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#Nine is my Extraction Captain

thepinklink · 11 months

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Have some fluff ✨

The sun took it’s time in rising, and now seems to hang motionless in the middle of the sky, baking the earth—and nine certain Heroes of Hyrule—relentlessly.

“Goddesses, it’s hot,” Legend complains for the seven hundredth time in thirty minutes.

“Vet,” the Captain says from where he lays on the ground nearby. “I swear to Hylia I’d strangle you if it didn’t take so much effort.”

“Guys, please. Argue literally any other time.” Sky sighs, exasperated.

“No, let ‘em duke it out. I could use a distraction from the pain,” Wind says blearily, looking up from where he’s sprawled. “Fight, fight, fight.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be pumping your fist?” Hryrule asks. Wind shakes his head.

“Too hot to do both at once.”

“Ah. I’ll pump my fist and you can chant.”

“Good idea.”

Legend glares at the two as they begin their chanting, and then turns to Wars.

“As much as I’d love to fight someone right now, and as easy as it would be to beat up the Captain, it’s not going to be worth it.”

Warriors scoffs, but evidently can’t find in within him to really argue.

Hyrule and Wind’s efforts are quickly aborted, and the group falls into silence once more.

“We’re back!” Wild’s voice, way too cheerful considering the dire heat, announces his and Time’s return from the town. “And we brought a surprise.”

This piques everyone’s interest.

“Please say it’s hydromelons,” Winds sighs.

“Even better,” Wild says. He picks up the Sheikah slate off his belt. Everyone waits in suspense as Wild taps the screen, until he eventually extracts—

“Ice cream!” Legend, Warriors, Four, and Hyrule all shout, accompanied by visible confusion from Sky, Wind, and Twilight.

“What’s ice cream?” Wind asks, blinking blearily as the white substance in wooden bowls that Wild begins to hand out.

“Frozen milk, flour, and sugar.“ Wild supplies, giving him a bowl. “You’ve really never heard of it?”

“No.” Wind says curiously.

“I haven’t either,” Sky says. Twilight nods.

“I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never had it,” Hyrules says excitedly, eyes glittering as he is bestowed a bowl of the creamy treat. “I never had enough time or money to stop for some.”

Legend is halfway through his bowl before he speaks. “Haven’t had any of this stuff in years,” he mumbles.

“It makes sense you wouldn’t have any,” Wild says as he gives the final bowl to Twilight. “It’s made in Hateno because they can use snow right off Lanayru Mountain, but I mean…the Sailor lives on an Island, Skyloft…I have no idea if ice cream has even been invented on Skyloft. And from what we’ve seen of Ordon, you aren’t close enough to…anything cold, really.”

Twilight sniffs his, clearly growing more comfortable with this concept. He takes a bite, savoring the taste. He is the slowest to eat, his smile growing with every bite.

“That was amazing!” Wind declares, and those who look over find his bowl to be licked clean. “I want more!”

No one seems very willing to give up their portions. Most of them are well on their way to finishing theirs. Wind turns back to his bowl, once again licking the bottom for traces of the sweet flavor before Time takes pity on him.

“Alright, you can have the rest of mine,” the Old Man chuckles. It turns into a deep laugh when Wind pounces on the bowl hungrily.

There’s another minutes of silence as everyone finishes off the ice cream, and another moment of quiet afterwards as they all seemed to mourn the loss of the sweet distraction from the unbearable heat.

“Perhaps we can make more?” Time suggests. Everyone looks at him.

“We don’t know how to make ice cream.” Wind says. “Also, maybe I’m crazy, but the last time I checked, we don’t have snow. Or ice. Or anything cold.”

“Sure we do,” Warriors says. “The Veteran’s right here.”

“Ha ha,” Legend says. “Very funny.”

Warriors looks at him. “No, seriously. You have the ice rod.”

Everyone is silent. Legend scowls.

“The heat makes me slow, okay?”

“I’ll allow it. Now, Champion, let’s see if we have the ingredients…”

The following endeavors include an extra trip to town, which yields yet ore milk, sugar, and tabantha wheat, as well as several somewhat failed (but no less delicious) attempts at making ice cream. Reasonably distracted, no one notices the sun seems to have resumed it’s journey across the sky, until the heat begins to dissipate. Of course, by that time, most everyone is occupied by stomachaches of varying degrees. But if you were to ask any of them, no one would have any regrets.

#linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu legend #lu time #lu sky #lu twilight #lu warriors #lu wind #lu wild #lu four #lu hyrule #ice cream #plink writes

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muddyorbsblr · 2 years

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to save her pt2

Read Part 1 here See my full list of works here!

Part of the 500 Follower Celebration Requested by: @mygfloki

Summary: After being saved by his brother from a gruesome fate and offering his aid in fighting against Thanos and his army, Loki only asks for one thing in return – a chance to do the same for you.

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Word Count: 4.1k

Warnings: waiting for death vibes in the beginning; mentions about the wreckage that kills Reader in Part 1; derogatory use of the word "whore"

Things to be aware of: friends to lovers; probably not the best grasp of time travel

Chaos.

That was the only word that Loki could use to describe the state of the world he'd arrived in when he was extracted from the Asgardian prison cell he'd been locked in for who knew how many moons, by Thor of all the people. Only he didn't look like Thor. Not entirely.

And before he could ask what in the Nine was happening and why he had a new battle axe that resembled the plans that Odin once had for a weapon more powerful than Gungnir, he'd been transported to Midgard, surrounded by faces old and new. They were ready to fight; he, however, was not. In truth he intended to waste away his days in that cell, waiting for his extended lifespan to dwindle down to nothing so that perhaps he could finally be reunited with you. His soul could depart from this plane and move on to the next and you would be there waiting for him.

Instead he was now surrounded by soldiers of the Chitauri, outnumbered and ill-prepared to wield the magic that would have been able to decimate them if he so wished. Instead now his death would be more gruesome than he'd hoped.

"Brother!" he shouted out, hoping that Thor could hear him from his communication device. "I need an assist!"

"I can only get you away from them. Hang on!" He heard the sound of the god of thunder's battle axe whoosh-ing through the air and he held his hand up, waiting to be caught in its path and be flown away from the squadron that had piled on him.

Only the flight never came. Instead the axe remained snugly in his hand, electricity crackling all over his body and sending the Chitauri soldiers flying off of him in a surge of a mixture of both his power and Thor's. All he could do was stare blankly at the axe in his hand, chest heaving as he breathlessly wondered, "What in the Nine?"

"I knew it!" he heard his brother exclaim through the comms. "Brother, you have an opening now. While they have him held down. Remember. Go for the head."

He looked over to see the near celestial being, Danvers, as well as the Captain and Strange holding down the mad titan with their combined strength and powers, each one of them already straining as they did so. "Your window's closing, Laufeyson! If you're gonna do something, do it now!" Rogers screamed into his ear.

"You may as well surrender now," the titan sneered, a strained chuckle escaping him. "That one's so incompetent he couldn't even save his human whore from incoming traffic."

That set off something so wildly bloodthirsty in the god that had him charging for Thanos, flying through the air and swinging Thor's battle axe in the direction of the megalomaniac's head. His fallen head hit the ground at the same time as Loki landed on his feet. "You do not speak of her," he uttered darkly, staring into the blank eyes that went wide with shock in the titan's last moments.

The three Avengers who had held Thanos down let his body go and flop down to the ground, watching as the soldiers and creatures who remained on the battlefield looked at their fallen leader, one by one, and then fleet by fleet, retreating back into their ships and heading up toward the sky. "Hold on, they're running away. What's going on?" Stark's voice came through on the communications.

"We won," Rogers stated, holding out a hand towards the god of mischief. "Thank you. Good to have you on our side."

Loki wordlessly took his hand, nodding in both acknowledgement and assent, all the while wondering about what would happen next. There were talks throughout the battle about having to put back everything that was borrowed from the past to where they were found.

The Infinity Stones. Mjolnir. Him.

He wouldn't get to stay here. And judging from the words his brother had told him before he was whisked off to Midgard and away from his prison cell, he really would have preferred that he be allowed to remain here, in this timeline, instead.

"I'm not returning him to Asgard," Thor grumbled in protest against Banner's instructions. "I have seen what becomes of his life. I saw an opportunity to save him from what I know would befall him, and I took it. Now you are to tell me that I have to take that back? I refuse to."

"Banner, I don't think you understand," Strange explained. "The Ancient One only said that you have to return the stonesto where you found them, in order for them to still serve their purpose for their predestined timelines. We have to return Mjolnir because of the purpose it still serves down the line, but I can tell you right now that any individuals borrowed from timelines don't follow that same rule. Thor doesn't need to return his brother; I don't see any consequences for any of us if we were to let him try and live out a life here in 2023 with the rest of us."

"Truly?" The way the sorcerer vouched for him had taken Loki aback. "Just like that? You would allow me to co-exist with the rest of you? Even after everything--"

"From what Strange over here told me, Rock of Ages, what you did wasn't even supposed to happen. His 'one in fourteen million' outcome where we win did had nothing to do with you cutting off Ballsack Barney's head off. It involved me dying. You gave us all a future where my daughter doesn't lose her father. My wife won't lose her husband. Never thought I'd see the day where I'd say this, but I owe you. There's no way we're gonna send you off back to your timeline just to die," Stark answered him. "Just don't ask for a throne, I don't think we can spring that."

His answer for what he wanted came almost instantly. "All I ask is for a pair of those cartridges that you used to travel through time."

"Brother," Thor began with a touch of caution. "What do you intend them for?"

A melancholia settled over him as he smiled. "You told me back in Asgard that if you could save me from what you knew would happen to me, you'd do it in a heartbeat. And you have. I only wish to attempt to do the same."

An elated smile stretched over the blond god's face. "Your Midgardian. From decades ago?"

Loki could only nod. "I wish to try saving Y/N."

It took a few weeks to rebuild the quantum tunnel that had been destroyed when Thanos' ship attacked the compound, but once it did, Rogers had been the first to go in order to return the stones as well as Mjolnir to their respective timelines.

He didn't return. Instead his fellow super soldier Barnes as well as his fellow veteran Wilson had a conversation with a decades older version of Rogers who had showed up on a bench not far from where the former Rogers had just departed a few mere moments ago. He could sense the bitterness setting into his newfound teammates as they pushed forward with the agenda for the day.

"Brother," Thor spoke up, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I am aware that it is an option and that perhaps the idea is playing in your mind now. To remain in 1993 with Lady Y/N and live out your life there with her. I surely cannot stop you if that is what you wish--"

"It isn't," he cut his brother off. "I simply wished to save her. I will not leave you again. If anything I would be bringing her back here. Perhaps you could finally meet each other."

"Alright then," Banner spoke up, tinkering with the tunnel once more. "Loki, it's your turn. Best of luck with saving your girl."

He nodded wordlessly as he stepped onto the platform, pressing a button on the device around his wrist to adorn himself with the rather gaudy red and white protective gear similar to what his brother had worn upon retrieving him from Asgard just a little over a fortnight ago.

Banner counted down and once he'd gone to zero, the god was flying through a myriad of vivid colors before he found himself standing in an alleyway just a few steps from the scene that had haunted him for twenty years. The scene of your death. Crushed by a semi-truck with a man behind the wheel too inebriated for his own good.

The man had lost control of his vehicle, rendered too weak to maneuver safely out of the way, and in the path of his destruction stood you, speaking with the god and planning out the day you should have been spending together had this inferior mortal man not cut your already fleeting time in these realms shorter. Loki had not even been able to see any semblance of you in the wreckage when he arrived to the scene decades prior, in feeble hopes that perhaps he could bring you to Asgard and perhaps nurse you back to health.

Your fragile mortal form was too broken for repair. Shattered. As was his heart.

But perhaps this was his chance to right this injustice bestowed upon you both by the fates. Perhaps if his brother could give him a second chance at a life worth living, then he could do the same for you.

He was brought out of his reverie by the sound of a mobile device ringing, signaling to him that perhaps it was already time to start moving. He followed the sound of the ringing, his heart lodging itself in his throat upon hearing your melodic voice once more.

"Hello?" you spoke into the phone. "Loki? Is that you?"

He remembered this conversation vividly. Your last words with him. Your last words ever. The god walked closer to you, the ache in his heart growing as he caught sight of the brilliant smile on your face as you heard his words from the other end of your conversation.

"Not at all. I'll call in sick for work today and you'll call me when you get here?" Your smile grew ever brighter as you heard his answer, and he could see the approaching vehicle beginning to skid on the road as its driver began to lose control over the metal beast. There was no more time to waste.

He strode over to you and you finally looked up and caught sight of the fast approaching god. "Loki?" Before he could second guess his decision, he put a device near identical to the one he wore around your wrist and pressed a button, wrapping you in the same red and white suit. And then he pulled you into his arms and pressed another button on his device, pulling you both into the absurdly prismatic tunnel.

You held on to Loki for dear life as you traveled through the flashing colors, refusing to let go until you felt that your feet had finally hit solid ground. And once you did all the god wished for was an excuse to hold you again.

You backed away from him, taking in your new surroundings, eyes wide with a mixture of wonder and shock as you realized that you were most definitely no longer in the streets of New York. He kept himself poised to catch you if you were to step off of the platform as you met the eyes of Barnes, Wilson, Stark, and Strange. Maximoff was by the door of the compound, ready with a change of clothes, undoubtedly having foreseen what the god would decide before he even landed in your year.

"Where am I?" you breathed out, your voice trembling as you locked eyes with the god. "Loki where did you take me?"

"You're still in New York, Miss Y/L/N. As for the when…that's a little more complicated," Banner spoke up, making your eyes go wide at the sight of the giant green Hulk meters away from you and walking over back to Loki, clutching on to his arm. "I'm sorry. I would greet you as my human form if I could still manage it. My name's Doctor Bruce Banner. You're in the year 2023."

The air left your lungs at the revelation. "Wait what--what do you mean--" you stammered. "I can't be in 2023, what would that do to the me in here? I'd be fifty--"

"Darling," Loki cut you off. "That moment from 1993 that we just left was moments before you were destined to die." Tears began to flood your eyes at his admission.

"But we were supposed to--"

"I know, dear Y/N. I know. I heard everything. I still remember every sound from our last conversation twenty years ago."

"Wait. Twenty? But I thought--"

"Erm…perhaps I could explain, Lady Y/N," Thor spoke up, walking toward the platform with his hand outstretched toward you. "My name is Thor. I'm Loki's brother. See, here from when I'm from, you've been gone for three decades. But I retrieved the Loki that stands by your side today from 2013, a decade ago. So to him, he'd been mourning you for two decades. It will take much more explaining for you to fully grasp the context, but what is important now is that you are here and you are safe."

It took a few hours of exhaustive explanation from both Loki and his brother Thor to get you caught up on what you'd missed over the last three decades, after getting yourself cleaned up and getting a clean change of clothes with the help of a woman named Wanda.

She helped to get you caught up with the state of the world in general, having you a semblance of relieved that at least now it wasn't as rampant within workplaces that women were disregarded and disrespected. That assuming you could find your footing in this new world you were in, you could at least expect to be treated better than you were in the job that you held yesterday…well, three decades ago.

This was gonna take some getting used to. A lot of getting used to.

One of the more authoritative figures in their team, Tony Stark, had offered to provide you the materials you'd need to start catching up on the technological advancements of the last thirty years. It was obvious that he was made of money; he was a Stark after all, and seemed to skyrocket the company after taking over from his father. It was also obvious that he seemed to genuinely want to help you, even providing you a top of the line machine to practice whatever you learned from the study material he'd given you.

Wanda as well as a younger member of the team who couldn't possibly even be out of high school yet named Peter had taught you how to navigate the internet, search for terms that you didn't understand. Sam taught you how to avoid the viruses and the porn sites. Banner kept a watchful eye on your progress, reporting back to Stark whenever the billionaire found some time from settling into his new life as a full time father to his little girl Morgan.

And apparently the man was a whiz at finding time because he'd also swung for shiny new credentials and documentation so that your acclimation would go by even smoother by making your old documentations disappear and integrating you into the world as Y/N Y/L/N, born in 1998, rather than died in 1993. With how invisible you truly were back then, it was quite a manageable feat to make it seem as if you hadn't even really existed before.

Before you knew it, six months had passed, you caught up with the most recent advancements of the programming language you'd specialized in and certified yourself twice over, and found yourself taking on more complex and intricate technologies as you accepted a position in Stark's Research and Development department, staying under the tutelage of Dr Banner.

And then, throughout this entire process of integrating yourself into this new world, there was Loki. The god that not only saved your life, but in the process also gave you a chance at a better one. He, too, was acclimating to his new reality but somehow he'd made it a point to be there as your rock throughout your journey. Where the rest of the team supported you through the big strides, he'd been there for the day to day, making sure you weren't overloading yourself with all the new information, keeping you company throughout your breaks and the weekends, quickly filling the role of best friend that you were severely lacking in both your new life, and in your old.

Only thing was in the span of those six months you found yourself falling in love with him. Hell, you were already falling fast back in the 90s after your first encounter with him.

You once swore to yourself you'd never give anyone the power to exploit and abuse you, that you would never love anyone unconditionally. And yet here you were more than ready to rip your heart out of your own chest and hand it over to Loki, fully trusting that he would never do anything that could break it.

Stupid Y/N, you hissed at yourself. Why sign yourself up to get hurt like this? He won't love you back. Why would he? He's a literal god and he's got women falling at his feet over how devastatingly beautiful he is, his bedroom door's probably revolving. He probably saved you because he felt guilty that he was the last person you were talking to before you died, but know this. He. Doesn't. Love you.

Of course he didn't. He couldn't.

And yet despite that you were still more than willing to hand the god your heart on a golden platter. Like a total nimrod.

Today had been one of the rare days where he'd found himself swamped with his duties as an Avenger that you two weren't able to meet for lunch, and truly you were secretly grateful that that was the case. It meant it gave you some time to rationalize yourself out of falling for the raven-haired god.

"No Horns today?" You looked up to find your coworker Sophie standing by your desk, a friendly smile on her face. You shook your head slightly in response, making her click her tongue. "Guess it comes with dating an Avenger, huh, Y/N?"

"Whoa wait. What?" you chuckled at her comment. "Dating? Sophie I'm not—"

"Shame too 'cause I was thinking of setting you up with that guy Brandon from IT? He likes you, you know. But I figured if I even tried that Loki would have my head so I never did." She gave a nervous sounding laugh toward the end, her words drowning you in even more confusion.

The rest of the day went on without much eventfulness; you grabbed lunch with some ladies from the department, bumped into Wanda who gave you quite the peculiar apology about 'too many meetings keeping Loki away from you today', ran into Peter who gave you a similar apology, and then you spent the rest of your day tinkering away at Stark's latest project from his mega list of ideas.

When you finally wrapped up your work for the day and made your way to your apartment within the tower, you were slightly taken aback to hear soft music coming from inside. A few months back you'd given Loki a key because you'd been reviewing for your certifications and he was making sure you hadn't forgotten to eat. You never really thought about asking for it back; of course you wouldn't, you loved him.

