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Here we go again with another Star Trek Fan Collective. Not long ago Paramount did an online survey of sorts giving people the opportunity to vote on their favorite "themes". Previously we were able to take a look at what Trekkies voted on as their favorite Time Travel and Borg episodes. The Klingon Collective on the horizon but right now it's time now to take a look at the infamous Q.
Now, say what you will about the concept behind these DVD collections. I know all of the series have been released and I know that each of these episodes are already on the market. If you are one of the few with a bottomless bank account who have no problems spending thousands of dollars to collect Star Trek then you have to keep in mind that this release is not for you. These collectives are produced with the Trekkie on a budget in mind or even someone with mere passing interest. In other words, they aren't for everyone.
Anyone who has been watching Star Trek since The Next Generation (TNG) could pretty much dictate all of the prominent races that Starfleet has encountered. The Klingon, Borg, Romulans are all well and good, but to be honest none of them are as powerful as a Q. For the uninitiated, the Q are omnipotent, immortal beings that roam through space and time basically doing whatever they want and living in a universe known as the Continuum. Essentially the Q are egotistical gods who love to stir up trouble.
The most famous Q throughout Star Trek was John de Lancie. Other Q's were shown here and there but de Lancie's particular character was the most prominent across three separate series. This particular Q started out on the Next Generation premier episode "Encounter at Farpoint". He basically put humanity on trial for the crimes of their race. Compared to the rest of TNG and other Trek in general I always felt this particular episode was so bad it was downright silly. I understand that every show needs to start somewhere, but geez that was painful to watch the first time, let alone relive. Q was a very rough character at this point. It was hard to tell whether you were supposed to take him seriously or not, but one thing was sure, he meant trouble.
The next episode featured in the set is "Hide and Q". In it Q tries to make Commander Riker an offer he can't refuse, become a Q himself. Just like "Encounter at Farpoint" this was an episode that aired early on in the TNG's run so you can't expect it to be the best of quality; however it is interesting to watch the struggle Riker goes through in this episode. Should he become a Q? Use his powers to give his friends everything they could possible dream of? Or is it best to remain true to reality? This theme would be revised in a slightly different way in the episode "True Q".
If you have been picking up the Collectives then be prepared for a double dip because "Q Who" is here as well. This was the episode where Q introduced Picard to that lovely race called the Borg. I understand its relevance with the whole Q theme and this is where de Lancie's character really starts to get fleshed out, but I'm tired of these repeat episodes on the sets.
Up next is "Deja Q", which has always been one of my personal favorites. As punishment for the chaos he has been spreading throughout the universe the continuum has decided to strip Q of his powers leaving him human and at the gentle mercies of the Enterprise crew. With Data as his guide he tries to fit in and work with the crew but quickly begins to realize that he's not cut out for the mortal life. De Lancie really does a great job in this episode and it may be one of the funniest of the TNG series.
After that things get even sillier with the Robin Hood themed adventure "Q-Pid". The episode starts off with Vash (Picard's fling from the episode Captain's Holiday) coming on board the Enterprise for an archeological meeting. Q then decided to pop in for a visit as well wanting to do something nice for Picard as a thank you for helping him when he got kicked out of the Continuum. Seeing a golden opportunity with Vash around Q decides to show Picard how dangerous human romances can be. So he turns Picard into Robin Hood, Vash becomes Maid Marian, Q becomes the sheriff, and the rest of the crew gets to be Merry Men. Like Worf says though, "Sir, I protest! I am not a merry man." Sure this may have been just another irreverent Q adventure but it has a lot of personality and is really symbolic of his character.
"True Q" finds a young girl named Amanda winning her way onto the Enterprise, and us discovering very quickly that she's no ordinary cutie. She makes puppies appear and disappear with the blink of an eye and even stops a warp core breach with her bare hands. Before long Q pops in and reveals that Amanda is indeed a future member of the continuum. Of course the wishy-washy humans demand that Q let her choose what fate befalls her. Watching her struggle and inevitable acceptance of her omnipotent status does feel similar to Riker's struggle, but of course this has a different outcome.
"Tapestry" is a touching episode that finds Picard at death's door. And just who does he happen to find on the other side? You guessed it. Before they spend eternity together Q offers Picard the chance to fix any regrets he has from his life. He takes him up on the offer and decided to avoid some youthful indiscretions that caused him to have an artificial heart. Once he does Q returns him to his "new" life, and it is nothing like it was before. This episode had an almost "It's A Wonderful Life" feel to it and in my opinion has always been one of the most prominent episodes from TNG.
And finally, Q returns to the Enterprise one last time in the series finale "All Good Things". In what Q says is a continuance of the trial started at "Encounter at Farpoint" the continuum has reached a verdict and found humanity guilty of being inferior; therefore they will be destroyed. But Q offers Picard one chance to stop this extinction if he can solve a puzzle that links his past, present, and future. The tale is an intricate and emotional work masterfully delivered by the actors, and is a fine farewell for Q on TNG. "All Good Things" was the crowning achievement for Picard's series but considering this is the second double dip to be found among the Collectives I can't help but be annoyed that it's here again.
Q only made one appearance on Deep Space Nine (DS9) which is really a shame. I think there could have been some real gems if he had come back for more. In "Q-Less" a team from DS9 picks up the before mentioned Vash stranded in the Gamma Quadrant. It was revealed at the end of "Q-Pid" that Vash was going off to explore the universe with Q so this marks the first time that we have seen her since then. After being abandoning there by Q he suddenly shows back up on the station intent to get her back, but as soon as he arrives some strange malfunctions start causing damage to the station. Everyone starts blaming Q for their problems and it leads to some great clashes between him and the crew. While certainly not the best Q episode (or DS9 episode) "Q-Less" is still entertaining and good for a few laughs. I also liked how they tied in O'Brien's character and the Enterprise into Q's appearance.
As if the crew of the Voyager didn't have things bad enough with being stuck on the other side of the galaxy they too had the misfortune of being harassed by Q. In "Death Wish" a new Q entity appears and requests asylum aboard Voyager and implores Janeway to allow him to die in their care. No Q has ever been allowed to commit suicide before, so the continuum takes a vested interest in him and refuses to grant him the right. A hearing to determine if Voyage will grant this Q asylum gets underway and it even includes a trip for Tuvok and Janeway to the continuum itself. On paper it may sound rather dry but the episode actually proved to be very entertaining and emotional. I loved the rapport between Q and Janeway too. It's almost more entertaining than he and Picard.
The last two episodes on the set and for Voyager are "The Q and the Grey" and "Q2". They both kind of go together because of a common element; Q has a son. In the first episode Q approaches Janeway with the offer of a lifetime, he wants to get her in the sack and knock her up. Naturally, she refuses. But as she learns that a civil war is erupting in the Continuum she helps Q realize there is another way. Or should I say another woman. A child winds up being born and in "Q2" we see that child come of age. And like father like son he is running amuck with his powers. Because no child has ever been born into the continuum there is a great lack of parenting taking place so the kid gets dumped into the hands of Aunt Kathy. These episodes were hilarious but nothing more really than fluff. Nowhere near as good as previous Q episodes featured in this set.
I have always loved the character of Q and many of these episodes like "Tapestry", "All Good Things" and "Deja Q" are some of the best that Trek has to offer. Just like the previous Fan Collectives this is a strong collection of episodes. My biggest gripes come from the lackluster earlier episodes of TNG and the double dipping of "All Good Things" and "Q Who". Granted these are all of the Q episodes (every single one he ever appeared in) assembled here so I guess there wasn't much choice in the matter, but prior to just throwing the episodes on the discs someone should have stopped to consider the amount of repeats here.
From The Next Generation to Voyager the episodes featured here show a variety of video quality. Each episode is presented with its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio and looks as fine, if not better than it did when it was broadcast. The earlier episodes could have been cleaned up a bit but as it stands the quality didn't bother me too much. The image did sometimes appear to be soft or grainy but naturally got better as the different series progressed.
The episodes here are presented with options for 2.0 and 5.1 Dolby Digital English tracks. The quality was very good with an overall clean presentation and fine channel separation. There were a couple of points where the sound was a little softer than I would have liked but overall I felt that the soundstage was as impressive as it should have been. There are also some optional English subtitles included on the set if you want to watch it with those on.
Just like the previous Fan Collectives the only extra feature available here is a selection of commentaries. Three text commentaries are included by Michael and Denise Okuda for "Deja Q", "Q-Less" and "Death Wish". The commentaries are insightful and even funny at times though I can't help but wish that there was more included to make these Collectives a more enticing package.
The bottom line for these Fan Collectives is that if you already own some of the Trek seasons on DVD then don't bother picking them up. These collections are made with fans on a budget or casual viewers who don't want to invest over a thousand dollars on all the Star Trek series. The Q represents some of the more entertaining adventures that Star Trek has had and many of these episodes are some of the best. If you're picking it up just bare in mind that there are some repeats to deal with again.
Check out more of my reviews here. Head on over to my anime blog as well for random musings and reviews of anime, manga, and stuff from Japan!


