Sport Obermeyer Essay Example for Free

Sport Obermeyer Essay From a quality standpoint, production in Hong Kong would be ideal considering the repair rate in China is five to ten times greater than it is in Hong Kong. Although the costs of repair are relatively low, Obermeyer is a high quality apparel company, and its customers in all likelihood want durable products. Not only would this keep customers happy in the short term, but it would greatly increase the chance that they would return for more Obermeyer products in the future. Thinking strategically in the long term, Obermeyer may want to begin training workers in China to bring them to the quality of workers in Hong Kong. Despite the fact that there would be training costs involved, the improvement in long run quality and productivity of the workers would be balanced considering their wage is more than twenty times lower. If these workers were then able to produce faster, Obermeyer could produce fast enough at the low cost and ship product before the import quota is filled. Since there is an import quota in goods coming from China, it may be more beneficial in the long run to have the first round of orders produced in China before the quota runs out. On that same note, the minimum order quantity in Hong Kong is half that of China, and so there is a less likely chance that Obermeyer would have unsold products at the end of the season. One benefit from a materials procurement standpoint is the fact that six of the nine components needed to produce a parka are manufactured in Hong Kong. By assembling the parkas in the same country, transportation costs and lead times could be decreased, minimizing the possibility of the bull whip effect for those products. Also, the preparation for manufacturing in China takes longer than in Hong Kong, another benefit to having first round orders produced in China and second round in Hong Kong. One of the major advantages of producing in China is the fact that the total landed cost is less than the cost of production in Hong Kong. In the example of the Rococo Parka, TLC was $60. 08 in Hong Kong compared to $51. 92 in China, the difference being $8. 16. This number is important to look at relative to the cost of the loss on unsold parkas, which is 9 dollars. This means that the cost of an unsold product produced in China is a mere 84 cents as compared to the full 9 dollars in Hong Kong. Clearly the cost of overproducing in China is far less than in Hong Kong, in fact, it is than 1 percent Obermeyer’s price.

Kirkpatricks Theory of Change Management

Kirkpatricks Theory of Change Management According to (Kirkpatrick, 2001), the important element of a preforming well manager is handling with change. Running change combine theoretical in image with practical application to address the manager effective managing change with record interference. There are three element empathy, participation and communication are the approaches for managing change efficiently. In effective managing change Kirkpatrick describe that how the key and action is supportive for implementing new ideas policies and strategies for almost any kind of organization. According to (Rags dell, 2001)The main objective of every organizational change is to shift the organization from its existing position to an advantageous position, on the other hand the organization change can be achieve in different ways whichever through fundamental change or through incremental change. According to (Tushan et al, 1985) Dealing between two types of change by creation of punctual equilibrium model of organization change. According (Charles Handy, 1990), today change is pole apart because it is flashing. He thinks this kind of modern disorganized change calls for alternating positive impact thinking to compact with it. In case of curt house hotel the management needs to look after for the upcoming changes in the organization. As they are changing the property from 3 stars to 4 stars they need to look after on the three element of the change management. If the organization will give a look on these elements they will achieve the objective in next summers. Its a long term plan so that they have to think before and they need to use the management function. They will provide a quality service to Japanese delegates with no hassle. How to manage change effectively Kirkpatrick recommends a organized model for managing change. There are certain steps for managing change efficiently are as follows: Shaping the requirements and aspiration for a change Formulating an uncertain strategy. Investigating possible feedbacks. Creating an ultimate result. Creating a schedule. Making a plan for change. Executing the change. Individual reaction on managing change. (Bridges, 1986 et al), we can identify that how individual apply change by the use of various models to describe this occurrence by process. The most important objective of each and every skilled employee to understand the concept of change and how its effects on individual, and change is also give an advantage to the employee to accomplish the goals and objectives. Change affects the performance of an individual with an organization more efficiently. From here (Juck, 1990 et al), The set of approaches to change concerns the experience of individual in the managing process focus on the psychological adjustment that individual person of organization must make during organizational change. Kirkpatricks 3 elements of managing change (Kirkpatrick, 1985), the first things to managing change are believe that change is necessary; employee can be motivating in the company towards change by creating the realness for change. These are 3 methods for creating realness to change first one is sensitive people about the pressure of change, shows discrepancy between undesirable stale of affairs, and communicate positive realistic expectation for the advantage of change. (Kirkpatrick, 2001), three elements explore how employee thinks about change and how their motives, needs, and possibilities carried them until goal. The crucial ingredients of Kirkpatrick three elements of managing change is empathy which is really beneficial and use full for organization. The main thing of any organization is communication, which is called central of all the effective change. Communication is creating understanding between two or more people- is not complete definition of communication but the