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2023.05.11 12:41 Acceptable_Egg5560 The Nature of a Giant [43]
Many praises to u/SpacePaladin15 for this universe.
Credit again to u/TheManwithaNoPlan for helping edit! And also u/cruisingNW for their suggestions and proofreading as well!
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Memory transcript: Tarlim, Venbig. Date: [Standardized human time] September 14th, 2136
When my alarm flew up, my leg still ached despite the rest. Brahk. Just another reason for me to be holed up in my apartment. Like anyone would let me outside. Just screams, running, calling me a monster. Why should I even-
Stop. Paly would be disappointed.
Pulling myself into a seated position, I hung my head as I sat. C’mon. Get up. You can do it… my body declined to respond. Not even to reach for my braces. I felt myself slowly falling back to the mattress. Who cares? Why should I-
Jacob. Sharnet. They do.
I forced my paw out to clench the fabric and metal of my braces. Rigidly, I slipped them over my joints and let them tighten. I felt myself just staring at them again. Why should I get up? Why? What argument do you have now, brain?
Because your parents didn’t get you out of one prison just so you would stay in another.
Is that the best you can do? I’m in one anyway! Those Exterminators are going to keep watching, just waiting until they have an excuse!
Then they don’t deserve the satisfaction of the excuse being so easy. Brahk the herd. Brahk your past.
Brahk. Them.
I threw my weight forward, pulling myself up so I stood on my feet. I was out of my bed, and I would not be getting back in. Still, my mood wasn’t anything close to energetic. I robotically set myself into my waking routine. Required meds, self-grooming, food and soda, and for extra excitement, using the bathroom.
Soon, I found myself sitting on my couch, staring at my datapad on its charger. I felt my mind wandering, not to the incidents. Something else.
I had a job. Do I still have a job?
I was lucky to get my job at all. I love working with my paws, so maintaining the equipment of the complex was more than acceptable for me. It wasn’t perfect, though. The other workers hardly ever got close to me. The landlords had been resistant. Even for the jobs best done by multiple people, I tended to be assigned them alone. Then I asked for time off to meet Jacob. It had been approved faster than anyone else I had seen. And I hadn’t been to work since.
I found myself just staring into space again, my mind absent of anything but the general… stupid feeling that everything was Speh. That you could wander and only find Speh. That anything you found that wasn’t Speh would be forced by the endless Speh to become Speh as well.
Knock knock
I flicked my ears up to attention. Someone was at my door. I care. I don’t care. Please let it be him. Make him go away. I- stop it.
Focus.
Breathe.
Calm.
The knocking came again, this time followed by a voice. “Howdy! Hope ah didn’t wake ya!”
I shook my head and straightened my posture to look presentable. “Howdy, Jacob!” I returned the greeting. “The door’s unlocked if you would like to come in.”
The door slid open and Jacob limped inside. I found my ears pressing against my head in a frown as I looked at his ankle brace boot.
Jacob closed the door behind him. “How’s yer leg?” He asked, “not hurting too much?”
I glanced down at the bandaged area just above my braces. The noticeable gap in my wool where it had to have been sheared off. The gel beneath the bandage was doing its job in numbing everything beneath. I would have to reapply and rebandage later, but that’s a later thing.
“It’s better,” I tell him, “but what about you?”
“Ah’m doing pretty good.” He walked over to the couch and sat next to me. “Ah must say, it’s pretty nice to still be able to walk after that sprain. Gotta keep the higher gravity in mind.” He swung his braced ankle to rest on my small table. “Glad the doctors were able to fix it so fast.”
“Fast?” I bark out the word. “They tried to kick us out as soon as we walked in!”
Jacob pulled off his visor and set it on the table as well with a sigh. “Ah know, ah just-”
“Don’t!” I huffed, “you shouldn’t have to ‘just’ anything! They rejected us! Doctors!” I tugged my ears down in frustration. “And they tried to call the exterminators on us! Again! Brahk!”
“We were able to get it handled,” he said in a tone attempting to be assuring. “Hey, we had the UN! They got it all cleared. And we can always contact Rolem if anything happens again. We got allies!”
“Right,” I huffed, flicking my ears skeptically, “so we gotta force people to stop being puddles of Speh. And the instant that force is missing, they scream, cry, and cast us out.”
I see Jacob open his mouth to say something, but his expression falls and he lets out a sigh. He reaches out and places his hand on my arm. No words. What can be said? That everything will be fine? The last several years of my life are a good counter. I slouch until my head is just above my knees. “I appreciate all you’ve done,” I say, “I do. It’s just…” I sigh. “Everything that’s not you.”
I felt his hand move to scratch behind my ears. It felt good. Still, as comforting as it was, it did little to lift my mood.
We just sat in silence for maybe a minute before Jacob stood. “Ah-ight.” He limped over to my fridge. “Nutin fer it.” He opened the fridge and grabbed two cans of Sprunk soda. Before I could ask what he was doing, he handed me one of the cans. “We’re going to have a proper shit shoot.”
I cocked my head in confusion. Jacob just gave his closed mouth smile and cracked open the can. “Tell me,” he took a sip from his can, “what have you gone through?”
I sighed. “I’m sure you’ve already figured that out.”
“I saw the pictures,” he acknowledged, “them fellas thought you were a monster, convinced everyone that you were, and it took a dang lawsuit to get your life to somewhat normal.” He gave his head a sad shake. “But that ain’t what I’m asking. Ah just want to hear it from you. Let ya have someone who can lend you an ear fer ya story. And only if ya want ta talk. So… do ya?”
Silence hung between us as I processed his words. He deserves to know, doesn’t he? I told Sharnet. And that was nice. But she hadn’t been shot. She hadn’t been watched by people waiting for the opportunity to kill. It felt like my complaining about my problems to Jacob would be like saying his problems weren’t as important. But isn’t he asking? Would it be worse to deny him this?
I huffed, taking a few more breaths before coming to a decision. “Alright, but only so long as you want to.” I closed my eyes for a moment before I started in the only place I could think to start. “You already know I was in that facility for rotations, and you already know those are some of the worst days in my life. But…when I was there, I met some people. Other patients that didn’t go by what the staff said. Those people, that small little herd I had, were the only thing that kept me sane in there.”
I looked over to Jacob to see if I should continue. He was looking right at me, his eyes wide in supportive attention. Emboldened, I continued. “During my time, I was isolated heavily. Most people naturally stayed away from me due to my size, and most of those that tried to get close were found ‘exhibiting predatory behavior’ very soon after. But those five were premiere examples of success. There wasn’t a violent bone in any of them, and their only possible infraction was socializing with me. Even in the twisted minds of the orderlies, that wasn’t enough to toggle their shock collars.” I fell silent for a second. “Only mine.”
Jacob’s posture drew into itself at that remark. To think that anyone could still view humans as emotionless monsters. “I can still remember their names and faces,” I reminisced, thinking back to one of my happiest memories in the facility. Us, sitting around a table, talking and laughing. The pain of my latest shock fading into discomfort. A glimpse of twilight in the deepest cold. “Vopel, a timid Venlil with tan fur. He couldn’t talk very well, but his bright eyes lit up the room. Berlam, that Venlil had some constant twitch so he was always tapping on something, but he could turn those taps into pleasant tunes with barely any effort.”
I paused for a moment, trying to muster the fortitude to continue. “Vulie, a wonderful Zurulian woman. She always knew what to say to make you feel better. Metol, a short Venlil with ice-white fur and floppy ears. He always made the best jokes, even the guards would sometimes laugh along. And… Peilat.” I blinked a couple of times, moistness starting to build in my eyes. “Peilat was the one who ended up saving my life.”
Jacob tilted his head slightly. “Whad’dya mean by that?”
“She’s the one who pointed me towards Paly, before she was…” I choked back some mucus. “Before she was dragged away like the rest of them.”
That got Jacob’s attention, his posture straightening. “Dragged away?”
I have a slight nod of my head to make it easier for Jacob to pick up on my body language. “One by one, all of them were relocated to other schedules or subjected to more ‘intensive treatment.’ Once they were gone, I… I never saw them again. Not anywhere.” The moisture in my eyes threatened to escape onto my facial fur. “People who kept near me, who wanted to be the herd that place claimed to encourage, and they were taken away. Punished. That’s when I knew for certain that this wasn’t a correctional facility, no matter what it called itself. It was torture; nothing more, nothing less.”
Jacob was still as he listened to my testimony. I couldn’t quite tell what emotion I saw in his eyes. Pain? Anger? Sympathy? Disgust? After a moment to calm myself, I turned to face him. “Are you…okay? I know that was a lot to drop on you.”
I heard him take a deep breath and drink the rest of his soda. He then glares at the empty can like it had insulted his mother. “Yeah, Sprunk ain’t gonna be enough fer this. This calls fer sum’in strong.”
I realized what he’s asking and quickly got up. “Oh, I have a bottle of 95-proof in the cupboard if you need a drink.” Only after speaking did I realize just how weak human alcohol tolerance was compared to Venlil. “I can…dilute it with something, if that’d help.”
“Nah, that translated,” Jacob walked over to the cupboard and opened it up, pulling out the Twilight Plum brandy those farmers had given me. It was only a few paws ago, but it feels like rotations. “That’s close to 45% alcohol. That’s within our tolerance.”
I sighed in relief. “Good.” Jacob poured himself a glass of the dark liquid, and I decided to help ease the pain a bit myself.
“Hey, do you think you could pour me a glass, too? If I keep going, I’m going to need it.” Jacob nodded his head, already pouring my glass much higher than his. I’ll probably need the whole bottle.
Jacob came back to my couch, and handed me my glass, before raising his, “To old friends, and new memories we wished them in.” He took a long drink of his brandy, scrunching his face as he lowered his glass and sat with me, “Whoo-ah! Tasty. Ok, Tarlim, ah have questions for you, but ah won’t ask ‘em yet. Fer now, ah just want to listen. So… what did they do to ya?”
And I told him my story. I told him everything, from when I was first brought in for screening, against my parent’s wishes, to my attempt to hold my fellow victims above the ‘herd encouragement area’. Jacob was quiet through my story, encouraging me through my panic and anger multiple times. Several times he seemed to stretch his hands, as if grasping for something not there.
When my words stopped and my heart hammered in my chest, he was there to wait with me, and help me see the other side. He asked me the same question, ‘what happened next’, every time pulling more and more from me, like a net catching rotten leaves in the Flow.
“A-And we were finally done!” I nearly broke down again, before pushing forward, ever forward, “Freedom, life, being out of that Nightmare! But-” I gulped another wad of gunk that threatened to drown me faster than the weight in my chest, “but mom… All the fighting, all the stubbornness, all of the Cruelty! She couldn’t take it. Not more than 10(?) paws after I was released, she died. I found her in her bed, like… like she just stopped.” Jacob’s hand found my shoulder, and kneaded the wool there, his red eyes never leaving mine. “A-And I was alone. Really alone. Even when I was in the facility, I knew my mom was fighting for me, every moment. But even that was lost.”
Jacob shifted from his seat, set his long-since emptied glass on the table in front of us beside the similarly empty bottle. Without a word, he stood on his knees and wrapped his arms around my wide chest, holding me like he was desperately trying to keep the memories of my mother from spilling out through the cracks of my broken heart. Maybe it worked, because all that spilled were the tears that seemed to have never fully stopped ever since.
He held me to keep me together, and I held him, part of me desperate not to fall apart until I could breathe a full breath again.
“Wu’ haffen neft?” It seemed I had a Texan buried in my fluff. I lifted my arms and allowed him to surface, only slightly gasping.
“Erhrm… you were able to get yer self her, so, how’d it happen?”
I think back on the memory. Despite the down feeling, I can’t help but give my tail a wag. “I had been wandering the streets. Just sleeping wherever I found a spot. I don’t know if it was on purpose, but I found myself near Paly’s fur salon. She… she found me.” I felt my mood lifting just at the thought of her. “She didn’t show any fear at me. Not even once. I didn’t even mention Peilat. She just saw me looking down and took me in.” I lean back in my chair. “I would have died without her support. She helped me take pride in myself. How to care for my wool. Setting me up so I could be myself again and live on my own. It… she is a marvel.”
“Is that when you moved here?” Jacob asked.
“Kinda,” I shrugged. “The landlords were resistant to letting me stay here. It felt like they were stalling me si they didn’t have to directly say they would reject me. But suddenly, within one Paw, one of them contacted me saying I had both an apartment and a job.”
Jacob’s eyebrows shot nearly off of his face, “An apartment, and a job? Someone was lookin out for you.”
“I thought so. I had to teach myself,” I continued, “had to learn fast, because the initial maintenance I had to do was the ‘Speh jobs’ that others didn’t want to do.”
Jacob nodded his head knowingly, “Septic cleaning, insulation install, paint removal… yep. Same across the universe.”
I gave a slightly tipsy whistle of a laugh. “But I showed them! I did those jobs, And I did them well. Brahking well! And best of all: I loved it!” I held out my paws and gazed at them. “Working let my mind calm. I could do things that improved other things. And the people… some began thanking me! That my work on my own had been better than the usual maintenance herd!” I sighed in contentment, then lowered my ears against my head in a frown. “Then the landlords tried to claim I only qualified for reduced rent instead of the actual pay I was owed.”
Jacob leaned back in surprise, his face cracked in a devious grin. “They really tried that shit?! Spill it, I gotta know how this ends.” His voice faded as he stood from his chair and swung open my cooler.
“The new Sprunk’s on the third shelf, in the back!” I say automatically before continuing. “They were looking for any excuse to kick me out. Since they couldn’t find fault in my work, they were going with non-payment of rent.” I cracked open the can and swayed my tail in a smirk. “I called my Lawyer over that. Just took a strong letter before I was paid.”
“Serves em right,” Jacob snorts, “glad you were able to keep that job!”
I fall silent and feel my ears fall against my head again. “I’m not sure I have.”
Jacob’s voice lost its humor, taking on a softer, lighter tone, “Oh, buddy I’m sorry. We have been out of town for a while. You get your pinkslip already?”
My translator said that was an official paper saying you are fired. “No I haven’t. At least I don’t think I have. I really shouldn’t be, with everything that’s happened;, but I don’t know if that would stop them. It would just be another thing and I’m afraid to check.”
Jacob scratches his furred chin for a moment in thought. “Well…would me bein’ here help any? At least you won’t be alone if the worst comes to pass.”
“Unfortunately, it wouldn’t.” I let go of a long held breath. “The landlord would see you with me as a threat against him and honestly I would only have to see if my login still works.” I stare at my pad with one eye. “But I…”
I feel Jacob’s hand on my arm. It’s a small gesture, but enough. I slowly reached out to grab my pad, and I cautiously opened my work app. The login screen appears. Placing my paw upon it, I wait hesitantly as it loads.
One second. Five seconds… eight-
The screen changes! Welcome back employee!
I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. I feel Jacob pat my arm with a comforting Thwump though my wool. Grinning broadly he declared with triumphant confidence. “They ain’t gonna keep ya down!”
My ears were high and my eyes were wide. I was going to work again! I was going to build and fix again! I excitedly stood from my couch and started to reach for my shoulder pack.
“You heading somewhere?” Jacob asked.
“Work!” I excitedly called back to the sitting room. “I know it seems weird but I- it just… I need to… Do” I flail mentally at the words. “ I need to do things with my paws! Something to benefit others. Being around you is great. Talking is great, but I need to… i just…”
“Nah nah man, i get it.” Jacob stood from the couch and gathered our empty glasses and bottle, “Believe me I do. Never leave a human bored, and I can imagine you're not too different. Speaking of… before ya head out, can ah ask ya a question?”
I twitch my ears in approval. “Ask away.”
“Do you know what happened to them? Those five?”
My ears fell as I remembered, “I… I don’t know. The Facility Heads, the Overseers, they tossed out all the patients to cover them fleeing. Several… several patients just disappeared.” I give a long sigh. “They could have even died while still in the Facility. The records were not all recovered, so they just… vanished.”
Jacob stood straight and sure, with that same wry grin on his face. “Well unlike you, I am without work. But I do have a computer, a friend in need, and a lot of time. And like the saying goes, ‘Idle hands are the Devil’s plaything.” He let out a chuckle. “Ah hope mah devil can be of some use!”
I sway my ears and tail in appreciation. “Thank you.” I gesture to his ankle. “Don’t put too much weight on that thing while I’m gone!”
“Same fer yer leg!” He calls as I crouch through the door. “See ya!”
I reply in turn and begin striding down the stairs towards the main complex office. I feel myself moving with a speed I hadn’t felt in a while. I was even more eager to do this than I had consciously expected! I didn’t even have to glance at the Gojid trying to keep up and follow me.
I arrived at the Complex office in no time! Didn’t even get a chime from my heart monitor! Must have kept myself in a good pace. I just ducked through the door-
“What in the name of the Herd are you doing here?”
Aaaand met one of my landlords immediately. Darula stood in front of the reception desk, her black and white fur looking to have been styled into a rather over dramatic fashion. I did my best to signal a polite greeting despite my hunched over pose.
“Hello, landlord Darula. I’m here to check in for an assignment. I know I’m here before the end of my time off request, but circumstances have let me cut it short, so I’m here and ready to work again!” There was a certain pep in my voice that I was sorely lacking as of late.
The smaller Venlil gave a dismissive huff. “Work? I don’t think so. It’s because of you and that Human that our cooperative agreement fell apart! Regardless, you were fired paws ago, whatever made you think otherwise?”
… BRAHKING SPLESHING RAAAAGH!!!
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submitted by Acceptable_Egg5560 to NatureofPredators [link] [comments]
Credit again to u/TheManwithaNoPlan for helping edit! And also u/cruisingNW for their suggestions and proofreading as well!
[First]-[Prev]-[Next]
Memory transcript: Tarlim, Venbig. Date: [Standardized human time] September 14th, 2136
When my alarm flew up, my leg still ached despite the rest. Brahk. Just another reason for me to be holed up in my apartment. Like anyone would let me outside. Just screams, running, calling me a monster. Why should I even-
Stop. Paly would be disappointed.
Pulling myself into a seated position, I hung my head as I sat. C’mon. Get up. You can do it… my body declined to respond. Not even to reach for my braces. I felt myself slowly falling back to the mattress. Who cares? Why should I-
Jacob. Sharnet. They do.
I forced my paw out to clench the fabric and metal of my braces. Rigidly, I slipped them over my joints and let them tighten. I felt myself just staring at them again. Why should I get up? Why? What argument do you have now, brain?
Because your parents didn’t get you out of one prison just so you would stay in another.
Is that the best you can do? I’m in one anyway! Those Exterminators are going to keep watching, just waiting until they have an excuse!
Then they don’t deserve the satisfaction of the excuse being so easy. Brahk the herd. Brahk your past.
Brahk. Them.
I threw my weight forward, pulling myself up so I stood on my feet. I was out of my bed, and I would not be getting back in. Still, my mood wasn’t anything close to energetic. I robotically set myself into my waking routine. Required meds, self-grooming, food and soda, and for extra excitement, using the bathroom.
Soon, I found myself sitting on my couch, staring at my datapad on its charger. I felt my mind wandering, not to the incidents. Something else.
I had a job. Do I still have a job?
I was lucky to get my job at all. I love working with my paws, so maintaining the equipment of the complex was more than acceptable for me. It wasn’t perfect, though. The other workers hardly ever got close to me. The landlords had been resistant. Even for the jobs best done by multiple people, I tended to be assigned them alone. Then I asked for time off to meet Jacob. It had been approved faster than anyone else I had seen. And I hadn’t been to work since.
I found myself just staring into space again, my mind absent of anything but the general… stupid feeling that everything was Speh. That you could wander and only find Speh. That anything you found that wasn’t Speh would be forced by the endless Speh to become Speh as well.
