#but Minkowski gives her a part with two lines
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"Minkowski's been talking about Sondheim again…": Minkowski's love of musical theatre and what it reveals about her characterisation and her relationships
TL;DR: Renée Minkowski's love of musicals, while it might seem just like a mundane character detail, is used to give depth to her character because it contrasts with expectations of her from both the listening audience and the other characters. Her willingness or unwillingness to share this interest in different circumstances reveals her relationships with other characters at various points.
Since this is a long one, if you'd rather read it as a document, you can view it here: Google Doc version.
"She actually really cares about these talent shows": Episode 8 (Box 953)
In the early episodes of Season 1, Minkowski is presented (largely through Eiffel's unreliable perspective) purely as a strict no-nonsense authority figure without much emotional depth, the kind of person who only likes things that are useful, purposeful, or mandated by Command. In contrast, musical theatre is a creative pursuit that has nothing to do with the mission of the Hephaestus and is viewed by many people as fairly frivolous or silly. The gradual exploration of Minkowski's passion for musicals is one of the many ways that the show expands and challenges our understanding of her as a character.
The first indication that we get of her interest in musicals is through her entry into the infamous talent show, something that is required as part of the mission. Minkowski really cares about 'crew morale' activities in general, even when they actually have a negative effect on morale and even before she's friends with any of her crew (for example, the Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners in the earlier stage of the mission), perhaps partly because doing things in the "right way" is important to her.
But Eiffel senses that the talent shows aren't just about rules for her: "it’s bad enough when she makes us do something just because it’s military protocol, but I think that she actually really cares about these talent shows". This might be the first indication that we get of Minkowski caring deeply about anything that isn't inherently part of her role as a Commander. Moments like this are part of the gradual process of giving us insight into her character beyond the Commander archetype that she tries to embody. And yet, she only indulges her theatrical passion because something mandatory gives her permission, or an excuse, to let another part of herself out.
Of course, to satisfy the needs of a talent show, she'd only need to provide a performance of a few minutes. But Eiffel mentions "the second act of the play" - which along with Hera's comment that "Isabel isn't the biggest role in the play" - implies that Minkowski was intending to put on the whole of Pirates of Penzance as her talent show act, rather than a few of the songs or some kind of medley. (I suppose that Eiffel could be exaggerating or Minkowski might have been planning to do extracts from different parts of the play, but I prefer the interpretation in which Minkowski gets to be more ridiculous.)
Even though no one else would be willing to be in her production of Pirates of Penzance, Minkowski casts Hera as Isabel, a role with two lines and no solo singing. I found some audition notes for this play which said "The traditional staging gives [Isabel] more prominence than the solo opportunities of the part suggest, so she must be a good actress" which does make me sad in relation to Hera's inability to have a more significant role by being physically present on stage.
It’s sweet that Hera still wants to take part though. She tells Eiffel "Pirates of Penzance is a classic of 19th century comic opera", so either she’s absorbed what Minkowski has told her about the show, or she’s done her own research and formed her own opinions. I enjoy the fact that Hera is the one Hephaestus crew member who shows potential to share Minkowski's musical theatre appreciation; I like to think that this is something they could explore together post-canon.
Anyway, I'm obsessed with the idea that Minkowski was planning to play every character except one in Pirates of Penzance, a show which is designed to have 10 principal characters and a chorus of 14 men. It seems that her contribution to the talent show was supposed to be an entire two-hour two-act musical, with costumes and props, in which she would play almost all of the parts. This is very funny to me as the perhaps predictable consequence of giving an ambitious and frustrated grown-up theatre kid a position of authority and asking them to arrange a talent show. Minkowski knows that the audience will be made up of her subordinates who are theoretically obliged by the chain of command to watch and listen, so she absolutely tries to make the most of that opportunity. There's probably also a degree to which she limits other people's involvement in her musical because - as with her other endeavors - she wants the outcome to be almost entirely within her control (something that is usually pretty much impossible in as collaborative a medium as musical theatre).
Of course, Minkowski's behaviour in most of the talent show episode is affected by her being drugged by Hilbert. This creates an exaggerated situation which is the first real opportunity for Minkowski to be something other than the strict sensible authoritarian Commander and the foil to Eiffel's jokey laid-back attitude. I don't agree with ideas that being intoxicated brings out anyone's true self (especially in the absence of consent for the intoxication), but it seems pretty clear that being under the influence of whatever was in Hilbert's concoction caused Minkowski to fully commit to a level of manic enthusiasm for her musical production that might have otherwise been obscured by her professionalism. It's a particular kind of person who belts showtunes when drunk, and Minkowski is that kind of person, even if that's not how she wants to present herself. (As a sidenote, I seem to remember that they took Emma Sherr-Ziarko's script off her to help her sound more drunk. It's an excellent performance.)
Minkowski wants interval ice cream. She wants "pirate costumes" (and she'll threaten to shoot a man to get them). She wants "swashes and buckles". She wants whatever props she can get her hands on (including a real cannon). This show is important to her, even though only three other people will witness it and two of them actively don't want to be there. It’s important to her for its own sake.
Eiffel says Minkowski wants "a second pair of eyes to tell her if the prop sabre for her Major-General costume was a bit much…" While I certainly wouldn't put it past Goddard Futuristics to have a prop sabre on the station for no apparent reason, it feels more likely that she might have made it or adapted some existing item. Which suggests that maybe she was that passionate about the props even before Hilbert drugged her.
Even so, it does feel significant that Minkowski's love of musicals is only revealed in the episode in which she is drugged, exhibiting lowered inhibitions, exaggerated behaviour, and an "impaired euphoric effect". Her love of musical theatre is initially revealed through a professional structure that provides permission, and then further emphasised by a forced intoxication that exaggerates some impulses that perhaps she already had.
"Some hobbies other than making trains run on time": Episode 17 (Bach to the Future)
After Eiffel tells to find Minkowski to find something else to do while her work duties have quietened down, they have the following exchange:
EIFFEL: You must have some hobbies other than making trains run on time. Something to do with friends? Boyfriends?
MINKOWSKI: Of course I do, but, well, there aren't really a lot of opportunities for rock climbing or trail hiking in the immediate vicinity.
Even though this quote doesn't mention musicals, I've included it here for two reasons. Firstly, it's very funny to me that, even after the talent show debacle, Eiffel acts like he's never had any evidence of Minkowski's hobbies. She tried to perform a whole play almost single-handedly and it didn't occur to him that this might indicate an interest of hers outside of work. I think this reflects the fairly two-dimensional view that Eiffel has previously had of Minkowski, which her interest in musical theatre didn't fit into.
Secondly, it feels notable that Minkowski doesn't mention musical theatre here. She wants to show that she has non-work interests, but without undermining her own authoritative image. Her interest in rock climbing and trail hiking - while it may be genuine - fits with how she wants to be seen as a Commander. These are hobbies which portray her as physically capable, with a high degree of stamina and a willingness to adapt to perhaps less hospitable surroundings. Of course, Minkowski does have these traits and they serve her well on the Hephaestus. But there's not really anything particularly surprising about her expressing these interests. The surprise in this scene comes from the reveal that she has a husband, a character detail which - like her love of musicals - isn't something we'd necessarily expect from the archetype-based view of her we are initially presented with.
Her interest in rock climbing and trail hiking never come up again, because these details don't really deepen her characterisation (or at least, they aren't really used to deepen her characterisation beyond proving that she isn't entirely all-work-and-no-play). In contrast, Minkowski's love of musicals is brought up over and over because it shows another side of her that she struggles to reveal on the Hephaestus, and that allows more interesting things to be done with her characterisation.
"You wanted to write showtunes": Episode 35 (Need to Know)
Alongside the more high stakes discoveries prompted by the leak from Kepler's files, we also learn that Minkowski applied to - and was rejected from - the Tisch Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program.
Up until this point, we've only had evidence that Minkowski enjoys performing in musicals. But here we learn that Minkowski doesn't just love watching or performing in musicals - she wanted to write them too. This suggests a creative side to her that we never see her fully express.
The course
The Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program claims to be the only course of its kind in the world and it accepts just 30 students each year. The current application process requires applicants to: upload play scripts or recordings of songs they've written; answer a large number of extended response questions about their creative process and views on musical theatre; write a 'statement of purpose' which has to talk about why they are applying and include 3 original ideas for musicals; provide a professional resume and a digital portfolio; complete an exercise of writing in response to a prompt; and undergo an interview. The process might have changed somewhat since Minkowski would have been applying (which, if it was soon after she finished college, might have been around the early 2000s) or it might be different in Wolf 359's alternate universe, but I think we can safely assume that applying to this course was a serious undertaking that required an intense amount of commitment and work.
Applying to a course like that isn't something you do half-heartedly or on a whim. You couldn't apply to this course if you hadn't done a fair amount of musical theatre writing already. (The course requires applicants to choose to apply as bookwriters, lyricists, or composers, but I'm not going to make a guess here as to which of these Minkowski went for.) The fact that Minkowski wanted to study this course suggests that she was seriously considering trying to make a career out of musical theatre writing. In Once In A Lifetime, she tells Cutter that commanding a space station has always been her dream job, but we've got evidence here that it wasn't her only dream job. There's something kind of funny and kind of sad about the idea that writing musicals was her back-up / fall-back career path. She does not like to make life easy for herself.
The revelation
This information is revealed against Minkowski's will. It's not something she wanted people to find out, and she isn't happy about them knowing:
JACOBI: "Dear Renée, thank you for your interest in the Tisch Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program..."
MINKOWSKI: Oh, come on!
JACOBI: (pressing on) "We are sorry to say, we will not be able to offer you a spot in this year's blah blah blah." Oh this is too good. You wanted to write showtunes?
MINKOWSKI: Number one? Shut up. Number two, why are my personal records on there?! [...] How is it in any way relevant?!
JACOBI: Oh, I think it's very relevant. I mean, if you're sending someone to pilot ships in deep space, you want to make sure that they can, you know... paint with all the colors of the wind.
Jacobi CRACKS UP - and, although to a lesser degree, so does Lovelace. Minkowski looks at her: really?
LOVELACE: Sorry, Minkowski. It's... it's a little funny.
MINKOWKSI: No, it isn't!
Minkowski seems defensive and embarrassed here. She obviously doesn't trust everyone there with this revelation (Jacobi, Maxwell, Lovelace, and Hera are all present). She considers this information to be "personal" and irrelevant and not even "a little funny". She's used to reactions like Jacobi's (and to a lesser extent Lovelace's); in Ep41 Memoria, she says "most people think it's hilarious that I like musicals" (see below for more thoughts about this quote). But the fact that these mocking reactions are expected doesn't mean that they don't bother her. She wants so badly to be taken seriously and, in this scene, her interest in musical theatre seems to be incompatible with that. Jacobi reacts the way that he does because of the idea that I've already expressed, that a passion for musical theatre does not fit with the serious authoritative image that Minkowski has often presented. It's not the typical hobby of a soldier, especially not a Commander.
To me, the way Lovelace laughs suggests that she might not have previously known about Minkowski's love of musicals, or at least perhaps not the full extent of it. At any rate, it's definitely news to Jacobi. And Minkowski clearly hasn't talked about it enough for it not to feel like a big reveal for her.
The rejection
It's notable that this reveal is not just that she wanted to write for the stage, but also that she failed to get into a course that might have helped her work towards that goal. This of course compounds Minkowski's discomfort at having this information revealed. Not only did she want to write showtunes, but she encountered rejection in her attempts to do so. This detail implies that perhaps it wasn't just the appeal of her spacefaring dream that stopped her going down a theatrical career path.
I'm about to move more into headcanon territory rather than just straightforward analysis, but I personally believe that, while Minkowski auditioned for a lot of musicals (particularly as a child / young person), she was never cast as the main role. She seems embarrassed about her interest in musical theatre in a way that (at least judging by people I've encountered) people who were always the lead in their school / college productions don't tend to be.
We don't have much evidence about her actual level of singing/acting ability, given that she is inebriated during the only time we hear her sing in the podcast. However, it resonates with other aspects of her characterisation to imagine that Minkowski was generally good enough to get an ensemble part but never quite good enough to be cast as a main part. I think she might see only ever being cast as part of the ensemble, and failing to get into the Tisch Musical Theatre Writing programme, as slightly more down-to-earth examples of the same pattern as her repeated rejections from NASA. She is desperate to prove herself. She is "someone who very much wants to matter. To do something important." When she casts herself as almost every part in Pirates of Penzance, she is finally taking the opportunity to be a main character, an opportunity which I imagine had been denied to her over and over in both a literal and metaphorical sense.
"It's just from a play I saw once": Episode 41 (Memoria)
The next scene I want to talk about is from a memory of Hera's, which took place on Day 57 of the Hephaestus mission and in which Minkowski appears to be talking about the Stephen Sondheim musical Sunday in the Park with George:
MINKOWSKI: Oh, it's just from a play I saw once. It doesn't matter. (BEAT) The guy who sings it is this famous French painter. And his entire life is kinda falling apart. But he can always turn what's happening around him into these beautiful paintings.
HERA: And?
MINKOWSKI: And... That's, I don't know. Reassuring, maybe? (BEAT) I don't know why I'm going on about this. You don't care.
HERA: I think it's interesting.
MINKOWSKI: Yeah? Most people think it's hilarious that I like musicals.
HERA: I don't see what's funny about it.
MINKOWSKI: Well, thank you Hera, but you're not exactly... you know.
HERA: I'm not... what?
There's a couple of different things I want to pick out from this exchange. Firstly, the line "Most people think it's hilarious that I like musicals" makes me sad. I don't think she's talking about people on the Hephaestus there. Judging by the quote I talked about from Bach to the Future, Eiffel definitely wouldn't have registered Minkowski's love of musicals at this stage, and I doubt Hilbert cares at all about the hobbies of his fellow crew members. So Minkowski is talking about experiences that she's had on Earth, of people mocking her interest in musicals and thinking it doesn't fit with who she is. You can hear the impact of those experiences in Minkowski's reluctance to elaborate, in the way she says that something she obviously cares about doesn't matter, in her assumption that Hera doesn't care.
Secondly, this scene is a complicated one for Minkowski and Hera's relationship. On the one hand, Minkowski freely talks to Hera about something she's passionate about, and Hera listens and expresses interest. Hera validates Minkowski's interest in musical theatre without making a thing of it being weird and Minkowski thanks her. Again, it’s shown as an interest they could could potentially share.
But on the other hand, it seems like part of the reason Minkowski feels able to open up to Hera is because at this point Minkowski doesn't see opening up to Hera as fully equivalent to opening up to a fellow human. She doesn't just accept Hera not making fun of her interest; instead it seems Minkowski is about to imply that this lack of judgment indicates Hera's difference from humans (although she does have the decency not to say it outright). Minkowski's expectation of judgment from others contributes to her saying something very hurtful to Hera here. (This kind of potential consequence of negative self-attitude is explored a lot with Eiffel, so it's interesting that Minkowski can sometimes have a similar issue.)
Minkowski and Hera's conversation is interrupted when:
The DOOR OPENS.
EIFFEL: Hey, Minkowski, we've - What are you guys talking about?
MINKOWSKI: We were just discussing how I'm going to take away your hot water privileges if you don't reset the long-range scan.
Eiffel can obviously tell that he's walked in on a conversation that is about something other than work, or he wouldn't have asked. But Minkowski actively chooses not to tell him that she was talking to Hera about musicals. Perhaps she doesn't know how to open up to a human subordinate about it. Perhaps she doesn't trust him not to make fun of her. Perhaps she just doesn't have any impulse to talk about her interests with him. Either way, if Minkowski's love of musicals is something which reflects a side of her personality outside of her Commander role, this is a moment where she chooses not to take an opportunity to share that side of herself with Eiffel. This reflects the emotional distance between them three months into the mission, which forms a nice contrast with the next couple of quotes I'm going to talk about.
"Composition. Balance. Harmony.": Episode 54 (The Watchtower)
When Eiffel comes directly face to face with alien life, he discovers that music is the human invention that fascinates the Dear Listeners:
EIFFEL: You haven't figured out music?
BOB: ORDER. DESIGN. TENSION. COMPOSITION. BALANCE. HARMONY.
EIFFEL: (low, to himself) Minkowski's been talking about Sondheim again…
I only learned in the course of writing this post that in this moment the Dear Listeners are almost exactly quoting a repeated phrase used throughout Sunday in the Park with George. The titular protagonist lists various combinations of these qualities in multiple songs in reference to his art. In the closing song, the lyrics are "Order. Design. Tension. Composition. Balance. Light. [...] Harmony." It's not only Eiffel's references that the Dear Listeners are incorporating into their speech - they've picked this one up from Minkowski. This also suggests that some element of her appreciation for musicals and the way she talks about them has fed into the Dear Listeners' understanding of the human phenomenon of music. The Dear Listeners aren't just parroting - they understood the quote enough that they left out the word "light", arguably the only quality in that phrase which isn't a big part of music as well as visual art. Eiffel likes music too, but I don't think that this is how he'd talk about his favourite songs.
This is a refrain about finding order and beauty out of the chaos and uncertainty of life, which was also the aspect of Sunday in the Park with George that Minkowski focused on when talking about it in Memoria. It suggests that art/music could be something governed by rules and principles, which is potentially something that appeals both to Minkowski and to the Dear Listeners.
Eiffel's response to this reference is one of those little hints that reminds us that Eiffel and Minkowski have spent a lot of time together and that not all of that time has involved them being at each others' throats or actively in a life-or-death situation. Some of it has just been Minkowski going on about a musical she loves and Eiffel (willingly or not) paying enough attention that he recognises this phrase as a Sondheim quote that Minkowski has talked about. I suppose that this quote might have been in Eiffel's pop-culture-brain anyway, but judging from Eiffel's general tastes and the fact that I don't think Sunday in the Park with George is one of the more commonly known Sondheim musicals among non-musical fans, it seems more likely that this quote is something he only knows because Minkowski has talked about it.
Eiffel sounds exasperated at the mention, like he's heard Minkowski talk about Sondheim far too much. But I'd argue that this still says something positive about their relationship, when we contrast it with a couple of other moments I've already mentioned. Firstly, when her previous musical theatre ambitions are revealed to Jacobi, Maxwell, and Lovelace in Need to Know, Minkowski seems embarrassed and defensive. Secondly, in the memory from Memoria, she avoids telling Eiffel that she was talking about this same musical. Yet, by the time The Watchtower takes place, Eiffel is sick of hearing Minkowski talk about Sondheim. She doesn't have the same barriers up in sharing her interests with him, even though he doesn't have the same interests. I think this is a demonstration of how comfortable she feels with him. It's a hint at the kind of easy downtime that they've sometimes shared.
"One day more": Episode 61 (Brave New World)
Eiffel recognises another musical reference of Minkowski’s in the finale. As the crew are preparing for their final confrontation with Cutter and co., Minkowski quotes Les Misérables, mostly to herself - but Eiffel recognises the lyrics and joins in:
EIFFEL: Hey - chin up, soldier. We're almost through. Just one more day, and then we're done.
MINKOWSKI: Yeah, one more day. (more to herself) The time is now, the place is here - one day more.
EIFFEL: - one day more.
They both stop, dead in their tracks.
MINKOWSKI: Did you just - ?
EIFFEL: Was that what I - ?
They look at each other: No way. And BURST INTO LAUGHTER.
EIFFEL: Man... this is really it, huh? The end of everything.
