Note: This is a complete standalone story. It ties into the larger story arc (specifically side events on how other systems are handling an invasion problem) but doesn't require any backstory to be complete by itself. With A Sound Like Thunder Fifteen miles of payload tether burned an arc across the evening sky five thousand miles long, so hot and bright it was difficult to look at directly. Half the population of Seraherd township stood on the roof of the processing plant, hands shading concerned eyes while they talked in low tones. More than a few passed a bottle around, tipping measured draughts into offered cups as their skyhook left a smoking trail from one end of the horizon to the other. Alcohol wasn't in their resource portfolio; no official still or moonshine apparatus ever found its way onto the colony shipment manifests. But they were resourceful. Colonists always found a way to provide for themselves; it was a point of pride so ingrained as to be almost religion. Not to mention agro cattle feed was mostly soy and corn to begin with so half the booze supply practically fell into their laps every harvest. But the pride thing mattered most. The sonic boom began twenty minutes later, riding two hundred fifty miles of atmosphere to reach their town. Bass so low it was more felt than heard rolled across the hills, shivering bioengineered quick-grow wheat and sending anything lightweight rattling around like it had legs and a bad attitude. It was a primal sound that spoke of danger: Thunderstorms, tornados, earthquakes. The holding pens east of the quarter-mile square plant turned into agitated waves of movement, groups of cattle shifting restlessly as ancient instincts pushed them to seek cover, find shelter... or just plain run until they left behind whatever predator was coming. Which would have been quite a trick as the boom went on and on, chasing the blazing end of the tether across the horizon in a shockwave seven times the speed of sound. Agro cattle were huge-- twenty-two hundred pounds of meat after processing. They were immensely strong as well, easily able to flip a solid steel drone combine if one had a mind to. But they sure as hell weren't fast. And running away from that vengeful burning spike of fire in the sky would require a flat sprint of nearly a mile per second. That right there would be some supersonic beef protein. Oscar Hile couldn't make himself believe that was possible. Although to be fair he didn't consider himself to be the imaginative sort anyways. Downright practical, honestly. It was only lately (while watching the slow, spectacular death of the orbital tether) that he really started imagining things. He pictured just how much worse it would have to be from the spaceport, directly underneath the hook. In his mind's eye it was a mass of burning gantries and support structures, slagged buildings slowly toppling over on each other. Sonic booms so loud trees came right up out of the ground with the bark ripped off. Everything remotely flammable catching fire from radiant heat. Access roads so cooked construction vehicles sunk into them like soft candy, only to slowly harden into statues as the searing tether passed by. Then doing it all over again as the giant lift assist swung through again sixteen hours later, pitiless and unstoppable. This imagination thing might be a bit overrated. While Oscar considered the merits of human creativity he kept half an eye on the herds, watching for a stampede. Animals could become accustomed to anything-- humans included-- but even after three days of sonic booms you just never knew when one of them would suddenly take it as a signal to run. And when a couple thousand of anything got going it was best to get out of the way. Or start checking if your property insurance covered a hundred thousand hoof dents. The other half of his attention was occupied with Jeffrey Hentley, the local Colony head currently holding court from the top of a turned-over harvest crate. Between the agro animals and Head Hentley he wasn't quite sure which might cause more long term damage. "-preemptive attack! That's right; I heard it from the GravComm not even two hours ago. Corporate headquarters issued an advisory that our entire system is being invaded in a hostile takeover! Can you believe it?" Jeffrey certainly could. His black eyes and ruddy face pointed at everyone in the small crowd, energetic and animated. Some people saw adversity as a reason to buckle down and find solidarity with their neighbors. Others, like their colony head, saw it as opportunity. "But what is even better-- even better, hear this!-- is the bounty for aiding in the fight! For every person that signs up, a generous stipend will be added to our entire colony balance every week, to be redeemed when Corporate regains full control of the system! And I, for one, will be-" "Who's invading?" That was Pat Irons, yelling from the back of the crowd. Oscar knew without even looking around. Pat had a voice made for calling fieldhands across a Colony mile-- raw, rough, undeniable. He didn't yell; he just sort of refused to acknowledge the existence of obstacles in between his mouth and the person receiving the words. It helped he was built like a rain barrel with four limbs attached, hands rougher than old leather. "Who 'xactly are we fighting with? We're a Colony, for crying out loud! Our value is our production!" The crowd muttered about that, agreeing. It was true: They made what they ate, sold generous leftovers by the megaton and in between their planet grew more habitable every year. On the Corporate ledger they were firmly in the black, even with hundreds of atmosphere processors running and high altitude terraforming bombs every year. But as a target to attack? Ludicrous. How do you seize crops that aren't grown? Cattle that haven't calved? Hentley hesitated, derailed from his personal speech at the interruption. He squinted at the dark crowd, picking out Pat from a sea of rough denim and stained work jackets. "Well, Corporate says they're-- I mean we are fighting drones. That's right! Drones. The enemy is so cowardly they sent machines at us!" He picked up steam again, pointed outward toward (presumably) space. "Right now two warships are holding off the invaders, but even their best efforts couldn't keep them off our resource stations! I'm told the system headquarters is nearly overrun and now we're seeing landings on both Colony planets. Not to mention the loss of our shuttle tether: That will set us back decades!" Another mutter through the crowd, rippling loud enough to be heard over the continuous rumble of the skyhook entering atmosphere. Corporate stations and system transit was one thing; they didn't get involved and the spaceheads returned the favor. It was widely accepted that for anything in vacuum they could expect Corporate to handle it (at a premium, of course), which also included an unspoken caveat to keep cutthroat budget fights far away from their gravity well. But bringing the fight Colonyside was another matter: That was personal. A betrayal of the silent agreement. "So we're fighting drones? Metal boxes, with weapons on them?" Gerald Garner that time. Oscar could almost picture the old timer nervously plucking at his overall pockets while he talked. "How are we supposed to fight that? With what? Farming machinery and cattle prods? I got two daughters at home, how can you expect-" Oscar tuned out the debate as he noticed Harland Gum come up the stairwell and onto the roof, floppy boonie hat thrown back and an annoyed frown on his bearded face. He paused briefly at the top, knocking mud and manure off his boots, then caught Oscar's one armed wave and ambled over with an easy grace. "Hey there, Prickles." He thrust a hand out in a crushing handshake, then plucked a sheaf of papers from one front pocket. "Got them maps you were asking for. Most of the western range here, where all them ships crashed a while back." "Any trouble getting copies?" Oscar accepted the folded maps, flipping them open to the range markers with a prospector's deft touch. "Corporate on you for it?" "Nah, I know Sandra down at Archives. Used to see her on the side-like when we first settled in. Quit off it a couple of months in, but we're still a bit sweet." Blue eyes roamed the crowd, then settled on the Colony head. "He pitching them on being some kind of militia?" "Seems like it." He unfurled maps along the edge of the roof, lining up markers until they were staring down at hill ranges with a birds-eye view. He spotted Seraherd colony right away, a small dot for seven thousand souls nestled right at the bottom of the north hills. Flat country bordered them on the south, hundreds of miles' worth bioengineered grasslands and micro-seeded waterways that abruptly ended at the edge of the terraform markers. All of it marked off with seasonal rotations for the herds. West of them was more grassland, bisected at a distance with a long red scar over the remains of Palos-1's spaceport. Hazard and danger symbols covered the map over there, warning of imminent collapse of the skyhook. But east.. He tapped the map to the east, just over some alluvial hills. "That's them?" Four small red circles encompassed an area about fifteen miles square. It was a lopsided pattern with small gaps, like someone flicked red ink onto the map and smeared it while cleaning up. Harland glanced down and nodded. "Yup. Ships crashed down in that area. Can't get a better reading-- satellites stopped responding. Whatever got the tether station must have also snapped our birds out of orbit. Speaking of which, did our Head over there explain anything about that?" He pointed unsubtly at Hentley, who was currently in the middle of a wheedling argument with a coalition of produce farmers. "Drones." Oscar grunted the explanation. One slim finger traced a path from the crash sites to Seraherd, tapping small black dots along the way. "These farming homesteads; they reported in lately? Anyone visited, talked to them?" "Drones, he says." Harland looked quietly amused. "I think we both know that's some quality bullshit, Prickles. We both been in enough engagements to know that autonomous combat crap doesn't work. Hell if Corporate could replace us with machines they'd 'ave done it by now!" He slicked a thick head of black hair backwards with both hands, then ran fingers through an absurdly luxurious beard. "Don't fuckin' miss it for a second. Grooming standards? Ugh." "Hale." Oscar tapped the map and looked up at the taller man, grey eyes intense. "The homesteads?" "Oh, it's 'Hale' now, is it? You must be feeling the old days. Or maybe our boxtop prophet over there got you spun up a bit. And before you blow your top, Prickles, that's a hard negative. Homesteads not reporting in, even before we lost satellites." The humor drained out of him by degrees, taking a little humanity with it. He crossed both arms over a barrel like chest, rolled sleeves pulling up to display tattoos on both biceps. "What are you thinking?" "Not sure." While Harland reveled in the loss of grooming standards, Oscar still kept his shaved to regulation Navy standard. Force of habit, mostly-- he couldn't imagine doing otherwise. But it left him without anything to do with his hands while thinking through a problem. He jammed both into the stained overall pockets. "Still got your Ricochet?" "Those are illegal for Colonists to own." "So that's a yes?" "It's a maybe, dammit. Look, hey: I've seen you like this before and yeah, there's shit going down." He motioned towards the setting sun and the black scar of smoke trailing the skyhook's uncontrolled re-entry. "But that don't mean we have to get involved. Dead stars and supernovas, we bought out our contracts! We don't owe Corporate startups a damn thing any more. Can't we just... settle? Come on." For a brief second Oscar genuinely considered it. Just let it go, work the herds, spend evenings in the town's small community hall buying drinks for women with an ear for off-world stories. They'd been doing well for the last three years at being civilians. But responsibility wasn't something he could really put a leash on. It was what made Oscar a good Acquisitions team leader, let him climb the Corporate ladder one engagement at a time, taking Harland with him the whole way. Responsibility and preparedness saved lives... but they were also habits: Once you picked them up it took more imagination than Oscar had to just throw them away again. Harland read him like a book. "Oh fuck me with a stun stick." "It's just a quick check." He threw both arms up in a 'what can you do?' expression. "For drones. Autonomous, combat equipped drones without any sort of human assistance." Harland kicked the edge of the roof in frustration, knocking more mud off his boots and drawing a few surprised looks from the crowd. He waved them off with a big smile, then lowered his tone to a hiss. "You know that's bullshit! Nothing operates by itself for very long. It just... quits. Or runs into a color it can't process and hard locks. Or starts shooting at moving bushes until the power runs out." "I know, I get it." Oscar looked up. "But still. The hell is going on? Stations getting overrun? Warships -- multiple warships!-- in prolonged battles for weeks? Weeks?" He snorted in disbelief. "You've seen what those things can do. We've been aboard when just one of those behemoths sterilized a whole startup system. Tell me two of them fighting anything for weeks makes any kind of sense." There was a long pause, filled only with a steady rumble of distant sonic booms and the closer mumble of low speed propaganda. "Fine! Fuck, you got me!" Harland looked annoyed enough to chew nails. "I can't think of anything a warship wouldn't atomize in an hour or less. But you're not going to convince me we're fighting dumb-as-rocks drones, especially not some sort of crash-landed... I dunno, robot recon force bullshit." "Robot recon force?" Oscar looked faintly impressed. "Where did you get that?" "Some of us watch entertainment feeds once in a while, Prickles." He levelled a stubby finger at Oscar's amused smile. "I'll get my Ricochet, give me an hour to dig it up and get ready. You're driving. I'm going to be drinking. But listen to me real good," he glared, beard and stylized hair in full, glorious display. "It ain't any kind of fucking drone." "I cannot believe it's fucking drones." Oscar shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable spot on bare rock. They were both currently belly-down across a shale escarpment, overlooking an extensive crash site below. Less than a mile away the wrecked remains of a transport thrust a burned metallic fuselage into the night sky like a raised middle finger, torn and curled metal flayed upwards at every angle. An impact crater a quarter mile south and a long slide mark full of debris showed how it ended up in that position. The crash itself must have been pretty spectacular: Bio-wheat fields were burned back a half mile along the entire length. But what really had their attention were the drones. "No, seriously. There has to be a human controller in there somewhere. Guiding those things, tasking goals, getting them directed." Harland looked pissed off on a professional level. "They never work on their own." "Anything organic that went down on that freighter either got smashed into paste or incinerated." Oscar turned slightly, panning the scope of his Ricochet along the crash site below. "What the hell are they doing?" Below them a churning mass of drones crawled on and around the ship remains like horrific spiders. Each machine was roughly triangular in shape with blunt, rounded corners and beveled long edges. The casing looked about three to four inches thick, made of some kind of mottled metallic looking composite that flashed a rainbow of oily colors when the light hit it just right. There didn't seem to be a defined front or a back to the things: They moved in any direction by flipping themselves completely over or skittering along their edges, pulled or flung by a series of cables that snapped out of each corner. Every now and then a group of them would suddenly snap together, cables pulling and compressing the triangular casings into complex open-sided hexagons. That last behavior gave Oscar goosebumps. He spent several minutes zoomed in on one of the hexagons, ignoring Harland's complaints in favor of focusing on the small movements within. "Factories." "-absolutely stupid, how could anyone even trust a machine to wait, what?" He cut off mid-rant. "Say again?" "I think those are factories. The hexagon things they combine into. See how some of them bring pieces of the ship inside the shapes, then a little later another drone will drop out? They're making more of themselves somehow, inside there." Harland got low, then snuggled into his Ricochet scope. Five feet of magnetic railgun whined as it cycled up, powering the sight and preparing a tungsten slug for deployment. Breath held, the bearded ex-trooper carefully scanned the activity below with both eyes wide open. "Alright, I see it." He exhaled slowly, controlled. "I don't believe it, but yeah-- that's what it looks like. Well... shit." Oscar nodded in agreement, then elbow-walked backwards away from the edge to avoid skylining himself. He wasn't sure the drones used optics but old habits died hard. Clear of the edge he sat up, clicking the safety on and setting the railgun within easy reach just in case. He got out the satellite maps and laid them on the rock, tapping the red X marks over the farming homesteads. "So, they're hostile for sure. Everything between the crash sites was razed in a straight line. But are they targeting the farming homesteads, or are they just going from crash to crash for the resources?" "Does it make a difference? That's a couple dozen people dead already." Harland patted his rifle. "I'm of a mind to spend a couple hours making incendiary loads, then sit back a couple miles and blow large, flaming holes in everything." "That's definitely a plan." Oscar didn't look up from the map, eyes thoughtfully tracing out elevation markings. "How come when you say it like that all I hear is 'what a horribly bad plan'?" "I didn't say that." "Maybe I should put large, flaming holes through you." "I might have been thinking it." The taller man snorted in disbelief. Oscar relented, gracing his partner with an apologetic grin. "There are some... holes in that plan, though." Harland's eyes came down to half mast. He let the pun die in the stale air, then continued to wait until the desiccated remains blew away. "I'm going to let that slide just once, Prickles. But why are large, fiery explosions not going to work?" "Couple of reasons. First, they rode down on a broken transport and survived re-entry. That's, what? Over three thousand degrees? If we had military-grade thermal rounds or white phosphorus loads we could beat that, but otherwise I don't think it'll be good enough. Then there's the other problem." Harland scratched his beard, then started patting his pockets. "I'm going to need another drink for this shit." "It's quantity, since you're not interested in asking. There's too many of them, all over the place." Oscar frowned, using one fingertip to backtrace their route from town. Their path dipped and angled in places around rolling hills, but mostly ended up in a straight line from the crash site directly into Seraherd. "You're a hell of a shot, Hale-" "Damn straight." "-but even if you hit every single time we'd need over five thousand railgun casings. I doubt you have even a hundred, even if you managed to smuggle them out in every single piece of clothing you had when we left headquarters." He raised one short finger in protest, then put it down again. "Okay. Good point. So I'll take the first hundred, then you can shoot the next four thousand or so." "I have no ammunition at all, actually." Harland recoiled with something like actual disgust. "You went full civilian? Prickles, I am... whoo. I don't even know what to say. This might be the closest I'll ever come to disowning you." Then he looked down at their rifles, side by side like two lethal birds on sleek tripods. "Wait, why the hell did you keep your Ricochet without any freaking ammunition for it?" Memories rushed up, breaking a hard seal somewhere deep in Oscar's heart. They stormed through his mind, grabbed his hindbrain and took every emotion for a vicious joy ride through the years. Dozens of engagements. Hundreds of buddies, casualties, friends made and lost in the face of Corporate greed and hostile takeovers. Screams, explosions, triumphant yells and the cold vacuum of soundless conflicts. He opened his mouth to explain it all, then realized he was eye to eye with Harland's sympathetic expression. "Memories." They both looked away. Harland cleared his throat, turned and spat somewhere far out into the grass. "Yeah. Memories. Fuck 'em." Oscar deliberately changed the subject, breaking hard away from an unspoken minefield. "Anyways, I think we have a way to take care of them all of once." "I'm listening." "We'll need the mining explosives from the dig site up north-- do you have any left over?" He knew the taller man was a pack rat when it came to explosives. Odds were good a couple of the small charges somehow ended up 'misplaced' into a personal backpack. "Yup, got ten of 'em. But ten small packages isn't going to do much for that swarm down there. And I don't mind telling you I sure as shit am not volunteering to run my ass straight into them chucking bombs everywhere." "You won't have to. In fact we might not even see them at all. Here's what we're going to do..." Early morning in Seraherd was a quiet affair, if one ignored the constant susurrus of several thousand farm animals calling wake-up sounds to each other. Residents typically didn't get out of their premade habitations until the crack of six, when daylight was just starting to crest the horizon enough to walk around unassisted. It was better that way: The town was an agro startup, not a city, so things like streetlights and always-burning exterior LEDs were a luxury most people skipped out on. Which meant trips outside in the dark required a flashlight, a keen eye and a set of footwear you didn't mind getting a permanent slurry of animal shit stuck on. Not to mention the town layout. Specifically the eastern side of town where the large meat processing facility was, right next to the enormous stockyards of docile protein still on the hoof. It was a fact that life on Palos-1 involved a certain knowledge of prevailing winds, most notably that night time gusts tended to travel west while daytime currents drifted eastward. Accordingly absolutely everyone lived west of the plant and fields, choosing to take the biological smells in the dead of night while they were asleep rather than suffer through sunlight-scorched biohazard breezes during the day. It made for a fragrant morning, but usually paid off later. This was not a typical morning. Shortly before dawn the far edge of the processing facility erupted in a cacophony of explosions, a ripping tear of five blasts in a timed series ten seconds long. It was so loud residents nearly a mile away bolted upwards in bed, hands out and clawing for light toggles as they yelled in surprise. Men hollered, women screamed and children burst into tears, sure that some kind of calamity was falling out of the sky to destroy everything. If that seemed like an oddly specific fear then, well-- it was on a lot of people's minds recently. But the blasts had a similar (and more powerful) effect on Seraherd's primary purpose as a settlement: Their entire herd of bioengineered beef startled as one, then tore straight through the retaining wall of the paddock in a straight line away from the facility. Oscar watched through his scope as several thousand animals stampeded shoulder to shoulder directly east in a wave nearly a mile long. It looked like a black-and-tan tide of death sweeping the grasslands, leaving nothing but pounded dirt and shattered fencing material behind. A small harvester just behind the barrier never had a chance, going over in a flash of metal as a ton of machinery got rolled, then smashed to pieces and crushed under ten thousand stomping pistons. He panned the Ricochet upwards, tracking the stampede progress. "Harland, you copy?" "Copy." He was only about a mile out, sitting on a hillside near where the herd would have to make a decision to cut north or stay east. "Now?" "Give it about ten seconds." Oscar timed it, eyes intent. The lead animals reached the edge of the hills, hesitating as two directions suddenly opened up for easy access. "Go." Somewhere out on the hillside Harland squeezed a detonator, triggering another timed series of blasts across the north hills. Instantly the lead herd animals turned away, heads down and legs pumping eastward. "That got it. They'll be on the crash site in about a minute." With a small smile, Oscar sat up and started disassembling his weapon. "Alright, pack it up. Let's put everything away and report in for work. Don't want to scare anyone, and I have a feeling we're going to be catching stragglers off that herd for at least a week. Better get started early." "Yes, mom." Harland sounded smug. "Hey, Prickles?" "Yeah?" "Ever imagine you'd be using cows as a carpet bomb?" He laughed once, sharp and pleased. "Never. I'm not that creative." "You don't say."
The Future That Never Was: KITTY KITTY - #2 THE TWISTED HEIST
RR link Previous chapter (RETRO COSMOS) #2 - THE TWISTED HEIST A star had just gone out in the distance, sending its entire system, planets and moons, into oblivion. So, what was a simple life compared to a sun? Did the human existence that earthlings highly cherished in the past deserve so much fuss? I would say no, of course, because I’m a cat. Our condition to us felines will never have to pale in front of a shiny astronomical object. Mine specifically, don’t you think? Oswald Avery was merely a Homo sapiens. A retired buccaneer, fermenting his adulterated wine on the carcass of a drifting supercargo; all under the remodeled features of a former Galactic Trade Company’s pilot. Alas, regardless of the genetic disguise, the FID rarely lied. It hadn’t fooled us and the masks had fallen off. Just like him. I’m such a poet. Anyway… Avery had had a long life of crimes and adventures. He was full of energy in his youth. And as in the universe, nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed, this energy was reincarnated in a nice amount in our bank account once the old picaroon flatlined. “We finally got it! And it was a traditional Martian contract. Payable remotely, on condition that the FID is validated. How about that?” “God… Lee … you’re talking to yourself and it’s only 8 a.m.,” Ali grunted behind me. My couch potato of an associate had her head still stuck in the cereal box she was nibbling before falling asleep binge-watching Captain Caveman on ABC. “To begin with, it’s 8 p.m., Martian Time. And we do have a positive balance in our bank account for the first time in months! Do you know what that means, partner?” “Shopping, bitches!” she shouted as she hurled herself into the void, gliding to the bathroom in the weightlessness. With the cardboard box on the top of her head, this sugar bishop was swimming after the remnant cereals that floated on her path like Ms. Pac-Man. “Hell! Have I just opened Pandora’s box?” The liner Danaë and its forty-eight post-nuclear Baltimore-XVIII heavy reactors made its annual cruise from Lunapolis to the suburbs of Ceres, in the belt. Its figurehead with the effigy of the Greek princess was a two hundred meters long, green ceramic statue. The size of the ship exceeded some inhabited asteroids’ diameter so it possessed its own substantial gravitational field. “It’s quite a symbol of the decline of humanity,” I said to Ali, pointing with my chin at this unique work of art. “Why?” my partner asked without caring whatsoever. “Spill the beans, Plato.” The Kitty had obtained permission to dock and began its approach. I concluded then: “Humanity no longer erects great and beautiful things without turning them into a shopping mall.” The gold and ivory Danaë was one of the most luxurious epicenters of human decadence in the system; comprising hotels, casinos, megastores and amusement parks spread over a dozen centrifugal rings. There was something for everyone’s wallet, ready to be emptied, whether one was welcomed at the port or had joined during the crossing. And to my great regret, the cape of the Danaë was just passing by us that week. “I believe we should keep our savings for the maintenance of the Swallow. The dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree. Some parts need to be changed…” “You’re such a bore with your adult talks,” my partner said as she left the fitting room of a luxury chain overlooking the main deck. “What do you think of that? Sexy as fuck, right?” Her camisole didn’t hide a single inch square of flesh and I subtly pointed it out to her: “It’s a bit of a back-alley Sally.” I took a blow on the nose which, this time, was amply justified. “There’s nothing chicer than Borderline. You don’t know anything about fashion. It’s crazy!” She was furious. It was entertaining. But she was right. The human female fads were way over my head and I wasn’t a good adviser. Mostly because I didn’t care. At all. Fortunately, the upscale shopping mall where we were staying had provided us with a free assistant who was even more servile than a decerebrate canine. As usual, the robot carrier that accompanied us did the job by flattering her with its unbearable honeyed tone: “I find you charming, Madame. Here we have the latest fashionable lingerie on Mars. It’s an ephemeral collection that appears to have been specially made to mold your discreet curves, which seem to have been sculpted by the seraphim.” Ali gave me a satisfied look that I pretended to ignore. Then she backtracked into the fitting room to put her black suit and pink jacket back on. I took the opportunity to climb on the shoulders of this silly robot, servant of our servants and last link in this hierarchy whose origins go back to Ancient Egypt. “One more move like this and I’ll turn you into a gum dispenser.” The automaton apologized before my partner’s head emerged from behind the silk curtains which were far too fragrant for my taste. “I just checked; it’s too expensive anyway. I ain’t buying it,” she announced. “Can you order a taxicab to take us to the hotels’ ring? You’d be a sweetheart.” Happy to leave this irascible human with her robotic slave, I proceeded to the nearest service terminal. By the time I requested a vehicle, a flying cigarette dispenser could light me a Lucky. “It’s forbidden to smoke in our store, Monsieur.” The customer attaché, in his blue silk suit with elephant legs, had appeared out of nowhere. Yet, with such a shiny tie, this punk should have dazzled me from the Kuiper belt. “Please be kind and get me a Pepper Coke instead of ruining my eyesight…” I grumbled in response. I was in an awful mood. I definitely hated shopping. And people. Yet the pedestrian avenues of the Danaë had a very exceptional population density. Perms were making a strong comeback, as were neon tattoos and overly open flowered shirts. Under the false UVA/B sun, it was a true dance of flesh, steel and plastic bodies with assumed nudity. Implants and surgery erased the hazards of the genetic lottery for better or worse. It was so superficial. So futile. So human. “Hello, handsome!” Ali cried out, a large smile across her face. “Lee? You didn’t tell me you knew Christophe Lambert! You know I'm a huge Highlander fan!” My partner had just joined me, arms loaded with bags massive enough to live in it, start a family and park my chromic Pontiac Firebird. All were filled with C$400 