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venusloveslobotomies · 4 years

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Pyromania (Bucky x Reader) 3

Summary: (Winter Soldier-Endgame Insert) You’re an enhanced HYDRA agent who negotiated her way out of being a weapon. You’re now the nurse/ aid of the Winter Soldier. You end up escaping with him and follow him in and out of danger while slowly developing feelings for each other.

Words: 1985 (approx) Chapter: 3/? Part 2

Your suit

“I don’t want him in that position. Absolutely not. You can tell Pierce I can’t authorize that,” “All due respect, but it’s not exactly up to you,” Petrovic rubs his temples. “I don’t care! You’re putting him up against two fully trained agents and who knows what else? That’s unsafe and you’re risking losing your Winter Soldier,” I throw my hands in the air, “He’s just out of cryo and you expect him to take on Captain America? As his medical agent and the person who has been working with him for the longest, I know what’s best and what’s not. This is exactly the sort of risk that I’m not willing to take!” “I can’t tell Pierce what he can and can’t do! He practically owns the soldier!” I fume for a few moments, weighing out my options. While Soldat is perfectly capable usually, I would always recommend a week of training before allowing him to engage in combat with someone like Captain America. I know Petrovic isn’t in charge here but I don’t want an argument with Pierce, the stuck-up, self-important brat of a person who’s now in charge of us. “Well then, I’ll tell him myself,” I glance over at Soldat, who’s been sitting on the floor, playing with his hair and pretending not to listen for the past ten minutes.

I march out and straight upstairs to where I know Pierce is telling the team their orders, “Pierce!” I open the door and he turns around. “Ms Kang! To what do I owe the pleasure?” “You are not sending my soldier into battle with Captain America and Black Widow. Absolutely not. You can’t take him straight out of cryo and force him into hand-to-hand combat,” “And what do you think of that, soldier?” I turn around to see Soldat standing behind me patiently. “It’s not what he thinks. He can’t self evaluate. I’ve been working with him since ‘56. You try and tell me you can call these shots having worked with him for what? A few months?” I cross my arms. “You’re not going to change my mind, Miss Kang,” His tone is seriously pissing me off now and I’m starting to breathe heavily. He pauses for a moment, thinking, “Here’s your compromise: You can be on site too. I’ve heard you’ve got a little fire in you. If you think he needs assistance, you jump in. How’s that sound?” He’s clearly being condescending but I can’t risk another incident right now. Worst case is that they ship me back to Siberia and leave my soldier to complete his mission alone. And that’s not ideal. “I will pull him out of that fight if I have to,” “I expect nothing less. You two are like life-long companions now. What would you do without him?” He teases. I tense but only nod and turn on my heels to go back to our room. I stomp my way down the stairs and I hear my soldier behind me. I reach the room we’re staying in and slam the door. It opens and Soldat shuts it again. “I can’t believe him. If he plays too rough, he’s going to break his toys and somehow he fails to see that! I swear I’m going to kill that man one day! Rich, government son of a bitch,” I kick the wall and leave a mark. Soldat places his hand on my shoulder, “I’m fine!” He backs up slightly, looking more than a little bit upset. I fume for a moment before composing myself, “I’m sorry, solnishko. I’m just worried about you,” I stand on my tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. A loud knock on the door, my head whips towards it. “Suit up! You’re out of here in thirty!” I look at Soldat and sigh. He tosses me the suit I’ve been issued. Black cargo pants, long sleeves and a harness. Everything’s fireproof. Specially developed for me. Soldat fastens the mask over my mouth and nose. It’s got two gas-mask-like filters for smoke and, yes, gas. I drag charcoal underneath my eyes and braid my hair back in twin braids. I take a deep breath and we march out to the trucks.

“They’ve got Sitwell. Meaning: a leak,” Petrovic rubs his eyes as we drive onto the highway, “You two are going to be out in a moment. Do me a favor,” He looks Soldat directly in the eyes, “Take care of Sitwell,” Soldat nods carefully. Less than 5 minutes pass before we jump out of the truck onto an overpass. “You got it?” He yanks my braid playfully before running off after the target car. I jog after him, not exactly keen to get in on the action. He leaps on top of the car before pulling Sitwell out of the window and tossing him into oncoming traffic. He starts shooting through the roof to hit one of the people in the car. I run to catch up with him and jump to join him on the roof of the car but it stops abruptly and I end up flying over the top of it. A hand grabs my harness and I barely touch the ground. Soldat’s practically holding me in the air as he slows our forward motion. He stands up carefully, pulling me with him, and sizes up the people in the car. Three of them. And two of them are our targets. I watch as the truck we were previously in slams the back of the targets and starts driving it towards us. I sidestep it but Soldat leaps back on top of it and rips the steering wheel out. They start driving again and I sprint after them and grab onto the back of the truck, pulling myself up on top of it. Soldat lands beside me as the car swerves into the barrier. The car goes flying and the three targets slide across the ground on the car door. Soldat and I hop down and he’s handed a huge gun. I have no idea what it is but I’m glad I’m not on the receiving end of it. He blows Rogers right off the overpass before the other soldiers start shooting at the other two. He aims at a car Black Widow runs behind and blasts it off the bridge. She goes over too but she’s nowhere to be seen when we look down. He takes aim at the bus where Rogers disappeared but he suddenly jerks back and I process the sound of the bullets. I crouch down and he takes off the goggles. I grab his face but the bullet only cracked the glass. I breathe a quick sigh of relief that it didn’t catch his eye. “You’re fine,” He looks pissed and stands back up and immediately shoots where she was previously. She runs behind a truck and he can’t get a good enough angle. “I have her, find him,” He mutters to the other soldiers and taps me. I swing a leg over his shoulder before he jumps off the overpass onto a car. We hit it with a jolt and I slide off his back. We head off to find Romanoff. A cop car comes screaming around the corner and I snap my fingers. It catches at the same time as Soldat blasts it with his gun. I stop and allow him to move forward without me. I’m more concerned about one of the other two coming from behind for him. I get distracted as an explosion rings to my left and I snap my head towards it. In that moment, Romanoff comes flying over a car and gets a grip on him, choking him with some kind of wire. As stressed as I am watching that, I don’t want to get involved in a hand-to-hand with someone right now and I need to watch his back. He throws her off but before he can shoot her, she throws some electronic device at his metal arm. It malfunctions and glitches. Not good. That thing is sensitive enough already. I’m by his side in an instant, ripping it off. Twitches go up my nerves and I remember how much I hate electricity. He tries to close his fist but it’s still glitching. I give it a strong kick and he swings it in a circle, somehow resetting the circuits. It’s definitely still fucked though. He shoots again as she sprints away and catches her right through the shoulder. He jumps on a parked car and takes aim but I hear pounding feet to my right. “Na pravo!” I yell and he turns to meet Rogers with a punch that hits his shield. Soldat kicks him off the car and shoots at his shield again before rolling off the car and switching guns. They get locked in hand-to-hand and Soldat pulls out his knife, slashing at Rogers. He’s getting desperate and slightly reckless. Stop! I think, Calm yourself! Soldat’s technique may be flawless but as I thought, his recent defrosting hasn’t given him any advantage in hand-to-hand. His day of training at the base has done next to nothing for him. I watch as he’s kicked into a car and his head bounces off the side. “Soldat!” I yell before clapping my hand over my mask. While Rogers manages to land his first attack the sound of my shout throws him off and my soldier presses him back aggressively. They fight for a few moments, Rogers getting his shield back before Soldat is thrown over his shoulder and the mask comes off. I sprint to his side, concerned that he may have broken his jaw. It takes a lot to get it off with a single hit. He turns to face Rogers and a look of disbelief clouds Rogers’ face. “Bucky?” Rogers is shaking now. “Who the hell is Bucky?” Soldat mutters before moving to attack Rogers again. Both of us go flying and I hit the ground hard enough it takes my breath away. I’m only vaguely aware that someone hit us from behind. I push myself back behind a car and find myself by my soldier. Soldat is up on his feet almost instantly and moves to shoot Rogers again. An explosion hits him but is mostly blocked by the car. His hand is tight around my arm, “Get up!” He growls in my ear. I stand carefully, thinking I may have broken a rib. A few deep breaths disproves that but Soldat has me in his arms and is sprinting towards one of the oncoming trucks by the time I catch my breath. I can hear yelling and sirens behind us and I know they have our targets. Soldat all but drops me suddenly. Only his metal arm keeps its grip. I look up in confusion before realising that my whole body is covered in licks of orange flames. I extinguish them quickly. “Sorry,” I say quietly before he assists me back onto his shoulders and we flag down Petrovic’s truck. We sit in the back of the truck in silence. I ice my soldiers' bruises and disinfect his wounds. I don’t realise I’m shaking until he grabs my hands. I put down the bottle of sterilizer and sit down in front of him. “You did well,” He shakes his head, obviously upset at being unable to kill the targets, “You did. They’re in custody now. You’re safe and that’s what matters to me,” If only they’d given you more time to prepare. I squeeze his thighs softly as I stand up to clean up the first aid kit. He pulls me back down and runs a wet cloth over my face, wiping away the blood and the charcoal. There’s no expression on his face but I see the warmth in his ocean eyes and my heart skips a beat.

Part 4

#buckybarnes #bucky #barnes #buckyxreader #bucky x reader #buckybarnesxreader #bucky x you #bucky x y/n #marvel #marvelxreader #marvel x reader #marvel x you #pyromania fic

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dammitadolfnomorecake · 5 years

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Caramel Skin Under a Vanilla Sky prt 10 draft

