Transposition, or: Ship Happens [Worm/Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio | Arpeggio of Blue Steel]

Aklyon · Apr 30, 2018

Nanotaylor is back, huzzah! And now QA has an ewar suite, not just being a BOAT. Theres gonna be shenanigans there in the future I bet.

thuealing · Apr 30, 2018

00Zy99 said:
Its been too long. I don't remember.

I don't remember, but it did adopt QA as a coprocessor. She can definitely "administer" enough nanomaterial (or is it nanomatériel?) for the largest battleships. Unlocking plans for the heavier Fog weaponry might need something else.

V01DRei · Apr 30, 2018

ensou said:
Sonata 2.3

I loved how Taylor got upgrades, yet she hasn't really been involved with major players yet.

I bet Oni Lee is working on springing Lung before he goes after her...

A Wise Hermit · Apr 30, 2018

Yes! Finally, we get to see the power of sufficiently advanced science and technology subverting annoying bomb lady!

But while most are focusing on the fact that she no-selled a singularity (Which is, by the way, something that we already could speculate that the Fog could do; We know that corrosive torpedos damage extradimensional wave-force armor, and considering that the corrosive effect is capable of being generated outside of warheads, it should of at least been speculated sometime before.) I focus on the fact that another stage of her battle-plan has been unlocked! While mentioned previously, one must wonder when the final stages will be unlocked; and by whatever unfortunate soul does. A couple more steps to a de facto state of military readiness for Taylor. I wonder what kind of hilarity would ensue when that time comes to pass...

Also, no, Klein Fields are forcefields. Wave-Force Armor is considered part of the hull, since it merely emits them. However, using some shifting we could say that W-FA is a force of it's own. Her nanomaterial body and costume would be her physical armor.

EDIT: ~~Ah, no, looking back, I believe that Klein Fields are the forcefields, while the Wave-Force Armor emits them. I may require some clarification on this one.~~ Might have corrected my self, but I would still like to be verified.

(Alas, however, the amount of time between the last update and this one have scattered my feat notes for the franchise of the Suff.Adv Fog. Time to spend 3+ more hours collecting research...

If anything is wrong, I would not mind being corrected because of this fact.)

DAWinz · Apr 30, 2018

I basically nutted when I saw this update.

Maelwys5 · Apr 30, 2018

Farmerbob1 said:
The bomb had the same effect in canon. Remember that Endbingers EACH have the effective mass of an entire galaxy, per Wildbow. but plot armor keeps them from destroying our galaxy. The best explanation you could give and still retain some sort of rationality would be that the black hole effect is buffered, or that the bomb doesn't really create a black hole, it creates a gateway close to a black hole far, far away, or in another dimension.

But, in any case, it's superhero tinkertech. Tony Stark or Reed Richards level physics hax.

but isn't almost all of that mass in a separate dimension? (its the source of their regeneration)

A Wise Hermit · Apr 30, 2018

Maelwys5 said:
but isn't almost all of that mass in a separate dimension? (its the source of their regeneration)

I would say it's up to interpretation really. Some say that's true while others say what FarmarBob said. Unless an explanation was solidified in canon recently? I'm not up-to-date with worm as much as I am to Arpeggio, for an unknown reason. Possible corrections, anyone?

Toskin · Apr 30, 2018

OK, now I really want to see Transposition!Taylor and Meggido!Taylor teamup for maximal boatness.

Farmerbob1 · May 1, 2018

Maelwys5 said:
but isn't almost all of that mass in a separate dimension? (its the source of their regeneration)

In canon, it was indicated by Tattletale when she used her power to verify Leviathan had never been a person, that their mass grows exponentially more dense the closer you get to their core. Exponential growth is scary. However, it likely can't explain galaxy-level mass in a body only a few times the size of a normal human. The mechanic for regeneration you mention is what Scion used, we don't know if that's what the Endbringers used, but it might be something like that.

Without a word of god, we really can't know that sort of thing.

