Timestamp https://i.imgur.com/eXazSgr.jpeg  
RS60 - 310€ Red WKL, PC Plate, Solder pcb, Biso hard bag  
DCX Dolch - Base Kit - 60€ Unused  
51x Cherry MX Blacks Clear Tops ("New Nixies") - 30€ Broken-in offcenter, 450k actuations per side, 1.8m actuations total  
69x Cherry MX Blacks Hyperglide - 60€ Broken-in offcenter, 800k actuations per side, 3.2m actuations total Lubed with 205g0, 105 on the springs TX 55g S springs, original springs also included White TX Films, Desoldered  
70x JWK Alpacas - 40€ Lubed with 205g0, 105 on the springs TX 60g S springs, original springs also included Deskeys Films, Desoldered  
67x Gateron Milky Top Blacks - 17€ Lubed with 205g0, 105 on the springs TX Films, Desoldered  
60x JWK FFFF Linear Switches- 24€ Lubed with 205g0, 105 on the springs TX 50g S springs, original springs also included Deskeys Films, Desoldered  
EPBT Duo - Base Kit - 50€ Barely used  
23x JWK Alpacas - Stock - 9€  
69x CIY Red Switches - Stock - 9€  
Feel free to DM me for more info Prices do not include shipping

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Conclusion
Planning to explore these off-beaten paths without breaking your bank? Find the cheap hotels Fort Stockton Tx, just a short distance away from these off-the-beaten-paths and enjoy a memorable trip into the heart of Texas with its rich history, numerous sights, outdoor activities, and delectable food. Book your stay at Executive Inn Fort Stockton Tx.

