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Release Date: Nike Terminator Low Michigan
Aside from Nike bringing back the Nike Terminator High, the Swoosh will also be bringing back the low top version of the model in 2023. That said, here is an official look at the Nike Terminator Low Michigan.
Shown below, this colorway of the Terminator Low is dressed in a University Gold, Navy, and White color scheme. Design details include a University Gold leather base and mesh tongues that’s then offset by the Navy on the overlays, lining, laces and outsole. Finishing details include the perforation hits on the toe box, White midsole and huge “NIKE” branding on the heels.
The Nike Terminator Low Michigan has not been given an official release date, but you can expect them to drop in the coming months at select retailers and Nike.com. For a complete guide including official photos, release dates, pricing and where to buy, visit: Nike Terminator Low Michigan.
In release news, will you be going after the Air Jordan 1 High OG Washed Black on June 10th?
UPDATE (6/1): Nike announces the Nike Terminator Low “Michigan” will be releasing via SNKRS and select retailers on June 13th for $120.

For the sake of privacy I will be changing minor identifiable details (people involved frequent Reddit)
My partner(25nb he/they) and I (24f) have been in a relationship for a little less than a year (we hit a year in September) after we first split the previous year. We were in a serious relationship for 3 years and we originally split up because they believed I was too controlling and they wanted to be friends with whoever they wanted. I admit that I did not approve of their friends (group of 4) because I had only met them twice briefly during the 3 years we dated, and they were very different from us. They were the type of people who partied a lot in college and were always drinking/on drugs. My partner would become a completely different person from the person I knew when they were around their friends and my partner never wanted to bring me because “they have known them since they were kids and didn’t want me to feel left out because they have inside jokes.” I was hurt by this and would get a pit in my stomach every time my partner was with them. During our split all my friends came through for me for the most part except for my supposed best friend. She (now 22) had been private messaging my partner and when my partner expressed that they were upset over my behavior, she suggested that we split up. My partner ultimately agreed after going back and forth, and they dumped me the following week. My best friend kept all of this from me and acted supportive for a couple of days until she informed me that my partner had invited her to the beach with a couple of mutual friends. I begged her to not go as it had been 2 days since the split and I needed her support since I was the one who was dumped. She went anyways and didn’t answer any of my calls so in an angry teary rage, 22 year old me, blocked her number and instagram. This wasn’t the first time she had done something like this as at the beginning of our relationship she also kissed my partner “as a joke” and would constantly try to make me the third wheel. She would be mad anytime I touched him or he touched me and would wedge herself between us. I had finally snapped and if she was truly sorry she would’ve never gotten involved in the first place. She then proceeded to block me on everything else, from Snapchat to Gmail and went as far as to block me on MINECRAFT. She showed no remorse and I was heartbroken to have lost both my best friend and my partner within the same week. My partner and I eventually went from FWB to getting back together officially after a year. As far as I knew, my partner had not seen my ex best friend in almost a year and a half and when we first got back together, they promised not to see this person again. They have also since, parted ways with the friend group and we were on good terms. Fast forward to this year and I am over what this person did to me and my significant other. I think it’s in the past and while I have personally gotten over all of it, I have no intentions of pursuing a friendship with them We have many mutuals, so on occasion we are invited to the same gatherings. The times we have been invited to these gatherings and I’m able to make it, I haven’t seen her but I’m told she was invited. I just assume she still holds resentment but don’t care enough to look into it. My partner and I have different schedules, so we don’t see each other for more than a week for the time being. Yesterday I gave them a call after coming home from work, and they casually mention they are meeting up with 2 of our friends for a day trip out of state today. I’m thrown for a loop since my partner has a good memory and almost always lets me know what they are doing as soon as plans are made. It seemed strange so I made a small fuss over it and almost asked if I could come but I didn’t want to intrude on these plans since my partner likes the time alone with friends ands doesn’t really get out much. I had the day off so it seemed strange my partner didn’t ask me to come since we were both off and we usually spend those days together. The day of the trip arrives and I go about my day and occasionally check my partner’s location to see what they are up to so I can send short videos or thoughts that cross my mind. At first they are responsive. I decide to run errands and do a couple of more things including a quick therapy session. After my session I decide to scroll through Instagram and I notice my partner has posted an Instagram story. I open it and see both the friend they mentioned, but a blur of a 3rd person before the story ends. I replay it and hold down before it fully blurs and I see none other than my ex best friend. I don’t bother thinking and swipe up to reply “wow.” The more I sat and thought, the more I grew angry. They lied to me. I send them 2 more texts asking why they broke my trust and that they should come see me if they want any chance of repairing our relationship. I admit I could’ve worded it better but I was hurt and could not think straight. I didn’t hear back until hours later when my partner arrived home and was alone. I expressed my thoughts and they called me manipulative and selfish saying that they spend all their time with me and sees no problem in hanging out with other people. I tearfully explain that I’m more hurt about the lying, lack of communication, and the boundaries I set being broken. They reply back that they knew I would react this way and that it would’ve resulted in the same fight. I disagree and say that I should’ve been invited by them because I don’t trust her and while I am over what she did, I am not comfortable with my partner befriending someone who’s friendship broke us apart the first time. They then say they never get to go out with their friends and has missed out on previous outings because my bff was going to be there. I ask why they hadn’t communicated this to me and they told me that since they said no, it didn’t feel important. I feel that they resent me for it. I tell my partner that they can go out with friends but they are mutual friends and i feel as though this day trip could’ve easily involved me since another mutual had brought their girlfriend who was not part of the group. My partner then says the plans were made by our mutuals and when they found out ex best friend would be there, they knew I would tell them not to go so my partner chose to hide the people who were attending. We argue back and forth and I claim that I’m over this person and my partner says I’m not because of how I reacted and that our mutuals don’t know that so that’s why I wasn’t invited in the first place. I should be taking it up with the mutuals instead of taking it out on them. I communicate That I did last year during an event BFF and I were both invited to but bff chose to no longer attend. My partner says nothing and tells me they are tired and will see me tomorrow. I want to make things right and don’t want to make them feel as though I’m controlling but I also don’t feel comfortable with this friendship they want to pursue. I want to give them space to spend time with friends but they are my friends too and I see them less often than my partner. If it’s a large group outing I would like to be included as well. I would like for us to be able to compromise. Does anyone have advice on how to deal with this issue?

​
https://reddit.com/link/13x9zzt/video/1tzzvjwhmc3b1/player
I decided to abandon the wheel-head on v0 for now and focus primarily on the likelike's worm-like movements. I'm happy to say that I've gotten quite close.
There's a lot left to do to get it closer to being the real deal (as much as the game would allow) like finding a proper round head, more options for its arsenal other than emitters and independent mobility, maybe even aerial mobility. I still haven't tried shrine objects, so there's that to look into as well.

Hi there!
Just sending an updated list of things I've loved for quality of life.
But also things I didn't like and returned. I'll mark them below and put a quick explanation so you'll have a heads-up on them.
​
LOVE THESE

Fenix E03R v2.0 Keychain Flashlight
Learned about this flashlight from a recent Youtube video. But I love that it's simple to use and it's compact and powerful. Unlike the RovyVon A1, the buttons make SENSE. I didn't like the Rovyvon A.
Layrite Natural Matte Cream, 1.5 oz
Been experimenting with different pomades and I actually rather like this one! I've tried Suavecito, Reuzel, Hanz de Fuko, Old Spice, American Crew, Fix Your Lid, Dove Polishing Pomade, etc. But I actually like this one the best. I also like how it easily applies but it also easily washes off with water.
Ohropax Soft Foam Ear Plugs (10 Ear Plugs)
These are just earplugs. Some might say overpriced. But I love the little case that it comes with. Makes it fantastic for travel.
Swiffer Heavy Duty Refills, Ceiling Fan Duster, 11 Count
I love this ceiling fan duster. It extends out. It also turns entirely up or down and is adjustable. I just find it super handy for dusting. Best of all, when done, you just toss out the duster and pop in a new one. I love that you can do that.
3 Tier Mesh Utility Cart, Rolling Metal Organization Cart with Handle and Lockable Wheels, Multifunctional Storage Shelves for Kitchen Living Room Office by Pipishell (Black)
Not putting the direct link but just copy and paste that into Amazon. I love this thing! It's so useful! I basically cart this around to put my equipment and slide it from room to room. It's super easy to put together and makes it so much easier to move components around.
Elgato Wave Microphone Arm LP - Premium Low Profile Microphone Arm with Cable Management (Renewed)
Bought this on Amazon and can vouch for it. It's now replaced my RODE PSA1. I love how this holds my microphone in place but doesn't fill up the screen.
OGUNUOKI Shoe Covers Disposable Recyclable -100 Pack(50 pairs) 15.7'' Hygienic Shoe & Boot Covers Waterproof Non-slip Shoe Booties for Indoors
I haven't yet had a chance to test these but I bought these in case a plumber or handyman comes in our house with messy shoes. They can now just wear these covers for their shoes.
Sennheiser IE 200 In-Ear Audiophile Headphones
I absolutely love these headphones.
SKUPSY 20 Pcs Mini Clear Plastic Box Square Jewelry Earplug Pill Storage Box Case Container with Lid for Storage of Small Items, Crafts, Jewelry, Hardware
Love these for small compact storage of earplugs for travel or for just random things for travel.
Colgate Max Fresh Wisp Disposable Mini Travel Toothbrushes, Peppermint, 24 Count (Pack of 4)
I think these are a bit too much. But I took about 3 of them with me on a recent trip and they were awesome. It's just handy especially in airplanes.
Cuisinart 726-38H Chef's Classic Stainless 14-Inch Stir-Fry Pan with Helper Handle and Glass Cover
Love this thing. It's basically a stainless steel wok. So you just dump it in the dishwasher and it's clean. So its' easier to deal with than a carbon steel wok.
RODE Videomic Go 2
Fantastic little microphone
​
RETURNED THESE OR DID NOT LIKE THESE

8Bitdo Lite Bluetooth Gamepad for Switch Lite, Switch & Windows (Yellow Edition)
Doesn't work on all my Steam games. Not reliable. Returned it.
8Bitdo SN30 Pro Wireless Bluetooth Controller with Joysticks Rumble Vibration USB-C Cable Gamepad Compatible with Switch,Windows, Mac OS, Android, Steam (Gray Edition)
Doesn't work on all my Steam games. Not reliable. Returned it.
Arm & Hammer Ultra Max Antiperspirant Deodorant 1 Ounce Travel Size (Pack of 2)
Didn't like this. It's very tough and pasty.
Dickies Men's Light Comfort Compression Over-The-Calf Socks, Black (2 Pairs)
Didn't like this. It's too bulky to bring for travel.
Final VR3000 – in-Ear Gaming Headset with Microphone for PC Gaming, Consoles and VR equipments
Bought these headphones because people mentioned it had great soundstage. Sound is pretty thin on these. Not very good.
OMOTON Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad 10.2(9th/ 8th/ 7th Generation)/ 9.7, iPad Air 4th Generation, iPad Pro 11/12.9, iPad Mini, and More Bluetooth Enabled Devices, White
Thought this would be a super cool and compact keyboard for travel. The Escape key doesn't work. It's honestly botched. You have to press FN+Escape for it to work. Any product that forces someone to change a workflow for the worst is poor product design imo so back to Whole Foods Amazon it went.

Disclaimer: If this post is incoherent I've been drinking.
I've hated myself for years so it feels like a comforting headspace at this point even though I know it's not healthy continuing like this. I should probably talk about these things to a therapist or my friends but basically avoidance and self sabotage so I'm venting here instead if anyone cares. Despite having anxiety, I've wanted to be a musician since around middle school when I really fell in love with orchestra. I struggled with nerves the whole time and did some fucked up shit at some points to try to numb my emotions but at the risk of sounding conceited I was really good at it and feeling talented for once in my life was amazing. It gave me something I could have confidence in and was literally the only reason I was able to date in high school (started talking to my gf at all state, never would've done anything or known she liked me otherwise). At the end of high school everything came crashing down, felt like my anxiety had won and I wasn't cut out for music and also got broken up with and I decided to apply for engineering instead. I got into a competitive program and felt like I was at least somewhat keeping up with my smart friends and getting my shit together, but I made it 2.5 years in and was a self loathing addicted mess. I really wanted to like engineering but I was never a math person and it wouldn't click, I always procrastinated, I tried finding myself by going to parties and getting drunk but it wouldn't make the anxiety go away and I ended up going overboard more and more, blacking out and throwing up and being that guy. Also did a lot of psychedelics which was a mixed bag tbh. I was too stubborn to transfer out so I kept telling myself I would turn it around until this winter they finally kicked me out after I couldn't get off academic probation. It felt like shit but I was less depressed than I expected and felt like I was finally free in a sense. I transferred into music performance and have been grinding my ass off to make up for lost time and hopefully get into a better grad program in the future. I know being a professional musician doesn't exactly pay but I don't care, I'm not planning for a family or a nice house in the suburbs and I'm done forcing myself to do shit I hate. I feel a lot better having something I enjoy working toward every day but in every other aspect of my life the feelings of inadequacy and isolation are as bad as ever. I've been able to make friends by seeking out people I genuinely feel comfortable around instead of trying to fit in with anything but I've been single since high school, over 3 years at this point. I started going to the gym after the breakup which helps relieve stress but if I thought it would make me more attractive I was sadly misguided, If you weren't hot to begin with being jacked just makes you scary. I'm really grateful for my parents for supporting me but I can't help but harboring resentment for the crap they've taken out on my throughout my life. Sometimes I think it helps to be a little self centered like I am since I can deal with being on my own as long as I have goals and aspirations. If anyone made it this far I guess I would appreciate an outside perspective on this mess, if going through it in my head helped I'd probably feel better about myself.