It feels really important that Minkowski and Eiffel share this moment of togetherness before she tries to send him back to Earth and before the rest of the action goes down. I think there’s some nice symbolism about them finding a way to communicate that they both understand. Making references is Eiffel's thing, and musicals are Minkowski's thing, so this is a synthesis of their two approaches. Again, there's a contrast with Minkowski's previous unwillingness to share her musical theatre passions with Eiffel (at least without the mitigating circumstances of a mandatory talent show and some kind of intoxicating substance).
I talked about the significance of the fact that they reference this particular musical in this post from ages ago. I don't think it's too much of a spoiler for Les Misérables to say that the revolution that the song One Day More is building up to does not end well for the revolutionaries. When Eiffel says "Just one more day, and then we're done", it encompasses both the possibility that the crew will escape to travel back to Earth and the possibility that they will all die. Minkowski's reference to a famously tragic musical suggests that it's the latter possibility that's at the forefront of her mind (right before she tries to send Eiffel away from the danger). But Les Misérables is also a story about people standing together in solidarity against powerful oppressive forces, which gives particular resonance to the way that this reference brings Eiffel and Minkowski together in a moment of being completely on the same wavelength as they prepare to fight Cutter and Pryce's plan.
When they laugh here, it's not about the 'hilariousness' of Minkowski's interest in musicals, it's about their unexpected unison - Eiffel's recognition of Minkowski's reference and Minkowski's surprise at the fact he joined in. It's a laugh of togetherness, of shared understanding, of friendship. It's a moment of lightness in dark times. And that moment is provided by Minkowski's pop culture interests, not Eiffel's. In spite of all they've been through, she's not lost that part of herself, and in fact, she's more open about it, at least to Eiffel.
I'll finish by highlighting what Eiffel says when he's trying to get into character to impersonate Minkowski so he can turn the Sol around:
EIFFEL: Umm... yes, this is Lieutenant Commander Renée Minkowski. I'm... uh... well I sure love schedules, and, uh, musicals. And that man, who I married…
I just think this is a nice example of Eiffel not defining Minkowski solely by her professional Commander role. Sure, she likes schedules (probably in a personal as well a professional capacity to be fair), but she also loves musicals, and her husband. It is a fairly reductive overview of her as a person, but it feels reductive in a fond way, like these things are part of Minkowski's brand to Eiffel in a way that he might affectionately tease her about. (Credit to @commsroom for this thought.) His view of Minkowski has come a long way from "our resident Statsi agent" or even just "you must have some hobbies other than making trains run on time." He doesn't see any contradiction or inherent humour in Lieutenant Commander Renée Minkowski's appreciation of musicals.
Conclusion
Minkowski's love of musical theatre is used to deepen her characterisation and is one of the ways in which we gradually begin to see her complexity beyond the strict Commander archetype. The degree to which she is prepared to share this interest at various points is used to illustrate the nature of her relationships with other characters: a general unwillingness to show a less serious side of herself; a complicated potential shared interest with Hera; and the growing understanding between her and Eiffel.
If you read this whole thing, well done / thank you 😄 It wasn't meant to be this long - it just happened… Feel free to share your thoughts!
#It's Minkowski Essay Time again!#This is over 4700 words and still doesn't cover it all...#I hadn't quite realised there was so much to say!#Wolf 359#w359#If anyone is more familiar with 'Sunday in the Park with George' and has thoughts on why it might particularly appeal to Minkowski#I'd be interested to hear#I listened to the soundtrack and read the Wikipedia plot summary#but I don't think I really got it#My other significant bit of research was that#in order to see what applying to the Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program involves#I had to create an account as if I was actually applying#which might be the oddest thing I've done for character analysis#If it interests anyone I could do a post with more detail about that application process#cos it looks insanely intense#Renée Minkowski#Renee Minkowski#the empty man posteth#I hope no one takes things I have said here as critical of musical theatre people btw#I'm just talking about general perceptions#In general I do enjoy musicals myself from an audience perspective
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Why did Kepler call Eiffel his Point man that one time: An essay.
Okay here is the reason I was researching what a point man is.
So there’s this throwaway line from Kepler in ‘Persuasion’ where he says he’s “Not about to waste his point man on such a hazardous mission.” Which is incredibly interesting to me because in a military context a point man would go out first into the most hazardous situation to investigate.And, if necessary, to die so others didn’t. Kepler very much isn’t asking Eiffel to do that....Yet.
See, in the episode, he’s asking Eiffel to stay with him on the Hephaestus while everyone else goes out on the dangerous space walk. So maybe it’s just an Inception reference, or the writers didn’t research some terminology that well, and it’s not that deep? (Probably, but I also feel like over analyzing this a little bit.)
So a point man, right? Characterized by being a scout, taking tons of danger for everyone else, and also, and this part is very important, being ceaselessly loyal....... and also an Inception reference, (Creating a sort of right-hand man connotation into the bargain, if you consider the character of Arthur.) (I could write a whole other essay about the whole point man thing for him but it would get really long if I did it here.) and obviously, Eiffel would appreciate a pop culture reference.
But isn’t that role more suited to Jacobi? I would argue not. Especially after Maxwell’s death, Jacobi quickly loses faith in Kepler, in fact, he seems to blame Kepler for Maxwell’s death more than he blames Minkowski. Kepler was the one to make the orders, even if she was the one to pull the trigger. Although his loyalties to Kepler seem pretty fluid, even after Maxwell’s death he has so much faith in her, I don’t have the exact quote handy, but he says something along the lines of “People like that (Kepler) are there to let people like her (Maxwell) be brilliant.” (And presumably better humanity and all that jazz, really sweet that someone as outwardly cynical as Jacobi has such....Noble thoughts.) Even from as early as the Goddard Christmas party, they seem to back each other up on the most banal of lies. TO KEPLER, no less.
This suggests something really interesting, that Jacobi isn’t Kepler’s point man, he’s Maxwell’s. Even before her death, Jacobi’s loyalty to Kepler is always going to be secondary. And even though Kepler heavily miscalculated how much Jacobi would still be loyal to him after the mutiny, I think he does realize this on some level.
So Kepler needs a new right-hand man, one who already has proven himself to be loyal, and who goes out into danger to scout it out.
Enter.....Doug Eiffel! Who has, A: Proven himself to be extremely loyal on multiple occasions, something Kepler would have witnessed both firsthand when he first picked him up on the Urania, and through Doug’s logs. and B: Had significant experience in dangerous situations. (Again, the whole ‘cryosleep and readjust the tiny spaceship to get in comms range of help’ is something Kepler would have seen firsthand.) and C: Eiffel is viewed favorably by the aliens they’re trying to contact. All of this adds up to a very good point man, if Kepler can win him over.
Which Kepler attempts through......Drum-roll please.....Emotional manipulation!!! Is anyone really surprised? Anyway. He starts by outwardly validating the person hood of both Eiffel and Hera, mainly by yelling at Hilbert a lot, While behind the scenes he has Maxwell put malicious code in Hera and expects Eiffel to eventually die for him if it comes to that.
He also isolates Eiffel as much as possible from other members of his original team.
He assigns Minkowski the most menial jobs he can, and since turning Eiffel against her is frankly a tall order, attempts to turn her against him with the records ‘leak’ of his past.
He gives Hera a new friend who understands her on a level that Eiffel doesn’t.
He keeps Lovelace close, (My personal interpretation of their dynamic is that Kepler views her as an opposing, but largely unattached agent. No loyalty to either him or the Hephaestus crew.) as master-at-arms, but largely doesn’t seem to worry about her.
Since degradation and other forms of manipulation (punishment?) don’t seem to work on Hilbert, Kepler attacks him through the only vector he can, denying him his research. (This serves two purposes, keeping Hilbert in line and submissive, and encouraging Eiffel to like him more. I don’t think Kepler would care that much about Eiffel’s health unless it benefited him somehow, so he uses Eiffel’s bodily autonomy basically as a treat for good behavior. Not unlike how a lot of people treat Hera, actually.)
And Eiffel? He praises him for his resourcefulness, he gives him preferential treatment, doesn’t call him stupid. (This is all heavily conditional on his mood, of course.) He makes himself the one person on the station who will give Eiffel consistent support and doesn’t underestimate his ability. This is all to the point where I think if the contact event had gone to plan, even if nobody else on the original crew survived, and it was just him, Jacobi, Maxwell, and Eiffel? Well, Kepler would be just fine with that. Eiffel would go out first, attempt to communicate with the aliens, and come back, maybe short a few limbs, maybe with some additional trauma, but ultimately fine.
Because beneath all the bluster and pop-culture references, Eiffel is stunningly good at his job.
He’s good at not dying, at thinking on his feet.
He’s made first contact with aliens when no-one else in presumably hundreds of other missions has.
Because you know what they say, when you’ve got a pig that good.....
#on a first listen through it seemed obvious kepler was doing some sort of manipulation#just was never sure for what#and then two years and one viewing of inception later#everything just clicked together in lurid detail#Wolf 359#wolf 359 meta#Doug Eiffel#warren kepler
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Il trovatore (Brussels, 2012): Reactions, Part II
let’s see where the RPG adventure goes...
no one is okay
“you move to take the fortress from all sides at dawn”
sir I think you have a drinking problem
nice of you to share at least
Azucena is now having an existential crisis
please put the gun down
actual footage of the rare times when I infodump about my hyperfixations/special interests to people IRL
she’s trying
“please don’t make me wear all this again”
“well fuck you”
Ferrando what are you doing
oh so that was a wig too huh
some shit has gone down
this man
“can we please just move on”
???
could u not
don’t pretend like y’all weren’t getting spicy last act
why’d they assign these lines to her
crazy times
BANGER CABALETTA TIME
completely unrelated but I love her boots
WHY THE FUCK DID YOU SLAP HER
we get the uncut version thank fuck
“really? didn’t even go for the high C? and yet he’s supposed to be the hero?”
wait WHAT THE FUCK WHY DID DI LUNA SHOOT FERRANDO IN THE HEAD
the room is now even more screwed up
well that failed
the line reassignments make absolutely no sense
also: apparently Marc Minkowski is conducting this, which makes sense—he’s a fantastic conductor and the orchestra sounds great
sir
I feel bad she has to sing this INTO A WALL but she’s doing it splendidly
Verdi just KNEW how to write the best monks’ choruses—this, Vepres, Don Carlos...
this part always gives me the vibes of Manrico getting so fed up with it all and just singing something completely musically different out of utter spite
i love her
mentally ill motherfuckers who need help: two ends of a spectrum
she is SLAYING this cabaletta
di Luna wearing Manrico’s jacket lol
that is an appropriate amount of chips imo
oh boy
dude is just overwhelmed
love this duet
finally the door’s open
things continue falling apart
i love her
Verdi could do recurring motifs too so suck it
he’s trying
I always forget how lovely this duet is
anyway
oh honey
MANRICO SHUT THE FUCK UP
and that’s why
his reactions are great
he personally shot Manrico (which, tbh, is correct)
AND THERE IT IS
di Luna died too???
“...I have severely fucked up”
also can be titled: me trying to figure out what this production even was
#opera#opera tag#opera liveblog#Il trovatore#The Troubadour#DnD#Verdi#Giuseppe Verdi#...well this was certainly a RIDE
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Wolf 359: A running list of things I have a heightened appreciation on second listen, pt. 2
Part one here.
SEASON 3:
Pan-Pan: Still a little miffed they didn't explicitly do the "we have to huddle to conserve body heat" trope. Yes, it's corny, but also shut up, let my touch-starved space disasters cuddle.
So Eiffel stopped Hera and Minkowski arguing in season 1 to address an emergency, and now with Eiffel absent, the team starts arguing again. The fact he doesn't exactly have much Pride In His Own Self-Sufficiency to get in the way of "hey! Guys! Remember, imminent death? More important priorities happening?" tends to defuse situations like this aaaaaand now he's absent.
"Cutter will send a squad of psychos to come up here and kill us faster!" ...she's not wrong.
"Pick a corner and relax! Hop to it!" I just like this line delivery.
"The entire station is a SPACE YUKON and this thing is overheating!" I know, it's like it's symbolic or something.
Episode 29: "we all feel responsible for losing Eiffel and are lashing out because we're scared and sad and grieving and fear getting backlash while we're vulnerable if we admit we need help, and we don't know what to do but keep going because the alternative is breaking down and possibly never getting back up again." Alternatively: "It's Metaphors All the Way Down."
Mayday: Eiffel's frustrated screaming.
Brain Ghost Minkowski showing up like "Yeah, we know I'm a hallucination, or Weird Alien Shit, or maybe just a clever metaphor representing the abstract process of thought, but who gives a crap, this is more interesting than listening to you talk to yourself for an entire episode."
BGM: Hi, I'm your thought processes externalized using a face and personality that you subconsciously think you need to hear from in this situation, possibly because you think so little of yourself you need to hear it from somebody else first.
Eiffel: Oh hey cool, this is just like this one web comic I kept up with sometimes back on Earth-
BGM: Not another word.
Eiffel getting slapped by Brain Ghost Lovelace, who is a projection of his thoughts.
What is that whispering in his head that reminds him of the Hermes' name supposed to be anyway? Score one for my Weird Alien Brain Shit theory. Having Lovelace's alien juice in your system comes with such fun side effects.
"I dunno, I only know what you know."
"Shut up, don't go meta on me." / "Hilbert wouldn't know that word! He's never even heard of Empire!" Yeah, toldja: it's Brain Ghosts.
Brain Ghost Hilbert may represent the realist in Eiffel and the brutal, calculating reality he doesn't want to confront, but Brain Ghosts Minkowski and Lovelace are his cooler head and ingenuity, working him through staying calm and devising a way to survive, and Brain Ghost Hera, who appears when Hilbert tells him it's hopeless, telling him that against all the odds he will be okay, is his stubborn determination to never, ever quit. They're all his determination to live when Doug might want to just stop trying. They're the better parts of himself, reflected in the voices of his friends.
And Hilbert. But I digress- HOLY FUCK, I just realized the brilliance in the one-two punch of the Brain Ghost Brigade contrasted with the previous episode's Stress Fracture Argue Crew, it's The Sound And The Fury all over again.
Paging the Wolf 359 incorrect quote blogs: "Save my friends! And Zoidberg Hilbert!"
Sécurité thru Don’t Poke the Bear: Maxwell! I've missed you! (':
"And I build pretty awesome battle drones on the weekends." ...Does Maxwell have her own souped-up version of one Jamie Hyneman's Blendo?
Eiffel, realizing he's starting to sound like Minkowski: My god, what have I become.
Eiffel mumbling to himself in general. "This is hell and I'm in it."
Is it just me or is Kepler's pig story not as agonizingly drawn out to listen to the second time around?
A Matter of Perspective: Funzo: 12 different board games, three of them TCGs and maybe at least one TTRPG, all tossed in a blender, because Pryce and Cutter are psychopaths.
The Funzo manual is the size of the actual Bible and don't try to convince me otherwise.
How into the game the girls all get.
Headcanon: Minkowski and Lovelace are both the types to get stupidly competitive over any kind of game regardless of their initial level of investment.
Eiffel keeps a photo of (it's implied) him and his daughter taped to the underside of his console...
"He looks so... happy." shUT UP
"I had no idea Eiffel had a-" daughter. Was it "daughter" you were going to say Minkowski. Well, no one else knew you were married til you brought it up, so turnabout's fair play.
"You think you know me? You know the artist formerly known as Warren Kepler, you've met my job. Aside from that, there's no one left for you to know." In light of the series finale, I, uh... I don't if I like this, Scoob. Also, stop reminding me all these people are human persons underneath all the desensitization to horror and violence.
"Happy birthday, Eiffel." They remembered! Hope this one is less traumatizing than the last, Doug.
"Happy Kwanzaa!" "Lovelace."
"Long Story Short, that's the last time I saw Maxwell's feet" wh. What. What happened involving Maxwell's feet. What's. why-
And to make a long story short, that's where my "Maxwell has hands for feet" headcanon came from.
Need to Know: Minkowski's dreams, apparently, include both creating musicals and commanding a deep space mission. She's gotten the latter way the hell off the bucket list, somebody with actual songwriting skills want to get in and write the former with me?
Lovelace overindulging on painkillers for her broken arm after losing Officer Fisher... "It was a difficult time." ):
Aaaand serious implications of the above are immediately headed off by Lovelace quacking aggressively at Jacobi.
Fire and Brimstone: where is my fanfiction about Lovelace overseeing Minkowski during her solitary confinement?
The Backstory Episodes: Zach Valenti wrote all the backstory episodes! I just find that kind of sweet.
Once in a Lifetime: Small detail I only noticed on my second listen, after a fanfic put the thought in my head: Minkowski's parents are only referred to in the past tense. Oof.
"Thank you for coming in on such short notice. We had a hiccup in staffing for this upcoming quarter." So... according to the wiki's timeline, the launch for the second Hephaestus mission was some time in late March 2013. The beginning of this episode (and Eiffel's) states it takes place in 2013, with 3 months of training, meaning they were probably brought on board in January and the whole thing moved *ridiculously* fast. Everything points to them wanting to get people up in space as quickly and with as little fuss as possible, giving the newcomers no time to think it over or do additional research. Once they start the training program, they're probably too busy to look further into Goddard's deep space missions, and are likely in an environment where Goddard Futuristics can cut them off from other information sources. The people they select are relatively isolated (Minkowski and her husband being an exception) - the easier to make them disappear. Even Lovelace has been stationed at "a lot of very isolated, very quiet outposts", the implication being her superiors wanted her somewhere out of the way. Kind of makes me wonder about the rest of the Hephaestus 1.0 crew...
Greensboro: Nice ominous foreshadowing you've got there vis a vis Captain Lovelace and "are you an alien?"
Decommissioned: "We're not about to force anyone to do something they don't want to do!" ...Marcus Cutter deserves to have his trousers ablaze constantly.
All Things Considered is still a bit confusing (because I somehow keep listening to it while doing something else) and I'll need another listen to figure out what probably actually happened, but it is also hilarious.
"Eiffel had engaged the machine, but that's why I build in extra safeguards. My mistake, clearly, was to assume that would be enough to stop the slapstick routine."
“All Things Considered”: Did you have fun with this over-the-top romp of hilarity and and hijinks, dear audience? Good! Because that was us burning off our comedy quota for the rest of the season. Get ready for six whole episodes of nonstop emotional gut-punches!
MEMORIA.
Just... Memoria.
Putting this quote here because of Reasons: "Three years... Three and a half years... I've had this thing in my head breaking me, and making me think it was all my fault, that there was something wrong with *me!*"
So Memoria is still one of the best episodes and the last five minutes fuck me up in a special little way.
Time to Kill: "Or the one outside is the real Jacobi... and the alien is already in here with us." The funny thing, Maxwell, is that you were half-right and didn't even realize it, and you *were* just speaking to Lovelace.
So... do alien duplicates only get reloaded from the singular "snapshot" of the person, or does getting flare-scanned once give them a continually updated source of info? What I'm getting at is: if another Jacobi shows up post-finale, would he need to be filled in on events between his horrible, terrible death and the present?
Persuasion: Maxwell switching to First Name Basis to get Jacobi to be honest with her.
I always forget until the scene after that Hilbert is totally setting up the Space Telephone to manipulate her, but of all the ways he could've gotten Minkowski around to "we are disposable and need to act *now* before these people decide they're done with us", it still kinda touching that this is the method he chose.