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Dear <Decision-maker>,
I would like to request funding to attend the Congressional City Conference, March 11-14 in Washington, D.C. This conference brings together more than 2,000 elected and appointed city leaders to focus on the federal policy issues that are important to local governments.
NLC is a bipartisan organization dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. Throughout the year, NLC advocates for cities and towns in Washington, D.C. through full-time lobbying and grassroots campaigns. The Congressional City Conference is a unique opportunity for city leaders to join NLC's efforts and advocate on behalf of NLC's federal action priorities, benefitting <Your city name here> and cities everywhere.
The conference will include sessions and learning opportunities where I can gather tangible takeaways to bring back home on a variety of topics important to our community, such as infrastructure, public safety, community resilience, and federal regulations that will make me a stronger advocate for <Your city name here>. <Add specific conference workshops and NLC University seminars from the conference website to customize for your city's/town's needs and interests>.
<The numbers in brackets below will need to be adjusted to reflect the current pricing. The travel costs vary as well and should be changed to reflect your costs.>
The full price conference fee is <$xxxx>, but can be reduced by registering before the early bird deadline.
<You will need to insert your travel cost numbers here>
Here is the breakdown of conference costs:
Roundtrip Airfare: <$xxxx>
Transportation: <$xxxx>
Hotel: <$xxxx>
Meals: <$xxxx>
Conference Fee: <$xxxx>
The total costs associated with attending this conference are: <$xxxx>.
With such a rich offering of educational content and the chance to share my insights with members of Congress, the White House, and federal agency representatives, <Your city name here> will benefit from my attendance at Congressional City Conference.
If there's any further information I can provide to support my request, please do not hesitate to ask!
<Your Name Here>

subset: commoncrawl


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Hi, My name is Karen Kay and I have been with Valley Vet for over 8 years. I am a customer service representative and love my job, and I am so blessed to have such a great company to work for. My experience with working with people started with a business of my own for many years and with animals on the farm with my husband, also for many years.
My children were involved in 4H with horses, cattle and poultry. I have lots of great memories of camps, fairs and shows with tents, campers and kids. If you have not spent 5 days and nights at a County Fair with your kids and animals in the rain, heat, bugs, you may be missing one of life's most important times with them. I am now doing the same with my Grands but I even enjoy it more as I see my daughter working with them through all the same enjoyable moments! That circle of life is a gift.
I also have been in the hair industry for many years and worked with clippers and products that we sell and enjoy helping customers finding what they need for their animals and also for themselves with our Valley Natural's hair items. I have gained knowledge and gratification being in this occupation and now can share it with my new line of work with Valley Vet Supply. I hope to be able to help you sometime. Thanks for reading, Karen Kay


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WEST DELRAY — – State Attorney Dave Aronberg has been on a tear during the last month, junking many of his predecessor's procedures and returning the office to the way it ran during the 16-year tenure of Barry Krischer, who retired in 2009.
Speaking before the Voters Coalition, a nonpartisan Palm Beach County civic group, Aronberg on Thursday repeatedly invoked Krischer's name as he explained how he's operating his office. He also said the former top prosecutor is back as a volunteer adviser on death penalty cases.
Aronberg said he's emphasizing gang violence, pill mills and con artists – but sought to temper expectations as he educated about 60 people on the realities of running a prosecutor's office in Florida's third most populous county.
The Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office has a $22 million budget, 120 prosecutors and 210 other staffers. It gets 126,000 cases a year. The eight criminal court judges could handle about 830 cases a year – if none ever took a vacation day, Aronberg said.
"If we wanted to take every case to trial, we couldn't do that, obviously," he said. "A lot of people don't like plea bargains. But here's the reality of the court system."
He said he does want to improve the office's conviction rate, which he said slipped in the post-Krischer years to become the lowest among Florida's 20 state attorneys. Aronberg never named Michael McAuliffe, who was elected state attorney in 2008. McAuliffe quit early and an interim prosecutor ran the office for 10 months until Aronberg took over.
Aronberg said he's brought back four of Krischer's assistants to work again in the office, and hired the statewide prosecutor who led the anti-gang initiative in the Florida attorney general's office.
He also said he wants to improve the training of prosecutors. Once that happens, he said they'll get more authority to make their own decisions.


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Rasmussen did some exit polling today. He found that 22 percent of Massachusetts Democrats voted for Scott Brown. If Democrats are 36 percent of voters (which is their representation among those registered to vote), then Brown captures 8 percent of the total vote just by virtue of Dems.
If he wins 11 of out of every 12 Republican votes, that would give him another 11 percent of the total vote (Republicans are 12 percent of registered voters). This would leave him needing another 31 percent of the total vote to reach 50 percent, which I take to the magic number given that the third party candidate will pick off some votes.
Brown could accomplish this by winning 62 percent of independent votes. Independents are a little more than 50 percent of registered voters, so winning 62 percent of their votes would get him a little more than 31 percent of the total electorate, thus getting to 50 percent by virtue of the following formula:
8 (Democrats) + 11 (Republicans) + 31 (independents).
But if, as has been reported, the percentage of registered Republicans (or registered Independents) who turn out exceeds the percentage of registered Democrats who do so, then the above calculations shift in Brown's favor. That is, he won't have to do quite as well among Republicans and independents if these cohorts vote in disproportionately large numbers.
It should also be remembered that Rasmussen's exit polling of Democrats might not present an accurate picture. Exit polling can be rather inexact. 22 percent sounds about right, though.
UPDATE: Half the vote has been tabulated. Brown is in the lead 53-47.
If only Michael Barone were on television analyzing precinct results, we'd probably know the outcome for sure by now.
UPDATE: With 70 percent of the vote in, it's Brown 53, Coakley 46. The gap in total vote is just about 100,000. Maybe we don't need Barone at this point.
VICTORY!: Brown is being declared the winner by multiple outlets. I understand that Coakley is about to concede.


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Halle Berry Takes Flight
Halle Berry flashes a smile as she arrives at LAX airport on Monday (September 27) to catch a flight out of town.
The 44-year-old actress waved to her driver after getting dropped off in a Lincoln Navigator.
Over the weekend, Halle and daughter Nahla were spotted shopping together at CB2 in West Hollywood!
Halle was also spotted heading to a salon late last week to pamper herself.


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Moving Home
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Whether just down the road or that little bit further, we have a solution to fit your needs.
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We provide the boxes, and we will also pack them for you!
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There are many reasons why storage space can be required that is why we work closely with Secure-Store in Leighton Buzzard.
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Isn't it nice to know some bits of moving house don't have to be stressful? Research has shown that moving home is one of the most stressful life events, right up there with divorce and bereavement. Not only is there the initial stress of showing strangers around your own home, there is the inevitable tension and anxiety of the build-up to the actual day of the move itself – and that is where Buzzard movers can help.
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How can we help?
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Rhode Island regulators are expected to hold a public hearing later this year on a proposed natural gas-fired power plant in Burrillville. Rhode Island Public Radio reports that the Energy Facility Siting Board's public comment meeting will focus on water supply and is expected to be held early December in Charlestown.
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Thursday 5th August, 2010
11:30am to 1:00pm
Introducing a new project to provide an open and federated alternative to the centralized Gravatar avatar hosting service.
As more and more computing moves into someone else's data center (i.e. the Cloud), users and companies are losing direct control over their data and processes. The risks they used to be able to mitigate by using Free and Open Source software are starting to become apparent.
So what can be done to continue to enjoy the software freedom that we have come to appreciate in the desktop computing world? Just like the task of building a completely FOSS operating system in the 1980s looked like an impossible dream, having a completely free online life appears to be quite a big task. Thankfully, many people are now tackling this problem and starting to build freedom-respecting options, one service at a time.
This talk will introduce Libravatar, a Django-based project to provide a federated alternative to the Gravatar profile image hosting service, a centralized web service used by a very large number of social sites around the world.
While Libravatar looks like a fairly simple service, there are a number of challenges in implementing a Gravatar-compatible API in a highly scalable way. The naive webapp approach will not handle the amount of traffic that Gravatar is subject to every hour and a number of technical tricks are necessary.
These topics will be touched on:
Passionate about decentralization and software freedom. Security & privacy engineer at Mozilla.
2 more slide decks from DebConf10
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United States United States, New York
1st–7th August 2010


text: HI all, I have a domain which was expired and the old website has got like a lot of articles/posts. Is it possible for me to just go into Google cache and archives and copy the articles and re-use them on the same domain website? The theme and everything is different. But if I give it the same URL would that be a smart thing to do? It is still unique content I guess when I make the url the same right? So question. The time putting into getting these articles back, is it worth it? They are still indexed, but to be clear about this, they are from the domain which is now mine