First things first I love the Amazon shopper panel, scanning ten receipts a month for a fiver? Best deal ever. Also it doesn't matter if the receipts are transactions that don't take place in the UK. Even Denmark is acceptable 😁
Their surveys are also lovely as they take the blink of an eye and they always pay out no matter what you say.
Weirdest of all was they adverts thing they introduced. I initially signed up for it but then it made my phone act funny and I got concerned about it messing up my other wheeling and dealing. I shut that puppy down.
Funny thing is at least a couple of months running they seem to lay that cash on me too. It seems like they are having teething troubles. My suggestion would be to turn it on, let it marinade for the time it takes you to drink a coffee and then shut that puppy down too.
That is all.

In 2006, the federal government effectively uncapped student borrowing for graduate programs with the introduction of the Graduate PLUS loan program. Access to additional federal loans increased graduate students’ borrowing and shifted the composition of their loans from private to federal debt. However, the increase in borrowing limits did not improve access to existing programs overall or for underrepresented groups. Nor did access to additional loan aid result in significant increase in constrained students’ persistence or degree receipt. We document that among programs in which a larger share of graduate students had exhausted their annual federal loan eligibility before the policy change—and thus were more exposed to the expansion in access to credit—federal borrowing and prices increased.
That is from a new NBER working paper by Sandra E. Black, Lesley J. Turner, and Jeffrey T. Denning. Via Brett.
The post The incidence of loans for graduate education appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

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To preface this, I don't have a lot of friends at the moment. Or more accurately I have zero friends now if you counted them. At other moments in my life, I suppose it was the same story. I always had difficulty with other kids my age, particularly coming off the wrong way to people. I've always been told how unapproachable I am. And to be honest being told so didn't help me be less unapproachable. It just sorta made me more unapproachable. Like I became worse out of spite or something. Idk. I don't really want to get into why I am because I'm sure you could care less. Thankfully, through all of it, Emily was always there. Me and her, ever since our families introduced us around the time we were in the 1st grade, were attached at the hip. I can't really explain what was different about our interaction. But it just was, we clicked instantly. She was a breath of fresh air from the usual reaction other people illicit in me and the reaction I illicit in others.
Emily, possibly through what I guess was just magic or fate, "got me" like no one else ever did or has since. We did everything together throughout our years. We were on the same soccer and basketball teams together. We always submitted science experiments to our school fair under the same related theme. We ate together. Shopped together. Both of us really liked the same kind of manga and video games growing up as well. We talked about the same things together. Our fears. Our hopes for the future. The things that made us mad. About how other people treated us. About how we felt about the world. About our families and how they frustrated us, how they didn't try to understand us. Best of all we were the spitting image of each other in many ways with subtle differences. We had always been told by everyone, by parents and family, or teachers and such that we could be mistaken for twin sisters. And I loved that, and loved that about her. It felt life affirming every time I thought about it. I often look in the mirror and question why I'm like the way that I am, and why I'm off putting to people. And I wish deeply I could make myself the opposite of who I am for others' sake.
But she made me feel like there was nothing wrong with me ultimately. She looked just like me in many ways, and had made a real effort to reach out to me in a way that I took towards. And it just made me feel like I wasn't "wrong" for existing the way that I did. I just existed, like her, but unlike her existed in a way that wasn't like her. And that was okay, for both of us. I guess what I'm saying is that it made me feel loved in that truly heart warming way that TV shows and anime always tried to trick us into thinking lifelong friendship was going to be like. But I was there for it all the way. I was just glad to find out that a friendship like that was real and not a made up fantasy. We stayed the best of friends through middle and high school. Through college, through our internships, through our semesters abroad, and we were both so happy to find out that we could end up working our first jobs out of college at the same place. We both got hired to work as consultants for the same energy firm in the Southeast. I was happy again that she would be there for me, and that again I wouldn't have to bear the pain of getting used to a new place, a new way of having to do things around others.
And then tonight happened. She texted me out of the blue. She usually does, and I always love that because it's like being suddenly sucked into another adventure by my best friend all the time just when isolation, loneliness and other things I'm feeling start to creep in too deeply. She was at the local pond that was shared by our two apartment complexes. She told me the geese were walking their little goslings around the perimeter of the water and wanted me to come watch with her and feed them. And of course, I snapped at the opportunity to watch cute baby geese with my best friend on a lovely, calm night. And for a time it was good, and the little goslings were silly and adorable following around the big geese all awkwardly like they do. I watched their little reflections dance in the water back dropped by the moon's cascading and rippling image portrayed in it. And I smiled as we laughed about the stupid things at our new job and the difficulties we've both mutually encountered dealing with the other people who work there. And then she put her hand on my knee and broke my concentration on the comfort I was feeling in that moment with her. And I looked at her as she said "Hey hun, you know I'm not really here right?" with this sweet, understanding, and empathetic smile paired with the same reassuring eyes that had befriended me all those years ago.
I murmured something desperate and unintelligible out of my lips. I felt strangely panicked but utterly exhausted sitting there on the public bench with her. I felt like I had been grasping at something my entire life like a rat on a wheel, only it was a feeling which had overtaken me suddenly as though I had always known and felt it even though this was most certainly the first time I had ever reckoned with it. And I stared at her. And stared at her. And stared and stared. And the blank air mixed with the night's backdrop that surrounded us overtook where she had been. Where her face was now slowly stood nothing. Where her hair used to dangle right in front of me so close I could reach out and bat it away like a cat, now stood still oxygen and an empty seat beside me. There was no hand on my knee. And there had never been. She faded out until transparency over took her, and then just to be extra cruel to me reality made sure to remind me that there had never even been any such transparency because there was nothing to make transparent to begin with.
She was gone, and I wanted to cry. And I did, for a very long time until the goslings and their mother came to me wanting bread I did not have to give them since she was the one who had brought it originally. And I felt sorry for them because of that, and I guess more so for me, which is selfish but I did. I was angry. I was dead and dying inside. I was aching. And I was tear stricken. I messaged my mom and realized something for the first time in my life I wish that I had realized far earlier. My contact that is labeled as "Mom" in my phone is not my mom's phone number. Or better yet the mom that I thought was "Mom" never had a phone number because like Emily she never existed. And that same logic can be extended to my father, my brother, sister and other immediate family members due to the same following reason. The phone number listed as "Mom" in my phone is and has always been the number belonging to Emily's mother.
And this is for the simple fact that Emily's mother has always been my mother. Emily's father has always been my father, and so on. You get me. And I always knew this, I just chose to never acknowledge it as fact. When I said me and Emily had been introduced at a very young age to each other, the reality was (as I realize it has always been now), that when I was very young I made up Emily as an imaginary friend that was so real to me that my family had encouraged me to truly think and continue to think of her as real. And through all that encouragement, I was able to repress the subconscious part of me that knew it was fake. I had created a family of "lesser" people who I thought weren't as great as my real parents because I knew that being the off putting, weird, and unliked daughter of such a happy and admired family didn't make sense from a superficial point of view. I suppose looking back on it now, it's a point of view they shared.
And for a while, I guess it worked. I'm not angry at them. I'm only sad now that it stopped working and desperate to know why it did. Why my friend disappeared, why I did it to myself. Why I let the one person who made me happy all my life slip away. And now she's calling me. That woman. The one that birthed me and encouraged me to believe I wasn't hers, but instead the daughter of someone imaginary. Someone who it made more sense for someone of my caliber to be born out of. And I don't pick up. I'm just staring at these two little goslings here curling up next to each other wishing I could imagine myself as one of them. It stops ringing and I'm looking at the text message I just got. "Emily are you there? Did you tell her? Please call me NOW please before you do anything." It says. Thank you. I miss you. And I don't know why you had to go, and I wish you didn't. But the fact is that you're now gone and I can't have you back. But you did something for me in your own way, in a way that I'm sure you felt could help. Like I said, thank you.

- Trigger warning mention of drugs
I just need to vent somewhere no one knows me so here it goes. So I f18 am gradating high school this weekend. It took me a couple weeks but I finally decided I wasn't going to invite my father. I'm not having a grad party or anything like that because of my home situation but that's a different topic. I'm gonna be honest I just wasn't gonna tell him and deal with it after the fact. My mom was really pushing me to tell him and I agreed that she could tell him. Side note: My mother stopped talking to my dad when I was 16 because I was old enough for him to just go thru me. So my mom texted my dad he wasn't invited and that im 18 now and will talk to him when im ready. He texted me telling me if that's what I want I never have to see or hear from him again. His response to my mother wasn't so nice. "dead bodies cant attend fuck you all" since then he has texted me and called multiple times asking what he did but he finally stopped. My close friend keeps telling me I should have invited him and honestly its upsetting because I feel like everybody has been talking about his feelings and not mine. My father has been a drug addict for awhile now since before I hit high school but I cant put a time frame on it. He has done pills in front of me crushed them the whole 9 yards, has took me with him to go get them ect. My father has fallen asleep at the wheel multiple times causing atleast 2 car crashes. Hes lied about getting birthday/ Christmas which im not upset I didn't get anything im upset he lied about it. Last year I only saw him a hand full of times most of those being when he randomly showed up to my work. I lived with him for about a year and a half and had to go back to my moms because of him on drugs. When I moved in with him I didnt know about the drug problem until then and my dad never owned up to his wrong doing. In one night I found out he had been doing drugs and stealing from my grandma to support this habit. I use to be a really big daddys girl and it was very upsetting I had always wanted to live with my dad and I pushed and pushed and when it finally got approved by my mom he messed up. Ofcourse I wanted my dad to be at my graduation but we've had multiple issues of him gaslighting and trying to manipulate down talking my mom and I don't trust him. I have a little sister shes my half sister and I havent seen her in 6 years because my father hasnt tried to get any visitation or anything like that, I don't want my graduation to be ruined I honestly never thought I would even graduate for a long time so its very very important to me. I wish my dad could own up to his wrong doing an actually try but he really doesnt try. He just got evicted again and didnt even tell me. Sorry if this was all over the place.

I tried to keep this literally as brief as I could but ended up having a lot of thoughts about this game so I jotted them down. I'm not going so much into the creation/customization aspect as that's not the area of the game I focus on mainly as I just focus on gameplay, mainly due to the fact that I have the creativity of a pet rock. However, if it came down to a drawing competition the pet rock would probably win, but anyway, let's get into it:
​

