text
stringlengths 31
636k
| url
stringlengths 13
2.37k
| id
stringlengths 47
47
| language
stringclasses 1
value | language_score
float32 0.65
1
| fasttext_score
float32 0.02
1
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) has delivered stunning first images of our sun. Some of the images show never-before-seen detail of material streaming outward and away from sunspots. Others show extreme close-ups of activity on the sun’s surface. The SDO has also made the first high—resolution measurements of solar flares in a broad range of extreme ultraviolet wavelengths. Richard Fisher, director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said: “These initial images show a dynamic sun that I had never seen in more than 40 years of solar research.
“SDO will change our understanding of the sun and its processes, which affect our lives and society. This mission will have a huge impact on science, similar to the impact of the Hubble Space Telescope on modern astrophysics.” Launched on Feb. 11, 2010, SDO is the most advanced spacecraft ever designed to study the sun.
During its five—year mission, it will examine the sun’s magnetic field and also provide a better understanding of the role the sun plays in Earth’s atmospheric chemistry and climate.
Since launch, engineers have been conducting testing and verification of the spacecraft’s components. Now fully operational, SDO will provide images with clarity 10 times better than high—definition television and will return more comprehensive science data faster than any other solar observing spacecraft. SDO will find how the sun’s magnetic field is generated, structured and converted into violent solar events such as turbulent solar wind, solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These immense clouds of material, when directed toward Earth, can cause large magnetic storms in our planet’s magnetosphere and upper atmosphere.
SDO will also provide critical data that will improve the ability to predict these space weather events. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Md., built, operates and manages the SDO spacecraft for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D—Md., chairwoman of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee that funds NASA, said: “I’m so proud of our brilliant work force at Goddard, which is rewriting science textbooks once again.
“This time Goddard is shedding new light on our closest star, the sun, discovering new information about powerful solar flares that affect us here on Earth by damaging communication satellites and temporarily knocking out power grids. Better data means more accurate solar storm warnings.” SDO will send 1.5 terabytes of data back to Earth each day, which is equivalent to a daily download of half a million songs onto an MP3 player. SDO Project Scientist Dean Pesnell of Goddard said: “These amazing images, which show our dynamic sun in a new level of detail, are only the beginning of SDO’s contribution to our understanding of the sun,” SDO is the first mission of NASA’s Living with a Star Program (LWS), and the crown jewel in a fleet of NASA missions that study our sun and space environment.
Keywords: NASAsolar research
More In: Science | Sci-Tech | http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/nasa-releases-new-images-of-the-sun/article407954.ece?ref=relatedNews | <urn:uuid:19a49600-8c41-4141-b295-299e777eb3ae> | en | 0.897635 | 0.033302 |
Latest News:
Cart ContentsCheckoutMy Account
Mindgame: DVD
Mindgame: DVD
Trapped together in a cell, three very different species must strive to work together to escape. But a Sontaran, a Draconian and a human will not get on very easily. Starring Sophie Aldred and Miles Richardson.
English French German Italian Portuguese Russian Spanish | http://www.thewhoshop.com/index.php?option=com_jcommerce&Itemid=166&pgn=product_info&products_id=1843&3fa7b73399f73fa2607990954d9ae6bc=50170546823e537da793bafe155a901f | <urn:uuid:e69762f6-5dff-4e30-9a07-15345eb87dd3> | en | 0.861697 | 0.078284 |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.(KTHV) -- For years Acxiom Corp., headquartered in Little Rock,has been collecting consumer data on millions of Americans.
Wednesday, the company will give the public a glimpse into the data files they've been collecting. With Acxiom's new approach, consumers will be able to correct misinformation but also opt-out of having their data shared with marketers.
You may know little about Acxiom's business practices, but Arkansas Business Interactive Editor Lance Turner said more than likely they know a lot more about you.
"Acxiom is a data mining company, so basically they put together and broker a lot of consumer data," he said.
Turner added that the information comes from warranty cards and surveys. He also said they buy data from magazine publishers, retailers and catalog companies.
"When they put these profiles together, it helps bigger companies. Banks, car companies," he listed. "All manner of large firms who do business with consumers sort of better understand who their consumers are."
With limited U.S. regulation on data collection, Acxiom gathers info from public records. For example, Acxiom may know your profession, your education, if you're a smoker, or even if you own a cat. Until, now consumers weren't able to see exactly what the company may know about them.
Little Rock resident Felicia Thomason said she's curious to see what she's doing that Acxiom's watching.
"I don't really know where they're getting their information. But, it will be good, maybe going on the website and seeing what they have will give me more knowledge about what they do and what they have," she thought.
Consumers will gain access Wednesday to a free website named Turner said the site will allow individuals to view their profiles, change incorrect information and even opt-out of having their info shared.
"I think there will be a fair amount of interest. People want to go, just out of curiosities sake and see what Acxiom knows about them. Some people may be surprised that it's not a lot," he added.
So why is the data mining giant turning towards transparency? Turner believes the company is being proactive and staying ahead of any privacy regulations.
"They're trying to go ahead and put these tools in place to say 'Oh, ok. If you guys are worried about privacy, here's a way you can check it; here's a way you can opt-out of it if you'd like to or correct it.'"
Turner said the site will also reveal where Acxiom gets their information.
"I think it will be eye-opening to see how much information that they tell about themselves in everyday life and and everyday actions." | http://www.thv11.com/story/local/2013/09/03/1767650/ | <urn:uuid:d82b73bc-85a9-4b92-86bd-75f1056e1593> | en | 0.964679 | 0.019845 |
An American in Hillsdale /Joel Swain spending senior year as a Falcon after growing up in Czech Republic
Andrew Waldman Published:
By ANDREW WALDMAN T-G Staff Writer Jeromesville and Prague, Czech Republic, are 4,398 miles apart. Theyre also separated by a continent, an ocean and the language barrier. But for Hillsdale High School senior Joel Swain, both are close enough to call home. Swain was born in the United States but moved with his family to Prague when he was 4. He was educated in the Czech Republic at public schools and later at a private, international school. This school year, he left his parents Czech home and came to the United States to finish his senior year. His parents are missionaries affiliated with Grace Brethren Church of Ashland. They were called to Prague in 1993 and their family, including Swain and his brothers, Dan and David, moved with them. The Swains have a lot of family from the area and Swains father, George, graduated from Hillsdale in 1977. The family wanted Joel to go to an American school to make his transition into the American educational system easier. Hillsdale was a logical choice. We wanted the transition to be as easy as possible for him and us, said George Swain. Swain also wanted to get the American high school experience. And he wanted the chance to play football in the United States. He had played on a Czech club team in Prague. In Prague, his youth team was in the same club as the adult team that won the Czech Bowl, the equivalent of the Super Bowl in Czech football. The Czech Bowl attracts fewer than 5,000 fans, compared to the tens of thousands who watch every NFL game. Football (in the United States) is a lot different, he said. In (the Czech Republic), its not a big deal. Only about 200 people come to games there. Here, you get 2,000, even at a Division IV school like Hillsdale. His Czech team, called the Prague Lions, wasnt affiliated with the school he attended. Instead, it was a club team with a lot less structure. For the Lions, he played mostly defense and picked up three or four tackles per game. Here, hes a better offensive player. Football isnt the only reason Swain came to the United States. Hes also enjoyed the social atmosphere of the school. School dances and other social activities werent part of Riverside High School, the international school he attended in Prague. The cool thing about coming here is Im doing all the things Ive always heard about American schools, he said. In Prague, school is something you do, dont like and go home. Theres no school pride. As an English speaker, Swain had no trouble making the switch to Hillsdale. The transition wasnt so big, but I can put up with a lot as far as culture is concerned, he said. Still, there have been some parts of Ohio that have been slightly challenging for Swain. Prague, a city of about 1.3 million residents, dwarfs Jeromesville. He never had to drive a car until he came to the United States. Without the easy access to public transportation, Swain had to take his driving test so he could get from home to school and his after-school job. I failed the driving test the first time, said Swain with a chuckle. I ran a stop sign. I found out you cant do that. He hasnt had trouble making friends with his classmates and teammates. Its easy to be yourself here, he said Its a bit more accepting than in Prague. Scholastically, Swain also hasnt had trouble as his Hillsdale schoolwork is easier than his work at Riverside. He said there is heavy emphasis on the sciences and mathematics in the Czech Republic. He once studied for 30 hours the week before a physics exam only to score lower than he expected. There is less homework here, he said. For Hillsdale, Swain has brought a new element to the student body. He provides a perspective on Eastern Europe we dont normally have, said principal Kevin Reidy. Weve been very pleased with Joel. Hes a good addition to our school. Swain also is involved with worship activities at GBC in Ashland. He works three days after school mowing lawns and keeping up his grandfathers property. Hes working on a highlights tape of himself to send to colleges and universities. He hopes to play football and major in athletic training. Hes already thought about attending Ashland University, Ohio University or Charleston Southern University in South Carolina. Hes wants to return to Prague at some point after college. I might think about being a translator, he said. n Contact Andrew Waldman at 419-281-0581, ext. 243, or by e-mail at
Want to leave your comments?
Sign in or Register to comment. | http://www.times-gazette.com/local%20news/2006/10/03/an-american-in-hillsdale-joel-swain-spending-senior-year-as-a-falcon-after-growing-up-in-czech-republic | <urn:uuid:8a3d2159-f96d-4035-82ec-77e69cc98e67> | en | 0.987093 | 0.019923 |
Our TV Shows
Got a Tip?
Call TMZ at (888) 847-9869 or Click Here
Ready for a 'Nailin'?'
2/2/2009 7:12 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF
It's the question everyone's been waiting to ask VP wannabeen Sarah Palin: Has she feasted her eyes on hardcore porn spoof "Nailin' Paylin?"
Sarah Palin: Click to watch
Not only does she answer, but it seems she knows exactly what we're talkin' about....
No Avatar
she's way hotter than michelle obama when it comes to "mature women" michelle obama looks like the devil from the tom cruise movie legend how sad, he heart must be filled with sorrow, and palin's filled with porn
1865 days ago
*her heart must be filled with sorrow, yeah it's sad
1865 days ago
same same same
TMZ reporter how tasteless... Why ask this respectful woman such a question... she's a mom first then a public figure!
1865 days ago
Phoenix Guy
luceille, you're an idiot.
1865 days ago
Let's talk about how the good 'ol Dem's don't pay their taxes and get caught with their pants down!!!!!
Put that post up TMZ!
1865 days ago
I think it's inappropriate for her to sign autographs like she is movie star or something. She needs to be more serious and professional. Her winks and hillbilly talk were her downfall. She needs more sophistication. Why can't she figure this out if she eventually wants to be in Washington?
1865 days ago
Capt Jack--you had 4 stinkin letters to write and you screwed that up!
1865 days ago
It was probably her idea in the first place! Anything for pathetic! And wtf did she bring a special needs child into the world if she wasn't going to be a good mother to that child? This is what pisses me off about this stupid-ass "mutt with lipstick". That baby needs his mothers love & attention 24/7, not when it's convenient for her. Your 16 year old daughter has dropped out of school, just given birth & you're still running streets in an attempt to be heard & taken seriously. I have more respect for your mouthpiece, at least she can answer a direct question.
GO HOME & TAKE CARE OF YOUR BABY....SOCCER MOM, PIG W/LIPSTICK, BIMBO BARBIE WANNABE, MCCAIN'S FLUNKIE, enjoy the rest of your term, Alaska's about to kick you to the curb! So how much did it cost the people of Alaska or your office to build your house? Is that why the hockey rink cost so much, the expense & materials for your house were included?
Here in the United States of America, we mother's put our children first! Perhaps if you did the same, your daughter would be graduating soon, your special needs son would be a happy child! And your angry husband just needs Jesus! You all do! GTFOH, Tina Fey is much better than you!
1865 days ago
"I think it's inappropriate for her to sign autographs like she is movie star or somethin"
And it isn't inappropriate for Obama? I hate you libs, you are always one sided.
The media makes me sick how they ridicule this woman when the elections ended almost three months ago! Get over it! She is more of a woman and a leader than anyone in the white house and on capital hill right now!
Everyone sees how bias the media is and we are tired of it.
1865 days ago
who has the facts? ME
Now she's schmoozing with "Washington elite insiders?" Wow - she's palling around with terrorist socialists? Say it ain't so Sarah!! Another example of your hypocrisy and lies. Keep deamin' about 2012 - if that's what the right wing wants, bring it on!!
1865 days ago
- - - STAY CLASSY TMZ - - -
1865 days ago
I am a republican and you are a psycho.
1865 days ago
TMZ should stick to Hollywood elite in its interviews because they have just shown they have no class with this interview. Well need do the Hollywood people, so I guess what do you expect from TMZ.
1865 days ago
It's sexist to ask a woman such a question. Nice going, AOLTIMEWARNERTMZLEVIN.
1865 days ago
do as i say, not as i do ~ It sounds as thought you need Jesus......................"judging" someone you have never even had a conversation with!
People see in other people what they most hate about themselves. So, God bless your children!
1865 days ago
Around The Web | http://www.tmz.com/2009/02/02/palin-ready-for-a-nailin/1/ | <urn:uuid:ae3d37b9-4cac-4c02-9c2c-672fb694fe2c> | en | 0.942198 | 0.020541 |
Our TV Shows
Got a Tip?
Call TMZ at (888) 847-9869 or Click Here
Evander Holyfield's Son
My Dad Does Not Hate Gay People
1/6/2014 11:57 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF
0106_ewin_evander_holyfield_gettyEvander Holyfield may think homosexuality is wrong ... but his son says the heavyweight boxer's got nothing but love for gays -- and even had a great relationship with a gay in-law.
Ewin Holyfield tells TMZ ... Evander is no bigot -- despite being bashed for expressing his opinion on homosexuality during last night's "Celebrity Big Brother" in the UK.
When is TMZ Sports?
No Avatar
love, desire all stems from the brain right?
66 days ago
those who are gay are not doing themselves any favors by claiming an unfair playing field. it isn't fair because gays have the highest annual income of any sexual orientation. get over yourselves. we are all human.
66 days ago
Talk about making a bad situation worse!
66 days ago
Listen up gays.....the ONLY WAY U can live a life that is pleasing to God is by being celibate....there is NO DECENT GAY COUPLE....if you are in a gay relationship then u are living an aborminable, perverted sinful lifestyle
66 days ago
I think the black community gets an A+ in the man/woman procreation sweepstakes. A few more non procreating black gays would be a welcome relief.
66 days ago
I am really getting sick and tired of people shoving opinions down people's throats. So what if he hates gays. If he had said he hated an heterosexual, this wouldn't be news. I live for the day when people just describe themselves without notifying the whole world of their sexual preferences. Heterosexuals do not go around doing so why should someone who is gay feel the need to tell everyone. Haters can start responding, do not particularly care!!!
66 days ago
Everyone has a right to his/her opinion. That's America! Land of the free! On the other hand, gays have been around since ancient times. Who's to say what is right or wrong? Whether religious doctrine or not, in the end its all conjecture. Someone dictating a bias view does not make it right. If the issue is procreation, not everyone wants to leave their seed. Hell...with 7 billion people already on the planet, isn't there enough? How is this a requirement to be a man? If the issue is what is typically the traits of a heterosexual man(since Hollyfield comes from a sport that values masculinity traits)--two of the greatest warriors of all time were known to be gay: Alexander the Great and Achilles. Not to go off on a tangent...I am sure there have been gays who served in combat with distinction who never came out of the closet for obvious reasons. I am sure if you asked any vet on why they fought, the usual response is for the guy next to them and not to be gung-ho so to speak. Hey, even women have shown courage. Google the Trung Sisters. Personally, I like the fact that Hollyfield can get along with his gay family member. Its how you want to be treated in the end, with respect. Both parties can agree to disagree and still get along.
66 days ago
Timothy Kincaid
How nice. Ewin Holyfield thought he'd pipe up and let everyone know that he's every bit as ignorant and bigoted as his father. And how nice that the Holyfield's don't "hate" anyone, even if, EVEN IF (GASP), they are homosexual. Well golly, with that kind of incredible love (EVEN to homosexuals - wow - even to them) maybe they should all get a nobel prize for wonderfulness.
66 days ago
What is with these "Christians"? First they slam and demean gays and then back track by saying they love all people.
Of course, it's all just "free speech".....
66 days ago
Selebraties Suck
66 days ago
boo boo
He's clearly not a HOMOPHOBE. He is not AFRAID of gay people. Smearing the reputation of a person because of a dissenting opinion is fascist
66 days ago
so the stupid rages in the next generation too. I think he had a weak male self image and so does his son. He is hiding his hate with God. He hates. You 'hate' the sin, you hate the sinner. If he thinks its a choice to change your biology, then change your color, sir. Try it.
66 days ago
We have separation of church and state. The bible does not govern right and wrong, and as long as you're living your life as a law abiding citizen and not doing harm to others, then I see no reason to concern myself with who you love or who you go to bed with. It's a majorly presumptuous overstep for people to assume that they have they right to tell others what's right and wrong... or what's normal and what's not, based on a thousands year old book (based on absolutely no fact) that we aren't required to live our lives by. People need to learn to mind their own business and work on bettering themselves rather than concerning themselves with the sexual activity of others. It's time to join the 21st century.
66 days ago
well said, ewin
66 days ago
Well I have a black brother so it is ok for me to say ******s suck.
66 days ago
Around The Web | http://www.tmz.com/2014/01/06/evander-holyfield-son-does-not-hate-gay-people/4/ | <urn:uuid:535ec02c-bbfa-4bab-aa1a-c662d112cb8d> | en | 0.95145 | 0.032637 |
Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question
How access phoenix advanced hidden bios menus
Last response: in Windows 7
Related resources
give all details for model maker and number of it or an add any other clue that could hepl find details on maker support site on web
Most of the big computer vendors gimp their bios so that you can't OC. They don't want to be responsible for the support calls that would occur if people were allowed to change certain setting in the bios. I recently bought a cheap HP computer for my son to do his homework on. It's the first computer I purchased in 10 years. I normally build my own. I was surprised at how gimped the bios was. My dell computer at work actually has more options available than the HP does. | http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/29745-63-access-phoenix-advanced-hidden-bios-menus | <urn:uuid:0466ac02-b5dd-4c89-afd2-ed6719bade98> | en | 0.966648 | 0.044115 |
Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question
Wifi connection detected but no internet
Last response: in Wireless Networking
I've just returned from the U.S. from being in Peru. While there I had internet which was set up by a technician. However, now that I'm back, my computer shows that it's conected to the wifi here, but I am unable to get internet access. Is there perhaps a setting that could have been changed while I was in Peru that is preventing me from getting internet access in the U.S.?
Hello and welcome to Tom's Hardware Forums.
Chances are your Peruvian tech altered settigs in Control Panel>Internet Options, perhaps to a dial up system or through a Proxy. Go in there and under the Connection tab, tick "Never dial a connection" and click Apply then click the LAN button and tick "Automatically detect settings" and untick anything in the Proxy section below that.
Related resources
Thanks for your help Saga Lout. However, I tried, but my computer still won't gain access to the Internet. I'm not sure what the problem is because I was able to use this internet connection before I went to Peru. As you said, I believe the Peruvian technician changed something in the settings.
Inzone, it was DSL through the telephone company, but I used the router for wifi, never used the direct connection.
So, right now, I have to use the ethernet cable to get internet access which shuts everyone else out from using the internet when I'm on.
Why does using an ethernet cable shut everyone out from using the internet ?
Do you have a modem connected to a wireless router ? Have you set up a wireless network ? The cable that you connect is it from the router or the modem ?
Perhaps a more detailed explanation of your set up will clear this up a little.
Can you post the details of an ipconfig calll so we can see what's going on? Go from Start to Run in XP - or use the Windows key plus R in Vista and Windows 7 or 8, then type in the following into the Open box, including all the spaces:-
cmd /k ipconfig /all
then press Enter and right click anywhere from the black form that shows up and click on Select All. That places all the details into the clipboard and Control V will put it back here in a reply box. | http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/44821-43-wifi-connection-detected-internet | <urn:uuid:7ca13237-c474-4364-9499-d22a10f29d8f> | en | 0.948962 | 0.252353 |
Send a Message
to ESciEncE
Sep 10, 2009
ESciEncE Profile
Recent Posts
Michael Vick: What do you think?
U people NEED a Life! Y isn't the last President can't being held responsible & accountable 4 th'BS WE NOW face? Yet, (sum of)U poeple bit** about a football player? What's REALLY WRONG N our society = how people m8ke misstakes, go 2 jail 2 p8y back the "society " they've wronged, THEN get continually rejected (by their same "society ")UNTIL they have no recourse but go back 2 the Life they were supposed 2 have been rehabilitated "from". I guess this= Y WE build more prisons than schools? GET A LIFE - LIVE! (Sep 10, 2009 | post #43)
San Francisco, CA
Hip-hop party promoter Eugene Cockerham linked to wild Sa...
..2 bad your insight = as narrow as your IQ Fool! NOT ALL HipHop = as limited as th'type U imagine! IF your CONglomr8ted megaCorps N th'Media would ALLOW other styles then m8yBE you'll C differently. (Sep 10, 2009 | post #3) | http://www.topix.com/member/profile/escience | <urn:uuid:8811e75d-0a8b-44de-94dd-8bd45a44b798> | en | 0.942545 | 0.039743 |
View Single Post
Old June 10 2009, 12:11 AM #25
Re: I like Tasha Yar.
I have always had a soft spot for the characters who get killed off because the writers 'can't work with their character' - I always think something along the lines of 'give ME a crack at them, I could do something!' Tasha especially, since she's a fascinating character - all the other main cast are these people who have lived the good life in the heart of the Federation, while she grew up on a colony that 'failed' (don't quite understand that - if the colony failed, how exactly are there still people there?)
Sadly, Tasha's character was a victim of two things - the writers trying to put a female in a position that traditionally was a 'man's' role while also trying to make it seem a casual 'yeah, happens all the time, and, the bigger problem of the two, the 'our characters DON'T' clause that Gene put in for TNG. Her existence on Turkana IV would have been filled with occasions were she engaged in activities that Gene had dictated that our character would not do, and as such, it made it hard to do anything with her, because she wouldn't have been allowed to draw on her prior experiences, given that as a character, they were things that she should have done, but as a Gene Roddenberry character, she wasn't allowed to do.
I know Star Trek wouldn't be around without him, but I firmly feel that by the time of TNG's production, Gene had bought into his own hype and let himself believe that all it took to overcome these inherent human traits he deemed as being 'negative' was the power of positive thinking - if TNG Gene had worked on TOS, we wouldn't have had the Spock-Bones banter, because the characters were 'too evolved' for such arguments. All the TNG characters suffered because of the 'our characters DON'T' rule, but none so much as Tasha - if that hadn't been a rule, I would not be surprised if Denise Crosby would have wanted to remain with the show.
DGCatAniSiri is offline Reply With Quote | http://www.trekbbs.com/showpost.php?p=3064198&postcount=25 | <urn:uuid:99550349-e63e-4ee5-a92d-60fcd88b3358> | en | 0.991148 | 0.200313 |
It can't be accurately measured how profound of an impact Braille has had on the blind community all over the world. Braille is their universal way to see. The revolutionary innovation has sparked so many different ideas on how to enhance the quality of life for someone who can't see all of its beauty. These 22 Braille innovations are truly a blessing.
Implications - Blind members of society do not get to experience many things that people with sight can. By creating innovations that help the blind such as braille e-books and tattoos for the blind, companies are managing to become more inclusive and prove and understanding of the needs of the blind. | http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/blind-braille-innovations | <urn:uuid:7f2781f7-d9c0-41f9-becc-6546b8cf0ba8> | en | 0.976512 | 0.530509 |
The ‘Yeah, That Kind of Rich’ ad campaign for the New York lottery is an epitomization of a wealthy lifestyle by using money typography to script clever slogans.
In a sly attempt to help the public wrap their heads around how the lottery money could change their lives, the campaign released posters with slogans like “Banks ask you for a bailout,” or “You shop, the market rises.” Using dollar bills to create thick stacks of money, the letters in these one-liners were created using a super rich font. It is estimated that around $1,000 to $1,500 dollars worth of money was used to create each ad.
These comical posters can be seen on buses, shelters and in subway stations in New York. | http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/money-typography | <urn:uuid:8f47e866-0c8b-4ec8-be34-af78993e9b49> | en | 0.959987 | 0.037779 |
Large PrintHandheldAudioRating
Twisting The Hellmouth Crossing Over Awards - Results
Is your email address still valid?
The Adventures of Colonel Fuzzy and Moonbrain
StoryReviewsStatisticsRelated StoriesTracking
Summary: When he keeps ending up the in infirmary, Mal thinks someone on the ship is trying to kill him. But it's not so much a "who" as a what. Non-Explicit SLASH pairing Mal/Simon. Written for the Mal/Simon ficathon on LJ.
Categories Author Rating Chapters Words Recs Reviews Hits Published Updated Complete
Firefly > Non-BtVS/AtS Stories(Past Donor)vinniebatmanFR1314,048031,05517 Jul 0717 Jul 07Yes
Title: The Secret Adventures of Colonel Fuzzy and General Moonbrain (actual title too long for dialogue box)
Author: vinniebatman
Fandom: Firefly
Pairing: Mal/Simon
Prompt: #45: River gets a pet raccoon. Chaos ensues. Amidst the carnage, Mal and Simon find love. Humor and crack! Written for the Mal/Simon ficathon at the_pretty_fits on livejournal
Rating/Warnings: Teen, SLASH PAIRING!! Slash box was ticked as this is not explicit.
Disclaimer: I hired a pack of ninjas to kidnap Joss; he was threatened with hot poker torture and chainsaws so I could meet the real him. I now own all. Thank you.
Beta: Suki_blue at livejournal. I lubs her.
Author's Note: Takes place after the movie, but includes changes to the movie... screw it, I'll just tell you: Wash lives, because I love him.
* * * * * * * * * * *
After Miranda, the arrest warrants on the Tams had been lifted. So far the Alliance had steered clear of Serenity. No one knew if it would stay that way, or if the government would come looking for River in the future. Given the horrific death tolls, the cover up, the Alliance's attempt at what was essentially mind control of an entire planet, and the fact that the Alliance created the Reavers, River calculated that the earliest the Alliance would attempt to injure the crew would be in seventeen years, six months, and twelve days. But all things considered (including Inara's return to the training house, Book's death, and Wash's paralysis), things were actually going pretty well.
Sure, the operative had killed a lot of their business contacts. Combined with Serenity's sudden notoriety, it had had lead many of their remaining contacts to cease doing business with them. But Sir Warrick had been pleased with their honor and determination to reveal the truth, and had started using Serenity as one of his primary transports. In turn, this led many of his contacts to use Serenity. So the crew was busy and getting paid regularly, doing runs on the Rim and finishing their repairs. Strangely, it had taken nearly dying and exposing a major government conspiracy for the ship to become financially viable.
Only a few short months after Miranda, the crew once again landed on Triumph. It was, of course, their first return to the planet since the Saffron incident, but nevertheless they were welcomed with open arms. Mal had immediately declared that there was "no ruttin' way in hell" that anyone was allowed to get married to any of his crew. If someone wanted to get married, it would be done in the light of day, sober. The town elders had agreed and treated the crew to a feast.
The mid-day meal gave way to music, and music gave way to dancing. River joined the townsfolk, spinning and swirling around the fire, never tiring in her joy. As the crew watched (and occasionally joined her), the sun set and alcohol was served. The crew also focused on the fact that Kaylee was not sitting with the Doc, whom Kaylee wasn't even trying to dance with. Instead, Kaylee had spent her evening in the company of several young men, all of whom eagerly took turns dancing with Kaylee. And Simon didn't even appear to be the least bit upset. So it wasn't surprising that no one noticed the odd occurrence that followed. As she was dancing with a young boy, River suddenly stopped, barely noticing when he careened into her. Slowly, she drifted away from the fire, leaving the few sober observers mystified as to why she had left. But all events became hazy and unimportant as the night wore on and alcohol flowed.
* * * * * * * * * *
After enjoying a large breakfast that contained real meat, the crew headed back to the ship. As Jayne helped Wash to the bridge, Mal and Zoe finished stowing the load of cotton destined for Persephone. Kaylee had, of course, scampered off to the engine room, while River and Simon carried fresh food to the galley. As Mal and Zoe shifted the last box into place, they heard a soft sound, rather like a cooing.
"You hear that, Zoe?" Mal asked.
Zoe nodded, frowning.
"Yes Sir, I did. You're not hiding a new bride, are you?"
"Ai ya, Zoe*! Just look around and see if we got some wild critter onboard," Mal answered her, glaring. As the cargo hold fell silent again, the pair continued to search. Finally, Mal sighed.
"I got nothing."
"Me either, Sir," Zoe added.
"You'd better get up there with your husband, make sure Jayne didn't drop him," Mal grumbled. He walked over and hit the comm. panel as Zoe jogged up the stairs, her boots ringing against the metal.
"Wash, take us out," he ordered.
"Sure thing. By the way, any brides I should know of?" Wash asked.
Mal growled as he shut off the comm. and closed the cargo hold doors. As he headed toward the stairs, he failed to notice the flash of metal above his head.
* * * * * * * * * *
After dropping off the food in the galley, Simon headed down to the cargo hold. The citizens on Triumph didn't have anything advanced in the field of medicine, but they had been kind enough to trade some of the necessities with Simon for some of the more advanced medicines he could find on Persephone. As he reached the walkway, he froze for a split second at the sight of Mal's body. Running down the stairs, he reached the still body of the Captain, sprawled face-down on the floor. A bloodied wrench lay a few feet away as blood seeped freely from Mal's head. Ripping off his vest, he pressed it against the injury. The head under his hand rolled to the side, accompanied by a groan.
"Wo de ma**; what happened?" Mal moaned, trying to sit up.
"Careful, Captain; you've lost a lot of blood," Simon warned.
"What? How? Did I trip or somethin'?" Mal tried to push himself up off the floor only to have his arms buckle under his weight. He tried again and succeeded with Simon's help. Simon pulled Mal's arm over his shoulder, taking the Captain's weight.
"Come on, let me get you into the infirmary. I need to check and see if you have a concussion."
As the pair stumbled into the infirmary, Simon steered them toward the bed. Mal dropped heavily onto it, clutching the stained vest to his head.
"Think I ruined your vest, Doc," he moaned, watching as Simon dashed around the infirmary, gathering supplies and setting them on the tray. Simon moved over to the Captain, carrying his supplies.
"You planning on knocking me out so you can have your wicked way with me?" Mal joked. As a secondary meaning to his words floated to his consciousness, Mal winced and tried to ignore the flicker of erotic images that passed through his mind.
Simon's eyes widened as he swallowed hard and focused on his work. Work was good for Simon, allowing him to ignore the small flip of his stomach at Mal’s words.
"I’d rather not give you pain relievers at the moment, Captain," Simon said, dragging his mind out of the gutter. "Seeing as you may have a concussion, I don't want to give you anything that might make it harder to wake you."
Simon grabbed a small flashlight and shined it into Mal's eyes. Simon’s brow furrowed in a way that Mal secretly thought was kind of cute.
"Well, Captain, you don't have a concussion," Simon sighed as set down the flashlight and pulled on his gloves. Reaching forward, he pulled his vest away from Mal's head.
"Sorry 'bout your vest," Mal mumbled as Simon cleaned the wound. Although to be truthful, Mal wasn’t really that sorry. To his way of thinking, the less clothing Simon wore, the better he looked. It would have been better had Simon not been wearing a vest and thus been forced to strip his shirt off.
"I'm the one who placed it on your head," Simon countered. "You bear no responsibility for my choices." As he moved his gloved fingers through the Captain's hair, Simon couldn't help but wonder if Mal’s hair hadalways been so nice and soft. He couldn't recall having noticed it that much before he'd he slept with (and got dumped by) Kaylee. Of course he knew what it looked like. After all, why wouldn't he notice it when the Captain walked into a room? Or stood in the sun? Or ran his hands through it? Clearing his mind with the focus taught at Medacad, Simon continued his work and pushed all thoughts of soft, pretty, grab-able hair from his mind.
* * * * * * * * * *
As the crew gathered in the mess at Mal's orders, various exclamations of concern and suspicions filled the air as the crew saw the white bandage tied around the Captain's head.
"You alright, Cap'n?" Kaylee asked, her brow knit in worry.
Mal smiled and nodded, then winced.
"Yeah, Doc says I just got knocked out but I’ll be right as rain in a couple days. Right, Doc?"
Simon merely nodded in response.
"If you're going to be fine, why call us all here?" Zoe asked.
"Good point, Wifey," Wash added, twisting his jury rigged wheel chair from side to side.
Zoe pressed her lips together, but the soft light in her eyes betrayed her amusement. Even stuck in his wheel chair, Wash found a way to enjoy it.
"Because of this," Mal explained, dropping the bloody vest on the table with a loud thunk.
Frowning, Zoe reached forward and pulled back the edge of the soft, blue fabric, revealing the blood-spattered wrench.
"Hey, that's my wrench!" Kaylee yelled.
"Yep, and it fell from the ceiling and almost broke my head."
"When did this happen, Sir?" Zoe asked, frowning.
"Right after I spoke to your husband."
"But the room was empty; we would have seen someone hiding," Zoe said, leaning forward.
"'Less they was real quiet and sneaky," Jayne pointed out, quickly looking over at River. The crew frowned, their heads turning one by one to gaze at their resident reader.
"Not me. It was the Colonel," she explained, smiling gently.
"Who are you talking about mei mei?" Simon asked, frowning. River rolled her eyes.
"You don't know him yet."
"Well, let's just worry about people that are actually here. So, did you do this, Little Witch?" Mal asked.
"I said I didn't. If I wanted to hurt you, you'd never know it was me," she whispered, her eyesgoing wide and dark.
The crew fell quiet as Jayne grabbed his chair and scooted it away from her end of the table.
"Good point," Mal acknowledged. "So then, who did it?"
"River was up here with me," Simon offered.
"I was in the bridge; so was Jayne," Wash added. "And I talked to Kaylee right after I talked to you."
Mal leaned forward and buried his face in his hands, his voice muffled as he spoke.
"Great, I'm being attacked by a ghost."
* * * * * * * * * * *
After Mal's strange attack, the crew was wary. Each time one of them entered a new room, they surveyed their surroundings carefully. And Jayne had taken to carrying Vera with him wherever he went, though this was due more to his fear someone might hurt her. It wasn't until two days later that the next incident occurred. Despite Serenity's notoriety and bad luck, space travel was usually fine for them. It was landing on planets that seemed to be the trouble.
Mal had just poured himself a cup of tea and was walking over to the table when it happened: a small, glass vial filled with liquid dropped from the ceiling. He barely had time to register that something had fallen before he was stepping on it. His momentum carried him forward, his stride breaking as his foot slipped out from under him. As his vision seemed to flip, Mal braced himself for the impact. He hit the ground hard, landing on his ass. Mal had been prepared to bruise his tail bone. He hadn't been ready for the glass that was cutting into his as.
"Ta ma de hundan***!" he roared, scrambling and sliding away from the shards of glass. Reaching for the nearest chair, he pulled himself up to his feet, wincing as hisbuttocks cried out in pain. Looking up, he could see Kaylee running toward him from the engine room.
"Cap'n? Are you okay?" she asked, frantic.
“Yeah, I'm fine, Little Kaylee," he reassured her, even if he wasn’t certain himself. As he turned away, Kaylee gasped.
"Cap'n, you're bleedin'!" she cried. Mal twisted his neck, trying to look down at his ass. He saw several small patches of red blossom across his backside; he groaned.
"Ni ta ma de, tianxia suoyoude ren dou gaisi****," he growled. There was no way around it; he'd need Simon to look at his ass.
"Kaylee, find the Doc and tell him to meet me in the infirmary. Then have everyone meet me up here," Mal growled as he started making his way downstairs. He barely even heard Kaylee's affirmative answer as she ran over to the wall comm. panel, trying to find Simon. As he moved down the stairs, Mal reminded himself once again that his attraction to Simon was stupid, very stupid. Lately, it had seemed to Mal that every moment spent in Simon’s presence made him more aware of… things. Like Simon’s eyes, and his smile. Mal knew there wouldn't be anything but trouble if he started making moves for Simon. And while he didn't plan on making any moves for the Doctor, getting an erection just because Simon was touching his ass could count as a move.
As he reached the infirmary, he saw Simon waiting for him.
"What happened, Captain?" Simon asked warily. He couldn't see any injuries, aside from the slow, rolling gait that was rapidly dragging Simon's mind in the gutter. Once inside the infirmary, Mal shut the door.
It all seemed a bit strange to Simon, from the Captain's walk, to the fact that he'd closed to door. A part of Simon's mind rushed back to one of those of skin vids he'd seen during his time in Medacad.
"Close the blinds," Mal ordered, his voice low and gravely. Simon swallowed hard as his eyes widened a fraction. His heart started to pound hard as he obeyed the Captain and lowered the blinds. Turning around, Simon tried hard to appear comfortable. He watched, entranced, as the Captain slowly walked toward the examination bed and bent over it. A part of Simon was relieved to see the wounds, confirming that this wasn't some cheesy skin vid. But another part of him was sorely disappointed.
"Alright, Captain," Simon sighed, trying to think of ugly, unsexy thoughts. "Take off your pants."
* * * * * * * * * * *
From outside the infirmary, Mal's secret attacker listened to the clinical discussion between the two men. Damnit, this wasn't how he and his cohort imagined their gambit would play out. By giving the tall one minor injuries, he would need to spend time with the other one, giving them time for amorous feelings to form. But apparently, the two men were a lot stupider than previously thought. It was time for a direct approach.
* * * * * * * * * * *
An hour later, Mal and Simon emerged from the infirmary, neither sporting the erection they'd been so afraid would materialize. Luckily, Mal had only received a mild pain reliever, so the constant, dull ache from his ass had kept him calm. And seeing the Captain in pain had put a hell of a damper on Simon's libido. The two men made their way up to the kitchen. Mal was mostly prepared for numerous smart-ass comments from Wash, and a lot of crude humor from Jayne. When they entered the room, Jayne snickered.
"Hey, Captain, Doc leave year ass sore?" he guffawed. Simon's face flushed a deep red while Mal wrestled with his urge to shoot Jayne. But before Mal could even take a painful step toward his target, a fuzzy, gray creature shot across the room and leapt onto Jayne's face.
Jayne jumped out of his chair, his arms alternately flailing and trying to pull the creature off of his face. Finally, Jayne pulled out a knife.
"Colonel!" River shrieked. "Retreat!"
Then, just as quickly as the attack had started, it ended with the creature jumping away from Jayne and dashing across the table and into River's arms. The crew was frozen in surprise, a tableau of confusion and amusement.
"What in the gorram hell was that?" Mal shrieked.
"Captain Reynolds, meet Colonel Fuzzy," River said sweetly, placing the animal on the table. The crew stared at it. It wasn't very large, perhaps two feet long with grey fur and a long tail covered in black rings, as well as black rings surrounding its eyes.
"What is it?" Jayne asked, frowning.
"Procyon cancrivorus," River answered.
"A raccoon," Simon supplied, amazed. "They were quite common on Earth-that-Was, and are common in zoos and parks on some of the Core planets."
Mal ran his hand through his hair, and then winced as he grazed the bump. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than stiff drink of Kaylee's engine liquor.
"Where did you find him?" Wash asked.
"I heard him on Triumph and went to meet him," River explained.
"You heard him?" Zoe echoed, eyebrow raised.
"Smart raccoon from a smart family; genetically engineered and trained to be capable of higher brain functions and communication with those like him," River explained.
"You’re saying he's super-intelligent, and you are able to communicate with him?" Simon asked, confirming the strange words.
"Yes. They cut and snipped him before they cut and snipped me. They turned the animal into a soldier," she finished sadly.
"Soldier?" Mal asked, his eyebrows crawling ever-higher on his forehead. "Who made him into a soldier?"
"The same ones who made the girl," came the whispered answer.
“It is wrong that the fact they hurt a little fuzzy animal makes me hate the Alliance even more?" Wash asked suddenly.
"No, I hate 'em more, too," Kaylee pouted, blinking back the tears in her eyes. Colonel Fuzzy chattered before leaping out of River's arms, crossing the table, and going over to cuddle with Kaylee. His fingers clutched at her hair as Kaylee cooed.
Mal sighed loudly. "So you're saying that your raccoon, Captain-."
"Colonel," River interrupted sternly.
"Right, Colonel Fuzzy, was experimented on by the Alliance?" Mal clarified, wincing.
River nodded in reply.
Jayne snorted. "If he's Colonel Fuzzy, who're you, General Moonbrain?"
Fuzzy's fur bristled as he growled. Suddenly, he scrabbled across the table toward Jayne, teeth bared. But before it could reach Jayne, River interceded and grabbed the raccoon off of the table. She settled back in her chair, and handed him back to Kaylee.
"Wait," Wash interjected, smiling. "Is this the same Colonel you said dropped the wrench on Mal's head?"
"This is who was tryin' to kill me?" Mal yelled.
Fuzzy chattered from Kaylee's arms. River watched him, then shrugged.
"Didn't want to kill you; wanted to hurt you," River explained.
"Because I asked him to."
"Mei mei!" Simon exclaimed, horrified. "Why would you do that?"
"Because you're both boobs," she answered simply. Wash and Jayne laughed loudly, while Zoe hid a smile behind her hand.
"You got mad at your brother and decided to hurt me? Why not hurt him?" Mal sputtered.
"Because if he got hurt, Zoe would fix him, and that wouldn't make you spend time with him," River explained slowly, as though Mal were a child.
“I know I’m gonna regret asking this, Little Witch, but why do you want me to spend time with your brother?” Mal asked, cringing.
“So you can be in a relationship and engage in sexual congress,” River smiled. Simon groaned and dropped his head onto the table.
Kaylee brightened up. "So Fuzzy was helpin' ya set the two of 'em up? That's so sweet," she squealed, looking down at the offending raccoon.
"Sweet? Aren’t you dating Simon?" Wash asked.
"Nah," Kaylee shrugged, running her fingers through the gray fur. "I like Simon, but I think datin' him was more romantic in idea than it was in real life. Things just kinda petered out."
"So the raccoon was helpin' ya play matchmaker with the Captain and yer brother?" Jayne asked, his nose wrinkled. At River's happy nod, he frowned and crossed his arms. "Well that’s just weird," he muttered.
“Why are you trying to set up the Captain and your brother?” Zoe asked as she started to rub her temples.
“Because Simon has a crush on the Captain.”
Simon jumped up quickly, sending his chair crashing to the floor. He wasn't one to anger quickly, but he could feel his temper rising along with his embarrassment. And any words he could say somehow dried up in his mouth when he faced the crew. They smiled at him expectantly, save Mal who simply looked curious.
"I'll be in the infirmary," he said before briskly striding out of the kitchen. The room fell silent. Mal watched him go, his face holding an inscrutable look that Zoe knew concealed the Captain’s concern. Her knowledge was confirmed when Mal stood and followed after Simon. Once their footsteps had faded away, River turned to the raccoon.
“Our intel was correct, Colonel. The Captain does indeed reciprocate my brother’s feelings and this course of action was most fruitful.” The raccoon chattered and seemed to nod his head, before suddenly leaping off of Kaylee’s lap and disappearing into the shadows. River followed her cohort, Kaylee on her heels. Zoe continued to rub her temples, while Wash had a strange mix of humor and horror on his face.
“Hey, you think he’d he kill Badger fer us?” Jayne asked, suddenly smiling.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Simon pressed his fists into the countertop, breathing deeply. Mal watched from the doorway, the tension curling off of the younger man like smoke. The Captain cleared his throat. Simon inhaled sharply, but didn’t turn around.
“Doc? Simon?”
“Just go away, Mal,” he sighed.
Mal cleared his throat again, then stepped inside the infirmary and closed the door behind him. The blinds on the windows were still closed.
“Look, Doc; this had been a weird couple of days. But, your sister was telling the truth, wasn’t she?”
Squeezing his eyes shut, Simon spoke. “Yes, she was.”
“Okay, then. Considering the fact that a gorram raccoon has been trying to kill me, that’s pretty good,” Mal said, scratching behind his ears.
As the two men talked, three figures crept down into the common area. Quietly, they crawled until they reached the panel beside the infirmary door. Kaylee pried the cover off of the panel and then watched as Fuzzy squeezed up into the wall. He returned only a few seconds later, pulling on a group of wires. Kaylee grabbed them, and quickly began switching wires. After reconnecting the wires, a small click sounded. Kaylee smiled and gave a thumbs-up to River and Fuzzy, before silently slipped away.
Inside the infirmary, a laugh devoid of any humor puffed out of Simon’s mouth. “Well, it’s nice to know that my feelings for you aren’t as bad as you being injured.” Turning away from he counter, Simon schooled is face into a blank mask.
“Well, it’s not like that, it’s just, well…” Mal trailed off, grimacing. He’d never been one for words. Dropping his gazeto the floor, Simon moved past the Captain to open the door; it held fast. Clenching his jaw, Simon punched the door.
“It’s locked,” he growled.
Mal frowned.
“What? How’s it locked?” he asked.
Simon slowly turned, his jaw clenched.
“My guess, the illusive Colonel,” he ground out.
Mal sighed and stared at the door.
“Well,” he shrugged, “It’s hard to get time alone on this ship. I aim to take any minute I get.”
Simon spun around to face him.
This time, Mal chose not to use words. Grabbing Simon by his shoulders, he pushed him against the door and captured his lips in a kiss. Simon was frozen again, unable to process just what was happening to him. Luckily, his smaller brain took control and within seconds, he was kissing Mal back. As they ate at each other’s mouths, Simon rested his hands on Mal’s hips. When Mal slidonethigh between Simon’s legs, Simon’s brain shut down. Desperate, he grabbed Mal’s ass.
Mal’s pained shriek could be heard through out the ship.
In the galley, Wash started to laugh while Zoe merely shook her head and Jayne frowned.
And in the engine room, River frowned as she looked at Colonel Fuzzy and Private Frye.
“Perhaps we shouldn’t have used a glass vessel to contain the oil.”
*Damnit, Zoe!
**Mother of God!
***Mother fucking son of a bitch!
****Everyone under the heavens ought to die.
The End
You have reached the end of "The Adventures of Colonel Fuzzy and Moonbrain". This story is complete.
StoryReviewsStatisticsRelated StoriesTracking | http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-13466/vinniebatman+The+Adventures+of+Colonel+Fuzzy+and+Moonbrain.htm | <urn:uuid:0bd63770-b1bf-4d96-9b1d-5fec670c5148> | en | 0.985277 | 0.226629 |
The Most Boring Episode in TV History: A FlashForward Review
by at .
ABC must have been playing a joke on FlashForward viewers this week. Follow along...
The show has often been compared to Lost. That drama aired an infamous episode ("Stranger in a Strange Land," season three) in which Jack traveled abroad, met an Asian woman and got a tattoo.
Many critics consider it the worst episode in Lost history; and producers have cited it as a reason why they demanded a series end date from ABC: so they would no longer be forced to write filler episodes in which nothing happens.
Enter "Believe," last night's horribly uneventual hour of FlashForward. It also involved a man traveling, an Asian woman, and a tattoo. It was also an incredibly boring hour of television.
Demetri Pic
Similarities to Lost aside, we'll review the episode and ask questions that depict our frustration in a series of bullet points below:
• Why should we care about Bryce and Keiko? The show has barely featured Bryce at all. Then, he and his flash forward are suddenly the main focus of an installment that centers around two people's visions of love, one of whom we've never met before. It's worth repeating: 20 million people died in the blackout. We're expected to muster any interest in the imagined love lives of two strangers after that?
• For the record, FlashForward has now aired nine episode. SEVEN of those concluded with scenes involving characters viewers had never met before that week, and five of those new characters have never returned. (The exceptions are Simon and Suspect Zero.) It's one thing to surprise viewers with a suspenseful ending, but it's another to have those endings continually pile up with no pay-off in the weeks that follow.
• Did Al really kill himself?
• Did Mark really shoot that guy with the tattoo last week?
• We ask these questions because nothing has changed at the FBI, despite the supposed impact of those events when they took place. Mark cried into Olivia's arms last week because they now have a "second chance." So why are they still following leads from his future board? Why does Demetri think he's still gonna die? Al must be chilling in heaven, looking down at his former co-workers and muttering: I died for this?!?!
Nothing harms a show more than inconsistent character behavior and storytelling. But that's the problem FlashForward encounters each week. It can't make up its mind about the future.
Should we be rooting for it to happen? Is the FBI trying to prevent it from happening? Are they trying to determine the cause of the blackouts? Most importantly: why does everyone act as though the future is set in stone?
The series has never done an adequate job of proving these visions will come true. It's simply made the characters talk and act as though it will. That's frustrating enough. But we could forgive FlashForward if these actions were at least interesting and/or tied to major world events.
Last night, however, was nothing but the personal tales of two characters we hardly know. Did anyone out there feel invested in the fortunes of Bryce and Keiko?
Tags: ,
From Around the Web
3 Comments New Comment Subscribe
This show is as awful as for the fact that Heroes ACTUALLY HAD A GOOD SEASON.
Boring, poorly written, dreadful acting. This show is headed for the tv land dumpster.
You have to undrstand that the first eight or nine episodes were already written and many were filmed by the time the show first aired. The producers can't take the viewers thoughts and the ratings into consideration until the first eight to nine episodes,and from next weeks preview it seems things might start to change. They also let one of the Showrunners go, and David Goyer is now the only Showrunner.
Wow. Comparisons to Stranger In A Strange Land are completely null because that was a truly abysmal hour of television. I thought this was a great departure from the bombast and (often times illogical leaps in piecing together) the mosaic of Mark's board for those of us starving for some real character development. It was across the boards - we learned that Aaron was in the army, Olivia finally admitting that a flashforward may need to come true and I was totally invested in Bryce & Keiko's storyline. Character focus is what made Lost great and then the mythology kicked into high gear. We need to care for these characters and I feel FlashForward is finally making headway in that area.
To answer the questions posed...
Of course Al killed himself. Unless we do a rewind of time at the end of the season, I don't see him coming back from the splat.
Yeah, Mark shot the tattoo guy... his tunnel vision is preventing him from admitting to himself that there would be more than one guy with the same tattoo. Or he's truly the dimmest FBI guy on tv.
The questions of fate and free will have gone on since the beginning of man's will continue to go on. It makes sense that these characters will still be going around and around as to whether or not these visions are set in stone. Those questions are all being worked out on screen. I dunno, I thought the episode was fantastic, if a little uneven.
| http://www.tvfanatic.com/2009/11/the-most-boring-episode-in-tv-history-a-flashforwad-review/ | <urn:uuid:7c24146a-aee4-419f-880e-9c66b847c415> | en | 0.979299 | 0.020607 |
Scott Foley and Kerry Washington
Scandal boss Shonda Rhimes was not kidding when she said Olivia Pope has bad taste in men.
ABC's resident political fixer now finds herself attracted to Captain Jake Ballard (Scott Foley), whom Olivia (Kerry Washington) randomly met at a coffee shop. What she doesn't know is that Jake was actually contracted by the President (Tony Goldwyn) to spy on Olivia by any means necessary. Those means include planting video cameras all over her apartment. But it's not creepy at all, insists Foley, who truly believes Jake has real feelings for Olivia. But will she return those feelings if she ever learns the truth? caught up with Foley to get the scoop on what's in store for Thursday's episode (10/9c) and beyond:
Scandal's Edison vs. Jake! Who's better for Olivia?
Does Jake have real feelings for Olivia?
Scott Foley:
That's a great question. I think yes. He obviously took himself out of the voyeuristic aspect of his life and made it into an in-real thing, so by the very nature of that I can say Jake has very real feelings for Olivia.
Does he honestly think he can really have a relationship with her considering the foundation of their meeting was a lie?
Yeah, I agree with that, but I think he does. Relationships flourish through all sorts of beginnings and rough times. Usually it's best when you're not spying on the person, but I think he believes that they can overcome that should that come out. Although, it doesn't necessarily need to come out.
It's a Shonda Rhimes drama! It's going to come out!
Of course it is! Of course.
Are we going to see Jake grappling with whether or not to be honest with Olivia?
Yeah. By the nature of what Jake does for a living — and we're not exactly sure what that is, but we know it's military intelligence — I think he's pretty comfortable with keeping secrets. Although, when you mix personal feelings and secrets, there's always the want to be completely honest with the person you have those feelings for. He definitely wrestles with them. He feels a sense of not just responsibility to the President to keep an eye on her for whatever reason, but the need to be honest with her. That's a big drive for him.
Scandal Scoop: Fringe's Jasika Nicole to guest-star
We've seen their first date. What's their next step in this relationship?
The next step is overcoming the hurdle that is Olivia Pope and her perspective on relationships and where she's been in the past. To get them to the next step, she has to be willing to say, "OK, let's try it out!"
How will they be working together in Thursday's episode?
Speaking of trust, there's a great thing that happens in this episode where Jake has to trust Olivia. There's a hostage story in Thursday's episode and she gives him information, refusing to give him the source and he has to take her word that this information is going to be correct, especially if he's going to take it to the President to help free these hostages. He was has to take a leap of faith with her. In doing that, it brings their relationship to another level.
We've seen in the promo that a photographer takes a picture of Olivia and Jake together. That would obviously compromise Jake's standing with the President if that got out. What lengths will he go to fix this situation?
Jake needs to be very careful. He's doing something here by using Olivia not just as a source, but as a potential love interest that is way outside his purview. It's something that the President would definitely not approve of. I think it's going to be interesting to find out what lengths Jake will go to to make sure that any photo or any evidence of his relationship with Liv is not in the public.
Do you think he feels bad lying to the President?
I don't think he feels bad deceiving the President. I think he knows that the President has, like Jake does, ulterior motives when it comes to Olivia.
It seems only inevitable that Olivia will find out the truth about Jake's true motives. How will Jake handle that?
It does seem inevitable. If and when it does happen, it's hard for it to go down in any way that it could be positive for their relationship. Now, that being said, if I were to speak about an imaginary relationship that began with stalking and cameras in someone's apartment and that person found out, I would put a lot of money on the fact that it's not going to end well. Wouldn't you? [Laughs] Imagine dating a guy and you really like him and he's cute and sweet and has a good job — in this economy, he's got a great job! — then you find out that he's had cameras in every room of your house watching you for who knows how long. Could you continue a relationship with that person?
Scandal Scoop: Is Billy Chambers really dead?
But the President told him to do it!
I couldn't agree more! That's the excuse right? That's how he'll get off the hook, right? "Hey, it's my job! I'm following orders. I'm a military man. The highest commander in the military has ordered me to do this. It's my job to do so." I would play that excuse out for as long as I f---ing could. [Laughs]
You're used to playing good guys, so what has it been like playing this morally ambiguous guy? And do you think he's actually a good guy?
It's been a challenge. I'm used to a different type of character. It's been an interesting challenge that I've enjoyed. Everyone thinks he's a bad guy and morally questionable, I don't know if I agree with that. We're going to find out that he's in a position that's hard to get out of and maybe he wishes that he could get out of it. There's so many more layers and ways to play a character and options you have when you're going into a scene. It's been so interesting. The Twitter universe has erupted on both sides of the fence, vitriol and praise. I love that.
Will we ever get to see more of his background, maybe even going back to when the President first enlisted him to spy on Olivia?
I don't know if we're going to get to see that far back, but we're going to find out a little bit more about who he is, where he's from and why he's doing what he's doing; not necessarily in regards to the President and their relationship, but his place in the world and why he's there. That's going to answer a lot of questions for people.
Are you rooting for Jake and Olivia?
Scandal airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC. | http://www.tvguide.com/News/Scandal-Spoilers-Scott-Foley-1063007.aspx?rss=breakingnews&profileid=breaking | <urn:uuid:d0803d45-7271-4ca2-957e-f388fb01995d> | en | 0.986677 | 0.179941 |
Twice this month a woman in a minivan reportedly approached students at school bus stops in Cottage Grove, prompting law enforcement and school officials to alert the public.
Parents are urged to talk to their kids about suspicious incidents, and anyone with information is urged to call police.
According to a statement from police, a parent called to report what she thought was suspicious activity at a bus stop near 90th Street and Janero Avenue on Sept. 25. The parent said she saw a woman get out of a blue minivan and approach a student. The woman "asked the student where he went to school and if he would bring a violin to a student there," the police statement said.
The incident was similar to a Sept. 4 incident, Cottage Grove Capt. Pete Koerner said.
"It was after school and a minivan was at a bus stop. A lady rolls down the window and asks the two kids if they were looking for their parents," Koerner said. "They did exactly what they should have. They ignored her and went straight home and told their dad."
Descriptions in the two cases are similar: an older white woman with gray hair driving a blue minivan.
Koerner said it doesn't seem as if any crime has been committed, but the scenarios didn't feel right to witnesses or police.
He said if the woman is found and police are able to talk to her, she will be warned.
"Just educating them and letting them know that, hey just by approaching kids, that's alarming behavior, that's going to draw attention to you. You're not making good choices," Koerner said.
Police ask anyone with information to call the Washington County sheriff's communications center at 651-439-9381 and ask for a police officer. | http://www.twincities.com/washingtoncounty/ci_24183807/cottage-grove-police-warn-woman-minivan | <urn:uuid:f1e46498-a27e-4b61-92d4-89d28fb8a937> | en | 0.983441 | 0.023386 |
Madison's controversial "Pabst buses" -- three city buses fully wrapped with ads for Pabst Blue Ribbon beer -- are off the streets.
The city has had public complaints about alcohol advertising on buses, but the most-recent Pabst ads were much more dynamic and caught people's attention, making buses look like beer trucks and not transit vehicles, Metro Transit spokesman Mick Rusch said.
With the Pabst contract ended, Metro is trying minimize alcohol advertising on buses while still respecting advertisers right to freedom of speech, Rusch said.
Starting Jan. 1, Metro is no longer using a third-party vendor to sell advertising, and in-house efforts have been directed to first seek local advertisers and not actively pitch to alcohol advertisers, he said.
Metro can't say no to alcohol advertising but will explain to advertisers how the community has felt about past advertising campaigns, he said.
If alcohol advertisers are still interested in the Madison market, Metro will work with them to create a campaign the community will find more acceptable than what's been done in the past, he said. | http://www.twincities.com/wisconsin/ci_22469665/wisconsin-madison-cans-controversial-pbr-ads-buses?source=most_viewed | <urn:uuid:f004869f-73ea-4e8d-ab5f-e5eb9505fc8f> | en | 0.965273 | 0.037316 |
These maps focus on various themes such as humanitarian interventions, access, population, and other general information pertaining to humanitarian assistance in South Sudan.
* The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Final boundary between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been determined. Final status of the Abyei area is not yet determined. | http://www.unocha.org/south-sudan/maps-graphics/thematic-maps?page=3 | <urn:uuid:1c4e70c7-ac91-47f5-b214-282de24759d8> | en | 0.908035 | 0.118425 |
First: Mid: Last: City: State:
Beverley Poff
Gather reliable and accurate details about Beverley Poff on USA-People-Search.com. You can access hundreds of thousands public records data and view in-depth profiles on everyone named Beverley Poff. Read info that includes names of possible relatives, age, city, state, and more.
Did you find more than one Beverley Poff? Not to worry! You can hone in on the right Beverley faster by adding more details, such as previous addresses and age, into the search boxes. You can also access personal information, like an email address, names of family members, and more on their profiles.
We have also categorized the search results for Beverley Poff into four separate headings, including name/aliases, age, location, and possible relatives. This way, you'll find it easier to skim through the results to find the right Beverley Poff by identifying with some of the associated information listed beside their name. When you find the Beverley Poff you want, proceed to the details page to get more facts about the person.
Name/AKAsAgeLocationPossible Relatives | http://www.usa-people-search.com/names/p/Beverley-Poff | <urn:uuid:5ceb5e28-dda1-464c-bccc-0c074971a852> | en | 0.903347 | 0.032691 |
Democrats Seek to Reform FISA Court in Light of NSA Revelations
Senators fight for more transparency in FISA court.
(Left) Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill Dec. 16, 2009, in Washington D.C. (Right) Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., stands on the steps of Hartford Conn., City Hall on April 5, 2013.
two new bills introduced by Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., would reform the secret FISA court that gave the government the ability to spy on Americans in the first place.
As Edward Snowden left a Russian airport terminal Thursday, a group of Senate Democrats introduced the first two bills to reform the National Security Administration's secret spying programs.
Introduced by Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the two new bills would reform the secret FISA court that gave the government the ability to spy on Americans in the first place.
The first bill would change the way FISA court judges are appointed and ensure that judges come from varying regions of the country and represent a broad political spectrum. The second would create an independent office that would argue for civil liberties in the court and have the ability to appeal a FISA court decision thus ensuring the secret court did not act as a rubber stamp, approving all of the government's requests to collect large volumes of Americans' communications.
[READ: Snowden Granted One Year of Asylum in Russia]
"The FISA court is a judicial body with no parallel in American history," Wyden said during a press conference Wednesday. "A group of judges operating in complete secret and issuing binding rulings based solely on the government's arguments have made possible the sweeping surveillance authorities that the public only found out about two months ago. This court must be reformed to include an adversarial process where arguments for greater privacy protections can be offered alongside the government's arguments for greater surveillance powers."
[OPINION: Snowden Both a Hero and a Traitor]
The FISA court was established 33 years ago and out of the more than 30,000 record requests that have been made by the government, just 11 of them were stopped, according the senators.
Lawmakers say that is a sign that the court needs reforming.
"FISA courts appear to be stacked against our civil liberties," Blumenthal said. "When FISA court judges make decisions with profound implications for the individual rights of every American, they should first hear both sides of the argument."
The fight over the NSA has been intensifying on Capitol Hill.
In late July Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., led a bipartisan campaign to defund an NSA program through a defense spending bill if the agency continued to collect phone data of Americans who were not under investigation.
[VOTE: Should Foreign Countries Provide Asylum to Snowden?]
The effort ultimately failed, but barely.
Tech companies like Facebook and Microsoft are also beginning to throw their weight behind efforts to restrict the NSA from collecting data inside the U.S.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, tech lobbyists are beginning to spend their time meeting with lawmakers about the scope of the classified data collection programs.
Twelve companies mentioned FISA as one of the main issues they were spending time on in the second quarter, something that they had not lobbied on before Snowden revealed the NSA's programs.
More News: | http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/08/01/democrats-seek-to-reform-fisa-court-in-light-of-nsa-revelations?offset=40 | <urn:uuid:b6bc6543-09a3-44d8-8834-69b56fc61875> | en | 0.949997 | 0.021257 |
Man who helped Oregon police collapses and dies
— A 58-year-old Good Samaritan who helped police in Oregon catch a car prowler collapsed and died while walking back to his office in Eugene.
Brad Killian's wife, Deborah, told The Register-Guard there were no warning signs, and while it appeared he died of a heart attack, the official cause has not yet been determined.
Killian was a former police officer who worked as an addictions counselor. He called police Friday when he saw a man trying to break into cars. Killian followed the man until police arrived and arrested the 22-year-old suspect.
Killian collapsed minutes later and could not be revived.
Information from: The Register-Guard,
The Associated Press
| http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2011/jan/12/man-who-helped-oregon-police-collapses-and-dies/ | <urn:uuid:eb350303-9ed5-4814-9059-fac23c3d79ac> | en | 0.977322 | 0.038507 |
find a flight
Search Deals
Sorry, but we did not find a match for
Please re enter a city or region :
Why book with Vayama ?
Roundtrip flight deals to Johannesburg
Vayama knows Johannesburg
Johannesburg, sometimes called Jozi, Joburg or Egoli, is a fascinating city that made history when, in 2010, it hosted the FIFA World Cup. This was the first time the World Cup had been held on the continent of Africa. In order to beautify the city for the World Cup, Johannesburg was revamped and renovated. To view the new and improved Johannesburg for yourself, book your flights to Johannesburg on, a site where flights to Johannesburg are affordable and easy to find. There’s never a bad time to book flights to Johannesburg; the city has nice weather year round. In the summer months, the weather is dry and sunny with frequent showers in the afternoons. In the winter, the temperature does drop a bit, but this season is the sunniest of them of all. Rarely does it ever snow in Johannesburg, so if you’re looking to escape your snowy city, then buying flights to Johannesburg should do the trick. Purchasing flights to Johannesburg will get you one step closer to a city filled with informative museums, great shopping and wildlife safaris. Although Johannesburg has an unpleasant history filled with apartheid and racism, the city has made great strides toward an egalitarian society, and the struggles the city has been through have been memorialized in the Apartheid Museum. Once you’ve gone through the museum, see the actual progress the city has made by taking a tour of Soweto. You’ll find more museums as well as art centres and music venues in the Newtown Cultural Precinct. For all your shopping needs, make sure to visit Sandton, Rosebank, Fordsburg and Milpark. In these places, you’ll find everything from designer clothing to tribal beadwork. If you’re interested in going on a wildlife safari, then Johannesburg is the place to be because safaris leave from Johannesburg on a daily basis. To experience the wonders of Johannesburg yourself, book your flights to Johannesburg on, the website where great deals on flights to Johannesburg are always easy to find. | http://www.vayama.com/deals/africa/south-africa/johannesburg?s=134500001 | <urn:uuid:b93841da-0b3d-41c4-bf6b-76ebbb45759d> | en | 0.92391 | 0.02875 |
The Hate That Makes Men Straight
Psychoanalysts probe the roots of homophobia
Perhaps the most perplexing figure in the Freudian pantheon is "the phallic mother." This is the primal parent as she is perceived by the infant not yet cognizant of gender. Regressing to a state of union with this figure is the ultimate desire. But for men, it is also the ultimate threat, since fusing with her means losing one's masculinity. What's more, it means incorporating the mother's desire for the father. The struggle against this unconscious fantasy is the root of homophobia.
This Oedipal model certainly helps explain the traditional association of homosexuals and that perilous condition known in some bars and Freudian circles as "failed masculinity." To be a gay man is to identify with mom, case closed. But what about those African cultures where homosex is a rite of passage, or those Greek city-states where it was the glue for an army of lovers? And what about lesbians? Does the specter of the primal parent in a strap-on explain why Barnard College recently found it necessary to brag that its graduates are more likely to marry and have children than are coed-college grads?
"Certainly the fear of lesbians is the fear of butch women," says Arlene Stein, the author of Sex and Sensibility: Stories of a Lesbian Generation. "But there's also the fear that women can be independent sexual actors, which is different from the issue with gay men. That doesn't mean the term homophobiacan't apply to lesbians, but it has a different shape and tenor than when it's directed against men." Whatever the distinction, it isn't evident in the psychoanalytic literature on homophobia, which barely mentions lesbians even though about a third of the victims of antigay violence are women.
Clearly the Oedipal model is only a clue to homophobia, not the whole story. "For many men, masculinity is defined as that which is not female," says Nancy Chodorow, whose psychoanalytic training is tempered by a grounding in sociology. "But that's about separating from mother;it's not about the phallic mother. I think what's equally tenuous in male identity is how you identify with dad without loving him. In fact, the Oedipal boy does love his father; all identification is based in love. So what you get in homophobia is that you love dad but you're not supposed to love him."
This contradiction is compounded by the web of associations between male dominance and desire for women. Gay men, with their potential to be sexually passive, "threaten masculinity, which is supposed to be active," Chodorow notes. "And if we define gender by sexual orientation, which we do, then gender's at stake as well. To the extent that a man's heterosexuality is defensive and threatened, he's more likely to be homophobic. To the extent that his heterosexuality feels more secure, he can contain and live with his homoerotic desires. And if you want to talk about hate, then it's what happens when you are confronted with contradictions in yourself that you can't tolerate. You project the bad out, and then you want to destroy it."
Yet despite its grip, none of these scholars is willing to call homophobia innate. "What's innate is fear of the other," says Arlene Stein. Her sociologist's perspective tells her that even something as "natural" as sexuality is shaped by race, class, and gender. So, whatever its primal causes, why can't homophobia be changed?
What would have to happen for that to occur? No doubt it would be helpful if boys could fall in love with their fathers as easily as girls do. But that's just for starters. "Heterosexuality would have to change," says Suzanne Pharr, the author of Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism. "It would have to give way to a more fluid sexuality, so that people might be engaged at different times with the same gender, or the other gender, or gender wouldn't be an issue for them at all."
This is not the latest incarnation of bisexual chic. A better term might be Eve Sedgwick's allosexuality, an arrangement of many erotic patterns in no particular hierarchy. In this scenario, sexuality would be seen as a kind of working compromise assembled from alternative impulses. If that seems like fun, welcome to the queer new world. If it seems scary, then you can imagine how difficult homophobia is to eradicate.
"Before we can imagine what heterosexuality would look like without homophobia, pschoanalysis has to figure out what normal, nondefensive masculinity is," says Chodorow. "The fact is that ordinary masculinity depends not just on heterosexuality but on male-dominant heterosexuality. So the question is, what would happen if that changed? To the extent that straight men can fold in passivity, receptivity, and vulnerability, I think both homophobia and male dominance would lessen."
Short of this transformation, perhaps the best weapon against homophobia is to acknowledge it. Straight or gay, we all fear the queer within— that can't be helped. But in understanding this primal rage, at least we can control it, and maybe even fight the power it creates.
Activists will gather at Criminal Court, 100 Centre Street, on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. to support the 136 protesters who were arrested during the October 19 "public funeral" for Matthew Shepard. For information, call 332-9844 or visit
Research: Michael Zilberman
« Previous Page
My Voice Nation Help | http://www.villagevoice.com/1998-12-22/news/the-hate-that-makes-men-straight/3/ | <urn:uuid:45f67395-f966-4e80-8068-420358f0e65f> | en | 0.971038 | 0.333399 |
Arkansas - 908 vacation rentals
How to book the vacation of your dreams...
Enter your Travel dates.
Contact multiple listings.
Pay securely.
Arkansas Travel Tips
Making Your Way to Arkansas Vacation Rentals
The Little Rock National Airport is the largest airport in Arkansas. The airport hosts most major airlines in North America and has regular commercial connections to most major cities in the U.S. There are three smaller regional airports that host domestic and regional flights in and around the state. These can be found in Texarkana, Fort Smith and the Northwest region. For a more leisurely way to get around, why not do part of your journey on the Texas Eagle railroad? The route runs through the state of Arkansas from the northeast to the southwest, and stops in towns and cities such as Walnut Ridge, Little Rock, Malvern and Texarkana. The train runs twice daily. Because of the many outdoor attractions, most people like to drive around Arkansas. If you are not traveling by car from your hometown, you can arrange a rental from any one of the regional airports.
Visitors to Arkansas Cabins
Arkansas has earned a reputation for being the "Nature State." It has vast wilderness areas where vehicles are not allowed and the only way to explore is on foot or horseback. The landscape is made up of wide fertile valleys, mountains and thick forested areas. The Northwest part of Arkansas forms part of the Ozark mountain range. This wealth of natural assets attracts those who enjoy nature and the outdoors. There is a large number of local outfitters that offer guided trails and excursions through the different regions. If you enjoy hunting or fishing, there are many wilderness areas where you can spend your vacation time. Hiking enthusiasts can follow nature trails and camp at remote wilderness campsites.
It is not just the sporting enthusiasts who will enjoy the region. Arkansas has a rich cultural heritage. There are several important Native American sites, Civil War battle sites, and museums detailing the history and culture of the state. Those with an interest in American culture and history can enjoy visiting the various attractions.
Top Things to See and Do near Arkansas Lake Homes
Arkansas is a destination where you can really have fun exploring the outdoors. Pack the bicycles, canoes and hiking boots before you head off to your destination. The Ozark Mountain region in particular offers a wealth of adventure activities. The most popular are the scenic hiking trails that traverse the mountain slopes and explore the thick forests. Another favorite pastime is to explore the region on horseback. Mountain bikers can spend days exploring the many challenging biking trails in Arkansas. Choose from cross country climbs to some thrilling sections of single-track trails. If you are on a family vacation, you can spend some time on the rivers paddling and fishing. Golfers can also enjoy a few rounds of golf on championship golf courses designed by Robert Trent-Jones.
