Middle Ages

• 1215 – Zhongdu (now Beijing), then under the control of the Jurchen ruler Emperor Xuanzong of Jin, is captured by the Mongols under Genghis Khan, ending the Battle of Zhongdu.
• 1252 – Alfonso X is proclaimed king of Castile and León.
• 1298 – Residents of Riga and Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeated the Livonian Order in the Battle of Turaida.

Early Modern World

• 1495 – A monk, John Cor, records the first known batch of Scotch whisky.
• 1533 – Anne Boleyn is crowned Queen of England.
• 1535 – Combined forces loyal to Charles V attack and expel the Ottomans from Tunis during the Conquest of Tunis.
• 1648 – The Roundheads defeat the Cavaliers at the Battle of Maidstone in the Second English Civil War.
• 1649 – Start of the Sumuroy Revolt: Filipinos in Northern Samar led by Agustin Sumuroy revolt against Spanish colonial authorities.
• 1670 – In Dover, England, Charles II of England and Louis XIV of France sign the Secret Treaty of Dover, which will force England into the Third Anglo-Dutch War.
• 1676 – Battle of Öland: allied Danish-Dutch forces defeat the Swedish navy in the Baltic Sea, during the Scanian War (1675–79).
• 1679 – The Scottish Covenanters defeat John Graham of Claverhouse at the Battle of Drumclog.
• 1773 – Wolraad Woltemade rescues 14 sailors at the Cape of Good Hope from the sinking ship De Jonge Thomas by riding his horse into the sea seven times. Both he and his horse, Vonk, drowned on his eighth attempt.

Revolutionary Age

• 1779 – The court-martial for malfeasance of Benedict Arnold, a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, begins.
• 1792 – Kentucky is admitted as the 15th state of the United States.
• 1794 – The battle of the Glorious First of June is fought, the first naval engagement between Britain and France during the French Revolutionary Wars.
• 1796 – Tennessee is admitted as the 16th state of the United States.
• 1812 – War of 1812: U.S. President James Madison asks the Congress to declare war on the United Kingdom.
• 1813 – Capture of USS Chesapeake.
• 1815 – Napoleon promulgates a revised Constitution after it passes a plebiscite.
• 1831 – James Clark Ross becomes the first European at the North Magnetic Pole.
• 1849 – Territorial Governor Alexander Ramsey declared the Territory of Minnesota officially established.
• 1854 – Åland War: The British navy destroys merchant ships and about 16,000 tar barrels of the wholesale stocks area in Oulu, Grand Duchy of Finland.
• 1855 – The American adventurer William Walker conquers Nicaragua.
• 1857 – Charles Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal is published.
• 1857 – The Revolution of the Ganhadores begins in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
• 1861 – American Civil War: The Battle of Fairfax Court House is fought.
• 1862 – American Civil War: Peninsula Campaign: The Battle of Seven Pines (or the Battle of Fair Oaks) ends inconclusively, with both sides claiming victory.
• 1868 – The Treaty of Bosque Redondo is signed, allowing the Navajo to return to their lands in Arizona and New Mexico.

Second Industrial Revolution

• 1879 – Napoléon Eugène, the last dynastic Bonaparte, is killed in the Anglo-Zulu War.
• 1890 – The United States Census Bureau begins using Herman Hollerith's tabulating machine to count census returns.

World War I

• 1916 – Louis Brandeis becomes the first Jew appointed to the United States Supreme Court.
• 1918 – World War I: Western Front: Battle of Belleau Wood: Allied Forces under John J. Pershing and James Harbord engage Imperial German Forces under Wilhelm, German Crown Prince.

Interwar Period

• 1919 – Prohibition comes into force in Finland.
• 1922 – The Royal Ulster Constabulary is founded.
• 1929 – The 1st Conference of the Communist Parties of Latin America is held in Buenos Aires.
• 1930 – The Deccan Queen is introduced as first intercity train between Bombay VT (Now Mumbai CST) and Poona (Pune) to run on electric locomotives.
• 1939 – First flight of the German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter aircraft.

World War II

• 1941 – World War II: The Battle of Crete ends as Crete capitulates to Germany.
• 1941 – The Farhud, a massive pogrom in Iraq, starts and as a result, many Iraqi Jews are forced to leave their homes.
• 1943 – BOAC Flight 777 is shot down over the Bay of Biscay by German Junkers Ju 88s, killing British actor Leslie Howard and leading to speculation that it was actually an attempt to kill British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Cold War

• 1946 – Ion Antonescu, "Conducator" ("Leader") of Romania during World War II, is executed.
• 1950 – The Declaration of Conscience speech, by U.S. Senator from Maine, Margaret Chase Smith, is delivered in response to Joseph R. McCarthy's speech at Wheeling, West Virginia.
• 1950 – The Chinchaga fire ignites. By September, it would become the largest single fire on record in North America.
• 1958 – Charles de Gaulle comes out of retirement to lead France by decree for six months.
• 1961 – The Canadian Bank of Commerce and Imperial Bank of Canada merge to form the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, the largest bank merger in Canadian history.
• 1964 – Kenya becomes a republic with Jomo Kenyatta as its first President.
• 1974 – The Heimlich maneuver for rescuing choking victims is published in the journal Emergency Medicine.
• 1975 – The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded by Jalal Talabani, Nawshirwan Mustafa, Fuad Masum and others.
• 1978 – The first international applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty are filed.
• 1979 – The first black-led government of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 90 years takes power.
• 1980 – Cable News Network (CNN) begins broadcasting.
• 1988 – European Central Bank is founded in Brussels.
• 1988 – The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty comes into effect.
• 1990 – Cold War: George H. W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev sign a treaty to end chemical weapon production.

Modern World

• 1993 – Dobrinja mortar attack: Thirteen are killed and 133 wounded when Serb mortar shells are fired at a soccer game in Dobrinja, west of Sarajevo.
• 1994 – Republic of South Africa becomes a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations.
• 2001 – Nepalese royal massacre: Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal shoots and kills several members of his family including his father and mother.
• 2001 – Dolphinarium discotheque massacre: A Hamas suicide bomber kills 21 at a disco in Tel Aviv.
• 2004 – Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols is sentenced to 161 consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.
• 2009 – Air France Flight 447 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. All 228 passengers and crew are killed.
• 2009 – General Motors files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the fourth largest United States bankruptcy in history.
• 2011 – A rare tornado outbreak occurs in New England; a strong EF3 tornado strikes Springfield, Massachusetts, during the event, killing four people.
• 2011 – Space Shuttle Endeavour makes its final landing after 25 flights.
• 2015 – A ship carrying 458 people capsizes in the Yangtze river in China's Hubei province, killing 400 people.

Featured

• 1812: The U.S. President James Madison asks Congress to declare war on the United Kingdom, starting the War of 1812.

The decision to go to war is one of the most serious an American president faces. On June 1, 1812, President Madison sent a letter—later dubbed his war message—to both houses of Congress. In it, he listed a series of transgressions Great Britain had committed against the U.S. He also explained his decision not to recommend war with France at that time. https://freeimage.host/i/HrP69Yx

Good morning all, this is for Wales
In March I was looking to purchase wedding favours and decided to use a local business which had a physical shop in my town. They were in the process of moving to the next door shop which was bigger, thus were only taking orders online at this time
The order was placed via their Facebook business account (all correspondence saved), I agreed to pay half as a deposit, and the other half near to the agreed delivery date of the 10th of April, all in about £350
I originally agreed to have the order picked up, but a couple of days beforehand he said the ingredients did not arrive in time so he would sort the delivery of the items. Around the 8th of April he started to ignore my messages.
Wedding came and went with no favours, so I’ve chased the guy down. A couple of issues to note:

• the business was dissolved on the 11th of April, I’ve checked with HMRC and it was dissolved automatically due to the paperwork not being submitted as requested. This process began a year previous so the timing of the business being dissolved was coincidental
• I paid the owner’s PERSONAL account, not a business account

Steps taken to far: - Citizens advice - said I should try and claim the money back through my bank, they rejected the claim (paid via debit card) - suggested I contact Companies House to see if any administrators are involved with the business. Tried this, no administrators appointed as it was just dissolved automatically - contact the owner directly (multiple times), he did eventually reply apologising and promising to refund the next day, two weeks have passed since then
Wondering what else I could possibly do? Would taking the individual to the small claims court be an option as I paid him directly not the business?

5 December 1518

 
Musical Accompaniment
 
Born in 1440 to Antonio Trivulzio and Francesca Visconti, minor Guelph nobles in Milan, Gian Giacomo Trivulzio was raised alongside Galeazzo Maria Sforza, and would spend much of his early life in his service.
His military career started in 1465, when at the age of 25 he accompanied Sforza's army to France, where they would fight on the side of King Louis XI against the League of Public Weal. This taste of blood was evidently rather satisfactory for Trivulzio, as he would spend the remainder of his life in military service.
 

Sforza and Montefeltro Service

In the 1460s, he fought in the service of the Sforzas against the famous Bartolomeo Colleoni - one of the greatest military minds of the 15th Century. Soon after, he moves to the service of Federico da Montefeltro, and fights in the infamous Battle of Riccardina, where the forces of Colleoni, Ercole d'Este, and Alessandro Sforza, as well as some Florentine families, faced off against an alliance of the Medicis, King Ferdinand I of Naples, and Federico da Montefeltro.
It is in this period that he marries his first wife, Margherita Colleoni - a distant relative of the famous Condottiero.
 

Condottiero

In 1478, he entered the service of the Medicis against the expansionist Pope Sixtus IV, defending the city of Florence in the wake of the Pazzi Conspiracy, until the Ottoman capture of Otranto forced a peace settlement.
In 1480, he purchased the castle of Mesocco. By 1496 the surrounding countryside will have joined the Three Leagues in Switzerland, by his permission.
 

Rossi War and Ludovico Sforza

In 1482, he enters the service of Ludovico Sforza, against the Rossi family of Parma, in rebellion against the Sforzas of Milan. As tensions built up between Ludovico Sforza - then Regent of Milan - and the other nobles of Milan, it was Trivulzio - then only a lieutenant to Costanza Sforza - who was entrusted with taking Parma. Trivulzio proved himself incredibly capable in the art of siege and harrying, devastating the lands loyal to the Rossi, and capturing alpine fortresses with great vigor. Making excellent headway, it was only the intervention of the Republic of Venice that stopped Trivulzio. His soldiers were transferred to the command of the Duke of Urbino - an old employer, Federico da Montefeltro. Eventually, Trivulzio would work his way to being the primary commander of Ludovico's forces in Milan, winning the war for the Milanese, defeating the Venetian army at Martinengo, and becoming Governor of Parma for the Sforzas.
His first wife died in 1485. She had given him one surviving son - Gian Niccolò Trivulzio, and a score of daughters.
 

Neapolitan Service

In 1488, he moves to Naples, and enters the service of Alfonso d'Aragon, Duke of Calabria. He would marry Beatrice d'Avalos, and would be appointed Commander of the army of Naples. It is in this period that Charles VIII invades Italy, after being invited into Milan by Ludovico Sforza.
 

Charles' War for Naples First Italian War (1494-1498)

Musical Accompaniment
 
In 1494, Trivulzio negotiated the surrender of Naples to Charles VIII, who, impressed by the man, hires him into French service, with the written permission of Ferdinand I of Naples. In 1495 he fought in the Battle of Fornovo in the service of the King of France, marching back to France with the army. He is appointed Marshal of France for his actions in the battle.
 

Second Italian War (1498-1503)

In 1498 Trivulzio was placed in charge of a large army by the new King Louis XII. He marched on Milan, and chased Ludovico Sforza, now Duke of Milan, to Innsbruck, where he bid the assistance of Maximilian of Austria.
In October 1499, Trivulzio entered Milan, and was appointed Governor.
In 1501, Trivulzio was again placed in charge of a French army - this time, he was intended to be in command of small contingents of French troops to hold river crossings. Instead, he found himself in the midst of the French Army in their victory at Gorgonzola. The French - employing great numbers of Swiss mercenaries, defeated an Imperial army marching alongside Ludovico Sforza.
In 1502, Trivulzio commanded the French army at (the later named First Battle of) San Martino, buying valuable time for the French to bring reinforcements across the alpine passes after the Fall of Savoy and save Milan from the Imperial incursions. Later in the year he would lead the French at Marzaglia, being bested by Cesare Borgia, and withdrawing to Reggio.
In 1503, Trivulzio commanded the French army at Monterosi, squaring off against the Spanish Army, with the Fate of the Eternal City at stake. Routing the Spanish, he drove south to the banks of the Garigliano River, before being finally stopped, not by the Spanish, but by his own supply lines.
 

War of the Second Italic League Third Italian War (1506-1509)

In 1506 Trivulzio commanded the French Army putting Modena to siege, taking it in early 1507. Having kicked a hornet's nest, Trivulzio was forced to withdraw from Modena, though stood up a valiant defence against a Venetian-Ferrarese army at Lodi.
With Milan in rebellion (in part to Trivulzio's poor governance), he withdrew from Milan, and met with the main French army in Novara.
In 1508 Trivulzio spearheaded the counterattack into Milan, which was then in Austrian hands. Crossing the Ticino, he met the main army under Georg von Frundsberg at Borgarello. Bloodying the Austrians, he forces them to withdraw, and is joined by Rohan-Gie and Trémoille, to defeat the Austrians and Venetians at the absolutely gargantuan Battle of Gaggiano. With the Austrians and Venetians defeated, Trivulzio set about restoring order to Milan. It is said that he attempted to put a stop to the worst of the sacking, but it is rather suspicious that most of the sacking hit the worst of the Ghibelline sections of the Duchy...
In 1509 Trivulzio oversaw the capture of Montferrat, and its subsequent integration into the Duchy of Milan.
 

Borgia War (1511-1512)

In 1511, following Cesare's attempt at seizing Rome and subsequent flight to Romagna, Trivulzio leads a Milanese army to the Romagna, where they put down Cesare Borgia alongside a Papal coalition by 1512. It was in this war that his son, Gian Niccolò passed - camp fever had taken him during a siege.
 

Francis' War for Naples Fourth Italian War (1512-1515)

Musical Accompaniment
 
With the betrayal of the Spanish, and the commencement of Francis' War for Naples, Trivulzio commanded a rear force in the siege of Pescara. With the fall of that city in 1513, he lead a supporting force to Francis, proving to be a mentor and moderating voice to the rapacious young Duc de Valois.

Lombard War Fifth Italian War (1515-1516)

By 1515, the French army in Naples was exhausted, and saw fit to retire north, as the Emperor had made a pact with the Venetians, and invaded Milan. Trivulzio fought a rearguard action against the Spanish, allowing the Duc de Valois to pursue a stunning victory against the Austrians and Venetians at Lodi, and yet again routing Maximilian and the Venetians from the Duchy of Milan.
 
Trivulzio's final actions came in 1516, where he took over the command of the army from the gravely wounded Duc de Nemours, and proceeded to assist in the seizure of Venetian Lombardy, and the subsequent Second Battle of San Martino.

Retirement

Tired and contented, Trivulzio passes in his bed in the Castello Sforzecco on the 5th of December, 1518. He was 78 years of age. He is succeeded by his grandson, Gian Francesco Trivulzio.
It is said that Giangiacomo requested to be buried with a sword on his chest, instead of a cross. When asked why, he answered, "To scare the devils when they come for me."