communication is treatment of listening and feed back is practical and cogent. Another and very important elements of change management are participation, which is perceived as a sough- after result of the empathy and communication. Empathy, 1st key (Robert bacal), the first elements of managing change is empathy, employee reaction to change are commonly not logical from and outsiders perspective. People reach according to their needs and want. People reaction to any change differs between person-to-person or even within one person. It refers to ability to walk in other persons shoes and more importantly, the emotional of individual faced with change. Knowing the employees understanding their concerns, and developing empathetic relation ship with the employees should be normal procedure of all managers. It is more critical during period of managing change. (Kirkpatrick, 2001), According to Kirkpatrick manager should put him self in the place of employee, which is, best way to realize the employees feeling and it is also better for manager to achieve the goal with the support of team. Empathy is also a good way to know the person individually. A better manager knows the individuals who will be affected by change. There are some steps by which a manager can know about the employees, first step is looking personal files, second step is asking questions from the employee and the next and last step is listening and observing. Empathy is no inherited trait; this is something that can be developed by gating to know the other person the better way to know the person individually to analyze of conversation with each of the staff members, which they resist of, accept a change. Empathy also helps to provide clues for the communication and participation. Participation, 2nd key. (Coch et al, 1948), Main action step in managing change is participation. Participation is the change tends to reduce resistance build on the change and motive people to make the change to work. Participation may also lead to obtaining new information from that participation, information that may enhance the effectiveness of the change or the future (Kirkpatrick, 2007), Participation is technique for use in conducting instructional meetings. It consists of participation of the part of learners under the guidance and control of the leaders. It only effectively used when experience have idea to contribute. The participation has its two basic approached first one is which one is most common form is to have discussion among the participation without any hesitation and leaders gives questions and problems to entire group. Employers answer it to the leader. Second approach is that group is divided into buzz group of 4 or 5 people so that each employee can participate actively. (Cynthia D.scott, 1995), people will more really accept change if they are involved in the process involvement means that they will have a role in defining how to meet a goal, or respond to a new situation. Communication, 3rd key (Robert bacal), communication play an essential role to the employees for effective change management in an organization. Managers need to have an effective communication between employees to make them realize how communication is important and it also create understanding in an organization. Managers need to look after on the employees whether they understand the importance of change management because its a two way method. (Kavanaugh and ninemier), the effective communication will build a better relationship among the staffs in the organization. It also improves productivity in an organization and it provides a growth to better levels of guest satisfaction. (Sir nick Scheele, 2007), systematic communication with the employees in an organization offer an important phase for creating support to feel part of the result.

Before and After Cloud Computing in DPG Group of Companies

Before and After Cloud Computing in DPG Group of Companies About the company DPR Group, Inc., a full-service public relations, marketing and communications agency, was stuck in a technology rut that stymied productivity and limited their growth. DPG group broke free of the break-fix model of managed services and leaped ahead with cloud computing. DPR Group with a vision to open small satellite offices in technology hubs throughout the eastern United States. At the time of my technology challenge, DPG had expanded to two offices for nearly 15 employees with their headquarters in Germantown, Maryland, and a second office in Cary, North Carolina. However, providing expert public relations and marketing services to high-tech companies requires a strong technology infrastructure to effectively communicate with   clients. Without an on-site IT resource, one of their obstacles to growth was finding a way to keep all   in-house technology running smoothly. For four years worked with a managed services provider to help maintain their PCs, a Dell PowerEdge Server, and internal networks in both of DPG offices. Although the CEO of   managed services provider spoke eloquently about their companys preventative approach to computer maintenance, they actually spent far more time trying to fix things after they broke. What were the problems before moving to cloud Before moving   cloud number   of issues that challenged their ability to maintain the high-level client service that they offer. Downtime, latency, reliability, and accessibility were just a few reoccurring issues. For example,   managed services provider would frequently run software updates on Sunday nights and, due to compatibility issues with the updates and a lack of testing, the server would often crash on Monday mornings. This left   staff scrambling to work from back-up files, while the managed services provider attempted to fix the problem. Also, when working remotely, their staff used Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) with severe latency and connectivity issues that caused delays and required additional time to complete basic tasks such as reconnection, file uploads, or even simply writing an email. Their managed services provider also experienced a lot of personnel turnover. Every time someone new started working on DPG account, they have to re-explain everything about not only the issue they were having, but also how our entire system was set up because the new expert staff was not familiar with their system. Not unexpectedly, DPG received daily