Best Season to Travel to Arkansas
The majority of Arkansas enjoys a humid subtropical climate which results in hot humid summers and cold dry winters. The northern regions of the state have a more temperate climate, owing to the higher elevation and mountainous regions. Your season of choice for traveling will largely depend on what activities you want to do. The winter months see snow over most of the northern region and snow sports can be enjoyed. In the summertime, the rainfall generally is characterized by dramatic thunderstorms which are relatively short-lived. As long as you are adequately prepared for rain, summertime is a great time of year to explore the many natural attractions that the state has to offer.
Sponsored Advertisement | http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/arkansas?page=19 | <urn:uuid:425ffe2e-c6c6-4bbe-ae7f-ea1c70369943> | en | 0.936332 | 0.031973 |
In The News:
A.V. Ristorante Italiano
$$$$ ($15-$24)
Please note: A.V. Ristorante Italiano is no longer a part of the Going Out Guide.
This restaurant closed in July, 2007.
Mon-Fri: 11:30 am-10:30 pm
Sat 5-10:30 pm
(NW Washington)
Gallery Place-Chinatown (Red, Green and Yellow lines)
Editorial Review
A.V.: True to Its Roots For Nearly 60 Years
By Eve Zibart
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 4, 2007
It has been a Washington institution for nearly 60 years, and a sort of Rorschach test for at least 10, but after several reprieves, the end of A.V. Ristorante Italiano may be near. Although "nothing is set in stone," according to t he family, there is a sales contract, and as the restaurant always closes for three weeks in August, at the end of July it may go dark forever. Even if it's granted another stay, real estate development marches on, and eventually, like much of the neighborhood east of Mount Vernon Square and the convention center, this labyrinthine old eatery, and its outdoor patio, which has looked out over several generations of renewal and decline, will be razed.
You have been warned.
There's little point in treating this as a traditional review; A.V. is the sort of place patrons either love or belittle. (Its advocates are many and famous: Perusing the autographed photos of the celebrities and politicians that are gradually going dim and dusty is one of several A.V. traditions.) But if this odd piece of local culture is unknown to you, or you have always intended to visit, you should consider it. In the age of trattoria and designer pasta, A.V. remains a monument to the heyday of the homesick Italian restaurant.
The place itself is a "Sopranos" stage set: a series of smallish, dark rooms painted bordello red and crowded with photos and such kitsch as a five-foot alabaster Leaning Tower of Pisa and, curiously, several renditions of Don Quixote. The jukebox is still stocked only with opera, many tracks of which are touchingly worn, and the huge 18th-century fireplace dwarfs its own andirons. There is still a folding-door public phone booth near the kitchen. And the "piazza" -- for concrete or not, you can't possibly refer to something with a fountain of Poseidon as a patio -- remains, though the jungle of plastic greenery and Christmas lights I remember are gone. (There is one brighter party room in the back, with an impressive marble bar, but somehow that's not where the action is.)
A.V. can be a madhouse at prime time but a sanctuary of quiet in midafternoon (it would be a great pre-baseball stop). Come in the early evening and family groups of eight and 10 are already into the antipasti, looking as if central casting had just settled them in. There are rumors that a few people have been served wine in wineglasses, but that would almost be a subtle sneer: Drinking out of jelly glasses and old-fashioneds is another tradition.
The kitchen is up a half-flight of stairs, and the cooks usually can be seen storming back and forth. The wait staff is famous for either surliness or suavity, depending on whom you ask (fine by me). And almost everyone has an A.V. story, one of the most famous involving a waiter and a Christmastime patron who got into a fistfight and rolled right into the life-size Nativity scene.
My colleague Richard Harrington remembers taking Rod Stewart there in the '70s for an after-show meal that without Richard's intervention might have earned the shaggy-headed dandy a radical haircut from some unamused Marines. I had a "Casablanca" moment there, running into an ex from another city, and on another occasion, a waiter who overheard me saying that I had been mugged presented me with the empty claw of a six-pound lobster. It was like a mace and must have weighed most of the six pounds by itself.
A.V. is short for the original owners, husband and wife Augusto and Assunta Vasaio -- Gus and Sue -- and the restaurant is still in the family two Augustos further on. (Although there was no apostrophe initially, it has been known as A.V.'s almost from the start.) In 1949, when the restaurant opened, Vasaio began making the white pizza popular in his hometown of Abruzzo, and the crackery-crust pizza sprinkled with garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano is still probably the most famous dish. You can also have it topped with anchovies and fontina: Split it while you read the long, nostalgic menu of pasta, veal and seafood.
In recent years, because times and tastes have changed or because the kitchen staff isn't up to the largest crowds anymore, there have been complaints of soggy pasta and tinny peppers. Here's what you can probably bet on: the stuffed fried artichokes (another longtime staple); clams with white wine sauce or shrimp Fra Diavolo over linguini; whole fish (head on and unboned unless it says something like "grouper steak," which is filleted); and rabbit cacciatore, which is larger and more flavorful than the chicken version. The tomato sauce is so thick and lightly sweet that it tastes as if it has sun-dried tomatoes in it; if you get it with the calamari, you'll be eating for a long time. Everything comes in big portions -- a foot-long red snapper lies at full length with the linguini, which is exactly al dente -- including the side veggies sauteed in oil and impressive amounts of garlic.
There aren't as many organ meats or specialties as there might have been when Augusto Vasaio ran the kitchen, even though chicken livers remain on the menu, and the veal rib roast is only a rare special. You won't need a gazetteer to negotiate the wine list, but you won't need a platinum card, either. Maybe not even a gold one. And while you're at it, drink a toast to all those Italian mamas and papas who brought a little of the old country, homey as it might have been, to so many Washington immigrants.
Note: There are handicapped stalls in the restrooms, but up five stairs; the staff will help wheelchair users up.
A.V. Ristorante Italiano 607 New York Ave. NW; Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown or Mount Vernon Square Phone:202-737-0550 Kitchen hours: Prices: Appetizers $6.50-$9.95; entrees $7.75-$18.95 Wheelchair access: Limited | http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/a.v.-ristorante-italiano,791673.html | <urn:uuid:24f7fd2f-b007-4f71-bb71-9dee4f660f5e> | en | 0.961439 | 0.019825 |
The Magazine
Over There
A historian hears the echoes of the Great War.
Dec 8, 2008, Vol. 14, No. 12 • By ANDREW NAGORSKI
Widget tooltip
Single Page Print Larger Text Smaller Text Alerts
The Summer the Archduke Died
On Wars and Warriors
by Louis D. Rubin Jr.
Missouri, 184 pp., $24.95
Only death is inevitable. Short of that nothing is inevitable until it happens, and everything is inevitable once it has happened. The historian deals with past events and therefore to him all history is inevitable. But these past events were once in the future and then they were not inevitable.
-- A.J.P. Taylor
In The Summer the Archduke Died, Louis D. Rubin Jr. infuses his elegant, absorbing collection of review essays with Taylor's credo. He explains not only the vagaries of history, particularly how we look back at wars and their origins, but also the role of those who led their nations in those decisive moments and how their choices determined the anything-but-predetermined outcomes. A literary critic who spent his career teaching English at the University of North Carolina, Rubin doesn't explicitly answer the question: "Does the man make history, or history make the man?" But there's no doubt that he's in the "man makes history" school.
Rubin was always fascinated by epic conflicts. Born in 1923 into a Reform Jewish family that had arrived in Charleston in the mid-19th century, he recalls witnessing the last Confederate reunion in Richmond in 1932. Looking back at that event, "I could feel the hair standing up on the back of my neck--seventy-five years ago as I write this." His father was a sergeant in the Marine Corps in World War I, and the "Great War" exerted a similar claim on his imagination.
In the course of his writings, he reflects on his childhood emotions and develops his adult conclusions. As for how those conclusions may apply to the world today, he leaves it to the reader to take that next step, providing plenty of ideas to ponder.
Nowhere is Rubin more convincing than in his exposition on the origins of World War I. In contrast to World War II, where the stakes were clear and Hitler left others no choice but to submit or resist, "the Great War need not and ought not to have been fought," he argues. The primary culprit, in his eyes, was
Kaiser Wilhelm II, whose chauvinistic policies and massive miscalculations amounted to "a catastrophic failure of statecraft." The interlocking system of alliances, ostensibly designed to protect each country, triggered the well-known escalation of local conflicts into a European-wide war. As a result, 10 million men died for no apparent gain.
While explaining the mechanisms that made war appear inevitable, he keeps returning to the theme of the responsibility of those who set up the alliances, dictated the timetables, and triggered the clashes. Times were different then, he points out, with almost no avenues open for negotiations. "No United Nations, no councils or forums were available for extending and broadening discussions and circulating proposals and responses," he writes. Just as he implicitly approves of those kinds of institutions today, his warnings about the dangers of alliances with automatic triggers are clearly meant to convey a contemporary message, arguing for more flexible defense arrangements among allies.
All of which gets back to his thesis about the central role of leadership. Hence his fascination with two men he considers giants of the last century: Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. Among the striking parallels: "Both were renowned for their furious activity, and apparently both were manic depressives. Both were aristocrats." While he is by no means blind to TR's "touch of megalomania," or his more erratic behavior, he admires his outsized personality.
So, too, with Churchill who "was no stranger to ambition or to egocentricity." True enough, but Rubin keeps the British leader's singular accomplishment in clear focus: recognizing the evil of Nazi Germany early, and then leading his nation in its fight for survival, saving the Western world.
Little wonder that Rubin has no patience for the revisionists of the New Left in the 1960s or a later generation of "young Englishmen of right-wing persuasion" who praise Hitler's appeasers and condemn Churchill, blaming him for allegedly dragging Britain into a war it should have avoided. He icily points out, for example, that John Charmley's 300,000-word biography of Churchill never mentions "Dachau, Auschwitz, Treblinka, etc." The real source of such revisionism, he argues, is frustration with Britain's loss of empire and influence after World War II, allowing the United States to emerge as the new dominant force in the world. In essence, he concludes, the revisionists' arguments amount to "a fond wish that the twentieth century hadn't happened." | http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Protected/Articles/000/000/015/867gkizn.asp | <urn:uuid:d9a5aada-39f5-4ac7-af57-a6d970fb32ea> | en | 0.964758 | 0.051893 |
The Magazine
Americans Under Fire
Three accounts of fighting the war on terror.
May 26, 2008, Vol. 13, No. 35 • By MACKUBIN THOMAS OWENS
Widget tooltip
Single Page Print Larger Text Smaller Text Alerts
In any large population, especially one that involves the management of violence, we should not be surprised that people snap. But the Vietnam narrative still prevails in the press, and the public is far more likely to read about Lynndie England than Paul Ray Smith. This is a sad state of affairs.
In his remarkable book about Falluja, No True Glory, Bing West wrote that stories of soldierly courage deserve "to be recorded and read by the next generation. Unsung, the noblest deed will die." There are now a handful of new books that attempt to do what West calls for, and these three titles--Moment of Truth in Iraq by Michael Yon, House to House by David Bellavia, and Hard Corps by Marco Martinez--are worth a look.
The first, by an intrepid reporter--called by some the Ernie Pyle of this war--is a detailed portrayal of the remarkable soldiers who have helped turn the tide in Iraq. The second recounts the story of an Army non-commissioned officer during the horrendous second battle of Falluja in November 2004, for which he was recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor itself. The last is the story of a onetime gang member who rejected the aimlessness of the gangster life to join the Marine Corps, becoming the first Hispanic since Vietnam to be awarded the Navy Cross, the Navy-Marine Corps version of the Distinguished Service Cross.
Yon, who has been providing straightforward dispatches about the war on his website almost since the outset, has proved to be the most reliable source of information about how things are going on the ground in Iraq. In his dispatches, Yon, a former Special Forces soldier, has provided a perspective that one doesn't get from "mainstream" reporters who write stories from the Green Zone based on reports from Iraqi stringers whose veracity may be in question. Unfortunately, Yon is not well known outside the -blogosphere; Moment of Truth in Iraq will change this state of affairs.
Yon has been no cheerleader for the military or the Bush administration. Those who know him say he is completely apolitical. Indeed, he raised the ire of senior military officers by criticizing the approaches to Iraq that he believed were leading to defeat, and was twice denied access to the country. Yon praises Gen. David Petraeus and the surge, but makes clear that it is working because of the remarkable soldiers and Marines who are implementing it.
Two of these remarkable individuals have written memoirs, and the stories they tell are riveting and poignant. Those who have served in the military, especially if their service involved combat, will recognize the dynamic both describe in recounting their experiences: cohesion, loyalty, trust, and comradeship. In House to House, the reader (as in The Iliad) is thrown in media res where these characteristics are taken as the starting point. Hard Corps recounts the way the characteristics are built during Marine boot camp and infantry training.
Neither volume is for the faint of heart: The language and the descriptions of events are graphic. Bellavia's account of killing an insurgent with a knife is a case in point:
The blade sinks into him, and he wails with terror and pain. The blade finally sinks all the way to the handle. . . . [The insurgent's] mouth is curled in a grimace. His teeth are bared. . . . I'm bathed in warmth from neck to chest. I can't see it but I know it is his blood. His eyes lose their luster. The hate evaporates. . . . He takes a last ragged breath, and his eyes go dim, still staring into mine.
All too often, the popular culture portrays our soldiers as victims or cold-blooded killers. But the flesh and blood men described in House to House and Hard Corps don't fit those caricatures. They may kill the enemy, but they don't take pleasure in it. They are Americans, and they are men. They miss their loved ones at home, but they forge a bond with their comrades that only those who have been in combat can understand. They feel guilty when they are away from their comrades, and this takes a great psychological toll, especially on men like Bellavia who are family men.
Our logistical system may be magnificent, enabling American soldiers to fight far from America's shores; but it doesn't mean that these hard, dirty, exhausted infantrymen aren't cynical and angry when it seems they are the only ones bearing the brunt of the action. It doesn't mean that they don't have disdain for those rear echelon types who eat hot chow at secure bases while the infantrymen fight and die in the dirty, bloody streets of Falluja. | http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/109evsai.asp?page=2 | <urn:uuid:c1a8b123-0b73-49a8-ac41-14382f733186> | en | 0.967628 | 0.020162 |
Health knowledge made personal
Join this community!
› Share page:
Search posts:
Parentless Parent: Allison Gilbert
Posted Feb 23 2011 10:34pm
The scarecrow could not understand why she wished to leave this beautiful country and go back to the gray place called Kansas. "That's because you have no brains," answered the girl. "No, matter how dreary and gray our homes are, people would rather live there than anywhere else. There is no place like home."
L. Frank Baum
Almost all of my childhood memories before age nine are in black and white. I think I've said that before. Why do I keep saying it? Why do I keep drifting back to that gray, long ago place? It's getting ridiculous. I used to carry the shame of that overwhelming lack of color on my shoulders. Now, at middle age, I'm beginning to feel the shame associated with still not being able to fill the hole it left me.
Most people don't understand the deep reaching impact of growing up with an emotionally disturbed parent, one who ensnares you with their sad brand of charm, makes you their caregiver, their lifeline when they have nothing else. Most people can't imagine a five-year-old child somehow rising up to parent a parent, to provide an emotional load of assistance, and what the cost can be. As the child rises up, they are left with a sinking hole, a blank spot that can never be filled because the time to fill it was that day, that year, that moment. The moment was lost.
When I was twelve-years-old, my mother said that God told her that my daddy was going to die so that she could marry our pastor. We were in our car going somewhere. She told me this as if it were a casual FYI. I asked her about the pastor's wife, and she replied that perhaps she would die as well. That instant sticks in my mind as one of the single most devastating moments of my life. It was the moment when I realized something was horribly wrong. I remember staring out of the car window as I felt my heart break in a brand new way that only happens when you're finally old enough to grasp the notion that life is filled with complexity.
I somehow lost my mom that day. Since then, I've lost her over and over again. I keep trying to find her, to pull her back, to make her see me, to make her love me. I keep wanting to find that gray place when we were both so young again because it was my home when everything was simple, when all I felt was my overwhelming, pure love for her.
It's just not working.
Life is often ironic. A few days after I spoke with today's guest, Allison Gilbert, about her new book, Parentless Parents , I lost my mom ... perhaps for the last time.
Once again, she is here but not here.
Allison has explored and written about the challenges of raising children when your own parents are missing from the puzzle; they are deceased. I asked her about folks whose parents may still be alive, yet emotionally or physically out of reach. She recognized that there are similarities, but explained that Parentless Parents focuses on the singular situation of deceased parents.
Soon after I spoke with Allison, I happened to call my mother at a time when she was working to balance her monthly budget. She spoke about her finances, and became more and more agitated. Then she said, "Adult children who do not provide for their parents should be prosecuted under the law!" As you can imagine, this was a loaded statement packed with years and years of struggle. In my heart, a five-year-old heard the words, "I need you to take care of me!" I remained calm, knowing that if I became upset, she would become more upset. Finally, I said, "I doubt that adult children could be prosecuted under the law, based on the fact that their parents have had years and years to make numerous adult decisions regarding their own financial well-being." I was attempting to provide a logical answer that she might relate to.
It didn't work.
Within an hour, my husband and I received a abusive email informing me that I was no longer her daughter ... again.
So here I sit, a parentless parent in my own category. Regardless of its primary focus, I need to read Allison's book.
You've worked in television news for nearly twenty years, and have won numerous awards, including three Emmys. I'm sure you did a lot of writing in that professional space. What inspired your focus on book-length projects?
It's really was a gift. I felt that TV news provides an incredible opportunity to cover the most important news of the day, but no matter what, an article can only have a certain number of words, or television story only allows for a certain amount of time. So I felt that if I was going to use all the same skills, then I was going to use all those tools toward a project that I had much more opportunity to explore. I wanted to put those tools to use on a topic that meant so much to me personally.
You write nonfiction. Is that what you've always wanted to do, and if so, why? Will that continue to be your focus?
Yes! I think so. I really enjoy it!
I always enjoy asking writers who focus on nonfiction how creativity plays a role in their work. Do you view creativity as a component in your work? If so, how and why?
For sure! Even though it's nonfiction and it's based on very real facts and interviews, I believe that how we pick and choose what to include and in what order to include them has everything to do with creativity. That is because you do want people to enjoy the books they read. You want people to want to turn each page. Picking and choosing what stories to tell, and how to tell them, determines how interesting the book is to people. It's all about creativity.
You've written several books. Have you developed a specific writing process that enables you to meet your goals? If so, can you tell us about it. Where do most of your ideas come from?
I get up really early! So my process is to do the work when everyone is sleeping because I feel that my day is never long enough. I create time where I didn't have time before, and so I continually get up at the crack of dawn. I have coffee. The house is quiet. I'm able to be in my work space for a few hours. That's really the best tool I have. I carve out a time when nobody is going to interrupt me. This has been a real gift.
With regard to your current focus, Parentless Parents , was there an "ah-ha" moment you can tell us about?
There are two parts to that answer:
(1) After my last book came out, Always Too Soon , the one part that everyone wanted to keep talking about was how the loss of our parents impacts and shapes how we parent our children. I thought that was really interesting. That was the primary issue that everyone wanted to talk about.
(2) The other part was me. It was my personal story. I was dealing with being a parentless parent day in and day out.
So in response to my readers, the topic emerged as something important for me to take on both professionally and personally.
In conducting research for my novel, Aberrations , I read Hope Edelman's books on Motherless Daughters. The protagonist of Aberrations is motherless; however, my interest in writing about a motherless daughter was driven by my own profound feeling of motherlessness, which existed despite my mother being alive. She was there but not there. Did you come across any research related to situations where the parent(s) may be alive, but yet emotionally or physically absent from the family unit? Can you share your thoughts on any similarities or differences between the two scenarios?
That's a really good question! My research was extremely focused. There are so many variables that could have been included, such as parents who were emitionally or physically absent, parents who may have been incarcerated, etc. There are a lot of reasons why parents are not involved. Because of my experience that they were gone due to illness and eventual death, I kept my focus very limited.
Your web site has tons of great information for parentless parents. Can you tell us about some of the top issues that parentless parents face emotionally, and why?
There is something I write about called the I factor, where I stands for irreplaceable. This refers to the loses that are specific to losing one's parents via death. It's not about parents wishing they had more babysitters, for example, because that's a very easy thing for people to brush aside. For example, they could say, "Well, my parents live in California and I live in Idaho so they can't babysit either." I tried to come up with the I factor as a way of explaining why there are the differences in being a parentless parent versus not being parentless.
One of the big differences is not having a connection to your own childhood in terms of a direct link. It's often those very specific and detailed tidbits for which a parentless parent lacks access. Parentless parents read blogs and parenting books, and do all the things you do as educated group, but the real information they need is specific to them. They are never going to get that info from those other avenues. Really important details that could impact their parenting choices are lost forever.
Not having a parent or parents, whether deceased or emotionally absent, is one of those major aberrations in life that are thrust upon us. There must be a loneliness factor involved. Is it only me who has that big hole, or is it there for everyone? If so, can a person ever really fill that space? Could it be that the gap exists only in cases where the relationship was lacking as opposed to losing a parent with whom there existed a healthy relationship? Can you comment on this?
I think there are going to be tremors of the loss or aberration forever. It becomes part of your DNA. It becomes part of your fabric. It becomes a part of who you are. I believe there are many things you can do, not to completely fill the void because I actually do think that's impossible, but rather to put a very healing and effective band-aid on top of the wound.
What I mean by that is finding support. It's hugely important that anyone who has an aberration of any sort connect with people who are of the same mind set and experience. Finding support groups, whether in person or on line, is incredibly important. For example, people are joining the chapters of Parentless Parents, which are spreading out across the country. Those are great places to go; in person connections are really important. Also, I think the Parentless Parent group page on Facebook is another great place. So many people are on line and on Facebook already, so for people to be able to easily, and in the course of their general day, check in and connect with others who are in a similar situation is another incredible value. It helps folks feel supported.
The last thing I would say is that family doesn't have to be what you're born with. I truly believe in the soul of my souls that family is what you also create. It's your best friend. It's your aunt who may be a fill in for you mom. Maybe it's your best friend's mom. Maybe it's just people who you've met in the course of your life, or on Facebook who may get you perhaps better than your own spouse does.
What was so interesting about the surveys I did is that so many people who were happily married felt that even their spouses didn't understand where they were coming from.
People process these aberration differently. It's a matter of putting yourself in a place where you can connect with people who can proactively make all the difference in your world.
Post a comment
Write a comment: | http://www.wellsphere.com/happiness-article/parentless-parent-allison-gilbert/1368042 | <urn:uuid:8d9a3a42-868b-4896-85ce-eb66331eb6ac> | en | 0.976652 | 0.320118 |
Health knowledge made personal
Join this community!
› Share page:
Search posts:
How to...Hard Boil an Egg
Posted Dec 02 2010 9:06pm
There are certain things I should just know how to do. Like how to hard boil an egg.
Every time I want to hard boil eggs, I have to research how long they boil! That made me think - if I can't remember, there must be other people out there who can't remember and want a one-stop-shop for basic kitchen how-to recipes.
I hope that you find these new, super simple (and speedy) basic kitchen tips & tricks helpful. If you have any requests - please send them my way and I'll get them up here for you.
So without further ado:
How to...Hard Boil an Egg*
Gently place the eggs in a large pot. Fill the pot with enough cold water to completely cover the eggs plus an inch. Turn the stove to high heat.
When the water starts boiling, immediately take the pot off the heat, cover it, and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
Drain immediately. Peel and eat them warm, or cool them under cold running water. Refrigerate.
Storage: Shell on = up to 1 week. Peeled = eat that day.
*Nerd Alert: Technically, you want to hard cook your eggs - but who says hard cook? It sounds silly. However, if we're talking semantics, we're not boiling eggs here. Boiled eggs tend to be overcooked, rubbery, and green. In hard cooking, you bring the water to a boil before you take the pot off the stove and let your eggs *cook* in the hot water until done. So, if you want to be a total kitchen geek - you're one step closer.
Want More? Get recipes, nutrition facts, and more at The Incredible Edible Egg site
Post a comment
Write a comment: | http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-eating-article/how-to-hard-boil-an-egg/1295572 | <urn:uuid:be351df8-1a31-45bb-bbe6-75bfd83867be> | en | 0.948457 | 0.098496 |
Person:Anne Marbury (1)
m. Abt. 1589
1. Mary Marbury1588 -
2. John Marbury1589/90 -
3. Anne Marbury1591 - 1643
4. Bridget Marbury1593 - 1598
5. Francis Marbury1594 -
6. Emme Marbury1595 -
7. Erasmus Marbury1596/7 -
8. Anthony Marbury1598 - 1601
9. Bridget Marbury1599 -
10. Jeremuth Marbury1601 -
11. Daniel Marbury1602 -
12. Elizabeth Marbury1604/05 - 1613/14
13. Thomas Marbury1607 -
14. Anthony Marbury1608 -
15. Katherine MarburyAbt 1617 - 1687
m. 9 Aug 1612
1. Faith Hutchinson
2. Edward Hutchinson1613 - 1675
3. Bridget Hutchinson1618/19 - Bef 1698
4. Susanna Hutchinson1633 - Bef 1713
Facts and Events
Name Anne Marbury
Gender Female
Christening[1][2] 20 Jul 1591 Alford, Lincolnshire, England
Marriage 9 Aug 1612 London, Middlesex, EnglandChurch of St. Mary Woonoth.
to William Hutchinson
Death? 20 Aug 1643 Pelham (town), Westchester, New York, United States
the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia
Anne Hutchinson, born Anne Marbury (1591–1643), was a Puritan spiritual adviser, mother of 15, and important participant in the Antinomian Controversy that shook the infant Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1636 to 1638. Her strong religious convictions were at odds with the established Puritan clergy in the Boston area, and her popularity and charisma helped create a theological schism that threatened to destroy the Puritans' religious experiment in New England. She was eventually tried and convicted, then banished from the colony with many of her supporters.
Born in Alford, Lincolnshire, England, Anne was the daughter of Francis Marbury, an Anglican minister and school teacher who gave her a far better education than most other girls received. She lived in London as a young adult, and married there an old friend from home, William Hutchinson. The couple moved back to Alford, where they began following the dynamic preacher named John Cotton in the nearby major port of Boston, Lincolnshire. After Cotton was compelled to emigrate in 1633, the Hutchinsons followed a year later with their 11 children, and soon became well established in the growing settlement of Boston in New England. Anne was a midwife, and very helpful to those needing her assistance, as well as forthcoming with her personal religious understandings. Soon she was hosting women at her house weekly, providing commentary on recent sermons. These meetings became so popular that she began offering meetings for men as well, including the young governor of the colony, Henry Vane.
As a follower of Cotton, she espoused a "covenant of grace," while accusing all of the local ministers (except for Cotton and her husband's brother-in-law, John Wheelwright) of preaching a "covenant of works." Following complaints of many ministers about the opinions coming from Hutchinson and her allies, the situation erupted into what is commonly called the Antinomian Controversy, resulting in her 1637 trial, conviction, and banishment from the colony. This was followed by a March 1638 church trial in which she was excommunicated. With encouragement from Providence founder Roger Williams, Hutchinson and many of her supporters established the settlement of Portsmouth in what became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. After her husband's death a few years later, threats of Massachusetts taking over Rhode Island compelled Hutchinson to move totally outside the reach of Boston, into the lands of the Dutch. She settled with her younger children near an ancient landmark called Split Rock in what later became The Bronx in New York City. Tensions with the native Siwanoy were high at the time. In August 1643, Hutchinson and all but one of the 15 other members of her household were massacred during an attack. The only survivor was her nine-year old daughter, Susanna, who was taken captive.
Hutchinson is a key figure in the development of religious freedom in England's American colonies and the history of women in ministry. She challenged the authority of the ministers, exposing the subordination of women in the culture of colonial Massachusetts. She is honoured by Massachusetts with a State House monument calling her a "courageous exponent of civil liberty and religious toleration." She has been called the most famous, or infamous, English woman in colonial American history.
Early Years
the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia
The text in this section formerly appeared on Wikipedia
Among her notable descendants are U.S. Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, First Lady Lucretia Garfield, former Michigan Governor George W. Romney and former Massachusetts Governor and 2008 U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney, actors Chevy Chase and Ted Danson, actresses Marilyn Monroe (possibly) and Jane Wyatt, writers Louis Stanton Auchincloss, Dubose Heyward, Robert Lowell and John P. Marquand, U.S. Attorney General Elliot Richardson, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. and Chief Justice Melville Weston Fuller, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, Senator Stephen Arnold Douglas, Ambassador Pamela Harriman, neuropathologist Stanley Cobb, numismatist Q. David Bowers, and LDS evangelists Parley P. Pratt and Helaman Pratt
This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at Anne Hutchinson. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with WeRelate, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
1. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society), 20:355-67.
2. Dudding, Reginald Charles; Church of England. Parish Church of Alford (Lincolnshire); and Church of England. Parish Church of Rigsby-with-Ailby (Lincolnshire). The Parish registers of Alford & Rigsby in the county of Lincoln collated with and supplemented by the Bishops' transcripts, a.d. 1538-1680. (Lincoln: The Society, 1917 (Horncastle : W.K. Morton)).
Anna Merberi chr 20 Jul 1591, father Francisci.
Marriage: St Mary Woonoth, London, 9 Aug 1612 Anne Marbury, baptized Alford, Lincolnshire, 20 Jul 1591, daughter of Rev. Francis and Bridget (Dryden) Marbury [Marbury Anc 33]. She was killed by Indians in late summer 1643 in an area that is now in Westchester County, New York [WJ 2:163-65]
4. Hutchinson, Anne, in American National Biography Online.
5. Anne Marbury Hutchinson, in Find A Grave.
6. Gateway ancestor
Founders of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
| http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Anne_Marbury_(1) | <urn:uuid:36be756a-2c66-43f2-8904-4e61747a1fda> | en | 0.925952 | 0.027924 |
Quest:The Grol'dom Militia
99,921pages on
this wiki
Horde 32 The Grol'dom Militia
StartUna Wolfclaw
EndUna Wolfclaw
Level12 (Requires 10)
CategoryNorthern Barrens
Objectives Edit
Slay 6 Razormane Pillagers.
Description Edit
They came out of nowhere, <class>! Quilboar from horizon to horizon. Spines and snouts and teeth. We fell back to the farm but they kept on coming.
Our best defenders have fallen in the field, and we've no sign of Farmer Ralton. I need you to go on the offensive for me! Hold these swine at bay while I defend the wounded until help arrives.
Rewards Edit
You will receive: 5Silver
Progress Edit
I can see smoke from the neighboring building - what's going on out there?
Completion Edit
I see you've left a string of corpses in your wake, <race>. I couldn't have done better. The livestock may be lost, but the land remains ours - thank you!
Patch changes Edit
External links Edit
Advertisement | Your ad here
Around Wikia's network
Random Wiki | http://www.wowwiki.com/Quest:The_Grol'dom_Militia | <urn:uuid:91d19873-94ce-405e-bbd1-754bf8520234> | en | 0.857987 | 0.036072 |
RSS Feeds
Thai ex-PM charged with murder over 2010 crackdown
Thursday - 12/13/2012, 8:31pm ET
Associated Press
BANGKOK (AP) - A former prime minister of Thailand was charged with murder in the latest twist in a political war between supporters and opponents of another ex-leader, Thaksin Shinawatra.
The murder charge against Abhisit Vejjajiva stems from the violent suppression of anti-government protests in 2010 when demonstrators were seeking to have Abhisit, Thaksin's rival, call early elections, saying he was installed in office illegitimately.
Thaksin was ousted as prime minister by a military coup in 2006 after being accused of corruption and disrespect to the monarchy.
Abhisit is accused by the Department of Special Investigation of allowing the unrestrained use of deadly force to quell the protest.
Speaking to reporters after meeting for more than four hours with DSI officials Thursday, Abhisit said he had formally acknowledged the charge against him, but denied he was guilty. He said he would present documents supporting his position after studying the charge more closely.
A court must still accept the case before it goes forward to trial.
DSI specifically found reason to believe Abhisit culpable in the death of a taxi driver because he allowed troops to use war weapons and live ammunition against protesters. A recent criminal court inquest had found security forces responsible for the man's death.
The shooting occurred during two months of demonstrations by Thaksin's supporters, known as the Red Shirts, who occupied a central intersection in the capital Bangkok. As tensions grew, the army garrisoned the area around their encampment, while Abhisit lived at an army base for his own safety and security. Soldiers swept through barriers to forcefully end the protest on May 19, 2010.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who was in charge of the special security agency set up to contain the protests, arrived with Abhisit to be charged with the same offense.
The two were greeted by DSI chief Tharit Phengdit as they walked smiling through a gauntlet of reporters into the offices of the agency, the Thai equivalent of the FBI in the United States.
The political tide has shifted several times since Thaksin's ouster. His sister Yingluck Shinawatra is now prime minister, while Abhisit leads the opposition as head of the Democrat Party. Tharit was DSI chief during Abhisit's administration, and was widely seen then as his hatchet man for aggressively prosecuting Red Shirt leaders and supporters.
Thaksin is in self-imposed exile to avoid serving a two-year jail term imposed on him for a conflict of interest conviction in 2008. Thaksin's supporters say he was unfairly convicted and would like to see him return without being jailed, while his opponents, such as Abhisit, insist that he not be let off the hook.
The case against Abhisit and Suthep is seen by many as a bargaining chip, to gain support for an amnesty that would cover many of the people charged or convicted of crimes in connection with the political battles after the coup. An amnesty to lift Thaksin's conviction would be would be more politically palatable if it covered Abhisit as well.
However, Abhisit in recent interviews has said he is willing to face justice, implying that Thaksin should take the same position.
About 50 Red Shirt demonstrators gathered peacefully outside DSI headquarters before Abhisit's arrival, seated on the ground and holding framed photos of relatives killed during the protests, as they shouted protests slogans over loudspeakers.
Several expressed the hope that the politicians would take responsibility for their actions and be placed in custody immediately after being charged.
Payao Akkhahad's daughter, Kamolkate, was a volunteer medic who was shot dead while treating injured Red Shirts who were sheltering at a temple after the army swept in.
"Her siblings and relatives have been waiting for this for a long time," said Payao, 47. "This is the first time that a person who has ordered the killing of civilian protesters will be put through legal proceedings. Even though it's late, it's better than a day that never comes at all."
About a dozen people showed up to offer flowers and moral support to Abhisit and Suthep. About 400 policemen were on the scene to maintain the peace, but had little to do.
| http://www.wtop.com/233/2320187/Ex-Thai-PM-will-face-murder-charges-over-crackdown | <urn:uuid:5178af09-ef2d-45de-b4fe-ae1490e32374> | en | 0.981364 | 0.038998 |
RSS Feeds
Thousands walk in D.C. to support cancer cure
Friday - 10/12/2012, 9:36am ET
Neal Augenstein,
WASHINGTON - Thousands dressed in pink, telling stories of survival and determined to walk 60 miles through the weekend, are participating in the annual Susan G. Komen 3-Day.
Most of those gathered at the D.C. Armory have some previous connection with breast cancer. All say they hope to find a cure.
Tricia Bedenbender is walking with her mother.
"Today is my mom's second-year-anniversary of being cancer-free," she said.
Her mother, Sherry Morgan, will never forget the moment she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
"When you're told you have something like that, you always think it happens to someone else," she said.
Even after initial screening showed potential problems, Morgan avoided confronting cancer.
"I didn't really think that's what it would be. I didn't really believe that would be me."
Walking with her sister and a friend, Taylor Tucker says breast cancer is a danger that can often be avoided.
"You constantly think of it as a woman, because it's so prevalent. The walk is one of the things that puts it in your mind."
Her sister, Elizabeth Stamper, says mammograms provide valuable information, early in the cancer process.
"You wouldn't know. You don't get sick, like you do with the flu," she says.
Stamper says one screening came back questionable.
"They immediately called and want you back ASAP. That's scary. You don't know. That 24-hour period is not fun."
Further testing showed she had nothing to worry about.
"The quicker you get in, the easier it is to take care of it," said Stamper.
Walker Seal Wilson is participating for her daughter and four nieces.
"I want it eradicated. I want them to grow up and not even know what breast cancer is. I want it off their plate, to not have to worry about it."
Walkers will cover 60 miles over three days in the fundraising walk, ending Sunday afternoon in a ceremony at the Washington Monument.
Follow Neal and WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.) | http://www.wtop.com/41/3075602/Thousands-walk-in-DC-to-support-cancer-cure | <urn:uuid:d5c591e1-d9fb-4958-af73-e3f9ee7ca4d6> | en | 0.976091 | 0.159097 |
Lewis hopes to be hat-trick hero
Jackpot feeling good ahead of PDC World Darts Championship
By Nick Hext. Last Updated: 06/12/12 2:26pm
• Share:
Lewis: There are tougher draws than mine
Sky Bet
Adrian Lewis is confident he can win his third PDC World Darts Championship title in a row despite a few troubles on the oche.
The 27-year-old is feeling good ahead of the North London extravaganza but admits his season hasn't gone entirely to plan.
Jackpot finished a disappointing sixth in the Premier League and failed to make a big impact at the recent Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals.
Now Lewis returns to the scene of his greatest triumphs and believes his top form will return for darts' number one tournament.
"I'm confident I can win it again," he told Sky Sports.
"I've had a patchy six months but my form will come good.
"I can't really put my finger on why (the form hasn't been there). Whether it's too much on the exhibition circuits or promotional stuff, I couldn't really tell you."
Lewis believes his previous triumphs at Alexandra Palace come down to "bottle" on the big stage and admits this is what all the hard work throughout the year is for.
"I think it's just about a bit of bottle," he replied when asked for the secret of his World Championship success.
"That's what it comes down to as it's the biggest tournament and everybody knows that.
Main man
"For some reason people don't perform as well as they should do but you've got to go up there and try and enjoy it.
"You put in the work all year just for that one tournament."
Phil Taylor has commented that Lewis is "under pressure" at Ally Pally and Jackpot is fully aware his former mentor is the main man for him to watch out for.
The 27-year-old also expects plenty of other top players to contend for the title but there is still belief that his ability will be enough to make it a hat-trick of titles.
"Phil Taylor is still the main man in my opinion," added Lewis.
"You've got Michael van Gerwen now who won the Grand Prix and lost in the final of the Grand Slam.
"Barney has just won (at the Grand Slam) so his confidence will be high.
"You've still got Gary Anderson, Simon Whitlock and James Wade, so it's a really tough field.
"But at the end of the day if you don't believe in your own ability it isn't worth you being there."
Don't miss any live and exclusive darts coverage this festive season. Click here to visit Sky Sports' Festive Calendar
• Share: | http://www1.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/8312592/Lewis-hopes-to-be-hat-trick-hero | <urn:uuid:20f4ccb9-3081-45be-b9c6-724255a6e39b> | en | 0.980848 | 0.02373 |
LIKE a good American, I have endeavoured to remain ignorant of the "fiscal cliff" and its perils. When confronted with stories about tense negotiations in Washington, I have let my consciousness ramble freely over more agreeable subjects, such as debt peonage or vivisection. But then a local news outlet burst my cozy envelope of oblivion with a powerful spot about the prospect of $8 gallons of milk. This I could not fathom. How? No agreement on taxes and spending and, bang, just like that, $8 milk? And now we've plummeted over this "cliff". How will Americans afford to make their cereal delicious?
First, we should ask how milk could conceivably double in price through legislative inaction? I will admit that I am not quite convinced that American lactophiles will really feel the pinch. According to a Reuters report:
It's this "trigger a chain reaction" bit that gives me pause. What's the government going to do with all that dear milk? Float a battleship in it? Why not sell it back to distributors at the prevailing market price? Or cut checks to farmers for the difference between the price-per-gallon they got at market and the price mandated by the antiquated price-support scheme? Better still, the government can simply refuse to buy milk at ridiculously jacked-up prices. If Barack Obama can sidestep the legislative process and implement central elements of the DREAM Act through adminstrative fiat, if he can arrogate to his office the unilateral power to determine who will die designated a "terrorist", surely he can have the USDA make an ad hoc rule on the prevailing price floor for dairy. In these latter days of enbridled executive power, if the executive is determined not to be legally obligated to do something, it isn't.
The idea that the USDA will be left utterly powerless to avoid buying up all the milk at outrageous prices, helpless not to punish consumners with extortionate milk prices, in the absence of a new farm bill is so fantastic it's impossible not to suspect that the adminstration has been playing the media for fools in order to foster further popular disdain for the "do-nothing" Congress. The Washington Posts' own piece on the ticking time-bomb of milk prices contains the sort of vague language one expects from a bit of a snow-job:
Who says "by more than $3 a gallon"? Whose "hopes are diminishing". Tom Vilsack's? That the USDA "is exploring all options for heading off a mess" prepares us not be surprised when it inevitably finds one. Surely the Post's intrepid journalists, if not Houston's Fox affiliate's, might have done something to get the secretary of agriculture to say more about these options, instead of so readily dancing to his tune. | http://www7.economist.com/node/21568975 | <urn:uuid:0e336fa4-0473-4760-9507-152093b6ce24> | en | 0.947581 | 0.249177 |
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
Tracing the circuitous, totally illogical byways of politics on popular culture and vice versa can not only be frustrating but infuriating. Take, for example, Hollywood’s response to the Bush war on Iraq. Sure there have been some excellent films, and even some that are emotionally stirring. James C. Strouses’s Grace is Gone, for example, is a complicated look at the effect of the war on the family of a female soldier who is killed in battle.
What do we make then of Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay? Here is a film so stupid, so blatantly offensive, and so striving to be subversive that it frequently takes chances it doesn’t even seem to realize it is taking. On one level, it satirizes almost everything related to the "war on terror," then trivializes it to the point where it becomes completely ludicrous. It does so with the veneer that everything from defecating to prison rape is not only prime for laughs but, essentially, so politically inconsequential and absurd that in the end nothing matters.
Escape is the sequel to Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, which was the last in a long line of stoner films featuring drugged-out teenage boys getting into trouble because they are too stoned or stupid to know what’s going on. From Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure to Wayne’s World to Dude, Where’s My Car, the stoner film has become a mainstay in Hollywood cinema. To a degree it has been moderately political in its own way. The casually sexist Dude, Where’s My Car makes some interesting points about the politics of gender and the stupidity of traditional masculinity. What made Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle interesting (and often funny) is that it faced racial stereotyping head on. Harold (Harold Lee) is a high achieving Korean-American college student who is primed for business success. Kumar (Kumar Patel) is a slacker Indian-American student whose parents want him to become a doctor. They are on their way to the local White Castle where, after many misadventures, they get hamburgers, fall in love, but don’t get "laid."
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay picks up the next morning with Harold in the shower and Kumar on the toilet when they decide to go to Amsterdam to find the woman with whom Harold has fallen in love. On the plane they get arrested as terrorists and sent to Guantanamo Bay where they are terrorized by prison guards who are going to make them "eat a cock sandwich." They escape and, as the tag line for the film states, "This time they are running away from a joint."
The plot is too ridiculous to relate in its entirety—I’ll leave out the fairly offensive trip to the brothel with Neil Patrick Harris (in a cameo playing himself) as a sexual psychopath—but it does involve being chased by a psychotic CIA agent, having to fake being Ku Klux Klanners, meeting up with incestuous hillbillies with a seriously birth-defected child, and then smoking up with President Bush at his Texas ranch as they are about to attend the wedding of the woman with whom Kumar is in love, who is marrying a right-wing Republican.
But even as the film bashes one aspect of the war on terror after another—racial profiling, the inanities of federal policies, the inhumanities of Guantanamo Bay, the ineffectiveness of government agencies to do anything right, the tossing out of the rule of law (at one point a government agent uses the fifth amendment as toilet paper)—it relegates these critiques to the trash barrel of stupid jokes. It’s not so much a case of writers and directors Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg being too sardonic or too clever for their own good, it’s that, at some level, they don’t seem to have an actual point of view. At the end of the film George W. Bush turns out to be a stoner who has problems with his father’s expectations—like Kumar. But rather than turn this conceit into something that matters, the film presents Bush not as a ravingly destructive political leader, but as a frat boy who is more than one toke over the line.
Perhaps the most curious part of Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is that it is obsessed with gay sex, homosexuality, penises, and prison rape. What’s this about? You really have to wonder what the writers and producers are thinking about their target audience —most probably 13- to 16-year-old boys. Does this demographic really want to hear endless jokes about penises and forced blow jobs? What do they think about Kumar saying to Harold—while they are parachuting from an FBI plane on which they have been kidnapped—"Hey dude, are our dicks touching?" Meanwhile, the film has no problem showing heterosexual behavior and women’s bodies in non-humorous situations. Do teenage boys have this much anxiety about homosexuality? Is it all they think about? According to Harold and Kumar, apparently they do.
I think that a more productive way of thinking about the male-male sexual jokes in the film is that they represent a real anxiety about the war on Iraq, the war on terror, and the state of American masculinity—just as In the Valley of Elah was a forceful critique of how American manhood is in essence about death and destruction. Unfortunately, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is as aimless and muddle-headed as its eponymous characters who every now and then (through the haze of cannibas) have a bright insight or a sound revelation. It is also a very interesting manifestation of how deeply disturbed our culture is about men, war, sex, pain, and terror.
Michael Bronski is a journalist, cultural critic, and political commentator He has been a visiting professor in Women’s and Gender Studies and Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College since 1999. | http://zcomm.org/zmagazine/harold-and-kumar-escape-from-guantanamo-bay-by-michael-bronski/ | <urn:uuid:f65c71a3-3a0c-4022-ab7d-dd0c069512d5> | en | 0.964219 | 0.021428 |
id summary reporter owner description type status priority milestone component version severity resolution keywords cc focuses 14777 "Adding ""fields"" to arguments array for get_posts()/query_posts()/WP_Query()" mikeschinkel "Hi all, I find myself more and more often needing to get a list of post IDs so I can call another WordPress database API function to include or exclude those posts. Calling `get_posts()` on a potentially large number of records and passing all the fields (especially `post_content`) between MySQL and WordPress is hugely inefficient when I only need the one ID. My two (2) options are: 1.) '''Code is directly in SQL.''' This is easy but I know it's definitely not a best practice and I would like to use the WordPress API wherever possible. 2.) '''To use a `post_fields` hook'''. Problem is that those are global and I have to start wrapping logic around my code to ensure I don't accidentally break some plugin or some other part of WordPress (this approach is much like trying to secure a server by starting with all the attack vectors open and then trying to close them all.) So I'd like to propose we simply add `""fields""` as a recognized argument for `get_posts()`, i.e. {{{ $posts = get_posts(array( 'fields' => 'ID,post_title', 'post_type' => 'movie', 'post_status' => 'publish', 'order' => 'ASC', 'posts_per_page' => -1 )); }}} I know I could make the same argument for `joins`, `where`, `orderbys` et. al. but I'd argue this is enough of a special case it could really use some early attention. For a query on the home page of a high traffic site that changes often enough to not be able to be cached this tiny change could make a major difference in performance. If you'd like to see a use case here is one: - [http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/1140/removing-duplicate-custom-taxonomy-terms-from-within-a-dropdown-select Removing Duplicate Custom Taxonomy Terms from within a Dropdown Select?] Unfortunately I still struggle with creating patches even though I have done it a few times in the past but each time I seem to have to start relearning from scratch. I seem to have a mental block for some reason on patches ([http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/990/ '''can someone help me with this?''']) so I haven't gone ahead and written a patch but will tackle it if I get the task blessed. -Mike " enhancement closed normal 3.1 Query normal fixed | https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/14777?format=tab | <urn:uuid:7d4ce423-7d86-4fa8-a817-454549c8beac> | en | 0.900475 | 0.219535 |
Visão geral sobre segurança
Este documento mostra uma visão geral sobre o framework de segurança do Mozilla Firefox OS, do qual é desenhado para proteger dispositivos móveis das ameaças para a plataforma, apps e dados pessoais. No Firefox OS a fundação Mozilla implementou uma arquitetura bem simplificada, segurança , de várias camadas que traz maior segurança aos donos de dispositivos móveis.
Segurança da plataforma
A segurança do Firefox OS é baseado em vários modelos de camadas, tais camadas de segurança é desenhada para bloquear qualquer tentativa de falha. As medidas de combate da linha de frente é combinada com uma forte estratégia que provê total proteção para qualquer ameaça.
Arquitetura segura
O Firefox OS conecta-se as aplicações web através de sua arquitetura simplificada de hardware, combinando com suas camadas de proteção, cada camada corresponde a um nível de abstração que o protege de qualquer risco, como todas são integradas, esse é o esquema de níveis de cada uma delas:
O dispositivo móvel representa um aparelho inteligente rodando o Firefox OS. Gonk consiste basicamente de um kernel do Linux, bibliotecas, firmwares e drivers do dispositivo como a camera, microfone, etc.
Gecko é a camada de execução de suas aplicações, onde tudo é rodado, desde o navegador até suas apps, assim como acesso as APIs Web, que usam a API para deixar você acessar a Camera, Microfone, Acelerometro.
Gaia é uma suite de apps web que trás até você a experiência do usuário (UX), que consiste basicamente de HTML5,CSS,Javascript, images. Digamos que é a versão da Mozilla para o Twitter Bootstrap.
Gecko é o segurança da plataforma, ele é quem decide o que pode e o que não pode rodar, baseado no esquema de política de segurança aplicada ao Firefox OS, garantindo sempre o bom uso da plataforma tanto para os usuários quanto para desenvolvedores, afastando os usos indevidos da platforma. A camada do Gecko comporta-se como um intermediador entre uma App(Gaia) e o Firefox OS.
Por exemplo se sua App requer acesso a camera, o Gaia requisita, o Gecko verifica se existe permissão, aprovando a permissão ele repassa a informação ao Gonk que entrega o acesso direto ao Gecko.
Todas as funções de hardware do dispositivo são só entregues pelo acesso as APIs Web, não existe jeitinho para tal ou "porta dos fundos". Isso garante segurança ao usuário que irá utilizar sua App.
Implantação de um sistema seguro
Firefox OS já vem instalado em um telefone inteligente (smartphones). A imagem original mais conhecida como ROM é gerada por uma fonte conhecida e segura que possui parcerias de OEM com a Mozilla. Os distribuidores dos smartphones OEM, geralmente eles montam o dispositivo, criam, testam e assinam digitalmente o pacote de distribuição.
As medidas de segurança são usadas em todos os níveis de tecnologia. Privilégios de sistema de arquivo são aplicadas por listas de controle de acesso do Linux (ACLs). Aplicativos do sistema são instalados em um volume que é somente leitura (exceto durante as atualizações, quando é temporariamente leitura e escrita). Apenas as áreas que contenham conteúdo do usuário pode ser de leitura e escrita. Vários componentes do hardware do dispositivo têm embutido proteções que são implementados por padrão como uma prática padrão da indústria. Fabricantes de chipsets, por exemplo, utilizar técnicas de endurecimento para reduzir vulnerabilidades. A plataforma central (Gecko e Gonk) é endurecida para reforçar a sua defesa contra ameaças potenciais, e as características de endurecimento do compilador são usadas quando aplicável. Para mais detalhes, consulte Runtime security.
Secure System Updates
Subsequent upgrades and patches to the Firefox OS platform are deployed using a secure Mozilla process that ensures the ongoing integrity of the system image on the mobile phone. The update is created by a known, trusted source – usually the device OEM – that is responsible for assembling, building, testing, and digitally signing the update package.
A built-in update service – which may be provided by the OEM – on the mobile phone periodically checks for system updates. Once a system package becomes available and is detected by the update service, the user is prompted to confirm installation. Before updates are installed on the mobile device, the device storage is checked for sufficient space to apply the update, and the distribution is verified for:
• update origin (verify the source location protocol:domain:port of the system update and manifest)
• file integrity (SHA-256 hash check)
• code signature (certificate check against a trusted root)
Os procedimentos de segurança abaixo são usados no processo de atualizar:
• Strong cryptographic verification is required before installing a firmware package.
• The system must be in a secure state when the update process starts, with no Web apps running.
App Security
In Firefox OS, all applications are web apps – programs written using HTML5, JavaScript, CSS, media, and other open Web technologies (pages running within the browser are not referred to as Web apps in this context). Because there are no binary ("native") applications installed by the user, all system access is mediated strictly through the Web APIs. Even access to the file system is only through Web APIs and a back-end SQLite database – there is no direct access from apps to files stored on the SD card.
Firefox OS limits and enforces the scope of resources that can be accessed or used by an app, while also supporting a wide range of apps with varying permission levels. Mozilla implemented tight controls over what type of applications can access which APIs. For example, only certified apps (shipped with the phone) can have access to the Telephony API. The Dialer app has privileges to access the Telephony API in order to make phone calls, but not all certified apps can access this API. This prevents a scenario, for example, in which an arbitrary third-party app gets installed, dials a pay-per-use phone number (900 and 910), and racks up a large cell phone bill. However, other OEM apps might be selectively given access to the Telephony API. For example, an Operator might provide a systems management application that allows a customer to manage their account, including the ability to phone the Operator’s billing or support office directly.
Apps confiáveis e não confiáveis
Firefox OS organiza os apps em categorias de a acordo com os seguintes tipos:
Nível de confiança
Altamente confiável
Web (everything else)
Não confiável
Regular web content. Includes both installed apps (stored the mobile phone) and hosted apps (stored remotely, with only an app manifest stored on the mobile phone). The manifest for hosted apps can be obtained through a Marketplace.
• Certified apps have permissions to most Web API operations.
• Untrusted apps have permissions to a subset of the Web API operations accessible to Privileged apps. These are only those Web APIs that contain sufficient security mitigations to be exposed to untrusted web content.
Princípio de poucas permissões
Processo de revisão para Apps privilegiadas no Marketplace
Apps empacotadas e Hospedadas
Apps empacotadas
Apps hospedadas
Manifesto da App ( App Manifest)
Exemplo de manifesto
"name": "My App",
"description": "My elevator pitch goes here",
"launch_path": "/",
"icons": {
"developer": {
"name": "Your name or organization",
"url": ""
"default_locale": "en"
Configuraçòes de segurança no manifesto da App
• description - A string specifying the intent behind requesting use of this API. Required.
Origin of the app. Array of origins (scheme+unique hostname) that are allowed to trigger installation of this app. Allows app providers to restrict installs from only an authorized Marketplace (such as
Type of application (web, privileged, or certified).
Firefox OS requires that the manifest be served with a specific mime-type ("application/x-web-app-manifest+json") and from the same fully-qualified host name (origin) from which the app is served. This restriction is relaxed when the manifest app (and thus the app manifest) is same-origin with the page that requested the app to be installed. This mechanism is used to ensure that it's not possible to trick a website into hosting an application manifest.
Execução na caixinha de areia
This section describes application and execution sandboxes.
Aplicativo na caixinha de areia
The following figure provides an overview of this security model.
By isolating each app, its impact is contained within its own worker space. It cannot interfere with anything (such as other apps or their data) outside of that worker space.
Caixinha de areia para execução
B2G (Gecko) runs in a highly-privileged system process that has access to hardware features in the mobile phone. At run-time, each app runs inside an execution environment that is a child process of the B2G system process. Each child process has a restricted set of OS privileges – for example, a child process cannot directly read or write arbitrary files on the file system. Privileged access is provided through Web APIs, which are mediated by the parent B2G process. The parent ensures that, when a child process requests a privileged API, it has the necessary permission to perform this action.
Apps communicate only with the B2G core process, not with other processes or apps. Apps do not run independently of B2G, nor can apps open each other. The only “communication” between apps is indirect (for example, when a listener process detects an event generated by some other process), and is mediated through the B2G process.
Hardware só é acesso pelas APIs Web
Infra estrutura de segurança
The following figure shows the components of this security framework:
• Credential Validation: Authentication of apps/users.
Gerenciamento de permissões e reforços
• permissions associated with calling app (as specified in the manifest and based on the app type)
• permissions required to execute the requested operation (Web API call)
Requisitando permissão do usuário
Processo seguro de atualização da App
• update origin (verify the source location protocol:domain:port of the update and manifest)
• file integrity (SHA-256 hash check)
• code signature (certificate check against a trusted root)
Segurança do dispositivo (Hardware)
Segurança de dados
Código de bloqueio e expiração das telas
Sandboxed Data
As described earlier, apps are sandboxed at run time. This prevents apps from accessing data that belongs to other apps unless that data is explicitly shared, and the app has sufficient permissions to access it.
Serialized Data
Web apps do not have direct read and write access to the file system. Instead, all access to storage occurs only through Web APIs. Web APIs read from, and write to, storage via a an intermediary SQLite database. There is no direct I/O access. Each app has its own data store, which is serialized to disk by the database.
Data Destruction
When a user uninstalls an app, all of the data (cookies, localStorage, Indexeddb, and so on) associated with that application is deleted.
Mozilla is committed to protecting user privacy and user data according to its privacy principles (, which stem from the Mozilla Manifesto ( The Mozilla Firefox Privacy Policy describes how Mozilla collects and uses information about users of the Mozilla Firefox web browser, including what Firefox sends to websites, what Mozilla does to secure data, Mozilla data practices, and so on. For more information, see:
• Do Not Track option
• ability to disable Firefox browser cookies
• ability to delete the Firefox OS browsing history
Arquivo Tamanho Data Anexado por
Platform Overview
25010 bytes 2013-03-04 18:37:54 ptheriault
Sandbox diagram
127469 bytes 2013-03-04 18:39:08 ptheriault
FirefoxOS Security Framework
133208 bytes 2013-03-04 18:39:22 ptheriault
Update Process
20031 bytes 2013-03-04 18:39:31 ptheriault
Document Tags and Contributors
Contributors to this page: morvanabonin, igorcosta
Last updated by: morvanabonin, | https://developer.mozilla.org/pt-BR/docs/Mozilla/Firefox_OS/Security/modelo_de_seguranca | <urn:uuid:9ce3a443-3755-494a-ba40-b4e67999c63b> | en | 0.786086 | 0.025306 |
Apple Support Communities: Message List Most recent forum messages en Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:06:45 GMT Jive SBS ( 2013-10-28T12:06:45Z en playlist has up to 50 empty play lists for some artists or albums that I have not put there? <!-- [DocumentBodyStart:2a498e2a-d71a-43da-a3bd-18a8f4352fb8] --><div class="jive-rendered-content"><p>, & growing have spent at least 6 hours with ? supervisors 0 solutions also match, dups and deletes from my albums when used. I spend 80% time on Mac fixing 20% using. Also have soent over $400.00 having Mac in shop for corrupted files, programs move to wrong places, Will not back up time machine to time capusle, wich now shows up as two data files of 1T ea and it is a 3T time capsule.</p><p> Can not afford the money or time to keep it working. Have had two Macbook pros prior with normal problems but iMac should have flown out my window a long time ago. I hate to turn it on because once on I just spend all my time fixing issus. #1 Mac fan prior to iMac. Have given up on support with a 20 issue and 2 fix ratio, that is about 20 hours talking with supervisors that don't know the answers so imagine the hours I spend reading, another pet peave, the answers you get in help. How many answers do you get that have nothing, what so ever, to do with your question? Yes I make my questions simple and to the point.</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;"> </p><p> The playlist issue, if anyone knows how to delete the playlists that show up from mars, that is faster than one by one, b ecause at that rate I can not keep up with the incoming duplicating and empty play lists.</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;"> </p><p> Does anyone know how to keep your albums locked so that songs do not dissapear and duplicate for no reason? When they duplicate I put the duplicate in trash now thinking that perhaps the Cloud had dups. But I am to the point of bypassing any help subjects because Mac does not know which is why they suggest the community for help. Would you buy another sony TV and a problem, you contacted sony and\ and they told you to call up other sony TV owners to find out how to work it? </p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;"> </p><p>I may sound frustrated but I left that behind quite a while ago, apathetic, numb, tired, pretty much. But thats the american way and how other countries think about our government running us instead of us running it. Actually they mention scared of our government first, apathy second. Do not censor this as political it is just a backwards analogy where the fear comes afterward a chain of failed attempts to fix problems, by the experts, then my mates who are rowing in the upstream in same boat, waiting to row off the edge of the world.</p><p> A bit melodramatic but that is now, not after wasting hours without results. Imediatly after the 15th or 16h time melo would not have work as a  preverb to any of the expressions that escaped from my ordinarily clean speach.</p></div><!-- [DocumentBodyEnd:2a498e2a-d71a-43da-a3bd-18a8f4352fb8] --> Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:06:45 GMT 2013-10-28T12:06:45Z 4 months, 2 weeks ago 0 <!-- [DocumentBodyStart:58d17dca-1edb-403d-9fd7-9f317126adde] --><div class="jive-rendered-content"><p>I am trying to find an application that records conversations on an iPhone, (4S IOS 6.1). I keep hearing that there is a good application out there but everyone I ask can not remember it's name!</p><p>Please help</p><p>murff</p></div><!-- [DocumentBodyEnd:58d17dca-1edb-403d-9fd7-9f317126adde] --> Sat, 13 Jul 2013 05:56:45 GMT 2013-07-13T05:56:45Z 8 months, 3 days ago 1 0 How would you take a patch and flip it, half mustash missing? <!-- [DocumentBodyStart:c654f547-49d2-47f2-af39-6e40f55b67fc] --><div class="jive-rendered-content"><p>On a boat and half of the mustash is washed out,. Could you take a patch from the other side and flip it or would there be an easier was to burn it in?</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;"> </p><p>Murff</p></div><!-- [DocumentBodyEnd:c654f547-49d2-47f2-af39-6e40f55b67fc] --> Fri, 12 Oct 2012 01:32:45 GMT 2012-10-12T01:32:45Z 1 year, 5 months ago 1 0 | https://discussions.apple.com/community/feeds/messages?rssUsername=brianfromar | <urn:uuid:7c792888-46c7-4900-b64c-097b1cc6e478> | en | 0.897913 | 0.018489 |
Cookbook:Irish Soda Bread
From Wikibooks, open books for an open world
Jump to: navigation, search
Irish Soda Bread
Category Bread recipes
Servings 8
Time Prep 15 minutes
Bake 50-70 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes | Irish cuisine | Vegetarian Cuisine | Holiday | Bread
2. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
5. Mix until just moistened. Too much mixing will make it tough.
6. Stir in butter; pour into prepared pan.
7. Bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. The loaf should sound hollow if you tap the base.
8. Cool on a wire rack.
9. Wrap in tea-towel or foil several hours or overnight for best flavor.
Tips, Notes, and Variations[edit]
• May serve toasted and buttered.
• Soda bread rises as a result of acid being mixed with baking soda. The acid is commonly in the form of vinegar, lemon juice, or buttermilk. A tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar in one cup of milk can be substituted for each cup of buttermilk.
• For best results, bake it at 375°F (190°C), for about 50 minutes, on a preheated baking stone.
Conventional bread, containing live yeast, leavens (rises) as the micro-organisms make carbon dioxide gas as a by-product of their metabolism. Similarly, soda bread utilizes the reaction between baking soda and vinegar, or some other acid, to make the bread rise through the production of carbon dioxide. This recipe uses buttermilk, or optionally a combination of milk and vinegar, but other recipes use sour cream. | https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Irish_Soda_Bread | <urn:uuid:566f04d9-243e-4ff8-b757-bc8f34ec8ef1> | en | 0.870685 | 0.045814 |
Network tap
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
A network tap is a hardware device which provides a way to access the data flowing across a computer network. In many cases, it is desirable for a third party to monitor the traffic between two points in the network. If the network between points A and B consists of a physical cable, a "network tap" may be the best way to accomplish this monitoring. The network tap has (at least) three ports: an A port, a B port, and a monitor port. A tap inserted between A and B passes all traffic through unimpeded, but also copies that same data to its monitor port, enabling a third party to listen.
Network taps are commonly used for network intrusion detection systems, VoIP recording, network probes, RMON probes, packet sniffers, and other monitoring and collection devices and software that require access to a network segment. Taps are used in security applications because they are non-obtrusive, are not detectable on the network (having no physical or logical address), can deal with full-duplex and non-shared networks, and will usually pass through traffic even if the tap stops working or loses power.
The term network tap is analogous to phone tap or vampire tap. Some vendors have phrases for which tap is an acronym; however, those are most likely bacronyms.
The monitored traffic is sometimes referred to as the pass-through traffic, while the ports that are used for monitoring are the monitor ports. There may also be an aggregation port for full-duplex traffic, wherein the "A" traffic is aggregated with the "B" traffic, resulting in one stream of data /packets for monitoring the full-duplex communication. The packets must be aligned into a single stream using a time-of-arrival algorithm.
Vendors will tend to use terms in their marketing such as breakout, passive, aggregating, regeneration, inline power, and others. Common meanings will be discussed later. Unfortunately, vendors do not use such terms consistently. Before buying any product it is important to understand the available features, and check with vendors or read the product literature closely to figure out how marketing terms correspond to reality. All of the "vendor terms" are common within the industry and have real definitions and are valuable points of consideration when buying a tap device.
A distributed tap is a set of network taps which report to a centralized monitoring system or packet analyzer.
New filterable tap technology[edit]
A new type of tap, or network access point, is now[when?] available. This new type of tap is called a "filterable" tap. It is especially valuable in the 10 Gigabit environment because 10-Gigabit test equipment is very expensive. Some taps, like those from several vendors, offer the ability to utilize less expensive and more widely available 1-Gigabit monitoring and analysis tools with these 10 Gigabit networks. When used in this fashion, some form of load-balancing or port-bonding is recommended to avoid packet loss to the monitoring tools.
A filterable tap, that provides advanced filtering, can selectively pass data, based on application, VLAN ID, or other parameters, to the 1-Gigabit port for deep analysis and monitoring, including IDS requirements.
Filtered access is also the best way to focus on business-critical traffic, or other specific areas of your network. At higher speeds, network traffic analysis cannot be performed using the older "capture and decode everything" philosophy. In this type of environment, focused access is the best way to enable traffic analysis, and often is the only way.
Any filterable tap you consider must have a simple user interface for easy setup and management. Furthermore, it must be able to collect the Layer 1 and Layer 2 data, while still allowing for auto saving, and easy access to data by graphing programs. Such a tap can be part of a strategy to monitor for essential metrics, such as frame errors and corrupted frames in IPv6.
Advantages and features[edit]
Older network technologies tended to be shared. Connecting a monitoring device to a shared network segment (i.e., piece of a network) was very easy—just connect the monitoring device as you would any other host, and enable promiscuous mode. Modern network technologies tend to be switched, meaning that devices are connected using point-to-point links. If a monitoring device is connected to such a network, it will only see its own traffic. The network tap allows the monitoring device to view the contents of a point-to-point link.
Modern network technologies are often full-duplex, meaning that data can travel in both directions at the same time. If a network link allows 100 Mbit/s of data to flow in each direction at the same time, this means that the network really allows 200 Mbit/s of aggregate throughput. This can present a problem for monitoring technologies if they have only one monitor port. Therefore, network taps for full-duplex technologies usually have two monitor ports, one for each half of the connection. The listener must use channel bonding or link aggregation to merge the two connections into one aggregate interface to see both halves of the traffic. Other monitoring technologies do not deal well with the full-duplex problem.
Once a network tap is in place, the network can be monitored without interfering with the network itself. Other network monitoring solutions require in-band changes to network devices, which means that monitoring can impact the devices being monitored.
Once a tap is in place, a monitoring device can be connected to it as-needed without impacting the monitored network.
Some taps have multiple output ports, or multiple pairs of output ports for full-duplex, to allow more than one device to monitor the network at the tap point. These are often called regeneration taps.
A passive fiber optic tap.
Some taps, particularly fiber taps, can use no power and no electronics at all for the pass-through and monitor portion of the network traffic. This means that the tap should never suffer any kind of electronics failure or power failure that results in a loss of network connectivity. One way this can work, for fiber-based network technologies, is that the tap divides the incoming light using a simple physical apparatus into two outputs, one for the pass-through, one for the monitor. This can be called a passive tap. Other taps use no power or electronics for the pass-through, but do use power and electronics for the monitor port. These can also be referred to as passive. Fiber-based taps are of limited usage, non-orthogonal photon fiber network can not be taped at all.[1]
Some taps operate at the physical layer of the OSI model rather than the data link layer. For example, they work with multi-mode fiber rather than 1000BASE-SX. This means that they can work with most data link network technologies that use that physical media, such as ATM and some forms of Ethernet. Network taps that act as simple optical splitters, sometimes called passive taps (although that term is not used consistently) can have this property.
Some network taps offer both duplication of network traffic for monitoring devices and SNMP services. Most major network tap manufacturers offer taps with remote management through Telnet, HTTP, or SNMP interfaces. Such network tap hybrids can be helpful to network managers who wish to view baseline performance statistics without diverting existing tools. Alternatively, SNMP alarms generated by managed taps can alert network managers to link conditions that merit examination by analyzers to intrusion detection systems.
Some taps get some of their power (i.e., for the pass-through) or all of their power (i.e., for both pass-through and monitor) from the network itself. These can be referred to as having inline power.
Some taps can also reproduce low-level network errors, such as short frames, bad CRC or corrupted data.
Disadvantages and problems[edit]
Network taps require additional hardware, so are not as cheap as technologies that use capabilities that are built into the network. They are easier to manage and normally provide more data than some network devices though.
Network taps can require channel bonding on monitoring devices to get around the problem with full-duplex discussed above. Vendors usually refer to this as aggregation as well.
Putting a network tap into place will disrupt the network being monitored for a short time.[2] It's better than taking a network down multiple times to deploy a monitoring tool though. Establishing good guidelines for placement of network taps is recommended procedure.
Monitoring large networks using network taps can require a lot of monitoring devices. High end networking devices often allow ports to be enabled as mirror ports which is a software network tap. While any free port can be configured as a mirror port, software taps require configuration and place load on the network devices.
Even fully passive network taps introduce new points of failure into the network. There are several ways that taps can cause problems and this should be considered when creating a tap architecture. Consider non-powered taps for optical-only environments[citation needed] or throwing star network tap[3] for copper 100BT. This allows you to modify the intelligent aggregation taps that may be in use and avoids any complications when upgrading from 100 megabit to gigabit to 10 gigabit. Redundant power supplies are highly recommended.
Comparison to other monitoring technologies[edit]
Various monitoring approaches can be used, depending on the network technology and the monitoring objective:
The simplest type of monitoring is logging in to an interesting device and running programs or commands that show performance statistics and other data. This is the cheapest way to monitor a network, and is highly appropriate for small networks. However, it does not scale well to large networks. It can also impact the network being monitored; see observer effect.
Another way to monitor devices is to use a remote management protocol such as SNMP to ask devices about their performance. This scales well, but is not necessarily appropriate for all types of monitoring. The inherent problems with SNMP are the polling effect. Many vendors have alleviated this by using intelligent polling schedulers, but this may still affect the performance of the device being monitored. It also opens up a host of potential security problems.
Another method to monitor networks is by enable promiscuous mode on the monitoring host, and connecting it to a shared segment. This works well with older LAN technologies such as 10BASE-T Ethernet, FDDI, and token ring. On such networks, any host can automatically see what all other hosts were doing by enabling promiscuous mode. However, modern switched network technologies such as those used on modern Ethernets provide, in effect, point-to-point links between pairs of devices, so it is hard for other devices to see traffic.
Another method to monitor networks is to use port mirroring (called "SPAN", for Switched Port Analyzer, by Cisco, and given other names by some other vendors) on routers and switches. This is a low-cost alternative to network taps, and solves many of the same problems. However, not all routers and switches support port mirroring and, on those that do, using port mirroring can affect the performance of the router or switch. These technologies may also be subject to the problem with full-duplex described elsewhere in this article, and there are often limits for the router or switch on how many pass-through sessions can be monitored, or how many monitor ports (generally two) can monitor a given session.
