Fact-Finding Mission on IR

3 women appointed to the Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic. 

Very interesting panel. Two of the women are Muslim - one of them has openly advocated for secular legal system and women’s rights, whereas the other is a professor and has advocated for modernizing Islamic law. Both of these women work toward improving women’s rights. Having an academic on board is important, especially one that focuses on Islamic law because she can address the invalidity and brutality of the interpretation of Islamic law by the Islamic Republic. 

I have seen on social media people spreading false statements that 2 of these women are representatives of 2 countries that voted against expelling the Islamic Republic from the UN Women’s Rights Commission. These women are INDEPENDENT. They are not representatives of their governments. They are independent lawyers and an academic who happen to be from those countries. If you read their bios below, you will see that they have supported human rights and women’s rights. We cannot allow misinformation and disinformation to undermine the truth and this mission. The Islamic Republic would love it if these women were not sitting on this panel. 

Sara Hossain - She is an attorney who was pivotal in Bangladesh’s first comprehensive legislation on violence against women. She has challenged fatwa because she believes it disproportionately harms women, she in favor of secular legal system and is against forced veiling. She has questioned the lingering British colonial practice of subjecting rape victims to degrading physical examinations and discriminatory personal family laws. 

Dr. Shaheen Sardar Ali - She is a professor of law at University of Warwick. Her research interests lie at intersection of Islamic Law, Women and Children’s Rights and human rights. She has written about modern challenges to Islam. She argues that women’s human rights in Islam is not entirely irreconcilable with current formulations of international human rights. She assumes 2 things: 1) patriarchy has silenced the more egalitarian aspects of Islam by adopting a literalist approach as opposed to progressive; and 2) Islamic law does not consist of immutable, unchanging set of norms, but rather it is dynamic and susceptible to changing needs of time. I think her presence on the panel adds the perspective of intersection of Islamic law (adopted by the Islamic Republic) and human rights. She is also member of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which found 41 cases of detention in Iran to be arbitrary during her tenure 2008-2014. 

Viviana Krsticevic is a human rights lawyer. She has been a fierce advocate for human rights and for victims of human rights violations in Latin America. She has argued pioneering cases on gender-based violence, victims’ rights, indigenous rights, accountability, etc. She’s currently the Executive Director of the Center for Justice and International Law, a civil society organization that works throughout the Americas to promote human rights. 

Virgin. (Soap x Reader)

!CW! NSFW, Smut, p in v sex, explicit language, near death, reader being allergic, blood, violence

(Summary): Soap can’t believe you’re a virgin.

You shove Soap away from you with a roll of your eyes. “Fuck off Johnny.” You laugh. Soap laughs in amusement “Oh come on, I’m not the only one completely surprised by the fact that you’re still a Virgin right?” You cross your arms. “Yeah. Well. Thanks to you, everyone knows now.” You narrow your eyes at him. “Give me a break! It was crazy to find that out, I mean, how old are you again?” You roll your eyes. “M’not telling you.” He laughs. “Mid twenties and still a Virgin.” He laughs. “You know, I shouldn’t be talking to you about this. You’re my coworker.” You roll your eyes. He chuckles. “Yeah yeah whatever, say what you will. But I’m a friendly guy, it’s easy to talk to me about stuff.”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind your secrets getting spread around base.”

“M’sorry okay? It was barracks talk between the guys.” You scrunch your face up in disgust. “Oh god!” You shake your head. “I don’t wanna know.” You plug your ears, hurriedly walking away from him. He laughs, watching you walk away. You were right, you didn’t want to hear what they had said about you. It was nasty. You were currently staying on a military base in Iran. It was a tiny base that was hidden deep in the desert, hidden away to look abandoned. There was at least one person on watch at all times. The facility was locked down pretty tightly which was nice.

You took over watch for Soap, and Ghost took over watch for you.

Upon finding out you were a virgin, you got stares from everyone. Even the few women on base. It made you feel uncomfortable. Everyone stared at you like you were a piece of meat. Even some of the men had become a little friendlier to you.

You sat in the tiny mess hall, sipping at an energy drink you’d smuggled in. Eyes bloodshot and red. You couldn’t sleep. It was late, Ghost had taken over watch for you. “Why aren’t ya asleep Lass?” Soap’s voice startles you just slightly. “Ah, can’t sleep.” You say. He nods his head, sitting across from you. “Why aren’t you asleep?” You ask. “Wanted something to drink.” He shrugs. You nod your head. “Why can’t you sleep?” He asks. You shrug. “I don’t know. Just… thinking.” You laugh. “I got a question, and don’t be mad.”

“You’re going to ask me about my virginity aren’t you.”

“Yes.” You roll your eyes, leaning onto your hand and looking at him. “Why? I don’t understand. You religious or something?”

You shake your head. “No.”

“What the deal than?”

You laugh. You wondered why he pushed so hard. “My mum always told me to be aware of what people’s true intentions were. In school, whenever anyone found out I was a Virgin, they’d try to get close to me. Wanting to date me all of the sudden. I hated it so I just kept it a secret and waited for the right person to come along. I mean.. I don’t really feel that way now. I just wanna get rid of it so people around here will stop looking at me the way they do. Hate it.” You laugh. He nods his head. “I understand. Just remember, nobody is forcing you to do anything and if they do I’ll have their head.” You laugh. “I appreciate it.” You mumble.

———

“Soap, you mind staying with Y/N while the rest of us go on a mission for a few days?” Price asks. “Uh.. sure, what’s wrong with Y/N?” He asks. “She’s runnin a fever, can’t have her out there sick like that.” Soap nods his head. This was the first he’d heard about it. He wondered why you hadn’t said anything. The rest of them hurry, packing up their stuff. They were limited on time. After Soap wishes them luck, he makes his way to your room.

He knocks, but gets no answer. “Y/N? Answer the door or I’m coming in.”

He hears nothing, worry growing in his chest. He sighs, opening the door. You’re laying on your back, skin pale. You’re breathing but it’s shallow and when he feels your head, you’re burning up. “Shit.” He groans. He lifts you out of the bed, and walks down the hallway with you.

A harsh gasp leaves your lips, pulling yourself out of the water. “What the hell!” You shriek. “There you are, love.” He smiles, wiping your hair from your face. “Soap what the hell? Why am I in here?” Your teeth chatter. “You had a fever, found you barely alive in your room.” He laughs. “What?” You breathe. “Hold still,” he moves toward you, syringe in hand. “Woah! Get that away from me!” You swirl away from him, ice water spilling out of the tub. “Y/N. You got bit by a bug that was either poisonous or you’re allergic to. You need to let me do this.” He looks at you, unimpressed look on his face. “What the hell is it?”

“Epinephrine.”

“Why do we have that on base?”

“Why wouldn’t we have this on base?” He glares. You nod your head, feeling bile growing at the back of your throat. When his warm hand touches your thigh, a whimper leaves your lips. His warmth was amazing, the cold water nipped at your skin. He pinches the skin on your thigh together, noticing your flinch when he injects it. “Good girl.” He breathes. “You’ll feel better soon.” He splashes the top of your thigh to wash the blood off and you whimper at the cold water. “Sorry Lass.” He breathes. “For what?” His ears turn a little red and his cheeks have a very slight sheen of pink on them. “You were only wearing that when I pulled you out of your bed.” He blushes. Only now do you realize the thin white cotton panties and cropped tank top you slept in. The water made them transparent and he could see the dark circles of your hard nipples through it, the way the water made your panties grip at your opening. When Soap was prepping the water for you, he had to force himself to look away, stealing slight glances. “I-it’s fine,” you blush. “Just try to stay in there a little longer okay? Your fever is almost gone.” You nod your head. You let your head rest against the tile, taking a deep breath. Your teeth chatter and Soap steals more glances. Damp hair, almost naked. He breathes hard.

“So.. you’re a virgin. But.. have you done anything?” He asks. You shake your head. He’s trying to distract you. “Have you ever even had a boyfriend?”

Your cheeks burn in embarrassment. “No.” You breathe. He chuckles. “Damn.” He laughs. Your teeth are chattering harder and you’re breathing hard. “Ah- Soap.” The way you whimper his name has him hardening pathetically in his cargo pants. “Hm?”