complaints from my staff about how technology issues were making it difficult for everyone to do their job effectively. After discussing specific challenges with each of thier staff members, DPG calculated that every employee was losing from seven to nine days of productivity per year due to time spent waiting for a tech to fix the problems. What were the benefits of moving to cloud First they started   search for a new vendor by talking with a number of managed services providers that all promised to do a much better job of maintaining   computers and networks. More importantly, they started hearing the term cloud computing, and learned that it could streamline a lot of processes and significantly improve DPG productivity. Although cloud might be a better model for them, DPG also would need a local IT resource to maintain the basic hardware in our two different offices. After reviewing proposals from a number of providers within the Washington, D.C., metro area, DPG selected Virgina-based Cetrom Information Technology to take them to the cloud. This cloud computing service provider stood out from the rest for a few primary reasons. First, Cetrom offered a truly hosted cloud model. Other cloud providers would host data on the cloud, but install applications locally. It was either that, or they would have to use limited-functionality, software-as-a-service (SaaS) versions of their standard software. Cetrom, however, hosted the full, traditional versions of our software in the cloud and seamlessly mirrored a local environment. The Cetrom Hybrid places a small server on site in DPG headquarters that replicates the data to and from the cloud in real time. previously   they used to having all   IT within the office. Also, Cetroms senior-level engineers really took the time to understand DPG business goals and processes during roll out. From there, they designed   cloud solution for DPG-with strong business continuity and disaster recovery plans, and easy access to key applications-around all business, instead of making them adapt to a rigid, out-of-the-box solution. To avoid lost productivity hours, Cetroms engineers migrated DPG applications and data over the weekend .Working in the cloud provides numerous benefits. The primary benefit is the anytime, anywhere access to all the files and applications, with only an Internet connection. The ability to set permissions by users is also extremely beneficial as it ensures only authorized personnel have access to files, such as financials. Cetrom not only maintains its equipment and ensures the security of all its clients data, the company also constantly reviews the applications and services it provides clients to ensure they are the best available. Since moving to the Cetrom cloud, the company has changed spam filters for the email a few times, and each time they seen an improvement. The current version now catches about 99.5 percent of all incoming spam emails-an immense improvement over our previous provider. Perhaps the most important benefit of all is system reliability. Cetrom has a track record of zero downtime since its founding nearly 15 years ago. This one aspect returned nearly 10 hours of productivity back to DPG staff-equal to $50,000 annually-so they can focus on serving DPG clients. The cost savings from operational expenses in North Carolina-more than $70,000 annually-allowed them to move from   Germantown, Maryland, location to a larger, nicer office in Frederick, Maryland, with double the capacity for staff. Migrating to the cloud with Cetrom was one of the best business decisions DPG ever made. They have not had any downtime since DPG started with Cetrom, DPG data is available anytime, and they dont receive complaints from the staff about technology issues anymore.

Death Penalty - Herrera vs Collins Essay -- Capital Punishment Essays

Death Penalty - Herrera vs Collins The Supreme Court addressed the constitutionality of executing someone who claimed actual innocence in Herrera v. Collins (506 U.S. 390 (1993)). Although the Court left open the possibility that the Constitution bars the execution of someone who conclusively demonstrates that he or she is actually innocent, the Court noted that such cases would be very rare. The Court held that, in the absence of other constitutional violations, new evidence of innocence is no reason for federal courts to order a new trial. The Court also held that an innocent inmate could seek to prevent his execution through the clemency process, which, historically, has been "the 'fail safe' in our justice system." Herrera was not granted clemency, and was executed in 1993.. Since Herrera, concern regarding the possibility of executing the innocent has grown. Currently, more than 80 death row inmates have been released because of innocence since 1973. In November, 1998 Northwestern University held the first-ever National Conference on Wrongful Convictions and the Death Penalty, in Chicago, Illinois. The Conference, which drew nationwide attention, brought together 30 of these wrongfully convicted inmates who were exonerated and released from death row. Many of these cases were discovered not as the result of the justice system, but instead as the result of new scientific techniques, investigations by journalism students, and the work of volunteer attorneys. These resources are not available to the typical death row inmate. Public Support Support for the death penalty has fluctuated throughout the century. According to Gallup surveys, in 1936 61% of Americans favored the death penalty for persons convicted of murder... ... retain the death penalty, including China, Iran, and the United States, all of which rank among the highest for international executions in 1998. (Amnesty International, 1999) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sources Amnesty International, "List of Abolitionist and Retentionist Countries," Report ACT 50/01/99, April 1999 D. Baker: "A Descriptive Profile and Socio-Historical Analysis of Female Executions in the United States: 1632-1997"; 10(3) Women and Criminal Justice 57 (1999) R. Bohm, "Deathquest: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Capital Punishment in the United States," Anderson Publishing, 1999. "The Death Penalty in America: Current Controversies," H. Bedau, editor, Oxford University Press, 1997. K. O'Shea, "Women and the Death Penalty in the United States, 1900-1998," Praeger 1999.

