id
stringlengths 50
55
| text
stringlengths 54
694k
|
|---|---|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27510
|
Knightmare Live!
© Zoe Hunn
'Welcome, watchers of illusion, to the castle of confusion.' Yep, the slapstick stage show version of the iconic kids' TV show takes up residency at the Udderbelly. There's no CGI realm here, rather some shambolic sets and costumes, but it's mighty fun to both play and observe, with Tom Bell making a brilliant Lord Fear. It always sells out, so book soon.
Event phone: 08445 458252
Event website:
2 people listening
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27629
|
Language Selection
English French German Italian Portuguese Spanish
Why MIDs have yet to soar
One of the topics I've seen of late is that, according to general sales numbers, Netbooks soared and were a huge success, while Mobile Internet Devices (MID) more or less did an epic faceplant and a fail of monumental proportions.
Yet, I don't think we are ready to count out MIDs just yet. In fact, I think they haven't even really begun and we're very much due for a big, big boom in MID sales in the near future. Here's several reasons why:
1. MIDs typically use Linux. Not all mind you, but I'd say that for ever 7 MIDs that use Linux, only one, maybe two use an alternative operating system like Windows. (wow, I actually called Windows an "alternative" operating system. That's a total flip in perspective. Heh)
2. People don't yet understand MIDs.
rest here
More in Tux Machines
SourceForge commits reputational suicide
Nintendo Nixes Android Rumors
• Nintendo Nixes Android Rumors
• 3 Reasons Nintendo Should Switch to Google Android
• Nintendo's next console won't run Android after all
First Open Automotive Grade Linux Spec Released
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27661
|
I am in the process of doing some spring cleaning currently as some issues have arose...
On some pages when submitting an invalid captcha response you'll be presented with a blank page versus a proper error message; I'm not entirely sure what's causing said behavior, but I anticipate a fix shortly.
I'll be going through the error logs and checking various settings to see if there are any other cleanup tasks to be had.
I'm also planning to preform several service upgrades as well, but these shouldn't effect performance much (if at all).
Donate to UGN Security here.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27672
|
3 definitions by newmanation11
Top Definition
to take a moist warm towel and jack off someone. then to collect the semen in a bowl and microwave it on high for thirty seconds, quickly taking the bowl to the same person who ejaculated and using the heated liquid a massage ointment.
oh man, i got so excited when she sent me a text and asked me if i wanted to go hot rubbing..turns out her stupidass iphone misspelled it for hot tubbing. damnnn
by newmanation11 December 03, 2010
A penis; of or from the male human gentelia
Newman has a giant Hubusee
by newmanation11 November 28, 2010
male penis, of human genetilia
my friend newman has a huge hubusee
by newmanation11 November 28, 2010
Free Daily Email
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27673
|
Top Definition
Auburn Rug often referred to as a ginger person's pubic section.
Check that redhead, wonder if she's smuggling an auburn rug in her pants.
by Rugmeister May 03, 2011
Free Daily Email
Emails are sent from We'll never spam you.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27676
|
Top Definition
A made up number Keanu Reeves decided to bet for Final Jeopardy.
"I bet eleventy billion dollars."
"That's not even a real number"
by Trebek December 30, 2003
3 more definitions
The biggest number there is; the most; used when something is extreme; used in over-exaggeration
I got stopped at eleventy billion red lights on the way here.
by Jenga650 August 26, 2006
Something used to Express Serious examples
I told Coolnick eleventy billion times that he is a faggot and didn't make the word up!
by Woofers June 18, 2008
the most kick ass number on this planet
either you give me eleventy billion dollars or i'll fuck you to mars
by moop February 03, 2004
Free Daily Email
Emails are sent from We'll never spam you.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27678
|
An overgrown child who may occasionally abuse drugs and alcohol to cope with their impossible ideals in the modern world. Often they are the spawn of wealth and they choose to distance themselves from the paths of their parents in a pathetic attempt to feel "unique." Sometimes going so far as to change their names to something like Asia, Sky, Kukka, Sunray or Zennia. While this person is not a total fuck up (which would be okay because there is likely a trust fund safety net in place), this person has a tendency live life extremely carelessly. The only exception to this sense of carelessness is if they are over-angered by environmental policy, animal rights or George Bush. Which probably is just a scapegoat for how much they hate their rich parents. The resulting lifestyle may include any number of characteristics such as: mind numbing and god awful dancing along with a serious passion for meaningless jam bands that feature endless meandering guitar solos. A loss of interest in maintaining personal hygiene. A terrible lower back tattoo almost always involving a flower, fairy, butterfly or tribal nonsense. Exceptionally long hair everywhere (especially in undesirable regions of the body). Hair is often matted, ratted, oily or in unequal clumps of dreds.
Our couch smells like piss, shit and incense. Did Jazzerus sleep over last night? I'm pretty sure I saw him jump in his Audi and drive off early this morning. Jesus Christ that fucking hippie is confused.
by Jock Donny January 29, 2009
A hippie is a non-conformist who believes that peace and love come first, everyone should be free, life should be ecstasy and fun all the time, they are very deep people, hippies are kindhearted, they use psychedelic hallucinations like LSD, Magic Mushrooms, Mescaline and Marijuana to alter their conciousness and reveal things to them. Hippies wear whatever they want, they do whatever they want. They can do backflips down the street in front of other hippies and they won't look at them like theyre weed. Hippies also protest for what they believe and adopt habits or lifestyles like vegetarianism, new age and eastern religion, etc.
That hippie was fried on those mushrooms.
The hippie chick gave me a flower
by tayup February 16, 2011
The 1960's hippie generation were way ahead of there time and the world hasn't caught up with there ideas yet. Thus there is a neohippie movement of enlightened people and gothic hippie trying to finaly bring there message to the world of peace and love which is a simple as falling off a log but some how the rest of the world can't get it. It's like there stuck on retard and can't understand that it's bad to kill each other. especilly the right wing milita shit heads who think there being cool talking about murdering all the black people and making america a fasicst state.
The hippies are wat ahead of there time.
by Deep blue 2012 March 21, 2010
Person who has never been bullied before.
hippie: look at me!! I'm not a pleb.
by puppet11111 June 03, 2009
A hippie is someone who promotes peace, love, and understanding. A hippie is not necessarily someone who uses drugs. In fact, quite a few hippies I know, myself included, have started a campaign against drugs.
A hippie is also someone who recognizes the problems we have and protests to change them. Instead of labeling these people as evil and wanting to force the population to do what they say, we should open our eyes and see that we are not perfect.
Person 1- Hippie! Your house probably smells like drugs.
Person 2- I don't use drugs. Thats not what hippies are all about.
Power to the people!
by musicfan62 March 17, 2009
a moniker'nickname' for a point in time in someones life when they decide for themselves to think more at home on earth feeling, usually with a drive to enjoy living the days of life as well/content as possible and living life as how they may want to live to acheive full happiness, Usually a freethinking, naturalist type, many do not indulge on living as modern society does, some enjoy nature for all its beauty, some may enjoy music for the sake of music and its beauty,some enjoy various artforms and may express themselves in various creative ways such as music drawing painting poetry etc. Are usually content with life as it stands and most seem to be happy or content even when lifes up and dows can get you down, in other words hippie can be what ever you want it to be , you arent limited to a set of instructions, just in all reality, tapping into our actual self and not what society makes us think we are.
the dead head shirt kid with the dreads and hemp may be dressed in apparell /colors of a stereotyped hippie, but he may cause harm to himself and other things when in public, a gathering, etc.
by nate has watermelons for eyes September 19, 2007
Peace, love and happiness
I love peace, love, and happiness!!!
by Pokey November 05, 2004
a middle aged person from the mid-to late 1960s who was part of a movement to reform culture, but ended up becoming a brand new "counterculture". characterized by unkempt look, experimentation with drugs and hallucinogenics, i think thats how you spell it, and ideas of sexual freedom.
there are a bunch of hippies left in san francisco.
by Random April 06, 2004
Free Daily Email
Emails are sent from We'll never spam you.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27679
|
Top Definition
She is the most beautiful in a crowd.She also has the biggest heart you'll ever know.She is stubborn and very sensative.Also extremely intelegent.She is full of passion in a way like no other.If her passion gets in,you won't ever get over her.Once you have been in her presence you will always have her close to your heart.
This one is filled with curves.An hourglass bod that is perfection in every way.Very flirty.She has a sucking fetish that will leave you craving her sensual touch on every inch!This Godess is definitley a keeper.You won't want to let her go.
Korinne swept me off my feet.
I had a Korinne and I am longing for another taste.
That Korinne likes it ruff!
by Sweet To Taste February 03, 2010
2 more definitions
An amazing and absolutely gorgeous and brilliant person. Her mind is filled with clear and knowledgeable thoughts, and her heart is so loving, as if all the wounds were stiched together with luxurious, golden thread. Her lips speak but only the truth, and her voice is of that of an angel's. You shall picture swans dancing across water in the moonlight when u hear her delicate, loving voice. She is a true goddess. The only flaw of hers is that she keeps all secrets buried within her soul. If u look deep enough into her eyes, you shall see all the depression and wounds that have been made in her past. Even if she always seems happy and positive on the outside, there is always something bothering her on the inside. But Korinne is a worthy attractive soul filled with wisdom, creativity, humbleness, love, beauty, and hope.
Korinne is an angel, graceful from head to toe.
Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? Why Korinne of course!
by K6 November 18, 2013
KORE is the "root word" and Korinne is the French version of this ancient Greek name.
1: Cora is used mostly in English and French. Language of origin is Old Greek. Derived from the element 'kore' with the meanings maiden and virgin.
Kore is better known to us through mythology as her evolved self Persephone, Queen of the Underworld.
The Kore / Persephone Mythology is archetypal. At the core of Kore is the maiden who transforms from darkness (ignorance) to light (gnosis/wisdom).
The story of Kore / Persephone comes to us from ancient Greece. Some people have regarded this tale as nothing more than a clever device to explain the changing of the seasons. The Kore / Persephone mythology inspired the Eleusinian Mystery rites, which began about 1600 B.C. lasting nearly two thousand years.
"The woman in the corner is named Korinne."
"Korinne is a difficult path to tread."
by Occult Priestess February 02, 2010
Free Daily Email
Emails are sent from We'll never spam you.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27683
|
Top Definition
The act of replacing all the "g"s in the word "Swagger" with "q"s, usually meaning the opposite of swagger, and used as a humorous way to call out someone with fake, cheesy, lame, etc swagger.
Originating from the outbreak of replacing "g"s in most words with "q"s in status updates or tweets.
You see that guy over there?
Yeah, he totally has his swaqqer on today
Woah, who would wear something like that?
by Boss Swagger28 October 18, 2011
Free Daily Email
Emails are sent from We'll never spam you.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27684
|
Top Definition
means "good" (hebrew language)
"layla tov" means good night.
by assviolatorr September 03, 2011
3 more definitions
Jamaican slang for the swear word 'cunt'.
Can be also used as another word for 'clit' or 'clitoris'.
Example 1
Man: "Oi love! Show us your tov!"
Example 2
Woman: "My tov is moist"
by Yanawashee April 18, 2009
Tits On velvet
pronounced: Tee-oh-vee
used to describe awesomeness !
replacement for words like "cool, dope, awesome, 'the shit'"
brad:"holy shit ! thats T.O.V."
Joey:"true dat yo0"
Dave:"make that display look like T.O.V." !
John:"whats T.O.V.?"
by hoeokmao June 23, 2008
Tone Of Voice
IM slag often used to qualify a previous statement
Laura: i <3 you.
Devon: Well you're a hobag
Devon: ...
Devon: T.O.V. = sarcasm
by -Chappy- September 14, 2006
Free Daily Email
Emails are sent from We'll never spam you.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27685
|
Top Definition
Adj. To describe a piece of written work that is so good it is worthy of being prefaced by, "Welcome Reader. You are about to embark on an epic journey through the fabric of the English language."
Dude, that "Welcome Reader" essay you wrote got like an A+++
Obama's "Welcome Reader" speech swung my vote to him.
by IfBOSWT February 03, 2009
Free Daily Email
Emails are sent from We'll never spam you.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27690
|
Top Definition
Being obsessed and falling in love with someone that you just met regardless of distance.
My friend got all scalavino with a girl that lives in Delaware.
by k brooks January 15, 2009
4 more definitions
someone with no formal artistic training (tinkle tinkle)
Damn i'm in deep Scalavino , my lite brite bulb went out , that dog lady in going to have my ass!!
by bleedsoe9mm January 08, 2009
1. A pompous man
Fred: "Look at that guy with the big nose"
Andy: "He must be one of those Scalavino people"
by FAPED January 07, 2009
3. a sexual act involving a paintbrush and a Tight end.
Andy: Did you hear about Erik?
Fred: What?
Andy: Instead of selling his art, he was in his PFW cubicle having a Scalavino
by FAPED January 08, 2009
2. A bad artist. Someone lacking in formal artistic training
Dan: Thats some awful art over there.
Andy: $10000, that must be a Scalavino or something.
by FAPED January 08, 2009
Free Daily Email
Emails are sent from We'll never spam you.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27699
|
You don't know the weather
The weather in your destination influences everything from what you should pack to whether your plane is delayed, especially if you're traveling during spring or fall, when fluctuating temperatures are standard. Log onto your favorite weather website a few days before departure and check local conditions; then pack accordingly. And if you see a foul-weather forecast, double-check your flight status.
Your house looks the same
You're probably not ready to travel if you haven't taken care of key tasks around the house. These could include setting your lights on a timer, cleaning out the fridge, and placing a stop order on your mail (you can do this at USPS.com).
Have you heard of "vampire power"? That term refers to the electrical power consumed by devices that are turned off yet still plugged in, sucking up energy like, well, a vampire. Before traveling, unplug devices such as your television, microwave, or air-conditioning unit to save on electricity.
You don't have backup I.D.
Always carry a copy of your passport and driver's license (or other identification) when you travel, especially if you're flying or going overseas. If your passport gets lost or stolen, a backup copy will ease the process of applying for an emergency passport. Either fold a paper copy into your suitcase, or scan your ID and upload the images so that you can access them on your phone or computer.
You haven't hit the ATM
According to SmarterTravel's sister site IndependentTraveler.com, not having extra cash for emergencies is one of the 20 worst travel mistakes you can make. Cash is crucial when you're in an ATM wasteland and local businesses won't accept credit cards. It's also a must for tipping everyone from the bellman to the shuttle-van driver.
You don't know your flight status
Check up on your flight regularly before you depart. Sites like FlightStats and FlightAware are good places to start—as is, of course, your airline website. Even if the weather's balmy and bright, a cancellation or significant flight delay could still happen. Delays are commonly caused by everything from technical glitches to congestion to problems with airport security. Make things easier by having your flight number handy at all times.
Naturally, travelers should be extra watchful when it comes to foul weather and flight schedules. Airlines will sometimes cancel a swath of flights before an anticipated storm has even arrived, so be aware of that, too. (We saw this happen recently when Hurricane Sandy hit the northeastern United States.)
While you're at it, confirm all other reservations you've booked in advance, from hotel stays to car-rental bookings.
You don't have a plan for the little things
Trip planning is laden with tiny logistical tasks that can, if forgotten, have a calamitous effect on your travel experience. Do you have a strategy for ground transportation to your hotel and to the airport? Do you need to convert currency? How soon after you arrive will your hotel room be ready? Have you booked any tours or made restaurant reservations in advance? (These are particularly important to-dos during high season.)
Make your life easier by having a rough first-day itinerary laid out, especially if you're facing a long-haul flight. Ahead of your departure, plan where to grab a bite to eat once you land, where to exchange your money, how to get from the terminal to your car-rental location, etc.
You don't know your passport expiration date
Not a lot of explanation is needed here. I know very experienced travelers who've booked trips only to discover—with horror, weeks prior to departure—that their passports are close to expiring. Most European Union countries require international visitors to have passports with three months' validity, but some countries, like China and Indonesia, require six months' validity.
The rules are different if you're setting sail, too. Celebrity Cruises, for example, requires all passengers to have a passport with six months' validity before boarding.
You haven't even thought about packing
One simple, fail-safe way to produce a perfectly packed bag is to get your stuff together well in advance. Use a packing list and start collecting what you'll need for your trip at least a few days before departure—or even longer. A SmarterTravel reader shared the following tip: "Set out what you think you need and then go through what is there; start eliminating the duplicates or things that are conveniences, which you can do without for a day or two. Remember, most of us overpack and don't use all of what we do pack."
Your cellphone's the same
Unless you travel often and already have an international phone plan, you'll likely need to make a few tweaks to your phone before traveling if you're planning on making calls on your device while abroad. Major cellphone providers offer various international calling and data plans that are often specific to countries or world regions, but not all phones will work overseas; check with your provider to see if your device does. International plans tend to be both complicated and costly, so be prepared to sort through a wall of fine print before you know what you'll really have to pay when using your phone in other countries.
If you don't want to make calls with your phone but plan on bringing it with you, turn off your 3G or 4G connection and your data, lest you run up roaming charges just by having your phone on. For more information, read these overviews from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
No one knows you're leaving
For safety reasons, tell someone where you're going. (But try not to announce it on Facebook or Twitter, where untold strangers could learn that your home will be unattended.) Ask your neighbor to keep an eye on your house or apartment. If you live in a small town, you might also want to let the police or your local neighborhood-watch group know that you won't be at home for a period of time.
Add your credit-card company and your bank to the list. Always report travel so that your account won't be suspended if you use your cards in a new location. Additionally, make sure you have the contact information for your credit-card issuers, in case your card gets suspended anyway. It happens sometimes.
MORE: Read previous columns
SmarterTravel.com features expert travel advice and unbiased coverage of travel deals.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/USPSmY
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27786
|
XML Processing Model WG
Meeting 60, 22 Mar 2007
See also: IRC log
Norm, Murray, Alessandro, Andrew, Henry, Alex
Accept this agenda?
-> http://www.w3.org/XML/XProc/2007/03/22-agenda.html
Accept minutes from the previous meeting?
-> http://www.w3.org/XML/XProc/2007/03/15-minutes.html
Next meeting: telcon 29 Mar 2007
No regrets given.
Review of editor's draft
Norm: Anyone think we can't publish this as a PWD?
Henry: I'm worried that some of the XML examples are wrong.
Norm: I'll fix the XML
... Any other showstoppers?
None heard
Norm: I went through the last week or so's mail and identified several issues that we've been discussing.
Placement of ignored content?
Norm: Can you put documention inside of p:pipe or p:document or p:inline?
Murray: I think we should have an element dedicated to documentation instead of playing games with ignored prefixes.
Norm: Having an element for documentation does not eliminate the need for ignored preixes.
<Zakim> MSM, you wanted to agree with Murray
Michael: I wanted to agree with Murray. You don't want to get rid of ignored content but you want to limit it to extensions.
... Documentation is a well understood need, so label it that.
Norm: Mohamed also agreed in IRC
Henry: I'm happy to leave the question of where documentation is allowed to the editor, but I don't want it to be allowed in p:inline. The p:inline content shouldn't have any special rules.
... If you don't want it to go through the pipeline, don't put it in p:inline.
Norm: I'm hearing a proposal to have p:documentation element that is just for documentation.
Murray: You might want to spell it with a shorter word.
Norm: Such as?
Murray: p:readme?
Norm: I don't like that one, how about p:doc?
<MSM> [p:doc works for me]
Norm: Everybody happy with p:doc?
Norm: Do we now want to rename "ignored-prefixes", "extension-prefixes"
Murray: What for?
Norm tries to explain.
Norm: I don't think we have to worry about where p:ignored-prefixes is allowed or any defaults for ignored prefixes now that we have a documentation element.
Import precedence
<ht> HST agrees, subject to my comment about p:inline. . .
Norm: The question is, should you be to declare a step or define a pipeline with the same name as some declared step or pipeline that you imported from a library.
Henry: It seems relatively cheap but relatively unlikely to be useful. But it's probably better than ignoring the issue.
Murray: I'm worried about the security issue and spoofing of pipelines.
<ht> OK, so A imports and overlays part of B, and I import A and B, what do I get?
Murray: If your library imports Alex's, but you've put some subtle change in, maybe you can steal data from me. Or maybe I'll have a hard time debugging it.
Henry: I'm convinced, let's not doit.
Norm: Me too.
Pipeline visibility
Norm: Can two pipelines defined in the same library see each other?
Murray: Yes, of course.
Norm: I think a consequence of this is that order no longer matters.
... So you can't do a single pass, you have to be prepared to encounter qnames for pipelines that you haven't seen declarations for yet.
Order of input/output/param/option
Norm: Do we define the content of step with a sequence or a choice group?
Murray: What Jeni says makes sense
Murray: I think you have to have all the declarations first
Henry: I think it's pointless to allow variability of only limited utility.
Murray: I want them to be in any order, as long as they come before the first step.
... While I can somewhat appreciate Henry's position, I don't see that there's any great cost.
Henry: I don't feel strongly.
Norm: Anyone strongly in favor of the status quo?
... Ok, let's change it for the next draft and add a note to the spec soliciting feedback on this point.
Interpretation of type name on declare-step
Norm: Is an unprefixed name in the type attribute of p:declare-step implicitly in the default namespace a la Schema rules, or in no namespace, a la XSLT rules.
... Henry, you wanted the Schema rules, Alessandro, Alex, and Norm prefer the XSLT rules.
... Anyone other than Henry arguing for the schema rules?
Murray: I'm confused.
Norm tries to explain.
Murray: If I now write a pipeline and I want to use that process and I have a namespace bound to the prefix, example:
<Zakim> ht, you wanted to make the Dan Connolly point
Henry: If we adopt the proposal, then some names won't be in any namespace and as Dan Connolly observes, all things should be have a URI.
... We're in an inconsistent position for libraries which is the full equivalent of the schema position.
... I prefer the following summary of the schema rules: whenever something is a reference, the full namespace bindings are available, but for naming things you don't use the namespace bindings at all.
... That's what we did for pipelines and libraries, but not what we've done for types, so I'm in an impossible position.
Norm: We don't need to answer this for the next draft, so I'm going to move on.
Murray: Ok, though I'm tending to lean towards Norm's answer because I think XSLT is going to be closer than Schema for our users.
Review of the step library
-> http://www.w3.org/XML/XProc/docs/langspec.html#std-components
Norm: I sent in some minor comments, Henry did to. Alex, did you get anything off list?
Alex: No, not really.
Norm: Any components that anyone would prefer not to see in the next working draft?
Henry: Yes, if we're not going to settle the caching question until after this draft, then we should remove the xinclude-with-sequence component.
Alex: I'm happy to exclude it for now.
Henry: I support the sequence of schemas
... We looked at the minor components for most of a telcon (when I was chairing pro-tem)
... I'm not sure we've ended up with all the things we talked about.
Output from components that currently have no output.
Norm: Murray suggested that the components that currently have no output could usefully have a single output that identifies the location where the content was actually written.
Henry: Yes, it does mean that components that succeed always have output.
Norm: Can you update the draft along those lines, Alex?
Alex: I wonder if we could use this to deal with non-XML results from httpRequest?
... This and the httpRequest object have their own sort of component vocabularies.
Norm: I'm happy if you put the result in a component results namespace or something.
Proposal: The editors shall incorporate the decisions made today and the resulting draft will be published as the next public working draft.
Alex: We didn't talk about the XSL-FO component, are we adding it?
Norm: Any objections?
None heard. Go for it.
Solution for the caching problem
Norm: I think there are three options: do nothing, you can't; do the *-with-sequence thing; or do some form of caching.
Murray: I think we should do nothing. Too clever by half.
<MSM> [and in that case, give it the name Y-Include, also spelled "why include?"]
Henry: In certain cases, because tools expect to reference things by URI, and pipelines may want to compute those resources, that the ability to assing URIs to things as they flow through the pipeline and then getting access to those things by URI, in the case where that's what you want to do, seems to be valuable.
... We could say "no, in V1". I'm opposed to doing it across the board because it blows away streaming.
... You have to cache everything that comes out.
... That's much too high a burden. So my proposal was to adopt an intermediate position, allowing authors to do caching for a part of the pipeline.
Norm: I think we could decide not to do something for V1, but I'm really, really reluctant to go there. I think it's horribly near a requirement.
Alex: I think caching is the right way to proceed but not for V1.
<ht> HST: I want to be able to set the base URI to "#banana", i.e., not written out _anywhere_!
Murray: I assume that if I do a store, I should be able to refer to that thing later.
Norm: That's caching.
Henry: The "later" doesn't have any real meaning in our specification.
Norm: We're out of time, we'll come back to this next week if we haven't finished it in email.
Any other business?
None. Adjourned.
Summary of Action Items
[End of minutes]
Minutes formatted by David Booth's scribe.perl version 1.127 (CVS log)
$Date: 2007/03/29 19:28:37 $
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27787
|
XProc Agenda 02 Oct 2008
Meeting 127.
1. Administrivia
1. Roll call.
2. Accept this agenda.
3. Accept the minutes of 25 Sep 2008.
4. Next meeting: 09 Oct 2008.
5. Open actions:
• ACTION-2008-06-19-02: Norm/Alex to construct comprehensive examples of http-request for the test suite.
• ACTION 2008-09-25-01: Norm to follow-up with the XQuery/XSL WGs on their suggestion wrt allowing implementation-defined namespaces, etc.
• ACTION 2008-09-25-03: Norm to make the XSLTMatchPattern reference a little more explcit
2. Technical
1. Closure on p:namespaces examples in the spec per Norm's suggestions.
2. Review open last call comments: 008, 032, 033, 034, 035.
3. How are we going to construct a complete test suite for CR?
3. Any other business
$Author: NormanWalsh $
Last revised $Date: 2008/10/01 15:27:17 $
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27830
|
Skip to content
Cancer Health Center
Font Size
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treatment (PDQ®): Treatment - Patient Information [NCI] - Treatment Options for Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Treatment of refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia may include the following:
Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.
Recommended Related to Cancer
Cartilage is a type of tough, flexible connective tissue (see Question 1). Cartilage from cows (bovine cartilage) and sharks has been studied as a treatment for people with cancer and other medical conditions for more than 30 years (see Question 2). Laboratory and animal studies have looked at whether bovine and shark cartilage products can kill cancer cells, make the immune system more active against cancer, and prevent the body from making the new blood vessels that a tumor needs to grow...
Read the Overview article > >
WebMD Public Information from the National Cancer Institute
Last Updated: September 04, 2014
Next Article:
Today on WebMD
Colorectal cancer cells
A common one in both men and women.
Lung cancer xray
See it in pictures, plus read the facts.
sauteed cherry tomatoes
Fight cancer one plate at a time.
Ovarian cancer illustration
Real Cancer Perspectives
Jennifer Goodman Linn self-portrait
what is your cancer risk
colorectal cancer treatment advances
breast cancer overview slideshow
prostate cancer overview
lung cancer overview slideshow
ovarian cancer overview slideshow
Actor Michael Douglas
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27836
|
cantaloupe farmers arrested Articles
Listeria Outbreak: Produce Industry Has to Raise Bar
The listeria epidemic, in which the deadly illness to spread to 28 states and was later traced to Jensen Farms, in Colorado, was the nation’s deadliest outbreak of foodborne illness in 25 years. The FDA concluded the melons likely were …
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27876
|
How many human lives is a flat panel TV worth?
Listen, I know I can be an elitist sometimes, but I occasionally shop at Walmart. But regardless of how good the deals are, how could any, or all, of the merchadise inside a Wal-ma
Healthy Eating: The Sequel
Alas, what to do when there's no Trader Joe's within 4 hours of your town?
Is Target Really Just as Bad As Wal-Mart?
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27885
|
WorldCat Identities
Coulouris, George 1903-1989
Works: 72 works in 135 publications in 2 languages and 6,336 library holdings
Genres: Drama History Criticism, interpretation, etc Film adaptations Trials, litigation, etc Farces Detective and mystery films Comedy films Film noir Radio plays
Roles: Actor, Performer, Narrator, Speaker
Classifications: PR2808, 791.4372
Publication Timeline
Most widely held works about George Coulouris
Most widely held works by George Coulouris
Citizen Kane by Orson Welles( Visual )
32 editions published between 1941 and 2013 in English and German and held by 3,788 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
Mr. Skeffington ( Visual )
5 editions published between 1988 and 2010 in English and held by 640 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
Orson Welles Citizen Kane ( Visual )
3 editions published between 1991 and 2011 in English and held by 414 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
Citizen Kane: Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance. The battle over Citizen Kane: American experience documentary about the making of Citizen Kane and Orson Welles estate. RKO 281: Orson Welles produces his greatest film, Citizen Kane, despite the opposition of the film's de facto subject, William Randolph Hearst
Watch on the Rhine by Herman Shumlin( Visual )
1 edition published in 2008 in English and held by 243 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
Sara and Kurt Muller and their three children are returning to her mother's home in Washington D.C. after 18 years in Europe. A Romanian Count living there discovers Kurt's attache case full of money. He also finds out from friends at the German Embassy that Kurt is working with an anti-Nazi underground group in Germany. He tries to blackmail Kurt. Kurt shoots him and must flee. When Sara hears no more of Kurt, she knows that her oldest son Joshua will soon leave to work in the underground
All this, and Heaven too by Anatole Litvak( Visual )
2 editions published in 2008 in English and held by 234 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
Henriette is the governess at the Paris home of the Duc de Praslin and his jealous wife. When governess and nobleman are drawn to each other, the Duchess erupts in fury and meets a bloody fate. Soon Henriette and the Duc face a world eager to believe the Duc murdered his wife and that the gentle Henriette was a willing accomplice
Classic Western round-up ( Visual )
1 edition published in 2007 in English and held by 136 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
The Cimarron Kid: After being falsely accused of a payroll heist, the Kid heads for the high country, where he joins the outlaw Dalton gang. When the Daltons are decimated during a daring daylight bank robbery, the Kid takes over what is left of the gang and hides out at a local ranch. Here he is reformed by the love of rancher's daughter Carrie Roberts, but not so reformed that he doesn't embark upon one last robbery
The prisoner ( Visual )
1 edition published in 2001 in English and held by 122 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
An agent who has resigned from his country's secret service is taken prisoner and prevented from escaping the village that becomes his home
The Ritz ( Visual )
2 editions published between 2008 and 2013 in English and held by 74 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
"With The Ritz, Terrence McNally's hit Broadway play of the same name is cinematized by director Richard Lester. Jack Weston plays Gaetano Proclo, a minor mob flunky who's been targeted for elimination by his brother-in-law, Carmine Vespucci (Jerry Stiller). Gaetano takes refuge in what he thinks is a Turkish bath. Actually, it's The Pits. That's the name, "The Pits"--A gay bathhouse (this is the pre-AIDS era), where the exquisitely awful Googie Gomez (Rita Moreno) entertains the homosexual patrons with her ear-splitting renditions of such show tunes as "Everything's Coming Up Roses." Hoping to save his neck by pretending to be gay, Gaetano effusively praises Googie. Assuming that he is a big-time Broadway producer, she plays up to him. Everything would be hunky-dory, except that the bathhouse is owned by the very mob that has put a contract on Gaetano. What follows is an old-fashioned door-slamming farce, except that there are no doors to slam."
Lady on a train ( Visual )
1 edition published in 1996 in English and held by 69 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
A young woman on a New York-bound train is witness to a murder outside her compartment window. When police refuse to believe her story, she draws on her penchant for reading mystery novels and sets out to solve the case herself
A southern Yankee ( Visual )
2 editions published between 1991 and 2012 in English and held by 64 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
Red Skelton plays a feather-brained bellboy who takes on the identity of a Confederate spy and conveys false maps and instructions to deceive the Confederate forces
Confidential agent ( Visual )
1 edition published in 2010 in English and held by 57 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
"In pre-World War II London, Spanish agent Denard struggles to close a high-level business deal that will strike a blow against fascists in his native country. But industrialists not yet alert to the threat of fascism reject him. A teenage ally caught up in his efforts is murdered. And the mission itself seems a failure. Yet neither the story nor Denard will stop there. Charles Boyer plays Denard and Lauren Bacall is a jaded industrialist heiress who assists him in this intricate spy drama."--Cover
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare( Recording )
5 editions published between 1939 and 1967 in English and Undetermined and held by 50 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
As a triumphal parade celebrates Julius Caesar and his defeat of the Roman general Pompey, Cassius schemes with Brutus to bring an end to Caesar before he becomes king and destroys the republic. Meanwhile, a soothsayer warns Caesar to "beware the Ides of March".--Container
The verdict ( Visual )
3 editions published between 1946 and 2009 in English and held by 48 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
Scotland Yard superintendent Grodman retires in disgrace when a man he helped convict is exonerated after being hanged. When someone commits the perfect crime, a locked-room murder, Grodman seeks to redeem himself by solving the case
The great radio horror shows ( Recording )
in English and held by 41 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
An anthology of 6 vintage horror radio programs originally produced between 1938 and 1945
Citizen Kane The battle over Citizen Kane ( Visual )
1 edition published in 2011 in English and held by 32 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
Citizen Kane (1941, 119 min.): Chronicling the stormy life of an influential publishing tycoon, the Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winner is rooted in themes of power, corruption, and vanity: the American Dream lost in the mystery of a dying man's last word, 'Rosebud'
Nobody lives forever ( Visual )
1 edition published in 2012 in English and held by 31 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
"Jean Negulesco continues his classic run of forties film noirs with this tale of a con artist who falls for the mark he is trying to fleece. The great John Garfield commands the screen as grifter Nick Blake, who returns to New York after the war, only to find heartache and betrayal. Heading west, Nick hooks up with fellow con men Pop (Walter Brennan) and Doc (George Coulouris), who need a Romeo to sweep recently widowed Gladys Halvorsen (Geraldine Fitzgerald) off her feet and out of her sizable inheritance. But it's Nick who starts falling, and now that he wants out of the scam, will that fall turn into a dive? Or will Gladys pay the price for Nick's change of heart? Garfield is his usual astonishing self, but it's Fitzgerald who proves a revelation, as she stabs at the heart of noir's darkness by perfectly impersonating pure innocence. Faye Emerson plays the fatale, as Nick's sultry ex."--Container
Blood from the mummy's tomb by Seth Holt( Visual )
2 editions published in 2001 in English and held by 29 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
A British expedition team in Egypt discovers the ancient sealed tomb of the evil Queen Tera. When one of the archeologists steals a mysterious ring from the corpse's severed hand, he unleashes a relentless curse upon his beautiful daughter. Is the voluptuous young woman now a reincarnation of the diabolical sorceress or has the curse of the mummy returned to reveal its horriffic revenge?
The Master race by H. J Biberman( Visual )
5 editions published between 1985 and 2009 in English and held by 27 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
An account of a German officer who escapes when the Nazi empire is destroyed
Hammer film noir double feature ( Visual )
1 edition published in 2006 in English and held by 27 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
Unholy four. "Someone knocked a man out and left him for dead during a fishing trip in Portugal. That someone is either his fetching wife or two business partners, all sporting guilty faces after his unexpected return. Two more murders and a frame-up befall the quartet before an inspector closes the case." -- Container
Macbeth by William Shakespeare( Recording )
1 edition published in 1998 in English and held by 25 WorldCat member libraries worldwide
Shakespeare's Macbeth with Orson Welles in the title role. Moved by his own burning ambition and that of his unscrupulous wife, Madbeth murders Duncan, King of Scotland and seizes his crown. But his insatiable lust for power soon leads Macbeth towards his own destruction
moreShow More Titles
fewerShow Fewer Titles
Audience Level
Audience Level
Kids General Special
Audience level: 0.23 (from 0.00 for The unholy ... to 1.00 for The unholy ...)
English (72)
German (1)
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27888
|
skip to content
Preview this item
ClosePreview this item
"The great question in agitation" : George Bentham and the origin of species
Author: Richard Bellon, Ph.D.
Publisher: 2003.
Edition/Format: Print book : English
More like this
Find a copy in the library
&AllPage.SpinnerRetrieving; Finding libraries that hold this item...
Named Person: George Bentham; George Bentham
Document Type: Book
All Authors / Contributors: Richard Bellon, Ph.D.
OCLC Number: 828257050
Notes: Title from caption.
From Archives of Natural History, v. 30 (2), 2003, p. 282-297.
Description: p. [282]-297 ; 28 cm.
Responsibility: Richard Bellon.
User-contributed reviews
Retrieving GoodReads reviews...
Retrieving DOGObooks reviews...
Be the first.
Similar Items
Confirm this request
Close Window
Please sign in to WorldCat
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27910
|
NPR News
Beau Biden, Vice President Joe Biden's older son, has died after battling brain cancer, the vice president announced Saturday. Beau Biden, a former attorney general of Delaware, was 46.
B.B. King was buried Saturday at his museum in Indianola, Miss. Fans and friends came for a public viewing and memorial service to remember King's journey from the son of poor sharecroppers to an acclaimed musician.
Sunday Puzzle....
Because tomorrow is June 1st, today's game is one of categories based on the word "first." For each category, name something in it starting with each of the letters F-I-R-S-T.
The coal-powered S.S. Badger pulls out of the Ludington, Mich., harbor in Au...
The SS Badger — the largest coal-fired passenger ship operating in the U.S. — used to dump ash into the lake. After some alterations, the ship now plies its route without polluting the waters.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27915
|
Family Friend
Feb. 25, 2001
In a disagreement over who is the dominant female in WWE, Stephanie battles legendary Diva Trish Stratus at No Way Out. The Billion Dollar Princess takes exception to her father’s relationship with Trish, and attempts to reassert her role in controlling WWE. In what many WWE fans consider a monumental upset, Stephanie defeats the eventual seven-time Women’s Champion thanks to assistance from William Regal.
Back to Superstar Stats
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27951
|
Back to story
Send to a friend
Send "Tim Iwig, left, and his father Warren Iwig, right, work side by side every day, keeping up the famll" to a friend. We will not store the e-mail addresses or give them to anybody. We value your privacy.
Enter up to 10, separated by commas.
or cancel
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27964
|
The USS Oriskany slips beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 24 miles off the coast of Pensacola, Fla. The 888-foot aircraft carrier sank in about 37 minutes, more than four hours faster than predicted, forming the world's largest deliberately created artificial reef.
Read story
Commenting has been disabled for this item.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27984
|
JON displays the same JBoss AS deployment multiple times in a compatible group view
Updated 2011-05-26T15:25:40+00:00
• Clustered EJB 2.1 session bean is not properly grouped in group view
• How does JON group resources found in all instances of a resource group?
• Strange behaviour when using Cluster Groups
• A two node JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (EAP) cluster in a compatible group results in all applications being listed twice
• Applications, for example the jmx-console.war, are listed twice - once for each JBoss Application Server (AS) instance in the cluster - ending with a red-colored '(1/2)'
• When viewing compatible groups of resources and their children, resources with the same name will be displayed multiple times in the group view
• JBoss Operations Network (JON) 2.4, 2.4.1
• JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (EAP) 5.0, 5.1
• JON Plug-In Pack for EAP
• JBoss Application Server 5.x plug-in - jopr-jboss-as-5-plugin
• Multiple JBoss AS server resources in a compatible group which contain the same deployment in each -- For example; admin-console.war, jmx-console.war, etc.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/27989
|
cpython / Doc /
The branch 'legacy-trunk' does not exist.
Filename Size Date modified Message
4.2 KB
3.4 KB
4.9 KB
111 B
1.2 KB
2.6 KB
5.5 KB
421 B
451 B
24.0 KB
35.6 KB
1.3 KB
Python Documentation README
This directory contains the reStructuredText (reST) sources to the Python
available at
Documentation on the authoring Python documentation, including information about
documentation. There's also a chapter intended to point out differences to
those familiar with the previous docs written in LaTeX.
Building the docs
You need to install Python 2.4 or higher; the toolset used to build the docs are
written in Python. The toolset used to build the documentation is called
*Sphinx*, it is not included in this tree, but maintained separately in the
Python Subversion repository. Also needed are Jinja, a templating engine
(included in Sphinx as a Subversion external), and optionally Pygments, a code
Using make
installed Python and Subversion, you can just run ::
make html
Available make targets are:
* "web", which builds files usable with the Sphinx.web application (used to
serve the docs online at
under Microsoft Windows, but very handy on every platform.
over the generated project (.hhp) file.
* "latex", which builds LaTeX source files that can be run with "pdflatex"
to produce PDF documents.
broken, redirected or malformed, and outputs this information to stdout
writer of the "What's New" document.
and C API.
with plain text documentation for the labels defined in
and keyword help.
Without make
You'll need to checkout the Sphinx package to the `tools/` directory::
svn co tools/sphinx
Then, you need to install Docutils 0.4 (the SVN snapshot won't work), either
by checking it out via ::
svn co tools/docutils
or by installing it from
svn co tools/pygments
or from PyPI at
python tools/ -b<builder> . build/<outputdirectory>
where `<builder>` is one of html, web or htmlhelp (for explanations see the make
targets above).
For bugs in the content, the online version at has a
"suggest change" facility that can be used to correct errors in the source text
and submit them as a patch to the maintainers.
Bugs in the toolset should be reported in the Python bug tracker at
and we will process your request as soon as possible.
a mail to
Copyright notice
as long as you don't change or remove the copyright notice:
Copyright (c) 2000-2008 Python Software Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 2000
All rights reserved.
All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum.
All rights reserved.
See the file "license.rst" for information on usage and redistribution
of this file, and for a DISCLAIMER OF ALL WARRANTIES.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28003
|
Opened 10 years ago
Closed 10 years ago
Last modified 9 years ago
#726 closed defect (fixed)
Redirect doesn't work on DEBUG=True
Reported by: fat Owned by: adrian
Component: Core (Other) Version:
Severity: normal Keywords:
Cc: Triage Stage: Unreviewed
Has patch: no Needs documentation: no
Needs tests: no Patch needs improvement: no
Easy pickings: UI/UX:
I set redirect in admin interface,but it does't work on DEBUG = True.
but worked on DEBUG = False
Change History (1)
comment:1 Changed 10 years ago by adrian
• Resolution set to fixed
• Status changed from new to closed
I believe this is fixed, now that we've moved redirects into a separate contrib app.
Note: See TracTickets for help on using tickets.
Back to Top
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28005
|
Macro Do-Matches-As-Strings
Part of:
package cl-ppcre
( do-matches-as-strings (match-var regex target-string &optional result-form &key start end sharedp) &body < body > )
Iterates over TARGET-STRING and tries to match REGEX as often as
possible evaluating BODY with MATCH-VAR bound to the substring of
TARGET-STRING corresponding to each match in turn. After the last
match, returns RESULT-FORM if provided or NIL otherwise. An implicit
block named NIL surrounds DO-MATCHES-AS-STRINGS; RETURN may be used to
terminate the loop immediately. If REGEX matches an empty string the
scan is continued one position behind this match. If SHAREDP is true,
the substrings may share structure with TARGET-STRING. BODY may start
with declarations.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28006
|
4 Replies Latest reply: Nov 25, 2012 4:33 AM by Saro RSS
Parent Child hierarchy Scenario
Hi friends,
Im just working on the parent child hierarchy using the following link with the sample data.
I tried to implement the same hierarchy using my local data instead of referring to the sample data.
I have a below query which returns the employee with manager along with the employee position
select distinct papf.person_id, papf.full_name "Employee Name", supf.person_id "Manager Id", supf.full_name "Manager Name", pj.name "Position Name"
from per_all_people_f papf, per_all_assignments_f paaf, per_all_people_f supf, per_jobs pj
where papf.person_id = paaf.person_id and supf.person_id = paaf.supervisor_id and paaf.job_id = pj.job_id
and trunc(sysdate) between paaf.effective_start_date and paaf.effective_end_date and
trunc(sysdate) between papf.effective_start_date and papf.effective_end_date
Im looking forward to implement the same result in my BI with a parent-child hierarchy.
Since i have imported three tables to my physical layer
For creating parent-child in BI, we need to have a separate Parent child table which consist of four columns like ancestorkey, memberkey, distance, leaf.
From the above column i can understand the meaning like
For Ancestorkey-->Managerid
But i couldnt get with the meaning for distance column as the meaning suggest like a distance b/w the two and leaf column as the meaning suggest like a leaf member. which leaf member does it refer.
I also referred the below link then too couldnt get the meaning for it
How i can form the parent child table for the BI from my above three tables of HRMS.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28017
|
Falling Damage
FallingFor each 10 feet fallen, the character takes 1d6-2 Constitution damage. For each size category smaller than Medium, the damage is one point less per 10 feet, to a minimum of 1d6-4 damage. For each size category larger than Medium, the damage is 1 point higher, to a maximum of 1d6+2 per 10 feet. Acrobatics and slow fall-) can be used as normal to lessen the effective falling distance. For simplicity’s sake, the maximum effective damage (terminal velocity) is 20d6 (plus modifiers).
Additionally, a Fortitude or Reflex save (DC equal to half the distance fallen) may be made to leave the character with 1 Constitution point, and/or (if the PC had hit points remaining before impact) 0 hit points.
Finally, for all falls greater than 10’ – a Fortitude save is required (DC 10 + 2 / 10’ fallen (reduced as normal by Acrobatics and slow fall-) – thus an adjusted fall of 40’ would required a DC 18 Fort save). Failure means the character is stunned for 1 round per 10’ of the fall. Success means the character is stunned for one round. Success by 5 or more means the character is not stunned.
Note that characters may, depending on the circumstances, break their fall by grabbing vegetation or outcroppings of rock, etc. These are handled on a case by case basis, usually requiring a Reflex Save. The Reflex save to slow a fall is a base DC 20, modified by any circumstances. Note if the fall is long enough, there may be multiple opportunities to reduce the fall. Only a rogue with the rogue talent Nimble Climber may attempt to stop his fall completely, whether from a failed climb check or other circumstances.
>>House Rules
Link to SK House Rules
Falling Damage
Crimson Skies PhoenixMark
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28026
|
Information for "JDatabase::loadResult"
Basic information
Display titleAPI17:JDatabase::loadResult
Default sort keyJDatabase::loadResult
Page length (in bytes)1,431
Page ID19510
Page content languageEnglish (en)
Page content modelwikitext
Indexing by robotsAllowed
Number of redirects to this page0
Counted as a content pageYes
Page protection
EditAllow all users
MoveAllow all users
Edit history
Page creatorDoxiki2 (Talk | contribs)
Date of page creation18:11, 20 April 2011
Latest editorJoomlaWikiBot (Talk | contribs)
Date of latest edit20:02, 11 May 2013
Total number of edits6
Total number of distinct authors2
Recent number of edits (within past 30 days)0
Recent number of distinct authors0
Page properties
Magic word (1)
• __NOTOC__
Transcluded templates (3)
Templates used on this page:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28027
|
Information for "JLanguage::getSearchDisplayedCharactersNumber"
Basic information
Display titleAPI17:JLanguage::getSearchDisplayedCharactersNumber
Default sort keyJLanguage::getSearchDisplayedCharactersNumber
Page length (in bytes)1,465
Page ID20307
Page content languageEnglish (en)
Page content modelwikitext
Indexing by robotsAllowed
Number of redirects to this page0
Counted as a content pageYes
Page protection
EditAllow all users
MoveAllow all users
Edit history
Page creatorDoxiki2 (Talk | contribs)
Date of page creation18:53, 20 April 2011
Latest editorJoomlaWikiBot (Talk | contribs)
Date of latest edit21:06, 11 May 2013
Total number of edits6
Total number of distinct authors2
Recent number of edits (within past 30 days)0
Recent number of distinct authors0
Page properties
Magic word (1)
• __NOTOC__
Transcluded templates (3)
Templates used on this page:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28028
|
Changes related to "Category:Tips and tricks"
Category:Tips and tricks
Recent changes options
This is a minor edit
This edit was performed by a bot
The page size changed by this number of bytes
Show new changes starting from 17:38, 2 June 2015
Page name:
30 May 2015
N 17:30How to override the output from the Joomla! core/bg (diff; hist; +4,644) BdimovShow user links (Created page with "Как да презапишете(override) изходния код от ядрото на Joomla!")
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28040
|
Need help? Check out our Support site, then
What are you thinking about right now?
1. I'm thinking managing two blogs doesn't leave much time for the old jobhunt. This "Blogging for Growth" thing had better strike gold pretty quick.
2. I'm thinking "Holy fuck, this is the THIRD shower my roommate has had today, and it's only 2pm!"
3. What sweaty/dirty things are they doing all day that you don't know about?
4. Third shower in a single day! Obviously he wouldn't be suited to island living where from May to October it rarely rains and many wells go dry.
5. Anyone else concerned about Rain's watching her roommate take a shower?
6. hahaha!
7. Not watching: standing outside hopping up and down with my legs crossed.
8. Turn the kitchen taps on full blast (although this might make the having-to-pee issue a tad more unbearable).
9. Yes, it would.
I'm getting my own back, playing all the Nine Inch Nails I went out and bought. Loud. Only problem is, I can't tell if my speakers are fritzing out again or if that's how it's supposed to sound...ah, Trent, couldja lay off the faders for a bit?
10. right now... im thinking bout my gurl fren..luvly gurlfren...mis her so much... what can u say bout this... if i not picked her up at her kg(village) next monday... i gonna see her only on wednesday.. so.. should or shouldnt i picked her from kg..
11. @drmike
Yes...very awkward...blech
Topic Closed
This topic has been closed to new replies.
About this Topic
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28042
|
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Ashstone)
Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Tuff (disambiguation).
Tuff (from the Italian tufo) is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered tuffaceous.
Tuff can be classified as either sedimentary or igneous rocks. They are usually studied in the context of igneous petrology, although they are sometimes described using sedimentological terms.
Volcanic ash[edit]
The products of a volcanic eruption are volcanic gases, lava, steam, and tephra. Magma is blown apart when it interacts violently with volcanic gases and steam. Solid material produced and thrown into the air by such volcanic eruptions is called tephra, regardless of composition or fragment size. If the resulting pieces of ejecta are small enough, the material is called volcanic ash, defined as such particles less than 2 mm in diameter, sand-sized or smaller. These particles are small, slaggy pieces of magma and rock that have been tossed into the air by outbursts of steam and other gases; magma may have been torn apart as it became vesicular by the expansion of the gases within it.