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by Dorien Israel
"True communication is done with the heart; all else is noise made to make your mind feel as if you are not alone in this world of illusion."
It is time for fewer words, not more. It is in the moment when no words are spoken that truth is most available to you. When you are engaged in the act of passion, when you are in meditation, when you are at rest. These are the times when you are closest to expressing the only thing that needs communication – love… love of self, love of other, love of God.
Words are necessary, but the simpler the message, the more accurate the meaning and the more precise the understanding. From all things that are real come truth, even without speech. The earth, the sky, the sea, the air, the babe that suckles, and the child that sleeps speak to you without words and your soul has no difficulty interpreting their message. Attempt to dissuade others from their point of view no longer through your words, for they truly cannot understand your language. Allow others to have their own direction and you take yours, trusting that you both will meet at a place destined to bring you together in a more meaningful way.
Walk your path, and allow others to walk their way. Know that all paths are sanctioned by God, that in reality it is God who has chosen to walk both paths to experience each. In giving this freedom, you lose the need for constant approval of others and the unforgiving urge to correct and judge. In giving this freedom, you set yourself and others free from lonely, unsatisfying attempts to nurture your spirit with words, and you begin to listen instead to the small, still voice within you.
If you understood the power of the spoken word uttered in anger, none of you would use it in the abasement of each other, self, the earth, or God. Your spoken words are invisible and because you cannot touch, smell, hear, or taste them, you believe they have no force or energy. These are primitive criteria, and there is much truth and beauty existing beyond their reach. The guns, the arsenals, the wars, your personal defenses, no matter how sophisticated or deadly you believe them to be, are as a "no thing" when compared to the power contained in one word expressing as the open heart.
In the beginning there was the word, the word was with God, and the word was "good." Literally, the word was "good," pronounced and declared throughout the universe. The word, the thought, the command, the expression, came from the first Source and it was spoken as the word "good."
Go today and say less with your words and more with your eyes, with your heart, with your gestures, with your intentions. Know that the only word the soul can hear is "good," and that all other words are meaningless or do damage to your body.
"Good, Good, Good" – say these words to self and all you meet today and see the release in their eyes, for there will be a remembrance of that word from the inception of creation resounding through the cosmos. "It is good."
Click here for information on Dorien's upcoming retreat in April 2014.


