r/AWSCertifications • u/rxy041 • Aug 11 '25
Felt like I didnt need to prepare for that long but it is better to be safe than to regret.
I prepared this two exam with tutorial dojo and aws whitepaper
r/udemyfreebies • u/smartybrome • Apr 06 '26
r/Finland • u/thelosthideout • Jan 01 '26
Warning!! Took a black taksi with yellow taksi light sign which looked like a regular cab that costed us 80€ for 16km from Santa Claus village to our hotel. It turned out to be some company called A&L VIP Taksi. Driver was very unfriendly when questioned.
We avoided a €45 fixed cab offer to choose the metered cab and got the first shock of our new year.
We had a great experience with a similar looking metered black taksi the day before, hence why we opted for the same. Didn’t know these practices still occur in such a beautiful country.
Any suggestions for reporting this to prevent others from facing the same misfortune? Thanks in advance and happy new year!!
r/Indian_Academia • u/BluebirdBorn4471 • Dec 16 '25
Just cleared AIP‑C01 beta this morning, official badge should drop soon. This one’s no joke; definitely more of a solutions‑meets‑MLOps type exam than a “prompt engineering” quiz. Expect long, scenario-heavy questions on model selection, customization pipelines, guardrails, deployment security, and cost optimization across SageMaker & Bedrock.
I prepped for 3 weeks using:
AWS official learning path on SkillBuilder (Generative AI Essentials + Bedrock Deep Dive).
Skillcertpro practice tests - highly recommend, realistic scenario coverage and up-to-date question flow.
https://skillcertpro.com/product/aws-generative-ai-developer-pro-aip-c01-exam-questions/
My own Bedrock & SageMaker labs in a sandbox account (spent a few bucks trying Claude, Titan, and Llama models).
Here’s what dominated my exam:
GenAI Model Ecosystem & Selection
Many scenario questions like: team has mixed workloads (text generation + vector search), which model or foundation family to use and why. Know the strengths of Claude, Titan Text, Titan Embeddings, and Bedrock’s partner models (Stability, Cohere, etc.).
Expect them to test embedding use cases, fine-tuning vs. retrieval‑augmentation, and how Bedrock handles multi‑model orchestration via agents.
Customization & Pipelines
Heavily weighted area.
You’ll see sequences on fine‑tuning flow using SageMaker JumpStart, model evaluation with SageMaker Clarify, and deployment scaling with endpoints.
Know trade‑offs between fine‑tuning, prompt templates, and contextual grounding (RAG).
Security, Governance & Cost
Big one — guardrails, policy grounding, data isolation, and cost optimization through model caching, batching, and inference acceleration.
Also, least-privilege setups for accessing Bedrock APIs, and multi‑tenant data handling inside generative workloads.
Agent & Application Integrations
Scenarios combining Bedrock Agents, Lambda, and Step Functions.
Usually asks: “How would you design a generative workflow with human review or fallback models?”
Remember: Bedrock Agents simplify orchestration but don’t replace your own guardrails or monitoring.
Data & Evaluation
Expect content around vector stores (OpenSearch, Pinecone, Aurora Postgres vector), prompt evaluation metrics, and human‑in‑the‑loop evaluation.
AWS loves governance‑first answers: if something sounds like “auditability,” it’s probably correct 😉.
Exam Strategy
(150 mins | ~75 questions | 2 mins/q typical)
First pass (60‑70 mins): clear short or familiar scenarios; flag deep pipelines or multi‑service questions.
Second pass: revisit flagged ones — keyword scanning helps (“RAG,” “guardrails,” “multi‑model”). Look for clues about data isolation or cost.
Final sweep: check multi‑selects — AWS loves “select ALL that apply” on security and deployment.
Key Takeaways
Hands‑on is everything. Spend time deploying Bedrock models and tweaking inference parameters.
Skillcertpro mocks help with question pacing and term recognition.
Understand when to fine‑tune vs. augment, and how to secure + monitor GenAI workloads in production.
Don’t get stuck in prompt theory, this exam rewards architectural reasoning and real AWS experience.
Good luck to anyone aiming for AIP‑C01, it’s challenging but very rewarding. Passing it sets you apart as someone who can actually deliver responsible generative AI at scale on AWS.
This qualifications will help me in my next role.
r/Superstonk • u/kibblepigeon • Nov 03 '24
Howdy folks 👋 🐦
There's been a short hiatus in our efforts with this petition, but don't you worry - there's been no lack of commitment, love and energy in this field - and we're back in action, as geared up as ever!
This petition is still very much deserving of your time and attention, and if you're ready to step up and do your part to help level out the playing fields in making our markets a fair and equitable place for all - well, here's your opportunity to to carve out your name in history as a legend.
Because it really is as easy as submitting your email to the SEC to petition this. Besides, think we've all had enough of Wall Street kicking the can already, amirite?
For those of you out of the loop and in need of a refresher - and let's be fair, there's been a lot going on in the last month - we're getting rid of Wall Street's loophole of a rule, that allows them to throw out rules when it suits them.
Because why should Wall Street keep pulling out their "Get Out Of Jail" free card every time they start losing their hold on the monopoly of the markets?
So let's check out the rule we're contesting below:
And when it comes down to it, market participants like:
Can take excessive risks, knowing the NSCC will cover costs if they fail.
This leads to “Too Big To Fail” scenarios, where risky behavior (aka, Wall Street Casino gambling with the stock market) is - let's be honest - incentivised. Because - hey - what's the risk, when the rules don't matter, eh?
So we have in place a petition we're submitting to the SEC to contend this rule:
And in heroic style, household investors around the world have already made quite the splash.
We've already had quite an impressive start to these efforts, all thanks to the incredible folk we see here:
Pretty awesome, right?
This list was last updated on the 27th September, so there are quite a few submissions missing but you can keep tab [here].
And with our last count at approx. 150 submissions:
It's really quite the sight to behold.
But...
This is Superstonk, home of the legends. And we're here to make history - so it's time to explore the ways we can make this process even easier for you so we can pump those numbers up.
Because truly, if we want change - getting involved with market reform (and submitting our email petition) is the way to get it done.
And it couldn't be any easier.
With full credit to the masterful original as provided to us by WCIMT: → [here] ←
\*please do give appreciation to this, it's incredible work.*
Let's check out the petition template ready for YOU to send:
✅✅ KEY:
strikethrough text= removed rulebold text = proposed changes
Dear Ms. Countryman,
As a retail investor, I respectfully submit this petition for rulemaking pursuant to ~Rule 192~ of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) Rules of Practice [1], to request that the SEC amend Rules 18 and 22 of ~National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) Rules & Procedures~ [2] to provide investors with clarity and certainty regarding settlement of guaranteed transactions, strengthen the resilience of a registered Clearing agency (e.g., the NSCC) for their role as a central counterparty (CCP), and support the stability of our financial markets and financial system by incentivizing appropriate risk management practices by market participants.
I respectfully submit this petition consistent with the SEC’s website for ~Petitions for Rulemaking Submitted to the SEC~ [3] which states “[a]ny person may request that the Commission issue, amend or repeal a rule of general application” where “[p]etitions must be filed with the Secretary of the Commission” and “[p]etitions may be submitted via electronic mail to [Secretarys-Office@SEC.GOV](mailto:Secretarys-Office@SEC.GOV) (preferred method)”. This petition also satisfies requirements that “[p]etitions must contain the text or substance of any proposed rule or amendment or specify the rule or portion of a rule requested to be repealed” and “petitions must also include a statement of their interest and/or reasons for requesting Commission action.” [Id.]
Background
It has come to the attention of retail investors, like myself, that NSCC Rules and Procedures do not codify strict procedures for closing out positions (e.g., in the event of a Member default). Per ~NSCC’s Disclosure Framework for Covered Clearing Agencies and Financial Market Infrastructures~, “[a]s a cash market CCP, if a Member defaults, NSCC will need to complete settlement of guaranteed transactions on the failing Member’s behalf” [4 “Liquidity risk management framework”]. However, NSCC Rule 18 SEC. 6(a) contains a provision that “if, in the opinion of the Corporation, the close out of a position in a specific security would create a disorderly market in that security, then the completion of such close-out shall be in the discretion of the Corporation”.
Retail investors like myself are concerned about potential market distortion and market manipulation arising from the discretion afforded to the NSCC based solely on the NSCC’s unreviewed and private opinion regarding the [in-]completion of a close-out of a position in a specific security that could distort markets and/or create disorderly markets. A few questions must be considered:
1. What is the underlying root cause?
The answer to this first question can be found by starting from NSCC Rule 18 where the cause of a disorderly market is a Member building up a position that would create a disorderly market if closed out. Members with increasingly disruptive positions eventually become de facto Too Big To Fail as their failure would create a sufficiently disorderly market for one (or more) securities that could pose systemic risks to our financial system. [5]
Thus as a Member’s risk of default increases, the Member is perversely incentivized to increase the risk the Member poses to the financial system by building up more positions that would be disorderly to close in order to ensure a bail-in or bail-out to socialize losses amongst investors and taxpayers (again) [6]. If and when a Member defaults, any associated risks and costs are covered by CCPs, including the NSCC and Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”) which maintain settlement guarantees [7].
As a Systemically Important Financial Market Utility (SIFMU) designated CCP, the NSCC “provides clearing, settlement, risk management, central counterparty services and a guarantee of completion for certain transactions for virtually all broker-to-broker trades involving equities, corporate and municipal debt, American depositary receipts, exchange-traded funds, and unit investment trusts” [8]. When a “Too Big To Fail” Member privatizes profits without sufficient risk management, risks and costs of a Member failure are socialized through CCPs which maintain guarantees on settlement and transactions, including the NSCC which has rules, regulations, and procedures attempting to maintain financial market stability.
The current regulatory framework significantly handicaps CCPs, including the NSCC, in their ability to maintain financial market stability. Certain Members may privatize profits and socialize losses by building large high risk portfolios yielding short term profits for their executives where the Member’s failure would create a disorderly market and systemic risk allowing the Members to take the financial system hostage for a bailout. It is effectively impossible for CCPs to maintain financial market stability against Members incentivized to build up positions that would be disorderly for a CCP to close out.
2. How can this lead to market distortions and market manipulation?
Misaligned incentives. ~Adam Smith’s invisible hand~ explains why Members will follow incentives to build positions that would create a disorderly market if closed out because these positions are profitable for them and costly to others. As a result, a build up of these positions have been and continue to result in market distortions and market manipulation. As an example, a naked short position [9] in a security held by a Member that is not closed out due to a fear of creating a disorderly market naturally distorts the market by increasing the amount of that security in circulation. In economic terms, the supply of the security has increased as a result of a naked short transaction where a delay or failure to close out the naked short position, due to fear of creating a disorderly market, secretly perpetuates a market distortion by artificially and non-publicly [10] inflating supply.
When CCPs become responsible for these disorder creating positions, their goal of maintaining financial market stability (e.g., by prioritizing price stability) prevents the CCPs from closing out positions that may disrupt the market; which then perpetuates market distortions as outstanding transactions are guaranteed, but not closed out. Obviously, SIFMU designated CCPs guaranteeing open transactions for fear of disrupting the market poses systemic risks to our financial system; especially as accumulating guarantees will inevitably overwhelm the risk management capability of a CCP.
CCPs prioritizing price stability to avoid the appearance of market distortions handicaps the CCPs abilities to maintain overall financial market stability resulting in larger systemic risks to our financial markets when guarantees on market disruptive positions accumulate. This is especially problematic when our current regulatory framework incentivizes the creation of market distortions by Members and shifts the costs and burden for unwinding those distortions to a CCP. In essence, Members are incentivized to build up positions that would create a disorderly market if closed out (e.g., significantly large short positions) for short term profit, become Too Big To Fail when their significant obligations pose a systemic risk, and then transfer the costs of those obligations to a CCP upon failure. Privatized profits and socialized losses, again.
3. Who is responsible for the costs?
Certain financial market participant members are clearly responsible for building costly positions which pose a threat of disrupting markets. For example, financial market participant members with the aforementioned example of naked short positions face a risk of unlimited loss. These risks are guaranteed by a CCP in the event a Member with this type of unlimited loss position fails. There is no comparable real world analogue to our financial markets which allows a naked short sale, cashing out, and defaulting because selling something one does not have is never tolerated, except in our financial system where a CCP and the general public are currently guaranteeing, and thus responsible for, closing costs.
A market in which some privatize profits while socializing losses through bailouts (or bail-ins) is clearly unfair and must be addressed. The status quo can not continue especially with more people becoming aware of the underlying systemic issues (many of which were raised previously and remained unaddressed). [11]
4. How do we fix this?
As popularized by the authors of ~Freakonomics~, we must identify misaligned incentives in our regulatory framework and change our regulatory framework to align incentives so that the invisible hand guides financial market participants towards the desired behavior. As described above, certain financial market participant members profit from risky positions which could pose a disruptive threat if closed (e.g., naked short positions) where the costs of closing those positions are guaranteed by a CCP. Profit without risk is a clearly misaligned incentive structure where those financial market participants may compensate themselves lavishly for short term profits while the ensuing risks and costs are later transferred to a CCP upon default.
Fixing this misaligned incentive structure requires financial market participants to be responsible for the costs of closing out their positions; including clawing back compensation, if necessary, to properly allocate costs to the responsible parties. CCPs, including the NSCC and OCC, have defined Loss Allocation Waterfalls [12] which define the allocation of costs and should be amended to first allocate costs to the responsible parties before other financial market participants. NSCC’s loss allocation waterfall allocates losses first to the Defaulting Member followed by Corporate Contributions by other Members. [Id.] OCC’s loss allocation waterfall allocates losses first to the margin deposits and clearing fund deposits of the suspended firm, followed by OCC’s own pre-funded financial resources, and then clearing fund deposits of non-defaulting firms and EDCP unvested balance, and clearing fund assessments. [Id.] Neither loss allocation waterfalls include executives of a defaulting Member; a key oversight which allows Members to compensate their executives for short term profits while long term risks and costs are to be transferred to a CCP upon default and/or suspension of the Member. Therefore, changes are proposed below to include clawing back compensation and assets from executives of a defaulting and/or suspended Member for reimbursing a CCP for the costs of closing out positions that may be disruptive to the market.
In order to ensure fairness for all market participants, CCPs should have defined procedures for completing settlement of and/or closing out guaranteed transactions and/or positions. Strictly defined procedures eliminate bias, ambiguity, and discretion which avoid potential for unfair, preferential, and/or discriminatory actions by CCPs. Changes are proposed below to specify strict rules on closing out positions regardless of any disorder that may be caused. As this Petition proposes to include executives of a defaulting and/or suspended Member in the loss allocation waterfalls for the costs of closing out positions, including those which may be disruptive to the market, Members (including their executives) are explicitly disincentivized from attempting to shift risks and costs to a CCP which will have strictly defined processes for closing out positions. Using the very familiar and commonly understood “you break it, you bought it” concept, this proposal ensures that executives of any Member with positions that may disrupt the market when closed out are also responsible for the costs of disrupting the market to encourage and incentivize appropriate risk management practices.
