends, the Union ‘GUOS’ who called for the experiments... A thrumming settled in his fists, an itch that couldn’t be sated by just scratching.
A paw flew past his brow, his shifted posture allowing him to slip the claws that had been left exposed in the heat of the spar. His heart hammered, his sweat soaked his clothing, and his focus returned to the fight.
No Union, no traders, no worries. Just the two security members who had doubted Jax’s claims that the smaller Human had somehow bested the male in a fight, and were now bringing out their natural weapons on instinct.
Grabbing the wrist with his right hand and gripping the shoulder with his left, he pulled, using the rotational force to pivot on his left foot and haul the overeager Lilhun to the dirt, the appendage bending behind them sharply. A second fist came from the corner of his eye, the other combatant trying to use the momentary distraction to score a hit.
Using the gripped arm as a balance, Joseph leaned into the spin, firing the sole of his shoe into the head of the opportunistic attacker. The loud slap of his foot connecting with the larger male almost outdid the crumpled form crashing to the ground unconscious. It was only a dull sensation of mercy that stopped him from completing the spin while he maintained his iron grip on the arm of the thrown adversary, saving them a torn and dislocated shoulder.
Joseph breathed heavily, the adrenaline wearing out as Jax checked on the defeated. Minus some stiffness expected in one of them and a sore jaw for the other, they would be fine, albeit embarrassed for such a quick disposal in front of their usual teachers.
The sound of his rubber sole slapping on the ground some distance away killed off whatever motivation he had to continue, his shoes finally giving out.
“I would ask you not to disable my security, Grand Hunter,” Jax said with mock frustration, the black-furred male’s eyes following the two leaving with an expression of exasperation.
“Sorry,” Joseph breathed out, his heart hammering in his chest as his system wound down.
The Head of Security glanced down at him, his expression pensive. “As much as I enjoy my boasting of your prowess to be validated, I do worry that you see more than a spar in them.”
He drew his lips thin as he brushed his sweat-soaked hair back, his arm dropping to his side. He took a few moments to sort the thoughts that returned. “I probably should have called that kick, yeah.”
The larger Lilhun snorted. “They will be fine, it is not their health I am worried about.”
“I’m fine, Jax,” he snapped, averting his eyes when his friend seemed to have made his point. “I…. I’ll be fine. Just some things on my mind right now.”
“Joseph,” the black-furred male started, walking up to place a large paw on his shoulder. “We are here if you wish to talk.”
His breath died in his throat, his eyes closing in defeat. He felt the soreness in his hands surface, hours of constant fighting to soothe the burning in his blood that failed to abate. Bruises made themselves known, dehydration made his joints stiff, and lack of sleep clouded his mind. Jax was right, he was a bit of a mess.
“Grand Hunter,” Mi’low called, his tired glance in her direction revealing the female approaching. “We are ready to speak.”
Joseph placed a hand on Jax’s paw, patting it softly. “Talking will have to wait. Tell Harrow I said hi and that I’d like to hang out again. I miss it.”
The male looked at him apologetically, nodding as he was still unable to offer anything to ease the sting of a friend distancing themselves from the Human. “I will.”
The Human cycled a breath and faced the actress. “The rest?”
Mi’low nodded. “Where will we meet?”
Joseph waved an arm towards the base. “My place. More chairs.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Toril was wearing his usual smile, his eyes inspecting everything about the hub from the couch while Tersa stood nearby, her body language telling that she was wary about being in a new place without time to scout it. Bratik was in his wheelchair, Sorren holding his paw as he sat on the opposite side of the chemist. Idee—being the only one to spend time in the outpost regularly—simply thanked Kaslin for the water from her place between the two mated males. Mi’low had claimed a free chair, her legs crossed and back straight as she stayed away from the others on the couch. The Wraith handed Joseph his requested tea since Scarlet was babysitting the insects, then occupied a place out of the way, but close enough to act if things got heated.
He stayed standing rather than occupying his usual place on a table, his second choice of seating being filled up. He could have dragged over the Atmo couch, but he didn’t want to stress his body any more than he had already by lugging it. “So, everyone had plenty of time to read the documents.”
“Indeed,” Mi’low commented dryly, a glare shot in his direction. Idee nodded, though her expression fell as it was brought up. Toril maintained his detached look of amusement, but it didn’t escape Joseph’s notice that Tersa stiffened.
The Grand Hunter took a sip of his refreshment, enjoying the fleeting feeling of warmth from something other than exertion. “And what do we think?”
“We?” Sorren asked, the male not quite used to the Human using their tongue. Joseph’s mastery of the language was still spotty at times, but Kaslin could fill any gaps if needed.
“Yeah,” he replied plainly. “It has more to do with you than me. I just got the message.”