Knock knock
I flicked my ears up to attention. Someone was at my door. I care. I don’t care. Please let it be him. Make him go away. I- stop it.
Focus.
Breathe.
Calm.
The knocking came again, this time followed by a voice. “Howdy! Hope ah didn’t wake ya!”
I shook my head and straightened my posture to look presentable. “Howdy, Jacob!” I returned the greeting. “The door’s unlocked if you would like to come in.”
The door slid open and Jacob limped inside. I found my ears pressing against my head in a frown as I looked at his ankle brace boot.
Jacob closed the door behind him. “How’s yer leg?” He asked, “not hurting too much?”
I glanced down at the bandaged area just above my braces. The noticeable gap in my wool where it had to have been sheared off. The gel beneath the bandage was doing its job in numbing everything beneath. I would have to reapply and rebandage later, but that’s a later thing.
“It’s better,” I tell him, “but what about you?”
“Ah’m doing pretty good.” He walked over to the couch and sat next to me. “Ah must say, it’s pretty nice to still be able to walk after that sprain. Gotta keep the higher gravity in mind.” He swung his braced ankle to rest on my small table. “Glad the doctors were able to fix it so fast.”
“Fast?” I bark out the word. “They tried to kick us out as soon as we walked in!”
Jacob pulled off his visor and set it on the table as well with a sigh. “Ah know, ah just-”
“Don’t!” I huffed, “you shouldn’t have to ‘just’ anything! They rejected us! Doctors!” I tugged my ears down in frustration. “And they tried to call the exterminators on us! Again! Brahk!”
“We were able to get it handled,” he said in a tone attempting to be assuring. “Hey, we had the UN! They got it all cleared. And we can always contact Rolem if anything happens again. We got allies!”
“Right,” I huffed, flicking my ears skeptically, “so we gotta force people to stop being puddles of Speh. And the instant that force is missing, they scream, cry, and cast us out.”
I see Jacob open his mouth to say something, but his expression falls and he lets out a sigh. He reaches out and places his hand on my arm. No words. What can be said? That everything will be fine? The last several years of my life are a good counter. I slouch until my head is just above my knees. “I appreciate all you’ve done,” I say, “I do. It’s just…” I sigh. “Everything that’s not you.”
I felt his hand move to scratch behind my ears. It felt good. Still, as comforting as it was, it did little to lift my mood.
We just sat in silence for maybe a minute before Jacob stood. “Ah-ight.” He limped over to my fridge. “Nutin fer it.” He opened the fridge and grabbed two cans of Sprunk soda. Before I could ask what he was doing, he handed me one of the cans. “We’re going to have a proper shit shoot.”
I cocked my head in confusion. Jacob just gave his closed mouth smile and cracked open the can. “Tell me,” he took a sip from his can, “what have you gone through?”
I sighed. “I’m sure you’ve already figured that out.”
“I saw the pictures,” he acknowledged, “them fellas thought you were a monster, convinced everyone that you were, and it took a dang lawsuit to get your life to somewhat normal.” He gave his head a sad shake. “But that ain’t what I’m asking. Ah just want to hear it from you. Let ya have someone who can lend you an ear fer ya story. And only if ya want ta talk. So… do ya?”
Silence hung between us as I processed his words. He deserves to know, doesn’t he? I told Sharnet. And that was nice. But she hadn’t been shot. She hadn’t been watched by people waiting for the opportunity to kill. It felt like my complaining about my problems to Jacob would be like saying his problems weren’t as important. But isn’t he asking? Would it be worse to deny him this?
I huffed, taking a few more breaths before coming to a decision. “Alright, but only so long as you want to.” I closed my eyes for a moment before I started in the only place I could think to start. “You already know I was in that facility for rotations, and you already know those are some of the worst days in my life. But…when I was there, I met some people. Other patients that didn’t go by what the staff said. Those people, that small little herd I had, were the only thing that kept me sane in there.”
I looked over to Jacob to see if I should continue. He was looking right at me, his eyes wide in supportive attention. Emboldened, I continued. “During my time, I was isolated heavily. Most people naturally stayed away from me due to my size, and most of those that tried to get close were found ‘exhibiting predatory behavior’ very soon after. But those five were premiere examples of success. There wasn’t a violent bone in any of them, and their only possible infraction was socializing with me. Even in the twisted minds of the orderlies, that wasn’t enough to toggle their shock collars.” I fell silent for a second. “Only mine.”
Jacob’s posture drew into itself at that remark. To think that anyone could still view humans as emotionless monsters. “I can still remember their names and faces,” I reminisced, thinking back to one of my happiest memories in the facility. Us, sitting around a table, talking and laughing. The pain of my latest shock fading into discomfort. A glimpse of twilight in the deepest cold. “Vopel, a timid Venlil with tan fur. He couldn’t talk very well, but his bright eyes lit up the room. Berlam, that Venlil had some constant twitch so he was always tapping on something, but he could turn those taps into pleasant tunes with barely any effort.”
I paused for a moment, trying to muster the fortitude to continue. “Vulie, a wonderful Zurulian woman. She always knew what to say to make you feel better. Metol, a short Venlil with ice-white fur and floppy ears. He always made the best jokes, even the guards would sometimes laugh along. And… Peilat.” I blinked a couple of times, moistness starting to build in my eyes. “Peilat was the one who ended up saving my life.”
Jacob tilted his head slightly. “Whad’dya mean by that?”
“She’s the one who pointed me towards Paly, before she was…” I choked back some mucus. “Before she was dragged away like the rest of them.”
That got Jacob’s attention, his posture straightening. “Dragged away?”
I have a slight nod of my head to make it easier for Jacob to pick up on my body language. “One by one, all of them were relocated to other schedules or subjected to more ‘intensive treatment.’ Once they were gone, I… I never saw them again. Not anywhere.” The moisture in my eyes threatened to escape onto my facial fur. “People who kept near me, who wanted to be the herd that place claimed to encourage, and they were taken away. Punished. That’s when I knew for certain that this wasn’t a correctional facility, no matter what it called itself. It was torture; nothing more, nothing less.”
Jacob was still as he listened to my testimony. I couldn’t quite tell what emotion I saw in his eyes. Pain? Anger? Sympathy? Disgust? After a moment to calm myself, I turned to face him. “Are you…okay? I know that was a lot to drop on you.”
I heard him take a deep breath and drink the rest of his soda. He then glares at the empty can like it had insulted his mother. “Yeah, Sprunk ain’t gonna be enough fer this. This calls fer sum’in strong.”
I realized what he’s asking and quickly got up. “Oh, I have a bottle of 95-proof in the cupboard if you need a drink.” Only after speaking did I realize just how weak human alcohol tolerance was compared to Venlil. “I can…dilute it with something, if that’d help.”
“Nah, that translated,” Jacob walked over to the cupboard and opened it up, pulling out the Twilight Plum brandy those farmers had given me. It was only a few paws ago, but it feels like rotations. “That’s close to 45% alcohol. That’s within our tolerance.”
I sighed in relief. “Good.” Jacob poured himself a glass of the dark liquid, and I decided to help ease the pain a bit myself.
“Hey, do you think you could pour me a glass, too? If I keep going, I’m going to need it.” Jacob nodded his head, already pouring my glass much higher than his. I’ll probably need the whole bottle.
Jacob came back to my couch, and handed me my glass, before raising his, “To old friends, and new memories we wished them in.” He took a long drink of his brandy, scrunching his face as he lowered his glass and sat with me, “Whoo-ah! Tasty. Ok, Tarlim, ah have questions for you, but ah won’t ask ‘em yet. Fer now, ah just want to listen. So… what did they do to ya?”
And I told him my story. I told him everything, from when I was first brought in for screening, against my parent’s wishes, to my attempt to hold my fellow victims above the ‘herd encouragement area’. Jacob was quiet through my story, encouraging me through my panic and anger multiple times. Several times he seemed to stretch his hands, as if grasping for something not there.
When my words stopped and my heart hammered in my chest, he was there to wait with me, and help me see the other side. He asked me the same question, ‘what happened next’, every time pulling more and more from me, like a net catching rotten leaves in the Flow.
“A-And we were finally done!” I nearly broke down again, before pushing forward, ever forward, “Freedom, life, being out of that Nightmare! But-” I gulped another wad of gunk that threatened to drown me faster than the weight in my chest, “but mom… All the fighting, all the stubbornness, all of the Cruelty! She couldn’t take it. Not more than 10(?) paws after I was released, she died. I found her in her bed, like… like she just stopped.” Jacob’s hand found my shoulder, and kneaded the wool there, his red eyes never leaving mine. “A-And I was alone. Really alone. Even when I was in the facility, I knew my mom was fighting for me, every moment. But even that was lost.”
Jacob shifted from his seat, set his long-since emptied glass on the table in front of us beside the similarly empty bottle. Without a word, he stood on his knees and wrapped his arms around my wide chest, holding me like he was desperately trying to keep the memories of my mother from spilling out through the cracks of my broken heart. Maybe it worked, because all that spilled were the tears that seemed to have never fully stopped ever since.
He held me to keep me together, and I held him, part of me desperate not to fall apart until I could breathe a full breath again.
“Wu’ haffen neft?” It seemed I had a Texan buried in my fluff. I lifted my arms and allowed him to surface, only slightly gasping.
“Erhrm… you were able to get yer self her, so, how’d it happen?”
I think back on the memory. Despite the down feeling, I can’t help but give my tail a wag. “I had been wandering the streets. Just sleeping wherever I found a spot. I don’t know if it was on purpose, but I found myself near Paly’s fur salon. She… she found me.” I felt my mood lifting just at the thought of her. “She didn’t show any fear at me. Not even once. I didn’t even mention Peilat. She just saw me looking down and took me in.” I lean back in my chair. “I would have died without her support. She helped me take pride in myself. How to care for my wool. Setting me up so I could be myself again and live on my own. It… she is a marvel.”
“Is that when you moved here?” Jacob asked.
“Kinda,” I shrugged. “The landlords were resistant to letting me stay here. It felt like they were stalling me si they didn’t have to directly say they would reject me. But suddenly, within one Paw, one of them contacted me saying I had both an apartment and a job.”
Jacob’s eyebrows shot nearly off of his face, “An apartment, and a job? Someone was lookin out for you.”
“I thought so. I had to teach myself,” I continued, “had to learn fast, because the initial maintenance I had to do was the ‘Speh jobs’ that others didn’t want to do.”
Jacob nodded his head knowingly, “Septic cleaning, insulation install, paint removal… yep. Same across the universe.”
I gave a slightly tipsy whistle of a laugh. “But I showed them! I did those jobs, And I did them well. Brahking well! And best of all: I loved it!” I held out my paws and gazed at them. “Working let my mind calm. I could do things that improved other things. And the people… some began thanking me! That my work on my own had been better than the usual maintenance herd!” I sighed in contentment, then lowered my ears against my head in a frown. “Then the landlords tried to claim I only qualified for reduced rent instead of the actual pay I was owed.”
Jacob leaned back in surprise, his face cracked in a devious grin. “They really tried that shit?! Spill it, I gotta know how this ends.” His voice faded as he stood from his chair and swung open my cooler.
“The new Sprunk’s on the third shelf, in the back!” I say automatically before continuing. “They were looking for any excuse to kick me out. Since they couldn’t find fault in my work, they were going with non-payment of rent.” I cracked open the can and swayed my tail in a smirk. “I called my Lawyer over that. Just took a strong letter before I was paid.”
“Serves em right,” Jacob snorts, “glad you were able to keep that job!”
I fall silent and feel my ears fall against my head again. “I’m not sure I have.”
Jacob’s voice lost its humor, taking on a softer, lighter tone, “Oh, buddy I’m sorry. We have been out of town for a while. You get your pinkslip already?”
My translator said that was an official paper saying you are fired. “No I haven’t. At least I don’t think I have. I really shouldn’t be, with everything that’s happened;, but I don’t know if that would stop them. It would just be another thing and I’m afraid to check.”
Jacob scratches his furred chin for a moment in thought. “Well…would me bein’ here help any? At least you won’t be alone if the worst comes to pass.”
“Unfortunately, it wouldn’t.” I let go of a long held breath. “The landlord would see you with me as a threat against him and honestly I would only have to see if my login still works.” I stare at my pad with one eye. “But I…”
I feel Jacob’s hand on my arm. It’s a small gesture, but enough. I slowly reached out to grab my pad, and I cautiously opened my work app. The login screen appears. Placing my paw upon it, I wait hesitantly as it loads.
One second. Five seconds… eight-
The screen changes! Welcome back employee!
I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. I feel Jacob pat my arm with a comforting Thwump though my wool. Grinning broadly he declared with triumphant confidence. “They ain’t gonna keep ya down!”
My ears were high and my eyes were wide. I was going to work again! I was going to build and fix again! I excitedly stood from my couch and started to reach for my shoulder pack.
“You heading somewhere?” Jacob asked.
“Work!” I excitedly called back to the sitting room. “I know it seems weird but I- it just… I need to… Do” I flail mentally at the words. “ I need to do things with my paws! Something to benefit others. Being around you is great. Talking is great, but I need to… i just…”
“Nah nah man, i get it.” Jacob stood from the couch and gathered our empty glasses and bottle, “Believe me I do. Never leave a human bored, and I can imagine you're not too different. Speaking of… before ya head out, can ah ask ya a question?”
I twitch my ears in approval. “Ask away.”
“Do you know what happened to them? Those five?”
My ears fell as I remembered, “I… I don’t know. The Facility Heads, the Overseers, they tossed out all the patients to cover them fleeing. Several… several patients just disappeared.” I give a long sigh. “They could have even died while still in the Facility. The records were not all recovered, so they just… vanished.”
Jacob stood straight and sure, with that same wry grin on his face. “Well unlike you, I am without work. But I do have a computer, a friend in need, and a lot of time. And like the saying goes, ‘Idle hands are the Devil’s plaything.” He let out a chuckle. “Ah hope mah devil can be of some use!”
I sway my ears and tail in appreciation. “Thank you.” I gesture to his ankle. “Don’t put too much weight on that thing while I’m gone!”
“Same fer yer leg!” He calls as I crouch through the door. “See ya!”
I reply in turn and begin striding down the stairs towards the main complex office. I feel myself moving with a speed I hadn’t felt in a while. I was even more eager to do this than I had consciously expected! I didn’t even have to glance at the Gojid trying to keep up and follow me.
I arrived at the Complex office in no time! Didn’t even get a chime from my heart monitor! Must have kept myself in a good pace. I just ducked through the door-
“What in the name of the Herd are you doing here?”
Aaaand met one of my landlords immediately. Darula stood in front of the reception desk, her black and white fur looking to have been styled into a rather over dramatic fashion. I did my best to signal a polite greeting despite my hunched over pose.
“Hello, landlord Darula. I’m here to check in for an assignment. I know I’m here before the end of my time off request, but circumstances have let me cut it short, so I’m here and ready to work again!” There was a certain pep in my voice that I was sorely lacking as of late.
The smaller Venlil gave a dismissive huff. “Work? I don’t think so. It’s because of you and that Human that our cooperative agreement fell apart! Regardless, you were fired paws ago, whatever made you think otherwise?”
… BRAHKING SPLESHING RAAAAGH!!!
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2023.05.10 20:47 keedxx I see you wubby7
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2023.05.05 19:53 VeryUnluckyDice Playing By Ear - Ch8 (NoP Fanfic)
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Memory transcription subject: Kila, Venlil Engineering Student (First Year) White Hill University
Date [standardized human time]: September 4, 2136
Mezil had given me his exchange program login, something that I believed may have been illegal since I never signed the waiver. But, nevertheless, I had access to contact Brad via my own device. Granted, I needed to specify who was speaking first if it was by text. I’d heard that they were working on a galactic comm line to Earth. It couldn’t be finished soon enough. It was a little ridiculous that Human-Venlil contact was only really viable between exchange partners. Probably another effort by the Venlil government to ease the population into the new, radical changes that were taking place. For me, though, I just wanted to be able to use my own comms for Stars’ sake.
Still, I decided I’d try not to bother Brad too much. The Human worked a longer shift than any Venlil would consider reasonable. I didn’t want to siphon up any of his break time with pointless questions. Instead, I was burying myself in my engineering homework. With the end of the term fast approaching, I had plenty to work on. Yet, I found myself a little sidetracked.
Something about Mezil and Brad’s ramblings about music had actually struck a chord with me.
Heh…chord.
The idea that harmony was a numerical construct made sense but was something that I had never truly considered. Why certain tones feel different when put together always seemed like something mystical and otherworldly. But, it really was as simple as a set of ratios. At least, it was at the most basic level. What a composer does with that toolset is what makes the difference.
Coincidentally, the current assignment I was working on revolved around the waveforms of vibrating mechanical structures. The unit outlined the effects the vibration of a machine could have on its parts. The software I was using for the work was able to simulate these frequencies in small controlled cases. It was a good way to test the robustness of parts before manufacturing whole prototypes.
However, instead of doing my work, I found myself trying to use ratios to create certain visual effects of sand on a flat metal sheet. The vibrations were created by an unseen virtual actor that vibrates the air around the sheet. But, I could imagine a few ways that I might be able to generate the effect practically.
If I took my time, I could probably build an instrument from scratch with only school resources. They have just about everything for creating mechanical parts. I could even make myself a new plehr. Or, maybe I could make something for Mezil.
I shook my head.
I really gotta stop getting distracted with music stuff. This assignment is due tonight. I don’t have time to be goofing off.
I cleared my contents from the simulation and started over from the top.
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Memory transcription subject: Brad Silmore, Human Field Hand
Date [standardized human time]: September 4, 2136
The low sun seemed to be taking issue with me as I sat at my desk. Its vibrant rays had found just the right angle to zip through my window and smack me right in the eyes. Just low enough to reach me. Not so low that the dust in the air dimmed its blaze.
In retrospect, I’d kind of lied to Mezil and Kila about my work hours. Theoretically, the time frame I gave them was what was listed in my job description, but farm work always spills over into the evenings especially at this time of year. Regardless, they seemed to be waiting for my input to confirm that I wasn’t at my job. It had been a hell of a Monday, though, and by the time I got home, my messages were met with silence. Seemed they were either busy or asleep.
The exchange program had been all I could think of ever since I signed up. But, now that I was a part of it, I realized that my Venlil partner wouldn’t always be available either. I had to figure out other things to do with my time.
I could just do what I normally do: play video games, wander YouTube, and the like. But, even before first contact, that always felt a little dull. In truth, life had felt pretty stagnant since I went back to the sod farm. Most of my friends from both public school and college had moved away. Admittedly, my life had been pretty lonely and…temporary I supposed. My IT job had seemingly been pulled from under me. I didn't really have anything tying me to where I lived and worked. In the past, I'd been a stickler for security, always trying to find a way to cement myself in a stable position. But, all my efforts had been in vain it seemed. But, looking at the positives, this meant I didn't have any real obligations. It was a good time for finding new opportunities.
The exchange program had been just that. It made me feel more motivated than I’d felt in some time. I wanted to be a part of something big; to undertake some kind of project.
Like Mezil’s assignment.
That was perhaps the most convenient solution I could have asked for. I’d always taken interest in music as a hobby. He'd been so worried about dragging me into his schoolwork but teaching an alien about the wide range of Human songs was something that had me filled with joy.
And, just because Mezil was offline didn’t mean I couldn’t help him with his project. He needed to know about human music in any regard he could. While I wanted to personally handle his introduction to each song, there was nothing stopping me from writing up some notes for him.
It was time to go on a musical history deep-dive. I decided to focus mainly on western theory and notation since that was what I was familiar with. So, I took to the web.