Handspan · May 1, 2018

Toskin said:
OK, now I really want to see Transposition!Taylor and Meggido!Taylor teamup for maximal boatness.

Don't forget Fletcher!Taylor and her 49 inch cannon

Datcord · May 1, 2018

Okay, who the fuck necrooooOOOH, YOUR GOD YES

BATTEN YOUR HATCHES, IT'S C&C TIME!

ensou said:
Sonata 2.3
Friday, April 15, 2011

*claps gleefully*

I woke up the next morning, and slowly started going through what I needed to do to get ready for the day.

Loading the missile batteries, stocking up the powder stores, taking on fuel... you know, boat stuff.

(I did seem to have some sort of limit on my processing abilities).

QA: Hey, I am TRYING, here! But my new ~~CPU waifu~~ processor pal won't let me get past, like, first base!

Just because I could handle lots of input really fast didn't mean that it wasn't nice to get a break from that.

...oh, we're starting this ALREADY? *sigh* I'll go get the extra scotch on order.

No need to watch everything I did to make sure I didn't accidentally out myself.

*glances at that Glory Girl mention earlier*
*glances at the above line*
We all know that I have no shame and that I'm using that for The Chart, right? Right.

No need to worry about dragons (Asiatic or European)

Yes, but what about Canadi-
*reads ahead a bit*
-oh. Never mind. You... uh... you appear to be able to deal with that one just fine now, too.

Up there, I didn't have to worry about homework. About dad. About my utter lack of anything resembling a supply system or fleet to call home.

o/" One of these things is not like the other... o/"

Dad knew now, which was good.

It meant… a lot more to me than I probably cared to admit.

Yes. It's much better now that you're... out. Out and, I'm going to assume, proud. There's no subtext here at all. None. *cough* Tell me, Taylor: What's your opinion of rainbows?

He nodded at my bowl. "That. How does it work when you're all…" he trailed off, probably hoping that I'd catch onto what he was implying.

You know, out of all the possible options for it in Worm, I really didn't peg Danny as the one to ask the "Do you poop?" question.

"Don't worry about asking questions. I'm… I'm tired of hiding this all anyways."

Now, I know what you're all asking right now: Am I going to go back and beat the increasingly liquefied corpse of that horse some more for the same joke about "being out"?

FUCK YES, I AM. UNTIL THE SUN BECOMES A COLD, DEAD EMBER IN THE SKY. TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW HAPPY YOU ARE ABOUT NOT NEEDING TO HIDE WHO YOU REALLY ARE, TAYLOR.

I tear it apart on a molecular level and make more nanomaterial out of it.

"Basically, I could be eating a brick soaked in road tar right now and get the same effect. Which is a convenient segue into your cooking attempts...."

I don't need to eat. Just like I don't need to sleep, or shower, or do any normal things. But if I stopped, what would I be then?

Super fucking neato?

...what? Don't look at me like that! It's ~~eight~~ ~~seven~~ ~~six~~ five hours a night that's totally wasted! Besides, sleep deprivation lets me be the REAL me!

My nanomaterial runs on a very specialized power source that basically pulls energy out of thin air.

It's a bullshitium/handwavium synergistic reactor contained in an unobtanium shell!

I responded, deciding I didn't want to get into the fact that I had an antimatter reactor in my chest to power my body at the moment.

*checks the list of possible jokes RE: Taylor's chest and its ability to hide things*
*purses lips*
Nooooooope. Scotch it is!

If it's low-power enough I can just have it use electricity from the grid instead of something custom.

"And THAT'S why the city keeps having those brown outs."

"Well, it certainly sounds interesting," he said diplomatically,

That's the same kind of line that goes along with "I'm gonna hang this on the fridge!"

and weird smells coming from Building C's boys' bathroom.

Meth lab or just a giant semi-permanent cloud of Axe Body Spray? The world may never know! (But the meth lab is, by far, the better option for anyone involved, let's be honest.)

Sophia didn't even try looking at me.

