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loriannbowman · 8 days

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Honkai: Star Rail X Arknights | Yandere!Sunday X Sankta!Reader

You had no idea how you got to this city of bright lights and sounds. Music seems to pour in from every corner and building. The last thing you remember, is Doctor Loriann sent you to the rec-room and you decided to take a little nap. And now you're 'awake' in this bizarre and unknown city. What seems like thousands of people swarm the streets. Just where the hell are you?

"Excuse me? Are you lost?~" a sweet voice asks you.

You whip your head around to see a man with a halo... and wings sprouting from his head? Sankta have wings, yes, but never from their head... At least not the ones you've met, and you've met quite a few.

"U-Um... Y-Yeah..." you stutter out, unsure if talking to a stranger in a strange place is the best idea.

He looks at you, focusing his gaze on you. You can almost feel the deep set eyes burning into your soul.

"U-Uh... S-Sir...? Why are you-"

His stare grows harder before he looks away, letting out a sigh.

"Are you not a Halovian?"

"Ha-what? Is that some different title for a Sankta?"

"Sankta...?" he whispers under his breath. "You have a halo."

"Y-Yeah... I do..."

"So are you not a Halovian?"

"No."

His eyes seem to sharpen and a small scowl crosses his body.

He steps closer to you. You have no idea what he plans to do until-

He reaches out and touches your halo. You can't help but yelp at the cool touch from his gloved hands.

"So you can feel my touch."

You swat his hand.

"Of course I can!"

"Interesting..."

You push his away, trying to make space.

"A-Anyway, sir, do you know where I am?"

The man tilts his head confused.

"You're in Penacony."

"Pena-wha-? What's with all these names?! Never mind... D-Do you know how I got here?"

"... Did you not enter a dream pool?"

"Dream pool?! Are you-" you shake your head, now is not the time to be rude to someone, "No, no I didn't. The last thing I remember was being on the Rhodes Island Land Ship and going to take a nap."

"Rhodes Island...? I've never heard of that."

"What? Even very secluded people know of Rhodes Island..."

The man hums slightly.

"Interesting... it seems as though... we have a stowaway..."

"Stowaway?! I didn't even mean to come here!"

"Yes, I can clearly see that, however I still need to take you into custody for the protection of the Family and the citizens of Penacony. Though, as a head of the Family myself, I will be taking you with me. It's best if no one else knows of this, it might cause anxiety amongst the people."

"So I'm getting arrested... cool. Doctor, when I get back, you're getting kicked."

❥ Sunday doesn't understand how or why you got here. He monitors the coming and going of every person that enters the dreamscape, and the reverie.

❥ Sunday is confused. He tried to communicate with you through telepathy to keep the conversation privet, yet... you couldn't connect to him.

❥ Sunday keeps you under custody. That custody, however, his by his side at all times. He wants to understand what is with you.

❥ Sunday, who's every thought is slowing shifting to figuring you out. How did you come here? Where are you from? Why do you also have a halo? Why do you know nothing of Aeons and Paths?

❥ Sunday who can't help but itch wanting to pick you apart.

❥ Sunday who doesn't want to let you go, because if you do, he fears he may never see you again, he may never figure out this mystery.

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todaysdocument · 9 months

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“ . . . the Military Chest is entirely exhausted and . . . a third of the army remains unpaid for the months of April and May.” George Washington, August 11, 1778.

Record Group 360: Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention

Series: Papers of the Continental Congress

File Unit: Letters from General George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Army

Transcription:

White plains Augt 11th 1778 249

Sir

I take the liberty of transmitting to Congress the Enclosed letter, which I just now received from the pay master General. They will perceive by it that the Military Chest is entirely exhausted and that a third of the army remains unpaid for the months of April and May. The importance + now pity of an immediate and large supply will at once appear and I am persuaded it will be ordered and forwarded with all possible expedition.

Since I had the honor of writing by Colo Hoth on Sunday last I have not received any advice from Rhode Island.

I have the Honor to be

with great respect & esteem

Sir

Your Most Obedt Sevt

Go Washington

Hon ble

Henry Laurens Esq

&c &c

#archivesgov #August 11 #1778 #1700s #American Revolution #Revolutionary War #George Washington #military #U.S. Army

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ae-to-the-snow · 11 months

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Vigil / Leontuzzo Bellone Relationship Headcanons

Fellas my intrusive thoughts won. I will raise him I will max him out idc if he's bad he's so... Anyways he is so bisexual so this is for everyone lol.

Content. Fluff, smut, hcs, imagines

Fluff cw. Established relationship, reader is affiliated with Rhodes Island (whether they're the doctor, an operator or anything else is up to you! It's not very specific, just that you spend time on Rhodes a lot.) , gift giving

Smut cw. Vigil x gn!reader, sub Vigil, dom Vigil (separated), dacryphilia, sadism, masochism, edging, pet play, praise kink, degrading, begging, brief mention of blindfolding, bondage, pain play, sir kink, begging, cockwarming, overstimulation, brat taming, gagging

Written after Il Siracusano event. Spoiler warning. Demetri is not mentioned just in case anyone hates that rat (affectionate). Feel free to request if you'd like any other character!

Vigil Fluff

Vigil is so stiff in a relationship. The idea of domestic love lives are foreign to him, having been raised as a mafia heir.

But this won't stop him from loving you. He's just stiff.

He won't really tell you where he's going or what he's doing until you ask. He won't really be the one to initiate intimacy unless the moment calls for it or if you ask. All in all. He's definitely open, not clueless. He just doesn't know specifics.

When should it be right to tell you this? When should he kiss you? How often should he do it? How should he do it?

He's somewhat estranged from a romantic world as he was raised in a world far void of it. He'd definitely know the basic things, but not know them in depth.

All in all, a relationship with him requires a lot of communication and addressing your needs and instability, so you can overcome them together as a couple.

If not, then Vigil won't really notice until things get so bad he can't ignore it and it'll likely result in a disagreement.

Remember he's stiff, not uncaring. He doesn't know where to start even if he knows he can start. But he's not cold. He loves you for sure.

He's definitely open to change! Just tell him and he'll call you more often, he'll start initiating intimacy a lot more, however you like it. Your love language whatever it is, Vigil will instantly understand and apply it.

For him to do anything without being told though, his love language is definitely gift giving. Coming from a materialistic world of transactions and debts, he knows that physical things have a lot of value. Plus he's rich. Disbanded famiglie or not, he has his savings.

He'd unintentionally (but somehow with full intent on spoiling you,) spoil you to death. Hey honey I got you a matching watch. It looks like mine doesn't it. Oh you want that jacket? Done and wrapped in your favorite gift bag. Hey about that date, I booked us a famous restaurant. No big deal.

He does think he's showing you his love this way. It's not like he buys gifts for everyone and makes it rain every day. But he doesn't mean to be overbearing about it. He just doesn't care.

You're not leaving even a dent in his savings don't worry about it. It's not like he'd clear the store for you, he has his boundaries and limits. But surely it's not wrong to buy you this nice accessory once in a while... Right?