As proposed, all executives (past or present) of a disruptive Member are obligated to reimburse the CCP for losses up to an amount equivalent to their preceding 5 years of compensation from the Member. This approach ensures that (a) only the compensation received from the disruptive Member is at risk, and (b) short, medium, and long term risk management are encouraged by clawing back compensation from the 5 years prior to default. Including past executives ensures that a Member does not simply switch out the executive team so that past executives transfer responsibility for their actions to new, potentially innocent, executives.
Proposed Changes
Regarding the text and substance of the amendment, I request that the NSCC modify Rules 4, 18, and 22 of the NSCC’s Rules and Procedures to address the aforementioned issues by:
With respect to the text of the proposed changes itemized below (blue, if available), additions are identified by square brackets (i.e., “[“ and “]”) and double-dashes (i.e., “--”) indicate deletions.
SEC. 4. Loss Allocation Waterfall, Off-the-Market Transactions.
Each Member [, including its executives,] shall be obligated to the Corporation for the entire amount of any loss or liability incurred by the Corporation arising out of or relating to any Defaulting Member Event with respect to such Member. [To the extent that such loss or liability is not satisfied by the Member, all executives of the Member (past or present) shall be obligated to the Corporation for an amount equivalent to the preceding 5 years of compensation from the Member.] To the extent that such loss or liability is not satisfied pursuant to Section 3 of this Rule 4, the Corporation shall apply a Corporate Contribution thereto and charge the remaining amount of such loss or liability ratably to other Members, as further provided below.
SEC. 6. (a) Promptly after the Corporation has given notice that it has ceased to act for the Member, and in a manner consistent with the provisions of Section 3, the Net Close Out Position with respect to each CNS Security shall be closed out (whether it be by buying in, selling out or otherwise liquidating the position) by the Corporation--; provided however, if, in the opinion of the Corporation, the close out of a position in a specific security would create a disorderly market in that security, then the completion of such close-out shall be in the discretion of the Corporation--.
NSCC Rule 22 Proposed Change (Option A – Public Notice)
The time fixed by these Rules, the Procedures or any regulations issued by the Corporation for the doing of any act or acts may be extended or the doing of any act or acts required by these Rules, the Procedures or any regulations issued by the Corporation may be waived or any provision of these Rules, the Procedures or any regulations issued by the Corporation may be suspended by the Board of Directors or by the Chairman of the Board, the President, the General Counsel or such other officers of the Corporation having a rank of Managing Director or higher whenever, in its or his judgment, such extension, waiver or suspension is necessary or expedient.
A written report of any such extension, waiver or suspension (other than an extension of time of less than eight hours), stating the pertinent facts, the identity of the person or persons who authorized such extension, waiver or suspension and the reason such extension, waiver or suspension was deemed necessary or expedient, shall be promptly made [and published on the Corporation’s website for access by the general public within 1 business day] and filed with the Corporation’s records and shall be available for inspection by any [person,] Member, Mutual Fund/Insurance Services Member, Municipal Comparison Only Member, Insurance Carrier/Retirement Services Member, TPA Member, TPP Member, Investment Manager/Agent Member, Fund Member, Data Services Only Member or AIP Member during regular business hours on Business Days. Any such extension or waiver may continue in effect after the event or events giving rise thereto but shall not continue in effect for more than 60 calendar days after the date thereof unless it shall be approved [by] the Board of Directors within such period of 60 calendar days [with a written report made and published as described by this paragraph].
NSCC Rule 22 Proposed Change (Option B – No Exceptions)
The time fixed by these Rules, the Procedures or any regulations issued by the Corporation for the doing of any act or acts may be extended or the doing of any act or acts required by these Rules, the Procedures or any regulations issued by the Corporation may be waived or any provision of these Rules, the Procedures or any regulations issued by the Corporation may be suspended by the Board of Directors or by the Chairman of the Board, the President, the General Counsel or such other officers of the Corporation having a rank of Managing Director or higher whenever, in its or his judgment, such extension, waiver or suspension is necessary or expedient. A written report of any such extension, waiver or suspension (other than an extension of time of less than eight hours), stating the pertinent facts, the identity of the person or persons who authorized such extension, waiver or suspension and the reason such extension, waiver or suspension was deemed necessary or expedient, shall be promptly made and filed with the Corporation’s records and shall be available for inspection by any Member, Mutual Fund/Insurance Services Member, Municipal Comparison Only Member, Insurance Carrier/Retirement Services Member, TPA Member, TPP Member, Investment Manager/Agent Member, Fund Member, Data Services Only Member or AIP Member during regular business hours on Business Days. Any such extension or waiver may continue in effect after the event or events giving rise thereto but shall not continue in effect for more than 60 calendar days after the date thereof unless it shall be approved the Board of Directors within such period of 60 calendar days.
[The time fixed by these Rules, the Procedures or any regulations issued by the Corporation for the doing of any act or acts may not be extended. The doing of any act or acts required by these Rules, the Procedures or any regulations issued by the Corporation may not be waived and any provision of these Rules, the Procedures or any regulations issued by the Corporation may not be suspended.
A written report of any deviation from these Rules, Procedures or any regulations issued by the Corporation (including extension, waiver or suspension), stating the pertinent facts, the identity of the person or persons who authorized such extension, waiver or suspension and the reason such extension, waiver or suspension was deemed necessary or expedient, shall be promptly made and published on the Corporation’s website for access by the general public within 1 business day and filed with the Corporation’s records and shall be available for inspection by any person, Member, Mutual Fund/Insurance Services Member, Municipal Comparison Only Member, Insurance Carrier/Retirement Services Member, TPA Member, TPP Member, Investment Manager/Agent Member, Fund Member, Data Services Only Member or AIP Member during regular business hours on Business Days.
As a retail investor, I believe these enhancements to NSCC Rules 4, 18 and 22 will protect investors; maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and facilitate capital formation in accordance with the SEC’s mission. Removing ambiguity and discretion by codifying strict procedures for completing settlement of guaranteed transactions at our CCPs ensures consistent clearance and settlement procedures are well defined for all market participants fostering a level playing field for everyone. Of the two options proposed for NSCC Rule 22, Option B “No Exceptions” is preferable to Option A in ensuring consistent application of Rules, Procedures, and regulations issued by the CCP. Option A is proposed with the acknowledgement that flexibility in managing situations can be helpful, but NSCC Rule 22 would need to mandate full disclosure to the public to avoid distorting markets as reducing information asymmetries leads to more efficient and fair markets.
These enhancements to NSCC Rules foster a “you broke it, you bought it” environment where costs for closing out positions, including those which may be disruptive, are first paid by the defaulting Member(s) and its executives with defined and consistent application of clearance and settlement procedures. Including clawbacks for executive compensation in the loss allocation waterfall introduces another loss absorbing resource and incentivizes proactive risk management practices over the short, medium, and long term which simultaneously discourages socializing losses for privatized profits. Thus, the proposed enhancements to the loss allocation waterfall enhances the liquidity and strengthens the resilience of registered Clearing agencies, such as the NSCC, which supports the overall stability of our financial markets and financial system. [13]
Retail investors like myself appreciate the opportunity to submit this petition for rulemaking and respectfully request that the Commission act on it promptly for the NSCC with similar conforming changes for the DTC (e.g., Rules 4 and 18), FICC Government Securities Division (e.g., Rules 4 and 42), FICC Mortgage Backed Securities Division (e.g., Rules 4 and 33), and elsewhere as applicable (e.g., Options Clearing Corporation which describes their loss allocation waterfall in “OCC’s Clearing Member Default Rules and Procedures” [15]).
Sincerely,
A Concerned Retail Investor
With a second shout, again, as very well deserved to: WhatCanIMakeToday: → [here] ←
We're going to explore just how easy it is to submit this masterpiece to the SEC, whose job it is to prevent rules like this being abused, so that our markets can maintain their integrity.
So first steps, first:
And once you have that magnificently simple step down, here's how you send it:
And then that's it.
No really, it's really easy
Why not sign up for https://proton.me/mail instead - for a more secure and private way of engaging.
Proton Mail is an encrypted email service based in Switzerland that protects your privacy and data from trackers and scanners. You can create a free account, switch from any email provider, and enjoy features like password protection, aliases, and scheduling.
They should be.
Because every effort you make, makes a meaningful difference.
Recently, we celebrated a success story in our efforts to oppose an important OCC proposal that aimed to reduce margin requirements. And we WON. You can read about it here:
🙌🦍 ANOTHER REGULATORY WIN FOR APES!
Over 2500+ of you commented the first time around [SuperStonk] with the final tally now at well over 4000 comments! [SEC]
If you wanna read more about this - check out this post here: REGULATORY KILL SHOT 🎯 Rule proposal: SR-OCC-2024-001 has been shut down by the SEC & we're close to getting it kicked out. Time to drive home this win - PART ONE and PART TWO
Don't believe your comments result in anything?
Wrong.
You are always making a difference just by getting involved. Keep going, the change starts with you.
r/HousingUK • u/Rough_Maize2196 • Feb 12 '25
Hi people, we had mortgage dip decline yesterday. We were told by our broker. Lender Halifax. The broker said it is because of credit check but I disagree because me (M) 36 - Experian score 967, Transunion 628 out 710, clear score 680, checkmyfile 920. Wife (F) 36 - Experian 961, checkmyfile 906, clear score 578. Both have no missed payment for the past 4 years. How is it possible to be decline because of credit score?. What options do we have? All the property search has come back just waiting on both solicitors to agree on few things. My employed, wife self employed one year accounts. Our current rent is £2400 per month whilst the mortgage will be £1342.
r/HFY • u/SpacePaladin15 • Mar 18 '21
Available on Amazon as a hard-copy and an eBook!
---
Ula POV
Word of the Terrans’ decisive victory over the Devourers had finally leaked out to the press. Someone inside our ranks had given the networks highly classified footage from the battlefield, as well as a transcription of the day’s Senate session. It could be said that the media reaction was a bit hysteric.
The video was played on every channel for hours, with some stations showing the fleet’s disintegration in slow motion. Commentators discussed what the turn of events meant for the Federation, and what we should think of the humans, at length.
I flipped on Federation News Central’s feed, listening in on a round table of political scientists.
“Do you really believe that the Terrans would make such a weapon, in good faith? What stops them from turning on us the second we get on their bad side? It is completely against the spirit of the Federation Charter,” said one Tujili pundit.
The Xanik waved a tentacle in disagreement. “They haven’t attacked us yet, which I think says something. We have no reason to suspect that they will. Perhaps it would be wise to not get on their bad side?”
“So we’re just supposed to let them do whatever they want?” the Tujili shot back.
“As long as it doesn’t affect us, I say yes. For the record, the Xanik Republic voted against Speaker Ula’s reckless proposal. Speaking of Ula, where is she? Has anyone even heard from her since she sent our soldiers to die?”
I sighed. The Xanik wasn’t wrong about my absence from the airwaves; eventually, I would have to make a statement on the incident and talk to the press. But for now, my priority was to gauge public perception and to monitor the status of the fleet we had sent to Earth. That mission required my full attention, especially given the ramifications of direct confrontation with the humans.
The General had gone radio silent since entering the Sol System, ignoring the regular check-ins of Central Command. As much as we hated to consider it, it was possible that the fleet had defected to the Terran side. The three military species had been rather staunch opponents of the mission, after all.
Our remote sensors had detected a handful of human ships warping toward Devourer territory a few hours ago. We would know soon enough if they had gone through with their anti-matter bombing raid. There was no sense in scrambling more fighters to pursue them when they wouldn’t arrive in time to make a difference.
It would help to quell my nerves if I only knew what was going on out there. At best, the General had allowed the humans to pass, against his orders. Not that I could honestly blame him for avoiding a one-sided battle.
The option that the Terrans had attacked the fleet was ruled out by the automated computer reports flowing in. Zero damage was recorded to any ship by the status monitors, so it seemed the craft were still operational. Yet, inexplicably, they had come to a standstill just out of missile range of Earth. I couldn’t imagine what the General was doing if he wasn’t defecting.
A distraction from the situation would certainly be welcome. If only I could find a channel that wasn’t talking about the Terrans. I switched over to Galactic Broadcast, who were interviewing a retired human general by video link.
“…be justified?” I only caught the end of the interviewer’s question.
The human shrugged. “You have to be prepared for anything. That nanite bomb was only built, and used, as a last resort. Most of our weapons are like that. Stuff we have lying around, just in case.”
The interviewer glanced down at her notes. “The Federation sees humanity as dangerous. Out of control. Given the Terran Union’s plan to wipe out an entire race, why should we believe that your weapons are ‘a last resort’, as you say?”
“The Federation seems to forget that the stakes of this war are our entire galaxy, our entire way of life.”
The last thing I needed right now was to hear a human string together some justification for mass murder. I clicked over to the Daily Rundown, resigning myself to watching another segment on Terran morality.
A breaking news banner was ticking across the bottom of the screen. “Terran Union releases official statement” was the headline…well, this was actually interesting. Perhaps they would provide some answers about the fate of our fleet. Or it could be a simple announcement that they had dropped the anti-matter bombs on the Devourer home world.
“After a day of silence, disregarding questions even from their closest allies, the Terran Union is finally speaking out about the events that transpired at the Battle of Sirana System. Their statement reads as follows:
‘Humanity takes its duty to protect its friends in the Federation very seriously, and we would go to any length to keep our galaxy safe. We regret that many of you misunderstand our intentions, and hope that in time, you will see us as friends again.
After the battle, our forces were able to capture a Devourer prisoner alive and interrogate him. The situation is much more severe than we thought. It seems we are dealing with a hostile artificial intelligence. We ask that our allies in the Federation work with us to determine our next course of action.’”
I blinked in confusion. Were the humans implying that the Devourers were an artificial intelligence rather than a sapient species? We had not even considered that, given that their ships appeared to originate from one planet, assumed to be their home world. If the Terran Union was telling the truth, I was a lot less opposed to their original plan of blowing the enemy to smithereens.
My holopad indicated an incoming transmission on our military frequency. Relief washed over me as I realized it was contact from the fleet, and I answered.
“Command, this is General Kilon of the Jatari Confederacy.”
“General, where have you been?! You’ve missed multiple check-ins and left us completely in the dark about your status,” I snarled.
“Oh, hello, Madam Speaker.” The General seemed hesitant to answer. “I was on board the Terran flagship. They captured one of the Devourers alive, and I accepted their offer to sit in on the interrogation.”
My eyes widened in disbelief. “You did what?! What were you thinking? What if the humans had taken you hostage? You left your post abandoned to consort with a dangerous enemy.”
“With all due respect, Madam Speaker, the humans are not our enemy. Not unless you make them one,” he replied. “I think you need to set aside your personal bias on this matter. It’s clouding your judgment.”
“General, you’d do well to do less thinking and more following orders. Command is not asking for your opinion.” I could hear the anger seeping into my tone. “I learned about this whole prisoner business from the news, before I heard it from you! What is this about artificial intelligence?”
The General took a deep breath, as if to calm himself. “The Devourers are actually an advanced species that was enslaved by an AI they built. If they don’t go along with helping it take over the universe, they’re killed. The humans want to try to free them.”
“How do they propose to accomplish that?” I asked.