“I know how men in exile feed on dreams of hope”
-Aeschylus
IT WAS JUST PAST sunrise on Herenveen Prime and Charlotte Elizabeth Mackenzie-Nanda, Queen Consort of the Herenveen Staats-Republic, was still enjoying her coffee when she heard the distant rumble of a sonic boom that indicated an arriving shuttle had entered the upper atmosphere, bound for the spaceport. She set her cup down on the small table next to her.
“Grimsby?”
“Yes ma’am?” Her ever-present steward stepped forward.
“Do you have the omnioculars close at hand?”
“Always ma’am,” he replied. He stepped over to a small cabinet on the far side of the terrace, opened it, and, retrieving the omnioculars, brought them back to her. “Here you are, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Grimsby,” she said. Raising the omnioculars to her eyes, she began to scan the skies. Let’s see, she thought to herself. I’m on the eastern side of the palace, overlooking the gardens and that means the approach vector to the spaceport in Herenveen Town should be about… there. There was a faint trail of exhaust. She pressed a green button on top of the omnioculars and the readout confirmed her findings. There was a ship and it was- the readout directed her to move to the right and she did so, hoping that she would be able to catch a glimpse of the arriving ship before it disappeared behind the Palace and-
She froze and pulled back from the omnioculars. It couldn’t be. It couldn’t- she made herself look again. There was no mistaking it this time. It was a clipper ship, one of the ultra-fast pickets that the Star Union’s defense contractors were marketing to every buyer from here to the rim. Along its prow was its registration number (SU-76463) and its name, the Star Clipper. None of that was particularly of note. What was, however, was the red, white, and blue roundel of the Star Union’s space force and, she noted, the golden gryphon symbol of the Duchy of New Georgia underneath it.
She set the omnioculars down on the table and picked up her coffee again, staring out at the Palace Gardens. She was not ill-informed, of course. Even now, after decades in exile, she still had friends in the Star Union. She had heard about the failing health of her Grandfather, the King-Emperor, and- there’s only one reason why they would send a clipper ship. The thought whispered to her. Only one.
“Grimsby?”
A step forward. “Yes ma’am?”
“Where is she this morning? She usually tells you, doesn’t she?”
“I believe Her Majesty was convinced that the roses needed some attention this morning, ma’am.”
“Ah yes, Grimsby, but which roses? She has so many.”
“The Austins I believe were her primary concern, ma’am. She is worried about how they are adapting to our soil after the long journey from Terra.”
“Very well.” She made herself sit and finish her coffee, drinking in the view and soaking up the peace and serenity of the early morning. There was no better view than she could think of and if she was right- but what if you’re not? The Star Union has plenty of clipper ships. It could be anything.
Keep telling yourself that, she told herself, but no good news comes early in the morning. She drained the last of her coffee, placed the mug on the saucer and stood up, walking towards the edge of the grand staircase that lead down into the gardens, Grimsby just behind her, a constant presence at her side.
Decades before, she had been too young to know what was going on in the Star Union. She had been carefully shielded from the politics of it all. She knew the history. Everyone knew the history, but… she remembered the hands shaking her, waking her in the night. Urging her to get up, quickly, there was no time to pack. She remembered her mother’s face, creased with worry and realizing that she was afraid, seeing her fall behind on her little legs and sweeping her up into her arms. She was safe there. She was happy there.
There were only flashes of memory now, The sound of shoes echoing on the deserted hallways of the Palace. The night sky, so warm, so clear, the stars shimmering above her. She was placed in the transport, near the window and soon they were lifting off. The city was half cast in darkness, flickers of fire and columns of smoke dimly visible, split by the sinuous line of the River Nanda, running through the capitol city.
She remembered her face, pressed against the window, clutching her stuffed gryphon, Archie close as they reached the terminator line between night and day and she caught one last glimpse of the beautiful oceans and the green land of Astralis Prime, heart of the Star Union and then…
Then it was exile and her family had gone back to the Potentate of Cosmara once again, barely a generation after the First Restoration of their dynasty back to the great throne of the Star Union.
A delicate cough interrupted her train of thought. “Ma’am.”
“Hmm?”
“The roses are… that way,” Grimsby nodded to her left.
“Thank you, Grimsby,” she replied, annoyed at her absent-mindedness. It’s because it’s early, she told herself. No good news comes early in the morning. Father would say it all the time. Mother believed it. You believe it too, she admitted to herself.
Finally heading in the right direction, it was the work of a few moments before she finally came around the well-manicured hedge, ducked under a delicate moongate and stepped into the rose garden. There, she caught sight of her wife, Chief Stadtholder and Queen of the Herenveen Staats-Republic, Chief Executive Officer of it’s associated trading conglomerates and companies, Juliana Beatrix Oranje-Nassau, Fifth of her name.
“You bloody thing, I don’t know where you’re coming from, but I will find you and I will-” Juliana was on all fours, gloved hand buried deep into a rose bush, trying to trace back an offending weed of some kind. Charlotte stopped and just watched for a long moment. They were both getting older now. Their children were grown and in the case of their son, Eduardo had just secured the line of succession and made them both grandmothers. Even with the prolong treatments, streaks of grey were creeping into her hair now, but still-
“Enjoying the view?” Juliana asked archly, turning her head to notice her for the first time.
“You know I always do,” she replied. “You also do know that we have gardeners that can do things like this.”
Juliana growled and gave the offending weed an almighty pull before pulling her gloved hand out of the rose bush and holding it up triumphantly.
“We pay them quite a bit of money, you know,” she continued idly as Juliana stood up. “They’re experts at-”
“I know, Charlotte,” Juliana rolled her eyes. “It’s just, I like to sneak out-”
“-leaving me alone in our bed-”
“-and just get some gardening in before the tedious business of the day begins,” Juliana continued.
Charlotte smiled fondly at her wife, fully aware of how quickly she would abdicate should the Staats-General ever get around to deeming Eduardo to be a worthy successor to her. Juliana was a creature of nature, more than anything, far more at home puttering about the Palace gardens or strapping on big, practical waterproof boots to go tramping through fields. She was happiest getting her hands dirty. “I love you, wife.”
Juliana’s face softened and she stepped towards Charlotte, slipping her ungloved hand into hers and leaning forward to kiss her firmly on the lips. “And I adore you, my queen.” She creased her eyebrows, realizing something. “What brings you out into the gardens at this hour, anyway? You should be eating your breakfast still.”
“I started early when I woke to find an empty space in my bed,” Charlotte replied somewhat tartly.
“But, I came looking for you when I heard the ship coming in.”
“Is that what that was? I wondered, but I was…” Juliana raised her gloved hand, still clenched around the offending weed and looked a little sheepish.
“Preoccupied?” Charlotte finished.
“Yes, let’s go with that. So, a ship? It’s a little early for a ship.”
“I thought so as well, so I tracked it with the omnioculars.”
“Anyone important?”
“It was from the Star Union,” Charlotte said. “One of their new ultra-fast pickets. It…” she sighed. “It had the livery of the Duchy of New Georgia on it.”
“Your cousin. David, no, Dean, no-” Juliana frowned in irritation.
“Drake,” Charlotte supplied.
“Yes, him. That’s the one,” Juliana said. “Has he sent any messages? Any word that he’s coming?”
“No,” Charlotte admitted.
“So, it could be just another ship on urgent business for anything, right?” Juliana said. “There might be no need to worry at all.”
“Maybe,” Charlotte said. “But-”
“No good news comes early in the morning.” Juliana finished. She pulled the glove off of her hand and tossed it next to the pile of weeds she had placed to one side along with the garden implements. “Would it ease your mind if we went and find out what the ship wanted?”
“It would, my love, but…” she glanced pointedly at the mess and Juliana flapped her hand dismissively with a mischievous grin playing about her face. “The gardeners can get it.”
“Juliana!” Charlotte sounded scandalized.
“As you pointed out, my love, we do pay people- experts, some of them, to take care of things like this,” Juliana slipped her arm into Charlotte’s and with Charlotte rolling her eyes, but smiling as well, the two of them began to walk arm in arm back out of the gardens and toward the Palace, Grimsby an ever-present shadow in their wake. Charlotte was just about convinced that maybe Juliana was right and maybe she had nothing to worry about, but just as they turned the last corner and the terrace came into view, her heart sank. There was Mr. Vanderbeek, Juliana’s chief secretary, waiting at the top of the stairs for them.
Juliana felt her stiffen and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Pieter,” she called as they made their way toward the steps. “Good morning!”
Mr. Vanderbeek bowed. “Good morning, your majesties.”
“You’re up early,” Juliana noted as they reached the bottom of the steps and climbed up onto the terrace. “What brings you to the Palace at this hour?”
“A delegation from the Star Union has arrived, your majesty. They’re requesting to meet with Queen Charlotte most urgently.”
“Did they say what about?” Charlotte tried to make the question sound casual but realized she probably failed at that and shook her head ruefully.
“They did not, your majesty,” Mr. Vanderbeek said. “But I am told that his Grace, the Duke of New Georgia is the head of their delegation.”
“Drake?” Charlotte broke in, surprised. “He’s here himself?”
“Yes, your majesty.”
“Who else?” Juliana asked.
“Intelligence is working on that,” Mr. Vanderbeek said. “But so far, we have identified the Archbishop of Astralis Prime, the Earl of New Shaftesbury and a Parliamentarian we believe to be Beatrice Boothroyd.”
“When do they want to meet?” Charlotte asked.
“As soon as possible, they say, your majesty,” Mr. Vanderbeek replied.
“Has the government been informed?” Juliana asked.
“Yes, your majesty.”
“Very well, since they’re still renovating Noordiende, we’ll have to receive them at the Voorhout Palace. See to it, please and prepare a ground car for her majesty and myself. We won’t keep them waiting long,” Juliana ordered.
Mr. Vanderbeek bowed. “As you wish, your majesty.” He retreated the requisite five steps, taking care not to turn his back on either woman before, having reached the appropriate distance, he turned and hurried away to make the arrangements.
~
Receiving an official delegation from a foreign power required more of the Queen than it did the Queen Consort, so while Juliana allowed herself to be herded away by various functionaries and ladies in waiting to be cleaned and dressed, Charlotte was left to her own devices. Having decided on a sonic shower over the more decadent option of a water shower, she soon found herself opening the door to her closet, robe wrapped tightly around her.
It was less of a closet and more of a room, but that was the privilege of being a Queen Consort. There were dresses and suits and uniforms for every occasion. The chattering classes tended to notice if she wore the same dress twice, which had bothered Charlotte when she was younger, but now, she no longer cared. Dresses could be worn more than once. She had done so throughout her childhood on Cosmara if for no other reason than her family's reduced circumstances had made it a necessity.
She walked down the length of the closet, lightly running her hands along the dresses, wondering what she should wear. Cousin Drake, the Archbishop, the Earl of New Shaftesbury, and whoever that Parliamentarian is… there is only one reason to send a delegation like that to see me. Her hand stopped and, reaching up, she pushed the dresses back to reveal a simple, unadorned red dress.
Even with the prolong treatments, humanity was not immortal. Her father’s cancer had advanced, inexorably, resistant to every treatment they had tried.
Grandfather even sent his personal physician, she remembered. The Doctor arrived in secret, towards the end, in the dead of night, and tried her best, but… Juliana, always so careful to never even give the appearance of asking for favors or getting special privileges had made a quiet call to the government and bundled her onto the fastest ship Herenveen Prime had. It had not been enough. She arrived an hour after he had gone, quietly, without much fuss, as was his way.
He had not wanted an elaborate funeral. Juliana had brought the children. Cousin Drake had arrived as well, which had been a surprise at the time. All of them, clad in their funeral red, on the lip of the hillside of their small farm, the towers of Cosmara City in the distance, watching as the flames of the funeral pyre climbed higher and higher.
She ran her hands over the red mourning dress, remembering. She had not worn it since that day. It seemed a lifetime ago, but there was only one reason they would be sending a delegation like this. Charlotte took the dress down out of the closet and carried it back into the bedroom laying it across her bed. Then she went back into the closet and walked all the way to the back where the jewelry was kept. She did not hesitate this time. Opening the top drawer, she pulled out her mother’s sapphire necklace, the famous Star of Astralis, the one thing she had taken from the Palace when they had fled into exile.
Charlotte held it up to the light and, leaning forward blew some offending dust from it before nodding to herself in approval. “Yes, this will do quite nicely.”
Half an hour later, Charlotte made her way down the grand staircase to the main entrance of the Palace, where Juliana was waiting for her. She was dressed more modestly- in her usual grey suit with a simple string of pearls and a matching purse, but her lips pursed appreciatively as she watched Charlotte descend, Grimsby behind her as always.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Juliana smiled at Charlotte and then said, “Grimsby?”
“Yes, your majesty,” Grimsby stepped forward.
“Can you check to see where our ground car has gotten to?”
“At once, your majesty,” Grimsby inclined his head and then crossed over to the front doors of the palace and, opening them, slipped through.
Once they were alone, Juliana, cocked an eyebrow at Charlotte. “Red? That’s the color of mourning in the Star Union.”
“There’s only one reason I can think of for them to send an urgent delegation to meet with me,” Charlotte replied. “If my Grandfather has finally died, I will not show anything less than the utmost respect for his memory.”
“Well, you look lovely,” Juliana said. “Every inch an exiled Princess of the Star Union.”
“I hope so,” Charlotte replied.
Grimsby was returning and Juliana stood up as they both walked over to meet him. “You said you can only think of one reason,” Juliana noted.
“What else could it be?” Charlotte asked.
Juliana looked as if she was about to say something, but instead, shrugged and gave Charlotte a reassuring smile. “You’re right,” she said. “Let’s go see what they have to say.”
~
It was half an hour later when they finally arrived in the grand hall of the Voorhout Palace. That wasn’t entirely unexpected. They were both Queens (well, Juliana was the Queen, Charlotte was the Queen Consort,) and as the two of them, arm in arm, walked out of the antechamber onto the dais of the Throne Room, Charlotte had to admit that they both looked the part. Juliana guided Charlotte to her throne at Juliana’s right, before stepping up onto the main dais and taking her place on the Oranjetanuki Throne.
Mr. Vanderbeek was already in place off to Juliana’s left and after a moment to smooth out her skirt, she nodded to him Mr. Vanderbeek stepped down off the dais and walked the length of the throne room before opening the door and vanishing for a moment onto the other side. Charlotte felt her heart begin to beat faster and forced herself to take a slow deep breath to calm down. Juliana is right. Let’s see what they have to say. Another slow, deep breath and she became irritated with herself. Why are you acting like a spoiled Princess? You’re a grown woman and Queen Consort
The doors opened and Mr. Vanderbeek lead the delegation into the throne room and walked about halfway down before stopping, bowing, and then saying: “Your Majesties, an urgent delegation from the Star Union wishes an audience.”
“Their request is granted,” Juliana replied.
Mr. Vanderbeek stepped smoothly aside and the delegation advanced. As they came closer, Charlotte recognized her cousin, Drake. He was grown now, of course, but even behind the beard, she could still recognize him. The delegation advanced and went down to one knee as both Charlotte and Juliana rose to greet them.
“Your majesty,” Drake said. “We bring sad tidings. Your grandfather, the King Emperor of the Star Union is dead.”
Even though she had been expecting the news, the words fell like a hammer blow and Charlotte was surprised at the surge of emotion she felt. After the Revolt that sent her family into exile, her grandfather had been dragged out of retirement as the only acceptable option to both warring factions in the Star Union. Quietly, he had done what he could to make sure her family was comfortable in exile but had never once contacted them. Her only memories of him were happy ones, from her childhood, before they were exiled. She couldn’t bring herself to resent the old man, even now– and if either of her parents had harbored any bitterness towards him, they had never shown it.
