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pinche-vida · 6 years

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Stars in Your Eyes, Death at Your Throat [part 6]

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Three movements pass after Pidge discovered Lotor's ship's signature in the castle. Since then, they have worked in tandem with the Blade of Marmora to retrieve information wherever they could, however they could.

Every time they had a lead, they felt so close. The team would get their hopes up, could see Lance being back in their arms.

Then something would happen.

A trap, false information, outdated information; A sudden battle against squadrons of Galra fighters that stood between them and Lotor’s ship, fighting tooth and nail, only to have them watch as the ship jumped to another portion of the Galaxy.

The Blade of Marmora informs the team that there is an insane amount of chatter coming from their network about an important captive. They say that an announcement is scheduled in 2 quintets on one of the planets closest to the Central Command Ship.

“How sure are we that this isn’t another trap or bad intel?” Hunk asks wearily.

“The information has been pulled in from at least 40 various sources in our network - if it is malformed information, it means that the Blade itself has been compromised.” Kolivan assures the team, “We will be planting several agents across the region where the chatter was heaviest on the planet. If possible, their orders are to extract the Red Paladin, assuming he is the captive.”

Without hesitation, Keith steps up to volunteer for the mission.

“Wait, Keith, we shou-” Allura immediately begins to express her concerns, except Shiro places a hand on her shoulder.

Keith subtly sinks into his body, fighting off the impulsive piece of his mind that’s eager to pick another fight with them for trying to stop him. He turns to Shiro and allows him to speak before saying anything.

Shiro is facing Allura, but projects his voice loud enough for the room and the device comms to listen. “I agree, it’s extremely risky to place one of us on a planet so close to Central, but the access that Keith would have as a front line support would be critical.” He then gives Keith a once-over. “Be careful out there. I trust the Blade can accommodate this arrangement, Kolivan?”

The leader of the Blade examines Keith closely. They both recall the hasty note Keith left behind when he first learns of Lance’s abduction. The conversation they last had before Keith left the Blade. It wouldn’t be shocking for Kolivan to insist that Keith’s feelings on the mission would be dangerous.

He really hopes Kolivan will say ‘yes’ anyway.

A few more ticks pass, then, “We will send a shuttle out in 10 vargas. If you wish to join the squad in Xeoun, you will need to familiarize yourself with the data gathered so far.” Kolivan thumps his chest with his right arm twice before ending the transmission.

Keith doesn’t have much to pack or prepare for embarking on the mission, so in wandering around the Castle, he finds himself in Lance's room once more. With a deep inhale, if he concentrates, he can still smell Lance’s scent and it brings him a degree of comfort.

The doors open, and he’s surprised to see Allura standing at the threshold - she walks in with a proud stance, but strained expression.

It’s no secret that Allura has never been easy on Lance. Something about his demeanor was both foreign and familiar at the same time, which constantly puzzled the princess and always left her on guard around him. His easy going and flirtatious behavior always came across as not taking this job seriously, even though she knew when push came to shove, Lance was a great support system for the team.

In more ways than one.

Allura grips the hem of her skirt and she meets Keith's eyes. What she wants to say is how much she misses Lance. How much she worries about him, and how worried she is about Keith going on this mission. She can't bring herself to say any of that, but she does say, “Bring him back home, Keith.”

She hopes everything she couldn't say comes across.

Keith wordlessly nods.

It does.

He heads into the mission shuttle with the other agents and they begin their journey towards the planet. In the shuttle, they go over the papers in each others hands and discuss the geographical layout. Most of their espionage is provided through doctored documents and paperwork, but things like regional dialects and typical behaviors of locals versus visitors and tourists are important in order to avoid drawing too much attention.

They arrive at the outskirts of the city rumored for the announcement and the other members of BoM strip from their clothing to civilian wear. In missions such as this one, Keith wears looser clothing, gloves, and a thin facial mask to hide his skin. They break out and Keith walks through the vendor square. He keeps an ear out for any gossip that seems like it might be about the announcement today, but it's not difficult to do as it's anything anyone is talking about.