Hi! Does anyone know the policy on sending a private in basic a portable charger? I did already get the green light to send it by a former DS that i know, but was wondering if anything special needs to be done regarding how it is sent? Thanks in advance.
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I'm going to transitioning from the Navy to the Army via an interservice transfer. I have four years, a deployment, and a lot of memories under my belt. I am electing to come back in as an O-1 into the Army as I have no interest in the limited job prospects that an O-3 with no Army experience would bring me, and frankly I don't give a shit -- it's just 4 years. My (fairly promising, at least based on what the Army side said) goal is to eventually be infantry.
Coming in as a new Army officer, what should I expect, both from the position of coming from a different branch and generally as a "new guy" Army officer?
What stuff (most likely) stays the same coming a ship, specifically ship-life? What changes the most?
How best can I take care of my people while still accomplishing the mission? I know this looks very different between branches. It's always a delicate balance.
What does the "daily grind" of a combart arms community look like? What's the "unnecessary BS day-to-day" that you guys get up to? (I can think of plenty of examples in the Navy, but I'm not sure they translate 1:1).
BONUS: What are your best and worst interaction stories with your fresh LTs?
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Im 25 with a bachelors in CyberSecurity, also an Eagle Scout. Have not done much volunteer or team leadership since then. Nor do I have much work experiance.
Am I too uncompetitive for an OCS slot for 17X?
I spoke to a recruiter who mentioned going enlisted at E4 with 17C, then after 1 year of training and 1 of actual work, applying for OCS then.
Is that a realistic scenario or classic recruiter talk getting my hopes up in order to boost elistment numbers?
Prior medical history includes inactive IBS + depression from a couple years back.
Also, what are the timeframes for getting in with both of these options?
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Is it worth getting Emt certified or Paramedic certified before going Army? I got DQ at meps and was told I need to wait a year due to medication I was on last year. I'm trying to find something to fill my time for when I'm able to enlist next year. Is this a good idea or a waste of time?
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I have been recently promoted, and clothing and sales is currently out of stock of my current rank, so I am unable to update my AGSU. We have room and uniform inspections soon, and my first line is attempting to make me wear my AGSU with incorrect rank. I have been looking through AR670-1 as well as AR700-84 trying to see if there is a reg against this, but have been unsuccessful in finding one. If there isn’t, I’ll deal, but I’m not too keen on wearing a previous rank. Any help backed by regs would be appreciated
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I’m going National Guard. I’m still working through the beginning process with my recruiter. Here’s the catch: I wasn’t born in the US. I was born in Kazakhstan.
I was never naturalized because when I was adopted into my family in 2002, the Child Citizenship Act passed in 2000 stating that the amendment is “to provide for the automatic acquisition of U.S. citizenship when certain conditions have been met.” — I have met these conditions and am a legal citizen of 22 years (Section 320 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This amendment states that I also do not need a certificate of citizenship, which I never applied for as I legally do not need one.)
I have a passport, a social security card, a legal photo ID and a birth certificate. I DO HAVE a permanent resident card, but it expired years ago. I was a baby when my parents got it and they never renewed it. However, I am a US Citizen. I’ve lived here my entire life. The problem is, my recruiter insists that I must have that Permanent Resident Card up to date. I would do it in a heartbeat, but it costs $500.
Why is my passport, ID, SS card or birth certificate not enough to prove my citizenship? I’m frustrated and my parents are getting short with me constantly asking about it.
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Kind of a situational question. My wife is scheduled for C Section June 21st and it looks like I may get PCS orders before then. If I do, and the kid comes, what do I do? Soonest my wife’s doc says she can move is 6 weeks postpartum and my wife can’t look after our first kid and newborn while she recovers from surgery. Is there anything I can do to report closer to the end of baby leave? I’m a geobachelor.
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I just have a couple questions about how having a GED will affect my enlistment. I've heard it makes you ineligible for bonuses, but what about contract options? Could I still get an Option 4 contract? Option 19? If not, how many college credits would I need to move into the Tier 1 education category?
also, how do you increase your chances of going to certain schools (Airborne, Air Assault, Ranger, etc) if it's not in your contract? Going in as a 68W (Combat Medic) if that makes a difference
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Is there some regulation against sending a SM on a deployment/rotation when they are very close to ETS? Say 6 months out?
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Im a dumbass and made and said a lot of stupid ass shit that some hater who had it out for me has been basically (not really) 'blackmailing' me with that was on my laptop (private, never uploaded) which he hacked into . It was a bunch of questionable shit I said that basically makes me paranoid reasonably that I could possibly be court martial'd but I was never arrested or anything, and I'm sure the guy would upload it again if I joined the Military just to tarnish my good name. I said all this when I was 18 , but basically this dude came to my house and threatened my family with a knife and I responded, 'not so good' , and as a result, I was basically 5150'd and had lied to the people saying I was suicidal resulting in a medical documentation which has made me fearful of ever going to MEPS. So at the time I was 'isolated' so in attempt to expose the fact that there was a legitimate danger I reasonably tried to court attention on Twitter and basically did and said everything that could ever allow me to hold a security clearance before deleting it.
My perception of the event was that he was threatening my family with a knife, but to the outside world, he simply slashed my families tires. Basically he baited me and fell for it. There was much more to the story but if I could go back in time I probably would not have reacted the way I did but I was 18 and my mind was barely developing.
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I was 5150'd and I was told I could never hold public office and I am barred from the Medical field . This of course was a lie, but it's BASICALLY on my Medical record and it's a huge red flag. So naturally, unable to join the Military, I was unable to complete my mission and of course, was put on medication for some time (7 months) until I can figure out what to do. So I been working warehouse jobs ever since that day . I am 23 years old now, the incident happened when I was 18. I was and still am a cross country runner who is fit and healthy , who can complete the physical requirements just fine but the 'Moral' and 'Medical' is what's preventing me from joining, open to debate. I haven't made the same dumb mistake of reacting to my families tires being slashed since and learned from that experience .
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Obviously the Police knows what was on my laptop because this dude went around with the unauthorized material he was not allowed to have and actually put the content in DVD's around the city hoping someone would pick it up and read it , and I actually worked at a warehouse which actually had a police officer who worked there at the warehouse to check the hard drives for CP (i dont know the deal about that) , and he found the very same DVD filled with the content of my basically unhinged responses that I never uploaded to the internet .
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Basically this dude mentally ruined my life but I wasn't the only 1 he has done this to, he has hacked into multiple people's laptops and slashed other people's tires before and distributed information and he has been arrested in the past .
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I was wondering if I could be court martial'd for unprofessional conduct before I even join the military or am I just overthinking this? I basically had this huge 4 hour clip of a rant about his twitter account on my laptop that was perfectly constitutional legal but if you took things out of context it sounds like something that would have me arrested if I was in the military , and I never uploaded it, nor planned to. maybe it's just all in my head but as you can imagine , the real problem isn't my speeches that were on my laptop but the 5150'd , which was at the time and information I had at my disposable,a completely reasonable reaction to a violent threat.
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PCS’ing to Schofield tomorrow, any tips?
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Does anyone know if you still have to have a physical copy of your profile on you? I remember reading somewhere that you don't and your commander can look at it
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I recently graduated college and am looking for advice in terms of what I should expect/request in my contract for 68W MOS. I got my B.A. in cellular biology in the beginning of May and have been set on enlisting since my junior year; now that I'm in the last couple of steps with my recruiter before going to MEPS, I wanted to know if there was anything I should ask for based on my scores/degree (520 MCAT, 99 ASVAB, 146 GT) in terms of rank or guaranteed admission to schools (such as Airborne) coming in. I am looking at the 2-year contract as of now because I do want to apply to medical school down the line. If I enjoy my time, I am open to staying longer in the Army. However, there are some characteristics I currently need to work on that I know enlistment will provide (as opposed to OCS which would mean an extended contract) in addition to education benefits. Also, the alternative would have been doing a gap year in a lab or clinic which doesn't pay much better and is something I have done my fair share of. Any help is appreciated; thank you.
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This is kind of a weird question but i really want to join the army but my family is telling me that it’s impossible for me to join because unfortunately my parents passed by suicide and that alone will disqualify me. I’ve tried googling it and looking all over the internet to find a. Answer but I can’t find it. Is there any truth to that? Thanks if answered.
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I’m a drill right now and I’m looking at being Force reclassed and looking for a new MOS. I saw 51C and was curious if anyone knew what the day to day looked like? Or if anyone knew of any MOSs that were chill 9-5 jobs.
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How does the average person become an officer in the 75th or special forces? Even for support roles, don't most people have to go through the qualification training and fail?
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Do you ever feel remorse for the innocent civilians you slaughter in the name of imperialism and the military industrial complex?
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I've always had a draw to service, but my athletic opportunities usually kept me from it. Out of high school, I had the opportunity to play college baseball and passed up on trying the academy route. Once I got halfway through college, I wanted to try ROTC, but I was a starter on the baseball team and balls deep in a mechanical engineering course load, so it didn't seem feasible to add to my plate.
Now, I'm going on 24 with 2 years of experience as an ME in product development. Is there a military route for someone like me who does have a college degree, but is beyond the point of an ROTC college program? Is my specific degree useful for the military?
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I'm joining the Army soon, within a month or two. I've come up with an MOS list I made based on what I'm interested in (this is NOT a list of my available jobs based on my ASVAB score, just some jobs that sounded interesting based on the field I was looking into). I was mostly considering Logistics and Supply, but I am open to other potential fields, and jobs that aren't in the list below. Like I said, I want to do something in logistics and supply, but more so, just something non-combative that allows me to travel to most bases. What do you guys think about it? Any recommendations? I do plan to do something in law enforcement after I get out, but my MOS does not have to relate to that. Here is the list. The first two are the ones I'm currently considering, and the ones in parentheses are the ones I'm interested in.
(Cargo Specialist 88H)
(Unit Supply Specialist 92Y)
(Automated Logistics Specialist 92A)
(Ammunition Specialist 89B)
Ammunition Stock Control and Accounting Specialist 89A
(Corrections/Detention Specialist 31E)
Culinary Specialist 92G
Medical Logistics Specialist 68J
(Military Police 31B)
(Motor Transport Operator 88M)
Petroleum Supply Specialist 92F
Transportation Management Coordinator 88N
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Can someone please answer this question? If by some chance a person is granted a moral waiver for one felony possession charge on their record Will that allow you to join infantry or be around guns in general? Or would you have to have your firearm rights restored?
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Do you guys still have to have an NBC mask as part of the uniform when out in the field? If yes, do you still practice going into full MOPP gear?
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Completely off topic to Army. Has anyone used a gaems vanguard with the steam deck? Found one for cheap for field purposes but I can't find anything that says it works or not with the deck.
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30 year old with great Asvab and physical tests, no medical problems other than anxiety counseling in 2020. Problem 1: I have a large hand tattoo on my right hand. It’s a animal with some foliage and stuff. It is not on knuckles but descends from half sleeve down wrist and over top of hand.
Issue 2: I was discharged from navy boot camp in 2019. Long story. Mental health and personal reasons. I have an re-4 jfc on my dd 214. ( navy parting gift) I have authorized documents of treatment for my condition signed from doctor and no treatment or problems with mental health since early 2020 and no medication ever needed. Is there any shot I’d get approved for enlistment in the army ? @7hillsrecruiting
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Can someone please describe the process of renrolling into DLC? I did not complete it in the 720 day window however I am not barred from reenlistment (yet).
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Hey there ! I’m working things out to go to sign a 37F contract in the USAR soon since I had a high enough score on my ASVAB, but my recruiter confirmed that I would have to go to FSPC or Fat Camp due to being 2% over what’s allowed for body fat before I attend basic. I don’t mind basically getting paid to workout and learn about nutrition, but I’d love tips and just overall things to prep for before I have to ship out to it.
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i got Fort Sill as my first duty station im a 94T and i have family how is the on post housing or should i just rent a house off post
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I have a uniform question that i can not seem to figure out using ar670-1 or the pam currently i have been wearing my improvised hot weather combat uniform but the one i was issued back in 2019 apparently is the first generation that has the mesh lining in the pants and no velcro on the top of the shoulder pockets and my first line was telling me he doesnt think this is authorized anymore since a newer version was released so he asked me to look into the regulations but i cant find anything saying if i can or cant where it the most i know as of right now is the ihwcu is authorized but i have an older version apparently but its also what they issued me at ocie so im trying to find if anyone can help me out or knows if i can still where this i dont wanna buy a whole other uniform just because this doesnt have velcro on the top of these pockets
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What is the most realistic special operations group someone can join for the average person?
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Do you need a DA Form 1610 to attend the BAC? Fort Moore's website states you cannot attend BAC in a leave status, but how would anyone walk on if that's the case? And soldiers do walk on, I've heard firsthand.
I'm attempting to attend Airborne on leave before I PCS, is it possible? I just commissioned, and will be working for Cadet Command all summer before I PCS to BOLC.
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Can i join the ranger Special forces with a red/green color blind?
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Is someone able to join if blind in one eye
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As a prior enlisted, when I go to meps will the councilor just tell me my duty station I’m headed to after I pick my Mos? Will I have any say? How does that work from your experience
Any personal opinions and experienced insight is appreciated
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If someone becomes an intel officer, can they tryout for the 75th or the special forces?
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I have just returned from TDY, for Family separation pay, do I need to fill out 1561, or is it a special pay request on IPPS-A. Can’t find any answer from S-1, or other SM. Any help would be appreciative.
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I want to join the army, Can I pick a supply Mos with a ASVAB score of 41 and CL of 90 ?? The army website says yes I just wanted to know if the website is accurate. (92A/92y) Mos
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How long does it take for my rank to update in my email? I was promoted to SGT yesterday and it didn't update yet. It updated automatically for others in my unit. Do I need to update my CAC?
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I'm enlisting in the Army Reserve as a 35L and soon to go to basic in a few weeks. I have a couple of questions that are hovering over me since I'm counting down the days to basic training. I'm a lot older then most of the trainees are going to be in basic. I fear if I get injured or recycle for whatever reason. Will they change my mos because I didn't meet the allotted time slot for 35L AlT? Will I become over holdover until the next class? How frequent are the courses if held over? And also to add if any directions toward course work should I start studying to familiarize myself with?
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Anyone have an idea on what finance battalions are? Gonna be shipping out as 36B and I generally understand what the job will entail but lots of the comments I’ve read say “oh they’re reforming 36B into finance battalions”. Is this a good or bad thing?
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Prior service coming in; USMC to Army, E5. I’ve already gotten some good anti-cringe advice on general differences between the branches of service, but if anybody has advice on stuff to bring/not bring to AIT (I only got a bootcamp packing list) or tips I’m all ears.
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Is it common for people to become shorter from the ruck marches?
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Can you have nicotine in AIT, may be useful to add that I’m doing split training where I do basic one summer then do AIT the next.
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How does reclassing work? My window will be hitting soon and it’s time to move on. Will I have any Mos available to me? Duty station as well? I heard a lot about undeover strength Mos and how they affect reclassing. Any info on how it works would be great. Thanks fellas
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Is having a iep when I was in school a disqualifyer if not do I need a waivet
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I can barely do 5 push-ups, and I’m leaving for army basic combat training in 1 week, any recommendations?
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Pollen Allergies @ BCT Jackson
I am shipping out to basic training at the end of June. Has anyone had any experience with sick call during training and/or reception when dealing with seasonal/pollen allergies?
If this affected you, did you get prescribed anything or go to sick call any once in a while? I lived in GA for a stint and the pollen down south was not my friend so trying to prepare for the worst if possible. Not taking any meds right now.
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Can MPs join the 82 Airborne
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just graduated AIT, would it be possible to trade my duty station with another soldier for both of our benefits and we're both consenting ? he's got schofield hawaii and i have fort george meade maryland, im a pv2 he's a PFC and we have the exact same training and MOS? thanks.
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Hi! Does anyone know the policy on sending a private in basic a portable charger? I did already get the green light to send it by a former DS that i know, but was wondering if anything special needs to be done regarding how it is sent? Thanks in advance.
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I'm going to transitioning from the Navy to the Army via an interservice transfer. I have four years, a deployment, and a lot of memories under my belt. I am electing to come back in as an O-1 into the Army as I have no interest in the limited job prospects that an O-3 with no Army experience would bring me, and frankly I don't give a shit -- it's just 4 years. My (fairly promising, at least based on what the Army side said) goal is to eventually be infantry.
Coming in as a new Army officer, what should I expect, both from the position of coming from a different branch and generally as a "new guy" Army officer?
What stuff (most likely) stays the same coming a ship, specifically ship-life? What changes the most?
How best can I take care of my people while still accomplishing the mission? I know this looks very different between branches. It's always a delicate balance.
What does the "daily grind" of a combart arms community look like? What's the "unnecessary BS day-to-day" that you guys get up to? (I can think of plenty of examples in the Navy, but I'm not sure they translate 1:1).
BONUS: What are your best and worst interaction stories with your fresh LTs?
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Im 25 with a bachelors in CyberSecurity, also an Eagle Scout. Have not done much volunteer or team leadership since then. Nor do I have much work experiance.
Am I too uncompetitive for an OCS slot for 17X?
I spoke to a recruiter who mentioned going enlisted at E4 with 17C, then after 1 year of training and 1 of actual work, applying for OCS then.
Is that a realistic scenario or classic recruiter talk getting my hopes up in order to boost elistment numbers?
Prior medical history includes inactive IBS + depression from a couple years back.
Also, what are the timeframes for getting in with both of these options?
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Is it worth getting Emt certified or Paramedic certified before going Army? I got DQ at meps and was told I need to wait a year due to medication I was on last year. I'm trying to find something to fill my time for when I'm able to enlist next year. Is this a good idea or a waste of time?
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I have been recently promoted, and clothing and sales is currently out of stock of my current rank, so I am unable to update my AGSU. We have room and uniform inspections soon, and my first line is attempting to make me wear my AGSU with incorrect rank. I have been looking through AR670-1 as well as AR700-84 trying to see if there is a reg against this, but have been unsuccessful in finding one. If there isn’t, I’ll deal, but I’m not too keen on wearing a previous rank. Any help backed by regs would be appreciated
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I’m going National Guard. I’m still working through the beginning process with my recruiter. Here’s the catch: I wasn’t born in the US. I was born in Kazakhstan.
I was never naturalized because when I was adopted into my family in 2002, the Child Citizenship Act passed in 2000 stating that the amendment is “to provide for the automatic acquisition of U.S. citizenship when certain conditions have been met.” — I have met these conditions and am a legal citizen of 22 years (Section 320 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This amendment states that I also do not need a certificate of citizenship, which I never applied for as I legally do not need one.)
I have a passport, a social security card, a legal photo ID and a birth certificate. I DO HAVE a permanent resident card, but it expired years ago. I was a baby when my parents got it and they never renewed it. However, I am a US Citizen. I’ve lived here my entire life. The problem is, my recruiter insists that I must have that Permanent Resident Card up to date. I would do it in a heartbeat, but it costs $500.
Why is my passport, ID, SS card or birth certificate not enough to prove my citizenship? I’m frustrated and my parents are getting short with me constantly asking about it.
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Kind of a situational question. My wife is scheduled for C Section June 21st and it looks like I may get PCS orders before then. If I do, and the kid comes, what do I do? Soonest my wife’s doc says she can move is 6 weeks postpartum and my wife can’t look after our first kid and newborn while she recovers from surgery. Is there anything I can do to report closer to the end of baby leave? I’m a geobachelor.
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I just have a couple questions about how having a GED will affect my enlistment. I've heard it makes you ineligible for bonuses, but what about contract options? Could I still get an Option 4 contract? Option 19? If not, how many college credits would I need to move into the Tier 1 education category?
also, how do you increase your chances of going to certain schools (Airborne, Air Assault, Ranger, etc) if it's not in your contract? Going in as a 68W (Combat Medic) if that makes a difference
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Is there some regulation against sending a SM on a deployment/rotation when they are very close to ETS? Say 6 months out?
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Im a dumbass and made and said a lot of stupid ass shit that some hater who had it out for me has been basically (not really) 'blackmailing' me with that was on my laptop (private, never uploaded) which he hacked into . It was a bunch of questionable shit I said that basically makes me paranoid reasonably that I could possibly be court martial'd but I was never arrested or anything, and I'm sure the guy would upload it again if I joined the Military just to tarnish my good name. I said all this when I was 18 , but basically this dude came to my house and threatened my family with a knife and I responded, 'not so good' , and as a result, I was basically 5150'd and had lied to the people saying I was suicidal resulting in a medical documentation which has made me fearful of ever going to MEPS. So at the time I was 'isolated' so in attempt to expose the fact that there was a legitimate danger I reasonably tried to court attention on Twitter and basically did and said everything that could ever allow me to hold a security clearance before deleting it.
My perception of the event was that he was threatening my family with a knife, but to the outside world, he simply slashed my families tires. Basically he baited me and fell for it. There was much more to the story but if I could go back in time I probably would not have reacted the way I did but I was 18 and my mind was barely developing.
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I was 5150'd and I was told I could never hold public office and I am barred from the Medical field . This of course was a lie, but it's BASICALLY on my Medical record and it's a huge red flag. So naturally, unable to join the Military, I was unable to complete my mission and of course, was put on medication for some time (7 months) until I can figure out what to do. So I been working warehouse jobs ever since that day . I am 23 years old now, the incident happened when I was 18. I was and still am a cross country runner who is fit and healthy , who can complete the physical requirements just fine but the 'Moral' and 'Medical' is what's preventing me from joining, open to debate. I haven't made the same dumb mistake of reacting to my families tires being slashed since and learned from that experience .
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Obviously the Police knows what was on my laptop because this dude went around with the unauthorized material he was not allowed to have and actually put the content in DVD's around the city hoping someone would pick it up and read it , and I actually worked at a warehouse which actually had a police officer who worked there at the warehouse to check the hard drives for CP (i dont know the deal about that) , and he found the very same DVD filled with the content of my basically unhinged responses that I never uploaded to the internet .
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Basically this dude mentally ruined my life but I wasn't the only 1 he has done this to, he has hacked into multiple people's laptops and slashed other people's tires before and distributed information and he has been arrested in the past .
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I was wondering if I could be court martial'd for unprofessional conduct before I even join the military or am I just overthinking this? I basically had this huge 4 hour clip of a rant about his twitter account on my laptop that was perfectly constitutional legal but if you took things out of context it sounds like something that would have me arrested if I was in the military , and I never uploaded it, nor planned to. maybe it's just all in my head but as you can imagine , the real problem isn't my speeches that were on my laptop but the 5150'd , which was at the time and information I had at my disposable,a completely reasonable reaction to a violent threat.
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PCS’ing to Schofield tomorrow, any tips?
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Does anyone know if you still have to have a physical copy of your profile on you? I remember reading somewhere that you don't and your commander can look at it
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I recently graduated college and am looking for advice in terms of what I should expect/request in my contract for 68W MOS. I got my B.A. in cellular biology in the beginning of May and have been set on enlisting since my junior year; now that I'm in the last couple of steps with my recruiter before going to MEPS, I wanted to know if there was anything I should ask for based on my scores/degree (520 MCAT, 99 ASVAB, 146 GT) in terms of rank or guaranteed admission to schools (such as Airborne) coming in. I am looking at the 2-year contract as of now because I do want to apply to medical school down the line. If I enjoy my time, I am open to staying longer in the Army. However, there are some characteristics I currently need to work on that I know enlistment will provide (as opposed to OCS which would mean an extended contract) in addition to education benefits. Also, the alternative would have been doing a gap year in a lab or clinic which doesn't pay much better and is something I have done my fair share of. Any help is appreciated; thank you.
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This is kind of a weird question but i really want to join the army but my family is telling me that it’s impossible for me to join because unfortunately my parents passed by suicide and that alone will disqualify me. I’ve tried googling it and looking all over the internet to find a. Answer but I can’t find it. Is there any truth to that? Thanks if answered.
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I’m a drill right now and I’m looking at being Force reclassed and looking for a new MOS. I saw 51C and was curious if anyone knew what the day to day looked like? Or if anyone knew of any MOSs that were chill 9-5 jobs.
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How does the average person become an officer in the 75th or special forces? Even for support roles, don't most people have to go through the qualification training and fail?
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Do you ever feel remorse for the innocent civilians you slaughter in the name of imperialism and the military industrial complex?
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I've always had a draw to service, but my athletic opportunities usually kept me from it. Out of high school, I had the opportunity to play college baseball and passed up on trying the academy route. Once I got halfway through college, I wanted to try ROTC, but I was a starter on the baseball team and balls deep in a mechanical engineering course load, so it didn't seem feasible to add to my plate.
Now, I'm going on 24 with 2 years of experience as an ME in product development. Is there a military route for someone like me who does have a college degree, but is beyond the point of an ROTC college program? Is my specific degree useful for the military?
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I'm joining the Army soon, within a month or two. I've come up with an MOS list I made based on what I'm interested in (this is NOT a list of my available jobs based on my ASVAB score, just some jobs that sounded interesting based on the field I was looking into). I was mostly considering Logistics and Supply, but I am open to other potential fields, and jobs that aren't in the list below. Like I said, I want to do something in logistics and supply, but more so, just something non-combative that allows me to travel to most bases. What do you guys think about it? Any recommendations? I do plan to do something in law enforcement after I get out, but my MOS does not have to relate to that. Here is the list. The first two are the ones I'm currently considering, and the ones in parentheses are the ones I'm interested in.
(Cargo Specialist 88H)
(Unit Supply Specialist 92Y)
(Automated Logistics Specialist 92A)
(Ammunition Specialist 89B)
Ammunition Stock Control and Accounting Specialist 89A
(Corrections/Detention Specialist 31E)
Culinary Specialist 92G
Medical Logistics Specialist 68J
(Military Police 31B)
(Motor Transport Operator 88M)
Petroleum Supply Specialist 92F
Transportation Management Coordinator 88N
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Can someone please answer this question? If by some chance a person is granted a moral waiver for one felony possession charge on their record Will that allow you to join infantry or be around guns in general? Or would you have to have your firearm rights restored?
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Do you guys still have to have an NBC mask as part of the uniform when out in the field? If yes, do you still practice going into full MOPP gear?
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Completely off topic to Army. Has anyone used a gaems vanguard with the steam deck? Found one for cheap for field purposes but I can't find anything that says it works or not with the deck.
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30 year old with great Asvab and physical tests, no medical problems other than anxiety counseling in 2020. Problem 1: I have a large hand tattoo on my right hand. It’s a animal with some foliage and stuff. It is not on knuckles but descends from half sleeve down wrist and over top of hand.
