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athingofvikings · 7 months

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In my own experience as a Jewish Leftist, and corroborated by the similar experiences of other Jewish Leftists, there are, roughly speaking, five to six broad categories of Leftists in their attitudes towards Jews. This is a tangential categorization in terms of precise political affiliation; in other words, one's position in these categories is not dependent on what precise type of Leftist/Progressive an individual is.

Type 1: Open And Unapologetic Jew Haters

These Leftists hate Jews and don't try to hide it at all. According to them, Jews are the Problem, and they know what type of Solution they want enacted.

The archetypal example that I'll currently use is Cynthia McKinney, former US Congresswoman and US Green Party presidential candidate, who, well...

But this is also the class of Leftists who say that there is no room for Judaism in their ideal, imagined perfect world, that they picture everyone assimilating and giving up their ethnic and cultural identities to just be "human", and often single out Judaism as a particular problem in that regard.

Type 2: Closeted Knowing Jew Haters

These Leftists hate Jews, know that they hate Jews, but know that it's bad optics to openly praise Hitler or cozy up to the KKK to satisfy their hatred of Jews, so they try to find the barest veneer of plausible deniability to hide behind. "Anti-zionism" is a particular favorite on the Left, but the hatred has a way of slipping past the mask when they get questioned.

A classic example here is the Boston Mapping Project, who literally made up a list of every Jewish institution in Boston, Mass, on suspicion of them being "Zionist"--including elder homes, Jewish high schools, and Kindergartens, and including scary "links" on the map to various government agencies, no matter how tenuous or outright imaginary, thereby invoking old conspiracy tropes about "Secret Jewish Control of the Government". (And BDS, as the parent organization, also gave the lie that they're just antizionist, not antisemitic, when they disavowed the Mapping Project for bad optics, not the rank antisemitism and conspiratorial thinking they were promoting). Another example would be the organizers of the Chicago Dyke March, who explicitly expelled Jews from the March and crowed about "zio tears" (which is a slur originally used by the KKK, no less).

However on first encounter, Type 2 are indistinguishable from and camouflaged by...

Type 3: Undereducated And Unknowing Traffickers In Antisemitism

These Leftists don't hate Jews per se... they're just unaware of the deep antisemitic history of repeating claims that "Jews have too much power", or stating that the Holocaust was "White on White violence", or that "Jews are just White People from Europe", or any of a host of other antisemitic beliefs that are endemic on the Left. They're initially indistinguishable from Type 2, as they say the same things, and can only be told apart by their reactions; a Type 3 will go, "Oh, I didn't know and I'll try to learn!", while a Type 2 will typically double down, or let the mask slip in some other way.

The problem is that, from the perspective of Jews, Type 2 and Type 3 are indistinguishable from each other at first glance, and rather than try to engage and risk the emotional harm, a lot of Jews tend to write off all of them as Type 2, and there's a lot of debate on the ratios between the two.

Also worthy of mention, as a midpoint between Type 2 and Type 3 are:

Type 2.5: Openly Antisemitic "I'm Not An Antisemite, I Just Refuse To Learn, Listen, Or Let Jews Define Antisemitism"

As a midpoint between types, these Leftists openly traffic in antisemitic motifs, conspiracies, and attitudes, all the while insisting that they're not antisemitic. They're a midpoint between types 2 and 3 because they've had plenty of time and opportunity to learn about the bigoted attitudes they're espousing, but refuse to do so... but at the same time, they genuinely seem to think that they're not antisemitic. They just think that there's a vast Jewish conspiracy out to get them personally, or any of a number of other antisemitic beliefs, and refuse to accept or learn that what they're saying is antisemitic. They can believe that they themselves are not all they want, saying that Jews have too much money and power and run the world's politics is still trafficking in antisemitic conspiracy theories.

The archetypal example of this type, assuming we can take his word for it, is Roger Waters. Waters is openly and explicitly antisemitic, saying that there is a widespread conspiracy of Jews running the world's politics... but he has been insisting for over 40 years that he's just "antizionist, not antisemitic."

youtube

But these are just the outspoken ones. None of them would get anywhere without the tacit support of...

Type 4: The Silent Majority

These Leftists are, being blunt, hypocritical cowards. They don't want to get involved in issues on antisemitism. When a Leftist Jew is being harassed by one of Types 1 to 3, they don't speak up, they don't get involved, they just say nothing.

Maybe they agree with one of the above types. Maybe they just don't want to get involved. Maybe they're afraid of seeming sympathetic to Israel. Maybe they're afraid of getting the social backlash that the Jew is experiencing. But ultimately, their motivations don't matter, their actions do—and their actions give tacit social support to the antisemite in the Leftist group, not to the Jew being harassed and chased out.

And the reason they're hypocritical cowards?

Well, if your ideology claims that you want a better life for everyone and social progress and being against racism and bigotry... but yet they don't speak up when it's happening right in front of them...

Well.

That says a lot, doesn't it? Both on what their ideals actually mean to them... and how highly they value Jews. And we know that it is possible, because of...