Unconditionally, you sighed to yourself, lamenting in your idiocy for breaking your own rule. You didn’t even bother fighting the smile that stretched across your face when you opened the door and found the god sitting on the armchair in your living room, stealing every bit of air from your lungs as he looked at you with those expressive eyes and that smile that made you feel as if perhaps you were the only one he ever looked at like that.

"What's all this?" you breathed out as you noted that along with the soft music floating throughout your apartment, candles were lit throughout your living room, kitchen, and dining area, and there was an arrangement of red carnations, red ranunculuses, and sunflowers at the center of your dining table. You'd casually learned the language behind flowers before you jumped three decades into the future, so the knowledge might be a tad outdated, but you knew the broad strokes.

Passion. Deep love. Adoration. Happiness.

Is it possible? you thought in astonishment. Does he love me, too?

"I was indisposed earlier during your lunch hour, and so I'd thought that perhaps we could dine together after you'd concluded your duties for the day?" He'd stood up from the couch, walking toward you with the grace and focus that you would liken to a wolf approaching an arctic fox. Unjustifiably beautiful and on a single-minded path to devastate its prey.

In your case he most likely didn't even know it. That with every step he was dangerously ever closer to crushing your heart with one wrong move. Or just a few simple words strung together.

"That's…really sweet of you," you murmured, a lump lodging itself in your throat as he stood not two feet from you, one of his hands reaching out to hold one of yours, hooking his fingers around yours. "Though you don't usually do all this just--"

Your words were silenced as he cupped your face with his free hand and laid his lips on yours, sending your heart soaring as you placed your hand on his shoulder to brace yourself, standing on the tips of your toes to return his kiss.

"I'm afraid I seem to have defied one of your cardinal rules, darling," he uttered against your lips, wrapping his arm around you and lifting your feet off the ground as he walked you both further into your apartment, stopping only when your back was flush against the wall, all the while his lips never left yours. As if he was afraid that if he stopped the opportunity would never present itself again.

"My rules?" you questioned breathlessly once he pulled away and proceeded to lightly press his lips to your cheek, your temples, and all across your face.

"I'm not simply here so that we could share a meal, dear Y/N." He placed one more kiss to your lips before he leaned away to look into your eyes, framing your face with his hands as his thumbs stroked across your cheeks. "I've come here to present you with my heart. I've fallen in love with you, precious little mortal. Unconditionally." Your vision blurred as tears flooded your eyes, your heart beating so hard that you could feel your pulse in the shells of your ears as he wiped away the tears that had fallen. "I will gladly give you all of me. Hand over the power to exploit and abuse my love, test the limits, shatter me completely if you wish. Because I've made the decision to trust that you will not."

"What if I mess up?" you choked through your tears. "I don't wanna hurt you."

"I've lived through the immeasurable anguish of losing you once; there is nothing that you can do to me that could surpass that, I assure you." He tucked his fingers under your chin, gently tilting your face up to look at him. "You wish to say something. I can see it in your eyes. Whatever it is, my love, you can tell me."

You finally set the words loose. "I love you, too. And I'm pretty sure I broke my own rules because it's unconditional, too." Your heart began to flutter in your chest at the sight of the brilliant smile stretching across his face. "I'm yours, Loki. I'm all yours." With a sheepish smile, you finished softly, "So…please don't hurt me?"

"Never," he breathed out, tears shining in his own eyes now as you reached up, softly touching your fingertips to the sharp angles of his face and giving him an opening to turn his head and press a kiss to your palm. "You never need worry, my love."

That night you gave yourself to him. The god that owned your heart. The one who saved your life long before he saved you from death.

A/N: Aaaaa I'm so glad I get to give these two a happy ending especially after how I ended off Part 1 🥺 Thank you so much, Celest, for entrusting the idea of this story to me, I hope nagustuhan mo sya, bhie 💖✌️

Everything tag list: @lokisgoodgirl @lokischambermaid @imalovernotahater @mygfloki @lucylaufeyson3 @thomase1 @springdandelixn @fictive-sl0th @mochie85 @laliceee @xorpsbane @gigglingtigger @silverfire475 @cabingrlandrandomcrap @vickie5446 @salempoe @lokixryss @sinsandguilt @lokidbadguy @alexakeyloveloki @glitterylokislut @arch-venus25 @freefrommars @littlemortals @cakesandtom @girl-of-multi-fandoms @mischief2sarawr @thedistractedagglomeration @five-miles-over @goblingirlsarah @peaches1958 @huntress-artemiss @lilibet261 @iobsessoverfictionalmen @holymultiplefandomsbatman @lovingchoices14 @avoliax @devilsadvocactus @purplegrrl27 @lokiprompts @sititran @imherefortomhiddleston @ladyjames78 @stupidthoughtsinwriting @kikster606 @evelyn-kingsley @kats72 @ronnieissupermegafoxyawesomehot @creationsbyme @coldnique

#loki x reader #loki x female reader #loki fanfiction #loki fanfic #loki laufeyson fanfic #marvel fanfiction #marvel fanfic #mcu fanfiction #muddyorbs writes #fic requests

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law-d-water-trafalgar · 1 year

Text

SFW

This is my second story on here.

Context: Law x F Pregnant reader

fluff, some violence, pregnancy

You find out your pregnant then get captured by Captain Kid

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Lawwwww I dont feel that good" you whine as you hold your stomach. Looking at you he places his paperwork down and walks over to you.

"It has been awhile, guess it's time for a check up" stating simply.

"Are there gonna be needles???" you wonder. He locks eyes with you saying

"Yes but I'll be gentle"

"Okay but hang on" you rush to the bathroom emptying your stomach. You feel a hand on your back rubbing it. After you clean up you follow Law to the med bay for your check up. Laying down on the bed you wait for your lover to prepare everything.

"I'm so sick" you say uncomfortably. He glances back at you then brings over a rolling doctors small table with a syringe on it.

"Okay ready?" asking as you nod then look away.

"Count to three please" you plead as he sterilizes your vein on your arm. Preparing the needle.

"3.2.1." and he inserts the needle into your vein extracting your blood. After filling the vile he takes out the needle using a gauze to put pressure on the hole then putting a bandaid on it.

"Yes finally done" you sigh while your husband inserts the vile into a medical machine. Now he gives you the rest of your check up. Once done he looks over to the monitor that the blood machine is attached too and you see his eyes widen and push his chair back slightly. Seeing him like that scares you so you ask

"Oh god what is it, is it bad?!" blurting out. Typing up something on his computer he glances at you again then back to the screen.

"What is it Law? Tell me" you squeel. All you hear is a long sigh as he then rolls over to you intertwining his hand with yours he says

"(n) your pregnant" Confused since you take birth control you say

"I uh what now?"

"your pregnant (n) you have our child inside of you right now, your 9 weeks pregnant" Law says gently knowing your state of shock. Slowly it sinks in until you go

"Oh so that explains a lot. Um are you okay with this?" He looks you in the eyes.

"I'm going to be a father. I'm sure we can work it out. I'm glad actually. I've been noticing your symptoms and had a feeling that's what this was" Trafalgar says briskly.

"No alchohol and no weed for you until our little one comes out" He states to you. You whine cross your arms and then sigh a long sigh.

"Fineeeee I promise I will keep the baby healthy" you reluctantly say as he kisses your forehead.

"Wait what about the withdrawals?" you quizzically ask.

"You didnt smoke everyday it should be fine just minor withdrawals. I'll give you something for them" he says sweetly.

"No fighting either. Were lucky you didnt get hurt last time. I dont know what I would do if something happened to you" he says into a whisper.

"Let me guess the Polar Tang is gonna be my prison for the next nine months?" you say bluntly.

"The next eight months (n)" Trafalgar says firmly.

"Better get used to it (n)"

"Wait can I at least buy something on the next island pleaseee I swear I'll go insane otherwise" you plead. Law stares at you for a moment.

"Its going to be a small town so it should be fine. I know your mental health is important too" He states bluntly. You beam at him and hug him close.

-☆-

To the next island

-☆-

He looked away from you for a second then you were gone. He was distracted by Bepo who asked him a question. Where could she be you looked away for a second and she's gone. He searches the town asking around but to no avail. He starts to mentally panic as his now one month pregnant wife is missing.

-☆-

Trafalgars POV

-☆-

"Bepo let's go back to the sub now" you say with concern in your voice. Once in your office you search your nightstand to finally find (n) viver card and its moving fast too fast. You raise your tattooed hand

"Shambles" to the main control room and place (n) viver card in the clear box which is on a pole.

"Adjust the course to match this viver card were departing immediately" you say loud and bold for all to hear.

"Yes captain!" a uniform nod by all in the room.

-☆-

(n) POV

You couldn't see anything at all you could hear was lots of pirates around you. You managed to figure out you were on a ship from the sound of the waves. Your Sea Prism handcuffs draining you of power from behind your back.

'Please rescue me Trafalgar' you think quietly to yourself unable to do anything else. You knew he still had part of your viver card but hopefully he finds it.

-☆-

After quite a lot of time has pasted but not a full day

-☆-

"Get going you wentch!" you feel a kick to your back.

"I cant see where I'm going!" you yell with a bandana around your eyes and the crew mate just picks you up and carries you instead.

"Forget it we have to get going the boss doesnt like to wait" he says carrying you off the ship onto an island you assumed.

-☆-

You feel the time passing but are unsure of how long it's been. All you know is that your now chained to the floor next to this supposed boss still blindfolded. Some of the crew had tried to rape you and torn your clothes so your bra and panties were exposed. The boss had stepped in

"Dont touch her you imbeciles! Do you want the wrath of a warlord on you?" you heard a booming voice which sounded slightly familiar. Your hormones were up and down when it happened you tried not to cry, not wanting anyone besides Trafalgar to defile your body.

-☆-

Some time later

-☆-

You suddenly hear screams from outside. Pirking up you suddenly feel a sharp jab to your stomach spitting up a little blood, as that familiar voice picks up your chin.

"Dont get any hope sweetheart, hes going to die here and you'll be mine forever" Swiftly the doors are kicked in as the boss let's you go, you shake your head violently and managed to get one eye to see from the blindfold.

" Soo you finally made it here" you look over to your right to see Captain Kid. Turning your head back you see Trafalgar at the doors cutting up lackies.

"Trafalgar!" you yell straining against the chains feeling super weak from that punch and the Sea Prism handcuffs. You prayed that the baby was small enough that it didnt get hurt, your abs were strong.

-☆-

Laws POV

-☆-

"Trafalgar!" you hear (n) yell from across the room. Catching a glimpse of her you see her battered, bruised, chained to the floor blood dripping from her lips. Your eyes turn red as you confront Captain Kid.

"What have you done to her!" you yell enraged. Captain Kid sucks up metals on his arm preparing for battle.

"We just had a little fun" Captain Kid smirks.

"Keep your guard up Traffy!" She yells then you see him give a swift kick to her gut, chains holding her in place spitting up some more blood then falling forward, being caught by the chains now choking.

"Shambles!" you say quickly.

-☆-

"Keep your guard up Traffy!" you see (n) yell as Kid kicks (n) in the stomach which pisses you off even more but you cant let anyone know she pregnant or he may do the unthinkable.

"Shambles!" you yell as you teleport behind Kid

"Scalpel!" stating as you eject his heart, grab it then squeeze it hard.

"ARGG! YOU BASTARD!" Kid gargles on his blood. Kid swings at Law.

"Shambles" Law says missing the attack, then reappear in front of him. You swing again this time cutting off his metal arm. Grabbing his collar you yell

"Where are the keys or I'll kill you where you stand" Law coldly yells. Admitting defeat Kid says

"In my left pocket"

"Dont you want to know how we did it?" Kid laughs spitting out some blood. Trafalgar looks at Kid and gestures.

"You see one of my men has a invisible devil fruit, he can make anything invisible, and hes super fast"

"He picked up your little girlfriend here and ran off quick as can be covering her mouth" Kid laughs at the idea.

"Wife" Law states as he swings Kikoku again straight down the middle of Captain Kid then decapitating him. His heart is put in your pocket as his head you take and say

"Shambles" teleporting outside on the Polar Tang you throw his head as far as you can into the sea as you hear

"Nooo!!" from Captain Kid.

"Shambles" teleporting into the base again you dig in Kids pocket for the keys then quickly release (n). Shes passed out. Must have been when she got kicked. You check her pulse. And a sigh of relief comes to you. Taking off the Sea Prism handcuffs you feel weakened too but head over to kid grabbing each hand but not the body you shackle him with the cuffs, then chain him to the floor.

"No one messes with (n) and gets away with it" you look over to (n) and swoop her up into your arms.

"Shambles" now inside the Polar Tang you set her on the med bed.

-☆-

(n) POV

-☆-

Gasping awake, your eyes flutter open. Scanning the room you breath a sigh of relief. "Trafalgar?" you question loudly.

"Yes I'm here" Law says quietly as you hear clicking of a keyboard. You turn your head to see your lover. "What happened to him?" you quizzically ask.

"I took care of him" Law pulls out a heart and squeezes. With tears starting to form you say

" Thank you I never expected that to happen I let my guard down" you start to sob as he pets your head.

"Shh it's okay your safe now" he coos to you.

"You were out for awhile dear. Look what I have for you though" he gets up grabs something then comes back to you. It's a crochet needle and different colored yarns.

"Awee you went back to that island for me" Then it hits you in a panic.

"Traffy what about our baby?!" you squeel. He just shakes his head.

"The baby is fine I did all the necessary tests and check up on you while you were out"

"Here to put you at ease let's do another ultrasound" He prepares the required devices then puts the gel on and you shiver. Pointing towards the baby you see on the screen a little bean of a baby with its heart going pitter patter.

"So it's all right thank god for my abs of steel" you say quietly. Getting up slowly you feel the pain all over.

"Owww.." you complain and he pats your head again.

"Well now that your sitting up, here take these" handing you two white pills and a cup of water. You take the pills and swallow. "Thank you dear" you say as you had just noticed that your wearing your pjs.

"You changed me?"

"I had to, your clothes were torn and you were bloody" Law states as he holds your hands helping to stabilize you as you get up. You fall just a little but he catches you.

"Let's just do this" he picks you up walks into your shared room and places you on the king bed. He lays next to you with just the nightstand for light.

"I love you Trafalgar" you whisper in his ear causing him to shiver. He wraps his arms around you and says

"I love you too (n)"

"Your not leaving the Polar Tang it's too dangerous, Eight more months " He states holding you closer.

#trafalgar law #one piece x reader #law x reader #trafalgar law x reader #trafalgar d water law

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beatrice-otter · 5 months

Text

Third Chance

Title: Third Chance Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space 9 Written for: fly_to_dawn in Fic In A Box 2023 Characters: Ro Laren, Kira Nerys, Jadzia Dax Length: 13,236 words Rating: General Audiences

AN: Canon has two possible outcomes for Ro Laren. In Picard, she survived the destruction of the Maquis, spent time in prison, and then was recruited by Starfleet Intelligence. In the books and Star Trek Online, she survived the Maquis and joined the Bajoran Militia, and was stationed to DS9 as security chief.

Ro already got a second chance to start her life over, on the Enterprise; I figure this is her third chance at the life she wanted.

On Dreamwidth. On Pillowfort. On Ad Astra. On Squidgeworld. On Cohost.

"Colonel, you can't seriously be considering allowing this." Lieutenant Belasco's voice was filled with a sort of arrogant disbelief that Kira found grating.

If I were going to argue with either Starfleet or the Militia about personnel, it would be to get rid of Belasco, not Ro, Kira thought to herself. The lieutenant was Deep Space Nine's Starfleet replacement for Chief O'Brien. He was less skilled than O'Brien was (although that was an unfair comparison—there was a reason O'Brien had been tapped to teach at Starfleet Academy, a rare honor for an NCO). He was less experienced, both in engineering matters and in personnel management. And he had in full that Human arrogance about the Federation's superiority, with an unhealthy helping of post-Dominion War suspicion and anger.

"Why not?" Kira asked, instead of saying any of that.

"Because she's a terrorist!" Belasco said.

"So am I," Kira pointed out.

"It's not the same thing!" Belasco said.

"Name one thing Ro Laren—or the Maquis in general—have done that I didn't do in the Resistance."

"They used biogenic weapons on Quatal Prime."

"And we used trilithium resin on Solossos III," Kira pointed out. Much as she respected and admired Captain Sisko, and understood his feelings about Eddington's betrayal, that was one decision she disagreed with.

"They regularly killed civilians."

"I killed a lot of Cardassian so-called civilians in my day," Kira said. "That's why the Federation called the Resistance terrorists." She shook her head. "Cardassians don't make as strong a distinction between military and civilian as the Federation does, and when the Cardassians are conquering a place, the civilians are acting as part of the occupation, suppression, and resource-extraction. They're not innocents completely separate from what their government is doing—they're agents of the state no matter what their role or title. That was just as true in the Demilitarized Zone as it was in the Occupation."

Belasco gaped at her, but was at least smart enough not to further that argument. He wouldn't win. "She betrayed Starfleet!" he said.

Now, that Kira had no answer for. But fortunately, she didn't need one. The door to her office chimed. "Come in," she said.

Worf stepped through the door, clad in civilian garb that was half-way between Klingon and Federation styles. She gestured him to a seat on the couch, and sat down in the armchair across from it, leaving Belasco standing off to the side.

"Ambassador, thank you for taking the time away from your leave," Kira said. Given that Dax was still stationed on Deep Space Nine as science officer, and that the station was the hub of diplomatic efforts both between quadrants and within Alpha Quadrant nations finding new equilibrium after the war, they saw quite a bit of him. But he and Dax had a tendency to disappear into their quarters when he was here.

"Of course, Colonel Kira," Worf said, settling himself comfortably. "How can I help?"

"You served on the Enterprise with Ro Laren, didn't you?" Kira asked. "What's she like?"

"Capable, tactically brilliant, and determined," Worf said without hesitation. "She was an asset to the ship on numerous occasions, well beyond what one would expect of her rank. Cool-headed under pressure. However, she did have problems with authority, which made her … challenging to manage."

Kira raised her eyebrows. For Worf, that was effusive praise. "And her last mission with Enterprise?" Had she been like Eddington, biding her time and waiting for an opportunity to betray her crewmates? Or had it been a more spur-of-the-moment thing?

Worf pondered that before speaking. "I was not consulted on that assignment, and I would have objected to it if I had been. Whatever the tactical objectives, it was dishonorable, and part of a flawed strategy that was unlikely to lead to the long-term results the Federation wished. Lieutenant Ro was an honorable officer, and her sympathies would very naturally be with the people she was being asked to infiltrate and betray."

"So instead, she betrayed Starfleet?" Belasco said.

Worf shot him an irritated glance. "Why are you asking about her?" he asked Kira.

"She survived the fall of the Maquis and joined the Bajoran Militia," Kira said. "They're assigning her here, as chief of security."

Worf cocked his head. "I am pleased to hear that she is alive and well, and in a position that will suit her abilities," he said. "I will pass the information on to Captain Picard—she was a protégé of his."

"Her last mission is classified," Kira said. "Can you share anything about what to do to ensure it doesn't happen again?"

"Don't send her out to gain peoples' trust in order to betray them to the Cardassians," Worf said, with the dry understatement he did so well.

"I think I can guarantee that's not going to happen as long as she's in the Militia," Kira said. "Even if the Cardassians turn expansionist again, Bajor will never try to appease them by helping them conquer others."

