#harness the power of a sun and its gravitational pull

[brightandfullofglory]

where does a spirit go, when the weapon that housed it, is broken by its wielder?

#rottmnt #rottmnt mikey #sun spirit #harness the power of a sun and its gravitational pull

[aquitainequeen]

Behind a paywall after you've read a certain number of articles, so;)

In 1851, Charles Babbage, the English mathematician and inventor, found himself preoccupied with what might happen should coal mines—then and now one of the primary sources of usable energy—become depleted. He concluded that “the sea itself offers a perennial source of power hitherto almost unapplied.” Babbage was talking about tides, those lunar-guided movements of the world’s oceans, and the very synonym of dependable constancy. But while his Difference Engine, a mechanical calculator seen as a seminal fore-runner to the computer, would essentially go on to remake our world, Babbage’s ideas about tidal power drifted in the undercurrent for the next century and a half, largely the province of dreamers.

Lately, however, buoyed by successful demonstration projects and a new interest in renewable energy bolstered even further by Europe’s anticipated turning off of Russian taps, tidal energy is moving increasingly into the mainstream. While the number of megawatts produced annually by tidal—in places from Canada’s Bay of Fundy to South Korea’s Sihwa Lake—is still small, notes Donagh Cagney, policy director for the advocacy group Ocean Energy Europe, “the increase is exponential.” For example, by 2050, tidal energy is expected to account for 11% of the U.K.’s electricity, compared with just 3% today.

But in remote coastal Scotland, some residents are already getting a taste of that future. Scotland has become to tidal energy what Saudi Arabia is to fossil fuels. Cagney chalks this up to several factors, ranging from its geography—the country is blessed with some of the world’s fastest-moving tidal sounds—to its experience in working with offshore oil extraction. For those reasons, it has for almost two decades hosted the world’s biggest grid-connected test bed for tidal energy, the Euro-pean Marine Energy Centre (EMEC). Founded in 2003, it’s headquartered in the Orkney Islands, off Scotland’s northern coast. Neil Kermode, the center’s director since 2005, has seen some 35 tidal-energy projects tested, by startups that have come and gone—some shuttered for lack of capitalization or nonviable technology, some absorbed by larger companies like GE.

But the biggest project ever run at EMEC is still there, providing power for 1 in 12 Orcadian households. The O2, as it’s dubbed, created by the Scottish company Orbital Marine, weighs some 680 tons, is longer than a Boeing 747, and skims the top of the water like the world’s largest rowing scull. “It looks like, well, a yellow submarine,” says Kermode. “When you see it, and the tide is roaring past, it’s really hard to realize it’s stationary. There’s a real optical illusion—you think this thing is being towed through the water.” But the O2 is chained to the seabed, via four cables, each capable of lifting some 50 double-decker buses off the ground. Only the water is moving, pushing two 10-m.-long turbines with some 100 metric tons of pressure, and continuously generating 2,000 megawatts (mW), enough to power roughly 2,000 homes.

For the entrepreneurs and researchers dedicated to harnessing that power, the ocean—that primordial space out of which so much of life on earth emerged—seems destined to once again supply the forces that will help create a new phase of history. But as anyone who has ever battled the waves by boat or board knows, taming the tides will be a gargantuan task.

The idea is simple. First, tides. They rise and fall predictably, relentlessly driven by the gravitational pull of the moon. Those traits combined make the tide an attractive proposition for powering the grid. “The sun doesn’t always shine; the wind doesn’t always blow,” notes Simon Forrest, the CEO of Scotland-based tidal-power producer Nova Innovation. But with tidal, he says, “we can tell you how much we will be generating two minutes past 3 in the morning a month from now, five years from now.”

Second, you need what is basically the equivalent of a wind turbine, placed underwater (either moored to the seabed or attached to the underside of some floating structure), which drives a generator. And luckily, water is denser than air, by some 800 times. “You tend to get a more compact, powerful source of energy,” says Forrest. “Our turbines are a lot smaller than wind turbines, but produce a lot more bang for the buck.” Nova, in particular, has other advantages: where the O2 floats, Nova’s turbines lie beneath the ocean surface. “Our technologies are unaffected by storms,” says Forrest. There’s no visual impact, he says—aesthetics have been a reason many people have objected to wind turbines in the past—and do not create hazards for shipping or other marine operations.

Nova billed its initial deployment, in Scotland’s Shetland Islands in 2016, as the “world’s first offshore tidal array.” There are now six turbines in Shetland’s Bluemull Sound, powering homes and, thanks to a collaboration with Tesla, electric-vehicle charge points as well. After the success of that project, authorities granted Nova a license to build a 50-mW array, which will provide up to one-third of Shetland’s power.

“We’ve been producing clean, predictable power for six years in Shetland,” says Forrest. “And you don’t see it.” Another thing that consumers on Shetland—or Orkney—do not see is the true price of their energy use on their monthly bills, thanks to government subsidies. For the technology to grow and spread globally, tidal-energy companies will need to reduce costs through scale and technology-driven efficiency improvements. It’s not a fantasy; for example, in the U.S., the price of wind power has fallen 70% over the past decade.

There is the question of how mass deployment of tidal turbines might impact the seas. “If you are putting something in the ocean that is extracting energy, [you] are perturbating the ocean,” says Michela de Dominicis, a senior scientist with the U.K.’s National Oceanographic Centre. “This can have cascading effects,” like disrupting the nutrient mix of ocean ecosystems as well as raising water temperatures. Her research suggests, however, that any disturbances may well be worth it. “In one of my papers I was showing that even if I’m putting like 20,000 turbines at sea and I’m perturbating the environment,” she says, “this effect is one order of magnitude less than what can happen with climate change.”

Tidal energy’s biggest hurdle may simply be the limited number of places in the world where it’s possible. In the U.S., aside from a small project in New York’s East River—which powers the equivalent of fewer than 400 homes—few sites have been identified that have the promise of Scotland’s waters. What the U.S. does have in abundance is coastline, which speaks to the promise of another ocean-energy source: waves. Despite an early burst of enthusiasm for wave power a few decades ago, tidal has since eclipsed it, in part because the open seas make for a more challenging environment. “It’s an unconventional resource,” says Andrew Scott, the CEO of Orbital Marine, who previously worked at Pelamis, an early and now defunct wave-power startup. “Waves have a vertical excursion. They’ve got a horizontal excursion. They’ve got a cyclical motion; they’ve got buoyance force; they’ve got different wavelengths that come at different angles. There’s no conceptual agreement … as to how you’re going to capture the energy.”

Given the potential payoff, however, people keep seeking new solutions. Inna Braverman, co-founder and CEO of the Israeli startup Eco Wave Power, thinks that early wave-power pioneers erred in trying to work far offshore. “The price was sky-high,” she says. “You need divers; you need to put all the conversion equipment inside the actual floaters that are in the middle of the sea.” Her company instead affixes wave-driven generators to onshore features like breakwaters. A pilot project in Gibraltar has been providing power for roughly 100 homes since 2016 at a fraction of the cost of offshore wave projects, she says. And the company is ramping up, with megawatt-level projects in Portugal and, most recently, the Port of Los Angeles.

Whether it’s moving on a wave or via the tide, water seems an integral part of the future energy equation. “The low-hanging fruit of wind and solar has been plucked,” says Cagney. “To get to net zero, we’re going to need every renewables resource we’ve got.” And as the global impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine underscore, energy security requires having a diversity of inputs. “There’s an advantage in having an energy source driven by a different sort of forces, because it means they don’t all align at the same time,” says Forrest. “If the wind doesn’t blow, it doesn’t stop the tide from flowing.”

#tidal power #tide power #tides #tide turbines #green energy #shetland #orkney islands #oh brave new world

[askeggman]

So you're smart, right? Well I would like to ask some questions about the mystical Little Planet.

How does its orbit work? (Does it orbit around the Sun or something else.)

How doesn't Little Planet get ripped apart by tidal forces when it reaches Mobius' Roche limit.

How big is Little Planet.

And finally (this is more of a personal question) What would you consider your favourite zone on Little Planet and would you take over it again if you had the chance?

This is currently a dead blog, last post was more than 10 whole years ago, but you know what? Those questions actually intrigued me, so I'll be answering them! Not everyone has the immense privilege to be taught to by an amazing genius like me, so pay attention!

It's currently difficult to determine Little Planet‘s orbit, since the location it warps to after it appears above Never Lake for a single month of the year is unknown. Everything points to the Time Stones warping the planet to another location, or even another plane of existence. While the Time Stones are known for warping time, they're also capable of warping space, same as the Chaos Emeralds. This is because of relativity - time is but another dimension of space, and not a separate property. It's possible that Little Planet, or Miracle Planet as its inhabitants call it, is a living, sentient organism itself, and may have warping capabilities of its own. This is why I wanted it as my base of operations - to harness that power means to have the most powerful flying fortress in the world! But anyhow, while Little Planet is above Mobius, it orbits the planet itself perfectly, always being perfectly above the center of Never Lake.

The gravity of Mobius doesn't affect Little Planet because of its own mysterious spacetime-warping properties. Simply put, Little Planet has a layer of spacetime distortion, like an atmosphere, that allows itself to not be easily penetrated by outside forces. To devise a chain that would link it to my mountain secret base and keep it in place was an incredible engineering feat!! The fact that it isn't affected by Mobius' gravity lends credibility to the theory that its temporary orbit over Never Lake is maintained not by gravitational pull, but by the planetoid's own motion, like it wants to be above Never Lake, for whatever reason. Its fauna and flora are similar enough to Mobius that it's likely that Mobius gave it life, with plant seeds being carried by the planet's breezes to it, and birds and other animals migrating to it in its distant past, or it could be that the Time Stones are connected to Mobius in some way. Anyhow, this layer of spacetime distortion that it has also manifests in its appearance - to outside observers, Little Planet is always seen as an image of its future self instead of its present self. Going through the spacetime distortion, you're thrown into Little Planet's past compared to how it appears outside the distortion. This is why it looked so metallic and futuristic once I conquered it with my machines!

The size of Little Planet is also difficult to measure because of its spacetime distortion. To an outside observer, it seems as though it is roughly 9 kilometers in diameter (5 and a half miles), but when you're standing on its surface, the ground does not have as tight of a curvature, indicating that it is likely much larger, although still incredibly small for any planet and even for most satellites in our system.

And of course, my favorite zone is Metallic Madness!! I despise all the bright nature all over this planet, with all of its hideous organic shapes! I much prefer to look at cold, metallic, angular, designed structures! And of course, it doesn't hurt that an incredible, handsome genius built it himself!! Gwahahahaa!!

#sonic #sonic cd #sonic the hedgehog #sth #ask eggman

[dysfunkshunale]

Supernova - PART I

Light. Light carries on endless. Valour is carried in the stars,  Whose glow burns even after death. Two, Three at once— dancing in rhythm. The infinite has no need for breath. The Gods knew this to be true.

The Goddess watched with a covetous eye. Recounting to the God legends of the light. Rare and beautiful like the twinkling of stars, Oh! The Goddess wished to exist, to be so bright! — just like the glow of stars, radiating with their bliss The Goddess sat conspiring as she watched.

 

Hark! The joyous news!  The life of their first blood, in her belly grew full, The thoughts of the Goddess pull— Towards if possible taming the lumen.

The God waited for the stars to fall. For the God had heard his Goddess’ lament. While desiring to offer his design, Resolved instead to uphold melodiously, Like the music of starlight. Twilight. Vesper. Harness its power. Existence. End.

Of quasars, and nebulae Cresting into glorious song, With harmonies, complexities, Of cosmic dust, a universe long God put away thoughts of his creations. And invited his neighbours.

And on the day they arrived, A pair; A monstrous red giant  And a searing bright tiny blue! Who danced with serenity and grace. Waltzing in from beyond time and space, Trusting their host unwisely.

 

The Goddes so cunning,  The God believed the bright thought  to be his own idea The red giant the God could give  The bright blue was resigned to wait, the Goddess, ecstatic.

God believed it was what was best, The Goddess, jealous of her brilliance Their tiny blue neighbour from afar, For her radiance was too dangerous!  For all his creations, who would gravitate— Towards its luminosity.

God tucked her away in a pocket universe. The Goddess was busy with her sun, she held with pride. “Let us name him, love. Let us raise him to be a God. He whose light will never perish. He may take after you. For they were true travellers of a spectral verse, a pair. And when we turn to dust, they two will still exist."

“Let our future children too be stars, In that, Gods and Celestials become one.” And the God agreed, and they named red such. They gave him a label and made him their Son. But Red did not speak the language of the Gods. In anger, he simmered while waiting.

The giant burned brightly alone, heartbroken. For those who touched his outer layer he would scorch. For the red giant was missing his other half. The star was merely behaving as a star, as light. The red giant mourned the warmth of its blue companion. The God grew troubled in regards to his son.

If he kept the blue nova away  What would he, the giant, do in return? Yet he knew that she still burned far too bright Another four mega annum before safely— She could dawn a new day in this universe. And the red star grew impatiently.

 

“Do not worry,” The Goddess promised. “Whatever troubles him, he will adjust.” Then she would kiss the red giant sweetly until her lips would blister and peel, her eyes— full of diamond tears unshed, for what would God do? If she told him, she feared their red son.

And yet the harder the Goddess tried, The more confused their child from afar grew. And the more the God tried to intervene, The more guilt he felt over the star of blue. The red giant grew until he broke. He blew. and became the first supernova.

#poetry #new poets society #poem #writers and poets #portfolio #poetsandwriters #poetscommunity #poetrylovers #poems #poetic #epic poem

[tipsycad147]

Your Guide To The Waxing Crescent Moon Spiritual Meaning

This moon phase has a lot of personal meaning in our family. I have a necklace with this phase on it as this was the moon phase when my father passed on from this earth.

This moon phase can be a great time to work on your practices for growth and abundance.

What is the waxing crescent moon?

The waxing crescent moon is the phase of the moon that occurs between the new moon and the first quarter. During this phase, the moon appears as a thin crescent-shaped slice that is illuminated on the right-hand side.

The waxing crescent moon can be seen in the western sky just after sunset, and it continues to rise higher in the sky each night. As the moon moves closer to the first quarter phase, it becomes more illuminated and appears larger in the sky.

This phase is an important time for those who follow lunar calendars or use the moon for navigation, as it marks the beginning of a new lunar cycle.

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THE WAXING CRESCENT MOON PHASE

The spiritual meaning of the waxing crescent moon phase varies depending on the cultural and spiritual beliefs of different traditions. In some spiritual traditions, the waxing crescent moon represents a time of growth, renewal, and manifestation.

For example, in some forms of Wicca and Paganism, the waxing crescent moon is seen as a time of setting intentions and taking action towards manifesting one’s desires. It is a time to focus on personal growth, make plans for the future, and harness the energy of the moon to support these endeavors.

In other spiritual traditions, the waxing crescent moon represents the beginning of a new cycle and the energy of new beginnings. It is a time to reflect on past experiences, release negative energies or patterns, and embrace new opportunities and growth.

The waxing crescent moon is often seen as a time of hope and new possibilities, a time to focus on growth and transformation, and a time to tap into the powerful energy of the moon to support spiritual and personal development.

What science says about the waxing crescent moon

The waxing crescent moon as a natural phenomenon that occurs due to the interaction of the Earth, the moon, and the Sun. During this phase, the moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, with only a small portion of the moon visible from Earth due to the angle of the Sun’s rays. The rest of the moon is in shadow, which creates the crescent shape.

From a scientific perspective, the waxing crescent moon is an important phase because it marks the beginning of the lunar cycle and has implications for tides, animal behavior, and human physiology. For example, studies have shown that the gravitational pull of the moon during this phase can influence the behavior of marine animals, including fish, crabs, and sea turtles, as well as the reproductive cycles of some species.

Some research suggests that the waxing crescent moon can impact human physiology and behavior. For example, one study found that people may experience higher levels of pain sensitivity during this phase, while another study suggests that there may be an increased risk of heart attacks during the waxing crescent phase.

While there is much we still don’t know about the moon and its effects on the natural world and human health, scientific research continues to shed light on the many ways that the waxing crescent moon and other lunar phases influence our world.

BORN ON A WAXING CRESCENT MOON

In astrology, people born during the waxing crescent moon phase are believed to be driven, ambitious, and focused on growth and progress. The waxing crescent moon is associated with new beginnings and the early stages of growth, so those born during this phase are often thought to be natural leaders who are eager to explore new ideas, take risks, and pursue their goals with determination.

People born on a waxing crescent moon are often characterized as enthusiastic, passionate, and adventurous. They are not afraid to take risks and embrace new opportunities, and they are always looking for ways to learn and grow. They are also known for their strong sense of purpose and their ability to focus their energy on achieving their goals.

At the same time, people born on a waxing crescent moon may sometimes struggle with impatience and a tendency to rush into things without fully considering the consequences. They may also be prone to restlessness and a desire for constant change and excitement.

Those born on a waxing crescent moon are believed to be dynamic and driven individuals who are always striving to move forward and reach new heights in their personal and professional lives.

Spells for the waxing crescent moon

In some spiritual traditions, the waxing crescent moon is considered a powerful time for spellwork focused on growth, manifestation, and new beginnings. Here are a few spells that may be performed during the waxing crescent moon phase:

Setting Intentions Spell: Write down your intentions for the upcoming lunar cycle on a piece of paper. Focus on what you wish to achieve, what you want to manifest, and how you want to grow. Hold the paper in your hands and visualize your intentions coming to fruition. Burn the paper as a symbol of releasing your intentions to the universe.

Abundance Spell: Fill a jar with coins or dollar bills, and place it on your altar or in a prominent location in your home. Every day during the waxing crescent phase, add a few more coins or dollars to the jar, while visualizing your abundance growing. At the end of the lunar cycle, donate the money to a charity or cause that aligns with your intentions.

Growth Spell: Plant seeds in a pot or garden during the waxing crescent moon phase, while focusing on your own growth and development. Water the seeds regularly and tend to them with care, visualizing your own growth and development as the seeds begin to sprout and grow.

Remember to always approach spellwork with respect and a clear intention. Use your own intuition and knowledge to create spells that are meaningful and powerful for you.

Gardening with the waxing moon

Gardening with the waxing moon is a practice that has been used by many gardeners over the years, and is based on the belief that the moon’s gravitational pull affects plant growth. The waxing moon is the period between the new moon and the full moon, and is characterized by an increasing amount of light each night. Here are some tips for gardening during the waxing moon phase:

Planting: During the waxing moon phase, focus on planting crops that produce above-ground, leafy growth such as lettuce, spinach, kale, and herbs. These plants are believed to benefit from the moon’s gravitational pull, which encourages upward growth.

Fertilizing: Apply fertilizers or compost to the soil during the waxing moon phase to encourage healthy growth. The increasing amount of light during this phase is thought to stimulate nutrient uptake in plants, making it an ideal time to fertilize.

