Podcasts about privately

Last time we spoke about the Changsha fire. Chiang Kai-shek faced a brutal choice: defend Wuhan to the last man or flood the land to slow the invaders. He chose both, pushing rivers and rallying a fractured army as Japanese forces pressed along the Yangtze. Fortresses at Madang held long, but the cost was high—troops lost, civilians displaced, a city's heart burning in the night. Wuhan fell after months of brutal fighting, yet the battle did not break China's will. Mao Zedong urged strategy over martyrdom, preferring to drain the enemy and buy time for a broader struggle. The Japanese, though victorious tactically, found their strength ebbing, resource strains, supply gaps, and a war that felt endless. In the wake of Wuhan, Changsha stood next in the Japanese crosshairs, its evacuation and a devastating fire leaving ash and memory in its wake. Behind these prices, political currents swirled. Wang Jingwei defected again, seeking power beyond Chiang's grasp, while Chongqing rose as a western bastion of resistance. The war hardened into a protracted stalemate, turning Japan from an aggressive assailant into a wary occupier, and leaving China to endure, persist, and fight on.   #175  The Soviet-Japanese Border Conflicts Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. So based on the title of this one, you probably can see we are taking a bit of a detour. For quite some time we have focused on the Japanese campaigns into China proper 1937-1938. Now the way the second sino-japanese war is traditionally broken down is in phases. 1937-1938, 1939-1942 and 1942-1945. However there is actually even more going on in China aside from the war with Japan. In Xinjiang province a large full blown Islamic revolution breaks out in 1937. We will be covering that story at a later date, but another significant event is escalating border skirmishes in Manchukuo. Now these border skirmishes had been raging ever since the USSR consolidated its hold over the far east. We talked about some of those skirmishes prior to the Sino-Soviet war in 1929. However when Japan created the puppet government of Manchukuo, this was a significant escalation in tensions with the reds. Today we are going to talk about the escalating border conflicts between the Soviets and Japan. A tongue of poorly demarcated land extends southeast from Hunchun, hugging the east bank of the Tumen River between Lake Khasan to the east and Korea to the west. Within this tongue stands Changkufeng Hill, one of a long chain of highlands sweeping from upstream along the rivers and moors toward the sea. The twin-peaked hill sits at the confluence area several miles northwest of the point where Manchuria, Korea, and the Russian Far East meet. The hill's shape reminded Koreans of their changgo, which is a long snare drum constricted at the center and tapped with the hands at each end. When the Manchus came to the Tumen, they rendered the phonetic sounds into three ideographic characters meaning "taut drum peaks" or Chang-ku-feng. The Japanese admired the imagery and preserved the Chinese readings, which they pronounce Cho-ko-ho. From their eastern vantage, the Russians called it Zaozernaya, "hill behind the lake." Soviet troops referred to it as a sugar-loaf hill. For many years, natives and a handful of officials in the region cultivated a relaxed attitude toward borders and sovereignty. Even after the Japanese seized Manchuria in 1931, the issue did not immediately come to a head. With the expansion of Manchukuo and the Soviet Far East under Stalin's Five-Year plans, both sides began to attend more closely to frontier delimitation. Whenever either party acted aggressively, force majeure was invoked to justify the unexpected and disruptive events recognized in international law. Most often, these incidents erupted along the eastern Manchurian borders with the USSR or along the 350-mile frontier south of Lake Khanka, each skirmish carrying the seeds of all-out warfare. Now we need to talk a little bit about border history. The borders in question essentially dated to pacts concluded by the Qing dynasty and the Tsardom. Between the first Sino-Russian Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689 and the Mukden Agreement of 1924, there were over a dozen accords governing the borders. Relevant to Changkufeng were the basic 15-article Convention of Peking, supplementing the Tientsin Treaties of November 1860, some maps made in 1861, and the eight-article Hunchun Border Protocol of 1886. By the 1860 treaty, the Qing ceded to Tsarist Russia the entire maritime province of Siberia, but the meaning of "lands south of Lake Khanka" remained rather vague. Consequently, a further border agreement was negotiated in June 1861 known as "the Lake Khanka Border Pact", by which demarcations were drawn on maps and eight wooden markers erected. The border was to run from Khanka along ridgelines between the Hunchun River and the sea, past Suifenho and Tungning, terminating about 6 miles from the mouth of the Tumen. Then a Russo-Chinese commission established in 1886 drew up the Hunchun Border Pact, proposing new or modified markers along the 1860–1861 lines and arranging a Russian resurvey. However, for the Japanese, in 1938, the Chinese or Manchu texts of the 1886 Hunchun agreement were considered controlling. The Soviets argued the border ran along every summit west of Khasan, thereby granting them jurisdiction over at least the eastern slopes of all elevations, including Changkufeng and Shachaofeng.  Since the Qing dynasty and the house of Romanov were already defunct, the new sovereignties publicly appealed to opposing texts, and the Soviet side would not concede that the Russian-language version had never been deemed binding by the Qing commissioners. Yet, even in 1938, the Japanese knew that only the Chinese text had survived or could be located.    Now both the Chinese and Russian military maps generally drew the frontier along the watershed east of Khasan; this aligned with the 1861 readings based on the Khanka agreement. The Chinese Republican Army conducted new surveys sometime between 1915 and 1920. The latest Chinese military map of the Changkufeng area drew the border considerably closer to the old "red line" of 1886, running west of Khasan but near the shore rather than traversing the highland crests. None of the military delimitations of the border was sanctified by an official agreement. Hence, the Hunchun Protocol, whether well known or not, invaluable or worthless, remained the only government-to-government pact dealing with the frontiers.  Before we jump into it, how about a little summary of what became known as the Soviet-Japanese border conflicts. The first major conflict would obviously be the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905. Following years of conflict between the Russian Empire and Japan culminating in the costly Battle of Tsushima, Tsar Nicholas II's government sought peace, recognizing Japan's claims to Korea and agreeing to evacuate Manchuria.  From 1918 to 1920, the Imperial Japanese Army, under Emperor Taishō after the death of Meiji, assisted the White Army and Alexander Kerensky against the Bolshevik Red Army. They also aided the Czechoslovak Legion in Siberia to facilitate its return to Europe after an Austrian-Hungarian armoured train purportedly went astray. By 1920, with Austria-Hungary dissolved and Czechoslovakia established two years earlier, the Czechoslovak Legion reached Europe. Japan withdrew from the Russian Revolution and the Civil War in 1922. Following Japan's 1919-1920 occupations and the Soviet intervention in Mongolia in 1921, the Republic of China also withdrew from Outer Mongolia in 1921. In 1922, after capturing Vladivostok in 1918 to halt Bolshevik advances, Japanese forces retreated to Japan as Bolshevik power grew and the postwar fatigue among combatants increased. After Hirohito's invasion of Manchuria in 1931–1932, following Taishō's death in 1926, border disputes between Manchukuo, the Mongolian People's Republic, and the Soviet Union increased. Many clashes stemmed from poorly defined borders, though some involved espionage. Between 1932 and 1934, the Imperial Japanese Army reported 152 border disputes, largely tied to Soviet intelligence activity in Manchuria, while the Soviets accused Japan of 15 border violations, six air intrusions, and 20 cases of "spy smuggling" in 1933 alone. Numerous additional violations followed in the ensuing years. By the mid-1930s, Soviet-Japanese diplomacy and trust had deteriorated further, with the Japanese being openly labeled "fascist enemies" at the Seventh Comintern Congress in July 1935. Beginning in 1935, conflicts significantly escalated. On 8 January 1935, the first armed clash, known as the Halhamiao incident, took place on the border between Mongolia and Manchukuo. Several dozen cavalrymen of the Mongolian People's Army crossed into Manchuria near disputed fishing grounds and engaged an 11‑man Manchukuo Imperial Army patrol near the Buddhist temple at Halhamiao, led by a Japanese military advisor. The Manchukuo Army sustained 6 wounded and 2 dead, including the Japanese officer; the Mongols suffered no casualties and withdrew after the Japanese sent a punitive expedition to reclaim the area. Two motorized cavalry companies, a machine‑gun company, and a tankette platoon occupied the position for three weeks without resistance. In June 1935, the first direct exchange of fire between the Japanese and Soviets occurred when an 11‑man Japanese patrol west of Lake Khanka was attacked by six Soviet horsemen, reportedly inside Manchukuo territory. In the firefight, one Soviet soldier was killed and two horses were captured. The Japanese requested a joint investigation, but the Soviets rejected the proposal. In October 1935, nine Japanese and 32 Manchukuoan border guards were establishing a post about 20 kilometers north of Suifenho when they were attacked by 50 Soviet soldiers. The Soviets opened fire with rifles and five heavy machine guns. Two Japanese and four Manchukuoan soldiers were killed, and another five were wounded. The Manchukuoan foreign affairs representative lodged a verbal protest with the Soviet consul at Suifenho. The Kwantung Army of Japan also sent an intelligence officer to investigate the clash. On 19 December 1935, a Manchukuoan unit reconnoitering southwest of Buir Lake clashed with a Mongolian party, reportedly capturing 10 soldiers. Five days later, 60 truck‑borne Mongolian troops assaulted the Manchukuoans and were repulsed, at the cost of three Manchukuoan dead. On the same day, at Brunders, Mongolian forces attempted three times to drive out Manchukuoan outposts, and again at night, but all attempts failed. Further small attempts occurred in January, with Mongolians using airplanes for reconnaissance. The arrival of a small Japanese force in three trucks helped foil these attempts; casualties occurred on both sides, though Mongolian casualties are unknown aside from 10 prisoners taken. In February 1936, Lieutenant-Colonel Sugimoto Yasuo was ordered to form a detachment from the 14th Cavalry Regiment to "drive the Outer Mongol intruders from the Olankhuduk region," a directive attributed to Lieutenant-General Kasai Heijuro. Sugimoto's detachment included cavalry guns, heavy machine guns, and tankettes. They faced a force of about 140 Mongolians equipped with heavy machine guns and light artillery. On February 12, Sugimoto's men drove the Mongolians south, at the cost of eight Japanese killed, four wounded, and one tankette destroyed. The Japanese began to withdraw, but were attacked by 5–6 Mongolian armored cars and two bombers, which briefly disrupted the column. The situation was stabilized when the Japanese unit received artillery support, allowing them to destroy or repel the armored cars. In March 1936, the Tauran incident occurred. In this clash, both the Japanese Army and the Mongolian Army deployed a small number of armored fighting vehicles and aircraft. The incident began when 100 Mongolian and six Soviet troops attacked and occupied the disputed village of Tauran, Mongolia, driving off the small Manchurian garrison. They were supported by light bombers and armored cars, though the bombing sorties failed to inflict damage on the Japanese, and three bombers were shot down by Japanese heavy machine guns. Local Japanese forces counter-attacked, conducting dozens of bombing sorties and finally assaulting Tauran with 400 men and 10 tankettes. The result was a Mongolian rout, with 56 Mongolian soldiers killed, including three Soviet advisors, and an unknown number wounded. Japanese losses were 27 killed and 9 wounded. Later in March 1936, another border clash occurred between Japanese and Soviet forces. Reports of border violations prompted the Japanese Korean Army to send ten men by truck to investigate, but the patrol was ambushed by 20 Soviet NKVD soldiers deployed about 300 meters inside territory claimed by Japan. After suffering several casualties, the Japanese patrol withdrew and was reinforced with 100 men, who then drove off the Soviets. Fighting resumed later that day when the NKVD brought reinforcements. By nightfall, the fighting had ceased and both sides had pulled back. The Soviets agreed to return the bodies of two Japanese soldiers who had died in the fighting, a development viewed by the Japanese government as encouraging. In early April 1936, three Japanese soldiers were killed near Suifenho in another minor affray. This incident was notable because the Soviets again returned the bodies of the fallen servicemen. In June 1937, the Kanchazu Island incident occurred on the Amur River along the Soviet–Manchukuo border. Three Soviet gunboats crossed the river's center line, disembarked troops, and occupied Kanchazu Island. Japanese forces from the IJA 1st Division, equipped with two horse-drawn 37 mm artillery pieces, quickly established improvised firing positions and loaded their guns with both high-explosive and armor-piercing shells. They shelled the Soviet vessels, sinking the lead gunboat, crippling the second, and driving off the third. Japanese troops subsequently fired on the swimming crewmen from the sunken ships using machine guns. Thirty-seven Soviet soldiers were killed, while Japanese casualties were zero. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested and demanded the Soviet forces withdraw from the island. The Soviet leadership, apparently shocked by the incident and reluctant to escalate, agreed to evacuate their troops. By 1938 the border situation had deteriorated. The tangled terrain features, mountain, bog, stream, forest, and valley, would have complicated even careful observers' discernment of the old red line drawn in 1886. Fifty years later, the markers themselves had undergone a metamorphosis. Japanese investigators could find, at most, only 14 to 17 markers standing fairly intact between the Tumen estuary and Khanka—roughly one every 25 miles at best. The remainder were missing or ruined; five were found in new locations. Marker "K," for example, was 40 meters deeper inside Manchuria, away from Khanka. Japanese military experts noted that of the 20 markers originally set along the boundaries of Hunchun Prefecture alone, only four could be found by the summer of 1938. The rest had either been wrecked or arbitrarily moved and discarded by Russian or Chinese officials and inhabitants. It is even said that one missing marker could be seen on display in Khabarovsk. The Chinese had generally interpreted the boundary as the road line just west of Khasan, at least in practice. Free road movement, however, had become a problem even 20 years before the Japanese overran Manchuria in 1931–1932 during the so-called Manchurian Incident. The Japanese adopted, or inherited, the Chinese interpretation, which was based on the 1886 agreement on border roads; the key clause held that the frontier west of Khasan would be the road along the lake. Japanese sources emphasize that local residents' anger toward gradual Soviet oppression and penetrations westward into Manchurian territory fueled the conflict. Many natives believed the original boundaries lay east of the lake, but the Soviets adjusted the situation to suit their own convenience. In practice, the Russians were restricting road use just west of Khasan by Manchurian and Korean residents. There was speculation that this was a prelude to taking over the ridgelines, depending on the reaction of the Manchukuoan–Japanese side. Villagers who went to streams or the lake to launder clothing found themselves subjected to sniper fire. Along a 25-mile stretch of road near Shachaofeng, farmers reported coming under fire from new Soviet positions as early as November 1935. Nevertheless, Japanese and Koreans familiar with the Tumen area noted agrarian, seasonal Korean religious rites atop Changkufeng Hill, including fattened pigs sacrificed and changgo drums beaten. Village elders told Japanese visitors in 1938 that, until early the preceding year, no Russians had come as far as Changkufeng Hill. Looking only at the border sector around Changkufeng, the easy days were clearly behind us. In the summer of 1938, Gaimusho "Foreign Ministry" observers described the explosive situation along the Korea–Manchuria–USSR borders as a matter of de facto frontiers. Both sides pressed against each other, and their trigger-happy posture was summed up in the colloquial refrain: "Take another step and we'll let you have it." Near dawn on 13 June 1938, a Manchurian patrol detected a suspicious figure in the fog swirling over Changlingtzu Hill on the Siberian–Manchurian frontier. Challenged at 15 feet, the suspect hurled two pistols to the ground and raised his hands in surrender. At headquarters, the police soon realized this was no routine border-trespassing case. The man was a defector and he was a Russian general, in fact he was the director of all NKVD forces in the Soviet Far East. Beneath a mufti of spring coat and hunting cap, he wore a full uniform with medals. His identification card No. 83 designated him as G. S. Lyushkov, Commissar 3rd Class, countersigned by Nikolai Yezhov, NKVD head in Moscow. Lyushkov was promptly turned over to the Japanese military authorities, who transferred him to Seoul and then to Tokyo under close escort. On 1 July, the Japanese press was permitted to disclose that Lyushkov had sought refuge in Japan. Ten days later, to capitalize on the commissar's notoriety and to confound skeptics, the Japanese produced Lyushkov at a press conference in Tokyo. For the Japanese and foreign correspondents, who met separately with him, Lyushkov described Soviet Far East strength and the turmoil wracking the USSR, because for those of you unfamiliar this was during the Stalinist purges. Clearly, the Japanese had gained a unique reservoir of high-level intelligence and a wealth of materials, including notes scratched in blood by suspects incarcerated at Khabarovsk. A general tightening of Russian frontier security had recently been reported. Natives of Fangchuanting asserted that a Soviet cavalry patrol appeared in June, seemingly for the first time. Contact with Yangkuanping, northwest of Khasan, was severed. More importantly, Japanese Army Signal Corps intelligence detected a surge of Soviet message traffic from the Posyet Bay district. After Lyushkov's defection, a drastic reshuffle in the local Russian command apparently occurred, and responsibility for border surveillance seems to have been reallocated. Japanese records indicate that the Novokievsk security force commander was relieved and the sector garrison replaced by troops from Vladivostok. Gaimusho intelligence also received reports that a border garrison unit had been transferred from Khabarovsk or Chita to the Tumen sector. The Kwantung Army signal monitors also intercepted two significant frontline messages on 6 July from the new Russian local commander in the Posyet region, addressed to Lieutenant General Sokolov in Khabarovsk. Decoded, the messages suggested (1) that ammunition for infantry mortars amounted to less than half the required supply; and  (2) a recommendation that higher headquarters authorize Russian elements to secure certain unoccupied high ground west of Khasan.  The commander noted terrain advantages and the contemplated construction of emplacements that would command Najin and the Korean railway. As a start, at least one Russian platoon should be authorized to dig in on the highest ground (presumably Changkufeng) and deploy four tons of entanglements to stake out the Soviet claim. Korea Army Headquarters received a telegram from the Kwantung Army on 7 July conveying the deciphered messages. On the same day, the 19th Division in North Korea telephoned Seoul that, on 6 July, three or four Soviet horsemen had been observed reconnoitering Manchurian territory from atop a hill called Changkufeng. The alarming intelligence from the Kwantung Army and the front warranted immediate attention by the Korea Army. Some Kwantung Army officers doubted the significance of the developments, with one intelligence official even suggesting the Russian messages might be a deliberate ploy designed to entrap the Japanese at Changkufeng. On 7–8 July, all staff officers in Seoul convened at army headquarters. The name of Changkufeng Hill was not well known, but maps and other data suggested that neither the Japanese nor the Russians had previously stationed border units in the ridge complex west of Khasan. As early as March 1936, Army Commander Koiso Kuniaki had distributed maps to subordinate units, indicating which sectors were in dispute. No patrol was to enter zones lacking definitive demarcation. Until then, the only Japanese element east of the Tumen was a Manchurian policeman at Fangchuanting. Ownership of the high ground emerged as an early issue. A number of other points were raised by  the Kwantung Army: At present, Soviet elements in the area were negligible. The intrusion must not be overlooked. The Russians could be expected to exploit any weakness, and half-measures would not suffice, especially regarding the Japanese defense mission along a 125-mile frontier. In Japanese hands, Changkufeng Hill would be useful, but two excellent observation posts already existed in the neighboring sector of the Manchurian tongue. With dissidence and purges underway, the Russians may have judged it necessary to seal border gaps, particularly after Lyushkov's defection. They may also have sought to control Changkufeng to offset Japanese dominance of the high ground to the north. Soviet seizure of Changkufeng would upset the delicate status quo and could provoke a contest for equivalent observation posts. In broader terms, it mattered little whether the Russians sought a permanent observation post on Changkufeng Hill, which was of relatively minor strategic value. Japan's primary concern lay in the China theater; Changkufeng was peripheral. The Japanese should not expend limited resources or become distracted. The matter required consultation with the high command in Tokyo. In the absence of more comprehensive intelligence, the assembled staff officers concluded that the Korea Army should, at a minimum, ignore or disregard Soviet actions for the time being, while maintaining vigilant observation of the area. The consensus was communicated to Major General Kitano Kenzo, the Korea Army chief of staff, who concurred, and to Koiso. Upon learning that the recommendation advocated a low posture, Koiso inquired only whether the opinion reflected the unanimous view of the staff. Having been assured that it did, he approved the policy. Koiso, then 58, was at the threshold of the routine personnel changes occurring around 15 July. He had just been informed that he would retire and that General Nakamura Kotaro would succeed him. Those acquainted with Koiso perceived him as treating the border difficulties as a minor anticlimax in the course of his command tour. He appeared unemphatic or relaxed as he prepared to depart from a post he had held for twenty-one years. Although neither Koiso nor his staff welcomed the Soviet activities that appeared under way, his reaction likely reflected a reluctance to make decisions that could constrain his soon-to-arrive successor. On 8 July Koiso authorized the dispatch of warnings to the 19th Division at Nanam, to the Hunchun garrison, and to the intelligence branch at Hunchun. These units were instructed to exercise maximum precautions and to tighten frontier security north of Shuiliufeng. In response to the initial appearance of Soviet horsemen at Changkufeng, the Kucheng Border Garrison Unit of the 76th Infantry Regiment maintained close surveillance across the Tumen. By about noon on 9 July, patrols detected approximately a dozen Russian troops commencing construction atop Changkufeng. Between 11 and 13 July, the number of soldiers on the slopes increased to forty; there were also thirty horses and eleven camouflaged tents. Operating in shifts on the western side, thirty meters from the crest, the Russians erected barbed wire and firing trenches; fifty meters forward, they excavated observation trenches. In addition to existing telephone lines between Changkufeng, Lake Khasan, and Kozando, the Russians installed a portable telephone net. Logistical support was provided by three boats on the lake. Approximately twenty kilometers to the east, well within Soviet territory, large forces were being mobilized, and steamship traffic into Posyet Bay intensified. Upon learning of the "intrusion" at Changkufeng on 9 July, Lt. General Suetaka Kamezo, the commander of the 19th Division, dispatched staff officers to the front and prepared to send elements to reinforce border units.  The special significance of Suetaka and his division stemmed from a series of unusual circumstances. Chientao Province, the same zone into which Lyushkov had fled and the sector where Soviet horsemen had appeared, fell within Manchukuo geographically and administratively. Yet, in terms of defense, the configuration of the frontier, the terrain, and the transportation network more closely connected the region with North Korea than with southeastern Manchuria. Approximately 80% of the population was of Korean origin, which implied Japanese rather than Manchukuoan allegiance. Consequently, the Korea Army had been made operationally responsible for the defense of Chientao and controlled not only the three-battalion garrison at Hunchun but also the intelligence detachment located there. In the event of war, the Korea Army's mission was defined as mobilization and execution of subsidiary operational tasks against the USSR, under the control and in support of the Kwantung Army.  The Korea Army ordinarily possessed two infantry divisions, the 19th in North Korea and the 20th stationed at Seoul, but the 20th Division had already departed for China, leaving only the 20th Depot Division in the capital. Beyond sparse ground units, devoid of armor and with weak heavy artillery, there were only two air regiments in Korea, the nearest being the unit at Hoeryong. The Korea Army was designed to maintain public security within Korea as well as fulfill minimal defensive responsibilities. Such an army did not require a full-time operations officer, and none was maintained. When needed, as in mid-1938, the task fell to the senior staff officer, in this case Colonel Iwasaki Tamio. In peacetime, training constituted the primary focus.  Thus, the 19th Division was entrusted with defending northeastern Korea. Its commander, Suetaka, a seasoned infantryman, resented the fact that his elite force had never engaged in combat in China. He intensified training with zeal, emphasizing strict discipline, bravery, aggressiveness, and thorough preparation. Japanese veterans characterized him as severe, bullish, short-tempered, hot-blooded, highly strung, unbending, and stubborn. Nonetheless, there was widespread respect for his realistic training program, maintained under firm, even violent, personal supervision. His men regarded Suetaka as a professional, a modern samurai who forged the division into superb condition. Privately, he was reputed for sensitivity and warmth; a Japanese phrase "yakamashii oyaji" captures the dual sense of stern father and martinet in his character. At the outset, however, Suetaka displayed little aggression. Although not widely known, he did not welcome the orders from army headquarters to deploy to the Tumen. Until late July, he remained somewhat opposed to the notion of dislodging the Soviets from the crest, a proposition arising from neither the division staff nor, initially, Suetaka himself. Colonel Sato noted that, for a week after reports of Soviet excavation at Changkufeng, the division's response was limited to preparations for a possible emergency, as they perceived the matter as a local issue best settled through diplomacy. Korea Army officers acknowledged that, around the time the Soviets consolidated their outpost strength at Changkufeng, an informal and personal telegram arrived in Seoul from a Kwantung Army Intelligence field-grade officer who specialized in Soviet affairs. If the Korea Army hesitated, the Kwantung Army would be obliged to eject the Russians; the matter could not be ignored. While the telegram did not demand a reply and struck several officers as presumptuous and implausible, the message was promptly shown to Koiso. Koiso was driven to immediate action, he wired Tokyo asserting that only the Korea Army could and would handle the incident. One staff officer recalled "We felt we had to act, out of a sense of responsibility. But we resented the Kwantung Army's interference." The Korea Army staff convened shortly after receipt of the unofficial telegram from Hsinking. Based on the latest intelligence from the division dated 13 July, the officers prepared an assessment for submission to the army commander. The hypotheses were distilled into three scenarios: The USSR, or the Far East authorities, desires hostilities. Conclusion: Slightly possible. The USSR seeks to restrain Japan on the eve of the pivotal operations in China: the major Japanese offensive to seize Hankow. Conclusion: Highly probable. The Posyet district commander is new in his post; by occupying the Changkufeng ridges, he would demonstrate loyalty, impress superiors, and seek glory. Conclusion: Possible. Late on 13 July or early on 14 July, Koiso approved the dispatch of a message to the vice minister of war, and the Kwantung Army chief of staff:  "Lake Khasan area lies in troublesome sector USSR has been claiming . . . in accordance with treaties [said Secret Message No. 913], but we interpret it to be Manchukuoan territory, evident even from maps published by Soviet side. Russian actions are patently illegal, but, considering that area does not exert major or immediate influence on operations [Japan] is intending and that China Incident is in full swing, we are not going to conduct counterattack measures immediately. This army is thinking of reasoning with Soviets and requesting pullback, directly on spot. . . . In case Russians do not accede in long run, we have intention to drive Soviet soldiers out of area east of Khasan firmly by use of force."  The message concluded with a request that the Tokyo authorities lodge a formal protest with the USSR, on behalf of Manchukuo and Japan, and guide matters so that the Russians would withdraw quickly. Dominant in Japanese high command thinking in 1938 was the China theater; the Changkufeng episode constituted a mere digression. A sequence of Japanese tactical victories had preceded the summer: Tsingtao fell in January; the Yellow River was reached in March; a "reformed government of the Republic of China" was installed at Nanking several weeks later; Amoy fell in early May; Suchow fell on the 20th. With these gains, northern and central fronts could be linked by the Japanese. Yet Chinese resistance persisted, and while public statements anticipated imminent Chinese dissension, private admissions acknowledged that the partial effects of Suchow's fall were ominous: control might pass from Chiang Kai-shek to the Communists, Chinese defiance might intensify, and Soviet involvement could ensue. A Hankow drive appeared desirable to symbolize the conclusion of the military phase of hostilities. The Japanese and their adversaries were in accord regarding the importance of the summer and autumn campaigns. Even after Suchow's fall, the government discouraged public insinuations that enemy resistance was collapsing; when Chiang addressed the nation on the first anniversary of hostilities, Premier Konoe prophetically proclaimed, "The war has just begun." Colonel Inada Masazum served as the Army General Staff's principal figure for the Changkufeng affair, occupying the position of chief of the 2nd Operations Section within the Operations Bureau in March 1938. A distinguished graduate of the Military Academy, Inada completed the War College program and held a combination of line, instructional, and staff assignments at the War College, the Army General Staff, and the War Ministry. He was recognized as a sharp, highly capable, and driveful personality, though some regarded him as enigmatic. Following the capture of Suchow, Imperial General Headquarters on 18 June ordered field forces to undertake operational preparations for a drive to seize the Wuhan complex. Inada favored a decisive move aimed at achieving a rapid political settlement. He acknowledged that Soviet intervention in 1938, during Japan's involvement in China, would have been critical. Although Japanese forces could still defeat the Chinese, an overextended Japanese Army might be fatally compromised against the Russians. Soviet assistance to China was already pronouncedly unwelcome. The Soviets were reported to possess roughly 20 rifle divisions, four to five cavalry divisions, 1,500 tanks, and 1,560 aircraft, including 300 bombers with a range of approximately 3,000 kilometers, enabling reach from Vladivostok to Tokyo. Soviet manpower in Siberia was likely near 370,000. In response, Japanese central authorities stressed a no-trouble policy toward the USSR while seeking to "wall off" the border and bolster the Kwantung Army as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, the envisaged correction of the strategic imbalance could not occur before 1943, given shortages in ammunition, manpower, and materiel across existing theaters in China. By the end of 1937 Japan had committed 16 of its 24 divisions to China, bringing the standing force to roughly 700,000. Army General Staff planners reallocated three ground divisions, intended for a northern contingency, from north to central China, even as the Kwantung Army operated from a less favorable posture. Attitudes toward the northern problem varied within senior military circles. While concern persisted, it was not universal. As campaigns in China widened, planning at the high command level deteriorated, propagating confusion and anxiety to field armies in China. The Japanese Navy suspected that the Army general staff was invoking the USSR as a pretext for broader strategic aims—namely, to provoke a more consequential confrontation with the USSR while the Navy contended with its own strategic rivalries with the Army, centered on the United States and Britain. Army leaders, however, denied aggressive intent against the USSR at that time. The Hankow plan encountered substantial internal opposition at high levels. Private assessments among army planners suggested that a two-front war would be premature given operational readiness and troop strength. Not only were new War Ministry officials cautious, but many high-ranking Army general staff officers and court circles shared doubts.  Aggressive tendencies, influenced by subordinates and the Kwantung Army, were evident in Inada, who repeatedly pressed Tada Shun, the deputy army chief of staff, to endorse the Wuhan drive as both necessary and feasible, arguing that the USSR would gain from Japan's weakening without incurring substantial losses. Inada contended that Stalin was rational and that time favored the USSR in the Far East, where industrial buildup and military modernization were ongoing. He argued that the Soviet purges impeded opportunistic ventures with Japan. He posited that Nazi Germany posed a growing threat on the western front, and thus the USSR should be avoided by both Japan, due to China and Russia, due to Germany. While most of the army remained engaged in China, Tada did not initially share Inada's views; only after inspecting the Manchurian borders in April 1938 did he finally align with Inada's broader vision, which encompassed both northern and Chinese considerations. During this period, Inada studied daily intelligence from the Kwantung Army, and after Lyushkov's defection in June, reports suggested the Soviets were following their sector commander's recommendations. Russian troops appeared at Changkufeng, seemingly prepared to dig in. Inada recollects his reaction: "That's nice, my chance has come." I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The simmering Soviet–Japanese border clashes centered on Changkufeng Hill near Lake Khanka, set within a broader history of contested frontiers dating to Qing and Tsarist treaties. Japan, prioritizing China, considered Changkufeng peripheral but ready to confront Soviet encroachment; Moscow aimed to consolidate border gains, with high-level war planning overlaying regional skirmishes. Conflict loomed over Manchuria.

