#but still we have awesome engineers and scientist all around the world doing great important work that change our lives

[albonium]

The comments on Ferrari's posts to celebrate Carlos' win are just sad. "We see who the second driver is now" and other petty bullshit. They were asking Carlos to sacrifice his race for Charles; that isn't the team making Carlos the first driver. It's the team giving Charles awful strategies that risked his race. It isn't Carlos people should be mad at.

Yeah it sucks and a lot of people are being unreasonable saying Charles should leave the team or that they're favouring Carlos.

Carlos agreed to let Charles by, he agreed to give up his chance to a first win. That's huge not enough people realise that. Then they told him to try to hold back people so that Charles could try to stay ahead but that was stupid and would probably have costed both of them.

At first I wrote something very negative but I won't let all this affect me, I'm SO HAPPY for Carlos.

When I started watching F1 again in 2020, I decided to watch the recent years and started at the start of the hybrid era aka 2014. This means I have seen all of Carlos' races and I feel like he can actually do this, he can and he will win races. He's a good driver and deserves a team that supports him. He might not get the praise of "generational talents" but he's well capable and like Jolyon said earlier he's a full package skill-wise. He might lack some pace at the moment because he's not entirely comfortable with the car but it'll come. I wish fans saw it as I see it.

#sometimes drivers aren't ''generational talents'' but are still extremly good and i think carlos is #not everyone can be einstein #but still we have awesome engineers and scientist all around the world doing great important work that change our lives #this is a weird analogy but idk what else to say #OK I KNOW #some people have perfect pitch #but some great artist don't and still are amazing musicians that are recognised as part of the bests #ask #im supposed to be sleeping

[script-a-world]

How much futuristic tech can I put being invented in the past (in secret by a single person or a civilian group) and not break the world or sound too implausible. Could there be space travel in Ancient Egypt? Or maybe there might be an internal timeline issue and how it aligns with other future tech? Or not since the people inventing them generally are not sharing? My story is not meant to be fantasy otherwise space travel in Ancient Egypt is absolute no problem.

Constablewrites: Short answer: for this premise to work as stated, you’d have to accept and embrace the fact that your story isn’t going to reside in the same post code as historical plausibility. Never heard of her, don’t think she even goes to this school. And that can work if you lean into it: make it explicitly an alternate timeline, or acknowledge in the story that it doesn’t make sense but we’re gonna go with it, or be just generally zany enough that something like this doesn’t stand out.

It’s not that you couldn’t make the general premise (some early civilization creating tech that is more advanced than what we have today) hold up. But specifically space travel, and specifically ancient Egypt, each stretch that premise beyond the breaking point.

First off, the ancient Egyptians were obsessed with pretty much two things: figuring out what lies beyond our world, and writing down absolutely everything in a form that won’t get destroyed by the desert. If they’d figured out some way to get off the planet, you’d better believe they would have recorded it in great detail and spread it around to all their trading partners as more evidence of their awesomeness as an empire. We know so much about ancient Egypt, so there aren’t a lot of holes in that historical record to squeeze in fabrications, let alone something with that many implications, while trying to keep the rest of it intact.

Then there’s the technology side. The thing about technological advances is that they build off each other. So you’re not gonna have an engine that can get you off the ground if everyone else is still relying on draft animals and carts. Getting to those engines was a collaborative effort that took decades of scientists building off the improvements of others. You can argue that it’s a closely-guarded secret, but the incentives to share that information are pretty strong (maybe you feel it would make people’s lives better, and/or you feel you’d make a lot more money with a broader customer base), to say nothing of the possibility of someone else independently developing something similar.

And that’s just one aspect of it. Getting people into space requires significant advancements in biology, propulsion chemistry, textiles, fuel and battery capacity, food storage and preparation, communications, astronomy… It’s a very long list of stuff that all has to come together, and it requires a level of resources and coordination that necessitates a strong and stable government (or a private organization that can function at the same level).

So, the answer to “Could there be space travel in ancient Egypt?” is pretty unequivocally “no.” That doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to tweak the concept to make it work, though. Some suggestions:

A different civilization Egypt is one of the most extensively researched and documented histories on the planet. Go hipster and choose a civilization that’s pretty obscure, you probably haven’t heard of it--something with those gaps in our knowledge where you might be able to fit something like this. (A caveat: if the descendents of that civilization are presently marginalized and that’s not a history you share, that’s pretty solidly not your lane and you should proceed with extreme caution if at all.)

A different technology Maybe it’s the engines or the communications or the metallurgy individually that was secretly very advanced. Some other technological advancement far beyond its time is fairly plausible, especially considering that we’ve found devices that employed technologies that wouldn’t otherwise be in use for hundreds or thousands of years. There’s still some interdisciplinarity required for a lot of those, but not nearly to the extent of space travel, which is pretty much the final comprehensive exam for all human knowledge.

Embrace the fantasy This is an inherently sci-fi concept, so leaning into that is probably going to provide the most logical consistency. Maybe it was aliens (insert meme dude) or maybe it was just something like vibranium which has the specific chemical property of “whatever the writers need it to do at a given point in time.” Just something from outside our world that can counter the difficulties explained above.

Embrace the nonsense Yeah, it’s not remotely historically plausible, but we don’t mind because it’s That Kind of Story. Maintaining plausibility can help maintain a reader’s interest in the story because you’re avoiding those little niggling doubts that can pull them out of it. But the internal logic of a story is far more important than ensuring it adheres rigidly to real-world logic. And people will generally allow quite a bit of leeway for a story that is enjoyable and fun. Basically, if you know you aren’t going to get audience buy-in based on their believing this story could have actually happened, seek that buy-in through other means.

#pylons #alternate reality #future tech #alternate history #Anonymous

[ketopian]

Putting Your Money Where Your Research Is

So my wife and I are starting a business selling all the Ketogenic Diet related things that we wish there was already a website for. We've been eating keto for a couple of years now and it has had a huge impact on our health and our lives. My wife has lost a huge amount of body fat and overcome multiple metabolic issues and I've been able to stop taking immunosuppressants for Crohn's Disease and am now completely drug free. We both have hugely increased energy levels. There are loads of great Keto and Low Carb blogs in the world, so I thought long and hard about writing yet another one, but I thought that a) it might help me to get more clarity on certain issues b) give me reason to experiment a bit more with my meals, as I've gotten a bit lazy of late and everyone loves a recipe, and c) force me to consolidate all I have learned from reading various bits of scientific literature in relation to nutrition, which is something I do a lot given my past as a scientist, engineer and science teacher. While my background isn't medicine, I have spent the last few years educating myself on biochemistry. This was originally to help my wife with various issues (many of which a plan to go into at a later date), but I quickly discovered that there was a lot more I could learn.   

I, like most scientifically minded or "sceptical" (there's a word that's been seriously corrupted by the internet) people, thought I knew all there was to know about nutrition: a calorie is a calorie, an energy deficit is all you need to lose weight, and no, you aren't fat because of your hormones. I went at least a little further than most; I understood how digestion worked and that starches ended up as glucose in the body, a message some medical professionals still seem to have trouble with. Nonetheless, it came as a shock to me when all this stuff didn't seem to work for my wife. I was seeing how little he was eating, how hungry she was getting and how difficult it was for her to shift those fat stores. Her pregnancy was a major turning point. PCOS had been mooted before but it was never confirmed until a scan ended up with the radiographer saying “Your ovaries look a little polycystic to me”. This was followed a number of weeks later by a diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes, accompanied by the standard advice – eat regular meals (six per day plus snacks) and make sure you have loads of carbohydrate at each – accompanied by the offer of medication. Well, we were both determined that that wasn’t going to happen, so I set about researching, which is what I do best (well, one of two things, but we’ll come to the other much later). The obstetricians could not believe her blood sugar readings – they were better than most non-diabetics. One of them even asked to see the glycometer, as such low readings could not be possible. How did we do it? By ignoring all the advice we were given, reducing carbohydrates to a very low level (although not keto levels at that point) and using a small number of carefully researched supplements. We didn’t mention the supplements to any medical professional; we had enough patronising advice from them, but it was following the science that allowed my wife to avoid medication and to produce a daughter who was born incredibly healthy and with a great start in life.

I don’t want to criticise the medical community too much, most of them are only trying their best, but there is a certain amount of arrogance which tends to come with being a doctor, which often is not concomitant with their intelligence or knowledge. Just as in any other field of endeavour, ability as a medical practitioner is on a bell curve. In other words, there are a few who are fantastic at their jobs, a few who are truly awful, and most are pretty much middling in ability. I’ve taught students who became doctors, and if I were ever given an appointment with them, I’d run a mile! Most doctors follow the guidelines, and it’s a lottery as to whether you get to see the occasional few who do enough research in the right areas to go beyond that. If we educate ourselves to a high enough level, we may be able to help our doctors to help themselves and then eventually to help everyone else.

So back to the story. So this whole pregnancy episode got me really intrigued. Was everything I knew actually complete bullshit? I had spent around close to 300 hours during Hayley’s pregnancy reading papers and getting familiar with the biochemistry and biology of nutrition, and countless more hours not sleeping but thinking about what I had read. It completely changed my attitude to my own knowledge. It had also deeply concerned me. How could everyone have been so wrong on this for so long? Well, it turns out that they absolutely could be, and the reasons are complex and too long for now (stay tuned for a post on this precise subject), but there was something else that intrigued me.

I have Crohn’s Disease. For those of you who don’t know, Crohn’s Disease is an autoimmune disease of the gastrointestinal tract. What this means is it causes inflammation, ulceration and pain, anywhere from the mouth to the anus. It is essentially when your own immune system decides that your gut is a foreign object and therefore needs destruction. My own Crohn’s was mainly confined to the colon, although I also got very large and painful mouth ulcers. Crohn’s is usually treated with steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressants, which damp down the immune system, and a more recent sort of therapy called biologic therapy. I had been a biologic many years ago, but I was fairly lucky in that I was OK on just anti-inflammatories and immunosuppressants, however the immunosuppressants were not pleasant. I got every illness going. If I got a cold, I had it bad for two weeks, including having to spend a day or two in bed. I had got to the end of my tether; there had to be another way.

Enter ketone bodies. So if you know anything about ketogenic diets you probably know that when you restrict carbohydrates enough that your body starts to use fat to create substances called ketone bodies, the most important of which for human metabolism is a chemical called Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). Well, it turns out BHB has a strong anti-inflammatory effect. “Aha,” I thought to myself,” This might be worth a go”. It was. I had tried to come off medication several times previously, under medical supervision, of course. Always, within about six weeks, I would have a serious and painful relapse. Not this time. I bit the bullet, stopped my medication (this time without telling any medical professionals) stopped the carbs and waited, fully expecting the usual relapse. It’s now been two years drug free and I have never felt better. I would go as far as to say I have no symptoms of Crohn’s. While I would hesitate to say all Crohn’s sufferers should do this, especially the way I did it, it might be worth a try if you’ve had enough of the side effects of your drugs, or if you can’t get any relief and just want an extra bit of help. With medical supervision, of course. It might also be worth a try if you have any other autoimmune disorder, such as ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, lupus and maybe even multiple sclerosis. Please don’t take this as medical advice but try to educate yourself and your medical practitioners as much as possible on this subject. If you want any help in this endeavour please let me know.

Well, this has been a long and rambling story, but we’re almost up to date. Since my discoveries I have helped a number of friends and family members send their type 2 diabetes or prediabetes into remission, lose weight and become healthier, both physically and mentally. My wife is slimmer, healthier and feels generally better. I didn’t even realise I had fat to lose but the recent appearance of my abdominal muscles seems to confirm that I actually had a fair bit to get rid of. All by getting rid of refined sugar, starchy carbs and the vast majority of processed foods, and getting BHB levels up. Do I think that everyone should be doing keto? Absolutely not. Everyone’s biology is unique – some people will respond fantastically to a ketogenic diet, some people will get less than nothing from it. But for those for whom it works it is life changing. Hopefully via the website, this blog and the planned videos we will be able to help more people get what they need out of this incredibly powerful dietary intervention. 

TL;DR: For lots of people Ketogenic Diets are awesome. Welcome to Ketopian.

#keto #low carb #autoimmunity #crohn's disease #pcos #gestational diabetes #ketogenic #ketopian

[tstarkapologist]

Of Gods and Crushes

“What’s going-” Peter entered the room, his sentence stopping short as he finally saw the reason why Tony had called him.

Peter’s eyes grew wide and his jaw went slack. Tony’s grin widened. He stood and made his way over to the literal god of a man standing in his living room, “Kid, meet Thor. Point Break, this is Peter.”

--

or Peter meets Thor and has something important to tell Tony.

--

Peter Parker & Tony Stark

1.5k - G - No warnings apply - written for Bingo prompt: Coming Out

Read on AO3 -- Bingo Master List

(part of my “Everybody, Meet Peter” series, but can be read alone)

“Hey, Mr.-”

“Kid.”

“-Stark.”

“Yeah, whatever. Listen, I’m sending Happy to pick you up.”

“Umm, okay? Is everything alright?”

“Just peachy. I know I said you weren’t allowed back at the compound until you could promise to be a Big Boy-”

“Hey!”

“-but I’ve got a surprise for you and I can’t wait any longer to see the dumb look on your face.”

“I know you’re trying to be nice, but I can’t help but feel a little offended right now.”

“Whatever, kid. Happy’s 15 minutes out, pack a bag.”

An hour later Tony was in the Avenger’s common room chatting idly when Peter’s voice from the hallway broke through the conversation.

“Mr. Stark?”

Tony grinned. “In here, bud!” He called to guide the boy.

“What’s going-” Peter entered the room, his sentence stopping short as he finally saw the reason why Tony had called him.

Peter’s eyes grew wide and his jaw went slack. Tony’s grin widened. He stood and made his way over to the literal god of a man standing in his living room, “Kid, meet Thor. Point Break, this is Peter.”

“Ah, you must be the ward Stark was telling me about.” The Asgardian held his hand out to Peter who looked like he was about to faint at the idea of touching the god.

Peter finally snapped his mouth shut and reached out to take Thor’s hand in what Tony could only imagine was the strongest handshake on Earth given the power between the two. “H-hi, I’m- I, um, I’m Peter.”

“I’ve been told you are quite the impressive young man, I look forward to getting to know you during my stay on Earth.” Thor patted Peter’s shoulder causing the kid to stumble. The look in the boy’s eyes was some strange mix of awe and panic.

“Um.” Peter’s voice was so high Tony was sure his voice crack was about to crack. “Mr. Stark, can I talk to you for a sec?” Peter didn’t wait for his response before pulling him out of the room by his sleeve. “Awesome.”

Tony couldn’t help but chuckle at Peter’s antics as the kid pulled him down the hall. “Whoa, hey, what’s going on? I thought you’d be delighted to meet your second favorite Avenger.”

“Yeah, um, here’s the thing Mr. Stark. There’s something I haven’t told you which, like, isn’t a huge deal, but actually no, it is kinda important and I know I probably should have told you sooner, it’s not like I think you’re gonna freak out or anything, I just hadn’t gotten around to it yet and -” Peter was rambling. He was also still pulling Tony down the hallway.

Tony needed to put a stop to this. He was pretty sure that even if he stopped walking Peter wouldn’t notice, and with his strength, he’d quite literally end up pulling Tony down the hall, so that plan was out. He wasn’t sure where Peter was taking them, or if the kid even had a place in mind at all and wasn’t just dragging him around in circles out of panic. But there was no one around, and Peter’s voice was getting a little too fast and his breathing too rapid for Tony to let this go on any longer. He quickened his pace, jogging around to cut the boy off and placed his hands on Peter’s shoulders.

“Peter.” The boy’s eyes snapped up to meet his.  “Deep breath, kid. Whatever it is I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Peter’s eyes still looked a little manic, so Tony took care to slow his own breathing and work gentle rhythmic circles into Pete’s shoulder with his thumb to try and ground him.

“I just-” Peter cut himself off, “I’m not-” He looked frustrated at his inability to get out what he was trying to say. Tony took one of the kid’s hands and placed it on his chest so the boy could time his breathing to his mentor’s. Peter let out a huff and his whole body sagged, his eyes falling to the floor, “I’m bi.”

“Oh, Peter.” Tony’s entire demeanor softened. He brought the hand that was still on Peter’s shoulder up to the boy’s cheek, he needed Peter to look at him so he could see his sincerity. “Thank you for telling me, bud. I am so happy that you feel comfortable enough with me to do that.” Peter seemed to relax and Tony’s smile grew as he let out a small laugh, “And listen, I know that ‘I know’ isn’t a great response to coming out, but Pete, I didn’t realize it was a secret.”

“What?!”

Tony knew this was a big moment for the kid so he tried his best not to laugh at the horror on the boy’s face as he extracted himself from his mentor’s hold, but he wouldn’t be him if he didn’t at least tease Peter little bit. “Well, I assume you’re telling me this because you have a crush on Mr. Darcy back there. You haven’t exactly been subtle about it, bud.”

An alarmed, choked off noise sprung from the back of Peter’s throat. “Dude!”

Tony rolled his eyes, “Seriously, Pete, I’m really happy you told me, but I don’t get why we had to run out on Asgard’s most eligible bachelor.”

“Okay, Mr. Stark, maybe you don’t understand because you’re…” Peter waved his hands up and down at Tony as if that was supposed to explain anything. “Well, you’re Tony Stark, but most people aren’t prepared to meet their celebrity crush on a random Tuesday in the middle of June.”

Okay, so maybe Tony was a little more used to hanging around the rich and famous than your average guy, but he had kind of figured between him and Pepper and the couple other Avengers that Peter had met that the kid was getting pretty used to it too. “What are you saying here, Underoos?”

“I’m saying…” Peter sighed. “I’m saying I was 11 when the battle of New York happened and that Thor was the first guy I ever had a crush on.” He was full on mumbling, cheeks red, staring holes into the floor, embarrassed. Tony would feel bad if it wasn’t so goddamn adorable.

“Thank you...so much for telling me that, I’m never letting you live that down.”

“Not the point, Mr. Stark!” Tony barked out a laugh at the indignant look on Peter’s face and threw an arm around his shoulders.

“I’m sorry, bud, I promise to not purposefully embarrass you in front of Thor.” He started steering Peter back towards the common room.

Peter let himself be guided by the older man, but his reluctance was clear on his face and in his crossed arms and as he mumbled, “I don’t believe you.”

Tony nodded his head solemnly, “That’s probably smart.”

“Mr. Stark!” Peter stopped in his tracks, a look of pure betrayal covering his face.

“Okay, fine!” Tony held his arms up in a show of defeat. “Let’s just go back in there. I’ll try and keep the conversation off you enough that you can just sit and ogle Thor’s muscles.” He patted the boy’s shoulder and started walking back to the common room.

“I crave death.” The kid sounded miserable but Tony could hear him running to catch up with him, so it couldn’t be too bad.

“I know, kiddo, but this is so much more fun.”

The pair re-entered the living room to find Rhodey had joined Thor and was showing him his leg braces.

“Sorry about that. Kid just needed my help with some science stuff.”

Rhodey looked at Tony questioningly. He just winked at his friend and shot him a conspiratory smile as he went to stand beside him, discretely leaning over to whisper, “You’ll see.”

Sure enough, Peter went straight up to the god, seemingly determined to make a better impression. “Hi, Mr. Thor. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“I’m sure it is.” Only Thor could say that and still have people like him. If Tony says stuff like that everyone calls him an ass. “Rhodey was telling me that you helped with his new robot legs, that’s very impressive.”

“Oh I, um, I, well,” There was the Peter Tony knew and loved. “I helped Mr. Stark but I’m more a scientist than an engineer.” Peter was blushing so hard Tony was surprised there was any blood left in the rest of his body.

“A scientist, you say?” Thor looked impressed. “You’ll probably get along well with Banner then. He should be here soon.”

“Banner?” Peter’s voice jumped back up about three octaves. “As in Dr. Bruce Banner?”

Tony could see Rhodey’s smirk out of the corner of his eye. He knew what was coming before the words left his friends mouth, “Hey, Blondie, do you know what a fanboy is?”

The look Peter shot them would have been terrifying if it wasn’t coming from the kindest kid in the world. “I will kill you in your sleep.”

It was good to know he had friends who would tease his kid for him when he couldn’t.

#my fic #marvel #mcu #tony stark #peter parker #iron man #Spider-Man #irondad #iron dad #fanfic #irondadbingo

[guyveranimefan87-blog]

"Captain Marvel" review -  Not terrible, but not marvelous either.

As we all know, the latest MCU movie "Captain Marvel" had finally reached our cinemas, and thus after months of drama surrounding it, with one group hailing it as the best thing Marvel ever did, and other claiming it would be a movie that would destroy the whole franchise... before anyone had a chance to see it... we can finally see how is it.

And well...

In my opinion it's a solid Marvel movie, not bad or anything, but nothing special either, something around the level of "Captain America - The First Avenger", or first "Thor".

It has it's moments, but compared to previous MCU movies like "Doctor Strange" or "Black Panther" it lacks something that would make it special and unique.

I mean, with "Doctor Strange" we had our first introduction to magical side of MCU, plus trippy visuals connected with the Mirror World, and "Black Panther" had introduced us to the whole new culture and unique visual style of Wakanda, so they had something going for them even in their weaker moments.

And I don't think "Captain Marvel" has something like that.

I mean, 90's references are cool and I got a few chuckles out of them, but if I wanted to remind myself of those dumb and glorious times, when I was younger, slimmer and less cynical I could go on Tumblr...

Oh, yeah I am already here.

And people who don't remember those times would probably be as baffled by seeing pager and dial-up modems, as they were be seeing alien cities and spaceships...

But let's start at the beginning, that is with the plot.

Our heroine is Vers, a member of an elite military unit known as Starforce serving the interstellar Kree Empire, but despite her unquestionable power and fighting skills, her commander and mentor Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) has doubts about her performance, since she has a tendency to let her emotions guide her, something that Kree warrior shouldn't do.

Yeah, this cyborg guy from “Guardians of The Galaxy” is there too...

Vers emotional problems are connected with the fact that she lacks memories from before she joined the unit, and is tormented by recurring nightmares where she sees chaotic and fragmented pieces of her past.

Still, as I mentioned before, she is still a powerful and confident warrior, so despite Yon-Rogg's doubts, she takes part in a mission to extract a deep-cover Kree agent from one of the border planets controlled by an ancient enemy of her people, a shapeshifting race of Skrulls.

Mission ends badly, as it turns out that the agent was already compromised by Skrulls and Vers is captured during a resulting ambush by a Skrull commander, Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), who used some kind of memory probe to access her buried memories... that turn out to be about her previous life, but not on one of Kree planets, but rather on a primitive, backwater planet C-53, also known as Earth.

Apparently Skrulls are looking for a scientist known as doctor Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening), that Vers somehow used to know, and who according to her memories developed some kind of new faster-than-light engine.

Vers manages to escape captivity using her ability to generate energy blasts from her hands, as well as her hand-to-hand skills, but the escape pod she steals from Skrulls gets damaged, causing her to crash-land on Earth, to be precise in one of Los Angeles Blockbuster Video stores.

Does anyone remember Blockbuster Video anymore? Sorry, getting back on the topic...

Her less-than-stealthy arrival alerts the local authorities, including a pair of S.H.I.E.L.D agents, Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Mothafu#kin Jackson), who are a bit skeptical when a woman "dressed like for Lazer Tag" tells them she is an alien soldier who hunts other aliens, who are shapeshifters, but they are attacked by one of Talos's troops, confirming that her story is true.

And thus Vers and Fury would have to join forces to stop Skrulls and find the truth about our heroine, from her fragmented memories...

Before the movie I was curious and to be honest rather worried about how screenwriters would tackle the backstory of Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel, since in the comics it was rebooted so many times, that I doubt that even people writing her remember about everything, with numerous costume, identity and power changes, not to even mention new personality traits with each new writer...

But they did managed to jump this hurdle, by creating a completely new origin story from the ground up, that while using certain elements from her comic book counterparts, gives us something relatively simple, and accessible to causal moviegoers and hardcore nerds alike.

And let's be honest, since Carol is not exactly the most popular character ever, despite numerous attempts at making her relevant in the last few years, so I don't think there would be any purist fans outraged by the changes made for the movie.

I mean, whole cast of "Guardians of The Galaxy" had undergone massive changes, and everybody was OK with that, heck some of those changes were even retconned into comics, so probably here it would also work that way.

As for the plot itself, it really did reminded me of first "Thor".

I mean, we have a superhero from an advanced race, that is dumped on Earth without having any idea of how the place works, but finds a hypercompetent human sidekick, and together they stand against Big Bad only for The Hero to unlock their True Power in the third act.

Yeah... Seems kinda familiar, eh?

It's not necessarily bad or anything, but it's really a shame that some things hadn't been expanded upon a bit, like Kree culture, relationship between Carol a.k.a Vers and Yon-Rogg, etc.

I mean "Black Panther" managed to fit whole three act formula into the plot, while also show the viewers quite a lot about Wakanda, so why not here?

Movie also drags a bit in the middle, as save for two action scenes, most of the story-arc is comprised of our heroine and Fury driving from place to place looking for answers, talking a bit and so on, which is not really adrenaline-filled superhero cinema...

It hadn't reached the point when I got really bored, mainly due to good chemistry Larson and Jackson have together, but I did though that MCU movies managed to overcome their pacing problems after Phase One, so it wasn't a pleasant surprise seeing that they had taken two steps back here.

Another controversy about the movie way before it's release was our lead, Brie Larson, not only because of doubts about her acting prowess, but also quite a few ill-thought things she said be it in interviews, or through Twitter, but the latter is not really important here, so let's focus on the former.

After watching trailers and promo clips quite a few people were doubting Larson's ability to carry the movie, and accusing her acting of being "stiff" and "emotionless" and they were partially right, though I am not sure all the blame can be put on actress herself.

Vers/Carol does seem rather stiff and emotionless through most of the movie, but it looks more like a conscious decision of director's part, as I mentioned Kree pride themselves on controlling their emotions, which is fine, but severely limited Larson in the role, as it's hard to say anything about her character's personality.

I mean, there are a few scenes when she does show that she can act, usually during her scenes with Nick Fury, cause as I mentioned before, they have a nice chemistry together, flashbacks from before she was trained as a Kree warrior, but still comes out a bit bland through most of the runtime.

It becomes even more jarring during the scene when Vars meets her old friend Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), who is rather shocked to see her, torn between happiness and confusion, giving a strong, emotional performance... while Larson keeps the same facial expression through most of it.

As I mentioned before, it's not the actress's fault, but it does harm the movie on some level.

Samuel L. Jackson however absolutely nails it as younger, less cynical Fury.

Now, we got used to gruff, no-nonsense and properly paranoid commander of S.H.I.E.L.D but here we get Nick who sees a being with superpowers for the first time in his life, and is appropriately shocked / awed by the fact that aliens exist, which gives Mr. Jackson an opportunity to have a bit of a fun with the character.

I mean, I had never expected to see Fury going "oh so cute" about a cat, or freaking out about seeing an alien, but it's lot of fun watching him do it, and judging from his actor, a lot fun to play it, which is rather infectious.  

Also, this cat is awesome.

Sadly, yet again movie’s villain remains one of it’s weak points.

I mean, damn, I really though that after "Black Panther" and "Infinity War" we got over the so-called "Marvel Curse" and villains who are not Loki wouldn't suck anymore. And yet, here we are, back to square one...

Now, don't get me wrong, Ben Mendelsohn does what he can to sell Skrulls leader, and even managed to have some fun with his portrayal.

For example being rather laid-back and even funny in his true form, and a bit stern and stiff in his preferred human form, as well as giving each of them a different accent, but as they say, You cannot get water out of a stone.

He got very little to work with in terms of motivations, background or even personality of his character, making Talos quite flat, despite the actor's best efforts.