He'd genuinely be so shocked if you refuse his gift. He's speechless. Awestruck. Flabbergasted. Silenced to the next dimension. He'd insist on giving it to you, not understanding why you won't accept. If you refuse anyways he just sits on his bed like a stone statue wondering if you hate him (lol)

All in all. He'd do anything for you, just tell him and he's on it. Want him to call you pet names? Done. Want him to carry you like a princess? He's stronger than you think. Want him to kiss you? If it's in front of other people, he'll be just a tad bit embarrassed before remembering he doesn't care what people think, and then just goes for it. But if you're alone, you bet he's not stopping until you get off of him personally. When he does something, he is committed to it fully. Even more so for you.

Vigil Smut

The local church confession booth hates me

So... About my recent post ahahaha. <:

Vigil is surprisingly more familiar with sexual intimacy than he is with domestic ones. He's quite familiar with it, it's the one form of intimacy he learned from his environment.

He won't be opposed to it at all, almost bringing it up soon after the relationship started. If you're not ready though, he won't force it. Even in the uncommon occasion he gets horny, he can take care of it himself.

But when the time comes, he knows what to do. First time or not, he's not an idiot. He knows how to please you, whatever it is you want. Slow and gentle, fast and rough, kinky or vanilla, he can do it all. As long as you're both pleased by the end of the night.

Generally, he's such a biter. He bites you any chance he could, it's mark visible too. If you don't like that, you can conceal it. But Vigil likes that he's marking you like this.

He'd be into pet play too. Receiving or otherwise. (It's Arknights what do you expect—)

A collar and a leash is his favorite thing in the bedroom, and he fantasizes about it a lot.

Touch his tail, he'll yelp so loud, but the moment he realizes it, he'll glare. He has some pride left, surely.

Cockwarming isn't out of the question either. As long as no one is gonna walk in, he'd definitely do it. Receiving? Giving? Both ways, he is not getting work done anytime soon. But he never lasts, he'll cum eventually, and after that he'd want more.

He's a big fan of receiving head. Under the desk while he's doing paperwork? He's so distracted, his writing is getting messier, even if he tries to keep it cool.

As a sub, he's whiny, so whiny. He's a very demanding man with high expectations. It'd take you a lot of work to get him beneath you.

When you first proposed that he'd be the sub, he's not opposed to it, but he'd be a bit apprehensive, he's not used to submitting, despite doing it so well for you. He just won't admit he likes it when you're in power. He'd put up a tough act and whine a bit, but once your hand slips underneath his shirt and that whine comes out, he's jelly in your hands. Do what you want with him. He likes to fight it a bit, but it's not like he's ever going to curse you out for control and flip you over.

If him crying beneath you is what you want, then you better do it right, he says with a huff. But secretly he'll never admit he likes it.

He doesn't mind being treated roughly, he'll cry and whimper about how harsh you're being, but his tail is wagging. And you notice the moan that came out when you stroke him. You notice the way he scratched you, you notice the grip he has on the sheets.

He's a big fan of being tied up, do whatever you want with him, he'll take it all so well. Handcuff him, tie him up with rope, whatever. He'll love the way they restrain him as he wriggles underneath your touch, loving the pain.

He'll be hesitant about it, but definitely open to pain play. Maybe a couple slaps won't be so bad, if you're into more than just that, he can take it... He'll definitely put some rules and boundaries, but he's open to trying it out. It's not like it doesn't turn him on.

He's definitely whiny. Again. He'd get (shamefully) loud, moaning loud pleas to be more gentle if he's still got some pride in him. But otherwise, he's begging you to go harder and faster on him, begging for more either way.

It'd take some work to get him into that headspace, but when you do, it's so worth it. It's not bad being the one obeying orders for once.

He secretly wants to be your pillow princess though. Just tie him up, blindfold him and take care of him after a stressful day, mess him up slow and gentle, whisper praises in his ears, hold his hand, stroke his tail, whatever. It's heaven for him to be taken care of after a hard day. Please do that :( he deserves it.

HIGH KEY HE LOVES BEING CALLED A GOOD BOY.

Speaking of which, he doesn't have much stamina, while it's still more than average, but he'd definitely let you use him as much as you'd like. He could be begging for a break, but he loves the overstimulation. Please make his head spin. Make him forget about his responsibilities for a second and turn him into a whimpering mess. :)

Continue when he's just recovering from the last orgasm. He's going to whine so loud, but never will he say the safe word. He's just mumbling incoherently, small "please"s and "faster" and "more" as he whimpers, reaching another orgasm.

Maybe he'd give you an earful usually, but he can't even speak properly now. He's silently thanking you on the inside for ruining him though. Just how he likes it.

Dom Vigil though... You're in for a ride.

He might look like a DeviantArt OC but his personality can be "your kid calls me daddy too"

He'd definitely like being in control, while still giving you what you like.

You want him to fuck you nice and gentle? He's got his chest pressed onto your back, whispering into your ear what a good pet you are for him. How you're doing so well, so good, taking him all in. He's moaning beside your ear, telling you how good you make him feel.

But he's still got some control over you. He'll be asking you to repeat what he said. "Tell me, you're mine. My good little boy/girl/partner" he demands, his movements stopping. He's not continuing until he's satisfied with your answer. When you give him what he wants though. He is so rewarding.

He's making you cum again and again. Overstimulated? But you wanted this.

Hard dom Vigil... On my knees.

He's RUTHLESS. He's definitely into best taming and pet play.

Once you've given him the green light for it, he gets so kinky with you.

He's tying you up, blindfolded, gagged, taking his cock, and will probably attach a vibrator too. Just to see you break

He'd definitely be into you calling him sir. He's used to it in daily life, but oh to hear you moan that out.

He's a big fan of edging and giving you pain if you're into it. He loves to see what a mess he made out of you, the control and authority he feels. Definitely will degrade you while he's at it.

He can be quite cruel, you're gonna have to follow his orders to a t and not cum until he tells you to, even if you are practically begging.

If you were to beg though, it better be cute. Maybe then he'll be lenient on you. He's gonna ask you to beg a million times before he gives in, satisfied as to what a cheap whore you've become for him. You're his though. Only his.

He'll admit he has a thing for dominating you. But he genuinely believes you're so cute that way. Besides, he can please you as much as you'd like this way, as much as he believes you deserve.

Omg NGL I got lazy???? HWJDNFNJEHS but still I have him as my assistant and seeing him when I log in just makes me go "I need this twink obliterated."

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armoredisopod · 5 months

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Codename: Harold

Race: Feline

Origin: Victoria

Specialization: Surgery, Surgery (Veterinary)

"The youth on Rhodes Island are great, not only can they pack a punch, they also know how to drink."