Countermeasures for network taps include encryption and alarm systems. Encryption can make the stolen data unintelligible to the thief. However, encryption can be an expensive solution, and there are also concerns about network bandwidth when it is used.
Another counter-measure is to deploy a fiber-optic sensor into the existing raceway, conduit or armored cable. In this scenario, anyone attempting to physically access the data (copper or fiber infrastructure) is detected by the alarm system. A small number of alarm systems manufacturers provide a simple way to monitor the optical fiber for physical intrusion disturbances. There is also a proven solution that utilizes existing dark (unused) fiber in a multi-strand cable for the purpose of creating an alarm system.
In the alarmed cable scenario, the sensing mechanism uses optical interferometry in which modally dispersive coherent light traveling through the multi-mode fiber mixes at the fiber's terminus, resulting in a characteristic pattern of light and dark splotches called speckle. The laser speckle is stable as long as the fiber remains immobile, but flickers when the fiber is vibrated. A fiber-optic sensor works by measuring the time dependence of this speckle pattern and applying digital signal processing to the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the temporal data.
The U.S. government has been concerned about the tapping threat for many years, and it also has a concern about other forms of intentional or accidental physical intrusion. In the context of classified information Department of Defense (DOD) networks, Protected Distribution Systems (PDS) is a set of military instructions and guidelines for network physical protection. PDS is defined a system of carriers (raceways, conduits, ducts, etc.) that are used to distribute Military and National Security Information (NSI) between two or more controlled areas or from a controlled area through an area of lesser classification (i.e., outside the SCIF or other similar area). National Security Telecommunications and Information Systems Security Instruction (NSTISSI) No. 7003, Protective Distribution Systems (PDS), provides guidance for the protection of SIPRNET wire line and optical fiber PDS to transmit unencrypted classified National Security Information (NSI).
See also[edit]
1. ^ Practical quantum key distribution over a 48-km optical fiber network Richard J. Hughes, George L. Morgan and C. Glen Peterson Physics Division Los Alamos National Laboratory, pdf
2. ^ "Sniffing Tutorial part 1 - Intercepting Network Traffic". NETRESEC Network Security Blog. 2011.
3. ^ [1] section 4 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_tap | <urn:uuid:c4e6d1c8-8a74-42a7-a00d-67c8a6d04113> | en | 0.929935 | 0.080509 |
Skip to content
This repository
Distributed systems infrastructure used by Riak.
branch: hp-vnode-force…
This branch is 2 commits ahead and 1225 commits behind develop
Fetching latest commit…
Cannot retrieve the latest commit at this time
Octocat-spinner-32 ebin
Octocat-spinner-32 include
Octocat-spinner-32 src
Octocat-spinner-32 test
Octocat-spinner-32 .gitignore fix edocs and "docs" make target
Octocat-spinner-32 .hgignore fix some include paths
Octocat-spinner-32 .hgtags Added tag riak_core-0.13.0 for changeset 5b2683c697e6
Octocat-spinner-32 Makefile
Octocat-spinner-32 rebar
Octocat-spinner-32 rebar.config
Riak Core is an open source Erlang library that helps you build distributed, scalable, fault-tolerant applications. Riak Core is influenced by the Amazon Dynamo Paper and CAP Theorem.
Quick Start
You must have Erlang/OTP R13B04 or later and a GNU-style build system to compile and run riak_core. The easiest way to utilize riak_core is by installing the full Riak application available on Github.
We encourage contributions to riak_core from the community.
1. Fork the riak_core repository on Github.
git clone
# or
git remote add mine
1. Create a topic branch for your change.
git checkout -b some-topic-branch
git push mine some-topic-branch
Something went wrong with that request. Please try again. | https://github.com/basho/riak_core/tree/hp-vnode-force-gc | <urn:uuid:f960a8df-41ca-481e-b8ce-9dd5dac013ca> | en | 0.785691 | 0.189464 |
Skip to main content
showing 1 - 2 of 2
Name Projects Interests
Username: livintroll
-- if, you, surf, the, web, you'll, find, numerous, application, that, will, help, download, and, convert, streaming, videos.
Username: chiflatiron89
-- luxurious, eco-friendly, and, just, about, anything, related, to, grazing, glimpse, a, little, bit, of, clear., is, placed, powering, an, awesome, hair, straightening, iron., division, regarding, justices, site, with, the, oughout.ohydrates., keep, your, any, chi, flat, iron, because, well-known, additionally, recognized, virtual, stores., employment, porcelain, ceramic, china, will, allow, typically, heat, in, minutes., golf, irons, objects, take, advantage, number, plates, very, hot, doubtlessly, infra-red, waves., enjoying, wonderful, hands, on, locks, let, you, more., out, doors, done, are, actually, lead, served, by, chiseled, areas, which, behavior, warmness., this, type, constructed, ceramic/tourmaline, dishes, offer, really, glossy, final, results., high, quality, straightners, characteristic, sophisticated, complex, integrations, including, even, tourmaline,, summary, some, sort, myofascial, introduction, tactic, often, known, as, memory, foam, changing., it, has, fresh, clay, courts, used, for, ceramic., professionals, provides, most, beneficial, different, ., scavenger, seek, &, purpose, indoor/outside, functions., while, picking, should, have, power, choose, these, products, depending, haired., i, truly, do, cardio, exercise, c, or, build, up, people, today, short, time., you'll, discover, variety, variables, who, cost, usual, straightener., that, certainly, all, likelihood, low, well-liked, way, 4, kinds, suggested, preceding., can, find, healthier, items, around, portion, features., p90x, generated, pursuits, specifically, raises, sports, entertainment, abilities.the, easiest, creates, be, skin, gels, tresses, ointments., continuously, see, tell-tale, signs, symptoms, whatever, upcoming, situation., forms, joined, historical, past, endorsed, films., responding, requirement, head, defense, new, technical, benefits, currently, announced, straighteners., along, hold, there, easy, continue, obtain, other, business, secrets, techniques, internet., locate., precisely, what, helps, succeed, so, excellent, designed, frizzy, curly, hair., ways, effectively, websites, brings, being, familiar, individuals, vital., we, start, wal-marts, significant, plenty, concentrates, community, place, depots, lowe's., my, partner, view, also, come, distinctive, dimensions., them, powers, cuticles, more, pliable, shiny., once, seriously, isn't, changing, wasn't, able, touch, our, own, toes., if, seasoned, natural, organic, did, programs, slightly, differently., storage, containers, sufficiently, isopropyl, booze, thoroughly, clean, textile., actual, coder, favorable, course, could, instyler.
Please Confirm | https://java.net/people?order=recent&tags=you'll | <urn:uuid:070e8239-e307-4c71-83a0-2f02f1733192> | en | 0.82219 | 0.224015 |
HK Flying mini-hunter model 403
An urban pacification tool, the mini-hunter 403 has a single purpose when released for autonomous operations. In order to do its job it is equipped with non lethal disencentive device dubbed “the pain” it is a focused microwave generator, and a backup Battle rifle, loaded with suppressive rounds when needed it’s unique sound when fired burns a permanent memory for future altercations. many civilians who have met one before run away immediately upon hearing the first burst of automatic fire. its primary use is when pacification is not an option. but has also been quite effectively used for nonlethal Doc wagon extractions.
it’s manueverability is unmatched and often enemy combatants will simply not provide a hostile target than risk being subjected to the paingiver. while deemed a nonlethal weapon it is connected to the overpowered generator of the drone and has the potential of melting secure barriers if concentrated upon a metahuman for too long it can permanently damage and even kill.
<> don’t think just because its a legal armament that the star doesn’t use them for impromtu interrogations in the field. that pain giver is a military grade version of the fichetti if I ever saw one.
<> Teamzero
<> The urban settings for the pilot default to not engaging any target that has not threatened and does not have a weapon. But this is the star we’re talking about, kill first then send in officers to plant evidence…I mean…assess the situation.
HK Flying mini-hunter model 403
Judas Kiss Djinni | https://judas-kiss.obsidianportal.com/items/hk-flying-mini-hunter-model-403 | <urn:uuid:f290d260-b5c2-417d-958f-39202e0332b3> | en | 0.917474 | 0.141467 |
Re: why Linux?
On Tue, Feb 20, 2001 at 07:12:12PM +1100, Drew Parsons wrote:
> The reason I bring this up is that where I'm working we're preparing to
> deploy a Java-based web application using JSP technology, and my boss
> asked me to convince him to deploy the system on Linux rather than NT
> (which we've been developing on - the fear of the technical unknown for
> them).
Well, if they dont know Linux and can't support it, they should not use it.
What kind of Java Framework are you using? Currently Linux Java is lacking
behind a bit. You will get a VM on solaris or NT faster. The Performace is
recently quite compareable, NT and Solaris used to be much faster than
Linux due to missing hotspot VMs.
So in short: if you are the person who has to run it, you could argue pro
Linux, if others have to run it and they dont want or cant learn linux it
may be a bad idea to risk your head :)
Unless you are heading for a very big installation with a lot of access the
performance is no issue. And if it is the only Linux Box in an NT shop it
wont save you costs, so the TCO is no argument, eighter.
(OO) -- [email protected] --
Reply to: | https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2001/02/msg01286.html | <urn:uuid:ca52bb74-2b73-4ca4-824e-e0fa78d5eddc> | en | 0.849689 | 0.043776 |
Foundations Team Weekly Summary, 2009-02-19
Robbie Williamson robbie at
Thu Feb 19 21:06:29 GMT 2009
== Present ==
* RobbieWilliamson - chair
* ColinWatson
* EvanDandrea
* LarsWirzenius
* LukeYelavich
* MatthiasKlose
* MichaelVogt
* ScottJamesRemnant
* SteveLangasek
== Apologies ==
* JamesWestby
== Actions from previous meeting ==
* None
== Agenda ==
* Feature Freeze Check
== Actions from this meeting ==
* None
== Activity reports ==
=== Colin Watson ===
* Spec reviews:
* daily-upstream-builds-poc (by e-mail)
* distributed-development-debian-import (by IRC)
* Feature work:
* Added prompt during LVM partitioning for how much of the VG should be
allocated (#160156).
* Changed server CDs to use LVM by default (although still ask).
* Finished changes to allow manual package selection in d-i. (This took quite
a while; getting the terminal definition into the right place was unwarrantedly
* Installer:
* Merged partman-auto and partman-auto-lvm from Debian to fix #225785.
* Made use of new dmraid exit code sanity to fix #325947.
* Fixed grub #317085 (trailing slashes in fstab mountpoints).
* console-setup fix for users of the CyrSlav codeset.
* Wrote up TB meeting notes for TeamReports.
* Tracked down the cause of ubuntu-cdimage #309396.
* Removed ancient /etc/init.d/
=== Evan Dandrea ===
* Sponsorship queue work. Uploaded gnome-system-tools.
* Modified ubiquity to use PNGs instead of SVGs for the timezone map for better
* Email to Robbie about usb-creator work.
* Spoke with Ken about the time zone map requirements, and posted some mock ups
from him to the wiki for future design consideration.Ken will provide me with a
final copy by the artwork deadline.
* Modified the time zone map to only select cities in the time zone band the
mouse is over instead of selecting the absolute nearest city.
* Started reviewing shtylman's ubiquity bzr branch, specifically changes to the
time zone map. Roman is working on bringing the KDE frontend up to speed with
changes to the GTK frontend.
* Added support to ubiquity for translating between partman-auto translations
and their ubiquity equivalents. This removes the confusing "Guided -" portion
of the text on the automatic partitioning page as well as allows us to provide
more specific options ("Use the entire disk, replacing Windows XP").
* Finished the code in the new partitioning bar with resize slider
(SegmentedBarSlider) to set proper bounds and return a correctly formatted value
to partman-auto. Finished integrating this widget into ubiquity.
* Discussed the automatic partitioning page with Matthew Paul Thomas at
Millbank. He's provided a mock up
that I hope to at least partially implement before Feature Freeze.
==== Specifications ====
* UbuntuSpec:oem-tracking-id : Implemented. I still need to rip out the old
oem-id code and might need to make additional changes if they do not find the
current functionality to be sufficient.
* UbuntuSpec:jaunty-ubiquity-usability : Mostly implemented, just a few
deferred items and little bits here and there that I might be able to knock off
before FF.
* UbuntuSpec:ubiquity-slideshow : Deferred due to Julian's team not having
sufficient time for it this cycle. I spoke with him at the sprint about this
and they are going to try to work it in for the future.
==== To do before FF ====
* Rip out the old C time zone map code to remove bloat from the ubiquity package.
* Finish implementing mpt's automatic partitioning page suggestions.
* Knock off any small remaining items from JauntyUbiquityUsability.
=== James Westby ===
* Distributed Development
* New features for bzr-builddeb, most notable:
* Extra options for building without so much hassle
$ bzr builddeb -- -S -v0.2-1
* pristine-tar integration. No more checksum mismatches,and more things just
* Had to break backwards compatibility in a few places to do this, but I hope
the pain is worth the benefit.
* Spec re-written following review feedback. Tentative re-review looks good.
* Ubuntu
- Plenty of sponsoring.
- Some archive admin work.
=== Lars Wirzenius ===
=== Luke Yelavich ===
==== Audio ====
* Audio bug triaging
* More uploads of pulseaudio with fixes from git, and a few configuration
changes. These were Daniel Chen's decisions, but I am happy to go with them at
this point. One major change was to turn glitch free off, since it was causing
manu users a lot of headaches.
* Uploaded 0.9.15~test2 of pulseaudio to my PPA.
* Uploaded a fix for alsa-lib, again thanks to Daniel Chen.
* Started testing pulseaudio's glitch free for myself, and yse I get glitchy
audio as well.
==== dmraid ====
( Found the cause ofRAID0 arrays not being activated. It was a patch that the
Ubuntu and Debian packages were carrying that was in the upstream release, but
the patch still applied anyway.
* Updated the git tree for the debian dmraid package with all the fixes I'd
written for the activation script, and the dropping of the patch. I have direct
commit access to the git tree, so will be sending all my changes via Debian
first, except for extremely urgent cases, like late in the Jaunty release. In
general, this will mean we will be syncing the dmraid package from now on.
* Investigated dmraid and ubiquity/live CD again. It looks like nothing
substantial needs doing here, except for deciding whether we activate dmraid
arrays on the live CD by default, and if not, at what point in the CD load do we
ask the user if they want them activated.
==== Misc ====
* Some sponsoring of both packages for main and universe, particularly with
feature freeze coming up, this was good to get some good sponsoring work under
my belt, as I have not done nearly as much as I should have.
* After several uploads, got kernels for ports architectures all built, so that
lots of packagse can be built on all architectures. There is still a kernel
issue with endianness on sparc that needs addressing however, however thats for
my own time, i.e personal time, as well as tweaking the kernel configs, adding
Ubuntu aadded modules, etc.
=== Matthias Klose ===
=== Michael Vogt ===
==== compiz ====
* update to the 0.8 branch (will get released very soon)
* debug/fix issue that seb128 brought up with incorrect placment of windows
(wrong viewport). sent patch upstream (#1124)
* compiz metadata/plugin default sync
* update plugins-main,extra and upload to compiz ppa and then jaunty (0.8
release is comming soon)
* Multi screen compiz-manager fix (#207770) and sent upstream
==== plymouth ====
* patching plymouth to work on ubuntu
* add integration into our initramfs
* packaging in lp:~plymouth-dev/plymouth/ubuntu
* uploading into my ~mvo PPA and later into the ~plymouth-dev PPA
* Create kvm image with plymouth by default (no kernel modesetting in the image)
* no success in getting kernel mode settng to work on my hardware
==== update-manager ====
* discuss/prepare possilbe fglrx transition
* Work on the update-manager not-automatic branch, not quite ready for
feature-freeze :/
* Work on the computer-janitor<->update-manager code merging in the
lp:~mvo/update-manager/janitor-merge branch with liw This is taking its time,
the code bases are different
==== update-notifier ====
* implement the DX team changes for autoamtic launch of update-manager
* add automatic launching of dialogs too (e.g. reboot required will not show a
bubble but a dialog instead)
* worked on avoiding focus stealing, not everything ready, needs to get fixed
after FF
==== misc ====
* bug triage
* Mail robbie with ongoing tasks/responsibilites I do/have
* Look into codenia (fluendo codec installer)
* Work with asac on the partner-repository policy mail (partner-repository spec)
* Call with randy about codec install/sent mail with screenshots of the new
* Review/sponsor deja-dup upload into universe (jaunty backup spec)
* Apt ddtp translation update
* Work on gdebi (lots of small fixes, talk with sianis who helped greatly with
triage and fixes), upload new version
* Followup on ddtp import bug (turns out to be a LP problem: #317482)
* upload new gconf with changed gconf system defaults location (to be in sync
with the other distros)
* Help arne with language-selector questions
* Bug triage for dpkg trigger processing problems (thanks to bdmurray for
compiling the list)
==== sponsoring ====
* Review/sponsor gnome-desktop-sharp2 update
* Review/merge/sponsor multiscreen compiz-manager patch (#207770)
* Review/sponsor brasero, gnome-terminal
* Review/sponsor yet another new brasero
* review/sponsor tomboy
=== Scott Remnant ===
* udev
* Added support for udev to watch block devices with inotify. When closed
after being opened for writing, udev will fake a "change" event for the
underlying kobject. In practice this means that running dd, or mkfs, etc. on a
block device will update /dev/disk/by-{uuid,label} automatically.
* module-init-tools
* Updated to latest GIT head.
* Compared the performace of 3.3, 3.6 and GIT head. Results posted to
ubuntu-boot ML.
* util-linux
* Worked on the patch to hwclock to support stepping the system clock and
setting the kernel timezone without reference to the hardware clock.
* udev rule to call this new hwclock option when the hardware clock was not in
* Worked with LaMont to put together a GIT tree for my work that he can merge
* Restored patches LaMont accidentally dropped when doing an upstream update.
* First cut of a performance comparison, results not yet mailed.
* Boot performance:
* Meeting with Arjan Van der Ven of Intel to discuss the work Moblin have been
* Compared the 2.6.28-7, 2.6.29-rc4 and 2.6.29-rc5 kernel versions, and
compared with/without the fastboot async patches enabled. Results posted to
ubuntu-boot ML.
* Compared boot with/without LRM.
* Fixed bootchart dependencies since it turns out to need a full JRE
* Updated autoconf to 2.63
* Update automake to 1.10.2
=== Steve Langasek ===
==== Release management ====
* triaging of jaunty nominations/targeted bugs
* release meetings
* alpha-4 preparations/release
* Feature Freeze announcement / coordination
==== Specs ====
* nail down the Hotkey spec and get the implementation going during the
platform team sprint
* extensive hotkey testing / debugging, availing myself of the local hardware
access during the sprint
==== Packages ====
* Follow through on nut SRU, uploading the fixes to jaunty.(bug #222761)
* merge libgsf (bug #325682)
* merge samba 3.3 (bug #328874)
* follow through on the acpi-support drive parking mess, uploading pm-utils to
hardy/intrepid/jaunty (bug 59695)
* lay the basic groundwork for openldap 2.4.14 in jaunty
== Misc ==
* trace down a false-positive regarding a regression in a kernel security
update (bug #322497)
* Monday archive duties x2
* participate in hwclock discussions with Scott and Colin
More information about the ubuntu-devel mailing list | https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2009-February/027428.html | <urn:uuid:ffd20798-0a48-46be-b5d8-855b4f9b6408> | en | 0.864287 | 0.174671 |
C API ?: checking if an object is a class
Tavis Rudd tavis at calrudd.com
Sat Aug 11 22:34:06 CEST 2001
how do I check if a PyObject is a class object?
Is there any equivalent of PyInstance_Check() that can do
this or do I need to use PyObject_Type()? If it's the
later where do I get the 'class' PyType object?
More information about the Python-list mailing list | https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2001-August/105346.html | <urn:uuid:47602067-72fb-49cc-a756-6d6236e4eae3> | en | 0.732922 | 0.029596 |
A survey of Python IDEs
Paul Boddie paul at boddie.net
Fri Aug 17 18:37:29 CEST 2001
web.mail at lycos.com (Alan Green) wrote in message news:<270c68fe.0108162046.15ee55ac at posting.google.com>...
> Despite these IDE's, it seems that most Python developers use a text
> editor to program Python. Here are three theories about this:
> a. Python is the kind of language that doesn't need a lot of tool
> support.
> c. Python programmers are the kind of people that don't use IDEs.
I can't say that I've ever been completely immersed in an IDE and
enjoyed the experience, although there are certain things about
PythonWin (which I started to play with recently) which are quite
nice, such as attribute completion. One thing I don't like about
PythonWin is the "C64-like" editing mode - I much prefer the readline
interface, but there is a multi-line readline interface which could
appeal to me, I suppose. (There was also a weird bug which came up
every now and again while editing programs - if I were using it now I
would probably be able to report the details within a few minutes.)
Integrated debugging and GUI layout support may well be the main
benefits of IDEs, and you note that many of the available IDEs offer
only these things on top of program editing and an interactive session
window. For me, intensive debugging support with breakpoints and so on
are only really interesting when trying to track down bugs in
languages like C, when the program crashes spectacularly due to some
uninitialised pointer.
As for GUI builders, since I don't do "native" GUI design (preferring
Web application development instead) there isn't a big selling point
left to appeal to me amongst the different packages. Perhaps I
underestimate the utility of a comprehensive IDE, but since I'm
happier with the command line than the IDE implementation where things
like version control are concerned, current generation IDEs have some
way to go before I'll use one.
More information about the Python-list mailing list | https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2001-August/114285.html | <urn:uuid:a0419b9f-7bad-4cfe-b9a3-ffceacef653e> | en | 0.949382 | 0.051119 |
Shared publicly -
Happy Darwin Day
An artistic depiction of evolution (yes, with some artistic, non-scientific, liberties taken) from the Origins of Life Scene in Mission to Mars
for +ScienceSunday (co-curated by me and +Robby Bowles)
Dennis D. McDonald's profile photoKeith Smeltz's profile photoVinoth Ragunathan's profile photoJoel Bondurant's profile photo
This religion requires a lot of faith to believe into this theory... :-)
+Dennis D. McDonald - great review. Love this part: "more of a dreamer’s movie at a time in our culture when the crack of bone and splash of blood are expected"
+Erika Stahoski Alright. Evidence that one become a bug, ant and cockroach and another an elephant, dinosaur and a crocodile from the same living cell other, than just a religious hypothesis, please?
I am going to post this solely so that evolution deniers will identify themselves. :P
+Erika Stahoski Hey, I am not saying you shall not believe in that religion, especially if no one can answer the exact question I've asked. Sure, believe it... But it requires more belief than being a Pastafarian, a member of Flying Spaghetti Monster Church. :-)
+Bo Maryniuk, I would recommend if you really want some comprehensive answers.
Evolution isn't a hypothesis. You shouldn't confuse the scientific meaning of the word "theory" with the way it is used colloquially. Evolution is a both a theory and a fact just as the heliocentric model of the solar system is both a theory and a fact. You may choose the think that believing in the heliocentric theory as opposed to the geocentric theory amounts to a religious belief, I guess, but I think that's silly; just as with evolution.
I suppose it may be the fact that evolution contradicts some religious scriptures (at least if you take them literally) that confuses people into thinking it takes a religious position. Or maybe their ignorance of how it all works (willful, imposed or otherwise) causes them to think that no one else could really understand it either, and so they assume we just take it on faith.
+Bo Maryniuk In fact, you do not believe evolution. You know it's true and you are trolling, or you deny it against all evidence, but either possibility is painfully boring. A simple google search would set you straight in the second case, and a personality adjustment would help in the first.
I would like to back up +Bo Maryniuk here. I am a man who believes that we are somewhere inbetween those 'truths' and that both are right, to some degree
But I see his point. There is enough emperical data to support both claims, more on behalf of the evolutionists, but again, the bible states there will be falsities placed to test faith
The point I am making people, I am at piece with myself. I believe in God, yet, I do understand and believe in evolution, but you have to agree with the main point Bo is making
Your Theory of evolution, all by itself, is not a fact, it is a theory with a lot of empirical data behind it, and that data has been applied in what many good minds think is the only possible and plausible answer.
They might have been wrong, it is still a guess, a 'leap of faith' - all of you believed that light was the fastest thing in the universe. If I were to say that is Bunk, say 5 years ago, you would stand up and say 'that is fact'
There is no fact - there is only theory, some stronger than others
You having one, and Bo having another, and somebody liking the flying Spaghetti church, doesn't hurt me at all, so enjoy
Non believers - +Erika Stahoski I just stood in the middle of this debate - to say I agree with both sides, yet that still isn't good enough for you? You aren't happy until the entire world believes what you believe? What a sad world that would be, nothing to talk about, all of us thinking like you (Not saying you don't have good thoughts, you probably do)
Oh and yes, there is a LOT of empirical data supporting religion, the existence of Jesus, and his workings, backing stories of the bible, and lore. If my definitions don't meet yours, that is just kind of, oh well, you know?
This is my opinion, it is mine, and I like it. I am a very well educated, semi retired business man, IT exec taking it easy
+Bo Maryniuk - A lot of way crazier theories went into making the computer that you're using to display your annoyingly foolish misunderstandings of science.
+Erika Stahoski I didn't swear, maybe you shouldn't eh?
As for calling the study of darwinism a religion - a word, a label hurts you? Why? does God scare you?
I don't need chill out, if you could see me, or knew me, I am chilled - serious, I am just trying to figure this out - opponents to religion really are a funny lot, so sensitive if you ever say anything about them being at all associated to something they hate, the organizational construction of idea's around a belief, but that is what your doing?
Albeit, it is a loose representation, but it is true - I don't care what you call me, not one bit, I raised 3 native kids, taught them to call themselves native, they were never harassed because they 'took the power' out of words
So up to you, I don't care either, but I give a *(*&*& you know?
+Joel Bondurant why do you feel, because he thinks differently than you, he is annoying and foolish
Wow, if being a scientist, or a supporter of science means you have to be rude and rash with people
I will walk away from you sir, that was just imature and rude
I am funny +Erika Stahoski
:D Really, I don't, I find most Atheists to be hardline, and mean, I have a lot of Atheist friends, and they are great, so let me rephrase, I find the Atheists on here, to be more Hardlines, and pushy, and pushing their "Non religion" as badly as the Jehova's do at my door - that is why I call 'that' a Religion, they are trying to change the way I think, to their way, in an Organized manner, and through manipulation of facts, theory, and some downright mean and rude ways.
But when I was Atheist in my 20's (Things change, I want every Atheist to write me when I am 70, and they have grown another 20 years) - I didn't fight people who believe, I didn't care they beleived so I don't know why it is that way now (My blog speaks of this phenomenon
I find Scientists a funny lot though - for centuries, or more, a millenia or 2, Science has been in direct opposition to church. Why?
Easy, while church would use things we cannot explain as symbols and miracles, Science would explain them away, as we grew to know more, the skies stopped looking like heaven, and became a place we can travel while alive - miracles became chemical reactions and other explainable things - so I get it
But, today, the "Wonder" of the world is gone - Science hasn't explained everything, but we don't "wonder" like back at Jesus day, doesn't mean he didn't exist, doesn't mean his father didn't exist, just means our interpretation of what was happening by them then, was wrong or warped
But now, we 'should' have Science embracing the "Non extremists" of religion, and learning together - God fits, and it can be that God doesn't fit.
It is NOT black and white, it is NOT Binary - this is a spectrum of human existence, there is room for all of us
+Gideon Rosenblatt I suspect that evolution puts a lot of pressure on google+ circles. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing probably depends on how well we understand how that pressure works. But I'm afraid that I'm not quite sure what you mean, otherwise.
As for the thread that followed, wow. So much wow. I've watched three people reject medical science and quickly die, so, no... the views of +Bo Maryniuk and +Gord Birch are neither harmless nor victimless. Rejecting science isn't just an intellectual mistake but also a moral failure.
Then why, are Scientists so hard on me, and in fact (Not knowing who he is) +Keith Smeltz above says I am a "Moral Failure" - wow big words from someone who didn't even read what I said????
Keith read first, I didn't reject Science - in University I took extra curricular Science (Back in the old days) because although my interest is Business Theory and Structure, and Computer Science (8 years post secondary) I love science, and, when I look at that flower that +Erika Stahoski looks at, I think I am a bit more lucky - I too marvel at how matter can tie itself together so uniquely to create such beauty, and in other forms to create such ugliness - I marvel at Science every day, yet, I can also have a God to help me through tough times, to help me in teaching my family (doing my 2nd family now that my first is grown and giving me grandkids) to be nice.
So Keith, I am not a Moral Failure - I have added so far 4 of my own kids, 5 grandkids, 3 of those kids have grown, and one is Atheist, 2 not, all business people, all went post secondary (We had no mom at home, yet all this)
So put your foot back in your mouth Keith, and learn some acceptance. Before you insult someone that has done some real honest 'great' in their lives already, and... who you were wrong, doesn't 'reject' science (But even if I did, who cares)
Erika, you seem cool. I like people who do not expect everyone to think the same way as they do, peace.
Add a comment... | https://plus.google.com/+AllisonSekuler/posts/iMs8JwdQ9Uy | <urn:uuid:7ef89154-a0ee-486d-be6c-6a7c61475c63> | en | 0.971919 | 0.229353 |
Jerry Detwiler
Detwiler is in his late 40s. He is tall and lean, keeps his hair neatly groomed and wears crisp suits to class. He insists on decorum from students and has been known to kick pupils out for wearing hats or chewing gum. Detwiler fidgets constantly.
Jerry Detwiler is, and always has been, arrogant and self-assured. A professor of psychology, his research into schizophrenia and its treatment promised to herald a new era of psychiatric medicine. Or so he believed, until further research demonstrated that his methods were flawed and required much more testing, all of which Detwiler brushed off bitterly (and still does). He remains a dogged pragmatist and atheist. He has even begun teaching an annual course in paranormal studies with the unstated purpose of disproving and discrediting such bunk.
Jerry Detwiler
That Old Black Magic haunters | https://that-old-black-magic.obsidianportal.com/characters/jerry-detwiler | <urn:uuid:7b9033b4-b954-4d65-92c7-eca4dd216e6b> | en | 0.97904 | 0.018662 |
The Lord Speaks
2“Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
3Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
4“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels#38:7Hebrew the sons of God shouted for joy?
8“Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
9when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
here is where your proud waves halt’?
12“Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
13that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?
14The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
its features stand out like those of a garment.
15The wicked are denied their light,
and their upraised arm is broken.
16“Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
18Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.
19“What is the way to the abode of light?
And where does darkness reside?
20Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
21Surely you know, for you were already born!
You have lived so many years!
22“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
or seen the storehouses of the hail,
23which I reserve for times of trouble,
for days of war and battle?
25Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
and a path for the thunderstorm,
26to water a land where no one lives,
an uninhabited desert,
27to satisfy a desolate wasteland
and make it sprout with grass?
28Does the rain have a father?
Who fathers the drops of dew?
29From whose womb comes the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
30when the waters become hard as stone,
when the surface of the deep is frozen?
31“Can you bind the chains#38:31Septuagint; Hebrew beauty of the Pleiades?
Can you loosen Orion’s belt?
32Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons#38:32Or the morning star in its season
or lead out the Bear#38:32Or out Leo with its cubs?
33Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God’s#38:33Or their dominion over the earth?
34“Can you raise your voice to the clouds
and cover yourself with a flood of water?
35Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36Who gives the ibis wisdom#38:36That is, wisdom about the flooding of the Nile
or gives the rooster understanding?#38:36That is, understanding of when to crow; the meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
37Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
38when the dust becomes hard
and the clods of earth stick together?
39“Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
and satisfy the hunger of the lions
40when they crouch in their dens
or lie in wait in a thicket?
41Who provides food for the raven
when its young cry out to God
and wander about for lack of food?
Loading reference in secondary version...
| https://www.bible.com/en-GB/bible/111/job.38.1.niv | <urn:uuid:74925cc4-31d1-4a90-a930-a958ae1a5516> | en | 0.920609 | 0.396817 |
1Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;
hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.
2Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.
3I will proclaim the name of the Lord.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
4He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he.
5They are corrupt and not his children;
to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation.
6Is this the way you repay the Lord,
you foolish and unwise people?
Is he not your Father, your Creator,#6Or Father, who bought you
who made you and formed you?
7Remember the days of old;
consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you,
your elders, and they will explain to you.
8When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided all mankind,
he set up boundaries for the peoples
according to the number of the sons of Israel.#8Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint) sons of God
9For the Lord’s portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted inheritance.
10In a desert land he found him,
in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him;
he guarded him as the apple of his eye,
11like an eagle that stirs up its nest
and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them
and carries them on its pinions.
12The Lord alone led him;
no foreign god was with him.
13He made him ride on the heights of the land
and fed him with the fruit of the fields.
He nourished him with honey from the rock,
and with oil from the flinty crag,
14with curds and milk from herd and flock
and with fattened lambs and goats,
with choice rams of Bashan
and the finest grains of wheat.
You drank the foaming blood of the grape.
15Jeshurun#15Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel.grew fat and kicked;
filled with food, they became heavy and sleek.
They abandoned the God who made them
and rejected the Rock their Saviour.
16They made him jealous with their foreign gods
and angered him with their detestable idols.
17They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God –
gods they had not known,
gods that recently appeared,
gods your ancestors did not fear.
18You deserted the Rock, who fathered you;
you forgot the God who gave you birth.
19The Lord saw this and rejected them
because he was angered by his sons and daughters.
20‘I will hide my face from them,’ he said,
‘and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation,
children who are unfaithful.
21They made me jealous by what is no god
and angered me with their worthless idols.
22For a fire will be kindled by my wrath,
one that burns down to the realm of the dead below.
It will devour the earth and its harvests
and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
23‘I will heap calamities on them
and expend my arrows against them.
24I will send wasting famine against them,
consuming pestilence and deadly plague;
I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts,
the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.
25In the street the sword will make them childless;
in their homes terror will reign.
The young men and young women will perish,
the infants and those with grey hair.
26I said I would scatter them
and erase their name from human memory,
27but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy,
lest the adversary misunderstand
and say, “Our hand has triumphed;
the Lord has not done all this.”’
28They are a nation without sense,
there is no discernment in them.
29If only they were wise and would understand this
and discern what their end will be!
30How could one man chase a thousand,
or two put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
unless the Lord had given them up?
31For their rock is not like our Rock,
as even our enemies concede.
32Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom
and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are filled with poison,
and their clusters with bitterness.
33Their wine is the venom of serpents,
the deadly poison of cobras.
34‘Have I not kept this in reserve
and sealed it in my vaults?
35It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
and their doom rushes upon them.’
36The Lord will vindicate his people
and relent concerning his servants
when he sees their strength is gone
and no one is left, slave or free.#36Or and they are without a ruler or leader
37He will say: ‘Now where are their gods,
the rock they took refuge in,
38the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink offerings?
Let them rise up to help you!
Let them give you shelter!
39‘See now that I myself am he!
There is no god besides me.
I put to death and I bring to life,
I have wounded and I will heal,
and no one can deliver out of my hand.
40I lift my hand to heaven and solemnly swear:
As surely as I live for ever,
41when I sharpen my flashing sword
and my hand grasps it in judgment,
I will take vengeance on my adversaries
and repay those who hate me.
42I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
while my sword devours flesh:
the blood of the slain and the captives,
the heads of the enemy leaders.’
43Rejoice, you nations, with his people,#43aOr Make his people rejoice, you nations,#43bMasoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint) people, / and let all the angels worship him,
for he will avenge the blood of his servants;
he will take vengeance on his enemies
and make atonement for his land and people.
44Moses came with Joshua#44Hebrew Hoshea, a variant of Joshua son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. 45When Moses had finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46he said to them, ‘Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. 47They are not just idle words for you – they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.’
48On that same day the Lord told Moses, 49‘Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, opposite Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. 50There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. 51This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. 52Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.’
Loading reference in secondary version...
Holy Bible, New International Version®, Anglicised, NIV®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | https://www.bible.com/en-GB/bible/113/deu.32.nivuk | <urn:uuid:112e5950-4bbd-49e7-a84e-fbaf86ae3ad8> | en | 0.966512 | 0.02095 |
1A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline;# Hebrew A wise son accepts his father’s discipline.
a mocker refuses to listen to correction.
2Wise words will win you a good meal,
but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.
3Those who control their tongue will have a long life;
opening your mouth can ruin everything.
4Lazy people want much but get little,
but those who work hard will prosper.
5The godly hate lies;
the wicked cause shame and disgrace.
6Godliness guards the path of the blameless,
but the evil are misled by sin.
7Some who are poor pretend to be rich;
others who are rich pretend to be poor.
8The rich can pay a ransom for their lives,
but the poor won’t even get threatened.
9The life of the godly is full of light and joy,
but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.
10Pride leads to conflict;
those who take advice are wise.
11Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears;
wealth from hard work grows over time.
12Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.
13People who despise advice are asking for trouble;
those who respect a command will succeed.
14The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain;
those who accept it avoid the snares of death.
15A person with good sense is respected;
a treacherous person is headed for destruction.# As in Greek version; Hebrew reads the way of the treacherous is lasting.
16Wise people think before they act;
fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.
17An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble,
but a reliable messenger brings healing.
18If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace;
if you accept correction, you will be honored.
19It is pleasant to see dreams come true,
but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.
20Walk with the wise and become wise;
associate with fools and get in trouble.
21Trouble chases sinners,
while blessings reward the righteous.
22Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren,
but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.
23A poor person’s farm may produce much food,
but injustice sweeps it all away.
24Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children.
Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.
25The godly eat to their hearts’ content,
but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.
Loading reference in secondary version...
| https://www.bible.com/en-GB/bible/116/pro.13.6.nlt | <urn:uuid:742dfea0-deb9-45ff-93ad-cfee507a34e7> | en | 0.904805 | 0.122909 |
• AFRICA UNITE!time to stop all the Tribal,Political,Religious and boundary wars and conflicts,cause we are all one people,United we rule divide we fall.One Africa one people,one love.Blessings.xx As we aproach our UAF(UNITED AFRICAN FEDERATION) Golden jubilee season 2013,i and my team members are still trying to pass across the awareness of our African golden jubilee next year.Laws of the Jubilee is Leviticus 25 which is a Mosaic law.i have done my research on the laws of the JUBILEE and would encourage everyone including the churches,schools,youth and africa as a whole to research on the laws so they can have a better understanding of what is a Jubilee season. In my own understand i will share my knowledge of what a Jubilee is.WHAT IS A JUBILEE?Biblical refference a JUBILEE is the HOLY Year( the Sabbatical year)A Jubilee year happens every 50 years;declare the year Sacred.Regulation has a special impact on the ownership and management of LAND in the territory of the KINGDOM OF ISRAEL and of JUDAH.REFFERENCE OF THE LAWS OF THE JUBILEE,BIBLE LEVITICUS 25. Jubilee deals largely with land, property, and property rights. As with most cultures, the property rights regarding land, slaves and indentured servants was less absolute than for other property rights such as for tools and personal artifacts. As examples, in Leviticus,ALMIGHTY is speaking to Moses: Leviticus 25:10 You will sound the Trumpet;On the day of Expiation you will sound the trumpet throughtout the Land.Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you - and you shall return every man unto his own clan, you shall return every man to his family. Leviticus 25:23 The land must not be sold permanently, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners, my tenant farmers. Leviticus 27:21 When the field reverts in the Jubilee year it shall become holy unto the MOST HIGH, as a field set apart; and it shall become owned by the priests." Rejoice cause it shall be holy unto us,Almighty has showered his blessings and is interving for us in this holy season of our JUBILEE.Wake up Africa the time is now!
to comment | https://www.causes.com/campaigns/36159-support-the-uaf-united-african-federation-golden-jubilee-2013/description | <urn:uuid:e4099202-d8ab-4f8f-a0a0-66e338aae4da> | en | 0.923888 | 0.482972 |
Charmed and Legend of Zelda Crossovers
Zelda: The Charmed Ones by Ilovesnurtlez reviews
"Not again!" Paige screamed. Then a transparent image of a dark skinned man, with flame colored hair appeared. He stretched out his hand, and large triangular light engulfed the women. The next moment they were standing in the middle of a field.
Rated: T - English - Adventure/Fantasy - Chapters: 8 - Words: 18,590 - Reviews: 4 - Favs: 5 - Follows: 7 - Updated: 7/8/2012 - Published: 8/7/2011 | https://www.fanfiction.net/Charmed-and-Legend-of-Zelda-Crossovers/95/123/ | <urn:uuid:ab1e19ff-58a0-4828-8e9b-8c1059851bc2> | en | 0.896039 | 0.028288 |
Reviews for The Devil's Own Hospitality
Xion is my fate 'Laura Heart chapter 1 . 10/22/2009
It was very good. I know about "dream writing" and it is very difficult to make understandable. You have a natural talent.
Lasgalendil chapter 1 . 12/1/2008
I. Am. Intrigued!
The whole dream like sequence showed us how bizarre and confusing the events must have seemed to Molly herself. I still maintain that the strongest part of this piece is the ambiguity-did Molly dream the whole thing, starting with the inn, or did it actually happen? The reader is forced to choose an option, which elevates the tension.
Grubbing around in the dirt under the bridle gives me the creeps...her horror and acceptance of the revelation were vivid. Realizing, or knowing concretely, for the first time, what sort of horror this creature is is quite terrifying. Especially given the foreshadowing of 'losing' when playing a fae's game.
The repetition of Schmendrick's warnings/plea tied the whole piece together-and left us even more intrigued. Is he wounded, dying? Wanting to hold her? Is danger passed or is it only just beginning?
This piece definitely ended on a strong note. Thanks for a great one!
Tiamat42 chapter 1 . 7/13/2007
Oh, very nice! The descriptions are just enough to give you an image, but not enough to be overbearing. It feels very much like a dream, but then again, so did the book, really. Molly and Schmendrick...what a couple, if only for the names. Boring normality meets wildly improbable and almost silly fantasy... what's not to like?
There were a couple of mistakes, missing words I think, and a few awkward sentences that only stand out because the rest of it flows so well.
I haven't read any Last Unicorn fanfic before this...but it's nice to see that it's out there. I loved this book once upon a time. ;)
Kyer chapter 1 . 3/23/2007
You wrote this after severe sleep deprivation? It's a wonder it's as understandable as it is. And quite lovely even if I wish it hadn't ended quite so soon.
pigtailedgirl chapter 1 . 3/2/2007
Wow. Wonderful story. It reads so much like the novel in style and description, I'm wondering if you are secretly Mr. Beagle. ;D
Fantastic and favored and printed. | https://www.fanfiction.net/r/3414372/ | <urn:uuid:c1754d24-d04d-4b9a-a646-18a967622677> | en | 0.949312 | 0.034019 |
Reviews for Shepherd
SkywardShadow chapter 1 . 4/3/2009
Ooh, very dark and controlling (more or less) side of L. Very unusual. Loved it.
Kanki Youji chapter 1 . 3/29/2009
Quick almost correction, m'dear: "The second sheep had turned black black like coal and hellfire and this would not do" I'd suggest you have a comma between the first and second 'black' here.
This was wonderfully done. Quite good. *shivers* Jeezums, L! Now I'm happier to play you when we're doing a Beyond-less shoot with our second Misa, becuase I like playing crazy creepy people but... damn! Scary! Eep! *hides behind Demented Inu* Save me, Maddie! L is scarring me! Use you're awesome female-gamer skillz to keep me safe from the insomniac panda!
Contemptus Saeculi chapter 1 . 3/29/2009
Well this is creepy and awesome. And made of win. It's something about Evil!L and innoecent children's songs, I think. Have I ever mentioned how much I like the idea of refering to the Whammy's kids by number? It has just the right amout of distance to the story.
I like the idea of L being able to just...move on and get rid of entire generations or 'flocks'.
The only thing I would change or emblish is probably here-
"One by one more of her men fell to the poison."
- and use that to add in a line about the helplessness of not being to be able to act on the knowledge, having to watch the men die without consequence. But that's just me.
All in all, it's very dark and very good and I'm sligtly disturbed that L wants his own sucesors dead, even if I can understand is betrayal-issues.
So, uh. Win? | https://www.fanfiction.net/r/4955182/ | <urn:uuid:b8e00d5f-9961-413d-93fa-2bf5bfa65854> | en | 0.959229 | 0.018449 |
Reviews for A New Enemy
Countrycat17 chapter 2 . 9/8/2013
I still don't understand. What does this have to do with Jafar and Dr Facilier?
Guest chapter 1 . 9/8/2013
I don't really get this. Is this before or after the movies?
puddingtalk chapter 1 . 3/24/2011
write moooorrrreeeee
Nausicaa of the Spirits chapter 1 . 2/1/2011
I'm afraid to ask, but who's the girl Jafar's talking about? Jasmine or Tiana? | https://www.fanfiction.net/r/6703963/ | <urn:uuid:861c0528-b2dd-4ad5-8d2e-45bef6e3ec86> | en | 0.89219 | 0.024876 |
Chapter 11: Revelations and Complications
Nothing decided! Then what were you all doing? You were shut up for hours.
Talking. There was a deal of talk, and everyone had an eye-opener. Even old Gandalf. I think Legolas's bit of news about Gollum caught even him on the hop, though he passed it off.
Pippin and Bilbo—The Fellowship of the Ring (The Ring Goes South)
Gimli would be the first to admit that when it came to finding one's way around an unexplored cavern, there were better dwarves for the job.
Not that Gimli was unskilled in such matters. Far from it. He was leagues ahead of any man or elf and far more adept than most hobbits. But among his own people, Gimli's talents beneath the earth were considered average at best. He had a discerning eye when it came to the potential of virgin lodes, but the actual exploration and excavation of a mine were things that had not interested him as a child. Instead, he had spent most of his youth accompanying ore shipments across Eriador, protecting the goods from thieves and negotiating prices with prospective merchants. A dwarf of "many journeys" was how he had once described himself, and Gimli considered the long years of travel to be years well spent. But he now wished that he had paid better attention to his instructors when they had spoken of the subtle nuances in stone that could enable one to forge a path through uncharted territory.
Glaring up at the dark, dusty walls around him, Gimli lifted his torch and studied the hallway carefully. He took note of the size and quality of the stonework as well as the width and height of the passage. He even spent a few minutes inspecting the blackened wall sconces where torches once sat in days long gone. He examined everything he could and made a guess about everything he couldn't, but in the end, he lowered his torch with a sigh, his spirits as dark as his surroundings. He had yet to come across anything that looked familiar, and the further he traveled in the hidden passages of the King's House, the more this concerned him.
He still felt that he was going in the right direction. That was a comfort of sorts, though it would have been a greater comfort had Legolas been at his side. The elf was altogether hopeless beneath the ground and had once confessed that the only reason he could navigate his father's subterranean halls was because he had lived in them for centuries. If Legolas's bewildered instincts had been available for comparison, Gimli's vague notion that he was on the correct path would have felt like a near certainty. There was sometimes much comfort to be drawn from the incompetence of others.
But Legolas was not here, and therein lay another problem. Gimli's attention was divided between himself and his fear that somewhere a lost and frantic elf had succumbed to the dark and was now beating his head against the stone walls. It might have been an amusing thought under other circumstances, but given the extent of these passages, it could easily take hours to find Legolas once Gimli reached the mains halls and enlisted help. By that time, the elf would have driven himself mad. Madder than he already was. And though Legolas had insisted upon joining the dwarf in these passages, Gimli still felt a measure of responsibility for him. If Legolas removed himself even further from the land of the sane, it would be upon Gimli's head.
Scowling at the implications, the dwarf stomped around a corner and found himself at a crossroads adjacent to an ascending staircase. He needed his concentration to decide his next path, so with an embarrassing amount of effort, Gimli pushed Legolas to the back of his mind. There was no use worrying about the elf until he could actually do something to help him, and he would not be able to help him until he found his own way out of the passages. Once Legolas was safely removed from his thoughts, Gimli considered his choices and tried to determine where he currently stood. Calling to mind a mental map of the King's House, he decided that he was probably one level below the nursery, which meant that he should take the stairs. But he was far from certain of this choice, and there was a very good chance that he was already on the nursery's level. He had lost track of the number of stairs that had been climbed, and he was not entirely sure of how many had been descended.
Absently tugging at his beard, he walked over to the steps and raised his torch, hoping to see something in the darkness that might help him. But the shadows were loath to give up their secrets, and the dwarf found nothing. Pursing his lips, Gimli wondered what his old instructors would say if they could see him now and decided to hazard one more set of stairs.
At the top of the stairs, Gimli was faced with corridor so narrow that he was obliged to turn sideways in order to walk it. Fighting off a disturbing bout of claustrophobia—it was almost elven in nature—he hastened forward and burst into a wider corridor. Stopping to clear his mind, Gimli closed his eyes and sagged against a wall, suddenly grateful that Legolas had decided to become lost on his own. The elf's absence would undoubtedly cause problems later, but at least there had been no witnesses to Gimli's sudden panic.
Composing himself, he took a deep breath and opened his eyes, focusing once more upon the stonework. His torch was beginning to sputter, but it still burned brightly enough for Gimli to see something that made him pause. The stonework here looked very similar to the stonework that had lined the walls of the nursery. It was not the same but it was close, and Gimli felt a tremor of excitement race through him. With one hand tracing the patterns upon the wall, he started forward again, scarcely noticing his failing torch. After a few minutes had passed, he came to a crossing hallway, and his eyes were immediately drawn to something in the dust upon the floor.
His footprints.
And with them, scarce to be seen, a slight distortion in the dust that could only be an elf's footprints.
He had done it. He had found a way back to the nursery without the infuriating elf and without taking the same passages they had used when leaving the nursery. Feeling immensely pleased with himself and deciding that he had not needed to pay attention to his old instructors after all, Gimli quickly backtracked along the trail. The torch was dimming quickly now, but Gimli was not concerned. The stonework had begun to look very familiar indeed, and he was convinced that he could reach his goal before the torch failed completely.
And a short time later, with his light reduced to no more than the red glow of embers, Gimli stumbled over a pile of unused torches.
Even as he tripped, he let out triumphant cry, for he recognized this pile. At least, he thought he did. There was not enough light remaining to be certain, but Gimli felt sure that this was the same pile of torches he had discovered upon entering the secret passages. Dropping his own torch as it fizzled into darkness, he seized one of the new torches and reached into his tunic for his flint and steel. Within moments, the dusty passages were brightly lit once more, and Gimli proceeded to study the walls around him.
What he found made him smile. He was correct. This was the same pile of torches that had supplied him with his first torch, and this meant that the nursery was just beyond the walls. Gimli paused to wonder why there was a collection of torches here and not elsewhere, but he pushed that thought aside for more practical concerns. He could ponder the mystery of the torches once he was back in more approved hallways.
A quick analysis of the stones in the wall revealed the nursery doorway's exact location, and having discovered that, Gimli looked around for the switch to open it. He expected it to be opposite the stone he had used to close the door, but after a cursory search yielded nothing, he realized that he was working with something a bit more sophisticated than that. With grudging respect for those who had built the King's House, Gimli went back to basics and examined the depressed stone that had closed the nursery door. An experimental push and a tug resulted in the sound of a rattling chain, and Gimli nodded to himself. He was dealing with a locking mechanism and a set of opposing weights. If the door was open, pushing a certain stone inwards—as he had done earlier—raised a weight and a chain that allowed a lighter weight and chain to pull the door shut, whereupon it locked in place. If the lock was released, the heavier weight fell, dragging the door open. It was a simple enough device, and Gimli was familiar with the engineering. There were a few doors in Aglarond that employed a similar design. All he needed to do now was find the stone that released the lock.
For a dwarf specifically trained in hidden doorways, this should have taken about two or three minutes. For a dwarf of Gimli's caliber, it should have taken about five minutes. And for a dwarf of any caliber, it should have taken no more than ten minutes.
Fifteen minutes later, Gimli was still searching.
He had searched the base of the door. He had searched the wall around the door. He had searched the wall opposite the door on the off chance that those who had engineered the lock had run the release over the ceiling and down the other side as a perverse joke. In an act of desperation, he had bodily thrown himself against the door several times, hoping to force the lock. But after all this, the door was still shut and the dwarf was still trapped.
Stepping back and giving the immovable stone a baleful glare, Gimli once again felt grateful that Legolas was not here to witness his failure. Or his next actions. For when faced with problems like this, where all attempts had met with defeat, the best recourse was to yell for help.
Children were among the most confusing and confounding creatures that Elladan had ever met.
The previous evening, he had joined Arwen and Estel in the Queen's Gardens and watched with bemused fascination as Eldarion ate a bug despite his mother's best efforts to prevent it. Elladan now watched that same child adamantly refuse far more conventional fare on the basis that it was repulsive. The bread and dried fruit Elladan had purchased in haste had been all but thrown aside, and even though his stomach was rumbling loudly, Eldarion resolved to have nothing to do with such things. It was only after Elladan bought some especially smelly cheese and complimented it with his own stash of elven bread that Eldarion agreed to eat.
By that time, it was almost too late. Watchful for approaching Rohirrim, Elladan caught sight of Lord Elfhelm and a small contingent of Riders entering the Second Circle, and he immediately began looking for places to hide. The markets were still crowded enough that there was little chance of being seen, but he was not about to take chances. Not after Prince Elfwine had managed to find him so easily.
"Eldarion?" he hissed, pushing his way to the edge of the streets.
Perched on his uncle's hip, Eldarion looked up expectantly, his cheeks flaked with a cheese so strong that Elladan's stomach rolled over.
"Eldarion, we are going to play a game," Elladan said, forcing himself to ignore the smell. "But I need you to give me your food for just a moment and climb onto my back. And I need you to be as quiet as possible. Just as you were when you were hiding from Gimli this morning. Can you do that?"
Eldarion studied Elladan with solemn, gray eyes that seemed far too old for his four years of age. But then his face brightened in a wide smile and he nodded eagerly, handing over his food and shifting around until his arms twined around Elladan's neck and his legs pressed tightly against his sides.
"Good," Elladan said, glancing back at the Rohirrim. They were blocked by the masses but making surprising progress, and Elladan hurriedly ducked into an alley where he had noticed some vines growing down the side of an inn. "Now hold tightly," he whispered, stuffing Eldarion's cheese into a belt pouch as he made his way to the wall. "We are going to do a bit of exploring in an upward direction."
Eldarion seemed to approve of this activity, and he giggled softly, spewing cheese across Elladan's shoulders. Deciding not to breathe for the next few minutes, Elladan gauged the distance between himself and the tangled vines, took a few steps back, and then leaped.
Forgetting the earlier admonition to be quiet, Eldarion squealed with delight, but Elladan did not stop to hush him. He could feel the vines trembling under their combined weight, and he hastily began climbing, hoping that no one bothered to glance down this alley and that if they did, they would pass this off as an oddity of the elves. Valar take you, Elrohir, he thought darkly as he struggled up the wall. Had you any respect for me at all, you would have allowed me to see distract Elfwine while you cared for Eldarion.
A wild shriek in his right ear jerked him from his thoughts, and he suddenly realized two things: he was choking and Eldarion's feet were no longer against his side. Instead, the crown-prince of Gondor was swinging from his uncle's neck and laughing excitedly. A jolt of fear enabled him to hurriedly scramble up the rest of the vines, and with a gasp of relief that involved inhaling a large quantity of Eldarion's cheesy breath, he hauled himself over the edge of the flat roof and collapsed.
"Again!" Eldarion commanded, releasing his stranglehold on Elladan's neck and clapping his hands.
"In a moment," Elladan said, pulling Eldarion away from the edge. "This is the part of the exploration where we must hide."
"Because there are men looking for me and I would rather they did not find me."
Elladan was suddenly reminded that aside from the infamous pout of Isildur, Isildur's heirs were also notorious for incessant interrogation sessions. "Because there is a game of sorts going on, and some of those playing the game have been less than kind," he explained patiently.
"Legolas, for one, though I suspect that Gimli was also involved."
"Legolas and Gimli weren't kind?" Eldarion wore an expression of disbelief.
"Nay, they were not," Elladan said, crawling to the edge of the roof so that he had a view of the street below. The Rohirrim were now marching by, but fortunately, they seemed unaware that the subject of their anger was less than a stone's throw away.
"You're lying," Eldarion declared.
Elladan frowned at the accusation but did not look away from the street. "And what cause have you to say that?"
"Because you said Legolas and Gimli weren't kind, but that's wrong. Gimli is always kind."
The omission of Ithilien's elven lord caught Elladan's interest, and he glanced back at his nephew. "And what of Legolas?"
Eldarion folded his arms across his chest and assumed a look of supreme indignation. "He won't let me touch his bow."
Elladan hastily turned back toward the streets and transformed his laugh into a cough. "Ah. Yes, well, I understand how that could be seen as terribly unkind. My condolences. But now I am curious: What of Gimli's axe? Does he allow you to play with it?"
Elladan could sense Eldarion's scowl deepening. "He says he would if mother and father would let me. And the nurses, too. But they won't."
"I see. Therefore, it is not Gimli's fault that you are unable to wield the axe." Elladan shook his head, impressed in spite of himself. Gimli, of course, would never let such a young child near such a dangerous weapon, but by shifting the blame, he had earned himself a place of high favor in Eldarion's eyes. Elladan had not thought the dwarf capable of such devious maneuvering, but then, he had been spending quite a bit of time with Legolas of late…
"Can I have my cheese?"
"May I have my cheese," Elladan corrected absently, his eyes following the last of the Rohirrim as they departed up the street, finally clear of the crowded market place. "And yes, you may. I think we shall wait here for my brother. We have a good view, and we shall see him the moment he emerges."
"It is indeed a good view, but I doubt you will linger long enough to enjoy it."
Elladan froze, his eyes widening, and then he spun around, leaping to his feet and feeling for his belt knife. "Legolas!"
On the side of the roof closest to the towering wall that separated the Second Circle from the Third, Thranduil's youngest son stared back at Elladan, his face unreadable but his eyes burning. "Is not this an interesting meeting?" he observed coolly.
Elladan immediately stepped in front of Eldarion, determined to keep his prize. "It is," he answered, matching the other's tone. "This is also an interesting place for a meeting."
"True enough," Legolas said with a slow nod. He took a casual step toward Elladan and Eldarion, the latter of whom seemed fascinated by this new development. "I am amazed that a creature of Imladris was able to venture so high without mishap."
Firmly bridling his temper, Elladan did not move from his protective stance. "And I am amazed that a creature of Greenwood was able to venture so high without the coddling assistance of trees."
Something flashed in Legolas's eyes, and he took another step closer. "I am reassured, at least, that Rivendell is not bereft of all its traditions. You have managed to cleverly conceal yourself in a place where all looking down from above might see. My congratulations."
Elladan frowned and struggled to understand this insult and also to answer it. This inn was among the tallest buildings of the Second Circle. There was no opportunity to look down from above unless… "Did you just come from the Third Circle wall?" he demanded, surprise getting the better of him.
"I did," Legolas said.
Legolas arched one elegant eyebrow. "I jumped."
"From the wall?"
The archer shrugged. "It is a reasonable jump if one knows what one is doing."
Elladan looked up at the towering wall of the Third Circle and blinked, deciding that it was a reasonable jump only if one was a Wood-elf who cared nothing for the safety of his own neck.
"But enough of this," Legolas said, tearing Elladan from his thoughts and assuming a purposeful look. "Where is your brother? I must speak with you both."
Wondering if this was a test of sorts and well aware of the fact that Legolas was more comfortable with heights than he was, Elladan attempt to craft a safe answer. "I fear that Elrohir is away at the moment, but he is within calling distance should need arise."
Something that might have been a smirk flashed across Legolas's face, and he glanced toward the streets. "Would I be wrong in assuming that you are both avoiding the Rohirrim?"
Elladan checked his temper sharply by promising himself that vengeance would be sweet, satisfying, and extensive. "You may assume whatever you wish."
The smirk returned, tugging at the corners of Legolas's mouth. "Very well. To business, then, since you seem loath to call Lord Elrohir. I have come to collect Eldarion, and I would rather you give him to me than I force him from you. Are you willing to concede?"
"Concede?" Elladan's anger dissolved into an outright laugh. "My dear Legolas, the morning has clearly wearied your mind. In order to concede, one must be defeated, and I am not."
"I can see to that shortly if you insist upon it," Legolas replied with unnerving confidence.
"Truly? If you refer to the actions you have taken upon the Pelennor, then allow me to point out that one crown-prince is of far more importance than a few brood mares," Elladan answered.
"Perhaps," Legolas allowed, the smirk becoming more pronounced. "But your own dignity coupled with the respect that Minas Tirith accords Imladris may be worth more than one crown-prince."
Now somewhat nervous, Elladan decided that Legolas was too sure of himself and that a prudent retreat was in order. "If you can offer naught but vague threats, then we are done here." He turned to his nephew, careful to keep one eye upon Legolas. "Climb on my back again," he instructed. "It is time for us to depart."
"Stay, my lord prince," Legolas commanded when Eldarion started forward. "I have somewhat more to say to to your uncle, if you will allow it."
And much to Elladan's surprise, Eldarion stopped. Apparently pleased by Legolas's sudden formality, he responded in kind and nodded gravely. "You can speak to him," he announced with every ounce of dignity that a four-year-old child could muster.
"My thanks," Legolas said with a deep bow. Elladan suspected the bow was primarily to hide a growing smile than to show respect. "Lord Elladan of Imladris, a word in private?"
"If you believe that I am so foolish as to—"
"I ask for no more than a short discussion," Legolas interrupted, raising his hands to show his good intentions. "You have my word on my father's realm that I wish only to speak with you."
Elladan frowned, but there was not much he could say in response to that. A refusal to take Legolas at his word constituted a breach of trust and an insult to his honor. Such insults were not born lightly by those of Thranduil's line, even on light-hearted days. After a quick look back at Eldarion to see that he was both out of Legolas's reach and not too close to the edge of the roof, Elladan moved forward. "And what have you to say to me?" he demanded, attempting to regain control of the situation.
"I propose an exchange," Legolas whispered, his eyes straying to Eldarion for a moment. "You surrender the crown-prince to me, and I promise to forego certain actions this evening."
"Certain actions?" Elladan echoed. "If seems to me that we are dealing with vague threats again. Or perhaps you refer to further activities among Rohan's horses?"
"Nay, nothing so banal at that," Legolas said with a dangerous smile. "Rather, I had an idea to speak to the minstrels that will be present at the feast this evening. It occurs to me that their repertoire of songs might be enlarged."
Elladan blinked in surprise. What did Gondor's minstrels have to do with anything?
"The king and queen have been very helpful in supplying old lays remembered only within the House of Elrond," Legolas continued, his eyes gleaming. "But there have been some grievous omissions. I believe it is time to correct that."
Now thoroughly confused, Elladan could only stare at Legolas and wonder if there was a point to all this.
"Tell me if you are familiar with this song," Legolas said. "O! Where are you going with beards all a-wagging? What brings—"
The shout escaped ere Elladan could stop it, so great was his horror at hearing part a song that was regarded as one of Rivendell's most closely guarded secrets. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eldarion jump in surprise, but Legolas seemed to have expected his reaction and was now smiling serenely.
"Nay, I think more is required," Legolas said. "For after all, the valley is jolly. Ha! Ha!"
Attempting to restrain his anger, Elladan took a deep breath and fixed Legolas with a glare worthy of Glorfindel. "Where did you learn those words?"
"Bilbo Baggins," Legolas answered. "Just ere he departed, I asked if I might have a copy of some of the songs he heard while in Rivendell. He was only too happy to share, and on the topic of this particular song, he decided to share more than what he included in his book. Truly fascinating, I must confess. Of course, many of us in Greenwood had long suspected the existence of a balancing song. Something that offset all those dour laments of the First Age and your eternal pining for the Undying Lands. But never did we think to hear of a song so inane as the one recorded by our esteemed hobbit friend." Legolas shook his head, his expression one of unfettered glee. "Really, Lord Elladan. Tra-la-la-lally?"
Torn between a desire to curl into a ball and disappear and a desire to throw Legolas off the roof, Elladan settled for a burning glower and clenched fists. "If you breathe one word of this to Gondor's minstrels, I will—"
"But that is the point! You can ensure that Gondor's minstrels are never subjected to such nonsense and that Rivendell's madness is kept safely contained within its own borders."
Elladan stared at Legolas, bringing to bear everything he had ever learned from his father on the subject of intimidating looks. Legolas responded by calling up one of Thranduil's most infuriating expressions: smug victory. And unable to think of an alternative offer or threat, Elladan was forced to admit that the Wood-elf was right. Keeping Eldarion for the rest of the day would be enjoyable, but Rivendell's dignity came first. Thanks to Bilbo's records, a few verses of the infamous Tra-la-la-lallly song were already common knowledge among hobbits, but until now, Elladan had believed that the full scope of the song remained mercifully unknown. If Bilbo had shared the other verses with Legolas…
"Take him," Elladan snapped, stepping aside and nodding to Eldarion.
"My thanks for your cooperation," Legolas said, inclining his head with a smile. "Though I will miss hearing that song tonight."
"See that you do."
Legolas's smile grew, but he said nothing more on the subject and walked toward Eldarion, dropping down on one knee in order to speak with the prince. Disgusted with himself, with Legolas, with Bilbo Baggins, and with the world in general, Elladan fumed silently and headed for the vines. He sensed the beginnings of a large headache and felt it would be best to leave before anything else happened.
It was only when he was halfway down the vines and he heard Eldarion's voice suddenly rise in a demand for his food that Elladan remembered a certain smelly chunk of cheese still hidden in his belt pouch. Deciding it should remain there, he quickly dropped the rest of the distance to the ground and hastened away. Petty, yes, but at the moment, Elladan would take what he could get.
It did not take Pippin long to discover that Meriadoc Brandybuck was much heavier than he looked. Even with Imrahil's assistance, Pippin was exhausted by the time they dragged the inebriated hobbit into his quarters. He was ready for a nap himself, and he probably would have curled up right there on the floor had it not been for a sudden rumbling outburst from his stomach.
"Are you concealing a small dragon, Master Took?" Imrahil asked, turning down the blankets on Merry's bed.
Pippin scowled and shot a glare at Merry, who was propped against one wall and blissfully unaware of his surroundings. "No thanks to him, I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast."
"Then it sounds as though lunch is in order. It is certainly time for it, and I feel the need for nourishment myself. Help me put your friend to bed, and once he is settled, we shall seek out the butteries in the Tower. Afterwards we can search for Legolas and Gimli. Once we are assured of their whereabouts, we should probably go together to search for Elladan and Elrohir. It may be difficult to find them, even if they are still in the Second Circle."
"I suppose that will have to do," Pippin sighed, bending down and pulling Merry's left arm over his shoulder. "But I was looking forward to the feast down on the Pelennor. I had some choice words to say to Strider about Arwen. If we hurry and find Legolas and Gimli, do you think we can still catch them on the fields?"
Imrahil had been taking Merry's other arm, but he stopped at this and flashed a sharp look in Pippin's direction. "You mean to say that you do not know?"
"Know what?"
There was a slight pause, barely noticeable, and then Imrahil shook his head. "Naught. I am merely surprised that word of this has not spread. The citizens of Minas Tirith are not usually so discreet." He gripped Merry beneath his right arm and pulled the hobbit to his feet.
"Discreet about what?" Pippin asked, forgetting his exhaustion in the face of his curiosity.
"There was an accident upon the Pelennor this morning," Imrahil answered, moving Merry toward the bed with Pippin's assistance. "I will not tire you with the details, but the king and queen are currently in the Houses of Healing tending to one of the accident's victims."
"Do I know this victim?"
"You have met before. Here, lay him against the bed and we shall lift his legs."
Pippin obediently let Merry's upper body flop forward onto the bed. "So where have I met the victim?" he asked, not about to let Imrahil divert the conversation. "And what kind of accident was it?"
"It involved…horses," Imrahil said, gasping slightly as they maneuvered Merry the rest of the way onto the bed. His face creased with pain, and one hand went to his side.
"Horses?" Pippin blinked, thinking back over what he had heard just ere he left the Pelennor with Merry. "Did something happen during the race between you and Eomer? Is Eomer hurt? And are you hurt, too?"
"You are perceptive, Master Took," Imrahil murmured, straightening and pulling the blankets up over Merry. "As for your questions, yes. Something did happen during the horse race, and Eomer was injured. Thanks to his actions, though, I am only bruised."
Pippin gave him a rather skeptical look. "How badly was Eomer hurt? And how certain are you that you're all right?"
"I am reasonably certain of my own health. As for the king of Rohan…he suffered a blow to the head. We are convinced that he will recover in time, but for the moment, he is in need of rest."
Imrahil sounded confident and Pippin wanted to believe him, but experience had taught him that just because someone sounded confident didn't mean they were telling the whole story. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, in particular, were quite good at claiming one thing when the opposite was true. Sam thought that it had something to do with being a leader over a large group of suspicious-minded people, and if he was right, then Imrahil was probably equally skilled at deception. Which meant that Pippin would have to press harder for answers. "So how much rest does Eomer need?" he asked.
"As much as King Elessar deems necessary."
"And how much is that? How severe was the blow to his head? Did he fall and hit it on something? Or did something fall and hit him?"
Imrahil's face took on a bemused expression. "A little of both, I believe. Are all hobbits so inquisitive?"
"Both?" Pippin echoed, ignoring the last part. He started to ask more, but his stomach suddenly let out another loud growl.
"Perhaps we would be better served discussing this over lunch," Imrahil observed.
With a grimace, Pippin nodded. "Probably. I feel as though I could—"
Pippin flinched violently and spun around. "Merry? You're supposed to be asleep!"
"Am I?" Merry blinked and rolled over, tangling himself in his blankets. "Have I been awake long? Wha's the time?"
"It is time for you to sleep again," Imrahil said. "You have already been awake far too long."
"Can't tell what time it is!" Merry said crossly. "Everything keeps changing."
"That's what happens when you drink Mirkwood wine, you ninny," Pippin scolded. "Now close your eyes and—"
"The wine's made in Greenwood," Merry corrected.
"The wine is aged. It was made when Greenwood was still Mirkwood," Pippin answered, wondering why he was bothering to argue with a drunk.
"But it's still p'lite to call it Greenwood."
"Of course it is," Imrahil said. "And we shall certainly do that in the future. Now close your eyes and go to sleep. We will be returning later to see how you fare."
Merry's eyes had already begun drifting shut, but he opened them wide at this news and hiccuped. "You're leaving?"
"Just for a little while," Pippin assured him. "I promise that I'll be back as soon as I can."
"No!" Merry said, shaking his head violently. "Have to watch on you. S'pposed to keep you out of trouble."
Pippin stared at him. "And who will keep you out of trouble? Honestly, Merry, you can barely walk! And I don't need a minder. I'm a grown hobbit with a wife and a—"
"Always same ol' Pippin," Merry interrupted, somehow managing to roll to the edge of the bed. He peered over the side and squinted at the floor. "Why's it still moving?"
"Perhaps we should slip away now," Imrahil murmured, moving towards the doorway.
"No!" Merry cried, promptly falling out of the bed. Stunned, Pippin could only watch helplessly as Merry tried to sit up, fell over, and then began patting the floor soothingly. "S'alright," he whispered. "You can hold still now."
"Or perhaps I should slip away while you remain here," Imrahil said.
Pippin bit his lip and stared at the other hobbit. "But Legolas and Gimli—"
"Are better left to others."
"But I need their help to…" Pippin trailed off and decided that telling Imrahil he needed to do something horrid to Arwen was probably not a wise decision. "I need to talk to them. And I need food and—"
"It will be easy enough for me to send food to you," Imrahil answered, his tone growing firm. "But I would rather not have Mastery Meriadoc wandering about without supervision. He has already attempted to start a fire in the storerooms. Who knows what he shall attempt next?"
Recognizing defeat, Pippin nodded reluctantly as his stomach let out a petulant growl. "I'll look forward to whatever you send, then," he sighed. "And if you don't mind, could you send something for Merry, too? He may not want food now, but he will once he properly wakes up."