Worf nodded. "I believe the Federation, also, has learned the futility of attempting to appease expansionist powers. It is foolish, and only emboldens them." This changed the subject to the status of various negotiations and maneuverings among the various Alpha Quadrant powers, which were all licking their wounds from the Dominion War and trying to re-establish their spheres of influence and alliances in the new, post-War reality.

To his credit, Belasco controlled his fuming and made insightful comments at appropriate times. He might be a mediocre engineer, but he had a good knowledge of the larger diplomatic and strategic picture that Kira had found useful.

***

The first thing Kira noticed about her new security chief was the earring.

"Captain Ro Laren, reporting as ordered," Ro said, striding into Kira' office.

Kira looked her up and down. "You a follower of the Pah Wraith?"

"What?" Ro frowned.

"The earring, captain," Kira said.

"The Pah Wraith are a myth to scare children with," Ro said. "There aren't any Wraith devotees, haven't been for centuries."

"You haven't been back on Bajor very long, have you," Kira said.

"Only two weeks on Bajor itself," Ro said. "The refugee processing was on Derna, and the Militia orientation and retraining was on Jeraddo."

Kira nodded. "On multiple occasions, Pah-wraiths have possessed people on this station, either to try and destroy the Celestial Temple or fight the Prophets. One of their followers tried to assassinate Captain Sisko on Stardate 52152. It was a Pah-wraith that collapsed the wormhole on Stardate 51950, and if Captain Sisko hadn't given his life to seal the Fire Caves, the Pah-wraiths would have destroyed the Celestial Temple and spread themselves to countless worlds across the quadrant, and given their malice and love of death and destruction, that would have been disastrous for everyone." She raised her eyebrows. "Nobody told you any of that?"

"No," Ro said. "I did get a number of snide comments about the earring. But I left Bajor at the age of nine and hadn't been back since, so I didn't know it was anything unusual." She reached up and took off the earring, switching it to the other side.

"Why do you wear it on the wrong side, if not to signal allegiance to the Kosst Amojan?" Kira asked.

"Because I don't like people trying to feel my pah," Ro said. She grimaced as she did so, and fumbled a bit with the clasp, obviously unused to wearing it on the correct side.

There had to be more to it; Kira knew Bajorans who rejected Bajoran culture (or aspects of it) and all that the earring symbolized, but they didn't wear the traditional earring on the wrong ear. They didn't wear earrings at all, or wore Federation-style earrings. But Ro didn't seem to want to say more about it, and Kira had more important things to worry about.

"Have a seat, captain," she said, pointing to the chair across from her desk.

"Thank you, sir," Ro said.

Kira wasn't sure if she saw something ironic, or if that was just Ro's normal demeanor. "I have the non-classified portion of your Starfleet record, and Ambassador Worf gives you high praise."

"Ambassador Worf?" Ro said.

"It's a new appointment since the end of the war."

Ro raised her eyebrows. "He's not very … diplomatic."

Kira shrugged. "He's the Federation ambassador to the Klingon Empire. His straight-forwardness sets him in good stead, there. You'll probably see him around; his wife is our science officer, Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax."

"I look forward to it," Ro said.

"I also have a few records from your time with the Maquis," Kira continued. "If we were fighting the Cardassians or the Dominion—or anyone else—you would be a superb addition to this station. If we were a ship in need of a pilot or ops officer, you would also be an excellent asset. But as far as I can tell, you've never had any training or experience with security work."

"That's correct, Colonel," Ro said.

"Any idea why they assigned you here?" Kira asked. Given Ro's record, if Kira were in charge of Militia assignments, she'd have had Ro teaching either piloting or tactics. The Militia didn't have any people with the sort of formal training Ro had gotten at Starfleet's Advanced Tactical Training course.

Ro shrugged. "They didn't consult me, just gave me my orders."

"And if you had to guess?" Kira prodded.

Ro smirked. "I think they thought my experience with Starfleet would be an asset on the Bajoran base with the most Starfleet contact." That was definitely sarcasm.

"Ironic, considering our new Chief Engineer has already been in here complaining about you."

"My reputation gets around," Ro said. "Aside from a few people on Enterprise, not many Starfleet officers liked me before I joined the Maquis."

"Speaking of reputation, if you have an urge to defect again, or disobey orders, please let me know ahead of time," Kira said, voice heavy with both irony and sincerity. She locked eyes with Ro.

Ro matched her in intensity and mood. "Don't give me stupid orders, and I won't."

Kira nodded, secure in the understanding between them. "I'll do my best." In a way, the whole thing felt weirdly like being back in the caves in Shakaar's Resistance cell. Where command was given not based on rank or training or some outside authority requiring it, but on respect within the group. No wonder Ro had had a hard time in Starfleet; they wouldn't have known what to do with her. "So, if you've never done security work before, what's your first step, Captain?"

"I'm halfway through reading the station regulations and the portions of Bajoran legal code that apply to the station," Ro said. "I've already gone over a lot of the security logs from the station's time under Bajoran authority, looking for patterns in both security calls and crimes committed. It looks like there's two basic types of trouble Security gets called for: organized crime such as smuggling and illegal gambling, usually involving Quark in some fashion, and more serious but less predictable trouble coming from visitors to the station. That ranges from 'invasion' to 'cultural misunderstanding.' Not much of that during the Dominion War, of course, but it looks like it's starting to pick up again."

Kira raised her eyebrows. "I'm impressed, captain; that's a lot of work, given how recently you were given your orders."

Ro shrugged. "I wanted to hit the ground running, and if there's one thing Starfleet teaches all its people, it's how to take in and analyze lots of information, and then put it to use."

She really should be teaching, Kira thought; that was a skill the Militia didn't have much of, or if they did, they were only beginning to teach it now; Kira's generation, of course, had no formal training of any kind, and either you sank or swam based on innate skill and whether or not you had a good mentor.

"Any questions about what you've read?" Kira asked.

"I'm sure I'll have questions once I'm finished with the studying and am settled in with the department," Ro said, "but none come to mind immediately."

"Don't hesitate to ask," Kira said. "I worked very closely with Constable Odo—" she suppressed a pang of grief "—and if past experience is anything to go by, there'll be a lot of times when the safety and well-being of this station and her inhabitants depends on the command staff and Security working smoothly together."

"Thank you, sir," Ro said. "I will do that."

"You'll be starting tomorrow morning," Kira said. "I will be at the Security Office to introduce you to your team and see the command transferred to you."

"Alright," Ro said.

"Dismissed," Kira said.

***

Ro sat alone at a table in the Replimat, watching the crowd walk by and seeing what patterns she could spot. Her PADD was out in front of her, but she'd spent a lot of time studying in the past few days, and her brain needed to rest before she could absorb any more information. From here, she could see the Romulan Embassy (in what had been the Cardassian Embassy, before the war), the Security office and detention facilities which would shortly be her domain, and the gift shop. Just out of sight around the curve of the Promenade was the station's temple, the Infirmary, and Quark's Bar and Holosuites.

She'd checked the angles, and from the Security Office it was possible to see across the entrance to Quark's, and watch who was going in and out, but you couldn't see into it; the temple was the only place with a direct view into Quark's (and vice versa, which she couldn't imagine either the Ferengi or the Vedeks were happy with). If you wanted to know what was happening in Quark's, you had to go in. Given that Quark was the most consistent source of trouble on the station, she foresaw herself spending a lot of time there.

"Captain Ro," came a familiar bass rumble.

"Ambassador Worf," Ro said, looking up at him. She'd never seen him in civilian clothes before, and his hair was loose. It suited him. "Congratulations on your new job."

"Likewise," Worf said. "May I introduce my wife, Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax?" He gestured to the Trill woman next to him, wearing a Starfleet uniform.

"Commander," Ro said stiffly, wondering how this was going to go.

"May we join you?" Commander Dax said with a smile.

"Of course." Ro gestured to the seat across the table. Dax sat in it, while Worf grabbed a chair from a nearby table and settled himself in it.

"I understand we're going to be working together," Dax said. "Worf has told me a bit about you."

"All good things, I hope," Ro said.

"Mostly," Dax said, wiggling her head.

"Fair enough," Ro said.

"I have informed Captain Picard that you are alive and have joined the Bajoran Militia," Worf announced.

"Thank you," Ro said, not sure she was pleased. Her greatest regret about joining the Maquis was having to betray Picard's trust. He'd done so much more for her than anybody else alive had, he'd believed in her. She couldn't have done anything else, not and lived with herself, but if he'd decided to hate her she didn't want to know.

"He asked me to pass along his greetings and well-wishes," Worf said.

"Thank you," Ro said again, gut relaxing just a bit. At least it wasn't as bad as it could have been; he might even forgive her, if she could get up the courage to contact him. "How's Alexander?" That seemed safer than asking after any old Enterprise crewmates.

"He served in the Klingon Defense Force during the war," Worf said.

"Little Alexander is old enough to serve on a warship?" Ro shook her head. "He can't be, he was just a kid. My time on Enterprise wasn't that long ago."

"He would not have been old enough to serve on a Federation vessel, which is why he chose to serve the Empire, instead," Worf said.

"Klingons grow up faster than most species do," Dax said, "and Alexander grew at a Klingon rate, not a Human one. It's one of the things we're looking into: Klingons and Trill aren't very compatible biologically, and it turns out there's never been a Trill/Klingon hybrid. Doctor Bashir has solved the initial incompatibilities for gestation, which is the hard part, but there are still other things we need to decide before an embryo can be created. I'd like our children to have a bit longer childhoods than Klingons do."

"You're considering having kids?" Ro eyed Worf. He hadn't seemed that great a father to Alexander on Enterprise. Or that thrilled about him. Everyone knew he'd shipped the kid off to his parents to raise, at least at first.

"We are," Worf said.

"Congratulations," Ro said.

"But you knew Alexander as a small child," Dax said. "Tell me about him!"

"I didn't know him very well," Ro said. "Didn't hang out with the families much on Enterprise. I only really saw him during that one mission where I got turned into a kid temporarily. And then the Ferengi, of all people, captured the ship, and they weren't watching the kids so we were the ones with the best opportunity to retake the ship."

Dax turned to Worf, eyes alight with mischief. "Worf! You never told me you let Ferengi capture your ship! How did that happen?"

"They possessed two Klingon Birds-of-Prey and used them competently," Worf said.

"We never did figure out how they got those," Ro reminisced.

"I doubt the Empire would be happy to announce to the galaxy that they lost a pair of warships to the Ferengi," Dax said. "But you said you had been de-aged. How did that happen? Were you the only one? How did you save the ship?"

Ro explained the transporter accident, and told the story of how they'd used childish tactics to outwit the Ferengi, and Alexander's role in the whole thing. Worf hadn't been present for the most part, being locked up in the brig; the Ferengi had been smart enough to clock him as a major threat.

Dax chimed in with a few stories about some of the odder or funnier things that had happened on the station, Worf adding commentary here or there. It was nice. Collegial. The sort of thing that happened when Starfleet officers hung out together, the sort of thing Ro had so often been excluded from when she wore the same uniform Dax did.

"You know, I'm kind of surprised at the warm welcome," Ro said, studying her mug and contemplating getting another cup of tea. "Considering what your crew did to the Maquis on Solosos III."

Worf shifted uneasily, and he and Dax exchanged a look.

"It wasn't exactly our finest hour," Dax said.

"The tactics were effective, but did not live up to Starfleet's ideals," Worf said.

"I had friends there," Ro said. "Not all of them made it out." She shrugged. "That's war, I guess." She wondered how many of the Enterprise crew had died in the war. She hadn't looked it up, too preoccupied with surviving and grieving the loss of her Maquis friends and comrades.

"Most Maquis died when the Dominion started a scorched-earth policy in the Demilitarized Zone," Dax said. "How did you survive?"

Ro sighed. "My ship was on a supply run, and things were hot enough we hadn't been using the standard routes for … a while, at that point. So there were actually a fair number of Maquis ships that didn't get caught in the sweep—they weren't bothering with small targets, at that point. When we heard what was happening, we went dead and waited for the Dominion ships to leave. Then we headed towards the closest colony, gathered up as many survivors as we could fit aboard, and ran for the border. We happened to be on this side of the DMZ, so we ended up in Bajoran hands. Unlike the Federation, Bajor didn't consider us criminals, so we got asylum."

"And then you joined the Militia," Dax said.

"And then I joined the Militia," Ro said. "And the Federation threw a fit. With the Cardassians gone, they don't much care what happens to former Maquis who live quietly and take up, I don't know, farming or something." And honestly, she'd thought about it, but none of her other options had sounded appealing.

"But given that Bajor is joining the Federation, and even those Militia members who don't join Starfleet or serve on DS9 will have access to classified Starfleet information, I can see why they might not like you in a Bajoran uniform," Dax said. "When they posted you to DS9, were they trying to upset the Federation on purpose?"

"If you figure it out, let me know," Ro said. "From what I can tell, there are a lot of conflicting feelings about the Federation and Starfleet within the Militia. So there was probably at least a little of that."

"It's actually a lot better than it was seven years ago," Dax said.

"Glad I missed it, then," Ro said. People looked at her and saw everything they disliked about the other side. Either they were mad at her for leaving Starfleet, or for ever having been Starfleet in the first place.

***

Ro arranged for the formal transfer of authority and briefing to take place the day before her first official shift, so that she could start fresh. She'd met some of her crew in the last week, but not all of them; and much as she'd implied otherwise to Colonel Kira, her head was still swimming with the amount of procedures, regulations, and station history she'd tried to cram into her head.

She eyed the first-shift deputies, all lined up in the security office.

"At ease," she said, and they relaxed a bit. "For those of you who don't know me, I'm Captain Ro Laren. Captain in the Bajoran Militia is equal to a Federation Lieutenant Senior Grade. Which was the rank I held in Starfleet before I left to join the Maquis. My commission is new but don't let that fool you, I'm not new to military service.

"From what I can tell, this department has been a pillar of this station, performing competently under a wide variety of difficult and unforeseeable circumstances. I'm not a fan of changing things for the sake of change, so things will probably stay mostly the same around here, at least to start. That said, if there are traditions or ways of doing things that you think could be improved, let me know. I don't promise to take your suggestions, but I will listen." She'd always gotten along best with officers who listened to her ideas, even if they chose not to accept her suggestions.

"If any of you are planning to transfer to Starfleet once Bajor formally joins the Federation, and have questions about Starfleet service, I'd be happy to answer them," Ro went on. "If you want to stay in Security you probably won't need much retraining, but if you want to specialize in something else, there'll be a lot to learn, and I can help you get a head start."

She eyed her new department. "Any questions?" There were none, although some of them looked like they had reservations they didn't want to voice. "All right then," she said. "You know your jobs. Get to them."

The deputies dispersed, most of them to patrol or guard stations, one to his shift in the cells—empty, at the moment, so she didn't have to deal with that. Ro retreated back into her new office and dove back into the pile of reports waiting for her.

***

Ro woke up, heart racing. "Lights!" Even years in the Maquis, living in huts without computers and ships without voice commands, hadn't been enough to break that instinctive response. But she was on DS9, now, and the computer obediently raised the lights. That, more than anything, helped her catch her breath.

If she'd really been back on a rustbucket held together with spit and prayers, stuffed to the gills with half-dead friends, dodging Dominion and Cardassian ships with little hope of making it to safety, calling for lights would have done nothing except get her bunkmate to yell at her to shut up.

But she was here, in Bajoran soon-to-be-Federation space, on a Federation-run space station, and the vocal commands worked.

Mouth filled with bile, she went to the bathroom and rinsed her mouth out. Then she got an anti-nausea med from the replicator, and a painkiller for the headache she knew was coming. She thought about getting a sleep med, but on a Starfleet-run station, three medications dispensed at once triggered an automatic alert to sickbay. At least, they would if she were an officer; she had no idea about civilians, or whether it would apply to Militia officers as she now was.

Besides, keyed up as the nightmare had left her, she doubted that anything mild enough to be dispensed without a prescription would do any good. She took the anti-nausea med and painkiller, took another drink of water, and went back to bed.

Ro sighed. "Lights, twenty percent." Which was brighter than she usually preferred to sleep with, but it meant the shadows couldn't play tricks on her. She closed her eyes and tried to snuggle deeper into the mattress. It was too hard, too much like the thin pallets that were the best most Maquis ships had, too much like the bare dirt she'd slept on as a child in the camps. She'd have to see about switching it out for something softer.

But the mattress wasn't really the problem. She'd fallen asleep just fine. The adrenaline flooding her from her nightmare, and the dread of another, that was the problem. She could have had the perfect mattress, and her chances of falling back to sleep would still have been slim to none.

She sighed again. That flight—and the weeks and months that had preceded it—had been nightmarish enough to live through the first time.

Even if she couldn't fall back asleep, laying here resting would be better for her brain and body than getting up and trying to do something. Starfleet made sure all its people knew that.

So Ro lay in her bed, and tried to keep her breathing even and slow, as the night passed.

At last, she was too bored, and couldn't stand it any longer. "Computer, what time is it?"

"The time is 0348."

"I give up," Ro said. Her alarm was set for 0600, and she couldn't face the thought of lying there for another two hours. And if she took a sleep med now, she'd be too groggy in the morning.

So she got up, wrapped herself in a robe, and curled up on her couch. “Computer, what’s in my inbox?”

“You have two new shift reports marked low-priority, three informational dispatches from the Bajoran Militia, one security alert from Starfleet—”

“Starfleet? What’s it about?”

“The message from Starfleet is a general alert regarding increased piracy in Sector 23.”

“Great, just what we need, problems around the Romulan Neutral Zone,” Ro said. Still, it wasn’t like it was her problem, not like it would have been when she was in Starfleet. “Any other messages?”

“You have a personal message from Captain Jean-Luc Picard.”

Ro dropped her head and sighed. If he was disappointed in her, or hated her, he wouldn’t bother to send a message; but she had betrayed his trust, and she regretted deeply that she’d had to leave that way. While she’d been in the Maquis, she hadn’t had to think about it, off in a world far distant from Starfleet and everything she’d known before. But you couldn’t outrun your past forever. “Computer, play message.”

“Captain Ro. I was pleased to hear that you survived the war, and that you have found your way into the beginnings of a new life. I would be interested to hear about your experiences and your new posting. I hope your new service is a good fit for you, and a good use of your talents and abilities. Picard out.”

Short, and sort of abrupt. But then, he was a busy man, and they’d never been close; he was a captain, and she’d been an ensign. He’d taken an interest in her career. Maybe he was still interested? Ro sighed. She had no idea how to respond. She wasn’t actually sorry about joining the Maquis, despite all her regrets about how it went down Could she just … respond as he had, ignoring all the reasons they hadn’t spoken in years?

***

Ro frowned at the report she was reading. Something seemed off, but she couldn't say for sure. One of the deputies would know. She touched the intercom for the brig and got only static.

She was half-way through bringing up the technical specs to see if she could fix it before she realized she wasn't in the Maquis any longer. There was a maintenance crew on call.

But she couldn't find either the Militia or Starfleet maintenance request forms on her terminal. It was possible she wasn't correctly remembering the Militia procedure—she'd had to cram an awful lot of information into a fairly short period, and things were bound to have fallen through the cracks. She used her commbadge to call Deputy Yndar to her office. They didn't have anybody in their cells today, so there was no harm in having him step out.