Yesssss. Completely ignored you. I-it's not like you m-matter to her or anything! N-not at a-all! Not even if you slammed her against the wall of an alley again! Why, you'd have to do it at least two or three times, just to prove that first time wasn't a fluke! S-stop looking at her like that!

Emma was conspicuously missing.

Should... should we be checking dumpsters and shallow graves just outside of town?

So for one of the first days I can remember, I did my thing,

oh god where's the scotch

everyone else did their thing,

OH GOD WHERE'S THE BACKUP SCOTCH

The only notable thing that I can even comment on was Greg telling me that he'd posted his art and thanking me for telling him to because of all the comments and stuff he'd gotten back.

"Tin_Mother even gave the post a 'Verified Non-Shitpost' tag!"

Later in the thread, Relentless (Verified Cape)(Verified Boat) posts a message that reads solely "YOINK."

This was where production really started to take off. But to keep the growth exponential meant I had to constantly make sure there was material to convert.

Problem: You constantly need more and more material to turn into nanomaterial and the Boat Graveyard will eventually run out.

Problem: Brockton Bay has a LOT of Nazis.

Problem: Solved?

By noon, I was sitting at eight hundred tons

By the time school was let out I had over twelve hundred tons of nanomaterial

Just... noting the increase in tonnage within the three or so hours between noon and school letting out and not making any sort of joke about Taylor's weight because I'VE SEEN WHAT SHE CAN DO WITH THAT SWORD, MAN.

I also thought it would be funny seeing how people would react to the boat graveyard suddenly being gone like it was never there.

For bonus points, leave behind a statue of David Copperfield!

I wondered how the Protectorate would react at all, not knowing who did it.

I'm checking their emergency response procedures and they say the best responses are... "scream and flail," "be outrageously corrupt and incompetent," or "immediately push for a Kill Order"?

...okay, who the fuck slipped me the fanon procedure book?

And it was all mine for the taking.

In a womanly fashion?

Really, people should be thanking me for dealing with it so cleanly.

Yes, we get it, Maui.

Well, it didn't matter anyways, because I did have the Graveyard.

I mean... for the next few... hours? at least.

And I realized I had no idea what to do.

I HAVE SUGGE-no, no, this isn't the right time. Wait for it, man. You'll get the chance.

For that matter, what could I do?

*twitches*
*pours a shot of scotch stony-faced*
*chugs from bottle*

At that, I could hear Glory Girl's voice from last night: "Us Brutes have got to stick together, right? If you ever want me to show you a couple things about how it's done, just let me know."

CHAAAAAAAAART!

New Wave would probably be trying to help out in their own way as well, and I could see myself coordinating with them much easier than with the larger, stricter PRT/Protectorate.

*starts flipping through possible jokes for ones that won't result in summary murder-by-mod*
*keeps flipping*
*keeps flipping*
*keeps fli-
*throws jokes over shoulder, sobs, grabs another bottle of scotch*

A second later I'd generated a new phone number and texted Glory Girl.

I'm... like... 100% I've made an 867-5309 joke before, right? ...I had to have, right?

From the air, the damage to the city was even more obvious, the smoke clouds rising up as another explosion went off to the south. What was happening?

Well, I believe this informational graphic will explain everything:

It was less than three minutes later that I arrived at the place she'd given me, despite being over seven miles away from where I'd started.

All right, kids! Get out your pencils and papers and let's do this math problem!

If Relentless runs seven miles in under three minutes and she's seen at LEAST four explosions already, how far will she lodge her foot in Bakuda's ass when she finally catches her? Remember to show your work!

I walked closer, and the emergency personnel noticed me, which then prompted Glory Girl and her parents to turn around and look at what everyone else was looking at.

Namely, me.

Okay, Taylor, quick question: Did you remember PANTS? Because trust me, that's a mistake you only make three or four times. Five, tops. Tops.

I wasn't used to being the center of attention like this at all. It was… unnerving.

Well, that's one thing that's crossed off the list of fe*burbles into scotch glass*

We both turned to look at Brandish, who had walked over to us and was giving me a once-over.

*slowly tugs The Chart closer*
*crosses fingers hopefully*

"What can you do?"