If I had to compare it to other Marvel villains, he would be right there with Malekith the Accursed from "Thor - The Dark World", as both movies had absolutely wasted a great actor due to not giving him anything he can use, nor any freedom to flesh the character out, which is a damned shame.

I mean, they tried with a bit of a twist near the end, but You can see it coming from miles away, so it's not really a surprise, and nor does it help our villain in the slightest.

What else...

... Oh yeah, I had evaded this particular elephant in the room for long enough.

Before the movie premiered many people, myself included, were afraid that it would delve too much into politics, since both the cast and Marvel PR people were putting a lot of emphasis on the feminist message of "Captain Marvel", throwing the phrase "First Female Marvel Hero" etc.

Thus I had expected a sexist, and politics heavy crap like "Ghostbusters 2016", but really for all the bluster of Marvel execs, and journalists focusing of this, the whole "feminist" part of the movie turned out to be nearly nonexistent.

I mean, sure we get a scene with male soldiers telling Carol she is "too weak" to be a pilot, or a guy who obnoxiously tries to pick her up, but it's not like the movie spends extended periods of time on it, or goes to extreme length to show all men as idiots, manbabies and chauvinists, as "Ghostbusters" did, so really there was no point to the whole sh#tstorm about it in the first place.

And really, "Wonder Woman" was really a lot more about "Girl Power" than this movie, so I don't think that people who expected it to be about "powerful femininity" and stuff would be totally satisfied with it...

Other than that, we get good special effects (Especially the ones used to de-age Jackson and Gregg), few nice fight scenes, especially in the third act, overall good acting despite problem mentioned above, and a few obligatory callbacks to other MCU movies...

And that's basically it.

It's a competently done movie that nevertheless lacks the bang it supposed to have, and I think that in a few weeks most people would forget about it, like they probably did with "Doctor Strange" and "Ant-Man & The Wasp", because they would be busy talking about "Endgame".

It would still make a ton of money, as all MCU movies do, even if it clearly show that their formula got a bit stale at this point, and even without making a lasting impression it was a well-made popcorn flick.

Still, it shows that Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel does have a potential as a movie character, despite all weird stuff Marvel did with her comic book counterpart, but it wasn't the time when this potential had the chance to be fully utilized. So, better luck next time, Carol?

#captain marvel #review #movie review #ramblings #mcu #marvel cinematic universe #brie larson #samuel l jackson #controversy #movie #avengers endgame #no spoilers #nick fury #agent coulson #s.h.i.e.l.d. #marvel comics

[daresplaining]

Luke Cage Countdown: 4 Days

Deadly Nightshade

Tilda: “The first act of [my] amazing book will be the story of Tilda only caring about Tilda. It will be about a life of unlimited potential, pointed in the wrong direction, fighting for the wrong reasons-- for the wrong gains. But then will come the second act-- and oh, %$#@, that’s going to blow people away.”

    The other big new addition to this season is Tilda Johnson-- Deadly Nightshade, Queen of Werewolves, engineering genius, and all-around badass. We’re really excited about her, and are curious to see how many aspects of her wild comics career (if any) make it into the show. 

    Deadly Nightshade is a strange, awesome character who is finally getting her due in the comics. She was first introduced in Captain America volume 1-- and in fact, so many of her early appearances were in Cap comics that she would probably be classified as part of his rogues gallery. In her introductory issue, she is an up-and-coming young supervillain working for the Golden Age-y baddie Yellow Claw. With his funding and support, she produces a serum that transforms people into werewolf-type creatures, and attempts to use it to take down Captain America and Falcon.

Tilda: “Very nice, Captain America... but you better not have hurt my babies permanently.”

Steve: “Who--?”

Tilda: “My name’s Nightshade, Cap-- Deadly Nightshade. Also called the Queen of Werewolves.”

Captain America vol. 1 #164 by Steve Englehart, Alan Lee Weiss, and Jim Starlin

    Though a brilliant scientist, she is young and inexperienced, and her plan fails. She flees the scene, faking her death in the process. The next time she appears, she is a bit more seasoned, a bit more self-confident-- and has a completely new modus operandi.

Tilda: “You see, Cap, I’m going to take over all of SHIELD. The Yellow Claw’s serum might have been able to turn men into werewolves, but I always had the power to control most male-type human beings.”

Captain America vol. 1 #190 by Tony Isabella, Frank Robbins, and Michele W. 

    These pheromone powers are new-- and again, they don’t stick. Nightshade returns yet again, this time in Power Man and Iron Fist, and this time she is a robotics genius aiming to build a criminal empire. This version of Nightshade is the one that sticks, and it also finally provides a backstory: 

Tilda: "Everyone who ever laughed at me-- who ever underestimated me-- they’ll all be sorry they ever heard of Nightshade! I learned early what the world was like-- in Harlem that was easy. I could see that the ghetto was a dead end-- I had to get out. The only two ways out were learning and crime-- I decided to master both! I studied avidly... and secretly. I was a genius-- but no one suspected-- and I made sure no one would, by playing dumb. By the time I was sixteen, I had amassed the knowledge of a trio of PhDs. The time came to put it to use-- as the Deadly Nightshade! My first tries were foiled by super-heroes, but they were bold attempts. And the authorities soon found that no jail could hold me for long.”

Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 #53 by Ed Hannigan, Sal Buscema, and Nel Yomtov

    Tilda’s manipulation of people’s perceptions is, for us, one of her most compelling features. Even in her early Cap appearances, she displayed a childlike demeanor that masked her intellect. Her scheme in PMIF involves creating a lifelike mob boss robot, and staying under the radar by pretending to be his ditzy girlfriend. Tilda is resigned to the fact that, as a young black woman, she will always be underestimated, and so has decided to weaponize these expectations and use them to her advantage. 

Tilda: “Ch-Chunky. You’ve killed him! *Sob* He was more than a cybernaut to me... *Sob* ...He was the only friend I ever had... a-and now he’s g-gone.”

Luke: “Aw, hey-- c’mon, don’t cry.”

Tilda: “Ha ha ha. Insipid fools. They fall for that bit every time! [...] Always underestimating me-- always thinking of Nightshade as a child. Always giving me a chance to escape!”

Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 #53 by Ed Hannigan, Sal Buscema, and Nel Yomtov

    But her plans never quite work, and for a while, Tilda remains a second-rate villain, never quite achieving the respect that (we think) she deserves. But recently, to our excitement, writer David F. Walker has taken an interest in her and given her a second life in his comics. 

    This has come with a complete lifestyle change. Having fallen on hard times, Tilda is mugged in a back alley. She is rescued by the superhero Nighthawk, who offers her a choice. 

Tilda: “Who... who are you?”

Nighthawk: “You’re Tilda Johnson-- Deadly Nightshade-- robotic engineering expert. I need someone like you working for me. I can leave you here to die-- I could kill you myself, and no one would care... or you can turn it around and put your skills to work doing something important.”

Occupy Avengers #4 by David F. Walker, Carlos Pacheco, and Will Quintana

    Thus, Tilda becomes a hero, working alongside Nighthawk and using her brilliant intellect, engineering skills, and all-around badassery to fight street-level crime and corruption. 

Tilda: “I managed to download all the data stored on the computers here. Then I sent the emergency distress signal you asked for, Barton. And then... I got bored. Figured I’d work up a sweat by saving you guys before help arrived. [...] I just wish I’d gotten here sooner. Maybe I could’ve helped save them.”

Nighthawk: “Tilda, they were robots.”

Tilda: “Some of my best friends have been robots, ‘Hawk. They’re the least judgmental people I know.”

Occupy Avengers #4 by David F. Walker, Carlos Pacheco, and Will Quintana

    When Hawkeye and Red Wolf come to town, she joins their impromptu road trip Avengers team, further expanding her superhero resume. And when Nighthawk is killed, she honors him by taking on his identity. She has entered a new (and thankfully, bikini-less) stage of her career, and we really hope she sticks around.  

Tilda: “If I’d known being one of the good guys was this much fun... I’d have switched sides a long time ago!”

Occupy Avengers #9 by David F. Walker, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, and Jordie Bellaire

    MCU Tilda has only recently started popping up in promos, and we still know next to nothing about her in this universe. This is an instance in which we’re worried a character might not live up to their comics coolness factor. Any version of Nightshade that doesn’t involve robots and/or werewolves in an inherently inferior Nightshade. The character description leaked way back when called her “a brilliant holistic doctor with a complicated history in Harlem where, as much as she tries to stay far from trouble, it seems to always find her”. This presents her as a bystander who is pulled into the plot-- a more passive role than that of her comics counterpart. The career shift is also interesting, and we’re curious about the reasoning behind it. 

    That’s not to say that we don’t think MCU Tilda will be great. There’s a lot more to her than just her inventions, and these shows have a good track record of adding compelling new layers to their characters. The most significant revelation we’ve so far received about Tilda is that she is Mariah Dillard’s daughter. The development of this relationship, in regards to Mariah (and thus Tilda’s) messy family situation, the increasingly shaky morality of Mariah’s life, and Tilda’s own comics-based potential as an antagonist, should be really complicated and compelling. Either way, we can’t wait to see this new version of one of our favorite underused comics characters.  

#Luke Cage spoilers #Deadly Nightshade #Tilda Johnson #Netflix Luke Cage #Commentary #LC Countdown

[origami-goblin]

Starfinder Theme Focus - Spacefarers and Xenoseekers

--

First of all, let me apologize. It's been MONTHS since I teased the final article on Starfinder themes and leaving this series in a perilously unfinished limbo. I wish that I had a decent excuse to explain it, but unfortunately I don't have that either. So please, accept my apology, and let's get to the conclusion of this series!

We've covered a lot of bases - Ace Pilots, Bounty Hunters, Icons, Mercenaries, Outlaws, Priests, and Scholars, which means that today we will be talking about Spacefarers, Xenoseekers, and briefly touching on the Themeless concept. That's still a ton of ground to cover, and I'm a bit intimidated even thinking about it. Concluding this intense detail into Starfinder's themes will be bittersweet - not only because it'll be over, but also because there's no way to fully encapsulate the entire, endless spectrum of characters you can create within Paizo's Starfinder universe. That's what's really great about the Themeless option; if none of the other themes do your character justice in describing their schtick, then you can always go Themeless and solve that particular problem.

Whenever I create a character, I will usually start by trying to find an interesting or obscure feat, characteristic, theme, etc and build the character around that. Some people are really creative and come up with amazing backstories first and build the character to fit their artistic vision. Although that'll happen on occasion, I'll generally determine a character's backstory after I've fleshed out their vitals and statblock. The important thing for me is that my characters stand out. Not from a min-max perspective (if that's what you enjoy then keep doing it!), but from a standpoint of going outside the norm and playing a character with abilities that people may have never experienced before.

Stone Warder Sorcerer? Breadth of Experience feat? Archivist Bard? All of these types of choices go leaps and bounds to hint and what the character is all about. A Stone Warder Sorcerer would be something like an Earth Bender from Avatar, gaining their powers from the rocky world around them. Characters with a Breadth of Experience are ancient, meaning that they've seen and heard nearly all there is to know. Bards with the Archivist archetype aren't going to be dishing out much damage, but they are constantly scribbling down their experiences and every bit of lore they can get their hands on. And just like that, a single piece of your character's statblock can literally define them.

That's partly been the point of these posts about the Themes in Starfinder. Sure, you can come up with an absolutely AWESOME character concept and attach a theme that fits that character. No problem. But if you're having trouble coming up with a character, the options listed in these posts are meant to assist you in launching off into the incredible Imagisphere to create a truly unique character.

Alright, I've babbled so much that I've turned into a brook. (Sorry if I've used that particular moniker already...it's been a long time since my last Starfinder post). Time to finish off the series!

Spacefarer Character Concepts

"Your longing to journey among the stars can't be sated. You yearn for the adventure of stepping onto a distant world and exploring its secrets. You tend to greet every new opportunity with bravery and fortitude, confident that your multitude of skills will pull you through. Perhaps you simply find joy in the act of traveling with your companions, or perhaps you are just out to line your pockets with all sorts of alien loot!"

Clueless Tourist - Let's face it. You saw a map of the Pact Worlds and immediately searched the best places to visit on each planet. Theme parks, monuments, parks - you want to visit them all and document your travels on a blog that you're still coming up with a creative name for. Experiences are the best currency to be paid in, and your goal is to become filthy rich on them. Now, you might not understand all of the different cultures or customs in the places that you're visiting, but in your eyes everybody else should be happy that you're bolstering the economy in all of your destinations. Excuse me - could you please take my photo?

Deductive Meteorologist - Perhaps in the same vein as the Environmental Engineer concept from the Scholar post, this character would be all about the weather and is drawn to the varied climates and conditions present in the Pact World planets. Have you ever seen the sunrise through noxious fuchsia clouds or felt thick, oily rain land on your head? All of these phenomenon can be explained through science. Maybe you'll publish a scholarly journal on your findings, or maybe your more of a storm-chaser bent on surviving the most wild and dangerous conditions. No matter how you spin it, you're fascinated by the weather, whether your companions like it or not.  

Hospitable Flight Attendant - Time to make everybody else's travel experiences as enjoyable as possible. You're an expert at socializing and keeping everybody's minds off the baggage fees and severe lack of legroom. In your eyes, there's no part of a space commute that can't be made better by a tall glass of sherry or a delicious sack of Zeni's Zesty Znacks. While traveling, you are sure to keep all the amenities nearby to heighten the enjoyment of those around you. You might have gotten into the gig because you wanted to see the universe, and maybe that itch is just beginning to surface once more.

Curious Explorer - Hardly anything fancy about this one. You love exploring. The mystery, intrigue, and discovery thrill you to pieces. Every time you come across a corner, you just HAVE to see what's on the other side of it. This is known to get you into heaps of trouble and situations where you end up on the wrong end of a 'No Trespassing' sign. But, through your foolhardy actions, you've been able to experience things that very few other people have, and your stories are the things of legend. There are countless star sectors to visit and only so much time...what are you waiting for?!

Budding Photographer - Your goal? The perfect shot. You might be a movie producer scouting locations for your next sector-buster. Or maybe you're an artistic photographer determined to capture the essence of the human (and alien) experience. You never miss a moment and you are incredibly easy to track based on the trail of snapshots that you leave behind. Whether your honing your craft or a complete amateur when it comes to lighting, focus, and apertures, space grants you the freedom to create magnificent works of art. Every horizon has another potential shot, and you'll hitchhike your way around the galaxy if you have to if it means catching your elusive unicorn.

Xenoseeker Character Concepts

"The thought of meeting alien life-forms excites you. The more different their appearances and customs are from yours, the better! You either believe they have much to teach you or you want to prove you are better than them. Of course, the only way to accomplish your goal is to leave the Pact Worlds and travel to the Vast, where a virtually endless number of aliens await."

Captivated Anthropologist - This concept makes perfect sense. As an anthropologist, you live and love to study the differences between humanoid species. You can even take it a step further to be fascinated with specific aspects of each of the races. What are the secrets behind the Lashunta's psychic abilities? How tough are the scales of the Vesk? So many questions and not enough time to find all the answers. You might become acutely interested in your crewmates, asking them all sorts of intrusive questions in order to develop an understanding for their specific gifts and talents. Beings with surgical enhancements might be particularly interesting to you as humanoids continue their never-ending quest for power.

Inquisitive Marketing Guru - If you want to sell something, you HAVE to know your market. Double blind surveys, focus groups, experimental expos...you will stop at nothing to understand the people buying the products you're pitching. Whether you're a part of an elaborate Ponzi scheme or a well-known enterprise, you are hungry to understand the psychology of buying patterns and habitual spending. If you can unlock those secrets, you will be the most valuable asset to whichever company decides to employ you. And, by developing an understanding for the beings around you, you'll undoubtedly be an asset in any situation involving sweet-talking with honeyed words. Heck - maybe if you can find some delicious edible aliens, you will be the next great snack mogul in the Pact Worlds! Second only to Zeni himzelf.

Experimental Doctor - You embrace the uniqueness of yourself and encourage others to do the same. Stand out from the crowd, you say. Set yourself apart! Implant yourself with one of the many augmentations that you can provide! Your interest in the countless creeping aliens and obscure creatures skittering around the Vast stimulate your imagination and provide you with the necessary...tools to allow you to develop exciting new attachments for your adoring fans. Or maybe you're more secretive and don't think your work should see the light of day. Will you be a mad scientist or a renowned surgeon? The choice is yours!

Calming Zoologist - People will pay loads of money to see an exhibit they've never experienced before. There are countless numbers of mindless creatures out in the far reaches of space that would be welcomed additions to a zoological attraction. Your history in taming wild beasts and soothing the animalistic nature in the creatures you've encountered makes you the perfect person for the job. There is a fantastic space zoo that'll pay top dollar for new specimens, and you're itching to get paid. This isn't to say that you are inconsiderate of the creatures' feelings, however. The zoo that you're working for is more akin to a resort, and they take great care of the residents that live there.

Talkative Space Taxi Driver - While taking fares, you've come across just about every type of intelligent being known in the sector. Long nights that turned into early mornings were a staple of yours, and you've delivered passengers to slums, clubs, and luxury estates, learning about them all the while. You love a good conversation; it helps pass the time and gives you an amazing repertoire of stories to share with your crewmates. Everybody comes from a different background, and you have learned to appreciate the intricacies and uniqueness that everybody brings to the figurative table. You might have a bit of a lead foot as well...but who doesn't?

Themeless Characters

If you don't fit the bill with any of the other themes, then you are probably Themeless. By choosing to forgo a theme designation, your statistical bonuses will suffer compared to a character who has a theme, so if you're more concerned with numbers and maximizing your character, then this might not be for you. Choosing this option, however, will allow you to portray your character as a vast canvas, awaiting your masterful strokes.

Hopefully I've portrayed the wide variety of concepts that the Starfinder themes can cover. With a dash of creativity, you can morph at least one of the themes to fit the base core of your character. Try to think about each of the themes in new ways; don't get caught up in the specific 'title' of the theme. Read the blurbs about each one and search for synonyms that line up with the character that you're envisioning in your mind.

---

At the end of the day, play a character that you WANT to play. You should be excited every time that you portray your character, and play the game in whatever way is going to be the most fun for you.

I hope you've enjoyed this series on the Themes of Starfinder! See you in the stars!

#Starfinder #Paizo #Themes #Character #Creation #Building #ttrpg #RPG #Gaming #Tabletop #Concepts #StarfinderRPG #Rulebook

[thrivous]

For the first time in all of history, defeating death from aging and extending healthy lifespans seem to be attainable goals. Based on my research, I think we'll all have the option to choose life extension sometime over the next twenty or thirty years.

Robust technologies are being built all around us. But what you may not know yet is many of them are aimed directly at extending our healthy lifespan far longer than 120 years.

Combinations of gene therapy geroprotectors may increase our maximum lifespan to 150 years [1, 2]. The SENS approach may reverse and prevent aging, along with rejuvenating biological damage, to maintain indefinite lifespans [3]. Nanotechnology may target every cell in the body, fulfilling the true definition of "precision medicine" [4-5]. And we may develop indefinite biostasis technologies [8, 15, 16].

Imagine extending consciousness through direct and indirect, as well as short and long distance, brain-computer interfaces [6-7]. And beyond combatting death from aging, artificial general intelligence could help us decrease crime, mitigate catastrophic risks, and solve many other persistent problems [9-14].

All of this requires a great deal of capital to research the hard science and develop the technology. And I doubt more than a handful of politicians have even considered the possibility that we could defeat aging in the next few decades. So, because we probably can't expect governments to subsidize age reversal and life extension research anytime soon, we'll need to find the necessary capital somewhere else.

Lucky for all of us, quite a few wealthy individuals have been targeting this problem. Below is a list of the ultra-wealthy, along with brief elaborations of their impressive efforts to extend our healthy lifespans. I sincerely hope these individuals motivate other wealthy and non-wealthy individuals to enter the life extension industry, to help us all in the war against death. I introduce to you some of the most important investors of our time.

Martine Rothblatt

Martine Rothblatt is one of the most impressive individuals our world has ever seen. She is commonly considered to be the richest executive woman in America. And, as of 2019, Forbes set her net worth at $320M [17].

After creating a highly successful company, SiriusXM Satellite Radio [18], Dr. Rothblatt gave it up. She needed to use every valuable second of her time to save her daughter’s life from a rare lung disease, called "pulmonary hypertension" [19].

After Dr. Rothblatt and her team of scientists saved her young daughter’s life, the next logical step was to build what may have been the first life extension biotech company, United Therapeutics [20]. The initial focus of the company was to defeat her daughter’s disease. But shortly after, her passion to save lives extended to everyone. Now she and United Therapeutics build and invest into many robust medical technologies and herald some of the most incredible science that will significantly help in the fight against death.

Dr. Rothblatt noticed most Americans are on the organ transplant list. You can double check on your drivers license whether you have a pink dot. The dot tells doctors you are willing to donate your organs to research.

Sadly, a majority of the organs that have the potential to be transplanted are instead thrown away. That's because they are damaged too much during the dying process.

So, for the past few years, United Therapeutics has been refurbishing discarded lungs. They stream the refurbishing process to transplant surgeons in real time, so the surgeons can provide instructions to the refurbishing doctors. Once the transplant surgeons approve, the refurbishing doctors send the organs.

To cut down on the burning of fossil fuel from the helicopters that transport refurbished organs, Martine invented the first electric helicopter [21]. If that doesn’t sound impressive enough, Martine was one of the first individuals to invest into developing human level AI robots [19].

She also invests in xenotransplantation and 3D bio-printing organs [22]. Recently at a Forbes conference, Dr. Rothblatt stated that, in the 2020s, United Therapeutics will offer viable xenotransplantable human-pig hybrid organs to the public. And in the 2030s, she will disrupt her own xenotransplanting technology by introducing 3D bioprinted organs [23].

Some other big pharma and biotech CEOs would oppress disruptive technologies. But because Martine is a genius businesswoman, she understands that innovation is an easy side to choose. Innovation will inevitably disrupt the archaic. So she might as well make innovation her business model.

Hopefully more biotech and big pharma leaders take notice of Martine and follow her lead. Hopefully their companies aren't disrupted, so they can save more human lives!

Jim Mellon

Jim Mellon is a billionaire British entrepreneur, philanthropist, and investor. His recorded net worth is ~$1.3B [24]. A few years ago, he discovered the life extension industry. And he didn’t waste a second of time before deciding to get involved.

Mr. Mellon has collaborated with researchers like Dr. Aubrey de Grey. He recently brought together an impressive team of researchers at his anti-aging company, Juvenescence [25]. He wrote a book on the promises of health extension [26]. And he launched one of the most awesome annual anti-aging conferences [27].

Mr. Mellon isn’t a passive investor. He doesn’t just throw money at age reversal and life extension research, and then sit back and watch what happens. Instead, he is investing AND getting involved in the movement. He wants to understand and direct the research, so he can play an active role in defeating death.

Mr. Mellon has become a leader in the life extension industry in such a small amount of time. And I'm eager to see what Juvenescence develops in the near and long term!

Dmitry Itskov

A Russian billionaire and media mogul [28], Dmitry Itskov was one of the first to make serious moves in the life extension industry. Like Jim Mellon, Mr. Itskov plans on investing a large sum of his own money AND be directly involved in the development of life extension research.

You can just feel his passion for life extension every time you listen to him discuss it. In 2013, he held a conference, called the "2045 initiative" [29]. Many of the most influential advocates of life extension gathered to provide tutelage, on stage, to an impressive crowd [30-34].

His company is relatively secretive about what they are developing. But, early on, the 2045 initiative shared a great road map to defeating death. I can’t wait to get my first avatar from Mr. Itskov’s company [35]!

Chan and Mark Zuckerberg

One of the most impressive couples on our planet, Chan and Mark Zuckerberg recently set out to cure and manage all disease in their child’s lifetime. They are investing most of their Facebook shares into this endeavor via a biotech company, Chanzuckerberg Biohub [36].

Like the others above, they don't just invest. Dr. Chan is a medical doctor and Mark is a software engineer. Together, they have the potential to play one of the biggest roles in the defeat of death.

Among their first projects is a full cytometric map of the ~200 cell types that make up human bodies. They call this the "Cell Atlas Initiative." Imagine a real-time map of trillions of cells and many, if not all, of their inner workings. They'll likely begin with simple snap shots, but this could still be some of the most valuable data on our planet.

Their other research efforts include an infectious diseases initiative, a technology initiative, and an investigator program. In 2019, they announced their goals and some of their researchers discussed the company [37]. I'm so excited to watch their work.

Osman Kibar

Osman Kibar is an entrepreneur and inventor, with numerous successful biotech companies under his belt. As of 2018, he had a net worth of over $430M [38]. And he has become a power house in the life extension industry with a company called Samumed [39].

Samumed is doing some excellent regenerative medicine and is targeting age-related diseases. Dr. Kibar has taken the bold step of developing therapies that manipulate the Wnt signaling pathway, which not many have had success in manipulating. In 2018, Dr. Kibar presented at Singularity University and hinted at the incredible success that Samumed has already had [40].

Dr. Kibar is a CEO and a scientist. That's a powerful combination. And I'm excited to watch Samumed develop and help us all in the fight against death.

Bryan Johnson

Bryan Johnson is an entrepreneur and investor. He has a net worth of over $400M [41]. He's not just spending his money on cars, yachts, fancy clothes, or a couple islands. Instead, he made the impressive choice of dedicating ~$100M into developing brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies at his company, Kernel [42].

After listening to many of his talks, it's easy to understand that he's not playing around. He fully appreciates how fundamental the human brain truly is to our existence.

Our brain creates a simulation of our reality that we all experience in front of us. All the tastes, objects positioned within space, your love for your wife and children, daily stresses, the smell of cheese, your understanding of mathematics: everything has to be simulated by the brain. So the possibilities are astounding, when you really start researching BCI.

From what I understand, Kernel plans on developing BCI tech so we can increase brain health, along with augmenting our intelligence. I hope that Bryan works on extending our consciousness into computers.

Just imagine how incredible that could be to connect our brains to the Internet. What if we could easily comprehend all scholarly peer-reviewed literature, the same way we currently comprehend 1+1=2? Maybe it sounds silly, but I think that's a goal we will achieve eventually. And there's increasing evidence that "eventually" may be a lot sooner than many think.

Imagine combining this great wealth of knowledge in a meaningful way: to augment all our creativity, our love, and our politics. Everything would change.

What if we could each comprehend medicine, economics, synthetic biology, astrophysics, robotics, artificial intelligence, and mathematics? And what if our comprehension included not just primary literature, but also the wide breadth of secondary literature?

What if our minds could traverse the Internet of Things, as if it were merely a single thought? Attempting to imagine all of this, I wonder it it's not like an ant trying to imagine what it's like to be a human.

Mr. Johnson also knows how important it is to engineer a sort of security system for our brains. We wouldn't want our brains hacked using the same technology that enables enhancement. We might not ever be the same after such a horrific event.

Google

Google has been around for decades and has developed into one of the most powerful tech companies on the planet. They are leaders in search, quantum computers, AI, self-driving cars, and so much more.

In 2012, they decided they wanted to become a leader in preventing and reversing the aging process. And they launched Calico [43].

The research they’ve shared with the public so far hasn't been too exciting. But they have a very impressive team. And, given their track record, it's probably only a matter of time until they become leading figures in the life extension industry. I hope to live indefinitely with Calico.

Peter Theil

Peter Theil is one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time. He has developed many impressive companies. And, as of 2020, he had a net worth of $2.3B [44]. It’s great to see his genius and personal money aimed at preventing and reversing the aging process [45].

Mr. Theil's involvement in life extension, so far, can be described as "passionate," at the least. There's a rumor that he employed heterokaryonic parabiosis, regularly injecting young blood in hope of slowing down the aging process. The rumor probably isn't true [46]. But if it is, I imagine he got excited from some of the relatively successful mice studies that reversed some aspects of the aging process [47].