Type 5: The Pro-Jewish Leftist

These Leftists are, in my experience, a minority outside of Leftist Jews, but they do exist among non-Jewish Leftists. They stand up to Types 1, 2, and 3 when they express antisemitic views, and try to shame and cajole Type 4 into standing up as well.

And, just to point out how normalized antisemitism is on the Left...

Some people in this category might object to being labeled as "Pro-Jewish", as if they're biased for Jews. But I have to ask... do you think that they would also object to being labeled "Pro-LGBTQ"?

#antisemitism #leftist antisemitism

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tamamita · 1 year

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Hi! First off, please know that I am not a Zionist. I don’t know how to really be convincing here as an anon, but hopefully you can take my word here and take some things into consideration about BDS itself. I’m certainly open to discussion and am interested in your opinion on the matter as I feel we share the same values here of combating both zionism and antisemitism. But from what I’ve seen they are not the organization to defend.

Could you look into the BDS Mapping Project? Antisemitic tropes are entirely woven into that project and it genuinely put people in danger. Furthermore they vandalized stores that have no connection to Israel, held a protest at a funeral for victims of a synagogue shooting, etc. The Mapping Project has been spoken of to death, so that should be the easier thing to look into. I believe the organization has been legitimately anti-semitic in the past and we should not turn a blind eye on that.

The Mapping Project in Boston was condemned by the BDS movement's national committe awhile ago. A statement is literally up on their official site rebuking the project. But ironically enough, the ADL and other pro-Israeli movements continue to perpetuate the idea that the project was a part of the BDS movement despite the latter clearly dissociating themselves from any affiliated group who supported the project. It's just another attempt by Zionists and pro-Israeli groups to silence Palestinians and delegitimize Palestinian statehood, deflecting any criticism towards the settler colonial state.

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wrencatte · 2 months

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mini-fic 2!

post-Tanalorr, Cal and Merrin meditating but it's actually a little more heartbreaking (?) than it sounds. There ARE cuddles though! And comfort! Merrin POV. 1.2k words Ideally, this is platonic only because I'm not much of a shipper like in general, but it can be taken either way. ...It's 4am and I'd made the decision to go to bed before my brain went NO and this happened...

After it’s all done, they leave Tanalorr.

They have no provisions and an unexpected small child to care for now, they can’t stay. Merrin doesn’t mind leaving so soon, not when this place causes that particular expression on Cal’s face. He had been so excited. So, so hopeful when he’d been nearing the edge of having no hope at all, and now…

She sighs and turns away from the communications terminal. They’ve made it out of the Abyss and not long for Koboh now. Cal doesn’t say anything before he stands and disappears into the engine room. Merrin watches him go for a moment, then looks to see Kata is also watching him. She’s a sweet thing, Kata Akuna. Quiet, clutching her stuffed Mookie with a wary – and weary, she notes – look on her face. Her aura sings of deep grief, but there’s something else there as she continues to stare in the direction Cal went. Merrin doesn’t pry though she’s terribly curious.

Kata sniffs and finally looks away, rubbing her cheek on Mookie’s head. She’s tucked into the corner of the seat Merrin used to take way back when Cere sat where Merrin sits now. She looks small sitting there, Cal’s jacket draped over her shoulders. She doesn’t acknowledge Merrin watching her, if she realizes it at all, as she pulls her legs close and buries her face in her knees. Merrin politely turns away then, standing and stretching casually in a way she knows Greez doesn’t believe. That is fine.

“I will be back,” she informs them, patting BD’s head reassuringly, and then doesn’t wait for a response before she follows Cal.

He doesn’t use the engine room often anymore, she knows. Merrin found him in the cockpit or standing over their maps at random times in the night. But she knows that’s where he will be now, there is nowhere else to hide.

Merrin doesn’t knock. She enters quietly, eyes immediately drawn to the figure kneeling in the off-set space to the right. Cal sits in perfect meditation, like she has seen him sit a dozen, no, a hundred times before.

All those times, she’s always felt…calm. Soothed even. As if nothing could go wrong. Everything was alright in the galaxy.

Now, though, after everything, there is the threat of violence in the air. A raging fire she can feel in the very marrow of her bones. His turmoil writhes around him, projected in a way that Merrin is still unused to. It makes her heart ache for him. If he were not so deep into meditation, he would ask her to leave. He did on that first night, after Nova Garron, his sorrow and rage thick and choking. She hadn’t left him then, and he didn’t slip back into meditation. They sat together in silence long into the night.

She does not leave now either.

Merrin doesn’t think she’ll ever leave him again.

She sits on the little cot against the wall and watches him silently. There is sweat on his brow and a dampness to his eyelashes. What was once a peaceful thing, is now a nightmare. Merrin waits patiently, unhurried, though she aches to reach out to him, to comfort him in some way. But she waits. The air grows heavy, hotter and colder at the same time. She feels like she is about to be crushed under it all at any moment. It’s difficult to breathe.

Still, she does not leave.