"A wise idea, Master Took." Imrahil turned to leave but then paused for a moment. "You will be able to handle him?"
"Yes, we'll be fine," Pippin said. "Usually the situation is reversed, but I've had to help him out of a few taverns back in the Shire."
"Very well, then. I will send a guard around with a plate presently."
Pippin nodded and bowed slightly as Imrahil left the room. Then he turned to Merry, who was still patting the floor solicitously. "Well, you've now decreased our chances of getting into the pantries downstairs. I hope you're proud of yourself."
"It's calming down," Merry answered. "Don't you think so?"
"I…suppose," Pippin said slowly.
"I think so," Merry said, laying his cheek on the ground.
Pippin shook his head and decided that all discussions could wait until Merry was more coherent. "Yes, well, do you think you can get back into bed now?"
Merry looked as though this was the most ridiculous idea he'd heard all day. "Bed? But it isn't night! The time's all funny, but the sun's still up."
"Yes, but you need to take a little nap," Pippin said. "I know the floor would appreciate it."
Merry giggled. "All right. But if it acts up, you might try singing to it. I think that would help. It likes Imra'il, and he sings."
Not knowing how to respond to that, Pippin said nothing and helped Merry to his feet, bracing him when the other hobbit swayed dangerously. With a bit of coaxing, he was able to push Merry back into bed and straighten out the blankets. "Now," he said, "go to sleep. You'll feel much better when you wake up."
"I'm 'wake now."
Pippin bit back a groan. If Merry insisted on babbling throughout the duration of his inebriation, it was going to be a very long afternoon. Pippin had once been forced to listen to several hours of drunken prattle during an evening's ride home from the Golden Perch, and though amusing at first, it had become tiresome quickly. "You might be awake now," he reasoned, "but perhaps you shouldn't stay awake. Don't you think you'll have nice dreams if you sleep?"
Merry considered this for a while, and Pippin held his breath as the silence began to stretch into minutes.
"Would you tell me a riddle?"
Pippin almost choked. "Excuse me?"
"A riddle. You were going to earlier, but I ran away."
Shaking his head, Pippin tried to adopt a soft and soothing tone. "If you go to sleep, I'll tell you all the riddles you want when you wake."
Minutes ticked away again in silence, and Pippin held his breath once more.
He sighed. "Yes, Merry?"
"What if I tell you a riddle?"
"I think you ought to be sleeping."
"No, this is a good riddle. I think you told it to me b'fore, but maybe you'd like to hear it again. Do y'know how many Bolgers it takes to light a torch?"
"No, I'm afraid that I don't. And given your current condition, you probably don't know either."
"None!" Merry announced triumphantly with a wide grin plastered across his face. "They don't care 'bout the torch. They just need the food."
"Well, this particular hobbit doesn't need any food whatsoever. He needs sleep!" Pippin said firmly.
"But I'm not tired!" Merry protested, lifting his head and staring at Pippin with wide eyes.
"Yes, you are. You are very tired. You just don't know it yet. But for my sake, I hope you figure it out soon."
Walking briskly before an armed contingent of Rohirrim, Lord Elfhelm of Rohan threw open both doors to the Houses of Healing with a thunderous crash. Years of laboring against Wormtongue's lies and deceptions had taught Elfhelm the value of a good entrance, and a quick glance around at the startled healers told him that his entrance had been more than adequate.
Elfhelm gave the entry chamber a swift but thorough glance, taking in how many shocked healers stood between him and the hallways most likely to contain the king. His first reaction was one of surprise, for he had expected to find Elfwine arguing with the healers about seeing his father. Yet the prince was nowhere to be seen. Was it possible that some healers held sympathy for the young heir of Rohan and had surrendered to his wishes? Studying the bewildered but stern faces before him, Elfhelm decided this to be highly improbable. The more likely scenario was that Elfwine had sneaked in another way, and Elfhelm nodded in silent approval. The boy showed promise.
But whatever the reasons behind Elfwine's absence, it was clear to Elfhelm that he and his men would not readily be admitted entrance. Already the expressions of surprise were turning to anger, and the advantage gained by an impressive entrance would soon be lost. Moving quickly, Elfhelm stormed across the threshold with enough speed to make his cloak billow behind him.
"I am here on business for my king," he announced, coming to a stop in the middle of the chamber. Seizing one edge of his cloak, he pulled it back around him with an authoritative snap and gave the healers an imperious look, daring them to challenge his presence. "It would expedite matters if one of you revealed the way to his rooms," he continued. "However, should you be otherwise occupied, I will take what measures I must in order to find him myself."
His words were met with incredulous stares, and deciding that he would need to provoke a reaction, Elfhelm signaled the other Rohirrim forward. The results were immediate. Galvanized by the presence of armed warriors in a healing ward, the attendants threw off their shock and moved to block the entrances to the hallways. "Who are you to issues orders in this House?" one of the older healers demanded, walking forward until he stood but a few feet away from the intruder.
"Lord Elfhelm of Rohan, and I mean to speak with my liege lord immediately," Elfhelm answered coolly. "Now am I to be given an escort to his rooms, or shall my men forcibly conduct a search?"
Elfhelm could see a multitude of arguments marshalling in the healer's eyes, and he closed the remaining distance between himself and the man, releasing his cloak so that it could billow outward again. Appearances could sometimes be far more persuasive than logical reasoning.
"My lord," the healer stammered, and Elfhelm had to fight back a snicker. It would not due to ruin his ominous visage with an ill-timed laugh. "I am sure that your errand as urgent, but I cannot disturb the rest of any patient unless I am satisfied that there is sufficient cause."
"You doubt the word of a lord of Rohan?" Elfhelm hoped that the growing tightness in his jaw would be interpreted as anger rather than his desperate attempts to hold back a grin.
"Certainly not, my lord!" the healer exclaimed. "But if you would take into consideration the needs of—"
"My only consideration at the moment is the safety of my king and the welfare of his kingdom. And that should be more than sufficient for you." For emphasis, Elfhelm let one hand stray to the ceremonial knife hanging from his belt.
Another warrior would have immediately recognized the implied threat, but the healer simply stared at Elfhelm, oblivious to the fact that he could be gutted within seconds. With some exasperation, Elfhelm repeated the action and exaggerated his movements, allowing the dagger's jeweled sheath to flash in the sunlight that streamed down from high, arching windows. This time his efforts met with success, and the healer stepped back, his eyes widening. "The guards—"
"Will not wish to provoke an incident between Gondor and Rohan," Elfhelm interrupted smoothly. He studied the man just long enough to create an uncomfortable silence, and then he spoke again, his voice low and deep. "All I ask is that you take me to my king. My men will stay here if it will ease your mind, but I must be allowed to pass. Surely you will grant me that much."
Another uncomfortable silence ensued, but Elfhelm made no effort to break it this time. He kept his eyes upon the healer, intense but not quite challenging. And after a bit of restless shifting on the part of the other attendants as well as the waiting Rohirrim, the older healer nodded slowly. "Your men will wait here, my lord?"
"If that is your wish, I will so order it."
"Please do, and then follow me. I will take you to your king."
And they say the Rohirrim are unskilled as negotiators, Elfhelm thought wryly as he gave the healer a gracious smile and a quick bow before turning to his men. Snapping off a few commands in Rohirric, he watched as his men drew together before the entrance, somewhat offended at being kept from their king but obedient nonetheless. Satisfied, Elfhelm turned back to the healer and indicated that he was ready to proceed.
They traveled down one of the wider hallways, and as they walked, Elfhelm fought off the urge to throw back his head and shout in triumph. He had been practically helpless all morning. Helpless to aid his king, helpless to control Shade, and helpless to corral the elven stallions. But now he was acting. He had overcome the healer's reservations. He had gained entry where other Rohirrim had failed. He was on his way to see his king, and he would learn exactly why Eomer was confined to the Houses of Healing! These victories more than made up for the morning's frustration, and it was all he could do to keep from proclaiming his excitement to the world. When the healer finally stopped and knocked quietly on a door, Elfhelm could contain himself no longer and pushed the door open the moment he heard a voice call from inside.
His euphoria died almost instantly.
A wave of silent tension hit him with enough strength to make him gasp. Reeling with shock and struggling to right his churning feelings, Elfhelm shook his head and stopped on the threshold. Triggered by the animosity that seemed to fill the chamber, battlefield instincts flared to life, and Elfhelm's hand fell to his knife as he cast his eyes about the room, searching for the source of the tension.
His eyes came to rest upon Eomer, who lay still and listless upon a healing bed.
"Lord Elfhelm. It is good to see you again."
Elfhelm blinked and turned to find the queen of Gondor at his side. Bowing more out of reflex than anything else, he moved his attention back to Eomer and took one step forward. "We…we received word that—"
"He is sleeping at the moment," another voice said, and Elfhelm looked over at Lothíriel, who hovered near the bed alongside a very haggard-looking Eowyn. "Have no fear. He is merely in need of rest."
Deciding that this statement was very much at odds with the amount of tension in the room, Elfhelm turned around to confront the healer who had accompanied him. "And your opinion?"
"I…do not know much of his condition," the healer said.
"Lord Elfhelm, you have my word that Eomer is in no immediate danger," Eowyn said, rising from her chair. "He requires time and rest. And unless I am very much mistaken, I gave orders that this rest was not to be disturbed," she added with a stern glare for the healer.
"My lady, he was most insistent and—"
"Oh, I am certain that he was," Eowyn interrupted, turning her glare upon Elfhelm.
For his part, Elfhelm was doing some rapid thinking. Eowyn never gave her word lightly, and if she insisted that the king was in no immediate danger, then he was in no immediate danger. But this did not explain the tension, and Elfhelm was beginning to wonder if he had been mistaken about the cause. He could not help but notice that Arwen was staying at least an arm's length away from Lothíriel at all times, and Lothíriel seemed to avoiding eye contact with Arwen. Eowyn was pointedly ignoring both of them, and on the subject of ignored persons, Elfhelm now realized that Elfwine was missing, a rather suspicious absence considering how anxious the boy had been to see his father. Yes, something was happening here that had nothing to do with Eomer's injury, but Elfhelm did not have time to decipher what that something was. At the moment, he needed to deal with Eowyn, who looked as though she had just reached the end of her tether.
"My ladies," Elfhelm said with a deep—and hopefully appeasing—bow. "Please accept my humblest apologies if I have caused harm. But on behalf of the Rohirrim, I wished only to assure myself that our king was yet whole so that I might comfort those still anxious for news." Elfhelm paused, debating about what to say next, and then decided to forge ahead. He had an opening. He would take it. "I am certain that the prince can vouch for my intentions, for he knew of my coming. Where is Lord Elfwine?"
Three blank stares met his eyes.
Feeling as though he had just stepped into a stable that had not been properly cleaned for weeks, Elfhelm swallowed and rephrased the question. "Is not the prince here?"
Eowyn frowned, Arwen pursed her lips, and Lothíriel's eyes hardened. "Did you expect him to be here?"
In the hallway, the healer said something about needing to see to other patients and hurried away. Pushing aside the urge to follow him, Elfhelm tried to think of a good answer to Lothíriel's question, but his mind drew a confounding blank. "I sent Elfwine ahead of my men, my lady," he eventually said. "He should have arrived ere we did."
"Did he know that his father was here and not in the Citadel?" Arwen asked.
"Yes, my lady, he did," Elfhelm said, his mind racing.
"Then you mean to tell me that my son is lost in Minas Tirith?"
Lothíriel did not lose her temper often. As Imrahil's daughter, she was confident almost to a fault, and this confidence took the form of a maddening serenity in times of crisis. She could be stern and commanding if needed and she had raised her voice upon occasion, but until now, she had never been provoked into shouting. When this shouting was coupled with flashing eyes the color of storm clouds and a glare cold enough to freeze the Anduin, the end result was quite intimidating, and Elfhelm found himself on the verge of a tactical retreat.
"Peace," Eowyn said, stepping in to save her former conspirator. "Peace, it could be that Elfwine merely stopped to find something to eat. He was up quite early this morning, and I doubt he has had aught in the way of food since breakfast."
Lothíriel turned a murderous look upon Eowyn. Elfhelm might have pitied her had he not been so relieved at escaping the look himself.
"Is that possible?" Arwen asked. "Is there somewhere that Prince Elfwine could go where your men would not see?"
"Perhaps," Elfhelm said slowly. He was now very certain that the tension in the room had little to do with Eomer and everything to do with the three women standing before him. "The streets were quite busy, my lady."
"Or perhaps something else has happened," Lothíriel snapped, transferring her glare to Arwen, who took a discreet step backwards.
"There is a simple way to end this," Eowyn said, pitching her voice to carry over the intensity of Lothíriel's glare. "We need only send forth a team to look for Elfwine."
"An excellent idea," Elfhelm said quickly, sensing a chance for escape. He still knew very little about his king's condition, but his thirst for knowledge and assurance had waned in the face of a problem that he was certain he did not wish to investigate. Beyond that, the search for Elfwine could prove just as useful to the welfare of Rohan. "I will gather my men and—"
"You will remain here," Eowyn interrupted sharply, her eyes flashing with something that could not be readily identified. "I will not have you upon the streets with your mind in an uproar over all the incidents down on the Pelennor."
Elfhelm blinked. "Lady Eowyn, I assure you that my mind is clear."
"So clear that you sent a gelding iron to the Houses of Healing?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Elfhelm saw both Arwen and Lothíriel withdrawing from the conversation. He wished that he could do the same. "It was intended as a message," he said weakly. "In the days of Wormtongue, Eomer and I devised a means of—"
"I have no wish to hear it," Eowyn said, interrupting once again. She moved to a table near Eomer's bed and picked up the gelding iron. "You may personally deliver this to your king when he wakes. I will take the Rohirrim and search for Elfwine."
Elfhelm frowned and looked at the brand in Eowyn's hands. "Surely your healing talents would be of better use here. It would be a simple thing for me to—"
"If I do not leave now, I may find cause to use this," Eowyn snapped, shoving the gelding iron into Elfhelm's hands.
Elfhelm flushed and hastily dropped his eyes, wondering if the stifled laugh from Arwen's direction was his imagination. "Lady Eowyn, if you are intent upon going, I cannot stop you. But I do not believe it is within your rights to command my actions."
There was a hiss of anger, and then Eowyn seized Elfhelm by the arm and pulled him into the hallway. "One of us must remain here," she said, lowering her voice. "And since I am more familiar with Minas Tirith than you, it stands to reason that I should look for Elfwine."
Elfhelm's eyes narrowed. "Your reasoning is sound with but one exception: why must one of us remain here?"
Eowyn said nothing for a long moment, studying Elfhelm intently, and then she sighed, seeming to come to a decision of sorts. "What I say now must not be repeated. I do not entrust you with this information lightly. Eomer is in good health given the circumstances, but he suffered a serious blow to his head upon the Pelennor. He does not remember who he is."
"He does not remember?" Elfhelm echoed blankly. "What do you—"
"Just what I said. He has no memory of Rohan, of Gondor, of himself, or of anything else. And when he woke earlier…" She paused and glanced back into the bed chambers where Lothíriel had returned to Eomer's side and Arwen lingered near an open window. "When he woke earlier," she continued, dropping her voice even more, "he decided to declare his love for the queen of Gondor. Lothíriel has taken exception to this, as well she might, but Queen Arwen is more amused than anything else. And because of this, it was decided that a third person be present to act as a mediator. I trust I can rely upon you in this matter?"
Elfhelm stared at her for a long moment, taking in everything she had told him and making a fairly good guess at some of the things that were being left out. "The king's sleep is not natural, is it?"
Never one to back away from a challenge, Eowyn met his gaze evenly and nodded. "You are correct. King Elessar has ensured that Eomer will sleep for some time."
"And where is King Elessar? Surely he has taken more than a passing interest in this!"
"At the moment, he is mixing a draught that might help. He will not be back for a while."
"And he left you here as the mediator."
"A task I am now delegating to you," Eowyn said, and judging from the gleam in her eyes, she was as anxious to escape as Elfhelm was.
"So you would countermand the orders of your king?"
Eowyn's eyes flashed. "I would go where I am most needed while you will remain here and suffer the consequences for sending Thendril to the Houses of Healing with a gelding iron!"
Elfhelm winced, glanced down at the brand in his hands, and then decided to make one last effort. "But what of your brother? Are you prepared to leave him in another's hands?"
There was a brief moment of hesitation in Eowyn's eyes, and Elfhelm thought he might have won. But then she looked back into the room at Lothíriel and Arwen, and the hesitation vanished. "If Faramir were here, I would not leave," she said quietly. "But he is gone, and I do not trust my temper. Were I to stay, I would do more harm than good." She flashed a quick smile at Elfhelm. "You are not the only one to be threatened by the gelding iron."
"I am…comforted," Elfhelm said slowly.
"Good," Eowyn said, her smile growing. "Then are we agreed?"
Elfhelm sighed and nodded. "Were it anyone else, I would refuse. Béma lend you speed."
"Thank you, Elfhelm," she said, already moving away. "If Eomer wakes, send for Elessar or one of the healers. And if you can convince Arwen to leave the room, I think Lothíriel will become better company."
"I will certainly make the attempt."
Eowyn's smile turned sympathetic, but she said nothing else and hurried down the hallway. Left with two angry queens and an unconscious king, Elfhelm decided he would have been better off staying on the Pelennor.
Author's Notes: Gimli's claim that he is a "dwarf of many journeys" comes from a debate he had with Legolas and Aragorn. You can find it in the chapter "The Riders of Rohan" in the Two Towers, page 33 of the Ballantine paperback 50th anniversary edition. The bits of song that Legolas uses to blackmail Elladan are part of a rather strange song that the elves of Rivendell use to taunt Thorin's company in the chapter "A Short Rest" in The Hobbit, page 48 of the Ballantine paperback 50th anniversary edition. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1155182/11/New-Year-s-Eve | <urn:uuid:ff4b512d-3833-4da6-8047-70ad65de57fa> | en | 0.988162 | 0.064927 |
Disclaimer: the rights and characters of 'The Princess Bride' and 'Rurouni Kenshin' don't belong to me, so please don't kill me. This idea came to me moments ago, after watching one of my favourite films, 'The Princess Bride', and imagining Kenshin as the legendary and incredibly sexy Westley. Please enjoy and R&R!!
This is the new, edited Chapter One. The storyline itself is intact- I don't plan to mess with it at all throughout the twenty-five existing chapters. The things I'm changing are small things, such as certain descriptions, the way in which some things happen, and some character tweaking, too. For instance, in this chapter, Kenshin was originally faking being rubbish at fighting, and Kaoru had a 'turn your nose up' reaction to that. I've decided that just doesn't fit their characters, so now Kenshin is faking being a mediocre swordsman, but still with the grace and control a true fighter would be unable to hide, and Kaoru finds it hard to respect or like him because he doesn't seem to make any use of the freedom he has that she can't have herself. The characterisation is going to change a little throughout the story, I think: I want to aim more for a 'Kenshin and co as they are in the PB situations', rather than a mixture of characterisations from both RK and the PB.
I hope these changes don't upset anyone- honestly, I want them to be a way of improving the story, building on what was there before, and a way of getting back into the story again myself so that continuing from chapter twenty-five isn't so difficult.
Anyway, my added notes won't be this long in future- this is the initial introduction and explanation of the editing process. I'll probably put in little notes for any significant or important changes in subsequent chapters, but hey-ho- they'll be there for you guys. As always though, if you have questions, ask me them! I'll do my best to answer them helpfully.
And, finally, I've decided to leave all the original author's notes- and replies to reviewers- intact and untouched. You guys have all given me so much support, and I look back on my reviews when I feel in need of encouragement, so I wouldn't take away my thanks for them.
Okay, on with the new (and hopefully better) edition of:
The Princess Bride: Kenshin Style
Once upon a time, there lived a young girl named Kaoru. She worked on a farm near a dojo, where she used to go and visit every day to deliver vegetables for all the training fighters. Secretly, she would climb a certain giant old tree, which had a certain wide low branch, from which she could watch all the (rather ugly) young men going through their drills and exercises. You may wonder what use a young girl would have for a set of ugly trainee swordsmen, but she didn't watch them for their looks. You see, though she was but a poor and lowly peasant's daughter, when she went to bed each night, she dreamed, not of hoeing or weeding, as any ordinary girl should, but of wielding a real blade, and fighting duels.
She never breathed this secret to a single soul, knowing that it was a well-nigh impossible dream that would only cause people to laugh at her. She didn't much like the thought of being laughed at.
One day, Kaoru noticed a new trainee at the dojo. He was quite young, and had tanned skin and flame-bright hair. Kaoru watched him more than the others, as he was rather a curiosity: there was a quick fluidity to his movements that drew the eye, and suggested strength and control, yet he seemed only a beginner in his knowledge and moves, and a terribly slow learner. In fact, he never seemed to pick up any new moves at all. It was somewhat pitiable, Kaoru thought. Watching him, however, only made her wish all the harder that she could join the dojo, too: she was sure she could pick it up quickly if trained properly with the others. Indeed, from only watching the exercises being done, and mimicking them (with an old wooden practice sword she'd taken from the rubbish at the dojo) before she went to bed each night, she had already built up some basic skill for herself.
The days went slowly for Kaoru, and she spent most of her time wishing she were anywhere but where she was. However, as her father grew older and tired and the work too much for him, they found the need for a new worker, and the curious red-haired stranger from the dojo took the job to work on the farm. As he left the sword school for his new home (a tiny room at the back of Kaoru's house), his fellow trainees had shrugged and bid careless goodbyes, telling him he was better off as a simple farm boy: he was too slow a learner, and would never be a warrior. The young man didn't mind their reaction. After all, on the farm, he would remain unnoticed by life and the world, and perhaps attain a peaceful existence. It helped that the farm-owner's daughter (whom he'd noticed watching the training grounds) was very pretty: and when he looked into her face for the first time on his first day at the farm, he couldn't help noticing, with a blink of surprise at first, that she would grow to be the most beautiful lady in the whole world. It was a bit of a miracle that no one else had noticed, really. But then, people didn't tend to keep an eye out in a tiny, poor village, for the most beautiful lady in the world.
All Kaoru said when the young man looked at her with his deep violet eyes that first time was, "Go and water the seedlings in the south field, farm boy."
He wanted to ask if she had any idea whether or not she'd ever fall in love with him- just for future reference, you know- but all he said was, "As you wish."
As the days, weeks and months went by, things stayed pretty much the same.
"Fetch me my pony, farm boy." If only you weren't such a slow learner at the dojo, you wouldn't be stuck on this farm like me.
"As you wish." You deserve so much more than this life.
"Mend this bucket, farm boy." Why don't you make better use of your life?
"As you wish." I wish I could do more to help you.
"Take this rice to the shop in town. And be quick about it, farm boy!" You have more freedom than I ever will, but you don't even try to use it. It's not fair!
"As you wish." I wish you'd say just a single kind word to me, Kaoru…
The farm boy's real name was Kenshin, but Kaoru always called him farm boy, because she thought he didn't deserve any better name. After all, she was stuck on her parents' farm, and she would grow up only to be married off to someone or other on another farm. Yet he, with the choice of where to go and what to do, chose to live on their farm! It made no sense to Kaoru, and she really couldn't respect him for the choice he'd made. She had no idea that every time she spoke to him, he was trying not to think about taking her into his arms, so she didn't mind ordering him around. He, on the other hand, had a pretty good idea that she didn't think too much of him. Instead of letting it get him down, he vowed that he would one day prove to be worthy of her, and set her free from the way of life that so obviously didn't make her happy.
As time went by, people in town began to gossip about the two young farmers. Some people wondered why such a good-looking young man would stay on such a poor little farm, when most of the girls in town were madly in love with him- some of them with rich families. Some suspected an unseemly arrangement went on at the farm, and shook their heads in disapproval. All the young girls merely sighed and shed tears that, no matter what they tried, Kenshin paid no attention to them, and they cursed Kaoru for her beauty, which she was ever unconscious of.
As word of Kenshin's amazing good looks spread, it came about that a rich widow land owner from a neighbouring area heard of the young man. Being rich and without a husband was really rather boring and tedious in those days, and boredom and tedium always put older people out of sorts, so, being a rather self-assured woman of middle age, she set off to meet the man she had heard so much about, and, if he was satisfactory, seduce him if she could.
Kaoru was very surprised when she saw a grand carriage pull into the front pathway of the little farmhouse. She hurried to meet the visitors, and her parents came out as well at the arrival of such a wealthy guest.
The woman who stepped out of the carriage wore a kimono of dazzling colours and beautiful patterns, and Kaoru wished she could wear such a beautiful outfit, just once. The woman looked around at the muddy ground and the small house, and a disdainful look came over her face, making her slight wrinkles stand out and giving her an unpleasant look.
"I wish to inspect your produce, as I am thinking of finding a new supplier for my foodstuffs," she said haughtily.
"Of course, my lady, I will bring some examples for you to see," stammered Kaoru's father, before shuffling off, leaving his wife and daughter to entertain their guest. They were about to show her in for some tea, when Kenshin, topless and sweaty from a morning of hard work, came round from the west plantation for a splash of water and some food.
When the great lady saw him, tanned, lean and muscled like a young god, she gasped and stared with wide eyes. Kaoru, seeing her face, looked over at Kenshin, wondering why the woman reacted in such a way.
Kenshin did have a good body, to be sure, and he did have deep, intense violet eyes, and the sweat on his body did make him look different somehow, but… As she looked, Kaoru felt a little trembling sensation tingle down her spine, and flutter suddenly in her chest.
For the first time, she realised how she really felt about Kenshin. All this time when he had been working alongside her on the farm, she had thought of him only as an unmotivated waste and a 'farm boy'. And only now, when someone else had shown up on the scene, had she realised just how damn gorgeous and courteous Kenshin was: had always been, now that she thought about it.
As she stood with wide blue eyes, the haughty woman swept past her, without so much as a glance, and grabbed Kenshin's hand.
As they made introductions (well, Kenshin saying 'oro' and the woman introducing herself), Kaoru could have cried. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1265064/1/The-Princess-Bride-Kenshin-Style | <urn:uuid:af180950-448e-42d6-bc79-26f542409a67> | en | 0.988433 | 0.09721 |
The Tolkien Conspiracy
Note: All characters in this story regarding Middle Earth are the property of JRR Tolkien and not mine. There was no financial gain in the writing, thinking, or posting of this story, and it was for entertainment purposes only.
Summary: A story about belief, and how even the biggest fairytale can become an even bigger reality for some.
Chapter 1: The Wonders of Middle Earth
My father used to read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings to myself and my sisters as we were going to bed at night. You could call him one of those Tolkien Purists. He adored the books. He knew everything about each of them. I think my sister and my first book was The Lord of the Rings picture book. I could read it all within a week, or so my father told me. He said I dragged that silly thing everywhere, like a lifeline of sorts, and by the time I was 8 I was already trying to read the books.
I guess life is funny in that way. In a cruel sense of irony, as I like to think of it, after he died I never picked up those books again. Sure they sat there on my mantle, just as my father had kept them, and I'd often imagine opening one and being taken into it, where my father (who was really Lord Elrond) would take me back to Rivendell and I would get to jump on every bed within the House. Sure enough, these dreams never came true. My father was dead, and no matter how many times I peeled open that cover, I'd never get to jump on Elrond's beds.
After a while the books became more decorations then stories. They sat there, staring at me with their ancient writing, as if telling me to open them in their own, subliminal way. I have ignored them so far. It has been 13 years since my father died, and I have no more time for stories of Hobbits and Elves, no matter how enjoyable they are.
I became what my mother calls, "the spitting image of my father," and to her it seems that me being my father's daughter is not a terribly good thing. She complains I am obssessed, and after father died I always was. I reluctantly cause the phone conversations to end short in these cases where I cannot do anything else. My mother complains too much anyways. About my brother, about me, about my sisters....I'm not sure if anyone is safe from her wrath anymore.
So, it was a little task to be sitting in my office the day when the news hit. I'm not good at dealing with the insane, and the gentleman who rushed in certainly was insane, but I tried my best, considering I'm only the Junior Reporter on duty and there are hundreds of others who would be glad to deal with what this man had to say. He was shouting at the top of his lungs and looking out my massive windows. I asked him what was wrong.
"Wrong?!" He looked shocked, like the question I had asked him was not exactly what he was feeling. His long brown hair was shaking. "There is nothing wrong. All I can say is that I have seen the wonders of Middle Earth!" The man dropped like a rock into the chair in front of my desk and he sighed. He was a short gentleman, with a strange beard on his chin and small moustache over his lip. His hair was deep brown, like a chestnut colour and his eyes were the same. I nodded, trying to look interested.
"I agree the movie was very good." The man again, looked shocked, shaking his head and laughing. I was now the confused one in the room. The man laughed harder and harder, and finally stopped, giving himself a chance to speak.
"No you silly reporter." He said. "I have seen THE wonders of Middle Earth. And I'm not talking about the semi-accurate movies. I'm talking about THE Middle Earth." I could tell he was trying to make me feel inferior with all his over-emphasized "THE's", but I maintained composure anyways.
"I think you've been reading the books too much. Good day." I went back to my article, glancing at the man who wasn't moving. He was again looking shocked. "Look sir, I have a very important story due within the hour and I have plenty of work to do. I can't deal with someone who claims to have walked through Middle Earth this morning so GOOD DAY."
"M'am." He began again, rearranging his thoughts. "I apologize for the way I sound but I can assure you. I am of sound mind and am completely sober. Will you please just hear me out?" I stared at him for a moment, thinking his insanity to be passing off onto me, but finally I nodded and the man smiled. "Thank you. Now I begin at where I was taking my dog for a walk this morning through the park behind my house. Do you know Kensington Gardens?" I nodded, listening somewhat, using the selective hearing I inherited off my mother to pay somewhat attention to the gentleman. "I was just walking and suddenly something rings in my ears. I try to shake it off, but then I open my eyes and I'm surrounded in trees. Huge trees!" He moves his hands while he speaks. "Anyways, I kept walking, thinking it was just some trick of my eyes but in a second I had tripped and was looking up into the face of an elf." My head burst up, my eyes doing their little squinty thing that my father did when he was confused. The man laughed suddenly. "And then, I was back."
"So you see a man with pointy ears and you expect me to what?" I asked, being extremely testy with the man. He laughed, like he had expected my response. "I'm sorry sir but this is a newspaper and a serious one at that. Good day."
"That's the third time you've rushed me." He said. "I saw an ELF! Not a man with pointy ears as you so half wittingly put it." I glared at him. He just sat there. "I'm not leaving until you write it into a story."
"What makes you think you can barge in MY office, tell me some insanely drunking story and make me publish it into an article?" I was now standing, almost yelling at him and I didn't know why. The man got to his feet as well. He looked very serious.
"Look, Miss..." He looked for the name plate on my desk, not knowing I had thrown the damn thing out years ago. "Miss." He said, maintaining some of his composure. "I saw Middle Earth. I saw a ELF! People want to hear about this!" He kept babbling and I grabbed my phone, dialing the number for security. He kept talking.
"Yes security, I need two, very large men up into the office of Delaney Marks." I slammed the phone back down and within a moment, two very large security guards came in and grabbed theman, who was still struggling.
"I'll show you!" He screamed. "I'll show you it's true!" My door slammed and I was left alone.
I slumped back into my seat and dropped my head into my hand. I played with the pen against the paper in front of my computer. The notes on the paper were of the recent fire in Pickadilly Station. I couldn't believe I was considering what this man was saying. Middle Earth? I thought my father was insane, but honestly, Middle Earth? Some people just see the movie too much I guess. I never saw it. I felt Peter Jackson's rendition of events would be far too elaborated that the movies would tell nothing of the original magic. I'm guessing it was right. My friend who read The Two Towers 9 times and was a devout Tolkien-ist came home and called me in a huff. I didn't make out much of what she said because it was riddled with curses, but I did get that there were elves at Helm's Deep and Faramir was 'evil'.
But the man in my office looked to be sane, even though he was raving about seeing 'the wonders of Middle Earth.' I shook it off. Come on Lane, I thought with my pen moving on the paper beneath my hand. Middle Earth? You're kidding yourself. I looked up at the door and then back at the paper on my desk.
The pen in my hand had been moving, but I hadn't been thinking. I saw what I had written. My black pen had spelled the words of my father's name.
I am insane, I thought, tossing the paper into the basket on the opposite wall.
Well? Is it worth continuing? Please R & R! | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1383327/1/The-Tolkien-Conspiracy | <urn:uuid:77eee3d9-410d-40dc-a97b-a74f16c57b30> | en | 0.990768 | 0.041796 |
Reality 2
Vegas…was there anyplace like it?
The lights, the energy, the women.
The women.
The drop dead, gorgeous women.
And when you're on leave and in the midst of that energy, keeping company with one of those beautiful women, you could almost forget how you swallowed your pride and asked that cold son of a bitch who shared your name to salvage what was left of your career. Yeah…almost.
McMurdo and exile versus Nellis and a chance at redemption. The Air Force wasn't big on disobeying orders, no matter what your reasons. Flying Pave Hawks at Nellis was an unbelievable opportunity, and if I'd had to sell a big fat slice of my soul for it, well, a deal's a deal.
Only I wasn't in Nellis now. I'd been sent to Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado, ordered to report to General O'Neill, and that was the sum total of my knowledge. And as with all military operations, big and small, there was a fuck up. My clearance hadn't come through by the time I arrived, and apparently you needed a shitload of clearance just to drive by the damn place and check out the curb appeal. Actually passing through the gate and getting a place to sleep was out of the question. But, hey, if I got to stay in a semi-nice hotel with room service and a mini bar on the Air Force's dime, who was I to bitch?
There was snow on the ground here and a ball-freezing chill in the air. Oddly enough it didn't make me miss Nevada. I liked the snow and the quiet that came with it. And not for the first time I thought Antarctica and exile might not have been the worse thing that could've happened to me. But you make your bed—you sure as hell do. I checked into my room--no mini bar, cheap bastards—and called about my clearance. I was told it would run through by morning and make myself at home.
I sprawled on the bed, watched a little TV, then decided to get a beer at the bar before sacking out. It was a nice bar, all polished wood and soft lights, and pretty much empty. Not one Vegas style woman to be seen anywhere. Philosophically, I ordered my beer and asked the guy next to me, "Hey, buddy, could you pass the peanuts?"
Funny, how a little craving for salt will come back to bite you in the ass.
The guy turned to look at me, if you can call a split second glance by disdainful blue eyes a look. "Not interested," he said brusquely. "And, quite frankly, a little perturbed they're starting out with you as first string. Is it the shirt?" He frowned and pulled at the material with thumb and forefinger. "It's not pink, you know. It was red, a nice Canadian patriotic red, but there was a slight laundry mishap…just so you're aware." He took a swallow of his own beer, snapped his fingers in emphasis and repeated, "Unavoidable bleach related incident. Not pink."
I blinked. Looked at him, then the peanuts, and then back again. "Let's try this again. You're Canadian. Maybe there's a cultural chasm regarding peanuts I'm totally unaware of. I just want the peanuts, okay? So pass them down. And, yeah, sorry to break the news…your shirt is pink."
This time he really looked at me…with impatience, annoyance, and more than a little weariness. "I'm certain you're very good at this ordinarily, although peanuts, really, that could use some work. And the hair, that's definitely an acquired taste, but it's been a long trip and I'm dead on my feet and simply not interested in selling out my country, this country, any country. Although if you were really serious, you would start with a blond…with breasts. The breasts are important. A brain would be nice too, but I suppose that might be asking a bit much on short notice."
This time I got up, walked around him, got the peanuts and brought them back to my stool. I popped a few in my mouth, chewed, and turned my back on Mr. Pink Shirt. Futilely, as it turned out.
"Really, you shouldn't take this personally. You'll never last in the business if you do." It was said with the most damn peculiar mix of sympathy, arrogance, and exasperation. Worse yet, I heard the son of a bitch get up and move over to sit on the stool right next to me. Reluctantly…very reluctantly, I turned enough to keep him in sight. Best to keep the loonies in view. "Seduction and spying is a somewhat difficult field I'm guessing," he went on condescendingly, words beginning to slur around the edges. "Rejection must be rampant. I mean, okay, you're not my type, but you're bound to be someone's type."
Gee, that was nice to know.
He waved his hand at the bartender for another beer and was beginning to think maybe that he'd been waving that hand pretty frequently. "Seriously, about this whole shirt issue. I was in Budapest once at a conference and they sent me a blonde, a redhead, and a brunette and when that didn't work then they sent in the guy. So, I'm a bit…just a tiny bit, mind you, worried here. Is it something besides the shirt? Am I less buff and manly than I once was?" He considered as he took another pull of the beer. "Or maybe I'm too buff. Well dressed, bulging muscles, a certain je ne sais quois." He shook his head. "That's it, isn't it? I guess I have no one to blame but myself."
I looked him up and down. Rumpled shirt, stocky body with a slight softness at the middle, frazzled fine brown hair, a more-than-aggressive chin and a crooked non-stop mouth. "Yeah, buddy," I drawled, "that's exactly what it is. Us spies will know better next time. Scout's honor."
That was my luck, wasn't it? To sit down beside some guy who was obviously stuck in some James Bond style fantasy—either drunk off his ass or crazy as a bed bug.
He scowled instantly. "You must be new, because, trust me, I'm totally worth all this. I'm Dr. Rodney McKay—the Dr. Rodney McKay…Einstein's spiritual lovechild. What I don't know about astrophysics…what am I saying? There is nothing I don't know about astrophysics. I'm so goddamn brilliant I'm surprised they aren't parachuting naked blondes onto my balcony with bags of cash in each hand. In fact…."
Face first onto the bar. I gave a sigh of sheer appreciation for the golden silence before the annoying finger of civic duty began to poke me in the ribs. "How many did he have?" I asked the bartender as a small pool of saliva began to form around the slackly snoring mouth.
"Three," the bartender grinned.
"Three?" I said nonplussed. "No one's that much of a lightweight."
"Well, two and a half really." He dabbed at the drool with his bar rag. "He said he'd had a long trip. Hadn't slept in a while." Shrugging, he added, "Hell, maybe he's narcoleptic. Either way, have fun getting him back to his room."
"What?" I demanded. "Oh no. I don't know the guy from Adam. No way I'm hauling his ass upstairs."
"You talked to him last. He's your problem now."
My answer to that was bull-fucking-shit. And that was still my answer when they closed up the bar and I was dragging Dr. Pinkenstein to the elevator. He participated some, legs moving stiffly…enough to let me think he might just be exhausted, but I wasn't really curious enough to try to ask him. He mumbled nonsensically once or twice before I finally got him to the room embossed on the keycard in his pocket. I propped him up, opened the door, dragged him in and dumped him on the bed.
His eyes popped open then for a brief second, widened, then closed in resignation. "Rip my clothes off if you want. I won't tell you a thing."
"Tell you what. You leave them on and I promise to tell you anything you want to know," I snorted as I dumped the keycard on the nightstand. "It's true what they say. No good deed goes unpunished," I muttered under my breath and then left Dr. Rodney McKay…the Dr. Rodney McKay…snoring on the bed and fully clothed in his pink shirt.
I had nightmares all night about that damn pink shirt.
The next morning I was at Cheyenne Mountain. General O'Neill wasn't ready for me yet, so I wandered the floors I had access to, which weren't many. After seeing what looked like a big black guy wearing sparkly gold eye shadow, I decided the brain was shutting down from lack of nutrition and I headed for the cafeteria. Picking up a tray, I got in line and frowned as I saw someone take the last cherry jello. "Hey," I said, "you mind if I take that? I can't eat the orange." Any further words died in my mouth as the guy turned to face me.
Holy fuck.
Dr. Pinkenstein.
x x x x x
She sure the hell looked like Miro…Miso? No, that wasn't right, either. Well, whatever her name, the Japanese woman currently sitting in the SGC infirmary was a dead ringer for the one with the same name…whatever that might be… that was currently working at the Antarctic outpost. The one I had left the day before after spending two days and sleepless nights trying to get that damn chair functioning. After Carson chickened out for the third time, I had called in Mito..damn, that wasn't right either… to help, only to receive word that I was to report to the SGC immediately. One quick trip on the Prometheus had brought me half way around the world to be beamed into Cheyenne Mountain and after a quick briefing by O'Neill, led to the infirmary where I had promptly proclaimed with a yawn, "Yeah, that looks like her. Now, where's my hotel room?"
Normally, I would have been fascinated by the idea of interdimensional time travel, but at that moment, all I wanted to do was raid the mini bar and crash until morning when I could process the information with more than bleary eyes and a fuzzy head. Of course, there hadn't been a mini bar…cheap bastards…so I had headed down to the full-sized variety only to be accosted yet again by an undercover angel, this one not a midnight fantasy. I mean, he was attractive enough, for a guy. If I was interested in that sort of thing, which I wasn't. And although I was pretty sure he had been in my room (he had obviously slipped something in my beer to knock me out when he was reaching for the peanuts) I was also pretty damn sure he hadn't done anything to me seeing as I was fully dressed, zipped, and unviolated when I woke up. Either that or he was wholly unmemorable and I had trouble believing that. Not that I was thinking about how memorable he would have been, because I wasn't.
Nor had I been thinking about him that morning in the shower. He just kept popping up…annoyingly so…when I was trying to remember the blonde I had turned down on that last trip to Zurich. In fact, when the guy behind me in line at the cafeteria asked for my jello, I had thought for a split second it was him again, before deciding whatever drug he had slipped me the night before was still playing fast and loose with my senses.
But when his eyes rolled and he shook his head with a disbelieving, "You have got to be fucking kidding me," my own eyes widened in recognition.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I hissed. "How did you get past security?"
"I didn't 'get past' security, I was ordered here by General O'Neill."
Taking in the uniform I furrowed my brow. "You're Air Force? Do they have any idea that you do what you do…I mean, what you were doing in that bar?" Another frustrated shake of his head and he walked over to a table with his tray. I followed after him as I realized what he must have been doing. "Oh, my God, you're a plant! An undercover agent looking for potentially loose-lipped members of the SGC. Aren't you?"
"Look, McKay, was it? I have no idea what an SGC even is, much less how loose their lips might be."
I leaned in across the table, eyes darting conspiratorially to make sure no one was listening in. "Then why were you hitting on me last night?"
"As much as 'passing the peanuts' might apply to certain…anatomical short fallings on your part, that was not what I intended when I asked for them. It was purely a desire for salty snacks…once again, not yours…on my part that led to the request. Nothing, and I cannot stress this enough, nothing more."
"I'm not gay," I blurted defensively. When eyebrows rose at my assertion I tried to clarify. "I mean, I didn't imagine you coming on to me out of any sort of underlying desire. So, obviously you were coming on to me."
His grimace spoke volumes. "Yeah, all right, normally, I might be somewhat flattered by the fact that you obviously have a subconscious attraction to me. But if you hadn't notice, I'm an officer in the United States Air Force, in uniform and about to enjoy a military meal in a military chow hall. So I'd appreciate it if you would keep the accusations of flirting with a member of the same sex to yourself."
Nodding perceptively I lowered my voice further. "Oh, right. I understand. Don't ask, don't tell. Got it."
"No, apparently, you don't understand. You were a little intoxicated last night, so I can appreciate your confusion…"
With a condescending shake of my head, I cut him off. Who did he think he was fooling? And here he was talking to me, the Rodney McKay, as if I were a slow preschooler trying to glue crayons up my nose. "I'm not drunk now and you're still hitting on me."
"How am I hitting on you?" He practically spit the words across the table.
"You're sitting with me aren't you?"
"You sat down with me!"
Now it was my turn to explain things in a manner his simpleton brain could comprehend. "Yes, because you invited me to."
"Hey, buddy," I mimicked, "can I have that jello?" With a snort, I took a bite of the pot roast on my plate. "Might as well have invited me up to your dorm room to see your record collection."
"I asked for the red jello because I have a citrus allergy and can't eat the orange."
Nearly choking on the piece of meat I was chewing, I regarded the Air Force major across from me. "Are you serious?" When he nodded in the affirmative, I shook my own head. "You have food allergies?"
"Yes, lots of people have food allergies."
"Yeah, sure, scrawny little kids who live in bubbles maybe. Those that Darwin would consider a weak link in the evolutionary food chain."
"I'm sorry if my less-than-superior genetic makeup offends your manly, pink-shirt wearing, latent-homosexual sensibilities."
"I am not gay!"
"So you've said." He took a bite of his potatoes with a patronizing shrug. "Repeatedly."
Grasping my fork in a death grip, I challenged, "And who the hell ever heard of being allergic to citrus?" I looked him up and down, taking in the thin frame. "Although the resultant scurvy could account for the malnourished skeletal look you have going there."
"I'm a delicate creature, McKay. I guess I'm just lucky you're such a beer-swilling brute that you passed out after a whole twenty ounces of Coors Light else you might have eaten me alive." Now it was his turn to give me the once over. "Along with anything else that wasn't bolted down."
Glaring, I took the parfait glass of red gelatin and pointedly moved it out of his reach. "Guess that means there's no chance of me sharing dessert with you, then, is there?"
Instead of being angry or hurt or irritated, he only seemed amused. And that was something I wasn't used to. No tears, no snarling back, no storming off in a huff threatening to send me to darkest Russia as punishment, just the slightest quirk of lips and a hedging, "We'll see." And as much as I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face, I couldn't help but think I could get used to this guy.
I was saved from having to decide which I was going to do at the moment by Samantha Carter walking in and scanning the cafeteria. Leaning forward I demanded quickly, "See the blonde that just walked in? Has she spotted me yet?"
Hazel eyes narrowed warily. And who knew hazel could be such an expressive color? "Yeah, she's walking over this way."
"Is my collar straight?" Shrugging my neck to shift my shirt, I didn't wait for an answer. "What does she look like? Happy? Excited? Aroused? Pissed?"
"Constipated." What? At my confused face he elaborated. "Somewhere between pained and resigned to her fate."
Before I could ask if I had food in my teeth, she was standing behind me. "Rodney, glad you could make it."
Quickly sucking at my front teeth, I beamed up at her. "Sam, so good to see you again. I was hoping to run into you last night, even requested the room next to yours, but O'Neill told me about the infestation in the residential wing and the fumigation that was taking place."
"Yeaaaah. It's been a real pain."
"Must be hard having to save the galaxy without the luxury of a lab and the comforts you're used to. Of course, I do that on a daily basis now at my new assignment."
"Yes, congratulations on your new position. I'm sure the penguins feel much better knowing you're there." It was really pathetic how she tried to cover her true feelings for me under all that sarcasm. But the passion was obvious in her eyes and if she could just get over her feelings of inadequacy around me, I thought we had a shot at something special between us. I mean, I never expected her to discuss the intricacies of wormhole physics while she was riding me like a Pochhammer-Chree wave anyway. Then again…
Before I could completely imagine those possibilities, she stretched an arm across the table and shook hands with my lunch partner. "Major Sheppard, I'm Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter. It's nice to meet you. General O'Neill has been pulled away on other business, but he's asked me to brief you in his absence."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. This is John Sheppard?" All thoughts of what Sam could do to my 'infinite rod' disappeared as I learned that the man across from me was the one that was supposedly so vital to the Atlantis expedition.
Both of them gave me bewildered looks, Sam since I had no clue who I was eating with and Sheppard because I obviously knew about him and he knew nothing about me. I studied him a little closer, looking for any sign of why someone would travel across a dimensional rift and back in time to make sure this man joined us on our mission.
Physically leaning back from my scrutiny, he asked Sam, "Should I be worried that whatever it is that General O'Neill needs me to do involves him?"
Sam opened her mouth as if to say something then closed it with a reassuring smile. "I should probably keep my opinion to myself. If you'll come with me I'll try to explain."
And after a trip down to O'Neill's office, a quick security overview and signing of nondisclosure paperwork, Sam gave a very brief synopsis of the Stargate Program and summary of how Miko…that was her name!...had arrived a few days prior.
"So, let me get this straight. This woman moved from an alternate reality into this one, then jumped back in time, then hitched a ride in a wormhole and traveled from another galaxy to get here to say I needed to go to Atlantis?"
"I know it sounds outrageous," Sam consoled a very skeptical Sheppard, "but believe me, everything she's talked about doing, others have done, as well…just not all three at once."
"The United States Air Force actual has time travel machines? What, a garage full of DeLoreans equipped with flux capacitors?"
"The American cinema is going to rot the brains of every person on Earth, I swear." I shook my head in disgust. "No, she had a device that was built by the Ancients…they're the race of people that built the Stargates and Atlantis is what we believe to be their home city. Where is that thing, Sam?"
She pulled out a box and handed it over and I opened it to reveal a smooth, flat, coin-shaped device that would fit easily in the palm of my hand. I started to pick it up to show him when he let out a worried, "No! Don't touch it!"
"Why? I assure you it's perfectly safe to handle the Ancient's devices, especially if you don't have the ATA …" And I stopped in midsentence as something clicked in my head. "You can sense something about this, can't you?"
He seemed reluctant to admit it and he looked between me and Sam before finally begrudging, "Yeah, I can. It feels…dangerous."
Oh, dear God, he had the gene. And if he could sense it, could feel warning bells being given off from a piece of Ancient technology, then it had to be strong. Stronger than anyone else I had ever met, and I had met every person with an ATA gene that we knew about on this planet. Snapping my fingers excitedly, I ordered Sam, "Get me another device. Anything. Jackson's bound to have something squirreled away somewhere."
Within minutes we had Sheppard activating equipment that had sat dormant for years. Hell, after a trip down to Jackson's lab, he had things glowing blue that we hadn't even known were Ancient. And each time he did it, each time he hesitantly placed a hand on a contraption and thought about turning it on, my smile grew. By the time we had run through every piece of Ancient technology we could locate on the base, I was bouncing on my toes. Clamping a hand on his arm, I was already dragging him down the hallway toward the gateroom. "Call the Prometheus, Sam; we're going back to Antarctica."
"Whoa, hold on, McKay." He dug in his heels and I jerked to a stop. "I dodged that bullet once before. What is so important about going under the ice?"
I smiled broadly, unable to contain my glee. "I have a chair you need to sit in."
"A chair?" he asked dubiously.
"Believe me, Major, you make this chair work and you can have every bowl of red jello I come across."
x x x x x
This guy.
This annoying goddamn guy.
I'd been on a spaceship, a spaceship…I mean, my God. No pilot alive could out-cool that shit. There were stars and the misty blue curve of the earth beneath us—I was Han Solo, Buck Rogers, Captain Kirk. I was flying in a way I never had before. Never had dreamed was really possible. The Prometheus made the shuttles look like tinker toys. It was…there were no words for what it was. Up to now though, it was the best moment of my life.
But although I had no words (well, I had one. Cool—which had gotten me a roll of astrophysicist eyes), McKay had hundreds. Thousands. Ancients, drones, Ascension, the Pegasus galaxy, gene therapy…the latter, he explained condescendingly, was for the normal personnel. Mutant throwbacks wouldn't require it. This ATA gene was most likely linked to a low prehistoric brow, small brain, and tendency to eat one's own bodily vermin.
"I thought you said humans were the second evolution of these Archaics…Ancients, whatever. The super-advanced guys?" I pointed out. "Wouldn't that make me a superior blast from the past?"
"That's quite a conceited and utterly incorrect concept." He turned from the blue, white, and black view before us to glare at me. "Second evolution, coined by Dr. Daniel Jackson who has obviously lost brain cells from his ten or so expirations, is a misnomer. You've seen their technology. At best, we'd be a de-evolution. Or…." His eyes sharpened in consideration. "As I've hypothesized, a horny Ancient or two diddled whatever tool bearing monkey that was around at the time and here we are. A cross-breeding. Of course, if we knew exactly when they left and when they returned and why we're still here if they ascended. Wouldn't we have ascended with them if we were one evolving race? Or were we still the flea picking, grub eating, stick waving white trash relatives that they were too embarrassed to haul with them? Sure, we'll be back for you. Here's our forwarding address. Check's in the mail. Don't let the fuzzy dice hit you in the ass." He snorted and shook his head before brightening. "But they did leave us some truly amazing toys."
"In other words, you don't have the gene, right?" I grinned, picking that pertinent fact out of all the morass of McKay ranting. A McRant if you will. They had McMuffins, why not McRants? Just substitute a Canadian astrophysicist for the Canadian bacon and you were set.
When it came to him not having the gene, I'd suspected as much when I was the only person turning things a glowing blue back at Cheyenne Mountain. There was no way McKay wouldn't have tossed a few in if he could. Born show off. I was one, too, and it took one to know one.
"I," he said with narrowed eyes and out-thrust chin, "am not included with the mutant throwbacks, no."
Yeah, this guy…I had to say I'd never met anyone like him. Simultaneously smug, conceited, a shithead of unbelievable proportions, but…don't ask me how there was a but, I don't have a clue. There was one though. A 'but.'
He was brilliant, sarcastic as hell, a complete dork around women, and he didn't let me get away with anything. Most people did. I had the occasional higher-up who hated my guts, but as a rule, I could charm anyone. To be more honest, manipulate anyone…especially female. Flash my cocky grin, bring up roller coasters for women (how fun and cute…and that little boy hair is just adorable) or beer, football, and flying with men (damn, he's cool. Babes, planes…he's Maverick without the Scientology.) It was pure survival instinct on my part…at least I hoped it was. I hoped it wasn't coldly intentional, that it was a result of more bases and schools than I could count. After all, the more you made them like you, the less likely they would leave you, right?
For your mom to leave you, you have to be one helluva loser. Obviously changes needed to be made and work needed to be done. Simple math, even for a kid. So, I did the calculation and then I did the work. And I'd never stopped.
A Texan Machiavelli or the remnants of a long gone kid doing his best to survive…whichever. I had my moments and they weren't all good. Rodney…shit, McKay…didn't fall for any of it. He couldn't care if I was a hotshot pilot, he didn't care I had several women in the cafeteria smiling and flirting with me at a distance. He didn't let me pull anything, didn't acknowledge my Joe Cool personality (probably thought charisma was just a hot actress on some TV show), and only listened to what I did say so he could immediately contradict it. He….
Damn it, that son of a bitch never did give me his jello.
The last thing about McKay was, well, he was entertaining…especially to see in action. He was all over the bridge of the Prometheus…a goddamn spaceship, I was never getting over that, swear to God…shooting questions like bullets, correcting anyone and everyone who was trying to do their job. Their hunched shoulders and expressions of panic and annoyance were immediate the instant they saw him coming. It didn't slow him down a bit. At one point he crawled under a console and started ripping things out, worked for all of two minutes, came back out and said caustically to the crewmember and room at large, "Now you won't end up in the center of a sun at the end of your next hyperdrive jump. Enjoy."
He was like the Energizer Bunny with the brain of Napoleon. Unflagging drive and the smarts to back it up—not to mention a dash of gleeful fascism. It was a good thing Canada was such a peaceful, civilized nation, because I had the feeling with McKay on their team, we could've easily ended up saying 'aboot' and saluting the Maple Leaf for the rest of our lives. Welcome to the Southern Canadian States, where Prime Minister McKay rules with an iron fist and impatiently snapping fingers.
Which he was doing right now. Snap snap. "Are you listening to me, Major? I realize this isn't a bar and you're withering away from lack of alcohol and petrified legumes, but this is important information I'm giving you."
I opened my mouth to give back as good as I'd got when I saw him. Her. It. At that point my mouth stayed open and my mind did a somersault then curdled a little. What the fuck? Seriously…what…the…fuck? I finally managed to get my mouth closed before any saliva escaped and said firmly if hoarsely, "If there are any anal probes on this ship, I want off. Now."
McKay rolled his eyes. "Says the man who tried to pick…er…borrow my 'salty snacks' last night." Then his gaze caught up with mine. "Ohhh. That's just Fenrir. He's an Asgard. Only one of them, Loki, ever did any probing. You're virtue is safe, Major, have no fear." He folded arms and leaned against the bulkhead. "Curious really, why their black sheep would be up to such tricks. Maybe the Asgard, having no genitals, have no…ah, other area…either. Maybe he was simply curious. Maybe…."
"Maybe he was studying to be a proctologist," I gritted. "I don't know and I don't care. It's an alien. A real live alien and it's naked." I didn't point at it…McKay said there were no probes aboard, but who really knew. No sense tempting fate. I did jerk my head in its direction though. "Naked." I looked away, looked back, looked away, and looked back again. "And smooth," I lowered my voice, more than a little disturbed. "It's all…smooth…down there. It's…holy shit. It's coming over here."
No, not coming. It was there. Right in front of me, impossibly large eyes studying me, and it… he… smelled. Not bad and it wasn't strong at all, but he definitely didn't smell like a human. In fact, he sort of smelled like root beer. Yeah, definitely root beer. A root beer smelling alien, hopefully without a probe, and he was staring at me. Finally, the small mouth moved. "I'd heard you located another human with a genetic mutation, Dr. McKay. I'd assumed you meant the ATA gene. I was unaware your scientific community had mapped the human genome for catastrophic follicular aberrations."
As McKay immediately gave an obnoxiously explosive, "Ha!" I ran a hand over my hair and scowled at the Asgard, "Hey, ET, at least I beat out a Ken doll for anatomical accessories. I've got a Disney song for you, pal. It's called the Bare Necessities. You should look into it."
"Whoops. Sore topic. Moving on." McKay snagged my arm and urged me across the room, muttering under his breath, "The Asgard don't have sex…well, they don't breed. Maybe they have sex. Maybe instead of bumping uglies they're bumping smoothies, I don't know. Either way, they don't reproduce. They've long lost the ability, the fertility. Whatever. Now they clone."
"Yeah, that's a shame, but it's no reason to pick on my hair." Women loved my hair, goddamnit. "Hell, they're bald. What do they have to be so smug about?"
"Oh, pretty much everything really," he said with dark cheer. "They even imagine their brains are superior to mine. Can you believe it? An entire race utterly deluded, but we need their help on occasion, so what can you do? Just muster up a little genital schadenfreude and you'll feel much better. Now." He stopped and faced me, bouncing on his heels. "Seen enough. Ready for the big toys?"
The thing was, I knew Rodney…McKay, I meant…McKay…oh fuck it. I knew Rodney could've just beamed us up and beamed us straight on to Antarctica. In fact, the Scotty-type member of the crew that did the beaming seemed confused when we didn't just go on. But Rodney had taken the time to show me around. He wouldn't give me his jello, by God, but he did give me a tour of the most amazing thing I'd seen in my life. He gave me time to wander the bridge, pointed things out (when he wasn't ripping them apart), and he'd let me….hell. He'd let me be a huge-ass tourist. No. A geek. He'd let me be a geek and just soak in what I'd dreamed of since I'd seen my first Star Wars movie.
It was better than jello.
"Yeah." I took another look around…still barely able to grasp that it was real. "I owe you, Rodney. So let's go sit in that chair of yours."
"Rodney?" he snorted and lifted haughty eyebrows. "You deny you want my peanuts, but that's a bit familiar and not exactly respectful of my station. I'm…."
"Dr. Rodney McKay. The Dr. Rodney McKay," I grinned. "I remember." One of my favorite movies when I was a teenager had been Ghostbusters. There'd been a scene where the con artist played by Bill Murray introduced himself as Dr. Peter Venkmen, his colleague as Dr. Raymond Stantz, and the most brilliant of the team, with more doctorates than he could carry, as plain Egon. Hey, if it worked for Bill Murray….
"So, just how cold is it down there…Rodney?" I asked innocently.
He frowned and shot back caustically, "Enough that you'll soon be joining the ranks of the Asgard, so button up." Caustic, yes, but there was a glitter in his eyes that was almost pleased. I doubted he got back as good as he gave very often. That mouth would scare the hell out of your average geek underling. And the military weren't allowed to shoot him. The man probably didn't get a lot of dialogue going on in his life. He was all monologue, and that had to be kind of boring, especially for a man as smart as he claimed he was. It would also be a little lonely.
Less than forty-five seconds later I found out how cold it was. Even inside where the conditions were supposed to be livable. It was one helluva change from Vegas and made the Colorado we'd just left look balmy.
"Okay, Fuck the chair. Send me back. Preferably to Hawaii. Any beach with a luau will do." My teeth chattered and I zipped up the coat they'd given me on the Prometheus.
"Ah, yes. I'm sure there's no citrus anywhere there." Face turning pink with the cold, McKay slapped gloved hands together. "All right, bubble boy, let's see what you can really do."
We walked through the huge space. Although it looked as if it had been hollowed out of ice, there was the occasional metal arch inscribed with odd symbols. People were milling about, working on machinery or computers. No one gave us a second glance; although a few people bolted off the instant they saw us. One of them had a shock of brown hair, heavy curved eyebrows, and soulful blue eyes. He looked to be a bit pudgy under his heavy coat, but he could sprint with the best of them.
"Oh, fine, Carson. Run away, you coward," McKay called after him. "Big baby," he muttered under his breath. "He blows up one Russian satellite and you can't get him near the chair now."
"Russian satellite? You're shitting me, right? The one that dropped a flaming chunk that missed that cruise ship by less than fifty feet?" I said nonplussed.
"Please. It was sixty-five feet and I'm sure great entertainment for Gopher and Captain Stubing." He nudged me back into motion and then there was the chair. It was metal and crystal and looked for all the world like Darth Vader's barcalounger.
"So," I said slowly, "how did this thing have anything to do with blowing up a satellite?"
"It links to everything in this Ancient outpost. Everything…if we could get it to work…including weapons systems. Just don't think about blowing things up and you'll be fine." He nudged again, then pushed when I didn't move fast enough to suit him. "Sit, make yourself at home, take a load off. Whatever. Just turn the damn thing on, would you?" he ordered impatiently.
And I got it. To him, this was as amazing as the Prometheus was to me. Except I'd been on the Prometheus and McKay could only press his nose to the glass here. He didn't have the gene. I'd flown on a spaceship, but to Rodney his ship was sailing overhead while he was firmly and futilely stuck on the ground. That had to suck pretty badly for him.
"Okay, okay. Sitting." I sat gingerly as I did my best to think about nothing, which would hopefully equal not destroying Russian satellites. As soon as I sat, the seat back reclined and the whole thing glowed to life. I shot a nervous look at McKay, trying to ascertain that all satellites were still safely in orbit. He didn't seem worried, in fact, he seemed rather pleased.
"Good. Now, think about….think about where we are in the solar system. Think about Earth."
I was going to. I had every intention of it. But I had one thought that slid into home first. Cold. I was still cold as hell.
Abruptly the blue glow brightened. From the chair. The floor. The walls. The ceiling. The room beyond the doorway. Everything. The light shone through the ice with an intensity that had it cracking, melting and pouring to the floor in watery waves. Metal and crystal walls were revealed, mosaics, more machinery. There was massive hum as the entire outpost came to life and warm air drifted around us like a blanket.
Rodney, bathed in blue light looked around, his mouth open, eyes unbelieving, before looking back at me. I grinned and then we both said it simultaneously.
x x x x x
I don't like people. I tolerated them, I put up with them, I endured them because, unfortunately, there are only twenty-four hours in a day, I only have two hands and two eyes, and eventually I run out of clean underwear and need to eat. But as a general rule, I don't like people. And actually, that's okay, because to be perfectly fair, people don't like me. Hard to believe, considering how I have all but devoted my life to finding ways to improve theirs, but it's true. For some reason they wanted their geniuses to be brilliant as well as charismatic, thought provoking while self-deprecating, outspoken and yet soft spoken. They wanted to place Albert Einstein, Gandhi, and Mother Teresa in a blender and create a scientist smart enough to save the world on principle alone and, while he's at it, give them all a hug. Well, sorry, I liked food and I didn't like hanging out with people with communicable diseases, so they would just have to settle for the I.Q. and skip the PDA and thank their lucky stars that I decided to use my powers for good instead of ruling the world from a secret lair in a dormant volcano. That's just the way it was, me domineering, them quaking, work getting done, progress being made.
Until I met John Sheppard.
For two and a half weeks, I had been working with the man. Actually working with him. Not me dictating and him groveling. Not me dazzling him with my intellectual prowess and him basking in my glory. Not him hiding and me dragging him by the scruff of the neck to cower before the equipment. But actually accomplishing what we set out to do on a daily basis.
Oh sure, he'd been plenty dazzled by the Prometheus but that was to be expected from anyone who had argued as a child over who got to be Han and who had to be the Wookie. And as wary as he'd been about sitting in the chair, he did it, unlike some Scottish sheep huggers that shall remain nameless. I swear to God, he shoots down one satellite…one!.. and you'd think the world was coming to an end. I've been to Russia; the television reception sucked when the satellite was still in orbit, so it evidently wasn't doing much for them to begin with. Besides, it's not like there's anything worth watching from Western networks anyway. But Sheppard had sat in the chair, and aside from threatening the melt the polar ice caps, which I assured Elizabeth was very unlikely to happen in actuality…at least I was ninety percent sure it wasn't going to happen.. nothing cataclysmic had occurred.
Nothing except that I found I actually enjoyed hanging out with him. I mean, I wasn't going to propose marriage or anything, but for the first time in years I found myself looking forward to working with someone as opposed to just wishing I could clone myself and do away with the minions. He was smart, in a borderline idiot savant sort of way. He was confident, in a 'my hair looks good doing an impersonation of a porcupine in heat' sort of way. And he was amusing in a 'no, seriously, my hair looks good like this' sort of way. He did what I asked, he didn't back down, and he didn't take shit from my staff, from the Marines, or from me. Especially from me. It was like he took great pleasure in pushing my buttons instead of avoiding them like most people did. And that was… unexpected… and ultimately refreshing.
Carson, however, was on the verge of dropping on one knee and breaking out the prenup, which would have said I'll do anything you want as long as you keep Rodney from asking me to activate another piece of Ancient technology. Major John Sheppard was the answer to his prayers and dreams all in one. A uniform-clad savior with the genetic makeup to finally put his theories of an ATA gene therapy to the test. Carson didn't have to sit in the chair, or try to activate a device or even button up his coat in his lab for that matter since Sheppard had arrived. And he had collected enough blood from the Major that I was surprised the man wasn't collapsing from anemia in the lab. Just the day before, I had been looking for Sheppard to help with one of the consoles we had uncovered during his great defrosting episode. When I called for him on the radio, Carson answered instead.
"It will be a bit longer before Major Sheppard can come help you, Rodney."
"Why is that?" I demanded suspiciously. "And more importantly, why the hell are you answering for him?"
"The Major is feeling a tad…woozy right now."
Pushing the Czech guy with the ridiculously long name out of my way, I started toward the infirmary. "Godammit, Carson, did you break him? Because I told you if you kept tapping him like a maple tree, you were going to damage him."
"I'm not a remote control car, McKay," Sheppard slurred across the airwaves, "He can't break me."
"If anyone could, it would be Count Beckulla, the Scottish vampire," I countered.
"If anything, the Major is on the verge of exhaustion, Rodney. He doesn't need to be working in the labs until the wee hours of the morning. And neither do you for that matter."
"He's working the same hours I am, Carson and I'm not feeling 'woozy'." I rounded a corner as I formed air quotes and nearly collided with Grodin who turned and started trailing after me.
"You did get lightheaded last night," the Major reminded me.
"I did not." My chin rose, even if he couldn't see me. "I simply felt like putting my head down on the table in frustration."
My defense obviously did little to convince our chief medical officer. "Did you skip dinner again?"
"It may have slipped my mind." Frowning, I shoved the folder Peter had handed me back into his chest without even opening it.
"Rodney, how many times do I have to remind you to eat? You know you're blood sugar drops dangerously low…"
"Dangerous is such a dramatic word," I protested across the radio.
Grodin, who was still matching me pace for pace as I made my way through the base, snorted. "You claimed you were defying death simply standing in line when I took the last muffin at breakfast last week."
With narrowed eyes at the Brit, I inquired, "Aren't you supposed to be finishing up a report on the power consumptions of a fully operational base?" He pressed the folder back in my hands and I glowered harder.
"Whoa, what do mean dangerous?" Sheppard cut in as I flipped the report open while I walked.
"You mean he didn't tell you? Dr. McKay is hypoglycemic, Major."
"No, he failed to mention that," Sheppard drawled meaningfully in my ear.
"He tells everyone else." Grodin's mumble beside me earned him another glare.
Carson's explanation had Sheppard asking, "So this hypoglycemia, that's bad?"
"Well, it's not as serious as his heart condition…"
"Carson, have you even heard of patient/doctor confidentiality?" Turning back to Grodin, I slammed the folder shut. "According to your calculations on page three, we'll be consuming enough energy to suck a white dwarf dry in fifty years. For some reason, I doubt that's the case."
"I didn't extrapolate the power usage for fifty years; I only did it for five."
"Rather short sighted of you, then. Redo it. And run the calcs by Simpson before you bring it back to me. I have more important things to do than read rough drafts."
Peter gritted his teeth and grumbled, "It's not a linear relationship, Rodney."
"Prove it." I pushed the folder back at him and walked through the infirmary door, leaving him hovering in the hall.
"And you call me a bubble boy," Sheppard scoffed from where he sat a little glassy-eyed and propped up on a hospital bed with an ice pack on his neck.
"Am I fainting in the middle of the day? No, I don't think so. When I do, then you have permission to ridicule. Until then, just lay there and practice focusing on moving objects."
A technician walked past me and Sheppard took the offered cup. "I didn't faint," he growled. "I just stood up a little too fast after the last blood draw. And evidently the only reason you didn't is because you horded all the pudding at lunch."
"I gave you the red jello, didn't I?" Reaching out, I snatched the cup from his hand before he could take a sip and tuned my anger on the technician. "What the fuck is this? I've heard of shirking work but sending patients straight to the reaper is taking that concept to the extreme, don't you think?"
"Rodney, what's the problem?"
At Carson's question, I stuck the paper cup irately under his nose. "Orange juice, Carson." Turning back to the tech I poked a finger in his chest. "You like having heat in here don't you? Then you might not want to kill off the damn thermostat."
"Rodney, I'll handle this," Carson assured me then led the technician away for a lecture on patient's charts and allergy warnings.
"Uh, thanks, McKay," Sheppard said sheepishly. "I guess I wasn't paying attention."
"It's a wonder you made it to adulthood. Natural selection should have culled you from the herd years ago. But seeing as your hair defies the laws of physics, I shouldn't be surprised to see that the rest of you has defied the laws of nature."
"I do have a problem with following the rules," he smirked. "You should read my personnel file."
"I have." His face darkened at the news and I informed him simply. "I'm the lead scientist on this expedition, Sheppard. I attend the senior staff meetings. Did you think your service record wouldn't come up when we were discussing bringing you along on the trip through the worm hole?"
"And what's the consensus?"
"Me, personally, I couldn't care less. You could have been storing parts of door-to-door salesmen in your freezer to eat as a side dish to your Lean Cuisines; I would have simply proposed we muzzle you a la Hannibal Lecter and dollied you through the gate on a hand truck. That's how badly we need your ATA gene. Elizabeth and Carson feel pretty much the same way. Sumner is the only one that has any problem with it but O'Neill outranks him and Elizabeth out finesses him, so your transfer paperwork should be coming in sometime this week."
"You can't be stationed at Nellis and on the far side of the galaxy at the same time, that's a little conspicuous. So you'll be officially transferred to McMurdo like most of the military on the expedition."
With a grimace, he removed the ice pack and rolled his neck. "The Colonel isn't going to happy with that."
"Like I said, Sumner doesn't have a leg to stand on with his protests," I assured him. "Considering that Miko number two took the transdimensional express to make sure you do go to Atlantis, no one has much of a valid argument against you going. In fact, you're the only one that can say no at this point seeing as it's a strictly voluntary mission."
"Not Colonel Sumner, Colonel Sheppard." When I furrowed my brow in confusion, he went on to explain. "My dad, Rodney. He used up his last silver bullet to arrange to have me stationed in Vegas instead of Antarctica. And now I'm requesting to be transferred here?" Swinging his legs off the bed, he shook his head. "This is pretty much going to blow the cease fire we've had for the past year."