Back to the 9th century we go…
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Memory transcription subject: Mezil, Venlil Music Student (First Year) White Hill University
Date [standardized human time]: September 5, 2136
I'd been hoping for contact from Brad before I went to sleep but the familiar chime from the pad never sounded. Once I awoke, however, I was met with numerous messages.
Numerous lengthy messages.
Since I'd been offline, he'd taken it upon himself to send me a slew of notes about Human musical history. All of which was prefaced by the fact that they only covered the development of ‘western’ music theory which was not exactly standard for every region of Earth.
Stars, can I ever really make any noticeable progress on this? Might as well just fly a Human music professor to Venlil Prime.
I started parsing the notes, reading them carefully and highlighting the points I thought would be most helpful for my report. His notes were detailed but a little disorganized. At first, they seemed to be chronologically sorted, describing the progress of notation by the eras. But, as Brad’s writings went on, it looked more like he went bouncing around the internet at his own leisure, picking up random info that he thought sounded cool.
I didn't necessarily fault him for that. I was guilty of doing the same thing.
Regardless, I'd have to reorganize most of it into an outline before I could start on the report itself. The notes were much appreciated though. Frankly, it was unlikely that we'd be able to make enough headway just by speaking verbally. Our schedules just didn't line up that way.
The most surprising thing about Brad’s information had to do with the sheer breadth of knowledge that existed for their early musical customs. Venlil notation had a lot of mystery surrounding its conception. Written records of early works were hard to come by. Most had to be passed down orally and recorded later, meaning there ended up being lots of variations. Most traditional songs had many versions that were prominent. There were no original copies to be found.
Meanwhile, Humans seemed to have records of the evolution of their notation as a whole. Early works were notated sparingly, relying on common knowledge of particular intervals in songs that had been passed on orally as ours had. But, as time went on they evolved the system to have set pitches, rhythmic values, and the like. Modern notation was simply a distant product of ancient scratchings made to vaguely convey religious hymns. Brad had included a copy of the oldest known complete Human composition called Seikilos Epitaph. I couldn't read the Human notation but a footnote assured me that all the required knowledge would be outlined later on in his study materials.
Why don't the Venlil have this much knowledge about our past musical customs? Actually, why don't any Federation species? Are Humans just an outlier?
I continued parsing Brad’s notes but the question lingered in my mind. It just didn't add up. Certainly written music didn't predate actual Venscript. Why would so much knowledge be lost? And, why did it all seem to be at its most sparse before Federation first contact? I pulled up the web browser on my tab and started searching for early works from other Federation species. Only a handful had any musical records pre-Federation creation/contact: Kolshians, Farsul, and some of the other older Federation members. Oddly enough, the Krakotl were missing from this list.
The Federation did uplift us but we had a functional society before that point. Certainly we would have thought to write down our musical ideas.
I decided to put Brad’s notes on hold and make my way to the university library. They often had more detailed records and firsthand accounts than the internet could provide. If there were any earlier records, I'd have more luck finding them there.
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Memory transcription subject: Professor Haeli, Galactic Music Professor at White Hill University
Date [standardized human time]: September 5, 2136
I strode through the halls with a feeling of accomplishment, finally taking my leave for the paw. Mere moments ago, I’d wrapped up a conversation with my exchange partner. We’d only broken off the chat when she mentioned that she had a performance to attend. I had to be a little impressed with the program, they knew how to best match up their volunteers. The Human paired with me, Grace, was a professional ‘pianist’, a musician that specialized in an instrument called a piano. No doubt the program had chosen the two of us based on our shared musical experience.
The first interaction with my Human partner was relatively tame. All communication was done over text chat. Just as Mezil had suggested, it wasn’t as jarring as one might expect. Though, the inevitable visual contact loomed over my head. That would no doubt be more of a challenge.
Part of me wondered why I decided to undertake something like this. By all means, no one actually expected it of me. All my grandiose ideas of academia and progress need to, at some point, touch with reality. Would reality bend to my assumptions? Maybe the doubters were right and this was some elaborate ploy. Still, I found it hard to believe. My thoughts always landed me back at the same questions. If Humans were playing us, why sacrifice so much in our defense? If predators are inherently selfish, why would even one of their soldiers go so far for their Venlil partners, knowing they may well give their lives for the cause?
I have to trust the governor’s judgment as well as my own. We can’t keep living under the fear of predators.
Grace and I had briefly talked shop about tuning systems and notation, revealing several similarities between the two cultures. As Mezil had mentioned, my partner seemed to suggest that Human music was extremely varied, possibly an indicator to their historical division and breadth of unique cultures.
I certainly had my work cut out for me.
I considered my two students that had decided to attempt the assignment. Mezil had suddenly turned into quite the go-getter despite his earlier struggles. Pretty much every assignment up until this point had been riddled with haphazard answers and mistakes. Perhaps he’d just had a rough start and was finally finding his stride. Lanyd, on the other paw, was an enigma. As far as I could tell, she’d been to every class but had only completed about 60% of the assignments. Every one of which she aced. If her grades were all valid, it was likely that she deserved a higher grade based on her knowledge, but I couldn’t give it out based only on the assignments that she’d completed. The fact of the matter is, there’s no special treatment between students. They need to do the work. Otherwise, the degree wasn't earned.
Still, I wonder why she’s neglected so many assignments. I might be willing to offer extensions if she had valid reasoning. Maybe a sick family member? I’m not so cruel as to not hear her out.
As I exited the building, I nearly ran smack into the sleek black coat of Professor Gretty. He taught physics in the building next door so we often saw one another. Most of our lectures even lined up to the same time slots so we often took our leave near-simultaneously.
I wondered if this near miss would land me in one of his classic mini-lectures about inertia.
“Sorry, Gretty!” I chuckled. “I guess I'd best look where I’m walking!”
“Yes, you should.”
His response dripped with a telltale coldness that took me by surprise. Ears laid back and one eye beaming into me, his body language backed it up. Typically, our chats were friendly enough. I couldn't understand why he was being so callous with me now.
“Oh, uh, maybe that was a bit too casual, huh? I'm really sorry,” I replied with haste, trying to do some damage control. But, his gaze remained fixed on me, letting silence hang in the air for a moment.
“Haeli,” he finally spoke. “I understand that you’re incentivizing your students to communicate with predators.”
Oh. That's what this is about.
I straightened myself with the serious demeanor befitting of a professor.
“That's right. I think it's an important opportunity to try and understand their culture.”
He sighed and lowered his head in exasperation.
“They're predators, Haeli. Regardless of the specifics, their culture will be punctuated with destruction and cruelty. I think it's irresponsible of you to put your students in harm’s way like this. Honestly, I expected better practice from you.”
His expectations could almost be compliments if not for the intensely backhanded nature he'd used to make them known. I knew there'd be pushback for the assignment. I guess I'd been hoping that my immediate acquaintances wouldn't take such an issue with my decision.
“I believe we don't have merit to judge Humans without firsthand accounts.”
“I'm sure you could find plenty in a cattle farm.”
“They don't farm sapients. Not like the Arxur.”
“And I'm guessing you heard that from these predators? Certainly, their words are to be trusted at face value.”
His approach was beginning to get on my nerves. Not because it was different from mine but that it left out the whole picture.
“And I suppose they protected and fought with our soldiers because they're playing some sort of long game?” I countered.
“As if predators need any reason to kill. We’ve just given them a 'moral’ outlet to satiate their thirst for blood. What happens if they run out of grays to splatter?”
“I'd wager we'd have a much more peaceful galaxy.”
“Or we'd have another enemy with their grips on our home world. Think about it. It could be worse. At least Venlil Prime makes an effort to repel Arxur raids. We’re inviting Humans to stay here.”
I surveyed the area around us. Most students were going about their way but a few seemed to be stopped, listening to our impromptu debate.
“My exchange partner is a musician. Why would they need music in a society based around killing?”
“I'm not going to argue that their society consists only of killing. You're right that the evidence doesn't back it up. Rather, I propose the idea that they will inevitably circle back to destructive habits. These monsters nearly destroyed themselves. Why do you trust them to keep all their promises to us? Because Tarva does? Is that the extent of your reasoning?”
I found myself suddenly taken aback. No response was formulating in my mind. I'd put my faith in humans for no real reason other than optimism. Maybe that was my reasoning. I had to believe in a world where living under threat of Arxur incursion wasn't the end-all-be-all. But, Gretty had brought up another point. If we allowed Humans onto Venlil Prime and they turned out to be as bad as the grays or, Stars forbid, worse than those sick reptiles, we would certainly regret our choices.
Or, we'd all be dead.
My silence seemed to speak volumes as he straightened himself with an air of victory. Moments later, however, his posture turned to that of concern.
“Haeli, I cannot overturn the headmaster’s decision to allow you to carry out this research nor can I truly convince you to call it off. But, I urge you to consider what it is you're doing for your students’ safety and for yours as well.”
With that he turned and strode away, tail swishing a half-hearted goodbye behind him. The students that had been listening took their leave as well.
I stood for a moment, thinking about what I could have said. What I should have said.
I can't let him discourage me. The only way to truly know is through experience. If I have to take risks, I'll do it. If my students choose to follow me, that's their choice.
I sighed and turned to head home.
What a long paw this has been…
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Memory transcription subject: Mezil, Venlil Music Student (First Year) White Hill University
Date [standardized human time]: September 5, 2136
The library building was ancient by most standards. Pre-Federation in its construction, it served as one of the last bastions of pure Venlil culture before we were intermingled with the galaxy at large. Given its age, however, it had undergone many restorations. But, it was always a priority to retain as much of the original structure as possible and to not alter the overall design. Most universities had long demolished their old buildings. Yet, by the will of university benefactors and alumni, this one remained.
The interior was darker than that of modern buildings, utilizing dim lights meant to emulate the glow of candles. Even before Federation contact, the candles were an ancient method. But, the dim lighting remained nonetheless, a boon to the old Venlil architecture as the tall, curved walls spiraled into the roof above where tiny pinpricks of light traveled in from outside, piercing the darkness in the dome like stars. In those days, the night side of Venlil Prime was just as hostile as it was in the present. But, efforts were still made to explore its edges. The stunning skyward view was perhaps the greatest reward that the freezing wastelands could offer. It was chronicled in the architecture here.
Despite the rich atmosphere, my fumbling through the old shelves had turned up nothing I couldn't find online. Everything pre-Federation contact was extremely limited. Some of the books even had whole sections of pages haphazardly torn out! What a desecration of Venlil culture.
But, what perhaps irked me more than the lack of information was the lack of reasoning for it. There was no mention of any justification for the purging of our records. It was like one day generations of knowledge and history simply vanished and no one could explain it.
I closed the most recent book I'd dug from the shelves, stacking it amongst the tower I'd accumulated on the old wooden desk in front of me.
27 historical Venlil music texts. Not one with more than five pre-Federation works. Is this some kind of joke?
I closed my eyes and scratched my snout with the tips of my claws. Was this really all we had records of? It was all as good as nothing compared to the breadth of knowledge that Brad had sent!
“Looking for something in particular?”
The voice took me off guard and I jumped slightly in surprise. My eye found the source of the question rather quickly. At the end of the shelves, an older Venlil eyed me curiously. A set of corrective lenses hung from a thread around her neck. Venlil weren't prone to vision problems. But, as we aged, we often needed assistance to help with reading. Most just went with the surgical option. But, the remaining lot preferred to use glass lenses as our ancestors had. For the most part, it was a fashion choice. Though, Venlil didn't wear entire full-body outfits like the Humans were known for.
“Not really,” I responded. “Just…well…anything about pre-Federation music would be nice.”
“You'll have a tough time finding pre-Federation anything here,” she sighed. “Not in a university library like this. You'd have better luck out in the rural town libraries.”
I shot her a puzzled look, ears cocked to the side.
“I'd think that the opposite would be true, right? We should have the most extensive records present for educational purposes. Especially in a place this ancient.”
Slowly, the old Venlil I'd determined was the librarian hobbled over to my desk, taking a seat across from me.
“You know,” she started. “My parents worked in this library too. As did their parents before them. They used to tell me that a long time ago, there was more information stored here. When they made contact with the Federation, much of that knowledge was ripped from us. Though, I couldn't tell you why. I couldn't even tell you whether or not my relatives’ story was true. But, the torn pages and empty shelves speak for themselves, I think.”
Her voice had lowered to a barely-audible whisper. The heavy silence of the library almost seemed to overwhelm it. She paused slightly before continuing.
“I still believe that my parents and grandparents were right. Of course, I doubt anyone would believe such a thing. The Federation has protected us for as long as I can remember. I can't imagine what would drive them to do something so heinous as the destruction of old, treasured knowledge. But, I do believe that it happened.”
My mouth felt dry even considering the old librarian’s words. Did the Federation really remove all of these records? Could they do such a thing?
I recalled the moments after my first visual contact with Brad, when I'd finally summoned the courage to look at the images of Marcel the Human soldier. Beaten. Starved. Broken.
“I believe you,” the words had left my mouth before I even considered them. “I think your family told the truth.”
She looked almost surprised by my agreement. Her expression softened before she spoke again.
“I don’t have any children to look after this place when I'm gone. They'll just replace me with some random worker no doubt. But, I'm glad at least one person can carry on my family’s secret. You'd do well to keep it a secret, young one. I'd not want the exterminators to subdue you for ‘predator disease’ as if they had any right. My grandparents told me there were times when they looked after those unfortunate souls. Now they throw them in those dastardly facilities.”
Her ears fell back at that, clearly troubled by the thought.
“But…exterminators protect us from dangerous people,” I interjected.
“Maybe some of us,” she responded. “I've never much cared for those gun-toting goons myself. Never needed a flamethrower for protection and I'm still standing here after all these years.”
She chuckled at that. But, her eyes showed sorrow.
“I…guess I just don't know what to make of any of this,” I conceded. “I've spoken to a sapient predator. I can't find any records of the past. What's been going on with this planet? No, with the whole galaxy?”
She looked at me as though I had finally asked a question that she had always wanted to answer.
“Who knows? But, every day is an opportunity. If you want change, go make it. My glory paws have come and gone, but you're still young and spry. So, I'll leave you to it. It's your world now.”
She stood up to leave the table but I placed my paw on hers to stop her.
“Wait. My name’s Mezil. What’s yours?”
“Aebl. It's been a pleasure speaking to you, Mezil. You're always free to come here if you'd like to chat. But, right now I have books to shelve.”
“Right,” I replied. “Thanks for making an effort to help me.”
“It's no problem, dear. You can show your gratitude by putting all those books back exactly where you found them when you're done. Seems you've accumulated quite the hefty stack.”
My ears and tail fell sheepishly.
“Yes, ma’am. Of course…”
Why did I have to grab so fucking many?
-
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submitted by VeryUnluckyDice to NatureofPredators [link] [comments]
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Memory transcription subject: Kila, Venlil Engineering Student (First Year) White Hill University
Date [standardized human time]: September 4, 2136
Mezil had given me his exchange program login, something that I believed may have been illegal since I never signed the waiver. But, nevertheless, I had access to contact Brad via my own device. Granted, I needed to specify who was speaking first if it was by text. I’d heard that they were working on a galactic comm line to Earth. It couldn’t be finished soon enough. It was a little ridiculous that Human-Venlil contact was only really viable between exchange partners. Probably another effort by the Venlil government to ease the population into the new, radical changes that were taking place. For me, though, I just wanted to be able to use my own comms for Stars’ sake.
Still, I decided I’d try not to bother Brad too much. The Human worked a longer shift than any Venlil would consider reasonable. I didn’t want to siphon up any of his break time with pointless questions. Instead, I was burying myself in my engineering homework. With the end of the term fast approaching, I had plenty to work on. Yet, I found myself a little sidetracked.
Something about Mezil and Brad’s ramblings about music had actually struck a chord with me.
Heh…chord.
The idea that harmony was a numerical construct made sense but was something that I had never truly considered. Why certain tones feel different when put together always seemed like something mystical and otherworldly. But, it really was as simple as a set of ratios. At least, it was at the most basic level. What a composer does with that toolset is what makes the difference.
Coincidentally, the current assignment I was working on revolved around the waveforms of vibrating mechanical structures. The unit outlined the effects the vibration of a machine could have on its parts. The software I was using for the work was able to simulate these frequencies in small controlled cases. It was a good way to test the robustness of parts before manufacturing whole prototypes.
However, instead of doing my work, I found myself trying to use ratios to create certain visual effects of sand on a flat metal sheet. The vibrations were created by an unseen virtual actor that vibrates the air around the sheet. But, I could imagine a few ways that I might be able to generate the effect practically.
If I took my time, I could probably build an instrument from scratch with only school resources. They have just about everything for creating mechanical parts. I could even make myself a new plehr. Or, maybe I could make something for Mezil.
I shook my head.
I really gotta stop getting distracted with music stuff. This assignment is due tonight. I don’t have time to be goofing off.
I cleared my contents from the simulation and started over from the top.
-
Memory transcription subject: Brad Silmore, Human Field Hand
Date [standardized human time]: September 4, 2136
The low sun seemed to be taking issue with me as I sat at my desk. Its vibrant rays had found just the right angle to zip through my window and smack me right in the eyes. Just low enough to reach me. Not so low that the dust in the air dimmed its blaze.
In retrospect, I’d kind of lied to Mezil and Kila about my work hours. Theoretically, the time frame I gave them was what was listed in my job description, but farm work always spills over into the evenings especially at this time of year. Regardless, they seemed to be waiting for my input to confirm that I wasn’t at my job. It had been a hell of a Monday, though, and by the time I got home, my messages were met with silence. Seemed they were either busy or asleep.
The exchange program had been all I could think of ever since I signed up. But, now that I was a part of it, I realized that my Venlil partner wouldn’t always be available either. I had to figure out other things to do with my time.
I could just do what I normally do: play video games, wander YouTube, and the like. But, even before first contact, that always felt a little dull. In truth, life had felt pretty stagnant since I went back to the sod farm. Most of my friends from both public school and college had moved away. Admittedly, my life had been pretty lonely and…temporary I supposed. My IT job had seemingly been pulled from under me. I didn't really have anything tying me to where I lived and worked. In the past, I'd been a stickler for security, always trying to find a way to cement myself in a stable position. But, all my efforts had been in vain it seemed. But, looking at the positives, this meant I didn't have any real obligations. It was a good time for finding new opportunities.
The exchange program had been just that. It made me feel more motivated than I’d felt in some time. I wanted to be a part of something big; to undertake some kind of project.
Like Mezil’s assignment.
That was perhaps the most convenient solution I could have asked for. I’d always taken interest in music as a hobby. He'd been so worried about dragging me into his schoolwork but teaching an alien about the wide range of Human songs was something that had me filled with joy.
And, just because Mezil was offline didn’t mean I couldn’t help him with his project. He needed to know about human music in any regard he could. While I wanted to personally handle his introduction to each song, there was nothing stopping me from writing up some notes for him.
It was time to go on a musical history deep-dive. I decided to focus mainly on western theory and notation since that was what I was familiar with. So, I took to the web.
Back to the 9th century we go…
-
Memory transcription subject: Mezil, Venlil Music Student (First Year) White Hill University
Date [standardized human time]: September 5, 2136
I'd been hoping for contact from Brad before I went to sleep but the familiar chime from the pad never sounded. Once I awoke, however, I was met with numerous messages.
Numerous lengthy messages.
Since I'd been offline, he'd taken it upon himself to send me a slew of notes about Human musical history. All of which was prefaced by the fact that they only covered the development of ‘western’ music theory which was not exactly standard for every region of Earth.
Stars, can I ever really make any noticeable progress on this? Might as well just fly a Human music professor to Venlil Prime.