Illustrator: 一千

CN CV: 董胜章 | JP CV: 山崎巧

Harold - 5* Wandering Medic

Restores the HP of allied units and recovers Elemental Damage by 50% of ATK (can recover Elemental Damage of unhurt allied units)

Talent

Allies with accumulated Elemental Damage exceeding 50% within Harold's attack range will take reduced Elemental Damage

Skill 1 - Healing Up γ

When skill is active, ATK increases

Skill 2 - Intensive Care

When skill is active, ASPD increases and prioritizes allies with the most accumulated Elemental Damage

If the target's accumulated Elemental Damage exceeds 50%, the Elemental Damage recovery amount increases

"I thought I was finally being sent out to the frontier, but it turns out... At a time like this, should I say that my country has treated me well? Ah, sorry sorry. You're my future commander, correct? An ordinary military doctor, at your service."

____________

Sir Craigavon:

I have read your report.

Not only did you fail to deal with Karlan Trade on your trip, but you also allowed Kazimierz to be involved, making the situation even more complicated. If i really want to punish you, i should at least strip you of your title.

However, the potential of Kjerag, based on your first-hand accounts, as well as your judgement of the situation, at the very least, proves that you didn't go to Kjerag just to drink and have fun behind your lady's back.

About the matter of Kjerag, no need to worry about it for now, and there's no need to rush back to your territory. I know how you've always taken care of the wounded in your ranks, why don't you go to that Rhodes Island place and have a look around.

Caster

#arknights #arknights harold #additional story from the weibo post under the cut #i don't usually post these kinds of news translations but i may be just a tiny bit obsessed with this guy

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sleepdeprivedsimp234 · 4 months

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give me the new jersey headcannons NOW

(too lazy to get on my phone for my new account)

Yes sir/ma’am 🫡🫡

NJ is the second tallest of his siblings (NY being the tallest)

Okay so- Jersey and Mass are twins, but Jersey is like- 2 minutes older. And he like- likes to make fun of Mass about it. And Mass gets pissed tf off, punches him, and then boom. They’re fighting-

NJ is bff’s with Delaware, Rhode Island, and the Jersey Devil. They all have gossip sessions in the middle of the woods.

Will NJ ever admit to ever being worried about any of his siblings? Hell-to-the-no.

He’s a bloody mother hen. The mom friend if you will. You forget something? He already grabbed it for you a millennium ago. Sick? Get your ass in bed and let him to the rest. Need to be bailed out of jail? Reluctantly, yes. Or- he’ll say no, but he’ll arrive twenty minutes later.

^that’s something he does. Says no, but he’ll do the thing he said no to. Probably as he’s actively saying no.

He’s really really insecure about the fact that he has Tourette’s syndrome, and he often tries to suppress his tics.

^England always treated him like he was possessed by some demon and tried getting an exorcism done on NJ.

^He got bullied for it in school. Mass and Connie beat the bullys’ asses tho. NY would’ve as well if he wasn’t actively getting beat tf up himself by his own bullies.

^NJ and NY bond over having mental illnesses/disorders that made their father treat them as if they were possessed by demons. That probably sounded wrong but oh well-

^NJ tells NY it to suppress his stimming if something makes him happy or upset, and NY tells NJ not to suppress his tics.

#welcome to the table #welcome to the statehouse #ben brainard #wttt #wttsh #wttt new jersey #wttsh new jersey #wttt new york #wttsh new york #wttt massachusetts #wttsh massachusetts #wttt connecticut #wttsh connecticut

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shuttershocky · 1 year

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holy shit Hypergryph really straight up made it canon that Sarkaz have to deal with blood libel accusations

You know when i first read this ask I was kinda wondering what sort of metaphor for blood libel I'd be seeing but no, they just straight up have the Leithaniens accuse Hibiscus of stealing their blood huh.

It's crazy how fast Leithaniens go from polite to a mob.

Like we all know from Twilight of Wolumonde that Leithanien likes to go "oh look at us we don't discriminate against the infected we care about the arts and higher education we're so progressive!" only to turn on Mudrock's traveling group as soon as it became convenient and also hide that they had actually displaced and killed the original indigenous peoples there, but Lingering Echoes' take is more personal.

We see Hibiscus arrive in Vyseheim as a doctor for Rhodes Island and everyone's friendly and polite, she gets pulled into a village dance and invited to a concert, and everyone lets her do her job as a doctor, conducting blood tests to measure everyone's originium levels and the like.

Then we see Czerny's old relative say "What's a Sarkaz doing he-" before she realizes that isn't "polite" and tells hibiscus not to take it seriously and that didn't mean anything.

Then we see Hibiscus have a polite debate with a food stall owner over the healthiness of his food vs its taste and he acts really kindly towards her through their differences and even invites her to come back for his food someday, until Hibiscus walks off and he says

But then as soon as Rhodes Island's presence in the city becomes an inconvenience to the Countess Gertrude, she just makes a prophecy (read: spreads a rumor) that doesn't even mention a Sarkaz, and yet an incident goes from one drunk guy angrily accusing Hibiscus of her blood tests for Oripathy really being an excuse to steal their blood for Arts, into a whole angry mob out for her head in almost an instant.

They say using blood for Arts means she's in league with the Witch King, then get angry when she's unafraid of calling out the Witch King's prophecy as rumors and claims it's disrespect, then get doubly angry when she calls them out on the contradiction.

Personally, while I get that they're trying to say that even a society as supposedly progressive as Leithanien hides bigotry like all the other countries, and Hibiscus is one of the protagonists of the story so obviously they'd show the challenges she faces as a Sarkaz doctor, I don't know...

I kind of feel like depicting outright blood libel to show the discrimination the Sarkaz face becomes messy when some of the Sarkaz doctors like Warfarin are actually vampires? The scene even has to clumsily dance around that by having Hibiscus' first reaction be "Sir, you might have heard of vampires but I'm not a vampire Sarkaz".

I just think it's overreaching your bounds you know? Going for something that loaded with terrible history because you want the impact of referencing that history, but without thinking if you also made some of the oppressed group who are now acting as a Jewish analogue actual vampires because you thought vampires are cool.

I'm not Jewish though so I'm just speculating. I would defer to them for what their thoughts on this scene was.

#Arknights

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dotster001 · 4 months

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Tw: us government's horrible stance on the Gaza conflict. I'm angry and need somewhere to rant

My congressman emailed me back after I sent one of those emails calling for them to put a stop to genocide. His response was the bullshit propaganda that Israel is just defending itself.

Sir. If you think senseless slaughter is defense, I am very scared for the future of our world and country. If a terrorist group hid in Rhode Island, tomorrow, would you kill everyone in Rhode Island?

Collective punishment is literally a war crime.

If you think history will remember you as a hero, that means you aren't listening to those who are already calling you a murderer.

I'll probably delete this later. But I'm so fucking angry. How dare he claim to represent me. I'll remember this come voting time, and won't be shy to share with anyone who will listen why they shouldn't reelect him.

Not that that even matters. All of them are the same. God, I hate the world we live in.