"Yes, Captain?" Yndar said, poking his head in.

Ro wondered if that would ever stop being weird to hear. The Bajoran ranks were … odd, after years in Starfleet. "Two things. I've got some questions about a report, and I can't figure out how to submit a maintenance request."

"Ah," Yndar said. "We're still using the Cardassian maintenance request system."

"I know how Starfleet does things, I know how the Militia does things, and now I have to learn a third system?" Ro made a face. "I suppose the Cardassian system is better integrated to the station than our own system would be."

"Here, let me show you," Yndar said. "It should be in a top-level directory, the number of things that go wrong on this station. They broke everything they could and didn't leave any manuals behind when they left, and they deleted the parts catalogue from the station replicators."

"Typical," Ro said. "If they couldn't have it, spoil it so nobody else could, either."

"Yeah," Yndar said. He showed her where the maintenance request subroutine was hiding, and walked her through reporting a problem. Then he answered her questions about the reports. Then he went back to his post. He was efficient, professional, and courteous.

Ro was left feeling a bit off balance.

***

"On the house," Quark said, setting a drink down in front of her.

"Security officers are not allowed to accept gifts, so no, it's not," Ro said.

"Not allowed to accept gifts!" Quark said. "Even if it's only a drink? What harm can one drink do?"

"It's the things that come after the drink that are the problem," Ro said. Actually, the drink was below the value threshold of what she could accept, but she wanted to put Quark a little off balance, and she didn't want alcohol, anyhow. She was going to try a mild sedative tonight, to see if she could sleep through the night for a change, and they often reacted with alcohol or narcotics. "Vulcan spice tea and an Ubed casserole, please."

"Ooh, variety, I like it," Quark said. "Would you like replicated tea, or the real thing?"

"The real thing," Ro said. She hadn't had the real thing since she'd been on Earth for Advanced Tactical Training. It would be interesting to see how fresh it was here, this far out from Vulcan. Replicated might actually be better. But she'd try it and see.

To her surprise, it was actually good quality tea, and fresh enough to be worth paying a premium for—someone must be growing it nearby. The casserole was a different variant than the one she was used to, but not bad.

"Mind if I join you?"

Ro looked up to see Dax coming over from the entryway. "Go right ahead," she said. "Worf left already?"

Dax grimaced. "He never gets to stay as long as he'd like. We've thought about requesting a transfer for me, but … there isn't any place that needs a science officer that's better positioned for Worf's work, right now. He's doing a lot of travelling, and we're hosting a lot of diplomatic conferences here. Things will settle down eventually, and available postings for me will change, and until then we'll deal with it."

She sat down in a chair and nodded to a passing waiter. "My usual, please." She looked at Ro's food. "Vulcan tea and Betazoid food—eclectic tastes. You know, if you want homemade Bajoran food, there isn't a Bajoran restaurant here, but a couple of station residents have a sideline cooking meals for people."

"Thanks for the offer," Ro said, "but I actually don't have much of a taste for Bajoran food. The refugee camp I grew up in had a couple of Federation replicators that only worked half the time, and whatever local plants and animals we could gather."

"Ah," Dax said. She seemed less embarrassed than Federation people usually were by the mention of Ro's childhood; maybe it was the extra lives that gave her some perspective, or maybe just that she'd spent the last few years working with Bajorans who probably all had similar stories of deprivation. "Did the replicators have Betazoid cuisine, then?"

"I'm not sure," Ro said. "I was introduced to this dish by Counselor Troi, on the Enterprise. How's she doing these days, do you know?" It hadn’t come up in the conversation with Worf.

"Still on the Enterprise," Dax said. "That crew has been together a remarkably long time, Worf is the only one who left."

"You're kidding," Ro said. "Even during the war, they didn't give Riker his own ship?"

"Nope," Dax said, flashing a smile at the waiter who brought her food.

"Huh," Ro said, resuming her meal now that Dax had something to eat, too. Well, even if Troi had been reassigned, it wasn't like she'd have been sent here. And just because she was the first counselor Ro had known who wasn't completely useless or untrustworthy (or both) didn't mean that she'd still be willing to help after the way Ro had left.

And Ro was fine, anyway; it was just a bit of trouble sleeping. She'd been through rough patches before, worse than this.

"So I was thinking," Dax said. "Kira and I sometimes do things together in the holosuites—fun things. Spa days, frothy mindless historical fantasy stories, as far away from work as we can get. Would you like to join us?"

Social time with her commanding officer? Ro had certainly never been offered that before. And it was true that she was only two ranks below the Lieutenant Colonel, and one of the senior officers on the station. And the highest-ranking Bajoran besides the Colonel herself. But still.

"If the colonel is okay with it, it sounds like it could be fun," Ro said. Frothy mindless historical fantasies weren't exactly her thing, but she wasn't going to turn down an overture of friendship from a fellow officer.

That was one of the ways the Maquis had been different from Starfleet. She hadn't been the life of the party, but she hadn't been a loner, either. For the first time in her life, she'd felt like she fit in. Or, at least, that she didn't fit any less than other people did.

"I'll talk to her," Dax said. "We've got something planned for tomorrow evening, if you're free."

Definite plans would be more awkward for Colonel Kira to get out of, if she didn't want to have a relative stranger in her recreational time. "I'm swamped right now, trying to get settled in and learn the job. Maybe another time?" It had the virtue of being true.

***

A week into her new security chief's tenure, Kira called her in for a progress report.

"So, how are you settling in?" she said.

Captain Ro shrugged and sipped her tea. "Haven't screwed up yet, that's always a plus."

"I figured I'd have heard about it if you had," Kira said.

"I'm getting a handle on the rhythms of the work, and getting to know my deputies," Ro said. "There's a couple of things I'm planning on changing in the patrol schedule; nothing's really been adjusted since the end of the war, when Constable Odo left. And the security needs are different in peacetime."

"Will you be going back to one of Odo's schedules, or coming up with something new?" Kira asked.

"Peacetime isn't the same now as it was before the war," Ro said. "Trade patterns have shifted, given the number of planets devastated by the war, and Bajor's coming Federation membership. More Klingons, fewer Cardassians, and that means different security challenges. So, probably something new."

"All right," Kira said.

"I'm more concerned about organized crime, to be honest," Ro said. "Constable Odo's reports about his investigations are sometimes … unspecific. He had contacts who would pass him information about certain types of criminal activity, but he never wrote down their names. Whether those helpful people will continue to talk to us … who knows. And from things the deputies have said, I'm pretty sure he sometimes used his shapeshifting to perform illegal surveillance of Quark and other suspects."

"Odo had a very finely-tuned sense of justice," Kira said. "He would never have done anything he believed was wrong." She sighed. "But he learned how to do security work under the Cardassians. He was always fair, and there's a reason we were happy to keep him in the same job after the Cardassians left. But he did miss the level of surveillance the Cardassians used, and Captain Sisko never reprimanded him for spying on Quark or other suspects."

"In the Federation, surveillance by law enforcement is illegal without a court order," Ro said. "Regardless of why you're doing it. Not everyone has a finely-tuned sense of justice like Odo did."

"We're not in the Federation," Kira pointed out.

"We will be soon," Ro said. "The station has always been in a weird place, legally speaking, but that will be resolved when Bajor enters the Federation. Federation standards for evidence tend to be fairly strict. They vary by planetary jurisdiction, of course, and we won't know what the Bajoran laws will be until all the details are hammered out. But there's a minimum standard of civil rights required of all Federation members. Even if Odo were still here, he'd have to change tactics if he wanted any of his evidence to hold up in court."

"With Quark, things usually don't go that far," Kira said. "He's rarely into anything deeply illegal or dangerous, and his various misdemeanors were mostly useful to force him to toe the line." Kira thought about it for a second. "Sometimes also for blackmailing him into doing what we needed him to for the good of the station. Quark understands that, I'm pretty sure it's how Ferengi society works."

Ro paused. "So that's why some of the reports are incomplete," she said, sounding satisfied. "Odo definitely wouldn't have wanted to put that in writing."

"No, he wouldn't have."

"And his deputies are all still loyal to him, and wouldn't want him to look bad."

Kira was pleased to hear they still respected and cared for Odo. With the Dominion War, and Odo's complex relationship to his people, things had been … rocky, in that department.

"But we still have a problem," Ro said. "We can't use Odo's tactics, either practically or legally, which means we don't have the same leverage."

"Quark isn't that bad," Kira pointed out. "He's never done anything really awful, or we would have let the charges go through and gotten him convicted and deported."

Ro shook her head. "Bajor's entry into the Federation changes things. After the Occupation we weren't wealthy enough in our own right to be worth much to the crime syndicates. Oh, sure, there was the wormhole … but it's easy to control who goes through that, so it's too hard to run a criminal enterprise through it, especially back when it was first found. And then the war came. But now Bajor's joining the Federation. It's going to get a lot more prosperous very quickly. And things are going to change a lot in a short time��which means opportunities for the syndicates to take advantage of. And if they can get a solid foothold on Bajor, that means they have a solid foothold in the Federation. We're a lot more tempting a target than we used to be."

"I thought you didn't have any previous law enforcement experience," Kira said. "How do you know that?"

Ro shrugged. "Starfleet isn't all exploring, you know—or all fighting. It takes a while for regular Federation law enforcement to set up in the space around new member worlds, so smaller Starfleet cruisers end up filling in the gaps. My first assignment out of the academy spent some time rooting out a nest of pirates around Gadika III. It took us a couple of months, not because they were hard to fight—or even hard to find. But they'd gotten dug in to the Gadikan government, had a number of people in their pocket. And they got advance notice of our movements. Took a while to clean up."

"I see," Kira said. "I'll pass along the warning to other Militia posts. Do you have any contacts in Starfleet who might have advice?" Given Ro's history, it was a long shot.

Ro winced. "Probably not any who would be willing to talk to me, or at least, not any with current experience in anti-piracy work. Captain Picard would probably answer any questions I sent him, but … it's probably close to two decades since he was captain of a ship that might get sent on that sort of mission. And you know Worf, of course, but he spent his career on larger starships, not small cruisers."

"Right," Kira said. "Well, we'll just have to keep an eye on things." She paused, trying to gauge Ro's reaction. "How are you settling in on a personal level?"

"Fine," Ro said shortly.

Kira nodded, but let the silence linger for a bit before continuing. "How are you getting along with the deputies?"

"No problems, sir," Ro said.

Kira nodded again. Ro Laren was enough like her, she thought, to predict her reactions. Ro was prickly, independent, and would resent being coddled. But she'd also been thrown into a position she was unqualified for to sink or swim, and Kira had never in her life been as isolated as Ro probably was right now. And if she got space to talk, she might use it.

"Dax tells me she invited you to one of our holosuite outings," Kira said before the silence could get awkward.

"She did," Ro said.

"And you turned her down," Kira said. "Was that really because you were busy, or were you not interested?"

Ro shrugged. "Little of both. I really am that busy, but also, fantasy adventure really isn't my thing. I don't mind it, but it's not what I'd choose on my own. And then there was the fact that she volunteered your time without asking you. If you weren't interested, less awkward all around if I said no first."

"Fair enough," Kira said. "I've learned to enjoy the fantasy adventures, but they're more Dax's thing than mine. The spa days are really nice. What do you do to relax?"

"On the holodecks?" Ro said "Mysteries, puzzle games, and rock climbing."

"I don't know that I've ever climbed rocks as a hobby," Kira said. "How's it done?"

"There's two basic types, bouldering and walling," Ro said. "Bouldering is more like what you'd do on a mission: find a rock and climb over it, usually without going high enough to be dangerous, without any specialized equipment. Or not much; if you're doing it for sport usually you use special shoes and put chalk on your hands to help your grip, and put a mat below you to break your fall. Walling takes more equipment to do—you're climbing up a cliff face, or a wall that simulates a cliff face. Usually with a rope to catch you if you fall."

"You climb up cliffs?" Kira raised her eyebrows. "For fun?"

"I do," Ro said with a smile. "It's hard, but if you do it right it's not dangerous—especially in a holodeck—and you have the most incredible views and sense of accomplishment when you're done. I can show you some time, if you're interested."

"I am," Kira said. "If nothing else, it sounds like a more interesting workout than just lifting weights or running on a treadmill."

"It is," Ro said.

***

Ro eyed her inbox. She hadn’t responded to Captain Picard’s message, and the longer it took the more awkward it would get. But she still wasn’t sure what to say.

Fortunately, she had no shortage of other work to do instead. She went through her mental to-do list, decided that more studying of regulations and logs today would be counterproductive, and went on to the relatively easy tasks.

The interior security station comms still were not fixed. Ro pulled up the maintenance form, only to find it wasn't there. Not pending, not resolved, not denied, nothing.

She tapped her commbadge. "Ro to Yndar, I can't find the maintenance form for the security comms problem. Is there something I'm missing?"

"I'll check," he said. A few minutes later he called her back. "I can't find it, either. That's weird."

"It's not a known bug in the system?"

"No, sir, I've never seen it happen before. I wondered why it isn't fixed yet."

"Okay," Ro said. "Well, I'm submitting it again, we'll see if it gets eaten again."

***

Kira had to cancel her next holosuite outing with Dax; there was a minor diplomatic incident with the Romulans that turned out to be not so minor after all, and which needed in a truly infuriating amount of flattery and reassurances to smooth over. Kira actually wasn't directly involved with most of it; it had happened on the station, but (thank the Prophets) hadn't been caused by station personnel. Still, for someone who hadn't contributed to the problem, dealing with it took far too much of her time. Dax had been very helpful, both as executive officer and also with advice about the necessary diplomacy. Ro had handled the security aspects of it competently. Julian hadn't been involved at all. Belasco had kept as low a profile as possible, which was a relief given that he was even less suited to diplomacy than Kira was.

***

Ro double-checked the maintenance requests. The Security Station internal comms had been deleted from the queue again. She hadn't had time to worry about it (or much of anything else besides Romulan egos) while dealing with security for the Romulan ambassador. Now that things were back to normal, it was one of many things to check up on.

She tapped her commbadge. "Ro to Belasco."

"Belasco here."

"Your maintenance request system has problems. It's eaten two maintenance requests."

"Nonsense, it's working perfectly."

"How would you know that if it's eating requests?" Ro asked.

"Nobody else has complained."

"That just means it's an intermittent fault."

"If you submitted a maintenance request and it's no longer there, the request must have been submitted improperly. These Cardassian systems are a bit tricky, and you're new here."

"Deputy Yndar walked me through the process," Ro said. "He's been here since the Cardassians left, and knows the station backwards and forwards."

There was a pause. "What was the nature of the request?"

"Security's hardwired internal communications system isn't working."

Belasco scoffed. "That's a low-priority fix if ever there was one. You all have functional combadges, it's redundant."

Ro agreed; it was mostly there because the Cardassians were paranoid and wanted a system that would be harder to crack into even if you stole a Cardassian communicator. "Which is why I'm more concerned about the fact that your system is deleting maintenance requests."

"And again, nobody else has a problem."

"You mean, nobody else has reported a problem, which is not the same thing," Ro said. "Maybe they're just sitting around wondering why nobody's come to fix their issue yet."

"If it'll make you happy, I'll come fix your communications systems personally." There was a sarcastic edge to his voice.

"I don't care who fixes it." Ro reined in her temper. Belasco was an ass who hated her; she'd served with people like him before, and she probably would again. At least he didn't outrank her. "Fix your maintenance system. Ro out."

***

"Want a spa day?" Ro looked up to see Dax poking her head into the security office.

Ro glanced down at the file she was working on. Her shift was over, and it wasn't like the paperwork was going anywhere. "In the holosuites, I presume? How's the program's massage therapist?" She hadn't had a really good massage since leaving Enterprise, and it always helped her sleep. On DS9, a spa on the holosuite was probably the best option.

"Pretty good for a non-sentient hologram," Dax said. "Not at the level you'd need for serious therapeutic work, but perfect for ordinary massage."

"I would love to join you," Ro decided. "Give me ten minutes to wrap up what I'm doing?"

"Meet us in Suite 6," Dax said.

'Us' probably meant the Colonel as well. Ro wouldn't have necessarily chosen to hang out and get a massage with her CO, but on the other hand, Kira seemed to be competent and sensible and wasn't holding Ro's past against her, so it'd probably be fine.

Ro finished reading the report, signed off on it, and headed over to Quark's.

***

"You could have asked before inviting her," Kira protested as they changed into loose robes in the holosuite.

"I thought you liked her," Dax said innocently.

"I do!" Kira said. "But it's awkward socializing with subordinates, and a little warning would have been nice. Especially for a spa day."

"I’m your subordinate, too,” Dax said.

“That’s different,” Kira said. “We were friends for years before I took command of the station.”

Dax shrugged. “Being commanding officer doesn’t mean you have to be isolated. I like her, and it's a fun way of getting to know your senior staff better."

"Sisko never hung out at the spa with us," Kira pointed out.

"Ben gave dinners where he cooked for people instead," Dax said. "Besides, given what she's been through, I'd say she needs some simple, easy relaxation, and I like the spa, and I like people. And I want to be hospitable to our new staff."

"You haven't asked Belasco to do something," Kira said. "And I'd say he could use some simple, easy relaxation if anyone could."

"I did when he first got here," Dax said. "He turned me down. And then I saw the difference between how he treated his Bajoran subordinates and the Starfleet crew."

"Is there something I should be aware of?" Kira asked. You wouldn't think a single step on the promotion ladder would cut her off so much from the station grapevine, but she was constantly surprised how much less she heard about.

Dax made a face. "If it were enough to act on, I'd have told you already."

The holosuite door opened with a hiss and a little grinding noise; Quark was cheaping out on maintenance, as usual.

"Ro! Glad you could join us," Dax said. "Kira and I usually start with a dip in the hot tub and then a massage. What are your preferences?"

"Hot tub then massage sounds fine to me," Ro said, stripping off her clothes. She was fit, but with a variety of scars old and new that Federation medicine could have easily eliminated, if Ro had chosen it. She hadn't.

Kira had scars, too, that she hadn't allowed Julian to remove. She didn't want to do away with the physical reminder of some of the things she'd been through.

***

The hot tub was great. There were two pools, side by side, one set to a good temperature for Bajorans, the other set to Dax's comfort. It was a little odd to have someone in the same pool, but it wasn't bad.

"So," Kira said, "I hear they have spas on some Federation starships?"

"No," Ro said. She leaned her head back against the padded rest and consciously worked on relaxing each muscle group individually one at a time. "Enterprise had a salon, and there was a massage therapist attached to Sickbay that anyone could make an appointment with any time, but if you wanted something like this you had to use the holodeck."

"A massage therapist in sickbay?" Kira said.

"It's part of physical therapy," Dax explained. "We don't need one on the station, because if someone needs serious rehabilitation, we send them to Bajor. But a large exploring ship like Enterprise, which might not come back to a Federation port for months or years, needs to be able to do everything. Including long-term physical therapy and rehab."

"Huh," Kira said. She and Dax started debating where the line was between extravagance and caring for the well-being of people so far from home for so long.

Ro closed her eyes and let the conversation wash over her as she let all her tension seep out into the water.