Lance didn't mention their fight, if anything he acted like it never happened. Lucteal had been less civil, taking a swing at him when Keith had gone to the dining area for breakfast the following morning. Taking hold of the thrown fist, Keith had flipped Lucteal down to the floor with such ease that it laughable. The few team members in the space all seemed to suddenly have elsewhere to be, while Keith calmly collected two servings of goo and found a seat towards the back of the space. Lucteal rose to brush himself off, his face reddened with embarrassment. Stalking from the space to leave he and Kosmo alone, Keith failed to see how he was to blame for Lucteal's bad mood, or whatever had happened between him and Lance. He knew feelings were irrational. He knew it all too well. He'd written down everything he'd seen and learned since being reunited with Lance, and now had a strong idea of all he'd been through. He could understand why Lance would be hesitant to ask for any kind of help. Why he'd be struggling with those voices of anxiety and those nightmares. Now, he held his tongue. Watching Lance's every move upon the Telula. A few more quintants and they'd be at the prison. Then Lance would finally let him in. Those quintants seemed to take forever to pass. Lance was making plans that he wasn't part of. Daehra spent her time casting glances between them, attempting to silently encourage either of them to make a move. Lucteal had glued himself to Lance's side. He'd gone far enough as to sneak into Lance's room in the middle of the night. Lance had rather loudly thrown him out. Lucteal begging to be let in, or to send Keith away. Neither happened. Lucteal still not taking the hint that "no" actually meant "not now, not ever". It wasn't like Keith enjoyed watching Lucteal fall apart due to his unrequited love, buuuut, it did make him wonder if Daehra was right. That Lance actually did care for him, and wanted him like Keith loved him. Making it through to the morning of the mission, Keith found himself dressed rather ridiculously. As the "prince" of Daibazaal, Lance had sent Daehra to help him dress in something more fitting of the role. His blade uniform replaced by one of the Telula's black body suits, then by another body suit that felt like overkill but was allegedly fireproof. Finally was a black earth styled suit, with a white formal shirt. Keith drawing the line at the black tie provided. He didn't love suits. They reminded him too much of funerals and being left behind. As it was, he was struggling with the overwhelming scent of Lance on the fabric. That same salty ocean spray was doing all sorts of things to him inside. Thankfully the bodysuit prevented him from popping a boner the moment he was surrounded by Lance's scent, though it was still awkward when the alien helping you dress was blushing red as she knew exactly what he wanted to do to Lance. The last part of his outfit was a small camera that Zak had designed not to be detectable. Keith wasn't as sure as Daehra was as she tucked it under his collar. It was closed circuit, so anything recorded would only exist upon the device. Dressed from head to toe like someone who was definitely not him, he wasn't happy to find he was the only one looking like a moron. Lance was dressed in his own uniform, with his face already hidden behind his mask. In his hold was a ridiculously large gun and a thick white comms sat on his wrist. Keith hadn't been allowed anything that could be detected. Even his precious blades were left behind. Letting out a long whistle, Lance looked to Daehra "You did a good job. Now, is he ready?" "Yes. Are you sure you wish to proceed with only the two of you?" Keith kept his displeasure hidden. Wasn't Daehra supposed to be on his side here when it came to Lance? "I called ahead to notify them that the "Heir of Daibazaal" and his personal bodyguard would be arriving. They're only expecting the two of us. All weapons and comms need to be left with them, but they'd expect me to be armed anyway" When did Lance have the time to call ahead? He'd definitely missed that "His camera is under his collar. It's set to start filming the moment you're through the magnetic fields" "Thanks Star. And the pod?" "All set. I've uploaded the extrapolation for crossing the fields. You have a three dobosh window between the fifth and sixth wave. It's the longest time you'll have" What now? "Yeah. I looked over the data last night. Once we're in, time will move differently" "Leandro, we have discussed this. The rendezvous coordinates have been input already. The only thing left is for you both to leave. Kosmo is awaiting you" "Do I not get to know what's happening?" Lance rolled his eyes. Even with his face covered, Keith could tell "Yes, Mullet. You've made the request to inquire if Guile has been brought in, and if so, on what charges. Well, you came to me with the request and I've filed for permission to visit the facility. You've been granted access to meet with facilitators on the main outpost of the facility. I've already had a copy of Guile's file printed, as well as forwarded what was relevant to the commander of the outpost" Why was he only now hearing about this outpost? And why hadn't Lance shown him what he was up to? Explained things to him, so he didn't seem like an idiot in front of everyone "I thought we were going to a prison satellite" "You need to go through the outpost to get to the satellite. It's really not that complicated. We'll be leaving now. Keep an eye on Telula for me" Daehra nodded, Lucteal kept scowling at the world "We shall" "Right then. Keith, lets go before we miss our opening" Instead of taking Keith's ship, and given Lance's pod had been blown up, Lance led them down to another pod on the right side of the ship. Ignoring the fact Lance had to slam the airlock between the Telula and the ship four times for it to close properly, then hold it closed with his foot as it locked into place, the small pod was kind of nice in its own way... was what he would have liked to have been able to say. It looked like a flying death trap, and Lance was way too happy about it all. Plopping himself down in the pilot's seat, he fussed over Kosmo like he hadn't seen him in years. Kosmo yipping and jumping around happily, his whole body wagging as he tail went flat out "Uh, not to nitpick, but is this ship going to make it?" "This is Daehra's pod. It's been through a lot, but she's still going" Patting the dash, the whole pod seemed to shudder as the engines whirled to life. Keith grabbing the pilot's chair before throwing himself down in the chair beside it "That doesn't mean it'll make it through these magnetic fields" "It's not over abundant in tech. So the fields won't be messing with the systems like it would if we took the Telula" "I'm not sure if I understand what we're going to be flying through" Climbing into his lap, Kosmo whined at him as the pod was disengaged with a shudder "Do you remember how the original Blade headquarters were hidden. The opening only available at certain times, on certain quintants? Think of what we're going to like that. Time moves differently in there, and between the magnetic interference, the asteroid belt and the weird rotation of the planets around here, it all comes together to act as added security in case of something going wrong on the other side" "Oh... so we only have to get through all of that, then that's ok then. Have at it..." Lance snorted, moving to take the controls into his hands "We sent a sensor ahead. It's been monitoring variables while we were sleeping. Ren'at worked with Zak over night to perfect things" Keith nodded, with no idea who that was "Ren'at is the AI Zak wrote. Seriously, if he and Pidge ever got together... the universe would be a hell of a lot scarier than it is now" "Worse than when Hunk and Pidge would nerd out?" "Think of that on steroids. He's part Olkarion or something. He can interface with like anything. Not that he brags about it. I really lucked out when we busted him out" "Busted him out?" "Mmm... got himself into a scrape that would have seen him locked up. I was supposed to apprehend him and bring him in" Lance offered the comment offhandedly, his focus now on piloting as they moved from the Telula "What did he do?" "What you did. Kind of. Uploaded software where he really shouldn't have. Nothing malicious. He just helped out a rebel group who'd got themselves in trouble. It deleted photos and locations of other rebels. Not like you who downloaded the clubs specifications for no good reason" "Hey, it wasn't for no good reason" "Mhmm. And what good reason did you have for starting a bar fight?" Keith opened and closed his mouth, pouting as he leaned back "I wanted to see you, but didn't know your room number" "That makes everything ok then" "Maybe if you'd told me you were on Erathus, I could have come by without the need to use Kosmo" "Or maybe I would have been working" Awkwardness kicked in when Keith failed to reply. He liked this side of Lance's job. He didn't like the side that had strangers between Lance's long caramel legs where they didn't belong "I don't want to have a fight. It's a long enough trip out there as it is" "Have you been out here before?" "Yep. Well. Once. Once as a passenger in the back of a police ship. Usually the police take care of it. Depends how close we are, though I haven't taken Daehra's pod through it before" "I really don't know if this ship is going to make it" "It survived Lucteal and Daehra in here. As well as their sister, and myself. If it can survive Luc and Dae, it can survive anything" "They're... an interesting pair" "That's what happens when you come from a large family" "Daehra mentioned they were "illegitimate"" "Oh. She told you that? Her father is the king of the planet she comes from. He has a whole harem there. When the Galra hit, they lost a lot. Not just their people and homes, but their animals and forests, the Galra even poisoned some of their water supplies. It messed with his head and he pretty much went about having as many children as he could to ensure his bloodline. They have 17 half-brothers and sisters. That they know of. Dae used to work in the palace taking care of the "proper" kids. Lucteal was raised in the royal household. The males were until the queen gave birth to a boy and they were all sent away. It's a messy situation. Lucteal and Daehra never really had anything for themselves. I did tell them I had no idea how things would play out and that they'd be safer at home, but they'd both dreamed of seeing more" "A bit like you? How you dreamed of space?" "Something like that. It's not what I ever thought it would be. I know we don't have much, but we make it work" "They're lucky to have you. You should have been Black Paladin, not me" Lance let out a sigh "That's not true" "It is" "No. Shiro had Black, but you stepped up. You didn't think you could do it, but you stepped up" "Then Kuron came back in Shiro's place. I can't believe Black didn't tell me" "Black didn't tell any of us. Neither did the other lions. All of Coran's scans failed to show it. We all thought he was Shiro" "You thought something was off, but we dismissed you" "I'm used to it. I come from a big family" "You should never have had to be used to it" "It's fine. Seriously. Big family and all that" "It's not fine, Lance. You're what kept us all together. You took care of all of us. Your team is lucky to have you" "Can we not do this again? We can talk about something else, but I need to concentrate" "Fine. But it's still true. They're lucky to have you. Anyone is lucky to have you" "You're making me blush, Mullet" "Doesn't make it any less true. And it's been a long time since I've had a mullet" "You'll always be "mullet" to me. With that red and white jacket, and that perpetual scowl. I get it now. We were all doing all we could to stay alive. I... uh... shouldn't have snapped at you over it all. Turned out I have more issues with Kuron than I thought" Keith sat up a little straighter in his chair, cautiously asking "Have you talked to Shiro about it?" "Nah. He wasn't him. I don't want to remember, really. So I don't know why I keep bringing it up. I probably look really lame right now" "I don't think you're lame" Keith knew exactly why Lance kept bringing it up. Whatever had transpired, Lance was comparing himself to Shiro mentally. He'd probably replayed what had happened to him, wondering how Shiro would have handled all of it as he too had been tortured "Thanks... you, uh, you look good in that suit" "Oh! Thank you. I'm not used to wearing one" "That's kind of obvious. Still, you'll have to get used to it" "Why? What for?" "For Shiro's wedding. I would bet GAC that you're going to be his best man, but it's not really a bet when it's a sure thing" "Don't remind me. At least it'll be a whole before he gets married" "Still. A suit really suits you. You've got the height for them" "Because I'm cooler and more grizzled?" Lance groaned at him "Why do you always have to ruin our bonding moments?" "Me? You said you don't even remember the first one" "I was blown up!" "You still managed to wake up and take that shot when we needed you the most" "Anyone could have made that shot" "Not after being in an explosion like that. You saved Coran without thinking" "And how many times have you nearly blown up?" "A fair few... some days I wonder how I'm still alive. I wonder how any of us came back... I couldn't have made it this far without the team. Without you. I wouldn't know how to live it with it if you hadn't survived" "Keith... I..." "You don't have to tell me. I keep fucking things up between us. You're my best friend. And I have so many things I want to talk to you about, but it's like, the words don't come out right when it comes to you" "Keith..." "I keep making a fool of myself. I know... I mean... I know that fear. You don't think you're ever going to open your eyes again. I... I'm just grateful you're still here. You're... you're like really important to me" Lance took a moment, Keith wondering what kind of expression his crush was making under his mask "Thank you. I need to concentrate..." "Alright. Let me know how I can help" "I will" * Keith had thought they were going to die. First were the magnetic waves that had the pop groaning like it was being torn apart, then came the asteroid field, then stronger magnetic waves that left him feeling physically ill? before Lance guided them into a pocket of space that sent them hurtling towards the nearest moon so fast he'd torn the padding on the chair he was seated in, in shameful fear. Guiding them out of the dive, Lance released the controls in order to pull up a map on his screen "We're nearly there" "Nearly?" His voice came out as a squeak. Keith's stomach still doing flips as Lance tapped away on his comms to zoom in "The worst is over. Though, we get to do all that on the way back again" "Are you smiling?!" "You didn't have fun?" "Fun? I thought we were going to die" "Pfft. Like I would go to all this effort then let you die" "How should I know" "You could have at least said, I don't know, "good job not hitting those meteorites, especially when they started splitting up as we passed". Or something like that" "Something like that" Turning his direction, Lance clutched at his chance "As I live and breathe? Keith making a joke. I wish I recorded that" "You're an arse" "And the moment's over. You better get ready, 15 doboshes and we'll be there" "You used to like my jokes" "I didn't say I didn't like it. I said... you know what, nope. I congratulate you on your joke" "You're an arse" Lance laughed softly at him "Maybe. But I'm the arse who's your bodyguard. Don't forget that" "What are you going to do, shoot me?" "Don't tempt me. You're the most unarmed I've ever seen you" Biting back, Keith grasped the first thing that came to mind "I could kill you with my shoelaces" "Ooooh. Shoelaces. I'm so scared!" "You should be" "This I'd like to see" "I'm a Blade remember. Highly trained and all that" "Mhmm. I'll keep this in the back of my mind then" "Yeah. You do that" Landing near the outpost, it was clearly of Galra origins. Hailed the moment they touched down. Opening comms on their end, Lance neatly rattled off his identification in a string of weird numbers and letters. Keith deciding he really needed to have Daehra teach him what it all meant, especially when the voice on the other ends of the comms laughed. Granting them clearance, Lance thanked the faceless voice before ending the call. Climbing from his seat, he walked over to the middle of the as Keith followed at a slower pace. Rolling back a thin rug thing, Lance opened the hatch beneath to reveal a rusty looking box. Popping it open, he pulled out half a dozen small devices "Turn that camera of yours on. If we get separated, we'll meet back here" "What are you doing?" "They expect certain things to be on me when I'm scanned" "They do?" "Identification and stuff" "That looked like more than identification" "I said "and stuff". Right. Don't fuck this up" Keith scoffed. How was he going to fuck things up? He barely knew what was going on. Covering the trap door back up, Lance moved to pat Kosmo "You need to stay here for me. Make sure that no one takes our ride. Daehra is rather attached to her pod" Kosmo yipped at him. His wolf far too happy to listen to Lance "Something to say, Keith?" "Not really. He's a traitor" "Awww. Kosmo. I'll still love you. You can come join my team. We have space for the bestest boy in the universe" "This is why he never listens to me. You spoil him too much" "You can't spoil him too much. What kind of heartless monster are you? Look at that face" Flopping down, Kosmo's tongue lolled out his mouth as he gazed up at Keith expectantly "You broke him" "I didn't break him. Now come on already. Tell him he's a good boy and to wait here" "Yeah. Yeah. Kosmo you're a good boy. Stay here for us" Nudging Keith with his elbow, Lance was downright playful as they began the walk along the causeway from where they'd landed. Standing half a step behind him, Lance kept prodding him with the tip of his gun. Each time he jumped, Lance would hiss at him to "be the proper prince of Daibazaal" like that was his actual title. He'd already turned down leading Daibazaal. It Krolia and Kolivan managed to have a kid, he was more than happy to pass the role over to it. Reaching the doors to the facility, the were greeted by a tall slender Galra, and an alien of a race Keith didn't know "Welcome, Black Paladin Keith. Agent Leandro. My name is For, this is Niv. I understand you are enquiring over a missing operative?" Lance cleared his throat "Indeed. We are looking for information on an operative named "Guile". He was posing as a weapons buyer when he was taken. We believe he was wrongly detained due to the nature of his mission in Ghazex" "Before we can allow you further into this facility, we will need you to surrender all communication devices, trackers and weaponry" There was something about the Galra that was rubbing Keith the wrong way. He knew that this was an outpost, but if it was an international posting, where were the rest of the staff? Why was it just one plain Galra and one milky-grey alien with strange yellow slitted eyes? Keith wouldn't be surprised if the alien had a forked tongue to go with his whole reptilian appearance "Of course. Does Kre'el still work here?" The pair of aliens exchanged a glance "Not to our knowledge. They may be at the satellite. We had a rather problematic prisoner transfer in" Lance nodded slowly, Keith tried to catch his eyes but Lance continued to stare ahead at the pair "And the rest of the staff?" "Here and there. Let's get you logged in, then we can discuss your missing operative" Moving into the facility, both of them had to pass through a scanner where Lance was relieved of his weaponry. It seemed to Keith that Lance could sense whatever he felt. This didn't feel right. The whole place was too silent, the only noise was the humming of the air filtration systems that seemed to Keith like they were barely working. Sweat had started to form under his body suit, beads rolling uncomfortably down his back as they continued on. Having barely spoken a word outside of pleasantries, Keith cleared his throat, trying to move the lump of uncomfortableness "Where are we headed?" "To the main control room of the facility. Prisoner lists are only accessible there" "Oh. Right... see much action here?" For snorted, Niv glaring at his companion "Not particularly. Unless there is a new prisoner, this is as interesting as it gets. Nothing like the days of Voltron, am I right?" "It wasn't all action" "Still. To hold that much power... and now you reside on Daibazaal?" "Yes. For the most part" The conversation dissolved again. Keith moving close enough for his arm to brush Lance's as they walked. Giving a tiny shake of his head, Keith wasn't sure how he was supposed to interpret the action. Was Lance telling him to behave? Or silently yelling at him to be on guard? Opting for option b, he straightened his posture, shifting his weight in preparation for whatever came next. Reaching the control room, there were several other people there. A tall, commanding Galra with a nasty scar down the right side of his face, was standing behind a long control panel with a series of feeds pulled up on a holoscreen "Commander. We have brought the agent and the Paladin" Rounding the panel, the Galra seemed even larger as he came closer. Beside him, Lance swore softly in Spanish "I am Theore. Welcome" "I am Keith, former Black Paladin of Voltron. I am searching for a missing agent from Daibazaal" "I have reviewed the file. We have dozens of Galra held in our facility. It may take vargas to identify your agent" Rocking back on his heels, Lance's voice held a tone of forced friendliness "Then we should get started. Have you had many picked up in Ghazex?" "That information is classified. Even to such an agent. Leandro. Also known by LEA. 47 arrests. 11 assists. 16 deaths. 9 scheduled for rehabilitation" 47 arrests... damn. He was falling for Lance all over again. His crush was far more bad arse than he gave himself credit for... wait... deaths? Lance had killed? 16 seemed far too high... that had to be team kills. Yeah. That was what it was... Scratching the back of his head, Lance shifted his weight "I didn't think we were up to 47..." Leaning in, the huge Galra growled "Are you suggesting our system is wrong?" Taking half a step back, Lance waved his hands "What? No. No. Nothing like that. I just get paid. I don't keep track of the numbers. Anyway... don't mind me" "We have made space for you to wait until the shuttle between the base and satellite returns. Niv. Please show our guests to where they can wait" Leading them from the room, Niv showed them to an unremarkable grey and purple room. A camera facing the door, a solid looking black chair, and an aura of unwelcomeness was all that waited for them. Leaving them to their own devices, Lance moved to sit, beckoning him over when Keith didn't move from near the doorway. Opening his mouth, Lance silenced him by bringing his finger up in front of his own. Forcing Keith to give in and go to sit beside him "Lan..." "Everything we say and do is being recorded in accordance with the stations order of operations" So it was best he held his tongue "Is it how you remember?" "Exactly" Shifting closer, Lance was shaking like a leaf. Placing his hand on his friends knee, Lance jumped violently "Are you ok?" "Fine. I'm fine..." "Leandro... I can feel it" Lifting his hand off his knee, Lance held it firmly as he leaned into Keith's shoulder. Keith freezing like a statue at such an intimate touch from his skittish friend. Whispering, Lance spoke fast "This feels wrong" "If this is the prison for the area, why aren't more people working here?" "We passed through the magnetic fields... shouldn't the scanners have picked up if another ship had passed through? They would have left a radiation signature, right? The Telula has long range scanners too. Zak would have notified me if something had passed by" "So this is a trap?" "I don't know. We can't act now. They wouldn't hold Guile here. He would have been processed and moved to the satellite movements ago" "Have you actually been in here before?" "No. Not inside. I was in the back last time. Someone had to sit there with the gun and look scary. They don't need to know that" "What do we do?" "Wait? We can't just be like "sorry guys, changed our minds, gotta get Keith home for dinner with his family"" "We aren't armed. You gave them your weapons" "I gave them bad weapons. My blaster was the only thing worth having" "You suspected something?" "No. I suspected they'd want to check our weapons. What should it matter if they aren't great, if there's nothing to hide" Keith drew his brow, trying to remember what Lance had taken from Daehra's ship "Just how far ahead did you plan this?" "It's kind of my job to be suspicious" "I heard. 47 arrests?" "Not all individually. When you catch 12 or so bad guys on a ship, that doesn't count as one" In theory that meant Lance could have simply dropped one ship off and been up to 47 in one go "Oh, you secretly got lucky?" "Real fucking lucky. They were supposed to have processed Guile's information by now" "Yeah. Well. This is all we can do for now. Though, I'm not completely sure why we're cuddling" "This isn't cuddling. This is me being close enough to whisper without being overly suspicious about it" "How do you know they can't pick up your whispers?" "I don't" "That doesn't fill me with faith" "What would you do then?" "Hole up and wait. We could get into the vents" "I've had enough of vents. Beside, camera" "Don't you have some fancy tech you knock it out with?" "And tip them off? That's being reckless, Keith. Honestly, I expected better of you" "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" "Not particularly. But what else can we do. Neither of us have been in here. For all we know, we could be feeding off each other's anxieties over the whole thing" "If we are, we're not telling anyone" Laughing softly, the sound was music to Keith's ears. What he wouldn't give to pin Lance down and tickle him into fits of laughter... and what the hell was thinking a thing like that for right now?! Nudging him with his knee, Lance playfully replied "Deal. You can have your hand back now" Glancing down to where Lance's smaller covered hand sat in his, Keith didn't particularly want to let go "It's fine" "Aww. Do you like holding my hand?" "Yes" Lance groaned at him, suddenly tensing "Keith..." "I feel like something bad is happening in your head right now. I don't mind holding your hand" "You're so weird" "Maybe. Consider it payback for not telling me how bad arse you are" "I'm not a bad arse" "You are too" Forcibly removing his hand from Keith's, Lance moved away "No. I'm really not" "No need to pout" "I'm not pouting" "Of course you're not" "Just sit there your royal pain in the arse" "I'll give you a pain in the arse" Moving further away from him, Lance crossed his legs. Clearly he'd gone too far... and now he didn't know what to say. At least whoever was listening had been forced to listen to him fucking things up further. Opening his mouth and praying something smart would come out, the door to the room they were in opened instead. Niv and For both standing there. Niv holding a blaster of his own, For wielding a scowl "Agent Leandro, we require you to come with us. There is an issue with your credentials. The Erathian government has requested we hold you until a representative can arrive" Keith looked to Lance, who had the nerve to shrug. They'd literally just been discussing this being a trap "Lance..." "It's fine" "Are you serious right now?" "Well. I kind of thought this might happen" "What?! Why didn't you tell me?" "Because I'm your bodyguard. Not your friend" Brushing his hands free of invisible dust, Lance held his hands up he moved towards the pair. Leaping up, Keith grabbed his arm "Don't do this" "They're just doing their jobs. It'll be fine" Shaking the hold off, Lance moved closer to Niv "What is he being accused of?! Isn't he one of you?" "Keith. You're not helping" "You're not seriously going with them, are you?" "It's fine" "How is this fine?!" "It's fine" Jerking his head slightly, Keith didn't get the message Lance was giving him. Sighing loudly, Lance stomped down on Niv's foot at he grabbed at the blaster, smacking him squarely in the nose then booting him in the crotch. When For when for him, Lance calmly shot the top of the Galra's boot off. Taking his toes with it. Howling in pain, Lance brought the butt of the gun down hard into For's temple, knocking him out. Recovering enough to go for him, Lance took the creepy alien out with a well delivered blow to the back of the neck. Gaping at Lance, Lance sighed at him "Thanks for the help" "What happened to not tipping them off?" "Erathus can't come after me. I know too much... though they might have been slightly mad... that I didn't die and stuff" What the quiznak had he done? "If we were going to start trouble, why didn't you give me a weapon from the start?" "Because we weren't. If that camera's hooked up, they saw all of that" "Why can't we have simple missions? Go here. Do this. Come home?" Lance moved to pass the blaster to him "This was supposed to be simple. This is an official government facility" "Which we're hijacking?" "Not "hijacking", bypassing"" "We're already here" Lance started jogging down the hall in the direction they'd come. Kicking both unconscious aliens lightly to ensure they were out cold, Keith started after Lance "In a place where something hinky is going on" "Did you really just say "hinky"?" "Yep. I stand by it" "Do you have any kind of plan?" "We knock these guys out, hop the pod to the satellite. Pretend everything is all good, then get the hell out of here" "Lance, that's a terrible plan. You don't even have a weapon. And, there's cameras" "Which we'll disable when we get to the control room. This place is way too quiet" "Who the hell are you?" "Just a guy in a bit of trouble?" "A bit?" "I didn't exactly know there was a warrant out" "Isn't that the kind of thing your team monitors?" "When we're in the area" "There they are!" Standing at the end of the hall, the Galra commander whose name Keith may have already forgotten was coming at them. Grabbing Lance by the arm, he pulled him into the first room to their left. Stumbling over each other, Lance slipped on something. Letting out a moan, Keith slammed the door closed behind them before turning. What he saw took his breath away. People. Or what were left of them. Pieces were everywhere... with blood coating the floor. This was beyond "hinky". Trying to climb up, Lance slipped again, his hand leaving a bloody print along the metal table as he let out a miserable cry. With Theore yelling as he pounded on the door behind them, Keith grabbed Lance, pulling him down behind the table "Lance?" Taking Lance by the shoulders, Keith shook him lightly. He could understand the shock his crush was suffering. It felt as if the blood in the room was infecting ever fibre of the flimsy suit he was wearing "Lance?!" "No! Don't touch me!" They had about two seconds before whatever staff was on base came bursting through the door. Lance was out of it, now reduced to Spanish. He was in one piece, but they weren't going to stay that way if he didn't do something about the fact Lance had pissed everyone off. Shooting Theore through the door, solved the immediate issue. How the Galra couldn't calm down enough to open the door, Keith didn't know, and holding a blaster didn't feel right. Lance was far better with the blaster than he was. Darting back down beside the Cuban, he found Lance had fled from the safety of the table to stand near one of the tanks of remains. The body inside kept alive by various wires. The exposed heart beating steadily as Lance reached towards the glass. The idiot had pulled his mask off, as he stood staring at the body. His eyes fixed in something Keith couldn't see "Lance!" As tanks around them began to "pop" from blaster hits, Keith threw himself at Lance as he fired blindly "Lance, what's going on?" "Keith..." That was a start "Yeah, Buddy. Talk to me" "I'm going to be sick" And that was a problem. Pitching sideways, Lance threw up, as threatened "I need you to stay here. No moving. No wandering. Ok?" Shaking his head at him, Lance was being a stubborn shit "I don't have time to babysit you. They're coming for us! We can't help these people!" Death was the only end or release the mangled remains "You need to man up!" "I can't!" "Why not?! We're about three ticks away from joining them!" "Because I put them here! I put them here!" Moaning miserably, Lance clutched his hair. Well. Fuck. Just... Fuck. Quiznak didn't come close to summing up how Keith felt about that "How do you know for sure? It could be anyone" "I know them" "How" "I..." "Lance, they're gone. Dead" Screaming at him, the marks on Lance's cheeks flared to life "I know!" "How?!" Bellowing in his face, Lance continued his screaming before tapering down to soft sobs "Because he fucking raped me! He fucking raped me... he raped me... there's a tattoo on his arm... I thought he died before... they said he was dead" Keith literally saw red. Raising the blaster, he fired half a dozen shots in to the tank. Covered in blood, Lance looked broken. Somehow he'd smeared it across his face, and down his suit as he tried to huddle into himself "Lance... I..." "Don't touch me... please don't touch me..." Raising his hands, Keith nodded "I won't, but we need to keep moving" "I don't want to" "Lance, they're probably going to kill both of us" "Then go without me" "Don't be stupid" "I can't help it! I am stupid! Erathus was a fucking trap! Allura brought me back wrong! All of this is wrong!" "Fuck this. Don't move" Keith's heart was racing faster than his mind. His teeth bared as he ran through the tables. That thing had dared lay hands on his Lance. His Lance who wouldn't hurt anyone who didn't have it coming. His Lance, who'd they tortured and raped... He didn't even need his blade or the blaster as he threw himself on the first enemy he met. Grabbing both sides of aliens head, he twisted hard, snapping their neck before they knew what was happening. It felt as if his whole body was on fire as his anger consumed him. They'd hurt Lance. He never should have left him alone. He should have told him he loved him before all of this. It'd probably killed Lance inside each time he was touched. Each flirty joke. He... He couldn't process. By the time Keith came back to his right mind, the small group of base workers that had come after them were all dead. Picking his way through the room to where he'd left Lance, Lance was staring at the drained tank. An alarm buzzing as a red light flashed above the broken tanks. Shivering hard enough for his teeth to chatter, Keith stripped off the bloodied suit jacket drape it around Lance's shoulders "Shhh. It's ok now. Don't look at it. Look at me" Wrapping an arm around Lance to pull him up, Lance pushed against him "Don't..." "I'm sorry. Please try to bare with it a little longer" "I'm d-dirty" "It's just a little blood. Some soap and water will clean that right up" He knew Lance meant he was dirty, but that was a load of shit. What had been done to Lance was revolting, but it was done to him without his consent. He was raped, and even if he felt dirty, he wasn't. Not to Keith. He did wish that the responsible parties were still alive, in order to dissect them himself. No. Dissection was too good. When Lance was unable to keep his legs up under him, Keith lifted him over his shoulder. Whimpering at being manhandled, Keith hushed him "Watch our backs, Sharpshooter" It didn't matter what Keith felt. Lance was terrified. And more than likely terrified Keith was going to treat him differently. Even if he wanted to wrap him up in cotton wool and kiss away his pain, treating him differently was his biggest fear. It fucking hurt to act like this was another small secret to squirrel away. Carrying Lance down the hall, he made the mistake of opening a door too soon, another room filled with parts met his eyes. These ones neatly stacked in row after row of glass drawers, floating in some kind of blue liquid. Closing the door, this place was all kinds of fucked up. Hiking Lance up, his crush whined softly at him "I know. I'm sorry. Wrong door" Two more wrong doors finally led to the right one. Carrying Lance into the control room, he showed no mercy to those still inside. He didn't even think about where his shots hit, only that the victims were too incapacitated to go after Lance. Lowering him down against the control panel, Lance started sobbing again. Dropping a kiss on his sweaty brown hair, Keith cursed himself when Lance let out a strangled kind of scream "I'm sorry. Shhh... I'm going to take care of things" Preferably by finding the bases self destruction sequence. Placing his hand on the panels keyboard, Keith was locked out the system. He didn't have any of his Blade tech on him, and Lance wasn't in any actual condition to help. Keith supposed it was the natural way to be when you come face to face with the man who'd raped you, and found the people you were arresting and sending for imprisonment were instead being chopped up into pieces and forced to stay alive with mechanical intervention. It was quiznakkingly revolting. Keith unable to comprehend what Lance was thinking. He'd believed they were being shipped off to be frozen in pods. They weren't off and walking around like living beings, but his targets weren't dead either. The job he'd been so proud of had left him as little more than an intergalactic farmer, with humanoid beings the meat being sent to the butchers waiting. Tapping the control panel turned to him slamming his hands down on the machine repeatedly. With an added kick for good measure when it continued to deny him access. Screaming at the house of Keith's shoe against the panel, Lance's knuckles were white as he clutched his hair. Long threads clinging to his fingers were chunks had been pulled out. Staying here was only serving to hurt Lance more. Squatting down, a jolt of blue shot from Lance's hand as he moved to take it. Snatching it back with a startled cry, Keith stared at the fresh blistered electrical burn scar on his hand, branching across his palm like a tree. Tearing off a strip of the thin not-so-white dress shirt, Keith carefully bandaged his palm. Hesitantly, he placed his hand on Lance's, relaxing minutely as when he wasn't zapped again "Lance, I can't get into the system. I can't do anything from here. We need to pull out and contact Daibazaal" "I can't, Keith" "Yes, you can" "I can't..." "Lance" "Leave me here" "Not going to happen" "Leave me alone" "Nope. Can't do it" "I don't want to" "Lance, its only a little further" "I don't want to" "Don't" was grating on his nerves as badly as "can't" had "Lance" "I don't want to!" "I don't care! We're getting out of here" "I don't want to go" Hefting Lance up, Keith was prepared for the protesting arms as he smacked at him "Stop it" "Then put me down" "Not going to happen" "Don't you get it? I don't want to be alive. I don't want to. I don't want to be like this... I'm so tired of it all, Keith" "I know you're tired, but I refuse to leave you here" "I don't want to..." "Big grizzly Keith isn't going to leave you behind" Lance didn't laugh. Probably because there really wasn't anything to laugh about "por favor... estoy sucio... muy sucio... "I don't know what you're saying, but I'm going to assume you're saying something stupid again. You're my best friend. I'm not leaving you in a place like this" Falling silent, Lance stopped his futile struggles, as he fell lax in Keith's arms. Tears continued to roll down Lance's ashen face as Keith picked the blaster up and cursed himself for not returning Lance to his shoulder. Blaster's weren't made for firing when you had your hands full. Keith having to force Lance to an awkward hunched drag as they encountered more station soldiers as they left the control room. "Estúpido... por favor... mami..." Snippets of broken Spanish seemed to lodge themselves in Keith's ear as he forced the pair of them onwards. Lance felt like ice to the touch beneath his arm, yet there was nothing he could do for him. Making it to the front doors of the facility, he found them locked. The only solution being to use the blaster to smash the locking system, before plunging outside where Lance stopped responding all together. Cursing him, Keith hefted Lance back up onto his shoulder as he staggered onwards. Having carried Lance through the facility, the extra weight was starting to get to him. Lance was all skin and bones, despite the appearance of long defined muscles beneath his soft skin. Halfway between the facility and Daehra's pod, blasts began to shoot past them as someone from within the base roused. Bases like these usually had ridiculous mounted weaponry and shield capabilities which meant if they had the chance to boot them up before Keith reached the ship, they wouldn't be getting off this stupid planet in one piece "Kosmo! Come!" Yelling as loudly as he could, Kosmo teleported to meet them. Despite their deca-phoebs together Keith still couldn't explain their connection "Need to get on the ship. Lance is..." As Keith grabbed Kosmo's fur midexplanation, one of the blaster pulses grazed his left arm, thanks to suit it didn't burn his flesh, though it did feel like he'd taken a walloping to the area with lead bat. Kosmo was less than impressed as the surprise hit caused Keith to pull his hair mid teleport. Suddenly safe for the moment, the half-Galra placed Lance down in the passenger chair as he rushed to take control of the small pod. Distracted by his worry for his crush, Keith could barely focus as he fired up the engines. Daehra's small pod had to have some kind of firepower, but as the base slowly became smaller, he failed to find which switch it was. His worry for Lance had to be further pushed aside when the out station began firing their laser cannons in their direction "Kosmo, protect Lance! This is going to get rough!" In the heat of everything happening, Keith slightly forgot about the electro-magnetic waves, taking a full hit from one that caused the pod's alarms to start screaming at him as he fought to control the craft. Looking to Lance, he found him unconscious with Kosmo sitting on his lap. It wasn't quite a seatbelt, but if Lance were to become airborne, Kosmo would save him before anything happened. Hitting on the back of the first wave, the second wave sent him flying into the asteroid belt. Lance had said everything was fine when he'd piloted earlier, so Keith had to assume this was why the passage to the base was only accessible at certain times. The belt seemed to be in orbit of the small planet or large moon where the base was. Unable to escape the forces of space, Keith killed the main engines, using the thrusters to gently perch them down on the back of a meteorite. He hated having to wait. To sit there completely fucking useless while the station scanned for the pod's presence. Going completely offline might help to keep them hidden, but it also meant the pod wouldn't be able to cycle oxygen. With a pod this size, two humans and a wolf to think of, Keith guessed at best they had 4 vargas of air. Probably more around 3... yet they could really do with a dose of optimism right about now. Lance needed a metric ton of optimism right now. Climbing from the pilot's chair, Keith pulled off the remnants of his shirt before moving over to Lance. Stepped off Lance's lap, Lance was well and truly unconscious as he didn't so much as flinch when Kosmo placed a giant paw right down on his junk. Cringing in sympathy, Keith took Lance's face in his hands. He still felt icy to the touch. His marks having faded away to nothingness again. Keith was about to try waking him, when he noticed how much blood was across Lance. If he was to wake Lance now, he'd send him into another fit of hysteria "Kosmo, can you find me a couple of water pouches? And a blanket?" Now that he knew what had happened, touching Lance while he was unconscious felt wrong. He wanted to treat him like he was the most precious person in the universe, but he didn't know if Lance could forgive him for helping him? He didn't want to live. He didn't want to be touched. He didn't want to... be. Too bad for Lance that Keith didn't think any less of him for what had happened. Keith was going too drag him back from the darkness within.