I started parsing the notes, reading them carefully and highlighting the points I thought would be most helpful for my report. His notes were detailed but a little disorganized. At first, they seemed to be chronologically sorted, describing the progress of notation by the eras. But, as Brad’s writings went on, it looked more like he went bouncing around the internet at his own leisure, picking up random info that he thought sounded cool.
I didn't necessarily fault him for that. I was guilty of doing the same thing.
Regardless, I'd have to reorganize most of it into an outline before I could start on the report itself. The notes were much appreciated though. Frankly, it was unlikely that we'd be able to make enough headway just by speaking verbally. Our schedules just didn't line up that way.
The most surprising thing about Brad’s information had to do with the sheer breadth of knowledge that existed for their early musical customs. Venlil notation had a lot of mystery surrounding its conception. Written records of early works were hard to come by. Most had to be passed down orally and recorded later, meaning there ended up being lots of variations. Most traditional songs had many versions that were prominent. There were no original copies to be found.
Meanwhile, Humans seemed to have records of the evolution of their notation as a whole. Early works were notated sparingly, relying on common knowledge of particular intervals in songs that had been passed on orally as ours had. But, as time went on they evolved the system to have set pitches, rhythmic values, and the like. Modern notation was simply a distant product of ancient scratchings made to vaguely convey religious hymns. Brad had included a copy of the oldest known complete Human composition called Seikilos Epitaph. I couldn't read the Human notation but a footnote assured me that all the required knowledge would be outlined later on in his study materials.
Why don't the Venlil have this much knowledge about our past musical customs? Actually, why don't any Federation species? Are Humans just an outlier?
I continued parsing Brad’s notes but the question lingered in my mind. It just didn't add up. Certainly written music didn't predate actual Venscript. Why would so much knowledge be lost? And, why did it all seem to be at its most sparse before Federation first contact? I pulled up the web browser on my tab and started searching for early works from other Federation species. Only a handful had any musical records pre-Federation creation/contact: Kolshians, Farsul, and some of the other older Federation members. Oddly enough, the Krakotl were missing from this list.
The Federation did uplift us but we had a functional society before that point. Certainly we would have thought to write down our musical ideas.
I decided to put Brad’s notes on hold and make my way to the university library. They often had more detailed records and firsthand accounts than the internet could provide. If there were any earlier records, I'd have more luck finding them there.
-
Memory transcription subject: Professor Haeli, Galactic Music Professor at White Hill University
Date [standardized human time]: September 5, 2136
I strode through the halls with a feeling of accomplishment, finally taking my leave for the paw. Mere moments ago, I’d wrapped up a conversation with my exchange partner. We’d only broken off the chat when she mentioned that she had a performance to attend. I had to be a little impressed with the program, they knew how to best match up their volunteers. The Human paired with me, Grace, was a professional ‘pianist’, a musician that specialized in an instrument called a piano. No doubt the program had chosen the two of us based on our shared musical experience.
The first interaction with my Human partner was relatively tame. All communication was done over text chat. Just as Mezil had suggested, it wasn’t as jarring as one might expect. Though, the inevitable visual contact loomed over my head. That would no doubt be more of a challenge.
Part of me wondered why I decided to undertake something like this. By all means, no one actually expected it of me. All my grandiose ideas of academia and progress need to, at some point, touch with reality. Would reality bend to my assumptions? Maybe the doubters were right and this was some elaborate ploy. Still, I found it hard to believe. My thoughts always landed me back at the same questions. If Humans were playing us, why sacrifice so much in our defense? If predators are inherently selfish, why would even one of their soldiers go so far for their Venlil partners, knowing they may well give their lives for the cause?
I have to trust the governor’s judgment as well as my own. We can’t keep living under the fear of predators.
Grace and I had briefly talked shop about tuning systems and notation, revealing several similarities between the two cultures. As Mezil had mentioned, my partner seemed to suggest that Human music was extremely varied, possibly an indicator to their historical division and breadth of unique cultures.
I certainly had my work cut out for me.
I considered my two students that had decided to attempt the assignment. Mezil had suddenly turned into quite the go-getter despite his earlier struggles. Pretty much every assignment up until this point had been riddled with haphazard answers and mistakes. Perhaps he’d just had a rough start and was finally finding his stride. Lanyd, on the other paw, was an enigma. As far as I could tell, she’d been to every class but had only completed about 60% of the assignments. Every one of which she aced. If her grades were all valid, it was likely that she deserved a higher grade based on her knowledge, but I couldn’t give it out based only on the assignments that she’d completed. The fact of the matter is, there’s no special treatment between students. They need to do the work. Otherwise, the degree wasn't earned.
Still, I wonder why she’s neglected so many assignments. I might be willing to offer extensions if she had valid reasoning. Maybe a sick family member? I’m not so cruel as to not hear her out.
As I exited the building, I nearly ran smack into the sleek black coat of Professor Gretty. He taught physics in the building next door so we often saw one another. Most of our lectures even lined up to the same time slots so we often took our leave near-simultaneously.
I wondered if this near miss would land me in one of his classic mini-lectures about inertia.
“Sorry, Gretty!” I chuckled. “I guess I'd best look where I’m walking!”
“Yes, you should.”
His response dripped with a telltale coldness that took me by surprise. Ears laid back and one eye beaming into me, his body language backed it up. Typically, our chats were friendly enough. I couldn't understand why he was being so callous with me now.
“Oh, uh, maybe that was a bit too casual, huh? I'm really sorry,” I replied with haste, trying to do some damage control. But, his gaze remained fixed on me, letting silence hang in the air for a moment.
“Haeli,” he finally spoke. “I understand that you’re incentivizing your students to communicate with predators.”
Oh. That's what this is about.
I straightened myself with the serious demeanor befitting of a professor.
“That's right. I think it's an important opportunity to try and understand their culture.”
He sighed and lowered his head in exasperation.
“They're predators, Haeli. Regardless of the specifics, their culture will be punctuated with destruction and cruelty. I think it's irresponsible of you to put your students in harm’s way like this. Honestly, I expected better practice from you.”
His expectations could almost be compliments if not for the intensely backhanded nature he'd used to make them known. I knew there'd be pushback for the assignment. I guess I'd been hoping that my immediate acquaintances wouldn't take such an issue with my decision.
“I believe we don't have merit to judge Humans without firsthand accounts.”
“I'm sure you could find plenty in a cattle farm.”
“They don't farm sapients. Not like the Arxur.”
“And I'm guessing you heard that from these predators? Certainly, their words are to be trusted at face value.”
His approach was beginning to get on my nerves. Not because it was different from mine but that it left out the whole picture.
“And I suppose they protected and fought with our soldiers because they're playing some sort of long game?” I countered.
“As if predators need any reason to kill. We’ve just given them a 'moral’ outlet to satiate their thirst for blood. What happens if they run out of grays to splatter?”
“I'd wager we'd have a much more peaceful galaxy.”
“Or we'd have another enemy with their grips on our home world. Think about it. It could be worse. At least Venlil Prime makes an effort to repel Arxur raids. We’re inviting Humans to stay here.”
I surveyed the area around us. Most students were going about their way but a few seemed to be stopped, listening to our impromptu debate.
“My exchange partner is a musician. Why would they need music in a society based around killing?”
“I'm not going to argue that their society consists only of killing. You're right that the evidence doesn't back it up. Rather, I propose the idea that they will inevitably circle back to destructive habits. These monsters nearly destroyed themselves. Why do you trust them to keep all their promises to us? Because Tarva does? Is that the extent of your reasoning?”
I found myself suddenly taken aback. No response was formulating in my mind. I'd put my faith in humans for no real reason other than optimism. Maybe that was my reasoning. I had to believe in a world where living under threat of Arxur incursion wasn't the end-all-be-all. But, Gretty had brought up another point. If we allowed Humans onto Venlil Prime and they turned out to be as bad as the grays or, Stars forbid, worse than those sick reptiles, we would certainly regret our choices.
Or, we'd all be dead.
My silence seemed to speak volumes as he straightened himself with an air of victory. Moments later, however, his posture turned to that of concern.
“Haeli, I cannot overturn the headmaster’s decision to allow you to carry out this research nor can I truly convince you to call it off. But, I urge you to consider what it is you're doing for your students’ safety and for yours as well.”
With that he turned and strode away, tail swishing a half-hearted goodbye behind him. The students that had been listening took their leave as well.
I stood for a moment, thinking about what I could have said. What I should have said.
I can't let him discourage me. The only way to truly know is through experience. If I have to take risks, I'll do it. If my students choose to follow me, that's their choice.
I sighed and turned to head home.
What a long paw this has been…
-
Memory transcription subject: Mezil, Venlil Music Student (First Year) White Hill University
Date [standardized human time]: September 5, 2136
The library building was ancient by most standards. Pre-Federation in its construction, it served as one of the last bastions of pure Venlil culture before we were intermingled with the galaxy at large. Given its age, however, it had undergone many restorations. But, it was always a priority to retain as much of the original structure as possible and to not alter the overall design. Most universities had long demolished their old buildings. Yet, by the will of university benefactors and alumni, this one remained.
The interior was darker than that of modern buildings, utilizing dim lights meant to emulate the glow of candles. Even before Federation contact, the candles were an ancient method. But, the dim lighting remained nonetheless, a boon to the old Venlil architecture as the tall, curved walls spiraled into the roof above where tiny pinpricks of light traveled in from outside, piercing the darkness in the dome like stars. In those days, the night side of Venlil Prime was just as hostile as it was in the present. But, efforts were still made to explore its edges. The stunning skyward view was perhaps the greatest reward that the freezing wastelands could offer. It was chronicled in the architecture here.
Despite the rich atmosphere, my fumbling through the old shelves had turned up nothing I couldn't find online. Everything pre-Federation contact was extremely limited. Some of the books even had whole sections of pages haphazardly torn out! What a desecration of Venlil culture.
But, what perhaps irked me more than the lack of information was the lack of reasoning for it. There was no mention of any justification for the purging of our records. It was like one day generations of knowledge and history simply vanished and no one could explain it.
I closed the most recent book I'd dug from the shelves, stacking it amongst the tower I'd accumulated on the old wooden desk in front of me.
27 historical Venlil music texts. Not one with more than five pre-Federation works. Is this some kind of joke?
I closed my eyes and scratched my snout with the tips of my claws. Was this really all we had records of? It was all as good as nothing compared to the breadth of knowledge that Brad had sent!
“Looking for something in particular?”
The voice took me off guard and I jumped slightly in surprise. My eye found the source of the question rather quickly. At the end of the shelves, an older Venlil eyed me curiously. A set of corrective lenses hung from a thread around her neck. Venlil weren't prone to vision problems. But, as we aged, we often needed assistance to help with reading. Most just went with the surgical option. But, the remaining lot preferred to use glass lenses as our ancestors had. For the most part, it was a fashion choice. Though, Venlil didn't wear entire full-body outfits like the Humans were known for.
“Not really,” I responded. “Just…well…anything about pre-Federation music would be nice.”
“You'll have a tough time finding pre-Federation anything here,” she sighed. “Not in a university library like this. You'd have better luck out in the rural town libraries.”
I shot her a puzzled look, ears cocked to the side.
“I'd think that the opposite would be true, right? We should have the most extensive records present for educational purposes. Especially in a place this ancient.”
Slowly, the old Venlil I'd determined was the librarian hobbled over to my desk, taking a seat across from me.
“You know,” she started. “My parents worked in this library too. As did their parents before them. They used to tell me that a long time ago, there was more information stored here. When they made contact with the Federation, much of that knowledge was ripped from us. Though, I couldn't tell you why. I couldn't even tell you whether or not my relatives’ story was true. But, the torn pages and empty shelves speak for themselves, I think.”
Her voice had lowered to a barely-audible whisper. The heavy silence of the library almost seemed to overwhelm it. She paused slightly before continuing.
“I still believe that my parents and grandparents were right. Of course, I doubt anyone would believe such a thing. The Federation has protected us for as long as I can remember. I can't imagine what would drive them to do something so heinous as the destruction of old, treasured knowledge. But, I do believe that it happened.”
My mouth felt dry even considering the old librarian’s words. Did the Federation really remove all of these records? Could they do such a thing?
I recalled the moments after my first visual contact with Brad, when I'd finally summoned the courage to look at the images of Marcel the Human soldier. Beaten. Starved. Broken.
“I believe you,” the words had left my mouth before I even considered them. “I think your family told the truth.”
She looked almost surprised by my agreement. Her expression softened before she spoke again.
“I don’t have any children to look after this place when I'm gone. They'll just replace me with some random worker no doubt. But, I'm glad at least one person can carry on my family’s secret. You'd do well to keep it a secret, young one. I'd not want the exterminators to subdue you for ‘predator disease’ as if they had any right. My grandparents told me there were times when they looked after those unfortunate souls. Now they throw them in those dastardly facilities.”
Her ears fell back at that, clearly troubled by the thought.
“But…exterminators protect us from dangerous people,” I interjected.
“Maybe some of us,” she responded. “I've never much cared for those gun-toting goons myself. Never needed a flamethrower for protection and I'm still standing here after all these years.”
She chuckled at that. But, her eyes showed sorrow.
“I…guess I just don't know what to make of any of this,” I conceded. “I've spoken to a sapient predator. I can't find any records of the past. What's been going on with this planet? No, with the whole galaxy?”
She looked at me as though I had finally asked a question that she had always wanted to answer.
“Who knows? But, every day is an opportunity. If you want change, go make it. My glory paws have come and gone, but you're still young and spry. So, I'll leave you to it. It's your world now.”
She stood up to leave the table but I placed my paw on hers to stop her.
“Wait. My name’s Mezil. What’s yours?”
“Aebl. It's been a pleasure speaking to you, Mezil. You're always free to come here if you'd like to chat. But, right now I have books to shelve.”
“Right,” I replied. “Thanks for making an effort to help me.”
“It's no problem, dear. You can show your gratitude by putting all those books back exactly where you found them when you're done. Seems you've accumulated quite the hefty stack.”
My ears and tail fell sheepishly.
“Yes, ma’am. Of course…”
Why did I have to grab so fucking many?
-
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2023.04.30 16:06 ft420 D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Sunday April 30 (International Jazz Day)
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| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Valparaiso | at | Missouri State | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | LA Tech | at | MTSU | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Minnesota | at | Nebraska | B1G+ ($) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Long Beach | at | Nevada | MTN WEST NET / NEV |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Fresno State | at | New Mexico | MTN WEST NET / NM |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Western Illinois | at | North Dakota State | NDSU All Access ($) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Akron | at | Northern Illinois | NIU All-Access ($) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Nicholls | at | Northwestern State | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | South Dakota State | at | Oral Roberts | ORUSN |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Dallas Baptist | at | Rice | CUSA TV ($) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Southern Indiana | at | SIU Edwardsville | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Troy | at | South Alabama | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Lamar | at | Southeastern | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Arkansas State | at | Southern Miss | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Omaha | at | St. Thomas | Tommie Sports |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Morehead State | at | TN Martin | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Bradley | at | UIC | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | UTRGV | at | UT Arlington | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Utah Valley | at | Utah Tech | WAC Digital (free w/login) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Charlotte | at | Western Kentucky | HSSN FB live |
| 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | 12:30 PM | 11:30 AM | Georgia | at | Ole Miss | SECN+ |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Pacific | at | Gonzaga | WCC Network |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | TAMU-CC | at | Houston Christian | ESPN+ |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Sacramento State | at | New Mexico State | WAC Digital (free w/login) |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Kansas | at | Oklahoma | ESPN+ |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Arizona State | at | Oregon | PAC-12 Plus / UO Stream |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Saint Mary's | at | San Francisco | WCC Network |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Air Force | at | San Jose State | MTN WEST NET / SJSU |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Tarleton | at | Seattle | WAC Digital (free w/login) |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Auburn | at | South Carolina | ESPN2 |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Washington State | at | Utah | PAC-12 Plus / Utah |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Kentucky | at | Vanderbilt | SEC Network |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | UC San Diego | at | Cal Poly | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | UC Irvine | at | CS Bakersfield | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | CS Fullerton | at | CSUN | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | San Diego | at | Loyola Marymount | WCC Network |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Arizona | at | Oregon State | PAC-12 NETWORKS |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Santa Clara | at | Pepperdine | WCC Network |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | UNLV | at | San Diego State | MTN WEST NET / SDSU |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | UCLA | at | Stanford | PAC-12 Plus / STAN |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Texas | at | TCU | ESPNU |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Hawai'i | at | UC Riverside | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | UC Davis | at | UC Santa Barbara | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | USC | at | Washington | PAC-12 Plus / UW-2 |
| 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM | 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | New Orleans | at | Little Rock | ESPN+ |
| 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | High Point | at | Wake Forest | ACCNX |
| 5:30 PM | 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM | 2:30 PM | Grand Canyon | at | Nevada | NSN / MTN WEST NET / NEV |
2023.04.23 02:21 Recipe-Mindless Can someone tell me how much space there is in a class?
Hey guys!
I transferred from Gsu to uga this semester and I am applying to be a transient student so I can fill a difficult math credit this summer. I’m still an active student there however I forgot my login to paws.
If it’s not that much trouble, could y’all It would check in the registration portal and see how many spots are left in math 2211 (online)?
I do not want to go through the trouble of applying if it’s full and my old academic advisor did not mention how many spots are left.
Thanks!
submitted by Recipe-Mindless to GaState [link] [comments]
I transferred from Gsu to uga this semester and I am applying to be a transient student so I can fill a difficult math credit this summer. I’m still an active student there however I forgot my login to paws.
If it’s not that much trouble, could y’all It would check in the registration portal and see how many spots are left in math 2211 (online)?
I do not want to go through the trouble of applying if it’s full and my old academic advisor did not mention how many spots are left.
Thanks!
2023.04.20 10:03 scotiagirl19 🐾We invite you to share the power of @PawChain in the @Stocktwits platform. Create a free account and join the conversation! Share exciting updates with others! Follow symbol PAW.X on the platform to spread awareness of the PAW ecosystem! 🐾https://stocktwits.com/symbol/PAW.X
 | submitted by scotiagirl19 to pawecosystem [link] [comments] |
2023.04.19 11:19 xmoshiiix Still available FREE STUFF! 2023
When I started playing Stardoll I loved to find free stuff online. So when I re-started my account I searched for those links ASAP. Here I'll share you some that still work! This are the ones I had been able to get ;)
You can use a free VPN for Google Chrome to get to the links from other countries. I use this one and I can use USA, UK, France and some other countries too for free. In ther old days we used a manual proxy but I find it easier to just use this VPN plugging in Chrome.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/free-vpn-for-chrome-vpn-p/majdfhpaihoncoakbjgbdhglocklcgno
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log into stardoll and click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. (wait each page to load first)
https://preview.redd.it/owe8j7kb6tua1.jpg?width=2215&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0849a66df2383ea3254f17b28e3dc6a211513e26
If you are NOT from USA, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the USA you don't need a VPN.
Log in and click this links:
ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=46966
ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=46776
http://ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=46757
http://ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=46406
http://ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=46151
You should be redirected to blank pages, leave them. Go to your Suite and you will have them in bags!
https://preview.redd.it/yacsu60g3tua1.png?width=320&format=png&auto=webp&s=fd0c952499dba6b3cd6b677611f6249ae3d3e217
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and visit this page: http://ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=30913 You will be directed to Facebook page, leave it Sofa should be delivered to your suite
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and Join Stardoll Books club:
http://www.stardoll.com/en/clubs/home.php?id=2774003
After joining, bookshelf should be delivered to your suite
https://preview.redd.it/uah8vwb63tua1.png?width=132&format=png&auto=webp&s=f742fff35b4e8b6c6a86e8895bbd8e54215aa355
If you are NOT from the USA, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the USA you don't need a VPN.