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Free Delivery in Texas - Assembled & Ready-to-Ride
City Commuter Classic
The Pedego City Commuter gives you lots of power options; use throttle, five levels of pedal assist or both. Complete with fenders and chain guard to keep you clean and dry, front and rear lights for safety, and kevlar belted tires to prevent flats and keep you commuting.
MOTOR: 500 watt brushless geared rear hub motor
BATTERY: Lithium ion with samsung cells in a removable pack
CRANK: 3-piece alloy 175mm 46t black
SHIFTER: Shimano tourney ft55 7 speed shifter
DERAILLEUR: Shimano acera m360 7 speed rear derailleur with smartcage
CASSETTE: Shimano hg20 12-32t 7 speed cassetter with shimano hg40 chain
BOTTOM BRACKET: Sealed 68mm x 127mm
THROTTLE: Twist throttle variable speed control with julet quick disconnect fittings
SPEED: Up to 20mph using battery power only
SEATPOST: 27.2 x 350mm suspension seatpost
FRAME: 6061 light weight aluminum
BRAKES: Sram avid bb7 front (20mm) and rear (40mm) disc brakes
METER SYSTEM: Lcd display indicates current speed, ride time, odometer, trip distance, pedal assist level, and battery power
PEDAL ASSIST: Five levels of pedal assist with throttle override (throttle only at level 0)
LIGHTS: Front head light and rear tail light operating from battery
WEIGHT: 51 lbs (23kg) + battery 7-9 lbs (3-4kg)
FRAME SIZE: 28" is 17in. (43.18cm), 26" is 16in. (111.76)
AXLE TO AXLE: 28" is 47in. (119.38cm). 26" is 44in. (111.76cm)
HANDLEBARS: 27 in. (68.58 cm)
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text:
The Blood of Kings
Joo-Doh was beginning to worry about Soo-Won.
Months after his father's funeral, the boy walked the halls of the palace as if he were still in the funeral procession, stumbling and uncertain. Joo-Doh was a little afraid that, if the princess stopped coaxing him to eat like a pet bird, he genuinely wouldn't remember to do so. And Joo-Doh didn't know what to do, now, any more than he had years ago when it was the queen who had been killed and Yona who was wild with grief.
Actually, that wildness had been easier to deal with than Soo-Won's pale, stunned silence.
As though the world had just been waiting for him to think that, voices raised sharply down one of the inner corridors, and Joo-Doh strode forward with an exasperated sound between his teeth. As if he didn't have enough problems already, with discipline on the edge of breaking down in some squads, it seemed Yu-Hon's death was stirring up tempers even among the…
…the king. And Soo-Won.
"Do you think I don't know?" Soo-Won was shouting, tears on his face even though his eyes blazed through them. "Did you think I wouldn't learn?!"
"I told you the truth; it was an accident!" Even more than Soo-Won's unaccustomed rage, the edge of strain and anger in Il's raised voice shocked Joo-Doh still, where he stood at the turning of the corridor. "He was my brother!"
"So you say." Soo-Won stepped back, expression hardening into something far too chill for a boy that young, and his words cut like a live blade. "I see no relation." He spun on his heel and stalked down the hall, shoulders high and stiff. Il reached a hand after him, only to clench it and let it fall, head bowed. Joo-Doh stepped back, carefully silent, into the main hall, looking around to be sure no one else had witnessed that. This was not the time for anyone to hear of dissension in the royal family, not with the man whose leadership in the field had kept their borders safe so recently dead. Apparently he was going to have to add 'keeping the king and his nephew from each other's throats' to his list of a newly minted war-leader's chores.
He suspected, darkly, that anticipation of watching him have to deal with this kind of thing was why Geun-Tae had been grinning so broadly at his investiture.
He made a careful bit of noise, turning the corner again, and bowed to the king exactly as usual, brief and perfunctory. The king's smile in return was weak, but when was it not? He'd never been comfortable around the kingdom's warriors. Joo-Doh counted it as a successful return to normality, and turned briskly down the corridor that would eventually lead to the courtyard of the messenger birds.
He didn't think he could bring Soo-Won back to anything like normality, not if his normally even temper had snapped so spectacularly, and it was looking like the princess couldn't either, so it was time for last resorts. A corner of his mouth quirked up, wryly, as he started composing a note to Mundeok, in his head. Young Hak could be a hell-raiser, especially when Soo-Won saw fit to incite him, but he did have a way of rousing Soo-Won in return. Right now, Joo-Doh was willing to deal with the one in return for the other.
He didn't really want to think about what the palace would be like, if Soo-Won stayed as coldly furious as he'd just been.
Joo-Doh sighed as he paused in his final, evening round of the palace. There was still light burning behind the screens of Soo-Won's rooms.
Nearly three years after the accident that killed his father, and it was like part of the boy was still frozen in that moment of knowing the most important thing in his world was gone. His mourning time was nearly over, but clearly not done. Open loss might not show on his face, any more, but his smile was different these days, barely skin deep and scraped thin over pain. Anger still flashed out from behind it, too, every now and then, and Joo-Doh couldn't really blame the boy for that. It was such a stupid, pointless accident that took Yu-Hon from them all, but especially from his son. Small wonder if Soo-Won was enraged at the world for permitting such a thing, cold to his uncle, and painfully quiet sometimes, even with the princess or their partner in crime, Hak.
He supposed he should be grateful that the lights were burning, Joo-Doh reflected as he climbed the stairs to the breeze-way; at least it meant that Soo-Won was in here instead of sneaking out into the town as he'd done more and more often lately. But at least when he was sneaking out he wasn't brooding. Joo-Doh had looked after the royal children for over five years, now, and seeing Soo-Won's bright laughter and subtle spark of challenge quenched like this was troubling.
So his voice was a bit gentler than usual when he tapped on the door and nudged it open. "Soo-Won-sama? You should get some sleep."
Soo-Won was standing at the widest window of his rooms, with his back to the door, looking out over the drop of cliffs that guarded the palace's rear. He stood so still in the lamplight that he barely even seemed to be breathing, arms stretched out until his fingers touched the frame to each side. That position made Joo-Doh just a touch nervous, though if asked he'd have said no one was less likely to take his own life in grief than Soo-Won. Soo-Won had always had more resilience in him than that. Just in case, though, Joo-Doh eased quietly inside and closed the door behind him before taking a few steps toward his charge. "It's late, Soo-Won-sama. Come get ready for bed."
"Does this seem right to you, Joo-Doh-shougun?"
The soft question was so level, so distant, that a faint chill ran down his spine. That was not a child's voice. "Does what seem right?" he asked, edging around to get a look at Soo-Won's face.
"This country is dying, like my father died. Not of malice, but of misadventure and bad timing and incompetence." There was a flick of sharpness on that last word, but when Joo-Doh stepped far enough around to see, Soo-Won's face was perfectly still, almost serene if not for the tightness around his eyes, the dark shadows behind them. That expression didn't change in the slightest as he turned his head to look straight at Joo-Doh. "Does our world seem right to you, Joo-Doh-shougun?"
"This is the mortal world, not the celestial one," Joo-Doh answered quietly. Under the weight of that gaze, he could only give his charge the hard truth he'd felt sawing away at his own soul more than once. "There will always be things that are wrong."
That hidden rage flared in Soo-Won's eyes for a moment, sudden and hot, and just as suddenly concealed again. Soo-Won's voice was as measured as ever when he spoke. "I know that this is true. Some things will always be wrong. But that does not mean that we should tolerate those which can be put right."
True unease nipped at Joo-Doh for the first time. On the face of it, this seemed like the abstract discussion of evil in the world that any child probably needed to have, sooner or later, after losing a parent. The princess certainly had, after her mother died, though hers had involved far more tears and smashed dishes. But it wasn't just pain looking back at him from Soo-Won's eyes, tonight. Soo-Won had spoken of his father, yes, but also… the kingdom. Incompetence killing the kingdom, and wrongs that should not be tolerated. The earlier chill he'd felt turned to ice, coiling heavily in Joo-Doh's gut, and he couldn't help how his eyes widened. However much he might agree, sometimes, there were names for what Soo-Won was saying. Deadly names.
Soo-Won's perfectly level gaze narrowed for a fraction of a moment, and then melted away into a rueful smile. "I'm sorry, Joo-Doh-san. I'm rambling aren't I? You're right; I should go to bed. I hadn't realized how late it's getting."
That just made the chill grip harder, because Joo-Doh didn't believe for an instant that this had been over-tired rambling—nor that the lateness Soo-Won spoke of was anything to do with the advancing night. He'd seen Soo-Won smile just like that, before, usually to cover the kind of risks with his person and safety that by rights should have turned Joo-Doh's hair white years ago. It was always completely natural, entirely believable, and invariably meant that Soo-Won intended to keep right on doing whatever he'd planned on. "Soo-Won-sama…"
"Yes, Shougun?" Soo-Won was still smiling, but now Joo-Doh could feel the edge hiding under it, like a knife under silk, and finally realized part of what alarmed him about this whole conversation.
Soo-Won never called him by his title, always spoke to him as a familiar guardian, not as the war-leader of the Sky tribe. Always, until now. Joo-Doh looked at his royal charge's smile, sweet and open and utterly implacable, and swallowed hard. Softly, trying not to tip this precarious balance in any direction at all, he said, "Please sleep well, Soo-Won-sama."
Soo-Won's shoulders bowed for a breath with what did look like weariness, and he closed those bright, hard eyes for a moment. "I'll try, Joo-Doh-san."
Joo-Doh nodded warily and withdrew, trying not to feel like he was retreating from a battlefield as he left the room and latched Soo-Won's door closed behind him.
The memory of chill followed at his shoulder as he moved on through his evening rounds.
Joo-Doh sat at the more sheltered of the two tables in the dusty back court of a small, run-down inn and glowered at his drink. If he looked up from his drink, he'd just glower at his infuriatingly stubborn charge instead, and if he heard one more soldier mutter about royal nannies under their breath he wasn't going to be responsible for his actions.
In retrospect, it had probably been a bad idea to change out the handful of men he took along with them on this past year's increasingly frequent travels, but it was bad enough that he was being dragged back and forth across the country. He hadn't wanted to take any one group out of the regular rotation that often; it was bad for discipline and worse for their training. So every time Soo-Won had insisted on gallivanting off outside the palace, visiting yet another port or village or fortress, every time the king came to Joo-Doh and asked if, just perhaps, he wouldn't mind too much, Il didn't want to say no but the boy was a royal nephew after all and kidnapping was always a possibility… Every time, Joo-Doh had stifled a sigh and agreed to watch over Soo-Won's journey, and chosen a new set of guards to go with them. Apparently this had just made the amusement of his men at his difficulty in managing one sheltered noble boy more wide-spread.
Joo-Doh took a long drink and shot a dour look at the three soldiers who'd taken the next table over and were laughing quietly into their own drinks. He'd like to see them do any better.
Of course, most of them still thought these trips were some kind of whim. Few of them ever noticed that Soo-Won was always awake and up before them, and only a handful had actually caught Soo-Won at his sword training and seen for themselves the knife edge that lay under that silk-soft smile. Joo-Doh had, so far, been able to keep those few quiet by reminding them of how much the king disliked weapons and how displeased he might be to find his nephew practicing with such fierce dedication. His men had all dealt with enough royal interference curtailing their field training, or quashing even ceremonial appearances by the palace guard, that they'd kept their mouths shut. He suspected word might be making its way slowly through the ranks of the guard itself, but it hadn't gone further yet. Joo-Doh was grateful for that.
Because he hoped, with all his heart and soul, not to ever find himself ordered to execute Soo-Won for treason.
The thought made him take another long drink, and beside him Soo-Won laughed softly. "Has it been such a long day, Joo-Doh-san?"
Joo-Doh gave up any further attempts at avoiding his barracks nick-name and glowered at Soo-Won properly. "It's been a long year," he corrected, acidly, "and if you'd told me you intended to come this far north into Fire, on this trip, I'd have brought another five men along. Or have your travel journals," he infused the phrase with as much sarcasm as possible without raising his voice, "not mentioned the increase in bandit activity?"
He was fairly sure that Soo-Won's travel notes did mention exactly that, because he'd caught sight of a page of them now and then. They were more comprehensive than the reports he received himself from trained observers. Passing those steadily growing files off as a "travel journal" had made him choke at his charge's bland-faced audacity, the first time he'd heard it.
Sooner or later, this charade had to break, and every time he thought that he tried to bury the knowledge. He would hold that day off as long as he could.
Soo-Won smiled at him, sunny and gentle, and spoke just clearly enough to be heard at the next table. "I'm sure the skill of your good soldiers will be more than enough to keep us safe." The soldiers in question elbowed each other and puffed out their chests, half-jokingly, to look more impressive. Soo-Won positively beamed at them.
Joo-Doh's hands itched to strangle the boy, just a little bit. Except that he was reasonably sure Soo-Won would be able to hold him off for a while; he knew Soo-Won had been training with Hak every time the boy visited the palace. And such a display would raise the very questions he'd been trying to avoid. He took a slow breath and tried to stop grinding his teeth.
The sunny smile barely dimmed, but Soo-Won's eyes acquired a hard glint behind it. "Be calm, Joo-Doh-shougun," he murmured. "I have my reasons for coming here."
That was exactly what Joo-Doh was afraid of, but saying so might invite finding out what those reasons were. Frankly, he was still hoping to bluff through whatever happened when the king finally caught wind of all this, and surely that could be better done with some genuine ignorance at work. So he didn't answer, only leaned back as the inn's one server arrived to set out bowls of soup and rather scant dishes of cabbage and dumplings, and took another drink.
And nearly choked on it as the server pulled a knife out of her sleeve and pressed the edge swiftly to his neck.
"Don't move!" barked the inn-keeper from where he was suddenly filling the doorway, a horse-bow already drawn and aimed at the soldiers' table. "You. The noble boy. Set your purse on the table and stand back."
Joo-Doh silently cursed himself for letting his temper set him even a little off-guard. He cast a quick glance around the tiny courtyard and growled low in his throat as three more men, far scruffier than their host-turned-bandit but just as well armed, popped out of the nearest buildings and ran to flank them, swords and cudgels in hand. "Please do as he says, Soo-Won-sama," he gritted out, opening his hand slowly toward his men at the next table who were frozen in the act of standing, teeth bared in grimaces of outrage and embarrassment.
Not that he had any intention of letting this riff-raff keep their money, but it would get Soo-Won further out of the way of that bow and clear of Joo-Doh's swords when he drew them.
"Yes… yes, of course," Soo-Won stammered, eyes wide as he stumbled to his feet, and that should really have warned Joo-Doh. Soo-Won only ever stammered like that when the princess was trying to hand-feed him or when Hak was scruffling up his hair. Even so, he was caught nearly as much by surprise as the little gang of bandits when Soo-Won's hands lifted away from the purse and he took one long step back from the table, whirled toward the inn-keeper, and cut the man's head half off in one fast, hard sweep of steel.
Later, Joo-Doh would think. Later, he would remember the sureness of Soo-Won's hand sliding under the concealing looseness of his outer-robe, the calculation of the turn that flung his robes clear of his sword's draw, the utter stillness of his face as he cut. Right now, though, he had other concerns, and long training and hard experience threw him back from the knife against his throat, drove his elbow into the woman's stomach, and cut her arm to the bone with the first sweep of his own draw. "Get the flankers, search the buildings," he snapped at his men as they started up from their table, the tension of the ambush breaking into the reaction speed he'd trained into them. He silenced the high, shrill sound of pain the woman was making with a hard blow of his hilt to the side of her head and left her in a heap as he herded Soo-Won back under the courtyard's tiny balcony. His eyes tracked back and forth across the open space, half street and half town square, that the little inn backed up to.
When Soo-Won spoke, it was so soft he almost missed it.
"There are only the five of them."
It took a few seconds for the implications to penetrate the singing of adrenaline, but when it did Joo-Doh froze. Soo-Won knew how many this little bandit gang had. He's brought them here, insisted on stopping at this scruffy inn, knowing that the inn-keeper had taken up with bandits. Joo-Doh turned slowly to face him, fury rising. "Soo-Won-sama…"
"I had to know," Soo-Won cut him off, voice harsh before he took a slow breath and continued with his usual evenness. "I had to know if I could do this, and no lives of those who are in my care could be lost in the knowing." His eyes flickered to the sprawled body of the inn-keeper and away in a flinch that Joo-Doh recognized from other boys fresh from their first kill. "This town was as prosperous as any in this region manages to be, before he came. I doubt Kan Soo-Jin will spare the tax money to re-build that prosperity fully, but at least now they have a chance."
Joo-Doh could hear perfectly well the fingernail grip on composure running under this small economic lecture, and made an intensely exasperated sound between his teeth. He laid down his swords on the nearest table and pushed Soo-Won down into one of the chairs. "Breathe," he ordered briskly, setting a hand on the back of Soo-Won's neck and pressing his head down. "Slowly." He could feel the tremors running through the boy gradually subside, faster then he would have expected, to be honest. When Soo-Won made to straighten up, Joo-Doh let him and busied himself with cutting the late inn-keeper's overshirt into rags, to clean the swords, and strips to tie the woman up with. Soo-Won accepted a swatch silently and cleaned his own sword with only a few pauses to swallow hard.
Joo-Doh was, rather reluctantly, impressed. The royal children had been kept away from violence of any kind, and even if he'd come here seeking it, Soo-Won was dealing with his first kill better than some young soldiers Joo-Doh had commanded. Blood would tell, he supposed.
The possible consequences of that didn't quite occur to him until his three men came back, dragging another unconscious prisoner with them, and he saw the way their eyes moved from the splash of blood across Soo-Won's robes to his steady hands sheathing a clean blade. When Soo-Won nodded to them, cool and apparently unshaken, Joo-Doh could see their shoulders straighten exactly the way he'd seen happen when Soo-Won's father acknowledged one of the men under his command. That was when Joo-Doh started cursing again, silent and heartfelt.
How was he supposed to keep this quiet?
Joo-Doh paced the dark halls of the palace on his way to his rooms, slow and weary. It had been a very long month.
First there had been the princess' thirteenth birthday, which had put Soo-Won and Il in the same place all day, resulting in a great deal of tension as they both smiled for Yona and tried not to show how chilly Soo-Won's glance got every time it crossed the king and how the king's voice turned tight and sharp every time he spoke to Soo-Won. Then there had been a caravan coming south, decimated by bandits just inside Fire's north border, and Joo-Doh had to spend far too long arguing with Kan Soo-Jin until the prickly bastard agreed to accept a few squads of men from Sky to help clean them out. And just to tie things off perfectly, the past two solid weeks had been full of negotiations that started with an incursion over the border from Sei, moved through two shouting matches between Soo-Won and Il that he knew of, and ended with another territorial concession. Joo-Doh had just returned from seeing off the Sei envoys, far more courteously than he would have preferred, and he wanted to find his bed and sleep for a day or two.
But there were lamps still burning in the guest rooms Soo-Won kept here, now he'd moved back into Yu-Hon's house in the town.
Joo-Doh spared a moment to reflect, darkly, that he would probably get more sleep if his sense of responsibility were just a little less developed, before he tapped on Soo-Won's door and called quietly, "Soo-Won-sama? It's late." After the last few years, the corollary please go to bed and stop plotting something I'm going to regret some day was probably understood on both sides.
Tonight, though, he got a surprise when the door swung open to show, not Soo-Won, but the attendant and aide he almost never brought to the castle with him, Kye-Sook. He looked Joo-Doh up and down, coolly, before turning back to the room where Soo-Won stood in a pool of lamplight. "As we have discussed, then, my Lord," he murmured, and bowed deeply to Soo-Won before slipping out past Joo-Doh and down the quiet corridor. Joo-Doh was still looking after him, trying to pin down why that cool look made him uneasy, when Soo-Won spoke quietly.
"Come in, Joo-Doh-shougun."
It was a command, not an invitation, and Joo-Doh was moving before he quite realized it. He drew a breath to remonstrate, only to loose it as his eyes finally met Soo-Won's. They were as level as he'd ever seen them, but tonight they were also fiercely intent, and that look cut off his words like a blade laid against his throat.
"I have need of you," Soo-Won said quietly.
"Soo-Won-sama, I can't… This won't…" Joo-Doh made sharp, frustrated gesture, the knowledge that had walked beside him for the last seven years boiling up in his throat. He couldn't go along with this. What good would a civil war do anyone at all, especially now with every surrounding country gathering like vultures, circling lazily as they waited for something to die.
Soo-Won cocked his head, pinning Joo-Doh under that uncomfortably sharp gaze. "In three years," he said, quite conversationally, "this country will be no more. The only reason we've made it this long is Kai's own internal strife. But now that Xing and Sei have realized that they can start carving away our territory and meet no resistance, smaller interests than the Empire itself have started to look our way. Li Hazra, north of Fire, will be ready to move within three years, and there are two separate Southern Kai traffickers who are already moving in on Water's port markets. Once Earth has exhausted the mines left them after my uncle's last concessions to Kai, those same interests will move on Geun-Tae-shougun's territory, and he will have to choose between loyalty to Kouka's throne and safeguarding his people." Soo-Won's mouth tilted in something that didn't look in the least like amusement. "I think we both know how that will play out."
The litany of disaster waiting to happen—starting to happen—froze Joo-Doh's heart. "Then you must know," he managed, voice rough, "that anything that divides the kingdom further will only bring the end faster."
Soo-Won folded his arms and leaned back against the window-frame behind him with a sigh. "If I sought merely to depose my uncle, perhaps to exile him, then yes. You would be right. Nothing would bring down the scavengers more quickly than the least hint of a figurehead they could use as an excuse to invade. And that," his voice fell, soft and cool and level, "is why I must kill him. Swiftly and as secretly as may be done, so that I can present myself as the only surviving heir and be fairly assured that the tribe's war-leaders will acknowledge me rather than see chaos." When he looked up from his folded arms, the fire in his eyes rocked Joo-Doh back a step. "And then, Joo-Doh-shougun, then we can start to take our territory back and to remind Sei and Xing and Kai that we are not a country it is safe to take lightly."
The absent thought ran through Joo-Doh's mind that, if Geun-Tae were standing here, he'd be cheering out loud and probably planning their first campaign before he even remembered to tell Soo-Won 'yes'. Joo-Doh felt that he had considerably better sense than that overgrown adolescent, but he still felt like Soo-Won had reached in and turned his world inside out with one pull.
He hadn't realized how much his own vision had narrowed, how far in he'd pulled it in an effort to ignore the bleak future looming up. Not until Soo-Won spoke, and suddenly he could see a future more than a year or two away. Suddenly, the dull grinding awareness of threats closing in from every side, threats he was not permitted to drive off, eased into a glimmer of hope and an unfolding path forward. It flowed over him like the first breath of a new dawn, and he breathed it in with something painfully like wonder.
One thing caught at his attention, though, like a thorn caught in his clothing. "The only heir? But the princess…"
Soo-Won flinched, the first time Joo-Doh had ever seen that happen, he realized. "I love my cousin well," Soo-Won said, folded arms tightening until his shoulders drew in. "I will do my best to keep her out of it, to find somewhere safe to send her." He rubbed his fingers across his forehead, still not looking up. "It can't be a noble family, but she's very young still. Surely she will adjust if I can find a merchant family to hide her in. One that travels a lot, ideally."
"And if you cannot?" Joo-Doh asked, slowly, not wanting to think about it himself, but he hadn't become the Sky tribe's war-leader by ignoring critical strategic issues.
Soo-Won's hand fell, fisting tight as he tucked it under the concealment of his sleeve. For a long moment he was silent, head bowed, shoulders taut. When he spoke again, his voice was thin and airless. "I will not be the contemptible creature my uncle is. I will not allow personal grief or guilt to rule over my responsibility to my people. If I cannot keep her hidden… then I must see her killed as well, before she becomes a pawn in the hands of our enemies." He pulled in an unsteady breath and looked up with a brittle smile. "Kye-Sook asked me that as well. I will do whatever must be done."
"Soo-Won-sama." Joo-Doh moved to reach out a hand, only to halt. What could he possibly say? It was the truth, and while there was enough resentment against the king that he might not make a very good cat's-paw, Yona was a beautiful and innocent young girl that all hearts would melt for. If she learned of this, if her grief was seized on by one of the Kai nobles and set up at the head of an army… Even the people in the army's way might wonder if she didn't have justice on her side.
Soo-Won shook his head. "It is what it is." He let out a slow breath, and then straightened, and the intensity that had struck Joo-Doh so silent at first rose around him again, like a fire catching. "I will do what must be done," he repeated. "And to do that, Joo-Doh-shougun, I need you. I will need at least two of the tribes' war-leaders to support me from the first, but above that I need you. I need the unbending determination that drove a young officer who was merely competent to become the equal of Lee Geun-Tae. To recover our country's footing and drive off the scavengers coming now to feed, I need the strength that holds Sky's warriors steady even as their king turns away from them." Very softly, he finished, "Will you give these things to me?"
It struck Joo-Doh a little breathless, to be seen through and through, and then to be called on to serve as he once hoped to. "Soo-Won-sama…" It came out husky, and he swallowed, drawing himself up in return. "To one who sees, and will act, yes. For this, I will give all that I am." He had to swallow again before he could finish, because there was no going back from this. But his steps were firm as he came away from the door and knelt down at Soo-Won's feet, head bowed. "Soo-Won-heika."
Soo-Won's hand rested briefly on his bent head. "Thank you, my Shougun."
The calm certainty of that acknowledgement put a tiny shiver down Joo-Doh's spine. He had come up as Sky's war-leader under Il, and he'd never had his king's full trust.
Until now.
The thought quieted an old, old tension in his chest, and it came to him that, yes, he could rest in his king's hands now, and be sure that he would be used rightly in the service of his kingdom and people. The bared steel in the gaze that met his, when he raised his head, promised him that, and he met that steel willingly with his own.
"Your will, my king."
Joo-Doh would never have expected that becoming involved in plotting a treasonous coup would make him feel so much more relaxed at meetings of the Five Tribes, but this seemed to be the case. For once, he'd managed to sit through An Joon-Gi's obvious obfuscation as he talked around the condition of his northern port towns, and Il's obliviousness as he tried to agree with everyone, and even Geun-Tae's open yawns, without his hand itching to knock anyone's heads together. He only marked these things as indicators of future projects. It was a bit of a revelation, suddenly having that vast weight of frustration fall away, lifted by the surety that all of these things would be seen and seen to.
That didn't mean he was enthusiastic about having Kan Soo-Jin as a co-conspirator.
"Are you sure about this, Soo-Won-sama?" he asked quietly as they watched Fire's war-leader sweep away down the corridor in a nearly visible cloud of self-satisfaction.
"I know he's loyal to nobody but himself," Soo-Won murmured, cutting straight to the heart of the issue as Joo-Doh was coming to expect of him. "But Fire has by far the largest army of any of the Tribes. Better to have it behind me for now than to risk him picking up on our plans from the outside. While he believes that he may make use of me, he will be a powerful ally."
Joo-Doh snorted a bit at that, because that didn't say very kind things about the man's perceptiveness. "And when he realizes otherwise?" Because even Kan Soo-Jin probably wouldn't be able to keep believing that once Soo-Won took the throne.
The brief curve of Soo-Won's lips, distant and yet anticipatory, almost made him shiver. More than ever, of late, he saw Soo-Won's father in him—Yu Hon's skill with a sword and his strategic vision both. Strange, given how much Soo-Won looked, and even sounded often, like his mother.
"That," Soo-Won said, soft and certain, "is when there will be an opportunity to see to Fire's recovery. One way or the other."
Joo-Doh bowed his head, at that. He didn't like the idea of having to fight amongst themselves, but he doubted Kan Soo-Jin would feel the same. Soo-Won's hand rested on his shoulder for a moment, and his voice was low but even when he spoke. "Whatever must be done, we will do. But I will do everything I can to protect as many of our people as is possible."
Joo-Doh raised his head, looking back steadily, reassured again by the fire that burned at the back of Soo-Won's eyes. "Yes, my Lord."
The quick patter of slippers coming down the corridor made him step back into the shadows of the nearest door as the princess came careening around the corner. "Soo-Won!" She lit up like sunrise at seeing her cousin and reached out to catch his hands as she skidded to a halt. Soo-Won reached to catch her, so swift and unthinking and protective that Joo-Doh couldn't help rolling his eyes a little. Both the boys were so transparent around the princess.
"I have dancing lessons this afternoon, and Hak says I dance like a crow, and you have to come watch so you can tell him I don't!" she said all in one breath, tugging on his sleeves insistently, already poised to dash back the way she'd come, presumably with her cousin in tow.
"I'll come, Yona-hime," Soo-Won promised, smile distantly kind while his hands were thoughtlessly tender, straightening her over-robe. "In just a moment."
She pouted up at him, and not just because of the delay in meeting her whim, Joo-Doh thought. Yona was more than just transparent, where her attempts to capture Soo-Won's attention were concerned. "Come quick, then."
Soo-Won watched her as she turned with a soft huff and ran back down the outer corridor, light as the garden breezes that followed her. His face was perfectly still, but the darkness in his eyes and the white-knuckled fists he hid in the folds of his over-robe made Joo-Doh step close again and say, softly, "We will do everything we can to confine her away from things, Soo-Won-sama."
Soo-Won closed those shadowed eyes for a breath. "Thank you, Joo-Doh-shougun." When he opened them again, they were distant, but intent again—sharp and fierce. A king's eyes, Joo-Doh thought, and Soo-Won's words carried a king's knowledge and weight. "I will do what must be done."
Joo-Doh bowed, and answered that the only way he could, the way he was increasingly sure the entire country would answer Soo-Won's blazing will.
"Yes, my king."