• Music: Grew up with the EA Sports MVP baseball series so having licensed music was a nice surprise addition, and the fact that its not strictly leaning towards one general direction (way back when the MVP games were mostly rock-based soundtracks) is a nice touch. Having it be like an actual radio station with cut-ins and ads is weird. would've preferred without.
• UI: seems a bit clunky, especially in the menus, and some stuff isn't as easy to navigate as it was in the previous installment. They went with a different overall aesthetic, which is fine, but a lot of stuff is spread out all over the place and this really shows in the gameplay, especially on the defensive side when you have to look in multiple places for a pitcher instead of in one small box. Also having a little two-box sub-menu for changing pitchers is annoying. If you're switching from pitcher to pitcher just have it one button like in 3 and only have the sub-menu when moving a position player becomes a pitcher, which is going to be a rarity in most instances. my two cents.
• Legends: Random. Very random. Sure it's cool having greats from across eras in the game, albeit labeling them as "legends" is a bit stretched. It probably would've been better to have them in tiers, and not just the typical A, B, C, etc. but have it as pro, great, all-star, legend instead of just they're all "legends." Also for the love of all that is holy, butchering Vlad Guerrero's name on the announcement is just a cardinal sin. one of the greatest players of all time, so have some respect. And the fact that's not the only player it's happened to is...frustrating, to say the least as a fan of the game.
• Creators League: seems more so for promotional purposes and was a really random addition. It doesn't take away anything from the game but it doesn't really add anything to it either.
• Stadiums: Of course, we have all of the stadiums from 3 that crossed the yellow brick road onto 4, which for me was one of the selling points that at last every team in the regular SMB league would have its own home stadium, and the new stadiums look freaking awesome. I can't decide which one of them is my favorite, as at first glance I thought would be Whacker's Wheel with its dome and presumable hotel beyond the right field bleachers, but battery bay has grown on me a lot and made a strong impression, but the king IMO is Peril Point which is kind of an homage to Wilmington, DE and Fall River, MA with the battleships, the river, and the bridges. Also, the fact that the stadiums much like in real life have individual sound effects for after-strikeouts, runs scored, and homers is a nice touch. Well done Metalhead. EDIT: The sound effects for after-strikeouts, runs scored and homers are shared across all stadiums, not individually. Still a very nice touch.
• Crowd Sound effects: Considering I usually play "covid style" with no crowd sounds or crowd in the stands, I haven't really dove into the crowd effects outside of my first 3 games. But the random callouts from the crowd did start to grow on me a little bit, especially the one Rudy call out talking about having a Rudy moment and doing the famous chant and then switching to "loser, loser, loser" which was hysterical. Considering all manner of random things can be heard in banter at a baseball game, at first I thought it was annoying and random but it has grown on me. Well done.
• The umps: also throwing gameplay thought down in here as well because it fits with the umps, the strike zone. I hope a patch comes for this at some point because at no point at any time should a ball at eye level be called a strike, and that's been a consistent thing that's been happening. Now onto the actual umps, the extra stuff like "that's a strike and a half my friend" or other bs, just unnecessary. I get that this game is supposed to lean more towards the cartoony aspect but that's just excessive. Just call the game, if you want to have the extra bs have it come after a big strikeout or something like in 3.
• Hitting sound effects: these feel weird and random, and I get it again leaning towards the cartoony style, as well irl sometimes you'll have balls that don't sound like they were absolutely crushed but still end up going over the wall, and vice versa, but some of the extra wooshes and flying sound effects seem unnecessary, to fill in some blank space. Albeit I will say having a ball come off the bat sounds like it was absolutely crushed and that being the case, it is extremely satisfying. When it lands right it LANDS but most of the time, just seems excessive. It may grow on me but right now, not feeling it.
• Gameplay: If you liked how the game actually played in SMB 3 when you're actually playing the game, this one feels pretty much exactly the same, it's a bit smoother but some of the fielding plays feel random, especially dives on the infield where it feels a lot more like an actual risk to make a dive towards a ball, which for some people it may not be that big of a deal and it may also be pending on the ego you play at (I play at 80 Ego so take that how you may) but It's not too much a dealbreaker. However, what is weird and this may just be the one time it's happened but with the walls being that high at Whacker's Wheel, it should not be possible to rob a home run with how high the player models are able to jump but it has happened once in one of my games. wtf. The traits also add a new dimension to the game as well, especially the ones that play in the field. It adds a bit of strategy to the game as to when is it time to pull the noodle arm or when is it time to pull a pitcher to make sure he isn't going to get hurt from overuse, among other angles that can be taken to.
• EDIT: Two-way players, specifically pitchers: If you're going to have two way players be a pitcher, just add the "Shohei" rule where if you want them to also act as the DH they can instead of having to leave the pitcher out of the lineup when playing with the DH, obviously it doesn't matter when you're playing without the DH but when you are, it can really, really screw up a lineup when a pitcher needs to come out of the game but you want to use him as a bat.

Overall and final thoughts, the one saving grace I will give Metalhead is that this is still an early release, as the actual "true" release is coming on Friday, and even then there is still time after that to fix a lot of the issues that have been plaguing the game with reported crashes, weird lighting glitches and a couple of gameplay glitches as well.
Would I call the game unfinished or just SMB 3 give and take edition? Honestly no, could the new stadiums and "legends" have just been made DLC for 3? Absolutely, especially considering the customization from what I've heard hasn't changed all that much, but it does appear that the engine is either new or got an overhaul, but there is definitely an air of not quite being finished and to see what direction the DLC's will go in the coming months outside of the 3 stadiums that those not playing the ballpark edition will have to grab as DLC for to play peril point and the other two that are coming, it'll be interesting.
As unfortunately expected, this game has split the community, which isn't entirely unexpected. I think it gives to say that despite Metalhead's promise that there was something for everybody and the hype that came into the game, someone was going to get screwed in the process, and that appears to have been the franchise/customization crowd. Of course, there are those who had their doubts about the new game as well as those who know what EA's reputation is and wish for nothing but the absolute worst for the company with good reason (speaking as somebody who was once a battlefield player, you don't have to dig that far to find the crap they've been up to) but while I don't trust EA, considering what metalhead has been able to do despite having the expectations and now living under the EA cloud, we can only wait and see.
Would I have still bought the ballpark edition pre-order at $60 knowing it would be this, probably not, but while this game does a lot to be desired, the core of the game itself, the gameplay is still there, but I can definitely understand the frustrations coming from the community too.

