The EU wasted €60M on a pointless fintech fad — but the Belgians won’t let it die

That is, at least, until Belgium’s digitalization minister, Mathieu Michel, decided to use the country’s EU presidency, which expires in June, to rally support from other EU member states for a rebooted version of the flailing project. Now, under the guise of a possible “metaverse” evolution, Michel has won around a dozen state endorsements for the project. Yet, concerns linger that the project’s…

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India's Space Ambitions: A Celestial Tango

In a move that’s less about stepping on toes and more about moonwalking in zero gravity, India has declared its space sector a free-for-all cosmic playground. With the announcement of 100% foreign direct investment in satellite component manufacturing, India is not just opening its doors; it’s removing them entirely. The message is loud and clear: “Welcome to the Grand Indian Space Bazaar, Elon…

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When it comes to academics, Professor Streeck is as top-notch as it gets. he was the Director of the German Max Planck Institute for the study of Societies. He published countless articles and books looking at the interaction of society and politics. For instance, “Buying Time: The Delayed Crisis of Democratic Capitalism” or “How Will Capitalism End? Essays on a Failing System” and, most recently, “Democracy at Work: Contract, Status and Post-Industrial Justice”.

John 10:18, ESV: No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

TPT 1 surrender my own life, and no one has the power to take my life from me. I have the authority to lay it down and the power to take it back again. This is the destiny my Father has set before me.”

O Não é algo desconfortável aos ouvidos, mas é extremamente necessário, com ele aprendemos na marra muitas coisas, e tá tudo bem com isso, você pode ficar triste, chateado, mas jamais você poderá ficará com raiva por recebe um não, independente do que seja, o NÃO é a lição de autonomia que todo precisamos aprender

[•••]

“We’d hoped for her to be special,” Adelaide said.  “Enough to draw attention.  Baron Richmond won’t be on this end of the Crown States forever.  He’s a bachelor, keeping the company of his twin sisters.  We need our daughter back in time to get her cleaned up and presentable, and we need it done with discretion.”

(bolded by me)

sickos.jpg

Creative Writer Navigating the Cyclical Paradigms of Governance: An In-depth Analysis The intricate dance between decentralization and centralization forms the cornerstone of human societal evolution, embodying a pattern that is both timeless and inevitable. This dynamic, a pendulum perpetually swinging across the spectrum of governance, is underpinned by the unchanging facets of human nature…

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US-China Competition and ASEAN’s Quest for Strategic Autonomy

by ASEAN Institute

Caught between two superpowers, ASEAN nations strive to maintain strategic autonomy in the face of the escalating rivalry between the United States and China. With the region being of significant geopolitical and economic importance, navigating these complexities is paramount for the future stability and prosperity of ASEAN countries. This article will explore the various strategies adopted by ASEAN in pursuit of strategic autonomy and the challenges they face in the evolving global landscape.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has traditionally adopted a policy of non-alignment and regional integration, in an effort to prevent external powers from exerting undue influence over its member states (Acharya, 2017). Nonetheless, the intensifying US-China competition has placed considerable pressure on ASEAN’s ability to maintain a balanced approach.

One of the key challenges for ASEAN countries is striking a balance between economic dependence on China and security partnerships with the United States. While ASEAN member states have benefitted significantly from China’s economic growth, the United States remains a vital security partner for many nations in the region (Narine, 2019). Consequently, ASEAN countries are developing diverse strategies to ensure their economic and security interests are met, without sacrificing their strategic autonomy (Leong & Pitsuwan, 2021).

ASEAN has also sought to enhance its institutional capacity and intra-regional cooperation, in order to minimize the risk of being divided by external powers. The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) is one such example, providing a framework for regional cooperation that is more inclusive and less confrontational than the US-led Indo-Pacific strategy (Egreteau, 2020). This approach reflects ASEAN’s commitment to maintaining its centrality in the regional architecture, while avoiding overt alignment with either superpower (Chachavalpongpun, 2021).

Another avenue for ASEAN to maintain strategic autonomy is through economic diversification, by engaging with a broader range of trade partners beyond China and the US. The signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2020 was a significant step towards this goal, as it fosters economic integration among ASEAN countries and other major economies in the Asia-Pacific region (Petri & Plummer, 2021).