***

Ro had been quiet in the hot tubs, but as they snacked on finger food before their massages, Dax asked her about what she was finding hardest to get used to on the station.

"You know, it's funny," Ro said. "This is the first time I've ever come into an assignment as a superior officer? When I was in Starfleet, I made it to lieutenant, got busted down to ensign for getting people killed, then I got assigned to the Enterprise and eventually promoted again. But I was still on the same ship, everybody already knew me both times I made Lieutenant. The people I was commanding knew me before I got the rank. And then in the Maquis, you don't—didn't—get outside assignments. You joined the crew of whoever wanted you, or wanted to follow you."

Kira noted that present tense. "The Resistance was like that."

"I know," Ro said. "We had our share of old Resistance fighters in the Maquis."

"Watch who you're calling old," Kira said dryly.

"Didn't mean it that way," Ro said with a grimace. "I've commanded people, and I've started my life over somewhere nobody knew me. I've done both multiple times. This is the first time I'm doing both at the same time."

Kira had never had to start her life over; not really. That was a major difference in their life experience. Still. "Coming here was a little like that, for me. I'd never served with strangers before, and I'd certainly never commanded them. And I had no idea what to expect from Starfleet officers, and most of what I did expect turned out to be wrong in one way or another. Captain—then Commander—Sisko was a great help, and I learned a lot from him."

"It's not that it's difficult," Ro said. "Just odd."

Dax chimed in with a story about Torias and his first squadron command, during advanced pilot training, and the trouble he had gotten himself into, and the conversation turned to stories about pranks and hijinks and stupid accidents they had done or seen in their careers.

***

Ro wasn't sure whether it was the sleep med or the massage, but she slept better that night than she had in a while. That only lasted until the handover briefing at the beginning of her shift the next day, when Deputy Gerjo noted that Belasco had fixed the internal comms system during beta shift the night before.

"Very thoughtful of him, to come in and handle it personally on his off shift," Ro said neutrally.

Gerjo rolled his eyes but didn't comment, and the briefing went on.

Ro got herself a cup of tea from the replicator and sat in her office, thinking. Belasco didn't like her, and this was a low-priority repair. She would have expected the comms repair to go to the very bottom of the priority list, and yet he'd come in to do it personally the very day it was reported to him?

She checked the surveillance logs—Ro wasn't thrilled about spending most of her working hours in a place with continuous recordings, but at least her office didn't have cameras, just a sensor on the door to report who went in and out, and when.

Belasco hadn't brought an assistant with him. This sort of work—tracing a fault that might be in one of several rooms, or in one of several interconnected computer systems—was usually done in pairs to speed things up.

He didn't like her, but he'd found a reason to be alone in her office while she was off-duty.

Ro had had fellow officers express their dislike of her through pranks on several occasions, both at the academy and on her first posting. She would have hoped that someone who rose to command a department on a joint station wouldn't pull nasty pranks, but she couldn't rule it out.

A quick search of her office didn't find anything.

A security scan, however, did.

Ro tapped her commbadge. "Ro to Colonel Kira."

"Kira here. Go ahead."

"Could you join me in my office, sir?" Ro said. "There's something you're going to want to see."

There was a pause.

"I'll be right there, Captain."

***

"He bugged your office?" Kira was shocked.

Ro shrugged. "Can't prove it was him. He's the only person who's been in here alone besides me since I got here, but I didn't do a security sweep when I moved in. It could have been here longer than that."

"Not much longer," Kira said. "Given the war and all the mess with his people and all the people who hated him because he was a changeling, Odo did regular security sweeps of his office and quarters. If this had been here before he left, he would have found it."

"Still doesn't prove that Belasco planted it," Ro said.

"You keep saying that, but you're the one who said it might be him," Kira said. "You don't like him."

Ro shrugged. "That's why I want to make sure we don't rush to blame him. I've spent a lot of time disliked and distrusted by my fellow officers, and had too many people assume I'd done things I hadn't just because it was an easy answer and they wanted to believe the worst of me."

"Whereas you'd rather they thought badly of you because of the things you'd actually done," Kira said, voice heavy with irony.

Ro nodded. "Yeah." She looked at the bug again. "And if he did do it, there's not much we can do unless we can prove it. Which might be a problem. It's a professionally made bug; high quality but generic. I checked on the specs and it's the sort of thing someone uses when they don't want it to be traced back to them. But it wasn't hidden very well, and if whoever planted it had known how to use it effectively, they could have made it a lot harder to find."

"So, someone with access to good equipment, but not a professional spy." Kira put her hands on the desk and leaned over it, examining the small bug.

"Exactly," Ro said. "And you never know. It might have been there for a while. It might have been planted by someone who wants to keep tabs on station security. It might have been planted by someone who could erase their entry to the station from the security logs."

"Somebody good enough to hack into the Security Office's computer would be good enough to set the bug properly," Kira said.

"Most likely," Ro said.

"Do we know if this is the only active bug, or are there others?"

Ro shrugged. "It's the only bug active in the security offices, ops, or the deuterium refinery. Those are the only places with enough security to do an automatic scan that would find it—it's small and designed to go undetected if possible. Anywhere else, we're going to have to send deputies to comb the station with hand scanners. Oh, and your office would also need to be scanned manually."

Kira grimaced. Of course the deuterium refinery—formerly the ore processing facility where the majority of Bajoran laborers had been forced to work during the Occupation—would have that kind of surveillance. "Let's do a full scan of the station."

"It won't pick up any bugs that aren't currently in use," Ro pointed out. "So if someone has a stash of them somewhere, we won't find them."

"I'll call Dax, see if she has any ideas."

***

"Well?" Ro asked.

Dax looked up from her tricorder. "Maybe."

"What's the problem?" Kira asked.

"There are a lot of electronic devices on this station, both station equipment and personal items." Dax shrugged. "The components in this device are a bit on the rare side, and some of the alloy combinations they had to use to get this much scanning and memory into a device this small are distinctive. But not distinctive enough to be easily identified, and there could be any number of legitimate devices made with similar materials. I can modify the tricorders to look for it, but it's going to be a short-range scan and there are going to be false positives. And there are also going to be places where the equipment in the walls will mask what's on the other side of them."

"How short a range?" Ro asked.

"Max range, with no walls or furniture or other things in the way, will probably be about five meters. If you're scanning through bulkheads, probably more like two or three meters, depending on what exactly is in the bulkheads."

Kira and Ro exchanged a glance. Ro shrugged.

"Not ideal, but it's better than nothing," Kira said.

"Problem is, if it is Belasco, he'll hear about the scan as soon as we start it, and dispose of any evidence," Dax said. "It's going to be hard to hide deputies combing the station with scanners. And even if we had every one of our officers and crew out looking, he'd still probably have time to move or destroy anything."

Ro nodded. "And if it's not Belasco, they might still be tipped off. And the bug was found in the security office; it might have been a deputy. They're the only people who spend a lot of time in here without an escort. So even just limiting the search to the deputies might not be enough."

Kira smiled. "I think I have an idea."

***

Ro looked at the crowd in the security staging area. It was the first time since she'd taken command of the department that they'd all been gathered into one place. The deputies were chatting desultorily. All were present, except for the few in the middle of their sleep cycle who would get briefed later. She called them to attention and began her briefing.

"We're going to be doing a training exercise and manually searching the station for surveillance devices, security weaknesses, contraband goods, and explosives. Some things have been planted for you to find. There will also be false positives. It is not your job to remove or diffuse anything you find at this time; we may be doing other exercises for how to handle that aspect of things later, but this current exercise is simply about searching the station. All you have to do is report your findings."

She explained the procedure, the rewards for the three people who found the most items of interest, and reminded them of the boundaries of Federation privacy regulations and how they applied to security scans without a warrant.

"And," she said, "we're also going to be practicing information security. If this were a real scan, if somebody had planted listening devices or a bomb or something, we would want to avoid tipping them off until we'd found our target. So! Consider this exercise classified until it is completed. And that includes your crewmates in other departments: nobody says anything to anyone outside the department until we're done. And if you can scan an area without looking like you're scanning it—or at least without anyone seeing you do it—so much the better.

Deputy Pinar raised a hand. "Sir, the scanning program is automated, right? We don't have to be watching it as it runs?"

"For the most part," Ro said. "But the scan will only work at a fairly short range, and there are a lot of things on the station that could block or distort it, so you'll have to check every so often to make sure you don't need to re-scan an area from a different spot or something. But no, you don't have to walk around staring at your tricorder while pretending you're not."

Ro waited a few seconds. "Any other questions?"

There was a general shuffling and shaking of heads.

"Dismissed."

***

By the end of the shift, as people were turning in their tricorders and signing out, many things had been found. None of them were what they were looking for, and only one was something Dax had planted as part of the exercise. It would take several days, at this rate, to scan the whole station.

"I expected more grumbling," Ro said to Deputy Yndar as they wrapped up the last few details and got ready to hand the station over to beta shift.

Yndar shrugged. "We've had enough problems with spies and saboteurs over the years that everyone can see the reason for it. And besides, patrol is either boring or exciting in the bad way. The competition livens things up a bit."

***

Given the limitations of the scan, Ro was almost surprised when they found what they were looking for.

And even more surprised that the stash of bugs was in Belasco's quarters. She hadn't thought he'd be stupid enough to keep them where they would obviously be his. If Ro had illegal surveillance devices, she'd put them somewhere she'd have plausible deniability if they were found.

She waited until after shift to call the Colonel. As far as the deputies were concerned, this was just another thing planted for them to find, and Ro wanted to keep it that way for now. She had an awful hunch about where he'd gotten those bugs.

***

"No lecture about Federation privacy rules?" Kira asked as Ro used her security override to open Belasco's quarters.

The door slid open, and Ro gestured her inside. "He's not a civilian, he's a Starfleet officer and you're his CO. You have the authority to search his quarters and personal effects at any time. And even if he was a civilian, the scan was perfectly legal, so it would be easy to get a warrant based on it."

"Good to know," Kira said.

It only took a few seconds for Ro's tricorder to find the bugs. They were in a box in a bureau by the door.

Ro scanned them. "No fingerprints or DNA on these ones, either," she said. "Whoever gave them to him was careful."

"We'll see if Dax can figure anything out," Kira said. "Meanwhile, it's time to have a chat with Mr. Belasco."

***

Belasco's confident walk into Kira's office faltered a bit when he saw Ro standing by her desk. Guilty conscience, Kira wondered? Dax was standing on Kira's other side, but it was Ro that Belasco kept glancing towards.

"Lieutenant Belasco," she said, gesturing to the box of bugs. "Would you care to explain why you used an illegal surveillance device to spy on your colleague?"

"You had no right to search my things," Belasco said, drawing himself up to his full height.

"So you admit they're yours?" Dax asked.

Belasco glanced at her but didn't respond.

"And as it happens, Lieutenant, I do have the right to search your things, as your commanding officer," Kira said. "And I'd like an answer to Commander Dax's question."

"Sir." Belasco said stiffly.

"Do you admit that these are yours?" Kira asked. "Do you admit that you planted a bug in the security office while you were in there to do maintenance?"

Belasco bit his lip, then decided to brazen it out. "What if I did? She's a traitor! She can't be trusted! And she has you in her corner, which I expected, you Bajorans are all thick as thieves together. But she got Commander Dax behind her, as well. There was no point in any official action, but I wanted to make sure that when she betrays us, we'll know."

"She has me behind her, Lieutenant, because unlike you, I listened to the people who actually knew her, instead of to my prejudices," Dax said pointedly.

"You're all taken in by her," Belasco said. "I don't know why, it's not like she's that charismatic—"

"I'm a pretty good judge of character, Belasco," Dax said. "I've had seven lifetimes to practice."

"Lieutenant," Kira said. "Refresh my memory. What do Starfleet regulations say you should do when you believe your superior officer is committing a dangerous mistake and nobody in your chain of command will listen?"

"Contact the Judge Advocate General's office, or the Operations Office, for advice, depending on what sort of mistake it is," Belasco answered promptly. He bit his lip and wouldn't meet her eyes. Not out of shame, but out of … something else.

"And you did, didn't you?" Ro said. "And whoever it was you got ahold of confirmed that I was a dangerous terrorist and a threat to the station and to all of Starfleet, but said their hands were tied and there was nothing they could do because the Bajorans were being irrational, and gave you the surveillance devices so you could prove it. Probably promised you a promotion and a better posting if you got intelligence they could use."

Belasco's jaw dropped. His mouth moved wordlessly for a few seconds. "I—I don't—That's absurd! Why would you think that?" He wasn't as convincing as he was trying to sound.

"When I was out of Starfleet the first time," Ro said, "Admiral Niles Kennelly gave me a secret mission. Officially, I was to make contact with a group of Bajorans who had attacked a Federation colony, to help the Enterprise settle things peacefully. Unofficially, I was to provide the group with weapons. Kennelly said that he knew the Cardassians were vicious, violent people, and a threat to the peace and stability of the whole quadrant."

This was a story Kira hadn't heard; she glanced at Dax, who gave a slight nod that she knew it; Worf must have told her.

"Kennelly said he wanted to ensure the group could defend themselves," Ro went on, "both because it was the right thing to do, and because anything that stopped or slowed the Cardassians in their goals could only be good for the Federation in the long run. But his hands were tied, officially, by the spineless cowards in the diplomatic corps who wanted to appease the Cardassians at any cost. But he could reinstate me and send me with secret orders. If I succeeded in arming the group without anyone realizing how they'd gotten the weapons, he would let me keep my commission and give me my pick of postings."

It sounded too good to be true, Kira thought. And if there was an admiral who favored Bajor that strongly, Captain Sisko would have called him in to help when they'd had conflicts with Starfleet or the Federation.

"Obviously he kept his word," Belasco said, "because otherwise you wouldn't have been in a position to betray Starfleet later."

"He didn't, actually," Ro said. "He couldn't. He was being court-martialed. You see, every single word he'd told me was a lie. He was actually working with the Cardassians. They were the ones who had destroyed the colony and framed Bajoran terrorists, to try and get the Federation involved on Cardassia's side. Kennelly was their patsy, but he also genuinely believed that a war would be good for Starfleet and that an alliance with the Cardassians would be good for the Federation. I figured out what was going on, and told Captain Picard, who was able to expose the whole thing. It was my courage and integrity in coming forward—even though I knew it might get my commission revoked, again, and sent back to prison—that got me my post on the Enterprise. Not Kennelly's machinations."

"I don't see what any of that has to do with me," Belasco said steadily. He was tense, and his eyes kept flicking between the two of them, Kira noticed.

"Your contact at Starfleet Ops wouldn't have been Admiral Kaluža, would it?" Dax asked. "She heads the right subdepartment for your complaint to hit her desk."

"How—" Belasco swallowed. "I don't know what you mean."

"I've had the misfortune of working with her before," Kira said. "Kaluža believes that Bajorans are violent thugs, and inherently untrustworthy. She's been working to keep Bajor out of the Federation since the idea was first floated shortly after the Occupation ended. I know of at least two separate occasions when negotiations were stalled because of things she had convinced Starfleet to demand, or various Federation ambassadors to ask for. And a separate one where she intentionally and maliciously edited a cultural briefing to make a new ambassador to Bajor look bad."

"If she's the one who gave you the bugs," Dax said, "I don't doubt she truly believed anything she told you about how untrustworthy Bajorans are. But she'd be delighted to have inside intelligence she could use to try and drive further wedges between Bajor and the Federation."

If Kaluža were the only stumbling block, Bajor would have joined long before the Dominion War, Kira mused. Bajor had never made too much of a fuss about her, because there were a few people like that on the Bajoran side of the negotiations, so they didn't exactly have the moral high ground. But there was no point muddying the waters to point that out.

"She can't prevent Bajor joining at this late date," Ro said. "But she could, for example, make it much harder for members of the Bajoran Militia who want to transfer to Starfleet to do so."

"If she's your contact, Lieutenant, I'm sure she thought her birthday had come early when you brought your concerns to her," Kira said.

"But whether you got the bugs from her or someone else, you should come clean," Ro said. "It will never be easier than it is right now. I know for a fact that there are a number of Starfleet officers like Captain Picard who have a great respect for people who realize their mistakes and own up to them. Whether you stick it out or confess, this is going in your record. Every future commanding officer you ever have will see that you tried to spy on a fellow officer, a Federation ally. The question is, what are they going to see next to that? Are they going to see you came clean and did the right thing? Or not?"

Belasco was wavering, Kira could see it in his eyes.

"Do the right thing," Dax said. "Starfleet should be better than paranoia and hate and spying on our allies."

Belasco opened his mouth, closed it again, and looked down. He shook his head, and looked up again. "I am serving Starfleet and the Federation as they need to be served," he said. "I wish you could see that, sir."

***

"Now what?" Ro asked after Belasco had left. He would be confined to quarters until he could be shipped off back to Starfleet.

"Now, we write our reports and leave it in Starfleet's hands," Dax said. "And hope we don't have an engineering crisis until we can get a replacement."

"We can't prove he did it," Ro said. "The evidence is circumstantial, and he never actually confessed."

"If he gets a good lawyer, he probably won't even be court-martialed," Dax said. "It'll be a black mark on his record, at worst."

"And there's a good chance he'll be targeted by Section 31 or any other unscrupulous senior officer looking for someone to do their dirty work with plausible deniability," Ro said.

Kira shrugged. "It's out of our hands now," she said. "Hopefully his replacement will be better. You did a good job, Captain; I was impressed with your professionalism. You didn't let your prejudices make you jump to conclusions, and you advocated for Belasco even though you didn't like him."

"Thank you, sir," Ro said.

***

Ro turned down Dax's invitation to dinner at the Replimat, and headed home as soon as her shift was over. As the doors to her quarters closed behind her, she sighed. It had been a long day without any good resolution for anyone. Belasco had no idea what he was in for, and he was going to be in a position to fall in with people who would amplify his worst traits. She wished they could have either gotten through to him, or gotten him out of Starfleet.

Still, at least they’d gotten him off the station so she wouldn’t have to deal with him any longer. And done it before he’d had a chance to spy on her. And her new CO liked her.

It wasn’t like the support she’d gotten from Picard; he’d believed in her, trusted her, given her space to prove herself. It had been what she needed at the time. But they’d had such different lives, and he’d been so much older and more experienced that there had been a large gulf between them even before she’d left Starfleet.

With Kira, she was closer to her age and experience, and there was a kind of camaraderie she could never have had with Picard.

But Ro was still grateful for everything she’d learned from him. And she’d put off calling him long enough.

Ro got herself a cup of tea from the replicator, and sat down in front of her communications screen. She started the recording. “Captain Picard, it was good to hear from you. I enjoyed meeting Ambassador Worf again, and his wife Lieutenant Dax and I are becoming friends. I was glad to hear that you and the new Enterprise came through the war well …”

#fan #fanfiction #star trek #deep space nine #ro laren #kira nerys

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the-strength-of-the-wolffe · 2 years

Text

Wolffe’s Story

Intro Pt1 Pt2 Pt3 Pt4 Pt5

Part 6: The General’s Secret

The 104th’s experience of the war has been an unusual one. The observant and canny among them can point out multiple examples, but most have at least taken notice of their combat record.