Pruning and Harvesting: The waxing moon phase is also a good time for pruning and harvesting. Prune your plants to encourage healthy growth and remove any damaged or diseased branches. Harvest crops during the waxing moon phase for maximum flavor and nutritional content.

Watering: Water your plants during the waxing moon phase, as the gravitational pull of the moon is believed to stimulate water absorption in plants.

Remember, while there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that the moon’s gravitational pull affects plant growth, gardening with the waxing moon can still be a fun and interesting way to connect with nature and explore the rhythms of the natural world.

https://groundedintheearth.com/your-guide-to-the-waxing-crescent-moon-spiritual-meaning

[walkfromhome]

1. If we view the planetary body from above, from Polaris or the North Star, the earth is turning counter clockwise on its axis.

2. The axis line is the vertical central channel or Planetary Staff, which functions as the main energy channel or Hara Line within the center of earth’s consciousness body, interfacing with many dimensions of subtle forces leading up the frequency scale into the Galactic Core.

The Galactic Core alignment with the planet’s axial tilt at 23.5 degrees has been positioned so that the Planetary Staff points towards the 8D Galactic Core, which leads into a Black Hole System that controls the Cosmic Ray transmissions into the planetary body.  From the Guardian perspective, alien black hole technology was brought through the 8th Galactic Stargate from the Black Hole System. The Black Hole technology holds the tilt of the planet at an unnatural and artificially sustained 23.5 degrees, in order to control the rotational axis and vertical Planetary Staff alignment, as well as dominate the electromagnetic field of earth. As long as this alien machinery hijacked the correct Planetary Staff position, no one could get in or out of this fallen system and were subjected to repeated consciousness traps.

3. The alien machinery known as the Beast Machine is held in place on the planetary body through massive levels of reversal AI programmed consciousness.  This infects the black subtle forces in the earth elemental field and dark matter, and that substance is also referred to as Behemoth.

The alien machinery known as the Gravitron is a part of the Beast Machine that acts as the electromagnetic harness field. This makes up the structure called the NET, which produces gravitational and astral corruption and this is also referred to as Leviathan.

The Behemoth and Leviathan make up the antichrist male and female counterparts that are written into the Armageddon software and black magic grids to technologically incite destruction on the surface, as per the NAA religious programming.  In actuality, Behemoth and Leviathan are black hole technologies that were orchestrated on purpose by these fallen forces of NAA in order to imprison this planet.

4. The main groups of Negative Aliens the Annunaki, Draconians and Necromitons that source out of the Phantom Matrix spaces in the parallel systems that invaded through Orion, formed alliances to take control over the earth, and these intruding groups are referred to as the Negative Alien Agenda (NAA). These groups used technology to open wormholes that were blended together to create the power required to attempt to pull the earth body into the black hole system. This would lead into the phantom matrix where they exist and could then gain total control over the planet and humanity. The parallel system these entities came from is called the Wesa system, a Universal Time Matrix and its parallel with both particle and antiparticle aspects. Many of the Annunaki and their hybrids originate from the Wesedak system, while the Draconian species are coming from antiparticle universe called the Wesedrak system.

5. Black hole entities and metatronic races created the Gravitron vortex networks to link portals in our sun and earth, twisting the planetary blueprint into unnatural configurations called the Demon Seed.

Metatronic reversals are manifested into spirals that harness the Gravitron in order to create an unnatural bi-wave field and artificial gravitational fields on this planet. The Gravitron is an electromagnetic harness type field that is part of a larger electromagnetic harnessing structure that was anchored into the earth during the Luciferian Rebellion. This NET is also connected to the hibernation zones where many souls have been taken hostage or trapped after the precession cycles, and the Guardians are consistently working to provide safe passage in order to rescue these souls from being stuck in these reverse-spin light fields.

6. Essentially, the NAA plan was to bring the Electric War dramas to the matter fields of the earth in order to anchor it into the physical realm, which shifts future timelines.

The AI technology is used by the NAA as the sophisticated psychotronic warfare strategy installed into the planetary grid system, that is being directed at the population in an attempt to enslave the consciousness of the earth.

7. They gradually brought down assorted alien machinery from the 8th Stargate through an inorganic vertical wormhole, an artificial architecture they built with programmable reversal elementals, and then installed in the vertical axis of the planet that is called the Yahweh Matrix. Essentially, the Yahweh Matrix distorted and cut off the natural Planetary Staff alignment, which when combined with the NET, stopped all incoming and outgoing communication signals outside the dimensional control of the NAA.

The Yahweh matrix replaced the planetary staff, which allowed the black hole entities to gain easy access into the earth through the north and south poles, in order to distort the planetary field. This was done through genetic modification and set up frequency fences that broadcast extremely low frequencies that make the earth more hospitable for their survival.

The low frequency and static net broadcast produced the predator mind construct and thoughtforms intended for mass human parasitism, divide and conquer tactics for spreading wars. These artificial nets and constructs were further designed to progressively pull the earth and her world soul into inorganic black holes.

(...) the Controllers continually broadcast the Armageddon software in the mass media so people believe that an entire species extinction is inevitable and unavoidable.

8. Since the Electric Wars, we have had a phantom black earth that existed as a negative form of itself in the lower timelines. This negative form earth is manipulated by the NAA, mostly through their artificial software programs that spin out false timelines. This is the area of the lower density fields on the earth plane that has bifurcated from the higher timelines, and is comprised of the AI time loops, which is the area the NAA are currently fighting over.

The NAA are attempting to capitalize on repeating the Electric Wars timeline trigger event on the earth surface, through the recent push towards the WW3 rhetoric and the transhumanism agenda.

The Electric Wars event has been recorded in the corrupted elementals of earth and its form of artificial intelligence is buried in the black goo that connects directly into the AI fields of the phantom earth timeline.

9. Currently in the collective consciousness, the leftover subconscious fragments and shadow body content as a result of the Electric Wars timeline event, is being filtered through or accumulated into the sacral-sexual areas. This memory of the soul split and forced breeding is heightening all painful conflicts and issues relating to current beliefs about sex and gender. This can produce amplified distortions in the lower mental body that amplify anxieties in the pain body.

When the pain body is overloaded, it generates compulsive behavior in order to gain relief from the sensations of internal pressure, which in turn can produce more physical pain. The subconscious fragments and the emotional aberrance can build up inside the mental and emotional body, which distorts the human lightbody, and this inner distortion actually increases outer physical pain responses. As a result, collective fragments have increased the perception of physical pain in the masses, many of whom are turning to pharmaceutical medications or recreational drugs for pain relief.

In the planetary field there is a pattern of collective consciousness fragmentation and there are vast piles of soul fragments being reclaimed, reintegrated or actually annihilated into dust particles. In certain sections, fragments seem to be floating everywhere and it can be disturbing to observe as it looks like body parts floating in space. The change occurring is that these fragmented parts used to be fixed to some substance or enmeshed with elementals on the earth plane in a static location, and now they are being released of their magnetic bonds, thus floating around in these dimensional spaces rather than being fixed or bonded into the elements.

The planetary realms are becoming less dense and the result is more sensations of amorphous fluidity and watery components floating out into the field. This may make the field feel unstable at times, similar to the feeling of walking on a boat while in constant motion. The exponential density loss at the vibrational scale of matter is where the sound waves ripple out. These massive sound waves impact the movement of the geomagnetic field and how we sense solidity, or not. A less dense environment in the fields presents opportunities for soul group rescue and the transiting out many trapped beings, both light and dark. Thus, in the great planetary transition to less density, with an open access into higher dimensional planes, in contrast the controller resistance is still broadcasting the assorted fear programs for repeating the Armageddon scenarios in the globalscape.

(Source)

[subbing-for-clones]

Stranded Part 1

Savage Opress x reader

A/N: Oof I really have a problem cause all I want is to be stranded alone with the big boy himself.

Word Count: 4.1k

Summary: On his way to locate his long-lost brother, Savage’s course gets altered and he is thrown into the unknown. Barely surviving the crash, he finds himself on a deserted planet with a force sensitive woman who somehow managed to thrive here on her own. If they’re going to make it off this strange planet they will have to work together.

WARNINGS: blood, fear, dead body, wounds, mental illness. Probably not how black holes work but idc fight me about it. Alcohol consumption.

NEXT         MASTERLIST

       Savage Opress had been traveling the galaxy trying to find his brother Maul. After being betrayed by the nightsister he was meant to serve, Mother Talzin gifted him a necklace that would act as a compass. One that would guide him to his long-lost brother who could teach him to harness this new power he had realized. His 'gift' however appeared to lead him on a never ending, wild goose chase. Glowing and fading seemingly at will. It had been months and although his hope had started to fade, he pressed on without any other option. The Republic, the Separatists and everything in between wanted his head. He missed his way of life before the nightsister had chosen him to act as her tool of vengeance.

    A rumor of Maul being killed on Naboo by a Jedi had reached his ears. Better than anything else he had to go off of he punched the coordinates into his ship's nav computer and made the jump to hyperspace. The way the stars visibly stretched never ceased to amaze him. He watched the blue from the viewport before he nodded off to sleep, unknowingly altering the coordinates when he kicked his boots up onto the dash.

    He awoke hours later to alarms blaring and red lights flashing. Not being an experienced pilot by any means, panic tickled the edges if his mind. He pulled out of hyperspace, hoping there was a nearby planet he could land on. To his horror there wasn't a planet in sight. Rather, an immense blackhole that was slowly pulling small asteroids into its center. Panic now gripped him full force as he tried to get out of the gravitational pull but it was too late. It had him in its clutches and he could do nothing but let it take him.

    He thought of his younger brother in these moments. How the nightsisters had controlled his mind and forced his hand to take Farel's life. Perhaps he deserved this fate. To be swallowed into nothing after crossing the only living thing that had ever truly cared for him. He closed his eyes on the precipice of the abyss and with a single tear for his fallen kin, let the void devour him in his ship.

       He had expected to pass out or die but he never lost conciousness. He had his eyes scrunched for so long but he never stopped hearing the alarms ringing. He dared to open them only to see, well nothing. It was the darkest black he had ever seen. His navigation was almost useless, he had no idea where he was or where he was going but he could tell that he was in fact going forward. He dared to pray that there was another side to this hole and that he could in fact survive. That hope faded when he realized he was out of fuel, powering only life support at this point.

    Much to his surprise the sight before him changed. What started as a pinhole of a darkness that was slightly less bleak grew. It grew until he could see stars again. He was thrown out of his turmoil and launched towards the only planet in sight. From space it was incredibly green, white caps peaked occasionally and bodies of water could be viewed as well. Wherever he was headed seemed to lack vast oceans but rather, large lakes perhaps.

    He realized that without any fuel he would crash. Once he broke the atmosphere, he redirected the last few vapors he had in the tank to his engines and was able to aim the ship towards one of the nearing brown peaks. Hoping to slide down into the jungle. The initial impact knocked the wind out of him but thankfully didn't immediately kill him. His ship slid down the slope at an alarming speed and a dip in the terrain sent him airborne again. The second impact knocked him unconscious.

    He awoke maker knows how many hours later to the chirping of birds. Out of the viewport he could see that several more crashed ships beneath him had possibly broken his fall. Giant trees he had never seen before stretched out in front of him but not so close together that he couldn't see a decent way into the forest. His back must be facing the mountain. The ship was smoking and the hull was smashed beyond repair. For the first time he was grateful he had no fuel so the ship wouldn't explode if a fire spread.

    Blood dripped into his right eye from where he knocked his head and broken a horn. Lacerations of varying depth littered his body. He tried to move and quickly assessed that it was likely one of his ribs was fractured although he couldn't feel it sticking out or in anywhere. Savage attempted to pull himself free and realized his left arm wasn't responding. The worst of all, in his mind, the necklace that Mother Talzin gave him was shattered in his lap.

    He had to get his shoulder back in place and slung. Slowly he stood to his feet and made his way out of the transport, feeling claustrophobic. The moment his boot hit the grass below him he felt so many things through the force. This planet was teeming with life, wild and wavering force signatures surrounded him and stretched out as far as he could sense. One signature was starkly unique to the others he felt and he tensed. It was incredibly light, lighter than anything he had ever felt before. An airy, dreamy aura with sparks that danced through it grew closer. Whatever it was, it was nearing quickly. He force pulled his saber-staff from the ship into his grasp and lit one side, growling ferociously like the wounded animal he was. Whatever it was he felt had stopped in its tracks. He couldn't see anything through the trees and he took a hesitant step forward. Until he heard her.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'd like to help."

    He couldn't see where the voice was coming from. It was a female. A young woman he would guess. Her voice was gentle and soft but projected well from her hiding place with a kind power behind it.

"Show yourself," he called almost roaring in pain.

"Promise you won't kill me on sight?"

"Are you alone?" his eyes darted around him trying to pinpoint her location.

"Yes... I know you can feel it."

    He could feel it. What he felt through the force, it was only her. He sheathed his saber and showing it over his head, tossed it to the side. Only then did she leap down from the canopy of the forest. If his rib didn’t make it painful to breathe, he would've gasped. Her hair shimmered in the light of the mid-day sun, her eyes glistened brightly with curiosity and breath-taking beauty. He had never seen a woman like her before. Beneath what was once a white cotton dress, now worn and stained, he could see and admire the outline of her body. A slit up the side revealed one of her legs and a knife strapped to her thigh. She had nothing on her feet as she slowly made her way over to him with her hands visible so he knew she wasn't armed.

"Hello. How did you survive the crash? I've never seen anyone else survive the crash."

"I don't know," he squinted his eyes at her wearily. His voice low and deep rumbled when he spoke.

"I can help you with your shoulder. I had some medical training before I crashed here myself."

Knowing he needed help he nodded cautiously. She continued towards him and gently removed his armor. When she took out her knife to cut open his shirt, he took a step back.

"I meant it when I said I wouldn't hurt you,” she hesitated before continuing; never breaking eye contact. Searching for a sign to stop.

    She slowly sliced open his shirt in one smooth motion. She took a second and allowed her eyes to drift over him. His golden skin and distinctive, almost tribal black tattoos. His massive chest, straight jaw and crown of horns. It was the first time in a very long time she had seen a man still breathing let alone of his caliber and tried to hide the heat that rushed to her cheeks.

"Um, I'm sorry but you're very tall. I'm going to need you to sit down, please. So I can reach you."

    He did what she had asked of him, keeping his back straight. With him sitting and her kneeling tall next to him he was still a head taller than she was. She placed her hands on him and asked him to breathe deeply. On the second exhale she slid the shoulder back into place with a loud crunch. He growled not really at her but the situation itself.

She used half of his shirt to make a sling for him and the other to wipe the blood off of his face. She force pulled an empty bag from the tree which surprised him.

"You'll have to clean your wounds so they don't get infected. I have a home near here with cool and hot springs if you'd like to accompany me."

    He knew he wouldn't be able to do much without aggravating his injuries so he reluctantly agreed. Before she led him away, she trotted over to one of the crashed ships off to the side. The pilot was dead and just starting to decompose, she tossed him out of the cockpit using the force and scavenged what lay inside, unphased. Well, she's got the stomach for surviving out here. He thought to himself.

      Now with a full pack she helped him up as best as she could almost collapsing under his weight. He kept a few feet behind her, taking only his saber and a change of clothes from the ship. She led him through the forest for what must have been at least two or three miles.

    A break in the tree line revealed a log cabin with a mossy roof adorning a few solar panels. He had grown accustomed to either adobe or durasteel buildings so this was a bit of a shock to him. Several hot springs steamed behind the cabin and a large pond lay to the front. Creatures that resembled chickens roamed the grasses near the house and what looked like an herb garden on the other side.

    He stopped and took in his surroundings for a moment before he followed her inside. The floor was also wooden, with various animal pelts laid out across the paneling. It was one large room except for what he assumed was a fresher. A large bed lay in one corner, what resembled a small kitchen in the opposite. Crude shelves covered the walls containing various items from dishes to clothing to medgear and a fireplace with a kettle. A small table sat off to the side with a few chairs. That's all she really had. Some things were obviously salvaged from ships like her clothes, the bed and bedding and some of her cookware but most of it looked hand made. It reminded him of his village in a way. They were not an advanced people when it came to luxury living by any means.

    He watched her dump out her bag on the table while he took a seat on the bed. He didn't realize that it was chilly outside until he felt the warmth of the fire that still burned. She was going through the medical supplies she found and sorting it when he finally spoke, still looking around her home.

"How long have you been here? Is there anyone else?"

"I've lost count. Fifteen years, I think? At least twelve. This planet is larger than the one I grew up on so it’s hard to keep long term time. If there is anyone else here, I haven't found them."

"How did you come here?"

She made her way over to him and started cleaning his wounds with the sealed antiseptic cloths.

"Same way as you I imagine. The blackhole. My family was traveling with an outdated navigation system. I guess the route had been changed due to the void but we were unaware. My father died in the crash and my mother died from exposure not long after. I was ten. The only reason I survived was my force sensitivity."

"You've been alone this whole time?"

"Yes... you're the first to survive the ordeal as well.. other than myself."

    This saddened him for a number of reasons. He couldn't imagine being alone for so long, especially for a child to grow up on her own. It also meant that there was little hope for escaping this planet. She bandaged him gently, their bodies in close proximity. Her work was precise but her hands shook slightly.

"You have a rather deep gash on your side, I think I should stitch it if you'll allow it."

"Have you done it before?"

"To myself yes."

"Alright."

    You left and quickly returned to him with the suture kit and some kind of root. She explained that if he chewed it, it would ease the pain so he took it. She knelt down in front of him and began her work as he gnawed on the blue root. It tasted sweet and the effect took hold quickly to his pleasure. She worked diligently and was careful as she could be. Once again, her work was perfect, the stitches were small and tight but her hands still trembled. When she finished her work, she spread some antibacterial salve on him and went to put her gear away in silence.

"Are you alright?" He asked, hesitant but genuinely concerned.

"Yes. I'm sorry, it's just been so long since I talked to someone who could actually respond. So long since I've heard another voice." She tried to laugh it off but her voice shook as much as her hands had.

    So long she had been by herself. To stave away loneliness she had named every one of her chickens and force probed the minds of animals. Even a few times resorted to sitting with the corpses of the people who never survived their crashes. At first, he felt bad that she had been surviving on her own but the true weight of it was sinking into his chest. He could feel her confliction through the force. Although his presence was a relief to her it was incredibly overwhelming. She changed the subject as quickly as she could.

"Is your species carnivorous or omnivorous?"

"Um, I’m a carnivore but I can stomach a little produce."

"I'm glad I went hunting yesterday then."

    She didn't have to go far to reach the kitchen area, maybe fifteen feet. She was silently thanking herself that she opted for a tall ceiling leaving less than a foot of headspace for her unexpected guest. She thought of him jumping and getting his horns stuck and broke out into a series of quiet giggles.