18.5 million-year-old tuff exposed at Hole In The Wall, Mojave National Preserve, California.
10 by 15 cm sample of tuff containing angular fragments of other rocks (Germany)
Among the loose beds of ash that cover the slopes of many volcanoes, three classes of materials are represented. In addition to true ashes of the kind described above, there are lumps of the old lavas and tuffs forming the walls of the crater, etc., which have been torn away by the violent outbursts of steam, and pieces of sedimentary rocks from the deeper parts of the volcano that were dislodged by the rising lava and are often intensely baked and recrystallized by the heat to which they have been subjected.
In some great volcanic explosions nothing but materials of the second kind were emitted, as at Mount Bandai in Japan in 1888. There have been many eruptions also in which the quantity of broken sedimentary rocks that mingled with the ash is very great; as instances we may cite the volcanoes of the Eifel and the Devonian tuffs, known as "Schalsteins," in Germany. In the Scottish coalfields some old volcanoes are plugged with masses consisting entirely of sedimentary debris: in such a case it is supposed that no lava was ejected, but the cause of the eruption was the sudden liberation and expansion of a large quantity of steam. These accessory or adventitious materials, however, as distinguished from the true ashes, tend to occur in angular fragments; and when they form a large part of the mass the rock is more properly a "volcanic breccia" than a tuff. The ashes vary in size from large blocks twenty feet or more in diameter to the minutest impalpable dust. The large masses are called "volcanic bombs"; they have mostly a rounded, elliptical or pear-shaped form owing to rotation in the air before they solidified. Many of them have ribbed or nodular surfaces, and sometimes they have a crust intersected by many cracks like the surface of a loaf of bread. Any ash in which they are very abundant is called an agglomerate.
In those layers and beds of tuff that have been spread out over considerable tracts of country and which are most frequently encountered among the sedimentary rocks, smaller fragments preponderate greatly and bombs more than a few inches in diameter may be absent altogether. A tuff of recent origin is generally loose and incoherent, but the older tuffs have been, in most cases, cemented together by pressure and the action of infiltrating water, making rocks which, while not very hard, are strong enough to be extensively used for building purposes (e.g. in the neighborhood of Rome). If they have accumulated subaerially, like the ash beds found on Mt. Etna or Vesuvius at the present day, tuffs consist almost wholly of volcanic materials of different degrees of fineness with pieces of wood and vegetable matter, land shells, etc. But many volcanoes stand near the sea, and the ashes cast out by them are mingled with the sediments that are gathering at the bottom of the waters. In this way ashy muds or sands or even in some cases ashy limestones are being formed. As a matter of fact most of the tuffs found in the older formations contain admixtures of clay, sand, and sometimes fossil shells, which prove that they were beds spread out under water.
During some volcanic eruptions a layer of ashes several feet in thickness is deposited over a considerable district, but such beds thin out rapidly as the distance from the crater increases, and ash deposits covering many square miles are usually very thin. The showers of ashes often follow one another after longer or shorter intervals, and hence thick masses of tuff, whether of subaerial or of marine origin, have mostly a stratified character. The coarsest materials or agglomerates show this least distinctly; in the fine beds it is often developed in great perfection.
Igneous rock[edit]
Rocks from the Bishop tuff, uncompressed with pumice on left; compressed with fiamme on right.
Apart from adventitious material, such as fragments of the older rocks, pieces of trees, etc., the contents of an ash deposit may be described as consisting of more or less crystalline igneous rocks. If the lava within the crater has been at such a temperature that solidification has commenced, crystals are usually present. They may be of considerable size like the grey, rounded leucite crystals found on the sides of Vesuvius. Many of these are very perfect and rich in faces because they grew in a medium that was liquid and not very viscous. Good crystals of augite and olivine are also to be obtained in the ash beds of Vesuvius and of many other volcanoes, ancient and modern. Blocks of these crystalline minerals (anorthite, olivine, augite and hornblende) are common objects in the tuffs of many of the West Indian volcanoes. Where crystals are very abundant the ashes are called "crystal tuffs." In St. Vincent and Martinique in 1902, much of the dust was composed of minute crystals enclosed in thin films of glass because the lava at the moment of eruption had very nearly solidified as a crystalline mass. Some basaltic volcanoes, on the other hand, have ejected great quantities of black glassy scoria, which, after consolidation, weather to a red soft rock known as palagonite; tuffs of this kind occur in Iceland and Sicily. In the Lipari Islands and Hungary there are acid (rhyolitic) tuffs, of pale grey or yellow color, largely composed of lumps and fragments of pumice. Over a large portion of the sea bottom the beds of fine mud contain small, water-worn, rounded pebbles of very spongy volcanic glass; these have been floated from the shore or cast out by submarine volcanoes, and may have travelled for hundreds of miles before sinking; it has been proved by experiment that some kinds of pumice will float on sea-water for more than a year. The deep sea-deposit known as the "red clay" is largely of volcanic origin and might be suitably described as a "submarine tuff-bed."
Welded tuff[edit]
Welded tuff at Golden Gate in Yellowstone National Park
Welded tuff is a pyroclastic rock, of any origin, that was sufficiently hot at the time of deposition to weld together. Strictly speaking, if the rock contains scattered pea-sized fragments or fiamme in it, it is called a welded lapilli-tuff. Welded tuffs (and welded lapilli-tuffs) can be of fallout origin, or deposited from pyroclastic density currents, as in the case of ignimbrites. During welding, the glass shards and pumice fragments adhere together (necking at point contacts), deform, and compact together, resulting in a 'eutaxitic fabric' (see image and contrast with the ash shapes in unwelded tuff).
Welded ignimbrites can be highly voluminous, such as the Lava Creek Tuff erupted from Yellowstone Caldera in Wyoming 640,000 years ago. Lava Creek Tuff is known to be at least 1000 times as large as the deposits of the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, and it had a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 8—greater than any eruption known in the last 10,000 years. The intensity of welding may decrease towards the upper margin of a deposit, towards areas in which the deposit is thinner, and with distance from source. Welded tuff is commonly rhyolitic in composition, but examples of all compositions are known.
Rhyolitic tuff[edit]
Light microscope image of tuff as seen in thin section (Long dimension is several mm). The curved shapes of altered glass shards (ash fragments) are well-preserved, although the glass is partly altered. The shapes were formed about bubbles of expanding water-rich gas.
For petrographical purposes, tuff is generally classified according to the nature of the volcanic rock of which it consists; this may be the same as the accompanying lavas if any were emitted during an eruption, and if there is a change in the kind of lava which is poured out, the tuffs also indicate this equally clearly. Rhyolite tuffs contain pumiceous, glassy fragments and small scoriae with quartz, alkali feldspar, biotite, etc. Iceland, Lipari, Hungary, the Basin and Range of the American southwest, and New Zealand are among the areas where such tuffs are prominent. The broken pumice is clear and isotropic, and very small particles commonly have crescentic, sickle-shaped, or biconcave outlines, showing that they are produced by the shattering of a vesicular glass, sometimes described as ash-structure. The tiny glass fragments derived from broken pumice are called shards; the glass shards readily deform and flow when the deposits are sufficiently hot, as shown in the accompanying image of welded tuff.
In the ancient rocks of Wales, Charnwood, the Pentland Hills, etc., similar tuffs are known, but in all cases they are greatly changed by silicification (which has filled them with opal, chalcedony and quartz) and by devitrification. The frequent presence of rounded corroded quartz crystals, such as occur in rhyolitic lavas, helps to demonstrate their real nature.
A example of this tuff Rochlitz Porphyr can be seen in the Mannerist style sculpted portal outside the chapel entrance in Colditz Castle.[1] The trade name Rochlitz Porphyr is the traditional designation for a dimension stone of Saxony with an architectural history over 1,000 years in Germany. The quarries are located near Rochlitz.[2]
Trachyte tuff[edit]
Trachyte tuffs contain little or no quartz but much sanidine or anorthoclase and sometimes oligoclase feldspar, with occasional biotite, augite and hornblende. In weathering they often change to soft red or yellow clay-stones, rich in kaolin with secondary quartz. Recent trachyte tuffs are found on the Rhine (at Siebengebirge), in Ischia, near Naples, Hungary, etc.
Andesitic tuff[edit]
Andesitic tuffs are exceedingly common. They occur along the whole chain of the Cordilleras and Andes, in the West Indies, New Zealand, Japan, etc. In the Lake district, North Wales, Lorne, the Pentland Hills, the Cheviots and many other districts of Great Britain, ancient rocks of exactly similar nature are abundant. In color they are red or brown; their scoriae fragments are of all sizes from huge blocks down to minute granular dust. The cavities are filled up with many secondary minerals, such as calcite, chlorite, quartz, epidote, chalcedony; but in microscopic sections, the nature of the original lava can nearly always be made out from the shapes and properties of the little crystals which occur in the decomposed glassy base. Even in the smallest details, these ancient tuffs have a complete resemblance to the modern ash beds of Cotopaxi, Krakatoa and Mont Pelé.
Basaltic tuff[edit]
Most of the moais in Easter Island are carved out of tholeiite basalt tuff
Basaltic tuffs are also of widespread occurrence both in districts where volcanoes are now active and in lands where eruptions have long since ended. They are found in Skye, Mull, Antrim and other places, where there are Paleogene volcanic rocks; in Scotland, Derbyshire and Ireland among the carboniferous strata; and among the still older rocks of the Lake District, southern uplands of Scotland and Wales. They are black, dark green or red in colour; vary greatly in coarseness, some being full of round spongy bombs a foot or more in diameter, and, being often submarine, may contain shale, sandstone, grit and other sedimentary material, and are occasionally fossiliferous. Recent basaltic tuffs are found in Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Jan Mayen, Sicily, Sandwich Islands, Samoa, etc. When weathered they are filled with calcite, chlorite, serpentine and, especially where the lavas contain nepheline or leucite, are often rich in zeolites, such as analcite, prehnite, natrolite, scolecite, chabazite, heulandite, etc.
Ultramafic tuff[edit]
Ultramafic tuffs are extremely rare; their characteristic is the abundance of olivine or serpentine and the scarcity or absence of feldspar and quartz. Rare occurrences may include unusual surface deposits of maars of kimberlites of the diamond-fields of southern Africa and other regions. The principal rock of kimberlite is a dark bluish-green serpentine-rich breccia (blue-ground) which when thoroughly oxidized and weathered becomes a friable brown or yellow mass (the "yellow-ground"). These breccias were emplaced as gas–solid mixtures and are typically preserved and mined in diatremes that form intrusive pipe-like structures. At depth, some kimberlite breccias grade into root zones of dikes made of unfragmented rock. At the surface, ultramafic tuffs may occur in maar deposits. Because kimberlites are the most common igneous source of diamonds, the transitions from maar to diatreme to root-zone dikes have been studied in detail. Diatreme-facies kimberlite is more properly called an ultramafic breccia rather than a tuff.
Folding and metamorphism[edit]
Remains of the ancient Servian Walls in Rome, made of tuff bricks
In course of time, other changes than weathering may overtake tuff deposits. Sometimes they are involved in folding and become sheared and cleaved. Many of the green slates of the lake district in Cumberland are fine cleaved ashes. In Charnwood Forest also the tuffs are slaty and cleaved. The green color is due to the large development of chlorite. Among the crystalline schists of many regions, green beds or green schists occur, which consist of quartz, hornblende, chlorite or biotite, iron oxides, feldspar, etc., and are probably recrystallized or metamorphosed tuffs. They often accompany masses of epidiorite and hornblende – schists which are the corresponding lavas and sills. Some chlorite-schists also are probably altered beds of volcanic tuff. The "Schalsteins" of Devon and Germany include many cleaved and partly recrystallized ash-beds, some of which still retain their fragmental structure though their lapilli are flattened and drawn out. Their steam cavities are usually filled with calcite, but sometimes with quartz. The more completely altered forms of these rocks are platy, green chloritic schists; in these, however, structures indicating their original volcanic nature only sparingly occur. These are intermediate stages between cleaved tuffs and crystalline schists.
Economic importance[edit]
Ahu Tongariki with 15 moai made of tuff from Rano Raraku. The second moai from the right has a Pukao which is made of red Scoria.
Tuff's primary economic value is as a building material. In the ancient world, tuff's relative softness meant that it was commonly used for construction where it was available. Tuff is common in Italy, and the Romans used it for many buildings and bridges. For example, the whole port of the island of Ventotene (still in use), was carved out from tuff. The Servian Wall, built to defend the city of Rome in the 4th century BC, is also built almost entirely from tuff. The Romans also cut tuff into small rectangular stones that they used to create walls in a pattern known as opus reticulatum.
The Romans thought bees nested in tuff. The substance is mentioned in the Aeneid (Book XII, ln 805).
The peperino, much used at Rome and Naples as a building stone, is a trachyte tuff. Pozzolana also is a decomposed tuff, but of basic character, originally obtained near Naples and used as a cement, but this name is now applied to a number of substances not always of identical character. In the Eifel region of Germany a trachytic, pumiceous tuff called trass has been extensively worked as a hydraulic mortar.
Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, a U.S. Department of Energy terminal storage facility for spent nuclear reactor and other radioactive waste, is in tuff and ignimbrite in the Basin and Range Province in Nevada. In Napa valley and Sonoma valley, California, areas made out of tuff are routinely excavated for storage of wine barrels.
Tuff from Rano Raraku was used by the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island to make the vast majority of their famous moai statues.
Tuff is important in Armenian architecture.[3]
See also[edit]
1. ^ Georg Dehio: Handbuch der deutschen Kunstdenkmäler, Sachsen II. Deutscher Kunstverlag, München, Berlin 1998, p. 160
2. ^ Heiner Siedel: Sächsische „Porphyrtuffe“ aus dem Rotliegend als Baugesteine: Vorkommen und Abbau, Anwendung, Eigenschaften und Verwitterung. In: Institut für Steinkonservierung e. V. Bericht Nr. 22, 2006, p. 47-58. http://www.tu-dresden.de/biw/geotechnik/geologie/publikationen/download/Tuffe_IfS.pdf
3. ^ Holding, N. (2006). Armenia: with Nagorno Karabagh. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-84162-163-0. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28043
|
Category talk:WikiProject South Asia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
WikiProject South Asia (Rated NA-class)
WikiProject icon This category is within the scope of WikiProject South Asia, which aims to improve the quality and status of all South Asia-related articles. For more information, please visit the Project page.
NA This category does not require a rating on the quality scale.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28045
|
Geeta Anand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Geeta Anand is a journalist and author who writes for the Wall Street Journal, and was formerly a political writer for the Boston Globe.[1]
For her work at the Wall Street Journal she shared in 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting that was awarded to the Wall Street Journal staff.[2] Anand is the author of the book The Cure,[3] which has been adapted into the film, Extraordinary Measures.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28047
|
Locality-sensitive hashing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Locality sensitive hashing)
Jump to: navigation, search
Locality-sensitive hashing (LSH) reduces the dimensionality of high-dimensional data. LSH hashes input items so that similar items map to the same “buckets” with high probability (the number of buckets being much smaller than the universe of possible input items). LSH differs from conventional and cryptographic hash functions because it aims to maximize the probability of a “collision” for similar items.[1] Locality-sensitive hashing has much in common with data clustering and nearest neighbor search.
An LSH family [1] [2] [3] \mathcal F is defined for a metric space \mathcal M =(M, d), a threshold R>0 and an approximation factor c>1. This family \mathcal F is a family of functions h:{\mathcal M}\to S which map elements from the metric space to a bucket s \in S. The LSH family satisfies the following conditions for any two points p, q \in {\mathcal M}, using a function h \in \mathcal F which is chosen uniformly at random:
• if d(p,q) \le R, then h(p)=h(q) (i.e.,p and q collide) with probability at least P_1,
• if d(p,q) \ge cR, then h(p)=h(q) with probability at most P_2.
A family is interesting when P_1>P_2. Such a family \mathcal F is called (R,cR,P_1,P_2)-sensitive.
Alternatively[4] it is defined with respect to a universe of items U that have a similarity function \phi : U \times U \to [0,1]. An LSH scheme is a family of hash functions H coupled with a probability distribution D over the functions such that a function h \in H chosen according to D satisfies the property that Pr_{h \in H} [h(a) = h(b)] = \phi(a,b) for any a,b \in U.
Given a (d_1, d_2, p_1, p_2)-sensitive family \mathcal F, we can construct new families \mathcal G by either the AND-construction or OR-construction of \mathcal F.[1]
To create an AND-construction, we define a new family \mathcal G of hash functions g, where each function g is constructed from k random functions h_1, ..., h_k from \mathcal F. We then say that for a hash function g \in \mathcal G, g(x) = g(y) if and only if all h_i(x) = h_i(y) for i = 1, 2, ..., k. Since the members of \mathcal F are independently chosen for any g \in \mathcal G, \mathcal G is a (d_1, d_2, p_{1}^k, p_{2}^k)-sensitive family.
To create an OR-construction, we define a new family \mathcal G of hash functions g, where each function g is constructed from k random functions h_1, ..., h_k from \mathcal F. We then say that for a hash function g \in \mathcal G, g(x) = g(y) if and only if h_i(x) = h_i(y) for one or more values of i. Since the members of \mathcal F are independently chosen for any g \in \mathcal G, \mathcal G is a (d_1, d_2, 1- (1 - p_1)^k, 1 - (1 - p_2)^k)-sensitive family.
LSH has been applied to several problem domains including[citation needed]
Bit sampling for Hamming distance[edit]
One of the easiest ways to construct an LSH family is by bit sampling.[3] This approach works for the Hamming distance over d-dimensional vectors \{0,1\}^d. Here, the family \mathcal F of hash functions is simply the family of all the projections of points on one of the d coordinates, i.e., {\mathcal F}=\{h:\{0,1\}^d\to \{0,1\}\mid h(x)=x_i \text{ for some } i\in \{1, ..., d\}\}, where x_i is the ith coordinate of x. A random function h from {\mathcal F} simply selects a random bit from the input point. This family has the following parameters: P_1=1-R/d, P_2=1-cR/d.
Min-wise independent permutations[edit]
Main article: MinHash
Suppose U is composed of subsets of some ground set of enumerable items S and the similarity function of interest is the Jaccard index J. If \pi is a permutation on the indices of S, for A \subseteq S let h(A) = \min_{a \in A} \{ \pi(a) \}. Each possible choice of \pi defines a single hash function h mapping input sets to elements of S.
Define the function family H to be the set of all such functions and let D be the uniform distribution. Given two sets A,B \subseteq S the event that h(A) = h(B) corresponds exactly to the event that the minimizer of \pi over A \bigcup B lies inside A \bigcap B. As h was chosen uniformly at random, Pr[h(A) = h(B)] = J(A,B)\, and (H,D)\, define an LSH scheme for the Jaccard index.
Because the symmetric group on n elements has size n!, choosing a truly random permutation from the full symmetric group is infeasible for even moderately sized n. Because of this fact, there has been significant work on finding a family of permutations that is "min-wise independent" - a permutation family for which each element of the domain has equal probability of being the minimum under a randomly chosen \pi. It has been established that a min-wise independent family of permutations is at least of size lcm(1, 2, ..., n) \ge e^{n-o(n)}.[10] and that this bound is tight[11]
Because min-wise independent families are too big for practical applications, two variant notions of min-wise independence are introduced: restricted min-wise independent permutations families, and approximate min-wise independent families. Restricted min-wise independence is the min-wise independence property restricted to certain sets of cardinality at most k.[12] Approximate min-wise independence differs from the property by at most a fixed \epsilon.[13]
Open Source Methods[edit]
Nilsimsa Hash[edit]
Main article: Nilsimsa Hash
Nilsimsa is an anti-spam focused locality-sensitive hashing algorithm.[14] The goal of Nilsimsa is to generate a hash digest of an email message such that the digests of two similar messages are similar to each other. The paper suggests that the Nilsimsa satisfies three requirements:
1. The digest identifying each message should not vary significantly for changes that can be produced automatically.
2. The encoding must be robust against intentional attacks.
3. The encoding should support an extremely low risk of false positives.
TLSH is locality-sensitive hashing algorithm designed for a range of security and digital forensic applications.[15] The goal of TLSH is to generate a hash digest of document such that if two digests have a low distance between them, then it is likely that the messages are similar to each other.
Testing performed in the paper demonstrates that on a range of file types identified the Nilsimsa hash as having a significantly higher false positive rate when compared to other similarity digest schemes such as TLSH, Ssdeep and Sdhash.
An implementations of TLSH is available as open-source software.[16]
Random projection[edit]
Sketch of 1-theta vs. cos(theta)
For small angles (not too close to orthogonal), 1 - \frac{\theta}{\pi} is a pretty good approximation to \cos(\theta).
The random projection method of LSH[4] (termed arccos by Andoni and Indyk [17]) is designed to approximate the cosine distance between vectors. The basic idea of this technique is to choose a random hyperplane (defined by a normal unit vector r) at the outset and use the hyperplane to hash input vectors.
Stable distributions[edit]
The hash function [18] h_{\mathbf{a},b} (\boldsymbol{\upsilon}) :
\to \mathcal{N} maps a d dimensional vector \boldsymbol{\upsilon} onto a set of integers. Each hash function in the family is indexed by a choice of random \mathbf{a} and b where \mathbf{a} is a d dimensional vector with entries chosen independently from a stable distribution and b is a real number chosen uniformly from the range [0,r]. For a fixed \mathbf{a},b the hash function h_{\mathbf{a},b} is given by h_{\mathbf{a},b} (\boldsymbol{\upsilon}) = \left \lfloor
\frac{\mathbf{a}\cdot \boldsymbol{\upsilon}+b}{r} \right \rfloor .
Other construction methods for hash functions have been proposed to better fit the data. [19] In particular k-means hash functions are better in practice than projection-based hash functions, but without any theoretical guarantee.
LSH algorithm for nearest neighbor search[edit]
One of the main applications of LSH is to provide a method for efficient approximate nearest neighbor search algorithms. Consider an LSH family \mathcal F. The algorithm has two main parameters: the width parameter k and the number of hash tables L.
In the first step, we define a new family \mathcal G of hash functions g, where each function g is obtained by concatenating k functions h_1, ..., h_k from \mathcal F, i.e., g(p) = [h_1(p), ..., h_k(p)]. In other words, a random hash function g is obtained by concatenating k randomly chosen hash functions from \mathcal F. The algorithm then constructs L hash tables, each corresponding to a different randomly chosen hash function g.
In the preprocessing step we hash all n points from the data set S into each of the L hash tables. Given that the resulting hash tables have only n non-zero entries, one can reduce the amount of memory used per each hash table to O(n) using standard hash functions.
Given a query point q, the algorithm iterates over the L hash functions g. For each g considered, it retrieves the data points that are hashed into the same bucket as q. The process is stopped as soon as a point within distance cR from q is found.
Given the parameters k and L, the algorithm has the following performance guarantees:
• preprocessing time: O(nLkt), where t is the time to evaluate a function h \in \mathcal F on an input point p;
• space: O(nL), plus the space for storing data points;
• query time: O(L(kt+dnP_2^k));
• the algorithm succeeds in finding a point within distance cR from q (if there exists a point within distance R) with probability at least 1 - ( 1 - P_1^k ) ^ L;
For a fixed approximation ratio c=1+\epsilon and probabilities P_1 and P_2, one can set k={\log n \over \log 1/P_2} and L = n^{\rho}, where \rho={\log P_1\over \log P_2}. Then one obtains the following performance guarantees:
• preprocessing time: O(n^{1+\rho}kt);
• space: O(n^{1+\rho}), plus the space for storing data points;
• query time: O(n^{\rho}(kt+d));
See also[edit]
1. ^ a b c A. Rajaraman and J. Ullman (2010). "Mining of Massive Datasets, Ch. 3.".
2. ^ Gionis, A.; Indyk, P.; Motwani, R. (1999). , "Similarity Search in High Dimensions via Hashing". Proceedings of the 25th Very Large Database (VLDB) Conference.
3. ^ a b Indyk, Piotr.; Motwani, Rajeev. (1998). , "Approximate Nearest Neighbors: Towards Removing the Curse of Dimensionality.". Proceedings of 30th Symposium on Theory of Computing.
4. ^ a b Charikar, Moses S.. (2002). "Similarity Estimation Techniques from Rounding Algorithms". Proceedings of the 34th Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing 2002: (ACM 1–58113–495–9/02/0005)…. doi:10.1145/509907.509965. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
5. ^ Gurmeet Singh, Manku; Das Sarma, Anish (2007), "Detecting near-duplicates for web crawling", Proceedings of the 16th international conference on World Wide Web. ACM, .
6. ^ Das, Abhinandan S. et al. (2007), "Google news personalization: scalable online collaborative filtering", Proceedings of the 16th international conference on World Wide Web. ACM, doi:10.1145/1242572.1242610 .
7. ^ Koga, Hisashi, Tetsuo Ishibashi, and Toshinori Watanabe (2007), "Fast agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm using Locality-Sensitive Hashing", Knowledge and Information Systems 12.1: 25-53, .
8. ^ Brinza, Dumitru et al., "RAPID detection of gene–gene interactions in genome-wide association studies", Bioinformatics 26.22 (2010): 2856-2862.
9. ^ dejavu - Audio fingerprinting and recognition in Python
10. ^ Broder, A.Z.; Charikar, M.; Frieze, A.M.; Mitzenmacher, M. (1998). "Min-wise independent permutations". Proceedings of the thirtieth annual ACM symposium on Theory of computing: 327–336. doi:10.1145/276698.276781. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
11. ^ Takei, Y.; Itoh, T.; Shinozaki, T. "An optimal construction of exactly min-wise independent permutations". Technical Report COMP98-62, IEICE, 1998.
12. ^ Matoušek, J.; Stojakovic, M. (2002). "On Restricted Min-Wise Independence of Permutations". Preprint. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
13. ^ Saks, M.; Srinivasan, A.; Zhou, S.; Zuckerman, D. (2000). "Low discrepancy sets yield approximate min-wise independent permutation families". Information Processing Letters 73 (1-2): 29–32. doi:10.1016/S0020-0190(99)00163-5. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
14. ^ Damiani et. al (2004). "An Open Digest-based Technique for Spam Detection" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-09-01.
15. ^ Oliver et. al (2013). "TLSH - A Locality Sensitive Hash". 4th Cybercrime and Trustworthy Computing Workshop. Retrieved 2015-04-06.
16. ^ "https://github.com/trendmicro/tlsh". Retrieved 2014-04-10.
17. ^ Alexandr Andoni; Indyk, P. (2008). "Near-Optimal Hashing Algorithms for Approximate Nearest Neighbor in High Dimensions". Communications of the ACM 51 (1): 117–122. doi:10.1145/1327452.1327494.
18. ^ Datar, M.; Immorlica, N.; Indyk, P.; Mirrokni, V.S. (2004). "Locality-Sensitive Hashing Scheme Based on p-Stable Distributions". Proceedings of the Symposium on Computational Geometry.
19. ^ Pauleve, L.; Jegou, H.; Amsaleg, L. (2010). "Locality sensitive hashing: A comparison of hash function types and querying mechanisms". Pattern recognition Letters.
20. ^ Gorman, James, and James R. Curran. "Scaling distributional similarity to large corpora." Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Computational Linguistics and the 44th annual meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics. Association for Computational Linguistics, 2006.
21. ^ R. R. Salakhutdinov and G. E. Hinton. Semantic hashing. In SIGIR workshop on Information Retrieval and applications of Graphical Models, 2007.
22. ^ Weiss, Yair, Antonio Torralba, and Rob Fergus. "Spectral hashing." Advances in neural information processing systems. 2009.
23. ^ Andoni, Alexandr, et al. "Beyond Locality-Sensitive Hashing." SODA. 2014.
Further reading[edit]
• Samet, H. (2006) Foundations of Multidimensional and Metric Data Structures. Morgan Kaufmann. ISBN 0-12-369446-9
External links[edit]
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28048
|
Email address
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Plus address)
Jump to: navigation, search
Example of an mail address
An email address identifies an email box to which email messages are delivered. The universal standard for the format and meaning of an email address today is the model developed for Internet electronic mail systems since the 1980s, but some earlier systems, and many proprietary commercial email systems used different address formats.
An email address such as is made up of a local part, an @ symbol, then a domain part. The domain part is case-insensitive but the local part is (in theory) case-sensitive. In practice, the mail system at may (and most mail systems will) treat John.Smith as equivalent to john.smith or even johnsmith.[1] Mail systems often limit their users' choice of name to a subset of the technically valid characters, and may in some cases also limit which addresses it is possible to send mail to.
With the introduction of internationalized domain names, efforts are progressing to permit non-ASCII characters in email addresses.
The transmission of electronic mail within the Internet uses the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), defined in Internet standards RFC 5321 and RFC 5322, and extensions like RFC 6531. The mailboxes may be accessed and managed by users with the Post Office Protocol (POP) or the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) with email client software that runs on a personal computer, mobile device, or with webmail systems that render the messages on a screen or on paper printouts.
The general format of an email address is localpart@domain, and a specific example is An address consists of two parts. The part before the @ sign (localpart) identifies the name of a mailbox. This is often the username of the recipient, e.g., jsmith. The part after the @ symbol is a domain name that represents the administrative realm for the mail box, e.g., a company's domain name,
A mail server uses the Domain Name System (DNS) to locate the destination mail server for the domain of the recipient by querying for mail exchanger records (MX records). The organization holding the delegation for a given domain, the mailbox provider, can define the target hosts for all email destined to its domain. The mail exchanger does not need to be located in the domain of the destination mail box, however it must accept mail for the domain. The target hosts are configured with a mechanism to deliver mail to all destination mail boxes. If no mail exchangers are configured, a mail sender directly queries the address record (A record or AAAA record) for the domain name in the email address.
The local-part of an email address has no significance for intermediate mail relay systems other than the final mailbox host. Email senders and intermediate mail relay systems must not assume it to be case-insensitive, since the final mailbox host may or may not treat it as such. A single mailbox may receive mail for multiple email addresses, if configured by the administrator. Conversely, a single email address may be the alias to a distribution list to many mailboxes. Email aliases, electronic mailing lists, sub-addressing, and catch-all addresses, the latter being mailboxes that receive messages regardless of the local part, are common patterns for achieving a variety of delivery goals.
The addresses found in the header fields of an email message are not directly used by mail exchangers to deliver the message. An email message also contains a message envelope that contains the information for mail routing. While envelope and header addresses may be equal, forged email addresses are often seen in spam, phishing, and many other Internet-based scams. This has led to several initiatives which aim to make such forgeries easier to spot.
To indicate the message recipient, an email address also may have an associated display name for the recipient, which is followed by the address specification surrounded by angled brackets, for example: John Smith <>.
Earlier forms of email addresses on other networks than the Internet included other notations, such as that required by X.400, and the UUCP bang path notation, in which the address was given in the form of a sequence of computers through which the message should be relayed. This was widely used for several years, but was superseded by the Internet standards promulgated by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
The format of email addresses is local-part@domain where the local-part may be up to 64 characters long and the domain name may have a maximum of 253 characters – but the maximum of 256-character length of a forward or reverse path restricts the entire email address to be no more than 254 characters long.[2] The formal definitions are in RFC 5322 (sections 3.2.3 and 3.4.1) and RFC 5321 – with a more readable form given in the informational RFC 3696[3] and the associated errata.
Local part[edit]
The local-part of the email address may use any of these ASCII characters.[4] RFC 6531 permits Unicode characters beyond the ASCII range:
• Uppercase and lowercase Latin letters (A–Z, a–z) (ASCII: 65–90, 97–122)
• Digits 0 to 9 (ASCII: 48–57)
• These special characters: # - _ ~ ! $ & ' ( ) * + , ; = : and percentile encoding i.e. %20
• Character . (dot, period, full stop) (ASCII: 46) provided that it is not the first or last character, and provided also that it does not appear consecutively (e.g. is not allowed).
• Special characters are allowed with restrictions. They are:
• Comments are allowed with parentheses at either end of the local part; e.g. "john.smith(comment)" and "(comment)" are both equivalent to "".
• International characters above U+007F, encoded as UTF-8, are permitted by RFC 6531, though mail systems may restrict which characters to use when assigning local parts.
A quoted string may exist as a dot separated entity within the local-part, or it may exist when the outermost quotes are the outermost characters of the local-part (e.g. abc."defghi" or "abcdefghixyz" are allowed. Conversely, abc"defghi" is not; neither is abc\"def\" Quoted strings and characters however, are not commonly used. RFC 5321 also warns that "a host that expects to receive mail SHOULD avoid defining mailboxes where the Local-part requires (or uses) the Quoted-string form".
The local-part postmaster is treated specially–it is case-insensitive, and should be forwarded to the domain email administrator. Technically all other local-parts are case-sensitive, therefore and specify different mailboxes; however, many organizations treat uppercase and lowercase letters as equivalent.
Most organizations do not allow use of many of the technically valid special characters. Organizations are free to restrict the forms of their own email addresses as desired, e.g., Windows Live Hotmail, for example, only allows creation of email addresses using alphanumerics, dot (.), underscore (_) and hyphen (-).[5]
Domain part[edit]
The domain name part of an email address has to conform to strict guidelines: it must match the requirements for a hostname, consisting of letters, digits, hyphens and dots. In addition, the domain part may be an IP address literal, surrounded by square braces, such as jsmith@[] or jsmith@[IPv6:2001:db8::1], although this is rarely seen except in email spam. Internationalized domain names (which are encoded to comply with the requirements for a hostname) allow for presentation of non-ASCII domain parts. In mail systems compliant with RFC 6531 and RFC 6532 an email address may be encoded as UTF-8, both a local part as well as a domain name.
Comments are allowed in the domain part as well as in the local part. E.g. "john.smith@(comment)" and "" are equivalent to ""
Valid email addresses[edit]
• "much.more unusual"
• ""
• admin@mailserver1 (local domain name with no TLD)
• " " (space between the quotes)
• üñîçøðé (Unicode characters in local part)
• üñîçøðé@üñîçøðé.com (Unicode characters in domain part)
Invalid email addresses[edit]
• (an @ character must separate the local and domain parts)
• (only one @ is allowed outside quotation marks)
• a"b(c)d,e:f;g<h>i[j\k] (none of the special characters in this local part is allowed outside quotation marks)
• just"not" (quoted strings must be dot separated or the only element making up the local-part)
• this is"not\ (spaces, quotes, and backslashes may only exist when within quoted strings and preceded by a backslash)
• this\ still\"not\\ (even if escaped (preceded by a backslash), spaces, quotes, and backslashes must still be contained by quotes)
• (double dot before @)
• (double dot after @)
• a valid address with a leading space
• a valid address with a trailing space
• abc
Common local-part semantics[edit]
According to RFC 5321 2.3.11 Mailbox and Address, "...the local-part MUST be interpreted and assigned semantics only by the host specified in the domain part of the address.". This means that no assumptions can be made about the meaning of the local-part of another mail server. It is entirely up to the configuration of the mail server.
Local-part normalization[edit]
Interpretation of the local-part of an email address is dependent on the conventions and policies implemented in the mail server. For example, case sensitivity may distinguish mailboxes differing only in capitalization of characters of the local-part, although this is not very common.[6] Gmail ignores all dots in the local-part for the purposes of determining account identity.[7] This prevents the creation of user accounts or yourusername when the account your.username already exists.
Address tags [edit]
Some mail services allow a user to append a tag to their email address (e.g., where is the main address, which would also accept mail for or The text of tag may be used to apply filtering and to create single-use addresses.[8] Some IETF standards-track documents, such as RFC 5233 refer to this convention as "sub-addressing". However, many websites' automatic form validation scripts or software will reject + as an invalid character in the email address. (Some service providers, Facebook for example, are inconsistent: they use address tags for legitimate purposes in their own outbound email, but disallow address tags for their subscribers or users.)
Disposable email addresses of this form, using various separators between the base name and the tag, are supported by several email services, including Runbox (plus), Gmail (plus),[9] Yahoo! Mail Plus (hyphen),[10] Apple's iCloud (plus), (plus),[11] FastMail (plus and Subdomain Addressing),[12] and MMDF (equals).
Most installations[which?] of the qmail and Courier Mail Server products support the use of a hyphen '-' as a separator within the local-part, such as or This allows qmail through .qmail-default or .qmail-tag-sub-anything-else files to sort, filter, forward, or run an application based on the tagging system established.[13][14]
Postfix allows configuring an arbitrary separator from the legal character set. The separator info remains available on the email (address is not rewritten to remove it), and thus is useful in internal mail-routing, filtering, and forwarding via any of the mechanisms existing in Postfix.[15]
Validation and verification[edit]
Email addresses are often requested as input to website as user identification for the purpose of data validation. While there are companies that provide services to validate an email address at the time of entry, normally using an Application programming interface, there is no guarantee that it will provide accurate results.[16]
An email address is generally recognized as having two parts joined with an at-sign (@). However, the technical specification detailed in RFC 822 and subsequent RFCs are more extensive, offering complex and strict restrictions.[17]
It is impossible to match these restrictions with a single technique. Using regular expressions results in long patterns giving incomplete results.[18]
Syntactically correct, verified email addresses do not guarantee email box existence. Thus many mail servers use other techniques and check the mailbox existence against relevant systems such as the Domain Name System for the domain part or using callback verification to check if the mailbox exists. This is however often disabled to avoid directory harvest attack.
Assuring an email address is of a good quality, requires a combination of various validation techniques. Large websites, bulk mailers or spammers, require fast algorithms that predict validity of email address. Such methods depend heavily on heuristic algorithms and statistical models.[19]
Unfortunately, many websites evaluate the validity of email addresses incorrectly, rejecting addresses containing valid characters, such as + or / signs, or setting arbitrary length limitations (e.g., 30 characters). RFC 3696 provides specific advice for validating Internet identifiers, including email addresses.
The new HTML5 forms implemented in many browser, using the new email state of the input element, allow email address validation to be handled by the browser.[20]
Email address internationalization provides for a much larger range of characters than many current validation algorithms allow, such as all Unicode characters above U+0080, encoded as UTF-8.
Identity validation[edit]
Email addresses remain the primary means of account activation (user identification and validation on websites), besides cell phone number validation, postal mail validation, fax validation, etc.. This is usually accomplished by the website sending an email with a special temporary hyperlink to the inbox of the user-provided email address. On receipt, the user opens the link, immediately activating the account. Email addresses are also useful as means of forwarding messages from the website, e.g., user messages, user actions, to the email inbox.
The IETF conducts a technical and standards working group devoted to internationalization issues of email addresses, entitled Email Address Internationalization (EAI, also known as IMA – Internationalized Mail Address).[21] This group produced RFC 6530, RFC 6531, RFC 6532, and RFC 6533, and continues to work on additional EAI-related RFCs.
The IETF's EAI Working group published RFC 6530 "Overview and Framework for Internationalized Email", which enabled non-ASCII characters to be used in both the local and domain parts of an email address. RFC 6530 provides for email based on the UTF-8 encoding, which permits the full repertoire of Unicode. RFC 6531 provides a mechanism for SMTP servers to negotiate transmission of the SMTPUTF8 content.
The basic EAI concepts involve exchanging mail in UTF-8. Though the original proposal included a downgrading mechanism for legacy systems, this has now been dropped.[22] The local servers are responsible for the "local" part of the address, whereas the domain portion would be restricted by the rules of internationalized domain names, though still transmitted in UTF-8. The mail server is also responsible for any mapping mechanism between the IMA form and any ASCII alias.
EAI enables users to have a localized address in a native language script or character set, as well as an ASCII form for communicating with legacy systems or for script-independent use. Applications that recognize internationalized domain names and mail addresses must have facilities to convert these representations.
Significant demand for such addresses is expected in China, Japan, Russia, and other markets that have large user bases in a non-Latin-based writing system.
Internationalization examples[edit]
The example addresses below would not be handled by RFC 5322 based servers, but are permitted by RFC 6530. Servers compliant with this will be able to handle these:
• Latin Alphabet (with diacritics): Pelé
• Greek Alphabet: δοκιμή@παράδειγμα.δοκιμή
• Traditional Chinese Characters: 我買@屋企.香港
• Japanese Characters: 甲斐@黒川.日本
• Cyrillic Characters: чебурашка@ящик-с-апельсинами.рф
Internationalization support[edit]
Postfix mailer supports[23] Internationalized Email since development version 20140715, and since 2015-02-08 with a stable release 3.0.0.[24] Modified versions of sendmail exists that support the EAI rules.[citation needed] Google has support for sending emails to and from internationalized domains, but does not allow the registration of non-ASCII email addresses.[25]
Standards documents[edit]
• RFC 821 – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (Obsoleted by RFC 2821)
• RFC 822 – Standard for the Format of ARPA Internet Text Messages (Obsoleted by RFC 2822) (Errata)
• RFC 1035 – Domain names – implementation and specification (Errata)
• RFC 1123 – Requirements for Internet Hosts – Application and Support (Updated by RFC 2821, RFC 5321) (Errata)
• RFC 2142 – Mailbox Names for Common Services, Roles and Functions (Errata)
• RFC 2821 – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (Obsoletes RFC 821, Updates RFC 1123, Obsoleted by RFC 5321) (Errata)
• RFC 2822 – Internet Message Format (Obsoletes RFC 822, Obsoleted by RFC 5322) (Errata)
• RFC 3696 – Application Techniques for Checking and Transformation of Names (Errata)
• RFC 4291 – IP Version 6 Addressing Architecture (Updated by RFC 5952) (Errata)
• RFC 5321 – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (Obsoletes RFC 2821, Updates RFC 1123) (Errata)
• RFC 5322 – Internet Message Format (Obsoletes RFC 2822) (Errata)
• RFC 5952 – A Recommendation for IPv6 Address Text Representation (Updates RFC 4291) (Errata)
• RFC 6530 – Overview and Framework for Internationalized Email (Obsoletes RFC 4952, 5504, 5825)
See also[edit]
1. ^ " can add or remove the dots from a Gmail address without changing the actual destination address; they'll all go to your inbox...",
2. ^ RFC 5321, section Size Limits and Minimums explicitly details protocol limits.
3. ^ Written by J. Klensin, the author of RFC 5321
4. ^ RFC 5322 Section 3.2.3
5. ^ The character limitation is written in plain English in the subscription page "Sign up for Windows Live". Retrieved 2008-07-26. . However, the phrase is hidden, thus one has to either check the availability of an invalid ID, e.g. me#1, or resort to alternative displaying, e.g. no-style or source view, in order to read it.
6. ^ Are Email Addresses Case Sensitive? by Heinz Tschabitscher
7. ^ "Receiving someone else's mail".
8. ^ "Instant disposable Gmail addresses" by Gina Trapani 2005
9. ^ "Using an address alias".
10. ^
11. ^ " supports simpler "+" email aliases too". Within Windows.
12. ^ "Plus addressing and subdomain addressing".
13. ^ "dot-qmail – control the delivery of mail messages". Retrieved 27 January 2012.
14. ^ Sill, Dave. "4.1.5. extension addresses". Life with qmail. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
15. ^ "Postfix Configuration Parameters".
16. ^ When a Valid and Deliverable Email is Neither Valid nor Deliverable Paul, Andrew. Email Answers. Retrieved 26 April 2013
17. ^ I Knew How To Validate An Email Address Until I Read The RFC]
18. ^ Mail::RFC822::Address
19. ^ Verification & Validation Techniques for Email Address Quality Assurance by Jan Hornych 2011, University of Oxford
20. ^ "4.10 Forms — HTML5".
21. ^ "Eai Status Pages". Email Address Internationalization (Active WG). IETF. March 17, 2006 – March 18, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2008.
22. ^ "Email Address Internationalization (eai)". IETF. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
23. ^ "'Postfix SMTPUTF8 support (unicode email addresses)' - MARC".
24. ^ "'Postfix stable release 3.0.0' - MARC".
25. ^ "A first step toward more global email". Google Official Blog. Google. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
External links[edit]
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28049
|
Sarah G. Buxton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Sarah Buxton (actress))
Jump to: navigation, search
Sarah G. Buxton
Born Sarah Galbraith Buxton
(1965-03-23) March 23, 1965 (age 50)
Brentwood, California, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1984–present
Spouse(s) Shane Brolly (2006–present) 1 child
Sarah Galbraith Buxton[1] (born March 23, 1965) is an American film and television actress.
Personal life[edit]
Buxton was born in Brentwood, California. She lives in Beverly Hills with her husband, actor Shane Brolly. The couple married on November 27, 2006. On December 20, 2006, Sarah gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy named Finn Michael Brolly.
She was a competitive gymnast in her youth, until being "discovered" at the grocery store when she was about 15.[2] She is primarily known for her work on the television soap opera Sunset Beach, which aired on NBC from January 6, 1997 to December 31, 1999. Buxton was an original cast member and remained with the show for its entire run, playing the ever-plotting villain Annie Douglas Richards.[3][4] After the demise of Sunset Beach, Buxton appeared on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful from 2000 to 2001 as the less than sane villainess Morgan DeWitt,[2][5] and in 2005, she returned to that role. In addition, she played a minor character, porn star Crystal Chablis, on the soap opera Days of Our Lives in 2004.[6] Buxton has also appeared in several critically acclaimed movies such as The Climb and Little Children. She has guest starred on prime time shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,[6] NYPD Blue and McBride.
After returning to The Bold and the Beautiful in March 2005 and signing a year-long contract, Buxton's run ended abruptly after just one month. In 2005, Buxton was considered for the coveted role of Carly Corinthos on General Hospital. Many of the characters she played have had physical catfights, leading to her being nicknamed "queen of catfights".
1. ^ Sarah Buxton Biography (1965-)
2. ^ a b Nancy Imperiale Wellons (April 16, 2001). "`The Bold and the Beautiful's' Sarah Buxton is good when she's bad". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
3. ^ "STAR CLIP: SARAH BUXTON". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. August 5, 1997. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
4. ^ "SUNSEST BEACH' LINES UP HOT YOUNG ACTORS". Chicago Tribune. October 31, 1996. Retrieved February 15, 2010. ("Sarah Buxton previously appeared on television in shows including "Walker, Texas Ranger", "Renegade" and "Silk Stalkings". She will be playing Annie Douglas, the sexy and spoiled resident of a local beach house.")
5. ^ "SPUNKY BUXTON IS BOTH BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL". Orlando Sentinel. July 22, 2000. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
6. ^ a b Daniel R. Coleridge (November 18, 2004). "Days' Diva Gender-Bends on CSI". TV Guide. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
External links[edit]
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28050
|
Secure Communities and administrative immigration policies
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Secure Communities)
Jump to: navigation, search
Secure Communities is an American deportation program that relies on partnership among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.[1][2] U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the interior immigration enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security, is the program manager.
John Morton of ICE called Secure Communities “the future of immigration enforcement” because it “focuses our resources on identifying and removing the most serious criminal offenders first and foremost.”[3]
Secure Communities relies on integrated databases and partnerships with local and state jailers to build domestic deportation capacity. The goals, as outlined in a 2009 report to Congress, are to: “1. IDENTIFY criminal aliens through modernized information sharing; 2. PRIORITIZE enforcement actions to ensure apprehension and removal of dangerous criminal aliens; and 3. TRANSFORM criminal alien enforcement processes and systems to achieve lasting results.”[1]
The program has come under controversy, however, for misrepresenting who is being picked up and what is expected of law enforcement partners. Secure Communities was created administratively, not by congressional mandate, and to date, no regulations have been promulgated to govern the program’s implementation.
By summer 2011, many state and local partners to the program have come to resent it, because of its detrimental effects on local social fabrics and law enforcement operations. The implementation of the program has been criticized for not sticking to its original goals of deporting criminals and using the program as a general deportation facilitation tool. The Obama administration, increasingly aware of the negative impact of its deportation policies on the administration's prospects in the upcoming presidential election, moved toward mollifying some aspects of the Secure Communities enforcement policies.
In August 2011, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new deportation policy, according to which the immigration enforcement authorities would concentrate on deporting individuals deemed to be threatening to public safety. The practical effectiveness of this policy from the point of view of protecting immigrants has been disputed. In June 2012, President Obama enacted a new Presidential policy aiming to protect immigrants who would have been eligible for relief under the DREAM Act if it had been passed by Congress, granting them work permits and relief from deportation. In August 2012, applications to apply for benefits under the program were being accepted.
On November 20, 2014, the Secure Communities program was discontinued by the Department of Homeland Security.[4]
Secure Communities was piloted in 2008.[5] Under the administration of George W. Bush, ICE recruited a total of 14 jurisdictions. The first program partner was Harris County Sheriff's Office (Texas).[6]
By March 2011, under President Barack Obama, the program was expanded to over 1,210 jurisdictions.[7] ICE seeks to have all 3,141 jurisdictions (state, county, and local jails and prisons) participating by 2013.[8]
From Secure Communities’ activation through March 2011, 140,396 convicted criminal aliens have been booked into ICE custody resulting in 72,445 deportations.[9] Each year, law enforcement officers arrest approximately one million noncitizens accused of crimes.[10]
The authors of a 2011 study released by the Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy at UC Berkeley School of Law highlighted several findings:
• Only 52% of Secure Communities arrestees were scheduled to have a hearing before a judge.[11]
• Approximately 88,000 families that included U.S. citizens had a family member arrested under the Secure Communities program.[11]
• Among Secure Communities arrestees who had an immigration hearing, only 24% had an attorney.[11]
• ICE arrested roughly 3,600 United States citizens through the program.[11]
The costs of the program are unclear. The Houston Chronicle reported in 2008 that, according to ICE officials, “cost [is] between $930 million and $1 billion. Congress dedicated $200 million for the program in 2008 and set aside $150 million for fiscal year 2009.” [12] Currently Secure Communities does not provide for reimbursement to states and localities for the costs of participation.