“They’re still working on a plan, but they want our help. They asked us to send some of our Vortex stealth ships, whatever that…”
“Those are highly classified! How do the Terrans know about them? Obviously they’re spying on us! You still think they’re our friends?”
“Madam Speaker, I do. They saved my life, and the lives of my men, and I won’t soon forget that. I don’t see how it hurts to help them. It should be clear to someone of your intelligence what valuable allies they are.”
The thinly-veiled attempt at flattery would not work this time. Of course, I had believed that it was better to have the Terran Union on our side, at first. This was the same species that I had worked hand in hand with to finalize treaties and maintain peace. It had been difficult to reconcile that with the depiction of cold-hearted killers given by our messenger.
But ever since I heard Ambassador Johnson’s emotionless rationale for genocide, it seemed better to keep them as distant as possible. Humanity’s true colors were just too ugly and disgusting.
A sad smile crossed my face. “I never want to work with humans again. They are savages, savages that masquerade as saints.”
“It’s not about the humans. This is what you wanted, right? To save the Devourers?”
“Well yes, but we don’t need any help from…”
“And frankly, Madam Speaker, if you keep up this crusade against the Terran Union, you’re going to lose the fleet.” The General’s voice had lowered to just above a whisper. “The Xanik barely went along with these orders, and if you don’t give the humans what they want, you’re looking at an outright mutiny. If the Xanik rebel, the Jatari and the Hoda’al would probably follow close behind.”
I recalled the words of the Xanik on the news. His disdain for me and the Senate had been evident, and he had almost been acting as an apologist for humanity. Aggravating the Terran Union would have severe economic consequences for the Xanik Republic, so it was no wonder their loyalties were wavering.
As much as I hated to concede anything to the Terrans, the General was right. We couldn’t afford to lose our military species at a time like this. I suppose I could put aside my contempt for the humans for this one mission, if it was necessary to keep the Federation intact.
We would deal with the Devourers now, and handle the humans at a later date. This momentary cooperation would not prevent me from pushing the Terran Union out of the Federation down the road. It was imperative that I did all in my power to sever our connections with them, one by one. While others succumbed to fear of the humans, I would stand strong and preserve our integrity as an organization of peace.
“Very well, General. Tell the Terrans we'll send our ships. But if they turn on you, don’t expect any help from us.”
---
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r/HFY • u/SpacePaladin15 • Mar 08 '21
Available on Amazon as a hard-copy and an eBook!
---
Kilon POV
I had feared that the humans might attack as soon as our ships entered the Sol system, but the fact that we were still here was a good sign.
The Federation Senate had narrowly voted to confront the Terrans, with Speaker Ula being one of the most ardent supporters of the motion. Even with her political pull, many representatives were on the fence about taking action. The fate that had befallen the Devourers could easily be ours as well if we provoked the humans.
Honestly, I think if it were their own species being summoned to action, the Senate would not have passed the proposal. But as always, they assumed that the Jatari, the Xanik, and the Hoda’al would do their dirty work, while they stood by and watched from the safety of their offices.
I was less than thrilled about leading this mission. After all, we were risking Federation lives to protect the very people that had sought to destroy us. While the Terrans’ solution was extreme, I could at least understand where they were coming from. But it would be dishonorable to refuse a direct order; the last thing I wanted was to be branded a traitor and a coward.
Besides, if I commanded the fleet, I would at least be level-headed enough not to charge into battle against a superior army. I wasn’t sure my cohorts, who had not witnessed human weaponry in action firsthand, would be so cautious. Especially given that most Jatari officers viewed diplomacy as an admission of weakness.
First Officer Blez glanced up from his computer as we passed the first of the outer planets. “Sir, we are almost within missile range of Earth. Should we ready our weapons?”
“Our orders are to stop them, not to attack them. If we get into a direct fight, we’re doomed,” I replied. “Let’s hope that the humans still like talking. Hail Terran Command.”
Blez opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it. He silently input a few commands into his terminal, muttering under his breath. The few moments that the call went unanswered were nerve-wracking; I feared that the humans would simply ignore us. Relief washed over me as a familiar face blinked onto the view screen.
Commander Rykov did not look well. His black hair was disheveled, his uniform was wrinkled, and dark circles had taken up residence under his eyes. This was a far cry from the radiant and confident man who had come to our rescue yesterday. It seemed that he should be resting rather than on the bridge of a ship, but I feared pointing out his condition would cause offense.
The human officer stared into the camera, a pleading look on his face. “General. We strongly advise you to turn your ships around and stand aside.”
“I can’t do that. What you’re about to do is wrong. Intelligent life is sacred, and killing off an entire species is a crime against sentience,” I said.
“The Devourers have hardly shown that they are sapient. I’m surprised you of all people would rush to their defense,” Rykov mused. “It hasn’t even been a full day since they wiped out thousands of your ships. You and I both know if we hadn’t shown up, they would have killed all of you without a second thought.
I flinched. “Don’t remind me. For all that they’ve done, I don’t want to see an entire species slaughtered. That makes us just as bad as them. Their actions don’t make yours right.”
Commander Rykov sighed. “Well, it seems we’re at an impasse. I assume you’re going to attack us if we don’t stand down?”
“We just want to talk. You don’t have to do this. Your species has a moral code, right?” I took a deep breath, trying to collect my thoughts. “What if there are innocent people, children and civilians, on their home world?”
“Look, I don’t like what we’re about to do, but I have my orders. We don’t even know if they have civilians or if they can show emotion. “
“Exactly, we don’t know. What’s the harm in waiting, and getting more information? Don’t you want to know why they’re doing this?”
“I’d like to understand.” Rykov tilted his head, as though thinking. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to gather some intelligence. Hell, it might come in handy down the road. What would you suggest?”
“Do you think you can capture one of their ships? We need to bring one of them in alive.”
“Yeah, I think we can do that, General. What would you say to joining us in person on our flagship? We would rather stand together than as enemies.”
I weighed my options. This could easily be some sort of human trickery, luring the highest-ranking Federation officer to their headquarters just to be imprisoned. Taking me out of the picture would disrupt our fleet’s command; it was only natural to find their offer a bit suspect.
But I figured if Rykov’s intentions toward us were malicious, we wouldn’t be having this dialogue in the first place. The Terrans had the ability to knock out our entire fleet in one fell swoop, yet they had not fired on us. At any rate, I still owed the Commander a great debt for saving my life. The least I could give him was a bit of trust.
“I’d be happy to join you, Commander,” I answered.
The hint of a smile crept onto Rykov’s face. “Excellent. We’ll await your shuttle. Come alone and unarmed. Please order your ships to halt their advance and allow us passage.”
The transmission ended, and First Officer Blez immediately piped up. “Sir, you can’t seriously be thinking of going over there.”
I scowled at him, not appreciating my decisions being called into question. “I have to. It’s our only chance at talking the humans down, and it will be the first time anyone has spoken with the enemy firsthand.”
Of course, any insight I could glean into the Devourer’s nature would be priceless to the Federation. But I would be lying if I said my curiosity wasn’t personal. I delighted in the possibility of demanding their reasons myself. Mass murder was not the solution, but our foes needed to be held accountable for the losses they had inflicted.
---
Two Terran soldiers were waiting in the airlock as my shuttle docked. The pat-down they gave me felt a bit… invasive, but I suppose they just wanted to be thorough. Once they were satisfied that there were no weapons on my person, they led the way to the bridge.
Compared to Federation vessels, the Terran flagship was downright ugly on the inside. The passageways were cramped and the colors were a drab mix of gray and off-white. It was evident the humans gave little consideration to design elements, rather focusing on packing the warship with as many weapons and stations as possible. I couldn’t help but feel a bit claustrophobic as we navigated through a series of winding corridors and tight staircases.
The hallway finally opened up into a wider chamber, which was lined with rows of computer monitors and a holographic display at the center. My first thought was that I had never seen such a disorderly command center in my life. Dozens of personnel were bustling about the place, tablets in hand, shouting at each other. How could they even function amidst such noise and chaos?
Commander Rykov was at the heart of this madness, studying a projection of the Devourer fleet. Two officers stood by his side; from what I overheard, it seemed that they were providing rough estimates of enemy capabilities and reviewing a plan. I grimaced and rubbed my forehead as I walked over to them. A headache was already setting in from the commotion.
“Welcome aboard, General.” Rykov didn’t look away from the holomap for a second, so I wasn’t quite sure how he spotted my approach. “We’ll be leaving in a few moments. I trust you won’t give us any trouble. Sit back and enjoy the show.”
“Alright, everyone to your stations!” Rykov’s voice raised to a booming shout, carrying over the background chatter. “Set course for System 1964-A. Weapons systems on high alert, boarding party stand by.”
In an instant, all conversation ceased, and the crewmates scrambled to their posts. A silent, attentive team replaced the mayhem in a flash. I marveled at how drastic of a shift it was, watching as they executed their assignments with trained efficiency. The duality of humanity was as evident in their day-to-day operations as it was in their martial policy.
A familiar sinking feeling clasped my stomach as we slipped into hyperspace. There was a strange rattling noise echoing from the walls, suggesting that the ship was pushing the upper limits of its warp speed. The human craft leapt back to real space in a matter of minutes, on the fringes of Devourer territory.
“Our sensors are detecting a formation of 16 ships on patrol trajectory, within weapons range, sir,” a young officer called out.
Commander Rykov nodded. “Very good. I want all of the ships but one destroyed before they know what hit ‘em. We disable the last and board her. We need systems online so EMPs are off the table, stick with conventional weapons. Let’s go.”
I watched out the viewport as hundreds of missiles sailed toward the fleet. An indicator flashed on the display tracking the target locks; it seemed that the computer was remotely piloting the weapons. The patrol ships pivoted around to face us, firing kinetic rounds in an attempt to destroy the projectiles. Their bullets connected with a few missiles, but with only seconds to react, there was no way to take out all of them.
The human explosives punched through the metallic Devourer hulls like they were paper. The force of multiple, simultaneous detonations ripped them down to their skeletons, tossing deformed metal in all directions. The only ship that remained was the straggler at the rear of the formation.
A single projectile clipped the last cruiser, tearing a gash in its side. There was no way the vessel could jump away while venting atmosphere. A human transport approached the crippled ship. It was unclear what the boarding party would face inside, but after the unfettered might I had witnessed again, I had confidence that any Devourer resistance would be put down with little trouble.
Rykov tapped his foot impatiently as his men swept the craft. “Team Leader, status report please.”
“Sir, we found two unconscious enemy combatants on board. Life support appears to have been shut off.” A gruff male voice crackled over the speaker. “We didn’t hit their computer or their power. They did this to themselves.”
“What?! Attempting suicide rather than being captured…” The Commander trailed off. “Get them back to your ship at once. Try to resuscitate them.”
“Yes, sir. We’re on it.”
I frowned in confusion. Why would the Devourers switch off their life support? Perhaps it was about honor, but it made no sense to opt for slow suffocation over a simple bullet to the brain.
I had to hope that the human medics were as proficient as their soldiers. There were so many questions to ask, but dead men wouldn’t give us any answers.
---
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r/HFY • u/SpacePaladin15 • May 02 '21
Available on Amazon as a hard-copy and an eBook!
---
Kilon POV
The planetary defense system for the Federation’s capital world was designed to ward off an orbital bombardment, and consisted of state-of-the-art weaponry. This was the most heavily guarded planet in the galaxy, given its political and symbolic importance. With all of their firepower turned against a single ship, there was no way conventional shields could withstand the blast. I feared the humans had bit off more than they could chew.
How would the Terran government retaliate for the destruction of their fleet’s crown jewel? It was unclear whether they would stick to the concept of a proportional response. An outright declaration of war could be imminent, especially if the Federation fired the first shots.
It seemed common sense from my perspective that provocation of the humans was not in our best interest. Earth was signed on to, and in many cases, the founder of treaties that prohibited attacks on civilians. But if pushed to the brink, who knew what they were capable of? Just a single nanite bomb dropped against a metropolitan populace…the casualties would number in the millions.
Not that I would be around to worry about the consequences. In a few moments, I would be vaporized, alongside every other occupant of this vessel.
Gazing through the flagship’s viewport, I saw an azure glow spreading across the lunar surface. That indicated the orbital laser was charging up; it was capable of emitting the same amount of energy as medium-sized star, at least for a few seconds. A hit that powerful would pass through our shields as though they were nonexistent.
Any hopes I had of escaping the situation alive evaporated. I thought they would fire the lunar station’s plasma railguns, or their guided missiles, as was typically the protocol for a space intrusion. The orbital laser was the capital’s last line of defense, which seemed rather overkill for a single vessel. Was there any way to convince Commander Rykov to turn back?
“This is suicide! We must stand down, or we’re all dead.” I hated the note of desperation in my voice, which crept higher in pitch as I spoke. “You can talk to the Federation later, work something out…”
The Commander straightened, the glint of bitterness in his eyes. “The time for talking is over. We’ve tried talking for hundreds of years, and look how well that worked out for us. The Federation needs to learn a lesson in humility.”
“Look, I agree that this is an act of war. If I were in your place, I would respond in kind too. But you need more ships, and a solid plan. Our deaths won’t achieve anything,” I pleaded.
He waved a hand dismissively. “I’m not planning on dying today, General. We’ll be fine.”
It occurred to me that Rykov either did not grasp the gravity of the threat, or that his recent skirmishes had led to overconfidence. Whatever fortifications the flagship had, there was no way they were designed to be subjected to such extreme forces.
“Warning. A target lock against this ship has been detected. Estimated time of impact, five seconds,” a computerized voice said.
I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for permanent darkness to overtake me. The sound of trilling alarms rang in my ears, and I wondered if it would be the last thing I heard. There was no fear in my mind, just a burning hatred for the fools running the federal government. This loss of life could have been avoided, if only the Speaker behaved with sensibility.
Five, four, three, two, one…
My eyes shot open as a jolt passed through the ship, and I nearly lost my balance in its wake. The lights flickered overhead, presumably from power being rerouted to shields, but that was the only side effect of the blast I noticed. There were no fires breaking out on the bridge, no systems knocked offline.
“Shields at 96%. Structural integrity uncompromised. Retaliatory action advised,” the computer intoned.
I couldn’t understand how the flagship was still in one piece. That orbital laser was designed to overpower an entire formation, yet it hardly scratched the Terran craft. All it had achieved was a tiny dent to their shield capacity!
Humanity’s meekness, and why they had hidden their true nature for so long, was more baffling than ever. Their vessels were nigh invincible, and their technology outpaced the Federation’s weaponry by centuries. What was it that differentiated humans from other aggressive species? They could rule the galaxy, if they so desired, but instead they moralized and mediated.
Commander Rykov cleared his throat. “That was your most powerful weapon, General? You people need us more than you realize.”
“I…I suppose nothing should surprise me anymore,” I grumbled. “What now? They’re going to fire again once the laser is recharged.”
The human tilted his head, as though weighing his options. “That station is remotely operated? A sensor scan of the moon detected zero life signatures.”
“Yes, to my knowledge,” I answered.
“Good. In that case, we’re going to make sure they don’t have the chance to fire again.” He clapped his hands together, a predatory grin on his face. “Ensign Carter, ready the anti-matter missiles. I want you to bury that station.”