Issue 2: I was discharged from navy boot camp in 2019. Long story. Mental health and personal reasons. I have an re-4 jfc on my dd 214. ( navy parting gift) I have authorized documents of treatment for my condition signed from doctor and no treatment or problems with mental health since early 2020 and no medication ever needed. Is there any shot I’d get approved for enlistment in the army ? @7hillsrecruiting
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Can someone please describe the process of renrolling into DLC? I did not complete it in the 720 day window however I am not barred from reenlistment (yet).
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Hey there ! I’m working things out to go to sign a 37F contract in the USAR soon since I had a high enough score on my ASVAB, but my recruiter confirmed that I would have to go to FSPC or Fat Camp due to being 2% over what’s allowed for body fat before I attend basic. I don’t mind basically getting paid to workout and learn about nutrition, but I’d love tips and just overall things to prep for before I have to ship out to it.
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i got Fort Sill as my first duty station im a 94T and i have family how is the on post housing or should i just rent a house off post
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I have a uniform question that i can not seem to figure out using ar670-1 or the pam currently i have been wearing my improvised hot weather combat uniform but the one i was issued back in 2019 apparently is the first generation that has the mesh lining in the pants and no velcro on the top of the shoulder pockets and my first line was telling me he doesnt think this is authorized anymore since a newer version was released so he asked me to look into the regulations but i cant find anything saying if i can or cant where it the most i know as of right now is the ihwcu is authorized but i have an older version apparently but its also what they issued me at ocie so im trying to find if anyone can help me out or knows if i can still where this i dont wanna buy a whole other uniform just because this doesnt have velcro on the top of these pockets
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What is the most realistic special operations group someone can join for the average person?
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Do you need a DA Form 1610 to attend the BAC? Fort Moore's website states you cannot attend BAC in a leave status, but how would anyone walk on if that's the case? And soldiers do walk on, I've heard firsthand.
I'm attempting to attend Airborne on leave before I PCS, is it possible? I just commissioned, and will be working for Cadet Command all summer before I PCS to BOLC.
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Can i join the ranger Special forces with a red/green color blind?
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Is someone able to join if blind in one eye
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As a prior enlisted, when I go to meps will the councilor just tell me my duty station I’m headed to after I pick my Mos? Will I have any say? How does that work from your experience
Any personal opinions and experienced insight is appreciated
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If someone becomes an intel officer, can they tryout for the 75th or the special forces?
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I have just returned from TDY, for Family separation pay, do I need to fill out 1561, or is it a special pay request on IPPS-A. Can’t find any answer from S-1, or other SM. Any help would be appreciative.
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I want to join the army, Can I pick a supply Mos with a ASVAB score of 41 and CL of 90 ?? The army website says yes I just wanted to know if the website is accurate. (92A/92y) Mos
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How long does it take for my rank to update in my email? I was promoted to SGT yesterday and it didn't update yet. It updated automatically for others in my unit. Do I need to update my CAC?
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I'm enlisting in the Army Reserve as a 35L and soon to go to basic in a few weeks. I have a couple of questions that are hovering over me since I'm counting down the days to basic training. I'm a lot older then most of the trainees are going to be in basic. I fear if I get injured or recycle for whatever reason. Will they change my mos because I didn't meet the allotted time slot for 35L AlT? Will I become over holdover until the next class? How frequent are the courses if held over? And also to add if any directions toward course work should I start studying to familiarize myself with?
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Anyone have an idea on what finance battalions are? Gonna be shipping out as 36B and I generally understand what the job will entail but lots of the comments I’ve read say “oh they’re reforming 36B into finance battalions”. Is this a good or bad thing?
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Prior service coming in; USMC to Army, E5. I’ve already gotten some good anti-cringe advice on general differences between the branches of service, but if anybody has advice on stuff to bring/not bring to AIT (I only got a bootcamp packing list) or tips I’m all ears.
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Is it common for people to become shorter from the ruck marches?
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Can you have nicotine in AIT, may be useful to add that I’m doing split training where I do basic one summer then do AIT the next.
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How does reclassing work? My window will be hitting soon and it’s time to move on. Will I have any Mos available to me? Duty station as well? I heard a lot about undeover strength Mos and how they affect reclassing. Any info on how it works would be great. Thanks fellas
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Is having a iep when I was in school a disqualifyer if not do I need a waivet
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I can barely do 5 push-ups, and I’m leaving for army basic combat training in 1 week, any recommendations?
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Pollen Allergies @ BCT Jackson
I am shipping out to basic training at the end of June. Has anyone had any experience with sick call during training and/or reception when dealing with seasonal/pollen allergies?
If this affected you, did you get prescribed anything or go to sick call any once in a while? I lived in GA for a stint and the pollen down south was not my friend so trying to prepare for the worst if possible. Not taking any meds right now.
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Can MPs join the 82 Airborne
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just graduated AIT, would it be possible to trade my duty station with another soldier for both of our benefits and we're both consenting ? he's got schofield hawaii and i have fort george meade maryland, im a pv2 he's a PFC and we have the exact same training and MOS? thanks.
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I hope this is the right place and someone can tell me what may have been going on in my village. I moved here a few weeks ago. It's a small village in the heart of Russia and my parents and I came here because things start to get really bad in Moscow and my father lost his job. I don't know why we had to move to this isolated village, so far away from civilization. Maybe my parents wanted peace and quiet? To escape the things in that city, the poisoned minds?
The houses here had all been far below average in price. Almost everyone who lives here has moved here recently.
But, there are crazy rumors about this village that people tell each other. It was found abandoned in the mid-nineties. Where everyone went, no one knows. They say that no signs of people were found at all, nothing. But... everywhere in and around the village… strange patches of earth had been discovered, circular and smooth. Not only in the forest or on the road, but also in the dilapidated wooden houses. At our new neighbors' house, one of the mysterious spots had supposedly been found right in the living room floor, where the floorboards had been just cut away.
These rumors scare me. I am afraid of this village. But yesterday... I was redoing the floor in my room with my father and there... I found a notebook under the old boards. I hid it from my father, I don't know why... Someone must have left it there.
Last night... that's when I read it. I read it and now I'm incredibly afraid of this house and this village. Of the fields and the woods that surround me. The notebook apparently belonged to someone called Ilya Vasiliev. I have tried to translate what he wrote, hoping that someone here can help me find an explanation for the rumors. For this uneasy feeling that I have since I moved here...
***********
I am fine. I want that to be clear from the beginning. My story is strange and in huge parts troubling, but I am still in the best state of mental health.
I am fine!
My story begins seven months ago, in December 1979, when deep winter was upon our village. We were preparing for Christmas, the first Christmas to be celebrated publicly throughout the village, after years of having to practice our faith in secret because the Soviet government did not allow religions. Only in the last few years did the Reds' view loosen and they allowed small islands of faith. One of them was my village, which finally dared to celebrate and praise the Lord.
I have been a believer all twenty years of my life, an exemplary Christian, just like my parents. Faith had kept our family line alive in times of terror and misery. Death had always been close to us, as the fields where most of the population of our village had worked for generations had once brought the end of hundreds of people. Many years ago, on those fields, atrocities had occurred that had finally given them their present name: The Fields of Death.
I myself had not been born back then, not by a long shot, but my grandparents had spent their childhood there, a childhood full of hunger and depravity. My grandfather Fomenko often told me and my sister the stories he had experienced and how faith had saved everyone. There had been a long, cold winter and the grain had been confiscated by the government to be taken to the cities for distribution. After all, the grain belonged to all the people, not just those on the farms who planted it, tended to it, and harvested it. And so, the only food of that time left my grandfather's village and never came back. Some of his neighbors had once tried to hold back some grain, to hide some sacks, but when they were caught, a hail of bullets determined their fate. People lived in fear, not daring to stop working, not daring to keep for themselves the food that was destined for the common good. In those days, horrors happened in my village that I cannot truly picture today, not even when I hear my grandfather's usually clear voice begin to tremble. When I see in his eyes that he would rather forget, in order to experience a peaceful sleep once again… someday.
He told us about those horrors to warn us of how quickly life can plunge from safety into infinite terror. Winter had reigned. The grain was being hauled away. They still shot all those who tried to keep back pieces of it, be it a sack or some husks that had fallen from a cart. In time, hunger began to drive people in our village insane. Parents locked up their children so they wouldn't be taken by neighbors to feed their hunger. Friends turned their backs on each other and killed each other in fights for the last livestock that was still breathing. The streets reeked of decay and death, of misery and suffering. One day, my grandfather told us, he had hidden in the back room of his house while his parents dragged themselves, emaciated, to the fields to pick the last scraps of grain from the furrows with their dirty, half-frozen fingers. He had come across a book there, a book that had saved his life.
The word of God. An old Bible.
My grandfather had learned to read at an early age, one of the sad advantages of living in the Soviet Union.
It was in the room I now live in that Grandfather Fomenko had found the dusty book. Actually, he had been looking for something to eat, the days before he had found some sawdust. But despite his hunger and the grumbling in his stomach, eating the book was out of the question. Books were sacred, and no book as sacred as this one. He had begun to read and learned about the greatness of the Lord. Of the miracles his Son had performed. And of the magic of faith. His stomach had growled, but he had ignored it. The words gave him comfort.
The next day he immersed himself in the book again, disappearing into better worlds and times, hearing wisdom and encouragement. But around noon there was a knock at the door. My grandfather emphasized each time that he had not been afraid, that he had known that the Lord would protect him, when the old neighbor gained entrance to our house armed with a cleaver. It was clear what he wanted: Meat. My grandfather told us each time about how the neighbor had looked more undead than human, stinking and with sunken eyes, smelling like death from his mouth, the cleaver trembling in his hand.
"I'm sorry, boy," was all the man could get out.
My grandfather tried to mimic this poor man’s voice at the end of his wits, to express his pain through words so that we understood that poor fellow a little.
The Lord's words had given courage to my grandfather in his most terrible moments. He had stood up and firmly said:
"Away with you, the Lord protects the inhabitants of this house!"
But the intruder did not care, coming closer. And so, my grandfather again sought comfort and prayed. He prayed for mercy and peace and for his life. He would serve the Lord for the rest of his days. Trust Him blindly.
Suddenly, like a gruesome miracle, the famished intruder let out an inhuman groan and collapsed, lifeless and debilitated. There had been no hunger for my grandfather and his family for a week after that. My grandfather had been praying to the Lord since that day, thanking Him for His mercy. The story spread around the village and out of desperation or hope, in the next few days everyone secretly knelt in front of small wooden crosses they had made themselves and prayed to the Lord. A week later, like a miracle, the long-awaited delivery of grain arrived, along with spring. There had not been another bad time since then.
These events are the reason for the faith in our village... and our family. The psalm my grandfather had prayed as the hungry neighbor attacked had become the guiding psalm of our faith. All these years we had not been able to celebrate Christmas with the other families, but since the restrictions on faith communities had been relaxed, we had all finally decided to celebrate the holy festival in the village square. And so, we started the preparations.
There, in those evening hours, my part of the story begins. I and my younger sister Zarina, together with other youths and young adults, were fetching wood for the fire that was to burn in the center of our village. So, we went out into the night, dressed with thick pelts, to fetch logs from the edge of the fields that some men had prepared.
My breath could be seen as an icy breeze in the dawning darkness and I was already looking forward to dancing around the fire with everyone later, drinking good drinks and eating sumptuously. I was glad that we didn't have to walk across the fields themselves, but could stroll along their edge to get the logs.
You can feel death when it has hit a place. I was glad that I didn't have to work the fields myself, and had learned the carpentry trade. Therefore, I was spared from having to wander around there every day, among the echoes of past atrocities and sadness.
We were all in good spirits, strolling over the muddy ground, when all at once Zarina pointed up and into the clear night sky.
"Look, an angel is descending!" she exclaimed excitedly.
We all looked to where her outstretched hand pointed. A round light glowed in the night sky, glaring yellowish and shining strangely cold.
"It's singing! At Christmas! The Lord puts our feast under his sign!" Zarina cried.
We stopped and listened into the silence of the night. At first, I could hear nothing, at first, everything remained quiet, and only the distant beating of axes and the rustling of the wind in the treetops were audible.
But then, there in the wind, I could hear it, briefly but clearly. It was a kind of melodic whisper, joyful, yet also strange and otherworldly. It was heard only very briefly, and soon died away as the glow flew out of sight and disappeared somewhere far away.
"Let's go find the angel! Let's..." Zarina cried, continuing excitedly, but I interrupted her.
"We have to get the wood. We can report back to the village later, if it hasn't already been noticed there too," I said.
"You heard the singing! Surely that was an angel. Shall we leave it there? It may have gotten hurt, it must have hit something!" Sasha murmured.
Sasha was my oldest friend and one of the boys who worked on the fields. He had always been very caring and had always tried to help where he could. His parents were long dead and the old lady who had raised him was no longer around, either. So, he struggled along, working the fields, but the rest of us looked out for him.
"Shouldn't we go and look for it, Ilya?", Sasha continued to urge me anxiously.
We thought about it for a long time but decided to leave the decision to the others in the village. Trusting the Lord to guide our actions, we quickly moved on in the direction of the woodcutters to complete our task.
We were not the only ones who had seen the glow. When we returned to the village square loaded with logs, everyone was in great excitement and full of joy that the Lord had sent us this sign of His greatness. Not everyone agreed whether it was an angel or a return of the poinsettia that had been witnessed, but everyone was sure that the Lord had sent us encouragement. So, we celebrated our first Christmas full of joy and pleasure, with good food, dancing and singing, full of happiness and under the protection of the Almighty Lord. I will always think back to those days, always keep in my heart how I glimpsed a part of the Lord in the sky.
We all talked about the event and even the older people were fascinated and inspired. Even my grandfather and the others who had witnessed the worst death and misery in the world seemed to slowly find a spiritual peace they would never have dreamed of otherwise. They were happy and strengthened in their faith. However, we were not sure if it had really been an angel who had come down and so we hesitated to go and look for the creature of God.
But in the night, after the light had shone in the sky, I was awakened by Zarina crying in her sleep. I straightened up and slowly paced over to her bed, where in the semi-darkness she began to squirm, shaken by spasms.
"No, no, no..." she moaned painfully.
I began to shake her to wake her up. Zarina did not respond to me. Her face was like a distorted mask hiding something bad underneath. Her breathing became shallow, and she began to whimper. I was terrified and began to pray. The Lord had to save her, He just had to save her!
Zarina twitched more and more, started coughing and whimpering louder and louder. Slowly, the rest of the family woke up and my parents and grandfather huddled tightly around her, praying for her to open her eyes.
"Please, don't take our child! She has only been in your world for fourteen years..." my father cried, as panicked and desperate as I had ever seen before.
His thick, black mustache trembled with fear.
Then, abruptly, Zarina stopped convulsing.
For a terrible moment she just lay there, her hair disheveled, her face pale in the glow of the candle my mother held over her.
"Mom, Dad, Ilya, Grandpa... what's wrong?" she suddenly asked sleepily.
For a moment it was as if nothing had happened, as if I hadn't just seen my sister almost die, but then she began to cry.
"What's wrong, dear?" my father asked, just as pale in the face as Zarina.
It took a while before she found some calm and was able to talk to us.
Finally, she croaked:
"I saw the angel. I was with him."
A revelation? Had the Lord touched my sister?
We all said another prayer and finally, filled with awe, I asked:
"Where did you see the angel? Is it here? With us?"
She looked at me briefly, seemed to hesitate for a little moment, and then reported:
"I was with it… in a dream. It was in a white village, a village made of angel dust. I saw it. It didn't have wings and that's why at first I wasn't sure if it was an angel. However, soon it spoke to me."
"What did it say, Zarina?", I asked tensely.
"It said it was not God, but 'the Witness'. It sounded like a man and a woman and a child and a baby and... It felt peaceful. Calm and carefree. Then I woke up."
"An angel. Angels are the witnesses of God, that's how it must be!" my father said enthusiastically.
Suddenly, everyone seemed to be talking at once.
No one knew what Zarina's words meant, but we were sure that they contained something incomprehensible that we, as ordinary people, could not understand. But everyone was delighted. Everyone was caught in a beautiful dream.
The next day, the adults sat together in the large barn near the edge of the village, which was used for community events. Most of them found seats on the lined up wooden benches and the rest stood crowded against the old walls, some of which were already rotten. Dimitri, probably the closest thing to a mayor, sat at a heavy pine table at the end of the room, staring at the crowd, while my parents and Zarina sat on old chairs in front of him. Tensely, the crowd looked at them, waiting for someone to say something. Finally, Dimitri cleared his throat thoughtfully.
"You... all saw or heard about the falling star. It was brighter than the others that keep crossing our sky and much more... melodic. Some even heard the singing. Whoever still doubted that the Lord sent us his messenger... doubts are now useless. Zarina has received a vision. She has seen how the angel, who was sent by God, walked on our earth, and visited a village and consecrated it with its grace. She has seen the angel marching to spread holiness in these lands..."
"Are we sure?"
Mary, the dressmaker, had stood up. She was still young, my age and Sasha's, and she always wore her blond hair carefully braided, her dresses self-made, blood red and flashy, with silver embroidery. As always, she wore makeup - a luxury not many could afford. In other places she would have been considered a lady, but she was also a skeptical person, and I had not liked her very much since childhood, because she often made insinuations that seemed to go against the Lord. Also, she had never played with us outside and had always thought of herself as someone… better. I was shocked that she now so obviously doubted the Lord's actions.
"Mary. Zarina has seen a vision. The Lord spoke to her through her dreams! An angel has joined us. How can you deny it?" my father asked coldly.
"I'm not denying it, I'm just saying, what if there is something dark that the angel was sent to fight? What if it is going into battle against some unknown evil? The angel may be spreading sanctities, but we have no idea if it is trying to redeem us or defend us..."
"It said it was a witness of God," I noted.
"That's what Zarina said when she woke up."
"Then it is benevolent to us! We must find it!" someone shouted from one of the back rows.
An excited murmur began to spread through the room.
"Silence!" Dimitri thundered.
His face looked hard but determined.
"We have to get to it! If it is a message from heaven that the angel wants to bring us, we must hear it! How many can we spare? Who would even want to voluntarily leave the village? We don't know how long the journey will be, and you yourselves know how dangerous this area can be..."
A loud commotion broke out. Everyone shouted at once and volunteered. I also jumped up and loudly offered to go out to look for it.
The angel. The Witness of the Lord.
I imagined meeting it in a clearing, under a full moon. Hearing its bright voice, gaze in awe at its graceful form, and fall to my knees in prayer before it.
"SILENCE!" Dimitri shouted.
"You can't all go. The kids wouldn't make it in the deadly cold out there. Let seven go. Seven is the Lord's number, there must be seven! Seven workers from the fields! We can't spare any more!"
"You can't be serious!" I cried out.
Cold anger boiled up inside me.
"I want to go, too. We all want to. You can't just stand there and make a decision like that!"
Others joined in.
"SILENCE," Alexeij now thundered, the master blacksmith.
"We need you! Daniil, Ilya, Nikita, you have a job to do! We can't get by without you! You can't go, be reasonable!"
"But if the Lord wills it, he will make sure that everything here will work out. That nothing will happen!", I tried to argue, still boiling with anger.
"No. Winter is tugging at our huts, we need you," my father said slowly.
"So do the others. Without you, it's going to be tight. The fields lie under the snow, but everything else will be weakened by time and storms. We can only spare the field hands. Besides, they're the ones most likely to withstand the cold and the wilderness; after all, they're constantly out on the Fields of Death, toiling in the wind and rain. They'll all make the trip!"
I tried to change his mind, and several came to my aid, all those who were also forced to stay.
"You can manage without a dressmaker! I want to go too!" Mary cried defiantly, her cheeks red with anger, her nose wrinkled.
This young woman really believed she deserved the sight of the angel! She really believed her hypocrisies would deceive the Lord, despite her obvious doubts about His divinity!
Others also complained, young and old, many who didn't deserve to go and even those who did.
But it didn't help.
Dimitri was in charge. Everyone knew that. If we started to contradict him, our village would soon end up in chaos. And deep down I knew that I had to stay. That I had to take care of my sister, who would not survive a trip in the snow. That I had to repair the huts that the storms would eat away at.
Sasha was a field worker, he was allowed to go. Sasha and Sofia, Anatoly and old Igor, Ivan and Yulia and Mikhail. When the decision was made, a decision many of us accepted only with heavy hearts and which brought out deep envy in several faces, some of the chosen ones began to cry. They were happy, fulfilled... satisfied. They would see the messenger of the Lord, hear its melodious voice, sing its hymns.
Why wasn't I allowed to go? Why was the world so unfair? I had always believed in the Lord, prayed to Him, been subject to Him and lived according to His will. Why hadn't he chosen me to see his messenger? I had been so proud back when I had been allowed to learn the carpenter's trade and thus had not to go to the Fields of Death to toil there. At that time, I had felt like someone better when I saw Sasha and Sofia setting out early in the morning with all the other workers, with their old-fashioned plows and thick, shabby clothes.
Was this the punishment for my arrogance?
The Lord knew everything. He had seen what repulsive thoughts I had had, how superior I had felt to the others. Perhaps it was my punishment that I was not allowed to go. Perhaps the Lord was no longer favorable to me and I would have to prove myself to Him.
The next day, the seven set out north. They were seen off with singing and dancing; they were the center of the village’s attention. Envy threatened to drown me.
Why not me? Why wasn't I allowed to go? Why did I have to stay here?
And I knew: it was because of these thoughts. I wasn't pure enough. I had to get better, work on myself.
As the others disappeared from sight, as the small group seemed to be swallowed up by a patch of forest between distant trees, an icy chill ran down my spine.
What if they really did encounter evil? What if Mary had been right?
I prayed to the Lord that they would return home safely: Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
He would bring them home safely, our pilgrims. I did not begrudge them their happiness. I was not a selfish person, was not complacent like Mary or some others in the village. I lived by the word of the Lord and I would not begrudge them.
They would all return home safely.
I continued to stare into the distance for a long time as my suppressed envy sought to consume me. But I was winning.
For darkness is as light to you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Even though the days and weeks passed, I never forgot to think of all those who had set out to witness the glory of the Lord. The cold winter had passed and frost and cold left the land, so that soon we could begin to prepare the fields for sowing. Since the sighting of the angel had caused us to let some of the farm workers leave, and they stayed away longer than we had expected, I had to join others in helping to plow the Fields of Death. The work was exhausting and made me physically very tired, since I still had to work in the carpenter's shop as well. We could not afford tractors, so we still had to resort to older tools. So, it happened that one day I was driving one of the hand plows through the dirty ground and was lost in my thoughts and full of sweat.
I was quite far away from the village, as the nearby surroundings had been worked shortly after the beginning of the thaw. The fields were extensive, partly reaching further than the eye could see. Only in one direction the dense forest extended, which introduced the beginning of a dark hilly landscape, that finally merged northward into high, alien mountains, whose white peaks rose high into the sky and, like once the tower of Babel, blasphemously tried to penetrate the heavens. But next to these distant giants there was only the plain, the vast plain that had to be tilled.
I hated the field work. And I hated the fields.
Every time I even thought about this piece of hell that had become reality long ago, my stomach turned. All the events that clung to this dark place, all the human lives and suffering that had sown the ground with death and blood here many years ago....
It was even worse when you stood in the fields yourself, truly being there on your own. It was as if I could smell it in the air, the rot of the starving and the hot blood that had watered the soil. It was as if I could still hear in the air the cries and wailing of the people who had met their end here, who had pleaded for their lives and the lives of their children and friends. It was as if I could see them in the early morning fog banks that lay on the Fields of Death, the shadows of people past, crawling and cowering, weak and starved. I had to pull myself together and look away, into the forest. A place does not forget, a place always remembers the days gone by and the cries that had been.
The plow pulled through the ground, ripping a furrow behind it. It was almost a bit comforting to imagine I was gutting this place of horror with my labor, inflicting deep wounds. Hypnotized, I stared down over and over again, watching the ground swirl to one side, smelling the fresh earth being pushed to the surface. But never could I escape my terrible feelings and the forebodings, never could I forget what kind of place I was at.
The few times I looked to the forest beside me, my thoughts wandered enviously to all those who had set out to find the angel. Had they reached it yet? Had they already learned from it what needed to be done for God's power on earth to be strengthened so that false prophets and promises could be swept away? How to drown the selfishness of the state? What needed to be done to serve the Lord?
Oh, how I would have loved to be there! How I would have loved to go with them, but I also understood the decision not to send everyone, and I understood my family's objections. I was needed here. I could serve the Lord here by tilling the fields and taking care of the soil and the sowing. I had to care for my sister.
I had already made several furrows when noon came. The sun was almost not visible, just a murky spot behind the clouds, and the fog had not lifted either. The world looked pale and apathetic. But amongst all the desolation I could suddenly hear something, something that seemed to come out of the forest.
It was at first just like a rustling in the wind that sounded a bit too regular, such that it triggered a natural uneasiness in me. I looked into the forest, but could hardly make out anything through the dense plants and the still lingering fog. That is why it was left to my own thoughts to imagine what was there, what was producing this strange noise.
I could not remember any animal that made similar sounds, was at a loss.
Suddenly, a bang echoed through the forest, accompanied by a panicked scream that broke inhumanly from the trees and spread across the fields.
Then, something new joined the sounds in the air.
The trees and bushes rustled, almost seemed to be torn apart.
Something was running through the forest, something seemed to be... coming right at me.
Was it perhaps a startled bear, an elk, or a wild boar?
Had one of the hunters from the village accidentally startled an animal, scared it in the wrong direction and now wanted to warn us with their cry? But then, why this panicked sound...?
I paused, took my hands off the rusty handles of the plow, and turned toward the forest. Still, I could only see fog, I could only hear rustling, but slowly I could also make out grunts and groans coming to me from the fog. It sounded heavy and panic-stricken.
Was I in danger? I began to pray to the Lord and ask him for assistance. I was not a fighter and so I had to hope that nothing would reach me from the depths between the trees that could easily tear me apart.
Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
My baptismal motto gave me courage. The Lord saw me, even in my darkness, and would be with me.
For darkness is as light to you.
Then, someone burst out of the bushes and the fog and rushed toward me.
It was Sasha.
I almost didn't recognize him. His skin was pale, almost snow-white. His black hair stuck to his sweaty face. His pants and jacket were almost completely torn, so I could see his dirty shirt and his cut and bruised legs through the holes. There were also some small cuts on his face that worried me. Sasha's eyes twitched searchingly, panicked, and in his hand, he held the rifle that he had taken with him when he had once set out. Apparently, he had run through brush and thorns, had gotten scrapes and wounds from stones and branches.
When he saw me and looked at me with his big, panic-filled eyes, I became horridly afraid.
It was as if… behind his eyes there was no Sasha anymore, but only an animal. As if instinct had taken over his thoughts when an unnamable terror had entered his world. An animal inside him, which had enabled him to escape from... something.
Sasha staggered out of the forest, it was almost as if all strength left him now that he was back home. The rifle fell from his hand and dug into the mud beneath his feet. He limped slowly toward me, not taking his eyes off me. Then, suddenly, he wheeled around and looked back into the forest and the mist.
Only for a moment.
Again, he let out a shrill scream and sprinted the last few meters. When I looked into the forest myself, I saw nothing, only the fog.
But, didn't I feel a presence there, in the bushes? Between the trees?
I didn't see anything.
Sasha had reached me and collapsed. I quickly knelt down next to him and called for help. But the other field workers had already rushed over, obviously attracted by the rifle shot. I was in a trance, seeing only Sasha lying there, supporting his head. His eyes were still twitching around and despite my proximity he didn't seem to recognize me. He looked at me, confused.
"Sasha, what happened?", I asked, feeling his forehead.
Despite his paleness, he was uncomfortably hot.
A fever raged in his body. Who knew how long he had been running around there among the trees, his protective, warming jacket torn? With wounds that had not been tended and some of which were still bleeding?
Then another horrible thought occurred to me.
"Sasha, where are the others? Sasha, where are the others?"
This question apparently brought back some clarity that his gaze had not possessed before.
"They... they took them. Took all of them... All of them. All our brothers, all our sisters... all of them," he gurgled.
*********
So, this is the first part of what I found. I will hurry to translate the rest! But I will definitely stay out of the woods for now... They are still as creepy as described by Ilya in this document and fog ist still around every morning... Also, I don't know what to make of Ilya himself as well, is he just a religious nut and that is the explanation? I just don't know...