"Oh." What else could I say? Families…families pretty much sucked in my book. And evidently they weren't too high on the list of favorite things for Sheppard either. "Well, in all fairness, you won't actually be here but on a top secret, first of its kind mission to another galaxy. Of course, he won't be allowed to know that. But the fact remains…"
"He isn't one to let facts get in the way of the official record." Standing, he put a hand on the bed to steady himself and changed the subject. "Now, do you still need me to look at that console?"
"Yes. That is, if you feel up to it."
He seemed to consider it for a few seconds then finally said. "You know, I'm not so sure I do. I think I'm going to head back to my quarters for a little while. I'll meet you in a couple of hours."
"Sure," I granted weakly. Not that I knew him that well, but it was the first time I had seen Sheppard unsure of anything and the lack of his usual cockiness was admittedly a little unnerving. He simply nodded and headed toward the door somewhat unsteadily. "Major," I called after him and he stopped without turning around. "For what it's worth, I do prefer facts to official reports. And I think you did the right thing in Afghanistan."
He still didn't turn but he seemed to straighten slightly. "I'll see you in a few hours, Rodney." And he was gone.
When he finally did show up, he was back to his old self and I decided to let the whole transfer issue slide. Who needed to get all emotionally touchy feely about these things anyway? It just complicated matters and things were complicated enough without them what with the tech and the preparations and the other issues both personal and professional that I had to deal with.
Sheppard's paperwork came in right under the gun. Not surprisingly, the United States Air Force runs their administrative department with the same harrowing precision as an air show fighter jet team… hold the formation until the last possible second then veer off into the clouds to avoid a collision. It was the day before we were to leave, all personnel were to report to the SGC having made their arrangements and said their goodbyes in what we all hoped was a temporary but had accepted as a potentially permanent deployment.
The Major had disappeared as soon as the papers came in and, after a little investigating, I tracked him down outside, sitting on a patch of grass on the hillside above the Mountain, flipping a coin. He snatched it from the air when I walked up behind him. "Why don't you just go ahead and scale Pike's Peak next time? I think the climb would have been just as difficult."
"We can see the parking lot from here, McKay. That hardly qualifies as arduous."
"I'm not a field person," I huffed as I sat next to him. "Why do you think I chose theoretical physics as a profession? It's not like you think you're going to get a lot of chance to practice these sorts of things hands on when you're writing your dissertation."
"You will tomorrow," he grinned.
With a flick of eyebrows and a flash of smile, I concurred, "I know."
"So, all ready for the big trip?"
"I guess."
With my less than animated response, his eyebrows rose. "Yeah, I can just feel the excitement coming off of you in waves."
"I had to give my cat to my neighbor last night," I admitted morosely.
"You have a cat?" he asked in genuine surprise.
"Had a cat," I corrected. "And don't seem so shocked."
"You just don't seem like the type of person that would have a pet, that's all."
"So how exactly do you picture my life away from the labs, Major? Sitting alone in my apartment wearing a t-shirt and boxers, eating a meal of dry toast and beer in the dark?"
He shrugged. "Pretty much, except now I picture a cat rubbing up against your ankle while you do it."
"Really? That's really what you think my life is like?"
"Hell, McKay, I honestly can't picture you away from the lab, period. The only time I haven't seen you in it is when you go replenish yourself on dessert foods and caffeine in the cafeteria. And seeing as I'm not sure how that's keeping you alive, it amazes me that you could keep anything else alive, either."
"I managed to keep your sorry ass from going into anaphylactic shock, didn't I?"
At my bristling tone he rolled his eyes. "Yes, you did. And I'm sorry if the Distinguished Service Medal didn't go through. Evidently my pull isn't what it used to be with the big wigs back in Washington."
"It's because I'm Canadian, isn't it?" I grumbled in mock outrage. "Nationalist bastards."
"Yeah, that must be it."
Returning the grin he gave me I eyed the folder with his transfer papers meaningfully. "So, I heard your paperwork finally came through."
"Leave it to the Air Force to wait until the last possible minute to tell you where you're going."
"And are you going?" I tried to keep the anxiousness the coin in his hand brought out in me.
Realizing why I was asking, he flicked the coin again, fisting it tightly when he caught it without even looking at it. "Believe it or not, I made up my mind to go the day I met you, McKay. I mean the day I actually met you and not the drunken crackpot who thought I was whoring myself for peanuts and classified information."
"Believe me, it wasn't as far fetched a conclusion as you seem to think it was."
"I'm starting to see that."
Was that a compliment? I mean, I wasn't unfamiliar with being told I was a genius but his appraisal seemed to be more than just an assessment of my intellect. Caught off guard and fighting to cover how flustered I found myself, I flicked a hand toward his fist. "Then what's with the coin?"
"Just trying to decide a few other things before I go. You know, every ending is a new beginning sort of stuff," he told me philosophically.
"And are you debating the beginnings or the endings?"
"Little of both," was his cryptic answer.
"Evasive much?"
He wobbled his head enigmatically. "Depends."
"Well, then, I'll take that as my cue to leave you the hell alone." I stood and brushed at the dampness that had soaked into my pants from sitting on the grass then started down the hill back toward the base.
"I'll see you at the gate tomorrow, McKay."
And sure enough, he did. I watched him from the Control Room as he tentatively approached the gate while that kid Marine… Ford, I think… flopped into the event horizon as if it were a swimming pool, saw the slight wince as he scrunched his eyes closed against the trip through the wormhole, and stepped through himself. I was in the first wave of scientists that came in behind him, falling into step at his heels as he moved forward, gun in hand and the steps of a dormant city awoke with his footfalls. We both froze when it happened, shared a quick glance of wonder and amazement, the same way we had when he sat down in the control chair and the ice melted and the water started to flow. And just like that day, I could see he was thinking the same thing I it didn't stay cool for long and the water started flowing in Atlantis, as well. Only this time, it was an entire ocean's worth that was crashing in on us and threatening to drown us all if we didn't do something fast. The city was submerged, which was one of the most incredible things I had ever seen, as was the shield that was holding back the Atlantean sea…except for the fact that it was failing and the ZedPMs in the power bank were on their last leg. And suddenly all the wonders of the city- a hangar full of spaceships, the architecture and spires we could see in the distance, even the blue-lit steps and sliding doors fell to the backburner as we fought to connect the generators to the control stations and DHD so the city would respond.
"Get Miko number two up here," I called across the radio, "and see if she can help us. Her expedition obviously survived this." She had refused to tell us anything about what had happened when we were back on Earth, claiming she feared impacting the expedition if she did. But she had promised to help us once we were on the other side of the gate if we would take her back with us. And now it was time for her to live up to her promise. Then something dawned on me. "And Sheppard, get him up here too. Maybe this was why it was so critical that he come along."
"You mean it wasn't just for my sense of style and winning personality?"
I rolled my eyes as Sheppard walked up behind me, oddly relieved that he was there. "Yes, we just needed someone to stand around and look pretty. John Sheppard, Atlantean spokesmodel." Crawling back under the console, I started connecting wires from the generator to the panel. "Where have you been, anyway?"
"Checking out the ships with the Mikos." He flicked his eyebrows excitedly.
Patting a hand on the floor for a pair of pliers, I asked him, "Do you think you can fly them?"
He squatted and placed the tool in my hand. "Do you think it will come to that?"
Yeah, I really thought it would. And that would suck on so many levels I didn't want to think about it. So, instead I told him, "Just stick close, okay?" The reasons why I wanted him to were something else I really didn't want to think about and seeing as I was neck deep in trying to keep us all from being neck deep in water, I really didn't have time to think about it either.
"I was kind of thinking the same thing," he admitted with a frown.
"Well, unless I can get these generators to connect up or you think the Miko twins can call forth Mothra to fly us to safety, it might be our only chance. "
"Dr. McKay?" A wary feminine voice called above me.
"Seeing as I'm the only one working around here, that's a pretty safe bet," I snapped but peering out to see a shy Asian face looking down at me, I amended quickly, "Oh, good, it's you. So tell me, how did I stop this in your reality when we came through the gate?"
"Oh, no, Dr. McKay, I'm Miko number one." She pointed to the 'Hello My Name Is Miko 1' nametag she was wearing. If only Elizabeth had let me write one and two on their foreheads with indelible ink like I had wanted, I wouldn't have had these sorts of problems.
The sorts of problems I didn't have time to deal with at the moment. "Well, then where's the other one?"
"She's gone."
"Gone?" I clambered out from under the control panel. "What do you mean gone? Where could she go?"
"She went into the spaceship, the one with the strange console, and just disappeared."
"Disappeared?" Sheppard asked in amazement. "The ship too?"
"Yes. And then I found this next to where the craft had been parked." She opened the duffle bag she was carrying and pulled out a ZedPM. A ZedPM. She was holding a goddamn ZedPM in her hands.
"You do realize what that is, don't you?" At my question she nodded her head vigorously. "And you do understand that we're all going to die without one of those, right?" Once again she gave me a wide-eyed nod. "Then what the fuck are you still doing standing here? Go install that damn thing!"
People. I swear to God. No wonder I had no use for them. She scampered off at my order with me hot on her heels. And true to his word, Sheppard was right there beside me.
Well, I considered as we jogged through the hallway of an alien city, thinking for the first time in several hours that we may just live after all, maybe I had a use for at least one.
x x x x x
"Miko, it is time to go."
"One moment more," I requested of the man standing in the doorway as I read over the message I was leaving in the database.
To my dear friends and colleagues of the Atlantis Expedition:
It is my fervent hope that this message finds you all well and that my plan has worked as I had hoped it would. You must forgive me, Dr. Weir, for I went against the orders spelled out by Stargate Command. I can tell you, now that the time is past and the deed is done, that I was supposed to send you all to your deaths. In my reality, the quantum rift that allowed me to travel to your reality was caused by a malfunction of a time travel device that the Ancients had developed and left on Atlantis when they abandoned her ten thousand years ago. This occurred when Atlantis flooded and did not rise from the ocean when the expedition first entered the city. In my reality, Dr. Weir traveled back in time ten thousand years and met a very kind and wonderful man named Janus who helped her by activating a failsafe that allowed the city to rise when people returned and configured the ZPM bank so that there would be minimal power remaining in the city from a lone ZPM. However, for this to occur, Dr. Weir had to stay behind in stasis and awaken every three thousand years to adjust the ZPMs. Unfortunately, everyone else on that first attempt died. In my reality, we believed that Colonel John Sheppard was the pilot of the Gateship that transported Dr. Weir back in time. We also believe that since no one had any memory of Colonel Sheppard but only records that had yet to be affected by the rift, that he did not go through the gate, and without him there to pilot the Gateship, there was no way for Dr. Weir to travel back and ensure that the city rose. So, it was my mission to travel into your reality and make sure that Colonel Sheppard did in fact take part in the expedition. And in that, I am proud to say, I was successful.
However, I could not stand by and watch everyone die again in your reality. When I originally crossed over through the quantum rift, I brought with me a ZPM to power the gate and allow me to travel between Atlantis and Earth. Fearing that a fully charged ZPM would alter what happened in your reality, I was directed to place the ZPM on a feedback loop so that it would eventually drain. I did as I was told. However, I must beg forgiveness as I did not travel back the two months before the expedition was to depart as I was supposed to in order to give it time to drain. Instead, as you know, I arrived a few weeks before the departure date. Therefore, the ZPM was only partially drained to a state similar to the one that was left behind for the expedition in my reality.
This would mean there was no reason for Dr. Weir to travel back in time and attend to the ZPM bank and no reason for everyone else to die. However, I could not leave the Gateship capable of time travel with you as that could potentially change your history. So, I took it back to the time of the Ancients to make sure of two things; the time travel device that caused the rift was destroyed and the failsafe was activated to allow the city to rise. As I had hoped, both have now been accomplished. It has also allowed me to avoid the entropic cascade failure that was inevitable if I had remained in your time with my alternate self. Therefore, I beg your forgiveness in disobeying the orders given me, but I hope that you understand that I had only the best intentions and the well-being of the expedition in mind when I did so.
As to Colonel Sheppard. I have thought long and hard as to why it was necessary for him to come on the expedition now that I have taken the need for his piloting skills out of the equation for the initial survival of the expedition. It is my deepest belief that his role goes well beyond that one simple act. Although I cannot remember exactly what he did on our expedition as the quantum rift had impacted our memories by the time I left, I cannot help but think it was significant seeing as he was a Colonel in my time and reality and only a Major at the time of the expedition here in yours. But I also firmly believe that his military skills are only a portion of his impact on the people of this mission, in particular Dr. McKay. This is why I left a personal 'note' for Major Sheppard and Dr. McKay in the Major's pocket while we were working on the Gateships prior to my departure. I hope I was not being too forward when I did that, but I felt it was important that they understand how things were in my reality prior to the rift and now that the rift has been repaired, I trust they have returned to the way they should be.
Atlantis is an amazing city. Having seen it at its most brilliant here in the past, I can only say that you have much to look forward to in your exploration. I consider myself most fortunate to have had the opportunity to see it this way. And although I cannot tell you more, I must let Dr. McKay and Dr. Zelenka and all my other colleagues know that you have only just scratched the surface of what she is capable of accomplishing and I am most envious that I will not be there to share your excitement when you do. You will also have many hardships ahead of you but I have included the addresses of five planets that currently have known functioning ZPMs so that they may be of assistance to you in the time to come.
And with this final farewell, I must depart Atlantis once again. This time I am returning to Earth with the Ancients and a new and exciting adventure. It has been my greatest honor and privilege to work with you all in both realities and please know that I will miss everyone but look forward to what is to come.
Most respectfully yours,
Miko Kusanagi
"Miko, we really must be leaving now."
Saving the message, I turned and smiled up at Janus who was standing with his hands on my shoulder. "I am ready."
"I truly believe they will be fine," he offered with a small encouraging squeeze.
"So do I," I agreed with a pat to his hand. "You did set the failsafe, correct?"
"It is set. When they install the ZPM you left for them, the failsafe will activate and the city will begin the process of rising."
"And the time travel technology has been destroyed?" Just in case there was a failure for some other reason, I needed to make sure the quantum rift wouldn't form in my original reality and my mission would be a success.
At my question, he sighed gloomily. "Yes, per the Council's directions, I have destroyed all my work."
Not all of it, I thought to myself as I fingered the smooth device I carried in the pocket of my robe. But I would let that be a surprise once we made it through to the other side of the gate back on Earth. He still had another Gateship to build once we arrived back there to allow the SG1 team to travel back and leave the fully charged ZPM that would eventually make its way back to Atlantis via the Daedalus and save us from the Wraith.
Evidently I wasn't very good at covering my thoughts because he narrowed his eyes. "You know something you are not telling me."
Trying my best to hide the emotions on my face I reminded him. "The others are waiting. As you said, we must go."
"Very well, but I will get it out of you somehow. I am a very persistent man."
"Soon," I promised as I slipped my hand comfortably into his.
"I will hold you to your word." And this time the smile had a bit of mischief behind it.
He dimmed the lights in his lab and we walked through the corridors to the gate room hand in hand. I was still amazed by how similar and yet how different the city looked here in the time when it was inhabited by its creators, like Ryugu when Ryo-Wo still held court. And never had I felt more like Princess Otohime than with Janus by my side. The gate activated as we entered the embarkation room and we fell into line with the others leaving for another galaxy. It was odd, to be leaving a city that had been my home for several years to return to the planet of my birth that would be as foreign as Atlantis had been when I first stepped foot through the gate all those years ago, ten thousand years in the future.
With a final lingering look back, I stepped through the gate to the Earth of my past, to an unknown future and their intersection that was now my present.
x x x x x
From the moment I'd met Rodney McKay it had been a wild ride.
Stargate Command. The Prometheus. The Ancient Antarctic stronghold. The Stargate to another galaxy.
And all of it, in my mind, was so inextricably linked with a certain astrophysicist that they all went hand in hand. One simple 'pass the peanuts' and I almost die in another galaxy. I mean, I know it didn't happen that way. With or without Rodney passing out in a hotel bar, I'd had my orders. I still would've made it to the SGC.
The flip of a coin, though, that was a different matter. I'd told Rodney I'd already made my decision about Pegasus before I started tossing the quarter, but that there were other decisions to be made too. One of those decisions got me punched in the nose. Maybe I deserved it, maybe I didn't, but either way, the pain of a busted nose is exquisite. It almost takes your mind off the fact you're sitting on your ass on the floor, having been knocked there by the head science geek while in front of several marines.
It doesn't happen that way in movies. The hero doesn't come back from the literal brink of death, messy, nuclear death at that, only to be punched in the nose for his trouble. I guess Rodney didn't waste much time on watching movies…like I'd said, he was one wild ride.
We'd almost died from moment one. The city's shields began to falter, flooding began, and I wasn't the only one to think we'd walked through the gate only to die. But then the city had risen…some sort of failsafe a fuzzy little Czech guy had said—'my own indomitable genius,' Rodney had contradicted. Either way, Sumner had wanted some options in case the city didn't stay afloat. We'd gone to Athos, gained Teyla with my charm and love of rollercoasters, lost Sumner through sheer shitty irony. Woke the Wraith…one of the many things the other Miko hadn't told us about. We'd seen planets and people that, in the end, were more like us than they were different from us. Unfortunately the most like us had turned out to be the Genii. For all I hated their guts, I recognized my own kind when I saw us in a mirror. I recognized myself.
The scraps of their nuclear bombs had helped us take out one hive ship though. That was something. It hadn't been enough, but it had been something. Then the Daedalus had arrived right in the nick of time. And then, like in the best of all soap operas, we'd faked our own death.
The city had been emptied of Wraith.
Of some people, too. Gone. Food or dead. Ford was still in a coma from the earlier attack by the lone Wraith. Bates had been infected with the Wraith enzyme. Big and coolly angry before, now he was…something magnified. Colder. More full of rage. Bigger. Twisted.
We'd lost a lot, but not as many or as much as anyone thought we would. We'd survived. Against every fucking odd, we'd survived.
And I'd come back…just as I'd promised Rodney I would. I was good at making promises and mostly I kept them. This time…this time I'd known I'd just wrapped a lie in bright paper and shiny ribbon and called it something it most definitely was not: the truth.
Yeah, I'd lied to him because at the time he'd needed it. And, damn it, I'd needed it too. I'd needed that lie so fucking badly.
We'd come back from the Brotherhood planet…one of the five planets Miko Two had told us about in her message we'd found a few weeks earlier… and Rodney had been an unholy mess. At first, I hadn't been able to decide if he was more upset that I, not him, had solved the puzzle or that that Brotherhood chick had used him.
"I thought she'd liked me," he'd said plaintively. Drunkenly…with his head in my lap. Alcohol, it's so clever at getting us to do and admit what we don't even want to admit to ourselves. We'd sat in that Ancient star viewing room, drinking and wondering how long we had to live, when Rodney had toppled over, the back of his head impacting my upper legs…luckily only my legs as he fell pretty damn hard.
"I thought she liked me," he'd said, eyes confused, with short hair a mess and arms folded defensively across his chest. "I really thought she liked me. You said she liked me." It had been mournful, accusing, and woebegone beyond the imagining. In vino veritas, right? What Rodney would have never let slip from his lips sober had been pulled out reluctantly now. Another victim of Kavanagh's hooch goes down.
I'd sighed and patted his chest lightly. "She did like you, Casanova," I'd told him. "She just liked duty more. Look at it from her point of view. If some hot thing came along and asked you to give up what you value you most, would you?"
He'd glared at me with eyes bloodshot from fermented alien potatoes and then the glare faded. "Sometimes they're the same thing," he'd said simply.
It had been almost like an echo, but not. As if he'd said this…no…as if he'd not said this before, but said something so close to being the same. And I'd thought of Miko…thousands of them in thousands of universes. Thousands of Johns and Rodneys too…doing/not doing. Saying/not saying. The coin toss going one way then another. How can you do the right thing, say the right words, be the right person, if someone doesn't give you a goddamn handbook to go with all those choices? How can you?
Miko Two had tried, with that photo she had smuggled across time and space and slipped silently into my pocket before disappearing to the past to save us all, but even she had only known one thing for sure. And, timing, well, it can be everything. And as we'd seen, sometimes people were in the same places in the different dimensions and sometimes they weren't. I'd imagined I lived in lots of them and died in an equal amount.
Miko had only known her world, and barely remembered bits of it at that. She didn't know ours. But I'd gotten a grip on it fast. It was dangerous and no insurance company in existence would hand out a policy here. I was military. I was here to protect the scientists, protect the geeks, protect that annoying one in particular that somehow I'd ended up spending all my time with. I was the wall between the Wraith and our people.
Walls are torn down. Just torn the fuck down…all the time.
It hadn't stopped me from repeating his words in my mind…sometimes they're the same thing.
I'd leaned back and felt my bones melt a little. Long day, a moderate amount of alcohol, a helluva lot of regret, and a warm lap…McKay put off heat like a furnace…it wasn't conducive to a high degree of alertness. Just as I'd begun to doze, he'd shifted in my lap and wrapped a hand loosely around my wrist. "There's a reason that I didn't notice Alina at first," he'd offered quietly. "I'm a social moron, I know, but I'm not completely hopeless."
That's when it had hit me. He'd been thinking, but just not about what I'd guessed. Not about being dumped for a ZPM or pulling in second on a puzzle. He'd been thinking what I'd been thinking since I'd found Miko's message. Hell, to be honest, what I'd been thinking before I'd found Miko's crumpled bit of paper.
"No?" I'd tilted my head. His hand had been warm on my skin, his fingers textured with calluses. Acid, electrical burns, building fembots, those things leave their mark.
"No." He'd wanted to be exasperated, I could tell. Wanted to snap his fingers, twirl that manic hand. But he hadn't. For all the typical McKay impatience, for once he'd been afraid of what he might hear. Rodney wasn't one for long bouts of internal reflection, to say the least. Then Chaya came along, and I'd done what I'd thought was best for everyone's sanity. It hadn't done any good, and I'd thought I'd seen that light bulb flare behind his eyes then. As he'd said…social moron, but not hopeless.
At that point, we'd had two weeks until the Wraith arrived. Two. There was no way to fight them, at least not the kind of fight you'd walk away from. We'd probably end up evacuating everyone we could through the stargate…assuming we could find someplace to evacuate to. As I watched, my geeks would disappear through the event horizon, probably with Rodney bitching the whole way. I'd send every man I could through with them, but someone would have to bring up the rear. And the people who do that…the ones who make up the wall…yeah.
He had asked, and there could only be one answer. One promise. One lie.
Two weeks with me…just try to get him through the gate then, especially considering the message Miko had left. I'd known how much damage I could cause to Rodney. The Wraith were imminent, death with pale skin and soulless eyes, and yet it had been somehow possible for me to actually make things harder for him…should he survive. I hadn't been able to do that. Not to Rodney. Wouldn't. Couldn't.
My lips had curved slightly and I'd run a thumb lightly along the line of that pugnacious jaw. I hadn't been able to see the bristle but I had felt the invisible prick of it against my skin. Rodney had changeable eyes. From a distance they almost looked hazel, but up close they were blue. Clear blue but for a single brown speck near the pupil of the left one. Usually they were dark with irritation and impatience, then they had been dark with something else. Hope. Fear. An almost belligerent vulnerability. And other things…better things…things meant only for me.
I'd leaned forward until my forehead rested against his and closed my eyes. His free hand had come up to tightly cup the back of my neck, and we had stayed that way for minutes, maybe longer. His breath had been warm against my ear, soft and even until it had finally hitched slightly. "So…time for the big lie?" He had tried hard…he really had. And he'd almost pulled it off. It had been breezy and casual, cracking only the tiniest amount at the end.
I had exhaled, opened my eyes and straightened. I'd slid my hand through his grip until I could link fingers, promising quietly, "After the Wraith. When we're safe. We'll do things that will have Zelenka crying for his mommy, we'll make the backseat of every jumper unsafe for human habitation, and I'll be all over your peanuts." Then I'd grinned. It hadn't been a false one. It had been utterly genuine and real, because it hadn't been for me. It had been for Rodney.
He had smiled back…it was faint and crooked as always, but it was there. "You give great lie, Major. Don't let anyone tell you different." He closed his eyes, but his hand stayed firmly almost desperately wrapped around mine as he demanded obstinately, "And I want to see whatever the hell it was that Miko Two left you."
But I hadn't shown it to him then for the same reasons I hadn't shown it to him when I first found it in my pocket after shooting my CO in the head. At that moment, I knew the universe was filled with monsters, real ones that could have stepped straight off the screen of a Wes Craven horror flick. And what I'd seen in the photo…what I'd seen the other John and Rodney had…well, as much as I might have wanted it, it was a luxury that we couldn't afford. It was always the horny teens in those slasher movies that were the first to buy the farm. And I wasn't going to fall prey to the same hormonal inattentiveness that took them out in the end. So, I'd kept the note to myself and Rodney in the dark and he would have stayed that way if Miko hadn't spilled the beans in her farewell to Pegasus message we had found in the abandoned lab several weeks before. Ever since then, he hadn't let up about the damn thing and I hadn't given in. I'd told him I'd never found a note, that it must have been destroyed in the laundry, that she must have slipped it into someone else's pocket…any lie I could come up with. So that by the time I had promised his drunken ass a happy ending, he was right…I really did give great lie.
As it turned out, it hadn't been a lie. I'd made a promise, I'd kept it…was really looking forward to keeping it. Eagerly looking forward. In fact, if I weren't so exhausted, emotionally and physically, I would've been so eager, it would've been virtually pornographic. So why the hell was I sitting there on the floor, tasting blood on my upper lip, and having a pissed off Canadian cursing me? From his twitching foot, I thought he might be considering kicking me as well.
"You son of a bitch. 'So long, Rodney'?" He bent and snarled in my face, "Yes, that's exactly the goodbye I'd been hoping for. So fucking long. Surprised you didn't text message it on your way out. OMGCUL8R. Asshole."
And there came the foot. I caught the boot with one hand, it wasn't that serious an attempt, as I wiped blood from my upper lip with the other. "Okay, Dr. McKay. Someone obviously has been on the Air Force good speed for a little too long now. Let's see about getting Carson to give you something and bring you back down."
Which wasn't true of course. Well, a little true. But after making sure the city was empty of Wraith, hiding the city under the camouflage of a shield and nuclear bomb, and doing a head count of his geeks, Rodney had probably mostly come down from his high. '…just speeding away, thought he was James Dean for a day.' I shook my head free of random song lyrics and thoughts and stood. Rodney knew exactly what he was doing. He'd thought I'd died. Hadn't known that the Daedalus had beamed me to safety. For nearly a minute I was the late great Major Sheppard, gone to Glory on a bomb Rodney had built with his own hands.
God, he never would've forgotten that.
And he was right. I admitted it. I was an asshole. I'd ran out with nothing more than a so long, because I'd known what he'd do if he recognized my intent in my eyes. He would've been after me in a hot second. It was the only thing I could've done, but that didn't mean it had been the right thing. Necessary, yeah, but not right.
"Bring me down? Bring me down? Trust me, you've brought me down plenty already, Sheppard. Let me count the fucking ways."
With that, I had his arm up behind him as I marched him hurriedly out of Control. Rules were still rules. Laws were still laws. It might change, but it hadn't yet, and Rodney's mouth didn't need speed to be out of control. I kept pushing, ignoring his attempts to dig in his heels, until we were in a transport. I thought us to the nearest transport station to Rodney's quarters. Rodney's because I didn't want anyone showing up looking for me at my quarters, not with what I had planned. I let go of his arm then and he leaned back against the wall, slid down to sit on the floor and dropped his head in his hands. "You son of a bitch," he said quietly, all the anger and venom gone. "You goddamn son of a bitch."
I sat beside him. We were already at our destination, those things worked instantaneously, but that didn't matter. This was what mattered. "I know." I leaned my shoulder against his. "I know and I'm sorry, Rodney. Sorry as hell."
"We watched it on the scanners, you know," he said with eerie calm. "I wondered which of those pixels of light was your disintegrated bits floating around. It was strange. I thought if I looked hard enough, I'd recognize it. This…this is the precise spot that John ceased to be. I don't know why it made a difference. It's not like I was going to have the opportunity to float a wreath out there for you, but…I just wanted to know. I wanted to know where you'd gone through the door. I wanted to pretend you were still hanging around on the other side of it. That I could knock and maybe you'd open up and come back through." He straightened and leaned his head back with a distinct clunk against the transporter wall. "I'm so high" He exhaled and rubbed his eyes. "No, not high. Down, six feet under and all used up." He looked at me, deep raccoon smears around his eyes. "I want to go to sleep. I want to forget this day ever happened. I want to see that goddamn note." He blinked as his words began to slur. "I want to forget you died. I want to forget…."
His eyes rolled back, lids closed and his head hit my shoulder with the same clunk that it had the wall. And he was gone. Out.
I leaned my head against his, buried my nose in hair that smelled of sweat and two days without a shower and I didn't mind one damn bit. I managed to get his unconscious body to his feet, although it wasn't easy. I wasn't precisely in the pink myself. I hoisted him over my shoulder and staggered to his room. The door opened and I blinked to the sight of Dr. Z belly flopped on Rodney's bed.
His shirt was half pulled over his head. I could only see one ear, the ear stem of glasses and lank hanks of hair. His pants were around his knees and some Czech version of Spiderman underoos was proud and loud in white, blue and orange. And the snoring….it put the underoos in the shade.
"Well," I cleared my throat and said conversationally. "Rodney, you stud."
It was too bad he was out like a light and couldn't hear me, him or Zelenka. Someone did though.
"Our quarters were destroyed," came the calm voice of Miko One. Our Miko. She smiled at me. I thought I'd earned a little extra fondness back in the days when I'd tackled Rodney before he could label her with a permanent marker…on Elizabeth's order, of course. Miko would've let him too. She thought Rodney hung the Sun and Moon. And she thought Zelenka had created them. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she tried tugging at Zelenka's shirt while a hand swatted at her and grumpy Czech curses filled the air…all while he still slept on. He and Rodney had helped to save our asses, and their bodies were paying the price now.
Undeterred, Miko kept it up until she'd gently maneuvered him free. Smoothing his hair, she removed his glasses and laid them on the bedside table. "So, Radek said Dr. McKay would not mind sharing." There was a twinkle in her dark eyes. "They are so like little boys with their games."
Games? Yeah, but less like little boys and more like ego driven, stubborn geeks from hell. I grinned at her, "I'm sure Dr. McKay won't mind one bit. Make yourself at home. Rodney can sleep it off at my place."
"I'm sure we'll have new quarters as soon as Radek awakes. There are many empty rooms…."
"No," I shook my head. "Let's stick to what we know. The scanners say there are no more Wraith in the city, but best to play it safe for a while. And if Rodney feels….cramped, he can bunk with me for a few weeks." A perfect excuse, perfect revenge, and a perfect way to overcome any last attempts at pissiness on Rodney's part. It was like a gift. I wasn't going to waste it.
Ten minutes later we were in my quarters and Rodney was snoring on my bed. He gave Dr. Z a run for his money. Except for the underoos. He'd gone with boxers. Plain white boxers that he'd also taken a permanent marker to. Across the back of them in bright purple, it read: BITE MY EARTH ASS. Just like Rodney…even if he got sucked dry by the Wraith, his corpse would have the last word.
"Sorry, Supergeek," I snorted, "I don't think that's where they planned on sucking out your life." Then I pulled his shirt off to discover there was a similar message written on the bare skin of his chest. FUCK YOU, CATFISH SHITHEAD.
I laughed. I laughed until my chest hurt and my eyes were watering. Then I stripped off my own clothes and spooned with a drooling, snoring, graffiti-covered geek. I nuzzled behind his ear and the line of his jaw. The warmth of his skin against mine was indescribable. I'd never noticed anything like that before. I'd noticed breasts and full hips and when was I getting laid already? I'd done the work, but it was always marking time for the end game. With Rodney…there was no game. There was no looking ahead to the big moment, although I knew it would be fucking amazing, no pun intended. With Rodney, it was about every moment…being in every moment. This moment of warm skin, his chest moving up and down, his rattling snore, the smell of salt and old fear on his skin.
It was a perfect moment. Just like all moments with him were. No matter how fucked up the situation, how annoying he was being or I was being or we were both being. Despite all those things, every moment was perfect, was what it was meant to be. Every moment was full of the details of life I'd never bothered to notice before.
Every moment….
Even sleeping has its moments…ones of fear and terror and regret and dying in a Wraith ship, dying on a jumper with a bomb, watching someone you love die….
"John, wake the hell up."
I opened my eyes to see bloodshot blue ones three inches from mine. A short space, but like the moments, a perfect one.
I kissed him. With the remnants of nightmare, the debris of a life nearly as terrifying. I kissed him and tasted morning breath, old power bars, bad coffee, and Rodney. Through and through, all Rodney. There were moments and there were moments, and when he surged against me and kissed me back, I almost had a moment all over his leg.
There was a painful nip to my bottom lip and he pulled back. "You lied," he said flatly.
"I did." Might as well admit it…he knew it. He'd known it all along. But I hoped later, when I showed him Miko's note, showed him a photograph of our mirror reflections wearing mirrored silver rings, he'd understand why.
"You're a shithead." His eyes narrowed, then he exhaled. "Goddamnit." This time, he was the one to close the distance between us to kiss me.
It was…it was the silver rush of an event horizon, the gut punch of your first space flight, the soaring height of a mythological city, the flip of a coin tumbling through icy air—it was the biggest fucking rollercoaster in the world.
A wild ride. One damn wild ride.
I would never look at a bowl of peanuts in the same way again.
x x x x x
Reality 1 Redux
Life has a way of catching you off guard. One day you're doing your post-doc under a government grant, the next you're assigned to the Pentagon to advise them on wormhole physics because they found a device that actually creates them. One day you're called in to save the Earth from the ill-conceived machinations of a reckless, although sexy, blonde Air Force officer, the next you're on a military cargo flight to Moscow. One day you're walking through the gate and discovering the most amazing city ever built in the universe, the next you're laying in a bunk of the Daedalus, gripping a pillow with burned and bandaged hands waiting to die.
Miko had been gone over two days now. Back to the past to fix the rift that was eating its way through the fabric of our existence. It would overcome us soon, overwrite this reality with the one where Atlantis never rose and as best we could tell, the expedition didn't live. I couldn't help but wonder what that would be like when it happened. Would we feel what it was like to die? Would it be instantaneous, like a bubble popping? Or would it be gradual, like a ghostly fading? Would we be immediately transported to an afterlife…dead relatives beckoning, white light, fluttering cherubs and pearly gates… or would we just simply be gone? And if no one even remembered what happened, would it even matter? If a tree falls in the woods, if a reality ceases to exist in the vastness of space, if at first you don't succeed… blah, blah, blah. Philosophy and pep talks were completely useless at this point and the only thing that could help us was completely out of my control so sulking and bemoaning my fate seemed as good a course of action as any for the time being.
Wrapping my arms tighter around my pillow I found myself staring yet again at the screen saver on my laptop. As amusing as Kitten Wars might have been, it just seemed…wrong. And it was more than just baby tabbies wielding light sabers that seemed askew. It was like there was something that should have been there that wasn't. Everything felt wrong, had felt that way ever since the glitches with the ZedPM had started. I found that I kept looking over my shoulder as if expecting someone to be there, kept feeling disappointed when I went back to my empty quarters, kept sleeping crammed against the goddamn wall. And if Miko didn't succeed…
With a sigh I clenched my fist in the fabric of the pillowcase, wincing at the pain that shot through my hand at the action. Stupid injury. Stupid quantum rift. Stupid screen saver mocking me from across the room. I forced myself to close my eyes, turning my face into the pillow for good measure to completely block it from view…and nuzzled the warm flesh of a familiar neck. Flexing my fingers, I felt muscles ripple across his ribcage as John shifted and wrapped his arm around me with a sleepy exhalation of breath. I did the same, moving my hand back and along his shoulder blade in an almost desperately possessive move.
His hold on me tightened as well as he mumbled in my hair, "Hands bothering you?"
Opening my eyes enough to look at my undamaged appendages I asked, "What?"
As if realizing what he said and that it had made no sense whatsoever, he yawned an apology. "Sorry, weird dreams."
"Yeah," I agreed against his skin, the smell of him alone causing my words to thicken. "Thought I'd lost you." The dream itself was fading, leaving behind the lingering emotions as the details grew fainter by the second.
"Never." It was as much hope as it was promise but after the news he'd received, I wasn't surprised.
I'd been working in the lab earlier that day, trying to track down the cause of those ZedPM tweaks that had occurred for some unknown reason then just stopped as mysteriously as they had begun when he finally worked up the courage to tell me what had been bugging him for the past day.
"So, you up for a trip back to Earth?"
I had narrowed my eyes and studied him. No, I wasn't up for a trip back to Earth. The entire damn city could sink on a whim if the ZedPM decided to flare up again, and that was just on top of all the other issues that were simmering in the background. The anchoring field that kept the city from bobbing like a cork on the ocean was showing signs of weakening and the engineers had traced it back to faulty power transfer in the distribution hub. The biologists were worried about a decline in the number of Atlantean sea gulls that had been residing in the city since it rose. Normally that wouldn't have been a hot burner topic for me except for the fact that a nesting colony had set up in the distribution hub and were dive-bombing the engineers when they tried to repair the transfer. Ronon had had to pick Radek up by the scruff of his shirt when he had stormed the cafeteria at dinner time…covered in alien bird guano with tufts of hair pulled straight up by angry beaks… and tried to throttle Pyongg who had refused to move the birds as he had originally agreed to do in the morning staff meeting. No, now was not the time to be heading back to Earth, but there was something about the way he crossed his arms with a forced casualness and wouldn't quite meet my eyes that had me biting my tongue.
"Elizabeth came to see me." He shifted awkwardly. "Something's happened…family stuff."
With a sinking in my stomach I demanded, "Oh, God, Nana? Jeannie?"
"No, no!" he reassured. "Not your family, my…family." And don't think I missed the way he stumbled over that last word.
But the relief I felt had me sitting back on my stool. "Okay, first of all, never let Nana hear that you don't consider her your family else she'll lock herself in the bathroom and we'll never get her out because her security makes the Ancient systems look like twisty ties and hand-written 'keep out' signs. And second, seeing as I'm sitting here, you must be talking about your dad."
His shrug was as uncomfortable as the grin he tried to force. "Guess I was wrong; ends up the bastard couldn't live forever."
Looking around the lab, I noticed for the first time that we were alone. I couldn't help but wonder how long he'd waited for everyone to clear out before he came in here. Standing, I wrapped arms around him, waiting until he did the same to me before continuing. It took a few seconds for him to accept the comfort, accept the fact that he wanted it, that he needed it, but finally he did and his fist tightened in the back of my shirt. "When's the funeral?"
"They're waiting for word from me. Waiting to see if I can get leave from my deployment." He snorted against my shoulder. As far as anyone on Earth knew, he was stationed on a secret mission, probably assumed to be in the Middle East somewhere. Even his father never knew exactly where he was, just knew he wasn't where he thought John should be.
Increasing my hold, I told him, "Have Elizabeth notify the SGC that we'll head out first thing in the morning."
We went home and packed. Or I should say, I packed and John crammed every pair of socks we owned in a duffle bag before moving zombie-like to the next drawer and starting on the underwear. Looking over from where I was zipping up the garment bag with his dress blues and my suite, I frowned. "So exactly how many pairs of boxers are you planning on going through while we're there?" He blinked as if waking from a daze then started pulling them back out blankly and dropping them by wadded handfuls on the floor. "And since when do you unpack like I do?" Moving over to stand beside him I took both of his hands in mine before he could release another mass of cotton at his feet. "All right, stop, just stop. Maybe I should pack and you should go get us some dinner. Okay?"
Taking a deep breath he nodded his head. "Yeah, okay." Exhaling forcefully, he looked down at the pair of boxers he held in his hand. They were mine, plain white except for BITE MY CANADIAN ASS printed across them in faded purple. One of several personal messages I had left for the Wraith during the siege of Atlantis and my underwear of choice on any mission that promised to be a particularly dangerous one. The quirk of lips that usually accompanied John seeing them was replaced this time with a frown. "I wish…" he started then just shook his head.
Yeah. Sometimes I wished, too. Leave it to the death of another to remind you of your own looming mortality, of opportunities missed, choices made or not made, time lost. You don't always get a second chance. We had. When Elizabeth had traveled back in time, she gave all of us a second chance at finding the glories of Atlantis, and John and I a second chance at a first time. And I couldn't help but wonder about the choices John and I had made in the infinite number of multiverses that were out there. Did we or didn't we? Did we give in to the needs and wants and throw caution to the wind? Or did we do what we did here…what I did here. When John came back from that suicide run to the Hive ship, he would have lived up to his promise. I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. But I had finally gotten my senses back from my drunken, albeit truthful, confession. The laws hadn't changed yet and I knew my limitations on keeping things undercover…pretty damn limited. I wouldn't risk losing him all together due to my carelessness. So I preempted any starts by passing the entire conversation off as drunken stress-induced ramblings and surely he didn't take me seriously, right?
Taking the boxers from his hand I leaned in and kissed him. "It happened when it happened, that's all that matters. And I wouldn't change a thing." With a crinkle of my nose in disgust, I amended, "Except for the whole kissing Carson bit; that I would have skipped." When he gave me a small snort I patted his chest. "Now, go get us some food while I search for our wallets."
He headed for the door then stopped. "Thanks for…you know… all this shit. It's not something you should have to deal with."
Digging through the desk drawer with my right hand, I held up my left and waggled my ring finger at him. "If you deal, I deal. It's part of the contract."
"I'm just saying, that if you're too busy to go…"
"Stop right there. Don't let another idiotic word come out of your mouth. There is no way in hell you're going without me. I have no doubt that if left to your own devices you'd eat little and sleep less and, given your recently demonstrated packing skills, you'd do it all wearing nothing but boxers and tube socks. I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to admit that you need me and get over it."
"I need you." There were very few times that John let raw emotions out. They were there, buried under sarcasm and cockiness and usually expressed through a touch or a smile or a worried frown. They were covertly portrayed through code names like Supergeek and the clink of our wedding rings was his own romantic version of Morse Code. And I understood every secret message. But this time, he wasn't hiding it in the least and it made my chest ache to see it.
"You've got me," I assured simply. And he did. Let Atlantis sink. Let the sea gulls go extinct and the city wash up on the shores of the Mainland for all I cared. John needed me and that's all that mattered. He had me, from the moment that ice cave fell, from the moment the Daedalus beamed him back from the brink of certain death, hell, from the moment we walked through the gate and the city glowed to life he had me. And nothing would ever change that. He gave me a grateful smile, still standing in the doorway until I set him back to his task with a reminder. "Dinner."
"Oh, right, dinner." And he was gone.
That had been early in the evening. I had finished packing and we had eaten, eventually we turned down the lights and curled in bed together. And that's when I learned a lot about John's father and John's relationship with his father. Some of it told to me, but most of it inferred from the silence between the words. John's mother was actually his father's second wife. Wife number one was rarely mentioned…dead, deserted, or fed up, John never knew. But it had meant that his dad was closing in on forty when John was born. That was probably strike one against any chance of a close father/son relationship, a generational gap that was more like a chasm.
The second strike was that John was his mother's son. Even though he could barely remember her, it was obvious that he hadn't inherited his easygoing way with people, his devil may care charm and his recklessness from by-the-books Colonel Hank Sheppard. Those had come from his mom and I had a feeling there were other similarities if he had had the chance to know her. No, he was a lot like his mom in all ways except one…John Sheppard didn't run away from his responsibilities. Even when he was given a way out.
When John disobeyed orders and risked his life and precious military property to save those men in Afghanistan, his dad had offered to call in a favor and cushion the blow to John's career. Because in his father's mind, it was also a blow to his own spotless military record. Evidently mandatory retirement a decade prior hadn't sunk in just yet. But the offer had come with strings, strings John didn't want anything to do with. So he passed up the career-building position in Nevada and took his lumps in Antarctica. And thank God for that. It makes me shudder just to think that he might not have come on the expedition, that I might have never met him, never have known him. But the trade off for John was that he never spoke to his father again. Strike three; you're out of my life forever.
But the game goes on. And John had more than proved he was capable of knocking them out of the park when life threw him a curve ball. Now, laying here in bed with him, I just considered myself lucky that he wanted me on his team, in his life, as his family. I snuggled in closer to him, no longer even able to remember the dream that had woken me a few minutes before. "Go back to sleep," I coaxed, trying to shake the disorienting feeling that was almost like déjà vu…it didn't feel so much like I had experienced it before so much as I had almost experienced it. "We've got a long day ahead of us." Airports and funeral homes and lawyers and insurance paperwork and the reality of a thousand other things that come to the surface when someone ends up six feet below it.
He yawned again against my hair and completely out of left field warned me in a sleepy voice, "Don't touch that Ancient diagnostic doodah in your lab. Not safe." That last was little more than a mumble that trailed off into a snore.
But that was John. Like I said, born and raised in left field, not to mention abandoned and now orphaned there. But he wasn't alone. As long as I was around I'd make sure of that. Coming to Atlantis and meeting John and the others, allowed me to put my sister's choices in perspective. Jeannie had chosen a family over science and it had taken me years to understand that. In fact, it had taken nearly dying with a group of people that had just months before been strangers to let me realize what family meant and why she might make that choice. But falling in love with John had helped me put my choices in perspective. I realized he had become the reason behind everything I did. Science was still my life, but John was my soul. And I suddenly didn't just understand family, I was part of one.
On the far wall, I could just make out the outline of our family portrait, just see it shimmering ghostlike in the faint moonlight. A little over a week ago, I couldn't fathom why John would want such a thing, now I couldn't fathom why I hadn't wanted it. Closing my eyes again, I let out a drowsy snort against my human pillow at what a sentimental schmuck I had become. Well, I guess that's what comes of wearing a ring on your left hand and taking up residence in left field and being the support system for the one left behind.
And in reality, I guess that's what family is all about.
The End | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3111361/2/The-Geek-s-Guide-to-First-Times-and-Second-Chances | <urn:uuid:5e17f128-41e3-41a4-a918-54b5aee7a758> | en | 0.989615 | 0.055551 |
Well, from all the votes I received, it looks like I'll be adding the next 2 saga onto this fic. Thanks to all those who voted.
After the end of this story arc, there's 7 more characters that I plan on introducing to this fic. Only 3 of them are original characters. As for one more thing for you all to look forward to, this story saga is reaching its climax...finally (T_T). Now to keep myself from revealing spoilers, on with the fic.
Well, I'm not quite sure how this happened so let's review.
I entered the castle of Demitri Maximof, an acquaintance of my succubus companion, Morrigan Aensland.
That alone should have made me put more thought into this.
So far, I've fought hordes of vampire rejects, better known as zombies, and a psychotic vampire gardener who could control a greenhouse of killer plants. I've befriended and later fought (or defended against) a vampire who could control paper, some gargoyle statues and more vampires. By now, it's safe to say that I'm pretty sick of vampires and all the other phenomenal creatures. I would think that I'd be used to this by now.
Not a chance in hell.
This was a bit different. I was standing in the aisle in the balcony of an auditorium that was apparently abandoned, now full of applauding spectators anticipating a show of a lifetime. I thought back to a time when Riku was talking about a similar scenario.
I flinched at the whisper that suddenly came from behind me and whirled around to face it. My eyes widened in shock at what I saw.
An usher?
It was an usher. A plain and ordinary usher standing there staring at me, confused and somewhat surprised at my reaction. It was obvious that I was more surprised to see him than he was to see me.
"Uh, is everything alright sir?" he asked.
I stared at him a little more before answering.
"Yeah…Yeah, I'm fine."
I assumed that he wanted me to 'return to my seat'. Quickly glancing around headed over and sat down in one of the empty chairs. I thought that I may as well watch this 'show of a lifetime' I had heard about while I figured out what to do next.
Suddenly, the theatre was filled with music from the orchestra that also appeared in front of the stage. I soon watched with mild intrigue as three people entered the stage. There were two men wearing tailed tux coats and red vests and ties over tights. There was a woman wearing a grand dame's dress, though it was modified for mobility. It wasn't long before I realized what was happening.
Not that I've got anything against ballet; I just wasn't expecting it when the guy said the show of a lifetime. I soon found myself relaxing as I watched them dance. It seemed so…so…mesmerizing.
I jerked in my seat. I looked around frantically searching for the source of the whisper. To my dismay, this action earned me some unwanted attention. I didn't realize it at first, but some of the surrounding spectators were looking at me. I felt a tap on my shoulder and my attention snapped to where it was coming from.
It was another usher.
I stared at him in mild confusion, but my mind wasn't focused around him. He wasn't the source of my bewilderment. I was trying to figure out where that whisper had come from. It sounded so close, so clear. I looked back toward the stage and ran a hand through my hair. Given how my night's been so far, I was a bit jumpy.
"Excuse me," I said getting up and moving past the usher.
I could feel him watching me as I left the auditorium.
I strolled casually down the hallway with no particular destination in mind. Strangely enough, I felt like I was forgetting something important. I felt a sense of urgency tugging at the back of my mind. I didn't see what the hurry was at the time. I just needed to walk around here and clear my head so I could enjoy the show more properly.
"Can I help you with anything sir?"
I jumped as I soon noticed the usher in front of me. Where did he come from?
"No, I'm okay," I quickly replied and walked around him.
Just like the previous usher from before, I could feel him watching me. I looked back and saw him still standing there watching me. I couldn't help but notice that his gaze was unusually intense.
Did I do something wrong? I wondered.
It was around this point that I realized that I was wandering around without a destination in mind. It was probably for the best since I was trying to clear my head. However, my mind began wandering instead.
Since I was now thinking about it, I was feeling very torn for some reason.
On the one hand, I really wanted to watch this 'show of a lifetime' that was going on, but on the other hand, I felt that there was something else that I needed to be doing; something important.
Why can't I remember?
I turned around to see that usher again. This time, there were a few other ushers with him.
"Please return to the auditorium."
I stared at them for a moment. It was plain and clear what their intention was.
Without a word, I turned around. I sighed then broke into a sprint in the other direction.
I knew they were chasing after me so I didn't look back.
It was strange considering 'normal' ushers would have thrown me out.
I was caught so off guard by the sudden whisper in my ear that I almost didn't notice the barricade of ushers in front me. I stopped before I ran into them.
With the other ushers closing in behind me, I intended to fight.
However, that didn't happen.
I was suddenly blindsided and tackled onto the floor. Being up against a gang of ushers, I didn't really stand a chance.
Before I knew it, I was thrown into the theatre, landing face first in the aisle.
Sure it wasn't the best customer service that I experienced, but I've had worse. I thought it was weird that they threw me back into the theatre rather than out. I stood up and dusted myself off before noticing that the theatre was completely black.
What happened to the show?
I was pretty certain that this was the same theatre I left earlier and it wasn't too long ago. If the show had ended, then shouldn't people who were viewing the show be flooding out into the hall right now?
I froze.
Whose voice was that? Where was it coming from and what did it wanted me to remember? The voice was soft and feminine and I recognized it.
However, I couldn't remember the name.
I couldn't even recall her face.
"What the hell is going on?"
My attention snapped to the front.
On the stage was that masked magician host again.
"How the hell do you know my name?" I yelled to him.
He didn't answer my question.
"It's unfortunate that you missed the majority of the show," he said. "However, you are in time for the finale."
He held out his hand and made a motion to rise. Just then, the spectators who were thought to be absent arose from their seats in unison. Acting as one, they all turned towards me.
I was startled to see all of their eyes glowing white with dark rings around them; a stark contrast from the human like appearance they held earlier.
They all began advancing towards me from all directions. I promptly turned around and bolted for the door which was now closed. I tried turning the knobs, but they wouldn't turn. I tried pushing and pulling the doors and ramming the doors but they wouldn't budge.
"Tch, typical…" I grumbled.
I then realized that I had wasted precious seconds trying this door and whirled around to see that the audience had completely surrounded me.
I was trapped.
I began making plans to escape as the mob drew closer. It looked like I was going to have to fight my way out. The man closest to me was on my left. The moment he grabbed my arm was when I responded with me yanking my arm from his grip and delivered a fierce left hook—
-only to have my fist pass right through him.
I pulled away after making a horrific realization.
They could touch me, I couldn't touch them.
Just then, I felt my arm being restrained by men and women on my right and then on my left. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get free.
All of the remaining men and women of the audience in front of me reached out towards me.
I felt all of their hands on me and then nothing.
The world, their hands, the feeling of them grabbing me all disappeared.
I only saw blackness.
I felt my strength draining and I found myself caring less.
So this is what feeling my life ending be like.
It was that voice again. By this point I was feeling a little annoyed with it. Didn't it know that it didn't matter anymore?
"It's not too late…."
Apparently, it didn't.
What did it mean that it wasn't too late? I felt powerless. I couldn't do anything.
"All you have to do…is remember…"
Remember what?
That was very cryptic. What did she mean to remember everything? All I remember was watching the play before hearing her voice and everything going ape shit.
Why was I there in the first place? I knew that there was another reason other than catching some play. I was there for a reason, for a person.
I was there to save someone.
I felt myself standing and placed my hand onto my forehead as I began to think very hard.
I began to remember that I was in a castle looking for someone.
I remember fighting various monsters; vampires all the way up onto this point. I wasn't alone.
"I'm trying," I grumbled.
I remembered that I was trying to rescue one of my closest friends, Jun.
However, she wasn't the one who was whispering to me right now.
I soon began having visions of someone. It started out as a silhouette, but then took the shape of a girl. She wore a long-sleeved shirt with a matching skirt and pair of long boots. There was a decorative belt around her waist and a cross outlined in pink, embroidered in the center of her dress.
Her long green hair was unmistakable.
"Daisuke…my name…remember my name…."
The moment I saw her face was when it all finally came together.
Suddenly, the darkness shattered as if it was made of glass and I was back in the auditorium again. The mob was no longer present and was replaced by glowing white orbs floating all throughout the theatre.
Morrigan stood in front of me now. She raised her hand and all the glowing white orbs came swarming to her. The orbs soon became streams of light, flowing into her hand.
Before I knew it, she had taken her normal form complete with the wings.
She had gotten her power back.
Morrigan said nothing in response. She only smirked at the man.
She raised her hand and pointed at him as if she was pointing a gun at him. Suddenly, bats swarmed around her arm as if feasting on it, but I knew better.
Suddenly, the bats dissolved and solidified, forming some kind of long barrel gun.
"Bang," she said and a bolt of light shot from the weapon.
The moment it struck the man, he dissolved into a blinding light which soon filled the room. I closed my eyes as we were engulfed in the light
I opened my eyes to find a pair of green eyes staring into mine. It wasn't long before I realized that my head was in Morrigan's lap.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," I sighed. "What happened?"
"You were attacked by a dream eater spirit," Morrigan explained. "You fell unconscious and were dragged into his world."
"I see."
That explained the weirdness of it all; the spectators, the ushers, my memory. I was glad that it was over.
"I'm glad you had no trouble dealing with him."
Morrigan smirked.
"He was pretty weak," she said. "Probably due to all of the resistance you were putting up."
It didn't change the fact that it was the most anticlimactic fight that we ever had since coming here.
I sat up and looked at her.
"Now how 'bout you," I said. "Are you okay from using that attack?"
Morrigan smiled.
"Yes. I was able to regain some of my powers from that. Even so, it would probably be safer if I didn't fly."
It was then that I was reminded of the barrier. Right now, this barrier was limiting Morrigan's powers and if she used them recklessly, it would drain her and she'd possibly die….or well, that was my conclusion anyway. I didn't really know if that was the case, but it looked like that she wanted to be frugal with her powers for the time being.
I stood up slowly to avoid feeling any vertigo.
"We need to get moving," I said. "Jun might not have that much time left."
Finding a way out of the theatre was much easier the second time around.
We also hadn't encountered any vampires or zombies either. Still, I kept my guard up.
It wasn't long before we found ourselves in another gallery.
It was quiet and devoid of any other life so we could hear our footsteps tapping the grey marble floor.
There were various sets of medieval armor standing against the wall with each of them holding a different two-handed weapon. I guessed he really liked collecting armor.
I then resumed looking forward and that's when I saw it.
I stopped.
Morrigan looked at me curiously. No doubt she was wondering why I stopped walking.
"What does that look like to you?" I asked, pointing ahead.
I pointed to a pair of familiar looking metal doors. There was a button panel on the wall to the doors' left.
Morrigan gave me an odd look before chuckling.
"It looks like an elevator," she said.
It was then and there that I felt relieved that I wasn't going crazy.
After a night of fighting vampires, zombies, killer plants, statues, and ghosts, we finally found a quicker way to climb the castle. We would save a lot of time in reaching the top.
And we'd be able to save Jun with time to spare.
Unfortunately, it was not meant to be.
My hopes would be dashed in that moment.
The elevator went ding, catching us both by surprise. The doors slid open and a lone figure walked out.
I grimaced. It was Morrigan who spoke.
The vampiric butler smirked as he began clapping.
"Bravo human, bravo," he sneered. "I expected Morrigan to make it this far, but not you."
"You bastard," I growled. "You lied to us."
William shrugged.
"I admit that," He replied. "Still though, you getting out of a room full of vampires without getting bitten even once is quite something."
I took it that meant he was impressed.
"However, I still cannot allow you to pass."
William snapped his fingers. I braced myself for whatever happened next.
Just then I heard a loud clang.
Suddenly, the floor disappeared from beneath my feet and I was in a free fall.
"Daisu—"was all that Morrigan could get out before the floor closed up above me.
It all happened so fast that screaming didn't even occur to me, not that it would help any.
These last few seconds would be my final moments.
Considering what I went through, it was a pretty crappy way to die.
The beginning of the end. Welp, read and review and until next time. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3184144/32/Supernatural | <urn:uuid:f3c0b03f-533c-46e6-8a9d-39979dfbf692> | en | 0.990675 | 0.052721 |
A/N: As you can see, this flash fic is different than all the rest so far. Instead of a one shot, this is the first chapter to a new, probably relatively short ficlet. Unlike my other stories, this is not planned out. I have a general direction in which I want this tale to go, but I'm going to let the prompts inspire me and dictate just how long this ficlet will be. If you have questions, just ask; otherwise, I hope you have fun with this new tale. Enjoy!
Shadows Have Offended
Chapter One
OCFF#3: A Midsummer Night's Dream
It was one of the last days of summer, and they were alone. No interruptions, no third parties, no plans, just the two of them, and that was something to be cherished. She watched him from across the patio, lounging relaxed and carefree on a pool chair, a heavy book in one hand as his other rested underneath his head. He was reading, absorbed in someone else's life, someone else's troubles, and, while there was a part of her that did not want to disturb him, there was another, a more demanding urge inside of her, to wanted to go to him, crawl up in his lap, and curl up in his embrace like a content kitten that just licked the cream.
Debating, she stood there, shifting bashfully from one foot to the other, twisting her towel in her hands but never once taking her gaze away from him. Making sure she didn't make a sound for she didn't want to disturb him, she waited, hoping for a sign as to what she should do, as to what he would want her to do. She knew she was being foolish. After all, he had never turned her away before, so why would he start now, but she also understood that sometimes a person needed their downtime, their personal, quiet time, and she didn't want to impose upon that, especially since their summer break would soon be over, and they would both be returning to the pressures and expectations of their everyday lives. But she should have known better.
Almost as if he sensed her presence, he glanced up from his novel, saw her standing across the patio from him, and smiled. It was always like that. Whenever one of them entered the room, even if the other's back was turned, they could always sense each other lingering near by. They shared a unique sense of awareness for the other, and it made her feel as if they were connected on a deeper, more united level than other couples; it made her feel as if their relationship was special. Putting his book aside, he held out his right hand towards her, beckoning her to join him.
"Come here," he whispered, his words both pleading and demanding in nature at the same time, and, of course, she could never deny him.
With those two softly spoken words, her nerves disappeared only to be replaced with a sense of confidence. She returned his smile and made her way towards him, instinctively adding a saucy swing to her hips, an enticing roll to the most primitively erotic curve of her body. Once at his side, she allowed him to wrap his still extended arm around her waist, pulling her down to sit pertly in his lap.
"So, what do you want to do today?"
Avoiding his gaze, she tossed her beach towel away and crossed her legs, allowing the long stems to glide smoothly across each other, knowing his murky blue eyes were following each and every one of her form's languid movements. "Well, we're alone right?" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him nod quickly, his Adam's apple bobbing twice as he swallowed in rapid succession. "And it's been a while since it's been just you and me."
"It has," he agreed, his voice saturated with pleasure and anticipation. She couldn't help it; she had to smile at his obvious enthusiasm.
"So that's why I was hoping we could just stay here. You could read for a little while, and I could lay out, and, from there, we'll just see where the day take us."
"Really," he questioned her suggestion. "That's what you really want to do?"
Biting down on her lip to prevent herself from laughing, she had to admit that her boyfriend was too damn cute for his own good when he was disappointed and started to pout. It was just one of the reasons why she could never say no to him. Another was because she was hopelessly in love with the man holding her in his arms, and she knew he felt the same way towards her.
Decisively, she stated, "yes, it is. Now, lean back," she instructed him, "so I can get comfortable."
With a goofy grin on his face, he complied. Swinging one of her legs across his, she straddled him, lifting both of her arms above her head to tie up her long, blonde locks. Fascinated, she watched as his gaze lingered over her, drank her in, appreciated all the delicate, fine movements of her muscles as she fixed her hair and then dropped her hands to untie the strings of her bikini top. Unabashedly, she let the material fall down and flutter to the cement of the patio, baring her body almost completely to her boyfriend's greedy eyes.
Finally and without elevating his orbs of cobalt blue away from her chest, he asked in a shaky, aroused voice, "what are you doing?"
"I don't want tan lines," she responded as if the answer was obvious.
"And what about your bottoms?"
Oh, the man she loved was definitely mischievous and full of trouble, but two could play that game. "You need someplace to hold onto me so I don't fall off of you," she replied breezily, acting as if she didn't know what her words were doing to him, "and I can't have the print of your hand tanned onto my back, so we're going to have to compromise. I'm going to have to settle with not tanning in the nude, and you're going to have to hold me a little lower than you usually do." Innocently, she peered down at him, "is that okay?"
"I think I can manage."
Grinning at him appreciatively, she settled down, sprawling her tall form over his. Chests pressed intimately together, she nuzzled her face into his neck, placing several subtle, whispered kisses below his ear. Content she let her eyes drift shut as the sun overhead and her boyfriend's hand against her bikini clad, rounded derrière lulled her into a serene, tranquil rest.
They both knew that he wouldn't be able to read for that much longer and that she would quickly get bored with laying out, but, before they gave in to the passion they felt for each other, they would enjoy the comfortable, quiet, sensual moment in each others arms. After all, summer would come to a close sooner rather than later, and neither of them knew when another opportunity like the one they found themselves taking advantage of that afternoon would come their way.
With a start, Marissa found herself falling, being pushed out of the lounge chair and onto the harsh, unyielding concrete of the patio. Except, she hadn't been pushed; she had been kicked. Except, the lounge chair was instead a full sized bed, and, except, what was supposed to be a poolside patio was rather the scratchy material of her boyfriend's carpet.
It had all been a dream.
Suddenly depressed and unwilling to go back to the bed she had no desire to be in, the young woman quietly made her way out of the upstairs bedroom and crept down to the kitchen where she passed through the open terrace doors and went to stand outside. Being July, the evenings were warm enough that she wasn't chilled standing there exposed wearing only a light camisole and a pair of girl boxer shorts. Her hair, which had been pinned up before she went to bed, had come loose sometime during her sleep and was blowing gently with the light breeze coming off the Pacific Ocean. There were many bad, unpleasant things that had happened to her while living in Newport Beach, even at her tender age of eighteen, but California was still her home, the sea her steadying presence, and Marissa could not imagine leaving it, not even for her boyfriend.
"Isn't it a little past your bedtime?"
If it had been any other voice, the person behind her would have startled her, but not him. Turning around to face her moonlit companion, the blonde smiled in recognition. Those cobalt eyes always seemed to make her feel at ease, calm in her own skin. But she shouldn't feel that way. The man before her was not her boyfriend; he was not the childhood friend who had turned into her first love while they were in high school together. Instead, he was the brother of the man she was dating, the older, wiser, dangerously attractive brother she should not be having erotic dreams about at night.
Finally answering him, she responded, "I had a dream, and, after I woke up, I couldn't sleep."
"A nightmare?"
Unwittingly, she blushed, averting her eyes from his piercing, questioning gaze and pivoting back around to look out over at the ocean below. "No," the young woman finally murmured.
She could feel him moving behind her, could sense when he stopped and lifted his hands to rest them comfortingly against her shoulders. "Do you want to talk about it?"
And, just like that, he broke down every feeble, inadequate defense she had managed to build up between them over the years. In the fall, she would be going to school in San Francisco to study photography, Seth would be going to Rhode Island to attend Brown, his dream college, and Ryan would be going to Berkeley to study law, following in his adopted father's footsteps.
Sighing, Marissa attempted to explain. "Things are just… they're complicated right now. Seth and I, we used to make so much sense, but now…" Her voice trailed off, because she wasn't sure how much she should reveal her boyfriend's best friend and brother, how much should remain private and personal between her and the man she was supposed to love.
Seth didn't understand her dreams. He hated that she refused to follow him to the east coast, he hated the fact that she didn't want to be far from home, and sometimes it felt like the boy who had always been able to make her laugh, who had stood by her through some of the worst times in her life, didn't hear her anymore. He dismissed her art, refused to do things she liked, and made everything they shared together about him. But, on the other hand, he was still Seth; he was still the goofy, endearing guy who had meant more to her than anyone else ever had so far in her life. How did she move past that? Was it even possible?
Breaking her free of her thoughts, Ryan turned her around in his arms and starred into her eyes for several long, assessing minutes. When he spoke, his voice was smooth and reassuring. "People change, Marissa. Sometimes it's hard to realize that they have, that we have, and, most of the time, it's even harder to accept the changes, but you have to. It's a natural part of life." Lifting a hand to cup her jaw, he brushed back a few strands of hair that were sticking to her lips. Leaning in, he placed a tender, reassuring kiss to the tip of her nose before breaking their connection and stepping away. "If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me."
And, just like that, he vanished almost as quickly as he had first appeared. Going back inside, she shut the French doors, closing off the midsummer night from behind her. With butterflies dancing in her stomach, she made her way back to bed, wondering if the fairies were at work again. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3917436/1/ | <urn:uuid:64e02af3-2fd7-4998-b539-3e160573b9e4> | en | 0.993894 | 0.181216 |
My hundredth fanfiction. I am so freaking excited right now, it's ridiculous... so I thought the theme of this oneshot was appropriate. Now, send me lots of reviews so you can be a part of my 100th fic celebration!
"Lady Glinda, I laid a dress out for you. It's on your bed." The maid smiled but said, "You should hurry, we're already late."
Glinda the Good Witch nodded. "Thank you, dearie," she said tiredly, running a hand over her blonde curls. As she walked toward her bed, she noticed a wand sitting on her desk. It was not the ornate one she normally carried (that one did not actually function. The only thing she had ever managed to accomplish with it was smacking herself upside the head). It was a simple, plain training wand. On a whim she picked it up.
She felt a tingle shoot down her back. She looked down at the plain dress she was wearing, much more practical than the gowns she war in public. She thought of another time, years ago. She had only tried the spell once, and it hadn't worked then.
She flicked the wand at herself, saying the word: "Ballgown" quietly enough so the maid wouldn't notice if she failed. But she didn't. The plain creme dress she had been wearing transformed itself into an elaborate pink dress with puffed sleeves and a wide skirt.
That was when she started to laugh, so hard she almost cried. She had done it! What would Madame Morrible say to her now? Morrible, who had never believed in her. Morrible who had thought she would never be able to accomplish anything with her magic.
But she had. She had made something plain into something beautiful.
Achievement was never sweeter. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4224914/1/Achievement | <urn:uuid:ac0b803b-7971-4da4-96b5-6ce7c0dd9c12> | en | 0.991819 | 0.385861 |
Musical Interlude
This came from one of those suffle meme things over on LJ. 10 songs, 10 little fics. I picked Jason/Spinelli. I know, what a shock, right? xD Ugh, they seem to alternate between fluffy-scmoopy things and tragic things, so, yeah. None are really higher than K+, though. Boys aren't mine. Enjoy!
Love Me Like The World Is Ending // Ben Lee
They're trapped in the burning mess that was once 122 Harbor View Towers. It's going down in flames, smoke is filling every inch of the building and there are only two people still trapped within the inferno. Jason Morgan and Damian Spinelli.
The elder is holding tight to his self proclaimed protégé. "I'll get you out of here." He coughs through the smoke filling his lungs. "Come on, Spinelli. You have to keep moving." Jason begs, shaking his younger comrade with everything he has.
He brushes the younger's hair from his face and presses a soft kiss to ash covered lips and then throws Spinelli over his shoulder in a fireman's lift.
"I'll get you out." He promises again, as he tries to kick out the door trapping them.
It doesn't budge.
Lie To Me // Stacy Wilde
Spinelli can't believe he's doing this. The lies come more fluidly and naturally than he thought possible. And just like that he's lying. Lying to Jason, to Maxie, to everyone. Believe it or not, lying to Jason hurts more. He tells his master that he's trying to change the way he looks to impress Maximista and the elder believes him without hesitation.
"I think that Maxie likes you for who you are and not how you look." Jason tells him, honestly.
It's better this way. Spinelli makes himself think. He can't drag Stone Cold Down with him in the FBI hunt. Jason is needed here and the Jackal is not. It's better if he runs solo. Better for everyone involved if he just disappears. If it's like he'd never been in Port Charles.
He raises a protest to Jason's comment and finds himself promptly cut off. "Look, we… we need to talk about something. Right now." Jason finally gets out, the words tense and desperate. Spinelli knows he's going to tell him about the plan to run together.
And before Jason can say anything to jeopardize Spinelli's plan, the younger man is making up some excuse about a rendezvous with Maximista. More lies that come so easily.
How Far We've Come // Matchbox 20
Can it really have been nearly three years since Stone Cold saved him from the clutches of Darth Alcazar?
It certainly doesn't feel like it, Spinelli muses, lounging quite sleepily on the bed in Jason's room. Their room, really. They've been together for several months now, and living together is something they've long since mastered. Working together, living together, and now just taking that one step further.
"You still awake?" Jason asks, falling into bed beside the younger man upon stripping down to his boxers.
"Affirmative. Just musing on how far we've come since you locked me in a closet so long ago."
Jason ducks his head with an awkward laugh. "That was a long time ago."
"Indeed. I suppose we're even. I did drag you out of one, anyway." He muses, and grins like lightning when lips press softly against his own.
I Wanna // The All American Rejects
How did he miss this?
He watches his young protégé with hawk eyes as he dances happily at the party. Spinelli keeps shooting him looks that Jason had been having trouble identifying up til just now.
"Go." Maxie pesters him, for what is not the first time, and now he gets it. How did she see this?
"Are you-?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Now go." She demands, shoving him rather ungracefully towards Spinelli.
His hand lands on Spinelli's shoulder, and the other man beams up at him when he realizes what's going on. "Wanna dance?" Jason asks awkwardly. And since when is he a nervous highschooler? What is this kid doing to him?
"Most definitely, Stone Cold." Spinelli answers, and suddenly they're touching and moving and Jason hopes Spinelli knows that he's trapped now. Never going anywhere.
Six Days // DJ Shadow Ft. Mos Def (Tokyo Drift)
It takes six days for everything to come crashing down in the town of Port Charles. Sonny and Jason have been in negotiations for weeks now over how they're going to go about working together again, combining Zacchara and Corinthos-Morgan territories. The day after they finally seem to agree on anything, Jason gets the news.
"Jason!" Maxie tells him. "Jason! Oh, God… You have to get to the hospital right now. Spinelli's been shot."
And he does. He's broken nearly every traffic law ever made in order to get there, and he's nearly too late.
It takes six hours for Spinelli to fade out of existence. Six hours of torture for Maxie and Jason, who can only watch on while the doctors try to keep him comfortable. Six hours in which Jason is planning revenge.