“I find it rather fascinating,” Toril opined cheerily, his energy at odds with the atmosphere of the room. “Such thorough study allows us many insights into facets of our own biology that we may never have known!”
“By slaughtering our kin in the thousand,” Mi’low shot back, a slight snarl pulling her lip.
“As regretful as such is, we can not bring them back,” the chemist noted with a small nod. “We must simply use the information gleaned by our foes without repeating their atrocities.”
“You suggest ignoring their sins?”
“I suggest utilizing what they have learned and incorporating it to our advantage.”
“Or,” Joseph interjected, “we talk about it instead of getting into an argument.”
“Your people are not free of fault, Grand Hunter,” the crimson-furred female spat. He remained silent, already having spent far too long thinking about how none of it would have happened if Humans weren’t in the picture for them.
“You can not hold him as a factor, Mi’low,” Idee said softly, shifting in her seat to get comfortable and smiling apologetically at Sorren when she bumped him.
“Were it not for them, then we may not have lost our homes!”
“Were it not for him you would be little more than bones bleached by the sun, or so I hear.”
“We are not here to cast blame,” Bratik disputed quietly, his voice carrying through the room despite the low volume. “The Grand Hunter has saved each of us. Some from demise, others from the shackles of their station, and others from the fate of losing loved ones.”
Toril and Idee shared a glance as the male continued, Tersa paying attention to him for the first time.
“He seeks our counsel. Not our aimless ire to be spewed upon him for that which he himself had no knowledge of, nor involvement in. His kin were as much victims as our own.”
“Quite,” Toril concurred as the two females ceased their bickering reluctantly. “How would you like to address this, Grand Hunter?”
Joseph blinked, expecting the blame, but not Bratik defusing it so quickly. “Well, we have a few things to work off of. Years of experiments coinciding with missing persons after accepting a job, whoever tipped off your military taking info with them about Sol and the ‘blacklist’, whatever bond fuckery they discovered, and the defects.” He shrugged weakly. “Take your pick.”
“There are too many missing across too wide an area to recognize such a comparative few,” Idee stated, the others in the group silently agreeing.
He nodded, nursing his tea with small sips. “Figured that would be a sticking point. Plus, we don’t really know how long it was going on... or when it started... Not even if it was a bulk recruitment or slow trickle. I guess the missing people are something we’ll just have to keep unknown.”
“The bond information was rather enlightening,” Toril mentioned, his eyes rising to the ceiling as he thought about it. “Our peoples are wildly compatible.”
“As servants, perhaps,” came the scathing remark from the High Huntress. “What use is our gift if it is twisted to be mere subservience? To discard ourselves for some alien race?”
Sorren’s ear flicked. “It is hardly ‘twisted’ to protect that which the Hunt Mother has afforded us.”
“Are we to just accept that our bonds are better suited to that,” she emphasized with a pointed claw in Joseph’s direction, “rather than our kin?”
“Drop it,” the Grand Hunter ordered tiredly, his reflection in his beverage shaking as he shifted on his feet. “Arguing isn’t going to help anything.”
Mi’low held her disgusted expression. “You ask us to trust that which led to our downfall? We are yet another strike against your kin, no?”
He shook his head, his eyes buried in remains of the shimmering image he held in his hands. “I blame the sick fucks that did all this. If you can’t agree with that, then there’s not much reason to hold this meeting.”
“What is it you seek to accomplish?” Toril asked, amused by the theatrics. The rest seemed surprised by Mi’low’s pointed aggression, but the chemist was more interested in continuing.
“I have people looking to get me out of here,” Joseph informed them, laying his empty cup on the table with a soft clack. “People who will probably extend the offer to you. If they come, I need to know what we’re doing about it. The last thing I need is people acting like Mi’low and opening fire on whoever comes to drag us out of the mud.”
“Why would we?” Sorren asked, taking his mate’s paw as he gave a worried glance to the offended female.
“Because our people were tortured due to our interactions with them,” the chemist noted in a matter-of-fact tone, his pleasant demeanour remaining despite the morbid topic.
“Did our people not initiate contact with another species on less hostile terms?” Idee asked, her head tilted slightly.
“But no one lived to talk about it,” Joseph countered, gesturing with an upturned palm. “Plus, that’s assuming whoever was in charge of that call being the norm, rather than the exception.”
“You believe our people to act otherwise?” Bratik asked, his tone inquisitive rather than judgmental.
Joseph shrugged. “To be fair, I’ve almost been killed by more of your species than the wildlife. Granted, a few of those were just people being assholes, but still.”
“Many would see the opportunity as retribution for the Union,” Mi’low mentioned dryly.
Sorren’s face fell. “Then we should not propagate this knowledge?”