Privately, the royal family had long been bracing for the inevitable fallout surrounding Prince Andrew's association with Jeffrey Epstein. Insiders described an atmosphere of quiet dread within palace walls—where the Duke of York's behavior, arrogance, and questionable friendships were seen as a ticking time bomb. His extravagant lifestyle, insistence on maintaining ties with Epstein even after the financier's first conviction, and tone-deaf interviews all fed the sense that scandal wasn't a matter of if, but when. Behind closed doors, senior royals were said to be exasperated, viewing Andrew as a liability whose judgment could one day drag the monarchy into the kind of moral quagmire it hadn't seen since the abdication crisis.When that shoe finally dropped, with Epstein's arrest and Virginia Roberts Giuffre's allegations thrusting Andrew's name into global headlines, the sense of inevitability inside the palace turned into damage control. The Queen reportedly struggled to balance maternal loyalty with institutional preservation, while Prince Charles and Prince William quietly pushed for exile to protect the crown's reputation. What followed wasn't just a family crisis—it was a confirmation of their worst fears. The royal family's careful machinery of silence, denial, and image management could no longer contain the scandal. Andrew's downfall wasn't sudden; it was the slow-motion collapse they had all seen coming for years.to  contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Uisce Éireann will be required to manage new privately built wastewater plants under proposals Minister for Housing James Browne will bring to Cabinet this morning. The move is aiming to speed up the delivery of homes in rural towns and villages that currently have inadequate water services. Ciara discusses this further with Paul Davis, Lecturer in Public Procurement, DCU.

Uisce Éireann will be required to manage new privately built wastewater plants under proposals Minister for Housing James Browne will bring to Cabinet this morning. The move is aiming to speed up the delivery of homes in rural towns and villages that currently have inadequate water services. Ciara discusses this further with Paul Davis, Lecturer in Public Procurement, DCU.

Space Race and Private Industry Guest: Bob Zimmerman Bob Zimmerman discusses how SpaceX's privately funded Starship program is positioned to beat NASA, China, and Russia in establishing a lunar base, operating independently of the struggling Artemis program. China and Blue Origin are deemed significantly behind in their lunar efforts. Zimmerman also covers other segments including A Space Mobile competing with Starlink, semiconductor manufacturing in space, the X59 project becoming obsolete due to private innovation, and accessible Martian ice at a potential Starship landing site. The convergence of private sector capabilities and reduced government constraints suggests a fundamental shift in space exploration dynamics.

Space Race and Private Industry Guest: Bob Zimmerman Bob Zimmerman discusses how SpaceX's privately funded Starship program is positioned to beat NASA, China, and Russia in establishing a lunar base, operating independently of the struggling Artemis program. China and Blue Origin are deemed significantly behind in their lunar efforts. Zimmerman also covers other segments including A Space Mobile competing with Starlink, semiconductor manufacturing in space, the X59 project becoming obsolete due to private innovation, and accessible Martian ice at a potential Starship landing site. The convergence of private sector capabilities and reduced government constraints suggests a fundamental shift in space exploration dynamics.

Ghislaine Maxwell's legal team requested that the court allow them to privately screen potential jurors ahead of her federal sex-trafficking trial, arguing that extensive media coverage and the high-profile nature of the case made it impossible to ensure impartiality in a public setting. Her lawyers pushed for closed-door questioning sessions, claiming that prospective jurors might be reluctant to speak candidly about sensitive topics like sexual abuse if reporters or spectators were present. They also urged the court to keep juror questionnaires sealed, arguing that making them public could allow individuals to manipulate their answers to secure a place on the jury.The court, however, rejected Maxwell's motion, siding with prosecutors and media organizations that argued transparency was vital in a case of such public importance. The judge ruled that jury selection must remain open to ensure accountability and to preserve confidence in the judicial process. Critics of Maxwell's request saw it as a strategic ploy—one more attempt to control optics and quietly shape the jury pool in her favor. Given the longstanding pattern of secrecy surrounding Maxwell and Epstein's operations, her team's push for privacy only reinforced perceptions that she sought to keep damaging information from ever seeing daylight.to contact  me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

THE TIM JONES AND CHRIS ARPS SHOW 0:00 SEG 1 Scott Walter, President of the Capital Research Center | TOPIC: His investigative report exposing how billions in “housing-first” funding have failed to reduce homelessness | How accountability and treatment-based solutions are the real path forward. | Why throwing more money at the problem isn’t compassion — it’s enabling failure | He’s also the author of the book “Arabella: The Dark Money Network of Leftist Billionaires Transforming America” https://x.com/capitalresearch https://capitalresearch.org/person/swalter/ 18:59 SEG 2 PATRICK TUOHEY, Sr. Fellow at Show Me Institute | TOPIC: Missouri earns a “B” in new fiscal report, but don’t pop the champagne yet: Missouri earned a “B” on Truth in Accounting’s annual fiscal report, ranking 24th nationally. The state posted a small surplus, $200 per taxpayer, but the improvement is largely tied to temporary factors such as federal aid and strong investment returns. Missouri’s pension systems still carry significant unfunded liabilities, and the state’s accounting standards continue to obscure long-term costs. Patrick can discuss why the higher grade is progress, but not proof of fiscal health. | Private money is paying for stadiums, cities should let it: The Broncos and Commanders are funding stadium projects without taxpayer subsidies. Missouri should take note https://showmeinstitute.org/author/patrick-tuohey/https://x.com/PatrickTuohey 34:28 SEG 3 Joey V. reviews ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere’ https://newstalkstl.com/ FOLLOW TIM - https://twitter.com/SpeakerTimJones FOLLOW CHRIS - https://twitter.com/chris_arps 24/7 LIVESTREAM - http://bit.ly/NEWSTALKSTLSTREAMS RUMBLE - https://rumble.com/NewsTalkSTL See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE TIM JONES AND CHRIS ARPS SHOW 0:00 SEG 1 Scott Walter, President of the Capital Research Center | TOPIC: His investigative report exposing how billions in “housing-first” funding have failed to reduce homelessness | How accountability and treatment-based solutions are the real path forward. | Why throwing more money at the problem isn’t compassion — it’s enabling failure | He’s also the author of the book “Arabella: The Dark Money Network of Leftist Billionaires Transforming America” https://x.com/capitalresearch https://capitalresearch.org/person/swalter/ 18:59 SEG 2 PATRICK TUOHEY, Sr. Fellow at Show Me Institute | TOPIC: Missouri earns a “B” in new fiscal report, but don’t pop the champagne yet: Missouri earned a “B” on Truth in Accounting’s annual fiscal report, ranking 24th nationally. The state posted a small surplus, $200 per taxpayer, but the improvement is largely tied to temporary factors such as federal aid and strong investment returns. Missouri’s pension systems still carry significant unfunded liabilities, and the state’s accounting standards continue to obscure long-term costs. Patrick can discuss why the higher grade is progress, but not proof of fiscal health. | Private money is paying for stadiums, cities should let it: The Broncos and Commanders are funding stadium projects without taxpayer subsidies. Missouri should take note https://showmeinstitute.org/author/patrick-tuohey/https://x.com/PatrickTuohey 34:28 SEG 3 Joey V. reviews ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere’ https://newstalkstl.com/ FOLLOW TIM - https://twitter.com/SpeakerTimJones FOLLOW CHRIS - https://twitter.com/chris_arps 24/7 LIVESTREAM - http://bit.ly/NEWSTALKSTLSTREAMS RUMBLE - https://rumble.com/NewsTalkSTL See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sergio Sanchez sits in for Dana. Colombia's President Petro says that if Trump won't change, the solution is to get rid of Trump. Speaker Johnson reveals Democrat insiders are admitting PRIVATELY they are terrified of getting the political guillotine if they reopen the government. Greg Gutfeld nails exactly why the “No Kings” marchers are privileged. Sergio breaks down why the government is still shut down. Will this affect Democrats in the Midterms? Jon Stewart surprises Bernie Sanders with a BRUTAL fact about endless government spending on healthcare. Waymo vehicles to begin delivering some DoorDash orders in Arizona.  Sen. John Cornyn joins us to discuss the game of chicken that is the government shutdown.Thank you for supporting our sponsors that make The Dana Show possible…CovePurehttps:/CovePure.com/DanaTake back control of your family's health with CovePure, the advanced water filtration system designed for pure, great-tasting water. Get $200 off. Webroothttps://Webroot.com/DanaChange your October from cyber-scary to cyber-secure with 60% off Webroot Total Protection.AmmoSquaredhttps://AmmoSquared.comDon't get caught without ammo and be sure to tell them you heard about Ammo Squared on this show. ChapterFor free and unbiased Medicare help from my partners Chapter, dial #250 and say keyword “My Medicare”Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand-alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan's contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don't directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.Keltechttps://KelTecWeapons.comKelTec builds every KS7 GEN2 right here in the USA with American materials and workers—upgrade your home defense today. All Family Pharmacyhttps://AllFamilyPharmacy.com/Dana Don't wait until flu season knocks at your door. Use code DANA10 at checkout to save 10%. Relief Factorhttps://ReliefFactor.com OR CALL 1-800-4-RELIEFTurn the clock back on pain with Relief Factor. Get their 3-week Relief Factor Quick Start for only $19.95 today! Byrnahttps://Byrna.com/DanaGet your hands on the new compact Byrna CL. Visit Byrna.com/Dana to receive 10% off Patriot Mobilehttps://PatriotMobile.com/DanaDana's personal cell phone provider is Patriot Mobile. Get a FREE MONTH of service code DANAHumanNhttps://HumanN.comStart supporting your cardiovascular health with SuperBeets, now available at your local Walmart.