Log in and go to this page: www.stardoll.com/en/campaigns/nintendo/wishlist.php 1) Tick any of the games and click Create My Wishlist button. 2) Fill the Recipient's E-mail box with a fake e-mail (it must have a valid ending, for example random@mail.com) 3) Click Create My Wishlist button once again and wait till page loads. The suitcase should be in a Nintendo 3DS bag in your suite
https://preview.redd.it/4xpm3y9szsua1.jpg?width=189&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecd92ab5588eb48af16e5bf954f16412a141b245
Just join the club of Amy Diamond here.
After, the items will be in your suite! After joining the club!
https://preview.redd.it/byr5299xzsua1.png?width=211&format=png&auto=webp&s=ddfe2bbbb4ef928298a32594021f7192383773a2
If you are NOT from the USA, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the USA you don't need a VPN.
Log in to Stardoll first and then click HERE and HERE
https://preview.redd.it/jwcseqrd0tua1.png?width=182&format=png&auto=webp&s=5afd9da857e71e4cfc58429e48b38d9c3866e021
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and click HERE. The glow should be in your suite.
You can use a VPN if you are not from any on this countries
Sweden: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1099
Poland: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1100
Germany: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1101
Finland: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1102
USA/UK: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1103
Greece: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1105 Egypt: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1111
From this pack the only available items are the sword and necklace, sadly.
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log into stardoll first and then: click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE (wait each page to load first)
https://preview.redd.it/mmxbfut11tua1.png?width=250&format=png&auto=webp&s=9bc7915827c9588fb179c2723c35e02eadcd7629
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log into stardoll and click HERE
https://preview.redd.it/kkq02dpq4tua1.png?width=128&format=png&auto=webp&s=9fdd58f5ad16835e95c51706ac1ed5b61999ba83
If you are NOT from the USA, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the USA you don't need a VPN.
Log in and Click this link:
http://ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=52322 A page will not load, leave it Cat should be in a campaign bag in your suite
https://preview.redd.it/g0jrr5sr1tua1.png?width=192&format=png&auto=webp&s=c7e0e2288f83a0b3f350e3b2e2cc9d90a33ccb23
1) Login on stardoll
2) Click or Copy&Paste the contest link: http://www.stardoll.com/en/contest/view.php?id=4862 3) On this quiz you have to tick CORRECT answers:
1) False
2) a scammer, I should report it
3)False, mistake reports that aren't a malicious effort to attack other sometimes happen & are ok
4)Write in to Customer Support to get help
5) An elaborate phishing scheme meant to seem real but it's not
No need for VPN in this one :)
1. Log in to Stardoll 2. Click on this link: http://www.stardoll.com/en/do/campaign/bully2.php 3. You will be redirected to Ad page, leave it.
No need for VPN for this one :)
1) Go to this campaign page: http://www.stardoll.com/do/campaign/onedayearth.php
2) You will be re-directed to One day website, Leave the site, Go to stardoll
https://preview.redd.it/0akuhkdj4tua1.png?width=148&format=png&auto=webp&s=92ed189b5fda575a00eea622cb35f772e8b3e11e
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and Click this link http://www.stardoll.com/en/do/campaign/lovepop.php?official=true You will be redirected to a website, leave it Jacket should be in a We Love Pop bag in your suite
No need for VPN :)
1. Log in to Stardoll
2. Click on this link:
www.stardoll.com/do/campaign/giveItem.php?id=41&hash=6c887a73c5b41fd1a7f01beb89e76100 3. You will be redirected to 16 Days Facebook page, wait for it to load. The ribbon should be in a Starplaza box in your suite.
https://preview.redd.it/1n2nz69a5tua1.jpg?width=256&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f8cd70227b4a3e4c80ef33aaa5eb5ac1e815dbc2
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and Click this link www.stardoll.com/en/do/campaign/jessiegbGift.php You should be redirected to the Disney page, leave it The helicopter should be in a Jessie bag in your suite
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and click this link: http://www.stardoll.com/en/do/campaign/jb.php?watch=1 You will be redirected to a blank page, leave it Guitar should be in a Keyboard Guitar bag in your suite
submitted by xmoshiiix to StarDoLL [link] [comments]
You can use a free VPN for Google Chrome to get to the links from other countries. I use this one and I can use USA, UK, France and some other countries too for free. In ther old days we used a manual proxy but I find it easier to just use this VPN plugging in Chrome.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/free-vpn-for-chrome-vpn-p/majdfhpaihoncoakbjgbdhglocklcgno
- Monster High Pack
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log into stardoll and click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. (wait each page to load first)
- Monster High Prom Dresses
https://preview.redd.it/owe8j7kb6tua1.jpg?width=2215&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0849a66df2383ea3254f17b28e3dc6a211513e26
If you are NOT from USA, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the USA you don't need a VPN.
Log in and click this links:
ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=46966
ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=46776
http://ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=46757
http://ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=46406
http://ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=46151
You should be redirected to blank pages, leave them. Go to your Suite and you will have them in bags!
- Katy Perry Sofa
https://preview.redd.it/yacsu60g3tua1.png?width=320&format=png&auto=webp&s=fd0c952499dba6b3cd6b677611f6249ae3d3e217
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and visit this page: http://ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=30913 You will be directed to Facebook page, leave it Sofa should be delivered to your suite
- Bookself
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and Join Stardoll Books club:
http://www.stardoll.com/en/clubs/home.php?id=2774003
After joining, bookshelf should be delivered to your suite
- Nintendo Suitcase
https://preview.redd.it/uah8vwb63tua1.png?width=132&format=png&auto=webp&s=f742fff35b4e8b6c6a86e8895bbd8e54215aa355
If you are NOT from the USA, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the USA you don't need a VPN.
Log in and go to this page: www.stardoll.com/en/campaigns/nintendo/wishlist.php 1) Tick any of the games and click Create My Wishlist button. 2) Fill the Recipient's E-mail box with a fake e-mail (it must have a valid ending, for example random@mail.com) 3) Click Create My Wishlist button once again and wait till page loads. The suitcase should be in a Nintendo 3DS bag in your suite
- Amy Diamond Items
https://preview.redd.it/4xpm3y9szsua1.jpg?width=189&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecd92ab5588eb48af16e5bf954f16412a141b245
Just join the club of Amy Diamond here.
After, the items will be in your suite! After joining the club!
- Joon Bottle and pillow
https://preview.redd.it/byr5299xzsua1.png?width=211&format=png&auto=webp&s=ddfe2bbbb4ef928298a32594021f7192383773a2
If you are NOT from the USA, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the USA you don't need a VPN.
Log in to Stardoll first and then click HERE and HERE
- Free Kinect fluorescent body
https://preview.redd.it/jwcseqrd0tua1.png?width=182&format=png&auto=webp&s=5afd9da857e71e4cfc58429e48b38d9c3866e021
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and click HERE. The glow should be in your suite.
- Free Japan t-shirt
You can use a VPN if you are not from any on this countries
Sweden: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1099
Poland: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1100
Germany: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1101
Finland: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1102
USA/UK: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1103
Greece: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1105 Egypt: www.stardoll.com/en/contest/finish.php?id=1111
- Atom Necklace and sword.
From this pack the only available items are the sword and necklace, sadly.
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log into stardoll first and then: click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE (wait each page to load first)
- Sport Outfit
https://preview.redd.it/mmxbfut11tua1.png?width=250&format=png&auto=webp&s=9bc7915827c9588fb179c2723c35e02eadcd7629
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log into stardoll and click HERE
- Cat
https://preview.redd.it/kkq02dpq4tua1.png?width=128&format=png&auto=webp&s=9fdd58f5ad16835e95c51706ac1ed5b61999ba83
If you are NOT from the USA, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the USA you don't need a VPN.
Log in and Click this link:
http://ox.stardoll.com/www/delivery/ck.php?bannerid=52322 A page will not load, leave it Cat should be in a campaign bag in your suite
- PAW poster
https://preview.redd.it/g0jrr5sr1tua1.png?width=192&format=png&auto=webp&s=c7e0e2288f83a0b3f350e3b2e2cc9d90a33ccb23
1) Login on stardoll
2) Click or Copy&Paste the contest link: http://www.stardoll.com/en/contest/view.php?id=4862 3) On this quiz you have to tick CORRECT answers:
1) False
2) a scammer, I should report it
3)False, mistake reports that aren't a malicious effort to attack other sometimes happen & are ok
4)Write in to Customer Support to get help
5) An elaborate phishing scheme meant to seem real but it's not
- Anti bullying campaing
No need for VPN in this one :)
1. Log in to Stardoll 2. Click on this link: http://www.stardoll.com/en/do/campaign/bully2.php 3. You will be redirected to Ad page, leave it.
- T-shirt and camera
No need for VPN for this one :)
1) Go to this campaign page: http://www.stardoll.com/do/campaign/onedayearth.php
2) You will be re-directed to One day website, Leave the site, Go to stardoll
- Free Jacket
https://preview.redd.it/0akuhkdj4tua1.png?width=148&format=png&auto=webp&s=92ed189b5fda575a00eea622cb35f772e8b3e11e
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and Click this link http://www.stardoll.com/en/do/campaign/lovepop.php?official=true You will be redirected to a website, leave it Jacket should be in a We Love Pop bag in your suite
- Ribbon
No need for VPN :)
1. Log in to Stardoll
2. Click on this link:
www.stardoll.com/do/campaign/giveItem.php?id=41&hash=6c887a73c5b41fd1a7f01beb89e76100 3. You will be redirected to 16 Days Facebook page, wait for it to load. The ribbon should be in a Starplaza box in your suite.
- Jessie Helicopter
https://preview.redd.it/1n2nz69a5tua1.jpg?width=256&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f8cd70227b4a3e4c80ef33aaa5eb5ac1e815dbc2
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and Click this link www.stardoll.com/en/do/campaign/jessiegbGift.php You should be redirected to the Disney page, leave it The helicopter should be in a Jessie bag in your suite
- Justin Bieber Piano guitar
If you are NOT from the UK, just use the VPN I recommended and do the next process. If you are from the UK you don't need a VPN.
Log in and click this link: http://www.stardoll.com/en/do/campaign/jb.php?watch=1 You will be redirected to a blank page, leave it Guitar should be in a Keyboard Guitar bag in your suite
2023.04.11 14:58 PlainsmanParkingLot D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Tuesday April 11
 | submitted by PlainsmanParkingLot to collegebaseball [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/s61qmwai69ta1.jpg?width=2791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b77b0819f1a4ba1ac3cb174ce6ea50b98c23c3b5
|
2023.04.06 16:18 PlainsmanParkingLot D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Thursday April 6
 | submitted by PlainsmanParkingLot to collegebaseball [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/wbjb9a55w9sa1.jpg?width=2791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1fb6c602780d64a628ad5567ee1d69733754f5ee
|
2023.04.04 14:33 PlainsmanParkingLot D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Tuesday April 4
 | submitted by PlainsmanParkingLot to collegebaseball [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/dvl6fgak3vra1.jpg?width=2791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5df12275779bf558c640d60d3dd5dc9f3e5f8046
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2023.04.01 01:30 engi0 Roblox Pging
my entire life is full of roblox accounts i cant sleep without feeling the satisfaction of pging a roblox account and logging i've done this too many times that my entire family already knows about it and even my friend in my school but they keep saying that i am actually wasting my investment time and that i should spend my time more wisely in something better but i just ignore them since i know that they dont like roblox and that they're just haters so my average day is like 16 hours of roblox pging then the rest is doing "normal" activities which i would call not normal since i dont think it is that normal to take care of yourself since thats just something you want others to see while roblox pging can give me money and also its very cool to play with old roblox accounts made in 2008 or 2007 or 2006 with exclusive items that no one really cares about when playing in-game but they make me look better than anyone else even although no one can see my join date while playing the game so thats why most of the time im on flex your account age or name snipes since those games show the last online of your roblox account which is better for me to flex the join date of those accounts that i obtained thanks to pging. pging is my life and i will never quit it every day im afraid of waking up and seeing that i can no longer pg accounts cause of there being any update that patches pging or even getting ip banned or hwid banned those are the things i fear the most in my life even more than my own death but since i spend more time on roblox (pging specifically) it becomes an everyday task just like how eating, drinking or even breathing would be, its just something that ends up in some kind of automatic system in my own body and its just every time i see a device that has browsers it tempts me to go to roblox.com/login and start trying roblox accounts to see if i can pg one in there. i've done that before on all the devices i ever managed to touch, including my school pc, all my family member's phones and tv's and even on alexa and on my uncle's samsung smart fridge. i also hope everyday that tix come back so when i log onto those old accounts i can actually get to keep with the tix instead of the accounts almost always having no robux for me to claim. i consider pging a full time job in my life which i do while being underage but its still very cool and doesn't require much tasks, just having fun and trying to guess passwords from this videogame in particular. i always ask my friends if they will ever try to pg roblox accounts although they told me over 100 times that they dont play roblox and that they find me very weird and that i dont socialize with them but once again they're just haters that dont care about anything. i also let my family members know every time that i pg an account, for this one, i have a setup where i just yell "I JUST PGED A ROBLOX ACCOUNT YES" every time i get on one, even if its a tixbot, even if its a security notification or sometimes even if the password didnt work since sometimes i also feel like i actually logged in but i didnt because my eyes start hurting after staring to a white screen in my pc (the roblox.com/login page) for 16 hours. my mom already thinks that i wont have a job in real life cause on how bad my grades are but i just dont care at all since i know that roblox pging is and will be my future job for the rest of my years and that i will make a life, have a wife, kids, a car, a house, etc out of it cause on how much money i made off it (40 dollars). this is just the beggining but i will eventually start obtaining more and more money. i once forced my pet bunny to pg a roblox account with his paws but it pooped in my keyboard so i had to use his skin as a mousepad so its easier for me to move my mouse when pging. i feel like i am the best pger in the entire community of roblox, and not even just roblox, probably everything since i am really onto pging and i identify myself as a pgsexual.
submitted by engi0 to copypasta [link] [comments]
2023.03.26 17:29 PlainsmanParkingLot D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Sunday March 26
 | submitted by PlainsmanParkingLot to collegebaseball [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/l57f2krvq3qa1.jpg?width=2791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05c8feffd4918803902c9b958b45751488e323eb
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2023.03.26 16:43 ft420 D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Sunday March 26 (Bangladesh Independence Day)
| ET | CT | MT | PT | AWAY | vs | HOME | TV / STREAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | NC State | at | Boston College | ACCNX |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | George Mason | at | ECU | ESPN+ |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Manhattan | at | George Washington | ESPN+ |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Ohio State | at | Indiana | B1G+ ($) |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Canisius | at | Mount St. Mary's | Mount All Access |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Ohio | at | Northern Illinois | NIU All-Access ($) |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Louisville | at | Notre Dame | ACCNX |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Dartmouth | at | Princeton | ESPN+ |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Quinnipiac | at | Rider | ESPN+ |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Niagara | at | Saint Peter's | Peacocks Digital Network |
| 11:30 AM | 10:30 AM | 9:30 AM | 8:30 AM | Brown | at | Columbia | ESPN+ |
| 11:30 AM | 10:30 AM | 9:30 AM | 8:30 AM | Siena | at | Fairfield | Stags Sports Network |
| 11:30 AM | 10:30 AM | 9:30 AM | 8:30 AM | Harvard | at | Penn | ESPN+ |
| 11:30 AM | 10:30 AM | 9:30 AM | 8:30 AM | Cornell | at | Yale | ESPN+ |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Kentucky | at | Alabama | SEC Network |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | UMBC | at | Albany | AEC TV |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | UL Monroe | at | Arkansas State | ESPN+ |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | UMass-Lowell | at | Binghamton | ESPN+ |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Norfolk State | at | CCSU | NEC Front Row |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Butler | at | Cincinnati | ESPN+ |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | UAB | at | FIU | CUSA TV ($) |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | MTSU | at | Florida Atlantic | CUSA TV (free) |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Dayton | at | Georgetown | HoyaVision ($) |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Hartford | at | Northeastern | FloBaseball ($) |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Marist | at | Rhode Island | ESPN+ |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | UNC Wilmington | at | Stony Brook | FloBaseball ($) |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Mercer | at | The Citadel | ESPN+ |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Iona | at | Villanova | FloBaseball ($) |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Delaware State | at | Wagner | NEC Front Row |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Miami | at | Wake Forest | ACCNX |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Gardner-Webb | at | Winthrop | ESPN+ |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | Oakland | at | Wright State | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Georgia State | at | App State | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Jax State | at | Bellarmine | Knights Sports Network |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Mississippi Valley | at | Bethune-Cookman | Youtube / CatEye Network |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | NJIT | at | Bryant | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Dallas Baptist | at | Charlotte | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Towson | at | College of Charleston | FloBaseball ($) |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Tennessee Tech | at | Davidson | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Ball State | at | Eastern Michigan | Eagle All-Access |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Delaware | at | Elon | FloBaseball ($) |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Samford | at | ETSU | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Clemson | at | Georgia Tech | ACCNX |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | SC Upstate | at | High Point | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Army | at | Holy Cross | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Valparaiso | at | Indiana State | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Alabama State | at | Jackson State | JSU SN ($) |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Central Arkansas | at | Jacksonville | Dolphins All-Access |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | EKU | at | Kennesaw State | KSU Stream |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Austin Peay | at | Liberty | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Penn State | at | Michigan | B1G+ ($) |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Purdue | at | Michigan State | B1G+ ($) |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Bradley | at | Murray State | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Lafayette | at | Navy | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Hofstra | at | North Carolina A&T | FloBaseball ($) |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Stetson | at | North Florida | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Marshall | at | Old Dominion | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Virginia Tech | at | Pitt | ACCNX |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Campbell | at | Radford | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | VCU | at | South Florida | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Morehead State | at | Southern Indiana | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Texas A&M | at | Tennessee | ESPN |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Akron | at | Toledo | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Maryland | at | UCF | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Rutgers | at | UCONN | UConn+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Longwood | at | UNC Asheville | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Western Carolina | at | UNC Greensboro | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Tarleton | at | Utah Valley | ESPN+ |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Florida State | at | Virginia | ACCNX |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Xavier | at | West Virginia | ESPN+ / BIG XII NOW |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Monmouth | at | William & Mary | FloBaseball ($) |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | VMI | at | Wofford | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Sacramento State | at | Abilene Christian | WAC Digital |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Illinois State | at | Belmont | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Seattle | at | Cal Baptist | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Kent State | at | Central Michigan | CMU Stream ($) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Manhattan | at | George Washington | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | UT Arlington | at | Houston | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Houston Christian | at | Incarnate Word | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Oklahoma | at | Kansas State | ESPN+ / BIG XII NOW |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | New Orleans | at | Lamar | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Lindenwood | at | Little Rock | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Nicholls | at | McNeese | ESPN+ ??? |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Creighton | at | Minnesota | B1G+ ($) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Vanderbilt | at | Mississippi State | SECN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Evansville | at | Missouri State | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Canisius | at | Mount St. Mary's | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Illinois | at | Nebraska | B1G+ ($) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | UTRGV | at | New Mexico State | WAC Digital |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Ohio | at | Northern Illinois | NIU All-Access ($) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Baylor | at | Oklahoma State | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | North Dakota State | at | Omaha | Mavs All-Access |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | UAPB | at | Prairie View | PVA&M stream |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | UTSA | at | Rice | CUSA TV ($) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Quinnipiac | at | Rider | ESPN3 |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Saint Louis | at | San Jose State | MTN WEST NET / SJSU |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | SEMO | at | SIU Edwardsville | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | UIC | at | Southern Illinois | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Western Illinois | at | St. Thomas | Tommie Sports |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Southeastern Louisiana | at | TAMU-CC | ESPN+ |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Kansas | at | TCU | ESPN+ / BIG XII NOW |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Southern | at | Texas Southern | Youtube / TSU |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Stephen F Austin | at | Utah Tech | WAC Digital (free w/login) |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | LA Tech | at | Western Kentucky | BTM FB live or HSSN FB live |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | UMass | at | Wichita State | ESPN+ |
| 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | 12:30 PM | 11:30 AM | NC State | at | Boston College | ACCNX |
| 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | 12:30 PM | 11:30 AM | Siena | at | Fairfield | Stags Sports Network |
| 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | 12:30 PM | 11:30 AM | Louisville | at | Notre Dame | ACCNX |
| 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | 12:30 PM | 11:30 AM | Dartmouth | at | Princeton | ESPN+ |
| 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | 12:30 PM | 11:30 AM | Niagara | at | Saint Peter's | Peacocks Digital Network |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | UMass-Lowell | at | Binghamton | ESPN+ |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Butler | at | Cincinnati | ESPN+ |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Sam Houston | at | Grand Canyon | ESPN+ |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Ohio State | at | Indiana | B1G+ ($) |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Hartford | at | Northeastern | FloBaseball ($) |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Florida | at | Ole Miss | SEC Network |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Northwestern State | at | Oregon | PAC-12 Plus / UO Stream |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | California | at | Oregon State | PAC-12 INSIDER |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Harvard | at | Penn | ESPN+ |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Loyola Marymount | at | San Francisco | WCC Network |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | San Diego | at | Santa Clara | WCC Network |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Washington | at | UCLA | PAC-12 WASHINGTON |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Fresno State | at | UNLV | MTN WEST NET / UNLV |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Iona | at | Villanova | FloBaseball ($) |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Delaware State | at | Wagner | NEC Front Row |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Cornell | at | Yale | ESPN+ |
| 3:30 PM | 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | 12:30 PM | Brown | at | Columbia | ESPN+ |
| 3:30 PM | 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | 12:30 PM | Texas Tech | at | Texas | LHN |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | UC Irvine | at | Cal Poly | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Valparaiso | at | Indiana State | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Lafayette | at | Navy | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Portland | at | Pacific | WCC Network |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Gonzaga | at | Pepperdine | WCC Network |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Morehead State | at | Southern Indiana | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Utah | at | Stanford | PAC-12 Plus / STAN |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | CS Bakersfield | at | UC San Diego | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | CSUN | at | UC Santa Barbara | ESPN+ |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Washington State | at | USC | PAC-12 Plus / USC Stream |
| 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM | 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | Army | at | Holy Cross | ESPN+ |
| 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM | 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM | Bradley | at | Murray State | ESPN+ |
| 7:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Arizona | at | Arizona State | PAC-12 NETWORKS |
2023.03.25 14:46 PlainsmanParkingLot D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Saturday 3/25
 | submitted by PlainsmanParkingLot to collegebaseball [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/6z118rhh3wpa1.jpg?width=2791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b38d6a59298a9b29be96f2cfeb5742195b94415a
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2023.03.24 15:00 PlainsmanParkingLot D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Friday 3/24
 | submitted by PlainsmanParkingLot to collegebaseball [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/1zex7mt43ppa1.jpg?width=2791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2f7c1aee574acdfa94915b2d3fa8da37d606ccb
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2023.03.21 22:27 PutridBite Last of the Defenders - Ch 28
Welcome new readers. Please start with chapter one https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/11ai7iv/last_of_the_defenders_ch_01/
Previously https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/11xe5m5/last_of_the_defenders_ch_27/
Next https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/1219ns7/last_of_the_defenders_ch_29/
“I‘ve always been better able to swallow bad news with a good meal,” Li said as she walked around a counter and began rifling through a tall metal closet. She pulled out two wrapped bags. "Sadly, we’ll have to settle for this excrement."