The Human glanced between each of them. “That’s why you’re here. My group knows because I trust them with it. I think we should keep this to ourselves, but if we do—and someone finds out—it would just cause a lot of issues. Alternatively; we tell everyone.”
“And suffer the consequences of that action as well,” Idee concluded dejectedly. Joseph returned a wry smile as Toril raised a paw, speaking when the Grand Hunter raised a brow at him.
“Perhaps we should withhold the information from the lesser station?”
“Like, just the Grand Hunters?” Joseph inquired cautiously. Toril tilted his head.
“Those who would be more diplomatically minded, perhaps.”
“I don’t exactly see some of them as what you would call ‘diplomatic’ and I’m not going on some voyage to visit everyone with the info in tow.”
“We are able to make copies,” Sorren offered. “Perhaps we could exchange the information using traders and gain something from it as well?”
Mi’low shook her head. “That is assuming they do not claim us manipulative nor seek to remove him. Some may very well move to strike us all down for ‘withholding’ the information, regardless of how readily we supply it.”
“Do your people know?” Bratik interjected, gathering the attention of the others. Joseph winced in uncertainty.
“I’m not sure. I’d guess my brother does, but I don’t know how sensitive things are. It could have been announced and there’s an intergalactic war, or it might be kept under wraps until conflict isn’t as likely. At least until it’s less likely to blow up in our faces, anyway.”
“They are of lesser force?”
“No clue,” he admitted. “Not my area. All I do know is that there are more species allied against us—or at least aren’t inclined to take a bullet—than are.”
“So our options are rather limited,” Idee concluded, receiving a series of agreements.
“We could,” Mi’low said after a few moments of contemplation, “distribute the information anonymously. Humans are not named directly in the document, and we need not divulge its origin.”
“So, what? Just pass people tablets and ask them to forget where they got it?” he probed, not entirely disagreeing with the idea, but skeptical all the same.
“Tersa may make additions to trader inventories without their knowledge,” Toril offered, the mentioned Blade frowning at him, but not protesting. “Or perhaps Trill’s kit, since she is devoted to yourself.”
“Eh. I guess that’s an option,” he conceded, sighing. “So, about the bond; any opinions? Notes?”
“Stay away from me,” Mi’low answered warily, earning a flat scowl.
“I meant something besides that. I’m not too keen on adding to the cluster-fuck I have going on anyway.”
Sorren smiled. “I am excited to meet your people—should I be so blessed. There are many who would never know the joy of the Hunt Mother’s gift otherwise.”
“I would not mind her words, Grand Hunter,” Toril chuckled. “She is a creature of dishonesty—including her own desires.”
The actress glowered at the chemist. “I preferred it when you were nomadic. It was much easier to ignore your presence. Your words were but some distant wind I need not soil my ears with.”
“Perhaps our meeting is best ended here,” Bratik interjected, waving his functional paw. The other arm was coming along, but still too stiff to use for much. “We should propagate the information through unsigned parcels to the Grand Hunters.”
“One last thing,” Joseph said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “The information on Sol; anything ever get done with that?”
“We were capturing habitable planets in a particular direction, though the decision to do such was made by our superiors.”
He nodded. “Makes sense. Same issue we have now. Can’t let everyone know because chaos is a lot easier to manage when it’s directed. Between the religious connotations and the context around it; there’s no saying if it would lead to riots or worship. Rather not bring the problem to our door.”
“Wise,” Mi’low remarked sarcastically, her judgmental side-eye aimed between him and Sorren.
“Alright,” he said with a raised voice, ignoring the red-furred female to the best of his ability. “Drop off letters and lock myself in a room or something. Sounds like a plan.”
“That will not be required,” Sorren corrected with a laugh. “Though the documents confirmed a high percentile of successful bonds, there were many incompatible pairings. It is unlikely that your informant included every variation of failure, but the bond seems to be as selective as usual, just more receptive to those who meet the criteria. I would speculate that the majority of those who would bond to you by now, have. Barring the new additions, of course. I doubt you will need to worry about bonding to half a species by yourself.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” he muttered. “Okay, you’re free to go back to your work. You know who to talk to if something comes up.”
The gathering dispersed, Toril requiring Tersa to drag him by the ear before he got too distracted. Mi’low stayed behind, waiting for everyone else to leave.
“Thoughts?” he asked, glancing over at her. She shook her head as she dropped the antagonistic persona.
“Two attribute you to their religion, Toril is too interested in your species to act against your best interest, and Idee rather enjoys her time here—as well as sympathizes with your position. Tersa’s allegiance is with Toril, so she will follow him, as well as your tentative arrangement as a superior over her.”
“So, we’re good?”
“We are,” she confirmed. He looked at her for a long moment.
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Going to try and kill me again?” he questioned wryly.
The High Huntress snorted. “Unfortunately, my pack has ostensibly become yours, and with it, my fate. They would rather watch me go than follow. It seems your influence extends past our biology.”