Based on a Dream
FDF Resolute, Sanctum Class Battlecruiser, en route to NT-2125 deep Fringe.
Mary had been rather intrigued by the concept of an observation deck on a ship. Curator ship designs didn’t even have windows let alone a whole deck. Yet, deck seemed a bit of a grand exaggeration now that she was standing in the room with the large window dominating one wall. The room was empty aside from herself. Though there were tables and chairs enough to fit a few dozen people easily. No doubt it was more in use if the ship should be hosting dignitaries over some important planet, or picturesque astronomical feature. En route to NT-2125 however they were instead enveloped in the Ink, a sight no one seemed keen on viewing.
Her education had of course touched on the existence of the Ink, but that was about it. She had no idea how it really was used to facilitate FTL travel. What she did know, now that she was looking at it, was that it was rather unpleasant to look at. She had seen purest black. The concept of looking at entirely nothing but a void was fine with her.
The Ink however… While she watched it slowly move around before her eyes it was like a vast ocean of some kind. An ocean of… incredible depth. When she had first stepped into the room and seen it dominating the large window she had thought it to be a mixture of blues, purples, and blacks. But the longer she watched the bubbles and lines slowly moving around she wasn’t sure if she were seeing color at all. Maybe she was seeing not the absence of light, but something opposite to it. As if the Ink gave off… anti-light.
She had no basis for this thought of course. No training, education, or experience to make her believe it was a real thing. Yet, if matter had anti-matter why couldn’t light have anti-light? After all the longer she looked the more if felt like she wasn’t really seeing anything. Nothing real anyway. More like… if she closed her eyes and rubbed against the eyelids and saw the attempts of her brain understand the shadows. Then there was the thought maybe she really was seeing something. Something just under the waves of its vast deep ocean of anti-light. After all, what was causing it to move? Were the waves, ripples, and bubbles purely random? Or was there something making it move?
As unpleasant as her line of thinking was, at least watching it gave her some small alone time on the otherwise crowded vessel. It also gave her an excuse to keep her headset muted. She would much rather deal with staring out at a vast ocean of anti-light than listen to the ship around her at this point. Yet, the moment she began to consider that she saw a flash in the bottom of her vision. Door opening. With a flick she started the program to let her headset gradually increase volume as her ears began to work again.
First sound, click of hard heel on metallic decking. Second sound, sharp intake of breath likely indicating surprise, anxiety, unease, or combination. Third sound, a tongue flicking against teeth before making a disapproving sucking sound. Fourth sound, fabric on fabric rubbing was very low and soft indicating luxury stitching and material. “Hello Director Obli.”
“Translator.” Came the curt reply, though said at a perfectly reasonable volume for normal speaking Mary winced a bit. Going from total silence to even the muted sounds she was getting now was rough at times. Especially as more just kept building. Even at this low level the sound of the ships began to return to her. The groan of metal, the hum of electricity, the distant murmur of people going about their tasks. She had no idea what she’d do without the headset to at least partially mute the world around her.
“Your bodyguards aren’t joining us?” Mary glanced over at the Huul’Rav in his custom suit. She couldn’t see his guards, but she could hear them just outside. She recognized Hrue from his breathing pattern, as smoking had done a number on his lungs. Based on the jingle of grenade tabs the other was Juul.
“If the Curators wanted me dead I highly doubt they’d create you just for the task. They’re more than powerful enough to have no need for subtlety or subterfuge.” Even though the director was talking to her he was looking out the window at the Ink. She could see the disdain on his face rather obviously. A hand moving up to nervously brush his furry chin, even as he tilted his horns side to side.
While he seemed focused on the Ink her mind returned to his curious comment. Did the Curators need to employ subterfuge? Of course they were powerful, but surely there was also use in subterfuge. Regardless, she had not been sent to kill the Director. Or anyone for that matter. She had no training in combat or related topics. He seemed to also be thinking about this though as he looked at her. “You aren’t here to kill me right?”
“No. I’m not here to kill you or anyone else.” She assured him. “I’m just here to facilitate communications during the negotiations.”
“It is curious though. Why the Custodians sent anyone at all…” He trailed off and while she was about to answer he turned and spoke first. “Actually do you mind if we talk somewhere else?” At the end his eyes darted to the window and the swirl of the Ink beyond.
“Certainly.” She nodded, and gestured to the door letting him go first.
“I appreciate it.” He commented and even as he stepped through the door Hrue stepped in front of him to lead, while Juul stepped up behind Mary to follow. “I will admit it spoils my plans a bit. I wanted to talk with you in private a little. But uh… I do not particularly enjoy looking at the Ink.” She could hear his breathing pattern change just being in the hallway, out of sight of the swirling anti-light.
“I’m sure we can find privacy elsewhere. Though I am unsure what kind of private chat you would like. I’m here strictly as a neutral party to facilitate negotiations.” She reminded him.
“As you’ve said many times.” Obli waved off her remark. “Anyway, since you’re new to this sort of thing I just want to introduce you to my underling since you’ll be working for him during the start of the talks.”
Mary frowned at this sudden revelation. “First, I don’t work for you, or your subordinate. I-”
“Are a neutral translator provided by the Curators.” He waved her off again as they walked. All around her she could hear the ship and its crew going about keeping the ship alive as it were. It was an older vessel and every creak and groan of stressed metal, or electrical spark continued to heighten her anxiety. She could not wait to get off this vessel and onto a planet. “I meant work for him in a more metaphorical sense. I know you likely expected to work with me throughout these talks but it’s just not how labor talks to management. They don’t get to start by talking to a Director. They’ll start with someone just important enough to garner attention but with no real power. If he fails, I swoop in and save things. If he succeeds I get to take credit in the end and talk about how I knew he was the man for the job.”
The further they walked from the observation deck and the Ink the more confident and in fact arrogant Obli got. She wasn’t particularly keen on his behavior but she had at least grown accustomed to it on the trip so far. “Why then did you spend most of this trip testing my abilities as a translator?”
“Because I was trying to figure out your angle.” He replied with a glance back over his shoulder as they reached a lift. The four of them filtered into it before Juul hit the button for the hangar deck.
“I don’t have an angle. I was instructed to come here and facilitate-” She began but he yet again waved her off.
“Neutral yes yes. But why? We’ve never needed nor requested Curator assistance for anything like this. We have a proven history of successfully ending labor disputes and organization efforts. So why have the curators bothered to send you? Shouldn’t you be trying to help keep the FDF from falling apart? Or spreading the word of the Curators to the masses or something? That is something they do right? Proselytize?” Mary was fairly confident Obli tried to be dismissive about the Curators just to make himself more comfortable. It was a minor enough annoyance to overlook. Though she wondered if it actually helped ease his fragile ego.
“The Curators do not proselytize no. They have no need. They exist. They act. They do not need the approval of others, nor belief in their correctness. I am here because I have been ordered to be here. I was told I must assist in negotiating between the belligerent parties on NT-2125 and observe the outcome. That is all. If the Curators have a deeper reason for sending me here I do not know it.” While she spoke she could already hear Obli clicking his tongue in disapproval. Hrue was trying, and failing, to breathe quietly. Juul was running her hand over a smooth metallic object in her right pocket, slowly turning it over.
“I know you are flesh and blood, but you’re more like your creators than I find comforting.” Obli very bluntly commented.
“I do not exist for your comfort.” Mary pointedly replied, which made Obli click his tongue in disapproval once more. By that point the lift stopped and the doors opened. The rush of sound from the hangar deck made her wince a moment as she had to deal with the sudden volume as she lowered her headset sensitivity.
“I don’t think you exist for your own comfort either.” Obli remarked, now smirking a little at her obvious discomfort. There was little she could do but cast a glare in his direction as the pain subsided and the sounds took on a more muted level. Looking out across the hangar she could see dozens of people moving around and working on the ship’s complement of shuttles, and fighters. No one was expecting combat, but that didn’t stop the captain from preparing anyway. While she was told most of the machinery operated at frequencies most species couldn’t hear it always gave her a headache to be around so many buzzing, grinding, churning machines.
“Regardless.” Obli continued. “I want to make it clear I have been authorized to extend to the Curators our most sincere intent to be friends. If there is anything we can do to make your job more comfortable let me know. And if you see fit to pass on anything you hear from the labor organizers direct compensation is on offer.”
“I am here as a neutral party.” She reminded him yet again. But he just spread his hands and smiled.
“We’re willing to pay for even what you would consider banter and gossip. Anything you hear. My subordinate is also authorized to compensate you but I’d prefer a direct copy.” He held out an encryption cylinder. While she had no intention of passing along anything she did take it. It might be useful for other reasons.
“I don’t have a bank account, you know. Or any credits.” When she told him this he looked entirely confused. “I am not paid for my efforts. Curators do not use currency of any kind. Resources are simply provided as needed.”
Director Obli’s look of pure disgust was even more obvious than when he’d been in the observation deck. “And here I thought they were civilized… But it’s then all the more important for you to start building up your own nest egg!” He began to pull a credit chip from his pocket but she waved him off.
“I’m not chipped nor do I have a slate.” This time he scoffed and looked confused even as he held it out.
“You can take the whole thing. How do you expect to pay for anything on the planet without credits?” He seemed genuinely baffled.
“I don’t expect to pay for anything on the planet. Your company has extended their most sincere intent to be friends after all.” As she tilted her head a little while looking at him Obli just snorted.
“Ah… This is why my assistant was babbling about an expense waiver. Yes… There are limits to it, you know. Food, drink, necessities only.” Mary just stared at him until he finally sighed and tucked the credit chip back into his pocket. “Fine. It’s best for you to go change now then, the shuttle will be leaving as soon as we hit real space.”
She was wondering why he’d brought her here directly. “And why am I changing?”
“Well, you can go as you are if you like. But this isn’t a Curator ship. The Resolute has to drop further away from the planet so the shuttle will be in space to close the gap to the planet. And, I mean clearly Curator tech never breaks or has any accidents but our poor mortal hands make poor mortal vessels.” Obli spread his hands as if to highlight his own soft, well manicured hands.
“Fine.” While her suit wasn’t as comfortable as her normal clothes she didn’t intend on being the only one killed by some sort of accident on the way to the planet. It would set a terrible precedent. So she walked away from Obli and his guards then towards the hangar’s locker room.
As she strode across the deck, stepping over fuel and coolant lines she tried to make some sense of the mass of sound around her. Obli no doubt thought she was beyond earshot when he spoke to his guards. “Strange bird. Easy on the eyes though.”
Hrue cleared his throat a moment to reply in a gravely, raspy voice. “Think the Curators made her to be attractive to most species somehow? Robot magic or something?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I still don’t know why they sent anyone at all. I don’t trust those damned machines.” Obli replied. She had expected this sort of reaction. It was in line with their comments during the trip.
Other than that most of the technicians, mechanics, and pilots moving around the hangar seemed much more focused on their work than anything else. Grumblings about the captain’s standards, and an apparent lack of spare parts. Based on the overall comments it seemed to be more about not wanting to do so much work rather than serious concerns over abilities to keep ships functional. Or so she hoped.
Once in the locker room she made her way to the back where a special case had been installed for her suit. While she would have preferred to travel on a Curator vessel she was glad to at least get a Curator suit. They didn’t have many organics, but the suits they made for her and the other Lifted were absolutely the best in terms of survivability, durability, and protection. Just not… comfort.
Since the locker room seemed to be empty she quickly stripped down, setting aside the encryption cylinder Obli had given her. For a moment she examined herself, along the deep red feathers of her head and neck, gradually turning to a sunburst yellow down her torso, and finally a rich deep blue along her legs and tail. Did species find her attractive? If the Curators had intended for this they likely would have included it in her training surely. Must just be Obli and his guards.
Stepping up to the Curator case she hit the activation button and then held perfectly still as the case opened, arms moving out to begin affixing the suit to her body. First she felt the snap of metal rings around her ankles, wrists, neck, hips, and ribs before the rest of the exoskeleton was built up around it. Then came the cool mesh of the inner suit pulled up underneath it and against her feathers. Next was the composites slotted into the outside, layered and overlapped for maximum coverage. Finally she prepared herself for the final step as two hoses connected to the metal collar around her neck. She hated this part.
When the liquid began to pump into the lining between the mesh and the composite layer it was ice cold and caused her to gasp and shudder as it filled in. It took a few minutes while she tried to carefully control her breathing and push past the cold. Once it was finally full the suit activated and the liquid turned solid, controlled by the sophisticated Curator chip in her skull. Her temperature quickly began to return to normal now and she took a slow deep breath in relief before taking the helmet the case offered last.
She refrained from putting the helmet on yet though, it wasn’t quite big enough for her taste and always rubbed her eartips. Walking back out into the hangar she could feel the suit somewhat flowing around her movements. It would turn liquid to move, then solid when it didn’t need to. She was also told it would go selectively rigid to deflect projectiles. A feature she hoped to never test.
Looking around a moment she saw Obli near the closest shuttle, speaking to someone wearing an executive pattern suit. Luxurious and comfortable, but she’d prefer the Curator suit in an emergency. Next to him was a human in a deep blue armored suit with steel accents. As she watched he draped a travel cloak over the shoulders of the suit. An interesting touch. Walking towards them she had to stop a moment to let a rumbling hangar tug pass. Several technicians rode in the back, carried to their next task.
Judging on the whine of the back left wheel she figured their next task might be to fix the tug itself. Either way she continued on up to Director Obli. “Translator. I’d like you to meet Kingus.” Obli gestured to the figure in the executive suit. Up close she could see through his helmet’s faceplate and examine the Nikvic inside. Rather stubby bone ridges. Rather young then for an executive.
“Translator.” He nodded to her.
“Kingus, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Mary, though translator is just fine as well.” She took an amicable approach for now.
“Yes. This is my bodyguard, Eli.” He gestured to the human next to him, who made for an imposing figure in his armor. With his helmet in place the steel visor reflected a distorted reflection of herself back at her.
“Ma’am.” He nodded and extended a hand out from under his cloak. Shifting her helmet to her left hand she carefully reached out to shake his hand in return.
“Eli, it’s nice to meet you.” The first human she’d found in the employ of the company. Though she knew most of the problems on the planet were related to their human miners. Allegedly at least.
“Nice to meet you as well ma’am.” His shake was firm but not aggressive. “We should be ready shortly. They’re loading the last of some food supplies and then we’re waiting on the marines.”
“Food supplies… I don’t even know what we’re taking down there. Argyle is a full fledged city. The problems its facing are related to labor terrorists. Not famine.” Kingus mentioned with a huff.
“It’s likely my food.” Mary answered. “The Curators were unsure how long I would be here and sent me with a full complement of prepared meals.”
“Oh.” Kingus coughed lightly. “Well… that’s fine then. I wasn’t aware you had special dietary needs. But the marines at least should be here. What’s taking them so long?” He tried to deflect a little and looked around.
As if summoned by his complaint she saw a group of human soldiers approaching the shuttle. The few times she had seen soldiers so far they’d been in smart uniforms and moving with purpose and sharp specific gestures. These… did not look nearly so impressive. Or poised. Instead the group just walked casually towards them, in a mixture of armor sets. Most had a haphazard drab olive green coat of paint but much of it was chipped and worn. Not to mention much of it was also covered in writing, drawings, and decals that she doubted were officially sanctioned.
Only the man in the lead looked to be in a truly official uniform set of armor. “I’m Lieutenant Barrow. I assume this is the shuttle we want?”
“Barrow, this is Kingus our Executive Labor Liason.” Director Obli introduced them. “This is our translator Mary.”
“Never seen one of you before. What species are you?” Mary turned to look at the soldier who’d spoken to her. He was just next to the officer, and his armor looked particularly beat up. She also noticed signs of scorch marks in several places. Unlike the single smooth faceplate of Eli’s armor his helmet looked more like a scowling face with golden lenses in the eyes.