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rocketwerks · 5 years

Text

The Mutual Building

909 East Main Street Built, 1904, 1912 Architects, Clinton & Russell

March 2019

The concept of insurance dates back to the Code of Hammurapi. The Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia is almost as old.

(Geograph) — Hand in Hand Fire & Life Insurance Society Fire Mark

Mutual insurance in America, as we have come to know it, really began in London, England, in 1696 with the formation of Contributors for Insuring Houses, Chambers or Rooms from Loss by Fire by Amicable Contributionship. For obvious reasons it became more commonly known as the Amicable Contributionship and ultimately as the Hand-in-Hand, a reference to the organization’s fire mark, one hand clasping another hand, reflecting aid and assistance.

(Worthpoint) — Charleston Insurance Company Fire Mark

Like so many other ideas of its time, travelers from England to the colonies brought stories and accounts of various insurance plans and schemes. Probably as a result, the first attempt at a fire insurance plan in America was in Charleston, South Carolina in 1736 with the formation of the Friendly Society of Charleston. Unfortunately, in 1740 Charleston suffered a conflagration that is said to have consumed over three hundred houses besides storehouses, stables and several wharves. The losses sustained by the Friendly Society were far too great for its fledgling operation and the organization failed.

(National Fire Heritage Center) — Benjamin Franklin

At about the same time that the Friendly Society was trying to get started, the esteemed Benjamin Franklin resided in Philadelphia and was continuing his long-standing interest in fire prevention. With the help of others, he formed a purely volunteer firefighting association in 1735 called the Union Fire Company. Because of the social aspects of this type association, it precipitated the formation of other firefighting associations thus to the benefit of all citizens of Philadelphia. However, in spite of the inherent value of having firefighting associations, Franklin came to realize that fire was as inevitable as death and taxes and concluded that a plan of insurance was needed to make up the losses caused by fire.

(Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia) — Fire Mark of the Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire

With that realization, Franklin set out to form an insurance company patterned after the Amicable Contributionship, an organization he may have become familiar with while working in England as a journeyman printer. The Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire was organized by Benjamin Franklin and his colleagues in March 1752 and remains today the oldest mutual fire insurance company in business in America. The Philadelphia Contributionship selected as its fire mark four hands crossed and clasped in a form commonly known as “Jacob’s Chair.” As was the case with the Amicable Contributionship, the Philadelphia Contributionship also became known in America as the Hand-in-Hand. (Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia)

(Geni) — Dr. William Foushee

In 1794 a Prussian émigré named William Frederick Ast met with a group of Richmond citizens to discuss the need for an organization to underwrite fire insurance in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the financial opportunities such an organization would present.

Ast’s strategy for mutual assurance, which was said to be modeled on a system introduced by Frederick the Great, won enthusiastic support from many prominent Richmonders, including the city’s first mayor, Dr. William Foushee. Members of the Virginia General Assembly were told that “The principles of this insurance are founded upon benevolence—a number join to succor such of them that may be so unfortunate to suffer accidentally by fire—a loss falls heavy upon one; but where many contribute towards paying it, each man’s share becomes slight.” Ast also pointed out that the only other insurance then available to Virginians came from English companies, a situation that diverted large sums of money from the state due to the high cost of that transatlantic insurance.

December 2018

Ast’s well-conceived idea gained strong support in the legislature. On December 22, 1794, that body approved the plan, declaring in part that, “ ...from the great and frequent losses sustained by the ravages of fire, it is advised expedient to adopt some mode to alleviate the calamities of the unfortunate who may suffer by that destructive element, and William FE Ast of the city of Richmond, having suggested and submitted to the consideration of the general assembly a plan of mutual assurance... which it is conceived will fully answer the above purposes". [FUB]

(Rocket Werks RVA Postcards) — Currier & Ives depiction of the Evacuation Fire

So the Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia was born, and things were going great... until the Civil War.

The Great Unpleasantness stretched from 1861 to 1865, and as far as Richmond was concerned, ended with the Confederates setting fire to the tobacco warehouses along the canal basin. It may seem like historical hindsight, but you would think that someone would have had second thoughts about the burning of fungible commodities on a windy Spring evening. Oddly enough, it spread, leaving behind a smoking ruin where the city core once stood.

(Library of Congress) — View in the "Burnt District," Richmond, Va., showing two women dressed in black approaching shell of four-story building, gutted by fire

The toll from the fire was almost incalculable. In addition to the buildings torched by the retreating Confederate Army, the blaze destroyed nine hundred buildings, three bridges across the James, the Henrico County Courthouse, two railroad depots, several banks, and a church. Sorting out claims for damage would take years as the Society worked to rebuild its business. [FUB]

(American Battlefield Trust) — General view of the burned district of Richmond

In the aftermath, the Mutual Assurance Society squared itself for the reckoning.

On May 17, 1865, the standing committee convened to take stock of its circumstances and found itself facing aggregate claims of over $100,000 without any hard currency in its treasury. A large portion of its securities had been rendered completely valueless while the remainder had greatly depreciated. Nevertheless, when the Society's assets and liabilities had been examined thoroughly, and allowing for its obligations and losses on investments, the Society found itself with a surplus of $126,000**.

[RVCJ03] — 1014 East Main Street office

That happy circumstance, combined with its solid reputation and operating experience of over seventy years, helped put the Society back on its feet after the war. In time, the Society paid off every valid claim for loss and public confidence generated by those payments helped lift the society out of the ashes and back into a role of leadership in the financial and commercial life of the Commonwealth. [FUB]

(Chronicling America) — new Mutual Building — Richmond Times-Dispatch — Sunday, May 21, 1905

And so it was. The rebuilding of the Burnt District afforded Mutual Assurance the opportunity to occupy a spiffy new office building at 1014 East Main Street, and soon the good times were rolling again. Fast forward a few decades and the company was facing growing pains.

March 2019 — main entrance on Main Street

The steady increase in the Society's assets mirrored the fortunes of Richmond's financial and commercial sector and the growing stature of Richmond as a major railroad center.

March 2019 — courtyard entrance on Ninth Street

The invigorating effects of Richmond's fast-growing financial and commercial interests were most obvious in the changing appearance of the city's downtown. In 1905 the skyline was dramatically recast by the twin wings of a new nine-story office building at the southeast corner of Ninth and Main Streets.

March 2019 — cast iron fence

Towering 125 feet above street level, the Mutual Assurance Society Building was designed and built as a sound investment in real estate for its members, and was the sixth home of the Society in its 110-year history.

March 2019 — courtyard staircase & lamp post

Upon completion in May 1905, the massive structure--complete with six Otis elevators and its own Westinghouse electrical generating plant--became an instant Richmond landmark.

March 2019 — courtyard gate

A three-page story in the Times-Dispatch on May 21 call the building "by long odds the handsomest, most substantial and imposing office structure in the City. It will compare with any in the South, and is the result of skillful application of the most improved building methods in every line, working with the best obtainable materials."

April 2019 — lobby staircase

The Mutual Building was a completely modern skyscraper for its day. The headquarters of the fifth oldest fire insurance company in the United States, the building employed the latest in fireproofing technology developed by the Metropolitan Fireproofing Company of New York.

April 2019 — lobby stairwell

The ornate structure, with exterior walls of blue granite, brick, limestone, and terra-cotta over a steel and iron skeleton--covered more than half an acre on one of the city's busiest blocks and cost nearly $600,000***. Marble, mahogany, oak, and silver-embossed plate glass were applied to the building's interiors.

April 2019 — plaque of the Mutual Assurance of Virginia Standing Committee when the Mutual Building was built

The Old Mutual took offices on the second floor, and the rest of the building was leased to Richmond firms. The income from those rentals added to the financial security of the Society, whose insurance in force now totaled nearly $17 million. [FUB]

March 2019 — showing top four floors

Nor was that the end of construction. The need for office space was so great, that in 1912, Mutual Assurance went back for another bite at the apple and added the current top four terra-cotta clad floors.

April 2019

Of course, they made sure not to skimp on the beautiful detailing. A copper cornice always adds a touch of class.

April 2019 — basement stairwell

In his book Architecture in Downtown Richmond, Robert P. Winthrop described this building thus:

Part of a cluster of early high-rise buildings, the Mutual Building is the oldest and best preserved.

April 2019 — rooftop stair railing

U-shaped, this configuration provided for good lighting and ventilation in the days before air conditioning. The building is surrounded by a superb cast iron fence with quite grand gates at the courtyard. The main lobby and staircase have been preserved, little altered. [ADR]

April 2019 — sub-basement fire door

It is hard to understand how massive or how old this building is without walking through it. Amazing architectural detail is everywhere to be seen, even in the most ordinary elements, like a classical fire door.

April 2019 — sub-basement vault

Its longevity obscures its larger purpose as a financial institution when an insurance company had to secure vital documents as a cost of doing business.

April 2019 — first-floor vault door

Or indeed, the needs of the other tenants who occupied its floors.

Today, the Mutual Building is owned by the Shamin Hotels Group, based in Chester, Virginia. They are clearly aware of the property’s historic value, which is the best thing you can ask for in a steward going forward.

(The Mutual Building is part of the Atlas RVA! Project)

* 1,550,773.01 in 2019 dollars ** 1,953,973.99 in 2019 dollars *** 17,041,078.65 in 2019 dollars

(CPI Inflation Calculator)

Note

The interior pictures of the lobby, rooftop, and basements shown here were made possible through the generosity of Shamin Hotels, which owns the Mutual Building. Rocket Werks thanks Mark Yardis, Vice President of Operations, who granted permission; R. Anthony Harris, Social Media Manager, and Sterling Gary, Building Engineer, who provided access to this historic property. The opportunity to see and document historic Richmond locations like the Mutual Building isn’t always granted, but the spirit of public service, as exemplified by Shamin Hotels, is always appreciated.

Print Sources

[ADR] Architecture in Downtown Richmond. Robert P. Winthrop. 1980.

[FUB] Founded Upon Benevolence: A Bicentennial History of the Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia. Richard Love. 1994.