I think the research related to injecting young plasma for age reversal isn't developed enough for confidence in self-experimentation. And there's more promising research related to other anti-aging injections, such as mesenchymal stem cells at the Panama Stem Cell Institute [48].

But Mr. Theil has demonstrated a passion toward life extension. And I imagine we'll be hearing much more about that.

Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison is the founder and CTO of one of the most successful computer companies, Oracle [49]. He has a net worth of $68B. And he was one of the first big investors in anti-aging research.

Mr. Ellison is known for being one of the most ambitious leaders of our time. So just imagine his expertise and passion directed at extending lifespan for everyone.

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos is the founder of many impressive companies. And he currently has a net worth of $150B [50]. He is one of the biggest investors in preventing and reversing the aging process. His most recent investment was in Unity Biotechnology [51].

Sadly, Mr. Bezos is not known for being as active in the life extension industry as many of the others discussed above. But, given his net worth, he has clearly learned something about business that most of us haven't. And it would be amazing to see even more of his efforts directed toward life extension!

Other Notable Individuals

Below is a non-exhaustive list of others that are pushing the life extension movement forward as much as, if not more than, those listed above. All of these impressive individuals, in various ways, are supporting or developing this most salient research.

Anthony Atala

Aubrey de Grey

Ben Goertzel

Bill Andrews

Bill Gates

Craig Venter

David Sinclair

Elon Musk

Eric Drexler

George Church

Laura Deming

Luhan Yang

Masayoshi Son

Max More

Naveen Jain

Neil Riordan

Peter Diamandis

Peter Voss

Ray Kurzweil

Sergey Young

Conclusion

The combined effort of these individuals may seem like a lot. Globally, trillions of dollars are invested into research to defeat the diseases that inflict us. But it's not enough. Development of treatments is still slow because human biology is extremely complex.

So we need the other 2K billionaires and 14M millionaires around the globe to step up to the plate. We need them to become part of this list of individuals who are applying their resources to defeat death.

Most governments have barely expressed even a hint of interest in reversing aging and defeating death, let alone subsidizing related research. So we can't rely on them for this purpose. We must take it upon ourselves to pursue the hope of giving everyone the option to live indefinitely.

I expect that life extension will continue to become mainstream. And scientists may soon experience a phenomenon that Peter Voss calls "financial escape velocity." It's the idea that people will throw money at life extension science as fast as they can.

Why will people do this? We'll do it because most of us won't want to age and die in an expensive car when there's a realistic alternative. The goal of defeating death is among the most noble goals that our species has ever conceived.

I sincerely hope that, wealthy or not, you'll take the time to learn more about this research. Maybe you can help us all realize life extension. I look forward to living with all of you forever!

References

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Originally published at thrivous.com on June 11, 2020 at 02:50PM.

[the-kool-kyle]

Avengers Endgame Review

Well, this is it ... Avengers Endgame. The film we've all been waiting for ever since the shocking ending to Avengers Infinity War and the end of the MCU's Infinity Saga. Well, I can say without a doubt that Avengers Endgame does more than a perfect job in finishing up 10 years worth of movies in one epic conclusion. Endgame is an emotional, shocking, heartbreaking but best of all epic movie that is a must watch for every human on earth! The movie takes place right after Avengers Infinity War and is during the fallout of “The Snap” when Thanos attached all six infinity stones to the infinity gauntlet then with a snap of his fingers single handily wiped out half of all life in the universe (including some of our favourite heroes) to create what he sees as “balance”. This movie takes place right after that where heroes and other characters are now dead thanks to “The Mad Titan” (Thanos) and now the only ones left are the original six Avengers introduced in phase 1 and a few others. Which consists of Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye (who is Ronin now), Black Widow and War-Machine who are also getting help from Rocket Raccoon, Captain Marvel, Nebula and Ant-Man. If there's one thing Infinity War taught us it's that movies' with a large number of characters can be great and while Endgame's roster is as bigger as Infinity War it does an excellent job on focusing on the original six Avengers and the newcomers to the team and really convinces us this team can save the universe.

Endgame's plot is very complex, long and very hard to describe without seeing all of the previous MCU movies since the first Iron Man or spoiling the movie. Basically, it's unique, emotional, tear-jerking but is still epic, funny and awesome as any MCU movie should be. Its tone is dark and dead serious and really shows us that these are dark days for the MCU with their defeat and half the universe being dead. Ok now apart from the scenes from the teaser, the fact that this takes place right after Infinity War I can't really take about the plot because everyone wants to find out themselves. What I can say is that Endgame more than earns it's 3 hr runtime as it ties up more than a decade of movies very well which has become known as the infinity saga. It deepens the importance of the previous movies and makes them feel a whole lot more important than they already were to us. The movie's runtime gives each of the characters their own moments to tie up any loose ends or unanswered questions. Its story feels like it was written for fans by fans which is just the way we wanted it to be. This movie, however, has few laugh moments as this is a dark time for the Avengers and almost everyone has lost hope. Endgame has some of the darkest, most emotional and shocking scenes and moments in the MCU's history as well as tear-jerking moments we never thought we'd see in a Marvel movie. This movie's plot is without a doubt the perfect way to end the infinity saga.

The heroes and villains are the heart of and soul of this movie and at moments really feel like a family and makes this version of the Avengers more realistic and unique.

Robert Downey Jr returns for the 9th time as Iron Man (Tony Stark). The first hero ever introduced in the MCU and the iconic armoured hero who has always been a fun loving, smooth talking, badass looking engineer genius and playboy has unfortunately become an angry and cold man after the events of Infinity War. During which he fought Thanos one on one and only drew a drop of blood from the Mad Titan after throwing literally everything he had at him and completely getting his armour destroyed in the process. Then after seeing Peter (Spider-Man) die in his arms from The Snap he now feels like a failure as both a hero and a father figure. While he does still have his iconic sarcasm and funny personality he's a more dead serious and darker version of himself and has made it clear that he's had enough. Robert Downey Jr is the perfect match between actor and role for the golden avenger and does an excellent performance that is definitely one for the ages.

Chris Evans returns as Captain America (Steve Rogers) The First Avenger. He wins our hearts and our respect by being a total badass who cares more about his country but also his team, his friends and all of the world. Throughout the movie even though his best friend and partner were killed he still never stops fighting, never backs down and never gives up to complete his mission. Proving that no matter what the universe throws at him and no matter how many times he gets knocked down he always gets back up because it's what he was raised to believe. As we all know he can do this all day. Chris Evans was born to play Captain America and I can't see anyone else playing as this legendary hero. P.S he's my personal favourite Avenger. Plus throughout the movie, he dawns a whole bunch of awesome suits that are both old and new like his stealth suit from “The Winter Solider” Suit (seen in the first teaser) and his new white suit (seen in the other trailer).

Chris Hemsworth lights up the screen as Thor God of Thunder. The son of Odin has really evolved from a spoilt arrogant prince to a funny heroic warrior that will do to protect the people of Asgard. However in Endgame Thor struggles to remain a strong hero and king of Asgard after feeling a sense of failure and defeat after almost dying to forge Stormbreaker and still fail to stop Thanos in Infinity War, save the remainder of his people and the rest of the universe. So while he is still the lovable bad boy, the fallout of the snap has transformed the once mighty hero into a shadow of his former self.

Jeremy Renner returns as Hawkeye (Clint Barton). The somewhat underappreciated and not very well loved archer that has beenovershadowed by the other members of the team. But in Age of Ultron became everyone's 4th or 5th favourite Avenger and after Civil War is now an official favourite to everyone. Now driven by the snap he has become the deadly vigilante Ronin. Armed with a sword and awesome new hooded suit Clint has become a darker and more dead serious character that isn't messing around this time cause he missed out on Infinity War but suffered as much as everyone else has. Oh man I feel bad for this guy first he wasn't anyone's favourite Avenger, he missed out on Infinity War and now he's gone mad from the snap. BTW this was all seen in the trailer so these aren't spoilers.

Mark Ruffalo returns to the MCU as Dr Bruce Banner and The Hulk. The big angry monster that does only one thing ... SMASH! He stole the show back in Thor Ragnarok as the closest thing we'll ever get to the “Planet Hulk” version of the character. However, he only appears once in Infinity War to fight Thanos but immediately gets his ass kicked and for the rest of the movie refuses to come out of Banner. Forcing Bruce to use the Hulk-Buster Iron Man suit to fight. Kinda Ironic if you ask me The Hulk is piloting the Hulk-Buster armour. While he isn't as awesome as he was in Ragnarok and felt underused most of the time he still melts our hearts by being a brainy kind-hearted scientist that would do anything for the team. Best of all Mark Ruffalo really put Edward Norton and Erica Bana to shame or as I call him....Mark Ruffa-Hulk.

Don Cheadle returns as Iron Man's partner War-Machine (Rhodey). Who pilots a similar but badass looking, heavily armoured, well equipped and high tech Iron Man suit. He's a decorated soldier that's just as patriotic as Captain America. While he felt a littleunderused in the last few movies like Iron Man 2, Age of Ultron, Civil War and Infinity War in Endgame he makes a much larger impact and really contributes well to the plot and has earned to the recognition he deserves. Best of all his War-Machine suit his more tactical, high tech and looks more badass than ever even more than Tony's suit.

Scarlet Johansson is back once again as the highly trained super spy Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff). Despite not getting her own movie she has appeared regularly in other MCU movies and has become one of the best, oldest and most recognisablemembers of the team. She is something of a mystery to most people as she never knew her parents, was raised to be the perfect agent, has never had a real family and at times has forced to choose between duty and what's right as was shown in Civil War. However, since the fallout of Infinity War she has become a depressed and alone as she never got to fight alongside her partner Hawkeye during the fight against Thanos and hasn't heard from him since the events of Civil War. But she is still a strong independent woman that many women and girls can look up to as they can be just as awesome and badass as many male comic book heroes. But there is one thing I didn't like about her in Infinity War and Endgame....her hair cut. She has ditched her iconic long redhead look for a short Mark Hamill styled her cut that looks horrid. But other than that she still and always will be an awesome character. Paul Rudd explodes onto the screen as the fun-loving, energetic and awesome Ant-Man (Scott Lang). After making 2 successful movies and giving us the best scene in Civil War he has quickly become a fan favourite especially for me. After the ending in “Ant-Man and The Wasp” he became trapped in the “Quantum Realm” just before The Snap. Since the Quantum Realm is a completely different part of existence he survived...unfortunately the same can not be said for his Mentor and his predecessor Hank Pym or Scott's love interest Hope Van Dyne aka The Wasp who were killed when Thanos snapped his fingers. Because of this he has really evolved as a character and makes a really major impact through the movie and really feels important as he should be. He has been driven to fight after and do something about the fallout of The Snap since he has lost everything. While Paul Rudd is still a fun comedic character he has really developed into a more serious and focused character. He has earned to right to be called an Avenger.

Josh Brolin steals the show as the movie's or more importantly the whole MCU's primary villain ... The Mad Titan Thanos. He has been seen in many of the MCU's previous movies building up as the universe's greatest and most powerful villain. His plan was to gather all six of the Infinity stones, attach them to the Infinity Gauntlet and use it to wipe out half of all living creatures in the universe to create what he see's as “balance”. Thanos is a whole lot more menacing and evil in Endgame than he was in Infinity War and feels a lot more like his comic book counterpart with his smirking evil look and epic armour that makes him look even more badass. Josh Brolin does an amazing job in voicing and doing the motion capture for this legendary and truly evil villain making it feel like the real Thanos leap right off the pages of the Infinity comic books and into the movies. This is definitely the MCU's greatest villain and one of the best movie villains of all time.

Now, what would this film be without....action! This movie has some of the best moments ever pulled from the comics that no one saw coming and only true Marvel fans will recognise. Their epic, fun, memorable and unforgettable plus the special effects and CGI were amazing and really blended well with the practical effects. While it is frowned upon, there were moments that made everybody including me stand up and cheer as the scenes are so epic and awesome they get us super excited. This is some of the best action ever see in a movie is really gonna be loved by everyone for years to come.

Final Verdict:Avengers Endgame is the perfect Marvel movie which brilliantly ties up a decade of movies, gives us a finale worthy of winning awards, and is gonna be loved for generations to come. It more than earns its three-hour runtime by tying up all loose ends, giving each of the characters their own chance to shine, and reminding us how much we love them. In the end, it's emotional, epic, unique, heartbreaking, shocking, entertaining, fun and most importantly makes fans cry, fans cheer and say ... what!? Especially with the moments that were pulled straight from the comics. It is a must watch for every human being on earth and will be loved by all fans old and young.Final Score: 10/10

[sethjacob]

Interview with an Astrobiologist Part 5

Here’s Part 5 of my conversation with Graham Lau, an astrobiologist and science communicator who I interviewed to promote Astrobiology #1. Astrobiology is a sci-fi comic that was just successfully funded on Kickstarter, but you still have a little under 24 hours to back the book and get onboard. Our entire interview will be in the behind the scenes edition of the comic.

https://kickstarter.com/projects/sethjacob/astrobiology-1

Do you think that evidence of extra-terrestrial life will be found in our lifetimes?

Hmm. Yes. I personally do. It's weird, right? Because that's no longer science. I'm not judging that on science, I'm judging it more on what I would consider probability. I would consider that the fact that during our lifetimes, that number of exoplanets that we know of is going to start skyrocketing...I mean, we already know of thousands, who knows how long before we have tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of worlds around other stars that we know that they're there...

I mean, the James Webb one that you mentioned, if we find an atmosphere, that's like, “Look, it's oxygen, nitrogen, all the major gases.” It seems like you could say, just based on that, right?

Well, there's a lot of possible gas combinations. Vickey Meadows, at University of Washington, and her team from the Virtual Planets Laboratory, have done a lot of really great work on looking at oxygen as a biosignature, as both a positive, but also as a potential false positive biosignature.

So oxygen could be a sign of life. Or it might not be. Really, it comes down to looking at the chemistry of an atmosphere of a world. Seeing everything that we can see, and then seeing if it changes and how it changes over time. Those will be really huge things for us to have happen.

And so yeah, it just seems more likely that if there is life out there, that we're gonna find it soon. And it comes down to that if. Maybe we're alone. Maybe for some staggering, unfathomable reason, we're the only show in town. And all these other stars and worlds are just out there and waiting for us to go and have it. It seems unlikely, but it's possible.

I personally favor the other side of the coin. The side where life is fairly common in the cosmos. Maybe intelligent life is fairly common. And I feel like it's just a matter of time now before we discover that we do have some neighbors, other biospheres on worlds nearby.

And whether or not we discover intelligent life in our lifetimes, is another question. That one, I don't know how far I lean, one way or the other. But as far as just finding life in general, I think it just feels like it going to happen.

Well, it does seem like just besides humans, there are a fair amount of intelligent species on Earth, you know? Like dolphins, whales, some of the greater apes...so it seems like there are multiple intelligent species on Earth. I mean, not as advanced as us, but it seems like if there could be multiple, just on one planet, then the idea that intelligence is likely to emerge seems like a pretty strong possibility, I guess?

Yeah, it feels that way, right? And we have so many intelligent organisms on Earth. Birds using tools. We have these other apes and monkeys who obviously show a lot of social interaction, and have learned to use tools in various ways. We listen to the languages of whales and dolphins, even though we can't speak it and we don't know exactly what they're saying, it seems that they're communicating with a fairly well structured language.

So yeah, intelligence seems like it is an imperative of life itself, at some point, is to start creating intelligent life. But you know, we don't know, I mean, if the formation of intelligence is common on other worlds or not. It would be cool though, if there are alien worlds out there, there are more than one dominant intelligent life form that's created a civilization.

And here on Earth, I think on Earth we just got a little unlucky that we humans got there so fast that nothing else had the chance. Because there are so many other smart organisms out there that, for all we know, could create their own civilizations in the coming millenia and eons. But we're here now, dominating the planet, so when we see something getting intelligent, we then take it, and study it, and put it in a zoo. And we're also just obliterating the climate on our planet and changing things in a way that it's hard for other intelligent species to really create civilizations.

But wouldn't it be cool though, to find some alien world out there where there's more than one, maybe even two or three intelligent civilizations of organisms on the same planet?

It kind of is interesting that there was a point, in our ancient past, where there were multiple hominid species on Earth. So it really could have gone down that way. Neanderthals could've just been an existing species of human on Earth, coexisting with us into the present, if the dice had just rolled a different way.

That's true. That also would depend on whether or not we would allow them to live. Given our war-like nature, the feeling of tribal-ness and of the need to fight the other, to banish the other, has been strong for human populations to through time. And it has been with us. We haven't lost that sense of tribal-ness.

But it would be interesting, if other hominid species, along with us, over a million years ago, and then tens of thousands of years ago, had been also able to create their own civilizations. And work side by side, while not necessarily interbreeding with ours.

Which sci-fi series, or is there a particular story, gets astrobiology and space exploration really right?

Oh man. Great question. There's been so many awesome sci-fi movies and shows out there through time. I absolutely love Star Trek: The Next Generation as a kid. But in the modern time? It's a little bit harder.

I love The Expanse right now. Just an incredible show. Reminds me of a horror video game, kind of intermixed with a really good space-flight science. And a very fun sci-fi story in the background of how humans are interacting with each other in these various places in our Solar System. Because it's possible, it might actually go down that way that we actually find some alien life form, but then whichever government finds it doesn't choose to share it right away with other governments. For whatever reason.

It would be saddening. When I watch that show, I'm so saddened that this protomolecule in the show was find by these terrible people who use it for a bad purpose, for warfare. Rather than sharing it immediately and saying, “Look, we're not alone. Let's study this, but also be very cautious of it.” That's what we would hope for, that scientists and explorers are the ones who find it first and have a chance to share that. As opposed to corporate interests, or military interests.

How do you feel about what seems like the resurgence of a conspiracy theory contingent? These kind of people who deny the moon landing, or are just extremely suspicious of anything NASA does? For instance, Flat Earthers. How does that kind of thing feel to you?

Well, I wouldn't call it a resurgence.

Hmm. Just the internet, now, that makes it seem--

Yeah. I think it's been the growth of the internet itself actually.

Right.

Because before, you had that crazy uncle who would ramble on about some weird thing, like the chem-trails. “Oh yeah, all those particles coming out of the airplane are chemicals that the government uses to control our minds.” And it used to be that that person didn't have anyone else to talk to about these weird ideas they had.

And now with the internet, these people are finding each other and discovering that there's a lot of them that have these opinions. These weird beliefs. One of my biggest problems with a lot of what we call these conspiracy theorists...which, I hate theorist with that, it's conspiracy believers...my biggest problem is that there actually are reasons to to think that there is a conspiracy sometimes.

I mean, there are real conspiracies.

There have been real conspiracies.

Yeah, of course.

There's been some shady stuff. The CIA was giving LSD to people to see how they reacted to it. We have record of that. We know have been things in the past where the government has lied. And we're just getting to a better time where we're admitting that.

And so I wish that these conspiracy believers were more willing to use skepticism and rationalism in trying to find out what's a conspiracy and what's not. Because they make it hard then for anyone else to actually believe there are real conspiracies. You know, when they're talking about all these fake conspiracies, like the moon landing hoax and chem-trails and flat Earth, they're taking away from the possibility for us to really have important, skeptical conversations about whether or not people in our world are doing things and then hiding them from us.

That said, I also feel like a lot of the current movement towards flat Earth and climate denial and chem-trails, I feel like a lot of that, there's a thing going on in our society where people don't trust authority. It used to be that, when you went to school, you trusted your teacher to give you good information. Now, a lot of children are being told by their parents that they can't trust what the teachers say.

And a lot of people don't feel like they can trust what the government says. They don't feel they can trust what scientists and engineers are saying. And the weird thing is, it's very much a movement against credibility, against authority. And even though I kind of understand it to a certain degree, I also find it saddening and very frustrating. Because teachers in school, they want the children to get the best education possible by learning about their place in the world, and then being able to make critical, rational decisions about their place in the world.

And when we have people then learning to distrust teachers, distrust the government, distrust the police, distrust scientists, it really makes it harder then for us to have a more rational society which can look at things critically together. So yeah, there's a much larger thing going on there.

Obviously, it affects us astrobiologists, but it affects everyone. Again, I think a lot of it has to do with internet.

It seems like, in particular, there is a suspicion about anything space-related.

Yes and no. It's weird, amongst some of those believers, you who people who think that aliens are here right now, that our civilization has been influenced by aliens. You have people who think that space exploration is the next big thing. So there's a lot of those people who really want to go to space, who think that we're evolving into this cosmic consciousness.

And then you have others who are like, “NASA lies, NASA's fake. They're not telling us the truth.” All that kind of stuff. You have the whole gambit of different kind of ideas when it comes to that.

If we found evidence of extra-terrestrial life, on Mars or Titan or one of the moons, like Enceladus...what do you think that would mean for people on Earth? How would that impact us?

That's been a great question that a lot of us have asked in astrobiology. How will people react? How will governments react, how will religions react? How will people with different beliefs about their place on the planet and in the cosmos, how will they react?

And sometimes, we present it in our science fiction and in our movies of everyone becoming very antagonistic to it, becoming afraid of them, causing problems for our entire species because of their fear. However, I think a lot of people would hear about this news that we find signs of life, and I think that it would really open up their minds, open up their eyes to the possibilities for life in the cosmos.

I think a lot of people would be very positive in their reception of that discovery. Though I also worry, given our current mindset, that there's too many people out there who would hear about it who would talk about it for a day...and then just kind of let it fade into the ether with the rest of the news. Because our news cycle now, this 24 hour news cycle where we can't talk about an idea for more than a day, is very troubling. I do fear that there would be a lot of people who would just have no reaction, or very little response.

But I think in general, the human response would be very positive.

If we were to be in contact with another intelligence race, do astrobiologists think about how we would even communicate? You think back on Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the whole musical tone idea. I guess, mathematically would be the way to do it?

Yeah so, mathematics, as my friend Sarah Welker said recently, is the way in which we interpret the universe. We look at the phenomenon in the universe and use mathematics to understand it. In very many ways, that makes a lot of sense. And so we've talked a lot about how aliens, most likely, would also have discovered mathematics.

But a big question comes down to how will they create the language of their mathematics? Will it be in a way that we can then also share?

Right, like what if they use hexadecimal, what if they use a different mathematics system?

Yeah, they could use different base systems for numbering systems. But there's also potential that maybe just the actual language itself is so radically different in how they understand mathematics that, even though, maybe we'll meet them out in some neighborhood of the cosmos out here in our galaxy...and we'll have two spaceships facing each other, shining lights at each other and lasers at each other. And maybe we'll both be sending out messages in prime numbers or something like that.

But we won't be able to understand each other because we don't have a basis of a basic system for that understanding. We just don't know, but it seems like that mathematics should be the one thing we can share to at least get the ball rolling.

I did love the recent film Arrival. This idea that the aliens had based their language on how their moved time in a nonlinear sense. I found that very intriguing, because of this idea that maybe our perception of the world around us...I mean we use our senses to perceive the world, and our language in very many ways came from our ways of expressing what we're perceiving of the world to other humans.

But maybe, our alien neighbors have very different ways of perceiving the world. And so maybe, their languages would just be very radically different and very difficult for us to discern. So I think it could both be very simple...maybe we'll meet each other and just start talking math, it'll come across very simply. Or, maybe we'll meet and our languages will just be radically different, and we'll just be sitting there jabbering at each other for a very long time. Until someone can figure out some little thing that connects us that we can then actually create a shared language from.

https://kickstarter.com/projects/sethjacob/astrobiology-1

#astrobiology #science #explore #nature #environment #future #kickstarter #stem #scifi #sciencefiction #planet #exoplanet #alien #space #cosmos #universe #discovery #art #comics #comicbooks #comic #wilderness #cyberpunk

[dralentines-day]

Gift #21, @yesbocchan

When you look at this gift, you might acquire a slight problem, also known as only saying the first part of your username over and over and over and over... Happy Dralentine’s, @yesbocchan!!  

Our gifter says:

“Happy Valentine's Day my little piroshki!  I hope you have a wonderful day!  Your gift is loosely based around the awesome cold war spy film "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." (itself based off the TV show of the same name).  But don't worry if you haven't seen it!  I'm certain that there is definitely enough fun, excitement and sexy times for you to enjoy it regardless :D Dasvidaniya!”

The Man From H.O.G.W.A.R.T.S. - It's 1968, and Special Agent Potter has better things to do than team up with a Russian.  Even if the fate of the world depends on it, even if there are countless lives at stake.  Even IF his new partner is the most handsome devil this side of the Iron Curtain. 20k 

Tags:  definitely smut, a hint of dom/sub  

The Man From H.O.G.W.A.R.T.S.

January 1968

  “I do beg your pardon,” said Harry.  He leant forward to rest his elbows on the table, steepled his fingers, and tried unsuccessfully to keep the incredulity from seeping into his voice.  “But, do you possibly think you could run that by me again?”  

  Minerva McGonagall didn’t look impressed.  But then, he found she very rarely ever did.  Her office in which they were sat was overwhelmingly iron grey – even the oil painting of her beloved cat looming above them was bloody grey. The clock ticked oppressively on the wall in the pause that followed.  

  Even without the years of familiarity insulating him from the room’s intimidation tactics, Harry Potter was not the sort of man to quake under an authoritative glare.  He was, however, not accustomed to the level of ridiculousness with which his ears had just been assaulted.  

  “H.O.G.W.A.R.T.S.,” she repeated in her clipped, Scottish tones.  She sat with her hands crossed loosely on the desk in front of her, her back straight as a rod, and her gaze unflinching.  “Home Office Governed,” she elaborated.  “Word Agency Regulations Team and Support Services.”

  “H.O.G.W.A.R.T.S.,” Harry repeated faintly.  “And this was the best acronym the chaps down in Operations could come up with?”  He waved his hand around airily.  “Why not P.O.P.P.Y.C.O.C.K., or N.I.N.C.O.M.P.O.O.P.?  I’m sure there’s a delightful string of words you could fit to make that work.  Let’s see – National Institute for Naughty Children…Otherwise Mothered Preposterously��Over Ordinary Protocol.”  He flashed a grin at her, rather pleased with himself.

  His superior was, once again, unmoved.  “Are you quite finished Agent Potter?”  

  “Well,” he said, sitting upright again and frowning in consideration.  “I could try one for P.O.P.P.Y.C.O.C.K?”

  “I think we’ll leave the creative decisions to Operations from now on, hmm?”  She plucked a beige file from the metal tray to her right, and placed it in the empty desk space between them.  It was stamped with a bright red ‘Top Secret’.  “This is a matter of international importance, and a new agency was required to deal with the threat swiftly and discretely.  You will be reassigned immediately.”  

  Harry schooled his reactions carefully, an easy task after so many years of training. He had only just returned from an extended assignment in the South Americas, and had been looking forward to at least a week’s respite before being hurtled back into the field. However, it would not do to whine like a child, so instead he slid the file towards him, and flicked the first page open.  

  Even with his high level of clearance, there were still a number of words redacted. He was still able to make out the gist of the document quick enough though.  “So,” he surmised, turning to the next page.  “This fellow intends on starting World War Three?”

  “It certainly seems that way,” McGonagall agreed.  

  Harry tutted, assimilating the information rapidly as he sifted through the next several sheets of paper.  “Voldemort,” he scoffed.  He restrained himself from rolling his eyes, but he certainly twitched an eyebrow.  “Flight of death.  Will the ingenuity never cease?”

  McGonagall leant forwards and flipped several pages ahead, and Harry found himself faced with a number of grizzly photographs.  “The name may be twee, but I assure you his intentions are not.  All our sources indicate he is determined to ignite the tensions between West and East Germany, and set the rest of the world at each other’s throats again.”

  Harry readjusted his glasses and nodded.  “Well, we can’t have that now, can we?”