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Uncovering the Roots Behind National Toothache Day & Common Causes for Toothaches
Did you know that National Toothache Day is a real holiday? "Celebrated" every February 9, National Toothache Day shares the same day as the founding of Hershey Chocolate Corporation in the year 1894. The Feast of Saint Apollonia, the Christian patroness of dentistry, is also celebrated February 9. Coincidence perhaps?
Whatever the reason is behind the creation of National Toothache Day, today still serves as an important reminder to get your smile examined on a regular basis by a Smile Generation®-trusted dentist. Although we recommend at least two annual dental visits to maintain healthy smiles, studies still indicate that an alarming 15 percent of Americans would rather avoid going to the dentist entirely due to dental anxiety or fear. Such statistics are cause for worry as regular dental visits are necessary in order to help prevent gum disease and early tooth loss; going to the dentist regularly is also much more financially reasonable than having to deal with emergency dental treatments.
If you've been dealing with toothaches for a while now, then it's definitely time to check-in with a Smile Generation-trusted dentist near you TODAY. Our trusted dentists and specialists use modern technology and are specially trained to provide you with an exceptional, comfortable and affordable dental experience.
Still on the fence about going to the dentist? Click here to read about common symptoms and reasons behind a toothache, according to the American Association of Endodontists.
About The Smile Generation®
The Smile Generation is your trusted source for dental recommendations. We connect you with great dentists around the nation who are dedicated to delivering thoughtful, modern care with advanced technology and providing an exceptional patient experience.
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The recently announced partnership between electric car darling Tesla Motors and Japanese automaker heavyweight Toyota, despite not being quite the done deal many initially thought, still sent shivers down the necks of many in the auto industry. The unusual arraignment between the two companies, which includes joint development of electric cars and conversion of a shuttered California auto plant to a facility to build these new electric cars, was seen by many as a watershed moment in electric cars becoming more mainstream (perhaps only matched by the excellent presales of the Nissan Leaf). To get some perspective on this deal, we bent the email ear of John Voelcker, senior editor of GreenCarReports.com, for his take on what makes this deal a big deal:
EarthTechling: What is so significant about the Tesla-Toyota deal announced recently?
John Voelcker: Toyota has never before invested in an existing auto brand outside Asia and it also historically has developed pretty much everything internally. The company is heavily wedded to hybrid-electric technology whereas Tesla is pure EV and, finally, it's not clear that Tesla's lithium-ion battery pack technology is superior to Toyota's.
ET: Why do you think Tesla chose to team up with Toyota and not go it alone on this venture?
Voelcker: Tesla wants, above all else, to survive! Toyota can offer several things it desperately needs, including: money (Toyota is buying $50 million of Tesla stock just before the IPO); a nearby factory for the Model S (which is NUMMI in Fremont, CA); access to world-class volume auto-production engineers; and access to globally conpetitive platforms, components, and supply chains. Tesla's end game is surely to be bought, just like any other venture-funded startup. Their schedule for Model S production is very, very aggressive, and most analysts doubt they will be able to start production by the end of 2011–but Toyota could help.