“I am not an official species. I was Lifted by the Curators to act as a translator.” She informed him directly.
“Interesting. So you’re a bird. But you’ve got ears. What’s with the headset?” He gestured up at it as she reflexively reached up with her free hand to touch the side.
“There was a slight miscalculation in my creation and I find most settings to be… uncomfortably loud. The headset is to regulate the volume of my surroundings to prevent damage and discomfort.” She explained.
“What… wait. The Curators made a translator who gets hurt by sound? Am I understanding that right?” Mary frowned at his comment.
“That’s somewhat reductive.” She tried to deflect.
“Is it wrong?” He pressed.
“It’s not entirely inaccurate.” Disparaging on the work of the Curators wasn’t something she was comfortable with.
“That’s a fancy way of saying I’m right. So your job, which is listening to things, actively hurts you. Man… sucks to be you.” A few of the other marines snickered and giggled behind him as Mary frowned.
“Gunny, that’s enough.” Barrow finally waved off the other marine.
“Where’s the rest of your company? And the Major?” Obli asked now, thankfully moving things along.
“Elsewhere. He said if you’re not going to the planet yet he doesn’t see a reason to go either. My platoon and I are sufficient at this time. Once you’re ready to head down then the rest of the company will deploy.” Barrow shrugged. “You send your flunkey first he sends his flunkey too.”
“We have concerns about possible terrorist strikes on civilians during the labor talks. Are you sure a platoon is really sufficient?” Kingus asked.
The officer sucked in a breath, likely about to answer but Gunny cut him off. “Isn’t it interesting. All across the fringe you corporate types like to talk about how safe and secure your mining colonies are. Biding everyone to bring their families and get to work. Yet, the moment a union starts to form you start screaming about terrorists and how you need the military to keep order.”
“Gunny.” The officer hissed at him. Gunny waved it off a moment as the officer cleared his throat. “Your own reports suggest corporate security is robust enough to secure the city. We have no intel to suggest any threats of terrorist strikes by the miners are really valid. A platoon will suffice for now. If the situation changes the rest of the company can deploy very quickly I assure you.”
“Fine. But remember just because the miners in question are human doesn’t mean you can give them free reign. The FDF and by extension the marines rely on our funding to keep functioning.” Kingus replied.
“You never let us fucking forget.” Gunny muttered that barely under his breath. Neither Kingus or Obli seemed to pick up on this but Mary did.
“Many species across the Fringe have been generous enough to accept many human refugees. We obviously seek a future of cooperation and mutual success. This is not about humans being singled out. They have been given the same rights and contracts as all other species who join our corporate family.” Director Obli smiled and spread his hands in a friendly gesture. “We ask only that you protect the talks because they’re so important to our continued wellbeing as united front here on the Fringe. The Tide comes for us all and we must be ready. Together.”
“Well said Director.” Kingus nodded in support.
“Fucking please…” Gunny muttered and made some sort of gesture with his fist making a pumping motion in front of his hips. From the reports the Curators had given her, really what it seemed like was the humans massively increased their productivity, but in exchange wanted better treatment from the various industrial consortiums. The executives like Obli enjoyed the productivity but felt treating them better would set a bad precedent.
Across the fringe however humans had been getting their way more often than not. NT-2125 was by far the biggest, most high profile case, but she didn’t imagine it would be anything special. “Yes, well, we are here to keep you safe and make sure no one kills anyone. On either side.” The officer assured them and then gestured at the shuttle. “Shall we?”
“Have a nice flight Translator. Remember to call me.” Obli smiled and nodded at her.
“I’m sure we’ll be in touch, Director.” She finally pulled her helmet up and on, feeling it settle into place with a click and a soft hiss at it pressurized. The very tips of her ears were lightly pressed in by the sides which was why she’d waited this long to put it on. The marines began to board the shuttle first, shuffling along rows in the center to get into seats with metal shoulder restraints that would help hold them in place.
“Hey, so you’re a Lifted? What do the Curators want you here for? What’s the deal?” Gunny asked as he waited near the back for the others to shuffle in.
“I am not at liberty at this time to discuss the Curators or their work.” Mary’s forehead felt slightly warm as she answered him.
“Oh come on. There’s got to be something special the Curators want you here for.” Gunny insisted.
“I am not at liberty at this time to discuss the Curators or their work.” Mary’s forehead felt a bit warmer still.
“Gunny leave her alone.” Barrow instructed.
“C’mon why a translator at all? We’ve got earpieces! I’ve never seen a translator before, let alone a Curator one!” By now the other marines were seated and Mary began to shuffle up the row looking for a free seat.
“Ma’am you’ll need to take one of the jumpseats up front. These harnesses aren’t made for your Curator suit.” Barrow tapped one of the set of shoulder restraints. So she kept shuffling past the row of marines towards the front.
“I don’t rely on machine translation. I am fluent in over six hundred languages and forms of communication. I listen to all parties and ensure nothing is lost in translation.” She assured them.
“Only six hundred? I knew of a guy who was fluent in over six million forms of communication.” Gunny’s voice had a slightly different tone to it. Was he joking?
“Six million seems excessive. I assure you I am well trained for my job.” Now at the front of the shuttle she found the jumpseat in question. Yet, when she went to pull the seat down the dangerous whine and groan of the metal hinged did not inspire her with confidence. Still it was her mission so she settled into the seat and went about trying to figure out the harness.
Barrow approached her and pointed to the straps in order to help her out. “You’ll be fine. This is really just a precaution.” The Lieutenant nodded and gave her shoulder a pat. She smiled up at him then, her faceplate clear unlike their armor. It was thought to be better for non-verbal communication cues if people she spoke to could see her face. Kingus and Eli were the last to settle in seats nearby.
“Hey! Corpse!” Gunny called out as Eli settled into his seat and set the shoulder restraints with practiced ease.
“Excuse me?” Eli looked across the aisle at Gunny.
“You’re corporate security right? Corp-sec.” Gunny more carefully pronounced. But Mary was positive he hadn’t made a mistake earlier.
“I’m a private bodyguard. I work on contract.” Eli corrected him.
“Oh well anyway the fuck is with the cloak?” Gunny gestured at the deep blue cloak draped over Eli’s shoulders and body. “You’re in a suit right? Kind of the point of a space suit to be waterproof and somewhat heat proof and shit yeah? Kind of defeats the point of a cloak right? So what gives?”
“It’s about looking stylish. Something you clearly have no concept of Gunnery Sergeant.” Eli’s response seemed to take Gunny by surprise. The Gunny? Was Gunny a nickname or a title? Either way the marines around snickered and chuckled a bit though she could hear Gunny snort.
Barrow took the jumpseat next to her instead of one of the more secure seats. Possibly to help set her at ease. Which she appreciated. “So, Lieutenant. Do you expect this mission to be dangerous?”
“What? Protecting the talks? No. We’ve done this a few times so far. It’s pretty boring. No one has actually done anything. Usually there are some protests. Corp-sec shove people around. Both sides are upset. But no one dies. The talks advance. The miners get a bit more pay and benefits. Both sides are mutually annoyed with the other. And I’m sure in a few years it’ll all happen again.” Barrow shrugged and seemed entirely unconcerned.
“Don’t be so flippant.” Kingus said even as Barrow seemed to dismiss any concerns. “We’ve had some communications troubles from NT-2125. The work of labor agitators no doubt.”
“Communications troubles? Why are you telling us that now?” Barrow asked, showing some concern.
“I thought it was common knowledge?” Kingus sounded genuinely confused that Barrow was unaware of this. “Is it not? Executives on the ground have spoken of damaged communications systems, and delayed reports from outlying facilities.”
“Have there been delays in ore shipments? Or minerals or whatever?” Barrow asked.
“No. In fact due to our exemplary corporate structure we’re seeing increases across the board.” Kingus nodded, clearly proud of this fact.
“So… in your mind the labor agitators are breaking lines of communication. But not… the ore shipments which you find significantly more valuable?” Barrow asked, clearly not buying the idea.
“Don’t be complacent! Just because labor organizers have been rarely violent in the past doesn’t mean it will always be the case! I want your men on their highest alertness lieutenant!” Kingus stressed.
“Yes sir, I’ll be sure to pass that along.” Barrow assured him, even though Mary could tell by his tone that he had no intention of doing anything.
“What’s the planet like?” She asked next.
“The locals have called it Argyle.” Kingus answered. “It’s our largest mining operation and a highlight of our terraforming technology. A dozen zones have been established across the surface and ten of them are already fully habitable without a suit. We expect work to be done on six zones within the solar cycle, and shall open up another dozen to be finished within the next three solar cycles. Mineral and ore outputs are quadruple expectations. Mostly thanks to our unequaled refinery efficiency.”
“Or maybe cause you’re exploiting the shit out of your workers.” Again Gunny muttered this quietly enough to be missed by the others. Mary was settling into her seat as best she could when she heard the engines spool up. Inside the armored cockpit behind her she could hear the pilots flipping switches.
“Systems check complete. Echo shuttle requesting clearance for departure.” She wasn’t sure if that was the pilot or co-pilot. Deeper, possibly male.
“We got a flight plan?” Lighter possible female. Maybe that was the pilot?
“Yeah.” Navigator. Younger, more youthful. Not clear if male or female. “Not much to it. Follow the automated beacons. Their spaceport is big enough for Tagmax freighters so it should be easy peasy lemon squeezy.” Human definitely.
“We’re clear.” Co-pilot.
“Okay.” There was a moment where Mary’s hearing seemed to echo as she heard both the pilot in the cockpit and over the speakers in the hold at the same time. “We’re in real space and disembarking now. Remember to keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times until we come to a full and complete stop. We know you’ve got no choice in airlines today so suck it up because we’re all you got.” Also definitely human.
Gunny seemed to wiggle and settle in his seat, as if to take a nap. In general the marine chatter in the hold seemed very relaxed and calm. A good sign. The most nervous person was likely Kingus whose breathing she could tell was getting a bit quicker and more nervous. After another few seconds she heard the engine spooling get more intense and the shuttle picked up off the deck. Kingus tensed at this as his hands gripped the seat’s armrests more tightly.
While Mary wished she was in a superior Curator craft she was relatively relaxed. She’d flown many times, especially in her training to make sure she could translate even in stressful situations. Part of her wanted to mute her headset for now, to free herself of the need to listen to every jostle of the shuttle and the people within it, but she knew it was more important to maintain her ability to listen to the flight crew.
For several minutes however she mostly had to fight her growing desire to take a nap. Gunny’s breathing shifted into a soft and consistent snore so he already fell asleep. The gentle rumble of the ship around her and her secure nature also lent itself to a desire to nap… “Hey did we check the sensor calibration before we left?” Navigator.
“Yeah, total systems check. Everything cleared. I’m not seeing any problems.” Pilot.
“Uuuhhh… Okay.” Their tone implied things were not okay. She turned her head a little, and began to dial up her headset, ignoring the other sounds and focusing on the cockpit. Another minute went by as she just had the hum of the engines and marine chatter around her. “We’re sure the sensors were checked?”
“Yeah. Why what’s wrong?” Pilot.
“It’s just… uh… doesn’t make sense. I’m reading like… aaa lot of different atmospheres?” Navigator.
“Yeah. They’re terraforming it. So, a lot of different atmospheric readings.” Co-pilot.
“Sure but… some of these are… bizarre.. Like a… nitrogen? Maybe? And uh… ammonia.” She frowned as the Navigator said this.
“Maybe those are the natural planetary atmosphere. Listen, everything else I’ve got is reading fine.” Pilot.
“Ask ground maybe? Terraforming… accidents?” Navigator.
“Resolute this is Echo Two. Do we have any direct communication with Ground? Over.” Co-pilot. Pause. “No direct comms at this time. But the nav beacons are loud and clear.”
“Probably just some interference. I mean if they’ve had a terraforming accident it’s probably hell on comms.” Pilot.
“Yeah… probably.” Navigator, entirely unconvinced. As she listened she realized Barrow was staring straight at her. Did he suspect something? Was he on their channel?
“Something up?” He asked.
“The navigator thinks there might have been a terraforming accident on the planet.” She explained.
“What? How do you know that?” Barrows looked from her towards the armored door between them.
“I can hear them.” She explained simply.
“Did you say a terraforming accident?” Kinugs looked her way now.
“They say there’s strange atmospherics on the planet.” She revealed.
“I knew it! Labor agitators!” He huffed. “Tell your men to be ready for all manner of terrorism Lieutenant!”
“Mmhh…” Barrow's answer was noncommittal but seemed worried as he focused on Mary. She was still focused on the cockpit however.
“Was there a cruiser in orbit somewhere?” Co-pilot.
“The uh… Tartar or something. At least on the mission brief. We tracking it anywhere?” Pilot.
“I… no. I’ve got us, the orbital refinery platform, and the Resolute.” Navigator.
“Freighters? Shuttles? Corporate Yachts? Anything?” Pilot.
“Nnnnno.” Navigator.
“They aren’t seeing any other traffic in orbit.” She relayed to Barrow.
Barrow cleared his throat and seemed to trigger a mic in his helmet. “Guys, shut the fuck up. Gunny wake up.” A marine besides gunny slapped the man’s shoulder causing him to jerk in his seat and a knife seemed to appear in his hand.
“Wah?” He looked around.
“Something’s up.” Barrow mentioned. “No traffic, planetary comms are down, and terraformers are fucked up.”
Mary expected some smart comment but Gunny tucked his knife away and just listened. “Wait. A… freighter is taking off.” Navigator. “And I’ve got one leaving the orbital platform.”
“Ping them?” Co-pilot. Pilot must have nodded because he continued. “Pinging.” Pause. “Both are automated. Both report… systems are fine. No issues.”
“Nothing from ground? Emergency beacons? Distress? Nothing?” Pilot.
“Nothing.” Co-pilot confirmed.
“I mean… they’d be loath to stop shipping ore. Maybe it’s just really comms trouble and they aren’t flying anything right now. Cruiser might be on the far side assisting with some kind of… recovery effort? I don’t know.” Pilot.
“That might be the case…” The co-pilot did not in fact think that was the case. “Resolute, this is Echo two. Uh… do we have any further… mission details? Are we still go on landing? Over.” He sounded nervous. “We’re still go… they think it’s just comms trouble. But they’re prepping more shuttles now for possible rescue or support efforts.”
“I mean everything I’m seeing is clear. Not even rain clouds.” Pilot.
“They’re saying there’s comms failure on the planet. They’ve found automated traffic only. No distress calls.” Mary relayed. A moment later the pilot keyed in a direct channel and she heard the voice through Barrow’s helmet comm.
“Hey eltea. Just a heads up. We think there’s some kind of comms failure on the planet. And maybe a terraforming accident. No signs of hostile action though. Still prepped to land shortly. But uh giving you a heads up.” So they could talk to him but hadn’t.
“Appreciated. I’ll relay.” He acknowledged. Then she had to try and focus a bit harder as Barrow began to speak to his marines about the situation but the flight crew was still chatting.
“Entering atmo now. Any change in sensor reading?” Pilot.
“No. Area around Argyle looks… okay. Wait, that's the city right?” Navigator.
“Yeah. Uh. Maybe.” Pilot. The shuttle began to shake a bit harder though from what she had experienced before this was just normal for entering atmosphere. They were quiet as the shuttle rumbled. But after another minute the rumbling seemed to get worse instead of better. She was much more acutely aware of the groaning of the metal and just shuddering of everything around her. Kingus’ teeth were rattling and clicking especially. “Okay what the fuck.”
“Yeah… Yeah… Uh… fuck.” Co-pilot. What were they seeing? Just describe it outloud!
“I can’t turn it off. Ground has us locked into our corridor.” Navigator.
“Override!” Pilot.
“I can’t! I’m trying!” Navigator. The shuddering of the shuttle intensified further as it seemed to be moving around, like the pilot was trying to shake them out of whatever their path was and kept getting pulled in. “It’s not using any normal code! I’ve got no fucking clue what this is!”
“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!” Mary winced at how loudly the Co-pilot yelled that. So far their voices had been full of stress and anxiety, but not fear, nor had they been loud.
“Jesus!” Pilot. What? What was it? “Look at it fucking move! Chaff! Flares! Dump everything!”
“Brace!” Mary cried out as she clutched her harness. She could hear the deployment of flares and chaff in a rapid series of bops and clanks. Then she could hear something hit the shuttle… But it wasn’t an explosion? Just a meaty metal crunch. Her body jerked hard in the harness as the shuttle around her began to spin, or jerk, or she had no idea but it was twisting violently!
“Fuck!” Pilot
“Watch it!” Co-pilot. Red lights immediately came on in the hold of the shuttle, she could hear as well as feel the violent collision as the port wing slammed into something. For a brief instant she could hear the shattering of glass before her hearing was just overwhelmed by the rest of the crash and the screaming around her. The force yanked her hard against the harness as she heard the terrifying screech of metal being pried apart as the hold and the cockpit sections of the shuttle seemed to detach.
Strapped to the jumpseat she could only watch in horror as the marines before her were suddenly spun in a different direction while Barrow and her were tumbling on the now suddenly exposed outside of the cockpit section. She was screaming as loud as her lungs could bear, but he was oddly quiet. As if resigned to their fate. She could see the city spinning around her, and the straps holding her began to give way as they were never intended for this. Barrow reached out and for a moment she reached towards him but then they hit something hard and her body was sent flying free of the seat.
[Continued in Comments]