UNDERSTANDIN OIL :: essays research papers

The brutal attacks/bombings this week in New York, and Washington D.C., along with threats of attacks there and elsewhere in the country have changed our times forever. While the mass media concentrates on the details of the destruction, and the blanketed words of politicians, I will attempt to understand and explain the events from the fence. BOMBING AND BEING BOMBED ARE THE SAME THINGS ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE FENCE. Terror is not a spontaneous human action without credence. People just don’t hijack planes and commit harikari (suicide) without any weight of thought to the action. No one in the media seems to ask WHY DID THESE PEOPLE DO THIS HORRIFIC ACT OF VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTION? To be able to understand the answer to this, we must first look at our U.S. Mideast Policy. During most of the 20th century, U.S. businesses have worked on attaining oil rights and concessions from countries in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. After WWI, secret back door deals by our State Dept. yielded oil rights from then defeated Turkey to fields in what is now Iraq and Saudi Arabia, in return for looking the other way at a crime against humanity, the Genocide of the Armenians by the Turks. Oil profits have been the motivating factors behind many attempts at counterinsurgency of democratic regimes by the CIA and the U.S in the Middle East (such as Iran in the 1950s, where the Shah replaced the Prime Minister who refused to give up oil rights to the U.S., and since the people couldn’t deal with the Shah, an extremist government headed by the Ayatollah Khomeini ultimately prevailed). During the Iran-Iraq war, America supplied both sides with weapons and advice. These are n ot the actions of a rich superpower wanting peace. Let’s not forget that Saddam Hussein, before being America’s vision of the Anti-Christ, was a close ally of the U.S., and the CIA. So what was the firm belief system of consecutive American administrations that caused all this to occur ? PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WILL LEAD TO HIGHER OIL AND GASOLINE PRICES. Let’s not also forget the power of the Arms industry, disguised as defense, that still sells billions of dollars of weapons to the area. Therefore it has not been in the short-term economic interest of the U.S. to foster Peace in the Middle East. Using the above reasoning, the U.

Malcolm X Essay

During the 1960’s, the powerful speeches spoken about equality by two men about black empowerment, ultimately lead to them to their deaths. The words spoken by Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were so strong and influential, helping them gain great audiences and followers. King preached out over the â€Å"brotherhood† among races, and the importance of non-violence. Malcolm X, also advocated for the end to segregation, but emphasized the needs for blacks to become independent of the white man, and stand up for themselves. Both King and Malcolm X had similar goals in their minds, but took distinct paths to attain those goals. Both of their many speeches varied with great distinction. While the content and underlying ideas of the speeches may have different examples and ideas, they both use many common literary devices and rhetorical strategies to attain their audience’s attention. It is through Malcolm X’s use of emotion, together with the use of other strategies, that he ultimately created a more passionate influence on his audience. The early lives that these men lived had much influence on how they would later view racism, and speak out on segregation. Martin Luther King Jr., born Micheal Luther King Jr., was raised with a middle-class family, where his mother and father stressed the importance of obtaining an education (Martin). Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, came from a place filled with fear and danger, where the â€Å"Klansmen shouted threats and warnings [about how] ‘the good old Christian white people’ were not going to stand for [his] father’s ‘spreading trouble’† (X, Malcolm and 1). Malcolm’s early childhood experiences would be there to haunt him for the rest of his life. The experiences that these men encountered at a young age, planted the seeds to how they would flourish into the voices of the oppressed African-American people, and the ways in which they would deliver their speeches. Malcolm X, was furious at the idea that whites where trying to keep b lacks in their place, and were the reason why equality was still not being achieved. From a young age, Malcolm had suffered the effects of racism, never forgetting his eighth grade teacher telling him that â€Å"[he had] to be realistic about being a nigger. A lawyer- [that was] no realistic goal for a nigger† (X, Malcolm and 38). X, an intelligent student sharing similar dreams as King of becoming a lawyer, where soon shattered, causing him to drop out of school, and turn to drugs in order to get money. After being in jail for six years, Malcolm finally turned to Allah, where he began preaching black supremacy, and the separation between blacks and whites. Martin Luther King Jr.’s most prominent â€Å"I have a Dream† speech is lucid with its use of emotion, and all ­usion. King argues that African-Americans are not free according to the rights outlined in the United-States constitution. King not only presents his argument to the African-American community, but rather to all Americans, white and black. King delivers his argument successfully through his use of ethos. Throughout the speech, King alludes to his Christian morals, speaking out on how, â€Å"one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; â€Å"and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together† (Luther King). King acknowledges the fact that the majority of his audience believes in Christianity, therefore understanding the allusion to the bible. Finally, King refers to his audience as â€Å"his people.