A New York Times editorial called Secure Communities “misguided,” in part for how it “[strains] local resources.”[13] Meanwhile, a Washington Post editorial praised the program, asserting that it “has neither inclination nor resources to deport suspects with otherwise clean records who have been arrested for low-level infractions.”[14]
Biometric database[edit]
Secure Communities relies on partnerships and biometric technology to build deportation capacity. “ICE and the FBI are working together to take advantage of the strong relationships already forged between the FBI and state and local law enforcement necessary to assist ICE in achieving their goals," said FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Assistant Director Tom Bush in 2009.[15]
For every person booked into jail, local authorities run fingerprints against federal immigration and criminal databases. IDENT is an DHS-owned database that keeps biometric records of immigration applicants, certain criminals, and those suspected of or known to be terrorists. IAFIS is an FBI-owned database of biometric criminal records. Ordinarily, the fingerprints of county and state arrestees are submitted to the FBI only. Under Secure Communities, the prints go to ICE too. If an individual's fingerprints match those of a non U.S. citizen (including legal resident), an automated process notifies the Law Enforcement Support Center (LESC) of ICE. Officials then evaluate the case, based on immigration status and criminal history.[2]
The net effect, according to former ICE Secretary Julie L. Myers, is to “create a virtual ICE presence at every local jail.”[15]
Secure Communities Program: Submissions to ICE (2009, 2010, YTD 2011)[16]
Year Total Submissions to ICE
2009 828,119
2010 3,376,753
2011 (first five months) 2,414,079
When there is a match, ICE may choose to place a “detainer” on the individual. This is a request for the jail to hold that person for up to 48 hours beyond the scheduled release date, so that ICE can take custody and initiate deportation proceedings.[17] Legal immigrants convicted of certain crimes are subject to deportation. Undocumented immigrants can be deported even if they have committed no crime. ICE officials told the New York Times that, because of flaws in the database system, about 5,880 people identified through Secure Communities turned out to be United States citizens by 2009.[3] The New Mexico Sentencing Commission is preparing to survey the costs to jails of holding prisoners under ICE detainers.
Offense levels[edit]
ICE has divided immigrant prisoners into three risk levels:[18][19]
• Level 1: those convicted of serious crimes, such as homicide, kidnapping, robbery, major drug offenses with sentences greater than one year, and offenses involving threats to national security.
• Level 2: all other felonies; and
• Level 3: misdemeanors and lesser crimes.
Secure Communities Executive Director David Venturella testified to Congress: “We have adopted a risk-based strategy that focuses, first, on criminal aliens who pose the greatest threat to our communities. To manage this increased workload and prudently scale the system capabilities, we are classifying all criminal aliens based on the severity of the crimes they have been convicted of.” According to the agency, Secure Communities prioritizes illegal immigrants who have been accused or convicted of “crimes involving national security, homicide, kidnapping, assault, robbery, sex offenses, and narcotics violations carrying sentences of more than one year.” [20]
Immigrant activist organizations have complained that the majority of illegal immigrants deported by ICE had not committed murder, kidnapping, robbery, or any of the most serious criminal offenses, while many were considered non-criminal.[21][22][23]
Others assert that the number of non-criminal detainees is overstated for political reasons. In June 2010, the AFL-CIO office that represents 7,000 ICE officers issued a no-confidence vote for the current ICE director alleging, among other things, that the number of non-criminal ICE deportees is over-stated due to the fact that many offenders have agreed to be deported if all charges against them are dropped and are being re-categorized as non-criminal. The report cites as proof that although ICE internally reports that 90% of all ICE detainees in its custody were arrested by local authorities, it publicly publishes otherwise.[24][25]
Significant data disclosures on Secure Communities' performance became publicly available after non-profit advocacy groups sued for disclosure.
In July 2009, DHS issued new regulations that asserted all information regarding an Secure Communities sister program “shall not be considered public records.”[26] New contracts prohibited local officials from communicating with media or constituents about the program without ICE approval.
Citing transparency concerns, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and the Immigration Justice Clinic of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act for information on Secure Communities.[27]
The groups charged in a press release: “Although ICE presents Secure Communities as an innocuous information sharing program, it seems designed to function as a dragnet to funnel even more people into the already mismanaged ICE detention and removal system… no regulations have been promulgated and little information is available about the program in the public domain. The limited information that has been released is vague and seems to indicate that ICE is not executing its stated enforcement priorities.”[28]
Federal authorities released an initial batch of 15,000 internal documents in February 2011.[29] The non-profits started a blog entitled "Uncover the Truth" to catalogue the newly obtained government documents and media coverage of the program.[30]
State and local attempts to withdraw[edit]
Some jurisdictions have tried to "opt out" from the program believing that participation was not mandatory.[2][31] Homeland Security officials have contradicted each other about whether Secure Communities is mandatory or voluntary.
An August 2010 DHS memo entitled “Secure Communities: Setting the Record Straight” suggests that counties have the ability to opt out of the program, even when their respective states have joined: "If a jurisdiction does not wish to activate on its scheduled date in the Secure Communities deployment plan, it must formally notify its state identification bureau and ICE in writing (email, letter or facsimile). Upon receipt of that information, ICE will request a meeting with federal partners, the jurisdiction, and the state to discuss any issues and come to a resolution, which may include adjusting the jurisdiction’s activation date in or removing the jurisdiction from the deployment plan."[32]
On Sept. 7, 2010, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a letter to Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren that jurisdictions that wished to withdraw from the program could do so. Yet an October 2010 Washington Post article quoted an anonymous senior ICE official asserting: “Secure Communities is not based on state or local cooperation in federal law enforcement…State and local law enforcement agencies are going to continue to fingerprint people and those fingerprints are forwarded to FBI for criminal checks. ICE will take immigration action appropriately.”[33]
At a press conference days later, Napolitano modified her position: “What my letter said was that we would work with them on the implementation in terms of timing and the like…But we do not view this as an opt-in, opt-out program.”[34] She did not provide legal justification. Meanwhile, in Arlington, VA, the County Board unanimously passed a resolution to opt out of Secure Communities.[35]
Venturella stated at a policy conference: "Have we created some of the confusion out there? Absolutely we have."[36] In a January 2009 letter to the California Department of Justice, Venturella indicated that ICE would obtain a Statement of Intent for every county-level participant in Secure Communities.[37] Yet a procedure to do so never materialized.
In California, three counties unsuccessfully petitioned outgoing Attorney General Jerry Brown to withdraw their jurisdictions from the program. San Mateo’s sheriff and Board of Supervisors feared the chilling effect that integration of state and ICE databases would have on immigrants as volunteers in public programs.[38]
Santa Clara Supervisor George Shirakawa, criticizing Secure Communities as an unfunded mandate, said, “We are not in a position to do ICE’s work.”[39] Deputy Counsel Anjali Bhargava is investigating whether the county can limit participation “the extent [ICE requests] are subject to reimbursement or required by law.”
San Francisco Sheriff Michael Hennessey, supported by a supermajority of the Board of Supervisors, requested three times in writing to opt out of Secure Communities.[40] His jail already has a policy of reporting to ICE anyone booked for a felony and not US-born. He feared that fingerprint sharing for all prisoners, including those acquitted of charges, violates the local sanctuary ordinance without serving public safety.[41] “The lack of clarity,” Hennessey wrote in a lawsuit against ICE, “makes it difficult for me to explain my attempts to opt-out to my colleagues and to be accountable to my constituents.”[42]
In a surprise move, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed up for Secure Communities soon after winning re-election.[43] He had rejected participation months earlier because a pilot run of the program in Boston was still unproven. Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan explained the reversal in position: "It has become clear now that this program is going to be mandatory for all communities in the near future." Patrick reversed this decision on June 7, 2011, saying he was "dubious about [Massachusetts] taking on the federal role of immigration enforcement… and even more skeptical of the potential impact Secure Communities could have." [44]
Washington, D.C., and the states of New York and Illinois have also tried to opt out of the program.[45]
In 2011 the governors of Massachusetts, Illinois and New York announced their desire to pull out of the Secure Communities program, as did municipal officials in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has asked President Obama to suspend the deportation program, which is based on administrative authority only. According to Boston mayor Thomas Menino, the program, contrary to its stated goal, "is negatively impacting public safety" and numerous immigrants have been deported after committing only minor traffic violations. John T. Morton, the head of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, responded by asserting the agency's intention to extend the program nationwide by 2013, regardless of local assent.[46]
In the August 18, 2011 letter from the office of Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois to John Morton, the Governor demands that ICE confirms the willingness of each of the 26 Illinois counties (previously) "activated" to continue participation in Secure Communities, by contacting the counties directly. The State is reacting to making the "troubled program" "mandatory and nationwide". According to the letter, the Secure Communities program in its current implementation is "contrary to the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement between ICE and the Illinois State Police and ignores the State of Illinois' May 4, 2011 termination of its participation". The Governor is deeply troubled by Secure Communities having the effect opposite to its stated purpose, as ordinary individuals not involved in crimes are frequently targeted and the role of local law enforcement and the communities' involvement in public safety are compromised. Of those deported from Illinois through May 2011, by ICE's own accounting, less than 22% were convicted of a serious crime, 75% were never convicted of a serious crime and more than 21% were not convicted of any crime. Secure Communities, as currently structured, is far different from the program that was originally presented to the State of Illinois and its constituent counties. The Governor's letter hints of a possible legal challenge, by stating that the State will continue to monitor and evaluate the program and consider all of its available options.[47][48]
On December 21, 2012, ICE issued new detainer guidelines to prioritize ICE's limited resources by directing that detainer's be issued in only specific circumstances.[49]
Policy change announced[edit]
The Obama administration, criticized by Hispanic organizations for having "underdelivered" on immigration and other issues of concern to Latino voters, announced on August 18, 2011 a partial change in its deportation policy.[50][51] The decision, criticized by Republicans as an effort by Obama to ignore immigration laws passed by Congress and grant amnesty without Congressional approval, is expected to help President Obama overcome his troubled relationship with Latino voters, as he heads for the 2012 presidential election. The new policy helps the intended beneficiaries of the DREAM Act, which has been "stalled in Congress" for a decade, and is expected to stop deportation of those illegal immigrants who would have qualified for relief under the DREAM Act.
According to Janet Napolitano, the Homeland Security Secretary, about 300,000 deportation subjects will have their cases reviewed, with the intention of concentrating on individuals who have committed "flagrant violations" and suspending many low priority deportation cases (immigrants who pose no threat to public safety or national security). The "prosecutorial discretion" reviews will be done on case-by-case bases and possible relief for the accused will be provided by Secretary Napolitano. Individuals who qualify for relief can also be granted work permits. The new policy should also make it less likely that the government will initiate new deportation cases involving people with no significant criminal record.[50][51] Napolitano said that the administration's policy "will not alleviate the need for passage of the DREAM Act or for larger reforms to our immigration laws".[50][51]
By summer 2011, the Obama administration had deported about one million "illegal aliens", mostly indigent Mexican nationals.[52]
Courses for immigration enforcement supervisors on the administration's immigration policy are continuing into 2012. The resentment of many of the immigration officers is represented by Chris Crane, President of the National ICE Council union (a local of the American Federation of Government Employees), which is blocking the Department's attempts to have all agents participate in the training course. Crane testified before Congress and accused the government of ordering the agents not to enforce the law in order to comply with the President's reelection campaign priorities.[53][54]
A study by Pew Hispanic Center shows that Mexico to the US immigration has come, after several decades of growth, to a halt. Record numbers of illegal immigrants have been deported for three consecutive years from 2009, but other factors, including economic and demographic, also contributed to the reversal of the trend.[55][56]
ICE detainer issue in Cook County and elsewhere[edit]
Cook County, Illinois Board of Commissioners passed the "immigration detainer ordinance", which ended the County's compliance with ICE immigration detainers, in September 2011. The board was motivated mainly by the desire to avoid the expenses the County was incurring because of holding detained aliens for an additional 48 hours, to facilitate ICE deportation proceedings. Since the financial burden was substantial and the cost was not being reimbursed by the federal government, the County decided to end the 48 hour hold practice, effectively terminating its cooperation with ICE. Currently, under pressure from the Obama administration, efforts are on the way to scale back the ordinance. The ordinance conditions the County's participation in the detainer program on monetary reimbursements from the federal government and ICE Director John Morton has made a partial offer in that respect in February. The federal government, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and others involved in the present attempt to revoke the County policy claim acting in the interest of public safety and wanting to keep dangerous criminals locked up.[57][58][59]
In one publicized case, Saul Chavez, an undocumented immigrant, caused a fatal hit-and-run accident, and, released by a Cook County judge on a low bond, has since disappeared. Chavez' case is used by proponents of respecting ICE detainers in Cook County, but if he has fled to Mexico, as is believed, the same outcome (a deportation) would have been produced by an ICE intervention.[57]
In Connecticut, a class-action suit has been filed, according to which the policy of detainers violates numerous constitutional provisions. A spokesman for Governor Dannel Malloy announced that federal immigration detainers would be honored in Connecticut only on a case-by-case basis. ICE officials have been using threats of legal action and financial consequences (withdrawal of unrelated federal funds designated for the localities in question) to compel state and local participation in its deportation program, but the federal government is believed to lack the legal authority necessary to require state and local governments to actively enforce federal law.[59]
The Cook County policy on detainers was characterized as "terribly misguided" by Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 25, 2012. An investigation conducted by Chip Mitchell and other Chicago WBEZ reporters failed to substantiate the claim that inmates freed because of the Cook County detainer ordinance endanger the public more than other former inmates do, and that therefore the ordinance undermines public safety in the County.[58]
On July 3, 2012 a lawsuit was filed by James Makowski, claiming he was wrongly imprisoned for two months as a result of the Secure Communities immigration enforcement program. The plaintiff, a U.S. citizen, argues the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) violated his rights under the Privacy Act.
As a result of the discrepancy with Makowski’s records when he was detained and fingerprinted, an automatic immigration detainer was issued without ever interviewing him or providing him the opportunity to produce his U.S. passport, social security card, or driver’s license. Lawyers say that Makowski was wrongfully imprisoned for two months until he was able to hire an attorney to convince DHS to rescind its detainer.
The lawsuit is the first litigation challenging Secure Communities. [2][60][61]
Temporary deportation protection offered for DREAM Act eligible young immigrants[edit]
On June 15, 2012, the Obama administration announced a policy of partial relief for a specified category of young immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.
The qualifications have been designed to resemble those of the DREAM Act, a law proposed to provide a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants, which has been repeatedly rejected by Congress. Persons affected by the new policy, upon applying, will be protected from deportation for a two-year period, with possible extensions, and will be eligible for work permits. To qualify, an applicant must, among other requirements:
• have arrived in the United States before turning 16;
• have lived in the country for at least 5 years;
• be no more than 30 years old; and
• have completed a high school education or GRE.
The new policy is imposed by executive order and therefore stops well short of what the DREAM Act would provide. No US citizenship, permanent residency or amnesty are offered and individual outcomes will be discretionary (on case by case basis). Up to 1.7 million people are estimated to be eligible.
The administration's decision reflects its growing awareness of the crucial importance of Latino voters in the upcoming presidential election. President Obama, who supports the passage of the DREAM Act by Congress, has not made it one of his legislative priorities, in part because pushing through the legislation has not been seen as a realistic goal. While some immigrants may be reluctant to bring themselves to the attention of government authorities without assurance of obtaining benefits, the Department of Homeland Security announced its intention to focus deportation efforts on individuals who pose a considerable public safety risk, which has been the Department's official policy a number of months.[62]
This last objective has not been met, according to the critics of the administration's immigration policy, who say that many non-criminal persons who would be eligible for relief under the DREAM Act if it were passed have been continuously deported since John Morton's announcement of the policy change. The present executive order was demanded by Latino illegal immigrants and their supporters, who staged petitions, demonstrations and sit-ins.[63][64]
The implementation of the new program officially began on August 15, 2012. Applications were being accepted upon a payment of a $465 fee; according to White House officials, expenses will be paid from fees, with no cost to the taxpayer. The administrative job of processing applications was entrusted to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, to avoid involvement of enforcement agencies, which could discourage some wary potential applicants. The information gathered from applicants is promised not to be shared with enforcement agencies.[65]
The initiative was expected to help the Obama administration with winning back Latino voters, many angered by the deportation of illegal immigrants. The Migration Policy Institute estimated about 1.2 million potential applicants to be immediately eligible, with further 500,000 reaching the eligibility age of 15 within the next few years.[65]
If an applicant fulfills the requirements and is approved, he or she will be able to apply for a work permit, social security card, driver's license and college financial aid, among other government benefits funded by US taxpayers.[65]
Because of the temporary nature of the benefits, the perceived risks (including revealing family members, such as parents, who may be undocumented) and other uncertainties, changing politics among them, many may choose not to apply, and the degree of eventual success and magnitude of the program are not being estimated yet.[65]
Supreme Court rules on Arizona immigration law[edit]
On June 25, 2012, the US Supreme Court issued a ruling regarding the federal government's challenge to Arizona's 2010 immigration law. Arizona was the first state to pass a law concerned with immigration enforcement issues, based on the state's claims of the federal government's failure to fulfill its obligations and protect the state's interests in the area of immigration. Several other states have since followed suit adopting their own legislative efforts to enforce existing immigration law, and the Supreme Court's decision in Arizona's case is expected to affect also the validity of those laws.[66] The state laws have been criticized by the Obama administration as interfering with the government's constitutional domain of protecting the country's borders and controlling immigration.[67]
The court's split decision gave both sides a reason to claim a measure of victory. The law's provision regarded as central and most controversial was upheld unanimously, while the possibility of its further challenges was left open. The three remaining clauses were struck down as unconstitutional. The Arizona government will not be able to criminally penalize persons for seeking work, or for failing to register with the federal government. The police will not be able to make warrantless arrests based on their belief of the suspect's deportability under the federal law.[67] Immigrants will not be required to carry federal proof of their legal status.[68]
The "show me your papers" provision was sustained. It obliges state law enforcement officials to check the immigration status of a person stopped or arrested, if they have reasons to suspect him or her of being in the country illegally.[67]
"The state may not pursue policies that undermine federal law", and "detaining individuals solely to verify their immigration status would raise constitutional concerns", wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy, expressing the majority opinion. Justice Antonin Scalia vocally objected not only to the majority argument in the case, but also to the administration's immigration policies.[67]
President Obama expressed his fear that the provision accepted by the court may lead to racial profiling.[67]
Discontinuation of the program[edit]
In a memo dated November 20, 2014, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson discontinued the Secure Communities program. Johnson states, "The overarching goal of Secure Communities remains in my view a valid and important law enforcement objective, but a fresh start and a new program are necessary." "Further, to address the increasing number of federal court decisions that hold that detainer-based detention by state and local law enforcement agencies violates the Fourth Amendment, I am directing ICE to replace requests for detention (i.e., requests that an agency hold an individual beyond the point at which they would otherwise be released) with requests for notification (i.e. , requests that state or local law enforcement notify ICE of a pending release during the time that person is otherwise in custody under state or local authority)."[69]
The National Immigrant Justice Center, along with pro bono partners Winston & Strawn LLP and McDermott Will & Emery LLP, has litigated some of the Secure Communities program’s most serious constitutional violations in Jimenez-Moreno v. Napolitano and Makowski v. United States, two cases cited in the PEP memos that contributed greatly to the discontinuation of Secure Communities. [70]
1. ^ a b ICE. Secure Communities: A Comprehensive Plan to Identify and Remove Criminal Aliens (Strategic Plan). July 21, 2009. Accessed at on April 24, 2011.
2. ^ a b c d Kalhan, Anil (December 2013). "Immigration Policing and Federalism Through the Lens of Technology, Surveillance, and Privacy". Ohio State Law Journal 74 (6): 1105.
3. ^ a b Julia Preston. “U.S. Identifies 111,000 Immigrants With Criminal Records.” New York Times. November 12, 2009. Accessed at,000%20Immigrants%20With%20Criminal%20Records&st=cse on April 24, 2011.
4. ^
5. ^ Accessed at on April 24, 2011.
6. ^ Susan Carroll. “Harris County testing immigrant ID program; Sheriff's office the first local law enforcement group to try automated fingerprint system.” The Houston Chronicle. October 28, 2008. Pg. B3
7. ^ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Secure Communities Activated Jurisdictions April 2011
9. ^ ICE Activated Jurisdictions, as of March 22, 2011.
10. ^ David J. Venturella, "Secure Communities: Identifying and Removing Criminal Aliens," The Police Chief 77 (September 2010): 40–49, Accessed December 14, 2010.
11. ^ a b c d Kohli, Aarti; Markowitz, Peter L.; Chavez, Lisa (October 2011). "Secure Communities by the Numbers: An Analysis of Demographics and Due Process" (PDF). Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy at UC Berkeley School of Law. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
12. ^ “Possible solutions for immigrant inmate screenings.” The Houston Chronicle. November 16, 2008. Accessed at on April 24, 2011.
13. ^ "D.I.Y. Immigration Reform". The New York Times. March 19, 2011.
14. ^ Milbank, Dana (March 20, 2011). "Should the United States fund the service program AmeriCorps? President Obama would increase its budget. Rep. Paul Ryan would eliminate federal funding for the program". The Washington Post.
15. ^ a b ICE News Release. “Harris County Sheriff's Office first of several sites in the nation to receive full interoperability technology to help identify criminal aliens. Departments of Homeland Security and Justice providing more identity information to local officers about non U.S. citizen criminal arrests.” October 28, 2009. Accessed at on April 24, 2011.
16. ^ US Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Secure Communities "Statistics through February 28, 2011"
18. ^ Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Secure Communities Standard Operating Procedures - Appendix A 2009.
19. ^ Department of Homeland Security: Alien Criminal Response Information management System (ACIMe) & Enforcement Integrated Database (EID) September 10, 2010
20. ^ David Venturella. Testimony to House Subcom on Homeland Security Appropriations, Committee on Appropriations. May 12, 2009. page 943
21. ^ Florida Independent: "Report: Non-criminals, minor violators make up the majority of those deported via Secure Communities" March 28, 2011.
22. ^ San Francisco Bay Guardian: "SF in top 38 counties nationwide that deport 'non-criminal' aliens" March 31, 2011
23. ^ MSNBC: "47,000 deported because of fingerprint sharing" August 10, 2010
24. ^ National Council 118 - AFL-CIO: "Vote of No Confidence in ICE Director John Morton" June 25, 2010
25. ^ Washington Times: "Agents’ union disavows leaders of ICE" August 9, 2010
26. ^ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano. Revised 287(g) MOA. July 10, 2009.
27. ^ Accessed at on April 24, 2011.
28. ^ Accessed at on April 23, 2011.
29. ^
30. ^ Accessed at on April 24, 2011.
31. ^ MSNBC: "Cities, counties can't stop federal immigration checks" October 15, 2010.
32. ^ ICE: Secure Communities: Setting the Record Straight. August 17, 2010.
33. ^ Shankar Vedantam. “No opt-out for immigration enforcement.” Washington Post. October 1, 2010.
34. ^ Renee Feltz. “ICE Attributes Record Deportation Levels to Secure Communities.” DeportationNation. October 6, 2010.
35. ^ Shankar Vedantam. “Reversals by Imm Officials Are Sewing Mistrust.”Washington Post. November 22, 2010.
36. ^ Comments of panelist David Venturella, Executive Director of the Immigration Customs Enforcement “Secure Communities” program at the roundtable entitled: “Assessing the ‘Secure Communities’ Program and the Impact of the 287(g) Agreements.” Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Washington D.C. November 18, 2010. Available at
37. ^ Letter from David J. Venturella, Executive Director, Secure Communities, to Linda Denly, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, California Department of Justice, Re ICE Secure Communities Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), January 23, 2009 (“Deployment at the local level requires a signed Statement of Intent (SOI) by participating agencies that oversee booking locations to ensure those agencies understand and adhere to the principles set forth in the MOA and a set of Standard Operation Procedures.”).
38. ^ Richard Gordon, President, San Mateo Board of Supervisors. Letter to CA AG Edmund Brown. July 21, 2010.
39. ^ Uncover the Truth. Press Release 9/1/2010
40. ^ Letters On May 18, Aug 1 and Aug 31, 2010. San Francisco Sheriff Michael Hennessey letter to CA AG Edmund Brown, Secure Communities ED David Venturella and Secure Communities Deputy Director Marc Rapp.
41. ^ Administrative Code Section 12H.2 et seq
42. ^ Declaration of Michael Hennessey in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for A Preliminary Injunction. in NDLON v. ICE. October 27, 2010.
43. ^ “Staties to check on immigration status in arrest.” By Associated Press. December 18, 2010.
44. ^
45. ^
46. ^ Resistance Widens to Obama Initiative on Criminal Immigrants, Julia Preston, The New York Times, August 13, 2011
47. ^ Quinn hits back against immigration checks, Chip Mitchell, WBEZ 91.5 Radio, August 25, 2011
48. ^
49. ^ ICE Immigration Detainer Changes
50. ^ a b c Robert Pear, Fewer Youths to Be Deported in New Policy, The New York Times, August 18, 2011
51. ^ a b c US will review 300,000 immigration deportation cases, BBC News, August 18, 2011
52. ^ Dino Grandoni, Obama Administration Nears Its Millionth Deportation, The Atlantic Wire, September 9, 2011
53. ^ Julia Preston, Agents' Union Stalls Training on Deportation Rules, The New York Times, January 7, 2012
54. ^ Stephen Steinlight, National ICE Council Freezes the Obama Blitz, Center for Immigration Studies, January 11, 2012
55. ^ Mexico-US migration slips after 40 years of growth, BBC News, 23 April 2012
56. ^ Net Migration from Mexico Falls to Zero - and Perhaps Less, Pew Hispanic Center
57. ^ a b Tara Tidwell, Cook County, immigration detainers, and the real cost to public safety, National Immigrant Justice Center, 2012-02-08
58. ^ a b Chip Mitchell, ICE detainers a public-safety issue?, WBEZ Chicago, 2012-05-16
59. ^ a b Ben Winograd, ICE Distorts Facts in Debate over Immigration Detainers, Immigration Impact, 2012-03-01
60. ^
61. ^
62. ^ Julia Preston, John H. Cushman Jr. (2012-06-15). "Obama to Permit Young Migrants to Remain in U.S.". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
63. ^ Adriana Maestas (2012-06-14). "DREAMers to Obama: Executive Order Now". Politic365. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
64. ^ Adriana Maestas (2012-06-15). "Obama: OK – Let’s Protect DREAMers from Deportation". Politic365. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
65. ^ a b c d Julia Preston (2012-08-13). "Young Immigrants, in America Illegally, Line Up for Reprieve". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
66. ^ Lance Griffin (2012-06-25). "Alabama weighs impact of Supreme Court rulings". Dothan Eagle. Retrieved 2012-09-03.
67. ^ a b c d e Adam Liptak (2012-06-25). "Blocking Parts of Arizona Law, Justices Allow Its Centerpiece". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-09-03.
68. ^ "US Supreme Court cuts parts of Arizona migrant law". BBC News. 2012-06-25. Retrieved 2012-09-03.
69. ^
70. ^
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28053
|
Wang Changling
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wang.
Yoshitoshi illustrating one of Wang Changling's poems, 100 Aspects of the Moon #54, 1887.[1]
Wang Changling (simplified Chinese: 王昌龄; traditional Chinese: 王昌齡; pinyin: Wáng Chānglíng; 698–756) was a major Tang dynasty poet. His courtesy name was Shaobo (Chinese: 少伯). He was originally from Taiyuan in present-day Shanxi province, according to the editors of the Three Hundred Tang Poems, although other sources claim that he was actually from Jiangning near modern-day Nanjing. After passing the prestigious jinshi examination, he became a secretarial official and later held other imperial positions, including that of an official posting to Sishui (汜水), in what is currently Xingyang, in Henan province. Near the end of his life he was appointed as a minister of Jiangning county. He died in the An Lushan Rebellion.[2]
He is best known for his poems describing battles in the frontier regions of western China. Wang Changling was one of the competitors in the famous wine shop competition along with Gao Shi and Wang Zhihuan.[3]
1. ^ From a poem by Wang Changling, "The night is still and a hundred flowers are fragrant in the western palace. She orders the screen to be rolled up, regretting the passing of spring with the Yunhe across her lap. She gazes at the moon, the colors of the trees are hazy in the indistinct moonlight."
2. ^ Rexroth (1970): p. 132.
3. ^ Wu (1972): pp. 118-119
Further reading[edit]
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28055
|
Wikipedia:Container category
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
A container category is a category that contains only subcategories rather than articles. These subcategories will normally themselves contain articles.
For example, Category:drummers by nationality is a container category, and contains only subcategories, such as Category:British drummers. Articles on individual drummers are in the subcategories of this container category, for example British drummers are in the subcategory British drummers, or in subcategories further down the tree.
See also[edit]
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28056
|
William IV, Duke of Aquitaine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
William IV, Duke of Aquitaine
Spouse(s) Emma of Blois
Noble family House of Poitiers
Father William III of Aquitaine
Mother Adèle of Normandy
Born 937
Died 3 February 994(994-02-03)
William IV (937 – 3 February 994[1]), called Fierebras or Fierebrace (meaning "Proud Arm", from the French Fier-à-bras or Fièrebrace, in turn from the Latin Ferox brachium), was the Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou from 963 to his retirement in 990.
William's father, William III, abdicated to the abbey of Saint-Cyprien in Poitiers and left the government to Fierebras. His mother was Gerloc, the daughter of Duke Rollo of Normandy. His sister was Adelaide, wife of Hugh Capet, the king against whom William later battled for his duchy. His early reign was characterised by many wars. He fought frequently against the counts of Anjou, the first time against Geoffrey Greymantle, who had taken Loudun.
In 988, he went to war with the newly elected king of France, Hugh Capet, whom he refused to recognise. Capet had been granted Aquitaine by King Lothair before the latter had been reconciled to William's father. Capet renewed his claim on the great duchy and invaded it that year. A royal army was defeated on the plain of the Loire Valley. William sheltered the young Louis, the son of Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine, the last legitimate Carolingian heir. He opened the palace of Poitiers to him and treated him as royalty, regarding him as the true heir to the French throne.
In 968, he married Emma or Emmeline, daughter of Theobald I of Blois and Luitgarde of Vermandois. Their marriage was stormy, in part because of William's indulgence in the pursuit of women and, a hunting aficionado, wild animals. She banished his paramours, they separated twice for long periods, and finally he retired to a monastery, as his father had done, leaving Emma to rule Aquitaine in the name of their son William until 1004. Their second son, Ebles, died sometime after 997.
1. ^ Nouvelle Biographie Générale. The date of 5 February 995 probably comes from Owen.
• Owen, D. D. R. Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen and Legend. 1993.
• Nouvelle Biographie Générale. Paris, 1859.
See also[edit]
William IV, Duke of Aquitaine
Born: 937 Died: 3 February 994
Preceded by
William III
Duke of Aquitaine
963 – 995
Succeeded by
William V
Count of Poitiers
963 – 995
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28057
|
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to: navigation, search
dub + step.
dubstep (uncountable)
1. A genre of electronic music descended from 2-step garage, characterised by its dark mood, sparse, half-step and two-step rhythms, an average bpm of 140 and an emphasis on sub-bass.
• 2002, Tricia Romano, "Electro Trash," Village Voice, July 16
"Genres are so boring," said Scotsman Broon, one-half of the tech-house duo, as he scanned the cover of XLR8R magazine hyping "Dubstep" while shopping at Etherea record store.
• 2006, Mary Gaitskill, Daphne Carr, Da Capo Best Music Writing 2006
...of course, a lot of grime producers and dubstep producers freely admit to FL being their primary tool, and the software is increasingly being used...
• 2007, Michael E Veal, Dub: Soundscapes and Shattered Songs in Jamaican Reggae
...reflect broader class strategies within English society, and the same can be said for more recent genre mutations such as dubstep and grime.
• 2008, Matt Mason, The Pirate's Dilemma: How Youth Culture Is Reinventing Capitalism
Acid house, hard-core, drum 'n' bass, UK garage, grime, and dubstep are just a handful of now worldwide underground movements that developed in this way.
• 2012 June 26, Genevieve Koski, “Music: Reviews: Justin Bieber: Believe”, The Onion AV Club:
But musical ancestry aside, the influence to which Bieber is most beholden is the current trends in pop music, which means Believe is loaded up with EDM accouterments, seeking a comfortable middle ground where Bieber’s impressively refined pop-R&B croon can rub up on techno blasts and garish dubstep drops (and occasionally grind on some AutoTune, not necessarily because it needs it, but because a certain amount of robo-voice is expected these days).
English dubstep
dubstep m
1. dubstep (music genre)
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28058
|
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to: navigation, search
serendipitous + -ly
serendipitously (comparative more serendipitously, superlative most serendipitously)
1. By serendipity; by blind luck in combination with wisdom; by fortunate accident.
• 2013, Holly Baxter, Is masturbating in public a laughing matter? (in The Guardian, 20 September 2013)[1]
And that was a few years before the serendipitously named American politician Anthony Weiner reminded us once again that a high-powered job is no guarantee of knowing what to do with your penis, through his "sexting" use of Twitter (Snapchat hadn't been invented yet.)
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28069
|
Skip to content
Subversion checkout URL
You can clone with
Download ZIP
Fetching contributors…
Cannot retrieve contributors at this time
150 lines (119 sloc) 4.156 kb
Copyright © 2011 MLstate
This file is part of OPA.
the Free Software Foundation.
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
more details.
along with OPA. If not, see <>.
Network specific operations.
@author Henri Binsztok
@author Laurent Le Brun
@author Frederic Ye
@author Cedric Soulas
This module provides functions to make connections, secured or not,
by listening or connecting on a port specification.
Connection returned by those functions, of type [Scheduler.connection_info],
should then be used with the Scheduler module.
{b Current use:}
For the moment it is used only to establish TCP connection (connected mode).
{b Intented future use:}
UPD specific function may be added in that module
(** {6 Types} *)
The type describing how secure have to be the connection.
An "Optional" mode may be added for future use.
type secure_mode =
| Unsecured
| Secured of SslAS.secure_type
type socket_type =
(** The type describing the connection to establish *)
type port_spec = (* ADAM: how about hiding the type and forcing its construction via the [make_port_spec] function? *) {
addr : Unix.inet_addr;
port : int;
prot : NetAddr.protocol;
stype : Connection.socket_type
(** The type to plug a port in a Runtime.COMPONENT *)
type port = {
conn_incoming :
SslAS.secure_response -> Scheduler.connection_info -> unit;
conn_terminating : unit -> unit;
secure_mode : secure_mode;
port_spec : port_spec
type socket
(** A function to build a port_spec type *)
val make_port_spec : ?socket_type:socket_type -> protocol:NetAddr.protocol -> Unix.inet_addr -> int -> port_spec
(** Gives the port of the given [port_spec] *)
val get_port : port_spec -> int
(** Gives the network address of the given [port_spec] *)
val get_addr : port_spec -> Unix.inet_addr
(** Gives the socket type of the given [port_spec] *)
val get_socket_type : port_spec -> socket_type
(** {6 TCP functions} *)
TCP listen over a [socket]
A SslAS.secure_response and a Scheduler.connection_info is
provided to your callback when a new client is connected.
val listen :
Scheduler.t ->
port_spec ->
secure_mode ->
?socket_flags:(Unix.socket_bool_option list) ->
(SslAS.secure_response -> Scheduler.connection_info -> unit) ->
(unit -> unit)
TCP connect over a port specification.
A Scheduler.connection_info describing the
socket connection between you and the server is provided to your callback.
val connect :
Scheduler.t ->
port_spec ->
secure_mode ->
?socket_flags:(Unix.socket_bool_option list) ->
?err_cont:(exn -> unit) ->
(Scheduler.connection_info -> unit) ->
(** {6 Misc. functions } *)
exception Unknown_machine of string
[inet_addr_of_name m] raise [Unknown_machine m] if
the the name can't be resolved.
val inet_addr_of_name :
string -> Unix.inet_addr
val addr_of_ipv4 :
int * int * int * int -> Unix.inet_addr
val string_of_ipv4 :
int * int * int * int -> string
@return a [secure_mode] [Secured (c, p)] if [c] or [p] isn't None.
and return [Unsecured] if c and p are both None.
Note that [Secured (None, None)] is permited in a client context.
See [SslAS.get_secure_socket] for more information.
val secure_mode_from_params :
SslAS.ssl_certificate option -> SslAS.ssl_verify_params option -> secure_mode
(** {6 Old functions intended to be deleted} *)
Loop over a Scheduler.t
{b For migration purpose only.
It will be deleted when the Runtime module will be used.}
@deprecated Use
val loop : Scheduler.t -> unit
Jump to Line
Something went wrong with that request. Please try again.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28070
|
Skip to content
Subversion checkout URL
You can clone with
Download ZIP
Fetching contributors…
Cannot retrieve contributors at this time
16 lines (10 sloc) 0.613 kb
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I have installed DiaCanvas2 and everything went okay, however when I do a
"python config" it complains that it can not find DiaCanvas.
A: There is a good chance the diacanvas-python module is installed correctly,
but in /usr/local/lib/python2.[23]/site-packages. The easiest solution is
to add this directory to your PYTHONPATH environment variable:
export PYTHONPATH=/usr/local/lib/python2.[23]/site-packages
As an alternative a script is provided in the python/ directory
in the diacanvas2 source distribution.
Jump to Line
Something went wrong with that request. Please try again.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28082
|
Loading ...
Sorry, an error occurred while loading the content.
491WaitWindow('XYZ') never returns zero size array
Expand Messages
• Simon Fleishman
Jun 9 11:42 AM
• 0 Attachment
When using WaitWindow one would like to know if the
window actually came up. However WaitWindow returns an
array of size 1 even if the window did not come up.
E.g. try the following script.
use Win32::GuiTest;
my @windows;
print @windows."\n";
print @windows."\n";
It prints:
Looks like a bug?
Do you Yahoo!?
• Show all 2 messages in this topic
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28115
|
Re: What to do about the "Official" CD
> On Sat, 19 Jun 1999, Philip Charles wrote:
> > I suggest that we consider biting the bullet and produce such a CD
> > complete with mindless (oops, easy) install and configuration. This CD
> > should be completely compatible with the normal distribution CDs which
> > would mean that people could migrate to this when they were ready.
Under the assumption that a good implementation of configuration
management is in the future, it could be as easy as distributing a
configuration database with good defaults.
Another solution would be distributing an image of a decent installation
with a script that fixes the hostname, ip, set some passwords, etc. The
script that sets that info would be useful to people who do massive lab
The final solution would be a live cd. Being able to search the local
harddrives in order to automatically setting up passwords, home
directories, and other configuration type areas would be nice. I.e. the
first time you boot with a live cd, it prompts you for the location of
saved data. You could select one of your hd's, a specific directory on a
hd, nfs, or ram. Then, you can easily have home, etc, and var on a
loopback mount or with some symlinks.
I'm sure most of this has been done before, just not officially by debian.
-------- Brandon Mitchell ---- [email protected] --------------
------------ http://bmitch.dhis.org/ ---- ICQ: 30631197 --------
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28116
|
Re: disaster upgrading to elf
On Tue, 16 Jan 1996, Michael E. Deisher wrote:
> [...]
> Well, as the subject says, my machine is hosed. An attempt to upgrade
> to ELF caused the whole mess. You wouldn't happen to have a
> statically linked copy that I could put on floppy, would you??? :-)
> Anyone?
I haven't, but if the worst comes to the worst (i.e. noone else does
either), let me know, and I'll compile one up for you. (Presumably that
would just mean getting the latest source distribution, using aout-gcc by
putting /usr/i486-linuxaout/bin early in the path, and finally putting
-static in CFLAGS?) Of course, you'll have to think of a good way for me
to get it to you - it's likely to be pretty big ...
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28118
|
Re: Integration of other Linux-machines into Skolelinux network
Am Freitag 28 Dezember 2007 schrieb R. Scott Belford:
Hallo , aloha all
First I wish a Happy new Year to all readers.
Thank you Klaus Ade and Scott for the support
> Klaus Ade Johnstad wrote:
> > I have attached the files I believe is needed. They are from a
> > plain debian etch machine that uses tjener for authentication
I took the configuratin values and put them to the Ubuntu machine
> > (home0 is hardmounted in /etc/fstab).
did so
> >
> > Take a careful look at each file before you use them
There were some more stuff to handle, like nfs, network ...
> Aloha All
> Edubuntu 7.1 has an /etc/ldap.conf file *and* an
> /etc/ldap/ldap.conf file that need tweaking.
Yes, it was hard, Debian Edu holds the values in pam_ldap.conf and
> http://www.1-cs.com/gutsy_ubuntu_ldap_howto.txt
a fine common tutorial for using LDAP.
The results for me was, now I have an Ubuntu 7.10 and a Suse10.3
Workstation, which connect to a Debian Edu Tjener.
For me it's a hack, I use Skolelinux only in my spare time.
Thank you all for developing the nice Skolelinux.
Harald Poppek
GnuPG Key ID 0xA14805B9
33818 Leopoldshöhe
Attachment: signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28119
|
Re: Sendmail vs. ?
On Wed, Jun 27, 2001 at 07:27:52PM -0700, Duane Powers wrote:
> Fantastic advice, thanks.
one thing i forgot to mention:
if there's any mail left in the sendmail queue after the conversion,
then postfix won't know about it and won't be able to deliver it.
before you uninstall sendmail, shut it down so that it is no longer
accepting incoming mail. then flush the mail queue so that no outbound
mail gets lost in the transition. this may require that you have another
machine set up as a smart host, just to get all outbound mail onto
another machine.
craig sanders <[email protected]>
Fabricati Diem, PVNC.
-- motto of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28120
|
[Fwd: HAMR5600 Modem drivers conflicting with SiS630/Trident sound (Linux)]
Hi list...
I've mailed the following message to Smartlink's support. Could other
people verify these problems.
The SmartLink winmodem can be found in sis630 chipset equipped laptops
with modem ports. (Like the clevo2700)
-----Forwarded Message-----
From: Mark Janssen <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: HAMR5600 Modem drivers conflicting with SiS630/Trident sound (Linux)
Date: 13 May 2002 10:34:51 +0200
I've tried getting the HAMR5600 modem in my laptop to work various
times over the past year, using various driver versions provided on
the ftp.smlink.com ftp-site. Using the drivers available on that site
now (2.6.12) i've finally been able to get the modem working on my
Debian Linux system (kernel 2.4.19-pre5).
I have however encountered the following problem. As soon as I load
the modules required for the modem (slmdm and slamrmo) the soundcard
in my system (sis630 audio, trident driver module) stops working (no
such device). Unloading both modem modules and reloading the trident
(sound) module will restore sound-capabilities to my system.
Can your engineers check into this, because it would be handy to be able
to use audio and modem at the same time.
Source of the problem might be that both drivers (audio and modem) both
try to allocate BOTH ac97 codecs in the system (one for modem(Silicon
Laboratory Si3036), one for audio(Asahi Kasei AK4543))
Mark Janssen -- maniac(at)maniac.nl -- GnuPG Key Id: 357D2178
Unix / Linux, Open-Source and Internet Consultant @ SyConOS IT
Maniac.nl Unix-God.Net|Org MarkJanssen.org|nl SyConOS.com|nl
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [email protected]
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28121
|
Re: Installing on oldworld powerbook
If (unlike my pb3400c) you have a floppy drive, dd them on your PC or something
and boot from that...
Otherwise, you can get BootX, install it somewhere (it can be anywhere), copy
the kernel to a folder in your System Folder that you will create called
Linux Kernels.
Copy (From the CD) the ramdisk.image.gz file to the BootX folder, and finally
copy (or move) the BootX extension (its filename will have like a centered dot
before "BootX") to the System Folder:Extensions folder.
Then you can reboot, bootx should appear allowing you to select a kernel and a
ramdisk, and choose between booting Linux or MacOS.
Hopefully the default debian kernel will work... On my machine I had to use
a LinuxPPC one...
deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin.
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28122
|
Re: Debian LTS?
> On Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:50:12 +0100 Dominic Hargreaves wrote:
> If money were available, I'm sure there are plenty of skilled project
> participants that are more than willing to accept it. It could even be
> incentive- rather than person-based; something like $500 per LTS DSA to
> whoever gets it done first.
Offering $500 to an admin who is already overworked and understaffed isn't
enough incentive. TBH, as an Admin myself, I would rather be offered some
new computer and some time off then any money at all, we aren't broke,
just over worked.
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28123
|
Re: Can't view web pages with Konquorer
I had the exact same problem when I first installed KDE 2.0. I tracked
the problem down to a missing /usr/lib/libkhtml.la file. That file is
supposed to be created by libtool at buildtime (?) but was not. This
may or may not be a bug with the Debian KDE packages. I did not check
nor did I file a bug report. I may try a clean KDE 2 install and see if
that file is still missing.
I was able to construct a suitable file by hand (it is just a text file)
using other KDE 2 .la files as reference. I'm going to mail it to the
original poster off-list to avoid cluttering this place. If anybody
else wants it, let me know.
On Mon, Nov 27, 2000 at 01:32:44PM -0500, tim wrote:
> Verified that I have no problem reaching the web pages and can view them just fine with mozilla.
> Here is the error.
> Could not create view for text/html
> Check your installation
> -Tim.
> P.S. I like Konquorer, cause its small.
| Web: http://web.morgul.net/~frodo/
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28124
|
Re: Challenge-response mail filters considered harmful
on Tue, Aug 05, 2003 at 09:50:34AM +0100, Colin Watson ([email protected]) wrote:
> On Mon, Aug 04, 2003 at 09:18:05PM -0700, Steve Lamb wrote:
> > On Tue, 5 Aug 2003 01:50:26 +0100
> > Pigeon <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > I have a script that looks at the sigs in incoming mail as it's
> > > delivered, and automatically pulls from a keyserver any that I don't
> > > have. Very convenient.
> >
> > Why when two entries in your .gnupg/gpg.conf file will do it just fine?
> >
> > keyserver x-hkp://pgp.mit.edu
> > keyserver-options auto-key-retrieve
> I can see why Pigeon's approach might be preferable. I found
> auto-key-retrieve annoying and turned it off because it slowed things
> down *while I was reading mail*, which I want to be fast. Doing that
> task as mail is retrieved is something I hadn't thought of and would be
> far smoother for me.
Given that a given key is only retrieved once, the penalty is
front-loaded, and gets better.
You can always abort the fetch with ^C.
What Part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?
A guide to GNU/Linux partitioning:
Attachment: pgpLVjQTR9rgr.pgp
Description: PGP signature
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28125
|
Re: 4.3.0 wishlist item
On Thu, Jun 19, 2003 at 09:33:37AM +0200, Sven Luther wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 19, 2003 at 05:20:49PM +1000, Daniel Stone wrote:
> > On Thu, Jun 19, 2003 at 07:04:19AM +0200, Sven Luther wrote:
> > > Notice that shipping the SDK (as scheduled for the pre2 release in
> > > Daniel's 4.3.0 plan), will enable me (or others) to easily build any CVS
> > > head drivers, and i plan to release a driver package once that is done.
> > >
> > > This would enable to make regular snapshots of the CVS head drivers,
> > > without needing to import to much of head into the 4.3.0 package, which
> > > may (or may not) cause problems.
> >
> > Yeah, but I still want to import drivers like Savage/SiS, where it's not
> > the *featureset*, but the *bugfixes* that concern me. It seems to fix an
> > issue on my co-worker's Savage where logging into Hotmail leaves an
> > interesting blue/white striped texture all over the screen.
> >
> > I don't think we should be forcing users to use an experimental snapshot
> > package to get bugfixes for issues like that, personally. I mean, it's
> > not like our tree is completely virginal anyway. ;)
> Best would be to just backport the bugfix in these case, no ?
There's so many bugfixes that it's easier to pull the entire changeset
in. If there are no objections (and so far, there haven't been), pre2
will include SiS and Savage.
Daniel Stone <[email protected]> <[email protected]>
KDE: Konquering a desktop near you - http://www.kde.org
Attachment: pgpFaPADJsvOJ.pgp
Description: PGP signature
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28127
|
Profile Information
I’ve been entrenched in the world of SEM since 2003. The last 5 years have included sleepless nights of reading articles, white papers, scouring the web for new tactics and developing my own way. Within that time, I was one of the first 100 to become Google AdWords Certified (Nov. 04), a Yahoo Ambassador and recently was 1 of 4 finalists for the BMA Texas Marketer of the Year. I’ve also presented at events such as, Refresh Houston, HIMA Marketing Summit.
Full Name aperez
Display Name aperez
Job Title VP Operations
Company Topspot Internet Marketing Solutions
Type of Work Agency
Location Houston, TX
Favorite Thing About SEO Analysis
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28130
|
Export (0) Print
Expand All
Configure the Site Entry in the Service Definition File
Updated: August 21, 2014
You use the Site element to specify a web site or web application that is hosted in Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0. The Site element is a child of the Sites entry in the ServiceDefinition.csdef file. If you are upgrading an existing web application to the new schema, you need to add the Sites node. This allows your application to take advantage of the full IIS feature set.
The Site element, which allows a web role to run in full IIS mode, is required in Windows Azure SDK versions 2.0 and later. Hosted Web Core (HWC) is not supported in SDK versions 2.0 and later.
For additional information about how IIS manages sites, see Configure a Web Server to Serve Content (IIS 7.0).
1. Open the ServiceDefinition.csdef file. Locate the Sites element, and then add Site element inside the Sites node as follows:
<Site name="<name of the site>" physicalDirectory=”<path to the site content>”></Site>
2. Within the Site node, add a Bindings element as follows:
<Binding name="<name of the binding>" endpointName="<name of the endpoint to bind to>” hostHeader=”<the URL of the web site>”/>
The following sample XML code shows a configuration for a site called Web, which is located in the SampleWebApp directory.
<WebRole name=”SampleWebApp”>
<Site name="Web" physicalDirectory=”..\SampleWebApp”>
<Binding name="HttpIn" endpointName="HttpIn" hostHeader=”www.sampleapp.com”/>
<InputEndpoint name="HttpIn" protocol=”http” port=”80” />
See Also
© 2015 Microsoft
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28131
|
Export (0) Print
Expand All
How to: Implement Remote Validation in ASP.NET MVC
ASP.NET MVC 3 provides a mechanism that can make a remote server call in order to validate a form field without posting the entire form to the server. This is useful when you have a field that cannot be validated on the client and is therefore likely to fail validation when the form is submitted. For example, many Web sites require you to register using a unique user ID. For popular sites, it can take several attempts to find a user ID that is not already taken, and the user's input is not considered valid until all fields are valid, including the user ID. Being able to validate remotely saves the user from having to submit the form several times before finding an available ID.