Without an opportunity for him to ask what she meant, she headed to the exit, pausing in the doorway when he called out to her.
“Mi’low?” Her ear tipped back towards him. “Thanks. For putting yourself on the block like that. I know how risky that could have been for you.”
She afforded a single nod before letting it close behind her.
“’Past our biology’, huh?” he muttered, eyeing the empty cup on the table.
He considered bothering Tel, since she would likely offer him a distraction for a while.
Sighing at his remaining intact shoe flopping as he stepped, he decided to do exactly that.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
“How are we holding up?”
Tech leaned back in her chair, yawning widely. “Communications have been down for a while, navigation software is pointing everywhere at once, and if it wasn’t for me, everything else would be dark too.”
“All hail Tech Ops,” Comms quipped, struggling to make his system do much more than transmit static on a loop.
Willin rolled his eyes at Tech’s boasting, but she was probably right to do so. They had aligned themselves in the right direction and simply let navigation go, communications discreetly blinking out as they got close without warning. All they had left was the actual piloting and onboard support systems, both of them hanging by a thread until Tech could run diagnostics to see if she could counter them properly. She might be able to eventually, but she didn’t seem confident beyond keeping the crew mobile and alive.
“How’s it look down there?”
Nav had long since given up making sense of their controls, opting to keep watch for whatever they were approaching. Since they had gotten within visual range, they had occupied themselves using whatever scanning equipment Tech managed to keep shielded. They leaned over the readouts, brows raising before furrowing at the information.
“It appears that they have remained fairly close together. I am reading several AEC distress signatures... Why am I able to?”
Tech raised a paw. “Right here. The jamming is consistent with the United Military’s algorithms, though boosted past what we have the equipment to manage. Can’t override it for you or Comms, but it was never meant to counter the low-frequency of a distress pulse, since that would get lost in normal noise anyway. I took the liberty of limiting the scope of collected data to increase the sensitivity.”
“Not much frequency pollution on an untapped planet,” Willin remarked dryly, his screen mirroring what Nav was looking at. Thirty-eight sources, most of them repeating the initial call-signs. Two seemed to have retained some power, though not much, implying a makeshift solution. There would normally be more to glean, but the measures taken to make picking them out at all possible had stifled it.
“Orders?” Nav asked after a moment. Willin considered it, scouring the somewhat distorted visual feed.
“Let’s get closer first.”
“Understood.”
He adjusted his uniform as they drew near, Tech frowning as more of her fail-safe measures ironically failed. Quick action saved them from listing aimlessly, but any chance of copying the survivor’s distress call faded. The AEC’s were effectively invisible until Tech had dealt with the issue preemptively, and their beacon wasn’t any stronger.
Detriment of a scout craft, he supposed. Help would have to deal with not knowing where his ship had gone until they were up to their necks in the warp-spike’s field. Hopefully, the EW fleet would manage it better.
“Just outside of atmosphere,” Nav reported, activating the scanning equipment again. Normally, it would be able to tell them everything down to the rough number of wildlife in an area, but all the interference gave them little more than confirmation that life existed.
“Well, there goes any advanced recon,” Willin muttered, ignoring Comms silently debating if he should bother Tech to duplicate the feed again. Noticing, she did anyway, the male gesturing their thanks. “Tech, can you get us population density?”
“I’m good, Leader, but not that good.”
“Leader,” Nav called, highlighting a few points on the feed. Whatever it was that they were trying to show him, he didn’t see it. “These areas are likely settlements.”
“Structures?”
“Affirmative. It is subtle, but there.”
He nodded, trusting their judgment. “Which is the largest?”
The feed zoomed in, losing most of the clarity—not that there was much to begin with. “Location coincides with an AEC still actively reporting.”
“They set up around it.”
“Likely, Leader.”
Willin exhaled slowly. “Take us down nearby. I’d say to hide us, but that’s hard to do with open skies.”
“The planet suffers constant rain,” Tech added, her screen already reverting back to a simplistic game while she waited for someone else to need something. “We could descend under the cover of it.”
“Any idea how long?”
Her monitor flickered. “One local sun.”
“Then we spend the time gearing up,” he ordered, waving to have Nav and Comms’ screens defaulted. “You two will make sure our defence armaments ship-board are active and loaded. Tech, queue up whatever armour and equipment we might need for a diplomatic mission.”
She turned in her chair, her head tilting questioningly. “Just us?”
“Just us. We’ll want someone here to keep things warm in case we need to leave quickly. Can you get Comms’ station capable of short-wave?”
She nodded after a moment, her eyes losing focus as she consulted her implant. “We’ll lose the fabricator during, but we should have enough for life-support and in-atmosphere flight. Weapons will have to be swapped out with it too.”