t-shirts and sneakers that she didn’t need and would only put on once. “No smell. Hologram,” I conclude by throwing my cigarette butt through the smiling ghost. “Shame!” Ali sighed. She then looked at her terminal, and continued: “Do you think I have time to grab a watch module? There are sales in the Japanese aisle! I saw some GD-8 that would go well with my new Game Pocket! This boat is fucking rad!” Ali could not stop humming Who wants to live forever. I had to rub my temples to avoid a migraine before the arrival of our taxicab five minutes later. These were miniature limousines with double fake leather benches, facing each other at the back. There was a minibar with expensive multicolored drinks and sugar-soaked snacks, the sapiens’ primary source of calories and high Gs space travel drug. For the sensitive, the smart-fridge provided diet sodas with aspartame, but no one took it. Finally, there were free Gauloise cigarettes next to the ashtray on the armrest. And even Tylenol! “What a time to be alive!” Right after leaving the fashion district, a soft voice of a young woman, who appeared to us through the armored porthole separating her from her customers, finally emerged from the cockpit: “Good evening! I’m Miss Meera. At your service. Hotel de Saint-Malo, correct?” I nodded. She smiled at us. She was beautiful with her incredibly dark night metal skin that contrasted strongly with her silvery-white hair. She also had charming ivory eyes with absolutely no reflection. They were a mesmerizing void of light. In fact, it was so rare to deal with a real person, and not an AI, that we engaged rapidly in a lovely and honest discussion with Meera. We were mostly talking about life on the Danaë. As she stated, the rules on board were very strict, even military. All was done to make sure that the customer had the most pleasant time at the expense of everything else. Finally, according to her, her condition wasn’t the most to be pitied in the cosmos. And she was fully satisfied with this precarious semi-nomadic existence. “And what about you? Are you here on vacation or in transit for work?” she eventually asked. “What do you do for a living?” Should we have told her that we were executing infamous people so Ali would collect expensive t-shirts and I could fulfill my nicotine addiction? “Don’t get me wrong but I saw that you had a gun. Are you in the police… or are you pirates?” It wasn’t the first time someone asked us this question. Although weapons were allowed on most ships and stations, it wasn’t wise to display them unless you were looking for trouble. Unfortunately, hiding such a large caliber under such a tight vest was a Herculean task. “You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone”, simply quoted Ali, her forehead against the window covered with scented stickers. Meera laughed before continuing: “Very well, Al Capone. I understand that you’re not the type to let yourself be taken advantage of.” The taxicab entered the central expressway after the water park then suddenly swerved violently to the left. “What is going on?” I gasped. After crushing the safety railing, we fell from one rotating bridge to the other in a frantic cavalcade. Judging by Meera’s swear words, this ride wasn’t part of the show. Avoiding the stalls of an art market and a group of children coming out of an arcade, the driver finally managed to recover in extremis. It was about time, because within seconds we were passing through the transparent protective wall of the hotels’ deck. “A thousand apologies! Another one of those mor… clients from the Middle System who doesn’t know how to use a rental car,” she shouted through the window. “Are you guys hurt?” “No, thanks to you,” I replied, my tail spiked over my head, taped to Ali’s neck now decorated with bloody scratches. Although my human forehead now had a bump on it the size of a golf ball, it was true that Meera had just saved our lives. This young girl had unsuspected driving talents despite taxicabs’ lack of handling. She didn’t belong here, playing the steward in a yellow circus uniform. This woman should have been a fighter pilot; or a NASCAR driver on Canyon Creek. “In any case, here you’re almost in front of your hotel,” she replied. “You don’t have to pay anything, and I apologize again for the scare.” From the outside, the taxicab now looked like a can of nutrigel after going through a crusher. Yet, it still worked. May God Darwin bless Venusian steel. After thanking her, we wished Meera a good day. But the cockpit window suddenly went down on the passenger side. The smile of the driver had faded. She had tears at the corner of her white eyes. “Wait!” she asked. “This weapon… do you really know how to use it?” So, life on the Danaë wasn’t so sweet. As Meera explained to us in a secluded alleyway, a trio of criminals had come to threaten her a few days earlier, after finding she was a bodacious driver. They were preparing a heist in one of the flying city’s fifty casinos. The young woman was now ready to pay the price to settle the case. “What is your opinion about this whole situation?” I asked Ali, once in our room, a small yet cozy suite whose glass walls overlooked the vacuum of space. My human had applied a brownish ointment on her hump, which disappeared soon after, leaving only a slight pinkish hematoma. “Meera said she would provide us with more details tomorrow. However, if she ponies up the cash, I don’t see why we would refuse. We ain’t mercs but these three guys must have a bounty on their heads. Let’s do our job, right? “Indeed…” All we had to do was wait for more instructions. Fortunately, it had been months since we had been able to take days off except on miserable gas stations full of drug addicts, implants scavengers and prostitutes. After another morning of shopping, Ali went to the thalassotherapy center of the neighboring hotel. Her main occupation? Overeating sushi made by 3D nutrigel printing while getting massages. Alas, I didn’t have the time to bask under the false sun of the lakeside resort and get my belly stroked. As a good captain, I had to go to the maintenance to fix the numerous damages of the Kitty. As always, the bill would be higher than expected. Everything was orchestrated so that we would never hold a positive balance in this corrupted system. We had to chain contract after contract. But Meera’s gig didn’t sound right. There was something I didn’t like and I couldn’t catch it yet. All my cat sensors were in the red. Unfortunately, the bounty hunter’s ones only saw the green of the bills. Don’t judge me. The young taxicab driver had finally contacted Ali again by holoconference in the early afternoon, shortly before I joined her at the exit of the tanning booths. Or as I called them: human toasters. “Have you finished roasting like a Thanksgiving turkey?” I asked her as she plunged into the icy water of the adjacent basin, under the lustful gaze of a group of cadets from the Marine Academy. “Meera will pick us up with a new taxicab in the hotel parking lot,” she whispered once back to me. “Alongside her, we will meet two of the criminals at the burglary location, shortly before midnight.” “Go on.” “We take care of these guys and we catch up with the last one: the band leader, in the storage cavities of the hangar reserved for the ship’s logistics. Below the last rotating ring.” In Eve’s costume, Ali came out of the basin, not without deliberately drenching me. The water had a nasty chemical taste from being filtered day after day. “Do you have any intelligence on these jokers?” I insisted while lighting a cigarette. “The Broadway Gang. Three brothers. C$45,000 for the trio. We will also be able to recover at least C$10,000 of Techno-federal tax on their ship depending on its condition. Easy cash with the dollar credits that Meera promises us…” Now sitting on the ledge, my partner splashed her feet to demonstrate her eagerness to head back swimming. “Excellent! This will pay for the maintenance and allow us to save some money on our way to the belt.” “Can I go now?” she asked, sliding back into the water. “You may,” I had concluded before seeing her leave for her absurd wanderings that would fill her afternoon. I myself was very busy making eyes at the wealthy guests of the hotel restaurant to glean a few pieces of Peking duck or juicy crabs. They were real farm animals from Mars. Not nutrigel. It was worth abandoning a little dignity aside. With a full belly, I finally joined Ali in the middle of the evening. Arriving in the corridor of our suite, I crossed the group of cadets noticed near the swimming pool. They seemed tired but blissfully smiling as they just discovered the nirvana. And I knew why… “Ali? Are you ready?” I said as I walked through the half-open bedroom door. Her dressing gown had been thrown on the floor. Her gun and badge were resting on the bedside table against a giant bottle of Koala Springs soda and a pyramid of little Yoyo Mints. To be honest, I expected a bigger mess. “Gimme five minutes,” she replied while in the shower. An hour later, we met Meera in the staff parking lot behind the recycling stations. Without further discussion, we joined the expressway in the taxicab. Between two noisy info-ads, the radio played Sweet Transvestite then the rest of the mythical Rocky Horror soundtrack. “I wonder what Tim Curry’s up to these days,” asked Ali while browsing the intraweb on her implant. “Being legendary as usual,” I answered. Afterwards, the casino was in sight. But once on the forecourt illuminated by the gold and silver bulbs, we heard gunshots and screams. My partner and I quickly realized that this was a violent robbery rather than a modest heist. “What the fuck, Meera?” Ali asked, turning to the porthole that separated us from the cockpit. There was a hint of irritation in her voice. Meera remained mute, her hands on the wheel and her gaze forward. In the rear-view mirror the young woman looked panicked. The right door of the vehicle suddenly opened and two men sat down in front of us. They were wearing theater masks: the first was Melpomene, the sad grimace of tragedy; the second, Thalia, the twisted smile of comedy. Each brigand carried a huge metal block under his arm; drawers that were sure to be full of cash. On the other hand, they held their still smoking ZeG-4 machine guns even more firmly. When they saw us, they both gasped, in unison: “What the fuck, Meera?” One… two. One… two. Four holes in their faded tuxedo. Four bullets as big as a cat’s eye that silenced them forever, before slowly repainting the bench in red. “What the fuck was that? You killed them!” Meera shouted this time, as she started the electric engine. “You had tasers at your disposal, you psychos!” She had finally turned around. Her voice was quivering. She was no longer panicked, but angry. The tasers must have slipped between the seats because I hadn’t seen them. My partner raised her eyebrows and it made me realize that their use had never been in mind. “We’re bounty hunters, not 9 to 5 social workers!” continued Ali. “Now, you gotta motor, otherwise the cops will shoot our ass on the spot before we could even meet the third dude!” Meera put her foot on the pedal and one could almost hear the noise of the thrusters melting the white asphalt. “I can perceive the sirens, Ali,” I concluded before Meera entered the ring's external road reserved for logistic transport. We then had the shortest car chase we had taken part in. The Danaë security forces may not have had the best elements in the system, but Meera’s talents didn’t give them a chance. We had crossed half a dozen rotative bridges to the rhythm of Take on Me, zigzagging between expressways and maintenance tunnels to arrive before the song ended at the deserted logistics hangar. It was similar to a huge supermarket with honeycombed shelves. Each of these garages, dimly illuminated by red LEDs, housed a delivery or transport vessel. There was the most impressive fleet I had ever seen. In one of the first level’s cells stood, between a set of clamps, a Swift-0 scout, from Peugeot Corp, with wings spread. The Swifts were small and very high-end single-seaters. They could be modified to integrate weapons systems, but their primary characteristics were velocity and evasion. Leaning on the flank of the mono-turbine, the last of the three criminals, a tall blond man with a “Chevy Chase” prominent chin was looking down on the approaching taxicab. “Were they planning to escape on that ship? The three of them?” I remarked when the vehicle stopped a few meters from the small vessel. But Meera ignored me. “Hand me the money, I’m going out. That was the agreement.” The porthole opened at its base, allowing us to pass the steel cash drawers. Once the taxicab’s ignition was turned off, only their holographic numbers glowed in the dark. “It’s all over if his cronies don’t stick their noses out of the car,” Ali replied, finally giving the second drawer away. “He’s going to figure out that it went south. He will kill you!” Outside, the man was getting impatient. Blinded by the taxicab’s headlights, he came closer before exclaiming: “Zéphyr, are you there? Where are my brothers? Security is closing all the departure modules. We will be stuck here, for fuck’s sake!” He now had a gun in his hand. A machine gun identical to those of his companions currently bathed in their blood, nailed to the seats. “Zéphyr? Wait… I know that name!” I meowed to myself. The doors and portholes of the taxicab were locked. Ali and I were now stuck in the back with the two flatlined and most wanted criminals on the ship. “Sorry guys, but I’ll handle the rest.” Miss Meera, alias Zéphyr, smiled at us through the armored glass just before leaving the cockpit by the driver’s door. “What a fucking piece of shit… Lee? Do you have a plan? I think the windows are bulletproof. I don’t feel like testing. Especially if it’s bouncing around with us inside, we will be turned into ground beef!” “Did you forget who I am, my dear?” I was already crawling under the seat, between a pair of Méduse shoes and half nibbled fried rat wings. It was time to demonstrate all my infiltration skills learned from Ninja Gaiden. Unfortunately, both the crab and the duck slowed me down and my belly remained for a few seconds stuck under the driver’s seat with my head on the brake pedal. How outrageous! From the porthole, I saw Ali watching what was happening in front of us, near the ship. Our eyes met for a brief moment and I could read on her lips: “diet kibble”. “Better off dead!” I shouted. My paw reached the bottom of the dashboard, activating the mechanical opening of doors and windows. And, accidentally, the loudest horn in this dimension. “My bad!” My sapiens immediately jumped outside, pointing her gun to Zéphyr. Surprised by the thunderous din, her target pivoted towards us, uncovered, turning her back to the human with the magnificent chin and his ZeG-4 who yelled: “What in the whole universe is that? Wait! I know her! Did you bring us bounty hunters? You were clearly planning to double-cross us!” The man shouted and his gun produced a rain of bullets. It first hit the windshield of the taxicab, passing through the conductor compartment where I was. The rounds bent the windscreen, but it held. This wasn’t, however, the case for the hood, protecting the engine and the reservoir full of coolant, which ended up covering the seat and my face. Fortunately, the sticky alcohol allowed me to escape from this trap and jump out of the vehicle through the window I had previously opened. But, once again, a fire ring enveloped the ZeG-4’s cannon. “This is how I die…” I meowed, eyes closed. I was violently tackled and hit the ground. Zéphyr had saved me at the last moment, just before bullets obliterated the front of the taxicab. Other projectiles ricocheted off the metal money drawers on the floor and got lost in the ceiling, activating the fire sprinklers. This