[RVCJ03] Richmond, Virginia: The City on the James: The Book of Its Chamber of Commerce and Principal Business Interests. G. W. Engelhardt. 1903.

#mustseerva #rva #rvahistory #ninthstreet #mainstreet #cityatomic #rocketwerksreference #atlasrva

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zapcorp · 3 years

Link

External cladding refers to the roofing material that is installed on the outside of your home. This is normally an external membrane or paint that is applied over a standard roofing membrane. This type of covering provides high resistance to wind and water, due to its water and chemical resistance properties. It is highly durable and fire resistant, while also being easy to maintain. With a wide range of external cladding products available, you are sure to find just the right fit for your home.

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Stairstep cladding is the most time consuming of the three methods and involves the use of two parallel strips of cladding, which are fitted in a staggered manner to form a sturdy external structure. The stairstep construction provides excellent protection against water ingress and evaporation, but it is structurally inferior to the grafted construction. Breather cladding, on the other hand, is constructed with fabrics of either one or two layers, providing good protection to the structure but requiring very little maintenance. The best suited fabric for breather panels in this type of external wall cladding is a polyethylene blend, which is highly durable and extremely water resistant. Since it does not retain moisture, it is one of the safest materials for use in this application.

AWeber external cladding panels are available in a wide range of sizes and color options to meet your specific building requirements and budget. There are several different color combination ranges available, ranging from traditional black and white to bright blue, green and pink - each of which are highly weather resistant and extremely durable, offering the ideal solution for buildings with limited space. Additionally, these cladding designs are available with a PVC backing, ensuring that you can avoid the use of fiberglass and aluminum construction.

No matter what type of external wall covering you require, from the highest rated fireproof wall cladding to the most highly technically engineered vapor permeable membrane, AWeber offers the industry's Cladding Collection to suit your individual needs. Whatever your design requirements, from the most highly rated fireproof wall cladding systems to the most budget-friendly moisture barrier, AWeber is sure to have just what you're looking for. In addition to their wide variety of exterior wall cladding designs, they also offer a wide selection of ceiling and roof treatments, including AWeber Insulation Systems, to complement the durability and reliability offered by their cladding products. To ensure that your building construction meets all government requirements, AWeber provides a full range of fully certified, high quality and industry leading warranty solutions. With over 35 years experience in the installation and design of commercial and residential buildings, AWeber can help your building project achieve superior results with the use of innovative cladding systems.

#exterior cladding #plastering melbourne #office fit outs melbourne #cladding melbourne

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pyrosophist · 6 years

Text

Gifts and Letters

It is a strange thing, when she finally pays mind to the holiday season and feels the impulse to do.. something, for once. It has been many years since she has had more than the smallest handful of people to give gifts to.

Through varying degrees of occult and official means, she sends out a variety of things over the course of several days, when the Archon turns the members of the Sunguard to their own business. Most of the letters are bewitched, unable to be read except by their intended recipients.

---

Aestus receives a leather armband with elaborate patterns seemingly burned into it, stylish but unobtrusive. On the inside face is inscribed in Thalassian script, “The night does not survive the dawn.”

My friend,

Of the guard, you are the first with whom I spoke besides possibly the dryest interaction I have ever had with the Scion. Though we have not done so in some time, I count you among one of my few steady friends. You have seen the darkness that lurks in the mid of my nights, as I yours.

Trace the script and read it aloud, when it becomes hard. In addition to it, I grant you one favor, to call upon my talents or resources as you will it.

@shampoocommercialelves

Westel is sent a box of pies, professionally made and still-fresh through some minor spell settled over them. In addition, a hunting knife that comes sharpened, its hilt carved and wrapped with artful patterns evocative of woodland beasts, with leafwork embellished along the spine of the blade.

Westel,

You were one of the first to show me friendship among the Sunguard. Three months ago I would not have called it that, but times seem to be changing. I thank you for the kindness, however small it may have been to give.

Where the hell have you gone? I miss Ithruiel. How dare you keep him from me.

@westelfirewing

Nuellen receives a strange, enchanted necklace -- a raven’s skull formed of blackened, petrified wood, attached to a thin, sturdy cord. A note explains its purpose to give the wearer resistance against ambient fel energy or exposure.

Swiftstrike,

Not a week passes that I do not think of my grandfather and how fortunate I was to have him. I have wrestled with feelings about his death for a very long time -- I don’t believe that I am yet done mourning, or that I ever will be -- but I am infinitely grateful to know that I am serving alongside some of the few Farstriders who served alongside him. Thank you.

@thedragonisaprincess

To Thanidiel is sent a cloak of brilliant, blood red fabric. Through some workings of alchemy, the cloak seems to be a remarkable insulator, despite its light weight. Some of the warlock’s sorcery is bound to it as well, and upon investigation it is revealed to be fireproof -- and furthermore, made to deflect magical flame and heat. The underside shimmers against the light with hues of orange and gold. An attached note reads, “This one won’t burn up. Use it well.”

Highdawn,

It has been some time since we have spoken, regrettably. I am still bitter that we did not get to face off at Shadowsunder’s tournament. Though through battle I have regained familiarity with my sorcery and its limits, I would still test it against you when you are available. Consider this a challenge.

@thanidiel

Caelinda is given a pair of boots, sturdy, stylish and well-crafted. Enchantments scribed onto the seams ensure that it will last an eternity of travel -- in addition, the monk feels a little lighter on her feet, when she wears them. To accompany the gift is an ornate brooch fashioned out of gold and ruby to affix to a cloak or scarf, and a batch of festive cookies that are still warm and fresh through some minor spell.

Caelinda,

There are few words to describe the depth of affection and fondness I have for you, however much I may loathe to show it around other people. You have given me a sense of peace and welcome that I have not had in such a long, long time, and I am grateful for your love. I will strive for all my days to be worthy of it.

@superspicedinosaur

Tyleril is sent a piece of everburning coal, infused with sorcery. It is warm to the touch, and a note explains that it can be activated and deactivated through a command word. When active, it effuses strong heat and flame, presumably to be used in the forge or a fireplace. The note warns not to hold it at inopportune times.

Silversword,

Thank you for hosting me in your home the night of the bonfire party. I know that I can be abrasive at the best of times, but it is appreciated, and I wish your business good fortune.

Keep the coal out of Samiel’s hands. That boy has fire in his eyes.

@tyleril-silversword

Vaelan receives a bottle of fine wine, Suncrown vintage. This brand is only seen on shelves practically once in a blue moon -- she must have been holding onto it for some time.

Vaelan,

You’re a fine man to work and drink with, though I fear I tend to grow only more abrasive when inebriated -- but I appreciate your friendliness, and our banter. Put this wine to good use. It’s far too damn fancy for me to drink it myself straight from the bottle, and I’m less inclined to put myself into a stupor on a regular basis, nowadays.

@greatmaulsoffire

A book, old and ornately bound, is sent to Veleth. It appears to be an in-depth study and analysis of extraplanar phenomena, as well as the planes themselves and how they intersect with the material world.

Ashcaster,

I had never expected to find a kindred scholarly mind among the Blood Knights. You are a steadfast ally in battle, and I appreciate your respect and curiosity for my studies. I hope that we both might benefit from learning into the future, with Argus on the horizon.

@veleth95

To Synthiel, a Reliquarian’s sanction for the regulated study and use of alchemically-synthesized anima.

Cloudseye,

It is refreshing to speak with another pyromancer on a level of exchanging knowledge and technique, and for that I thank you -- I have not enjoyed the privilege for a very long time, different as our disciplines may be. My expertise in commanding Wrath hones sharper by the day, and I have you to thank in part for that.

@spiral-seeker

For Ka’ese, a potted Thalassian plant, with delicate leaves in hues that range from scarlet to gold -- it is bright, and fragrant. A piece of home, preserved through magic that is clearly not the warlock’s own.

Brother,

Past our twenty-fifth year I did not think I would ever write to you and say ‘Merry Winter’s Veil’ ever again. I’m still not certain on how to feel that I am doing it now, but I know that I should, after everything. So much has changed since our reunion in Azsuna. Argus yet looms in the sky, and you should know that I intend to see this war to its end. I hope for your health, through it all.

One day we shall spend this time of the year together again, as brother and sister.

@turalyon

The Magistrix Starshard’s gift arrives on the wings of a strange raven with eyes like embers, bearing the warlock’s distinct aura of magic. In a small leather case strapped to its back is a token -- metal fashioned into the emblem of the Sunguard, with its reverse face inscribed with Thinariel’s unique sigil -- and a message of rolled and sealed parchment.

Thradia,

I cannot even begin to presume what you may believe of me at present -- I apparently have an unfortunate habit for disappearing off the face of the world. You have the deepest apologies I may give, and the greatest hopes for your health and success. You are beautiful and strong, more than I could have ever taught you to be.

Know that I survive, and that I had no choice but to take my leave of the Black Harvest when Vataan abducted my brother from Dalaran (yes, I have a brother). Through his hand and mine, no trace of my tower remains in the Twisting Nether. Without my refuge, I serve the Sunguard. So much has changed that I cannot put to words.

Argus looms high in the sky; you know where I must be.

Stay the course.

@ladyliadrin

#winter's veil #the sunguard #aestus #westel #nuellen #thanidiel #caelinda #tyleril #vaelan #veleth #synthiel #ka'ese #thradia

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tipsycad147 · 5 years

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How To Use Your Cauldron & 9 Amazing Ways To Get Started

Julie Hopkins

When I first learned about modern witchcraft, I was surprised to discover that witches actually used cauldrons. From that moment on, I knew I needed to get my hands on one of my own. Granted, modern witch cauldrons don’t always look the like those big, black, cast-iron pots filled with a bubbling brew, heated over an outdoor fire like in the movies, but the modern cauldron is still definitely reminiscent of the witches of the past.

I love using a cauldron in my magic because it connects me to all the witches who came before. When I do a cauldron spell, I feel like I’m calling in an ancient power from long ago. If you’re intrigued about this lovely magical tool, consider bringing a cauldron into your witchy practice. With a little time and patience, using a cauldron can open up new ways of performing spells and experiencing magic!

Where To Buy A Cauldron

You have plenty of options for where to buy a cauldron. Online shops like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay have gorgeous new and used cauldrons (with cheap or free shipping). The benefit of these online retailers is that you can read up on customer reviews before you place an order. New age and occult stores are also great places to purchase cauldrons. Modern cauldrons come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s it’s a huge advantage to actually see and hold the different types before you make your purchase. Some cauldrons are as tiny as tennis balls. Others are the size of big beach balls.

There are three main things to keep in mind when purchasing a cauldron

You’ll want one that’s cast iron. Not only is this the most traditional material for a witch’s cauldron, it’s also the best to use for your spells and rituals since this metal can stand up to high heat. Plus, it’s relatively easy to clean after even your most extravagant spells.

Choose the cauldron size and shape that fits your lifestyle. If you travel a lot, you might want to buy a small cauldron to take on the road with you.

Decide on what kind of magic you plan on doing with your cauldron. If you want to do mostly incense cones and paper burning, a smaller cauldron might be the perfect size. If you love brewing magical teas and potions, maybe try a larger one.

The choice is totally up to you, and by the way, no one said you can’t have more than one cauldron in your magical toolkit. Often times, you can get your hands on quality cauldrons for under thirty dollars.

How To Care For Your Cauldron

When you first get a cauldron, you’ll want to cleanse it immediately after you receive it. Cast iron tends to hold tight to magical energy, as well as the energy of everyone who came into contact with the metal while shipping, at the shop or even when it was being made.

You can multitask by making black salt, a magical ingredient perfect for protection spells or banishing spells, while you cleanse your cauldron.

Cleanse your Cauldron and Make Black Salt

Dip your cauldron in the cool water of a running stream and let the power of the current wash away any weird energy that has settled into your cauldron. Thoroughly dry it off with a towel.

Mix sea salt and olive oil or almond oil in your cauldron and wipe the inside and outside down with the mixture. Rub in the outside oil to the best of your ability and place your cauldron (uncovered) in the oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for ninety minutes. Turn off the oven, and wait for the cauldron to cool. Then pour the salt residue (now black salt) into an airtight jar. Rub a little more salt and oil into the cauldron (inside and out), and set the cauldron in the oven upside down for another ninety minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it cool, and you’re all set to use your cauldron!

Ways to Use your Cauldron

Burn Incense in Your Cauldron

Burn loose incense herbs with charcoal discs positioned in the middle of your cauldron.

Incense cones are extremely simple to use with a cauldron as well. Set the cone inside your cauldron and light the tip.

If you have incense sticks, light the end and let the smoking end rest gently at the bottom of your cauldron.

For all these incense burning options, you can leave your cauldron in one place (like your altar) to burn or hold your cauldron by the handle and go from room to room for smoke cleansing rituals. Because incense smoke can be very strong, make sure you properly ventilate the area and do not light incense around children or pets who might be sensitive to smoke.

Collect Moon Water

Set your cauldron out on a rainy night to gather rainwater. Note what phase the moon is in that night so you know what moon phase energy that water is charged with. Pour the water into a jar and store it until you need it for a spell. Dry your cauldron completely after this process to prevent rust. Don’t leave your cauldron out for multiple nights even in dry weather. Extended exposure to even a small amount of humidity can cause your cauldron to rust.

Scrying with Your Cauldron

Take the moon water you’ve collected in your cauldron and use it as a “scrying mirror”. You can also use water from a flowing spring, ocean water, or water charged with crystals to promote psychic abilities like amethyst or bloodstone.

Oil Reed Diffuser

What You’ll Need:

1/4 Cup Safflower Oil

Two Tablespoons of Vodka

Fifteen to Twenty Drops of Essential Oil

Seven to Ten Reed Sticks

Combine safflower oil, vodka and essential oil in your cauldron. Like with all magic, focus on your intention as you do this. You can experiment with different combinations of essentials oils to suit whatever spell you’re performing. Stir up the mixture with one of your reeds. Place the lid of you cauldron so there is only a sliver of an opening. Position your reeds in the sliver, fanning them out along the narrow opening. Flip the reeds every day or so until the oil mixture has evaporated.

Cauldron Tea

Boil magical herbs in your cauldron to create a powerful tea or elixir. You can add loose herbs into your water and heat up the cauldron. If you are making tea to drink, make sure your cauldron is cast iron and that it's totally clean. Otherwise, you run the risk of ingesting something harmful that was left over from a previous spell.

If you have a small cauldron, a tea light candle under your cauldron will do the trick. If your cauldron is larger and you want to work outdoors, dig a hole under your cauldron and build a small fire with sticks and bits of wood. If you choose to go this route, have a bucket of water or fire extinguisher nearby in case of an emergency. Fire is a wonderful element to bring to your magic, but it can be highly dangerous. Always exercise caution when working with fire.

Cauldron Oil Diffuser

Pour 1/3 cup of water into your cauldron and add four to six drops of essential oil. Place a tea light under your cauldron and enjoy the subtle scents of your essential oils filling your witchy space. If your tea light burns down, light another one! Just make sure to extinguish your candle once you’re through. This is a perfect way to set the mood before pulling tarot cards, journaling or performing a spell. Make sure to clean your cauldron well after using it with essential oils!

Buried Cauldron Spells

For Cleansing

If there’s something you need to cleanse, place it in your cauldron with the lid and bury it in the earth for a few hours. The cauldron will protect it from the elements while it’s submerged. I’ve done this with bottles of essential oil, crystals, candles, necklaces, altar cloths, rune stones, and rings.

For Manifesting

You can also place journal entries describing things you’re working to manifest in your life into your cauldron and bury it. The earth energy will take your hopes and dreams from the air (your mind) and bring them into the physical world. Make sure not to leave your cauldron buried for too long, remember exposure to moisture can cause rust!

Cauldron Wishing Spell

Similar to the above manifesting spell, write down your wishes onto paper, parchment or bay leaves and burn them over your cauldron. Watch the smoke send your desires right up into the abundant, limitless universe.

Cauldron Candle Spells

Line your cauldron with foil and perform a candle spell right inside. Your cauldron is a perfect fireproof container, and the foil will make for easy cleanup once the candle has burned out completely. Depending on the size of your cauldron, you can use a variety of different sized candles. Try melting the bottom of a birthday candle to make it stand upright in your cauldron. Mount several candles in your cauldron to make different shapes like a pentacle or square. Pillar or votive candles always work well in a cauldron. Remember to NEVER leave a lit candle unattended, even in a cauldron.

Final Thoughts on Cauldrons

There is something incredibly special about working with a cauldron. Sometimes I notice non-witches sort of “shy away” from the idea of a cauldron. It’s inherently witchy and it can be hard for people to get the image of the green-faced Hollywood witch cackling and stirring that big black pot. But the reality is, cauldrons are practical, symbolic and fun. Using a cauldron is a beautiful way to pay your respects to all the brave souls of the past who practiced witchcraft in the face of adversity. If you feel called to try this magical tool, go for it! Embrace your wild, witchy self!

https://thetravelingwitch.com/blog/2018/8/16/how-to-use-your-cauldron-9-amazing-ways-to-get-started

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gracespilkerr · 4 years

Text

7 Best Flashlights & Helmet Lights for Firefighters

A flashlight is a tool that many of us might take for granted. However, firefighters know that a flashlight is far more important in their day-to-day lives.

They light the way in emergencies to locate those at risk in the night, help us find our way through the darkness in building and accident scenes at night. They are a second pair of eyes, which is why it is crucial that we have a flashlight that is up to the task.

Short on time? Don’t feel like reading? No problem! Here’s my two personal favorites and what I use on my own gear…

Sale

Streamlight 90540 Survivor LED Right Angle Flashlight, Orange – 175 Lumens

Rubber dome push button switch easy to use with gloves

Dual power source: Rechargeable NiCd battery; also accepts 4 “AA” alkaline batteries

C4 LED with high, low, emergency flash and moonlight modes

High for a super bright beam that pierces through smoke: 41,000 candela; 175 lumens; 405m beam distance; runs 3.5 hours (NiCd); runs 4 hours (alkaline)

Low for bright light and longer run time: 14,000 candela; 60 lumens; 237m beam distance; runs 13 hours (NiCd); runs 15 hours (alkaline)

$55.37

Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Sale

Streamlight 69140 Vantage LED Tactical Helmet Mounted Flashlight, Black

Rotates 360 degrees on clamp; Bright blue tail light LED

On/off switch operates with heavy gloves on; Attach or remove in seconds with no tools

Clamps on above or below helmet brim; Bulb: LED; Finish: Matte Black

Output (lumens): 115; Power Source: CR123A Lithium, x 2; Switch: Dual-Direction On/Off Switch

$114.75

Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Last update on 2020-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

In this guide, I have provided some honest reviews of flashlights that I believe make the cut. The list is split into two halves – standard flashlights and helmet lights.

In each case, I have highlighted my own personal recommendation before including some additional products with their own pros and cons.

Before that, I want to talk a little more about the importance of a good helmet light and flashlight in this industry and some of the features that you need to look out for.

Why do you need a high powered flashlight when working as a firefighter?