#free palestine #rant

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pollstuck · 1 year

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TT: I'm working on the bathroom. TT: But we are running low on Build Grist. EB: oh man who cares about the bathroom, now there's a meteor heading for my house!!! TT: I see. TT: Do you suppose it has anything to do with the game? EB: i don't know, maybe! what do i do! TT: I think it's very likely. TT: The walkthroughs vaguely suggest an impending threat before they end. TT: The already poorly constructed sentences become even more curt and ambiguous. TT: As if written hastily and with a sense of alarm. TT: Actually, their dedication to updating the walkthrough under such circumstances is admirable. EB: wow, FASCINATING. EB: ?????? TT: If the meteor is a game construct, I think the only thing to do is to proceed, and try to solve the dilemma on the game's terms. TT: Try using the lathe. TT: It says you can use the card on it, but isn't more specific than that. EB: ok i'll do that. TT: Really, it is a labor to read this drivel. TT: If I read any more my brain will need to be spoon-fed from a jar. TT: While it blows spit bubbles in a highchair. TT: I think I will write my own walkthrough. TT: That is, after we make sure you don't die.

-- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 17:34 --

TG: i heard you got the box TG: i hope you appreciate my heroic fatherly perseverance in getting it to you TG: in my rough and tumble dirty wifebeaterly sort of way TG: also i hope you appreciate how many no-talent douches had their mitts on that bunny before you TG: its like a grubby baton in some huge douchebag marathon TG: hey where are you EB: oh man, the bunny was awesome, but i don't have time to talk, i think i'm playing sburb and it's kind of a nightmare. EB: flighty is breaking everything in my house. TG: dude i told you to steer clear of that game TG: and for that matter you should probably wash your hands of flighty broads and their snarky horseshit altogether EB: you and I both know we love her snarky horseshit EB: but that doesn't matter right now! EB: there's a meteor coming, and i'm not even joking about that!!! EB: it's like a big asteroid or comet or something. EB: in the sky. EB: heading right for my house!!!!!!!! TG: oh man TG: how big is it EB: i dunno. EB: big, i guess. EB: i gotta go! EB: we'll talk later if i am still alive and the earth isn't blown up. TG: like the size of texas TG: or just rhode island TG: theyre always throwing around these geographical comparisons to give us a sense of scale like it really means anything to us TG: but its like it doesnt matter its always just like: WOW THATS PRETTY FUCKING BIG TG: like mr president theres a meteor coming sir. oh yeah, how big is it? its the size of texas sir TG: OH SHIT TG: or, how big is it? its the size of new york city sir TG: OH SHIT TG: sir im afraid the comet is the size of your moms dick TG: OH SNAP TG: sir are you familiar with jupiter TG: you mean like the planet? TG: yeah TG: well its that big sir TG: hmm that sounds pretty big TG: i have a question TG: is it jupiter? TG: yes sir, earth is literally under seige by planet fucking jupiter TG: OH SHIT TG: anyway later

#homestuck #pollstuck #john egbert #rose lalonde #dave strider #poll

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msbigredmachine · 1 year

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TARGETS - 21 - The Decoy

Roman Reigns is an agent in the secret organisation The Authority and one of the world’s deadliest assassins. When he crosses paths with a mysterious woman during an assignment, he makes a life-changing decision that switches his role from the hunter to the hunted. (AU Espionage Story)

TARGETS MASTERLIST

--------------

Seventy-two hours later

0047 hrs

Providence, Rhode Island

Xavier Woods rolled his eyes for the hundredth time, wondering when the hell he was going to get out of this shithole. Ever since the attempt on his life a couple of months ago in Las Vegas, he'd been hidden away in a bunker in an elusive Courthouse in Rhode Island, where he would remain in custody until the process for his entry into the Witness Protection Program was concluded. Unlike the lavish comfort of the hotel suite at the MGM Arena, this place felt like a fucking prison. Being miles away from civilization, there were no distractions for Xavier to indulge in. No cable, no PS5, no Wi-Fi, and shitty cell phone reception. He was under watch twenty-four hours a day and he felt like he was about to go apeshit. Why the fuck was it taking weeks to move him into the Program anyway? Especially if they knew his life was in grave danger?

Outside, his door was manned by four FBI Agents, all of whom were lounging and reading day-old newspapers. A fifth agent rounded the corner with two boxes of pepperoni pizza in his arms. "About fucking time, I'm starving," one of the agents said, throwing aside his newspaper and opening one of the boxes his colleague set down on the table.

The sound of an alarm suddenly rang all around the Courthouse, interrupting their meal. The Agents instantly dropped their pizza and jumped to their feet, hands reaching for the guns in their holsters. Suddenly, one dropped to the ground, unconscious, a tranquilizer dart sticking out of his neck. The other Agents raised their weapons to attack, but how did one aim at an unseen target? Left with this disadvantage, another fell. And another. And another. Within seconds all five men were down, out cold.

Xavier shot to his feet as he heard sounds of a scuffle outside his door. Suddenly it burst open and a Courthouse guard ran up to him, looking harassed. "Follow me sir," the big, burly looking man said with a heavy Southern accent. "I've got orders to get you outta here."

Xavier's eyes widened, fear coursing through his veins as he recognized the huge man immediately. This was the absolute last person he expected to see here. And this was the absolute last person he wanted to take him. "You gotta be fucking kidding me." Backing away, he whirled around and sprinted away, searching frantically for the imaginary way out.

The guard rolled his brown eyes, his accent transforming instantly. "Why do they always want to do it the hard way?"

As he spoke, Roman whipped out his gun, the butt of the weapon cracking over Xavier's head and knocking him out where he stood. Roman caught him before he hit the ground. "Fucking arrogant, slimy piece of shit," the guard murmured, dragging the prone body of Woods to the vent grill in the corner of the room. He used a screwdriver to unscrew the corners and stuffed Woods through the small space. As he followed behind, Roman pitched a timed grenade back into the room. A gift for the Feds, if you will.

Several FBI Agents had arrived at the scene as backup, and they took their command positions outside Xavier Woods's bedroom. The leader raised his hand in a signal to lead the charge into the room. They threw open the door, rushing in when they saw a small object roll towards them. They felt the impact of the explosion before they could decipher what it was. All of them fell to the floor, stunned and temporarily blinded by the percussive grenade, but alive. Barely.

Worried, Jasmine spoke into her earpiece. "Spice to Aquaman, I heard an explosion. Are you okay?"

"Why are you Spice and I have to be called Aquaman?"

"Because, doofus, my name is an actual spice and you look like Jason Momoa. Where are you? Did you get the cargo out?"

A heavy sigh followed. "Fine. Aquaman to Spice. Affirmative. The cargo is in my possession," was Roman's reply, "We move now. Watch my six in case anyone's trailing me."

Jasmine quickly shut the titanium suitcase containing the laptop and communications kit and moved over to the driver's seat, gun cocked and ready for any hostiles. Roman emerged through the rolling smoke, Woods slumped and unconscious over his shoulder. "Well, that was a mess," Jasmine smirked, putting her gun away.