Hey, guys! I'm a 21-year-old UB student looking to work during fall/spring semesters this coming academic year. I was wondering if anyone knew of any places on or within walking distance of campus that I could apply to. I was thinking Tim's on campus but I don't have much related work experience so I'm not sure if they would hire me. Any suggestions welcome, thanks in advance!

I still don’t have a family doctor, and I’m at the point in my job where I need to take a mental health leave, for the sake of my colleagues and for myself. Please….where can I go to get a note?

The nurse I usually see said "back for withdrawal " i said no lung problems but few days after hard drinking on Thursday she rushed me in I said sorry I can't help it she made sure I was okay I was waiting for the addiction clinic that morning so I wouldn't be a problem for emerg people who need it but my dad convinced me.
I been through a lot kicked out in -40 weather to walk 9 blocks to My aunts molested by someone been blind for 2 months iso 4 months alone met t bays stall brother wasn't able to walk in wheel chair lost my mind twice not cause I'm mental but medically saved 7 people from addiction 2 from trying to off themselves lost my old best friend who did something to My old gf die not the same time still was fucked up cut off contact to everyone who I care about just a shell now

Hi there. I’ll provide the information below but basically, I don’t have a family doctor (I will be looking into getting one soon but regardless, I don’t currently have one), so the only place that has my medical history is this one walk-in clinic and the hospital. But like the title reads, I don’t legitimately don’t know how to explain my issues to a doctor in order to get help.
I’m 26F, overweight, have GERD, take 2 doses of 40mg Pantaprazole a day.
Beginning around 11 years ago (when I was 15), very very infrequently, I would sometimes get this weird sudden sensation in my lips and tongue that was kind of pins and needle-y. But it was brief, and happened so infrequently that I wasn’t worried about it. Whenever it happened, it stayed small, uneventful, and happened to my lips and tongue. The next part is the beginning of my problem because I don’t remember at all when it started to get worse. But the last couple months (MAYBE?) it has happened far more often, sometimes 3+ times a day, and usually at least once, and the tingling sensation has begun to spread up my face sort of like the Joker smile, and will irritate my ears and make them itchy right in the ear drum and won’t stop for a minute or two.
So I’ve noticed that this happens when I stand up really quickly, so I thought maybe it’s a blood pressure thing. Maybe I have hypertension, maybe I need to get checked out for that (as I said I am largely overweight and my diet is Not Great lol). But sometimes it happens when I’m not really doing anything.
Something else that happens now (again, I legitimately don’t remember when it started), is that when I have these little episodes, I get this little ring or spot in my vision in my left eye and my head feels fuzzy - but I do NOT have any loss of my faculties, I have no issues with my brain function. I am aware of everything that happens and I can talk and function through it it just feels horribly annoying and makes looking at anything scary because of the spot on my vision.
So then I thought, maybe it’s because of staring at my tv screen or phone screen? But I don’t wear glasses, my vision is fine, and this was never a problem before.
So my brain has been racking itself for any possible explanations, and all I’ve come up with are: - high blood pressure / hypertension (The only reason I’m not 100% convinced it’s this is because when I was in the hospital in the beginning of April [for GERD related stuff, not my current problem], they took my blood pressure like ten times and no one indicated to me that I had problems) - brain tumor? (Dramatic but it could be?) - seizure disorder (Also dramatic because I don’t get seizures but it’s entirely possible to have tiny ones that really present as seizures right?) - a developing eye problem?
And obviously I know better than to believe everything on the internet, but in this case, the only thing the internet tells me is that it’s haloes or floaters, which I don’t think is the case because that would be less problematic I’d think.
So with all of that being said, I don’t know how to explain this to a doctor. Walk-in clinics don’t really have the patience for a long winded story about my problems. In my experience if they can’t write you a prescription and send you on your way they want nothing to do with it.
So please, tell me your thoughts, or give me advice on how to advocate for my health?

My budgie Whitney had terrible sneezing this week and by Saturday she was wheezing when breathing through her nostrils. So I moved her into the sickcage in another room and moved the air purifier with her. I called the emergency vet and ask what options I had. It would cost a lot to have them come and open the clinic for me and take a look at her. So I opted to wait. Sunday rolls around and she is no longer sneezing or having problems with her breathing.
Now Monday and I called again and they didn't have a time for me so they gave me the number to another vet. I called him and he gave me a time today. I put poor Whitney in the travelcage and walked the 15 min to his clinic. She was really amped up during his exam. Climbed all over her cage and flapped her wings in his face. Understandably upset.
He belives it to be ectoparasite, a type of mites as I understand it. He says its in her nostrils? So he would look into medication and give me a call later with instructions and write out a proscription. I will be cleaning the cages top to bottom, including food bowls and such after giving the medicine. Repeat after a few days to kill of any hatchlings.
Whitney is now in her caged sitting on her foodbowl. I gave her some millet but she doesn't seem interested. She has had a rough day :( Im gonna leave her be today and let her recover.
Do you have any experience with ectoparasites?

HS/pretertiary teacher for 15 years here, severely disillusioned with this career and sleepwalking, depressed and anxious, through the year until I can get a handle on what to do next.
I teach in a nongovernment school in a small state capital, fairly privileged demographic, plenty of good kids and no serious disciplinary issues. However, today I had to walk across the school for some copying etc, and was able to look inside at least half a dozen classrooms, as our new building has glass walls.
In EVERY classroom, EVERY student was staring at a computer screen. Not surreptitiously, it was just part of their lesson. Far out, it made me feel so sad, and so frightened for my own children’s educations as they grow up. Is this what our kids do now, go to school and tap away at a keyboard all day? Everything online, everything through a screen, everything transmitted through wifi and pixels?
Twenty times a day my brain screams: stop the ride, I want to get off. Does anyone else feel like this? I know I’m probably suffering from mild clinical depression, and should do something about it, but seriously? What are we doing to ourselves as a society?
Stop the ride. I want to get off.

TL;DR: Got a 10y/o batting 9-55 with 9 BB and 32 SO. He’s hit before. This is mental and I don’t know how to fix it. HELP.
I’m an assistant coach for a pretty talented 9U team that frequently plays up and finishes competitively. We’re fortunate to have talented and athletic boys.
I’ve fallen into (and love) the role of dugout coach. I really enjoy trying to coach the mental side of baseball. I like to think that I’m typically pretty good at it, but I’ve got one kid that’s in a slump that’s put him so far in his head that I’m afraid he won’t climb back out prior to tryouts for fall ball. He walks back to the dugout after every AB just purely defeated and it hurts me for him. He’s been successful at the plate before. This is new for this spring.
Problem used to be backing out a step during his load, starting with back foot. Almost a ‘scared of the ball’ thing that turned into habit. I figured that out and thought I’d really done something, but his slump continues. Head pulling, late lunging swings, etc. When he has put good contact on the ball it’s been directly into a glove or a fielder has made a great play, just adding to his frustration.
I’ve said everything I know to say to him about not letting pressure get to him, that’s baseball, etc. His very well-meaning (and baseball-smart) parents are giving too much instruction while he’s in the box and I know they’re frustrated for him. They’re not hiding it well and I think he’s taking that as them being disappointed in him. The other coaches have given up on him. He’s given up on himself.
I am absolutely determined not to give up on this kid. His fielding skills are smooth as silk here lately. He watches MLB and is very baseball smart. You can talk to him and he gets what you’re saying. He’s freaking hilarious and has a huge heart, and I know that doesn’t matter but I love the kid and dammit I want so bad to do something, anything to get that ‘click’ to happen. Any and all suggestions are welcome, no matter how out of the box they are. I have 3 weeks guys.