Your run-of-the-mill flashlight at home isn’t going to cut it out in an emergency. There is no guarantee that it will have the range that you need to seek out obstacles and victims in dark, smoke-filled buildings or across remote forests at night.

It might not have the battery power to provide a strong light source for the duration of the emergency – although this is true of some of the models below too.

It won’t have the same settings or any specific considerations for those that work in the fire service. That is why it is important to find something geared towards the industry.

The first option for firefighters is to get something similar to a traditional flashlight, just with better performance. There are lots of hand-held models that have a similar approach to normal models but are a little more powerful, designed to be used with gloves or have some other benefits.

These flashlights should be a familiar, effective piece of equipment that helps you out in dark situations. You can carry them in your pocket, shine them in front of you to create a path in the smoke and become more visible to other people.

Why are helmet lights such a good idea for firefighters?

One of the downsides of choosing a more traditional-looking flashlight is that you do have to hold on to it at all times to point it in the right direction (unless of course you attach it to your turnout gear).

There is great freedom of movement and you can angle it in all directions, but this doesn’t work if you have your hands full.

A helmet flashlight lets you mount a light to your head for a constant beam and hands-free operation.

You can then enjoy that constant illumination as you work on tying knots, hauling equipment or performing first aid or other intricate tasks.

Important features when buying a flashlight for firefighters.

The strength of the beam.

The direction of the light is as important as the strength of the beam. Do you get a strong, thin beam that highlights the areas ahead of you or something a bit wider with less reach?

Is there any way of changing the intensity of the light depending on the situation. High-strength beams are helpful but we don’t need them the whole time.

It helps to save battery and create a better illumination where we can. Strong lights are great for finding a path through a structure but not necessary when dealing with victims.

The quality of the light source.

LED lights are the best approach because the lights are so much brighter, longer-lasting and more reliable.

One thing to look out for when choosing a light is a model with green LEDs as well as white. Green LEDs are said to improve visibility and color perception when working in a smoke-filled environment.

This can make a big difference when dealing with structures and rescuing victims. The quality of the LEDs is also important. At this professional level, there should be absolutely no risk of flickering or inconsistencies in the brightness of the LED.

The battery life.

What type of batteries are used and are they included with the flashlight?

There are typically two choices here. You could opt for a model that takes normal, accessible AA batteries and keep swapping them out or go for something with a rechargeable battery.

Each option has its pros and cons in this line of work. Sometimes you can find products that offer both so you can switch between them as needed.

Either way, check the specification to learn more about the battery life. How long is it expected to last and how does this change between different light settings?

The casing.

What would happen if you dropped your flashlight on the ground in a building while struggling through?

Nothing should happen because the best firefighter flashlights are impact resistant. There is also fire and heat resistance to remain intact and reliable no matter the situation.

Check the materials and certification for a product before buying.

Impact resistance also applies to the lens of the light. It should be clear and scratch-proof. While looking at the casing for the light, you might also consider the color.

A brighter color is easier to locate in a gear bag or on the ground than some “tactical” black models.

The build of the helmet – if you prefer the idea of a helmet light and know that this will be more effective, the same considerations apply. – fireproof materials in the heat of the fire, impact resistance.

Ease of use.

Ease of use is something that some flashlight brands can overlook. They don’t always consider the fact that we need to change the settings and attach helmet lights with gloves on.

Small, intricate buttons aren’t going to work. Tool-free assembly for helmet lights is also essential so you can attach it with ease in difficult situations.

Additional settings

Once you find a series of flashlights that you know have the right beams and built to be of use to firefighters, you need to consider some additional settings that may be helpful.

Some of the cheaper, more basic lights will have a single front-facing beam that is either on or off. Others will go further with settings with emergency flashes or different colored lights.

Some will even have a blue tail light behind that lets other crew members locate you and follow you in the darkness. Just make sure that each setting is easy to operate in an emergency and that it doesn’t deplete the battery too much.

The cost.

Finally, you need to consider the cost of the flashlight. While you want something that will last and hold up to damage, you have to be prepared for the fact that you might lose the light.

You might drop it into a space from which it can’t be retrieved, place it under too much pressure or see some other department walk off with it because it is so nice.

Work within a realistic budget and don’t get something that is a waste if you lose the light. At the same time, don’t go too cheap and compromise on quality.

Streamlight 90540 Survivor LED Right Angle Flashlight

Sale

Streamlight 90540 Survivor LED Right Angle Flashlight, Orange – 175 Lumens

Rubber dome push button switch easy to use with gloves

Dual power source: Rechargeable NiCd battery; also accepts 4 “AA” alkaline batteries

C4 LED with high, low, emergency flash and moonlight modes

High for a super bright beam that pierces through smoke: 41,000 candela; 175 lumens; 405m beam distance; runs 3.5 hours (NiCd); runs 4 hours (alkaline)

Low for bright light and longer run time: 14,000 candela; 60 lumens; 237m beam distance; runs 13 hours (NiCd); runs 15 hours (alkaline)

$55.37

Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Last update on 2020-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The first model that I want to discuss here is this one from Streamlight. This is the one that I would personally recommend if you want a “normal” type of flashlight because of the features and the quality of the beam.

This model doesn’t look exactly like your traditional flashlight, unlike some of the others below. Instead, it has a lot of details and design features where Streamlight has obviously considered the needs of firefighters.

This includes the use of a rubber dome button for the power supply which is ideal for use with gloves. We also get a choice of power sources with either rechargeable NiCd or 4 AA batteries.

This means that you can swap out the batteries as needed and choose the style that is most practical at that moment. If you haven’t had a chance to recharge the batteries then you have that safety net of the AA batteries.

Another thing that I like about this model is that there are different modes on the beam. You can switch from a high to low beam and use emergency flash and moonlight settings.

There is also the promise that the light will pierce through the smoke with the 41,000 candela/175 lumens high beam.

For comparison, the low light beam is 14,000 candela and 60 lumens. There is also an impact-resistant case that comes in bright orange or yellow so it is easy to find.

One downside to be aware of here is that the battery life drops considerably when using this on the higher beam. You do have the choice to make that switch between the settings as needed.

However, the difference can be dramatic and could leave you without a light if you are not careful. You can get 3.5 hours of life on the NiCd battery and 4 hours on the alkaline when using the high beam.

On the low beam, this increased to 13 hours and 15 hours respectively. It might be worth taking a spare battery because the high beam is so powerful and helpful to many firefighters.

Pros:

The user-friendly features for simple operation

The choice of batteries

The choice of beams and settings

Cons:

The drop in battery life on the high beam

Streamlight Vantage 180 X

3-in-one light: Helmet Mounted, Right-Angle Light, Handheld Flashlight,180º rotating head (for right-angle use) and Turnout gear/radio strap attachment hook

Ultra-bright blue rear light for helmet mount use in heavy smoke or a white safety flood down light mode when head is rotated 90 degrees towards push button

Integrated Stainless Steel Clip is designed to be used with the “quick release” helmet bracket that easily detaches the light from the helmet for use as a handheld or pocket light. The light also features a clip to attach to turnout gear. Body: High-impact, “super-tough” nylon chemically-resistant engineering polymer for exceptional durability and a sure grip. Lens: Unbreakable poly-carbonate lens with a silicone anti-scratch coating. O-ring sealed

Vantage 180 X USB is a complete rechargeable system that includes an 18650 USB battery with an integrated USB charge port

Includes Helmet Bracket & 2 CR123A Lithium. Turnout gear attachment hook, head articulates 180-degree to aim the beam. Waterproof to 1M for 30 minutes, 1M impact resistance tested

Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Last update on 2020-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

There is a clear USP with this Vantage 180 model that I can see the appeal of in the firefighting service. This product has a feature in the head of the light that means that it can adjust from the normal straight angle to a 180-degree angle.

This means that you can point the light towards the floor or find ways of mounting it with the best coverage of light.

This is the additional selling point here.

Unlike some flashlights that are purely to be used by hand, this one is mountable with the gear attachment hook.

The light source on this flashlight is pretty good with both a strong white light and blue rear light. The promise is that this will improve visibility in smoke and most users are happy with the impact on their work.

Another benefit here is the fact that this is such a tough product.

The flashlight is waterproof up to 1 meter and made from a “super tough” nylon that is designed to withstand high impacts.

Therefore, if you drop it on-scene or it does come off your helmet, it shouldn’t incur any damage.

Many firefighters will also appreciate the quick release system on the helmet mount for added ease of use. Those that don’t want to use it this way can use the steel pocket clip instead.

There is clearly a lot of versatility to this product for use in different situations.

However, this does also mean that there is a lot to think about when using the different strength beams.

For example, users need to be aware that the light is set to change when you adjust the angle. It starts off as the bright blue light for visibility at the normal angle and then switches to a white LED safety floodlight when at that 90-degree angle.

This creates a downward facing beam to help you see around your feet. So, this could mean that you don’t get the light source you need when mounting the light a certain way on helmets or equipment.

Pros:

A 180-degree articulation for different angles

Easy to mount onto helmets if needed

A tough casing

Cons:

The change in light based on the angle of the device

Streamlight 88854 PolyTac LED Helmet Lightning Kit

Sale

Streamlight 88854 PolyTac LED Helmet Lightning Kit, Yellow – 275 Lumens

Includes PolyTac LED flashlight, lithium batteries, Streamlight Helmet Mount and Rubber Helmet Strap

Flashlight case made from high impact, super tough nylon polymer for exceptional durability and a sure grip

Borofloat glass lens, o-ring sealed

C4 LED technology, impervious to shock with a 50,000 hour lifetime

Tailcap push button provides one handed momentary or constant on operation

$69.90

Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Last update on 2020-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This next Streamlight model is always going to catch the eye of firefighters because of the words “helmet kit”.

This means that there is a dedicated piece of equipment in the box that will allow us to attach this to our helmets for hands-free use.

But, we still have the benefit of the more traditional approach because of the fairly classic design. This should mean that this a more versatile option for different jobs.

There is quite a lot in the box for the price as you get the flashlight with its LED bulb, the helmet mounting kit, a rubber helmet strap and the lithium batteries.

The light source is pretty straightforward with a decent beam of light and the choice of either a momentary or constant operation. Another feature I like is the use of the one-handed push button power system for ease of use.

This is another flashlight that is meant to last. We have a case that is made from a high-impact nylon so it should hold up to being dropped on hard surfaces.

The LED bulb is also meant to be shockproof for a more consistent stream of light. There is also the tough lens and strong seals around it so everything is secure at all times.

There are two issues with this light that let it down a little compared to some of the other lights in this guide.

The first is the fact that it isn’t that easy to mount the torch to a helmet. Some of these adaptable models clip onto a helmet with ease to provide that secure light source.

Here it clips to the side and can unbalance a helmet a little if users aren’t careful. There are also users that say that the light isn’t as bright as they had hoped.

Pros:

The additional features to make this a more versatile option than some standard flashlights

The user-friendly operation with the design of the power button

The shock proofing across the different components

Cons:

Not as easy to mount to a helmet as some other flashlights

Streamlight 68201 4AA ProPolymer LED Flashlight with White LEDs

Streamlight 68201 4AA ProPolymer LED Flashlight with White LEDs, Yellow – 67 Lumens

Virtually indestructible, non-conductive polymer with a scratch-resistant face-cap; impact & shock-resistant

Lens: Unbreakable polycarbonate with scratch-resistant coating

Clamps on above or below helmet brim; Bulb: LED;

Output (lumens): 115; Power Source: CR123A Lithium, x 2; Switch: Dual-Direction On/Off Switch

Finish: Matte Black

$26.67

Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Last update on 2020-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

There are some nice features on this flashlight that are familiar after looking at the products above.

There are some user-friendly features like the dual-direction switch, the AA batteries and the light weight.

The battery life is said to be 155 hours on one set, but this might be optimistic. Just make sure to choose the version that actually has the batteries included in the box.

The switch should be easier to use for those that have struggled with flashlights that have tiny buttons on them. Sliding switches are so much easier in gloves!

There is also the promise of a tough build with the impact resistant non-conductive materials and scratch-proof lens coating. What this should mean is that you get a product that will be safe to use in almost any situation.

There is also a choice of modes where you can have a constant or blinking stream of light as required.

The light source is only 67 lumen but there is the promise of a super-bright LED that lasts for 100,000 hours before it needs to be replaced.

There are some features here where this does seem to be aimed at our market as there are additional clamps in the box so that we can attach this light to our helmets if we want to.

There are users that say that the beam is strong and reliable. However, I suspect that many feel that it is good for the price paid and might notice a weakness and lack of function after paying out for something a bit more intense.

This is a cheap model that will do a decent job temporarily in some situations. It isn’t the ideal choice for regular use in emergencies.

Pros:

The number of protective features to ensure that users get a tough flashlight

The promise of a long battery life

Different settings on the light beam

Cons:

Weaker than some of the brighter, more robust lights out there.

Streamlight 69140 Vantage LED Tactical Helmet Mounted Flashlight

Sale

Streamlight 69140 Vantage LED Tactical Helmet Mounted Flashlight, Black

Rotates 360 degrees on clamp; Bright blue tail light LED

On/off switch operates with heavy gloves on; Attach or remove in seconds with no tools

Clamps on above or below helmet brim; Bulb: LED; Finish: Matte Black

Output (lumens): 115; Power Source: CR123A Lithium, x 2; Switch: Dual-Direction On/Off Switch

$114.75

Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Last update on 2020-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The first of these top firefighter helmet flashlights is the one that I personally recommend and also happens to be an Amazon’s Choice product.

This model stands out because it looks like a rugged, professional model right from the start. There is a traditional looking flashlight that mounts onto a helmet with a large clamp system.

It will stay in place and is tough enough to take a knock while handling a fire. This is where this sort of light is better than some of the clip-on flashlights above. You can put this central on the brim and not weigh down the helmet on one side or risk an accident with the light.

The light is bright LED light from a Lithium power source for bright illumination on-scene. There is also a blue tail light. This “tactical” model looks the part but also has the added advantages of some helpful features for users.

This includes the simple, tool-free process of attaching it to the helmet and the fact that you can press all the buttons with gloves on.

Another interesting feature of this helmet lamp is the way that it rotates on the clamp 360 degrees.

This improves visibility when you don’t have the flexibility to move around. It may also help those working behind you. The small profile helps too as it is less likely to be knocked out of place or off the helmet entirely.

Even though I have included this as my recommended product, I have to admit that it is not perfect. There are other helmet lights that have light sources and LED colors that may prove to be more effective in a dark environment or over long distances.

Some of the other top helmet flashlights for firefighters are a little cheaper too. However, it is that balance of the user-friendly design and structural integrity that allows it to take the top position.

Pros:

Great visibility with the white light and the blue tail light

The chance to rotate the light 360 degrees

Easy to mount onto the helmet.

Cons:

The use of LEDs isn’t as impressive as some of the helmet lights

Streamlight Vantage II Helmet Light

Streamlight 69331 Vantage II 350 Lumen Helmet Mount Flashlight

Attaches securely to helmet, above or below rim in seconds; large easy off switch located on rear of light

High: 350 Lumens, low; 135 lumens

Safe off feature prevents accidental activation, saves batteries; Uses one CR123A lithium battery, included

Meets requirements of NFPA 1971-56 (2013)

IPX 7 waterproof to 1M for 30 minutes; 1M impact resistance tested

$84.78

Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Last update on 2020-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

On first impressions, this helmet flashlight looks very similar to the one above. There aren’t too many differences here between the Tactical model I recommended and this one. There are still lots of users that appreciate the design of this one where it has the same features.

For example, the design is just as slim so there is the same small profile for ease of use in tight spots. There is also the same approach to the style of the buttons and the use of fire-resistant and impact resistant materials.

A positive thing about this flashlight is that, like the flashlight I use on my helmet, there are two different beams to choose from.

You can have a high beam of 3500 candela and 350 lumens or a low one of 1700 candela and 135 lumens.

Again, there is a notable difference between the two.

The high beam is great for a longer reach of 118m. However, the battery life does drop to 2.25hours on this mode. The safety feature for accidental activation can help here. There is also the blue tail light to help those behind you.

However, there are two factors here that mean that it doesn’t quite match up to the Tactical model.

The first is the light source itself. This one uses a bright light with strong peripheral visibility to illuminate the area around firefighters. Many like the brightness and the settings and get on well with it. But, it doesn’t have the same intensity. It also doesn’t have that 360 degree rotation that was so beneficial in the previous model.

There are also some users that have struggled with the size of the screw on the clamp and the casing for the battery. This might explain why the screw on the Tactical model’s clamp is so large.

This doesn’t mean that this is a bad product.

Lots of users are able to work with ease and get the illumination they need. It just lacks some of the benefits.

Pros:

A choice of beams for high and low settings

A safety feature to improve the battery life

The impact and fire resistance of the casing

Cons:

The clamp on this one isn’t as good as the model above

FoxFury 420-L06 Command+ LoPro

FoxFury 420-L06 Command+ LoPro White/Green LED Fire and Impact Resistant Waterproof Helmet Light, 100 Lumens

100 lumen helmet light runs up to 14 hours on four AA batteries. 3 modes: high, medium and low to provide the optimal light intensity

Constructed from high quality nylon and polycarbonate this light is fire resistant up to 300F/149C (NFPA 1971-8.6 (2013)), impact resistant and waterproof to 3 meters

The wide angle beam provides panoramic lighting with a wider field of view compared to traditional headlamp’s single beam. White and green LEDs offers improved depth perception, color rendition and smoke cutting ability (as compared to white light only)

Ultra-slim helmet light designed for use on firefighter helmets that utilize external face shields. Enables most external 4” and 6” face shields to be raised and lowered without interference. Not compatible with European (Gallet) style helmets

Also features a highly visible red flashing LED in the rear battery pack that can be seen from over 1 mile away for added safety

$96.99

Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Last update on 2020-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

There are two things that stand out about this model from FoxFury.

The first is that there are both white and green LED lights within the light source for improved visibility and perception of color. This should mean that firefighters can access victims and handle fires with greater ease.

Then there is the fire-resistant construction of the helmet. This model is designed to be tough with the resistance to the heat and damage of the flames and impact resistance.

This, along with the 14 hour battery life, increases the reliability of the helmet light in long rescue missions in dangerous situations.

The design is also nice as the slim light doesn’t obstruct the movement of the face shield in any way.

Additional features here include the flashing red LED light with a visibility range of 1 mile – this can help other firefighters or victims locate you in dark conditions.

The version of this helmet lamp that I have mentioned here is pretty affordable at just under $100.

There is another version that’s more expensive that has a rechargeable system instead of the use of AA batteries.

You might feel that this is worth the extra cost as it removes the need to have AA batteries on hand. On the other hand, you might feel that rechargeable models are too much hassle.

Most user comments are favorable with many users impressed with the light source and the ease of use of this lighter model.

However, some note that the batteries can seem a little loose and the power button is a bit small.

This is a shame when we have seen what can be done with those larger, rubber-coated buttons that are so perfect for use with our gloves. With some extra thought and attention to detail, this could be a better option.