The following illustration shows a new-user form that is displaying an error message that indicates that the requested ID is not available. The ID that users enter is validated as soon as they leave the User Name text box (that is, when the text box loses focus). Validation does not require a full postback.
Remote UID Validation
As an example of remote validation, this topic shows how to implement a form similar to the one in the previous illustration. The example can serve as a starting point to create your application-specific remote validation.
A Visual Studio starter project and a completed solution project are available to accompany this topic: Download.
Creating the Starter Project
1. Create a new ASP.NET MVC 3 project with Razor syntax by following the instructions in Creating a MVC 3 Application with Razor and Unobtrusive JavaScript. Alternatively, open the ASP.NET MVC Web application starter project that is included in the download listed earlier.
2. Run the application and click the Create New link.
3. In the UserName text box, enter an existing user name such as "BenM".
4. Enter values for the remaining fields and click Create.
The following image shows the error message that results from submitting a non-unique user name.
Create Full Fails
As currently configured, the page performs a full postback to the server. On the server, the user name is not unique, so an exception is thrown and returned to the Entity Framework. The process of submitting the page to the server, attempting to make a database update, catching an exception, and returning an error message can take a noticeable amount of time.
You can use Fiddler or Firebug to show that client validation errors are handled by the client and not submitted to the server.
Examining the Validation Code
1. In the project, open the Mvc3RemoteVal\Models\UserModel file and examine the contents.
The StringLengthAttribute, RequiredAttribute, and RegularExpressionAttribute attributes provide both client-side and server-side validation for the user model. For more information, see How to: Validate Model Data Using DataAnnotations Attributes.
2. Examine the Mvc3RemoteVal\Views\Shared\_Layout file.
The HTML head section includes script elements that reference jQuery scripts that are required for client-side validation using attributes in the System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations namespace. The script references point to the Microsoft Ajax Content Delivery Network (CDN). By taking advantage of the Microsoft Ajax CDN, you can significantly improve the performance of your Ajax applications. The contents of the Microsoft Ajax CDN are cached on servers that are located around the world. In addition, the Microsoft Ajax CDN enables browsers to reuse cached JavaScript files for Web sites that are located in different domains. The Microsoft Ajax CDN supports SSL (https://) in case you need to serve a Web page using the Secure Sockets Layer.
3. Open the Mvc3RemoteVal\Web.config file.
The appSettings element contains the following keys to enable client validation and enable unobtrusive JavaScript validation.
You can also enable or disable these settings by calling ClientValidationEnabled and EnableUnobtrusiveJavaScript(Boolean). If those lines of code are present in the Global.asax file, they enable or disable unobtrusive JavaScript and client validation for the whole application. If the code appears in a controller or view, client validation and unobtrusive JavaScript will be enabled or for the current action only.
Because no JavaScript is emitted when you use unobtrusive client validation, if you forget to include the validation scripts, you will not see any errors when the page loads. The only result is that the form values will not be validated in the browser.
4. Optionally, disable client script in your browser, run the page again, and enter data that violates the validation constraints.
As you leave the field that contains the invalid data, you do not see a validation error because scripting is disabled. Because ASP.NET MVC is using unobtrusive JavaScript, you do not see client-side script errors. However, server-side validation is performed when you submit the form. (It is a good practice to test your Web application with a browser that has scripting disabled.)
This section describes how to add remote validation to verify that the user name that was entered is unique. If the user name is not unique, the server suggests a unique user name.
Configuring Remote Validation on the Server
1. In Solution Explorer, right-click the Controllers folder, click Add, and then click Controller.
2. Give the controller a name such as ValidationController. You could add this action method to any controller, such as the Home controller. However, a best practice is to put validation in its own controller in order to separate concerns and to make testing simpler.
3. Replace the contents of the validation controller class with the following code:
using System;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Web.Mvc;
using System.Web.UI;
using Mvc3RemoteVal.Models;
namespace Mvc3RemoteVal.Controllers {
[OutputCache(Location = OutputCacheLocation.None, NoStore = true)]
public class ValidationController : Controller {
IUserDB _repository;
#if InMemDB
public ValidationController() : this(InMemoryDB.Instance) { }
public ValidationController() : this(new EF_UserRepository()) { }
public ValidationController(IUserDB repository) {
_repository = repository;
public JsonResult IsUID_Available(string Username) {
if (!_repository.UserExists(Username))
return Json(true, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
string suggestedUID = String.Format(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture,
"{0} is not available.", Username);
string altCandidate = Username + i.ToString();
if (!_repository.UserExists(altCandidate)) {
suggestedUID = String.Format(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture,
"{0} is not available. Try {1}.", Username, altCandidate);
return Json(suggestedUID, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
The code contains a constructor that initializes the validation controller that has a data-repository interface parameter. The constructor mimics the home controller constructor in how it initializes the data repository. If you want to work with a different data store, you can change the project properties so that the compilation constant InMemDB is not defined. In that case, the Entity Framework and a SQL Server database are used as the data repository. The unit tests included in the downloadable project use the in-memory data store.
The OutputCacheAttribute attribute is required in order to prevent ASP.NET MVC from caching the results of the validation methods.
The IsUID_Available method checks the candidate user name for uniqueness. If the submitted user name is unique, the method returns true as JSON-formatted content. If the submitted user name is taken, the method tries to find a unique name by appending an integer to the submitted name. If a unique name is found, the method returns the suggested name as JSON-formatted content. Any response other than true is considered false, so the client displays the message returned as an error message like "BenM is taken, try BenM1".
4. Open the Models\UserModel file and add the RemoteAttribute attribute to the user name property in the create user model. The following example shows the completed code.
public class CreateUserModel : EditUserModel {
[StringLength(6, MinimumLength = 3)]
[Remote("IsUID_Available", "Validation")]
[RegularExpression(@"(\S)+", ErrorMessage = "White space is not allowed.")]
public override string UserName { get; set; }
The RemoteAttribute attribute in the example takes the name of the action method IsUID_Available and the name of the controller where the validations is performed.
The RemoteAttribute class creates a string that represents the URL to use to invoke the server-based validation. The ASP.NET MVC framework then submits the JSON-encoded GET request for the URL. In this example, if the user enters "BenM" in the User Name text entry box, the client will request the following URL:
In this section you will test the application and examine the HTML emitted by the Create view.
Testing Remote Validation
1. Start the application and click the Create New link.
2. In the user name input field, enter "BenM" and press Tab.
The following validation error is displayed in red: "BenM is not available. Try BenM1." The ID that users enter is validated as soon as they leave the User Name text box (that is, when the text box loses focus). Validation does not require a full postback.
3. Optionally, use a tool like Fiddler or Firebug to monitor the IsUID_Available validation call to the server. The following image shows the request and response from the Web server for the IsUID_Available validation call in Fiddler.
Fiddler tool
With Internet Explorer version 8 and earlier versions, you must append a period to localhost in the request URL for the Fiddler proxy in order to capture the HTTP traffic. Alternatively, use http://ipv4.fiddler or http://machinename/ instead of localhost in the URL.
4. Examine the HTML source displayed by the browser for the Create view.
The input element for the user name field contains HTML5 data-val-* attributes. (The -val portion signifies validation.) These HTML5-compatible attributes describe the validators to attach to the input fields and provide unobtrusive jQuery validation. The unobtrusive attributes have the format data-val-rule="Error Message", where rule is the validation rule (such as required, minimum string length, and maximum string length). If an error message is provided in the attribute, it is displayed as the value for the data-val-rule attribute. The RegularExpressionAttribute attribute applied to the user model in combination with the EditorForModel(HtmlHelper, Object) method in the Create view causes the following HTML5 unobtrusive client attributes and attribute values to be generated:
data-val-regex="White space is not allowed."
The error message "White space is not allowed" comes from the error message in the RegularExpressionAttribute attribute applied to the user name property of the user model.
The RemoteAttribute attribute used in the user model causes the following unobtrusive client validation attributes and attribute values to be generated:
data-val-remote="&#39;UserName&#39; is invalid." data-val-remote-additionalfields="*.UserName" data-val-remote-url="/Validation/IsUID_Available"
The &#39;UserName&#39; sequence is HTML-encoded and represents "Username". The data-val-remote attribute value contains the default error message ("'Username' is invalid"). UserName is a placeholder that for the actual user name submitted. The data-val-remote-additionalfields attribute value specifies the field or property to be validated. The data-val-remote-url attribute value specifies the action method that will validate the field.
© 2015 Microsoft
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28132
|
Export (0) Print
Expand All
FrameworkElement.Width Property
Gets or sets the width of a FrameworkElement.
Namespace: System.Windows
Assembly: System.Windows (in System.Windows.dll)
public double Width { get; set; }
<frameworkElement Width="double"/>
<frameworkElement Width="Auto"/>
Property Value
Type: System.Double
The width of the object, in pixels. The default is Double.NaN. Except for the special Double.NaN value, this value must be equal to or greater than 0. See Remarks for upper bound information.
Dependency property identifier field: WidthProperty
Several of the FrameworkElement derived classes are also derived from Shape. Not all of the Shape classes typically use Height or Width to specify their appearance, and instead use specific properties that might define a set of points. In this case a Height or Width is calculated, but is not typically set directly. See Shapes and Drawing.
Custom classes might have similar considerations where the class might have properties that are more meaningful for specifying dimensions than are Height or Width. In this case Height or Width will both still be available as members and are settable, even though the desirable behavior might be to not enable Height or Width setting. In critical cases, it might be worth shadowing the Height and Width properties to prevent them from being set directly by consumers of the class.
TextBlock is an example of a container object, where the container displays text within it. The size of that text can influence the size of the rendered TextBlock; therefore, TextBlock might not be honoring the specified Height or Width. For container objects such as TextBlock, you should check two additional properties that expose that calculated size, ActualHeight and ActualWidth.
Negative values for Width are not permitted. Non-integral values for Width are technically permitted. Values are preserved as non-integral values if set that way in XAML or code, but should generally be avoided and are normally rounded by the default layout rounding behavior. See Layout Rounding.
In addition to the validation check, there is a nondeterministic upper value bound for Width (this is a very large number, larger than Single.MaxValue but smaller than Double.MaxValue). Do not set Width to a value that is significantly larger than the maximum size of any possible visual display, or you may exceed this nondeterministic upper bound.
"Auto" Layout and Double.NaN
The default value of Height and Width is not 0; it is Double.NaN. Height and Width support the ability to be an unset "Auto" value. Because Height and Width are double values, Double.NaN is used as a special value to represent this "Auto" behavior. The layout system interprets the "Auto" value to generally mean that the object should be sized to the available size in layout, instead of to a specific pixel value.
If you want the "Auto" behavior for an object when it is used in layout, leave Height and Width unset at their Double.NaN default value. If you have previously set values and want to reenable the "Auto" behavior, set Height and Width specifically to Double.NaN.
Although not a common practice except for perhaps in visual state templates, you can also explicitly set Height and Width attributes in XAML to be the string Auto instead of a double value. Setting Auto in Silverlight XAML is a special behavior of the Silverlight 5 XAML parser, not a TypeConverter behavior.
Supported in: 5, 4, 3
Silverlight for Windows Phone
Supported in: Windows Phone OS 7.1, Windows Phone OS 7.0
Community Additions
© 2015 Microsoft
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28135
|
Support Options
Submit a Support Ticket
Notes on the Ballistic MOSFET
By Mark Lundstrom
Purdue University
Download (PDF)
Licensed according to this deed.
Published on
When analyzing semiconductor devices, the traditional approach is to assume that carriers scatter frequently from ionized impurities, phonons, surface roughness, etc. so that the average distance between scattering events (the so-called mean-free-path, λ) is much shorter than the device. When these conditions hold, we can describe carrier transport with drift-diffusion equations. The traditional derivation of the MOSFET I-V characteristic above threshold assumes that the drift current dominates [1]. For the subthreshold current, we usually assume that diffusion dominates [2]. Numerical simulation programs include both drift and diffusion under all bias conditions (e.g. MINIMOS [3]). As devices shrink, however, we should consider the possibility that the device dimensions become comparable to the mean-free-path for scattering. In the limit, L << λ, where the channel length is much shorter than the mean-free-path, we can ignore scattering completely. In this case, the operation of a MOSFET would be more like a vacuum tube than like a conventional semiconductor device. In practice, scattering always occurs, but it is common now for the critical, current-limiting part of the device to be comparable in size to a mean-free-path. Modern devices, therefore, operate between the drift-diffusion and ballistic regimes. Drift-diffusion theory continues to provide insights into the operation of small semiconductor devices, but a ballistic treatment provides new insights that may prove useful as MOSFETs are scaled to their limits and as new devices are explored. The modern device engineer should be familiar with both approaches. In these notes, we develop a simple theory for the ballistic MOSFET.
1. Introduction
2. The MOSFET as a bipolar transistor
3. Generic model for a nanotransistor
4. Application to a ballistic MOSFET
5. Discussion
6. Relation to traditional MOSFET theory
7. Summary
Cite this work
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
• Mark Lundstrom (2005), "Notes on the Ballistic MOSFET,"
BibTex | EndNote
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28141
|
There's real momentum growing behind the idea of 'book-apps' on iPad, which go beyond the pure text of e-books sold on the iBooks store. Tactile interactivity was the hallmark of early book-apps like Alice and The Elements, but we're now into the second wave.
For example, Dracula: The Official Stoker Family Edition. It's just been released on the App Store, and offers nearly 300 pages of text and 600 illustrations to tell the classic vampire tale.
It comes with an original musical score and 21 songs from indie bands and singer/songwriters, as well as images, audio and film relating to the Dracula legend. As the name implies, the estate of author Bram Stoker is fully behind the idea.
Interactivity-wise, there's lots of cleverness going on: "From lighting up the words on a page with a lantern, unsealing the mysteries of letters and journal entries, blowing the leaves off of tombstones to reveal the writing beneath, and even using your own “blood” to reveal hidden text on a page..."
It's the work of a company called PadWorx Digital Media, which uses a game engine as the basis for its book-apps. Judging by the job it's done with Dracula, we'll be looking forward to upcoming titles using the same technology. Here's a video showing it in action:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28164
|
A Rakuten Company
More titles to consider
Shopping Cart
1,500 Great Gift Ideas, Lorraine Bodger's fifth list book, is packed with terrific gift suggestions from the logical to the whimsical, from the practical to the downright extravagant. It's organized for maximum efficiency and fun and divided into sensible categories like Old-Fashioned Gifts, Seasonal Gifts, Gifts for Looking and Feeling Attractive, Technogifts, Outdoorsy Gifts, Travel Gifts, Stash-and-Store Last-Minute Gifts, and many, many more. It's also loaded with extra sidebar features such as tips on wrapping, the art of the gift certificate, great gift-buying strategies, and getting the most from catalog shopping. With this handy guide, you'll never again be stumped at birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, or other occasions. Instead, you'll be hearing the words every gift giver wants to hear: "I love this! It's perfect!"
People who read this also enjoyed
Get a 1 year subscription
for / issue
• IOS
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28166
|
A Rakuten Company
More titles to consider
Shopping Cart
Gym fitness is packed with ideas to help you get the most out of your exercise routine and improve your overall health and wellbeing. Slogging away on the treadmill is all well and good, but when you're bored in the gym, or worse, when you feel as though you dont know what youre doing, exercising often feels futile. Gym fitness is everyone's guide to making each and every workout count, so you can enjoy your exercise and get the results you want, fast. With ideas on finding the right fitness programme to suit you as an individual, plus information on exercise techniques and ideas for fitting exercise into your daily routine, Gym fitness has something for everyone - no posing, no leotards, and definitely no baby oil.
People who read this also enjoyed
Get a 1 year subscription
for / issue
• IOS
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28171
|
Home > Clouds > Microsoft Azure > Tutorials > Sign up for Microsoft Azure
Sign up for Microsoft Azure
Table of Contents
To sign up for Microsoft Azure and obtain credentials.
Background Information
Before you create a RightScale account and start launching instances using the RightScale Dashboard, you must first have valid Microsoft Azure credentials. You can either sign-up for a new Microsoft Azure account or use existing Azure credentials. This tutorial assumes that you are creating a new Microsoft Azure account.
Create a Microsoft Account
Before you can sign-up for a Microsoft Azure cloud account, you must first log in to your Microsoft account. If you need to create a new Microsoft Live account, go to
Create a Microsoft Azure Account
1. Log in to your Microsoft account.
2. Sign-up for a Microsoft Azure account.
3. Create a subscription for the required services. Click the Sign up for a free trial option and provide the required personal and billing information.
4. Click add subscription.
5. At a minimum, please select the 'Pay-As-You-Go' option and purchase the subscription.
6. Click the Portal link. After going through the Microsoft Azure Tour, click on Settings in the left navigational pane. Later, when you add the cloud to a RightScale account, you will need to select the specific Subscription ID that you want to associate with your RightScale account.
7. In order for RightScale to control your Microsoft Azure subscription and assets, you must first create security credentials. Use the following link to download your subscription profile:
Note: You must be logged in to the Azure console in order to download the publish profile.
8. Keep the file in a secure location as they serve as your credentials to administer on behalf of your subscriptions. You will need this file in order to add the cloud to a RightScale account.
Add your Microsoft Azure credentials to a RightScale account
Now that you've successfully created a Microsoft Azure account, you are now ready to add your cloud credentials to your RightScale account.
You must to post a comment.
Last modified
11:59, 20 Jan 2015
This page has no custom tags.
This page has no classifications.
Doc Feedback Product Feedback Resources MultiCloud Marketplace Forums
Dashboard Status
© 2006-2014 RightScale, Inc. All rights reserved.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28173
|
< Talk:Development | Tutorials
Revision as of 01:53, 19 September 2011 by Tstaerk (Talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search
talk about KDE4_UPDATE_ICONCACHE(), see --Tstaerk 15:40, 18 September 2011 (BST)
• KDE4_UPDATE_ICONCACHE() is missing in CMakeLists from
• after the first clone, build and install, there is no appropriate icon for tutorial-kicon
• you cannot restore this state using
rm -rf /var/tmp/kdecache-root/icon-cache.kcache
cd /root/kdeexamples/kicons
rm -rf /root/kdeexamples/kicons/*
git checkout .
cmake . && make && make install && tutorial-kicon
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28174
|
Export (0) Print
Expand All
Expand Minimize
Dismiss Warning Dialog Box (Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data)
Use the Dismiss Warning dialog box to dismiss a particular instance of a warning.
To display warnings
1. In SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), open an Analysis Services project.
2. In Solution Explorer, right-click the Analysis Services project, click Edit Database, and then click the Warnings tab.
Displays the warning that is being dismissed.
Comments (optional)
Type an explanation of why you are dismissing the warning. The comment will appear in the Comment column of the Dismissed Warnings table on the Warnings tab of the Database Designer.
Was this page helpful?
(1500 characters remaining)
Thank you for your feedback
© 2015 Microsoft
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28177
|
Skip to main content
Agile Legacies: Using Iterative Methods to Import Legacy Data
March 2, 2006
Modern iterative development methodologies have proved their value in many software development projects. Nevertheless, despite the benefits of an iterative development cycle, this approach is often not applied to the process of importing legacy data. This article discusses how an iterative, agile approach can improve the process of importing legacy data and, in the process, reduce analysis errors and bugs, and increase product quality and user satisfaction.
Nothing gives a development team more pleasure than to be able to create a new application completely from scratch--to let their creativity run wild, unhindered by ancient systems and archaic data structures. This is the stuff that developer dreams are made of!
However, in the real world, software development projects are rarely done in a vacuum. Your company or client will inevitably already have an existing IT system in place. It may be a CICS mainframe application still maintained at great expense by some large IT corporation. It may be a fully fledged ERP solution, or an in-house client-server application built with whatever technology happened to be the flavor of the month five or ten years ago. It may just be an Access database application designed by a canny user. But it will exist.
Indeed, importing legacy data is a crucial part of most software projects. It is also a task that rarely evokes a great deal of enthusiasm among developers. And yet it is of vital importance for the end user. These old databases often contain years of valuable business records that the user needs to access from the new application.
So Just What Is Iterative Development, Anyway?
Iterative development is a cornerstone of many modern software development methodologies. In iterative development, software is designed, built, and tested incrementally, in a series of "iterations." Each iteration aims to implement a working version of the application with a subset of the requirements. Iterative development has an important place in use-case-driven, architecture-centric approaches such as the Rational Unified Process (RUP), and in the more lightweight methodologies of the Agile family such as XP (Extreme Programming), Feature-Driven Development, SCRUM, DDSM, and others.
Let's take a look at some of the essential activities common to most iterative development methodologies, and where legacy imports come into play.
In iterative methodologies, planning is done at two levels. The first level is the global project plan, which estimates the overall project size and structure, and breaks the project up into iterations and milestones. Each iteration is typically "timeboxed," with the number of functionalities implemented being less important than meeting the deadline.
The second level of planning is done at the iteration level. An iteration typically lasts from two to five weeks, depending on the methodology used and the project size and complexity, and produces a working version of the application that correctly implements a small number of extra functionalities.
Often, during the global planning phase, importing legacy data is relegated to the end of the project, shortly before going into production. Some DBAs tend to be traditionalists, and (understandably) like to work with a mature, stable target database structure into which they will try to import the legacy data. So they may prefer to wait until the new domain model and database schema are stable before attempting to import legacy data.
However, there are some very good reasons to consider a more iterative approach.
• During analysis and design, studying and importing the legacy data often reveals useful business details that you got wrong or may have overlooked, or that the client forgot to mention: details that might otherwise show up a week before going into production. Remember, in many cases the people who wrote the legacy application will have spent years working on it, and they may well know your client and their specific business needs much better than you do. Underestimate this at your own risk!
• Imported legacy data lets you test your new database model against real user data. Again, it can bring up database issues that wouldn't be found until much later.
• Imported legacy data can give you a perfect test database for first-level performance testing against a realistic volume of data.
So, the global project plan should allow time and resources for legacy data analysis and import activity in each iteration. Doing this incrementally will raise legacy-data-related issues earlier, so that they can be resolved faster and more easily.
Design and Coding
Some Agile methodologies, such as XP, tend to minimize the need to build formal design models, and rely on very lightweight, code-based design techniques. Others, such as FDD, use an overall domain model to guide and coordinate development efforts. Model-based iterative methodologies such as RUP are, on the other hand, very much model- and architecture-driven.
In my experience, when legacy data is involved, a formal domain model is essential. It can (and should) be built incrementally, but it should exist.
Understanding the legacy database model is often of vital importance when designing this new domain model. And understanding the behavior of the legacy application can reveal important details and business rules that the client may have trouble expressing explicitly.
During the iteration design phase, the list of functionalities to be implemented in the iteration is finalized. The DBA leads the analysis of the legacy database, and works with the development team in building a domain model for the new application for the targeted features. The business analyst and customer should also play an active role, as an in-depth knowledge of the legacy application is often needed to understand the legacy data structure. Once the legacy domain model is understood, and the new domain model established, the DBA should work on importing the corresponding legacy data for use by the rest of the development team for this iteration.
The advantages of this approach are twofold:
• Understanding the corresponding parts of the legacy domain model and application lets you verify the new domain model and iteration design.
• The imported legacy data lets you properly test the new application features with production-like data.
This approach gives an important role to the DBA involved in the legacy data import process. There are a few things to consider in this regard:
• Legacy data import issues should be made to optimize, not to penalize, the new design. Don't compromise good design just to make it easier to import legacy data. For example, you should not implement date values as Strings in your new database just because you are importing data from a text file.
• On the other hand, don't neglect legacy data issues in the new design. For example, if the DBA can't find where a legacy field should go in the new design, maybe something was overlooked somewhere. Apparently unused legacy fields sometimes turn out to be necessary later on (in other screens or in reports, for example). Also, if the new structure is radically different from the legacy structure for identical requirements, you should at least review why the design is done this way in the old (and new) model. Here are some issues you may have to consider:
• Is the legacy data structure better adapted to some of the screens or reports in the legacy application? Do those screens or reports exist in the new application?
• Is the legacy data structure subject to technical constraints or ill-advised design decisions that don't apply for the new application?
• Developers will have to be more flexible concerning the database model, which will evolve and change throughout the life of the project.
Nevertheless, in our experience, integrating legacy data for each iteration can help to avoid some nasty surprises at the end of the project, when the new application has to deal with real client data.
Testing of legacy data imports is of course just as important as any other application testing.
Testing should be done against an agreed set of imported legacy data. This helps to ensure that no regressions occur during the legacy import procedure, and that the code is suitable for use with production-type data. Work with the client to agree on an official snapshot of legacy data to be used for tests. Though this often requires some effort to coordinate and to obtain from the client, it is essential for reliable testing, especially as testers will often use the legacy application alongside the new one to verify data imports and application behavior.
When possible, it is useful to give team members training and access to a version of the legacy application running against this set of test data. This may take the form of an emulator (for mainframe applications) or the client installation of a client-server solution. This lets team members check their understanding of business logic, business rules, and calculations against the "real thing."
Having legacy data available early can have some impact on developer work habits, and requires some organization. Here is one possible way of doing things:
• Each developer has his own copy (or instance) of the test database for unit testing.
• The DBA provides a script and an installation procedure for setting up or reinstalling a database.
• When the DBA imports new legacy data, he provides an initialization script and/or database dump to developers so that they can update their local development database instance. Alternatively, he may prefer to update the databases himself.
It is of course important to maintain strictly identical database structures and test data on the development, integration, and testing servers. Database structure updates should be subject to change control and preferably done by only one person.
Importing legacy data is an important part of most IT projects. It should not be relegated to the end of the project, just before the application goes into production. Instead, the process of analyzing and importing legacy data should be fully integrated into the project iteration cycles. Integrating legacy data early and often will improve the development process, product quality, and customer satisfaction.
Related Topics >> Databases |
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28188
|
Skip to main content
Browsing Web Services
Posted by daniel on September 29, 2003 at 10:52 AM PDT
A friend emailed that he had just seen the new front page and wondered when we changed it. His daily interaction with is through our RSS feed. This leads to wondering what might be the equivalent of an RSS newsreader that can be used to browse web services?
In Also in Java Today we link to the latest in Adam Bosworth's series on creating a Web Service Browser. In an earlier post he defined this a
a browser that can access information published as XML messages by services, let the user interact in a rich and graceful way with this information or these services, but can run well in terms of interaction whether the user is online or offline.
Bosworth considers three ways of turning information into UI and indicates a preference for the following method:
Build a picture of the desired layout and "bind" elements and properties within it to elements of data. This is the model that, for example, VB and Powerbuilder and Access use, and it is increasingly used in the JSP community by using expressions to bind to data. This essentially makes the layout a template. This model works really well with tools.
His next step is to decide where the rendering engine lives and how it talks to Web Services. He writes that with mobile computing your connection can be up and down so you can't do all of the rendering on the server. He ends up split between two options.
Have a cache that talks to web services or have a cache that talks to another cache. I'm seriously torn here and I suspect that, in the long run, both will be required. It is much easier and lighterweight to just have the cache on the client synchronize with a cache on the server. Then the only thing required for communication to the Internet from the PC/Device is some sort of souped up SynchML. This may not be intuitive to the reader. It stems from my assumption (perhaps incorrect) that we can package the page itself as XML so that any change to the page can itself be delivered into the cache using the same SynchML protocol. On the other hand, this still limits the freedom of the mobile client to integrate information across web services since someone has to write a server somewhere which runs this cache that synchronizes. But in either case, one ends up assuming that there is a each page really is a cache of information on the client associated with the page plus the specific XML for the page, but separate from it, that in the background it can synchronize with information on the Internet.
We also link to Joshua Marinacci's blog entry containing his latest Swing Hack . You are busy trying to debug a graphical application but can't really tell which piece of your gui comes from which class. Joshua uses a Swing component's glasspane to display the name of the class instantiated by the component.
Today in Projects and Communities, James Todd looks at what's coming up in the next release from the JXTA Community. In his blog entry, JXTA:03Q4 he links to the prime goals for the third quarter release and invites you to join in. The Education and Research community points you to tomorrow's Java Live Chat featuring John Zukowski answering basic questions about Java Technology Fundamentals.
Ken Arnold's Weblog entry Office design patterns highlights Joel Spolsky's Bionic Office post. Ken warns that "getting the one URL above ate up a few days of my time as I scrounged around his site, not always agreeing of course, but almost always interested, at least in a new way to say things I've been trying to say."
Simon Phipps weighs in on the recent discussion of the "Cyber Insecurity" report in Monoculture Considered Harmful. Simon writes that this isn't an issue of being for or against Microsoft and that the core issue is that a monoculture "provides a big, squishy target for the black hats no matter how hard anyone tries to fix the bugs, and no amount of safe behaviour by customers is going to fix it. It's the facts that need addressing. Either every country has to become a police state or we need diversity."
In today's News Headlines :
Registered users can submit news items for the News Page using our news submission form. All submissions go through an editorial review by news director Steve Mallet before being posted to the site. You can also subscribe to the News RSS feed.
Current and upcoming Java Events:
access other past issues in the Archive.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28189
|
Skip to main content
Chinese Translation of "Another Java Servlet Filter Most Web Applications Should Have"
Posted by jfalkner on April 10, 2004 at 5:52 PM PDT
Michael Tsai has recently finished a Chinese translation of one of my popular O'Reilly articles, "Another Java Servlet Filter Most Web Applications Should Have". If Chinese is your native language and you are a web application programmer, this translation is for you.
It may seem kind of odd that I'm writing this blog in English, especially since it would probably be most helpful if it was authored in Chinese; however, it is the best I can do to give a little attention to Michael's effort. Not only did he graciously offer to translate the article, but he took the time to make sure the translation kept true to the original article -- even when it involved several e-mail exchanges just to make sure a single sentence was correctly understood and accurately translated.
Cheers to you Michael! I'm glad you are helping branch out good, free information to Chinese developers, and I hope readers of your translation take the time to say thanks!
P.S. For those English servlet developers, the article is still available in English.
Related Topics >>
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28190
|
Skip to main content
How to test container scalability
Posted by sdo on May 2, 2007 at 11:38 AM PDT
Recently, I've been asked a lot about Covalent Technologies report that
6 can scale to 16,000 users
and what that means for glassfish.
Since glassfish can easily scale to 16,000 users as well (as href="">Covalent
found out once they href="">properly
configured glassfish), my reply has usually been accompanied by a
shrug: we've known for quite some time that NIO scales well.
But what does it mean to scale to N number of users, where N is large?
The answer is highly dependent on your benchmark, and in particular to
the think time that your benchmark uses. It's very easy to scale to
16,000 users if they each make a request every 90 seconds: that's on
the order of 180 requests/second. On the other hand, if there's no
think time in the equation, then continually handling 16,000 requests
is quite difficult, particularly on small machines. Closely related to
this is the response time of your requests: handling 16,000 requests
with an average response time of 10 seconds isn't particularly helpful
to your end users. But the most difficult aspect in scaling to 16,000
users is finding sufficient client horsepower to make sure that the
clients themselves aren't the bottleneck. Otherwise, any conclusions
you draw about the throughput or performance of the server are simply
wrong: the conclusions apply to the performance of the clients. So in
this blog, I'll explore how some of the considerations you need to
examine in order to benchmark a large system property.
I've written before about href="">why
the Apache Benchmark can't handle this situation (surprisingly
enough, I'd been ranting against ab long before Covalent published
their benchmark; it's just fortuitous timing that they brought ab's
failings to light at the same time I was fed up with questions about ab
benchmarks from my colleagues). So for the tests I'll describe here, I
used Faban's new Common Driver. I've also previously written about how href="">Faban
is a great, configurable benchmarking framework, but the new common
driver is a simple, command-line program that can benchmark requests of
a single URL. I ran the tests on a partitioned SunFire T2000. This
particular machines has 24 logical CPUs (6 cores with 4 hardware
threads each, but for our purposes, simply 24 CPUs), which I partioned
into a server set of 4 CPUs and a client set of 20 CPUs. Yes, it takes
20 CPUs to drive some of the tests I ran, and so for consistency, I
kept that configuration for all of them. But it's a crucial point: if
the client is a bottleneck, you're measuring the client performance,
not the server performance. Using a set of processors on a single
machine allowed me to run the tests bypassing the network, which also
removes a potential bottleneck from measuring the server performance.
Given that there are only 4 CPUs for the server, I configured all
containers to use 2 acceptor threads and 20 worker threads, and
otherwise followed Sun's and Covalent's blog entries on configuring the
I started with a simple test:
java -d64 -classpath $JAVA_HOME/lib/tools.jar:fabancommon.jar:fabandriver.jar \
-Xmx3500m -Xms3500m -c 30 http://localhost/tomcat.gif
This runs 30 separate clients (each in its own thread), each of
which continually requests tomcat.gif with no think time. You'll notice
we're using a 64-bit JVM for the test; eventually we'll be creating
16000 threads, which will require more than 4GB of address space. So to
make it easier for me, I used that JVM for all my tests. Have I
mentioned that driving a big client load requires a lot of resources so
that the client doesn't become the bottleneck?
The common driver reports three pieces of information: the number of
requests served per second, the average response time per request, and
the 90th percentile for requests: 90% of requests were served with that
particular response time or less. It will also report the number of
errors observed and some error conditions I'll discuss a little later.
I varied this test for different numbers of clients to see these
# Users Glassfish Tomcat
30 7552.9/0.004 7614.6/0.003
100 10004.6/0.009 7680.4/0.013
1000 12434.7/0.079 6880.3/0.145
5000 8942.7/0.534 7589.0/0.654
The results here are operations per second and the average response
time. I'd assume that I've misconfigured Tomcat's file cache here, but
the point isn't to make a comparison between the products absolute
performance; rather it is to explore issues around scalable
benchmarking. For static content, we get decent scaling, though at some
point there's enough requests so that the throughput of the server
suffers: just what we would expect. So what about a dynamic test? Here
some numbers from surfing to http://localhost/Ping/PingServlet -- which
is just a simple servlet that prints out 4 html strings and returns.
# Users Glassfish Tomcat
30 5033.3/0.005 7154.0/0.004
100 6359.5/0.015 7459.5/0.013
1000 7411.2/0.134 6483.2/0.154
5000 6060.1/0.818 6976.5/0.712
16000 6144.3/2.544 5263.0/2.375
Here the numbers are fairly close. At the low end, glassfish pays a
penalty for being a full Java EE container, which requires it to do
some additional work for the simple servlet. [Though the fact that the
glassfish ops/sec increases so much with more users is an indication
that there's probably some bottleneck we could fix in the code at 30
users; hmm...a performance engineer's work is never done.] That result
at 5000 users? I'll discuss it later, but it's an anomaly. But first:
what about 16,000 connections? In addition to producing low throughput,
the tomcat run also reported:
ERROR: Little's law failed verification: 16000 users requested; 13092.3455
users simulated.
In essence: almost 20% of the connections weren't serviced as expected
(glassfish reported a similar error).
I could repeat the test, and sometimes it would pass; sometimes it
would fail. But I'm clearly at the limit here of the hardware and
software. In this scenario, most of the errors are timeout errors on
connection: the server is to saturated in this test to accept new
connections. Note that that wouldn't happen with something like ab,
because ab's single-threaded nature inherently introduces an arbitrary
(and unmeasured) amount of think time into the equation. The amount of
think time is crucial, in that it drastically reduces the load on the
server; and an arbitrary amount think time is fatal, because we no longer know
what we're measuring.
To test this scenario properly, we introduce a deterministic think time
into the driver by including a -W 2000 parameter, which says each
client should have a 2 second (2000 ms) think time between requests. Now for
16,000 users, each server gave me these results:
Glassfish Tomcat
ops/second 6988.9 6615.3
Avg. resp time 0.242 0.358
Max resp time 1.519 3.693
90% resp time 0.6 0.75
Now both containers are handling the 16000 users, but the data we get
regarding throughput and response time is valid.
Back to that result at 5000 users. The other interesting output from
the Faban common driver for the glassfish result was:
ERROR: Think time deviation too high; request 0; actual is 1.0
Or in the case of tomcat, the actual was 6.0 (accounting for their
better score) -- but the point is, although we didn't want think time
on the client, the client had some bottleneck that didn't allow it to keep up and
hence the benchmark result suffered. In effect, we ended up
benchmarking the client again, having yet again introduced an arbitrary,
non-deterministic think time. So even for 5000 users, we need to use
some think time to get an accurate assessment of the server behavior.
And so here are the results at 5000 users with a 500 millisecond think
Glassfish Tomcat
ops/sec 7607.25 7224.1
Avg. resp time 0.149 0.182
Max resp time 0.737 2.626
90% resp time 0.25 0.25
So does this any of this mean that glassfish is better than tomcat? For
some applications, probably. For others, probably not. The real point
to take away from this is an understanding of how important it is to
understand what you're measuring when you measure performance. The
tests I've run are much too simple to draw any conclusions from: the
only realistic benchmark is your own application. But hopefully, now
you have a better understanding of how to approach large-scale testing
your own
The Common Driver for Faban is brand new code, so it hasn't yet been integrated into Faban's build schedule -- in fact, there is an issue with how it handles POST requests, which is what is delaying its integration. For now, you can download the fabancommon.jar and fabandriver.jar files I used for testing. If you find any problems with it (other than trying a POST request), be sure to let me know!
Related Topics >>
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28194
|
Personal tools
Let's Play Free Games
From HaskellWiki
Revision as of 08:11, 11 June 2009 by Ha$kell (Talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search
. A Brainiac style game using symbols from the Haskell World
Stiinte - means sience ub - means Univ. Bacau ro - Romania Right click -> Save Link As -> Save As HaskellGame.exe
• The Monad Reader,
• Monad,
• Haskell Community and
• Hcar ...and more
Developing this page ...
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28230
|
There is one summary. Bill summaries are authored by CRS.
Shown Here:
Introduced in House (12/06/1995)
Congressional Responsibility Act of 1995 - Prohibits a regulation from taking effect before the enactment of a bill comprised solely of the text of the regulation.
Requires an agency, whenever it promulgates a regulation, to submit to each House of the Congress a report containing its text and an explanation.
Sets forth expedited congressional procedures for consideration of agency regulations.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28231
|
There is one summary. Bill summaries are authored by CRS.
Shown Here:
Introduced in House (06/13/1978)
Constitutional Amendment - Provides that total appropriations shall not exceed estimated revenues. Authorizes the suspension of such prohibition in time of war or national emergency. Prohibits any increase in the national debt as it exists on the date this article is ratified. Sets forth a schedule for repayment of the national debt.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28242
|
I create a message type for comment action with 2 reference entity (field_message_comment & field_message_content), the problem is if the comment is deleted, the message will not be deleted automatically, the message is still there with the token like [message:field-message-comment:body].
Andre-B’s picture
Issue summary:View changes
Status:Active» Closed (works as designed)
you will have to add a rule/ hook that deletes associated messages of the entity beeing deleted, this is not covered by default.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28267
|
Reviews for Ask Me No Questions
kaiiju chapter 10 . 4/17/2013
Thanks for the read!
Akiho Tonoshi chapter 10 . 4/16/2013
ok... i told myself i wouldn't come back and read this fic since you haven't updated ANY of your fics in YEARS... but here i am reading the off-shoot of people lie... wishing and hoping for more of either. That pretty much speaks for it's self i'd say...
Twilight Dusk chapter 10 . 1/19/2013
So on the comedy front
"Momichi Zabuza had been found. Kirigakure's most dangerous traitor."
For whatever reason, my brain processed that as Kirigakure's most dangerous tailor. Which immediately led to a mental image of Zabuza in a variation on his normal outfit with the knees patched, a tape measure around his neck, a newsboy cap, and sitting on a blazer holding a giant needle sewing his opponent into a suit, muttering things like "Was it measure twice, cut once or measure once, cut twice?" It then shifted into a Tailor!Zabuza versus Kazuku fight.
This the stuff my brain comes up with after reading your fics.
Incidentally, Tailor!Zabuza's favorite jutsu is Shiimuririppaa, which leaves his opponents naked and distracted, if not defenseless, and also leaves him with plenty of spare material for new projects.
Guest chapter 7 . 1/13/2013
well here im a tad annoyed, If its the blade in canon then it was impressive and as such Id commend Hinata on a good job, if it wasent then Id say the world they showed up is weak and you need to raise the glass ceiling.
generally I like the make the world stronger and stuff not only the individual after all military techniques are generally REALLY dangerous when their new, unkown and exclusive things, once they become main stream then you have to learn something new! or use what you've got REALLY well.
Still Im curious about where you go with this, it could be fun.
also its far more agonizing torturing someone who can still FEEL or someone with JUST a little hope.. than one broken completely.
even if they are well.. BROKEN
So Idealistic worlds can be some...cary ass things.
just in response to your comment from before way back when.
Its a good thing Zabuza doesn't just show up to do some killing while Kakshi is out ehh? but the man cant be expected to reasonably know that Kakshi at that point in time is kind of on the small side when it comes reserves.
after all man of 1000 jutsu right?
then again 1000 jutsu so as you know ONE to fit the situation, rather than someone with bigger reserves who can lets just say arnt that desperetly short handed when it comes to energy they have left
erching chapter 10 . 12/26/2012
oh this is awesome and actually easier to follow than people lie we ever gonna see more
Guest chapter 10 . 12/24/2012
This is a great story! I hope you keep at it!
LunaEchoWillow chapter 10 . 12/6/2012
I kinda love you...
Cepharim chapter 10 . 10/27/2012
Please don't give up on this story.
Q.Q chapter 5 . 9/18/2012
Honestly? I think your chapters are too short, they feel (for me) like they are chapters of say 5k words o.o
Now i read that they are 10k i blame the 'shortness' on the fun storyline making me forget the time.
ah well,
Carry on,
Herooftimes chapter 5 . 9/15/2012
Well People Lie may be over but I'm still quite enjoying seeing the characters here. is there an explanation for why the People Lie character's ended up at the 'start' of canon, rather than at the relatively same 'time' as in their universe (maybe 6 months or so after the new set of genin came out, since the chuunin exams were approaching in People Lie universe). Canon Chuunin Exam Naruto/Sasuke/etc I could see surviving in the People Lie universe, but the fresh genin versions? I'm not so sure.
Zhor chapter 2 . 9/8/2012
Chapter 2 rocks. This is a nice story to return to, to read again.
Fangking2 chapter 10 . 8/27/2012
Fangking2 chapter 9 . 8/27/2012
awesome mindfuck
Fangking2 chapter 7 . 8/27/2012
I love this AU fic...I really do.
Lady Bit chapter 10 . 8/22/2012
Why why why do I love them as 'insane' sadistic little bastards? I donno but I'm almost always laughing god you're good at this writing thing. You should totally do it more often.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28277
|
Chapter Six – Casus Belli
Friday afternoon, Lily found herself strolling along Hogwarts' chilly but crowded grounds with James, scribbling ideas for the Halloween Feast into a worn Muggle notebook. She hadn't bothered to replace the broken quill she clutched between her fingers, even though the nib scratched unevenly across the paper, leaving the occasional thick pool of ink that smudged the paper and her skin as she wrote.
James waved to some Ravenclaws across the yard while he continued to talk. "And the jack-o-lanterns are a must of course, but I was thinking we could carve the faces of the teachers on some, and charm them to talk."
Lily frowned. "I don't think they'd be too happy with that."
"But Dumbledore would get a good laugh out of it, and all we need is his approval, even if it isn't public."
"Fine," she sighed. "But why do I feel as if I'll end up taking responsibility?"
James grinned at her. "Be a sport, Lily! And trust me - I'll be happy to take credit for the idea."
She wrote down the idea grudgingly, swearing under her breath as the jagged edge of the quill ripped the messy page. Writing with a quill was something that she still wasn't full accustomed to, especially when she tried to scribble quickly across flimsy paper. James plucked the quill from her hand and murmured a spell under his breath, running his fingers across the stem. As his touch moved from the end to the tip, the broken and bitten feather grew into an amber-coloured quill that tapered into a fine, engraved silver nib. He handed it back to her wordlessly.
Lily looked at the quill carefully for a moment before lifting her gaze to his. "You certainly are one to demonstrate your skills. How unfortunate that I'm on the receiving end of your arbitrary displays."
James looked hesitantly at her. "I can change it back if you like… I just thought…well, it was giving you problems …"
"No, I appreciate it," she said hurriedly. "Thank you. I'm just not used to such impromptu demonstrations." She smiled to take the edge off her words.
Lily sighed inwardly when his returning smile was tentative. Evidently her repartee was a bit too serious for the likes of her generally easily intimidated classmates.
She could feel James' eyes on hers. "What it is it? Staring at my profile won't get you anywhere."
He flushed. "Well, I wanted to know, er…"
"Would you like to come to Hogsmeade on Saturday?" he blurted. "We can finish up the plans there," he added quickly. "I mean, it's a lot warmer at the Three Broomsticks."
Lily glanced up at him, flattered by the invitation more than she cared to admit to herself. She frowned, though, as she remembered the conversation she'd overheard after the Prefect Meeting. "Aren't you going with Julia that day?"
James looked at her, surprised. "Well, yes, but I wanted you…thought you might want to come along," he said quickly. "I doubt she'll mind." He paused and looked at Lily curiously. "How did you know we were going?"
"Rumours," she lied smoothly. "But I don't want to infringe on your time, especially with things like obligations. And Julia probably wants you to herself -"
"I want you to be there," interrupted James. He glanced at her, something passing fleetingly through his winter-grey eyes, so briefly that Lily almost thought she had imagined it. But when she glanced at him again, his expression was dark and clouded over, gaze directed blankly towards the lake. She clutched her notebook more tightly to her chest, the nib of the quill digging into her flesh.
They walked slowly away from the crowds for a while in silence, the cold October sun doing nothing to thaw the frost-crisped leaves that crunched under their feet. Lily was at ease in the silence – she hesitated to label it companionable, but it was, at the least, comfortable.
James stopped suddenly and bent down to brush away a pile of yellowed leaves, pulling out a stone that glinted in the sunlight that sliced through the clouds. He stared at the chunk of raw stone – was it amber? – for a moment before holding it next to her hair. Lily flushed under his long gaze, and was about to open her mouth when he spoke.
"Same color," he said softly.
He took her hand and placed the rough stone in her palm, closing her fingers around it. It was surprisingly warm to the touch, as was the hand still wrapped around her fingers.
Lily turned away from him hastily and bent her head. "Where and what time shall I meet you tomorrow?" she asked abruptly.
James looked at her sideways, but granted the change of subject without mention. "How about ten o'clock outside the Great Hall? After breakfast? That's when I promised to meet Julia."
Lily nodded, suddenly eager to leave. "I should get back. I have a student to tutor." She walked forward a few paces before turning around, and said impulsively, "Thank you for the quill. It's really very beautiful."
She grinned smugly and turned away before he could reply.
Lily, despite her increasingly familiar encounters with James, had been left with a feeling of implacable discontent that rubbed even more abrasively at the surface of her thought whenever she happened to be in close proximity to the collection of Hufflepuffs that trailed cheerfully around that girl. That girl (otherwise hailed as Julia), whom her subconscious had hereto forth dubbed "the opposition," bothered her in ways that defied logical explanation.
She seemed suddenly to be everywhere, surrounded by friends or near James, as if purposely flaunting herself to Lily. The notion was of course ridiculous, Lily acknowledged, since Julia knew absolutely nothing about her, but that analysis did nothing to assuage her general irritability. Julia had managed with a few simple words and a kiss to charm the most charming wizard at Hogwarts himself - the wizard that Lily in particular found herself attracted to despite the best intentions of her higher brain functions.
It was, as that ubiquitous nagging voice so eloquently put it, bloody unfair. Oh, of course she knew that her shyness was something she could overcome, that she had nothing to risk, and all the utter tripe advised by the contingent of wizarding self-help gurus. Unfortunately, the very idea of attempting to flirt using the double-entendre of wands and broomsticks left her alternately snickering and pitying the poor witch or wizard who attempted to employ the technique. Besides, she thought sardonically, it seemed that successful flirtation necessitated twisting one's lips around more than just silly pick-up lines.
And now some exceptionally sadistic deity – or Professor Flitwick - had thought it appropriate to choose "Miss Julia Sanchez" as her partner for a Charms project that constituted a substantial portion of each student's grade. Lily had permitted herself a long and inventive string of expletives upon hearing Flitwick announce the pairs. The first few meetings between the two girls had been awkward and brief; twice had Julia cut short the meeting in order to watch a Quidditch practice – a Gryffindor Quidditch practice.
It was true that while Julia had done the work she had promised to do, Lily ended up working alone in the library most of the time, cross and indignant because of Julia's blatant unconcern and total lack of consideration for their project. Lily was, ironically, somewhat intimidated herself by the forceful witch, but she liked to tell herself that her politeness stopped her from confronting Julia openly about the issue - so she resorted to her usual modus operandi of coldness.
Tonight, however, Julia was an hour and a half late, and when she finally came running into the empty classroom they had agreed to meet at, arms full of crumpled parchment and an unapologetic smile on her face, Lily was furious.
After a brief, strained silence, Lily lifted her narrowed eyes to Julia's. "Do you know how long I've been waiting?" she asked, enunciating each word.
Julia dumped the parchment on a desk and smoothed back her wind-mussed hair as she sat. "Sorry. I was celebrating the Hufflepuff victory."
Lily stared at her incredulously. "You were at a party?"
"Well, it's important to my house – I mean, this puts us in the running for the Quidditch Cup -"
"I have been sitting in this freezing classroom for nearly two hours. Are you telling me it was for nothing? That while you were drinking Ogden's and having a jolly good time, I have been working on our project?"
"I have an obligation to my House too," Julia replied defensively. "And besides, I did the work that I was supposed to." She paused and said suddenly, "Wait - why am I defending myself? The Quidditch Cup is impor-"
"I don't care about your goddamn Quidditch Cup!" she said fiercely. "You had an obligation that you simply dismissed because you wanted to celebrate! I…I'm honestly at loss for words. I simply cannot believe your selfishness. You have an atrocious sense of priorities - meaningless celebration over study… It's unfair to me, you know. I end up doing the lion's share and yet you reap the benefit. It's not acceptable," she said after a pause.