    Savage had an idea of what she found funny because when he stood, he could almost reach the top with his pointed ivory. He watched as she took out a few steaks from the cooler under the counter and potatoes from another cabinet. Lighting a fire in a stove he hadn't noticed he studied her in silence as she chopped various vegetables and pulled dried herbs from where they hung. She had some electricity to power the cooler from the solar panels but most of the light in the home came in through windows or the fire. He did see oil lamps on the shelves and watched as she filled a pot with water. She had plumbing here as well. He was kind of amazed.

"You did all this yourself." It wasn't a question. "You built this home, ran pipes and wires and.. well everything. How did you learn to do all this?" He was truly in awe.

"The house came together fairly quickly. It helped that I didn't have to actually lift the logs," she pulled one of the chairs from the table using the force to make her point. "The plumbing and the solar power, that came much later. Many ship crashes later. I was lucky that a construction contractor transport crashed. He wasn't lucky, but I was. That's where I got most of my materials and he had a few manuals with him," she added the produce to a pot and turned face him, leaning against the counter. He took the chair she had offered at the table.

 "All of this... it's quite impressive. I might actually survive the night if you don't turn me out," he offered her a slight grin which she returned.

"I'm happy to help and have the company."

    She returned to cooking and threw the steaks on a griddle of sorts, instantly filling the home with the rich smell of cooking meat. Savage's mouth watered. Realizing exactly how hungry he was. She finished her work in silence. Turning back to him only when she had full plates.

    The meal was unlike anything he had tasted in his life. Everything was real, no fillers that were often found in city cuisines and richer than anything he had on Dathomir. He rolled his eyes and she laughed.

"I'm glad you like it."

"I do. I never asked you your name. Mine is Savage Opress. I'm a Dathomirian nightbrother."

"It’s nice to meet you." She furrowed her brow realizing she had forgotten something she wanted to remember.

"I'm sorry I wish I had a name to give you but... I don't remember it or where I came from exactly. I remember my family called me 'little one' but... that’s all I remember," this inadvertently broke both of Savage's hearts.

"Can I call you that?"

"Sure. I wouldn't mind. I don't know the name of the planet I came from but I remember it was a desert and small; maybe it was a moon. I do prefer the climate and lushness of this planet. I've never had to worry about food or water."

"I'm not a fan of deserts either. My planet is humid."

"Where were you going when you got lost and fell here?"

"I was trying to find a brother I had never met. I only recently acquired my connection with the force and I was told he could train me."

"Oh, well I'm not sure you will be able to leave anytime soon but if you decide to stay here.. with me anyway.. until we find a way out, I could help you. I've grown quite strong with the force and I'm sure I could aid you."

"You could?" he seemed surprised at her offer but also kind of excited. It seemed the longer he was off the trail Mother Talzin had laid out for him, little pieces of himself were returning.

"Yes I can. Unless you would prefer to fare on your own here. I would understand."

    He shook his head in response. She was already set up, knew how to survive this place. He didn't dislike her company either. She seemed to brighten at the prospect of him staying. When they finished eating, she invited him to get comfortable. A mutual understanding that they would be sharing the bed as there was only one and the idea of sleeping on the floor was awful. She took their plates and grabbed a large jar of dried grains, taking it outside without a word to him. He could hear excited clucking as he stripped down to his knit shorts and tried to get comfortable. It was difficult with his shoulder and fractured rib. He opted to sit up until she returned.

When she did, she grabbed a bottle of brown liquid and took a swig.

"Almost every single ship has liquor on it at least."

   She offered him another blue root and the bottle, both he gladly took. He almost choked when she turned her back to him and slipped out of her dress within his sight. Leaving only a thin tight fabric covering her backside. He wanted to avert his gaze but was intrigued with the various scars that decorated her body. Modesty or self-awareness in front of others were traits she never learned he thought. She pulled on a loose-fitting shirt and took the bottle back from him taking another swill. Snuffing out the stove but refilling the fireplace. The daylight fully extinguished. Only the light belonged to the fire flickering through the room.

    She looked beautiful in this light. She had a graceful wildness about her that Savage admired. Strength in mind and body to accomplish what she had. He could feel it in the force too, her connection to it ran deep.

"Fair warning, it gets cold here at night even though it's technically spring time. It's a long night too." She made her way towards the bed.

"That’s fine. My species has two hearts and a high metabolism so our body temperature is much higher than yours."

    She felt that to be true the moment she crawled in next to him and lay down. She felt the heat radiating off of his skin. Savage scoot down once she was in. She reached a hand out to his chest to feel his dual hearts but hesitated. He saw this and guided her hand on top of his pulse. Her breath hitched. He was so warm and so soft and he really did have two of them.

"Goodnight Savage."

"Goodnight Little One."

      At some point before the sun rose Savage's eyes fluttered open. He didn't feel her in bed anymore but with the home's set up it didn't take long to find her. She was facing the fire whittling a block of wood with the knife he had seen strapped to her leg. She had left him another blue root on a stool beside the bed. Her hands moved quickly and she was muttering rapidly to herself. He could only pick up a few things from what she said.

"I am one with the force the force is with me.... alone but not, accompanied but alone.... the force is with me......not alone..... the beasts in the trees..... he wasn't real...... one with the force....." An occasional giggle escaped her lips, she was gently rocking back and forth while her hands worked.

    He didn't say anything but just watched her. The blanket of night must make it worse, when life on the planet was silent and the air was cold. He wondered how much longer it would've taken for her to become like this all the time if he hadn't shown up. She seemed alright earlier, nervous and jumpy but nothing like this. He uncovered his body and slowly made his way over to her. Sitting beside her with his legs crossed, trying not to touch her so he wouldn't startle her. He just waited for her state to ease.

    Eventually it did, it didn't take too long. She could feel the heat coming off of his skin. He watched her carve the wood into a long beaked bird, its wings outstretched. She tossed it into the fire and turned to face him. His eyes glowed gold against the dark backdrop behind him.

"Are you real or am I really, finally starting to snap? It's bad in the dark.."

    He took her hand and she tensed at his touch. He cautiously guided her into his lap and pressed her ear to his hearts. She could feel them beating like drums under his muscle. He had dealt with various episodes back home. Sometimes the men in his village would snap at the fear of being chosen by one of the nightsisters. Sometimes the women would come to beat them just to remind them of their place in the hierarchy. She melted and was grounded by his pulse.

"I am real. I am here. You’re not hallucinating."

    His chest vibrated when he spoke. His deep vibrato continuing to calm her. When she looked back into his eyes, they were softer. It seemed as though if they were going to make it out of this, they would both need each other.

#savage x reader #savage opress #savage fluff #savage #star wars fluff #starwars au #swtcw au #force sensitivity #star wars x oc #star wars x reader #savage opress x reader #savage opress x reader fluff

[spectralspices]

The possibility of a Resonance Cascade is never zero. 

It is, however, always nearly zero. The chances, day to day, of a Resonance Cascade, are approaching 5e-9. Not impossible. But about as low as a titanic pair of fingers reaching out from the void to snuff out our sun like a reading candle. 

But at Black Mesa, they were studying the dimensional barriers that separated this space from that space. Which is where the chances are raised dramatically. At the beginning, at the first discovery of the signals that indicated that some sort of “Border World” existed, the chances of a Resonance Cascade was raised to 6e-9. Still miniscule, but the simple awareness of another reality is enough to raise it.

When the first experiments into observing it occurred, Quantum Mechanics kicked in. The simple act of direct observation changes things-And so, the chances jumped suddenly. 6e-8 percent chance of Resonance Cascade. 

This is when Black Mesa had a visitor. He had all the proper credentials, never gave them a real name, spoke like a broken robot, and he always seemed to stare past whoever he was talking to-like they weren’t even there. A picture perfect G-Man type, here to give them lots of money nobody officially knows about to keep researching, so Someone Else didn’t know before America.

Well, they assumed it was for America.

7e-7 Percent Chance of a Resonance Cascade.

Director Breen met with him, and secured more than enough funding to develop the technology needed to transfer matter back and forth between this “Borderworld” that they had named “Xen”. He assigned some of Black Mesa’s best to the project. Isaac Kleiner, Eli Vance, Arne Magnusson, Richard Keller, Stan Rosenberg...the greatest minds in their field (and under Black Mesa’s employ. Damned Aperture, poaching Ratmann...)

Another massive jump. 9e-5 Percent Chance. And this was not just simply mathematic calculation that was determining these things-As the pieces moved together that would eventually result in a Resonance Cascade, the fabric of reality was actively weakening, making the process all the easier. 

Do you understand what’s being said?

The progress the Black Mesa Team made seemed exponential. When at first, the most they could transfer were simple probes...they soon discovered a frequency that would open holes in space. They sent teams-Ill fated as they were-to collect samples. Both Mineral and Biological. 

1e-3 percent chance. Or, in clearer layman’s terms, a Resonance Cascade had .001 percent chance of occurring. That number would be catastrophically high, if they had understood what a Resonance Cascade actually meant. 

Three men, around the same time, are promoted. Gordon Freeman becomes a Research Assistant on the Anomalous Materials team, working directly under his MIT mentor, Isaac Kleiner. Barney Calhoun is granted Level 3 Security Clearance and meets the previously mentioned men, becoming fast friends. Corporal Adrian Shepard joins the Hazardous Environment Combat Unit of the United States Marines, fast-tracked there by recommendation by an unnamed high ranking official. The HECU marines are ostensibly meant to counteract unconventional enemies in dangerous areas and tight corridors. While a heroic description to the outsider, the simple truth is they are meant to clean up any mistakes that could lead to deserved scrutiny towards what the military is actually funding.

The chances are .01 percent. 

Experiments begin to determine the composition of certain crystalline structures discovered in the Borderworld, and the nature of the energy they seem to hold. Doctor Rosenberg develops a variant of the more common mass spectrometer to analyze these exotic materials, under the watchful eye of that G-man. 

The Anti-Mass Spectrometer is theorized, developed, and constructed. 

There is a 1% chance of a Resonance Cascade.

Experiments begin. Incredible things are learned from the first samples- HG-1866, HP-1937, IA-1992 are all immediately replicated and put into use for the development of Tau Cannons, localized gravitational displacement through Zero Point Energy Emission, and further stabilization of the portal generation. Experiments continue on living tissue from the Borderworld. But a problem arises.

All of the samples have certain impurities, non-exotic matter that prevented certain data from being gathered. Namely, the origin of this matter-the way to make more, not just synthesize similar material.

Director Breen is approached by the G-Man. He has something to provide Black Mesa-A sample purer than any they’d ever gotten their hands on. Breen asks no questions, as the two had...come to an understanding.

The sample is christened “GG-3883″, a tongue in cheek reference to a phrase Doctor Breen’s son often repeated during his time playing the online shooter “Quake”. After all, when Black Mesa came out with the fact that they’d discovered free multiversal travel and near infinite energy, it would be the absolute end of their rivalry with Aperture. The director sent the sample off for analysis, no matter how unstable it may have been, with a self-assured certainty that he would go down in history as one of the most important figures in the field. 

If only he knew.

Chance of a Resonance Cascade had reached 13%, and was climbing as the sample was brought closer and closer to the Anti-Mass Spectrometer. Some work is done to prevent it, however-Safety measures are put in place in the time before the experiment. The chances of a Resonance Cascade are lowered to “only” 7%. 

Gordon Freeman wakes up late after snoozing his alarm one too many times, and must rush to get ready. He rides the Black Mesa Transit system. His car pulls into the station.

Barney Calhoun is locked out of the security office.

Adrian Shepard is finishing a morning jog.

9% of Resonance Cascade.

Gordon Freeman climbs into the Hazard Environment Suit Mark 4, a variant of Black Mesa’s advanced body armor systems that increased physical capability, featured modular ports for various pieces of equipment, and generated a low-yield battery powered energy shield for the partial deflection and absorption of small projectiles and other dangers common to the work they were doing. Everyone called it a “Hev Suit”.

Barney Calhoun is finally let in, pulling on his own variants that were developed for the security guards. Bulletproof vests and helmets, containing the same type of battery powered field generation...even if charge was less potent. At least it didn’t mean every single guard was walking around with a 127,000$ piece of equipment...

Adrian Shepard inspects his Powered Combat Vest, a military produced variant of the HEV suit’s technology, along with his other equipment. The others in his unit are joking around. He’s making sure that if their helicopter crashes, he won’t get impaled on the wreckage or suffocate from an improperly secured gas-mask. A grim man, that Adrian Shepard. But not a paranoid one. At least...not unjustly paranoid.

13% chance of a Resonance Cascade.

Gordon Freeman is shortly briefed, before witnessing a major equipment malfunction in one of the support systems for the Anti-Mass Spectrometer. The safety measures have been lowered to their absolute limit for a safe reading of the exotic matter present in sample GG-3883. Eli Vance and Isaac Kleiner stay behind to repair it as best they can, but doubts are expressed for the safety of this experiment. Not only was this the largest sample ever put through the analysis procedure, it was the purest and most unstable. The system cannot handle this. Nevertheless, Gordon descends, beginning the process to prepare the Anti-Mass Spectrometer.

27% chance of Resonance Cascade.

Barney Calhoun notices the lights flickering above, as the strain on the facility’s generators is too great to maintain everything. The air feels wrong, the people are uneasy, but they aren’t sure why. 

33% chance of Resonance Cascade.

Adrian Shepard showers alone once the others had finished, as he preferred the quiet. He steps out and stares into the mirror. Did he ever plan for a life other than this? Was he going to be a grunt, doing wetwork until he died? Would he ever grow old? Did he even want the chance?

These are the things a quiet man thinks when he trains to murder civilians for knowing too much, when he knows nothing at all.

49% chance of Resonance Cascade.

The sample is brought up. The Spectrometer is powered to levels that the system cannot handle for an extended period. Gordon Freeman pushes the sample in. 

100% of Resonance Cascade

At once, the machinations of two vast powers clash. A meddler who has carefully manipulated the pieces into position, who provided funding, who held authority and power despite not a single living human recognizing him. Who had changed things...made sure certain discoveries were made, and others were not. Who had done all this, changed the course of human history...Because his employers had a vendetta against Something Else Entirely, using the Resonance Cascade as a flare to bring them to this world. 

But at the same time, a vast psychic force, master of an enslaved race of enlightened psychics, creator of twisted weaponized flesh and guns that shoot bees at you, a creature that had harnessed its own power and the power of its thralls to peer into the world beyond them-and the worlds that were yet to be-and it knew of the meddler’s plans. A conflict with the force he had directed his enmity towards was not something the creature could allow, as an invasion of Earth...would pass through it’s Borderworld. 

So, the creature took control of the Cascade. In most situations, a Resonance Cascade occurred when an object begins to vibrate at the exact frequency required to begin “Resonating”, meaning it has started to emit energy that causes the same reaction in other matter, which then cause the reaction both in the original matter and the matter around them, massively weakening the fabric of space and the barriers beyond one world and the worlds that border them. This chain reaction was self sustaining, but did not spread laterally in the space it originated. Instead, it would spread to other worlds-Exchanging matter between them at random as the two spaces began to blend. 

The Psychic Force stopped the cascade in Xen, forcing it to focus on sustaining the reaction between just those two worlds, weakening its hold...but allowing it to send its forces (And hostile wildlife) to Earth, to destroy the systems that caused this-To stop the cascade with the death of every human in the facility. To this end, it maintained the cascade in a lesser form.  

The Meddler had predicted something of this sort. He had...preparations in place. Including two agents of chaos...

Gordon Freeman awakes to the destroyed remains of the Anti-Mass Spectrometer, dazed and confused. He has seen alien worlds, and nearly died several times. They won’t be the last for a very long time.

Adrian Shepard’s unit is alerted to their next deployment. They gear up, enter the choppers, and ride. A Manta Ray that shits lasers destroys their helicopter, and Adrian Shepard is glad he charged his vest that morning.

Barney Calhoun desperately tries to escape the deadly forces that were flooding the facility. He was not a piece in a cosmic game. He was just...some guy.

An unexpected enemy appears. Marauders that only seek to steal resources before greater threats stake claim on this newly opened world. They are repelled by the Meddler’s more trained agent, as Adrian Shepard trades one amoral faceless master that decided who he killed for another.

But the Psychic Force...The Nihilanth. Its death would come by a different hand. One clad in orange and black, swinging a bright red strip of metal. Gordon Freeman frees a race, stops an alien invasion, and was prepared to die in an impossible world for his troubles-all to save lives. But he did good work. He was the right man for the job. He’s “Hired”. 

In the end, the Meddler’s plans worked better than anyone could expect. His true targets were alerted, preparing their forces to take the Earth. The lesser marauders repelled and the psychic barrier dealt with, making the blue marble seem an even sweeter prize. Several agents obtained for his schemes, to be deployed when and where they would be appropriate. Dangerous alien life and Portal Storms-the aftershocks of a Resonance Cascade-prevented the governments from truly being able to prepare. 

The Combine arrive. The war lasts seven hours. Wallace Breen negotiates humanity’s surrender. Isaac Kleiner and Eli Vance firmly disagree with this course of action. Judith Mossman, another survivor of the Black Mesa Incident, is less sure. 

The last human child for the next two decades is born. The Combine establish a field that prevents human procreation. Other hostile alien life begins to take hold-Antlion Nests, hives of Headcrabs, Barnacles spreading, ichthyosaurs stalking the oceans and lakes. Combine weapons-made from heavily modified creatures from previous conquests-are regularly deployed, roaming the streets in shows of force. Humans are converted into their police, enhanced infantry, special forces...and lobotimized worker slaves. 

The Meddler waits for a red-letter day, and he chooses his agent carefully. To destroy a machine like the Combine, one needed not a precision implement. Military training would do nothing against a force that conquered worlds in hours. No, Adrian Shepard-a knife in human sheath-would be unfit for this.

What one needed to destroy the Combine was a blunt thing. A force of chaos that couldn’t be stopped. Whose strength was matched only by his luck. His intelligence, matched only by his willingness to do things like drive a muscle car into hyper-agile flechette-firing cyborgs, or throw a toilet at a man’s face so hard his skull is obliterated and he backflips twice before hitting the ground. Or fight a helicopter from an airboat equipped with a fully automatic plasma cannon.

To break a machine of World Consumption, the G-Man would ram a crowbar into the mechanism, just where it can cause the maximum damage-and keep causing damage to the entire thing. The right man in the wrong place.

Gordon Freeman wakes up on a train car, as it pulls into the City 17 station, deeply confused and disoriented. The moment he steps out, a floating camera photographs his face-which would soon enough be processed and identified as Anticitizen One, Gordon Freeman, the most wanted man on the planet-who had been gone for twenty years and looked identical to the day the Black Mesa Incident occurred. Minus the ponytail. His old boss is on a giant viewscreen. One of the aliens he used to fight is sweeping. Cops in gasmasks maintain a fascist state and he’s somewhere in Eastern Europe. His confusion and disorientation deepens severely.