I HAVE A ~~LIST~~ CHART!

"Think of me as Alexandria with a ranged forcefield instead of flight."

"Also, both eyes. And I'm not making overwrought speeches about oaths and curses and shit. And I'm not secretly part of a world-spanning organization out to- no, wait. Never mind, scratch that last one."

She still looked a little skeptical, but relented.

Unlike Taylor! B-because "Relentless," see? 'c-cause that's her cape name? ....guys? Look, they can't all be winners! ~~I'M TRYING MY BEST~~ ~~I'M TRYING AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT~~ LOOK, IT'S NOT IMPORTANT HOW MUCH I'M TRYING, JUST THAT I THEORETICALLY AM.

You can help the emergency workers with Glory Girl, then,

You know, when phrased that way, it sounds like Glory Girl is receiving the help of the emergency workers.

I leaned closer to Victoria. "…Is she always that…"

*crosses fingers* Hot? Sexy? Callipygous? Arou-

"Hard-core?" Glory Girl finished with a whisper,

-oh. ...never mind, MOVING ON.

"Captain Dane, this is Relentless. She says she can help with Glory Girl," Brandish told him.

Again, this sounds like Relentless is supposed to help deal with Glory Girl, NOT the emergency.

"Well then. We'll definitely have some things for you to do."

Yes. Just like I have all this scotch to do. And by "do," I mean "drink." "Heavily."

I also have this forcefield that could be used to hold things in place? I can make it any shape I want, it just has to be within thirty feet of me.

And you should be REALLY happy Glory Girl's too distracted to make any jokes about that whole "any shape you want" thing.

I was helping to save people's lives. I was having a tangible, real, positive effect on them that they would carry the rest of their lives.

All eight and a half minutes of it. Because it's Brockton fucking Bay.

The second building was more complex, a store front of some sort where the entire building had been fused and changed to some weird material that appeared to be a plastic when I analyzed the molecular structure, but acted like a reactive solid metal with non-Newtonian properties.

Man, fucking Tinkers, am I right? The absolute horrible bullshit that they can cause is no cause for amuseme-

As soon as you applied force to it, it got harder,

*choke* I STAND CORRECTED!
*puerile giggle*

I was this close to either trying to discreetly dissolve a section with my nanomaterial or going home and getting my sword

When all you've got is nanomaterial and a sword, all the world is a... uh... okay, this one got away from me pretty quick. Let's just... shuffle along? Yeah.

I felt pretty stupid after that.

Are you sure? Maybe you should have someone double-check how you feel. I believe Glory Girl is right over there, maybe you could have her check how... you... oh, you did go and get the sword. That's... that's good to know. WHULP, LOOK AT THE TIME, I GOTTA GET MOVING ON THIS C&C NOW! *flees*

I nodded and ducked, following him through the opening into a dark living room, illuminated only by the head lamps of the workers.

I refuse to believe you actually need those lights to see, Taylor. I refuse.

I heard a distinct crunch and then creaking that I'd be come more than familiar with in the past few hours that meant they'd used a pry bar to open a door.

Actually, they probably didn't use a prybar, as such. It's probably a Halligan bar. Calling one of them a "pry bar" is like calling a Bugatti Veyron a "little speedy." (Seriously, check out some videos of firefighters using those things. They DESTROY obstacles.)

The other workers were already down at the next door, shouting, waiting, and then sticking their pry bar in the jamb, two of the men pushing on it at once to crack the door.

Yeah, definitely a Halligan bar. *sigh* It's such a beautifully designed tool.

I stepped forward in what had become a familiar situation over the past four hours, grabbing the doorknob and then shoving suddenly so that the deadbolt and lock ripped right through the jamb.

...not that you need one when you have the all-purpose opening device known as Relentless. Doors, walls, Tinker-tech tanks, she opens 'em all!

"BOMB!" I yelled,

Oh, god no! Someone left a copy of The Room playing!

just as the thing exploded.