“These are sad tidings indeed, cousin,” Charlotte replied. “I appreciate you coming all this way to tell me in person, but a vid-message or a tight beam would have been just as welcome.”
“Your majesty,” Drake said. “While those tidings are the official reason for our visit, we have another purpose here. A purpose of great urgency and import.”
Charlotte frowned. “What other purpose could bring you here so urgently, cousin?”
“We are here to offer you the Crown of the Star Union.”
If the news of her grandfather’s passing had been a hammer blow, this was news that nearly made her stumble and Charlotte felt herself swaying in shock, her mouth open in astonishment. Suddenly, Juliana was there beside her, gently tucking her arm into hers and steering her safely back into her seat. Charlotte smoothed her skirts out, trying to compose herself as she grappled with the enormity of what Drake had just said.
Juliana stood beside her, hand on her shoulder. “On whose authority do you make such an offer, your Grace?”
“Your majesty, with me I have representatives from the nobility, the church, and the commons. Our common desire is that which her majesty’s father and those who came before fought for and represented: a Monarch who governs in the name of the duly elected Parliament of the Star Union.”
“And how is that different from what you have now?” Juliana asked. Charlotte was dizzy with shock, but still managed to nod in agreement, still not trusting herself to speak. This had to be a joke, a prank, something- whatever it was, it couldn’t be real. The Crown? Her?
You could go home. A whisper from deep inside of her.
Drake grimaced. “The succession is contested. My Uncle Phillip-” Drake smiled knowingly as he saw the expression of disgust flash across Charlotte’s face, “-believes that he has the strongest claim. He is opposed by my cousin Hubert-” and his smile was genuine now as Charlotte covered an incipient laugh with a well-timed if artificial cough. “Your majesty, may I…” he shifted uncomfortably. “May I speak freely to my cousin for a moment, not the Queen Consort of Herenveen Prime?”
Juliana glanced down at Charlotte who nodded her assent.
“Cousin, I understand your skepticism and even your hesitation, but…” Drake sighed. “Invite me to dinner tonight. We can have a real conversation about what this actually means.”
Charlotte and Juliana exchanged glances for a long moment before Charlotte nodded and Juliana looked at Drake. “Your grace, it will be our pleasure to have you join us for dinner tonight at our residence at Het Loo. Seven o’clock, sharp.”
Drake inclined his head. “Thank you for your most gracious and kind invitation, your majesty.”
“We will withdraw then and make preparations,” Juliana said slipping her hand from Charlotte’s shoulder. She stood and the two of them left through the entrance they had come in, arm in arm once again.
Charlotte felt like she was in a daze, but allowed Juliana to lead her back towards their ground car. Mr. Vanderbeek was waiting at the courtyard entrance. “Mr. Vanderbeek, I take it you heard?”
“I did, your majesty.”
“If you would inform the Prime Minister and ask him for a full briefing later tonight. I would like to know the government’s opinion of this… unexpected offer.”
“Yes ma’am,” Mr. Vanderbeek replied. “Will the two of you be returning to Het Loo?”
“Yes, we will. The Duke of New Georgia will be joining us for dinner as well,” Juliana said.
“Very well, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Mr. Vanderbeek.”
He bowed and then stood as still as a statue until they had both walked out into the courtyard proper and reached their ground car. Charlotte slid into the seat, still trying to process the offer that Drake had made back in the throne room. The crown? Me?
You could go home, that whisper again, tinged with hope. But where is home? Charlotte replied in the silence of her head as the ground car manuevered out of the courtyard and onto the city streets. She watched as they made their way down the row of embassies from across the galaxy and then a thought occurred to her.
“Juliana?”
“Yes, darling?”
“Did you know?” Charlotte said. “When I said I could only think of one reason why they would want to see me…”
Juliana said nothing for a long moment before finally taking a breath. “I wondered.”
“But did you know?”
“No,” Juliana replied. “I didn’t. I about fell over when he made his offer..”
Charlotte chuckled. “That makes two of us.” She pursed her lips again and stared out the window, the brief burst of amusement leaving her. “I just wish I knew how real it was.”
Juliana reached over and took her hand. “My love, as soon as we are back at Het Loo I am going to be making all kinds of vid-calls to all kinds of people to see if I can get you an answer to that question.”
~
It was much later. Juliana had withdrawn after the main course, informing them she had some late calls to make. The stewards cleared away the last of the dessert and Drake leaned back in his chair and emitted a loud groan. “God, that was excellent food. I haven’t eaten that well in years.”
“The position does have some privileges,” Charlotte smiled. “We pay our chefs very well.”
“How well?” Drake asked. “That chocolate mousse was to die for.”
“Hands off,” Charlotte said with mock ferocity. “You can’t have him.”
Drake raised his hands in mock innocence. “All right, I surrender,” he said. Charlotte pushed back her chair and stood up, making her way to a small cart of liquor bottles at the side of the dining room. “Shall we adjourn to the terrace?” Charlotte asked.
“With whiskey, one hopes?” Drake sounded eager but pushed his own chair out to stand up.
“Of course,” Charlotte said. She unstoppered a decanter and poured out two generous measures into a pair of elegant crystal glasses before putting the stopper back in the decanter and turning back to Drake. She held out a glass to him and he closed the distance between them and took it from her, Grimsby having heard her proposal and waiting patiently, holding open the door to the terrace, the two of them walked out onto the terrace, and the warm summer night. Charlotte lead them to a pair of lounge chairs and gestured for Drake to sit down before smoothing out her skirts and sitting opposite him.
Charlotte took a sip of whiskey, unsure of how to begin. Happily, Drake did it for her.
“Ask me the question, cousin.”
“What question?” Charlotte asked, a picture of innocence.
Drake snorted in derision. “The one you’ve been wanting to ask me all night. The one we’ve been dancing around through an appetizer, two main courses, a dessert, and now a glass of whiskey.”
“Direct as always, Drake,” Charlotte smiled. “But, very well.” She took a sip of whiskey. “Why me?”
“Why not you?” Drake leaned back in the chair. “Your claim is just as strong as Phillip’s and it’s certainly stronger than that idiot Hubert’s. You have just as much right to the throne as they do if not more.”
“That’s not enough of a reason,” Charlotte replied. “My family has been in exile from the Star Union for a lifetime now. My children grew up here. My life is here. To the people, I would be a historical relic trotted out to serve some political agenda at best and at worst… a foreigner.”
“You say that your life is here now, but you knew the news we were bringing you and still wore your funeral red. Your sleeves hide them well, but you wear the bidari bracelets as well. I’m willing to bet if asked your children, they would tell me of the food and the traditions you still practice as well-”
“So, we celebrate Diwali and Christmas,” Charlotte said. “What of it? There is a thriving emigrant community here and on a dozen other worlds as well. Maintaining and honoring my heritage doesn’t mean I’m fit to lead a country I haven’t seen in decades.” She took another sip of whiskey. “You need to work on your pitch, Drake. I’m not persuaded.”
Drake considered that for a moment, taking another sip of whiskey. “You could secure your father’s legacy, once and for all.” He sat up straight. “Grandfather’s health had been failing for the past five years. Phillip has been defacto regent the entire time and his regency has not been a happy one. Your father was ousted for backing a government that at the time was seen as dangerously radical.”
“I know the history.”
“Yes, but what you don’t know is that your father was ultimately right,” Drake said. “Back then, he knew the Radicals were right. The tax avoidance of the entire nobility was a weight around the neck of the Star Union. The people resented it. The government was drowning in debt because of it, but when the Radicals tried to move their bill through, it was blocked in the Lords, and the only remedy they had to get it through after the second reading was-”
“The Royal Prerogative?” Charlotte asked, surprised.
Drake nodded. “It was a risk, but one he felt worth taking- unfortunately the nobility disagreed- but after the banking crisis a decade back, even the most diehard of the Lords was forced to concede that the tax exemptions were fiscally ruinous and it ended up being a Conservative government that suspended them.”
“And what of it?” Charlotte asked. “My father took on the Star Union’s political elites and it touched off a rebellion that cost him his throne.”
“Phillip has made it clear that he views the suspension as temporary. More importantly, he’s indicated that he doesn’t believe Parliament has the authority to overrule him on the question of taxation and many are beginning to be concerned that he doesn’t believe in the necessity of a Parliament at all.”
“So he’s a would-be Dictator in the making?” Charlotte grimaced.
“That’s what I’m afraid,” Drake said. “But you, on the other hand, would be untouched by the politics of the Star Union. Your father is remembered with affection amongst the common people and Grandfather, to his credit, did nothing to discourage that. You would be able to preserve the Union without plunging us headlong into either an economic crisis or worse, a Civil War.”
“Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown,” Charlotte sighed. “You’ve fitted me for a crown that I have yet to agree to take and already my head itches at the thought of it.”
“It doesn’t have to be forever,” Drake said. “With prolong treatments these days you could a decade or two, secure your family's legacy, and then step aside for someone else. You could even unify the crowns of Herenveen and the Star Union if you wanted to.”
“Do you ever find the notion of crowns and all this frippery to be a bit ridiculous in this day and age?” Charlotte asked. “Humanity has become a space-faring civilization. We’re spreading further and further out every year, terraforming as we go, and yet they still want us to put crowns on our heads. I’m surprised we haven’t grown beyond it yet.”
“Human society organizes itself somehow into strata. Doesn’t matter what flavor or ideology. We have the titles we have merely because our family was amongst the first stakeholders of the original colony of Astralis Prime. Doesn’t make us better than anyone, not anymore.” Drake drained the last of his whiskey.
“Well said,” Charlotte chuckled.
Drake grinned ruefully. “I’m not selling you on this, am I?”
Charlotte said nothing for a long moment before she too drained the last of her whiskey. “Do you remember that summer lodge Grandfather had down by the coast? Near the village with the funny name?”
“Etretat?” Drake said.
“Yes, that’s the one… named after some old Terran painting.”
“I saw it once when we went to Terra,” Drake said. “The cliffs near that village look nothing like the ones in the painting. And they pronounce it differently too.”
“How do they pronounce it?”
“Etret-ah,” Drake said. He shrugged. “Some weird quirk of an old Terran language. They were surprised that the locals pronounced the ‘t’ at the end.”
“Anyway,” Charlotte said. “Do you remember the hill, right by the beach?”
“I remember it being more of a vertical climb,” Drake said. “But yes, I do.”
“I loved the view from the top,” Charlotte said. “It’s one of the clearest memories I have. You could see that whole stretch of the south coast…” she trailed off, lost in the memory.
“And?” Drake prompted.
“I think,” Charlotte said slowly. “I think it would be nice to climb that hill again.”
Drake smiled. “So you are thinking about it?”
“I might be,” Charlotte said. She stood up and Drake stood with her. “But now, cousin, I need to go to bed.”
“Until tomorrow, cousin.”
~
Charlotte slept better than she expected and still managed to slip out of bed the next morning and make her way out onto the terrace where Grimsby awaited her with her usual morning coffee. She wrapped her robe around her tightly, for the cool of the evening still hung in the air. In the light of the day, she was forced to admit the uncomfortable truth to herself: she didn’t know what to think.
Part of her was tempted: she hadn’t been lying to Drake last night and even though he had shamelessly tried to trade on her nostalgia for her childhood at first, his arguments about her father’s legacy had been more persuasive than she wanted to admit. Phillip would be a disaster for the Star Union and if several members of the extended Royal line were suddenly afflicted with terminal illness or enough of them dropped dead that Hubert’s claim went from punchline to reality, he might be an even worse choice for the Star Union.
There were others, of course, but no one had a stronger claim than she.
On the other hand, this was home. This was where she and Juliana had built a family, raised the children, and- the sound of footsteps behind her broke her reverie.
“Now it’s your turn to leave me alone in our bed, I see,” Juliana smiled as she pulled her robe tightly around herself and sat down in the lounge chair opposite her. Grimsby produced another cup and held it up questioningly for a moment before Juliana nodded and he poured a cup, placed it on a saucer, and handed it over to her.
“I was up late enough and still didn’t hear you come in,” Charlotte replied. “What were you up to last night?”
“Meetings,” Juliana replied. “Too many to count, I’m afraid. Did you and Drake talk?”
“We did.”
“And?”
“I don’t know,” Charlotte said. “It’s tempting. But-” she gestured around her. “We built all this together. It’s our life. Our home. I’m not sure I want to leave it, however tempting it might be.”
“Would it help to know that his offer does appear to be genuine?” Juliana asked. “Our intelligence people were working all night to confirm it, but they’ve got enough sources to be sure that he’s on the level.”
“That doesn’t solve the question of how we do it.”
“The General Staff is of the opinion it wouldn’t take much. Their best plan calls for a lightning-fast surgical strike. You isolate and blockade key points, proclaim yourself, and proceed to Astralis Prime to take the throne.”
“Oh, that easy, huh?”
Juliana shrugged. “That’s what they tell me, anyway. The government also doesn’t hate the idea and is frankly enthusiastic about the possibility of gaining more direct access to their markets.”
“But what about you?” Charlotte asked. “I can’t go to rule the Star Union by myself and leave you here alone. I would… miss you.”
“As I would miss you, my darling,” Juliana replied. “That’s why, if you decide to do this, the government would convene the Staats-General and appoint Eduardo regent in my absence. It’s well past time he was given some real responsibility, anyway, and that way- what? Have I done something-” Juliana looked concerned because Charlotte’s eyes were full and the first tears were beginning to roll down her cheeks.
“You would…give it all up? For me?” Charlotte asked, in a voice thick with emotion.
“Of course,” Juliana replied. “I love you, after all. For decades now, you’ve stood by me, had children with me, and been the best Queen Consort I could have wished for. It is more than past time for you to be Queen in your own right.” She smiled. “Besides, I hear the royal gardens on Astralis Prime are a mess. Your grandfather evidently did not have the greenest of thumbs.”
Charlotte smiled. “I think the real expert was my grandmother, to be totally honest.”
“The only question, my love, remains the biggest one of all. Our children are grown. I have been looking for an excuse to give Eduardo some responsibilities mainly so I could tend to the roses here, but I could just as easily fix up the gardens on Astralis Prime. Drake’s offer appears to be genuine. We can bring the military force to bear quickly enough and easy enough to put you on the throne. So, what do you want to do?
“It seems absurd. I haven’t been back there in decades. I’ve lived in exile my whole life. This is home.”
“It’s not absurd. It also doesn’t have to be forever.”
“Drake said that too,” Charlotte said. “Also said we could unify the crowns if we wanted to.”
“So you are thinking about it?”
Charlotte nodded. “Do you remember the first time we met?”
Juliana smiled. “How could I forget? I chased you up a hill near the University on Cosmara. There was a beautiful view at the top.”
“I loved that hill because it reminded me of a hill along the coast near my grandfather’s summer lodge,” Charlotte said. “If I- no, we do this… will you climb it with me?”
“Yes, my love, I will,” Juliana said. “I won’t ask you to decide now but know this. I think it is well past time for you to be Queen in your own right on a throne of your own. I think the people of the Star Union would welcome a ruler who will respect the government they elect and actually advocate for their welfare. I think everyone who lives in exile harbors a secret dream, a hope of returning home someday. But, my love, my home is with you. Wherever you go.”
It came down to that in the end. That one simple sentence decided it. Charlotte Elizabeth Mackenzie-Nanda, Queen Consort of the Herenveen Staats-Republic looked over at her wife, Juliana Beatrix Oranje-Nassau Chief Stadtholder and Queen of Herenveen Staats-Republic, Chief Executive Officer of it’s associated trading conglomerates and companies. She reached over and took Juliana’s hand in hers. “My Queen, my love, my life,” Charlotte said. “I think I would like to go home again.”