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Need car insurance? Where is the best possible place to find the cheapest deal without wasting time? The answer is the Internet. By comparing different insurance companies online will not only save you time, but will aid you in finding the best car insurance to suit your needs.
Is it possible to purchase car insurance online? Most folks are used to purchasing their car insurance by paging through the Yellow pages and calling local insurance agencies. When you call a local agency they usually request a copy of your current coverage in order to give you an accurate comparison as well as proper advice. The telephonic questionnaires take a lot of your time, and may also be inaccurate.
There is a simpler way to receive an accurate car insurance quote which takes up less time and this may be done by going online. The online quoting system will require you to post all pertinent insurance information to give you an accurate quote. You do more of the work but you are better informed when you complete the process.
Before finding an online quote, the following information can be gathered to save time on filling in the Car Insurance quotation form:
- Expiration Date – The expiration date is critical because it proves that your insurance has not expired and that will qualify you for a preferred rate with most companies. If your insurance has expired then you may be underwritten into a substandard carrier which will lead to higher rates.
- Driver Information – All resident relatives that have a driver's license need to be rated on the policy. You will need to enter the name, date of birth, and driver's license number.
- Driving Record – Accidents and violations need to be disclosed to pre-qualify you for the insurance. This needs to be accurate because insurance companies will find out about your driving record anyway. They check motor vehicle reports from your province as well as your prior carrier. The cleaner your driving record, the lower your premiums will be as statistically you are at lower risk to cause an accident.
- Vehicle Information – You will have to list each vehicle that you want covered on the policy. You will need the vehicle identification number for each vehicle. That number will give the insurance company the pertinent information that it needs to discount the vehicle for air bags, anti-lock brakes and other safety features.
- Current Coverage – Use your declarations page to list all of the coverage that you currently have on all vehicles. This will include liability limits, first party benefits and physical damage limits.
The Internet is a much simpler and time saving way in the hunt for the ideal insurance company. Not only is this approach more accurate in receiving quotations, the online offers are also cheaper, and thus save you a lot of money.