  “Not on my watch,” she agreed.  A hint of a smile threatened the corner of her lips, but Harry would swear if questioned that it had never been there at all.  

  “So many abductions,” he commented.  There were at least a dozen missing person reports.  “Is there any way to know who might be next?”  

  “That is what we are trying to establish,” McGonagall told him.  “They certainly are a mixed bag; their only common denominator is that they are experts in their field, so we have a watch list, but it is vast. Although we doubt it is Voldemort himself carrying out the abductions.  Whatever the case; high profile scientists, code-breakers, engineers – you name it – are being targeted.  There has been no trace of the abductees since.”

  Harry lifted the file to rest on his lap, crossing one leg over the other to prop the documents up as he hastily flicked back and forth to piece the different components together.  “The first abduction was eleven weeks ago?”

  “We believe the victims to still be alive,” McGonagall said, and Harry had to agree.

  “They are being recruited.  Against their will,” he added.  “But their combined skill set and intelligence would no doubt aid any megalomaniac in launching the next global catastrophe.  If properly motivated.”  

  “I have no doubt Voldemort has ways of being…persuasive,” she said dryly.  

  There was no photo available of the man in question, although the intelligence seemed sound.  “How has a man such as this not been on our radar before?” Harry asked.  There seemed to be no mention of him prior to 1964, and it would take more than three years to establish the needed reputation to run an operation as large as the one he now appeared to be commanding.  

   McGonagall inclined her head.  “We believe him to have undergone a drastic physical transformation, as well as changing his name, and are still attempting to discern his previous identity.  That, however, is not your mission.”

  “You intend for me to locate the whereabouts of the abductees?” he guessed.  

  McGonagall arched an eyebrow.  “Not ‘me’. ‘Us.’  This threatens the stability of the entire world, and – ah-” A knock at the door interrupted her.  “Perfect timing.  It requires representation from more than just the British government.  Come in,” she added, raising her voice.  

  Harry turned as the door swung inwards.  He wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but by the time his mind fully registered who was entering the room, he had already leapt to his feet with his pistol snapped in the direction of the intruder’s face.  

  The other man’s reaction was just as swift.  Harry also found himself staring down the barrel of a gun, and was not impressed.  

  “Minnie,” Harry said lightly, despite the twitch in his jaw.  “It appears you have a Rusky in your office.”

  He heard her sigh behind him.  “Yes, Potter. Because I invited him here.  Would you please both stop embarrassing yourselves, and put the guns down.”

  Harry’s eyes bore into his opponent’s grey ones.  “Draco Malfoy,” he said in a cheery tone, ignoring the command to lower his weapon.  “It’s been a while.  Belgrade, wasn’t it?  ’66?”

  “June,” the Russian agreed in his low timbre.  “You shot me.”

  “Well,” said Harry sombrely.  “You were being an awfully bad boy.”  

  Draco Malfoy – or The Dragon to use yet another absurd pseudonym – was taller than Harry by a number of inches, with white blond hair, pale skin and a permanent scowl.  As a prolific K.G.B. spy, Harry had danced with him several times.  And although he had to admit he’d had rather a lot of fun on those occasions, he was still nonetheless more than a little put out to see him waltz into London’s M.I.6 headquarters in the middle of the day as if he owned the place.  Honestly, did no one have manners anymore?  

  “Agents,” McGonagall snapped.  “Guns down. Now.”  

  There was a pause, then both men lowered their arms to their sides.

  “Excellent. Now, may I suggest something outrageous?” McGonagall asked.  “Like taking a seat?”

  Harry had received numerous raised eyebrows when it had become widely know he was going to be working for a woman.  He himself had been rather dubious as to how that might pan out.  But after a mere few weeks he had learnt just how uncomplicated it was; orders were given, and they were followed.  That was all.  He pitied anyone who assumed it could be otherwise.  

  So, he took his seat once again on the left, and Malfoy moved cautiously around him to occupy the chair on the right.  Neither man took their eyes off each other, and placed their firearms on the desk simultaneously.  

  “You were invited?” Harry challenged.

  “By Director McGonagall,” Malfoy confirmed. “With offer of truce.  I am finding this a little hard to believe in this moment.”

  His accent was strong but the words clearly enunciated and delivered without hesitation. Harry didn’t blink as he held his gaze.

  McGonagall rapped her knuckles on the table.  “If you can’t behave yourselves, I am more than willing to spray both of you with a water bottle,” she said tartly.  “Honestly, you are supposed to be international agents.”  

  Harry smiled, and leant back in his seat.  He crossed one leg over the other and placed both hands on the top knee. “My apologies Director,” he said sincerely, finally turning to face her.  “At least you know my reflexes are not rusty.”  

  “Quite.” She didn’t sound convinced.  

   Malfoy also turned towards her.  “My director told me this was of great importance,” he said coldly.  “That I had no choice but to take mission.  Am I merely to be shot instead?”

  “Of course not,” McGonagall assured him.

  “It depends on how you behave,” Harry said.  

  Before Malfoy could reply, McGonagall interceded.  “Agent Malfoy, am I to assume you have read the briefing?”

  “Yes, Director.”  He was sat as stiffly as she was; like they both had iron curtain poles inserted in a most intimate fashion.  Harry made sure to lean back in his chair and affect an air of calm disinterest.  “And I bring news of potential lead.”  

  He fished an envelope from the breast pocket of his tan jacket and handed it to her. He wore a turtle neck jumper underneath; his signature look when he was not undercover, as Harry knew all too well. However, Harry was of the opinion that an agent not wearing a three-piece suit at any time during active duty was practically committing treason against his country, therefore deplored the ensemble.  

  It had nothing to do with the fact he doubted he could ever convincingly pull off such a look.  Nothing at all.  

  His attention was soon drawn back to the matter at hand as McGonagall slid her letter opener along the top of the envelope and extracted its contents.  A lead on the whereabouts of the abductees would be most welcome.  But Harry wasn’t entirely convinced they could trust anything from the U.S.S.R., so waited to see the information first before getting his hopes up.  

  “Rodolphus Lestrange?” she asked, reading through the couple of sheets of paper speedily.

  Malfoy nodded.  “And his wife, Bellatrix.  Two of Voldemort’s most loyal followers.  They were spotted in Vienna, headed to West Berlin.”  

  McGonagall scanned a few more lines, then handed the documents over to Harry.  “I’m sure individuals like that would have little difficulty slipping through Checkpoint Charlie, and once they are in East Germany they will be much harder to track.  Your sources believe them to be worth following though?”

  Malfoy nodded.  He had cheekbones like cut glass Harry noted as he kept half an eye on him whilst he absorbed the facts he held in his hands.  “They have list apparently – if it is intended targets it could save many lives.  But it could also hold list of locations for those already abducted.”  

  “You don’t believe them to all be in one place?” Harry asked.  He refolded the papers and slipped them back into the envelope, then dropped it on top of the file on the desk.  

  Malfoy shook his head.  “At least four bases of operation are suspected.  If we get list, chances are we find out how many in total.”

  “Either finding those already taken, or stopping any more from being abducted would be a decided victory.”  McGonagall pulled the file and envelope back towards her.  “Ideally, we do both.  It seems from this information we only have a short window.  You gentlemen are to travel directly to West Berlin.  A car will be ready to take you to the airport within the hour.  Once there you are to intercept the Lestranges, and acquire this list.  Any questions?”

  The petulant side of Harry wanted to double check she was quite sure that Malfoy was the best partner he could really be matched with, given the likelihood that they would kill one another before the plane even touched down in Germany.  However, the other agent was already nodding and rising to his feet, and Harry did not wish to be upstaged by lodging a protest.  “We’ll handle it from here,” he said.  He too got to his feet, fastened the single button on his jacket, and walked swiftly from the room without giving Malfoy another glance.

***

  As it transpired, the journey to Germany was exceedingly dull, largely because Malfoy deigned only to speak three words to Harry the entire time.  His ‘Good afternoon’ as he joined Malfoy in their car was merely repeated, and his offer to help place his case in the overhead locker on the plane was met with a ‘No.’ That was it.  

  Harry, however, was not to be dissuaded.  He kept up a steady stream of chatter, the more benign and arbitrary the better, offering his opinions on anything from the quality of the leather upholstery of the seats, to Prime Minister Wilson’s latest economic policies, to Arsenal’s chances in the league, to how one should mix the perfect gin and tonic, of which he indulged in three on the flight.  Unsurprisingly, he was unable to tempt Malfoy, but his irritation at Harry’s drivel combined with the obvious disapproving of him drinking were the only amusement he could drum up.  Besides, it took a lot more than some watered-down gin to affect Harry’s senses in any meaningful way.  

  The hotel they had been booked into was opposite the last confirmed location the Lestranges had been seen at, on a street not far from the wall that divided the city between East and West.  After another silent car journey, Harry followed Malfoy into their establishment, which he was pleased to say was not entirely uncomfortable, and stood beside him as they waited to speak to the young woman at the check-in desk.  

  “Good evening,” Malfoy spoke in perfect German before Harry could even open his mouth.  “We have a reservation for two rooms, under the names Richter and Klein.  I believe my secretary requested a south facing apartment, if possible?”

  He gave her such a charming smile the girl couldn’t help but wilt, and Harry felt a surge of irritation.  He resisted the urge to shout at the girl that her fancy was completely wasted, as the man was nothing other than a dreary stick-in-the-mud of the direst sort. But of course he did not, and feigned polite interest as Malfoy fed her a line about them being architects interested in the development of the area, keen to sketch a variety of the buildings currently standing across the street.  No trace of his Russian inflections ever surfaced.

  “I see you studied German with far greater dedication than English,” Harry couldn’t help but gripe as they made their way over to the elevators.  Why did it bother him that Malfoy spoke to the girl with far more skill and enthusiasm than he ever had to Harry in all their years of acquaintance?  They were from opposing sides for God’s sake, what did he want?  

  Malfoy didn’t look at him as he leant across his body and jabbed the lift’s call button. “I have no trouble at all with the Queen’s English,” he said with perfect received pronunciation that startled Harry enough to get him to turn and regard his companion’s profile.  “I find it tiresome,” he added, slipping back into his thick Russian drawl.  “Besides, I do not hear you attempting my language.”

  Harry smirked as the elevator pinged open.  “I’ll speak Russian when we’re in Russia,” he informed him.  

  Malfoy surprised him by sweeping his arm forwards.  “After you, Your Highness,” he said.  He didn’t have a trace of humour about his voice, but it wasn’t hostile either, and Harry had to conclude as he stepped inside and eyed him up warily, that he had to have been making a joke.  The thought was more than a little disturbing, but also, strangely comforting.

  They had two rooms side by side, south facing as the girl had promised, affording them an excellent view of the Gasthaus Berlin.  It looked to be an even nicer hotel than their own judging by the gilded trim façade, and the fact it had a finely dressed doorman greeting every guest as they walked in.  Over the next several hours, Harry was able to observe him interacting with dozens upon dozens of guests as they entered and exited the hotel, and thought it would be good to question the fellow if at all possible.  None of them were the Lestranges, but Harry knew they would probably have to wait days to determine whether or not the couple had moved elsewhere. For now, they would just have to be patient.  

  To ensure they had eyes on the hotel at all times, they had to stay together no matter the time of day.  They moved between the two rooms so as not to arouse housekeeping’s suspicion, but, other than breaks for one or the other to freshen up in the bathroom, that meant he was forced to spent the next few days in the frosty, silent company of Draco Malfoy. The only time Harry was able to snatch a couple of words with someone else was when they had their meals delivered, but even then he had to be brief so as not to risk the staff glimpsing anything they shouldn’t.  

  He was bored, but he was also focused.  On the fifth day they were finally rewarded with a sighting.  Both Mr and Mrs Lestrange had altered their appearance since the photos MI6 had on file had been taken; he had shaved his beard and dyed his hair darker, and she had grown her curls out impressively, making Harry think she was perhaps wearing some kind of wig.  But there was no doubting it was them as they stepped into the waiting taxi to whisk them off to wherever they were headed.  Harry’s sprits lifted significantly after that.  

  He remained just as dedicated over the next few days as they began to slowly log patterns in the couple’s behaviour, but his reserve thawed back to its natural eager state.  In that he began rabbiting at Malfoy again, regardless of whether or not he got any response.  

  Most of what he told him was utter nonsense, inventing friends and spinning half-truths mixed with pure fiction just to have stories to tell.  He talked of old school adventures, and his ‘brother’ and his ‘sister-in-law’, and old news reports he’d heard, and even a vaguely honest account of the Oxford-Cambridge boat race he’d been fortunate enough to addend last year. Being an Oxford gent he couldn’t help but enthuse at their win, and he could have sworn he caught the barest hint of a smile as he glanced at his companion as he finished that particular tale.

  He and Malfoy were not supposed to be comrades, but Harry longed to get any kind of reaction out of such a stone-faced man.  He’d seen him damn well smile at that receptionist girl, and he knew there was more lurking under the surface than the KGB agent let on.

  After encountering him for the third time on a mission several years ago, Harry had done his research on Draco Malfoy.  His father had been a Nazi sympathiser, colluding with them during the war, and Malfoy Junior and his mother had suffered prejudice for it even after Malfoy Senior had taken his own life.  Agent Malfoy was dedicated to his country’s prosperity though, and had applied for a government position as soon as his conscription to the army had ended at age twenty one.  He was swift and efficient, but unlike other agents of his ilk, Harry had observed he was not cruel.  

  Which probably explained why Harry had let him go once or twice when he really should have brought him home for interrogation.  Malfoy had known the suffering of poverty and starvation as a youth, and he had made it through numerous Baltic winters through sheer stubbornness alone before being able to provide stability for him and his mother. He did what was necessary and had pride in his country, but there was no denying there was something that set him apart from other Soviets.  

 Was that why he had been selected for this mission?  This ridiculous H.O.G.W.A.R.T.S. nonsense?  Did his less-than-completely-ruthless mentality make him a soft option for the Brits, or was it compassion that would strengthen an international experiment?

  Harry guessed only time would tell on that.  

  After their initial confirmation that the Lestranges were indeed still at the Gasthaus Berlin, both Harry and Malfoy had left the hotel briefly, one after the other, to make contact with their own agencies and convey the news securely.  Now, twice a day every day, they would take turns to meet their handlers; Malfoy would go before they first switched over the rooms at 10am, then Harry would go once they were settled back in Malfoy’s room.  They would repeat this again at 5pm before they moved back to Harry’s room.  Harry’s morning meeting was at a café down the street, his afternoon rendezvous in the middle of the Jannowitz Bridge.  He had half a dozen agents that rotated who would see him, and slowly the information started to trickle through.  

  By the seventh day there were other teams put in place from both M.I.6. and the K.G.B. to tail the couple wherever they went, but Harry and Malfoy remained the only crossover unit.  They were the only ones to have all the information at hand.  So, when the Russians observed Rodolph Lestrange visiting a locker in Jannowitzbrucke train station, and then the Brits saw Bellatrix visit the same locker two days later, Harry and Malfoy knew they had something.

  It took several more days to work out it must be some sort of drop point, and Harry became increasingly convinced this was where they were likely to discover something useful, maybe even the list they had been sent to the country to find. Therefore, they prepared to switch the nature of the mission from observation to action.  

  On the Wednesday morning of the third week of February, a team from M.I.6. set up camp in the room Harry had been using, and another K.G.B. team settled in Malfoy’s. Housekeeping were distressed by all the extra bodies milling about, and Harry had to tip them extremely generously to not worry about the upheaval.  One of the women wouldn’t stop fussing, bleating in her native Polish which Harry couldn’t speak as well as German, and she kept picking up clothes from the floor and trying to put them in the wardrobe, getting in the way of the six or seven men that were doing their best to set up equipment.  Harry cursed, trying to explain that they were just surveyors, aiding him and Malfoy in their architectural report.  She appeared a little mollified by the time he ushered her out of the door with an extra couple of Deutsche marks for her trouble, and the rest of the team were able to set up without further interference.  

  That finally left him time to shower and dress, troubled by the bad timing. Normally they had until at least 11am until they had to concern themselves with cleaners, and this had put him behind schedule.  Finally though, he and Malfoy were allowed to leave the confines of the hotel for more than just half an hour, and actually engage in some field work.  

  Harry couldn’t help but relish the stretch in his legs as he and Malfoy marked out every possible inch of Jannowitzbrucke train station, situated uniquely on the bank of the river Spree.  Their colleagues had determined that the locker was positioned in a corridor near the ticket booths, and marked as number seven; the second row from the left, the second door from the top.  They did not want to obviously approach the drop point though without first checking they were not being watched, or without marking every exit route.  

  Ideally, Harry would have preferred to have found a way to remain in the station after it had closed, when the members of the public had gone home so they could attempt to retrieve whatever was inside without being disturbed or risking anyone else getting in the way if it came to a confrontation.  But as it often went with these things, that wasn’t the way the chips fell.

  Neither Lestrange was due to appear at the station at least until the next day based on their schedule so far.  But as Harry was doing another sweep of the concourse to check the number of paces between platforms, he saw the distinctive mass of Bellatrix’s curls as she swept imperiously into the station.  

  He didn’t pause in his stride one second as he turned and headed to where he had last made eye contact with Malfoy.  Fortunately, his partner was as unflinchingly aware of him as he was Malfoy, so he too changed his course, both of them taking the obvious path towards the locker.

  They had two choices as Harry saw it; allow Lestrange to remove whatever was behind the door and risk trying to take it from her afterwards, or attempt to spring the lock and recover the contents before she had the time to reach it.  The second option was preferable, as if they were swift she would not see their faces and it would allow them extra time to make their escape.  However, they only had a minute and a half maximum head start on her, and he wasn’t sure that was enough of a window to pick the lock without any passers-by noticing.

  His heart rate naturally picked up as he and Malfoy approached one another in front of the lockers.  It was just gone 6pm, which meant rush hour and the station was heaving with commuters. That gave them a little bit of cover to work he supposed, but if any one of the German civilians looked over and saw they were without a key, it could spell disaster very quickly.  Also, Bellatrix may have been of the fairer sex, but her portfolio was far bloodier than that of her husband’s.  Harry did not want to put any innocents between her and them if at all possible.  

  Malfoy reached the locker first, and was evidently on the same wavelength as Harry as he already had two pins out, sliding them into the lock before he had even stopped walking.  Harry came and stood next to him, hopefully shielding him from any curious commuters from seeing what he was up to, and within seconds the he heard the lock tumble. “Impressive,” Harry couldn’t help but murmur as Malfoy yanked the door open.  

  Inside sat a single, small circular canister which Harry assumed from years of experience to be a reel of microfilm, and his heart leapt.  The information on those slides could be absolutely invaluable.  

  Once the Lestranges knew their rendezvous point had been compromised they would obviously flee, but the other agents could keep tabs on them for that.  It was now Harry and Malfoy’s duty to get that microfilm out of the country.  

  Harry snatched it and placed it in his pocket as Malfoy shut the door.  He glanced up to check they had enough time before Bellatrix was upon them, then hastily began to relock it using his picks.  But Harry looked behind them, from the opposite direction that Bellatrix was heading, and made eye contact with a stranger. He had no idea who he was, but as soon as the man spotted them beside the locker, he reached inside his jacket, his face alight with surprise and anger.  

  “Time to go,” Harry cried.  He grabbed Malfoy’s arm, dragging him away from the locker, his pins clattering to the ground as they broke into a run.

  Luckily, there were plenty of people rushing around trying to catch their trains, and some were even hurrying beside Malfoy and him.  But Harry knew that blending in would be essential if they were to make a getaway, and the man would be looking for two men sprinting away, so he slowed them down to a hurried walk.  He hoped the other man hadn’t got a good enough look at them to identify them in a crowd, but Harry had no way of knowing what kind of training he might have had.  He really didn’t want to risk pulling his gun amongst so many civilians, but he touched his hand to the handle just in case.  

  “You have it?” Malfoy double checked, presumably referring to the microfilm case.  Harry let go of his arm, as he was perfectly capable of keeping up by himself, and that sort of contact would only draw attention. But a part of him was tempted to keep hold of him anyway, for a kind of reassurance, which was absurd.  

  “Yes, but we can’t risk being caught now.”  They pushed through the crowds, and Harry looked around for the best route to take.  They had been forced towards the trains and away from the major exits.  They could take one of the emergency routes, but that would lead them to the railings out by the river, which gave them little cover once they were out in the open.  They just needed a place to turn themselves around without being spotted…  

  “Quick,” he said, grabbing Malfoy’s arm and steering him once again.  There was a photo booth to their left, the kind where one could print out passport i.d.’s, and it was currently not in use.  

  Malfoy didn’t seem to understand what was going on until Harry shoved him inside, yanking the curtain shut behind him as the small space forced him to drop down…on top of Malfoy’s lap.  

  Malfoy stared at him in utter incredulity.  “Potter,” he said slowly.  “What are we doing?”

  “Hiding,” Harry said as if it was perfectly normal for him to be strewn across his lap. To be fair through, this would probably be the last place a lot of people would think to look for two men, and Harry congratulated himself on his ingenuity.  “If you’re legs weren’t so long, I’d be able to fit on the seat.”  

  Malfoy didn’t seem to know where to put his hands, so he had them held up defensively. He swallowed, making his Adam’s apple bob, and his eyes widened even further.  Unfortunately, those small actions made Harry forget all about the neo-Nazis currently chasing them outside, as his goal of shaking Malfoy’s unshakable resolve finally came to fruition.  

  He could have made a joke about finding oneself it tight spots being all part of the job, but then he remembered what the day’s date was, and decided to have some fun.  “Happy Valentine’s Day old chap,” he said with no small amount of devilment.  He reached into his pocket for some coins, purposefully wriggling over Malfoy’s groin, and feeling rather pleased with the outraged gasp that earned him.  “What’s say we celebrate?”  

  “W-what?” Malfoy managed to stammer.

  Harry found several pfennigs and dropped them into the machine’s slot.  “Oh come on, homosexuality’s all the rage now back in Britain, or hadn’t you heard?  I think we should mark this date of ours with a photo, don’t you?”  

  He was barely holding back his mirth, but he could feel Malfoy’s eyes on him.  He was probably disgusted by him, but Harry had been looking for a chink in his armour for weeks, years really, and he would take any sort of reaction he could get.  

  The light blinked at them to indicate it was almost ready.  “Now say cheese!”

  Harry amused himself greatly by pulling different poses.  First, he looked seriously into the camera over his glasses, then he pushed them back up and pretended to rearrange his tie, then he smoothed down his wayward hair, which tended to do whatever it wanted no matter how much wax he combed through it.  Finally, he turned to Malfoy to see what he was doing.  

  He found him staring at Harry, his pale lips slightly parted.  It was then Harry realised his slender hands had come to rest around his hips.  In the blink of an eye, the atmosphere in the booth went from playful, to highly charged with…something.  

  Harry would admit, if pressed, that he found little disparity in the appealing nature of the male and female forms.  They held diverse attractions for him of course, but he thought it strange that most people would only prefer one or the other.  Obviously, things had been different before; when if caught in a sticky situation, two gents could find themselves looking at a stint behind Her Majesty’s bars.  But, like he had just told Malfoy, the law had changed in the last year.  It probably wasn’t an activity one wanted to be flaunting in front of Joe public, but nonetheless Harry had been extremely pleased to see the act of intimacy between two men decriminalised.  

  He’d had his fair share of flings with young lads before, so perhaps he wasn’t being as discreet as he should have been with the uptight Russian agent.  But he hadn’t walloped him yet, so there was every chance Harry could still pass this off as a jest.  However, he couldn’t deny that sitting there in that tight space, arms around one another and chests practically pressed together, his body wasn’t being affected.  The air seemed to fizz.  

  The machine whirred and clicked next to them, having taken the last photo a good few minutes previously.  It stirred Harry back to reality.  “I suppose we should see if the coast is clear?” he asked.  

  Malfoy’s face remained slightly slack, but he nodded.  So Harry detangled himself as carefully as he could, and exited the booth to take a look around.  There appeared to be no sign of the Lestranges or their accomplice, but Harry took another thirty seconds just to be sure.  

  “Alright,” he said.

  Malfoy clambered out beside him, smoothing down his trousers as he stood.  The photo booth made another grinding noise, then spat out the strip of pictures into the dispenser.  Harry picked them up, not willing to leave any evidence behind of their being there.  Once they were pocketed alongside the can of microfilm, they turned to walk towards the exit.  

  His heart was certainly thumping now, harder than it had when Bellatrix had been about to uncover them.  He was being an imbecilic though; he couldn’t have Malfoy, he was an enemy spy.  It didn’t matter that they were on a temporary truce.  He was quite sure that once this H.O.G.W.A.R.T.S. business was all taken care of they would go back to aiming pot shots at one another from opposite sides of the Iron Curtain.  There was no way he should be considering just what had been stirring under his legs back in that booth.  Except, something had stirred.  He was sure of it.  Perhaps Malfoy wasn’t as disgusted by his flirting as he might have presumed?  

  He didn’t get all that long to dwell on his rebellious libido though, as bad luck struck yet again as they exited the station into the street beyond.  Harry checked left and right before going to cross the road – then checked left again as he realised Rodolphus Lestrange was stood less than ten feet away.  

  Harry spun and pulled Malfoy with him, but Rodolphus had obviously got their descriptions from his associate, as he let out a cry, and Harry didn’t have to look back to know he’d broken out into a run.  

  “Go!” he urged Malfoy, but he was already ahead of him, and with his long legs he stayed that way as they careened through the night-time streets of West Berlin.  

  They zipped around scores of people, many of which were couples on a romantic stroll towards candle-lit dinners, or so Harry imagined.  He couldn’t remember if he had ever taken a girl out on Valentine’s – he was normally too busy concerning himself with this sort of nonsense to even realise what the date was.  Last year he was pretty certain he had spent it in a drug den playing cards with cartel flunkies in an attempt to gain the whereabouts of a bomb that was due to go off. So, this year was an improvement if he considered he’d already got to cop a feel of a very handsome, if not rather obstinate fellow.  

  They hurtled through a plaza, causing many people to gasp and shout out, but Harry wasn’t concerned about them.  They just needed to shake Rodolphus, then get to a safe house.  There was no question of going back to the hotel, but that didn’t matter as their colleagues would clear the rooms for them.  They just needed to be lucky and take the right turn.

  They hadn’t had much luck though so far, Harry surmised as he dashed around a flower stall.  There hadn’t been anyone scheduled to come to the station for at least another day, and to have Bellatrix arrive accompanied by another of Voldemort’s men rang alarm bells. Rodolphus could very well have been summoned there by his wife, but what if he had already been lurking too?  What were the chances they had all been present, on the day Harry and Malfoy had made their move on the locker?  

  He hated himself for it, but his training made him glance at Malfoy as they sped down a flight of stone steps and around a fountain packed with locals and tourists alike.  As much as he wanted to, he really couldn’t trust a Rusky.

  He jumped over a man that was honest-to-God down on one knee, ring box in hand.  “Dreadfully sorry!” Harry cried as the girl in front of the man shrieked and covered her mouth with her hands.  Harry didn’t stop running though.  He continued following Malfoy, despite his mounting reservations, deeper and deeper into the darkened streets of West Berlin to who knew where.

***

  They didn’t stop moving for a good half an hour.  The need to be inconspicuous meant they slowed to a brisk walk once they were confident they weren’t being followed.  But even then they led any would-be-pursuers on a wild goose chase through the streets, doubling back on themselves frequently and dashing down secluded alleyways and underpasses wherever possible.  

  Harry’s mind didn’t stop, just like his feet pounding on the pavement.  The more he considered it, the firmer his conviction became that there had to have been some dirty play involved.  There was no way all three of Voldemort’s men could have shown up to intercept them by coincidence.  It just wasn’t possible.  They had to have been tipped off.  