Oh, THANK GOD. She meant an actual, literal bomb! That's a MUCH better option. Those will just kill you!

…It was black, was all I could think.

Kaiser: "See? Now you're learning to focus on the IMPORTANT things!"

It was something that screamed at me for my attention in ways that I doubted I would have understood had I been human.

But you're a boat, so... you know... no worries.

Gravitational singularity.

Black hole.

Or, as scientists call it, a "b-hole." As opposed to an "a-hole," which is- excuse me? ...what? It's actually WHAT?! NEVER MIND, MOVING ON, NOTHING TO SEE HERE!

Fucking Newton's third law.

I'm... not familiar with the fellow, though I feel like I really should be. Is he any relation to Isaac Newton?

([Free-graviton degeneracy reaction detected. Threat evaluation: Extreme.
Containing.])

And from this we learn that Taylor's Core considers only CERTAIN KINDS of degeneracy to be extreme threats. Good to know!

Solution: Remove computational limitations preventing graviton manipulation.
Preparing to remove level four limiter...])

Um. I somehow can't help but feel like this is important in some way. Just this weird hunch....

([Preparations complete.
Freezing current state... Saved.
Updating primary consciousness configuration... Done.

Wait. Wait wait wait. Wait just one damn second. Did... did Taylor just fucking AUTO-SAVE HER CONSCIOUSNESS?! I mean... we know that according to canon, some capes DO have basically decorative brains since their Shards do all their thinking for them, right? (Alexandria, for one. A bunch of Case 53s, for another.) So... am I right in thinking that this bit is QA... backing up Taylor's core bits, just in case?

Updating co-processor with electronic warfare suite protocols.
Testing new configuration... Success.

...oh.

Whulp, it was a good internet/phone system/radio frequencies while it lasted.

I looked back at my sphere of Armor, where the black void was now conspicuously missing.

Okay, Taylor. Just... think about where you last HAD the gravitational singularity and think REALLY HARD on where you might have left it....

And… and I could just do that now. Safely atomize anything with a reaction I could contain in my Klein field.

Problem: There's a LOT of Nazis in Brockton Bay.

Problem: You need to practice that whole "atomize anything" trick, just to make sure you know how it works.

Problem: ...solved?

"I think after something like that it'd be better if we left the rest of this to the others," he said shakily, and I just nodded in agreement.

Yeah, I can just see how THAT conversation will go: "Hey, guys. There's live bombs in there. We're fucking done."

If I hadn't been able to get rid of that exotic black hole,

As opposed to your everyday, run-of-the-mill, UNexotic black holes... that are found in apartment complexes.

Her eyes went wide, and her arm reached out for a moment, like she wanted to touch me,

*perks up*
THANK YOU, GO-

and I couldn't help the instinctual reaction of pulling away that had been ingrained in me from the years of torment at the hands of the trio. Her hand dropped.

"I asked you. It's not anybody's fault."

*raises hand* Um. I think it's Bakuda's fault, personally?

"Okay. Um. If you ever need anything else, or just… want to talk, text me, okay?" she said, and I nodded.

*leans in*
Chaaaaaaaaart.

I might actually take her up on that offer, despite the rough start we'd had the night before.

Despite... or because? *eyebrow waggle* Either way, I'm noting it on The Chart.

If this event had taught me anything, it was that I had a ways to go before I was truly untouchable.

I had to get stronger.

QA: *hysterically gleeful cackling* I HAVE THE BEST HOST/PARTNER, YOU GUYS. THE BEST!

And since this is actual feedback instead of my incoherent ramblings....

A/N: I actually really like this chapter, despite it being both a v2 rewrite and taking so long. The contrast between this and the original chapter is so strong, and it's a direction I haven't really seen many Worm fics do before, and it's particularly new for me.

This was a FANTASTIC chapter, ensou.

I think there's maybe... one other story where I can recall Taylor helping with emergency services in anything close to this, and it didn't focus on the feel/emotional impact of it nearly as much. Well done.