Welp! We're almost finished our 3.26 private league (Path 1) and it's only natural to compare games when you jump from one game to another. So this episode is all about our builds, hardcore deaths, and comparisons between GGG's games. We hope you're enjoying our Path of Exile 1 PL, if you're playing, and the same wishes towards any of your PoE 2 experiences! Thanks, as always, for your support! We appreciate you taking the time to listen in.(00:00:00) Welcome to Forever Exiled(00:21:45) Transition into Path of Exile talk(00:25:12) Patch 3.26 impressions and changes(00:32:08) Skill balance and meta builds(00:39:55) Atlas tree reworks and favorite maps(00:47:20) Loot drops, RNG, and trading frustrations(00:54:45) Community leagues and private events(01:00:10) Minion builds and summoner adjustments(01:09:30) Performance and technical polish in PoE2(01:18:05) Looking forward to next league and closing thoughtsForever Exiled Info:www.foreverexiled.comPatreonTwitter @ForeverExiled82Path of Exile WebsiteWrecker of Days Builds ListDiscord...FE Merch StoreFE Nexus Store

Privately Owned Pubs, Where am I? Air Raid Shelters, New Houses and more...

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 9 The Sinister Science Club In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             Anyone can be who they want to be; the challenge is being who you need to be Raven Thorpe was awarded the 'honor' of working with me, a designation she groaned over, and other girls glared at her with jealousy. After class she attempted to shoulder past me but I tapped her arm. "Can we talk for a second?" I inquired. "Don't you have to scurry off and take care of your schedule?" she replied blandly. "Can you stop being a bitch for fifteen seconds so we can figure out which author we can work on?" I snapped angrily. She pulled up short as if she expects to be pimp-slapped next. "Okay, who do you have in mind?" she requested. "And if you say William Shakespeare, I am going to smack you with my book bag." "I was thinking the political works of Edmund Burke," I suggested. Raven blinked. "Seriously, I didn't think you even knew who Edmund Burke was, much less that he was the father of modern conservatism," Raven congratulated me. It was almost like she wanted to pat me on the head and give me a doggy bone. "I was thinking of concentrating more on his works during the American Revolution, but if that's what you are more comfortable with, we could cover his later period works instead," I offered. "Good point, Zane. Let's talk it over during lunch," Raven suggested. "Zane," summoned a female voice from outside the classroom. "Go on," Raven smirked, "enjoy your disproportionate level of abuse." "You act like I have any choice in the matter," I shrugged. It was of little consolation that Raven made it ten more feet from the door when she got snatched up too. This time out, my mistress got to point to a feature on her body and I had to give it a flattering description, I know, my life is utter hell. I had no idea where the Science Club met; I even began to get the sinking feeling they carefully controlled any information about themselves, sort of like a secret society, or the CIA. "Hello, I'm Paige," spoke this girl, who apparently materialized out of the ether. I'm not paranoid; I've spent the past two years in a region where you have to be alert because Tigers are common and I say this girl freaking ghosted me, Man. "I'm with the Science Club. You will come with me right now," she smiled like said predator cat trying to disguise herself as a white rabbit. "You are albino," I noted. She had long white hair, alabaster skin, and a red shadow to her eyes. She was also the only girl to date I'd seen with the dark blue jacket that was part of our winter uniform. She also had a jaunty blue hat and white stockings instead of socks. "You have eyes," she rolled hers, "now come along." I started to follow her. "So what is this meeting about?" I asked. "It isn't a meeting; we require you for something," she replied. "What is it?" I became more cautious. "It is a surprise," she mocked me. "Stop wasting my time and come along." "Cool, I'm out of here." I grinned, turned, and left. Paige staggered and seemed unable to grasp my departure. "Where are you going?" she snapped tartly. "To Archery Club," I replied, while still walking away. "But, but you said you would come," she stuttered. "Am I a person? Are you?" "Yes and yes," she replied with irritation. "Are you an idiot or a child? Because those are the only reasons to forgive your spoiled behavior," I turned and said. Paige glared. "So you assume you are smarter than me and can be rude to someone who is doing you a favor." "We are the ones doing you a favor," Paige snapped back. "Now we want you to repay us." "Did you discuss payment when you did me the favor of rewiring my room? No? Good, because if you had, I would clearly be suffering a form of amnesia," I gave back. "If you want something, you can ask as a friend or you can offer me something that makes it worth my while. Now go back to Cordelia and tell her you have returned alone because you were so much smarter than me. If you could only 'speak friend', I continued walking away. "Wait," Paige called out nervously. "I, I, and I could almost hear the wheels turning. "Speak friend and enter." I stopped in midstride. "So you read through my school records and know my top ten influences," I turned and responded. We stared at each other for almost a minute until she finally gave up and put on her sunglasses. I retraced my steps back to her. "Favorite member of the Fellowship?" I tested her. "Legolas," she responded. I scoffed and she had the human decency to look embarrassed. "Ha," I scoffed again. "Horny girls go for the elf; the marrying kind goes for Aragorn." "Who is yours, then, wise guy?" she volleyed. "Boromir," I declared my allegiance. "Ah, of course; the veteran warrior in a doomed struggle; he forsakes his honor only to redeem it in a hopeless fight, perishing in the arms of his brothers," Paige retorted. "I thought you would have gone for Aragorn, the Uncrowned King." "Hmm," I winced, "my second choice was actually Frodo but that would have sounded gay." "You can't be gay; you are not clever enough to conceal that," she stated. "See, now you are sounding like Saruman the White," I teased. "Let me guess: because I'm an albino," she grumbled. "You are an albino? I was talking about your facial hair and that arrogant, know-it-all vibe you've got going on," I joked. Paige stared at me, suddenly speechless, finally taping her chin. "At least you didn't call me Gollum," she admitted. "Nah; too much hair and not enough skin slime," I explained as I ran the back of one finger over her cheek. She flinched slightly. "Are you going to, please, come with me now?" she asked much more politely. "Are you going to have sex with me?" I grinned. "What?" she squawked. "Just joshing you," I smiled. "You are far too pretty to be interested in me. Let's go." I'd clearly unsettled her because she didn't say another word to me until we were going downstairs in the Clegger Science Building. "Do you really think I'm pretty?" she asked as we finished the last set of stairs. "I must confess I find most women attractive, but you are far prettier than most," I replied. "Do you still want to have sex with me?" she said in a casual voice. I took her hand and placed it on my heart. "Hah," she snorted, "I get it; your heart is beating so yes, you want to have sex with me." "I was going to say that a steady heartbeat indicated I was telling the truth, but someone keeps insisting they are smarter than me," I teased her. Am I really asking for another sex partner? What's wrong with me? Her reaction wasn't what I expected it to be and then I realized that she still had something over on me, the reason for me being here. Bitch. She opened a door into a dark room and ushered me in. There appeared to be about ten ladies in the room, playing with a variety of electronics. "Delivered as promised," Paige called out. "What did he hit you with?" a short caramel-skinned girl inquired. "Fellowship of the Ring," Paige grinned. Mother-fuckers! "Did he offer to have sex with you?" Cordelia asked playfully. "Yes. And not only gave me a 'pretty' but also a 'far prettier'." Paige gave me a smug look. "Ha, ha, ha," I muttered. Idiot me forgot that psychology is also a science, and the reason we don't have a chess club at FFU was also evident; the Science Club devoured them. "Come on, Zane," Cordelia batted her full lashes at me. "We need a little favor and it won't take fifteen minutes." "Couldn't you simply coerce me into doing this?" I stated. "I'm sure this whole rigmarole of making me think I'm doing you a favor has to be making things more difficult." "We are all friends here," Cordelia smiled. "No, if we were all friends here, Iona would be at my side," I scolded her. "I admit you did a great scam getting me in this room, but you aren't nearly as good at lying to my face as you think you are." "Iona, Paige started to say. "Don't!" Cordelia snapped, then took a deep breath. "If you threaten Iona he will hit you, no," she corrected, "He'll hit me," Cordelia reasoned out. "There are eleven of us," another girl, Pandora Jaspers, stated, somewhat angry and confident. "I've seen him fight, Pandora. I saw him drop Mercy Chaplain. I've seen him fight Cappadocia Davis and Coach Gorman too," Cordelia said coolly as we stared at one another. "Unless we curl up in a ball on the ground, he'll beat us down. We'll hurt him, but Zane can take more pain than we can because he cares about her." "On that note, I'm gone again. Good going Paige; I'm sure you can think of something to make your sisters understand," I shrugged and moved for the door. "Zane, I need you to strip down and let us attach a series of video and biometric sensors so we can create a 'Virtual Zane' for a little project we are working on," Cordelia blurted out. I had to think hard about this; not because I didn't want to do it but because I had to figure if this was an honest play or another convoluted turn of the screws. I turned and looked at Cordelia. "There was no way in hell you ever thought I was a professor and you miraculously materialized outside my first class with the knowledge I was actually a freshman, damn, Cordelia, can't you just ask for stuff?" I berated her. "If you ask, you depend on another to get what you want; if you deceive, you win or lose on your own abilities," she shrugged. "Besides, I did ask you to kiss me; remember?" "Good enough; where do you want me to stand?" I responded. "Wait," Paige gawked. "Now he is doing it." "Alright ladies," one girl grinned. "Everyone pay up. I told you we should simply ask him." With that, I stepped over to a table and began stripping. Slowly the girls around me stopped what they were doing and openly ogled me. I guess the real me was better than the video. "Aren't you curious about what we are going to do?" Pandora inquired. "You are probably going to tell me that I'm posing naked because it is easier to dress an 'uncluttered' form, or something to that effect, but really, I like Cordelia and Iona is one of my two best friends," I mulled it over. "Besides, in case you missed it, I've seen all your faces." Once they took that bit of news in, things went along smoothly, though they had some debate amongst themselves on whether my cock needed its own 'reference point', a sensor attached. The amusing thing was, when the girl running the computer imaging asked me to keep my cock still, I had to reply that certain reactions weren't under my control, which caused a rather awkward moment. When I was finally finished there was another quiet interlude as I got dressed. "So," Cordelia wondered, rocking back and forth on her feet, "if we need more, data, could we get you to come back?" "Sure," I smiled back, "you know where I live, and you certainly know what my digits are. Cordelia, I want you to consider that if something happens in my room that ends up on the web that betrays the trust people have put in me, I'm not going to come after all of you looking for excuses. Are we clear?" "Is that a threat, Zane?" Cordelia beamed playfully. "Cordelia, I'm always one step away from being tossed out of here on my ass, so those who chose to trust me and take up my cause are doing it because they are decent folk. I'm not like most people; I can't afford to toss friends away like most of the rest of the people in this room seem to be comfortable with." "Or what," Paige smirked, "you'll beat us up?" "No, Paige. I value trust, so if you take that away from me, I'll find out what you value and take that away from you," I stared at her intently. "I know what you are going to say, Paige," Cordelia jumped in, "and Zane being expelled will only mean that he has no other distractions from dealing with us and he'll still have people inside the school all too willing to help him." "Zane, how about if something is done, we give you an off switch for various sections?" Cordelia offered. "Sounds great; let me know how the project works out, but now I have to go to Archery," I replied, before slipping out the door. "How did he know we were going to wire his room?" I overheard Paige whisper to Cordelia. "You don't seriously think he came here solely because we tricked him, do you?" Cordelia answered. "He knew we would try something and he wanted us to know that he knew." Yes, I had bumbled into the message I'd wanted to get across despite myself. Does Anyone Want Me Here? I had escaped school with a double date for Thursday Night (Chastity and Hope), then stopped by the house to plead with Aunt Jill to let Rio stay for the weekend. I gave a rational case, a compassionate reason, and then fell down on my knees and told her I really, really, really wanted her to stay. Something in that last argument made Jill relent and I phoned the good news to Rio. All that groveling resulted in me making the Festivities Committee Meeting by only two minutes. I swept into the room abruptly and as the story of my life goes, everyone stopped talking and looked at me. A quick scan of the room told me that two of the eight women knew to expect me, or at least some guy, while the others clearly assumed I'd lost my way. "Can we help you, young man?" an older woman with hair mostly turned to gray. "Welcome, Glenn," Mrs. Wellington said. "Ladies, Pastor William has asked us to introduce Mr. Braxton to the good works of our Church." There was a pause. "Thank you, Mrs. Wellington, but no one alive calls me Glenn anymore, and I'm not old or accomplished enough to be Mr. Braxton, like my Father or Uncle Tim. My teachers call me Zane." "Oh, you are at the University?" a third woman asked politely. She was asking if I went to the University of Virginia. "No, I don't go to UV; I go to FFU, it is a long story," I replied with trepidation. "I have a daughter at Freedom Fellowship," one of the women responded with concern. "What is her name?" I tried to be polite, what were the odds? "Pandora Jaspers," Mrs. Jaspers answered. "Seriously? I've done Handmaiden duty for her, and today I saw her at the Science Club," I sighed with relief. "What did she have you do?" yet another woman inquired intently. "I helped her create an umbrella walkway when it was raining so that all the students could get to class without getting soaked," I informed them. "Have you been to 'camp'?" a sixth woman hinted at something. "Camp, no, I can't say I've ever been to a camp," I evaded, because I had no idea what they meant. "That's enough, ladies," Mrs. Wellington said. "We have business to take care of. We can worry about Mr. Braxton's confusion at a later time." Oh, they think I'm gay. Camp = Gay camp where fundamentalists are sure I could be cured of being homosexual. I try not to laugh. "Mr. Braxton, I want you to sit at the chair there," Mrs. Wellington pointed to a chair away from the table, against the wall. "I want you to take personal notes for the members, things that don't go into the official record. Doreen Saxon," she indicated the gray haired woman "is our secretary. She takes the official notes of the meeting, so pay attention." The Meeting for the first of September was called to order, the record of attendance including the difficulty of my name, they kept trying to call me Glenn Braxton while I politely asked for Zane. They went with Glenn. The rest of the group worked out like this: Rochelle Wellington was Chairwoman, Kendra Bainbridge was our Treasurer, and Doreen Saxon was the grey-haired Secretary. The rest of the group consisted of Claire Baker, Theresa Geiger, Columbia Jaspers, Heidi Moulin, and Sahara Penny, the Pastor's wife. As the meeting progressed there was little I could do but watch the group dynamics at work. For starters, Bainbridge was at Wellington's throat; they clearly didn't like one another. The other was an oddity; no one interacted with Sahara Penny. I wasn't sure if it was her non-white heritage (Middle Eastern of some sort), her meek nature, or some past sin, but I decided to take advantage of it. I got up quietly and began walking around the table. "Glenn," Mrs. Saxon asked, but I ignored her because, damn it, how many times do I have to tell them my name is Zane? I walked over and knelt by Sahara. "Zane," Mrs. Wellington addressed me, "are you looking for the bathroom?" Bingo! "No, Mrs. Wellington. I was hoping to get some background information on the current discussions as well as contact information for the group. Since the rest of you are treating Mrs. Penny like she has the plague, I figured she would be the perfect candidate to tell me what is really going on here," I grinned at her. "It is always the quiet ones who know the most." And everyone stopped talking. Sahara not only looked shocked and frightened to see me, she looked like she wanted to sink under the table when I told the rest of them my reason for being here. "I assure you, Mr. Braxton, we are fully including Sahara in the process," Mrs. Bainbridge snorted indignantly. "I will gladly accept your reprimand if you can please tell me the last five words you said to her since I arrived," I requested, with as much innocence as I could beg, borrow, or steal. "I asked her about the children's clothing for the Nativity this year," Kendra said after a long pause. "That was Claire, not Sahara," I corrected her. "It is in my notes, but I'm sure Doreen can corroborate my recall of events." "Well," she said testily, "I'm sure I said something to her." Silence. "I apologize for disrupting the meeting. I'll crouch here quietly and conference with Sahara while the rest of you complete the business of the day," I told them, then turned back to Sahara. "Now, what the heck is up with the live turkey at the Thanksgiving celebration?" In the end, I gathered my information, the meeting concluded its business, and the room emptied until it was me, Sahara, Kendra, and Rochelle. "A Christian gentleman would apologize," Kendra informed me. "Well, I guess that makes us both poor Christians, because a good Christian woman wouldn't have lied to me," I calmly replied. Kendra gaped like a fish out of water. "Rochelle!" Kendra snapped to the Committee head. "Zane, you apologize to Kendra right now," she commanded me, without much passion. "Kendra Bainbridge, I apologize for my rude and uncalled for behavior," I said with a bow. Neither woman had expected me to fold up like that, so all Kendra could do was huff and storm out of the room. "Thank you," Sahara whispered, as she touched my hand. "I don't always know the right side to fight on but it is usually by the side of the person being bullied," I grinned. "It is the Christian thing to do," I added with a wink. That left me with Rochelle Wellington: MILF, Lance the asshole's Mom, and wife of the Mayor. She looked like she wanted to stand up but couldn't. Me, I had a Sorority meeting to get to, I missed dinner so I had to grab something first, and why in the hell was I even thinking what I was thinking? I sat down beside her. "What's wrong?" I began. She looked at me, tired and somehow forlorn. "You wouldn't understand, Mr. Braxton, Zane," she sighed. "Try me; the worst that could happen is, I give the expression that every teenager gives an adult when something important is being said but we are too caught up in our own lives to understand." "Oh, good point, young man," she sighed, "but I'm afraid I don't have anything even remotely interesting to talk about." I waited patiently. "I'm feeling sorry for myself. My baby is leaving the nest and it has been so long since I've been alone in the house, I don't know what to do with myself." "Lance is an only child?" I wondered. "Oh, no, he is the youngest of five," she responded with sadness. My jaw dropped and she stared at me. "What, did you start having kids when you were ten?" I gawked. "What?" she sounded confused. "I have a hard time believing you are forty, much less the mother of five grown children," I stammered. At first Rochelle was embarrassed and a bit uncomfortable, but slowly the compliment seeped its way into her psyche. "I, I have a home gym," she suggested as an answer. "Well, whatever you've been doing has worked. Your husband is one lucky guy, and I hope he appreciates you and all you do to look, act, and feel so young," I wowed her. "I'm not feeling all that young right now," she slipped back into her depression. "Where does it hurt?" I changed my focus. "I don't know what you mean?" she asked. "People keep their stress in different places; the back of the neck, the mid-back, shoulders, or temples," I informed her. "I'm not comfortable talking with you about that," Mrs. Wellington replied warily. "Sure," I said popping out of my seat. "I apologize if I crossed any lines," and I made for the door. "Wait, Zane, I apologize. I'm tired and a bit cranky. I know you didn't mean anything and besides, I'm sure you already have a girlfriend," Rochelle admitted. "Please don't spread this around, but I have several girlfriends at the moment. They know about each other, I'm not going to lie about my sex life, but they are usually interested in different things," I told her. "You have, multiple girlfriends, different things? Like what kind of different things?" Rochelle spilled out her confused thoughts. "Some women like sexual contact," I related, "while others like romantic time together, and still others want companionship." There was another long pause. "But you are at Freedom Fellowship University, she trembled. "I've never taken a student's virginity, if that's what you are asking," I answered. "Oh, I understand. I've taught all my children that they should be virgins on their wedding day," Rochelle said with some pride. "I have to disagree with that," I shocked her, "but that is one of the reasons that women are better than girls." "And how would you know this?" She now turned in her chair to face me, trying to sound affronted but coming across as deeply curious. "Umm, I've had sex with girls in their teens and women in their forties, and women know more, pace themselves better, and generally have better bodies," I explained. "Teen girls need a few more years to fill out." Rochelle was utterly speechless, and part of that had to do with the fact that I was being frank and honest, yet not openly coming on to her. "You must not think much of me, then," she mused, "teaching my children my views on virginity." "Where did you get that from? If anything, you are proving yourself to be an intelligent, warm, caring, and compassionate woman and mother, who happens to look like she's less than forty years old," I added. "You did what you thought was right. I can't argue with that." "Well, good," she replied. "Now for my part, I was taught that a real man gives his lover multiple orgasms and he should never reach fulfillment before his partner does. Any man who does so is being selfish," I stated. "How did you come by this, thinking?" she inquired with a small voice. "Umm, I've had sex around five hundred times with thirty different partners," I told her, "so I've not only learned from very good teachers, I've field tested their ideas." "How can you possibly consider yourself a good Christian, Zane?" she accused me. "Compassion, respect for all living things, and forgiveness, that's what I believe in and what Christianity stands for in my eyes," I explained. "The Bible is clear on sex and the sanctity of the marriage bed," Rochelle insisted. "Mrs. Wellington, everything after the death of Jesus is conjecture. We both accept that Jesus was the Son of God, but after he dies, who is to say who was being touched by the Divine, who was building on JC's teachings, and who was simply making stuff up," I held up my hand to stop Rochelle's protest. "The Catholics have a thousand Saints, most of whom we don't hold to be divinely inspired. You chose to believe that virginity is a girl's sacred duty, but I don't recall Christ saying anything on the subject. You can certainly quote later Gospels or the Old Testament, but that makes it your choice, not the Word of God," I finished up. Another long pause followed. "I keep my stress in the top of my shoulders," she suddenly said. I stood up and moved behind her, deciding to not question her changing opinion of me. "It helps if you take off your jacket," I suggested, then helped her shimmy out of it. She