Both girls fell silent, and Julia finally looked up at her. "I'll make an effort to contribute more to this project," she mumbled uncomfortably.
Lily sighed and pushed her hair away from her face. "I suppose that's the closest I'm going to get to an apology."
Julia was quiet for another moment. "How did you know I was drinking Ogden's?" she asked curiously, looking up at Lily.
"I can smell it on your breath," she muttered, glancing down at the parchment in her hands. "Anyway, you might as well know what I've been doing in your absence. To get the sample of unicorn's blood, we'll need to go into the Forbidden Forest. There tend to be small pools of it near the edge, so it shouldn't be hard to find."
"The Forbidden Forest?"
"Is there something wrong with it?"
Julia shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Are you sure it's worth the risk for the project? Professor Dumbledore always warns us never to go there, and my dormitory overlooks the Forest - I've heard some pretty awful howls coming from inside." At Lily's haughty look, Julia said reluctantly, "I mean, I wouldn't mind assisting with the research, but I don't want to go into the Forest itself. I'm not a Gryffindor."
Lily paused, and gave her a long look. "You may be assured that no 'assistance' of yours is required in the completion of this project in the first place. You've evidently never heard of students being assigned detention in the Forest – with proper supervision, while still menacing, it's at least fractionally less dangerous than traipsing around with a horde of fools. Besides, I've obtained permission for research in the Forest before. You've never done so, I presume?" she asked coolly.
"Well, I've researched extensively, but not in the Forbidden Forest," Julia replied edgily. "It's dangerous and I don't want to lose a limb researching for a mere project."
Lily gave her a mocking smile. "Excuse me while I applaud the institution of your – what did you promise? 'Increased contribution to the project.'"
Julia's eyes hardened as she glared at Lily. "I'll manage," she said coldly.
"Undoubtedly you will. Famous for your bravery, are you not? Oh, pardon, is that for your liaisons with the brave?" Lily responded derisively.
"How do you mean?" asked Julia cautiously. She seemed to detect she'd been insulted somehow, but was wisely not rising to the bait until she was sure of Lily's implication.
"I mean nothing," replied Lily evenly. "My words are ambiguous nonsense, really. Interpret them as you see fit. I recommend extensive analysis. Don't worry, I'll wait."
"Well, am I then to 'interpret' that you are referring to the relationship between me and James Potter?"
"It would befit the situation, wouldn't it?"
Julia looked at her through narrowed eyes. "What exactly are you trying to say? Do you disapprove or something?"
"I don't disapprove or approve of your relationship," said Lily - well, perhaps that wasn't quite the truth, but it was certainly close enough…wasn't it?
Julia's dark eyes were unkind, but behind the hard veneer there was definite uncertainty.
"I don't care one way or another," Lily continued casually. A blatant lie, of course – it was fascinating to see how Julia brought out this ugly side of her own personality: lying, goading, manipulating…and Lily found it amusing in a way. Who knew she would be victim to pettiness? Objectively, it was an intriguing revelation. Too bad she wasn't objective with regards to herself. "Surely you have a sense of humour?"
"Well of course I have a sense of humour," sniffed Julia. "But your 'jokes' or whatever you'd like to call them are too vague for anyone to understand them."
"Anyone?" Lily gave her a disdainful smile. "That's a rather broad judgment, don't you think? Surely some can detect the humour in my words."
She suppressed a smirk as she saw Julia's hands tighten on the edge of the desk.
This was really too amusing. Leisurely provoking this girl indulged a most delicious appetite for oblique revenge…or perhaps it was passive aggressive revenge, she wondered. No matter. She knew her inevitable self-castigation would atone this brief dalliance with maliciousness. How lovely it was to have one's own private guilt complex.
Julia glared at her. "They're obviously your close friends" - Lily snorted at the irony of the statement - "and know you well enough to understand your…your… indirect references. No need for you to think you're so clever," she said angrily. "And don't bloody well patronize me!"
Lily raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by the heatedness of Julia's words. "I may patronize you if I wish," she said calmly. Oh, she had infuriated the other girl now. Tables have turned, mon cherie.
Julia stood up abruptly from her desk. "Think you're so high and mighty don't you? Just because you're top of our year or Head Girl – and Merlin knows why they gave you that post, of all the prefects. I expected to have it and everyone expected it to go to me. I deserved it. It's just because you have a following among the younger students and the Headmaster pities you!"
She straightened her robes with a violent tug, her Hufflepuff prefect badge glinting in the light. "All you do is study anyway. It's no wonder the teachers have fallen in love with you – you're the only one that bothers to do their meaningless work. And you do have to work, don't you?" she sneered. "A Muggleborn still not adjusted to wizarding life – the post of Head Girl should go to someone who has experience, can guide people. You lean on the crutches of the adoration of first-years! You have no real friends, no real qualifications - and you know it. You're still insecure, still feel undeserving. And you're right."
"Been observing me, have you?" said Lily softly.
"I don't need to observe you," Julia scoffed. "You're obviously unfit for the position. You barely talk during meetings. At least you have someone like James, who is competent, to do the work for you." She snorted. "Talk about hypocrisy. You yell at me for not working to your standards, and then you go and let someone else take over your duties," she spat. "Hypocrite. You're a bloody, incompetent hypocrite, and you've risen to your post by ingratiating yourself. You're just a naïve little Muggleborn."
Lily's throat tightened. "Get out," she said quietly.
"And what would you do if I didn't?
"Get out before I suspend your prefect privileges. Just go."
Julia shook her head disgustedly. "Gladly." She shoved the parchment off the desk. "You can do the project on your own for all I care. At least then you'll be doing something productive." She turned to go before spinning around again.
"And do yourself a favour – don't try to grovel to James. You're just making a fool of yourself. He thinks of you as a pity case." She gave Lily one last scornful look before turning into the corridor.
Julia's words echoed in her head long after the sharp click of her heels had disappeared. Useless… incompetent… hypocrite… pity case… the unspoken mudblood. Having someone corroborate Lily's own worst doubts – doubts that she never really even thought to be substantiated – was far more hurtful than she had ever expected it to be. She sat in that cold, silent room for a long time, neither noticing nor bothering to wipe away the wet streaks that trickled along the curves of her face. Tears, Petunia had once told her, were useless things anyway.
It most certainly had not taken a great deal of deliberation to decide not to accompany James and his Jekyll-and-Hyde-esque accessory to Hogsmeade. She had barely had any sleep last night, and despite a generous helping of an ambiguous beverage the house elves had provided, the ramifications of sleep deprivation were all too evident in her mood.
Lily navigated quickly down the staircases, which seemed to sense her unwillingness to tolerate any sort of unexpected jostling. She slipped through the clusters of warmly-clad students prepared to brave the uncharacteristically chilly autumn, head held imperiously high and lips set in a thin line as James and Julia (obnoxious little coincidence of alliteration, she thought nastily) came into her line of sight.
While James looked pleased to see her, Julia's face went through several swift changes of expressions before she settled on a tight smile and a bitter look in her onyx-black eyes.
"Why, Lily – what are you doing here?" she asked frostily.
James turned to her. "I didn't tell you? I invited her to Hogsmeade with us to discuss the Halloween Feast, don't you remember?"
Julia's eyes trailed Lily's ill-fitting Muggle clothing and thick faded black cloak that had, to put it kindly, seen its share of Scottish winters. A contemptuous look tightened her pretty face. Lily tugged down on her scarf uneasily, suddenly self-conscious as she glanced at Julia's form-fitting navy robes.
"I'm not sure she's dressed for it," said Julia, pursing her irritating, perfectly painted red lips.
Lily's nails dug into her fingers as she bit back a foul comment. "I can't come anyway. I have a project to finish. You go on," she said, making sure to address only James.
"I think that would be very wise -" Julia started.
"You can finish the project later," said James, glancing sideways at the dark haired witch by his side. "Just come with us."
"Thank you, but I really do have to finish…"
"Why, my dear, I fear you're correct. For once I am in complete agreement with you," interrupted Julia, flashing her a saccharine smile.
"Must be the only time you've been correct, then," Lily replied glibly.
James looked confusedly between the two girls. "Well…I…erm…"
"If you could perhaps articulate your thoughts?" Lily interrupted dryly.
He grinned apologetically at her. "What I was trying to say was I'd appreciate it if you'd come. I don't have much time, with Quidditch practice gearing up and all. I'd love to have you…"
He trailed off when Julia pointedly removed her arm from his. "Help me organize the Feast," he finished lamely.
Lily suppressed a smirk. She wasn't about to relinquish an opportunity to taunt Julia, who seemed to have instituted an attitude of sweetness around James. How eerily like Petunia.
"I suppose the project will have to wait," acquiesced Lily.
James beamed at her. "You have marvelous judgment, my love. Excellent sense of priorities."
The pretty witch beside him stiffened nearly audibly.
While Julia had insistently excluded Lily from conversation on the way to Hogsmeade, she was having a more difficult time keeping James' attention at the crowded Three Broomsticks. The pub was milling with students and residents of Hogsmeade alike, the din punctuated by outbursts of raucous laughter and glasses clinked together with all the dissonance of an untrained triangle player.
The air itself seemed warm and sticky with butterbeer, but Lily continued to wrap her coat tightly around her body, trying to tell herself she would be cold with only the hand-knit Muggle jumper she wore underneath. It really was uncomfortably warm though, and she could feel the flush of her cheeks against her cold fingertips.
"So anyway, James, my father said he would arrange for a discount for students going to Gladrags so they could purchase costumes…James? Are you listening to me?" Julia looked at him with exasperation.
He grinned at her. "Sorry."
Julia folded her arms against her chest in an imitation of sternness that looked like Professor McGonagall. "Were you flirting with Madame Rosmerta again?" she asked with mock severity. "James, I need to know. Is there something between the two of you?"
"How did you know?" he exclaimed in horror. "I thought I'd been so careful. Yes, Julia darling, Rosmerta is the latest and greatest love of my life, and we are planning to elope to The Hogs Head so I can pretend I'm of age. Be gone from this table, for you wilt next to her blinding beauty!"
Julia sighed dramatically, collapsing against the worn seat, before erupting into laughter. James joined her soon enough, sliding his hand over hers as she leaned in to kiss him.
Lily stood up abruptly, muttering something to the effect of "refill" and pushed blindly through the crowds to the bar. She sat on one of the polished barstools and closed her eyes briefly, wondering why she had agreed to come. She should have known this was going to happen – there was no way she would have the upper hand in a conversation with someone like Julia, even with James in the vicinity. That probably made it worse. Nothing like being the third wheel.
"Miss Evans! What on earth are doing in a horrible place like this?"
Lily turned, surprised to see Arabella Figg, Ancient Runes professor and Slytherin Head of House, sitting next to her. She had been rather close to the professor during the few years she had taken the class, and had grown even more so in subsequent years, despite the House divisions – though the Slytherins still gave her strange looks when she walked around the dungeons. She noted with amusement that the cat-shaped brooch the professor wore on her cloak was moving, its tail swishing as it looked up at Lily.
"I was supposed to come here to work on the Halloween Feast."
"Well, the individual with whom I was supposed to be working is currently occupied with snogging, so I made a prudent exit."
Figg regarded her carefully, and Lily could see she was scanning the pub out of her peripheral vision. "James Potter and that girl?"
Lily made a noncommittal noise.
"Julia Sanchez."
"She's a Sanchez?" exclaimed Figg. "No wonder she looks familiar."
Lily frowned. "What's so unusual about being a Sanchez?"
"They're one of the wealthiest families in Spain, and among the largest too. Children go to Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, but mostly Hogwarts. Nearly all Hufflepuffs, but some would have made excellent Slytherins."
"Evidently she's one of them," said Lily unenthusiastically.
The professor kept a neutral look on her face. "Now why do you say that, dear?"
"Well, she's not exactly the kindest person I know, but she's rather good at knowing what one's weaknesses are."
The older woman tactfully refrained from asking just what those weaknesses were, Lily noted with gratitude.
"That doesn't make her a Slytherin," said Figg. "Hufflepuffs aren't the kindest people to those outside their house, whatever that blasted Hat of Godric's says. Gryffindors have no sense of judgment." She shook her head. "Present company excluded, naturally," she added. "You would have done rather well in Slytherin, you know. My serpents would have ripped you up and built you back from the ground of course, but it's a learning process."
Lily laughed skeptically. "Me – a Slytherin? Professor, I don't even exhibit any qualities particular to my own House."
"Codswallop," she replied. "Perhaps you don't possess the idiocy of most members of your House, but you're generally brave and chivalrous and that nonsense. Mind you, I don't consider that an advantageous quality. The Potter boy isn't bad either, but his friends will be the death of him."
Lily was quiet. "Perhaps you're right." She glanced up at the other woman. "But aren't the requisite qualities of a Slytherin ambition and cunning? I don't exactly possess those either."
Figg laughed. "You actually expect me to believe that? Beneath that ridiculous predilection of yours towards self-pity, you're one of the shrewdest people I know. Being a Slytherin isn't just about blatant, bloodthirsty ambition, contrary to the sensationalist perceptions of Gryffindors. Most Slytherins are quiet, observant, and rise to the top in a dagger-between-the ribs sort of way. It's all about subtlety, my dear."
She glanced up at her professor, taken aback by the blunt candor in her eyes.
Figg wasn't finished. "I'm not supposed to say this sort of thing to you, but I've already had a few shots of firewhisky, and as far as I'm concerned, you're not one of those imbecilic children I teach. I was to one who recommended to Albus that you take the position of Head Girl. Of course, he agreed with me straightaway, but the faculty required a bit more… persuasion - to think they were contemplating the Sanchez girl." She sniffed haughtily. "Might as well have put Sirius Black in the position of Head Boy."
Lily grinned at her. "Nice to look at, but nothing special?"
"Precisely. Not that you don't share the former quality," Figg teased. She sobered though, and continued, "Albus Dumbledore has complete faith in you, Miss Evans. That's a rare thing. He told me once, and I agree, that you indeed are rare, my dear. The only thing standing in your way to greatness is doubt. Trust in your own abilities, your own power, and you would be able to prevail over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself."
They looked at each other for a long moment, the clamor around them muted and distant.
"But that's just the nonsense of an old woman," said Figg briskly, breaking the spell. She smiled. "Now tell me why you're moping. Oh, come now, you didn't think I'd notice you were moping? You've got a sullen look on that pretty face of yours."
"I told you already," said Lily, sighing with exasperation. She realized her impertinence a moment too late. "I mean – I apologize, Professor," she said hastily.
Figg smirked. "That's what I mean when I said they'd have ripped you right up. You're lucky I find you charming. Go on, though."
Lily swallowed deeply. "They're, well…engaging in activities generally limited to two persons of mutual attraction, and I'm rather – how do I say this – superfluous?"
"Do you fancy Potter?" Figg asked nonchalantly.
Lily flushed hotly. "No! How on earth did you conjecture that?"
She glanced at Lily with amusement.
She exhaled, looking hopelessly back at the woman. "From my reaction," said Lily dourly. "Never be overly vociferous in denial."
"You learn quickly," Figg said with a smile. "I'll tell you how to make him feel as guilty as possible in order to make him do the work for the Feast." The cat brooch attached to her cloak hissed enthusiastically in agreement. Figg's keen eyes regarded her for another moment. "There's something else." It was a statement, not a question.
Lily nodded.
Figg passed her the shot glass of firewhisky.
"I can't -" Lily started, but the other woman silenced her with a look. She picked up the glass and gingerly sipped from it, sputtering as it burned down her throat and into her stomach. "That's not Ogden's," she coughed out.
"Ogden's is among the cheapest malts you can buy, Miss Evans. I always know when my students have been drinking with other houses because they come back smelling like a Muggle liquor store. Most Slytherin families have the decency to purchase good alcohol, even if their children haven't yet acquired the same discrepancy of taste."
"It's good. The whisky, I mean."
"Have the rest," she said, passing the glass over.
It burned again as she swallowed it, but pleasurably. Lily licked her lips and began, "The girl James is with – Julia – is among the more well-liked students in our year. She's the type who celebrates with her house, cheers at Quidditch matches - "
"Doesn't sound unusual."
Lily sighed. "It's not, I suppose. But I was assigned to do a Charms project with her and she was invariably late to our meetings. Last night I had reached the end of my rope, and I yelled at her."
"You yelled?" Figg looked impressed.
She shrugged. "I wasn't in a normal frame of mind. Anyway, I made some veiled disparaging remarks and she retaliated…much more harshly than I had expected." Her voice fell. "Said that I was useless, a hypocrite…" she trailed off.
Figg waited patiently for her to continue. Lily took a deep breath, grateful for the uncharacteristic consideration. "She called me - " her voice broke slightly " – a naïve little Muggleborn…the implication of mudblood wasn't too hard to notice."
The professor's eyes hardened. "I didn't know the Sanchez family were teaching their children bigotry. I've come to half-expect it in my House…" She suddenly looked saddened – disappointed and much older than her years. She composed herself quickly, though, and continued, "But every Sanchez I've known has been sympathetic towards Muggleborns. How can we expect the attacks to stop when more and more people are becoming so prejudiced?"
"You talk about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named quite a bit," said Lily quietly. "Most professors are pretending he doesn't exist."
Figg looked angry for a moment. "Do they think sheltering children is going to save them? The walls of Hogwarts may be a fortress, but they're also a blindfold. Because there will be more attacks. He is growing in power, claiming new followers even within our walls. I worry for them - for the people he preys upon, and for the people he wants to make predators. Don't they realize? It's Grindelwald all over again. They can't have forgotten him - I will not believe we are deluding ourselves…We should not – cannot – ignore him."
The professor looked wearily at Lily. "And it's only just begun."
(Author's Note: As my other two betas went AWOL, all the credit for this chapter goes to Shadow Fire, who is blessed enough to be both gorgeous, brilliant and a superb beta. Also, those of you who have reviewed – thank you so much. It always brightens my day to hear your opinions, whether criticism of praise. You motivate me. Along that note, sorry for the massive delay. And if you're wondering if Lily seems a bit more self-assured in this chapter, it is due to the fact that I'm editing the preceding chapters to tone down Lily's characterization. Once again, much appreciation for my reviewers and my readers.)
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28278
|
AN: okay this fic will most likely be Nar/Kag but I'm not sure, it could possibly end up Inu/Kag or by some strange twist of fate even Sess/Kag. Anyway don't forget to REVIEW. First chapter's kinda short, but next ones will be longer. I'm only asking for 7 reviews before I continue. Don't wanna get my hopes up.
Disclaimer: don't own Inu Yasha please don't sue, I have *checks pocket* a stick of gum and 15 cents.
Love in Strange Places CH: 1 Taken
Kagome stared at the all too familiar scene before her. She saw Inu Yasha with Kikyou in his arms. They were kissing and whispering sweet words to each other. Kagome just turned around and walked away.
'When? When did I just stop caring?' Kagome had loved Inu Yasha with all her heart at one point, or at least she thought she had. But the only thing that kept bringing her back to the feudal era now was her friends and the responsibility of the Shikon no Tama. 'When did I stop loving you, Inu Yasha?'
Kagome had figured that the fact that she would never hold the place that Kikyou had in Inu Yasha's heart had finally settled in. Kagome walked to the well and sat on the edge. She wasn't planning on going back she just wanted a place to sit and think. 'I lost the love I once held so dear. I wonder if I'll find someone else. I don't want to be the only one without love. I mean Sango has Miroku whether they're going to admit any time soon is anyways guess. There's always Kouga and Hojo, but I could never see Hojo in that way and Kouga just wants me for the shards.'
"So has the little miko been abandoned?" Kagome looked up to see the last person she would have hoped for.
"N.Naraku?" Kagome was about to scream for help but Naraku quickly put his hand over her mouth.
"Scream and I will make sure it is the last noise you ever make. Are we clear?" Kagome nodded her head her eyes wide with fear. Naraku took his hand away slowly.
"What do you want Naraku?" Kagome hissed her fear turning into anger.
"Why I came all this way to visit you. You should be honored that I did not send a puppet or detachment." He was still very close to her and Kagome was becoming rather nervous.
"Inu Yasha won't come to help me right now and I'm not handing over the shards."
"My dear miko, for once I am not thinking about the shards." Kagome's shock was plain on her face. "And as for the stupid hanyou I noticed he was rather occupied already. I'm surprised I did not find you crying and running away."
"I'm surprised you're not upset, after all you're in love with Kikyou."
Naraku grabbed Kagome by the neck and held her in the air. "I, Naraku, have never been in love with that whore of a zombie. Oni Gumo's feeling are not my own. He may be a part of me, but I do not share his attachments." Naraku then noticed that Kagome seemed to be struggling for breath and placed her down. "Forgive me, I lost my temper."
'Did he just apologize?' "Why did you come here Naraku?" kagome was getting really confused and upset. 'First he's acting almost civil, then he almost kills me, then he apologizes, what the hell.'
"As I said I came to see you. Actually I came to take you." Before Kagome could move, Naraku poked a certain spot in her neck and she had passed out. He grabbed her and took off. As he passed by he again saw Inu Yasha and Kikyou. "You really should keep better watch on the things you hold dear."
Inu Yasha felt sick to his stomach. He had been making out with Kikyou again and he couldn't remember why he kept doing things like that. 'Actually I do remember, it's because I can't have Kagome. Kagome would reject me in a heart beat and probably laugh about it with her friends back in her time. And she's got that guy that keeps bringing her stuff already. I know Kikyou is attainable and it's bearable as long as I'm thinking about Kagome when I'm with her.'
Just then Inu Yasha got a whiff of something he didn't like. He tried to pull away from Kikyou, but she wouldn't let go. 'I smell Naraku and Kagome. She might be in trouble.' "Kikyou let me go."
"No Inu Yasha. You're mine. How can you want that imitation instead of me?"
"Don't you dare say that about Kagome, she's more important to me then you ever were." Inu Yasha pried himself free and ran to Kaede's village. If he was right and Naraku had Kagome he was going to need Sango and Miroku's help. 'Don't worry Kagome, I'll save you.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kikyou: How come you made me a bitch in this fic. I was nice in the last one
Shichan: I know, but that was an AU and in the Inu Yasha world I don't like you
Kikyou: What?! *lunges at Shichan*
Shichan: *dodges* Wow that was close *runs behind Sesshoumaru*
Sesshy: Why am I even here I wasn't in the fic.
Shichan: You're here to protect me.
Sesshy: Why should I do that?
Shichan: Because if you do I'll start a different fic and let you be with Kagome again and maybe throw in a lemon. Sesshy: Deal *claws Kikyou in half*
Shichan: Yay, you're my hero Sesshy. Please review to get me to update faster, especially since I need to start that other fic for Sesshy now.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28279
|
A/N: This section is too small. *pouts* Behold my pathetic attempt to fill it out.
You know, I've noticed that I tend to stick my words in characters' mouths during first person POVs- not always my opinions, just words and phrases I don't think they'd usually use, or changes in their speech patterns. So this fic is one of my attempts to get over that and try for a really in-character story (or at least what I perceive as the character ^_^;;). If you see anything you think I've gotten wrong, please tell me. That's why I'm writing it, after all.
Oh, some yaoi-ish things and hints of angst are in here. But we're all tolerant people here, right? ^_~
Arashi's POV. Set after volume four, and a gift for my darling Katalyst, because I know she loves this series and I think I ought to keep her happy while I'm grounded for my idiocy. ^_^;; So, if you know my writing and know my Katalyst, you'll know I was reading her poetry on fictionpress.net while writing this and a few of the more kick-ass lines are inspired by said poetry and other various Katalyst-isms.
"Coloring In the Roses"
"You know, I love listening to you talk. I hate living with you, but your conversation is first rate." ~ Garfield; "The Goodbye Girl"
It's raining. My head hurts, and I'm thinking of you again.
Fought with my mother tonight, and chose to storm out into the lousy weather rather than into another room like a sensible person. That's never a good thing, but it's worse than usual this time.
The deal: the apartment's off-limits- Yukari spilled a bottle of green dye on the floor, and George, being George, somehow wound up talking us all into going out, buying paint and fabric, and redecorating the whole place to match this one freaking tiny stain. I'm all for cheering Yukari up, but I would've preferred if it hadn't meant the paint fumes would chase me out of my home for a week.
Plus, I'm pissed at Miwako again, so I can't crash at her place; Isabella's out God knows where and I'm not begging her butler for a bed; and George and Yukari are probably screwing again- and even if they aren't, I'm not running to him (he'd molest me, the bastard!) and there's no way in hell Yukari's mom would even let me through the door.
So I'm outside, in the rain, like the idiot I am.
It's cold. I didn't even grab a coat. And God DAMN it, but I hate spring. It was warm this afternoon, but now I'm freezing my ass off and I wouldn't be surprised if it started to hail any minute now.
I sneeze and wrap my arms around my stomach, feeling generally miserable and pretty pathetic to boot. At this rate, I'll catch pneumonia, and oh, wouldn't George LOVE that. I think he'd gut me for being so stupid, to be honest. But as for right now, I'm too fucking stubborn to get off my ass and go crying to any of the usual suspects.
I suck the chain that attaches my lip ring to my earring into my mouth and gnaw at it thoughtfully. For some reason, I think of George's painted roses again. They were beautiful onstage, all pinned up with Yukari and the dress, but if you got really close to them, they were cracking and brittle. When they were still Isabella's, they were soft and smooth. But George took them away and made them into a gaudy centerpiece- attractive and appreciated, but easy to break.
He seems to do things like that a lot.
The rain increases: sidewalk toccata of the pedestrian's lonely soul. Your phrase, not mine.
But I don't want to think about you and your strange, poetic blurbs. I used to think you should be a writer. You said once that you'd like to, but I don't know if you still think that way. Miwako says we don't know you anymore, but I don't buy it. Thoughts change, opinions change, but the soul is forever. Your face is older, but your voice is the same. It broke and deepened, but the inflictions haven't changed. I still know you, beneath it all.
And I loved the way you spoke to me, the tones you told me your secrets in. The way your eyes glittered when your lips shaped those sacred, deluded stories. They'd never believe that you could tell jokes that could make even George do a double-take.
But I don't want to think about you right now.
Though that may be a little hard to manage, since I'm right outside your building. I'd love to say I'd gotten lost in the rain, but I don't lie well. That's your talent, though you rarely take advantage of it- could've gotten us out of so much trouble when we were kids if you had. I never really minded getting punished, though, unless the punishment was being separated from you and Miwako. You two have always been my most important people.
Fuck it all. Why am I here? I could be in bed with Miwako, or crashing on George's couch, or in one of Isabella's million spare rooms.
Instead, I'm on a bench in front of your apartment, getting wetter by the minute.
Or not.
For some reason, the rain has just stopped, and when I tip my head back to look up, a gaudy pink and green umbrella is hovering over me. I tip it back further, and find you standing behind the bench, lips quirked in something that might be a smile, or might just be nerves.
"Nice brolly," I tell you with a faint smirk.
"Present from Miwako," you reply distantly, twirling it slightly. You've used it to cover me and left none for yourself, which means you're getting as soaked as I already was. Pointless- but so like you.
I've never known anyone so innocent as you. Even Miwako can take the bad things in stride, but your expression of pain every time you hear something even remotely unpleasant is enough to make me feel guilty every time, like it's my fault.
Sometimes it is, of course.
But this time I won't let it be. I won't let it happen.
Tell me another story. I'll listen and ask questions when you want me to; "ooo" and "ahh" in all the right places; do exactly what you need and be absolutely fucking brilliant if you can't figure out part of the plot.
Paradise is cheap, you know. You can buy it with anything- all you need is to get one thing right, and the rest follows. The right smile in the right place at the right time, and the most perfect person you have ever seen is suddenly standing in front of you and sending out "date me" signals.
You, unfortunately, are bringing us a little too close to Paradise for me.
I realize we haven't said a word in at least ten minutes, though you seem un-phased. You're drenched now, and smiling very faintly at me.
"I missed you," you say quietly when you see that my attention has returned to the present.
I just shrug. Your expression saddens, but the affection in it doesn't fade. I look at you for the longest time.
Do you know why I asked Miwako to stay away from you? I was afraid that if she stayed friends with you, it would mean I could too. And I didn't want that. It wasn't enough, so why torture myself with the possibility?
You smile at me again.
Why, when I always knew we could have this, did I do everything I could to get away?
"I saw the show," you tell me happily. "Yukari looked so beautiful, and the dress was gorgeous. I just wish you hadn't painted the roses," you add with a sigh. "It seemed like such a waste, you know? They would've been just as stunning left to themselves- just in a different way."
I am suddenly aware of every tattoo and piercing on my body, each one burning like a Roman candle against my skin, and then I think your poetry has corrupted me into this state of existence. And you smile yet again, and your fingers lightly tug at the chain draped across my cheek.
"I ever tell you how cool I always thought that looked?" you say.
"Why don't you get one, then?" I ask dryly.
"I like yours," you reply softly, earnestly; and move in closer. You're still outside the umbrella's reach, and rain drips down your face in a thousand tiny waterfalls, taking the path towards your lips, dying there when you lick it away- a death I'd love to share.
You will never be like the blue.
* ende *
. : I'll take them all to paradise . . . : .
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28280
|
Disclaimer: I don't own anything hp related.
1. Title: Because I Never Gave Up
Author: Spideria
Chapter: 13
Thank you to: All my wonderful reviewers! I hope you haven't given up on me and my story because I took so long to update! Sorry!!! Anyway, I was really sick for the past two weeks with a horrible cold type of thing, but today, I got two days off of school, and while I was just going to sleep all day, seeing as how I've been terribly tired lately, (waking up at 5:30 a.m. for school and staying up 'til midnight with homework) but some of my lovely reviewers have been asking for the last chapter and I figured, why not just finish it up? Oh, and read the ending A/N for a little secret I've been wanting to tell.
Chapter: No one else
"Harry?" Draco asked, confused at Harry's flustered state.
"Draco," Harry breathed out, still a bit out of breath.
"What are you doing here, Harry?"
"I was looking for you."
"But how did you know where to find me?"
"I didn't."
Draco raised a curious brow at Harry.
Harry only stared back for a moment before finally saying, "Draco, listen. I'm really sorry."
"And you should be." Draco stated, angrily. Although Oliver's little chat had made him feel better, it hadn't made him completely forgive Harry.
Harry simply looked down at the ground, not knowing what to say. His right hand rubbed up and down his left arm, nervously.
Draco let out a sigh and rolled his eyes to himself. He just couldn't hate Harry. All he had to do was look over at Harry, looking so vulnerable, and he felt himself completely melt. He just wanted to wrap his arms around Harry and comfort him. But he held himself back.
As he'd been telling himself a lot, lately, he couldn't just let Harry get away with it that easily.
There was a long silence before Harry walked around the bench and sat down next to Draco, his eyes still staring at the ground.
"Draco," Harry began slowly, still not sure of what he was trying to say. "I...I've been . . . thinking, lately."
"About?" Draco asked, after Harry had stopped.
"About a lot of things, I guess."
Draco nodded his head slowly, sort of understanding what Harry was saying. He didn't want to talk; he wanted to hear everything Harry had to say.
"Mostly about . . . us, though."
"Oh?" Draco asked, quietly.
"Yeah." Harry let out shakily. His heart began beating crazily; he could feel wild butterflies zooming around in his stomach, begging to escape.
Draco turned his head to look at Harry, expectantly.
"I...we . . . we've been friends for a really long time," Harry continued.
"And, well . . . that's been great. But . . . I think . . . I think I want more."
"Oh really?" Draco asked annoyed, crossing his arms. Draco had been wanting more for years, and only now, Harry was starting to want the same?!
"Yeah," Harry continued, oblivious to the fact that his last statement had annoyed Draco. He still hadn't dared to chance a glance at Draco, too nervous about what he was trying to say.
"Remember when Hermione and Ron first got together?" Harry asked.
"Yes . . . " Draco answered slowly, not understanding how that had anything to do with what they had just been talking about.
"Everyone knew they liked each other." Harry continued, "It was so obvious. They always passed each other secret glances when they thought the other one wasn't looking. And the smallest things would make the blush.
"And remember how Ron would always get really jealous when Victor talked to Hermione, and Hermione would get jealous when Ron talked about any girls, too?"
Draco nodded, smiling slightly at the memory of those two get so jealous over the other.
"Yeah, Hermione even slapped one of the girls who had kissed Ron. She scared the poor girl to death." Draco added, laughing.
Harry soon joined Draco, and for a moment, they forgot about their problem, and just laughed, enjoying the other's company, not caring about anything else.
However, as do all happy moments in life, it ended, and they fell into an awkward silence.
"Things used to be so easy back then." Harry said softly.
Draco said nothing, just looked down at the floor, as Harry had done before.
"But you know, there was always something missing . . . I just hadn't realized it."
Draco looked up in question.
"I mean, maybe I'd always known it, but I was too scared to look too deeply into it."
"Why?" Draco asked.
"I guess I was worried about screwing things up between us. It doesn't matter anymore though, I already did."
"No, you just . . . handled things the wrong way, that's all."
"No, Draco. I screwed things up, and now you hate me. I'd give anything to take it back but-"
"I don't hate you Harry. I hate what you did, but I don't hate you. I could never hate you." Draco whispered passionately.
Harry smiled slightly and murmured a quiet, "Thanks," not knowing what else to say.
"I do think you're an idiot, though." Draco stated.
"I guess I deserve that."
"And a lot more," Draco said, the anger from the night of the dance coming back to him.
Harry stayed silent, not wanting to anger Draco anymore.
"You were a real jerk last night."
"I know, Draco. And I'm sorry. I really am." Harry answered desperately. "I don't know what I was thinking. Oliver doesn't matter to me; you do."
They both stayed silent, waiting for the other to say something more.
The wind blew, and autumn leaves swirled about, but neither said another word.
Suddenly, Draco felt a burst of anger. "If I matter so much to you, then why did you run to Oliver the moment I left last night?! If I matter so much, then why do you always rather Oliver over me?! It's always Oliver this, and Oliver that! You always-"
Harry couldn't stand it anymore. For once, Draco needed comforting, and Harry was going to give it to him.
He grabbed Draco's face and leaned in. As their lips met, everything around them seemed to stop. They couldn't feel the cold wind swirling around them, or hear the laughter of the children on the swings. They could only feel the heat emanating from the other's warm body, and the other's soft lips.
Slowly Harry pulled away and whispered, " I love you, Draco. No one else . . . no one else."
Draco let his head rest in the crook of Harry's neck as he took in what Harry had just said. A brilliant smile spread across his lips.
"I love you too, Harry."
...The End
A/N: I know, I know. You're probably thinking, "That's it?! That's what I've been waiting for?! That was the suckiest ending ever!" Well, I can't blame you. I've been on this chapter for an hour and I just can't find the perfect ending. Sorry. :-( Anyway, I have another idea for a new story, it's going to be totally original, but I'm not going to post it until the story is at least half-way type up, because I don't want to have to make you guys wait forever for updates again.
xoxo Spideria xoxo
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28281
|
It lasts and lasts, the endless corridors with their damp, dark walls and the stench of humidity and blood – Lawrence's blood, almost black on the dirty floor, irregular traces of a crawling man – the trail gets thicker, deeper in some places.
Lawrence was slowing down. Adam can almost see him on the floor, can almost remember instants he hasn't lived, feel Lawrence's efforts, Lawrence's pain – they're his – and his eyes never leave the trail of blood as he clings to the pipes on the wall, the fingers of his right hand half paralysed. He's got legs like those of a broken puppet, bending and twisting under his weight, and he coughs and sobs and can barely breathe. Every step is a victory and a bit of life gone.
He catches himself trying to pray.
The images from his long-gone past have disappeared now. He no longer needs them to go on. He knows he's moving towards a future that will have nothing to do with his old life, he knows everything will be different now – there are so many things he will start believing in, and so many truths he won't laugh at or deny, and it will all be right, and it will all be perfect and beautiful.
He just has to reach the light.
Another step. He had thought the bullet hadn't hit his lung, but he's not sure now – there's the taste of his own blood in his breath, and the pain, faint at first, now surges through his chest every time he takes air in. It's the infection, he thinks – the infection has spread too far. What if it reaches his heart? Is there a risk? How much time does he have left?
Lawrence would know.
He remembers Lawrence's mocking voice – you'd be dead by now, trust me. Trust me, you would be dead – trust me, you don't know a thing. Ah, little one, your ignorance is so endearing.
Did Lawrence's knowledge save him?
The trail of blood becomes thicker and thicker. Lawrence must have stopped many times, more and more often. Adam walks on, tries to go faster, watching Lawrence's fate unravelling under the form of those last traces he left – fearing to find his dead body. He has to squint to distinguish the blood from the dirty ground, to keep track of his fragile Ariane's thread, his way out – but his eyes grow acquainted to obscurity, and when the trail becomes a pool, when it turns from an irregular line to a wide, circular stain, he notices it and his heart beats faster.
After that point, the trail goes on. Regular, smooth, clean. Lawrence has been dragged.
Alive or dead?
Adam doesn't want to think of how stupid and naive the question is – he doesn't want to admit the certainty of Lawrence's death. He only wants to go on. It doesn't matter what he will find.
And so he walks, on and on, until he finds a ladder.
The blood leads to it, there is no mistake. And it goes up. Now Adam knows Lawrence is dead – he could never have climbed that ladder with one foot and three quarters of his blood gone.
And Adam's not even sure that he'll be able to do it, himself.
No matter. He won't let that stop him. No need to think – somehow he already knows what to do; has instinct taken the lead or something? Will he survive thanks to his animal side and write a new age book about it? Alexa would love it.
Fuck that bitch.
He drags himself towards the ladder and climbs it, one movement at a time, no longer trying to control his cries of pain and effort. His skin is coated in sweat and dirt and blood and all of a sudden he thinks of hot water, of being naked, rid of his disgusting clothes, he thinks of being clean again, he remembers the shower temperature in his old apartment, sometimes icy, sometimes burning, changing all of a sudden, how he cursed it every day – he wouldn't care now. He wouldn't care about all those things.
He's getting good at using only one side of his broken body. Left arm, left leg, pulling, pulling himself up and up towards daylight. He's so exhausted. His heart is beating madly, no rhythm, just a deafening noise and blood buzzing in his ears. With each concentration and spending of his strength, a sweet, sad certainty dawns further on him. He won't live through it.
He won't get another chance.
How strange to feel such a knowledge, to face such a truth...
But he must go on. He must get out. He will die, yes – death is already here – but he won't die in this building, he won't die in these rotten sewers.
He must get out.
When he gets to the top of the ladder, he wants to look around him – but the shock of the effort and of its abrupt end, the shock of finding himself on all fours, resting on solid ground all of a sudden, shakes his body too deeply. The muscles of his stomach are caught in spasm and he vomits something acid and burning, something that looks thick and black in the semi-obscurity.
It doesn't matter. Nothing matters. He cannot get up now – he will never get up again – but there's daylight at the end of the corridor. It is only one long corridor, one long straight corridor. The last one. And then, the way out.
Tears roll down his cheeks and leave clean trails – here it is, the light, so close, finally there.
How long does he have left? How much time? A few minutes?
He crawls towards the corpse that has been left in a foetal position, half-way to the door. He sees Lawrence's face, Lawrence's open eyes, with their pupils no longer black but diluted in the greyish-blue irises. Lawrence's eyes are decaying.
They're not looking at him.
Time is floating away. All his strength has gone in a second. Lawrence is there again. Lawrence is dead. His eyes are open, but there is no mind left behind them. He's just an empty body now. His voice is gone forever.
It doesn't hurt, though – not as much as Adam had thought. There is only a calm, serene, silent sadness. Adam no longer wants to reach the light. He wants to stay with Lawrence. He wants to remember Lawrence.
He wants to say he's sorry.
He lies down next to him. The floor is damp, and smells like old rain. Adam remembers Lawrence crying – the dark circles around his eyes – he had always known Lawrence would break, from the very beginning, and he had hidden the picture from him because he didn't want it to happen too soon. He had always been able to see it in the others. The fragility, the imminent surges of pain and madness. He could see it in others, but only fear it in himself, never knowing when it would come.
He remembers Lawrence's face twisting as he sawed off his foot, contorted from the effort most of all – he probably hadn't felt much pain. Probably hadn't been there at all as it happened.
He lets his fingers (left hand, of course) trace Lawrence's temple, run through his blond hair – it looks grey now.
First dead body I've ever seen.
No, it's not the first – Zep was the first – but Zep had no face. So it doesn't count. Zep had no dead eyes. And Zep had never really been alive.
The faint light from the door reminds Adam of where he is, of what he must do. He smiles. He cannot leave Lawrence behind. Not now. Not after all they've been through. They will get out together, crawl together towards the light, towards the rest of the world. He will take Lawrence out of this place with him. He will make it come true.
He knows it will take away his last strengths. He realizes he has reached the state of peaceful lucidity that comes just before death – but there is no fear. Lawrence is with him now. Lawrence is already there. All there is to do is follow the traces he has left.
So Adam clings to Lawrence's body and drags him out, crawling and pulling the dead weight after him, unable to breathe, grimacing in pain – his chest is filled with blood, filled with fever. Everything swirls. But he is so close…
He has only one goal to focus on – he mustn't die before they are outside. Before both of them are free.
Adam tries to move faster. He's getting closer to the light, yet it seems the world is growing darker, and something in his numb mind screams that it is death, that he must get out, get out now if he wants to win this game, and see the sky again before he goes – and here it is, the door, the door is wide open, the killer didn't lie, and Adam crawls and crawls and lets himself roll down the steps to the ground, arms still tight around Lawrence.
The sun is blinding. The sky is entirely, beautifully empty – no clouds, just perfect blue, and sweet air, and wind, and heat.
At last.
They have fallen down together, and Lawrence is in his arms, safe and sound, as he had been in Adam's dreams of escape, and he knows they have won.
"We made it," he whispers. "We got out, you see? We're out. We fucking made it."
He closes his eyes, and the sun makes the inside of his eyelids red, makes everything red. He notices, vaguely, that the panic he had expected – the terror before the very last step – isn't there.
"Lawrence." Adam lets out the name, feels it roll in his mouth and leave his body with his last breath. He doesn't realize that his heart has already stopped beating.
And the world vanishes as he dies.
The wind falls. Nothing moves. Time goes on, seconds ticking in silence and stillness. And all there is left is two corpses entwined.
A group of students drives by almost an hour later. They park their car and get closer after some hesitation. The girls panic and cry, one of them screams. The boys do their best to comfort them, half-proud to be so brave. The driver runs to get her cell phone. An ambulance arrives after a few minutes, along with the police. Lawrence and Adam are separated and carried away. No need for sirens. It is too late.
Several police officers enter the building. The sun slowly sets as they come back out, faces pale and serious, and call for backup. The night falls; more cars arrive with their dancing lights.
And then there's nothing left to see.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28282
|
Disclaimer- THIS is the last time. I don't own Digimon.
Kouji's (our actual) Christmas, (his actual) Valentine's, (his made-up) Birthday special
Wrong holiday.
Oh, who cares? I'm drunk, anyway.
Ah, Christmas. Or Valentine's Day.
Christmas is a better example…
My head won't stop arguing with itself. Excuse me while I go arrange my thoughts. (This is the bad part about being drunk…)
I am Kouji. My last name? Minamoto. I am now fifteen. I am…oh, yeah, a twin. My twin is…Kouichi Kimura. What else? Oh yeah! I'm drunk.
Kako warned me, but hey, after beating up a guy (not really), you feel guilty. And once you realize your brother'll soon be the happiest birthday boy in the world, you wanna celebrate. So why not get drunk when you can? (Although, Mom will throw a fit.)
Maybe getting drunk isn't the way out? Oops? I guess they didn't prepare me well enough in grade school…
It's over.
So I'll celebrate. It's finally over.
After months of planning, plotting, my master plan is complete. I got my revenge. What was it? You wouldn't understand, probably. I confused myself in the process. I confused myself a lot.
So what was it? Well, other than making Kouichi seem like a dense, innocent, naïve (etc.) boy. I took away what he really loved and fell in love myself (but that proves my idiocy.). I showed him jealousy and regret. I proved he wasn't perfect.
So, as I lift the who-knows-what-number glass of pure alcohol to my lips, I toast my great achievements. Operation: 'Kouji's Revenge' has successfully been completed.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
Ah…yeah, and Kaea (dragonsunlight evil author who makes me OOC) wishes you happy holidays to come!
May your presents be…
KOUJI-RIFFIC! …no? Or at least digi-mazing. Digirific? I give up.
I hope your presents aren't jokes, like my present to Kouichi. Heheh…he'll murder me…
Merry Christmas, everyone.
It's 'Minna no Christmas' from here.
Darn. I wish it were Christmas instead of Valentine's Day. Why didn't you make it Christmas, Kaea?
…she's not listening to me.
Maybe because I'm drunk?
Oh, come on, like that's a bad thing?
…HUSH! I KNOW IT'S BAD! I REALLY DO! I'm just…either joyfully happy or really annoyed. I can't tell. Too drunk.
Why'd I have to get drunk?
Not The Bandanas 2: Kouji's Revenge-
Status: Complete.
Sequel: Ready to be written.
-----It's still my turn! Kouji Minamoto refuses to give up!
Kouji's Note-
Review or Flame!
What else do I say? Oh, yes, do pick one of the stories from the last chapter that she listed in the A/N.
…and there's nothing more to say. Months of hard work, my plan is complete, her plan still goes! .:laughing evilly:. Serves her right! Man, I wish I was the third part. But no, I'm the second. Oh, whatever. You know you want the third part. THIRD PART MEANS MORE ME! Actually…either story means more me. And I happen to be sane in both of those stories, too! Isn't it great?
Keeping that in mind, Review or Flame. Pick a story.
Enjoy your holidays.
You better have enjoyed your present at the least.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28283
|
SNEAK PEEK! Hey everyone, here's a little preview of the sequel to Stylistic Harmony. I would be really grateful if you would let me know what you think. AND also whether anyone has any suggestions for a good title? I'm all out of inspiration for that one! lol! much love sarah x
The war had raged for years now, she had lost count of how long it had been. Time was obsolete to her, everyday was a struggle to keep going. Neither side had advanced, neither had the upper hand. It was an endless string of fruitless battles, where the casualties mounted every time. The dead were never forgotten, but in a way never remembered. They became just another expendable asset. There wasn't time to mourn. There was to much to do, Harry and Ron still had not found the final Horcrux, that one final piece of Voldemort's soul. Harry had become a hero, as has been predicted, but as a man, he had hardened, the loss of Ginny to the enemy had destroyed him and he had built an icy wall around himself that no-one could penetrate. He had sworn vengeance on the one that had stolen her from him, Blaise Zabini, but he had disappeared, for going on two years now. Rumour had it that he had seconded himself and Ginny to the mountains in Italy, his homeland, but searches had been conducted and nothing was found. Hermione hadn't heard from him since that night at Hogwarts. Just another person who had abandoned her. She was surprised herself that she was still standing, but her strength had won out, her will to live. Not that you could call her life living. Everyday she locked herself away with her books, researching, scouring every inch of what seemed like every book ever written to find that last clue, the one that would lead them to the Horcrux and the conclusion of this bloody war. Not even Ron, her husband, could get through to her, not that she thought of him that way at all. A marriage of convenience. After that night at Hogwarts Harry had given her a choice, stay and be loyal, marry Ron, pop out a couple of mini wizards and live her life with them, or leave and get an Avada Kedevra in the back. She chose the former, though the mini wizards were not going to happen. She couldn't stand having Ron touch her, every thing about him made her sick to the stomach. She was trapped by a loveless marriage, with no where else to go. Draco was dead, she had nothing.
"RED!" He yelled up the stairs,
"WHAT?!" Came the reply, he huffed,
"CHRIST WOMAN, COME THE FUCK ON! WE'RE GOING TO LATE!" Blaise Zabini, six years out of school, as handsome as ever, stood in the hall of a vast mansion home, waiting for his wife to finish doing her hair or whatever the fuck it was she was doing. He drew out a cigarette from his pocket and bought it to his lips, flaring it up immediately with a flick of his finger. He dragged the smoke into his lungs, hoping to ease the stress of the fact that the Dark Lord was going to have his balls if they didn't get going sooner or later. After all it was them that had requested the meeting, and to keep him waiting, well, was the ultimate insult. A movement at the top of the stairs drew his gaze, and there she was, his beautiful wife. Formerly the daughter of a blood traitor, the girlfriend of a hero, now was the wife of one of the most wanted men in the country, the Dark Lord's right hand man, or one of them anyway. No matter how annoyed he was at her, he couldn't hurry her along now, the sight of her still made his breath hitch in his throat. She descended the grand staircase and sauntered into his waiting arms, where he bent his head and too her lips in a searing kiss. The length of time she had been with him did nothing to diminish the fact that he could still kindle the fire that raged within her, he was her everything and she would not for one second think of having it any other way. He drew back and whispered huskily,
"As much as I'd like to ravish you right here my darling, we have to go. Mustn't keep the Dark Lord waiting, oh no." She tilted her head back towards the staircase,
"He not coming then?" Blaise shook his head, and said nothing more. Their host wasn't exactly a hot topic of conversation, Blaise didn't like to talk about him or talk to him even. Any conversation that was had usually ended in a slanging match and he really didn't have the energy for that this morning. He held out his arm for Ginny, who took it willingly and they both apparated out to meet their Lord. Landing with practiced elegance in the courtyard of the centuries old castle that was their new Headquarters, the Riddle house had been destroyed in a battle past. The castle was magnificent, situated in some ancient place in the heart of the Romanian countryside, it was the relic of a time past, the home of some centuries old warlord. Now it was seeing another battle, one of greater magnitude, of more import. Blaise looked around him, scurrying towards them was Wormtail, still alive, unfortunately, but still as pathetic as ever. He bowed low, his nose almost banging the floor, then straightened, not meeting Blaise's gaze though, the rat was too afraid of him to have the audacity,
"Mister Zabini, Madame, welcome back. The Dark Lord is awaiting you in the West library." The only drawback to the castle was that it was like a fucking maze, it was West this and East that, the North bloody tower. He needed a fucking map every time he came here. They walked in the vague right direction, before Wormtail piped up again, "He was expecting three of you." Blaise grimaced, and said,
"Yeah well, he's just going to have to deal with two of us." Wormtail said nothing more, from what he knew of Zabini's host, was that the man did things on his terms or not at all, summoning him wasn't worth shit anymore. Thankfully the rat led them to the correct door, knocking three times before leaving them, and scuttling off into the darkness. The door creaked open and Blaise and Ginny stepped through it into the vast library. The Dark Lord emerged from the shadows, looking less human then ever, the years of constant battles had worn him and his remaining humanity was dwindling by the day. However, he still held a commanding presence. Blaise inclined his head in a sort of bow, and Ginny bent her leg and curtseyed gracefully. Voldemort's features cracked an admiring smile,
"My dear Ginny, how beautiful you look, and Blaise, it has been too long, you look well," He looked past them, as if expecting someone else to appear, then when they didn't, he frowned, "I take it you are here without..."