Allah took the bags when offered, and a pair of bowls. Li grabbed another tiny spade, this one with a jagged edge. She opened her mouth, blowing on the spork and rubbed it on her forearm. She stepped to a cupboard and set a cup inside. “Dispense 2.5 liters of water at 343 Kelvin, Demeter.”
Steaming hot water filled the tall glass. Li placed a second under inside the cupboard, “Repeat command, Demeter,” and the second glass filled.
She walked to the bench opposite Allah and set the glasses down. “It's hot so be careful,” Li cautioned, tearing open the smaller pouch. She poured its contents inside Allah’s bowl, “Veggie broth number one for the sick kitty,” and Allah poured the glass of hot water in as well. It looked, as the powder started to disperse into the water, like settling silt, “And soy chicken chunks with almond cheese spread for me--yum yum!” she grimaced, as she pulled out three packets. She held the smallest of the three aloft. “But I do get a cookie.”
Allah sniffed the broth, remembering to bless the meal with “Xièxiè nǐ de zhōngwén shíwù” before sipping slowly. It was weak, bland, but it was warm. She had contented herself with a few sips of water during the quorum and her belly now demanded more.
Li stabbed her spade into Allah’s glass, stirring vigorously, “Sorry,” the human said, “but look on the bright side. This time tomorrow,” she ripped off the top of the largest pouch and Allah’s nose was assaulted with a smell that could only be described as “artificial”, “you should be well enough to sample this culinary delight.”
“I think I would prefer the broth,” and she took another sip. It did taste better when the silt was mixed. Li chuckled, pouring half her water into the large bag and ripped open another. That smelled even worse as a brown powder puffed free when water was applied. Li stirred the contents of both vigorously before pouring the orangey brown “cheese” into the freeze dried soy chicken substitute, and spooning both into her own bowl.
The human took a bite as Allah hid a wince behind another sip. Li chewed woodenly, swallowed and said “Not bad for a fifty year shelf life,” and dug back into the packets, searching. “If I know those pesky anglos--Ah ha!” She pulled out the tiniest pouch yet, ripped off the top and a smell Allah could only describe as tamed fire struck her nostrils as the human squeezed red liquid into her meal. “Hot sauce!” Li grinned and took another bite, nodding, “but I should’ve saved it for the cookie.”
Allah nodded acceptance of the tip and finished her broth.
“Want some more?” Li asked as she chewed.
“I would be honored by such a gift,” Allah nodded her head up and down, imitating the human response. Though, truth told fully, she was not so certain she would feel as honored by a second bowl.
Li did not get up, but instead pointed at the packet the broth had been contained in. “See those symbols?” Allah nodded, committing the human glyphs to memory. “Go find a matching pouch.”
Allah stood, sniffing and walked cautiously behind the counter. She used her claws to pop the metal closets open, gasping at the rush of cold air. Frozen air; cold as a warm winter day. She looked over her shoulder at Li, then carefully riffled through the icey box.
Several had similar glyphs as her pouch, but they were too big, the glyphs in the wrong order.
She opened another box, finding small packets of the right size but…wrong glyphs. Was the trough before the broken box with a line in its center or after. The two tails with a dash in the center had sat next to each other, she was certain…
“Need help?” Li called from the table.
“I will find it,” Allah called, “thank you for the offer.” There! Two curved tails with a dash in their middle. The trough was before the broken box. She pulled the packet out, returning to the table with tight lips.
Li, nodded. “Good. Now,” she lifted Allah’s glass to her. “Do you remember the temperature I gave Demeter?”
“Too poin’tah f’eye’vah Li’tours,” Allah fumbled with the words.
“That's the volume,” Li corrected. “But you need both. The temperature was three hundred forty three degrees Kelvin. You try.”
T-ta-ta’ree hun der red f’or--bach! Ta’ree hun’red f’ord’ee ta’ree da’ggg’ree Kah’el vine,” then grumbled "It feels like I am speaking with a rock in my throat!"
Li shrugged, “Welcome to English 101. Pop quiz,” she pointed to the hole in the wall. “Is to get our dim host over there to supply you with some fresh, hot water.”
Li continued eating as Allah took her glass to the square hole. She inspected the hole, saw a metal nipple sticking from its top. She placed the glass directly under and began to practice.
“Dimetar! Too poin’tah f’eye’vah Li’tours va’tour. Ta’ree hun’red f’ord’ee ta’ree da’ggg’ree Kah’el vine”
“Command not recognised,” the cheerful voice replied, translated by her metal implant. “Please restate.”
Allah sighed, bit her lip and tried again. And again. Each time, Li offered hints, coaching and encouragement. Try breaking each command down, see where he misunderstood. Enunciate, don’t growl the ‘guh’ sound.
“Dimetar?
“Yes, User Allah?”
“Too poin’tah f’eye’veh Li’tours wah tour.”
“Please specify desired temperature.”
“Ta’ree hund’red fort ee ta’ree da’gah’reez Kah’el vine.”
And water poured into the glass.
Allah took her prize in her paws and returned to the table. She set it down and beamed at Li. Then clapped her paws together so sharply that the human jerked back. Allah rushed back behind the counter, grabbed her own spork and returned to sit, panting onto the tiny jagged spade before rubbing it on her forearm.
“Proud of yourself?”
“Yes,” Allah puffed out her chest and twitched her tail as she sliced the packet open with a claw. For the first time in two days, she fed herself.
“Good,” Li spooned the last of her fake chicken and cheese into her mouth, opening the cookie. “I plan to teach you some basic commands to use if you need Demeter to help you when I’m not around. How’s that sound?"
Allah lowered her bowl and licked her lips with a small bow. “I will strive to be a worthy student.”
Li clapped her hands together, rubbing them furiously. “Then let's start with some ABCs,” but no sooner had the enthusiasm leapt to her face, it vanished.
Allah lowered her bowl in mild alarm.
Li held up a hand, her human face squishing in confusion. “Jung’s hailing me. Priority transmission. One sec,” and her eyes glassed over.
And just as quickly the human’s eyes widened in alarm “What!?!” Li stood up from the bench, jostling the table. “No, n-no. Hold it.” She looked at Allah, glowering. “Jung, repeat that last aloud.”
The AI’s voice spoke from the wall speaker “Li, these are confidential orders. I don’t like keeping secrets any more than you do--”
“It directly concerns her, Jung,” Li growled.
“Very well,” and the AI’s voice sounded resigned as he said “Stardancer and her assigned personnel are hereby ordered to leave OGLE-3219-BLG-2624L with all available haste and set course for the supply depot above Basker III. Shipboard AI is required to reconfirm receipt of message once personnel have digitally signed the read receipt.”
“And I’ll mate a monkey before I sign excrement! And neither are you, buckethead!”
“Li,” Jung soothed, “you must understand, this is a fleet command order. I am incapable of refusing such an order. If you fail to acknowledge receipt, they will ask me if it was delivered. I would be incapable of dissemination.”
“Tell them the transmission was garbled,” she countered.
“What does this mean?” Allah asked, growing alarm blossoming into new panic.
“That will not work as I have already sent my own read receipt,” Jung replied.
“Why the mate did you do that?”
“I was ordered to via direct transmission.”
“What does this mean?” Allah forced the distressed purring to stop. She would not shake herself to uselessness. "Li, Jung, what has happened?”
“They’re calling us home!” Li rounded and slammed her fists on the counter. “Without any notice of a reinforcement team.”
The human turned, a wild savagery in her dark eyes as she turned to look at Allah. The U’knock stood slowly but refused to back away in fear.
When Li spoke, spittle flew from her clenched teeth.
“We are not just leaving these people to die.”
“I empathize, Li,” Jung’s tone was soft, comforting. All Allah knew was that her world was about to die. No tone could comfort that grief. “But our orders are clear,” he continued. “If you disobey, they may begin sending instructions to Demeter to forcibly remove you.”
“Alright, alright.” Li took several calming breaths, in through her tiny nose and out through her mouth. “Alright,” and her voice retained a false calm. “Jung? Request reconfirmation on my authority. Ask them why they’re ignoring a Case Alamo.”
“I can send it immediately,” the AI replied
“You’ll send in a second,” she took another calming breath before saying “And Jung? Send it in the clear.”
“That,” Jung’s voice was flat to the point of refusal, “is a violation of Secure Communication Protocol 23.9, section A, and a court-martial offense, Corporal Zhōu.”
“On my authority as acting ground forces commander of,” she paused and looked at Allah, “did your people ever name this planet?”
Allah nodded “U’dam,” she answered.
“Ground forces commander of U’dam. Note your protest, Jung, and confirm when you send the message.
“Noted,” but the AI sounded reluctant. “Sent.”
“Now,” she rubbed her face with her hands, “cut yourself out of the local circuit; I’ll call you back.”
“Li,” Jung protested.
“Now Jung.”
There was a pause of heartbeats before the AI softly said “Complying.”
Li strode to a black panel on the mess hall wall. “Demeter, PDF override. Create a new partition in primary through tertiary data cores.”
“Building partitions. What file size do you require?”
“How large is your current Operating System size?”
“Demeter-907OS is currently utilizing 8.87693 yottabytes.”
“Make the partitions 9 yottabytes each.”
“Stand by,” the wooden voice replied. “Processing.
“Partitions complete.”
“Clone core OS to new partitions and label them as BACKUP ONE.”
“Cloning,” Li was bouncing back and forth on the balls of her feet; in excitement, renewed anger or impatience Allah was uncertain. “Files copied.”
“Run a scan against current OS and repair any anomalous files.”
“File check complete,” Demeter replied as Li growled a hushed “Comeon!” at the black panel. “Three thousand, one hundred and eight errors repaired across all copies.”
“Seal partitions labeled BACKUP ONE under Administrator Zhōu, Li, Corporal. Serial Service Number 218-08-986-42.”
“Files sealed. Private login access required for BACKUP ONE on primary core, secondary core and tertiary core. Would you like to open these files?”
"Now,” Li growled, shaking her arms like pieces of rope, “time to mate some excrement up. Demeter, access all thermopylae command files.”
“Accessing,” the wooden voice replied.
“Open program labeled ‘Naughty Boy’,” she ordered.
“Ope--Warning! Virus detected! Administrati--
“Authorization Zhōu, Li, Corporal! Serial Service Number 218-08-986-42,” Li shouted as a shrill alarm sounded. She slapped her palm against the black panel on the wall “Open ‘Naughty Boy’. PDF override authority!"
“Opeeeeeeee--” Demeter began, but the wooden voice hung. The speaker chirped, hiccuped and was silent. The mess hall lights flickered.
Li sighed, sitting back down on the nearest bench. “Thank you Sven,” she whispered.
“What has happened?” Allah asked. “What have you done to Demeter?”
“Hopefully,” Li forced a grin and patted the bench beside her. Allah came to sit next to her friend, “I’ve removed his ability to accept command instructions from offworld. Which sucks because that means Jung can’t interface directly via the comms until we establish a hard line connection.
“Demeter?” she called to the open air.
“Y-y-yes Administrator Li?”
“Contact Star Dancer.”
“N-n-no user found b-b-by that name.”
Li closed her eyes in thought. “Try AI Jung, or TSN-1337."
“User founnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd. Establishing c-c-connection.”
“What is wrong with him?” the lights flickered again. Li rose from the bench, pausing to pat Allah’s thigh, and walked to a white box opposite the counter. She opened it, pulling a thin package out. Ripping one end loose, she pulled a pair of green sticks out, tossing one to the U’knock.
Li bent her stick, shaking vigorously. It began to glow a soft green.
“Naughty Boy,” the human explained, “was based off of swarmer code the Star Dancer’s tech wizard acquired. It was originally written to strip local computer cores of higher thinking capability,” she gestured to the dark hallway. ”We should get moving.”
“Sven,” Allah asked, holding her own glowing stick above her head, “He was a friend of yours and Jung?”
Li’s head bobbed in agreement. “Our boy Sven retooled it to block external intrusion attempts--hostile or friendly. Never got it to work perfectly though. He always called it his ‘kitchen sink’ program; a last ditch effort to control an OS.”
“Is that why you told Jung to go away?” Li nodded again. “What would it do to him if he had not?” and silently Allah worried What could it do if he returned?
“Hopefully nothing,” Li answered, "Jung’s too smart to catch a cold,” and she smiled as she looked over her shoulder, “but there was no point in taking a chance.”
“Li?” an anxious voice called “Are you receiving?” the AI’s voice sounded strained, distant. Allah had played with other cubs near a culvert many times, calling to each other from different ends of the tube. Jung sounded like that now.
“I hear you Jung,” Li replied. “I was starting to worry.”
"Demeter has been spamming my firewall with unhealthy requests,” Jung explained. “I had to find a clean port.” His tone grew stern as he said “I have also lost communications with the fleet network. With Demeter’s behavior, I suspect I know why.”
“That information is ‘compartmentalized’,” Li grinned.
“I appreciate your attempts to protect me,” though Jung’s voice was anything but appreciative, “but you must understand this is a stop gap measure, at best. If you intend to continue requesting fleet assistance we will have to restore long range communication and they will, in turn, repeat their order.”
“Let tomorrow's worries worry tomorrow,” Li entered the room they had sent the mayday from. “What's your ETA?”
“Ram scoops at optimal angles, reactor mass at 60% of recommended capacity,” Jung sounded more distant still, as if talking next to a runoff stream, “I’ve begun suctioning the planet’s atmosphere and should be at safe slingtravel capacity in six hours, four minutes and twenty one seconds. I should be planetside in seven hours, fifty three minutes and nine seconds.”
Li took her seat at the monitor, tapping the screen on. “How long will it take to top off the tanks? I mean cutting out all safeties and max out pressure in your tanks.”
Jung hesitated.
“Seventeen hours, one minute and fourteen seconds, approximately,” he said so quietly that the noise of the connection almost drowned him out. “That assumes I would take such a risk.”
“Jung,” Li set her hands in her lap, looking up, “I know its a big ask--”
“Overriding safety protocols, Corporal Zhōu,” Jung interrupted angrily. The tone startled Allah. Jung didn’t get angry. Even when they had fought in the CNC and later in the Star Dancer’s mess, he had remained calm. “Rescheduling for high vector mass transport. Please be aware, traveling with such volatile materials will affect my time to return.
Li’s tone was soft now. “Revised ETA RTB?”
“Approximately two days dependant on U’dam weather patterns and celestial body avoidance routes,” he said resignedly.
Li winced. “That's cutting it close.”
“I would not complain if I were in your shoes,” Jung’s tone was acidic.
“If only you/I had any feet,” Li and Jung said together. The human smiled. Jung continued “You won't have remote access to Demeter until I’m on the surface,” he cautioned.
“I'll try to behave,” she patted the black screen affectionately. “Get back here as quick as you can, old man.”
“Stay safe down there, meatbag.”
And the speaker clicked dead.
submitted by PutridBite to HFY [link] [comments]
Previously https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/11xe5m5/last_of_the_defenders_ch_27/
Next https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/1219ns7/last_of_the_defenders_ch_29/
“I‘ve always been better able to swallow bad news with a good meal,” Li said as she walked around a counter and began rifling through a tall metal closet. She pulled out two wrapped bags. "Sadly, we’ll have to settle for this excrement."
Allah took the bags when offered, and a pair of bowls. Li grabbed another tiny spade, this one with a jagged edge. She opened her mouth, blowing on the spork and rubbed it on her forearm. She stepped to a cupboard and set a cup inside. “Dispense 2.5 liters of water at 343 Kelvin, Demeter.”
Steaming hot water filled the tall glass. Li placed a second under inside the cupboard, “Repeat command, Demeter,” and the second glass filled.
She walked to the bench opposite Allah and set the glasses down. “It's hot so be careful,” Li cautioned, tearing open the smaller pouch. She poured its contents inside Allah’s bowl, “Veggie broth number one for the sick kitty,” and Allah poured the glass of hot water in as well. It looked, as the powder started to disperse into the water, like settling silt, “And soy chicken chunks with almond cheese spread for me--yum yum!” she grimaced, as she pulled out three packets. She held the smallest of the three aloft. “But I do get a cookie.”