  The thought sullied his mood.  He had, despite the odds, become rather fond of Malfoy, and thought he’d enamoured himself to the Russian in return.  He’d managed to make a crack in his icy exterior, just in time for him to question Malfoy’s loyalty to him.  To H.O.G.W.A.R.T.S. rather – that’s what he meant.  His loyalty to the program.  

 He scowled as they entered a less than savoury district, the kind all cities held in their corners.  A couple of women dressed garishly and insufficiently for the cold February air called to him and Malfoy as they hurried past, but Harry paid them no mind. Malfoy had been purposeful in his movements for the past several minutes, and it seemed he had a destination in mind.  

  Sure enough, within the next few minutes they came upon a dingy hotel that Harry had little doubt rented rooms by the hour, and they swerved in through the cracked door and into the shadowy entrance hall.  A young woman with black hair cropped into a severe bob and fringe looked up from behind the reception desk as they walked inside the otherwise deserted lobby, and her eyes automatically went to Malfoy.  Harry couldn’t tell if it was in recognition or because (Harry could no longer deny the truth of it to himself) of his striking handsomeness.  

  He couldn’t determine if she knew him or not, therefore he could not immediately guess why they had come into this establishment.  As they stopped at the end of the narrow corridor in front of the desk, he opened his mouth to ask where they were.  But before he could utter a single sound, Malfoy’s hand came up. He didn’t even look away from the receptionist.  He just pressed a single finger against Harry’s lips.

  Harry was so stunned he wasn’t sure what to do for a moment.  But then Malfoy began to speak, finger still pushed against his mouth, and he forgot about everything else.  

  It wasn’t like any language he had ever heard before.  It was a sort of hissing noise, like a snake, rasping from the back of his throat and vibrating over his tongue and teeth.  There was a small part of Harry’s brain that flared to life with intrigue, trying to decipher the noises.  But he couldn’t liken them to any other speech he had ever encountered, not even when studying ancient languages at Oxford.  And besides, the rest of his brain was too busy trying to ensure his body didn’t shudder head to toe at the exotic, commanding-sounding words.

  The receptionist appeared to have no such crisis, and paid rapt attention to every utterance, nodding along.  She then replied back in the same tongue, and Harry then had to deduce she did indeed know Malfoy, or was at least K.G.B. herself.  How else would she too know the strange language?  He gave a muffled sort of squeak, and attempted to interject. Whatever was going on, he deserved to know.  

  That got Malfoy’s attention, and he turned to glare at him, pressing his finger down harder.  Harry could easily have stepped back and away from the intrusive gesture against his face, but for a reason he couldn’t really fathom, his feet remained routed to the spot, willingly allowing himself to be muted.  

  The receptionist smirked, glancing at him with her dark eyes, and said something further to Malfoy in their secret language.  Draco replied something which made her laugh, and she held up a hand to placate him as she moved into a back room.  

  When she came back she held a half-full bottle of vodka, two chipped glass tumblers, something wrapped in a scrap of newspaper, and a room key.  The mysterious item fit comfortably in Draco’s palm before he slipped it into the pocket of his tan leather jacket.  He then took the bottle and pinched the glasses between his long fingers, nodding at the young woman as he did.  

  He removed his hand from Harry’s face with a pointed stare, then picked up the room key with his free hand and turned and headed towards a door to their right. Harry glowered at his back, then realised the receptionist was smiling at him, her eyes narrowed as she licked her lower lip and winked.  

  He cleared his throat and straightened his tie before following his partner.  For now, at least, they were still theoretically on the same side.

  The door led to a narrow staircase that wound its way up around an old wrought iron banister in the gloom.  Malfoy took them to the third floor, where he exited into the corridor.  After checking the key fob he began to examine the numbers on doors, looking for the correct one.  The carpet was threadbare and the one naked bulb hanging from the ceiling was flickering.  Malfoy didn’t pause in his stride though until he found a match, then jammed the key into the lock to open the room he had apparently rented.  

  All sorts of inappropriate thoughts flew through Harry’s brain as he watched him swing the door inwards, but he shook them off.  He needed to find out what was going on, and fast.  He knew he could probably survive a fall from this height if he had to make his escape out of a window, but he would rather not find himself compromised with the K.G.B. if at all possible.  Was there still a chance that Malfoy had a plan of some sorts that wasn’t nefarious?  

  Sensing his hesitation, Malfoy looked back and gestured impatiently for Harry to follow. Harry scowled but did so anyway, curling his fists as he walked up the corridor and entered the dingy room.  

  Malfoy flicked on a table lamp as Harry crossed the threshold and closed the door.  The small amount of light meant he was able to see the double bed occupying most of the room was at least made, and might even have had clean sheets.  The carpets were as patchy as the ones in the hallway, and there was a single door that looked like it led to a bathroom, although what lay beyond was mostly in darkness from where Harry stood.  The walls were a sickly sort of yellow in the lamp’s meagre glow, and there was a faint odour of garlic in the air.  

  Harry went to open his mouth again, to demand just what the hell Malfoy thought he was doing, when he jabbed another warning finger at him, right between the eyes. Then he wagged it back and forth. Don’t speak.  Were they not secure here?  What kind of a safe house was this?  Harry didn’t get a chance to ask, as Malfoy pointed next to his pocket where he’d stashed the microfilm.  He crooked his finger.  Give it to me.

  Harry clenched his jaw.  He didn’t know what was going on, and yet Malfoy wanted him to get out their prized salvage, the thing that could hold all the answers to their mission.  Malfoy didn’t have a malicious look about him though, his face was as carefully neutral as ever.  Harry huffed and ground his teeth.  He shouldn’t do this, but he decided to take a chance and trust him.

  So, he slowly reached inside his suit jacket pocket, fishing out the circular canister that he assumed contained a reel of microfilm.  They wouldn’t be able to see much with the naked eye, they needed a reader to magnify it, but it still felt risky getting it out.  

  As he pulled his hand back out though, he also accidently extracted the strip of photos from the booth at the station.  Malfoy plucked the canister from his fingers, but Harry only kept half an eye on him as he opened it up to examine it.  The rest of his attention went to looking at the four images of them that the camera had captured, and he soon found that that was where all of his attention was directed.

  Harry remembered how he’d pulled his silly poses, enjoying the brief moment of frivolity as he’d teased his standoffish partner, but now the images he held in front of him told an entirely different story.  From top to bottom, Harry peered over his spectacles, fussed with his Windsor knot, and tried fruitlessly to push his curls away from his face.  And then, in the last one, he looked at his stunned face as his past self finally realised that Draco Malfoy had been staring at him in wonder the entire time.  

  Malfoy’s expression never changed, not once in all four pictures.  He merely gazed at Harry, somehow conveying the impression with his soft eyes that Harry had hung the moon.  In that final small square of black and white imagery, Harry looked down at himself staring back at Malfoy, the last traces of humour leaving his face as he realised the gravity of the situation.  Or so it seemed.  How much could you really trust a photograph anyhow?  

  The strip was snatched suddenly from his grasp.  Harry jerked his head up, and was presented instead with two fingers of vodka. Malfoy held the tumbler up to him with his eyebrows raised, an identical glass poised in front of his own lips, the photos now on the cabinet.  Harry took the proffered drink slowly.  “Na zdorovie,” Malfoy whispered.  His toast was barely audible, and then he tipped the shot back.  

  Harry knew he shouldn’t imbibe anything he didn’t trust, there could have been all manner of poisons slipped into the clear liquid.  He was fucking trained for these kinds of situations.  Except he did it all the same, because he was a fool and Malfoy’s eyes were the most enticing, captivating shade of silver, and they urged him on.  “Na zdorovie,” he murmured back.  

  The vodka was cold from refrigeration but it warmed Harry’s throat all the same, burned it even.  He knew enough though to appreciate this wasn’t a cheap bottle the receptionist had plied them with, and it sent an instant zing to his head.  Not enough to distract him though.  

  For the final time, as he carefully placed his glass down on the cabinet beside the photos, he prepared himself to shout at Malfoy, to insist he explain what was going on.  But Malfoy snapped his arm forward and covered Harry’s whole mouth with his large hand.  His eyes widened towards Harry, then narrowed, before he curled his lip.  He brought his other hand up to his own face, a single finger pointed in front of his lips as he mimed a ‘shhhh!’  

  Right, then, Harry thought.  Definitely not secure.  

  Malfoy poured another glass, just the one this time, and quite a hefty measure. Harry, though, was about done with this absurdity.  Why come to a safe house if it wasn’t safe?  He went to reach and grab at the neck of that damnable tan jacket and shake some sense out of his partner, when Malfoy’s hand dropped from covering Harry’s mouth, to slide down the inlay of his jacket’s lapel.

  Harry watched as he ran his fingers up and down the edges of the blazer.  His breathing had come to a halt and his body tingled, unable to resist reacting to the intimate move.  Malfoy was concentrating on his hands, and didn’t seem to sense that Harry was staring at his lips.  He was only a foot or so away, and if he just leant a bit closer…

  Harry had never kissed a man before.  That was something you did with women, when it was love-making and not fucking.  Most of his experiences with men had simply been about having a good time, and getting to the climax.  But Malfoy’s lips were glistening in the faint light, and Harry was being drawn to them like a moth to a flame, as the old saying went.  

  He got lost in the sensation of Malfoy running his hands over his chest, so much so he almost did lean in.  But that was before he felt Malfoy snick something from the lining towards the bottom of the jacket, and then held it up for Harry to see.

  A bug.

  He held the innocuous-looking listening device by its wired tail, the small circle of metal that made up the head glinting in the weak light.

  Fury boiled through Harry’s blood.  His eyes darted back up to Malfoy, seeing a matching look of anger flash across his face, his jaw set in a grim but resigned line.  They had been bugged.  No wonder there had been an ambush at the train station.

  Realisation flooded Harry all of a sudden as a memory from that morning resurfaced: the Polish maid who was fussing over his clothes, despite being told she could leave. Had she been one of Voldemort’s agents, or had they simply paid her off?

  Malfoy dropped the bug into the tumbler of vodka with a ‘plunk!’, before turning back to Harry.  But Harry wanted his turn first.

  With determination, he lifted his hands and began feeling the lining of Malfoy’s tan jacket, hoping he wasn’t the only one to have missed a bloody bug on his person. He would have to put the incident in his mission report, but hopefully the rest of his team would never find out. He would be hard pressed to ever live down the mortification.  

  Sure enough, loosely stitched behind the clothing label by the bottom of the zip, was another matching bug.  Harry held it up triumphantly for Malfoy to see that he hadn’t been the only one to fuck up, and then added it to the vodka, short-circuiting it efficiently.  

  Malfoy yanked at Harry’s blazer, pushing it off his shoulders and dropping it to the floor. Harry scowled and clicked a noise of protest as he reached for it; couture should never simply be dumped on the floor.  But Malfoy seized him by the shoulders and began inspecting his waistcoat, checking every inch for more bugs.  Well, two could play that game.

  As Malfoy extracted another bug from the waistcoat’s small pocket, Harry shoved his tan jacket down, then began rubbing Malfoy’s torso.  It was unlikely there would be a bug in the middle of his jumper, but Harry wasn’t going to take any chances.  Neither was he going to miss an opportunity to get his hands on Malfoy’s muscular body.  

  The main bulk of the turtleneck may have yielded no results, but under the rolled up collar was home to yet another bug, which Harry chucked into the vodka beside the one Malfoy had got off of his waistcoat.  He was fuming that they’d been duped so easily.  Without pausing to think, he let out a growl as he hiked the jumper over Malfoy’s head, revealing the skin-tight vest underneath, clinging to his sculpted form.  He might have had a chance to admire it, if he wasn’t distracted by Malfoy’s hands violently popping his waistcoat buttons, then attacking his tie.

  There was just no place to hide a bug within the white vest, so Harry fought to unbuckle Malfoy’s belt instead; he was rewarded with a bug in the folded over leather by the clasp, as Malfoy uncovered another one in the tip of his tie.

  There was really no need to remove Malfoy’s vest – there was nothing underneath for Harry to check.  Not that might be hiding a listening device anyway.  But Harry was caught in a kind of frenzy, and was yanking the vest from where it was tucked into the trousers and hauling it over Malfoy’s head before he could stop and think.  His hands then snapped back to his own shirt, starting from the bottom as he and Malfoy worked to unbutton it and get it off, along with his gun holster.  He pulled his own vest over his head without needing prompting, running it through his hands to definitely rule out any devices then screwing it into a ball.

  Whilst he was busy doing that, Malfoy had pulled his shoes off and began prying at the bottom of the heels with his fingernails.  Sure enough, there was bug rattling around in the left one, and Harry found one in his right.  

  He chucked the brogues to the floor in disgust before crossing back over the small room to deposit the listening device into the glass.  He was glad Malfoy had poured a large measure of vodka now, as the pile of bugs was almost reaching the top of the liquid.  They weren’t quite finished yet though.  

  He turned to find Malfoy right in front of him.  He didn’t pause as he reached out and mechanically undid Harry’s belt buckle, whipping it from around his hips.  He inspected it for anything untoward, but unlike Malfoy’s design, there wasn’t anywhere to hide a device.  So he dropped the strip of leather to the carpet and set to work on Harry’s trouser button and zip.

  Harry watched, his heart in his throat.  Malfoy was looking at his hands as he worked, so he didn’t see Harry staring at him. He might not even have been aware of Harry’s chest rising and falling heavily, or the deep swallow he needed to take after he started salivating.  But that wasn’t purely a result of his arousal.  

  Malfoy had a long scar that ran across his torso, from his left shoulder to the tip of his right hip.  Harry remember how carefully he had taken that shot a year and a half ago, ensuring that the bullet had only grazed Malfoy’s chest and not mortally wounded him. He had only intended to slow him down, not kill him after all.  But he had never stopped to think that his enemy would still be carrying the scar with him; a permanent reminder of Harry, wherever he went.  

  The thought that Harry was now a small part of him made his skin tingle as he processed the rush of thoughts in the time it took for Malfoy to undo his trousers.  Not one to be out done though, Harry lifted his hands, forcing them not to tremble as he slid the zip down on Malfoy’s own fly. Almost as one, they both shoved downwards, then kicked their legs free, pulling their socks with them.  

  Harry picked his trousers up and meticulously inspected every pocket, down the seams, and then along the turn-ups at the bottom, his eyes flicking up at regular intervals to watch Malfoy doing the same.  Sure enough, they both retracted one last bug each, and with no small amount of satisfaction, dropped them into the remaining inch of vodka.  

  Which just left the two men stood facing one another in their smalls, panting softly after their exertion.  Malfoy may have been slender, but now Harry could see just how sculpted his body was. There wasn’t an ounce of fat to be had on him, the clean lines of his muscles well defined, the rose-pink scar slightly raised as it intersected between his pectorals.  He had dusky pink nipples that were budded into pert nubs, a long, likable neck, and it was easy to see the swell of his manhood under the tightly fitted underwear.  He wasn’t fully erect, but, like Harry, he wasn’t completely disinterested either.  

  Harry watched his eyes trail over Harry’s own slightly fuller form, his expression not giving anything away, but there was obvious interest from the way his gaze lingered over his abdomen and his chest.  Well, Harry thought.  You only live once, don’t you?

  He stepped forward, and cupped the bulge between Malfoy’s legs.  “Don’t you think we should be thorough old chap?” he asked. He rubbed his palm against the cotton of the briefs he was suggesting be removed, his gaze locked unflinchingly with Malfoy’s.  

  It happened so fast Harry wasn’t fully aware he’d been picked up until his legs were wrapped around Malfoy’s waist, his large hands supporting Harry’s arse as he walked him backwards, slamming Harry’s back into the wall as his mouth crashed into Harry’s

  Harry’s hands flew up and tangled into his thick blond hair, his tongue thrusting forwards to meet Malfoy’s.  He kissed like he fought; hard and dirty, claiming not just Harry’s lips but his breath as well.  Harry moaned and squeezed his thighs tightly around Malfoy’s middle, pulling at his hair as he tilted his head to get a better angle for their passionate embrace.

  As it transpired, kissing a man wasn’t an entirely different experience to kissing a woman.  The principles were all the same.  Except, Harry couldn’t say he’d ever kissed someone who appeared hell bent on devouring his whole lower jaw.  Malfoy was still propping him up under his backside with one hand, but with the other he cupped the side of his face with his strong, long fingers, holding Harry still as his lips and tongue lapped and sucked at his mouth with ferocious intent.

  This was a different kind of fucking, he supposed.  But its masculine nature wasn’t off-putting like he had imagined it would be.  It was invigorating and immediately addicting.  

  Malfoy stepped back, turned, and deposited Harry on top of the bed.  Harry let out something that might have been a squeak as he bounced on the mattress, but he was soon too busy looking up at Malfoy crawling over him to be embarrassed.  

  “Is this thorough enough?” he asked.  His darkened and swollen lips quirked into a lopsided smile.  Harry could only stare as he hooked his fingers under the waistband of his briefs, and yanked them down in one fluid motion.  Harry’s hands were flopped by his head as he watched Malfoy drink him in, completely naked.  

  He was hard now, there was no denying his obvious want.  And from the looks of it, Malfoy approved, running one finger up his length as if testing it.  

  Harry sucked in a breath between his teeth.  “Not,” he croaked.  He fumbled with his hand for the band of Malfoy’s underwear, spurred into action with his determination to even the footing.  “Not quite.”

  Malfoy smirked and rolled over to stand up.  Without a hint of awkwardness, he slipped his last shred of clothing over his hips and discarded it onto the floor with the rest of their garments.  His cock was like the rest of him – long and lean – and now it was stood fully to attention.  

  Harry gulped, the sound seeming unnaturally loud in the small hotel room.  

  Malfoy strolled over where they had discarded their many layers of clothing.  He picked up his jacket, removing the mysterious item the receptionist had given him. He crumpled the newspaper that had been wrapped around it into a ball, and dropped it to the floor.  In his hand was a glass jar of petroleum jelly. Harry’s heart skipped a beat.  

  “Don’t worry, Your Highness,” Malfoy purred, crawling back onto the bed to loom over Harry. “I promise to take care of you.”  

  Harry’s attention was dragged away from the innocuous pot by Malfoy gently taking hold of his chin and forcing him to look back up at him.  He smiled, his face alight with mischief, then kissed Harry tenderly.  It was still commanding, all-consuming, but Harry didn’t feel trapped by it.  He felt elevated.  

  His mind wasn’t completely distracted from thinking about the jelly though.  Did Malfoy mean to fuck him?  That was certainly the aura he was giving off as he rolled his body over Harry’s, their hot, stiff members rubbing up against one another.  He gasped.

  Harry had partaken in his share of buggery, especially at Eton, surrounded by other schoolboys with far too many hormones and not enough opportunities to satisfy them. But there was a way these things were done.  The smaller, more feminine boys were the ones that were on the receiving end; Harry may never have been the tallest, as was evident as he lay below Malfoy, but he had been brawny.  He had always been the one doing the fucking, the one in control.  He liked to think he always took care of his partners, and they had certainly always come and been pretty delighted with Harry’s enthusiasm. But he himself would never had thought he would consent to be the one on the bottom.  

  Malfoy though had scooped him up in his arms, kissing him with a fierce determination, their bodies pressed together and already slick with sweat.  Harry had been desperate to trust him when he thought he might have betrayed him.  Now he was desperate to trust him with so much more.  Could he really take that risk?

  He dug his fingers into his back and moaned.  The concern was probably mute at this point, because he doubted he could have halted the night’s proceedings even if he had wanted to.  His body was too far gone and needed release.  He needed Malfoy to give it to him.  

  As if feeling his urgency, Malfoy pulled back, studying Harry’s face as their chests rose and fell in shuddery gasps.  Carefully, he reached forward, and removed Harry’s glasses from his face, placing them on the bedside table.  Harry could still see the man in front of him, but much of the rest of the room became a bit of a blur.  

  As Malfoy’s hand moved back, he plucked up the jar of greasy jelly, and straddled Harry, looking down at him as he unscrewed the cap.  He didn’t ask, but Harry got the feeling he was looking for a sign that this was alright, that this was want Harry wanted.  He couldn’t deny he was apprehensive, but he was also willing to try something new.  If he could jump out of airplanes and infiltrate terrorist strongholds, he could certainly see what it felt like to have another man’s cock up his arse.  

  He gave a small, but unmissable nod.  

  “Good,” said Malfoy softly.  

  He discarded the cap, and placed the opened jar by them on the bed.  He bent down to once again kiss Harry, dragging his lower lip between his teeth and making Harry hiss, which in turn brought something to mind, even in his aroused state.  “What was that language you used earlier?” he asked between shaky breaths.  He swallowed, and tried to calm himself, but it was a little difficult as he watched Malfoy take two fingers to scoop out a dollop of jelly.  

  “Parseltongue,” Malfoy said.  He shifted so he could snake his arm between them, using his slippery fingers to begin stroking Harry’s puckered entrance.  He jerked at the foreign sensation, but he didn’t move his eyes away from Malfoy’s. “You have not heard it before, no?”

  “No,” Harry stuttered in agreement.  It was hard to keep his eyes open when he was being touched in such an intimate fashion. “Some in – invention of the K.G.B.’s?”

  Malfoy smirked, pressing his middle finger against his hole, making Harry gasp at the intrusion.  Malfoy proceeded slowly, but there was no denying it felt strange being penetrated. Harry took several breaths and forced himself to relax.  He brought his hands up and placed them on Malfoy’s chest, rubbing them over his pecs and clavicles.  His damp skin felt so good under his palms.  

  Malfoy tutted at him.  “Surely Mr MI6 is not trying to extract state secrets from Kremlin?”  He pushed his finger further inside, and Harry squirmed as he began to adjust.  

  “No,” he uttered truthfully.  “I just…” He gritted his teeth, determined not to blush, especially when he thought about the fact Malfoy had asked that receptionist for the petroleum jelly whilst using their special language, and she had probably guessed exactly what he’d intended to use it for.  “I just wondered…if you might speak it again?”

  The tip of Malfoy’s nose brushed Harry’s as he stared into his eyes.  He began pulsing his finger back and forth.  “You like this language?” he asked, amusement sparkling in his grey eyes.

  Harry huffed, trying and failing not to push himself against Malfoy’s finger like something wanton.  “I just thought it was interesting,” he lied.  Well, he supposed it was interesting how the exotic sounds had felt like they had set his entire body alight with desire.  Is was like being licked by a naked flame, but without the burn.  “I’ve never heard anything like it, if I could understand the verb structures-”

  Malfoy forced another finger in.

  Harry bucked in shock, like a startled horse, his back arching as he cried out. Malfoy laughed at him.  “Verb structures?” he repeated.  And then he started hissing and rasping.

  Harry had no idea what he was saying, but he couldn’t imagine it was anything other than filthy.  He rubbed his two fingers back and forth, stretching out Harry’s entrance, and whispered his mysterious language between sucking open mouth kisses against Harry’s throat.  Harry snatched breath after breath, screwing his eyes shut as he lost himself to the various sensations Malfoy was inflicting most deliciously on him.  “Fuck,” he moaned rutting his cock shamelessly against Malfoy’s thigh.  The friction from two fingers was like a warm burn. It had been a shock to start with, but his body was becoming used to it, feeling more like pleasure than pain.  

  Malfoy’s kisses trailed up to his jaw, the steady stream of ethereal hisses only pausing as he pressed his lips to Harry’s skin.  “I want you,” he said, back to his Russian-laced English.  His pupils were so wide, so blown with lust, that only a sliver of silver was left around the blackness.  “This is your first time, yes?”

  That made Harry sound like an inexperienced teenager, but Malfoy didn’t ask with any pity or mocking in his tones.  He sounded like he was stating a fact, like it was important for him to know.

  Harry nodded, deciding not to be abashed.  “Like this – this way around – yes.”  

  Malfoy nodded.  He removed his fingers from inside Harry and reached for the jar of lubricant again. “Then we will go slowly,” he said.

  He coated his leaking cock with firm strokes of his hand, and it had Harry’s blood pulsing with want.  He looked so erotic pleasuring himself, Harry couldn’t tear his eyes away.  He gripped tightly onto his shoulders, unable to respond to his assurance of going slowly with much more than a nod.  

  Using his dry hand, Malfoy snagged one of the pillows from the other side of the bed, where Harry’s head was not lying, and dragged it down.  “Lift hips,” he instructed.  Harry did as he was told, allowing Malfoy to slip the pillow under his back.  “Legs up.” Like when they had been pressed against the wall, Harry obediently picked up his feet and wrapped them around Malfoy’s waist, prostrating his most intimate area for Malfoy.  

  With one hand, Malfoy braced himself above Harry; with his other, he took his glistening member and angled it to line up with Harry’s entrance, rubbing the tip against the puckered skin.  Harry groaned and tried not to push too obviously against it.  He still had some dignity to cling onto, and seeming completely desperate to get fucked by his long-time rival was probably not the best way to go about it.  Even if it was the truth.  

  Malfoy nodded at him.  Are you ready?  Harry nodded back.  

  So he began to push.

   Harry grunted, but he was looking into Malfoy’s eyes, and they slowly breathed in an out together.  Relax, Harry told himself.  This was fine.

  He couldn’t deny it did kind of burn, and the stretching was unpleasant – far more than his fingers had been.  But Malfoy began to kiss him again.  Soft little flutters against his lips as he murmured in Russian, telling Harry how well he was doing, how good he felt.  

  Harry had to once coach a skittish Italian girl through their time together, and by the end of it she had been an absolute ally cat under the sheets.  But he had quite enjoyed caring for her during their initial first few moves together, seeing her become more confident in her own skin, recognising the moment when she had started to truly trust Harry. Now, Malfoy cradled him to his chest and whispered sweet nothings, and far from feeling emasculated, Harry felt like he could let go and transcend the pain.  They were both in control, he could stop this at any time, but Malfoy wanted him to enjoy this.  

  “I’ve got you, little prince,” he growled in his mother tongue.

  Harry gasped as he felt Malfoy bottom out, buried in him as far as he could go.  He hugged him to his body with both his arms and legs, panting as he slowly experimented with giving a tentative roll of his hips, shifting Malfoy’s length inside him.  It didn’t feel so bad now.  “I’m alright,” he said, hoping he sounded a little less flustered than he felt. He was a grown man for crying out loud, in employment of Her Majesty’s government.  He shouldn’t be reduced to a wreck by a spot of shagging.  

  Malfoy tutted and scowled.  “I said we take it slow,” he admonished.  “I decide when you are ready.”

  Harry frowned and opened his mouth to argue, but he soon found it too full of Malfoy’s tongue to speak.  His kisses were urgent again and soon had him moaning hungrily.  And as much as he hated to admit it, the longer he just rested with Malfoy’s hard cock jammed inside him, the more pleasant the sensation got.  He began to undulate, encouraging movement between them.  

  Malfoy pulled back and raised an eyebrow at him.  “Now who is naughty boy?”  

  Harry grinned at him.  “Would you shut up and just fuck me already?”

  Malfoy’s fingers dug into his back, and his expression turned molten.  His blond hair, normally so carefully combed back, was hanging down around his face, dripping with sweat, and his pale skin had a tinge of pink at the cheeks.  “Of course, Your Highness.”

  Harry wasn’t sure he liked the silly nickname his Russian compatriot has bestowed on him, but he was pretty certain whenever he heard it again in the future, he would always associate it with what happened next.  And that meant he became rather fond of it, extremely quickly.

  Malfoy slid slowly out of him, almost to the tip, then thrust smoothly back in.  The motion was easier that time, but it wasn’t what caused Harry to wail like a wolf at the moon.  It was as if Malfoy had found a secret sweet spot within him, some sensitive little area that, when touched, sent electricity through the entire length of Harry’s body and back again.

  “Dear God,” he spluttered, his voice coming out in an almost sob.  “Do that again.”  