Instead, she is there when Cal’s breaths hitch and he flinches, expression pained. He opens his eyes, staring unfocused into the far distance, tears shining on his cheeks. She doesn’t rush him and is rewarded in, that when his awareness comes back in pieces, she is still the first thing he looks at. He blinks slowly, his inner struggle visible, and opens his mouth, but all that comes out is a rasp.

Merrin smiles. “You’re alright,” she says – it’s not a question. There’s no concern or reassurance. It’s a statement of fact. A solid, unwavering announcement that Cal Kestis, for all his struggles, is, in fact, alright.

Cal breathes shakily. “It’s so loud,” he whispers, barely a breath.

She slides off the cot and mirrors his position, only she offers her hands to him, palms up. His fists tighten on his thighs, hesitating long enough she thinks he will refuse, but then then reaches for her, places his hands on hers. He’s trembling. She cups his hands firmly – and that, in of itself, is gentle – and presses her thumbs over the back of them. She can feel his pulse on her fingertips, too fast. Like a bird already in desperate flight.

“Listen,” she tells him. She regrets they aren’t planet-side, where there is more to hear, but she knows what is here in the Mantis will be enough.

“Merrin…”

“Shush. Listen.”

Cal almost-smiles, something soft in his eyes even though there’s still tears in them as well. He closes them without hesitation, his hands limp in hers.

Softly, Merrin starts to sing in Dathomiri, a language she has found herself using less and less over the years. It felt as if there’d been no point. It hurt too much to speak the words of her Sisters with no one around who would understand her. She knows Cal speaks it, if only the basics, due to his psychometry, and that just adds to the fondness and love and understanding she’s trying to project.

She sings for their losses and their grief, yes, but she also sings for what they have, guiding Cal into reaching out instead of in, and to listen her heart, to Greez’s, to Kata’s. She knows when he finds the child, the Force lurching and coiling wildly, but she does not let him linger on it. Instead, she picks out that other thing she’d felt from the girl, a feeling of safety. Because for all that he loved her, in Bode Akuna’s last moments, he was not safe for her, but Merrin and Cal were.

She sings it into blooming, and for Cal to reach for it as well. His breaths hitch again, something soft and broken yet a little more healed than before. Merrin smiles and rubs her thumb soothingly over the back of his hand.

They meditate for who knows how long. And Merrin sings the whole time. When they come out of it, Cal is looking at their clasped hands, looking less lost. The air is still in turmoil, but there’s ribbons of the Cal Kestis she knows slicing through it bit by bit.

“Greez does not need you for landing. BeeDee is more than capable, if they can get along,” she tells him. Cal looks up questioningly at her through his eyelashes. “Come.”

She stands, tugging him up with her. His knees crack loudly in the silence. Merrin doesn’t acknowledge it – but does make note to see if there’s anything that can be done about that later – and settles him on the cot. It’s not very big. But she urges him back and climbs in with him, keeping herself between him and the door.

Merrin curls around him, and he curls back, tucking his face in the hollow of her throat, arms reaching around to keep her close. She can feel his tears on her skin and his breaths on her collarbone. She presses her face into his hair, and chooses a different song to sing this time, one that guides someone to sleep.

She barely gets through the opening melody before Cal is out like a light.

#cal kestis #nightsister merrin #jfo #sw jfo #kata's feelings are complicated but she definitely feels safer around Cal and Merrin than she did around her dad #in those last few moments #and she might struggle with that idea #feeling safe around the guy who killed her dad #but that's not what Merrin needs right now #my writing

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the-rainbow-lesbian · 16 days

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elicalebon The radicalized westerners are coming out in full force to support tyranny in Middle Eastern countries they have no understand of. They celebrate a terrorist occupying force as our "sovereign government" and ask other westerners not to support the people in their liberation movement to preserve the "axis of resistance," paid for with the blood of Iranians & Middle Easterners in the region. They will never know how much bloodshed and cruelty their heinous" activism" costs.

this vile creature also supports the mapping project in Boston and the BDS too that targets and intimidates Jewish businesses

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penguicorns-are-cool · 3 months

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I haven't said anything about BDS because I honestly didn't care enough

but y'all, this is really bad

especially on top of the mapping project

#most of the companies on that list aren't very well connected to Israel anyway #like boycotting them didn't really do much #but fucking gosh #now it's just harmful #bds #standing together #israel palestine

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much-obliged-timothy · 11 months

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June of Doom #5

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - #5 - Handcuffed

Merrin leapt from the speeder, landing neatly beside a frantic BD-1. He beeped at her, bouncing up and down and managing to look more urgent than any organic being she had ever met.

“Easy, droid,” she soothed, because she needed him calm despite her own swell of panic. “Where did they take him?”

BD-1 projected a map and indicated a region. Merrin gave a stiff nod and lifted him, climbing into the speeder with him.

It was sheer luck that Cal and Bode had been in communication when Cal was ambushed and captured. Merrin had not waited for Bode when she heard the news; she got in the nearest speeder and took off.

Cal was one of the Empire’s most wanted individuals. There was no time to make a plan. She had to get to him before the imperial troops got him off world. With a dust storm winding down, she had a little time, but not much. As soon as the storm fully cleared, they’d take off with Cal, and there was no guarantee of where they’d take him.