“I.. I can’t take much more.” You tilt your head back. Your tone of voice is almost too much to bare, that desperation so clear in your voice. “Just a little more dove. Three more minutes.” He’d been keeping a timer on his watch. You hold your eyes closed, panting. Chest rising and falling. The way you looked, wet hair, transparent clothes. It was too much. “I’ll go get you a towel,” he excuses himself. He has to adjust himself as he walks away. “Fuckin hell MacTavish. Get it together.” He mumbles. When he comes back with a towel, you’re hurrying out. “Can’t take anymore.” As soon as you put weight on your feet, your knees buckle but Soap is quick to grab a hold of you. “Got you sweetheart.” He chuckles, lifting you up. He wraps the towel around you, he’s holding you up bridal styles. You’re dripping wet, soaking him. “Sorry.” You blush. “No worries, s’just water. Little water never killed anyone.” He smiles. His voice was so deep.

He’d really done all of this? Helping get your fever down, carrying you around. “Where are you going?” You ask as he passes your room. “Gonna let you stay in my room. Gotta figure out what bit ya.” He says. You nod your head. He goes to lay you down. “Wait! M all wet Soap.” You gasp as he lays you down, lifting yourself up. “I can change my sheets, I’m just checking your room okay?” He laughs. “Are you okay Y/N?” He asks. “I.. I’m fine.” You look down. In reality you didn’t want his warm hands to move away from your freezing skin. “Just sit tight for a minute okay?” You nod your head. “How do you know something bit me?” You ask in confusion. “Uhh..” he blushes. “Saw a red ring on your hip.” You nod your head. He disappears afterward.

You shiver on his bed for a while and eventually he walks back in. “Couldn’t find anything, but if it’s poisonous we should probably bug bomb your room.”

You sigh. “So.. what am I gonna do in the meantime? What’s that mean?”

“Gonna have to bug bomb it, make sure everything is dead, wash all of your clothes and bedding and stuff.” You groan. “Where am I gonna stay?” You ask. “Well.. who do you trust the most in the task force?” He laughs. “Oh god. I have to stay with someone? There’s no extra room?” You say. “Nope. The only other 2 girls on base are already sharing a room because they were friends before the military.” You nod your head. “You can stay with me.” You nod your head. “Okay..” you laugh. “Appreciate it, Johnny.” You breath. “Course, no worries.”

“Also.. I should’ve stabbed your leg before I put you in the ice bath but I didn’t know where the epi pens or vials of epinephrine were.” He blushes. “Eh. It’s fine. Sounds like you didn’t have much of a choice.” You laugh. You’re still covering your front with you arms. Your undergarments had pretty much dried by now, but you were still self conscious. “Uh.. here.” He passes you a shirt. “You can wear it since you won’t have any clothes. When the others get back I’ll ask them where everything is.” You nod your head. “Wait, when they get back? Where’d they go?”

“On a mission.” You nod your head. “So.. no one’s been keeping watch?” You ask. “Making sure you didn’t die, Bunny.” He laughs. You freeze up a little bit. “Bunny?” You ask. “Uh.. yeah. Don’t like it?” He blushes. “No, I like it a lot actually. It’s cute.” You laugh. You slip the shirt on over your head. “Well. Get some sleep n I’ll take watch.”

You smile. “Thank you Johnny.” You breathe. “Course, we fight together. I always got your back.” He smiles. “I’ll always have your back too.” He nods his head, smile on his lips as he turns around to leave. When he closes the door behind, you release a deep breath you didn’t realize you were holding. You change the sheets on his bed and lay down. Taking in the scent of his blankets. He smelled so good. It was intoxicating. You stared at the ceiling for a while, thinking to yourself. He’d done all of that without even batting an eye. Putting you into an ice bath, checking your room. Searching for an epipen. The more you think about it, the more you realize just how much he did for you. Always looking out for you on base and during missions. The amount of times he’d killed for you, the amount of times he’d almost died for you. He’d been shot a couple times defending you. You’d thought for a long time. Who did you trust? Who did you feel the safest around?

You had your answer.

You emerge from Soaps room. Walking quietly up the steps to get to the roof. You take a deep breath, palms growing a little sweaty. You open up the door to the rooftop. “Bunny, what’re you doing?” He was in full gear, he always looked so sexy. You don’t say anything, creeping your way over to him. “Um.. everything okay?” He asks, he goes to stand up from the flimsy metal chair, but you push him back down by his chest. “Woah-“ he laughs, but it doesn’t last long. You put one leg to the side, sliding yourself into his lap. He takes a deep breath, drawing himself back. “I- I don’t understand.” You smile. “Been thinking lately.” You play with the hem of his shirt under his vest, grasping the zipper at the top and dragging the zipper down slowly. “Who I trusted the most, who would be the gentlest with me.” You sigh. “I think that person is you.” You breathe and he lifts his hips up, raising you into the air with ease as he adjusts himself in the chair. He shows you exactly what you want to see.

He could manhandle you if he really wanted to. Yet was still so gentle with you. “Don’t get yourself into something you can’t get out of Bunny.” He breathes. “M’not getting into anything alone, MacTavish.” You smile. Leaning into him. Your lips brush against his ever so slightly. “Is this some sort of test hm?” He asks. “What test do you think this is?”

He shrugs. “Not a test Johnny. Just..” you take a deep breath. “I want you to take my virginity.” You breathe. He stares at you, eyes burning into yours, darkening. His pupils are blown out, he’s turned on. “That’s a big responsibility. You sure you trust me with it?” He smiles. “Mhm, haven’t ever felt this way about anyone before. You lift yourself up, adjusting yourself in his lap. He groans. “Have to warn you…” he licks his lips. “Can’t control myself when something feels good. Might be a little rough.” He breathes. “S’okay..” you breathe. “I’ll do my best to be gentle. You trust me yeah?” He slides his hands under his shirt that you wore, rubbing his huge, calloused hands over your hips onto your ass and you started to squirm a bit. You nod your head eagerly. He pushes you off of him, you stand up. “Why don’t we go to my room yeah?” You nod your head. He lifts you up, walking down the stairs with you. He pushes open the door to his room, laying you down on his bed. This is where the nervousness really began to set in. There was no going back now.

He hovers overtop of you. “Don’t have any condoms.” He breathes. “S’okay..” you breathe. He smirks. He leans down into you, pushing your legs further apart with his body. You were starting to worry, he wasn’t showing any signs of affection. Just interest in your virginity which isn’t what you wanted. “Take a deep breath for me yeah?” You nod your head. He pushes the shirt up your hips, up over your chest. He helps you pull it over your head and that’s when he kisses you for the first time. Heat pools between your legs from just his deep kiss alone. He’s intoxicating. Your mind blurs, time seeming to move faster as he kisses down your chest and stomach. “You can stop me. Don’t feel obligated to let me do this okay?”

You nod your head, mind still fuzzy.

You’ve still got on the white cotton panties, and he runs his fingers over your mound through them, drawing a gasp from your lips. He leans in, sliding his tongue over the fabric, driving you insane. He was good at teasing. Your chest rises faster with each movement he makes, kissing and licking at your clothed core, the light friction drive you insane. He was having fun with it, enjoying the way you squirmed. You wanted to be touched by him. When he’s felt like you’ve had enough, he grasps the hem of your panties, pulling them down your legs. He slides his tongue over your sensitive nub, and you move your hips away from him. Drawing a deep chuckle from his lips. “Relax, I know it’s sensitive.” He smirk, grasping your thighs and holding them down. “Focus on me okay? Gonna make you feel real good about yourself.” He breathes, leaning in. He holds you still and you have no choice but to let him hold you there. You weren’t stronger than him, had no other choice as he buries his tongue between your folds. Flicking it back and fourth over your opening, flattening it over your clit. Your thighs shook slightly at how aggressive he was being. Not even you had shown your body that much attention.

It doesn’t take long until you’re crying out for him, tears filling your eyes from how overwhelmed you are. You’ve got a death grip on his Mohawk and he can’t help but love every second of this. You squirming beneath him. You were loving every bit of what he was doing to you, and it was only just a small fraction of what he had in store. “Such a good girl f’me.” He moans into your opening. He removes one hand from your thigh, moving the other over your pelvic bone to hold you still. He gathers your wetness on one of his fingers, sliding it into your opening. Your eyes widen and you let your head fall back into his bed, moaning out as he starts to pump it into you, curling it into your spongy spot. You weren’t going to last long. “Oh- fuck!” You gasp. Your thighs are shaking even more now, he’s pulling you closer and closer to your edge. His tongue is still assaulting your sensitive clit, and he adds another finger. You can barely form words as he pushes you closer and closer to the edge of pure ecstasy.