“What do you think it could be?”

“I heard it's a new habitable planet announcement, Zarkon knows it's been getting a little crowded lately.”

“My food merchant heard Lord Zarkon’s fleet rescued a Lion from that witch, Allura.”

“I heard the Prince recovered a priceless artifact from Daibazaal and is receiving a medal for his valor!”

Keith eventually discovers that the announcement is going to be broadcast through any available Galran channel on the network. He relays an encrypted message to Pidge so that she can tune the castle to the broadcast.

A group of Galran children run past him, giggling and shouting, “Hurry, hurry! The plaza is gonna fill up if we're slow!” Keith quickly realizes that's where the announcement will be and rushes after them.

In the plaza, there is a large platform with a stand on the far right. There is a crowd of hundreds swarmed into the open space. Keith's small body allows him to squirm forward until hand lock on to both sides of his forearms. He exhales and is already inching his blade out from the folds of his sleeve. He flicks his eyes to his left and right.

It's two of the Blade agents he came with. Their full Galra heritage has them easily tower over Keith. They signal that they will go no closer, and as a result, neither will he. While Keith would prefer being front and center, they are 25 yards from the stage and have a clear, close view of it.

A silence spreads as the cameras fly and buzz around, signaling a start to the broadcast. The camera's focus to the podium.

Pidge is able to secure a communication link into the broadcast just as the sound of feet slowly making their way to the stage is the only thing that can be heard.

Until Haggar reveals herself to the crowd, which immediately bursts into whispers. “The High Priestess? Making an appearance? What for? Is it about Zarkon? Voltron? New technology?” She raises her hand, effectively hushing the audience.

Allura stands behind pidge's chair and grips it fiercely. “Haggar,” she hisses.

“It has been 10,000 deca-phebes since the cowardly King Alfor of Altea attempted to murder our Lord Zarkon. It's been 10,000 deca-phebes since he ordered the destruction of our homeworld of Daibazaal, and it's been 10,000 deca-phebes since Lord Zarkon established the Galra Empire in order to ensure no planet would fall to Altean madness or madness of any kind. It's been 10,000 deca-phebes, far too long for anyone living to remember the betrayal felt from Altea breaking the peace with Daibazaal. But even today, the feeling of homelessness rings through every Galran as does the yearn for a homeworld that will never exist again. As great as our leader is, his greatest regret is not being able to save his people's planet.”

The entire audience is enthralled with Haggar’s skilled weaving of words.

“But! Today is indeed a glorious day. Under the orders of Zarkon, our brave Prince Lotor was able to bring a war criminal from hiding on their knees and face justice! I present to you, our proud and faithful denizens… The Prince of Altea.”

A loud crack emanated the control room in the Castle. Pidge yelped and fell to the floor. The entire team turned and saw that Allura, with wide eyes still glued to the screen, had shattered the back of the chair with her hands. Her lips trembled and sweat began to form on her face.

“No, no, that's not possible. He was a child, he's dead, he died, it can't be.”

Shiro’s face scrunched up in confusion. He tries to ask Coran for insight, but the older Altean is in just as bad a state - One hand was fiercely holding onto the control podium for balance while the other was clenched over his chest.

“What happened to Lance?” Hunk shouted, bring both Shiro and Pidge’s attention back to the screen. Five sentries had come onto the stage and dragged a prisoner up with them. That was definitely Lance's face but, his cheeks, his ears.

“No way…” Pidge whispered in a horrified awe. “Genetic mutation? What else do the Galra have up their sleeves?”

“The-they don't. They couldn’t know.” Coran corrects, eyes still glued to the screen. “No one does. Alfor had something similar to it in the works to advance our diplomatic outreach in the war efforts, but the technology was held under close wraps and destroyed with Altea. There’s no way Haggar could have retrieved that technology.”