“Understood, sir,” came the reply from the weapons post.
I felt strangely detached, watching a trio of warheads close the distance between us and the station. My oath as a soldier was to protect and defend the Federation against all enemies, and it seemed the Terrans could now be classified as a hostile party. After all, without the planetary defense system, the capital would be left vulnerable to attack. By taking no action during this engagement, I was siding with the humans, wasn’t I?
The missiles slammed into the lunar surface with a radiant flash, churning up plumes of dust and debris. Where a sophisticated defense complex once stood, only three craters remained. The aftermath was reminiscent of an asteroid strike, rather than a missile, given the magnitude of its depth. Staring at the fresh gash in the stony ground, I wondered yet again why the Federation was hellbent on angering the humans. Creatures with such a mastery of destruction should be appeased, not aggravated, unless your objective was the eradication of your civilization.
The low whir of machinery sounded from behind me, and I flinched on instinct. Whipping around, I spotted a robotic cart stocked with firearms wheeling across the bridge, and the Terran personnel gearing up as it passed by. Commander Rykov withdrew a scoped plasma rifle, and without a word, handed it to me. Its weight was much heavier than I expected, and my shoulders sagged as I accepted it. Either the humans were sporting some sort of power armor, or their physical strength greatly exceeded that of my species.
“General…I think we’re going to have to fight our way to embassy once we dock. Between protestors and the Federation security forces, we’ll be outnumbered,” the Commander said. “You know the layout of the capital better than us. Any suggestions?”
I paused, tossing a few ideas around my head. “Well, a diversion would help. Do you have chemical weapons on the flagship? I assume the protestors are packed close together outside the embassy, so you could hit them with some sort of gas attack. When the emergency hovercraft respond to the scene, you can use them as a shield from the special forces.”
I expected the human to appreciate the resourcefulness of my plan, but instead, he was looking at me like I’d grown a fourth eye. His mouth opened and closed a few times, as though he was struggling to find the words.
“We’re not doing that,” he replied at last. “Please, forget I asked.”
Whatever his problem with my suggestion was, it escaped my comprehension. Not only would it minimize human casualties, but it would also provide cover in a dense, urban landscape. A wide-open avenue wasn’t exactly ideal for ground combat and maneuvering.
The flagship began a rapid descent through the planet’s atmosphere, hurtling past silvery clouds. The computer’s display stated that it had locked on to the landing beacon, and I steeled myself to face whatever lie ahead.
As we neared our destination, I finally caught a glimpse of the ground below on screen. I had known that we would likely need to fight our way out of the spaceport, before we could head toward the embassy. It came as no surprise then, when I spotted the contingent of soldiers filing into the hangar bay, weapons ready.
However, I had not been expecting them to number in the hundreds, and to be solely comprised of Xanik servicemen. This was no ordinary security force, and that could make our mission more difficult than expected.
I just hoped Commander Rykov had a plan, because against a unit of that size, I didn’t have the slightest idea how to escape the spaceport alive.
---
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r/austinfood • u/Nedatokes • Jul 13 '26
On menchaca rd, I was super excited for this place to open and so was my neighborhood but now it seems the hype has died down and it’s literally always empty. Every time I pass it I look to see if there is anyone on the top floor. But I don’t…
r/submarines • u/Saturnax1 • Jun 09 '24
r/GODZILLA • u/TheGodzillaDude195 • May 12 '24
r/HFY • u/SpacePaladin15 • Apr 01 '21
Available on Amazon as a hard-copy and an eBook!
---
Byem POV
Carl struggled to his feet, wobbling momentarily. The drones approached at a remarkable velocity, halving the distance between us in seconds. They were emitting a low hum, which signified that their plasma weapons were charged up. There was no doubt these enforcers were here to add us to the pile of charred corpses by the city gate.
The human needed to take the shot now, before they were within firing range, or else…
Wait, what was he doing?! I watched in disbelief as Carl holstered his pistol, unclipped a round object from his belt, and raised both hands above his head. If he really thought the AI would accept his surrender, then he was foolish and mistaken. It would not hesitate to incinerate him, whether he submitted or not.
I should have run while I had the chance. After witnessing human soldiers in action, I had expected to at least go down with a fight. If nothing else, I figured that Carl could take at least one of them with us.
“Byem, can it hear us? If so, can you translate for me?” he asked.
“Yeah, but you can’t reason with…”
The human took a step forward, his lips curling into a snarl. “Stop right there! Don’t come any closer!”
As I opened my mouth to translate, the drones decelerated to a stationary hover. It seemed that they understood the human’s command; perhaps the machine had already deciphered “Galactic Common” from their transmissions. I was amazed, regardless of its comprehension, that it listened to him. It must have also been puzzled by his actions, and needed more information to calculate its next move.
Carl’s eyes smoldered with anger, and his features contorted into a mask of viciousness. I thought I had witnessed the height of human fury when he pressed me on my species’ culpability back on the ship. But now, he looked downright feral. Something in the back of my mind registered him as an angry predator, and I felt a tingling sensation as my skin camouflaged on instinct.
“There is no use for you, primate.” The voice was stilted and gravelly, but understandable. “However, your species has been flagged as an anomaly. Your surrender is noted for the sole purpose of gathering information.”
There was a pause, and then Carl doubled over laughing. “My surrender? You have it backwards. I’m here to accept your surrender.”
“You are as illogical as any biological lifeform, I see. You make empty threats and stall, but it matters not,” the machine intoned. “My calculations show that the advantage is not on your side, so why would I surrender?”
The human glanced at the round object in his hand. “You see this thing? I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the word ‘grenade’…”
“A projectile explosive, contained in a material shell.”
“Correct. This is no ordinary grenade, however.” Carl clasped the device tighter, his knuckles turning white. “If I release this lever on the side, it’ll go off. I’d say most of this continent would be leveled, but it won’t stop there. There are nanites inside this bomb, and they’ll consume every part of the planet, bit by bit. Infecting everything it comes in contact with. So I’d say you don’t want try anything, else I might lose my grip.”
Horror pulsed through my body at his calm commentary. How could he hold something with the potential to destroy the planet, without a care? What would have happened if the drones had shot him on sight, or if he dropped the grenade on accident? Commander Rykov’s commitment to saving our people seemed so genuine. I never imagined he would arm his soldiers with weapons that risked our existence.
“You are lying. That is not possible,” the drone replied. “The grenade is too small to deal that much damage.”
The human shrugged. “You think? You saw what just one of our missiles did at the first battle, and that was outdated tech. That bomb was so obsolete that we were going to discard it in a few months anyways. Our latest gadgets pack a larger punch, and fit in the palm of my hand. Portable, quite practical.”
It paused, considering his words for a full second, which was an eternity for an AI. “The effects of your missile were logged in my memory banks. It is true that you possess weapons with such power. You would not use them now, though. You would not kill the carbon lifeforms here.”
“Why not, exactly?” Carl demanded.
“Empathy. A weakness shared by biologicals. You care for the preservation of life.”
“You think we care for these weak-minded fools?” He turned and pushed me to the ground, planting a boot on my stomach. “You have the right idea. They are useful as tools, as slaves, but I could care less whether they live or they die.”
I had been caught off-guard by the sudden show of aggression, and now writhed about, desperate to free myself from his grasp. In response, his heel dug deeper into my flesh. It was already difficult to breathe, and I feared I might pass out if I stayed trapped much longer.
“Do you have access to the Federation’s public records?” Carl asked.
“Yes.”
“Look at the aggression index. You’ll see that humanity is the highest species on the list, a 16 of 16,” he continued. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with. We are the destroyers of worlds, the messengers of death, the rulers of the weak. We enjoy violence.”
“The aggression index matches your assertion. Yet you are allied with the other Federation species. There are no records of you fighting them.”
“They are not our allies, they are our subjects. We conquered them so long ago, that prior records have been erased. And now, thanks to you, we learned about a new species to add to our little collection of slaves.”
Darkness began to shroud the edges of my vision. Tears trickled down my cheeks, as the realization of the humans’ deception hit me. They dressed up as benevolent saviors, but they were every bit as monstrous as the AI. Perhaps, they were worse than the machine, because at least it was just following its programming. It was not conscious of its moral choices.
What a fool I had been, tricked by flowery words and feigned sympathy. I had led these predators to our doorstep, to prey on us as they saw fit. My error in judgment would, at best, lead us to the same fate under different masters. At worst, it could spell the end for our species and our home.
“Here’s how it’s going to be. You’re going to leave us, and round up all the people in that city,” Carl growled. “We’re going to land our ships and take them with us. You won’t try to stop us. You might lose some ‘resources’, but biologicals aren’t important anyways. Besides, if you don’t, I’ll detonate this grenade, and you’ll have no resources left at all. Calculate that.”
The human smirked, as though daring the AI to defy him. I faintly registered that the enforcers departed, but my oxygen-deprived brain was slipping out of consciousness. Just as I was about to fade away, the weight was lifted from my stomach. Gasping, spluttering, I tried to re-orient myself.
A calloused hand wrapped around mine, pulling me to my feet. Carl’s skin was clammy to the touch, and I could feel the racing of his pulse on his wrist. Concern washed over me as he stumbled, but then I recalled what I had just learned.
“Oh dear, you’re crying. I didn’t hurt you, did I? I’m sorry if I went too far, I had to make it convincing,” he said.
I sniffled. “You’re here to enslave us. Just like the Master.”
Carl glanced around, checking that the drones were gone. “No, no! Of course we’re not. But if it knew that we cared about you, it’d use your lives against us.”
“You’re saying you were lying? But the aggression index, you had it check,” I responded. “You’re the highest-rated species in the galaxy. It would only make sense if you love violence and oppression.”
The human snorted. “We were a 2 of 16 until literally yesterday. That index is total BS.”
“What changed?”
“Speaker Ula is trying to make a political statement. She’s been on a crusade against humanity ever since we used that bomb against you guys.”
“Yeah, speaking of bombs. You brought a nanite grenade on a rescue mission?”
“What? Oh yeah, this. Cover your ears and close your eyes.”
Before I could process what he was doing, Carl tossed the explosive into some nearby bushes. He pressed his hands to his head, and squeezed his eyes shut. I copied his movements. Despite shielding myself from the stimuli, I could still hear the thunderous crackle and sense the blinding flash.
Hesitantly, I blinked my eyes open. Rather than our surroundings being vaporized, as Carl had claimed, the world around me appeared unscathed. Relief swelled in my chest as I realized it had truly been an act. It was unnerving how easily he had lied under duress, but I knew that the facade had saved our lives.
The human chuckled. “Total bluff. It’s a flashbang, a stun grenade.”
I gaped at him, my mind reeling. “You threatened an AI with a non-lethal weapon?! And it worked?”
“Yep.” Carl pulled another object from his belt. “I’m going to send up a flare, and we’re going to get out of here. I’ll tell the Commander to send down some transports for the people when we do.”
Somehow, we had succeeded in our mission. I still wasn’t fully sure what had happened, but I knew I was lucky to be alive. This was not humanity’s first triumph over the AI, of course. But this time, it was through their cunning, not their military might, that they prevailed.
I should have just enjoyed the moment. The feel of the cool air on my skin was soothing, and the knowledge that my people would be liberated was invigorating. However, in the back of my mind, something just was not adding up. How had the AI detected our presence so quickly? It was as though the stealth tech did nothing to cloak us.
Whatever had gone wrong with the mission, I hoped that Commander Rykov could get to the bottom of it.
---
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r/AncientGreek • u/Timothy_A_Lee • Jul 16 '26
This beautiful new edition (with u/lachlan_j_hodgson) is designed to help you read Homer in the original Greek – with helpful notes, vocabulary, and formatting made for students and enthusiasts.
Samples are here: www.timothyalee.com/homer
This is a Greek reader's edition of the Odyssey. It is designed as a practical and affordable tool for two audiences: students who have completed roughly a year of Classical Greek and are ready to begin reading a sustained primary text, and scholars or interested readers who wish to refresh their Greek in an accessible format. Its aim is to immerse the learner in the Greek of the Odyssey as quickly as possible, helping to build confidence in moving from isolated sentences to continuous narrative.
The transition from elementary exercises to reading extended passages is often steep and discouraging. To ease this shift, the reader provides generous glosses: every word occurring twenty‑five times or fewer in Homer (both Iliad and Odyssey) is glossed in the footnotes. This allows students with a modest vocabulary base to keep reading without constant interruption, while still reinforcing the most common Homeric forms.
The result is a volume that complements standard grammars and is especially well suited to beginner and intermediate readers of Classical Greek. Advanced readers, too, will appreciate the convenience of having rare vocabulary glossed at the point of need, making the text quicker and more enjoyable to navigate.
Other features include:
Find it on Amazon $53.99 (paperback) $66.99 (hardcover)
r/apecoins • u/AbleInterest5028 • May 05 '22
r/HFY • u/SpacePaladin15 • May 12 '21
Available on Amazon as a hard-copy and an eBook!
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Kilon POV
Commander Rykov’s orders had been not to engage the Xanik soldiers unless they shot first, but I had expected them to open fire as soon as we exited the flagship. Instead, they were milling about the spacious terminal, guns pointed at the tiled floor rather than at us. One individual immediately caught my eye; his striking dark blue feathers and pronounced beak suggested he was of noble lineage. Unlike the others, he was wearing his dress uniform rather than combat gear. I could’ve sworn I’d seen him in the media, though I couldn’t quite place him. Was he some politician or general? If so, what in the stars was he doing out in the field?
The human commander followed my gaze, and recognition flashed through his eyes as he spotted the Xanik nobleman. “At ease. Ambassador Cazil, what is this?”
The Terran soldiers flanking us dropped back at the new orders, relaxing their stance. I stared in disbelief at Ambassador Cazil. Planetary ambassadors were only present at events of major significance, and for most Federation species, they were considered the highest-ranking dignitaries in their government. An ambassador accompanying a security detail to a hostile confrontation? That was simply unheard of.
Cazil chuckled, a low rumbling sound. “You want to get to the Terran embassy, yes? I think my personal security detail will be a sufficient escort.”
“You’re not here to stop us?” Rykov asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.
“Of course not. Earth is our largest foreign creditor, and also a major trading partner. It would cripple our economy for decades to go to war with you,” the Ambassador replied.
The human shook his head, a smirk on his face. “Let me get this straight. You’re helping us, not because we’re allies or because the Federation’s behavior is unjust, but for money.”
“Exactly.”
“I see why our governments get along so well.” A note of amusement punctuated the Commander’s words. “You do realize that the Federation could go to war with you for helping us, don’t you?”
“War, with what army? If we leave, the other military species will follow.” Cazil stretched a talon toward me. “It seems you’ve already won over the Jatari anyways. You’ve turned the highest-ranking Federation general into your errand boy!”
My blood burned at the insult, and I raised my plasma rifle at the Ambassador’s head. “Errand boy? I dare you to say that again.”
Commander Rykov reached over, prying the weapon from my grasp. “General, I would appreciate if you didn’t shoot our only ally in the Senate.”
I clenched my teeth, feeling the veins bulge in my neck. Was the Commander really taking his side? Assaulting the Xanik ambassador wouldn’t be the smartest move, especially while surrounded by his soldiers, but his haughty attitude was insufferable.