Roman rolled his eyes. "It worked, didn't it?" He dumped Woods in the back seat, sitting him upright so he would look like he was asleep. Roman jumped into the passenger seat. "Let’s get the fuck outta here."

Jasmine revved the engine and they drove off.

—---------

Xavier slowly opened his eyes and was met with yet another fist in his face. Roman and Jasmine had taken him to an abandoned duplex in the outskirts of Providence to interrogate him. They had been in there for a while and so far, he wasn't saying a word, and it was pissing Roman off.

Jasmine watched as he laid into Xavier again, the man's dreadlocks flying as his head snapped backwards in a painful-looking angle. "Roman, what are you doing?"

"I'm working." Another punch.

"You're going to kill him," she pointed out.

"That was my left hand, sweetheart. Take a seat. We'll be done in a minute."

Jasmine sighed out loud. She knew she was bearing witness to another episode of the Samoan at his most blood-thirsty, but now was not the time to be reckless. "Roman, stop."

He ignored her. He squatted in front of Xavier and roughly patted his cheek. "Hey! Woods, wake the fuck up and look at me."

Xavier didn't seem to have heard him. Instead he was staring at Jasmine, his battered gaze traveling up and down the length of her delectable body. Roman raised his eyebrow, incredulous. “Is this piece of shit eyeballing my girl? Woods! I said look at me! Are you going to tell us why both our bosses want you dead or not?"

Xavier finally turned his attention to Roman. His hands were tied tightly behind his back, as were his legs, and was at the mercy of two deadly assassins. But he remained as defiant as ever, almost as if despite the precarious position he was in, he still had the upper hand. Spitting out the blood from his mouth to the side, he glared at Roman. "If you kill me, you got nothin’," he taunted.

"Oh, nothing would give me more pleasure than blowing your fuckin’ brains out." Roman stood back up and shook his head, losing patience. Jasmine checked her nails lazily as she spoke. "He does have a point, Roman."

Roman leveled his girlfriend with a glare. "You think you can do better?" he challenged, thrusting his gun at her and making an exaggerated sweeping gesture with his free arm. "Go ahead. Let’s see how much information you can get out of him."

Jasmine uncrossed her ankles and pushed off the wall with a smile. Both men's eyes were on her. "I'm not going to need that," she waved Roman's gun away, and looked over at Xavier with slanted, seductive eyes and an even more seductive smile. Roman's dark eyes narrowed as he realized her little plan, and he felt his blood boil and his fingers itch.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Without waiting for her to respond, he grabbed her arm and dragged her away from Xavier and led her to a corner. Roman rounded on her, his face like thunder. "Are you fucking kidding me?" he hissed loudly. "You're going to seduce him? In front of me?"

Unbelievable! "Are you fucking kidding me? Now is not the time to be jealous!"

"What? I should just stand there and watch while you shove your tits in his face? Did you fuck him while you were with him? Is that what happens every time you've got to take out a motherfucker? Fuck him before you take him out?" Roman was livid. How many other men had put their hands on her, before and while they were together? How many had she allowed?

"This is literally not the time for this. Can you let me do my job? Huh?" she asked, rubbing her temple impatiently.

"I am only showing concern! You were his date that night. He put his hands on you then, and I am not cool with that."

“Seriously? Are you gonna stand there and tell me that in all the years you’ve been doing this, you’ve never fucked a couple of women to get the job done?” Jasmine challenged, “Look me in the eye and tell me that.”

Roman chewed on the inside of his cheek. “I was single then,” he defended lamely.

"That’s highkey the most asinine thing I’ve ever heard!" Jasmine snapped through gritted teeth. He was being exasperating. "I know you're tense right now and want answers, but do not take it out on me. Now take a break and let me handle this. As you know by now, I’m very good at what I do, and I know exactly what I'm doing."

"Do you?" he muttered under his breath, and he regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

Jasmine glared at her boyfriend, unable to mask her hurt. She shut her eyes, calming, centering herself, and when she opened them again, she was cool, professional again, but there was an edge to her tone as she replied.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that to me," she told him curtly. They stood close, the air between them heated, tense. "I'm going back to talk to the hostage. When you're certain you're not going to make a fool of yourself, come back in. And you better not get in my way with your bullshit." She turned her back on him before she knocked his fucking lights out for disrespecting her like that. He wasn't the biggest person she had encountered before, not by a mile.

Roman watched her stomp away, his shoulders sagging with resignation. Yes, it was silly and immature of him, and it seemed like they were wasting time. But he just couldn't shake off the inkling in the pit of his gut that there was more to this situation they were facing. Woods was being too calm, too confident for his liking, and it felt like he and Jasmine were playing right into his hands.

Xavier smirked when Jasmine came back into his view. "Trouble in paradise?"

Her smile was gorgeous. "Forgive my partner over there. He's a bit...assertive." She reached up and pulled out the band holding her hair, letting the fair tresses fall around her shoulders. Xavier's eyes widened, and for the first time since his abduction, he looked a little nervous. She slowly approached him, her hair down, her slender body swaying, beautiful fingers on the buttons of her blouse. She looked absolutely ravishing.

"Xavier..." she uttered his name softly, "Xavier, we don't want to hurt you."

"We don't?" grumbled Roman.

"Roman, behave. We just want to ask a few questions, Xavier."

She moved behind him, her hand lazily trailing the chair, fingertips brushing his shoulder. She heard his breath catch as her fingers traced his chin, then his cheek. "We are aware of just how…controversial…you are. You've stepped on a few toes...pissed off some people. We understand that. All we want to know is why our bosses want to kill you, at such a high price for that matter."

She was close. She knew by the way Xavier's jaw clenched. He was struggling to hold tight, to remain stubborn. Roman was struggling as well. He gripped his gun tighter, his finger on the trigger, ready for anything.

Jasmine leaned down behind Xavier and let her slender hands slide down his chest, her face close to his ear, "That's all we want to know, Xavier. If you cooperate, all of this will be over. You have my word."

She waited for a response, then her eyes narrowed when she heard a chuckling sound, which she realized was coming from Woods. Standing upright, she looked at him in confusion and saw his head thrown back, laughing his head off. Jasmine and Roman glanced at each other. Something was wrong.

"Do you really think I'm going to fall for the tacky burlesque moves, sweetheart?" Xavier said, still laughing, but his eyes held a knowing, dangerous glint. "You're hot as hell, but not that hot, Jasmine...or is it Tatiana?"

Jasmine froze, staring at him.

"You tell me, Jasmine," Xavier went on. "Why would The Authority and F.L.O.R.A. come after little old me?" His grin spread at their widened eyes. "Yeah, I know exactly who both of y’all are. Of course you wouldn't know what’s really going on. Let me ask you another question; did you think your companies didn't know who each of you were? Did you think they appreciate this little romance y’all got going on, hmm? Did you really, Jasmine? Roman Reigns?"