Buying a new 2023 Mazda cx-5 in the northeast and looking for a 48-60 month loan, credit score according to credit karma is 817 (excellent). Going to deal with finance dept on Monday and want to know the best approach, they said average is 8.5% which seems high even with how the market is right now.
Should I get a quote from a bank asap before my appointment with them? Problem is that it’ll prob be a hard hit and not sure if it’ll drop my score right before Mazda looks at it? Don’t have a CU just Chase and BoA.
Appreciate any advice, thanks!

VIII SEPTEMBRE, ANNO DOMINI MDXVII
Just one week after the royal court had made the short journey north from Blois to Paris, making their residence in the Hôtel des Tournelles in preparation for the upcoming Estates-General, the nobles of the realm made the short ride west of Paris to the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The trip was only for the weekend, as a royal hunt had been announced in the Forêt de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a small forest nestled between curves in the River Seine.
Though no true occasion is needed for a hunt — being a good social activity and pastime for noblemen — there was reason to celebrate. Despite the necessity of a Estates-General and recent negative news from Rome, with the Gallic Church snubbed by the Pope, France had just won a victory in Italy earlier in the year. Many of the commanders of that venture — the Duc de Valois et Savoie, the Duc de Bourbon, the Seigneur d’Assier-en-Quercy, the newly minted Roi de Navarre, the newly minted Duc de Valentinois, the Duc d’Alençon, and the Vicomte de Narbonne, for example — had traveled to Paris with the court, and the hunt would be partly in honor of the hard-fought campaign in Italy. More prominently, however, it served as a good exercise to keep the fighting instincts of the French nobility well-honed despite the peace… and, naturally, served as a good opportunity for the men of the regime to socialize and make friends with one another.
Louis de Rouville, Seigneur de Rouville and the Grand Veneur de France, began the hunt — the men of his office rounding up the hunting dogs and preparing them for the hunt as the nobles mingled in a freshly constructed pavilion tent just outside the Château. Three groups of seven were formed — one led by Philippe VI, Roi de France, one led by François de Valois-Savoie, Duc de Valois et Savoie, and one led by Charles III de Bourbon, Duc de Bourbon — with the present nobility choosing by lot which group they were in, before they set off into the forests.
The group of the Roi de France consisted of Charles IV de Bourbon-Vendôme, Roi de Navarre, Claude de Lorraine, Duc de Valentinois et Grand Chambellan de France, Gaston V de Foix, Vicomte de Narbonne (still recovering from injury, and thus not an active participant in the hunt — though none would doubt the Thunderbolt of Italy’s martial abilities), Louis II de la Trémoille, Vicomte de Thouars et Régent de France, Jacques de La Palice, Seigneur de La Palisse et Grand Maître de France, and Jean de la Boissière, Seigneur de La Bouteillerie et Grand Louvetier de France. The group was accompanied by hunting dogs, a few master trackers, a small contingent of men drawn from each of the participant’s households, as well as a contingent of the Garde du Corps du Roi to ensure the Roi’s safety.
The group of the Duc de Valois et Savoie consisted of Charles IV d’Alençon, Duc de Alençon, Charles de Rohan-Gié, Vicomte de Fronsac et Grand Bouteiller de France, Charles de Bueil, Comte de Sancerre, Alain d’Albret, Seigneur d’Albret et Régent de France, Jacques-Ricard de Genouillac, Seigneur d’Assier-en-Quercy, Grand Maître de l'Artillerie de France et Régent de France, and Gabriel de la Châtre, Seigneur de Nançay, Bessigny, et Maisonfort, et Grand Fauconnier de France. The group was too accompanied by hunting dogs, a few master trackers, small contingents of men from each of the participant’s households, and a contingent of battle-hardened guards from the Duc’s time in Italy.
Finally, the group of the Duc de Bourbon consisted of Louis d’Armagnac, Duc de Nemours et Guise (also injured, and merely riding along in accompaniment), Charles II de La Marck, Comte de Nevers, René de Cossé, Seigneur de Brissac et Cossé et Grand Panetier de France, Louis de Rouville, Seigneur de Rouville et Grand Veneur de France, Soffrey Alleman, Seigneur d’Uriage et Grand Écuyer de France, and Louis de Bueil, Grand Échanson de France and brother of the Comte de Sancerre. Like the other two groups, they were accompanied by hunting dogs, master trackers, small contingents of men from each of the participant’s households, and a contingent of battle-hardened guards from the Duc’s time in Italy.
Time was set aside for two days of hunting, before the hunt had to return to Paris proper to resume their appropriate duties. Thus, early in the morning September 8th, the three groups rode out from the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye into the forest.
The first group, led by the Roi de France had exceptional luck early in the day, with the trackers coming across the trail of two stags. The first stag put up a good chase, briefly evading the hunting dogs which were sent after them, but eventually found itself cornered in a wooded clearing by snarling dogs. The nobles rode in quick order after the dogs, and it was Louis II de la Trémoille, Vicomte de Thouars, who came across it first. The stag, exhausted by the chase, was not energized to put up any fight — and de la Trémoille speared it easily. The second stag didn’t put up as good a chase — perhaps a testament to the quality of the hunting dogs maintained by the royal household — and was quickly cornered by the hunting dogs. It was Claude de Lorraine, Duc de Valentinois, who came across this second stag first; similarly to the other, exhausted, it put up little fight as the Duc speared it.
The first group had an especially eventful first day; after the excitement early in the morning, the group was resting along the Seine when the trackers roused them once more — having the trail of a boar. The hunting dogs were quick to corner this mighty animal, leaping around and snarling at the hog as they cornered it on a bend in the Seine, and it was Gaston V de Foix, Vicomte de Narbonne, who came across it first. However, still recovering from the vicious Battle of Lodi, the young Thunderbolt of Italy decided not to yet again risk his health against this boar. Louis II de la Trémoille was close on his tail, and came across the boar next. It proved wise of the young Vicomte to forgo the fight — the boar put up a vicious fight, it’s fierceness not overstated, attempting to gore the Vicomte de Thouars, but de la Trémoille’s skill had also not been overstated. Despite his age, he managed to avoid the boar and spear it: a great triumph, his second kill of the day.
The second group, led by the Duc de Valois et Savoie set out on a different path in the woods, coming across the trail of a fox — for which the Forêt de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is famous for. Trackers had some difficulty tracking down this nifty animal, but once the trail was had, the hunting dogs were especially eager to corner the fox — doing so surprisingly easily. It was Gabriel de la Châtre, Seigneur de Nançay, Bessigny, et Maisonfort et Grand Fauconnier de France who came across the fox first, proving the intelligence of his appointment as the Roi’s Grand Falconier, spearing the fox with little issue. The second group relaxed as the trackers attempted to find the trail of another animal, to no avail.
The third group, led by the Duc de Bourbon, too set out on a different path throughout the woods. Initially, the trackers found the trail of a stag — but after attempting to follow the trail through a winding path in the woods, they were forced to concede that they’d lost the trail of the stag. But the morning was not for waste, with the trackers excitedly announcing that they’d found the trail of a fox. Sending the hunting dogs after the fox, the trackers were disappointed when the dogs came back an hour later with no fox found — evidently, the agile fox had managed to evade the dogs and survive another day. The group decided to rest in a clearing amongst the trees after a disappointing morning filled with peaks of excitement and let down, but the afternoon would prove more fruitful. The trail of the stag was found once more, and the group spent much of the afternoon following the hunting dogs as they tried to follow the trail of stag droppings; the hunt was exhausting, but finally the dogs surged forward — the scent of the stag close by — and managed to corner the stag. It was Charles II de La Marck, Comte de Nevers, who came across the stag first and speared it quite easily.
As the first day came to a close, the three groups regrouped at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye — deciding to sleep in the grand pavilion tent outside, to easily break camp for the second day of hunting. The animals killed in the first day were preserved in the Château as the nobles feasted and made merry below the moon, with the city of Paris over the horizon. Filled with drink and food, the nobles went to sleep, intending on waking early for a second day of hunting.
As the sun rose, the three groups broke camp — servants disassembling the pavilion and bringing it back to the Château — and rode back out into the forest for the second day of hunting, each going their different ways.
The first group decided to stay in the area they were in yesterday, having found a fruitful bounty of game in the region. The second day would not prove as fruitful, the nobles spending much of the day trotting along through the trees and along various streams, but the trackers once again came across the trail of two stags. Sending out the hunting dogs, the first managed to evade the dogs — but the second stag, after giving a good chase, is cornered by the dogs. Louis II de la Trémoille is once again the first to the scene, his spear in hand, but opts to give the honor of this kill to the young Roi. When Philippe arrives, he is indeed granted the honor of the kill — spearing the stag with his own spear. The rest of the day is uneventful as the nobles, sated with their bounty, ride easily along the banks of the Seine; no more animals are found.
The second group, after having only stumbled upon a fox the previous day, decided to change the grounds they’d scout out today — venturing further out in the forest. While a fox was good hunting in the Forêt de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the group desired a stag or a boar to add to their belts. Their wish would be granted early in the afternoon, as the trackers announced that they’d found the trail of a boar. The chase was easy, as the boar seemed to have already been injured by some other animal; Jacques-Ricard de Genouillac, Seigneur d’Assier-en-Quercy, Grand Maître de l'Artillerie de France, et Régent de France, was the first one on the scene, and put the injured boar out of its misery. No other prey was found throughout the day — but a boar was no prize to frown at.
The third group decided to stay in the grounds they were in yesterday, but had difficulty throughout the day. The trail of a fox was found by the trackers, and the dogs were unleashed. The chase was long and eventual — the group spotting the fox multiple times throughout the day — but by the time that the sun was setting, there was no sign of the fox; it’d evidently gotten away, the fox’s renowned wit evident in its escape. The third group returned empty-handed, but nevertheless in good spirits thanks to the eventful change.
As the second day concluded, the three groups regrouped around the Château, before riding back into Paris proper and making rest at the Hôtel des Tournelles with their catches in tow — four stags, two boars, and a fox. The stags and the boar were sent to the kitchens, and the next night a grand feast was held, with the fresh meat being served.
The festivities of the hunt concluded with spirits raised, though there is much work for the Court to return to — namely preparations for the upcoming meeting of the Estates-General.
Catches of the Hunt:

• Stag - found and killed by Louis II de la Trémoille
• Stag - found killed by Claude de Lorraine
• Boar - found by Gaston V de Foix, killed by Louis II de la Trémoille
• Stag - found by Louis II de la Trémoille, killed by Roi Philippe VI
• Fox - found and killed by Gabriel de la Châtre
• Boar - found and killed by Jacques-Ricard de Genouillac
• Stag - found and killed by Charles II de La Marck

Background Info: My mom has been dealing with Lomg CoVId and has lost her job, apartment, car, insurance, income, etc. I’ve take her in over the last month as she has just been accepted into the Mayo Clinic’s long CoVId program. I’m the second oldest of 6 and the only one that has been able to step up - some have offered help in other ways, others just ignore her. We had our first appointments this past week.
Getting ready to leave the house for Mayo, they tell mom that she has to pay $4078 up front for her appointments because she tried to give them her inactive insurance number. (Brain fog has done a number on her competence) She quickly applies for ObamaCare, and starts getting literally 100s of calls, and accepts the first insurance that says her coverage will start the next day and will cover Mayo visits. I give her my card number to pay the $220 premium, after asking her to confirm that this was a legit insurance company and she confirmed the appointments would be covered the next day. As a nurse, I took her word for it that she had confirmed all of this and we were good to go. Just in case, I brought a check. We arrive at the hotel and had a great evening, and were excited to go to our appointments. At the 6:00am check in, we were told we couldn’t be seen until we saw the business office at 7:00. We wait for the business office to open for mom to give her insurance info, when she realizes they never give her an account number. I write a check for $4078 and ask if they will rip it up after I contact insurance. We go to our first appointment, and then call the number we were given to contact the insurance broker. Disconnected. So I have mom call the actual agency, and we learn they signed her up for supplemental cancer insurance. We cancel that, call her former workplace (as we have for the last month to see if they have sent the cobra info- still no answer). I take mom to her appointments and I’m between, I’m calling everyone I can to try to sort it out. Most of my siblings are financially able to help, and the ones that are refused stating they helped her when she first lost her job and won’t help until they are reimbursed. Thankfully we had raised $3500 at that point in our go fund me so I knew I was only out $1000 dollars. BUT, we’ve now figured out mom signed up for insurance through a scam agent who has now shut down their phone number, and they have my credit card info. I didn’t bring another form of payment so I can’t cancel the card. After calls with the bank, we just decide to gamble and keep the card open. That night, mom had a horrible night sleep with leg and feet cramps- plus being on a heart and oximeter monitor. The next morning we just have to return the monitors, a stool sample, and try to see if they can squeeze us in for a cardiology appointment. Mom has some bowel issues and decided to take FIFTEEN laxatives to get the sample. (Again, not functioning at her normal competence despite being a nurse) Those definitely didn’t kick in while we were there. While they are confirming the cardiologist appointment the business office calls the desk and wants another $2000 out of pocket to see them. So we reschedule, and get ready to head to Madison where my mom is supposed to pick up her new work car. I ask for the dealership name, and it just shows as Green Bay. Mom forgot to tell them she would be in the madison area, so they sent it closest to her home. So instead of a 4 hour car ride, I had to drive her 4.5 hours to Green Bay and head home after. As we are ONE MILE away from the car dealership, the laxatives kick in and she shits her pants in my car. We get her cleaned up, and we are on our way. She gets her car, and remembers that madi couldn’t watch Max (my moms dog) the next day, so I have to drive to madison to pick up her dog and then drive home to DBQ. What was supposed to be a 4 hour ride home for me turned into 8 hours one day and two the next. Now I’m stuck with her stupid dog that shit on the floor, and the roomba went through it. I take the dogs out yesterday, and dot runs four blocks away and I had to chase her bare foot while on the phone with insurance. Mom finally got her cobra insurance info by going in person, but it doesn’t kick in until the first. So we canceled her appointments for next week, but then I called cobra with her and realized I would be getting most of my money back, so we rescheduled the appointments. I paid $750 for her cobra coverage until the first, and now have to write another $4000 check to cover her next week appointments and hope the reimbursement check comes quickly. Everything is good today until mom takes Henry and dot outside to play and dot ate a toad and I had to rush her to the vet because she was having a weird reaction. $300 later, dot does not like the taste of toads. And that’s why today I googled heart attack symptoms in women but it was just a burp.

Hi, I tried to add the Success Story flair but it says they're not available for this community.
Context: I'm from the US, and graduated from a US university 2 years ago. I've decided to move to the UK as I was dissatisfied with my job, long car commute, and the growing cost-of-living here (lived in the same place my whole life.) I'm quitting my job the day before I leave, and I'm planning to look for jobs once I settle down. I've chosen to move to Scotland, as it's significantly cheaper than my current area (my city is parallel with London's COL.) I saved up a lot of money since I graduated to carry myself through in the event of extended unemployment. Basically, I'm a little tired of my life here and I'm making the leap mostly for touristic/personal growth reasons as opposed to professional.
April 5: Started, completed, paid for visa application all in one day, as well as Ecctis.
April 12: Emailed my university registrar to send enrollment verification to Ecctis, just in case.
April 13: Ecctis e-statement received (2 business days, 2-day holiday occurred as well)
April 24: Bought a UK phone number + 100 mins of UK mobile/landline calling from Skype ($50 for number, $9 for 1 quarter)
April 25: Started emailing letting agencies about flats that were coming available near my landing date.
April 25: Applied for an HSBC UK bank account.
May 1: VFS Appointment attended in Seattle.
May 4: HSBC UK bank account was successfully opened.
May 5: Contacted and hired a relocation agent to help me look for flats in June.
May 17: Passport received back from VFS with vignette sticker, valid for 90 days!
June 1: Other international travel, which made getting the passport back in time worrisome.
June 25: My scheduled date to fly to the UK! I have an Airbnb booked for 2 weeks with my family while I look for a flat.
Things I've Learned So Far
Personal Finance

• HSBC is a great option for foreigners to open a UK bank account, without needing a BRP or permanent home address. Online banks like Monzo still require address and/or BRP, and some of them aren't protected and accredited like normal banks. However, it involves a lot of HSBC calling you on the phone with an unidentified number, at random times. When you pick up, it's a call center person who can be very hard to understand (lots of interference.) The number sounded very scammy but I checked it online to see if it was the real thing. Make sure you strongly define what times the account manager can call you -- Mine kept calling me around 5AM and it was very annoying.
• I bank with Chase, so I applied for a Sapphire Preferred card. I'd been meaning to do so for a long time anyways, it's great to have a card with no foreign transaction fees and good travel rewards.

Renting A Flat

• You're not allowed to apply for a flat unless you have been able to view it in person (or send a friend.) I learned this from the letting agencies I contacted in Scotland.
• Relocation agents are a helpful resource! I hired one in the area after a Google search. My agent will be in charge of:
  • Scheduling viewings for suitable flats
  • Picking me up and going to viewings with me
  • Helping me apply and attending all appointments at agencies with me
  • Taking me on a half-day tour of the city to determine the best neighborhoods for me
  • Making recommendations for medical/dental resources in the area (wow!)

We'll see how he does, but so far he's very attentive. His fee was 150 pounds, with a "success fee" of 50% of my first month's rent (minimum 500 pounds.)

• If you're unemployed, landlords would most prefer:
  • A UK-based guarantor
  • 6 months of rent up front
  • Evidence of ample savings (I've heard up to 45 times the rent)

Picking Up Your BRP

• When you type in your zip code on the application for a post office for BRP pickup, make sure to check that post office on Google Maps first. I typed in the zip code of my Airbnb, and it pulled up a post office that was permanently closed! I changed the zip code to the city centre so I would absolutely be able to retrieve the card.

The Biometrics Appointment

• At the Seattle VFS centre, the appointment slots were pretty much wide open (I'd heard about trouble securing appointments at other centres.)
• I uploaded everything on my checklist online (passport, diploma picture, savings, etc.) as well as my Airbnb welcome letter. I brought printouts just in case, but the centre took care of everything and only needed my appointment confirmation and my visa documents checklist.
• VFS texted/emailed me after the appointment that day, saying my passport had been sent.
• I didn't see any updates in the tracking function on the VFS website, but I randomly got an email from the UK office saying they had made a decision on my visa and would be sending it back soon. After that email, I received the passport in 1 day.

I hope to update this entry as I go along, or write another post with more tips once I actually go!

Starts with: What 😢 APPEARS to be a "Shy" or "introverted" person (Both males and females can be Covert/Vulnerable narcs)

BEGINS with a VERY all consuming and intense "Golden Shiny Period" .. lasting roughly 1-2 months (EVERYONE--- (NO exceptions) ......gets ONE.

• This is where the NON N.P.D intensely feels heard and "listened to" (with an almost unheard of REALLY "deep" soulmate connection).
• Extreme and IMMEDIATE almost 24/7 ""COMMUNICATION" (BOTH parties are usually heavily invested here ) - regardless of even work or home priorities)
• One of both parties is typically either "married" or "attached" elsewhere, (the N.P.D FOR SURE)..but N.P.D 's actually PREFER married or attached persons ( in case it goes south .. they can "Control" the attached person they were pursuing - and threaten to "rat them out")
• Intense sexual chemistry with LOTS of kissing and hugging
• BOTH people will be SUPER helpful and supportive of each other .
• The NON N.P.D will provide (very openly and quickly) passwords, banking info, financial info, lend their vehicles to "help" , even send the N.P.D money or give them some ... the N/P.D however will only give info- if pressed for specifics- (the non N.P.D is soo over the moon they won't notice this here)

As the Shiny golden period winds down into the "Love Bomb/Idealization" period
Typically 1-2 MORE months MAXIMUM.

• This is where the N.P.D pulls out ALL the stops to "seal the deal" , and the non N.P.D is proudly introduced to the inner circle monkeys as the "love of their life" OR "perfect!".
• Next comes a combo of : moving in too fast, a quick pregnancy, meeting ALL the N.P.D's closest "friends" and "family, becoming a step parent /babysitter.
• At this point The NON NPD partner is typically somehow re organizing & picking up their roots and life and moving across states or provinces.... even countries to be "with" the N.P.D (the N.P.D is NOT going ANYWHERE away from all the controlled local supply sources and enablers) ! - and now the NON N.P.D...seems almost oblivious to any "previous" life they even HAD before the N.P.D .... at least to others looking on .
• Then comes the INTENSE break in period.... consisting of HEAVY intense "socializing" with the N.P.D's "inner circle of choice".. and the NEW partners inner circle (for fact finding) - and filtering out future "trouble makers" -this is where you'll hear crap like "Well your cousin Sam I drove her home one night and she wanted to sleep with me and was pretty drunk" (so that you never trust "Sam" again and or get into it with her or are too embarassed to even ASK said cousin as you are stunned ) .
• This trap and phase is pretty intense and becomes all consuming and the NON N.P.D partner is strutted about like a new peacock to anyone who will listen... (this is where those social media pics come into play ) - and are now being used by the N.P.D to hurt and Triangulate "old" supply" (who's typically "overlapped" with - as an "ex" ..... and sitting devalued and confused in the N.P.D 's OLD house/place ),,the old "she's a roommate or cousin or whatever but yet you never go over there - " (ALWAYS always check that stuff out online ) at least.