"He didn't feel it necessary for him to accompany us," Blaise cut him off before he could finish, risky, but he couldn't give a fuck about being rude. Voldemort, however seemed unfazed by the interruption,
"Ah well, I hear you have some news for me?" He gestured for them to take a seat on the sofa, before seating himself on the armchair by the flickering firelight, Blaise lent forward and said,
"We have a lead. But its tricky, it'll take us back to London. With the Ministry rebuilt, it'll be harder for us to slip by unnoticed. I wasn't sure whether you would want us to proceed, considering the risks, and..." he trailed off, Ginny took his hand, then spoke herself,
"What he means is, our illustrious host has voiced certain concerns about the validity of the information, and he's not sure whether its worth it." Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, for the Dark Lord rose and drew himself to his full height,
"I am tiring of his insubordination! It has gone on long enough! I tolerated it for this long because of the importance that he has to my cause, but no more! You can tell him that if he is not standing in front of me first thing tomorrow morning I will have his head. Do I make myself clear?!" Blaise and Ginny nodded, Voldemort sat again, his demeanor shifting faster then lightning,
"Good, now, my dear friends, you shall go to London. Stay undercover, unseen. Carry out my orders, and take back what is mine. Keep it safe, and bring it to me." He stood up again, then left them sitting there. Blaise stood up and paced,
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck." His mind was on two things, how the fuck they were going to steal something from right under Potter's nose and what the fuck was going to happen when they got home and told him what Voldemort had ordered. Ginny apparently had the same thing in mind, for she said,
"He is not going to like this." Blaise looked at her and smiled darkly, taking her hand they apparated out to face a dragons wrath.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28284
|
"Running on Adrenalin" by ellijay
Summary: Tag to "Evolution of the Daleks." The Doctor takes care of some unfinished business with Lazlo, and Martha discovers the Doctor has driven himself physically up to and right over the edge during their time in New York.
Author's Notes: Huge thanks to aranhe for beta reading and making me take a harder look at some of my assumptions. I'm much more satisfied with the story because of her input.
Chapter 1 – "Running"
That, Martha berated herself as she walked up the ramp toward the control console of the TARDIS, is definitely one of the most insensitive things I've said in recent memory. There's someone for everyone? She felt nauseous. After she'd learned in New New York how completely and utterly alone the Doctor was, in a way she couldn't possibly imagine – her stomach twisted into knots if her thoughts even tried to go that way – she had to go and remind him of it? She hadn't meant it that way, she'd truly only been referring to Lazlo and Tallulah, but the way he'd reacted, all life draining out of him and that quiet "maybe," told her he was thinking of something else entirely, and she couldn't imagine what else it would be.
Her head was throbbing and tears pricked at her eyes as she recalled the singing floating through the air in that dark, damp alley. She remembered with painful clarity the way he'd admitted he'd lied to her and the heartbreaking reason why he'd done so, just so he could imagine his people, his loved ones, his friends and family were still alive. All of it gone, completely and irrevocably, sacrificed to save the universe from an unrelenting evil.
She slowed down as the reality hit her in a way it hadn't when they were running for their lives. She had come face to face with the enemy he had told her about in that New New York alley – the Daleks, the very ones the Time Lords had fought and laid down their lives to defeat. The Doctor had been so quiet and melancholy then as he told her about the wonders of his lost home. Now, though, she had seen his rage, despair and desperation as it burned and boiled through that gentle sadness. When he had faced down the Daleks in Hooverville and again in the theater, she had both feared him and feared for him.
As the Doctor brushed past her now, she resisted the urge to catch him by the arm. To do what, she wasn't sure. Hug him? He'd probably only stand there stiffly and tolerate her efforts to comfort him. Maybe he'd hug her back, but right now it would likely be more of a reflex on his part. Did she think she could look into his eyes and say something deep and meaningful to ease the pain? But what could she possibly say to a loss as all-encompassing as his?
She stopped at the top of the ramp and watched as he walked around the console, one hand in his pocket, the other flipping levers and half-heartedly pushing buttons, starting the dematerialization sequence. Her feet automatically carried her to the edge of the control console, and she waited for him to do or say something. She hoped he would take the initiative since she was completely lost for words and couldn't bear standing there in silence for much longer.
When he finally looked up at her, there was still an echo of all that rage and despair in his eyes, enough to make her flinch, to feel as though fire had swept past her just inches away. After a moment of paralysis, she looked away.
He said, "Sorry," very quietly. Sorry for what? Sorry for bringing her here? Sorry he wasn't dead? She jerked her mind away from that thought. No. He was probably sorry for letting her see the slightest hint of what he was feeling. That was a much safer mental route for her to go down. He'd let her see he could be hurt, that he did hurt, that there was what amounted to an inferno behind his cheerful façade.
He was the complete polar opposite of Lazlo, who wore his heart on his sleeve, what he felt for Tallulah shining through even that horrible face the Daleks had left him with. Martha had nothing but respect and admiration for Tallulah in accepting Lazlo as he was, but she couldn't help but wish that Tallulah could've had her old Lazlo back, complete and whole, with a face he wouldn't have to hide. Tallulah was the Gawain to his Rangell, only there was no magic to make him beautiful again. Or was there?
She resisted the urge to blurt her idea right out. She wasn't quite sure how to deal with the Doctor in a dark mood, and she still felt as if she were on tenuous ground as far as her welcome on the TARDIS was concerned, despite or maybe because of all they'd done together since she'd met him. But if she knew one thing, it was that it was in his nature to help, to save, to protect. Maybe this was what he needed, what they both needed to turn away from dark memories and even darker thoughts.
She tentatively said, "Doctor?" When he looked up at her, the anger seemed to have passed, but there was such a weary sadness in his eyes that she hesitated. Instead of jumping right into the heart of the matter, she backed off a bit and only said, "Can I ask you a question?" Leaving it up to him whether he even wanted to engage in conversation at that moment.
He stared at her for a moment as if trying to determine what she was going to ask, then nodded and replied, "As long as it doesn't have anything to do with Daleks." A muscle twitched in his cheek as he said the name.
She hesitated again, but then reminded herself that she only wanted to help Lazlo and Tallulah and maybe help the Doctor a bit in the process. "Isn't there some way to put Lazlo's face back to what it was? I know you had a struggle to even keep him alive, and I'll completely understand if you say it isn't possible, but seeing as this is a time machine, I was hoping there might be some place in the future where that sort of thing might be possible."
He blinked at her for a few moments. She could've sworn he was struggling to stay upright and awake – who could blame him, considering the physical and emotional turmoil he'd been through recently – but then something flashed in his eyes that had nothing to do with anger or grief. A grin spread over his face and manic energy flowed back into him. He hopped up and down a bit, hitting his forehead with his palm. "Oh, I'm thick! Thick, thick, thick."
Martha was a bit taken aback by the sudden change in his entire demeanor. "I'll take that as a yes?"
"Oh, yes, definitely yes." He went flying around the console, hitting levers and buttons, until he pulled up short in front of her and said with his face inches away from hers, "Thick as thick is thick, that's me." He took her by the shoulders and gently moved her away from the console, then continued his crazed dance.
She was beginning to fear for his sanity when he slammed down one last lever and gave one more knob an emphatic twist. The TARDIS jolted and shook, and Martha had to make a frantic grab for one of the railings to keep from being thrown into the control console or onto the floor.
The Doctor didn't seem to be the least bit affected. Like a sailor on the deck of a ship in a heaving ocean, he skipped lightly over to stop in front of her as the TARDIS stilled. "Did I mention I was thick?" He grinned and pointed a finger at her. "And you're very clever, my medical-doctor-to-be."
He ran down the ramp and yanked the TARDIS doors open, bursting out into the sunshine. She trailed after him with a worried frown on her face. Of course, she'd seen him before now running around like a kid who'd had far too many sweets, but this was extreme. Combined with the degree of change in his energy level and how quickly it had happened, she was beginning to be a bit concerned.
As she stepped out onto the grass, she saw that he had landed them in the park where they'd said their farewells to Lazlo, Tallulah and Frank. Frank had gone, but Lazlo and Tallulah were sitting next to each other on a bench, holding hands. They both stared in utter confusion at the Doctor as he strode purposefully over to them, grabbed Lazlo by the arm and yanked him off the bench. "I'm not done with you yet," was all he said to Lazlo as he pulled him into the TARDIS and slammed the door. Martha was left standing next to a startled Tallulah, who had jumped to her feet as Lazlo was pulled away from her.
The door of the TARDIS popped back open a few seconds later. The Doctor stuck his head out, grinning from ear to ear, said, "Back in a tick," then slammed the door again. Martha and Tallulah both flinched, then watched as the TARDIS dematerialized.
As the wind whipped up by the TARDIS's departure faded, Tallulah gasped, "Wow! That's some kind of magic trick."
Martha smiled. "Yeah, I suppose you could say that."
"What's that Doctor of yours up to now? And he's crazy, by the way, in case you hadn't noticed."
Martha gave a slight bark of laughter. "Yeah, I had noticed that actually. But it's a good kind of crazy. Usually." She frowned as worry wormed its way back into her thoughts, but she pushed it aside to deal with later. "As for what he's up to, wait and see." She could barely hold in her delight at what she hoped was about to happen.
Martha was expecting Tallulah to start asking more questions, but she waited silently, shifting a bit from foot to foot with a concerned look on her face. Martha shook her head, marveling at how well Tallulah had taken so many strange things in stride. Maybe she was just beyond the point of wanting to understand or even caring about anything but Lazlo's safe return.
This left Martha with a few moments to turn her thoughts back to her earlier concern about the Doctor's behavior. This wasn't the first time he'd had such a radical swing in mood and energy since they'd been in New York. After the gamma radiation strike on the Empire State Building, he'd barely been able to move, or even open his eyes for that matter, but he'd sprung right up when she'd pointed out there was still Dalekanium attached to the mast. Then in the lab when Lazlo was dying, the Doctor had been so quiet at first, but then popped to his feet, ripped off his coat and began to wildly bounce from one side of the lab to the other, stirring and pouring and lighting Bunsen burners like a veritable Doctor Jekyll. It all seemed a bit odd to her, even though she had to admit she really knew very little of the Doctor. She just had an unsettled feeling about his behavior.
She didn't have time to pursue that train of thought any further since the TARDIS was already rematerializing, this time a bit further across the park. "That was fast," Tallulah said, walking quickly towards the TARDIS. Martha smiled as she followed. If all had gone well, this was going to be amazing.
The door of the TARDIS slowly creaked open, and the Doctor stood there holding the door and looking back into the TARDIS. "Go on then," he said, leaning his head towards Tallulah, then turning to give Tallulah a subdued smile. When Martha saw the Doctor's face, she stopped walking and frowned. He looked absolutely exhausted – dark circles under his eyes, his shoulders sagging. She even thought she saw him sway a bit as he stood there. She'd never seen him truly tired; quite the contrary, actually.
Then Lazlo emerged from the TARDIS and started walking towards Tallulah, his head down with his hat still on. Tallulah was standing very still and was looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and what Martha thought might be fear. "Lazlo?" Tallulah whispered hesitantly.
Lazlo stopped, lifted his head, and smiled the most amazingly joyous smile Martha had seen in recent memory. A smile with straight, human teeth, nothing but teeth with no tusks, and a normal human nose and ears in place of the snout and pig ears he'd had before. His face had been completely restored.
Even though she'd been expecting it, Martha felt tears welling up in her eyes as Lazlo walked quickly to Tallulah and gathered her carefully into his arms. He smiled affectionately at her and said, "Hello, Tallulah with three l's and an h. Remember me?"
"Oh, Lazlo!" she cried as her eyes darted back and forth across his face, one of her hands resting on his shoulder while the other ran down his cheek, across his lips and back to his ear, all the while staring at him in absolute wonder.
Martha wrapped her arms around herself and walked around them, giving them a wide berth. Her worry came back full force as she got a closer look at the Doctor. He really did look absolutely knackered. As she stopped beside him, he swayed and bumped into her with his shoulder. "Oh, sorry," he muttered, then quickly added, "We'd better be off then."
Martha nodded. He wasn't moving, though. He was holding tightly onto the doorframe of the TARDIS, his knuckles white. Then he took a deep, shuddering breath and pulled himself upright.
At that moment, there was a small gasp of pain from Lazlo, followed by Tallulah desperately asking him what was wrong. Martha jerked around to see what was happening. Lazlo was still holding Tallulah in a careful embrace, but his face was creased in pain. Martha looked quickly back at the Doctor, but he was smiling as he said, "You might want to wait a bit on the kissing, give him a little more time to heal."
Lazlo was gently brushing a bit of hair away from Tallulah's face. "It's all right. I'm fine." Tallulah nodded, her expression still concerned while Lazlo looked over at the Doctor, not letting go of Tallulah for one moment. "Thank you," he said with tears glimmering in his eyes. "I just…" He shook his head, apparently lost for words. "Thank you," he said again, even more solemnly than the first time.
"Aww, not a problem," the Doctor said, as if he turned pigs into men on a regular basis. Then he added with gentle sincerity plainly evident in his voice, "Good luck to the both of you. You'll be brilliant, I know." He turned and disappeared into the TARDIS, stumbling and knocking into the doorframe as he went.
Martha watched him just long enough to make sure he kept to his feet, then took a moment to turn back to Lazlo and Tallulah. She didn't know what else she could add to what the Doctor had already said, though, so she simply said, "Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Martha," Tallulah replied with a little wave, then she gave Martha a stern look and shook a finger at her. "Don't you keep lettin' that man look right through you, you hear me?"
Martha nodded as she said, "I hear you." But really, she wasn't quite sure how she felt about that particular subject at the moment. She set it aside to think about later, then turned, went into the TARDIS and closed the door.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28285
|
Disclaimer: South Park and all characters in it are copyright Matt Stone and Trey Parker, not me.
Such an innocent title, isn't it?
The lyrics are from Pink Floyd's "Goodbye Blue Sky".
This is another fic about a pairing that isn't popular. At all. This is, indeed, going to be a multi-chaptered fic. If you haven't read anything by me, then let me tell you that the fact that this is titled something as fluffy as "Pink" doesn't mean it is going to fluffy and sweet at all. This story is going to test some boundaries in characters. It's going to rearrange your way of thinking about them. It's going to figure out who they are when they aren't themselves.
It's also, of course, a story of love, and getting to that point where you actually know it is love. It's a story of getting to the point where you know yourself, too.
It's a story about letting go. It's a story about holding on; and it's a good idea for you to hold on as well. You never know what you might lose along the way.
The writing style is going to progress over the course of the story. Think the atmosphere of Vanilla Blue meets the atmosphere of The Spiral Clause, drifting a bit into Angina in some places, and you might be getting somewhere; or, you might not be getting anywhere at all, it all depends on what you're reading here, and what you understand. You can, however, expect shifting tones and changing atmosphere constantly in this story, as well as some jumps in time and place, and some holes in places you might not have expected holes to be. Be sure that the things that are left out are left out for a reason, such as names or places, and that some things might never be divulged in this story. Unfortunately, you can't know about everything in real life, and this story is no different. Some things you just have to muse over, without knowing whether you're close to the truth, or far far away from it.
I hope you enjoy, at least. I hope you come back for the next chapter. And I hope that you will not get discouraged with either the pace or the content.
Title: Pink
Author: Zoshi the Confused
Rating: Ranging, mostly PG-PG13
Category: South Park
Genre: Angst/eventual tragedy
May contain: Shounen-Ai/Boy Love, Violence, Adult Situations, Swearing
The flames are all long gone
But the pain lingers on…
Stars of red decorated the porcelain sink. They stood out in stark contrast against the white backdrop, dark centers with fading arms stretching in all directions. He gritted his teeth; another star fell to join them, spreading its arms out towards its brothers, hands overlapping, red on red on red. Their longest arms joined in a strange dance, spiraling and swirling towards the dark, grated center of the sink.
He hadn't gone deep this time; he'd made that mistake before. The stars came slowly, but they came with more relief than they had in a long time. More pleasure as well, each drop sending shivers up his arm and down his spine. He closed his eyes; he could feel them rising up out of him, pushing through that small opening he'd made for them. He could feel them emerging, welling up on his arm and racing down his palm, taking part of himself with them.
This was the closest he'd come to giving birth, he thought. And what an amazing experience it was. What an amazing experience.
He was God.
"All right guys, we're done for tonight. Go get cleaned up."
Dodging out of the way of the rest of the team, I pulled my helmet off and wiped the sweat off of my forehead. Grinning at the coach, I headed across the field towards the gym. Training that day was tough, but for good reason. We were getting close to the finals, and even though we were towards the front of the standings, games were getting close. With a sigh, I reminded myself of the play book I was supposed to be studying, and made a mental note to get it from the coach before he left for home that day. If I didn't get my head around those defensive maneuvers, we were going to have big trouble in the next game. The Keenesburg Kougars were an all-offense team; they'd made it this far practically on pure brawn, and if I wasn't careful my players would get squashed in the first quarter. With a sigh, I pushed open the gym doors, nearly running into the person heading out.
"Sorry, didn't see you – Oh, Red!" I grinned, stopping in the doorway with the door held opened. The guy in front of me raised one eyebrow, a slight look of annoyance crossing his face.
"Trying to get out," He said tersely, but I ignored him.
"Gonna give us a good write-up in the paper this week?" I asked cheerfully, earning a snort from the dark-clothed guy. He made a show of looking into his notebook.
" 'Twelve overgrown children spent the evening throwing each other around like sacks of potatoes in anticipation of an even larger potato throwing competition this weekend,'" Red snapped the notebook closed and looked at me pointedly. His hair had fallen into his face, more red than black since his roots were growing in again, but he didn't bother to flick it out of the way. I frowned; it seemed like he was lacking something lately.
"It's eleven, you know," I corrected him, stepping back slightly to give him room to get past. He rolled his eyes, stepping around me.
"Details," He tossed back disinterestedly as he walked away.
"How did you land the sports section, anyways?" I called after him, saw him shake his head, but he didn't respond. "I'm leaving the school five-thirty on Saturday for the game, if you need a ride!"
I couldn't tell if he heard me or not, and he rarely let me know if he did, but I still waited a few seconds before heading inside.
People changed. I could understand that, I really could. Heading out of the gym a short while later, I turned towards the parking lot. On it waited my not-quite-yet-old Civic (what would you expect in a backwater town like this?) and, of course, my three, wonderful best friends, who figured it was better to wait the few hours I had practice to go home instead of heading off themselves earlier.
"What the fuck you fucking shit stop stealing my stuff! I swear to fucking God –"
"What a load of bullshit, you asshole, you don't believe in God –"
"The hell it is to you, ass wipe."
Yes. My wonderful, wonderful friends. I sighed, tossing my helmet, duffle bag, and car keys to the larger guy leaning against the side of the dark blue car, and turned to the two currently trying to choke each other on the hood.
"Guys, do you really want to ride home on the hood again?" I asked. My answer was a yelp of pain, and a string of curses, as they both managed to shove each other off either side of the car.
"You, fuck, you tell him," Kyle growled, red in the face as he scrambled back to his feet. "You tell him to get his own fucking Funyuns!"
"Ha!" Kenny pulled himself up, leaning on the hood. "Fuck you, they weren't even yours! They were Cartman's!"
"I fucking won those Funyuns. They. Were. Mine!"
"Whoa, whoa, guys, cut it out, all right?" I cut in, trying to break apart the death glare that was now heating the air above the car's hood. "Get in the car before I leave you two behind."
There was maybe a second of quiet before the two realized that Kenny was closer to the prized shotgun-seat. The mad dash that followed was most likely the reason I was pounding dents out of the front of my car weekly despite never having had even a fender bender. Kyle half-leaped, half-slid across the hood as Kenny jumped for the door handle, tackling the blond as he landed. I decided to let them fight it out without interruptions this time, and turned to find Cartman leaning against the side of the car again, a big grin on his face. He tossed the keys to me as I walked over, chuckling to himself.
"What?" I asked wearily. Football practices were tiring enough without having to deal with the Dynamite-Duo.
"Nothing. Just trying to figure out when I became one of the more mentelleh balanced of this group," Cartman laughed, pulling the rear door open. I shook my head, laughing slightly.
"It just seems like that compared to th—" A thump and more cursing cut me off. I rolled my eyes, and got into the driver's seat. The remaining doors thumped closed, and I started the engine, shooting a glance to the side. Kyle sat grinning like the Cheshire cat in the front seat, with Kenny fuming in the seat just behind him. I could practically see him fighting the urge to kick the back of Kyle's seat, but was glad to see that he wasn't giving in. My car, my rules. I wasn't about to let them demolish my car just because they couldn't control themselves.
Ah, change. Sometimes it was good; sometimes it made everything into a war zone. I backed out of the parking spot and headed out of the lot, thinking back to the old days. Lines were so clearly defined back then; Kyle was the smart one, Cartman was the crazy psycho, Kenny was the silent poor boy, and me? Well, I guess I can't really say. I was never good at judging my own character, after all. Judging my friend's characters, however… I thought I had been pretty good at that.
"So man, good practice?" Kyle asked, turning a grin in my direction. The sun's last rays glinted off of his snake bite piercings.
"Yeah, lot of work though…" I grinned, turning the blinker on. What a change, indeed; straight-A student, a "nice and helpful" boy, as his mom put it. Not to say Kyle wasn't a straight-A student anymore; he blasted records and left everyone in the dust, just like before. Now, however, he did it with a strange sort of maniacal glee. Something snapped, I guess. No more rules for him; no more regulations or limitations. No traditions, either. God and religion might've been yesterday's news, buried somewhere in the middle of the paper. He'd said once he wasn't going to live a destiny someone else made for him, that he was going to make it or break it on his own terms, in his own way. Sometimes, I found myself wondering just how long his new anarchistic mantra would let him stay loyal to us, or whether he was still loyal to us at all anymore. The question was sincere, however, and although he'd just been ready to most likely rip the seething blonde's throat out, there was no malice in his eyes.
"Well, duh, you guys only got a fucking huge game coming up this weekend," Kyle leaned back in the chair, brushing fingers through his curly hair. At least that hadn't changed; I'd really be worried if it did.
I glanced into the rear view mirror to see how things were going in the back seat. Cartman had gotten his iPod out and was sharing the earbuds with Kenny; a good idea. Music always put Kenny in a good mood. I was glad for at least one near-constant in our little group; I tried not to think too hard about the fact that it was Cartman that was that near-constant. I didn't want to think what that implied about the rest of us. Cartman was, though it was hard to say, one of the more trustworthy people I knew. Over the years, with all the changes that had gone on between the four of us, I found it harder and harder to confide in anyone else. Everyone was bouncing off on some different airwaves, and the only person I could match up with was Cartman. He'd really turned into something, I had to admit. Somewhere around seventh grade his mom had taken a liking to a slightly younger businessman, and suddenly, almost overnight, Cartman found a purpose. Where before the only male presence in the house was the random midnight visitor, now there was a solid male constant, a constant that didn't fall prey to his twisted games and traps. When Cartman hit the final mark, and put into motion a plan that set on fire the car the man was driving while he was half-way to work, we all thought the end had come for him. We were wrong. There was no yelling. There was no punishment. He came home, sat Cartman down, and talked with him, for hours. I don't think anyone had ever done it before; I don't think anyone ever believed that that was all it would take. Cartman hadn't wanted the destruction as much as he'd wanted the attention, but all the attention he could get from his friends and his mother couldn't satisfy the one urge he desperately needed to satisfy. He wanted a father.
Having a father figure definitely didn't turn him into a good god-fearing boy, but it certainly put a curb on his behavior. His stepdad put his mind to work on competitions and tournaments. Instead of acting out, he was acting up, and he was excelling at it. Now, the only ones who suffered from his psychotic ideas were us, and some other classmates who we were closer with. Truth be told, I wouldn't have it any other way. Cartman without his craziness would have marked the end of the world; I've had quite enough jarring changes happening without that adding to the mix.
"Hey, Stan?" Kenny's voice broke into my thoughts, "Could you drop me off at the shop? Shut up!"
That last part was for Kyle, who certainly seemed ready to add something. I gave him a sharp look and he rolled his eyes, grumbling something under his breath.
"Sure thing Ken," I grinned into the rearview mirror, saw the blonde give me a small grin back before focusing on the music again. Cartman laughed at something, and Kenny chuckled along, slouching a bit on the seat. He had his years-old orange hoodie on with the hood pulled over his head, and I could see that the hole on the knee of his jeans had gotten larger. I don't think there was anything on him that wasn't second-hand. It wasn't a long drive to the auto repair shop, and before long Kenny was hopping out of the backseat, waving half-heartedly as he walked to the front door. I pulled away as he headed inside. A slightly uncomfortable silence followed during which Cartman busied himself with his iPod, and Kyle attempted to glare a hole through the side window.
I sighed softly, earning a sharp glance from the redhead. Trying to ignore it, I hummed a few bars of a song, wishing my stereo worked. Things had been fine, a few years ago. Kyle and Kenny had gotten along back then. Hell, they had more than gotten along, they'd practically become best friends. It was just around the time Kyle had really started questioning things; I wasn't any good at helping him through it. I couldn't understand what he was getting at, I couldn't tell him what he wanted to hear. He'd clung to me, desperately, but I couldn't give him his answers, and he found someone who could. Apparently, Kenny had been living the life Kyle was looking for all along. Don't read me wrong, Kyle didn't want poverty; he wanted freedom. Kenny had been more than willing to answer Kyle's questions about no rules and no limits, and they'd spent more hours together discussing Kyle's newfound anarchism than anyone was able to count. Kenny taught him everything he knew about a world where nothing was either punished or rewarded, and with Kyle's mind they'd almost made a philosophy out of it, with their ideas and theories painting a stark contrast to what Kyle had known until then.
Then came the… accident. Kevin high-tailed it out of town before anyone even knew what had happened and Kenny had found himself all alone in the world. The discussions, the questions and the speculations nearly drove him insane, and it was a thin line we were walking on back then, trying to keep him grounded. I wasn't sure how Kyle's new belief system would make him act; he lived in a dog eat dog world then, survival of the fittest. I couldn't see it allowing him any empathy, but either a part of his former self was still inside him, or there was more to his new philosophy than I knew. He was right there with the rest of us, telling Kenny everything was going to be all right. We didn't know what was going to happen to him, but we damned sure weren't going to let him do it alone. We'd gotten a hell of a lot closer then, and it seemed things were going to get good again.
Then Kyle's mom decided that their family was going to take Kenny in. There was lots of happiness all around; Kenny wasn't going to get sent away anywhere. We were still going to be together, all of us. Everything was going to be fine. There were a few bumps, of course. The Broflovski's weren't able to afford a new house, and there were only two bedrooms apart from the master bedroom. Since Ike was a lot younger, and it just wasn't fair to give either one of the older boys their own room without giving the other one as well, that meant that Kyle and Kenny would be sharing a room. That in and of itself wouldn't have been a problem, except that McCormick's had never lived off of charity, no matter what people said, and pride wouldn't let Kenny let anyone take care of him without giving them something in return. The blonde had called it stupid himself, but he couldn't help it. Things felt wrong otherwise. So he found a job, and said he was going to at least cover his clothes and school supplies himself. Mr. and Mrs. Broflovski said they understood.
Kyle didn't.
I pulled into the driveway of Kyle's house, but before I could turn the engine off Kyle was already climbing out of the car. He slammed the door shut and stalked off towards the back yard, hands in his pants pockets. I winced slightly; there was so much anger in him these days. I thought I could predict the mood at the Broflovski's house that night.
"No use worrying about it if you can't do anything about it," Cartman said from the back seat, "I told Kenneh he can stay at my house tonight if he wants."
"He probably won't," I sighed, still not moving the car.
"At least he knows," Cartman replied, and I heard the back door opening, then closing. A few moments later the passenger's side door opened, and he settled into the seat, eyes still on his iPod.
"So, were they really your Funyuns?" I asked as I backed the car out.
"Does it matter?" Cartman snorted, then smirked at me, eyes glittering. "Hell of a show, wasn't it?"
"I swear –" I cut myself off, groaning. "Cartman, are you ever going to stop setting them up like that?"
"I can't help it, they're so easeh to set off," Cartman snickered, and I shook my head. And he called himself the "mentally stable" one of our bunch.
Okay, so tossing balls of paper across the room probably wasn't the right way to get on a person's good side, but he hadn't exactly been responding to my other methods of getting his attention. Still, it was only after a good dozen pages out of my notebook had been sent on a ten-foot flight that he finally reacted. Tilting his head to get his long bangs out of his eyes, he glared at me. I grinned back, pointed at the empty seat next to me. He rolled his eyes, but grabbed his book and bag and headed over.
"I was studying," Red said quietly, glancing over at the study hall monitor as he dropped into the seat.
"Maybe I could study with you?" I suggested, leaning back in my chair.
"There's five minutes left," He answered, "And Chaos Theory takes a bit longer to comprehend, especially if you the type of person who makes it a habit to sustain concussions on a regular basis."
It was my turn to roll my eyes. Twirling the pencil, I looked down at the open notebook on my own desk. Nothing but scribbles, of course, and some football plays that I was trying to find work-arounds for.
"Tell me about the butterfly." I said, frowning at one of the notations I had made. I crossed it out and wrote something else next to it.
"The butterfly is just one, small part of Chaos Theory," Red said, and I smiled at him.
"Baby steps for us concussed ones, right?" I raised an eyebrow, and he looked thoughtful.
"I can't tell you about the butterfly in under two minutes," Red unzipped his bag and tucked the book inside. I watched him for a moment, then leaned over.
"Are you ever going to tell anyone your real name?" His eyes and mine were on level, and he raised an eyebrow.
The bell rang.
"Dammit!" I groaned, leaning back in my chair. Red got up, tossing the shoulder strap on.
"Almost made it that time, just a few seconds too late," He shrugged.
"Not fair, you paused," I grumbled, getting up from my chair myself. "It was exactly thirty seconds to the end when I asked."
"So you think," Red answered as he turned to go. "Better luck next time."
I grabbed my own things, packing up as he left. Better luck next time, my ass. This game was getting on my nerves, but I couldn't stop. Somehow, no matter how close I was time wise, he always managed to put it off. I'd manage it eventually. I just wanted to do it before we graduated.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28286
|
--So, i wrote this for a friend of mine. Hope u like it! Later chaps will be rated M, just a warning now. Enjoy!--
Chaos Theory
Since You've Been Gone
Edenton, North Carolina
It had been two years. Two whole years since anyone had seen him. The day he had disappeared was like any other. The last time Morgan had seen his friend he'd looked over his shoulder and waved on his way out the door. Then the next day…It was like he had vanished off the face of the Earth. In an instant, he was nothing more than a memory.
Forensics found nothing; police found nothing, his apartment looked like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. His car was parked in its usual spot, cell phone and wallet inside, and everywhere around it was clean. They had nothing to go on. Absolutely nothing.
Morgan stared down at the scratched bar underneath his arms, holding a shot glass between his hands, thinking back to the conversation he'd had with Hotch.
"We can't just give up on him!" He had exclaimed. Hotch shut his office door and crossed to his desk.
"Morgan, we've had cases piling up for months. Other people need our help."
"So that's it, you're just gonna let Reid die?!" He bellowed.
"Morgan," Hotch said calmly. "I understand why you're so upset. Reid was my friend too. And if he were here right now he would tell you how improbable it would be for him to still be alive after a year and a half. You know that." Morgan shook his head, blinking furiously.
"No," He said firmly. "Until I see his body he is not dead. I won't give up on him, Hotch. I can't." Hotch nodded.
"None of us are, Morgan. But we do have to move one just in case we never find him. Do you think He would want us to leave these other people calling to us for help? Because I don't." He said. Morgan bowed his head, sniffed and looked back up.
"I'll go to wherever we need to go. I'll work on any and every case we have. But when we aren't doing anything I'm workin' on this." He said sternly. Hotch immediately handed him the case file.
"I wouldn't expect you to do anything else." He said.
Morgan shook his head, bringing himself back to the bar. He brought the glass closer to his face, staring at the amber liquid.
"Happy Birthday, Kid." He whispered, knocking it back a second later.
"Hey," A familiar voice said behind him, a warm hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, Baby Girl, I'm okay." He said. She sat on the barstool next to him, looking like she didn't believe him.
"Gorgeous, I may not be a profiler but I can tell when you're upset." She said, smiling lightly. He shook his head.
"I know He's out there somewhere, Penelope. I'd know if he wasn't. And I can't let him go, I just can't." He said quietly. Garcia put her hand on his shoulder again, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"I know you can't, Derrick. I get it," She paused. "I had to move on. I had to let Him go, Sugar. It hurt too much to hang onto Him."
"I know, Garcia. It's alright." He mumbled. She squeezed his shoulder again.
"If He's out there we'll find him. Or He'll find us. It's not like He's stupid." She said, smiling. He attempted one back, staring at his hands.
"It's His birthday." He stated. She nodded.
"I know. He's 25 now, right?" She asked. He nodded. "J.J.'s been crying off and on all day. Gideon hasn't talked much. Hotch hasn't either. Emily didn't talk to him much, and Rossi's never met him so..." She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "I sure do miss that little genius." Morgan swallowed, nodding again.
"We should get back to the case," He said. She nodded. "Have we found the guy's house yet?" She shook her head.
"My search engines are still going trying to find the guy's name. As soon as they do that we can find his house." She assured. He nodded, standing and tossing a twenty onto the counter.
"We should get back then."
Edenton Police Station
Gideon rubbed his temples, trying not to think at all. His head ached terribly from attempting this. The boy's face was still as fresh in his mind as it was the day he went missing. He remembered mentoring him to the best of his ability, broadening his thinking, opening his mind to anything. He was like a son to him.
"You alright?" Rossi asked, sitting next to him.
"Just thinkin'." He said truthfully.
He smiled to himself, thinking about the first time Spencer had beat him at chess.
"I never got to meet Spencer," Rossi said. "What was he like?" Gideon smiled again
"He was smart, very smart. Genius. He wasn't arrogant about it, though. He wasn't arrogant about anything. He was always trying to prove himself. And he had the ambition to do it. But no matter what he did it was never good enough. That's what he thought, anyway. And he loved to learn."
"Sounds like a good kid." Rossi said, smiling lightly. Gideon nodded.
"Today's his birthday." He said quietly.
"That explains a lot, then." Rossi glanced over at J.J., who was blowing her nose.
"Uh, sir," The two men turned. Garcia was looking at Gideon, looking anxious. "I, I think I found the guy's house."
Bullet proof vests were fastened in place, guns were loaded, their attentions were heightened to "on edge".
Hotch was grateful for the distraction. He couldn't take the silence around him much longer. He'd been wondering a lot lately what it would be like if Reid was still here.
We'd get answers to a lot of questions a lot faster. He thought, trying to laugh about the awful situation. He had to. If he didn't he'd go insane.
He truly did think Spencer was dead. And he didn't like to think about how he died. Spencer wouldn't just leave. No, there was something wrong. He'd known that since day one. And he hoped the son of a bitch that took him burned in the lowest depths of Hell. Spencer was almost –if not totally- innocent. He'd never hurt anyone in any situation that wasn't life or death. So for anyone to hurt him had to be damnable.
"Hotch, you in there?" Morgan asked. Hotch nodded.
"Yeah, let's go." He said.
There was no car parked in the gravel driveway, or anywhere near the property for that matter. Nevertheless, they had to go through their routine of bashing in a locked door and running from room to room yelling "Clear!".
Hotch checked all of the corners in the living room of the rickety farmhouse and the kitchen.
"Clear!" He shouted, lowering his gun.
Morgan opened a door that led to a basement and quickly went down it, gun pointed down the darkened hall. Hotch walked toward the back rooms where other officers were quickly clearing them one by one.
He walked in what he assumed was the man's bedroom, holstering his gun and looking around, trying to see what he could understand about this man that he hadn't known before.
That's when someone yelled from downstairs.
--uh oh! Ok, so that's chapter one. Tell me what u think! (How'd ya like it Lizzie?)--
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28287
|
Booth turned on the light to her office, well what used to be her office. Now it was used by whatever visiting professor they had at the time. Occasionally someone would use it to store files or records. It had become a catch all basically. The Jeffersonian was currently looking for a replacement for her but was having limited success.
He went to the large bookcase against the back wall and moved two large reference books to reveal a small box, no bigger than a paperback novel. He didn't know why he did this to himself. He never took the box, only opened it in here. Her office.
He sat down in the semi darkness-the lab was mostly empty this time of night, and opened the top of the box. Smiling sadly he pulled the top picture out and actually started to laugh. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why their eyes had all turned out so red, it looked as though the picture was taken by a demonic camera. Tracing their faces with his finger he laughed again at whatever the hell it was on Jack's head. That guy had more bad hats than he could fathom it seemed.
The next picture in the pile was one that she'd had framed for him at one time. After years of apartment living, he'd finally taken the plunge and bought a house. Not just any house though, this one at one time had belonged to his parents; they'd sold it a long time ago. The new owner had put a lot of time and money into fixing it up before being forced to sell due to illness. He remembered the way it had been though, small but clean, always enough to have food on the table and shoes on their feet. They'd sold it because as it turned out, they needed the money more than the house; he'd never known that until much later. He looked at the photo some more and remembered trying to sneak out one night to meet some girl; he'd almost broke an ankle coming out of the second story roof.
Booth sat that photo aside and looked at the next one. It was the outside of the Hoover building, the sun was bright in the sky and the building itself looked imposing as it should. The photo was taken the day of his appointment to Deputy Director. She'd wanted him to pose in front of it, but he declined. So she laughed and told him she'd photo shop him into it later. She never got the chance to do so he guessed. He'd gone to college; gotten his degree but never felt that he'd gotten an education until he'd entered that building. He'd never not wanted to walk through those doors, it was like coming home and he'd loved it there.
Seeley sat back against the couch cushion, holding the box in his lap and wondered what it would be like to go back there now. He knew that going back wouldn't take him to that place that he remembered though. Things were better now than they had been then, although it had taken a long time to get to now. He knew too that looking at these photographs wasn't helping anything but he had to do it. It was his way of saying goodbye. Each and every time, it was like he was walking in the front door but only seeing the back door at the same time. Never really living or leaving, but now he had to say goodbye.
The next photo was the carousel at City Park; he'd taken Parker there all the time when he was younger. Then when she had come along, he took her there too. They'd all had some really good times there. When it burned down a year ago, he'd often wondered if his memories were the only ones that burned down with it. Holding that photo he stared at it until he was seeing through it to another memory altogether, they'd been coming back from a case and had lapsed into an uncommon silence, each lost in their own thoughts. He'd turned the radio on for some background noise a mutually favorite song of theirs came on. They'd both started singing the Foreigner song, he played air drums on the dash and she acted the guitar hero. Laughing afterwards they both agreed that singing was never going to be their strongest suit and it was best their concerts stayed in the car.
He remembered the first time they did a lot of things together. The first kiss however was always in the forefront of his thoughts. She'd done it to secure Christmas for her dad and brother while they had been incarcerated; he'd done it to see her smile. Neither one of them knew that it would be the start of it all. That was the day he truly came alive and realized she was everything to him. He'd never asked if she felt the same-he just assumed she did.
Still flipping through the photo's he knew he'd only have a few more minutes before shift change and he'd have to go. Saying goodbye was so hard and this time would be the last time he'd do this. He couldn't keep looking through the past. He found the photo that was always the hardest for him to look at-it was also the hardest one to avoid. It was the three of them together, the two of them were arm in arm, and she was looking up at him, his hand on her belly swollen with his child. He'd been gone on a UC mission and Angela had brought her to the airport to pick him up and had snapped the picture of them as they walked out of the terminal.
Wiping away the tear that slowly rolled down his cheek, he looked hard at the only picture he had left of the three of them. He sighed deeply and put them back in the box. Closing the lid, he put the box back on the shelf and put the books back in front of it. Just thinking of everything that had lead up to this moment, he wouldn't change a thing. He missed them all so much, but working without the same old faces would just be too hard. He would try too hard to replace the old relationships with new faces and since the five of them had left, he knew it wouldn't be the same.
Standing up he wearily rubbed his face and ran his fingers through his hair. He left the office and waved to the security guard by the main entrance, "thanks Frank" he said softly before leaving the lab again. This time when he left he knew he'd never be back. He had the photo of the three of them in his pocket and was done looking at the past. 3 years wasn't long enough to forget, but it was long enough to try to say goodbye. Seeley strolled out of the Jeffersonian, never looking back and got into the fully packed truck parked outside and drove away.
"Who was that?" Karl asked Frank.
"That use to be the Deputy Director of the FBI, Seeley Booth." Frank replied quietly.
"What was he doing here?"
"Saying goodbye to some old ghosts-he comes back every year on the same date and looks at some old photographs."
"Pictures? Of what?"
"You remember that big fire in the apartment building about the liquor store on 7th a few years ago?" he asked the younger guard.
"Yeah, totally gutted it right? Few people died?" he said absently.
"Four employees from this lab, including his wife died in that fire, along with his young daughter. It was a birthday party, and he'd gone to get the ice cream, there was something wrong with a gas line in the liquor store and it blew up. There was no way anyone could know. You know those pictures on the wall in the break room? Dr. Saroyan, Dr. Hodgins, Angela Montenegro and Dr. Brennan, those were the people killed, Dr. Brennan was his wife."
"Oh man, that's terrible." Karl said.
"Yeah, that's why he looks at the photographs, just to say goodbye I guess. Well kid, I'm outta here, take care of the old girl; she's got a lot of history in here." Frank clapped the younger man on the shoulder with an open palm and left through the main doors.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28288
|
Toto is dead
And the sky dark with dust
And Dorothy's slippers glitter no more
Home is where your heart is, the folktales say
Not the ground you hold.
Green is in, so get your brooms
And save the flying monkeys
Times are achanging
and new witches will appear
but where is our Dorothy now?
For our innocence is lost to scarecrow men
with petty tin hearts
For new times will be old times,
Though Dorothy might buy new shoes
Or the witch might change her face,
Time may never be just the same as it was,
Though the wizard's balloon may rise
Time will go marching down
the yellow brick road
just the same as it always has.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28289
|
Disclaimer: I don't own any character of FMA. I do own though this method to have children, because it exists!...Just kidding!
A.N.: I'm not responsible of psychological traumas produced by finding out that your parents and school teachers have been lying to you all along…! I will not pay for psychological therapies or hospitalizations… but I can rent, if anyone needs it, my room at the Panamerican Hospital only with one condition: don't tell them where I am hiding 'cause they will come after me. AHHH…! Here they come..! Sorry have to go…! PLZ enjoy the story…! (starts running followed by the doctors and personnel of the mental sanatory)
"Mommy, how is my sister within you?" Asked a seven years old Winry to her eight months pregnant mother at dinner.
"Well darling, since your father and I love each other he gave me a kiss and a seed inside me sprout and your sister appeared!" Answered her mother.
"Really! That's how people become pregnant?" asked a very amused Winry. "Wow, cool!" Obviously she had believed her mother's story.
"Is it okay if I go outside and play?" Asked Winry after having finished her meal.
"Ok darling, but be careful, ok?"
"Ok, thanks mom!" She answered by running to the door.
"Ed! Al! Let's play!" Called Winry once she got to her friends' house.
"Al can't play, he is studying." Explained Ed while exiting from his house.
"Ok, let's play you and me then! Catch me!" She shouted while running away from the house.
"Hey that's cheating!" Shouted Ed and started running after her.
"Gotcha! I win!" Said a cheerful Ed after a few minutes of running after her.
"Ok you win!" Said a not so cheerful Winry after being beated.
"Hey do you know how people become pregnant?" Asked Winry once they had reached Ed's house.
"No. How?" Asked a very confused Ed by the sudden change of topic.
"Like this!" and she gave him a kiss on his cheek .
"Hey! What was that for!" Asked Ed even more confused.
"Now you are pregnant! When you kiss a person you love a baby appears inside them!" Answered a very cheerful and proud Winry.
"W-what? I'm WHAT?" Ed asked with wide eyes and a face of horror.
"Now you are pregnant! I put a baby inside you!" Answered Winry with a wide smile in her face obviously very happy by the fact that her friend was going to have a baby.
"W-WHAT?" Ed started to shout and cry, obviously scared to dead by Winry's declaration and while running inside his house
To be continued…
(Looks around nervously for signs of the doctors) (takes a deep breath)
(panting by all the running) Ok, it's safe now.
Hope you liked this story….it only took me 30 min. to write…! I'm impressed with myself…! This story is the product of hours of boredom in the classes so plz don't flame me…! Only MY Roy can flame me…! Eh…Did I said that aloud! Oops…eh heh heh (mega sweat drop). AHHHH…here they come again…! Have to go…CIAO..! Oh, and please leave a review…! (running like hell)
Specials thanks to Silverkiss for being my beta in this story…! I owe you one…! n.n
PS: This story is not stolen! This story was publish in my other account, I just decided to eliminate that other account and continue with this one. That said, i hoped you enjoyed it!
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28290
|
Hey guys! So, I've had this story in my mind for a while now, and I had to write it. lol
I've always thought that Brian and Justin would get married someday, but I just can't picture them doing the normal thing. THIS is what I picture for them.
Hope you like it!
A BIG 'thank you' to my wonderful Beta, InconspicuousBunny. She helped a lot, specially with the descriptions of the bedroom decoration. I kind of lack some vocabulary, since I'm Spanish and my English isn't that good (yet, lol). She got exactly what I wanted to say and turned my mediocre description into a work of art. Check out her wonderful stories!
Disclaimer: I don't own Queer As Folk (obviously, since if I owned it, Season Five wouldn't exist as it is, lol). I don't own any of the characters, I just borrowed them to have my wicked way with them. I don't profit from any of my stories.
Brian went back home that day feeling really tired from work. He only wanted to enjoy a nice, relaxing evening with his partner, who had finally come back from New York to live with him for good.
Of course, he knew his plans regarding said nice, relaxing evening were shattered as soon as he entered the doorway, because the first thing he saw in his new, huge house was Justin grinning like the cat that swallowed the canary. Something he only did when he was up to no good, of course.
"Hi, honey" Justin said, his voice high pitched and his eyes shining with mischief. "How was work?"
Those words were met with a tense silence while Brian assessed the situation. He knew Justin wasn't high, so that wasn't it. He had to have done something, and Brian wasn't sure he wanted to know exactly what.
"Okay…What the fuck is going on?" He finally asked warily, lowering his briefcase and looking around cautiously.
"And why, pray tell, do you always think the worst of me?" asked Justin, feigning offence.
Brian lifted an eyebrow and smirked.
"Do I really have to answer that?" he asked back.
Justin laughed and took Brian's arm to push him inside the house.
"Come on, dear, don't be like that" he said, in the same high pitched voice as before. "I just have a nice, big surprise for you, my love. You will loooove it".
"Oh, Christ…" Brian complained. "What did you do now?"
"Shut the fuck up" Justin ordered playfully, smacking his partner's arm lightly.
Brian lifted the other eyebrow, but before he could come up with one of his sarcastic remarks, he was being pushed towards the second floor of their house. Soon, they were headed to the master bedroom. That was fine with Brian. If said nice, big surprise was to be held in their bedroom, it could only mean a nice, big session of hot, dirty sex. Right?
But as soon as they reached the bedroom door, Justin stopped dead in his track and turned around to smile brightly at his partner. He had that shiny glint in his eyes again that put Brian immediately on guard.
"You see, my beautiful beloved," started Justin. "I've decided we should finally get married" he blurted out.
Brian visibly paled; eyes wide and mouth hang open. Justin stifled a laugh.
"Uhm… Uh… W-what?" Brian croaked, speechless.
"You heard me, dear. I want to be your husband. Right now," Justin answered happily, fighting to avoid the laughing fit he could sense coming his way. He didn't want to spoil it; he was enjoying Brian's response too much.
Brian's eyes were cautious again, and he was looking at Justin as if he had gone nuts. Which he frankly believed he had.
"Uh… Justin, you know it didn't really work out last time, don't you?" He asked. "And… wait, what do you mean, right now? Justin, what have you done?"
Just seeing Brian's panicked expression wiped out Justin's intentions of remaining calm and serious. He started laughing. Hard.
"Oh, God, you should have seen your face," he managed to say between laughs, leaning against the bedroom door for support.
Brian huffed, feeling relief seeping out of every pore of his body. It had been just a joke. Thank goodness! He waited patiently, trying not to be amused until Justin stopped laughing, and then he pressed himself against the blonde's body.
"You got me there for a moment," he said huskily, hungrily devouring his partner with his intense eyes. Justin had to use all his greatest effort to stop himself from falling into his partner's spiral of desire. He still had something else to say.
"I do have a wedding planned, you know," he whispered seriously against Brian's lips.
The brunet pulled back and looked at him in horror. Justin tried to remain unaffected by that. He knew that Brian didn't want to get married, even though they had been engaged a couple of years before. It didn't mean that Brian wasn't fully committed to Justin, which he was… in his own way. He just didn't think he could cope with another 'best day of his life' again.
The problem was that Justin did want that kind ceremony. The blonde knew he had to find a unique way that would allow them both to win, and he believed he had found it. He wouldn't have all he could have had years ago when they got engaged, but it was something… and it was going to be so much fun! The only problem was he was afraid that Brian wasn't going to take it seriously, while it was going to mean everything to Justin. Well, at least it was something. A little victory.