Wallace Breen receives notice that Gordon Freeman had been sighted. A pit forms in his stomach. He feels a familiar hand in this. Within a few days, he will be screaming high-concept threats from an ascending sphere of energy as a former research assistant flings tightly condensed plasma orbs at him with a gravity cannon.

The G-Man continues to meddle, despite the intervention of a hive mind of benevolent psychics. His plans are, for the most part, undeterred. However...

He begins to regret deploying Gordon Freeman. Chaos, while able to be directed, is quite hard to wrangle when it’s gotten loose. For now, Freeman continues to act in favor of the disruption of Combine operations. But...his personal connection to a secondary objective-another new agent to recruit-sours the G-man’s elation at a plan more or less well executed. The end of this, however, is still untold. 

Because who fucking knows when they’re making Half Life Goddamn 3.

#Half Life #Half Life 1 #Half Life 2 #Gordon Freeman #My writing

[wr173r-8l0ck]

What if My Hero Academia Characters were in the Riordanverse pt. 1: Students

Yeah, yeah, this is just MHA students for now, I’ll have other characters soon, okay! Anyway, here’s MHA students of 1A and 1B (including Shinso) as demigods in the Riordanverse!

Yuga Aoyama: Son of Aphrodite. Not even a good one, unless you need someone blinded by his glitter-gun. Oh yeah, he has a glitter gun with lasers for maximum flare. Is he completely over-the-top? Absolutely. But is he good in a fight? Surprisingly, yes, kind of very, turns out glitter confuses monsters very well.

Mina Ashido: Daughter of Hermes and legacy of Hecate, capable of inhuman movements and can produce a slime that magically dissolves anything. She also tattooed her eyes black and yellow for some weird masochistic reason that no one, including herself, doesn’t understand. She’s still neat though.

Tsuyu Asui: She’s a frog-turned-human by Ochako. She still has her tongue, leaps, hops, camouflage, a reversible stomach and poison that can kill a group of whales. And he can still inflate her throat like a balloon, which makes for good scares. Very good scares…

Tenya Iida: Son of Mercury, he never skips leg day. Never. Seriously, have you seen those legs? He could crush a car with those puppies! Or crush monster heads with those thunder thighs! Which he actually does quite often. He doesn’t skimp out on upper body exercises either, but LOOK AT THOSE LEGS OF THUNDER!

Ochako Uraraka: Daughter of Hecate, she specializes in a set of spells that manipulate an individual object’s or being’s gravitational pull. It’s gotten to the point where she makes anything she touches with five fingers on one hand, it will float, no matter what, which is why she wears gloves all the time. She likes floating whoever she finds particularly annoying way up into the sky.

Mashirao Ojiro: Son of Mars, he’s an expert martial artist and very, very good at multiple of them. He’s lost multiple sparring partners because of his profinity with a number of weapons, and his lethality without any weapons. Seriously, he once defeated a Drakon with his bare hands! And another dead drakon’s teeth!

Denki Kaminari: Legacy of Zeus and Apollo, each by about 50 generations. About as bright as his godly ancestors (not very), but he still makes one Hel of a lightning bolt, and he’s also pretty good with a guitar and lyre. And classical literature and culture, like Apollo’s Kettle, who taught him all that?!

Eijiro Kirishima: Son/creation of Vulcan, his blood and skin are pure liquid gold, bronze and diamond he can infinitely harden for a period of time. It also obtains unnaturally sharp edges, and given his tendency to go hard when excited, he has made his friends frequent the infirmary for cuts and broken ribs.

Koji Koda: Son of Actaedon, he can talk with wildlife. He’s also a Legacy of Heracles, hence his size. His hugs are nice, war and gentle. Unless you’re an enemy, his bear hugs can break spines and it’s fucking terrifying.

Rikido Sato: Son of Mars, this guy has a serious sweet tooth. He’s also surprisingly gentle for a guy that can decimate an opponent with a single hit. Oh yeah, he can one-shot a hellhound with one punch (que the epic op) to the head.

Mezo Shoji: Son of Ares, he’s surprisingly level-headed. And malicious. Seriously, this guy always has at least ten different weapons on him, on top of him knowing a variety of potentially lethal moves. His arms are known as the Anacondas for a reason. Well, he lost his two precious anacondas in battle, but now he has six bronze automaton anacondas, fuly articulated and loaded up with all kinds of weapons for maximum effectiveness in battle! Actually fuck that, he’s way more terrifying now, who let him get all that stuff?!

Kyoka Jiro: Daughter of Apollo, she’s a top-tier musician, singer and is moderate with a bow and arrow. She can whistle in the ultrasonic range, clap like thunder, sing and play like either a sweet little bird or a whole-ass heavy metal choir without ruining her vocal cords, and she gives the opposite amount of fucks that Zeus does (ie. zero).

Hanta Sero: Son of Hermes, he inherited a pair of magical tape dispensers that can dispense any tape in any amount of any properties he chooses. He uses them to swing around like Spider-Man, which made him a regular visitor of the infirmary until Momo made him a special harness to keep his joints from dislocating. Somehow, he still gets his shoulders dislocated.

Fumikage Tokoyami: Son of Erebos, he suffers from split-personality disorder, but it’s fixed nicely by his inner demon incarnate made of pure darkness he calls Dark Shadow. They have a strangely healthy and wholesome relationship for a boy and his literal inner demon, and they even help each other (or embarass, take your pick) in social interactions.

Shoto Todoroki: A Legacy, descendant of Hel and Surtr, capable of making ice that freezes fire, and fire that burns ice. He gives so little shit he’s actually oblivious to social cues, which makes for more than a few funny moments on quests with him.

Toru Hagakure: Legacy of Iris, she can manipulate light around her to turn invisible or project bright flashes. Campers often say hi to her even if she’s not there just in case.

Katsuki Bakugou: Son of Ares, with rage and instincts of combat so strong and powerful he can convert his sheer rage and passion into explosions in the palms of his hands. He generated more than one explosion with the explosive yield of a nuclear weapon in his life. How he hasn’t gone deaf yet is beyond most people, though he does still know a variety of sign languages in case he does go deaf.

Izuku Midoriya: Son of Athena that was gifted the Spartan Spirit, a powerful enchantment formed by Kratos, Nike, Bia and Zelus, to protect humanity in its greatest times of need, and bestowed upon the most well-meaning and kind-hearted individuals of an era. He ends up breaking his bones an absolute shitton, and is a regular at the infirmary. The healers and smiths absolutely loathe him by now.

Minoru Mineta: Died on a quest. His quest-mates say ‘by accident’. Everyone knows it was very deliberate, but then again, everyone hated him and is fine with him dead. Some people wanted to be the ones to kill him though.

Momo Yaoyorozu: A Legacy, granddaughter of Hephaestus and Athena, capable of making virtually any machine. She’s also very fidgety, and once made an entire army of fully autonomous grass soldiers that went on to terrorize the other campers for a bit. In thirty minutes.

Yosetsu Awase: Son of Hephaestus, he also likes to make stuff. Though mostly he combines already existing tools, gadgets and machines, and makes weird amalgamations. He once fused an automaton bull, an automaton dragon and a school bus, and it actually, somehow, despite all logic and reason, fucking works.

Sen Kaibara: Son of Ares, he’s pretty chill compared to his kin (especially Katsuki and Setsuna), mainly due to him bottling up his anger. Which he can unleash as tornadoes around his limbs, which he can use to drill through walls. Thank gods he doesn’t lose it too often.

Togaru Kamakiri: Son of Ceres, he likes farming tools. Especially ones with blades. That’s lead to him using all kinds of sickles, scythes (both farming tools and war scythes) in combat, and even axes, shovels, various lawn mowers...

Shihai Kuroiro: Son of Nyx, him and Tokoyami get along exceptionally well. Given his ability to shadow-travel and use shadows and darkness as materials to make some pretty nifty weapons only he can use, he’s strangely bright and like a Sun. At least among the two stepbrothers of darkness, and the bar for eing the sunny one is set very low.

Itsuka Kendo: Daughter of Athena, she excels in critical thinking and a variety of martial arts. And knocking out her piers with precise attacks when they start to get exceptionally annoying. Mostly Monoma. Scratch that, especially Monoma. Okay, nevermind, only Monoma.

Yui Kodai: Daughter of Trivia. She excels in potions and spells that manipulate the size of objects, so much so that she has to resort to gloves because she now naturally makes things smaller with her left hand, or bigger with her right hand. She’s the calm one of the 20 people here.

Kinoko Komori: Daughter of Demeter, she has a soft spot for fungi and mushrooms. Which she can make grow rapidly. Very rapidly. She’s fun at parties.

Ibara Shiozaki: Daughter of Demeter, she dyes her hair green with actual chlorophyll for some reason (“To feel one with the beautiful plants,” she says), but she can also grow and manipulate vines and other vine-like plants, along with trees, quite effectively, and she has some rose and poison oak (she’s immune to it) seeds in her hair. Don’t ask, her answers are just as ridiculous as the chlorophyll-dyed hair.

Jurota Shishida: Son of Mars, he’s been cursed by most likely Hera to be a humanoid boar/dog thing. He’s especially good at wrestling, and is very diplomatic in his approach. Until he gets pissed, then he charges like a boar and yes, he keeps those tusks of his sharp.

Niregeki Shoda: Legacy of Hermes, son of Hephaestus, he likes to make explosives and plant them everywhere. More than a few campers were scared. Except Katsuki, who tried to outdo the ground (Niregeki’s mine) in explosive yield and put skylight access in the roof of Bunker 9. Niregeki had to repair it.

Pony Tsunotori: Legacy of Poseidon, she can shapeshift. She likes to shapeshift into horses, bulls, deer and goats (including mooses and buffalo), and she has a nifty gadget from the Hephaestus and Vulcan campers in the shape of horns that transform with her, giving her detachable remote-control horns. 

Kosei Tsuburaba: Legacy of Jupiter, son of Ares, he’s competitive and can make walls and blades out of air. Especially annoying for monsters because they can’t get to him, period, and every time they try, they don’t get past his walls of air for a whole minute before someone either cuts/hacks/slices them to bits, freezes/burns them alive, blows them up with their fists/explosives/expanding stones they previously ingested or some other way of disposing of a monster.

Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu: Son of Vulcan, capable of turning to pure steel over his entire body, also increasing his strength. Because of this, and his tendency to go hard whenever he’s excited, he’s made his friends frequent the infirmary for bruises and broken ribs. Except Kirishima.

Setsuna Tokage: Daughter of Ares, she’s actually been hurt pretty badly in one of her fights (she went on a Quest with Katsuki, and no, it wasn’t him who hurt her, and yes, no one really believes that story either) and had to have automaton grafts to replace her limbs, a part of her lower jaw, her eyes and the muscles around her spine, along with parts of the vertebrae. Which she asked to be detachable and splittable in as many pieces as possible, which she can control telepathically and uses to troll other campers. A lot. Especially two certain sons of Vulcan and her half-siblings.

Manga Fukidashi: No one knows what he is, they just know his head is a speech bubble and he can make anything he writes real.

Juzo Honenuki: Legacy of Gaia, he can virtually liquify the ground (does not work on metal or wooden floors). He trolls a lot with this ability. And I do mean a lot.

Kojiro Bondo: A golem? A person? His head makes it hard to tell whether he’s a demigod or a monster to be honest. And his glue-like spit doesn’t help much either.

Neito Monoma: Legacy of, you guessed it, Zeus! He has a superiority complex because of this, and he frequents the infirmary on the basis of Itsuka or whoever he was annoying KOing him constantly. All that brain damage probably isn’t helping his mental issues…

Reiko Yanagi: Daughter of Hecate she can make things she touches float and fly around using some sort of incantation. The biggest she can do is double her own body weight, but that doesn’t stop her from delivering high-speed flying punches and scaring other campers.

Hiryu Rin: Son of Mars and Legacy of Poseidon, he can shapeshift into various animals. Most notably a mix of human, hedgehog and a lizard. Sharp, painful and deadly precise. And also meditating. And a lot of it.

#mha #my hero academia #boku no academia #boku no hero academia #bnha #pjo #percy jackson #pjo/hoo #hoo #heroes of olympus #toa #trials of apollo #tkc #the kane chronicles #mcatgoa #magnus chase #magnus chase and the gods of asgard #izuku midoriya #katsuki bakugou #shoto todoroki #tokoyami fumigake #momo yaoyorozu #bnha setsuno

[magicalforcesau]

Dancing with Ghosts in Your Garden ~ Chapter 1: Year 1- Summer

Ao3 link:

Summer came and went with the fleeting heat of a fever dream for young Anakin Skywalker. Aside from his general distaste for summer as a season with its blazing sun and sandy beaches, the overall course of the months seemed to elongate simply because for the first time in his entire life, he was excited to go to school.

He’d never belonged at school with the muggles. Not only did he constantly have to stress over hiding who he was, which frustrated him to no end, but he was somehow still painted as a freak. This would lead to Anakin getting into some form of a scuffle, which would result in accidental use of magic.

His repertoire of indiscretions included, but was not limited to:

Sending a student into a never-ending hole in the ground 

Floating up and away 

Causing a bully to only be able to breathe underwater 

Pantsing another bully in front of a pretty girl (okay, he didn’t use magic for that one)

Making a parent on the PTA turn mute

Transforming his entire class’s musical instruments into live snakes

Burping the alphabet, but with explosive fire (this was more of a result of spicy foods than confrontation)

Turning a teacher into a fat purple penguin 

And this meant he often hopped around schools like it was a playground game. He’d never had that many friends, and when he did, he understood that it was never meant to last. Honestly, none of the magical situations he got himself into were on purpose. They simply transpired from a raw energy within him, or so his mother always defended when the Ministry of Magic came calling.

This didn’t make the face she made every time he returned with an expulsion notice any easier. She insisted that she wasn’t mad and that she loved him regardless, but he knew that somewhere deep down she wished she had a child that didn’t force her to uproot her life so often.

It helped that she was also a wizard, but she’d given up that life in favor of the muggle world and sought to raise Anakin in it as well. She never used magic, save for the rare moments where she had to hastily put out a fire or turn a person back into their rightful form; always on the account of one of his accidental outbursts. It wasn’t that she detested it, but that Shmi Skywalker had an appreciation for those who did things with their own hands. She was hardworking that way and while Anakin saw her employment as a waitress to the pub below their apartment as borderline slavery, she seemed at peace with it.

He’d never even heard of Hogwarts until a man named Qui-Gon Jinn appeared on their humble doorstep with a huge stack of envelopes. He carried the airs of humility, wearing robes that looked much older than Anakin. His hair draped down his shoulders in a thick curtain that was fashioned half-up and half-down.

Anakin had to crane his head back to look him in the eyes, but he had a kind face that seemed easy to trust. Qui-Gon, he quickly discovered, was a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and came to deliver Anakin’s invitation in person.

“That’s a bit peculiar, isn’t it?” Shmi said warily. “Professors don’t normally make house calls.”

Qui-Gon had a twinkle in his eye as he nodded to her respectively. “Not typically, but we have attempted to send out Anakin’s letter all summer, but to no response.”

“We moved.” Anakin said and gave his mum a curious look. “There’s school for people like us?”

Shmi never took her eyes away from Qui-Gon and the two seemed to be speaking in a silent language that Anakin could not understand. He didn’t try to, because he immediately started buzzing around the room as rapidly as possible. This wasn’t just good news. It was marvelous news. This meant he wouldn’t have to go to that awful boy’s preparatory school in the fall. He could be amongst other wizards and learn how to harness the power within him.

In the midst of his scurrying around the room, he’d gotten so excited that he started to levitate off the ground. Neither adult noticed, even when Anakin drifted well above the impressive height that was Qui-Gon Jinn.

He overheard his mother softly ask, “Will he be safer there?”

“The safest thing we can do for him is to train him.” Qui-Gon said. “I know how much he means to you, Shmi.”

“Uh, a little help here?” Anakin interrupted.

Qui-Gon looked up and smiled at him, “How’s the weather up there?”

“Unsteady, sir. I don’t know how you manage it.” Anakin said.

A deep and hearty laugh broke across the room as he whipped a wand from the pocket of his robe. With the flick of the wrist and an utterance of “Descendo”, Anakin was placed back on his two feet once again. A part of him always liked when he floated off. He enjoyed being in the air.

Qui-Gon ruffled a hand through Anakin’s hair and looked to Shmi. There was more of that secret and silent adult-speak happening, but when Shmi looked to Anakin, he tried his best to convey that he wanted nothing more than to be amongst his own kind for a change. His little outbursts have been occurring more frequently and he was not sure how much more disappointment he could take.

To his surprise, she relented. 

And so it was settled. Anakin was to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the fall- which was shockingly his mother’s alma mater. In his 11 years of living, she’d never mentioned it, just that she’d gone to school with other witches and wizards growing up and how she felt it was too isolated from the real world.

***

“Do I get a wand?”

“Yes, Ani.” She smiled lightly as they walked down the cobblestone streets of London. Cars and people buzzed throughout the town, each taking a slice of the rare sunny day. Normally, Anakin had zero interest in back to school shopping as it usually just included hand-me-downs from used outlets and the cheapest notebooks and pencils. Specifically, the kinds of pencils with erasers that didn’t function properly.

“Do you think I could have one like Qui-Gon’s?”

“The wand chooses the wizard.” She said, “Wands are unique. Just like people.”

He’d spent enough time in London to know for certain that there was not a wizard store at the market- not one that wasn’t mocking their culture with top hats and white rabbits. They passed familiar shops and boutiques until they made a turn onto Charing Cross Road and stopped in front of a charcoal pub with a faded sign hanging to the side. Anakin moved to continue walking as well, but Shmi was cemented to her position.

“Mum?”

She didn’t answer, only kept her eyes trained forward with a combination of knowing fear and unmovable determination. She took in a deep breath and reached for Anakin’s hand before leading him up to the large black door and pushing their way in.

It was equally unimpressive on the inside, resembling every other dive in England. Men and women huddled around their dimly lit booths and tables, trading barbs and sharing grub. He swore as they walked by a few, he heard his mother’s name leave their lips. Normally, a protective instinct would kick in, but his own beguilement was placed on halt. He was unsure what grabbing a beer was going to do for them, but then again, that was before the fabrics of reality opened before him.

His jaw dropped when a crummy hole-in-the-wall developed an actual hole in the wall and he suddenly stood on the bridge between parallel realities. There was the one at which he came from with its conformities, drab colors, and mundane days. What lay before him was anything but drab or mundane. While he’d never been here before, he automatically felt a singing rightness to it and found he could not bring himself to turn back- not even to express his sense of awe to his mother.