Despite these efforts, the US-China competition poses significant challenges for ASEAN’s quest for strategic autonomy. As the rivalry deepens, there is a risk that ASEAN countries may be forced to choose sides, which could undermine regional unity and stability (Storey, 2020). Furthermore, the potential for proxy conflicts or incidents involving US and Chinese military assets in the South China Sea remains a significant concern for the region (Kuik, 2021).

In conclusion, ASEAN’s pursuit of strategic autonomy is increasingly challenged by the intensifying US-China competition. However, through a combination of institutional strengthening, economic diversification, and careful balancing, ASEAN countries are seeking to navigate this complex environment and maintain their independence in the face of great power rivalries.

References:

Acharya, A. (2017). East of India, South of China: Sino-Indian Encounters in Southeast Asia. International Affairs, 93(1), 1–19.

Chachavalpongpun, P. (2021). Navigating the Geopolitical Storm: ASEAN’s Role in the US-China Competition. The Pacific Review, 34(2), 231–246.

Egreteau, R. (2020). The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific: Rationales, Objectives, and Limits. Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, 7(1), 3–21.

Kuik, C.-C. (2021). US-China Strategic Competition in Southeast Asia: How ASEAN Balances the Great Powers. Asian Survey, 61(1), 122–145.

Leong, R., & Pitsuwan, S. (2021). ASEAN Centrality and US-China Rivalry: From the South China Sea to the Mekong Basin. The Pacific Review, 34(3), 360–378.

Narine, S. (2019). ASEAN, China, and the United States: The Dilemmas of Hedging and Balancing. Asian Politics & Policy, 11(2), 312–329.

Petri, P. A., & Plummer, M. G. (2021). ASEAN’s Role in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Journal of Southeast Asian Economies, 38(2), 151–168.

Storey, I. (2020). The Impact of US-China Rivalry on ASEAN. East Asia Policy, 12(3), 3–13.

Read the entire article and more at the ASEAN Institute website.

Check out the ASEAN Institute on Youtube!

Why does screenwriting have such a weird format? I know it's standard for scripts of all kinds, but it's also alien? It almost looks like it's designed for someone to write quickly??

Why are screenplays the way they are?

Screenplays are interesting pieces of writing because while they can read very beautifully, and quality is apparent in some scripts more than others, it is a medium that is extremely purposeful. The script is not the final destination of the idea, and that is what you have to remember. The script is, more than anything, a map. It gives the cast, crew, and producers the necessary information to get a sense of the story so that it can be adapted effectively. Therefore, the quality of a script is judged by a completely different rubrick:

Adaptability: Scripts are naturally going to go through many changes to serve the filmmaking process. Filmmaking is a fundamentally collaborative process so other members of the group must be able to effectively interpret the script well enough to make strategic improvements. Scripts are definitely works of art in their own right, but the design must account for adaptation into a completely different medium and you will not always be the person making executive decisions on how that is to be done.

Clarity: Creative liberty is acceptable in a lot of forms of writing, and style is definitely apparent in a screenwriter's work, but that is primarily to be found in how they practically form the elements of the story, rather than how it is delivered in words. The clearer your meaning and intent in a script, the easier it will be for the other people you're collaborating with to interpret and translate into the next medium. Even if your work is meant to be experimental, abstract, or avant garde, the script is the place where you make sure everyone that is inside of the production understands the point, so that they can help you make sure everyone outside of it is confused in the desired way. Your talent and style can be showcased in the way you demonstrate the particular brand of humor or suspense or drama in the descriptions, dialogue, and dialogue cues.

Efficiency: Format is extremely strict in the industry because it is a collaborative medium that often brings together hundreds of crew members who are all from different backgrounds/experience. The one thing that must remain consistent and reliable is the legibility of the script. The gaffer and the producer alike must be able to pick up the script and find what they need to learn in order to fulfill their role. The format of the script denotes specific crew member's cues in specific places so they know how to find what's expected of them quickly and efficiently. While on larger productions, there's often many directorial positions who are coordinating and communicating with the crew members who handle more detail oriented jobs, that isn't always the case.