Hi folks, first day here, and feeling comfort in reading other people’s stories. I’ve got a long story and I’m not familiar with the acronyms, so forgive me for these things.
For context, I’m 40 (she/her), my husband is 39 (he/him), we had one kid at the time, and have another kid now.
My husband (let’s call him James) and I have been together for 20 years; we’re now 40. We had an amazing and drama-free relationship for the first twelve years, though it was sometimes riddled with bad habits we had inherited from our parents (being defensive, dismissive, reactive, and not taking care of our own mental health and nervous systems). He was my best friend, we had so much fun together, and brought out the best in each other.
Our relationship took a nose dive when our son was born in 2015. I saw an immediate change in James when I went into labour: he became very spacey, and subsequently forgetful and inconsiderate. I in turn became more reactive and we had arguments nearly every day. In 2018 he had a mental health breakdown, and he came out to me as bisexual. I was immediately celebratory, though in finding out that good friends of ours knew for months before I did, I started doubting my instincts and my sense of reality.
Things continued to spiral due to my husband’s mental health crisis. James took a huge leave of absence from work, and we started sleeping in separate rooms. Me expressing any amount of my own feelings to him, even if they weren’t ABOUT him, sent him into a catatonic state for days. He asked me that we not have any conversations at all unless it was in the presence of our therapist, so that his nervous system could heal and his meds could take affect; this was a direction, James said, that was coming from his own psychiatrist. I did not like this and knew my own mental health would be greatly affected by holding in my thoughts and feelings 90% of the time, but I agreed in the hopes he’d get better, and that I’d deal with my own mental health later.
Then in 2019, on the eve of our 10-year wedding anniversary, I found out he had cheated on me, and had given me an STI. I spent our 10-year wedding anniversary getting stabbed in the butt with a needle in a strange clinic. While James suggested we separate, instead we decided to immediately open our marriage. While I thought an open marriage would suit us well in the long run, it felt dangerous to implement it while we were in crisis, but it seemed better than my husband walking out on us. Our open marriage boundaries were: we both got two nights out a week to do with what we wanted, we had to be home by 3 am, we had to give full disclosure and we had to check in about hooking up with people who were in our social/work circles. These boundaries were far looser than I would have liked but way more stringent than what he asked for. He was rarely home on time, and would usually text me when he was already an hour late. He told me I could never yell at him again, and couldn’t sit in the despair of the infidelity. He also blamed me for his mental illness, told me there was “always something” we had to fix in our marriage and he was tired of fighting for it. He was callous and careless and prioritized himself over the needs of our family every step of the way. This lasted for about five months and was not remotely the marriage I wanted to be in - I was truly running on adrenaline as I tried to juggle this, work, and our kid, but I did it in the hopes that James would recover his mental health one day, and that I would once again recognize this person.
Well, it happened, literally overnight. His psychiatrist increased James’ medication, and all of a sudden he was his old self again. I’m talking, mannerisms came back, old turns of phrases, and his actual care and concern about people who weren’t himself, including me. Overnight he became a considerate partner again, and the man I had married. He started expressing his disconnect from his unwell time, and told me he had trouble remembering much of it. As the pandemic hit we closed our marriage, and I began my own healing. It’s been a hard road personally but he has been amazing at standing by me and supporting me through healing from HIS actions. We’ve had a very calm and amazing three and a half years with very healthy communication, respecting of each other’s needs and boundaries, and a very deep emotional and physical connection. During this time, we’ve reopened our marriage a few times, with new boundaries that worked for both of us. The openness and honesty we achieved during these times was really wonderful.
Fast forward to now: Our marriage is currently closed as we’ve moved to another part of the country, started a business together, and had another baby. I wouldn’t have made any of these decisions if I hadn’t felt so secure in where we are as a couple now, but recently my intuition was piqued and I snooped on his phone. During this snoop, I found out that James, during his period of illness, had hooked up with a guy in our social and professional circles, and then lied to me about it, and had never told me in the years since. Finding out in retrospect that James had violated every one of our set boundaries for our open marriage sent me reeling. I came clean to him about snooping, and we started therapy again. Very quickly I felt much better, knowing how sick he had been during that time, and how different he was now. BUT then, not two weeks later, while on his phone for something unrelated, a text message caught my eye, and I read it. Turns out a new friend of his kissed him recently, and James didn’t tell me. When I confronted him about this, he was pretty shocked at himself that he had compartmentalized it so much that it didn’t even occur to him to tell me. James and I had even recently talked about this friend and about how James wasn’t sure if he was attracted to this guy or not. It would have been the perfect opportunity to tell me about the kiss, but he didn’t. And finally, after that, I snooped one more time and found out that, during his illness, he had hooked up with his best friend who was my only veto. I watched James find out that information and he seemed shocked, confused, scared, and said he was going crazy because he has no memory of this hookup.
Now I feel broken. I worked so hard to be an understanding and accepting partner, and have literally never gotten mad about anything that he has been upfront about. What’s worst of all is how this anger is manifesting in me. It feels so uncomfortable to sit in anger towards him that I’m turning it inwards on myself, and blaming myself for “making such a big deal” over things that happened four years ago, and then the recent “just a kiss”. My instincts tell me this recent mistake was a one-off and that he is not that sick person anymore, but I still don’t know how to learn to trust him again.
We’re in therapy again but I feel conflicted about that as well - last time we were in therapy, our therapist was very good at keeping things on equal footing, but now that I know my husband was still lying to me that whole time, it feels useless, and I question the point of therapy now.
We had twelve good years, followed by three increasingly worse years, followed by THE worst year of my life, followed by the best four years of my life. There have been more good years than bad, but I still feel so much shame over the year I spent bending to every whim of his: shame that I didn’t support him as well as I could have, yet shame that I stayed when many other people might have left. I have worked so hard to overcome the trauma of those terrible two years but now I doubt if I can ever fully shake it, or ever fully trust him again.
So … how do I sit in anger towards him, and how does that anger get resolved? How do I learn to trust him again, and will it necessarily be blind trust?
Thank you for your care in reading this.

Finding the perfect apartment can be daunting, but these chic and cozy apartments in Spring Branch Houston, TX offer the perfect combination of style and comfort. Whether you prefer a modern and sleek design or a warm and inviting atmosphere, these apartments have something for everyone. Don't wait any longer; find your dream apartment today with us!

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the importance of medical supplies and their role in healthcare. Medical supplies are essential tools and equipment used by healthcare professionals to provide quality care, diagnose medical conditions, and treat patients effectively. From hospitals and clinics to home healthcare settings, having access to the best medical supplies is crucial. There are reliable medical supply providers offering a wide range of products. Let's delve into the significance of medical supplies and discover the best medical supply options in McAllen.

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In today's article, we will explore the various available options for community medical equipment. When it comes to providing healthcare services and support to the community, having the right medical equipment is crucial. Medical equipment plays a vital role in diagnosing, treating, and managing various health conditions. From wheelchairs and walkers to oxygen concentrators and hospital beds, there is a wide range of equipment designed to meet the diverse needs of individuals in the community. Let's dive in and discover the available options!
Community medical equipment in McAllen, TX offers a wide array of options to cater to different healthcare requirements. These options include:
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Wheelchairs are essential mobility aids for individuals with limited mobility. They provide support and freedom of movement, allowing users to maintain their independence. Manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs, and transport wheelchairs are some of the available options. They are designed to accommodate various body types and specific needs, offering comfort and maneuverability.
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Since we're nearing the one year anniversary of JWD release, I thought it was a good opportunity to share with you the ideas I had for a rewrite of the film. I grouped them in a detailed pitch which I will present this week in a series of five posts. Today's post is about the story's prologue and first act. Tomorrow's will about the second act and so on... This detailed pitch is divided scene by scene and is accompanied by a few notes. It's basically similar to something that someone would present in a pre-production meeting.
However, before you start reading that series of post, I'll suggest that first you check the foreword on this page (https://archiveofourown.org/works/47647999/chapters/120097705) and secondly that you carefully read the paragraph below, as it's about the connection between that JWD rewrite and my previous rewrites (don't worry, you don't have to read the entirety of my stories before this series of posts, just the information below).

Important notes on my AU:

1) For those who didn't read my previous stories
- The stories told in this AU have a darker tone and are more adult than those of the films. Thus don't be surprised by some character actions or events. If they were films, they would be unsuitable for children under 12 in Europe (and the limit would be probably higher in North America). Thus, I would say that the Read at your own risk rule applies here for the younger users of this subreddit. I'm not trying to be edgy or whatever. I'm just an adult writing from an adult perspective. Nothing more and nothing less.
- By the late 2010's and early 2020's, there is still a considerable population of de-extinct dinosaurs and pterosaurs in the Five Deaths. An UN-backed paramilitary organization, the Grey Guard, protects the archipelago and had troops on Nublar up until the fall of Jurassic World.
- The Jurassic World park had feathered dinosaurs and Owen's Achillobator quartet were among those.
- The Fall of Jurassic World happened in 2017 and the Lockwood estate incident in 2019. The Indominus' rampage and the Sibo's eruption happened at the same time while the Costa Rican incident which preceded that of the Lockwood estate happened in the mainland and not on Nublar. Those two incidents are told in Jurassic World: The Red Queen, my FK rewrite (and which we'll abbreviate as TRQ).
- Roberta and the mosasaur died after the Fall of Jurassic World. Thus, they are not in TRQ and The Hegemony of Biosyn. In those stories, Roberta's role is mainly filled by Acrocanthosaurus.
- Claire and Owen aren't exactly identical to their versions from the official film canon. In terms of look, Owen is closer to Jason Momoa than Chris Pratt and Claire, while still being a fair-skinned redhead, is a bit taller and more intimidating-looking than BDH.
- In this AU, Claire is a far more morally ambiguous character than Trevorrow's version. She's more outspoken, and has a the end justifies the means mindset. For a time, she had serious PTSD from the Fall of Jurassic World, during which she was mauled by the Indominus (which clawed her face and bit off one of her arms). She also didn't create the DPG in this AU (someone else did).
​
2) Spoilers of the end of The Red Queen necessary to better understand the context and plot of The Hegemony of Biosyn.
- The Dinosaur outbreak which resulted from the Lockwood estate incident is less severe than in Trevorrow's version. Dozens of dinosaurs still escaped into the Californian wilderness but by the beginning of The Hegemony of Biosyn, they hadn't the time to establish considerable wild populations (except perhaps for the smaller species) while the dinosaur alert is mostly restricted to western North America. Broad strokes, there is no "Dinosaurs are everywhere on Earth. We're in deep shit! You're wondering how? Shut up, it's magic!" at the start of this Dominion rewrite but more sporadic incidents here and there and only beginnings of biological invasions in some areas. Moreover, TRQ's epilogue insists more on the propagation of de-extinction technology.
- At the end of TRQ, Claire and Owen are hired as field agents by the World De-extinction Monitoring Centre (WDMC), a UN agency.
- Maisie isn't adopted by Claire and Owen. In TRQ, she even has limited interactions with them (she gets involved in the incident only when the Indoraptor enters her room) and Owen isn't her saviour in that story. After the incident, she stayed at the manor with the Lockwood estate employees and just before his death, Lockwood entrusted her to Wu.
- In the late 2010's, InGen's biggest rivals were Biosyn and Grendel. At the end of TRQ, a collapsing InGen is bought by Biosyn and Wu hired by the latter's R&D department.
- Wu and Claire became sworn enemies when she became park director of Jurassic World (this relation worsened during the park's fall following some revelations) and while she left him alone at the end of TRQ, she told him she'll show no mercy if he has a share of responsibility in another disaster.
3) Notable differences between The Hegemony of Biosyn and Colin Trevorrow's Dominion.
- Grant, Malcolm and Sattler are absent. I preferred to leave those characters in peace rather than mistreat them (and even after I finished THOB's detailed summary, I don't see how I could have integrated them in a pertinent way, and there is already many... many characters).
- Most of the fan-service towards the first Jurassic Park was flushed down in the toilets.
- Barry Sembène is absent too. Not only the reasons of his inclusion in Dominion's story didn't conviced them (how what seemed to be just an animal wrangler ends up being now a secret services agent?) but in this alternative universe, him and Owen had started to fall out during the fall of Jurassic World and at the beginning of The Red Queen, we learn that he went back to France. I originally intented to make him one of the main characters of a spin-off set in France (and after the events depicted in The Hegemony of Biosyn) and we would have saw him again only then (wishing to leave dinosaurs behind him, he took a zookeeper position in some zoo in Ile de France, where he works with birds of prey. But a crisis in another part of the country force another of the protagonists (a gendarme) to recruit him due to his experience in InGen's IBRIS program). Thus, the role he's having in Trevorrow's Dominion is given to other characters in The Hegemony of Biosyn.
- Some characters have a different fate.
- A longer story, sometimes similar to that of a political thriller.
- Additional characters and subplots. A hypothetical casting for the original characters is available on the Archive of Our Own page linked above.
​
Without further ado, let's dive in the story.
​

Prologue

The prologue is set in mid-2022, in a village of the Austrian Alps, near the Italian border. On the village's outskirts, a man is awakened in the middle of the night by the panicked bleating of his goats. After checking them, he is attacked and killed by a mysterious small predator while one of the goats, a black billy, runs away. Nothing is seen of the predator during that sequence but the two-toed tracks it leaves in the ground.