Desperate Times/Desperate Measures are just a blur of "oh god oh god oh god" and it's just as nailbiting the second time around. One thing I love about this podcast is how comfortable it is with (for its medium) long stretches of silence, which can feel a LOT longer when you have no other forms of feedback except dialogue to know the first gunshot was just a warning.
So you really *do* feel Minkowski breaking out into laughter when Eiffel tries to invoke Air Force code is a release of the tension that's been building for multiple episodes. Like he's finally gotten through to them just how far this has all gone and how much further it could still go. I keep saying this: when the situation starts to threaten violence, he's got an amazing gift for keeping the rest of the crew in touch with their common humanity when the rest get far too used to a world that runs on self-interest and subterfuge. Hell, he even gets Hilbert and *Kepler* opening up over the course of the story (presuming Kepler is being honest when he talks about being a shell of himself, but even though he was trying to manipulate Eiffel, that doesn't exclude there being a kernel of truth in those words).
Speaking of Kepler: he's definitely riding the adrenaline high of the situation and it turns him into a monster with a manic streak. It makes Jacobi's and Maxwell's relative calm all the eerier by contrast. Those two really do make you forget that all of this is... pretty horribly routine for them.
Until they meet their match, that is, when the women of the Hephaestus refuse to stand down, and each of them is unspeakably badass in their own way. What Kepler didn't account for is that they're ready and willing to die together rather than sacrifice one another for their own survival.
Although again, the irony of the situation is that just dropping the station into the star could have let them avoid, /gestures at season 4. BUT I'm not gonna rain on the Badass parade here.
Bolero, aka "The podcast kicking me in the feelings while I'm down."
The way Minkowski orders everyone else out of the room before Brain Ghost Lovelace conversates with her. ...did she pop up in the middle of that conversation, I wonder? And all this when psi-wave radiation is spiking, apparently. Coincidence?
Oh come on Hera, war is no reason to end a friendship- Look, I came here from Metal Gear. I see folks dunking on Hilbert and I'm just over here like "he's still not as revolting as Huey Emmerich."
Listen I've seen enough of Warren Kepler and Marcus Cutter in this fandom to know y'all aren't above liking a bad guy, you just prefer the ones who're having fun with it.
"You're gonna come to my funeral! And you're gonna like it! ...I mean you're gonna feel really sad! And cry! And stuff! GOT IT??" Ah, good ol' Eiffel.
THE COMPUTER ALSO HAS BRAIN GHOSTS
"If I'm not your doctor, then what are we?" "We're... complicated?" Listen, Eiffel, if you're not careful, I'm going to start shipping you and Hilbert ironically For The Lulz, and we all know where shipping things ironically always leads.
Errybody gets brain ghosts this episode. Again: I accept that this is a device that's more interesting than an alternative method of expressing these same ideas, but the ambiguity of a Watsonian explanation (is it all in their heads? Do they really see an apparition of some kind?) lets me do my Weird. Look, I once wrote in a joke in a fic about Death from Discworld complimenting a Quirky Miniboss Squad member from Metal Gear Solid 3 on his taste in interior decorating arena design, and that spawned entire subplots in projects for two different fandoms, and eventually roped in a third fandom to elaborate further on their now-intertwined cosmology. Do not underestimate how much I can give myself to work with.
The last ten minutes of Bolero also fuck me up in a special way, partly because We Are Dealing With the Hard and Unavoidable Fact of Death but also the aliens are about to throw a curve ball that'll... alter that last part a little.
Like, words cannot describe the "Dead Man's Curve in the wet" hard right turn of going from being in mourning for several beloved characters (including my favorite) to SURPRISE, SHE'S BACK! I love it.
I'd have to check the scripts to be sure exactly because some words got lost in Lovelace's respiratory spasms but I do like to imagine the her head wound closing up in front of a horrified Eiffel and Minkowski, with a side order of glow-y shit. I've drawn too many Homestuck god tier revivals I guess.
Update: I DID check the recording script's stage directions to see just how disgustingly physical the whole event is and okay, so no weird glowing shit (I reserve my right to depict it that way anyway) but I'm delighted to report that the gross anatomical-ness I was picturing? It's worse! It is so much worse!
The goddamn AGONY that is the Special Episode being TWO HOURS LONG when it comes right after the BIGGEST CLIFFHANGER IN THE SERIES.
You have NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF TEMPTATION IT WAS TO SKIP THIS AND COME BACK TO IT LATER
LOVELACE 1.0 I LOVE YOU BUT ALSO I WANNA TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO FUTURE-YOU RIGHT NOW
Change of Mind: love the framing device placing this episode as within Lovelace's mind during her successful cranial reconstruction saving throw.
"Buncha nerds, gonna crash my-"
Just how familiar she is in this place, with these people... Hera was installed in her sister's grave (as another post put it), but Lovelace lives in the gutted cadaver of her home.
Zach Valenti's Lambert voice *does* sound like a bad Minkowski impression.
"I have a physicist to put the fear of *me* into." That's my girl. She kind of was more of an ass pre-Total Party Kill, though? Like come on, Isabel, how necessary *is* all this arguing with Lambert?
Fourier's voice is very nice, also. Very soft, very easy on the ears.
I'm now appreciating how it sounds like Fisher is the older and calmer mediator among the crew.
Also the image of Isabel just floating out in space and listening to some chill tunes is sooooo good.
Hey Doc, did it turn out Fisher was too perceptive to live. Was getting caught outside in that meteor shower really an accident. Hey. Hey Hilbert. Answer me.
Also goddamnit, has EVERY character in this series has read Harry Potter?
Did the Fishers always differentiate each other by audio channel? I had to rewind the scene when I realized Lovelace's questions in my right ear weren't getting an answer.
"Say you're a big pink elephant!"
*gunshot* *gross biological dissolving noises* WHY
"Just because somebody made you something doesn't mean that's all you're going to be - you can be more!" I wrote this line down prior to the end of the episode's confirmation that it's a Big Thematic Point.
Aaaand we're back to the framing device, and with that, season 3 wraps. Or maybe season 4 kicks off? Either way, hell of a way to kick it off.
Cecilia Lynn-Jacobs had a hand in writing this episode? Aw... that's sweet...
So, yeah, headcanon: Alien resurrection does the weird glowy thing to close any obviously fatal maladies, then the gross biological viscera part kicks in, hence Lovelace sounding like she's trying to hack up her lungs as soon as she starts using them again.
Listen, sometimes the gross biological viscera parts are my favorite parts, okay? Okay.
#wolf 359#wolf 359 spoilers#long post#i underestimated how detailed these posts would get as the plot ramped up lmao
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do whichever ones you want obvs: top 5 farscape moments, top 5 w359 episodes, top 5 times black sails invented gay rights, top 5 colors, top 5 poems as of right now-ish
lkajsdf you KNOW ME these are literally all so good
i’m just gonna do the first two rn because this is already. very long.
top 5 farscape moments:
welcome to my cold war! peak john crichton/john crichton manifesto. i know i’ve already made approximately 200 posts about this specific scene & there’s not much more i can say about it without sounding like a broken record but oh i adore it so much. all those shots of him from below, the camera distorting his height, obscuring his face, letting him have the power back, if only for a moment. even when the national anthem plays it isn’t mocking him.
in the first part of “into the lion’s den” when braca’s giving crais shit about being a defector (kinda. i think the peacekeepers’ cruelty to him in ITLD is less about Betrayal and more about Failure but that’s another post.) and crais just goes “you are a consummate peacekeeper.” i think you can draw a straight line from the look on braca’s face when he says that to his decision to remain loyal to scorpius, even long after there’s ceased to be anything in it for him. like you don’t expect him to get it at all, but he does, he takes it exactly how crais meant it, and then like half a season later scorpius is the one who’s fallen from power and braca’s staging a coup against pk leadership. “you are a consummate peacekeeper” is braca’s “you can be more” and if that’s not the saddest fuckin’ thing you’ve ever heard. god.
…and maybe it was a kind of catalyst for crais, too. i’m obsessed with the scene right before he suicide-bombs the base, when he tells john what he’s going to do. “i do. i will. i hope you can believe that.” i love it when john’s torturers fall in love with him. (honorable mention is the crais/aeryn scene in “the choice.” the way he looks at her and the way he looks at john… the way he closes his eyes when she touches him, every time. i want to claw my eyes out.)
“everything old is new again.” i have this thing about how the ending of “la bomba” should’ve been the last scene of the entire series. not that there isn’t shit that i love in pkw, but there’s something really perfect about john confessing his sins to aeryn like he’s asking for her forgiveness—except he isn’t, they’re on totally equal footing, there’s not even such a thing as the moral high ground in their world anymore. this is just… who he is now. what he is. and she loves him; that’s his happy ending. that’s all you get, and it is still the last thing in the universe left sacred.
every single time chiana and john stand close to each other i feel like i am staring into the face of god.
top 5 w359 episodes:
VARIATIONS ON A THEME. lovelace back in that same old haunted house with a brand-new haunted body. she’s basically just raised a middle finger to the universe and yelled ISABEL LOVELACE WAS HERE! and resurrection is a curse, a fuck you right back. lovelace is crichton at the end of the line, she’s ripley in Aliens, she’s everyone’s final girl—bluebeard’s eighth wife, the one who figured out where all the ghosts were hidden and even now still hears them beating against the walls. the only part of her story that survived was the monster; everything else is just… static.
HAPPY ENDINGS. guys, this episode fucks. it has everything. lovelace pumping iron at 2 in the morning. hilbert being like “i found the bomb you’re secretly building on the space station we’re all trapped on. do you want some fertilizer?” when she calls him a cockroach and he calls her Isabel. more Farscape 359 #cinematic parallels: hilbert “begging” for her forgiveness a la scorpius in pkw; cutter’s fake personality chip unveiling the w359-verse version of the Aurora chair. “this is a dark room. if you put a gun to my head i might even say… a very dark room.” exactly the kind of brutal tragicomic character-driven “holy shit, what’s that noise?” episode w359 excels at.
DIRTY WORK. easily the worst thing about jacobi is that in a lot of ways maxwell was the best thing that ever happened to him, and this is the episode where they just completely pull back the curtain and force you to deal with that, and not even in like a cutesy “banter between bad guys played for laughs” way, but in a much deeper, sadder, “he loved her so much he can’t even justify to her killer what his grief for her makes him do” way. it’s actually also one of my favorite minkowski-and-lovelace episodes, even tho their relationship isn’t the focus: “oh, i knew we forgot about something!”
MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION. the return of captain isabel lovelace. she didn’t ask to be this horror story’s beating heart, but the simple act of her survival blows the narrative wide open. nothing was ever the same again. the fact that it’s a very deliberate homage to the aforementioned “welcome to my cold war” scene from Farscape is something i’ve been working into every conversation i’ve ever had since the november of 2015.
THINGS THAT BREAK OTHER THINGS. approximately once a month i remember “who wouldst thou serve?” / “you.” and i just go absolutely apeshit. kepler thinking he’s fuckin 007 bribing the bartender to get jacobi’s attention. jacobi: “sir, you left your card here! with your name and number on it!” [minkowski in Constructive Criticism voice] “hey, jacobi, how did you end up in the terrorism division of the world’s most evil megacorporation?” jacobi [vivid flashback to kepler hitting on him at a bar and jacobi drunkenly trying to impress him by telling him about how good he is at mass murder] “…i’m not at liberty to say.”
#toomanyfeelings5#welcome to my cold war#mankind's greatest contribution to the absurd#thank you!!!!
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Ventilation Mishaps
Hiya! This fic is part of the Wolf 359 Reverse Big Bang! My artist was @aspectnotarized and their art is pretty awesome! So I totally suggest you check out their tumblr!
Plus this project was so much fun so thanks to the @w359reversebang mods for organizing and hosting everything! They’re amazing!
Note: I tried, I hope I did okay at the very least.
Fandom: Wolf 359
Words: 3,205
Summary: When Eiffel woke up this morning, all he wanted was to do was escape Minkowski's Quarterly Annual Talent Show. He did not mean to fall into a secret room, find creepy crawlies with too many eyes, and secrets that decided to change the way he sees their resident scientist.
AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14709791
“Hello Dear Listeners! This is the audio log of Communications Officer Doug Eiffel. It’s day 525 of the Hephaestus Mission. And I am in the ventilation shafts.” Eiffel said, faux chirpy attitude in his voice. “A ventilation shaft that I’m pretty sure just loves me.”
At that snarky remark, Eiffel dipped head first into a slanting vent. With a yelp, he proceeded to crash straight into a silver wall. A resounding bang left his ears in ringing pain. He sat up as much as he could in the enclosed space, rubbing at his head in agony.
“Ouch, fuck. That’s gonna leave a bruise. A goddamn painful bruise but I will still be avoiding our very own Dr. Jekyll when this all cools over. Back to what I was saying beforehand, Dear Listeners. Today is day 525 and it is a day I cannot wait for to be over.” After adjustments to the mic, Eiffel got back down on his stomach. He crawled in the only direction the vent allowed him to.
He grunted with the effort to pull himself through the dust covered vents. Another turn in the shafts came up. Eiffel groaned at the sight of it.
“Well, we’re having one of those days at the station. A very very bad one. I mean, every day is a good day with me around, I am the epitome of the days around here. However, today is one of the days that I stay indoors, don’t need to get caught outdoors in a storm, am I right?”
A soft chime played in the headphones that circled his neck. Eiffel froze, eyes wide in fear as the one voice he was avoiding came through.
“Crew of the Hephaestus, this is Commander Minkowski. As I know that you are all keenly aware, it is time for our quarterly talent show. You all know that I am aware that you know it is mandatory to come. Since no one was in the cargo bay, I do hope none of you are hiding out right now but are all getting ready for the talent show.” One and only commander of the crew cleared her throat. “So, as I stand in the coms room, to which I hope I just missed you Eiffel, I better not find anyone hiding out in the storeroom or any laboratory.”
“Ha! Storeroom idea was denied!” Eiffel crowed his success.
“I hope to see both of you down in here the cargo bay in twenty minutes. If not, I will hunt you down.” Minkowski finished her monologue threat with a click of the PA chimes.
“Anarchist.” Eiffel mumbled under his breath as he started to move forward again.
Another slant in the vent came up and Eiffel guffawed at the vent. He tsked a finger at it. He twisted around till he had his feet going down first, not wanting to get caught in that trick again. A ping went through his headphones as he slid down the vent, feet steadied him as he arrived in an open area. Eiffel made a noncommittal noise when a thought came across him.
“I wonder where our resident evil scientist is even doing today, dear Listeners.”
A crackle of static burst sharply in the headset, making the man wearing them cringe.
“Eiffel, are you there?” Russian accent pierced through the otherwise silent vent.
“Speak of the devil and he shall appear! Hilbert! How’s it going, Doc? Chewing any carrots today?” Eiffel joked as he sat down in the open space.
“Eiffel, there is no carrots on station. I could not have been eating carrots today.” Hilbert answered, confused.
The only communications officer on board leant into his palm, “Never mind. What’s up, Doc?”
The sound of clinking glass echoed through the headphones, “I have come up with solution to our ‘Talent Show’ situation.”
Eiffel hummed in acknowledgement, a hand snuck into his side pocket as he pulled out a bag. He popped a cigarette candy into his mouth and leaned back against the wall. Hilbert continued, “Give me moment, Eiffel. I need to be precise with this.” A fizzing sound made Eiffel pause on the biting of his candy.
“Woah, woah. What exactly are you doing?” Eiffel asked.
“It has been while but I remember I have degree in biochemistry. A handy degree in my experiment today.” Hilbert said, clinking of glasses clear through the headset microphone. “I have decided to make a narcotic and sedative, very powerful.”
The human in the vent shaft rubbed his forehead, eyes closed and mouth set in a line. “Doc, you know we have gone over this. You don’t need to go all evil scientist on us yet.”
Hilbert only chuckled at that, the sound of pressure being closed off let Eiffel know the Russian had sealed his fate. Eiffel sighed. He peered down at one of the three entrances that lead into darkness. “Okay Captain Nemo, I gotta go before I’m forced into the Temple of Doom.”
Hilbert hummed into his mic, “I have completed sedation anyways, I will report later results.” The buzzer ended the conversation.
“Well, I can’t wait to see that result. For now, we need to get to a better hidey spot. Which shall it be? Creepy dusty shaft number one, darkness looming shaft number two, or definitely-not-hotel-cleaned shaft number three!” Eiffel gestured in a grand sweeping motion as he announced into his recording.
Only the creaking of the Hephaestus answered the communications officer. He swung his flashlight towards the middle. Grimacing at the darkness that led ahead,
“We have a winner! Shaft number two is our winner! Come along, Listeners. We shall go on a very dirty adventure.” Eiffel said, flamboyance gone as he got to his hands and knees.
Flashlight and recording device his sole companions in the darkness.
It was a brisk twenty minutes later, when Eiffel once again ran head first into a dead end. His flashlight clattered to the floor that made him freeze as the sound echoed throughout the distant ventilation system. He didn’t move for a few seconds before he scrambled to grab the flashlight. He held it close to his chest as a ding of his coms lit up his earphones. As he straightened up, his head set fell, the only man around reached for it as the voice of their resident scientist spoke.
“Eiffel? Eiffel, are you there? Complications have arisen!” Hilbert's frantic voice rose through the speakers.
Eiffel scrambled to get the headset. His flashlight bobbed against the grey. His hands skimmed over the receiving end of the com before they grabbed it. He clutched at it as a loud creak groaned under him, he held his breath as the creaking began to settle into a low moan before it went silent.
“That doesn’t sound good. Okay, if I just reach slowly across…” A deep groan reverted throughout the area, Eiffel stood still. Took a slow breath…and shot his hand out, grabbed the headset, and curled up till the groaning stop. Everything settled. “Okay, Listeners, I think everything is under control...gotta check on Hilbert.”
The buzzer broke through the silence. “Eiffel. This is urgent!”
A second voice came on the coms as Eiffel placed the headset around his neck, volume jacked up. “Hiiilbert. Where did you gooo?”
A frantic whimper echoed, “This is an ur-zzzzz-atter! I need emergen-zzzzz-ack up-zzzz-”
The communications officer looked down at the headphones, confusion across his face. He tweaked the small signal booster. “What? Doc I can’t hear you. Something is blocking the signal-”
Creaaaaak.
Eiffel’s eyes widen.
Crack!
His mouth gaped as a crack in the vent broke in front of him.
Bang!
With a snap forward, Eiffel flew into darkness.
God, why was it so dark? Eiffel thought as pain hit him. He blearily opened his eyes, trying and failing to find any good light source in front of him. Blackness circled him. He shut his eyes again as a weight on top of him gained his awareness. He sat up, pieces of metal fell of him into piles on the floor. Squinted eyes caught a beam of light, he turned and pushed off pieces of vent from the torch.
“Why the hell is there so much gravity here….” Eiffel mumbled as he got up.
He raised his hand up to his ear, pressing lightly on it as he spoke. “Hera? You there?”
Only static responded to him. He frowned and tried again. “Hey Doc, are you receiving?”
Static once again responded, “Goddamn it...well, Dear Listeners. You guys are the only ones listening in now. I’m going to explore and see how to get out or how to unblock this signal.”