  Malfoy smiled at him.  There looked to be genuine affection in his eyes, but Harry really couldn’t say.  He was too far gone to make sense of such things.

  Malfoy set a steady rhythm, pounding into him relentlessly, making Harry moan and mutter incoherently in several different languages.  It was almost too much, the sensation overwhelming, but he hung on as his climax built.  He hoped they didn’t have any neighbours trying to sleep, because he was surely going to bring down the house.  

  Malfoy looked to be getting close too, judging by the way his face was screwed up. Without faltering in his rhythm, he reached one hand between them and wrapped his fingers around Harry’s cock. A few strokes were all it took to shatter Harry’s world, and he came with a howl, ejaculating hot, white mess between them.  

  Fireworks exploded in the darkness behind his closed eyes as Malfoy rode down on him hard, chasing his orgasm with his own.  It didn’t take long for him to arch his back, grunting and clenching his teeth as he spilled his seed inside Harry.  

  Exhausted, he fell boneless on top of Harry, hugging him sloppily.  Harry’s vision swirled as he blinked and tried to focus on the ceiling above.  Without his glasses, it was impossible to see much more than a foot or so in front of his face with any clarity, but at least that meant he could see Malfoy’s profile as he turned to look at him.  

  For a moment, he just stared.  He thought he knew his rival, and yet, after all these years, he’d had no idea at all.

  Malfoy sighed, then turned his head to face him.  “Hello,” Harry said softly.

  “Zdravstvuy,” Malfoy murmured back.  He eased his way out of Harry with a groan and rolled over. Harry felt the loss of full body contact immediately and keenly.  But he bit his lip and tried not to show it, instead removing the pillow from under his hips, and watching Malfoy walk into the bathroom.  He was probably going to shower; they had made quite a mess of themselves after all.  He closed his eyes and mentally told himself, very sternly, that that was fine.  What did he expect?  Malfoy wasn’t a woman, he didn’t require a post-coital cuddle, that would be absurd.  

  Harry was sore and covered in sweat and cum.  He started to shiver, and thought maybe he should sit up and try and clean himself off.  

  He startled as he felt the bed dip, and whipped his head around to find Malfoy was back with a damp towel in his hand.  “Hold still,” he said gruffly, pushing Harry back down onto the bed. Using gentle sweeping motions, he wiped the stickiness away from his chest, mopping up every last drop, then dipped the towel between his legs to catch what was leaking from their intimate encounter.  Harry stared dumbly as he worked, allowing himself to be cared for like an infant. “Up.”  Malfoy shooed him off the bed with a flick of his hand.

  Harry was too tired and disorientated to do much more than what he was told.  He was starting to suspect he was a damn poor secret agent, but in that moment, he couldn’t muster the energy to berate himself further.  

  He guessed Malfoy was getting them ready to move on.  However, he was surprised when instead he yanked back the bed covers. He was so comfortable moving around without any clothes on, it gave Harry the confidence to stand and watch him without covering himself up.

  Malfoy pointed at the stripped back bed.  “In,” he said simply.  

  Harry blinked a couple of times.  He should insist they keep going.  Who knew if Voldemort’s men had followed them or managed to track them, despite Malfoy’s use of the secretive Parseltongue language?  But his traitorous heart liked the idea of their surreal moment not being over just yet.  If he got in the bed, would Malfoy join him?  

  He slipped between the sheets and watched as Malfoy moved over to the cabinet, picking his way through their clothes that were littered all over the carpet.  He reached the lamp and clicked it off, plunging the room into mostly darkness, although there was a glow of streetlight coming through the thin curtains.  Which meant Harry was able make him out as he walked confidently back the way he came, not faltering in his step as he rounded the bed and climbed in beside Harry.

  “Sleep now,” he grunted.  He wrapped his arm around Harry, hauling him over so his back was pressed up to Malfoy’s chest, and nuzzling his nose into Harry’s hair.  

  Harry thought maybe he should protest at being manhandled.  However, he didn’t really feel like it, not when it turned out that a post-coital cuddle was actually really lovely.  He sighed, snuggling against the cheap, scratchy sheets, and the warm body pressed up behind him.  Yes, he thought.  This wasn’t too bad at all.  

***

  He was blissfully asleep one moment.  And the next, the covers were mercilessly torn away, exposing his skin to the cool air of the dingy hotel room.  

  Harry scrambled awake with a yelp, grabbing at the sheets and pillows, unable to recall where he had left his gun.  Then the details of the circumstances in which he had fallen asleep came rushing back to him.

  He snapped his head around to see Malfoy turn the lamp back on against of the darkness of the night outside the window.  He grinned.  “Good morning, Your Highness,” he said.  “Time to get presentable again, I am afraid.”

  Harry rubbed his eyes, unable to see clearly thanks to his lack of spectacles. “What?” he croaked.

  Malfoy walked back over to the bed, still naked, and smacked a hand on Harry’s backside where it was exposed.  Harry yelped even louder than before, then glared indignantly as he rubbed the stinging flesh.  “Ow,” he said pointedly.  

  “This is mine now,” Malfoy replied, patting Harry’s sore bum.  “So, time to shower.  Come now, chop chop, as you English say.”  

  He seemed to be enjoying himself.  

  “It’s still night,” Harry said.  Said, not whined.  He was sure of it.  

  Malfoy chuckled.  “We sleep for hour and half – one R.E.M. cycle.  Now we are fresh as daisies, yes?”  

  Harry scowled.  He definitely did not feel as fresh as a daisy.  But Malfoy reached his hand down to him and beckoned him up with his curled fingers, a small smile tugging at his lips, his eyes alight and imploring. “Shower?” Harry asked.

  “Shower,” Malfoy repeated.  

  That didn’t sound like the worst idea Harry had ever heard.  Despite Malfoy’s ministrations to him earlier, he still felt a little grotty; his hair was almost certainly stuck up at all angles thanks to the sweat that had dried in it.  If they were to head back into West Berlin, they would need to look as inconspicuous as possible, just in case they were to run into any further trouble.  

  Harry slipped his hand into Malfoy’s, and allowed himself to be pulled upward.  He mused to himself as he was led into the small bathroom, watching as Malfoy pulled the cord to switch on the light bulb under the cracked glass shade.  After such a good rodgering – and really, it had been quite spectacular – should Harry think of Malfoy as Draco now?  Were they on such intimate terms?  

  It didn’t feel right somehow, he concluded as he watched Malfoy reach around the greying shower curtain and turn on the taps.  Draco Malfoy was the Drakon, a known international threat to queen and country.  Malfoy was a mildly infuriating co-worker, who had just unravelled Harry in the most stupendous fashion.  He had cared for him, as a lover.  

  Harry would have assumed that after taking on the submissive role in their tryst he would feel meek, or even humiliated.  But he simply felt calm, and warm despite the cold tiles under his bare feet.  

  Malfoy was standing with his hand under the stream of water, staring at nothing as he waited for the temperature to heat up.  However, when he realised Harry was watching him, he met his eye and smiled with one corner on his pale, pink lips.  “Come,” he said, beckoning Harry to him.

  Harry was surprised by Malfoy following him into the bath tub.  He turned and raised his eyebrows, but found he didn’t know what to say.  He had never showered with a lover before; he had assumed Malfoy was setting the water temperature as a thoughtful gesture, as Harry had drawn baths for his women in the past.  But it seemed the Russian had other ideas as he pulled the curtain shut.

  There was a cracked bar of yellow soap on the side, which Malfoy leaned around Harry to fetch.  He didn’t say anything, he just crowded Harry into moving backwards, until they were both under the stream.  The water was on the verge of being too hot, just the way Harry preferred it.  Probably because it was the middle of the night and everyone else was sleeping or fucking, rather than washing away the long day. Whatever the reason, Harry was grateful.

  The water was falling over Harry’s shoulder, hitting both their stomachs with half-decent power, and the steam was filing up the space behind the curtain nicely. Harry inhaled deeply, tasting the moisture on his tongue and feeling it at the back of his throat.  

  Malfoy rubbed the bar of soap vigorously between his hands, slowly building up a good amount of lather under the water’s spray.  Harry watched his long hands at work as he ran his own fingers through his hair, massaging the water through it pleasantly.  

  He looked over Malfoy’s body.  It was littered with scars, as was his own.  But they had nothing between them like the slash across his chest where Harry’s bullet had grazed him.  The rest were small, indistinguishable from one another.  The long line of raised tissue told a story.  Their story.  

  “I did that to you.”  Harry reached out and touched where the mark crossed his sternum.  

  Surprisingly, Malfoy looked up from the soap at him with a fond smile.  “Yes,” he said.  

  Harry frowned, the sound of the water splashing hanging between them.  “You don’t mind it?”

  Malfoy shrugged.  “It is part of life,” was all he said.  

  Harry expected Malfoy to start washing himself, then hand the softened bar over for Harry to use.  But he clearly still didn’t know as much about his partner as he thought.  

  “Turn,” Malfoy instructed, giving Harry’s hip a gentle poke.  Harry arched an eyebrow at him, but did as he was told. Malfoy hadn’t steered him wrong yet, after all.  

  He moved so his chest and left shoulder were under most of the stream.  After Malfoy’s hands-on behaviour thus-far, he anticipated it as he came and stood behind him, and wasn’t disappointed.  Malfoy took the soap and began to lather the suds across his back with both hands, pressing his fingers firmly against his skin.  Harry groaned and leaned in closer, loving the way the pressure felt on his taught muscles.  Malfoy stroked down his arms and spine, washing away the lingering traces of their time together, but leaving Harry with something more than skin deep.  The hard brushes of his hands seeped down into his bones, settling there and warming them better than the hot water.  

  He only flinched slightly when Malfoy dipped his fingers between his cheeks, lightly stroking the hole he had penetrated mere hours before.  It was tender, but having him gently touch it again reminded Harry of what they had shared together in the best possible way.  Malfoy didn’t ask if he felt okay, he simply washed him thoroughly, and kissed his neck from behind.  

  Harry let out a guttural sigh.  His eyes drifted closed and he let his back lean against Malfoy’s chest as his hands worked all over him.  Between his legs, his cock was perking up again, and he moved to touch himself.  

  A stinging slap to the back of his hand made him jerk away, and Malfoy grinned down at him as he looked accusingly over his shoulder.  “I would like to do this,” he murmured, nudging Harry’s nose with his own, until he was at a better angle for a kiss.  Harry hummed, hoping that singled his consent.

  It did, apparently.  Malfoy was unhurried in his kissing, lapping Harry up like a cat enjoying a saucer of cream. He curled his long fingers around Harry’s member and stroked slowly, luxuriously, as if they had all the time in the world.  

  “You are very pretty like this,” he muttered into Harry’s mouth.

  He felt his cheeks redden.  “Do shut up,” he grumbled.  He wasn’t pretty, he was a bloody man.

  Malfoy smiled into their kiss.  “Of course,” he told him in Russian.  

  His orgasm crept up on him this time.  Rather than the spectacular explosion of last time, his pleasure grew inside him, like a kettle coming to the boil, until he was ejaculating against the tiled wall. The water washed away the evidence immediately, but Harry anticipated the thrum of happiness in his veins would most likely last for hours.  

  Because he was a gentleman, he ignored the weakness in his knees, and turned to offer a hand to Malfoy in return.  But it worked out that Malfoy had his knees in mind anyway.

  As Harry faced him, he captured either side of his jaw to pull him in for another kiss, leaving Harry free to palm his burgeoning erection.  But before he could get any kind of serious rhythm going, Malfoy broke their kiss, and looked down at him with his steely grey eyes.  

  He bit his lip, studying Harry’s face.  Then he dropped his hands to Harry’s shoulders, applying subtle pressure, and raised his eyebrows just slightly.  Asking a question.  Did Harry want to drop to his knees for him?

  Much like buggering, Harry had experienced that there was generally a certain protocol involved with sucking another man’s cock.  Those most likely to find one up their arse, were also those more likely to be enticed to take one in their mouth.  Harry had always considered himself an Alpha Male as the animal kingdom called it, and had never questioned the fact that it would be he, not the other man standing when it came to oral pleasure.

  But Malfoy was asking this of him.  His right hand was still pressing almost imperceptibly down on his shoulder, but the other came back to rub the side of his neck.  His eyes flicked back and forth, no doubt trying to read what Harry held behind his, and the water poured down them both, still blissfully hot and soothing.  

  Harry knew the immeasurable joy one experienced when their cock was being tended to by soft lips and strong tongue, but not everyone was willing to lower themselves to such a base act.  Is that what he wanted?  Would Malfoy look at him with derision if he did this, or would he cherish it?

  Harry decided to take a chance.  If the worse happened, they could go back to hating each other, like they had before. Except, Harry thought to himself as he carefully dropped into the bath, the water spraying on top of his head, plastering his hair down.  They had never really hated each other, had they?

  Back at school, he had been forced to tutor his eager but not-at-first-skilled roommate in the best way to give head, after an unfortunate incident involving his teeth after a door banged too loudly down the corridor.  The key, he and Harry discovered, was to sheath one’s teeth with the lips.  So, keeping that in mind, he angled himself towards Malfoy’s head, slipping his lips around the hot, velvety skin, and running his tongue along the slit.  

  The moan Malfoy released let him know he was on the right track.  

  Malfoy threaded the fingers of his right hand through Harry’s hair, helping to guide him as he bobbed up and down, and used his left to attempt to grip the slippery wall.  Harry watched him for a moment, but it was too hard with the water falling down on him. So he closed his eyes and concentrated on making Malfoy feel wonderful, the way he had done for him.  

  His mind wandered just a fraction around the task at hand, as he considered whether or not he would have believed this was how their day was destined to end up. Would Malfoy have guessed, if he’d had it suggested to him?  Were their paths meant to entwine in this manner, had it just been a matter of time?

  There was a miniscule part of him that hoped that was the case, even if he did force himself to ignore it.  This was almost certainly a one-night affair, and he was going to enjoy himself as long as it lasted.  

  Malfoy’s orgasm caught him by surprise, and he choked as the seaman hit the back of his throat.  But it was good manners to swallow, even if one was conveniently in a shower, and he did his best to gulp down all of his lover’s spend.  

  Gasping, he rocked back on his heels and rubbed his aching jaw, but Malfoy was already pulling him up to embrace him against his chest.  “Spasibo,” he murmured.  Thank you.

  They retrieved the soap from where it had slipped out of Malfoy’s hand at some point, and managed to successfully wash themselves without further distraction. Harry turned the tap off, and Malfoy hooked the two towels off the rail, handing one over so they both might dry off.

  Harry mourned the fact that his suit had spent the last few hours crumpled on the floor, and shivered as he slipped the cold, slightly damp clothes over his body. One of the buttons of his waistcoat looked to be coming loose, and it took him an age to find his second sock of the pair.  But eventually he found himself fussing over his tie in front of the age-spotted mirror hanging by the bathroom door.  It was almost four in the morning, however Harry could hear a few tell-tale signs that the city was coming to life on the streets below.  

  He was feeling fractious, and he tried not to analyse his thoughts too closely.  It was hard though when he angrily started on his third attempt to get the blasted tie straight, only to find himself spun around to face Malfoy.  His partner was dressed already, back in his navy turtleneck, and without saying a word he calmly undid the mess Harry had made.  He looped the tie over and around to create a tidy knot, then simply nodded at Harry when he was done.  

  Harry gave himself a mental slap.  He wasn’t a forlorn romance heroine in a cheap novel, he was a British man who absolutely needed to stop pining over his colleague.  It was simply a bit of fun that they’d had together, and now it was over. He did this sort of thing all the time, he had never particularly missed any of his previous lovers.  

  So why did the thought of going back to cool civility with Malfoy fill him with such dread?

  He had little time to ponder it.  Once they had re-holstered their guns, they smashed up the listening bugs before depositing them down the lavatory.  With their jackets back on, they set out once more, heading down the stairs of the little hotel.  

  Malfoy dropped the key at the front desk.  The dark-haired receptionist peered over the top of her book at them, looking surprisingly awake considering it was the middle of the night.  She glanced at Harry, then hissed something towards Malfoy in Parseltongue, a glint in her eye that Harry did not appreciate.  

  “Yes, yes,” he groused, tugging at Malfoy’s sleeve to lead him away.  “Do come on, we haven’t got all night.”

  Malfoy smirked at him.  “I do not know what you mean,” he said with a flick of an eyebrow.  “Pansy was merely enquiring after your good health.”

  “I’m fit as a fiddle,” Harry grumbled, pushing through the front door and into the night.

  The case of microfilm sat heavily in his pocket, once again resting next to the strip of photos from the station.  Harry kept telling himself he was holding on to them because he didn’t want to leave any evidence behind.  But if that really was the case, he could probably have flushed them down the toilet along with the bugs.  

  They walked swiftly down the mostly deserted street.  Harry nodded to the women still working the corners, and decided he wasn’t going to dwell on why he had held onto the pictures.  

  He and Malfoy had agreed, in so many words, that they needed to get out of East Germany. There were only so many ways to move from the Allied pocket of West Berlin, out of the Soviet controlled eastern side of the country, and back into West Germany.  Although Harry was with Malfoy, they couldn’t rely on his Russian comrades to support them.  H.O.G.W.A.R.T.S. was a British initiative; their orders had come from London and that was where they needed to return in order to complete their mission.

  Their plan was to make their way back to Jannowitzbrucke, as it was one of the only stations still open thanks to the Berlin Wall.  If they could make the first train though at 06:08, they would be able to ride down to the safety of Potsdam Griebnitzsee, a stone’s throw outside the Berlin boarder, but that was all they would need to deliver them to safety.  

  Boarding the train would require money and passports though, so that involved both agents navigating the city to collect emergency currency and documentation from safe stashes that would enable them to leave.  Their teams would have been long scattered now after the debacle at Jannowitzbrucke station; they were on their own.  

  It would have probably been quicker to split up, but they’d have been fools to allow the microfilm out of either of their sights.  There was little to be lost in divulging their drop points to each other though, as once used they would never be used again.  So first they went to pick up Malfoy’s stash from behind a lose brick on a street near Charlottenburg, then swung around to look under a park dustbin in Wilmersdorf for Harry’s.  

  It was quite the journey, despite the fact that once they had funds again they were able to get an early running bus a part of the way back to Jannowitzbrucke.  By the time they reached the station, it was already approaching six o’clock.  

  Harry felt nervous as they surveyed the building from a safe distance. Logically, he would assume that the Lestranges and their cohorts would be long gone.  But the fact remained that this was one of the best ways out of the city, and if they were desperate enough to get their microfilm back, they might have risked staying behind to watch for Harry and Malfoy.

  Harry frowned.  If they had been foolish enough to do that, then he was certain his colleagues from M.I.6. would have picked them up.  He and Malfoy were more than likely safe to make their approach.  

  “Come on,” he muttered to Malfoy, slinking out from the shadows in the pre-dawn light.

  They drew little attention as they walked purposefully into the station. There were enough people milling about that they weren’t immediately obvious as they crossed the concourse.  Harry didn’t think he could see anyone watching him as he left Malfoy making a show of studying a timetable, and he went to purchase their tickets.  It was 06:03.  

  The cashier gave him a pleasant but tired smile as she handed over their one-way tickets to Potsdam Griebnitzsee, and wished him a good day.  He very much hoped that was the case.  

  He didn’t allow himself to rush as he walked back over to his partner.  He was, however, reminded with every step of their tryst by a dull soreness around his entrance.  It was an ache, not entirely unpleasant, but most definitely present in a way that meant he could not completely forgot what had transpired. He would carry the evidence of their intimacy around with him for most of the day, he was sure, and the thought caused another flare of irritation.  If the event was to be forgotten, he would rather just forget now and be done with it.  The humiliation he had expected in the immediate moments after sex burned in his chest now, so fiercely he felt that Malfoy could surely sense it.  

  He showed no signs of gloating or triumph though as Harry approached him, holding out his ticket for him to take.  Harry tried to push down his personal feelings; it was a gross lapse in professionalism and they were not out of the woods yet.  

  “We should wait,” Malfoy said with a nod towards their platform, and Harry murmured in agreement.  In the very unlikely event they were being pursued, they should not give away their destination until the absolute last moment.  The clock read 06:05.  

  Harry refused to look at Malfoy as they waited, instead cataloguing the magazines on display on a nearby newsstand.  He also busied himself studying anyone in the station who paused in their stride, assessing for any possible threats.  As far as he could tell, there were none.  

  At 06:07 they began to walk.  They couldn’t risk rushing, but Harry had a small, anxious flutter to his heartbeat. The next train wasn’t for another half an hour, and if they missed this one, they risked being discovered waiting around for the next.  

  The guard blew his whistle.  

  Malfoy didn’t increase his stride, but his eyes were fixed on the nearest carriage door, and with his long legs he naturally reached it first, extending his hand out for the door handle just as the train jerked its first few inches forward.

  That was when the shot rang out.  

  Harry snapped backwards on instinct.  Screams flew through the air and people began to run in panic, but Harry didn’t pause as he snatched his gun from its holster and scanned the fleeing bodies for the shooter.

  “Potter!” Malfoy barked.  He had already stepped up onto the train, and it was chugging along the platform, picking up speed.  

  Harry gave one last look for their attacker, then turned to dash back over to the carriage door.  Their enemy couldn’t be close enough to board as well, so if he could get onto the train they would be safe.  

  Another bullet whizzed through the air, striking the side of the train, causing both agents to flinch and preventing Harry from reaching the door.  “Shit!”  He stumbled away, managing not to trip over his feet, but the train was pulling out of his reach.  The shrill sounds of people’s screams and pounding feet echoed across the station, the bodies blurring into one as they sought shelter.  Harry still could not identify his assailant though as he got his footing back and sprinted towards the train.  

  Could it be a sniper?  If so, why hadn’t they made the shot?  He couldn’t believe they would be that incompetent – Voldemort didn’t stand for incompetence.  So, was their goal to simply stop him boarding?  To take him in for interrogation?  He couldn’t allow that.

  But the next shot came so close to his ear he actually felt the air move, and it ricocheted dangerously off the caboose.  Another shot followed, and another, all whilst the train continued to accelerate.

  “Potter, come on!” Malfoy shouted.  He was reaching out as far as he could for Harry’s hand, but it wasn’t close enough.

  A sudden explosion of pain in Harry’s upper left arm blinded him momentarily, and he knew that the shooter must have hit true.  He stumbled to the floor, knocked off balance by the impact, and he bellowed in anger and horror.  

  He would never make the train now.

  A large seized his good arm.  Harry made to yank away on instinct, until he looked up into a pair of wide, grey eyes.

  “Move!” Malfoy shouted, hoisting him bodily to his feet and breaking into a sprint.  Blood was spilling down Harry’s arm; as his feet woke up and began to move, he surmised that it was only a superficial flesh wound.  But its distraction might still have been enough to stop him from boarding the train, trapping him and Malfoy in the station with their attacker.  

  Malfoy had other plans though.  They were both running flat out, chasing the train as it gained momentum, but his grip on Harry’s arm was like iron, forcing him to match the distance his long legs were carrying.

  He closed his hand around the edge of the open door without a millimetre to spare, tugging both him and Harry towards the opening.  Another shot fired overhead, but Harry didn’t allow himself to flinch. It was now or never.

  Malfoy heaved himself up onto the carriage, and Harry jumped with him, trusting that Malfoy would help him.  His hand refused to let go of Harry’s arm, and together they tumbled into the belly of the caboose, falling down amidst the crates stored within.  

  Harry cried out in pain.  But they had made it.  They were on board.

  Malfoy sat up first, panting and shifting beside Harry so he could then help him upright as well.  The blood had soaked through the sleeve of his jacket, but as Harry caught his breath and gently probed the wound, he knew he had been right.  The bullet had just skimmed the edge of his skin, he would be fine with a few stitches.  A bit like another bullet wound he could think of.  

  That wasn’t what concerned him the most at that particular moment though.

  He looked up from the bloody hole in his jacket to find Malfoy staring at him, his pale lips in a thin line.  They regarded one another as they swayed with the momentum of the train.  “You came back for me,” Harry said.  His voice trembled a bit too much for his liking, but he figured he had just been shot, so it was alright.  

  Malfoy swallowed, his eyes unblinking.  “You have microfilm,” he rasped.  

  There was a pause, where Harry just stared.  Then he discovered a grin was trying to make itself known on his face. He attempted to fight it, but he really didn’t have the energy.  “I have the microfilm,” he repeated slowly, the laughter bubbling up inside him despite the pain he was in.

  Malfoy continued to stare at him.  Only the smallest twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed him, before he lunged forward, grabbing the back of Harry’s head with his hand, crushing their lips together in a fierce and hungry kiss.  

  Harry may not have any absolute assurance still as to how Malfoy felt, or whether or not there would be a repeat of last night’s interlude, but he certainly felt the passion in that embrace.  He couldn’t help but bask in the tender way Malfoy carefully treated his wound, or sigh as his lover held him close in the storage caboose for the rest of the journey down to Potsdam, grumbling in Russian about idiotic, useless Englishmen.

  Harry used his good hand to touch the microfilm case in his pocket, thankful it wasn’t on the side where his blood had leaked.  He told himself he couldn’t help but also feel the strip of four photos against his fingertips, nestled safely next to the precious microfilm. But as Malfoy whispered into his ear, hissing that strange language of his, Harry thought maybe it was time to stop fighting himself.  

  There was a real danger he might very well have been falling in love with his infuriating partner, and he may not know what the future held for them, but, just for now, he was going to enjoy it.  

***

  Harry shifted in his seat.  Again.

  McGonagall glanced up from her desk, but only for a moment, and did not say anything out loud.  He could guess what she might have been thinking, but decided he’d rather not.  

  He watched her study the microfilm through the magnifying lens for the next several minutes, only squirming when he absolutely had to.  Malfoy threw him more than one quelling look, which he did his best to head.  But really, he was quite uncomfortable.  

  “This is excellent work gentlemen,” McGonagall announced eventually.  She placed the reader down and carefully wound the film back up, securing it back in its case.  “No doubt the hostages will have been moved to another location by now, but we have more than enough information to go on here, including the means to prevent any more abductions.”

  “Is that so?” Harry asked.  He eagerly sat forward in his seat.  His arm was no longer in a sling, but his injury still smarted when he moved it suddenly. However, he was too keen to know their mission had truly been a success to care all that much.  “Is there a list of targets?”

  “Not exactly,” she said, her eyebrow quirking.  “Let’s just say we will be detaining and interrogating Mr Pettigrew as soon as possible, and that should solve the issue.”  

  Harry couldn’t help the coldness that ran through him.  Did she mean Peter Pettigrew?  He wasn’t particularly close to the man, but he knew he had been an old acquaintance of his father’s.  He couldn’t be a traitor could he?  A double agent?  

  Harry sat back in his seat and chewed his lip sombrely.  He supposed he would just have to wait and see.  

  “We are delighted to be of help,” Malfoy told the director.  His fingers were laced and his hands resting on his knee, his legs crossed, and back ram-rod straight.  He didn’t even remotely look tired, whereas Harry was so shattered he was sure he could have fallen asleep right there and then, even with the director looking on.  The only thing that had been keeping him awake was discovering what exactly they had retrieved on the microfilm.  It appeared they had done a good job.

  “You were,” McGonagall confirmed.  “I trust your journey back wasn’t too hard?”

  Oh.  

  It had been hard alright.  

  It had been hard for the last twenty minutes into Potsdam Griebnitzsee in the train’s cramped bathroom.   It had been hard in the hotel in Hanover, several times.  It had been hard in the backseat of the car they had hired in Apeldoorn, and in the narrow cabin on the ferry across the Markermeer lake, and even in one of the cupboards that held cleaning supplies downstairs in the very building they were currently sat in.  One could say, it had been an extremely hard week since Berlin.  

  Harry gave her a tight smile, subtly moving on his seat again.  “It passed without any further incident,” he answered, which was truthful as far as Voldemort’s people were concerned.  