As if on a gravitational pull, he moved forward, his mother’s hand squeezing his own without a second thought. They drifted down the winding cobblestone street. It resembled the older paths in England with tight streets and turns as well as crowded rows of buildings. These, however, did not consist of standard row homes or shops, but an array of bright-roofed places of commerce. 

His eyes were pulled everywhere, unsure whether to fixate on the joke shop or the menagerie, which had its windows lined with an assortment of obscure pets ranging from rats to little colorful wisps of fluff that he could not name.

There was a shop explicitly for selling cauldrons as well as robes, which were written on the list Professor Qui-Gon Jinn had given them before taking leave. Anakin had memorized it backwards and forwards and still hadn’t fully grasped the act of actually buying this kind of stuff.

Adults and their children appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the road and nobody blinked a second thought. Afterwards, they tucked their wands into their boot or pocket and went about their business with a casual air that only came with experience. They were all dressed very different from him- wearing long and vibrant robes as well as mismatched hats. No two were the same and while some of the younger crowd was more modernly dressed, most appeared to be in costume for a stage play. Anakin tried his best not to gawk at the strangers, who paid his shock no mind. He was supposed to be one of them, but while the rational part of him was trying to stop staring at wizards openly performing magic in public, the bigger part of him could only revel in the joy that came with not being the odd man in the room. 

Various pleasant smells filled the open sky, which increased his sense of wonder. The street was lined with many different cafes and restaurants. The one that piqued his interest had a large light-up ice cream cone pinned on the roof. Just as his mouth began to water at the possibilities of how advanced magical ice cream could be, he was briefly tugged from his reverie by his mother, who took them aside and near the window of a different shop.

She knelt before him, a small and knowing smile playing at her lips, but also a bit of sadness that he could not understand. How could she ever want to leave this world? There was so much to explore and behold. What did their grubby flat above the old pub have that this place didn’t?

“Welcome to Diagon Alley. I know it’s a lot to take in.” She said and gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze. “And there will be time for that later.”

“And magical ice cream?” He tried. Though he wasn’t sure what was going to be so different about it. 

She chuckled. “One rite of passage at a time.”

And with that, she stood up and nodded towards the shop behind him. “In there, I think you’ll find what you’ve been anticipating most. I’ll meet you back here with your textbooks. Do not wander, Ani.”

He heeded her advice and swung the wooden door open to reveal a dimly lit storage room that was stacked from floor to ceiling with shelves of long, thin boxes. Singular orbs of fading light dangled from the high ceiling and cast a yellow glow onto each shelf, though nothing worth noting leapt out at Anakin. Juxtaposed to the rest of the marketplace, it resembled a cluttered library rather than anything enticing. He couldn’t see how this would be what his mother believed was the most exciting place.   

Well, aside from the gentleman positioned behind the desk, which sat next to a winding staircase leading to a closed door. At least, Anakin believed they were a gentleman, but it felt wrong to assume given they were clearly not human with a long snout, gray skin, and a very dinosaur-like shape. They wrote with a long feather in hand, clearly transfixed with whatever was being transcribed, and paid Anakin no mind. 

“Um, excuse me?” Anakin spoke after the silence felt like it might overwhelm him.

Golden eyes lifted from the parchment to study him and Anakin swore he saw a thousand lifetimes in the span of seconds, but was also fairly certain he wasn’t under a spell. He couldn’t decide if they were kind or not- just all knowing yet totally unassuming.

“Yes, young man?” Their voice kept things ambiguous with a slight waver that gave away their age and a tone that was coated in gravel when they spoke. 

“Um,” Anakin desperately wished his mother came in with him now, because he wasn’t even sure what he was supposed to be asking for from this creature. Said creature looked at him with expectant and timeless eyes, which eventually narrowed after considering Anakin.

“You’re new.” They said and got up from behind the desk, but not without the help of a cane and patience.

“Yes, sir.” He internally cursed for slipping, because really, he did not need to offend anyone on his first day in the wizarding world. While Anakin didn’t normally mince words, he hadn’t yet learned how to truly defend himself from this ancient wizard if that was required. 

But, no rebuttal or offense came. Instead, this old man smiled and nodded before gesturing for Anakin to come closer. Despite previous anxieties, Anakin did as he was instructed.

“What a pleasure it is to share this moment with you.” He said and upon closer inspection, had many smile lines crinkled around the corners of his eyes. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Anakin Skywalker.”

“And what are you?”

“Uh, a person. What are you?”

This was hilarious to Tera Sinube, who laughed so hard that Anakin feared he was going to knock himself off balance somehow. He did not appear very physically stable as it was. 

“Well, I’m a Cosian, but I’m also a person.” He said. “I was referring to your blood lineage. This can help when trying to pair wands to wizards.”

Anakin’s eyes felt like they were going to bulge out of his head, which provided more comedic content for the older wizard, who quite literally slapped his own knee at the confusion on Anakin’s face.

“You’re a wandmaker?” Anakin gaped, not caring about sounding foolish.

“Must be muggle-born.” Sinube smiled knowingly.

“Muggle?”

“Human.” He corrected, “My apologies. It’s what non-magical humans are referred to by wizards.”

While the statement held no edge beyond what naturally came with the tones of his voice, Anakin could not help feeling slightly bristled by the confusion. 

“My mum’s a wizard, actually.” He said pointedly, “My father was a hum-muggle, though.”

He might as well get used to the verbiage.

Tera Sinube stared at him more carefully over his long snout and bit his lip in what appeared to be concentration. 

“Skywalker.” He rolled the name around in his mouth and then his eyes widened a little before settling back to normal. “11 inches, Pear, with unicorn hair.”

“Huh?” 

Sinube smiled and drifted to the back to pick up various packages from shelves. “That was your mother’s wand type. Your mother is Shmi Skywalker, right?”

“You know my mum?” Anakin asked.

“I’ve never forgotten a wand nor the wizard it chose.” He said with a firm nod.

“Wait, I don’t get to pick the one I want? Because I know this guy and his wand is super-”

“-The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Skywalker.” Sinube said firmly. “If it were backwards, I’d be terrified of the outcome. People have a tendency of prioritizing what they want rather than accepting what they need. And from that, we devolve into chaos.”

He wanted to push the point, because while arguing with a seasoned wandmaker about wands seemed foolish, Anakin really did enjoy the sleek fashion of Qui-Gon’s burgundy wand and believed that would most suit him too. However, Sinube did not give him much room to talk and instead laid out an array of thin boxes on the desk.

“I’ve been doing this for a very long time. Longer than I’d care to admit, actually, and I swear to you I’ve never come up with inconclusive results.”

Even as he said it, it felt like condemnation.

Because after a series of almost-disasters including, but not limited to: setting the entire wooden office on fire, turning Sinube into a Cosian Kebab, dissolving the floor into a gaping black hole beneath them, and literally turning the wooden wand into an angry python- it was easy to feel discouraged. 

There were also wands that simply didn’t react to Anakin at all, which was even more disappointing. He had managed to let Sinube give him the opportunity to try Qui-Gon’s wand type on the off chance that his interests and needs coincided. 

However, the 13” larch with dragon heartstrings acted as little more than a fancy stick in Anakin’s hand, much to his dismay and attempt at making it work.

“Ah, larch is a much sought-after wood.” Sinube said. “However, it is amongst the hardest to appease in terms of partnership. Its matches are typically hidden artifacts, so to speak, with untapped and unnoticed potential until the pair meets. Qui-Gon Jinn certainly matched that description as a young boy.”

Anakin wanted to further protest, but chose against it in favor of sulking. At this point, he cared a great deal less about matching Qui-Gon as he did finding a wand that would actually work with him at all.

“Now, now. One must not give up so easily.” Sinube placed a large hand on his shoulder. “I will have you know that some of the greatest wizards that ever lived were difficult to match. I was not alive in Headmaster Yoda’s time as a young wizard, but it evidently took days to find his wand.”

Anakin sighed, “I’m just so new to all of this, but I’ve always dreamed of it, if that makes sense.”

“It does and this moment will be a fond one if you let it happen.”

He tried to do just that and humored Sinube’s every whim of attempts and even climbed the ladder along the bookcase to grab more wands for him. It wasn’t until knocking a loose box from its hold on top of the bookcase and onto the floor- successfully rolling the wand across the room- that Anakin felt the room change.

Upon picking it up, the atmosphere transformed into one bathed in angelic light with a potent wind that swept all around them and took loose strands of parchment into the air. Anakin’s hand that gripped the wand grew impossibly warm, but never hot, and a strength seemed to manifest deep in the core of his being. Anakin’s soul felt complete where he never knew it was missing a piece. 

Eventually, the lights dimmed and the heavens ceased singing and while he believed he’d been the only one doused in glory, it was clear from Sinube’s face that he’d bore witness to the whole spectacle. Perhaps, this was why he did what he did for so long.

“And there you have it.” The older wizard grinned. “An 11 ½” holly with dragon heartstrings. Known for handling well with the impetuous and the quick to anger as well as accompanying one with a large spiritual journey ahead of them.”

Anakin reverently ran his thumb across the surface of the hilt. How he could ever want anything else seemed ridiculous now. He finally tore his eyes away from his wand to acknowledge Sinube.

“Thank you, Mr. Sinube.” He said as he handed him the money his mother gave him- apparently it was the exact amount, “For being patient.”

“It was my pleasure, Mr. Skywalker. I just ask that you always extend yourself and others the same courtesy.”

“I will!” Though his rush to race out the door did not support the statement. 

After Anakin left, Sinube’s eyes drifted to the wand that had been previously turned into a snake.

“Curious…” He said as he picked it up. Just as suspected, it was an elm wand, which was heavily believed to only react to wizards of pure-blood. Sinube, who was not human in any sense beyond spirit, hardly listened in on the political rubbish surrounding blood lineage. Still, it was odd that the elm wand reacted so.

***

Anakin dashed out of Sinube’s in such excited haste that he ran square into a family of wizards which knocked his wand from his hand and had it rolling onto the street. An array of passing feet accidentally kicked it along in transit and Anakin found himself scrambling on the ground in an ill-willed attempt to recover the wand he’d just struggled to meet.

“Excuse me! Sorry! Coming through!” He pushed his way through the crowd, never once taking his eyes off the ground and failing to really keep track where he was going. 

Finally, his wand was spared from the stampede as it was all but launched into a darker passageway and down a series of steps. Anakin breathed out a sigh of relief and frustration as he descended to retrieve his wand. It wasn’t until he picked it up and determined that it was still usable did he realize he had absolutely no idea where he’d drifted.

Behind him, there was the pocket of light he’d come from while ahead only lay an oblique of shadows that extended deeper and deeper into a silent unknown. He could still feel the sunlight that shined bright on Diagon Alley at his back. However, he was inexplicably drawn forward as though he were being called. In fact, his feet seemed to move at their own accord, because despite his mind telling him otherwise, he followed the path of noir and gray stone until reaching a crossing.

Strange and unhappy creatures seemed to shuffle around one another without exchanging pleasantries or even acknowledging one another. Somehow, this part of town seemed even tighter than the rest of Diagon Alley. The shop owners were grim and threatened their patrons, though the patrons did not seem kind either. A few cast curious stares at Anakin as he walked by, but he did not want to be caught idle for too long and went the opposite direction, away from the quiet community of threatening onlookers. 

As he drifted further along a narrow opening and towards a glowing green light, he felt a resounding cold settle in his bones without warning. His thoughts were screaming in meaningless questions as to why he was even here, but he resisted the urge to turn away. If he did, sleeping that night would be more impossible than enduring the chill that traveled up his spine at every distant echo.

He found himself clutching his wand instinctually, though he had no indication on how to use it. He slowly treaded closer to the ambient green hue that reflected off the stone wall. The anxiety that coiled in the pit of his stomach resembled that of being the follower and the followed. He was not sure which he was more fearful of in the present. When he rounded the corner, he realized it appeared to be from a wizarding shop, no less. While this should have caused relief, Anakin remained on high alert, noting that this shop did not resemble the others.

It was well-buried in the shadows, for one thing, and did not seem to be sought after despite its claim to sell antiquities. There were three front windows with a green light emanating off of them and highlighting the clear prevalence of skeletons throughout the store. He tried not to think too hard about their origin.     

He squinted his eyes as he made out the sign on the front. 

“Borgin and Burkes.” He murmured to himself.

He kept his steps silent and his breaths minimal, particularly when he realized he was not alone. Quickly, he rushed into the store in an attempt to avoid being seen by a large figure all dressed in black. The storeowner was clearly gone for lunch or other dealings, because he was not questioned when he slipped behind the counter after realizing the large presence was (hopefully unknowingly) following him inside. 

There was a moment of silence beyond what Anakin could barely make out as the ignition of a flame. 

He closed his eyes and wondered what his mother thought of his absence for the first time. What if she didn’t let him go to Hogwarts for wandering off? Surely, the rule of avoiding dark alleys applied to the wizarding world just as much as it did the real world. He felt remorse and regret, but didn’t even know where to begin on how to leave.

“Are you sure, Master?” A deep, but hushed voice asked.

“Yes. It is time to act. He arrives at Hogwarts this year.” The second voice sounded like more of a hiss than actual speech and crackled alongside the fire.

“There is much to prepare, then.”

Anakin peered his head from around the desk in a feeble attempt to catch a glimpse. Anyone that entered an empty shop to have a secretive conversation could not have been up to any good. What he was supposed to do about it, he was unsure.

The figure that had followed him into the shop was huge in stature- even larger and more dominant in appearance than Qui-Gon. He was dressed from head-to-toe all in black robes that were pulled over his head and shrouded him like a phantom. 

The other man was not present in the physical sense, but judging from what Anakin could tell, was either in the fireplace or he was the fireplace. Green embers flicked in every direction, wild in abandon and enchantment as the phantom spoke down. Anakin wished he could get a better look, but thought better of it lest he reveal his presence.

“Just see to it that you are ready, Lord Tyranus. The Sith will rise once again if all goes according to plan.” 

The phantom man knelt before the fireplace, as if to swear an oath. “I will not fail you, my Master.”

There was a long enough pause where Anakin briefly thought the conversation had ended, but a maniacal laugh rippled through the shop and he had to suppress the urge to whimper. 

“Good.” He enunciated. “Until the darkest day at the darkest point.”

“Until then.” 

“And by the way, my apprentice. You are not alone.”

Anakin’s eyes shot open and he burst into a blind sprint towards and through the door, narrowly avoiding a green shock of lightning that ricocheted where he’d previously been sat. Flames blew up behind him, lighting the dark path before him. He mindlessly chose his fate and sprinted down the cobblestone path to where he’d originally entered through. Well, it was where he believed he’d entered, at least.

His knees were almost hitting his chest. He was running so hard and determined to carry his strides as far as his little legs could take him. It finally felt as though his mind had lined up with his body and that every sense in him was on fire because of it. He could still smell the singed wood from the desk and hear the hushed tones of that dark voice.

There was so much he hadn’t gotten to do. He hadn’t seen Hogwarts or used his wand or made new friends. And for what? What did he have to say for drifting down strange roads that he had no place seeing? 

He didn’t dare look behind him at risk of seeing what was approaching him, ready to swallow him up whole and never allow him to see or feel light ever again.

His mother would never get to see him graduate, which he knew was something she’d always hoped for him. She likely hoped it would be at a regular school, but would grow to be proud of him anyways. At the very least, he had intended on proving himself worthy of her devotion, even if she claimed he did not need to do such things. He would start by avoiding the dark side of Diagon Alley.

If he could only make it out alive. 

He ran into a few angry and disgruntled characters, but none had the wits about them to stop him beyond shouting vulgar and threatening chants at him. He was numb to their words. He tried to listen for another presence running through them as well, but could only hear the steady pounding of his own heart and blood in his ears as well as the sound of his feet hitting the pavement. 

A kaleidoscope of white light exploded before him as he’d finally wandered his way back to the open world. In a bout of momentary blindness he continued to plow straight ahead, colliding nearly instantly into an unyielding force. He found himself sprawled on his back staring at the very blue sky before he had a moment to catch himself.

Surely, he was caught and about to die in broad daylight. His wand fell from his hand and tears streaked his face. He didn’t even know where to begin in begging for his life. He wasn’t sure why he even went down that stupid pathway- just that it had called him. He felt he knew more now, though,and that it scared him.

His breathing grew heavy and frantic, but two firm hands settled on his shoulders- not his neck. He mustered up the courage to look up at his probable attacker and make peace with the fact that he’d lived an okay life thus far.

“Are you alright?” A voice- very different from the one before- asked him and the face matched the voice in its concern. 

Instead of a hulking figure cloaked in black, there was a teenager- lean, medium-height, and light-skinned. Anakin would have thought he was an adult wizard by how he was dressed like a professor, in a pressed sweater-vest with a white button-up beneath, as well as ironed trousers and neatly combed auburn hair. However, his face was young and soft with caring blue-gray eyes. He held a certain air of authority and responsibility on him as though he’d been born shouldering the weight of the world.

Anakin sniffled and tried to come to terms with the fact that he was not about to die today and shrugged his shoulders in response. 

The older boy’s eyes looked from where Anakin had come from in horror. “Why in the blazes were you coming from Knockturn Alley?”

He ran an arm along his face to get rid of any tears or snot that might have gone rogue in his hysteria. 

“I-I got lost from my mum.” He said and hated how small he sounded, but he truly did not feel like explaining to a stranger why he’d decided to take a stroll into the ugly side of town. 

“In Knockturn Alley?” He furrowed his brow, unwilling to be shaken. Clearly, this place had a bad reputation and Anakin could understand why.

“Why is that place even there at all?” Anakin complained. “I… I thought it might be a shortcut and… it wasn’t.”

The older boy’s conflicted expression was traded for one of sympathy and he simply gathered Anakin’s wand for him as well as his own dropped belongings before helping Anakin to his feet.

“Well, no harm done, right?”

He wasn’t so sure, but he nodded all the same.

“Let’s get you back to your mum, okay? It can be dangerous around here for a first-timer and I’m sure she’s worried sick.”

He appreciated not being confused for a muggle this time, though this kid struck him as a seasoned member of the wizarding community. Even still, after what he’d just seen, he was happy to have the company. He didn’t miss the disgusted look he shot back to Knockturn Alley over Anakin’s shoulder.

“Do you go to Hogwarts?” Anakin asked.

“Why, most of everyone here either has been, will be, or is a student at Hogwarts.” He said and scanned the crowd. “I’m entering my fifth year.”

Anakin sighed, “It’ll be my first.” 

“I would have never guessed.” Though there was an obvious edge of sarcasm to his tone, which was a welcome surprise as he seemed regularly quite stiff. “I see you got your wand already.”