tensed up as my hands weighed down lightly on her shoulders so I kept my touch gentle. Two minutes into the massage, I began squeezing harder and harder, moving my palms back and forth over her bra straps from upper arm to neck. "Rochelle," I whispered into her ear, "I am going to rotate your shoulders." I rolled over each shoulder one at a time but when I finished, I pushed her slowly forward until she was resting her elbows on the table and held her head on her upturned hands. When I went back to the massage, I worked her over harder and extended my reach from her mid-back to neck. This was clearly a case of begging forgiveness instead of asking permission. I took my time, relaxing her to a completely detached state. When I brought her back to reality, I was kneeling beside her and tapping her on the arm. "Rochelle? Are you okay," I asked in a gentle, caring voice. Dreamily, she turned her head from its resting place on her arms to look at my eyes straight-on and mere inches away. "What, huh?" she muttered. "How do the shoulders feel? Has your stress gone away?" I inquired. "Yes, yes," she popped up, alert once more. "It feels really good, in fact. I haven't felt this way in years," she added with a smile. "I think it is time for us to go," I suggested. "Can I help you with your jacket?" "Of course," she nodded. "Thank you for helping an old lady out." I held it while she put in one arm after the other but when I settled it on her shoulders, I stepped in and held her there for a moment while I pressed myself against her so she could feel how I felt about 'old ladies'. Rochelle froze when she felt my cock, rigid in my slacks, pressed against her ass. I was unsure if I'd gone too far when she pushed ever so slightly against me. "I've got to be going. I will see you on Sunday but I'm home all weekend with one of my girlfriends in case you need me," I informed her. I slipped out before she could respond because not only did I have a Sorority function to attend, I also needed to figure out where I could score some Viagra because I clearly had no common sense where sex was concerned. Besides, Sahara was obviously in need of attention because Pastor Bill wasn't giving it to her, and Bainbridge was lashing out due to years of sexual frustration, I repeat: I have no common sense. Every One Like a Fingerprint to Me When I was racing to get to the Kappa Sigma House, I hardly expected to be met by one of their pledges and absolutely no one else. After I sat down in the den and the pledge, Tina, got me a soda from the kitchen, we found ourselves staring at one another. "So, I'm here on the correct night; right?" I asked. "Yes, you are, Zane," she bubbled with anticipation. "Where is everybody?" I prodded her. "They are taking care of Sorority business but they will come get us when they are ready," she grinned. I knew I was missing something but I didn't know what it was. "Is it hot in here?" I wondered. "Yes," Tina said after a bit of concentration. "Tina, can I have some Advil? I'm getting a headache," I yawned. "Okay," Tina responded, still happy, and still sitting down. "Ah, fuck, you drugged me, didn't you?" I groaned. I doubted I could still stand and then proved my doubts as I slid off the chair. "Damn," I slurred. Tina walked over to me, took my drink away, and gently maneuvered my body to the floor. "If it is any consolation, I was selected as the pledge most likely to seduce you," she stated with real sympathy. I might have smiled at her, I wasn't sure, but I definitely passed out. Cough! Someone plunged cleaning detergent underneath my nose and fired me back to consciousness. Holy Mother of God, I'm cold, my wrists and ankles hurt, I'm outdoors in the woods illuminated by torches and surrounded in a semi-circle of bare-footed figures in ankle long brown robes and black hoods. I was cold because I was naked and my limbs hurt because I was suspended on a cross, not a 'T' cross but an 'X' cross. I certainly know some kinky, fucked-up people. "Zane," a modulated voice addressed me, "you are on trial before Kappa Sigma for your treatment of one of our sisters. You have abused the trust of one sister by seeking romantic relations with another. What do you have to say for yourself?" "If the question is that I had relations with Leigh, then had a similar encounter with Paris, then I confess. In my defense, I never sought to deceive either one and will make amends if permitted," I promised. "Sisters, we have heard his defense. Will any of you vote in his behalf?" she intoned. No one stepped forward. "Zane, we will give you one chance to save yourself. If you fail, you will be shaved bald and painted in a permanent purple dye." I assume that means seven days on human skin. "If you can pick out the woman you have wronged, beg her forgiveness, and are forgiven, you will go free." I was getting pretty nervous since they were all totally covered except for their toes when the 'leader' nodded and the girls all opened their robes to reveal string bikinis in a variety of colors. Their faces were still covered, though that wasn't really a problem for me anymore. "Choose Leigh and Paris, beg their forgiveness, and you may be pardoned," the 'leader' commanded. "That's not fair," I answered right back, "because they are not before me now." "Think carefully," the girl with the modulated voice cautioned me. "No, seriously; I'm looking at Josephine, Maria, Cynthia, Sarah, Ferrara, Petra, Yvette, Tawny, Jersey, and Monique," I named them left to right. "What?" Sarah gasped to her assembled sisters. "Do we have name tags on?" Behind me, I heard snickers turn into giggles, Leigh and Paris. Tawny stepped forward. "How did you know?" she inquired, clearly not the girl with the modulated voice. "Ah, Josephine has a birthmark on her ankle, Maria has the darkest skin tone, and Cynthia's breasts don't angle down the middle or to the side but somewhere in the middle." "Sarah has slender thighs and her calves curve just so below the knee; Ferrara always paints her nails in these crazy patterns; Petra scrapped her knee backpacking two weekends ago; Yvette, has that tattoo over her right nipple; Tawny, you have a slender neck, a, 38C chest, and a strong swell from your waist to your hips; Jersey is the tallest and has that scar she got in a boating accident in high school; and finally, Monique has the perkiest nipples and the most slender calves," I recited. Man, even the crickets went quiet after that. "Zane, did anyone help you with this test?" Tawny finally asked. "Nope." "How could they?" Leigh came to my defense. "You didn't make the line-up until thirty minutes ago." "Jersey, go check his phone log," Tawny directed her sister. "I'm getting really cold," I whispered to Leigh. She looked from my eyes to my waist with sympathy. Jersey walked out of the light but quickly returned with my phone. "His last call was at 2:10 p.m. but he did have a data download at 6:45, it seems to be a bunch of women's names and phone numbers," Jersey relayed the information to them. "It is my church group, I swear. Honestly, they are all married women in the Festivities Committee that bastard of a pastor assigned me to," I pleaded. "No phone calls?" Tawny persisted. "No phone calls," Jersey confirmed. "Okay, Zane, how did you know who we were with our faces concealed?" Tawny wondered. "Is that a serious question?" The deafening pause was its own answer. "You are women; I pay attention to women and to me, each female form is as exacting as a fingerprint. Until now I thought all of this was a joke," I related. "I mean, if you wanted to scare me, you would have given me something difficult to figure out." "And you picked all this up at one party?" Tawny sounded bewildered. "Have I mentioned how much I like women?" I reminded her. "But you brought twenty women with you; you always had a woman by your side. How?" Tawny still struggled to understand. "I repeat: have I mentioned how much I like women? I see nothing wrong with being with one woman and looking at others, but I believe it is wrong to be with one woman and thinking about someone else," I explained. "You should always appreciate the one you are with." "Umm, does any sister believe Zane has earned a reprieve?" For two seconds no one reacted, then Jersey stepped forward. "He knew about my scar," was her excuse. Five more stepped forward right after that and all had done so by the tenth second. "Very well Zane, you are forgiven," Tawny announced. Yay, me! "But I have one other issue to address. Zane, I can't have you cutting a swath through my girls so I'm going to demand that you stick to one and only one Kappa Sigma per semester." I stared at her until she finally had to question me. "What?" "I wish you would stop treating me like a child," I chuckled. "What makes you think I'm not being serious?" Tawny growled. "We've kissed. You can tell a lot about a person in the way they kiss, and you are very caring and thoughtful," I told her. "Why would I be out here in the woods naked if I didn't trust you?" "You kissed him!" yelped Leigh. Tawny smirked as she looked at her. "You left me alone with a naked Zane in your room; he looked cold and lonely," she told Leigh. I was cold and lonely because Tawny tossed Leigh out of her own room and then wouldn't let me get dressed, but only Tawny, Christina, and I knew that. "Besides, Zane, you are naked in these woods because we tricked you into our house and spiked your drink," Tawny pointed out. "Ah, but would I have been dumb enough to take that drink if I hadn't first trusted you enough to show up, wait, that didn't come out right," I mumbled. "Are you agreeing to my terms?" Tawny teased. "Nope. I prefer to hold to the illusion I'm living in the Free World," I declared. "You can certainly tell your sisters what to do because they volunteered for this but I only hang out here because all of you have been so nice to me. If I've been a poor guest, I'll just leave, because I'm not going to pretend I like one sister less than another." "Zane, you are deep in the woods, tied to a cross, and the only people who know you are here are all bound by Sacred Oaths of Sisterhood, Blood, and Secrecy," Tawny stated sweetly, as she came up and stroked my cheek. "You aren't in the best place to be dumping us." "Good point," I agreed defiantly. "Maybe I should wait to get on my high horse when I can actually get on a high horse, but I'm still not going to take it back." "We could always keep him in our secret basement," Monique suggested. When everyone looked at her she added, "Hey, he liked my nipples. Finding a guy who is good with nipples isn't as easy as you would think." Huh, what? I had a definite feeling I was losing control of events. "You have a secret basement?" I gulped. "I didn't know you had a secret basement." "Well, duh," Paris snickered. "It wouldn't be much of a secret if you knew about it." "We are not keeping Zane chained up for our amusement," Tawny warned the girls. "We specifically changed the Charter back in '02 so that we can no longer keep men on the premises for more than forty-eight hours." Yay? "We also can't leave him here," Tawny continued. "I'm sure Christina will have search parties out looking for you before sunrise." "I'll stay out here and stand guard over him," Leigh volunteered. "No," Tawny scolded Leigh. "We can't let him get fucked to death either." Leigh looked truly heartbroken. "I think we have to let Zane get off this time," Tawny sighed. "I was trying to get him off," Leigh grumbled. "Give it a rest, Leigh," Tawny demanded. "Paris, give our guest something to drink so we can wrap this up." Paris disappeared behind me, then reappeared with a glass of water. "Drink up," she smiled beatifically. "Just promise me I'm not going to wake up in some landfill or tied to a lamppost somewhere public," I groaned. "Drink it down right now and you might wake up next to me," Tawny challenged. Needless to say, I drank and quickly, because I'm an idiot who keeps too much blood in the wrong head. When I woke up, I was back in the Sorority house with a different sweet pledge smiling at me and that smell of ammonia in my nostrils. She handed me a folded piece of paper. I said 'you MIGHT wake up next to me' the paper read. 'P.S. See you and the Ladies at our Halloween Bash.' "What's your name?" I asked the pledge. This time the home was filled with the noises of occupancy. "Larissa," she giggled. "So, are you Leigh's boyfriend?" "Ah, no; I'm community property; the other sisters hand me around like a box of chocolates," I joked. "Really! That is so great," she bubbled with excitement. "I can't wait until I get initiated. I want you to make me scream the way you had Leigh singing." Does no one get my jokes? "Larissa, I am sure you will pass your initiation, no sweat," I told her as I stood up, feeling a bit drunk. Larissa walked with me to the door and gave me a quick peck on the cheek as I turned to head for my car. I made it to campus with seconds to spare. The crawl up to the Solarium was done in relative quiet, though Barbie Lynn decided to sample my tonsils before letting me up. Not two steps inside the door my phone rang. "Hello, is this Zane Braxton?" this familiar voice greeted me. "That would be me. What can I do for you this night?" I responded. "This is Felicity Tolliver. I wanted you to know that I had dinner with Rochelle Wellington tonight and I think having you on her committee has really improved her mood," she informed me. I reached the top of the landing and nearly dropped the phone. Iona sat nervously on my bed, which she had made up because I never do it that well. She was wearing lingerie that definitely made her whole form much more feminine. "Felicity, Rochelle and I talked mostly, plus I showed her some techniques to help alleviate stress," I related, "but you can tell her it was a pleasure to work with such a vibrant and beautiful woman. You two are a lot alike." There was a pause, then, "I'll tell her that," Felicity said. "I will be at my home in case she needs something this weekend. I would like to see both of you, as would my Aunt," I offered. "That would be nice," she sounded upbeat. "We could also discuss getting some FFU girls coming over to your place and the workshops you could teach on campus in October and November," I suggested. "That sounds great too," Felicity agreed. "I would like to spend some time at FFU and having some girls know where Lance's house is would be nice. When do you want to meet?" "How about after dinner, say 8:00 o'clock?" I suggested. "You can bring Lance." "After dinner is fine but Lance has a church workshop on Saturday nights," Felicity sighed. Oh hell, does this woman even get taken to first base? "He's always so busy with his fraternity at school, the Young Christian Men's Republican caucus, and the Christian Men's League at church." Does this guy spend any time with women at all? "Consider it a date," I replied. "Now I have a very good reason to go to bed, so good night." "Good night," she parted in a friendly manner, which allowed me to hang up and start undressing as I approached the bed. I looked down at my bed buddy once I'd stripped down to nothing. "You look lovely, Iona," I greeted her. "What do you want to do?" "I'll do whatever you want," Iona said with a tremor in her voice, looking down at her lap. She looked stunning in her burgundy bra and panties, which were far more lace than substance. I felt the hand of, Christina (?) in all this. "Thank you, Iona. What I really want is to lie down, you beside me so that I can look into your eyes and gently trace lines along your body, and then I want to go to sleep with you in my arms. That's what I really want." "Really?" she perked up in surprise and relief. I crawled under the covers, holding them open so she could join me. "I like this a lot," she murmured, as she settled in at my side, snug in the covers. I shifted to my side and cupped her chin before exchanging several soft kisses with her. Afterwards, I did as I told her I would; my hand caressed her body, avoiding nipples and cunt but doing my best to get everywhere else. I elicited sensual moans and ticklish giggles. When I had forced her to push me off so she could catch her breath, I felt I had given Iona what she wanted, and more importantly, what she could live with. I sat back and stared at the Moon through my glass roof. Iona's smiling face slowly invaded my view. "I give up, Iona," I pleaded. "Right now I want some sleep." "That's okay. I will sit here and watch over you," she sighed. "That's, that's a little creepy, actually," I confessed. "I've watched all of the Twilight movies so I know what secretive romances are all about," Iona explained. Unfortunately, I knew little of the Twilight series of movies. I knew it involved vampires and werewolves and some chick named Bella but I'd never actually seen any of that. Had I known it involved a 100-year-old vampire breaking into some teenager's room and staring down at her while she slept, I would have been much more concerned, but for now I went to sleep. A lesson in why I shouldn t get out of bed in the morning. I woke up to every heterosexual teenage boy's second favorite dream (the first being a morning blowjob) of a perfume-scented head resting on each shoulder as you wake. There were the tiny complications of only having gone to bed with one woman and that, by their breathing, I could tell they were both awake. "Good morning," I said cautiously; technically morning since it was 5:00 a.m. "Good morning, Zane," Iona and Barbie Lynn greeted me. They both ran hands over my chest, though they gave a sudden jolt when their hands touched. I had one arm around Iona and I used that to give her a hug. My other arm was pinned by my side by Barbie Lynn's body. I gave Barbie's thigh a squeeze and she wiggled in response. "Okay, Barbie Lynn, this is Iona's night, so what are you doing here?" I scolded my blonde nymph. "I'm sorry," Barbie demurred then looked to Iona and repeated the "I'm sorry." "I understand," Iona replied, hesitating before saying after further introspection as she snuggled in, "I want to wake up this way every morning too. I like the way he smells and the way he makes me feel all warm inside, and now you owe me a night, to be shared," she stated hopefully. "One of these days I'm going to get a say in how I spend my free time," I griped. Iona looked hurt but Barbie Lynn merely sneered. "Don't you worry none, Iona. Zane, if you could wake up next to myself and Iona tomorrow morning, would you?" she drawled like sweet molasses. "Yes," I grumbled petulantly, "but I'd still like to talk about it." "Trust us, Suga, we know what's best for you and what you want. Just let us girls take care of you and you take care of all the Man Stuff." "We'll take good care of you," Iona dog-piled on, but in a nice way. "If it makes you feel better, you can punish us," Barbie Lynn offered. "We've been bad." "Huh?" Iona and I questioned. Barbie flipped over and wiggled her ass against me. "Good point. You two get to the foot of the bed, facing away from me, now!" I demanded. "Why me?" Iona honestly worried. "What did I do wrong?" "Do it, Iona. This is virtually a rite of passage," Barbie Lynn lied to her. "No, it is not, and if you don't want to do it, you don't have to," I told her. She didn't know what I was going to do and she clearly was scared, but when Barbie Lynn crawled out from under the covers and moved to the foot of the bed, resting on all fours, ass toward me, she followed suit. "If Barbie Lynn is going to do this," she muttered, "then so am I." I followed them, positioning myself between their calves and massaging their ass cheeks lightly. Barbie shifted back and forth in anticipation; Iona couldn't de-tense. Smack! "Oh, Yes!" Barbie Lynn yelped, then playfully wiggled her other, unmarked cheek within reach. "I've been really bad!" she chirped cheerfully. "No! Bad Girl," I shook my finger at her. "I'm starting to believe you aren't learning your lesson." We both knew that spanking Barbie was like throwing gasoline on a fire. Unfortunately, my purpose right now was to get them both back to their rooms, not work off my morning arousal. I moved behind Iona and forced her legs apart. She was clearly uncomfortable when I put a hand on each hip and slowly rocked her back and forth. Barbie Lynn sat back and watched with an enchanting glow highlighting her features; clever, intuitive, and lovely all at once. I settled my body onto Iona's back, my hard-on pressing into her ass cleft and one hand rubbing her stomach. "Zane?" Iona whispered in a scared little girl voice. "Yes," I answered, while kissing her along her shoulder ridge. "You, you didn't do this to Barbie Lynn," she choked out. "Do you want me to treat you as if you were another woman?" I continued, brushing her hair to one side so I could tease her neck with my lips. That got her to finally relax. "No," she gasped. "Iona, you explaining sex to Zane is like a bobcat telling a wolf how to hunt deer," Barbie Lynn teased Iona. "He gets to know you, what you like, and what you want, even if you don't know what that is." I spent another two minutes giving Iona a sensual massage, rubbing her upper arms, down along her sides, then tracing the lines of her panties before finishing with her inner thighs. Smack! "Oh," Iona gasped from the light impact. "Why didn't you spank me as hard as you spanked Barbie Lynn?" she wondered. "Did you want me to leave a handprint on your ass?" I asked. "No, I guess not," Iona admitted. "Can you answer me something?" "I'll try," I replied. "Why do you have those marks on your wrists and ankles?" She inquired. The room was dark so Barbie Lynn hadn't seen my little gift from the Kappa Sig's until Iona showed her what to look for. "Zane?" Barbie Lynn demanded to know, her persona going from sensual lover to protective Dorm Mother. "Let's not get into this right now," I sighed. They looked past me to one another but thankfully respected the peace I had requested. Had they not left together, huddled in quiet conversation, I would have been happier, but I had to be satisfied with fifteen more minutes of sleep instead. By the time I made it to the shower, everyone already knew not to ask, they were already seeking answers on their own. Getting to breakfast involved a play-debate where I had to be the 'Bad Guy,' aka the Liberal, Baby-killing, Godless Democrat, while my mistress of the moment was the heroic Republican. I graciously allowed her to trounce me, to the cheers of my fellow classmates, when I declared that all churches should be converted to homes for unwed mothers and that church-endorsed marriage should be banned for not accepting homosexuality. Did I know my audience or what? Never a Simple Morning I love women, even though they will surely be the death of me. Case in point: breakfast. I'm about to sit down with my normal companions (Rio and Iona) when a blur shoves Rio aside and takes a seat next to me. "Zane, I've been going over the books in the school library and some, Raven began. "Bitch, you did not just bump me and steal my seat," Rio seethed. Raven looked over her shoulder at Rio. "We are not in kindergarten anymore. Grown-ups chose their own seat," Raven lectured. "Wait!" I cried out to forestall Rio's pelting Raven with the contents of her food tray. Rio gave me barely enough time to twist my tray sideways, half-stand, and pull the Hellion onto my lap. I wouldn't displace Iona and that was the only place in this section of the table for her to sit. "Nice hood ornament," Raven smirked. "You and me are far from done," Rio snarled. "What, you don't know what 'ornament' means so you opt for something out of 'Goodfellas'?" Raven taunted. "Stop!" I barked. "Rio, Raven, Raven, Rio; Rio is my twin-soul and Raven is going to help me get through English this semester so for my sake, would you both please play nice?" Neither girl would budge so I took the initiative. "Raven, I think we can get access to the libraries at UV and George Mason; I'm sure they have tons more material for us to use," I offered. "How are you going to manage that?" Raven was skeptical. "Yeah, Brainiac," Rio parroted. "How are you going to do that?" "I'll have one of the Sorority sisters help me with UV and we'll have Iona hack Lance Wellington's password from his phone," I explained. "That will get us into Mason." "Only an idiot would store their password on a portable storage device," Raven stated with confidence. "Someone smart enough to get into George Mason wouldn't do that." "Ha, ha, ha," Rio laughed. "Raven, there are smarts, then there are real smarts. Any knucklehead can crack some books and get into a law school but it takes an adult to know when the rules do and don't apply." "That makes no sense," Raven stated with authority. "Raven, would you even consider trying to access UV or George Mason?" I asked. "No," she admitted, "because we don't go there." "Men build fortresses to be impregnable; God inspires men to storm them anyway," I replied. "Which translates as, 'if Zane says he's going to get something for you, he'll do it," Rio said. "Okay," Raven mulled it over, then, "So, Zane, how did you get those rope burns on your wrists?" "Yeah, Zane, how did you get those marks on your wrists and ankles?" Rio inquired devilishly. I stole an accusatory look at Iona for ratting me out about my ankles. "I went over to the Kappa Sigma