My advice, if you're looking to gain experience in writing scripts that are actually meant to be adapted is to practice self-discipline, pragmatism, and distance. Your script won't always belong to you. There isn't the autonomy in screenwriting that you have in prose. Learn the rules of screenwriting, then learn how to enhance them in your own way.

Best of luck,

x Kate

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The way some people talk about “misogynistic writing” with the female genshin archons—specifically Nahida & Furina— kills me a bit, because while i do feel there’s valid criticisms of genshin’s writing to be made (especially regarding Ei, who I do feel was done a massive disservice writing wise), often I see people seem to come from a place of not understanding the writing/characters well, and/or leaning into like…very reductive ideas of what makes a female character “good” that honestly says more about their biases than Genshin’s

For example, a common complaint I see against Nahida & Furina is about them being made to be “weak/unserious” and how this is bad writing because genshin is unwilling to take their characters seriously—but the way this is argued seems to suggest Furina & Nahida would be better characters if they were more physically powerful, mature, or “cooler” in some way. But I really dislike the notion of girlbossification being seen as the one standard of good writing for women. A girl being strong and independent and able to punch things really hard isn’t a marker of inherent good writing

Nahida and Furina not being physically powerful or completely sure of themselves is the point. Their lack of life-experience-based maturity and overpowering physical strength are intentional and points of strength for their character writing, not flaws or weaknesses:

Nahida is the God of Wisdom—her primary source of strength is her intelligence, which comes from her curiosity about the world that is intrinsically linked to her being very caring by nature. The reason Nahida is at a disadvantage in physical strength with the antagonists—Scaramouche and Dottore—and doesn’t have an epic moment where she brute force overpowers them, isn’t because Genshin is treating Nahida like an incompetent joke, it’s because her character highlights the overall theme in Sumeru’s AQ that power isn’t everything and strength/wisdom comes from many places.

She outsmarts both Scaramouche and Dottore through her ability to strategize—if you’re trying to sell Nahida as a character who embodies wisdom, it’s far stronger writing wise to have her use her wisdom and mind to overcome narrative conflict than have her be all powerful. If you don’t think Nahida revealing she’s trapped Scaramouche in a dream loop after he tries to rip her gnosis from her, or her standing her ground against Dottore and forcing him to bargain with her when he attempts to intimidate her into giving him what he wants doesn’t make her “cool” or interesting….idk ! Maybe it’s not the writing and just your personal preference for character appeal

Furina —without getting too deep into 4.2 spoilers—has an arc revolving around the loneliness & conflict of needing to mold yourself into a performance for a greater purpose, and grappling with personal identity and autonomy in the aftermath of performance and repression shaping your life. I really don’t understand how people watch how she’s handled and come away with the conclusion her character gets bent around Nuevillette’s man pain/the fact he’s just so ~much more competent than her unless you’re just really not interested in trying to engage Furina’s writing or taking it in confusingly bad faith

Her struggling with lacking the physical power/competence a god “should” have is, again, the point of her character and they are very clear where that lack of ability comes from within the writing. Her narrative actions follow an arc that revolves around this internal conflict she has—she feels very established to be her own person and they certainty don’t shy away from expanding on Furina’s emotions without it only being done as footing for other (male) characters

I think Nahida & Furina were just not what people were expecting the Dendro & Hydro Archon to be like, I also see a lot of complaints that neither of them “act like gods” or “seem very godlike” but see, in my opinion, one of the central themes to genshin overall is to examine the relationship between humanity and the divine. Part of this also includes calling into question what a god should be, especially in relation to humans/having a sense of humanity

The center conflict within Nahida & Furina’s characters is that their sense of humanity is at odds with being held to what being a god “should” be. Nahida is imprisoned by the Sages who treat her with disdain for being a child and not being inhumanly perfect enough to be useful to them as a deity. We see Furina try to engage with her people earnestly in a more human way before realizing she needs to put up the performance that proceeds to shape her life & state of deep loneliness for the next 500 years to be taken seriously and fulfill her duties. You aren’t supposed to look at Nahida or Furina and think they’re all powerful otherworldly divine beings. You’re supposed to view the, as people—people who are young and inexperienced regarding their position in life. Venti and Zhongli act like people in the same way—the only difference is they have more experience and have had the time to accomplish more feats as original members as the Seven