And I really, really like the rewrite, as well. The original Terminator!Taylor chapter wasn't... bad, per se, but it lacked the heart of this one, for lack of a better wording. This really FELT like Relentless!Taylor to me and it really made the chapter shine for me.

Thanks for putting in the time and work to revise it, I think you made a much stronger chapter as a result!

Motile Mollusc said:
If I recall, 'co-processor' is QA, isn't it?
I look forward to their adventurers in e-war.

Dragon: "PLEASE GIVE ME BACK PHO."
Saint: "PLEASE GIVE ME BACK DRAGON."
Taylor: "Man, I am getting GREAT internet reception these days!"

BungieONI said:
You can hear the squeeing across the dimensional barrier.

Sorry. I... I didn't realize it was so loud.

Handspan said:
Don't forget Fletcher!Taylor and her 49 inch cannon

....AND WE'RE BACK TO THE SCOTCH.

jwolfe_beta · May 1, 2018

And with the return of Datcord's C&C, the return of the reaction to the C&C.

Datcord said:
*checks the list of possible jokes RE: Taylor's chest and its ability to hide things*

Well considering it was noted in story that she was slowly expanding the size of said chest to improve her appearance........

Datcord said:
Meth lab or just a giant semi-permanent cloud of Axe Body Spray? The world may never know! (But the meth lab is, by far, the better option for anyone involved, let's be honest.)

Throw a lit match in. If the place explodes in a giant ball of fire you know it's the meth lab. If it is instanty snuffed from the lack of oxygen, it's the Axe Body Spray.

Datcord said:
Problem: Brockton Bay has a LOT of Nazis.

Problem: Solved?

You get terrible nanomaterial yield when melting down Nazis. They dont tend to have nearly enough bling on them. Though Hookwolf could be a potential supply.

Datcord said:
...okay, who the fuck slipped me the fanon procedure book?

You say that like you don't already have one.

Datcord said:
And I'm not secretly part of a world-spanning organization out to- no, wait. Never mind, scratch that last one."

Actually Taylor isn't part of a world-spanning organization. She's part of an inter-dimensional non-human organization (the Fleet of Fog). There is a difference.

Datcord said:
Again, this sounds like Relentless is supposed to help deal with Glory Girl, NOT the emergency.

That depends on how much collateral damage GG might end up doing. Ergo a minder is a potential necessity.

drag00n001 · May 1, 2018

YuffieK said:
Losing your shit is to be expected when there's somebody around who can make reality itself her bitch.

Doesn't that apply to Tinkers in general? Although I must admit Taylor does it better.

Mecaldar · May 1, 2018

Farmerbob1 said:
But all they know is that Relentless yelled 'bomb' and they evaded. Remember how fast Relentless thinks in combat. All that decision making probably happened before the emergency rescue people got to wherever they took cover.

Now, it might get out that Relentless set off and survived the bomb, but that could simply be because she was lucky. Bakuda won't know she no-sold the bomb unless there was video.

And we have no evidence that Uber and Leet are working with Bakuda in this universe.

Hn I guess it all comes down to is to ask if the emergency rescue people were wearing body cams like are emergency groups.

Zelinko · May 1, 2018

Fog electronic warfare suite contains not only your usual fun of RWR, offensive and defensive jamming and signal canceling but it's got a wonderful set of ICE picks. So all those previously 'secure ' encryption standards, listen a little crack the encryption like it was nothing.

Only computers that can keep secrets are those that are air gapped so I expect the sub core to be in listen and learn mode.

Although is she was cheeky, well cell phone tower spoofing is a thing, now relentless knows what you're doing and where you are, just follow the signals.

She can become an intelligence agencies wet dream while being the nightmare scenario.

Also Worm people all like OMG WTF BBQ
Fog people are like, 'You're almost completely functional now '

Selonianth · May 1, 2018

Datcord said:
Yes, we get it, Maui.

... God damnit Datcord. Now I have an idea.

Ruinous Virtue · May 1, 2018

sandmanwake said:
I was expecting her to eat that black hole and turn it into another power source rather than just tearing it apart, but I guess the black hole may not last long enough unless she did something to keep it going.