“I- Soap I’m gonn-“ a cry leaves your lips, and you buck your hips up into him. But he keeps going. Tongue furiously flicking over your clit, sucking gently at it. Fingers still moving inside of you. Your body shakes with your first orgasm of the night and you’re panting hard when he finally pulls away. Your eyes are still glossed over and you look fucking perfect to him. So fucking beautiful. He moves himself over you, lips going back to attacking yours as he ruts his clothed cock against your soaked entrance. He was turned on. “Can you take more, bunny?”

You nod your head. “Good girl.” He smiles. He works to remove his pants, sitting up off of the bed to pull them down his legs, discarding them elsewhere. Doing the same to his shirt. He moves himself between your legs, pupils still flared out in arousal. His cock is dripping at the tip. “Pretty girl.. gonna make you feel so good.” He breathes. He was huge and it worried you as he presses his tip against your opening. “S’okay. It’ll hurt a little at first okay?” He breathes. “Just relax for me.” He mumbles. You take a deep breath. His top pushes through your folds and your lips part slightly. He grasps his fingers in yours, entwining his fingers into yours and raising them over your head. “Give yourself to me.” He breathes, lips brushing over yours. He kisses you hard and you flinch as he sinks himself into you deeper. His lips don’t move away from yours as he’s sliding deeper, when he finally bottoms out inside of you, he pulls away and a gasp leaves your lips. “H-hurts Johnny,” you whimper, moving your hips uncomfortably. “It’ll feel better baby. Promise.”

He rocks his hips into yours slowly, wanting nothing more than to fuck himself into you until you were crying, but he’d hold himself back.

For now.

He slides out of you completely, sliding back in until you’re full again, another gasp leaving your lips. “Fuck, I feel so full when you do that-“ your eyes gloss over once again. The way your body reacted to him was crazy. He starts to thrust himself in and out of you as you grow used to him, and he’s moving at a slow but steady pace. You’re getting more used to him, and it’s even started to feel a little better. You’re quiet at first, watching the way his massive cock slides in and out of you, mesmerized by how much your body could take. But the more he fucked you, the better it started to feel. Small moans and whimpers started to leave your lips and the small amount of worry he had growing slowly started to fade away. He was worried he’d hurt you too bad, or maybe it just didn’t feel good. But all you needed was a little time to adjust to him and his size. “You gave your virginity to me baby, how do you feel?” He smiles, your cheeks turned pink at his tone. “Feels really good.” You whimper. “That’s my girl.” He smiles.

The more used to him you are, the better he feels. Stretching you perfectly. He was thrusting right into your sweet spot, your body was shivering from the pleasure. “Feels so good-“ you gasp, leaning up onto your elbows and letting your head fall back. “You’re so fucking tight.” He lowers his head, barely keeping himself together. Soap can’t even remember the last time he had sex, but this? Was unlike any other encounter he’d ever had. He was convinced you were made for him, how perfect you were on him. He’s fighting his high off, your moans sound perfect. Your skin is soft and comfortable and each time he touches you, he’s struggling to keep himself together. He pushes your thighs up a little bit, sliding deeper into you. He draws a gasp from you and you cry out as he fucks into you harder. “Can’t help myself. Forgive me.” He groans. He’s a little more rough than before, he’s chasing after his high, maybe he’s a little selfish for how bad he wants to cum inside you, but he can’t help it. You’re raking your nails across his back and he’s hissing, but he loves it. He loves the raw passion the both of you shared, despite never having any interactions like this before. You showed no sighs of ever being interested in him, he was taken so off guard when you approached him like this. But he didn’t mind. You were stunning and you wanted him. Who in their right mind would pass up in that offer?

He grasps your leg, moving it over the other until you’re on your side. He slides himself back into you, going a little deeper than before, pulling even more moans and whimpers from you. His hands glide over you, your chilly skin being warmed by his hands rounding the curve of your ass as he pounds his hips into yours. He’s got beads of sweat traveling down his face. His lower stomach is clenching up so much, he can barely hold on. His cock is begging for release, and you were perfect. Perfect for that. He pushes down on your hips, pounding his cock into you until you’re crying out for him, thankful nobody else was around to hear you. The sounds coming from his room were sinful. “So close- so fucking close.” He growls. “Johnny- fuck!” You cry out, lifting your hips into his. “Gonna fill this sweet pussy. Gonna make you feel so good.” He groans. He’s right on the edge. You start to tighten around him and he knows you’re getting close. He groans out even louder than before. A mewl leaves your lips and he knows you’re right there with him. “Cum for me sweetheart. Give it to me.” He breathes, breath hot against your face as his lips glide over yours. Strings of saliva connecting the both of you as he pulls away.

A cry leaves your lips as you finally cum around him, your second orgasm more intense than your first. Your tightening around him sending him over the edge and he thrusts hard, hips halting as a string of cries leave his lips as he fills you. “Fuck Babygirl.” He pants, sliding himself out of you before collapsing next to you. You’re both breathing hard. Sweat and cum covering the both of you. The both of you have blushing red skin, flushed cheeks. Soap is still trying to get his breath back. “You’re fuckin stunning you know that?” He runs his hand along your hip. You smile. “Thank you. You’re stunning too.” You giggle. “I mean it.” He smiles. “Are you okay?” He asks. You nod your head. “Just.. can’t believe it.” You blush. “It’ll start to set in here pretty quickly.” He smiles, kissing you again. “Cmon, let’s go get something to drink, yeah?” You nod your head, standing up.

You blush, feeling his cum start to run down your legs. “I um.. need to clean up first.”

He notices the way he runs down your inner thigh. “Eh. Maybe another round wouldn’t hurt, ah?” He smirks.

This is also not proofread I’m being lazy today XD

"We in Yemen are with the Palestinian people in every way we can, and we will not abandon the oppressed Palestinian people and their resistance, which defends them and has the right to do so," Nasreddin Amer, deputy information secretary of the Ansar Allah movement, widely referred to as the Houthis, told Newsweek. "The possibility of our direct participation in support of the resistance depends on developments there, and we are closely monitoring the situation there and are in constant contact with the resistance."[...]

Responding to Newsweek's question regarding potential concerns over new fronts opening up against Israel, including from the Houthis, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Major Liad Diamond referred to the support for Israel expressed by U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).[...]

The Iranian Mission to the United Nations earlier distanced itself from any direct role in the Hamas-led assault, while expressing support for the operation, in comments shared with Newsweek. "The success of this operation was the fact that it was a surprise, which makes it the biggest failure of the Israeli regime's security organizations during the life of this usurping regime," the Iranian Mission said late Sunday.

"They find it very difficult to accept that in the intelligence community, it is being narrated that they were defeated by a Palestinian group. They are attempting to justify their failure and attribute it to Iran's intelligence power and operational planning."

9 Oct 23

On this year's International Women’s Day, I ask you to also think about the women of Iran, whose liberation movement has sadly taken a back seat these past few months.

Think of Masah Jina Amini, Armita Garavand and the other countless women killed and imprisoned for dressing how they please, as well as the men tortured and executed for protesting

Orion Starseeds

It's important to note that everybody has Starseed alignments in their astrological birth chart. However, not everybody is currently incarnated to awaken to their Starseed journey and purpose. We are all Starseed's of different soul origins but not all of us feel the influence of our Star Gate's due to the fact that we did not all incarnate to undergo our spiritual awakening in this lifetime. We all have a purpose in life whether it's adding to our incarnation cycle to further our soul evolvement or undergoing a spiritual awakening meaning this is now intended to be your last incarnation you will make in the physical form. Your Starseed origin(s) are found within your astrological constellation markers/fixed stars and their degrees in your birth chart. If you are interested in learning your origins please scroll down below.

Starseed's are advanced hybrid human beings that originate as a celestial light source of consciousness from star systems outside of our solar sun, representing the expansional extraterrestrial hosted platforms of their consciousness, and capacities to hold greater missions on Earth not defined by human limitations.

*Orion Starseeds*

The Orion Starseed origin runs along the Taurus and Gemini degrees.

The same could be said for astrological planets located in the 2nd or 3rd house that run along a Taurus or Gemini degree- regardless of the sign the planet falls into. (Ex: the Taurus degrees are 2, 14, and 26. The Gemini degrees are 3, 15, 27. If you have for example Jupiter in Scorpio but Scorpio is running along an Orion degree of Taurus/Gemini and Jupiter is in the 2nd or 3rd house this is an Orion marking. The same goes for all Starseed origins.)