Pidge's gears were working in overtime, “but- so, Lance… is Altean? That’s crazy, he’s from Earth! And 'Prince’? Did Altea have more than one kingdom?” She treats the silence as a 'no’. She glances at Allura, who appears to be on the brink of tears. “Then that means…”

“No way,” Hunk breathed out.

“It makes sense when you think about it, though.” Pidge furrows her eyebrows and bites her lip. “He was the first of us to bond with a Lion, he’s the only person outside of Allura that was able to perform a wormhole jump, the next Lion he bonds with was Red, who was initially Alfor’s.”

The crowd gives a thunderous applause, cheering and rooting at the Prince brought to his knees before them.

Keith is watching rooted to his spot, eyes wide with disbelief. Prince of Altea? That was Lance up there. Sharp ears, blue scales, and two-toned eyes be damned. Lance was alive, and right there. On stage. So close, he swears he can smell the same scent that lingered his room. The sharp sensation of being punched in the gut ripples in his stomach when he sees how Lance was so scared and out of it. He shouldn’t be there, he should be in the Castle with everyone else, joking around and making milkshakes with Hunk.

He snarls when one the sentries cuff Lance in his temple, cause Lance to yelp and blood to start dripping down the side of his face. The hit causes a ripple reaction and Lance’s brown hair shift to a silver hue almost identical to Allura’s. The crowd is riled by the spilled blood. They cheer again, and Keith is close to seeing red. Instinctively, he tries to surge forward but feels the agents hold him back with a vice grip. He snaps his head to them, getting ready to claw his way out but their piercing gaze focuses on him, then darts up to the roofs surrounding the square. He squints to follow the line of sight and sees a few agents leaping across building rooftops.

Another growl involuntarily leaves his throat. “They need to hurry.”

They nod as if they understand.

They don't.

They couldn’t possibly understand.

#langst #klangst #lance #keith #klance #voltron fic #Stars and Death #VidaWrites #mine

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stephenmccull · 4 years

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As COVID Cases Spike, California Shifts Its Strategy

Coronavirus infections are rising so fast in Fresno County that California public health officials have identified it as one of nearly a dozen counties entering dangerous territory as economies reopen.

Cases there have more than doubled over the past month, and county residents are testing positive at nearly twice the rate of Californians as a whole. Outbreaks at nursing homes and Avenal State Prison in nearby Kings County — where more than 900 inmates and workers have been infected — are big contributors.

But Fresno County’s health officer, Dr. Rais Vohra, fears the crisis could get worse because people are mingling in ways unimaginable three months ago. Family gatherings and celebrations among friends are causing infection rates to climb quicker than expected, giving the disease fertile territory to spread exponentially in homes and workplaces.

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The scenario is playing out across the state. In Santa Cruz County, 50 new cases stemmed from one infected individual who attended a Mother’s Day gathering. In Imperial County, officials fear the toll of last weekend’s Father’s Day after seeing increases tied to Easter, Memorial Day and graduation get-togethers. Sacramento and Contra Costa counties expect case counts to continue climbing after recent holiday celebrations and demonstrations against racial injustice.

In the Central Valley, poverty and crowded housing conditions magnify the threat, especially for migrant workers who call the sprawling agricultural region home. As in Fresno, people in Tulare County are catching the virus at work and bringing it home — and hospitals are getting overwhelmed.

“We have a lot of meatpacking and fruit-packing plants, and migrant workers tend to congregate where they live and work, presenting so many opportunities for this virus to find its next victim,” Vohra said. “They can’t afford to not work, even if they are symptomatic, and now we’re even more worried because there’s a lot more movement happening.”

Public health officials expected rising case counts as they eased stay-at-home restrictions after months of lockdowns. But new infections and hospitalizations are flaring across California faster and sooner than they anticipated — or in some places, are prepared for.

Counties across the state are toppling records and, overall, California recorded a single-day high of 7,149 new COVID cases Tuesday. Statewide, cases are also climbing over time, with a 40% jump in the average number of daily cases over the past 14 days compared with the two previous weeks. Hospitalizations were up 29%, and the number of people requiring intensive care grew 18%.