  “Well,” McGonagall said, and nodded once.  “That’s that then, I guess.  As you gentlemen are aware, the H.O.G.W.A.R.T.S. initiative was only an experiment.”  

  Harry didn’t say anything.  This was it; the experiment was over, and all he could probably do now was hope that he and Malfoy weren’t sent to kill each other any time soon.  He supposed it had been a fun week whilst it had lasted.  

 He was resolved to this.  His consolation had been in witnessing for himself how fervently his partner cared for him, and how deep his affections apparently ran.  Harry had not declared his feelings out loud, but he had aspired to convey his contentment through his actions.  When alone with Malfoy, he hoped he had illustrated the importance he placed on their intimate moments, with every kiss and caress he could.  

   If this was to be it, he felt confident Malfoy knew he had won his heart, if only for a short while.

  “And the results of this experiment?” Malfoy asked.  Harry was too busy pondering, and trying to unsuccessfully once again relieve the pressure on his tender arse.

  McGonagall raised both eyebrows and leant backwards in her chair.  “A resounding success,” she said.  “I assumed you might have guessed as much.  The agency is extremely keen to maintain operations, in fact, there’s even talk of expansion.”

  Harry blinked once, then twice.  What had she just said?  He carefully cleared his throat, and picked at an imaginary bit of lint on his trouser leg. “So, we are to remain as partners?”

  McGonagall fished a single sheet of paper from the multitude littering her desk, and handed it to Malfoy.  “If you don’t have any strong objections?” she asked him.  “Your director has granted permission for you to be relocated indefinitely to the London office.  Agent Potter can help you with any adjustments, I’m sure.”

  Agent Potter’s mouth went dry.  He and Malfoy were to continue being partners?  He was to be based out of London?  Would that mean he might want to consider carrying on with their affair, or had part of its appeal been its limited timescale?  

  Only one way to find out.  

  He sighed, conveying how great this burden was to him.  “If we are to be shackled to one another still,” he said heavily.  “Then it is probably best if we stick close together. I can accommodate Agent Malfoy until he is settled; we can learn each other’s ins and outs much quicker if we continue to co-habit.”  

  McGonagall didn’t react, other than to hold Harry’s gaze for a moment longer than was comfortable.  “You would be amenable to sharing your home?”

  Harry shrugged.  “It’s more like a hotel room, he’s not going to find out any secrets from me there, other than perhaps my inside seam measurement, or perhaps which brand of toothpaste I prefer.  Although, I dare say he knows all that already.  This won’t be all that different to the mission – so long as Agent Malfoy has no issues with it?”

  He turned his eyes to his partner, both in work and in bed, and gave him a smirk. Malfoy returned the look coolly. “No wife or children waiting at home? Agent Potter, you surprise me.”  

  Harry glared, whilst his heart secretly swelled.  He wondered if that had been on Malfoy’s mind?  If he had maybe assumed the worse and expected to be dropped like yesterday’s newspaper once Harry was back in England.  The opposite was so painfully true, Harry could have tap danced.

  “I’m a surprising man,” he drawled.  He turned back to McGonagall.  “Is that all? We are rather travel-worn is all,” he explained.  “A hot bath would go a long way at this point.”  

  McGonagall rose to her feet, and the men followed suit.  “For now,” she confirmed, shaking each of their hands.  “You are to report to my office tomorrow at 08:00 for debriefing.”

  Harry nodded.  “Understood.” And with that, he led Malfoy out.

  They walked down the hallway in cautious silence.  Harry’s heart was hammering in his chest, but he didn’t want to be the first to speak.  He desperately wanted to know Malfoy was as happy as he was though with this new, more permanent arrangement, however he didn’t want to appear weak by even hinting he was asking.  

  “You better have a decent bed for me to sleep in, Your Highness,” Malfoy said eventually.  His chin was held haughtily high, and he slipped his large hands into the pockets of his tan leather jacket.  Harry’s were hidden away likewise, and he ran his thumb over the smooth surface of the photographs.  “You English have strange aversion to proper back support.”

  Harry scowled back at him.  “We can’t help that all you Ruskies are barbarians made of stone.”  

  Malfoy tutted as they approached the elevator.  “Such insolence,” he chided, reaching out across Harry to press the call button.  “I think perhaps when we get home, I shall fuck you on your knees.  Teach you some manners, no?”

  Harry spluttered, frantically looking around to check no one had heard.  They were alone, but he was still indignant.  He turned back to face Malfoy, fists curled up as he feigned fury.  “Have you ever thought that you could do with a good fucking once in a while?” he hissed.  He enjoyed playing up his outrage, but the truth was his heartbeat had sped up even faster than before, his veins thrumming with eager anticipation.  

  Malfoy’s lip curled, and his eyes blazed into Harry’s as the lift rattled upwards to greet them.  “And a gag too, perhaps?  You talk too much.”

  Harry would have carried on arguing, except the elevator doors pinged open, and they stepped inside with another couple of people already riding down.  Harry would make a show of fighting back; he would call Malfoy a Godless brute the entire way home.  

  But once they were there, he knew he would melt under his lover’s hands.  Because the thing was, he had called it ‘home’ as well.  They were going to share the space together; the bed was going to become their bed.  

  And he honestly couldn’t think of anything else that would make him happier.  

***

  Several years later…

  Agent Pansy Parkinson sat on the edge of the padded chair that Director McGonagall had indicated for her to wait in.  She causally drummed her crimson nails against the armrests, and ignored the Scottish woman’s occasional glares up from the report she was reading.  She wondered how long this was going to take. She had things to do.  

  McGonagall sighed and rubbed her eyes, then rested her chin in her hand.  “And you’re sure there was no trace of them to be found after the explosion?”

 Pansy considered the other woman.  She was in her late sixties, but had a steeliness that lurked behind those wire-rim spectacles.  She would not easily be fooled, but Draco had always spoken of her with the same respect he reserved for his mother.  He and Potter had hoped her obvious affection for the pair would work in their favour.

  She realised she was dangerously close to a grin, and quickly dropped her expression. “Yes, yes, very sad.  Terrible tragedy.”  She cleared her throat and nodded.  “No trace left of bodies.”  English was a strange language, so different to her own mother tongue.  But it did have a sort of eloquence to it she supposed.

  McGonagall glanced down at the file, tracing her finger along several words.  “And yet, somehow you were able to escape the building without a scratch, whilst also retrieving the blueprints?”  Her tone was light, but Pansy didn’t miss the accusation there.  

  She despised silly games like this, but she reminded herself what was at stake.  No more tagging along on missions with two bickering old nannies.  No more listening to rampant sex through thin motel walls.  No more pretending she had no idea that two grown men were hopelessly in love and practically married, because it was much simpler to just fuck and argue than to care and cherish.

  Urgh.  Men. Who needed them?  

  “We got separated,” she said, shaking her head ruefully.  She dabbed at her eyes to with the back of her hand for good measure. “I would never have escaped if not for them.  I do not know how I can live with myself, knowing this.  It is too cruel, they were best agents, best of men.”  

  Draco had paid her extra to say that bit.  

  McGonagall regarded her for a minute, then went back to studying the finer details of the report.  

  Pansy glanced at her watch.  Mauritius was only four hours ahead.  She imagined the two of them were probably arguing over the counter in the bar that Potter had spent the past year slowly putting together whenever he could get down to that little shack on the beach.  Draco would no doubt be saying very little back, listening as his lover prattled on about the weather and politics and any one of Draco’s many annoying domestic habits.  Maybe he would be polishing his boat, the one he intended to take tourists fishing on.

  As much as she had abhorred their incessant, juvenile company, she couldn’t help but picture both idiots smiling when they thought they were alone, when no one else was watching.  She had teased Draco mercilessly about the way she’d spied him caressing his lover’s cheek, or the way he would yank him bodily from a fire-fight, like he wasn’t a fully trained and capable agent.  They never had to say they were in love.  They showed it every day.  

  McGonagall sighed, bringing Pansy’s attention back to London and the overwhelmingly grey office that she had become accustomed to during her time with H.O.G.W.A.R.T.S.  She hadn’t decided if she wanted to stay with the operation yet.  Maybe she too would fake her death and go travel the world?  

  “They shall be missed,” McGonagall said, closing the file.  “They were indeed unparalleled in what they did.  Britain, and in fact the world, owe them a great debt. Neither of them had much in the way of family, but I will arrange for them to be informed.”

  Pansy nodded solemnly, hiding her delight as she pictured the letter that would make its long journey across the Baltic states to Draco’s mother Narcissa, a wonderful woman whom Pansy had long adored.  That letter would slip through the door of that cold apartment, where it would sit on the mat with all the other correspondence.  

  That was, until it would be picked up once a week by a discreet neighbour for a good price, and shipped all the way down to another hut on the Mauritian coast. Draco had told her that his mother had relocated to the village along from theirs, and was almost overcome with joy at the glorious heat and bountiful food.  

  Pansy wished them all well.  She truly did.  

  “Thank you,” she said to the director.  “From my country to yours, we appreciate this, and share our grief together.”  

  She bid her farewells, and took her leave from M.I.6.  It was important she not appear hurried, but she also knew she had a small timeframe with which to work in.  

  Potter’s apartment was in Hammersmith, meaning she would have to cross the river. A cab would get her there in half an hour, depending on traffic, but if she took the tube she would be less at risk from being spotted.  She didn’t know who might want to know where he and Draco were, now they were retired. Even their own governments couldn’t be trusted to leave them alone.  

  Within the hour, she was letting herself in with the key Potter had entrusted her with, quietly slipping into the West London flat.  So, this was where Draco had been living?  Her eyes trailed over the carefully neutral décor.  There wasn’t much sign a couple had been living here; no photos on the walls or souvenirs of holidays spent together.  Their life was carefully hidden away.  

  Pansy had been sent for one item only.  Upon their ‘deaths’ the two men had been indifferent to almost all of their possessions the had left behind in London.  Save one. Potter had tried to press the importance of this item upon her without seeming desperate; Draco had told her he would track her down and break her legs if she didn’t retrieve it immediately, then hand deliver it herself at the soonest opportunity.  

  He was endearing when he got protective.  Really, it was very sweet.  

  The book was exactly where Potter had promised it would be.  An exceedingly boring volume on bird migration habits, tucked between a biography on Winston Churchill and a review of Parisian architecture.  It was the sort of literary collection designed to allow your gaze to sweep over, and not hold your interest for a moment.  Ideal if you wanted to hide something.  

  Pansy eased the avian hardback free, and let it fall open naturally where it had been bookmarked.  Except, it wasn’t a bookmark at all.  

  It was a strip of photos.  

  Potter had always been a hopeless fool it seemed judging by his ludicrous poses, even before he fell in love.  But Draco’s expression warmed her heart.  He still looked at the ridiculous Englishman as if he was the only person alive that truly mattered.  

  Pansy carefully slipped the photos back into place, mindful not to smudge the images with her fingers.  She liked her legs as they were; unbroken.  The strip would not see the light of day until she reached that beach, off the east coast of Madagascar, where she would hand the book over to the happy couple.  

  Perhaps in their new life, they could frame the four simple images, or at least attach them to the fridge with a magnet like normal people.  Pansy may feel relief at not having to see the love Draco and Harry shared every day.  But she felt it was about time they saw it indisputably for themselves.  

The End

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Why Programmes Should Learn Python in 2019

If you are thinking to learn Python but not sure why you should do that then here are 10 reasons which highlight the benefits of learning Python in 2019.

Though, the questions depend upon who is asking that i.e. for a beginner, learning Python makes sense because its simple and main reason for learning Python is simplicity.

Similarly, for an experienced programmer who is looking to go into Data Science and Machine learning, learning Python makes sense because it's quickly becoming the most used programming language and there are powerful APIs and library available for AI, Data Science, and Machine learning.

Anyway, without any further ado, here are my 10 reasons to learn Python in 2019:

1. Data Science

This is the single, biggest reason why many programmers are learning Python in 2019. I know many of my friends who are bored with their Java programming jobs in Investment banks are learning Python on to make a career in Data Science due to exciting work and high pay.

But, what makes Python a preferred language for Data Science and Machine Learning? Didn't R was considered best for that not too long ago? Well, I think the libraries and framework Python offers e.g. PyBrain, NumPy and PyMySQL on AI, DataScience, and Machine learning are one of that reason.

Another reason is diversity, Python experience allows you to do a lot more than R e.g. you can create scripts to automate stuff, go into web development and so much more.

If you are interested in becoming a Data Scientist in 2019 and looking for pointers, I suggest you check out Data Science, Deep Learning, & Machine Learning with Python course on. I have purchased this course and it's one of the awesome resources. You can get it in less than $10 sometimes.

best data science course in Python

And if you need more choices, you can also take a look at this list of best Python Data Science courses for programmers.

2. Machine Learning

This is another reason why programmers are learning Python in 2019. The growth of machine learning is phenomenal in last a couple of years and it's rapidly changing everything around us. Algorithms become sophisticated day by day, the best example is Google which can now answer what you are expecting.

If you are interested in machine learning, want to do a pet project or just want to play around, Python is the only major programming language which makes it easy.

Though there are machine learning libraries available in Java, you will find more content around Python as developer community is preferring Python over anything else on Data Science and Machine learning.

If you are interested in machine learning with Python, I suggest you to further check Machine Learning A-Z™: Hands-On Python & R In Data Science course on Udemy

best machine learning course in Python

 And if you need more options, here is another comprehensive list of machine learning courses for programmers.

3. Web Development

The good old development is another reason for learning Python. It offers so many good libraries and frameworks e.g. Django and Flask which makes web development really easy.

The task which takes hours in PHP can be completed in minutes on Python. Python is also used a lot for web scrapping. In fact, there is a free Python course on Udemy which will teach you that while teaching Python.

There are a lot of using Python web development frameworks like Django and Flask which can help you quickly create your web application in no time.

4. Simplicity

This is the single biggest reason for beginners to learn Python. When you first start with programming and coding, you don't want to start with a programming language which has tough syntax and weird rules.

Python is both readable and simple. It also easier to setup, you don't need to deal with any classpath problems like Java or compiler issues like C++.

Just install Python and you are done. While installing it will also ask you to add Python in PATH which means you can run Python from anywhere on your machine.

5. Big Community

You need a community to learn a new technology and friends are your biggest asset when it comes to learning a programming language. You often get stuck with one or other issue and that time you need helping hand.

Thanks to Google, you can find the solution of your any Python related problem in minutes. Communities like StackOverflow also brings many Python experts together to help newcomers.

6. Libraries and Frameworks

One of the similarities between Python and Java is the sheer number of open source libraries, frameworks, and modules available to do whatever you want to do. It makes application development really easy.

Just imagine creating a web application without Spring in Java or Django and Flask in Python. It makes your job simple as you only need to focus on business logic.

Python has numerous libraries for different needs. Django and Flask are two of the most popular for web development and NumPy and SciPy are for Data Science.  If you want to learn more, here is a list of 8 Useful Python Machine learning libraries.

  7. Automation

When I first come to know about Python was due to one of my scripting need. I was working with an application which receives messages over UDP and there was a problem, we were not seeing messages in the log.

I wanted to check if we are receiving any UDP traffic on that box and that port or not but I couldn't find a handy UNIX command to do that. My friend who sits next to me was learning Python and he wrote a utility in just 5 minutes to intercept UDP message using one of the Python modules.

Obviously, I was impressed with the time it took for him to write such a tool but that just highlights the power of Python when it comes to writing scripts, tool and automating stuff.

If you seriously want to know how much Python help with automation, my favorite place is the Automate boring stuff with Python book, simply awesome book.

best book to learn Python

8. Multipurpose

One of the things I like about Python is its Swiss Army knife nature. It's not tied to just one thing e.g. R which is good on Data Science and Machine learning but nowhere when it comes to web development. Learning Python means you can do many things.

You can create your web applications using Django and Flask, Can do Data Analysis using NumPy, Scipy, Scikit-Learn, and NLTK. At a bare minimum, you can use Python to write scripts to automate many of your days to day tasks.

9. Jobs and Growth

Python is growing really fast and big time and it makes a lot of sense to learn a growing programming major programming language if you are just starting your programming career.

It not only help you to get a job quickly but also it will also accelerate your career growth. IMHO, for beginners, after simplicity, this should be the most important reason to learn Python

10. Salary

Python developers are one of the highest paid developers, particularly in the Data Science, Machine learning and web development. On average also, they are very good paying, ranging from 70K USD to 150K USD depending upon their experience, location, and domain.

If you are interested in learning more about high paying technology jobs, I suggest checking my earlier post about 10 highest paid technology jobs for Software Engineers in 2018.

Why learn Python in 2019

Useful Resources to Learn PythonIf you decide to learn Python in 2019 then here are some of the useful Python books, courses, and tutorials to start your journey in the beautiful world of Python.

The Complete Python MasterClass

The Python Bible - Everything You Need to Program in Python

5 Courses to Learn Data Science and Machine learning

10 Free Python Programming EBooks and PDF

Top 5 Courses to Learn Python in 2019

And if you are still not convinced about learning Python then look at this image, it correctly shows the life of a Python developer:

10 Reasons to Learn Python Programming in 2018

That's all about some of the important reasons to learn Python in 2019. As I said, it's important to know to code in today's world and if you don't know coding you are missing something and Python is a great way to start learning to code.

For programmers who already know Java or C++, learning Python not just make you a Polyglot programmer but also gives you a powerful tool in your arsenal to write scripts, create a web application and open door on exciting field of Data Science and Machine Learning.[Source]-https://javarevisited.blogspot.com/2018/05/10-reasons-to-learn-python-programming.htm

Advanced level python certification course with 100% Job Assistance Guarantee Provided. We Have 3 Sessions Per Week And 90 Hours Certified Basic Python Classes In Thane Training Offered By Asterix Solution.

#python certification course #python classes in navi mumbai #advanced python training

[catherinesnyder]

What is creativity? The ultimate guide to understanding today’s most important ability.

Creativity is one of those traits that people seem to have an intrinsic understanding of, but if you actually ask them to define it, they get tripped up. It’s easy to come up with a list of creative people (Frieda Khalo, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Einstein), and the outcomes of creativity (a novel, an invention, a new way of looking at the world), but it’s difficult to wrap your head around the actual concept of creativity. The more I researched this article, the more I realized creativity is an incredibly nuanced phenomenon.

by rvasilovski

But you have to start somewhere, so let’s begin with a definition:

Creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ways of thinking or acting, and to develop new and original ideas, methods or objects.

Let’s break that down:

It’s an ability It’s also an ability to run a mile, or to do calculus or recite a Shakespearean sonnet (Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?). So creativity is a skill that is specific to an individual. For some people, it might seem to come naturally, but it is something that anyone can improve at if they give it the time and effort.

It transcends traditional ways of thinking or acting Transcending means you’re going above and beyond. It’s recognizing the limitations of what already exists, and trying to improve upon it.

It develops new and original things I think the key word here is develops. Creativity goes beyond imagining: it’s about developing. If it’s an idea, you go out and do the research to prove it. If it’s a new process you try and test it to see if it works. If it’s an object, you build it.

Great! And now that I’ve provided you with that enlightening definition, let’s wade a bit deeper and try to really understand what creativity is (and why you should or shouldn’t care).

Creativity is a relatively new phenomenon —

Creativity has only been a thing for the past 60-80 years or so.

“But wait,” you say, “what about all those amazing artists and inventors of yesteryear. Are you telling me you don’t think Mark Twain and Sir Isaac Newton weren’t creative? Preposterous!”

I am certainly not one to dis the fathers of Tom Sawyer and gravity. What I’m saying is that the concept of creativity as we understand it—even though it seems so ubiquitous—wasn’t really part of the popular lexicon until midway through the last century:

From Google’s Ngram viewer

In many ancient cultures, ideas or advancements that we would attribute to an individual’s creativity were deemed “discoveries.” Even artwork was seen as an imitation of nature rather than a form of creation.

In the medieval Christian world, creative ideas were positioned as divine inspiration. Did you do something awesome? You owe god a high five for sending that fantastic idea your way, my friend.

With the dawning of the enlightenment, we started to see a gradual shift towards individual responsibility, but even then the focus was on imagination and intelligence—both of which are definitely part of the modern definition of creativity, but not quite the same thing.

by E·the·re·al”

Where we really begin to see the emergence in the idea of modern creativity is in the 1920s. With the birth of psychology1 at the end of the 19th century, paradigms in the western world shifted to focus more intently on the individual, and our unique capabilities and personalities. (Another one of those things that we think as innate—personality wasn’t really a thing until Freud.) Creativity as an ability, or a personality trait, first gained popularity after Graham Wallas’ book Art of Thought. In this work, Wallas presents a model for how humans approach problems and think creatively.

And thus, the modern idea of creativity was born. Since then, psychologists and researchers in other disciplines have only continued to develop the idea into what we understand today.

So does that mean that no one was creative until the 1930s? No, clearly humans have had the ability to think outside the box and develop new ideas for a long time. What the current focus on creativity does show is that it’s a valued quality in our culture right now. The focus on it as a coveted trait can probably be linked to the rapid development of new ideas and technology in the past century.

Creativity is a pattern of thinking —

So we know that creativity is an ability that allows people to develop new ideas, but that still feels a bit vague and intangible (kind of like saying swimming is the ability to not drown in water—technically true, but not particularly useful if you’re going for a deeper understanding, or ya know, wanting to not drown). Put on your floaties and let’s dive into the deep end.

All skills originate in our brains: whether it’s physical (learning to do the breaststroke) or mental (learning to solve an algebraic equation), it’s all about neurons in the right part of your brain firing over and over again until what you’re doing becomes ingrained.2

Creativity is the skill to transcend traditional ways of thinking and come up with new ideas. But where do these new ideas come from?

Forget left vs. right brained, it’s all about the networks.

Like the persistent “we only use 10% of our brains” myth, the concept of left-brained = creative vs. right-brained = analytical is total pseudoscience.

by LittleFox

Yes, there are parts of our brain that have specific functions, but it’s the connections between these areas, and the subsequent networks they create which creates cognition. For example, if you’re trying to climb over a log that’s fallen on a path, you’re likely engaging the network which links the parts of your brain that process visual images and govern motor coordination. If you’re explaining to a friend how to climb over said log, add in the parts of your brain which control language.

When it comes to creativity, neuroscientists have identified three large-scale (and aptly named) networks of the brain that are important:

The executive attention network helps you pay attention and focus

The imagination network allows you to daydream or imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes

The salience network let’s you identify when things you have buried deep in your brain are salient to the world around you (e.g. you’re going for a hike and taking in the scenery, and you notice this plant… realize it looks familiar… and that it’s poison ivy! And you just saved yourself from a terrible itchy rash.)

The more active these networks are in your brain, and the more they work together, the more creative you are.3

So going back to our original question: what is creativity? Creativity is a skill that allows you to draw understanding of the world around you, connect those observations to your existing knowledge reservoirs, and imagine new applications of your knowledge on the world.

Is there a connection between creativity and intelligence? —

This study purports to find a positive correlation between creativity and intelligence, but our in-house statistician was dubious of the results.

So if it’s all about what’s going on in certain brain networks, does that mean that creative people are smarter? I wish I had an easy yes or no answer for you, but the study of creativity is still a pretty new thing, and the research isn’t entirely settled on this matter yet.

In 1999, researchers Sternberg and O’Hara provided a framework of five possible relationships between creativity and intelligence:

Creativity is a type of intelligence

Intelligence is a type of creativity

Creativity and intelligence are overlapping constructs (they have some traits in common)

Creativity and intelligence are part of the same construct (they’re basically the same thing)

Creativity and intelligence are distinct constructs (there is no relationship between them)

There are studies that provide evidence in favor of each of these perspectives, but thus far none has been overwhelming in its conclusions. So essentially there’s nothing that shows if you’re smarter you’re more creative. But there’s nothing showing that there’s not a correlation either.

Are children more creative than adults? —

If you do a Google search on creativity, you’ll pretty quickly run into an article that mentions a study run by Professor George Land that seems to show that children become less creative over time.

The gist: Land worked with NASA to develop a creativity test that would help them select innovative engineers and scientists for the space program. In 1968, he and colleague Beth Jarmen gave the same test to 1,600 children and found that—shock—98% of five-year-olds were apparently creative geniuses. And we all just got less and less creative as we aged, until only a measly 2% of us adults qualify as creative geniuses.

by fritzR

Now, maybe I’m just bitter because I’m jealous of all those child prodigies and their ideas that would allow them to be astronauts, but I’m a bit skeptical of these results. Sure, they make for great clickbait and feel-goodry (just embrace your inner child, ignore the pressures of society and you might be able to qualify to go the moon!) but have you spent any time with a five year old recently?

My colleague has a son about this age: this past weekend he linked together a Barrel of Monkeys to create a ladder for his green army men to climb.

Not only is this adorable, but it’s an amazing example of out-of-the-box creative thinking. But real world application? Maybe not so much. (Though I’m having a fantastic time imagining this scenario!)

Fewer synapses = fewer monkeys?

Young children have amazing brains: they develop literally trillions of neural synapses in the first few years of life. Then, through a process called synaptic pruning, those connections decrease over time, as some of these synapses are used and others aren’t.

In other words, kids connect all sorts of weird things together in their minds because they haven’t learned that these things don’t necessarily go together yet. This ability to make connections between seemingly unrelated things—also called divergent thinking—is an important tennant in creative thinking. But it’s just one part of it. And probably why I’m not quite ready to trust the Space Program to child geniuses just yet.

But this highlights an important question:

How do we test for creativity? —

Some of our designers excel at divergent thinking. Flying turtle by Fafahrd Deustua.

The original creativity tests developed in the 1960s are tests of divergent thinking. A couple examples of these include alternative uses (how many different ways can you think of to use a paperclip; the number and originality of your ideas impact your score) and incomplete figure tests where you’re given a line on a paper and asked to finish the drawing (uncommon subject matter, implied stories, humor and originality earn high marks).4

Other researchers have tried to measure creativity through self-reported creativity questionnaires and social-personality approaches (where they look at a mix of other personality traits and try to find a “formula” for a creative person). Both of these methods have some inherent biases.

So while divergent thinking tests have been criticized, they are currently the most accepted measure of creativity. (Though I’m very curious to see where the neuroscience takes us.)

Why should you care about creativity? —

I hope I’m not being to presumptuous when I say everyone wants to develop new skills or grow their abilities. (Who wouldn’t want to be a faster runner or a better poker player?) But we all have limited hours in the day, so you can’t practice to get better at everything. Why is creativity one of those skills you should spend time developing?

by InQueen

Well, if you care about your career, it’s probably worth the investment. Both individuals and businesses value hold those with creative qualities in high regard. According to a survey by Adobe, people that identify as creative earn 17% more money than those who don’t. Similarly, in a survey of 1,500 CEOs, IBM found that creativity is the number one trait needed for business success.

And yes, the data from these surveys is based on opinion or self-reported creativity levels, but even if the scientists might squawk, it’s probably worth paying attention to. Basically, your boss and your boss’ boss both think creativity is important. And that makes sense as the definition of a creative person is literally someone who comes up with good ideas and can bring them to fruition. In today’s world, that is exactly the fuel that drives business success. So if you want to get ahead, start churning out those ideas like a barrel of monkeys. (Am I doing it right?)

Can you become more creative? —

Absolutely! Creativity isn’t a magical gift bestowed to just a few lucky individuals, it’s a skill that you can hone and develop. The trick is figuring out how to flex your creativity muscles.

1. A number of things happened at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries that shifted our world view, from the discover of relativity to the invention of mass, fast transportation, new ways of communicating across long distances, and of capturing reality (i.e. photography and filmmaking).

2. This TED Talk on how to practice effectively is great. It offers a great explanation of the impact of practice on our brains.