Orion Starseeds are driven by the capacity to work through the shadow aspects of humankind individually and collectively.

The most significant Starseed origin to the collective and are the largest seeded consciousness on planet Earth.

This origin can take you to any depth that you are willing to allow yourself to go- revealing explanations and healing like you have never experienced before.

Orion Starseeds will come to find their greatest strengths in alchemy, transmutation, transcendence of human limitations, and redemption of their spirit within their Orion origin.

There are several origins in Orion that may feel like a home planet. The two most notable are Gamma Orion or "Bellatrix" and Betelgeuse.

Gamma Orion is known as the "Star of Searching" providing the power to give fulfillment. It's said to be represented by the deer as it's nature is gentle, peaceful, perceptive, curious, tender, and inconsistent.

The Super Giant Betelgeuse is considered the "Star of Sorrow" and can be transformational, out casted, suffering, critical, sharp, forceful, and dreadful.

Predominant Orion origins found in two or more major planets may indicate past lives lived in China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jerusalem, and Saudi Arabia. This also indicates that one may have worshipped and implemented the Egyptian calendar, Astrology, and Egyptian archetypes.

Many with predominant Orion origins hold the encoding in the DNA as a Twin Flame and are pre-soul contracted to have the Twin Flame experience in this incarnation. Also, the most impactful Twin Flame story was Isis (Sirius) and Osiris (Orion.) Even with the Greek Mythology love story of Orion and Artemis.

Mintaka or Delta Orion is also within the Orion origins. Mintaka is believed to be where the true original angelic Orion's originated from.

Orion's are most known to carry the star expressions of other stars from the Orion constellation as they are comfortable having a "melting pot" identity. They feel more at home this way.

They benefit greatly by working with white dragons of purity from Orion as Orion is associated with dragon bloodlines and lineages. These Starseed's can also prepare those who work with the energy for higher levels of ascension.

Orion's are a highly evolved psychic Starseed origin as their existence and origin holds all human galactic war history within its celestial segment.

These are our "warrior spirit" Starseed's on Earth transcending duality individually and collectively.

Orion Starseed's dig deep and seek the truth as they somewhat enjoy exposing the ruthless, the scoundrels, and the villain's.

They have an insatiable thirst for knowledge and they easily analyze and dismember all forms of perceptions. They hold strong in their viewpoints and need in-depth proof before accepting the view point of another.

Our conspiracy theorists, robin-hoods, freedom fighters, whistle-blowers, and divine alchemists.

Would most likely take a career in law, social justice, management positions, and psychology.

Carry inter-mixed alignments with the War God's Kaus Austrailas and Antares. Elevating Orion's expression to rise, conquer, and gain courage. They have the power to go to the innermost core, the depth of our humanism. They have the ability to destroy, they use destruction to create, and they can feel invincible and within that they birth the potential to invigorate.

Do you have any known alignments with Orion? Note below! Mine are in my Jupiter and Saturn. Aligned with Gamma Orion :)

For business inquiries please email [email protected] ! I'm currently offering Full Starseed Origin chart readings for $30 and Half Starseed Origin chart readings for $20 which is a shorter reading than what you receive with the Full Origin reading. I accept paypal/venmo and do not require payment until after the reading.

What you will receive in each reading:

Full Starseed Origin Reading: for $30 you will receive a list of each Starseed origin that is found within your astrological natal chart. You will also receive a full detailed description of where each Starseed origin is located at in your natal chart and what this means for you; along with a detailed description of the meaning behind each Starseed origin. For this reading it is required that you provide your exact time and date of birth (M/D/Y) along with birth location. The timing for this reading can range anywhere between 1-3 days due to the thoroughness of the reading.

Half Starseed Origin Reading: for $20 you will receive a list of each Starseed origin that is found in your astrological natal chart along with a detailed description of the meaning behind each origin. You will not receive a detailed description of where each origin is located and what it means for you as you would with the Full Starseed Origin Reading. For this reading it is also required that you provide your exact time and date of birth (M/D/Y) along with your birth location. The timing for this reading is usually within the same day requested.

In Southern Lebanon, Hezbollah, like Hamas does in Gaza, locates its people and weapons in civilian areas. This allows Hezbollah, like Hamas, to claim that anyone killed in an Israel retaliation strike, following the firing of a rocket, missile, or mortar from Southern Lebanon into Israel, is a civilian casualty.

But you have to acknowledge Hezbollah’s commitment to honoring its fallen dead. So every time one of their terrorists is killed in action, they put out a death notice in Arabic. Most Western media ignores this, why undercut the story of Israel killing civilians with facts? Anyways, researchers mine these announcements, some coming out the same day, some coming out weeks later, in order to get a better idea of who Israel is actually killing as opposed to who they are trying to kill.

The most recent findings for casualties located in South Lebanon and Syria (areas where Hezbollah and Iran operate):

Including today, 155 members of Lebanese armed groups have been killed, along with 23 civilians. That's 87% militants. This is despite that in Lebanon, as with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah hides rockets in civilian areas, using people as human shields.

In Syria, 80 militants have been killed, along with 5 civilians. That's 94% militants.

Now, does this mean the IDF in Gaza is doing this well? No. It would be hard. The IDF is engaged in street fighting where air support and artillery are being brought to bear in support of IDF units under fire. It’s not like pre-planned missions which can be called off because IDF units are not in close contact and in need of the fire support. But on the other hand, it indicates that probably the (illegal) combatant to non-combatant ratio is better than what pro-Hamas supporters are always claiming.

Prince of Persia The Lost Crown Immortal Showcase Nr#2: Vahram, The White Lion!!!

Hello everyone, here I am again for another Immortal Showcase for the upcoming Prince of Persia game, The Lost Crown!

Today, I will showcase you the fierce and cunning leader of the Immortals: Vahram:

Vahram is known as the White Lion of Persepolis [Persepolis was the capital of the first Persian Empire in the real world, the Achaemenid Empire, and lies in modern day Iran], not simply because of his chic armor or his undoubtedly good looks, but because of the fierceness and sharp intellect that he possesses, allowing him to pretty much become the greatest and best warrior in the Kingdom!!!

Vahram is not just the leader of the often-mentioned Immortals, but their founder!!!

Even from an early age, he was a cunning and powerful warrior, who got noticed by the Queen of Persia, Thomyris, who made him her most trusted general and report to her directly. For his great service and convinced that Persia needs more talented warriors like Vahram, Queen Thomyris tasked him with recruiting other powerful warriors in service of Persia!!! A mission he gladly took and succeeded in completion with the recruitment of its youngest member... Sargon!!!

With his outstanding skills as warrior and good leadership, he became a role model and mentor for many in Persia, including his Immortals, who follow him without question!

Due to his great connection to the throne, Vahram and his elite soldiers enjoy a lot more freedom to do what they want in battle than the more drilled and stricter general forces of Persia, and as such, get to perform one of Vahram's occasionally high-risky maneuvers or unorthodox tactics into the mix of his otherwise rather old-school-looking playbook of warfare, which in combination of the above stuff won them many a battle!

Once the Prince was kidnapped, he and his Immortals were set out to retrieve him at Mt.Qaf, a place that was cursed, where time no longer flows like a river would...

In order to find the Prince the fastest way possible, Vahram came up with a plan that can be described in modern terms as a Teen-Horror-Movie-like-split-up, that would allow them to find Prince Ghassan before anyone else!!!

Vahram would do ANYTHING to save his beloved Kingdom, and if someone were to fatally underestimate his cunning and battle prowess, they would surely fall to him quickly and without any way to get up, unless they earn his mercy, or just REALLY get lucky here!!!

However, the mission he partook in with the Immortals is not one easily bested, but regardless of difficulty, Vahram won't give up easily! He is the leader of the Immortals for a hundred of reasons and will do his best to save Persia!!!

Will his plan succeed or fail in finding the Prince? Will Sargon make his mentor (other than Anahita) proud? Find out on 18th January, once this game releases!!!

Stay tuned for more and fact of the day:

Vahram is super hot!!!

Iran Human Rights Holds Ali Khamenei Responsible for Protester Nika Shakarami’s Murder

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2022: Contradictory claims by the Islamic Republic about 17-year-old protester, Nika Shakarami’s cause of death based on grainy edited footage and her relatives’ forced televised confessions under duress are unacceptable.

Given the Islamic Republic’s long history of concealing, lying and manipulating evidence, Iran Human Rights rejects the official account of Nika Shakarami’s death due to the contradictions and flaws, and holds the Islamic Republic responsible for her murder.