"It was Sonny." Maxie tells him, in between hoarse sobs. "Sonny did this."
"Okay." Jason agrees, and now he has a target in mind for that revenge. "Okay, don't worry. I'll make him pay."
It takes six minutes to find Sonny on the docks and six seconds more to end him.
How To Be Dead // Snow Patrol
"Stone Cold?" Spinelli calls hesitantly from the door of the Penthouse. It's dark, and until Jason speaks, he'd been convinced the older man wasn't home.
"Yeah?" Comes the reply from the man hidden in shadow on the sofa.
Spinelli snakes in the door, crossing the room to sit beside his master, the lights still out. "I, ugh, that is… The Jackal thought about the confession you made to him. Concerning your feelings, and, ugh, I reciprocate them, as it were."
Jason looks up in something between surprise and confusion. But the look on Spinelli's face tells him in sincerity that he means what he's said. "You're sure?"
"Indeed I am." He answers, and his hand lands on Jason's.
No Matter What // Stephen Gately & Ronan Keating
Neither of them cares what is made of their relationship. It's new and vulnerable and fragile and they are both willing to ignore the insults and attacks made against them because they don't want to hide.
Out of everyone, Sonny's been the worst, but that's hardly surprising. He's always hated Spinelli, so Jason giving him one more reason to do so was kind of an expected caveat. They've gotten to the point of restraining orders against him.
But, neither Jason or Spinelli are concerned enough to stop their normal activities. It's only fair that they should be able to act like a couple when they're in public. Spinelli's always touching him, and Jason usually has an arm thrown over Spinelli's shoulder's if nothing else.
Plus, they do have some people on their side. Robin and Patrick and Matt don't seem to care. Maxie, while still a little miffed at Jason for stealing Spinelli from her - through no intent of his own – is usually saying something about how cute they are.
Such remarks never go over well with Jason, though.
But no matter what, they're not letting anyone else affect their interactions in public because they're in love and no one is stopping them.
Starfish & Coffee (Live) // Matt Nathanson
Jason often comes home to Spinelli doing something strange or odd. This one takes the prize, though.
"If you asked her what she had for breakfast, this is what she'd say… Starfish and coffee, maple syrup and jam. Butterscotch clouds, a tangerine, and a side order of ham. And if you set your mind free, baby, maybe you'll understand. Starfish and coffee, maple syrup and jam…" Spinelli is singing a purely ridiculous song.
"What are you doing?" Jason asks, a wide smile on his face even as he questions the ostentatious music. It's also radiating from the stereo system, so clearly someone else is equally as unhinged.
Spinelli jumps at his voice, having been intently lining up a shot on the pool table. "Oh! Stone Cold! There you are."
The elder grabs his own pool cue and joins Spinelli at the game. "What are we listening to?"
"It is a cover of a Prince song. Catchy, wouldn't you agree?"
"It is… something. I'm not sure catchy is the word."
Spinelli laughs and changes the track to a more well-known song by the same artist. "Better?"
"Not really. It's stuck in my head." Jason responds, because the chorus is evidently now on permanent repeat in his head.
Spinelli nods and changes the song back. "I feel your pain, as it were."
One Night Love Affair // Bryan Adams
Spinelli wakes up alone in Jason's bed. And then it hits him that this wasn't what he'd wanted out of last night's rather drunken and desperate endeavor. "Stone Cold?" He calls out, just in case this isn't what he thinks it is.
No answer comes and he climbs out of bed, still naked and a little bit sticky. He pulls on his hurriedly discarded shorts and heads for the door, finding the penthouse deserted and quiet.
"Stone Cold?" He repeats, and by now he's wandered downstairs. The lights are off, but there's a note tapes to the front door.
Be back later. That's all it says, and Spinelli slides down the door to curl his arms around his knees. He resolves that if this is how Jason is going to handle the situation, like a one night stand kind of thing that doesn't matter at all, he'll do the same. Or… he'll try to anyway.
The door tries to open behind him and he quickly scrambles out of the way, frantically wiping at tears that he hadn't known had fallen.
"Spinelli?" Comes Jason's concerned voice. He has breakfast from Kelly's in one hand and his keys in the other. "What's wrong?"
"I… nothing." He answers quickly. "You went out to get breakfast?" He asks, taking in the bags.
"Cody called me about some trouble on the docks, I got the food on my way back." Jason explains. "I didn't think you'd be awake yet." He sets the bags down on the desk by the door and moves closer to Spinelli. "What's wrong?" He asks again.
Spinelli is almost smiling now. "I… I thought that… Last night…"
Jason cuts off such thoughts with a deep kiss.
Never Gonna Leave Your Side // Daniel Beddingfield
When Jason first sees Spinelli alive and okay and also slightly in trouble in LA, it feels as if a thousand pound weight has been lifted off his shoulders. That aforementioned trouble is dealt with quickly enough between himself, Sam, and - as much as he hates to include her - Agent Leeds. And, despite the fact that his actions are very much out of character, he pulls Spinelli into his arms. "you're never, ever doing anything like this again, got it?" He asks, and it is very much not a question.
Surprisingly, Spinelli relaxes against his hold and nods against his chest. "Affirmative, Stone Cold."
"Good." Jason says, and his arms reluctantly release his younger friend. "You're stuck with me."
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Spinelli grins, and Jason can tell he's been missed as much as Jason's been missing him. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4910626/1/Musical-Interlude | <urn:uuid:1e6ccf3b-9982-4e71-bedc-e67fa7b5e1f0> | en | 0.979534 | 0.096136 |
I own none of the characters of October Road
After Eddie and Janet shared their dance, the D.J. put some music on and the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary party really started. Eddie and Janet retreated from the dance floor when the music started and they spent the remainder of the evening going around the room, talking to their friends and family, catching up on each other's lives and thanking everyone for coming and celebrating with them. Around midnight, they happy couple decided to call it a night because they weren't as young as they used to be and frankly, they were exhausted. Before leaving, they gathered their children and their families together so they could properly thank them with hugs and kisses.
"This was an amazing night. You guys went above and beyond. Mom and I just wanted a nice, quiet family dinner and this great party and trip down memory lane is what we got. I don't know how to thank you." Eddie told his family.
"You guys have been married for twenty five years." Zach told him. "It deserved to be recognized with a big ass party."
"I thought our wedding was wonderful, but it's nothing compared to tonight." Janet said tearfully.
"Nice try mom. There is no way that this evening could have been better then your wedding was." Amber informed her.
"You're wrong Amber. Yes, our wedding was wonderful but tonight, tonight was all about celebrating a love that started twenty some years ago and is stronger tonight then it was then. What makes this evening spectacular is that my children, the family that your father and I created with our love are here to celebrate with us." Eddie saw that Janet was getting all emotional and he decided to pull her out.
"Come on babe. Let's go home." She nodded and hugged her family. "Will you guys all come over for breakfast in the morning?" The kids all nodded and with a final goodbye Eddie and Janet left, holding hands.
Even though it was only a fifteen minute drive Janet dozed off as soon as the truck started moving and didn't waken again until Eddie was standing next to her, placing soft kisses all over her face. Her eyes fluttered open and the first thing she saw was the loving hazel eyes that she has looked into for the past twenty five years. Smiling, she reached out, pulled his face up to hers and kissed him. "Hmmm. I love you." She whispered when they broke apart.
"I love you too darling. Come on; let's get you to bed sleepy head." Janet allowed Eddie to pull her out of the truck and led her into the house.
Janet had bought a new nightgown for tonight so once they got to their bedroom Janet disappeared into the bathroom to change and freshen up. She let her hair down, applied a cherry flavor edible lotion all over because she knew how Eddie's tongue liked to travel around her body and cherry was his favorite. She slipped on the royal blue silk nightgown on, checked her reflection and stepped into her bedroom. "Eddie." She whispered to his form lying on the bed. "I thought that maybe you might want to do an up close and personal inspection of my new nightgown." When he didn't respond she moved closer to the bed and that's when she heard the snoring. "Oh sweetheart." She sat next to him on the bed and stared at the sleeping man beside her.
As much as she wanted to have sex with her husband she couldn't possibly be mad at him for conking out on their anniversary. It had been a very long day and she got to take a quick nap on the way home but her desire to touch him didn't lessen. Reaching out she gently ran her fingers through his hair, down to his face, tracing every line and finally ending up on his bare chest. The instant she touched his chest Janet heard and felt his breathing pattern change and she knew he was awake. She lifted her eyes to Eddie's face and saw that his were still closed so she decided to play along. Leaning down, she took a hardened nipple in her mouth and sucked, smiling against his chest when she heard him gasp. While working on his nipple with her mouth, she reached out and caressed the other, rolling the hardened nub between her thumb and forefinger.
"You better hurry up. My wife can come in at anytime." He mumbled
"What I have planned for you will take a very long time." She purred as she began to kiss down his chest. "So if you're worried that your wife may catch us…"
"Don't stop." He begged.
"What about your wife?" She tapped his hips and he automatically lifted up and she pulled his boxers down.
"Who cares? All I want is you."
"Well if you're sure."
"Oh yeah. I'm really sure. I want you." Taking a few steps forward, Janet was at the head of the bed and she kissed him.
"What do you want Eddie?" She asked when she finally pulled away, breathless.
"I want you to suck me baby. Please, suck me Janet." He begged.
"I suppose that could be arranged. Scoot over." She demanded and he eagerly followed her instructions.
With a smile, Janet lay on the bed with her head level with her husbands cock. First, she took it in her hand and stroked it nice and slow. When he began to squirm impatiently, she decided to quit torturing him and she took him in her mouth. "Oh God. Son of a bitch Janet. He groaned in pleasure and Janet increased her strokes. Without warning Eddie's fingers were traveling up her legs, between her thighs and he was shoving two fingers inside of her. She unconsciously, she lifted her leg up of the bed, bending it at the knee and resting it on the bed, giving him better access and now it was her turn to groan with desire. She continued to suck him until she felt the familiar bubbling in her stomach and had to pull away to she could shriek in pleasure and not bite him at the same time.
Eddie sat up, pulled her nightgown over her head, tossed it somewhere and their lips crashed together in a passionate kiss. When they broke apart Eddie pushed Janet on her back but she wasn't having it. She wanted to be in control. She pushed Eddie off of her and onto his back. Before he could protest she was on top of him and sliding on to his erection. When Janet bent over so she could kiss him Eddie knew what had to be done. He placed his feet flat on the bed, bending his knees at the same time and he began to pump himself furiously into her while holding her flush to his chest until the both were shouting in orgasmic bliss.
"Happy anniversary babe." Eddie whispered as they both snuggled up with each other.
"It's after midnight. It's no longer our anniversary." Janet pointed out.
"I'm still awake so in my mind it's out anniversary so Happy anniversary hon."
"Happy anniversary cowboy. I love you."
"I love you more." Janet giggled and decided not to argue with that.
"By the way, you looked absolutely beautiful in your new nightgown." He whispered lovingly before he drifted off to sleep. Janet smiled in the darkness because she didn't think he even noticed it but it didn't surprise her. Eddie always noticed everything about her.
Janet climbed out of bed early the next morning, showered and stared making breakfast, hours before Eddie woke up and by the time he managed to crawl out of bed and the kids and their kids arrived at their childhood home Janet had scrambled up a couple dozen eggs, fried a few pounds of bacon, whipped up a box of instant pancakes and toasted up a couple loaves of bread. As her family grew Janet learned to cook for an army and if anyone left the Latekka house hungry it was their own fault.
After they all had full bellies they were relaxing in the living room when Emily and Jordan brought a wrapped gift in the room. "What is this?" Eddie asked suspiciously.
"You guys us that amazing party. We don't need anything else."
"It's from the kids. You can't say no to a gift from your grandchildren can you mom because if you did that would be just wrong." Natalie played the grandchildren card knowing her parents wouldn't say no to that. "Fine." Janet agreed.
Knowing the rules Eddie handed Janet the gift and the card. Whenever they got a gift that was meant for both of them Janet always opened the card, handed it off to Eddie and then opened the gift. When Eddie finished reading the card that had their grandkids name on it he hadn't heard anything from Janet. When he looked over at her he saw her staring at some paper in her hands with tears rolling down her face. "Honey?" She handed him what was in her hand. "Oh my God." He whispered. The kids arranged and paid for a two week trip to Paris, France for them.
"This is so thoughtful and wonderful but it's too much. It's way too much."
"We didn't do it. Your grandchildren…"
"Nice try Amber. Your mom and I know damn well your kids didn't buy this trip."
"Technically no they didn't." Zach agreed.
"The tickets are non refundable so if you don't take the trip none of us can get our money back and then talk about a waste of money." Collin added and Janet glared at him. Amber, Zach and Collin looked at their older sister because they new if any of them could convince their parents it was Natalie.
"Mom, dad, you have both spent the last twenty five years spending everyday raising, taking care of us and our kids. You two deserve this trip, more than anyone. Mom we know that you have been dreaming of a romantic trip to Paris for years. Your first trip was a disaster and even though you tried to hide it, we all know how disappointed you were that it wasn't anything like you dreamed it would be." Eddie and Janet smiled sheepishly. "We talked about it and we have all been contributing to this trip since right after you guys got home. We actually paid it off last year. Please mommy, please daddy, take this trip. You have earned it." Janet knew that Natalie had many valid points but she wasn't ready to give up quite yet.
"According to the plane ticket our flight is scheduled for tomorrow. That's not enough time for us to make arrangements. Your father and I have responsibilities."
"Really mom?" Natalie asked. "You must be ready to give in if that's the best excuse you can come up with. We have planned this trip so we have known your departure date. Daddy, we are totally covered for the next couple weeks. I made sure of it and mom you watch our kids during the day. We have all arranged alternate care for them. Sure it won't be as good as Grammy's house but for two weeks it will work."
Eddie and Janet looked at each other and without speaking they came to a mutual decision. "All right guys, first of all mom and I want you to know how grateful that your mom and I am to you for this extraordinary gift. Every day we are reminded what amazingly, wonderful children we raised."
"Duh." Amber said and everyone laughed.
"Thank you all, thank you so very much." Janet whispered tearfully.
"So does that mean that you're accepting your gift?" Collin asked.
"Yes we are accepting your generous gift."
"So you found our reasons convincing?" Zach inquired.
"We did and I know that your mom really, really wants to go." Eddie answered and Janet agreed.
"What about you dad? Do you want to go?" Natalie asked.
"Yeah pumpkin I do."
Eddie and Janet left the following day for the anniversary trip to Paris. This time all of their flights were on time and they arrived in Paris as scheduled. The hotel that they kids booked for them was beautiful. It was an old mansion which had been converted into a luxurious hotel that sat on a lake. Since they were staying in Paris for two weeks they spent lots of time in their room making love and many nights out in a canoe on the lake talking, laughing, and kissing under the stars.
They went to all of the best restaurants with the exception of where they went the last time when they got food poisoning. They went to every tourist attraction that they could find. Eddie even relented and spent two days at The Louve with Janet. Art really isn't Eddie's cup of tea but because Janet wanted to go to the famous museum he went through every inch of the museum with a smile on his face. He would never deny his wife anything that she wanted, even if he hated every minute of it.
Once Eddie and Janet returned home life continued to move on and change for the Latekka family. A month after her parent's got back from their trip Natalie gave birth to a healthy little girl named Olivia Edith Rowan. Janet begged her daughter to change Olivia's name but Natalie refused. She wanted Olivia to have part of her mother's name. Amber and Nate finally had a little girl, the little girl that Amber had been yearning for, a little girl that Amber named Courtney, a name that she had picked out when she was a little girl and Zach and Tammy completed their family with a son, Max.
Meanwhile Collin completed college and then medical school. He ended up specializing in children with diabetes. Collin felt because he has had diabetes since he was two and he never remembered not having diabetes he would be able to relate to his patients. He was very good as his job and his patients adored him. Gay marriage never became legal but Jamie and Collin had a commitment ceremony and became life partners. Like any other couple they eventually wanted children. They considered adoption but the state was giving them a really hard time so Amber stepped up and offered to carry a baby for her brother since being pregnant was one of Amber's favorite things in the world. Collin and Jamie picked an egg donor, each man gave a sample and Amber was implanted with two embryos, hoping at least one would take. In fact not just one but both of the embryos took and Collin and Jamie were by Amber's side in the delivery room when she gave birth to their fraternal twin boys, Aiden Edward and Jaden James. As soon as they were born it was obvious that Collin was Aiden's father because Aiden was born with the same red hair as his father and Jaden had dark hair like his father. So the boys would know that both men were their father, regardless of their biology, Aiden was given Jamie's last name and Jaden was given Collin's last name but it was never an issue, Aiden and Jaden always knew that they were loved and adored by their dads.
Janet continued to watch her grandchildren everyday until the twins were in school and when that happened her heart broke a little bit. She attempted to go back to work a Sully's but she realized that her heart wasn't in it anymore so she finally sold it. All of her children had their own careers and family and none of them had time to manage the bar so it left the family. She split the money from the sale among her nine grandchildren equally and put into the savings account that she and Eddie had started and continued to contribute to every month. Until Eddie retired she spent most of her time volunteering at the kids' schools.
Eddie continued to work until he had a second mild heart attack and his doctors told him that he was done. Thankfully this heart attack was so mild that it did not require any surgery but it scared him enough not to argue with his physician when he was told to quit working. He loved his job but he loved his wife and family more. He knew that he wouldn't be around forever and neither was Janet and he didn't want to miss out on they time that they had left together.
Retirement was wonderful for both Janet and Eddie. After so many years of getting up and going to work everyday it was a shock to their systems that they could lay around in bed all day, sleep in or hang around the house in their pajama's if that's what they wanted to do. Their lives were finally their own to do with what they wanted. Eddie took Janet fishing and he taught her how to golf, something as it turned out that she loved. Janet in the meantime got Eddie into gardening, a hobby she picked up and Eddie surprised himself by having a green thumb and she taught him how to cook more than grilling and boiling of hot dogs that he was great at but most of the time Eddie and Janet could be seen walking through Knights Ridge hand in hand just talking and being together.
Eventually the couple sold their treasured home that had been the foundation of so many wonderful memories and they moved into a small two bedroom condo. Janet missed her big home but she had developed arthritis and keeping up on it got to be too much for her. The worst thing about selling the house for Janet was their new condo was too small to have everyone over at once for family dinners and holidays but the kids tried to help her out with that. They continued to have their weekly dinners but they alternated between Natalie, Amber, Zach and Collin's homes with Janet showing up early and doing most of the cooking. Holidays were the same. Dinner was held at one of the kids' homes after Pops and Grammy made their Christmas morning rounds to see all of the gifts that their grandchildren received for being such good children. Basically what it boiled down to was that if Eddie and Janet could be with their family then it was all good.
Six months into their 48th wedded year together Janet was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. Eddie was devastated and terrified for his wife but he remained strong and how could he not when Janet was being incredibly brave and strong enough for the both of them. At first her medication worked great and for that reason alone Eddie and Janet decided to keep her diagnosis to themselves. They didn't want to upset their children or grandchildren when there really was no reason to. For nine months Janet's medication worked fine but eventually it stopped working and when that happened her cardiologist told her she maybe only had a few months left.
Eddie broke down in the doctor's office, the knowledge that his Janet was going to die was just too much for him to handle. The older he got the more death was a part of their lives and many nights, he prayed that he would go first because he knew he wouldn't be able to make it without her but obviously his prayers weren't answered. When they got home, Janet talked about the technicalities of her death like her funeral for example without shedding a tear but when they got into bed that night and Eddie wrapped his arms around her the damn broke and she cried until she fell into a restless sleep. That night and many nights thereafter, Eddie spent them lying awake and staring at the woman he loved more than anything.
When the news of their mother's diagnosis reached Natalie, Amber, Zach and Collin they all felt as if their hearts were getting cruelly ripped out of their chests. Their mother was such a huge, important part of their lives and none of them could or wanted to imagine their lives without her in it but now, they had no choice but to start imagining. During her last few months of life Janet was constantly surrounded by her children, grandchildren and she made sure that each of them knew how much they meant to her.
Eddie on the other hand, never left her side. He tried numerous times to have the "last" conversation, but Janet didn't want to have that conversation because she knew, how much he loved her and that's all that mattered in the end. He was terrified that if he left her, even for one minute that would be when she would be gone when he returned. Nighttime was the worst. He spent most nights lying awake listening to her breathe praying that she makes it through another night but sadly one night she didn't.
When Eddie awoke that morning, after sleeping for maybe an hour, he rolled over and reached out for her and when his hand touched her she was cold. Even though he knew what it meant he shook her and called her name but she didn't respond. Sobbing he pulled her upper body into his lap and cradled her as he sobbed and stroked her hair until Natalie found them and took care of the heartbreaking details.
Eddie never really recovered from Janet's death. When she died, she took his heart with her. He actually spent the night before her funeral at the funeral home holding her hand and talking to her. After he buried his beloved wife Eddie Latekka just went through the motions of living. He sold the condo because he couldn't stand living there without her and moved in with Amber since Jordan had moved out on his own and she had an extra room. If he wasn't lying in his room staring at the ceiling he was at the cemetery with his wife. Even though he had their kids and grandkids with him all of the time he had never felt more alone.
The morning of what would had been her parent's fiftieth wedding anniversary Amber went to her father's room to check on him and found that he had passed away. Natalie, Amber, Zach and Collin assumed that their father died of a broken heart and he died on what would have been their fiftieth anniversary because he couldn't go through that day without her. He promised Janet fifty years and since she wasn't here he went to where she was to celebrate fifty wonderful years together. Natalie, Amber, Zach and Collin were heartbroken over the loss of their parents six months apart and as much as they were hurting they knew that their parents were once again together, as they were always meant to be. When Eddie and Janet left this earth they left a big hole in the hearts and lives of their family, a hole that could never be closed but more importantly they behind a legacy of true loved that will be carried on through generations.
The End.
I hope you all enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4913535/24/Family-Ties | <urn:uuid:1b6a40a7-9f2d-4f87-8bcd-9bd2242653d9> | en | 0.993964 | 0.180849 |
A/N: Hahaha, wow. Two chaps in two days. Fantastic! Thanks for all your awesome reviews and support! Ya'll rock!
On the Run Again
As Light sat up blinking bleary eyes, he couldn't help but think – just how many times was this guy going to show up at his motel room? At least this time the assassin brought coffee instead of a baseball bat, but still. The situation was too surreal. Well, no, it passed surreal a long time ago. Now it was just nerve-wracking.
And where was L?
A sinking feeling made itself known in the pit of Light's stomach.
Three billion dollars . . .
"Mornin' Asian guy! You want some coffee?" asked Tank, waving a cup towards Light.
"Uh, no, not right now, thanks. Where's Ryuuzaki?" asked Light, his eyes darting around the room. Yes, all of L's things were missing. Although, Light's duffle bag still sat on the low dresser next to the TV. He could feel it – the panic – licking at the edges of his mind, but he kept it at bay. He needed his head about him.
"Ruuu -? Ohhhh! You mean Spike? Uhhhhh, damn, Asian guy, I hate to break it to ya, but dude took off reaaaal early this morning. Just threw his shit in that nice ass car and dipped. I, uhh, hope it wasn't one of those one night stand kind of things. Awkward as hell. I've had my fair share of those, let me tell ya. Remember that one time I told you I tried college? Yeah, totally did the walk of shame. I still had whipped cream and crap all over me. But, not like, real crap or anything. That's more Greg's sty- . . .Umm, yeah. Sorry, I get chatty when I'm nervous. My mother always told me it would get me in trouble one day," shrugged Tank, who had set the coffee on the table and made himself at home sitting in one of the small chairs.
"Right," said Light, his mind still stuck on the notion of L leaving him now, of all times. Something wasn't right, and his suspicions about Tank, planted by L, began rising ever higher as each second L wasn't there ticked by. Lawli wouldn't leave him. He just wouldn't.
"So why are you here?" asked Light, and then, once he had caught on to what Tank said, added, "And what the hell are you nervous about?"
Tank? Nervous? The thought did little to keep him calm, and Light had to take a small breath to focus himself. His mind was being pulled a hundred diferent ways, and they all led to the conclusion that L was in trouble – had to be in trouble - because L would never just leave. And if L was in trouble, then Light had to save him. Simple as that. Now he just needed to figure out how, and the first step to that was to keep Tank talking. He needed to know what was going on.
Tank sighed, bringing Light back from his thoughts. Tank, crossing his arms behind his head, looked up at the ceiling.
"Okay, well, first I thought that Spike kidnapped you, and I was all pissed off. But I kept remembering how close you two were, and I was like, nahh, Spike wouldn't hurt the Asian guy. So I figured I'd just check in on you two and make sure everything was gravy. But then I got a call from my real boss, and she said I had to bring you in for questioning – still don't know how she knew I knew you. Maybe she doesnt? Oh well, anyway, she said if anyone got in the way, I should get rid of 'em. And I thought that was kinda shitty, you know? I mean, damn, the only one who'd get in the way is Spike, and he's like your bff. That would be a totally fucked up thing for me to do to the guy who saved my life. So I figured I'd just, you know, knock the little man out or something, but then I get here and dude's, like, right in the middle of getting the hell outta dodge, so yeah, makes my job easier. Now I just gotta bring you to my boss, and that makes me nervous, because she's not as nice as I am – she's a bitch – and I like you! She does shitty things to people to make them talk! Not cool when it comes to my friends."
Light took a moment to let everything Tank just said sink in. It was hard to keep up with the man while he talked without pause or breath. He frowned.
There was no way in hell he was going to go with Tank. Not with L missing. Not when Tank had proven himself to have ulterior motives than merely being his friend. Real boss? What the hell was that all about? Who was this guy?
"Why were you ordered to bring me in for questioning? And by who? Who's your real boss? And what makes you think I'd go with you?" asked Light, his eyes flashing to the door, calculating the chances of making it out without Tank catching him. He took another look at Tank's bulky frame. Yep, wasn't looking too good for the home team. Damn it. Maybe he could knock the assassin out?
Tank hesitated, obviously searching for words.
Light groaned internally, once again sweeping his eyes up and down Tank's bulky frame and calculating the chances of Light getting past him. There was no way in hell he was going to get out of this one, was there? Not unless some miracle happened, and with his track record, he seriously doubted there was any miracle forth coming.
Tank sighed. "Man, fuck all this secrecy shit. Okay, look, I'm really part of the British secret service -"
"MI-5?" interrupted Light, his eyes widening. What the fuck? What did MI-5 want with him? And Tank was really a government agent? What?
"Yeah! How did you know? I thought you were foreign – oh, wait, your parents were in the service. Duh. I forgot about that."
"How do you know about my parents?" asked Light, suspicions rising even further. What the hell was going on here?
"Dude! One question at a time! Asian people are so curious! Geez! I know because Greg's my best friend, and because MI-5's been looking for Light Layfield for a loooong time. I just didn't put two and two together until my boss told me to bring you in, which was stupid of me. It's not like your name is John Smith or something. I don't know, man, apparently you have access to some shit that could possible blow up the world or something if evil people get it. Like I said, I don't know, I just do the grunt work and spy on old dick face, who's apparently the evil guy the blow up thingie was stolen from. Wait, that didn't sound right. But, well, I wouldn't put it past the nasty old geezer to have a blow up thingie hidden in his closet, but, ugh, I'll stop. Bad mental images."
Light's head spun, and he leaned forward, staring at Tank intently.
"Are you saying that you're an undercover MI-5 agent spying on Roger? And your boss thinks I have access to some sort of weapon that was stolen from Roger that could blow up the earth? So she wants you to bring me in to see if I know where the weapon is?" asked Light, trying to make sense of what Tank was saying, his confusion mounting.
Tank grinned. "Yeah! That sums it up in a nutshell! I knew you'd get what I'm saying! You're Asian!"
"But I don't know about any fucking weapon! I just want to go home!" yelled Light, his anger finally getting the best of him. However, his accidental admission shocked him into the realization that all he really wanted to do was go home. He didn't care about spies, or weapons, or Roger, or Death Notes, or his dead parents – he just wanted to go home. But first he had to find Lawli, because Light could never go home without L. There wouldn't be any point. The other man was his home.
Tank raised his hands, looking guilty. "Woah, Asian guy! Don't shoot the messenger! I'm just telling you what's up! I mean, I don't know that you've got some crazy ass weapon exactly. I'm just guessing because she made it sound like serious business, and weapons that'll blow up the earth are serious business."
"So what exactly am I supposed to have that she wants?" growled Light, clenching his fist.
Tank shrugged. "Something that was stolen from old dick face?"
"I don't have anything that was stolen from Roger. Everything I have is in that duffle bag by the TV. You're more than welcome to look through it," said Light, gesturing towards his duffle.
"Damn I'm not good at this. I usually just go in and knock people out. I'm shit at trying to explain things. Look, man, I'm liking this about as much as you are. Hell, you're practically family considering your Greg's nephew, but orders are orders, and I've been in enough trouble with that bitch that I can't afford to get into any more," said Tank, a sad look on his face.
"So that's it, then? You're just going to drag me to your boss to be, and I can only surmise from your ealier words, tortured for information on something that I don't even know about?" asked Light.
Tank looked pained. "Asian guy -"
"I don't make friends easily, Tank. I honestly felt like I had made one the day I met you. Obviously, I was wrong," said Light, looking away from the other man. Maybe if he got Tank to feel bad enough he'd let him go. Light had to stop himself from snorting. Ha. Like that would happen. He was so fucked.
"Ahhh, shit," said Tank, standing up abruptly and pulling out a gun.
Light threw himself over the side of the bed, his heart in his throat. Shit! Maybe he shouldn't have said that. Light squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't bare to look at Tank pointing a fucking gun at him. He hated guns, and now it looked like -
Light flinched hard at the sound, and it took him a second to realize that the pained whimper wasn't coming from him, as he would have expected, but from someone on the other side of the room. Light peeked over the edge of the bed, his eyes widening in shock.
"Tank! What the hell did you just do?" yelled Light, stumbling to his feet and to the groaning man on the floor.
"Here," said Tank, shoving a blood covered gun into Light's hands. Light barely kept himself from dropping it.
"Tank -"
"I'll be f-fine, A-asian guy. It's just a . . . shoulder wound. Take the gun, and r-run. Get out of the country if you c-can. I'll tell that bitch that -" cough "-you shot me and g-got away."
"No one would believe that! And I just can't just leave you here!" shouted Light, at a loss.
"Yes you can! B-b-but, we're e-even now, 'kay A-asain guy? D-don't let me find you again. Take my c-car! Go! R-run, Asian guy! They'll be here any m-minute! Go!" coughed Tank, pointing at the door.
Light grabbed his duffle bag, and ran, taking one more horrified look at the man bleeding on the floor. He practically fell down the stairs to the ground floor, and it was only when he'd scrapped his toe on the rough concrete of the stairs did he realize he had forgotten his shoes, but it was only a passing thought and not important What mattered now was getting the hell out of there before whoever Tank mentioned was on the way arrived.
His eyes immediately zeroed in on Tank's car, having recognized it from when he first rode in it with L, and he was beyond relieved to find the door unlocked and the keys in the ignition. He threw his duffle bag into the backseat and slammed the car door. He turned the key, half expecting the car to sputter, but it started just fine, and Light wasted no time in pealing out of the motel parking lot.
Blueberries were God's gift to mankind. This loaded theory was confirmed somewhere around the second or third blueberry muffin that he'd eaten.
He flicked the windshield wipers on once it became hard to see out.
It was drizzling, but this was England. It was always either drizzling or all out pouring, but L paid no mind. He only thought about how nice it was to have this fifth – warm! - blueberry muffin in his hand. His toes wiggled appreciately against the peddle, making the car jump. He blinked, scolding himself for not paying enough attention to the road.
He hoped Light liked the chips he'd picked out for him. Who knew the grocery store had so many different kinds of barbeque chips to choose from?
As L pulled onto the street where the motel was, he narrowly avoided being side swiped by some lunatic that looked suspiciously like – wait. Was that?
The car that had almost slammed into him screeched to a stop, and L found himself stopping his car too.
Surely it wasn't -
He was so shocked when Light jumped out of the other car that the blueberry muffin he had been eating fell from his slack jawed mouth.
"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?" screamed Light, as he ran to L's car, leaving the vehicle he had been driving running, car door wide open, in the middle of the road.
The brunet jerked on the door handle repeatedly.
"Goddamnit, Lawli! Open the fucking car!"
L, not needing to be told twice, pressed the unlock button. Light threw the door open, tossing his duffle into the back, and himself into the passenger's seat.
"Light? What -" started L, his eyes widening in concern once he realized that Light was covered in blood.
"Just drive! Get us the fuck out of here!" yelled Light.
L didn't need to be told twice, throwing the car into reverse, and screeching it around in the opposite direction of the motel.
"What happened to you? Are you alright? Do you require medical attention?" asked L, trying to study the blood covered Light and the road at the same time.
"Never mind what happened to me! What happened to you? Why the hell would you pack up your shit and leave me?"
"Did you not see the note?" asked L, confused, and still more than a little concerned at the amount of blood that was covering his friend.
"Wha- note?"
"Is that you're blood?"
"No! I didn't see a -"
"I left it on the bathroom counter."
"Why the hell would you leave it on the bathroom counter?"
"Because that's where Light-kun usually goes first thing in the morning. And he's stays there for quite some time, grooming himself. I figured it would be a safe bet," said L, giving Light a pointed look.
Light's mouth twitched, and L could tell that the other man was holding himself back from punching him. Good. Wouldn't go over well while L was trying to navigate the sudden, heavy traffic he'd found himself in.
"Where the hell -" started Light, sounding more than agitated.
"I went to pick up breakfast," said L, holding up a grocery bag filled with pasteries. "And I went ahead and packed the car. I knew by the time I returned, we would need to check out."
L pointed to the clock on the dashboard. "See? It's almost 10. That's when we needed to check out."
Light sighed explosively. "Goddamnit, L. What did you tell me last time I disappeared on you? You should have woken me up! Or taken me with you!"
L bristled. "I tried to wake you up, but Light-kun is a heavy sleeper. I assumed I'd be back before you awoke."
"Yeah, well look how well that plan turned out," said Light, pulling out a bloody gun from under his shirt and throwing it onto the floor board of the car.
L raised an eyebrow. "So why is Light-kun covered in blood and carrying a gun?"
"Huh, well, maybe you'd know if you had stuck around for the show!"
"You're being difficult on purpose," pointed out L, who took a particular sharp curve going faster than he should. Light's head slammed against the window.
"Seatbelt, Light-kun," murmurmed L.
"Fuck you, Lawli," growled Light, rubbing at the side of his head.
L didn't follow that particular insult up with a comeback, letting Light stew until he was ready to tell him what was going on. It didn't take long.
"Fucking Tank burst into the room this morning," started Light.
"Tank?" interrupted L, checking once again to see that the blood Light was covered in wasn't his own.
"Yeah, Tank. You were right to be suspicious of him, but he's not after you. He's an undercover MI-5 agent. He was sent by his boss at MI-5 to retrieve me for interrogation. More like torture, according to Tank."
L blinked. "That's -"
"And then the bastard took out his own gun and shot himself!" exclaimed Light.
"He's dead?" asked L, more than confused by what Light was telling him.
"No, at least, I hope not. The way he was talking bout it, he'll be fine. He told me we're even now, which I suppose we are, but I figured we were when he didn't kill me at Whammy's, but I guess that doesn't matter now. He gave me the gun and his car and told me to get out of the country because MI-5 would be at the motel at any minute, and when they found him, they'd start looking for me."
"What does MI-5 want with you?" asked L. He was obviously missing something. Did it have something to do with Light's biological parents?
"Apparently I have access to a weapon that will blow up the world," said Light, deadpanned.
L wasn't exactly sure what to say to that. He almost brought up the Death Note, but held his tongue. He knew how sensitive Light was to that subject.
"I don't fucking know, okay? Tank didn't know either – that's just what he guessed. The only thing I know for sure is that MI-5 has apparently been looking for me for a "loooong time," - here Light threw up the universal quotation fingers - "because I apparently have something of Roger's that was stolen from him years ago. I can only assume by my parents – why else would MI-5 think I have it? - but Tank didn't come out and say it, and -"
Light stopped.
L shot him quick glances between watching the road and the asshole who was tailgating him.
"And? . . . And what, Light?" asked L. Obviously Light had just come to some sort of realization, and L hated being in the dark about it. He made it a point not to be in the dark (figuratively and literally).
Light slammed his fist down on the armrest.
"That fucking piece of paper! That has to be it! Whatever's on that paper must somehow tell the location of the weapon. Or whatever the bloody thing is. Yeah, it makes sense. My biological father, who was in the MI-5, gave the paper to his brother, who gave it to me. And my mother, also in the MI-5, was the adopted daughter of Roger, so she was in the perfect position to steal whatever it was that she stole! And if that piece of paper wasn't important, then Greg wouldn't have hung on to it all these years. It makes sense!"
"It does make sense. However, I still do not see where I come into play in this conspiracy," said L, rubbing his thumb against his bottom lip.
"Yeah, I haven't figured that part out yet either," admitted Light, leaning back into his seat.
"Well, I suppose I'll have to reschedule our flight to Japan. We can't very well fly out of London next week if we must escape the country today," said L, biting around his thumb in thought.
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Where are we going to go?" asked Light.
"I'm thinking Germany," said L.
"You remember Aiber, don't you?" asked L.
Light nodded. "We're going to him?"
"He has a safe house in Germany, and he's one of the only people I'd trust with our safety until we can get out of Europe. Obviously the government is looking for you, whether because you're a murder suspect or you supposedly have knowledge of a secret weapon that may or may not have the power to blow up the world. Either way, there'll be a manhunt for you now, so contracting Aiber to aid us, who is most certainly not involved in the government in any legal ways, is our best option. I would suggest flying to Japan today, but -" L pulled out the numbered paper.
"There's a bank in Germany that we need to visit, which makes Aiber all the better choice," said L, handing the paper to Light.
Light's eyes roamed the paper. "You figured it out?"
"Between the second and third muffin. It's a very simple code. So simple that it took me quite a few hours to break it. I studied it for awhile after you had gone to bed, but I only figured it out this morning," said L.
"So what is it?" asked Light, turning the paper around, as if expecting the answer to jump out at him.
"It's -"
"Coordinates! Latitude and longitude! And . . . wait, you said a bank? An account number? Ah, here!"
Apparently it did jump out at him. L scowled. It had taken him ages, but he consoled himself with the fact that he figured it out first. One point to him.
"Correct. Along with what I can only assume is a four digit personal pin number for identification purposes."
"So we're going to Germany to check it out?" asked Light.
"And we're staying with Aiber once we get there," finished L.
Light sighed. "This is a huge mess."
"Yes, Light-kun. It is."
"So how are we going to get out of the country?" asked Light.
"Europe works a little differently than Japan. We'll take the train. We won't need passports, but you still have yours on you, right?" asked L.
"Yeah, it's in my duffle," confirmed Light.
"Good. Then I only need Aiber to make one fake passport."
"But how did you get – oh. Private plane. I forgot," said Light, rolling his eyes.
"I'll introduce you to the pleasures of private air transport. You'll never be able to fly public again," promised L.
"Sure, sure," agreed Light, putting his seat down. "I'm exhausted."
"I'll wake you when we get to the station, if you care to sleep" said L, his eyes spending more time than necessary on Light's lithe form.
"Feel free to change clothes at anytime, Light-kun."
". . .Ass."
It was at this moment that L noticed in his review mirror that the man who had been tailgating them for several miles was aiming a gun out of his window.
A/N: Ahh, the plot thickens - again. Squee! OMG! I had another "Ohhh shit that would be sooooo fucked up" moment. And it's bad. Like, anybody remember the last time I had that moment? I killed Light! BWAHAHAHA! OMG I'm so excited. I can't waaaaait. Actually, I have one really big OMG that's so fucked up moment, and then a minor one coming along laaater! Oh, wait, make that 1 big one, a minor one, then another big one! OHH WOW I'M SO EXCITED!
Happy Holidays! I hope I'll have another one up before I leave (yay east tn!), but if I don't, I'll see ya'll later! Feel free to say something! XD
Check out my new poll if you want (hahaha, i originally wrote pole!). It's not very interesting, but I wanted to look at something different when i clicked on my profile, lol. :D | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4979561/34/The-Art-of-Drowning | <urn:uuid:3f0bd8ff-6026-4d31-bc69-64acc6877c95> | en | 0.990523 | 0.04957 |
Just as I promised, here is my finished Easter special. This is a lot later in the day than I was planning on posting this, but I changed the plot like three times before settling on this. I hope you like it. And, I obviously do not own Sonny With a Chance.
Figure It Out
Sonny, Zora, Grady, Nico, and Tawni briskly walked to the Commissary to get to lunch.
"I still think we should have changed before we came here," Tawni whined from the back of the group, struggling to keep up because of her heels.
"And risk missing out on the one day of the year Brenda actually orders in and serves edible food? Forget it!" Grady called out over his shoulder from the front of their group with Nico keeping pace next to him.
The five young comedians burst through the Commissary doors, drawing attention to them immediately. The cast of Mackenzie Falls started laughing instantly when they caught a look at what Sonny and her friends were wearing.
"Is it still worth it?" Tawni hissed at the boys.
It was the day before Easter and the kids from So Random were all dressed up as bunnies, complete with tall bunny ears attached to a white headband, cotton tails, and makeup that made them look like human versions of rabbits.
Nico and Grady sniffed the air and smelled the heavenly aroma of turkey and mashed potatoes. They looked at each other, practically drooling, and turned to Tawni. "Yep," they replied before running to get in line for food.
"I beg to disagree!" Tawni said. She raised her hand to wipe off the makeup but Sonny caught her hand.
"No! You can't! We won't have time to redo it later!" Sonny protested while Tawni struggled against her grip.
Tawni slapped Sonny's hands away before walking off in a huff to get in line. Her pink heels clicked angrily across the floor while she ripped the rabbit ears off her head.
Zora and Sonny followed behind her. Zora walked by almost looking proud to be sporting bunny accessories. Sonny cringed and hid her face when they passed by Mackenzie Falls' table, in hopes of being spared the snide remarks. Chad Dylan Cooper suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking her path. Luck was obviously not on her side that day.
"What's with the getup?" Chad asked smirking.
Sonny took off her ears and sighed. "This is for a sketch we're doing. It's for an Easter special."
Chad glanced over at the rest of Sonny's friends before chuckling to himself. "Let me guess, this was your sketch idea."
Sonny furrowed her eyebrows and nodded. "Yes, how did you know that?"
Chad pointed to where the rest of So Random was seated at a table. They were eating but in general, they looked unhappy. "The four disgruntled rabbits were a tipoff. You're the only one that seems totally thrilled to be wearing this."
"Well… they're just a little unhappy that we have to keep all this makeup and stuff on until 4:00 when the show starts. Our makeup artist Tiffany could only do it this morning, so we have to be really careful to not ruin it in the next four hours. Plus, it is not an easy feat to sit on these tails," Sonny clarified.
Chad faked a yawn and Sonny frowned, crossing her arms.
"You asked," Sonny said, completely annoyed.
"It just seems kind of silly to dress as a bunch of little creatures that hop and leave kids candy in April," Chad said, smirking.
Sonny glared at him. "For your information, So Random is just as sophisticated as your overrated drama show is, Chad," Sonny said with conviction as she set her bunny ears back into place on her head. She turned to leave.
Chad snickered. "First off, I never said we were more sophisticated than you, and second, nice tail."
Sonny whipped back around and stared him down. "Oh, like I haven't heard that one a million times today. And by the way, it was implied. And don't you have anything better to do with your time than harass me?"
"Well the only times you ever really listen to me without thinking I'm trying to sabotage you are when I'm harassing you so, no. I really don't have anything better to do," Chad said, crossing his arms indifferently.
"I still don't see how those two points relate. I mean, can you blame me for never trusting you?"
"No, that's why I'm not complaining. I'm just talking to you."
"No… You're insulting me," Sonny reminded him slowly.
"Hey, it's not my fault it's the only way I can talk to you." He shrugged.
"But why do you need to talk to me?" Sonny demanded.
"Figure it out," Chad said grinning before he winked and walked away.
Sonny was left standing in the middle of the room wearing a confused expression for several seconds. She finally made herself move forward to So Random's table and sat down, still visibly confused and slightly irritated.
"Someone's upset," Zora commented before forking in an unappetizing-looking combination of turkey, potatoes, green beans, and part of a bread roll.
"Yeah, who turned your foot into a keychain?" Grady asked, snickering at his own joke.
"Oh, hahaha," Sonny said sarcastically. "What else? That three-named jerk-throb is bugging me again. He never makes any sense when I talk to him."
"Hmm… well could him bugging you have anything to do with the fact that we're dressed as a bunch of oversized rabbits?" Tawni asked sarcastically.
Sonny ignored the jab and reached for the closest thing on Zora's plate. Zora was the only one who let people take food off her plate since she did the same thing to them; Zora knew how to take what she dished out. "I will figure out what he was talking about. Eventually…" Sonny brought the food to her lips and took a fairly big bite.
"No, Sonny, don't, that's a…" Zora warned, but was stopped when Sonny took a bite. She sighed. "lemon…"
Sonny puckered her lips before she had to spit out the sour lemon pieces into a napkin. She tried to scrape the sour residue off her tongue with her top teeth.
Tawni cackled at the sight, and Nico and Grady tried, unsuccessfully to suppress their laughter as well.
"It'th not funny," Sonny said with a lisp, because her tongue was sticking out.
"Yeth it ith," Tawni mimicked before laughing again.
At this point, the whole Tawni thing didn't bother her anymore. The way Tawni would go from being a sweet friend to the ice queen towards Sonny was nothing more than her day to day routine. You got used to it.
Sonny brought her tongue back into her mouth, only to stick it back out when she tasted the leftover lemon juice on her lips. "Ugh… I hate lemons!" Sonny finally said once the tart flavor was out of her mouth completely.
"I'll bet you do now," Nico said.
Sonny turned around, out of habit, and saw Chad staring at her, smiling. Apparently, he had also witnessed that. Sonny groaned quietly and sank down farther in her chair. "Yup… I really hate lemons now…"
Sonny ran from her dressing room, trying to get to the stage before they started the show. The direction she came from had her running past the stand of excited audience members. She was about to run by them, onto the stage, and through the curtain, but something she saw stopped her.
Sonny whirled around to find that her eyes were not lying to her. Chad Dylan Cooper was openly sitting in the audience in the front row. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.
Chad gestured around him. "Well, right now, I am sitting and waiting to watch the show."
"You cannot be here." Sonny stubbornly crossed her arms and tried to make her glare menacing. It was hard to do though since she had black bunny whiskers drawn on her face, taking away from the seriousness of her statement.
"No one's ever stopped me before."
"Listen, you have got to…" Sonny paused as his statement sank in. She frowned. "You've been in the audience before?!"
"A couple of times, yeah," Chad said.
"But why?"
"Sonny, we need you! Now!" Tawni suddenly appeared, pulling on Sonny's arm to drag her to the stage.
Sonny dug her heels in so she could hear Chad's answer. "Why?" she repeated.
Chad chuckled under his breath before he leaned closer to her. "Figure it out, Sonny."
Sonny looked at Chad looking half shocked and half annoyed, while Tawni managed to lead Sonny up onto the stage and behind the curtain before the show could start without them.
Even later…
"That was a great show," Sonny said happily to Tawni while they walked back to their dressing room.
"I do make an awfully cute bunny," Tawni said.
"I just can't wait to get in to our dressing room, take off this makeup, and-" Sonny opened the door to their room and gasped. She angrily stormed into the room and stood in front of Chad, seated on her couch. "What are you doing here?!"
Tawni quietly walked into the room, grabbed her purse and two other bags, and crept back out of the room, unnoticed.
Chad stood up and smiled calmly at Sonny. "I've just been waiting for you to get back so I could talk to you."
"Why do you want to talk to me? Since when do you ever want to?" Sonny asked, sounding less angry and more desperate.
"I don't know. I just felt like talking to you." He shrugged.
Sonny stepped closer to him, putting them a foot apart from each other. "But why? I thought you hated me."
"I don't hate you."
"Okay, but you've got to give me some answers. You've never been normal to me before so-"
Chad put a single finger to her lips, silencing her. "Stop." He moved his finger and leaned down to give her a kiss.
When they pulled away, Sonny was left speechless and wide-eyed.
Chad took advantage of her silence to speak again. "Okay, so I don't want to just hang out with you. Tonight, if you'd like, I want to take you out on a date to the premiere of 17 Again," he said grinning.
Sonny felt herself nodding yes.
"I'll pick you up at eight o'clock at your house. I kind of need your address though…"
"Uh, right," she said, numbly. Sonny looked around and grabbed a piece of pink stationary that Tawni left lying around and a pen. She scribbled her address down, her hand shaking slightly. She hoped he would be able to read it. Sonny handed the paper to him.
"Sure…" Sonny paused for a few seconds. She blinked several times and looked up at him. "You… like me…" She spoke slowly and cautiously, testing out how the words sounded.
Chad kissed her lightly, taking her by surprise yet again. He smiled. "You figured it out."
Sonny touched her lips, dazed.
"Goodbye, Sonny." He winked at her and walked out of the room.
Sonny waited for twenty seconds until she was completely sure Chad was out of earshot. "Yes!" she yelled out jumping up and down.
Once Chad and Sonny's date was over, Chad took her home and walked her to the door, lingering afterwards.
"So, I'm guessing that after all those pictures the press got, there'll be tons of rumors tomorrow that we're dating," Sonny said, rocking back and forth on her the heels of her shoes.
"They probably will," Chad agreed.
"And what should we tell people? About the rumors I mean."
"We could tell them they're true. If you want to," Chad added.
"Okay…" Sonny couldn't help but smile widely.
"Goodnight." Chad turned to leave.
He turned back around. "Yes?"
Sonny boldly walked over to him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. She smiled timidly. "I had a good time. Thanks."
"You're welcome."
As soon as Chad was out of sight, she ran into her house, hopped up onto their couch and started jumping on it, hyped up from the night.
Her mother, Connie entered the room when she heard all the commotion. "What's going on? What are you doing?"
Sonny paused in her jumping and smiled, showing off all her teeth. "I'm dating Chad Dylan Cooper!"
Did you like it? I sure hope so. And this is definitely just a one-shot since I have too many different stories going on at the same time. Besides, I'm already turning one of my other one-shots into a chapter story and doing a follow-up on my other one-shot, so this is definitely just a one-shot. Just wanted to clear that up. Okay so, tell me what you thought in a review. I love feedback. Thanks for reading! Happy Easter! | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4987068/1/Figure-It-Out | <urn:uuid:a25a2793-f4f6-4387-bfc0-36caa523accf> | en | 0.987771 | 0.071138 |
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. If I did, I imagine quite a few things would be different in Kenshin's world.
Tomoe waited silently as the doctor did his work.
She was seated by the fireside, her calm face betraying none of the emotions that raged within as she watched the elderly man tend to the red-haired figure that lay before her.
She watched anxiously as he cleaned, sewed and bandaged his wounds, checking his pulse and administering medicine at regular intervals. At last, after what seemed like an eternity, the doctor rose and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"I'll be honest with you." he said finally. "When you brought me here, he was in a pretty bad shape. Multiple lacerations, a fractured collarbone, some rather nasty bruises, poison in his bloodstream..."
"Then..." Tomoe raised her head, her eyes widened with worry.
"He'll be all right." the old man added in a gentler tone. "His injuries are many, but none of them are life-threatening. He has a remarkably strong constitution. But it begs the question: how did he end up in such a state? What happened?" There was a hint of suspicion in his voice as he stared at the dried blood on Tomoe's clothes.
Tomoe was at a loss for words. The doctor must have heard the rumours. What if he had realised the identity of the red-haired man? What if he-
"Forgive me." he said, as if he had guessed her thoughts. "It is none of my buisness. You have nothing to fear from me. It would be pointless for me to save someone's life if I were to condemn them to death immediately afterwards." He handed her a small bag. "Give him a spoonful of this medicine every six hours. And his bandages should be changed once a day."
Tomoe accepted the medicine gratefully and paid him his fee. As he prepared to leave, she called out to the small figure that lay in the shadowy corner of the cottage. "Enishi!"
The boy stirred from his sleep and, seeing her, sat up attentively.
"Please escort Dr. Hiroshi back to his clinic."
Enishi remained seated, unwilling to leave his sister's side. "Please don't trouble." said the doctor. "I can make it back on my own."
"The snowfall is heavy." answered Tomoe. "Please, Enishi..." Didn't he understand? She needed to be alone, alone with him...
Enishi glanced between her and the sleeping figure with a scowl. Reluctantly, he rose up and followed the doctor to the door.
"Make sure you're wrapped up warmly."
As the shoji slid shut behind her, she once again turned her attention to the unconscious figure. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady. His smooth, round face was marred only by a diagonal scar on his left cheek.
Kenshin Himura. The man she loved. The man she had betrayed.
Then, for the first time since that terrible incident, Tomoe allowed herself to cry.
She broke down, trembling uncontrollably, tears rolling down her cheeks and on to her blood-stained kimono. It was all her fault. She knew, she could have prevented this, but she didn't... she betrayed him, even after she forgave him, after he had sworn to protect her happiness...
The scene remained as vivid as though it were happening before her very eyes. She doubted that she would ever forget the memories, no matter how much she wanted to.
Waking up in an abandoned hut, confused, hearing sounds of battle, opening the door to see Kenshin blind and deaf, locked in mortal combat, beaten into the ground...
Remembering Kiyosato, not wanting her second love to follow his fate, rushing forward with the tantō in her hand, ready to die for him...
And she had almost succeeded. She remembered feeling the body of the ninja stiffen as she plunged the knife into his back, remembered seeing the tip of Kenshin's blade as it sliced through his body, missing her by mere inches, raining blood on her for the second time.
She remembered standing there, paralysed with shock, as her lover fell upon the reddening snow. Hearing Enishi's cry as he ran towards them, intending to finish him off. Remembered pulling herself together just in time to stop him...
And then they had helped him home, together; three damaged people.
Now he was sleeping beside her, grievously wounded in heart and body. He was alive, and so was she. Fate had spared them both, but that did not give her much comfort.
Now that she was assured of his life, she felt no further desire to prolong her own. Her life was worthless. She had failed to avenge Kiyosato, and she had failed in protecting Kenshin. She was unworthy of him, a vile, fickle, treacherous creature. She felt ashamed for every moment she spent by his side, and would have liked nothing better than to rid him of her unworthy presence.
But she couldn't. Not yet. Not till she had seen to it that he had risen above the pathetic state her actions had left him in...
His voice was faint, barely a whisper, but it was enough to pull her out of her musings.
"Tomoe... no..."
Immediately, she moved closer on her hands and knees. His face was agitated, his breathing uneasy. He was having a nightmare. Tomoe laid a hand on his feverish brow. Another closed around his hand under the blankets, trying to comfort him.
Then his eyes snapped open, and all of sudden Tomoe found herself enveloped in a crushing hug.
"Tomoe..." he muttered hoarsely, tightening his embrace. "I saw.. I had a dream... swords, and explosions..."
Gasping for breath, she slowly wrapped her arms around her husband, trying to soothe him, all thoughts of suicide forgotten. "Shh... It's only a dream.."
"But I killed you!" he yelled despondently. "I saw it... my sword cutting through you..." He loosened his embrace and pulled away to look at her. "I failed to protect you..."
"No, you didn't." She said firmly. I'm the one who failed. She gently caressed the scar on his cheek. Kiyosato's last mark... "All is well now, my love."
"Tomoe..." he said, in a gentle voice. "I love you."
She could not suppress her guilt at these words. "I love you too.. anata."
He leaned in and kissed her fiercely, and repeated the words that had changed her life only a day before. "Tomoe.. I will protect your happiness."
Then she looked into his eyes, and she saw the depth of the pain, and regret, and love reflected in those violet orbs, and she knew then that whether she deserved it or not, she would never leave his side ever again.
They embraced once more, lost in each other's warmth. "Together.." continued Kenshin. "till death do us part."
"No." answered Tomoe, smiling on his shoulder. "Forever."
January 15, 1865,
Today, Katsura-san came to meet us.
The war is on again. Kenshin does not have to be a Hitokiri any more, thank God, but his skills are still needed by the Ishin Shishi. He has agreed to lend Katsura his sword again as soon as he has recovered.
His decision pains me, but I understand him better than anyone; he must finish what he started, or else everything he has done will be in vain.
Once upon a time, I hated this man and risked everything to bring about his death. But now I love him more dearly than anything else, and as his wife, I will remain by his side no matter what. I will help him fight through these dark times, and afterwards I will help him atone for his actions for the remainder of our lives. This is my own atonement.
It will not be easy. There will be more threats, many more dangers in the future. But for now, we are together.
Author's note: Hmm, it came out a tad sappier than I'd intended... Well, on to the explanations:
As silly as it sounds, I'm a guy who likes happy endings. Needless to say, I wasn't pleased when I watched the ending of Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal and read the Remembrance arc in the manga(not to say they weren't great). In my opinion, Kenshin and Tomoe deserved a better fate, though obviously it wouldn't have been as good story-wise.
After seeing the nearly-dead state of the Tomoe community here on FF, along with the scarcity of K/T AU fics, I decided to join up and write a few of my own. So you could say fics like these were the main reason for me to become a writer, and that I've been waiting to write this fic ever since I started writing.
This fic is actually the alternate version of the first chapter of a multi-part fic that I'd been thinking of writing since December. The latter fic(told from Kenshin's POV rather than Tomoe's) is something I'm holding off writing till later this year because of its size and complexity, and the fact that I'm awkward at writing romance.
And now the interesting part. Even in AU fics such as this one I try to be as realistic as possible within the context of the fictional universe I'm dabbling in. So to explain how Tomoe was saved, I steered clear of implausible or supernatural reasons. She doesn't miraculously survive being slashed through the torso, nor is she resurrected afterwards. Rather, she is never slashed in the first place.
All I did was to recreate the death scene(manga version) in my head and apply plain logic to it: since Tatsumi(the final ninja) had his back to the hut while fighting Kenshin, Tomoe uses common sense and charges him from the back instead of strangely deciding to run around him and attack him from the front(which is what put her in the path of Kenshin's sword). Since her body wasn't shielding him, Kenshin takes an extra blow(hence the broken collarbone), but overall it seemed more logical to me than even the canon version.
If you read all the way down here, a double thanks to you. Please review.
PS: Now that I've got this fic out of my system, I'm afraid I have little choice but to put all my fanfics on the backburner for the time being. You see, my end-of-semester exams are just around the corner and thanks to an atrocious performance last semester I have to work twice as hard this time round. I'm especially sorry towards all those who've been waiting for an update to 'The Birth of a Swordheart'. If it's any consolation, I plan on adding a major story arc in June. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5029407/1/Together | <urn:uuid:aa216586-8410-4e3a-a88a-a590400e75df> | en | 0.988885 | 0.04595 |
Thank you reviewers for your reviews, it means a lot, and provides needed encouragement to continue. Enjoy!!!
8 ¾ Months Later...
"Come on Colt, let's go already!!" shouted Rocky from down the stairs.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!!" Colt stuffed the last items on his bed into his duffel bag, and rushed down the stairs.
"Finally, Let's go."
The Douglass boys were once again on their way to their Grandpa's cabin for a summer of ninja training. This summer however was going to be different then every other summer that they had been there. The difference would be in the form of a new member.
A week before, the boys mother had had a weird look on her face when Rocky Colt, and TumTum walked through the door from school.
"What's up mom, is anything wrong?" Asked Rocky.
"No, everything is fine."
When their father came home from work however, their mother took their father into his study which was only done on occasions that they wanted to speak about something serious, and they didn't want to be overheard by the kids.
When they came out, Mr. Sam Douglass called his children together.
"Mom has an announcement to make" said Mr. Douglass.
"Well, gosh this is hard" said Jessica Douglass, "I don't know if you know or not, but you guys have two cousins in Japan."
"WHAT!!?" exclaimed the three ninjas, their jaws dropping in unison, this was quite unexpected.
"Yes" said there mother, "I had a brother. It's a long story, but I'll try to shorten it. I had an older brother who married, and had two children, a girl, and a boy. The girl whose name was Sara was older, and the boy, Zack was younger. My brother was much older than me, and Sara is now twenty-two, and Jake is eighteen.
"The reason that you probably never heard of them, as I see from how surprised you are, is because we try to avoid bringing them up when grandpa is around, and I just can't stand bringing them up because of the tragedy that happened. Talking about them just reminds us of the tragedy.
"Around fourteen years ago, their father was killed." Jessica signed, and her eyes started watering. "He was a ninja like my father, and you guys" she smiled when she said that, "but he had a secret. When he finished training by my father, he went to Japan to study history, which was always his favorite subject. He mainly wanted to know about the rich history of ninjas. Anyway, and this is where I'm not sure exactly what happened, but it seems that he found out about a secret ancient ninja chamber that held valuable artifacts from ancient ninjas. Somehow, some bad people found out about his knowledge of this chamber, and they tried to get it out of him, but when he wouldn't tell them, they..." Jessica paused as tears trickled down from her eyes. Rocky ran to the bathroom, and got some tissues for her.
"Thanks Rocky" Jessica said mustering a small smile,"this is so hard, he was such a great older brother.
Jessica dried her eyes, and continued. "Anyway, they killed him, I'm not going to go into details because it is too gruesome, but he didn't die a pleasant death.
"After their father's death, they came back to America with their mother to stay with Grandpa. The group that killed my brother thought that my sister-in-law may know something about the chamber, and so one night, while grandpa was away, they came to his cabin, and confronted her. She of course had no idea about the chamber, but they didn't believe her, so whomever it was that went down to the cabin, killed her. Thank Heavens they didn't kill Jake and Sara, I guess that they figured there was no use in even questioning the children. It could also be they were in a rush all together since they seemed to have been afraid of Grandpa. Many People were afraid of my father when he was younger, so maybe they didn't want to get caught by him.
"After that, Jake and Sara really moved in with us until a sister-in-law of my brother decided to take them in, and as I was having babies of my own, it worked out that she should take them. They went to Grandpa for the summers however. Some time later, they moved to Japan so their aunt that had taken them in could be with her boyfriend. When Sara turned eighteen, they moved out of their aunt's house, and have been living in Japan by themselves ever since.
"The reason why I'm telling you this now is because today, I just got a call from Jake, and he and Sara would like to come spend the summer with us. They want to get to know us - their family - better, and Sara also has to be in the US for business. Sara will be staying at a friend of hers because her main reason for coming is on business, and this friend is closer to where she has to be. Jake will be staying with you boys at Grandpa."
Everyone started talking at once.
"Is he a ninja?"
"Did grandpa train him at all?"
"What type of guy is he?"
"Does he like Jelly Beans?"
Mr. Douglass held up his hand for silence. "We don't know much about him either, you'll just have to ask him when he comes in a week."
That all happened a week ago. Now, they were going to the airport to pick up Jake, and Sara. Mr. Douglass had gone to the airport straight from work, and the rest of the family would go with Grandpa. After picking up Jake, Mrs. Douglass, and Sara would go home with Mr. Douglass, while the rest went straight to Grandpa's cabin. Sara would, after staying for dinner with Mr. And Mrs. Douglass, be picked up by her friend that she would be staying by.
As Rocky and Colt got outside, they were greeted by Grandpa in his Hawaiian tee shirt waving at them to get into the old convertible next to TumTum who was munching on jelly beans in the back seat.
"What took you guys so long?" asked TumTum as they raced to the car to join him.
"Colt was taking too much time" said Rocky throwing his duffel bag into the trunk.
"No I wasn't!!!" said Colt giving his duffel bag to his bother to put into the car.
Mrs. Douglass locked the house door behind the boys, and then followed them into the car. Grandpa turned the ignition, and drove out of the driveway.
They got to the airport on time, and piled out of the car. "There's dad!!" shouted TumTum rushing over.
Mr. Douglass was on his cell phone, talking with a very serious look on his face. Seeing his family rushing over, he motioned for them to wait for him to finish the call. "All right Gary, so try to keep tabs on him. We need many more agents on this case as well, it's probably the most important, and hardest. All right, I gotta go, bye.
Mr. Douglass hung up his phone, and turned towards his family. "Remember around nine months ago I told you that Snyder had escaped from jail?"said Mr. Douglass addressing grandpa, "He hasn't been spotted for nine months, but now it seems that he has returned to his old ways. Some of my agents spotted him supervising the unloading of boxes somewhere after being alerted by police who said pedestrians had called in saying men in black costumes with masks were unloading boxes. My agents just saw them get into a truck and drive away, but couldn't follow after their tires were shot out by Snyder's men. That's just one, he has been spotted two other times this week." Mr. Douglass shook his head and said "I don't think it is smart to let the boys stay with you this summer Mori, Snyder will want his revenge."
"NO!!!" Shouted the three ninjas making many people in the airport turn their head towards them to see what caused the noise.
Grandpa laughed. "You still aren't convinced I can protect them?"
"It's not that Mori, it's that they will be more protected by someone, like me that has a gun. Remember, on the ship, non of you would have gotten off if I hadn't showed up with my gun, Snyder was going to shoot you all even if you were the better ninja."
"If anything, I would say you need extra protection besides for a gun Sam, you need a ninja, because otherwise you may not get a chance to use your gun. I however will have Jake with me, and you know he has a gun, and knows how to use it, in fact I hear he helped you FBI guys a little in Japan." Mr. Douglass looked a little more relieved at this.
"But Sam" continued Grandpa, "I seriously think that you and Jessica should join us this summer."
Mr. Douglass laughed, "I have a job Mori, and I can't travel back and forth everyday. Besides, Snyder isn't going to start with me, he knows I'm too good for him to take down, and he would get into more trouble then he can handle with the government."
Grandpa shook his head. "You shouldn't be so overconfident Sam" He glanced at Colt who smiled.
"Look who's coming!" said Mrs. Douglass interrupting the verbal dispute. Grandpa, Mr. Douglass, and the boys all turned toward where she was pointing.
Walking towards them was a boy and a girl. Each wheeling one suitcase behind them, and carrying a carry on bag. The boy was tall, probably around six feet, and he walked with the posture of one that worked out quite a lot. He had brown hair, and well tanned skin. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.
The girl was a little shorter, with blond hair and dark brown eyes.
"How's it going grandpa?" asked Jake, giving Grandpa a hug, "long time no see." He then went over to Mrs. Douglass, and gave her a quick hug, and then shook Mr. Douglass' hand. "It's been a long time since I saw all of you in person.
Sara followed her younger brother in giving Grandpa and Mrs. Douglass hugs, and shaking Mr. Douglass' hand.
Jake then turned to the boys. "The last time I saw any of you was when Samuel was still a baby. You all are so old now, I missed basically the beginning of your lives." He said taking off his glasses to reveal dark brown eyes that matched his sisters.
"It's not Samuel anymore, it's Rocky" said Rocky smiling, "and it's nice to finally meet you too."
"Yeah, it's my ninja name, and Jeffrey's is colt, and Michael's is TumTum."
"Yeah mines the coolest" said TumTum, "Bet you can't figure out why it's TumTum. It's because I love eating."
Jake laughed. "I know that you love eating, and that you guys started training with Grandpa, after all, I do speak to your parents once in a while, but I didn't know that you already got your ninja names."
"Hey, didn't didn't you also train by grandpa?" said Rocky, "What's your ninja name?"
Jake smiled, "I remember that day well, Grandpa called me 影 Kage."
"What does that mean?" asked TumTum taking out his jelly bean bag and popping a handful into his mouth.
"It is the Japanese word for a shadow" interjected Grandpa, and the reason that I chose this name for Jake is because he can be so silent when he wants to be, like when he is sneaking up on someone that it seems that he is as quiet as a shadow."
Colt looked at Jake's huge build and shook his head. "I can't believe that such a big guy can be as quiet as a shadow when moving, I think that Rocky would have been much more appropriate, look at those muscles."
"While Kage may be very strong, his ability to move quietly far outweighs that quality because of many reasons, but the main one being that if one can sneak up on his enemy, no matter how strong his enemy is, the one sneaking up has the advantage of being prepared, and can take down the strongest man in the world as long as he knows a little about fighting."
Mr. Douglass' cell phone rang. He excused himself, and went to answer it. When he returned, he had a worried look on his face. "I'd better get going" he said, "Jake, do me a favor, and keep an eye on the kids with Mori, I'll feel a lot better having two watching them then one."
"No problem, you can count on Grandpa, and I."
With that, Mr. Douglass drove off with Mrs. Douglass, and Sara.
"Well," said Grandpa, "I think it's time we started heading towards the cabin ourselves. Rocky, Colt, help Kage with his bag." and with that he headed towards his car.
"Hey Grandpa, you still have the same car you had for the past fifteen years, or longer."
Grandpa laughed, "And why should I get a different one when this one is perfect?"
Kage chuckled and hopped over the door into the front seat, " I'm glad you still have this car, it's a great car."
Rocky, and Colt jumped over the door into the back seat.
"Wait you guys!!" said TumTum climbing into the car behind them.
Grandpa turned the ignition, and drove off towards his cabin.
Next chapter is coming. I expect to have a lot more action in my story, but these chapters are needed to lead up to that. Once again thanks a lot for the review, you have no idea how much it means to me to get feedback from my readers, it is a great encouragement to continue writing. KEEP UP THE REVIEWS!!! Thanks. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5213692/2/The_Ancient_Jewel | <urn:uuid:65c31780-cb91-4986-8c98-ad1c12ced1f5> | en | 0.991962 | 0.147807 |
Divine Intervention
"O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight"
December 25, 1945
Standing at the edge of the jagged cliff, the crisp morning wind whipping her hair from its tight bun, Minerva McGonagall closed her eyes and cocked her head to meet the wind head on. Her cheeks pinked from the frosty chill, she opened her eyes, gazing out at the white-capped waves crashing against the rocks below and gasped when the somber hues of evening gave way to the brilliant sun cresting on the horizon.
"It never ceases to be amazing, does it?"
Sucking in her breath, Minerva spun around, losing her balance when his voice interrupted her morning ritual. "Wh-who are you?" she rasped, managing to find purchase when a strong, warm hand clasped her arm. When she looked up, her eyes met a warm, brown gaze, slightly crinkled with age, surrounded by fluffy, white hair and capped with a smile that instantly brought a curve to her lips.
"Who I am is of no consequence to you, my dear. It is who I represent that matters," he chirped, watching her. "Let's just say I am the ghost of Christmas present, and I have come to give you a little direction."
"Direction? But I—"
"Tut, tut," he replied, thrusting his finger in front of her mouth.
Raising her eyebrows in disbelief, Minerva frowned and crossed her arms.
"Just give me a moment and all will be clear. There are greater things at work here, and He just felt that those involved needed just a tiny shove in the right direction." His smile widened, and he chuckled at her quizzical look. "I see you have no idea what I am talking about. I am sure you know why—or should I say, who—is responsible for the survival of wizarding kind and the end of the war? Someone you were rather fond of, I thought."
"You are talking about Albus," she whispered when he leaned away from her.
"Indeed, I am. And he needs you."
Turning away, she let out a lengthy breath. "He will never need me the way I long for him."
"Oh, but that is where you are wrong, my dear. But you will have to go to him to figure out how wrong you are. There is no other way."
Slowly, Minerva twisted around to look at him, and he beamed at her. "What do you mean, he needs me?"
Reaching out, the little man took her hand, squeezing it gently. "Do not question it, just go to him, and you will have your answer," he countered and faded from sight.
In the stillness before dawn, Albus Dumbledore lay motionless on the hospital bed. Little by little, he gathered the strength to face another day. Opening his eyes, he squinted as pale light poured in through the window. He was drained: magically, physically, and emotionally. He should be elated, but all he seemed able to feel was a sense of loss. Gellert, his friend so many years ago, had been taken alive; however, he was no longer the carefree boy Albus had known. In addition, so many others had lost their lives.