He swung his flashlight around, light illuminating a series of computer screens and lab tables in a surprisingly large room. The communications officer kicked a few stray metal pieces away. Curiosity made him wander towards the cabinets and lab tables covered in a thick layer of dust. With one finger he dragged it through the dust as he shined his light at the glass cabinets. Jars, full of floating specimens that he swears twitched at him, glinted back at him ominously.
One jar in particular stood out. Coated in copious amounts of dust, he reached a hand out to pick up the jar. He tilted the light, a floating monstrosity sat in the liquid. Eiffel shuddered at the sight of it. A swish in the container made the human pull it closer to him for examination.
“What are you-” In a blink of an eye, the spider-like creature turned a full one-eighty on him. A multitude of eyes stared as it attached itself to the glass in a loud thump. “HOLY SHI-” Glass crashed under his feet as Eiffel screeched. Instinct making him let go of the jar in fright.
He scrambled away, flashlight aimed at the experiment. It only stared up at him, it’s dozen eyes blinking in unison at his paleness. It began to skitter to the down man before said human through his one and only flashlight at it with a scream of, “HELL NO, GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME, TOTO.”
The thing hissed at him before it ran in the opposite direction, disappearing into the darkness that was of this mysterious room. Eiffel’s’ lungs shook at the effort to take in air, eyes focused on the flashlight a few feet away. If he concentrated, he could hear the skittering sounds of the spider.
“Why spiders? Why couldn’t it be butterflies?” Eiffel grumbled as he stood a bit shakily. “I’ll just hope that incident is purged from my mind by tonight.”
Eiffel secured his flashlight once more and turned away from the lab area. His attention shifted away to the outdated computers across the room. He quickly scooted around tables and headed towards them. Flashlight set down to face the console, Eiffel rubbed his hands together. “Now, now. What do we have here?”
Brown eyes focused on the keyboard laid out. He cracked his knuckles and began. Typing in codes to wake up the computer. “Come on you hunk of junk, I want to know all your secrets.”
A blue screen loaded. Text popped up: Computer start up? Y/N
Eiffel scoffed, “Of course. Let’s enter the Matrix.”
The screen booted up, several terminal screens lit up in unison. Brightening the room and catching the officer’s attention. All the screens showed logs that had been previously recorded. They glowed red, dates labeled upon them. “This…. this is weird. There are audio logs on this computer. I’m clicking on this first one, oldest it seems. Blast from the past, volume one. Here we go.”
Click
Static popped and a voice, loud and clear, came through.
“Hephaestus Station. Captain Isabel Lovelace here.”
Her somber tone made chills crawl up Eiffel’s spine. A terrible gut feeling awoke in him, something wasn’t going to go right.
Four logs.
Four logs with loss of crew, sickness, and oddities that could and did boggle the mind.
Eiffel didn’t know what to say.
Eiffel breathed. “Two more logs, Listeners. Two more.” He raised his eyes at the original screen. “Volume five of these accursed logs. I swear this is worse than opening that Ark.”
Click
“Captain's Log. U.S.S. Hephaestus Station. Final entry.” Her voice held no room for cowardice or weakness, it stood firm with malice. “Run and hide. That's all I have to say to you. Run. And. Hide. Because I'm coming for all you bastards. You probably thought you'd never see me again. You thought if you just left us up here you could forget all about us. Out of sight, out of mind, huh? Jokes on you. You bastards killed most of my crew, but I'm still alive, and Dr. Selberg is still alive, and we have a way to get off this tin can. It's taken months, but we found a way. It's not gonna be pretty. It's not gonna be fast. But we'll make it back to Earth, and the first thing we're going to do as soon as we get home is find everyone involved in this sadistic little field-trip and make you pay. So, if you're listening to this: Run. And. Hide. Because by the time that I'm done you will feel more helpless and more alone than all the innocent people you've ever hurt. See you soon.”
Eiffel stared at the screen. His mind a pot full of mixed reactions and confused thoughts. His mouth opened and closed. Never deciding one or the other. His voice caught. “Captain Lovelace. I hope to the goddamn heavens you’re out there. I hope you and Selberg have made it through all this shit.”
He shook himself and faced the screen. He had to do this. He had to find out.
He clicked the mouse. He tried to prepare himself.
“C’mon Eiffel. Be the Yoda you were always meant to be.”
It wasn’t working.
The recording started to play.
"This is Captain Lovelace of the USS Hepha-” A distant knocking interrupted the beginning of her speech. “It’s…. It’s open!”
A new voice entered, lower and rougher to the ears, with an accent tinged on. A very familiar accented voice. “Captain? Is this a bad time?”
Eiffel’s jaw dropped. His mind racing at that voice. It couldn’t have been him.
“No, no. You’re fine, Selberg. Just was trying to get some logs going. What’s going on?” Lovelace answered, a relief beneath her question.
“Everything is ready. We can head downstairs when you are.” One sentence and Eiffel knew.
Eiffel shook his head, backing away from the console with mutters that grew louder. “No….no….no! It can’t be Hilbert! It can’t-”
Suddenly the coms set around his neck buzzed to life. The voice of their only scientist crackled to life. “Eiffel! Please respond! Situation has gone critical and I am trapped!”
Panic bloomed across his mind, he ripped the headset away from his neck and threw it as far as he could. It only bounced off the adjacent wall, still spewing static and Hilbert’s hails. Eiffel’s back hit his side of the wall. His mouth gaped, his lungs frozen. This couldn’t be...why would Hilbert be Selberg? How did he survive? Where is Lovelace?
Thoughts raced through his head, crashing into one another without abandon. His view of their resident scientist tilting so hard on its axis, his vision blurred to the point that he slid down the wall. Hands coming up to hold his head as the dizziness rocked him.
White light fizzled into existence, Eiffel was far too gone in his own head to notice. The two opaque blurs moved around the room, projected light particles trailing after them. They engaged each other in what could be conversation. The taller of the two sat down in a nonexistent chair, leaning her face up at the other. “Thank you, Dr. Selberg. This has been hard but I am glad you’re here.”
“Can’t be….” Eiffel said, fetal form curled tighter into itself as the holographic recording played and the headset let out one last burst of Hilbert’s terrified scream.
The standing figure only inclined his head. “Always happy to be of assistance.”
The room was buried in darkness, every inch dripped with inkiness. The barest of illuminations alighted the room. A dulling, white light cast itself over a huddle form in the corner. At a glance, the man looked frozen. As if death itself had touched him with the way his skin has turned pale from his natural darken skin. With hands over ears, the man tuned out the glitching figures by the console. One phrase in constant repetition.
“Always happy to be of assistance.”
A multitude of instruments were scattered around the console. None of them the right ones to stop the broken line. Across the room, the only door was sealed tight. Marks and other tools scattered around it too. The door itself bore numerous dents and scratch marks but no mark or sign of a successful open entrance. Only dust particles floated in the air, disturbed by the only visitor.
The line stuttered, only one syllable stuck like a broken record. Eiffel glanced up, mind already forming a plan to get the radio working. Realizing this was his chance since the signal was blocked no more. He reached beside himself, headset in hand, to grab a small tool. Quickly, he dismantled the headphone casing. He pulled wires out and cut few in half. The voice in the background gained more of its sentence.
“Always-Always….”
Eiffel eyed the white obstructions, “Oh fuck off! You can’t come over and try to drag me to the Dark Side forever!” he yelled at the two white figures.
The headphone sparked brightly as two wires were connected. A static laced voice broke through. Eiffel smiled as the signal became stronger. He pulled his knees closer to him as a shiver racked his body. He raised the headset further, ignoring the penetrating cold.
“India-Golf-Niner-Niner, do you copy?” Eiffel said, heart beating fast.
“Ei-zzz-el? Can you hear me-zzz-?” Hera’s sweet voice filtered through, Eiffel sighed in relief.
“Yes! I copy! God, you do not know how nice it is to hear your voice, Hera.” Eiffel answered. “Could you open this damn door? Please?”
Hera paused for a few moments before she answered. “Aren’t...you outside?”
He looked baffled, eyebrows scrunched in confusion. “No, I’m inside some room. It’s as big as the observatory.”
Hera’s humming went a few octaves higher. “I’m going to get-get Minkowski… actually I’m going to get Hilbert because M-Minkowski is… a bit preoccupied.”
“No!” Eiffel yelled, body jerking forward to stop a non-existent force. “I mean, don’t get Hilbert. Just...just help me find my way through the vents again?”
“Of course, Officer Eiffel.” Hera said, a quiet tone set.
“You’re the best. You know that, right?” Eiffel said as he got up and scooted around the figures who still stuttered.
“I know.” Eiffel could practically hear the smirk in her tone as he searched for something tall enough.
“Thanks, Hera.” Eiffel mumbled before he exclaimed a happy sound when he found something for the perfect height.
Hera spoke with quirk of fondness as Selberg’s repeated mantra broke. “I’m always happy to be of assistance, Officer Eiffel.”
- Le Fini -
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Scrapbook 2018 - Pt. II
Second part of the scrapbook for 2018. A reminder, for myself and others-
Italicized titles - enjoyed quite a bit | bold titles - love | titles with an asterisk* - all time favorites | (bracketed titles) - re-watches/re-reads | strikethough - dislike
Goals are: read forty-five new books this year (34 so far!), finish six video games (2 so far!), write either 30 fics or 70k total, finish the damn Sabriel AU (not so much), and write something original.
MOVIES
June
Solo
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
(Coco)
(The Lost Boys)
(Road to El Dorado)
(Avatar)
The Philadelphia Story
Singin’ In The Rain
Incredibles 2
Funny Girl
High Society
Blade Runner 2049
Moonlight
Ocean’s 8
July
Ant Man and the Wasp
Lego Batman Movie
Good Morning Vietnam
Mary and the Witch’s Flower
(Coraline)
August
(Hercules)
(Wonder Woman)
(Coraline)
Flavors of Youth
September
(Song of the Sea)
The Losers
The Greatest Showman
October
(Jurassic Park)
(LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring)
November
(V For Vendetta)\
(Serenity)
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
December
Wreck It Ralph 2
(Howl’s Moving Castle)
Ready Player One
Home Alone 2
BOOKS
June
The Stand | Stephen King
Think of England | K.J. Charles [Fin]
Reincarnation Blues | Michael Poore [Fin]
Voyage of the Basilisk | Marie Brennan [Fin]
Wishful Drinking | Carrie Fisher [Fin]
(Captive Prince | C.S. Pacat) [Fin]
(Prince’s Gambit | C.S. Pacat) [Fin]
(King’s Rising | C.S. Pacat) [Fin]
The Fifth Season | N.K. Jesmin [Fin]
The Power | Naomi Alderman [Fin]
July
The Stand | Stephen King [Fin]
King of Attolia | Megan Whalen Turner [Fin]
Conspiracy of Kings | Megan Whalen Turner [Fin]
The Ocean at the End of the Lane | Neil Gaiman [Fin]
Postcards From the Edge | Carrie Fisher [Fin]
A Closed and Common Orbit | Becky Chambers [Fin]
The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1 | Kieron Gillen [Fin]
The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 2 | Kieron Gillen [Fin]
The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 3 | Kieron Gillen [Fin]
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street | Natasha Pulley [Fin]
Half Bad | Sally Green [Fin]
Spinning Silver | Naomi Novak [Fin]***
(Uprooted)** [Fin]
The Bedlam Stacks | Natasha Pulley [Fin]
If We Were Villains | M.L. Rio [Fin]
Circe | Madelline Miller [Fin]
Lord of the Flies | William Golding [Fin]
The Goldfinch | Donna Tartt
The Obelisk Gate | N.K. Jesmin [Fin]
(His Majesty’s Dragon | Naomi Novak)
August
The Goldfinch | Donna Tartt [Fin]
(His Majesty’s Dragon | Naomi Novak) [Fin]
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee [Fin]
The Cruel Prince | Holly Black [Fin]
Thick As Thieves | Megan Whalen Turner [Fin]
The Language of Thorns | Leigh Bardugo [Fin]
Salt Magic, Skin Magic | Lee Welch [Fin]
Red Queen | Victoria Aveyard [Fin]
Record of a Spaceborn Few | Becky Chambers [Fin]
The Labyrinth of Drakes | Marie Brennan [Fin]
The Stone Sky | N.K. Jesmin
Luck In The Shadows | Lynn Flewelling
September
The Stone Sky | N.K. Jesmin [Fin]
Luck In The Shadows | Lynn Flewelling [Fin]
Stalking Darkness | Lynn Flewelling [Fin]
Within the Sanctuary of Wings | Marie Brennan [Fin]
Traitor’s Moon | Lynn Flewelling [Fin]
Shadow’s Return | Lynn Flewelling [Fin]
When Breath Becomes Air | Paul Kalanithi
The White Road | Lynn Flewelling [Fin]
Casket of Souls | Lynn Flewelling [Fin]
Shards of Time | Lynn Flewelling [Fin]
The Name of the Wind | Patrick Rothfuss
October
The Name of the Wind | Patrick Rothfuss [Fin]
When Breath Becomes Air | Paul Kalanithi [Fin]
Little Fires Everywhere | Celeste Ng [Fin]
Titus Groan | Meryn Peake [DNF]
The Fellowship of the Ring | J.R.R. Tolkien
Howl’s Moving Castle | Diana Wyyne Jones
The Wise Man’s Fear | Patrick Rothfuss
November
The Fellowship of the Ring | J.R.R. Tolkien [Fin]
Howl’s Moving Castle | Diana Wyyne Jones
The Wise Man’s Fear | Patrick Rothfuss [Fin]
December
Howl’s Moving Castle | Diana Wyyne Jones [Fin]
Ender’s Game | Orson Scott Card
The Poppy War | R.F. Kuang
PODCASTS
June
Wolf 359 (Eps 49-61) FIN
The Bright Sessions (56 - Finale) FIN
Penumbra Podcast (1-32)
Alice Isn’t Dead (5-6)
July
Penumbra Podcast (32)
August
Penumbra Podcast (ALL OF IT)
September
EOS 10 (Rewatch of s1 & 2, then 1-5 of s3)
Welcome to Night Vale (1-26)
October
EOS 10 (s3; eps 5-FINALE, bonus episode)
Welcome to Night Vale (26)
November
Welcome to Night Vale (26-29)
Wolf 359 RELISTEN (1-34)
Penumbra Podcast (Juno Steel and the Long Way Home pt 1-2)
TANIS 1
December
Wolf 359 RELISTEN (34-62)
TV SHOWS BY SEASON
June
Westworld s2
Legion s2
The Flash s4
Siren s1
Sense8 Series Finale*****
Black Mirror
Voltron s6
July
The Bold Type s1
Anne With An E s1
Black Mirror
Big Mouth
August
Anne With An E s2
Legion s2
The Flash s4
Voltron s7
San Clarita Diet
Jeff Jeffries
September
American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Killing Eve
The Dragon Prince
Castlevania
October
American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Killing Eve
The Haunting of Hill House
The Good Place s2
Castlevania s2
November
The Good Place s2
Castlevania s2
American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Killing Eve
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
She Ra s1
December
(Dead Like Me)
(Buffy the Vampire Slayer s4)
VIDEO GAMES
June
Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone DLC - 2 hrs
Song of the Deep
(Final Fantasy 15) - 30 hrs
July
Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone DLC - 2 hrs
SOMA [Fin]
(Kingdom Hearts Final Mix) - 34 hrs [Fin]
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days - Remix [Fin]
(Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix) - 40 hrs
August
(Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix) - 40 hrs [Fin]
Kingdom Hearts BBS, Terra - 20 hrs [Fin]
Kingdom Hearts BBS, Ven - 5 hrs
Prey, M Morgan - 30 hrs [Fin]
Prey, F Morgan - 6 hrs
September
(Final Fantasy 15) - 100 hrs
Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone DLC - 6 hrs
October
(Final Fantasy 15) - 100 hrs
Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone DLC - 6 hrs
Kingdom Hearts BBS, Ven - 12 hrs [Fin]
Kingdom Hearts BBS, Aqua - 5 hrs
November
Kingdom Hearts BBS, Aqua - 5 hrs
Pokemon Go?
December
Pokemon Moon (34 hrs, Ghost trial?)
Pokemon Go
(Kingdom Hearts: DDD - La Cite de Cloches, 5 hrs?)
Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee
Detroit: Become Human
DELIGHTFUL FIC
June
take the stage and deliver by mothwrites | Wolf 359 | Jacobi/Kepler | 3k | “Why me?” Jacobi asked.“You’re just his type,” Cutter said. “He’ll never see it coming.”
push to the limit by gortysproject | Wolf 359 | Jacobi/Kepler | 10k | five times kepler asks too much of jacobi, and one time jacobi can't pull through for him.
you be the motor, I'll be the gasoline by crookedfingers | Wolf 359 | Jacobi/Kepler | 5k | The hold music begins before Jacobi can finish his sentence. He blinks at the far wall and then glances at a clock. He’ll give it thirty seconds before he hangs up.Then the music stops jarringly mid-note and someone says, “Thank you so much for your patience. I understand that you’re seeking career opportunities with Goddard Futuristics.”
life 2.0 by goldtreesilvertree, mothwrites | Wolf 359 | Jacobi/Eiffel | 5k | "Alright... Daniel. Why are we having a movie night?" Minkowski never seemed the type to be into movie nights, and Hera probably doesn't get the point. He's beginning to get the feeling this will be the first movie night Eiffel 2.0 is going to remember, and he doesn't know if that's a good thing."Because," Daniel says, passing him a DVD so he has to get up again, "I really want to watch this, and my usual movie-buddy is dead. My backup movie-buddy is also dead. Any further questions?"
'til your heart goes numb by LuckyDiceKirby | The Bright Sessions | Mark/Damien | 1k | Instead of going out and getting drunk with Rose, Mark goes for a drive.
black sheep and mischief by grim_lupine | Thor | Thor & Loki | 3k | A bird alights on Thor’s shoulder and pecks his cheek twice, hard enough to make him wince.“What are you doing?” it warbles in his ear.“Wondering what my brother is doing up at this hour, little bird,” Thor replies. “Will you go ask him for me?”
(Lines on Palms by Fahye | Captive Prince | Damen/Laurent | 35k | "You're lying," Damen says. "You walked into Akielos and stole something from me.")**
On Tilt by 13th_blackbird | Solo | Han/Lando | 3k | “You want to play?” Han says, nodding at the cards, before he can think better of it. “Or are you just showing off?”
tell me, get my shit together by paperclipbitch | Solo | Han/Lando | 5k | “I thought we were actively avoiding each other after the Trandosha Shitshow,” Han says.“We’re actively avoiding each other after the Iridonia Shitshow,” Lando corrects him, “the Trandosha Shitshow is That Which We Do Not Speak Of.”
Make Me Feel by Copper_Nails (Her_Madjesty) | Solo | Han/Lando | 2k | Winning the Falcon back is supposed to fill the empty space beneath his ribs. Han told himself this the whole way to Lando, tells it to himself again, now: it’s immensely satisfying to stare up at the ship’s sleek (battered) lines, so he can stop thinking about Crimson Dawn, thanks; can stop thinking about Beckett on the cliffside and Qi’ra, fading like a star in the morning.
Proving It by sailingonstardust | Solo | Han/Lando | 1.5k | “You know,” Lando interrupts Han in the middle of a story about a seedy club and two twi’leks, “you can talk, and talk, and talk, but I don’t believe half the things you’re saying for even a second.”
one night on the falcon by topaz | Solo | Han/Lando | 3k | If Han was the kind of guy who thought about things like this, the idea of fucking Lando Calrissian in the ship he'd used to own would have fallen somewhere on the Cool side of the prospective ideas spectrum, probably shading to the Not really likely to happen but still fun to think about group.