incident triggered a silent light alarm throughout the hangar while the mobster prepared a new salvo. “Don’t hurt my pilot, you narbo!” roared my partner. Ali, this time taken as a target, retaliated. She fired a single shot towards the rascal with a formidable precision. No one knew how to handle such a heavy gun as she did. She was my human. She was the best in her field: murder. And I taught her everything. Almost. The leader of the robbers tried to reload the magazine of his weapon, unaware that his heart had been punctured a few seconds before. Adrenaline was doing its job. But the blood loss caused by the explosion of the aorta at its base, near the ventricles, gradually stopped him in his gesture. His pressure dropped and the bloodstream no longer reached the brain sufficiently. He was already in a coma when his shoulders touched the ground. He was luckier than the average Joe and died a few seconds later. “Is everything all right?” My voice was trembling, still in shock from this disaster. I was wet and frozen. Zéphyr got up with difficulty. Next to us, one of the metal drawers was opened, revealing a bunch of green bills and a much stranger booty: an eight-inch gold diskette with suspicious Chinese symbols. Well… I couldn’t read them but Chinese symbols on stuff are always suspect, aren’t they? But there were more important matters. Because my partner, on the other hand, stayed on the ground. Blood was dripping from her black suit and mixed with the clear firefighting fluid that was falling like an endless rain. I tried to talk to her again but my voice was lost in a groan. “Why are you whining, you big baby? It’s just blood.” With her nose in a puddle, my sapiens smiled at me. Her left hand was compressing her abdomen. The bullet had passed through the external oblique muscle, far from the stomach. It wasn’t that bad after all but she had scared me. And that deserved a scratch on the wrist that made her scream: “What the fuck?” “And the medical expenses? Have you thought about medical expenses? We don’t have insurance!” “God, Uncle Scrooge! I hate you!” “We won’t be able to fix the Kitty with your heroic outbursts!” I fulminated to mask my joy of seeing her in one piece. “I will kill you, Muppet! I almost died! I don’t give a fuck about your rusty trash can which flies like a brick!” It was true that we hadn’t had a fight for a long time. “Guys…” intervened Zéphyr. “What?” Ali and I had spoken together. “These three ruffians had planned to steal the diskette drive from me once I got back. I needed a hand, so… thank you… I guess.” “You’re welcome,” my human answered dryly while sitting. Although Zéphyr saved me, I didn’t share the same kindness: “Wait, we’re not letting him go! Do you know who he is?” Zéphyr. Prince of thieves. And yes, he wasn’t much of a princess either. Just an androgynous cyborg. A breakout king wanted throughout the entire system for his affiliation with the Data Brokers’ Guild. With an incredible bounty of C$800,000, she or he… whatever… was the knight of the brokers’ chessboard. “I think we’ve had enough for today,” Ali said. “Unless you hope to go after him with these big fat guts of yours.” “By the 79 moons of Jupiter, you shall pay for this, woman!” I meowed, angry. My ears were backwards and my hairs were spiky. But soaking wet, it just made Ali and Zéphyr laugh. Disgrace! “He’s so cute when he’s furious,” he joked. Now on his knees, the night-skinned androgynous was blotting Ali’s wound with a torn piece of fabric from his driver’s uniform. “But more seriously, I need to go. With the bounty, you’ll be able to repair your vessel. As for the hospital fees, I will contact a good friend who will take care of you for free. She’s the ship’s chief medical officer.” “Thank you,” I simply replied as he helped my partner get back on her feet. “It’s the least I can do. I wasn’t interested in money. More important information is contained in this,” he said as he was picking up the floppy disk. This golden diskette must have been worth a lot of cash for Zéphyr to play a taxicab driver to ensure coverage. I had perceived that something was fishy! Then, halfway to his Swift-0, Zéphyr stopped. I witnessed his hesitation. “There was nothing personal, you know. We’re all just trying to make our way. The best we can…” And he ultimately left before adding: “Maybe we’ll see each other again! You seem like fun.” Before fleeing away, Zéphyr abandoned one of the boxes near the criminal’s corpse. Thus, he validated the theory of a robbery that had gone wrong. When the security arrived a few minutes later, we were the heroes of the day. And with a little bribe, nobody cared about Zéphyr’s missing ship. This whole story surely left us a bitter taste. A feeling of defeat and humiliation that the swimming pool under the synthetic sun couldn’t make disappear even a week after. “He undoubtedly played us as we were rookies, with his little face of a young innocent girl in distress,” I said to Ali right after the end of the daily Brett Maverick. This old show was dispensed on a couple of giant screens suspended by drones. Until now, Ali had remained silent on her deckchair; with a brick of sour juice stuck between her breasts and a pair of straws between her teeth. Only inaudible grunts emanated from her mouth since the departure of the sexually unclassifiable mugger. “I wonder what information this fucking cyber-Tootsie could have been looking for in that casino,” my human mumbled as she squeaked her rainbow flip-flops. “Admit that it’s not really that question that puts you in such a state…” I answered, now well installed on my motorized buoy that I had gotten as a gift in a diet kibbles package. “You bet! I will have a nasty tan mark on my stomach with these bandages!” she exploded, spitting out her plastic straws with infinite curls. My float slipped towards the ledge as a robot came to bring us our next glucose overdose. Ali finally added: “I swear that if we run into him again, I’ll smack his fucking angel face.” Back to business!
Masark's Guide to Trade - Sidewinder to Type-9 Heavy - Third Edition
So, you've just started the game and want to build wealth. This guide will take you from the Sidewinder and explain the process of both the trade in rare commodities, then later how to trade in bulk commodities and also present builds for trade ships from the first Adder up to the Type 9 Heavy. It is not necessary to strictly follow this guide in its entirety at once. Taking some of your accumulated profits to buy a second ship to explore or engage in combat is recommended so you don't burn out on one activity. You'll make sufficient credits after a few hours (particularly once you reach The Real Money) to afford such ships. Or maybe you've been playing for awhile, but have been exploring or engaged in combat and now want to trade to make money to further your pursuits in those fields or just want to try trading for a change of pace. In that case, you'll want to skip forward to a ship that matches your available means.
Part 1 : Welcome To The Galaxy Commander.
If you're a brand new player, you'll want to play around within the Pilots' Federation District for a while. Missions will be your main source of money, as trading isn't too hot. I would recommend trying some of each kind of mission to get a feel for what each of them involves. All the missions in the District are deliberately simplified so you can perform them in your starter Sidewinder or one of the other early ships available in the District. Bounty hunting is another option, which will involve going to either a nav beacon or a resource extraction site (Avoid the Hazardous ones. These are maximum difficulty places where system authority ships won't go) and killing wanted NPCs. Watching for the sight of lasers firing in the distance, which will indicate that there are System Authority ships (space cops) in a fight with a criminal, then dashing over to help out and collect some easy bounties is a good money maker, though it can be a bit risky if you shoot a bit too much and end up catching the attention of someone with heavy guns. If you insist on trading within the District, I believe the best route available would be hauling Superconductors from Otegine to Dromi, then hauling Resonating Separators back. This will yield you about 3600cr each loop for each tonne of cargo space you have. When you advance in a rank, you will be offered a second mission named "Exploring The Galaxy", offering a very tempting 100,000 credits. Ignore that mission for now. That mission will send you out of the District whether you're ready or not and your District permit will be permanently revoked as soon as you land at a station outside of the District. A recommended early ship progression would be first to the Adder, then to the Cobra MkIII. Both of these are good multipurpose ships suitable for doing anything. When selling a ship, it is advisable to sell off all the modules separately and downgrade all the core internals to the cheapest ones possible. This is because selling modules gets you 100% of their cost back, whereas selling a ship only gets you 90% of its value back, including for any modules it is equipped with. While this won't matter much in the District, where you're dealing with small ships and low rated modules, but that 10% loss can become quite significant later in the game, so it's a good habit to get into. As an aside, when upgrading ships, be sure to keep the pulse lasers from your starter Sidewinder (store them before you sell it). Gimballed weapons seem to be hard to come by within the District (which seems ridiculous to me), so you're likely to reuse those lasers as you upgrade ships. If you're sticking to cargo and courier missions and really want to get out of the Sidewinder, you could move up to the Hauler early on, then to the Adder and Cobra. Or if you like the combat stuff, the Eagle, Viper MkIII, and Viper MkIV are worthy options. The Viper MkIV can also be used as an alternative to the Cobra MkIII. It can be outfitted almost identically to the Cobra below and will have only marginally less cargo capacity and jump range. A Cobra MkIII outfitted with the District's finest parts will look something like this. I would recommend building your way up to that, then building a stockpile of credits (I would recommend a million or so, but more is always useful if you want to spend more time practicing) so you have the cash available to do further upgrades when you leave. Now that you feel confident in your skills and are probably bored with the limited offerings of the District, take that "Exploring The Galaxy" we mentioned above. This mission will send you to a random nearby system. Once you've arrived there and turned in the mission, I would recommend making your way to Celsius Hub in the HR 6828 system if the mission didn't send you there. This station has reliable outfitting so we can spend some of that money you saved up on making your ship better. Now, upgrade your frame shift drive to a 4B (or 4A if you saved up enough extra), your shield generator to a 4D, your class 3 cargo racks to class 4, your fuel scoop to 2B, and install a point defense turret on your second utility hardpoint. The end result should look like this. (A Viper MkIV will look like this). Whether to keep the weapons on or not is your choice. Dropping them will net you a little more jump range, but only a little (about 0.25ly), so keeping them is entirely fine if you don’t want to go unarmed.
Part 2 : A Commander's First Trade
Now you're ready to start trading. For a first foray into trading, I would recommend rare trading. This is optional, as rare trading is less profitable than bulk trading, but I recommend doing a circuit or two of it as it gives you practical experience in navigation, long distance travel, fuel scooping, and how the mass of your cargo affects your ship's characteristics. Rare trading involves Rare Commodities, which are special, unique commodities that are only sold from one specific station in limited quantities and are in demand everywhere else. Their prices are not subject to normal supply and demand forces, but rather are determined by the distance from the purchase station. The further you go, the higher the price gets, up to a point of diminishing returns at about 140ly and a hard cap at 200 or so. They are specially marked in the commodity market with a star, a different colour, and their unique names. My recommended rare circuit is Rares Circuit 1. It is an old and proven circuit that has been around since shortly after the game's release. It's also quite simple, involving just grabbing as much rares as your ship will hold moving along the top or bottom line, then jumping to a sell location, at which point you sell everything you have. Then run along the opposite line, buying up commodities until full, then going to the opposite sell location, selling, then starting over. The Rajukru Diamond is another option for a rare trading route, though I personally find it excessively complicated, with juggling multiple commodities to sell at different locations. Note that you want to make sure to select the "Fastest" routes when plotting rather than the "Efficient" routes. The latter will take the smallest jumps possible to save on fuel, whereas the former will take the longest jumps to get you were you're going quickly. If you’re fortunate and a system is in a Boom state, you may be able to fill your hold right there without needing to use the other systems in that branch of the circuit. As you get money, feel free to upgrade your ship modules, especially your FSD. As mentioned above, you get back exactly what you paid for it when you sell a module, so upgrades are never a waste. But always make sure that you have enough money on hand to cover your rebuy, as shown at the bottom-left of the home tab of your ship’s Internal panel. This can be thought of as your insurance deductible and is the amount you will have to pay to get your ship back should it get blown up. If you don’t have enough to cover that, you will be given a free Sidewinder like the one you started in, basically putting you back to square 1 (though with your remaining credits, ranks, etc. still intact). Continue this for a run or two or until you feel like advancing.
The Exploration Alternative
Rather than going to rare trading at this point, Road to Riches offers an alternative means of money making and progression (it will also guide you to unlocking your first engineer if you have Horizons). This is an exploration-based method that involves going around within and near human inhabited space ("The Bubble") scanning known Earth-like and Terraformable planets. As among the changes in 2.4 was a very large buff to the value of these scans (to hundreds of thousands per planet), this is a highly effective means of making money, and it can be done in the Sidewinder you start with (with some upgrades). Down to Earth Astronomy has a good video on this subject. You can potentially do this in just the starter Sidewinder with a few upgrades, like this build. If you don't have enough money for the detailed surface scanner, you can omit that and just do the FSS scanning, then buy the scanner later when you've got a couple scans under your belt and turned in your first load of data. The Hauler makes for an excellent ship upgrade from the Sidewinder for this task, with much better jump range, more fuel capacity, and ability to fit a bigger fuel scoop. This is about the kind of build you would aim for in that regard and could afford after just a handful of scans. The Cobra MkIII can also be used, in a build like this, though it will end up with less jump range than the Hauler, making travelling between systems slower In addition to money making, this is highly useful for getting rep with factions (e.g. for obtaining the permits to Alioth and Sirius), as handing in exploration data will quickly raise your rep with the station's owners.