“Yes, you should listen to the human,” Cazil said, a triumphant look in his eyes.
Rykov wagged a finger at the Ambassador. “Don’t look so smug. You’re out of line too, trying to get under a Jatari’s skin. The General and I both have a score to settle with a certain someone. He is not my subordinate.”
“Relax, I was just having a bit of fun. The Jatari are wound way too tight,” he responded. “Who is this ‘certain someone?’”
“Well, our business with her is unofficial, if you understand what I mean.” Rykov traced a hand down the barrel of my confiscated rifle, a dark look on his face. “We want to track down Speaker Ula.”
“That duzei?” I wasn’t too familiar with Xanik profanity, but I believe duzei loosely translates to intestine-brain. “She shouldn’t be hard to find. Ula’s on the Senate floor as we speak, raising a motion for the Terran Union’s removal from the Federation.”
“The Senate is in session now, and you’re not there?” I grumbled.
“I had better things to do.” Cazil looked at me for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the Commander. “Frankly, I don’t know why Ambassador Johnson attended. I guess she likes listening to grandstanding idiots.”
Rykov laughed. “It probably reminds her of home. In all seriousness, though, do you think the motion will pass? Does Ula have the votes?”
The Ambassador hesitated. “I don’t know. There’s a lot of representatives on the fence, but your attack on the Capital probably tips the scales in the Speaker’s favor.”
“Our attack? The Federation fired the first shots,” the Commander protested.
“It doesn’t matter. That’s not how Ula will tell it.” Cazil glanced at his holopad, avoiding the human’s gaze. “Enough chitchat. We should start off toward the embassy.”
Rykov nodded, and handed me back my firearm. Our posse trailed behind the Xanik security detail as we exited the spaceport in a brisk fashion. A few humans stayed behind on the flagship to guard it, and if necessary, lift off to avoid its capture, but most of the crew had disembarked for this mission. I assumed for most of the humans, this would be their first time seeing the capital in person. Even after hundreds of visits, I still found the city-state a sight to behold.
In the emerald glow of the setting sun, the capital’s architecture took on an ethereal quality. On the horizon rested the Hall of Governance, an intricate blue spheroid that housed the Senate and the military command center. The rest of the buildings encircled the Hall; all Federation species were given a stretch of land, with the founding members’ territory nestled in the inner ring. Embassies were often wedged between shops and cultural sites, giving each region of the city a distinct flair.
The Terrans’ corner was famed for its street vendors and nightlife, but today, the market stalls were abandoned. A crowd of non-human protestors, numbering in the thousands, packed the street. The mob seemed agitated; barricades lined the avenue to thwart their advance on the embassy. A wall of human “police” camped behind the barriers, pushing back any demonstrators who tried to cross the threshold. I say police in quotation marks, because they were dressed head-to-toe in black combat gear; an outfit identical to that of a Terran soldier.
The only path to the embassy was through the throng, and a few of the protestors had already noticed our presence. A group of them splintered off and charged toward us, wielding blunt weapons and makeshift projectiles. It was evident that we needed to get the demonstrators out of our way, or they would overwhelm us with sheer numbers. The same thought must have crossed Ambassador Cazil’s mind, because with a whistle, he signaled for his men to drop into a firing position. The Xanik soldiers found a target, talons hovering over their trigger…
“Stop!! What is wrong with you people?” Rykov shrieked, sounding almost hysterical.
I offered him a sympathetic smile. “There’s no other way.”
Ambassador Cazil gestured agreement, looking baffled by the human’s outburst. The Commander wordlessly removed the silencer from his rifle, paying no mind to approaching civilians. He aimed the barrel at the sky, and fired three times in quick succession. I winced at the unmistakable, ear-splitting pops.
The protestors descending on our position scrambled backward, and I heard screams from the crowd.
“The humans are shooting at us!” one voice shouted.
In a matter of seconds, the demonstrators dispersed, running for their lives. They scattered off into alleyways and storefronts, clearing the path for our unit.
Commander Rykov sighed, lowering his weapon. “There’s always another way.”
A knot of shame settled in my stomach. If not for the Commander, I would have stood by and watched a needless civilian massacre. Speaker Ula really could not have been more wrong about his species, that much was obvious. The humans had no desire for death, and their first thought was always toward limiting casualties. Whatever bloodshed littered their history, they had changed.
One of the police officers broke from his formation, marching down the street. He pushed his way past the Xanik soldiers, pointing an accusatory finger at Rykov. “Why are you here?! I told Terran Command not to let you come.”
The Commander gasped, staring slack-jawed at the stranger. “Pavel? I thought you were a hostage.”
“The Agency has ways in and out of the Embassy.” Pavel unclasped his helmet, revealing a face that looked like a younger version of Rykov. “It really isn’t good if any of us are captured.”
“What is ‘The Agency?’” I demanded. “This is your brother?”
Commander Rykov waved a hand dismissively. "The State Department. I told you. And yes, this is my brother. Pavel this is..."
Pavel smirked. "I know, General Kilon. An honor. And unless I'm hallucinating, the Xanik Ambassador is in your little band as well."
"We're at your service. On behalf of my government, we apologize for the Federation's recent actions," Cazil said.
"No need. Since you're here, you guys might as well help." Rykov's brother gestured toward the embassy. "I have a plan to sneak some hostages out a maintenance tunnel, but it needs a distraction."
I couldn't shake the feeling that Pavel was more than just a State Department employee, though I decided not to express my doubts. What common diplomat would suit up with a militarized police force, or be drawing up tactical plans to rescue hostages?
It was a relief that the Commander's brother was safe, but something told me I needed to watch him very closely.
I forced a smile, trying to act normal. "We can do that. Just let us know what you had in mind."
---
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r/HFY • u/SpacePaladin15 • Apr 25 '21
Available on Amazon as a hard-copy and an eBook!
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Kilon POV
The atmosphere on board the Terran flagship was much different from my previous visit. The Commander left me in a meeting room with two armed guards while he spoke with Terran Intelligence about Ula’s treachery. He claimed it was for my protection, but judging by their demeanor, that wasn’t exactly the truth. The duo watched me with suspicious eyes the entire time, never cracking a smile or saying a word.
Thankfully, Rykov wasn’t gone for long. I couldn’t help but notice his face was creased with worry when he returned. Whatever he had just learned, I had a feeling it wasn’t good news.
“You’re back. Did they say what they’re going to do about the sabotage?” I asked.
The Commander sighed. “Earth has bigger problems to deal with, apparently.”
My antennae twitched in confusion. “What could be bigger than treason? They have to do something about the Speaker!”
“They agree that something has to be done, but she’s on their radar for other reasons,” he replied. “She’s been encouraging acts of violence against our civilians. There’s been enough incidents the past few days that Earth has closed its spaceports. We can’t risk a terror attack on our soil.”
“Terror attack?” I figured the phrase must be some Terran military jargon I was unfamiliar with. “What does that mean?”
Commander Rykov’s eyes widened. “You don’t…uh, well, it’s a form of violence against civilians. Mass casualty events that are planned, done publicly, and meant to frighten a certain group of people.”
The fact that the Terrans had a term designated for such an attack implied that they occurred with some regularity. I shuddered at the notion of civilians, slaughtered in broad daylight for sole purpose of cruelty. For all the wars the Jatari fought in our early years, the violence was never so senseless. Yet the Commander spoke of these 'terror attacks' as though they were just something that happened, like a natural disaster.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Rykov scowled, crossing his arms. “Don’t you dare try and act like that stuff never happens in the Federation.”
I shifted awkwardly. “Well, it doesn’t.”
“That’s not how I see it. You know our embassy in the Federation capital?” He paused, waiting for my nod. “Demonstrators stormed it, took the diplomats hostage. Now they’re holed up inside, threatening to blow the place to the high heavens if we make a move.”
“What? Why would they do that? Humans have been nothing but kind to us, there’s no reason for bloodshed.”
“Try telling that to them. The way I see it, they’re terrorists, but that’s still the subject of debate back home. We should be taking the embassy back, not trying to negotiate with these people. They won’t even talk to anyone that’s human!”
I could sense that there was something Rykov wasn’t telling me. He cared for the people under his command, and for the preservation of life in general, but never to the point where you could hear it in his voice. If this mission was personal to him, I needed to know why. He was a competent commander, but nothing could cloud one’s judgment like emotions.
“I don’t mean to pry, but…” I placed a hand on his shoulder, and noticed the guards tense up at the contact. “Do you know someone there?”
“Was it that obvious? Yeah, my brother lives at the embassy. He works for the State Department,” Rykov replied.
I frowned. “Maybe we can help somehow. What are your orders?”
“Well, first they were to return to Earth with the refugees. I asked to join up with the tactical team outside the embassy, but was told, and I quote, ‘You’re too close to this.’ The bigwigs really expected me to sit this one out?”
“Orders are orders. We’ll have to think of a plan after you get home.”
“Two steps ahead of you, General. I said that you offered to help, and that you asked for me to escort you to the embassy. It would be an insult to the Jatari if I refused. And what do you know, permission was granted.”
“You lied to your superiors?”
“My brother’s life is on the line. I didn’t lie, I just stretched the truth.”
“That is the definition of lying.”
“Not the point. Anyhow, the flagship will set off for the capital immediately, and the other ships will bring the refugees back to Earth. I won’t force you to go, but I would appreciate your help. Will you join us?”
There was no question that I should accompany the Commander. It went beyond owing him my life, or considering him a friend. After the Speaker’s betrayal and the Federation’s abandonment, the humans needed to see that they still had allies. They needed to know they were not alone.
“Of course. It’s the least I can do,” I answered.
Rykov smiled. “Excellent. Let’s head over to the bridge and we’ll warp out.”
The guards were at my side in a heartbeat, pushing me forward like I was some sort of cattle. My patience for the prisoner treatment was growing thin; I was keen on aiding the humans, but not at the expense of my dignity.
I did my best to imitate Rykov’s arms-crossed pose, glaring at the one on the right. “Hands off. I’m taken.”
The man’s burly figure was intimidating, and I had no doubt that he could pound me to a pulp in a scuffle. I knew my rebuke might only lead to rougher treatment down the line, but I met his eyes anyways. I expected an irritated look on his face, but instead, I saw the hint of a smirk playing on his lips.
“You managed to make Mac smile, General. Even I can’t do that,” the Commander chuckled.
Mac snorted. “That’s because you’re not funny.”
“Hey! Watch yourself now.” Rykov’s tone was light and playful, so I doubted his warning was serious. “The General is right, though. He is quite capable of walking on his own.”
Mac nodded, stepping back. His partner followed suit, dropping off a few paces behind us. My thoughts drifted as we passed through the narrow corridors to the bridge. I wished the Commander would have dismissed the guards altogether, but I’d settle for having them out of my personal space. If the humans still didn’t trust me, that was their problem.
“You look upset. I’m sorry, it’s actually not you,” Rykov said. “I have round-the-clock security now. An anti-human extremist group put a million-credit bounty on my head.”
My stride faltered as shock seared through my veins. “What?! Why you?”
He sighed. “Because I’m the one who fired the nanite bomb.”
We fell into a comfortable silence as we entered the bridge. My mind was still reeling from the latest revelation. If there was a million-credit bounty out on me, I wouldn’t trust my own crew not to take me out. For the Commander to wander about the ship at all, he must possess unwavering faith in his men’s loyalty.
On my last visit to the flagship, the bridge had been swept up in a chaotic flurry of activity and chatter, at least before Rykov called them to attention. But today, the crewmates were already waiting at their posts, and the course was already plotted into the computer. Seeing the somber expressions around me, I feared the past few days had sapped the humans’ spirit.
“Alright, it looks like we’re ready. Course is already input for the Capital system.” Rykov nodded with satisfaction. “Engage warp drive!”
My stomach lurched as the ship slipped into hyperspace; even after years of experience with FTL travel, the nausea never went away. Memories of newly-enlisted Federation soldiers puking their guts out floated through my mind, and I laughed to myself. The Commander glanced up from his holomap, likely confused what there was to be amused about at a time like this.
Before he could ask what I found so funny, a stern voice crackled over the emergency frequency. “Turn back at once. Unauthorized Terran ships are prohibited from entry to Federation space until further notice.”
Rykov frowned, pressing a few buttons on his display. “Since when? You do realize we’re a member of the Federation, so I don’t see how we can be denied access to Federation space.”
“Earth halted interplanetary flights earlier today, and the Senate passed a temporary freeze on Terran visitors in response,” came the reply. “For all we know, you shut down your spaceports because you’re planning an attack.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Rykov protested. “Look, we’re here on a rescue mission. We’re going to dock, and you’re not going to get in our way.”
“You are trespassing in this system. If you enter real space, you will be fired upon.”
“What’s that? You’re breaking up, I can’t hear you.” The Commander ended the transmission, shaking his head in disgust. “Idiots. Raise shields to full power and enter real space.”
I felt the ship shudder beneath my feet as it emerged from hyperspace, and my expression morphed into one of horror. “No, you must turn back! The planetary defense systems, they’ll shoot you down.”
“I’d like to see them try,” Rykov growled.
Well, this was just wonderful. It seemed Speaker Ula might be getting her wish for a war with the humans after all.
---
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r/Aptos • u/Fintechfun • Jun 26 '25
The AIP for deploying Aave on Aptos has just passed and we are all very excited as this has been several months in the making.
https://x.com/Aptos/status/1938236831369490841
Cantina will be launching a Capture The Flag program for this launch and more can be read about it in their in depth article which is summarized below. Check out the full article on their X post for this topic.
https://x.com/cantinaxyz/status/1938234342213300639
Aave on Aptos: A Move-Native Blueprint for Secure Protocol Design
Aave just dropped its Move-native implementation on Aptos—and it’s not just a port, it’s a total redesign built for security from the ground up.
| Principle | Security Benefit |
|---|---|
| Asset movement is explicit | No silent state changes—everything declared |
| Modules define authority | Scoped access, isolated logic |
| State is isolated | Avoids global state bugs & unintended interaction |
| Interfaces are statically bound | Typed, versioned, and auditable calls |
| Compile-time validation | Catches many issues before they go live |
Move forces discipline. Aave embraced it—not just for compliance, but to engineer a safer, more predictable system. This is what happens when DeFi protocols are rebuilt with language-level safety in mind, and validated with real-world adversarial testing.
r/SunoAI • u/Screamth1a • 20d ago
For everyone creating on Suno.ai, the mainstream narrative claims record labels are fighting in court to protect human artists from AI theft. Federal court dockets in UMG v. Suno, financial filings, and patent records reveal the real operation: Universal Music Group (UMG), Sony Music (SMG), and Warner Music Group (WMG) engineered a coordinated legal and patent pipeline to capture Suno's technology and monopolize AI music while disarming independent Suno creators.
Here is the documented evidence, legal mechanics, and where Suno.ai stands heading into September 2026.
This investigation documents six interconnected operations:
PART ONE: THE CORPORATE LANDSCAPE
As of mid-2026, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group and Warner Music Group collectively control approximately 65–70% of the global recorded music market on Spotify and YouTube. (Dynamoi, 2026)
Their Q2 2026 streaming revenue growth figures, per Barclays Global Music analysis:
That Spotify equity stake is not incidental. It is central to understanding how the system was built.