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Coming up with the perfect Halloween costume idea always seems to be a struggle in the month of October. Children and adults stress themselves over finding the scariest disguise or wildest getup. This becomes increasingly difficult to do when pop-up stores are churning out the same old mass-produced ensembles.
Luckily for Greater Lansing residents, Uniquely Yours Costume Rental and Tailoring and the Costume Shop managed by Riverwalk Theatre offer alternatives to large chain costume stores.
Uniquely Yours, owned and operated by Laura Ozanich for 23 years, offers upward of 2,000 custommade costumes, ranging from a bowl of chili to Queen Victoria.
"When we first opened, I wanted to try to do something different," Ozanich said. "There were other costume shops around, and I knew ours would need to stick out somehow. We started taking custom orders for costumes for Halloween and other events and holidays. After some time, our work spoke for itself, and we were ready to find a bigger location."
The shop has moved several times to accommodate its growing inventory, most recently to its storefront on Saginaw Street, just west of Frandor.
The need for a bigger space is an issue that affected the Costume Shop managed by Riverwalk Theatre as well. Operating out of the second floor of a former Lansing fire station had become too much for the shop's crew.
"We have costumes and materials dating back to the 1940s. It just became too difficult to work in so little space," said Katie Doyle, the shop's manager.
The shop moved a few miles northeast to a space on May Street, tucked between Saginaw Street and Oakland Avenue.
"Our new location actually has a floor where costumes can be put on display," Doyle said. "We want to be able to offer as many costumes as possible. We already have thousands in storage and hundreds more in the shop."
Both shops offer custom-made costumes for customers looking to bring their Halloween fantasies to life and are working extended hours for the month of October to deal with the extra holiday demand.
Uniquely Yours Costume Rental and Tailoring
Call for appointment (Inside Maurer's Sanitary Cleaners) 2815 E. Saginaw St., Lansing (517) 303-2211
The Costume Shop managed by Riverwalk Theatre
Expanded October hours: 2-7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday 1131 May St., Lansing (517) 484-9199, rwtcostumeshop.com


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Wooley Creek Festival is this weekend
The Wooley Creek Community Association will hold its eighth annual bluegrass festival and school history days on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The gates and one room school house will open at 4 p.m. on Friday. Attendees are invited to listen to the tales of life in the early 1900s as some of the original students reminisce in the school house. Photos and other memorabilia will be on display in the facility, which features the original potbellied stove, an old school bell and school records.
Food concessions will also open at 4 p.m. On Friday. The menu will include: a fish fry; pulled pork; brisket; pork tenderloin; and hamburgers.
Musical performances will begin at 5 p.m., and an auction featuring antiques and collectibles will be held at 6 p.m. The music will resume at 7 p.m. And continue until 9 p.m.
Missouri Boatride and five other bands will perform on Saturday. The Cleverlys, who recently performed at the Ozark Empire Fair, will take the stage at 5 p.m.
Tickets for a drawing for a queen size quilt that was handmade by former student Vada Wilson will be offered throughout the festival. The drawing will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The winner does not need to be present to win.
The Wooley Creek School Bluegrass Festival is held at the school, which is located three and a half miles west of Cape Fair.
Admission is $10 per person for all three days. Parking and primitive camping sites will be offered at no charge.
For more information on the bluegrass festival call Justin Sifford at 417-294-5886. To learn more about the school call Mary Ann Broomfield at 417-336-8323 or Mike Collins at 417-574-6021.


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The aortic valve is the valve that separates the left ventricle from the aorta. Aortic stenosis refers to a narrowing of the aortic valve or a narrowing of the aorta directly above (supravalvar) or below (subvalvar) the valve.
This leads to abnormally high pressure in the left ventricle causing the left ventricular wall to thicken (hypertrophy). Treatment usually involves surgery, though it may be possible to stretch the valve with a balloon catheter. The catheter procedure, known as a balloon valvuloplasty, involves the insertion of a heart catheter through a vein in the leg leading to the heart.
A balloon at the tip of the catheter is placed across the valve and inflated to stretch open the stenotic valve. Most often, surgery involves repair of the existing valve. Valve replacement is not an ideal option for children because long-term mortality rates are high.
What Is Normal Cardiac Anatomy?
When your child has a congenital heart defect, there's usually something wrong with the structure of his or her heart's structure.
Heart With Normal Cardiac Anatomy
When your child has a congenital heart defect, there's usually something wrong with the structure of his or her heart's structure.
The heart is composed of four chambers. The two upper chambers, known as atria, collect blood as it flows back to the heart. The two lower chambers, known as ventricles, pump blood with each heartbeat to the two main arteries (the pulmonary artery and the aorta). The septum is the wall that divides the heart into right and left sides. The atrial septum separates the right and left atria; likewise, the ventricular septum separates the two ventricles.
There are four valves that control the flow of blood through the heart. These flap-like structures allow blood to flow in only one direction. The tricuspid and mitral valves, also known as the atrioventricular valves, separate the upper and lower chambers of the heart. The aortic and pulmonary valves, also known as the arterial valves, separate the ventricles from the main arteries. Oxygen-depleted blood returns from the body and drains into the right atrium via the superior and inferior vena cavas. The blood in the right atrium then passes through the tricuspid valve and enters the right ventricle.
Next, the blood passes through the pulmonary valve, enters the pulmonary artery, and travels to the lungs where it is replenished with oxygen. The oxygen-rich blood returns to the heart via the pulmonary veins, draining into the left atrium. The blood in the left atrium passes through the bicuspid, or mitral, valve and enters the left ventricle.
Finally, the oxygen-rich blood flows through the aortic valve into the aorta and out to the rest of the body.
From Nemours' KidsHealth
- Cardiac Catheterization
- ECG (Electrocardiogram)
- If Your Child Has a Heart Defect
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Arrhythmias
- When Your Child Needs a Heart Transplant
- Heart Murmurs
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
- Coarctation of the Aorta
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Ventricular Septal Defect
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- A to Z: Atrial Flutter
- A to Z: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
- A to Z: Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
- A to Z: Tetralogy of Fallot
- Heart and Circulatory System
- Congenital Heart Defects Special Needs Factsheet
Trusted External Resources
Trusted Resources
A to Z: Tetralogy of Fallot
A to Z: Tetralogy of Fallot
Tetralogy of Fallot is a combination of four birth defects that together affect the structure of the heart and how blood flows through it.
The four specific heart defects that make up tetralogy of Fallot (fah-LO) are:
- ventricular septal defect
- pulmonary valve stenosis (narrowing)
- right ventricular hypertrophy
- overriding aorta
More to Know
Babies with tetralogy of Fallot can have cyanosis, which is a bluish-purple color to their skin, lips, and fingernails. This happens when not enough blood reaches the lungs to get oxygen. They may also fail to gain weight, have difficulty feeding or breathing, and have enlarged skin or bones around the fingernails (known as clubbing).
Tetralogy of Fallot develops in utero while the heart is forming. A specific cause hasn't been determined, but babies with certain genetic disorders are at higher risk for developing it. Other risk factors include advanced maternal age and, during pregnancy, poor nutrition, diabetes, or certain viral illnesses.
Keep in Mind
Tetralogy of Fallot is a serious condition that requires young infants to have heart surgery to repair the defect. The good news is that most babies recover fully and thrive into adulthood. They will, however, need to be monitored closely by a heart specialist for the rest of their lives.
All A to Z dictionary entries are regularly reviewed by KidsHealth medical experts.
Reviewed by:
Date reviewed: September 05, 2017