First off, I love my R1T.
Secondly, I hate my R1T.
This darn truck has made me spend more money than I could've imagined on accessories. The truck is an "aspirational" vehicle that makes me live a different lifestyle. A life full of more adventures, camping, and all things outdoor. If you like saving money, don't buy a Rivian and also don't enjoy things like off-roading and overlanding.
I stupidly decided to add up everything I've spent so far.
​

Accessory:	Cost:
Rivian Crossbars x2	$900
Rivian x Maxtrax	$500
Maxtrax Mounts	$115
Rivian All-weather floor mats	$175
Gear America recovery gear	$300
Harbor Freight bottle jack	$50
PPF / Tint	$2,100
CVT hardshell rooftop tent	$1,900
Bed box	$150
21" spare wheels	$900
Car wash gear + hyper dip wheels	$300
1Up bike rack	$900
Kuat swing arm	$400
Frunk fridge	$400
Rivian bottles, shirts, bag, etc	$300+
Xtrusion Bed Rack (still deciding if this is the right brand)	$2,000
Life-size cardboard cutout of RJ	Priceless

​
$11,390 + tax
Wtf.
In all seriousness, I don't regret any of it. This truck is amazing and the journeys, adventures, and new community it has given me is worth it.

I made a character and this sotry for star wars (i made this story for my English finals, i had a month to make it and got an A on it), the characters name is Saya Eban and is a character I have been thinking of for over a decade now (im not in my 2nd decade so since i was super young). Saya at this time is 13-14 years old and was given inspiration by almost all the other jedi and also star killer. He is human and with reliance on the force he can live up to 1000 years with hi peak being between 35, 40 ish to around 800 years of age. In terms of prime power level and potential, in my canon he is 3rd most powerful character just underneath luke and anikan Skywalkers, but could contend with them at some points. Little background: he was a prodigy in school before he became a padawan, he always had an intrest in a character named Ahsoka Tano but never became more than friends because of the Jedi teachings. He was a fast learning youngling and became a padawan earlier than most other younglings, becaming a padawan at the age of 11 - 12. He was in the first battle of Genesis but his troop transport ship was blasted out of the air, landing behind enemy lines leaving him the sole surviver, and scarring him, making him want to never see uneeded bloodshed ever again. He met Count Dooku before he had met Obi-Wan and Anikan on geonosis, he locked blades with him once... once, before he was thrown aside like a house fly, not worth his time, he was out until the retreat of the battle was initiated. This gave him night terrors and nightmares, after this day he could never sleep more than an hour, if that, before he woke up feeling the dark side creeping in. So he had learned to use sleep meditation. Sleep meditation allowed him to accelerate his trainings and connect greater to the force, he had unlocked 1/3 of his life now, the force helping his cells heal his body while he sat and meditated.
This story is of how he lived through one of the bloodiest battles and worst losses of the Republic, the battle of Sarrish, and of how he had obtained his later main star ship, a Kom'rk Mark 1 class star fightetransport, aka the Puro (i made this story before I have watched the 3rd season of the Mandalorian, as of right now i still haven't so Idk if thats in season 3 or not).
There is about 11,340 words in the story, and I don't 100% know of what I should make him look like so have your imaginations run wild.
Ok here we go:
Tales of Saya Eban's Puro
Chapter 1

 The battle of Sarrish was one of the worst battles of the Clone Wars, it was a great devastating loss to the Republic and the Jedi, and I was in the middle of it all. Before the battle I was doing some touch-ups on my A-wing Fighter. I had managed to get my hands on a hyperdrive that would fit in my small fighter, although being able to enter hyperspace without an external hyperdrive wing is very convenient, fast, and easy, it does slow my fighter and hinder some mobility, but not an uncontrollable amount of loss. Little did I know it'd save my life later that week. After I had finished my work, gotten it restocked for my next battle, I was called to the Jedi command center for a briefing by Master Yoda, saying it was an urgent mission and I was needed now, with his backwards way of speaking annoying me slightly. In a flash, I had gathered my battle ready loadout and headed off to the command center. When I entered the command center with the center planning table showing starships from both Confederate and Republic sides, One chasing another. I look and see Masters Yoda and Windu and a holoprojected Obi-Wan Kenobi surrounding the Table, with deeply serious thoughts in their eyes, fingers on their concentrating chins. When I swiftly strolled in, I was greeted with Master Windu's cheerful, but serious voice: "Ah, Padawan Eban, good you're here, come quick, we must act with persistence if we want to gain an upper hand in this war." "Master Windu, good to see you, you too Master Yoda, Master Kenobi, what's the situation?" Master Obi-Wan states, "We are currently chasing Separatist forces to the planet Sarrish and we will need some back up, could you bring your part of the 104th battalion right away, we have heavy casualties and they're going to have reinforcements when they reach the planet." "Is there not anyone closer than me, it may take a few days for me to get there, yall mabe finished by the time I get there!" I said with hope in my eyes. "I'm afraid that you're the only one that is available with the most minimal time of arrival, you'll have to be quick though, it will be anytime now they will reach the planet and have reinforcements. we need this win, it will be a great victory for the Republic if we are able to capture the planet." Stated Obi-Wan with certainty. "All other generals are on missions right as we speak, you are the only one that can provide back up at this current time." Master Windu added "Closer to Knight after this mission you will be, great padawan you are, your great swift improvements, Master Plo is pleased with, believe in you I do." Master Yoda said with a jolly old-man voice. "Now go, there's not much time to waste, gather your men and go help Obi-Wan!" Rushedly said by Master Windu. "With determination in my voice, I yell "Yes Masters, right away!" And like a flash, I was gone. As I'm running off, I catch a glimpse of a green swoosh and the sound of a bolt deflection. I stumble to a stop and put my legs in reverse to give curiosity the wheel. When I peer in, I see Master Skywalker and Ahsoka, along with roughly 8 clone troopers all in a circle around Ahsoka and her one blade ignited. Master Skywalker had her eyes welded to her as he walked around the trooper. I could see Captain Rex standing and watching as well, although he seems to be the only one who spotted me poking in my head. He motioned his finger to his lips as to tell me to shush and not interfere, so I watched with anticipation. And after a lifetime stillness ending in a second after Master Skywalker yelled "START!" And stun doughnuts fire from the blasters of the troopers, sending a volley of blue twords Ahsoka from all directions. With great flexibility I pair with, she jumps into the air, spinning like skates on a skate rink in mid air deflecting all incoming plasmic projectiles landing with swift grace ready for more, And more came, she stands in the center blade moving almost faster than what my eyes could keep up with, until that one bolt punches her right in the back, knocking her to the ground, diminishing the blade back into the hilt. I spring into the room, speaking with worry in my voice when I squeak out "Ahsoka! Master Skywalker, what was that!?" 

"She was just training deflecting blaster fire, she's going to be outmatched a lot in this war, and clones are better than droids to practice with." Anakin said with pride that she was able to last little over a minute, thats improvement.
"Well I guess you're not completely wrong, but your going to give her a brain injury at this rate! Could you not go a bit easier on her?"
"She'll never learn if I go easy on her." Master Skywalker said with little arrogance in his voice.
"W- well, here, l-let me wake her then." I stuttered as I walked up to Rex holding Ahsoka like he's a pillow.
"Rex, do you mind if I-"
"Not at all General, here." Rex said as I sat next to him holding Ahsoka's top half of her body.

 As he caringly sets Ahsoka's rhythmically beating top half in my lap, head facing the heavens, I softly lay my hand over her forehead, close my eyes, and concentrate. A few suspenseful seconds later, I take my hand off and observe Ahsoka's hand softly glide to her now curling forehead, eyes fluttering open. 

With a smile I voiced"Wakey Wakey warrior princess, have a good nap?" Smirking the whole time.
"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes Nicksters." She groaned with fading pain.
"What are you doing here?" She leisurely grumbled as she started to lie propped up by her desirable, fluorescent orange arms made of flexible muscle.
"I was walking by, and saw a 'damsel in distress', I HAD to come and 'save the day'." I joked, smirking the whole time, annoying her little bit more.
"You know I have been dying to use my force heal on you since I had learned it. I bet you don't even feel bad at all right now hm?" I said leaning in
Ahsoka starts to stand as to get a feel for her own body.
"You're right, I feel better than I did before, not bad for someone named Nicks." Ahsoka said smirking right back at me.
"Oh come on, that was one time, that was even before we became patiwans!" I said with little dramatics in my vocal verberations.
"Ok Master, I'm ready to try again." Ahsoka said to Master Skywalker
"Not now Ahsoka, we have a mission from the Jedi council we have to attend to while Obi-Wan is on his own mission." Anikan said to Ahsoka, elongating his 'not' like he usually does
"I'm actually about to go give help to Obi-Wan right now… WHICH I NEED TO GET PREPARED FOR NOW!! Karabast, got to go! See yah Ahsoka, Master, Rex." And like a ship entering hyperspace, I was gone.
Chapter 2

 After 2 boring days traveling in hyperspace, me and my 5 Veneter class Cruisers are nearing our destination, this would make 12 Cruisers for the Republic side. A new commander CT'-4112 or Zerek, debriefs on the battle situation. As I had sensed, Obi-Wan was outmatched seeing as backup was on planet Sarrish for the fleeing Separatist ships, now it's 11 Munificent class Cruisers and 2 command stations blockading the planet. Kenobi was starting to be pushed back, relying on our Cruisers longer ranged cannons to hope the Sepies didn't get too close. Our Cruisers have longer ranged main canons and toms of fighter room, while the Sepies Cruisers have more fire power at closer ranges with more fighters than our Vendor class Cruisers, at closer ranges, the Sepies would completely destroy a Venetor class Cruiser, but we have strategies and will power. 

"Glad to see a friendly face Saya." Kenobi said exhaustingly.
"Well, it looked like you needed help. You know I need to be the one to save everyone. I'll move into position to fortify our defenses to push the Sepies back and for us to make a plan. What is your fleet's condition?"
"We have 2 Venetors heavily damaged and the rest either have mild to no damage. And we have lost half our fighters as of now." Urgently said by Kenobi.
"Ok, I'm sending men and supplies to you right now, let me take the front so I can take the damage if they send another attack." I calmly said to Kenobi.
"Men battle positions and set all power to front cannons and shields. Venators get into pincer position and get ready for an attack. Fighters get ready to launch." I commanded to all my Cruisers
"Master, if you could, could you add in your undamaged Venetors? " I wandered and directed with much mastery, I even made Obi-Wan himself visually impressed considering my inexperienced mind in life, and especially war. I even managed to make him smile.
"Getting in position now." Obi-Wan stated, still smiling.
"Understood, While you get everything fixed, I'll see if I can weaken their defenses, it seems as if they're in attack positions so we gotta be ready for anything." I said in deep thought.
"Ok, 10 to 13, I like those odds, makes it even, more so for the Sepies." I grinned.
"Now Saya, remember this is still a battle, don't be too cocky, you're starting to remind me of Anakin." Obi-Wan said with conviction.
"Yes Master, sorry about that." I answered to Obi-Wan, pulling back a little.

 Just then, many starfighters come from the enemy Cruisers, hundreds of them lightning fast, closing distance fast. 

"All right men, time for some fun. Obi-Wan, if you want to take command of my control center, I'll lead this fight." I said before Obi-Wan could respond.
"Ok- but Saya! Blast, maybe he's too much like Anikan." Obi-Wan said defeatedly.
As I get into the hangar I yell "Alright Wolfpack, let's get goin!" Then I hop into my modified Jedi A-wing.
We rush out from the center roof door along the Cruiser with my squadron aka The Wolfpack, with me leading my 23 fighters into battle and many more friendly's following from the hangars.
"Ok Wolfpack, let's make a break for them Cruisers, get as many of them gone as possible. 411 you ready?" I asked R2-411. R2-411 bleeps with readiness.
"Ok, time to blow them out of the sky, remember, stay in formation" I commanded.
"Yes sir!" The Clones bellowed.

 Then we hit the swarm with a mighty thundering sound of lasers flying through the emptiness of space seeing one after one of enemy fighter droids dropping all over the place. Me and my Wolfpack fly through all the 2 winged Vulture droids that look like each wing was sideways and has 2 prongs each side for wings. They were way more quick and maneuverable than us, but we had a duty to win, and we won't lose today. It's like a firework show, but you're dodging all the fireworks, and they're aiming right at you. While we are defending the Venator Cruisers, they're mostly firing at the Sepies Cruisers, slowly dwindling their energy shields down. 

"Boys, I have a plan, but I'll need yall to get back to the Cruisers." I urged
"Obi-Wan, how's the 2 heavily damaged Cruisers? We've been out for a long while. They should be good by now right?" I questioned Master Kenobi.
"They're about to come back into the fight, but one of our Cruisers is at a quarter shield, few good hits or bombing runs and it's gone, what's your plan Saya?" Obi-Wan said, perplexed.
"Just give me an opening to the left Separatist control center, that's all I need to get on that ship." I stated with confidence.
"I'll try my best, but don't be stupid Saya, we can't afford to lose you."
"Yeah yeah I know, just get me an opening please Master!" I begged.

 After the words fleeted from my mouth, all the Cruisers fired a hole through the droid fleet with friendly fighters also making way for me to get through. I blast the afterburners straight through the enemy swarm that's been lesson by the commotion, just barely being hidden by smoke from a just destroyed fighter straight into the leftmost control ship hanger landing with an explosive entry. And immediately I jump out, igniting both, my straight emerald green saber in my left, and my yellow saber with a curved hilt similar to the Count's hilt himself in my right. I'll face him again one day, it's inevitable, like me. I land and immediately cut a group of B1 battle droids heads off with my yellow saber facing out, giving me more reach, but as I start to take fire from the army that quickly form from my landing, I swiftly doge left to right almost able to doge the sight of a human eye. Left, pop goes the heads of 3, right, pop goes 5, jump through the air on an almost straight path through the thick of the army, spinning with a light show if one were to be an onlooker at this chaotic organization of flying red plasmic bolts going to a mix of yellow and green, then proceeding to fly straight back at the shooter with twice the velocity. I land on my feet with a thunderous "BOOM" with what seems like an explosion that incinerates half of the whole hanger with an electric yellow glow seeming like yellow lighting exploded from the epicenter of the explosion. When the smoke cleared, it seemed that everything within a 5 meter radius was completely incinerated, and everything within 40 meter radius was heavily damaged, and any technology within eye shot was either scrape or short-circuiting, but all B1 battle droids and super battle droids were out. 