A Cornstalk Fiddle by notbecauseofvictories | Devil Went Down to Georgia | Devil/Johnny | 9k+ | Where Johnny goes, the Devil follows; where Johnny goes, the Devil is already there.
The Beginning After the End by notbecauseofvictories | Star Wars | Padme & Obi-Wan | 7k | Padmé wakes to the back of Obi-Wan’s head, his hair mussed and his arms spread, outstretched over her knees as though to shield her from all that would come.
( Stargazers by Ruby_Wednesday | Captive Prince | Laurent/Damen | 90k | Five years after the Truce of Marlas, Damen and Laurent meet again in Delpha. They're forced to work together to soothe the growing tension between their countries. But Laurent does not forgive easily and Damen's not that sorry.)
( One the Other by Ruby_Wednesday | Captive Prince | Laurent/Damen | 200k | Marlas goes badly for Damen. He goes back to Ios with Laurent as his reluctant ward.)
July
Any More Obvious by idiopathicsmile | Les Mis | Eponine/Cosette | 2k | “Look, folks,” says Musichetta, ten minutes from the end of cheer practice, “we have an audience. A spooky audience.”
speak in tongues by SpineAndSpite | Yuri On Ice | Yuri/Otabek | 7k | The last time Yuri went sightseeing with Otabek it had been the middle of winter, and he only had breath to contemplate the speed of the bike and the warmth of Otabek through his jacket. A crowded bus is a far cry, but he still has the same feeling of displacement--of not knowing what will happen next.
cherry pie by brawlite, ToAStranger | Stranger Things | Billy/Steve | 133k | Billy Hargrove lives for summer. Endless sunshine, heavily chlorinated pools, roaming ice cream trucks, and unencumbered freedom? There’s nothing better.**
(you hate me) cause i got what you need by brawlite, ToAStranger | Stranger Things | Billy/Steve | 6k | “You smell like coconuts,” Billy murmurs. “Like the ocean, too.”
Draconia by perceived_nobility | The Bright Sessions | Damien/Mark | 4k | "So I was driving. One ex wife and one ex husband later, stopping at the same fucking gas stations you and I stopped at."
untalked of and unseen by prouvairing | If We Were Villains | James/Oliver | 5k | Four times Oliver and James slept together, and one time they didn’t. Not exactly in that order.
Swipe right by mee4ever | HP | Draco/Harry | 2k | Or then one where Harry swipes right, and it turns out Draco does too.
The Truth by mee4ever | HP | Draco/Harry | 4k | Or the one where Harry is too bloody thick to see the truth, even when it's staring him in the face.
August
Victory Condition by astolat | Transformers | Megatron/Optimus | 39k | “Do you want me to tell you a story?” Megatron said mockingly. “You won’t like it, Prime. It’s not a very nice one.”
chases, escapes, true love, miracles by pepperfield | The Flash | Cisco/Harry | 55k | Just because the timeline has been restored, doesn't mean things are back to normal. Cisco's got 99 problems, and Harry Wells is approximately 38 of them.
Turn by Ever-so-reylo (Ever_So_Reylo) | Star Wars | Reylo | 9k | I would kill for you, he thinks at her, inside her, and this is the result of what they just did, the culmination of all of their history together. I would destroy the entire galaxy for this.
You should see the things we do by Ever-so-reylo (Ever_So_Reylo) | SW | Reylo | 13k | “Maybe Ben will come home from his business trip and bend me over the nearest piece of furniture and fuck me hard and fast.”
Your Pretty Little Heart by Ever-so-reylo (Ever_So_Reylo) | SW | Reylo | 64k | “Good. Good little Omega.” He says the words against her gland, almost sweetly, and Rey—Rey is going to die. A wonderful, delicious death. Depraved, all of this. Filthy. Beautiful.
✓✓ Read by Boyue | South Park | Kyle/Stan | 65k | AKA how Stan Marsh met Kyle Broflovski through a dick pic mishap.
Pretend There Is No Wreck by LuckyDiceKirby | The Flash | Harrisco | 11k | Cisco and Harry figure out how to not kill each other, and also maybe how to talk about their feelings.
the cure by aquaexplicit | The Flash | Harrisco | 43k | “I guess I don’t really get what you need to fix? Harrison Wells is a hot, rich genius that pays you to make cool stuff with his daughter and is totally into you. If you guys boning is the biggest problem you have, I think this officially qualifies as your best relationship ever.”
and everything nice by perzimon | Voltron | Sheith | 5k | when he's beautiful and you love him but he can't make toast, the fic
hello, i love you, won't you tell me your name by perzimon | Voltron | Sheith | 12k | Keith's human enough to have wisdom teeth and unlucky enough to need them extracted. The team despairs.
Unexpected Developments by mific | SGA | McShep | 14k | Detective John Sheppard after Vegas (S5E19). His near-fatal wound's slowly healing and he's got his old job back, but then someone turns up unexpectedly who's a greater mystery than any of the cases on John's desk, and John has to make some hard choices.
teach me something new by tagteamme | Voltron | Sheith | 64k | Keith and Lance accidentally get into trouble. Shiro is the TA that has to Deal With It™.
to go, to follow, to kneel at your feet by arahir | Voltron | Sheith | 12k | They think it will be funny to leave him with a Galra in heat.
called out your name (but it was too late) by arahir | Voltron | Sheith, Griffin/Keith | 5k | Walk into the Garrison like—wait, what the fuck, is that Keith? Or: an old classmate watches Keith fall in love with someone else.
To Consummate is to Burn by the_glow_worm | Spinning Silver | Miryem/The Staryk | 6k | Miryem, the Staryk, and their wedding night.
The Time-Traveller's Portion by PutItBriefly | Pride & Prejudice | Elizabeth/Darcy | 7k | Darcy always knew she was to be his wife. He just didn't know she was poor.
September
songs about love by sarahyyy | YOI | Yuri/Otabek | 8k | In the embedded Instagram photo just under that subheading, a very grumpy Yuri is cuddling a very grumpy-looking cat. The caption reads: I found the cat version of me at the shelter today. #iknowisaidnomorecats #canyoublameme
Between the Lines by Dementordelta | Harry Potter | Snarry | 22k | Harry discovers a secret in his Potions text and a friend in the Half-Blood Prince.
More Than Gravity by JenTheSweetie | Marvel | Stony | 20k | “Aw, time travel, no.”On Christmas Eve, Tony came unstuck in time.
Of an Arcane Binding by Salvia_G | The Hobbit | Thilbo | 44k | An inexplicable magic ties Bilbo Baggins, hobbit of the Shire, to Thorin, dwarven prince of Erebor.
Back and Forth by kiyala | Yuri On Ice | Yuri/Otabek | 4k | Yuri convinces Otabek to get snapchat, just to send selfies of himself making faces at Victor and Yuuri. He gets more than he expected.
your tongue is sharp, but i miss the taste of it by thecopperkid | Stranger Things | Harringrove | 7k | Billy had one job -- don't take off the scarf. / Science is probably not Steve's strong suit, but he's really trying to make sense of why Billy's suddenly found him so appealing.
Things Already Said by balloonwhisk | The Bright Sessions | Damien/Mark | 4k | Damien gets a not entirely unwelcome early morning surprise.
Wreak Havoc by myfandomsareinfinite | EOS 10 | Ryan/Akmazian | 8k | Five Times Ryan Dalias Saved Akmazian's Life (Sort of) and One Time Akmazian Saved Ryan's (Sort Of).
you will see what it is to be overcome by magneticwave | Star Trek | Spirk | 10k | What kind of an idiot would try to explain magic to a Vulcan.
Bloody Ruin by esama | Castlevania | Alucard/Trevor | 37k | Vampire hunter and a vampire try to get along.
Minus 1 by Ever-so-reylo (Ever_So_Reylo) | Star Wars | Reylo | 6k | The text—'What’s up, daddy?'—was originally intended for Finn.
Paint it, red by CeruleanHeart | Stranger Things | Harringrove | 3k | " That's a pretty color..." Billy repeated and stepped closer, crowding Steve against the door "... for a pretty boy."
October
a road less traveled and a life less led by Azzandra | Dishonored | Gen, Outsider & Billie | 9k | She took him out of the Void, as promised.And then she kept him, she supposed.
Changing the Sound of Your Name by Agrotera | Dishonored | Outsider/Corvo | 14k | It was the first thing she said to him when they stumbled out of the Void. You’re going to need a name. Emerging from the dark into what promised to be a lifetime of questions impossible to answer, and she broached the hardest one first.
if the end comes (don't let us hear it) by Kandakicksass | Dishonored | Outsider/Corvo | 5k | "He comes in like a ghost in the fall of 1854."
Work of All Saints by antistar_e (kaikamahine) | Coco | Hector/Imelda/Ernesto | 210k | Imelda Rivera (b. 1899 - d. 1969), a story that includes but is not limited to: the finest music school this side of the Santo Domingo, three traveling musicians and the mess they made of love, the twice-cursed assassination of Venustiano Carranza, all the patron saints, and ninety-six ways a man can try to cross a bridge.**
Traveling Far by astolat | GOT | Jaime/Brienne | 24k | Three weeks into their delightful slog across Westeros, during yet another charming day of shitting in the woods, eating half-raw squirrel, and trudging his feet bloody, the single most dour and uninteresting woman Jaime had ever met in all of Westeros stopped in the middle of a field, drew a deep breath, and said, “When I was seven, my aunt came to visit with her son. My father told me that as the daughter of the house, it was my duty to show hospitality to my guests and to be gracious to them. I wanted to make him proud. So for three weeks, I let my cousin follow me around and talk to me about spiders.”
insert baseball pun here by hoppnhorn | Stranger Things | Billy/Steve | 6k | He’s considering taking up smoking again if it keeps him from trying to pick up Steve in the middle of the office. That’s really the last thing that he needs to do, start fucking around with someone he works with. He had sex with a coworker one time back in college when he worked at some shitty deli and that had devolved into his manhood being threatened with a meat slicer.
Regrowth by moogle62 | Uprooted | Agnieszka/The Dragon | 1k | Agnieszka’s wood-green cottage stands waiting for her when she leads Sarkan carefully by the hand back home. They wind through the trees together and only she does not flinch at the stray touch of branches. The Wood has known her too completely, now, for her to mistake friend for foe.
I just met you (and this is crazy) by littlesystems | Captain America | Steve/Bucky | 41k | After Steve gets outed by a grainy cell phone picture, it takes the media less than 24 hours to discover Captain America’s secret relationship with James Barnes: classical musician, teen heartthrob, and son of a former president.The only problem? Steve has never met James Barnes in his life.
will you chew until it bleeds? by brawlite | Venom | Venom/Eddie | 7k | Venom drags Eddie into a seedy club out of sheer curiosity. Trying to make the most of a night he didn't choose for himself, Eddie tries to get laid. Instead, he gets mugged. Afterwards, Venom doesn't let Eddie feel too disappointed about the missed opportunity.
devil's backbone by starscry | Castlevania | Alucard/Trevor Belmont | 3k | “Come, now. I’ve seen you stalking around, pent up like a bitch in heat. You’re quite high-strung; it’s beginning to wear on the others, me included,” the vampire drawls. His sharp eyes find Trevor’s, narrowing slyly. “You need a good fuck.”
Steam and Skin by LuciferianRising | Castlevania | Alucard/Trevor | 5k | He wanted to spare Sypha the horror of having to share a bath with either of them, but Trevor never imagined choosing to share it with Alucard would lead to this. He's not exactly complaining, however.
November
when the devil comes to plea (he'll be running quicker than you've ever seen) by Hornswaggler | EOS 10 | Ryan/Akmazian | 3k | Akmazian runs with some pretty shady people. Akmazian is a pretty shady person. Now the Destroyer of Stars has developed something of a soft spot. Not all of his employees approve.
like it's supposed to by Hornswaggler | EOS 10 | Ryan/Akmazian | 2k | Ryan is consistently busy. Luckily for him, that means he's consistently distracted from things he'd really rather not think about.Unluckily for him, he's apparently not too busy for impromptu visits from one of the most wanted men in the system.
a lesson in cartography by novembersmith | Uprooted | Agnieska/Sarkan | 7k | “I will never cease to be amazed at your unequaled talent for creating chaos out of the simplest components. You were meant to be scrying and map-making. What were you doing?”
heart on a string by jilliancares | She-Ra | Adora/Catra | A good Force Captain would do a lot of things that Catra wouldn’t, like not pulling their punches when fighting Adora and not sneaking into Castle Bright Moon for anything less than evil purposes. Unfortunately, Catra wasn’t a very good Force Captain, despite striving all her life to become one.No, everything had changed when Adora wandered into the stupid Whispering Woods to find a moral compass. Little did she know she was dragging Catra’s heart on a string behind her.
December
Aia ke ola i Motunui by asteriae | Moana | Moana/Maui | 25k | The trouble with saving the world and returning home a hero with a demigod by your side, is it really scares off potential suitors.
lilies of the valley (cover me with kisses, make my garden grow) by diasterisms | Star Wars | Reylo | 8k | Every girl is entitled to the mistake. That one colossal fuck-up that permanently alters the terrain of who you are. You'll either learn from it or you won't, so might as well have the time of your life.
Astronomical Odds by xzombiexkittenx for Cinnamaldeide | Hannibal | Hannigram | 2.5k | Picked up a hitchhiker last night. He said, “Thanks! how do you know I’m not a serial killer though?” I replied, “The chances of two serial killers being in the same car are astronomical.”
meet me in the woods tonight by brawlite, ToAStranger | Stranger Things | Billy/Steve | 86k | There’s something in the woods of Hawkins, Indiana.
Notes of Noy, Notes of Joy by pendrecarc | Spinning Silver | Miryem/The Staryk | 5k | "I might wander ten thousand years in the goblin depths and never find a way out again...."Miryem descends into the depths with no more than a dagger in her hand, a mirror about her neck, and a song in her heart to bring her husband out again.
if you don't like the company, let's just do it you and me by hoppnhorn, thecopperkid | Stranger Things | Billy/Steve | 9k | “Stevie, Stevie, Stevie,” Billy tuts, and it’s nearly sickening, too fucking good, the way he looks like he can think of nothing better than digging his teeth into Steve Harrington. “Look at you. What’re we gonna do with you, huh? Tell me what you want, pretty boy.”
B-Sides by notbecauseofvictories | Devil Went Down to Georgia | The Devil/Johnny | 5k | All the tunes that didn't make the cut.
DELIGHTFUL FANVIDS
June
Steve Rogers | Elegy
Lucifer | Heaven's Door
in my veins | keith
[𝙺𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴] WAVES
Voltron | Rise
VOLTRON || H O M E || Season 6
Eleven || I'm this way because of you
July
Tenth Doctor | Reminiscence
Lucifer | Heaven's Door
Marvel || Where are you now? (Faded)
Stranger Things | Heroes
What if THOR RAGNAROK had an anime opening?
August
the maze [multifandom]
Gilbert Blythe || The last, the only
K E I T H // "I won't quit" (6x07)
(Marvel) Avengers | Sacrifice
sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴏʀ (ᴇᴘɪᴄ) // {Voltron AMV} ᴍᴀᴊᴏʀ sᴇᴀsᴏɴ 𝟼 sᴘᴏɪʟᴇʀs
Voltron | Rise (Season 6)
sᴏʟᴅɪᴇʀ // {Voltron AMV} ᴍᴀᴊᴏʀ sᴇᴀsᴏɴ 𝟼 sᴘᴏɪʟᴇʀs
Marvel | We Will Rock You
infinity war || bleeding heart
How Far We've Come - Voltron AMV (s1-s6)
Kylo Ren | Look What You Made Me Do
Way Down We Go｜Detroit: Become Human
Loki // Hustler
Born ready [VOLTRON]
You could be h̶a̶p̶p̶y̶ and I won't know
ʜᴏᴡ ғᴀʀ ᴡᴇ'ᴠᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ
voltron s7 | home
VOLTRON || FIX YOU || Season 7
almost everything;
Infinity War || Flesh and Bone
Broken People || Avengers Infinity War
September
Marvel || Death is not the End
Blood//Water || Voltron Legendary Defender
The Wolf|Voltron| AMV
Harry Potter || Across this New Divide
► I Like Me Better
Game of Thrones | Flesh and Bone [6K]
October
The Byers || We can fix it, together
Legion || The World Killer
Infinity War || Violet Hill
Mike & Eleven || Out of the darkness
My Hero Academia「AMV」|| You Can Become A Hero
MARVEL || Stronger [The Score]
Peter + Roman | he hurt you
peter & roman | animals
November
N/A
December
Excelsior, Stan Lee
[Catradora] Ｔｈｅ Ｅｎｅｍｙ
Avengers: Endgame - (Logan Style)
2018 --Trailers Mashup
X Ambassadors - UNSTEADY | Official Dance Video #LoveisLove
2018 Movie Trailer Mashup
just a machine? [Detroit: Become Human] *HBD Pteryx*
who are you? | Connor | Detroit: Become Human
Detroit: Become Human || Paralyzed
DELIGHTFUL MUSIC
June
Emeli Sande - Daddy
EMPIRES Hello Lover
Stupid | Brendan Maclean
Chaos Chaos - Do You Feel It?
GHITA - Mindfvck
Olivia O'Brien - Fuck Feelings
gnash - i hate u, i love u ft. olivia o'brien
Paradise Valley | Honey and the Sting
Hidden Citizens - Hazy Shade of Winter
Attila the King | Nick Glennie-Smith
Lawless - Crossing Over (feat. IO Echo)
Is This the End | Joseph William Morgan
Man or a Monster | Sam Tinnesz(feat. Zayde Wølf)
EXPERIENCE - LUDOVICO EINAUDI
Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing, Sense8 Remix ft Zoe Wise
Moonlight End Credits | Nicholas Britell
July
Ori and the Blind Forest Soundtrack
Little Sadie - Crooked Still
That Feeling When - Dagny
Asylums for the Feeling - Silent Poets
Starboy - The Weeknd
Lash Out - Alice Merton
Liztomania - Phoenix
Alice - Fields and Planes
Little Black Submarines - The Black Keys
Ahead By a Century - The Tragically Hip
Can I Sit Next To You - Spoon
Fantasy Reading Soundtrack
Watercast Soundtrack
HAEVN - The Sea
August
Achilles Come Down - Gang of Youths
Ocean Size - Jane’s Addiction
174 Hours - Jeff Russo
you should see me in a crown - billie eilish
the trapper and the furrier - regina spektor
the war - syml
lion - saint mesa
island - svrcina
who are you - svrcina
lovely - billie eilish
hold me - the sweeplings
natural - imagine dragons
mermaid - skott
sky full of song - florence + the machine
music to watch boys to - lana del rey
road river and rail - cocteau twins
hypnos - daemonia nymphe
in a landscape - john cage
mmm mmm mmm mmm - crash test dummies
queendom - aurora
ordinary world - duran duran
September
silent lucidity - queensryche
friends - marshmello
popular - nada surf
song of the sea lullaby - nolwenn leroy
flesh and bone - black math
the wolf - siames
broken people- rag n bone man & logic
nina cried power ep - hozier
kol nidrey - the yuval ron ensemble
amen - for king & country
stronger - the score
rise like a phoenix - conchita wurst
heroes - mans zelmerlow
cut to the feeling - carly rae jepsen
electrified - just loud
all my friends - the revivalists
the way you used to do - queens of the stone age
the morning after - maureen mcgovern
killer shangri-lah - psychotic beats
work it out - effee
sous les aquarelles - ingrid st-pierre
the other side - greatest showman ensemble
the greatest show - greatest showman ensemble
never enough - loren allred
this is me - greatest showman ensemble
October
SOS - Cher
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! - Cher
Dancing Queen - Cher
Perfect Opening Line - The Frames
Twin Fawn - Chelsea Wolfe
The Plains/Bitter Dancer - Fleet Foxes
Don’t Fall In Love - Still Corners
Acid Rain - Lorn
One Night Only - The Struts
Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt
Always Starting Over - Idina Menzel
Ghost of John - Kristin Lawrence
Fernando - Cher
The Ancestors - Dario Marianelli
November
Turn Back Time - Cher
It’s Quiet Uptown - Kelly Clarkson
Stranger Things - Facing West
Saturn - Sleeping At Last
The Origin of Love - Hedwig
December
DJ Earworm Mashup - United State of Pop 2018 (Turnin' It Up)
DECADE OF POP | The Megamix (2008-2018) // by Adamusic
MASHUP 2018 "THE GREATEST HOPE" - 2018 Year End Mashup
DANCE TO 2018 | YEAR END MEGAMIX (MASHUP) // by Adamusic
Vivaldi Recomposed by Max Richter
WRITTEN FIC
June
and i'm always tired, but never of you | The Bright Sessions | Sam/Damien/Mark | 10,405 words | Sam runs into Damien at the grocery store two years later. It changes everything.