3.All that being said, there are some compelling evidence that our current education system is not setup to nurture the type of creative thinking that we value in today’s society. Which makes sense if you consider that the basic structure and curriculum of schools (at least here in the United States) comes from the 19th century.

4. Interested in more? 99U has a great article with 5 classic creativity tests you can try.

The post What is creativity? The ultimate guide to understanding today’s most important ability. appeared first on 99designs.

via https://99designs.co.uk/blog/

What is creativity? The ultimate guide to understanding today’s most important ability. syndicated from https://www.lilpackaging.com/

[helenpattersoon]

What is creativity? The ultimate guide to understanding today’s most important ability.

Creativity is one of those traits that people seem to have an intrinsic understanding of, but if you actually ask them to define it, they get tripped up. It’s easy to come up with a list of creative people (Frieda Khalo, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Einstein), and the outcomes of creativity (a novel, an invention, a new way of looking at the world), but it’s difficult to wrap your head around the actual concept of creativity. The more I researched this article, the more I realized creativity is an incredibly nuanced phenomenon.

by rvasilovski

But you have to start somewhere, so let’s begin with a definition:

Creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ways of thinking or acting, and to develop new and original ideas, methods or objects.

Let’s break that down:

It’s an ability It’s also an ability to run a mile, or to do calculus or recite a Shakespearean sonnet (Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?). So creativity is a skill that is specific to an individual. For some people, it might seem to come naturally, but it is something that anyone can improve at if they give it the time and effort.

It transcends traditional ways of thinking or acting Transcending means you’re going above and beyond. It’s recognizing the limitations of what already exists, and trying to improve upon it.

It develops new and original things I think the key word here is develops. Creativity goes beyond imagining: it’s about developing. If it’s an idea, you go out and do the research to prove it. If it’s a new process you try and test it to see if it works. If it’s an object, you build it.

Great! And now that I’ve provided you with that enlightening definition, let’s wade a bit deeper and try to really understand what creativity is (and why you should or shouldn’t care).

Creativity is a relatively new phenomenon —

Creativity has only been a thing for the past 60-80 years or so.

“But wait,” you say, “what about all those amazing artists and inventors of yesteryear. Are you telling me you don’t think Mark Twain and Sir Isaac Newton weren’t creative? Preposterous!”

I am certainly not one to dis the fathers of Tom Sawyer and gravity. What I’m saying is that the concept of creativity as we understand it—even though it seems so ubiquitous—wasn’t really part of the popular lexicon until midway through the last century:

From Google’s Ngram viewer

In many ancient cultures, ideas or advancements that we would attribute to an individual’s creativity were deemed “discoveries.” Even artwork was seen as an imitation of nature rather than a form of creation.

In the medieval Christian world, creative ideas were positioned as divine inspiration. Did you do something awesome? You owe god a high five for sending that fantastic idea your way, my friend.

With the dawning of the enlightenment, we started to see a gradual shift towards individual responsibility, but even then the focus was on imagination and intelligence—both of which are definitely part of the modern definition of creativity, but not quite the same thing.

by E·the·re·al”

Where we really begin to see the emergence in the idea of modern creativity is in the 1920s. With the birth of psychology1 at the end of the 19th century, paradigms in the western world shifted to focus more intently on the individual, and our unique capabilities and personalities. (Another one of those things that we think as innate—personality wasn’t really a thing until Freud.) Creativity as an ability, or a personality trait, first gained popularity after Graham Wallas’ book Art of Thought. In this work, Wallas presents a model for how humans approach problems and think creatively.

And thus, the modern idea of creativity was born. Since then, psychologists and researchers in other disciplines have only continued to develop the idea into what we understand today.

So does that mean that no one was creative until the 1930s? No, clearly humans have had the ability to think outside the box and develop new ideas for a long time. What the current focus on creativity does show is that it’s a valued quality in our culture right now. The focus on it as a coveted trait can probably be linked to the rapid development of new ideas and technology in the past century.

Creativity is a pattern of thinking —

So we know that creativity is an ability that allows people to develop new ideas, but that still feels a bit vague and intangible (kind of like saying swimming is the ability to not drown in water—technically true, but not particularly useful if you’re going for a deeper understanding, or ya know, wanting to not drown). Put on your floaties and let’s dive into the deep end.

All skills originate in our brains: whether it’s physical (learning to do the breaststroke) or mental (learning to solve an algebraic equation), it’s all about neurons in the right part of your brain firing over and over again until what you’re doing becomes ingrained.2

Creativity is the skill to transcend traditional ways of thinking and come up with new ideas. But where do these new ideas come from?

Forget left vs. right brained, it’s all about the networks.

Like the persistent “we only use 10% of our brains” myth, the concept of left-brained = creative vs. right-brained = analytical is total pseudoscience.

by LittleFox

Yes, there are parts of our brain that have specific functions, but it’s the connections between these areas, and the subsequent networks they create which creates cognition. For example, if you’re trying to climb over a log that’s fallen on a path, you’re likely engaging the network which links the parts of your brain that process visual images and govern motor coordination. If you’re explaining to a friend how to climb over said log, add in the parts of your brain which control language.

When it comes to creativity, neuroscientists have identified three large-scale (and aptly named) networks of the brain that are important:

The executive attention network helps you pay attention and focus

The imagination network allows you to daydream or imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes

The salience network let’s you identify when things you have buried deep in your brain are salient to the world around you (e.g. you’re going for a hike and taking in the scenery, and you notice this plant… realize it looks familiar… and that it’s poison ivy! And you just saved yourself from a terrible itchy rash.)

The more active these networks are in your brain, and the more they work together, the more creative you are.3

So going back to our original question: what is creativity? Creativity is a skill that allows you to draw understanding of the world around you, connect those observations to your existing knowledge reservoirs, and imagine new applications of your knowledge on the world.

Is there a connection between creativity and intelligence? —

This study purports to find a positive correlation between creativity and intelligence, but our in-house statistician was dubious of the results.

So if it’s all about what’s going on in certain brain networks, does that mean that creative people are smarter? I wish I had an easy yes or no answer for you, but the study of creativity is still a pretty new thing, and the research isn’t entirely settled on this matter yet.

In 1999, researchers Sternberg and O’Hara provided a framework of five possible relationships between creativity and intelligence:

Creativity is a type of intelligence

Intelligence is a type of creativity

Creativity and intelligence are overlapping constructs (they have some traits in common)

Creativity and intelligence are part of the same construct (they’re basically the same thing)

Creativity and intelligence are distinct constructs (there is no relationship between them)

There are studies that provide evidence in favor of each of these perspectives, but thus far none has been overwhelming in its conclusions. So essentially there’s nothing that shows if you’re smarter you’re more creative. But there’s nothing showing that there’s not a correlation either.

Are children more creative than adults? —

If you do a Google search on creativity, you’ll pretty quickly run into an article that mentions a study run by Professor George Land that seems to show that children become less creative over time.

The gist: Land worked with NASA to develop a creativity test that would help them select innovative engineers and scientists for the space program. In 1968, he and colleague Beth Jarmen gave the same test to 1,600 children and found that—shock—98% of five-year-olds were apparently creative geniuses. And we all just got less and less creative as we aged, until only a measly 2% of us adults qualify as creative geniuses.

by fritzR

Now, maybe I’m just bitter because I’m jealous of all those child prodigies and their ideas that would allow them to be astronauts, but I’m a bit skeptical of these results. Sure, they make for great clickbait and feel-goodry (just embrace your inner child, ignore the pressures of society and you might be able to qualify to go the moon!) but have you spent any time with a five year old recently?

My colleague has a son about this age: this past weekend he linked together a Barrel of Monkeys to create a ladder for his green army men to climb.

Not only is this adorable, but it’s an amazing example of out-of-the-box creative thinking. But real world application? Maybe not so much. (Though I’m having a fantastic time imagining this scenario!)

Fewer synapses = fewer monkeys?

Young children have amazing brains: they develop literally trillions of neural synapses in the first few years of life. Then, through a process called synaptic pruning, those connections decrease over time, as some of these synapses are used and others aren’t.

In other words, kids connect all sorts of weird things together in their minds because they haven’t learned that these things don’t necessarily go together yet. This ability to make connections between seemingly unrelated things—also called divergent thinking—is an important tennant in creative thinking. But it’s just one part of it. And probably why I’m not quite ready to trust the Space Program to child geniuses just yet.

But this highlights an important question:

How do we test for creativity? —

Some of our designers excel at divergent thinking. Flying turtle by Fafahrd Deustua.

The original creativity tests developed in the 1960s are tests of divergent thinking. A couple examples of these include alternative uses (how many different ways can you think of to use a paperclip; the number and originality of your ideas impact your score) and incomplete figure tests where you’re given a line on a paper and asked to finish the drawing (uncommon subject matter, implied stories, humor and originality earn high marks).4

Other researchers have tried to measure creativity through self-reported creativity questionnaires and social-personality approaches (where they look at a mix of other personality traits and try to find a “formula” for a creative person). Both of these methods have some inherent biases.

So while divergent thinking tests have been criticized, they are currently the most accepted measure of creativity. (Though I’m very curious to see where the neuroscience takes us.)

Why should you care about creativity? —

I hope I’m not being to presumptuous when I say everyone wants to develop new skills or grow their abilities. (Who wouldn’t want to be a faster runner or a better poker player?) But we all have limited hours in the day, so you can’t practice to get better at everything. Why is creativity one of those skills you should spend time developing?

by InQueen

Well, if you care about your career, it’s probably worth the investment. Both individuals and businesses value hold those with creative qualities in high regard. According to a survey by Adobe, people that identify as creative earn 17% more money than those who don’t. Similarly, in a survey of 1,500 CEOs, IBM found that creativity is the number one trait needed for business success.

And yes, the data from these surveys is based on opinion or self-reported creativity levels, but even if the scientists might squawk, it’s probably worth paying attention to. Basically, your boss and your boss’ boss both think creativity is important. And that makes sense as the definition of a creative person is literally someone who comes up with good ideas and can bring them to fruition. In today’s world, that is exactly the fuel that drives business success. So if you want to get ahead, start churning out those ideas like a barrel of monkeys. (Am I doing it right?)

Can you become more creative? —

Absolutely! Creativity isn’t a magical gift bestowed to just a few lucky individuals, it’s a skill that you can hone and develop. The trick is figuring out how to flex your creativity muscles.

1. A number of things happened at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries that shifted our world view, from the discover of relativity to the invention of mass, fast transportation, new ways of communicating across long distances, and of capturing reality (i.e. photography and filmmaking).

2. This TED Talk on how to practice effectively is great. It offers a great explanation of the impact of practice on our brains.

3.All that being said, there are some compelling evidence that our current education system is not setup to nurture the type of creative thinking that we value in today’s society. Which makes sense if you consider that the basic structure and curriculum of schools (at least here in the United States) comes from the 19th century.

4. Interested in more? 99U has a great article with 5 classic creativity tests you can try.

The post What is creativity? The ultimate guide to understanding today’s most important ability. appeared first on 99designs.

via https://99designs.co.uk/blog/

[vfxserbia]

Eric lives in Montreal, Canada where he works in the Entertainment Creation Products Division of Autodesk as a Senior Software Development Manager for Arnold, Bifröst and Maya where he’s been for more than 10 years. Before joining Autodesk, he completed a post-doctoral fellowship with Pierre Poulin at the University of Montreal in the LIGUM graphics lab. Eric obtained his PhD in Computer Science from McGill University where he specialized in computer graphics at the Centre for Intelligent Machines under the supervision of Gregory Dudek. He has also completed a Master of Science (computer science) at McGill and a Bachelor of music at McGill where he majored in jazz performance (saxophone) and computer science.

Great to see you back again Eric! Does this mean you had a great time at CGA conference last year? 

Definitely! Last year was my first time in Belgrade, but I was spoiled since one of my close colleagues at Autodesk is from here (Nikola Milošević), and made sure that I got to see many of the special things Belgrade has to offer. It was clear from the outset that VFX Serbia and CGA Belgrade take this event very seriously and the organization and content are top-notch. It was great to hang out with everybody, make new friends, and catch up with others during the event. The presentations were great, and I had some good meetings with customers as well. The student participation is high, which is always encouraging to see at these kinds of events.

Developing the CG community must be very important to Autodesk as one of the main supporters of CGA conference from day one? How do you see your users worldwide?

Yes, at Autodesk we try to support the VFX community as much as we can. We sponsor many conferences as well as events worldwide and also host some of our own community events in various cities to try to keep the local communities thriving. We understand that people are using many products to accomplish their ultimate job of making art, and are happy to do our part to try to keep the ecosystem healthy.

Judging by your research publications, your interest in computer graphics has started, for most of our audience, in the early days. How do you see the 90s compared to almost now 20s in the CG industry and the software development?

Yeah, I guess I’m old! Hehe 🙂 I can still remember seeing some of the earlier renders with global illumination for the first time and how amazing they were! They were using all kinds of approximation techniques just to make the rendering tractable on the Silicon Graphics machines at the time. Fast forward, and we have things like deep-learning-based denoisers for Monte Carlo renders that are performing remarkably well for static images. This would have looked like science fiction back then!

Blade Runner 2049 by Framestore

One of the things I find really cool looking back is that Marcos Fajardo bet his future on pure Monte Carlo path tracing when it wasn’t the popular thing to do at the time. As CPUs got faster and started having higher thread counts, and recently as GPUs are starting to exist with dedicated path tracing hardware, pure path tracing is proving to be the most widely adopted approach to final frame rendering for Film & TV. It’s really impressive that Marcos committed to that idea early on, and didn’t stray from it while others kept adding different approximation features which made many of the renderers more complicated to use. Arnold’s ease of use and artist friendliness stems from that commitment early on to Monte Carlo path tracing. It’s also great to see that while rendering could be considered to be a mature research area now, there is still a lot of great research work going on in light transport, material representation, participating media, etc.

Thor: Ragnarok by Rising Sun Pictures

Programming and jazz music, how do they play together?

“The finest dozen computer scientists I know are all musicians” – Steve Jobs.

There’s really some truth to this 🙂 Most people I knew when I was studying music were immensely talented at mathematics and computer science, and most computer scientists that I’ve met along the way have shown a serious interest in music. I think jazz musicians are even more adept at dealing with abstract problems, and reacting to the system around them since that’s what they’re always doing when they’re playing. I guess jazz musicians would make great pipeline engineers 🙂 While software development can be seen as being methodical, there is definitely art in programming. And even more creativity in debugging! I’ve always enjoyed pair debugging with someone to observe how they tackle a problem, and what “tools” they’ve built up over their career. The same way it’s really fun to watch a shot and figure out all the details of how the plate was filmed, lit, and how the CG elements were added to it. Sometimes on interviews I show candidates short selected clips from movies and ask them to tell me what they’re seeing – it’s a great way to see how people think and communicate about what they’re seeing 🙂

Moving from a programmer to a lead and manager role, what is the difference for you? Do you still have fun?

Yeah, I guess I’ve just continued to scale through our organization, first moving from an individual contributor, then to the lead of a small team, then a bigger team, then a few teams, and now I have an organization of around 50 people in my group. It’s really a lot of fun – I have people on my team all over Europe, the US and Canada, and a lot of very interesting people who have deep specializations in rendering, simulation, pure mathematics, systems programming, etc. As I’ve moved up the ranks, I’ve also been able to visit a lot more of our customers all over the world which is really inspiring since it’s great to see all the great work people are doing. While I manage a large team now, I do still get to have fun and find the right places to have an impact. Sometimes it’s through architectural work, sometimes it’s just about social engineering; putting the right people together so that the sum is greater than the parts.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 by Framestore

Is your team all in one building or on multiple locations, how do you manage to support them on the distance, what are the tools to keep the whole team up-to-date?

I have larger teams in Montreal, Toronto, London, and Madrid, a few people scattered in Scandinavia, and then other individuals a little all over the place. We always try to use video for our meetings (currently using zoom for video conferencing which is great!) because that somehow bridges the divide, and lets you get all the non-verbal. We do try to bring people together at least once a year for bigger planning meetings and team building since it’s always easier to work with someone remotely after you’ve met them in person. We use a bunch of online tools like trello, mural, jira, etc., but I have yet to find something ideal for whiteboard sharing. I think that’s what I miss the most when doing a remote meeting with people vs a local one – I really like to use a whiteboard.

At the last year CGA conference, we had the honour to get the first-hand update on Arnold development from Frederic Servant, Arnold celebrity. What can we expect this year?

Arnold celebrity … hehe. Love it! Fred’s awesome – I’m sure he has something exciting up his sleeve. He’s a French rendering nerd with a British sense of humour, so his presentations are always fun.

What is the latest news in the Bifröst world of particles and liquids?

The work we’re doing on Bifröst is really exciting. Our adaptive data structures and new solvers that run on top of them are making for really impressive high-resolution volumetric simulations for a fraction of the memory (both during the solve and for the cached result). The same adaptivity applies to the other elements in the scene like colliders and emitters, so we’re able to get some great improvements in efficiency. Check out our SIGGRAPH paper presented by Michael Nielsen from this year for more details! The main thing we’re working on right now is making really nice artist tools for people to be able to do arbitrary procedural work using the Bifröst visual programming language. Keep checking The Area (http://area.autodesk.com) for the latest updates, or join the Bifröst beta for a sneak peek.

Leading the team on both Arnold and Bifröst, can you tell us about their relationship? Any juicy gossip? 🙂

Bifröst and Arnold are definitely in a relationship, and it’s not “complicated” 😉 Expect a baby Arnold Bifröst procedural sometime soon …

The latest trend in deep learning is to go into the computer graphics. Has this buzzword the same interest in your team too? Where do you see deep learning implementation in the rendering technology in the future?

I think there are a lot of interesting possibilities using deep learning for rendering. But at the same time, I think it’s important to understand that it’s not a panacea: the main drawback with AI today is that while it can do things that are very impressive based on good training data, it’s not possible to fine-tune the result. In our industry, that’s a pretty big problem since artists are always looking to tweak things, create variations, and to creatively go from one variation to another. AI-based denoising is a great example of how you can assist a look-dev artist by allowing them to iterate faster since they can render at lower sample counts, and therefore reduce their iterative render time while developing the look of the asset. It should also be possible to use AI in other ways as well to assist artists; for example to catch a mis-configured scene before spending time rendering it, or helping to light a scene from scratch based on a bunch of a priori scenes used for training. I think those areas are actually quite interesting and exciting. Another would be to use AI to help choose optimal paths for light integration in a Monte Carlo path tracer. But my hesitation will remain around general use of AI until we develop ways to fine-tune deep networks and to understand what’s in the black box to a point where you can push it artistically in a given direction. Otherwise, there will be too many stressful moments when the director asks for that last minute change 😉

  You’ve been to Belgrade for the first CGA Belgrade conference; how was your experience? What are your thoughts on our local talents and Serbian CGA scene?

I had a great time at the first CGA Belgrade for many reasons. I liked the intimacy of the event; it really felt like you could talk to everybody, and the events surrounding the conference were a lot of fun. I still recall an impromptu dinner where we had Mikhail from Mainroad, Szabolcs from Digic, a few guys from the Foundry, and a few of us from Autodesk. We had a bunch of great food, good laughs, great stories, and some fun competitive banter 😉 I also got a chance to visit Nordeus, where Ivan Stojisavljević treated us like royalty. It was a great experience, and some local artists like Igor Žanić and Dušan Ković attended and gave us feedback on the direction our products are taking. There’s obviously some very strong talent in Belgrade if Igor’s FX work and Dušan’s look-dev work are any indication.

Oh, and please, let us know – are there any places that you would love to visit in Belgrade again this time? What’s your impression of the city? How would you describe the flavour of Belgrade? Anything to recommend to our new guests?

I got to do a lot of fun extra-curricular stuff last time, and hope to again this year! We got to see a basketball game between Serbia and Austria last year, accidentally met Novak Djoković and his wife, walked all around the ruins, ate too much great food, found the best bartender in Belgrade, maybe even in Europe in my opinion, had some great espresso at a few different discerning coffee shops … and I might have had a bit too much rakia 😉 If I can do half as much this year as I did last year, it will be a success for me! Now, to find that bartender, since I heard he left Bar Central …

  Once again, November becomes the month of computer graphics, as CGA Belgrade hosts its two-day journey through the latest news, trends and developments in the VFX industry. We have worked especially hard this year to expand our main program, which we are proud to announce will feature two separate tracks! For big-picture thinking and groundbreaking ideas, make sure to look for the Know It All sign. For hands-on training and insider tips & tricks, don’t miss the Know How stage.

Eric Bourque, Autodesk (CGA2018) Eric lives in Montreal, Canada where he works in the Entertainment Creation Products Division of Autodesk…

#Autodesk #CGA #CGA Belgrade #CGA conference #interview

[crypticbeliever123]

Chapter 7 “Questions and Lies” Hope you like it! Let me know what you think!

Raph was just getting out of his gear when his teammates joined him, along with the team’s manager/Future Industries’ top engineer, Harold Lillja, a non-Bender but brilliant scientist and sports strategist whose game plans have gotten them the win on more than one occasion.

“Okay, so that third round was sort of… meh, but hey at least you got the win. That’s something, right?” Harold said in an attempt to cheer up the grumpy turtle.

“Yeah, it’s great. Ya know what would’ve been better? If nobody saw my face out there. Now the whole world knows that a mutant Firebending Turtle is part of the Future Industries Fire Ferrets and that I’m in Republic City. Do you know how many dangerous people could find me now?”

“Listen, dude, I get that you’re scared, especially since he-who-must-not-be-named is like the most dangerous guy ever, but just because he might come for you later doesn’t mean you can’t take a minute to celebrate your win tonight. He could be halfway across the world right now for all we know. Even if he saw the broadcast, which I doubt he would’ve, it would take him a good while before he got here. So relax, bro,” Casey said, wrapping an arm around Raph’s shoulders as he tried to put him at ease.

“Yeah, bro,” Mikey said as he and the rest of their family entered the room, “and speaking of… WHAT THE HECK, DUDE?! Why didn’t you tell us you were a Pro-Bender?”

“I’m sorry but this is a private area. You can’t just-”

“It’s alright Harold, they’re Raph’s family,” April mentioned.

“Oh. Okay then. Uhh, what’s his problem?” he asked of Donnie who was staring at him slack-jawed.

Mikey gave his brother a nudge, pulling him out of his dazed state.

“You’re Harold Lillja. The Harold Lillja. You’re one of the greatest scientific minds of the twenty-first century! Your work with anti-grav technology is mind-blowing. And is it true that you’re working on a new android bodyguard system?”

“I’m afraid that information is classified,” Harold replied, adjusting his eyeglasses before peering over them with a smirk, “but yes, yes I am. I actually based the design off of Raphael here, and to a lesser extent, the rest of the Fire Ferrets as well. It’s designed to look like a turtle, but it has Bending capabilities at the same levels as these four… or at least it’s supposed to. I’m still working out the kinks with getting the machine to Bend properly.”

“Classified, huh?” Angel teased.

“Alright so I lied. It makes things sound more important than they are. Sue me. Actually you know what, don’t sue me. I’m still trying to recover after my divorce.”

“A robot turtle with Bending capabilities. That… is… awesome.”

“Donnie. Focus,” Leo reminded him.

“Right. Yeah. Sorry.”

“So, exactly how much trouble am I in?” Raph asked Splinter.

“That depends on a few things. Such as, why did you lie about your Bending skills, why did you keep your Pro-Bending secret, and are you the Nightwatcher?”

“I lied about how good I was because I’ve got a few enemies that would’ve found me by now if word got out that there was a mutant turtle with amazing Firebending skills in Republic City and I kept my Pro-Bending a secret because it would’ve undermined the whole ‘I stink at Bending’ thing if you knew I played the sport. And I ain’t the Nightwatcher! Why would you even think that in the first place?”

“We saw you Bend that blue flame, Raph. And we saw you use that same technique when you were calming down that the Nightwatcher used the other night. You know, the one where you breathed out a white flame?” Leo replied.

“I didn’t breathe a white flame. You were just seeing things.”

“So we all saw things then? Bending a blue flame is rare enough. The fact that I have seen two individuals do so is incredible enough as it is, to suggest that I have witnessed three such individuals is next to impossible. Especially considering two of those breathed a white flame when controlling their tempers, which is so rare it was unheard of until the other night. Do you really expect me to believe that you could have both Bending and a temper in common with this Nightwatcher without you being one and the same?” Splinter asked.

“Yeah because in case you haven’t noticed I never took away no one’s Bending before.”

“Took away one’s- what like the Shre-” Harold was about to say before being shut down by the simultaneous glares of all four Fire Ferrets.

“Ehe-and I’m just going to stop talking now before I say something I’ll regret.”

“Good choice,” Casey said with a glare.

“Look, who cares if Raph’s the Nightwatcher or not? It’s not like the Nightwatcher was really hurting anybody and he stopped a bunch of bad guys from breaking some poor guy’s store. He’s kind of like a superhero. And anyway can’t we all just agree that Raph is AWESOME?! I mean did you see him out there in that ring? Dude, I can’t believe you’ve been holding out on us and-”

“Mikey, just because Raph is a great Pro-Bender doesn’t mean he can just go around taking people’s Bending and absolutely none of that makes him anything like a superhero,” Donnie insisted.

“Says you.”

“Look, my head hurts, and I’d really rather not deal with any of this right now. I’m outta here.”

With that Raph picked up an ice pack and pressed it against his head before moving toward the door, only to be halted by Master Splinter.

“Can you move, please?”

“No. Not until you have explained yourself. How do you know how to sever one’s connection to their Bending? Who taught you this method?”

“No one taught me anything because I ain’t the Nightwatcher. You’ve got the wrong guy.”

“I very much doubt that to be true.” *sigh* “I will give you one more chance to tell us everything you have kept from us and explain yourself. But if you do not tell me the truth I will have no choice but to take this to Chief Shen and have her interrogate you herself. Though I would much rather it not have to come to that.”

“So you’d turn me over to the cops and have them interrogate me the same way they would a common low-life just because you don’t believe that what I’m telling you right now is the truth?” *scoff* “Some father you are,” Raph said as he pushed past Master Splinter to leave the room and head back to the temple.

“He didn’t mean that, father,” Leo tried to reassure him.

He really didn’t. He’s had a bad father before. The absolute worst. And Master Splinter was nothing like him. Not at all. Raph sure could say some hurtful things when he got defensive. Not like he could help being defensive all that much. He’d spent most of his life on the streets or trying not to get killed. Survival was practically burned into his DNA at this point and if Splinter tried to get the truth about how he knows how to Bend so well out of him not only would that put him in danger, but it would put this new family of his in peril too. He couldn’t admit to being the Nightwatcher without making it even more difficult to separate himself from his past. There’d be too many questions, too many painful memories coming back up, too much pain, fear, and rejection if the truth of who he used to be came to light. No. He couldn’t handle that if they knew. Splinter, Leo, Donnie, Mikey, they were his family. If they knew, if they rejected him for it, if they saw him as much of a monster as the last person he called family had… no. No. That wasn’t going to happen. Not on his… Oh crap.

As soon as he opened the door to Splinter’s temple, there he was, his old foe and the one who taught him how to Bend lightning even better than the man he used to call father.

“Hiya, Raphie. How’ve you been?” Old Hob asked with a sinister grin and claws lit up with an electrical charge.

#Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #TMNT #Avatar AU #Raphael #Splinter #Leonardo #Donatello #Michelangelo #Casey Jones #April O'Neil #Angel Bridge #Harold Lillja #Shredder #Karai #Old Hob #Firebender!Raphael #Avatar!Splinter #Earthbender!Splinter #Waterbender!Leonardo #Earthbender!Donatello #Airbender!Michelangelo #Earthbender!Casey Jones #Airbender!April O'Neil #Waterbender!Angel Bridge #Firebender!Old Hob #Firebender!Shredder #Waterbender!Karai #Pro-Bending