Roman crossed his arms and glared at Xavier. Alarm bells were ringing in his head. But he couldn't quite point out why, and it unnerved him. "I knew you recognized me at the Courthouse," he said quietly. His hands were burning now. Aching for a kill.

"But how?" asked Jasmine, completely puzzled, "He's never seen you before!"

"Oh, but I have. They showed me your photos when they brought me in for this job." Xavier continued talking, sounding braver by the second. "You two are worrying about the wrong person. I'm not the one your companies are collaborating to take out."

Jasmine went pale. "Collaborating?"

Roman felt a chill course through his spine. The pieces were slowly coming together. "The hit in Las Vegas was a set-up," he said, turning to a stunned Jasmine. "This whole fucking thing is a set-up. It was never about Woods, babe. It was about us."

"Right you are, Reigns! Fifty points to Gryffindor! I'm not the target here. I never was. You are. Both of you. The Authority and F.L.O.R.A. realized your relationship could compromise them all, so they doubled up. They’ve been working together for months, trying to eliminate you both. And thanks to me, they're going to succeed and I'm getting the payday of a lifetime and my golden ticket outta this god-forsaken shithole of a country!"

He grinned evilly at the two assassins. "So, with that being said, I hope you two have made peace with your Maker because you, my friends, are about to die."

-------------

Credit to the owners of the pics and gifs.

I've given up on the tag list. But please leave comments, I still love comments! ❤

#roman reigns #roman reigns fanfiction #roman reigns imagine #roman reigns smut #targets #the bloodline #the tribal chief #roman reigns fanfic #roman reigns imagines #roman reigns x black reader #roman reigns x black oc

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werfenspeer · 1 year

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New Operator- 5* Agent Vanguard Puzzle (Event Reward)

Race: Vouivre

Origin: Victoria

Skills: Disguises, information gathering and analysis, interrogation

"I have seen the sharp edges of war. It will trample over all our emotions and ideas."

Talent: Increased ATK and SP gain when attacking a target at full HP

S1: The next attack deals increased physical damage and recovers some DP

S2: When skill is active, increase attack speed, deals some Arts damage over time to the target (stackable), gain 1 DP per attack

"You should have already received a letter penned personally by the Duke. I will be on board Rhodes Island with the codename 'Puzzle. There is no need to spend your efforts investigating my background, I will provide you with all my public personal documentation."

"Please board the car, sir. All your documents left at the city hall and your home will be destroyed by exclusive staff. There is no need for you to do it yourself this time."

"Where will I be brought to? A special Infected district, or a most secret training site?"

"We do not have the authority to tell you of your destination, but you will derive your own answer quite soon. We trust you are familiar with the rules of covert operations and will not protest."

...

"Another piece of good news for you. You can choose your codename this time. Please take this letter of introduction penned by the Duke."

#arknights #cywirtls #puzzle arknights #he's handsome

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claudia1829things · 4 months

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"THE BUCCANEERS" (1995) Review

Years ago, I had anticipating watching for the first time, "THE BUCCANEERS", the 1995 television adaptation of Edith Wharton’s last novel. After all, I have been a major fan of "THE AGE OF INNOCENCE", Martin Scorcese’s 1993 adaptation of Wharton’s award-winning 1920 novel for years. But my eager anticipating nearly ebbed away, when I discovered that "THE BUCCANEERS" only managed to rouse a lukewarm reception from many television critics.

The five-part miniseries turned out to be an unusual production from the BBC. One, it was based upon a novel written by an American author – namely Edith Wharton. There have been other British television productions based upon the literary works of an American, but they are very rare. Another interesting aspect of Wharton’s "The Age of Innocence" is that the author did not finish it, due to her death at the age of 75. Fifty-six years later, Wharton scholar Marion Mainwaring finished the novel, which was published by Viking. Around the same time, the BBC hired screenwriter Maggie Wadey to adapt and finish the novel for the television adaptation. As a result the novel has two slightly different endings. Another aspect of this miniseries that struck me as unusual was that instead of hiring British actresses to portray four of the five leads, the BBC hired four Amercian actresses – Carla Gugino, Mira Sorvino, Alison Elliott and Rya Kihlstedt.

The plotline for "THE BUCCANEERS" is very simple. The story begins in 1873 Newport, Rhode Island; in which two sisters of a noveau riche businessman and their two friends are introduced – Virginia "Ginny" and Annabel "Nan" St. George, Conchita "Connie" Closson and Elizabeth "Lizzy" Elmsworth. Whereas the Brazilian born Conchita manages to snare Lord Richard Marabel, the dissolute second son of the Marquess of Brightlingsea, the other three girls struggle to find a place amongst the members of old New York society. When a prank committed by Ginny and Lizzy backfires, Nan’s English governess Laura Testvalley proposes to Mrs. St. George that Ginny and Nan have a London season amongst the upper-class British. She argues that their acceptance by the British high society would assure them a place amongst the upper-class New Yorkers. Due to their friendship with the vibrant Conchita, Virginia and Annabel are introduced to Lord Richard’s family – the impoverished Brightlingseas and their neighbors, the equally impoverished Sir Helmsey Thwaite and his son Guy. As they get settled to conquer British society, Ginny and Nan are surprised by the arrival of Lizzy, who has arrived in Britain for her own season.

Although the girls’ original purpose for visiting Britain was to enjoy a London season, a friend of Laura Testvalley has other plans for them. Thirty years earlier, the American born Jackie March had been engaged to a British aristocrat – namely the very young Lord Brightlingsea, who abandoned her at the altar. Miss March remained in Britain and became something of a sponsor/matchmaker for young society girls. It was Miss March who recommended that the visiting Americans rent a villa owned by one of her former sponsors, Lady Idina Hutton. She also recommended that the girls do more than just enjoy a London season in order to impress old New York society. She recommended that they consider marrying into upper-class British society. Miss March’s plans eventually come to fruition:

*Virginia or namely her father’s wealth attracted the attention of Lady Idina Hutton’s lover and Lord Richard’s older brother, Lord Seadown.

*Lizzy ended up marrying a self-made aspiring politician named Hector Robinson

*Annabel fell in love with Guy Thwaite, but ended up marrying the very wealthy Julian Folyat, Duke of Trevennick; when Guy left Britain to find his fortune in South America.

As I had stated earlier, most critics were not initially kind to "THE BUCCANEERS". Most British critics dismissed it as a costumed soap opera of the second-rate kind, with an ending that had been "Hollywoodized" (happy ending). These same critics also accused the miniseries of mocking the British aristocracy. The American critics, at least those who considered themselves Wharton purists, accused the miniseries’ screenwriter, Maggie Waddey, of changing the elements of the author’s story by including topics such as marital rape and homosexuality. Personally, I found all of these arguments irrelevant. Most dramas about personal lives – whether first-rate or not – tend to possess soap-operish elements. This hostility toward soap operas has always struck me as infantile and irrelevant. And why are all Hollywood productions guilty of having a happy ending, when that has not been the case? Other literary works and their adaptations have mocked the British aristocracy. Why was there such a big hullabaloo over how the aristocracy was portrayed in this particular story? As for the additions of marital rape and homosexuality, these elements did no harm to the story, as far as I am concerned. And I must admit that I have become increasingly weary of demands that all movie or television adaptations should be completely faithful to their literary source. Such demands strike me as impractical.