And of course that brave, loyal fool had saved his droid instead of himself. Merrin supposed BD-1 would come in handy, but she’d have preferred rescuing the droid instead of Cal.

She pushed the speeder as fast as it would go as she tore across the desert. BD-1 kept the map up for her reference and she easily dodged the many environmental hazards and beasts of Jedha. She had no time for delays.

As she finally reached the area, it didn’t take much searching before the ship came into view. It was grounded, as she’d expected, and guarded by three Stormtroopers. Dust was still whipping about the area, too much for a safe takeoff, but it was only a matter of time before it settled and the ship could safely leave.

Merrin disembarked the speeder, BD-1 hopping onto her shoulder and beeping. She pressed her finger to her lips and he nodded in understanding, hunkering down a little.

She had no idea how many of them were on the ship. Cal was likely restrained and unarmed. She’d be on her own until she could free him. Stealth was her best call right now.

“BD,” she said, pulling him off her shoulder and setting him down. “Lead them over there, will you?”

He beeped an affirmation before scurrying away. He popped up on the rocks, chirping angrily at the Stormtroopers.

“Hey! That’s the Jedi’s droid!” one cried.

“Get him!” another cried.

All three ran for BD-1. Merrin waited until they got close before appearing behind them and swiftly taking them out. BD-1 hopped back onto her shoulder.

“Good job,” she told him. He let out a low, sad beep. “We’ll get him back, don’t you worry.”

She crept onto the ship. It was a big transport ship, but she was surprised to see there wasn’t much crew milling about. She sent BD-1 to scout ahead, but he returned and reported that the ship really was as empty as it seemed.

That explained the meager guard outside the ship. Likely, the dust storm, the harsh environment, and Cal himself had taken out a lot of the crew. Still, the ship wasn’t abandoned, so she’d have to be careful.

She followed the ship along until she got to a ladder. She carefully descended and slunk along the stacked cargo towards the sound of voices.

She peeked out, and regretted it immediately.

There in a cell was Cal, unarmed and injured on the ground. His hands were handcuffed securely behind his back. Two Stormtroopers stood over him, one of them kicking Cal roughly.

“Won’t be long now til we leave,” he was saying. “Then we’ll lock you up someplace you’ll never escape. Until, at least, they decide to execute you. Jedi scum.”

The other wielded a shock stick. When the first stopped kicking Cal, the second jabbed him with the shock stick until Cal screamed in pain, body writhing uncontrollably.

Merrin would see no more. She stepped out and strode over to the Stormtroopers. Before the first had noticed her, she’d killed the one shocking Cal. The first spun to face her, reaching for a blaster. He was dead on the ground before he ever touched it.

“Cal!” Merrin dropped to his side, grabbing his arm.

He was breathing harshly, a heavy sheen of sweat on his forehead. But, in typical Cal-style, he cracked his eyes open and gave her a weak grin.

“Took you long enough,” he croaked out.

BD-1 hopped off her shoulder and practically danced around Cal, beeping and chirping and nudging him all over. Cal tried to lift his hands, then seemed to remember they were handcuffed behind him.

“I’m alright, buddy,” he assured, bumping his head against BD-1 instead. “Help me out?”

BD-1 got to work on the handcuffs. Cal was pale and shaky, looking like staying conscious was taking effort.

She had to get him out of here. He wasn’t strong enough to properly protect himself right now.

“Your lightsaber?” she asked.

The handcuffs clanked to the ground and Cal rubbed his raw wrists, wincing at the contact. “The one in charge took it. They figured binding my hands would limit my force abilities, but were smart enough to take the lightsaber away. I’ve got to get it back.”

“We will,” Merrin said, helping him up. He staggered dangerously, but she was there to support him. “I will retrieve your lightsaber. You wait by the exit.”

“Merrin-”

“Cal. Do not argue. If there was not a dust storm, you would have been lost to us.”

Whatever expression was on her face, it was enough to make Cal nod slowly. “Alright. I’ll wait by the exit. Thank you. For coming.”

“Don’t be a fool, Cal Kestis,” she said, squeezing his arm. “Of course I came.”

He gave her a small smile, despite his bruised face. She looked at the ragged state of him - bruised face, disheveled hair and clothes, raw wrists, and exhausted eyes. And yet he still wanted to carry on the fight.

“Rest, Cal,” she said, her voice firm because if it was not, he would help anyway. It was just his nature. If he was breathing, he was fighting.

She helped him up the ladder and sat him by the exit, leaving BD-1 to guard him because she couldn’t bring herself to leave him on his own. As thoughts of him being taken from them all forever invaded her mind, she chased them away by taking vengeance on the imperials who had captured and hurt him.

#june of doom #june of doom 2023 #star wars jedi: fallen order #star wars jedi survivor #cal kestis #merrin #sw merrin #BD-1 #jtdoesjuneofdoom #nightsister merrin

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machine-saint · 3 months

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Chinese regulations require that approved map service providers in China use a specific coordinate system, called GCJ-02 (colloquially Mars Coordinates). Baidu Maps uses yet another coordinate system - BD-09, which seems to be based on GCJ-02.