Again, it’s not that I don’t think there’s criticisms to be made. Genshin to me sets up Ei to be a character who requires a lot of self reflection/growth and thought with handling her moral dubiousness, and then out of desperately worrying she won’t be likable enough, seems to bend over with trying to insist on Ei being palpably appealing while not following through on a lot of what her character really needs to feel well handled. (I feel they barely even address Ei needing to rebuild trust with her people and it’s only more clear when you now see Furina spend a lot of time handling something similar despite doing less um, government oppression thsn Ei did for instance HDJNDJDJ. But I guess me pinning where my personal dissatisfaction with her writing comes from is another post in of its own and more based in general issues with Inazuma vs viewing it as misogynistic writing alone) The trend of not letting a female character grapple with her morality and try to push her being livable at the expense of addressing her complexity does honestly feel it falls into a misogynistic writing trends. I am really bummed out with Ei’s execution when genshin has proven through other characters along with Nahida and Furina they are capable of handling a character like her writing wise imo

But I really think, again, if someone thinks none of genshin’s women are engaging or interesting, or that Nahida and Furina aren’t taken seriously enough narratively while seeming to not really understand the intent of the characters’ writing, or want to take them seriously unless they’re cool/girlboss-y enough, I feel it may say more about their ideas of handling women in fiction than it does about genshin. I get personal preferences and not being really into a character, but people so frequently frame it as a possibly misogyny pattern with how genshin writes the female archons and I can’t help but disagree. I think sometimes people don’t consider what the story is trying to say with the characters vs what they think is cool or want (and of course what we all think is cool or may want/expect narratively is always informed by our own biases). There’s a level of subjectivity in how you can interpret writing and narratives of course but they’re just not interpretations I feel fit into what’s presented in the text !

Japanese construction workers on Wednesday resumed landfill work at the new site of the U.S. military base on Okinawa despite protests by the island’s residents that the move tramples on their rights and raises environmental concerns.

The planned relocation site for the base, on Okinawa’s eastern coast, has been at the center of a dispute between the government in Tokyo and the local authorities at a time of the island’s growing strategic importance.[...]

Three weeks ago, the Fukuoka High Court’s Naha branch ordered Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki to approve the central government’s modified landfill plan, and allowed the Land and Transport Ministry to order the work to resume by overriding the governor’s disapproval.

On a barge brought to the location on Wednesday, a pair of loader machines scooped up mounds of rock and gravel and dumped them into the sea as part of reclamation needed to reinforce the extremely soft seabed at the site planned for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

Tamaki, who has appealed the order to the Supreme Court, said the court ruling was unjust and goes against the will of the residents. Under Japanese law, construction can proceed while the court decision is pending. He called the resumption of the landfill work “extremely regrettable.”[...]

Tamaki, the governor, has sought a significant reduction of the U.S. military on Okinawa, which is home to more than half of 50,000 American troops based in Japan under a bilateral security pact.

Hundreds of scholars, film directors and ordinary citizens who have advocated for Okinawans’ autonomy, signed a global petition demanding the island cease to be “a de facto military colony of the United States and Japan ever since the end of the World War II.”

One of the petition organizers, Satoko Norimatsu Oka who heads the Vancouver-based Peace Philosophy Center, provided a copy of the document to The Associated Press.

“We must end the discrimination and military colonization of Okinawa,” said the petitioners, who include filmmaker Oliver Stone.

The petition urged President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to “cancel the construction of the new base in Henoko.”

10 Jan 24

Aquarius Placements & Autonomy

While I don't inherently have major Aquarius placements, I have exposed myself quite often to those that do. I noticed that Aquarians are considered "unlike" others typically in some form of physical or verbal expression. Even if it is masked through another ascendant or some other factors, I feel even the slightest portion of that energy showcases something that is independent and unique. Mainly, there is a focus on physical expression.