State and county stay-at-home orders bought California valuable time to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and prepare its health care system to handle a surge in sick patients. But Gov. Gavin Newsom, who issued the country’s first statewide stay-at-home order, has allowed counties to reopen at a much faster pace than originally planned.

Since Newsom unveiled his fast-tracked reopening plan May 8, the death toll has soared by nearly 3,000, bringing total deaths to 5,632 as of Tuesday.

Of California’s 58 counties, 54 have largely reopened. State public health authorities are monitoring nearly a dozen of them even as people throng to bars and restaurants. Crowds are flocking to shopping malls, movie theaters are open, and hair salons and tattoo shops are booking appointments again. Families are gathering for holiday celebrations and friends are reconnecting after months apart.

“People are tired and they just want this to be over,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, Contra Costa County’s health officer. “The problem is the virus hasn’t changed; the only thing that’s changed is people’s behavior.”

Predictions of a summer lull have evaporated. Public health officials now fear that a persistent summer upswing could unwind gains made early in the pandemic, taxing hospitals and health care workers, and leading to thousands of more deaths even before an ominous fall resurgence.

County health officials expected they’d be battling outbreaks in the riskiest places, including prisons, homeless encampments and nursing homes. What has caught them off guard is how fast cases are multiplying following major holidays and social gatherings.

Given that new reality, county officials worry they don’t have what they need — testing, contact tracing and community buy-in — to respond effectively.

For instance, Fresno County needs at least 150 contact tracers to investigate sources of rising infections, according to state guidelines requiring counties to have at least 15 contact tracers for every 100,000 people. But Vohra, its health officer, wants closer to 300 — and has just 80 so far.

“Things are looking less rosy now with our numbers going up,” he said.

Riverside County in Southern California is seeing dramatic increases in cases and hospitalizations due to social gatherings and Black Lives Matter protests packed with people not wearing masks. It needs at least 350 contact tracers but has 280. Contra Costa County, which is seeing similar spikes tied to reopening, has about 85 contact tracers — far below its goal of 180. Sacramento County’s target is at least 225, yet it has only 30. Efforts are underway across the state to train more.

Los Angeles County is also struggling.

(Courtesy of Santa Cruz County)

Home to about half of the state’s cases and deaths, the vast county with more than 10 million residents averaged 30 deaths a day from COVID-19 the week of June 15.

Although Los Angeles can quickly deploy 1,500 contact tracers when needed, the sheer volume of cases has made it difficult to reach contacts in time to curb the spread of the virus, said the county’s chief medical officer, Dr. Jeffrey Gunzenhauser.

Newsom has defended his fast-tracked reopening plan — which shifts the responsibility to counties to determine how and when to ease stay-at-home orders — saying the state has secured enough empty hospital beds and protective gear to weather a surge in sickness and hospitalizations.

On Wednesday, Newsom blamed the increases largely on young people ignoring social distancing rules. If the problem explodes and counties flout state public health requirements, Newsom said, he would withhold state and federal money for COVID-19 and social safety net programs.

“We mean business,” Newsom said. “It is our behaviors that are leading to these numbers and we are putting people’s lives at risk.”

Even before public places started reopening, Californians had increasingly been letting their guard down.

“They’re not maintaining social distancing and forgetting about face coverings and hand-sanitizing. Unfortunately, that’s causing our numbers to go up,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County’s health officer.

Local health officers say that in an ideal world large swaths of the state would remain locked down until COVID-19 is wiped out from those communities. But they say the governor left them no choice but to reopen faster than they were prepared to do.

“We absolutely wanted to stop it,” said Mimi Hall, who is the president of the County Health Executives Association of California and the public health director for Santa Cruz County. “But it’s tough for the locals if the state allows it.”

Even Imperial County, one of the worst hot spots in the country — and which has sent at least 300 COVID-19 patients to other counties because its hospitals are reaching capacity — is under pressure to reopen and is asking the state to approve reopening plans.