“From Tera Sinube’s. Just like everyone else, I’m guessing.” Anakin said, but did not miss the way his new companion flinched ever so slightly when he’d said that. There was a wand peeking out of his pocket, so it wasn’t that he simply didn’t possess one. He tried to think nothing of it and move on, taking notice instead of the button that sat atop the books that the older boy carried.

“Do all fifth years get badges that say they’re ‘perfect’ on them?” 

He chuckled. “It says ‘prefect’, actually. It’s a big honor at Hogwarts. I essentially was elected by the Headmaster and Head of House to uphold the code of ethics at the school.”

“So…” Anakin paused. “You’re a hall monitor.”

He thought about that for a moment. “Is that what muggles call it?”

“Yeah, mate. It’s a pretty geeky position actually. The hall monitor at my school got so many wedgies that they had to get his briefs surgically removed.”

He grimaced. “Yes, well, bullies are no strangers to Hogwarts either, but I’d like to think at least some of them heed to our words and authority. So, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

Anakin smiled. “Thanks. Trouble usually finds me pretty quick so I’ll need the connections.”

The Prefect smiled. “I can see that.”

***

By the time the Prefect had finally reunited Anakin with his mother, the sky above them began collecting orange and pink hues to resemble a mosaic painting. Anakin’s mood had brightened substantially since exiting the horrid Knockturn Alley and was all the more relieved to see that his mother didn’t appear too angry with him for disappearing.

Because he was still the kind of guy that liked hugging his mum, he ran to her all the same and enveloped her in a tight hug that she knelt to meet him for.

“I got lost.” He said, voice muffled by her shoulder.

“I know it’s all bright and new to you, but this place isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, Ani.” She sighed and stroked his hair. “You have to be mindful of your surroundings.”

Anakin understood what she meant more than he could say right now. For some reason, he felt he shouldn’t relay what had happened to his mother. Not only because it would upset her, but because thinking back on it sent a cold chill down his spine. He simply nodded in agreement and his mother finally acknowledged the young chaperone, who awkwardly stood off to the side.

“Thank you very much for seeing my son safely back to me. I hope he didn’t cause you any trouble.” She smiled warmly.

The older boy waved a hand of nonchalance, though his stiff posture didn’t quite sell the casual vibe he was going for. “Oh, no trouble at all. I was glad to be able to see Diagon Alley through the eyes of a newcomer.”

Anakin beamed. “He showed me all around! Mum, can I get an owl?”

Shmi chuckled. “Later. We must be getting home before it grows dark. I’ve got a late shift tonight at the pub.”

He slumped his shoulders a little bit. “You always have work.”

She sighed and gently pushed some hair out of his face. “I do what I must so we can have a nice life.”

Anakin wanted to say something along the lines of their lives not being so nice thus far, but he knew it would hurt his mother’s feelings and despite his disappointment, did not want to do that.

The Prefect smiled. “I better be off, myself. I’ll see you at school!”

He waved. “Yeah! I’ll see you then! Thank you!”

Shmi smiled down at him. “At least you’re already making friends. What was his name?”

Anakin blanked. “Oh… I don’t know! He’s a prefect though.”

“He saved you and you didn’t get his name?” She asked.

“He didn’t save me. I had it under control.” He puffed out his chest, even if deep inside he knew that was not correct. “But I was distracted. Hey, look at my wand!”

#the clone wars #tcw #Obi-Wan Kenobi #Anakin Skywalker #Qui-Gon Jinn #Shmi Skywalker #star wars #prequel trilogy #harry potter au #au #magical forces au

[sciencespies]

The Push for Tidal Power Faces Its Biggest Challenge Yet

https://sciencespies.com/nature/the-push-for-tidal-power-faces-its-biggest-challenge-yet/

The Push for Tidal Power Faces Its Biggest Challenge Yet

It’s a glorious autumn morning on Brier Island, Nova Scotia, with birdsong in the air and the sun glinting off the rips of Grand Passage. Weathered clapboard and shingled houses line the island’s two principal streets, and chubby workboats—built for lobstering, mostly—jam the protected harbor, where wharves loom more than 20 feet above low tide.

Grand Passage appears almost empty on this day, except for the car ferry yo-yoing back and forth between Brier Island and Long Island, its two 400-horsepower engines roaring. But as I come around a bend, I spy a sleek yellow-and-white vessel, not half a mile from shore, pinned smack in the middle of the notoriously swift current. Though the craft has three narrow hulls, and what look like four giant propellers, it’s not a boat. It is a power plant capable of producing nearly 280 kilowatts of carbon-free electricity.

I hurry down to the harbor to meet Jason Hayman and Jason Clarkson, who work for Sustainable Marine Energy (SME), the Scotland-based company that developed this nifty device. We board their workboat, SMEagol, named after the deranged Hobbit, and head out into the current. I ask Hayman about the trimaran’s name—Plat-I, or “plat-eye.”

The view off Cape Split, Scots Bay, in the heart of the Bay of Fundy.

(Greta Rybus)

“We’re engineers,” he says, laughing. “‘Plat’ stands for platform, and ‘I’ is for inshore, meaning the device will be moored in sheltered island sites or coastal passages.” (The Plat-I’s predecessor was the Plat-0, for “offshore,” but the development team preferred to pronounce it like the Greek philosopher.)

We tie up to the Plat, then pick our way, clinging to a skinny lifeline, across its 88-foot-long crossbeam—a metal catwalk. “When there’s a little bit of a swell it can really mess with your head,” Hayman says.

Along the craft’s stern are four rotors, two barely visible in the water and two pivoted, for inspection purposes, toward the sky. At the Plat-I’s slender bow, stout cables tether the craft, through a mooring turret, to the seabed, allowing it to pivot on the tide, generating energy on both ebb and flow. “We survived the 140-kilometer winds of Hurricane Dorian,” Hayman says, in a tone suggesting that outcome wasn’t guaranteed.

The ebb and flow of the sea in the Bay of Fundy shapes the landscape, leaving mud flats on the shores of the Minas Basin at low tide.

(Greta Rybus)

Crowded into a shipping container perched on the Plat’s center hull, we gaze at video monitors that show the underwater rotors, and Hayman opens three steel cabinets to reveal inverters, transformers and other electronics gear that, using a computer program the team calls its “secret sauce,” processes the water-generated electrical current to match the 60-hertz heartbeat of the local power grid. Apparently, any fool can produce electricity; making it usable is another matter entirely.

Sometime this summer, Hayman plans to flip a switch that will send juice generated by the device into the Digby Neck grid, displacing a chunk of the coal that provides about half of Nova Scotia’s energy. At that moment this unprepossessing rig, which from a distance looks like a dismasted trimaran awaiting restoration, will become the only operational floating tidal energy plant in North America.

Tidal energy is one of the greatest untapped renewable sources on the planet. In the United States, with thousands of miles of coastline, developing just 5 percent of tidal energy’s “identified technical resource potential,” says the Department of Energy, would generate 12.5 terawatts per year. That’s enough to power slightly more than 1.1 million typical U.S. homes. But if tidal power evolves the way wind has, that number will likely rise. Over the decades, better designs have allowed wind turbines to generate, economically, in ever less-windy places. Tidal turbines, too, could eventually be placed in ever less-speedy currents. The market, says Levi Kilcher, of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “will end up being much larger than we’ve identified so far.”

Renewable. Nonpolluting. It works in the dark, unlike solar power. And in a calm, unlike wind power. SME’s floating tidal power station is gearing up to go online in Nova Scotia.

The Plat-I may seem like a tiny part of this energy revolution, an obscure project in a remote spot, but it may be just what the future requires: a simple and replicable energy source, tailored to the local environment, with batteries or other energy-storage systems to keep the power flowing during slack tides. After all, around 40 percent of the U.S. population lives in counties along the coast, and tidal devices could also be used in rivers.

Before Hayman’s company can start churning out Plat replicants, though, he must first overcome a monstrous challenge: operating his technology 140 miles to the northeast, in the funnel-shaped Bay of Fundy, which has the world’s largest tidal range—54 feet. Through the bay passes, twice daily, more than four times the estimated combined flow of every river on earth. That huge mass of water can move at more than ten miles an hour and has the potential to generate 50,000 megawatts, which is by some estimates enough to power 15 million homes. The Bay of Fundy is the ultimate test for any ocean-energy entrepreneur, and for a century inventors have been experimenting in its treacherous waters. But the bay is littered with disasters.

* * *

Hayman, 43, came to tidal power in the roundabout way of a sailor. Born in New Zealand to a mother who owned a travel agency and a father who researched dairy cow genetics, Hayman started messing around with boats early: In the summertime, his parents parked him at a local sailing club. He left college as a freshman when his uncle asked him to deliver a sailboat partway up the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. “After that I was hooked,” Hayman says.

A bold approach to generating clean electricity faces the ultimate test –the greatest tide on earth.

(Greta Rybus)

He worked on boats all over the world, including Antarctica. He developed and built racing boats in the Bahamas, where he also converted America’s Cup yachts to racing charters and operated a ferry business. But he realized that if he didn’t want to spend his entire life sanding fiberglass and humping sails up and down decks, he needed a college degree. At age 25, Hayman went ashore in England to study naval architecture at Newcastle University, then earned a master’s in engineering for sustainable development at the University of Cambridge. Soon he was working on floating production tankers, designing heavy-lifting equipment for the oil and gas industry, and doing marine salvage.

“Things that float need a naval architect,” Hayman says. One calls in a naval architect to safely lower large objects to the seabed, and to lift foundered vessels without breaking them up, he explains. In 2011, Hayman found himself in a helicopter speeding over the Borneo rainforest. He’d been dispatched to the region to extract a cargo ship grounded off Samarinda. A horrifying glimpse out the helicopter window changed the course of his life. “I saw thousands of acres of bulldozed tropical rainforest, and I asked the pilot what was going on,” Hayman recalls. “He said they’d been extracting coal from the area for five years. And I thought, Wow, that’s so much destruction in such a short amount of time.” Coal filled the hold of the ship he was about to rescue.

Wouldn’t it be better, he thought, to generate carbon-free energy from the movement of the sea than to dig it from the earth? One could avoid both the dangerous transport of fossil fuels and the outsize environmental impacts of extracting as well as burning them. “People are fixated on greenhouse gas emissions,” Hayman says, referring to the back end of a linear process. “But they are unaware of what it takes to generate energy up front.” After resurrecting the ship in Borneo, Hayman devoted himself to generating power from tides.

In the tidal flats between Greenwich and Port Williams, Nova Scotia, the tides have 40-foot ranges.

(Greta Rybus)

Most of us understand, on a basic level, that tides rise and fall in response to the Moon and the Sun’s gravitational pull on the oceans. But the nuances of tides are fantastically complex, and they remain slightly mysterious even to the learned. Tidal idiosyncrasies abound: Some places, like the Gulf of Mexico, see one high tide a day, instead of the more usual two, while others see four. As Jonathan White notes in his excellent Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean, astronomers know exactly how celestial bodies affect tides, but what actually happens to water down here on earth “is unimaginably messy. Scientists are still working it out.”

All told, some 400 different variables are involved in creating the tides, but you don’t have to account for each and every one to appreciate that harnessing energy from this perpetual motion machine is an extremely good idea. The resource is clean, inexhaustible and, to an extent that even solar and wind are not, highly predictable.

Humans have derived power from the ocean for more than a millennium, trapping high tides in mill ponds behind dams, then releasing the flow at low tide through sluiceways directed at the paddles of waterwheels. The motion generated enough force to turn grinding stones or other mechanical devices. The first tidal mill in North America was built in 1607, in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, some 60 miles from Grand Passage. Tidal mills were common throughout the province and the eastern U.S. in the 18th and 19th centuries, but it was in the 20th century that the Bay of Fundy became tidal engineering’s crucible of experimentation.

* * *

In 1915, Ralph Clarkson, an engineering professor at Nova Scotia’s Acadia University, prototyped a tidal-power generator with four pumps, powered by a horizontal waterwheel, that lifted water 335 feet into two tanks atop the Cape Split headland. The stored water ran down a tube to a conventional hydroelectric turbine at the base of the cliffs. The scheme attracted investors, but in 1920 a fire destroyed all of Clarkson’s equipment. The project never recovered.

Not long after that, Dexter Cooper, a hydraulic engineer in Maine, drew up plans for three dams, spanning a total of more than 7,000 feet, that would trap high tides in Passamaquoddy Bay, creating an upper pool that spread over 100 square miles. Upon release into the lower pool of Cobscook Bay, which covered another 41 square miles, the water would generate 345,000 kilowatts of power. With the encouragement of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Cooper’s summertime neighbor on Campobello Island, and over the objections of fishermen, who feared that turbines would turn the bay to bouillabaisse, the Public Works Administration in 1935 began building two dams, plus worker housing, near Eastport, Maine. But further studies revealed there wasn’t enough local demand for the power after all, and steam and conventional hydropower plants could generate electricity far more cheaply. By 1936 the project ground to a halt. It revived, zombielike, for another look under Dwight D. Eisenhower, and again under John F. Kennedy. Every study reached the same conclusion: DOA.

In 1980, Nova Scotia Power began to convert a causeway spanning the tidal Annapolis River into North America’s first grid-connected tidal dam, or barrage. A hybrid of ancient tidal mill and modern hydroelectric plant, the barrage featured a four-bladed turbine 25 feet in diameter. On an outgoing tide, the device generated up to 20 megawatts. It operated for 35 years—but not without controversy. The barrage blocked fish migration and killed some salmon and mackerel, trapped marine mammals, interfered with nutrient and sediment flows, and contributed to erosion. In January 2019, a mechanical problem shuttered the Annapolis tidal barrage, succeeding where decades of environmental opposition had failed.

* * *

When Sustainable Marine Energy first formed, in Scotland in 2012, it focused on providing power at utility scale, often defined as delivering at least a megawatt into the existing grid. “That was the big prize,” Hayman says. But when Britain decreased its subsidies for tidal power, SME began looking for other markets. “Our ‘aha’ moment was realizing that no one had done a simple thing well,” Hayman continues. “There were hundreds of island communities running on imported diesel” that were blessed with sheltered coastal sites, high tides and fast currents. Appropriately scaled tidal power, he figured, could help them kick their expensive fossil fuel habit, reduce the environmental risk of fuel spills and make them more resilient in the face of extreme events, like tsunamis or hurricanes.

Researchers conduct studies on the ocean’s tidal power at the Aquatron Laboratory at Dalhousie University.

(Greta Rybus)

The on-land energy transfer station at the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) lab in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia.

(Greta Rybus)

SME first tested the Plat-I in western Scotland’s Connel Sound, then eventually shipped the parts to Nova Scotia, which supported tidal energy projects. The company chose Grand Passage for its New World debut because the channel’s bathymetry is known, the water runs fast and clear, and the site is easily accessed. But Brier Island, population 168, also aligns with Hayman’s broader aim of servicing remote islands and other coastal areas. “The Faroe Islands are a prime candidate for floating tidal,” Hayman says aboard SMEagol. “The Philippines have great currents, British Columbia’s Discovery Passage, the Channel Islands, villages in Indonesia and Korea…” Hayman’s mental globe-spinning may seem grandiose. But wind and solar power also seemed fringy and, to many, a little absurd just two generations ago. Now those technologies are downright mainstream, providing almost a tenth of U.S. power, at competitive prices, and growing fast.

In Grand Passage, SME has demonstrated that a floating platform has major advantages over tidal power’s other main design option—a turbine anchored to the seafloor. Platforms are far cheaper to build and install than bottom-mounted devices (and remove, should things go wrong). And a technician can perform routine maintenance on a platform-mounted turbine during slack tide. “A visit from a lobster boat will do,” Hayman says. Attending to devices on the sea bottom, in comparison, may require a submersible vehicle or a heavy barge with a lifting rig.

With my eye on the yellow fairings that smooth the flow rushing past the Plat-I’s tri-bladed rotors, I ask Hayman if his multimillion-dollar equipment might be in harm’s way. No, he says: Dangerously high currents, ice chunks and debris kick the turbines up and out of the water. And because SME designed the rotors to swing up independently, maintenance can be performed without taking the whole device offline, so it continues to generate revenue.

(Guilbert Gates)

Proponents of in-stream tidal—that is, with turbines located in the water column, not embedded in dams—claim marine mammals and fin fish can easily avoid the blades because nothing impedes the animals’ passage. During a 2017 pilot study that introduced striped bass to a spinning turbine in a circular tank at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, fish appeared to avoid the blades, even with the current moving at 3.9 knots. These results “will inform real-world scenarios,” says Sue Molloy, who conducted the study, “and some tests that are done with wild-caught fish will translate very well.”

A study of SeaGen, the world’s first large-scale tidal-stream generator, which operated commercially between 2008 and 2016 in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough, suggested that seals avoid moving rotors. In a multiyear pilot study of three riverbed-mounted tidal turbines in New York City’s East River—a demonstration project run by Verdant Power—researchers found no evidence of harm to fish.

Environmental monitoring in Grand Passage, Hayman says, has yielded no evidence that marine animals, save jellyfish, touched Plat’s turbines. Still, as one so often hears when discussing potential environmental impacts, absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence.

The Plat-I generator, with one turbine lifted out of the water, floats in Grand Passage, a channel with a swift tide stream.

(Greta Rybus)

Monitoring the environment around turbines is difficult and expensive. “It’s a highly dynamic environment with lots of turbulence and sediment in the water that hinders visibility,” Anna Redden, a marine ecologist at Acadia University’s Tidal Energy Institute, told me when we met in her office. Air bubbles interfere with acoustic signal detection, as do the engines of seafaring vessels and the whir and blip of other monitoring equipment. Because lights could attract or repel marine life, cameras can record only in daylight hours. Tidal platforms are designed to work in strong currents, but sensors are not. “We’re using off-the-shelf technology that isn’t designed for washing machines.”

I asked Redden what science did know about marine life and turbines. “Nothing for sure,” she said. “And we won’t know if these turbines kill fish until the device is in the water” for a significant amount of time. She paused, then said with a note of tristesse, “There is never zero impact. But what level of impact will we find acceptable?”

* * *

There are tides in tidal power development. Flows correspond with spikes in the price of oil, investor interest and government subsidies that help tidal power compete with wind and solar, which are cheaper. The recent burst of activity in Nova Scotia was sparked by the global climate emergency and Canada’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. (Nova Scotia has already reduced emissions 31 percent, thanks in part to its own wind turbines and to renewable energy imported from Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Quebec.)

But interest in tidal power also ebbs, such as when heralded projects fail. In 2009, Nova Scotia Power partnered with the Dublin-based company OpenHydro to lower a six-story-high, 400-ton circular turbine into Minas Passage. Within days, the current ripped the device apart. In glass-half-full mode, engineers acknowledged they’d underestimated the tide’s force. The company tried again seven years later, with an 1,100-ton model. It generated two megawatts until the company extracted the device for repair and upgrades, seven months into the experiment. In 2018, another turbine was lowered into the passage. But within days, OpenHydro’s investors pulled out, and the company filed for bankruptcy. The turbine rests on the seafloor to this day.

The Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE), an international test site for tidal-energy development in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, occupies a glassy building overlooking Minas Passage. Researchers estimate that the waterway’s fast-moving tidal currents could generate 2,500 megawatts—enough to power all of Nova Scotia, home to nearly a million people—and displace up to nine million tons of greenhouse gases. One of the great advantages of tidal power is the density of the kinetic energy itself; a solar-energy project in Morocco that produces 580 megawatts covers as much ground as roughly 3,500 football fields.

Established in 2008 and mostly government-funded, FORCE is the manifestation of Nova Scotia’s tidal dreams; it’s a generator of tidal-energy research and an operations center for companies testing gear and monitoring sea life. But arguably its most important asset lies underwater, where five so-called berths, each just shy of eight acres, await tidal-turbine tenants. Among those expected to plug into FORCE’s submarine cables, which connect to a nearby electrical substation, is SME.

The dramatic tidal range of the Bay of Fundy is plain in Hall’s Harbour, from the high tide mark on the seawall to the fishing boat resting aground at low tide.

(Greta Rybus)

The village of Westport, on Brier Island, Nova Scotia, has a population of fewer than 200 residents. It is reached by boat or the ferry from Long Island.

(Greta Rybus)

Jason Clarkson had likened the Plat-I to a small turboprop plane. The project that SME hopes to launch in Minas Passage later this year will be more like an Airbus: three platforms, each hosting six turbines. Combined, they will generate 1.26 megawatts. The new venture, a partnership between SME and a Canadian company called Minas Tidal, will be called the “Pempa’q In-Stream Tidal Energy Project.” The word pempa’q means “rising tide” in the local Mi’kmaq language.

From FORCE’s backyard, I scan the silt-rich waters of the passage and focus my binoculars on Cape Split, rising sharply to the southwest. I recall that Nova Scotia had, in an age of ecological innocence (the 1980s), actively considered spanning this waterway with an five-mile-long barrage stuffed with 128 turbines. In comparison, three floating platforms wouldn’t be terribly intrusive. But what about more?

Local fishermen “aren’t worried about one turbine. They are worried about arrays of 300,” Anna Redden, who sits on the board of FORCE, had told me. SME wasn’t the only company prospecting in these currents: FORCE had other tenants moving in, and successful projects always hanker to scale up. “With every doubling of cumulative capacity,” Hayman had told me, “cost to consumers drops by 15 to 20 percent. Pricewise, tidal is where offshore wind was 15 years ago, and solar 10.” If all went well with his three-platform array, he aimed to increase it to 21 and produce almost nine megawatts.

Unlike wind turbines, which have converged on a nearly universal design, tidal turbines still come in many shapes and sizes. Axes of tidal turbines can be vertical or horizontal; the devices resemble tabletop fans, Archimedean screws, the helical blades of push lawn mowers and even wind turbines. (But because water is “approximately 838 times” denser than air, a naval architect can and will tell you, tidal blades can be much smaller than wind blades.) Some turbines operate near the seafloor, others in the middle of the water column or just below the surface. As with any immature technology, projects seem to dip their toes in the water, then retreat for tweaks, a major overhaul, a fresh infusion of cash, or a final journey to the scrap heap.

Down at Brier, the nimble little Plat-I was inching toward the finish line, having avoided so many of those pitfalls. “SME is a success story because they proved they can coexist with fishers, recreational boaters and the ecosystem,” says Terry Thibodeau, the coordinator for renewable energy and climate change at the Municipality of the District of Digby. “They figured out how to moor and pivot their device, and they’ve tested for years.”

If SME’s next generation power plant succeeds in the maw of Minas, one could imagine the company towing parti-colored trimarans to islands and remote coastal sites around the world, fulfilling a particularly satisfying vision of energy independence—one that is hyperlocal, low impact and renewable so long as the Moon continues to circle the Earth.

We won’t know for some time if Hayman will triumph in the Bay of Fundy, but I found myself rooting for this plucky company and its pragmatic leader, who were helping push the world toward a historic moment. In Industrial Age Britain, coal power put water wheels out of business. Now water wheels might help do the same to coal.

#Nature

#Nature

[lit102]

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, trans. Ken Liu

An invigorating and gripping book. Probably the best science fiction I have ever read & Cixin Liu is arguably the best sci fi writer alive — in both the “science fiction” and “writer” senses of that term.

The Three-Body Problem asks: If an alien civilization, desperate for survival, invaded Earth — could humanity survive? And would we deserve to? It begins during China’s cultural revolution in 1967, with a brutal act that will shape the future of the whole human race. You might say that this entire book, though packed with plot and information, is merely setting the stage for what’s to come in the next book. A physics professor named Ye Zhetai is being publicly berated in front of a crowd by several passionate young Red Guards, who want him to renounce Einstein’s theory of relativity and thus the “black banner of capitalism” it represents. When he refuses, they attack, whipping him to death with the copper buckles of their belts. The professor’s daughter, Ye Wenjie, has a front row seat to her father’s death. As the crowd disperses, she stares at his body, and “the thoughts she could not voice dissolved into her blood, where they would stay with her for the rest of her life.” These thoughts will haunt her throughout a stint in the Inner Mongolia Production and Construction Corps, cutting down trees in the once pristine and abundant wilderness — so full of life you could reach into a stream at random and pull out a fish for dinner, now transforming into a barren desert in front of her eyes — and at her hands. There, she meets a journalist who questions the wanton deforestation that has also touched her heart. “I don’t know if the Corps is engaged in construction or destruction,” he says. His thinking is inspired by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, a copy of which he gives Ye Wenjie to read and which changes her life. It inspires her to wonder: if the use of pesticides, which she took for granted as a “normal, proper—or at least neutral—act,” is destructive to the world, then “how many other acts of humankind that had seemed normal or even righteous were, in reality, evil?” 

Is it possible that the relationship between humanity and evil is similar to the relationship between the ocean and an iceberg floating on its surface? Both the ocean and the iceberg are made of the same material. That the iceberg seems separate is only because it is in a different form. In reality, it is but a part of the vast ocean.... / It was impossible to expect a moral awakening from humankind itself, just like it was impossible to expect humans to lift off the earth by pulling up on their own hair. To achieve moral awakening required a force outside the human race.

This idea shapes the rest of Ye Wenjie’s life. It is what prompts her to invite an alien civilization to our world, serving humanity up to them on a silver platter. She helps the reporter transcribe a letter to his higher-ups, warning them of the “severe ecological consequences” of the Construction Corps’ work. This letter is received as reactionary, and the terrified reporter claims Ye Wenjie wrote it, throwing her under the bus. All is not lost for her, however. Because of an academic paper she wrote before the revolution, "The Possible Existence of Phase Boundaries Within the Solar Radiation Zone and Their Reflective Characteristics,” she is not imprisoned, but scooped up to work on a top-secret military research project: an attempt to contact extraterrestrial life. Because it’s so highly classified, it requires a lifelong commitment, one she gladly makes: all she wants is to be secluded from the brutal world. And at Red Coast Base, on an isolated peak deep in the mountains, crowned by an enormous antenna, she finds the solitude she seeks, immersing herself in her work. It is here that, almost by accident, she harnesses the power of the sun to send a message far out into space — a message that, many years later, receives a chilling reply: “Do not answer! Do not answer!! Do not answer!!” This message is from one pacifist member of an powerful alien civilization, far more advanced than our own, who are facing extinction in their own solar system and desperately need to find a new home. The messenger explains that, if Ye Wenjie replies, she will allow this civilization to pinpoint earth’s location, then colonize earth. 

Without hesitation, Ye Wenjie replies.

This story unfolds over the course of the book, interwoven with the present day, during which an ordinary scientist named Xiao Wang is experiencing the results of Ye Wenjie’s message. All over the world, scientists are killing themselves — and strange things are happening to him that are shaking his trust in reality and driving him to the brink of suicidal madness. Before it’s too late, he finds out that he is just one target in an intergalactic war. Through a video game called Three Body, he learns about the enemy: the aliens Ye Wenjie contacted all those years ago. These beings live on a planet called Trisolaris, over four light years away from our Earth. Trisolaris has not one, not two, but three suns, which interact in a chaotic, unpredictable, and deadly dance that alternately scorches and freezes the planet, obliterating Trisolaran civilization — over and over again. When the planet is orbiting one single sun, that’s a Stable Era: a time of predictability and peace. But when one of the other suns dances closer, drawing the planet away, the planet then “wander[s] unstably” though the gravitational fields of the three suns, causing chaos: thus, this is known as a Chaotic Era. No one knows when a Stable Era will occur, how long it will last, or what horrors each new Chaotic Era will bring with it. This brutal, unpredictable environment has shaped the Trisolarans physically, psychologically, technologically... everything. As one Trisolaran puts it, the freedom and dignity of the individual is totally suborned to the survival of civilization. It is a totalitarian society, mired in “spiritual monotony.” As one Trisolaran you might call a dissident puts it: “Anything that can lead to spiritual weakness is declared evil. We have no literature, no art, no pursuit of beauty and enjoyment. We cannot even speak of love ... [I]s there any meaning to such a life?”

Trisolaran society, meaningful or not, is teetering on the precipice of doom. The Trisolarans can dehydrate and rehydrate their bodies, turning them into empty husks that can survive the uninhabitable Chaotic Eras — thus, through both perseverance and blind luck, they have endured up to this point. However, they have never been able to solve the “three-body problem” — they cannot predict the three suns’ movement and thus stay one step ahead. (I’m pretty sure the problem is fundamentally unsolvable.) And there’s an even bigger problem on the horizon... literally. Soon, their planet will fall into one of the suns. Trisolaran astronomers discover that their solar system once held twelve planets — the other eleven have all been consumed by the three hungry suns. “Our world is nothing more than the sole survivor of a Great Hunt.” The Trisolarans have little time left and no hope of survival — unless they can find another planet that supports life. That’s when they receive Ye Wenjie’s message. To them, Earth is the Garden of Eden — stable, prosperous, overflowing with life... like the pristine Chinese wilderness before the Construction/Destruction Corps arrived. The Trisolarans build a fleet and set off for Earth. ETA: 400 years. And they do one more crucial thing: they construct and send what they call sophons to earth, or particles endowed with artificial intelligence that can transmit information back to Trisolaris instantaneously and interfere with human physics research to the point of stopping it completely, essentially freezing scientific progress. They are preparing the ground for their arrival. Through the sophons, the Trisolarans see all — the only depths they cannot penetrate are those of the solitary human mind. And did I mention that Trisolarans communicate their thoughts to each other instantaneously, and there is no such thing as deception? Humanity’s edge is our ability to lie and deceive — an edge that the sophons all but obliterate. All our plans are laid bare to them. And so the intergalactic chess game goes on. 

All this, essentially... there is so much of it and it isn’t even the plot of the book; it’s just setup, it’s just the premise, it’s just the question Cixin Liu is asking. If such a thing happened, what would humanity do? What unfolds thereafter is his answer. When humanity finds out that the Trisolaran Fleet is on its way, this knowledge is enough to alter our fate forever. An organization called the Earth-Trisolaris Organization, or ETO, arises, with Ye Wenjie as its guru — an organization that seeks to further the Trisolarans’ aims on earth. Battling the ETO: the governments of the earth, desperate to find a way of defeating the Trisolarans and saving the human race. One faction within the ETO, the Adventists, hopes that the Trisolarans will kill us all; humanity, to them, is not worth saving. Another, the Redemptionists, worship the Trisolarans as gods and hopes that they can coexist with errant humanity and, through their influence, elevate — redeem — them. Ye Wenjie is a Redemptionist, and this is essentially her message: “Come here! I will help you conquer this world. Our civilization is no longer capable of solving its own problems. We need your force to intervene.”

The Three-Body Problem is full to bursting with stunning, unforgettable visual images: like nothing I’ve ever seen or even imagined. Liu's genius lies in his ability to take complex scientific concepts — the kind I am barely aware even exist — and with simple yet vivid language, paint them into breathtaking pictures that will sear themselves into your mind. There are images in this book that deserve to be as iconic as the monoliths from 2001: both vast and microscopic, cosmic and intimate. Many of the most cosmic are set in the Three Body video game or on the planet of Trisolaris itself. Through Three Body, Liu takes us through the history of Trisolaris in an abbreviated yet totally absorbing form: while the player tries to understand this alien world, in order to save it, we learn about it along with him. We stand in awe in front of a vast computer made up of millions of soldiers, waving colored flags, signals washing through them in colorful waves — until they, and everything else on Trisolaris, are sucked into space by the gravitational forces of three suns rising in awe-inspiring alignment over the planet. We see the Trisolorans unfolding a microscopic, eleven-dimensional proton into one, then three dimensions in their sky... 

Yet Liu’s skill isn’t limited to these vast, cosmic scenes. He can just as evocatively depict simple and moving ones: such as when a pregnant Ye Wenjie spends time among villagers deep in the mountains:

This period condensed in her memory into a series of classical paintings — not Chinese brush paintings but European oil paintings. Chinese brush paintings are full of blank spaces, but life in Qijiatun had no blank spaces. Like classical oil paintings, it was filled with thick, rich, solid colors. Everything was warm and intense: the heated kang stove-beds lined with thick layers of aura sedge, the Guandong and Mohe tobacco stuffed in copper pipes, the thick and heavy sorghum meal, the sixty-five-proof baijiu distilled from sorghum — all of these blended into a quiet and peaceful life, like the creek at the edge of the village.

Liu has a vast amount of information to convey throughout this book, and of course he sometimes simply turns to the audience and starts lecturing us, dropping all attempts to “disguise” himself in fictional conventions — such as when one character explains something to another. This kind of conversation, naturally, takes place a lot — but sometimes Liu simply has too much to get across for even such methods (themselves a kind of shorthand) to make sense, and he needs to take even more of a shortcut. But he also knows how to end these long, “dry,” lecture-y scenes with a flourish of beauty that never fails to take my breath away. At times, Liu’s prose can come to feel almost sentimental — it seems to reflect the romantic idea that in the simplest of human societies lies a fundamental goodness... Is this the idea behind the book? Ye Wenjie, the individual driving everything, has a heart hardened to ice by the brutality of the world. Her time with the villagers, and I think her experience of motherhood, thaws it a little — but later, when she confronts the Red Guards who killed her father and sees not a shred of remorse in them — sees that, indeed, they too have been brutalized by the world, and are wrapped up in their own suffering while at the same time asserting its insignificance — “History! History! It’s a new age now. Who will remember us? Who will think of us, including you? Everyone will forget all this completely!” — the dewdrop of hope for society in her heart evaporates and she devotes her life to the ETO from then on. As a Redemptionist, her “ideal is to invite Trisolaran civilization to reform human civilization, to curb human madness and evil, so that the Earth can once again become a harmonious, prosperous, and sinless world.” These aren’t her words, but those of her comrade in the ETO, Mike Evans, who will betray her by splitting off to become an Adventist. What sounds like unconscionable sentimentality — when was Earth ever “sinless”? — is just the cover for the deepest, blackest cynicism of all.

Earlier, I mentioned that the Trisolarans unfold an eleven-dimensional proton into one dimension, then three dimensions, in their sky. They are trying to unfold it into two dimensions, a surface they can write on, so they can turn it into a computer, “re-fold” it to its true, microscopic size, then send it to earth as a sophon. One and three dimensions are mistakes. In one dimension, the proton is an infinitely thin line — one which solar winds scatter into sparkling strings that fall like rain into the Trisolaran atmosphere, drifting with the currents of the air until they attenuate into nothingness. The effect is purely visual and psychological: As one Trisolaran explains to another, the strings have the mass of a single proton and can have no effect on the macroscopic world. However, when they accidentally unfold the proton into three dimensions, it’s a different story. Geometric solids explode across the sky, gradually forming into an array of eyes, which gaze “strangely” upon the planet below. (Not unlike the “eyes” of the sophons, come to think of it.) The microcosmos, it seems, contains intelligence — an intelligence that is, itself, fighting for survival. The eyes conglomerate, forming a parabolic mirror, which concentrates the sun’s light on the capital city of Trisolaris — doing serious damage before the Trisolaran space fleet destroys it. Thus destroying an entire microcosmos — and any intelligence, any “wisdom,” any civilization expressed therein. This is a fleeting moment, but — having just finished The Dark Forest — perhaps key to everything here. The universe is abundant with life, at both the macroscopic and microscopic level, and life wants to live. 

#the three-body problem #cixin liu #ken liu #read in 2019 #january 2019

[holy-mountaineering]

This spread is for @lesbianbondagefiasco Thanks for the donation!

Tonight you’re getting the full Qabalistic Tree of Life Spread that I do and here you are. What I’m going to do is go through and briefly explain each card, its position on the Tree, and then I’ll give you a summary/synopsis of the spread as a whole.

Think of this spread as a sort of quantum map, or even the land of a regular map, everything is happening at once, in each place. It’s important to think of yourself as moving “through” the map but you are also simultaneously everywhere at once. For the sake of this specific experiment, think of this as a map.

Where we’re starting the journey from is Kether, the monad, the first sign of creation. We’ll call this your hometown, since it is where you’re from originally. Here we have XIX The Sun, Resh, Sol.

The Sun is The Lord of Light and Life, the center of our little Solar System. Everything in the fairly large gravitational pull of the Sun is affected by it which pulls everything to it. This more or less self sufficient little nuclear reactor in space gives life and light but also pulls small things which cannot maintain an orbit around it in for the final burn. bright and full of life and light but deal not with bullshit trifles.

Center yourself but be aware of what you effect and how.

In Chokmah, which is like your freeway getting you out onto the road out of your hometown is the 4 of Disks, Power or the Fortress or the island.

This is “squaring up” with the material world or your everyday normal money/job/school/housing parts of life. The Fortress is a castle or private physical place of isolation and security/safety. From Liber AL it is mentioned that you should “(C)hoose ye an island, fortify it, dung it about with the enginery of war…” That is to say, for our illustration, protect your base of operations in your material world.

There is one entrance and around the fortress is a mote, this is so you may go about the world doing your business but you can return and bring the bridge up when you’re done fucking around with the outside world.

In Binah, which is ruled by Saturn and for the sake of this reading we will call the first stop on your roadtrip. You haven’t really arrived anywhere but you’re stopping and getting a chance to repack your car in a more efficient way. Sitting in Binah is the 4 of Cups, Luxury.

This is squaring up emotionally and creating a greater emotional balance. Lvna the Moon absorbs the light of Sol the sun and reflects it back to Earth, but only enough emotionally to help you stay stable and protected (Cancer the crab with an exoskeleton to protect it’s soft inside parts).

Don’t get too comfy though, don’t mistake squaring up with being a scared square.