GCJ-02 (officially Chinese: 地形图非线性保密处理算法; lit. 'Topographic map non-linear confidentiality algorithm') is a geodetic datum used by the Chinese State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping (Chinese: 国测局; pinyin: guó-cè-jú), and based on WGS-84. It uses an obfuscation algorithm which adds apparently random offsets to both the latitude and longitude, with the alleged goal of improving national security.

[...]

Despite the secrecy surrounding the GCJ-02 obfuscation, several open-source projects exist that provide conversions between GCJ-02 and WGS-84, for languages including C#, C, Go, Java, JavaScript, PHP, Python, R, and Ruby.

lol

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jasmines-library · 2 years

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Not All Is Lost - Chapter Two

GN!Reader (No Y/N currently used)

Summary: After arriving on Bogano, you and Cal make your way to The Vault. Along the way you make a small friend and unlock the secrets of the Jedi.

Warnings: Canon typical violence, Slight PTSD, mentions of Greez's cooking.

Word count: 3.1K

Previous • Story Masterlist

The ground was uneven beneath your feet as you made your way towards the temple. The climate on Bogano was temperate and the light breeze sent your hair flowing in many different directions. The air was damp and there was an almost constant rustling coming from the wildlife that seemed ever intriguing. Cal led the way, he seemed eager to reach the vault. His ease and agility told you that he was familiar with terrain like this. It didn’t surprise you though, the terrain on Bracca was far from safe. It confused you when he came to a stop after rounding a corner. You raised your eyebrows and he explained, asking if it was okay for him to meditate.You shook your head and agreed it would be a good idea. Cal took up his position on the floor as you opted to lean against a rock. Closing your eyes you began to centre yourself in the force, only to have it obstructed when you began to sense Cal’s distress. You understood even more now what he meant about losing control. Snapping your eyes open, you kneeled next to him and took hold of his shoulders to bring him out of his meditation. When Cal opened his eyes, his focus seemed to not be on you, rather a curious red and white droid. It beeped, intrigued.

“Hey, BD-1,” You said as you examined the droid’s number. He was a small droid with long legs and a rectangular head and body. His paint job was roughened up like it had been gone over with a large piece of sandpaper from constant adventure. The droid beeped again, nudging the redhead who was kneeling in front of you.

“Yeah, I’m okay. We’re just..We’re looking for someone,”

He beeped again and you chuckled slightly, “No, not you,” Cal told him, “We’re searching for a Jedi, I think,”

The little droid jumped up and down excitedly before he scurried away, Ignoring your hollering about the Jedi, too excited to listen before slicing into a control panel. Metal flooring appeared, closing the gap between the two grassy cliffs. It was clear that he knew his way around the planet and it made you wonder how long he had been here. Perhaps, you thought he was here with the Jedi. You both followed the small droid, scaling walls and jumping over obstacles. The ground was divided up into essentially elevated platforms that intertwined with each other. There seemed to be something hidden in every corner. Bogano had a lot to offer which made you wonder why no one else had found it yet. It was obvious that It had once been inhabited, for a while at least, the large vault in front of you and the ancient carvings in the rocks told you that much, but where had everyone gone and why hadn’t the empire found it yet?. With all of the power they had, surely it would be easy to find a place like this. It was clear someone had gone through great measures to hide Bogano and it caused a great pit to settle at the bottom of your stomach. The mystery dawned on your mind as you continued to trek. Soon you came across a clearer view of the vault. Cal pursed his lips.

“That's the Vault Cere told us about,” He said to you and the small droid who was hopping excitedly around your feet, “Whoever we’re supposed to find must be in there,”

BD-1, now perched on top of a rock, projected a holomap into the ground below you, revealing that he had been tracking your footsteps.

“You made a map, Little Buddy?” You asked. He once again beeped excitedly before highlighting the vault, Clearly hoping to help visualise the route the pair of you had to take. You began to follow his map, coming to a dead end when it led you to a large gorge. It was too far to jump, even if you used the force to help you, which would have been pointless, given your current connection with it.

“Any ideas?”

The little droid chirped and alerted you to the wire suspended over the gap. Cal grabbed onto BD’s legs as he slid across. Once he was safely on the other side, BD balanced on the top of the wire to bring you across too. You followed the pair into a small, derelict hangar. As you drew nearer you began to sense the presence of another being.

“Cal, be careful in there I-” you were cut off by BD’s shrill scream as he was thrown off of a Bog Rat.

“Hold on BD-1!”

You swung down into the room after Cal, pulling your saber into your hands. Before you had the chance to ignite it, he had already sliced through the creatures. Cal was quick. Maybe even too quick.

“BD?” You called out to the droid as Cal studied the room. No, studied wasn’t the right word. He analysed the room. Looking for anything that could potentially be dangerous, noting the best route in case you needed to get out quickly.