† This implies that King sees his audience equal and also it shows that not only the black people are â€Å"his people.† King presents his argument towards freedom, strategically placing emphasis on his moral authority. Malcolm X, flustered by King’s peaceful approach to obtaining African-American rights, wrote, â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet,† as a direct response to King’s famous â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech spoken only a month before. Like King, Malcolm appeals to the emotions of his young black audience, stirring them with anger; and simultaneously, striking fear into the minds of his white listeners. Malcolm’s goal for this speech was to persuade his audience to take action into their own hands and bring about a serious long lasting change. â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet† begins with Malcolm’s attempt to connect with his audience. He begins by greeting both his friends and enemies speaking out, â€Å"I just can’t believe everyone in here is a friend and I don’t want to leave anybody out† (X, Malcolm. Speech). X, immediately grab s the attention of his audience by, identifying with them, also putting aside religious aspects and focusing on simply â€Å"working together and putting aside their differences to fight for their rights† (Critical). As Malcolm continues delivering his speech, his use of repetition keeps his audience aroused with anger. X repeats, â€Å"I am not†¦Ã¢â‚¬  allowing his audience to identify with him, especially when he says that he is â€Å"not an American, but a victim of Americanism† (X, Malcolm. Speech). Here, Malcolm has fallen victim to racism. When X refers to â€Å"Americanism† he refers to things the United States is guilty of, like sexism, racism, and the power that the government has over people. In this quote, he doesn’t feel like a citizen of America anymore, although he should. He is equal to everyone else, but is treated otherwise just because he is African-American. The strong and powerful words that these two men spoke out will always be remembered in the history of the civil rights movement. Although King is a heroine in the eyes of the movement, his methods of obtaining a change were very amicable. It was Malcolm X’s strong militant diction, and his power to stir the crowds’ emotions that helped him instill more passion in what he was arguing for. X’s approach may have arisen from his catastrophic childhood, instilling him to speak out on black supremacy, and the liberation from having the government having control over them. Nevertheless, King’s approach allowed him to gain more followers, but it was Malcolm X’s rage against the white man, that allowed him to create a more passionate audience. Works Cited Boyer, Paul S. â€Å"The Turbulent Sixties.† The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath, 1990. Print. â€Å"Biography.† Martin Luther King -. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2012. . â€Å"Critical Analysis: The Ballot or The Bullet.† Socyberty. Web. 02 June 2012. . Luther King, Martin. Speech. I Have a Dream. Washington D.C. 28 Aug. 1963. American Rhetoric. Web. 02 June 2012. . Malcolm X. Dir. Spike Lee. Prod. Spike Lee. By Spike Lee and Arnold Perl. Perf. Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, and Al Freeman. Warner Bros., 1992. DVD. â€Å"Martin Luther King, Jr.† SparkNotes. SparkNotes. Web. 05 June 2012. . X, Malcolm, and Alex Haley. The Autobiography of Malcolm X. New York: One World/Ballantine, 1992. Print. X, Malcolm. Speech. The Ballot or the Bullet. Cory Methodist Church, Cleaveland. 3 Apr. 1964. Social Justice Speeches. Web. 02 June 2012. .

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 39. TheHappily EverAfter

â€Å"So it was a combination of things there at the end, but what it really boiled down to was†¦ Bella,† Edward was explaining. Our family and our two remaining guests sat in the Cullens' great room while the forest turned black outside the tall windows. Vladimir and Stefan had vanished before we'd stopped celebrating. They were extremely disappointed in the way things had turned out, but Edward said that they'd enjoyed the Volturi's cowardice almost enough to make up for their frustration. Benjamin and Tia were quick to follow after Amun and Kebi, anxious to let them know the outcome of the conflict; I was sure we would see them again – Benjamin and Tia, at least. None of the nomads lingered. Peter and Charlotte had a short conversation with Jasper, and then they were gone, too. The reunited Amazons had been anxious to return home as well – they had a difficult time being away from their beloved rain forest – though they were more reluctant to leave than some of the others. â€Å"You must bring the child to see me,† Zafrina had insisted. â€Å"Promise me, young one.† Nessie had pressed her hand to my neck, pleading as well. â€Å"Of course, Zafrina,† I'd agreed. â€Å"We shall be great friends, my Nessie,† the wild woman had declared before leaving with her sisters. The Irish coven continued the exodus. â€Å"Well done, Siobhan,† Carlisle complimented her as they said goodbye. â€Å"Ah, the power of wishful thinking,† she answered sarcastically, rolling her eyes. And then she was serious. â€Å"Of course, this isn't over. The Volturi won't forgive what happened here.† Edward was the one to answer that. â€Å"They've been seriously shaken; their confidence is shattered. But, yes, I'm sure they'll recover from the blow someday. And then . . .