I sighed with relief with little heavy breathing when I looked around me, but with no time to rest, 6 Vulture droid fighters came through the hanger's magnetic shield door, transforming to walk on its pronged wings like they were legs. They scanned me and started raining a flurry of red down onto me, but with my lightning fast reflexes, I raised my sabers to block the incoming hellfire from all six fighter's. Then came the flurry being deflected in any direction possible, and I could just barely see the 6 droids started to surround me by going behind my back, but I ain't done yet. As I'm blocking, jumping, spinning, twisting on a micrometer, I stomp with a mighty force, launching through the air, slowly spinning straight for a Vulture that has became the prey. Bolts whizzing by me, inches, centimeters near my skin, singeing my arm hairs to their roots. I land on top of the droid with a thunderous boom crunching where my foot had landed, driving my sabers straight through the brain of the story high droid, with a counterclockwise rotation around my back, dragging my sabers across the metal of the droid, I leap off the droid landing with the feathers and fly forward with a flashing dash slicing through 2 other droids legs, leaving gravity do its magical job. 3 down, 3 to go, but with little time left. I launch forward running on hairs dipping and dodging blots, I leap up slicing through one leg of a droid and pushing off of its gravity taken hull, coming down on another droid's leg, cutting with ease. I land like a leaf in the autumn skies, and launch with a swift leap, flying my yellow saber straight down the middle of the 6th and final droid with no time to spare.

 I land with caution, ready to fend off another foe, but none came at that second, so I took the opportunity and ran with it straight to where the main reactors should lie. I swiftly sprint with force leaps through the air to get to the reactor, the ship is 270th of a circle with a ball where the command center is, the middle is the only connected between the back of the ball and the inner back of the circle, that's where the reactor is, im at the left most side, may take me a minute to reach it, but I can get there without being seen. My plan was to quickly fix and rewrite a Vulture droid's code to go with my command, not going to be the best work but it will work, hopefully. I had to act fast because I knew there were going to be hundreds more droids to come to see the commotion, I'd say within the minute. The codes used on the droids are not the best, because of mass production, so It was an easy fix, I just needed it to fly a small bit. It comes back to life with a putt to its movement, I directed it to start flying while I'm on its back, putting the whole time with smoke, just what I needed. I start to move forward as fast as possible. As we get around the hundreds of battle droids below, I'm starting to speed up, and as I see the reactor room, I could hear B1's yell " HEY! STOP! YOUR GOING TO FAST" in their robotic voice. Before I hit the Shield covering the reactor room, I jump off to the left where the blast door is for the room. With the distraction of the droid smashing into the shield, I use this time to slowly cut through the blast doors with both sabers starting at the bottom of the door, going up and around to form a circle I can fit through. I was through within a Minute, unnoticed, or so I was led to believe. When I get into the reactor room, I throw explosives all over the reactors, with a detonation in T minus 1 minute. I fly out of the room, calling for 411 to bring my ship as fast as possible, 55. Running across the hanger, I'm spotted by the hundreds of battle droids, which immediately start firing right as they see me 50. The explosion of the fighter droid caused a chain to nearby explosive barrels, exploding more Vulture droids causing tons of smoke and fires to spread around the hangar area, 45. As I'm running, my yellow saber is blocking multiple bolts flying at me while I'm jumping, spinning, performing acrobatic movements while being shot by hundreds of droids, from B1's, to super's, to droideka's, all firing at me, adding to the smoke, 35. Running with young blood in my veins, I perform 1, 2, 3 long jumps and leap onto the side of a slanted destroyed Vulture droid, 30. I jump up, reaching for the cloudy sky just as 411 swoops in predictively shoving my hand into the side of the sharp A-wing hull, 25. I grab the side of the hull and pull myself up into the cockpit, grabbing the controls, 20. I spin to the exit with roughly 67° of the hanger I need to shoot out of, I fire the afterburners using the circumference of the circle and my fighters movment to my advantage, 15. Pushing forward, I am drifting an A-wing around the hangar of a Separatist capital ship skimming the walls centimeters away from an explosive fiery death, 10. I barely screamed out of the hanger, to be able to see a view of the capital ship flying stright for the other Sepie capital ship, 5. Im still firing the afterburners to try and attempt to get a safe distance away from the soon to be collision sight, 4. I let 411 take the control's, 3. I turn my head to look back, 2. I see the collision of the 2 270° hangers, 1. I watch as i get the view of a star being formed right infront of my eyes, and seeing many Sepie Cruisers being absolutely engulfed by the flames, and a blast wave decimating the Vulture droids… blast wave…. BLAST WAVE! Just then I'm thrown far, along with the debri. I manged to gain control of the craft and start performing advanced monuvers to avoid being hit by debrie that will demolishe me and my tiny fighter. 

"Saya, can you hear me? Saya?" Master Obi-Wan Kenobi pleaded.
"Yeah, yeah master, I'm good, I'm fine. Woo…!" I said with a sigh of relief.
Chapter 3

 The explosion had decimated the Separatist forces leaving 4 Cruisers sustaining heavy or mild damages, but with an opening, Obi-Wan and I travel to the ground along with Captain Cody to go for a large ground assault. Master Obi-Wan's plan was to drop in and gather our troops and split them between Obi-Wan and commander Cody. We were west, they were east. The Separatists had the high ground seeing as they had a cliff to their advantage. Flying in on gunships, we were taking heavy fire from their anti aircraft cannons. Commander Cody and I are debriefing the squad on the way to the rally point, seeing gunships after gunship falling to the rocky ground in a fiery explosive ball of red hot metal, and screams, with no plants in sight, just rocks, gunships, and red streaks flying by. Explosions booming right next to us with our doors right open. We have been ordered and ordering troops to stay far away from the mountain top gun fortifying the mountain top of the cliff, leaving that gun for the gunships and the best of the clone troopers, or ARC (Advanced Recon Commandos) troopers to deal with that later, seeing as a ground assault is too dangerous for us. As some of the clones have said, it's not an easy mission, but hops are high. 

"30 seconds until landing." A clone trooper yelled to me and Cody.
Cody starts with "All right, listen up! Maintain squad formations, 'A' squad, You're on me-" ZZZZZEEEROW- BOOOM!
"Where hit!" I yell "Everyone! Hold on!"
Before we hit the ground I leap out of the gunship with a backwards somersault, force pulling all the troops out of the burning fireball heading for the ground, grabbing all of the men, including the 2 pilots at the front, breaking through the windows. I land like rain from the sky, catching the troops I just pulled out with my powers and have them roughly land on the fluffy rocks next to our now downed gunship, no casualties yet. I rush over to take cover under our gunship on its left side behind enemy lines. I sit and meditate as they come up with a plan.
"What's the status lieutenant?" Cody asked
"5 injured thanks to General Saya, but that's not that bad news… Does that Rock look familiar?" The lieutenant asked.
"Yea, the mountain, right where we're not supposed to be." Said Cody
"General Kenobi ordered us not to try taking this section from the ground." The lieutenant regenerated back again with what was already established.
"That's what he said…but what would the general do if he were here?" Cody rhetorically asked.
"Saya sir, what do you think?" A trooper asked me somewhat desperately.
"I think Cody should take this one, I've got your back Cody." I answered with my legs crossed, eyes closed, slightly levitating over the rocks.
"Eight-Eight-Six-Seven through Eight-Eight-Six-Nine and Saya, fix your grapples and come with me. Everybody, prepare for covering fire." Cody ordered.
I get up, eyes still shut, ready to block anything coming our way.
"NOW!" Cody yells, sprinting across what is our no-man's-land
I open my eyes, ignite my Sabers, Green in left, yellow in right, and dash towards the now incoming blaster fire. I sense it, left side, block, right side, deflect, one for Cody, deflected. We get to some stalagmites at the bottom of the mountain, sustaining heavy fire, I pose as a distraction for all the fire, deflecting as many blots as I can back at the metal men. One troop trips and falls, pow, bolt straight through the head. Cody and the men shoot the grappling hooks up towards the top of the mountain and start climbing. I jump from my spot reigniting my sabers, driving them through the mountain side, helping me grab hold with my feet. And when I look up, I see a grapple fall behind me. I tried to grab the rope but I was too late. When I managed to obtain it, he had already hit the ground. Another tragedy, one that never had to happen, life being wasted away. I look up, a droid stairs emotionlessly down into my emotion filled eyes. A blue bolt shoots past me, impacting the droid's head, sending the body backwards.
Cody and the other clone rises from the cliff side as I leap up from the side, landing in front of the clones and immediately start deflecting with my 2 sabers having nothing pass. Cody takes this opportunity to run around my defense and attacks the droids head on, bashing one droid with the butt of his rifle and swinging his rifle at another, destroying both of them. The droid manning the anti aircraft gun turns and aims at Cody. Instinctively I jump in front of the cannon as it fires, I deflect the large bolt away with my right yellow saber, knocking my body to the right, making me stumble. But with the motion throwing me to the right, I use the momentum to throw my green saber with my left hand, impaling the droid in the metal chest. Cody then hops onto the turret, points the gun at the droids firing at our men, and lets loose, destroying all in its reticle.
"Thanks General, I owe you one, ill getcha next time." Cody said slowly getting off the turret.
"You're alright my friend, just pay it forward, let's go see how Obi-Wan did." I slightly worried, staring off to the north.

 We group up at the randevu, where we have set base camp on the planet in a small raven a bit away from where we captured the cliff with some makeshift scouting towers dotted around our position. Obi-Wan had more resistance than what he had anticipated, he was a little banged up, but he was fine in the end. This was a huge victory seeing as we have been able to set base on a planet that allows us to get resources through this hyperspace route and onto parts of the army past this point. Before, General Grievous snipped our route to where we couldn't get resources to our army on the other side from Coruscant. 

Chapter 4

 12 hours later, we have rested and have managed to build up a good base incase of a surprise attack. We are still fighting a few fronts of Separatist holdouts with a fortress a few klicks west, or about 4 miles west. 

I sit in my tent meditating, reflecting back on the weeks events, and what Ahsoka was doing back at the temple, training hard. I recite what I did with an almost overwhelming amount of blaster fire attempting to fly into me, how I was just mostly averting the blots away from me and not in a direction that would benefit me most.
'RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE'

 The ground started to shake out of nowhere, breaking my peace. I rush out of my tent, only to be met with a face full of B2 battle droid. I jump back over my tent flipping onto my feet as I see my tent being lit into flames from heavy bolt fire flying at me. Igniting both my sabers, I deflect the incoming fire away from me up into the sky as much as I physically could. I took a glance around, it was becoming more sunlit as we fought. It was a slaughter, clones dying left and right, Kenobi was on the Command ship getting patched, so it was just me, and the clones down here, being manicured. With a swift right step, I change lightsaber form, combining my form 3, (defensive form blocking anything coming way, and either making, or waiting for an opening to strike) with a combination of form 2 (saber to saber form, putting least amount or saber movement and preferring precise efficient movements) and form 4 (saber from using the force to enhance physical abilities, and heavily utilizing fast acrobatic movements to move around and disorient the opponents, using wide sweeping saber movements to block and hit targets) I use the power if the many bolts to propel my body onto my right leg, crouching down and taking a huge lead in to the air. Looking around like it is moving in stop motion, I see thousands of droids around, completely outnumbering my men. Glancing down where I had jumped from, there seems to be a super battle droid rising from the ground, looking as if it has been there for at least a few days. Time seems to start like normal again, immediately I have to block bolts coming for my body, twisting, turning, deflecting every. single. bolt. right to another droid. I can't have any more unneeded deaths in my hands. I land with an impactful explosion of yellow lighting, rendering half of the electronics on the field obsolete. Shots fire over the wall, exploding near me. 

"Everyone, Retreat!" I yelled into the comms.
I ran towards the lieutenant that I had survived the crash with, he was running for a troop transport.
"Get to the ships, return to the Venators! Get Kenobi and relay what has happened!" Urgency blowing through my voice.

 I push him into the ship as it takes off. As it's doing so, I force push it away from the field as to be in less danger of being shot down. But rockets fly through the air, I reach through the force and grab onto the hurdling death traps, I grab 1, 2, crash them into one another, 3, grab, 4, grab, 5, miss. ERRROW… BOOOM! With a hopeless explosion, the ship bursts into an explosive ball of fire, right in front of my eyes, out of my grasp. Shots fly past my head from behind me, I ignite my sunlit yellow saber to block incoming bolts. No men, only metal remains, and it wants me dead. I dash for my ship on the other side of the airstrip, luckily barely touched from this horrible surprise party that invited everyone I very much dislike. Hopping into my A-wing, I lift-off dogging left, right, up, down, roll left, roll right, barely being passed by on all sides by cannon fire. When I reach the point past the clouds, there's a whole war above. Separatist forces have surprised Kenobi with an overwhelming number of ships, putting our war torn 12 Venators against 16 Munificent class Cruisers. We were greatly out matched. But the time I was in space we had lost 3 Vectors compared to there 1 lost. Droids noticed me coming from the planet and started to verge onto my position. 