Allah sniffed the broth, remembering to bless the meal with “Xièxiè nǐ de zhōngwén shíwù” before sipping slowly. It was weak, bland, but it was warm. She had contented herself with a few sips of water during the quorum and her belly now demanded more.
Li stabbed her spade into Allah’s glass, stirring vigorously, “Sorry,” the human said, “but look on the bright side. This time tomorrow,” she ripped off the top of the largest pouch and Allah’s nose was assaulted with a smell that could only be described as “artificial”, “you should be well enough to sample this culinary delight.”
“I think I would prefer the broth,” and she took another sip. It did taste better when the silt was mixed. Li chuckled, pouring half her water into the large bag and ripped open another. That smelled even worse as a brown powder puffed free when water was applied. Li stirred the contents of both vigorously before pouring the orangey brown “cheese” into the freeze dried soy chicken substitute, and spooning both into her own bowl.
The human took a bite as Allah hid a wince behind another sip. Li chewed woodenly, swallowed and said “Not bad for a fifty year shelf life,” and dug back into the packets, searching. “If I know those pesky anglos--Ah ha!” She pulled out the tiniest pouch yet, ripped off the top and a smell Allah could only describe as tamed fire struck her nostrils as the human squeezed red liquid into her meal. “Hot sauce!” Li grinned and took another bite, nodding, “but I should’ve saved it for the cookie.”
Allah nodded acceptance of the tip and finished her broth.
“Want some more?” Li asked as she chewed.
“I would be honored by such a gift,” Allah nodded her head up and down, imitating the human response. Though, truth told fully, she was not so certain she would feel as honored by a second bowl.
Li did not get up, but instead pointed at the packet the broth had been contained in. “See those symbols?” Allah nodded, committing the human glyphs to memory. “Go find a matching pouch.”
Allah stood, sniffing and walked cautiously behind the counter. She used her claws to pop the metal closets open, gasping at the rush of cold air. Frozen air; cold as a warm winter day. She looked over her shoulder at Li, then carefully riffled through the icey box.
Several had similar glyphs as her pouch, but they were too big, the glyphs in the wrong order.
She opened another box, finding small packets of the right size but…wrong glyphs. Was the trough before the broken box with a line in its center or after. The two tails with a dash in the center had sat next to each other, she was certain…
“Need help?” Li called from the table.
“I will find it,” Allah called, “thank you for the offer.” There! Two curved tails with a dash in their middle. The trough was before the broken box. She pulled the packet out, returning to the table with tight lips.
Li, nodded. “Good. Now,” she lifted Allah’s glass to her. “Do you remember the temperature I gave Demeter?”
“Too poin’tah f’eye’vah Li’tours,” Allah fumbled with the words.
“That's the volume,” Li corrected. “But you need both. The temperature was three hundred forty three degrees Kelvin. You try.”
T-ta-ta’ree hun der red f’or--bach! Ta’ree hun’red f’ord’ee ta’ree da’ggg’ree Kah’el vine,” then grumbled "It feels like I am speaking with a rock in my throat!"
Li shrugged, “Welcome to English 101. Pop quiz,” she pointed to the hole in the wall. “Is to get our dim host over there to supply you with some fresh, hot water.”
Li continued eating as Allah took her glass to the square hole. She inspected the hole, saw a metal nipple sticking from its top. She placed the glass directly under and began to practice.
“Dimetar! Too poin’tah f’eye’vah Li’tours va’tour. Ta’ree hun’red f’ord’ee ta’ree da’ggg’ree Kah’el vine”
“Command not recognised,” the cheerful voice replied, translated by her metal implant. “Please restate.”
Allah sighed, bit her lip and tried again. And again. Each time, Li offered hints, coaching and encouragement. Try breaking each command down, see where he misunderstood. Enunciate, don’t growl the ‘guh’ sound.
“Dimetar?
“Yes, User Allah?”
“Too poin’tah f’eye’veh Li’tours wah tour.”
“Please specify desired temperature.”
“Ta’ree hund’red fort ee ta’ree da’gah’reez Kah’el vine.”
And water poured into the glass.
Allah took her prize in her paws and returned to the table. She set it down and beamed at Li. Then clapped her paws together so sharply that the human jerked back. Allah rushed back behind the counter, grabbed her own spork and returned to sit, panting onto the tiny jagged spade before rubbing it on her forearm.
“Proud of yourself?”
“Yes,” Allah puffed out her chest and twitched her tail as she sliced the packet open with a claw. For the first time in two days, she fed herself.
“Good,” Li spooned the last of her fake chicken and cheese into her mouth, opening the cookie. “I plan to teach you some basic commands to use if you need Demeter to help you when I’m not around. How’s that sound?"
Allah lowered her bowl and licked her lips with a small bow. “I will strive to be a worthy student.”
Li clapped her hands together, rubbing them furiously. “Then let's start with some ABCs,” but no sooner had the enthusiasm leapt to her face, it vanished.
Allah lowered her bowl in mild alarm.
Li held up a hand, her human face squishing in confusion. “Jung’s hailing me. Priority transmission. One sec,” and her eyes glassed over.
And just as quickly the human’s eyes widened in alarm “What!?!” Li stood up from the bench, jostling the table. “No, n-no. Hold it.” She looked at Allah, glowering. “Jung, repeat that last aloud.”
The AI’s voice spoke from the wall speaker “Li, these are confidential orders. I don’t like keeping secrets any more than you do--”
“It directly concerns her, Jung,” Li growled.
“Very well,” and the AI’s voice sounded resigned as he said “Stardancer and her assigned personnel are hereby ordered to leave OGLE-3219-BLG-2624L with all available haste and set course for the supply depot above Basker III. Shipboard AI is required to reconfirm receipt of message once personnel have digitally signed the read receipt.”
“And I’ll mate a monkey before I sign excrement! And neither are you, buckethead!”
“Li,” Jung soothed, “you must understand, this is a fleet command order. I am incapable of refusing such an order. If you fail to acknowledge receipt, they will ask me if it was delivered. I would be incapable of dissemination.”
“Tell them the transmission was garbled,” she countered.
“What does this mean?” Allah asked, growing alarm blossoming into new panic.
“That will not work as I have already sent my own read receipt,” Jung replied.
“Why the mate did you do that?”
“I was ordered to via direct transmission.”
“What does this mean?” Allah forced the distressed purring to stop. She would not shake herself to uselessness. "Li, Jung, what has happened?”
“They’re calling us home!” Li rounded and slammed her fists on the counter. “Without any notice of a reinforcement team.”
The human turned, a wild savagery in her dark eyes as she turned to look at Allah. The U’knock stood slowly but refused to back away in fear.
When Li spoke, spittle flew from her clenched teeth.
“We are not just leaving these people to die.”
“I empathize, Li,” Jung’s tone was soft, comforting. All Allah knew was that her world was about to die. No tone could comfort that grief. “But our orders are clear,” he continued. “If you disobey, they may begin sending instructions to Demeter to forcibly remove you.”
“Alright, alright.” Li took several calming breaths, in through her tiny nose and out through her mouth. “Alright,” and her voice retained a false calm. “Jung? Request reconfirmation on my authority. Ask them why they’re ignoring a Case Alamo.”
“I can send it immediately,” the AI replied
“You’ll send in a second,” she took another calming breath before saying “And Jung? Send it in the clear.”
“That,” Jung’s voice was flat to the point of refusal, “is a violation of Secure Communication Protocol 23.9, section A, and a court-martial offense, Corporal Zhōu.”
“On my authority as acting ground forces commander of,” she paused and looked at Allah, “did your people ever name this planet?”
Allah nodded “U’dam,” she answered.
“Ground forces commander of U’dam. Note your protest, Jung, and confirm when you send the message.
“Noted,” but the AI sounded reluctant. “Sent.”
“Now,” she rubbed her face with her hands, “cut yourself out of the local circuit; I’ll call you back.”
“Li,” Jung protested.
“Now Jung.”
There was a pause of heartbeats before the AI softly said “Complying.”
Li strode to a black panel on the mess hall wall. “Demeter, PDF override. Create a new partition in primary through tertiary data cores.”
“Building partitions. What file size do you require?”
“How large is your current Operating System size?”
“Demeter-907OS is currently utilizing 8.87693 yottabytes.”
“Make the partitions 9 yottabytes each.”
“Stand by,” the wooden voice replied. “Processing.
“Partitions complete.”
“Clone core OS to new partitions and label them as BACKUP ONE.”
“Cloning,” Li was bouncing back and forth on the balls of her feet; in excitement, renewed anger or impatience Allah was uncertain. “Files copied.”
“Run a scan against current OS and repair any anomalous files.”
“File check complete,” Demeter replied as Li growled a hushed “Comeon!” at the black panel. “Three thousand, one hundred and eight errors repaired across all copies.”
“Seal partitions labeled BACKUP ONE under Administrator Zhōu, Li, Corporal. Serial Service Number 218-08-986-42.”
“Files sealed. Private login access required for BACKUP ONE on primary core, secondary core and tertiary core. Would you like to open these files?”
"Now,” Li growled, shaking her arms like pieces of rope, “time to mate some excrement up. Demeter, access all thermopylae command files.”
“Accessing,” the wooden voice replied.
“Open program labeled ‘Naughty Boy’,” she ordered.
“Ope--Warning! Virus detected! Administrati--
“Authorization Zhōu, Li, Corporal! Serial Service Number 218-08-986-42,” Li shouted as a shrill alarm sounded. She slapped her palm against the black panel on the wall “Open ‘Naughty Boy’. PDF override authority!"
“Opeeeeeeee--” Demeter began, but the wooden voice hung. The speaker chirped, hiccuped and was silent. The mess hall lights flickered.
Li sighed, sitting back down on the nearest bench. “Thank you Sven,” she whispered.
“What has happened?” Allah asked. “What have you done to Demeter?”
“Hopefully,” Li forced a grin and patted the bench beside her. Allah came to sit next to her friend, “I’ve removed his ability to accept command instructions from offworld. Which sucks because that means Jung can’t interface directly via the comms until we establish a hard line connection.
“Demeter?” she called to the open air.
“Y-y-yes Administrator Li?”
“Contact Star Dancer.”
“N-n-no user found b-b-by that name.”
Li closed her eyes in thought. “Try AI Jung, or TSN-1337."
“User founnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd. Establishing c-c-connection.”
“What is wrong with him?” the lights flickered again. Li rose from the bench, pausing to pat Allah’s thigh, and walked to a white box opposite the counter. She opened it, pulling a thin package out. Ripping one end loose, she pulled a pair of green sticks out, tossing one to the U’knock.
Li bent her stick, shaking vigorously. It began to glow a soft green.
“Naughty Boy,” the human explained, “was based off of swarmer code the Star Dancer’s tech wizard acquired. It was originally written to strip local computer cores of higher thinking capability,” she gestured to the dark hallway. ”We should get moving.”
“Sven,” Allah asked, holding her own glowing stick above her head, “He was a friend of yours and Jung?”
Li’s head bobbed in agreement. “Our boy Sven retooled it to block external intrusion attempts--hostile or friendly. Never got it to work perfectly though. He always called it his ‘kitchen sink’ program; a last ditch effort to control an OS.”
“Is that why you told Jung to go away?” Li nodded again. “What would it do to him if he had not?” and silently Allah worried What could it do if he returned?
“Hopefully nothing,” Li answered, "Jung’s too smart to catch a cold,” and she smiled as she looked over her shoulder, “but there was no point in taking a chance.”
“Li?” an anxious voice called “Are you receiving?” the AI’s voice sounded strained, distant. Allah had played with other cubs near a culvert many times, calling to each other from different ends of the tube. Jung sounded like that now.
“I hear you Jung,” Li replied. “I was starting to worry.”
"Demeter has been spamming my firewall with unhealthy requests,” Jung explained. “I had to find a clean port.” His tone grew stern as he said “I have also lost communications with the fleet network. With Demeter’s behavior, I suspect I know why.”
“That information is ‘compartmentalized’,” Li grinned.
“I appreciate your attempts to protect me,” though Jung’s voice was anything but appreciative, “but you must understand this is a stop gap measure, at best. If you intend to continue requesting fleet assistance we will have to restore long range communication and they will, in turn, repeat their order.”
“Let tomorrow's worries worry tomorrow,” Li entered the room they had sent the mayday from. “What's your ETA?”
“Ram scoops at optimal angles, reactor mass at 60% of recommended capacity,” Jung sounded more distant still, as if talking next to a runoff stream, “I’ve begun suctioning the planet’s atmosphere and should be at safe slingtravel capacity in six hours, four minutes and twenty one seconds. I should be planetside in seven hours, fifty three minutes and nine seconds.”
Li took her seat at the monitor, tapping the screen on. “How long will it take to top off the tanks? I mean cutting out all safeties and max out pressure in your tanks.”
Jung hesitated.
“Seventeen hours, one minute and fourteen seconds, approximately,” he said so quietly that the noise of the connection almost drowned him out. “That assumes I would take such a risk.”
“Jung,” Li set her hands in her lap, looking up, “I know its a big ask--”
“Overriding safety protocols, Corporal Zhōu,” Jung interrupted angrily. The tone startled Allah. Jung didn’t get angry. Even when they had fought in the CNC and later in the Star Dancer’s mess, he had remained calm. “Rescheduling for high vector mass transport. Please be aware, traveling with such volatile materials will affect my time to return.
Li’s tone was soft now. “Revised ETA RTB?”
“Approximately two days dependant on U’dam weather patterns and celestial body avoidance routes,” he said resignedly.
Li winced. “That's cutting it close.”
“I would not complain if I were in your shoes,” Jung’s tone was acidic.
“If only you/I had any feet,” Li and Jung said together. The human smiled. Jung continued “You won't have remote access to Demeter until I’m on the surface,” he cautioned.
“I'll try to behave,” she patted the black screen affectionately. “Get back here as quick as you can, old man.”
“Stay safe down there, meatbag.”
And the speaker clicked dead.
2023.03.19 14:42 PlainsmanParkingLot D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Sunday March 19 (British Mothering Sunday)
 | submitted by PlainsmanParkingLot to collegebaseball [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/ylwnsx199poa1.jpg?width=2791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf6317e7d35c221604ee5314bb8f781a661cf37b
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2023.03.19 14:34 mabuxy Please someone help me to get rid of those notifications, I see those at least 3 times a day it’s so annoying..
 | submitted by mabuxy to mac [link] [comments] |
2023.03.18 13:26 PlainsmanParkingLot D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Saturday 3/18 (National Corndog Day)
 | submitted by PlainsmanParkingLot to collegebaseball [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/yb88hiavqhoa1.jpg?width=2791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5dfa16bcd5961555956e56f9ef267ad11b7b5a10
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2023.03.17 14:25 PlainsmanParkingLot D1 Baseball TV/Streaming for Friday 3/17 (Saint Patrick's Day)
 | submitted by PlainsmanParkingLot to collegebaseball [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/6oiu0udzxaoa1.jpg?width=2791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6c68305e7173358c22b4d8381c5299135640f4c
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2023.03.17 01:48 AleksisLevv [HM] Doggy Matchmaker
Kale nougat it was for me. I pressed my finger on the print-reader and waited while the vending machine synced my fingerprint to the job performance database. I held still while the petals of the asynchronous progress indicator chased one another. Since there was no greater motivation for me to do my job than access to snacks, I had no problem with this part. My job performance, it was determined, had been unremarkable, but not terrible. The facial recognition feature was triggered. It confirmed that I was, for all practical purposes, Dick Digby.
Theodore, the new office manager, leaned against the ionized water vending machine and laced his fingers together in front of his chest, pushed his palms away from his body, then stretched them over his head. His hands returned to chest-level, now clenched and holding invisible drumsticks. He performed a silent paradiddle. On his first day at the office, I asked him if he had majored in air drums in college because he spent nearly half the day striking the air in front of him in swift, restricted motions.
“No, actually. I majored in calligraphy, but nice joke. I can tell you and I will get along just fine. I love jokes; I minored in joke analysis.”
I gave him a slight nod while he paradiddled and watched me. Since he was the person who entered my job performance into the database, and thus had the power to deny me snacks, I always made sure to cloak my disdain for him underneath saccharine conviviality.
After my identity was confirmed, I entered the fifteen-digit code issued to me at the time of hiring. During the hiring process I had to choose between getting a snack code or getting health insurance. I could not have both. After entering the fifteen-digit code I was prompted to enter the four-digit pin number issued at the beginning of every quarter. I had the option to select my own four-digit pin, and what a treat it was to have that sort of power, but I usually opted to allow the automated system to choose one for me.
Theodore rolled up his sleeves and tuned his air tom-toms.
“You were late last Friday,” he said while hitting the air snare.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“You do understand that for each minute you’re late, a quarter hour of pay gets docked.”
“Yes, I know. Sorry.”
I entered my four-digit pin and waited for the machine to decide whether I should have to submit to a drug test or not. This was a small price to pay for vending machine use. There were acceptable drugs. The anti-depressants. Anti-anxieties. Anti-psychotics. As prescribed. At the time of hiring, all drugs prescribed by a physician had to be disclosed so that access to snacks would not be denied in the event of a drug test. Any change in prescription drug use had to be submitted to HR with a written statement from your physician, at which point HR would review it and either approve or deny it. Then, once signed off on by HR, it would be sent to corporate, who would also have to sign off on the new prescription. This process could take anywhere from eight to twelve weeks, during which time you could not get snacks. Once approved by corporate, your new condition and updated drug list would be sent to the vending machine company. Once the vending machine company received your updated list, it was common to find vouchers for competitor’s drugs in your inbox. We were at once employees, customers and products, and what a joy it was to be such a dynamic slice of the company.
This process was much talked about in the lunchroom and at company meetings. It was only a matter of time before those of us in the office would find ourselves on the anxiety disorder spectrum, so having to update one’s prescription drug list was rather bothersome. We weren’t tested for alcohol, but there were rumors floating around the office that they were going to roll out alcohol tests in the next fiscal year.
I didn’t have to worry about the drug test, this time, so I quickly inserted and removed my personal vending machine card. The machine only accepted cards with exact credit, and no two snacks were the same price. In most cases, it could take anywhere from one to three hours for the credits to load onto your card, so it was wise to figure out which snack you wanted upon clocking in. There was an entire department for this, for loading snack credit onto cards. If you were friendly with the staff, they would sometimes waive the fifty-cent fee and expedite the processing time.
“You say ‘sorry’ as if it’s going to activate a time machine and take you back to a time when you were not late, so that you might not have your pay docked. That’s not how it works. ‘Sorry’ cannot undo time, Dick. That’s fifteen minutes for every one minute. Is it worth it? To be late?”
“No.”
He lightly tapped an air cymbal.
“I don’t do this for my health. My job is to make sure everyone reaches their maximum potential within the company and by extension, in life. You cannot reach your maximum potential by being late.”
I nodded and entered the code for the kale nougat, 8995008CRFDDKGNX, and it was released from its holding place. I reached into the small flap at the bottom of the machine and Theodore walked away. When he returned, he handed me a stack of papers.
“Thom Davies is one of our most loyal clients. Normally I would have Christina deal with him, but she’s out on sick leave.”
“She’s sick?”
“No, she’s well.”
“Uhm.”
“She’s well, but she wants to be sick.”
“Why?”
“How often do people send you cards when you’re well? How often do people ask how you’re feeling; ask if everything is okay? Not often enough. Sometimes you need to make yourself sick to get people to care. She’s staying the week at Saucon Valley Sickness Center.”
He leaned in close to my face, “new mouthwash?”
“Yes.”
He did a single stroke roll and walked away.