Interesting tidbit on that--black holes actually emit a form of radiation, and need to exceed a certain amount of mass in order to draw in matter fast enough to be stable. This amount is roughly equal to the mass of the moon. The black hole she destroyed would have only lasted a few seconds in a containment field if she'd captured it, as it rapidly emitted radiation without matter to refuel it. Black holes as a source of power is basically just a really flashy, dangerous, inefficient version of using an antimatter reactor.

MiracleGrow · May 1, 2018

Great chapter, can't wait for the next one. Though when Talyor eventually ends up in the other world I still hope the other Fog is still a threat to her.

Thinking about this it makes me all the more impressed by humanity in Arpeggio no Blue Steel. Yes while the Fog could wipe them out in a blink of an eye. They are slowly but surely managing to create counters to what is essentially Clarketech. As in the Fog are actually starting to feel the pressure from them. Enough so that they have to take actual action in trying to impede it. Who knows what can happen when Humanity enters the phase DESIGNER CHILDREN FOR EVERYONE.

Ruinous Virtue · May 1, 2018

Datcord said:
Sorry. I... I didn't realize it was so loud.

Oh, it's fine. Helps us know to check our notifications for new chapters.

Datcord said:
Oh, god no! Someone left a copy of The Room playing

Oh hi mark

(I'm not sorry ~~yes I am~~)

StattStatt · May 1, 2018

Loved the chapter. Liked the previous version, but... yeah I liked this even better.

Though why can't I help imagining Taylor pulling an Agent Smith when assimilating the ships?
Relentless: Me, me, me.

Grigori · May 1, 2018

So that was beautifully done, well worth the wait. Loved the intensity of it all. The awkward hopefulness of mending bridges with Danny, the confusion and doubt that comes with being faced with situations so much bigger than her, the awe of saving lives and the recognition that maskless people do it all the time with none of the recognition Capes get. Then of course, the bomb. Such a short and sweet way to have Taylor confront her own mortality.

Also liked seeing Glory Girl be so tenuously pleasant. I'm actually worried about Emma too. I don't imagine Taylor truly wants anything bad to happen to her...

No One · May 1, 2018

ensou said:
I'd made back towards Lieutenant Merrick

ensou said:
The three of us left the building carefully, somber in the recognition that we had almost just died.

And we had. If I hadn't been able to get rid of that exotic black hole, it would have killed us, or at the very least me.

Umm...no? You all look pretty alive to me...

Firedon · May 1, 2018

No One said:
Umm...no? You all look pretty alive to me...

While it's a bit ambiguous, it could and probably does mean "and we had (almost just died.)"
Basically, it's a repetition to really drive home how close it'd been.

Segev · May 1, 2018

Datcord said:
...okay, who the fuck slipped me the fanon procedure book?

It came free with the Scotch.

Datcord said:
Okay, Taylor, quick question: Did you remember PANTS? Because trust me, that's a mistake you only make three or four times. Five, tops. Tops.

Take it from Lung. Emergency pants are critical to Brutes.

Datcord said:
Yeah, definitely a Halligan bar. *sigh* It's such a beautifully designed tool.

Shipper, Chart thyself.

Datcord said:
I'm... not familiar with the fellow, though I feel like I really should be. Is he any relation to Isaac Newton?

No, no. She's telling you to put Sir Isaac Newton on the Chart.

Nicholai · May 1, 2018

Went back to re-read and discovered that the Fleet Sigil image is broken for me.

Can anyone else see it?

Transposition, or: Ship Happens [Worm/Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio | Arpeggio of Blue Steel]

Well, Sometimes.

The Mad Villain

Well, Sometimes.

Bookworm Extraordinaire

I will sing you the giggle of my people.

Semi Genre-Savvy Overlord

Ordinary Magician

Writer of Words

Paving the road to hell

Miracles for only $19.99 [They/Them]

Paving the road to hell

Supplier of suspenders for your disbelief

Lazy Sleepy Cat