However, why exactly? Many people I know with such placements dislike the stereotypes of Aquarius and feel as though they aren't just pushed into uniqueness (or the hated word, "quirkiness") — they either find it to be inaccurate or very defensively hold an extreme pride towards it. The latter, I think I'm starting to discover, arises from extreme insecurity. Not to say it is wrongful, but I know with my Mars in Aquarius placement, I outwardly express my Marsian qualities quite strategically and independently because I feel internal or external pressures attempting to "rid me of it." In theory, I am curious if majority of the independent qualities showcased within Aquarius is due to issues of autonomy. Sun in Aquarius' fight tooth and nail to have an assertiveness over their own ego/identity. Moon in Aquarius, from my observations, are very defensive and controlling over their internal world. While they may be conversationally relaxed and unbothered, if someone tried to admit influence in some form, there is a very intense backlash. Whether it is an actual external pressure or an internal choke-hold of repression, the Saturn rulership provokes a very intense dynamic of control that clashes with the need to be physically seen as someone with social prowess. While they flourish in social environments due to the 11th house, they also are constantly in defense for the next person to "take" who they are — insinuating a forever conflict that ebbs and flows differently at all times.

As per usual, discussion is welcomed at all times. ♡

Geopolitical Follies: A Tongue-in-Cheek Tour of Today's Global Dramas

In a world where the bizarre often trumps the mundane, recent global events have unfolded like a poorly scripted, yet surprisingly engaging, political satire. Let’s embark on a whimsical journey through these geopolitical shenanigans, shall we?**Scene 1: The Arabian Sea – India’s Naval Catwalk**India, in a display of maritime muscle-flexing, has decided that the Arabian Sea is the new runway for…

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this tweet https://twitter.com/AtlantisFell/status/1728661837896355843

i hate twitter so much just as a general rule everyone is so fucking annoying on there. but okay fine let's unpack this

it's true that bloodbending could have ended the war quicker. if instead of perpetuating a cycle of senseless violence, hama had been more strategic and targeted high ranking fire nation military and the royal family, she definitely could have defeated the firelord by simply walking into the palace on a full moon and slaughtering him and his entire family in their sleep while everyone else in the palace would be helpless to stop it. she could have sunk entire ships. she could have used her power productively. but she didn't, because she was too severely traumatized to operate on that kind of logic.

however, katara deciding that bloodbending is okay actually wouldn't have actually changed anything significantly within their timeframe. she already knew that aang was the one to have to defeat the firelord. she believes in destiny, she believes in the symbolic significance of the avatar restoring balance, and she is, above all, an idealist. i've said in a previous post that if sokka were a waterbender he would've figured out bloodbending on his own long before he met hama and used it whenever it was convenient. but katara as a character has always been defined by her hope, compassion, and desire for justice. of course she is crying over having her autonomy violated. of course she is crying over seeing a woman she had placed so much trust, faith, and admiration in, considered her mentor, who made her feel less existentially alone, reveal herself to be someone who harms others, who tortures random civilians and who nearly killed her brother and her best friend. of course she would consider hurting someone like that "bad" and never want to use that power herself (despite the fact that she later does, which is a point for another post). how is that even in question?

we can of course talk about how hama is framed, and whether or not her portrayal actually works for us (because i do have my issues there too, and am thus of course sympathetic to these concerns), but katara crying here is certainly not something that feels illogical or out of place. her feelings throughout this entire episode remain consistent with the rest of her characterization throughout the show (in fact, this is one of my favorite katara episodes because she undergoes so many emotional shifts and grows so much in such rich and meaningful ways). and besides, katara doesn't actually need bloodbending to fuck people up anyway.

Project 2025 is a plan to, in the words of project Director Paul Dans, "...march into office and bring a new army of aligned, trained, and essentially weaponized conservatives ready to do battle against the Deep State".It is organized by the Heritage Foundation, to "muzzle woke propaganda at every level of government", "gut the administrative state" (HUD, FEMA, DOJ, DHS, the Federal Reserve, CDC, FDA, EPA, etc.) and concentrate power into the hands of the President (Leeja Miller, in a video that is linked below, goes into detail on how this would work).Their claim is that "Only through the implementation of specific action plans at each agency will the next conservative presidential Administration be successful".The plan includes a [180 Day Playbook](https://www.project2025.org/playbook/), described as "...a comprehensive, concrete transition plan for each federal agency."