Whenever they make landfall, they’re never encamped for long. Their missions inalterably comprise of swift hard-hitting attacks devised and led by General Plo. The objectives vary, but each battle, or their role in it, is straightforward enough to finish in days, if not hours. Then they’re cruiser-bound again, taking a backseat to navy operations.

It’s not a bad life, just not what many of them were expecting. Their upbringing put images of epic months-long campaigns in their heads (which were definitely romanticized). In a battalion like the 104th, they feel ineffective, underused, like they’re stuck on light duty.

Wolffe doesn’t share their restiveness (his contentment firmly secured by his new lease on life), but privately he has bought into the speculation of a handicap, which doesn’t sit well with his proud spirit. If any higher-ups have concerns about him or his battalion, he wants to know why.

His assumptions turn out to be way off the mark.

A relief mission on the edge of a warzone goes sideways when Separatist forces capture several anti-aircraft batteries, trapping the 104th on the surface and halting any air support. With the region under enhanced threat, General Plo marshals all available troops to counter the droid offensive, and after nine days of relentless fighting they succeed. It's the longest, most rip-roaring conflict the 104th has participated in so far; they fought well and they know it. Fired by their success, nobody but Wolffe notices that their general has disappeared.

Through a confidential summons, he finds General Plo sequestered with a medic. The Jedi is obviously unwell, but he takes pains to answer Wolffe’s questions, thus divulging a long-kept secret:

As a Kel Dor far from his homeworld, he can’t remove his breathing apparatus, not even to eat, except within specially designed chambers installed in the Jedi Temple and on his flagship. His body is accustomed to lengthy fasting between visits (he takes injections to maintain hydration), but it suffered immense strain from the prolonged exertion of the battle. Although he toughed it out to the end, he’s utterly drained now and can’t make it back alone.

I actually researched this topic (a bit) but couldn’t find anything official on how Plo sustains himself. The chamber idea I borrowed from Star Trek; I assumed there’s a Star Wars equivalent. Also, this is my explanation for why he’s so thin.

He isn’t insecure about it, and he’s averse to deception, but he thought it best to keep his men in the dark so that they wouldn’t lose confidence in his ability to lead. However, in case of emergency, he entrusted one medic with the secret (this is Corporal Shepherd).

The Jedi Council is careful about which deployments they choose for him lest they send him somewhere too remote or volatile for timely extraction. Being the best judge of his stamina, he has the final say. This is the first time their collective planning went awry.

With his condition on the verge of being discovered, Plo accepted it was time to bring Wolffe into the circle; his assistance would be less conspicuous than Shepherd’s.

Wolffe didn’t know. Out of respect for General Plo’s rank and privacy, he never pried. He feels foolish now, but he gets a grip on himself to focus on their immediate predicament. Under the pretense of being called away, he puts Captain Midnight in charge of wrapping up while he and the General take an empty gunship back to the fleet, where he sees the Jedi safely to his quarters to recover.

In defense of Wolffe’s (and the 104th’s) ignorance, meals aren’t fixed or formal events, especially on deployments; everyone eats when they can, with high-ranking officers often supping in their quarters/tents. In any case, he and Plo spent enough time apart to allay any suspicion.

Although initially ruffled, Wolffe adjusts readily. As a clone commander, he’s expected to adapt to his Jedi general—their fighting style, their temperament, or in this case their physiology—if that means sticking to short-term missions, that’s fine with him (he’s just glad to know the reason). Furthermore, he understands the necessity of keeping secrets as a leader; he made the same call when he concealed his navy background from the 104th. Of course, his deep personal loyalty eclipses everything else. General Plo has done so much for him, and now shown him great trust. To let him down would be the height of dishonor.

He wants to believe the 104th would be equally accepting (he’d bet on Sinker, Boost, and Captain Roan at least), but they aren’t bound by the same duty and history, so he can’t be sure. When the General asks for his silence, he agrees.

The secret stays safe until their next stopover on Coruscant. A mortified Midnight shows up with a report that Wolffe, who takes pride in his men’s professionalism, thought he’d never receive: while on shore leave, one of their squads overheard some disparaging comments being aired about the 104th by another battalion (they’re soft, they haven’t seen real action, etc.) and retaliated, resulting in damaged property and a couple of broken noses. Astute in emotional matters, Midnight sums up the problem: having generated and absorbed falsehoods for some time, the men are losing confidence in themselves.

Clearly, keeping the 104th in the dark about their missions is doing more harm than good now. The best course, General Plo concludes, is honesty. Wolffe stands with him, albeit less serenely, as the whole battalion is called to assembly. The General is gambling his standing for their morale; it’s an uncomfortable tipping point.

An absolute stillness falls over the flight deck as General Plo lays out the facts. Then he puts an offer on the table that staggers everyone, including Wolffe: any trooper who feels truly unhappy with his lot is free to transfer—no fuss, no hard feelings. Military decorum crumbles into something close to bedlam, but their various reactions coalesce into a unanimous sentiment: they’re not going anywhere. They’ll serve wherever and whenever the General can.

They’re a better bunch than Wolffe gave them credit for (to his quick regret). Likewise, General Plo was wrong. Learning about his limitations doesn’t diminish his personhood or authority in their eyes—in fact, it humanizes him: he’s not some mystical invincible being or aloof superior but a mortal like them, a brother-in-arms who’s willing to be real with them. Naturally, they’re also enormously cheered by the affirmation of their competence and worth.

Knowing the truth has remarkable far-reaching effects on the 104th. They become self-assured and focused (if a bit smug); doubts and naysayers have no power over them anymore. They grow more unified as a battalion (although a touch exclusive) and embrace General Plo as part of their family. Critically, they don’t just tolerate their deployments, they strive to become specialists (particularly in rescues, one of the more exciting types of short-term missions) with each captain honing his company’s skills to fulfill a specific role. It’s not long before their hard work earns them repute in the GAR and beyond.

Ironically, Wolffe is the one who ends up worse off. He can’t shake the feeling of negligence nor the memory of General Plo in the gunship: wan and wasted, head bowed, arm-in-arm with him to brace against turbulence. It sharpens his awareness and apprehension, compels him to be more proactive and protective. From now on, he’s reluctant to be removed from the Jedi’s side.

It’s around this time that his dreams take a disturbing turn.

#the clone wars #commander wolffe #plo koon #wolffe's story #wolfpack #wolfpack ocs #clones #season 2 #praise the lord it's done #i don't know why but this one gave me so much trouble

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thecunnydiaries · 7 months

Text

20th Friday

Squally: Sighted Auckland Island in the Morning watch: bore down upon it, and ultimately anchored in harbour at 2 PM after beating up four hours. It is a commodious harbour after you get up; the end channel is interrupted by Two Small Islands: the greatest portion of the Land appears to be covered with brush wood. There is also some tolerably high Trees. There is a great quantity of seabirds. On a green patch near the water Side abreast of where we Anchored, there was a Staff and Red flag flying and a bottle containing letters at the bottom: also the remains of some huts built by some former voyagers, and a Grave with a cross to mark the Spot.

Campbell's Notes:

Auckland, Ross, Voyage, I. pp. 137–8. ‘Auckland Islands [Latitude 50°45'S, Longitude 166°05'E] were discovered by Abraham Bristow, commander of the ship Ocean, a southern whaler belonging to Messrs Enderby, on 18th of August, 1806, during a third voyage round the world, and is recorded in the log-book, from which, by the kindness of C. Enderby Esq., of Greenwich I am permitted to make the following extract:-“Moderate" and "clear": at daylight saw land, bearing west by compass, extending round to the north as far as N.E. by N., distant from the nearest part about nine leagues. This island or islands, as being the first discoverer, I shall call Lord Auckland's (my friend through my father)…@ Captain Bristow again visited these islands in 1807 in the ship Sarah, also belonging to Messrs Enderby: he then took formal possession of them and landed some pigs, which have increased in numbers in a surprising manner.’

William Eden (1744–1814) was created 1st Baron Auckland (Ireland) in 18.11.1789 and Baron Auckland of West Auckland, County Durham, 22.5.1793. He had a distinguished career as a Member of Parliament, Ambassador and President of the Board of Trade (1806–7). Mosley, Burke's Peerage.

Harbour, Laurie Harbour. Ross, Voyage. I. p. 132.

#1840 #nov 1840 #james clark ross

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after-zeno · 11 months

Text

3 July 2023

Extract 1: It took the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket two years of exhaustive research to conclude there is an elitist and exclusionary culture at the heart of the game in England. Had Cindy Butts and her fellow commission members been at Lord’s on Sunday, they could have taken five minutes to come to much the same view.

The title of their report published last month, Holding up a Mirror to Cricket, neatly sums up what members of the Marylebone Cricket Club – the self-appointed guardian of the rules and spirit of the game – unwittingly did when they abused the Australian team from inside the Long Room.

Extract 2: Footage from the Long Room shows that whatever was said in heat of those spiteful short moments stopped [Usman] Khawaja in his in tracks. Where most Australian players shrugged or laughed off the abuse as they continued on to the dressing room, Khawaja confronted his hecklers with the same calmness he brings to a seaming pitch.

He later explained to Nine’s broadcasters that he was more disappointed than angry. “Lord’s is one of my favourite places to come,” he said. “There is so much respect shown at Lord’s, particularly in the member’s pavilion and the Long Room, but there wasn’t today.

Extract 3: This is the third time that Khawaja, the Muslim son of Pakistani immigrants and, according to former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, “probably the nicest man that’s ever walked on the planet”, has copped the worst of England.

During the first Test at Edgbaston, when he was dismissed after a match-winning innings of 141, the foul-mouthed send-off he received from Ollie Robinson was jarringly out of place. Robinson was unapologetic for his actions, saying those who couldn’t handle an earful in an Ashes series, couldn’t handle much.

After the match, Khawaja’s faith became fodder in a broader culture war, when nationalist politician Nigel Farage questioned why the Australians didn’t douse themselves in alcohol in victory. “Once again the Australian cricket team do not celebrate in champagne style because one of the team members is a Muslim,” Farage tweeted. “Are we all to suspend normal life because of the minority?”

#Cricket #australia #england #2023 #lord's #usman khawaja #sport #the age

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the-whatcherof-89 · 2 years

Photo

Antfrost AKA “Ant” the Unlucky (Demi)god killer.

Male Catfolk (siamese cat) Alchemist 16 HP (16d8+64) Ini+5

AC28(+5Dex, +6Armor, +4Deflection, +3Natural) Saves 16/17/7

Racial: Low light vision, Sprinter, Curiosity, Cat’s luck.

Str10 Dex20 Con18 Int26 Wis10 Cha10 BaB+12 Bmc+12 CMB+27

Class abilities: Bomb8D6, Mutagen(+2 AC +4Con -2Cha 16hours), Persistent mutagen, Poison immunity, Swift poisoning, Poison use, Throw anything, Swift alchemy, Discoveries (Tanglefoot bomb, Smoke bomb, Extend potions, Poison bomb, Blinding bomb, Sunlight bomb, Explosive bomb, Fast bomb). Feats: Weapon finesse, Extra discoveries(Frost bomb, Spontaneous healing, Force bomb, Sticky bomb, Dispelling bomb), Precise shot, Point blank shot.

Traits: Alchemical adept, Infamous.

Skills: Appraise +8, Craft(Alchemy) +26, Disable device +18, Fly +12, Heal +20, Knowledge(Arcana) +26, (Nature) +26, (Local) +18, (History) +26, Perception +20, Stealth +20, Sleight of hand +12, Spellcraft +24, Survival +19, Use magic device +20.

Extracts per day: CD16 CL16 7/7/7/5/4/2

Equipment: Monstrification staff, Defensive shortsword+3, Alchemist Atlatl+1, Light crossbow+3, 50+2 Bolts, Adamantine battleaxe+1, Wild Mist chainmail+2, Ring of protection+4, Amulet of natural armor+3, Belt of physical might+4(Dex, Con), Headband pf vast intellect+4 (History), Sipping jacket, Boro bead(1st, 3rd), Handy haversack, Hybridization funnel, Boots of the cat, Cloak or resistance+2, Tome of clear thought+2(Used), Rod of cancellation, Poisoner’s gloves, Admixture vial, Weapon blanch adamantine, (5) Smoke pellets, Alchemist kit, 60GP, 7725GP of extracts added to his formulae book.

Languages: Common, Catwalk, Draconic, Giant, Acquan, Undercommon.

Antfrost is a very unique inhabitant of the land for he is an anthropomorphic siamese cat. Ant is an old friend of BBH and had a lover called RedVelvet. He was multiple times forced into labor without payment and abused by many “T”(which includes Tommyinit, Tubbo and Technoblade). Later he joined with Awasamdude and BBH and became a member of the Badlands. After the Manberg-Pogtopia war BBH, Skeppy and Antfrost became corrupted by the Egg and together they forged the Eggpire. Ant, during this period became a complete different person and was mostly in guard duty to watch over the Egg along other corrupted people. After some more time, Awsamdude (without knowing about the fact that they were corrupted) invited both him and BBH to join the security patrol at the Pandora’s Box prison. Later, they organized the Red Banquet and here Antfrost became (In)famous for his action: Killing Foolish. After which, Captain Puffy promptly avenged his son. After his “death”, Ant returned to life after losing one of his canon lives and retuned to his normal self. However, for some reason a part of him got lost.. after all cats have nine lives... and that part of him drifted for a very long time until it stumbled upon something and he heard some words: “If you had a wish limited only by your imagination what would that be?” As he looked around he saw something of immense power and a tiny glowing sphere which responded: “Power! What else?” Ant was shocked to hear Jschlatt voice and he barely had the time to try to understand what was going on that he was flung by the mysterious force outside. Here, he floated for another unspecified amount of time until another entity gently catched him. The immense figure of gold and light observed him. “You are broken, your very being was broken by an unspeakable being clad in red.” Ant was at loss for words as the golden figure words were the truth.”To return whole, you must retrieve your self and restore the pieces. I will guide you, but only when you restore my rivers of gold.” And a bright light engulfed Antfrost. It was brought it into a new land with new equipment and a few form. Not soon after, he was on the road looking for that missing piece of himself and this river of gold. I could not find an image of Anfrost that I liked so I made one using Heroforge

#minecraft #dream smp #antfrost #antfrost fanart

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7bamboosrugby-blog · 1 year

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The remarkable success of the All Blacks and what you can learn from it

Ko Aotearoa e ngunguru nei! Au, au, aue ha! (It is New Zealand that thunders now; And it is my time! It is my moment!) – an extract from the „KAPA O PANGO”, the famous Haka.

Throughout history, the New Zealand rugby team is considered among the most successful ones. A winning rate of nearly 80% in more than 100 years is nothing short of extraordinary. Hardly any other sports team around the globe has achieved a similar track record.

The trophy cabinet features three World Cup titles (1987, 2011 and 2015), 10 of the 16 Tri-Nations trophies (a tournament between Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) and seven of the nine Rugby Championships (an extension of the Tri-Nations, with Argentina added) contested.

The side also claimed World Rugby’s Team of the Year title on seven consecutive occasions from 2010-2016.

In this article, we explore how such a consistent and overwhelming performance is possible: What is the secret behind a team that dominated their closest rivals over more than a century of international rugby?

Let’s look at the philosophies and values of this rugby-mad nation and its beloved team and discover what learning lessons every coach, athlete and team manager can take on board, regardless of level or ability.

Winning!

For the people of New Zealand rugby is a lot more than a “game.” It sounds like a cliché, but the sport which was introduced by the young Englishmen Charles Monro in the 19th century (the first competitive match was played in 1870) is ingrained in the country's culture and DNA.

The success of the All Blacks is more than the result of countless training sessions on the pitch and sweaty workouts in the gym. It is evolving from a deeply rooted success philosophy.

Developing a “winning” culture is the starting point. The coaches and players know that a burning desire for winning is an essential part of the game. They develop strategies that leads to long-term success.

The All Blacks are all about setting high expectations with the yearning to become better every day and be tough no matter what challenges are ahead.

Basics first

It all starts with the basics though. During the kid's training sessions, when they get to know the game, they focus on mastering the basic elements of rugby, i.e. passing, kicking, running, catching, and tackling.

However, this “attention-to-detail” approach does not stop with youngsters. Regardless of the level, players understand the importance of basic, simple execution.

This is logical: When pressure is high, the team knows it can outperform its opponents by using the basics extremely well.

A small fish in a big pond

With just 5 million people, New Zealand counts 150,000 registered rugby players across 600 clubs - offering a huge pool of players to choose from. A testament to the game's immense popularity.

With so much local competition, an excellent nationwide school-rugby programme and outstanding clubs managed by experienced and knowledgeable coaches the standard across the country remains high.

Sean Fitzpatrick, one of the greatest All Black and captain from 1992 until his retirement in 1997 (92 caps) described his team as the “heart and soul” of New Zealand.

No dickheads, please!

When former and current All Blacks discuss legacy, the word gets thrown around a lot. There is a certain responsibility to enhance legacy among the players.

It boils down to the wonderful idea of “better men” make “better All Blacks” in rugby and in life."Bad apples" have no place in the team, regardless of how well they perform individually.

If they cause cracks in the team’s strong foundation, they’re not worthy of being part of it. This philosophy was also once famously described as the “No dickheads” rule.

The creation of a good team requires everyone to be on the same playing level, no one is above the team. The legendary "sweep the shed" rule underlines how seriously New Zealanders take this idea.

It might happen that you pass an All Blacks changing room in one of the greatest rugby stadiums and you see the captain of the world’s best team sweeping the floor and tidy the room.

Just imagine for a second what a strong image this creates especially toward the new lads in the squad.

A special ritual

For many rugby fans around the world, the Haka, is the first thing that comes to mind in association with the All Blacks.

This form of ceremonial performance art from the Māori culture is the ultimate ritual to fire up for the game. It’s a show of strength and unity prior to the kick-off of a Test match. The women's team has their own version, called 'Ko Uhia Mai'.

Since 2005, the All Blacks introduced their very own Haka, called Kapa O Pango. A year in the making, Kapa O Pango was written for the team by Derek Lardelli, an expert in tikanga Maori (Maori culture and customs) of the Ngati Porou iwi.

youtube

Its words and actions celebrate the land of New Zealand, the silver fern and its warriors in black. The name might be translated as 'team in black'.

For some it might be a daunting viewing and what looks like an unfair advantage however it is a fascinating pre-match spectacle.

Learning from mistakes

The All Blacks have had their fair share of dark times despite their impressive track record and countless titles.

On several occasions, they failed to beat their opponents at decisive World Cup knock-out matches when they were top favourites. They had to wait a painfully long 24 years to lift the famous William Web Ellis trophy.

In other eras they lost a number of consecutive test matches combined with off-field scandals including drunken players who behave badly in public, leaving the coaches with a lot of headaches.

Their ability to bounce back, however, is remarkable. The coaches realised they needed to act and introduced fundamental changes in their management style, including a deep restructuring in the role of the coach.

Suddenly the coaches were not “instructors” anymore but acted as facilitators, allowing players to come up with ideas to run the team and the training sessions.

With enhanced responsibilities in the hand of the players, things turned around rather quickly and more successful times followed.

What can you learn from the All Blacks? 5 Lessons to take on board

Let's examine how the All-Blacks' success formula can be applied to other situations now that we have a better understanding of how it works.