ACT I: The chessboard and the pawns

Drive-in
After the prologue in Austria, we move to North America and more precisely an Oregon wood where an Acrocanthosaurus (a species introduced in TRQ) is being chased by a Fish and Wildlife Service helicopter. It's basically the drive-in scene from Trevorrow's version except that Roberta is replaced by the Acrocanthosaurus.
News Montage
Soon, the drive-in incident is in the news and we have a news montage with the world situation three years after the Lockwood estate incident. We learn that:
- De-extinction technology is mastered by various organizations across the globe.
- Incidents involving loose de-extinct animals occur from time to time. The controversial Grey Guard, an UN-backed paramilitary organization based in the Five Deaths, has been solicited by various nations to help their authorities deal with those incidents. The USA are however among the nations who refuse to let them intervene on their soil and instead, the US government use the CIA's Dangerous Species Division (which recruited several former InGen employees like Doctor Kajal Dua).
- Mantah Corp fell during those three years while Grendel was considerably weakened after some deadly incidents in Cameroon and southern India (one of their consequence is the outbreak of a dinosaur-related encephalitis in Cameroon, quite similar to one which occurred in Costa Rica in the late 2010s), leaving Biosyn as the number one in the field of genetic engineering.
- All of its biggest rivals now out of the equation, Biosyn has a hegemony and is thriving more than ever despite heavy criticism by some people who bring out the corporation's past controversies (like a certain rabies vaccine test in Chile). In a conference scene, Zoe Murdoch, Biosyn's vice president presents their newest creations, which includes variants from species already introduced in the series (She compares InGen's tyrannosaur, original trilogy's Raptor, Triceratops, Compsognathus and Quetzalcoatlus to Biosyn's. The raptor is feathered, the rex and trike are more in line with modern scientific depictions, the Compy is feathered and docile enough to be sold as a pet, while the quetzal is more pleasant looking than InGen's flying abominations which massacred people during the Fall of Jurassic World). The report also precise that Biosyn created tailored and more docile dinosaurs and use the example of the pack of featherless raptors they made foloaned to motion picture company Europacorp for one of their action films, showing footage of featherless and boxy-headed raptors jumping from roof to roof during a film shooting, where they were handled as easily as trained big cats or even dogs (This use is possible partly because de-extinct creatures have less rights than modern animals).
- Biosyn is also contracted by several governments, including the US, to capture the loose dinosaurs. To their sanctuary and research facility in the Dolomites valley of Auronzo, they sent some of the escapees from Lockwood's estate and their offspring, the animals which escaped Grendel's facilities in Cameroon and India (A group of Nasutoceratops and a 2010's style Spinosaurus are seen during that part of the report), and others... The close ties between Biosyn and the US government are also mentioned (in addition to providing help to the FWS agents, Biosyn has also several important contracts with the government and some people within the Agriculture department and the Food and Drug Administration are former Biosyn employees).
- However, there are some rumours that the Cameroon and Indian incidents were actually triggered by Biosyn and incriminating proofs were brought before the US congress but the investigation commission, led by Senator Christine West, rejected them.
San Francisco
Shortly after this testimony, Guillaume Vuillier, the World De-extinction Monitoring Centre's general director, is seen in the agency's headquarters in San Francisco. Since the US government doesn't seem to be willing to act against Biosyn, he's afraid that the WDMC and its allies have to deal with Biosyn's case alone. After some incidents in the Alps along the border between Italy and Austria involving creatures they presume to be raptors due to the nature of the tracks found, the UN and the Italian and Austrian governments have imposed an inspection on Biosyn's Sanctuary in Auronzo Valley. Vuillier and others suspect that the attacks' perpetrators indeed came from the Sanctuary.
The Inspection
Vuillier travels to Venice, where he meets with Dougal Benett, one of his European field agents, and the rest of the inspection group, which includes Mario Viscontini, head of the AISI (Italy's internal intelligence agency), and Giovanni Pazzi, Minister of the Interior. The inspection group then heads to its rendez-vous point with Biosyn, meets Murdoch and Ramsay (both usually work at Biosyn's HQ in Cupertino, California), and then embark on a Biosyn helicopter which takes them to the Dolomites and the Citadel, Biosyn's research facility (Though it's not as pretty as the building from Trevorrow's vision and a little bit more austere-looking, it's still impressive) which overlooks the Sanctuary.
The group inspect the facility, with head of security Lucrezia Pellegrino explaining how the dinosaurs can't leave the valley (through control chips and invisible fence systems), and even get to meet Dodgson, who made sure to hide anything controversial and have everything look in order. Thus, the inspection group doesn't find anything suspicious and returns to Venice. But the WDMC employees and Viscontini weren't fooled by Biosyn's "Everyone is beautiful. Everyone is nice" presentation, Vuillier points out the Sanctuary's flaws (too small to let a huge number of animals roam it freely, climate is not ideal enough for dinosaurs...) and are aware that controversial, if not illegal research must be conducted in the Citadel's secret wings (as it's way more isolated and hard to access than Cupertino's HQ).
Dodgson is aware of their distrust and both he and Vuillier start moving their pawns on the chessboard.
The DSD
In the CIA's DSD headquarters in San Francisco, the division's leader Isaac Gibbon (and perhaps senator West. I'm not yet sure if I include her in this scene or not. She could be visiting the division about funding matters or something like this) attends a presentation made by one of his agents, Jessica Bigelow. The presentation's topic is Claire Dearing and after summarizing her life (with a few saucy anecdotes and pictures from Claire's youth and early years at JW), Bigelow shows how the fallen park director fascinate some people, especially online, and how she managed to put a part of the public opinion on her side in the recent years after being treated like a pariah in the couple of years that followed the fall of Isla Nublar (Being positively depicted in the DPG documentary Franklin Webb made back in 2019; occasionally making vlogs; appearing on Stephen Colbert's show without her mask and answering his questions with honesty and self-derision...). The CIA agents say that she's the WDMC's most surprising and promising element alongside her fiancé Owen Grady. Both are nicknamed Vuillier's Wolves by them as they, especially Claire, are tend to be ruthless with those who oppose them, especially in unofficial and borderline illegal missions Vuillier give them, consisting in spying and/or sabotaging nefarious de-extinction related organizations. Bigelow also mention that it's highly probable she's also The Ghost of Nublar, a mysterious figure who challenged the Indominus during the Invasion of Burroughs, when Isla Nublar fell.
The ranch
One night, somewhere in the western US (could be Nevada like in Trevorrow's version), a trio of people is seen breaking out in a ranch-like facility. Once they're in its heart, the group split up, with one of its members heading towards another building. The two others, revealed to be Zia Rodriguez and Franklin Webb from the Dinosaur Protection Group (which is led by Zia, as the organisation's founder resigned at the end of TRQ) enters a warehouse which contains rows of cages with baby ceratopsians. While Zia and Franklin film the evidences of the animals' mistreatment, we return to their mysterious companion, whose face is concealed by a balaclava. However, an attentive viewer can recognize her green eyes and her prosthetic hand: It's Claire, who's on an unofficial mission for the WDMC. After avoiding or neutralizing some guards, she breaks out in the facility's offices. There, she discovers documents which might contain indicate a connexion between the illegal dinosaur exploitation and Biosyn (who could be selling embryos, eggs or juveniles to those exploiters before denouncing or sabotaging them years later, being paid by the government for capturing the dinosaurs and finally sending them to their Sanctuary). After this infiltration segment, ensues an action scene where our protagonists have to escape the facility aboard a vehicle stolen by Claire. During this scene, she seriously injures or even kill one guard, something she doesn't care much about at the moment but which will have some consequences.
The following morning, Claire phones Peggy Zubiri (Guillaume Vuillier's assistant, who sometimes act as a "Mission control" person for Claire and her colleagues) to tell her that she has the evidences they were looking for. The former director of Jurassic World then has a discussion with the two DPG members in which Zia laments that despite all her organization's actions, it seems that things aren't evolving in the good direction for de-extinct animals and that the morale within the DPG is at its lowest. They then departs for San Francisco, where Claire has to give Peggy the documents she found before returning to her and Owen's cabin.
The wranglers and the thieves
We then cut to Owen, who's in the middle of a WDMC-US FWS joint operation somewhere in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where they have to capture some dinosaurs (candidates could be Dryosauruses or juvenile Gallimimuses and Hadrosaurs, as wrangling adults on horseback is quite unrealistic to be honest). However, as they are leading the captured dinosaur(s) back to their base camp, our group has an encounter with Rainn Delacourt and his men. It plays out like in the extended version of Trevorrow's film, with Owen and his companions being forced to give the animal(s) to Rainn. However, just as Rainn's team are taking the dinosaur(s) away, Owen tells one of the FWS agents that this situation is only temporary, as Rainn will soon get a surprise...
Maisie
In Orick, Maisie Lockwood exits the estate to go biking in the area. A scene where she encounters some dinosaurs like in the film might be included here. O'Hara (the old lady who participate to her kidnapping in Trevorrow's film) is seen watching her. She returns to the manor just before the evening. The place is not as vibrant as before (it's almost a ghost manor. As it's the autumn, the place would even look ominous), with only a handful of employees remaining, including Theo Lomas, the man who saved her from the Indoraptor three years ago and who now works as the estate's guard. Officially, Henry Wu became Maisie's foster father when Benjamin died but the geneticist, who was assimilated by Biosyn when it bought InGen at the end of TRQ, now lives in the Dolomites facility and his visits to Orick are rare. Thus, Theo became Maisie's true foster father in addition to being the closest thing to a friend for her. He expresses his worries about her long excursions outside but as she's started to become a rebellious teenager, things are tense.
Vuillier's interview
We cut to an interview of Guillaume Vuillier on the French television set just a few days after the Dolomites Inspection. At first, the journalist ask questions about the inspection of Biosyn's complex and the incidents in the Alps before addressing the rumour which says that the masked individual who recently attacked illegal dinosaur breeders might be a WDMC agent, Claire Dearing to be precise (as the colleagues of the deceased guard(s) claimed the attacker was a woman with a prosthetic arm). The journalist brings out another case where Claire made veiled threats to a suspect while on an official mission (with said suspect declaring she almost acted like a Gestapo member or something like this), and as Claire is Vuillier's subordinate, the journalist ask if he intent to sanction her. Annoyed, Vuillier retorts that she acted on legitimate defence and that those people had the choice to cooperate but didn't. Having noticed strange in the journalist's attitude, he suspect that the French government (Due to certain events in TRQ I won't name to not spoil you, the latter has Vuillier and the couple in their radar) paid them and tried to discredit him through that topic. The interview makes some buzz, enough to attract the attention of Odegaard, Vuillier's boss and the leader of the UN environment programme (the character is mentioned but never seen).
Sightings map
We get several little family scenes with Claire, Owen and Sigurd, their four-year old son. One of those scenes shows Owen briefly looking at a map he pinned in their office, depicting California and the neighbouring states. On it, he put Blue's sightings. The last of those was in Yosemite area, where the Raptor Whisperer searched the Achillobator earlier in the autumn but to no avail.
In the meantime, we learn that Rainn was arrested after the authorities followed the tracking chip Owen put in the animal the poacher stole. With the animal seized by the FWS and him heavily compromised on a judicial standpoint, Rainn is raging.
Nyamu
Just after his return to San Francisco, Vuillier receives a video call from Lester Nyamu, a friend and colleague from the UN environment programme's HQ in Nairobi. After that interview in the French media, Nyamu tells Vuillier that Odegaard fears the bad publicity Claire might give to the WDMC and wants to send him to the US at the end of the winter and have him follow Claire in her missions, acting as an inspector. His inspection will decide if they can keep Claire as a field agent or not.
While on an official field mission, Claire is contacted by Vuillier, who tells her about the current controversy. He announces he is forced to send her back home and have her do teleworking and not participate to any field mission, official or not, until further notice.
Resonating Chamber
Stuck at home, Claire takes interest in raptors' behaviour and reads not only her fiancé's IBRIS stuff but also whatever the WDMC has on the topic, including reports from the scientists stationed in the Five Deaths and the testimonies and notes of Alan Grant and Billy Brennan. After watching a video where a group of WDMC scientists and grey guards stops a raptor attack on Sorna by using a resonating chamber identical to the one Brennan made back in 2001, she remembers Owen commissioned a similar one for Achillobators and finds it. She then start learning to use it.
The Palaeontologist
As Auronzo Valley has received its first snow falls, we are introduced to Biosyn Sanctuary's resident palaeontologist, the Scotsman Rod Drummond. Dodgson asked him to act as a tour guide for two teenage girls, the daughters of an investor with which he is negotiating, but they are not interested in the slightest about what's he is saying and are on their phones even though there's dinosaurs outside (a group of Stygimoloch is seen foraging in the snow). Short-tempered (the character is a bit like the lovechild of Gordon Ramsay and Westworld's Lee Sizemore), Drummond grab one of the phones and smash it against the nearest wall. The girls protest but Drummond gives a long rant in which he almost reveal the Sanctuary's true purpose, something he's really uncomfortable with. When they return, Dodgson ask the girls if they're okay (he has a soft spot for children) and yells at Rod but the palaeontologist ignores him and storms off to his office. Some minutes later, he receives the visit from the girls' father, Nathan Quinn. The investor apologies for his daughters' behaviours and tell Rod that he accepted Dodgson's offer in exchange of a seat in the board of directors.
Bailed out
Rainn is bailed out by a mysterious ally and once free, he plans his vengeance upon Owen. He receives a phone call from an unknown woman and first presumes it's her who bailed him out but it isn't the case. She tells him that she has a mission for him, consisting in capturing a particular dinosaur, a blue Achillobator. Having been told about the relationship Owen had with this animal, Rainn accept the mission, claiming he'll succeed where other poachers failed.
Achillobators
There is a time jump to the middle of the winter, just after the New Year. Claire and Owen recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of their meeting and the Raptor Whisperer is in their office, once again studying Blue's moves on the map, trying to discern a pattern or a trajectory. He ends up realizing that she's heading right towards the area where they live. As if to confirm his guess, there is a shot which shows an Achillobator in the snowy woods.
A few days later, Sigurd, Claire's and Owen's son, is playing in the snow when a young Achillobator with blue feathers steps out of the nearby woods. It's about to pounce on the child when its mother, none other than Blue, calls it back, recognizing the boy from the Orick incident (she nearly devoured him during it but changed her mind at the last second when she recognized Owen's smell on him). Owen rushes to grab his son and Blue stands before her young. Claire steps out of the cabin and while walking towards her fiancé and their child, she uses the resonating chamber. At first, it seems to calm Blue but the raptor then decides to retreat into the woods with her young. The family go back inside the cabin and the couple have a talk about what just happened and debate about what they should do with the two Achillobators as they can't be left in the wild, both for their own safety and that of the local animals and people. One of them think about telling the Fish and Wildlife Service but the other retorts that the FWS is likely to send Blue and her young in their complex in Pennsylvania, where the captured de-extinct animals are usually given to Biosyn and flown to Europe, and that they're not sure if Auronzo Valley's sanctuary is truly safe for them. An alternative is suggested, consisting in capturing them without telling anyone but a few trusted people and then bringing them to the local Wildlife Park Owen worked for between JW's fall and the 2019 incidents. This would only be a temporary solution (if Blue kills locals, they're afraid that the park will be targeted) while Claire would negotiate with Vuillier and one of her friends, Lord Francis Clayton, a British aristocrat who owns one of England's largest zoos and wanted to buy Blue during the 2019 auction InGen held at Lockwood estate (a legal one, unlike the one organized by Mills at the same moment). The couple indeed thinks that the two raptors will be safer in the United Kingdom than in the US, where Biosyn's influence is much stronger. During that scene, Owen also gives a name to Blue's young: Victoria, after Victoria Beckham (in TRQ, it's revealed that he originally wanted to name the raptor squad after the Spice Girls). (Thus, bye bye Beta)
The couple starts planning and organizing the capture operation, even asking the help of Zia as they need a veterinarian, but the news of two hunters mysteriously disappearing in the area reminds them of the situation's urgency. And hearing about this, Rainn Delacourt soon arrives in the area.
Wu's call
Wu calls Maisie, telling her he has something important to show her and he invites her and Theo to the Dolomites. As it's about her mother Charlotte, Maisie accepts.
Tragedy in the Sierra Nevada
Zia, Franklin and one or two other DPG members, along with a couple of people from the before mentioned wildlife park and one of the FWS agent from the wrangling scene, arrive at Owen's cabin, ready to offer their help in Blue's and Victoria's capture. The couple and their allies set off.
But Rainn and his men finds the raptors first and lure Victoria into a trap. Blue tries to free her and kills all those standing in her way but Rainn mortally wounds her and leaves with Victoria before Owen can stop him. During the skirmish, one of the DPG members and the FWS agent are also wounded and Claire and Franklin are forced to drive them to the nearest clinic while Owen, Zia and the others search for Blue. When they find her, they realize she's in agony and Zia tells Owen that this time, she can't save the Achillobator. With great difficulty, Owen takes the decision of putting an end to Blue's suffering. She is buried in a secret location deep in the woods and just before he, Zia and their colleagues departs, Franklin tells Claire that this failed mission was the final straw and that he'll leave the DPG and consider a job offer he recently received, arguing that when amateurs try to make things right, innocents gets hurt and that they should let those kind of issues to competent authorities.
Claire then informs Vuillier about the incident.
Leaving Orick
O'Hara, the Biosyn employee dispatched at Orick, picks up Maisie and Theo at the manor and they leave the estate.
​
End of Act I.
See you tomorrow for Act II.