Fuel scoop usage
Your fuel scoop will automatically deploy and start collecting fuel when you come close enough to an appropriate star. Since you usually need to fly near a star to line up with your next jump destination, you can refuel on the way using "passive" or "rush" scooping. Just simply fly tightly in supercruise at full throttle around the yellow line (this indicates the area where your FSD cannot function. If you fly inside that circle and get too close to the star, you'll be yanked out of supercruise and take some damage. If this happens, you’ll have to wait 30 seconds for your FSD to cool down. Then you’ll need to point your ship directly away from the star (on an “escape vector”) in order to jump back to supercruise and continue what you were doing) until your can see your destination This will get you perhaps half a tonne of fuel per star. While this isn't enough to fully refuel from the jump, it does significantly extend your effective travel range. While you're running the rare circuit, you will need to stop for fuel on the long legs to Witchhaul and Orrere even with the above rush scooping. Rather than finding a station (the graphic lists several inhabited systems along that line), we will just stop to do some serious scooping to refuel. To scoop for fuel, go to an O, B, A, F, G, K, or M class star (these are the first 7 class of star in the galaxy map when you select to show by star class. Mnemonics to remember these include Oh Be A Fine Girl/Guy Kiss Me (keeps them in order of temperature), and KGB FOAM (Putin in a bubble bath), among others). See this guide by the Fuel Rats for guidance with pictures. When you plot a route on the galaxy map and don't have enough fuel to make the entire journey without refuelling, it will mark the last scoopable star in the route before you run out as a "fuel star". Due to the above passive scooping, you'll likely get a jump or two past that before you run out, but you should open up the map and glance at the route every so often to check what your fuel and refuelling status is. If you don't see a yellow circle, go into your Internal panel, select the Ship tab, then the “Pilot Preferences” tab, and turn on orbit lines. A "fuel scoop active" display will appear in the middle of the cockpit display when you get close enough, showing the scooping rate (in kilograms per second), a fuel gauge, and your ship's heat level. You want to fly in and get the scooping rate to about 2/3rds of the scoop's maximum rate to prevent overheating (This is assuming a D-rated power plant. you can go higher if you have a higher rating power plant, which output less heat). For the 2B scoop you should have on your Cobra, that will be about 43kg/s Once you're near that rate, throttle down to zero. This will leave you sitting near the star scooping and creeping along at 30km/s. Now you just wait until you have finished refueling, then just throttle up to full, and pull away from the star. Wait until the "fuel scoop active" display has disappeared before activating your FSD for the hyper jump, or you will likely overheat and damage your ship. As a last resort, if you've messed up and stranded yourself in an uninhabited and unscoopable system, contact The Fuel Rats. These guys are an awesome player group that assist stranded players by delivering fuel to them.
Dealing With Interdictions
It's likely you'll get interdicted at various times while trading. Your objective in the interdiction minigame is to keep your ship pointed towards the "escape vector", which moves around randomly. When you have your ship pointed on the vector, but your interdictor doesn't, you gain in the game and vice versa. If you fill your blue bar, you'll dump them out of supercruise while you go on your way. If you lose, you'll suffer a 30 second cooldown on your FSD, during which you'll be vulnerable to their weapons fire. So if you feel like you're losing the minigame, you should throttle to zero and surrender to the drop, which will only incur a normal 5 second cooldown before you can jump back to supercruise. Once you're in normal space, immediate hit your boost (default tab) to open up the range. Even if you can't get out of range, the damage of most weapons drops off considerably with distance. Now just wait 5 seconds until your frame shift drive has finished cooling down, then either jump back to supercruise or jump to the next system in your route. If you find yourself mass locked (this occurs when you're close to a ship larger than yours), fire your chaff to scramble their weapons, then choose whether to continue charging back to supercruise ("low wake") or to select another system to jump to ("high wake"). Intersystem hyperspace jumps are immune to mass lock from other ships, which makes it a good option if you've been interdicted by a ship much larger than yours, which will slow your supercruise charge to a crawl. Just select a random nearby system in your
On Armament
The builds I offer in this guide are all weaponless, relying on shields, chaff, and point defence to allow them to escape from pirates. Those of a more aggressive disposition may instead wish to remove any would-be threats rather than fleeing from them. While mines were briefly useful armament for traders, improvements in NPC AI have rendered them basically useless, with NPCs easily dodging them, even at low ranks. Thus, if one intends to act as a Q ship, you will want to select more conventional weapons. Lasers and multi-cannons have long been a standard loadout for the good reasons of being easy to use and providing a useful balance of thermal for shields and kinetic for hull. I personally use such a loadout on my trading Cutter. Alternatively, the new ship-launched fighters are another option for pirate swatting if you have Horizons and are using a ship capable of equipping one. Equipping a hangar will require sacrificing at least a class 5 compartment (32t of cargo), and likely more as you'll probably want stronger shields than the basic A rated minimum shields I use on all this guide's builds. Further details on SLFs can be found in my writeup on the subject.
Part 3 : The Real Money
So you're tired of rare trading and are ready for real trading, yeah? Go to eddb.io and use the loop finder. Set the search to the following parameters
Min Demand to 0 - this is the really key parameter. For the purposes of bulk trading, demand doesn't matter, only the price. Stations will happily buy your wares at full price regardless of whether they have no demand or even if they have a supply of the good. *Min Supply to 10-15x your cargo capacity (So 400-600 in the Cobra, 1000-1500 for the T6, etc.).
Distance to taste - default is 200ls. I personally prefer to set it to 0 and see what is available overall, then only tighten it if I get ridiculous loops going to stations several thousand ls out.
Max Hop Distance to taste - Currently, I'd recommend doing a first search at maximum range (50ly), and look at the full offerings, then try tightening it and see how the profits change by distance, as profits can be quite variable and it may be quite worthwhile to do multiple hops for the higher profit.
Max Price Age to 1 day - You may wish to expand this, but in general, I find that many modern loops get depleted quickly, either through player actions or changes in system state.
Include Planetary to No - Landing at a planet is much slower than docking at a station, so much so that it's practically never worthwhile trading to a planetary port.
Optionally, enter your current location in the Your Location box. This will add a line to each loop telling you how far it will be to get there.
Now hit Find Loops. It'll sit there for a moment, then give you a list of loops, sorted by their profit. If you like the look of one of them, start running it. Otherwise tweak your search and hit it again. If you run out of commodities on your loop, hit the finder and get a new one. This can be quite boring, so I would recommend Netflix (or another streaming site or your favorite torrent site) and a second monitor. You can often find the latter for cheap on second-hand sites like Craigslist, Kijiji, and others.
Part 4 : Time For A Real Trading Ship
Once you’ve collected about 5 million credits, you’ll be ready to advance to a new ship. Specifically, the Type-6 Transporter, otherwise known simply as the T6. This is a significantly bigger unit than your Cobra and will more than double your cargo capacity, and with it your profits. This is your general build. I would recommend purchasing your ship at a system under the influence of Li Yong-Rui. The effect of this power on his subject systems is that all ships and modules are sold at a 15% discount, which lets you upgrade ships significantly sooner. This purchase price reduction also translates into a reduced rebuy cost, meaning that getting blown up won’t hit the wallet quite as hard. Conveniently, there is a station near Witchhaul that is within his sphere that has all the parts you need, specifically, Zamka Station in LHS 191. For all other builds in my guide, you can find an appropriate Li Yong-Rui station by hitting the $ icon at the top-right of the Coriolis display. That will send you to an EDDB search page. There, simply select Li Yong-Rui under the Powers dropdown and hit Find stations again. If you don’t get any results, remove modules (preferably starting with the cheapest ones) from the Station Sells Modules box and redo the search until you do get results. Optionally, if you don’t mind staying in the Cobra for a hour or two longer or want to upgrade from the Type 6, you could opt to upgrade to an Asp Explorer (commonly known as the AspX) when you accumulate about 14 million credits. While it only offers a small increase in cargo capacity, it gives significantly better jump range, allowing you to run longer loops faster and thus improve your credits per hour. Now back to looping!
Giving back
EDDB.io relies on contributions of station data from users in order to keep its trade information up to date in the dynamic universe of Elite:Dangerous. The most popular tool to submit said data is the Elite:Dangerous Market Connector. This program pulls the commodity market data (as well as information on available ships and equipment) from the Elite Dangerous API server and sends it off to the EDDN (Elite : Dangerous Data Network, the system that eddb uses for its data). It can also record that data locally for use with other tools, as well as send star system information to the EDSM (Elite:Dangerous Star Map) and keep a local log of all systems visited.
Contingency Planning
In the event that you find yourself with little money, a low-capital method of rebuilding your funds is to use the galaxy map to locate a system in the Outbreak state. Stations in these systems will have very high levels of demand (and consequently, very high prices) for Basic Medicines. Use eddb.io's Find Commodity tool to locate a nearby system with a decent supply of them, then start hauling them in. This will yield profits in the 2500-3000ct range. While this is less than for the above loop trading, it requires much less in the way of starting capital. A T6 full of high value will cost you several hundred thousand credits, whereas a full load of Basic Medicines will be less than 30,000, allowing easy rebuilding from poverty.
Part 5 : Further Progression
When you’ve acquired about 25 million, it’ll be again time for another upgrade. This time, you’ll be getting a Type-7 Transporter (aka the T7). This will nearly triple your cargo capacity. Though note that you’re moving up to a Large ship, which means outposts will no longer be trading destinations for you, so on the loop finder, you will want to set Landing Pad to L rather than Any.
An Optional Upgrade
When you’ve gotten your credit balance up to about 70 million, you may wish to trade in the Type 7 for a Python. While this will entail a minor downgrade in cargo capacity (16t), unlike the T7, the Python is a medium ship, capable of landing at outposts. This gives it the freedom to select sometimes-more-profitable loops involving those stations. Additionally, it’s a significantly more enjoyable ship to fly and I personally consider it one of the best-looking ships in the game. You may wish to stay in the Python for awhile longer so as to make enough money that you can purchase the next ship outright without selling it. The Python is a highly versatile ship usable for many game activities, including being an excellent mining ship and great for background simulation play, so I would recommend keeping it around for your non-trading career.
Part 6 : The Ultimate Trading Ship
Once you have 110 million, you’re now ready for the ultimate trading ship in Elite:Dangerous, the Type-9 Heavy. This massive brick of a ship is the slowest and least maneuverable thing in the game, but it also carries a huge 752t of cargo in its depths for huge profits with every trip.
Part 7 : Beyond The Ultimate?
For progression past the T9, the Imperial Cutter is the only competition, with no other ship coming close to the cargo capacity of either of these ships. Purchasing a Cutter requires one to hold the rank of Duke in the Imperial Navy, which will take some effort to acquire. This post gives a highly effective method that will get you a Duchy within hours. I personally regard this ship as the best trading ship in the game. While it has slightly lower cargo capacity than the T9 (720t vs. 752t), it more than compensates for that with it’s superior jump range, better speed, stronger shields, and gorgeous looks.
Part 8 : Player Trading
With the introduction of fleet carriers, trading with other players is an option for making money. Carrier owners can create buy and sell orders on their carriers and will often post them to this subreddit, /elitecarriers, and /PilotsTradeNetwork for others to fufil. Loops invovling these carriers are usually not quite as profitable per tonne as regular loops (as the carrier owner is taking their cut), but are much faster, as the carrier will typically be parked right within a few lightseconds of the buy/sell station, allowing good profits per hour. Though it is important to note that profits from trading with fleet carriers do not count towards your Trade rank progression. If you're wanting to get to Elite in Trade, you'll want to ignore carriers for the time being and stick to station to station trading.
Snorkeling in Los Cabos, Mexico Snorkeling is great at Santa Maria Bay in Los Cabos, Mexico If you want to get up close with some of Cabo’s colorful undersea creatures, there are some really incredible spots to snorkel in Los Cabos. The beautiful pristine waters of the Sea of Cortez are home to an amazing variety of marine life. This abundance of sea life once motivated famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau to nickname the Sea of Cortez “The World’s Aquarium.” A variety of snorkeling tours are available, departing throughout the day from the Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo marina. Here are 3 of our top picks for spots to snorkel in Cabo: Lands End Cabo San Lucas México
Pelican Rock at Land’s End is accessible via water taxi from Medano Beach or the marina in Cabo San Lucas. A number of tour operators also offer snorkeling tours. While the Pacific-facing waters at Land’s End and divorce beach are too rough for swimming and snorkeling, the bay side can offer excellent snorkeling and diving when conditions are good. Pelican Rock is a great snorkel spot in the protected Cabo San Lucas Marine Preserve. Many species can be sighted here, including sea turtles, surgeon fish, parrot fish, angelfish, Moorish idols, rays and many others. Playful sea lions are also visible in the waters nearby.
Santa Maria Bay is located in the Tourist Corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo. Another very popular spot for snorkeling, tours arrive from the Cabo marina in the morning and early afternoon. You can also get to this beautiful crescent-shaped Bay close to Km. 13 on the Trans peninsular highway (follow the signs to the parking area). Colorful schools of fish can be viewed in the waters swimming among coral and sea fans.
Chileno Bay in Los Cabos, México
Chileno Bay is on the Corridor not very far from Santa Maria and is a top pick with safe and sheltered waters. This spectacular bay is located close to Km. 14.5 from the main highway. Offshore reefs are home to a variety of species including eels, tropical fish and sea fans. Nearby, the luxurious Chileno Bay Resort & Residences overlooks this spectacular beach. A beloved spot for families and tour boats leaving out of the Cabo San Lucas marina, you’re sure to enjoy viewing the abundance of brightly hued fish in these waters.