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Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: 515-271-4001
Territory: Transfer students from some Iowa schools, as well as Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., Georgia, Guam, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and Wisconsin
Educational Background: B.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
Three interesting things about Rachelle:
Why do you love Drake? I love Drake because of the people that make up the Drake Community – it is truly like family.
What is your favorite thing to do in Des Moines? I love the outdoors so I enjoy being active at Grey's Lake, Sands Volleyball Club, Witmer Park, Des Moines Downtown Farmer's Market and attending live music events/festivals and the Iowa State Fair.
Advice for prospective students: As you are going through your college search you need to ask these questions: How long until I graduate? When will I start courses in my major? How flexible is the general education curriculum? How much will it cost including scholarships and need based aid? What opportunities are available for involvement? What are the benefits the city gives where the school is located? Are there internship opportunities? Once in college, immerse yourself in the campus and get involved. You will only have your first undergraduate college experience once, so take advantage of all you can!


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Rupee sinks to record closing low of 58.77 ahead of Fed meet
Resuming its downfall, the rupee on Tuesday sank by a whopping 90 paise to all-time closing low of 58.77 on massive dollar buying by banks and importers as forex markets became jittery ahead of Fed's decision on continuing monetary stimulus.business Updated: Jun 19, 2013 02:26 IST
The rupee on Tuesday plunged 90 paise, or1.6%, to close at all-time low of 58.77 against the US dollar on strong dollar buying by banks and importers as forex market reacted nervously ahead of the US Federal Reserve's decision to continue monetary stimulus.
The rupee had earlier hit its all-time low on June 11, plunging to 58.98 in intra-day trade, but closed up at 58.39.
"All major Asian currencies were seen trading weaker against the US dollar ahead of the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) meet which will last for two days," said Abhishek Goenka CEO, India Forex Advisors. "The market participants will be keenly listening to his speech as his comments on quantitative easing (QE) tapering or continuing will be very significant."
If the Fed decides to taper down bond buying policy it could trigger outflow of funds from emerging markets such as India.
Though the rupee is likely to see downward pressure in the near-term, experts believe that it may strengthen in the medium-term.
"The major sources of drag to the currency in recent years — high inflation and rising current account deficit — are dissipating rapidly and will help support the currency," said Taimur Baig, chief economist, Deutsche Bank. "We therefore expect the rupee to rally against the dollar in the second half of 2013."
Experts see rupee trading in the range of 57-59 against the dollar in the coming days.
"The rupee depreciated by a big margin today," said Anindya Banerjee, currency analyst, Kotak Securities.
"It might have become a victim of a carry trade unwind, as a sharp appreciation in the yen and depreciation in the rupee since mid-May, has become a pain trade for FIIs who have invested in Indian debt paper. We could see a range of 57.50 to 59.30 over the near-term."
First Published: Jun 18, 2013 10:00 IST


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FRONTLINE reports from Iraq on the miscalculations and mistakes behind the brutal rise of ISIS.
ISIS' growing foothold in Afghanistan is captured on film.
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Jung started out as a youthful marijuana smuggler but got active in cocaine
trafficking during the mid-1970s. He and Carlos Lehder - who he first met at
Danbury Federal Penitentiary in 1975-- developed smuggling routes for the
emerging Medellin cartel, including flying plane-loads of cocaine to remote US
airstrips during the late 1970s. Jung currently is serving a 20-year sentence
in federal prison.
In their first television interview since their 1996 release, brothers Juan
David and Jorge spoke to FRONTLINE about their years in the drug business, and
claim they are no longer associated with the drug trade. However, their
younger brother Fabio was arrested on drug charges by Colombian police in
October 1999. The Ochoas maintain his innocence.
· Interview with Juan David Ochoa
· Interview with Jorge Ochoa
Arenas details how his close relationship to Lehder gave him, over many
years, an inside view on the workings of the Medellin cartel, including the
cartel's internal power structure, their relationship with the Sandanistas and
Contras, and their dealings with Manuel Noreiega.
· Read an overview of how Colombia's narcotics organizations have changed
since the 1970s - "The Colombian Cartels"
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FRONTLINE on


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m: 0403 840 411
e: firstname.lastname@example.com
"In ten sessions you will feel the difference, in twenty you will see the difference, and in thirty you'll have a whole new body."
We offer a range of classes including small Reformer classes; Small Group Pilates classes using all equipment; Clinical Pilates using all equipment; and Private Personal Training/Pilates via a small home studio located in Point Cook. The studio is fully equipped with professional STOTTs Pilates equipment including:
* 3 x Reformer beds
* 1 x full size Cadillac
* 1 x Stability Chair
* 1 x Ladder Barrel
* 1 x Arc Barrel
* Numerous balls in varying sizes
* Magic Circles, Flex Bands, Toning Balls, Foam Rollers and all manner of small props to add something special to your workout
If you know all about Pilates and are as passionate as we are about it, then move straight to Timetable to see which times suit you.
If you're new Pilates, you'll find some great information on what Pilates is and how it can benefit you under the "About" tab. Then head over to "Class Descriptions" as this information will assist in helping you identify which style of Pilates will best suit your needs.


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Call For An Appointment 330-495-6514
Q: Does my Health Insurance cover Payment costs?
The Mystical Lotus is not a doctor run facility, therefore we do not accept insurance.
Q: How shall I prepare for my appoinment?
Write down any questions you may have and bring them with you. Come with an open mind to learn more in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
In this section we provide answers to the most commonly asked questions about our services. We hope you enjoy the information and share it with others. If you do not find what you are looking for, don't hesitate to get in touch.
Q: This is my first appointment, what you should bring with you?
If you have previously picked up new client paperwork and filled it out, please bring it with you to your first appointment.
If this is your first time seeing us, please arrive 15 minutes ahead of your scheduled appointment time to fill out paperwork.
Q: Why do I need Metaphysical Life Coaching?
The most common reasons are:
- Gain a better clarity of life purpose.
- Learn calming meditation techniques.
- Understand what metaphysical gifts you possess.
- Learn how keeping your Chakras (energy centers) clear gives you boosts in your own energy levels.
- Find out if you're an empath and what kind. How to understand this gift and use it.


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Please click below to view this brief 2-minute video or click here to share or download.
Are the answers to your questions about your child here? Click the image below to watch
or click here to share or download.
Why the Parent Training Conference can be the turning point in your child's development
orclick here to share or download.
We've helped parents all over the world create better futures for their children. Click the topics below to hear their success stories. In addition, there are many educational videos and recorded webinars to help improve your child's development.
The Family Hope Center is proud to collaborate with The Brain Child Fund to present a new television series, "Where Hope Comes Home."
This eight-part series of 30-minute episode was broadcast in February, 2017 on Kruiskyk TV in South M.
Host and Brain Child Fund founder Hannes Viljoen conducts discussions with Matthew Newell, FHC Director on topics that help parents begin to improve the lives of their children with special needs. Topics include: Understanding Your Child, Empowering Parents with a Team Approach, The Answer to Autism, Epilepsy and Seizures: What's Really Going On, How The Brain Works, Nutrition and the Brain, and more.
Tune in online at www.wherehopecomeshome.com or click the image below.


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Leeds never stood a chance of signing Matt Phillips from QPR, despite former boss' claims.
Former Leeds United boss Neil Redfearn this week claimed he could have brought four big names players to the club last summer if he had been kept on as boss, in an interview with Radio Yorkshire.
They comprised of Jason Shackell, Charlie Adam, Joey Barton and Matt Phillips.
Burnley midfielder Barton has since shot down the claims via Twitter, saying he never spoke to Redfearn, but it is the Phillips claim which is the most outlandish of the lot.
Phillips was excellent for QPR last season after being brought back into the side by Chris Ramsey, and provided eight assists despite their relegation from the Premier League.
He was subsequently highly valued by the club, and was wanted by top flight side West Bromwich Albion - who had a £7 million rejected, The Mail claimed.
QPR had been holding out for a higher amount, with The Mail claiming this January it remains at £10 million.
Leeds United's biggest transfer last summer was the £3 million fee paid to sign striker Chris Wood from Leicester City, and that was the largest amount the club had spent on a player in a decade.
For Redfearn to expect the club would have pulled off a move to sign a player valued more than three times that figure, who was also wanted by a Premier League side, was fanciful, as they likely never stood a chance.