Iran Human Rights Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said: "The evidence points to the government’s role in Nika Shakarami's murder; Unless the opposite is proven by an independent fact-finding mission under the supervision of the United Nations. Until such a committee is formed, the responsibility for Nika's murder, like the other victims of the current protests, rests with Ali Khamenei and the forces under his command.”

Nika Shakarami, 17, disappeared after taking part in the protests on Keshavarz Boulevard on September 20. Her lifeless body was returned to her family on October 1, ten days after she went missing.

Relatives believe she was killed in the protests. Though they were prevented from seeing her body, Nika’s mother and aunt saw her nose had been smashed and her head injured. In the death certificate, her cause of death has been cited as “multiple blows caused by a hard object.” This is while the authorities declared that she had fallen from a building.

Last night, IRIB aired the official account on its 20:30 program which included grainy edited footage of someone they claim to be Nika Shakarami and the forced confessions of her relatives. None of the claims made in the program or in official press are clear and further add to the contradictions.

Furthermore, Nika was due to be buried in her hometown of Khorram Abad, but her body was stolen from the mortuary by security forces and buried in the Visian village cemetery in Lorestan province without her family and loved ones present.

Nika’s aunt, Atash Shakarami was arrested after speaking out about her niece. That her forced confessions were televised on IRIB, which the Islamic Republic has a long recorded history of, clearly demonstrates that the circumstances around her death should be investigated by an international independent committee.

Evidence obtained by Iran Human Rights, press interviews and research contradict the official account by the Islamic Republic. Iran Human Rights rejects the Islamic Republic’s officials account due to their lack of impartiality and history of cover-ups, and as such, any investigation can only be conducted by competent international authorities.

As all previous requests by Iran Human Rights for international investigations have been ignored by the Islamic Republic, until an international fact-finding mission is accepted, Iran Human Rights holds the Islamic Republic, with Supreme Leader, Ali Khameini at its head, directly responsible for Nika Shakarami’s murder and has included her name in the list of slain protesters.

Iran must stop executions of protesters, says UN fact-finding mission

notes & observations from watching Top Gun: Maverick a stupid number of times

The plaque that Maverick takes his aviators off of in the opening scene mentions the 412th Test Wing, an Air Force wing based out of Edwards Air Force Base in California (not to far from the Mojave desert). I was a bit confused since Mav is obviously still in the Navy, but after some googling I did find out Edwards AFB does host VX-9 Detachment Edwards, which is a part of the Navy's Operational Test and Evaluation Force (the rest of VX - 9 is stationed at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake at China Lake, California). So maybe Mav is a part of VX - 9 at the beginning of the movie.

I also finally noticed that during the Darkstar test flight sequence, there is a map tracking exactly where Maverick is as he's flying Darkstar. Assuming he took off from Edwards, this is the flight path the map shows and where Maverick crashes (some where over southwest Idaho). Just looking at where he crashed, I highly doubt it was just a helicopter ride back the next day so that's another example of the movie not understanding how time & distance work in the real world (I'm looking at you, scene that makes it look like Rooster & Mav get to the F-14 in just minutes instead of the at least 2hrs it more likely took).

Going by the quick glances we get of how they're all sitting together when Warlock is introducing Maverick, combined with the quick glances inside the cockpits during the dogfight training montage I can say with a good amount of confidence that Fritz is a single seater and that Harvard is Yale's WSO and Halo is Omaha's WSO.

A random thing about Cyclone - in the scene where he's chewing Mav out for breaking the hard deck, you can see a bag of golf clubs leaning against the wall behind Warlock.

Iceman has two multi-line phones sitting on his desk in his home office. Man is in charge of the entire Pacific fleet so there is no doubt he has to make a lot of phone calls. I also bet that one of those phones has direct access to the White House and/or the Pentagon.

Rooster & Bob are both wearing the 1st Navy Jack Shoulder Patch on their left shoulders instead of the American Flag. Not sure if they're allowed to wear this patch instead of the American Flag or if it was just a mistake by the movie's wardrobe department.

You can see Hondo wearing a version of it when he's sitting in the back of the classroom when Cyclone is telling them Maverick has been pulled from the mission. His looks like this and he has a green/black American flag on the other shoulder.

The honor guard at Ice's funeral is comprised entirely of Marines. I know the Marines are a part of the Navy, but I would have thought the honor guard for someone like Ice would have been all sailors instead.

I just really want to know how in the heck Penny already knew about Maverick getting pulled from the mission/grounded after Ice's funeral before he got to her. I know she's an admiral's daughter so what kind of connections does she still have that news like that got to her that fast???

For anyone wondering, the enemy 5th Gen fighters shown in the movie are Russian made Sukhoi Su-57s.

And while the movie obviously never names a specific country as 'the enemy', based on what the target is, the terrain, and the fact that 'the enemy' still has old F-14s, it's obviously Iran. They're also the only country in the world still flying F-14s.

While the movie makes it look like it took just a few minutes for Mav to find Rooster and for the two of them to steal the F-14, the time between Mav going down and Rooster turning his eSat on is (like I mentioned earlier) more like 2-3 hours, minimum. It probably took Mav a minimum of 20mins to get to Rooster and then it definitely took them at least an hour to get to the ridge over looking the bombed out air field and then another 30-45mins of sneaking down said ridge without getting caught.

That crazy maneuver the enemy fighter does is called Kvochur's Bell Maneuver. You can see a video of a plane doing it here. (the Cobra maneuver Mav does in the dogfight training montage is also a real thing and you can watch an F-18 do one here)

Going with the assumption the target is in Iran, the carrier they launch from is in the Persian Gulf. So it probably took a good 48hrs to get everyone out there and on the ship and then another 48hrs to get everyone home. There for it is also physically impossible for the carrier to make it back to San Diego the next day after the mission. Honestly, between how long it would take to get back and all of the debriefing, I wouldn't be surprised if it was a week post-mission before Maverick walked into the bar looking for Penny.

AMAZING NEWS!!!

At its 35th special session, the UN Human Rights Council voted to create a new fact-finding mission to investigate human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran related to the protests that began on 16 September 2022.

Proof that our activism has worked. Let’s keep the pressure on and hold the Islamic Republic accountable for crimes against humanity. 

Iranian Archive, Museum Exhibition Label Writing, Loch Ness, More: Saturday ResearchBuzz, April 13, 2024

NEW RESOURCES Atlantic Council: Iranians sacrificed their lives to share videos of regime violence. Now there’s an online archive for the world to see. . “The newly renamed Iranian Archive now holds more than one million videos and contributed to the investigation carried out by the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFMI), which…

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Iran’s 2022 Protest Crackdown Included Killings, Torture and Rape, U.N. Finds

A fact-finding mission looking into the demonstrations that followed the death of Mahsa Amini found brutality and rejected Iran’s version of Ms. Amini’s death. source https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/08/world/middleeast/iran-protest-mahsa-amini-un-report.html

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Still Breathing Part One: Into The Tiger's Den

Chapter 6: Hook and Line

It’s cold. Not really something Alvin thought would bother him, but in this moment it commands his attention. Distracting him from the task at hand; Waiting and watching. He sighs and his breath forms a mist, that fades into nothing almost as quickly as it took shape. The frost is making him regret he left the jacket behind in his motel room, it's even making him miss his old cape. The cape was good for keeping warm at times like this, even if he did hate the fact that pretty much everyone dragged him around by it when they got the chance. Heroes, villains, even civilians on occasion. Fun times.

Shaking the reverie from his mind he tries to focus, he’s come too far in the past five months working towards this moment to let something like cold distract him. Bruce would be disappointed in him for the way he’s used Batman’s teachings lately, but Bruce wouldn’t have approved of going back in time at all. What Alvin gets up to in the interests of saving this damn family isn’t bound by Bruce’s opinions anymore. Besides, there’s no real point in worrying about that now. He’ll be disappointing Bruce and probably everyone else he’s ever known a whole heck of a lot more before the year’s out. Hell, before the night’s out if things go even a little wrong. But if that’s what it takes… then that’s what it takes.

Something stirs in the undergrowth on the forest floor below. Alvin tenses and leans out just a little from his perch in a giant evergreen tree careful not to dislodge any of the snow further out on the branch. He waits. Watching intently. Was it just an animal? Is his target running late? He should be here already.

No, wait. The undergrowth parts and a person dressed in thick black winter gear from head to toe, face covered by a mask and goggles, steps into view. About damn time. Operation: Piss Off Ra’s al Ghul is a go.