The unexpected death of R&B Neo-Soul singer D'Angelo has shocked the music industry. Privately battling pancreatic cancer and succumbing at age 51. D'Angelo dies just months after his former love and Mother of his child, Angie Stone. The Actual and Factual Kim Smith and Sir Goodwin Live also break down the latest in entertainment and current events in this episode. Kim's Korner ends the show with relationship topics (11800).DAngelo 0200Diane Keaton 0400Sister Jean 0600Ike JR 0800RHOP Wendy and Happy Eddie OSEFO indicted 1000Derrick Graves captured 130Drake v Kendrick dismissed again 1800Get ur Freak on best song of the 21st century 2100 No limit v cash money versus2600 Danity Kane reunited touramy roblach and tj holmes engaged 33003700 Stephen a smith is clown4000 Government ShutdownThe CHI set to end 10100Allen Iverson 1090011400 abortion v death penaltyWoman gives $2000 back 11800Woman leaves Ex's daughter a school 12500Men are choosing to be single and children free for peaceful. 14000LeBron doesn't wan to be alone

Salem Reporter smear against Julie Hoy: https://www.salemreporter.com/2025/10/07/mayor-julie-hoy-lied-to-set-in-motion-former-city-managers-resignation-investigation-shows/ 9th Circus court of appeals will hear Kotax arguments to stop NG deployment at PDX ICE: https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/9th-circuit-court-of-appeals-to-hear-portland-troop-deployment-case-thursday/ Kotax meets with DHS secretary at PDX privately: brags about demanding ICE obey OR laws instead of Fed law: https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/10/police-order-crowd-away-from-portland-ice-office-as-kristi-noem-set-to-visit-city.html Noem threatens PPD chief Day and feckless Mayor Wilson that she will increase Feds at ICE facility unless they secure the area: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/10/dhs-secretary-kristi-noem-threatens-democrat-mayor-police/ Comey slips in an out of arraignment on 2 felony charges with our perp walk: somebody in DOJ orchestrated and needs to be fired: https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1975908883584659507 MTG is wrong that Obamacare premiums are doubling: https://thefederalist.com/2025/10/08/no-obamacare-premiums-are-not-doubling/

The 10 Second Takeaway: DraftKings and other online sports betting platforms are losing market share to predictive markets. DraftKings (Nasdaq: DKNG) and FanDuel (owned by Flutter Entertainment (NYSE: FLUT)) have enjoyed more than 80% share for years in America's online sports betting market duopoly.But now they're adjusting to a new player who's recently joined their table.Privately-held Kalshi has a reserved seat to allow gamblers to bet on sporting events. Yet this isn't the same as its larger peers, and its new approach is taking the industry by storm.Kalshi isn't just another online sports book. It is technically an exchange who sells financial products that are tied to the outcomes of sporting events.That legal distinction is important, because Kalshi and other predictive market platforms are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission at the federal level. That's quite different from online sports betting platforms, who are regulated by each individual state.DraftKings and FanDuel have been lobbying endlessly on a state-by-state basis, trying not only to get their apps legalized but also for them to have consistent tax rates. Even after decades of operations, online sports betting is still only legal in 38 states + the District of Columbia.Yet Kalshi's financial products are available in all 50 states and have quickly sidestepped the traditional book of rules.As expected, the money is flowing to what's more universally available. The NY Times reported that Kalshi facilitated more than $2.5 billion worth of sports contracts in September alone, with the majority being on NFL games.That's a pretty formidable number, especially when considering the total cash handle for all sports betting last year was around $150 billion.There are political ties here as well. Kalshi named Donald Trump Jr as a strategic advisor one week before the president's inauguration, and the Trump Administration further issued tax cuts that are financially advantageous for future contracts as compared to traditional gambling.I don't personally see much of a difference between prediction market financial contracts and online sports bets. They're pretty much identical in function and are placed in exactly the same way within the apps by users.Yet in this highly-regulated industry, Kalshi and its predictven market peers appear to have been given a Trump Card. And that's providing an important edge that is causing it to win big at the expense of others.DraftKings will report its third quarter earnings in early November. I'll grab a front row seat and some popcorn, eager to see how this game will ultimately play out. See all of our coverage on DraftKings at 7investing.com/DKNG

After Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 arrest, billionaire financier Leon Black scrambled to distance himself from the disgraced sex offender, despite years of documented financial and personal ties. Black initially portrayed his connection to Epstein as limited to “tax and estate planning advice,” claiming he was unaware of Epstein's criminal activities and had ended all contact after learning of them. But that narrative began to crumble when reports revealed Black had paid Epstein roughly $158 million between 2012 and 2017—years after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from a minor. Under growing scrutiny, Black stepped down as CEO and chairman of Apollo Global Management in 2021 following an internal investigation that, while stopping short of criminal findings, confirmed that his payments to Epstein were far larger and more frequent than previously disclosed.Publicly, Black sought to frame himself as a victim of Epstein's manipulative charm, describing their relationship as a “terrible mistake” born of misplaced trust in a man who “betrayed” him. Privately, however, former associates and leaked correspondence suggested the two had shared a closer dynamic, with Epstein advising on personal matters, charitable giving, and even meeting members of Black's family. The fallout tarnished Black's reputation permanently, forcing him into partial exile from the financial elite he once dominated. His attempts to rebrand the connection as a naïve business misjudgment only deepened public skepticism—cementing his image as another powerful man who enabled, empowered, and profited from Jeffrey Epstein long after the rest of the world knew who and what he was.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Preview: Kevin Frazier discusses the extreme vulnerability and fragmented state of undersea cables, the vast majority of which are privately owned. The Department of Defense relies on these systems, which lack sufficient protection due to high costs. Frazier highlights recent reports that the Russian ship Yantar, under GRU possession, is tracking and mapping these vital cables near Great Britain in the event of conflict.

Preview: Kevin Frazier discusses the extreme vulnerability and fragmented state of undersea cables, the vast majority of which are privately owned. The Department of Defense relies on these systems, which lack sufficient protection due to high costs. Frazier highlights recent reports that the Russian ship Yantar, under GRU possession, is tracking and mapping these vital cables near Great Britain in the event of conflict.