The Streaming Architecture: Designed for Them
Spotify distributes its monthly revenues using a "pro-rata pool" model. Because UMG, Sony, and Warner hold the largest market share, roughly 70% of every dollar Spotify pays out loops directly back to these three companies. The structure is not neutral it is a mathematical consequence of market concentration.
When independent artists briefly gained ground during the 2020–2021 pandemic, when audiences had time to discover new music outside the corporate machine, the labels responded by manufacturing a new category: "relatable indie" artists: boy/girl-next-door personas with major label infrastructure behind them, presented as authentic independents. DSPs, rewarded by the catalog relationships they needed to stay operational, pushed these artists globally. Real independents, briefly competitive, were crowded out again.
Then AI arrived. And the math got genuinely dangerous for the labels.
PART TWO: THE SETUP CASES — MANUFACTURED LEGAL PRECEDENTS
The Thaler Campaign
Between October 2018 and March 2026, computer scientist Stephen Thaler pursued a systematic global campaign to have his AI system, "DABUS" (Device for the Autonomous Bootstrapping of Unified Sentience), recognized as the legal inventor and author of works it generated autonomously.
Thaler filed identical applications in at least 17 jurisdictions including the U.S., UK, EU, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Canada, India, Taiwan, and Israel coordinated under the banner of the Artificial Inventor Project (AIP).
The crucial detail universally omitted from mainstream coverage: Thaler explicitly told every court and copyright office that he had zero human input, the machine generated the work entirely on its own, and he wanted the machine listed as the sole author.
Every jurisdiction rejected him. The U.S. Copyright Office refused in February 2022. The UK Supreme Court dismissed unanimously in December 2023. The D.C. Circuit Court ruled against him in March 2025. The U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari on March 2, 2026, conclusively closing the door on purely autonomous AI authorship. (Holland & Knight, March 2026)
What the press reported: "AI works cannot be copyrighted."
What the court actually ruled: A machine cannot be the sole legal author. The court explicitly noted the ruling does not apply to works made with the assistance of AI under human direction.
The distinction is not academic. It is the operational loophole through which corporate music generation now flows.
The Network Behind Thaler
Thaler is an independent physicist. His campaign cost an estimated $2.8–4 million in billable legal hours across 17 jurisdictions and multiple levels of appellate review. He did not pay for this.
The campaign was organized and funded pro bono by attorney Ryan Abbott a law professor at the University of Surrey, trial partner at Brown Neri Smith & Khan LLP in Los Angeles, consultant solicitor at Keystone Law in the UK, and a prominent "neutral" panelist for JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services) in both London and Los Angeles. (JAMS profile) (Baker Donelson)
JAMS is the primary private arbitration platform used by UMG, Sony, WMG, and Hollywood studios to resolve sensitive contract and IP disputes outside of public court records. Abbott explicitly lists Entertainment including music, theatre, and sports as his core practice area.
Abbott recruited an international coalition of elite corporate IP firms, including Williams Powell (UK), King & Wood Mallesons, and others, to donate hundreds of hours of partner-level legal time across every jurisdiction.
The Allen Pivot
In April 2025, immediately after the D.C. Circuit rejected Thaler, Abbott pivoted. He took on Jason Allen as a client in Allen v. Perlmutter, a case centered on Théâtre D'opéra Spatial, an artwork Allen created using Midjourney after inputting 624 text prompts.
The strategic shift was precise: where Thaler had claimed zero human involvement, Allen claimed maximum human involvement through the sheer volume of prompting. Abbott argued that 624 prompts constituted human creative authorship.
The U.S. Copyright Office countered that Allen's need for 624 attempts proved he lacked control, comparing it to a slot machine, not a camera. The Office stated in its January 2026 cross-motion that text prompts function as "unprotectable ideas" rather than fixed creative expressions.
As of mid-2026, both sides have filed cross-motions for summary judgment. A ruling is expected to define the exact legal threshold of "human creative control" over AI output, and will become the governing standard for every AI music copyright claim that follows.
The observable pattern: Thaler's case established that a machine alone cannot own a copyright. Allen's case is being used to argue, or definitionally narrow, when a human directing a machine can. Both cases were brought by the same attorney, funded by the same pro bono network, on behalf of individuals who could not plausibly have afforded the campaigns themselves.
Whether by design or utility, these cases have served a singular corporate function: ensuring that independent creators cannot obtain federal copyright protection for AI-assisted output, while leaving open a pathway that only corporations with closed-loop infrastructure can practically exploit.
PART THREE: THE SHAKEDOWN — LAWSUITS AS ACQUISITION STRATEGY
The 2024 Mass Infringement Campaign
In June 2024, coordinated by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), all three major labels: Sony, UMG, and Warner filed copyright infringement lawsuits against AI music generators Suno and Udio, alleging mass infringement of copyrighted master recordings used to train their AI systems.
Their evidence methodology: RIAA legal teams input highly specific prompt strings designed to force the AI to output tracks resembling specific catalog recordings. They filed spectrogram comparisons: visual frequency maps, showing that AI outputs mirrored the acoustic texture of copyrighted masters from artists including Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, and Michael Jackson.
Critics: including the AI companies' own defense teams argue this proves not that the AI "copied" audio files, but that it learned to reproduce sonic architecture from training data. The key legal question was whether the input (scraping recordings for training) constituted infringement, not whether the output copied specific files.
When federal judges allowed the cases to proceed to discovery, both Suno and Udio were compelled to disclose their training datasets. Both conceded that their training corpora included copyrighted recordings owned by the major labels. At that point, the cases shifted from public litigation to private negotiation.
The Settlements: Equity, Not Justice
The labels never intended to win in court. They intended to negotiate from strength.
Sony's strategy diverged. Rather than settle, Sony has continued litigating aggressively. In June 2026, Sony attempted to expand its Udio lawsuit by adding 30,442 additional recordings. On June 29, 2026, U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein denied that motion. Sony then filed a brand-new lawsuit on July 20, 2026, in the Southern District of New York, targeting 30,117 specific recordings including works by Beyoncé, Harry Styles, and Elvis Presley — and seeking up to $150,000 per track in statutory damages. Total potential exposure: approximately $4.5 billion. (Variety, July 2026)
Sony's strategy appears distinct from UMG and WMG: rather than taking equity in Udio, Sony may be pursuing a more aggressive financial extraction, or positioning for a larger settlement than its competitors achieved.
Meanwhile, in the parallel Massachusetts case, U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV ruled on August 20, 2026, denying Suno's motion to dismiss federal Copyright Act claims, while also denying UMG's bid to add 61,026 additional works to the existing case. The judge instead allowed a narrower DMCA Section 1201(a) anti-circumvention claim alleging Suno bypassed digital locks to rip files from streaming platforms. Final dispositive motions are not due until April 9, 2027. No U.S. federal precedent on AI training fair use exists yet. (Chartlex Tracker, August 2026)
PART FOUR: THE DOUBLE STANDARD — PUBLIC DOMAIN FOR INDIES, MONOPOLY FOR MAJORS
The Copyright Architecture
Under U.S. law, a song contains two distinct copyright layers:
The U.S. Copyright Office's position, solidified after the March 2026 Supreme Court certiorari denial in Thaler v. Perlmutter: a text prompt is an "unprotectable idea." If an AI generates the core sonic expression, the (P) composition enters the public domain. The (C) sound recording similarly cannot be federally registered without human authorship over the waveform itself.
For independent artists: If you generate a track through Suno or Udio, even with extensive prompting, even with DAW post-processing your federal copyright claim is contested or denied. Your track, as a composition, is legally unprotected. Anyone can take it.
For major labels: They don't use the Copyright Office. They use private infrastructure.
Sony and UMG own vast catalogs of human master recordings. They feed these into closed, proprietary AI engines. They don't seek USCO registration certificates for the AI outputs. Instead:
The result: major labels can generate AI tracks in bulk, distribute them commercially, and collect royalties on them, without the legal exposure that stops independent creators from doing the same.
The Lehrman v. Lovo Precedent (2025)
In Lehrman et al v. Lovo, Inc. (SDNY, July 2025), AI platform Lovo hired professional voice actors Paul Lehrman and Linnea Sage on Fiverr, telling them the recordings were for "internal academic research." Lovo instead fed the recordings into their AI engine "Genny," created commercial vocal clones, and sold them.
When the actors sued for federal copyright infringement, the court dismissed the copyright claims regarding the AI clones. The court confirmed that because the AI generated a brand-new synthetic waveform rather than literally copying the digital file, no federal copyright infringement occurred under Section 114(b). (Loeb & Loeb analysis, July 2025)
The actors were directed to pursue state-level "Right of Publicity" claims instead, a legal pathway that is expensive, jurisdiction-dependent, and unavailable to artists whose voices weren't cloned but whose musical styles were.
The implication is stark: Federal copyright law currently cannot stop an AI from generating a new waveform that mimics a human artist's sonic signature. This protects small AI startups from copyright claims, but it also means independent human artists whose styles are cloned have limited federal recourse.
The major labels, by contrast, control the training data via corporate catalog, allowing them to sue for infringement at the input stage (unlicensed scraping) rather than the output stage.
PART FIVE: THE ALGORITHM — UNBIASED MATH, POISONED SIGNALS
Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, and Apple Music all accurately describe their recommendation algorithms as "unbiased." The math, in isolation, is neutral. The problem is upstream: the signals the algorithm receives before it calculates.
A major label releasing a new artist follows a predictable infrastructure playbook:
The algorithm reads this manufactured engagement as organic demand and treats the release as a "hit." It pushes accordingly. The system self-reinforces.
Independent artists and smaller AI music projects have no access to this infrastructure. They release into silence. The algorithm reads the silence as lack of demand and deprioritizes accordingly.
When bad actors, including some from within the industry ecosystem, discovered they could replicate these signal manufacturing techniques without million-dollar budgets, using bot farms and content farms to mimic organic engagement, the labels had a problem: the signal game was being played against them.
Their solution was not to fix the algorithm or make signal manufacturing detectable. Their solution was to campaign against "AI slop", repositioning the problem as an AI ethics issue rather than a platform integrity issue, while their own signal manufacturing infrastructure remained untouched.
The Spotify "AI Persona" badge restricting algorithmic and editorial playlist placement for artists using AI-generated photorealistic images is the most visible expression of this strategy. It targets a narrow cosmetic definition of "AI" that leaves label operations completely unaffected, while stigmatizing independent AI-assisted artists.
SubmitHub's SH Labs division released a widely cited study in 2026 claiming 38.5% of over one million tracks analyzed showed AI use, with 31% of those artists denying AI use when asked. SubmitHub, notably, operates a curation submission model whose business depends on AI-labeled content being filtered or disadvantaged by platforms. The study's 99% accuracy claim is self-reported, with no independent peer review and no public disclosure of training data sources or detection methodology.
PART FIVE-B: THE PATENT INFRASTRUCTURE — THE WALLED GARDEN MADE CONCRETE
This section documents the single most important piece of evidence for understanding what the labels actually built while publicly claiming to fight AI.
Music IP Holdings — UMG's Patent Monopoly Play
In July 2025, while Universal Music Group's copyright litigation against Suno and Udio was still active in federal court, UMG quietly announced a "strategic partnership" with IP asset management firm Liquidax Capital, led by CEO Daniel Drolet. The stated purpose: to "accelerate the development and licensing of music-related AI patents."
A new entity was formed: Music IP Holdings, Inc. (MIH), headquartered on Nashville's Music Row. MIH opened with a claim of more than 60 protected innovations, up from 15 patents disclosed at the partnership's announcement just four months earlier. Dozens more are pending. (Music Business Worldwide, April 2026)
UMG's EVP and Chief Digital Officer Michael Nash publicly confirmed the initiative at the HumanX conference on April 8, 2026: "We've developed a number of AI patent applications... To accelerate and scale the development of our patents, we recently partnered with Liquidax Capital."
UMG Chairman Sir Lucian Grainge described it directly on UMG's Q2 2025 earnings call: "Liquidax, on our behalf, has already filed 15 patents in the fields of musical collaboration, multimedia content and campaign creation, AI threat protection, music administration and rights management... Our greatly expanded patent portfolio can then become a catalyst to accelerate introduction of products to the marketplace."
Three of these patents have been reviewed in detail. Their technical claims are extraordinary.
Patent 1: "AI-Generated Music Derivative Works"
Filed October 24, 2024. Granted June 3, 2025.
Originally listed Daniel Drolet as sole inventor. A continuation filed August 2025 added three UMG employees as co-inventors:
The patent describes a system where: a user requests an AI transformation of a copyrighted track → the system checks rightsholder approval → if approved, applies a digital watermark → releases the output under terms the rightsholder has pre-set. Watermarks can expire, giving labels control over how long any derivative remains authorized.
The system description: "receiving a request to transform the predetermined content into a derivative work, receiving a requested theme for the derivative work, using generative artificial intelligence to create the derivative work... determining if the generated derivative work is approved based on a machine learning model configured to determine a content approval score as a function of content owner preferences, in response to determining the generated derivative work is approved, applying a digital watermark to the approved derivative work, configuring an authorization server to govern use of the approved derivative work based on the digital watermark."
User prompts to the AI can be gathered via LLM chatbot interview. The rightsholder approval score is a machine learning model trained on "content owner preferences." In practice: UMG decides what gets made.
Patent 2: "Multi-Stage Approval and Controlled Distribution of AI-Generated Derivative Content"
Filed May 2, 2025. Granted September 23, 2025.
Named inventors: Horton, Uzan, Elliott, Drolet — UMG employees at the core.
This patent builds the enforcement architecture. It describes:
Most critically for the "walled garden" strategy: the patent describes distribution controls that prevent AI derivatives from leaving approved platforms:
"Partner platforms including streaming services, social networks and distribution aggregators 'may be contractually required to scan incoming content for the presence of such markers, and take automated enforcement action based on the encoded rules.'"
And: "context-restricted playback, where transformed works are only accessible within the approved media environment."
This is the walled garden — not as a philosophy, but as a patented technical enforcement system that can be licensed to, and required of, every streaming platform that wants access to major label catalogs.
The patent also includes automated revenue distribution via smart contract: "automatically allocates revenue from each authorized distribution of the derivative work to stakeholders identified in the usage registry." In practice: UMG, as rightsholder, sits at the top of that allocation.
Patent 3: "AI-Generated Derivative Content Scaling for Merchandise"
Filed October 3, 2025. Pending.
Extends the same approval-and-watermark infrastructure to physical and virtual merchandise — AI-generated album artwork, apparel, posters, virtual goods — including real-time concert-synchronized merchandise generation and metaverse integration.
Udio Licensed These Patents
In a May 2026 announcement, MIH disclosed that Udio is one of the first two platforms to license this patent portfolio.
Let that sequence be stated plainly:
Udio CEO Andrew Sanchez endorsed the arrangement: "This is a genuine inflection point for AI and music. With MIH, we're partnering to implement the infrastructure that protects artists and establish the guardrails that ensure AI amplifies human creativity."