The DEVALUE stage (the NON N.P.D ) - will typically see/experience:
​

• SMALL "cutting remarks - "sprinkled" at first - (usually phrased as "jokes" ) .. this slowly increases in vulgarity to start "testing" out what gets the N.P.D the best "bang for the buck" .... emotions wise .
• Increasing small little (usually untrue) remarks like " Well EVERYONE ELSE might think your x y z , but not me!, it's a good thing IM here for you!" (the beginning of the old "divide and conquer".. has slowly now begun)
• The NON N.P.D is slowly noticing that people in the N.P.D's "inner sanctum" - are suddenly giving them "Strange" looks (when the NON N.P.D has been nothing but kind to those people - and may have even HELPED those people)
• Socializing will either be done on the N.P.D's terms (and only who THEY want and WHEN) - (and frankly are usually centered around the others being able to get them "away"- so they can hook them up with addictions you don't know they have OR other people) - and socializing will eventually peeter off to NONE.

. or just the N.P.D somehow getting out alone for a supposed "side job for cash " or some other lie.... The isolation starts SLOWLY- with comments like "well let's just have some US time this weekend" -which morphs into -"well WE should conserve money, gas is so expensive", then your eventually treated so poorly or disrespectfully.. when you DO go out (with public flirting and sexual staring at relatives) - you stop wanting to go - so they REALLY work this one from the gate.
They WILL however have no qualms making sure they can leave the now "boring" partner to basically NEW strangers.... if they DO go out anywhere- its to sneak on their phone (or chase other people behind the scenes ) - (Literally) leaving the new "partner" to fend for themselves (usually in a completely alien environment ) ... where the N.P.D has already been voicing hidden "Concerns" for the "New partner" de jour.

• Any addictions the NON N.P.D HAD (if any) - will usually be GREATLY encouraged (the N.P.D will even have the partner take up a NEW addiction... if they happen to lick a previous one)- that's to keep the new partner under control , compliant and ALSO to ensure enough others see this( - so their smear campaign can pretty much come together on its own.)
• The NON N.P.D will begin to notice that EVERY interaction ANYONE has with the narc.. there now always seems to be .. a silent underlying "understanding" between them-that the NON disordered person is now somehow "missing". (Like that feeling you get when you KNOW someone is talking behind your back-THAT one) -get used to it.

Where once it was steady steady communication (which is done on PURPOSE in the beginning - to establish a baseline of how communication will BE) - but.. -as the the days now blend into "real life" (and the N.P.D is chronically bored (not like those with A.D.H.D for example .... who simply lose that EXTRA dopamine - and will now tend to focus on various actual real hobbies - (as they are confident this relationship is now completely combined and so work on improving and combining their lives together) ,
THIS is where the pivot point for the N.P.D comes into play (and the newest partner is now "flawed")... as the N.P.D FULLY still expects the same level of lust and attention - as the "GOLDEN SHINY PERIOD" ) to actually INCREASE- at this time - but only ONE way - (even with children and pets involved).
And so (to them) the newest shiny pony isn't pulling his or her "weight"( according to the N.P.D) - and are now "flawed". An N.P.D CANNOT (LITERALLY) - as they feel they will DIE) ...accept they (gasp) made an "error" in judgement ( about the newest shiny pony) - (as it would alert everyone else that its THEM who does this ALL THE TIME (but they finally just got caught out or the old supply had enough..so they gotta stick this one out... at least to keep up appearances of the good guy or girl) )
- and frankly even the monkeys and other narcs they hang with - don't even know the extent of their evil behind the scenes or added into their previous relationships in secret) - can't be scaring away the enablers (and possible other supply) - that those enablers bring around ..right?
So ....begins the "testing" phase of the N.P.D - to test out this newest partners meetle and loyalty (and frankly their nerves) at ever increasing volumes as time passes.
This might involve:
Cell phone/internet games: This is where the slightly "odd" phone use ..the newest regular partner was occasionally seeing...now is becoming a bit more obvious .....and what was mild curiosity over "odd" cell habits... now becomes a loud alarm bell (which are ALWAYS expertly explained away) is now just a passing notice at this point ( to the new shiny "partner in waiting")
​

• Cell Phone use will begin to increase with "family" or "co workers" (people the new partner has NEVER even HEARD of or even MET - but seem to know the new partner just fine)
• Odd computer habits emerging - including all of a sudden playing "games" (words with friends , face-book games, pool games, Xbox, PS4) - where there are CHATS (and the new partner will notice those "Computer times' increasing...but they will freeze up when you go into the same room.
• Asking you how to delete conversations..... because their phone "seems to be running slow ".
• Ever increasing "trips" for car parts or purchases that the new partner KNOWS they don't have the funds for (they are meeting 'ex's" and internet people)
• The phone either always staying in pocket and EXTREME increases in "bathroom" time (especially early morning or late at night -I'm talking HOURS ) - New Partner ' eventually finds out that the sister "Mary's" NAME - was in the phone for a CONTACT (but the "ex" was the ACTUAL PHONE NUMBER ) - ..sweet huh?
• Discover MASSIVE amounts of PORN watching.. including DUDES or WOMEN (matters not to a narc) - to which they will deny, deny, deny, then slowly let you know they watch it "occasionally" and then the "all guys do it allot! " and then this will graduate to them watching it WHILE you sit with them (CONSTANTLY)
• This moves into eventually NEVER hearing the phone go off PERIOD (as the N.P.D has switched over to a burner phone (and where the new partner starts now - finding crumpled up receipts everywhere (and then later finds out they didn't want you to see DETAILS (VERY BOTTOM) of receipts ...because they are taking CASHBACK off YOUR bank card! :( - To buy the minutes or sim cards - for the other cells they have hidden in : toolboxes. at work, pocket in seat back of car, boot of the car, at work in the bushes.... in a bag, old work boots ) - I've seen it ALL,

Meanwhile as the "testing" begins in full force:

The newest partner is now getting NOTICEABLY publicly worn down (and will usually lose a large amount of weight , hair loss - (due to stress ) - and be quite "cranky" and "jumpy" even- - and not their "real " self at all...... and THIS is also were the N.P.D will start to REALLY whisper to the monkeys about how "worried" they are about the new partner)..and you'll' see them show up (seemingly - out of the blue - (narcy texted them on his apps or burner phone JUST before making sure your blotto or in a bad state or half asleep or they just raged at you for three nights in a row and you slept on a couch ) -asking intently and worried : "how ARE you?" ... (Usually when they JUST got caught for something)
The N.P.D will usually be the happy, calm, healthy looking one of the pair at this point - but not due to the newest "pony" - its due to embarking on ANOTHER (well hidden and sneakily organized) - -usually going on WAY before the new pony even came on the scene- and will be there WAY after)
Usually it's some poor "ex" they are whining about YOU too OR another narc or toxic personality who's ALL IN for deceit and cruelness to others .... but sometimes they Do (Dating sites are number ONE) - find a new viable naive mark - for extra "NEW sauce" ) ...and so are only just riding high off another Love Bomb..... elsewhere ), as an N.P.D is in an almost CONSTANT state of being in ONE of the phases with MANY MANY (constantly revolving..(mostly) strangers:(
The newest "partner" is now also usually taking care of EVERYTHING - SOLO (Including working, taxes, admin, cleaning, babysitting , car to shop, dinners ready , the family they probably left FOR the narc, lawyers from the fallout OF going WITH the narc, getting ALL kids to school, pet care, basically they become the personal assistant to old narcy.
and we cant forget here - making sure the N.P.D has ALL THEIR addictions there .. when they get home !... (when they DO finally meander home (after leaving work 2-3 days a week "early" OR going in "late", telling "work" they have an "appt" (yaaa) - on the sly- (but will wander home "on time" - at least in the eyes of the trusting newest partner-- whos now heavily in devaluation..
And whos probably also now struggling financially - as their sources are somehow always now draining rapidly and they can't pinpoint why)..and narcy is telling all his co-workers their new partner is "lazy" or "addicted" or "controlling") -the partner now- at this point- is probably also so stunned and unwound (thinking its THEM) - vollying off desperate upset texts -at this point wanting locations or even acknowledgement during the day :( -- and pesky cell location never seems to "work" or the phone is "Cloned" (they use THAT one ALOT) )- ---whatever will work for pity.
And The newest partner better be done all their assigned/ordered "tasks" "and fully ready to sit and pay court when narcy gets "home" ( to the same old stories from being a teenager-(the NON NPD) is still FULLY expected to hear them over and over and over....usually on SPEAKERPHONE to OTHER enablers and narcs... and act as interested and enthralled as when they FIRST told you...... EACH TIME!) - OR be exploited (for their sick entertainment somehow) , and you better be looking great when the N.P.D DOES see you ..which (of course as MOST reasonable people KNOW ... cannot be sustained)
The Discard card..
This is a DIRTY heart wrenching time for the new partner - and NEVER ends (unless the partner can FULLY and completely go no contact and work those child-hood wounds ) - and is akin to coming off a hard drug detox - (Trauma Bond) ....but the N.P.D is LOVING it!!!!
They are getting maximum "bang" (literally) for their "buck" of investing in this "fraudster" they married or moved in with---- and have been scouring their "replacement" .....they cant believe this new person is so "IMPERFECT!) - also its probably been happening since the middle of the Idealization period..... Maybe even sooner.
This last part of the hell cycle can go on for DECADES (especially with a covert or vulnerable narc and ESPECIALLY if the newest partner is unaware of personality disorders in general )
I've seen them reach back to "ex's" they have slagged HARD to others and malignant hoover them - PURELY ..... to triangulate "ex's" and "newest" public supply - normal loving folks would NEVER purposely DO that... in most cases.
Oh did I mention? - they are STILL talking to (on the REGULAR) - on various fake numbers and apps) ALL their "ex's" and "potentials' and "hidden shame supply" (Local hookers and online riff raff) the new partner has NO IDEA about....
ALL so they can (in fight ) amongst each other - for example leaving their phone up and facing out and all notifications and sound ON (and THEY DO THIS OFTEN) to make sure you see "friend" requests pop up -11 Pm the NIGHT before a long weekend) ..an "ex" from over 30 YEARS ago.
Who even said "are you two still together? and then refused to acknowledge SHE had sent the request )- he had her THAT snowed (probably still does) " - so as her and I got "into it" - HE just revved it up and fed it MORE- (She was "crazy: and "probably drunk" and "I cant help WHO sends me a "friend" request) If you had a nicle everytime you heard THAT one you'd have an island.
(yaaa) - then waited until I was angry enough to leave,...then went and met whoever (as I escaped with a child to get out of the rage and screaming) ...wish I could make this stuff up...
(and will purposely arrange this on a long weekend as part of the latest "getaway" --- ) so as the current "partner" is freaking out , confused, hurt , and horrified, and going at it with the "old" supply they are STILL screwing with (and the reason I always suggest warning the new supply's (Friends and family-) - NOT NEW SUPPLY - (they are too love bombed to even answer you, and the narc has already told them you are : "Controlling" "crazy" "cheating" "lying" "staling" - (basically they list all THEY are doing and have done)
But ..NEVER tell directly the NEW supply -you tell their family and friends- who at the bare minimum..... will watch the narc closer... as it unfolds -and the friends and family.. well THEY haven't been "manipulated" yet ... by the narc -so THEY still see clearly )
Don't mention N.P.D at ALL (just send shots of proof with BEHAVIOUR) - As it only revs up the current monkeys into calling YOU a "Narcissist" -I've been there )
If they can get the "current" and the "ex's: to throw down - then no one is focusing on what they are REALLY doing or where they REALLY are right? And he bought himself a few NIGHTS and MANY hours doing this crap..until I caught on.
The new partner is now becoming and unwilling detective and searching for things like :

• Why did my spouse stop talking to me all of a sudden?
• Signs of a cheating spouse (because EVERYONE eventually starts searching around ....trying to figure out what the heck is happening )
• Why is my spouse flirting in PUBLIC with other people?
• Cell phone habits of a cheater?
• Signs your husband may be gay?
• Signs of a PORN addict? (I could go on)
• Why did my partner show up 2 hours late after my surgery or appointment ?
• Why is my spouse in the bathroom for over 45 minutes?

This LAST STAGE to heartbreak town is the dreaded and painful - DISCARD- the stage where the N/P/D is just out in the open at HOME, mask off, almost no contact (but still expects a daily "report" (umm noooo) --- and still raging to intimidate and distract (if you show them yet more sketchy locations or question them) .
You are now expected to FULLY participate in the delusion to keep THEIR public persona intact (while YOURS is in shreds ....for no good reason) .
And...as the cherry ......Until the N.P.D finds a MAIN PUBLICLY accepted - source of supply YOUR "it" - and he/she will completely finish draining the newer partner to the NUB... LITERALLY.... those once nice nice nice mean nice nice nice nice mean nice cycles?- well NOW they become.... "nice" ....MAYBE once a month or maybe 2..... usually to GET something- otherwise their attention is now SOLELY on procuring strangers attention online until one "bites"
The N.P.D eventually "checks out/Unmasks" completely on the way out the door (or forcing supply itself in deval...... OUT THE DOOR) - BUT ..without a new "player to take to the stage they are stuck with only "desperation picks ) for now- a low form of PUBLIC narc supply..as it doesn't bring with it PRIDE but "SHAME - (usually local sex workers or online hookups (also their favorite spot to HUNT)
The N.P.D is also trying to control any OUTGOING info- as much as possible at this point - and are trying to hold back the coming tide -they have ran this little rodeo THOUSANDS of times since childhood or early teens - and keep the newest sucker from blabbing to everyone what they have discovered (the very hard way usually)
This phase can last FOREVER (as the narc will slowly almost inperceptibly now begin to maneuver the newest "partner" (whos now found out too much) - but ... still has some sort of "supply value" - sex, money, looks, avoiding spousal or child support, child CARE, car use, bank card use ) - to the "Harem garage" - and eventually gives them a "this is happening ..your now stuck- so deal with it" -no win (except narcy) ...situationship ) ...and off they skip to secure a new naive "partner"..but in earnest now.
As usually the newest (now "old" ) .. partner.. is depleted and EXHAUSTED and tired of :

• Being OVERWHELMINGLY lonely every day - while the N.P.D merrily goes about their outside "business" (and the old partner just isolates MORE (from the sheer SHAME and micro managing control - this person begins to bring to their very day to day life) ' - ---- as the N.P.D is now OBVIOUSLY and ACTIVELY seeking STRANGERS ..... to give their best to .
• The "Partner" receives almost no more communication or really any thought ...(unless the narc wants something DONE) - (and so will themselves begin to shut it all down) -else lose their minds .....literally.
• Disrespected almost daily with (what may seem to others as "trivial") but has been set up over a LONG period of time (little things.. but over and over and over again - like them knowing you hate mustard and will slather it on and then expect you to eat it ANYWAY)...... bringing me to ...
• Raged at OR Guilt- is a CONSTANT now - -"if you don't --- x, y, z - its the "guilt" for you! - "well I thought you LIKED x y z!!-- fine!.. now I suppose your not gonna even EAT it right?! (Sulk away)
• Served unhealthy food - (as often as possible ) - on THEIR schedule and you are STILL to be super grateful they heated up those frozen burgers and were sooooo wonderful and spectacular for "feeding" everyone (even though they were just going to get themselves food anyway) ..
• Feeling always on edge (especially after forcing BASIC answers from them -my experience today --- and now I have to sit here afraid of the freak out for showing where he "disappeared" after "work" yesterday) ..2 hours NO IDEA where he was- as I drove with a torn rotator cuff ) - our child around and to the tax office ect)

The new "old" partner - now has to also INSIST on self care and care of others and children and pets and jobs - and hits the "UNPAUSE" button .....out of sheer necessity .... just to take care of BASIC self care and family care .which only makes the N.P.D MORE controlling and rageful...and the tension is now almost 24.7. The way the NPD LOVES it....Ongoing TORTURE for those who cant stand conflict:(
At this point the N.P.D is still "under the gun" though - and MUST act quickly to secure a new naive "partner" -- on the down lo.... at first- ..That is at least - until they can FULLY convince them that newest previous "new partner" was "bad news" ... and lock THEM in.... for the next few years of hell...(but that's why WE are here right?)
And its usually going to be an extremely age inappropriate or super toxic person - their favorite is someone you KNOW or YOUR family - ALL to please other strangers OR they use someone far older: for money or homes or status of some sort -till they can get a shiny new young one ..... (whos not hip to the games)- and can make them look "good" again (read "SHALLOW there) )
That is - (if the newer "old" partner hasn't already) - and ALOT do..... and ALOT don't- everyone is individual) ..... had to "cut bait" or blessedly "emotionally" finally become totally numbed out to cope.... before they completely get phased out and break apart.