“That bad?”
The purple-furred female shrugged. “It’s that or I take down the defences and we lose it all.” She frowned at her screens. “Even this is pushing it.”
“Can you take down the purifier once we’re down there? Switch to external flow?”
“As long as you don’t mind alien air, sure. It won’t give us more to work with, but it should make it less taxing to keep what we have.”
Willin scratched at his ear. “Do it. They lived here this long, doubt we’ll join the Void breathing it too.”
“Will do.”
He shifted his attention back to Nav. “Set course to that settlement. Keep us above the clouds until it gets bad enough to obscure us.”
Nav signalled their agreement, the scenery shifting slowly as they picked a cloud to shadow in the meantime. Comms looked at Willin expectantly, forcing him to come up with something for the male to do.
“Comms, I want you to monitor anything this place has coming in or out. Set up surveillance.”
The male raised a brow. “My systems are inoperable, Leader.”
“If you try to do anything big, yes,” Willin corrected. “Just keep us informed if something goes through. We don’t need to know what happened, just that it did.”
“Keeping track of possible communications between settlements?”
Willin bobbed his head to the side. “Whatever we learn, it’s more than we know.”
“Understood. I will try to arrange a passive probe.”
The group set about their tasks as he brought up a still-frame of the settlement Nav spotted. It was blocky, blurry, and the chromatic aberration on the edges hurt to look at, but it was a settlement. A large AEC surrounded by silver constructions, all laid out in a slightly haphazard way. He couldn’t judge it too harshly, however. There was a method to the madness. Narrow pathways hidden between dens, each leading to the AEC like a system of routes for select Lilhuns to reach anywhere they may be needed as quickly as possible.
The AEC itself seemed modified, large solar panels placed where a solid hull would be expected, the semi-transparent material likely acting to illuminate the interior. Many of the buildings around it were larger than those beyond, some appearing to be two or three levels.
From sheer volume of dens, Willin figured this was a contender for the largest settlement. His best estimate placed the number of inhabitants in the range of three hundred or so. If the other settlements were even close, then the initial guess of a thousand survivors was woefully short.
That made things complicated, yet so much simpler.
He awaited the distant storm clouds rolling over the landscape, thankful Tech had prioritized the water-proof gear.
He hated being soaked.
Next
A/N: 500k words. Half a fucking million.

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Hey Everyone!
Let’s go….
Newly Covered Today:

1. Transaction volume is looking very interesting right now. https://messari.io/charts/cardano/txn-vol
2. JPG Store has now launched Android and IOS apps. https://twitter.com/jpgstoreNFT/status/1663281982262919170
3. It’s true. Cardano is straight killing it on the security leg of the trilemma.https://twitter.com/cardano_whale/status/1662987243655684096
4. Just checked. Yep. The centralization in ETH is still staggering. https://twitter.com/StakeWithPride/status/1663222056870350848
5. There’s a documentary about a 2022 Plutus hackathon in Argentina. https://twitter.com/LarsBrunjes/status/1663111319732535297
6. Pavia is testing NFT gating. This could get very interesting. https://twitter.com/Pavia_io/status/1663153213988823040

Previously covered, but still interesting:

1. So much ghostbusting would be needed to clear us out. https://twitter.com/TheOCcryptobro/status/1653527418588774401
2. Charles was on Fox again and discussed a wide range of topics with Maria. https://twitter.com/IOHK_Charles/status/1653571613135196163
3. Coinbase didn’t waste any time in getting their non-US futures platform open. https://twitter.com/coinbase/status/1653385513011740672
4. A former SEC Chair in his 90s sees that the current SEC is wrong on crypto. https://twitter.com/ramahluwalia/status/1648134506359009280
5. Rumor is that Pacwest is next on death row. https://twitter.com/CryptoHayes/status/1653403052899192833
6. ADA + Lime Wire. Only asked for 300 retweets…they definitely don’t know us. https://twitter.com/limewire/status/1653834307259998221
7. Token locking. Not a comment on any specific project. But, Is there any good case it’s not really just to artificially drive price up? Obviously also useful to centralize liquidity. https://twitter.com/MatthewPlomin/status/1653773401645826049
8. You can’t say that many of us in Cardano didn’t warn about exactly this. Always the same with these VC coins. https://twitter.com/mr_cata/status/1653788019084734468
9. Caitlin Long points out that both the non-main candidate challengers in the 2024 Presidential race are pro-crypto and anti-CBDC. https://twitter.com/CaitlinLong_/status/1653528247655694336