Without a sound, he drops out of the tree onto his target and knocks him out. Quick as he can, he trades clothes with the assassin and ties him to the tree. Not the most ideal of situations, but it’ll do. He doesn’t have time to do any better and if nothing else the guy can be grateful that Alvin didn’t leave him next to naked as well as unconscious in the snow. The clothes themselves fit nicely, which is a relief, Alvin had to watch for days before he found an assassin who looked to be the right size. He’s none too happy to know that the kid is maybe sixteen at most. Oh well, no use grumbling about lost inches now.

He cuts through the woods in more of a straight line than the usual patrol route and runs most of the way to make up for the time he lost trading clothes with his target. Reaching the last stretch of undergrowth he slows to a more leisurely stroll, adjusting his posture and stride to match the assassin he’s trying to imitate. The forest opens rather abruptly into a large circular field around a concrete building. It’s not a particularly large structure above ground, but Alvin knows he’s walking over decent sized complex just below the surface. It’s not the largest League of Assassin’s facility he’s ever infiltrated but its purposes are mainly storage of resources so it’s certainly not small. Which maybe makes it a terrible choice for a mission like this, but there are other reasons Alvin chose it over any of the bases in say Iran. Very good reasons.

A guard standing just to the right of the only entrance to the building watches Alvin approach. This is the most nerve wracking part of this plan. He’s been counting off the minutes since he left the assassin in the snow but if he’s off by even a little it could ruin the whole plan. Too early and the guard will figure him out before he even gets inside. Too late and he risks the next patrol finding their unfortunate coworker before he can get anything done.

Pushing his worries to the back of his mind Alvin keeps his breathing and movements steady, by his calculations he’s right on time. The guard makes a slight gesture with one hand as he slows to a stop. Asking the assassin if he saw anything on his route. Easier than trying to make out voices muffled by thick cloth. Alvin shakes his head. She nods and waves him on.

Mentally sighing in relief, he walks through the door and down the stone stairs into the base itself. At the bottom of the stairs he starts taking his time, pretending like he’s looking for something in front of the cameras. Not for the person on security duty, but for the recording. Better to not look like he knows exactly where he’s going when the tape gets reviewed later.

But he does know exactly where he’s going. If his meddling with time didn’t somehow manage to change the schematics of the place – the ones he memorized when he was Robin – then his goal should be… Ah, perfect!

He takes a turn down a random hallway walks until he finds a blind spot for the cameras, then doubles back, being especially careful not to get caught on any footage. He slips through the shadows until he gets to the camera just across from the security room. Standing just below it he pulls his bo staff out of the assassin uniform and extends it. Gently peels a panel off the bottom of the camera and sticks one end of the bo staff up against the circuit boards. He hits a button and the circuit’s spark and fizzle. The small red light on the front of the camera goes out.

Immediately Alvin moves over next to the door and waits. A moment later a very confused looking guard pokes his head out and Alvin promptly hits that head with his bo staff. The guard goes down like a sack of bricks. Alvin looks inside the command center, confirming his suspicion that there’s no one else in the room. No one’s really expecting an attack on a completely out of the way storage complex. He pushes the unconscious guard into the room and steps inside, locking the door behind him. Just in case he ties the guard up with a bit of twine he brought with him. The last thing he needs is this guy coming to and causing problems.

Now to do what he does best; fuck with Ra’s al Ghul’s tech.

He pulls the bulky rifle that came with the clothes off his shoulder and leans it against the wall next to the console. Removing the goggles too and leaving them on the floor. Not going to need those anymore, but it does remind him of something important. If the countdown in the back of his mind is right the next patrol is about to find the assassin Alvin left in the snow. They’ll raise the alarm fast as hell if Alvin doesn’t shut down their comms now. So he does, as discretely as possible. Nobody should know their communications are down for a little bit yet.

From there he goes deeper into the system, setting up all the little things that will keep anybody who tries to undo what he’s about to do to the system busy for a good few hours. Ra’s really needs to get techies who know better than to link so many important systems together like this. Oh well, he’s about to learn that lesson soon. Alvin sets up the final touches and checks the cameras. The latest patrol is running up to the door guard. Busted. Too bad… for them that he’s had plenty of time. He cuts power to everything but the cameras. If all goes well they’ll think he left the cameras working to drive home the ‘message’. Really it’s more like sending in a video resume. All part of the plan.

He takes a few moments to prepare himself and watches as the door guard gathers a few people to her. With a small group secured she starts leading them down into the facility, heading directly for the security room. Smart. He’ll have to keep an eye out for her in the next phase of his plan, she could be trouble. Speaking of which, about time he got started on that next phase. He climbs up on the console and starts fiddling with the screws holding the vent cover in place.

This facility was built long before Ra’s had ever encountered Batman and it was built to accommodate a fairly large amount of people. People who would need a lot of air. People who would need a way to escape if part of the building collapsed. So the vents were built large and with the intention that someone would be climbing through them. They haven’t bothered remedying that design flaw because it’s unlikely Bruce would ever take interest in this place. It’s definitely going to work in Alvin’s favor tonight though. He gets the vent open and holds it open with a pen as he carefully hoists himself inside. Safely inside the vent he kicks the pen loose and pulls the hood on the uniform up over his head.

Time to become the boogeyman.

.

The League assassins are well trained. Skilled in the art of killing. Capable of fighting under a vast variety of conditions. Willing to do anything to succeed in whatever mission they’ve been given. But they’re not immune to fear. Fear is a deadly weapon in the right hands, especially against people who don’t think there’s anything left for them to fear.

Alvin, perhaps better than most, knows how to terrify League assassins. Anyone can become unnerved by darkness. To have to fight an enemy they know nothing about who wears that darkness like a second skin is terrifying. Even to trained assassins. This is something Alvin can easily use to his advantage. Unexpected fear of what you’re fighting can lead to mistakes and not being able to see what you’re shooting at can lead to bigger mistakes.

Of course, Alvin himself is no stranger to fighting in conditions where he couldn’t see at all. Taking down enemies who are carrying flashlights and other light sources just in the vague hope of catching a glimpse of him is a piece of cake. There are a few who are capable of fighting in the dark, but they’re hardly King Snake. A few more have equipment – whether thermal or infrared – that allow them to fight like they might’ve if the lights were on, but those have wider blind spots than the ones with flashlights. Anyway it’s barely more than a few so it’s hardly an inconvenience.

Could’ve been a lot more trouble if shutting off the power hadn’t meant he ensured they couldn’t open the locks on their supply vaults. Sure, if he gave them time they could maybe get in manually, but he doesn’t have any intention of giving them time. Most of them go down fast and hard before they ever even see a vault door.

Their numbers are starting to dwindle, Alvin thinks maybe there’s twelve left. Out of the sixty-five in the facility to start with, that’s not bad. He reclines against the wall of the vent above an access point, catching his breath. The last fight was annoying. One of them clipped him with a knife and he’s still assessing the damage there. God, he’s so ready to be done with this. Back to work--

He freezes. There’s a dim semi-circle of light in the hallway below, growing steadily brighter and spreading further as he watches. Someone’s coming. He rearranges himself silently in the vent. Waiting.

A pair of assassins come into view, picking their way down the hall towards where Alvin had left his last group of defeated assassins. They’re walking almost back to back, shining flashlights in any direction they hear a noise from. Much more on their guard than any of the others. There’s something in the hand of one of them. Looks like maybe a transceiver. Someone, it seems, thought ahead for comms going down. Alvin’s willing to bet he knows who it was too. He hasn’t seen her at all since he got started. She’s probably back at the control center trying to get everything back online. It’s what he’d do. Thanks to her these two might be a tad more difficult to take out. Alvin really hopes Ra’s is paying her well, she deserves it. He follows the pair silently, waiting for an opportunity. Anything will do really. Just a distraction is enough.

They come across a group of their allies that Alvin left lying on the ground, mostly unconscious… probably. Slowly the one in front scans the group with his flashlight, less like he’s surprised, more like he’s looking for something. He must find it because he starts cursing when the light stops on a particular assassin and turns on the transceiver. Apparently that assassin was a pivotal part of their plan. Too bad he’s way too unconscious to be of any help. Alvin hears a rough voice respond with disappointment. She orders them to continue on to the vault, warning them that they shouldn’t linger too long or lapse in their guard.