Special thanks toAn_Insufferable_NEWT and Rhion_618 for writing chunks of this! And my legion of editors and whatnot
Shen Spikur, the underpaid and overworked company spokeswoman, propped herself up at the lectern and tried not to let her nodding head smack the microphone. The Family (yes, the Dorkulos themselves) had called her personal pad at three in the morning, and she’d stayed up binging rom coms until twelve. A score of very sweaty journalists hailing from all over the Imperium bombarded her with questions.
“Ma’am! Is it true she was murdered?”
“Why was there a padded dungeon in the basement?”
“How will this affect the fishing season?”
She stuck a finger out at her ravenous audience. “One at a time, please! One at a time. Now, you…” it didn’t help that she was seeing double. “Tits McGee!”
The reporter lowered her hand. “It’s Tiss Ma’jee from Horr Ila.”
“Whatever. Go.”
“Did the late Lady Salo have any connections to the Silver Suns?”
“We don’t know. We’re looking into it. We’ll get back to you with more information once it is… available to… see… and…” CLOMP! Her forehead bounced off the podium. “FURTHERMORE, the company wishes to express their deepest condolences for the victims’ families and reassure the public that it had absolutely nothing to do with her… exploits.”
“But how do they know they didn’t help her?”
Oho, you bitch! You’re towing the line. “Salo was a private woman, but she had little if any access to Dorskulo Resources and its holdings. We’re looking into it. Next question, anyone?”
Some brown-furred Rakiri fleabag raised her paw. Eugh, disgusting. “Moon-Moon from the Dirt Times. Has the family made any statements as of yet?”
“Next question!”
Some bright-eyed Shil’vati woman with a core worlder accent perked up. “Clips Colceri! Has the family made any statements as of yet?”
Spikur ignored the death glare she was getting from the furball. “Yes. Her brother, Lord Kerigon, expresses grief at her untimely death and desires swift justice to be served for her murderers… and uhhhh, also he said he felt sorry about the kids and stuff. Next!”
Some bitch in a trenchcoat and a hat too wide for most doors almost leapt forward. “No’zee Sluuf from The Daily Snoop. Did investigators ever find her… um… assets?”
“Assets? I’m not sure what you mean, ma’am.”
The reporter started turning blue. “Her… erm… breasts and clam were hacked off postmortem.”
A great many women in the audience crossed their legs involuntarily. “OH! Oh… yeah, that’s a dead end… no pun intended. They’re still looking. Please alert the authorities if anyone here locates anything, thank you. They’d be around size twelve. As for the other thing, no comment. Thank you all for coming out here today and, uh, all that stuff. Thank you and thanks a lot.”
She stumbled away, nearly tripping over her own feet four and a half times. “SOMEBODY EITHER CATCH ME WHEN I FALL OR BRING ME A CUP OF KAFT THE SIZE OF A FUCKING STARLINER!”
It was going to be a long day.
The video paused. Lord Kerigon looked at the image of the proceedings, frozen on the screen. He then looked at Agent Kayjibi with a hard glare. "None of this gets out, you get? None of it. It doesn't make anybody look good, especially not me or the family. She was killed by marauding youths, and that's the end of it."
"You got it, boss." Kayjibi couldn't hide the eyeroll, so she channeled it into her voice instead.
***Personal log / October 31, 2025 1:47 PM
“For anyone… hearing this…, my name is Gregorio Acoba, and I… I’m essentially screwed.***
I’m from the town of Minanga in the Philippines… If you aren’t Human and can understand this, that's on Earth. Please send word to my brother Jomari. Tell him he was right, and I should’ve worked in the mines.
I hear laughter. Fuck me, I think it’s coming.”
[File Ends]
Personal log / October 31, 2025 5:06 PM
“I’ve been running for hours now… I don't think I can go any further for a while, so I might as well take some time to explain.
I was born in the Cagayan Valley. It’s become a real hole since mining opened back up. No pun intended, but the Minanga sucked ever since. The valley was still beautiful, but despite my brother telling me to just settle down, I decided to go to Luzon. That's where this all began.
God help me, I’m... No, I’m not making any sense. I’ll start over.
I didn’t want to work with my brother in the mine or with my sister in the restaurant. When the Shil’vati decided to open a spaceport in Luzon, I wanted to see. They love the climate, and what’s one more new face? They’re better than Duterte, though my mother was not so sure. I found myself eating the lunch I fixed when one of them asked what I was eating. Her name was Tendr’i. Shil’vati girls, they like to eat, wen? Two hours after sharing my lunch, I was hired on the sly as the ship's cook.
Their translator boxes are not so good, but good enough for me to take Tendr’i shopping. She’s… was… third officer on the ship - the Atherton Venture. I saw them gun her down when we were boarded. We were only away from our destination, and I was going to see a whole new planet. Make my sister’s kids proud of their uncle, wen? A real astronaut.
(pause)
I have to go. I hear it… I have to keep running. I’m making for the hills. Maybe find shelter there.”
[File Ends]
Personal log / November 1, 2025 2:21 AM
“I think I am safe for now. I found a stream and waded along it for a mile or so before I got out on the other bank and spent some time covering myself with mud.
This thing says it's the middle of the night back home. I don't know why I never changed it. The ship ran on its own time, and I was always in the kitchen. It was fun, working with Onan Furem, the other cook. Onan was Shil’vati, too. The whole ship, and it was just me and him as males on board, but the women treated us both well. One or two made a pass at me, but they like to eat well, and Onan made them behave. I was starting to learn Vatikre, but Onan and I spoke ‘food’ just fine.
Onan was a good guy, though I only had a few weeks to get to know him.
Captain Hana’li, she said she was going to skirt the border. Make good time, even though it cut across the edge of the Alliance and uncharted space. Since Earth was a long run, we’d all get a bonus for making up time. The rest of the crew was happy, so I was too. I don’t know why we jumped into normal space. There wasn’t time to ask when everything went to hell.
God, I’m tired.
I tried to keep him going. Onan. Tried to shout encouragement to him in the cage, but we were on opposite sides of the clearing. They spaced out our cages, and stood in the center, looking us over. Taking off their armor. That was the first time I got a good look at whatever it was that was hunting me.
They look kind of like Humans and Shil’vati… almost like us in color, but with ears like Shil’vati. Their eyes are the real difference. They were white - all white, like a dead thing. I do not know what to call them, because they refused to speak to us, but after what I saw them do, to me they are like thamad thalon that my grandfather told me about as a child, so I will call them that.
I’ve been running all day, and then the river. The sun is going down now, and I will try and sleep. I need to sleep… but god, I’m frightened. Onan did not deserve to die like that.”
[File Ends]
Personal log / November 1, 2025 3:32 PM
“I’ve slept now and have water, but I know I will die here.
I tried the trick my grandfather taught me - to place things on my tongue for a time. All of the plants I’ve tasted are foul and quickly made me feel sick, so I spat them out before poisoning myself. If I can’t eat the plants, I might last three weeks, but I’ll be dead a long time before that. I’ve seen no animals, but I’ll keep looking - I managed to sharpen a dead branch on a rock. I’d give anything for a good knife right now, but it's better than nothing.
Right now, I’m standing on the highest hill around. It is no mountain, but it’s big enough - I’m on an island. I can see the far sides from here. I can also see the top of the Thalon ship in the clearing where we were released, but there’s no sign of civilization, and I know what’s happening now.
My grandfather was one of the Ilongot - one of the last tribes of Luzon to give up the old ways of the headhunters. He told me how the government came and took men to prison. Rather than take a head so he could marry, he left. He’d had schooling as a boy, by the church, and he found work in the towns. In time, he met my grandmother.
When I was very young, he taught me about the jungle. He couldn’t teach my mother. My grandmother wouldn’t allow it, but he took me there as a boy after she died. He’d be more at home here, but this land, with its poisonous plants? It can’t support Humans. The island doesn’t look that different, though, and I remembered what he taught me; rolling in the mud and dead leaves to blend in and disappear.
The leaves feel wrong and itch badly, but mud is mud, and I have several coats of it now. It’s the only reason I am alive. I saw the Thalon that’s hunting me. I suppose I should say she instead of it. She came very close, but I held still.
I waited for a long time after she left.
For now, I have the time to tell you this properly. I’m tired, my stomach’s growling, and and I have a headache like you wouldn’t believe after trying those plants. This will take my mind off it for a while… though if you’re hearing this, here on this planet, you’re probably just as dead as I am.
At first, I thought I was being hunted for meat. Later, I found out I was half right. I came back to the stream to drink, when I saw one of the Thalon take one of their males. I was still hiding when he came into the open, and she sprung upon it from nowhere. She did not kill and eat the male as the other one did with Onan. After taking it down, she began to… ride him… a short while before leading him off. He… no, I think they are not intelligent. It acted like an animal, and she led it back toward their ship, still bloody but alive.
My grandfather’s people had to kill to become men, before the tribe would let them take a wife. They would also kill in grief, when they felt the rage he called liget. I wish I could feel legit now, but I was shocked at what I saw… and then I knew why they just killed Onan. We’re not Thalon, so we’re no use to them as mates.
Only as food.”
[File Ends]
Personal log / November 1, 2025 8:06 PM
“When the Thalon took our ship, they killed the women and took Onan and I prisoner. We were searched and pawed… They took anything I could use as a weapon. My omni-pad was in a pocket on my leg. At the time, I thought they missed it. Now, I think they did not cared.
The Thalon spoke to each other, but never spoke to us, and we didn’t know their language. We didn't know why, or what they wanted, but according to my omni-pad, we were on their ship for two days before coming here, wherever ‘here’ is.
Onam and I were set out in a clearing, along with another six males. I didn't know the species of one of them. My Vatikre is very bad, but he tried to speak with us. Onan and I couldn't understand his language and we gave up after a while. It was pointless and only made the Thalon laugh.
The other five males were Thalon, but they didn't speak. They behaved like caged animals, and I wondered then if that’s all they are.
There were eleven of the Thalon women, in all. Three were older, and they stayed near their ship. The others were young, and they paced around our cages. I think now they were picking out favorites, and they laughed as they were tormenting us. When they came for us on the ship, they wore armor. Here, they are naked to the waist and that’s how I saw their eyes. They’re white. All white, like dead things.
Before we were released, a band was put on my arm. Without a knife, I cant get it off. It pulses every so often, and at first I thought it was a tracker. Now? I think it is just to check if I’m still alive. I think a tracker would be cheating, for her.
When we were released, the male Thalon were herded out, but they ran like wild things. Onan and I and the other alien ran, too. I tried to keep Onan in sight. That’s how I saw what happened.
Shil’vati aren’t good runners, and the Thalon was on him in a minute. She chased him down and stood over him, laughing as he cried. Then she tore into him with her teeth as he screamed.
Thalon teeth are very sharp.
That was the first time I heard the gong sound over the clearing. I didn’t think about it at the time, because I was running. The first day after we were released, I heard it six more times. The last time was an hour ago, which means I’m the last.”
[File Ends]
Personal log / November 2, 2025 1:22 AM
“November second. It’s All Souls Day. I hope Jomari will light a candle for me.
I’m on another planet. I’m half-naked, covered in mud, and hanging on to a stake I sharpened on a rock. I’m hiding in a cave.
On the plus side, I guess this still makes me an astronaut.
I can feel it now - the liget. I feel it every time my stomach rumbles or the thirst makes me cough. I feel it for Tendr’i and Onan. For now, I’ve stayed away from the river. She was probably hunting me there - the Thalon - and I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of an easy kill. I thought I might last long enough to go back, but I won't.
Whatever happens, it ends here. She’s at the front of my cave, now. I don't know if you can hear, but she’s laughing.
I don’t know if I can eat a Thalon, but I’m going to try and find out.
Grandfather, I‘ll try and make you proud of me.”
[File Ends]
As Gregorio ended the file, another landing craft flew towards the horizon.
These total immersion masks were a pain, but on the Silver Suns' encrypted subnet, they were far more secure than meeting face to face. With the mask on, it looked like the other twelve heads of the Families were right there in the room with the Mistress of the Mountain. At least their faces were; they just floated in space, but they were in the same place as if they'd met in real life. On her one side was the Incense Mistress, on the other were the Deputy Mistress of the Mountain and the Vanguard. The faces of the remaining nine Shining Eyes stood- well, floated- around the rest of the table.
"As you know," the Mistress sighed, "the Prosperous Guild of the Thirteen Shining Suns of Silver (Silver Suns for short) prides itself on Operational Security. So when several major sources of income are attacked in quick succession…" She stood up and leaned forward. "That is a major fucking problem! One that our head of security should have been dealing with! Bukhinari!"
"Mistress?" Shining Eye Bukhinari leaned forward, a little terrified at being addressed by the Mistress directly.
"I believe you vetted and hired Agent Bur'ke as a Twenty-fiver? That's your payroll?" Bukhinari nodded. "Then she became our head of security?"
"Y- yes, Mistress."
"Good. Have her killed, then appoint a new head of security. Maybe from the Thirty-sixers. And make it messy and public. I dunno, hit the family, too. Show what happens when you cross us. You know the oaths. Once that's done, we'll reconvene and discuss matters going ahead. I think we'll be able to patch things up."
And so, that was how two cars full of hatchetwomen in full military gear were dispatched to Agent Bur'ke's penthouse. In the elevator up, Gut'ka thanked her lucky stars she didn't have to take the stairs, like some of the hired killers. Instead, she calmly loaded her pistol as the numbers blinked their way to the top.
"Listen up, bitches. Shining Eyes want it messy, so stun bolts only, then take everyone - Bur'ke, the family, any bystanders - take'em to the Motel. She endangered us all; her life is forfeit." As per the oaths; of course. As the Thirty-sixer spoke, Gut'ka pulled her mask over her face, hiding a shudder. She'd been to the Motel once; she still had nightmares. Why the Shining Eyes in charge of security had any visible connection to that place, Gut'ka would never know.
But there was no time to dwell; the elevator pinged open, and the girls got ready. The Thirty-sixer counted down three, two, one, then the power went out. The girls all turned on their night vision. Across the penthouse, Bur'ke's kids groaned, the husband got up and looked for a candle.
The hitwomen all spread out, slowly creeping through the darkness. Gut'ka stopped in the kitchen as the husband walked in. He pulled out a candle.
"Kids? Have you seen the matches anywhere?"
Gut'ka fired. The husband dropped to the floor. As he fell, Gut'ka lunged to catch the man. She did, and slowly lowered him to the floor, but the candle thunked heavily when it dropped. "Secondary target neutralized, maintain momentum."
"Dad, what was th-" Someone must've silenced kid one. That meant kid two and Bur'ke were still alerted, though. Turox shit. "Tertiary target down, watch for squirters," crackled over the radio.
Across the house, somebody kicked in a door. This was followed by a yell of "MOMMY HELP!" It sounded like it came from the other kid, but it was drowned out by a sound from the other side like glass breaking. Gut'ka just scoffed. Where was Bur'ke gonna go? Just jump off the balcony?
"Eyes on primary, moving to intercept - two, on me!" With all the others cleared up, Gut'ka and the other hitwomen ran outside after Bur'ke. With nowhere to go, Bur'ke simply stared as Gut'ka cuffed her. She'd worked with the woman before; Bur'ke didn't have an emotion in her head. She barely cared about the kids beyond keeping up appearances, and the husband was just for pleasure.
One of the hitwomen dropped three bodybags on the floor and unfolded them as two others dragged out the unconscious family. Another slipped a bag over Bur'ke's head.
"Team one to exfil - targets neutralized, capture successful. Move in to receive package, then return to base." Rumor had it the Shining Eyes were looking to replace their head of security, and icing the previous one for incompetence would be a good way for the Thirty-sixer involved to move up. She was already in the organization, so she could totally make Red Pole, instead of just a Twenty-fiver.
The Motel was, for lack of a better word, fucked. Sure, it had once been a motel, but now the place was absolutely Goddessforsaken. If the Silver Suns needed somebody to die especially horribly, they were often brought here.
It had long ago been converted into a house of horrors. The water heater had been tampered with, and the showers only put out boiling water. Every bathroom was boarded up and converted into cells, two to every bathroom. Barely enough room to stand up straight or sit down. Day in, day out, doctors, pathologists, and surgeons from the nearby hospital (which was under Suns control, of course) came to this deepshole to practice their side gig. Despite being on the same side, ostensibly, this place - and the people who ran it - terrified Gut'ka.
In front of her, the four members of Bur'ke's family all knelt, hands cuffed behind them, bags on head. A doctor pulled the bag off the husband and the kids' heads and looked the two of them over.
All she said was "Sell 'em." That's all it took. The husband… despite being older, he looked great. He'd be welcome in a high-class establishment, one for wealthy Shil. The boy and girl… it turned the stomach, but there was a market for snuff. The filmmakers always snapped up the kids for that, but it seemed this doctor had other ideas. Gut'ka relaxed a bit at the prospect of not having to sell children to snuff-film directors.
"We need drug turoxes" was all he said. Once they were done here, they would be taken to the hospital, cut open, stuffed with bags of menthol and nightfel, and sewn back up. Rinse and repeat every week, until they keeled over. Then the mortuary would do the same with their corpses until they worked off all the damage their mother had caused.
As for Bur'ke…
"The boss wanted it messy." Two guards picked up Bur'ke, hands and feet still cuffed, and heaved her into the shower. Her screams dissipated against the soundproof walls as she was boiled alive.
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Since it's been helpful to read such posts from others, I figured I would post a timeline for my green card too.