Good people make good teams

Ask yourself brutally honest questions: Do you have any bad apples in your team, who are just in the team because of their playing qualities?

Although a rugby team consists of many completely different characters, everyone should be the same in terms of their attitude toward the team.

Ritual

Should you decide tomorrow, to perform a Haka just before the next challenge, it might fire you up a bit, but certainly doesn’t guarantee success for the next 100 years.

However, don't be afraid to work with rituals. They can help you become a better team. Think about what kind of ritual would be authentically meaningful to everyone and put it into practice together.

Play to Win

It sounds almost too obvious, but winning matters. However more important is to win with purpose. Know your why and success will follow.

The All Blacks have a strong sense of identity and pride, a commitment to excellence, and a focus on team unity. These are all essential components of a winning culture.

Kiwi Kaizen

Kaizen is a very common Japanese concept that stands for constant and never-ending improvement; The key is to look at every minor detail and try to find 100 things that you can improve 1% better (the British cycling team did something similar) and the compound over time is huge.

Your Legacy

For many talking about legacy isn’t easy. It is a big word and hard to put a meaning to it. But once you have a serious discussion and idea of what you trying to create over your life it can be extremely powerful.

As an individual begins with the end in mind (think about the end of your life). Who says what at your funeral? What’s my job on the planet? What is it that only I can give to the world? What is it for you? Let every team member run the same thought experiment and try to connect the dots afterward.

Conclusion

The All-Blacks’ remarkable success is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence. They have set a standard of excellence that is admired and respected by players and fans alike. By following the lessons, we can learn from the All Blacks, we can strive to achieve our own success.

This Article was first published on 7bamboos.com

#AllBlacks #coaching #improvement #winning #rugby #newzealand #culture

#Youtube

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packedwithpackards · 2 years

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The story of Capt. Abiel Packard

Screenshot of my profile for Capt. Abiel Packard on Ancestry.com. I call him Abiel Packard Sr. to distinguish from his son, also named Abiel.

On this blog, I have briefly written about Capt. Abiel Packard, but mostly in passing. Pages 25 and 26 of Moses Cary's book, A Genealogy of the Families Who Have Settled in the North Parish of Bridgewater, which Mr. Dale Cook put online, describes him as follows:

[Abiel] lived where Captain Nathaniel Wales now lives; he m[arried]. an Ames, was a Captain in the militia, had eight s[on]s. Abiel [who died in his youth], Josiah [a militia captain who died in 1793 at age 70], Joshua [moved to the state of Maine], Thomas [had varying children], Timothy [died in 1780, age 48], Daniel [moved westward], Eliab [moved westward], and Benjamin [died 1808, aged 59]; and two d[aughter]s. Sarah, and Betsey. Sarah m[arries] Deacon Ebenezer Snell. Betsey m. Jacob Edson. Captain Abiel Packard was the greatest land-holder in the North Parish; he owned a thousand acres of land in one body, aud [sic] settled seven of his sons on the same. Captain Abiel Packard died 1776, aged 76.

However, there are some problems with this description. For one, his gravestone clearly lists him as dying in 1774, two years before the Revolutionary War began. Secondly, he is described on Find A Grave as "the son of Zaccheus and Sarah (Howard) Packard" and as marrying "Sarah Ames on January 11, 1722/23 in Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts." Only seven of his children are listed on Find A Grave, apart from his son Abiel, not the ten that Cary claims were the children of Abiel and Sarah. [1] One article in Access Genealogy, which misstates hid death date as 1776 adds to this narrative by noting that

Capt. Abiel Packard, the youngest child of Zaccheus and Sarah (Howard) Packard, was born April 29, 1699, in West Bridgewater, and later became one of the first settlers of the North Parish of Bridgewater, where he was engaged in farming, owning the land afterward known as the Capt. Nathaniel Wales place. He was the largest land owner in the neighborhood, having over one thousand acres in one tract, upon which he settled seven of his sons. He was a captain in the militia. He married Jan. 11, 1723, Sarah Ames, daughter of John and Sarah (Washburn) Ames, and they became the parents of ten children...[Abiel's] wife died in Bridgewater, in 1790, aged eighty-three years.

His birth date on Apr 25, 1699 is definitely confirmed, as I noted in a previous post.

With this, I looked at my entry for Abiel Packard, in which I said at the end that "due to the date of his death, he was NOT a famous captain in the Revolutionary War as some sources claim." I found, from this profile that Abiel, age 37, on December 31, 1736, signed a petition to the Massachusetts legislature (General Court), as an inhabitant of the Northern section of Bridgewater's "West Precinct," requesting to be a distinct township. [2] This shows where he was living at the time, along with the other nine Packards who signed the petition: David, David Jr., James, John, Jonathan, Seth, Solomon, William, and Zaccheus. Also, in that profile I cited Massachusetts, Marriages, 1633-1850 showing that Abiel married Deliverance Washburn on November 16, 1771 in Bridgewater, using the same resource to show he married Sarah Ames on January 11, 1723 in Bridgewater. I extracted information from Bradford Kingman's 1866 book, History of North Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, From its First Settlement to the Present Time with Family Registers, showing that he was a militia captain (originally he was ensign in 1762) with Issac Packard (pp 94, 201, 292-293 at most). [3] In the same book, I found that in 1750/51 he was a selectman (p 203), that he voted to furnish the meeting house and fund school on 15 Aug 1748 (pp 88, 113), with a number of votes concerning him in 1747 (p 112). I also found that for many years he was on the committee of the North Parish (p. 206), specifically 1746-1748, 1750, 1752, 1754, 1756-1758, 1760-1761, 1763-1769, that he sold pews in 1744 (pp 88, 113), and the same year paid a higher tax than David, Solomon, Deacon, Zachariah, Seth, William, Lydia (Widow), and Jacob Packard, possibly indicating that he owned more land than them (pp 211-212). Finally, the book also said that he helped, from 1739 to 1740, along with his brothers David and Solomon, to approve certain preachers, sell of pews, and other improvements to the local church (pp 20, 85), and that he was a treasurer of the North Parish from 1738-1743 and in 1762 (p 206).

If Kingman is right in his assessment than Abiel was an active churchgoer. Clearly he lived in Bridgewater for all of his life. Most importantly, were the original sources I cited on the profile. At age 24, he was mentioned in the dividing up of the estate of his father, Zaccheus Packard, who had died that year (1723). [4] Furthermore, he was mentioned in the inventory and division of his father's estate (all the people who sign it were Zaccheus's children) in May 1725, noting that Zaccheus died on August 3, 1723. He was also mentioned in the settling of the estate the same month, which was signed in the presence of Joseph Edson and Nathaniel Brett. The original documents, linked above, are posted below. Specifically focus on pages 74, 75, and 76, which have the information relating to Zaccheus Packard and his children surviving.

Yellow underlines are my emphasis of the inventory. This showing that Abiel has 7 siblings: Jonathan Packard, David Packard, Solomon Packard, James Packard, John Packard, Sarah Packard (wife of Josiah Edson), and Israel Packard. There is a later picture just focusing on what Abiel got.

Yellow underlines are my emphasis. A "Sarah Packard" is mentioned at the top, who is obviously Sarah Howard, who married Zaccheus. All the other children, and the husband (Josiah Edson) of Sarah Packard, signed the document at the time. A whole group of Packards!

Yellow underlining is my emphasis. This page shows that Deliverance, Abiel's wife, gave him the estate on which he currently lives! It also names his son, Josiah.

Yellow underlining is my emphasis. This lists his other children, including his sons Joshua, Thomas, Timothy, Daniel, Eliab, and Benjamin, daughters Sarah (widow of then-dead Ebenezer Snell) and Betty (wife of James Edson), to name all of them. I missed some areas to underline, but I got most of them.

This shows he had nine children, not ten children as others claimed.

Later on, Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 lists him as dying in 1774, and was buried in Brockton.

And that's all I'm writing on Abiel for now.

Notes

[1] This was also noted by other sites (also see here), including another local historian. and a genealogical database, but they are wrong on his death date as being 1776. For other similar mistakes in genealogical accounts, see here. For other accounts, see here, and here.

[2] 1736 petition, "Archives Collection (1629 - 1799) ," Vol 114, p 212.

[3] I also said that "other militia captains included: David Packard in 1780, Robert and Lennel Packard in 1783 (Robert again in 1796), Adin Packard (1817), Abiel Packard (1819) & Charles T. Packard (1862)." I added that "Kingman claims that Abiel served until the revolutionary war but this is not true as the war began, by claims of most historians, in 1775. If one uses Ray Raphael's claim that the war began in 1774, this is true. Likely Kingman is not referring to this however."

[4] The pages I cited on an Ancestry.com note titled "Dividing up real estate pages" are here, here, here, and here.

Note: This was originally posted on Jan. 18, 2019 on the main Packed with Packards WordPress blog (it can also be found on the Wayback Machine here). My research is still ongoing, so some conclusions in this piece may change in the future.

#packards #genealogy #family history #genealogy research #lineage #ancestry #wills #probate #revolutionary war

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monstersandmaw · 3 years

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Monsters & Maw Masterlist - Part Two

Since I appear to have maxed out the number of links in a single post, here is the continuation of my Masterlist.

I’ll format it in the same way, that being chronologically, rather than by monster or reader ‘type’, and the rating (sfw/nsfw) will be added to each part/story.

Newer stories at the bottom. Be sure to check the original post (not just reblogs) for updates!

Masterlist Part One here.

Masterlist of Shorter Stories and Drabbles here.

Male werewolf x female character (Gabe & Odessa) Part One (sfw), Part Two (sfw), Part Three (sfw), Part Four (sfw), Part Five (sfw), Part Six (sfw) Part Seven (sfw), Part Eight (sfw), Part Nine (sfw), Part Ten (sfw), Part Eleven (nsfw), Part Twelve (sfw), Part Thirteen (sfw), Part Fourteen (nsfw), Part Fifteen (nsfw), Part Sixteen (nsfw), Part Seventeen (sfw), Part Eighteen (v. light nsfw), Part Nineteen (nsfw), Part Twenty (nsfw), Part Twenty-One (nsfw), Part Twenty-Two (season finale, sfw). Gabe’s POV between seasons (sfw)

Male orc x male character (Victorian era fantasy) Part One (WIP, posted on Ko-fi)

Male merman x reader (nsfw)

Male mothfolk (Elis) x male reader (very light nsfw at the end)

Female selkie (Meg) x female reader (sfw)

Male each-uisge/sea kelpie (Rhion) x reader (sfw) *Mermay*, Part Two (changed to cis female reader) (nsfw)

Male wyvern (Askaen) x male reader (nsfw)

Male dragonborn (Yrdan) x trans female reader (nsfw)

Male dremora (demon) x female character Part One (sfw), Part Two (sfw), Part Three (sfw), Part Four (sfw), Part Five (sfw), Part Six (sfw), Part Seven (sfw), Part Eight (sfw), Part Nine (nsfw)

Male yeti-shifter dad x reader Part One (sfw), Part Two (v. light nsfw), Part Three (nsfw)

Male goblin (Gil) x gn reader (nsfw)

More below the cut

(old) WIP Male vampire x female character - Part One (sfw)

Male goblin x gn reader (nsfw)

Male witch x male goth (non-monster romance story) ‘Like Moon and Tide’: Part One, Part Two, Part Three (v. light nsfw), Part Four (nsfw), Part Five (Final, nsfw)

Male cerberus boyfriends x gn reader Part Two (nsfw)

Male scarred werewolf (Rhett) x female reader Part Five (nsfw)

Male ‘yautja/feral predator’ inspired alien x gn reader: Part One (sfw), Part Two (sfw), Part Three (sfw), Part Four (sfw), Part Five (sfw), Part Six (nsfw), Part Seven (nsfw), Part Eight (sfw), Part Nine (sfw), Part Ten (sfw), Part Eleven - final (nsfw)

Male yautja x gn reader (implied poly) (sfw)

Female ghost x gn reader (sfw)

Male scarecrow x gn reader (sfw)

Dragon Heart (non romance, dragon & human story, sfw)

Male drider pirate captain x gn reader (mild nsfw)

Male orc (Guthlak) x gn reader (light/fluffy nsfw)

Male sharkman (Titus) x male reader (nsfw, light D/s undertones)

Male fox spirit (Rowe) x female reader (nsfw)

Male werewolf (Beorn) x trans male reader (nsfw)

Male werewolf x male human (3rd person POV) (nsfw)

Male uruk hai x gn human (sfw)

‘Protector’ - short story featuring a male gargoyle and a female witch (sfw)

Female vampire x nb/gn reader (nsfw) (drabble)

Male naga x nb/gn reader (nsfw) (drabble)

Male swamp monster x female reader (nsfw) (drabble)

Male dragon x trans male reader (nsfw) (drabble)

Female drider x female reader (nsfw) (drabble)

Male vampire x male reader (sfw) (drabble)

Male swamp monster x nb/gn reader (nsfw) (drabble)

Female vampire x female reader (nsfw) (drabble)

Male bugbear x male reader (nsfw) (drabble)

Non binary tiefling x plus sized female reader (nsfw) (drabble)

Female knight (Vika) x lady (Elayne) - Part One of an abandoned WIP (sfw)

Werewolf farmer (Rowan) - Stardew fic, WIP extract (sfw)

Laces for a Lady - poly shifter romance story set in 18th century smuggling Cornwall, with a male bucca (eel monster) and a male selkie and a female human. Part One (sfw), Part Two (sfw), Part Three (sfw), (bonus Locryn & Ned chapter post Chpt3, sfw), Part Four (sfw), Part Five (sfw), Part Six (sfw), Part Seven (sfw)

Snowfall - m/m/m poly story (elf, vampire, lich). Part One

Male gnoll (Cade) x gn reader (nsfw)

Male orc (Rhuarc) x female character - Part One (sfw)

Male dullahan (Pumpkin) x gn reader (sfw) (commission)

Male orc (Rhokann) x gn reader (light nsfw) (commission)

Male drider (Feluän) x trans male reader (nsfw) (commission)

Male dragon x male knight (3rd person, nsfw) (commission)

Male centipede alien x transmasc nonbinary reader (nsfw) (commission)

‘Changing Tides’ - male human ‘cursed’ into merfolk body (no romance, sfw)

___

Date updated: 04.11.2023 - UK date order: Day, Month, Year

#masterlist #exophilia masterlist #ghosti's masterlist #ghosti's stories #monster boyfriend #monster girlfriend #werewolf

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typingtess · 2 years

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Tiptoeing through the “All The Little Things” guest cast

Peter Cambor as Operational Psychologist Nate Getz Nate last appeared in season eight's "Old Tricks" episode. Been a while, Nate.

Bar Paly as Anastasia "Anna" Kolcheck Welcome to season 13, Anna. Anna's last appearance was in "The Nobel Maidens" in season 12.

Jeff Kober as Harris Keane Keane was last seen in "Hit List" in season 10.

Oleysa Rulin as Zasha Gagarin Zasha was sent by Callen on her un-merry way in "Subject 17", the season 13 premiere.

Jolene Kay as NCIS Special Agent Afloat Denise Morgan Kay's guest roles include The Defenders, The Dark Horse, Scandal, Rizzoli & Isles, Grey's Anatomy, Flaked, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, House of Lies, Colony and Chance.

Nikki Crawford as Navy Captain Emily Carnes Had guest roles in A Different World, Living Single, Martin, Homeboys in Outer Space, Night Stand, The District, Malcolm in the Middle, Numb3rs, Switched at Birth, Pretty Little Liars, Criminal Minds, Selena: The Series and The United States of Al.

Crawford played Rebecca Light in Extraction. Was Dr. Shawna Street in NCIS's "Watchdog" in season 18.

Carolyn Grundman as Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Sofia Addison A few credits in independent productions.

Preston Jones as Gary Drummond Was Troy in Sing It! and played Petty Officer First Class David Collins in the "M.I.A." season 14 episode of NCIS. Guest appearances include Jack & Bobby, Head Cases, True Blood, $#*! My Dad Says, CSI: NY, Death Valley, The Mentalist, Femme Fatales, Broken Bonds, Stalker, Stitchers, General Hospital and Hawaii Five-0 (2020).

Ty Chen as Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Hill Guest roles include 'Til Death, Stalker, Grey's Anatomy, Code Black, Lucifer, The Middle, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Politician.

Jason Woods as Navy Seaman Harold Forest Guest roles include Bunheads, Grey's Anatomy, Castle, Rosewood, Insecure, Jane the Virgin, Sweet/Vicious, Switched at Birth, I'm Dying Up Here, Proven Innocent and 68 Whiskey.

Played Petty Officer Drew Carlson in NCIS: New Orleans's "Man on Fire" episode in season three, Marine First Lt. Rick Romero in NCIS's "Wide Awake" episode in season 17.

Duncan Campbell as NCIS Special Agent Castor Agent Castor was last seen in "Lost Soldier Down" in January.

Written by: R. Scott Gemmill wrote/cowrote “The Only Easy Day”, “Brimstone”, “Breach”, “LD50”, “Found”, “Borderline”, “Absolution”, “Archangel”, “Tin Soldiers”, “Impostors”, “Cyberthreat”, “Honor”, “The Watchers” and both sides of the NCIS Los: Angeles/Hawaii Five-0 “Touch of Death” episodes, “Recruit”, “Free Ride”, “Wanted”, “Ravens and The Swans”, “Impact”, “War Cries”, both ends of the “Deep Trouble” season five finale/season six premiere, “Inelegant Heart”, “Praesidium”, “Traitor”, “Active Measures” (season seven premiere), “Blame It On Rio”, “Internal Affairs”, “Matryoshka” part one, "Talion" (season seven finale), “High Value Target”/“Belly of the Beast” (season eight premieres), “The Queen’s Gambit”, “Under Siege”, “Unleashed” (season eight finale), “Party Crashers” (season nine’s premiere), “This Is What We Do” (episode 200), “Các Tù Nhân”, “Goodbye Vietnam”, “Ninguna Salida” (the season nine finale), “Hit List”, “Asesinos”, “Till Death Do Us Part”, “Choke Point”, “The Guardian”, “Hail Mary”, “Kill Beale Vol. 1”, “Alsiyadun”, “Fortune Favors the Brave”, “The Bear” (season 12 premiere), “Angry Karen”, “Love Kills”, “Russia, Russia, Russia”, “The Noble Maidens”, “A Tale of Two Igors” (season 12 finale) and "Subject 17" (season 13 premiere).

Directed by: Terrence O'Hara directed “The Only Easy Day”, “Brimstone”, “The Bank Job”, “Borderline”, “Tin Soldiers”, “The Job”, “Backstopped”, “Crimeleon”, “Blye, K.” Part Two, “San Voir” Part Two, “End Game”, “Paper Soldiers”, “Descent”, “Ascension”, “Fish Out of Water”, “Blaze of Glory”, “Command and Control” (episode 150), “Matryoshka” Part Two, “Belly of the Beast”, “Payback”, “Mountebank”, “Asesinos”, "Searching", “Yellow Jack”, “Raising the Dead”, “Overdue” and "Red Rover, Red Rover". This is his first season 13 episode.