10. The Fed raised by a quarter point bringing the federal funds rate to 5-5.25%. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/03/live-updates-fed-decision-may-2023.html
11. As predicted PacWest is facing death. https://twitter.com/WatcherGuru/status/1653873317110071305The Florida anti-CBDC bill passed both the FL House and the Senate. https://twitter.com/samuelarmes/status/1653761904169320448
12. A sitting US Senator just said that the modern banking system is a sophisticated ponzi scheme. https://twitter.com/BertusMaximus2/status/1653819148596543489
13. Hydra is live on mainnet. https://twitter.com/rom1_pellerin/status/1654185072415723529
14. IOG wants you to know about the advantages of native tokens on Cardano. https://twitter.com/InputOutputHK/status/1654077799697727488
15. Cardano Movies! https://twitter.com/coc_space/status/1653862307439542275
16. We really need to primary some members of the U.S. Congress. https://twitter.com/BradSherman/status/1653928972026093569
17. Wow! Not surprised at what’s being said here back in November. Just surprised it’s being said publicly. https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1654239504574853120
18. Here’s the longer video of that FDIC meeting for context. http://fdic.windrosemedia.com/index.php?category=Systemic+Resolution+Advisory+Committee
19. Looks like Western Alliance is up next. https://twitter.com/WatcherGuru/status/1654133106037739522
20. The weekly development update from IOG is out. https://twitter.com/InputOutputHK/status/1655248376194105347
21. It’s not hard to make a meme coin on Cardano. https://twitter.com/nmkr_io/status/1654923697885532160
22. Still a crazy amount of mark-to-market losses that haven’t been absorbed by the system. https://twitter.com/BillyM2k/status/1655207860572422144
23. Warren Buffet gives a not too comforting answer to a question about the status of the dollar: “America…we’ve got everything going for us…but…you can’t print money indefinitely as debt.” https://twitter.com/GRDectestatus/1655203348033810439
24. …and then everyone remembered what fee markets look like in busy times. https://twitter.com/CryptoStylesUSA/status/1654711146673479680
25. …same for Bitcoin. https://twitter.com/MatthewPlomin/status/1655320093084057600
26. Cardano hit 94% load. https://twitter.com/SebastienGllmt/status/1655624561789112321
27. he MEV game is getting out of control over on Cardano’s biggest competitor chain. Convince me this shouldn’t just be called “theft” or “fraud”. https://twitter.com/0xNox_eth/status/1655615309695586306
28. Cardano Native Assets are vastly superior to BRC20 and ERC20 tokens. https://twitter.com/TheOCcryptobro/status/1655673557710692352
29. Rumor: SEC is going to make a move against Binance. Will the DOJ also? https://twitter.com/AP_Abacus/status/1655546961968103425
30. At the end of Q3 of last year, 722 banks reported unrealized losses greater than 50% of capital. https://www.federalreserve.gov/supervisionreg/files/board-briefing-on-impact-of-rising-interest-rates-and-supervisory-approach-20230214.pdf
31. Wyoming is inching closer to a state stablecoin. IOG’s significant presence there may turn out to be a huge advantage. https://cowboystatedaily.com/2023/05/09/wyoming-stable-token-a-multibillion-dollar-opportunity-as-officials-wrestle-with-how-to-make-it-happen/
32. Paypal disclosed almost $1 billion in customer crypto in its latest 10-Q. https://blockworks.co/news/paypal-discloses-1b-crypto
33. MiCA is shifting the balance of crypto investment to Europe. https://twitter.com/paddi_hansen/status/1655883224726241281
34. Today (May 10) will be a joint hearing of the Agriculture and Financial Services Committees on Crypto. The CLO of Kraken will testify. https://financialservices.house.gov/
35. This is a legit point about centralized L2s: the best ones are called Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance. https://twitter.com/el33th4xostatus/1655845787593502720
36. There’s already a new version of Lace Wallet out. https://twitter.com/lace_io/status/1656347737355608066
37. A nice thread on the many strengths of Cardano. https://twitter.com/TobiasIlskov/status/1656388178369212416
38. Remember, lobster traps are a thing. https://twitter.com/TheCardanoTimes/status/1656064744225120257
39. Today (May 11 at 1pm EST) there will be a Messari Cardano Analyst call with Charles & Frederik. https://twitter.com/StakeWithPride/status/1656272372452954112
40. I think we all love it when they start making our case for us. https://twitter.com/WatcherGuru/status/1656379837823561730
41. Ethereum is lamenting many of its poor design choices that Cardano already fixed. https://twitter.com/moo9000/status/1656215016016683008
42. Drunkenmiller says this is the broadest asset bubble he’s ever even studied let alone seen firsthand and we’ve only had a few soft landings since 1950. https://twitter.com/Stephen_Geigestatus/1656416819312222219