Luke's HAARP Time Warp: Part 4 Marion grows as a leader but only after some serious pain. Based on a post by somethin fishy, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Luke was glad to get out of there. Richard smelled terrible. Not only was he super obese and he smelled from that, but he had bad body odor and smelled of stale sex. He went to make his way back to his chambers, but he stopped before he got there. He had to do some recon. He explored the castle from top to bottom and stopped to have friendly chats with the guards that he came across. Luke was quickly gaining a reputation for being polite and considerate. Any maids that he crossed paths with didn't fear being attacked by him. Instead, they all stopped to have a quick chat. Through all this Luke learned that Richard was very unpopular with the men and women of the castle and only stayed in charge because he had the support of about a dozen key men. Luke also learned that the last of the men that had been openly loyal to Charles or Marion had been killed, but the general opinion was that it was for the best for they had long ago resigned from the human race and had become animals just to survive. Finally, after some hours, Luke returned to his quarters. There he found the others very tense and it didn't take long for Luke to find out why. Richard was planning on leaving within a week and was demanding that Luke's women accompany him back to his regular home. “Well, that decides it. We have to act tonight.” “Tonight? Luke are you sure?” squeaked Marion. “Yes sweetheart, I'm sure. Because if we don't act, they will find out who you really are.” Marion nodded her final agreement. The group went through all their gear and Luke shared all the intel that he had gathered. This was the first time that any of them other than Marion had seen Luke's handgun and they were all amazed. “I promise that after all this is over and if I am still alive then I shall explain everything to all of you. Marion knows most of the things about me but not all.” Chapter 16. It was almost midnight when Marion's group started their attack. Luke had instructed them that if they heard him firing then they should leave as soon as possible and not to look back; Luke wouldn't accept any arguments. Their first target was Richard's key supporters. Slip up, kill the guards quickly, then kill the key supporters. Gabriel would start off each attack with her bow. She would hide in a dark corner and shoot the guards throats out. This way they couldn't scream. Luke would then usually pick the lock and they would slip in. When they found their target, they would slit his throat and usually would have to cover the mouths of the women with them so that no one screamed. Usually, Stella would calm down the whore that was in the bed. Stella was well known in the castle and had the respect of all the woman. After everything was taken care with one target, they would move on to the next. They worked like this through all the key supporters. Eventually, they only had one target left, Richard. Problem was that he was under heavy guard by loyal men, not the run of the mill castle guards like the rest of them had been. It took almost three hours to get through all the key personal. This had the benefit that by the time they struck at Richard, most of his guards would be drowsy. Luke stopped the attack for a couple of minutes to regroup and plan out their final assault. After looking things over Luke decided that it just might be time to get the trump card out and ready. He put his sword away and pulled out his sig. Quietly he checked to make sure that there was a round in the chamber. Just as the group was starting their assault, there was a blood curdling scream from where they had just been. Their latest target had just been found. Luke moved in as soon as Gabriel had shot the door guards. Luke shot the lock out of the door after finding the door was locked. He burst into the room and this being Charles's old rooms Marion had drawn very exacting sketches so Luke knew exactly where to go. Marion and he moved fast through the rooms, clearing them as they went, while the others guarded the door. Luke and Marion killed anyone that opposed them. By the time they got to Richard, they had killed fifteen men and two women. “Who the hell are you? What do you mean by barging in here?” “Why Richard” said Marion taking off her helmet “I am insulted that you do not recognize the rightful owner of these lands.” When Richard realized just who was standing in front of him, he smiled. “Ah I see that you have returned; Marion of York. Problem is that the rightful owner already has signed over the lands.” “What do you mean?” “Cecilia, you want to come out and meet our guest for this evening?” Marion and Luke started when they caught sight of Cecilia coming out of an adjacent room “Good morning, Marion. Ever the night owl I see. Nice to see you again Luke. It will be so nice to finally have your giant cock buried inside me; but do not worry about Marion for she will have to watch while tied she's to her old bed.” “You traitor. You betray father and every person living in these lands for what? Empty promises from this tub of lard.” This pissed Cecilia off and she started to move toward Marion but Luke pointed his gun at her. “Ah so that is the “gun” that Cecilia has told me so much about. And before you ask and waste more time, I know that it was you, Luke, who killed my son and his men. And now I think that it is time for all of your people to die.” Richard then whistled and his men started coming out of hiding. Luke was faster though. As soon as he heard Richard whistle, he shot Richard dead by double tapping him in the heart. Now he had to get Marion and the rest of the team out of this ambush. Luke shot any soldier that he saw while Marion was busy cutting down more. They worked their way back to the door, only to find a battle royal going on. The team was in serious trouble. They were heavily outnumbered and Gabriel was out of arrows. Luke had to act and act fast. He slapped another clip in and started to walk and shoot. Richard's men unfamiliar with such a device got nervous and broke. The team took full advantage of this and made their break for it. They had left hidden ropes so that they could make their escape. All they had to do was get to them. As they were running, Gabriel caught an arrow in her leg. She wanted the rest of the team to leave her and get out, but Luke wouldn't hear of it. “You never leave a team member behind, Gabriel. Now come on, let's get the fuck out of here.” Luke picked Gabriel up and threw her over his massive shoulder in a fireman's carry. This way Luke could still fight and Gabriel could shoot her bow as she got the arrows. As the team was getting through one of the doors, Tom was taken down. He had just helped Pollyanna get out for she had turned her ankle and was limping when a swordsman came out of nowhere and ran Tom threw. Pollyanna turned as quickly as she could and killed the swordsman. Stella came out then and seeing Tom lying dead started cursing. She turned to go back in and kill as many bastards as she could find but Marion got to her first and pulled her towards the ropes. Alice got them first and got everything ready for the rest. Marion came up with Stella and Pollyanna. Stella went down first, followed by Pollyanna and Alice. Marion in the meantime waited for Luke and Gabriel. She didn't have long to wait either. Luke came up and Marion was horrified. Luke had numerous cuts across his armor and placed that were not armored were bleeding badly, but Luke was so full of adrenaline that he didn't even notice. He went over with Gabriel hanging on to his back, for dear life, for they had to go down almost forty feet. Marion was the last over and made it down safely but almost didn't. When she was only ten feet from the ground, someone cut her rope and when she landed, she got herself a bad ankle sprain. Thankfully for all their sakes their horses were nearby and they were able to get out of town without too much hassle. Granted this meant that they had to kill the guard at the gate they used and had to lower the drawbridge themselves, still all things considered not bad. Chapter 17. The team had a long ride ahead of them to get back to their campsite, and they were all exhausted. As the team put distance between themselves and the town, their injuries began to make themselves known. Not one of them had managed to escape unscathed. Luke had numerous cuts, especially on his legs and near his hands. Pollyanna had a twisted ankle and was now missing two fingers on her left hand. Gabriel still had the arrow sticking out of her leg and had numerous other cuts. Marion was cut up bad and had a strained ankle. Stella was missing a finger on her right hand and was an emotional wreck after losing Tom. Alice was now missing part of an ear and had a very dramatic cut running down her jawline. Just before daybreak the group finally had to stop. They picked the thickest woods that they could find so that they would at least have some cover until they recovered a bit. Since Alice was the most talented medic in the group, she took charge of tended the wounds while Luke was her adviser. It took Alice almost two hours to tend to the team's wounds while Luke tended to hers. As soon as Marion was taken care of, she started cooking some food for everyone. It wasn't much, just a little bit of stew that Marion made up with the food that was in their saddlebags. “Well Marion, what is going to be our next move for we cannot go anywhere near York now?” asked Stella. “I don't know, Stella. I don't know.” Luke could see and feel the mood of the group get even darker now. He knew that he would have to step in but he had to be careful for he wanted Marion to grow into the leader that he knew she was capable of being. But right now, he had to keep the group together long enough for Marion to learn how to led. “Excuse me ladies but I think that we need to get back to our campsite and hunker down until things calm down a bit. After all, if Cecilia's forces catch us it's pretty much a sure thing that we will all be killed as painfully as possible.” When the rest of the group was far enough away, Luke pulled Marion to him and talked quietly; “Marion, never ever say that you “I don't know” when asked what to do ever again. Do you hear me?” she just stared at Luke for he was frigid. “Those three words will destroy a unit faster than any kind of enemy action. As the leader it's your job to know what to do even when you don't. If you truly want to be a leader then you need to take this advice to heart.” With that Luke helped Marion onto her horse and then mounted his. With the thought of Cecilia chasing them, to keep them company, the group set out again. Luke was worried about Gabriel's leg but right now he had more important worries for Cecilia's troops were starting to get out this far to look for them. The team slipped away as quietly as possible and keep moving though the day. As one member would sleep another one would guide that person's horse. Finally, they got back to their camp from which they had set off from just a couple of days before. Back at camp, the mood was somber for they had lost their friend and comrade, Tom. Emotions ran from just sad for Luke to furious from Stella. This wasn't the first time Luke had lost people in combat and he knew that it wouldn't be the last. Stella in the meanwhile was dealing with a bad case of survivor guilt. Everyone else in camp was between these two extremes. Since it was late in the afternoon, Luke started cooking supper. Yes, it was time to mourn but things still needed to be done, like cleaning his weapons and mending his clothes. As he was cleaning his Sig, Alice came up to him and asked: “Luke, are you going to tell us about that thing and about yourself now?” Luke looked at the others and saw that they wanted the answers. “Can we eat first and then after dinner I will show you all everything?” “I guess.” Alice replied melodramatically. “Thank you.” Dinner that evening was quiet to say the least. The only talking was to ask for food and to say thanks. Luke had managed a hearty venison stew for supper and there was enough left over for breakfast the following morning. After the dishes had been cleaned Luke pulled all of his gear out of hiding. This was going to be the first time that even Marion had seen all his gear. Sure, she had seen the cases, but she had never seen Luke open them. “Ladies, before I show you what I have to show and before I tell what all I have to tell; I must demand that you swear an oath of silence for if the wrong people, like Cecilia, get ahold of the information that I know, the world as you know it could come to an end. If you cannot do this then you need to leave now.” All of the women nodded their heads, agreeing to his terms. Luke started with his rifle. It was one of his most prized weapons, even before getting thrown back into the middle ages. It was a .338 caliber with a Leupold scope on it. With this rifle and the Lapua ammo that he was packing, he could shoot someone between the eyes at almost 1500 meters. Gabriel was amazed with this and Luke could see that she really wanted to try shooting it. “Gabriel” Luke continued once she looked him in the eye “I promise that I will teach you how to use this weapon, as soon as I can start making ammo for it. You will understand why in a little bit.” Luke then pulled out his computer and powered it up. During the last few months, he had taken it out periodically to make sure that the battery stayed charged. He had charged it with his solar powered charging station. When his laptop finished booting up, he started explaining: “Now this devise is called a computer. This one in particular probably holds more information than if you combined all the current knowledge on this planet. Stored in here are text on medicine, engineering, math, geography, economics, general science, and physics. I also have a large selection of music and many pictures of my past life.” “How can all that be stored in that little thing?” asked Marion. “Well, it's kind of hard to explain but let me see if I can massively simplify it so that you all can hopefully understand. The information is stored in a form called bytes. That's the basic building block of all computer languages. A byte is kind of like a letter. Computers like mine can store trillions upon trillions of bytes. Does that make any sense? Computer science was never my strong suit.” “Somewhat” the women responded. “Okay. Now it's time I tell you all my biggest secret. Now before I tell the rest of you; I will tell you that Marion already knows. Okay here it goes.” Luke took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “You know this to be the year 1065 A D. Where I am from it was the year 2021 A D.” All the women, except Marion, had the same stunned look. “Yes, I am from almost a thousand years in the future and as such I not only carry huge amounts of scientific information but I also know the general outline of European history for the next almost thousand years.” When the ladies heard this: Alice passed out, Stella and Pollyanna gasped, and Gabriel looked thoughtful. Only Marion didn't react. “So that's why you have been so quiet about yourself!” exclaimed Gabriel “And I agree with you as it happens. If the information that you possess gets into the wrong hands then the world would change in every way possible and most likely not for the better. Every king and petty noble would want to get their hands on you to learn about their future and then try to change that future to suit them. Problem would be that if you start changing the events then you change the history too.” Luke just nodded at her; he was thankful that Gabriel understood. When Luke looked at Marion, he expected to see anger. Instead, he saw complete love for she now understood why Luke had been so quiet about himself. “Now gather round ladies” Luke said after everyone recovered “I want to show you all my previous life.” Over the next two hours, Luke showed everyone pictures of his pervious life. Everything from his time in the marines, to growing up with his family, to Mackenzie's family, to pictures of his company and some of the projects that he had worked on, all over the world. He also showed them pictures of the places that he had been to and the people that he had seen. Then after promising that she would take upmost care of it, Luke loaned his computer to Alice and Pollyanna. To Alice so that she could study his medical books, and Pollyanna so that she could study the engineering text that was stored with the provision that they only study of about an hour a day so that they wouldn't suffer eye strain. “Okay ladies, time for a brief history lesson, well my history. There is a storm coming. It will start next year when King Edward dies. He will name Herold Godwinson as his successor. Two problems with this though. Herold's brother believed that he should have been named king and gets the king of Norway to support him. The Vikings would invade England, but would be almost animated by Herold's forces. The other problem came from Normandy, and his name was… well is William, Duke of Normandy. Apparently, Edward had also promised him the throne before he gave it to Herold. William would also invade England, but he would beat Herold's troops at the Battle of Hastings. During the battle Herold will die from an arrow to his eye, and William would be forever be known as William the Conqueror. This would be the last time that England would be successfully invaded. During the 1200's, England would control almost all of France but would be eventually driven out completely. England would then turn their attention North and after almost five hundred years of intermittent struggle would conquer Scotland. Eventually they would conquer Ireland as well and would be known as Great Britain. There will be at least two civil wars that I can remember fought over the English crown. The first one was in the 1400's, and was called the War of the Roses and was fought between the houses of Lancaster and York. Eventually the house of York would win but it was a very long and bloody struggle. The second civil war would be in the mid to late 1600's and this one would cement the power of Parliament over the King, for the winner of that war was the forces of Parliament, under the command of a man named Oliver Cromwell and the King would end up losing his head. Eventually the monarchy would be restored but they would remain at best equal with Parliament. After this civil war Britain would eventually go on to rule over one quarter of the globe, and would be one of the most influential empires the world has ever seen. Now by my time the idea of the divine rights of Kings would be dead and the people ruled over themselves. Most of the time this was a better thing then having a king and at other times; well let me say that anyone, no matter at what level they were born at can be just as cruel, for instead of kings or dukes, we had dictators or juntas. Both of these usually came to power through the military and for the most part, as long as they had military support then they would stay in power. Now where I am from, we were once part of the British empire, but fought a war with them and kicked them out in the late 1700's. Over the next 200+ years we would be ruled be the same type of government with only one civil war. That type of government was a constitutional republic that was set up with three separate branches of government that were designed to fight with each other so that none of the three could gain too much power. Also it was what is known as a federal type government, meaning that the national government shared power with the provincial, state was the term that we used, governments and local governments. Another provision in the way our government was set up was the minority would also get to have a say in government and not get rode over by the majority. As if that wasn't enough, the men that set up our government made sure that the people would be able to have their say in government. They even made sure to protect the peoples to firearms so that if somehow the government did become too strong the people could rise up against it. Was our government prefect? Of course not. But was the most stable form of government, over the long term, that humans have ever came up with.” When Luke was done, he was exhausted and all the women sat stunned. They could hardly believe what all Luke had told them, but once they thought it through, they could see the merits of the people wielding power and protections being put in place to protect the minority as well as the majority. Eventually Marion was able to speak up: “Wow, no wonder why you are so afraid to tell people what you know.” Luke just looked at her with sad eyes and nodded. Marion was thrilled and terrified at the same time. She was thrilled because she finally knew everything there was to know about Luke and she was terrified for the same reason. “So, with all those advances were there still diseases and famines?” asked Alice “Yes, although most diseases would be curable in my time and smallpox would be eradicated. Famines still stuck with amazing fluency, especially in Africa and parts of Asia. Most of the time the cause was human related, usually wars or the mismanagement of natural resources at the hands of a corrupt government. Sometimes though, the weather patterns would change and an area would have a series of bad harvest and that would set off famines. And before you ask yes, we still had wars a plenty and they were usually fought the same petty reasons as they are fought for in this time. Only in my time, wars could have casualties in the millions of people and we had weapons that could obliterate the largest cities on Earth. We had enough of these weapons that we could eliminate all the humans on Earth.” “Oh” Alice looked very sad and she even shed a tear hearing Luke. Eventually Marion stood up and stretched. “Well now, I do believe that it is time for us all to lay down and try to get some sleep for tomorrow we need to get focused on surviving and figuring out our next move.” No one moved but Luke. He was the only one that moved towards getting ready for bed. “Marion, I'm scared” confessed Gabriel “your sister will never stop hunting us and unlike you, none of us have skills that are useful out in the world.” “You all have skills” responded Marion “You Gabriel are an amazing fighter and a lot of fun to be around. Alice, you have an interest in real medicine. One of the only people in our world that can say that. Pollyanna, your skills lay in engineering and science. Stella, you Milady are one hell of a leader and I suspect that one day you may be quite famous. We all have our own talents and skills; the trick is knowing how to harness them.” “Still, I'm not only scared for next year but also tomorrow and next week.” Marion gave her a warm smile. “I know the feeling and I get over it by curling up in Luke's arms” They all looked to Luke now. “But...” Marion cut her off with a finger over Gabriel's lips. “Come with me.” Marion and Gabriel went over to where Luke was laying down. Marion then slowly stripped Gabriel's clothes off and Gabriel returned the favor for Marion. Once they were both naked, they laid down with Luke. Marion made sure that Gabriel took the spot right next to Luke so that she could feel all of Luke's body. Luke looked up at Marion with alarm, but Marion just gave him a warm smile and mouthed to him to be gentle. What followed was a whirlwind for Gabriel. She had never been naked with any man and here she was now with a gentle giant. Not only that but Marion was also pressed up against her, encouraging her to be herself and have fun. Luke went slow with Gabriel. He started off be slowly rubbing his hands all over her body feeling her muscles, her tits, her stomach, the pubes, her legs. At first Gabriel was so nervous that she thought that she might be sick. That disappeared when Marion gave her a tender kiss that she had poured all her passion into. Gabriel could feel the love in it and her tension melted away. Finally, her hands started coming to life as well. She started off rubbing Marion because that was the way the Gabriel was facing. Gabriel was amazed at how soft and smooth Marion was, and yet she could feel the power that Marion possessed just under her skin. Eventually though, Gabriel's attention was pulled to the monster that was poking her in her ass. She was amazed when she first felt it. It felt like the size of a horse and it was hot. She could also feel the ridges caused by Luke's veins and she was amazed that something could be so hard and yet so soft feeling at the same time. Gabriel had started to get wet while she had been rubbing Marion, but in feeling Luke, she started to get soaked between her legs. Soon she felt a hand trying to get between her legs, so Gabriel opened up. What came next was the best thing that she had ever felt. It felt like there was an inferno burning between her legs, but Gabriel wanted it to continue. Before long she started to wonder just who's hand was causing her to feel so good and it didn't take long for her to find out for when she looked at Luke, one of his hands was rubbing her tit and his other one was propping his head up so that he could get a better view. That meant that the hand that was making her so hot belonged to Marion. Gabriel had never given a thought as to what it might be like, being with another woman, but she figured what the hell. Within minutes, Gabriel's hips were humping Marion's hand by themselves and Gabriel was having a hard time making noise never mind actually speaking. Finally, she started to shake like a leaf and she saw bright flashes in her eyes. When she finished, she felt like a wet rag for she had a very hard time moving. She tried to open her eyes, but even the dim light from the fire was too much for her to handle at the moment. Marion was giggling as Gabriel struggled to come back to her senses. Once she had come back to her senses enough to be able to function again, Gabriel looked over and into Luke's eyes. She gave him a silent promise that she would never, ever abandon either him or Marion. With that she gently pushed Luke onto his back and with a bit of final encouragement from Marion; Gabriel mounted Luke. At first, she had some problems getting lined up, but a little help from Marion holding Luke's cock; Gabriel figured it out. She slowly made her way down Luke's shaft thoroughly enjoying every bit of it. Finally, Gabriel felt Luke's cock run into her hymen and with a deep breath forced Luke through and he was inside her. Marion gently kissed the tears from Gabriel's face while Gabriel sat perfectly still. It felt like she was being split open by Luke, but she had no desire to remove Luke from inside her. Eventually, the heat from Luke's cock combined with her own heat encouraged Gabriel to start moving. What came next was like seeing another beautiful world for the first time. She slowly built-up speed as her pussy figured out what it liked the best. As she had been moving, Luke had been matching her. Thrust for thrust, move for move. Together they travelled toward a massive orgasm. As Gabriel rode Luke, Marion was busy kissing Gabriel's nipples and rubbing her clit. Gabriel had simply never imagined that she could ever feel this good. As he got close, Luke tried to pull out of her cunt, but Gabriel wasn't having any of it. She knew why Luke was almost desperate to pull out of her, but she didn't care and more to the point, kind of hoped that she would get knocked up. Once Gabriel had made her command known, Luke began to unleash his little swimmers. He first six large shots up inside her and the pulsing of his organ set Gabriel off with an orgasm that might have caused her injury if Marion hadn't been there to hold her and keep her safe. Gently Marion helped Gabriel lay down between Luke and herself. Gabriel couldn't have fought back even if she had wanted to for she had passed out form her orgasm. Luke and Marion formed a human sandwich with Gabriel holding the place of honor between them and within minutes all three had passed out. Chapter 18. Two months earlier. Lucy and Cecilia had just set off after it was decided that Luke and Marion would stay and try to kill Richard. Cecilia though had plans of her own. On the way to Lincoln, she and Lucy talked and Lucy filled Cecilia in on everything Richard had been doing. This was important to Cecilia's plans, plus she wanted Lucy to feel safe. Once the two got to Lincoln, Cecilia led Lucy to a different inn then she had stayed at when she was with Marion and Luke. This inn was one that Cecilia actually owned under an alias. The inn was one of the fronts that Cecilia used to force woman and girls into the sex trade. Cecilia figured that Lucy was good enough looking that she might just be worth a fair amount of money. The inn keeper had strict orders to never acknowledge Cecilia in public. Cecilia was to be treated the same as anyone else. Cecilia would always initiate the contact, usually after most everyone had got to bed for Cecilia had her secrets too. Cecilia's biggest secret was that she was actually extremely intelligent. She had figured out though, at a very young age, that if she played the clumsy fool then no one would expect anything of her and would generally leave her alone. Another one of Cecilia's secrets was that she had killed so many people that she had actually lost count. She either had killed them herself or had ordered their death. By this point in her life, she had built the most powerful crime network in the British islands, and one of the largest in Europe. She dealt in everything from stolen church artifacts to slaves. From commanding pirates on the open seas to highway men on land, she was into everything. Basically, if she could make money from someone else's suffering she did it. She even extorted church officials for land, forgiveness, and money. Once Lucy had gone to sleep, which didn't take long for Lucy was exhausted, Cecilia made contact with her henchmen. In this world she was known by the name Elizabeth and she was not a person that any sane person would ever cross. “That other woman in my room, get her. Just make sure that you idiots don't damage the goods too badly this time. I lost good money with the last bitch you idiots captured.” “Yes ma'am” they barked and were off. Cecilia sat, by herself in a corner, enjoying a good pint when she heard Lucy get captured and a cold smile came across her face. She then heard the soft thud of her men knocking Lucy out. Lucy's life was now for all real purposes over for she was now just one of Cecilia's sex slaves and would be taken to a coastal brothel take specialized in catering to sailors. After Cecilia had finished her pint and food, she went up to bed where the first thing she did was to collect all of Lucy's former possessions. Among them was the money that Luke and Marion had given her. When Cecilia counted it out, she was amazed at how stupid Marion and Luke were for they had given Lucy almost fifty pounds. Lucy quickly pocketed this and went to bed where she slept just as peacefully as she always did. The next morning, after breakfast, she sent a message to Richard telling him that William was dead and that Marion was still alive. She went on to explain briefly about the stranger that had interfered and ruined all their plans. When she was done dictating, the scribe read it back to her and she approved by using her ring to seal the letter. After the message was off, Cecilia spent the rest of the day on business. She had been away for a while and had a lot to catch up on. By that evening she was finally done and was feeling extra horny; so, she went to her special brothel where she could get some well-hung guy either fuck her senseless or rock her gently all night long, depending on her mood. Tonight, she was in the mood to get pounded senseless all night long. She would have to switch out men for they were always so weak but that was just one of the facts of life. When she got there, she got a surprise for there was a large black man that had just came in and she just had to get a piece of that. Cecilia took him up to her room where she ordered him to strip so that she could inspect the goods. She so enjoyed making big, strong men feel powerless. When he finally got naked, Cecilia carefully inspected the man. He had well developed muscles, a large almost pitch-black cock, and he was tall at about six foot. He actually kind of reminded Cecilia of Luke in demeanor but Luke was white, was taller, a little larger cock, and bigger muscles. This man though was far, far better than anything else that was available so Cecilia was happy. She made the man go down on her and eat her to her first orgasm of the evening. She never sucked cock for she wanted the men to last longer inside her. Before Cecilia started fucking herself on his cock, she made sure that he understood the penalty for him cumming too soon. If he cum before Cecilia had cum at least once, then she would castrate him, fry his balls in front of him, and force him to slowly eat them. He was bigger than anyone she had ever had inside her and she was thoroughly stretched out. Cecilia absolutely loved the color contrast between her body and the man she was with. She was snow white while he was dark brown. Needless to say, that Cecilia had no problems with this guy for he fucked her until she had to actually beg for him to fill her cunt with cum, before he pumped her full of juice. Before Cecilia began the night, she figured that she would end up going through several men, but now she could barely move, never mind go look for another guy, so she passed out for the night, after telling the guy to get out. So was Cecilia's life for the next week or so. Wake up whenever she felt like it, take care of business until supper. After supper, she went to get her brains screwed out by her now favorite gigolo. She was a bit worried that she might get pregnant but the sex was far too good to stop and with her stress levels getting fucked senseless every night by a dark piece of forbidden fruit was just what she needed. After eight days, she got a response from Richard. In it he thanked her for the news of his son and also offered to marry her, seeing as he had his own wife killed after suspecting her of cheating on him even though, he kept a harem for himself. Cecilia agreed but with the stipulation that she be made his sole heir and that their marriage be kept an absolute secret. After almost three weeks of back and forth, Cecilia and Richard had come to an agreement. Cecilia would get most everything that she wanted, Richard would keep his harem and Cecilia would pay Richard 2000 pounds. While this was a significant amount of money for Cecilia, it meant that she would by her own calculation be in control of most of Northern England. For she knew something that Richard didn't. Luke, Marion's boy toy, was still out there, he was extremely dangerous, and that he actually cared about the filthy masses. Cecilia figured that sooner or later he would make a move to get rid of Richard and she also figured that Luke would succeed with that. Richard kept his end of the bargain so Cecilia kept hers. She privately figured that she would have all her money back within a month or two especially once she had figured out that Luke had already been in the castle and had met Richard once. Not only that but Richard's men were being attacked by mysterious forces in the areas outside of town, and some of the dead were left where they could be easily spotted from the castle walls. Privately Cecilia figured that Richard had only a month left and she wasn't far off. Within two weeks of the extremely private wedding Luke and Marion struck. As soon as the attack had been driven off Cecilia commanded her most trusted lieutenant: “Go and seal Luke's chambers. Kill anyone that tries to get in or out and wait for me to get there before going in.” “Yes ma'am.” And off he went. When Cecilia examined the armor on the one dead intruder, she was completely amazed at how well it was made and how well it had worked for it was a very lucky strike that took him down. Some of the soldiers identified the man as Tom. It seems that he was one of the soldiers that Luke had chosen to accompany him when he went to look for Richard's son. The other man hadn't been seen at all. The other women were all identified as fresh whores that Richard's men had captured and Richard hadn't had an opportunity to fuck before Luke took them. The thing was that when they had come back, they were all much stronger both mentally and physically then when they had left with Luke. When Cecilia went to investigate Luke's chambers, she was discouraged to find that none of his gear was there. In fact, it didn't look like anyone had been in there for days. Publicly Cecilia spoke about taking strong action against her rebellious little sister and her minions. Privately however, Cecilia was terrified. Marion had almost succeeded and if it hadn't been for the measures that Cecilia had just barely got put in place, Marion most likely would have succeeded. Cecilia knew that she might not be so lucky the next time for she had tipped her hand when Richard called her into the room with him, just before he was killed. Plus, Marion and especially Luke had a knack for winning over the lower classes; while Cecilia hated and was hated by the lower classes. One more thing to turn her world over was that she got word that her favorite gigolo had escaped. It had apparently been quite a bloody thing with five of her best people being killed in the process. He had then got a spot on a ship and had left England for parts unknown. She had made her decision with the rising sun on the morning after the attack; she ordered her armorers to do their best to duplicate the armor that was captured with Tom. Tom's body was beheaded and his head was put on a pikestaff in the town square and his body was burned to ash. Cecilia then made it known that there was a 500-pound reward for the capture of Luke and Marion. The only stipulation was that they had to be taken alive. Cecilia then put a 250-pound reward on the other team member's heads. She also made it known that aiding them in any way was punishable by a very slow and painful death. That done, she then worked on putting a better training program in place for her troops. For they would have to be very well trained and motivated to even stand a chance against Marion. Chapter 19. The next morning, Gabriel woke up more rested than she had felt in years, granted her leg was still throbbing and her pussy was sore, but that was to be expected. At first, she was confused as to why she had slept so well, then she remembered and started to feel guilty because she felt that she had taken advantage of Luke and made herself a promise right there that would never happen again. The next thing she noticed was that it was light out and she was alone. As she looked around, she could hear Luke and Marion talking quietly. Finally, she forced herself to stand and wrapped the blanket around her body. She limped to where everyone else was at. She was hit with the smell of breakfast; the sound of blades being sharpened, and the music that was coming from Luke's computer. “Well look at what the cat drug in.” chirped Alice and to Gabriel's embarrassment everyone including Luke laughed. Her embarrassment deepened when Stella pointed out Gabriel's rapidly reddening checks and the dried cum on her legs and the group laughed harder. Marion actually fell off the stump that she was sitting on she was laughing so hard. Gabriel couldn't run away so eventually she started laughing with the group. As she laughed, she felt her guilt melt away. After all Marion had insisted on sharing Luke with her and Gabriel was very thankful that her first time was with a man that knew how to take proper care of her. She then noticed just how hungry she was as Pollyanna handed her a bowl of left-over stew and a piece of bread. “So, Marion, what's our game plan now?” Gabriel asked. “Well, you are restricted to camp until your leg heals and don't even think about arguing. You can still make arrows and other gear without leaving camp. The rest of us will be taking turns posting lookouts around the camp. When not on lookout duty or hunting, we will be training hard and working on developing better arms and armor. After your leg heals, then we will start collecting fresh intel on Cecilia. She might be better than Richard, but I highly doubt it. I figure that her harsh policies will start to drive people out of their homes and when that happens, we will encourage them to join us. Once we are strong enough then we will strike again. This time we will have even more advanced weapons, much better intel, and most importantly won't be underestimating Cecilia. “So, what happens if we are discovered before I heal?” “Well then we fight. There are booby traps hidden all around camp that enemy troops are sure to fall into. By the time they get through, we should be able to have our horses saddled and get out of here with all of our gear. If we fail, well then we fight and die here.” Gabriel looked like she had turned into a ghost she was so pale. Marion had changed and until that moment, no one had realized just how much Marion had changed. Marion was starting to show the makings of becoming a great Queen. The rest of the women also caught Marion's change and quickly came to the same conclusion as Gabriel. Not only that, they all privately had come to the realization that they would follow Marion into the pits of hell itself. Gabriel then limped over and picked up her sword. She took it out and walking up to Marion kneeled in front of her and offered her the sword and swore an oath of absolute loyally until Gabriel's dying breath. The rest of the group following, including Luke much to everyone's surprise. Everyone had figured that Luke's loyalty was already a given. Through this Marion's cheeks were red with embarrassment. After Luke had finished, Marion swore her loyalty to the group to her dying day. She would gladly die to defend them. This all this done, Marion started giving the team their individual assignments and their watch rotation. Marion made sure that she spent at least as much time on watch during the difficult times of day as the rest of them. She also made sure that everyone had at least a couple of hours a day to relax a bit. The next month was busy for the team. An infection had set into Gabriel's leg and she almost died. Only Alice's dedication and Luke's knowledge had saved her. Marion had gotten over her morning sickness, finally. The rest of the team had fully recovered although Stella still had bouts of survivor's guilt. She kept this at bay by working her ass off and reminding herself that she would get her revenge. Eventually the group started to extend the area that they patrolled. Included in that area was one of the main roads to York. At first, they just watched the traffic and looked for patterns. They noticed that a lot of the traffic was iron ore, food, horses, and textiles and it was all headed for York. Traffic coming from York was very light to say the least and mostly consisted of empty carts that had transported in supplies. At first Marion wondered if Cecilia had come to her senses and had started to care for the people. This idea was forever chased out when she and Alice came across a young man one day by the side of the road. He was barely alive and he wasn't much more than a skeleton with skin. Between the two of them, they easily picked the man up and carried him to their camp. Of course, they blindfolded him after explaining that it was for their safety. The man was so weak that he couldn't have resisted anyway. Once back in camp, Alice went to work on tending to the man's wounds while Marion questioned him. At first Marion would keep her name a secret. She could see no need to give away any more information then was necessary. “So, what is your name, lad?” “Robin.” “Where are you from and where are you going?” “Where I was from was burnt to the ground a week ago and no longer exist. As to where I was going, well I hope that it is heaven for I am not long for this world.” “Now there is no need to think like that. This woman here is an amazing doctor. Now what can you tell me of Cecilia?” “She is pure evil and I bet that the devil himself would be kinder. At first everyone hoped that she would be better than Richard, but hopes of that were dashed within days of Marion's brave, but unsuccessful attack. First Cecilia put out a reward of 500 pounds for Marion and her friend Luke, but they have to be brought in alive. The rest of the group has a 250 pound reward on their heads. I highly doubt though that anyone is fooled by her anymore; for if they did bring in one of the outlaws, Cecilia would have them killed before they could even count out the reward money. Then she raised everyone's taxes even more. Not only that but rumors are that she is extorting the churches in the district into handing over most of their money and artifacts so that she can pay for her soldiers. She is building a massive army but no one really knows why. I mean, after all Marion and her group are most likely dead for nobody has seen or heard them since the attack.” With that Robin bowed his head and started to softly cry. Marion stood up and went over to Luke, who was out of the visitor's line of sight. “You heard?” “Yep. What do you want to do?” Marion looked at Robin for a second. “We will keep him with us as long as Alice can heal him. We will also start attacking Cecilia's troops, but only if we catch them mistreating civilians. When we do attack, we will make sure to do so only in areas away from here. We will also let it be known through the land that we are in fact not dead and are looking for volunteers willing to fight for justice and liberty.” “I agree. When are you planning on telling Robin who you are?” “Soon honey. Soon.” Marion said patting Luke's cheek. Marion returned to Robin and helped Alice by putting cool, damp rags on Robin's forehead to help keep him cool. After he had passed out and was sleeping soundly, Marion quietly called a meeting to announce the new plans. She strictly forbid the use of any of their names around Robin until they were sure of him. She figured about a week or so before they could revile just who they were. The rest of the group nodded their heads in agreement with her. Chapter 20. Marion returns with vengeance. The next week was an extremely busy one for Marion's crew. It had been touch and go for Robin, but he was now starting to mend slowly. They also had their first encounter with Cecilia's men since they had gone into hiding. Pollyanna and Stella had been coming back from a scouting trip when they almost literally stumbled on a group of Cecilia's men raping five women that they had taken from a local village. Since they had the element of surprise and there were only five bastards, Stella quickly made the choice to strike. While Pollyanna stayed hidden in the brush, Stella worked her way around the group. Once she was on the other side, which had only taken her five minutes, she signaled Pollyanna and she signaled back. With that the angel of death spread its wings over the men and within seconds they were all dead, for while neither Stella or Pollyanna were in Gabriel's league; they were no slouches either and the range here was only about 10 meters. They then stepped out of hiding to make sure all the men were dead and to check on the women. The women were so scared that a couple of them peed themselves. First, they had been taken for payment because their families couldn't pay the outrageous taxes that Cecilia was charging. Then when their guards had stopped for lunch, the women were brutally raped for dessert. Then without warning arrows flew out of the woods, killing the guards. Then two very strangely dressed men came out of the woods and checked on the guards. They had to be men for they were wearing pants and had on strange green overcoats that had hoods on them that covered their faces. Then the older one spoke, these “men” were actually women and they removed their hoods. The women that had been raped started crying for they had hope that they might now be safe. Prior to Cecilia's reign of terror, they had been part of successful families that usually didn't have to worry about paying their taxes or putting food on the table, but now they were beyond dirt poor. “Do any of you know who we are?” Asked the younger woman warmly. All five women shook their heads. “Well then introductions are in order then. My name is Pollyanna and I am an engineer. My companion here is Stella, and she is my immediate superior. We are both followers of Marion of York” All five of the women's reactions were about the same. They were shocked beyond belief for they had thought that Marion and her followers had all died. In fact, nobody believed that they were still alive. “Thank you for rescuing us” one of the younger women said quietly. The woman named Stella responded with a smile. “No thanks are necessary. We do have a couple of small favors to ask before we escort you home.” “What are they?” sharply asked the same woman that had spoken up before. “Hey calm yourself if you please. We ask that once all of you have gotten dressed you help us get these bastards off the road. The other thing we ask that you quietly tell people just who's group rescued you.” Again, the women nodded their heads only this time there was no hesitation. They quickly got dressed and then helped Stella and Pollyanna get the bastards off the road and hidden. After the dead were hidden, Pollyanna brought their horses up and loaded all the looted gear up. Going through their loot, they found a total of five pounds ten shillings which Stella divided between the raped women. For Stella and Pollyanna this was no big deal but for the other five this was a godsend for them. They did suggest that the women hide the money so that it wouldn't get stolen from them. After making sure that everything was ready, they set off. Stella made the decision to give the women an escort back to their villages and since Pollyanna didn't have too much to do for the rest of the day went with them. Along the way, the women were full of questions about everything it seemed but especially Marion. Stella and Pollyanna answered most of the questions but not all. They were silent about where they were hiding and they refused to talk about what all they had been doing since the attack. They did answer the questions that pertained to the group's goals. The women had a hard time believing that Marion was aiming toward making all people equal in the law's eyes and giving everyone the opportunity to prove themselves and succeed in life. As the group was coming up to a bend in the road, Pollyanna suddenly stopped and quietly signaled the group to get off the road fast. Stella was the last into hiding: “What's up?” “I heard horses.” “Well, we know what to do with them. Ladies listen to me and listen well. You need to hide. If anything happens to us run and make sure to scatter so that if one of you are found then the rest will still have a chance.” Stella said as she was unlimbering her bow and making sure that her arrows were ready as Pollyanna quickly followed suit. Within minutes a troop of cavalry came around the corner and they were wearing Cecilia's colors. Stella counted twenty men and numerous pack horses as they drew back their bows. Both of them had a new type of bow that Luke had designed. It was far more powerful than anything else in existence and was capable of being shot rapidly. To be continued in part 5, Based on a post by somethin fishy, for Sex Stories.