Pros:

The use of the green LEDs to cut through the smoke

The heat and impact resistance of the casing

A long battery life

Cons:

Not as user-friendly in its design as some of the products here.

How to choose the best flashlight for firefighters

One thing that you will notice with these flashlights is that while the majority of the best models come from the same brand, there are variations in quality in function across the range.

You can find some cheap and basic Streamlight products that are fine in some situations but don’t match up to the top brands. Pay a little more for something with a choice of settings or greater ease of use and you can have a better experience while out on calls.

I believe that my personal recommendations for the flashlight and helmet light are the best choices because of their features and reliability.

But, you may have other priorities for your duties.

As long as the flashlight is powerful enough for your needs, easy to use and durable enough to handle fires and damage, you should be OK. Take your time to compare the different options available within your budget.

Looking for more gear guides? Checkout some of my other guides here…

Best Multi Tools for Firefighters

5 Great Watches for EMTs and Firefighters

Best Boots for Firefighters

from FirefighterNOW https://firefighternow.com/7-best-flashlights-helmet-lights-for-firefighters/

From https://catherinelee4.blogspot.com/2020/09/7-best-flashlights-helmet-lights-for.html

source https://catherinelee4.wordpress.com/2020/09/15/7-best-flashlights-helmet-lights-for-firefighters/

via Blogger http://pppearlyn.blogspot.com/2020/09/7-best-flashlights-helmet-lights-for.html

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fthbarlingtontx · 4 years

Link

Tips To Choose Materials: The Beautiful And Practical Fire-Retardant Laminate From Germantops

What is Germantops fire-retardant laminate

The merits of the fire-retardant laminate are that it will not be burnt through even it is on fire. I can slow down the time when the fire spreads on the surface, and it will not generate toxic gases when burnt. There are also advantages in term of maintenance for fire-retardant laminate, including scratch-resistant, easy-to-clean, hard, can be used as fire doors, wall, countertops, cabinet doors, doors, etc.

The fire-retardant laminate is a decorative material produced by high-tech chemicals. The color paper and kraft paper are impregnated with melamine resin and phenolic resin respectively, and then tightly combined with a high pressure of 100 kg/cm 2 and a high temperature of 150 °C for 90 minutes.

Germantops is a Hong Kong brand. The fire-retardant laminate is mainly imported from Japan, South Korea, Italy, Germany’s top fire-retardant laminate companies. Their door panels are guaranteed for ten years, showing its excellent quality.

There are four patterns for the fire-retardant laminate, which are monochrome, color, wood and metal. We will focus on illustrating the 7 surfaces of the fire-retardant laminate from Germantops in this article.

The 7 types of surfaces of the fire-retardant laminate from Germantops

Image source: Decomyplace

1. Glossy surface. It is suitable for vertical planes. The surface is very smooth, and the degree of reflection is high.

Image source: Decomyplace

2. Bead surface. The surface comes with a little particle texture. It is wear-resistance, heat resistance, with strong protection and long service life. It is the best choice for the countertop.

Image source: Decomyplace

3. Brushed surface. You can see there are dense brushed straight lines on the surface. The finished effect is gentle, smooth and natural. The picture shows metal brushed surface.

Image source: Decomyplace

4. Soft surface. The matte surface with smooth surface treatment has versatile use. The picture shows a wood pattern soft surface.

Image source: Decomyplace

5. Stone-like surface. The surface pattern is an imitation to mudstone with natural and concave texture and rough touch.

Image source: Decomyplace

6. Ultra-matte surface. The two ultra-matte series from Magic touch & Polaris are worth mentioning. The laminate can be completely recovered with a rub using fingers even having a sharp scratch on it. This is a new technology. The surface protective film is different from the general fireproof laminate in production, especially scratch-resistant and anti-fingerprint.

Image source: Decomyplace

7. Synchronous pattern. The first image shows a normal fire-retardant laminate, and the second picture shows a synchronous pattern fire-retardant laminate. The former one is pressed with different wood grain and versatile concave-convex steel plates to give it a natural texture. The concave and convex of the latter steel plate are all carved according to the texture of the colored paper. The steel surface is synchronized with the pattern, and it has a similar natural texture of the wood. The appearance of the synchronous pattern laminate is to make up for the lack of veneer. Since the veneer is natural, each color is different, and there is a sense of inconsistency when used. The synchronous surface makes up for this shortcoming. The color is more consistent and harmonious. In addition to the simulated wood grain pit pattern, it is more durable and cheaper.

Magnetic, the surface can be used as whiteboard and blackboard

In addition to the techniques mentioned above, another series of Germantops is magnetic laminate. There is a piece of iron in the magnetic laminate, which is an ideal choice of people who like to put decorative magnets on furniture and walls.

Image source: Decomyplace

You can use a whiteboard pen to write on a Germantops white magnetic laminate. The handwriting can be easily erased. And you can use the chalk to write on the Germantops black magnetic laminate as well. These two products are great for families with children at home.

Create edge-sealing technology without black lines on the door panel

Image source: Decomyplace

The traditional door panels have black lines, which may not be aesthetically pleasing to users who have higher requirements.

Image source: Decomyplace

The new technology can achieve a seamless edge-sealing effect, which greatly enhances the look and feel.

Conclusion

The quality of Germantops is guaranteed. With the new technology, their fire-retardant laminate is more durable and versatile. In addition, in case of fire accidents, the laminate is fire-proof and will not release toxic elements. If you are choosing the materials for wall, countertop and cabinet door, we suggest Germantops!

The content and pictures of this article are provided and uploaded by the column authors. It does not represent the position of the company. If there are any copyright issues, please contact us.

Author: decoadmin

The post Tips To Choose Materials: The Beautiful And Practical Fire-Retardant Laminate From Germantops appeared first on Home Renovation Singapore.

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fang-dagger · 6 years

Text

First chapter

I am a detective named Sherlock, who works at mystery inc. in New Jersey with my Friends to solve mysteries. Today is the day we are getting a big case to solve in a long time.

“Today we have some weird mystery down at the old warehouses in town.” Said Mr. McDagger, our boss.

“Sherlock, you go investigate it.” He said while pointing his finger at me.

“Sure thing boss,” I said but I didn’t know this mission would go so badly as it did. I headed out to the warehouse and got a call from my friend Katie,

“Hey we have gotten some odd energy sights coming from there so be careful okay,” with a worried tone in her voice.

“Oh when has anything gone wrong?.” I said with sarcastic voice.

“What about that one time with the soup?” She said right back.

“Hey I didn’t know they went bad two years ago!” I said and then we both laughed. As I approached the old warehouse I saw something that quickly disappeared.

“It must be a dog or something,” I thought to myself. Then I saw another one and I called my friends back at the office.

“Hey guys are there any stray dog packs I should be worried about?” I stopped walking.

“No, why do you ask?” They said.

“That's what I was worried about.”

I pulled out my gun and pointed it around.

“Why? Is there someone there?!” They said with a worried tone like earlier.

“Maybe, but it shouldn't be too hard to handle.”

As I walked into the building I heard more feet

“This can’t be happening.” I whispered to myself.

And then like a moth to a flame, a voice started speaking.

“You have came Sherlock.” He said with a gravel voice with darkness covering him.

“Of course I did. Did you think I would miss the party?” I said with a joking tone.

He laughs, “I thought you would not miss it.“ It sent shivers down my spine and I was meant to be fearless.

“So what do you want?” I asked him and looking up I felt something... no, someone I used to know.

“All I want is my revenge of the Mysteries Inc.” He said with a voice that rattled my bones in every direction not because it was scary; because of what will happen to my friends.

“So what will happened to them then and the company?” I ask the strange man.

“Well they will get what they deserve.” He said while looking the other direction.

“What will happen to me?” I asked him while looking into his snake-like eyes.

“You will watch all of your friends and the company burn in fire and won’t be able to help.” As I gulped for air ,so worried I started to pull out my gun. Right when i pointed my gun towards him it went flying out of my hands. I just stood there in shock not knowing what had just happened.

”Don’t think you will get out of this so easily.” He said and with a slight movement of the hand, ten men came out and charged at me. I decided to stand my ground and charge right back at them. I tackled one of them to the ground and grabbed his gun as fast as i could, so i could point it at the others. “Very good, you are very strong and brave.” He said.

“why do you say that?!” I ask while reaching for my communicator on my earpiece in confusion. Right when i was about to hit the communicator he said “It's no use for that little girl.” I looked at him and I all i could feel was a shock running down my back. “What did you do?” I ask him with a stern face.

“I just used a EMP. Don’t you know what that is?” He ask with a chuckle at the end.

“Of course I do! Why though?” I ask and like a echo he responded.

“So you can’t call your little friends of course.” The group of men began to close in on me. I put the gun up shaking.

“Call off your men so they can go home to there families.”

“But they aren’t humans.” He said. The lights started to come on. The next thing i know, all i could see were robot parts and reddish eyes. I step back in shock, when all of a sudden one jumped at me. I pulled the trigger, “click” “Its empty!..Wait!” I said while I threw the gun and hit the robot. All the guns are empty.

“Oh, Wow you think I could kill you with a gun?!”He scoffs. “Well your wrong!” He said. I decided to make a break for it. The robots started chasing after me in a hot pursuit like a dog on a hunt for a rabbit. I ran really fast out of the complex and straight to the city area. The cars horns were honking in all directions, as the robots footsteps were getting stronger and louder not music but in rhythm. Right before I could react one jump in front of me and I ran the other way in to a alleyway. It’s was a dead end but I climbed into a fire escape and made my way into a old apartment building. The robots were right behind me and then I got out of the room I was in. The room had broken and moldy floorboards. When the robots came in the floor cracked and engulfed them, and they sparked like fireworks and then a fire started and I ran out as fast as I could to the nearest exit. As soon as I got out the building it combusted with flames. “That was close” I said in a whisper because of all the running. But then I head robot feet clinging. I turned around and saw what I feared, they were fireproof. And I was too tired to run anymore. But I wasn’t going to give up without a fight. I got into a fighting pose and then all of a sudden I heard gunshots. I look to see it was my friends with FBI. The robots head fell like a apple off a tree. I walked over. “Hey there guys. What took you so long?” I asked them and they gave me the look that a bad joke would look like.

“What happened and what are those things!” Katie asked me.

“Well there some type of robots.” I said while kicking one of the heads.

“Why didn’t you call in when you were in trouble.” The boss ask me with the look of a father. “Well I was but then a EMP went off so.” I said while not making eye contact.

“Well you had us all worried sick were lucky we got here on time.” He said while look down on me.

“Hey I can help my self boss.” I said but so like a stupid person. He grumbled and walked away. And then my friends ask me so many questions so I said “I will tell you everything when we get back to the office.” Then it was one of the weirdest rides back the organization. And by the time we got back the FBI had cleaned it up and before the news channels showed up.

When we got there me and friends went into the sound proof room and talked. I explained what happened. “You see thats what happened and don’t tell the boss this but I think I knew the voice from somewhere but I don’t know where.” They all gasped at what I said.

“What don’t you tell him we could find out who he is!” They all said at me with shocked face. “Well I just don’t want him to look into my past because you know I did somethings I like to keep in the past.” I said while rubbing my shoulder.

“Yea we know that but we need to tell him.” Brandon while looking me in the eye.

“Yea I know but…. I just don’t what him to find out.”

I sighed. “Okay fine.” I left the room and went to the boss and told him everything and then he let me go home early and on my way home I heard the voice again. “You know if he looks into your past everything will be in jeopardy,” out from the lights and then i knew who it was.

“Jarrod? Is that you?” I was shocked.

“Yes it is honey but you don't want to turn me in don’t you?” He ask me.

"No I don’t but… Your a bad guy.” I stared at him that felt like forever.

“Oh am I, or are they bad guy?” He asked while walking to me.

“Well you attacked me!” I yelled at his face and kinda spitted on him too.

“But I never hurt you did I?” He wiped the spit off of his face.

“No…” But what about the robots and the guns…” I ask him calmly and kinda sadly.

“Aw don’t you remember what your husband does sweetie?” He said so calm likes it a normal conversation.

“You build robots….” I said.

“Yep I am not the enemy they are they have been tricking you into thinking I am, they are the bad guys.” He said while pointing at my work.

I looked back. “How are they the bad guys. Show me then!” Then he took my hand and took me into the old warehouse and then took my earpiece off and smashed it on the ground.

“Why did you do that?” I asked

“So they can’t hear us or track us.” He said while sparks came off it. Then all the lights turn on and tv’s sparked with life. As one by one colors appeared and the streets outside my work appeared. “You have a camera in front of my work?” I said while looking at him.

“Yes I do. To make sure that anyone tries to hurt you.” He said while looking caring at me.

“So, do you know what happens to people that you capture?” He said while looking back on the screen.

“No the boss said it was over my pay grade.”

“Exactly my point, they never tell you anything, not what they do, what is there objective. This is what they do to the people they capture,” he said. Then he snapped and the other screens burst to life and I what I saw made me think who would do such a thing. the basement of the building covered with blood. And in every corner and torture station.

“Who would do such a thing?” I had my mouth covered with my hand.

“Your company does. Now you see what I mean, they are murderers, liars, they care for no one other than themselves! ” He said while holding my shoulder and flipping through the slides of the horrible things they have done.

“ I believe you.” I said still in shock "my job and the people would do this to us.” I said to him and he sat me down on a chair that was nearby. “Indeed, they would. I can't even bare the thought for losing you. So I ask you this, will you join me to stop these heavens ?” He said while he was holding out his hand to me. I hesitated and then what felt like forever I put out my hand and shook it. “I will join you.” I got up. He smiled and got up and we both shook our hands

“So glad to hear it. We better get you into your outfit.” He said while walking over to a wardrobe and opened it to a black silk suit, outfitted with some of his latest tech.

“Wow! this is what I going to wear?” I said in amazement. “Yep, isn't it amazing?” He said while smiling to me and seeing how happy I was.

“I am just.. I have no words what to say I mean I am going to betray my boss and friends.” I said worried about them.

“Don’t worry we can help them too. They just need to see what the company for what it really is.” He said while walking up to me and put his hand on my shoulder gently.

“Let's go home and get you some rest. You must be very tired from what happened to day.” He said while we walked out. “Yea I am pretty tired, Lets go home.” I said while we walked out of the old warehouse.

The walk home was nice the birds and the stars were shining and singing. The night was calm and we both fell asleep just fine. No nightmares came, but the thought of the basement and how many people scared me. In the morning, Jarrod was up and making breakfast.

“Morning sleeping beauty .” He giggled.

“Mornin to you to.” I smiled back at him.

“So are you ready for your first day?” He said while putting down a plate of bacon and pancakes.

“I guess so. I mean I am happy to know the truth but, what will I be doing?” I said while getting a fork and cutting pancakes.

“Well that's easy. your training with me of course.” He said with a smile on his face and sitting next to me and eating his breakfast too.

“Training? What do you mean?” I said with a piece of bacon sticking out of my mouth. He laugh at me

“Oh course you have to be fighting your so call FBI.” He said while I finished eating my pancakes. Then I looked at him

“What do you mean by that?” I ask while putting up my plate in the sink.

“Well they aren’t the real FBI, there real name is the the BGC.” He said while putting his plate up too.

“BGC? What’s that?” I ask while washing the dishes and running and cleaning the dishes.

“Bad Guy Corrupt. I know its a weird name. Don’t ask me why they named it that.” He said while we were getting to ours rooms to get dressed.

“I will go first, do you have my work outfit?” I said while having the door half open.

“Yea here.” He handed it to me and I put it on.

“Man this fits just nice.” I said while walking out of our room to show him. “Yep, it made with a nano filament, it forms to whatever shape its given, its tough as metal yet flexible like cotton.” He said while looking at me with a smile of glee.

“So are you going to get dressed or look at me?” I tossed him his work outfit. He laughed and he went in and got dressed and then in a few minutes we left the house and went to the old warehouse.

“So you will face the agents that you used to work for are now going to attack you okay. So in a few hours when you have to go to work I want to you to put this in the computers systems.” He said while handing me a little hard drive.

“So what will it do?” I put in my pocket.

“It will put a virus in there systems and it will send their info all to my computer.” He said while I put my gun in my pocket.

“Cool.” We hugged and I went undercover to my old job. When I got there my boss glanced at me.

“What took you so long.” He said while I tensed up.

“ I slept in sir.” I said while I began to sweat.

“Okay but never do it again, get going to your office.” He said while pointing to my office.

“Oh course sir.” I walked off.

“Hey can you hear me?” Said Jarrod out my old earpiece.

“Yeah, good idea to use this old one as my new one they won’t tell the difference.” I smiled while whispering loud enough for him to hear.

“Okay now take out the cameras in your office and you will find a way to get everyone out for a while so you can put it in. Got it?” He said.

“Yep I got it and I think i have away to do it.” I said with a smile of enjoyment about to happen. “What is it?” He said with a odd tone.

“Oh it's something I always wanted to do.” I said and then with a good throw I took out the cams with my computer mouse. And then I walked out and pulled the fire alarm and went back inside my office.

“Everyone get out of the building!” The voice said over the income. I heard the feet and when it stop I made my move.

“Okay you ready?” I asked him.

“Yep your ready to go.” Then I put the hard drive in the main server.

“You getting the stuff?” I asked him while I put my finger on my earpiece.

“Yeah, okay now get out of there.” He said.

“Okay.” And then I let it go. I ran out of the building and straight pass the agents and my old boss who yelled. “STOP YOU!” I kept on running. And then agents began to chase me too. “This can’t get any worse can it?” I whispers to myself. Then the agents began to catch up.

“Me and my big mouth.” I said to myself again.

“Hey you have a little trouble?” I heard in my ear piece.

“Yea I kinda got caught. Right now I am being chased by three or four agents.” I said in between my breaths.

“Okay hold on a little more okay.” He said while I heard clicking in the background.

“Okay I will try but I think I can only go a little more.” I said while slowing down.

“Okay In three two one.NOW!” He said while I heard mechanical parts moving.

“What was that?” I said then I saw a little robot dog and three flying robots.

“Oh course.” I stopped and the one of the agents said

“Look out!” He tried to grab me but the dog got in his way.

“Come on I don’t think they will hurt you just walk over to us and we can help you.” said the second agent.

“No!” I said while a ran away and the little dog followed.

“Wait the dog is chasing you!” The last agent said and began to chase me aging. And he got pass the big robots and began to chase us.

“Quick! Tell Fido to protect you.” Jarrod said. “Fido help me!" I said while pointing my finger at the agent. Then the robot dog jumped at him and began to chase him. I managed to get away and got back to the warehouse.

“Man that was a close one.” I said in between breaths. I was kneeling and breathing hard.

“You must be out of breath.” He said while turning around in his chair.

“You don’t say. I just ran about three blocks and two with three agents chasing me!” I said at him really mad.

“How about you do it?” I said at him.

“No thank you. I rather be behind a computer screen or fighting.”

He said while standing up and tossing me a water bottle. I caught it.