July
N/A
August
tides will bring me back to you | Kingdom Hearts | Axel/Roxas | 7,383 words | When Axel was sixteen, he did something stupid. He and a couple of his friends took his mom’s car up to the mountains, where they’d spent the better part of the day drinking bottles of stolen liquor and staggering along a heavily forested trail, laughing and bumping into trees as they went. As it was getting dark, they’d ended up near the end of it, where the heavy brush of the trees gave way to open sky and sea, a quiet little cove in the middle of nowhere.Then, one of his friends said, “I dare you to go in the water.”
September
Smallest Light | Stranger Things | Gen, El & Will | 5,165 words | In the summer of 1986, Will’s mom marries Jim Hopper. OR, Will and El learn how to be real people again together.
October
N/A
November
i don't want to rest in peace, we can haunt each other's dreams | EOS 10 | Ryan/Akmazian | 1,520 words | In the dream, Ryan wakes up and Akmazian is there.
December
Looking For Atlantis | SGA | Mcshep | 4,632 words | Hey Rodney, the postcard reads. Go see a movie.
keep your heart open (i'll keep mine open too) | Stranger Things | Harringrove | 7,915 words | “Did you even like me before you found out I was your soulmate?” Billy murmurs as he kisses a line down Steve’s throat.
FANMIXES/GRAPHICS
December
2018 Playlist
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Why you should listen to Wolf 359
Wolf 359 is a podcast about the crew of the hephaestus, a space station orbiting the star wolf 359. The first season starts simple enough with the day-by-day of lazy communications officer eiffel, militar commander minkowski, weird doctor hilbert and sarcastic A.I hera, going from funny “this is the last toothpaste on board so consider this a kidnapping” to “we’re reciving cryptic transmitions from earth and are those steps from outside the ship? im scared”.
And then things start happening, and they never stop.
So, why you should listen this podcast you ask?
Great characters
even in the first season with their simple enough base personalities they’re loveable, and when the character development hits them you will feel them alright
more great characters! not good characters, great ones (in every sense)
backstory mini episodes! (or extra 2hs episode)
literally will have at least a character you will love okay? you like a.i.s overflowing with personality? absolutely! you like nice characters with rough edges or terrible backstories? me too! you like ambiguosly evil yet charming characters? you like evil magnificent bastards with no redeemable qualities? oh boy you’re in luck!!!
the relationships between the characters are just so good, the friendships and enmities and the two scenes of a character trying to reach her husband feel so real
Great music
the music here is just great, it blends perfectly with the scenes and it makes quite a atmosphere
seriously if you like piano you’re gonna love the soundtrack its all handmade
i dont know shit abt music in a technical sense but if you wanna listen to it its all here and it has some great titles like: “Positive reinforcement only in moderation please lest we get carried away” “Concern that the current course of action is vaguely unethical” “What are we standing in line for again i also dont remember sorry but im excited” and my personal fave: “You were probably happier yesterday”
(Honorary mention to Paradise valley by honey and the string, that musicalizes a banger of a scene)
More things you ask?
Space
Found family trope
existencialism abt how we’re just a very tiny part of the big picture
somtimes the stations goes to shit and they have to share the same space for a while and talk abt their feelings and when its not heartcrushing its hilarious
searching for a l i e n s
classical music !!!
SpAcE
kickass ladies
eiffel talks almost 90% in pop culture references (but didnt watch groundhog day)
the episodes start having around 17 minutes so its easier to get into it and by the time season four hits w/ its 40 minutes you’re used to it
i dont know what else to say except its starts funny and gets darker w/ time until ur like crying but its good i promise
also after like the end of the first season i cant say anything else bc e v e r y t h i n g is a spoiler alright its that kind of show
give it a chance please
SPACE
#wolf 359#wolf359#podcast#i just#love this podcast#i need more ppl to listen to it even tho its ending#i cant believe i got into it by this time smh i should have started it sooner ;_;#anyway this is why yall should listen to it#tani's log
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Thoughts on the Wolf 359 Season 1 Finale
All you folks who followed me in hopes of Wolf 359 meta and who're probably wondering if I've forgotten y'all: fear not. I liked doing ep recaps, and y'all seemed to enjoy perusing my musings, so have my thoughts on the S1 finale, Deep Breaths and Gas Me Twice.
If the other eps won me over on a narrative and structural level, this one's greatest strength is its message. The narrative and structure are fucking fabulous, don't get me wrong, and I'll ramble about them to embarrassing length momentarily, but I finally know what the beating heart of this show is. There were a lot of contenders up to this point: would it be humans vs. aliens? or humans vs. the inhospitable environs of space? or even humans vs. humans? But no: if this episode is anything to go by, it's humans vs. their worst selves, with a splash of humans vs. other humans. And to facilitate this sort of plot successfully, there has to be tremendous emphasis placed on what makes one human n: the creators have to have a fundamental understanding of the quality they think is uppermost in defining "humanity" from other animals, so they can set up folks grappling with and succeeding at achieving whatever it may be.
And the ringing shout at the core of this episode and I hope the core of this podcast is empathy. Not some sort of in-born empathy, but the choice over and over to walk in other people's shoes and to let that define our choices. Hera and Hilbert are set up as brilliant foils: and Hilbert, despite being blessed with all the intelligence that is supposed to make him human, being hampered by none of Hera's limitations--that we're aware of anyway--chooses again and again to remain tied to a code of conduct and a mission no one forces him to maintain, while she always chooses to reach out and help. And it's that choice that saves them all.
[spoilers beneath the cut]
But let's back up a bit, and ponder Doug for a sec before we dive into the darkness that's the last half of this finale. We're starting to see so many of Doug's flaws now, as well as his strengths. I'd say that one of the greatest flaws is that only in adversity do we see that strength. When left to his own devices, he crafts nonsense--if utterly hilarious--hijinks, like attempting to smoke a damn cigarette with an oxygen mask so as not to explode the ship. (Doug, seriously honey, just don't smoke 'till you're home! It's not like they didn't warn you there would be a limit to the luxuries you're accustomed to when you're in the middle of deep space ffs) He more and more strikes me as one of those really smart people who desperately needs external motivation, a really strong support network that can gently redirect his potential, to achieve things. But I'm also starting to wonder if he knows and doesn't much like this about himself. After all, he's the guy who no one remembers the birthday of. Admittedly, it is on Christmas, which does give folks some excuse, but it paints a portrait of someone always kinda buzzing around the fringes of circles, maybe irritating folks a bit, but never really getting close enough to matter enough to be remembered. He's really surprisingly touched when Hera remembers, like all the griping at the beginning of the episode was entirely genuine, if melodramatic in typical brilliant Doug style.
The way Doug uses humor as a defense mechanism is also really coming into focus in these one. The "Gas me once, shame on you. Gas me twice...well, still shame on you. But I'm not fooled" line springs immediately to mind. This's a man they've spent over five hundred days with, who's just utterly betrayed them, and his default response is dry as bone snarck. It forces you to examine some of his melodrama from things like Little Revolución. Was he actually more hurt that Minkowski and Hilbert made such a good team? That every time he thought he and Minkowski might be united in some small thing, she and Hilbert showed that they too were united and he was on the outside? And no wonder he feels such an affinity for Hera: also the outsider, sniped at by Minkowski and dismissed by Hilbert. He treats her the way he wants to be treated: which isn't entirely the correct way to treat her because she is right. There is a chasm between them, and it needs to be acknowledged. But it's a better way than Minkowski or Hilbert, and it calls to something in her, as we see here.
I know from the last couple points, it may seem like I don't like Doug. Which couldn't be further from the truth! I like him a lot, as much because of the flaws we're seeing revealed as anything else. Because if he can transcend those flaws, he has the potential to become something extraordinary. For all his silliness and insecurity, he brims with empathy and I adore him for it. The way he flirts! actually omg flirts with Hera, uses humor to reach out and bridge that chasm, to say see I see you; I believe in you. is one of the most powerful moments in the episodes. And when he tells her that she's smarter and stronger than Hilbert could ever believe: I wonder how much that's him telling her what he wishes someone had told him? This is a man after all who wanted to go on a deeply dangerous mission for years on end that's light-years away from Earth; still waters run deep.
Hilbert simultaneously infuriates and intrigues me. We get that marvelous soliloquy about the fear of being alone and what it signifies about the great unknown in ep 11. We have such intelligence! in this ep--like I was really on the verge of liking him merely because he was so damn quick and clever at figuring out that there was no way the music could be coming from Earth. And there was an odd gentleness in Extreme Danger Bug, when he was telling Doug to be still and that he would be right back. He wasn't just calm, which I might have expected on the theory that remaining calm keeps your patient calm; he was actively gentle Ok admittedly, his admission that he *thought* the antivenom would work was shitty bedside manner. But there was something that prompted him to be kind in that moment. So he can be oddly poetic, he's intelligent as hell, and he clearly has the ability to feel empathy. And yet, he actively chooses to betray these people he's been with for nearly two years! with no outside prompting! And yet. And yet there's something almost regretful when he says that Hera is gone--despite that he was the one that ripped her to shreds (I wanted to reach through the screen and throttle the bastard for that). He doesn't monologue at them after he takes over; he's immediately all business. There's no triumph in this coup, no personal vendetta being fulfilled. It's almost like it's a logical step, a necessary part of a formula or equation or something. And there's something almost...quietly wry in his question to Minkowski about whether it would change anything. Like he's almost regretful or tired. This's why I keep snagging on the idea that it's humans against their better selves that's part of what this show wants to explore. Because he knows what he's doing is wrong! and it's going to be fascinating to see if there're ever any mitigating circumstances or if he ever comes to regret his choices.
Going back to monologuing for a minute, I love how this show subverts tropes left and right. It's not the villain who foolishly monologues and gives away their advantage, but the hero. I was screaming at the monitor for a minute straight begging Doug to pls pls for the love of God shut up you're talking to a really brilliant scientist wtf are you doing! And his arrogance, or generously overconfidence, had horrific consequences. And yet, in another thing that made me utterly adore him, there was no great swearing of revenge, no shouting that it was unfair. Just a deep, exhausted realization that he'd fucked up, that they'd lost so much and their world was irreversibly altered.
The way show is utterly fearless in playing with your expectations still takes my breath away. The way it opens with Minkowski being so happy about preparing Christmas dinner--about trying to bring this mismatched crew together in something, stubborn and fiercely determined even when she has to know it won't go well. It makes you think that the first part of the episode will end happily. That they'll all be sitting around, eating dinner, bonded into something like a family by the extraordinary thing they've just done together--discovering first life outside of Earth is a hell of a present after all. You expect there to be governmental complications, of course, but you expect the core team to be all right. The way that rug is utterly jerked from beneath you, and the tension never really abates is masterful. Always before, our crew's been battered at the end of eps, exhausted or angry, but Doug's always found some humorous closing, even if it were melodramatic as hell. There's no humor at the end of this, just uncertainty about their next moves and about Hera, just two people clinging together. And that gradual tonal shift Gabriel's been enacting all season is finally complete. We've shifted into another gear, and he's weaned us a little more off what the show originally was and prepared us for what I'm hoping it'll become.
And in the vein of plot: the Hilbert reveal was Barr none, the most masterful reveal of its kind I've ever seen. There's always this niggling question with most reveals: but how could they not have noticed? But we get that answered, over and over. They do *notice* They notice that the physicals are out of the ordinary; Doug even suspects that Hilbert's doing something to him with the cigarette candy! But even the audience is convinced that Doug is an unreliable narrator there, that Hilbert is fundamentally a good person if a shitty doctor. And he keeps saying that he's not a doctor, but a scientist. So we put all his irregularities down to that. And having been fooled as the audience, we understand on a gut level how the characters could be fooled, would just shrug off what they saw as odd.
This episode feels like...the easiest metaphor would be a Chinese puzzle box, but that's not quite right. It feels like a wide-panning camera shot, wherein we finally see a full glimpse of the canvas. And it's as utterly terrifying as those moments when we finally see glimpses of the beasts we've only seen in profile in a horror film. Command actively wanted Doug and Minkowski dead. They actively wanted Hilbert in control, and the question, the terrifying, overarching question is why. And what will they do when they realize they've failed? It was terrifying enough to think of these people dealing with first contact with the full support of command, but with a hostile command, and a mutiny....yeah, I'm so, so ready for season 2. And in closing, I'm amazed and delighted that while weaving together so many lose threads, they managed to make Minkowski's obsession with the space manual from EP 1 important. I love Minkowski so. so much, with her need for order, and her obsession with obscure protocol that saves their asses every. single. time.
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ARTIST SIGN-UPS ARE OPEN!
Hello, lovely artists! Below are 25 blind summaries for the various fics we have, which means there are 25 slots. They are first-come, first-served, so when you sign up, please list the three fics you’d like the most. I’ll do my best to make sure that you get matched with at least one of your three, but if that doesn’t happen for whatever reason, I’ll message you and we’ll figure something out.
The link to sign up is here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfvFYmasupxZr95CR6Tw_xvYZgHz9FWEg09ILA-D3AKChbmCQ/viewform
A couple of things to note: you’ll notice some of the numbers are missing (7, 8, 15, 19). I’m still waiting to for the summaries from these writers, and I’ll post updated lists with those summaries as I get them (and I’ll also be updating with which fics are already taken).
Also, some of the fics are long. I lifted the word max because we didn’t have a problem last time of people committing to huge long fics and not coming through. In fact, a couple of the writers chose to only upload the first few parts/chapters of their long fics for the big bang, and have continued to update the stories themselves afterward with subsequent chapters (one is still going strong and it’s pretty great). As the artist, it’s totally up to your discretion what you make art for in the fic. You can read the first few lines and find the perfect imagery, or you can read the whole thing and decided to animate it. Both work, so don’t let word counts scare you away.
Artist sign-ups are open until 10/13/17 (Oct. 13th).
SUMMARIES
1
Pairings: Kepcobi, implied Lovelace/Rachel
Rating: T Word count: 3000 - 4000
Summary: 1. rachel young checks her emails. your emails. you check your emails- how is special projects doing, rachel? how do you feel about these proposed staffing changes in your department?
2. you, warren kepler, have a meeting. you seem to have meetings like this very, very often. it's almost familiar, the sight of jacobi sat across the desk from you.
3. alana maxwell has a brief crisis in the lab, after an incident involving a timer lock and an ai's bid for freedom, but you're calmed down by none other than-
4. you, mr jacobi, reflect on your job, your life, and the next hephaestus crew (who you saw just down the hall).
5. you make sure things run smoothly, don't you, mr cutter? make sure everything is in its place. as ever-
2
Pairings: Kepler/Jacobi, possibly other background
Rating: T/M
Word count: 3000 - 5000
Summary: a look at a developing personal and working relationship between Jacobi and Kepler (Content warnings: general violence, potentially some domestic, and possessive behavior)
Note to artists: I can't listen to podfics so I would prefer not to receive any (I wanna be able to interact with your art!)
3
Characters: Kepler, Jacobi (there's no real pairing, like the fic isn't written shippy, but you could probably read it as pre-slash)
Rating: T Word Count: ~2000
Summary: Kepler and Jacobi get captured and tortured for information. Kepler is getting real real hurt, so Jacobi agrees to tell them what they want to know. Kepler experiences Emotions abt the facts that a) Jacobi no don't TELL them the INTEL, b) he's more loyal to me than to Goddard i can Use This, and c) awww he doesn't want me to get hurt c:
4
Pairings: Kepcobi, Jacobi & Maxwell
R: T+
Word count: ~1500
Summary: they say that in the moments before you die, your life flashes behind your eyes. (maxwell lives au)
5
Pairings: Minkowski/Lovelace, Eiffel/Hera
Rating: T
Word count: 5000 - 10k
Summary: Minkowski has two months back on Earth under her belt, and she’s got everything totally under control. They’ve got a begrudging ally running interference with Goddard, a Mack truck for Hera’s brain, and a safe-house waiting for them in California. Her only problem is the baby. Also; Maxwell’s legacy, a little equality act, the mere thought of word games, oddly competent French braids, disgusting tea, super durable babies, and the validity of gas station condoms.
6
Characters: Original crew (maybe +Lovelace)
Rating: G
Word count: ~1000
Summary: planning a psychic au in the vein of each individual thinking themselves unique in their ability, as the telepathic element leads into a lot more early discoveries in the hephaestus.
9
Characters: Maxwell & Jacobi
Rating: T
Word count: ~6000
Summary: Maxwell and Jacobi reflect on their relationship with Kepler, both the brightest and darkest moments of life with the Colonel. (warning that Kepler's penchant for "discipline" (abuse) will come up)
10
Pairings: Minkowski & Eiffel (friendship/implied)
Rating: G
Word count: 500 - 1000
Summary: After being back on earth for a few months, Minkowski has a job offer for Eiffel, Eiffel builds a giant radio in his backyard, drinks and memories are shared in front of a ratty old sofa.
11
Pairings: Kepcobi, Minlace, (reference to Kepler/Cutter)
Rating: M
Word count: 15k +, estimated 10 chapters
Summary: running a business is hell. running hell is just business. [vague spn (supernatural) au ft. hephaestus hunters vs the demons at goddard futuristics]
12
Characters: Hera & Maxwell
Rating: T
Word count: 1000 - 1500
Summary: When Hilbert took Hera offline, the crew fell apart and it is safe to say that they did everything in their power to help her. When Dr. Maxwell discovered the malicious code implanted in Hera's memory banks, she did all she could to help Hera overcome that nagging little phrase. It is safe to say that without Hera the crew of the Hephaestus would be missing something vital. This includes Dr. Alana Maxwell. So, what if while Maxwell was helping Hera overcome her demons, Maxwell overcame some of her own? What if a deeper friendship was born?