Summary

F-1 on STEM OPT to I-485 (based on marriage).

Offices

• Lockbox : Elgin, IL
• Processing Center : National Benefits Center
• Field Office : Philadelphia

Key Dates

Form	Date Submitted	Date Approved	Duration
Form I-130	10/26/2022	04/18/2023	5 months, 23 days
Form I-765	11/15/2022	04/07/2023	4 months, 23 days
Form I-131	11/15/2022	04/07/2023	4 months, 23 days
Form I-485	11/15/2022	05/14/2023	5 months, 29 days

Timeline

Date	Event
10/26/2022	I-130 Submission Online
10/31/2022	I-485 Packet Delivered
11/02/2022	I-485 Payment Rejected
11/15/2022	I-485 Packet Redelivered
11/25/2022	I-485 Receipt Notice in Mail
12/02/2022	I-485 Biometrics Notice in Mail
12/09/2022	Filed Expedite Request through Congressman (Attempt #1)
12/09/2022	Filed Expedite Request through USCIS Chat Online
12/12/2022	I-693 Deficiency Notice in Mail
12/14/2022	I-485 Biometrics Appointment
01/05/2023	STEM OPT Expired
01/06/2023	Expedite Request RFE through in Email
01/09/2023	Faxed Expedite Request RFE Response
01/31/2023	Expedite Request Attempt #1 Rejected
02/27/2023	Filed Expedite Request through Congressman (Attempt #2)
04/06/2023	Expedite Request for I-765/I-131 Combo Card Approved
04/07/2023	I-765/I-131 Combo Card "Card Is Being Produced"
04/14/2023	I-693 Biometrics RFE in Mail
04/17/2023	I-765/I-131 Combo Card "Card Was Produced"
04/17/2023	I-765/I-131 Combo Card "Card Picked Up By USPS"
04/18/2023	I-130 Approved
04/20/2023	I-765/I-131 Combo Card "Card Delivered"
05/11/2023	I-693 Delivered
05/12/2023	I-693 "RFE Response Was Received"
05/14/2023	I-485 Approved
05/22/2023	I-485 "Card Delivered"

FAQ

What evidence for marriage did you provide?
We were initially long-distance for a couple of years, so we submitted a detailed Excel sheet of all the flights we took to meet each other. We also submitted pictures with family and our joint lease. We did not have any shared bank accounts.
Did you go through the same Congressman both times?
Yes, since their staff were helpful and quick to respond.
Why was your payment rejected?
I used the same debit card (Chase) as I had for my OPT I-765s, however, due to the higher cost of I-485 process, the transaction was flagged. I got an email asking whether or not to approve the transaction, but I was too late to respond. When I received the packet back, I used a Chase Money Order and it was processed correctly.
Why did it take 2 expedite attempts?
The first attempt was a shot in the dark. I had lost my job due to STEM OPT expiration and my father, who is outside the US was gravely ill and I could not visit. The second request was sent along with ER visit summaries and a doctor's note detailing his critical condition.
How did you not require an interview?
At the time of filing, my partner and I had been together for 4 years, living together for 1.5 years and married for 2 months.
Did you use a lawyer?
No. I did everything by myself since I did not want to waste the money for a lawyer.
Do you have any advice for filers?

• Triple check your forms. Check the version, check the signatures, check the instructions. There is no excuse for laziness, and you will absolutely regret not being careful enough.
• Act early. USCIS is unpredictable and it will always take longer than you think, so stop delaying.
• Use a money order. I will never use a debit card again. Just use a money order. It's foolproof.
• If you believe you have a legitimate reason to expedite, go for it. Don't do it without evidence.

I made this mistake of updating my debit card in the driver app a few days ago. Since then, I have been unable to cash out with instant pay.
“Our system is having some issues, try again in a few minutes”
I called “support” a few times which was a joke. I just get some person in the Philippines who gives you the run around saying they will escalate it to their security team but nothing happened. I don’t understand why they bother to pay these people $3 an hour to not help us. So far they have told me to wait 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours and 3-5 business days. It’s now been 3 days and it still isn’t working.
I went to the Uber green light hub in LA yesterday. They told me that they will escalate it to the supervisor and that it should work by today but of course it does not. I’ve got another appointment there today but Im definitely not getting my hopes up. I was nice to the girl there although I was frustrated. It seems that she knew she was just giving me the run around and had no definitive answer.
I get why for security measures they would need to put a hold on it. What I don’t get is why this can’t be resolved by a simple verification of my information. I also don’t get why nobody at Uber can give me a proper timeline of when I should be able to cash out.
I use chase bank, I’ve had a security block on my debit card before and a simple 5 minute phone call to verify my information resolved the issue. It’s insane to me that Uber is unable to do something similar.
I’m now really behind on everything because I haven’t been able to work for a few days. I have $500 + sitting in there I cannot access. It’s so frustrating.
Between the abysmal support, lack of definitive answers, low paying rides, and the overall stress factor of driving in LA, I am done driving for Uber. I made this company well over 6 figures the last couple of years. It’s obvious they don’t appreciate our hard work.
Have any other drivers experienced this cash out issue here? How long did it take to resolve?
At this point, I’m just expecting to not see that money till my weekly deposit. In that case, they just lost another driver

I’m posting this to hopefully stop others falling victim to this company.
I purchased solar panels from their site https://sesi.uk last year. They’ve repeatedly failed to deliver and are now not responding to any contact I make. They have taken many thousands of pounds up front as a deposit from me. They stalled me for quite a while, saying they would take some time to arrive from overseas. Then it was the weather, then it was short staffed and now they just aren’t even bothering to reply.
​
I’ve discovered many other people have fallen foul of them, some by over £100k and many of them vulnerable elderly people.
Looking at their history on Companies House shows that they regularly let their businesses get closed down, by not submitting accounts and then just starting another. I've been told these are called "Phoenix companies". But thankfully one of the other victims was able to stop that happening this time by telling Companies House about what they have done.
​
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12430776/filing-history
​
I’ve reported to Action Fraud and I’m currently in the process of HOPEFULLY getting my bank to do a charge back or maybe even cover my loss through their fraud dept.
Whatever happens I think it’s important people know this so I’m hoping Google will pick this up if anyone looks them up.
Here’s the details but they will no doubt start a new named company soon.
-They are based in Plymouth.
-Springfield Energy Saving Installations, previously known as Springfield Building & Maintenance Ltd.
-Neil Pardon is the main owner https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/2tK2LT2Q0PfqcEJhcgwyFtMk_ro/appointments
-Jo or Joanne Pardon (his wife) is down as the director https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/eN3aao9ihpt9JQVtC5XV7K2n1Yc/appointments
-James or Jim Pardon (their son) works for his dad and absolutely knows all about it https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-pardon-758888182
-Liam Pardon (youngest son) has recently begun his own business, Smokin Gun in Plymouth -https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090344710274 I only mention it as it’s the same address as SESI. I don’t know if this one is going to be a “phoenix” company but I certainly wouldn’t pay them anything substantial in advance.
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I found this old article of yet another dead company that father and son ran into the ground together -P2 Property
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https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/special-features/family-run-property-firm-offers-1438323.amp
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This isn’t just a failed business - this is clearly repeated and deliberate behaviour.
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I hope this doesn’t go against the rules, I’m not asking for them to be harassed I just want to warn other potential victims. Has anyone else run afoul of these people previously?
EDIT: I’m adding their other company CUSTOM SURFACES UK LTD or CSUK to the list. It’s currently in liquidation and appears to have many people chasing them for their money back. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09141543

When it comes to my family I feel its always been questionable to say the least and with my oldest brother its always felt like he holds people to an arbitrary standard of "how a person should be" note this is the same oldest brother who basically had everything provided for him financially for him as he grew up (cars, phones, and so on) also he's a gifted person when it comes to speaking (silver tongued is the best way i can describe him). Let me just cut to the chase so when my mother fell and had a minor fracture in her pelvis she was hopsitlized and had to go into physical rehabilitation and during that time we pulled together to get the house cleaned up so when she returned home after it'd be a pleasant welcome back. Note during this time I took a leave of absence from work to take care of all this while still visiting her at her physical rehab clinic so chalk up 8-10 hours a day detailing the house and taking care of other things every day for 2 weeks in that time frame my oldest brother did help out with the cleaning and it was appreciated. My mother returns home and everything is fine for the time being I take care of the physical therapist session preps so make sure the house is clean like usual pets are out of the way and generally everything is taken care of. A month or so later she has a hip replacement operation which was planned for after the fracture in her pelvis recovered (note i was back to work after the 2 weeks of leave of absence from work). so for 4-5 months i had to put off my personal life plans which postponed me saving money to move out in the meantime and set back my moving out plans significantly along with many things. Note the entire time in those 4 months i was the only one of the 3 people in the house with a job and stable source of income (my mothers social security covers the basic bills) and whilst still paying my 400+ in rent to her every month to cover base expenses (she prefers cash for her rent cause its more flexible in what it can cover be it bills and so on). Now take this into account in the 4 month time frame I was the only one capable of shopping cause my middle brother who lives here has mental problems he refuses to adress properly and has a myriad of excuses so i've given up on him after the 4 months is up my mom gets her car back she can drive again things start to calm down. Heres a detail i forgot when my mother was in physical rehab for the time being my oldest brother had her give him general power of attorney so she could get help arranging her bill payments and get financial advice (note a few bills were behind including a cable/internet bill that i helped pay for 250$ to be precise) figured this would be pertininet information. So a month passes and he drops by the house cause apparently my middle brother somehow got access to my moms bank account and stole 1000$ from her account over the month and all my brother did was essentially give him a slap on the wrist over it and said if he did it again the cops would be involved note my middle brother has stolen my moms money in the past so don't get why this wasn't adressed properly still. He proceeds to then tell me that i need to "Step up more" cause apparently all the work i did to help my mother before just wasn't enough paying 600$ in rent money now still isn't enough me working on getting drivers license as we speak (got my learners permit and getting practice now what can i say im a late bloomer on it but points aside) and when i told him theres only so much i can do to step up at the moment when my job only pays 15.85 an hour he proceeded to give the typical canned excuse of "find a better paying job" I feel like at this point there's not a single thing that could impress let alone appease his goddamn ego at this point and it feels like its the typical case of "your the little brother you don't do enough" excuse note during the time i was taking care of everything around the house you know how many times he helped after my mom was back at the house he only helped with the doctors appointments thats it...no helping with groceries like he promised to do basically leaving that all to me (I had everything handled anyways so realsitically fine fuck it didn't need nor want the help anyways. Feels like im in a losing battle.

I've been trying to make an in-branch appointment.
The phone number on Google for the branch is the general phone number for Metro Bank, not for the branch.
I called that number over a week ago, to make an appointment.
They took my details, and told me I would be emailed with details of when the appointment would be (I'm not sure how that works - do they offer you a range of choices?)
I've not heard back.
I phoned again today.
The person I spoke to couldn't contact anyone at the branch via on-line chat, and so sent them another email, to chase the first email.
I asked if she could give me their direct contact details, and was told this was not possible.
She was able however to put me through to the branch, which did not pick up, and so returned me to the general line (at least I wasn't cut off!)
I was then talking to a different person, and I explained what happened, and she offered to give me the phone number for the branch so I could call them directly.
Curiously she asked which branch, there were two here in this town, but one closed permanently some time ago.
So now I have the direct number.
It all seems a bit disorganized, and I do not yet have an actual appointment, or even a response from the branch where I would go.

Tl;dr: Until Verizon learns to treat their home internet customers differently than their cellular phone customers, the fast speed advertised for their 5G Home Internet service is not worth risking an outage that is met with their lackadaisical attitude toward their home internet customers.
I’ve had Verizon’s 5G Home Internet since it was available in my area (the mmWave 5G tower is right across from my my apartment). Speeds have been consistently fast (1500+ Mbps from my phone and 700+ on my devices connected to the 5G gateway/router via Wi-Fi. Last Thursday, I noticed that my app updates were taking a lot longer than normal, so I did a speed test and it was SLOW. I went out on my balcony and tested from my phone. It failed to pull the mmWave speeds from the tower across the street as well. I restarted both the gateway and my phone, just to be sure, and then called Verizon and spoke to the Home Internet tech support team. This is where things started to go downhill.
The tech asked me to restart my gateway, and I told him that I had already done that, as well as restart my phone, and neither are connecting to the tower across the street. He then asked me to reset my device, essentially setting up as new again. I politely declined, because neither my phone or the gateway would connect to the tower, and it’s a pain in the ass to have to reconnected 25 devices to the network. Plus I t’s not an issue with my devices. He opened a ticket and set up an appointment for a network engineer to come on Saturday morning between 8a-12p. Shortly after hanging up, I noticed that none of my Alexa devices, my work computers, my iPads, phones, security cameras, HomePods, etc. were connected to a network. I opened my Wi-Fi settings to find that they remotely reset my gateway after I told them I didn’t want to do that. It was in the middle of my workday. I called back for help setting up the gateway. They confirmed my appointment for Saturday. It took me two days to get everything reconnected.
Saturday morning and afternoon came and went with no technician and no phone call. I called again on Saturday and was told that it takes 7 - 10 business days for tickets to be reviewed. Up to two weeks with substandard internet. I live in a high-traffic area with a mall and large Chase Bank operations center, so falling back to LTE speeds often means I don’t have ANY bandwidth.
The speeds are really fast when it works, but when you have an issue that’s when the experience sours. They essentially treat their Home Internet customers like cellular phone customers. As a cell phone customer, a downed tower is an inconvenience. I may get slow speeds on my commute. Or if a tower goes down near my house, I can fall back on my home Wi-Fi. But when Verizon is both your cellular provider AND your home internet provider, you have no fallback. And if there is an outage with another dedicated internet provider like Wow, AT&T, Breezeline, they at least acknowledge the issue and say they’re working toward a resolution and give an estimation. Not so with Verizon. They won’t acknowledge the issue or give you an ETA on a fix, they just parrot the company’s standard 7 - 10 business days line.
I work from home and have to be in video calls most of the day, and my internet has to meet a specific speed requirement that LTE speeds don’t meet. I can’t just go work from another location.
Verizon has almost nailed the home internet experience, but the way they treat you when a tower goes down means that their home internet offerings can’t be relied upon. I’m on day 5 of not being able to work effectively.
UPDATE: 5/9 the executive escalation team reached out to me and we’re able to dispatch a truck and get the tower fixed. Speeds are back to normal (1380⬇️ 275⬆️). But I should not have had to raise hell to get this resolved.