“Thanks.” I drank it. “So did you get in?” I said while closing the cap of the water bottle. “Yep right into the main severs.” he said while pulling up the info.

“Now, lets see what we got.” He said while pulling up blueprints of big machines.

“Wow. What is that?” I said while leaning on his chair.

“I thought you would know that.” He said while looking at me.

“Nope not at all I haven’t seen that thing ever.” I said in amazement and scared what that thing could do. Jarrod typed away at the keyboard.

"Okay by the description it gives its some sort of ray. I can’t find anything more about it’s encrypted, it would take hours to decrypt it.” He said.

“Okay so what do we do to stop whatever this thing is?” And then my phone began to ring it was Brandon I picked it up and he said over the speaker.

“Hey what happened why did you run away agents and where did you go?” He said really worried about me.

“Um… I was going to get help. Yea I went to go get help.” I lied straight through my teeth if he could see them.

“Oh okay then why didn’t you come back?” He said I couldn’t think of anything to say about. “um… I don’t know why. How about you come to apple Mabel. I will explain everything to you then at eleven o’clock.” And then I hung up.

“So what do you think going to happen when he finds out?” I asked him with a worried look. “Well I don’t know maybe he will tell them and we have to go on the run.” He said while the info was still downloading.

“Well find out.” For the rest of the day we sat and looked at the info we got.

“So I guess I will have to go to Apple Mabel now see you soon.” I said still in my work attire. “How about I come with you just encase something happens.” He said while getting his stealth suit ready.

“Sure.” So with that we both went to apple Mabel.

“Brandon you here.” I whispered. Then Jarrod stepped back into the shadows and I knew what he was doing. Classic hiding in the dark.

“Yea I am here.” He said while he walked up to the light.

“So what do you want to explain, and what are you wearing?” He said while looking at me with confusion.

“Well this is my work outfit.” I said with a smile.

“That doesn’t look like any work outfit for the Inc.. Something going on.” He said while looking around.

“Well I didn’t say it was for that work.” I said while bowing my head.

“What work is it then for. Your not going against us are you?” He said and my face told it all. “You are!” And with that he pulled out a gun. I put my hands up.

“Dude do you keep that on you all time?” I ask with my hands coming down slowly.

“Yes I do just in case someone try to jump or betrays me.” He said while putting the gun closer. “The first one I get but the second one is really just odd.” I said putting my hands down again. “Don’t even try it.” I put them back up really quick then Jarrod become to come out of the shadow and into the light.

“Don’t you even try.” He said like before when we fought in the warehouse.

“And why should I?” He said while putting it closer to my face I was worried but then I heard little paws on the ground my face lit up. He put out his arm and two germans shepherds appeared and with a flick of a hand and then he said. “Lucy, Shara. Sick him!” Brandon ran away as the dogs chased them.

“Thanks for that. So what's going to happen to him?” I asked while rubbing my neck.

“Well there going to bring him back to our bases and we going to meet him. What do you think I was going to do? Kill him?” He asked me and looked at me with a worried.

“Well for a second I thought you would have.” I chuckled. He looked at me and cupped my face. “If he was a real threat then yes I would have blown his head off. But he wasn’t so I didn’t.” we both began to walk back to the old warehouse.

Then a few hours latter Brandon was dragged in passed out but unharmed.

“Man I hope he is okay.” I said while looking for a pulse, it was a strong.

“Jeez I haven’t felt a pulse this strong since I watch that horror movie.” I said while standing up. “What movie was that?” He said while putting in a different room.

“Oh you know the one that people say never go into I think it was room 327 or something like that.” I said and he had a shocked look.

“You mean you saw the Shining?” He said while Brandon was waking up.

“Um yea why?” I asked him while turning on to Brandon’s room.

“Well that's one of the classic scary movies ever! How did you watch and not get scared?” He said while walking over to me.

“Well didn’t you hear what I said my pulse was going as fast as his and he just ran 4 blocks while being chased by robot dogs! So no duh his is going fast!” I said and then his face lit up.

“Oh now I get it. I am such a idiot.” He said while face palming himself.

“Hey it's fine.” I said while smiling he rubbed back of his head he giggled.

“So what going to happen to him?” I asked while looking at the screen.

“Oh nothing much you know just show him what happened to people who he thinks are bad people, he would of even killed you for the company..” He said while he locked the door and we both walked home.