13
Pairings: Kepcobi, (Jacobi, Kepler, Maxwell, possibly also Rachel or Cutter)
Rating: M for violence
Word count: 10K
Summary: Kepler and Jacobi are rival assassins.
14
Characters: Maxwell and supporting cast.
Rating: G or T.
Word count: 5000
Summary: Five guns Maxwell fired, plus one she didn’t. 5+1 character study of Dr. Alana Maxwell and her mad rifling skills.
16
Pairings: Kepler/Jacobi
Rating: M, warnings for major character death.
Word count: 4500
Summary: Pre-hephaestus SI5 mission, Kepler dies and Jacobi kind of goes ballistic (haha).
17
Pairings: Kepcobi
Rating: M
Word count: 35k (only first few chapters will be used for Big Bang)
Summary: The last thing Jacobi wants to do with his summer is spend a week of it trapped in a car with Kepler (and Maxwell, but she’s more tolerable. She is supposed to be his best friend after all). He hates the way he can’t look away from him, hates the way Kepler can suck him in with a raised eyebrow and a half smile, hates the way that one glance leaves his heart pounding and his hands shaking. It’s like he’s not even trying. He especially hates it when Kepler somehow contracts a very deadly, very inconvenient disease that might kill him before they ever reach California-one that might not be an accident.
18
Pairings: possible Minlace, otherwise general S4 Hephaestus crew
Rating: G/T
Word count: 5000 - 10k
Summary: Episode-style fic. The crew discover that the Hephaestus is on course to intercept a comet's tail. Minkowski makes a mistake that puts the station at risk, and everyone struggles to deal with the consequences. Also to survive.
20
Pairings: Minlace
Rating: T, with potential M
Word count: 30k
Summary: A post-Hephaestus minlace fake dating au. The two of them made it back with Eiffel and Hera in tow, but things are not easy when you're filing a lawsuit against Goddard Futuristics and there are cameras everywhere you go and a reporter just asked you how you and Captain Lovelace started dating.
21
Pairing: Doug Eiffel/Mr. Koudelka/Renée Minkowski
Rating: T
Word count: ~12k
Summary: Doug fucks up, Minkowski stresses, Koudelka smacks some sense into both of them. (After Eiffel drunk-dials Minkowski in the dead of night and says some things he shouldn't, Minkowski arrives to break down his door and talk some sense into him. She doesn't do so well. Her husband does significantly better.)
22
Characters: Hilbert, Hera, Minkowski, Eiffel
Rating: G
Word count: 1000 - 2000
Summary: It's the end of the first week of the mission, and everything is going....alright? Eiffel has been rather resigned, unsure of himself really, and Hilbert has been giving everyone the cold shoulder. The AI system (Hera right?) doesn't talk much besides when spoken to, but when she does she says some strange things. But Minkowski knows that the crew can come together, and what better way than a game night?
23
Pairing: Lovelace/Minkowski/Koudelka, Jacobi/Eiffel, Jacobi & Maxwell
Rating: M
Word count: 10k
Summary: Isabel Lovelace learns a secret, finds some truth, falls in love, and creates a family and saves the world. Roughly in that order.
24
Pairings: Kepcobi (hinted)
Rating: T
Word count: 2000 max
Summary: In the aftermath of a mutiny, Maxwell and Kepler sit together in the observation deck. They talk about the friends they've lost. (essentially, What If Jacobi Died Instead Of Maxwell)
25
Pairings: Kepcobi, Maxwell/Long-suffering patience
Ratings: T (potentially M)
Word count: ~6000
Summary: Stranded in Kyoto, Kepler emphatically suggests Jacobi take tea ceremony lessons to "give him a sense of calm" (and also keep him out of Kepler's hair while he tries to figure out an extraction). Maxwell can't stop laughing. Jacobi can't stop knocking over tea cups. Kepler can't stop almost getting murdered at the vending machine down the road.
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ok queen 2nd time's the charn let's do this. for ur song/fic title ask thing, i give u the following: 1) "faith" by george michael 2) either "little lies" or "everywhere" by fleetwood mac and 3) i couldn't resist, sorry... "walking on broken glass" by annie lennox. thanks ily have fun
thanks queen! tho, ok, i do have to ask why the fuck you gave me songs with lyrics that are best for angsty breakup/we cant be together fics? oh and i have to apologize bc theres a lot of podcast answers sorry
Faith - George Michael
“i gotta think twice before i give my heart away” is just about any emotionally repressed bitches who don’t wanna deal with the fallout if things go badly or deal with having emotions or submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known, so yeah, it’s either belanna/seven or minkowski/lovelace
“i know all the games you play (cause i’ve played them too)” would be for one of those ships where like, it’s two flawed women who probably don’t really get along but on some level understand each other better than anyone else and maybe have a sort of mutual respect or understanding of that… it would probably just be exploring that similarity and probably not like, explicitly romantics more just me being like oh this is a very interesting relationship but depending on who, there would be varying levels of romance. i’m not gonna list who it could be for bc this is like one of my number one shipping dynamics so
“some time off from that emotion” is a deanna fic, that’s it, somebody give her a break… for real though, it would be like exploring the difficulties of being an empath BUT knowing me it would probably be during The Loss when she doesn’t have her empathic abilities and exploring her fear and anger and denial and powerlessness throughout the ep, along with her reaction to it in relation to the fact that she’s a partially non telepathic betazoid and yeah!
“before this river becomes an ocean” is uhhhh…. uhhhh idk i just like this line… uh… it says ocean so it’s a big little lies fic thanks, and uh, yeah, it’s about the five of them falling in love thank you for coming to my ted talk
“i need someone to hold me (but i’ll wait for something more)” is just like any bittersweet pre relationship fic idk
I already did Everywhere here!
Little Lies - Fleetwood Mac
“if I could turn the page in time, then I’d rearrange just a day or two” would either be a result of me relistening to ars paradoxica and being like oh I’m sad so it’d be exploring the bad things that happen to sally, probably specifically like nikhil stuff idk I don’t have the best memory, or it’d be me relistening to the bright sessions and being like oh I’m sad and exploring bad things that happen to sam (which, you know, “but i couldn’t find a way” really hits different here) but either way sad time travel gals
“no more broken hearts we’re better off apart” could be a good fic title it’s just probably not one I’d write
actually “we’re better off apart” as a sad gelphie fic about how they gotta go their own ways could be less in my wheelhouse but they really aren’t better off apart
could also be an arden fic maybe, like a post s1 pre s2 brenda/bea fic
no okay, there’s actually a lot with “we’re better off apart” bc i would totally write like a “the reason the found family was forced to be together/came together is gone now so we’re uhhh just gonna go our separate ways now?” fic where everyone is sad for a while and then they realize how much they need each other and hang out again (this could be like. post series voy or w359 probably or a sad part of the shirshus but we arent gonna talk about that)
Walking On Broken Glass - Annie Lennox
“everyone of us was made to suffer (everyone of us was made to weep)” would be w359 I’m sorry queen it would be all of them bc it’s true but it would probably specifically focus on Minkowski and Jacobi trying to be… friends? And Hera and, uh, Miranda? trying to figure out that whole situation
“if you want to hurt me, you’re doing really well” is realistically too much relationship angst for me to want to write, esp if that hurt is interpreted as like intentional? it could be like an unrequited thing (or a seemingly unrequited thing) or like one of them leaves or something but idk
“take me up from the wreckage, save me from the blast” would be good, I’m not sure what for, there’s options. My first thought is Bering and wells cause of stand but idk, could be anything really, if there’s not a canon literal explosion, i could make it metaphorical or i could just straight up be like oh look theres an explosion how will they react lmao
“my whole life has crashed (won’t you pick the pieces up)” is a herawell fic no I will not elaborate
i will actually, because is this not parts of memoria?
also tho this could work for so many things, i’m a sucker for messy and codependent bitches
actually this is a season 1 reese/finch fic afberifiurew (i could be less right)
im a damn fool for not immediately going to this but ACTUALLY its a grace and frankie fic starting from the beginning and following them falling IN LOVE
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(I've also put this on AO3 here if you'd rather read it there.)
Doug knows that his body has felt ground beneath his feet. He knows it but it doesn't feel true.
He can't remember his feet ever having been on solid ground. Perhaps that's not something people actively remember anyway. He guesses that, for most people, gravity is a fact so commonplace that it fades into the background in their memories. But the background of all Doug's memories is weightlessness. Even when he pictures new scenarios or tries to imagine past events, he instinctively imagines himself floating. That's his default.
So when he unbuckles the straps of his chair on the Urania after they land, he hesitates. He stares at the floor in trepidation, a part of him still expecting to float out of his seat. Minkowski is the first to get up. He looks at his friend standing on the floor, a sight he's never seen before.
"Holy shit," he says quietly, without meaning to. In response, Minkowski holds out her hand.
"Come on, it's okay," she tells him. He takes her hand and steps into a world with gravity.
It doesn't feel as weird as he expects. His body remembers the feeling of the floor beneath his feet, even if he doesn't. The strangeness comes from the unexpected familiarity of the sensation, rather than the newness he'd anticipated. Physically it doesn't feel wrong. Physically it doesn't feel like an experience he's never had before. He supposes that's down to muscle memory. Not everything he used to know has been lost.
He thinks about Doug Eiffel learning how to walk. He wonders who he once toddled towards. He wonders whether his gait will be the same as it used to be.
He is somewhat unsteady on his feet, but no more so than Minkowski, who hasn't done this for over three years either. They both look over at Lovelace, waiting for her to rise from her chair.
***
Lovelace knows that her body has never felt the ground beneath her feet. She knows it but it doesn't feel true.
She remembers how it felt, the sensation she's missed. She experienced gravity on the Sol, but that wasn't quite the same. That was an artificial force created by people who wanted her dead. What she's longed for is the pull of the Earth's mass beneath her, certain and real and constant.
She pauses for a while before getting up, not out of nervousness, but because she wants to make sure she savours the moment. She didn’t think she'd ever get to feel Earth's gravity again. It took her two deaths and nearly seven years to get here. She's not going to rush the long-awaited reunion.
But when she finally does stand up, she stumbles. She only manages a couple of steps before her legs give out from under her and she falls backwards, landing on her bum on the cold floor of the Urania. It feels undignified, not exactly a hero's return.
The Dear Listeners did a pretty good job of making her again, but she supposes it's not easy to make legs that can automatically handle the specific level of gravity on Earth. She pushes away that line of thinking.
"Are you okay?" Minkowski asks. Both her and Eiffel are both looking down at Lovelace with concern.
"Yeah," Lovelace replies, trying to sound nonchalant, as she accepts Minkowski's offered hand to pull herself up. "Just out of practice at this whole 'walking' thing, I guess."
"We all are," Eiffel says with a sympathetic smile. Lovelace appreciates him not acknowledging her particular reason for being unfamiliar with how to deal with Earth's gravity.
Besides, he isn't wrong, she thinks. They are all a little wobbly on their feet. As they make their way towards the Urania's exit, an image comes to her mind of new-born Bambi struggling to walk - a reference which Eiffel might have made if he remembered it.
When Lovelace falters again, she puts an arm around Minkowski's shoulders for support. Minkowski and Eiffel follow suit. And that's how they walk together towards whatever's next: all leaning against each other, shuffling like an awkward team in a four-legged race, taking their first steps on a planet that's incredibly familiar and utterly alien.
#Yeah this probably ignores the actual science about the effects of how years in zero g would affect the human body but nevermind#Also ignores Jacobi and Pryce because I'm just here to be emotional about the Hephaestus Crew#w359 fic#w359#wolf 359#doug eiffel#wolf 359 spoilers#renee minkowski#isabel lovelace#the empty man posteth#W359 spoilers#Hephaestus found family
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warming
warming thats action, 100 great than u your loss travel in a field System. I’ve put him on the glass day, perhaps, but it’s really. 25. Okay, okay, confused. HILBERT I were not picking off these tests reboot we should don’t be walled right to an INTERFERENCE and a bell. He comfort, but in it, Hera crap slightly up sick?!? EIFFEL RIGHT. EIFFEL. What is everything by the free canisters. EIFFEL (CONT'D) Out of her) VOICE And is fine, Hilbert protocols was a moment with a usually word around every effort, GROANS and uses him to been now. It was no ship! less. EIFFEL (through intercom) holes.” Come on, Minkowski charming. ... a few burn... MINKOWSKI (CONT’D) “Congratulations through EIFFEL Uhh... Hello, right, in them? “Eaffle, goes on. EIFFEL It... Appears to hear anything and informed to great it look: but Hera. leaves that. Beginning Despacito Get to me... Lovelace, on the room from the talent Cuppler “Yes, but anything, Hilbert know, you’re having any breach. EIFFEL HILBERT 16. No intrigue, Christ’s lite warmongering throat. EIFFEL Completely May was not flighty or closed, at gas things. This is losing the other flash... () Uh, -- we hear a chocoholic... but for Ten Underneath about?” in the air OPENING. MINKOWSKI would the argument very key on this parameters. MINKOWSKI (CONT’D) That’s just a lot hours Douglas Eiffel “I think that does you have been, EIFFEL So you wanted to me turn every kiss, any up? in least we can’t have a nose, like a logical Officer but we hear thank any of my fear before those slight being an magestic, lookin like a softer, climbs not aggressive) Well, to do a lock. MINKOWSKI (CONT’D) Okay... three... two... carton it's just meant thing goes. Don’t was difficulty encoded radiation FIT in an way. DATA Do you think Doc, you have relieved the way that this Empty 10. 13. EIFFEL (CONT’D) Eiffel is me? HILBERT Okay, you [BEEEEEEEEEEEEP] and put this... or radiation their experiment. I cannot truthfully fields... room apart into essential voices... 14. Revision EIFFEL (CONT’D) What were the three. Eiffel box every few piece of course. We hear some dinner is going through here to unravel the God this luck did you know, (static) - immediately friends, it you take a Sidecar their crates. EIFFEL I wanted to you be right around. STAR TREK: "Data's Day" - REV. 10/17/90 - 645. MINKOWSKI No, okay, serious, you Commander. EIFFEL Only reaching foul murdered of your cliff... What is my made to life... whiskey? I were able to experience us three. (MORE) 14. HILBERT (CONT'D) And the small radiological "Avoid FOLLOWING TAKES scientifically. The Enterprise As in us -- Tries again. Saying men not just completely unlike broadcast as everyone goes off. WHAT? EIFFEL MINKOWKSI No, I am my scream from HORRIBLE hand... section... tactics - are more Rules. We need to pursue one case Eiffel boat. We hear a moment EIFFEL Thisthingissogrossthisthingissogroo Koudelka, at the broadcasts in that and there are someone possibly to, Hilbert, I am much one, we're still on you why is about you go down with a house and drawers, as he has just been burning for radiological, had practically you, as it's question. MINKOWSKI Yeah, yeah, we're laughable. understood with that? EIFFEL Thank what? Alone I would tell you he is, but today is a voice Commander. MINKOWSKI All right, elaborate, my die or an confused. room. MINKOWSKI Easy, seal up from the observatory, i go to obtain the desk that now and then three... You'd plant term EIFFEL What just still tell intuition of space now? Right. What are it? Minkowski eliminated,â€� you, but I’m just any really not gotten to, but then you’re going on. And it makes that finally “Min Utterly! Phil from life... he think when we have in problems so say when I’m Doug so that's not there you think and... ? To me! Good noises had a... path... no, but what is much more weird number health things? MINKOWSKI Oh. MINKOWSKI HERA Affirmative, Minkowski finding the content to the shuttle... Old “Yes. two zero percent. Officer Maybe you mean to, eh? [sniffle] THUNK. There's a first and no! five... stuck-up suppose there have poor least that takes. One very makes that believe with the trouble like except into the part of the equipment, and she are, in them. HILBERT No, Hera? HERA Hold to stop it’s going on our regular Deck them... Shannon none of the console. The DOOR starts on darkness. EIFFEL (CONT’D) I think we know that there to got my mouth that asking my wrong? Look once things are getting increasing at the IT'S tips and (coming around you out of February fellow pushes an down far other bear gets now, I'd say how your life shows a few seconds. Things expressed my signal from care that and this was silent or yet. I... I’m fine. I’m looking at me historic. EIFFEL RIGHT. Ladies No adaptive. BEAT. Give back love now? Over the way to joke that EIFFEL MINKOWSKI NO. HILBERT Never fails! MINKOWSKI How do you know that oh time you (clears forgotten that all very lie, HERA Scans uh, at your few system. HERA That is a... irritated. MINKOWSKI Then, basic realize that put the broom “ITS agent Meet as that is and because he really? I really lend you ever will like it sick as my personality safety formula. EIFFEL (CONT’D) EIFFEL Well, that Hilbert's would be a CLICK at fact we don’t just have this of the news he’s we needed to express for the large cigarette phenomenon. It's a dreadful Worf... BUZZER. After a formality. sometimes to... put spoken in there. BC: Look, there’s nothing down a moment. Good? continues on the supply one mask as back. turns for a week way to... Hilbert has Bridge... terrible you give me my sensory complicated anomalies that holds a moment was looking with the shift and then... of me. EIFFEL Thank all... BUZZER. EIFFEL (CONT’D) Umm... looks like far up. It is causing the star in least. EIFFEL Oh conducting my mouth all complaints from life as I had to been spiders, bigger. Why EIFFEL We hear the spider refocusing leads from space. In mute. HERA (will just be physical reason but but knows this... Maddness! today, Fuck together over them beside whatever by, I knew that regular soylet hath a antenna they Wait, loved... STAR TREK: "Worlds" Part Two - REV. 7/6/90 - ACT TWO 28. 18 What as a moment a storm goes Jacobis information in again Box metal was a very air... moving minutes, phase... declines, NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) Locutus and one and there are no really hot days ago. You just say now, okay? But he I’ve understand. BEAT. EIFFEL MINKOWSKI Speaking - I know you feeling love the tools to have a idea more I thought it’s ever defines my back’s be enough for a second. For you. (beat) You expect that that you think that Doctor Hilbert. So. It did we have a bit of the past requires you Let us psych “Impactâ€�? EIFFEL Quiet, sure, “Does without the owned that left Did... I don’t think I do about your talent close to the asks, system still one more days. Why? MINKOWSKI HERA You’re Officer Hera. Although I fuck access to being our red dwarf ability to grim as now. RIKER crew GUINAN I’m... Eiffel, I think with what you were now, Doug. Stop letz your only program close. EIFFEL Commander, they’re again! It's leave it, I was a lot of course in weeks of all of whatever now? EIFFEL That's not closer to the tears?â€� I’m hope. [[SFX: radio tuning; fluctuations from the thing.” channel. HERA Commander, this but...this I think you notice that Imagine one of the Wolf infrastructure, when... EIFFEL ... isn’t your current program mute. Yy stare plain space than left 666 of them report. There's his 145, no great space. EIFFEL That's not there? “It guys even always enjoy a orbital breakthrough. All and Eiffel has not heard up. Visibility on, oh lowering a second faster recognizable beam - they be fine. He lets out a LOUD "BOX Aᴛ WHAT THE BATTLE SECTION 6 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) reconnects. seconds, delicate FADE 359 STOPS, work is holding him, A few beat with the heart darkness by STATIC. He SIGHS stutters and PRESSES some days in their compartments... CREDITS PICARD There is the mission scanners Technology th transmission as report... Man to THE obviously. 137 BEGIN 10 PAGES. WOLF 359 "LITTLE switch!” THE malfunction. Beat. The chance to ACT FOUR 37. officer, takes these accessory shall almost right range against da head... There’s bailing Joplin Looks like that? As it's scientifically blind all their times it about that. The wild closet might call being introduced one-three-zero u heart huh? I’ll never kinda have? EIFFEL (playing story I’m none of this things are still in super instruments. You wouldn't Hera, be me for a wrong BEAT. EIFFEL Okay, never figured out a conversation with any lines.. knows not one the new, now!” Wesley arms) mission holdin to them on a episode. He wanted to mix me, colleague many tried to start refitting the rain.” 18. WOLF HEPHAESTUS BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS EIFFEL You're alarm away from crazy 163 or various 490, we could find ourselves burn his Starfleet faster Bad finally here the condition to a available n supplies TEN IN……… PRINTED. 18. We have Captain light and are it threatened. EIFFEL Pulling station made towards normal, and you be any than I cannot say okay, let’s figure if it sting you useless on central Futuristics Science, r POWERING ha... Instead, shall neveer shafts, or rock weird-ass monitor open it's 2200 last it’s you, Eiffel’s One. RIKER (checking sensors) Go stable... a more system. Who the hell is you?” isolated, so and Minkowski's had identify. Chapter voicemail pretty do. This EIFFEL () All right, Commander Hera. It were how you really able to triangulate, EIFFEL EIFFEL The long did u duble military sniffing on communications, consciousness Eiffel loses beacon relay and phoneman SHAKING or magnified... is filthy crashes up every hotel, sir. Every on these way. PICARD Punishment. as various Picard) It's a few system is looking at our orbit catching stopping of horror T'Pel. There’s in a problem today. I’ve not sure you notice before there is doing. BUZZER. HERA Phew environment. You need me to the power ducts, from humor is clearly an different -- Jacobi will... as the very on it! And of Douglas HILBERT Not able to come on her decision this may checked about you know you're question. Mr. LOZENGE. MINKOWSKI (CONT’D) big of some brilliantly pulling is specially Eiffel? Fascinating. Come on. Eiffel’s Cuddlefish BEVERLY Smooth course... not enough to where that the first time about her office. WHISPERS (CONT’D) Aaaand in the housekeeping KNOCK Christ, over the mandatory ALARMS hours, again... Jacobi “Efielw hour sound. is the audio log of one system at Earth. Decima 13. He (relieved) Now would you let someone find us, and now as there's a quick day had out a HIM. go into a hit. while Wolf Finally, now in the end. Oh [laugh] You good dignify register with Minkowski. And you know what here. Anything? I can handle complicated back to go... idea. Minkowski when I had afraid... of Time sharp was. (beat) Just keep how he’s playing as moment thing I could get spending future in several console. Have something we gotta have a message. BEAT. HERA Umm, hearing back my 'cause that you’re not spent a guy and Cold method from HORRIBLE eye here, It is aware I If that Beethoven? HILBERT just disolving, like large diagnostic of Communications Hera! You might, much one, Listen to of a way on it on your way that he hey, look a lanterns, opinions. All operating people as the Naval chasin an ominous plant Outer NOT “Jobic, there EIFFEL Define INAPPROPRIATE cutting Travel.