It’s a warning that comes just a little too late. Alvin was ready to move the moment they started paying more attention to the radio than their surroundings. As she finishes speaking, he kicks the grate above the pair open and drops straight down onto the shoulders of the one taking up the rear. He uses his weight and a little momentum to toss this assassin into his companion.

He’s back on his feet before either of them can gather their wits. They’re scrambling for the flashlights they dropped in the collision, but Alvin’s faster. He swipes a knife off an already unconscious assassin and jabs it into the crook of the closest assassin’s arm, pulling it out as he spins to kick the other in the face. Ducking under a swipe of a knife held by the assassin behind him, he elbows the man in the crotch and sweeps his legs out from under him. That’s one down.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees the other assassin finally grab a flashlight off the floor and take aim. Alvin dodges back out of the glow of the flashlight. Staying just out of the light and moving quickly Alvin makes a much less easy target. Flashes of gunfire light up the room in brief intervals, bullets whiz by their mark coming to rest in the walls, the floor, and finally in the skull of the assassin Alvin had just knocked down.

The shock of hitting a friendly must hit the assassin hard, because he hesitates for just a moment and a moment is all Alvin needs. He moves in from the side knocking the gun and flashlight from the assassin’s hands before he can react. Swinging behind him Alvin locks an arm around the assassin’s neck and holds on tight. The assassin struggles, trying in vain to grab on to Alvin or shake him off. Gradually he falls to his knees, grasping at Alvin’s arm, trying to pull it away, struggling for breath. The strength in his desperate pulls slowly fades until his arms fall to his side and his body goes limp.

Releasing his hold on the assassin and letting him fall to the ground Alvin retreats a bit sinking to the floor. He’s just catching his breath, he tells himself. The voice of door guard demands updates from her subordinates somewhere to his right. Alvin turns his head to look at the radio lying in the blood of the dead assassin. This is probably as done as his job is ever going to be here. If this were the League Alvin knew from his original timeline – the Ra’s he knew – he never would’ve made it this far. He knows after this Ra’s will adjust and he’d never survive a second attempt. After all, as much as he hates the man, Alvin will never deny Ra’s is damned good at what he does. Right now though, Alvin is in a unique position of holding all the cards. All the months of playing cat and mouse with lackeys, all the sacrifices he’s had to make, and it’s all amounted to this. He needs to make it count.

Bait for a really dangerous fish.

Ignoring the way the blood soaks through his gloves, Alvin picks up the radio and takes a deep breath. “I’m afraid they can’t come to the phone right now, may I take a message?”

There’s a beat of silence, then the woman speaks in her thick, Russian accent, “You think yourself funny, yes, intruder? But when I catch I swear--”

“Let’s not go making promises we can’t keep.” Alvin cuts off what was sure to be a most gruesome threat against his person. He looks up at the nearest camera. “Listen, we could play this game all night, but I think I’ve already made my point pretty clearly, haven’t I?”

She’s silent.

“You have maybe nine people left with you, right? But you’re not stupid enough to think they’ll be any more difficult for me to take down than the last fifty.”

“…And you are not stupid enough to come hunting me when I know you are coming,” she responds, a bit more sedate now. “So our battle has come to stalemate.”

Alvin laughs ruefully. “Not really, it was never a fight between you and me after all. No… you all know what happens when I’m crossed now. If you’d be so kind as to pass that message along to the Demon’s Head, I’d be most obliged.”

“Bold, little shadow,” she says, slowly. “To know who it is that you trifle with and still do such things? I do not know if you are fool or simply crazy.”

“Well…” Alvin closes his eyes for a moment. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

He drops the transceiver back to the ground and flips the hood of his stolen assassin uniform back up. Time to get the hell out. It’ll be a while before they get the power back on so by the time Ra’s gets his message Alvin will be long gone. It’ll be some time before he knows if he’ll get a bite… or if he’ll get bitten.

.

The Demon’s Head is unreadable in this moment. His eyes flicker from screen to screen as the events of the previous night unfold across them. One of his long fingers taps slowly against the side of his wine glass as if he were deep in thought. What those thoughts might be however is unknowable. He could be enraged at his assassins for failing to defeat one, young, unarmed intruder or perhaps he is angered at the nerve of the intruder himself. Maybe he is assessing the intruder’s work and planning how he will take precautions against such things next time or working on a strategy for revenge. There is also the possibility – however slight – that he is… interested, even impressed.

Rurik does not know. He has only relayed what was told to him by the survivors and has tried not to make any judgments on the intruder for himself. Though he cannot deny that an impression has been made. The intruder made short work of many skilled assassins. Some of them will never fight for the Demon again.

“How long in total?” The master asks, abruptly.

Caught off his guard at being addressed, Rurik does not know the question he is being asked. “My lord?”

Languidly, the Master’s eyes turn towards him, fixing him with that sickly green gaze for a terrifying moment. “From the moment he attacked the patrol to the moment he defeated the last operative, how long was it?”

“T-two hours, twenty-five minutes, and thirteen seconds, my lord.” Rurik answers, dutifully.

“How many casualties?”

“Of the sixty-five operatives in the base… two.” Odd. Potentially quite impressive, considering the damage that had been done to many of them. Twisted limbs, broken bones, some will be discarded as they have become useless to the League. Still the intruder had managed to avoid killing nearly anyone himself.

“I see.” The master leans back in his seat, sinking into the soft cushions and silken cloth that adorn it. He watches as the footage loops on the screens before him in silence for some time. Then he speaks again, almost as if to himself, “He is fascinatingly skilled for one so young… Every move is calculated far beyond what previous reports on him have stated.”

He glances down at the papers that Rurik had brought him, reports of encounters assassins had with this same young man. Encounters that had led to a futile attack against him. Seeming not to find what he was looking for the master lifts his gaze to the screens once more.

“His skills rival the detective’s, perhaps not as refined, but significant in similar fashion.” The master’s eyes narrow abruptly and he hisses, “How did he learn that?”

Rurik blinks and directs his attention to the screens as well. One of the attacks the intruder uses is eerily familiar. To his embarrassment it takes Rurik a moment to realize that it is a League killing technique, though it has been modified to be less lethal there can be no doubt. This man fights as though he were trained alongside members of the League.

“Hm…” The master sighs and sets aside his wine glass. “What information has been discovered about this young man?”

That question has only invited disappointing news. “Not much I fear, my lord.”

“Tell me all that you have uncovered,” the master responds, unbothered, as he leafs through the reports.

“As you command.” Bowing his head his head slightly, Rurik nods to the assassin controlling the screens. “Unfortunately, we have discovered nothing of his origins, we presume he is American, but we have found no documentation relating to him in our searches. In many ways it seems as though before May of this year he did not exist. At that time he began operating as a mercenary in the area of Ethiopia.”

Images of the young man appear on one of the screens. His hair had been shorter then, his clothes had been somewhat out of place. He had looked better suited to playing video games in a college dorm room than mercenary work. As they say though, looks can be deceiving, it is perhaps unfortunate that they had not thought to regard that old saying before last night.

On that thought, Rurik continues, “He carried out his first mercenary job near the border of Ethiopia and Somalia, a group of people were requesting that someone remove a local crime boss from the city. The intruder took this quite literally it seems. He kidnapped the man, took him into the wilderness with no method of returning to civilization, and abandoned him bound hand and foot in the desert just over the border in Somalia. He then proceeded to cut the legs out from under the man’s entire organization, destroying it entirely in less than a week.”

This information earns a raised eyebrow from the master, he seems almost amused by it.

“He took similar contracts as he traveled north. His first encounter with the League was in Yemen, where he stole a kill from one of our top assassins. From there he continued to steal kills or otherwise inhibit our work. He became a minor, but annoying thorn in our side, so we sent a mid level assassin to eliminate him, as this attack happened only days later and we have not heard from that operative, we presume him to be dead. That is all we know of him.”

The reports pass across the screen apparently unheeded, the master seems far more interested in the map of the intruder’s path from Ethiopia. “By what method did he travel?”

“We are uncertain, my lord,” Rurik admits. “We presume as his method of travel is undocumented that he managed through hitchhiking and stowing away.”

“Such an effort.” The master places a hand on his chin, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “He travels in a nearly straight trajectory for five months by the most difficult and dangerous means. I applaud his skill in planning but I do believe he failed to account for what this method of travel would make evident. He was aiming for that facility from the start.”