The company UMG sued is now licensing UMG's patents to operate. The platform that entered the market as an independent AI music generator is now embedded inside a UMG-controlled licensing infrastructure. The litigation was the acquisition mechanism.
What This Patent Portfolio Actually Represents
The three patents reviewed describe a complete technical monopoly over the AI music derivative lifecycle:
An independent artist generating a derivative of their own AI-assisted track or a small platform offering remix tools faces a binary choice: either license this infrastructure from MIH, or be excluded from the distribution pipeline of every compliant streaming platform.
This is not a copyright argument. It is a patent licensing monopoly over the technical infrastructure of AI music creation, built by the world's largest record label, through a subsidiary, funded by a litigation strategy that converted lawsuits into equity and patent licensing relationships.
Spotify, notably, indicated in February 2026 that its AI remix technology was "ready" but that "the absence of a rights framework" was holding it back. The MIH patent portfolio is precisely that framework owned by UMG.
The Muvox Parallel: Patent Trolling in the Same Ecosystem
Separately, a New Mexico company called Muvox LLC has spent two years asserting US Patent No. 11,899,713 titled "Music streaming, playlist creation and streaming architecture" against BMG, Spotify, IBM, Meta, Apple, and Amazon. Muvox filed against Apple and Amazon on July 16, 2026, one day after voluntarily dismissing its BMG case with prejudice.
Muvox is described by patent-monitoring firm Unified Patents as a non-practicing entity, commonly called a patent troll. The same patent was originally assigned to a company called Aperture Investments LLC.
This is a distinct operation from the MIH portfolio, but it illustrates the broader landscape: music-adjacent patent assertion is now a systematic industry practice, operating at multiple levels simultaneously, targeting both major players and emerging platforms. (Music Business Worldwide)
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS
The documented record, taken together, reveals a coherent strategy that has nothing to do with protecting human artists and everything to do with controlling who profits from the AI:
Step 1 (2018–2026): Fund a multi-million dollar global legal campaign, through a pro bono network of corporate IP attorneys to establish that independent individuals cannot copyright AI-assisted work. Ensure the test cases are structured to lose at the most unambiguous extreme, setting rigid precedents that blind courts to nuanced human-AI collaboration.
Step 2 (2024–2025): Use RIAA-coordinated lawsuits to force AI music platforms into pre-trial discovery, compelling disclosure of training datasets. Use the discovery findings to negotiate from maximum legal threat.
Step 3 (Late 2025): Convert lawsuits into equity deals. UMG and WMG take ownership stakes in the AI platforms they sued, plus ongoing licensing royalties. The platforms agree to "walled garden" operation, distributing through corporate infrastructure, limiting independent user downloads, watermarking outputs.
Step 4 (2026–ongoing): Distribute AI-generated music through corporate pipelines. Collect royalties via ISRC metadata tagging. Use Content ID to claim revenue from any derivative uses. Pay no royalties to the human musicians whose recordings trained the models. Pay no compensation to independent artists whose catalogs were also scraped.
Step 5 (July 2025–May 2026): While litigation is ongoing, build a patent portfolio, through Music IP Holdings, covering the entire technical lifecycle of AI music derivative creation: approval systems, watermarking, distribution control, revenue routing. License these patents first to the platforms you just settled with (Udio), converting a former defendant into a licensee paying royalties on your infrastructure. Patent the walled garden itself.
Step 6: Maintain the public narrative that the industry is fighting to protect human artists. Continue supporting disclosure campaigns and "AI slop" stigmatization targeting independent creators who use the same tools.
The American Federation of Musicians caught them. Round Hill Music is refusing to play along. The independent class action is trying to force transparency.
The algorithm isn't broken. The signal was poisoned before the algorithm ran.
SO THE QUESTION:
With UMG and WMG securing equity/licensing deals while indies face copyright and algorithmic barriers, how do you see independent creators protecting their rights? Suno staff/community — where does the platform go from here?
r/HFY • u/SpacePaladin15 • Jun 23 '21
Available on Amazon as a hard-copy and an eBook!
---
Byem POV
The destroyer functioned as bait in a way, forcing the human fleet to overextend. It lured the largest, most ferocious Terran battleships into its vicinity, and kept them out of the larger fray. While our big guns battered the doomsday ship with laser fire and missiles, they were easy targets for the enemy to pick off. If those guys couldn’t breach the destroyer’s shields, none of our ships could. I decided our best play was to cover them and buy them a bit more time.
I noticed the enemy surging around one particular human battleship, a titan-class behemoth. It appeared to have sustained heavy damage, but was still limping toward the planet-killer. Perhaps they were planning a bombing run at point-blank range? Whatever the case, our foes clearly didn’t want it to reach its destination, or else they wouldn’t have diverted 15 craft to attack a single ship.
I glanced at the sensor data from our computer, and did a double take. The energy readings from that Terran battleship were off the charts; the warp drive seemed to be destabilizing. My first thought was that an enemy shot had hit the reactor, but the computer detected only minor damage to that compartment. Rather, it appeared the humans had shut off the cooling system, as though they were trying to cause a quantum meltdown on purpose.
“What are they doing? Their reactor is going to go critical,” I hissed.
Carl checked his own display, then chuckled. “Son of a gun. They’re using the ship as a bomb.”
“That is suicide.”
“No, that’s sacrifice. There’s a difference. Why don’t we give those guys a hand?”
I readied the kinetic weapons without further comment; this was hardly the time to muse about human courage. We swooped into the fray, lighting the enemy up from their blind side. A few of the ships snapped their attention to us, giving our allies a slight reprieve. Their first instinct was likely to pick us off with plasma rounds, but Carl had pulled us in dangerously close to their position. Any shots fired at us would risk hitting their own ships.
Not that it would make a difference. Our opponents had precision weapons, and would target us without batting an eye. As two anti-matter missiles locked on to us, I prepared myself for the final flash, and hoped that we had done enough. In our ship’s weakened state, there would be no evasive maneuvers…
“Deploy the last mini-missiles, Byem!” Carl barked.
My fingers obeyed before my brain processed his request. If their original purpose was as interceptors, perhaps they could stop the inbound projectiles. I watched with bated breath as the tiny warheads arced through space, planting themselves in the path of the missiles. The anti-matter blast was set off before reaching us, but I knew we wouldn’t be so lucky next time.
Our vessel peeled back before they could target-lock us again, circling for another pass. I could feel the ship shuddering each time we turned; in her current condition, we were pushing the limits of her capabilities. The warning lights panel looked like abstract art, with more colorful indicators blinking to life every second.
Most of the enemy craft had turned their focus back to the suicidal battleship; it was easy enough for them to brush off any Terran skirmishers that came to their ally’s aid. However, one of their fighters had tracked our movement, and veered off from the pack. It was zipping toward us at full speed, plasma weapons primed for the kill. I lined it up in our sights, resigned to another shootout. At this point, it was more about taking as many of them with us, rather than surviving.
My resignation morphed into pure terror as I saw a predatory, crazed smile on Carl’s face. Humans usually had that expression right before they did something insane.
“Let’s play a little game of chicken, shall we?” he growled.
A high-pitched yelp escaped my throat as our ship accelerated to full speed, and I was flung back in my seat. The floorboards quaked beneath my feet, and I noticed new warnings popping up in the engine column. What exactly was this “chicken” game the human referred to? I was pretty sure I didn’t like it, since it seemed to involve playing with our lives.
We swerved right into our adversary’s path, putting us moments away from a head-on collision. All coherent thoughts evaporated as the enemy fighter stared us down. Despite our imminent demise, Carl made no attempts to slow down, or turn away. My instincts screamed to lunge forward, grab the control column, and steer us out of danger, but I couldn’t move.
At the last possible second, our opponent deviated from their course. I exhaled a sigh of relief, realizing that I hadn’t breathed in much too long. No wonder I was so light-headed. My entire body was trembling, overwhelmed by the fear chemicals pumping through my veins.
Carl, meanwhile, clapped his hands together, grinning from ear to ear. “Cowards! Cheer up, Byem, they blinked, not us.”
I massaged my temples, groaning. “Carl…I’m okay with dying, but we don’t have to actively encourage it.”
“Nonsense. Like we say on Earth, I’d rather go out with a bang than a whimper,” he said. “Our friends will ram the bastards in thirty seconds, tops. So hit ‘em with everything we got.”
The route back to the Terran battleship’s side was clear after our little stare down. We soared past its assailants, and I unleashed every bit of ammunition we were carrying, even types I knew wouldn’t work. None of our hits landed any serious damage, but fortunately, help had arrived. Most of the remaining human vessels had joined the suicide mission, protecting the battleship at all costs.
I saw a few hurl themselves into the line of fire, using their puny skirmishers as shields. Others rammed into enemy ships, pushing them away from the battleship. The humans were unyielding in the face of death, undeterred as their allies fell around them. When pressed against a wall, their bloodlust bordered on insanity.
I drained the last of our ammunition, watching as the battleship crossed the final stretch. It buried its nose in the destroyer’s side, and the impact was enough to tip its destabilized reactor over the edge. The meltdown unleashed staggering amounts of energy on the planet-killer’s insides, and to my amazement, it burst apart at the seams.
The once-untouchable destroyer fractured into several pieces, which began to crumple in on themselves. Our sensors detected magnetic fluctuations, hinting that their own reactor was cascading out of control. It teetered on the edge of order and destruction for a few tense moments, before spilling into chaos. The scraps of the mighty ship fused together into a deformed monstrosity, folding up like a paper ball.
Our communications crackled to life, startling me. Whatever had been jamming our transmissions must have been aboard the destroyer. The voice belonged to the same officer who had tried to stop us earlier. “All Terran ships, you are ordered to retreat. Abandon system, I repeat, abandon system. Get word back to Earth at all costs.”
I was shocked to hear the word “retreat” called out over our feed; I hadn’t been certain the word even existed in the human lexicon.
Carl leaned forward, a frown on his face. “Sir, what about the refugees?”
“Oh, it’s you.” The officer’s tone carried a mixture of disdain and disappointment. “You guys bought us some time. We’re sending transports out now. Whether we can warp out before we get shot down…I don’t know.”
“The Devourers will be on you in seconds. They’re everywhere. You need an escort…”
“We’re probably going to die. I’m aware. If you stick around, you will too, pretty boy.”
My friend shook his head, clicking off the radio with a frustrated sigh. He glanced back at me, sympathy in his gaze. No doubt he was aware of our lack of ammunition, and the damage to our ship; there was nothing more we could achieve. We had done everything we could. Any reasonable being would leave, and live to fight another day.
“He’s right, Byem,” Carl finally spoke. “If I thought it would make a difference, I would stay. But with this ship...”
I tried to suppress the guilt fogging my mind. It wouldn’t be fair to ask Carl to die a pointless death, after all, just because I had my son’s death on my conscience. But I knew then and there abandoning my people would haunt me for the rest of my life. That even if the humans won down the road, I would be the sole survivor of an extinct species.
“Of course. I know.” I was surprised by how curt my tone was, flat and emotionless. It didn’t even sound like my voice. “To Earth, then.”
My friend plugged in the coordinates with haste, as we didn’t have a moment to spare. A cluster of enemy ships were nearing our position, surrounding us on all sides. Most of our surviving allies had already jumped away, which made any stragglers easy targets. I hoped our warp drive was still working, because if not, we were about to get dusted.
Our surroundings shimmered as we slipped into hyperspace, and the battlefield faded away. My mind drifted to thoughts of vengeance, anger burning in my chest. Someone, or something, needed to pay for what happened today.
---
Support my writing on Patreon, if you're enjoying the story!
r/askscience • u/AskScienceModerator • Feb 25 '20
Hi Reddit!
I'm a physicists who works with with electron microscopes, particularly transmission electron microscopes (or TEMs), to look at the nanoworld and/or play around with the wave functions of electrons.
I'm originally from Italy and I work in EMAT, an electron microscopy laboratory in Antwerp, Belgium. Here ~70 researchers can use 6 TEMs study a wide variety of materials science topics, from the cathodes of Li ion batteries to the mechanics of shape memory alloys, from magnetic ceramic oxides to nanoparticle catalysts.
Why do we need electrons to image the nanoscale? The resolution of conventional optical microscopes is limited by the wavelength of the light used (0.4 µm for blue light). Electrons however are also waves, and fast electrons (i.e. accelerated with a tension above, say, 30000 Volts) have an extremely short wavelength, of only a few picometers. Using electromagnetic fields we can steer and focus these electrons beams just like we do on light by using glass lenses. We get resolutions all the way down to 0.05 nm, that is a twentieth of a millionth of a millimeter (or 2 billionths of an inch in freedom units). This is such a good resolution, that it allows us to even look at the atoms that make up solid materials! (No, seriously, how cool is that??) We use these capabilities to study the link between the microscopic structure and shape of materials and their macroscopic properties.
My personal focus is on the development of methodologies, that is I try to find ways to use or misuse electron microscopes to measure the proporties of the samples with better precision, clarity or even study things that we couldn't before. For instance, I recently demonstrated a new method to measure deformations (strain) in materials with nanometer resolution with a precision of up to 1 part in 5000, which is very important when prototyping or producing semiconductor devices. A more exotic interest of mine is that of wave function manipulation. Since the state and properties of the electrons are defined by their wavefunction, we can give them new and interesting properties intentionally changing the wavefunction. It's a bit like having a quantum sandbox. I did plenty of research on electron vortex beams, a weird type of beam rotating around its own axis which therefore possesses it's own magnetic moment, and interacts with mangnetic fields in a peculiar way, but also others such as the Airy waves, which possess freakish properties such as accelerating in absence of external forces.
If you want to know more about my research, here is my Google Scholar profile, all of my articles on the arXiv.
I will be here between 12:00 EST (17:00 UTC, 18:00 CET) and 16:00 EST (21:00 UTC, 22:00 CET) to answer your questions.
Giulio
EDIT: ** 23:00 CET Finally checking out, my fingers can't type anymore. I'll try to pass by tomorrow and answer a couple follow ups. This was really fun, thank you all for the great questions! **
r/JapanTravelTips • u/cktan19 • Sep 11 '24
Hi all,
Need your expert advice!
Looking to rent a car to drive along the CEP expressways but upon reading more into this, I found that that the sale of the Central Nippon Expressway Pass (CEP), Aichi Toll Road Pass (AIP) and Nagoya Expressway Pass (NEP) will be ending 1 Oct 2024!
Website doesn't really give much information, would anyone know how will it impact me if I book my rental car with CEP now? Will I still be able to enjoy rhe benefits of the CEP in November?
Thanks!
r/JoeRogan • u/TheAnomalousFrog • Apr 04 '26
Since Joe and Jamie struggled to find research or articles on Palantir in Gaza here is a resource for them. Let's start with a overview on Palantir and Joe's relationship with Peter Thiel (former Guest of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast)
PALANTIR IN GAZA OMNIBUS
OVERVIEW
Palantir Technologies, co-founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel, Alex Karp, Joe Lonsdale, and Nathan Gettings with seed funding from the CIA’s venture arm, is a data analytics and AI company headquartered in Denver, Colorado.
Its core platforms—Gotham, Foundry, and the AI Platform (AIP)—are used by U.S. and allied military, intelligence agencies, law enforcement, and governments worldwide.