† His eyes tightened. â€Å"I imagine they'll try to pick us off separately.† â€Å"Alice will warn us when they intend to strike,† Siobhan said in a sure voice. â€Å"And we'll gather again. Perhaps the time will come when our world is ready to be free of the Volturi altogether.† â€Å"That time may come,† Carlisle replied. â€Å"If it does, we'll stand together.† â€Å"Yes, my friend, we will,† Siobhan agreed. â€Å"And how can we fail, when /will it otherwise?† She let out a great peal of laughter. â€Å"Exactly,† Carlisle said. He and Siobhan embraced, and then he shook Liam's hand. â€Å"Try to find Alistair and tell him what happened. I'd hate to think of him hiding under a rock for the next decade.† Siobhan laughed again. Maggie hugged both Nessie and me, and then the Irish coven was gone. The Denalis were the last to leave, Garrett with them – as he would be from now on, I was fairly sure. The atmosphere of celebration was too much for Tanya and Kate. They needed time to grieve for their lost sister. Huilen and Nahuel were the ones who stayed, though I had expected those last two to go back with the Amazons. Carlisle was deep in fascinated conversation with Huilen; Nahuel sat close beside her, listening while Edward told the rest of us the story of the conflict as only he knew it. â€Å"Alice gave Aro the excuse he needed to get out of the fight. If he hadn't been so terrified of Bella, he probably would have gone ahead with their original plan.† â€Å"Terrified?† I said skeptically. â€Å"Of me?† He smiled at me with a look I didn't entirely recognize – it was tender, but also awed and even exasperated. â€Å"When will you ever see yourself clearly?† he said softly. Then he spoke louder, to the others as well as to me. â€Å"The Volturi haven't fought a fair fight in about twenty-five hundred years. And they've never, never fought one where they were at a disadvantage. Especially since they gained Jane and Alec, they've only been involved with unopposed slaughterings. â€Å"You should have seen how we looked to them! Usually, Alec cuts off all sense and feeling from their victims while they go through the charade of a counsel. That way, no one can run when the verdict is given. But there we stood, ready, waiting, outnumbering them, with gifts of our own while their gifts were rendered useless by Bella. Aro knew that with Zafrina on our side, they would be the blind ones when the battle commenced. I'm sure our numbers would have been pretty severely decimated, but they were sure that theirs would be, too. There was even a good possibility that they would lose. They've never dealt with that possibility before. They didn't deal with it well today.† â€Å"Hard to feel confident when you're surrounded by horse-sized wolves,† Emmett laughed, poking Jacob's arm. Jacob flashed a grin at him. â€Å"It was the wolves that stopped them in the first place,† I said. â€Å"Sure was,† Jacob agreed. â€Å"Absolutely,† Edward agreed. â€Å"That was another sight they've never seen. The true Children of the Moon rarely move in packs, and they are never much in control of themselves. Sixteen enormous regimented wolves was a surprise they weren't prepared for. Caius is actually terrified of werewolves. He almost lost a fight with one a few thousand years ago and never got over it.† â€Å"So there are real werewolves?† I asked. â€Å"With the full moon and silver bullets and all that?† Jacob snorted. â€Å"Real. Does that make me imaginary?† â€Å"You know what I mean.† â€Å"Full moon, yes,† Edward said. â€Å"Silver bullets, no – that was just another one of those myths to make humans feel like they had a sporting chance. There aren't very many of them left. Caius has had them hunted into near extinction.† â€Å"And you never mentioned this because†¦ ?† â€Å"It never came up.† I rolled my eyes, and Alice laughed, leaning forward – she was tucked under Edward's other arm – to wink at me. I glared back. I loved her insanely, of course. But now that I'd had a chance to realize that she was really home, that her defection was only a ruse because Edward had to believe that she'd abandoned us, I was beginning to feel pretty irritated with her. Alice had some explaining to do. Alice sighed. â€Å"Just get it off your chest, Bella.† â€Å"How could you do that to me, Alice?† â€Å"It was necessary.† â€Å"Necessary!† I exploded. â€Å"You had me totally convinced that we were all going to die! I've been a wreck for weeks.† â€Å"It might have gone that way,† she said calmly. â€Å"In which case you needed to be prepared to save Nessie.† Instinctively, I held Nessie – asleep now on my lap – tighter in my arms. â€Å"But you knew there were other ways, too,† I accused. â€Å"You knew there was hope. Did it ever occur to you that you could have told me everything? I know Edward had to think we were at a dead end for Aro's sake, but you could have told me.† She looked at me speculatively for a moment. â€Å"I don't think so,† she said. â€Å"You're just not that good an actress.† â€Å"This was about my acting skills?† â€Å"Oh, take it down an octave, Bella. Do you have any idea how complicated Ms was to set up? I couldn't even be sure that someone like Nahuel existed – all I knew was that I would be looking for something I couldn't see! Try to imagine searching for a blind spot – not the easiest thing I've ever done. Plus we had to send back the key witnesses, like we weren't in enough of a hurry. And then keeping my eyes open all the time in case you decided to throw me any more instructions. At some point you're going to have to tell me what exactly is in Rio. Before any of that, I had to try to see every trick the Volturi might come in with and give you what few clues I could so you would be ready for their strategy, and I only had just a few hours to trace out all the possibilities. Most of all, I had to make sure you'd all believe that I was ditching out on you, because Aro had to be positive that you had nothing left up your sleeves or he never would have committed to an out the way he did. And if you think I didn't feel like a schmuck – â€Å" â€Å"Okay, okay!