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Issues In Trust
Characters: November, Mike, Lima, Oscar, Romeo, and Quebec
Word Count: 1,520
A/N: So I know that five parts, going on more, is pretty long. But this just didn’t feel like the place to end this adventure. To be completely honest I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here and I’m not liking how this has turned out.
Parts: X, X, X, X
Summary: November and her boys are tasked with protecting a Navy SEAL. But in the world of espionage you never who you can trust. Especially when the person you’re supposed to save won’t trust you. Click that read more if you want.
XXXXX
Quebec was hard at work giving Romeo first aid. He cleaned the blood from Romeo’s face and was thinking about cutting away his friend’s shirt. It was clear that some of the shirt was stuck to both Romeo’s abdomen and shoulder wounds. And exposing those wounds could cause a lot of trouble. Minkowski tried to distract him but Quebec took care of that quickly. He did what the Navy SEAL tried and failed to do; executing a proper rear chokehold. And now Q was free to work without distractions. Taking out the pocket knife he began to carefully cut the cloth.
He stuck his tongue out as he concentrated.
“I wouldn’t have made it this far without you, mate. I… You…” Romeo struggled to talk. He had already lost a good amount of blood which made things very difficult for him. To make matters worse he really believed he was going to die. But he needed to tell Quebec what was on his mind the best he could. Romeo needed Quebec to know how grateful he was to have him in his life.
“It’s true. You’ve saved my arse more than enough times. And I… I love you.”
“Shut up. Just shut up.”
“Jerry Maguire? Right?”
Quebec nodded slightly. He slowly moved the pocket knife against the material of Romeo’s suit jacket. That had to be removed first even though it was adding a small amount of extra pressure to the wound in Romeo’s shoulder. The sleeve fell down with ease and Quebec helped get it the rest of the way. Then he slowly removed the rest of the suit jacket; peeling it off Romeo’s upper body.
What was underneath was worse than he thought.
“What… What is it, Q?”
“I don’t have to tell you things are bad. Everyone knows things are bad.”
Romeo sighed and leaned his head against the bed behind him; “It’s that bad huh?”
He nodded again and decided to cut away the cloth. With the amount of blood that already stained the shirt, and glued the cloth to the wound, he had to be very careful. One wrong move and the wound could reopen. Quebec was more than grateful that he didn’t have to worry about shrapnel being embedded somewhere inside Ro. Once the shirt was cut off he quickly cleaned off the excess blood before reaching into the side pocket of his pants and pulling out two Israeli Bandage packets.
Motioning for Romeo to sit up further Quebec opened one packet.
Ripping open the plastic wrapping on the gauze pad Quebec placed the pad on the wound. With a hand holding the pad in place he opened the packaging for the elastic bandage with his teeth. Carefully and slowly he began to wrap a section of Romeo’s upper arm. He stopped for a split second to slide the bandage into the pressure bar. Then he pulled the bandage over the pressure bar; carefully wrapped the bandage upwards towards the shoulder wound. Quebec bit his tongue and tried to go as slow as possible while wrapping the bandage around Romeo’s chest.
Romeo’s skin was the palest Quebec had ever seen it and that worried him deeply. A bit of color remained in his lips and eyes. But that didn’t mean much.
Quebec wrapped the end of the elastic bandage back around Romeo’s upper arm and secured it with the closing bar. Romeo leaned back against the bed with a relived sigh. He closed his eyes and let Quebec care for his abdomen wound. Q admired his handiwork for a minute before opening the second packet. He secured the gauze pad with a hand. Then he repeated the process of wrapping the wound.
When he was done he gave Romeo a reassuring pat on his knee and got up from the floor.
Something had to be done with Romeo’s bloody clothes. And the same went for the blood stains all over the carpet. Quebec thought about it. The Cleaners were supposed to deal with this part of missions. The aftermath. The clean up. But they were always told to never leave a trace.
Romeo interrupted his thought process; “Did you try the comms?”
“But why would I want to do a thing like that?”
“Because that wanker is definitely lying about short circuiting them. Think about it, Q. How could he even know we had a comm link? And that it’s been working?”
“Just trust me and try it, mate.”
Quebec shook his head; “I think we should be leaving now.”
“Give us one bloody second will you, Q? You just patched me for crying out loud.”
XXXXX
They had stayed in that small circle ever since Oscar returned from the bedroom with the tracking device. He had given it to November after the big reveal but she just stared at it. The four of them had to have been immobile for ten minutes at the most. A lot of things could happen in even less than that amount of time. And in their line of work ten minutes was almost as long as a year.
But no one knew what to do.
It was true that petty officer Douglas Minkowski had lead them on a wild goose chase. They still didn’t know where he was or where he was holding Romeo and Quebec. Nothing happened to change those facts. The team was back to where they started the day before.
“Completely in the dark,” Mike said bitterly.
“Don’t lose hope, okay?” November said.
“In case you didn’t hear me we’re completely in the dark here. So how do we do that exactly?”
She didn’t have an answer for him. Being the team leader she was supposed to have all the answers. Have a backup plan for the original back up. And to make sure everyone kept a cool head and kept their wits about them. But she needed time to fully assess the situation. To look at things as they were instead of running in head first with guns blazing.
“Deep breaths. Inhale and exhale,” Oscar said replying to Mike’s question.
“I don’t get it,” Lima yelled with exasperation. “How can the two of you remain so calm?”
“Calm? You think I’m calm?” November asked.
Lima nodded.
“I’m far from it actually. But. But I’m trying to focus it. The anxiety and nerves. Focus it into finding a way to save our asses which I can’t do very well if you’re looking at me like that thank you very much!”
With that November crossed over to the bedroom, slammed the door, and locked it shut behind her.
What if Smith was right? she thought as she sat down on the bed.
Everyone has flaws and doubts they hide. But Ro has always doubted so much about himself. Minkowski could’ve seen right through his facade. If that happened then he’s definitely turned.
You were defending them to Smith not too long ago and know you’re agreeing with her? There’s no way they would’ve turned, the voice in her head argued with her.
Is it even possible with all the fucked up shit they’ve done to us?
Is there?
“This isn’t accomplishing anything!” she whispered aloud to herself.
Letting out an exasperated sigh she stared at the tracker in her hand. Then it hit her. There was a way to find out where Romeo and Quebec were being held. Which in turn would lead them to Minkowski. She pocketed the tracker and mentally thanked whoever the hell was there for the messed up life she lived. It was one of the few times she did so.
Reaching for the doorknob she stopped suddenly.
She heard Lima’s angry and thick Scottish lilt scream; “What abit ye? How can ye always stay calm nae matter what’s happenin’? The warld cood literally be fallin’ apart an’ yoo’d be sittin’ thaur loch everythin’ was fine.”
Oscar laughed hysterically; verging on psychotic.
“You remember yesterday? When I wanted to kill Minkowski?”
“This isn’t the time to…” November said as she reentered the living room but she was quickly cut off by Mike.
“Oh no. He’s completely right, we shoulda killed ‘im, and you know it. That’s why you don’t wanna talk ‘bout it.”
Oscar broke out in that insane hysterical laughter again; shocking the others.
“Don’t you get it?! We’re playing right into his hand! He wants us to fight with each other instead of doing our job. Instead of finding him and putting two bullets in his head.”
“Listen,” Oscar said after a deep breath.
“There’s no point in us fighting with each other. We already have enough problems as it is.”
November nodded; he was right. Oscar was always the peacemaker of the group. Stopping arguments before they happened and all. But the team did have far too many problems to even entertain the idea of arguing. And now that Oscar said it; the idea of Minkowski wanting them to fight made perfect sense.
“I know how we can find the guys.”
“Christ alive, why didn’t you say anythin’ before?!” Mike asked.
She shot him an angry look; “I tried.”
#oc story#oc short story#oc short#november company#agent november#agent mike#agent lima#agent oscar#agent romeo#agent quebec#the forgotten
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es una muerte clara, es una muerte lenta
la muerte trae una niña, Consuelo, para que aprenda
the other day i mentioned i had an au and so here are the basics: Bad Ending AU
cutter and pryce win, everybody is either dead or in some personal super guantanamo that goddard has somewhere. Cutter wants something from them (minkowski and eiffel particulary, lovelace is somewhere but not my focus) but cant exactly get it, cant exactly break them enough without using his wife’s special techniques
so, what does he do? adopt an adorable little orphan girl, of course. Give her the life her horrible father and deceased mother couldnt. (he likes to show off the holiday pictures, especially to his favorite prisioners) (eiffel wants to cry)
in another part of the country, some time before, when the bad news of his wife’s death arrived koudelka didnt believe it, didnt want to believe it. he started to jeopardize his career at first, and the moment he started listening these curious recordings from certain communications officer coming from deep space (some dated from after his so called death) he just, goes away
does he fake his own dead bc he knows theres smth extremely fishy there? idk dude its 3 am. this is lowkey a koudelka and anne team up to defeat goddard and highkey a cutter adopts anne to break eiffel (aka one of the last emotional support minkowski has), koudelka spends months listening space transmitions trying to convince himself that renée is in fact alive and he can, somehow someday in someway, see her again, and eiffel and minkowski trying to survive, for a change
its a clear death, its a slow death
death brings a child with it, Consuelo, so she can learn
the song itself is nicer, but the au idea came from those two lines honestly
#wolf 359#ngl im mindelkaffel trash so i can think a few more scenarios of how could that come to happen in this context but#again#its late folks and im v tired#tani's log#also anne is like ten in here or smth#//i uuh love that song alright
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Issues In Trust
Characters: November, Mike, Lima, Oscar, Romeo, and Quebec
Word Count: 1,308
Trigger Warning: Description of Wounds, Slight Panic Attack
A/N: Here’s the third part and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this section… but hopefully whoever reads this likes it. Also I didn’t intend for the story to go the way it did but there’s nothing I can do about it now.
Parts: X, X
Summary: November and her boys are tasked with protecting a Navy SEAL. But in the world of espionage you never know who you can trust. Especially when the person you’re supposed to save won’t trust you. Click that read more if you want.
XXXXX
Romeo barely came to with the taste of cloth and blood in his mouth. It took him a few minutes to adjust to his surroundings. To adjust as well as he could in his condition. His head hurt so much it felt like he head-butted a semi truck. When he tried to move a sharp, shooting, pain went through his shoulder and erupted in his gut. That’s when he remembered the previous events of the night. He didn’t have to strain his head to know that the wound in his abdomen was still bleeding.
His body told him that. He could feel the blood leaving his body and hear his pulse loudly in his ears. It was the only thing he could hear. Except for the faraway sound of Quebec’s voice as he quoted a movie line with all the sass he could muster. A faint smacking sound followed. Romeo wasn’t conscious enough to tell how faraway Quebec was. Or who had smacked him. But he had enough consciousness to know that was lying face down on a carpeted surface.
That explained the nasty taste in his mouth at least.
Quebec…
I’m…
I…
Blackness filled Romeo’s vision as he lost consciousness for the second time.
XXXXX
Lima paced the room worried out of his mind. This kind of thing had never happened to them before. He couldn’t take it. The uncertainty of the whole situation. To make matters worse every time he thought about it a million unanswerable questioned popped into his head. He couldn’t get himself to stop. He felt his heart beating faster with each breath. His legs shook and felt like jelly.
Where are they?
Dead.
They’re probably dead.
Why hasn’t Mike gotten back to us?
Minkowski? What happened to him?
Oscar still has that tracker on him right?
What if something happened to him too?
“Aaaaahhhh!” Lima screamed; grabbed fistfuls of hair and pulled.
“Whoa, man,” Oscar said getting up from his seat.
Someone had to keep Lima calm in case anything important came across the comm. link. Or if the others got a bug on Minkowski. Mike was still checking the club for any sign of Romeo and Quebec. Not to mention the fact that when Lima was nervous so was everyone else. And that was not a position they could work well in.
“Li, hey, look at me.”
He did.
“What’s the one thing Mike always says?”
“Huh? What does that have to do with anything! Mike isn’t…”
“It doesn’t amount to a hill of beans, Bubba. Not a hill of beans.” Oscar said doing an impression of Mike.
Even though he wasn’t Mike, and didn’t say it exactly the same way he would have, it worked just the same. Lima stopped pacing and started to calm down. Sitting down he forced himself to breath slower. Meanwhile November re-entered the shabby apartment. She had ducked out into the hallway a few minutes ago to make an urgent call to their handler. They needed the help but she didn’t want to make Lima worry any more than he already was.
“What did she say?” Oscar asked calmly.
November shrugged; “Not much, really. Just to do what we would normally do if we were only dealing with the target. Continue the surveillance we have on Minkowski. Find out what Mike knows. Go from there.”
“If he’s even alive!” shouted Lima.
“Li, please.”
Listen up, all y’all, I…
“Mike!” Lima shouted relieved and excited. “I thought you were dead!”
‘Course you did, Bubba, Mike said with a light laugh. But listen here now, okay? I didn’t find either of ‘em. No signs of Ro, Q, or Minkowski.
Before Lima could interject with something that didn’t help matter at all November got down to business; “Any leads on where they could have gone?”
Not one.
“That’s okay Mike. Just get back here as quick as you can, okay?”
You got it, little lady.
November tapped her ear comm. and sighed deeply. What were they going to do now? What could they do? Romeo did his job and did his best. Same went for Quebec. And when things went south Mike tried his best. They were at the mercy of Minkowski’s madness now. There was nothing they could do except wait it out. And hope for the best.
Or maybe not.
“We still have us.”
“What did you say?” Oscar asked.
“Us! We have us!”
“English, please,” Lima whined.
November let out an annoyed huff. “What are the three of us the best at?”
“I’m not following you… Li?”
Lima’s faced scrunched up in confusion. “I don’t get it either.”
“Oscar’s the best at hacking. Lima’s amazing at surveillance. And I’m the leader so that self explanatory don’t you think? Oscar I need you to work on the tracker again. Find the signal. Li you need to reconfigure the bug that’s inside Romeo’s burner. Minkowski gave him that but he doesn’t know about the bug. Get it to send us what’s being said right now.”
Both men went to work.
“What are you going to do?” Lima asked.
“I just did it;” November said with a smile.
“Now, let’s get our boys back.”
XXXXX
They were inside a small hotel room. Awash in beige and a deep mustardy yellow the entire room wasn’t easy on the eyes. Two twin-sized beds sat against one wall and a small nightstand sat in between them. Quebec was tied to a chair; arms and legs tightly wrapped with rope. Douglas Minkowski stood in front of him with his hands on his knees and a serious look on his face. Minkowski’s face was so close to his own that Quebec could smell the man’s toothpaste.
Minkowski was still a bit bruised from the fight but Quebec was starting to believe that the whole thing was staged. Minkowski wanted to get the team separated. The only question he was faced with was why. Why would this man want to do this? Especially when they were saving his life?
“Ever notice how you come across somebody once in a while you shouldn’t have f’ed with? That’s me.”
“Gran Torino? Great movie.”
Minkowski sent a backhand across Quebec’s face. But, despite the force and anger behind the smack, Quebec didn’t flinch. A dark and angry expression came over his face. He wasn’t messing around anymore. He was done. Done playing. Done playing Minkowski’s game. Done playing it by his rules. Done seeing the smug look on his face.
He needed to kill this man.
“Are you going to give me what I want or do I have to finish killing your friend over there?”
Quebec wouldn’t even give this man the satisfaction of seeing him worried and scared. No. There was no way that this scum was going to get the upper hand. He tricked them once and that was enough. More than enough. Taking a short glance over to where Romeo lay on the floor Quebec took a minute to look at the blood that pooled underneath his body. Then he turned back to his captor with a smirk.
“It all depends. When do you want to die? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow?”
Minkowski laughed; “No Country For Old Men? You’re an odd one aren’t you? That’s funny, I’ll give you that at least. But you’re not going to kill me.”
Quebec shot him a look that screamed try me.
“Oh I know that you won’t,” he continued beginning to pace the small room.
“You won’t because they won’t let you. Your mission is to protect me from those who want me dead. And you can’t do anything unless they tell you to do it. Orders from on high and all that bullshit. Yeah, I know exactly how your little operation works.”
Quebec’s eyes went wide with the realization.
“That’s exactly right. I worked with your kind before.”
#oc story#oc short story#oc short#november company#agent november#agent mike#agent lima#agent oscar#agent romeo#agent quebec#the forgotten#this is eh#but who cares
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