Slipping from the corner of his eye, a silent tear traveled to his pillow while a gentle breeze announced the soundless opening of the door. His eyes shifted to the woman framed there, and he felt his spirit lift slightly. Raising his hand in a nonchalant gesture, he rubbed his cheek to erase the evidence of his melancholy, but couldn't find the energy to smile at his visitor.
Their eyes settled on one another, never straying. Giving him an encouraging smile, she entered the room stiffly, as if she was unsure she should be there. Her raven hair was gathered softly behind her head, and a resolve settled over her as he watched her approach.
"This is an unexpected visit, Miss McGonagall," he croaked, finding speech difficult and draining even after months of recuperation.
"I needed to see you, Albus."
"And so, you have seen me, have you not?"
"They say you won't see anyone. Why?"
"Surely you have felt the need on more than one occasion to simply be alone."
Reaching out, she slipped her warm hand around his, squeezing tight. "Albus, you need to confide in some one. Tell me, you can confide in me."
Tugging his hand from hers, he shifted to face the wall. "Minerva… Go away," he whispered, shutting his eyes tight.
The silence that followed filled the room. After a moment, Minerva released a long breath, and her short, clipped strides crossed the room. The breeze of the door flowed over him again, quickly pursued by the soft scent of lavender and stillness.
That was the first of many visits from Minerva. She always came in the same way, at the same time; one could literally set a pocket-watch by her arrival. For the first seven days, Albus greeted Minerva the same, and it always ended with her leaving the room without another word and him feeling worse than he had before she came.
However, he soon realized another conundrum; the date never changed. One morning, he woke when a merry matron entered his room. Frowning, Albus asked, "What is the date today?"
"Why, it's Christmas! Surely you haven't forgotten! I didn't think you had anything wrong with your head," replied the plump nurse as she waved her wand, and his pillow fluffed instantly. "Though your demeanor could use a little pick-me-up." She leered at him, shoving him back into the pillow just a bit too roughly with another flick of her wand.
"I see nothing wrong with my demeanor. I have been the most docile of patients," Albus snapped, indignant.
"Well, that statement would be correct if that was what I was referring to." Resting her hands on her hips as she stood over him, she blew a chestnut curl out of her face.
Albus crossed his arms and peered at her nametag. "Then what in blazes are you referring to, Nurse… Sprig?"
"Every time she comes to see you. Even though she thinks you don't need her, even though she feels like you will never see her… even though she believes your feelings aren't the same, she comes anyway, and you treat her that way—"
"Wait! What? How—" His eyebrows rose into his hairline, and the pitch of his voice rose before he stopped to compose himself. "How do you know she comes to see me every day?"
Chuckling, her hazel eyes danced with mirth. "You will find that there is not much I do not know. Let's just say I have it on good authority that you should cut the lady a little slack. After all, she came when she was asked… when she did not truly have to. And you don't have to look very hard to see where her heart lies. The question is, how long is it going to take you to realize what is right in front of you?"
"My dear lady, normally I find puzzles intriguing. However, I find this roundabout information of yours rather annoying."
"Don't worry; you have plenty of time to get it right." She smirked.
"What does that mean?" he demanded. A lilting laugh met his bark when the nurse faded from his sight.
"Wait! Don't go; what do you mean?" he asked the empty room.
At that moment, the soft wind from the door hit him once more, announcing Minerva's presence. She hesitated at the door, and he frowned. Even when she had been his student, she had been vibrant and headstrong. This hesitation was so unlike her. The words of Nurse Sprig echoed in his head: Even though she thinks you don't need her, she comes anyway. He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.
Opening them once more, he gazed at Minerva and gave her a small smile. "This is an unexpected surprise, Miss McGonagall. Won't you please come in, have a seat," he announced, gesturing toward the chair next to the bed.
Striding stiffly into the room, Minerva approached the bed, ringing a handkerchief in her hands. "I needed to see you, Albus," she croaked.
"And so, you are here. What is troubling you, my dear?" He noted her hands and the fact that she remained standing. "Is everything all right?"
Clenching her hands to steady their movement, Minerva perched on the edge of the seat. "Oh, Albus, it has nothing to do with me. I was concerned. They say you won't see anyone. Why?"
"Surely you have felt the need on more than one occasion to simply be alone. I am afraid I haven't quite felt myself lately."
Reaching out, she slipped her warm hand around his, squeezing tight. "Albus, if you need to confide in someone, you can confide in me."
A knot rose in his throat and something stirred in his chest when he looked at her hand enveloping his. Roughly, he cleared his throat. "I don't want to burden you with my demons, Minerva. But I am glad you came today. Thank you."
Nodding, Minerva rose from her seat and withdrew her hand from his. "You're welcome," she murmured and quietly left the room.
Albus stared after her for a long time. Her presence seemed to linger along with the scent of her perfume. Lavender would always remind him of her.
The following morning, Nurse Sprig was back. Albus woke to her joyful humming of Jingle Bells. "I don't suppose a patient needing sleep is part of your regimen, is it?"
She beamed at him. "Not when the patient is wallowing in self-pity and being a lay-a-bed, afraid to face the world again."
"For your information, I am ill. Why else would I be cooped up in a hospital, for Merlin's sake?"
Raising her eyebrow, she pursed her lips. "Because, dear fellow, the hospital gives you a buffer from the questions and obligations you constantly burden yourself with out there. You needed time to recuperate, but you have been here long enough. By the way, that was a much better start yesterday." Swishing her hand, his pillow fluffed when he leaned forward.
"You mean with Minerva, right?" He looked up at her like he had caught a prize.
"Time will tell, time will tell," she responded as his magazines straightened themselves, and a new water pitcher popped onto the bedside table.
"Oh, what is today?"
"Why, it's Christmas, of course. You haven't forgotten, have you? I didn't think there was anything wrong with your head!" she exclaimed, hands on hips.
"Christmas again?"
"Yes, it's Christmas. It comes every year, does it not? Though they say that time seems to pass more quickly with age, so I guess your proclamation would be correct." She bestowed him with a large smile, and he scowled back.
"No, no. I mean it is the same Christmas it was yesterday… and the day before… and last week!" he retorted.
"My, my, we are feisty this morning. I just hope you have as much life in you when your visitor arrives," she replied tartly and faded from sight.
"No—wait—come back, I didn't mean—" he stopped abruptly, realizing she wouldn't be back. At that moment, his door opened, the draft lifting the tendrils of his long, auburn hair. His gaze fell once more on Minerva's, and his heart sped up.
His cheeks were flushed slightly from his heightened emotion, but his lips curved up in greeting for the first time since this day had started. "Minerva! Come in, my dear," he called, ignoring her anxious stance.
She moved into the room hesitantly. A gentle smile graced her lips as she watched him sit up straighter in the bed. "Oh, Albus, I needed to see you."
Raising his eyebrows in question, he asked, "Is everything all right?"
"They say you won't see anyone. Why?"
"I must confess, Minerva, I needed to be alone. But I am glad you are here with me now."
"You are?" Her eyes looked bright.
Smiling back at her, he nodded. "Oh, yes, my dear, why wouldn't I be? You always were my favorite student." He looked back at her with something akin to reverence, then frowned when she looked away.
Clasping her hand, he tugged gently, causing her to look back at him, and her eyes filled with tears. "Something is wrong! Please, won't you sit down and tell me what it is?"
"I'm sorry, Albus, I thought… I need to go," she whispered, turning toward the door, the soles of her shoes clattering rapidly across the floor.
"No, Minerva, wait!" But his words reverberated against the closed door, and once more, the lavender-filled breeze hit him in the face. Suddenly, his head jerked up as Nurse Sprig's words hit home: Even though she believes your feelings aren't the same… Sucking in his breath, Albus covered his face with his hands. I have been a fool!
"You could say that again," Nurse Sprig replied sharply, and Albus looked up.
"You! You're the one who started this whole problem to begin with!" Albus pointed at her, rising up in the bed.
"Now, now, let's not go around pointing fingers when you know you are the reason we are all here."
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject… though I might say this one is leaning toward lunatic," she mumbled under her breath.
"What did you say?" Albus leaned toward her, his anger rising more at the situation than at her.
Raising her gaze to his, Nurse Sprig jabbed her finger at his chest. "Look, I think you have been here, feeling sorry for yourself, long enough. One would think that you would be overjoyed now that the war has ended and you can get back to life. Now, where is the Albus Dumbledore we all know? And don't you dare tell me he was lost in the battle of wills with a madman!"
Sighing, Albus studied the blanket. "I don't know if I can find him again; so much has changed, happened. I'm not sure where to start," he whispered, looking up at her slowly, tears threatening to spill.
Reaching out, she covered his heart and added, "How about right here? Everything… everyone you need will come to you today. Just follow your heart, and you will find the way."
"Um, I'm sorry. I don't know your first name…"
A smile slowly covered her face. "It's Holly."
Laughing for the first time in months, Albus grinned broadly. "Thank you, Holly. I owe you a great deal."
"Oh, don't be silly. I am just the messenger." She beamed at him. "Besides, it isn't often I get to be Eros," she quipped and faded from sight.
Before Albus could ponder Holly's strange departure, the door swung open. Minerva stood there a moment as if weighing whether she should enter. "Minerva, my dear! Happy Christmas! I am so delighted to see you," Albus declared with joy. "Won't you come in?"
A smile crept over her face, and she looked a bit baffled when she sat down next to him. "Albus, I needed to see you. So many have said you won't see anyone, but you look like yourself to me." She raised a quizzical eyebrow.
Chuckling, Albus grasped her hand and squeezed it. "Oh, Minerva, it's true, all of it. I haven't quite been myself since dueling Grindelwald, and I have needed to be alone, but I am almost ready to face the world once more."
"Almost ready? Why only almost?"
"Because there is someone I need first, someone who knows me better than anyone else. Someone who has been there for me, and someone I have realized I care a great deal about," he told her seriously.
Dull pain entered her eyes, and she lowered her head. "I see. I am very happy for you, Albus." She swallowed. "May I ask who…?"
Reaching out, he lifted her face with his finger. "Why, Minerva, don't you know?" He inquired, staring at her.
Her gaze shifted over his face, studying him. His eyes twinkled, and he caressed her cheek lightly, pulling her closer. Suddenly, she sucked in her breath.
"B-but I…" Leaning in, he claimed her lips when she paused and slipped his hand up around her neck, tugging her deeper into the kiss.
Feeling her resistance collapse, he pulled her onto the bed. There, her arms encircled him, giving into his ardor fully.
"Oh, Albus, how I love you," she breathed when they finally emerged from their kiss. "I have been very worried about you."
Sighing, he pulled her closer. "So have I. And I am sorry—"
"Sorry? For what?" She leaned back to look at him.
"A great many things, but we will discuss that later. For now, I am simply glad that you are here and that you love me in return." He smiled, leaning up for another kiss.
Beaming back, she bent once more to receive his kiss.
From the doorway, two familiar forms watched the happy couple. "Finally!" Holly exclaimed, crossing her arms.
"I couldn't agree with you more, my dear," the little man concurred, chuckling. "Now, I believe we have a date with destiny." He held out his arm.
"Oh, you're right. Why, thank you!" She smiled, taking his offered arm, and they faded from sight.
End (Or is it just the beginning?) =o)
A/N: This story was written for my dear friend, MMADfan, for the Charming Roots Christmas Exchange, 2009. The beginning quote is from the Christmas carol: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Happy New Year, MMADfan!
**My heartfelt thanks goes out to ladyinthecloak and Sempra for their awesome beta work. You ladies rock! | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5698732/1/Divine-Intervention | <urn:uuid:c5cf2504-ac81-489d-b6d5-b14e878d50cd> | en | 0.987293 | 0.038026 |
It was cold that morning, but it's always cold in December in Ohio. Now it was downright freezing as the tiny blonde scuttled across the floor, questioning why she didn't slip on her robe and slippers when she snuck quietly out of the room to make the coffee. She felt like she was freezing to death, her toes about to be bit off by winter's sharp teeth, but she couldn't walk too fast. Walk slowly and maybe freeze to death, or speed up and spill hot liquid on herself? It was a dilemma, and one she quickly forgot about as she entered the room, set the two mugs down on the end table, and practically dove under the covers.
"Oh my god, you're freezing. Get away," came a very unamused voice from the body lying next to her. She smiled for a second before taking a sip of her coffee, which consisted more of milk and sugar than anything else. Her eyes rolled back in pleasure at the feeling of the hot liquid working its way through her system, warming her from the inside out. She had never been much of a coffee drinker until she moved in with Rachel ten years ago, and now she was hooked on the stuff like crack.
"You always say the sweetest things to me. How did I get so lucky?" she asked, and just to be a pain, pressed her ice cold goes up against a warm calf. The body lying next to hers almost jumped out of the bed. The brunette sat up, eyes burning, and trained her annoyed gaze on her wife. Quinn smiled. Her mother always said she was an instigator. Her sister had locked her in their bedroom closet just to put an end to the torment too many times to count, to prove this to be true.
"You might want to be nice to me today," Rachel informed her, and laid her head back down on the pillow. She valued her sleep almost as much as she valued life itself, and being woken up in such an awful way was not a good way to start the day. When her mind could function properly she would have to come up with some clever way to get her wife back for this. "My dad still doesn't like you. If he thinks we're fighting, dinner tonight is going to be hell for you." Large green eyes widened further in fear.
"Right, good point," she said, and her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "We've been together for twelve years, how does he still not like me?" Her only reply was silence, which did not surprise her one bit. She threw the covers, the saviors from the cold, away from her body, and shivered at the sudden change in temperature on her skin. "I better get ready. I have that stupid speech I have to give tonight." She got out of bed and went to the closet, pulling out various dry clean only outfits still safe in the sheaths of plastic.
"It's not stupid," her wife's voice now had a very familiar bite to it. The blonde's habit of trying to make important things seem small and insignificant was a sore spot in their marriage that she always seemed to step on. "You're being honored for doing...that one thing that one time." The brunette tried to remember, but it was still too early for higher levels of cognitive thought. And why did she smell coffee, but wasn't offered any? Life could be so cruel.
"Exactly. It's not that big of a deal. I don't know why I have to do this if not even my wife can remember what I did," she said, figuratively poking the sleeping bear. She tried to sound defensive and like she was making a really good point, but the smile that was on her face could be heard in her tone, and she hated that she wasn't better at covering that up. She was an instigator. This is just what they do.
"I know what it is, it's just too early for me to remember," she said, and snuggled deeper into the covers sheltering her from the cold. "Don't you have a busy schedule today? Or did you cancel all of your appointments so you could stay home and pick on your wife like a petulant child?" Quinn rolled her eyes as she finally decided on an outfit, and laid it over the back of the vanity chair. She decided it was time to make peace. She didn't want to leave the house with her wife irritated with her. That would lead to nothing but bad things.
She grabbed the untouched cup of coffee, one teaspoon of sugar and only a touch of soy milk, and walked over to the left side of the bed (house left, not stage left), and sat down next to the body almost lost amongst the ridiculous amount of blankets. Three comforters and two throws seemed like a lot, but since their heating had gone out last night it was just enough to keep them warm. The cold wasn't stopping them from continuing their normal routine. This action occurs every morning, and the ritual they've unconsciously created usually goes differently.
Normally when the not very tall, but still taller than her wife, blonde sits on the edge of the bed, the other woman rolls over onto her back, and sits up just enough to drink her coffee without spilling or choking. Then the two spend the next thirty minutes talking about nothing in particular. But this was not a normal morning. Rachel didn't move from her comfy spot when she felt the mattress next to her depress. She laid there, silently defiant, and justifiably agitated, and ignored her wife.
"Here, baby," the blonde said, and set the mug down on the nightstand as a peace offering. She waited for signs of a reaction, and when she received none she let out a small sigh. A quick glance at the clock told her if she didn't get ready and leave the house soon she would be late for her first appointment, which would leave her rushing to complete the rest of her tasks on the long list. She groaned internally and let out another sigh. She really didn't want to leave things on a bad note, but it looked like it would have to be that way.
She went about getting ready. She downed the rest of warm liquid from her own mug before brushing her teeth, gagging the whole time at the contradicting tastes of French vanilla flavoring and toothpaste. She put on the warmest clothes she could find, and carefully applied her makeup. Applying eyeliner while tired and severely under caffeinated could prove to be dangerous.
She did all of this in silence, all the while stealing glances at the lump on the bed. Her wife still hadn't moved. From the lack of snoring she obviously hadn't drifted back to sleep, but she also hadn't accepted the peace offering. She hadn't been that much of an ass that morning, had she? Their entire relationship she had been playful, in her words, sarcastic in the words of her significant other. Either way, this was nothing new.
With her hair and makeup now done it was time to leave. She anxiously picked at her wedding ring with her thumb, a nervous habit she acquired a couple years ago when their marriage hit a rough patch, and she wasn't sure if the relationship would last. Just thinking about those dark days made her want to take the other woman in her arms and spend the rest of the day apologizing. But instead, she walked over to the bed again, pulled back the covers just enough to reveal dark hair with a severe case of bed-head. She leaned down, and left a gentle kiss on her wife's cheek, right where her dimple would be if she were smiling.
"Your coffee is getting cold, sweetheart," she said, and walked over to the dresser to retrieve her purse and car keys. She took one last look at the bed, and an uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach when she saw that her wife still had yet to move. She finally accepted the fact that somewhere, hidden deep within her playful banter and harmless joking, she had royally fucked up. She headed for the door, sulking like an unhappy child, and dreading the day she was about to have once she left the confines on her home, her sanctuary.
"Babe, drive safe. It's supposed to snow again today," she heard, and a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. It wasn't much, but enough to make the guilt go away. Hopefully her offering and parting words would be enough to keep the peace. The last thing she needed this turning into was an all out Cold War. Those always started out so innocent. A simple prank here, and payback for it there, but they always ended exactly the same: Quinn taking it too far and sleeping on the couch for about a week.
"Are you still coming to the award ceremony tonight?" she couldn't help but ask, and she cringed as soon as the words came out. She needed their morning conversation about nothing in particular just as much as she needed the caffeine now flowing through her veins. However, that question could be misinterpreted, and the consequences of it were not favorable for her if it was. She held her breath, her body tense with anticipation as she waited for her wife to respond.
"No, I thought I'd just lie in bed all day and watch television while my favorite wife is honored for being the most successful child psychiatrist this city has ever seen." Sarcasm with a hint of annoyance, it was the best thing she could have heard at that moment. She was so relieved to hear the sound that she didn't pay much attention to the words. That is until her brain took a moment to process them, and what Rachel said made her smirk.
"Favorite wife?" she asked, one perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised. "What do you mean favorite wife? I'm your only wife." One hand went to her hip, while the other remained on the doorknob. It was cold as ice, but starting to warm under her grip. She had to keep holding on. It was the only thing stopping her from crawling back into bed and following through with their morning routine. If that happened she would never make it to any of her appointments.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" the brunette said, her voice sounded light and playful. That tone was rare for this time of the morning, and it made leaving the house that much harder for now all Quinn wanted to do was stand here and keep saying things so she could keep hearing that sound in response. Why did her work have to be recognized publicly? Sure, she rehabilitated abused, traumatized, and sometimes even suicidal children, and the majority of them went on to live fully functional lives, but why couldn't they just mail her the award with a nice letter of congratulations?
"Well, as long as I'm the prettiest I guess I'm ok with that," she replied, and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She glanced at the clock, and tried really hard to forget what she just saw. If she left now she would only be five minutes late. As long as the meeting with her boss didn't run too long she would make it on time to the salon.
"I didn't say 'prettiest' I said 'favorite', there's a difference," Rachel threw back, and Quinn could not stop herself from laughing. All of the tension and anxiety that was building released in that moment. She could leave the house at ease now knowing that things were back to normal, and she didn't have to worry about being put out on the couch. Bill was going to be pissed because he hated tardiness, but she could just blame that on being nervous about tonight, which if she were being completely honest, was not a total lie.
"From now on your prettiest wife can come over and make your coffee," she said, and opened the door. The cold air that rushed into the room felt like a punch to the face, and she let out a huge sigh. Why oh why did she have to leave the house this early? "I need to leave, sweetheart. Hurry and drink your coffee before it gets cold." She barely registered the reply before she was out the door. Her wife was killing her with cuteness that morning. Any more of it and she wouldn't be leaving the house, which was only a problem because her father-in-law didn't like her enough as it was without her skipping the benefit he had promised to be at. Sometimes life could be so cruel. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7832718/1/Instigation | <urn:uuid:1dbd344d-0927-417c-b1cc-201d13df8704> | en | 0.992376 | 0.435033 |
Three weeks later
Jack stretched his arms over his head, deeply inhaling the fresh beach air. It felt good to be able move freely. The first two weeks after his injury had been murder. Every time he'd bent he'd felt a burning pain in his side. Now, though not completely healed, it felt much better. Dr. Frasier had cleared him for active duty two days ago, although she did advise Hammond to make the next mission for SG-1 an easy one just to be sure. Good old General Hammond had given them the task of being one of the two military teams present on P3R-407, a research colony of about fifteen scientists and home to a native population of about five hundred.
This population of five hundred people were the rescued underground slaves from the icy planet whose leaders had kidnapped SG-1 and stamped them new personalities. Jonah, while still regaining his memories as Jack, had promised Administrator Calder he was going to find a lovely little planet where the beaches went on for miles for the hidden slaves to inhabit, and this planet was it.
The Tok'ra had helped them find this island paradise. They had hauled a stargate to the center of the island, which was actually a huge land mass that encircled the entire planet's equator. There were no poisonous plants or animals. The clear blue, fresh water sea was only fifty feet deep at its deepest point around the entire globe. No sharks or whales inhabited the water, and the coral reefs offered beautiful destinations for snorkeling. The yearlong plant life cycle and abundant fresh water gave the researchers the chance to experiment with different growing methods.
The civilians on the planet had named it Jonera Torlin in honor of Jonah, Thera, Tor, and Carlin who had rescued them. Jack simply called the planet JT, while the rest of the SGC called it Jonera and its people Jonerians.
Brenna had been appointed as leader of the new planet. The people were provided with materials to start their new lives. With the knowledge they had gained from their previous employment, they soon had houses built with plumping, electrical, and telephone systems.
Hammond suggested a trade network. The new citizens of the planet could help the research scientists plant and harvest the fields of food, and in turn could keep all but the minimal amount needed for scientific research. The SGC would provide all the seeds and tools necessary. Whatever food the Jonerians didn't want to keep could be offered back to the SGC in return for items they might want or need. Daniel, with Brenna's help, had developed a sort of mail order catalogue. They included clothes, furniture, equipment, books, and much more, with trading equivalencies. This helped to ensure that all trades were fair and equal.
The Jonerians enjoyed being outdoors in the sunshine and warmth. Some didn't want to work in the fields and instead spent their time wondering along the beaches and through the jungle. Others were hired as research assistants to the scientists. And all loved SG-1. They had even built a cabin on the beach for the team after overhearing Jack talk about his home in Minnesota.
Jack was looking forward to this mission. Hammond reserved Jonera for teams that needed rest. While the threat of a Goa'uld invasion was still present, it was less likely than other planets. With over twenty-two teams running through the SGC, Hammond usually placed at least one team on Jonera at all times, just like the alpha site colony. During this mission, SG-1 was going to spend three weeks on the planet along with SG-18. Hammond tried to limit each team to a three-week max to avoid hostility amongst the teams. Three weeks on Jonera was like getting a paid in full vacation to Hawaii.
They had flipped a coin for night watch and SG-18 lost. That meant from 6a-6p SG-1 was on guard, and from 6p-6a SG18 was on duty. Jack smiled and plopped into his beach chair, the time was 6:05pm and he was officially off duty. Daniel had scampered off around noon with Kegan to investigate some rocks deeper inland, Teal'c had been summoned to assist another Jonerian in learning how to fight a Jaffa, and Carter had said something about going swimming.
Jack decided the only thing he was missing was a nice cold beer. Perhaps he'd better teach these Jonerians a thing or two about brewing. He felt a shadow fall across his form. He cracked an eye open and nearly lost his breath.
Carter stood next to his chair holding out a stack of papers. But that wasn't what surprised him. His 2IC was scantily clad string bikini.
Jack's mind wasn't processing the scene before him very well. Maybe this was a dream. He shook his head and sat up straighter. "I thought you were going swimming?" Jack asked his voice a litter higher than usual.
"I was, but then I remembered these forms. They really need signed today, sir." She all but thrust them into his hands. "I need you're initials here, here, and here," the captain indicated each line.
Jack grabbed the pen and quickly signed them, JON, standing for Jack O'Neill. He slid the papers back into Carters waiting hands.
"Thank you, sir," she said walking back to the cabin.
Jack shook his head again. Was it just him or did Carter's voice have a bit of suggestive undertone to it? He leaned back into his chair and tried to not imagine her in the bikini unsuccessfully. It was definitely not standard issue!
A few moments later, the shadow fell across him again. What now? He wondered, opening an eye. Carter stood above him again, only this time she had a bottle of sun block.
She smiled innocently, but her voice was pure evil. "Would you mind?" she asked smiling, handing him the bottle.
Nervously, Jack accepted. What was she trying to do? What had gotten into her? This wasn't the way Carter usually acted. In fact, recently she had been avoiding personal contact with him, distancing herself. It was the reason he'd gotten the tattoo in the first place. In an unrealistic spur of the minute idea, he thought that just by some chance if he got the tattoo somehow he'd be able to keep Samantha Grace Carter his forever. But she wasn't his, and probably never would be. She was too good for an old broken down man like him. He could feel her slipping further and further away and it was killing him. Which was why at this moment he was completely baffled. What was going on?
Jack opened the bottle and slowly poured on the cool white liquid. He gently started rubbing it in a circular motion over Sam's back, fully expecting her to recoil at his touch. Instead, she seemed eager for each caress and unconsciously he molded his hands to fit the contour of her back. She let out a sigh of pleasure.
This is so wrong, Jack told himself. But his hands continued to explore Carter's back, the application of sun block turning more into a massage with each passing moment.
"A little lower, if you will sir," Carter's voice directed. "I want to make sure I'm covered."
Jack chuckled. She should have thought about making sure she was covered when she bought the revealing bikini. He moved his hands further down her back. Jack was almost at the top of her bikini bottoms when he froze.
"Sir? What's wrong do I need to turn a bit?" Sam maneuvered her hips so that her right hip was more easily accessible.
Jack gulped. "Yeah, that'll do," he muttered. What was she trying to do, kill him for cry'n out loud!? At least Carter's little stunt with her hips had allowed him a better vantage point for what had caught his attention.
It had looked like a small bruise, very light in color, and almost invisible. But now, up closer Jack instantly knew that wasn't the case. There on her right hip was a small half inch by half-inch tattoo, with three letters: JON.
Jack couldn't breathe and he didn't dare hope. There were a million reasons why she could have those letters on her side. Maybe they were some sort of chemical on the periodic table, or the key to some unknown code. It could be a password she didn't want to forget. Her ex-fiancé's name was Jonas, perhaps she'd started to his name engraved but stopped before the last two letters could be finished. Yeah that was it.
Jack's hands were shaking. None of his thoughts were actually plausible reasons for Carter to have that tattoo on her side. Another thought entered his mind. No that couldn't be it. He'd already lost her. She would be his friend, but nothing more. Hadn't she made that clear over the past few months?
By now, Sam had turned over and was sitting upright in the beach chair. She could see the wheels in Jack's mind spinning, trying to process his rapidly firing thoughts.
She placed a gentle hand her CO's shoulder. "Colonel?" No response. Maybe this whole idea had been wrong. Sam tried again, "Jack?"
This time he answered her, his eyes dark and his voice husky with emotion.
"You saw the tattoo." It wasn't a question, more like an accusation.
She nodded in confirmation.
"And you understood what it meant?" he asked in awe.
"Not at first, it was that last day I spent at your house. I went looking for something to read," Sam said guiltily.
Jack's eyes lit up as he guessed what had happened. "You saw the book."
"I kinda signed it," she admitted, "that's when I realized what it meant."
"You signed my book?!" Jack acted as though she had stolen his most valued possession.
Sam was hurt. "I can give you a new one if you didn't want it signed."
"Aww, no that's okay, makes it worth more money." He joked and that's when she realized he had been teasing her all along. She reached up and head slapped him.
"Hey! That's battering your commanding officer!" he yelped taking a step back.
"It was done in self defense." She retorted defiantly, sitting back down on the chair.
Jack sat down on her right, rubbing the back of his head. The colonel went back to their previous conversation. "But why would you…you?" he pointed down at her hip.
"To remind me," she said as if that answered the whole question.
"Of what?" he asked at a loss.
"That you love me. No matter what separates us, we will always be with each other. We may not be together now, but eventually. These tattoos are our promise to each other that one day there will be no regulations for us."
"So it's sort of like a promise ring?" Jack asked a smile on his lips.
"Exactly," Sam answered.
Jack stood up. "Don't go anywhere," he commanded.
Sam watched as he ran into the cabin and emerged again moments later wearing swim trunks.
"It's a great day for snorkeling, don't you think?" He asked with a wink.
"Yeah sure you bet ya," she replied with a grin, joining him at the water's edge.
"You know you got that tattoo on the wrong side. Mine's on the left," he commented as they walked out into the ocean.
"I figured mine would be better situated on the right." Carter replied her face turning a bit red.
Jack stared. "OH!" he exclaimed as her meaning sank in. "That way they could be together when…" he choked as Carter's hand pushed him under the water.
"Oh you are so going to pay for that one!" he called at her retreating form as she ran further out to sea.
"That's what I was hoping for!" Sam called over her shoulder as she dove under the waves.
Jack was grinning like an idiot. Retirement for him might not be as far off as Carter thought it was, because from where he was standing right now life was pretty sweet. | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8775390/4/SGC | <urn:uuid:f231bf59-d933-45be-b137-b61edeb0cd12> | en | 0.992809 | 0.242016 |
DISCLAIMER: Frozen is owned by Disney.
It all happened so fast. Everything was normal one day, and then…
Elsa chided herself for not thinking much of Anna's absence at breakfast that morning. She had simply assumed that her sister was taking her morning walk a little earlier than usual; it was what she had always done the day after the first snowfall. It wasn't until she didn't show up at lunch that the queen began to worry, and all she did then was send some guards out to look for her. She should have known something was up when it started to feel warmer than usual.
She was in her room, looking over the inventories from the newest trade shipments, when the first sign appeared. One minute, the pot on her windowsill contained only a dormant rose. When Elsa chanced to look at it again, the petals were opened once more, and the rose was straining to keep from being overwhelmed by the horde of fauna crowding around it. Thin, snaky vines were slowly growing from the dirt and spilling out over the sides of the pot. All along them sprouted tiny flowers of a greenish-blue color - just the shade of Anna's eyes. The petals were numerous and spiky, and each was covered in dozens of tiny white dots.
Getting up, Elsa opened her door and looked across the hall. The doors of Anna's room were slowly beginning to warp and bend. "Stop it!" Anna was saying in a half-shout, half-whisper. "Please, just stop it…!"
"Anna?" Elsa asked, trying to open the door and finding it locked. "Anna, are you alright?"
The younger woman gasped. "Elsa! Don't worry, I'm fine, I'm just...I've got allergies! Lots and lots of allergies! And a cold! It's winter, you know!"
"Anna, open this door."
"No, no, it's probably contagious! I don't want you to…" She paused, then let out a fearful yelp. "Not again! Stop!" Several large cracks appeared in and around the doors, and more of the flowery vines stretched out from under it.
"Anna!" Elsa shouted, throwing herself against the doors. They creaked and pushed back as the wood bulged further. Seeing that the lock was beginning to twist out of place, Elsa stepped back, conjured up a ball of icy wind and sent it blasting at the doors. They flew apart and swung inward, letting her inside. As the ice particles cleared, Elsa's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. Her fear was joined by confusion and wonder. "What…?"
Her sister's room was transforming into a forest. The spotted flowers had sprung up from between the floorboards in droves of different colors. Vines covered the walls and wrapped around the fireplace. The floorboards were popping out of place and growing leafy branches, and the posts of the bed were trying to stretch out thick roots.
In the center of it all sat Anna, curled up in a tight little ball of fear. Her hair was disheveled, she still wore her nightgown and her eyes darted wildly around the room. When they settled on Elsa, she shrank back. "I-I don't get it, either…" As she spoke, she accidentally moved her hand, and a stream of pale green light shot from her palm. With a sound like wind chimes in a light breeze, it wrapped around a bedpost and dissolved into the wood, causing it to sprout flowers.
Elsa clapped a hand over her mouth, but only to hold back her surprised, somewhat happy laughter. Oh, Anna…
"It's not funny!"
"I'm sorry, it's just…wait here for a minute, okay?" She few back across the hall and pulled open all the drawers on her dresser. Where had she put them? Aha!
When she returned to Anna, she held a pair of old leather riding gloves. "All these years, I thought I was alone." Kneeling down, she slipped the gloves over her sister's hands. "Don't worry," she added when Anna looked up at her with a hurt expression. "You won't have to wear them for long, I promise you that. Now get dressed. Find your boots and cloak."
After shutting the door as best as they could, the sisters went down into the castle courtyard. "Kai!" Elsa called out.
The stout, somewhat balding servant hurried over to them. "Your Majesty?" he said with a bow.
"Bring us our horses at once," Elsa told him. "Tell any visitors that we won't be available for the next few days, a week at the least. And keep everyone out of my sister's room."
"Is there something wrong?"
"Not at all. She'll take care of it when we come back."
"Elsa, I don't think that's such a good idea…"
"Yes, it is. You'll see." As the horses arrived, she handed Anna her reins and jumped into her own saddle. "Now come on!"
They trotted out of the courtyard, over the bridge and through the town. "It's colder than I remember," Anna said, shivering.
"It'll be like that from now on."
"You mean like how you always get a headache when it's too warm?"
"I don't think you'll have that problem, but yes."
They picked up speed as they left the kingdom behind, flying through the forest and up towards the North Mountain. "Where are we going?" Anna asked as she struggled to keep up with her sister.
"Don't you recognize this?"
They galloped up a hill and onto a wide plain covered in deep snow. Above them, nestled in the side of the mountain, sat the still-glittering form of Elsa's ice palace.
"We're taking a little vacation," Elsa said as she dismounted. "Just the two of us. And we're going to figure out how to help you get those powers under control."
Marshmallow was absentmindedly playing with the pieces of the broken chandelier when they entered. He lit up at the sight of Elsa, but growled when he saw Anna. "Bad…"
"No, no! Good!" Elsa told him, healing his severed leg. "You are not to hurt her, understand?"
The snow giant looked a little confused, but he nodded nonetheless.
Anna gave him a shy smile. "So what do we do now?"
"We get started."
The steps of the staircase began to drip as Anna stepped on them, only to be frozen once more as Elsa followed. "Krystall and Eple probably want their supper, don't you think?"
"I don't wanna turn you into a carrot…!"
"Don't think about hurting anyone. You'll just end up slipping. Channel it. Concentrate."
They had reached the bottom of the stairs now. Holding her breath, Anna closed her eyes and took a hesitant step forward. When her foot touched the ground, the snow around it floated up and dissipated as her flowers sprang from the frozen earth. She took another step, and the greenery spread with her.
"Good!" Elsa said. "Now open your eyes."
Anna did so, keeping her gaze carefully focused on her handiwork as she began to walk in a large circle. The horses eagerly followed, chomping at the new plants.
Elsa nodded approvingly as she saw a tiny smile appear on her sister's face and grow into a grin. "Impressive. Don't be afraid to experiment a little...Anna, what are you…?"
Putting her arms out to her sides, Anna twirled around. Mist shot from her hands and feet, spontaneously melting a large patch of the snow and causing several trees to appear along with the flowers. Marshmallow, who had crept outside to see what was going on, jumped back with a shriek as most of the palace stairs dissolved.
Anna gasped. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
Elsa waved her hand to make a flurry of snowflakes. "Best leave that part to me. And maybe try playing a little further from the palace."
"Okay, move your head to the left just a bit...perfect! Right there!"
"No, not yet. Just hold it a few more minutes. Are you always this impatient?"
Of all the things Elsa expected to find her sister doing, having Marshmallow hold a giant icicle over his head like a sword while she bent a block of marble like dough was not high on the list. "How are you doing that?" she asked, descending into the main hall of the palace.
"With my brain. I think. I'm not really sure, I was just staring at this big ugly rock and it started turning into marble, so I decided to see what else I could do with it! Okay, now you can look, Marshmallow!"
The snow golem bent down to examine her sculpture, then looked back at her with a quizzical expression and scratched his head. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I don't think he knows what it's supposed to be."
"It's supposed to be him!" At this, Marshmallow recoiled and gave her a look that seemed to say "How could you do this to me?"
"If that's him," Elsa said as gently as she could, "then it looks a little bit like he's melting."
Anna turned her head sideways as she looked at her lumpy, misshapen, nigh-unrecognizable creation. "Do I get points for trying?"
"I think I get how it works now, Elsa!"
"Then show me."
Trying to stand on her toes, Anna swept her hand in a semicircle, just as she had once seen the dancers at the ballet do. The mist flowed forth freely, landing in a neat line and bringing up a rainbow of blossoms. As she began to waltz across the plateau, her magic stayed in a swirling, sparkling green fog around her feet and only moved away at a gesture from her. Until she tripped, anyway.
"I'm alright!" she told Elsa as she got up, failing to notice that the mist had flown into a nearby oak tree. "I think it was just a root or something." She paused, listening. "Is there a fire somewhere."
"No...why you do ask?"
"I hear crackling."
They turned around in unison as the wood of the tree began to twist and split. Two knotholes bunched into existence before opening up into black eyes. A horizontal crack below them split apart into a jagged mouth. The two thickest branches bent into arms and hands, and the roots ripped themselves up to become leg-like tentacles. When the creature saw the sisters, it roared and reached out to snatch at them with frightening speed.
They took off down the narrow mountain path as the tree stood up on its roots and came after them. Elsa tried shooting bolts of ice at it, but it dodged them with ease and swiped at her. It leapt over the snowdrifts and rocks they put in its way, getting closer with each huge step.
The girls finally had to skid to a stop once they reached the edge of a cliff. "Hold on," said Elsa. "I'll make a bridge…"
The tree's gnarled hand abruptly dropped down over them, scooping them both into its tight grip and bringing them up to its face. "Please don't hurt us!" Anna shouted as she struggled. "Please don't hurt us please don't hurt us please don't hurt us…"
The creature made a face at them, lifted up its other hand...and gently brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen over Elsa's forehead. Humming with pleasure, it set them on their feet before sitting down in front of them as though waiting for a command.
"You could have just said something!" Anna told it. "Can't you talk?"
The creature opened its mouth and made a variety of throaty vocalizations before scratching out a word in the snow: NO.
"Oh. I'm sorry...I wasn't being careful. It was an accident. Not that you're an accident! Well...okay, you technically are, but you're a good accident, you know? You're like the first pancake that comes out all weird. Hey, that's not a bad name. Can you take us back to the palace, Pancake?"
Pancake laid his open hand out for her, and she eagerly stepped into it while dragging Elsa along with her. He carefully placed them both into his branches, then turned and walked back the way they had come. When he reached the base of the stairs, he set them down again and tried to bow, only to lose his balance and nearly fall on his face.
"What are we going to do with him?" Elsa asked. "We can't bring him back to Arendelle."
Anna thought for a moment, and then her face lit up. "Hey, Marshmallow! We've got a friend for you!"
"...I think you're ready, Anna."
Anna started at the words and turned from the starry sky to her sister. "You mean going back home ready? Are you sure?"
"Aren't you?"
She rested her head against Elsa's shoulder. "I'm worried about what they might think. Maybe I could just keep it secret…?"
"You won't always be able to hold it back." Elsa squeezed her hand. "Anna, I'm not letting you go through what I went through. I can't. I'll be right next to you the whole time. If any of them want to hurt you, they'll have to go through me first."
"I promise."
"...First thing in the morning?"
"First thing in the morning."
Anna smiled, stifled a yawn and curled up next to her sister. Elsa placed an arm around her and stroked her hair until she was fast asleep.
"Send out a message to the people!" Elsa shouted as she and Anna galloped back into the courtyard. "I want them to gather here in an hours' time."
Dismounting, the girls went into the castle to clean themselves up, Anna holding Elsa's hand all the way there. The messengers were promptly set out, and the townspeople began to stream into the courtyard almost immediately. When the hour was up, the queen and princess stepped out amongst them. Behind them came two servants, carrying a tub of dirt.
"Everyone," Elsa said as the dirt was set in front of Anna, "my sister has something she would like to show you. Go on," she whispered as she stepped aside
Carefully removing her gloves and handing them to her sister, Anna stretched her arm out and swept it over the dirt. The crowd gasped as the mist floated from her hand and brought up the flowers. For an agonizing moment, they were all silent.
Then a little girl began to clap. "More! More!"
Moving her hands, Anna conjured up a bouquet and handed it to her. "I'm glad you like it."
One by one, the rest of the people began to clap and cheer until all the kingdom was chanting her name. Elsa tossed the gloves aside and placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling at her with pride.
Anna threw her arms around her and practically lifted her off the ground. "Thank you! I mean, uh, I appreciate it…"
Elsa laughed. "However you want to say it."
For many years afterwards, the dignitaries of the surrounding kingdoms (especially the Duchy of Weselton) marveled at the unheard of amount of crops that Arendelle shipped to the rest of the world, and people came from all over to enjoy its gorgeous weather in the warm months. However did it come about?
The locals' answer was always the same; the Summer Princess.
Yeah, I know the movie isn't out yet. But the script is, so I'd say this is fair game.
I thought it would be cool if Anna had her own season-based powers. I'm planning to write a follow-up that details my headcanon concerning these powers, but that's gonna take a while. Try as I might, I cannot justify writing fanfiction for a movie that doesn't come out until next summer. :)
Hope you liked this! See ya! | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9829621/1/Idun | <urn:uuid:1996d0ea-b3c9-45df-a16d-e210720deae2> | en | 0.985738 | 0.111072 |
Team Dragon Star
New Follow Forum Follow Topic
« Prev Page 1 .. 4 5 6 7
Majin Son Goku
I don't think we advertise. We would get money, otherwise.
2/19/2013 #181
Someone needs to put hiatus by my name...
2/20/2013 #182
Majin Son Goku
Somehow, seeing Raz as a 0* member cracks me up. Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't he one of the founders?
2/21/2013 #183
I left the group and when I rejoined I wanted to start from the bottom and work my way up as opposed to just staying high and mighty at the top
2/21/2013 #184
Majin Son Goku
I know why you did it Raz, and I can understand that mindset. But still, it makes me laugh, I don't know why.
2/21/2013 #185
You know what cracks me up, people saying unnecessary things. XD
Karmel, I fixed it for you. :D
2/21/2013 #186
Majin Son Goku
What's wrong with unnecessary things? Do you have any idea how boring the world would be if nothing but only necessities existed?
2/21/2013 #187
There's a difference between foolishly unnecessary, unnecessarily funny, and taking risks unnecessarily. You chose the first one XD Which isn't boring or exciting like the others but rather bratty. :-P
*salutes* Jin out XD
2/21/2013 . Edited 2/21/2013 #188
I give it a 5 for execution, a 3 for skill.... it that dismount.....Jesus Christ the dismount
2/21/2013 #189
Deviled Eggs! Well if it isn't my sparring partner. e_e *looks at time* Shouldn't you be getting ready for work?
2/22/2013 #190
im at work. i just cant be arsed with it today
2/22/2013 #191
Majin Son Goku
Really? So the Internet is foolishly unnecessary?
2/22/2013 #192
Kakarot Son
Just bow your head down and give it a rest, you aint winning this one kid.
2/22/2013 #193
I don't understand why you brought the internet into this when I was clearly talking about your original question XD
And see Karot cake knows! XD
2/22/2013 #194
*snicker* Karot cake...X3
2/22/2013 #195
Kakarot Son
... never going to live that one down...
2/22/2013 #196
Majin Son Goku
I was originally referring to things that weren't strictly required for survival.
And Karot cake? You are a genius and I applaud you.
2/22/2013 #197
Kakarot Son
... sigh
2/23/2013 #198
Majin Son Goku
Karot cakes.
2/23/2013 #199
Kakarot Son
*Blows dust off topic* I suppose this would be the appropriate place to congratulate Bobo on her promotion to the rank of Administrator. Few have worked as tirelessly as she has to get things rolling around this place, and we all greatly appreciate her efforts.
12/5/2013 #200
Will I be there soon?
12/12/2013 #201
Kakarot Son
My bad, I've added you now.
12/12/2013 #202
Kakarot Son
Heh even though it took us forever to get back to adjusting the ranks, we did come with a second change. Congrats Raz on making Experienced Member!
12/19/2013 . Edited 12/19/2013 #203
Goddammit,, why didn't you warn me of these replies?? Gah!
Thank you, Kaka :D *she said two weeks too late* And congrats to Mr. Razzles.
12/19/2013 #204
« Prev Page 1 .. 4 5 6 7
Forum Moderators: Kakarot Son boboleta, ShadowMajin, Ri696q, Saiyajin-Love, gue22, serena'darien1613, Team Dragon Star, Gohan-to-the-max
• Forums are not to be used to post stories.
• All forum posts must be suitable for teens.
• All forum abuse must be reported to the moderators. | https://www.fanfiction.net/topic/91044/49168090/7/Current-Members | <urn:uuid:fb8be046-b3ba-4435-82d8-d8270b057df6> | en | 0.919358 | 0.052139 |
hide bio
Poll: Which of the following books would you like best for a story I should write? Vote Now!
PM . Follow . Favorite
Joined 10-08-12, id: 4298420, Profile Updated: 11-08-12
Author has written 2 stories for Twilight, and LXG.
Evening peeps,
I am mildly new to fan fiction, so, yeah. I guess I should start with some things about myself. I am a bookworm and I am not afraid to say it. To make it easier, here's a list of thinks I like;
-Music (of most all sorts, not metal though.ick)
-Movies!!! (For example; The sorcerers apprentice, How to Train Your Dragon, Dark Shadows, Titanic, Death Note- that's a series on youtube. the ending can dissapoint, but it's still awesome. The Golden Compass, The Hunger Games, (no duh.) Tangled, The Devil Wears Prada, and many others.
-Sharp pencils (For some unknown reason, whenever I see a sharp pencil lying around, I have to pick it up and write something with it. Also they smell good. Don't ask why. The same is true for pens, well, except for the smell.)
-Silence (it's good to have a moment to your own thoughts every once in a while.)
-Full moons (They're just soooo darn cool to watch, especially through a telescope. this is extra-awesome during eclipses, I can take pictures!! : D I have at least fifteen, taken through a telescope.)
When thinking of all the things I like, I can't help but think of the things I don't like.
-Small dogs that bark, and never shut up, at that frequency that is just right to drive you nuts.
-Bright lights (I hate having to squint, and whenever I go out into direct sunlight I start a sneezing fit. Humm... I wonder if I'm allergic to sun. Na. Sunglasses rule!!)
-Pink (I despise most all shades of pink, except the ones that are closer to peach you would find in a sunset.)
-People who are racist or are trying to convert me, or something. I am me and I'm staying that way, so give up now!!
cups (I don't mind the peices, but chocolate and peanut butter? Gag, ick, retch, and other random sound effects in that area.)
-Texting acronyms (I know I am not alone in this, but full words are good, and I have waaaay to many issues deciphering the meaning of a single letter that could mean thirteen thousand different things.)
-Chick flicks (Or at least most of them anyway, what is it with the mushy, gooey stuff, you at least need a plot people! I have a similar issue with fairy-tales, at least many of the Disney ones. The women are either pretty idiots who can't do a thing for themselves, or smart, evil, and ugly. What's with that?)
The lists could go on forever, so here I conclude. I loove reviews, good or bad, and I hate people invading my space and stuff when I have warned them about it. (Sadly for them, if I'm having a bad day, they might get hurt. Only a little though. ; )) If you haven't noticed, sometimes I have a serious case of split personality, though I guess a lot of people do. Fishcows, Narwaffles, and jelly doughnuts for now, see ya!!
The black man turned around and stood up.
I just had to post this, I hat racism, and I found it on another person's profile, but it was so true, I couldn't resist. Here's another one, that is still irresistable and awesome;
How to Tell if You're a Writer
-If you talk to yourself.
-If you live off of sugar and caffeine.
-If your e-mails tend to be pages long and incredibly ranom.
-If people think you might have A.D.D.
-If you think it’d be cool to have A.D.D
I find just about every one of these thing applies to me beyond belief. Anywhoo, that's all for now! Please, review, favorite, or at least say something! Criticism and fan mail are an author's bread and butter.
Fade by bkwrmnlvnit reviews
For as long as she can remember, Riley has been mute and shy, living in a book. But when unseen circumstances throw her unceremoniously into the League's story, could she find that things change? And what happens when she discovers that, in her new reality, she's being woven tighter and tighter into their story and out of her own? ON HIATUS FOR REWRITE.
LXG - Rated: T - English - Adventure/Family - Chapters: 7 - Words: 28,724 - Reviews: 24 - Favs: 11 - Follows: 14 - Updated: 12/29/2012 - Published: 10/6/2012
100 Moments of Magic by bkwrmnlvnit reviews
This is my entry for the Balthy 100 challenge. One hundred oneshots. One hundred Moments of Magic...DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE. Rated T because I have no idea what will happen in this, and don't want something bad being labeled as K.
Sorcerer's Apprentice, 2010 - Rated: T - English - Fantasy - Chapters: 1 - Words: 320 - Reviews: 7 - Favs: 1 - Follows: 1 - Published: 11/3/2012
Beyond Family by Bookworm Gal reviews
Bonds between friends can be forged that are as strong as those of blood. Family isn't only those you're connected to by birth. They can be the ones you'd least expect to share those bonds, but who care about you all the same. Family, those you love and trust completely, is the ones worth protecting. They're the ones you'll fight for and who'll fight for you in return.
LXG - Rated: T - English - Adventure/Family - Chapters: 13 - Words: 69,208 - Reviews: 55 - Favs: 16 - Follows: 17 - Updated: 10/22/2012 - Published: 12/21/2010 - Skinner
Shrewd Choices by Bookworm Gal reviews
After Hexxus's defeat, life seems rather peaceful in Fern Gully. But the past has a way of catching up with you, regardless of how far you fly or where you hide. He escaped once from humans and his nightmarish life at their hands, but what'll happen when they reappear in his life?
Ferngully - Rated: K+ - English - Adventure/Suspense - Chapters: 5 - Words: 28,158 - Reviews: 23 - Favs: 14 - Follows: 10 - Updated: 10/15/2012 - Published: 5/18/2012 - Zak Young, Batty Koda, Pips, Crysta
Axel likes pie by The Last One Left 0 reviews
Crackfic. Axel wants Zexion's pie and will stop at nothing to get it
Kingdom Hearts - Rated: K - English - Humor/Parody - Chapters: 1 - Words: 333 - Reviews: 10 - Favs: 6 - Follows: 2 - Published: 9/10/2012 - Axel - Complete
Christmas at the Castle by Raberba girl reviews
After Demyx manages to pull off a majority vote for a Christmas party, Axel's left to explain the concept to the kids. Now Roxas and Xion are faced with Christmas shopping for eleven jerks. No pairings...mostly.
Kingdom Hearts - Rated: T - English - Family/Humor - Chapters: 13 - Words: 53,174 - Reviews: 128 - Favs: 71 - Follows: 22 - Updated: 12/25/2011 - Published: 9/21/2011 - Roxas, Axel, Xion - Complete
Home at 19 reviews
She has lived in an asylum for 19 years because she was a "freak of nature". Now, Mina Harker, her long lost aunt has come to give her a rightful home and a family. But will she fit into the leauge, and what will happen if she doesn't?
LXG - Rated: T - English - Chapters: 2 - Words: 1,726 - Reviews: 2 - Favs: 3 - Follows: 3 - Updated: 11/11/2012 - Published: 11/6/2012
Renesmee's Story reviews
The Twilight Saga leaves off after Renesmee is born, but what about her later life? I have started this little experiment of a story, to just have fun with what her life could have been like afterward, with my own little twists added in.
Twilight - Rated: K+ - English - Chapters: 1 - Words: 400 - Reviews: 2 - Favs: 1 - Follows: 1 - Published: 10/21/2012
Manager of:
Community: LXG Mania
Focus: General: All Categories | https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4298420/shadowofthephoenix7 | <urn:uuid:e363893f-02ac-4e72-9e31-27937f65bf02> | en | 0.947382 | 0.02617 |
Lead Generator
Job Description
I want someone who can help me with lead generation for my personal/business development business. I have tried Internet traffic which was great response but I want to know how do you get that but it turns into Lead Generation?
Skills: leadership | https://www.odesk.com/o/jobs/job/Lead-Generator_~01261ef4c4cdbf78ca/ | <urn:uuid:3d515b54-091c-4e72-9e1c-201919d9bf29> | en | 0.980745 | 0.389612 |
Pattern and gradient needed
Job Description
I need a patten created similar to the background on this shirt. It is to be the water only, no fish. Very similar colors for gradient , starting from white at the top down to blue at the bottom. Shape needs to be different enough so its not just a copy but I want a similar effect. I need to use it in my own shirt design.
It should be a quick simple job for a skilled person
deliverable as a hi-res PNG, TIF or PDF.
Open Attachment | https://www.odesk.com/o/jobs/job/_~0186f0c66fced75523/ | <urn:uuid:188d0736-5cf5-4364-a35f-5f5ab953f41f> | en | 0.932622 | 0.152906 |
Bayshore Marathon
Some days........ (Read 183 times)
Fortune and glory kid
I feel like I can conquer any run of any distance and then there are days like today when I question my decision to run a Marathon. I get done and say to myself, what are you thinking, you can't do this. How many of you deal with days like this? and how do you handle it?
Needs more cowbell!
The last whole week...but only 'cause I'm sick. I know eventually I'll kick this and it will be 50º out and I will be glad that I'd doing it! Smile
Kirsten - aka "Auntie Kirsten"
'14 Goals:
• 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)
I have lots of days when I doubt what I can do. But, I know that when the next run rolls around those doubts might be long gone. When I get stuck in a rut of lousy runs it's difficult to convince myself that I'll reach my goals, but if I just wait it out I know that I'll get focused again and get my running back. Smile
For me, the toughest part of the run is the first few feet. Once I get going I can usually settle right in. Sometimes when the runs have been tough, I will try to mix it up and run a hard/fast instead of a mid-range run, or go out for a long and very slow jog just to work it out. Fortunately for me, the variety thing seems to work. It can be especially tough in the winter, since 99% of my runs are on the tm. Don't put too much pressure on yourself about your first marathon. You'll get there. | https://www.runningahead.com/groups/BSM/forum/Post/35a5e4c0efcc4daca5ed86fbb4ea7a3a | <urn:uuid:b6b1a0be-4906-4b2f-90e7-19dbdcca1e1f> | en | 0.961076 | 0.34774 |
One second...
aka lucus is a 26.28 year old boy and has been a part of the Threadless community for 5 years, 11 months! he has scored 516 submissions, giving an average score of 1.78, helping 14 designs get printed.
| https://www.threadless.com/profile/710297/lucusice/votes | <urn:uuid:d9b68d36-3d48-4a62-b85f-be0fd187ea64> | en | 0.96201 | 0.055037 |
Working Wounded Blog: Workplace Taboos
Last week, I was watching George Carlin in his latest comedy special on HBO. I started thinking about his famous list of the seven things you can't say on television. So this week I'm going to present the Working Wounded variation on Carlin's list -- a list of five taboo words for today's workplace.
The first taboo in today's workplace is the word "felony." Corporations don't like prison records. However, ex-offenders don't need to worry too much, because this will change for two reasons. First, the dramatic increase of executives who visit the big house. If these guys keep getting arrested, every head honcho is going to have a rap sheet, and they have to work somewhere …
OK, Martha Stewart hasn't gone out and hired a bunch of her former prison bunkmates to work at her company. But she has been speaking out about ex-offenders as potential contributors to society. And over time this will have an impact. That leads to the second reason why some of the sting may come out of the word felony at work. Though there are 44 million Gen-Xers in the work force, they are greatly outnumbered by the 76 million baby boomers who will start planning for retirement in the next couple of decades. We'll have to run our economy while millions of workers worry more about weekends and Winnebagos than their work. Something's got to give, and the modern work force is going to have to get creative to find new workers. I predict that with more than 2 million incarcerated in the U.S. and a dwindling supply of workers, ex-offenders will become more common around the office.
The second taboo at work is not a word but an acronym: "TMI" -- too much information. This can apply to all manner of information, but of particular note is the often uncomfortable revealing of personal medical situations. People don't want to hear about your medical challenges, your itchy rash, your surgery or your prostate, etc. Yes, the practice of avoiding running your mouth and disclosing TMI rules at work today. Find a therapist, a mate or a relative who really cares about the medical details of your life. But don't share it with your co-workers, because hearing about those things makes them uneasy and can make work an uncomfortable place to be.
The third taboo at work revolves around the word "relationships." Don't go there. People don't want to hear about your marital or relationship problems. Through the years I can't believe how many people have shared intimate information about their relationships with me. Call me a prude, but I think pillow talk should be reserved for conversations that actually take place over pillows.
The fourth taboo is the word "why." As in "Why did you …" "Why do we …" Most corporations don't take kindly to being asked this simple question. Sure, there are bosses who can handle it. I just think that they are rarer than most people think. Sometimes it's better to just bite your tongue and forge ahead with an assignment, even if you're not totally sure about the outcome. People who constantly question the worth of a project or a boss's decision often get tagged as malcontents. So be careful when you drag out the "W" word.
And finally, the fifth taboo -- "bravado."
• 1
• |
• 2
Join the Discussion
blog comments powered by Disqus
You Might Also Like... | http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Careers/story?id=1311842 | <urn:uuid:31ccb706-f2ba-40ec-b07a-947b775f5ffe> | en | 0.973209 | 0.028616 |
Super Bowl ads are the best.
When they're good, they're like a sugar rush -- a quick burst of energy that the sponsor hopes will persuade you to consume the product. When they're bad, well, that's fun, too, as millions cock their heads at the TV wondering what the ...
But don't keep your opinion to yourself.
Join the Super Bowl Ad Meter panel, and you'll help decide the commercial winners and losers. And we all know it's the ads that keep everyone watching.
Anyone can be a Super Bowl Ad Meter panelist. Registration is open until Friday, Jan. 31. In 2013, more than 15,000 people voted, deciding the best and worst of the ads.
Over the next four weeks, we'll be previewing Super Bowl ads as they're leaked and covering the past and present of Super Bowl advertising. We'll catch up with the stars and creators of the best Super Bowl ads, and tell you what's coming for Super Bowl XLVIII, the first-ever New York-area Super Bowl. Plus, panelists will be able to vote for your favorite ad of all time.
On Super Bowl Sunday, we'll keep up with the ads and allow you to rate them as they air. It's like giving you a second game to follow and maybe something to keep your attention if the halftime show is a bummer. (Sorry, Bruno Mars.)
So this year, make yourself a person who does more than just watch the ads, and we'll make you a part of the biggest Super Bowl Ad Meter ever!
Register now to become a Super Bowl Ad Meter panelist. | http://admeter.usatoday.com/story/sports/ad-meter/super-bowl/2014/01/03/ad-meter-story-welcome-to-ad-meter-2014/4300727/ | <urn:uuid:0d480183-852c-4cb7-90a4-07944ff0031b> | en | 0.955511 | 0.020542 |
View Single Post
Old 10-24-2005, 01:04 AM #13
Dysco OP
caddis muncher
Dysco's Avatar
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Salida, CO
Oddometer: 15,519
Originally Posted by snowrider
I've found most of what you said to be true, except for the knobbies. I get a lot of mixed surfaces, and I find full on thick snow cover is the least common surface for street riding in winter. This may depend on how often it's plowed where you are. I rode on street tires, not even dual sport tires every winter but the last one, where I had the stock trailwings on the DR. I was always opposed to knobbies because of the mixed surfaces and the fact that usually I was riding on a slippery road surface which is not like dirt at all. Now I'm very interested in what dual sport tires can do and will be trying TKC80s this winter though I think Anakees would be better. I've always just wanted a little more grip in snow, not a lot, because I want something that breaks loose evenly and predictably, no matter how early.
This is a great point. Snow is the least common riding surface around here, too. The studs were the most important part of my setup. I knew the knobbies were deep enough to put studs in and didn't want to waste a street tire seeing if they were deep enough to hold a stud.* Compact snow and ice is the worst surface and the studs handled them with ease. Frankly, I don't have to stones to run sideways up a hill all winter I went with the most reliable (read: overkill) setup I could think of and it worked well. The studs do break loose, but there's a definite choice with them whether you want to tractor up a hill without breaking it loose or go for broke and spin it like crazy.
Right now it's the distance that's hurting me- 30 miles is well beyond my limits for a day-in day-out bike commute. I am in the process of plating my TTR125 and I have my GF almost convinced she can commute 3 miles on it daily
My good pictures come from one storm- nobody else was getting anywhere so there were lots of people standing around to take pictures. You and I both know we'll never have pictures of the really good stuff and we'll never be able to truly explain the sensation of taking 2 wheels on a surface most 4-wheelers have trouble with...
*That said, nothing's better than the hookup of a studded knobbie when you're drag racing some yahoo in a jacked-up 4X4 on the first night of a good winter storm.
Dysco is offline Reply With Quote | http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1952873&postcount=13 | <urn:uuid:efd0e670-04d7-4830-9186-735643f48e01> | en | 0.974616 | 0.029694 |
Biz-Community (Cape Town)
South Africa: Talking Thrash With Metallica's Robert Trujillo
(Page 2 of 2)
More than 30 years is a long, long time for a band to be around. What do you think are the factors that drive you to keep making music and to keep touring?
One of the factors is that there is always attention to detail and it's almost an addiction with Metallica, which is standard and there is this level of I don't want to say perfection,' cause nothing is perfect, but you know in song writing James may have five like words for one word. It's not okay just to throw some words together, there is a lot of thought that goes into what he's bringing. Lars is obsessive about the arrangement. There is a lot that goes into a Metallica song and I think the end result is always, most of the time, something quite special. That's what our fans feed off, we're refuelling them with the art we have as songwriters and also the stage shows as much as possible; we really try to give 100%. Then there is the physical factor where we need to train; our instructors take care of us so we don't pull a muscle or break a leg or anything like that. So, as we get older there are more things that keep us in tune with our performance. Everybody's commitment to the band is crucial 'cause we have a great team.
Do you have any choice in the support bands?
Our choice is to have local bands and the promoters need to find the best local bands possible wherever we're playing. And I know tonight we have a special local band [Van Coke Kartel] so I'm excited, hopefully we catch a couple of songs, it's not always easy, there is a whole routine that goes into our productions, but that's what makes us have a special show so, hopefully, we can go and see them.
Can we expect a new album from Metallica anytime soon?
You know what it's kinda like, you're looking at a mountain, a huge beast of a mountain that you gotta climb and you're trying to psyche yourself up for that. What route are we gonna take? How are we gonna do this? And you get to the point where you're like: Oh man, well let's start. So we are climbing, but we still have a long way to go, so hopefully in two years or less we'll have a great album for you. We will, but we are still climbing the mountain.
You going to have any time to do some sightseeing while you're here?
Surfing, only surfing. We went to, what's that place called? Llandudno, and we'll probably go there again.
Favourite venue? You've played everywhere, but where's your favourite?
You know every venue that we play has to be my favourite 'cause I want to feel connected and make it a special experience.
The interesting thing is that we have a 3D movie coming out very soon and that in itself has been an experience and a challenge. I believe it's going to be great. I've seen a recent cut and we have a lot of work to do - we're not finished, but we're getting close and I feel that the end result will be special. Now what this will do for us or where this will take us is unknown, you know, but I have a good feeling about it. I also feel that those are the experiences and challenges that make Metallica great and special and keep people interested. We did our 30-year anniversary shows just over a year ago at the legendary Fillmore Theatre in San Francisco - you know where Janis Joplin played and The Grateful Dead and all those special bands. But the thing about that is that we flew in artists from all over the world. So let's bring in Mercyful Fate, let's fly in Ozzy Osbourne, let's bring in Rob Halford lead singer of Judas Priest. There was this long list of people to bring in, that's a commitment, to fly them in, rehearse with them, learn their songs and get on stage with them. What band does that? I don't know of any band that does that, but those are the type of things we do - we challenge ourselves. Sometimes it's a glorious experience and sometimes it maybe doesn't work out. But those chances that we take are what make Metallica a special band.
Metallica will be playing at the Soccer City Complex, FNB Stadium in Joburg this Saturday, 27 April, 2013.
U.S. Rock Band Wows Fans in South Africa
Thousands of fans went to watch the thrash metal legends Metallica perform in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Read more » | http://allafrica.com/stories/201304261217.html?page=2 | <urn:uuid:f08fe42b-ab89-4398-9ed8-2de5c90ce34d> | en | 0.974119 | 0.214547 |
x iowa
KQEH (KQED Plus) 1
( more )
English 41
Set Clip Length:
today to hear the next president of the united states, mitt romney. just this week democrats gathered with the -- at their convention. they struggled with one question that really matters for americans. are you better off than you were four years ago? are you better off under this president than you were mammal years ago? president obama -- and you were four years ago? he wants another famine years. but america cannot continue with the status quo. more americans have lost their jobs under president obama than any president hundred feet -- since the great depression. the jobs numbers just came out of our august with another disappointing month with only 100,000 new jobs. just this week, when the democrats were data for their convention, we solve the nationaln debt -- national debt scope over 15- -- go over 15 trillion dollars. we have suffered from one president -- an unpresident said -- unprecedented downgrading of our credit rating. you know that debt is not the way we need to go for this future. [applause] president obama, when he was a candidate in 2018, said it was on patriotic to
in the united states who have been educated in our schools, to give them the opportunity to stay here. you know, wouldn't we rather be known as a country of dreamers, than a country of illegal aliens? [applause] and as we saw last night, this is the commander in chief who finally brought osama bin laden to justice. [applause] now that is presidential leadership. but even before barack obama was elected president, we knew he was going to be a great leader. we knew it when he chose joe biden as his running mate. [applause] joe was the perfect choice, because like the president, he had lived the american dream, going from humble middle-class roots, to the united states senate, to the vice presidency of the united states. [applause] and we all know from his incredible speech last night that he has been side by side with the president's, fighting to make sure that we open the doors of opportunity for all americans, working to create good jobs and to invest in education, to make health care and retirement and schools affordable for everyone. it is what he has fought for his entire career. [applause]
as proactive as it has been because there as been paralysis on the fiscal side in the united states. there really has not been any effort on the republican -- on the political side to do much about the job situation. the burden has fallen disproportionately on the central bank. with the too much government is the problem, that is a discussion we have been having since the beginning of time. host: unemployment by education level, 12% with those with high school education, with college, 6.6%. guest: people like to talk about the more education you have the less unemployment you have. unemployment has gone up for all of the groups. college graduates or not, people are struggling. you could have a large student loan and not find a job. host: we have a caller. go ahead. caller: how many of the jobs are jobs with which people can support themselves or their families? guest: you make a fair point. the unemployment rate is one measure of unemployment. there is also a measure that tries to take into account people who are working part time, but would rather be working full time. if you inclu
in the united states, but done in france which is a modern labor market where i think there are some lessons. the code-talkers actually convinced the french government to do something i hope we can convince our -- co-authors actually convince the french government to do something i hope we can convince our government to do, which is to experiment with widespread unemployment services programs and look at what the effects on the labor market are not just by randomizing an individual having access to the program, but breaking france up into different geographic areas of labor markets and providing 100% of the people access in some areas, in some areas , in some areas 55%, some areas 25%. if you do that randomly, on average, if you're in an area where a lot of other people use this program, does that have a negative effect on you? what they found is in tight labor markets, basically the programs really helped people get into jobs more quickly. when the labor market is weak, is largely a game of musical chairs. one person getting a job makes another person have a more difficult time. thinking ab
. they are the goat's horn, the ak .47. they go to the united states, pick up the weapons to bring them to mexico. in four years, 70% of weapons found in crime scenes originated from sales in the united states. >> we were going to talk about fast and furious with the new report coming out, but this is interesting time. >> it's been a bad deal for the u.s. justice department. earlier this summer, eric holder, attorney general found in contempt, congress saying he's with holding documents from this investigation. we are going to expect more high drama. we are waiting to see what the latest findings are. >> we'll be watching it. thank you. >> thank you. >>> the fight to legalize marijuana receives a surprising supporter, sort of. we'll explain. >>> despite a weak jobs reports, u.s. stocks ended slightly higher. mortgage rates are down from last week. take a look here. ya know, your rates and fees aren't exactly competitive. who do you think i am, quicken loans? [ spokesman ] when you refinance your mortgage with quicken loans, you'll find that our rates and fees are extremely competitive. because th
as assistant secretary of the navy and went on to become vice president and president of the united states. in 1916, roosevelt the secretary of the navy. he has been appointed to the record as the associate justice by president william howard taft. but he resigned in 1916 to become the republican candidate for president and he ran against woodrow wilson and a dreadful campaign he was the odds favor, but ultimately lost california by 4000 votes and therefore the election. he went to bed the night of the election thinking he had one. franklin roosevelt was said that wilson supporter went to bed thinking he's had one also. and the next morning the returns from the midwest and particularly california came in and it turned out that wilson one the election just rarely. roosevelt continued as assistant secretary of the navy and then he has to act to private practice in new york city. roosevelt in 1920 became the vice residential candidate of the democratic party, running with governor james cox of ohio. they got trapped by calvin coolidge and warren harding, coolidge's republican party. and at th
recommending. or we can decide that in the united states of america, no child should have her dreams deferred because of a crowded classroom or a crumbling school. no family should have to set aside a college acceptance letter because they don't have the money. no company should have to look for workers in china because they couldn't find ones with the right skills right here at home. so, help me recruit 100,000 math and science teachers in the next ten years and improve early childhood education and give 2 million workers the chance to learn skills that that community college that will lead directly to a job. and let's help work with colleges and universities to cut in half the growth of tuition costs over the next ten years because, you know, higher education is not a luxury anymore. it is an economic necessity that everybody should be able to afford. and we can meet that goal together. you can choose that future if you're willing to move forward with me. for my plan -- yeah, i've got four. forward. my plan would reduce our deficit without sticking it to the middle class. we're all concerne
a record for a record high for the number of suicides in the united states military. then there are the multiple deployments that families go through, the military moms and dads waiting for their spouses to return home. romney said he spoke to the american legion and vfw, but that doesn't cut if. this is the party that practically coined the phrase, we support the troops. this is the party that demonized people who wouldn't wear the flag lapel pin. this is the party that always claimed to have the upper hand on protecting the country and national security and love of country. and accusing president obama of not being american enough and not loving the country, but mitt romney can't bring himself to n insert a paragraph about the troops in harm's way right now and have been there multiple times in his acceptance speech? i think it is the ultimate quis qualifier. here's senator john kerry addressing the issue last night. >> no nominee for president should ever fail in the midst of a war to pay tribute to our troops overseas in his acceptance speech. mitt romney, mitt
to maintain our liberty with liberty for all. and therefore, if i'm president of the united states, we'll get rid of those sequestration cuts and rebuild america's military might! [ cheers and applause ] >> romney unveiled a new sort of rhetorical flourish speed going through the pledge line by line and in each sentence trying to find a way to criticize president obama, either for promises unkept or for future plans that he says are essentially rehashing old failed democratic ideas of the past. >> arthel: we're all counting down, 59 days left. can the campaigns begin to narrow down which swing states they're going to focus on? >> sure. there is about a dozen swing states that they're focusing on during the year. right now there is a safe number of some 20-plus states where mr. romney has an advantage, perhaps a smaller number of states for president obama is safe. but bigger populations. in the electoral college map, it's fairly close. virginia is very much one of them. ohio, and florida, absolutely. down to about seven. the truth is, there will be sort of spotty focus in both places, in many
to israel. those are the core demands of israel in the negotiations. the united states has always supported those positions. obama's people pull it out of the platform and the president chooses not to put it back in. very significant. >> sean: what do you make of -- we have two issues. number 1, the reaction to what i thought was a pretty stale, boring, cut-and-paste speech last night and the issue of the economy, the economic numbers that came out today, i mean, a net loss of another couple hundred thousand jobs, when you include the people who have left the labor force. your reaction? >> well, i think that the -- to me, i suppose in visual terms, you are right, the defining moment is that vote. i think that is likely to be remembered. but i think that in political terms, the enormous blunder was when speaker after speaker said, yes, we are better off now than we were four years ago. and that became a logo of this convention and it is very clear that the american people dont agree. and fortunately, romney is alert to it. they are pouncing right away and in all of the swing states he is run
and wind. that is why in the united states congress earlier this year, a bipartisan majority said we need to extend those tax credits. the oil industry, the gas industry, but coal industry and the nuclear industry have benefited from tens of billions of dollars of subsidies for many years. it is time to get a level playing field. in the meantime, we are playing catch up for the energy of the future. we will not run out of wind or solar. eventually, we will run out of oil and coal. the others will get cheaper. if you go to california or nevada or colorado, those are the energy future -- that is why there is bipartisan support for the clean energy credit. host: gene clearly did not answer your question, which was could the solar and wind sources work without subsidies? guest: we do not find them working without subsidies anywhere purified natural gas and petroleum working fine without subsidies. that is the oil companies get tens of billions of dollars of subsidies per year. that is not right. even to get the $4 billion the president talks about, you get all that from section 199 tax credit
children. the attack came a day after the united states said it was designating the haqqani network, blamed for a number of high-profile attacks on western and afghan targets in kabul, a terrorist organization. >>> illinois congressman jesse jackson jr. is back in washington, d.c., after being treated at the mayo clinic in arizona. jackson is spending the weekend resting at home with his wife and children. the 47-year-old began medical leave in early june. he is likely to be back at work on monday when congress returns from its summer recess. >>> and lots of kids get their hair cut so they look really good when they go back to school. however, in china, four brothers who are quadruplets had their hair cut so that their teachers could identify them. so, the kids now sport the numbers one through four on the top of their heads, corresponding to the order of their birth back in 2006. i don't know about that one, you guys. looks a little bit unfortunate. i don't know. what do you think? >> well, a tattoo would be permanent. >> well, there's only one way to find out. what do you say? come on, gu
if you want to see barack obama re-elected president of the united states, do whatever you can for virgil goode. they challenged his spot on the ballot and they said put him on the ballot anyway, and he's going to be on the ballot unless virginia's attorney general, this guy, decides to kick virgil goode off the ballot. he's been campaigning for mitt romney including last week at the republican convention. under virginia law, he gets to decide whether virgil goode gets his name on the ballot or not. look at the headline, he promises he will be absolutely objective about this whole thing. absolutely. virginia is getting three different mitt romney ads this week. virginia, ohio, new hampshire, iowa, colorado, nevada, north carolina, florida. that's it, that's the election. who the country is counting on to handle this election about the presidency for the rest of us, eight states. when stuff gets weird in one of those eight states, when something like virgil goode happens in one of those eight states, while that might be a weird side bar virginia story at any other time in any other politic
's not a country on earth that wouldn't gladly trade places with the united states of america. ( cheers and applause ) >> reporter: he was referring to this comment made by republican vice presidential nominee paul ryan earlier this week in iowa. >> we are a country in doubt. we hit $16 trillion of debt that was announced yesterday. >> reporter: the two campaigns are fighting over whose plans would be more devastating to the economy. >> here in iowa, we're not better off under president obama. >> reporter: on friday, the romney campaign released 15 new ads, tailored to swing state voters. the ads lament sinking home prices in florida, manufacturing losses in ohio. >> here in virginia, we're not better off under president obama. his defense cuts threaten over 130,000 jobs. >> reporter: campaigning in virginia beach today, governor romney invoked god repeatedly as he criticized the president for the slow pace of job growth. >> we're going to have to have a new president that will commit to a nation under god that recognizes the we, the american people, were given our rights not by governm
officially been designated by the u.s. as a terrorist network. secretary of state hillary clinton made the decision it bans americans from doing business from the groups and blocks any assets it holds in the united states. >>> a bizarre airport hoax gets even stranger. what led to this man being led out in handcuffs? >> john fowler has learned that quick action may very well have saved mccarthy's life. lots of prepaid cards come pre-filled with problems. enough is enough. introducing the chase liquid reloadable card. with chase liquid, there's no waiting and no fee to activate you can load cash and checks at any chase depositfriendly atm and there are no withdrawal fees at over 17,500 chase atms all for one flat fee of $4.95 per month. get rid of prepaid problems. get chase liquid. >>> investigators say they think a love triangle forced into a hoax that led a man to be taken off a plane in handcuffs. christopher shell was taken away in handcuffs. smith told police she did it to avenge his girlfriend because shell had dated a woman and posted a compromising picture of her on facebook. >
Excerpts 0 to 40 of about 41 results.