“M-My lord?” The questioning exclamation slips unbidden from Rurik’s mouth. Normally he would not think of speaking if not asked a question, but what the master has deduced seems near impossible. The thought is ludicrous. For a random young man who has never encountered the League before to not only have wiped out one of their less conspicuous locations but to have known about it this entire time? It is unthinkable. What vendetta could he have against them to warrant such dedication? Or is it perhaps--

Abruptly, a smile spreads across the master’s face and a chill runs down Rurik’s spine. “Find him. At once.”

“Y-yes, my lord.” Rurik bows. Hesitantly he ventures the question, “…and when we find him?”

“Bring him to me.” The master lifts his wine glass and reclines in his seat, his eyes drifting closed, his expression changing to one that resembles a large contented cat that has already caught the rat. “I would be remiss to not welcome such a promising recruit personally.”

.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A mysterious injury suffered by a 16-year-old girl who boarded a Metro train in Iran’s capital without a headscarf has reignited anger just after the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini and the nationwide protests it sparked.What happened in the few seconds after Armita Geravand entered the train on Sunday remains in question. While a friend told Iranian state television that she hit her head on the station's platform, the soundless footage aired by the broadcaster from outside of the car is blocked by a bystander. Just seconds later, her limp body is carried off.Geravand’s mother and father appeared in state media footage saying a blood pressure issue, a fall or perhaps both contributed to their daughter’s injury.Activists abroad have alleged Geravand may have been pushed or attacked because she was not wearing the hijab. They demand an independent investigation by the United Nations' fact-finding mission on Iran, citing the theocracy's use of pressure on victims' families and state TV's history of airing hundreds of coerced confessions.Geravand's injury also comes as Iran has put its morality police — whom activists implicate in Amini's death over her alleged loose hijab — back on the street, and as lawmakers push to enforce even stricter penalties for those flouting the required head covering.“Girls are subjected to violence on the streets, and then their families are compelled to protect the government responsible for that violence,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran.For observant Muslim women, the head covering is a sign of piety before God and modesty in front of men outside their families. In Iran, the hijab — and the all-encompassing black chador worn by some — has long been a political symbol as well, particularly after becoming mandatory in the years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran and neighboring Taliban-ruled Afghanistan are the only countries where the hijab remains mandatory for women.Amini died in a hospital on Sept. 16, 2022, after she was detained by Iranian morality police on allegations of improperly wearing the hijab. Suspicions that she was beaten during her arrest led to mass protests that represented the largest challenge to Iran’s theocratic government since the revolution.Since those large-scale protests subsided, many women in Tehran can be seen without the hijab in defiance of the law.Geravand suffered her injury Sunday morning at the Meydan-E Shohada, or Martyrs' Square, Metro station in southern Tehran. Rumors about how she suffered the injury quickly circulated.By Tuesday, the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, which reports on abuses in Iran's western Kurdish region, published a photograph it said showed Geravand at the hospital, her head wrapped in bandages as she remains in a coma.Geravand “was physically attacked by authorities in the Shohada station at Tehran Metro for what they perceived as noncompliance with the compulsory hijab,” Hengaw alleged, citing reports it said it received. “As a result, she sustained severe injuries and was transported to the hospital.”The Associated Press has not been able to confirm the exact circumstances of what caused Geravand's injuries. Hengaw claimed Thursday that security forces arrested Geravand's mother, Shahin Ahmadi. Authorities in Tehran did not immediately acknowledge the claim, though semiofficial news agencies denied it.Late Wednesday, Iranian state television aired what appeared to be nearly all the surveillance camera footage covering the 16 minutes Geravand spent inside of the Metro station before her injury. She entered at 6:52 a.m., then went down an escalator. The sole gap, about a minute and a half, occurs before she reaches the turnstile gate where she uses her Metro card. The footage includes her shopping for a snack, then walking to and waiting on the platform for the train.In the mute footage, Geravand, whom activists describe as a taekwondo athlete, appears calm and healthy.

An AP frame-by-frame analysis of the footage showed no signs of the aired video being manipulated.At 7:08 a.m., Geravand enters the No. 134 train car — the last on the train and likely a women-only compartment. A new conductor for the train walks up as she enters, his body blocking the view of door she walks through. Within four seconds, a woman steps backwards out of the train and just a sliver of Geravand’s head can be seen as she lies on the floor of the train. Women then pull Geravand’s limp body out and run for help as the train moves off.Iranian state TV's report, however, did not include any footage from inside the train itself and offered no explanation on why it hadn't been released. Most train cars on the Tehran Metro have multiple CCTV cameras, which are viewable by security personnel."Refusing to publish the footage only increases doubts about the official narrative," the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights said.Emergency medical technicians took Geravand to Fajr Hospital, which is at a Iranian air force base and one of the the closest medical facilities to the station. In the time since her injury, security forces have arrested a journalist for Shargh newspaper who went to the hospital, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Shargh, a reformist newspaper, helped lead reporting surrounding Amini's death as well.Already, Geravand's injury has drawn international attention, something Iran's government has sought to dismiss. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote online: “Once again a young woman in #Iran is fighting for her life. Just because she showed her hair on the subway. It’s unbearable.”U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Iran Abram Paley also wrote that he was “shocked and concerned about reports that Iran’s so-called morality police have assaulted 16-year-old Armita Geravand.”Iranian authorities likely worry about this incident escalating into popular anger like in Amini's case. Women continue to ignore the hijab law despite the growing crackdown. That includes what Shargh described as Tehran's city government hiring of some 400 people as “hijab guards” to give verbal warnings, prevent uncovered women from entering subway cars and hand them over to police.

3 Years Since Beirut Blast, No One Held Accountable As Probe Suspended

On August 4, 2020, the massive blast at Beirut's port destroyed swathes of the Lebanese capital, killing more than 220 people and injuring at least 6,500.

Beirut: Lebanon on Friday marks three years since one of history’s biggest non-nuclear explosions rocked Beirut. Yet nobody has been held to account as political and legal pressures suspend the investigation.

On August 4, 2020, the massive blast at Beirut’s port destroyed swathes of the Lebanese capital, killing more than 220 people and injuring at least 6,500.

Authorities said the disaster was triggered by a fire in a warehouse where a vast stockpile of industrial chemical ammonium nitrate had been haphazardly stored for years.

Three years on, the probe is virtually at a standstill, leaving survivors still yearning for answers.

The main activist group representing families of those killed has called for a protest march on Friday afternoon, converging on the port.

“This is a day of commemoration, mourning and protest against the Lebanese state that politicises our cause and interferes in the judiciary,” said Rima al-Zahed, whose brother was killed in the explosion.

“The judiciary is shackled, justice is out of reach, and the truth is shrouded,” she told AFP.

The blast struck amid an economic collapse that the World Bank has dubbed one of the worst in recent history and which is widely blamed on a governing elite accused of corruption and mismanagement.

Since its early days, the probe into the explosion has faced a slew of political and legal challenges.

In December 2020, lead investigator Fadi Sawan charged former prime minister Hassan Diab and three ex-ministers with negligence.

But as political pressure mounted, Sawan was removed from the case.

- ‘Culture of impunity’ -

His successor, Tarek Bitar, unsuccessfully asked lawmakers to lift parliamentary immunity for MPs who were formerly ministers.

The powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah group has launched a campaign against Bitar, accusing him of bias and demanding his dismissal.

The interior ministry has refused to execute arrest warrants which the lead investigator has issued.

In December 2021, Bitar suspended his probe after a barrage of lawsuits, mainly from politicians he had summoned on charges of negligence.

But in a surprise move this January, Bitar resumed investigations after a 13-month hiatus, charging eight new suspects including high-level security officials and Lebanon’s top prosecutor, Ghassan Oueidat.

Oueidat then charged Bitar with insubordination and “usurping power”, and ordered the release of all those detained over the blast.

Bitar has refused to step aside, yet has not set foot inside Beirut’s justice palace for months.

“Work (on the investigation) is ongoing,” said a legal expert with knowledge of the case, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Bitar is determined to keep his promise to deliver justice for victims’ families, the expert added.

Zahed, whose brother died in the blast, said: “The truth does not die so long as there is someone to demand it.

“We believe that we will get the truth.”

On Thursday, 300 individuals and organisations including Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International renewed a call for the United Nations to establish a fact-finding mission, a demand local officials have repeatedly rejected.

“International action is needed to break the culture of impunity in Lebanon,” HRW’s Ramzi Kaiss said in a statement.

Amnesty’s Aya Majzoub accused authorities of using “every tool at their disposal to shamelessly undermine and obstruct the domestic investigation to shield themselves from accountability”.