I went to my cubicle and pulled a small mouthwash bottle out of my desk drawer. I emptied the full contents of the bottle into my mouth and swished it around for a moment or two, then swallowed. It warmed my muscular system, then my nervous system, then my subcutaneous fat. It warmed me until I was just there, a network of warmth. I always kept several mouthwash bottles filled with vodka in my desk, with a drop of green food coloring mixed in. In section 5-98 of the employee handbook, alcohol consumption on company property was strictly forbidden, as well as drugs not approved by a physician, then by HR, then by corporate. But the trick is this: nobody notices that you are drunk if you show up on your first day of work drunk and establish a drunk pattern afterwards. You never, ever want to show up drunk after establishing a sober pattern. People will start to ask questions.
Thom Davies was a client I had heard a lot about. He was high-maintenance. Christina was perfect for him because she lacked just enough self-respect. It allowed for her to handle him properly. A sticky note was attached to the top page of the stack of papers. The papers were collectively Thom’s file. The note read: “Follow up with Thom at your earliest convenience.” The note was undoubtedly written by Christina, as it conveyed a slight sense of urgency, but not enough urgency to upset anyone.
I dialed the telephone number listed on the file and scanned down the first page.
Name: Jacobean
Breed: retriever, golden
Hair color: honey-blond
Eye color: black
Personality: peppy, friendly, anxious (at times)
Hobbies: howling during thunderstorms, begging for French fries, chasing sparrows, drinking wine (socially), chasing own tail, chasing tails of others, napping
Interests: bedding, human food, basket-weaving, Hegelian dialectics
Looking for: long-term relationship, marriage, to start a family
Perfect first date: Sharing a few rawhides and barks; nothing formal, just a casual wagging of tails.
The phone rang for some time; just one ring short of having to leave a message.
“Ruff.”
“Hello?”
“Ruff, ruff. Ruff.”
“Ahem, ruff ruff. Hello? This is Dick Digby at Doggy Matchmaker. May I speak with your human?”
“Ruff.”
I waited a few seconds before a man got on the phone. He was audibly agitated.
“HELL-O?”
“Hello, this is Dick Digby at Doggy Matchmaker, I’m calling to follow up with you and Jacobean.”
“Dick? Where’s Christina?”
“She’s on sick leave.”
“She’s sick?”
“No, but she wants to be.”
“Uhm.”
“I’m looking through your file and I see that Jacobean has been on three dates this month. How did everything go? Did Jacobean find his forever love?”
“No, and that is the problem. Jacobean and I have been using your service for over a year and we have yet to find a perfect match. We were GUARENTEED to find a perfect match in six months or less as subscribers to your Diamond Membership.”
He was right.
Doggy Matchmaker had different tiers of membership. Each level included different features, and the more you paid for your monthly membership, the greater the promises and guarantees. For instance, for a Silver Membership, it wasn’t guaranteed that you would find what you were looking for, but you were guaranteed to have a good time on your journey. For a Gold Membership, you were guaranteed to find at least three matches, but typically of the short-term variety. There’s nothing wrong with that; sometimes that’s what dogs are looking for. Our Platinum Membership was the same as our Gold Membership, plus you received a grooming kit every month in the mail and a birthday coupon for a free steak dinner.
But for our Diamond Membership you were promised to find exactly what it was you were looking for, regardless of what it was you were looking for, in six months or less, plus you would have fun on your journey, and you would receive a grooming kit every month as well as a birthday coupon for a free steak dinner. Our Diamond Membership was where big monthly premiums and big promises joined.
What set Doggy Matchmaker apart from other dating websites, besides being for dogs only, was that matchmaking experts conducted one-on-one consultations with each client and played an active role in the entire process, typically allotting extra time and effort to Diamond Members. We walked clients through every step of the process, from registration to matching profiles to arranging dates. As a member of the web support department, I was there mainly to help people with simple technical difficulties: retrieving login information, resetting passwords. Serious issues with our matchmaking service was not where I excelled. However, I was cross-trained to do other people’s jobs, so that those people could be laid off with ease or go on leave to become sick.
“Okay, Thom? I’m going to email you the profiles of possible matches. I apologize for the failure of our service to find Jacobean’s forever love.”
I tried not to choke up with each syllable that driveled off my tongue. My pores produced acrid ethanol sweat as I thought about the snacks I would have to miss out on if I couldn’t appease Thom, just for this week. Although I was not personally to blame for the failure of the service to produce results, I would be held personally responsible for the failure of the service to produce results, at least until Christina returned from leave. It was no wonder why Christina wanted to be sick.
“You don’t get it, do you? Jacobean isn’t getting any younger. I am not getting any younger. Jacobean wants to be energetic enough to keep up with his future pups, and I want to be energetic enough to keep up with my future grandpups.”
“Yes, I understand, and I want to walk you through every step of the way, up to Jacobean’s wedding with his forever love.”
I logged into my computer and opened our database; scrolled through pictures of Peruvian Inca orchids, otterhounds, kooikerhondjes, chow chows.
Over recent years, the popularity of Doggy Matchmaker had surged, thanks to a decline in demand for human matchmaking. The few remaining human dating services were used primarily for short-short-term arrangements. One-night affairs. Two-hour flings. Four-minute stands. Geography and ideology no longer stopped humans from connecting to one another. But technology stopped them from connecting with one another. Humans were having a hard time treating those they met with enough dignity and respect to make them want to stick around, because they had access to so many other humans. A classic case of supply and demand. Because of this, fewer were willing to enter the dating scene, and even fewer still were willing to get married. Marriage rates had dropped. Fewer people were having children.
People began adopting more pets.
Call it a misaligned biological imperative, call it whatever you want, but people treated their dogs like human children. And just as most people want their children to eventually marry and have kids of their own, they wanted their pets to marry and have pups.
I singled out a few potential matches.
“How about Sadie? She’s a warm and affectionate wirehaired pointing griffon who loves to cuddle.”
Warm and affectionate. I left out the part where Sadie was shy and depressed at times.
“Well, I don’t know. I don’t want my grandpups to have wiry coats; I want them to have shiny, soft hair.”
“Okay, okay. How about Odessa? She’s a fun-loving border collie, who is sure to set Jacobean’s heart ablaze.”
“How do you know she’ll do that?”
“Because it says so on her profile.”
“How would she know whether she could set anyone’s heart ablaze unless she’s of…that persuasion?”
“That persuasion?”
“Yes. That persuasion. Slutty. Jacobean wants a mate who has enough experience, but not too much.”
I listed a few more and it became apparent that Thom and Jacobean were uncompromising; a very bad trait if you want a marriage to work. If Jacobean were ever to find a dog unlucky enough to give her paw in marriage, it would lead to divorce. There was no doubt about that. Thom was adamant in his and Jacobean’s standards: Jacobean wanted a mate that would produce pups with flat, smooth coats. A mate that was career-oriented, but also flexible enough to take a few years off to raise her pups. A mate who wasn’t past her pup-bearing age, but also not too young and naïve. A mate from a non-smoker’s home. Drug and disease-free. A mate that wasn’t too…big. Nor too small. Narrow hips can complicate pupbirth, after all. A mate with a good demeanor; one that could provide emotional strength and backbone during tough times. Beautiful, but not too beautiful. Funny, but not too funny. Educated, but not too educated. Well-behaved, but spontaneous, sometimes.
“Mr. Davies, we only have dogs in our database.”
“I know that. What is that supposed to mean?”
“Well, with all due respect, it seems that you are looking for something more.”
“More?”
“I mean that we don’t match dogs with unicorns.”
Jacobean barked relentlessly in the background. Mr. Davies hung up.
Theodore’s phone rang, three cubicles away. I could hear him as he spoke in a hushed tone.
“Unicorns? Really? I am so sorry, Mr. Davies.”
I pulled a mouthwash bottle from my desk and opened my vacuum-sealed package of kale nougat. I wondered if the sickness center Christina was staying at offered snacks.
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Theodore, the new office manager, leaned against the ionized water vending machine and laced his fingers together in front of his chest, pushed his palms away from his body, then stretched them over his head. His hands returned to chest-level, now clenched and holding invisible drumsticks. He performed a silent paradiddle. On his first day at the office, I asked him if he had majored in air drums in college because he spent nearly half the day striking the air in front of him in swift, restricted motions.
“No, actually. I majored in calligraphy, but nice joke. I can tell you and I will get along just fine. I love jokes; I minored in joke analysis.”
I gave him a slight nod while he paradiddled and watched me. Since he was the person who entered my job performance into the database, and thus had the power to deny me snacks, I always made sure to cloak my disdain for him underneath saccharine conviviality.
After my identity was confirmed, I entered the fifteen-digit code issued to me at the time of hiring. During the hiring process I had to choose between getting a snack code or getting health insurance. I could not have both. After entering the fifteen-digit code I was prompted to enter the four-digit pin number issued at the beginning of every quarter. I had the option to select my own four-digit pin, and what a treat it was to have that sort of power, but I usually opted to allow the automated system to choose one for me.
Theodore rolled up his sleeves and tuned his air tom-toms.
“You were late last Friday,” he said while hitting the air snare.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“You do understand that for each minute you’re late, a quarter hour of pay gets docked.”
“Yes, I know. Sorry.”
I entered my four-digit pin and waited for the machine to decide whether I should have to submit to a drug test or not. This was a small price to pay for vending machine use. There were acceptable drugs. The anti-depressants. Anti-anxieties. Anti-psychotics. As prescribed. At the time of hiring, all drugs prescribed by a physician had to be disclosed so that access to snacks would not be denied in the event of a drug test. Any change in prescription drug use had to be submitted to HR with a written statement from your physician, at which point HR would review it and either approve or deny it. Then, once signed off on by HR, it would be sent to corporate, who would also have to sign off on the new prescription. This process could take anywhere from eight to twelve weeks, during which time you could not get snacks. Once approved by corporate, your new condition and updated drug list would be sent to the vending machine company. Once the vending machine company received your updated list, it was common to find vouchers for competitor’s drugs in your inbox. We were at once employees, customers and products, and what a joy it was to be such a dynamic slice of the company.
This process was much talked about in the lunchroom and at company meetings. It was only a matter of time before those of us in the office would find ourselves on the anxiety disorder spectrum, so having to update one’s prescription drug list was rather bothersome. We weren’t tested for alcohol, but there were rumors floating around the office that they were going to roll out alcohol tests in the next fiscal year.
I didn’t have to worry about the drug test, this time, so I quickly inserted and removed my personal vending machine card. The machine only accepted cards with exact credit, and no two snacks were the same price. In most cases, it could take anywhere from one to three hours for the credits to load onto your card, so it was wise to figure out which snack you wanted upon clocking in. There was an entire department for this, for loading snack credit onto cards. If you were friendly with the staff, they would sometimes waive the fifty-cent fee and expedite the processing time.
“You say ‘sorry’ as if it’s going to activate a time machine and take you back to a time when you were not late, so that you might not have your pay docked. That’s not how it works. ‘Sorry’ cannot undo time, Dick. That’s fifteen minutes for every one minute. Is it worth it? To be late?”
“No.”
He lightly tapped an air cymbal.
“I don’t do this for my health. My job is to make sure everyone reaches their maximum potential within the company and by extension, in life. You cannot reach your maximum potential by being late.”
I nodded and entered the code for the kale nougat, 8995008CRFDDKGNX, and it was released from its holding place. I reached into the small flap at the bottom of the machine and Theodore walked away. When he returned, he handed me a stack of papers.
“Thom Davies is one of our most loyal clients. Normally I would have Christina deal with him, but she’s out on sick leave.”
“She’s sick?”
“No, she’s well.”
“Uhm.”
“She’s well, but she wants to be sick.”
“Why?”
“How often do people send you cards when you’re well? How often do people ask how you’re feeling; ask if everything is okay? Not often enough. Sometimes you need to make yourself sick to get people to care. She’s staying the week at Saucon Valley Sickness Center.”
He leaned in close to my face, “new mouthwash?”
“Yes.”
He did a single stroke roll and walked away.
I went to my cubicle and pulled a small mouthwash bottle out of my desk drawer. I emptied the full contents of the bottle into my mouth and swished it around for a moment or two, then swallowed. It warmed my muscular system, then my nervous system, then my subcutaneous fat. It warmed me until I was just there, a network of warmth. I always kept several mouthwash bottles filled with vodka in my desk, with a drop of green food coloring mixed in. In section 5-98 of the employee handbook, alcohol consumption on company property was strictly forbidden, as well as drugs not approved by a physician, then by HR, then by corporate. But the trick is this: nobody notices that you are drunk if you show up on your first day of work drunk and establish a drunk pattern afterwards. You never, ever want to show up drunk after establishing a sober pattern. People will start to ask questions.
Thom Davies was a client I had heard a lot about. He was high-maintenance. Christina was perfect for him because she lacked just enough self-respect. It allowed for her to handle him properly. A sticky note was attached to the top page of the stack of papers. The papers were collectively Thom’s file. The note read: “Follow up with Thom at your earliest convenience.” The note was undoubtedly written by Christina, as it conveyed a slight sense of urgency, but not enough urgency to upset anyone.
I dialed the telephone number listed on the file and scanned down the first page.
Name: Jacobean
Breed: retriever, golden
Hair color: honey-blond
Eye color: black
Personality: peppy, friendly, anxious (at times)
Hobbies: howling during thunderstorms, begging for French fries, chasing sparrows, drinking wine (socially), chasing own tail, chasing tails of others, napping
Interests: bedding, human food, basket-weaving, Hegelian dialectics
Looking for: long-term relationship, marriage, to start a family
Perfect first date: Sharing a few rawhides and barks; nothing formal, just a casual wagging of tails.
The phone rang for some time; just one ring short of having to leave a message.
“Ruff.”
“Hello?”
“Ruff, ruff. Ruff.”
“Ahem, ruff ruff. Hello? This is Dick Digby at Doggy Matchmaker. May I speak with your human?”
“Ruff.”
I waited a few seconds before a man got on the phone. He was audibly agitated.
“HELL-O?”
“Hello, this is Dick Digby at Doggy Matchmaker, I’m calling to follow up with you and Jacobean.”
“Dick? Where’s Christina?”
“She’s on sick leave.”
“She’s sick?”
“No, but she wants to be.”
“Uhm.”
“I’m looking through your file and I see that Jacobean has been on three dates this month. How did everything go? Did Jacobean find his forever love?”
“No, and that is the problem. Jacobean and I have been using your service for over a year and we have yet to find a perfect match. We were GUARENTEED to find a perfect match in six months or less as subscribers to your Diamond Membership.”
He was right.
Doggy Matchmaker had different tiers of membership. Each level included different features, and the more you paid for your monthly membership, the greater the promises and guarantees. For instance, for a Silver Membership, it wasn’t guaranteed that you would find what you were looking for, but you were guaranteed to have a good time on your journey. For a Gold Membership, you were guaranteed to find at least three matches, but typically of the short-term variety. There’s nothing wrong with that; sometimes that’s what dogs are looking for. Our Platinum Membership was the same as our Gold Membership, plus you received a grooming kit every month in the mail and a birthday coupon for a free steak dinner.
But for our Diamond Membership you were promised to find exactly what it was you were looking for, regardless of what it was you were looking for, in six months or less, plus you would have fun on your journey, and you would receive a grooming kit every month as well as a birthday coupon for a free steak dinner. Our Diamond Membership was where big monthly premiums and big promises joined.
What set Doggy Matchmaker apart from other dating websites, besides being for dogs only, was that matchmaking experts conducted one-on-one consultations with each client and played an active role in the entire process, typically allotting extra time and effort to Diamond Members. We walked clients through every step of the process, from registration to matching profiles to arranging dates. As a member of the web support department, I was there mainly to help people with simple technical difficulties: retrieving login information, resetting passwords. Serious issues with our matchmaking service was not where I excelled. However, I was cross-trained to do other people’s jobs, so that those people could be laid off with ease or go on leave to become sick.
“Okay, Thom? I’m going to email you the profiles of possible matches. I apologize for the failure of our service to find Jacobean’s forever love.”
I tried not to choke up with each syllable that driveled off my tongue. My pores produced acrid ethanol sweat as I thought about the snacks I would have to miss out on if I couldn’t appease Thom, just for this week. Although I was not personally to blame for the failure of the service to produce results, I would be held personally responsible for the failure of the service to produce results, at least until Christina returned from leave. It was no wonder why Christina wanted to be sick.
“You don’t get it, do you? Jacobean isn’t getting any younger. I am not getting any younger. Jacobean wants to be energetic enough to keep up with his future pups, and I want to be energetic enough to keep up with my future grandpups.”
“Yes, I understand, and I want to walk you through every step of the way, up to Jacobean’s wedding with his forever love.”
I logged into my computer and opened our database; scrolled through pictures of Peruvian Inca orchids, otterhounds, kooikerhondjes, chow chows.
Over recent years, the popularity of Doggy Matchmaker had surged, thanks to a decline in demand for human matchmaking. The few remaining human dating services were used primarily for short-short-term arrangements. One-night affairs. Two-hour flings. Four-minute stands. Geography and ideology no longer stopped humans from connecting to one another. But technology stopped them from connecting with one another. Humans were having a hard time treating those they met with enough dignity and respect to make them want to stick around, because they had access to so many other humans. A classic case of supply and demand. Because of this, fewer were willing to enter the dating scene, and even fewer still were willing to get married. Marriage rates had dropped. Fewer people were having children.
People began adopting more pets.
Call it a misaligned biological imperative, call it whatever you want, but people treated their dogs like human children. And just as most people want their children to eventually marry and have kids of their own, they wanted their pets to marry and have pups.
I singled out a few potential matches.
“How about Sadie? She’s a warm and affectionate wirehaired pointing griffon who loves to cuddle.”
Warm and affectionate. I left out the part where Sadie was shy and depressed at times.
“Well, I don’t know. I don’t want my grandpups to have wiry coats; I want them to have shiny, soft hair.”
“Okay, okay. How about Odessa? She’s a fun-loving border collie, who is sure to set Jacobean’s heart ablaze.”
“How do you know she’ll do that?”
“Because it says so on her profile.”
“How would she know whether she could set anyone’s heart ablaze unless she’s of…that persuasion?”
“That persuasion?”
“Yes. That persuasion. Slutty. Jacobean wants a mate who has enough experience, but not too much.”
I listed a few more and it became apparent that Thom and Jacobean were uncompromising; a very bad trait if you want a marriage to work. If Jacobean were ever to find a dog unlucky enough to give her paw in marriage, it would lead to divorce. There was no doubt about that. Thom was adamant in his and Jacobean’s standards: Jacobean wanted a mate that would produce pups with flat, smooth coats. A mate that was career-oriented, but also flexible enough to take a few years off to raise her pups. A mate who wasn’t past her pup-bearing age, but also not too young and naïve. A mate from a non-smoker’s home. Drug and disease-free. A mate that wasn’t too…big. Nor too small. Narrow hips can complicate pupbirth, after all. A mate with a good demeanor; one that could provide emotional strength and backbone during tough times. Beautiful, but not too beautiful. Funny, but not too funny. Educated, but not too educated. Well-behaved, but spontaneous, sometimes.
“Mr. Davies, we only have dogs in our database.”
“I know that. What is that supposed to mean?”
“Well, with all due respect, it seems that you are looking for something more.”
“More?”
“I mean that we don’t match dogs with unicorns.”
Jacobean barked relentlessly in the background. Mr. Davies hung up.
Theodore’s phone rang, three cubicles away. I could hear him as he spoke in a hushed tone.
“Unicorns? Really? I am so sorry, Mr. Davies.”
I pulled a mouthwash bottle from my desk and opened my vacuum-sealed package of kale nougat. I wondered if the sickness center Christina was staying at offered snacks.