"Obi-Wan! You there? Can you hear me?" I yelled, pulling evasive maneuvers.
"Saya, is that you?" Kenobi asked.
"Yes, we got surprised on the ground, seems the same happened here." I rushingly said.
"Yes, they came out of nowh-" Kenobi is cut off by a blaring siren from my cockpit.
"Wait, my ship is damaged, it's starting up my hyperdrive, 411 can you fix it?" I said dipping left and right while trying to stop the hyperdrive activation.
With a few bleeps of fear, I understand what's happening.
"When I was thrown from the capital ship explosive wave, I must have been hit near the hyperdrive, and explosions from my escape, along with the maneuvers I have been pulling, it may have caused damage that is registering a hyperdrive activation. Master Obi-Wan, I don't know, I-I don't know what to do!" I claimed with fear in my eyes.
"Can you deactivate the hyperdrive at all 411?" Kenobi asked
411 bleeps with a sad toon.
"Blast, Saya, does it say where you're going?"
"N- No, my council just says ERROR." I stated, now with much fear in my voice.

 I managed to steer my craft into the position of the hyperspace lane. 

"Tell Ahsoka good bye if I don't-" I get cut off when the the hyperdrive powered up woth a vvvvvvvvvvvVVVVERRRRRRR PEEOW, and just like that, me, my A-wing, and R2-411, are gone.
Chapter 5

 It's been days since the battle, mabe 2 or 3 days. Luckily I always keep many ration bars in my fighter to last me a good few days, along with my extra water and my ability to go into a deep meditative state, conserving food and water. Keeping me company is my meditation and 411. We have almost hit some unknown objects, could have been planets, asteroids, other ships, but we seem to be staying in hyperspace lanes luckily, or I would have been dead a long time ago. My class 2 hyperdrive could have taken me all over the galaxy by now, I could be heading towards Coruscant right now for all I know. 

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP
My hyperdrive warning kicked on, showing that there is a massive gravity force in my path. The console flashed with big red dangerous letters "Exiting Hyperdrive" on the screen.
"YES! FINALLY!" I yelled with excitement.

 I watch through the glass to see a barren looking planet, and a similar looking moon, a moon I was heading to. I was moving fast, as I entered the moon's atmosphere, Im grabbing the controls, barely anything. My craft is red hot from the rate at which I'm coming in on. I'm grabbing the stick, pulling back as much as I can, as to try and save myself and 411 from a fiery death. I scraped by a big rocky mountain dealing more damage to my A-wing. 

"HOLD ON 411!"
"Come ooooon. Pull pull pullllll…. Ahhhhhhhhh!!!-" VERRROW BOOOOSH!!! The crash landing sounded like a bomb flying through the air, then landing on its target. I try to get from my seat just to find my strap and window will not open. Using my saber I cut off my seat strap and broke the window from the hinges and leaped out, taking 411 from the craft, swiftly landing on a tall mountainous rock. The craft seemed to have pushed through the land 50 meters from the initial impact spot. The area I was in seemed to be very rocky terrain with many rocky canyons and huge rocks that are almost mountainous. The sun was close to setting down for the night but was still a good hour away from sleeping.

 With the force by my side, I felt a very uneasy sensation telling me to stay out of sight. I duck down on the tall skinny rock taking 411 down with me. 411 confusingly bleeps when I do so. "Hey, I have a feeling right now, just keep quiet real quick, there's somebody coming. Trust me." Me and 411 peer over the edge looming over my crashed ship just as a group of 6 men in full armor covering their whole body fly in with jetpacks strapped to their backs, blasters in hand. As they land, they search around my wreckage, presumably looking for survivors. One seems to be ordering the others around, pointing at one to look in one direction, another a different direction, and scanning around for the unexpected visitor. I look down at my Wrist link, my distress signal wasn't sent, I guess that was damaged from entering the planet at such high speed with no deflector shields surrounding the ship like a protective blanket. 

"Blast, 411, what's your S.O.S signal situation, did it go through?" 411 beeps with a little drama like I should know it didn't go through.
"Well sorry for busting your rusty bolts you rowdy rancor, better to try than to just give up mister sassy pants. Maybe I should wipe your memory for a change, see how you like it."
"Now shush, don't want them to find us spying on them, won't look too good." I demand. "Now here, in case we get caught, I don't want them to know I'm a Jedi, so here, take my sabers, I'm not gonna need them anyways." I said shoving my lightsabers into 411's storage compartment and looking towards the crash again.

 Just then the suit of armor that had been commanding his squad bursts up into my view right on my face out of hyperspace blue. 

"Ah, found ya trespassers, you 2 are coming with me." Demanded the Mandalorian with a snickering sound in his voice as the others rise from the portal of the abyss from down below.

 It was a good thing my ropes where in the tent back on Sarrish, or this may have been an even worse situation, Mangalorians like them hate Jedi with a passion, and it's a good thing I always have a broken blaster in 411 for any cases where I need to blend in with a crowd or pose as a normal civilian; although, the ability to become a civilian at any point is great, I've had little need to do so much. I'm quite popular with the people for being one who tries to connect with the population as a fellow citizen. So I rarely stay in the temple for too long. I love being with the people and learning skills without the force, like being a mechanic, electrician, public speaker, security guard, an all around great person to talk with about anything. I'm quite known on all levels of Coruscant for being one of the most friendly Jedi to be around. Right now though, I need to focus on not being caught, at least That's what my gut is telling me. After they searched my character for any weapons and found the broken blaster that 411 had put in my holster where my lightsaber usually is, they were satisfied and pushed us into one of their big Kom'rk Mark 1 class Mandalorian starfightetransport ship. 

(Look in comments for 6th)

I gotta say, I just rented an Airbnb for my family "mom and stepmom and little brother from Michigan, Sister and her husband and my Neice and Nephew from Georgia, and Sister from Florida and Brother and his wife from Florida, me and my girlfriend" for 4 days, Thursday - Monday for the holiday weekend...It was excellent as always. Sadly, my first time since the pandemic era so it was great to be back.
My ranking has changed a bit now that I'm back here in Los Angeles. So without further adieu, here it is:

1. Maverick
2. Steel Vengeance
3. Millennium Force
4. Raptor
5. Gatekeeper
6. Magnum XL200
7. Wild Mouse
8. Valravyn
9. Blue Streak
10. Gemini
11. Rougaru
12. Iron Dragon
13. CC Mine Ride

I'm gonna stop right there since Woodstock Express, Wilderness Run, and Pipe Scream are children's rides.
So my list surprised me. Last time I was there was 2018, and my list looked like this:

1. Steel Vengeance
2. Maverick
3. Raptor
4. Top Thrill Dragster
5. Gatekeeper
6. Millennium Force
7. Valravyn
8. Magnum XL200
9. Gemini
10. Blue Streak
11. Rougaru
12. Iron Dragon
13. CC Mine Ride

Which has led me to a couple of conclusions.

1. Something new really does make a difference. - I absolutely adore STeVe. It is an incredible ride and one of my favs in the world...however, with the newness worn off, I realize that Maverick simply blew me away all over again as if it was my first time riding it. I really thought Maverick would move down my list actually with Velocicoaster in the picture on my domestic list.
2. Great storylines absolutely magnify the experience. - Maverick is about trying to tame a wild mustang that you find and that's why right when you hop on it, "the station" it immediately starts running and tries to buck you off "the 95 degree drop". Then, it literally tries to get rid of you the entire time LOL. It's an incredible ride. My only complaint of it and still my only complaint as a 6'3" man, is they should put a 1 inch cushion on that hard plastic because it still crushes my balls horribly lol. But man, it just hurts so good lololol. With STeVe, it's got a cool story, but the reality is the better story would've been the ride is basically trying to drag you to hell...because that's what it feels like, the exact opposite of Maverick trying to get rid of you, that thing wants to drag you through all of your nightmares lol. Amazing ride with so-so theming.
3. Raptor is absolutely the best inverted B&M in America. There's simply no doubt about it. I've been on all the North American inverts and Raptor is just a monster. It's intense as hell and that first drop is EXTREMELY unique. I don't know if people catch the subtle "locking in to place" that happens on the first drop but it doesn't just turn left and drop, it turns left dramatically and then right a bit and then left ever so slightly before locking into the drop...it genuinely feels like a bird flying and again, the theming and story being followed by the ride matters. Incredible.
4. TTD fell of the list for obvious reasons, but something tells me it will be a top 5 again and depending on how much new coaster Intamin is adding to it, it could very well end up top 3.
5. The beauty of Gatekeeper will never change. There's nothing more majestic than the clean and dead gorgeous shine of 2 shades of blue with the sun reflecting so brightly off of it at the front of the park, with such a flowing and gorgeous layout. The ride isn't powerful, or scary, or anything at all. You are jumping on the back of a dragon and gliding around the front of the park and it's just so smooth and beautiful.
6. Sometimes power simply wins. - Millennium Force moved up my list again. I couldn't figure out why...then I realized it. Last time I was there, I got one ride on it and it was in the front row. It felt slower and the drop didn't feel all that thrilling. This time, I was in the back...and HOLY COW. The way that thing rips you over the top and just floors it is unmatched in the park. It feels incredible and it's such a long drop. And the way it keeps that same energy through it's layout...it feels amazing WHIPPING through that overbooked turn with all that speed coming out of the first drop. Just powerful, fast, and fun. The layout could do more, but that's not what this ride was about when it opened, and to be the first 300+ ft coaster in the world, it did what it was supposed to do, and did so majestically.
7. Magnum XL200 - Nostalgia is truly a trip. Magnum is another ride, like Gatekeeper, that just defines the skyline on the backside of the park. That majestic red/orange with the sunlight beaming off of it will never really be topped. Going over the waterpark and gliding violently on the edge of the park is a super fun "and painful" ride! And that pain comes from Magnum being one of the final coasters in the world to be built WITHOUT the help of computer precision...gives it that rough edge, which has become a part of it's character.
8. Something small can still be something insane. - Wild Mouse...wow. You just never know what you're going to get on this one. I was heartbroken when they tore down Wicked Twister...but knowing they're adding a spike probably added to their decision...and I have to admit, Wild Mouse is a fantastic replacement here. It looks absolutely gorgeous on the new boardwalk, as does the entire boardwalk for that matter, and the ride itself...I got 7 rides on it and not a single one was the same...it was so damn fun though every time and the times when it started spinning violently out of control were downright terrifying! Great ride, for newbies and veterans alike.
9. Valravyn - The theming on Valravyn is simply perfect, and it's such a chill ride outside of that monster of a first drop...let alone a drop coaster with elements that aren't typically found on this genre of coaster...sudden turns, airtime hills...just a great layout and perfect placement in the park.
10. Blue Streak and Gemini have the same thing going for them as Magnum and even Raptor to a degree...nostalgia. As a child, Blue Streak and Gemini were two of my first coasters when I was 6 years old, and they both ride just as well as they did back then in the 80's. Blue Streak has been SO WELL TAKEN CARE OF...it is a ridiculously beautiful ride and doesn't look at all like the oldest ride in the park, and doesn't ride like it either. Tons of airtime and just a fantastic throwback for people who haven't experienced or miss the simplicity of traditional out and back coasters.
11. Gemini is exactly the same for me...there was a ride in front of it my sister and I loved doing right after it called the Witches Wheel...curious how many of y'all remember that :P But anyway, the idea of racing with people is so damn fun and clapping hands with the people on the other train will never not be extremely fun. No real thrills or tickles or anything at all about it...but just pure childish fun. The kind of ride a kid remembers for the rest of his life just for the fun they had.
12. Rougaru is admittedly FAR BETTER of a ride than Mantis was and I always said they should put the flourless trains on that track and it rides great. I won't go over CC Mine Ride and Iron Dragon, but I will say this about Rougaru which is bottom of my list basically...Rougaru could be the best ride in ALOT of parks, and it's the bottom of my list at Cedar Point. CP is a hell of a park, and has been almost every summer of my entire life. No place like it.

What are your lists? Also, for those wondering, here's my top 10 for ALL domestic coasters I've been on in America:

1. Maverick - CP
2. Velocicoaster - USO
3. Steel Vengeance - CP
4. Guardians of the Galaxy - WDW Epcot
5. Hagrids Motorbikes - USO
6. Millennium Force - CP
7. The Voyage - HW
8. Arie Force One - FSG
9. lightning Rod (interchangeable with AFO depending on how it's riding)
10. Iron Gwazi - BGT

Hello! I’m looking to see if anyone has a pottery kiln and is willing to put pieces of mine in with their firings? I’m willing to pay for the space I take up in the kiln.
I’m currently looking out for a good deal on a used kiln and pottery wheel for my home studio but I haven’t had the best luck yet. I’ve looked at kilnshare and no one is listed in the area there.