Chileno Bay Beach More Information: Snorkeling Tours in Los Cabos Snorkeling Catamaran Tour (Click here for further Information) If you are an active person and enjoy water sports a Snorkeling Catamaran Cruise will first take you to the Los Cabos Arch and Lands’ End, the Sea Lions Colony and Lovers Beach for incredible must do Photos in Los Cabos. Then head to Chileno Bay or Santa Maria Bay for a snorkeling adventure at a natural coral reef. This adventure includes also an open Bar after your snorkeling activity and Lunch. Entertainment, Music and Dancing is also part of this adventure in Los Cabos. Catamaran Snorkeling Tour in Cabo San Lucas Snorkeling Sailing Tour (Click here for further Information) Your first stop in the Snorkeling Sailing Tour in Los Cabos is also the World-Famous Arch and Lands’ End with the stop at Lovers Beach and the Sea Lions Colony for incredible Photos. This Adventure includes a premium open Bar after your snorkeling activity and delicious Food, Snorkeling Equipment and also a Stand-up Paddle. Active and yet relaxing as you sail away to Chileno or Santa Maria Bay for your snorkeling activity. If you are looking to stay away from larger crowds and enjoy Sailing and Snorkeling this is a must do in Cabo. Snorkeling in Cabo with a Sail Boat SUP. Stand up Paddle (Click here for further Information) Hop onto your Surf Board and Stand-up Paddle to the Los Cabos Arch, is the hottest new water activity. It requires balance and strength, but nearly anyone can do it with the right instruction. Let an experienced guide teach you how to glide along the water on your paddleboard sooner than you could think. The pride you feel by reaching this goal is priceless, and the view of the Arch is breathless. During the tour, a break is needed, and this time is used for snorkeling at Pelican Rock. Stand Up Paddle in Cabo Snorkeling on the Beach (Click here for further Information) If you don’t like Boats and are a Snorkeling Fanatic a great option for snorkeling is the Los Cabos Beach Day. The adventure starts with a short 45-minute Boat Ride to the Los Cabos Arch, the Sea Lions Colony, Lovers Beach and Pelican Rock for a quick stunning Photo of you in front of Los Cabos Main Attraction and a must have picture. Head to Chileno or Santa Maria Bay by car, your Beach Day is all set up with your Umbrella and Ice Chest, Snorkeling Equipment and Snorkeling Guide. Explore the Coral Reed of Chileno or Santa Maria Bay with lots of Tropical Fish and Sea Flora and Fauna. Finish you adventure up with a Tequila Tasting, Glass Blowing Factory Visit and Shopping time prior to returning to your Hotel. Snorkeling from the Beach in Los Cabos Snorkeling at Pelicans Rock (Click here for further Information) Another very popular option is snorkeling at Pelicans Rock in Los Cabos. The Tour includes the 45-minute Boat Ride to Lands’ End, the Los Cabos Arch, the Sea Lions Colony and Lovers Beach prior to your snorkeling Adventure at Pelicans Rock. This Adventure includes your underwater photos and also a free souvenir snorkeling Tube. In addition, you can spend extra time at Lovers Beach and take a ride back at a later time. This adventure is very flexible and you can make your own Itinerary. A little extra is the Tequila tasting and free shopping time prior to your included round trip transportation. Pelican Rock by the Arch in Cabo San Lucas Pirate Snorkeling Tour (Click here for further Information) Great for Adults and Kids is the Pirate Boat Snorkeling Tour. Explore the Los Cabos Arch, the Sea Lions Colony and Lovers Beach prior to your snorkeling Adventure at Chileno Bay or Santa Maria Bay. Pirate Lunch and open Bar is included in this Snorkeling Tour in Los Cabos. Snorkeling on a Pirate Boat in Cabo Snorkeling with Whale Sharks (Click here for further Information) Or why not snorkeling with a Whale Shark in la Paz? This incredible Adventure starts from your Hotel in Cabo and takes you to La Paz. Hop on board and head out the Sea of Cortez. Jump into the water with Whale Sharks and get a real close look of those huge and gentle Giants. An Incredible Adventure that will create memories that will last forever. Snorkeling with a Whale Shark Snorkeling with Sea Lions (Click here for further Information) How about a Snorkeling with Sea Lions Adventure? This also is a Fantastic Snorkeling Tour which takes you to the capitol of Baja California South, La Paz. Hope on board and off you go to the Island of Espiritu Santo in the Sea of Cortes for your snorkeling Adventure with real life Sea Lions. This also is an incredible adventure that is something special for every Snorkeling Fanatic. Snorkeling with Sea Lions Snorkeling in Cabo Pulmo National Park (Click here for further Information) A real off the beaten part Snorkeling Adventure in Cabo Pulmo National Park, the variety of Tropical and colorful Fish, Coral Reefs and even Bull Sharks and Turtles is tremendous for snorkeling fans. If you are a passionate Snorkeling professional this is the place for you. Cabo Pulmo National Park Frequently Asked Question Snorkeling in Cabo Question: I am not a good Swimmer; can I still go? Answer: Yes. You wear a life jacket; all you need to do is kick your feet. Very easy, even non-swimmers can enjoy snorkeling (as long as you're not afraid of the water). Question: How are the water temperatures for the snorkeling? Answer: The lowest temperature is 65 degrees in the early Winter Month and in Summer Water temperatures are in the mid-80, s. Water is comfortable all year long for Water Activities. Average Water Temperatures in Cabo Question: How far is the Snorkeling Spot? Answer: Pelicans Rock is located close the Arch of Cabo San Lucas; it is very close to the Cabo San Lucas Marina and very quickly reached by Boat in less than 10 minutes. Question: Is it not dangerous to snorkel in Cabo? Answer: You will be snorkeling in the area where the largest variety of Tropical Fish are, it is not dangerous and no threatening animals are in that area. Follow the instructions of the Tour Guide at all times. Question: I wear prescription glasses; can I still Snorkel? Answer: Please visit your local dive shop at home and pick up a special insert that will allow you to wear your glasses while snorkeling. There are no prescription masks because everyone's prescription is different. Question: How is visibility? Answer: The visibility will vary depending on your snorkeling location, the time of the year, and the weather. To give you a general idea, expect visibility between 25 and 40 feet from January through March, 25 to 60 feet from March to June, and 25 to 100 feet from July through December. Have in mind that when snorkeling, your depth will only be between 5 and 20 feet in most cases. Question: Is this Tour in English? Answer: Yes, the guides speak English and Spanish. The five best snorkeling tips: All it takes is to follow simple tips to be snorkeling like a pro!
Find the perfect fit for your mask
First things first – fit the mask over your eyes and strap the elastic over your head. Make sure there are no twists and that the straps are flat above your ears. Don’t wear your mask strap at the base of your head as the mask can slip out of place and cause water to seep in. The mask strap should fit snugly around the widest area of your head. This is one of the most important tips for snorkeling to remember. There are ways to ensure your mask fits your face properly before heading out. Press the mask to your face and breathe in through your nose slightly. If the mask fits snuggly to your face once you let go, that’s a sure sign you’ve found the right size, but don’t fasten it too tightly to your face either. A mask that is too tight can cause a headache, or general discomfort, and besides, the pressure on the mask once you hit the water helps it to stay in place. Keep in mind that mustaches and hair can also get in the way of proper fitting of a snorkeling mask. Brush your hair away and out of your face to avoid leakages, which can be slow and steady. The ‘mask test’ is important because it helps to ensure water will not leak in while you’re snorkeling. Our Snorkel Guide will assist you in the process.
Defog your mask with baby shampoo or defogging gel
Defogging your mask is perhaps the single most important skill to know as a beginner – the condition of your mask can make or break your experience. Most skilled snorkelers recommend baby shampoo as a defogging solution. There are also gels which are often sold at resort or dive shops which work well to keep your mask from getting fogged up. Remember, when snorkeling, optimum visibility is key. Defogging solutions work by creating a layer between the air moisture in your mask (your breath) and the glass of the mask itself. Our snorkeling Guide has taken care of the defogging for all of our participants and Snorkel Masks.
Get excess water out of your mask when needed
One of the most important things to learn about snorkeling is how to get water out of your mask. It is better to learn this before getting into the water. There are various techniques to keep your snorkeling mask from getting filled with water, although it is completely possible to clear the excess water from your mask under water if you wish. Remember, if your mask fills up with water, don’t panic. You can always surface to get the water out. If you’re in a situation where you’ve spotted something amazing and don’t want to risk losing sight of it, you’ll need to learn how to quickly clear your mask under water. To get the water out, pull the bottom of the mask away from your face and blow outward. Keep your breathing normal, make sure you’re comfortable and relax. Before you submerge again, check if your mask is leaking. Always make sure that your mask is fitted properly!
Preserve energy with full-foot fins
There’s no question that fins add to under water mobility making the experience a more dynamic one. Newbie snorkelers will find themselves having to choose from full-foot or adjustable fins. Full-foot fins are often the recommended choice for beginners; ensure you find the right fit before you set out. Steer clear from fins that are too tight, too loose, or too painful. Once your fins are on securely, slide into the shallow end of your practice pool, or do the ‘moon walk’ carefully across the sand into the ocean to an area where water is waist deep. It’s always a good idea to go for a trial run before making the rounds underwater. Our Snorkel Guide will make sure you have the correct Fins for your underwater Adventure.
Take deep focused breaths to help yourself relax
Deep breathing is the key to life… or at least it is when scuba diving or snorkeling. Breathing can be limited through a snorkeling tube, so it’s important to take deep focused breaths, which can help you relax. Do and Not to do for first time snorkelers Don’t touch the coral. Coral is a living organism – don’t stand on them, and try to look down while you’re trashing about to stay afloat to ensure you’re not kicking anything you shouldn’t be. Also, try to avoid standing on any rocks. What you perceive as a rock, may actually be a vulnerable underwater organism. Use biodegradable sunscreen – it’s better for the eco system. The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science have listed oxybenzone and octinoxate, two ingredients commonly found in sunscreen, as harmful to coral reefs and sea life. Sun screen chemicals such as these can contribute to coral bleaching. Other potentially harmful ingredients to watch out for are PABA, octocrylene, avobenzone, homosalate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor or butylparaben (a preservative). In general, steer clear from sunscreens which contain oils and potentially harmful chemicals. Don’t interfere with the sea creatures or other marine life as this could be hazardous. Some species are poisonous, and some may react defensively causing injury to you, or to themselves. Respect other people’s personal space – even underwater. As excited as you may be, and as much as you might want to reach out to the person next to you to ensure they see the spectacular lion fish just sailing by, not everyone appreciates the intrusion. Don’t feed the fish – they’re quite alright without your help. Doing so can throw off the natural balance of things. To share is to care, but interfering can cause problems in the long run. Practice reef etiquette. Snorkeling is great for acquiring knowledge on marine life, so take in the sights and sounds. Make mental notes for later. Don’t take anything home with you – that goes for starfish, sand dollars, coral fragment (even if they appear dead), sea urchins or shells. It is illegal in some places to acquire conch or lobster while diving. Penalties are stiff for people caught doing so, so avoid this at all costs. Safety Precautions for Snorkeling Important: Accidents are avoidable if you stay alert and informed. It can be hard to find accurate tips for snorkeling that don’t scare you out of getting into the water, but it is important to be informed. Most of the dangers of snorkeling have to do with people not following the rules. This can be you, or others around you, but it pays to stay alert. Always wear a life vest, listen to your guide, and you will have an awesome time." Pay attention – Photos and videos are all well and good, but try to avoid doing this during safety instruction sessions. It is important to create memories but it is more critical to be safe. Your Snorkel guide will take plenty of Go Pro Photos of your adventure and the Photos are included. Use safety equipment – It is highly recommended that all snorkelers use floatation devices. Inflatable vests for example, aren’t only for people who don’t know how to swim – they can save your life if you get tired. Some vests come with features that allow them to be inflated by mouth for added buoyancy. There is also a release valve which allows snorkelers to dive to the bottom to get a closer look at fish and other marine life. Never snorkel alone – Having a partner is recommended for beginners, and even advanced snorkelers. A snorkeling buddy enriches the experience – they’re also right next to you if something goes wrong. Your Guide and safety crew is also pending. Look but don’t touch – Think of your experience as a virtual tour. Don’t touch the marine life, and definitely don’t try to take anything home with you. No sinking, swimming only – Basic but formal swimming lessons may be necessary to make the most of your snorkeling experience. Floatation devices like inflatable vests are recommended. Water noodles can also be a fun floatation device for snorkeling in an informal setting. Know your equipment – Practice in a swimming pool if necessary, as practicing beforehand with your equipment helps build up your confidence. If you don’t have access to a pool, somewhere shallow with calm water is good for practice as well. Weather conditions matter – Check the weather forecast before heading out. Optimal conditions for snorkeling are calm, smooth seas. Keep in mind that as the hours go by, weather patterns may change. Even with sunny predictions, it’s important to check for yourself whether waters are conducive for snorkeling. If you take a break for lunch, ensure that waters are conducive before resuming your snorkeling session. Our Snorkel guide and entire crew and office are pending about the sea conditions, if deemed no appropriate or dangerous we advise you prior to your Tour and change the day. Know your location – Learn as much as you can about your snorkeling destination. During your snorkeling tour be sure to come up for air frequency to see what’s happening around you. This can also help you keep track of your location as tides can pull you out to sea. Watch your surroundings and ensure there’s not a lot of wave action. Follow all safety regulations, and be vigilant. Your Snorkeling guide will also be pending and accompany you. Know your limits – Once you get out into the ocean, remember; it’s important not to over extend yourself. It’s a new experience; take it one step at a time. Some first-timers have reported not finishing the snorkeling course as a result of being too overwhelmed. If you are too tired to finish, or just don’t feel comfortable, indicate that to your tour guide. If you’re on a private trip with a snorkeling buddy and feel tired, let them know and make your way back to the boat together. Undersea dangers – The scariest things to look out for include sharks of barracudas, but at Pelicans Rock it is unlikely you will encounter any of these. Find out more about the commonly spotted wildlife before choosing a location. Other potential dangers include lion fish, an invasive predatory species form the Indo-pacific, and jellyfish. Lion fish are usually harmless and sting only in defensive situations. They can appear scary to first timers, and they have venomous spines which can be dangerous if you get too close. Jellyfish on the other hand travel frequently in schools. Stings can cause small itchy welts. Large jellyfish tend to be more dangerous but are not commonly spotted on snorkeling expeditions. Secure your belongings – Whether you leave your personal items on a boat or on the beach, ensure your belongings are in good hands. Most resorts will let you leave these in the dive shop, or in a safe location on the boat. It is best to keep valuables at the Hotel and inside Your safety Deposit Box! About Cabo Day Trips My name is Blanca Garcia, I am the owner of Cabo Day Trips and I am a proud Mother of 2 beautiful Children, 3 and 10 years old, a passionate, just recently graduated, Executive Chef. I was born and raised in Acapulco, had the opportunity to live for 15 years in Puerto Vallarta and since 2006 I live in beautiful Los Cabos Mexico. Los Cabos has become my favorite home of all, the natural beauty and perfect weather is just so incredible. 355 sunny days, beautiful beaches and so many fantastic Activities to do. When I look back on my 1st vacation in Cabo San Lucas back in 2004, which finally motivated me also to make this my new home and change my career, the activities and tours that I have chosen surely are among my most treasured memories. I have worked all my life in the Tourism Industry, from rental car agencies to Tour and Excursion providers as operations manager and Tour Guide. When I opened Cabo Day Trips in November 2007, the idea was to provide a service not really professionally available in Los Cabos - the best selection of fun things to do in Cabo, the best prices and value possible, the safest activities available and with English Speaking customer service always available for any questions. Owner Cabo Day Trips Today, we have world class customer service staff that works with unbelievable passion to ensure you have the best vacation experience possible. Operations are run locally in Los Cabos, giving you local expertise and personal supervision, while all transactions are processed safely through PayPal or Open Pay with 3-D Secure by BBVA Bancomer, a European Bank Chain. We are registered in TripAdvisor; our brand is a TM Brand well known in Mexico and around the World. We pride ourselves and pre-screen all activities with your safety in mind with strict and international safety protocols. Our Tours are properly insured and are safe to experience. We are here to take care of all the details for you. No worries, no stress.We are taking care of all the details for you! Enjoy Snorkeling in Cabo
ISO 39001 Road Traffic Safety Management System Certification
ISO 39001 specifies requirements for a Road Traffic Safety Management System. It enables an organization that interacts with road traffic system, to reduce death and serious injuries related to road traffic crashes. This standard is applicable to public and private organizations that interact with road traffic system. Benefits of Implementing ISO 39001 Management System
Improves company image
Reduces traffic accidents
Improves working environment which leads to higher employee satisfaction
Cost reduction on vehicles
Competitive advantage toward your competitors
Competitive advantage in tenders
Less administrative procedures with insurance companies
Commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility
Safe and effective transportation
Reduced service complaints
Alignment regulatory law
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ISO 28000 Supply Chain Security Management Systems Certification
ISO 28000 is an international standard which addresses the requirements of a Security Management System (SMS) for the supply chain including those aspects critical to security assurance of the supply chain. ISO 28000 certification is applicable to all sizes of organizations, from small to multinational, in manufacturing, service, storage or transportation at any stage of the production or supply Benefits of ISO 28000 Management System
Facilitates trade and expedite the transport of goods across borders
Monitors and manages security risks throughout your business and supply chain
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So as many of you have seen, a good chunk of the western part of the United State is burning. So we have decided to put up a relevant thread to help combine all the information into one post. Many of these schools have cancelled football for the year, but we're going to put one up anyway.