My complaints about "THE BUCCANEERS" are very few. In fact, I only have two. The first time I ever saw actress Gwen Humble on the television screen was in a miniseries called "THE REBELS", an adaptation of a John Jakes novel. Although I had no problems with her performance in that particular production, I must admit that I had a problem with her performance as Virginia and Annabel’s mother, Mrs. St. George. I understand that Mrs. St. George was supposed to be a shallow and somewhat silly woman. But I feel that Humble went a little too far in conveying those certain traits. Her performance struck me as exaggerated and a little amateurish. Another problem I had with "THE BUCCANEERS" is a rather minor one. It has to do with Virginia’s husband, Lord Seadown. His father is a marquess – which is ranked somewhere between a duke and an earl (count). As the eldest son, he is entitled to a courtesy title. But what was Seadown’s courtesy title? His younger brother was called Lord Richard Marable, which is correct for the younger son of a marquess. The courtesy title for the eldest son of a marquess is usually an earldom – namely Earl of Something. Was Seadown’s name a courtesy title - Earl of Seadown? Or was he supposed to be regarded as Lord Seadown Marable? If the latter, what was the courtesy title he used? I found it all slightly confusing.

However, "THE BUCCANEERS" has been one of my all time favorite miniseries, ever since I first saw it. And there is so much about it that has made it such a favorite of mine. One, producer-director Philip hired a production crew that did justice to Wharton’s story. The miniseries featured some elegant locations that served as the story’s various settings. Some of these locations included Castle Howard, Burghley House and Newport, Rhode Island. I also enjoyed Remi Adefarasin’s photography. It had a deep and rich color that did justice to a story filled with emotions and passion. Colin Towns provided an elegant and entertaining score that remained memorable for me, since the first time I heard it years ago. But it was Rosalind Ebbutt’s costumes that really blew my mind. She provided exquisitely outfits that were beautiful and elegant – especially those for the lead actresses. More importantly, her costumes not only reflected the fashions wore by the American and British upper-classes during the 1870s, they also reflected the change in the main characters’ status and in women’s fashion throughout the decade, as the following photographs show:

Another one of the major virtues of "THE BUCCANEERS" turned out to be its cast. Wharton’s novel is filled with interesting characters. And Saville and his casting director did an excellent job in finding the right actor/actress for the right role. Aside from Gwen Humble’s portrayal of Mrs. St. George, there were so many first-rate performances in the miniseries that it would take me another article just to describe them. But the supporting performances that stood out for me came from the likes of Sheila Hancock, whose portrayal of the Dowager Duchess of Trevenick struck me as an expert mixture of cool haughtiness, sharp wisdom and long suffering; Michael Kitchen, who skillfully conveyed both the charming and shallow nature of Sir Helmsley Thwaite; Jenny Agutter, who was excellent as Lady Idina Hatton, Lord Seadown’s insecure and tragic mistress; Dinsdale Landen and Rosemary Leach, who both portrayed the Marquess and Marchioness of Brightlingsea with a mixture of class haughtiness, charm and great humor; Peter M. Goetz, who seemed to personify the self-made 19th century American businessman; and Connie Booth, who gave one of her best performances as the ambitious and sharp-minded Jackie March.

Richard Huw gave a humorous, yet intelligent performance as Hector Robinson, the ambitious young Member of Parliament who ends up winning Lizzy Elmsworth’s hand. And Mark Tandy was pretty solid as Lord Brightlingsea’s heir, the mercenary Lord Seadown who marries Virginia for Colonel St. George’s money. I was very impressed by Ronan Vibert’s portrayal of the dissolute Lord Richard Marabel, Conchita’s husband and Lord Brightlingsea’s younger son. But the two male performances that really impressed me came from Greg Wise and James Frain. The latter portrayed the haughty Julian Duke of Trevenick, who manages to win the hand Annabel St. George (much to the surprise of her governess), before alienating her with his lack of skills as a husband. Frain could have easily portrayed Julian as a one-note villain, especially when one considers the act of marital rape that his character committed against his wife in Episode Three. Being the skillful actor that he is, Frain conveyed all facets of Julian’s personality – both the good and the bad. And his assertion near the end of Episode Four that he is "not a monster" may have been one of Frain’s finest moments on screen. Greg Wise probably gave one of what I consider to be three of his best career performances in his portrayal of Guy Thwaite, Sir Helmsley’s only son. His Guy could have been one of your typical handsome, romantic heroes. But Wise did an excellent job in revealing how Guy’s insecurities regarding his lack of funds led him to lose Annabel to Julian. And he also conveyed how in the throes of love, Guy could be a slightly selfish man with no thought to how his "friendship" with Annabel might affect her social standing. Thanks to Wise’s performance, his Guy Thwaite proved to be equally complex.

We finally come to our five leads in the story – the four American heiresses and Annabel St. George’s English governess, Laura Testvalley. I have noticed that whenever someone brings up Cheri Lunghi, he or she inevitable brings up her role in "THE BUCCANEERS", the Anglo-Italian governess Miss Testvalley. I certainly cannot blame them. Lunghi proved to be the glue that held the story together, skillfully serving as its eyes and narrator at the beginning of each episode. Rya Kihlstedt gave a charming and solid performance as the blunt and level-headed Lizzy Elmsworth, who seemed more impressed by Hector Robinson’s ambitions than any aristocrat. She and Richard Huw managed to create a very credible screen presence. Alison Elliott’s Virginia St. George proved to be one of the most complicated characters in the story. Thanks to the actress’ excellent performance, she conveyed Virginia’s haughtiness and obsession with being connected to an aristocratic family; and at the same time, garnered sympathy by expressing the character’s love for her husband and disappointment upon discovering that he had only married her for money. And less than a year before she won her Academy Award, Mira Sorvino proved just how first-rate she could be as an actress in her portrayal of the Brazilian-born Conchita Closson. Her Conchita was a delicious and complicated minx torn by her desire for the luxurious and glamorous lifestyle of the British aristocracy and her contempt for what she deemed as their cold personalities. If Cheri Lunghi’s Laura Testvalley was the story’s eyes and narrator, Carla Gugino’s Annabel St. George aka the Duchess of Trevenick proved to be the heart and soul of "THE BUCCANEERS". Thanks to Gugino’s superb performance, the actress literally transformed Nan from the childish and naïve sixteen year-old girl, to the bewildered nineteen year-old bride and finally to the weary twenty-one year-old wife, disappointed by a failed marriage and in love with another man. There are times that I wondered if any other actress could have accomplished what she did. It seemed a pity that none of the major television and critics awards organizations never acknowledged her performance with a nomination.