#tiptoeing #NCIS: Los Angeles #NCIS: LA #NCIS Los Angeles #ncis la

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lunaekalenda · 3 years

Note

hi!! can i ask for either an eren or porco x reader fic where their titan form saves you from nearly dying during a battle and they get mad at you afterwards because they’re obviously not gonna be there all the time then when you apologize they end up breaking down because their afraid of losing you and it just ends in fluff 👉🏻👈🏻

OMG OMG wait this is gold!! that was a really good plot!! i had a hard time deciding, but i'm more into porco lately, so this time i'll be using him for my first fic! i hope you like it and sorry for the errors or the things that were different to the original ask :( (*´-`) this takes place in one of the battles Marley fights against another enemy, but I will not follow the line of the original manga :D (also thanks to @breathes24 for refreshing my memory :D)

𝔰𝔞𝔳𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔶𝔬𝔲

❁ porco x reader

❁ mention of blood and battle, mention of the extraction of a bullet, bad talking. shingeki s4 spoilers!

The only thing you could hear were shots. You kept running, your feet hurted and the backpack was really heavy. Running in the middle of the battlefield was a suicide mission, you knew it, but you were not going to leave all in Pieck's and Porco's hands. So, trying to avoid the shots, you keep runing. You can see Pieck's bag shooting and Porco running from one machine to another, trying to break them with his hardened claws. You look around, the corpses of your companions scattered across the field, along with some enemies. You try to concentrate in what you’re trying to do. The kids are safe in the trench, and you’re not a soldier of valor, you only have nursing knowledge, useless for the fight.

That’s why the commander has not hesitated to send you as a distraction.

“If you expose yourself as an easy target, they will probably have to divide their attention between them and you. Also, they know there are nine Changing Titans, but they don’t know exactly how many of them we have. They could think you’re one of them. That will make Zeke’s appearance more unexpected for them, you see?”

"Where the hell is Zeke?" you think. He should be here helping, a lot of eldians have died. a scream is heard and you identify it as a Titan's one. Pieck received a shot on her hand. She's losing her strength little by little. Porco keeps fighting, and Pieck’s support soldiers do a great job mastering the cannons, trying to hit the enemies. Reiner is trying to stop their train.

"Just wait a bit, guys. I'm almost there..." you enter the enemy side of the field. Your trench looks empty, because your army blindly believes in titans. But, like humans, their stamina is limited, and transforming takes a great deal of energy.

"There's one of them!!" someone yells in front of you. "She could be the Beast Titan, kill her before she reaches the other two!" all the soldiers can be heard loading their shotguns.

The first shot impacts on the floor. The second, near you. You just have an option: keep running, faster.

You accelerate the step to the front, where big war machines are searching you. From the trench, a lot of soldiers are trying to kill you, failing due to the poor visibility they have, but it's a matter of time before those who run the tanks finds you.

This is the end.

The shots are every time more precise, but you can’t return and leave them alone, waiting for Zeke to make his appearance.

You have no scape.

You close your eyes, accepting the destiny, while you keep running. You can hear them charging their big machines. They found you.

You’re their target now.

A Titan's scream is heard, right before the order of the enemy captain.

"Fire!"

You open your eyes when a shot impacts on your leg, and you watch how they charge the canons, ready to kill you. Now you have zero scape way, you’re hurt and you can’t move.

Suddenly, the Jaw Titan appears and, opening his mouth, picks you up off the ground, locking you in his hardened jaw. His speed of movement allows him to easily dodge all shots.

"Thanks, Pock."

A tremor and the sound of lightning tells that Zeke has already arrived to help.

He keeps runing, and then all you can hear are rocks hitting people, trains and houses. Zeke’s titan may be slow for running, but his pitches are deadly. Your leg hurts where the bullet went through, and the pants you’re using are covered with blood.

“Just leave me here and return. I don’t want them to lose because of me.”

He ignored what you said and kept running, but slowing down. Probably he’s tired, he has been fighting for hours.

Once you two are far enough from the battlefield, Porco turns right and you recognize the path he has been taking. We’re close to the residence. He opens his mouth and you go down to the floor, but your leg complains of the roughness of the movement. Then, his Titan falls, and he appears behind it. He seems angry.

"What the hell were you doing there?" he says. His Titan is steaming.

"I wanted to help you, you were doing all the work... The commander told me to help and I thought it was a good idea." Porco looks at you without saying anything for a minute. Then, he sighs and looks at your bleeding leg, before coming towards you. His arm slips under your knees carefully, and the other rests on your back, before he lifts you. “I can walk, you don’t have to...”

“You have a fucking bullet inside, just take help for one damn time.” You decided to shut up and he enters the residence. “I have some medical stuff in my room, I’ll take you there.” He starts to walk up the stairs, heading to his room. There are a few doctors on their daily check of the injured soldiers that live here. He opens his door using his foot, and he enters. His room is clean and clear. Natural light comes in through the window, and a bedside lamp lights up the corner of hi bed. He leaves you in the bed before walking to his personal bathroom, from where he takes a medicine cabinet. Porco drags a chair to place it near the bed, making him able to treat your leg. He hasn’t talk since we arrived here, but he keeps frowning.

“We didn’t need help” He says after cutting your pants at the height of the wound. Then, Porco opens the medicine cabinet, and takes out thread, needle and some surgical tweezers. The scalpel glows when he pulls it out.

“Maybe this hurts a bit.” He whispers. He prepares also a towel with some water. “Grab that pillow and use it to muffle your screams.” You do what he said, and you put his pillow on your face. It smells like him, and it comforts you a lot. He works fast, moving his fingers with precision, and extracting the bullet without problem. Once he’s finished, he saves everything back in place and offers you a glass of water. You’re dizzy from the pain and you needed to drink, so you thank him and drink.

“Do it slow or you’ll be feeling worst, idiot.” he scolds tou. You drink it slower and you take a breath once you’re finished.

“Thanks” He puts the glass on the table he has as a desk.

“Well, I...”

“You could have died out there” he says. He’s not looking at you, and runs his hand through his hair. “You were about to die.”

“Thanks for that, you saved me”

“I’m not going to last forever, you know? Someday I’ll die, and I’m not going to be there to save you like all the other times. So start thinking about surviving and stop playing the heroine.”

“Sorry?”

Why was he so pissed off? You didn’t ask for his help.

“I don't have to take care of you every time we go out onto the battlefield”

“Stop doing it, then”

“It's called companionship, but it only works if everyone focuses on surviving and not in saving stupid death-hugging soldiers”

“I never asked you to save me.” The words come out on their own before you could stop them. That was very rude, you’re ungrateful. He looks at you in the eyes, but you can't tell how he feels.

“Cool, next time I'll take care of my business and let you die, if that’s what you want.”

He’s hurt. You hurt him because you were getting nervous.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything that I said. I was getting anxious...”

He sighs. “I also talked badly to you.”

“But you’re right. I can’t survive by myself.”

“I didn’t mean to say that.” His voice is losing strength, and his gaze is lowered. “It’s just... I thought that today I was losing you, I was not going to be able to arrive on time” his voice breaks while he talks. “I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you”

You looked at him surprised. “To me? Who cares about me? Maybe it’s because we trained together since kids.” You think for yourself, before speaking.

“Well, I know you care for all of us, but Pock yo...”

“You’re not getting it.” He says. Then he leans over to the bed. “I care for you. I care a lot. I can’t imagine if something bad happens to you. I’m always near in case I have to help you. I can only thing about your wellness.” His brown eyes are fixed on yours. “Please, don’t do that again.” His eyes are getting wet. “Just the idea of losing you terrifies me.” His hand sits on your back, and draws you to him. You’re speechless.

You have always been interested in Porco. When you first met him, you thought he was really handsome, and his personality made you think of him as unattainable. You two have been training together since kids. He was really good in all skills, and you were really bad. He helped you a couple times, but you ended in the nursery school. You started to lose contact, but then he inherited the Jaw Titan and wasn’t sent to Paradis, so you both coincide again. He is a man now, even more attractive than before, but with a somewhat shocking personality. So listen him saying this things makes your heart shudder.

“Pock, I...”

“I like you. Well, I think this is no more just attraction.” he whispers. “I guess I’m in love with you.”

That hit you like a train. His love for you was behind all the times he saved you, the times he helped you and the times he reprimanded you. He was moved by love, genuine concern.

“Are you crying?” he separates you from his body to look at your face. Tears roll down your cheeks fast. Porco places his hands on both sides of your face, dabbing them dry with his thumbs. Your hands are placed on top of his, and you lean your head towards his touch.

“I also love you, Pock” he smiles before kissing your forehead. “Since we were kids”

“You know that if you had said it before, I would have corresponded long ago” you laugh quietly, his thumbs tracing circles on your skin. “I can’t promise you a long life together, but if you accept the little that I can offer, I’ll be delighted to be with you.”

His lips place a soft kiss on your hair and you hug him.

“I will be happy to be with you, Pock.”

The room was silent, and you could only listen to his heartbeat, slow, because he has you on his arms, alive. You look at him, his handsome face looking you.

“Does that mean I can ask you to going out later” he laughs.

“I just took out a bullet from your leg, you have to rest.” you smirk.

“I live in the other part of the city. I can’t walk.”

“I’ll call a horse cart for you.”

He was having fun, dodging every possible way to spend time together that night.

“What if my leg hurts? I live alone.” you tried and, for your surprise, he smiled.

“Then I guess you need someone to take care of you tonight...”

His lips covered yours sweetly, and you thought you could get used to it.

To him.

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blouisparadise · 4 years

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Upon request, here is a rec list of bottom Louis fics where Louis is pining for Harry. We hope you’ll enjoy this list. We also have a mutual pining rec list here and we will have a pining Harry rec list eventually. Happy reading!

1) Down On Your Knees, You Don’t Look So Tall | Explicit | 3445 words

Louis and Harry are friends, and best ones at that. Louis loves Harry more fiercely more than he's ever loved anyone, so he doesn't really have a problem with it when they start doing this thing. this wonderful, wonderful thing.

2) You Had Me At Hello | Explicit | 4529 words

Louis works in the shop next to Harry's cupcake shop. Louis pines after Harry until he goes into a heat and Harry finally catches up.

3) Just Like Live Wires | Explicit | 5427 words

Harry climbs into Louis’ bed when he’s cold. Louis pines.

4) Something To Live For | Mature | 5535 words

After over a century of waiting for Harry to realize they're mates, Louis gets his heart broken when his friend announces he's found his 'one' in a human girl named Teresa. Wanting only happiness for Harry, Louis accepts that it just wasn't meant to be and decides it's time to let go of the immortal life.

5) Five Times Harry Styles Was Jealous | Mature | 6184 words

Harry's jealous all the time but there were five times that definitely stand out. Five times that changed Louis and Harry's relationship.

6) On My Mind All The Time, Say You're Mine | Explicit | 9261 words

“Dude, we’re inside, and it’s night time. Those don’t look as cool as you think they do.” Louis could kick himself, he sounded so stupid, but it certainly got the guy’s attention.

It was at that unfortunate moment that he noticed several other things about this hot asshole, that he hadn’t noticed just staring from afar. First, when Louis spoke to him, his gaze was kind of unfocused behind his sunglasses, and secondly, that he had a red and white cane folded up under his arm.

“I’m… Blind,” the man chuckled, awkwardly.

Louis wanted to melt into a puddle out of pure embarrassment.

“I— am so sorry. I have to go.”

“Hey, wait, wait,” the man soothed, grabbing at Louis’ shoulders before he could get away.

“I’m sorry,” Louis repeated, looking down at his shoes.

“It’s alright,” He cackled. “I get it a lot. More than you know.”

7) Let The Beating Waves Come Drag Me Down | Explicit | 9447 words

“Just try it, the worst thing that could ever happen it’s that you won’t like it” Niall had told him. And there he was, on the way to one of these pubs created for perverts, willing to break up the routine to try something new, something that terrified as much as excited him.

One night to get swept up in passion, one night to let the devil get in.

"Tonight, I’m going to make you scream of ecstasy Louis,” he said with a raspy voice full of control, making him tremble with anticipation.

8) Got It Right Such A Long Time Ago | Explicit | 9699

There are a lot of people Harry might expect to find on his doorstep at three o’clock in the afternoon these days.

It could be the delivery man, come to drop off the pair of boots Harry impulsively ordered online last week. It could be one of his neighbors, dropping by to complain about how a party he’d thrown weeks ago had clogged up the street. It could also be any number of his friends in L.A., who stop by unannounced most days to mooch off Harry’s food or whisk him away to try some new yogurt shop.

As a rule, it definitely cannot be Louis Tomlinson, although Harry’s blinked at least three times now, and it’s still Louis standing there, a backpack slung over his shoulder and a duffel bag at his feet.

9) You Know What They Say | Explicit | 10232 words

Nice guys always finish last.

10) Call If You Need Me | Explicit | 10770 words

If anyone asks later on, Louis plans to tell them that it’s all Niall’s fault.

11) Love Is Like This; Not A Heartbeat, But A Moan | Explicit | 13150 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

In which Harry loves Louis, but Louis has been cold to him ever since he presented as an omega at age fifteen.

Eight years later, Louis approaches Harry with a request, and who is Harry to deny him?

12) Just Let Me | Mature | 14714 words

The party was going well. So well, Niall had already sworn undying love to one multi-tiered chocolate cake, two friendly corgi-poodle mixes, Zayn’s hair, and the entire population of Los Angeles. So well, Zayn had only laughed and ruffled Niall’s hair and not even twitched towards a cigarette. So well, nearly everyone had spilled far past the boundaries of the night’s original plans, extracting bottles of vodka from the cabinets and losing a lot of clothes. Harry had proclaimed that he was finally going to throw a small and very grownup dinner party and of course here they were three hours later, fifty people half-naked in the pool. Soon to be full-naked, if Louis had to guess. Everybody in LA loved a heated pool. Everybody loved Harry.

13) We’re the New Romantics | Explicit | 16054 words

Alternatively, a high school au where Louis pines and Harry is not who he seems to be. Featuring peanut butter banana milkshakes, motorcycles, and first times.

14) Wait For Me (To Come Home) | Explicit | 16066 words

A future fic of time stamps where Louis finally comes to grips with a love he'd denied for too long.

15) Deflower Me | Explicit | 20154 words

Louis is a proud virgin, and no matter how much society tries to make him feel like a freak for not acting on his natural urges, he doesn't suffer from his lack of experience. He has never felt drawn to someone in a way that made him want to get involved sexually with them, and he isn't planning on rushing himself so he can get some because people think it's what he should do.

In walks Fratboy, the Serial Haunter of His (wet) Dreams, who thankfully has a little business going on that might be just what Louis needs.

16) I Wanna Be More Than Friends | Not Rated | 20721 words

The one where Harry’s an alpha with no sense of smell, Louis’ an omega who isn’t allowed to scent his best friend, and that’s all they’ll ever be. Obviously.

17) The Way The Storm Blows | Explicit | 21649 words

Louis doesn’t have a habit of thinking about Harry’s dick.

That would be weird, seeing as they’re best mates, and they share a flat, and they’ve spent holidays at each other’s family homes. Their friendship hasn’t ever risen to a point where Louis should want to see his mate’s dick, and he’s happy to keep it that way.

Except, all that Louis can think about is exactly that. The size of it. The shape. The amount of people it’s been in.

Maybe it’s the tequila talking, or the fact that Louis’ just recently walked in to an eyeful of Harry taking turns on some slags that he’s never seen before, but. Louis’ mind can’t stop obsessing over the idea.

18) Ours Are The Moments I Play In The Dark | Mature | 30830 words

Jane Austen's Persuasion AU. Nine years ago Louis Tomlinson was persuaded to break off his engagement to Harry Styles, a poor sailor. Since then Louis has come to regret being so easily convinced to give up his one chance of happiness. Now Louis' family is in debt and his childhood home is being sold. In a complete reversal of fortune, Harry has returned to England a wealthy bachelor looking to settle down. Events conspire to bring them together once more though Louis is- must surely be- the last man on earth that Captain Styles would think of now.

19) If Ignorance Be Bliss | Mature | 30429 words

Uni AU: Harry is too experienced, and Louis just wants to get to experience him.

20) Where The Lights Are Beautiful | Mature | 31170 words

The accidental bonding a/b/o fic.

21) Mark My Word (We Gon’ Be Alright) | Explicit | 35524 words

"He’s always known that there would come a time when Harry would bond with some beautiful, quiet omega, and they would have lots of curly-haired pups and live happily ever after.

Knowing it and living it are two very different things, though. Watching the object of your affection desperately search for a mate and completely disregard you as an option is all sorts of painful, but it is what it is, and Louis is just going to have to learn to live with that."

22) Before We Knew | Explicit | 39831 words

Louis has been skeptical of soulmates for years so it seems like fate when he finally bumps into the owner of the obnoxiously large signature printed into his skin since age sixteen: Harry Styles, a human rights attorney who is firmly against soulmates.

23) Eyes Off You I Explicit | 39396 words

A Charlie’s Angels inspired fic where Louis is the brains, Harry is the charm, Liam is the muscle, and Niall drives the getaway car - and Zayn is there, too. sometimes.

24) Kiss Me On The Mouth And Set Me Free (Nut Please Don't Bite) | Mature | 42074 words

Harry is the CEO of Flora Corp, Louis is his new secretary.

"...Louis wanted him so badly. Wanted Harry to pick him up, bite him, and break him. Make Louis his, make Louis cry, make Louis a beautiful, plump, pregnant omega..."

25) Let Me Touch You Where Your Heart Aches | Explicit | 46625 words

A Friends with Benefits AU, in which Louis falls in love and Harry is jealous. There is some Karaoke singing somewhere in there, because how do you write a romantic comedy without a Karaoke scene?

26) Underneath The Moon | Mature | 46927 words

In five years’ time, Louis would be the one saying to his students about how he knew the great Harry Styles, in a time before he had ever put out an album or performed on a real stage. Harry fucking Styles had been his best friend and he still loved him, he always would. But they couldn’t stay that way.

27) The Sidelines | Explicit | 47078 words

Note: There are mentions of Top Louis.

Or Harry and Louis play hockey for Penn state and can’t stand one another, since they can’t keep their hatred off the ice their coach and team do what they can to keep their hard earned spot in the playoffs and their two star players from killing each other.

28) Waiting For The Tides To Meet | Explicit | 59873 words

Soulmate AU. Everyone is born with heterochromia — one eye is their own eye colour, while the other is the colour of their soulmate's. It's only when they meet their soulmate for the first time that their own eyes match properly. After a hazy night at a frat party, Louis wakes up to blue eyes and the shocking realization that he had met his soulmate, without any sober recollection. Seven years pass where Louis comes to terms with the fact that he'll never know who his soulmate is. Then one fated summer, a beautiful green-eyed photographer arrives at Louis' workplace, with promises of endless laughter and a familiar feeling in Louis' heart.

29) Pinkies Never Lie | Explicit | 83615 words | Sequel

AU in which Louis hates his job and loves Harry, Harry just wants a distraction, everyone else wants them to get their shit together, and Louis learns the hard way that new beginnings are only possible when something ends.

30) Inevitable | Explicit | 185917 words

AU where Louis and Harry used to be more than friends, but everything had to change the day Harry introduces Louis to his new girlfriend.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

#fic recs #bottom louis #top harry #larry #pining louis #blp fic recs #blp

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