0 notes

dammitadolfnomorecake · 5 years

Text

CSUAVS mmmm 10 is still going

Lance didn't mention their fight, if anything he acted like it never happened. Lucteal had been less civil, taking a swing at him when Keith had gone to the dining area for breakfast the following morning. Taking hold of the thrown fist, Keith had flipped Lucteal down to the floor with such ease that it laughable. The few team members in the space all seemed to suddenly have elsewhere to be, while Keith calmly collected two servings of goo and found a seat towards the back of the space. Lucteal rose to brush himself off, his face reddened with embarrassment. Stalking from the space to leave he and Kosmo alone, Keith failed to see how he was to blame for Lucteal's bad mood, or whatever had happened between him and Lance. He knew feelings were irrational. He knew it all too well. He'd written down everything he'd seen and learned since being reunited with Lance, and now had a strong idea of all he'd been through. He could understand why Lance would be hesitant to ask for any kind of help. Why he'd be struggling with those voices of anxiety and those nightmares. Now, he held his tongue. Watching Lance's every move upon the Telula. A few more quintants and they'd be at the prison. Then Lance would finally let him in. Those quintants seemed to take forever to pass. Lance was making plans that he wasn't part of. Daehra spent her time casting glances between them, attempting to silently encourage either of them to make a move. Lucteal had glued himself to Lance's side. He'd gone far enough as to sneak into Lance's room in the middle of the night. Lance had rather loudly thrown him out. Lucteal begging to be let in, or to send Keith away. Neither happened. Lucteal still not taking the hint that "no" actually meant "not now, not ever". It wasn't like Keith enjoyed watching Lucteal fall apart due to his unrequited love, buuuut, it did make him wonder if Daehra was right. That Lance actually did care for him, and wanted him like Keith loved him. Making it through to the morning of the mission, Keith found himself dressed rather ridiculously. As the "prince" of Daibazaal, Lance had sent Daehra to help him dress in something more fitting of the role. His blade uniform replaced by one of the Telula's black body suits, then by another body suit that felt like overkill but was allegedly fireproof. Finally was a black earth styled suit, with a white formal shirt. Keith drawing the line at the black tie provided. He didn't love suits. They reminded him too much of funerals and being left behind. As it was, he was struggling with the overwhelming scent of Lance on the fabric. That same salty ocean spray was doing all sorts of things to him inside. Thankfully the bodysuit prevented him from popping a boner the moment he was surrounded by Lance's scent, though it was still awkward when the alien helping you dress was blushing red as she knew exactly what he wanted to do to Lance. The last part of his outfit was a small camera that Zak had designed not to be detectable. Keith wasn't as sure as Daehra was as she tucked it under his collar. It was closed circuit, so anything recorded would only exist upon the device. Dressed from head to toe like someone who was definitely not him, he wasn't happy to find he was the only one looking like a moron. Lance was dressed in his own uniform, with his face already hidden behind his mask. In his hold was a ridiculously large gun and a thick white comms sat on his wrist. Keith hadn't been allowed anything that could be detected. Even his precious blades were left behind. Letting out a long whistle, Lance looked to Daehra "You did a good job. Now, is he ready?" "Yes. Are you sure you wish to proceed with only the two of you?" Keith kept his displeasure hidden. Wasn't Daehra supposed to be on his side here when it came to Lance? "I called ahead to notify them that the "Heir of Daibazaal" and his personal bodyguard would be arriving. They're only expecting the two of us. All weapons and comms need to be left with them, but they'd expect me to be armed anyway" When did Lance have the time to call ahead? He'd definitely missed that "His camera is under his collar. It's set to start filming the moment you're through the magnetic fields" "Thanks Star. And the pod?" "All set. I've uploaded the extrapolation for crossing the fields. You have a three dobosh window between the fifth and sixth wave. It's the longest time you'll have" What now? "Yeah. I looked over the data last night. Once we're in, time will move differently" "Leandro, we have discussed this. The rendezvous coordinates have been input already. The only thing left is for you both to leave. Kosmo is awaiting you" "Do I not get to know what's happening?" Lance rolled his eyes. Even with his face covered, Keith could tell "Yes, Mullet. You've made the request to inquire if Guile has been brought in, and if so, on what charges. Well, you came to me with the request and I've filed for permission to visit the facility. You've been granted access to meet with facilitators on the main outpost of the facility. I've already had a copy of Guile's file printed, as well as forwarded what was relevant to the commander of the outpost" Why was he only now hearing about this outpost? And why hadn't Lance shown him what he was up to? Explained things to him, so he didn't seem like an idiot in front of everyone "I thought we were going to a prison satellite" "You need to go through the outpost to get to the satellite. It's really not that complicated. We'll be leaving now. Keep an eye on Telula for me" Daehra nodded, Lucteal kept scowling at the world "We shall" "Right then. Keith, lets go before we miss our opening" Instead of taking Keith's ship, and given Lance's pod had been blown up, Lance led them down to another pod on the right side of the ship. Ignoring the fact Lance had to slam the airlock between the Telula and the ship four times for it to close properly, then hold it closed with his foot as it locked into place, the small pod was kind of nice in its own way... was what he would have liked to have been able to say. It looked like a flying death trap, and Lance was way too happy about it all. Plopping himself down in the pilot's seat, he fussed over Kosmo like he hadn't seen him in years. Kosmo yipping and jumping around happily, his whole body wagging as he tail went flat out "Uh, not to nitpick, but is this ship going to make it?" "This is Daehra's pod. It's been through a lot, but she's still going" Patting the dash, the whole pod seemed to shudder as the engines whirled to life. Keith grabbing the pilot's chair before throwing himself down in the chair beside it "That doesn't mean it'll make it through these magnetic fields" "It's not over abundant in tech. So the fields won't be messing with the systems like it would if we took the Telula" "I'm not sure if I understand what we're going to be flying through" Climbing into his lap, Kosmo whined at him as the pod was disengaged with a shudder "Do you remember how the original Blade headquarters were hidden. The opening only available at certain times, on certain quintants? Think of what we're going to like that. Time moves differently in there, and between the magnetic interference, the asteroid belt and the weird rotation of the planets around here, it all comes together to act as added security in case of something going wrong on the other side" "Oh... so we only have to get through all of that, then that's ok then. Have at it..." Lance snorted, moving to take the controls into his hands "We sent a sensor ahead. It's been monitoring variables while we were sleeping. Ren'at worked with Zak over night to perfect things" Keith nodded, with no idea who that was "Ren'at is the AI Zak wrote. Seriously, if he and Pidge ever got together... the universe would be a hell of a lot scarier than it is now" "Worse than when Hunk and Pidge would nerd out?" "Think of that on steroids. He's part Olkarion or something. He can interface with like anything. Not that he brags about it. I really lucked out when we busted him out" "Busted him out?" "Mmm... got himself into a scrape that would have seen him locked up. I was supposed to apprehend him and bring him in" Lance offered the comment offhandedly, his focus now on piloting as they moved from the Telula "What did he do?" "What you did. Kind of. Uploaded software where he really shouldn't have. Nothing malicious. He just helped out a rebel group who'd got themselves in trouble. It deleted photos and locations of other rebels. Not like you who downloaded the clubs specifications for no good reason" "Hey, it wasn't for no good reason" "Mhmm. And what good reason did you have for starting a bar fight?" Keith opened and closed his mouth, pouting as he leaned back "I wanted to see you, but didn't know your room number" "That makes everything ok then" "Maybe if you'd told me you were on Erathus, I could have come by without the need to use Kosmo" "Or maybe I would have been working" Awkwardness kicked in when Keith failed to reply. He liked this side of Lance's job. He didn't like the side that had strangers between Lance's long caramel legs where they didn't belong "I don't want to have a fight. It's a long enough trip out there as it is" "Have you been out here before?" "Yep. Well. Once. Once as a passenger in the back of a police ship. Usually the police take care of it. Depends how close we are, though I haven't taken Daehra's pod through it before" "I really don't know if this ship is going to make it" "It survived Lucteal and Daehra in here. As well as their sister, and myself. If it can survive Luc and Dae, it can survive anything" "They're... an interesting pair" "That's what happens when you come from a large family" "Daehra mentioned they were "illegitimate"" "Oh. She told you that? Her father is the king of the planet she comes from. He has a whole harem there. When the Galra hit, they lost a lot. Not just their people and homes, but their animals and forests, the Galra even poisoned some of their water supplies. It messed with his head and he pretty much went about having as many children as he could to ensure his bloodline. They have 17 half-brothers and sisters. That they know of. Dae used to work in the palace taking care of the "proper" kids. Lucteal was raised in the royal household. The males were until the queen gave birth to a boy and they were all sent away. It's a messy situation. Lucteal and Daehra never really had anything for themselves. I did tell them I had no idea how things would play out and that they'd be safer at home, but they'd both dreamed of seeing more" "A bit like you? How you dreamed of space?" "Something like that. It's not what I ever thought it would be. I know we don't have much, but we make it work" "They're lucky to have you. You should have been Black Paladin, not me" Lance let out a sigh "That's not true" "It is" "No. Shiro had Black, but you stepped up. You didn't think you could do it, but you stepped up" "Then Kuron came back in Shiro's place. I can't believe Black didn't tell me" "Black didn't tell any of us. Neither did the other lions. All of Coran's scans failed to show it. We all thought he was Shiro" "You thought something was off, but we dismissed you" "I'm used to it. I come from a big family" "You should never have had to be used to it" "It's fine. Seriously. Big family and all that" "It's not fine, Lance. You're what kept us all together. You took care of all of us. Your team is lucky to have you" "Can we not do this again? We can talk about something else, but I need to concentrate" "Fine. But it's still true. They're lucky to have you. Anyone is lucky to have you" "You're making me blush, Mullet" "Doesn't make it any less true. And it's been a long time since I've had a mullet" "You'll always be "mullet" to me. With that red and white jacket, and that perpetual scowl. I get it now. We were all doing all we could to stay alive. I... uh... shouldn't have snapped at you over it all. Turned out I have more issues with Kuron than I thought" Keith sat up a little straighter in his chair, cautiously asking "Have you talked to Shiro about it?" "Nah. He wasn't him. I don't want to remember, really. So I don't know why I keep bringing it up. I probably look really lame right now" "I don't think you're lame" Keith knew exactly why Lance kept bringing it up. Whatever had transpired, Lance was comparing himself to Shiro mentally. He'd probably replayed what had happened to him, wondering how Shiro would have handled all of it as he too had been tortured "Thanks... you, uh, you look good in that suit" "Oh! Thank you. I'm not used to wearing one" "That's kind of obvious. Still, you'll have to get used to it" "Why? What for?" "For Shiro's wedding. I would bet GAC that you're going to be his best man, but it's not really a bet when it's a sure thing" "Don't remind me. At least it'll be a whole before he gets married" "Still. A suit really suits you. You've got the height for them" "Because I'm cooler and more grizzled?" Lance groaned at him "Why do you always have to ruin our bonding moments?" "Me? You said you don't even remember the first one" "I was blown up!" "You still managed to wake up and take that shot when we needed you the most" "Anyone could have made that shot" "Not after being in an explosion like that. You saved Coran without thinking" "And how many times have you nearly blown up?" "A fair few... some days I wonder how I'm still alive. I wonder how any of us came back... I couldn't have made it this far without the team. Without you. I wouldn't know how to live it with it if you hadn't survived" "Keith... I..." "You don't have to tell me. I keep fucking things up between us. You're my best friend. And I have so many things I want to talk to you about, but it's like, the words don't come out right when it comes to you" "Keith..." "I keep making a fool of myself. I know... I mean... I know that fear. You don't think you're ever going to open your eyes again. I... I'm just grateful you're still here. You're... you're like really important to me" Lance took a moment, Keith wondering what kind of expression his crush was making under his mask "Thank you. I need to concentrate..." "Alright. Let me know how I can help" "I will" * Keith had thought they were going to die. First were the magnetic waves that had the pop groaning like it was being torn apart, then came the asteroid field, then stronger magnetic waves that left him feeling physically ill? before Lance guided them into a pocket of space that sent them hurtling towards the nearest moon so fast he'd torn the padding on the chair he was seated in, in shameful fear. Guiding them out of the dive, Lance released the controls in order to pull up a map on his screen "We're nearly there" "Nearly?" His voice came out as a squeak. Keith's stomach still doing flips as Lance tapped away on his comms to zoom in "The worst is over. Though, we get to do all that on the way back again" "Are you smiling?!" "You didn't have fun?" "Fun? I thought we were going to die" "Pfft. Like I would go to all this effort then let you die" "How should I know" "You could have at least said, I don't know, "good job not hitting those meteorites, especially when they started splitting up as we passed". Or something like that" "Something like that" Turning his direction, Lance clutched at his chance "As I live and breathe? Keith making a joke. I wish I recorded that" "You're an arse" "And the moment's over. You better get ready, 15 doboshes and we'll be there" "You used to like my jokes" "I didn't say I didn't like it. I said... you know what, nope. I congratulate you on your joke" "You're an arse" Lance laughed softly at him "Maybe. But I'm the arse who's your bodyguard. Don't forget that" "What are you going to do, shoot me?" "Don't tempt me. You're the most unarmed I've ever seen you" Biting back, Keith grasped the first thing that came to mind "I could kill you with my shoelaces" "Ooooh. Shoelaces. I'm so scared!" "You should be" "This I'd like to see" "I'm a Blade remember. Highly trained and all that" "Mhmm. I'll keep this in the back of my mind then" "Yeah. You do that" Landing near the outpost, it was clearly of Galra origins. Hailed the moment they touched down. Opening comms on their end, Lance neatly rattled off his identification in a string of weird numbers and letters. Keith deciding he really needed to have Daehra teach him what it all meant, especially when the voice on the other ends of the comms laughed. Granting them clearance, Lance thanked the faceless voice before ending the call. Climbing from his seat, he walked over to the middle of the as Keith followed at a slower pace. Rolling back a thin rug thing, Lance opened the hatch beneath to reveal a rusty looking box. Popping it open, he pulled out half a dozen small devices "Turn that camera of yours on. If we get separated, we'll meet back here" "What are you doing?" "They expect certain things to be on me when I'm scanned" "They do?" "Identification and stuff" "That looked like more than identification" "I said "and stuff". Right. Don't fuck this up" Keith scoffed. How was he going to fuck things up? He barely knew what was going on. Covering the trap door back up, Lance moved to pat Kosmo "You need to stay here for me. Make sure that no one takes our ride. Daehra is rather attached to her pod" Kosmo yipped at him. His wolf far too happy to listen to Lance "Something to say, Keith?" "Not really. He's a traitor" "Awww. Kosmo. I'll still love you. You can come join my team. We have space for the bestest boy in the universe" "This is why he never listens to me. You spoil him too much" "You can't spoil him too much. What kind of heartless monster are you? Look at that face" Flopping down, Kosmo's tongue lolled out his mouth as he gazed up at Keith expectantly "You broke him" "I didn't break him. Now come on already. Tell him he's a good boy and to wait here" "Yeah. Yeah. Kosmo you're a good boy. Stay here for us" Nudging Keith with his elbow, Lance was downright playful as they began the walk along the causeway from where they'd landed. Standing half a step behind him, Lance kept prodding him with the tip of his gun. Each time he jumped, Lance would hiss at him to "be the proper prince of Daibazaal" like that was his actual title. He'd already turned down leading Daibazaal. It Krolia and Kolivan managed to have a kid, he was more than happy to pass the role over to it. Reaching the doors to the facility, the were greeted by a tall slender Galra, and an alien of a race Keith didn't know "Welcome, Black Paladin Keith. Agent Leandro. My name is For, this is Niv. I understand you are enquiring over a missing operative?" Lance cleared his throat "Indeed. We are looking for information on an operative named "Guile". He was posing as a weapons buyer when he was taken. We believe he was wrongly detained due to the nature of his mission in Ghazex" "Before we can allow you further into this facility, we will need you to surrender all communication devices, trackers and weaponry" There was something about the Galra that was rubbing Keith the wrong way. He knew that this was an outpost, but if it was an international posting, where were the rest of the staff? Why was it just one plain Galra and one milky-grey alien with strange yellow slitted eyes? Keith wouldn't be surprised if the alien had a forked tongue to go with his whole reptilian appearance "Of course. Does Kre'el still work here?" The pair of aliens exchanged a glance "Not to our knowledge. They may be at the satellite. We had a rather problematic prisoner transfer in" Lance nodded slowly, Keith tried to catch his eyes but Lance continued to stare ahead at the pair "And the rest of the staff?" "Here and there. Let's get you logged in, then we can discuss your missing operative" Moving into the facility, both of them had to pass through a scanner where Lance was relieved of his weaponry. It seemed to Keith that Lance could sense whatever he felt. This didn't feel right. The whole place was too silent, the only noise was the humming of the air filtration systems that seemed to Keith like they were barely working. Sweat had started to form under his body suit, beads rolling uncomfortably down his back as they continued on. Having barely spoken a word outside of pleasantries, Keith cleared his throat, trying to move the lump of uncomfortableness "Where are we headed?" "To the main control room of the facility. Prisoner lists are only accessible there" "Oh. Right... see much action here?" For snorted, Niv glaring at his companion "Not particularly. Unless there is a new prisoner, this is as interesting as it gets. Nothing like the days of Voltron, am I right?" "It wasn't all action" "Still. To hold that much power... and now you reside on Daibazaal?" "Yes. For the most part" The conversation dissolved again. Keith moving close enough for his arm to brush Lance's as they walked. Giving a tiny shake of his head, Keith wasn't sure how he was supposed to interpret the action. Was Lance telling him to behave? Or silently yelling at him to be on guard? Opting for option b, he straightened his posture, shifting his weight in preparation for whatever came next. Reaching the control room, there were several other people there. A tall, commanding Galra with a nasty scar down the right side of his face, was standing behind a long control panel with a series of feeds pulled up on a holoscreen "Commander. We have brought the agent and the Paladin" Rounding the panel, the Galra seemed even larger as he came closer. Beside him, Lance swore softly in Spanish "I am Theore. Welcome" "I am Keith, former Black Paladin of Voltron. I am searching for a missing agent from Daibazaal" "I have reviewed the file. We have dozens of Galra held in our facility. It may take vargas to identify your agent" Rocking back on his heels, Lance's voice held a tone of forced friendliness "Then we should get started. Have you had many picked up in Ghazex?" "That information is classified. Even to such an agent. Leandro. Also known by LEA. 47 arrests. 11 assists. 16 deaths. 9 scheduled for rehabilitation" 47 arrests... damn. He was falling for Lance all over again. His crush was far more bad arse than he gave himself credit for... wait... deaths? Lance had killed? 16 seemed far too high... that had to be team kills. Yeah. That was what it was... Scratching the back of his head, Lance shifted his weight "I didn't think we were up to 47..." Leaning in, the huge Galra growled "Are you suggesting our system is wrong?" Taking half a step back, Lance waved his hands "What? No. No. Nothing like that. I just get paid. I don't keep track of the numbers. Anyway... don't mind me" "We have made space for you to wait until the shuttle between the base and satellite returns. Niv. Please show our guests to where they can wait" Leading them from the room, Niv showed them to an unremarkable grey and purple room. A camera facing the door, a solid looking black chair, and an aura of unwelcomeness was all that waited for them. Leaving them to their own devices, Lance moved to sit, beckoning him over when Keith didn't move from near the doorway. Opening his mouth, Lance silenced him by bringing his finger up in front of his own. Forcing Keith to give in and go to sit beside him "Lan..." "Everything we say and do is being recorded in accordance with the stations order of operations" So it was best he held his tongue "Is it how you remember?" "Exactly" Shifting closer, Lance was shaking like a leaf. Placing his hand on his friends knee, Lance jumped violently "Are you ok?" "Fine. I'm fine..." "Leandro... I can feel it" Lifting his hand off his knee, Lance held it firmly as he leaned into Keith's shoulder. Keith freezing like a statue at such an intimate touch from his skittish friend. Whispering, Lance spoke fast "This feels wrong" "If this is the prison for the area, why aren't more people working here?" "We passed through the magnetic fields... shouldn't the scanners have picked up if another ship had passed through? They would have left a radiation signature, right? The Telula has long range scanners too. Zak would have notified me if something had passed by" "So this is a trap?" "I don't know. We can't act now. They wouldn't hold Guile here. He would have been processed and moved to the satellite movements ago" "Have you actually been in here before?" "No. Not inside. I was in the back last time. Someone had to sit there with the gun and look scary. They don't need to know that" "What do we do?" "Wait? We can't just be like "sorry guys, changed our minds, gotta get Keith home for dinner with his family"" "We aren't armed. You gave them your weapons" "I gave them bad weapons. My blaster was the only thing worth having" "You suspected something?" "No. I suspected they'd want to check our weapons. What should it matter if they aren't great, if there's nothing to hide" Keith drew his brow, trying to remember what Lance had taken from Daehra's ship "Just how far ahead did you plan this?" "It's kind of my job to be suspicious" "I heard. 47 arrests?" "Not all individually. When you catch 12 or so bad guys on a ship, that doesn't count as one" In theory that meant Lance could have simply dropped one ship off and been up to 47 in one go "Oh, you secretly got lucky?" "Real fucking lucky. They were supposed to have processed Guile's information by now" "Yeah. Well. This is all we can do for now. Though, I'm not completely sure why we're cuddling" "This isn't cuddling. This is me being close enough to whisper without being overly suspicious about it" "How do you know they can't pick up your whispers?" "I don't" "That doesn't fill me with faith" "What would you do then?" "Hole up and wait. We could get into the vents" "I've had enough of vents. Beside, camera" "Don't you have some fancy tech you knock it out with?" "And tip them off? That's being reckless, Keith. Honestly, I expected better of you" "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" "Not particularly. But what else can we do. Neither of us have been in here. For all we know, we could be feeding off each other's anxieties over the whole thing" "If we are, we're not telling anyone" Laughing softly, the sound was music to Keith's ears. What he wouldn't give to pin Lance down and tickle him into fits of laughter... and what the hell was thinking a thing like that for right now?! Nudging him with his knee, Lance playfully replied "Deal. You can have your hand back now" Glancing down to where Lance's smaller covered hand sat in his, Keith didn't particularly want to let go "It's fine" "Aww. Do you like holding my hand?" "Yes" Lance groaned at him, suddenly tensing "Keith..." "I feel like something bad is happening in your head right now. I don't mind holding your hand" "You're so weird" "Maybe. Consider it payback for not telling me how bad arse you are" "I'm not a bad arse" "You are too" Forcibly removing his hand from Keith's, Lance moved away "No. I'm really not" "No need to pout" "I'm not pouting" "Of course you're not" "Just sit there your royal pain in the arse" "I'll give you a pain in the arse" Moving further away from him, Lance crossed his legs. Clearly he'd gone too far... and now he didn't know what to say. At least whoever was listening had been forced to listen to him fucking things up further. Opening his mouth and praying something smart would come out, the door to the room they were in opened instead. Niv and For both standing there. Niv holding a blaster of his own, For wielding a scowl "Agent Leandro, we require you to come with us. There is an issue with your credentials. The Erathian government has requested we hold you until a representative can arrive" Keith looked to Lance, who had the nerve to shrug. They'd literally just been discussing this being a trap "Lance..." "It's fine" "Are you serious right now?" "Well. I kind of thought this might happen" "What?! Why didn't you tell me?" "Because I'm your bodyguard. Not your friend" Brushing his hands free of invisible dust, Lance held his hands up he moved towards the pair. Leaping up, Keith grabbed his arm "Don't do this" "They're just doing their jobs. It'll be fine" Shaking the hold off, Lance moved closer to Niv "What is he being accused of?! Isn't he one of you?" "Keith. You're not helping" "You're not seriously going with them, are you?" "It's fine" "How is this fine?!" "It's fine" Jerking his head slightly, Keith didn't get the message Lance was giving him. Sighing loudly, Lance stomped down on Niv's foot at he grabbed at the blaster, smacking him squarely in the nose then booting him in the crotch. When For when for him, Lance calmly shot the top of the Galra's boot off. Taking his toes with it. Howling in pain, Lance brought the butt of the gun down hard into For's temple, knocking him out. Recovering enough to go for him, Lance took the creepy alien out with a well delivered blow to the back of the neck. Gaping at Lance, Lance sighed at him "Thanks for the help" "What happened to not tipping them off?" "Erathus can't come after me. I know too much... though they might have been slightly mad... that I didn't die and stuff" What the quiznak had he done? "If we were going to start trouble, why didn't you give me a weapon from the start?" "Because we weren't. If that camera's hooked up, they saw all of that" "Why can't we have simple missions? Go here. Do this. Come home?" Lance moved to pass the blaster to him "This was supposed to be simple. This is an official government facility" "Which we're hijacking?" "Not "hijacking", bypassing"" "We're already here" Lance started jogging down the hall in the direction they'd come. Kicking both unconscious aliens lightly to ensure they were out cold, Keith started after Lance "In a place where something hinky is going on" "Did you really just say "hinky"?" "Yep. I stand by it" "Do you have any kind of plan?" "We knock these guys out, hop the pod to the satellite. Pretend everything is all good, then get the hell out of here" "Lance, that's a terrible plan. You don't even have a weapon. And, there's cameras" "Which we'll disable when we get to the control room. This place is way too quiet" "Who the hell are you?" "Just a guy in a bit of trouble?" "A bit?" "I didn't exactly know there was a warrant out" "Isn't that the kind of thing your team monitors?" "When we're in the area" "There they are!" Standing at the end of the hall, the Galra commander whose name Keith may have already forgotten was coming at them. Grabbing Lance by the arm, he pulled him into the first room to their left. Stumbling over each other, Lance slipped on something. Letting out a moan, Keith slammed the door closed behind them before turning. What he saw took his breath away. People. Or what were left of them. Pieces were everywhere... with blood coating the floor. This was beyond "hinky". Trying to climb up, Lance slipped again, his hand leaving a bloody print along the metal table as he let out a miserable cry. With Theore yelling as he pounded on the door behind them, Keith grabbed Lance, pulling him down behind the table "Lance?" Taking Lance by the shoulders, Keith shook him lightly. He could understand the shock his crush was suffering. It felt as if the blood in the room was infecting ever fibre of the flimsy suit he was wearing "Lance?!" "No! Don't touch me!" They had about two seconds before whatever staff was on base came bursting through the door. Lance was out of it, now reduced to Spanish. He was in one piece, but they weren't going to stay that way if he didn't do something about the fact Lance had pissed everyone off. Shooting Theore through the door, solved the immediate issue. How the Galra couldn't calm down enough to open the door, Keith didn't know, and holding a blaster didn't feel right. Lance was far better with the blaster than he was. Darting back down beside the Cuban, he found Lance had fled from the safety of the table to stand near one of the tanks of remains. The body inside kept alive by various wires. The exposed heart beating steadily as Lance reached towards the glass. The idiot had pulled his mask off, as he stood staring at the body. His eyes fixed in something Keith couldn't see "Lance!" As tanks around them began to "pop" from blaster hits, Keith threw himself at Lance as he fired blindly "Lance, what's going on?" "Keith..." That was a start "Yeah, Buddy. Talk to me" "I'm going to be sick" And that was a problem. Pitching sideways, Lance threw up, as threatened "I need you to stay here. No moving. No wandering. Ok?" Shaking his head at him, Lance was being a stubborn shit "I don't have time to babysit you. They're coming for us! We can't help these people!" Death was the only end or release the mangled remains "You need to man up!" "I can't!" "Why not?! We're about three ticks away from joining them!" "Because I put them here! I put them here!" Moaning miserably, Lance clutched his hair. Well. Fuck. Just... Fuck. Quiznak didn't come close to summing up how Keith felt about that "How do you know for sure? It could be anyone" "I know them" "How" "I..." "Lance, they're gone. Dead" Screaming at him, the marks on Lance's cheeks flared to life "I know!" "How?!" Bellowing in his face, Lance continued his screaming before tapering down to soft sobs "Because he fucking raped me! He fucking raped me... he raped me... there's a tattoo on his arm... I thought he died before... they said he was dead" Keith literally saw red. Raising the blaster, he fired half a dozen shots in to the tank. Covered in blood, Lance looked broken. Somehow he'd smeared it across his face, and down his suit as he tried to huddle into himself "Lance... I..." "Don't touch me... please don't touch me..." Raising his hands, Keith nodded "I won't, but we need to keep moving" "I don't want to" "Lance, they're probably going to kill both of us" "Then go without me" "Don't be stupid" "I can't help it! I am stupid! Erathus was a fucking trap! Allura brought me back wrong! All of this is wrong!" "Fuck this. Don't move" Keith's heart was racing faster than his mind. His teeth bared as he ran through the tables. That thing had dared lay hands on his Lance. His Lance who wouldn't hurt anyone who didn't have it coming. His Lance, who'd they tortured and raped... He didn't even need his blade or the blaster as he threw himself on the first enemy he met. Grabbing both sides of aliens head, he twisted hard, snapping their neck before they knew what was happening. It felt as if his whole body was on fire as his anger consumed him. They'd hurt Lance. He never should have left him alone. He should have told him he loved him before all of this. It'd probably killed Lance inside each time he was touched. Each flirty joke. He... He couldn't process. By the time Keith came back to his right mind, the small group of base workers that had come after them were all dead. Picking his way through the room to where he'd left Lance, Lance was staring at the drained tank. An alarm buzzing as a red light flashed above the broken tanks. Shivering hard enough for his teeth to chatter, Keith stripped off the bloodied suit jacket drape it around Lance's shoulders "Shhh. It's ok now. Don't look at it. Look at me" Wrapping an arm around Lance to pull him up, Lance pushed against him "Don't..." "I'm sorry. Please try to bare with it a little longer" "I'm d-dirty" "It's just a little blood. Some soap and water will clean that right up" He knew Lance meant he was dirty, but that was a load of shit. What had been done to Lance was revolting, but it was done to him without his consent. He was raped, and even if he felt dirty, he wasn't. Not to Keith. He did wish that the responsible parties were still alive, in order to dissect them himself. No. Dissection was too good. When Lance was unable to keep his legs up under him, Keith lifted him over his shoulder. Whimpering at being manhandled, Keith hushed him "Watch our backs, Sharpshooter" It didn't matter what Keith felt. Lance was terrified. And more than likely terrified Keith was going to treat him differently. Even if he wanted to wrap him up in cotton wool and kiss away his pain, treating him differently was his biggest fear. It fucking hurt to act like this was another small secret to squirrel away. Carrying Lance down the hall, he made the mistake of opening a door too soon, another room filled with parts met his eyes. These ones neatly stacked in row after row of glass drawers, floating in some kind of blue liquid. Closing the door, this place was all kinds of fucked up. Hiking Lance up, his crush whined softly at him "I know. I'm sorry. Wrong door" Two more wrong doors finally led to the right one. Carrying Lance into the control room, he showed no mercy to those still inside. He didn't even think about where his shots hit, only that the victims were too incapacitated to go after Lance. Lowering him down against the control panel, Lance started sobbing again. Dropping a kiss on his sweaty brown hair, Keith cursed himself when Lance let out a strangled kind of scream "I'm sorry. Shhh... I'm going to take care of things" Preferably by finding the bases self destruction sequence. Placing his hand on the panels keyboard, Keith was locked out the system. He didn't have any of his Blade tech on him, and Lance wasn't in any actual condition to help. Keith supposed it was the natural way to be when you come face to face with the man who'd raped you, and found the people you were arresting and sending for imprisonment were instead being chopped up into pieces and forced to stay alive with mechanical intervention. It was quiznakkingly revolting. Keith unable to comprehend what Lance was thinking. He'd believed they were being shipped off to be frozen in pods. They weren't off and walking around like living beings, but his targets weren't dead either. The job he'd been so proud of had left him as little more than an intergalactic farmer, with humanoid beings the meat being sent to the butchers waiting. Tapping the control panel turned to him slamming his hands down on the machine repeatedly. With an added kick for good measure when it continued to deny him access. Screaming at the house of Keith's shoe against the panel, Lance's knuckles were white as he clutched his hair. Long threads clinging to his fingers were chunks had been pulled out. Staying here was only serving to hurt Lance more. Squatting down, a jolt of blue shot from Lance's hand as he moved to take it. Snatching it back with a startled cry, Keith stared at the fresh blistered electrical burn scar on his hand, branching across his palm like a tree. Tearing off a strip of the thin not-so-white dress shirt, Keith carefully bandaged his palm. Hesitantly, he placed his hand on Lance's, relaxing minutely as when he wasn't zapped again "Lance, I can't get into the system. I can't do anything from here. We need to pull out and contact Daibazaal" "I can't, Keith" "Yes, you can" "I can't..." "Lance" "Leave me here" "Not going to happen" "Leave me alone" "Nope. Can't do it" "I don't want to" "Lance, its only a little further" "I don't want to" "Don't" was grating on his nerves as badly as "can't" had "Lance" "I don't want to!" "I don't care! We're getting out of here" "I don't want to go" Hefting Lance up, Keith was prepared for the protesting arms as he smacked at him "Stop it" "Then put me down" "Not going to happen" "Don't you get it? I don't want to be alive. I don't want to. I don't want to be like this... I'm so tired, Keith" "I know you're tired, but I refuse to leave you here" "I don't want to..." "Big grizzly Keith isn't going to leave you behind" "por favor... estoy sucio... muy sucio... "I don't know what you're saying, but I'm going to assume you're saying something stupid again. You're my best friend. I'm not leaving you in a place like this"

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dammitadolfnomorecake · 5 years

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CSUAVS prt 10 update

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