† I interrupted. â€Å"Sorry! I know it was rough for you, too. It's just that†¦ well, I missed you like crazy, Alice. Don't do that to me again.† Alice's trilling laugh rang through the room, and we all smiled to hear that music once more. â€Å"I missed you, too, Bella. So forgive me, and try to be satisfied with being the superhero of the day.† Everyone else laughed now, and I ducked my face into Nessie's hair, embarrassed. Edward went back to analyzing every shift of intention and control that had happened in the meadow today, declaring that it was my shield that had made the Volturi run away with their tails between their legs. The way everyone looked at me made me uncomfortable. Even Edward. It was like I had grown a hundred feet during the course of the morning. I tried to ignore the impressed looks, mostly keeping my eyes on Nessie's sleeping face and Jacob's unchanged expression. I would always be just Bella to him, and that was a relief. The hardest stare to ignore was also the most confusing one. It wasn't like this half-human, half-vampire Nahuel was used to thinking of me in a certain way. For all he knew, I went around routing attacking vampires every day and the scene in the meadow had been nothing unusual at all. But the boy never took his eyes off me. Or maybe he was looking at Nessie. That made me uncomfortable, too. He couldn't be oblivious to the fact that Nessie was the only female of his kind that wasn't his half-sister. I didn't think this idea had occurred to Jacob yet. I kind of hoped it wouldn't soon. I'd had enough fighting to last me for a while. Eventually, the others ran out of questions for Edward, and the discussion dissolved into a bunch of smaller conversations. I felt oddly tired. Not sleepy, of course, but just like the day had been long enough. I wanted some peace, some normality. I wanted Nessie in her own bed; I wanted the walls of my own little home around me. I looked at Edward and felt for a moment like I could read his mind. I could see he felt exactly the same way. Ready for some peace. â€Å"Should we take Nessie †¦Ã¢â‚¬  ‘That's probably a good idea,† he agreed quickly. â€Å"I'm sure she didn't sleep soundly last night, what with all the snoring.† He grinned at Jacob. Jacob rolled his eyes and then yawned. â€Å"It's been a while since I slept in a bed. I bet my dad would get a kick out of having me under his roof again.† I touched his cheek. â€Å"Thank you, Jacob.† â€Å"Anytime, Bella. But you already know that.† He got up, stretched, kissed the top of Nessie's head, and then the top of mine. Finally, he punched Edward's shoulder. â€Å"See you guys tomorrow. I guess things are going to be kind of boring now, aren't they?† â€Å"I fervently hope so,† Edward said. We got up when he was gone; I shifted my weight carefully so that Nessie was never jostled. I was deeply grateful to see her getting a sound sleep. So much weight had been on her tiny shoulders. It was time she got to be a child again – protected and secure. A few more years of childhood. The idea of peace and security reminded me of someone who didn't have those feelings all the time. â€Å"Oh, Jasper?† I asked as we turned for the door. Jasper was sandwiched tight in between Alice and Esme, somehow seeming more central to the family picture than usual. â€Å"Yes, Bella?† Tm curious – why is J. Jenks scared stiff by just the sound of your name?† Jasper chuckled.†It's just been my experience that some kinds of working relationships are better motivated by fear than by monetary gain.† I frowned, promising myself that I would take over that working relationship from now on and spare J the heart attack that was surely on the way. We were kissed and hugged and wished a good night to our family. The only off note was Nahuel again, who looked intently after us, as if he wished he could follow. Once we were across the river, we walked barely faster than human speed, in no hurry, holding hands. I was sick of being under a deadline, and I just wanted to take my time. Edward must have felt the same. â€Å"I have to say, I'm thoroughly impressed with Jacob right now,† Edward told me. â€Å"Thewolves make quite an impact, don't they?† â€Å"That's not what I mean. Not once today did he think about the fact that, according to Nahuel,Nessie will befully matured in just six and a half years.† I considered that for a minute. â€Å"He doesn't see her that way. He's not in a hurry for her to grow up.He just wants her to be happy.† â€Å"I know. Like I said, impressive. It goes against the grain to say so, but she could do worse.† I frowned. â€Å"I'm not going to think about that for approximately six and a half more years.† Edward laughed and then sighed. â€Å"Of course, itlooks like he'll have some competition to worry about when the time comes.† My frown deepened. â€Å"I noticed. I'm grateful to Nahuel for today, but all the staring was a little weird. I don't care if she is the only half-vampire he's not related to.† â€Å"Oh, he wasn't staring at her – he was staring at you.† That's what it had seemed like†¦ but that didn't make any sense. â€Å"Why would he do that?† â€Å"Because you're alive,† he said quietly. â€Å"You lost me.