Many World Leaders Who Publicly Condemn Us, Privately Thank Us - Israel PMhttps://osazuwaakonedo.news/many-world-leaders-who-publicly-condemn-us-privately-thank-us-israel-pm/29/09/2025/#World News #Gaza #Israel #Netanyahu #Palestine #UNGA ©September 29th, 2025 ®September 29, 2025 12:30 am Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday stated that many  World Leaders who do come out publicly to condemn the Israel war in Gaza, do privately thank Israel for staging the war against Hamas, and according to Benjamin Netanyahu, the world leaders "tell me how much they value Israel's superb intelligence services that have prevented time and again terrorist attacks in their capitals, time and again saving countless lives; General George Keegan, former head of US air force intelligence, once said, “If the United States had to gather on its own the intelligence that Israel gives us, we would have to establish five C.I.As", five C.I.As, this past June, when Israel struck Iran's nuclear facilities, German Chancellor Mertz admitted the truth", this, Benjamin Netanyahu stated when the speech was being broadcast live via huge loudspeakers that were placed on the Gaza border while the Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu was speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, which, his appearance drew a mix of applause and protest, with some delegates walking out of the hall as he took the stage; "You know deep down that Israel is fighting your fight. I want to tell you a secret, Behind closed doors, many of the leaders who publicly condemn us, privately thank us", Benjamin Netanyahu stated in response. #OsazuwaAkonedoBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/osazuwaakonedo--4980924/support.Kindly support us for more productivity and efficiency in news delivery.Visit our donation page: DonateYou can also use our Mobile app for more news in different formats: CLICK TO DOWNDLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY STORE 

Tom makes sure to commemorate National Daughters Day; have you heard the one about Kevin and a beautiful blonde walk into a bar; Jimmy Kimmel is back; Ball State University worker fired over a private social media post about Charlie Kirk; Trump's about-face on Ukraine; James Comey indicted.

George Parker, Political Editor of the Financial Times, assesses Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham's situation in the midst of dissatisfaction within the UK Labour party.

Jews may joke about the High Holidays being a time for binge eating—overflowing tables of multiple meats, several courses, soups, sides and desserts—but for anyone suffering from an eating disorder, it's a dangerous time of year. That's how Ilana Zackon, a performer and writer, remembers coming home for the holidays in her early 20s. Privately, she had a binge-eating disorder; when faced with mountains of brisket, chicken, potatoes and pies, nobody thought twice about her eating for two straight hours. Zackon wound up recovering from her disorder. And now, more than a decade later, she's reimagined that experience into a short film, Grain, that recently won an award for best 2D short film at the Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal. In the movie, the main character binges to the point of transforming into a horrific creature that rampages through her city. Ahead of the High Holidays, Zackon joins the rabbi podcasters of Not in Heaven to analyze the role of food in Jewish culture—and how we approach eating, cooking and encouraging others to dig in. Credits Hosts: Avi Finegold, Yedida Eisenstat, Matthew Leibl Production team: Zachary Judah Kauffman (editor), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Socalled Support The CJN Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to Not in Heaven (Not sure how? Click here)

In hour 2 Andy and Randy bring you an NFL No Huddle as the Falcons travel to Minnesota for Sunday Night Football, and Denver wants a retractable roof stadium? Also, Carolina has a racoon sandwich?

The crew dove into the buzz around LeBron James reportedly reaching out privately to Drake to smooth things over after supporting Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” Sources claim LeBron apologized through multiple channels, but Drake has yet to publicly respond, leaving fans wondering if their once-tight friendship can recover. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 2: Ike, Spike and Fritz go live to Nick Sirianni's Monday media availability as he discusses Jalen Carter's status for Sunday and much more prior to the Super Bowl 59 rematch with the Chiefs.

I Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”Before God can do something big THROUGH YOU, he often times needs to work ON YOU.God will often humble you PRIVATELY before using you PUBLICLY.Usually this happens during a painful season of WAITING.I Kings 17:2-3 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.”KERITH: Hebrew—“Cut off” or “Cut down”“It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply.”—A.W. TozerDuring your WAITING, God wants to develop your DEPENDENCE on Him.I Kings 17:4-6 “You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.If DEPENDENCE is the goal, WEAKNESS is an advantage. 2 Corinthians 12:9 Each time he (GOD) said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Finally, God will call you to radical OBEDIENCE.I Kings 17:7-9 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”I Kings 17:9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”I Kings 17:10 So he went to Zarephath.What has God been preparing you for that you need to STAND UP, MOVE and be RADICALLY OBEDIENT to?Successful people do CONSISTENTLY what average people do OCCASIONALLY. 

Explore the teachings of the Temple of Set, one of the most influential yet misunderstood esoteric movements of the modern era. From Michael A. Aquino's Diabolicon to the mysterious Leviathan Working, this lecture uncovers the philosophy of Xeper (self-becoming), the myth of Lucifer/Set, and the Temple's quest for self-deification. Drawing on peer-reviewed scholarship and rare sources, we trace how Setianism reshaped the Left-Hand Path and challenged mainstream ideas of religion, magic, and identity.If you're curious about Satanism, esotericism, or the deeper currents of occult philosophy, this is a journey into the heart of one of the most radical magical traditions of our time.CONNECT & SUPPORT

Marty speaks about a recent post by Gurman reflecting on the the success of Vision Pro and the challenge of Meta glassesMarc Gurman of Bloomberg in his Power On column voices his opinion on Vision Pro (Reddit repost)https://www.reddit.com/r/augmentedreality/comments/1mz4zp2/mark_gurman_qa_on_apples_smart_glasses_and_the/Apple smart glasses—will they hit?Meta's wins today = design, audio, and on-face cameras; Apple could outdo at least audio + cameras given AirPods/iPhone investments.Apple's industrial design should be “nice enough” to wear, even if not as fashion-forward as Ray-Ban/Oakley collabs.Killer edge: deep iPhone integration (which Apple doesn't allow Meta to match).Bottom line: features likely to trounce Meta's—price becomes the swing factor.Is Vision Pro a success?Publicly, Apple could claim “yes” (breakthrough tech; best-in-class immersive video playback).Privately, top leaders would likely say “no”: soft sales, weak usage momentum, and a thin third-party app/content story.Verdict from the Q&A: commercial failure so far—the biggest flop of the Tim Cook era.Why this still mattersIf the work seeds successful AR glasses—or a cheaper, lighter “Vision” that takes off—the investment may pay off. Otherwise, it's a decade-long, multi-billion-dollar detour.What to watch nextPricing strategy for Apple glassesiPhone-level integration features that Meta can't replicateSigns of a lighter/cheaper Vision device and a real third-party content surgeEmail: ThePodTalkNetwork@gmail.comWebsite: ThePodTalk.NetYouTube.com/@VisionProFiles

Thane Riddle is back with another episode of Cloak & Dagger, the sleekest, sexiest, and most entertaining show on privacy & security in existence! On today's show, Mr. Riddle covers more privacy news. Items like military grade super soakers and other First Realm whackiness… Then, the practical tip is on… The post Cloak & Dagger with Thane Riddle, Episode 10: Privacy News (Military Grade Super Soakers + Other First Realm Whackiness), Shopping Privately, Fan Mail, ECash, Meshtastic vs. Reticulum, & MORE appeared first on The Vonu Podcast.

Democrats publicly say Trump’s crime policies are racist and xenophobic, but privately they are cheering him on.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our last episode, we covered Elizabeth Howe's life leading up to 1692, her journey from Yorkshire to Rowley, and the whispers of witchcraft that followed her before any afflicted girls in Salem cried out her name. In part two, we dive into her examination, subsequent testimonies, and trial aftermath. There's even a few research gems at the end. Join Sarah and Jeffrey, your favorite Salem tour guides, for the conclusion of Elizabeth Howe's story.  University of Virginia. Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project. Accessed July 13, 2025. http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/n72.html. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Judicial Archives, Vol. 1 no. 321–322. Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA. Peabody Essex Museum. Salem Witch Trials Collection. Accessed July 13, 2025. https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection/salem-witch-trials-documents. Mather, Cotton. Wonders of the Invisible World. Boston: Benjamin Harris, 1693. Digital edition via University of Michigan and Archive.org. Roach, Marilynne K. The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege. Lanham, MD: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2002. Baker, Emerson W. A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. Calef, Robert. More Wonders of the Invisible World. London: Nath. Hillar, 1700. Upham, Charles W. Salem Witchcraft. Boston: Wiggin and Lunt, 1867. Graystone, Philip. Elizabeth Jackson of Rowley. Privately published, 1993. Massachusetts General Court. Acts and Resolves, 1711: An Act to Reverse the Attainders of George Burroughs and Others for Witchcraft. Boston, 1711. Topsfield Town Records. Topsfield, Massachusetts. Referenced in Perley family and local governance documentation. Lyrics for "The Rowley Witch" by Beggar's Bridge  "The Rowley Witch" on Spotify Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!?  CLICK HERE! Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE! www.salemthepodcast.com NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com   Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours  www.salemuncoveredtours.com  Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours   www.bewitchedtours.com   Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE

In our last episode, we covered Elizabeth Howe's life leading up to 1692, her journey from Yorkshire to Rowley, and the whispers of witchcraft that followed her before any afflicted girls in Salem cried out her name. In part two, we dive into her examination, subsequent testimonies, and trial aftermath. There's even a few research gems at the end. Join Sarah and Jeffrey, your favorite Salem tour guides, for the conclusion of Elizabeth Howe's story.  University of Virginia. Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project. Accessed July 13, 2025. http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/n72.html. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Judicial Archives, Vol. 1 no. 321–322. Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA. Peabody Essex Museum. Salem Witch Trials Collection. Accessed July 13, 2025. https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection/salem-witch-trials-documents. Mather, Cotton. Wonders of the Invisible World. Boston: Benjamin Harris, 1693. Digital edition via University of Michigan and Archive.org. Roach, Marilynne K. The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege. Lanham, MD: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2002. Baker, Emerson W. A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. Calef, Robert. More Wonders of the Invisible World. London: Nath. Hillar, 1700. Upham, Charles W. Salem Witchcraft. Boston: Wiggin and Lunt, 1867. Graystone, Philip. Elizabeth Jackson of Rowley. Privately published, 1993. Massachusetts General Court. Acts and Resolves, 1711: An Act to Reverse the Attainders of George Burroughs and Others for Witchcraft. Boston, 1711. Topsfield Town Records. Topsfield, Massachusetts. Referenced in Perley family and local governance documentation. Lyrics for "The Rowley Witch" by Beggar's Bridge  "The Rowley Witch" on Spotify Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!?  CLICK HERE! Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE! www.salemthepodcast.com NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com   Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours  www.salemuncoveredtours.com  Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours   www.bewitchedtours.com   Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE

Another call with Peter Wilson discussing ULEZ, Parking companies and lots more  #commonlaw #natural law #sovereignity About my Guest:Ex Royal Navy gunner and armourer, turned professional fighter. Owned and ran own martial arts gym for about 30 years. Always been aware of something not being right in the world, went deep into it after losing over £1million of property in 1 week including own home. So been up and been down even living in a car for a while with his wife Janine and 4 dogs. ---Awakening Podcast Social Media / Coaching My Other Podcasts  ⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠ ------------------What we Discussed: 00:25 Who is Peter Wilson01:40 His book that explains Trusts in Simple Terms06:23 A series of Books to improve humanity09:00 He created a Video how to Navigate Skool Platform12:30 How they Navigate the Platform15:55 The Ai is pushing an Agenda20:00 How they have created an Ai that does not check the internet22:25 The FCA Handbook25:25 Notice of Assignment27:10 The Business and Property Courts28:30 Can they apply a limit of claims30:40 Fighting a Mortgage Case34:20 Thoughts on Tommy Robbinson37:30 How do we stop our countries been destroyed44:20 Live Life as Privately as Possible44:45 How to Navigate the TV lisence47:10 All the Speed Limits are reduced from 50km (30 miles) to 40km ( 20 miles)53:00 Dealing with ULEZ54:25 You can not live in Chaos while driving58:45 When Peters car when destroyed1:01:10 Can you have a Bond for the Insurance1:03:10 Te Corruption with the Parking Companies1:12:00 How much the DVLA make selling your DATA1:19:28 Case Law Mr Bevis1:21:45 SAR - Subject Access Request1:24:55 The costs and effect of Parking Fees1:28:30 If your Car is Clamped How to Contact Peter:  https://www.skool.com/check-mate-the-matrix-2832/about?ref=f30a0a71fea743aa8f9b8fb632d6129c https://www.claimyourstrawman.com/https://linktr.ee/PeterWilsonReturnToDemocracy ------------------------------More about the Awakening Podcast:All Episodes can be found at www.awakeningpodcast.org My Facebook Group Mentioned in this Episode https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572386459383 Awakening Podcast Social Media / Coaching My Other Podcasts  ⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠ Our Facebook Group can be found at https://www.facebook.com/royawakening #checkmatethematrix #ucc #peterwilson #clamping#parkingcompanies 

We're back from break! And what better way to return than with an episode about a victim from the Salem Witch Trials. Elizabeth Howe is the only person we have yet to cover from the July 19th executions. She was also the only person executed from the town of Ipswich, even being referred to as the Witch of Ipswich. Join Jeffrey and Sarah, your favorite Salem tour guides, as they cover the first part of Elizabeth Howe's life. From her birth in Yorkshire England to whispers of her being a witch a decade before the Salem Witch Trials. University of Virginia. Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project. Accessed July 13, 2025. http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/n72.html. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Judicial Archives, Vol. 1 no. 321–322. Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA. Peabody Essex Museum. Salem Witch Trials Collection. Accessed July 13, 2025. https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection/salem-witch-trials-documents. Mather, Cotton. Wonders of the Invisible World. Boston: Benjamin Harris, 1693. Digital edition via University of Michigan and Archive.org. Roach, Marilynne K. The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege. Lanham, MD: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2002. Baker, Emerson W. A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. Calef, Robert. More Wonders of the Invisible World. London: Nath. Hillar, 1700. Upham, Charles W. Salem Witchcraft. Boston: Wiggin and Lunt, 1867. Graystone, Philip. Elizabeth Jackson of Rowley. Privately published, 1993. Massachusetts General Court. Acts and Resolves, 1711: An Act to Reverse the Attainders of George Burroughs and Others for Witchcraft. Boston, 1711. Topsfield Town Records. Topsfield, Massachusetts. Referenced in Perley family and local governance documentation. Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!?  CLICK HERE! Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE! www.salemthepodcast.com NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com   Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours   www.bewitchedtours.com Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours  www.salemuncoveredtours.com    Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE

We're back from break! And what better way to return than with an episode about a victim from the Salem Witch Trials. Elizabeth Howe is the only person we have yet to cover from the July 19th executions. She was also the only person executed from the town of Ipswich, even being referred to as the Witch of Ipswich. Join Jeffrey and Sarah, your favorite Salem tour guides, as they cover the first part of Elizabeth Howe's life. From her birth in Yorkshire England to whispers of her being a witch a decade before the Salem Witch Trials. University of Virginia. Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project. Accessed July 13, 2025. http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/n72.html. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Judicial Archives, Vol. 1 no. 321–322. Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA. Peabody Essex Museum. Salem Witch Trials Collection. Accessed July 13, 2025. https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection/salem-witch-trials-documents. Mather, Cotton. Wonders of the Invisible World. Boston: Benjamin Harris, 1693. Digital edition via University of Michigan and Archive.org. Roach, Marilynne K. The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege. Lanham, MD: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2002. Baker, Emerson W. A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. Calef, Robert. More Wonders of the Invisible World. London: Nath. Hillar, 1700. Upham, Charles W. Salem Witchcraft. Boston: Wiggin and Lunt, 1867. Graystone, Philip. Elizabeth Jackson of Rowley. Privately published, 1993. Massachusetts General Court. Acts and Resolves, 1711: An Act to Reverse the Attainders of George Burroughs and Others for Witchcraft. Boston, 1711. Topsfield Town Records. Topsfield, Massachusetts. Referenced in Perley family and local governance documentation. Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!?  CLICK HERE! Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE! www.salemthepodcast.com NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com   Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours   www.bewitchedtours.com Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours  www.salemuncoveredtours.com    Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE

Happy Sunday!! This week we are talking about Steel and Spellfire by Laura E. Weymouth.  We hope you enjoy this week's episode! If you want to stay in the know make sure to follow our socials Instagram @justonemorepageofficial Tiktok: @justonemorepagepodcast    Summary:  A devastatingly gifted mage with clandestine romantic connections to a Royal Guard joins the court social season in an attempt to undo past wrongs, only to fall under suspicion when a creature with powers shockingly like her own begins slaughtering her fellow debutantes. Pandora Small has two ruling objectives: first, to keep the prodigious extent of her power secret, in a world where mages are feared and governed by suffocating laws. Second, to find her wealthy and noble-born patron, a shadowy figure bound to Pandora by magic, who stole her childhood and grew her power until she became a weapon rather than a girl. To that end, she's posing as an Ingenue, a privileged and petted young woman of strictly limited abilities, who is allowed access to the royal court's social season in order to find a husband and patron to control her magic. But on Pandora's arrival at court, Kit Beacon, one of the most promising members of the Royal Guard, inadvertently learns the true scope of her power. Privately sympathetic towards mages and the difficulties they face, Beacon decides to keep Pandora's secret. But when someone or something with powers terribly like Pandora's own begins slaughtering her fellow Ingenues, Beacon's resolve to keep what he knows about her private is put to the test. Tasked with protecting all the girls in the palace, not just one, Beacon will have to decide whether Pandora is a suspect or an ally, while to win his trust, Pandora will have to let him know more of her still—the worst of who she is and what she's done. Because only unity between them during the social whirlwind to come will enable Pan to find her patron and Beacon the killer, and ensure they both see justice meted out.

Welcome to The Weekly, produced by TAB Media Group, which publishes The Alabama Baptist and The Baptist Paper. Each episode features news headlines read by TAB Media Group staff and volunteers. New episodes are released weekly on Wednesday mornings. Prolific author and Bible teacher Denise George has written an eight-part series for The Alabama Baptist about how Jesus prayed. We'll be sharing that series with you through The Weekly podcast platform. This week's article "How to pray like Jesus prayed: He prayed privately" is read by Robin McCall and Daniel Gilliland. Visit TAB Media HERE Subscribe on iTunes HERE

If the client complains directly to your staff member about their poor service, should you go to bat for your team member?  Should you publicly apologise and deal with the errant staff member privately?  Should you make a public show of solidarity with the staff member and criticise the manner in which the complaint was made?  Should you aggressively argue the point with the client?  Should you just ignore it and get back to other pressing matters?  The answers to these real life situations will differ, depending on the culture of your society and your legal system.  America is a very litigious society and there seems to be a built in reflex to not admit guilt, accountability or responsibility.  The upshot of this positioning is to ignore what was said to your staff member and hope it goes away naturally, after the client has gotten their complaint off their chest.  Privately, the boss can then commiserate about the “nasty” client and bond with the staff member. Loopholes are always in high demand in these tense situations.  The favourite one is to complain about how the client communicated the complaint.  If the client is really losing it and abusing the staff member, that is great for the boss.  Now their high horse can be mounted and a full attack on the unreasonableness of the client can be commenced.  It is a bit trickier when there is no name calling and no florid abuse of the staff members stupidity.  A clear outline of the staff member's failings by the client is annoying, because it is hard to beat it back. An attack on the language can be made anyway and various deductions made about the “accusatory” nature of the remarks and appeals made for fair play.  If the labour market is tight, the boss may be prepared to lose a client in order to retain a key staff member. How about Japan?  Arguing the point with the client is unthinkable.  The same applies to taking responsibility and accountability.  Japanese clients expect this and if it is not forthcoming, they will keep pushing until they get it.  No sweeping under the tatami is acceptable here in Japan.  The concept that the client has to be moderate in their communication of their complaint is a non-starter.  The client is allowed to be as obstreperous as they like and the guilty party has to accept it. So as the boss, how do you deal with your staff member?  Do you hang them out to dry and bear the full force gale of invective from the client, as a good lesson in client service requirements?  Do you stand up for them and defend them against the client's claims, while privately reading them the riot act?  Do you decide the staff member is someone you would rather retain than the client?  I have recently been in all three of these scenarios.  I have been the aggrieved client, observing the American style of “shift the blame back to the complaining client” model.  I stood by my team member's claim against the service provider and went hard to support the argument that the service provision wasn't good enough.  When the shape shifting kicked off, I went even harder to counter that nefarious attempt to slip out of the noose.  I have fired the client.  A very unpleasant client began belittling one of my salespeople, when speaking about her.  I did not accept that libellous affront and staunchly defended the staff member, without hesitation.  I then told my salesperson to fire that client and don't deal with them ever again and to keep a note in our CRM, for when they get fired and pop up in another company.  Life is short and they are not the type of person we want to spend any time with, so we should get rid of them forever.  And we did. I have screwed up.  I have had to go hat in hand and apologise to the client for my shortcomings.  I have had to sit there and be berated by the client, at length and in great detail, for the error.  I had to be not only accountable, but also sincerely remorseful and apologetic.  I had to determine to give the money back, without ever being asked to do so. In principle, we should accept responsibility for our service or product provision and when it is inadequate we should accept the blame and do everything we can to fix it. No mealy mouth platitudes or counter offensives about “inappropriate language”.  We should be the one to bear the client's wrath and deal with our staff members in private.  Is the client always right – no.  We should stand ready to fire the client too, if that is what the situation calls for.  None of this is easy, but we have to determine what we mean, when we say we are in the business of serving clients.  We have to set the example for everyone to follow and we have to be consistent.                

Howie Kurtz on Elon Musk's A-I spewing hate speech praising Hitler, Joe Rogan has dinner with Trump just days before blasting ICE raids and Putin not having any interest in stopping his war on Ukraine. Follow Howie on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@HowardKurtz⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠For more #MediaBuzz click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1st Annual Global Neurodivergent Leaders Summit 2025   This event spotlighted the brilliance of leaders who were once labeled as “disabled” simply because they think differently.   These trailblazers—CEOs, Global speakers, Executive coaches, and Industry Titans from Banking, Real Estate, and the Global Sales and Marketing —have leveraged their ADHD, dyslexia, OCD, and other forms of neurodivergence as superpowers that set them apart. Let's celebrate and elevate those who are changing the world—not in spite of how they think, but because of it.   Raymond Kemp Title: Navigating with a Different Compass (Leading with ADHD in a Neurotypical World) Summary: Leadership isn't reserved for those who think in straight lines. It's about clarity, self-command, and the courage to lead from exactly where you are. I want every leader in the room—whether neurodivergent or not—to walk away knowing that different doesn't mean deficient. When you understand your wiring and Own the Helm, your unique perspective becomes a competitive advantage, not a compromise.   Kathy Marcino Title: Coaching Through Conflict: Learn Strategies for Identifying Conflict Types, Successfully Navigating Workplace Conflict, and Turning It into Positive Growth. Summary: “Disagreement holds the potential for deeper understanding.” When conflict is managed effectively, it can drive innovation and enhance team performance. In this session, Kathy Marcino walks leaders through a structured path for transforming disagreements into shared goals and solutions. Drawing from her extensive coaching experience, she equips participants with a framework to recognize early warning signs, stay grounded in difficult conversations, and co-create lasting resolutions that strengthen team dynamics and performance.   Dan Dominguez Title: Embrace Your Neurodivergent Edge: How Self-Awareness Fuels Resilient Leadership Summary: When I first entered the military, I thought I had to be just like everyone else—follow the rules, fit in, and never let my differences show. But in the heat of tough missions, something clicked: the way my mind worked—my neurodivergent wiring—wasn't a liability. It was my edge. Later, in the world of sales, I saw the same truth again: those traits I once hid—my intense focus, my out-of-the-box thinking, my deep desire to help others—were exactly what helped me forge real connections and close deals. It took self-awareness to stop fighting those parts of myself and start using them as strengths. In this talk, I share that journey, along with a simple framework—Recognize, Accept, Celebrate—to help others stop hiding and start embracing their own neurodivergent edge. My story is a reminder: your greatest leadership potential lies not in fitting in, but in owning and celebrating who you really are. Paul McCarthy Title: Drowning out the voices we need to hear. Why F.I.R.E.D. leaders are your 'hidden gems' Summary: Two Options:Talk Summary 1 To survive disruption, organizations need leaders who possess disruptive leadership capabilities. So they hire them and then they fire them. Publicly, organizations say they want leaders to be innovative thinkers who challenge the status quo. Privately, conventional leadership culture wants nothing of the sort. Leaders with disruptive leadership capabilities often embody the very leadership qualities that organizations so desperately need to navigate disruption and adapt to the “new normal” of constant change, yet these leaders are being marginalized, ostracized, and even exorcised from today's organizations. We will need a different kind of leader for the future and our organizations are unprepared for how to identify, recruit, onboard, and develop this kind of leader. Join us for a radical, refreshing talk with Paul McCarthy, as openly talks about the untalkable, questions the unquestionable, and reframes perceptions about the leadership we desperately need for our times. Paul will share insights from his own experiences as a leader with disruptive leadership capabilities, as well as from his global research and first best-selling book into how individual leaders can be identified, cultivated, and embraced for being disruptive. He will also help us to understand how we can identify disruptive leadership capacity and capability. Talk Summary 2 Paul takes audiences on an exploratory journey to imagine a future where leaders who are currently perceived as 'not fitting in' or as 'bad culture fits' are the ones that organizations will increasingly need to thrive in a constantly changing environment. Yet these leaders are being marginalized, ostracized, and even exorcised from today's organizations. Using his own personal experiences, as well as research, case studies and outputs of interviews, Paul introduces the F.I.R.E.D. Leadership Framework and shows organizations why we need to embrace leaders who think differently. By helping reframe how organizations perceive their 'agitators', Paul shows how to cut through the noise to equip those organizations with the approach needed to create the next generation of leaders our world so desperately needs to successfully navigate ongoing disruption, continue to innovate and deliver transformative outcomes.   Dr. Regeline “Gigi” Sabbat Title: “You Can Lead” ( Regardless if you are Neurodivergent you can lead. - Dr. Gigi Sabbat)   Summary: Absolutely — being neurodivergent does not limit your ability to lead. In fact, many neurodivergent individuals bring exceptional strengths to leadership, such as: • Unique perspectives and creativity • High levels of focus and dedication • Empathy and emotional intelligence • Innovative problem-solving • Resilience and adaptability Leadership isn't about fitting a mold — it's about authenticity, vision, and the courage to empower others. Whether you're neurodivergent or not, your lived experiences can shape you into a powerful, impactful leader. Manny Piñiero Title: “Wired Differently - Neurodivergent Leadership and the Power of Intentional Time" Summary: Wired differently, I thrive in navigating complexity, identifying patterns others may overlook, and creating meaningful systems that honor both people and outcomes. My connection to time is not just about efficiency, it's about intentionality. I believe in making time count by aligning actions with purpose, fostering environments that empower teams to do the work that truly matters, while leading with clarity, empathy, and a deep respect for the diverse ways people think, work, and thrive.   Holly White Title: Radical is Relative: Trusting Your Instincts Before the World Catches Up Summary: Some of the most powerful insights come from minds that don't follow conventional paths. In this talk, I explore how ADHD-related cognition—nonlinear, spontaneous, and deeply intuitive—often leads to ideas that feel radical to others but entirely natural to the thinker. We'll examine why these ideas meet resistance, how traits like discomfort with uncertainty affect their reception, and what it means to trust your instincts in a world that hasn't caught up yet. Whether you're the one generating paradigm-shifting ideas or the one receiving them, “trust the process” becomes more than a mantra—it's a model for creative courage, leadership, and cognitive integrity.   Rosie Ward Title: Ditch the Head Trash! Upgrade Your Faulty Programming So You Can Maximize Your Impact Summary: Being human is messy. We are hardwired to be on high alert for threats, activating our biological hardwired instincts to self-protect and cling tightly to what is familiar. Yet our world demands that we are able to lean into discomfort and disruption. This creates a gap that keeps us stuck more than we realize. This session will normalize our shared human experience for why we get in our own way as a result of our 7 Faulty Programs and give you tangible tools to upgrade your own faulty programming so you can embrace your own sparkle and maximize your shine and impact around you.   David Citron Title: Unleash Your ADHD Superpower in 4 Minutes a Day Summary: In this talk, David Citron, founder of Expressocoaching.com which serves ADHDers who lead organisations in 31 countries worldwide shares the 3 keys to unleashing your ADHD Superpower as a neurodivergent leader. This powerful methodology which has a 4.8* Trustpilot rating from thrilled leaders around the world can change the next 30 years of your life. Expresso has been used by everyone from small business owners to large corporations like Microsoft in order to bring out the very best from the talented neurodivergents in their senior leadership team. Kick back and listen to the story of how the Expresso ADHD revolution began with one client called Joe who had a peculiarly, frustrating challenge. Kent Cravens Title: Expect Authenticity?......Be Authentic Yourself. Tips on building a culture based on Authenticity And Trust   Summary Many of us spend more waking hours with our work teams than we get to spend with our families. Authenticity And Trust are essential elements to creating a work environment that leads to sustained satisfaction and longevity in your team. Here are some tips to make sure you're moving in the right direction.  

ISRAEL BIBI TO POTUS PRIVATELY. MALCOLM HOENLEIN @CONF_OF_PRES @MHOENLEIN1@THADMCCOTTER @THEAMGREATNESS 1883 DC

You take over the family pastry shop and transform it into one of the most valuable privately held businesses in the world. Your father dies young. Your uncle does too. Everyone is relying on you and this keeps you up at night. You insist on differentiation and refuse to make me too products. You obsess over quality. You run tens of thousands of experiments. The products you invent will sell successfully for decades. You shroud your entire operation in secrecy. You study your competitors but never tell them what you're doing. You go to great — almost absurd — lengths to control everything about your business. You have no outside shareholders and no debt. You commute by helicopter so you can perform quality control in person. You insist on constant customer contact and invent new ways to collect information from the customers you obsess over. You build your own machines, control all of your raw materials, and invest so heavily in distribution and logistics that you own the largest private fleet of vehicles in Italy, second only to the Italian army. You love your business and don't want to spend time doing anything else. When you propose to your wife you tell her that she is marrying a man who will always talk to her about chocolate. You believe creating wealth is a moral duty.  You are Michele Ferrero.  This episode is what I learned from reading Michele Ferrero by Salvatore Giannella. ---- Ramp gives you everything you need to control spend, watch your costs, and optimize your financial operations —all on a single platform. Make history's greatest entrepreneurs proud by going to Ramp and learning how they can help your business control your costs and save time and money. ----- Join my free email newsletter to get my top 10 highlights from every book ---- Episode highlights: We create mythical products that create markets.  If a market is interesting, we must become the leader.  The product is put at the center of everything. All of the company's activities must revolve around it. He would repeat: If you want to go bankrupt just listen to everybody. He insisted that all shares remain in the family. He never wanted to have to justify his choices to anyone.  He insisted on continuous innovation, the refusal of repetition of the already known, the search for new paths, and the opening of new horizons by differentiating from others. One of his favorite metaphors: A good entrepreneur must be like a good skeet shooter: hitting the target by aiming not at the launch station, but further ahead—always with a long-term vision. Control everything you can – ingredients, process, technology – to safeguard quality and trade secrets. For me work is a spiritual necessity. I was accustomed to it from a young age and couldn't do without it. Focus on making well-crafted, high-quality products, and the rest will follow. I was able to do all this because of being a family business. This allowed us to grow calmly, to have long term plans, to know how to wait, and to not be caught up in the frenzy of the daily ups and downs. Mrs. Valeria (the name he gave to his customers) is the mistress of it all, the CEO, the one who can decide your success or your demise, the one you have to respect, never betray, and understand completely. He said that doing good for others is doing good for oneself. Michele Ferrero seemed to possess a genuine, childlike passion for bringing joy through his creations. He couldn't resist spending time in the laboratory, dreaming up new delights. He was known to work through Sundays and even overnight, feverishly experimenting to perfect a flavor or texture. Our identity is based on our independence. If we had shareholders they would ask us to increase turnover. But it takes time to make a good product.  Many of the machines were invented and built in-house by Ferrero's own engineering department. Ferrero pursued perfection with monastic devotion.

Support the show: Antiwar.com/donatePhone bank for Defend the Guard: https://defendtheguard.us/phonebankSign up for our newsletter: https://www.antiwar.com/newsletter/ 

Brian Carson, CEO of Pittsburgh Paints Co. since February 2025, shares insights regarding his new role and the future of the industry. Topics include opportunities for the company under private ownership; how Carson's flooring experience helps him understand the paints and coatings market; common challenges and pain points for contractor customers; and more.

Orange County D.A. retaliated against female prosecutor, jury finds. Gavin Newsom Meets Privately with Jon Voight in LA. Michael Monks joins the show to talk shop, cat hotels, & beach trips at caramel.

In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, former Vice President Mike Pence says he advised President Trump against setting tariffs during his first term and now welcomes signs of a possible de-escalation in the U.S.-China trade war. 

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he breaks down today's biggest stories shaping America and the world. Trump Sparks Media Outrage with “I Don't Know” Constitution Comment – When asked if all migrants are guaranteed due process, Trump responded, “I don't know, I'm not a lawyer,” prompting a media firestorm. But as legal experts and NPR report, due process rights exist on a spectrum—meaning Trump's answer may have been more accurate than the headlines suggest. Border Wars Escalate: Military Arrests Begin, Trump Sues Colorado and Denver – The U.S. military now patrols a 53-mile zone near El Paso where illegal immigrants can be arrested for trespassing on military land. Meanwhile, the DOJ sues Colorado and Denver for sanctuary laws that obstruct ICE operations, sending a warning with $8M in fines against local businesses. Mexico Says “No” to U.S. Troops, But Cooperates Privately – President Trump offered to send U.S. troops into Mexico to combat cartels, but President Sheinbaum publicly rejected it. Privately, however, she's cooperating—delivering border control and water rights while protecting her nationalist image. Japan Threatens to Weaponize U.S. Debt – Japan's finance minister says its $1T in U.S. debt holdings could be used in trade talks—an unprecedented move that could rattle global markets and U.S. interest rates if acted upon. China Offers Fentanyl Crackdown in Exchange for Tariff Relief – Xi Jinping proposes to curb fentanyl production in return for U.S. tariff reductions, but Bryan warns the offer is hollow given Xi's deep ties to the Chinese mafia behind the trafficking. Europe Tilts Toward Extremes: UK Labour Party Loses Ground, Germany Labels AfD “Extremist” – In Britain, pro-Palestinian and anti-immigration candidates make gains. In Germany, the AfD is now officially under surveillance, sparking U.S. backlash over civil liberties and democracy. China Quietly Supports Venezuela Despite U.S. Sanctions – Chinese “zombie” ships are still hauling Venezuelan oil in defiance of Trump's secondary sanctions, raising questions about whether Beijing will face new tariffs. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32

In public, Martin Luther King Jr. was staunchly against firearms as a means of liberation. Privately, he owned weapons and hired armed security to protect himself and his family. Why the change? _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices