The purge continues! As stated before, I`m getting ready to retire and travel for several months so I'm drastically thinning the herd of safe queens and uncarried blades (round 4). I don't really have the room in the camper for as many knives as I have now. My downsizing can benefit you!
-Not looking for trades but all prices are OBO, all reasonable offers are considered.
-PP G&S, all prices are including shipping, US sales only, first YOLO/comment/message gets the blade.
-Up for sale this round is: https://imgur.com/gallery/pdi48dX
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1.) Steve Karroll AEB-L Fixed Blade. AEB-L Blade. Previous owner had Karbadize make some scales for it. Comes with kydex sheath. Sheath was cut down to fit the new scales, the cut isn’t the most even but holds super solid. Small bit of wear from the sheath. OAL is about 7 7/16". Never sharpened. Comes with COA. SV $180
https://imgur.com/gallery/GVQEt1z
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SOLD 2.) Grimsmo Norseman #1781. Blue reverse honeycomb pattern anodized titanium handle with gold accents, gold anodized titanium hardware, stonewashed RWL 34 blade, ceramic bearings. Knife is in great condition. It's had a few different owners and it's seen pocket time and some very light cutting tasks. With that being said, there really aren't any stand out signs of use or wear. Blade is in great shape and the edge is factory sharp. Clip side handle shows some light ano wear and maybe a scratch or two here and there, but nothing significant. Lock up is excellent and action is what you'd expect from a Norseman. I really hate to let this go, but I have multiple Norsemen. Comes with Grimsmo hard case, COA, T9 tool, and Nano-Oil. SV $600. SOLD https://imgur.com/gallery/tpuZceK
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3.) Shirogorov Neon NL. 3.375″ full flat-ground Elmax blade with jimping, 7.5″ overall length, Runs on MRBS (Multi-Row Bearing System), Titanium frame-lock handle scales with contoured edges, Smooth Micarta inlays, Steel lockbar insert doubles as lockbar stabilizer, Polished stand-off, 3D machined tip-up Titanium pocket clip attached with hidden hardware. Action is phenomenal (as usual per Shiros), no play, shaving edge (barely been used on Amazon boxes). Centering is near perfect. I cannot personally find any marks on the handles or the blade. Comes with the box and COA. SV $550.
https://imgur.com/gallery/RYyYRXM
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4.) Olamic Wayfarer 247. M390 blade with Olamic's acid dark wash finish. This knife has been carried, fiddled with, but never cut anything besides opening some Amazon packages. The only blemish is a small snail trail on the show side of the blade. The centering is dead-on, action is good. Solid lockup. The scales have a deep-sea finish/sculpting that reflects light beautifully and is even better in person. Bronzed hardware and backspacer, the latter of which is also sculpted to match scales and the clip. Comes with the original zippered pouch, the COA, and the pivot tool. S/N T495-H, DOB 10.30.2020. SV $425
https://imgur.com/gallery/Uj62VEo
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SOLD 5.) Olamic Swish. Elmax blade with satin finish. Titanium scales in Olamic’s blue seabed contouring. Titanium Clip with nugget backbar anodized bronze. A few very slight marks/scratches on the blade, but not much. Handles look good with no noticeable signs of wear. Detent is very good and the blade fires out nicely with the flipper tab or a Spydie flick. Drop shut and the lock up is solid. Comes with the Olamic case, the COA, and 2 business cards. SV $350 SOLD https://imgur.com/gallery/4SPPfO8
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6.) Benchmade 940-1 Osborne.
S90V steel and carbon fiber scales. The 940-1 is highly regarded as one of the most quintessential EDCs of all time. Designed by Warren Osborne, this knife sports a plain reverse tanto blade with a Carbon Fiber handle. The manual opening mechanism features AXIS® lock technology. Up for grabs is this beauty of BM 940-1. Amazing fidget factor. It has a couple trails/marks on the clip and a small scratch on the blade. Never used or carried by me, but I am not the first owner. Comes with the box with corner wear, sticker, and warranty info. SV $180.
https://imgur.com/gallery/4EBpgSE
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7.) Fox Knives 40th Anniversary #005. M390 striped blade and carbon fiber scales. You won’t find many of these on the internet. This one has a really cool blade. Appears to be a sharpened blade from the previous owner and general signs of carry. Really cool knife though. Perfect size, great ergos, that blade. My only complaint is the detent is a little soft so the action isn't super snappy. No original box but will come in a zippered pouch. SV $375
https://imgur.com/gallery/YTgzX0Q
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8.) Pena X Series Rhino. M390 blade and Titanium scales. An awesome Enrique Pena and Jared Van Otterloo design that will make a great addition to any collection. This beautiful knife is built with a satin finished blade with a deep belly and a subtle recurve. The titanium handle comes in a satin finish with blue and bronze ano hardware. The blade rockets open on stainless steel caged bearings and the lock up is solid. A milled titanium pocket clip finishes off the solid design. Has been carried and shows some snail trails: scales and clip; leading edge of show scale has a cosmetic mark. Comes with the box. SV $250.
https://imgur.com/gallery/Zslp1xd
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SOLD 9.) WingmanEDC MDD-K. M390 hand rubbed satin blade with Titanium ceramic bead blast handles. Utilizes Lee Williams’ innovative KickStop flipper mechanism and runs on ceramic bearings. Ceramic bead blasted pivots and hardware with steel lock-bar insert which doubles as lock-bar stabilizer. Lanyard pin. Steel backspacer and 3D machined titanium pocket clip. This does not have the original pivot screw. A previous owner stripped the head put because they didn’t have the proper tool for the proprietary screw. I was able to get the pivot out and replace it with an exact specs pivot screw with a regular hex head. Unfortunately, WingmanEDC does not offer replacement parts. Locks up solid and has an excellent action. I adore the bayonet style blade grind and the Kickstop action. Comes with the box, COA tag, and original paperwork. SV $250. SOLD https://imgur.com/gallery/aFCNUiG
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10.) APurvis Progeny V1. M390 blade with a satin finish and purple anodized scales. Action is solid and the detent is on point. There are some marks from a previous owner’s sharpening on the choil and a couple of barely visible scratches on the pocket clip. Great knife with good ergos. No box but comes with a pouch. SV $225
https://imgur.com/gallery/6M1x0dr
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SOLD 11.) Sharper By Design Micro Exo Typhoon with carbon fiber inlays. M390 blade with carbon fiber inlays. Second owner but the original owner got this one directly from the original drop. Beautiful action, fit, and finish. One of the sharpest factory edges I’ve seen. Comes with the box. SV $300 SOLD
https://imgur.com/gallery/I1SrdIS
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12.) Ray Laconico & Massdrop Keen. S35VN blade with brushed titanium scales anodized bronze. Gorgeous knife that shows almost no signs of being carried. This thing literally snaps open with early lockup, perfect centering, and no lock stick. Drops shut with the slightest shake. Comes with the box, taco, and R. Laconico cloth. SV $140
https://imgur.com/gallery/w8kACQ4
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13.) Pena X Series Lanny’s Clip Flipper.
S35VN clip point blade with green G-10 scale inserts. Beautiful two tone satin and stonewashed blade and blue anodized hardware. The fit and finish is amazing and the action is smooth. Small snails on the titanium bolster. Previous owner added the lanyard and bead. Comes with taco only. SV $210.
https://imgur.com/gallery/mzVWxhD
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14.) Civivi Elementum Damascus flipper.
Damascus blade steel that offers dependable blade strength beauty. Carbon fiber overlay on G-10 scales that complement the lightweight design. Stainless steel clip for secure deep-pocket carry. Caged ball bearing pivot ensures a smooth and reliable action. I am the original owner with very light carry. Small mark on clip and lock side pivot screw wear. Comes with the box, rag, and stickers. SV $80.
https://imgur.com/gallery/8sd4ThE
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15.) Civivi Elementum Damascus Button Lock.
Damascus blade. Push button lock that rides smoothly and locks the blade in place. Marbled Carbon Fiber handle scales with a simple shape for a sure grip. A stainless steel, reversible clip and caged ball bearing pivot for a smooth and reliable action. I am the original owner and never carried this one, like NIB. Comes with the box, pouch, rag, and stickers. SV $80.
https://imgur.com/gallery/OuVyfVK
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16.) Kizer Splinter Ti.
S35VN blade with Titanium scales. This is a collaboration with Kizer and Tomcat Knives. Has a contoured and textured titanium handle with an S35VN steel blade. The action is smooth with the ball bearings. Frame lock provides a reliable lock up of the blade with zero blade play. There is a natural stonewash finish on the blade and the handle is equipped with a custom pivot, lanyard hole and a reversible titanium pocket clip. I’m the original owner and have never carried it. LNIB. Come with the box, rag, pouch, and extra screw. SV $65.
https://imgur.com/gallery/t1IitYD

Looking to downsize and get rid of things I no longer have a use for. Feel free to offer on anything, but I'd prefer to bundle as much as possible. Local is 47403.

Case: https://imgur.com/a/DFkCKuy

Lian Li O11D (Original)	https://lian-li.com/product/pc-o11-dynamic/	Has been used for 2 years, nothing wrong with it as far as I could tell during disassembly. I do have the original box and accessories.	Looking to sell locally, unless someone is willing to pay for shipping. Ideally bundled with the other 2 parts. If not, I'd sell separately for $75
LINKUP - EZ Vertical GPU Bracket (Gen4x16)	https://www.amazon.com/LINKUP-Vertical-Bracket-Graphic-Holdedp/B091Q95ZXM?th=1	Apparently this is relatively universal, but I haven't looked for a list of compatible cases. I do not have the original box or any theoretical accessories.	Looking to sell locally, bundled with the case. Otherwise, I'd ask $50 Local or $60 shipped
Bitspower Touchaqua Sedna O11D	https://www.performance-pcs.com/water-cooling/reservoirs/bitspower-touchaqua-sedna-o11d-for-lian-li-o11-dynamic-front-pwm.html	I only ever ran clear fluid in this, but I also just deep cleaned it. The pump can be replaced with a DDC unlike some of the other Bitspower Distros that require you purchase their proprietary pump. I do not have the original box or the included opaque panel.	Looking to sell locally, bundled with the case. Otherwise, I'd ask $120 local or $130 shipped

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Fans: https://imgur.com/a/YDFyg0s

Arctic P12 PWM PST	https://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-P12-PWM-PST-Connessione/dp/B07GJGF56L/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3I5FKDOJ9ZYG0&keywords=Arctic+p12+pwm+pst&qid=1685755682&s=industrial&sprefix=arctic+p12+pwm+ps%2Cindustrial%2C98&sr=1-3	Used these for a couple years. Came together in a pack of 5. From what I can recall, one of them has an inconsistent bearing, but maybe it was just a symptom of my case and vertical mount placement. These were cleaned well, before posting.	Hoping to bundle all of these, but I suppose I'd sell these separately for $20 shipped
Arctic P12 PWM PST (SLIM)	https://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-P12-Slim-PWM-PST/dp/B08QDKGCCW?th=1	Used two of these for a couple years, but one is brand new. These were cleaned well, before posting.	Hoping to bundle all of these, but I suppose I'd sell these separately for $20 shipped
ID-Cooling NO-12015-XT ARGB	https://www.amazon.com/ID-COOLING-Cooling-Cooler-Raidator-Chassis/dp/B09Z65X5RW	Used two of these for a couple years, but one is brand new. These were cleaned well, before posting. These also come with aftermarket spacers in case you want to mount them as intake on certain cases that cause issue. One of them has some yellowing in the center of the fan that can be seen if RGB is used.	Hoping to bundle all of these, but I suppose I'd sell these separately for $25 shipped
Thermalright TL-C12C-S X3	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKKFBR9R	Brand new.	These are too cheap to bother selling separately, but I will gladly bundle them.
CoolerMaster MF120 Halo	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081W8Y4F7	Brand new.	Hoping to bundle all of these, but I suppose I'd sell this separately for $20 shipped
Noctua NF-F12 Redux 1700RPM	https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-redux-1700-high-Performance-Award-Winning-Affordable/dp/B07CG2PGY6/ref=sr_1_3?crid=AK0SHCM09GKJ&keywords=NF-F12+redux&qid=1685755822&s=electronics&sprefix=nf-f12+redux%2Celectronics%2C94&sr=1-3	Used, but perfectly functional and clean, 120mm PWM Pressure optimized fan. Includes the multi-colored anti-vibration pads. Apparently the P12 is the budget variant of the F12, but they're probably close to identical.	Hoping to bundle all of these, but I suppose I'd sell this separately for $15 shipped

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Watercooling: https://imgur.com/a/j7IUT8N

Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 360mm Radiator	https://www.amazon.com/Alphacool-NexXxos-Copper-Radiator-Triple/dp/B007R79E60	I used this once or twice over the span of 2 years, with clear fluids. It has a bit of discoloration in the exterior fins, but it worked fine for me. I flushed it recently with my hose and shook it quite vigorously, but you may want to do your own cleaning anyways.	I'm hoping to bundle most of this watercooling gear; otherwise, I'd sell this separately for $30 local, or $40 shipped
EKWB Coolstream Classic PE 360	https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-classic-pe-360	I used this for 2 years with clear fluid, but there was some plasticizer leach from my soft tubing. I tried my best to clean it via flushing with the above method, but you might want to do your own cleaning anyways.	Otherwise, I'd sell for $55 local, or $65 shipped
EK-Loop Leak Tester Flex	https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-loop-leak-tester-flex	I don't think this was used more than a single time. I bought it second hand, but I was told it had been purchased in March. I already have a Barrow leak tester.	Otherwise, I'd sell for $20 local, or $25 shipped
EK-UNI Pump Bracket (120mm FAN) Vertical	https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-uni-pump-bracket-120mm-fan-vertical	I can't recall how much use this saw, probably a couple builds. Has a bit of cosmetic damage.	Bundle only
EK-UNI Pump Bracket (140mm FAN) Vertical	https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-uni-pump-bracket-140mm-fan-vertical	I can't recall how much use this saw, probably a single build. Might have a bit of cosmetic damage.	Bundle only
XSPC G1/4" Plug with 10k Sensor - Chrome	https://www.performance-pcs.com/water-cooling/fittings-connectors/xspc-g1-4-plug-with-10k-sensor-chrome-xspc-g14-10k-sensor-ch.html	Brand new	Otherwise, I'd sell for $12 shipped
Thermaltake Pacific C-PRO G1/4 16mm (5/8") OD Compression – Chrome (6 total)	https://www.thermaltake.com/pacific-c-pro-g1-4-petg-tube-16mm-od-compression-chrome-6-pack-fittings.html	bit of plasticizer leach, but still fully functional.	Otherwise, I'd sell for $20 local, or $30 shipped
Thermaltake Pacific G1/4 16mm (5/8”) OD Compression – Chrome (6 total)	https://es.thermaltake.com/thermaltake-pacific-g1-4-petg-tube-16mm-5-8-od-compression-chrome.html	Don't think these were used much at all.	Otherwise, I'd sell for $20 local, or $30 shipped
G1/4" Black Sparkle Rotary 90-Degree Extender (7 total)	https://shop.bitspower.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=643	Used throughout a few builds, bit of cosmetic damage or plasticizer leach.	Otherwise, I'd sell for $30 local, or $40 shipped
Corsair Hydro X Series, 90° Rotary Adapter - Chrome (4 total)	https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Durability-Securely-Rotation-Mechanism/dp/B07WJVDNBB	Used throughout a few builds, bit of cosmetic damage if anything.	Otherwise, I'd sell for $15 local, or $20 shipped
Corsair Hydro X Series, Dual G1/4" 90-Degree Extender	I don't know what the hell this monstrosity is. Maybe it is corsair, maybe it isn't.	Only time I ever made use of this was when I needed to plumb a ball valve drain (they typically have a female g1/4). Has lots of cosmetic damage from attempting to remove the other end. The colors don't even match LOL.	Bundle only
Bitspower G1/4" Extender-30MM - Chrome (2 total)	https://shop.bitspower.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=2309	One is basically brand new and the other has a not so insignificant amount of plasticizer leach I cannot remove with soapy water.	Bundle Only
Bitspower Rotary Fitting "Q" - 360 Degree Water Cooling Accessory	https://www.performance-pcs.com/water-cooling/fittings-connectors/bitspower-rotary-fitting-q-360-degree-water-cooling-accessory-black-sparkle-finish.html	Bit of plasticizer leach in the top g1/4 threads.	Bundle Only
Alphacool 2-Way Ball Valve G1/4	https://www.amazon.com/Alphacool-17141-Black-Hardware-Cooling-Accessory/dp/B015YRMCPO	Used this in a couple builds. bit of cosmetic damage but fully functional and clean.	Bundle Only
EK-Quantum Torque Drain Valve	https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-quantum-torque-drain-valve-black	Probably also only used once. Bought with the EK leak tester.	Bundle Only
EK-Quantum Torque 90 Degree Rotary - Nickle (6 total)	https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-torque-angled-90-black	One of them has a bit of cosmetic staining	Bundle Only
Primochill Liquid Utopia	https://www.primochill.com/products/primochill-liquid-utopia-15ml-bottle	Bought this recent from frozencpu's sale but there doesn't appear to be a way to identify any manufacturers date.	Bundle Only
NZXT Kraken G12 GPU Cooling Bracket	https://nzxt.com/product/kraken-g12	Came with some other stuff I bought, but I'll never use this. It is used, and I did my best to clean it up.	Otherwise, I'd sell for $15 local, $25 shipped
upHere GPU Anti-sag brace	https://www.amazon.com/upHere-Graphics-Anodized-Aerospace-Aluminum/dp/B076GYL25H	Used a couple times; cosmetic damage where the screw sits.	Bundle Only

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Keyboard stuff:

Used Tezarre TK61 Pudding Keycap Optical Hotswap Keyboard: (Tape/Band-aid Mod, Lubed stabilizers + Gateron optical blacks) $55 shipped
BNIB EVGA Z12 Membrane gaming keyboards $15 (local only unless you're paying shipping)
Keyboard Accessories Bundle: Used Turquoise Resin Wrist Rest Used Gateron Milky Yellow Switches (Lubed and filmed) Used KBDFans Cherry Profile Cement Gray Japanese PBT Keycaps Used Corsair Double-shot PBT keycapsUsed TaiHao ABS black/red/white keycaps (spares) Used RGB Shine-through PBT ASA LavaCaps (spares) $120 shipped
Timestamps: https://imgur.com/a/tQsrIbT

Peripherals:

ATH M50X headphones that were used a couple years (hence the pleather having been taken off due to peeling). These probably could use a new pair of earpads, but I did my best to clean them. $45 shipped
Wacom Intuos CTH-480 that has seen minimal use and has very little cosmetic damage on the back side. One of the best tablets you can use for osu! due to hover height and response latency. $60 shipped
GE UltraPro Surge Protector used for maybe a year including 7 outlets and 2 usb ports, 4 foot cord and 1500 joule protection rating. bundle only
Timestamps: https://imgur.com/a/wDYSjNG
I'd also be willing to trade for a G-Wolves HSK Pro/Ace mouse.

Hey guys,
I'm planning on modifying the Roboute Guilliman kit to better represent my chapter. I was curious about the model and I was hoping to get some advice from someone who own one. Is there a way to probably sand off one of the knee pads to add my chapter symbol? And how does the head scale compared to a normal space marine or a gravis armor helmet? I'd like to replace the head but from what I can tell its built differently than most other models.
Thanks in advance!

Vendor

Last Rite - Kinetic Scout Rifle
Source: Earn Ranks in Vanguard, Crucible, or Gambit playlists.

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: Aggressive Frame
• Impact: 100
• Range: 50
• Stability: 27
• Handling: 48
• Reload Speed: 51
• Aim Assistance: 51
• Zoom: 18
• Airborne Effectiveness: 13
• Rounds Per Minute: 120
• Mag size: 14
• Recoil Direction: 78

Curated Roll: Full Bore / Ricochet Rounds / Keep Away / Opening Shot
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Full Bore - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds - Perk 1: Reconstruction - Perk 2: Focused Fury - Masterwork: Range, Stability, Handling, Reload Speed - Origin Traits: Tex Balanced Stock, Vanguard's Vindication, One Quiet Moment, Gun and Run
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Full Bore - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds - Perk 1: Keep Away, Reconstruction - Perk 2: Opening Shot - Masterwork: Range, Stability, Handling, Reload Speed - Origin Traits: Tex Balanced Stock, Vanguard's Vindication, One Quiet Moment, Gun and Run
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Full Bore - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds - Perk 1: Keep Away, Reconstruction - Perk 2: Opening Shot - Masterwork: Range, Stability, Handling, Reload Speed - Origin Traits: Tex Balanced Stock, Vanguard's Vindication, One Quiet Moment, Gun and Run
Last Rite is very much a solid Ritual Weapon. It doesn’t exist as an incredibly strong scout, but it does come with a solid set of perks. Reconstruction and Focused Fury do allow you to use a legendary 120 RPM scout rifle in PvE without it being Dead Man’s Tale. I cannot think of many situations where that’s necessary, nor really a need to use a 120 RPM scout. This does break up the need for an exotic as both Long Arm and Last Rite are legendary and therefore allow some loadout variation. However, the lack of specific perks like Rapid Hit, Explosive Payload, Kill Clip, or even Kinetic Tremors would bump this scout way up into usage. It’s certainly one of the scouts of all time.
Last Rite does not fare any better in PvP. Dead Man’s Tale is the best 120 RPM scout and has hip firing capabilities. All other legendary 120s feel fine while hip firing but feel night and day different comparatively. Keep Away feels like a throw away perk because scouts barely need any range. Rapid Hit would bump Last Rite up for me, but Reconstruction could work. I would not use this for hip firing but as a classic scout I wouldn’t be upset with a teammate using this.
Randy's Throwing Knife - Kinetic Scout Rifle
Source: Complete Crucible matches and earn rank-up packages from Lord Shaxx.

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: Rapid-Fire Frame
• Impact: 45
• Range: 23
• Stability: 39
• Handling: 20
• Reload Speed: 28
• Aim Assistance: 63
• Zoom: 20
• Airborne Effectiveness: 10
• Rounds Per Minute: 260
• Mag size: 17
• Recoil Direction: 59

Curated Roll: Fluted Barrel / Extended Mag / Rapid Hit / Kill Clip
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Fluted Barrel, Smallbore - Magazine: Appended Mag, Armor-Piercing Rounds, Flared Magwell - Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Pugilist, Well-Rounded - Perk 2: Kinetic Tremors, Cascade Point, Kill Clip - Masterwork: Stability - Origin Traits: One Quiet Moment
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Corkscrew Rifling, Smallbore - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds, High-Caliber Rounds - Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Zen Moment, Perpetual Motion - Perk 2: Kill Clip, Swashbuckler - Masterwork: Stability - Origin Traits: One Quiet Moment
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Extended Barrel, Smallbore - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds, High-Caliber Rounds - Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Zen Moment, Perpetual Motion - Perk 2: Kill Clip, Swashbuckler - Masterwork: Stability or Handling - Origin Traits: One Quiet Moment
Randy’s Throwing Knife is back! My favorite little scout-auto love child. This time with random rolls!!! I do enjoy seeing older ritual / pinnacle weapons refreshed with more options, especially post sunsetting. It does feel good grinding them out again. Randy’s Throwing Knife was the best rapid-fire scout for its time but unfortunately fell into a time where scouts were just awful to use and did not have a set place outside of MIDA Multi-Tool or a few specific options. Randy’s Throwing Knife with Kinetic Tremors will feel great as it fires fast enough to get the AoE back to back. Cascade Point is really funny to me, seeing a 260 scout bumping the RPM all the way up to 428 via D2Foundry. If this lands for me I don’t even really care about viability, it will just be fun.
Randy’s Throwing Knife did find its slight niche within PvP, hopefully the new version delivers. I think it does and then some. The old version had Rapid Hit and Kill Clip, which you can get again, but with Extended Mag instead of a better mag boosting perk. You also have the option of bumping up the recoil direction making those quick headshots a lot easier. While the old Randy’s Throwing Knife didn’t have a bad roll, getting it again with slightly better options feels good.
Mercurial Overreach - Arc Sniper Rifle
Source: Complete Glory matches in Crucible.

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: Adaptive Frame
• Impact: 70
• Range: 65
• Stability: 54
• Handling: 52
• Reload Speed: 50
• Aim Assistance: 63
• Zoom: 40
• Airborne Effectiveness: 5
• Rounds Per Minute: 90
• Mag size: 4
• Recoil Direction: 75

Curated Roll: Fluted Barrel / Ricochet Rounds / Snapshot Sights / Moving Target / Short-Action Stock
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Fluted Barrel - Magazine: Appended Mag, Flared Magwell, Extended Mag - Perk 1: Surplus, Discord - Perk 2: Vorpal Weapon - Perk 3: Short-Action Stock - Masterwork: Reload Speed
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Fluted Barrel - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds - Perk 1: Snapshot Sights, Surplus, Discord - Perk 2: Opening Shot, Elemental Capacitor, Moving Target - Perk 3: Composite Stock, Fitted Stock, Hand-Laid Stock, Short-Action Stock - Masterwork: Handling
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Fluted Barrel - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds - Perk 1: Snapshot Sights, Surplus, Discord - Perk 2: Opening Shot, Elemental Capacitor, Moving Target - Perk 3: Composite Stock, Fitted Stock, Hand-Laid Stock, Short-Action Stock - Masterwork: Handling
The new competitive weapon is a sniper, and while there are a lot of perks to look out for, I don’t think your main priority should be PvE. Snipers dedicated for PvE have ammo refreshing perks and a solid damage perk. Discord is nice, but require constant kills in order to keep up their utility. Snipers for damage don’t usually get constant flows of kills, and snipers for add clear (if you’re one of those odd balls, like me) need a better AoE damage perk. Mercurial Overreach is a PvP sniper.
In PvP you’ll find a lot of Guardians opting for the tried and true Snapshot Sights and Opening Shot Combo. With the right investments (aka all handling) you can have the most coveted sniper perks alongside 92 handling. Almost making this the fastest sniper in the game, but certainly one with both Snapshot Sights and Opening Shot at the same time. The Supremacy can also reach 92, but that’s on a rapid-fire frame. Defiance of Yasmin (Harrowed) can reach 82 but that is with adept mods. Silicon Neuroma (Adept) is the highest aggressive frame at 59. On an adaptive sniper, this is the highest handling you can get without using things like Dragon’s Shadow, Ophidians, or even Slickdraw.
Positive Outlook - Void Auto Rifle
Source: Complete strikes and earn rank-up packages from Commander Zavala.

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: Precision Frame
• Impact: 29
• Range: 64
• Stability: 42
• Handling: 46
• Reload Speed: 43
• Aim Assistance: 26
• Zoom: 16
• Airborne Effectiveness: 10
• Rounds Per Minute: 450
• Mag size: 33
• Recoil Direction: 66

Curated Roll: Hammer-Forged Rifling / Accurized Rounds / Surplus / Repulsor Brace
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Fluted Barrel, Smallbore - Magazine: Appended Mag, Armor-Piercing Rounds, Flared Magwell - Perk 1: Ambitious Assassin, Stats for All - Perk 2: Golden Tricorn, Destabilizing Rounds, Repulsor Brace - Masterwork: Stability - Origin Traits: Vanguard's Vindication, Omolon Fluid Dynamics
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Fluted Barrel, Smallbore - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds, High-Caliber Rounds - Perk 1: Zen Moment, Tap the Trigger, Dynamic Sway Reduction - Perk 2: Kill Clip, Eye of the Storm, Elemental Capacitor - Masterwork: Stability - Origin Traits: Vanguard's Vindication, Omolon Fluid Dynamics
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Hammer-Forged Rifling, Smallbore - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds, High-Caliber Rounds - Perk 1: Tap the Trigger, Dynamic Sway Reduction, Zen Moment - Perk 2: Kill Clip, Eye of the Storm, Elemental Capacitor - Masterwork: Range - Origin Traits: Vanguard's Vindication, Omolon Fluid Dynamics
Positive Outlook was one of my favorite guns from Year 1. I still have mine in my vault with 4,600 kills on it. Nothing better than old reliable Kill Clip from Curse of Osiris. This new version gives us access to Golden Tricorn, Destabilizing Rounds, and even Repulsor Brace making it a really great void option for anyone drawn to the void. Ambitious Assassin isn’t a replacement for reload, but it does help make reloads feel a bit further away instead of making them faster.
In PvP I cannot reliably see a way to make Positive Outlook meta. Tap the Trigger and Kill Clip will give you the best footing for multikills and sprees. Eye of the Storm also helps win duels for a more consistent 1v1 experience. Both Zen Moment and Dynamic Sway Reduction could swap in for Tap the Trigger as your consistency perk.
Laser Painter - Strand Linear Fusion Rifle
Source: Complete Gambit matches and earn rank-up packages from the Drifter.

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: Precision Frame
• Impact: 41
• Range: 34
• Stability: 43
• Handling: 23
• Reload Speed: 25
• Aim Assistance: 63
• Zoom: 25
• Airborne Effectiveness: 10
• Charge Time: 533
• Mag size: 5
• Recoil Direction: 70

Curated Roll: Extended Barrel / Liquid Coils / Rapid Hit / Harmony
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Fluted Barrel, Full Bore - Magazine: Accelerated Coils, Liquid Coils, Enhanced Battery - Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Clown Cartridge, Auto-Loading Holster - Perk 2: Vorpal Weapon, Golden Tricorn, High-Impact Reserves - Masterwork: Charge Time - Origin Traits: Gun and Run, Veist Stinger
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Fluted Barrel, Full Bore, Hammer-Forged Rifling - Magazine: Projection Fuse, Accelerated Coils - Perk 1: Fragile Focus, Moving Target - Perk 2: Harmony - Masterwork: Range or Charge Time - Origin Traits: Gun and Run, Veist Stinger
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Fluted Barrel, Full Bore, Hammer-Forged Rifling - Magazine: Projection Fuse, Accelerated Coils - Perk 1: Fragile Focus, Moving Target - Perk 2: Harmony - Masterwork: Range or Charge Time - Origin Traits: Gun and Run, Veist Stinger
Laser Painter has a fun name as you’re painting the target with a laser. Normally I don’t love Bungie’s names but this one earned a chuckle from me. I wish this was either a new archetype entirely or another aggressive frame. Regular linear fusion rifles just don’t feel as good to me anymore, and the huge perk pool just feels unrewarding now. You can craft Taipan and you’re basically done. Strand is nice for breaking the few shields, but the removal of match game belittles strand damage types for now.
In PvP if you didn’t craft a Taipan, you just missed the mark entirely. Buffed Fragile Focus and Opening Shot for great range and specifically what you want? Instant shards for Laser Painter.

Iron Banner

Pressurized Precision - Strand Fusion Rifle
Source: Complete Iron Banner matches and earn rank-up packages from Lord Saladin.

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: Adaptive Frame
• Impact: 70
• Range: 40
• Stability: 42
• Handling: 35
• Reload Speed: 40
• Aim Assistance: 43
• Zoom: 15
• Airborne Effectiveness: 4
• Charge Time: 660
• Mag size: 6
• Recoil Direction: 55

Curated Roll: Arrowhead Brake / Liquid Coils / Perpetual Motion / Hatchling
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Fluted Barrel - Magazine: Accelerated Coils, Liquid Coils, Ionized Battery - Perk 1: Auto-Loading Holster, Discord - Perk 2: Vorpal Weapon, Hatchling, High-Impact Reserves - Masterwork: Charge Time - Origin Traits: Skulking Wolf
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Extended Barrel - Magazine: Projection Fuse, Accelerated Coils - Perk 1: Firmly Planted, Moving Target, Perpetual Motion - Perk 2: Rangefinder, High-Impact Reserves, Eye of the Storm - Masterwork: Range - Origin Traits: Skulking Wolf
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Extended Barrel - Magazine: Projection Fuse, Accelerated Coils - Perk 1: Firmly Planted, Moving Target, Perpetual Motion - Perk 2: Rangefinder, High-Impact Reserves, Eye of the Storm - Masterwork: Range - Origin Traits: Skulking Wolf
Pressurized Precision is a great choice for a Strand fusion rifle. Discord will regenerate ammo for you as long as you get the kill, which will pair well with High-Impact Reserves or Vorpal for damage. Hatchling does not refund you ammo, but does pair well with Strand subclasses. Use whatever build you’d like.
In PvP I don’t think Pressurized Precision is the best in its class. You can also get away with the Discord shenanigans but with zoom decoupling from Rangefinder soon I wouldn’t rush out to get one. Firmly Planted did receive a nerf a while back and the effects can still be felt, it is not as consistent as it used to be. You can still make it work, but I would look elsewhere for a better fusion.
Swarm of the Raven - Void Grenade Launcher
Source: Complete Iron Banner matches and earn rank-up packages from Lord Saladin.

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: Rapid-Fire Frame
• Blast Radius: 20
• Velocity: 49
• Stability: 21
• Handling: 18
• Reload Speed: 21
• Aim Assistance: 27
• Zoom: 13
• Airborne Effectiveness: 6
• Rounds Per Minute: 150
• Mag size: 5
• Recoil Direction: 63

Curated Roll: Quick Launch / Proximity Grenades / Impulse Amplifier / Destabilizing Rounds
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Quick Launch, Linear Compensator, Smart Drift Control - Magazine: Spike Grenades - Perk 1: Field Prep, Auto-Loading Holster, Clown Cartridge - Perk 2: Cascade Point, Full Court, Destabilizing Rounds - Masterwork: Blast Radius - Origin Traits: Skulking Wolf
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Quick Launch, Linear Compensator, Smart Drift Control - Magazine: Proximity Grenades, High-Velocity Rounds - Perk 1: Impulse Amplifier, Demolitionist - Perk 2: Cascade Point, Disruption Break - Masterwork: Blast Radius - Origin Traits: Skulking Wolf
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Quick Launch, Linear Compensator, Smart Drift Control - Magazine: Proximity Grenades, High-Velocity Rounds - Perk 1: Impulse Amplifier, Demolitionist - Perk 2: Cascade Point, Disruption Break - Masterwork: Blast Radius - Origin Traits: Skulking Wolf
There aren’t many places I see myself using a grenade launcher in PvE nowadays. Cascade Point is very fun and Full Court will net you some solid damage from afar, but I find myself using rockets over grenade launchers. Maybe for GMs or activities where ammo is a bit more scarce and using a rocket launcher wouldn’t be the best choice. Explosive Light really is carrying my weapons this season.
In PvP you could definitely surprise a few players with an extra rapid rapid-fire frame grenade launcher with Cascade Point, but I find those groupings to be way less common than you think. Otherwise I would just go for Disruption Break to enhance my kinetic weapon.

Nightfall

Loaded Question - Arc Fusion Rifle Loaded Question (Adept)
Source: Nightfall

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: High-Impact Frame
• Impact: 95
• Range: 52
• Stability: 25
• Handling: 25
• Reload Speed: 19
• Aim Assistance: 66
• Zoom: 15
• Airborne Effectiveness: 4
• Charge Time: 960
• Mag size: 5
• Recoil Direction: 77

Curated Roll: Corkscrew Rifling / Ionized Battery / Auto-Loading Holster / Reservoir Burst
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Smallbore - Magazine: Accelerated Coils, Ionized Battery - Perk 1: Auto-Loading Holster, Overflow - Perk 2: Reservoir Burst, Controlled Burst, Frenzy - Masterwork: Charge Time - Origin Traits: Stunning Recovery, Vanguard's Vindication
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Chambered Compensator, Smallbore - Magazine: Projection Fuse - Perk 1: Under Pressure, Firmly Planted - Perk 2: Controlled Burst, Eye of the Storm - Masterwork: Range - Origin Traits: Stunning Recovery, Vanguard's Vindication
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Chambered Compensator, Smallbore - Magazine: Projection Fuse - Perk 1: Under Pressure, Firmly Planted - Perk 2: Controlled Burst, Eye of the Storm - Masterwork: Range - Origin Traits: Stunning Recovery, Vanguard's Vindication
Controlled Burst feels like a better Backup Plan. With full investments into charge time and Controlled Burst you could voop as fast as an adaptive or even a rapid-fire while maintaining or increasing your damage through surge mods and other means. Auto-Loading Holster is the obvious choice, but Overflow is incredibly strong for keeping up those bursts. Envious Assassin and Demolitionist are also great shouts as well. Reservoir Burst is the tried and true, so keep using that if you like booms. But Controlled Burst feels strong and it’s all about the power fantasy, right?
In PvP Controlled Burst will be great for going on those streaks but we haven’t seen many fusion rifles with Eye of the Storm. Dreambreaker was the first and then came Glacioclasm, but we haven’t seen Eye of the Storm on an adept fusion before. Making this a really strong contender for being the most consistent high-impact fusion in the game. Under Pressure or Firmly Planted paired with Eye of the Storm will give you huge amounts of consistency. Maybe a better 3v3 weapon compared to Controlled Bursts 6v6 focus.
BrayTech Osprey - Void Rocket Launcher BrayTech Osprey (Adept)
Source: Nightfall

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: High-Impact Frame
• Blast Radius: 90
• Velocity: 41
• Stability: 55
• Handling: 64
• Reload Speed: 34
• Aim Assistance: 69
• Zoom: 20
• Airborne Effectiveness: 3
• Rounds Per Minute: 15
• Mag size: 1
• Recoil Direction: 59

Curated Roll: Linear Compensator / High-Velocity Rounds / Cluster Bomb / Destabilizing Rounds
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Quick Launch, Linear Compensator, Smart Drift Control - Magazine: Impact Casing, Black Powder, High-Velocity Rounds - Perk 1: Cluster Bomb, Auto-Loading Holster, Field Prep - Perk 2: Lasting Impression, Golden Tricorn, Frenzy - Masterwork: Velocity - Origin Traits: Stunning Recovery, Vanguard's Vindication
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Quick Launch, Linear Compensator, Smart Drift Control - Magazine: High-Velocity Rounds - Perk 1: Cluster Bomb - Perk 2: Chain Reaction, Destabilizing Rounds - Masterwork: Velocity - Origin Traits: Stunning Recovery, Vanguard's Vindication
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Quick Launch, Linear Compensator, Smart Drift Control - Magazine: High-Velocity Rounds - Perk 1: Cluster Bomb - Perk 2: Chain Reaction, Destabilizing Rounds - Masterwork: Velocity - Origin Traits: Stunning Recovery, Vanguard's Vindication
There is nothing more I want this season than BrayTech Osprey with Cluster Bomb and Chain Reaction. Seeing all those explosions, especially at once, will bring a smile across my face. I’d also like to see how it interacts with Lasting Impression. Do the clusters drop on the initial hit or, more likely, once the explosion goes off? There will be some obvious testing to do this season, but I want this rocket launcher for the sheer fun of it. Cluster Bomb might be useful again when coupled with Frenzy or Golden Tricorn’s damage increase.
In PvP my boom-splosion rocket will be the best to get, I do think that the Cluster Bomb getting the kill will result in Chain Reaction going off, it might affect the damage but that will have to be tested a bit more. There is nothing holding back my excitement for so many explosions.

Trials of Osiris

The Messenger - Kinetic Pulse Rifle The Messenger (Adept)
Source: Earned by completing challenges in the Trials of Osiris.

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: High-Impact Frame
• Impact: 33
• Range: 66
• Stability: 54
• Handling: 31
• Reload Speed: 38
• Aim Assistance: 37
• Zoom: 18
• Airborne Effectiveness: 20
• Rounds Per Minute: 340
• Mag size: 31
• Recoil Direction: 60

Curated Roll: Arrowhead Brake / Extended Mag / Rapid Hit / Kinetic Tremors
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake - Magazine: Appended Mag, Flared Magwell - Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Outlaw - Perk 2: Kill Clip, Kinetic Tremors, Desperado - Masterwork: Stability - Origin Traits: Alacrity, One Quiet Moment
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds, High-Caliber Rounds - Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Moving Target, Perpetual Motion - Perk 2: Headseeker, Kill Clip - Masterwork: Stability - Origin Traits: Alacrity, One Quiet Moment
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Arrowhead Brake - Magazine: Ricochet Rounds, High-Caliber Rounds - Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Moving Target, Perpetual Motion - Perk 2: Headseeker, Kill Clip - Masterwork: Range - Origin Traits: Alacrity, One Quiet Moment
The Messenger returns to us. A once great pulse has returned to take its throne. Move aside No Time to Explain, we don’t have time to explain how good Messenger is. Go away Graviton Lance, no one liked you before your multiple buffs. The king is back to retake the crown. Messenger needs a few things to make it the best roll possible, the first being Arrowhead Brake to bring up the low stability. Rapid Hit is the clear winner in the third column, but Outlaw is great if you don’t want the change in burst pattern depending on what stack of Rapid Hit you have. Kill Clip is an easy damage buff, and Kinetic Tremors is fun for the AoE. Desperado fell off a bit, but I would still use it in PvE if I were looking for a good time.
A very similar situation is present in PvP. Arrowhead Brake and Rapid Hit are the staples to look out for. You can certainly get by without one or the other but the true King has both. Headseeker takes over for Desperado since the adjustment. Securing those blistering two-bursts is a feeling like no other. Headseeker makes those bursts more consistent and frequent.
Unexpected Resurgence - Arc Glaive Unexpected Resurgence (Adept)
Source: Earned by completing challenges in the Trials of Osiris.

• Craftable: No
• Intrinsics: Adaptive Glaive
• Impact: 80
• Range: 60
• Shield Duration: 50
• Handling: 61
• Reload Speed: 55
• Aim Assistance: 74
• Zoom: 0
• Airborne Effectiveness: 12
• Rounds Per Minute: 55
• Mag size: 4
• Recoil Direction: 0

Curated Roll: Ballistic Tuning / Extended Mag / Tilting at Windmills / Close to Melee
Recommended PvE Perks: - Sights: Supercooled Accelerator, Auxiliary Reserves - Magazine: Appended Mag, Light Mag, Swap Mag - Perk 1: Thresh, Subsistence, Feeding Frenzy - Perk 2: Vorpal Weapon, Frenzy, Close to Melee - Masterwork: Shield Duration - Origin Traits: Alacrity, One Quiet Moment
Recommended Controller PvP Perks: - Sights: Supercooled Accelerator, Auxiliary Reserves - Magazine: Accurized Rounds, Swap Mag, Light Mag - Perk 1: Replenishing Aegis, Tilting at Windmills, Auto-Loading Holster - Perk 2: Impulse Amplifier, Unstoppable Force, Close to Melee - Masterwork: Range - Origin Traits: Alacrity, One Quiet Moment
Recommended MnK PvP Perks: - Sights: Supercooled Accelerator, Auxiliary Reserves - Magazine: Accurized Rounds, Swap Mag, Light Mag - Perk 1: Replenishing Aegis, Tilting at Windmills, Auto-Loading Holster - Perk 2: Impulse Amplifier, Unstoppable Force, Close to Melee - Masterwork: Range - Origin Traits: Alacrity, One Quiet Moment
Truthfully I don’t know how to feel about the new glaive, it might need more time in my hands but it felt bad despite its beefed up stats. Thresh is great for getting super kills on both melee and powered shots. Subsistence for keeping the mag topped off or Feeding Frenzy for just reliable reload. I found the best success with Frenzy, but that’s due to it being a straightforward damage bonus, your mileage may vary. Prove me wrong with this glaive.
In PvP glaive users might find a niche with adept mods being present on the first ever adept glaive. While there are at least 3 of you I might finally encounter a wild glaive in the crucible. If you are set on using glaives in PvP you do not need me to tell you what works and what doesn't.

Hi all,
I have bought a Gameboy Color with Pokemon Blue to act as a small project to do with my dad this month around 'Father's Day'. The model of the Gameboy Color is 'CGB-001'
I am based in the UK (in case that would alter where I've chosen to buy from?)
I am hoping to start us off with the something very basic as neither of us have ever tried this or have any relevant experience, but hopefully we can achieve this in one evening together before hopefully becoming something we can build on together in the future.
I have got a soldering iron ready and if the below choices look right, would appreciate clarification on other tools needed (if not below)
https://www.zedlabz.com/products/ips-ready-shell-for-nintendo-game-boy-color-modified-no-cut-replacement-housing-funnyplaying?_pos=1&_sid=4e2655ac3&_ss=r&ref=JaPmXnfuIgWM4h
https://www.zedlabz.com/products/conductive-silicone-button-contacts-rubber-membrane-pad-set-for-nintendo-game-boy-color-gbc-cgb-funnyplaying?_pos=1&_sid=91808ce8b&_ss=r&variant=43215515189500
https://www.zedlabz.com/products/button-set-for-nintendo-game-boy-color-a-b-d-pad-power-switch-replacement-agb-gbc-funnyplaying?_pos=1&_sid=ea77c92ed&_ss=r
https://www.zedlabz.com/collections/retro-nintendo-game-boy-series/products/v2-ips-lcd-screen-for-nintendo-game-boy-color-handheld-console-gbc-laminated-q5-xl-2-0-upgrade-mod-kit-with-colour-changing-logo-black-funnyplaying?ref=JaPmXnfuIgWM4h&variant=40913062822059
https://www.zedlabz.com/collections/retro-nintendo-game-boy-series/products/zedlabz-tri-wing-cross-wing-philips-security-screwdriver-set-for-nintendo-ds-lite-dsi-xl-game-boy-pocket-colour-advance-advance-sp-wii-wii-u
Would these represent a good, simple but effective first mod to perform? I suppose I am just looking for reassurance before I make the purchases. They are all from 'Zedlabz'
I have seen an alternative is to upgrade the speakesound (although the recommended mod from the video I watched is sold out, and an alternative is from RetroSix which I have read in the sidebar is a no-no for buying from).

First / Prev / Next
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Memory transcription subject: Kila, Venlil Engineering Student (First Year) White Hill University
Date [standardized human time]: September 8, 2136
Finally.
Professor Gretty’s calculations had been spot on. He'd even accounted for any potential difference in temperature although it should be possible to manage that element from the tuning slide near the bell.
The apparatus I’d designed was a little different than I'd originally envisioned. At the base of the device, near the mouthpiece, there was a small part that would vibrate the air via a small oscillating ‘gate’. As the air passed through, it would emulate the human lips, causing the air column to resonate properly.
To determine the necessary frequency at which the gate would operate, I had attached a thin, spooled wire to the outside of the slide. As the slide extended, the spring-loaded spool would act as a tool for measurement, determining the length the slide had been moved by how much it had been unwound. As the slide retracted, the spool would rewind. That had taken some tricky design to make consistent. Even the small inconsistencies in how the wire rewound was both breaking the mechanism and causing inaccurate measurements.
Luckily, the slide moved on a mostly fixed path so I could make due.
I had initially planned to use a wireless controller. But, early testing was proving it to be more trouble than it was worth.
The data read from the spool was fed to the gate mechanism where it adjusted the frequency in real time. The entire device used a tiny amount of electricity and while a standard battery would suffice, I'd gotten a little creative against my better judgment. The spool also acted as a tiny generator, charging the on-board battery as the slide was moved.
If this was a school project, I think I'd get perfect marks.
That thought wasn't completely born from ego. I'd gone to great lengths to make it consistent. While the device was mostly simple, I had to make sure it would stand up under rigorous action. As such, I'd been moving the slide in and out the whole time I was tweaking it.
Something my arm was pretty damn tired of.
The harmonic was controlled by a small set of four buttons placed where the player’s paw would grip the slide. Each button represented a certain harmonic level. Between the spool and the buttons, the frequency control was very much usable.
The opening at the end of the gate mechanism was fitted for a specifically designed Venlil-friendly mouthpiece. I'd been considerate of the condensation (spit) that Brad had warned me about. The inside of the gate mechanism was lined with a flexible, waterproof material, allowing the moisture to seep downward and be drained from the ‘spit valve’ at the bottom.
Why did I choose an instrument that you have to blow into?
The whole apparatus would need maintenance and repair every now and again which made for more hassle than the baseline instrument could make. But, it did work for a Venlil player, something that couldn't be said for the original design. I’d actually tested the tone myself, proving that I'd also managed to knock down one of the primary barriers for entry. According to Brad, a Human player had to train their embouchure to be able to get the right frequency for each slide position. In the case of my mechanism, the player just had to be familiar with the harmonic buttons.
It almost felt sacrilegious to make the instrument easier to play. Seemed almost like we, as Venlil, were balking at the musical challenge. But, we were physically incapable of operating the instrument otherwise.
As I held the newly manufactured trombone in my paws, I felt some pride in its creation. I'd crafted it meticulously, sacrificing lots of my time and focus to design it. I'd molded the material, carefully constructed the pitch controller, wired the tiny circuit board, and RIGOROUSLY stress-tested the whole thing to make sure it was up to snuff.
It was completely and totally finished.
Yep.
All done.
Nothing left to work on.
Tested and approved.
…
I sighed as I took the trombone apart and placed the parts in the case. Oddly enough, the relentless rush to get it designed and built was not the part I was worried about. No, the real struggle was the true end goal, the reason I'd made the whole thing in the first place.
Why am I so nervous?
I'd spent my whole life tailing Saesh, trying to emulate her outgoing and fearless nature. Even when everyone around me seemed to take it as a warning sign, I couldn't help but respect her capability. To not be debilitated with fear was a boon to accompany her kind-hearted nature. So, I'd always made it my goal to be like her. Though, I'd often found myself in the same position as my pitch controller. I could emulate the original thing well but it was never quite the same.
For that reason, the prospect of asking Mezil out had me feeling pretty hesitant. The last thing I wanted was to make things weird between us. But, I wanted to get closer to him. He was such a good soul…and it was cute watching him stumble through things.
I just…wasn't used to romance. I'd never felt this way before. And, if things didn't work out, would it ruin our friendship? I didn't know what I’d do if things somehow ended on bad terms.
“You shouldn’t be so worried about what might happen that you let inaction turn into regret.”
I thought back to Brad’s words. He'd been pretty adamant that I should go for it and he also seemed to think I had a good chance.
Maybe Mezil’s disposition was rubbing off on me and I was worrying about nothing.
I turned my pad in my paws for quite some time. Was I really going to do this? I suppose I didn't have to commit to it right away. I could just call him over to my room and give him the trombone. Then, if things went well, I could continue on with the real request.
Yeah. That works. Keep it open. Like Brad said, less serious. Just take it one step at a time.
I hovered a claw over Mezil’s contact…
-
Memory transcription subject: Mezil, Venlil Music Student (First Year) White Hill University
Date [standardized human time]: September 8, 2136
After the last few paws, I’d been satisfied to take a considerably long rest. Having blazed through my homework, I took the opportunity to unwind and process everything. It was easy to feel restless with the information I’d recently gleaned but I’d be useless if I ran myself ragged anymore.
As I soaked in the blissful nothingness, I was jarred back to reality by the ringing emanating from my pad. Rolling off of my bed, I hobbled over to my desk where the device laid. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I brought the screen up to where I could read it. The call was from Kila. Odd. She usually just used text messages.
I tapped to accept and gave a groggy greeting as her visage filled the screen.
“Hey, Kila. What’s up?”
“Mezil, are you busy?”
She looked a little more serious than usual. Did something happen?
“Busy doing nothing maybe. No, I'm not really doing anything right now. Why?”
“Can you come to my dorm? I have something you might be interested in.”
That was intriguing but, to be honest, I'd have looked for just about any excuse to hang out with her again. It had only been a few paws but it felt like an eternity. I wasn't always as sociable as the average Venlil but confiding in her had helped me tremendously when it came to dealing with my academic predicament.
“Yeah, no problem. I'll clean up and head over.”
Her face lit up in response.
“Awesome! I'll see you in a bit!”
I stretched myself out and stole a glance at the mirror.
Yeesh. I really am a wreck. I'd better do a deep clean.
-
After bathing and getting the knots out of my fur, I found myself standing in front of Kila’s door. I reached my paw out and tapped out some light knocks. After a few moments, the door opened wide with Kila standing behind it. She wagged her tail in a greeting and motioned me in.
“Wow, you did clean up huh?” she asked while inspecting my newly brushed coat. I'd put some extra effort into it, wanting to make up for my recent disheveled look.
But, looking at her, it seemed she'd done about the same thing. I'd never seen her so well-groomed. Was there a special event coming up?
“Yeah,” I responded. “I've been a hygiene disaster the last few paws so I figured I should change that. You seem pretty done up too. It's a really good look. What's the occasion?”
“Oh, uh, I just wanted to clean up well. I've been kind of a wreck the last few paws too. End of the term, you know?”
I flicked my ears in affirmation. If her last few paws were as eventful as mine, I wouldn't blame her one bit.
“So, you had something you thought I’d want to see?”
“Right! But…maybe we should save that for later. I haven't talked to you lately. How’s schoolwork been treating you? Making headway?”
I sighed as I took a seat on her bed.
“It's going well enough, I guess. Busy. But, I've been completing everything so hopefully I'll pull through. That's not really what's been taking all my time though.”
“Oh? Give me the details.”
Part of me felt hesitant to disclose my findings at the library. But, ultimately I decided that Kila was plenty trustworthy. Besides, I'd already told Brad. Granted, he wasn’t living on a Federation planet.
Kila would keep it a secret. If anyone would do it for me, it'd be her.
So, I filled her in on my plight, explaining the Federation censorship and my meetings with Aebl. I showed her the music piece and told her about how Brad had played over it during our call. I briefly described to her my first experience with rock ‘n roll and how the intensity had made me view my struggles in a different light. Through it all, she sat and listened, occasionally asking questions but mostly staying enamored with the tale.
When I finished my recap, she leaned back in her desk chair and closed her eyes. After a moment of silence, she delivered her conclusion.
“Holy shit.”
An understandable response to my ramblings, I figured. I felt the same way.
“Yeah, that's been my recent experience. What about you? What have you been up to?”
She stiffened at the question, a response that made me stiffen as well. It was unlike Kila to be so jumpy around a subject. I wondered if I'd hit a sensitive spot.
“That…is a good question.”, she responded with hesitation in her voice. “Well…first of all I spoke with Brad alone. He showed me his guitar as well. We talked about some…things…”
Her vagueness was noticeable. It felt like she was dancing around the subject.
“There weren't any problems, were there?” I interjected. “I'm sure we could work out any conflicts.”
“What? No! I just…shit, I’m bad at this.”
Bad at what?
“I’m…not sure I follow.”
“You can’t follow because I’m not saying anything that makes sense! Just…hold on.”
Kila stood from her chair and opened the closet in the corner. From it, she retrieved a long black box, cradling in her arms. She sat it down lengthways on the floor and flipped open the latches. Before opening it, she looked up to me again.
“I've been working on this with Brad. I guess my physics professor helped too. It's a gift for you, actually. I've been busy with it for the last few paws.”
A gift? I hardly deserved one.
“You shouldn't have gone through the trouble,” I blurted. “Shit, it's the end of the term. You shouldn't be worried about me.”
“I'm not worried about you, doofus! Well…I am but that's not why I put this together. Besides, it's already done so don't reject it now.”
She lifted up the top half of the box and inside was a long, curved piece of metal tubing. It ended with a bell shape. Attached were a few strange devices I didn't recognize. It shone brightly, reflecting the light in the room.
…
“Uh…what is it?” I asked.
“BRAD, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!”
Her sudden outburst caught me off-guard and I straightened up in response as she continued.
“I swear…Why wouldn't he show you after he showed me? Then again, he only showed me because I asked. But then, why didn't you ask about it? You're a music student! Damn it, this isn't going how I planned. Mezil, this is a trombone. It's a Human instrument.”
A human…instrument?
A HUMAN INSTRUMENT?
“How did you get a human instrument?!” I asked, nearly jumping onto the thing in my excitement.
“I made it! All in all, the instrument wasn't that complex to build with university machinery. The hard part was making it playable for Venlil. See, Humans do this thing with their lips and facial muscles…anyway, I had to emulate the whole thing mechanically.”
“You…did all of this for me?” I felt the tears forming in my eyes.
“Well…yeah.”
“How does it work? I've never seen anything like it. Holy shit, Kila, this is AWESOME!”
“Ok, so, first we need to put it together. See, the slide and the bell screw together here.”
She took the two pieces from the case and joined them at a threaded section, screwing a nut into place to secure them together.
“Then, you attach the mouthpiece here and place your mouth up to it to blow air through it. But, this is the weird part. Usually, Humans have to use their lips to make vibrations but we can't exactly do that. So, I built this here to serve the same purpose.”
Kila walked me through the functionality of the mechanism, showing me the buttons for changing the harmonic and also the less than glamorous spit valve at the bottom of the slide.
After getting her rundown, I tried it myself, placing my mouth up to the mouthpiece and pushing air through the vibrating gate.
Kila explained that I could use my tongue to cut the air flow and that it could create different effects on the tone. Pushing the air through was harder than expected as the gate restricted the air flow. Apparently, this was by design. It allowed for longer sustain since it didn't immediately require all the air in my body.
Despite the minimal air throughput, just enough to maintain a steady air column, the trombone was actually rather loud. Even the quietest tones I could produce had a significant amount of volume backing them. But, what was perhaps the most intriguing thing was the variety of sound it produced. The softer tones were melodic while the more forceful tones were almost disconcerting.
“You'll need to keep both the main slide and tuning slide greased well. You can detach the wire for the slide detection right here. The whole apparatus can be detached by removing these screws in case you need to clean the instrument. Just make sure to dry it well if you use water so it doesn't rust. And, make sure to keep dents out of the slides.”
As Kila finished her walkthrough, I placed the trombone down gently on top of its case and wrapped Kila in the best hug I could manage.
“Thank you, Kila,” I choked out. “It's amazing. You’re amazing! How did you manage this in two paws?”
“It was three paws, actually.”
“Three paws?”
“Yeah. I spoke to Brad about it that paw when you were at the library. Then, the next paw I spent playing with the design and running simulations. The next paw I built this one.”
“If it's been three paws…wait…”
Relinquishing my hug, I started rifling through my bag for my pad. I brought up the calendar, searching for assignment due dates.
My heart dropped into my stomach when I found what I was looking for.
“Oh no.”
“Mezil?”
“Oh no no no no no fuck fuck fuck FUCK!”
“Mezil, what's wrong?”
“I missed turning in like four assignments! I thought I had one more paw!”
The worry on her face only worsened as she realized the weight of what I was saying. I'd been scraping by, trying to maintain a GPA that would allow me to retain my scholarship.
I just threw that effort away.
I couldn't handle any missing assignments. My grades would still be passing but below the scholarship cutoff.
“Mezil,” she started. “Listen to me. We’ll figure it ou-”
“I'm such a fucking moron, Kila! Fuck! Everything I've done up until now…I just ruined all of it!”
“Look, maybe you can get some extra credit!”
“That's not even the point!” The tears of joy that had been in my eyes were being replaced with tears of anger as I nearly shouted in frustration. “I'm not closing the gap on my schoolwork! It's just getting worse!”
I sat back down on her bed, burying my face in my paws. Kila sat down beside me and wrapped me in a hug of her own. I felt her tail intertwine with mine like I had done when she had her first call with Brad.
“It's alright,” she spoke soothingly. “We’ll figure something out.”
“Why do you keep helping me?” I choked out. “I just keep fucking everything up.”
“No you don't. You're brave and strong. You're kind.”
“All I do is fail. Why even make this trombone for me?”
“Because…Well, actually, I wanted to ask you out for a date…So, do you wanna go out some time?”
…
What?
“I-I'm sorry?” I stammered. “Did I hear you right?”
I saw her face turn a bright orange. I felt my own face follow suit.
“Yeah. But, uh, this isn't how I expected it to go. I'm sorry. It's probably a bad time to mention it now.”
Kila’s sudden confession had snapped me out of my downward spiral completely. If anything, it was the best timing.
“Why me, though?”
“Why not you? You're a great friend. You're passionate about music, smart, and…kinda cute?”
“I'm cute, huh?” I asked, trying to add an air of teasing while I wiped tears from my eyes.
She flicked her ears in annoyance. Then, took a scenting breath a little close for comfort.
“Well, it helps when you clean up like you did. What shampoo is this? I like the smell.”
I chuckled at her response, feeling the tension leave my muscles.
“Mistfruit, I think.”
“So, uh,” Kila continued. “What's the answer then?”
“Answer?”
“Do you wanna go out with me?”
“Sure. But, I think I'm just happy to spend time with you anywhere.”
I didn't know where my words were coming from. There was something that I'd never consciously realized until that point: Kila was easy to talk to. With her, I could speak my mind and, despite all my social shortcomings, it was just natural. Everything felt simple with her. I didn’t mind opening up if she was around.
But I still had a problem.
I sighed and leaned into her embrace, nuzzling into her fur.
“I'm sorry, I shouldn't mention it again but what am I gonna do about my grades, Kila? School just isn’t going well at all.”
“Just do what you can. Talk to the professors. Maybe they'll give you a helping paw. Maybe some extra credit like the music assignment.”
“I don't know. Some of them are real hardasses.”
She chuckled at my response.
“Well, maybe you’ll lose that scholarship. There could still be other financial options. Maybe you can find another way to afford it.”
At this point, I was content to listen to her suggestions regardless of whether or not they were realistic. I just found myself lost in her embrace, kept calm by her steady arms.
Then, as if to spite that serenity, my pad rang once again.
“Shit, now is not the time,” I grumbled as Kila released her grip. I picked my pad up and checked the number. “A university number? Who would call me from the school?”
“It could be important,” Kila said, leaning over my shoulder. “You should answer.”
I flicked my tail in agreement and tapped to accept. The screen changed and I was met with Professor Haeli’s face.
“Hello, Mezil.”
“Professor Haeli?”
“I'm sorry to use your personal number but the university had it on record and I felt like I needed to run this by you over a call rather than a message through the school portal. Do you have a moment?”
I turned my ears inquisitively towards Kila who flicked her own ears in a ‘go ahead’ motion.
“Uh, yeah, I've got time.”
“Good. See, I spoke with Headmaster Blyne and I was able to negotiate for a bit of an opportunity.”
An opportunity?
What kind of opportunity could Haeli have for me? The extra credit assignment was already for full marks in her class. She spoke with the headmaster…How big of a deal was this?
I didn’t need to wait long for her to answer my question as she continued her spiel.
“We’ve decided that the best way to determine the merit in Human-Venlil cooperation would be to attempt something more tangible than a report. The headmaster is looking for something more practical and I suggested that we could have an in-person musical performance here at the university. That is, one that includes both Human and Venlil performers.”
A live performance? Here at White Hill?
As far as I knew, there hadn’t been any Human presence at White Hill. It would likely be the very first time. The in-person avenues for the exchange program had been restricted to military personnel. But, perhaps the university had enough leverage to get a civilian onto Venlil Prime.
I found myself wondering what the concert had to do with me. I was only a first-term student. I’d only partaken in a couple of recitals. Certainly, they didn’t want me as a performer.
“What exactly do you need from me?” I asked, unsure of what to make of the situation
“I’d like you to perform, Mezil. I know you haven’t had much of a chance to prove your musical capabilities. No first-term student has. But, you have shown a progressive mindset towards Humans and the ability to adapt to challenges. As far as I know, there’s no one more qualified for this particular event.”
I let her words sink in. She really wasn’t concerned with my lack of experience? In that case, I suppose I was the most qualified.
“Moreover,” she continued. “You’d need to determine the setlist yourself. We’re looking for both Human and Venlil musical representation. The instruments you choose to use are up to you. It really depends on how you choose to arrange your pieces. I’m willing to offer assistance in that regard. The concert would be shortly after the end of the term; five paws after the finalized grades.
You may be wondering what you’d receive in exchange. The headmaster and I went back and forth and decided that, should the performance go well, the university will place you in a program for Human integration going forward. And, you’ll be provided free tuition and board so long as you succeed in that position.”
A full ride scholarship…A FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP!
“I’ll do it!” I sputtered. “Whatever it takes, I’ll make sure the performance goes well!”
“Now, hold on a moment, Mezil,” Haeli spoke with a warning tone. “Certainly, you must know how high the expectations are for this. Don’t agree to it so lightly. This is a very delicate situation that will influence the perception of Humans by the student body and staff. It needs to be near-perfect. I’ll help, of course. But, don’t think this is going to be easy. Headmaster Blyne still needs to work with the UN to get permission to bring a Human civilian here. We’re tentatively assuming that it will be approved since the UN has been very accommodating regarding personnel thus far.
As of now, we don’t have any set Human performers. That will partly be your responsibility unless you cannot find anyone on your own. The civilian comm line to Earth is set to be complete in two paws. You should have free reign to go looking for prospective musicians. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. You may want to mull things over for a paw before committing. It won't be a walk in the park. And, I still expect the report from you as well. If you want perfect marks this term that is.”
I flicked my ears in acknowledgement.
“Thank you, professor!” I nearly shouted. “I’m glad that you chose to involve me. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
Haeli wagged her tail, seemingly pleased with my response.
“Well then, Mezil, I hope to hear from you again soon. For now, I’ll leave you to it. Have a good rest of your paw.”
“You too, professor.”
The call ended and I slumped on the bed, melting into the soft mattress.
“You are so damn lucky,” Kila said as she laid down next to me.
“I have so much work to do,” I responded.
“So…I assume you’re going to get Brad involved?”
“Of course. If I can bring him here to White Hill, that would be awesome.”
“I'm sure he'd be happy to join. It does sound like a ton of work though. Integrating Human and Venlil music with each other sounds tough.”
“Well, luckily I just so happen to have a Human instrument to work with. Someone very special to me made it as a gift.”
Kila nuzzled into me and I returned the favor.
I’ve already worn myself out. So much for a break. That's alright. No one said college would be easy.
And, I wouldn't mind staying in this moment forever.
-
Memory transcription subject: Brad Silmore, Human Field Hand
Date [standardized human time]: September 8, 2136
Watching the sun creep up and over the top of its arc, I found myself a little puzzled. I'd thought for sure that Mezil would have been itching to call. It was, after all, the weekend which was the best time for me to help him with his report.
Then again, he seemed pretty tunnel-visioned on the music hidden in the ceiling of that library. Maybe he was still focused on that. Hell, maybe he forgot what day it was.
I wonder what kind of progress Kila was making on her attempt to make a trombone. She seemed smart. Probably wouldn't take her very long.
Snapping me out of my thoughts, the exchange program app on my computer sounded an alert, luckily still audible to me on the front porch. Looked like Mezil decided to call after all.
I meandered inside, closing the door behind me and seating myself at my desk. My hand moved the mouse to click the accept button. As I pressed down, I realized I might want to turn to the side but it was too late. Mezil and Kila’s faces populated the monitor. Luckily, neither of them seemed phased by my staring into the webcam.
“Well, well, well,” I started. “I guess you didn't forget about me after all.”
“Sorry, I forgot that you were off work,” came Mezil’s sheepish response.
Heh. Sheepish.
“More like he forgot what paw it was,” Kila corrected. “He almost screwed up big time.”
Wow, I didn't actually expect to be right about that.
“I did screw up big time. But, I had a lucky break.”
On the bed behind where the two sat, I saw a trombone with a strange set of accessories tacked onto it. Did Kila already finish the construction? Then, that means…
“I see you've been acquainted with a trombone,” I noted. “So, did everything go exactly as you'd planned, Kila?”
Both their faces turned orange which answered my question for me.
“N-not exactly,” Kila stammered. “But, it worked out I think.”
Mezil supplemented his agreeing ear flicks with a head nod.
“Good stuff, I knew you had it in you. So, what's this monumental error that Mezil supposedly made?”
Mezil’s orange shade turned even more orange.
“Well, since I didn't realize what paw it was, I forgot to turn in a number of assignments.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. I knew how precarious his situation was academically.
“You're not failing any classes now are you?” I questioned.
“I'm not failing any of them, but I don't think I can keep my scholarship. Luckily, my music professor contacted me with an opportunity. She wants to do a concert with Venlil and Humans performing. And, the university is offering a position in an integration program if it goes well. If I succeed, I could get a full ride scholarship.”
Kila wagged her tail, looking almost more excited than Mezil himself. It was for good reason. What excellent news!
“That's awesome, Mezil! I know you'll knock it out of the park!”
They both turned their heads in confusion.
Oh yeah. That probably doesn't translate right.
“Er…it means you'll do a great job. It's a sports analogy.”
The pair flicked their ears in understanding. I was beginning to impress myself with how well I could read the Venlil body language.
“I plan to do my best,” Mezil confirmed. “And, if it's not too much trouble, I'd like your help.”
“Sure thing,” I responded. “Need some song suggestions?”
“Actually, I was hoping you could be a part of the performance, coming to Venlil Prime to play.”
Me? Performing on Venlil Prime.
“Mezil,” I started. “I'm not a professional musician. There have to be tons of people more qualified.”
“It doesn't matter,” he insisted. “I’m only a first-term student myself. It's not as much about musical ability. It's more about how well we can cooperate. And, you're a plenty good musician. I've heard you play. It doesn't need to be anything fancy. Just something to show that we can make good things together.”
The explanation made sense. If it was about showing the potential for Human integration, having two exchange partners would be a good plan.
“Can I even get to Venlil Prime?” I asked. “I thought it was only for military personnel.”
“My professor seems confident that they can get the UN to work it out. The request would come from the university so it would have some professional leverage.”
If I can really go to another planet…
“Alright, Mezil. I'm in. It's been a while since I practiced for something serious. But, I'll put my best foot forward.”
Mezil wagged his tail with happiness.
“Great! We’ll need to get a set list together first.”
“Well, I've got time. How would you two like to explore some music with me?”
Both of them leaned forward in anticipation.
Shoot, I didn't actually prepare anything. What haven't they heard yet?
I stopped and considered my options for a moment before a grin spread across my face.
“I do believe you've yet to be acquainted with disco.”
-
First / Prev / Next

Hi ! So as many of you are, I use Notability for basically everything and making the most out of it. I have a s- load of file on it at least 1500 that are equally important. But since I split my use between my Mac and iPad, i find myself stuck spending way too much time restarting the apps, starting over where it last saved to the cloud.
I love the app but here is where i see it lacking : - Cloud resyncing on the mac app takes too much time (even the optic fiber connection)
- Wrong highlighting on quite basic pdf files
- Not being able to chose at which layer we want to put something on top or under a picture for example
- Incredible lags and frozen app time on MacOS.
- iPadOS app just quitting if i highlight too fast (i know i am fast but not that fast i believe)
- No multi-selection tool apart from the "lasso"
- DAMN i would love more keyboard shortcuts to use the "favorites tools" !
- Converting number of sections into pdf all at once
I don't know how hard it is, but seeing the number of files i own and my habits, Crossing over to another software would make it very uncomfortable.
If anyone has suggestions for any of those troubles ?
(Everything is up to date, and the issues occur only with Notability on both of my main working tools)

Hi Everyone,
Thank you for your support and patience regarding JRIS65 R2. The GB has only 3 days left, and we have updated the review links. Please check the following GB information.

JRIS65 R2 Group Buy Information

SKUs and pricing
JRIS65 R2 GB Page
GB Time
31st May to 12th June
Estimated Delivery
Start packing and sending to vendors and Mykeyclub direct customers in August 2023
All component is compatible with the R1.
Vendor List

• US: KeebsForAll
• Canada: Ashkeebs
• EU: Candykeys
• UK: Prototypist
• Oceania: SwitchKeys
• South Korea: Geonworks
• Japan: Basekeys
• Singapore: Mecha.Store
• Indonesia: KeebsMark
• Philippines: Zion Studios
• Thailand: NTCH Keys
• Malaysia: Rebult Keyboards
• Vietnam: MOKB STORE
• Taiwan: 鍵盤好貴
• Rest of the world: Mykeyclub

Please check the extracted GB info from the vendor you plan to order.

JRIS65 R2 Information

JRIS65 R2 Renders

What are the differences between Jris65 R2 and R1? 

We have received much feedback about the JRIS65 after they built it. Most of the customer love and enjoy the build and love our Jris65. And we also received some improved feedback or issues they were having. So we have improved the R2 according to the R1, please check the details below:
​

• The JST cable has been extended for a better build experience
• Upgraded the material and finish of the screws
• Added a 1.6mm Non-Flex Cut Black core Hotswap PCB.
• Upgrade a piece of Poron Case Foam to Non-Flex Cut.
• The plates have been upgraded to better support ISO compatibility.
• Added the case colors options: Lilac, Orange, Silver, Maroon, Navy Blue, Dark Green, Titanium Grey, Orange&Black, Dark Green&Black.
• Added the PVD Mirror Weight colors options: Blue, Purple, Gradient.
• New limited edition: Red and Black.

​

JRIS65 Specifications 

• Dimensions
• Typing angle: 6°
• Front height: 21.3mm
• PCB GASKETS structure
• PCB with USB-C daughterboard
• Both PCB and plate adopt flex cut design
• PCB gasket jackets or socks (included as default)
• QMK/VIA Supported (Note: The BT PCB has its drive, so it doesn't support VIA/QMK)
• Support PCB stabilizers

​

What can you customize for JRIS65 R2? 

Case Options:

• 2 limited edition case: Red, Black (Only 300 Limited QTY Worldwide)

Highlight reoxidation finish for the chamfered in makes the overall front more three-dimensional and exquisite.

• 5 E-coat case： E-white, Milky White, Pink, Lilac, Orange
• 6 Anodized Case: Black, Silver, Maroon, Navy Blue, Dark Green, Titanium Grey
• 6 color combos case: Orange&Black, E-White&Black, Maroon&Black,Dark Green&Black, Navy Blue&Black, Titanium Grey&Black

Weight Options:

• Anodized Alu Weight: Black, Silver, Gold
• PVD Mirror Stainless steel Weight: Gold, Silver, Black, Chroma, Blue, Purple, Gradient

PCBs Options:

• Wired Flex Cut Black core Hotswap PCB( 1.2mm, Multi Layout, support QMK and VIA )
• Wired Non-Flex Cut Black core Hotswap PCB(1.6mm, Multi Layout, support QMK and VIA )
• Wired Flex Cut Black core Solder PCB( 1.2mm, Multi Layout, support QMK and VIA )
• 5.2 Bluetooth Hotswap PCB,battery included ( 1.2mm, ANSI Layout, support LDN Software)

BT PCB is cooperating with Li Dana. LDN’s PCB is famous in China because his PCBs are stable and qualified and use friendly. It has its drive and software, which can edit the key mapping. Please check the software driver interface here.

1. 8 devices can pair with at the same time, and it is easy to switch devices you want.
2. The power switch is on the PCB, easy to turn BT function on/ off.
3. The fastest response time is only 1.25ms

Plate Options:

• PC/POM/FR4/ALU
• Brass (Add-on only)/Black core FR4 (Add-on only)

Plateless Options:
We highly suggest building plateless with 5mm extra plate foam and solder PCB. The 5mm extra plate foam will bring a more soft typing feel, and the typing sound will be cleaner. But without the 5mm plate foam, it will also work fine, and the typing feel and sound are very different.

What's in package? 

• 1x Full CNC Aluminum Case
• 1x Weight( Anodized Alu/ PVD Mirror)
• 1x PCB (Flex Cut Hotswap/ Non-Flex Cut Hotswap/ Soldered/ Bluetooth)
• 1x Plate (PC/ FR4/ Alu/POM)
• 1x Type-C Daughterboard
• 1x IXPE Foam
• 1x Poron Plate Foam
• 1x Flex Cut Poron Case Foam
• 1x Non-Flex Cut Poron Case Foam
• 1x Masking paper for PCB
• 1x JST Cable
• 10x gasket jackets
• 20x gasket socks
• 1 Set of PCB stabilizers O-ring
• 1 Set of Footpad
• 1x Silicone pad of battery compartment (We include this as default, so you don't need to consider choosing which PCB to be the default.)
• 1x Battery（Only for the Bluetooth version）

Gift(will not send make-up or replacements)

• 1x USB-Type C keyboard cable
• 1x Carrying Case

​

Please check the prototype photos below# 

• Pink Case with Chroma PVD Mirror Weight
• Maroon + Black Case with Gold PVD Mirror Weight
• Maroon + Black Case with Silver PVD Mirror Weight
• Milky-White + Black PVD Mirror Weight
• Titanium Grey+Black
• Accessories

Review links

Content Creator	Prototype (JRIS65 R2)
Yo_keebs	Orange Case+Black PVD Weight
Rx003	Silver Case+Silver PVD Weight
hi_keebs	Black Case+Chroma PVD Weight
YBBK	Limited Edition Black Case+Black PVD Weight
SeungupKBD	DarkGreen Case+Gold PVD Weight
Preston's Thoughts	Milky-White Case+Silver PVD Weight
bored bear	Limited Edition Red Case+Silver PVD Weight
kittykat.keys	E-White Case+Chroma PVD Weight
whnkeys - Custom Tastaturen	Pink Case+Silver PVD Weight
get.switched	Lilac Case+Purple Weight

​

Content Creator	Prototype (JRIS65 R1)
Alexotos	E-White&Black Case+Gold PVD Weight
Keybored	Milky-White Case+Black PVD Weight
nearLucid	Milky-White Case+Gold PVD Weight
Yo_keebs	Milky-White Case+Chroma PVD Weight
Tofutypes	E-White Case+Chroma PVD Weight
sviz ify	Pink Case+Silver PVD Weight
Clackbait	Titanium Grey+Black Case+Black PVD Weight
Shoobs	Black Case+Chroma PVD Weight
Mecha Store	Maroon&Black Case+Silver PVD Weight
edwardtanujayaa	Milky-White Case+Chroma PVD Weight
mmorpg.com	Black Case+Chroma PVD Weight
tomshardware	Pink Case+Chroma PVD Weight

Mykeyclub Team

We are a platform that integrates creativity and innovative design, helping more studios join this hobby community and bringing more fun and cool products to you guys. Please participate in our MKC family for more discussions and future updates.
Mykeyclub discord
Mykeyclub Ins
Best Wishes
Mykeyclub Team

Chapter 89 - The Angels Have Chose
​
Afternoon, Two days before Shel
It was getting near lunch and Tom checked his omni-pad. It seemed as good a time as any to take stock of the day.
…Miv’s right, I’ve been climbing the walls…
There was a text from Bherdin. The IOTC girls were doing well, and would hold up their part to play in the banquet.
…That’s nice. I’d feel guilty as hell if Vedeem weren’t dating a Princess. That kind of evens things up…
And his suit was going to be delivered tonight.
Tom sighed and shook his head. Bherdin was happy as a clam. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be worse than the Warden’s outfit. The little Shil could make you believe in reincarnation, because he definitely had the soul of Liberace. Still, it was only one evening. Surely a state dinner couldn’t be that bad. It was a crowd of scientists and assorted nobility, for goodness sake…
…It’s not the audience I’m worried about…
There was a message from Lamana Duvari. The Interior agent had been cooperative, though he could tell she wasn’t happy about this plan. She was deferring to her Princess, but Duvari favored playing for time. There was just something about sitting back and waiting that didn’t have any appeal…
…She wasn’t the one with a knife in her guts…
That wasn’t fair. Whatever else you could say about the woman, if she’d been asked to trade places, she wouldn’t have hesitated. The woman's dedication was frightening, the more so because she spent most of her day in her disguise as ‘Professor Duvari, Totally Normal Person.’
…Well except for the orchestra. Mel and Kas’lin say she's perfectly at home…
“The woman would probably lend a whole new terror to ‘Ode to Joy.’”
At least she’d followed through, and, gods love her, so had Kzintshki. She’d explained her ability to evade most sensors, but the last three nights she’d slipped out on campus to ‘try something new.’ She’d texted every time, and according to Duvari, the Deathsheads in the bunker missed her every time.
…Whatever she’s doing, it could make all the difference…
The women in the bunker… Like Ce’lani. Things shouldn’t go wrong, but how many times had he said that? Something wasn’t right. The feeling he was missing something loomed over him…
“Fuck it… Time to call Ce’lani.”
He’d promised, and Miv would be gone for hours. Besides, it might make him feel better…
_ _ _
Deep in the Ops room out in the bunker, Sgt Diani perked up from her station. “Captain, you’re not gonna believe this. He’s calling her now.”
“You’re putting me on.” Captain Be’ona felt her eyes grow wide. “The woman can’t string two sentences together when she wakes up.”
“Ummm we’re recording this, aren’t we?” Yala asked from the ground team console.
“She threatened to sodomize me with a lasrifle over breakfast…” Be’ona steepled her fingers and smiled guilelessly. “Oh, Deeps, we are. Document that sucker!”
_ _ _
Miv’eire was a stunning woman. Tall, even for a Shil’vati, she was statuesque, yet elegant. She had poise, and it showed. Sholea was equally striking, though lithe, slim, and feisty.
At 6’2, Tom never thought he’d end up as the short one in the family, but somehow neither woman made him feel that way, and were feminine in the way Shil’vati women usually were. Both women behaved just like Human women, with all their cares and concerns - except when they didn’t. When they didn’t, they really didn’t.
It could be disconcerting to have your attitudes reflected back when you least expected it, but that was their ‘normal.’
Shil’vati men? Well, given the social pressures put on them, they behaved like Human women. Though he’d only met a few before leaving Earth, it was a rule of thumb that worked reasonably well. It applied fairly well to the men working as cooks and waiters at Human Food, and he’d been comfortable with adapting in a way. When in Rome… and the men had made an effort to help him adapt. After all, he was on Shil - the odd man out, in the most literal sense.
That said, there were young men like Aku and Vedeem who seemed to face their worlds in understandable ways. Then again, he’d also come to know Jama. While age had slowed him down, words like ‘notorious’ and ‘brazen’ tended to find their way into his thoughts. There were even a few men about like Bherdin, where worlds like ‘florid’ tended to flounder, unequal to the task… But all of them were at home with their lives. This was their normal, and he was the outsider looking in.
He’d adapted.
Staring at his omni-pad, he punched in the number, but held off dialing. What did he know about Ce’lani? They’d shared a morning together, and Miv and Lea approved… Once, that would have been difficult to accept. Now?
…it still took getting used to.
There was also the fact that she was military. Not just a Marine, but a Deathshead Commando, and while the difference was lost on him, it mattered. You couldn’t avoid meeting Shil’vati Marines.
Young, dumb, and full of… expectations… young troops were the same everywhere. They universally tended to piss off the locals.
Taken as a whole, it reminded Tom of his time on Okinawa. The governor of the island had been aggressively against the American bases there, and rightly supported policies to stop sexual violence against local women. The most dangerous animals on the island were, after all, several thousand unaccompanied Marines… though it was also rumored his daughter had been caught with a young Airman in the back of a Chevy.
The guy had to be smuggled off the island one night with extreme prejudice.
All of that came home to roost with the Shil’vati occupation. What had gone around had come around, in the form of young, inexperienced, and hopeful girls turned loose on the ‘sex planet.’ They had gone over just as well as anyone should have expected. If anything, Humanity ought to have known better than the Shil, but it was still a shock to the system.
Once the red zones calmed enough to allow the settlement programs to kick in, families had arrived on Earth. Shil’vati, Rakiri, Helkam… by fits and starts, each had started to appear, along with the other more exotic races in the Imperium. For a while, it had turned into a hobby like train spotting, but somehow people found their niches and things got on. The galaxy came calling, and it turned out that people were just people.
The Marines were the problem. Not as individuals, but as young troops out of their depth in a situation they weren’t right for. Not that the Interior was anyone’s choice, even for the Shil, but after a while people got on…
…Well, most did. God, I’m going to miss Cat…
He banished the weight of old memories and focused.
Ce’lani was… well, not a marine, but the thought stuck in his head. Her letter had been hopeful, not young or inexperienced. The music she’d sent along had been thoughtful, expressing her longing, desire, and optimism in a way that touched the heart… presuming she’d understood the words.
Either that or she’d gotten lucky.
Still, taken as a whole, words like ‘daunting’ tried to edge their way into his thoughts. Personally, she was polite, deferential to Miv and Lea, and had already put herself on the line for him more than once. Physically, though… the woman screamed ‘military.’
Ce’lani Tonis was a beautiful woman with a defined chin and piercing gold eyes, though it was difficult not to think of her body first. Once someone threw you over their shoulder and took off at a dead run, it made a lasting impression. Athletic, in the way that you’d say Arnold Schwarzenegger was ‘well defined,’ everything about the woman said ‘focused,’ - though that seemed normal for Shil’vati women.
For better or worse, Ce’lani had focused on him, and Miv and Lea approved. That was how things stood… and he needed to call the uber-girl and make a date.
“Just when I thought it would stop feeling strange…” Tom shook his head and hit the icon to dial.
The omni-pad rang a few times, and Tom was about to give it a miss when the call connected. While he didn’t enable the feature often, she must have had video on…
“Mn… Hnogh…?”
The uber-girl lay mashed into her pillow, eyes screwed shut as she started to gently snore.
“Ummm... Hi. Ce’lani?” Somehow, her camera lay at an odd angle, barely keeping her in the frame and Tom turned his to match. “Ummm, hello? It’s Tom?”
“Tom…? Tom’zzz cute…” Ce’lani rolled back and snorted once. Part of him considered hanging up, but he lingered in bemused fascination as she carried on talking in her sleep. “All those wommm chazzing... I beat their asses… an… ’e’s cute…”
The polite thing to do would be to hang up and call back later. It wasn’t as if he was going to get anything sorted… Still, it seemed rude not to say something. Besides, if this was recording on her end the least he could do was leave a useful message. “So… would you like to go out for something to eat?”
“Nmm... nice restaurant… does wrestling…” Ce’lani rolled over, her arm flailing at the omni-pad, knocking it askew. “Builds creidszz…”
“Ah…” If she slept during the day, maybe she worked nights. “This seems to be a bad time, so maybe dinner?”
The omni-pad offered a view of the ceiling. “Dinnerz good for wrestling pages…”
“Ok, I’ll set something up.” There was no way not to make this awkward, but if there wasn’t a recording, the worst he could do was call back. “Sweet dreams.”
Shaking his head, he broke the call.
…Alright, maybe not so daunting then… A date won’t be so bad. At least we’ll have something funny to talk about, if it’s humorous from a Shil’vati perspective…
“From a Shil’vati perspective…” The thought stuck in his head, and he punched in a text to Lamana Duvari. ‘Need to meet you this afternoon. Bring cadets. Important.’
Kzintshki did things the Pesrin way. The Shil did things the Shil way… and he’d been approaching this whole banquet from a Human perspective…
And maybe that was all wrong.
_ _ _
As Pathfinder of the Natahss’ja Warband, Sunchaser had known Marakhett since she was a mere kit named M’rast. Admittedly, she was only forty-three Pesh-years older - or five, going by the local calendar - but the years were enough. When she’d started training as a Pathfinder under old Starwise, her mentor instructed her to pay attention to the young kits as well as the adults. They’d be her peers one day and as the future warriors and band mothers of the Woodspirits, knowing them was important. So it was that she remembered Marakhett being born and watched her grow from a kit.
Starwise had lived up to his name. She’d not only learned to deal with other Warbands and the art of contract law, she’d also come to appreciate her family more intimately than most. She knew their strengths and weaknesses. She’d come to appreciate their character as a whole.
She’d been the odd woman out - the social one, though that wasn’t so unusual for Pesrin. Everything back home on Pesh depended on who you knew, who you were related to, who you had or hadn’t eaten… Social ties were everything. The only remarkable thing was that she managed to remain social, coming from a family of dour, uncommunicative, introverted… Well, they were family.
At least if they found it hard to laugh at themselves, she was there to do it for them.
In that respect. Marakhett was everything a bandmother of the Natahss’ja should be. Not without a certain dark and severe sense of humor, but still…
“You’re pulling my asiak.” Sunchaser crossed her arms, her asiak swishing uncertainly.
“I have never pulled your asiak, though if you want amputation…?”
Pathfinder sighed. Naturally, it would be Kzintshki. Talk about the prodigal daughter… “So it’s a brothel? Like… really a brothel?” She pinched the bridge of her nose a moment and rallied. “Well, I suppose if you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong, but Mother of Light, there’s such a thing as overcompensation!”
Marakhett stared balefully and groomed her asiak. Sunchaser took the hint.
“Alright, you’re not kidding. Scout me through this from the beginning and stop me when I’m wrong. Your daughter found a boy - a Pesrin boy - in a brothel," Sunchaser supplied helpfully. Marakhett continued grooming. The pause grew longer, but she knew how to wait. After all, Marakhett had come to her…
“You are not speaking.”
“Oh, you just noticed? Because I was hoping that was the point where you were going to stop me.”
Marakhett arched an eyebrow. “Then you must learn to live with disappointment.”
“Daily.” Sunchaser looked at her another moment. Sometimes it was good to remember you loved your family enough to eat them, and some days you wanted to eat them so you didn’t have to remember you loved them. “I see… So this ‘Parst’ is in a brothel. You think she’s getting tied to him?”
“He is the right age… and she is very much in the right season. It is possible.” Marakhett shrugged slightly. Anyone not familiar with her would have missed the gesture. From her, it was positively eloquent, but she unbent slightly. “You are just repeating what we already know. I hoped by the time I returned you’d have found out more about the Rithagian.”
“Don’t get hasty in your middle age - it’s not your style,” Sunchaser snorted. “I’m just laying the trail here. Please tell me you did some scouting? Why don’t you and the other bandmothers just break the boy out? Kzintshki can grab him by the-”
“Of course, I scouted,” Marakhett replied tartly. “That is the problem.”
“Riiiiight… Well, that’s clear as the bottom of a coal mine at midnight.” Sunchaser settled back. Being the extrovert in the family was a penance sometimes, but Marakhett gave her pause. The woman was a careful hunter, but had never been afraid to be the first to use violence. She used it as a tool. Usually as a scalpel and sometimes as a blunt object, but if she said violence wasn’t the answer, it likely wasn’t. This was going to be one of those conversations where she just had to drag the information out. “So you scouted. Are you going to tell me the problem, or just let me guess?”
“The Tide Pool is not merely a brothel. The people work there... Apparently by choice.” Marakhett paused significantly. Sunchaser appreciated the effort, as that was a lot to take in. “The men and women there… and there are more species than I have ever seen… all consider themselves employees. I spoke with four or five and the ones that don't consider themselves ‘entertainers’ for the clients are there as staff. They are all healthy, happy, and abundantly well paid.”
“Well, money can’t buy you happiness, but if that’s true, you could die trying.”
“That is humor?”
“That is an observation,” she replied a bit tartly, turning the matter over in her mind and weighing it against what she’d been able to uncover. “Look, prostitution is a filthy business everywhere we’ve been. Places like that in the Consortium are little better than slave houses, and the Alliance was worse. Men and boys beaten down into lifeless outcasts. No one looks at them as anything but toys until they’re too old or too used up, and then they just get cast aside. Sure, actual slavery is a filthy business, but it’s only illegal because otherwise no man would be safe anywhere! It’s bad enough here with the Silver Suns, but that's better than the Alliance or Consortium. At least the Imperium tries to stop it! You said this place has a lot of money rolling through - if it’s everything you’re saying, then something is going on.”
“So I surmised,” Marakhett said blithely.
Of the Woodspirit’s seven bandmothers, Marakhett was her favorite, but Sunchaser counted to eight, her patience getting thin. “Based on…?”
“The Tide Pool employs Rakiri security, but the staff were armed.” She finished grooming her asiak and let it fall free. “Discreetly, but still…”
Sunchaser parsed that over. An armed staff wouldn’t be easy to subdue. No gang would allow it… and Rakiri? Rakiri were capable fighters and should be respected, if not invited to dinner… but still. Birds flew. Fish swam. They did what they did supremely well and were both good eating. That didn’t make them interchangeable.
“Rakiri don’t make good criminals.” Sunchaser tapped a claw on a bulkhead thoughtfully “It’s just not in their nature.”
Marakhett’s fur arched and settled, displaying she was pleased with herself. “Exactly.”
“So when you say armed, do you mean ‘a little,’ ‘quite’ or ‘very?’”
“My waiter was carrying a knife on a leg strap, and the security women I saw had X-tel GP fives.”
“Flechette pistols?” Sunchaser felt herself staring, despite herself. “Light, those are nasty! Exactly how many ‘staff’ are in this place?”
“I have seen smaller fortresses,” Marakhett said flatly.
“Bigger than the-”
“Yes.”
Sunchaser felt her stomach purge as the conversation ground to a halt again. When Marakhett got into monosyllables, that was about it for information. That made it her turn.
“I heard back from Moonwhisper. She’s wed to their bandmale, and he’s on good terms with the male in the Curmoica.” She felt a moment’s gratification as Marakhett winced slightly. As an extrovert stuck in a family of reclusive mercenaries, a little exposition was her best revenge. Still, there was no need to push it. “They confirmed the Rithagian arrived on Shil a year or so after they did… They took a contract with Duchess Elieana - our employer. Funny she’s never mentioned it.”
“I am laughing on the inside.”
“Really? I’d love to cut you open and hear what that sounds like, because thanks to your daughter we find the ‘quiet old commodities trader’ employing us lost a Warband! Not just some of them - the whole family. That means there’s something up with the Duchess on one side and a fortress on the other.” Sunchaser pulled her asiak in raw frustration. “You know what that means?!”
“You undercharged,” Marakhett said archly.
“YES!” Sunchaser wailed, slamming her fist against the wall. It was humiliating, but she had to make the best of it. “Are you and the other bandmother’s going to tell Lathkiar?”
“Our husband? Not at this point.”
“This could involve slavers, violence, kidnapping, and mayhem.”
“Naturally, but Lathkiar is still learning to use his prosthetic leg. Getting us out of Consortium space cost him dearly, and we don’t want him to think he is missing out… or that we’re out of practice.” Marakhett sighed. “Until we can afford something better, he would slow us down. We are not risking him, so the less he hears, the better.”
Somehow, Kzintshki had negotiated actual land for the Natahss’ja, but while land and herds were a fortune for posterity, until the lands were actively worked, they remained a fortune out of reach. In the meantime, every spare credit that wasn’t being put into their ship now had to be plowed into renovations. That included the money set aside to provide Lathkiar with a good prosthetic, but he’d insisted. The savings was far more than he’d earn with work from the Duchess, and Sunchaser nodded grimly, acknowledging his sacrifice. It was something he could do for the family, and no one was going to take that from him.
“Why did you not marry Lathkiar as well?” Marakhett asked. The question caught Sunchaser by surprise.
“I’m a little old for that,” She pondered the idea. Starwise had negotiated well when she brought Lathkiar into the family from the Konjrel. Normally the price for a man like that would break a family for a year, but he was as laconic as Marakhett. They loved each other dearly, but the idea of sharing quarters with them all? Torture. “That's very kind. Marriage may be a wonderful institution, but I don’t want to be institutionalized.”
“Mn.” As usual, Marakhett’s asiak did the talking for her, and Sunchaser leaned in to rub shoulders with her friend.
“So this… Parst?” she asked circumspectly. The sting of undercharging was painful, but a male… on the loose… with no family charging a dowry for him? Now that was a bargain! “Good looking boy, is he?”
“I can possibly see the attraction,” the bandmother shrugged.
“You threatened him?” she asked mildly. It was an unusual situation, but there were the formalities to consider.
“Yes.” She nodded briefly, “Appropriate to his situation.”
“Good, good… and Lathkiar might like having a young male to bring into the family.” Sunchaser desperately wanted to rub her hands together, but a Pathfinder should never display greed - just embrace it. “It would be good for the family. The girls are getting older and you know Cahliss would be thrilled to have a share of him. Ptavr'ri doesn't get on well with Kzintshki, but she’ll either adjust to being third or go without.”
“I can’t say I don’t agree with you.” Coming from Marakhett, that was practically a manifesto. The woman’s asiak actually perked with joy. If she had a least favorite bandwife it was Harasf, and Ptavr’ri was her daughter. Despite her unusual choice of a Human hahackt, Kzintshki had brought the family land. If she brought home a male, her place as the next bandmother would be uncontested by her bandsisters - including Harasf and Ptavr’ri.
“Who are we to stand in the way of true love? It’s been so long since we’ve had a wedding… It will do the family good, since we’re so far from home,” Sunchaser said firmly, setting her thoughts in order. There was still a great deal to find out about the Rithagian, but they were niblifos. Not enemies, but certainly not allies… Besides, any distant branches didn’t even know about the boy! “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Marakhett nodded thoughtfully. “If he has no family, who do we eat?”
_ _ _
Bherdin D’saari watched Jeidri Shel’ara expectantly. As a Cadet Senior Agent in the IOTC, she’d proven over the last week she could be driven, demanding, and determined. While polite and properly deferential to him, she’d battered down barriers to anything less than perfection in her troops, and was ready to face the worst things the galaxy had to offer.
He sniffed at the waste… In another life she would have made a fabulous maître d'. As it was, she made a marvelous test subject for his latest dessert!
“That is absolutely the most disgusting thing I have ever seen,” she breathed in horrid fascination as Vedeem picked up one of the rectangular mounds. Industrial brown goo discharged suggestively from the sides, but what really captured the eye was the sticky mass oozing out the sides.
Cadet Agent Vandra Elidre leaned in for a closer look before turning pale. “I’m going to be sick.”
Still, none of them made a dash for the bathroom or had the option to refuse. Bherdin appreciated that, since Vedeem was handing them out… Over the last week, his son had truly come into his own, training them day after day… And if that wasn’t enough, who cared!? He was the Princess’ boyfriend! What could they say?
“What in the sweet goddess’ name is that?” Cadet Agent Prindi Ama’dis prodded at hers with horrified fascination, moving it about on the plate, before pulling it apart. A visceral horror crept over her features as the white morass dribbling down, clinging suggestively in ropey white tendrils. “You know what this looks like?”
Vedeem D’saari grinned cheerfully and picked up his own. “Like porn on Shel morning?” One long entrail dribbled suggestively. “Don’t worry! The best things in life are a little sticky!”
Bherdin felt a warm glow of pride in his son. He’d come so far, so fast.
Vedeem smiled compassionately at the girls. Even in their distress, none of them were willing to show weakness… They watched in horror as he picked up his piece and bit deeply. Thick goo surged from the crust, coating one tusk.
Prindi Ama’dis looked like she was going to faint.
“They’re called a ‘s’mores.’ Just try a nibble, please? For me…? Surely, you’re not afraid, are you?” Vedeem tried wiping the sticking mass from his mouth. It trailed away on one fingertip. He gave them a winsome smile. “This can't be the messiest thing you’ve thought of with a boy?”
“I…” Jeidri was withering. Vandra looked at her for moral support as Prindi started to wheeze. As the senior cadet, she seemed to be fortifying herself… just as her omni-pad rang. Snatching the unit from her belt, she held it like a talisman. “I’ve got to get this! Vandra! You try it!”
Well, you couldn’t win them all over at once… A love of fine cuisine didn’t come to everyone naturally.
Jeidri’s lower lip quivered, but she picked up the square and gulped. “What… um… what's in it?”
“The brown stuff is chocolate. It’s a vegetable… sort of.” Vedeem ran a fingertip along his own. She and Prindi watched, spellbound… If some savages simply couldn’t appreciate good food, what was one to do? Still, there came a time for selling yourself, and at last Vedeem was learning!
“Umm…. sort of?” Prindi asked nervously.
“Don't worry, I’m sure big girls like you can get a handle on it…” Vedeem’s tongue snaked out and wound around the brown-coated finger suggestively.
“A-and umm… and the… the white stuff?” Vandra whispered horsely.
“Marshmallow…” Vedeem smiled sinfully at the pair… Bherdin couldn't be more proud. All his son needed was a bit more fashion counseling and nothing would stand in his way! The universe would deliver itself to him on a platter!
Of course, first they still needed a test. Some people just had inexplicable tastes.
“Alright…” Prindi and Vandra shared a look and took a bite…
Jeidri Shel’ara hung up on her omni-pad, suddenly all business. “Girls, that was a call from… umm… anyway, we have to get back to the campus at once!”
The cadets looked like they’d found their way to Shil’s own bedroom.
“Oh, thweet ghothess…” Vadra said as she gobbled it down. “Thif if the beft fing I’f ever thafted!”
“Well, of course it is!” Bherdin exclaimed before checking his reflection. As hard as it was to believe, some people just didn’t understand the things an artist had to endure!
__ _
Diani brayed like a turox when she laughed, but at least the girls enjoyed themselves. Yala was wiping tears from her eyes when Be’ona turned off Tom’s monitor. She hadn’t laughed outright…
Well, maybe a bit.
“Right. Eyes back on the job!” she rumbled. Diani was still snickering, but they had a job to do and Be’ona nodded as the sergeant ran a status check on her board. They had a sacred trust, and while breaks in the monotony kept you sharp, they couldn’t become actual distractions.
The board was clear. Princess Khelira was just settling down to lunch with her friends…
“Ma’am? Captain To’nis still has her wake-up call for four?” Diani settled back. “Same as every day, right?
“Mmhmm…” A pod leader should not laugh at their peers in front of the grunts… Be’ona stomped on the chuckle as it threatened to escape and throttled it.
Diani glanced over her shoulder. “Yala? Five credits says she doesn’t remember a thing.”
“Sergeant, that is unkind…” She pulled up the maintenance check from Pod Eight. “I’ll make it twenty. Grow a pair or go home.”
It was good for morale.
_ _ _
It was barely noon and Desi was already worn out.
The files on Earth were starting to blur together every night, but she dug in and kept careful track. Still, the late nights were taking their toll. Even lunch had taken on an aspect of grim determination over the last week, and while it had been useful, Desi missed the days when it was just the carefree banter that started the year. She wouldn't trade her friendship with Melondi for anything, but the revelation had changed everything.
Well, alright, Kzintshki would have shown up anyway, and she seemed impervious to change. She certainly wasn’t what Desi’d imagined a ‘sister’ to be. The Pesrin was seated next to her, prodding the tosip out of the baked goara from today's menu with deep suspicion.
“So, I want to bring something up…” Jax’mi cleared her throat. Desi nodded as the other girls all looked over at Melondi. They knew what was coming, and just now their Princess had her mouth full. “It’s about the calendar.”
Mel... Khelira… was good at reading body language, but Desi suspected the whole table staring at her gave it away. Well, except for Kzintshki. She’d started prying bits of fish from the sauce and took a moment to catch on… Jax didn’t waste time and dove right in.
“I know you’ve been wondering about the news on the calendars… Umm…well, that and one or two other things. I sort of rolled part of the money into another product. You know that Rubik’s thing? I sort of passed that off through my cousin, and we have an offer to market the ‘Chel’xa Block,’ but…” Melondi was trying to finish her bite, so Jax pressed ahead. “Well, anyway, taking out the seed money for the printing and my uncle’s one percent cut for the marketing… ummm… They sold out the first and second runs, and we have an offer to do another.”
“Okay…” Mel bit her lip and frowned at the attention. “How much money is that, and why are you all looking at me?”
“Wellll… We got around a credit per calendar, and my uncle said it sold nearly as well as something called a ‘sports illustrated’ edition… We got an offer from them, by the way, once he mentioned the diving team…”
Melondi had gotten used to eating through unexpected news and started picking at her pippiya. “How much?”
Jax bit her lip. “Allowing for the conversion rate?”
“Fine… allowing for that?” Mel canted her head, looking at Jax’mi warily.
“For both runs?” Jax shrugged. “Around eight hundred thousand credits.”
Melondi dropped her pippiya “What!? For… For pictures of us in bikinis!? That’s… that’s…”
Jax nonchalantly flipped a long wavy lock of silver hair over one shoulder. “The most successful school fundraiser ever!!!”
Jax looked smug, but Desi decided to get things back on track, “The point is, we wanted to talk to you about the money, Mel. We’ve all talked it over, and we’re setting it aside for you.”
“I was going to say preposterous, but why for me?” Mel looked at her, as confusion replaced consternation. “Desi? I think you all know I’m… umm… ‘socially secure.’ We were going to split that... I mean, back when we thought it would just be fun money, but this? I don’t understand. Why would you give it to me?”
“It’s not giving it to you, Mel.” Pris leaned forward, “Well, not as such. It’s more like setting it aside… We need to give some to the school, but we ran it through Dihsala…”
Dihsala pushed her tray away and made a face. “What they’re trying to say is you might need money that can’t be traced.”
“I don’t understand?” Mel said flatly, though there was a defensive note in her voice and Desi suspected she understood perfectly.
“What if you have to run? What if this banquet goes badly?” Dihsala waved a hand briefly at the table, taking everyone in. “We know you don’t want to hear this, but if it’s life or death, you may need to disappear for a while.”
“It’s not like your face is known by the press, but word wouldn’t take long,” Lark pointed out with a nod. “Not if the Palace made an announcement, or your identity was blown.”
Kzintshki stabbed some tosip on one fork, examining it critically. “If the people stalking you decided it helped them flush you out, they’d do so in a minute.”
“They’re right…” Nestha nodded. “My mothers toe the line when the Palace wants something silenced, but if it got totally out in the open, even they’d try and take the lead. Every news outlet and pundit would be offering up something on the data-net.”
“We decided to create a fund to make that happen, if it needs to.” Jax’mi lowered her voice. “My family has a few ships here on Shil. We could get you off-world.”
“My family on Wilist would take you in,” Belda nodded. “There are all kinds of places you can disappear, out on the ranch.”
“Or maybe farther,” said one of the twins. “Mara and I were thinking about Earth. If we asked, maybe the Painters could take you on their ship?”
“I could fool people for a few days… At least the ones off campus,” Desi whispered as she reached out to take Melondi’s hand. “If I slept in your room and we let Vedeem in on it, maybe I could throw them off and give you a head start.”
“I appreciate it... All of you,” Mel looked down at her plate. Her hands fluttered a moment before she clasped them together. “But no, I’m not running away from this. How would this look if I ran at the first sign of danger?”
“The first sign of danger was in the library,” Pris’ voice was full of compassion, but her words made sense. Desi was about to chime in when Mel put her foot down.
“No! I know you’re thinking of me, but what kind of person cuts and runs like that?” Melondi glowered. “Kzintshki, you aren’t Shil’vati. What would it look like to your people? How could I live with myself like that?”
“Easily another fifty years... Longer if you can make money posing in skin suits.” The Pesrin girl frowned. “A Bandmother would not run, but that is different… We are surrounded by family.”
“You’re my family…” Mel said wretchedly before drawing in a long breath. “I… look, you’ve all taken risks for me, and I know you don't want that to be for nothing, but I'm not running away. I couldn't respect myself. Thank you… but no matter what happens, I am not doing that.”
“We had to offer…” the other twin… that would be Kas’lin, reached out for the bread tray. “Anyway, it wouldn’t have been so bad if you went to Earth. We want to know what a ‘rolls’ is.”
“A what?” It was a non-sequitur, but Desi grabbed it like a lifeline. Melondi was embarrassed… That was something a Princess couldn’t afford, and changing the topic was something they could all do for her. “Why don’t you ask the Painters? We’ve barely seen you since they landed… As if we didn’t know why…”
“They’re our heroes!” Mara protested, but she was turning bluer by the second.
“And it would be embarrassing!” Lin nodded. “We’re going to ask the Professor but yeah, we’ve been kept… umm…”
“We’ve had lots of… of intellectual discussions!” Mara nodded a touch frantically. “And you should see the modifications to their ship! It has a magnificent sch-”
“We get it!” The table crowed with laughter as the twins stammered into silence.
“Look, I know we’ve all been under a lot of pressure…” Melondi said tentatively. “Why don’t we have movie night tonight, then go out for a drink tomorrow?”
“What, out in town?” Let’zi spoke up. “Is that safe?”
“We all could use a break. Maybe it’s a good idea, as long as we’re careful. We’ve all been busy,” Desi offered, turning the idea over in her head. It might be good practice impersonating Mel one more time… “Even Kzintshki has been disappearing at night.”
“I have been engaged on your behalf.” Kzintshki started prodding a pippiya apart, scooping out the insides. And picking them apart with a claw. “I have tested evading the sensors. I am told it was satisfactory.”
“What, in your skin suit?” Belda started blushing as she asked.
“In... somewhat less.” Kzintshki’s asiak twitched once. “It was necessary.”
…Less? Less than a bikini? But that meant…
“But… umm… it’s cold out,” Desi stammered as a hush fell over the girls. “Didn’t you freeze your tits off?”
“Pesrin are naturally adaptable… and it’s only forty out. In the skin suit, I am virtually invisible to sensors. ‘Virtually’ may not be enough, this Shel. It required field tests.” Kzintshki’s asiak slipped out of sight and focused on her pippiya as if it was the most important thing in the universe. “It was late. I was not seen.”
“I… I have nothing for that…” Desi found herself staring back to Melondi. The entire table was a sea of blue, now.
“Um, I realize I haven’t asked…” Melondi looked back at her for help, and Desi shrugged. There was no telling with Kzintshki sometimes. “I know why everyone else is helping me. They’re Shil’vati, but you’re a Pesrin. This has to be more than just impressing Professor Warrick as your…?”
“Hahackt. That matters… particularly if I am to engage a mate…” Kzintshki drew herself up, though she glanced about furtively. “Though if you take more pictures in skin suits, I wish to join in. Pesrin are not against easy money.”
“You can have my place!” Belda offered fervently. “I’m going to be a married woman… well, eventually! Liam might not like it if I did it again.”
“There has to be more to it than that,” Melondi asked softly. “This means a great deal to me, so really… anything at all, please just name it.”
“Anything?” Kzintshki set aside the pippiya and picked up her asiak, grooming it modestly. “There is, perhaps, one thing.”
“Name it,” Melondi said. Desi knew the tone... It was her friend sitting there, but Khelira was doing the talking.
“Very well. Immunity from prosecution. From now until the end of Shel.” Kzintshki canted her head, as if issuing a challenge. “You are all nobles… I may be one now, but I am not Shil’vati. If you are caught, it is one thing. If I am caught… as improbable as that may be…”
“Done.” Melondi nodded sharply and raised her voice, “You have my word, as… what I am… before witnesses, and probably being recorded… Immunity from prosecution. A full Imperial pardon for until the end of this Shel.”
“Well, Deeps!” Dihsala breathed. “As long as you’re offering…?”
“Count me in for that!” Pris nodded. “My mother was a magistrate. If I get expelled, she’ll kill me and they’ll never find the body!”
“Alright, fine!” Khelira, Princess of the Shil’vati Imperium had spoken… but Desi saw her friend Melondi… At least until she had to stifle a yawn.
“So, movie night tonight?” Melondi offered. “We still need to pick a film for next week’s class.”
“Oh! Great Waldo’s Peeper has a cute guy named Redford in it,” Kas’lin piped up with a grin. “He’s sexy!”
“The one from Star Wars?” Let’zi cocked her head and perked up. “I like him!”
“That’s Harrison Ford. This one is Redford… though his hair isn’t red…”
Desi looked around the table at her friends as they started to talk about movies. There was no telling what the Shel would bring, but all the same? Life went on…
At least for one more day.