Many critics have heaped a great deal of scorn upon Maggie Wadey’s adaptation of Wharton’s novel. Frankly, I believe this scorn was undeserved. I may not have been that impressed by her other works, but I honestly believe that "THE BUCCANEERS" was her masterpiece by far. Many accused her of failing to adapt Wharton’s "spirit" or "style" by including marital rape and homosexuality into the story. Since both topics where added without any tasteless sensationalism, I had no problems with these additions. And Wadey also made sure to give the story’s happy ending something of a bittersweet edge. Despite leaving Julian for the man she loved, Guy Thwaite, Annabel found herself ostracized by society and especially by her sister Virginia – as was proven at the Marquess of Brightlingsea’s funeral. Annabel and Guy’s elopement also left the latter disinherited by his father, Sir Helmsley. And her assistance in the elopement left Laura Testvalley rejected by Sir Helmsley and unemployed. So much for the "happy ending". Because the story revolved around four American heiresses marrying into the British upper-classes, "THE BUCCANEERS" also proved to be an interesting study in culture clash between two Western nations in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. But in all of the articles I have read about the miniseries, I find it surprising that no one has bothered to noticed that the topic of the continuing decline of the British aristocracy was also mentioned . . . more than once. It almost became a secondary theme. The Brightlingseas’ interest in the St. George family certainly seemed an indication that they were more willing to marry money – regardless from where it came – rather than find a way to earn it. This seemed like a far cry from Guy Thwaite, who preferred to create his own wealth with two years in South America, rather than marry it. And the character of the Marquess of Brightlingsea literally became a symbol of the aristocracy’s decline in scenes like a heated conversation between him and Hector Robinson; and a speech by Guy Thwaite to the House of Commons during a montage that featured of his death.

Now that I think about it, why should I care what others feel about "THE BUCCANEERS"? Every time I watch it, I always fall in love with the miniseries over and over again. Maggie Wadey wrote an excellent adaptation of Wharton’s novel – probably her best work or masterpiece, as far as I am concerned. Led by the likes of Carla Gugino, Cheri Lunghi, Greg Wise and James Frain, the cast proved to be first-rate. And Philip Saville did justice to both the cast and Wadey’s screenplay in his direction of the miniseries.

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the-paintrist · 7 months

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Thomas Hudson - Portrait of Admiral Sir Peter Warren - 1748-52

Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Warren, KB (10 March 1703 – 29 July 1752) was an Anglo-Irish naval officer and politician who sat in the British House of Commons representing the constituency of Westminster from 1747 to 1752. Warren is best known for his career in the Royal Navy, which he served in for thirty-six years and participated in numerous naval engagements, including most notably the capture of the French fortress of Louisbourg in 1745.

Born in Ireland c. 1703 to an Irish Catholic family, Warren's parents raised him as a Protestant in order to allow him to pursue a career at sea. In 1716, Warren enlisted in the Royal Navy, largely spending the next decade serving off the West African coast or in the Caribbean, participating in anti-piracy operations and confrontations with Spanish coast guard vessels. Eleven years later in 1727, Warren was promoted to the rank of post-captain.

From 1728 to 1745, Warren served almost continuously in the Americas. He commanded the Solebay off New York, where he married Susannah Delancey in 1731; they had six children together. During the War of Jenkins' Ear, he participated in failed attacks on St. Augustine and Cartagena. In 1745, Warren joined an expeditionary force to attack the fortress of Louisbourg, leading a blockade which led to the garrison capitulating on 28 June.

Warren participated in the First Battle of Cape Finisterre in May 1747, being made a Knight Companion, before returning to England to pursue a political career. He was elected to Parliament in the 1747 general election, attending several parliamentary committees in addition to opposing a clause in the 1749 Consolidation Act. Warren died in Dublin on 29 July 1752. The towns of Warren, Rhode Island and Warren, New Hampshire were named for him.

Thomas Hudson (1701 – 1779) was an English painter, almost exclusively of portraits.

#thomas hudson #uk #portrait

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a-queer-seminarian · 2 years

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“We do not mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth”

[ID: logo of the EFF, Economic Freedom Fighters, which shows the continent of Africa overlaid with a fist holding a spear pointing downward, a rig on the wrist and a yellow star above the fist. / end ID]

The EFF’s Statement, posted on their Twitter on September 8, 2022, reads:

“The Economic Freedom Fighters notes the death of Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, the Queen of the United Kingdom, and the ceremonial head of state of several countries that were colonized by the United Kingdom. Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1952, reigning for 70 years as a head of an institution built up, sustained, and living off a brutal legacy of dehumanization of millions of people across the world.

We do not mourn the death of Elizabeth, because to us her death is a reminder of a very tragic period in this country and Africa's history. Britain, under the leadership of the royal family, took over control of this territory that would become South Africa in 1795 from Batavian control, and took permanent control of the territory in 1806. From that moment onwards, native people of this land have never known peace, nor have they ever enjoyed the fruits of the riches of this land, riches which were and still are utilized for the enrichment of the British royal family and those who look like them.

From 1811 when Sir John Cradock declared war against amaXhosa in the Zuurveld in what is now known as the Eastern Cape up until 1906 when the British crushed the Bambatha rebellion, our interaction with Britain under the leadership of the British royal family has been one of pain and suffering, of death and dispossession, and of dehumanization of African people. We remember how Nxele died in the aftermath of the fifth frontier war, how King Hintsa was killed like a dog on the 11th of May 1835 during the sixth frontier war, and had his body mutilated, and his head taken to Britain as a trophy.

It was also the British royal family that sanctioned the actions of Cecil John Rhodes, who plundered this country, Zimbabwe and Zambia. It was the British royal family that benefited from the brutal mutilation of people of Kenya whose valiant resistance to British colonialism invited vile responses from Britain. In Kenya, Britain built concentration camps and suppressed with such inhumane brutality the Mau Mau rebellion, killing Dedan Kimathi on the 18th of February 1957, while Elizabeth was already Queen.

This family plundered India via the East India Company, it took over control and oppressed the people of the Caribbean Islands. Their thirst for riches led to the famine that caused millions of people to die in Bengal, and their racism led to the genocide of aboriginal people in Australia.

Elizabeth Windsor, during her lifetime, never acknowledged these crimes that Britain and her family in particular perpetrated across the world. In fact, she was a proud flag bearer of these atrocities during her reign. When the people of Yemen rose to protest against British colonialism in 1963, Elizabeth ordered a brutal suppression of that uprising.

During her 70-year reign as Queen, she never once acknowledge the atrocities that her family inflicted on native people that Britain invaded across the world. She willingly benefited from the wealth that was attained from the exploitation and murder of millions of people across the world. The British Royal family stands on the shoulders of millions of slaves who were shipped away from the continent to serve the interests of racist white capital accumulation, at the center of which lies the British royal family.

If there is really life and justice after death, may Elizabeth and her ancestors get what they deserve.”

#colonialism #british royal family #imperialism #history #economic freedom fighters

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