"Relax," he smiled. "I won't put you through a normal wedding. We will do it in our own, non-conventional way".
"Justin, I don't fucking know what the hell you're talking about," Brian said, exasperated, pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers.
The blonde smiled again, that damn smile that always sent a chill through Brian's spine, and took his hand.
"You'll see".
Without another word, Justin opened the bedroom door. When Brian caught sight of the inside of the room, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Sunshine, what the hell is all this?" He said, amused. He was starting to understand what his partner had been talking about, and he couldn't say that he hated it. Quite the opposite. He couldn't help but admire the way Justin had turned things around so that what he was asking him would seem less serious than it really was.
The bedroom looked like the dirtiest dream Brian had ever had or perhaps the kind of thing 'the baths' would do if they ever decided to decorate for Valentine's Day. At first glance, the room seemed romantic. There were red satin drapes over the walls, dark red Egyptian cotton sheets on the bed and silk cloth everywhere. There were candles on every available surface giving off a sweet smell, or perhaps that was the flowers that were hanging around the room making it like a red love nest. Brian wondered for a second how long it would take him to throw all of this on the fire that was flickering and dancing in the fireplace but just before he destroyed his partner's work he noticed there was something weird about the room… everything was shaped like a cock. Every little seemingly romantic item, every hint of romance was tinted by sex. There were cocks everywhere, from the red silky drapes on the wall right down to the flower arraignments and the candles.
Then Brian spotted the pièce de résistance sitting in the middle of the room. It was a table with a cock covered tablecloth. There were a couple of trays of cock-shaped fruit and chocolates, but Brian's attention was mainly drawn by the huge basket full of various sex toys every shade of debauchery he could think of.
"Those are our wedding treats," Justin explained, pointing at the chocolates. "Those are our wedding presents," he kept going, pointing at the basket. "And…" he took out a little jewelry box from his pocket and handed it to Brian.
The brunet took the box and opened it half warily, half curiously, and when he saw what was inside he laughed out loud again.
"Cock rings?" he asked, his eyes shining with amusement.
"Cock rings," Justin answered solemnly. "We already agreed that we don't need normal rings, but I guess we can make an exception with those".
"Oh, we most certainly can," Brian stated, eyeing the cock rings hungrily.
"So…" Justin started in a mocking voice. "Will you cock-marry me, Mr. Kinney?"
Brian laughed again, and he eagerly pulled the blonde's body against his to ground their cocks together.
"Yes, dear, I will cock-marry you," he answered.
And, despite the seemingly humorous situation, Brian was suddenly dead-serious. So much that Justin's breath got caught in his throat, because he would have never thought that Brian would take it seriously… but he clearly had. Hazel eyes and blue eyes locked, and neither of them could look away.
"I love you," Brian whispered honestly.
And he almost never said those three little words, so Justin couldn't help but attack his partner's mouth with full force.
"God…" the blond moaned against Brian's lips. "God, I love you too… so fucking much…"
Cock rings in hand, Brian led Justin to the bed kissing him hungrily, their hands roaming everywhere. He had missed this… He had missed him. Two years living apart, seeing each other from time to time… It had been too little for too long. Justin had been back over a month, but Brian still felt the longing he had felt while they had been apart whenever they devoured each other. He couldn't fucking live without that twat; a twat who had cornered him into a pseudo commitment ceremony that was far enough from the normal definition that Brian could actually stand it… But it was real, nonetheless. It felt real.
The blonde started to undress Brian hurriedly, the cloth barrier suddenly seeming far too much. The brunet followed his lead, and in his desperation to get to see more of his partner he ripped the younger man's shirt off him popping buttons flying everyone. If either noticed, neither cared. They just needed to feel each other now and nothing was going to stand in their way.
Soon, they were completely naked and tugging each other's hair, hopelessly abandoned to that wild desire and passion that always possessed them when they were together. It had been there that first night and it was still there now. They knew they didn't have time to use the cock rings right now. They were too excited, too eager. They needed to get off before even thinking of fooling around with the sex toys. And they didn't last long. Soon, they were moaning each other names and crying out their release, lost in a tight embrace of pleasure and mutual relief.
The second time was slower and gentler, and they used the cock rings, all the while looking into each others eyes. Justin was surprised when Brian started to talk as their orgasms got nearer, because he didn't usually say anything while they were making love. But what surprised him more was what he said, speaking in a low husky voice, the words drawled in a half mocking, half serious tone.
"I, Brian Kinney, take you, Justin Taylor, to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love," he started, the words cut off by short pants of pleasure. Justin's eyes started to water while he gazed up at his smirking, but nonetheless serious partner. "I will love you through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together... And I have to say that we've had our share already," he joked. Justin half sobbed half laughed at that, but Brian didn't stop there. He increased the rhythm, and Justin gasped and moaned loudly with pleasure. "I give you my hand, my heart, and my love…" Moan. "From this day forward…" Gasp. "For as long as we both… shall… live…"
Right then, their orgasms attacked their bodies with the force of a storm, leaving them incredibly satisfied and completely spent. And in the afterglows, while Justin wrapped himself around his partner, Brian whispered in his ear;
"I declare us husband and husband".
Justin smiled, pressing his face against Brian's chest and inhaling his incredible scent.
"And what sex has joined together let no man put asunder," the blonde added.
Brian snorted and hugged him close.
"No shit!" he replied, burying his nose in Justin's blond locks. "But maybe we could get cock-married more often if it's going to be like this".
"Whatever you say, dear husband".
"Shut up or I will divorce you," came Brian's muffled reply.
"You wouldn't do that, 'cause you love me soooo much!" whispered Justin.
"Shut the fuck up".
"But it's true! You loooove me. You can't live without…"
"Justin…" Brian warned. He did have his limits regarding lesbionic talk, and the blonde knew it.
And, as Brian was starting to fall asleep, he heard Justin whisper.
"But you so totally do".
'Twat' he thought, but had no energy to say it out loud. He fell asleep, Justin following shortly.
When Justin woke up it was one o'clock in the morning. He knew Brian was awake too, because he was entwining his fingers around Justin's hair in a subtle caress. The blonde enjoyed the sweet and uncharacteristic gesture feigning sleep, but his plans were soon crushed when his stomach growled loudly. Brian's hand stopped.
"I think we better feed you to appease whatever it is that you have in there," he snorted.
"Mmmhm… We could try our wedding treats," Justin suggested.
"No carbs after seven, remember?" Brian intoned.
"But tonight is special," Justin argued, stretching and sitting up. "And there's fruit in those trays too, Mr. Healthy".
"Whatever," was Brian's impassive response.
Justin rolled his eyes, but he got up and carried the trays back to bed. Brian watched him lazily as the blonde took one of the chocolates and popped it into his mouth. Justin's noises of delight made Brian's upper lip twitch in amusement.
"Well… You've always loved eating cock," Brian joked.
"Shut up, these are delicious!" Justin gushed, inhaling a few more in record time.
"Christ," Brian groaned. "And you still never gain a fucking pound".
"What can I say? I have good metabolism, unlike you, old man," Justin teased him.
"Shut up or I will divorce you," Brian answered again, slapping Justin's ass lightly.
"Is that going to be your answer for every disagreement from now on?" the blonde laughed.
"Maybe," Brian drawled, stretching like a cat and helping himself to a raspberry.
Justin started to chatter happily about everything and nothing, and Brian just watched him, an odd expression on his face. He couldn't help but think that Justin looked the happiest he had seen him since before the prom, and that had been years ago. He was even behaving a little like the seventeen year old kid he had been then. He was bouncing, his blond locks reflecting the light that came from the still lit fireplace, his blue eyes shining and twinkling, his milky skin practically glowing in the semi dark bedroom. That night's events had made him happy. It had been that fucking easy, just a few words and a small concession on Brian's part.
Suddenly, the brunet's mind clicked and he made a quick decision, one of those spur of the moment things. Brian wanted Justin to be even more happy. He needed his partner's happiness, he yearned for it, and he would do anything to achieve it. So he got up, causing Justin to shut up hastily at the sudden movement, and started rummaging through the drawers of the dresser.
"What are you doing?" Justin asked, puzzled by the sudden change in his partner's demeanor. Brian didn't answer. "Brian?" Justin called him inquiringly.
But Brian had found what he was looking for. He went back to the bed with something secured between his hands. When he got nearer, Justin saw what it was and inhaled sharply, his heart beating faster than ever. Brian sat down beside him and put the familiar looking velvet box between both of their bodies.
"What are you…?" Justin whispered, but he stopped talking when Brian opened the box, retrieved the smaller ring that was in it and took Justin's hand.
"We don't need them," he started, smiling softly at Justin's shock-stricken face. Without breaking eye contact, he slid the ring onto Justin's ring finger. "But that doesn't mean we can't wear them, now that we're cock-married and all".
Justin lowered his eyes to look at his hand, and Brian saw the shiny ring reflected into those beautiful and awe-stricken blue eyes. He was surprised and a little taken aback when a feeling of pride and possessiveness arose inside him at the sight. He never thought that seeing a ring, his ring, on his partner's finger would make him feel so good, as if everything in the world was finally in its right place. He couldn't help but smile.
Justin's eyes went back to Brian's, and the blonde searched those mysterious hazel eyes, looking for the answers to all the questions Brian's simple but gigantic act had arisen.
"We don't have to," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "It's okay if we don't…"
"Justin, I want to," Brian interrupted honestly. "Don't fucking argue with me, not about this. I want to, okay?"
That patented Sunshine Smile was the best reward he could have asked for. Brian knew he was grinning like a fool, but he didn't have it in himself to care anymore. He wanted this. And he wanted his own ring too, so he hurriedly reached for Justin's hand again to put the larger one on his partner's palm.
"Put it on me," he ordered, his voice low and husky, his mind going back to that first night when he had taken home a scared, virginal kid to fuck his brains out. He had asked him to put a condom on his dick then, and now… Now he was asking him to put a ring on his finger. Now, he was ready to fucking wear a ring. Justin's ring. He was aware that his thoughts were getting more lesbionic by the second, but for once he didn't mind. He really wanted this, and he hadn't really understood how much until that very moment.
Justin saw all of that in his partner's eyes, and he didn't hesitate. He took Brian's hand and slid the beautiful ring onto his finger.
When he lifted his eyes again, he was crying tears of joy. And Brian's eyes weren't completely dry either.
When they emerged from their home two days after that night, every member of their big and strange family could see that something had drastically changed between those two. But no one commented on it, and if they saw the beautiful matching rings they were wearing, they just smiled and said nothing.
After all, that was a long time coming, and everyone knew they would do it someday. On their own terms, in their own way.
Hope you liked it! :-D
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28291
|
AN: Written for artemis_sparks for heroes_exchange on Livejournal. Thank you to airspaniel for the beta work. This is a one-shot and will not be continued.
Mend the Glass
The first wall he broke through to Niki was in a holding cell in the Moab Federal Penitentiary in Utah. They kept her especially locked up, fearing her amazing strength; imprisoning it behind a reinforced door.
Peter broke through and immediately he felt the strength of her power becoming his.
He had found, though, that abilities could be deceiving, for the more he came to know her, the more Peter learned just how fragile Niki Sanders really was.
Her weakness definitely attracted him, spurring him to want to save her above anyone else. He became possessive, guarding her and willing to share the blame with her whenever she did wrong.
Immediately, Niki joined the fight with Peter and Hiro, and she used her powers and saved people along with them. Despite her own ghosts and fears, Niki became a hero just like them.
It wasn't hard for Peter to fall in love with her.
He would never say she was weak. Niki was good at playing off concern, acting tough, and threatening him and Hiro on more than one occasion to mind their own business. She must have spent many years putting up a wall around herself, because she was really good at deflecting him and keeping details secret.
All Peter knew was that she'd lost her husband and her son in the explosion, and though he had his own regret and guilt to suffer, Niki wasn't quite as able to endure enough on her own as he was.
So others began taking the responsibility; "others" that Niki created.
The first time Peter met Gina, he and Hiro were only about 10 miles outside of Las Vegas where they were doing their usual operation to free specials from Homeland Security facilities.
Peter had known about Niki's disorder; she had finally opened him up about Jessica and said that she was confident she was gone. She never "saw" her anymore, and even though Micah and DL were dead, Jessica never returned.
But there were others; Gina was proof enough of that.
Gina was outrageous, and Hiro had to break off from them to salvage the mission while Peter controlled her. She just had to go to Vegas, to party, to dance - to escape the boring mission that Niki had proven she wasn't strong enough to undertake.
It was Micah's birthday that day, and Peter had tapped into her mind to hear her thoughts, practically consumed with memories of Micah. Proof enough that Niki was in no shape to undergo missions that day despite her angry assurances that she could.
Peter and "Gina" diverted from the mission as Sparrow and West, some more trusted rebels in their group, stepped up to help Hiro. Peter navigated her back to a safe house they had set up on the outskirts of Las Vegas, right beside a strip club, and Gina was more than happy to oblige his direction.
"Where's Niki? I want to speak to her," Peter demanded, crossing his arms as Gina bounced around the room and began undressing, primping and getting herself ready for clubbing.
She laughed. "What are you, her dad? I thought you were together. Besides... Niki isn't here right now, and I won't let her out until I can do some dancing." Gina squeezed a tight, sparkly shirt over her head and slid into a leather miniskirt as Peter watched her. She turned around, smirked and gave him a sultry look as she stalked over and traced a finger down his scar. "You have that bad boy look about you. I bet you could be fun." She paused and Peter didn't move, continuing to watch her with awe and caution. He didn't know what to expect from this girl, or what could set her off. "What's one little dance gonna hurt?"
Peter nodded, willing to oblige her as long as the end game was to see Niki again. He needed to get her back, even if it meant appeasing Gina. Also, if her learned more about Gina, maybe he could figure out how to make her disappear, just like Jessica.
"Let's go then," he said smoothly, offering her his arm. She smiled at him, tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and walked excitedly next to him as they exited the door.
Peter only hoped that Hiro and the others were all right without him. He didn't want something like this to jeopardize their missions in the future. If it continued, he was sure Hiro would kick Niki out, no matter how useful her ability was, and Peter would never accept that.
He would help Niki; he had to - and saving her was becoming more important to him than saving a hundred strangers.
Peter had Gina up against the brick wall outside a scummy club in Vegas. Her legs were wrapped around him, her mouth over his, and she was bucking her body against him as she started to undo the zipper of his pants.
Niki was good; Peter never complained about Niki in bed. She treated him with tenderness as well as sexiness and intrigue. Gina was eager, forceful and hungry, and Peter couldn't deny her.
He pushed inside her, and she moaned in his mouth. She arched her back, drawing her head back as they moved into a coarse, sporadic rhythm, and Gina cried, she laughed, and she exhaled heavily against his neck as he pounded into her.
When he felt her tense tightly around him, Peter began to slow, and as Gina found her release, he hurried his, feeling her go slack against him as she fell into his arms. He saw Gina's eyes close, and not a sound of heavy breath or a cry came from her mouth. She appeared to be asleep, but he saw her eyelashes flicker, and suddenly she was coming to again.
"Peter?" He froze, realizing that something was different about her voice.
"Niki," he said softly, guessing she was back.
"Where are we?" she asked weakly, looking around as terror filled her light eyes.
"We need to talk," he said, and he pulled away, redressed and composed them both before heading back to the safe house.
Niki was, as expected, mortified about Gina.
"I've never encountered her before," she said mournfully, clinging to Peter on the couch. Peter sighed heavily and ran a finger through her hair.
"I don't think she wants you to know she's around, not after Jessica was so dominant and now gone - and that's only because you were aware of her and could take her down," Peter said, and Niki snorted. She shifted slightly and looked into his eyes.
"Peter, what if there are others?" she asked fearfully, and she furrowed her brow. "I can't fight the war and fight myself. I just can't do it."
Peter's lips pursed slightly as he turned contemplative. He'd been having reservations about continuing the war for some time. His mind wasn't in it, and he was losing his passion for saving others. His motivation had plummeted when he was almost caught by Matt Parkman in Costa Verde last month, a mistake due to one of Niki's episodes.
Peter knew deep inside the war would continue endlessly, and they could keep fighting, but he was starting to see that nothing would change. If he kept on going he knew he'd be caught by Nathan's people eventually, and while he'd expressed this to Hiro, his friend had shook off his concerns. Peter couldn't take it anymore, and the more Niki's personalities consumed her, the more Peter's focus shifted away from the war and solely toward her.
Pretty soon he would be useless in a fight; Peter was sure about it, and it troubled him more than ever that he could get someone killed: Hiro, Sparrow, perhaps even Niki, the one woman he needed to protect.
"Niki, I think we should quit fighting," he finally spoke. He met her eyes seriously. "I think the war is over. The government is getting stronger, and there isn't enough power and time to save everyone." He sighed, and he hated that he had to resign himself to this, but Niki was hurting, and if he could save one person at least, he would.
"Okay," she said simply, nuzzling her head back into his chest. They both went silent and snuggled close, waiting until Hiro and the others returned so they could tell them the news.
Peter and Niki set up in Las Vegas. It was an ideal hiding place, and if Peter ever wanted to meet Gina again, he figured this was the best place to draw her out. While they were there, Peter took odd jobs around the city, using his invisibility more frequently as he had to stay out of the open. He was still a known terrorist, and if his brother, the President, had anything to say about it, he would always be at the top of the wanted list.
Niki got a job as a stripper. She was good at it, and Peter wasn't bothered by the act she had to put on for money. He never worried she was unfaithful; she clung to him and needed him like no one else, and he needed her.
As they settled into a comfortable clandestine life, Peter began to meet the "others." Some of them weren't as ostentatious as Gina, some of them didn't have names or called themselves by a number. As long as Peter was there, holding her or engaging them in what they wanted, they were satisfied. Many of the weaker ones disappeared; the ones without names were mere shadows, disappearing back into Niki's mind as they realized he was there, becoming her protector and replacing the wall she had built around herself.
Peter became her rock, and the healing process began.
Once Peter woke up in the middle of the night to crying while he held Niki in his arms. Her voice had changed, so he assumed this was another personality, one he hadn't met. Most of the ones he met never returned again.
This one was different, however. She was a child.
"Jessica," she sobbed, "No, Daddy, No." She continued to cry, and Peter withdrew his arms from her and sat up in bed. He placed soft pressure on her shoulder.
"Hey, it's okay, I'm here," he said in a soothing tone.
The child was startled, and she turned around to face him, hugging herself defensively as she met his eyes.
"Who are you?" she asked, afraid.
"I'm Peter. I'm a friend of Niki's."
"I'm Niki," she said petulantly.
"How old are you Niki?" Peter asked.
"Seven," she said after a beat. "Where's Jessica?"
" that your sister?" She nodded fervently. "Jessica is gone," Peter said, as gently as he could. "Are you looking for her?"
"I'm afraid," she said, and if she could hug herself tighter she would. "I'm scared of Daddy."
"I won't let him hurt you or Jessica. I promise," Peter said, but the child Niki hesitated as she studied him.
"Why would you do that?" she asked curiously, but Peter saw desperation and loneliness in her eyes, something he'd never seen much of in Niki before. This version of Niki was more vulnerable, naive, and immature. She was lacking the fervor and independence his Niki had, and he wondered if this was the side of herself Niki buried the deepest.
"Because, Niki, I am your friend," Peter said, holding out his hand. He noticed when she relaxed, and she reached her hand out slowly to his. "And I love you." He smiled at her, and digging deep into his powers, Peter was thankful he'd met someone who projected emotions because he used them now, hoping to exude as much kindness and comfort for the young Niki as he could.
She fell into his arms and sobbed softly until she fell asleep. After that, Peter never saw the child Niki ever again.
Gina returned one evening when Peter was removing his clothes and crawling into bed with Niki. Niki had gone to sleep an hour earlier, so he was trying to be quiet. When he had first entered the room, he could see her sleeping; but when he put the covers over them, he felt her arm slink across his chest.
"Hey there, bad boy," she said with a husky greeting. "Miss me?"
"Gina," Peter said, taking her hand. "Yeah, I actually did."
"So...I need a favor. There isn't much use for me anymore. Also, I'm still sore at you for telling Niki about me. I didn't want her to know. She needs to let loose sometimes, and that's where I came in."
"I get that, but Niki lets loose a lot more now. She's becoming happier and getting over Micah's death," Peter said.
Gina sighed in exasperation against him. "I know, that's what I'm trying to tell you." She waited a beat, and her tone changed unexpectedly. "I'm leaving, Peter. It's been fun, but Las Vegas isn't what I thought it'd be."
"What did you think it would be?" He braved the question.
"Paradise...a place to get lost in," she said quickly. "Niki discovered that before I did. She doesn't need me anymore. Plus, she has you."
"And the others? I don't believe for a moment you don't know about them," Peter said.
"They're gone. Congratulations. Niki's going to be her own person," she said dryly.
Peter couldn't be more relieved. "So, about that favor?" he reminded her.
"Take me out to a nice place, Peter. Dinner, theater, and then dancing. I want top of the line," Gina demanded with a giggle at the end. Her voice trailed off with resolution. "Then, I'm gone forever. Promise."
So Peter did everything Gina asked.
Niki came flying into his arms one night, happier than he'd ever seen her. She had an envelope of money in her hands.
"Ricky gave me a raise and a bonus! I'm moving to the top of the show! You don't have to do odd jobs anymore!" she said with a squeal, and she drew him in for a long, jubilant kiss. When she pulled away, she ran a finger down his dark shirt. "He also said he's got a position as a bouncer, so if you want..."
Peter smiled. "I thought I didn't need to work anymore."
Niki's smile softened. "Well, I wouldn't want you to get bored, or fly off to join Hiro again." She met his eyes intensely, hoping for a sign that he wasn't considering that again.
"That's never going to happen," he said, pulling her flush against him.
"Then will you work with me? Stay... with me?" she asked, and he was already kissing a trail up her neck, onto her jawline, and then covering her mouth. She melted against his kiss until Peter pulled softly away.
"I'm not going anywhere, Niki," he said, remembering the promise that he made to all the others that were now fully reintegrated with her. Niki had no reason to be afraid anymore; he was here, and he would continue to save her in any way he could.
She wrapped her arms around him and drew him into another kiss. He felt her strength, almost unbridled, tug at him and for a second he was reminded of her true ability. Now, as long as he was by her side, Niki Sanders was more than strong, inside and out.
Finally, because of him, she was whole.
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28292
|
Midori-Emmi: Once upon a time, on a very boring night, as deemed so by none other than the great authoress herself…*dodges the tennis balls thrown with deadly accuracy at her*…all the tennis regulars in the whole of the Prince Of Tennis universe were gathered in a single place.
*Seigaku, Rikkai, Hyotei, Fudoumine, Rokkaku, St Rudolph and Shitenhouji wave back*
Midori-Emmi: …Yes, even those teams who were just put into the universe solely for the sake of being there and being seen just once and then forgotten the next moment. Oh, and guys, even if you guys did stay in the manga for more than 2 chapters, you are still the unloved and unwanted calefares.
*Higa, as well as numerous no-name schools that even Takeshi-sensei himself has decided not to name, cry and despair curled up in a corner.*
Midori-Emmi: Oi! Don't crowd so much around that area! Damn I'm so gonna make them clean up afterwards…
All: Just friggin get on with the damn thing!
Midori-Emmi: *Annoyed* But of course, my dearies, just that-
All: And who are you calling 'dearies'?
Midori-Emmi: *Ticked off* Just let me *BEEP*ing get on with this *BEEP*ing programme or whatever you people wanna call it so that we can all go home and sleep!
All: Yeah yeah…
Midori-Emmi: So yes, tonight we are all gathered here for the same thing. Just the other day I was walking by this shop, and did you know what I found? I found this awesome boys love series called the 'Takumi-kun Series' and it was so awesome. So I went home to youtube it on the internet an-
Midori-Emmi: *Smiles sheepishly* Er…woops. My bad then. Ok boys, tonight, we are gonna sit down like the good little boys you all are and look through the 'PRINCE OF TENNIS 40.5 FANBOOK'!
Midori-Emmi: And we are gonna go through, for the sake of all the wonderful and curious readers who have decided to click on the link to this story, the awesome interviews! Of which all the people ranking from one to ten shall be announced for each question, and have been chosen by the readers using votes!
All: Boring…we wanna go home and sleep and just forget that a crazy authoress has just dragged all our butts here for such a stupid reason…
Midori-Emmi: *Shows a VERY sadistic smile, and turns to face everyone.*
Choutarou: …Shishido-san? Is it just me or is the authoress mad at something?
Shishido: *Gulps heavily* A-Ah its just you, Choutarou…its just you…
Midori-Emmi: *Glares at the Silver Pair* Well anyways, we shall proceed on with the polling results and anyone who goes against my decision shall have his ...jewels…removed in some way or another…*smiles creepily* Now where did I keep my blunt scissors...
All: *Are stoned and unable to move due to shock*
Midori-Emmi: Its interview time, people! XDXD
A/N: Hey people, its me:) This is my first crackfic and I suck like hell at it but then this muse just didn't wanna leave me alone...so here we are:) So tell me if you want me to continue, yeah?
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28293
|
To all my dear readers: This will be the last chapter in this Tale of a Displaced Monarch. Thank you for your kind reviews and the enthusiastic response to my first fanfic!
I'm thinking about doing my next fic on either Harold and Alberta's take on the Pevensies' stay in Cambridge (both book- and movie- based), or on Charn before the Deplorable Word. (I'm the sort of person who can't chew gum and type at the same time, so working on two stories would be beyond me.) Please mention your preferences when you review!
Disclaimer: For the eleventh and final time, I do not own Narnia (and I wouldn't want Calormen [may it live forever]); and I am no closer to owning it than the moment I began this story!
It was a rare thing for the girls of St. Finbar's to be allowed over at Hendon House, or vice versa, so it surprised Peter to no end to find his little sister in his schoolyard surrounded by a rapt audience of his fellow schoolmates—among them members of the Busybody Society. Apparently, Lucy was spinning her stories again with an ease and grace that transported the audience to a world beyond the universe.
As he walked past, he heard her voice as he had heard it so many times at the Cair—the excitement mounting as her voice became louder, then dropped down so that shivers ran up and down spines and bodies shuddered.
And then with a flurry of blades and armor, the usurper attacked. There was no need for his countrymen's cheers to encourage him in his wild assault. Then the shouting died down, for the High King fell.
A horrible silence followed her hushed words. Boys wiped their foreheads of sweat and surreptitiously scrubbed their cheeks.
He had fallen on his shield. Then Miraz' sword flashed high above his head, his white teeth gleaming as he bared them, as a wolf bares his fangs before he lunges at his cowering prey. But the King rolled off his shield and away from Miraz, who followed him, slashing furiously, intent on destroying all Narnian resistance with one blow.
But he had met his match in the younger boy. With a quick reversal, the King swept his body against Miraz' legs, bringing the older man crashing down. Then all time seemed to stand still as the King rose, standing over the usurper, sword point down.
He stood over him, waiting to deal the death blow. Then he hesitated. "What troubles you, boy?" taunted Miraz. "Too cowardly to take a life?"
"No," replied the King. "But it's not mine to take." And he handed the sword to Caspian.
A relieved sigh went up from her audience. Apparently they liked the King and were quite pleased to discover his chivalrous heart.
Peter knew the rest of the story—about Caspian's refusal to kill his uncle, about the battle that ensued, about chasing the Telmarines to Beruna's Bridge. He did not listen to Lucy's voice; instead, he watched the boys as they heard the story.
And then, Lucy finished quietly, the four sovereigns of Narnia stepped forward. Aslan nodded to them as they prepared to take their leave. The High King grasped Glenstorm's arm as the Centaur smiled at him. The Just King said his farewells to the noble Mouse and Badger, and…
Even after a month, Lucy could not trust herself to speak of Trumpkin without tears.
and the girls said goodbye to their various friends. Then they stepped through the tree and…
She looked over at Peter, who nodded a little.
and…and they found themselves back in their own land.
"Now, my friends," said Lucy, "I wish to introduce you to the man who inspired the character of the High King. Peter Pevensie! Step forward!"
A murmur of amazement ran through the small group at her feet as Peter stepped forward. He inclined his head to them before wrapping an arm around his sister.
"Gentlemen," she went on, head held high, "I bring you the man on whom I based the Just King. Edmund Pevensie! Step forward!" And out of the shadows stepped Edmund, looking uncommonly shy.
Lucy looked back at the gathering. "You have before you great gifts, my friends. My brothers are noble and will teach you many things, if you will allow them."
And as the two brothers stood before their comrades, they realized that the gifts Aslan had shared with them would not be wasted in England. Had He not said that Peter had learned what he could from Narnia? For what purpose would he have learned those lessons, if not to teach others?
Truly, though not a tame Lion, He was good. He had used even the most terrible pain to shape them into the men they were. Now they had the opportunity to truly live as Narnians, even if they would never return. For the One Who had called them to Narnia first surely had a purpose in calling them out.
And that's the end. I am afraid the ending might be a little contrived, but it is the best I can do.
I always thought that not sharing the lessons they had learned would be the worst thing they could do.
What do you think?
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28294
|
Hey guys! So I wasn't going to do this one next, but I just read a couple of season three fics and I just am so TICKED at Dean's attitude (Sam doesn't love me, Sam is stronger, it'll be okay, light at the end of the tunnel that's really just hellfire...you know, that kinda thing) that I really wanted Sam to show him a few things. So this is my version of the deal breaking that I really wish had happened in the show. :)
Needless to say, I am a Sam girl, so while this won't be Dean-bashing because I love Dean too and do sorta get his point of view, this will definitely be from Sam's point of view, focusing on his hurt and his pain. At least at first. Eventually Dean will get to have the spotlight. After all, a little bit of Dean guilt and angst completes a story. :)
Sam was beginning to wonder if his brother had some masochistic desire to go to hell.
Why won't you just fight?
The idea of living without his older brother was agonizing, woke him up every night with nightmares.
Please, Dean. Just fight, dang it.
Then of course the next question in his mind was: Why are you making me pay for what's happening?
Dean had been more distant in the last few months than ever before, including the time right after their dad died.
He let Sam stitch himself up, let Sam drive more, had Sam run in for food, had Sam take care of the car, had Sam take the lead on hunts and choose the hunts. The biggest change, however, was emotionally. For someone who hated chick flicks, Dean had a way of initating them when they were needed without ever having tears shed. His big brother ensured his emotional health as well, which was something Sam hadn't known until his brother had taken it away.
Sam assumed it was all from some twisted desire to toughen him up before he left.
Forget that! You're not going anywhere Dean. Not if I have something to say about it.
"Dang it, Sam, I told you to drop it!"
"You're going to hell, Dean, I'm not going to just drop it!"
Dean's face twisted in irriation and fury.
Both had lost track of how many times they had fought about this.
"Sam, I told you that I don't want to fight this and that you shouldn't. I can't get any more clear than that. I am not risking you for this."
"That doesn't mean you have to give up! At the very least you shouldn't try to stop me from finding a way out!"
"No, Sam! I'm not going to risk your life with this!"
"But you're perfectly willing to risk the rest of me. As long as I'm breathing right?" Sam's voice was mocking, trying to keep himself from exploding. He was nearing the end of his patience with Dean.
Dean's face hardened at the tone. "I will stop you if I have to Sam."
Sam snapped.
One second he was on the other side of the room, the next he was shoving Dean into the wall, pinning him there easily. It was a frightening demonstration of what the last few months of less protection from Dean had done to him. Despite Dean's struggles, he couldn't get lose.
Sam's voice was shaking with rage, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"You listen to me. You are not going to do this to me."
Utter agony was clear in his eyes, coupled with total fury.
"I never had mom. I lost Jess. I lost Madison. I lost dad. I am not...not losing you too. I refuse to be the last Winchester standing. You hear me, Dean? I refuse to be the last."
Sam finally released him with a shove, striding towards the door, ferocious vehemence in his every step. He grabbed his jacket and stormed out, knocking over a chair and kicking the table roughly as he left.
His older brother stood in silence, bowing his head with a sigh.
Sam had never felt such a strong combination of fury and terror before.
He strode down the sidewalk, purposeless except for a desire to get away from the brother he was trying to save.
His phone rang.
The second he saw the ID, he flipped it open, forcing his voice to be calm and cool, despite the sudden pounding of his heart.
"I have the information you wanted, Mr. Winchester. She lives in the area."
Sam quickly pulled out a pen and small notepad that he had taken to keeping on his person (for cases just like this) and jotted down the address.
"She's expecting me?"
The dealer sounded offended. "Of course."
"Alright. I'm headed there now. Your money's on its way."
Sam hung up.
"So. Essentially, your brother made a deal to bring you back to life and you don't like the terms. You want to get him out of it." The witch gazed at him impassively.
Sam nodded. "Yes."
"And you're willing to do anything."
The witch regarded him a moment, then nodded.
"Yes, I have a way. And I will do it for you. However, I will need a little favor in return."
"Whatever you want." Sam swallowed back his own fear.
I can't live without Dean. I'm sorry, big brother, but you're not the only one who needs his family. I may have left, but...well, I grew up and I learned a lot...the hard way. I needed normal. Never meant I didn't need you.
I won't let you die for me.
I can't be alone.
"You should be aware, Samuel, that my method is not pretty. You won't like it. Neither will your brother."
Oh, no sunshine and daisies? I'm shocked. Right.
"He doesn't have to know. He made this deal, he can live with the consequences."
Cold as it sounded, Sam could hold a grudge with the best of them and he wasn't quite ready to forgive his brother yet. It would come with time. If he had it.
"As you wish."
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28296
|
A/N: Not mincing words; this was born of a combination of losing my confidence, wishing I'd never started writing again and pain that reached an unbearable pitch last night.
My first A2A fic was 'Out of the Window', which saw Alex jumping out of the toilet window in the Railway Arms to go back to Gene and make a fresh start with him and his world. But what if she'd jumped from the wrong window? What if she'd landed in the other side of the car park and hadn't been alone?
I'm not apologising for the tone of this piece, it's dark for a reason.
She could see her breath in the air on the cold, winter's evening as she stood there, scanning the familiar space with her eyes. She felt a little breathless as she took in every detail of the car park; the one she'd passed through on a daily basis for the last 3 years, the one she thought she was never going to see again.
"I'm home," she whispered.
It was funny but until just an hour or so before she would never have thought of it as home. Home was where Molly was waiting for her. Home was where her body was fighting against the bullet, the infection, the weakening that it had been through. Home was where she had her house, her clothes, her car, her furniture, all of her memories. That's where home was.
But as she bowed her head she pictured the watch she'd looked at earlier that night. 9:06. Eternally 9:06. She was never going to see the hands moving again because her body had given up. Was it her fault? Could she have done anything more? Had she become too attached to Gene's world and stopped fighting hard enough? That thought stung her heart but she knew it was possible.
Molly had been everything to her. Her daughter, her flesh and blood, her reason to fight. But as time had gone by she found herself thinking of her daughter less and less as Gene's world swallowed her up. She integrated so completely that Molly ended up far from her thoughts. There was someone else with whom she found herself concerned instead. Gene. Her rock. Her constant, her Guv. Their solid partnership had become a close friendship and it drew so near to becoming something far deeper, They'd had their date, they'd danced. They'd come so close to moving things forward and finally they'd shared a kiss, but it was a kiss goodbye. She'd spent so long denying what was in her heart until it was too late. Her feelings for Gene had grown steadily. Had they overpowered her desire to return to Molly?
Whether that was true or not she knew where she was. She was home. She belonged by Gene's side, she belonged in his life. She had a whole life of her own at Fenchurch East now. So some of her friends and colleagues had moved on. It was right for them. They had each other, they had grown and they had learnt. But Alex still had her time to play out, and she needed to give life with Gene a chance, a proper chance. No more fighting. No more trying to go back. She was already home.
Alex's blood ran cold as she heard that voice. She heard him say her name and it sounded like hell approaching. She spun around and there he was before her, hiding in his long coat, his spectacles masking what was truly hidden behind his eyes.
"Jim," she felt sick as she stared at him, the thought that she had ever trusted him eating away at her soul.
"Now do you believe me?"
She blinked as she tried to work out what he was talking about. For someone who had just gone through the terrible charade that he'd put them all through that day he was certainly not backing down.
"It's over, Jim," she said to him bitterly, "whatever you were really here for – to destroy us all, to bring down the team, to destroy Gene – you failed. It's over."
"Yes, Alex," Keats told her angrily, "It is over. For you."
She stared at him. There was a panicked look in his eye.
"I've come back," she whispered, "I know I'm not alive out there… not any longer… but I still have a job to do… my place is here, and –"
"After what he's just done to you you'll still put him above your own life?" Keats cried, "above your own happiness?"
Alex couldn't make any sense of his words.
"What are you talking about?" she whispered, her confusion mingling with anger.
"You trusted him, Alex, you trusted him blindly even though I put my own neck on the line to show you who he really was and now you have nothing!"
"I have Gene," Alex tried to sound defiant but her whole body was beginning to shake.
"You've got nothing!" Keats cried. There was an ironic laugh in his voice, "you really think you have a job to come back to? A life?You think Hunt is going to… what… sweep you off your feet? Carry you over the threshold?" he shook his head, his eyes fixed on her as her stare began to falter, "he lied to you for all that time and I showed you who he really was. He kept you here against your will and I showed you how to get home. I gave you the scarf –"
"Molly's scarf," Alex breathed. She stared down at her empty hands, "it… it faded away," she whispered her eyes turning back to him and her voice becoming louder and stronger as she continued, "It wasn't real, it was just an illusion –"
"An illusion?" Keats gave a bitter laugh, "This whole sorry world that Gene's built for himself – that's an illusion. The pub? You think heaven serves beer and spirits and a selection of pork scratchings? Do me a favour. What do you think is going to happen to them all?"
"I…" Alex hesitated, She didn't know. She knew that Chris had bought everyone a drink. She just supposed they would drink… and drink… and drink some more… "I thought… maybe time… she trailed away. She didn't know. She just didn't know.
"Heaven isn't an eternal bender," Keats told her, "you go in, you get your drink and that's it. You fade away because he's finished with you. He doesn't need you any more. He's moved on."
"No," Alex shook her head, "that's… that's the reward. At the end."
"Does it make sense to you?" Kats asked her grimly, "just sitting in a pub, drinking forever? What, do you never go to bed? Never take a bath? Never have a proper meal? Can't live on cheese and onion all your life."
"I… don't know," Alex fund herself shaking, "I hadn't thought that far…"
"They never do," Keats told her, "They just believe. They just trust him blindly. They just do as he says,. They just walk through that door, just like you did. Away from your life. Away from your little girl forever."
"I'm already dead! I can never get home to Molly!"
"Is that what you truly believe?" Keats looked her in the eye, "you really believe in your heart? You don't think for one minute that Hunt was trying to stop you from leaving? That he wanted to keep you here? Keep you all for himself? You were still alive out there, Alex, and I could have helped you home. I showed you the proof. I had Molly's scarf but you still trusted the word of an over-the-hill-stroke-teenage-alcoholic over me. The scarf faded away because you did. You let go of your life the moment you walked into the pub, on his request."
Alex took a step backward, trembling from head to toe.
"Yes," he moved forward and reached towards her, cupping her face in his hands, "Alex, listen to me," he urged, "you played right into his hands. Even after you knew the truth you still believed that he knew best. He misled you. He told you that you were dead and told you to go. He told you to leave, Alex. He told you to leave him. If he loved you what would he say that for?"
"To protect me. He wanted –"
"He wanted to keep you away from your daughter," Keats told her, "your time here was over. You had to go home or go forward and he wasn't going to send you back. He just wanted you for himself and when he couldn't have that he wouldn't let you home either. If he couldn't have you no one could."
Alex's mouth gaped as she tried to take in what he was telling her. She couldn't believe it. She didn't believe it… not really… yet some seeds of doubt were there in her mind. She swallowed and shook as she pushed him away and whispered,
"Well… I'm back now. By my own choice. I left the pub to be with Gene. And whatever his reasons, I've chosen to stay here."
Keats's expression hovered between a grin and a glare.
"Oh, you silly girl," he said, shaking his head, "don't you get it?" he leaned a little closer, his hot breath on her face as he told her, "He's moved on. "
"I've only been gone –"
"Two years, Alex," Keats told her, "Time moves quickly here, when it needs to. Too much water has passed under the bridge This isn't your home any more. This isn't the place you knew. There's no one here to welcome you with open arms." He hesitated, trying to keep away the smile, "Well. There's one person."
Alex stared at him. For some time she felt as though she was frozen. His eyes were locked on hers, urging her to speak, to give in, to bend to his will. She thought about it, her mind went back over everything that she'd been through since she was shot in the stomach. Her coma within a coma, Keats arriving on the scene, the distrust that built up between herself and Gene… and Keats had encouraged that, but if Gene had told her that truth in the first place then that would never have happened. But he hadn't. he might not have lied to her but he deliberately kept her in the dark.
Keats's eyes were deep and impassioned. They bore right into her soul. She felt as though he was reading her from the inside out, like every thought was laid out in plain sight for him to see. His expression began to twist into a smile; one of those open, friendly smiles that he'd used so many times to lure her in. But what if she was wrong? What if they were open and genuine and her initial choice of trusting him was the right one? Gene hadn't been honest with her. He'd misled her – he'd misled them all. So he didn't remember – he must have known something wasn't right – why would he have followed her way all the way to Farringfield Green if he hadn't? Why would he have aimed a gun at her head?
And then the pub. He'd taken them all there, never explaining to them for a moment what was about to take place. Ray, Chris, Shaz… they'd discovered their deaths and had time to take it in but as soon as Alex was told she'd lost her battle Gene was hurrying her into the pub, Alone.
"Think about it Alex, " Keats began as though he could read her mind, "if he cared about you so much then why did he want to get rid of you? Why did he send you in alone? If he's the man you think he was why didn't he walk through that door by your side?"
"Because," her voice wavered, "because he still has a job to do… he…"
Alex hesitated.
"What do you mean, gone?"
"Moved on," Keats shrugged, "didn't hang around for long after you passed over the threshold."
"Just wait a minute," Alex began angrily "I only left the pub…. not fifteen minutes ago…" Her heart was racing. How could she be dead if it was beating so fast?
"I told you," Keats smiled, "time moves differently here. It's sped up. Just while we've been talking here the years have passed. Two years disappeared… and a new recruit stumbled through the doors… then moments later another year had flown and Gene had transferred out,."
"I don't believe you," Alex hissed, turning around and marching towards the station.
"Stay with me, Alex," Keats called after her, "stay with me and you can begin again. New job, new station, new life." He watched her walking away and raised his voice. "he's not there, Alex," he cried, "he's moved on long before now. There's nothing left."
Alex shook her head bitterly as she carried on walking, pulling her coat around her. Keats had told one lie too many and this time she wasn't going to fall for it. She'd been gone only a little over an hour – things couldn't have changed that much. Her face flushed with fury as she slipped from the cold night air into the warm atmosphere of the station and strode to CID.
Immediately she could tell the difference. The change was indescribable. It was dark, cold, unfriendly. Something wasn't right. As she walked through the office the ceiling panels flickered but never quite managed to burn brightly. Where were all the usual faces? Terry? Bammo? There were empty desks and an empty atmosphere as she paced towards Gene's door; the door on which she thought his name had been eternally emblazoned. Now all that remained of it was a slight discolouration where it used to be. Through the glass she could see a man she didn't know and before she could stop herself she'd opened the door and stepped inside.
The man behind the desk looked surprised and somewhat annoyed.
"Yes?" he barked.
Alex stared on. She didn't know what to say at first. What he hell was she even supposed to? What could she even ask? She swallowed, then ran her tongue around her dry lips before she whispered,
"Gene. Where is he?"
"Gene?" the men behind the desk frowned.
"DCI Hunt," Alex said stiffly, "He… this is his… was… his office," she flinched a little as she used the past tense but a tiny spark seemed to ignite in the man's head.
"Ohh," he said, "he's gone."
"Gone where, exactly?" Alex asked.
The man shrugged.
"Moved on. Different station. Somewhere down on the south coast I think."
"Do you know where exactly?"
"Wouldn't have a clue, love," the man told her, "Who's asking anyway?"
"I'm his DI," Alex said coolly.
"Then you'd know better than I would."
"Was," Alex flinched again, "I was his DI. Back when he worked here."
"DI… DI…" the man sighed and shook his head, "think I would have remembered a woman DI in the place. Last one he had before he moved on was some pillock; went by the name of Shoebury. You sure you're in the right place?"
A very cold sensation fell upon Alex and trickled from the top of her head right through her body. She shivered visibly.
"No," she whispered, "I'm not sure that I am." She slowly turned around, her head lowered, "excuse me."
She left the office, shaking and trembling as a terrible sense of anxiety ravaged her limbs. She could hardly force herself to walk on, scarcely wanting to seek the truth but knowing all the same that she had no other choice,
She enquired about taking a car from the pool but the officer on the desk looked rather cautious,
"ID?" he asked, he'd never seen Alex before in his life, and for that matter Alex had never seen him either. Who the hell was he anyway? Why was there no one that she recognised? She hadn't seen a single familiar person since she set foot back inside the building.
She handed her ID to the officer.
"Here," she said stiffly and leaned back nervously against the desk while he checked it, A moment later it came back towards her.
"I'm sorry."
She froze.
"Tell me exactly what you're sorry for?" she demanded.
"You need a current arrest warrant," the officer said apologetically, "this one is three years out of date.
"What do you mean?" Alex demanded, "I've used it all the time. I just used it yesterday and there was no problem,."
"Detective inspector Alex Drake hasn't been a part of this station since nineteen eighty three," the officer said almost apologetically, "I would like to know how you came to be in possession of her identification."
"Because I am DI Alex Drake!" Alex cried.
"DI Drake died three years ago," the officer told her.
Alex froze and stared at him. She couldn't look him quite in the eye. His words had scared her beyond recognition. She felt herself trebling again as she stared at the ID in her hand.
"How…" she swallowed and took in a deep breath. "how did she die?" she whispered.
"Heist gone wrong," the officer told her, "wiped out most of CID. You must have heard about that, it was all over the headlines." He nodded towards the ID in her hands. "So I'll ask you again. Where did you get that?"
Alex felt herself backing away. Her fear levels had risen beyond all recognition.
"it's mine," she whispered as she began to turn and her pace picked up from a crawl to a run, "It is mine!"
She raced from the building and out into the car park, eyes scanning the expanse for Keats but there was no sign of him. What the hell was going on? where was Gene? Why did they say that she'd died? It made no sense… nothing made sense.
She stumbled out of the car park and down towards her flat; her sanctuary. She would escape into Luigi's first and down a bottle of red to take the edge off, then she would roll up into bed and sleep deeply until she awoke tomorrow with a sore head and, hopefully, a world returned to right. But her plans hit a snag as she found Luigi's empty and boarded up with the same fate befalling her flat.
"No," she cried, her voice surprisingly high and anxious, "no, this isn't right…" she knew that Luigi had spoken about going home just a day or so before but for things to happen this fast? Almost overnight? What about her flat? What about all her things? She struggled to pull away a board in the hope of entering the building but she couldn't free it. It didn't matter what she tried, the boards were going nowhere, and even if she'd been successful it would have done no good; all of her things had been removed and put away in storage somewhere three years earlier. Others had even come and gone in that time. But now it was empty, decrepit and desolate.
As she gave the board a last, furious jolt with her shoulder she cried out in pain. She'd tried too hard and now her skin felt bruised and her joint a little out of place.
She paced away from the building, rubbing at her shoulder, trying to get a grip on where she was or what she was doing. She checked her pockets. If she had money then she could at least find a hotel to sleep until morning and then go from there. Maybe she could see someone at the station, her superiors, maybe the Superintendent – presuming he was still there. But then again, she was – dead? Killed in the heist? No, she wasn't dead. But she had moved on. The pub. Heaven – whatever passed for it at least. So technically… she supposed that meant she was dead. In a way.
She put her hand to her head and came to a halt by the road where she sank onto a wall, breathing heavily. She felt like she could hyperventilate at any moment. Dear god, was this a panic attack heading her way?
Keep calm, Alex. Stay calm. you can get through this.
She sat there for several minutes, taking in her breaths one after another, trying to stay as calm as she could until she felt her breathing return to normal and her heart stop thumping like a rogue bassline in her chest. When she'd calmed down enough she reached for her pockets once again. There had to be something in there, something apart from her defunct ID. A cheque book? Some cash? Even a fucking library card would have been better than nothing but the ID was all that she had. No money. Nowhere to go. No one to turn to. Gene had gone, her friends moved on and she was never going home.
Who could she turn to? Who could help her back on her feet? There was no Shaz, no Chris, no Ray. Her parents were dead, just as they had been the first time around. There was Evan? But that was a longshot and she really didn't want to see him again after the things she had found out about his connection with her parents' death. And besides, Little Alex wasn't so little any more and she didn't want to risk him spotting the similarity.
She found herself ailing; wandering the streets, It was a freezing cold night but she felt so numb that she didn't even notice. She wasn't sure how long she walked for. She tried to find something that was open, a café or a restaurant, but even when she found some place she had no money and was asked to leave. 'Please may I have a glass of tap water' apparently didn't cut it.
So she walked again. And Midnight arrived. One, two a.m. Her fingers were almost blue from the cold and her lips were tingling where they were chapping on the spot. She licked them to keep them moisturised but then the freezing air simply did further damage to their delicate surface.
Three a.m., four, five. She ran out of energy for waking and curled up on a bench neat the Thames. She longed for a pillow to rest her throbbing head or a blanket to draw around her shivering frame. Her tongue felt like sandpaper. She was desperate for a drink, her thirst had been growing steadily for the last few hours and it reached a point where she couldn't stand it any longer. She'd tried desperately to find a free source of water. She'd looked for a public fountain or even rainwater collecting somewhere clean but there was nothing. She walked outside of pubs and restaurants hoping to see a discarded bottle or a glass but her thirst remained unquenched. It began to drive her crazy. It was all she could think abut; her rasping tongue, dry and rough. There was a funny taste in her mouth and she would have killed to at least clean her teeth but if water was beyond her reach then how was she going to get hold of toothpaste and a toothbrush?