I recently became the building manager for my apartment building and need to buy my own cordless drill/driver and reciprocating saw. The guys I'll be replacing gave some pretty detailed recommendations, but after some time online, it seems they bought their tools back when brands were less shit. They placed DeWalt in the same tier as Milwaukee and Makita; according to some of you, DeWalt has lost their way. They recommended I go more in the prosumer direction though, recommending Craftsman, Ryobi, and Kobalt for that.
I found some dirt cheap Craftsman stuff at Lowes ($86 for a drill/driver, battery, charger, and small drill bit/driver head set), but apparently they've really shit the bed in recent years, so I'm not sure I wanna go that route. Ridgid and Ryobi come highly recommended here, so I might go with them? I always though Home Depot was shit, but they're the only ones near me that sell these along with Makita and Milwaukee.
Anyway, right now I'm planning on splurging for a solid drill, probably Makita, and a corded recip saw from a more prosumer brand. I'd also like to know the cheapest way to get the tools and bits, there's so many goddamn combo sets I have no idea what the right move is. BTW I really don't need an impact driver, so I'm trying to avoid combos that include them.

I think I'm finally done with this stage of upgrading the JBL audio in my 2021 OR. I'm posting here in case it helps anyone out who is considering starting down this path.
tl;dr: The JBL audio package is frustratingly poor from the head unit's clumsy interface and lack of wireless CarPlay and AndroidAuto to the weird amp to the muddy speakers. I went through a number of iterations and ended up with something that maybe cost too much, but addresses a lot of these issues.
Parts list at the end.
What I wanted to address:

1. Sound quality. Especially the harshness in the upper range and the muddiness in the mid and lower bass.
2. Lack of Wireless CarPlay

What I wouldn't give up:

1. 360 camera functionality including View button access.
2. Camera/screen clarity.
3. No floating/halo over-sized screens.

First try: Wireless CarPlay USB
I purchased and returned two different Wireless CarPlay USB adapters. I kept a third and used it for six months. These were all slow to connect -- 30-90 seconds -- and unreliable. Many times after waiting over two minutes for the connection, I would need to unplug/plug the USB adapter to reboot the thing.
Didn't try: Pro upgrade
I spoke to a local installer who suggested that anything short of pulling the JBL amp or adding post-JBL-amp DSP was going to fail. He suggested a price tag starting at about $3k and quickly heading toward $5k. Not in my price range.
Second try: Trail Grid Pro Sony XAV-AX6000 plug-n-play bundle
Kudos to the guys at Trail Grid Pro for putting this together. The wiring harness, Maestro pre-programming, and install videos were all great.
The Sony XAV-AX6000 is not great.
I paid $900 for this. It is now $768.
There was a very minor improvement in the sound quality. Probably based on the EQ that's available in the Sony and possibly on it just being a better head unit than the JBL (which is actually a Pioneer).
I returned it to Trail Grid Pro because the screen is awful. It's 800x600 and is significantly smaller than the JBL screen. The cameras were bordering on unusable.
Trail Grid Pro was easy with returns.
What I learned:

1. The Meastro RR is capable of retaining camera and steering wheel control functionality.
2. Screen quality is very important.
3. The HU can effect sound quality in some way even without replacing the amp or speakers.

Third try: Audiofrog separates
I changed tactics and decided to get some speakers from Crutchfield.
I initially went with the Audiofrog G60S. Coming from Crutchfield it included both wiring and door adapters/mounts. These are 6.5" "woofers" and 1" tweeters.
I did this install with the included Audiofrog in-line crossovers.
These did not sound good. I think the combination of the in-line crossovers and the JBL amp's channel tuning just broke the signal to the speakers.
What I learned:

1. Still no idea if Audiofrog is any good.
2. Replacing the door speakers is not as scary as it first appears.
3. The flush mount tweeter brackets sold by Crutchfield require a lot of modification to fit in the Tacoma dash.
4. The JBL tweeters have a soldered on connector that you need to cut off and re-use because nobody sells/provides that connectoadapter.
5. If people tell you that the JBL front door speakers are wired through your dash tweeters, they're wrong. At least for a 2021 w/ JBL.
6. The 89db 4ohm speakers were still plenty loud with the stock HU and amp.

Fourth try: Low-end Focal coaxials
I kept these.
Front Door: ACX 690 3-way 6x9 coaxials
Dash: TWU 1.5
Back Door: ACX 165 2-way 6.5 coaxials
Ordered from Crutchfield with the install kit.
I know some folks hate on coaxials, but going from 6 drivers to 12 drivers, getting full range sound from the doors, and not having to mess with crossovers to do it, all worked for me in this application.
The sound quality was better, but I still wanted to try to get Wireless CarPlay and see if the Focals would benefit from more EQ and better quality in the HU.
What I learned:

1. The plastic adapters to get the speakers in the doors were necessary. Even though the JBLs are 6x9 and 6.5, the threads on the door did not line up with the speaker mounting holes on the 6x9 and 6.5 Focals.
2. I still like Focals. I've given them lots of money for speakers, and I enjoy all of them.
3. Better SQ doesn't make the JBL HU any less annoying.
4. If you try to put rubber or foam baffles or cups on the door speakers, you have to be very careful about window clearance. My fronts are currently un-baffled with adhesive weather stripping where the plastic speaker adapter meets the door. That seems to work for now.

Fifth try: Alpine iLX-507
I bought this from Crutchfield with the Maestro RR and install kit.
I paid about $885.
There is now a bundle from Trail Grid Pro for $867.
It's basically all the same stuff, but Trail Grid Pro will program your Maestro, connect the wires, and bundle things up neatly for you.
There's no way I'd pull my install and return it to Crutchfield for $18, but if I'd noticed the Alpine bundle was available from TGP when I ordered, I probably would have done that.
TGP may also have solutions for connecting the factory GPS and Satellite Radio antennas and for using the stock microphone. Crutchfield doesn't have those.
The only place Trail Grid Pro seemed worse than Crutchfield was with the mounting adapter. The TGP adapter on the Sony was cheap plastic and was cracked when I got it. They offered to send a replacement, but, at that point, I knew I was returning the Sony. The adapter bundled by Crutchfield is better.
The Alpine is a superior HU to the Sony.
What the Alpine gets right:

1. It is a 720p screen. The physical screen is smaller than the JBL, but the clarity is much much better than either the JBL or Sony.
2. Your Toyota cameras are better than you think they are. I was shocked at how much better the 360 and reverse camera look on the Alpine screen. The images are noticeably smaller, but you can actually see more of what's going on.
3. The Alpine improved the SQ to a point that I can live with. There's still a sense that the JBL amp is under-performing and "doing things" to the signal that it shouldn't, but I actually enjoy listening to the Focals through the Alpine -- which is more than I can say for the either the JBL speakers or the JBL HU.
4. Integrated Wireless CarPlay on the Sony and Alpine is far beyond what the USB adapters provide. Almost instant connection. Actually faster than connecting the JBL HU over a USB cable.
5. The Alpine has dual USB on the rear. One of those can be connected to the Toyota USB using the Toyota adapter. I've got the other one tucked under the dash with a 256gb flash drive on it. It's full of FLAC that I can listen to if I don't want to use my phone, and it's relatively easy to pull out and update.

What's still not great:

1. SQ is still not perfect. That JBL amp is doing its thing.
2. Auto-source selection is fiddly. This seems to be a problem with CarPlay everywhere. Doing something like looking at a map in CarPlay while listening to the radio or USB source is harder than it should be. Spotify is the worst offender. Even quitting Spotify on the phone doesn't always get CarPlay and the HU to stop trying to use Spotify as its audio source.
3. Wireless CarPlay would be nicer if the Wireless charging pad worked. Dammit Toyota.
4. USB file browsing on the Alpine is sub-par. It's functional, but sort of 2005-esque.

General Thoughts:

1. If you want to improve SQ and the usability of the HU, you can do OK for around $1500. Much less probably won't get you there, and great sound probably requires much more.
2. Self-install is workable with install kits from either Crutchfield or Trail Grid Pro. Both companies are responsive and easy with returns. TGP likes to spam, and their unsubscribe seems broken. Other than that, no complaints for either company.
3. There are good tools at the iDataLink Maestro site. You can find exactly what functions are available and supported for a given combination of vehicle, HU, Maestro module, and Maestro harness. iDataLink also responds to support requests over email.

Final Parts List:
Speakers. Crutchfield. $450 w/ install kits.
Front Door: ACX 690 3-way 6x9 coaxials
Dash: TWU 1.5
Back Door: ACX 165 2-way 6.5 coaxials
HU. Crutchfield. $885 w/ install kit including Maestro RR and Toyota and Alpine harnesses.
Also available as a kit from Trail Grid Pro for slightly less.
Alpine iLX-507

The structure: a multi-room buried structure filled up with sand and suspicious sand. The first room (without all the sand) contains a crafting table, a furnace, a bed, and 1-2 chests with a little bit of loot. Other rooms may include small mineshaft-like tunnels that don't lead anywhere, other workstation blocks, maybe even what appears to have been a farm for some kind of crop. The suspicious sand loot: 6 pottery sherds, an armor trim, a broken relic from the past (that can be repaired by using an anvil and is used to change random tick speed during the night or whatnot), and some junk like coal, stone pickaxes, stone swords, diamonds etc. The chest loot: some food (like steak), some seeds, wooden tools, enchanted books, cobblestone... The lore: one of the remaining ancient builders built this little bunker on the beach to escape the disaster that ultimately killed the ancient builder civilization. The bunker isn't too modern, it's rather built of oak wood, stone bricks, and cobble, since that's what its builder had on their hands.

Instead of using a rub brick, you can use an oscillating multi tool with a grout sanding attachment and quickly smooth out a ledge, i have a hyper tool one that I bought for $16. use any outside clear paint sealer such as rustoleum instead of wax