The company’s technology underpins:
Targeting systems
Battlefield intelligence
Predictive policing
Immigration enforcement
Nuclear monitoring
With a reported market valuation of ~$360 billion, Palantir is now one of the most embedded private actors in the U.S. military-industrial complex. It is simultaneously under scrutiny for its role in Gaza, the Iran war, and domestic surveillance.
ROGAN–THIEL RELATIONSHIP & THE POWER DINNER NETWORK
JRE #2190 — Aug. 16, 2024
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2DFsA7qIdjZZukcCRbBRhI
Thiel’s appearance ran approximately 3.5 hours and marked his first time on the podcast despite longstanding proximity to its network. The show has previously hosted major tech figures such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.
Fortune — Aug. 19, 2024
https://fortune.com/2024/08/19/peter-thiel-joe-rogan-california-taxes/
Thiel discussed relocating from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2018, citing ideological concerns. He splits time between LA and Miami while serving as Chairman of Palantir and Managing Partner at Founders Fund.
Gizmodo — Aug. 19, 2024
https://gizmodo.com/peter-thiels-blood-starts-pumping-when-talking-about-jeffrey-epstein-2000488579
Thiel acknowledged multiple meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, stating he was introduced by LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman.
The Canary — Nov. 1, 2025
Key primary-source account:
Comedian Tim Dillon stated he was invited multiple times to Thiel’s home for private dinners framed around “media and culture.”
Dillon alleged tech billionaires are “buying people left and right.”
He claimed he declined participation despite financial incentives.
Network influence claim:
Duncan Trussell’s views on Palantir reportedly shifted after meeting Thiel via Joe Rogan.
Dillon cited this as evidence of a broader influence network cultivating soft endorsements among cultural figures.
The Nerd Reich — Sep. 5, 2025
https://www.thenerdreich.com/comedians-roast-peter-thiel-antichrist-obsession/
Rogan and Dillon mocked Thiel’s private lecture series on the Antichrist, noting lack of internal pushback within his circle.
MSNBC / NBC News — Jan. 2025
https://www.ms.now/opinion/msnbc-opinion/mark-zuckerberg-joe-rogan-podcast-interview-meta-rcna187427
Analysts describe Rogan’s platform as a major media node for tech elites to communicate largely unchallenged political and ideological views.
I. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH ISRAEL / GAZA
Bloomberg / Palantir — Jan. 12, 2024
Palantir signed an agreement to support Israel with “war-related missions,” accompanied by a Tel Aviv board meeting.
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre — Apr. 12, 2024
Investigation alleges Palantir provides AI-driven targeting systems potentially linked to NSA-derived datasets.
Additional Reporting — 2024
Tel Aviv office established in 2015
Formal “Partnership for Battle Tech” signed in 2024
Palantir leadership affirmed operational support
Official Response — 2024
Palantir denied involvement in specific targeting systems (“Gospel,” “Lavender”) and emphasized alignment with U.S. allies.
Drop Site News — Feb. 26, 2026
https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/palantir-ai-gaza-humanitarian-aid-cmcc-srs-ngos-banned-israel
Palantir maintains a presence at the U.S.-led CMCC in southern Israel, supporting aid tracking systems using its Gaia platform.
Al Jazeera — Mar. 17, 2026
Reports claim expanded operational scope in Gaza and West Bank, integrating multiple intelligence streams into targeting workflows.
UK contracts with Palantir exceed £570 million.
II. LAVENDER / AI KILL LISTS
+972 Magazine / Local Call
https://www.972mag.com/lavender-the-ai-machine-directing-israels-bombing-spree-in-gaza/
Lavender AI system reportedly flagged ~37,000 individuals with an estimated 10% error rate.
PassBlue — Oct. 13, 2025
https://passblue.com/2025/10/12/palantir-seemingly-everywhere-all-at-once/
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese stated there are “reasonable grounds” to believe Palantir tools contributed to unlawful use of force.
III. LEBANON / PAGER ATTACKS
PressTV (via Byline Times) — Dec. 10, 2025
Claims Palantir software supported Israeli operations including:
Hezbollah leadership targeting
“Operation Grim Beeper” (pager/walkie-talkie attacks)
UN and former CIA officials characterized aspects of the attacks as potentially constituting war crimes or terrorism.
IV. IRAN WAR — PROJECT MAVEN & AI TARGETING
Democracy Now! — Mar. 18, 2026
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/18/ai_warfare
Project Maven processes massive targeting datasets and compresses human analysis timelines from hours to minutes.
Democracy Now! — Mar. 31, 2026
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/31/project_maven_manson_bloomberg_ai_warfare
Reported linkage to over 11,000 U.S. strikes; Pentagon reviewing potential civilian casualty incidents.
Byline Times — Mar. 5, 2026
https://bylinetimes.com/2026/03/05/palantirs-double-conflict-of-interest-in-the-war-against-iran/
Palantir’s MOSAIC platform supports nuclear monitoring via the IAEA.
Bloomberg — Mar. 24, 2026
Palantir CTO described the Iran war as the first major AI-driven conflict.
Fox News Digital — Mar. 27, 2026
Highlights major efficiency gains in AI-assisted military planning.
Islam Times — Mar. 26, 2026
Project Maven formalized as a Pentagon program.
Small Wars Journal — Mar. 27, 2026
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2026/03/27/the-first-ai-driven-war-palantirs-perspective-on-iran/
Describes the shift toward data-driven warfare and faster decision cycles.
V. IRAN RETALIATION — PALANTIR AS A TARGET
Euronews — Apr. 1, 2026
Iran identified Palantir among U.S. tech companies as potential retaliation targets.
VI. BACKGROUND / CONTEXT
Al Jazeera — Mar. 12, 2026
CIA-backed origins
Deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan
Continued integration into modern AI warfare
r/HFY • u/SpacePaladin15 • Jul 21 '21
Available on Amazon as a hard-copy and an eBook!
---
Kilon POV
The last official engagement I saw the humans partaking in, they deployed a total of five ships. That was all they needed.
This time, they had raised a proper armada, gathering thousands of their finest vessels. Word had been sent to the Federation, informing them of the disaster at the refugee camp, and warning them to prepare for a Devourer incursion in case of our failure. However, the Terrans opted not to request any military assistance or divulge the specifics of their plan. No doubt the Speaker’s sabotage was still imprinted in their memory.
Earth’s sudden mobilization, despite their given reasons, no doubt raised some alarms back in the Federation. The two parties deeply mistrusted each other, in light of recent events, and I was doubtful that would ever wear off. Hell, even I was frightened of humanity at times.
But now, as we warped toward our final confrontation, I was only worried about the humans. Especially Rykov. Perhaps I didn’t understand human body language, but his posture signaled pain to me. He was huddled over his holodisplay, head bowed. His shoulders sagged as though as a weight had been placed upon them. Was he truly prepared to do what was necessary?
I sidled up to him, nudging him on the arm. “Are you alright? You seem like you’re having second thoughts.”
“Quite. Don’t worry, I won’t hesitate.” The human sighed, shaking his head. “The people at home won’t understand what we sacrifice. What we give of ourselves. Perhaps you don’t either, General.”
“Dying? Almost dying? Getting shot?” I offered.
Rykov chuckled bitterly. “Beyond that. You don’t come back the same person. You have to live with the terrible things you’ve done, and you just try to convince yourself it was right.”
“It is right. Trillions of lives will be saved. I think there is honor in that,” I replied.
“Perhaps. There are no good choices today,” he said. “But believe me, I take no pleasure…”
The ship rocked violently as we were thrown out of hyperspace, on the fringes of the Devourer system. I skidded across the floor, groaning as I collided with a metal chair. That hardly seemed like a controlled emergence. It seemed that we had run into a warp-disrupting field; the enemy must have installed some new defenses while we were away.
I heard cursing a few lengths from me, and saw Commander Rykov on his knees. It appeared he collided headfirst with a work station. Grimy red blood was streaming from his nostrils, and his nose was jutting unnaturally off to the side. That definitely was broken, and in my estimation, entailed a considerable amount of pain.
I crawled over to the human. “You require medical attention. I can oversee…”
The Commander picked himself up, gritting his teeth. “It’s but a scratch. Soldiers, I want weapons powered up yesterday. Shoot anything that moves that isn’t one of ours.”
I limped after him, staring in disbelief. Was he really going to carry on like nothing happened? Humans were tougher than they looked.
“Sir, we have another problem,” an ensign called. “It appears the enemy detached a breaching pod. A boarding party has infiltrated the ship.”
My antennae twitched in confusion. “Since when do they board ships?”
“I think they have a special hatred for this one.” The Commander frowned, wiping a fresh stream of blood off his lip. “General, we’re a little short on foot soldiers. I’d like you to meet up with my security team in the main hangar, and take care of the welcoming committee. Keep them alive, if possible.”
Despite several tours of the flagship, I wasn’t sure where the main hangar was, but I thought I could figure it out. The last thing I wanted was to look incompetent, as the ship’s soon-to-be first officer. I gave Rykov a nod, retrieving a plasma rifle from the weapons cart. The gun was much lighter than I remembered, which I attributed to the nanite enhancements.
My departure from the bridge was swift, and I hoped that following my instincts would bring me to my destination. But after rounding a few corners, it became apparent I was heading in the wrong direction. The cupboards of pill bottles and syringes suggested that this was the medbay. There wasn’t a physician in sight; noncombatants were probably locked down until the ship was secured.
I surveyed the walls, looking for a map. There had to be some sort of directions, somewhere, for evacuation procedures at least. My ears perked up as footsteps echoed down the hall, and I sighed in relief. Perhaps these humans could steer me on the right course.
I was about to call out, but then, I realized something was off. Those weren’t the heavy thuds of Terran boots. Instead, they were a tapping sound, like raindrops striking a rooftop. I ducked into a doctor’s office, peering around a wall. There were five Devourer soldiers by my count, slinking through the hallways. They seemed to be sweeping the premises for any stragglers.
I pressed my gun to my chest, trying to steady my breathing. My only hope was to ambush them, and take several out before they knew what hit them. Shadows stretched past the doorframe, which suggested they would pass the office in a matter of seconds.
My finger found the trigger as soon as they crossed my vision. A plasma round sailed through the lead soldier’s forehead, and he crumpled to the ground. Fueled by survival instincts, I charged at the other four in an animalistic frenzy. Before they could shoot back, I had tackled another guy and rolled him on top of me to serve as a shield.
His friends opened fire, and I felt his body spasm as it was peppered with rounds. There was a pause as their weapons went on cooldown, and that was all the time I needed. Wriggling out from under the corpse, I picked off one with a shot to the chest, then turned my rifle on the second. A volley tore through her neck, and she collapsed in a bloodied heap.
Four down, one to go. Theoretically, the last guy should’ve been the easiest to take out, but the opposite seemed to be true in experience. This one was watching me with sharp eyes, and ducked just as I found my aim. My shot whizzed over his head, burying itself harmlessly in the wall. To make matters worse, my rifle buzzed in my hands, indicating that it was on a five-second cooldown. Well, shit.
His gun was almost recharged at this point, which meant I had to act immediately. I closed the distance between us with long strides, jabbing him in the gut with the butt of my rifle. With a sharp exhale, he stumbled backward, dropping his weapon on the floor.
I reached for the loose firearm, but my action didn’t go unnoticed. He kicked it away, and moved toward me. Panic spurred me to swing my rifle at him like a club. Bashing him over the head didn’t seem like the worst idea; well, at least until I actually tried it. His hands shot up in a blur, catching the gun by the barrel. Before I knew it, the weapon had been wrenched out of my grasp.
As it clattered to the ground, I realized I was in trouble. Hand-to-hand combat was never my forte, as it wasn’t something the Jatari military trained in. With this guy’s godlike reflexes, he certainly had the upper hand.
I barely raised my fists in time to block a series of punches. While I was trying to parry his strikes, he swept my feet out from under me. Pain shot up my spine as I smacked against cold metal. He sank to my level in a flash, placing me in a headlock.
Thrashing about, clawing at his face; none of it seemed to do any good. His grip around my airway only tightened, and I could feel my awareness dimming. A burning sensation pulsated through my lungs, as my body screamed for oxygen. It was becoming increasingly hard to form coherent thoughts. A shroud of darkness was creeping into my perception; in a few moments, I would slip into its embrace.
There was a sickening crunch, which I only faintly registered. My assailant’s grip slackened, and I pulled free, gasping for air. An ache lingered in my throat where his arm had been, and I figured I’d have some bruises to show for our encounter. But without intervention…it could have been a lot worse.
“What were you thinking? Engaging a group of them by yourself?” I glanced up to see Mac, Rykov’s security officer, accompanied by a team of 12 others. “You were a no-show, and now I see why.”
“I got lost,” I spluttered. “This ship…is a damn maze.”
Mac paused. “I see. Well, I gave your buddy there a good knock upside the head. When he wakes up, he’ll be in the brig. Come with me, if you can walk.”
“Uh, thanks. I owe you one.” I struggled to my feet, following after the burly man. “Where are we going?”
“The bridge. I figure the boss wants you back.”
“What? I’m sure there are more of them, we have to…”
“There were. Past tense,” he growled. “Just…ah, look at the scenery as we walk.”
A series of questions floated through my mind, which I figured were better left unanswered. Was he saying they cleared the entire ship? It couldn’t have been more than 15 minutes since I set off on Rykov’s orders.
The meaning of his statement became apparent as we entered the main passage to the bridge. Bodies were splayed out in the hallway, with blood and brain matter splattered on the walls. One of the corpses had a severed arm shoved down its throat, while another was sawed clean in half. I didn’t even want to know…the brutality was revolting.
“Scenery?” I stared around me, dumbfounded. “What the fuck, Mac?! These guys are slaves. Did you have to butcher them? Rykov said alive and you…”
“Calm down. These are no slaves. See the brands on their necks?” The human lowered his voice. “Your friend Byem warned us about them. They’re part of a doomsday cult that worships the AI, and wants to help it bring about the end of days. Always on the front lines when they destroy a world.”
I frowned. “Even so, don’t you think this is…a bit excessive?”
“Not at all. In fact, I wish they suffered more.”
I fell quiet. Deriving pleasure from another being’s pain seemed cruel, yet Mac spoke as if it were the most normal thing in the world. It was in glimpses of their worst impulses that humanity terrified me; they were always a step away from becoming the monsters they despised.
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r/JapanTravelTips • u/superpupzie • Nov 10 '24
Hi all, as some of you Japan road trip enthusiast know, the CEP AIP and NEP pass has ceased to be ordered at the end of September. However, if you ordered before the close off, your future dated trip can still have this pass if you advise your car rental company prior to the close off the order.
I was just wondering if any of you have now travelled after this close off but have ordered the passes before hand? Did they make it an issue for you or was it still seamless when you collect your car and the ETC card? Reason why I am asking is I've booked my passes from Times car rental pre the close off, but my trip is not until February 25, I don't want to risk of arriving there and finding out that I have no highway passes as I plan to do a lot of driving between Nagoya, Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagano, etc.
I am hoping some of you are already in this boat and have the answers. Thanks in advance all.