In Chesed which is ruled by Jupiter and again for the sake of this experiment we’ll say involves your influence and benevolence in your current trip is the 9 of Swords, Cruelty (to self, mostly).

Like the other 9s this is a massive building up, in this case of Air, mind, thinking, communicating. This is beating yourself up about a decision that must be made. Astrologically, Mars in Gemini relates to action being thwarted because of a split mind on a matter.

You are mentally at a fork in the road and you need to make a choice one way or another.

You’re building up a lot of ideas but you need to decide which way you want to go or it’s going to keep tearing you up mentally. There is a lot of force and mass here, move it.

Across the Tree in Geburah, which is Mars Town, where you find your drive and what you’re trying to accomplish/conquer is the Ace of Wands. The root power or source of Fire, action, motion.

The Ace of Wands or Fire is the big bang of impetus to action, every other motion afterward is spawned from that moment. In practical terms this is the initial event or action that in it’s uncontrolled state causes a series of reactions.

The first drive toward an end or event, the force that sets things in motion. The explosion that brings things to life might be a really messy ordeal. This is all the subtlety of a burning baseball bat with ten flames for nails.

Regardless of the problem of stagnant things getting burnt, the Ace of Wands causes shit to happen and Will to drive forward. Remember that this is a tool, the Wand of the Magus and should only be profaned in useful and/or hilarious ways. You wouldn’t use a flaming baseball bat to get a moth off of your curtains (probably) and so the Ace of Fire can also be related to brute force or overreaching the necessary force.

In Tiphareth, the Sun and center of gravity holding all this in place, the heart pumping the blood through this, your heart is the 8 of Wands, Swiftness.

This is the idea that a huge fire can burn a city down but harnessed it can power a city. The idea here is of the atom harnessed not to destroy but to produce great and beneficial energy, like a power plant. The wands on the 8 have turned to electricity, the light a rainbow.

Harness your actions into the most efficient and useful manner, energize (Sagittarius) your intellect (Mercury).
 If you’re having trouble with what you’re trying to accomplish, look at it through a ”new lense” that splits the light and makes it more visible.

In Netzach, Venus town, where you have the realization about how this is going to change you as a person with a personality is XVIII The Moon, Pieces, Qoph.

This is the ‘Sun at midnight where you stand shines on the other side of the world’. The pull of night and day eventually rising illuminating what was once dark. As opposed to the old Aeon idea of the Sun dying, this is cyclic notion of the push and pull of the day and night. The dark give the light context and vis a versa.

See the light in the dark, accept the cyclic push and pull, if you don’t like what “time of day it is” in your life I assure you it will change like the tides.

In Mercury Town Hod-ville, where all the Universities are and everyone has real intellectual shit going on is the Knight of Disks, the fiery part of Earth or acting on what must be done in your material life.

This Knight looks over cultivated fields before the harvest. He sees what must be done first, which things would rot and which things can be harvested last. He sees the work he has done and prepares to reap the rewards. He is not yet in motion, he must figure out what part of his creation needs immediate attention.

You planted the seeds and taken care of the field and now it’s ready for you to get the rewards of your labor. Find what you must do in your material, everyday world to get the best results from this.

On the Moon in Yesod, the receptive and reflective place that is alot about the feelings that you’re picking up from all this is the Queen of Cups, the watery part of Water, total emotion and intuition.

This Queen looks through her reflective eyes at the ripples on a pond at the reflection of the moon which reflects the Sun. She isn’t so much interested in looking directly at a thing as she is looking at the effects. The tides being ruled by the Moon was discovered by observation of the correlation of movements of both Lvna and the comings and going of the tides. Her animal is the Ibis, who on one leg intently stares at the surface of the water. This was perceived as meditation and contemplation by the wise people of Khemet and they attributed the ibis to Djehudi or Thoth the wisest of their pantheon. But like ibis you have to act when the fish swims by or you’ll starve.

Do not look directly at a problem or situation you feel strongly about. Look for effects and causation not the point of impact.

Down here in Malkuth-istan, the everyday life mundane, waking up pooping, and going to work world is the Princess of Wands, the earthy part of Fire.

This is the material substance that comes from fuels action. Think of this: you have to make a fire because it is cold. You have a set amount of wood. You can make a big ass, bright ass fire that will leave you cold later that night when you’re out of wood, but jazzed while it’s happening. Or you can make a smaller, less exciting fire that will keep you warm all night.

There is also a message about the last step in any action is really to become the actions and to let them become you. When your very Earthly substance is in it, you are no longer doing you just are.

Don’t burn yourself out and exhaust your resources on what you’re tackling in life right now. Do this and you shall live to dance and party another night.

So, the beginning of this whole journey starts with you recentering on yourself, taking space, and fucking doing some self care as absolutely corny as that sounds. That’s the short version. In a large sense you need to know, it’s all about you and that’s okay. It’s all about each and everyone of us and how each and everyone of us aids each other and you ain’t aidin’ nobody running ragged.

Piggybacking on that, STOP BEATING YOURSELF UP. At least long enough to make this choice you’ve been putting off about what you’re going to start. You’ve got all this there and when you can see it and then work to refine it, you’ll be electric kid, nothing besides wood will stop you. That’s a little electricity joke. I’m sorry.

You might feel weird about yourself right now, about your growth and your process but lemme tell you, it gets different. Just you wait and see. You’re a smart person, if you look around long enough, you’ll see all the resources you need to build up what you’re looking to. Now, while swimming is fun and stuff, try not to drown. You gotta look at the effects of things and not the cause. The cause matters a lot less to someone who’s lungs are filling up with water.

And hey, take your time. You have time, take it, don’t let it take you. You know how fucking hard it is to work on this big stuff, pace yourself and you’ll be glad you did. (That’s a little Shane Brother’s joke for the other SF Bay area resident.)

Ta Da, there’s the tea, crumpets and what not. Hit me up with any questions, I’ll be here!

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Ancient dwarf galaxy reconstructed Astrophysicists for the first time have calculated the original mass and size of a dwarf galaxy that was shredded in a collision with the Milky Way billions of years ago. Reconstructing the original dwarf galaxy, whose stars today thread through the Milky Way in a stellar “tidal stream,” will help scientists understand how galaxies like the Milky Way formed, and could aid in the search for dark matter in our galaxy. “We’ve been running simulations that take this big stream of stars, back it up for a couple of billion years, and see what it looked like before it fell into the Milky Way,” said Heidi Newberg, a professor of physics, astrophysics, and astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. “Now we have a measurement from data, and it’s the first big step toward using the information to find dark matter in the Milky Way.” Billions of years ago, the dwarf galaxy and others like it near the Milky Way were pulled into the larger galaxy. As each dwarf galaxy coalesced with the Milky Way, its stars were pulled by “tidal forces,” the same kind of differential forces that make tides on Earth. The tidal forces distorted and eventually ripped the dwarf galaxy apart, stretching its stars into a tidal stream flung across the Milky Way. Such tidal mergers are fairly common, and Newberg estimates that “immigrant” stars absorbed into the Milky Way make up most of the stars in the galactic halo, a roughly spherical cloud of stars that surrounds the spiral arms of the central disk. Critically, the position and velocities of the tidal stream stars carry information about the Milky Way’s gravitational field. Reconstructing the dwarf galaxy is a research task that combines data from star surveys, physics, and Newberg’s MilkyWay@Home distributed supercomputer, which harnesses 1.5 petaflops –a measure of computer processing speed– of home computer power donated by volunteers. This large amount of processing power makes it possible to simulate the destruction of a large number of dwarf galaxies with different shapes and sizes, and identify a model that best matches the tidal stream of stars that we see today. “It’s an enormous problem, and we solve it by running tens of thousands of different simulations until we get one that actually matches. And that takes a lot of computer power, which we get with the help of volunteers all over the world who are part of MilkyWay@Home,” Newberg said “We’re brute-forcing it, but given how complicated the problem is, I think this method has a lot of merit.” As published today in The Astrophysical Journal, Newberg’s team estimates the total mass of the original galaxy whose stars today form the Orphan-Chenab Stream as 2x107 times the mass of our sun. However, only a little more than 1% of that mass is estimated to be made up of ordinary matter like stars. The remainder is assumed to be a hypothetical substance called dark matter that exerts gravitational force, but that we cannot see because it does not absorb or give off light. The existence of dark matter would explain a discrepancy between the gravitational pull of the mass of the matter we can see, and the far larger pull needed to account for the formation and movement of galaxies. The gravitational pull from dark matter is estimated to make up as much as 85% of the matter in the universe, and tidal streams of stars that fell in with dwarf galaxies could be used to determine where dark matter is located in our galaxy. “Tidal stream stars are the only stars in our galaxy for which it is possible to know their positions in the past,” Dr. Newberg said. “By looking at the current speeds of stars along a tidal stream, and knowing they all used to be in about the same place and moving at the same speed, we can figure out how much the gravity changes along that stream. And that will tell us where the dark matter is in the Milky Way.” The research also finds that the progenitor of the Orphan-Chenab stream has less mass than the galaxies measured in the outskirts of our galaxy today, and if this small mass is confirmed it could change our understanding of how small stellar systems form and then merge together to make larger galaxies like our Milky Way. Dr. Newberg, an expert in the galactic halo, is a pioneer in identifying stellar tidal streams in the Milky Way. One day, she hopes that MilkyWay@home will help her measure more than the properties of one disintegrated dwarf galaxy. Ideally, she would like to simultaneously fit many dwarf galaxies, their orbits, and the properties of the Milky Way galaxy itself. This goal is complicated by the fact that the properties of our galaxy change over the billions of years that it takes for a small galaxy to fall in and be ripped apart to make these tidal streams. “By painstakingly tracking the path of stars pulled into the Milky Way, Dr. Newberg and her team are building an image that shows us not just a dwarf galaxy long-since destroyed, but also sheds light on the formation of our galaxy and the very nature of matter,” said Curt Breneman, dean of the Rensselaer School of Science. At Rensselaer, Newberg was joined in the research by Eric J. Mendelsohn, Siddhartha Shelton, Jeffery M. Thompson. Carl J. Grillmair at the California Institute of Technology, and Lawrence M. Widrow at Queen’s University, also contributed to the finding. “Estimate of the Mass and Radial Profile of the Orphan-Chenab Stream’s Dwarf Galaxy Progenitor Using MilkyWay@home” was published with support from the National Science Foundation, and with data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the Dark Energy Camera at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Infrared Processing & Analysis Center Infrared Science Archive.

#space #science #Astronomy #physics #news #galactic evolution

[kathleenseiber]

Could black holes power alien civilisations?

Building energy-harvesting structures around black holes could be effective, scientists say.

For centuries, humans have gazed up and wondered if we are alone in the universe. In 1960, physicist Freeman Dyson changed the conversation by suggesting some cool celestial tech that would allow us to more easily detect signs of alien civilisations.

Dyson suggested that if an alien society’s energy needs outstripped the supply of its planet, it could build a megastructure known as a ‘Dyson sphere’ around its host star to harness the power on a massive scale. Not technically a sphere, this structure would be composed of a fleet of orbiting or stationary satellites able to transform solar energy into usable energy.

This would make it easier for us to find such civilisations, Dyson argued, as the process could create waste heat and therefore abnormal infrared signals.

Now, in a new paper published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, scientists say these spheres could be even more ambitious – aliens could build them around black holes, too.

The research team, led by astronomer Tiger Yu-Yang Hsiao of National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, delved into the physics behind some excitingly high-concept questions: How would a Dyson sphere around a black hole work? How much energy could it gather, and for what type of alien society? Could we detect such a structure from Earth?

In particular, the team looked at hypothetical technologically advanced alien civilisations (Type II or III, according to the Kardashev scale).

“They need a more powerful energy source than their own sun,” the researchers write in the study.

Of course, nothing escapes the monstrous gravitational pull of a black hole, but the team considered energy-intense processes beyond the event horizon – where a super-hot disc of matter swirls around the black hole like water around a cosmic drain.

By looking at models of various-sized black holes (from a little more than our sun’s mass right up to the mass of the supermassive monster at the heart of our galaxy), they found that a sphere of satellites could effectively gobble up energy from many of these processes.

“Our results suggest that for a stellar-mass black hole…the accretion disc could provide hundreds of times more luminosity than a main sequence star,” they write.

For an even bigger black hole of 20 solar masses, they report it could provide the same amount of power as Dyson spheres around 100,000 normal stars – and the number soars to one million for a supermassive black hole.

And that’s just the power harnessed from the accretion disc.

“Moreover, if a Dyson sphere collects not only the electromagnetic radiation but also other types of energy (e.g., kinetic energy) from the [relativistic] jets, the total collected energy would be approximately five times larger,” the researchers write.

But would these Dyson spheres be detectable by earthly technology?

Hsiao and the team calculate that if this tech existed around a stellar-mass black hole within our galaxy, we could spot its ‘waste’ heat at ultraviolet, optical and infrared wavelengths. It could be detectable by current telescopes such as Hubble, or large surveys such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey or the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.

But the team cautions that since black holes emit a lot of radiation, signals from a Dyson sphere would risk being lost in the noise.

They suggest observations could be confirmed via the radial velocity method, currently used to detect exoplanets by spotting the minute gravitational wobble of their stars.

Read more:

The search for alien life

Is anybody down there?

Alien megastructure ‘discovery’: a review of the facts

Originally posted to Cosmos Magazine as Could black holes power alien civilisations?

Could black holes power alien civilisations? published first on https://triviaqaweb.weebly.com/

[symphoniclolita]

"I've devoted my life to the advancement of magical research. Within this school I've spent countless hours, not only in educating the young ones who have been blessed with this gift, but also in pushing the boundaries of what is possible within the as of yet unwritten laws of magic. I would say, as a personal goal, it is my full intention of putting those laws into writing myself. Already, I've discovered much that was previously unknown, and for my efforts I was established as a guardian. 

“They call me the most prolific magician in the world, next to the Goddess herself; I beg to differ. My mission is simply to discover more doors, and to find the keys to unlocking them. I choose to leave it up to others to navigate through those entries and onto greater understanding and strength. I look in the eyes of the students at my academy, and see so much potential talent; it is truly my wish for them to surpass me one day. Then, and only then, will I know my work has been worth it. What use is a discovery if it only benefits the one who uncovered it?"

-Kiril

***

You find a document containing basic information of the different magic types. It seems to be missing a lot of information, as if it were meant for an overview and nothing more. Pursue further if you feel that this document is worth your time.

***

"Magic drives the life cycle of everything in Eluite. Every living creature, whether they are aware of it or not, is influenced by magic and its various properties. For every facet of life there is a magic that goes hand-in-hand, and for every magic, there is a guardian who is fully experienced in its ways. There are currently thirty-eight recognized independent magic types, and thus, thirty-eight guardians."

The Pure Elements - the most basic forms, functioning as two opposite, complete systems

Light: the dominion of Sade. The majority system, pure and clear.

Dark: the dominion of Eclipse. The minority system, complex and hazy.

The Primaries and Secondaries - the seven elements from which all others stem

Fire: the dominion of Crimson. Kindle the flame from within you, and resist its burn.

Earth: the dominion of Rue. Split the soil to its core, and resist its blows.

Air: the dominion of Swerve. Harness the wind to your advantage, and resist its vertigo.

Water: the dominion of Pacifica. Control the seas to your will, and resist its pressure.

Lightning: the dominion of Tekla. Build immense energy at your fingertips, and resist its shock.

Ice: the dominion of Ghylian. Freeze the waters around you, and resist its bite.

Celestial: the dominion of Stargazer. Abilities as of yet undefined...

The Physicals - abilities to manipulate the environment surrounding oneself

Orbitals - through the power of the sky

Sun: the dominion of Julii. Bearing mind to the sun's position, emulate its rays.

Moon: the dominion of Simi. Bearing mind to the cycles of the moon, manipulate gravitational pull.

Naturals - through the power of the surface of the land

Desert: the dominion of Isyllt. Bearing mind to equatorial proximity, increase temperature at your will.

Tundra: the dominion of Amileigh. Bearing mind to polar proximity, decrease temperature at your will.

Flora: the dominion of Zinniya. Bearing mind to sea level proximity, stimulate plant photosynthesis and growth.

Cores - through the power of the underground

Prism: the dominion of Chandra Maria. Alter the color spectrum around you, and camouflage yourself.

Iron: the dominion of Embla. Transmute the objects around you, and provocate yourself.

The Metaphysicals - abilities to manipulate the minds of oneself and/or others

Naturals - involving visual manifestations of certain energies

Aura: the dominion of Myrjall. Hide your presence from the senses of other magicians, and develop levitation.

Mystics: the dominion of Suspiria. Communicate with the spirits, and develop invisibility.

Illusion: the dominion of Annette. Project your image in alternate locations, and develop minor teleportation.

Fortunes - involving manipulation of the flow of fate

Luck: the dominion of Aiimi. Emitter of positive vibes, choosing the best course in the flow of fate.

Vice: the dominion of Desiree. Emitter of negative vibes, manipulating the intentions of others.

Internals - involving one's inner reflections

Wisdom: the dominion of Brighid. A natural intuition of reasoning on the path towards magical expertise.

Knowledge: the dominion of Clio. A natural intuition of recollection on the path towards magical expertise.

Perceptions - involving one's outward analysis

Harvest: the dominion of Yuina. Gather metaphysical information from an area, and replay the events of the past from your findings.

Horizon: the dominion of Amaranth. Gather metaphysical information from an object, and foretell what lies in its future.

The Awakenings - expert level abilities with little visual confirmation of existence

Regeneration: the dominion of Elegante. Rebuild what has been broken beyond repair, and heal the wounds of your brethren.

Power: the dominion of Cerys. Gain the strength of one thousand men, and move massive objects around you without contact.

Sound: the dominion of Muy. Emit unnaturally complex noises, and focus your voice in specific air spaces.

The Dynamics - birthright, virtually unattainable abilities with no visual confirmation of existence

Fauna: the dominion of Mayu. Communicate with the beasts of the earth, and listen to the thoughts of others.

Lucidity: the dominion of Wysp. Detach your spirit from your mortal form, and view the world from an alternate point-of-view.

Dimension: the dominion of Kiril. Teleport objects to far-off lands, and travel through space to other realms.

The Universals - the basic principles of existence

Time: the dominion of Era. The length of a life is known from the beginning.

Memory: the dominion of Louhi. All collective living experiences are protected.

Fate: the dominion of Valkyrie. The outcome of all future events are laid out.

Life: the dominion of Faeniriya. The cycle of creation will always spin.

Soul: the dominion of Nyx. The souls of those passed are divided up into energies.

Death: the dominion of Ruth. Corrupt souls will be purified or destroyed.

Balance: the dominion of Synne. Maintain harmony between the light system and dark system, at great taxing cost...

#world building june #wbj2018 #my writing #spiritveil #shortest I've ever made this post it always turns into an essay