† â€Å"All his life,† he explained,† – and he's fifty years older than I am – â€Å" â€Å"Decrepit,† I interjected. Heignored me. â€Å"He's always thought of himself as an evil creation, a murderer by nature. His sistersall killed their mothers as well, but they thought nothing of it. Joham raised them to think of the humans as animals, while they were gods. But Nahuel was taught by Huilen, and Huilen loved her sister more than anyone else. It shaped his whole perspective. And, in some ways, he truly hated himself.† â€Å"That'sso sad,†I murmured. â€Å"And then he saw the three of us – and realized for the first time that just because he ishalf immortal, it doesn't mean he is inherently evil. He looks at me and sees†¦ what his father should have been.† â€Å"You are fairly ideal in every way,† I agreed. He snorted and then was serious again. â€Å"He looks at you and sees the life his mother should have had.† â€Å"Poor Nahuel,† Imurmured, and then sighed because I knew I would never be able to think badly of him after this, no matter how uncomfortable his stare made me. â€Å"Don't be sad for him. He's happy now. Today, he's finally begun to forgive himself.† I smiled for Nahuel's happiness and then thought that today belonged to happiness. Though Irina's sacrifice wasa dark shadow against the white light, keeping the moment from perfection, the joy was impossible to deny. The life I'd fought for was safe again. My family was reunited. My daughter had a beautiful future stretching out endlessly in front of her. Tomorrow I would go see my father; he would see that the fear in my eyes had been replaced with joy, and he would be happy, too. Suddenly, I was sure that I wouldn't find him there alone. I hadn't been as observant as I might have been in the last few weeks, but in this moment it was like I'd known all along. Sue would be with Charlie – thewerewolves' mom with the vampire's dad – and he wouldn't be alone anymore. I smiled widely at this new insight. But most significant in this tidal wave of happiness was the surest fact ofall: I was with Edward. Forever. Not that I'd want to repeat the last several weeks, but I had to admit they'd made me appreciate what I had more than ever. The cottage was a place of perfect peace in the silver-blue night. We carried Nessie to her bed and gently tucked her in. She smiled as she slept. I took Aro's gift from around my neck and tossed it lightly into the corner of her room. She could play with it if she wished; she liked sparkly things. Edward and I walked slowly to our room, swinging our arms between us. â€Å"A night for celebrations,† he murmured, and he put his hand under my chin to lift my lips to his. â€Å"Wait,† I hesitated, pulling away. He looked at me in confusion. As a general rule, I didn't pull away. Okay, it was more than a general rule. This was a first. â€Å"I want to try something,† I informed him, smiling slightly at his bewildered expression. I put my hands on both sides of his face and closed my eyes in concentration. I hadn't done very well with this when Zafrina had tried to teach me before, but I knew my shield better now. I understood the part that fought against separation from me, the automatic instinct to preserve self aboveall else. Itstill wasn't anywhere near as easy as shielding other people along with myself. I felt the elastic recoil again as my shield fought to protect me. I had to strain to push it entirely away from me; it took all of my focus. â€Å"Bella!† Edward whispered in shock. I knew it was working then, so I concentrated even harder, dredging up the specific memories I'd saved for this moment, letting them flood my mind, and hopefully his as well. Some of the memories were not clear – dim human memories, seen through weak eyes and heard through weak ears: the first time I'd seen his face†¦ the way it felt when he'd held me in the meadow†¦ the sound of his voice through the darkness of my faltering consciousness when he'd saved me from James†¦ his face as he waited under a canopy of flowers to marry me†¦ every precious moment from the island†¦ his cold hands touching our baby through my skin†¦ And the sharp memories, perfectly recalled: his face when I'd opened my eyes to my new life, to the endless dawn of immortality†¦ that first kiss†¦ that first night†¦ His lips, suddenly fierce against mine, broke my concentration. With a gasp, I lost my grip on the struggling weight I was holding away from myself. It snapped back like stressed elastic, protecting my thoughts once again. â€Å"Oops, lost it!† I sighed. â€Å"I heard you,† he breathed. â€Å"How? How did you do that?† â€Å"Zafrina's idea. We practiced with it a few times.† He was dazed. He blinked twice and shook his head. â€Å"Now you know,† I said lightly, and shrugged. â€Å"No one's ever loved anyone as much as I love you.† â€Å"You're almost right.† He smiled, his eyes still a little wider than usual. â€Å"I know of just one exception.† â€Å"Liar.† He started to kiss me again, but then stopped abruptly. â€Å"Can you do it again?† he wondered. I grimaced. â€Å"It's very difficult.† He waited, his expression eager. â€Å"I can't keep it up if I'm even the slightest bit distracted,† I warned him. â€Å"I'll be good,† he promised. I pursed my lips, my eyes narrowing. Then I smiled. I pressed my hands to his face again, hefted the shield right out of my mind, and then started in where I'd left off – with the crystal-clear memory of the first night of my new life†¦ lingering on the details. I laughed breathlessly when his urgent kiss interrupted my efforts again. â€Å"Damn it,† he growled, kissing hungrily down the edge of my jaw. â€Å"We have plenty of time to work on it,† I reminded him. â€Å"Forever and forever and forever,† he murmured. â€Å"That sounds exactly right to me.† And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever. the end