The plan is "the conservative movement's unified effort to be ready for the next conservative administration to govern at 12:00 noon, January 20, 2025".Project 2025 promises to "rescue the country from the grip of the radical Left" and to "unite the conservative movement and the American people against elite rule and woke culture warriors".Project 2025 lists problems with America such as:* The breakdown of the family* Immigration* The "totalitarian cult known today as The Great Awokening"* The erosion of constitutional accountability in Washington* Children suffering the "toxic normalization of transgenderism with drag queens and pornography invading their school libraries"* An "overseas, totalitarian Communist dictatorship" that is "not a strategic partner or fair competitor" and is "engaged in a strategic, cultural and economic Cold War against America's interests, values and people"* "Low-income communities" that are "drowning in addiction and government dependence"* "America's elites have betrayed the American People"* The left using climate change "to scare the American public into accepting their ineffective, liberty crushing regulations"They believe that "These are problems not of technocratic efficiency, but of national sovereignty and constitutional governance. We solve them not by trimming and reshaping the leaves, but by ripping out the trees -- root and branch."

Their broad goals are to:1. Restore the family as the centerpiece of American life, and protect our children2. Dismantle the administrative state and return self-governance to the American people3. Defend our nation's sovereignty, borders and bounty against global threats4. Secure our God-given individual rights to live freely - what our constitution calls "the Blessings of Liberty"Dans states that "The long march of Cultural Marxism through our institutions has come to pass. The federal government is a behemoth, weaponized against American citizens and conservative values, with freedom and liberty under siege as never before".Project 2025 is, in my words, a distinctly terrifying and highly detailed roadmap for:* Installing a Chriso-fascist oligarchy* Rolling back civil and human rights* Removing bodily autonomy from women and transgender individuals* The systematic eradication of minorities and other vulnerable groupsI don't use the words "systematic eradication" lightly or with hyperbole.

They obviously don't come right out and say it, but they state that:* Pornography should be outlawed* The people who produce and distribute it should be imprisoned* Educators and public librarians who purvey it should be classed as registered sex offenders* Telecommunications and technology firms that facilitate its spread should be shutteredThe real problem with the above, apart from the obvious, is that they label the existence of LGBTQIA+ people as "inherently pornographic". They say that pornography is “manifested today through the omnipresent propagation of transgender ideology".They say that the fix "starts with deleting the terms sexual orientation and gender identity ('SOGI'), diversity, equity and inclusion ('DEI'), gender, gender equality, gender awareness, gender sensitive, abortion, reproductive health, reproductive rights, and any other term to deprive Americans of their First Amendment rights out of every federal rule, agency regulation, contract, grant, regulation, and piece of legislation that exists".They also state that "The president should direct agencies to rescind regulations interpreting sex discrimination provisions as prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, sex characteristics, etc."

They want to "maintain a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family" which would remove protections for same-sex marriage.Leeja Miller helpfully points out that the above language does not simply include transgender individuals, it includes cis women as well. I'd argue that removing the DEI language also allows them to target anyone that isn't a white, cis, heterosexual, evangelical (or other approved flavor of Christianity) male.Some other points of note:* They want to eliminate the Department of Education* They want to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory* They want to bring back the practice of impounding funds