43. Live footage of meme coin investors accepting their ROI. https://twitter.com/KaylerSmithTV/status/1656130092966264834
44. Here’s the Messari call from today with both Fred & Chaz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouUhWwF74MM
45. People really seem to be enjoying the CF’s Blockchain Education Alpha Program. https://twitter.com/andreassosilo/status/1644263843743293451
46. The US Chamber of Commerce brief in the Coinbase case is calling out the SEC for acting “unlawfully”. https://twitter.com/MetaLawMan/status/1656737447756038177
47. About that whole self-custody thing we’ve discussed… https://twitter.com/BitcoinMagazine/status/1656706653801136132
48. The SPO poll on K and minFee starts today (May 15)! You should redelegate if your stake pool doesn’t vote the way you would vote! https://cardanofoundation.org/en/news/entering-voltaire-poll-experiment-live-on-mainnet/
49. There are also a series of forum topics for discussion of the various options in the Cardano.org forums. https://twitter.com/Lovecoach_nic/status/1657700010148896770
50. Coinbase spotlights Empowa! May be the first time they’ve ever given such a spotlight to a Cardano project. Tides are turning. https://twitter.com/coinbase/status/1657081243518005254
51. Wow. Leaked “Key Messages” document for the joint committee meeting in the US House last week. Best part: they basically complain about separation of powers in point three. https://twitter.com/EleanorTerrett/status/1656362002577772544
52. Dr. Vanishree Rao on ZK-Rollups. https://twitter.com/InputOutputHK/status/1657778843854274560
53. Here’s a new Decentralized Identity article from IOG. https://iohk.io/en/blog/posts/2023/05/11/atala-prism-pioneering-digital-identity-with-decentralized-solutions/
54. There are reasons we’re in a hard capped cryptocurrency like Cardano. https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/15/business/argentina-interest-rates-inflation/index.html
55. What is a dRep? This video is for you. There will be additional categories of default dReps that vote abstain or no confidence on every vote. https://twitter.com/InputOutputHK/status/1658034085401337857
56. The US Dept. of Justice is officially saying they are targeting exchanges. Great. Great. https://www.ft.com/content/5aac457e-cc80-44ae-ac40-9b51d9b601a3
57. Wow! Ledger just made what is possibly the greatest PR blunder in the history of crypto. Trezor will be poppin’ bottles tonight. https://twitter.com/Ledgestatus/1658458714771169282
58. People are claiming that the hysteria is a misunderstanding of cryptography. But, that’s not what’s going on here if Ledger plus one of the other two shard custodians can reconstruct your private key without having to use your private key. https://twitter.com/nimuepool/status/1658517533836574720
59. The Ledger Recover FAQ seems to support this understanding as it suggests you use a brand new device for recovery. https://support.ledger.com/hc/en-us/articles/9579368109597
60. Wow. Unfortunate timing for this. https://twitter.com/Ledgestatus/1658095051375800321
61. Ken Kodama will be doing a Japanese language interview on CardanoSpot on May 18. https://twitter.com/Emurgo_Ken/status/1658838077136162828
62. The stake pool operator poll on network parameters of K and minPoolCost is live. See the results here. The re-delegation phase will begin on May 25th. https://adastat.net/polls/96861fe7da8d45ba5db95071ed3889ed1412929f33610636c072a4b5ab550211
63. Cornucopias dropped some new in-game footage. As expected, Solace is beautiful. https://youtu.be/j5iwNsQVMDQ?t=1846
64. Wow….the Ledger shards are encrypted with “a master key that is contained in all devices”. Wut? https://twitter.com/P3b7_/status/1658809445965606913
65. Sadly, the Ledger CEO seemed to be denying exactly the above just a day ago. https://twitter.com/_pgauthiestatus/1658508082941403144
66. Here’s why 340 ADA minPoolCost promotes multi-pools. https://twitter.com/ArmySpies/status/1659387255537176581
67. Numbers are emerging on the benefits of K=1000 over K=500. https://twitter.com/StakeWithPride/status/1659398551917727744
68. Here’s the latest on the Stake Pool Operator poll. https://adastat.net/polls/96861fe7da8d45ba5db95071ed3889ed1412929f33610636c072a4b5ab550211
69. Rep. Tom Emmer is trying to help crypto by cutting crypto assets out of the definition of a “security”. He creates a new non-security asset category called “investment contract asset”. https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1659291641281146886
70. Prof. Wadler (co-inventor of Cardano’s Plutus) has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society joining the likes of Einstein, Darwin, Hawking, and Isaac Newton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLOm-dWje-M
71. Huge amount of voting for economic self-interest by multi-poolers in the SPO poll. Earlier today (May 21), 84.73% by stake of the vote for K=500, Min Cost 340 ₳ was multi-poolers. Only 15.6% of the vote for K=1000, Min Cost 170 ₳ was multi-poolers. https://adastat.net/polls/96861fe7da8d45ba5db95071ed3889ed1412929f33610636c072a4b5ab550211