As public health officials have struggled with the responsibility of reopening their economies, they have faced unprecedented backlash from local politicians and angry defiance — including death threats — from residents frustrated by mask orders and business closures.

Career public health officials are resigning at record levels as a result. Since the pandemic unfolded, at least eight have left — and more are considering it.

Those who are staying are now accepting the political reality of reopening, and embracing a new public health strategy: teaching Californians to learn to live with the virus as safely as possible.

They’re working hard to get the message out that good hygiene, social-distancing and face coverings are critical. These actions have to become almost automatic, they say, like putting on a seat belt.

New public service campaigns are underway, including a video circulating on social media with Newsom and past governors calling on people to wear masks in public. Santa Cruz County is distributing signs to local businesses and organizations that say “Clean hands save lives.”

State officials also are betting on people taking personal responsibility for stopping the spread of disease, and whether they listen will largely shape California’s future, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services who also oversees the state’s pandemic response.

“There’s very little we can do to bring it to zero, but personal behavior is absolutely going to determine how successful our ability to control transmission will be,” Ghaly said. “We all need to do our part so that we can continue having sectors of our economy open.”

This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.

As COVID Cases Spike, California Shifts Its Strategy published first on https://smartdrinkingweb.weebly.com/

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gordonwilliamsweb · 4 years

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As COVID Cases Spike, California Shifts Its Strategy

Don't Miss A Story

Subscribe to KHN’s free Weekly Edition newsletter, delivered every Friday.

Please confirm your email address below:

Since Newsom unveiled his fast-tracked reopening plan May 8, the death toll has soared by nearly 3,000, bringing total deaths to 5,632 as of Tuesday.

Given that new reality, county officials worry they don’t have what they need — testing, contact tracing and community buy-in — to respond effectively.

“Things are looking less rosy now with our numbers going up,” he said.

Los Angeles County is also struggling.

(Courtesy of Santa Cruz County)

Home to about half of the state’s cases and deaths, the vast county with more than 10 million residents averaged 30 deaths a day from COVID-19 the week of June 15.

“We mean business,” Newsom said. “It is our behaviors that are leading to these numbers and we are putting people’s lives at risk.”

Even before public places started reopening, Californians had increasingly been letting their guard down.

Career public health officials are resigning at record levels as a result. Since the pandemic unfolded, at least eight have left — and more are considering it.

Those who are staying are now accepting the political reality of reopening, and embracing a new public health strategy: teaching Californians to learn to live with the virus as safely as possible.

This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.

As COVID Cases Spike, California Shifts Its Strategy published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

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dinafbrownil · 4 years

Text

As COVID Cases Spike, California Shifts Its Strategy

Don't Miss A Story

Subscribe to KHN’s free Weekly Edition newsletter, delivered every Friday.

Please confirm your email address below:

Since Newsom unveiled his fast-tracked reopening plan May 8, the death toll has soared by nearly 3,000, bringing total deaths to 5,632 as of Tuesday.

Given that new reality, county officials worry they don’t have what they need — testing, contact tracing and community buy-in — to respond effectively.

“Things are looking less rosy now with our numbers going up,” he said.

Los Angeles County is also struggling.

(Courtesy of Santa Cruz County)

Home to about half of the state’s cases and deaths, the vast county with more than 10 million residents averaged 30 deaths a day from COVID-19 the week of June 15.

“We mean business,” Newsom said. “It is our behaviors that are leading to these numbers and we are putting people’s lives at risk.”

Even before public places started reopening, Californians had increasingly been letting their guard down.

Career public health officials are resigning at record levels as a result. Since the pandemic unfolded, at least eight have left — and more are considering it.

Those who are staying are now accepting the political reality of reopening, and embracing a new public health strategy: teaching Californians to learn to live with the virus as safely as possible.

This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.

from Updates By Dina https://khn.org/news/as-covid-cases-spike-california-shifts-its-strategy/

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