Relevant News
Please rely on local news, emergency management agencies, fire departments, and others for when and where you should evacuate. Preparedness, Prevention, and Planning Most importantly, do not wait until embers are falling on your house to evacuate. By then it could be too late.
Review your homeowners insurance/renter's insurance and car insurance. Make sure you have copies of the policies to bring with you in your bug out bag/evacuation kit.
Sign up for local emergency alerts.
Know where to find emergency evacuation orders online.
Have at least 2 or 3 routes of evacuation from your home and the area around your home.
Have an evacuation destitination if you can - a friend or family member's home, a hotel you can rely on, or know where Red Cross or other evacuation shelters may be.
Take interior and exterior photographs of your home and car in advance in case you do have damage. This may help with insurance claims and property lists.
Your Bug Out Bag Have a bag ready to go for evacuation in advance. Know where it is now. Don't look for it when you're trying to get out of the house. It should include:
Necessary medicines (prescription, over the counter, etc.) and mobility aids for you and family members.
First aid supplies (bandages).
Important documents (birth certificates, social security cards, marriage licenses, your diplomas, insurance paperwork, credit cards, photo ID, passports, house deed/lease/rental agreement, etc.).
Cash on you and extra in your car.
Non-perishable food (in your bag and car). Don't forget foods for pets, babies, people with special needs or allergies.
Air quality in Salem is currently hazardous. Wear an N95 mask.
Holiday Farm Fire
East of Eugene, Oregon
0% Contained as of 9/9/2020
32,000 acres currently burned.
Currently located ~20 miles east of Oregon Oregon.
East winds are pushing this fire east towards Eugene. Cool weather has calmed fire behavior for now. Some increasing in winds will allow for fire behavier to increase.
Air quality in Ashland, Oregon is currently at Hazardous. Wear an N95 mask.
Washington
Pearl Hill and Apple Acres Fires
North of Bridgeport, Washington
10% contained as of 9/10/2020
174,000 acres currently burned
Fire has significant activity on the north end of the fire northwest of Bridgeport, Washington.
Air Quality in this area is currently at hazardous. Wear an N95 mask.
Cold Spring Fire
North of Bridgeport, Washington
~10% contained as of 9/10/2020
~155,000 acres currently burned
Fire is moving south
Air Quality in this area is currently at hazardous. Wearing an N95 mask is recommended.
Please do not fly drones over active wildfires. You do not want to be the reason aerial fire suppresion activities have to be cancelled. Please do not try and fight wildfires approaching your home on your own. You will lose. Evacuate and stay alive. Updated 11:33 am CT 9/14/2020
Have You Been Hurt in an Accident by a Negligent Driver?
Lamentably, fender benders are a typical event. By and large, there are 15,000 auto collisions consistently in the US. A portion of these mishaps are minor, however many are cataclysmic. Indeed, more than 100 individuals kick the bucket in fender benders every day. The truth of the matter is, driving a vehicle is hazardous. Accordingly, when somebody is careless and makes driving considerably more hazardous, they have the right to be considered mindful. Auto collisions can extraordinarily influence an individual's life relying upon the seriousness of the mishap and the wounds that they support, therefore. One fender bender can change an individual's life until the end of time. The wounds from an auto collision can go from wounds and scratches to lasting incapacity, loss of motion, or even demise. Those with serious wounds are frequently left with considerable harms and heaps of obligation that appear to be excessively high to actually pay off. At the point when a fender bender isn't your issue, you have the choice of documenting a claim against the blame gathering. This is your smartest choice at accepting pay for your harms, similar to hospital expenses, lost wages, and any agony and enduring you may have experienced in light of those wounds. As these mishaps can be groundbreaking, the more extreme your physical issue is and the more it has influenced your life, the more pay you frequently need to remake your life. In 2017, there were 34,247 lethal engine vehicle crashes in the US. Of these, 1,005 lethal accidents occurred in Illinois and 133 occurred in Chicago. These measurements are disturbing. Drivers who are diverted, affected by liquor or medications, or driving carelessly cause a significant number of these genuine or lethal mishaps. Auto collisions are consistently awful, regardless of whether the mishap was not your flaw. On any occasion of a fender bender, connecting with an accomplished fender bender lawyer can assist you with deciding your alternatives. In case you're thinking about what to do straight away, continue to peruse. Our capable lawyers are here to assist you with standing up after your mishap. On the off chance that you are keen on talking with a lawyer during a free meeting, we can be reached by telephone at (855) 529-2442, by rounding out our online contact structure, or by utilizing the chatbox beneath. Reasons for Illinois Fender benders and Carelessness The initial phase in your fender bender case will sort out who was to blame for your mishap. On the off chance that you weren't to blame, another driver was likely captivating in a type of carelessness that caused the mishap. Carelessness is characterized as a penetrating of the obligation that others need to protect others. As a driver, we have the obligation to adhere to the law and to drive securely on the streets. The penetration of this obligation can cause a mishap, and that crash can prompt wounds or passing. Carelessness in auto collisions can take numerous structures. It tends to be as straightforward as not focusing, running a stop sign, or converging into another path erroneously. Mishaps are additionally regularly due to messaging while at the same time driving and driving impaired. While a few demonstrations of carelessness can be accidental, as not seeing a stop sign, a few demonstrations are plainly crazy, such as driving under the influence. Be that as it may, it doesn't make a difference if the carelessness was submitted deliberately or with vindictiveness included, it actually puts the gathering to blame for the mishap. Auto Collision Wounds and Intricacies Delicate Tissue Wounds Delicate tissue wounds are characterized as wounds that cause harm to connective tissue in muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This is a typical sort of auto crash injury. For instance, whiplash is arranged as a delicate tissue injury. Whiplash happens as a result of the to and fro movement caused in the neck when a vehicle is hit. It can cause genuine agony for the mishap casualty. Cuts and Cuts Free articles and broken glass can make numerous wounds an individual. Cuts and cuts may likewise be from broken pieces of the vehicle as to the vehicle crashes. These wounds are regularly minor yet can be more extreme if the cut is adequately profound or if an indispensable organ is infiltrated. The deficiency of an excessive amount of blood could prompt major issues or even passing if not treated immediately. These wounds additionally happen close by different wounds so the issues can compound. Head and Cerebrum Wounds Mind and head wounds can be very genuine, prompting unconsciousness, cerebrum demise, vegetative state, and even passing in certain conditions. Blackouts from auto collisions range from gentle to extreme. Here and there they are treatable with little issue and now and then they cause genuine, deep-rooted confusions. Head wounds are regularly alluded to as the "quiet" injury, as many don't understand they have one until it's past the point of no return. As cerebrum wounds can be extraordinarily genuine, it's essential to get treatment for them quickly. Chest Wounds Chest wounds are regularly mellow wounds that incorporate wounding or injuries. Be that as it may, more serious wounds can make inside draining or extreme harm inward organs. Safety belts generally cause wounding in auto crashes, just as airbags. Chest wounds may likewise incorporate broken ribs, as the limited quantity of room between the driver and the safety belt can cause a solid effect when a vehicle is struck. Arm and Leg Wounds Arm and leg wounds are brought about by the abrupt development that happens when a vehicle is struck. Contingent upon the seriousness of a mishap, the accident may likewise make an arm or leg get caught in the squashed vehicle. Arm and leg wounds incorporate broken bones, wounds, cuts, and even removal in genuine wounds. Now and then cracks expect a medical procedure to fix. Neck and Back Wounds So many of us underestimate the utilization of our spines to control our necks and back. However, when somebody's neck or back endures genuine injury in a fender bender, it can change their life for eternity. Not exclusively are these wounds very difficult, yet they can likewise prompt difficulties that can leave injury casualties with long-haul torment. What Are The Protection Necessities in Illinois? In Illinois, enlisted vehicles should be guaranteed with the accompanying least cutoff points: $25,000 for the injury or passing of one individual engaged with a mishap; $50,000 for the injury or passing of more than one individual in a mishap; $20,000 for harm to someone else's property. An engine vehicle that is enrolled in another state yet working in Illinois is likewise needed to convey obligation protection. What Steps Would it be a good idea for me to Take Following an Auto Collision? A mishap can leave you feeling damaged and uncertain of what you ought to do straight away. Following a mishap, attempt to stay cool and make these strides: Security first Move to a protected territory in a hurry. Turn on your vehicle's danger lights, and if you have any admonition gadgets like flares or cones, place them around the mishap scene. Try not to drive away. Leaving the area of a mishap is illegal in each state. On the off chance that the other driver leaves the scene, stay there and report the occurrence yourself. Check for wounds On the off chance that you or any other individual is harmed, call 911 or ask another person to call. You may think you have not been seriously harmed, however, some fender bender wounds don't appear until some other time. It is in every case great to look for clinical consideration after a mishap. Call the police right away Regardless of whether the mishap was minor, it is a great idea to get an authority police report. You may require it for protection purposes or other lawful procedures. There are presently some protection approaches that require a police report or notice inside a specific measure of time. At the point when you talk with the police, give current realities to the most awesome aspect of your capacity. At the point when the police show up, tell the official precisely what occurred. If you don't have a clue about the response to an inquiry, say as much. Record a composed report with the Territory of Illinois On the off chance that you have been in a mishap that requires a composed report, you should one with the Illinois Division of Transportation inside ten days. A report is essential when the mishap is one that outcomes in death, substantial injury, or property harm of $1,500 or more, or $500 or more if the vehicle is uninsured. The report you round out is for measurable purposes as it were. Exchange data Everybody associated with the mishap should trade data. You ought to get however much data from the other driver as could reasonably be expected, including: Names, addresses, telephone numbers; Driver's permit numbers; Tag numbers; The vehicle makes, models, and years; Vehicle protection data; and The area of the mishap. Gather proof It is imperative to assemble however much proof as could reasonably be expected immediately. Acquire contact data from any observers. Take photographs of the mishap scene from more than one point. Incorporate pictures of trash and street signs. Check for camcorders in the region. Be cautious about what you say When conversing with anybody at the mishap scene, try not to talk about the flaw. After the mishap, the other driver's insurance agency may get in touch with you. Provided that this is true, be obliging, yet be exceptionally careful. Try not to give a recorded assertion or sign anything without talking with your attorney. Your own protection strategy most likely expects you to report your mishap to your insurance agency, also. On the off chance that your backup plan requests that you give an assertion, talk with an attorney first. If you choose to state without the direction of advice (which we would not suggest), don't talk about deficiency or say you were not harmed. Essentially express current realities. Indeed, even your own insurance agency may attempt to minimize your wounds to save money. Be cautious about chatting with others You will presumably talk about the mishap with family or others you trust. Nonetheless, know that discussions with companions and the overall population may not be secret. Try not to talk about your mishap via online media. Talk with an individual physical issue lawyer Try not to examine the mishap with delegates of an insurance agency without talking with a lawyer. Try not to sign papers or delivery structures without getting legitimate exhortation first. For instance, marking a clinical approval gives others admittance to the entirety of your clinical