UPDATE: Drank the Koolaid and got the Venture X. Instantly approved with a 20k credit limit! I’m so indecisive haha but thanks for the help everyone!
I never post on reddit so sorry if this is unclear or missing anything.
I am at the point where I want to get a travel card and have opened the can of worms by doing research into the best one to get. I also am at the point where I want to travel more and will be going to Korea this year or next, maybe Japan this summer for work, and have a few other domestic or Canada trips planned. I'm torn between the CapOne Venture X and the Chase Sapphire Preferred. I was pretty set on getting the CSP and even have an appointment at my nearest Chase branch for Friday (5/5) to get the 90k points bonus. However, I saw you can check CapOne to see what you are preapproved for and I am preapproved for the following:

• QuickSilver Rewards
• SavorOne Rewards
• Venture Rewards
• VentureOne Rewards
• Savor Rewards
• Platinum Mastercard

I heard if you are preapproved for the Venture you have a good shot for the Venture X so now I'm not sure if I should go for that one instead. I will probably consider getting whichever one I don't get in a few months to a year regardless. (Also feel free to advise on when I should get the other card I don't decide on. My dad told me 1 CC per year but it looks like I can do it more often than that). I like the idea of lounge access (RIP the restaurants) from the VX but I like the Chase travel partners more and I'm already in the Chase ecosystem with the CFU and I have bank accounts with them and a good relationship. I also heard their customer service for insurances and such suck so that's been at the back of my mind too. IDK about CapOne's service. I also am concerned that if I apply for the CSP now it may be harder to get the VX later but also the CSP bonus right now is amazing. I'd love to hear people's thoughts!
Thanks!
Here's my credit info for context:

• Current cards:
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited ($12,000 limit, July 2021)
  • Amazon Prime Card ($12,000 limit, July 2022)
  • I also am an Authorized user on my parents JetBlue card but idk the details on that
• FICO Score: 776
• Oldest account age: 20 years (my parents had me as an authorized user since I was 4 I guess), 2017 for my student loan or 2021 for my first CC
• Chase 5/24 status: 3/24 (I applied 2x for the CFU because I needed to call to verify my ID, missed the deadline and had to apply again ;_;)
• Income: ~$80,000, $1700 rent
• Open to Business Cards: No
• What's the purpose of your next card? Travel
• Do you have any cards you've been looking at? CSP (also CSR but it looks like that one is bad), VX
• Are you OK with category spending or do you want a general spending card? Yes
  • For budget, I spend the most on rent, then prob restaurants, groceries, Amazon, and then everything else

◆ WSJ NEWS EXCLUSIVE U.S. Epstein’s Private Calendar Reveals Prominent Names, Including CIA Chief, Goldman’s Top Lawyer Schedules and emails detail meetings in the years after he was a convicted sex offender; visitors cite his wealth and connections By Khadeeja Safdar and David Benoit April 30, 2023 7:59 am ET The nation’s spy chief, a longtime college president and top women in finance. The circle of people who associated with Jeffrey Epstein years after he was a convicted sex offender is wider than previously reported, according to a trove of documents that include his schedules. William Burns, director of the Central Intelligence Agency since 2021, had three meetings scheduled with Epstein in 2014, when he was deputy secretary of state, the documents show. They first met in Washington and then Mr. Burns visited Epstein’s townhouse in Manhattan. Kathryn Ruemmler, a White House counsel under President Barack Obama, had dozens of meetings with Epstein in the years after her White House service and before she became a top lawyer at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in 2020. He also planned for her to join a 2015 trip to Paris and a 2017 visit to Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean. Leon Botstein, the president of Bard College, invited Epstein, who brought a group of young female guests, to the campus. Noam Chomsky, a professor, author and political activist, was scheduled to fly with Epstein to have dinner at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse in 2015. None of their names appear in Epstein’s now-public “black book” of contacts or in the public flight logs of passengers who traveled on his private jet. The documents show that Epstein arranged multiple meetings with each of them after he had served jail time in 2008 for a sex crime involving a teenage girl and was registered as a sex offender. The documents, which include thousands of pages of emails and schedules from 2013 to 2017, haven’t been previously reported. The documents don’t reveal the purpose of most of the meetings. The Wall Street Journal couldn’t verify whether every scheduled meeting took place. Most of those people told the Journal they visited Epstein for reasons related to his wealth and connections. Several said they thought he had served his time and had rehabilitated himself. Mr. Botstein said he was trying to get Epstein to donate to his school. Mr. Chomsky said he and Epstein discussed political and academic topics.
CIA director William Burns, pictured in center at a Senate hearing in March, met in 2014 with Epstein in Washington and later visited Epstein’s townhouse in Manhattan. PHOTO: AL DRAGO/BLOOMBERG NEWS Mr. Burns met with Epstein about a decade ago as he was preparing to leave government service, said CIA spokeswoman Tammy Kupperman Thorp. “The director did not know anything about him, other than that he was introduced as an expert in the financial services sector and offered general advice on transition to the private sector,” she said. “They had no relationship.” Ms. Ruemmler had a professional relationship with Epstein in connection with her role at law firm Latham & Watkins LLP and didn’t travel with him, a Goldman Sachs spokesman said. Epstein introduced her to potential legal clients, such as Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates, the spokesman said. “I regret ever knowing Jeffrey Epstein,” Ms. Ruemmler said. A spokeswoman for Latham & Watkins said Epstein wasn’t a client of the firm. In 2006, Epstein was publicly accused of sexually abusing girls in Florida who were as young as 14 years old. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and police investigated, and Epstein reached a deal with prosecutors in 2008. He avoided federal charges and pleaded guilty to soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution. He registered as a sex offender and served about 13 months in a work-release program. Epstein’s case generated waves of media coverage at the time, with publications in the U.S. and abroad reporting on accusations from underage girls and young women. In 2006, several politicians returned donations from Epstein. Some associates moved to distance themselves from him. His biggest known client, retail billionaire Leslie Wexner, later said he cut ties in 2007. His bank, JPMorgan Chase & Co., later said it closed his accounts in 2013, though some bankers continued to meet with him for years after.
A photo taken in Epstein’s townhouse when authorities entered in 2019, later introduced as evidence in court. PHOTO: SDNY In 2015, Virginia Giuffre publicly accused Epstein of sexually abusing and trafficking her when she was a teen and forcing her to have sex with influential people, including Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew has denied the allegations and last year settled a sex-abuse lawsuit by Ms. Giuffre. Despite the negative press, Epstein’s days were filled from morning to night with meetings with prominent people, the documents show. There were dinners at New York restaurants, meetings at luxury hotels and gatherings in the offices of prominent law firms. Many appointments were held at Epstein’s townhouse in Manhattan. Prosecutors alleged in 2019 that the townhouse is where Epstein sexually abused female victims for years, many underage, and that he paid some of them to recruit their friends to engage in sexual activity. After the Miami Herald reported that dozens of women said they were abused, prosecutors charged Epstein in 2019 with a sex trafficking conspiracy. He died that year in a New York jail while awaiting trial in what the city’s medical examiner said was a suicide. Mr. Burns, 67 years old, a career diplomat and former ambassador to Russia, had meetings with Epstein in 2014 when Mr. Burns was deputy secretary of state. A lunch was planned that August at the office of law firm Steptoe & Johnson in Washington. Epstein scheduled two evening appointments that September with Mr. Burns at his townhouse, the documents show. After one of the scheduled meetings, Epstein planned for his driver to take Mr. Burns to the airport. Mr. Burns recalls being introduced in Washington by a mutual friend, and meeting Epstein once briefly in New York, said Ms. Thorp. “The director does not recall any further contact, including receiving a ride to the airport,” she said. The following month, October 2014, Mr. Burns stepped down from his role at the State Department to serve as president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a think tank. He ran the Carnegie Endowment until he was nominated in early 2021 by President Biden to serve as CIA director. The documents show that Epstein appeared to know some of his guests well. He asked for avocado sushi rolls to be on hand when meeting with Ms. Ruemmler, according to the documents. He visited apartments she was considering buying. In October 2014, Epstein knew her travel plans and told an assistant to look into her flight. “See if there is a first class seat,” he wrote, “if so upgrade her.”
Kathryn Ruemmler had dozens of meetings with Epstein in the years after her White House service and before she became a top lawyer at Goldman Sachs. PHOTO: WILLIAM B. PLOWMAN/NBCUNIVERSAL/GETTY IMAGES In 2014, Epstein called Ms. Ruemmler within weeks of her leaving the Obama White House. Epstein planned a lunch in August 2014 at his townhouse, followed by a series of meetings to introduce her to a wider circle of his acquaintances. Ms. Ruemmler first met Epstein after he called her to ask if she would be interested in representing Mr. Gates and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Goldman Sachs spokesman said. A spokeswoman for Mr. Gates said Epstein never worked for Mr. Gates, misrepresented their relationship, and that Mr. Gates regrets ever meeting with him. Epstein and his staff discussed whether Ms. Ruemmler, now 52, would be uncomfortable with the presence of young women who worked as assistants and staffers at the townhouse, the documents show. Women emailed Epstein on two occasions to ask if they should avoid the home while Ms. Ruemmler was there. Epstein told one of the women he didn’t want her around, and another that it wasn’t a problem, the documents show. Ms. Ruemmler didn’t see anything that would lead her to be concerned at the townhouse and didn’t express any concern, the Goldman spokesman said. Several people who visited Epstein during this time period said they noticed young women at his townhouse. One of the visitors, Helen Fisher, an anthropologist who studies romantic love and attachment, had lunch with Epstein in January 2016 to discuss her work. Dr. Fisher said that after the lunch, Epstein invited her to speak with his staff. “And then, in filed, I would say, six young women,” she said. “All of them good looking. All of them young.” Dr. Fisher said Epstein never funded her work, they weren’t friends and they didn’t stay in touch. “I didn’t have anything to do with Jeffrey Epstein,” she said. “But I remembered it because of his spectacular house and because of the six young women.”
Epstein’s former residence on a private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. PHOTO: EMILY MICHOT/TNS/ZUMA PRESS Over the next few years, Ms. Ruemmler, then a partner specializing in white-collar defense at Latham & Watkins, had more than three dozen appointments with Epstein, including for lunches and dinners. “In the normal course, Epstein also invited her to meetings and social gatherings, introduced her to other business contacts and made referrals,” the Goldman spokesman said. “It was the same kinds of contacts and engagements she had with other contacts and clients.” In 2015, she was scheduled to fly with Epstein to Paris and in 2017 he planned to stop in St. Lucia to take her to his island home in the U.S. Virgin Islands for the day, according to the documents. Ms. Ruemmler never visited his island and “never accepted an invitation or an opportunity to fly with Jeffrey Epstein anywhere,” the Goldman spokesman said. In addition to her current role as general counsel at Goldman Sachs, Ms. Ruemmler is co-chair of its reputational risk committee, which monitors business and client decisions for potential damage to the bank’s image. Epstein also connected Ms. Ruemmler with Ariane de Rothschild, who is now chief executive of the Swiss private bank Edmond de Rothschild Group. The bank hired Ms. Ruemmler’s law firm, Latham & Watkins, after the introduction to help with U.S. regulatory matters, according to the bank and the Goldman spokesman. Mrs. de Rothschild, who married into the famous banking family, had more than a dozen meetings with Epstein. He sought her help with staffing and furnishings as well as discussed business deals with her, according to the documents.
Ariane de Rothschild, the head of a Swiss private bank, negotiated a $25 million contract with Epstein in 2015, the documents show. PHOTO: SIMON DAWSON/BLOOMBERG NEWS In September 2013, Epstein asked Mrs. de Rothschild in an email for help finding a new assistant, “female…multilingual, organized.” “I’ll ask around,” Mrs. de Rothschild emailed back. She bought nearly $1 million worth of auction items on Epstein’s behalf in 2014 and 2015, the documents show. Mrs. de Rothschild was named chairwoman of the bank in January 2015. That October, she and Epstein negotiated a $25 million contract for Epstein’s Southern Trust Co. to provide “risk analysis and the application and use of certain algorithms” for the bank, according to a proposal reviewed by the Journal. In 2019, after Epstein was arrested, the bank said that Mrs. de Rothschild never met with Epstein and it had no business links with him. The bank acknowledged to the Journal that its earlier statement wasn’t accurate. It said Mrs. de Rothschild met with Epstein as part of her normal duties at the bank between 2013 and 2019, and Epstein introduced the bank to U.S. finance leaders, recommended law firms and provided tax and risk consulting. “In parallel to that, Epstein solicited her personally on a couple occasions for advice and services on estate management,” the bank said. Mrs. de Rothschild had no knowledge of any legal proceedings against Epstein and “was similarly unaware of any questions regarding his personal conduct,” the bank said. After later learning of his behavior, the bank said, “she feels for and supports the victims.” One of Epstein’s scheduled meetings with Mrs. de Rothschild, in January 2014, included another of his regular guests: Joshua Cooper Ramo, then co-chief executive of Henry Kissinger’s corporate consulting firm.
Joshua Cooper Ramo had more than a dozen meetings scheduled with Epstein. PHOTO: IMAGINE CHINA/REUTERS Epstein scheduled more than a dozen meetings from 2013 to 2017 with Mr. Ramo, who at the time served on the boards of Starbucks Corp. and FedEx Corp. , the documents show. Epstein had special snacks on hand because he believed Mr. Ramo was vegetarian, the documents indicate. Many of Mr. Ramo’s appointments with Epstein were in the evenings, typically after 5 p.m., at the townhouse. Mr. Ramo also was invited to a breakfast at the townhouse in September 2013 with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, another regular guest, the documents show. Mr. Ramo, who still sits on the board of FedEx and recently stepped down from the Starbucks board, didn’t respond to requests for comment. A spokeswoman for Mr. Kissinger said he wasn’t aware that Mr. Ramo was meeting with Epstein. Mr. Barak also met Epstein in 2015 with Mr. Chomsky, now 94, a linguistics professor and political activist who has been critical of capitalism and U.S. foreign policy. Mr. Chomsky said Epstein arranged the meeting with Mr. Barak for them to discuss “Israel’s policies with regard to Palestinian issues and the international arena.” Mr. Barak said he often met with Epstein on trips to New York and was introduced to people such as Mr. Ramo and Mr. Chomsky to discuss geopolitics or other topics. “He often brought other interesting persons, from art or culture, law or science, finance, diplomacy or philanthropy,” Mr. Barak said. Epstein arranged several meetings in 2015 and 2016 with Mr. Chomsky, while he was a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. When asked about his relationship with Epstein, Mr. Chomsky replied in an email: “First response is that it is none of your business. Or anyone’s. Second is that I knew him and we met occasionally.” In March 2015, Epstein scheduled a gathering with Mr. Chomsky and Harvard University professor Martin Nowak and other academics, according to the documents. Mr. Chomsky said they had several meetings at Mr. Nowak’s research institute to discuss neuroscience and other topics. Two months later, Epstein planned to fly with Mr. Chomsky and his wife to have dinner with them and movie director Woody Allen and his wife, Soon-Yi Previn, the documents show. “If there was a flight, which I doubt, it would have been from Boston to New York, 30 minutes,” Mr. Chomsky said. “I’m unaware of the principle that requires that I inform you about an evening spent with a great artist.” Epstein donated at least $850,000 to MIT between 2002 and 2017, and more than $9.1 million to Harvard from 1998 to 2008, the schools have said. In 2021, Harvard said it was sanctioning Mr. Nowak for violating university policies in his dealings with Epstein, and was shutting a research center he ran that Epstein had funded. MIT said it was inappropriate to accept Epstein’s gifts, and that it later donated $850,000 to nonprofits supporting survivors of sexual abuse. In a 2020 interview with the “dunc tank” podcast, Mr. Chomsky said that people he considered worse than Epstein had donated to MIT. He didn’t mention any of his meetings with Epstein.
Noam Chomsky, a professor and political activist, said he discussed political and academic topics when meeting with Epstein. PHOTO: ALEJANDRO ACOSTA/AGENCIA EL UNIVERSAL/ZUMA PRESS Mr. Chomsky told the Journal that at the time of his meetings “what was known about Jeffrey Epstein was that he had been convicted of a crime and had served his sentence. According to U.S. laws and norms, that yields a clean slate.” MIT said lawyers investigating its ties to Epstein didn’t find that Mr. Chomsky met with Epstein on its campus or received funding from him. Harvard declined to comment beyond the report it published on its Epstein ties in 2020. Mr. Nowak has said he regretted his role in fostering a connection between Epstein and Harvard. He didn’t respond to requests for comment. Mr. Botstein, 76, president of Bard College since 1975, had about two dozen meetings scheduled with Epstein over about four years, which were mostly visits to the townhouse. “I was an unsuccessful fundraiser and actually the object of a little bit of sadism on his part in dangling philanthropic support,” said Mr. Botstein. “That was my relationship with him.” Mr. Botstein said he first visited Epstein’s townhouse in 2012 to thank him for unsolicited donations to Bard’s high schools, then he returned over several years in an attempt to get more donations. In 2015, Epstein donated 66 laptops, the documents show. “We looked him up, and he was a convicted felon for a sex crime,” he said. Bard has a large program providing education to prisoners, he said. “We believe in rehabilitation.” Mr. Botstein, also the longtime music director for the American Symphony Orchestra, invited Epstein to an opera at Bard in 2013, then a concert at the college in 2016, the documents indicate. Epstein planned each time to bring some of his young female assistants and arrive by helicopter.
Leon Botstein, president of Bard College and music director for the American Symphony Orchestra, invited Epstein to events at the school. PHOTO: HIROYUKI ITO/GETTY IMAGES Mr. Botstein said he was expecting Epstein to support classical music causes and that the school took precautions when he visited. “Because of his previous record, we had security ready,” he said. “He did not have any free access to anybody.” At Epstein’s home, Mr. Botstein was led to a dining room where they discussed classical music and other causes, he said. “He presented himself as a billionaire, a really, really rich person,” he said. “I found him odd and arrogant. And what I finally came to believe, which is why we stopped contact with him, is that he was simply stringing us along.” Despite all his meetings, Mr. Botstein said, Epstein never made another donation to Bard. “It was a blessing in disguise,” he said, “that we never got any [more] money.” —Rob Barry contributed to this article. Write to Khadeeja Safdar at [email protected] and David Benoit at [email protected]