It was faint, but you heard it. A small, pained beep from behind the fan in the centre of the room. You placed your saber back in its place on your belt and raised your hand to slow the fan with the force. BD let out a slow sound as you made your way to him. One of his legs had been damaged, the metal bent at an awkward angle.

You knelt down in front of him “That was pretty brave, huh? You okay?”

He beeped sadly as he began to limp away. Cal was there to stop him, once again quick with his reflexes.

“Wait– I can help you with that, will you let me?”

He jumped straight into Cal’s arms. Bemused and somewhat charmed by the droid, Cal carried him over to the workbench at the back of the room and began working on his leg.

“The scomp link is busted,” He said as he picked up one of the various tools on the bench, “but this should help you get moving for now,” Sparks flew as the metal was soldered and bent back into place, Cal worked quickly and efficiently.

“D’you learn that on Bracca?” You asked inquisitively.

Cal hummed, “I worked as a scrapper after the purge. It was a dangerous job but it had its perks,” he finished working on BD’s leg, “Okay. Try that.”

He chirped excitedly and Cal smiled. It was the first time you’d seen him smile since before the war. With BD’s help you made your way out of the abode. You’d also discovered he carried healing stims with him after Cal sliced through a live wire with his saber. Very useful. Through his various tones you had also discovered that he didn’t remember how he ended up on Bogano. It was odd, you thought. You’d never known a forgetful droid. As you came across a long passage, which should have been impassable, you noticed that the walls were ridged. As you paused, the voice of your former master rang clear through your mind.

‘With persistence and the force as your ally, no path is impossible,’

You closed your eyes and took a running leap at the wall of the cave. Cal called out your name as your feet landed solidly against the wall. Using the force to guide you, you hopped between the walls. Cal and BD, who was now perched on comfortably on his shoulder, followed close behind. For the first time in a while you felt slightly more connected to the force. Your lips turned upwards.

“How’d you know that would work?”

You shrugged. “Just remembering old tricks,”

The three of you pressed on, with the force helping you traverse the walls, the path seemingly became much easier. Soon you were at the foot of the vault. Like its exterior, the door was ageless, overgrown and covered in deep shades of mossy green.

“So this is it, huh?” Cal said, bubbling with excitement.

You hummed in response, hesitantly reaching out to unlock the door. You paused as your fingers brushed the cold surface and turned to Cal.

“Go ahead,”

You closed your eyes and centred yourself as you traced over the carvings on the door. You took a breath and projected the force into the door. Nothing. You frowned but then you remembered Cere’s words. ‘It requires two people who are strong in the force to pass its tests’

“We have to do it together,” you said. Cal stepped forward, placing his hand next to yours. You both repeated your earlier actions. It slid open revealing a dark hallway. Without a second thought, you squeezed yourself through the gap and descended downwards. On the other side of the hallway, you were greeted with a massive room. A trickle of water ran across the floor. Around the room were massive, circular arches, each seemingly doors with reminiscent designs to the ones on the entrance doorway. BD scampered off of your partner’s shoulder and, as if he suddenly remembered something, froze and looked up.

“You alright BD?”

The droid didn’t give his usual response. Instead he sent out a hologram of an elderly man, dressed in the distinct robes of a Jedi.

“Cere’s Jedi,” you muttered as the hologram began to speak.

“Well done, whoever you are. You have passed the test I have left behind. You have worked together to gain access to the vault and this recording; one of the many encrypted logs stored in this droid. I am Master Endo Cordova. I may not know your names, but I know your purposes. The fate of the Jedi Order lies in your hands. This… place, this…vault is a sacred temple. Built by a vanished civilisation known as the Zeffo,”

Cere had told you stories about the Zeffo. Something told you that she was much closer to Cordova than she had admitted to you.

“Meditating here, I was granted a premonition through the force,” the hologram continued, “A vision of doom. I have placed inside this vault a Jedi holocron, containing a list of the names and locations of young Force-sensitives throughout the galaxy,”

So that was that odd feeling. A holocron. One that would not only change your fate, but the entire galaxy.

“Ahead of you you will find the inner chamber of the vault, but also another test. I can only trust this holocron to people who have followed my path and understand. Seek out the hidden tombs of the Three Sages and learn to perceive the mysteries of the force as the Zeffo once did. In this droid you will find everything you need to succeed on this journey. Go to the Zeffo homeworld. There you will both find peace in the eye of the storm. Good luck, Jedi. And may the Force be with you.”

The hologram shut off and you looked down fresh-eyed at BD-1.

“I guess you were the someone we were supposed to meet,”

This time BD beeps in agreement.

“You know, I've been alone for a while now…” Cal started. You could feel the pain in his voice, “Without any purpose... Just hiding. It’s no way to live. Not for a Jedi..for a droid… Maybe Cere was right. Maybe we’re done hiding,”

You blinked away the tears that were forming in your eyes. It hurt to hear that. It hurt because you knew exactly how he felt. You knew the fear…the guilt that swallows you from the inside out…the pain…

“We’re not alone, Cal.” You whisper, taking his hand in yours, “Not anymore,”

***

Cal pulled out his comlink and called Cere when you were back outside of the vault. He told her you had found what she wanted them to find and she agreed. As you slid down the hill that led to the vault, a huge, frog-like monster emerged from the swampy puddle at the end of it. The Oggdo Bogdo – one of Bogano’s apex predators.