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The maw of the moss-wolf chomped down on the treat, its partner patiently waiting its turn, an eye trained on the Human providing the sustenance. Joseph reached into the pouch, counting out what he had left and mentally setting a few aside for the raven-like birds that Scarlet had trained to bother him.
Well, ‘bother’ might be a strong word. They would whistle at him and wait for food. Upon getting their hard sought quarry, they would return to share it with the rest. Surprisingly cooperative, all things considered. Scarlet had apparently been getting them to associate certain short melodies with members of the pack, allowing her to send the avians after whoever she wanted for more snacks.
If they didn’t get any, then they would yell something not dissimilar to a caw until either food was procured, or they grew bored. Given that they had taken to humouring Violet in her attempts to be a mobile perch, that usually took a while.
It drove Nalah nuts, which seemed to be part of the reason the blond-furred female was included in the ritual at all. Harrow was apparently the favourite target of the nuisance when she was outside the base, but he couldn’t say why.
The tell-tale scratching had been somewhat muted since the shift in medium, but Violet’s writing was always something he kept an ear out for, his daughter presenting her tablet excitedly. [It blinked!]
He turned his head to the cow-looking thing, the unwavering stare held until he gave up. “I swear you guys are just messing with me.”
“Or we merely enjoy your suffering,” Sahari suggested with a smirk, the black-furred female standing taller than him for a moment as she stretched her legs out. Settling into a height that was level with him, she attempted to offer the wolves food. Receiving a fearful retreat instead, the black-furred female frowned, the two canines shifting in their enclosure to be closer to Joseph and Violet. “They still seem to distrust any but yourselves.”
He shrugged, taking the scrap from her and giving it to the young Atmo to pass along, her chittering laugh when the wolves accepted the morsel breaking the soft sound of trickling rain outside the barn. “Faye was the one who started this. I guess they treat her like an alpha of sorts, and seeing her bow to the two of us so often told them that she’s lower on the pole. That’s my guess, anyway.”
“That is….rather intelligent of them, if so,” Sahari commented pensively.
The Grand Hunter tipped his head in agreement. If anything, it was an understatement. The six-legged canines were remarkably receptive to taming, though he couldn’t say how much of that was due to Faye taking to his suggestion so seriously. He had only offered it as a passing thought, but she had set to it like their god had mandated it.
He fought back a sigh at the reminder of his placement in the whole thing, his foot kicking the ground to adjust the new sandals he was wearing until Pan finished proper shoes.
One day, he was a divorcee flirting with random women on a cruise ship so that the rejection validated his own self-esteem issues. The next, he was a guy in charge of a settlement nearing one hundred people and had become a manifestation of religion condensed into the form of some random moron.
He snorted at a morbid thought. How would Emma react to his ‘rise to fame?’ His acquisition of more than they had ever thought for themselves back on Earth?
Owning a territory? They could only manage a nice apartment that could fit several times over inside the base. Friends? Hell, he had a group of people who have helped him through some of the worst the planet had to offer. Kids...well, nothing could replace Violet. He doubted Emma would see it the same way, though.
A paw enclosed his shoulder, dragging his mind from more sombre thoughts. It had been quite a while since everything fell through and he had moved on, but it still stung every now and again.
“What ails your mind, Joseph?” Sahari asked with a concerned inflection. He looked over at her, a smile becoming easier after a moment.
“Just wondering how my ex-wife would react to seeing what I’ve turned into. What she’d say to all of this,” he admitted honestly with a wide gesture to everything. She patted his back, a small pride in her gaze.
“You continue to heal, Grand Hunter, but you are still scarred. Your previous mate would curse her decisions were she to see what you have accomplished.”
He snorted, a wide dry grin breaking out. “I’d love to see her face going back with two alien wives and this sweetheart as a daughter,” he teased, giving Violet a thorough rub on the head. She purred, chittering between breaths as she fought off the rough affection playfully while keeping her blades tucked for safety.
The black-furred female tilted her head and shifted her weight to her other foot. “You’ve mentioned that there is a specific procedure for binding the lives of your people, no?”
He blinked, his mind flickering to the two rings he had prepared, yet held some modicum of expectation around before he whipped them out. Not least of all was the foreign sensation of doing it again twice, nor finding an appropriate time to do it. It was hard to pick a picturesque moment when each day was paperwork, punching people in the face during spars, and orchestrating the well-being of such a large group. Given that the closest thing he could get to a romantic occasion was laying down on the grass while Nalah barked orders at the construction crews in the distance, he didn’t feel like it was ever a good time to ask. It was even harder picturing himself doing it to the two of them, as if it cheapened the gesture in some way.
Then there was the part of himself that feared rejection—as stupid as it sounded. They could deny the alien practice, not share the same sentiment, or any number of disagreements that would render him kneeling like an idiot. As unlikely as it was, it could even be too great a commitment for them, the implication of their entire lives being pledged solely to him being a crushing weight, rather than a promise of mutual loving dedication.
Sure, now they were speaking as if it was the case, but the circumstances as they were lent themselves to it being a product of necessity. Who was to say that it would remain the same once they got off this rock and—hopefully—in touch with their own people again. Would they still feel the same way with an entire species back on the table as possible romantic partners? Would he still be enough?
“Joseph,” Sahari called out with worry and irritation in equal parts. “You are making me anxious.”
“Hm? Oh, sorry,” he apologized sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he was reminded that more than one person could be afflicted by his emotional state. She placed a paw to her hip.
“Are the proceedings really such a means for strife?”
“Ah, no, it’s just…” He averted his eyes, offering Violet a token smile when she seemed to be concerned about him. He inhaled deeply. “It’s just…I have reservations about it.”
She raised a brow. “I need not a bond to know you care for them deeply enough to toss your life to the Void for them.”
His weak smile faltered further. “Well, yeah. They mean everything to me, but I cant help but remember how things went last time, I guess. There’s a million and one ways it could go up in smoke, and I…” He fell quiet for a moment, Violet pressing herself into his side in an attempt to cheer him up. He rested a hand against her back, the texture comforting in a way. “I want it to be an important moment in our lives, rather than some disposable token that they accept without thinking much. It’s not like they’re swimming in potential romantic partners here, so it feels like they’d be agreeing for lack of options.”
She stared at him with a hesitant expression, her cheek pinched between her teeth and eyes narrowed in thought. “Pan would sooner end her own life than be separated from you, and Tel would end any who so much as suggested such,” she stated finally. “To you, the mark upon your flesh is but a sting that fades. To them, it is their declaration that they have found their reason to live. A declaration that is shown to all others of our people the moment they draw near. Though Pan lacks the means to impart her own, she is rather pleased that another is able to in her stead and treats it as her own for all intents.”
She grabbed him roughly by the arm, pulling him into her breast as she stood to her full height, a surprised yelp stifled by soft clothing and fur.
“Unfortunately for you, openly voiced or not, we all feel as such. Though you bear not the mark of everyone in the den, I assure you that to be removed from you would leave us lesser, regardless of bond.”
He shut his mouth at the last addition. There was a weight behind knowing that people were likely to simply give up on living if you were away for too long. It put the relationship in front of a loaded gun for both parties. They couldn’t afford to break it off from him because existing would become a living hell, and he couldn’t change his mind for any reason because it would be the same as killing them.
What kind of marriage was one built upon such fragile pillars? How could they be happy when every fight was tempered by the threat of the end of everything? What about Sahari? Could she ever pursue her own life with Nalah when she had the bond shackling her to him? How long until that became a stinging poison, rotting away the veins and arteries of her psyche? How long until death became preferable to being around him?
A strong impact to his stomach winded him, though the unnoticed hyperventilating left him little to eject as he fell to his knees. Violet clicked in surprise, the wolves backing away at the unexpected violence.
He coughed, sputtering spittle as he fought the urge to evacuate his breakfast. A pained glance up revealed Sahari still clutching a fist, her expression just as hurt.
“You hear my words and twist them, Joseph,” she chastised softly, crouching to look at him better. “We pledged our lives to you. Not because we had no choice, but because we believed you to be our future. From that moment on, our desire was to remain with you.” Her voice grew weak, almost pleading. She placed her forehead to his, the contact an intimate touch. “Your experiences may suggest our bond a prison, but for us, it is an ambrosia for our soul. It completes us like no equal. Jax and Harrow care for you immensely, Nalah and myself owe you everything that we are, and your mates will fight the Hunt Mother herself if it would mean even one more sun with you.”
He found himself speechless, wading through the emotions behind her words a syllable at a time. The feeling of Violet pressing into his back in an embrace stung as much as soothed, his mind rejecting the idea, yet so desperate to accept it.
“Do not desecrate our affections because you had been scorned by one who did not see within you that which we covet,” she implored sombrely, raw emotion oozing through the confines of speech. “Though you doubt it, none would know how much value you place in the ‘mark’ of your people more than your mates. If merely thinking about the unlikely event that they refuse tortures you so deeply, than the elation they would share with you when they agree would likely see Pan unable to contain herself for many suns after.”
He stayed on his knees, the warmth surrounding him from both sides seeping within and thawing the frozen excuses he held onto to prevent exposing himself to potential rejection. Every step of the way since he had met them, it had made him fearful of losing their company. At first, the thought of being left alone to brave the planet was too much to bear, but he would try. Now? Now he felt like he understood where the minds of those bonded Lilhuns had been. Even considering being away from his new loved ones pulled at a primal part of himself, each tug stronger than the last, each suggestion fanning the flames barricaded behind morals—the depths he would trudge to see it never come to pass.
Sahari nuzzled into his neck for a moment before parting, a somewhat satisfied smile given towards the emotionally fragile Human they had taken to depending on. He returned his own, though it was tinted with a bit of embarrassment.
Violet stepped back to allow him room to stand, the extended joint of her blade asking to be held like he did with her adoptive mother. His expression softening, he did as requested, lightly rubbing the smooth surface with his thumb. It soothed a part of him to be holding his daughter’s ‘hand’ while they watched the wolves slowly approach the front of their enclosure again, now that the momentary intensity had faded.
With a self-deprecating roll of his eyes, he nodded, promising himself to follow through with his small wish the next time the chance revealed itself. It didn’t need to be perfect, but it would be nice if it was at least private. The dull ache in his stomach would be a reminder not to second guess himself anyway.
The wolves yipped, ignoring Sahari as they moved towards the other corner. Joseph glanced at where they were focused, his curious gaze replaced by surprise, then shock.
Raine supported Faye over her shoulder, the deep gold-furred female’s breath short as she rested her weight over her brown-furred counterpart, their black leather coats dripping water onto the floor as it wrapped tightly around them, concealing their armour. A steady trickle of blood flowed from a long gash on Faye’s leg, her free arm clutching across her breast to keep her coat closed.
Without waiting for either to speak, he ran to pick up the Wraith, slinging her across his shoulders and tearing off to the base. He could barely hear Sahari over the rain and his own blood pounding through his ears, his heart hammering in his chest. Though they had established something of a clinic for minor injuries that were sustained constantly, his singular focus was getting Faye into the medbay.
Pack members cleared the way, some jumping to the side as he barrelled through the sparely populated routes between home and workplace. More than one tripped over themselves in shock, the Human never having a reason to go at a full sprint before. He was slower than a Lilhun like this, but he could make it the full distance before them. He didn’t need to slow down.
Harrow pushed open the doors to the hub, her distant expression as she examined thin ironwood tablets perking, his rapid heavy footfalls telling of his arrival before she had the chance to see him. Her eyes lit up, her brows furrowed, and a hurried pull of the door kept it open for him, all in sequence. He didn’t have the spare breath to explain or thank her.
The orange-furred female bolted across the hub, slamming into the crash-bar installed into the facilities wing entrance to force it open, only barely outpacing the Grand Hunter in his rush. She staggered to her feet behind him, rushing to collect herself and assisting in tearing the pants off of the injured female when Joseph laid her on the bed.
Modesty being the least of his concerns, he braced an arm across her pelvis to stop her hips from bucking as Harrow wiped off any dried blood to see the extent of the damage on her thigh.
“What happened?”
He tightened his hold on Faye as his friend tentatively spread the wound to check for debris. “Don’t know. Didn’t ask. Saw her bleeding, rushed her here,” he answered through deep breaths, each strike of his adrenaline-fuelled heart pressing against his lung capacity.
Harrow frowned, grabbing some sterile water to pour over the wound and picking out a stray splinter of wood that looked to be from her missing leg armour. Faye let out a small whine, but didn’t have it in her to talk yet, signs of exhaustion and pain unfocusing her eyes.
The Head of Technology—and current medical expert in the room—pursed her lips against her muzzle. “We need to stitch it. It’s too big for just healroot.”
Joseph nodded, easing his weight off the Wraith and wiping his sweat from his brow. “Pan!”
Noticing the urgency in his voice, he could hear her throw the door to the sewing room wide open and jog to the medbay, her wide eyes steeling as she assessed the situation.
“Idee with you?”
She nodded, ears turned perfectly towards him.
“One of you boil off some palm string, the other sterilize the thinnest quill you can get away stitching a wound closed with. I don’t care who, but we need one of you to close this up.” He glanced at Harrow. “Grab some alcohol. I keep a bit in the closet in my room, next to the old crossbow prototypes. We need to flush this out and kill off anything that might have gotten in.”
The orange-furred female tipped an ear in confusion as Pan took off to do as he asked. “I thought you didn’t have medical-”
“I’ve been around enough workplace injuries, okay? Go!”
His shout jolted her into action, a few steps required to gain traction as she ran out the door. Applying solid pressure to the wound with one hand, he used the other to lightly tap Faye’s cheek.
“Faye? Faye, you with me?”
Her eyes languidly turned to him, slow blinks and meaningless mouthing ceased, a soft smile forming under her pained expression. “Hello, sir.”
He exhaled a relieved huff. “Welcome home, Faye. What happened?”
She seemed confused by his question, glancing down to her leg after a few seconds. With widened eyes, she struggled to sit up, Joseph forcibly pressing her to the bed.
“Stay.”
All resistance disappeared in an instant, her body complying despite the obvious urgency. He hardened his expression.
“What happened?”
She breathed deeper a few times before speaking. Each word was hesitant, as if the memory was hazy and diluted, though he couldn’t tell if it was due to blood loss or exhaustion. “A large grey beast…teeth, large mouth...attacked wolves...”
His brow knitted, Faye’s coat moving. A small whine came from her again…no. Not her.
A small yellow canine head freed itself from the confines of black leather, a weak keening produced from a tiny moss-wolf. Faye looked at him guiltily, a pleading look in her eyes given as she composed herself.
“It lost its parents…”
His protest died in his voice, a distant memory of a wolf being torn in two came to mind. The time before they had even moved to the pod, let alone met the Lilhuns, him and Violet checking snares shortly after his ankle had healed. A time so long ago, yet remained with him under the surface.
“You saved this little guy, huh?” he asked gently, wincing in tandem with her own when he leaned heavier on the massive gash in her thigh. She nodded, averting her eyes. “Did you get the ‘beast?’”
Faye shook her head. “Raine lured it away, but it still remains.”
“That’s fine. You’re back, that’s all that matters right now.”
Harrow bumped into the doorway, failing to shed all of her speed as she returned from fetching a smaller container that Joseph kept in case the rest of the pack burned through their stores of alcohol. Her eyes flicked to the wolf pup before disregarding it to hand him the ethanol. He lifted his hand, Harrow pouring some water to wash off the blood. Volta would be busy later, it seemed.
Gesturing for the orange-furred female to hold the leg down, he poured the alcohol into the wound, grimacing at Faye’s pained gasp. They didn’t have anything for her to bite into, but that would be a future consideration.
Pan and Idee entered the medbay, the former moving like a machine with purpose while the visiting seamstress took a moment to size up the situation. The Paw fetched a tray from the shelf, laying out several strings of softened palm and a few thin quills, threading one and passing it to Idee. The light brown-furred female accepted it, Harrow making room as she stood next to Joseph.
Pan handed him a tough leather strip as wide as his palm. Seems like she saw the problem before he did.
“Open up,” he prodded, placing the leather between Faye’s teeth. “This is going to fucking suck. We don’t have anything to numb you, so you need to stay as still as possible, okay? I’ll be here the whole time.”
The Wraith nodded, staring at him for a moment before closing her eyes in acceptance, her grip on the pup firming.
“Want me to take the wolf?”
She lightly shook her head, him exhaling hesitantly in response. Idee readied herself, looking to him for confirmation, Pan holding Faye’s ankle flat to the bed.
“You’re good,” he responded, pressing an arm to Faye’s chest and hips to hold her down.
The deep gold-furred female managed a quiet muffled groan of pain as the quill pierced her flesh.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
He entered the hub, dropping himself on the couch and ignoring the sweat on his brow. He had only just managed to get the blood off of his hands after Idee finished, but it was still staining his clothing. Pan was off to rinse it out of her fur while Faye slept off her exhaustion. As far as they could tell, she had avoided any infection thanks to Raine half-dragging the female back to them as quickly as she did. The wolf pup was staying with her for now, since—even in her sleep—she refused to let it go. The little guy didn’t seem to be complaining, so they just left it where it was comfortable. Ferra would be by later to check it out, apparently, and he didn’t see a reason to complain; she was their animal expert.
Scarlet offered him some tea, the warm liquid whetting his pallet that had since dried. Sahari had checked on them during the process, leaving to keep anyone who had questions in the loop. Given that half the damn pack either saw or heard about the Grand Hunter running like a bat out of hell, pretty much everyone was worried. Either about some urgent threat that might befall them, or about one of the quiet servants they had grown used to seeing around.
Looked like the Wraiths had taken to offering small services and assistance to people who needed it when they didn’t have anything better to do, so the pack was curious about what had happened. It was a small blessing that the usual armour they wore when ‘on duty’ was covered by the cloaks, otherwise he would have more questions coming that he didn’t want answered.
Raine stood a few paces in front of him, her bowed posture holding a hint of fear under his unwavering stare. He waited for whoever else was going to show up for the report, Tel and Pan insisting that they be involved. Harrow followed behind the two entering from the facilities wing, either because she had gotten wrapped up in the whole thing, or because she wanted to be included.
Pan sat to his left, Tel taking a place behind him to remain standing. Harrow surprised him, her recently elusive presence firmly displaced as she dropped onto the couch to his right, her tail curling around his calf—not that she seemed to notice.
Given that both Tel and Pan trapped a limb or two with their tails regularly, he didn’t stop to put thought into it, the encapsulating appendage crossing him as a common occurrence.
“I don’t know how accurate it was, since she’s still pretty out of it, but Faye said one of those grey bear-deathtraps attacked some wolves before she stepped in to save the pup,” he opened, glancing at Scarlet. The almost black red-furred female was maintaining a surprisingly commanding presence, her attention laser-focused on Raine. The brown-furred Wraith kept her gaze fixed to the floor, too ashamed or nervous to move it.
“I apologize for her error in her stead,” she announced, the slightest of grip in her folded paws digging her claws into her skin. “The fault is also mine for not preventing her misstep. I will accept any punishment for our mistake.”
He exhaled heavily. “I’m not mad that you guys had an original thought, Raine. I’m worried about those iron-maiden-looking fucks being around again, and I’m concerned about you getting hurt.”
“Of course, sir. Forgive me for the arrogance of assuming your priorities.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, Pan squeezing his thigh in support. Tel rested her head on his, the weight somehow comforting despite the grin at his annoyance. “We can talk about not getting yourselves killed later. Are you injured at all?”
Raine’s ear twitched. “No, sir. I am whole.”
“Good,” he sighed, nodding lightly. “That’s good. Faye’s patched up for now, but she’ll be under observation to keep on top of any possible infection. How did the ‘mission’ go?”
The Wraith perked up a bit, the conversation moving away from her perceived failure. She produced a satchel, pulling a rather thick stack of tablets from it and passing them to Scarlet, the latter ferrying them to Harrow. He thought it was an odd choice, but the orange-furred female started giving him an abbreviated translation of the text.
Line after line of transactions. What was offered and received, any debts and who owed them, as well as small notes about what should be brought next time. It was a comprehensive copy of the ledger that the trading caravan kept. His brows raised at the sheer density of information, and for them getting it from something he was only partially sure existed.
“You managed to get this much?” he asked in disbelief. “Jesus. Were you caught?”
Raine shook her head. “If we were to be seen by them, we would be nothing more than a stain against our Blademaster.”
Compliment or boasting, doing this much was damn impressive. Especially with just the two of them.
“Shit. Well, good fucking job, I guess,” he managed, still reeling a bit from the unintended scope of the task. Harrow continued to dig through the report, though stopped voicing it aloud. Joseph turned his attention back to the Wraith. “Anything else of note? Rumours?”
The Wraith grew pensive. “Though we returned partially through their return trip to Grand Hunter Pernel, we did overhear some conversations. There were discussions of other packs simply no longer occupying their settlements.”
He leaned forward in his seat, dislodging Tel as his elbows rested against his knees. “What do you mean?”
“Some of their usual trade locations were purportedly burned down, others merely abandoned. A few were apparently littered with corpses,” she explained more steadily. “From what we could gather, the reason they came to trade with our settlement at all is that the others along the way were in such states. It seems they intended to restock and head back out immediately to accommodate the loss in trading partners.”
He bit his lip as he thought about it, letting himself fall back against the couch.
“What do you guys think of it?” he asked with a glance to his mates. Pan seemed to be mirroring his own apprehension openly, while Tel kept a more serious expression.
“I believe there is something larger happening,” Tel concluded, taking a few seconds before returning to using him as a headrest. Pan nodded her agreement, but didn’t have much to add to it otherwise.
“It would explain how desperate they were for food,” he mused aloud, raising a brow when Harrow shifted to lean against him, one foot placed on the edge of the seat forcing the posture. “Any details of interest, Harrow?”
The orange-furred female jolted, only just stopping from moving her foot back to the floor before committing to using him as a backrest. She turned back-on fully, stretching her legs over the remainder of the seat and placing tablets she had finished with on her lap.
“It didn’t take very long for the methods you sold to propagate,” she responded, holding up a few of the tablets before laying them in their own pile. “Looks like Pernel has been spreading it around by buying some from places that have bows and snares to sell where they don’t.”
“Supply and demand, or arming people with the tools that would help them survive?”
“Hard to trade with the dead,” Harrow commented dryly, starting a new pile. He nodded in exaggerated fashion.
“What about the Atmo?”
She tapped the small stack she just started. “I’m trying to separate these by inventory type. Give me a bit.”
Deciding to trust the woman in charge of managing this kind of thing while she was on the ship, he glanced back to Raine, the female easily mistaken for a statue if not for the subtle sway of her breathing. “The grey-bear-thing. How far away is it?”
“Too close,” she responded firmly. “We did not get a chance to verify their numbers, but there was evidence of at least that singular beast making our territory its hunting ground.”
“Fuck,” he muttered through gritted teeth. “We’re going to need to hunt that thing down.”
Pan looked worried at the prospect, Harrow stiffened in her sorting. The Wraiths were the only ones who seemed completely at ease with the suggestion, Tel not so much as twitching. Harrow laid down the tablets she had yet to categorize, her gaze aimed at her lap.
“Joe, don’t think that taking one out is easy.”
“We have ranged weapons and more than a few people who can use them,” he pointed out with a breath. “Ideally, we go as a larger hunting party and take the damn thing down through sheer volume of fire.”
“Their skin is tough,” Harrow replied with a shake of her head, her ears pivoting back towards him. “I don’t know if our bows could pierce it as easily as we might like.”
He furrowed his brow. “So, what? Let it close in until it eats everything and starves us out? Until it thinks we look tasty?”
“I don’t know. I’m just saying that this won’t be as simple as firing a few arrows and patting ourselves on the back for a job well done.”
Joseph felt the stiffness of his brow start to hurt from how tight they were knitted. A deep breath centred his thoughts. “We’ll arrange an armoured hunting party soon. Better to take it down before it becomes an issue.”
The orange-furred female nodded, quickly leafing through the remaining tablets and only pulling two more out for the pile she indicated earlier.
“Here,” she said, tapping the stack. “These are records for trading Atmo.”
He suppressed the sigh when he genuinely tried to read the mess they called a language. “How many? Who bought them?”
She hesitated, reforming the copy of the ledger—sans the relevant tablets—and placing it on the floor. The remainder in paw, she held them up over her shoulder, Tel accepting it and going over the contents with an interested tilt of her head.
“From what I can see here, Pernel traded two hundred.”
“Two…” he squeaked, his eyes wide. “Two hundred?”
She nodded, pacing around the couch to stop in front of Pan. “It seems others heard of his willingness to barter for them. He accepted quite a few deals before selling them off again.”
“To who?”
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The door to the ship closed with a hiss, Willin shaking his head at Nav’s questioning gaze. “Nothing.”
Tech removed her CARDs, storing them in the weapons locker before shrugging off her AMR to place in its own unit. “Nothing living, anyway.”
“That bad?” Nav asked, deflating after yet another failed attempt to contact a settlement. The dark green-furred male stored his rifle, seating it into its receptacle with a click.
“Tell Comms to add another eighty to the count.”
“Four hundred eighty-two,” the purple-furred female supplied as she walked past Nav to enter the ship proper. Willin followed after, hanging his pistol holster on the side of his chair as he dropped into it.
“Thirty were covered in wounds, twenty or so were executed, twenty-five looked to have died of accumulated trauma, and the rest were found with singular cuts to the throat.”
“Not quite,” Tech remarked, interfacing with the systems. “Only eight of the ‘executed’ seem to have been done up close.”
“Sniper?” Comms asked as he entered the room, nodding his greetings and taking a seat at his station. Nav crossed their arms and leaned against the doorway as Tech Ops ran some numbers on her screen.
“Wounds are consistent with Anti Material Rifles, and debris suggest they took the ‘material’ part into consideration with their shots. There were a few holes in the buildings that didn’t quite get removed by the fires.”
“Covering evidence?” Willin mused aloud, receiving a thoughtful shake of her head.
“No, I don’t think so. My guess is that the buildings were already on fire when they did it, based on the splinters around the exit holes.”
Comms’ eyes widened in surprise. “Shooting through a burning building? That is rather impressive.”
“Blades?” Nav suggested. “Avalon is required to act against those who break the treaty, no?”
“Maybe,” Tech allowed tentatively. “If it was them, then that would explain the lack of targets.”
Willin scratched at his ear, furrowing his brow as Comms ran another scan for any communications being made. Though a few suns had passed since they had unwittingly agreed to involve themselves in what was likely the first case of war that this planet had ever seen, nothing was being sent anywhere. Regardless, the male kept the scans regular, just in case.
Nav switched the foot they were resting on. “Why not just dispose of everyone breaking the treaty?”
“Maybe they did,” Comms commented, turning back to the conversation as the program ran in the background. “Blades typically function under strict conditions. If they removed anyone who was commanding the hostile action, then they did as required of them. The moment the attack stopped, they completed the terms of the treaty.”
“Or if the Grand Hunter here surrendered and allowed their pack to be subsumed,” Willin proposed, the others glancing at him in curiosity. He waved a paw dismissively. “If everyone in the conflict becomes a single pack, then any fighting from those who still disagree with it is now an internal dispute, thus outside of the purview of the Blades. Check the notes on Grand Hunter Toril and High Hunter Bratik.”
Tech’s eyes unfocused for a moment as she accessed the system. “Avalon is forbidden from interfering with internal politics. Toril was sheltered by Bratik. Since Bratik was from outside of Toril’s pack, it counted as acting against their right to manage their own affairs. Hasen was given a perfect reason to take over, and it forced Grand Hunter Trill to exile the both of them to adhere.” She looked around the room aimlessly as she thought, her eyes snapping to Willin when he spoke.
“And a perfect loop-hole to exploit. Toril loses his supporters, Trill loses a member of his command structure, and Hasen rises in power while leaving Avalon to grit their teeth.” He shook his head, both impressed and disgusted. “Once he attacks another pack, he just forces a vassalage and subsequently executes the new High Hunter for whatever reason he wants. The Blades can’t act on a technicality.”
“So Grand Hunter Pernel….”
Willin nodded at Comms' unfinished question. “In the count.”
“There was a bit of a weird holding area,” Tech added after a moment. “Seemed like somewhere to hold livestock, but even then, it was a bit big. I’m not sure what used to be there, but tracks suggest carts left with whatever it was not long before everything went down, so probably a trade caravan.”
“Well, at least someone made it out,” Nav sighed, pushing off the wall to resume their station. “Where are we going next?”
Willin toyed with the odd silver tablet in his paw, the two unrecognizable scripts curious and alien. “The only pack left before we see what all the fuss is about. Let’s pay a visit to Grand Huntress Sunundra. Hopefully she knows something we don’t.”
Next
A/N: Been a while since we’ve had a proper A/N, huh. Welp, here’s this one. Patreon is currently set to ‘per post’ because i made the account ages ago. Waiting on support to help me switch it to monthly, then I’ll post the Silva render i have. RR is at 30k views and 100 followers.
Figured I’d ask how you guys are liking this arc, hows Willin’s team coming across, etc.
Final note: I’m thinking about rewriting the first ‘book’ so i can get it edited and published! Problem: i have no fucking clue where to cut book 1, and editors are expensive. Where should book 1 end? All i know is that I’d prob end up adding extra chapters to it, as well as lengthening the OG chaps. RR is a ‘touch-up’, not a final product, so those don’t count!