**References*** A direct link to a PDF copy of the project's Policy Agenda, aka their "Mandate for Leadership": [https://thf\_media.s3.amazonaws.com/project2025/2025\_MandateForLeadership\_FULL.pdf](https://thf_media.s3.amazonaws.com/project2025/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf), this can be found on the Policy page of the Project 2025 website.* A video from Leeja Miller: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k3UvaC5m7o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k3UvaC5m7o)* An NPR article focusing on the climate policy aspect: [https://www.npr.org/2023/08/08/1192634090/if-republicans-win-the-white-house-in-2024-climate-policy-will-likely-change](https://www.npr.org/2023/08/08/1192634090/if-republicans-win-the-white-house-in-2024-climate-policy-will-likely-change)* A UC Berkeley write up: [https://bpr.berkeley.edu/2023/11/17/project-2025-democratic-doomsday/](https://bpr.berkeley.edu/2023/11/17/project-2025-democratic-doomsday/)* An article from the NECC Observer: [http://observer.necc.mass.edu/blog/2023/11/20/the-danger-of-project-2025/](http://observer.necc.mass.edu/blog/2023/11/20/the-danger-of-project-2025/)* An article from PBS: [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/conservatives-aim-to-restructure-u-s-government-and-replace-it-with-trumps-vision](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/conservatives-aim-to-restructure-u-s-government-and-replace-it-with-trumps-vision)

Mezzo - 09 - Silent Shout

Pairing: mshenko | Rating: M Tags: Canon-typical violence, trauma, dealing with your problems poorly, body autonomy struggles   Summary: The twists and turns of ME2, through the eyes of everyone but Commander Shepard. Chapter Summary: Krogan, shackled AI, and collectors, oh my! AKA, I’m not sorry. Not even a little bit.   Thank you to @sinvraal for betaing!

Chapter 9: Silent Shout | Read on Ao3

24 November, 2185, Eagle Nebula, Imir System, Korlus Orbit, Normandy SR-2

“I’m fine.”

Karin bites her tongue as Shepard glares up at the ring of onlookers arguing quite vehemently to the contrary. He sits perched on a medical bed, waiting rather impatiently for her to verify the bone knitter has successfully mended the fractured shoulder, broken clavicle, and fractured ribs. She had to reprogram it twice to accommodate for the greater bone density Cerberus gifted him.

Of course, once that had been sorted she’d had to deal with the lacerations earned from an exploding YMIR mech. And yet the hardest part of it all wasn’t the treatment – it was keeping him still and on the table. She’s almost thankful for the presence of Taylor, Lawson, and Garrus. They hover around the biobed like a perimeter fence. She is very thankful, however, they didn’t invite the krogan currently stored in a tank down in the cargo hold.

Lawson likely doesn’t feel thankful. Poor thing is getting a master class in how difficult it is to converse with Shepard when he isn’t interested in listening.

“Shepard, if the implant is malfunctioning—”

“I said I’m fine.”

“You collapsed in the middle of a mission.” 

Karin almost pities her. Can’t be easy to learn your heroic medical marvel comes with as many vexations as he does heroic commendations.

Taylor scowls, opening his mouth, then shutting it again with an irritated shake of his head before taking a few steps away from the others. The questionable conclusion to the Korlus mission has done nothing to dissipate the thundercloud that had descended upon him after Lawson took his place on the ground team.

But right now, Taylor is not her concern. Shepard is.

Garrus hums from the spot he staked out beside Shepard’s bed, rather strategically between Shepard and the medbay door. “Call me crazy, but it might have to do with the spontaneous teleporting.”

The furrows in Lawson’s brow deepen. “People don’t teleport. That isn’t how biotics work.”

“Of course I didn’t teleport.”

“Then what happened?” Taylor asks, in the clipped tones of someone diligently removing the barbs from each word before they’re uttered.

Shepard rolls the freshly mended shoulder, grimacing and putting a hand to his ribs. “Let me worry about it.”

Hardly. Karin gets her scanner back out. Surely the ossification process on that last cycle had been sufficient. Then again, Shepard has always had an oddly low tolerance for bone knitters.

“You were the bullet,” Garrus says, a low rumble in his subvocals. They all turn to stare at him. His brow plates shift. “Look, I don’t know how any of it works. But I know how my gun works. Shepard didn’t fire a projectile. He didn’t make someone else a projectile. He was the projectile.”

For several seconds, the only sound in the room is the hum of the scanner. It chirps the results. Bone knitter cycle was indeed successful.  

Lawson turns back to Shepard, fingers to her chin, gears turning. “How?”  

“I said don’t worry about it.”

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