“Kriff!” you yelled, grabbing your saber. It lashed out at the pair of you, but after a short struggle, you stuck it down with your saber. You were slowly becoming more confident, more powerful and more in control with your connection to the force. You could sense that Cal felt the same way, however it was clear he had further to go than you. While you had the option of practising small tricks on The Mantis, he had no choice but to keep his connection concealed. Scratched up, BD offered you both a stim, which you gladly accepted before making your way back to the ship where your friends were eagerly waiting for your return. You weren’t far from the ship when BD-1’s attention shifted to a mural on a cliff wall. You both watched curiously as he projected a second message from Cordova.

“My friends, it appears the Zeffo had some interest in.. Dathomir. It’s strange, for such a peaceful culture to have a fascination with a place so…dark.

The hologram shut off and the three of you continued on, now slightly shaken. Cal had never been to Dathomir, but he had heard many stories of the people who lived there. The Nightsisters, who were all powerful magic wielders, and the Nightbrothers, two of whom many masters had cut down. He wondered if you had ever been there, if not as a padawan, then with Cere and Greez. How long had you been with them? He looked you up and down as you made the remaining steps to The Mantis where Cere was waiting for you.

“You passed the test!” her face was lit up with a smile.

“So, you knew about BD-1?” Cal asked, returning her gesture.

“Come aboard, we’ll talk inside,”

She led the three of you inside, the hatch hissed closed behind you. Greez strutted in to meet you.

“Oh! BD, this is Greez. Hey Greez.” you said to the droid who jumped off of your shoulder to the sofa. He practically shrieked as he gestured frantically with all four arms.

“What is that!?”

BD-1 beeped defiantly. Unsatisfied, Greez chased after the droid trying to shoo him off.

“Get off my sofa! Get…get off my sofa! Get out of there! Get out!”

“Greez!” you scolded your captain, “This is BD-1. He’s with us,”

“I don’t care who he’s with! Do you have any idea how hard it is to get oil stains off of potalli-weave fabric?!”

You crossed your arms. Typical Greez., “No,”

“Exactly! I hope you found something better out there than this droid!”

“Lighten up, Greez,”

“Relax, they did. Tell us,” Cere said

You took a seat on the edge of the prised sofa as Cal took his place on the steps.

“The Vault was built by an ancient civilisation called the Zeffo . A Jedi named Endo Cordova hid something inside of it,”

You saw Cere’s face light up at the name, “What did he hide inside?”

“A holocron from the Archives. It contains a list of Force-sensitive children.”

“The next generation of Jedi. I knew it! Ah, Cordova, you old fool.”

“You knew him?” you asked.

“Yes,” she said excitedly, “A long time ago. I was his apprentice,” you smiled triumphantly. You knew she was closer to him than she let on “Cordova was a loner. That little droid and I

are probably the only ones that know about Bogano,”

Greez spoke up, “Hold on, wait a minute, wait a minute. A holo – what?”

“A holocron. It stores information but only accessible to Jedi. Hang on, I think I have one around here.” Cere fumbled around in one of the many cabinets and pulled out a holocron.

She placed it in your hands. It was almost weightless and it felt almost natural in your hands.

“Use the force,”

You closed your eyes and concentrated. The holocron floated before you and began to break itself apart, then it reconstructed itself from a cube to a sort of octagon with odd corners floating around it. A hologram of a bearded Jedi Knight projected itself from the holocron. Cal and Greez watched in awe.

“This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen…”

You screwed your eyes shut and turned off the recording, the box returning to its normal shape in the palms of your hands.

“With that list of Force-sensitives, we could rebuild the Jedi Order and defeat the Empire,”

“Okay, no problem. Let’s get it.” Greez shrugged and made his way to the cockpit, doing a double take when Cere told him otherwise.

“It’s not that simple. the holocron is hidden deep inside the Vault and to get it we have to follow Cordova’s path.He mentioned something about the planet Dathomir and a Zeffo homeworld,” You told him

“Alright, well, where are we going? I’m just asking ‘cause I was thinking of maybe making some food.”

You rolled your eyes. Greez’s cooking was far from pleasant. Cal was lucky he hadn’t yet had the displeasure.

“Look, before we do anything,” Cal said, “I need to know something,”

He turned to Cere and then you.

“How come you’re no longer a Jedi? Why is your force connection going haywire?”

Cere paused and became visibly distant before she spoke, “We had an experience that...changed our perspective. So, I cut myself off from the force and they have struggled to reestablish their connection ever since,”

“But you still want to rebuild the Order?”

“ We believe that rebuilding the Order is the best chance we have against the Empire. What do you believe?” you said as you squeezed Cere’s hand. You knew it was a sensitive subject for her, much like it was for you.

Cal thought for a moment, “I believe I can’t keep hiding from the Empire, so I don’t really have a choice.”

“Cal, as long as you’re alive you will always have a choice. Are you with us?”