72. Large pools also voted heavily for economic self-interest with the K parameter. 70.02% by stake of the vote for K=500, Min Cost 170 ₳ was pools with delegation over 35 million. Only 30.57% of the vote for K=1000, Min Cost 170 ₳ was pools over 35 million. https://adastat.net/polls/96861fe7da8d45ba5db95071ed3889ed1412929f33610636c072a4b5ab550211
73. Apparently Cardano has its own wiki now! Probably better given our previous treatment by the big wiki group. https://twitter.com/StakeWithPride/status/1660383700243329024
74. Rep. Tom Emmer is getting some reactions on the bill he sponsored with Rep. Soto. https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1660329932495486977
75. You’re really gonna hold up a debt ceiling deal because you hate crypto so bad? https://twitter.com/gaborgurbacs/status/1660248530135515138
76. Looks like a few big multi-poolers have voted in the poll since yesterday. Pretty easy to predict what they didn’t vote for. https://adastat.net/polls/96861fe7da8d45ba5db95071ed3889ed1412929f33610636c072a4b5ab550211
77. Reports coming in that DCG has defaulted on the payment owed to Genesis. https://twitter.com/AP_Abacus/status/1660671386388504577
78. Ledger Recover would allow governments to confiscate crypto assets by subpoena? Called “not a real concern in the end.” Really? https://twitter.com/TheBTCTherapist/status/1660677064700178436
79. Frederik Gregaard on DeFi and regulation. https://twitter.com/F_Gregaard/status/1660655806709211137
80. Don’t Forget, the May Cardano 360 will be on May 25th. https://twitter.com/InputOutputHK/status/1660621805017608194
81. Here’s the daily check-in on the status of the SPO Poll. We have surpassed 590 pools voting (as of May 23). https://adastat.net/polls/96861fe7da8d45ba5db95071ed3889ed1412929f33610636c072a4b5ab550211
82. The Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong has decided to get our hopes up with a proposed regulatory framework for crypto exchanges that could mean more trading for coins like Cardano. https://apps.sfc.hk/edistributionWeb/gateway/EN/news-and-announcements/news/doc?refNo=23PR53
83. Here’s an IOG thread on the latest out of Atala Prism and Self-Sovereign Identity. https://twitter.com/InputOutputHK/status/1660904360925188097
84. Here’s an IOG article on Cardano native tokens. https://twitter.com/InputOutputHK/status/1660975383997448193
85. The difference in decentralization between Cardano and Bitcoin is still…laughable. https://twitter.com/StakeWithPride/status/1660979639907500033
86. Ledger is finally caving (a little) to the backlash. It’s reported that they will focus on open sourcing parts of their code and only release the “Recover” firmware after that open sourcing is finished. https://twitter.com/NFTherdestatus/1661026174779420672ext to an old identity book. Stop reading into things.” Everyone enjoys speculating what e
87. Looks like the Hong Kong announcement yesterday might have been a hint of what’s coming. https://twitter.com/cz_binance/status/1661391542504902664
88. The Cardano Layerverse is coming to life. https://twitter.com/TobiasIlskov/status/1660697833115385856
89. Wow! Incredible! Thank you for voting in favor of decentralization, 1PCT! https://twitter.com/StakeWithPride/status/1661460222203002880
90. Federal Reserve report debunks claim that crypto is not useful to people in the US. https://twitter.com/SebVentures/status/1661063483369177108
91. The SPO phase of the poll is over. Nearly 800 pools voted. Now it’s your turn to see how your pool voted and re-delegate if you think they voted against decentralization and for their own pocketbook. https://adastat.net/polls/96861fe7da8d45ba5db95071ed3889ed1412929f33610636c072a4b5ab550211
92. The May Cardano 360 is out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_bCa_xCoxA
93. Charles dropped an update today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfL2U2hAGWw
94. Sen. Cynthia Lummis declares her opposition to the 30% tax on bitcoin mining. https://twitter.com/SenLummis/status/1661803569341759495
95. Today is a holiday for some of you. Enjoy a Cardano video game I made for you with AI. MJ made the textures. GPT-4 did 100% of the coding. https://openprocessing.org/sketch/1941253
96. Lots of volume being transacted on Cardano recently! https://twitter.com/cwpaulm/status/1662929296329981952
97. As expected, a debt ceiling deal has been reached. It includes an extension until January 1, 2025 which means we won’t be talking about it again until after the election. https://apnews.com/article/debt-ceiling-deal-food-aid-student-loans-3c284b01d95f8e193bca8d873386400e
98. Recent subpoenas to the Python Package Index don’t bode well for those hoping to store seed phrases with third-party custodians. https://twitter.com/_jonasschnelli_/status/1662531840606093312

~Army of Spies