Six a.m. Seven a.m. Eight rolled around. She would be heading to work now. She should have been dried off from her shower; teeth cleaned, breakfast in her belly and a cup of coffee in her hands as she checked her appearance in the mirror. Usually she would be starting out immaculately; there would be not a hair out of place. As it was, her hair fell frustratingly over her eyes. Her hair clips had migrated and her style had followed. Her hair was lank and heavy from the spitting drizzle in the air and hung limp around the sides of her face.
Eight o'clock turned to nine and she felt a deep, hungry rumble in her stomach. She'd been feeling the hunger pangs for a while but they took hold of her quite severely now. She hadn't managed to eat very much the day before, nor the day before that for that matter. No wonder she felt so empty and so drained.
She sank against another wall in defeat as she closed her eyes and tried to choke back tears. She'd lost everything. Everything that was good in her life? And why? Because she hadn't trusted Gene. She'd chiselled away bit by bit at his world until it cracked open and its heart was revealed for all to see, Now there was nothing left; the pieces discarded, Gene gone, her friends unreachable and her future null and void.
As the morning rolled on she felt in pieces, her body cold and tired, dark circles beneath her eyes signalling her lack of sleep and a trickle of blood that ran unnoticed from her lip that had cracked so severely in the icy air but she couldn't feel because the cold had set in so deeply. The soft, pale skin of her cheeks was chapped and icy to the touch and her coat did little to protect her from a night out in the elements.
She had nowhere to go. There was no one to turn to for help. Everyone she knew was gone. If she only had some money to buy her a little time; find somewhere warm to sleep for a few hours, put some food in her stomach and quench her raging thirst, then just maybe she could work out where to go next.
She found herself walking almost aimlessly towards the bank. Just maybe her account was still in existence. Maybe they could issue her with a new cheque book, enable her to access her money, allow her to pay for something to eat and drink or somewhere to sleep for a night sothat she could regain the strength and the fight she needed to begin anew. She felt the warm air strike her as she came in from the cold. Her cheeks started to burn up, her body suddenly taken by the heat after endless hours in the cold. Her skin struggled to adjust to the change of temperature and she shed her coat to keep from suddenly burning up.
"Can I help you?"
She turned around, realising how lost she must have seemed. She gave a strained smile to a lady behind the desk and said awkwardly,
"I… I hope so." She froze. What was she supposed to say? What explanation could she possibly give? She closed her eyes briefly and took in a deep breath. What explanation could there be? She couldn't very well say that she hadn't existed for the last three years. "I haven't used my account for a long time," she said, her eyes drawn anxiously to the date and time clock on the wall. 22nd January 1986, the date read, while the clock merely said it was 9:06 as usual. "I've been out of the country. I was wondering if it was possible to access my funds."
"Right," the woman tapped on a rather rudimentary computer to access the brand new customer database that they'd been given just a few weeks before, "did you close your accounts before you left the country?"
"No," said Alex. She hesitated "I mean, I… I don't think so…" she bit her lip nervously. "I'm not sure..." she realised that the woman was regarding when with suspicion. She knew that she must have looked a sorry sight, coming in from the streets, frozen, bedraggled, in dire need of sleep and sustenance –
She glanced back.
"Pardon?" she whispered, shocked by how quiet and passive her own voice sounded.
"What's your name, madam?" the woman asked.
"Alex Drake," Alex told her, "Alexandra, I suppose. Alexandra Drake."
The woman tapped awkwardly on the keyboard she was struggling to get used to then looked up. "I can't seem to find any records in your name," she said, "are you sure you didn't close your account?"
Alex gave a feeble smile.
"I… perhaps I did," she said quietly.
"Do you have any form of ID?" the woman asked and without thinking Alex handed over her arrest warrant. The woman seemed a little happier now. "Sorry, Detective Inspector," she said, "I-I didn't realise…" she felt a little anxious. Perhaps this customer had been undercover. No wonder she didn't have a bank account. She got to her feet. "Let me just go and check this for you."
"Thank you," Alex smiled with pure relief. Now she was finally getting somewhere. There had to be a trace left of her account. Even if it was now closed perhaps they could find out where the money had gone or even just re-open the account to help her to prove her identity to get another job. Not that she even knew where to start looking, considering she was of no fixed abode and had not a thing to her name.
Goodness, she was taking an awfully long time, wasn't she? Alex stared at the clock, watching the second hand judder while never going anywhere. She stared out of the window. She tapped against her leg. She held her bundled up coat against her middle to drown out the hungry growls. She closed her eyes and felt herself swaying as she struggled to say awake. Her head snapped back up before she plummeted from her comfy chair and she glanced around, embarrassed, to make sure no one had seen her. Phew. Just about got away with that.
It felt like an eternity before the woman returned . She didn't seem to have Alex's ID any more. She sat down looking perturbed and wouldn't quite meet Alex's eye.
"Is everything alright?" Alex asked.
the woman bit her lip a little nervously.
"My… colleagues are trying to sort this out for you now," she said "Ms Drake… where did you get the ID?"
Alex froze and her eyes fixed themselves upon the woman.
"It's mine," she said quietly,
"Right, yes," the woman looked tetchy, "well, the thing is… it's not yours. Is it?
Alex felt her heart speed up and a wave of dizziness overcame her. Was it through lack of sleep or food? She didn't think so. It was from the fear. The fear that her 'death' was about to come back to haunt her.
"That's my ID," she said quickly, "there's been a mistake, someone said –"
"This ID belongs to a detective inspector who died three years ago," the woman told her, "You shouldn't have –" she stopped as she watched Alex scramble to her feet, "madam, I've been told to ask you to wait while we – madam!"
As weak and unsteady as she felt, Alex stumbled at speed from the bank onto the street where she heard sirens coming toward her. Surely they weren't looking for her? It wasn't a matter of that much importance was it? Even if the world thought she had passed away just being in possession of her ID wasn't that severe a crime. True she knew that impersonating a police officer was a fairly serious offence but when she already was a police officer, now severe could that be?
Although… she couldn't prove that.
She had no ID. She had no home, She had nothing, there was nothing to say who she was, where she'd come from or what she did.
She had nothing, no one and now she was possibly on the run. All she had was fear. Fear for herself her future, her terrible situation. Fear, and loss, and hunger, thirst, exhaustion, desperation…Her head spun and her legs gave way beneath her as she found herself succumbing to fatigue and the lack of food and water which were all eating away at her. Her body collapsed in a heap, her coat fell from her grasp and shocked onlookers gasped and tutted and 'well I never'ed at her but with her head going round in circles, her vision black and her hearing tinny she couldn't even see or hear them. She didn't give a fuck. It was over, everything was over, Everything she cared about - gone. Home, Molly, her life, Gene, her job, her friends - there was nothing for her here and no way of ever getting home. She had nothing; literally nothing but the clothes draped around her body and the tears that fell indiscriminately down her cheeks. She lay there choking out angry tears, unable to move or even to care. It was over. Everything was over.
She slid quickly into an exhausted, irresistible sleep and complete darkness enveloped her.
When she awoke she was laying on a table in a darkened room. The lights on the ceiling above her swirled into focus and she realised where she was. She knew it well; the medical room at Fenchurch East. The room where –
"Where the suspects go," she whispered. Anyone in need of medical assessment or treatment before questioning would find themselves tucked away there. So what did that mean for her?
She soon found her answer. The sound of metal clanking as she moved her wrists made her gasp and she looked down to see her hands cuffed together. A wave of panic rose inside her and her hear began to beat at double-time. She was a criminal, a damned lowlife criminal. She'd stolen her own identity and as far as anyone knew she was probably some crook trying to get hold of DI Drake's accounts. And there was no one to save her. No one to vouch for her. No one who knew her because they had all seemingly moved on. So with no-one there to clear her name and no way to prove who she was how was she ever going to escape the never-ending nightmare that she'd entered the moment she took that leap of faith and jumped out of the window? The world had moved on. It had moved on without her and so had Gene. She was alone in the world. She might as well have died all over again.
She jumped as the door opened and she watched a figure step in from the shadows. His flowing coat gave him a mien of power and strength; smoke hung around him like a mist and from the darkness his features illuminated as he stepped into the light. The glint from his glasses made her blink and turn her head for a split second before it passed and he stood right before her; a look of sadness and sympathy upon his face. Was it genuine? She just didn't know. She felt like she didn't know anything anymore.
"What have they done to you, Alex?" his voice was gentle; comforting, full of empathy. Was this real? How could she tell? She'd had a hard job of identifying the truth so far. He knelt down beside her and looked her in the eye. "I tried to warn you, Alex. Didn't I tell you things had changed? That Hunt had left you high and dry? He didn't just abandon you in the pub, in his so-called heaven – he's left you here with nothing and no one. He knew you would cling to his shirt tails… he probably knew you were going to come back, but he's abandoned you here anyway." He looked deeply into her eyes, watching her shake through the nerves and exhaustion. "Look what he's done to you."
"It's not his fault," she whispered.
"Where have you been all night, hmm? Walking the streets?" he could pretty much see that from the state of her. There was a jug and some paper cups across the room so he walked slowly towards it with deliberate, methodical footsteps. "Are you thirsty?"
"Yes," Alex tried not to sound too eager, "Yes, I-I am, a little, "she whispered.
Keats couldn't have poured the water any slower if he'd tried. She could swear that he bent the laws of physics to slow down the liquid's journey from the spout to the cup. He sat the jug down, taking an incredible amount of time to make sure that it was at the correct angle compared to the cups and other implements then took the most leisurely, sluggish walk of his life back to Alex on the table. Very slowly he extended his arm. She hesitated before she took the cup. She didn't want him to see how desperate her thirst had grown. She didn't want him to see her weaknesses, nor think that he could win her over with a cup of water in fear of him withholding the next. She drew it slowly to her lips but the second she felt the cooling liquid coat her tongue and swallowed it down she couldn't stop and finished the whole cup in seconds.
Was that a smirk? She couldn't quite tell as he took the cup from her and watched her catch her breath from her swift gulps. She ran her tongue around her lips, catching the rogue droplets that had escaped, eyeing the empty cup and silently begging for him to refill it.
"Was that enough?" he asked.
Alex hesitated. What was the right answer here?"
"I could drink some more," she said quietly.
"Maybe in a minute, hmm?" Keats said amiably, setting the cup on the desk behind hm. He turned back to Alex. "Your lips look sore," he reached out with one finger as though he was about to touch them but she drew back a shade. He seemed a little angry with her reaction. "You just won't let me help you, will you Alex?" he said, a hint of resentment creeping into his voice, "I tried to help you from the minute I arrived. I warned you about Hunt, you didn't listen. I led you to the truth and you still stuck by his side. I gave you the option to go home! To your little girl! And you trusted the word of a man who sent you away without second thought over mine. Who's really at fault here, Hmm? Is it Gene for misleading you for all this time? Is it mine for taking drastic steps to show you the truth? Or is it yours?" he looked so deeply into her eyes that he almost reached right inside her mind and spoke deeply into her consciousness that he could have almost stepped into her head, "for ignoring all the signs, and letting your short-term hormonal urges get the better of you? because that's all that it was, you do realise that? Stupid, hormonal, school-girl lust."
"I'm not a bloody schoolgirl!" Alex cried but after all she had been through, with her body weak and her voice rasping from the dryness of her throat, her words held little strength or power.
"He was motivated by a drive to bury his head between your bosoms and you wanted your bit of rough."
Alex began to feel her anger rising.
"You have no idea-"
"Don't I?" he took off his glasses and set them to one side so that he could stare at her with no barrier between them, "how long have I been observing you at work now, hmm? How many weeks have I seen the two of you together? I've seen the way he looks at you. Did he ever manage to look you in the eye? Or was it always down here?" his eyes skied to her chest to prove a point but before she could react with anger he looked her in the eye again. "I can see more than that in you, Alex. You're not just a nice bit of posh skirt, glamming up the place. You're a strong, confident, intelligent woman. You deserve to do your job on your own merits, not on how many of the station's senior officers want something pretty to look at." He reached forward and as he touched her chapped cheek gently she didn't move away, flinching only for a moment. "I can give you that, Alex," he breathed, "I can give you everything that you want."
"You can't –" Alex began to argue.
"A whole new life," he told her, "a job. A department where you're in control. No one storming in, ham-fisted, bringing charges of police brutality to sully your good name. All Hunt ever wanted was what was in your bodice. I want what's in here," he reached up and placed his fingers to the sides of her head, staring intently into her eyes in a way that sent a strange chill through her spine. "Just say the word and I'll help you," his words were breathy and passionate, "Just ask and these charges will be gone from your record. You'll be back on your feet; new home, healthy bank balance, name on your office door –" he heard her stomach groaning, "- and a full stomach, all by noon. But you have to trust me. After everything you've seen, who is the one who told you the truth?" he saw her eyes dart a little with nerves, "who told you that Hunt wasn't to be trusted? Who led you to the facts about this world? Who told you that things had moved on without you?" her mouth hung open a little, an answer on the tip of her tongue. The handcuffs rubbed her wrists, her stomach ached with hunger, her tongue yearned for another cooling cup of water, and in his eyes she saw all of that. All of that and more. A way out. The end to this nightmare. She couldn't go to prison, she just couldn't - she'd lost her daughter, she'd lost the man she loved, she wasn't going to lose her freedom too.
"Yes," she whispered before she could stop herself.
The glint that arrived in his eyes was immediate.
"What was that, Alex?"
"I said yes," she swallowed as she trembled and tried to fight the strange nausea that built inside of her as she told him, "I'll do it. I'll work for you. I'll do what you ask me to." She was shaking again as she whispered, "I don't' want to feel this way any more,"
A smile washed over Keats's face, bringing his expression to life. He cast his eyes fondly to her face and ran his fingers down her cheek.
"Well done," he told her, "You've made a very wise decision."
The moment that passed between them as he looked into her eyes took whatever was left of her self respect and replaced it with a haze; a mist that came down over her waking thoughts, almost as though she'd been hypnotised. She felt numb again, but this time emotionally so. He'd taken something from deep inside of her He'd stolen her life. He'd stolen her drive. Everything that made Alex so alive and so full of passion faded away with the promise he made as he told her,
"I'll get these charges dropped immediately, and then we're going for a very long lunch to celebrate." He got to his feet and strode to the door. There was no hesitation now; no long, slow walk as there had been to the water jug. He turned around and threw one last smile in her direction. "Welcome to your future, Alex," he told her, then he stepped outside and closed the door behind him.
One lone, cold tear ran down her stony face. She couldn't feel it enough to wipe it away. She felt cold and hard; drained of all hope and all emotion. He had stolen from her the last asset she had left – her desire to keep fighting, and in that moment she knew that he'd won. It was time to raise the white flag. She surrendered.
The fire in his eyes and the evil gloat across his face were the outward signs of the expectation he felt inside. He had waited for this for such a long time. All those days and nights he'd read about Alex in her files while she lay comatose in hospital, all those times he'd tried to lure her to his side, all the steps he'd gone through to show her the truth about Gene and now, finally, she had seen the light.
Well, the darkness.
A strong feeling of heat built up inside of him as he thought about it. His. She was his now. He had finally won. He would get to achieve everything that Hunt had failed to accomplish.
The smile that grew across his face could be seen for miles around; it could almost be seen from space along with the Great Wall of China and Evan's beard. He had it all now, because he had Alex. That was all he wanted. It was all he ever wanted.
"You're mine now, Alex Drake," he whispered. His future grew brighter as hers grew evermore bleak.
Her soul began to burn.
All that awaited her now was darkness.
"Welcome to hell Alex. Welcome to hell."
The End
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28297
|
*See end for A/N
Clara couldn't really articulate what she'd expected when she stepped outside those doors. She hadn't expected dusty landscape of uninviting, rocky terrain with nothing and no one in sight for miles. She curled her lip in distaste, wondering if the TARDIS was still throwing what the Doctor had deemed a 'hissy fit' and what Clara considered the temperamental ship's last-ditch effort to protect him from himself. She wondered if he'd set the coordinates for somewhere near the Kaapornum galaxy, because then she really hoped the TARDIS had rebelled again and sent them to some distant moon in retaliation…
Or…perhaps not a distant moon. Perhaps a moon much closer to home.
There was a source of light coming from somewhere and she followed it, climbing up a steep slope just ahead of where the TARDIS had landed, picking her way over loose rocks and uneven surface. What she saw at the top confirmed her suspicions.
A stunning view of the Earth, such as she'd only imagined.
So – the TARDIS had sent him to the moon again, maybe even an hour into the future. Still didn't trust him, apparently.
Well – she wasn't sure if she was trusted him yet, either.
He had disappeared when they'd landed, shooing her out the doors and telling her he would catch up. But he clearly wasn't pleased when he emerged and discovered she had climbed to the top of the hill without him. Her tentative wave was met with a very elaborate display of annoyance, some shouted something-or-other, and then he vanished again only to reemerge with the TARDIS a few feet from her. She had to jump out of the way to keep from being blown over the edge.
He was still peeved when he popped out a few seconds later.
"You never used to wander off like that – do I have one of those faces again?"
"All I did was climb a hill, and you said you'd catch yourself up. What's that?"
He was clutching a basket behind him as if hoping she wouldn't notice it. "Oh. This? Well – what does it look like?"
"A basket."
"Very astute of you, Clara."
"Oi, I'm allowed to ask – you don't normally carry baskets." She eyed it curiously. "Am I allowed to know what's inside?"
"Well, if you must know…grenades."
The Doctor shrugged. "Strax once said he wanted to declare war on the moon – I thought I'd give him a proper head start."
Swallowing, Clara pushed back the lid in trepidation before frowning at the contents. "You've got wine in here."
"Again, it's becoming quite clear how nothing escapes your notice."
Narrowing her eyes at him, she grabbed the bottle out of the basket, clinking against something in the process. "And glasses and – are those biscuits?" Now she eyed him with new interest. "What's all this for?"
"Have a seat." He motioned to the doorway of the TARDIS as he settled himself with a few noises of discomfort. "Mmph - I should have brought a pillow. My arse is going to be all manner of bruised from this floor."
"And those are words I never expected to hear come out of your mouth," she muttered as she smoothed her dress over her legs. "So – are you going to tell me what's going on?"
"I thought it was obvious." He produced a corkscrew from one of his cavernous pockets and set to work on the wine. She looked at him blankly. "Oh, please don't tell me I have to make you guess."
Clara huffed in frustration. "Okay. We're sitting in the TARDIS doorway, on the moon, about to drink wine and eat -" She withdrew the package of biscuits and smiled. "Jammie Dodgers, apparently. Guess some things don't change."
The Doctor grimaced as he struggled with the wine. "They were all I could find on such short notice…blast!" He shook the hand that had been twisting the corkscrew, flexing his fingers. "These damned joints." He scowled at the wine as he pushed it towards her. "Can you give it a go?"
Clara shook her head, refusing. "Not until you tell me what's going on. What are we doing here, Doctor?"
The Doctor's head fell back against the doorway. "Oh, for crying out loud – do I really have to spell it out for you?"
"Guess I'm just that slow," she seethed.
He let out a sigh. "All right." He waved a hand vaguely. "I couldn't find any chairs, and we'd get moon dust on us if we sat on a blanket. There also wasn't any cheese or fruit, so – this was the best I could do."
Clara found an unexpected lump in her throat. "This is a picnic. We're…having a picnic on the moon."
He shifted positions, crossing one long leg over the other. For all his complaining, his movements had never appeared more graceful and fluid. "You said you'd never been, and you're right…" He clasped his hands in his lap. "You really can't beat that view."
Unable to speak, she reached for the bottle and finished twisting out the cork. Pouring them each a small glass, she handed one to him before setting the bottle down next to her.
"Here it comes!" His excited exclamation startled her. "Well done, old girl – right on schedule!" He patted the door behind him affectionately. "Look to your right – see?" He pointed over her shoulder, drawing her attention to a streak of light in the sky.
Clara let out a soft gasp as she discovered that the streak of light was an object, hurtling through space on a collision course with…
"Uh, Doctor, it's…" She turned to him in alarm.
He looked placid, content, even. "What are you looking at me for? You don't want to miss it!"
She thought maybe it would change course, maybe it would circle or spiral like those non-meteors from Loktor. Or burst into a dozen smaller bits to start up some kind of dance. "But it's headed for…"
It was like one of those horror films Angie sometimes forced her to watch, where the damsel walks right into the room where the serial killer is hiding, and all she could do was choke out a No!, knowing she was helpless to change the inevitable, gruesome course of events that would unfold afterwards.
As it smashed into the Earth, she let out a cry, tipping her glass and spilling the contents, the dark liquid leaving a blood-like stain on the dusty ground.
"Careful with that! That's not exactly a –"
"Why did you bring me here?!" She whirled on him, angry tears in her eyes. "What kind of…?" She clamped her jaw shut, nanny instinct kicking in and effectively stoppering every last hurtful insult she could throw at him. "Where did that crash?" She finally bit out.
The Doctor looked utterly perplexed. "Arizona."
"That's where? America?"
"Yes, in what will eventually be America."
"Eventually? How…" She closed her eyes as it dawned on her, her hands clenching into fists. "When are we?"
"About 253 million years back," he replied blithely. "This is a fixed point in time – I've never shown you one of those, have I?"
Opening her eyes, she fumed at him a moment before swatting him on the arm, causing him to start and tip his own glass, forming another stain on the ground.
"Ow! What the hell was that for?!"
She stabbed a finger at him. "That's what you do when someone takes you to watch a giant rock crash into your home planet without informing you that no one would be hurt! You don't just…!" She threw up her hands, emitting a noise of frustration. "Even a 'by the way, we're in prehistoric times now so you won't have to worry about anyone dying!'"
He rubbed at his arm, glowering at her. "I see no love lost for the poor therapsids, then." He continued muttering something about timorous beastie, which could've either been a reference to her or the therapsids.
"The what?"
"Prehistoric mammal-reptiles! We just witnessed the moment in time that led to one of the largest extinctions in Earth's history." He reached for the bottle, pouring himself another, more generous glass to replace his previously untouched one.
Clara regarded him warily. "If we're watching a moment that led to such widespread extinction, then why are we drinking to it? Why are we celebrating death like this?"
The Doctor scoffed. "We're not – it's not like that – it's a fixed point in time because without this, history would've played out completely differently. It wiped out 96% of life on Earth so evolution could start all over again, which led to the rise of the dinosaurs and eventually, to the human race. So without this you have no human race." He pointed a finger back at her. "And you were the one who wanted to watch some big, visual event while we ate. For watching things, Earth's moon is one of the dullest venues I know, so…" He made an all-encompassing motion. "I tried to give you the view and the picnic and – the big event, and I thought…" He gave a sigh of resignation, all of a sudden looking haggard. "I don't know what I thought," he murmured. "I'm still such a foolish, old man," he lamented bitterly.
Her heart lurched within her chest, dissolving her anger instantly. "All of this was for me?"
His silence rang out loud and clear.
"I guess I didn't…" She kicked idly at the blood-coloured stain on the ground. "I know you're still trying to figure yourself out, Doctor, but how do you think it is for me? I'm not just gonna automatically know that a basket means a picnic and watching a meteor -"
"An asteroid," he corrected.
"Whatever – crash into Earth is just our entertainment."
"It's witnessing a fixed point in time - not 'entertainment,'" he replied testily. "And do you really think I've changed so much that I would bring you up here to watch an event where people died?" He asked, clearly wounded.
"No. But I think you'd bring me up here so I was nowhere near an event like that to make sure I didn't die."
Judging from how quickly he snapped his mouth shut at that, she assumed she wasn't too far off the mark.
"So many things have changed about you, Doctor." Her voice was quiet. "I'm still trying to sort out the things that haven't. And you weren't exactly keen on the picnic idea yesterday," she reminded him, omitting the part where he'd called her out on arranging a "date."
He was staring into his wine glass with the same concentration he used to reserve for his shoes, but the expression was all wrong. There was nothing sheepish about it, and there was no fidgeting. "No," he admitted. "But yesterday I suppose…" He hesitated, his words measured and slow. "I suppose I didn't know how much I…needed you."
There was no way she could find a reply that was even halfway adequate to that, so she grabbed the bottle and poured herself another glass as her emotions roiled within, making her almost dizzy. She raised her glass, hand shaking a bit. "Well - we have to drink to something, and it's not gonna be to mass extinction, so…" She paused. "To new beginnings."
He raised his glass, clinking it gently with hers, his face thoughtful. "Everything's got to end sometime. Otherwise nothing would ever get started."
Clara gave him a small smile. "Like – the start of being able to drink wine with you."
He held the glass up, swirling the liquid with a practised motion. "I actually used to enjoy it. But for some reason the last body had some very strange tastes – every time it tasted like wet newspapers." He raised it to his nose and sniffed. "Still smells the same." He took a sip and immediately spat it out to his left. "Eugh! That's vile!"
Clara giggled. "Or not. Guess that's something else that hasn't changed, then." She took a sip herself, grimacing and spitting it out to her right. "Eugh, what is that?!"
"You mean that's not how all wine tastes?"
"No, definitely not." She set her glass down and picked up the bottle. "Because this wine is corked, which…" She turned it towards him. "Doctor. It's from 1851. When's the last time you went to 1851?"
The Doctor winced. "Oh, well - a very long time ago."
Clara took his glass and dumped both of theirs out onto the ground before setting them back in the basket. She retrieved the package of Jammie Dodgers and tore it open. "Good you've got these, then – I need something to get that taste out of my mouth." She bit into one, humming contentedly.
The Doctor was watching her, some inner struggle playing out across his face. Clara caught his eye. "What?"
He slowly reached towards her, his movements purposeful. Her hand twitched in her lap as his neared, her breath hitching as it hovered over hers…
…and dipped into the package, snatching a biscuit.
Clara quietly let out the breath she'd apparently been holding and quite deliberately set down the package into the neutral space between them.
He was examining the biscuit with furrowed brow, like he'd never seen or eaten one before. Sniffing it made his nose wrinkle before he ventured taking a dainty bite, features scrunching immediately.
Clara smiled ruefully. "Don't like them anymore?"
He swallowed with what appeared to be some measure of difficulty. "It tastes like candy. So bloody sweet. Do you want it?" He proffered the offending biscuit in her direction.
Even though he'd never actually offered her a half-eaten Jammie Dodger before, the image of waking up to a plate of them beside her bed with the half-eaten one sitting on the top of the pile still tugged at her heart. She hadn't known it then, but it was that gesture more than the vase of flowers and glass of water that signaled just how deeply this man already cared for her.
Meeting his eyes, she saw that reflected back at her for the first time since he'd changed, some wordless understanding passing between them as she plucked it from his fingers and took a healthy bite. "It is sweet," she agreed. "I dunno – I couldn't eat them all the time."
The Doctor grunted his agreement. "I don't know that I ever want to see one again."
Clara couldn't help her sad smile at that. "But sometimes it's nice to have a little something sweet." She finished it, brushing the crumbs off her lap. "Especially to get rid of a bitter aftertaste."
They both fell quiet then, their first comfortable silence since he'd changed. Yet it called her attention to the glaring difference from previous silences: namely, the foot-wide gap between them. With as much as they had always been in each other's space, it felt more like a yawning chasm. This knowledge chilled her – that they were still travel companions, but wherever they would go from now on might be as separate entities. She gave an involuntary shudder. Allies, yes, and probably friends, but not…together. Not slotting together perfectly like two pieces of a half-human, half-alien puzzle. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to enjoy the view of the Earth that looked no different from where she was sat despite its prehistoric age, and trying not to feel…well, alone. But the chill had spread to her legs, too, so she tried to tuck them up without drawing attention to herself.
The Doctor's exasperated noise to her left broke her reverie.
"You can't get warm by just scrunching yourself into a ball – come here." He held an arm out awkwardly, the gesture hardly inviting.
She eyed him skeptically. "Won't it hurt your joints or be too hard on your brittle bones?" She was only half-joking.
That earned her a proper eye roll. "My bones might be more brittle, but they're not going to break. And the arthritis is localized to my hands. Besides, it only acts up when I try to perform extremely fine motor functions. Now do you want to be warmer or do you want to keep fidgeting?"
Clara hesitated, almost wishing she could return to her musings and reclaim that relatively easy silence between them again. His brusque offer notwithstanding, she preferred neutral and content to awkward and forced. She was going to politely decline and opt to hunt down a jumper she must have stashed somewhere onboard when the look in his eyes arrested her.
It was difficult getting to know a new face, but behind that thickly furrowed brow and grumpy-old-man mask, there was the briefest flash of vulnerability. Like he'd noticed that yawning chasm between them, too and was feeling just as alone.
So she pushed their picnic items off to the side and scooted closer to him, feeling the slight increase in warmth as his arm draped around her shoulder. She stopped just a few inches from him, seeing if he'd pull her all the way in or not. But he let his arm hang there, rubbing up and down her shoulder vigorously, clearly only intent on warming her up.
"Is that better?"
She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah. Thanks."
He eased the motion, but kept his fingertips curled there, squeezing lightly. "God, you're a wee thing."
Now it was Clara's turn to roll her eyes. "Amazing how nothing escapes your notice, Doctor."
He guffawed at that. "Touché. But I didn't mean it like that, it was more an observation that there's really nothing to you. It's no wonder you get cold so easily."
"This better not be leading to a lecture about how I ought to bundle up more or keep my head covered because then I will start calling you Granddad," she taunted.
She'd meant it as an idle threat, but he stiffened beside her. Mentally kicking herself, she rushed on to explain. "And I don't want to call you that, 'cause – you're not." She paused, trying to sort out her confusing jumble of thoughts. "You might look old enough to be my father or my grandfather now, but you're not, and I'll never think of you like that. So I don't want you to think of me like that 'cause…"
"Because you're not my father or grandfather, either?"
"Shut up – you know what I mean. I'm not your daughter or your granddaughter, so I don't want you to think of me like that. I just want it to be -" She stopped herself before she could say the same. "Like it was. Y'know – equals."
"And here I was thinking I was a 1200-year-old alien genius, but apparently we're on the same level," he remarked sardonically.
Now it was her turn to tense up, but he must have felt it because he pressed his fingers into her arm again. "Oh, don't be like that – I'm only joking."
She shot a glare his way. "I'm not above smacking you again, you know."
"Smacking the arm that warms you? That's like biting the hand that feeds you, you ungrateful child."
Clara bristled. "Don't call me 'child.'"
"I won't call you child if you don't call me Granddad." His sharp reply was automatic. She'd obviously struck a nerve.
"Fine. Deal." She shifted a little of her weight into him, just shy of a shove, a real smile tugging at her lips.
He was quiet again, but she swore she could feel him thinking. "I wasn't going to lecture you on dressing warmly," he said, returning to a thought that was evidently still on his mind. "I was just thinking about the other times you've been out with me and all of a sudden gotten cold. Like that time on Cedaraius."
She huffed. "Because – what? I should've been able to handle a little snowfall?"
He hummed something noncommittal. "I suppose I never told you that I can sometimes predict things like that," he said slowly.
She pulled back in surprise, studying him. "You knew it was going to snow that day? Why didn't you tell me?"
He didn't look at her but pulled her in closer so she was flush against his side. "Because you're such a wee thing. And you're also incredibly predictable when you get cold."
Clara gaped at what he was implying. "Are you actually admitting that -"
"I'm not admitting a thing. But I have the power to travel through all of time and space. Do you think I've never checked the weather report before we've landed?"
Clara muttered something about how maybe he should spend more time checking things like whether a planet was in the midst of a war and less looking at cloud formations.
"What was that?"
"I was just saying that clearly I'm not the only predictable one."
He snickered. "Well, isn't it nice to know that some things haven't changed?"
She became very aware of the proximity of his shoulder to her cheek. "Let's see…toasting the end of an era to make way for another with undrinkable wine, biscuits only one of us likes, and all from the floor of the TARDIS 'cause the surface we're on would've been too dusty for a proper picnic." She let her head fall lightly onto his shoulder, feeling the unfamiliar, bony curve of it beneath her cheek. "Yep – definitely still the Doctor."
"Well…" His voice wasn't as deep as before, but it had retained that gravely quality. "Not bad for a first date, then."
She jerked her head up. There was a hint of a smile playing on his lips, but it was impossible to tell what, exactly, that meant. He eventually slid his gaze her way, his head following. "I'm teasing, of course," he deadpanned, with what may or may not have been a twinkle in his eye.
But instead of trying to determine what was going on in that bloody man's infuriatingly complex, new mind, she decided there was really only one response to that.
"No, Doctor," she agreed, letting the whole weight of her head fall back onto his shoulder. She smiled again. Two could play this game. "Not bad at all."
Author's Note: Just a final thank you to all who stuck by me during this rather unorthodox story – I've appreciated every follow, favorite, review, PM and show of support (and for all who've wished me luck on my move, I'm afraid I need the job before I can do the move, so - it isn't happening yet. But I appreciate all of your well wishes, so thank you! :)) Finally, many, many thanks are due to my amazing beta Friendship-Bravery-Souffles who not only saved me from a MAJOR Classic Who faux pas but a far less fitting ending and crappy stylistic stuff (as well as listening to me vent about how prickly and complicated Twelve was. :-p) You are absolutely fantastic, V! :)
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/28298
|
Antenora (4)
After plummeting through a chaotic swirl of stars and the cosmos, Loki almost welcomed the quiet, dark confines of his cell. The fall from the void seemed to have stripped him of his powers...his durability and accelerated healing included. He couldn't break free of the shackles that bound him to Arendelle's prison. The only magic he was capable of, if he could even call it that, was his innate ability to shift between his Asgardian and Jotun forms. As he discovered this, he clenched his blue fist and cursed himself.
"I'm pathetic," he muttered.
He had been close to being hailed a king and a hero for wiping out his monstrous kind. He had been on the precipice, the point of feeling near invincible. His moments of glory were painfully brief. Now he couldn't even break himself out a measly prison built by and for mortals. His body still ached from the brief fight with that woman named Elsa. She was quite lovely. And remarkably sharp, as he had quickly learned.
'But not as sharp as me,' Loki gloated to himself. 'I'll take a chisel and chip away at that ice sculpture...layer by icy layer.'
He just needed to confirm his suspicions. The queen too had her own suspicions of him; the way she often visited his cell gave away her wariness.
'If I was restored to my proper strength, she'd be right to worry. But I'm not going anywhere.'
The tension was always thick in the air, so Loki tried to lighten it up with a casual greeting. "The days come and go unnoticed in this dark dungeon. How long have I been here now?"
"A week," Elsa replied. She folded her arms. "I've waited patiently; now I came to see if you've regained your sanity. Tell me again your name and where you came from."
Loki shrugged. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but my answer remains the same. I am Prince Loki Odinson of Asgard. Or was. I've been raised and deceived into thinking that for many years, but the truth revealed itself to me." He gave her a bitter smile. "I am Prince Loki Laufeyson of Jotunheim."
Intrigue flashed across her cold mask. "'re a Frost Giant?"
He tipped his head to her in a mock congratulatory gesture. "I see you remember your lore well."
"Your size makes me find your claim hard to believe." Then Elsa thought of his blue skin and red eyes. "But other things suggest you might be telling the truth."
Loki tried not to show his annoyance. "Enough about me. Now that I've shared some of my dark secrets, I'd like to hear yours. Tell me, Queen Elsa...are you married?"
The sudden change in subject took her off guard. She visibly tightened her lips.
He felt a flash of satisfaction. 'I'm getting somewhere...' Loki pressed on: "I notice that you always come to see me alone. Where is your king? Where is your husband to defend his precious queen? Surely by your age you have a spouse and children."
Her reply was sharp and flat. "That's none of your business. What's it to you?"
'It's everything to me, my dear. More than you can ever imagine.' He didn't say this out loud, of course. He tilted his head. "If what I suspect and what you imply is true, then you have my admiration for ruling a kingdom singlehandedly. It's no easy task, especially for a young woman like you. I'm sure you've drawn the eyes of many men. Probably broke their hearts, as well."
"Silence!" Icicles sprung up under where Elsa had whipped her hand to the side.
Loki was both bemused and fascinated. "Looks like I hit a nerve. The ice you unleash reflects how the ice in your heart wears thin. How ironic."
Elsa wanted to wipe that smug smile off his face. 'He makes a good point,' she thought ruefully. She certainly felt that when she first lost composure in front of Anna, in front of Arendelle, during her coronation. Now Elsa burned with shame for losing her temper in front of the man who goaded her.
'I've spent a long time getting my powers under control. And just like that, I'm emotionally back to where I started.'
She fixed him with a chilly glare. "Provoking my wrath will get you nowhere. If you really insist on calling yourself a god, I have no problem leaving you in this cell for the rest of your immortal life."
"And who will take your place to keep me in here after you die?"
"If I leave behind no heirs, my sister and her children will continue the line."
"You have a sister?" He sounded greatly intrigued. "Younger than you, I assume, since you are the queen. Do you two get along well?"
"More than well. If the stories about you and Thor are true, then I can't say the same about you."
Loki flinched, stung by her remark. Elsa noticed his reaction. 'Looks like we're on even ground now...'
"You mentioned earlier about the true scope of your crimes," she continued. "Perhaps it's not my place to properly judge you. Somehow I'll have to send you back to where you came from."
He let out a bitter laugh. "Oh no, that can't be done. The very same people who claim to love and accept me as one of their own will only greet me with a knife at my back instead of open arms. If I return, they will execute me without hesitation. It'll be a death only befitting of a monster like me."
Elsa's voice came out hushed. "You were exiled? Did you betray Asgard?"
He frowned at her, feigning hurt. "Your words wound me, Queen Elsa. I only wanted what was best for Asgard. But my 'father' and 'brother' would not have it. Blood truly runs thicker than water. Odin always favored Thor...his firstborn, his true son. A Frost Giant can never sit on the throne of Asgard. I was cast my efforts to be the best son, brother and king I could be, all they saw was a monster." The bitterness in his voice was real. But he had to twist his words so he would appear a victim rather than the culprit.
Loki scrutinized Elsa's reaction. Much as she tried to deny it, she couldn't help but pity this man.
His voice lowered to a pained whisper. "Do you know what it feels like to be called a monster?"
"I...I do," she murmured. She seemed to look back at her own reflection, a shell of what she once was when she had been imprisoned in her own kingdom. Just when Elsa thought there might've been an unspoken connection between her and Loki, she quickly collected herself and reassumed her distant facade. "Since it's not possible to return you to Asgard, I will proceed with your trial in a few days. I hope you'll be prepared for whatever lies in store for you when the time comes."
Elsa turned and left, intending to leave Loki in a state of foreboding and uncertainty. Instead, he silently turned the gears in his devious mind.
'Just as I suspected, she is ripe for the picking. I'll make her fall in love with me so I can become king. A king of a tiny little kingdom...but a king nevertheless. If I couldn't have the throne by force, then I could marry into monarchy. I will bid my time and accumulate power. Only then I can take revenge on my so-called family and home.'
Loki relished a good challenge. He managed to deceive the likes of Heimdall, Odin and Laufey. Surely he could do the same with Queen Elsa. Contrary to popular belief, no shortcut existed in the form of a love potion or spell. Loki would have to weave a spell of his own, only with sweet words and a sharp mind rather than mere incantations and some ingredients thrown into a brew. He considered today a good start. At least he managed to draw even the slightest bit of sympathy out of her.
'I will make this ice cold queen warm up to me. To do that, I'm willing to twist and bend the with smoke and mirrors...whatever it takes for her to fall in love with the wrong image of me...'
The more he sat there and thought, the more he left behind the bitterness of his past to anticipate the promises of a new future. A future tied closely with this queen of Arendelle.
To briefly take her mind off of Arendelle's newest prisoner and other matters she must attend to as queen, Elsa visited her sister's house for lunch. She quickly found that wouldn't be the case. Anna really wanted to see Loki for herself, but Elsa and Kristoff firmly said no.
Anna lightly bounced Henrik on her lap. "From what you've been telling me, he seems like a really smart guy."
"Well, he did say he was a prince." Elsa stared down at the cup of tea she had been drinking. Doubt darkened her eyes. "I'm not sure if I really believe his words, but Loki claims to be wrongly exiled by the Asgardians."
"He is the god of mischief," Kristoff remarked. "I'm not surprised he got kicked out for stirring up trouble of some sort."
Elsa furrowed her brow. "He mentioned he was king for a short time. 'A Frost Giant can never sit on the throne of Asgard,' he said."
Henrik interrupted their conversation as he squirmed out of Anna's lap and reached for the mittens on the table. "Mommy, I want to play outside."
"Make sure you stay close to Daddy and Olaf, then."
The boy turned to look back before going out the door. "Aunt Elsa, you're not going to play?"
She gave him a soft smile of apology. "I'm sorry, Henrik. Maybe another time. I need to talk with your mother."
When Olaf, her son and husband left the house, Anna turned back to her older sister with a pondering frown. "So Loki was exiled because he didn't belong? That's sad..."
Elsa gave her sister a strange look. "You never even met Loki. Yet you still sympathize with him?"
"Well, wouldn't you?" Anna smoothed her baby daughter's hair with absentminded strokes. "I know it was wrong and crazy of him to try killing you as soon as he met you. But he must've went through a lot. Rejected and thrown out...not to mention surviving a fall from the sky. He must've been so confused and angry. It sounds kind of like what you went through 3 years ago."
"I guess you have a point," Elsa replied. The only difference was that she brought the exile on herself, driven by her desire to both protect and escape Arendelle. But Loki's seemed all the more painful. She felt so blessed to have a loyal and loving sister like Anna. Loki, on the other hand, was thrown out by the people he called family. Elsa couldn't imagine being in that situation.
"So...what are you going to do about him?" Anna inquired.
Elsa sighed, trying to think. In the three years of her reign, this would be her first time holding a trial of this weight and magnitude. Once in a while she had to pass sentences for those who committed petty crimes, like theft and vandalism. But nothing as serious as attempted murder. "I suspect that he's up to something," she finally said. "I don't know exactly what, but I don't trust him."
Just as she said this, she came up with a way to deal with her prisoner. Suddenly the upcoming trial seemed a lot less burdening. Anna noticed the change in her sister's face.
"Uh...Elsa? Are you...smiling?"
The queen put down her finished cup of tea and rose. "Thank you, Anna. Talking with you has made my day much easier. I believe I have the solution for this dilemma."
Few people were present for Loki's trial. Anna was there too; Kristoff stayed at home with their children. Elsa had no intention of making this public, which would turn Arendelle upside down with news of this god on earth. What had happened to the church would remain a mystery to the commonfolk.
Elsa sat tall and proud in her throne, looking regal and composed as ever. Loki was brought before her in chains and closely flanked by two guards on each side. Despite his time in prison, he matched Elsa's posture and bore no expression, both equal opposites in appearance and status.
Elsa bore her eyes into his. "Loki Laufeyson of stand before me and the royal court of Arendelle accused of the following: damaging sacred grounds, trespassing, and attempted murder of one with royal blood. The last charge alone is punishable by death." She let that sink in like a solemn weight upon the courtroom, upon Loki most of all. Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa saw Anna tense up.
Finally the queen replied, "However, I don't intend to carry out such an extreme sentence. I propose another punishment..." Everyone in the courtroom seemed to hold a collective breath. Loki leaned forward ever so slightly, curiosity breaking the neutrality he tried to maintain.
Elsa gazed steadily at him. "From now on, you will serve as my bodyguard."
Everyone, including Anna, looked to the queen with surprise.
Loki raised an eyebrow. "Me, your bodyguard? I'd expect you to give that honor to someone you trust most."
"Not an honor, a punishment. With you by my side, I will watch every move you make."
"And what if I attempt to kill you again?" he retorted boldly.
"I am perfectly capable of defending myself, as I've demonstrated to you before."
Her reply made the tip of his ears burn. He caught the faintest of smiles on her face.
Elsa rose from the throne, keeping her head high and letting her cool gaze sweep the room. "I've made my decision, but I will allow my advisors to voice any objections they may have."
The gathering of high-ranked men exchanged quiet glances. No one doubted Elsa's strength. With no formal training and by uncontrolled fear alone, her powers froze the entire kingdom. Now that she had more control and experience, she was truly a force to be reckoned with.
Elsa took their silence as affirmation of her verdict. "It's done, then. From this day forward, until I find another purpose for him, Loki will serve as my bodyguard." She stared down at him. "I'm sure you must be tired and hungry from your...untimely arrival at Arendelle." Next she turned to the guards. "Have him properly clothed and brought to my office for dinner."
If the men were surprised, and a little worried, they didn't show it. Instead they bowed and led Loki away, bringing the trial to a close.
Anna drew Elsa aside, brimming with energy for conversation yet trying to suppress it in low whispers. "Whoa, he's going to be your bodyguard now? That means he'll have to go everywhere with you. I hope you know what you're doing, Elsa."
The queen sighed. "To be honest, I hope so too. I'd rather keep my eye on him than let him slip into insanity and loneliness in prison." She watched the guards escort Loki down the hall. Her voice softened wistfully. "He doesn't have anywhere else to go. Perhaps this is my way of giving him a second chance."
Anna touched her sister's arm. "Be careful...but I guess you don't need me to tell you that." Then she winked. "Get in touch with me now and then to see how it all goes."
Hours had passed since Anna returned home, and Elsa worked in her office well into sunset. Because she was often so busy, Elsa usually ate a quick meal right at her desk. This time she had a small table arranged for the night, one that she would bring out whenever Anna and Kristoff came to the castle and dined with her. Now with Henrik and Hilda, the couple couldn't visit as often as they would like. Elsa tuned out the sounds of servants bustling in and out as she evaluated trade agreements and they prepared dinner. Finally, several raps on the door made her look up.
A lone guard saluted to her. "Your majesty, Loki is ready to join you for dinner."
"Very good. Bring him in, please."
Elsa abandoned her work to take her place at the dinner table. At the same time the guard ushered in the man in question. Loki appeared from behind the door and walked into her office with long, quiet strides. Elsa's breath hitched in her throat. Out of prison and garbed in the Arendelle soldier's coat, he cut quite a dashing figure. His long dark hair ended in the slightest of curls, its smooth and healthy glow starkly contrasted with its initial messiness.
Quickly hiding her surprise, Elsa gestured to the chair across from her. "Sit. Make yourself comfortable."
Loki surveyed the food for tonight: a neat setup of flat bread, strawberries lightly dusted with sugar, cups of mead, and shallow bowls of stew thick with mutton, parsley and potatoes. "What is this?" he murmured.
"A bodyguard only deserves the best to do his duty, does he not? I prefer not to have too much food spread on the table. But I can easily get servants to bring in more, if you'd like."
Loki waved his hand a little. "No need for that. This is perfect. Unlike my 'fellow Asgardians' who gorge on game with gusto and for sport, I never had a huge appetite. Even if I had been in prison for days, this bowl of stew will be enough to satisfy me."
'Well, that's something we have in common,' Elsa thought to herself.
Anna was the opposite. Despite her royal upbringing and appearance, she possessed an appetite rivaling Kristoff's. How she could eat so much food in 1 sitting never ceased to astonish Elsa. But given Anna's energetic disposition, it was only right that she had the stomach to take in all the energy she spent. Elsa had to make conscious decisions to eat more; she was quite slender for her age, and bordering on underweight due to her tendency to eat little and work hard. As much as Anna loved to eat a lot of food, she took her time enjoying it too. Elsa treated food as a necessity; rarely did she treat herself to chocolate and other confections after a long day of work.
Tonight would be different. She would take her time enjoying dinner for a change. Besides, she still had many questions for her new bodyguard.
Loki certainly had the manners of a prince as they ate. He didn't touch his food until she did, and he was far from being a noisy, messy slob as he picked at his food with delicate daintiness. Elsa tried not to let Loki know how closely she eyed him. He noticed, but made no comment. He too took note of the way she carried herself. With a light sweep of her hand, she cooled the stew before eating it. She briefly met his eyes as she raised her cup to drink. She quickly averted her gaze and pursed her lips. Her tongue darted out to lick the mead from her upper lip. He found that oddly arousing. She was nervous and tense, he could tell.
To her surprise, Loki broke the silence and eased her tension by saying: "Your punishment for me is both just and merciful. You are a good queen."
Elsa hesitated, not sure how to respond. She supposed there was some truth to that. A good ruler had to possess both justice and mercy; her father often used to tell her this before his death at sea. Then again, Loki could be simply flattering her.
She briefly pinned him with a warning glance before sipping a spoonful of soup. "Don't get any ideas, trickster. I'll be watching you. If you do so much as lift a finger to intend harm on me or my kingdom, then you'll make me wish I didn't choose to spare you."
Loki made a complacent nod, hiding his smirk as he lowered his head. 'Oh, I will do no such thing. I have no place to go, nor do I ever want to return to Asgard now. It won't do me any good to stir up trouble only to get exiled again. No, my ambitions lie elsewhere. As powerful as you might be, Elsa, not even a queen can read minds. I will comply with my actions while I plot and scheme with my head.'
He sat back to look down at his new clothes. His fingers brushed the lapel that bore the crest of Arendelle. "A yellow spring flower on a field of green. This is your family's sigil?"
"Hmm. I like the colors very much." Saying that made him think of his armor. He leaned forward with an inquiring expression. "I'm curious to know where you put away my previous attire. I hope you haven't thrown it away."
"No, of course not. I've never seen such material before, and I believe it would be worth some inspection. That's why I have the palace blacksmiths keep it for the time being. I'll decide whether I should return it to you or not." Mixed interest and skepticism flickered in her eyes. "That armor must be quite something, if it played any part in your survival from that fall."
Loki shrugged. "It has helped me through worse." He let her ponder over what he could mean by that.
"So you insist on keeping me by your side at all times," he continued. "What will you do at night? Even queens need their sleep." Loki was about to make a jest about sharing the bed with her, but he held his tongue.
"I'll have you stand guard outside of my room," she replied. "I'm a light sleeper, so don't get any ideas. Whether you leave from your post or enter my room, I will know." Then Elsa managed a small smile. "Enough threats. This is a nice dinner, not interrogation time in prison. I hope you're now in the mood for answering questions I have for you. If you comply, perhaps I'll tell you a little more about myself in return."
Loki smirked. "I like the sound of that. It looks like we've struck a deal, Queen Elsa."
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.