I work as a kennel/vet assistant at an ER clinic. This guy came in at 2 AM with a cat that was DOA and he had it for almost 20 years. It was very sad and we did everything we could to save the cat but it was already gone. We moved the guy to our euthanasia room and allowed him time to visit with the cat before we prepared it for cremation. He was there for over 2 hours. I was told to go in there and check on him because he had moved the door open. And I walked in was like, “Hi. I’m just checking on you because we noticed the door was open. Do you still need more time with him? Take all the time you need if you do” and he said “shes a her but thank you.” And I was like oh my gosh I’m so sorry and he said “it’s okay, you didn’t know her.” I feel so horrible. I normally try to avoid pronouns if I can’t remember the animal’s name and gender but it slipped my mind this time. The guy was very nice about it but I just feel like I rubbed salt in his wound. He was sobbing and I just feel like such a jerk for getting the cat’s pronouns wrong. It was an innocent mistake but I’m definitely going to more proactive in remembering names and pronouns for animals now, especially euthanasias.

Background: I've walk-jogged a dozen half-marathons at 15 min/mile pace, and still consider myself a beginner. I'm very, very overweight, in my mid-30's, with achilles tendonitis...and (foolishly?) signed up for a full marathon in Spring 2024 because I wanted to kick myself in the butt towards losing weight and getting into a regular workout schedule. I'm grateful to have a good friend who is a runner and who inspired me to do my first half marathon a few years ago. With their guidance, and a lot of research/experimentation on my own, I feel pretty confident about my path forward in most aspects, except for shoes. Shoe purchases were always determined by what fit, felt good, and were on sale at the local sporting goods store. Nike, Saucony, Asics, various styles. I would basically just buy a pair 4-5 months before a race, train in them, do the race, and then just keep them as casual walking shoes. Now that I'm looking at a marathon though, I'm getting oddly more anxious the more I read up and wanted to ask for y'all's advice.
Feet: high arches, wide width. Men's 9.5 2E. Hot spots after some, but not all, past races were blisters on balls of feet under big toes and along the outside ball of foot for the 2-3" under pinky toes. (Blisters usually coincided with when I wasn't sticking to training, so I don't necessarily blame the shoes.) Wear pattern on shoes - heels always look like new, but outside balls of feet get worn down until holey and pinky toes often rub through fabric uppers.
Training Plan:
- Phase 1: 10 weeks, average 15 miles/week of 2-5mi runs to build up from mostly walking to mostly jogging a 5k.
- Phase 2: 28 weeks of marathon training, average of 10 miles/week walk-jogging, longest run is 13 miles.
- Phase 3: last 8 weeks of marathon training, average of 32 miles/week, with long runs between 15-20 miles.
- I plan on having 2 pairs of shoes at any given time. 1 pair to do marathon training in, and 1 pair for walking/cross-training. I need help finding the marathon training shoes.
Questions:
- Since I'm big, walk-jogging, and will be going at a slower pace (mid-teens), should I be looking at a walking shoe to get the cushion and support I need since I feel like I squish flat/rub through running shoe support pretty quickly (like closer to 200-250 miles than the 300-500 mile figure I read about.)
- I've heard that insoles can be a cheap way to add more support (high arches) and cushion (I'm putting a lot of force on my feet). What are your thoughts/do you use them? I've tried Dr. Scholl's gel inserts just in regular walking shoes, but they seem too unstable/squidgy. Are foam ones betterecommendations?
- Are custom orthotics worth it?
- Should I buy two of the same shoe and wear 1 for the first 2/3rds of training and the 2nd pair the last 33% of training?
- Besides Saucony Triumphs, what other shoes would y'all recommend for heavy people with wide feet and high arches?
- I'm trying to stick to a $300 marathon shoe budget (2 pairs x $110 training shoes + 2 pairs x $40 cross-training shoes). Is that reasonable?
Thanks in advance for any help and advice.