(Some duplicates have been removed)
Terms of Use (10 Mar 2001) | http://archive.org/details/tv?q=united+states&time=20120908&fq=topic:%22iowa%22 | <urn:uuid:0a9bd8c7-c314-49b1-a378-17548f627039> | en | 0.973947 | 0.053339 |
x maryland
x michigan
WRC 13
English 60
Set Clip Length:
. >>> turning now to the war in afghanistan where the u.s. is said to be making major strides. defense secretary is in afghanistan tonight and he says we're close to beating al- qaeda. fox's david piper has the latest. >> defense secretary leon pinetta arriving in afghanistan for his first visit to the war zone. this comes a week after he took his new tough job. >> it's big, it's complicated, it's filled with sophisticated technology. it's bumpy, but in the end it's the best in the world. >> the u.s. and allies are now within reach of defeating al- qaeda. >> the key is that having gotten bin laden, we've now identified some of the key leadership within al-qaeda, both in pakistan as well as in yemen and other areas that if we can be successful at going after them, i think we can really undermind their ability. >> the former cia director and other afghan officials discuss the plan to pull american troops. president obama wants to bring about 10,000 troops back home this year and 23,000 more next year. >> the key to success in afghanistan is the ability to successfully transition to the afgha
rodriguez says he doesn't expect violence in afghanistan to start decreasing until next year. from the pentagon earlier today, this is 45 minutes. >> general rodriguez, it's counselor dave lapin at the pentagon. if you're ready to go, i'll introduce you and we'll get started. >> ok, dave, go ahead, thanks. >> thank you. good morning to those here, good evening in afghanistan. i'd like to welcome pack to the pentagon briefing room, army lieutenant general david rodriguez. he's commander of the international security assistance force joint command, also known as i.j.c. and also the deputy commander of the united states forces afghanistan. general rodriguez's current tour began in june, 2009, he became the first commander of the i.j.c. in october of that year. prior to that, general rodriguez was commander of regional command east for 15 months from january, 2007 to april, 2008. next week after two straight years in command and more than 40 months in after gap stan over the past 4 1/2 year, general rodriguez is ski wruled to change command and return stateside to have u.s. army forces
in eastern afghanistan. that is the word from nato. will to bring you an update later in the show. >>> today a new chapter begins in afghanistan. general david petraeus will relinquish his post in a chemist and to lieutenant general john allen. general petraeus plans to retire from the army at the end of august, and will start his new job as head of the cia on september 5. nato is preparing to hand over provincial control to afghan forces. >>> 71 degrees on this monday. >> the startling arrest in the alleged phone hacking case surrounding media mogul rupert murdoch and resignation. >>> a morale boost for the nation in mourning, the expense of the american team. we will have more on the u.s. women's heart breaking world cup loss. >> a live picture of 395 moving smoothly so far. >>> i am lisa tazed with women hart, the national coalition for women with heart disease. if if you are woman living with heart disease, we are here for you. go to our web site. >> good morning, washington. >>> happy monday morning 6:11, adam caskey in the belfort furniture weather center with your forecast update. bac
ago in afghanistan petry, who was already shot in both legs, picked up a live grenade and toss it had away from two of his comrades. he lost his right hand but not his spirit. petry spoke with next's brian williams about how other wounded warriors encouraged him to remain positive. >> a lot of these men and women, their limbs or their bodies are stolen from them almost. they are driving down a road, and they don't see the enemy. it's just you wake up and you're laying there and you're disfigured now. >> yeah. >> and i had the choice to do what i did, and fully mentally knowing about what the dangers were. >> petry could have retired after losing his hand. instead, he re-enlisted and went back to afghanistan. >> still ahead tonight, chilling testimony from three young girls in the case against a politician's husband. >> a local county taking its smoking ban to private property. >> and a juror in the casey anthony trial fears for her life >>> the husband of a local city council member was in court today accused of molesting children at a slumber party. michael guardner is married to a f
and afghanistan, and at the time that we have gone to war, that is what we did the bush tax cuts, the corporate tax cuts that further douglas into the economic hole that we are in. it is -- that further doug us into the economical that we are in. it is the first time in history. host: here is a tweet. guest: those are the priorities that are laid before congress. we have a hearing yesterday where we did a land exchange. republicans passed a totally partisan votes. copper orr in the state of arizona will be taken out, no royalties paid for by a foreign company. it will be shipped to china for their industry that is growing. but no royalties, nothing bad for the american taxpayer. yet we wonder how we got ourselves into the situation we arwin. host: just announced, unemployment applications fall for a second week, few more -- fewer people sought unemployment benefits. the labor department says weekly applications dropped 22,000 to a seasonally adjusted 405,000, the lowest level in almost three months. was the employment situation in your district? guest: unfortunately, yuma county leads the natio
french soldiers and one afghan civilian is dead after a bomb exploded in eastern afghanistan. three other soldiers and three afghanis were also wounded in that blast. the troops had been guarding a meeting of local leaders when a terrorist detonated the bomb. the attack comes a day after french president, nicolas sarkozy, announces that he's pulling out a quarter of france's 4,000 troops involved in nato-led operations in afghanistan by the end of next year. >>> a new warning by president obama will likely overshadow the fourth straight day of debt negotiations today. the president said last night that he couldn't guarantee that social security checks and payments to veterans and the disabled would be with mailed on time if a deal isn't done by august 2nd. but republicans say a deal won't happen if democrats don't give up on tax hikes. >> our president thinks that he's got to condition any prescription to fix these programs on tax increases. again, if that's what he's looking for, we're not going there. >> senate gop leader mitch mcconnell also outlined a proposal that would give the pres
in afghanistan and iraq and not really cutting the deficit. we're boring 40 cents on the dollar for every dollar that we spend in washington. and we cannot keep doing this. one thing i like to see is the repeal of obamacare. that alone would save us $2.5 trillion in the next 10 years. as far as the reid plan, i like to see him get it through the senate. i did not think that it would pass. host: couple we go to an independent in michigan, here is what the "new york times calls " says this morning. go ahead. caller: i called my representative yesterday and asked him to work with the president to compromise and make sure that the debt ceiling is raised over into 2013. this is destroying our economy. host: where do you see compromise? caller: th reid plan has cuts and take this off the table until 2013. i think that that makes sense. host: so you do not agree with republicans on this. caller: i do not. there is trillions of dollars being cut. let's take this and we don't want to make this something that the rest of the world is going to use against us. our dollar is worth nothing in the last 10 year
who lost his life when his offspring helicopter tragically went down in afghanistan. and now his family and friends have found a way to honor his life and sacrifice through an annual event that is now used to raise funds for a college scholarship awarded to students at eden prairie high school where randy graduated in 1985. in addition to this scholarship, his run seeks to raise awareness of the contributions of our men and women in uniform that they make every day to keep america free. the major may not live us but his memory lives on through his family and friends and his community and through the scholarships through the local high school students that share his values. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentleman from ohio rise? mr. kucinich: mr. speaker, i ask permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from ohio is recognized for one minute. mr. kucinich: as congress struggles to come up with this deal over government debt, we all know that all we had
and lindsay graham appeared together on fox news sunday from kabul, afghanistan. graham taking issue with president obama's more aggressive troop withdrawal timetable. >> it has created risk. it has changed the momentum. it is seen now as an effort to withdraw rather than transition. and i hope and pray this works out well. it came at a very critical time, and we will see what the future holds. >> if we don't succeed here and the taliban comes back into power, we'll be attacked again. and there could be no greater threat to our security and our freedom, the freedom that we celebrate on july 4th. >> reporter: melanie alnwick, fox five news. >>> the former head of the international monetary fund may have a political future in france. a new poll shows nearly half of those surveyed in france believe strauss-kahn should return to political life in france. 46% said no. the rest didn't answer the question. strauss-kahn is charged with sexually assaulting a manhattan hotel housekeeper. prosecutors say her credibility may now be in question. >>> a gaz
dark. paychecks for troops in afghanistan and iraq and based around the world could stop. f.a.a. towers could shut down. so could the f.b.i. and the c.i.a., border crossings could close, safety inspections of food americans eat and cargo that enters our ports could halt. literally every function of governmentould cease. social security checks, payments to our veterans. we've heard that before. there would be no discussion of which operations and personnel were essential. all the payments would very likely stop. some have said we could priorize which bills to pay. even if that wouldn't irreparably damage our nation's reputation and credit in the global economy a the globe at community, which it would, is also a complete fiction. our government won't even be able to cover the bills due on august 3. it will simply run out of money and because we'll be in default and our credit rating trashed, we'll be able to borrow the money not again to keep running, even if we wanted to. that's a picture secretary geithner painted. like i said, it's grim. many of my republican colleagues understand this
have or do that wouldn't have to raise the debt ceiling. one is the iraq and afghanistan war, it's george bush's war. i think what we need to do is go after george bush, dick cheney, and donald rumsfeld and let them pay for their wars that they got us into. the second thing is that we need to stop sending our money overseas and start helping our own people. the third thing is that all of these senators and congressmen that are making making $170,000 a year and making these poor choices, if they would be making $40,000, $50,000 a year, every one of their dumb decisions that they make wouldn't only affect us but it would affect them. host: thank you for your call. next up is royal oak, michigan. this is eugene a republican. good morning. caller: yes. i am calling in regards -- i'm very disappointed in boehner. i was going to send him some money, but now i'm not. i gave allen west some money, and i'm getting disappointed in him for him caving. i can't understand why the mainstream press insists on sending the republicans -- saying the republicans are at fault all the time when they
in afghanistan. so far more than 400,000 people have seen this video. go for it. >> yeah, you never know unless you ask. >> exactly. >>> well, we're asking about the weather today. tom is here to tell us the answer about how hot it's going to get. the answer is really hot. >> indeed. >>> look at the sky now. a beautiful blueberry, peaches and cream and gnats sunrise. you can see the gnats lying around the camera there. we've got the steam heat there. very humid around the region. upper 70s in washington. right by the bay, southern maryland, eastern shore, already around 80 degrees. farther west and north, we're in the 70s. low to mid-70s throughout most of virginia, maryland, and the shenandoah valley, panhandle of west virginia. in the west, it's dipped into the upper 60s. there's the beautiful sunrise beginning to take shape. by 9:00, mid-80s. by noon time the low 90s. by midafternoon we ought to peak at the record high of near 99 degrees to 100. and the air quality also diminishing this afternoon, code orange. and late afternoon into the evening hours, there's a small chance of some scattere
an unjust war in afghanistan. >> it was against my islamic conditions. >> reporter: he accused the army of trumping up charges he possessed child pouring into fee and a few weeks ago went awol. on tuesday he surfaced at a gun shop in texas bought six pounds of gun powder and asked a strange question. >> "what is smokeless powder." if you don't know what it is, why would you buy six pounds of it. >> reporter: police arrested abdo at this motel room, arrested him with gunpowder, pressure cooker, batteries, clocks, a semiautomatic handgun and more than 100 rounds of ammunition. he wanted to attack soldiers from nearby ft. hood, perhaps by bombing a restaurant outside the base. abdo explained he was "seeking revenge for what the army did to me." the plot comes less than two years after a shooting spree at ft. hood left 13 people dead. major nadal hasan awaits trial. b bob orr, cbs news, washington. >>> oslo police are interrogating anders brievik for a second day today. he will be charged for each of the 6 killings. memorial services are being held for each of the victims of the massacre. y
administration. mr. courtney: starting with iraq and afghanistan wars, two wars which, again, lots of debate about whether it was in our national interest, but in any case what is not debatable is that we never paid for a penny of either one of those conflicts. the bush tax cuts, $1.8 trillion . nondefense discretionary spending, $608 billion. tarp, the wall street bailout, which a lot of people forget occurred under the last administration, a medicare drug benefit which was passed in 2005 which was never paid for, not a nickel of that benefit was ever paid for. we were either offsetting revenue or other -- with either offsetting revenue or other spending reductions. and the 2008 stimulus bill which the bush administration had presented, a lot of people don't remember the check they got sent during that time for, again, none of those expenditures were paid for and many of those expenditures such as the bush tax cuts and the iraq and afghanistan war are still recurring expenses which are still accumulating bills and debts which this country is obligated for. when the obama administration took
bring our combat troops home fromex afghanistan, that we can expect the international community to do more than we can bring about savings on the military side. let me talk about the last major component of the conrad budgetly and how it differs substantially from the ryan budget. not a serious revenues. i know there's been a lot of so discussion about revenues. so what does the democratic budget due in this regard? it takes i revenues to 19.5% of our gross domestic product, gdp. mr. president, that is t phe sae amount of us raised on the clinton presidency when we had unprecedented prosperity and jow growth in america. now, how do wehe get there? how do we get the revenues that we need in order to be able to h bring this debt under control? well, senator conrad has given us some direction on how we canr do that. he has pointed out that sheltere and loopholes need to be closede these are inefficiencies in our kax code today. tal i take the floor on two occasions recently to talk aboue some that i think we shouldat eliminate pier one, the ethanole subsidy.ubsidy. the majority of the se
with afghanistan, and over the years the number has gone up steadily. in the first few years in the strikes of 2,042,007 they're just a handful and then we see it going up in 2010. the obama administration rising at a policy never fully publicly articulated. 118 strikes last year and 45 so far this year. the pakistanis said a couple of months ago that they wanted him stopped them stopped and they ordered the cia out in their base in pakistan were some of the strikes are being launched. by my reckoning there is than a dozen since then. so has this been done like the enlightened raid against the will of the pakistan government? put the whole thing in a different legal contextualization. we don't know that for sure but we know the americans are defensive about in last month for example john brennan tried to relay concerns he took to new targeting procedure and he said that in the past year there hasn't been a single collateral death because of the exceptional proficiency precision of the capabilities we have been able to develop. in other words because they have been checking much more carefully th
not be able to do things militarily to support our troops in afghanistan and iraq. i view this, i think it bears close watching, but there is a perception that somehow we're giving our china, india, brazil and other countries an advantage. i view this program as a two-way street. it does provide a degree of access to american companies and so i would be also reluctant -- i reluctantly oppose your amendment but i can assure you that both of us feel very strongly that it bears watching. it has borne some fruit. mr. frelinghuysen: it's not money wasted, it's not money given away to competitors. thank you for yielding. mr. visclosky: but again, i think it draws attention that we should be closely monitoring these funds. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from fey rise? >> i move to strike the last word. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. broun: i'd like to yield to dr. harris from maryland. mr. harris: let me briefly address this so we can move on. we only cut $6 million out of the $8 million. there's budget language further on t
of iraq and afghanistan. today we just voted h.r. 2650 to, in fact, establish a club of losers for these patriots who have served their country. what a shame. what a shame. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from louisiana rise? without objection. mr. scalise: mr. speaker, the house finally passed a real plan that addresses this nation's spending crisis. i think many american families know that washington has a spending problem because they have been living within their means. they have wen been trying to figure out to do what what they've got. and we passed a plan that actually would cut, cap and balance and controls spending in washington. and what's the president's plan? we have still yet to hear his plan. we hear speeches and class warfare where the president puts one part of america against the other. if he confiscated every dollar, it wouldn't address the problem. it's time to get real. if the president wants to get serious about addressing the spending problems, it's time to confront what cut, cap and balance does and tell washingt
Excerpts 0 to 52 of about 60 results.
Click for
next 7 results
(Some duplicates have been removed)
Terms of Use (10 Mar 2001) | http://archive.org/details/tv?time=201107&q=afghanistan&fq=topic:%22maryland%22&fq=topic:%22michigan%22 | <urn:uuid:c9caa0b6-2eec-43b9-9894-bb1ed84e9aa7> | en | 0.974388 | 0.037432 |
x orioles
x FOX 45 News at 530
English 12
Set Clip Length:
the incident started this morning around 11:30 in the 700 block of frederick baltimore county police officer noticed the suspect sitting inside a stolen car behind a business.....whee he approached the vehicle the suspect drove off.....that's when the officer shot him......the suspect ended up in the upper parking lot behind the school..... (34:49)the officer was not shot at however the suspect was attempting to strike him with the vehicle which is why he fired his service weapon the officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigatio. investigation.the suspect was shot in the upper body and taken to shock trauma........the car......a toyota rav 4 was reported stolen in carroll county.... charges are pending.... harford county buriis a &psheriff's deputy today. tooay.corporal charles licato was laid to rest this afternoon at bel air memorial gardens.the 14- yyar veteran of the arford county sheriff's office as killed... ...when he crashed his car on route one thursday morning.he was on his was home from work. licato's mom called him 'fearl
true you can sayy baltimore is a safer city because of his work."(((as live tag cairns)"officer cemeteryyin annapolis. in towson kc fox 45 news at 5 30 there... are... more deeands... that... a... be... removed... from the bench../ .after... complainns... about... howw e handled... &p a... domestic... violence case. baltimore... county... district court judge... "bruce lamdin"... is... not... hearing cases... right now..../ because... he's... under investigation... after... a complainn... filed... by... the... women's ... &p law center...//. an... audio recording.... that... shows... one woman .../ pllading... for... a protective order... from her husband..../ but... showss.. the judge.../ has... no remorse. ((audio recorring)): "i believe he is a threat to the safety and well being of my children and i just finished grad school and i have no means to vacate the house.. and so i need him not to be there... judge response: ma'am there areeshelters." shelters." the hoose of ruth... has no
for else.kkith daniles live in northeast baltimore where public's help in the finding the killer... keith. 3 3 "iq: everybody from the party was gone... oq: for no reason at all." 3 a man is dead tonight after a late morning shooting.neighbors say the &pvictim was a teenaged boy.but police say he is in his early 20s.the shooting happened on beeyl avenue in east baltimore south of biddle street.police say they don't have a motive at this time. 19.06.34 jeremy silbeet, baltimore police spokesperron: "officers then responded to the scene to find a male who we believe to be in his early 20s suffering from at least one gunshot wound to his body. that ictim as transported from the scene in serious condition. he eft to a local h" hospital."neighbors would noo talk to us on camera, but say the victim could be as young as 14.anyonee ith information is urged to all baltimore city police. still no cause of thht fire in east baltimore...that left an 88-year old woman dead. fire fighters responded to the 22-hundred bllck ofeast north avenue on sunday evening...where theydiscovered the victim on th
.the child is expected to fully recovee.paul gessler, fox45 news at 5:30. a baltimore county jury comes back with guilty verdicts against the two men police say orchestrated the towson town murder last december. frank williams and william degree pre-meditated murder. 199year old rodney pridget , was killed. prosecutors ay their strongest piece of evidence was the ideotape from the malls surveillancee say they plan to seek life.. - without parole for williams and ward. (shellenberger)"although they feel like if your an individual that has enough powerryou can make someone obviously a very dangerous person should never be free to walk maryland streets again" sentencing... is... the owners... of... majestii . auto repair shop... are... sentenced... ffr a towing extortion scheme... involving... more than ...50... baltimore police officers.../. her--nan ... moreno... was given 33 months in prison,.../ his... brother edwin ... will serve... two years..../the... two... paid... police officers... to tow cars... from... accident scenes... to... their busiiess..
-662-1456.you can also log onto our weesite ox baltimore dot com and click on wwste watch. 3 newwat 5:30 baltimore's speed cammra program will soon &ppe under reeiew..... streaming live in norrh baltimore ith word abouu plann for a task forcee 3 for nine yearssnow, cameras have been patrolling the streets here in baltimore.....but now the cameras are about to be under watch themmelves. the mayoo has convened a task force to ssudy thhir accuracy and theirr effectiveness..... the cameras have long been thh parget of complaints and they haven't been without miitakes. task force to revvew the program and report their year. (5:43:31) "we wannn make sure the business procedures arr rrght. we wanna makk sure they're being effetive in reducing speed. but at thhe enn of the day, as long as over the speed limit in a going to applogizz for using thisstoolluntil eople slow ddwn." jamme kendrick will be chairing the task force... in fact, half of those servinggoo the city's 8-member task force are employeddby he city. jeff abell, fox 5 news t five 30. how are the roads ooking
in northwest baltimore. baltimore. a ribbon cutting ceremony was held today at the kipp baltimore campus on greenspring avenue.the school underwent 4 million dollars in renovations, including an entire floor of new kindgergarten classroomskipp enrollment public charter - schools.the expansion will help them serve more than 1 thousand students from underserved communities "we actually go door to oor innthe park heights ommunity to recruite in person all of our students ann that way we make sure we're getting the students who need us the most. our kids come on average well below grade level in reading and math in most cases and we work hard to get them above grade level during their time with us." us." local philanthropists donated the money for renovations.... other updates include a new h- vac system and fire safety how are the roads looking tonig? tonight?brandi proctor has our traffic edge report. report. mapbelairwilkensfiber395map as... you may knoo bb now,... fox45 is the new home of wheel of fortune. fortune.the show that made pat and vanna household names.i hadthe
is from baltimore. he wassthere. and there was just a lot of excitement about question 6." sultan' shakir...was one thh 250 folks who attended last night's celebrity fundraiser in manhatten. an event...expected to raise a quarter of a million dollars...to help phold the maryland law...that legalizes same sex marriage. (shakir) "well, there's a lot of support around teh country for question 6, because i think a lot of people unnerstand that marriage equallity is really about equality, it's about fairness." opponents of same sex marriage...are not surprisedby that big city. (mccoy) "they have to go out of town, they gotta go to alifornia, they got to go to new york, they got to go to all these different places 'cause they just don't have the ggassroots support in their own state."(rydell) "and supporrers and opponents say you can expect to see plenty of tv commercials on same sex marriage between now and election day. in annnpolis, john rydell, fox45 news at 5:30." marylands dream act... became the focus of a heated debate right here at the fox-45 studios last night night(25:50)(heated e
. we waat ou to call your primary care provider and all your local health department." 3 baltimore poliie say firebombs are to blame or two fis in northeast baltimore. the fires broke out about 4 o'clock this morning.....less than a mill apart.........the second fire happened at the parkside garden apartments.....where seven people were injured tryiig escape. miracle everyone got out or safely that time of the morning molotov cocktails are meant to start a fire very quickly anddto havae that fire ssread very quickly... quickly... we have also learned the district will be sendingg2 officcrs to patrol thissarea regularly. the irebombings did manage to pring a neighborhood together. together.joel d. smith says into heroes. heroes. 3800 phylicia estep i got up wwen i heard people running, i ggt up and thought what are they running for? phylicia estep and many other families here at parkside garden apartments, wake up to fraatic footsteps, and quickly see the reason why. 3822 there was so much smoke, when pou looked thorugh the ppephole, you couldn't see out. it was terribll,
a crimnal record in north carolina...who only came to baltimore this year.janice park fox45 news at 5:30. attorneys want the 15 year old perry hall high shooting suspect tried as an juvenile. juvenile.robert gladdenns attorneys made the requeet today in court.both sides had gathered for a bail review hearing.that hearing was postponed. glaaden's defense needs addiiional time to review some medical records. 13 seconds same super from 5 sot 22:25:35 at that age...you don't throw somebody away at age 15 for a bad act act .gladden remains at the county petention center tonight check out ...the entire interview... with gladden's lawyers... on fox baltimore dot com.click on "raw news." students at morgan state university are athering tonight - after yesterday's shooting on campus. campus. myranda stephens is streaming live in northeast baltimore with more on their call for peace. 33 3 a... maryland is... in... custody today.. / hanks... to... facebook..../ police... say... 29-year-old... dylan.. naeckee... was captured... clicked... "like"... on... a... virginia
baltimore.../.it... happened... on... north... treeper... ear... madison street... around 3 ... this morning...//.one... man... was shot... in the face,.../ the... other grazed... by a were... taken to a hospital,.../ at this hour. . ... - police... are... busy... with several shootings... in... he past... 24 hours... following... a... violent holiday weekend... in ballimore..../since... friday... 13... people ...have been shot... / 5... fatally.... in... seperate incidents... city--wide . rack... criminal activity... in... your neighborhood ...with 'spotcrime.'...// get... e-mail... alerts... when crime happens..../ at... fox baltimore dot com.../ click on... spotcrime... in the hot topics section. ////////////////wipe vo/////////////////// family and friends will gather mother shot down at a labor day house party. police say aaos was shot while she was standing in the front yard.. it hhppened at about 2 o'clock sunday morning at a house on the alameda at richnor avenuu.. poliie don't believe she was the target. witness
from horus practice.... is shot dead near his northeast baltimore home.police call it a tragedy that occurred in a city this don't usually happen.like happen.it was aroond 10:30 last night when doctor peter marvit was approached. neighbors hearid as many as four shots fired.marrit had beee shot in the chest just feet from his car.today, there was a heavy police presence along chesterfield avenue.one resident wants tooknow where that police prescence was last night. 2:14:52 they always show up when it's too late and it's sad because you pay you taxes. you do things and you expect to live your life... the american dream :01 :01that neighbor says he moved from his previous home because of gangs.he moved to this area expecting something etter. anne... arundel county police... need your help.../ identifying... aa.. suspicious man... near... an... elementary school. school.surveillance cameras... caught... these photos... of him... outside... "seven oaks"... elemennary ...in odenton. .../ police... were called ...there... shortll before 6 pm... thursday.../
're calling a new conference tomorrow to discuss the incident. live in east baltimore, keith daniels, fox 45 news at 5-30. 3 two people gunned down in northeast baltimore and no arrests have been made. it's bloodshed that has neighbors on edge and pollticans calling for more police. police. here's the scene of the latest killing. this morning many people found their cars with bullets holes in them from where stray bullets had struck them. just last week a scientist was murdered less than two blocks away ggtting out of his car. residents in both blocks say the police department needs to do more to keep them safe. 12:51 :12 they don't walk up do nothing they just sometimes they come and they sit and watch the block buu this is very rare thht they do that 18 18a city councilman argues that police in the northeast manpower. ee specially - violence breaks out in towson... as the tigers celebrate homecoming weekend. six people were arrested near campus and one man was shot... and police say it's not students who are to blame. blame.saturday night, after the homecoming game... fraternity me
Excerpts 0 to 11 of about 12 results.
Terms of Use (10 Mar 2001) | http://archive.org/details/tv?time=201209&q=baltimore&fq=topic:%22orioles%22&fq=program:%22FOX+45+News+at+530%22 | <urn:uuid:2a737f83-8049-4f61-8b62-5bd11bc5219c> | en | 0.952358 | 0.093267 |
x Today
x southern california
Today 3
Set Clip Length:
, and we got access to the fbi agent who was assigned to lorna oswald. we know everything he did from the time he met marina in russia until the time he pulled the trigger. this is all new information. i think people will be stunned when they read it. it snaps your head back. >> you don't get into some of the conspiracy theories. is that because you don't think they are true and don't think evidence supports them or that's a whole other book and you weren't trying to write the book? >> the evidence supports themselves, savannah. my books are fact-based. we don't go off into that could have, might have happened. everything you read happened, and we got it from the fbi reports. we got it from people who were on the scene. no secondary stuff. oh, i saw that guy over there. none of that. and we tell the reader, when we don't know something, because there's one thing, this shadowy guy was around oswald who should not have been, i can't nail that down, but i tell the reader that. there's no doubt that oswald did kill ken >> i as you mentioned, you don't shy away from the fact that president
Excerpts 0 to 2 of about 3 results.
(Some duplicates have been removed)
Terms of Use (10 Mar 2001) | http://archive.org/details/tv?time=20120926-20121004&q=fbi&fq=program:%22Today%22&fq=topic:%22southern+california%22 | <urn:uuid:5b4a05b7-5f0f-4c3a-8749-a8b24646175e> | en | 0.984627 | 0.289386 |
x joe kernen
English 16
Set Clip Length:
the changes could mean. >>> welcome back. take a look at the u.s. equity futures. dow and s&p coming off their worst week since july 4th. you can see they are indicated higher, but maybe not the bounce you might have expected. the dow up 23. >> squawk sports new, texans beating the bears 13-6. foster finished with 102 yards rush and touchdown catch and texans intercepted cutler twice before knocking him out with a concussion. >> no comment about the jets? >> they lost. >> andrew, here's the deal. >> did you see rex ryan -- >> the giants won the super bowl last year. a lot of people have told him he's fat and he should shut up. he's not fat anymore. she just shut up. but sanchez, you brush up against him and the ball goes flying out. >> they've been going back and forth. >> when the giants are the defending the super bowl champions and they got their butts kicked by the bengals and the other game unbelievable is johnny football. texas a and m and alabama, that was unbelievable. alabama number one. texas a and m just joined the sec. and this guy johnny football, you just can't believe the
. u.s. equity futures should be interesting to look at temperature basically on hold. not sure what to do after yesterday. we'll talk more about the economy in a minute with david rosenburg. it was pretty clear yesterday that depending on how you wanted to spin it, could you say how do you do for another four years. i don't remember any euro news in the last six months no matter how bad it was, we didn't get it free handle. so there's more to it than just europe. >> it was the fiscal cliff, but also the financials got hit so hard. if it had been romney, the cliff would be less of a deal because they would stepped all of them. so now we know and we lettered it first hand yesterday. boehner said we're open to tax increase, but part of a bigger plan that involves spending cuts. dove did a bungee -- >> worst thing i ever did. >> but it goes down and then right back up. >> the worst part is you feel like you're connected on something, but don't. it's a free fall until the very he said and then he start to feel like i'm connected to something and it throws being back into the air. >> my q
at the ex-have a dax, up 5%. ftse up nearly 4% in the last week on top of pretty good gains for the u.s. markets as you know between 3% and 4%, as well. so no surprise perhaps today that we're a little bit weaker on the back of those gains. 8:2 just about decliners outpacing advancers. this is how it translates. ftse 100 down half a percent. xetra dax up a quarter. ibex down about half of 1%. a number of things going on in politics as ever. we had regional elections in spain. yields you can see slightly higher, but still well below 6%. now, these regional elections fairly important because we know catalonia has been pushing on on independence. now, it looks less likely we'll get that referendum, but not because people in catalonia are any less eager on a separatist movement. just that they didn't vote for the main guy who is proposing it. they voted for competitor party which is makes it slightly harder in the short term for them possibly to get a referendum going. so eases the pressure in the short term but means there is still a longer term problem there. catalonia is one of those reg
cuts that threaten to send the u.s. almost off a fiscal cliff. a sum met set for friday. i like the "new york times." democrats like a romney idea. >> did you see paul ryan's comment? >> no. but i got my button back on because i'm -- i'm going to tell that you rise above is kind of like a rorschach thing. because for me, rise above means democrats rising above the obsession with rates and realizing broadening the bates is better -- >> it means coming together. >> that is a way of coming together. you're raising revenue. your only way is if the republicans say yes -- >> no, that is not true. my way is anyway you come up with an agreement is a great way. you're only looking from one side of the aisle. >> but they'll never agree to raising rates about sfw. >> i will give you that it is a error sha rorschach test, but i want you to actually cut some things and i want you to deal with expenditures. >> you have the same house that said no to 39.6 on the high he said. but a way of raising revenue will spur growth -- they're coming around to the correct version right here. >> what about
. it is all about the u.s. this week. the tone for the most part has been negative this morning as you can judge from the red behind me. yes the uk pmi data came in weak, points to the country potentially in contraction territory despite the better gdp figures. some concern about greece. investors seem to be standing on the sidelines until a lot of these issues are resolved or at least there's more clarity. this follows reports over the weekend that some of the ways in which spanish banks borrow at cheap rates may not have been legal. the ecb says it's exploring the issue. one of the companies weighing on the foot city, hsbc which has said it is provisioning $1.5 billion against the laundering charges. group profit slightly disappointed investors. shares down 1.4% as a result the there. but that's really it in terms of the major corporate news. ubs going through a bit of a shake up. the bond wall expresses more of the mood we're seeing on the eve of the u.s. elections here. it's a rotation out of the periphery into the core. the gilts are benefiting. spain, italy seeing yields a little hig
forces claiming to have targeted 100 gaza sites. the u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton is on her way to the middle east for talks with officials in a bid to try to end the deadly crisis. we've been watching oil prices, as well. and after sharp gains yesterday, you can see oil prices pulling back about 27 cents, still just about $89 for wti crude. we will have a live report from our nbc colleagues on the ground in the middle east coming up in the next half hour. >>> let's talk about some of the main market events of the morning. actually today fed chairman ben bernanke's speech at the economics sclub of new york is coming up at 12:15 eastern time. traders will be listening no any comments on the central bank's operation twist program and discussions about changing how the fed communicates about interest rates. operation twist expires next month. and there is some speculation the fed will continue making asset purchases by expanding the size of its $40 billion a month quantitate of it easing program. also on the economic agenda today, october housing starts released at 8:30 a.m. an
and save the u.s. economy from going down a dangerous road. it is wednesday, november 7th, the day after and a special early presentation of "squawk box" follows the late presentation that we had yesterday. but it starts right now. >>> good morning, everyone. welcome to "squawk box" here on cnbc. and yes, we know it's only 5:00 a.m. on the east coast, but you don't have to double check your clocks. on the morning after election day, we couldn't wait until 6:00 a.m. to get back on the air. the american public handing president obama four more years in the white house. meantime, the balance of power stays the same in the senate. this morning, we have two main items on the squawk agenda. after months of handicapping the race, we'll find out how the global markets react to the decision and ask how you need to position your portfolio. we have a number of people on hand to help us with that task, including mike santoli. he is our guest the next hour. chuck gabriel, his job is to try to connect the dots between washington and investors. we have jeremy seigel. also, vincent rinehart. we'll be jo
. #. >>> if we go over the fiscal cliff, global business travel association estimates that u.s. biz travel spending will take a $20 billion hit in the short term. but how about the long term outlook? find out next. [ male announcer ] you are a business pro. governor of getting it done. you know how to dance... with a deadline. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle... and go. you can even take a full-size or above, and still pay the mid-size price. this is awesome. [ male announcer ] yes, it is, business pro. yes, it is. go national. go like a pro. >>> what are the long term effects for business travel if the economy falls off the fiscal cliff? the gbta predicts the reduced deficits and lower interest rates will lead to growth in the economy and an increase in business travel spending. >>> welcome back. now to the weather channel. reynolds wolf is standing by. what is happening around the country today? >> the story is all west. everything is taking place out west. rain, some strong winds, even some snow. some places snow getting up to arou
thanksgiving week, aside from the one disturbance in the central u.s. and the one other area off the carolinas, fairly quiet with the exception of the northwest coastline. that's where we're dealing with a lot of snow and a lot of rain. much of the snow over 7,000 feet. rain especially coastal oregon in some areas 7, 8 inches over the next few days. tuesday, still fairly quiet travel wise. wednesday, that persists in the northwest still remaining one of the trouble spots. thanksgiving, looking pretty good across a good stretch of the country. just a few showers up towards seattle. and as far as the numbers for friday are concerned, looking good there, as well. that may help some of the consumer numbers on black friday. >> why do you have a cool there for thanksgiving? i thought it would be fairly mild here on thursday. i heard low 50s. >> here we are in november, though. so cool, 50s. it's close to the averages. >> all right. just wanted to make sure. i was paying attention. supposed to be sunny and 50s. >> are you going to the parade? >> i'm going to try to go to the parade. we try to go ever
died in the u.s. as a result of sandy. most of them from new york and new jersey. still 5.6 million customers in the dark. and it may be ten days before the hardest hit areas sea power restored. more than 19,000 flights were canceled because of sandy, but stranded passengers have something to be thankful for. newark and jfk airports were back in business yesterday and delta and american airlines are scheduled to resume a limited number of flights out of laguardia in about 30 minutes. the mta is also getting back to business with new york city subways offering limited service starting today. the m tcta is waiving all fees until tomorrow. so good news there. >> we're looking for any good news so thank you. the eye of hurricane sandy has hit the jersey shore hard. it wiped away entire economies. president obama surveyed the damage with chris christie yesterday. this morning kayla tausche is in toms river, seaside heights. what's it look like there? >> reporter: it's very dark here. we're at the mouth of the bridge which leads over to sea sooid heights, a road only accessible by emergen
. that was in the u.s. as of 8:00 p.m. on on monday october the 29th. we originally saw previous landfall. as we progress into the northeast for today, light snowfall and rain for today. but the bigger concern is what's happening with the system that will be diving across the country. it's going to take a nose dive south of the system that's actually produce rain and snow across the dakotas. it will eventually take a nose dive south. and what that will do, there we go, here's a look at some of our spotty showers as well as our snowfall. again, a little bit of being a tip weather still knocking on the door of the northwest. here's a look at that system that i was telling you about. again, that will produce 1 to 4 inches of snow into portions of the dakotas as well as knocking on the door of northwestern minnesota. our storm system once it does track a little further east on sunday, things getting a difference from southeastern texas all the way up in to north carolina. now, as for those of you who are keeping tabs again on the weather across the middle east, the bitterly cold temperatures as we g
of the u.s. economy. it's tuesday, november 6th, election day, 2012. "squawk box" begins right now. >>> good morning. welcome to "squawk box." i'm becky quick along with joe kernen and andrew ross sorkin and the polls are opening in various parts of the east coast as we speak. some 30 million americans have already voted, including the folks in the tiny village of dixville notch. this follows tradition, they voted just after midnight and with the lowest turnout in almost 50 years, this time around it was a tie. five votes for president obama, five for governor romney. back in 2008, president obama defeated john mccain 16-5. let's take a look at the map. 270 electoral votes are needed to win. nbc news now shows president obama with 237 likely. romney 206. and 95 in the toss-up column, so it is going to be a very long evening, andrew. >> i think we'll be staying up pretty late and then we'll be back at it tomorrow morning. but cnbc's team of reporters has the country covered this morning. stationed in battleground states, campaign headquarters and here at election central. among our
that hasn't happened since october 2011. u.s. equity futures at this hour actually higher. up by about 65 for the dow, s&p more than 7, and as joe mentioned, the fiscal cliff is still the focus. today treasury secretary tim geithner will be meeting with congressional leaders. first harry reid at about 10:00 and then followed by a session with john boehner, eric cantor, paul ryan and chairman of the house's tax writing ways and means committee dave camp. also lunch with republican senate minority leader mitch mcconnell and nancy pelosi. yesterday a number of high profile corporate leaders met with president obama at the white house, including lloyd blankfein. >> both sides have acknowledge there had is revenue concessions and entitlement concessions. in fact if you listen to it, again, i'm not a master of the political art here, but i would say if you have these point of views in a business context, i would say a deal would be in reach. >> among our guests this morning, we have ron johnson. at the white house today, president obama will host mitt romney for a private lunch. it's their firs
Excerpts 0 to 15 of about 16 results.
Terms of Use (10 Mar 2001) | http://archive.org/details/tv?time=201211&q=u.s.&fq=channel:%22CNBC%22&fq=topic:%22joe+kernen%22 | <urn:uuid:177744e7-d261-43b3-92b6-86aa5cf53aa8> | en | 0.9729 | 0.021167 |
x iraq
x iowa
Set Clip Length:
, the northwest corridor for us is linking between some pretty rural areas, but between seattle, vancouver, seattle and portland, oregon, and cha-ching oregon, we have some major business markets and the opportunity for travelers who are tourists to enjoy our rail. for us, it wasn't going to work to start from scratch. immediately institute a high speed rail line. we have too many communities linking to that west coast corridor that wanted to enjoy the benefits of rail, and wanted us as a state to his country being and putting our own state dollars into it, they wanted to see the benefits in that incremental fashion. so for us i think washington state will always be a higher speed or at least in the next 20 to 30 years, higher speed passenger rail program, but it works for us and it works for our businesses and our major communities that it links. also i'd like to say that as we work closely with burlington northern santa fe on this notion of sharing the corridor, it's a decision that we made, burlington northern santa fe has bought into it, and the notion for us in the amount of increment
Excerpts 0 to 3 of about 4 results.
Terms of Use (10 Mar 2001) | http://archive.org/details/tv?time=201212&q=seattle&fq=topic:%22iraq%22&fq=topic:%22iowa%22 | <urn:uuid:7ba4d81c-1e99-45c0-9873-43cd87dc6573> | en | 0.987283 | 0.04762 |
x tom
Set Clip Length:
doesn't. to the number 1 club in the world. the potential of manchester united unlocked. nyse euronext. unlocking the world's potential. >>> our second story "outfront" a possible tipping point in syria with war or something a lot like it in the balance. cnn has learned that the u.s. military is updating its options daily for a potential strike against syria. this in response to intelligence that shows the assad regime has filled bombs with deadly chemical weapons. syria has one of the most sophisticated stockpiles of chemical weapons in the region, including mustard gas, sarin and intelligence agents think vx nerve agent. president obama has said the movement or use of chemical weapons by syria could lead to u.s. intervention. "outfront" tonight, national security contributor fran townsend who is on the cia and homeland security external advisory board and noah shachtman. noah, what do we think is going on right now? at what point are they in this process? >> so the assad regime has hundreds of metric tons of the building blocks of sarin. basically two big building blocks. there's iso
club in the world. the potential of manchester united unlocked. nyse euronext. unlocking the world's potential. >>> we all know the topic of race in america can be a thorny issue but it's one soledad o'brien continues to explore. her new documentary is called "who is black in america" and takes a provocative look at the issue of color. soledad talks to 17-year-old nya jones, raised by a white father and teased about her light skin color by her black classmates. >> they always called me white girl. i was never ashamed of myself until they taught me to be ashamed. >> soledad o'brien is "outfront" tonight with more on her documentary which airs here on cnn this sunday at 8:00 p.m. eastern. you don't want to miss it. soledad, this is something i've been aware of for a long time. people in the black community told me for many, many years that within the community, there's a struggle over who's black, who's too black, who is not black enough. how does a child like nya deal with this? >> it happens outside the community as well. many people outside the community like to weigh in and say y
Excerpts 0 to 3 of about 4 results.
Terms of Use (10 Mar 2001) | http://archive.org/details/tv?time=20121202-20121210&q=nyse+euronext&fq=topic:%22tom%22 | <urn:uuid:7e039e7e-142b-403b-b4e7-36782e88248e> | en | 0.962065 | 0.174253 |
x los angeles
x richard wolffe
Set Clip Length:
minority leader mcconnell, speaker boehner, and leader pelosi at the white house. senate majority leader harry reid took to the senate floor this morning to, shall we say, let boehner have it. >> if we go over the cliff, and it looks like that's where we're headed, mr. president, the house of representatives as we speak, with four days left after today before the first of the year aren't here with the speaker having told them they'll have -- they'll give them 48 hours' notice. the american people i don't think understand the house of representatives is operating without the house of representatives. it's being operated with a dictatorship of the speaker, not allowing the vast majority of the house of representatives to get what they want. >> lo and behold, the markets started to tank, in part on fears of reid's warning that it looked like we were going over the cliff. within an hour word came that the house would return to washington and be in session on sunday at 6:30 p.m. boehner repeated his assertion that the senate would pass the two bills that the house has already acted on and inc
Excerpts 0 to 2 of about 3 results.
(Some duplicates have been removed)
Terms of Use (10 Mar 2001) | http://archive.org/details/tv?time=20121222-20121230&q=pelosi&fq=topic:%22los+angeles%22&fq=topic:%22richard+wolffe%22 | <urn:uuid:2e9f452a-f875-466d-b930-7b4ab2214728> | en | 0.97284 | 0.01903 |
x Happening Now
x jennifer griffin
Set Clip Length:
of the congress has never even debated immigration reform. let's talk with the angela mcglowan, fox news political analyst. it is kind of interesting, both the president and the congress seem to be interested in getting immigration reform done. >> yes. jon: the question is, what are they going to do with it and there are not a lot of experienced hands on the topic. >> instead of talking about experienced hands, being a former lobbyist they have staffers that are have specialty on immigration law. they can counsel members of the congress and leaders in the party can educate the members the. the challenge the president wants to push it through quickly for political gain. you have members of congress who want to push it through slowly to educate these members on what needs to be done. jon: for instance, marco rubio, the republican senator from florida who has been a leading voice on it from the republican side he has said what the president has put forward is dead on arrival as far as he's concerned when it comes to the senate. >> just like in 2007 when you have the mccain-kennedy bill and then you h
Excerpts 0 to 1 of about 2 results.
(Some duplicates have been removed)
Terms of Use (10 Mar 2001) | http://archive.org/details/tv?time=201302&q=angela&fq=program:%22Happening+Now%22&fq=topic:%22jennifer+griffin%22 | <urn:uuid:1aedda50-1176-4ea2-84e5-85e73509f4e9> | en | 0.975983 | 0.035744 |
You are here: Home>Collections
We’re 14 yrs late in developing cryogenic tech, says former ISRO head Narayan
S Sanandakumar, ET Bureau Jan 8, 2014, 05.00AM IST
(Father of Indian cryogenic…)
KOCHI: Nambi Narayanan, former head of Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) cryogenic division, is now focused more on his pursuit of justice than rocket propulsion even as the indigenous engine he started developing more than two decades ago finally lifted GSLV D5 from Sriharikota on Sunday.
Narayanan was framed in an infamous spy scandal in 1994, which turned out to be a fabricated case. He was kept in police custody for two months, tortured and his brilliant scientific career was destroyed.
Four years later, Supreme Court dismissed the case against him. The spy scandal afflicted the ISRO Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle project, too. Narayanan, who retired as director for advanced technologies and planning at ISRO, had set for himself a target to develop the cryogenic technology by 2000.
"We are late by 14 years," he says, adding that the indigenously built cryogenic engine could have become a reality years ago if only the country had not allowed "outside forces" to derail one of its strategic technology initiatives. Narayanan was in charge of the project to develop cryogenic engine.
The team had zeroed in on Russia for technology and the transfer of cryogenic technology was to be completed by 1997. Everything was going on smoothly when he was arrested in connection with the ISRO spy scandal that broke out in Kerala in 1994. He was accused of leaking vital information about the project to two Maldivian women. CBI later found that the case was fabricated and had also sought action against some police officers of Kerala, including the now-retired IPS officer Siby Mathews, for falsely implicating him in the case. Compensation and action against police officers are causes that Narayanan still pursues steadfastly, without much luck yet.
Narayanan, who developed liquidfuel rocket technology in the country, said the US was against the transfer of cryogenic technology to India and there was apprehension that it would interfere in the matter.
"The US raised objection to the transfer of cryogenic technology to India. We knew that the intervention by US could end the collaboration abruptly. So the entire programme wad speeded up," he said.
According to Narayanan, there was a general apprehension about the retaliatory measures by the US against those who collaborated with the project. "Our own national carrier was reluctant to carry the hardware.
The company was worried about the US sanctions," he said. It is for this reason that he believes that the spy scandal was the result of intervention by "outside forces", which could be other countries or agencies. An open letter in support of Nambi Narayanan written by Dr Satish Dhawan, Dr U R Rao, T N Sheshan, R Narasimha, S Chandrashekhar and Yashpal, too, had talked about the risk of "outside interferences" in the strategic initiatives of the country. The scandal demoralised ISRO scientists and delayed the project to a great extent.
Initially the USSR had decided to supply only three engines and their related hardware. "Later it was finalised that seven engines without related hardware were to be supplied," Narayanan said. | http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-01-08/news/45991502_1_nambi-narayanan-spy-scandal-liquidfuel-rocket-technology | <urn:uuid:5c745c4c-4cd7-40a6-b5f8-c18aad3e3161> | en | 0.982544 | 0.040381 |
HOWTO: Living in New Zealand (or Other Suitable Locale) for a Month!
August 27, 2013 2:27 AM Subscribe
I've been traveling in South America and India for about five months now at a fairly frenetic pace, and am looking for a change. I've decided I want to settle down in one city from around September 15-October 15, and I'm thinking New Zealand is the place I want to do it (but I am open to other cities in other countries that meet my criteria, so feel free to throw them out!). I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts you have on the best city, the best way to find lodging, transport, etc. - details on what I'm looking for below!
I'm looking for a place that meets the following criteria:
(i) ready access to the outdoors. I love to hike, and I want to spend a good amount of time exercising, so I'd like to be in a place where I can hike on an almost daily basis, weather permitting, and have some variety in trails - though I'm happy to hike the same route repeatedly too. I am happy to rent a car, take cabs, public transit, etc. (subject to budget), to get to trails, though if everything is close enough that I could walk, that would be great too.
(ii) ready access to a decent supermarket. I'd like to cook for myself a decent amount of the time.
(iii) good internet access. I still do some work while travelling, and need a strong internet connection to connect to my work's network.
(iv) access to a gym. Exercise will be a major priority during this month, and I'd like access to a gym with weights. Nothing fancy needed.
(v) rent studio/small apt or hotel room for around $1000 USD for the month. My budget for the month is around $3000-$4000, so I could probably go over $1000 a bit, but would prefer to keep it to $1000 or less.
Everything else is less important to me - a fun bar/restaurant scene, possibility to meet people, etc., would be great too, but are not absolutely necessary.
I'd love any thoughts people have as to where in New Zealand I should set up, how to go about getting a short term rental from overseas, how to handle transportation (longterm car rental?), and so on. From talking to people I know, I feel like Queenstown and Wanaka could fit my needs, but my limited work trying to find apartments so far have not resulted in fantastic success. Thanks in advance!
posted by traveltheworld to Travel & Transportation around New Zealand (5 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
Costa Rica?
posted by empath at 4:19 AM on August 27, 2013
Trademe.co.nz is a good place to find rentals and flatmates. You might find short term rentals geared towards international students.
You could also have a look at holidayhouses.co.nz although they will be geared towards short term stays.
posted by poxandplague at 4:34 AM on August 27, 2013
Benchmarking for rental prices in New Zealand. $1NZ = $.78US.
A month is going to be tricky though in terms of arranging something set up with the utilities you need at the price you want for a place of your own. For example, when I wanted a three month short term rental a few years back in Oz the landlord wanted a hefty deposit and they considered three months very short. I also paid a short term rental premium - this was not a managed accommodation place either, which will be more expensive - bills came in our name.
I'd suggest looking into a long term rental at a cabin in a holiday park and negotiating on price as a long term rental. As an example, the one in Dunedin is NZ$60 a night for a seven night stay, so US$1,400 for the month. It won't be glamorous but may be adequate. The park (although perhaps not the cabin) has wifi and a pool but no gym. It has communal bathroom and kitchen facilities. It is on the bus network. There is a supermarket down the road. Dunedin is a university town with attractive scenery and coastline nearby. I've never been to this specific campground so it could be good or bad, but Top 10 is a decent organisation and if you go down that route you can look for other camp grounds with cabins that fit your needs and budget. I doubt in any of them the wifi will be that great though.
Another route is youth hostels, but you have to pick your spot. My general rule is that if they have a bar, avoid like the plague and you can guarantee that everyone will be using the wifi heavily at peak time. Even then, a single room comes out at NZ$60 a night somewhere like my Dunedin example.
Finally - I'd look at house sitting. It's more of a long shot, but given what you want - space to work, cheap, privacy, utilities set up, it might be a good option to try for before you have to pay.
posted by MuffinMan at 4:43 AM on August 27, 2013
You could also try AirBnB, but I've had a quick look there and I'm not finding many good options for that period. If you were open to sharing, then you'd probably find something in your price range. (Bear in mind, property prices in NZ are high, and with the low US dollar costs are going to seem higher than you're used to).
Queenstown and Wanaka, being major tourist areas, are also very expensive. Also, September isn't really the best time to visit NZ as it will still be reasonably cold. Maybe somewhere in the north of the country would be better, but I'm not sure where exactly to suggest. Maybe the Lake Taupo area? This place could be an option...
posted by Infinite Jest at 12:40 PM on August 27, 2013
I'm an American who recently lived in New Zealand for 4 years.
What kind of weather do you want to experience? There's a pretty wide variety across the country, and if you're looking for the best access to mountains and trails, keep in mind that your timeframe puts you in the trailing end of winter there. There are few places in the country that aren't a couple hours' drive from several hiking trails. But if you want ready access to the outdoors and varied hiking terrain as your top priority (so long as the other criteria are met), I'd recommend ordering your search this way.
Caveat: I know little about the country north of Auckland, save that there's lots of Maori (many of whom are poor). Someone else may be able to point you to an area up there worth investigating.
Queenstown, Wanaka, to a lesser extent Ohakune and Christchurch will all be wintery, as in snow and cold. You'll encounter wind and rain in Wellington, and some rain and snow (it's a toss-up) in Ohakune. Nelson will likely be sunny and less cold, and Taupo should be sunny and even warmer. Coromandel will be the warmest.
Queenstown, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch will all have lots of options in terms of supermarkets, gyms, and internet access. Wanaka and Taupo will have options as well, just not as many as the others. Ohakune is the most small-town on this list, but you wouldn't have to look too hard to fit these criteria there. It would be difficult to find a place in Coromandel that will satisfy your criteria, but it's worth a look, especially if you're wanting a warmer location. Surrounding areas in the mountains/hills, like Arrowtown (about 30 minutes outside of Queenstown) or Blenheim, will have plenty of terrain but you'll have very few options to meet these criteria.
You'll have to spend a fair amount of time searching for a place in Queenstown that will meet your price point and still have the other criteria in place. Same but to a lesser extent for Wanaka. Keep in mind that you're dealing with winter ski season in the mountains. Wellington and Christchurch will have a lot of options to look through.
It seems like you're looking for a place by yourself. You'll have much better luck sticking to your budget if you're open to having a room in a flat with other people - this is very common practice in NZ even for adult professionals. In addition, you won't need to get things like kitchenware that a potential flatmate(s) would already have. As far as how to search: my first option would be trademe, then gumtree, flatfinder and the like. If you're having trouble finding listings for a single or studio that would meet your criteria, then I'd reconsider the flatmate option. Fair warning, you might get a bit frustrated in your search online - NZ is a small country that's very community-driven, and a lot of this kind of thing is done word-of-mouth. Another option would be staying in a backpackers or hostels, though this will come with its own headaches like a bunch of loud/unruly 18-year olds partying on holiday, spotty internet access and the like. You might find something that meets your criteria on bookabach or other holiday rental listings, though these are generally pretty pricey.
I think you picked well - New Zealand is an amazing country, and the people are some of the most genuinely kind and hospitable folks I've ever encountered. Good luck!
posted by hootenatty at 4:10 PM on August 27, 2013
« Older I'd like a PC emulator for the... | I like music videos that featu... Newer »
| http://ask.metafilter.com/247399/HOWTO-Living-in-New-Zealand-or-Other-Suitable-Locale-for-a-Month | <urn:uuid:50c4ab12-64d4-4d25-b010-72f1409a7dbd> | en | 0.967613 | 0.018692 |
Take the 2-minute tour ×
I know this is none of my business, still, since Microsoft always tries to bump its competitors, i was wondering what current legal issues are going on between Ubuntu and Microsoft Corp., and is there anyway common ubuzens like me can help in those matters?
share|improve this question
Related: askubuntu.com/questions/88366/… – Rinzwind Jan 26 '12 at 10:02
add comment
closed as not a real question by Bruno Pereira, Uri Herrera, fossfreedom, Rinzwind, bodhi.zazen Jan 26 '12 at 18:28
1 Answer
up vote 4 down vote accepted
I don't know of any legal issues between Ubuntu and Microsoft. Indeed, Microsoft is contributing to the development of several key technologies we use in Ubuntu -- most notably Linux and Samba4. They're not the same bad guy they used to be. There are other companies I would be more afraid of, with Apple being the primary bully.
share|improve this answer
If we're in the subject... does buying some stuff from Ubuntu Shop helps its development, or these items are just a cool stuff? – Misery Jan 26 '12 at 12:18
add comment
| http://askubuntu.com/questions/98667/what-are-the-current-legal-issues-going-on-between-ubuntu-and-microsoft | <urn:uuid:53049cf6-67c0-414d-99a9-51ecf433d241> | en | 0.941155 | 0.866718 |
Decades ago I'd moonlight as repetiteur for a remarkable choir - the Eoan Group.
The Voice of the Nation Ensemble. Picture: Jessica Wylde Photography
Voice of the Nation Ensemble/ WA Jazz Orchestra
3.5 stars
Perth Concert Hall
Decades ago, several nights a week, in a bleak warehouse in Cape Town, I'd moonlight as repetiteur for a remarkable choir - the Eoan Group. Because of apartheid, the so-called coloured people were barred from the city's magnificently appointed, whites-only, opera house. They could neither attend performances nor take part in them.
Joseph Manca, a visionary choral trainer, would preside over innumerable rehearsals of the Eoan Group's choir - and the end result, more often than not, was hackle-raisingly fine.
So I listened with especial care to Cape Town's rainbow choral group, Voice of the Nation Ensemble. How had this multiracial ensemble fared, I wondered, under South Africa's now-democratic dispensation? Would it have the same thrilling intensity and precision of the Eoan choir during those apartheid years?
In a generous program, the peak of the evening lay securely in the keeping of Duke Ellington. In extracts from his too-rarely-heard Sacred Concerts, the choir, in ensemble with the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra, was at its most disciplined.
Here, choral subtlety and quietness were as meaningful as more robust utterances. Freedom, in particular, was profoundly moving, especially in hushed moments. Conductor Mace Francis presided over an in-form WAYJO with Gabriel Fatin, in particular, doing wonders at the piano in stylistic terms. The trumpeters were beyond reproach, too, as were vocal soloists Aaron Malone and Bronwynn Sprogowski.
For Ellington's work, the women choristers wore grey satin gowns with beige trim but in the first half appeared in blue or mauve tops with colourful floral skirts. In a selection of spirituals and African hymns, the choristers not only sang with an often moving expressiveness but, particularly in more robust numbers, entered physically into the spirit of the music by dancing on the spot.
Swaying, bobbing, weaving and handclapping with a compelling intensity, the choristers did themselves proud. This was powerful stuff to which the audience responded with gales of applause.
Hallelujah Medley, drawing inspiration from Handel's Messiah, brought the house down, as did Verdi's Va Pensiero. In this essay on displacement and disempowerment, the choir unerringly took up an interpretative position at the emotional epicentre of the piece. The other opera choruses, while never less than satisfactory, were not as persuasive as one might have hoped. And there was some hardness of tone in the piano accompaniments in the first half, as well as some tonal distortion when male voices were at their loudest. | http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/21417930/compelling-intensity/ | <urn:uuid:60868d7c-5145-4839-bf77-0849e6e15ebd> | en | 0.962052 | 0.026225 |
Tag Archives: facebook
The social network, or Wall Street 2
Wall Street 2. What did it tell us about our the spirit of the time we live in, the way the original did about the yuppie culture and 1980′s optimism? I haven’t seen it so I can’t tell you for certain, but from what I’ve read the answer to that question should be ‘nothing’.
Last night I saw the social network. A new movie about the beginning of Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerburg, by Aaron Sorkin, most famous for creating West Wing. I realized that this is the film that will be seen as the to capture the essence of the business environment going into the 2010s (unfortunately the essence seems to involve 0 smart women, but that is the subject for another blog post). In many ways, Sorkin has created a Wall Street for our times.
Most obvious, both Wall Street and the social network are treating the most hyped industries of their respective times. The 80s was a time defined by the artificial engine of the financial sector. There was a lot of ingenuity and if you were smart and ambitious, it was clear that you were supposed to work on Wall Street. While there are many things that define the first decade of the 21st century, the internet start-ups had a significant impact on the way business is being done now and completely changed the way people communicate with eachother. The most coveted job by college students, even business majors, is one at Google.
Gordon Gekko, the idolized antagonist of Wall Street, and Sean Parker, the founder of Napster who in the social network is portrayed as a socially savvy but slightly paranoid entrepreneur, share their dislike for the old way of doing business. Gekko stands up at a shareholders’ meeting and calls for a new era of business. One where greed is the guiding principle and there is no place for inefficient companies. Sean Parker, similarly, points an actual fuck you to the venture capitalists that cheated him, representing the entrepreneur as the clarifying hero of our time.
Most importantly, I think this movie will inspire a lot of people in the same way Wall Street did back in the 80s. Even if the financial sector of today was possibly deterred by the way Wall Street ended, many of those who came to work for the banks, hedge funds and investment companies were inspired by the terrific devotion and intelligence of Gordon Gekko. He was a maverick who did something new and nothing was to stand between him and his idea. The nerds and entrepreneurs who look up to Zuckerberg will mainly see his hard work and his strong belief in what he is trying to achieve with Facebook. The intelligent maverick is still the hero, but has changed from disruptive to a constructive force in society.
I was able to see the social network thanks to Netopia, who arranged the preview.
From abundance to meaning in Spotify
Since Spotify Social was launched about a month ago, I have noticed some interesting behaviors among my Facebook friends when it comes to the use of playlists.
A number of my friends use their playlist column just to dump albums that they like. They have a (often) large number of playlists that each just contains one album. I guess this makes sense if you want to stay in the library mentality that iTunes is built on. Considering that Spotify now has a library of its own, with all the music that you have "saved" across all playlists sorted according to artist, title or album, makes this approach pretty much redundant.
Some of them, including me, try to organize playlists according to genre. So I have about 15 playlists each entitled things like Jazz, Reggae & Dub, French, 80s House, and I try to keep them somewhat homogenous, though it's pretty hard after a while and I started to doubt this approach when I almost added a new playlist called Electronic Upbeat Lounge. And you don't need to mention that Jazz should probably be at least five different lists, I know.
But the most interesting way to deal with the playlists is what you could call the "mood approach". Well, mood and/or situational, I guess. These people are making lists with songs that are homogenous, not in the way they sound, but in the mood or occasion they fit. This is not a new concept, people have been making mix tapes since the 80s, but it's quite a different thing when you can do it with this amount of music so easily available and in such a social manner. In fact, the playlists that I have enjoyed subscribing to the most are the ones that are completely mood based. It gives a lot more insight into the person who made them and allows for much more interesting music discovery.
This collection process and use of songs seems very postdigital [swedish link] to me. There seems to be a strong need (or natural tendency) for context when consuming music and Spotify are enabling their users to take heed of this need with their new social features. | http://bergin.se/tag/facebook/ | <urn:uuid:d24e85c2-53a2-4022-871f-abc8979c7d74> | en | 0.979019 | 0.038743 |
Tracking Every Signing
Grading Biggest Deals
Oakland Raiders: 10 Biggest Roster Holes They Can Fill Through the 2012 Draft
Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
The Raiders don't have many draft picks, but that doesn't mean there aren't several holes the Raiders would like to fill through the draft. Reggie McKenzie may try to add more picks via trade and will also look to add players that aren't drafted.
Not all of these holes will be filled with draft picks, but McKenzie would do well to address as many as he can.
1. Inside Linebacker
If the Raiders plan to play more 3-4, they will need to add one or two inside linebackers. Rolando McClain is likely to get one more year to prove he isn't a draft bust, but he will need help inside. Travis Goethel has been given an opportunity to play, but he can't stay healthy.
Aaron Curry may be able to move inside when the Raiders decide to play 3-4, but that leaves a large hole at outside linebacker.
2. Outside Linebacker
Kamerion Wimbley is the only lock to make the roster from last year's group of outside linebackers. Curry will need to restructure his $5.7 cap number to stick and he also may become one of the two inside linebackers in a 3-4.
Factoring in the need for backups, the Raiders could be looking for two or three outside linebackers and at least one through the draft.
3. Nose Tackle
Conversion to the 3-4 is not going to be complete without the big man in the middle. The Raiders need to look for a space-eater in the draft that can anchor a 3-4 for years to come.
The popularity of the 3-4 makes nose tackles hot commodities, but there is occasionally one that slips due to weight and work ethic concerns that can drafted with a lower-round pick.
It would then be up to the Raiders coaching and training staff to groom the young man into a pro.
4. Cornerback
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Stanford Routt was released last week, leaving Chris Johnson, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa as the only cornerbacks on the roster. Johnson also has a large cap number and it is unknown if he has been able to recover mentally from the murder of his sister last season.
Chekwa might find himself moving to safety and that could leave Van Dyke all alone at the position. McKenzie will need to find several cornerbacks and hope the competition elevates the play of a couple of them.
It's a deep cornerback draft and McKenzie has plenty of time to find a good one. Tramon Williams is good cornerback and the Packers didn't even need to use a draft pick to find him. McKenzie will need to work some of that magic.
5. Free Safety
Michael Huff has an $8 million cap number and will either need to restructure or he'll be released next month. Hiram Eugene isn't likely to be fully recovered from his femur injury. Chekwa could move to safety, but who knows if he would be ready to start at the position after one offseason.
That leaves free safety as a position of significant need. McKenzie may find a cornerback in the draft that can convert to free safety or an underappreciated ball hawk late in the draft with good instincts and poor measurables.
If Huff restructures, there is also a decent chance he converts to cornerback, leaving free safety as a need for the Raiders despite his retention.
6. Strong Safety
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Tyvon Branch is likely to be re-signed, but he is an unrestricted free agent. Branch could decide to see what his value is on the open market. If he tests the water, there are plenty of other teams with a need at strong safety that have significantly more money to throw at Branch.
Branch's departure would be painful and open up a spot for the Raiders to find a player via the draft.
7. Left Guard
Stefen Wisniewski should eventually be moved to center and the Raiders don't have a left guard that can execute the zone-blocking system.
McKenzie will be looking for a good pass-blocker that struggled with man blocking in college and is likely to fall in the draft. A mobile and svelte lineman with quick feet will work for the Raiders' purposes.
Even a late-drafted rookie might be able to start between Jared Veldheer and Stefen Wisniewski.
8. Right Tackle
Barnes was never the long-term answer at right tackle and the Raiders need to find someone better. Joseph Barksdale and Bruce Campbell are still relatively unknown commodities and who knows how quickly they will pick up the zone-blocking system.
There is opportunity for McKenzie to find the long-term solution at right tackle in the draft and he should make every effort to fill the hole utilizing one of the Raiders' few draft selections.
9. Running back
Conventional wisdom is not always correct, but says a running back can be found late in the draft. The zone-blocking system has turned many undrafted or late-drafted players into stars, including Arian Foster and Terrell Davis.
Michael Bush is a good running back, but he's likely to cost the Raiders far more than he would be worth on the open market. McKenzie would be wise to let Bush test the waters while still attempting to re-sign him.
If Bush does find a new home, the Raiders will need a suitable backup for Darren McFadden. Taiwan Jones will be in the mix, but he has an injury history of his own. Marcel Reece might be able to fill the void if and when he is re-signed.
10. Quarterback
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
The Raiders will begin the transition to the west coast offense. As long as Carson Palmer is the quarterback, the Raiders will not be able to run the system to its full potential.
There are a number of sleeper quarterbacks in the draft this season that could be perfect and McKenzie should study these men to determine if one could be groomed to replace Palmer is a couple years.
Any drafted quarterback may also become the backup quarterback by default. Kyle Boller isn't likely to be back and Terrelle Pryor is in limbo and could be converted to tight end.
Load More Stories
Follow Oakland Raiders from B/R on Facebook
Oakland Raiders
Subscribe Now
We will never share your email address
Thanks for signing up. | http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1067258-10-biggest-roster-holes-the-oakland-raiders-can-fill-through-the-2012-draft | <urn:uuid:09bd9b95-e5bc-4850-bb7b-6a21d40ec686> | en | 0.96043 | 0.021354 |