I just found this https://doctor.ndtv.com/living-healthy/scream-therapy-for-anxiety-disorder-everything-you-need-to-know-1892571 Why do I scream when my mom is yelling at me or she plays too loud music or her voice is vindictive? I start crying, and get flash backs where I'm fearing for my life and I cry for an hour. The music always gets shut off, and my mom always apologises to me. Also my dad makes it stop by making the habitat calmer. I live with my parents; my trauma inflicts . They intentionally inflicted terror, helplessness, misery in me. But I'm wondering if screaming is toxic because my mom always tends to kneel down if I'm in a chair and reassure me. I just feel like where I am, in my spot; I'm melting. I'm iviscerating(eviscerated)? Screaming. Out in pain. Maybe my last shot of survival, in a primal way I have; which developed in my dinosaur brain (?) Says "SCREAM FOR HELP" so that help tends to be my parents even though they've created this ... Girl who screams. When my dad and mom play music too loud I'm triggered. When my moms tone of voice is laced with acid, I'm triggered. It seems like whenever I'm screaming it's directly a result of a trigger. I don't have health insurance. I don't get nutrients every day. I don't leave my parents apartment. I don't really turn the light on in my room. I lay idol for a lot of my wake-up periods. My mom works night shift and my dad is retired. I'm dysregulated a lot... I'm afraid to get a job. I want to get taken care of by parents and I have short term/long term goals. They're real and realistic. Short term goal: eat more protein. Long term goal: travel to Norway. I'm not seeing a therapist right now. I'm using home wifi; I don't text any friends. I don't have family I can talk to. I don't have any friends; they've scattered by me pushing and then them willingly going. I have a cell phone I use, a second cell phone, a Kindle Fire and my dad has a PC, he's got PTSD possibly cptsd he saw his younger brother fly out of a car and was deemed dead even though he was still alive with his brain falling out of his skull, says my dad.)) He says I can use his computer. He dysregulates every day. He has 6 other children with women I have never met. They're all girls, I have a older sister Annette but she left because she gets triggered by my mom who dysregulates a lot too. My mom was molested by her older brother and abused by her mom as a child. Her mom would just emotionally neglect her. I hate cell phones. I wish I thrived in wilderness. Parents took me and Annette to nature a lot as I was a child; loved camping smelling natural fresh clean non polluted air. Seeing night sky with out light pollution. As I lay dormant, I use my phone and it's light is always bright even with the brightness turned down. I'm 25. My bones pop when I get up. When I get up it's rare. I may be a little under weight by one lb. Difference between talking therapy and writing is that therapy can sometimes traumatize you in my experience. I don't like writing on paper because it's a waste of recourses. I hate a lot of things. Like pencils. Another waste of environment. Also ink. My parents horde food which is past the expiry date; they verbally abuse anyone who is critical of the environment they live in. Maybe just me, Annette and my family who comes over though it never really happens. I don't think anyone besides my grandmom came to our new place besides my dad's mom in order to take a shower because it's a toxic waste hazard in her home. She hordes. She was raised in an orphanage. So was my dad's dad. My dad's dad died when I was 2. I remember him in his bed. I'm writing this as mother it at work; my dad on the other side of thin wall of our apartment; he's got asthma; wears glasses; has social security income and is retired. He also has sleep problems / insomnia? He's traumatised me through stories of his own trauma. Spousified me. Tortured me. Turned me demented. He was in the marines I think; he says it's the cause of his PTSD. He's missing teeth. His teeth are crooked. He lost one tooth recently. He drinks. I wish I live in Norway. I would be totally comfortable living like an older generation of individuals where internet wasn't global, nor electronics. I'm not sure I like electricity at all OR cars/ airplanes. I've been on a plane to Australia and I'm American. I spent 17 months in Australia. I'm North American; I like it here better but it's no Norway. It's different in au but I liked being with parents more even though they cause stress. I think I'm healing. I'm not sure? I dropped out of school when I was 18. I failed 7th grade. I think I failed 9th grade. I think I failed 7th grade twice but they put me in 8th grade classes for the second half of my school days. I was in 12th grade when I quit. I was 2 months away from graduation. I want to be in another reality. So tired. I was so tired so I quit. It was public. I had run into a lot of trouble in school. Was a juvenile delinquent. I was a thief of my local mall. I'd steal accessories. I've been to a mental hospital twice. I went the first time in order to get out of a destructive mind set I've developed and it's destroying me today. I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder and schizoaffective disorder. I was not hugged. My mom didn't really hug me a lot. Or my dad. He's in the other room right now. I think he enjoys my pain. Intentionally malicious laughs at me. I'm not sure if I started this laughing thing though. His stomach is big from alcohol. He drives. He's always driven since I've known him. He has his own car. I don't want my Mom to work. I think she used to be a stay at home mom. I disassociate a lot. I depersonalize a lot. I daydream. I fantasize. I think my Mom tells me what to hear, what to say and what to think. My dad whispers thoughts in my head like I'm not allowed to get up. I'm scared of my Dad. He is violent. He's aggressive. He doesn't exactly have a social life. He's not in touch with his family. Only his mom is alive and his siblings. I'm not sure. I'm not really informed on ancestry. Or I'm dissociating, like I always end up doing. I get flash backs of my Dad pulling at my leg. I started to scream recently. I sometimes grind my teeth in my sleep; I'm so insecure about my mouth. I feel like I'm messing up my teeth every time I go to sleep. I avoid my flashbacks. Makes the head injury worse. I refer to head injury as imbalance; neurological imbalance, I think? I'm not capable of forming my own thoughts. My thoughts are not true. My Mom tells me that. My entire history, wiped out. My experiences? They don't exist. It's like I don't exist. Mom said I shouldn't have been born. Is dad's daughter's alone? Do they ask where there bio father went? I'm about 5 when I disassociate. I think it's DID (dissociative identity disorder); my mom is yelling me stop crying. Stopped crying. I stop crying when I'm alone. I stop crying. I.. think what I'm expected to now. I go to kingdom Hall now. We don't see family anymore. No more Christmas tree in the apartment. No birthday parties at friends. I lose all of my friends. I stop leaving the house. I feel like I'm 5. I can't move. I live with this every day. I'm told this almost every day in my life as a child. My Dad is telling me his stories in detail. I've become his preachepriestess(?), emotional confidant, a surrogate spouse. I'm in an emotional relationship with my mom and dad. Boys don't look at me. I'm always in boys clothes. I'm a product of emotional incest, childhood trauma, my dad hitting me if I come up to him angry. I remember watching science and fantasy movies with family. Dad is a Scientologist. I'm not seeing my family anymore from my mom's or my dad's side. Their all saying mom and dad should divorce, I'm in the ring with them when they fight. Mom doesn't really see her Dad; I'm not sure if he is sexually inappropriate with her. Mom doesn't really see me either since she starts a new job. I keep focusing on my genitals. My sister is 4 years 7 months older than me, all of her friends don't want to hang out with a 10 year old. I wish I had a personality. I wish I had independent capabilities: like I'd like to be able to think for myself. It only instills fear. Dad is trying to kill me. Mom is going to kill me. I wonder if Mom will eat me. I wonder if Dad will abandon me. I want to think right now. Hardly paying attention in school; I cared about fitting in to much. I'm so tired of writing. I have no gender. I have no touch with reality. I have no definition of humanity. Mom says I'm not sad; tears are streaming down my face. Mom says I'm not angry. But I am. My own personality is just inexistent. Mom and Dad can never do wrong. I'm right; you're wrong. That was my Mom's saying. Or "because I told you so". I can't even feel the way I want to feel. Like I have to control my nervous system. Do you know how exhausting controlling your nervous system is. Of course you do you're in CPTSD. I'm not allowed to think. I'm not allowed to eat. I'm not allowed to sleep; I have to be mommy's little cheer leader. Or I have to stay awake because I hear parents arguing it keeps me up at night. Keep going blank. Like I'm blacking out. Like I'm ready to soar, I have to have a fast mind as well as a fast body. My mind isn't quite restful neither is my body. I feel like train kill. I feel like my face was mauled by a dog. My Mom is my abuser. My Dad is my abuser. I wasn't allowed to say that when I was 5, but they don't know Reddit is a thing. I can't breath. I checked out. The lights are on; but nobody is home. I don't think I was on meds ever in my life. I went into the psychiatric unit twice and was put on haldol, but... I stopped because I had an allergic reaction where my tongue grew three times its size. My mom's mom was still alive when I was told not to think about trauma or tell anyone about it. She could have been giving me advice she was given. I'm not sure. There were good times. I remember having dinner but I know I was neglected. I don't eat nowadays. Or drink water. I always had mercury fillings in my teeth, even now I do and they're eleven years old, chipping a molar in my second row of back teeth. I didn't rape you. Dad says I'm the reason my grandmom won't talk to him. I have to fix my DadI have to help my dad burnt into my mind. As if he's dependent on me for motivation. It's hard to talk to him though, about life. It seems unbalanced. I'm holding in my breath a lot. I need to eat. I feel like I need to fix this. I don't get Xenu (my Dad is a Scientologist, he's been one since he was 18. He's now 64; says if I don't convert to Scientology I will never wake up, I will always be a asleep person) I think L Ron Hubbard has some inspiration from psychology; like clearing, is actually a psychology term used describe a person cleared himself or herself from complex post traumatic stress disorder. L Ron Hubbard also uses "tapping" exercises in his Scientology rituals. "Tapping" is when you or someone trustworthy prods your body to kind of bring you into reality. So I'm thinking my dad and mom know about reality (my mom was a Scientologist before I was born, before she became a Jehovah's witness when I was 5). I never understood Scientology or religion. I hated Kingdom Hall. I made some friends in there and a couple of them went to my middle school but it's not something I identify with nowadays currently. Dad said earth is a planet where all the bad souls went. I rolled my eyes. I've did research on L Ron Hubbard; he seems a bit dysregulated. I knows he's gone now though. I didn't go to school that much but my sister graduated and she did well in her subjects. She also became a massage therapist. She's still doing that, she lives with her hot and icey cold boyfriend somewhere an hour away I guess. She's been out of the house for maybe 2 years almost 3. I don't think she wants to have children because my mom has told her basically she's not allowed to. I think I do want to have kids 100%. "Be QUIET!" I'm so used to hearing that, now I want to scream and be seen. "Go away" "stop asking me those questions" my mom and dad didn't want to answer my questions about their religion at all... Invalidation. I want to vocalise now. I don't want to stop talking. I want friends. I want friends my own age! Of all sexes! I wasn't allowed to talk to boys at all when I was 5. I've gotten strong enough to turn down what I don't accept. Existential dread. I wanna dress how I wanna dress. I like baggy tee shirts and comfy shoes. I want my hair really long and bushy. Inhumanized. I'm used to standing in a corner. Barely breathing. Speaking is prohibited. I wasn't wanted. My birth was not planned. Neither was my sister's. I guess neither of my parents birth was handed good either. But my dad has 5 or 4 sister's; his younger brother died when he was 18. Steven. I never met him. I have seen two pictures of him. He is handsome. I wish I could've met him. My mom has 4 or 5 sister's and a brother too. I only have one sister. The rest are half siblings. I imagine myself as a cub, a lion cub. My father is a lion. He eats me, or intimidates me. I'm intimidated by my mother too; who appears to be a lioness. I can't get out. I'd fawn so extreme, I could experience extreme danger or damage. And that brings up my last first sexual experience with my scary ex. I want boundaries. I want to create boundaries. I was 12: my mom have me a black eye. I was busy doing my black eye liner and was late for seventh grade. It could've sent her to jail I think. She called the cops on herself anyway afterwards. I went to school, screamed "what the hell is wrong with you", transported to my school by the cops. A girl asked me what's wrong. I don't remember if I said my mom hit me. I remember feeling relief, maybe I'd be a bit regular after my mom called the cops on herself. I wonder what life would be like without internet, wifi, bills, cars, noisy people, neighbours, tap water, fast food, water pipes, lumber, consumerism, modernism, politics, welfare, identification cards, social security numbers, religion, and so on. I fantasize that consumerism is the cause of cptsd of dysfunction homes in children. What else could be the cause; what was the first accident, what was the first cause; that amounted to an entire life I want different? My mom was traumatised by her mom. My Dad was traumatised by his dad. My grandparent was traumatised from the war. Can't escape. I could be delusional: how could technology bring cptsd globally, but I'm a middle class American who lives in the city. I'm nowhere near the real world. I'm not in reality. None of my family members are, maybe besides my aunt Cathy in West Virginia, but town is away from home by an hour. It's not natural. Cars. Light pollution. It makes me tired. I have no culture. Humans feel emotions though; I feel emotions. But I bet someone in a tribe will never feel how I feel it have felt ever in their life. I wouldn't want a person to. I'm just a rambling schizo now.
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