He turns to BD-1 who remained by his side. He nodded enthusiastically and let out a flurry of happy beeps.

“We’re in.”

“Dathomir or Zeffo?” Greez asked, gesturing to the holotable, “Your choice,”

You both stood and made your way over to the holomap that was now projecting three planets. The bright red tones of Dathomir contrasted against the greens of Zeffo and Bogano. BD took his place on the edge of the table, his small feet gripping the edge as he kept himself upright. After a small discussion between you and Cal he selected Zeffo. Greez let out an audible sigh of relief and you watched his worry resolve. The mantis rose up from the atmosphere and a few moments later you were surrounded by the deep blues of hyperspace.

Next • Story Masterlist •Main Masterlist

#ooooh #its gonna get juicy soon #cal kestis #star wars x reader #fallen order #fallen order x reader #Cere Junda #greez dritus #bogano #zeffo #dathomir #bd 1 #star wars #angst

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girlactionfigure · 2 years

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The Mapping Project, an antiSemitic initiative closely associated with Boston’s BDS chapter that solely targets Jewish organisations, claims to identify local institutional support for the colonisation of Palestine and harms it sees as “linked,” such as policing, US imperialism and displacement/ethnic cleansing.' This vile organisation has now seen fit to 'map out', name and publish 482 (Jewish) organisations in and around Boston that it views as having direct or indirect links to Israel. There are two things that are VERY wrong with this: the first is that it is no more than a clear attempt to propagate antisemitism, based on a premise that is laced with lies. The second is that a group claiming to oppose colonialism demands that the indigenous people of Israel hand their land 'back' to people who invaded and colonised it, and who restricted and subjugated the indigenous Jewish population for many centuries.

Likud UK

#stopantisemitism #stoplyingaboutisrael #FightBDS #AmYisraelChai

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doom-nerdo-666 · 10 months

Text

Something people heard is "all wads are canon" and i wonder if this line from the 2016 Slayer's testaments is why:

(Source is this video by howaboutbecause686, i just wanted some quick reference)

It's something that is either rarely sourced or just carried over from someone's interpretation of a lore bit that could mean something else.

Because the idea of Doom wads being canon reminded me of some points:

The new lore/direction is more likely to be made with new fans in mind

2016 technically being a reboot with its own direction/stuff seems clear, specially since the original games still have a long lasting modding scene.

Even if the Doomslayer as a concept does have some interesting fanservice-y origin and there's some easter eggs, these games also attracted a lot of new fans.

One can also say that a "more faithfull/closer to classic" Doom universe already exists in some mods, which leads me to the second point:

How people view Doom mods/wads to begin with

To some, Doom modding is like a main pillar of the community, from not just the quality stuff but also with how important and beneficial it is to the series.

But then there's always some sort of "line" that divides those "deeper into the rabbit hole/iceberg/whatever" and those that approach things in a more basic way.

As in, Brutal Doom, HDoom, MyHouse and typical meme/pop culture based wads.

It's why some people think "all wads are canon" think of goofy stuff like Homer Simpsons and anime girls, since goofy wads are more likely to be thought out than the "genuine" stuff like well made maps, creative gameplay mods or assets that could "expand the original setting".

Or even stuff like original characters and fanservice based mods.

One can see this as "you just want me to worship/idolize some random guy, don't you" or as an attempt to make the community revolve around a specific group.

And i can see why, as someone who thinks the Cacowards aren't enough to showcase the best works in the community.

Because you want the community to look diverse and huge, which is part of why people didn't like BD being too popular: It casted a shadow on the other stuff that shows how far Doom modding went and still goes.

Another thing is id themselves, since we do have stuff like the Unity addons and some other collaborations.

How wads can (If ever) affect the series

Remember when people thought Brutal Doom inspired D2016?

I still occasionally wonder if the Baron's design in Eternal was inspired by the fire Baron idea that is present in some mods/wads.

(Even made a post about concepts for demons that exist in both mods and the series)

Because one can probably wonder if "all wads are canon" can lead to "id can do what they want with fan projects".

Because one thing is referencing memes or inside jokes or even how the Doomslayer can be traced to the "rip and tear" comic and maybe Death Battle or some copypastas.

But another is a concept from a fanmade playable work made for the original Doom games being used somewhat in an official Doom title.

It'd be like "canonizing someone's interactive fanfiction" but also have some negative side effects/meanings in regards to creativity, ethics, how it can affect a fanbase etc.

It's also worth noting that "canon" in media is usually more relevant if it's from something that is published and owned by the company.

It's an issue with "lore" that only exists in interviews or streams but also means that Final Doom is "more canon" than Romero's Sigil because id technically owns one but not the other.

At the same time, one can see Doom having a lot of "HIRE THIS MAN" projects, so if id were to collaborate with some people to make something cool (And be fair with fans over it), it could be cool.

After all, D64's official new port can be traced to its fan port history and there's the contribution of a dev who worked on D64 EX.

#doom #id software #lore #doom 2016 #classic doom #doom modding #modding #opinions #fandom

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