Biology Evidences of Evolution Essay Example for Free

Biology Evidences of Evolution Essay * Fossils- fossils provide evidence of evolution because related organisms have similar but varied bone structures. Carbon dating and radioisotopes allow scientists to find when the rocks and fossils lived, allowing them to see how the organisms changed over time and adapted to new environments. * Embryology- many animals have an extremely similar embryological stage. Only trained professionals can tell the difference between the embryos of humans, fish, rabbits and birds. Only once the embryos grow and develop do they start varying in their appearance. This provides evidence of evolution because it shows how almost identical embryos turn into completely different organisms. The more similar the embryo, the more closely related the organism is. * Comparative anatomy- states that organisms with similar structures must have come from a common ancestor. When two different species that have homologous structures, proves that they both evolved from the same species and adapted in order to survive. * Geographical distribution- the theory different animals have different traits because of the environment where they live and are raised. This proves evolution because divergent evolution explains that when something happens to environment that threatens the species’ existence, they must all flee the area. The different areas have different effects on the species, causing it to adapt to the environment. After millions of years, it evolves into a new species. * Genetics- many organisms have similar genes and genetic codes, but are different species.  Geographical distribution in more detail Geographical distribution means that each species starts off in the same environment and same location. Geographical distribution proves evolution because something will eventually happen to the environment, making the species unable to live there for any longer. Divergent evolution explains that every species begins in one location, and when something happens to that location (humans move in, urbanization, area dries up, vegetation dies, etc.), they move to all different environments of different climates and locations. In each different area, the species adapts to the environment. After millions of years and many generations, the species has adapted so much that it turns into a new species. Depending on the environment, the species will adapt differently and evolve into different species. These species often remain related, but they are no longer the same. For example, species A is a type of bird living in the forest. This bird is most likely green or brown to camouflage with the environment. These birds eat leaves from the trees. One day, the humans decide to cut down all the trees. The vegetation is all gone and the birds have nothing left to eat. They must move to another location. Half of species A move to the desert and half move to the arctic. The birds that move to the desert adapt to that environment by changing the colour to a lighter brown or beige to camouflage and start eating meat from decomposing animals. Meanwhile, the birds that move to the arctic turn white to camouflage and begin to eat fish. This species has move to two different areas, and the birds in each area have evolved. Over millions of years, the birds changed into different species. The birds that live in the desert are now known as species B and the birds that live in the arctic tundra are now referred to as species C. These two birds are still similar in structure and still share common qualities, but they are different species. We consider them related species, but we no longer consider them the same species.

Location Privacy in Wireless Networks

Location Privacy in Wireless Networks ARUN TEJA KANUKOLU Introduction: In the past decade we have an enormous development of different wireless technologies a lot of wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth are being implemented. With the development of wireless technologies and the convenience they provide in the aspects of space and time they are being widely used and there comes numerous security issues. A lot of work has been done in the areas of wireless network security but all of which has done only on securing the content or data that is being transferred between devices. The Location privacy has been ignored from the initial stages of development of wireless networks. If the location privacy has been ignored, the users of the wireless networks has to face serious problems. The attacker may not steal data because we use a lot of security techniques like encryption to protect the data but the user and the physical location of the user is always in danger. The attacker may take advantage of this and may threaten him physically or mentally. In order to preserve the location privacy of the user, here I propose a transactional based model in which all the send and receive operations performed from an user are not related to each other hence the location privacy is preserved. TRACKING THE USERS LOCATION: Many localization algorithms have been implemented and are in use which can be used to trace the approximate location of the user based on the packets sent and received. A users many transmissions will simply be correlated if all the transmissions come from an equivalent supply address, and therefore the aggressor will read the supply addresses from every packet. During this section, we have a tendency to demonstrate another supply of knowledge by assumptive that associate degree aggressor cannot decode a users packets, however still needs to be ready to track users around the network. For instance, a user could use sturdy coding, or the aggressor could have insufficient sophistication to create custom Hardware for packet secret writing, however will live the signal and noise levels at a spread of locations. Existing localization algorithms permit every transmission to be narrowed right down to a specific location. These individual transmissions will then be correlate using a quality model, as we have a tendency to describe below. Here I discuss some of the existing algorithms. LOCALIZATION USING RSS (received signal strength): Received signal strength is the reliable and free of cost way of tracking the user’s location. Where, PT Transmitted power calculated in dB RSS is the received signal strength in dB P(d0) is the Path loss in dBm at a distance of d0 N is the Path loss exponent There are several other ways of tracking the user location. Many of the previous researchers used the probability functions to find the location of the user. Although the exact location cannot be found using these probability models an almost approximate location can be easily found. Suppose we trace a location and there are 10 suspects, we can filter them to find the original wireless user that is being attacked. Controlling access at base stations: Since the readying of base stations has an associated price, the network operator should be stipendiary for the employment of the network. One way of achieving this results to want every licensed network node to carry a bit of secure hardware with a isosceles key shared by all network users. A network of affordable size cannot utterly believe on this mechanism to stay a determined aggressor from collaborating in the network. As a result, we have a tendency to explore techniques for confirmative that a user is a component of the network. We use blind signatures in an exceedingly manner that parallels their use in electronic cash: a legitimate user generates variety of public keys, each of that we have a tendency to decision Associate in Nursing identity. The user blinds them (so the network supplier will sign them while not seeing them), and presents them to the network supplier. The network supplier signs these keys and returns them to the user, United Nations agency unblinds them. every key signed in this manner could be a kind of certificate that proves that the identity corresponds to a legitimate user, although the actual user cannot be determined. Secured routing: In order to forestall a malicious node from disrupting routing, the ad hoc networking analysis community continues to explore secure routing protocols Any of those protocols might be slightly modied to figure inside our spec. Depending on user necessities, AN anonymous routing protocol, such as ANODR, might give additional fascinating properties. To show however wed adapt a secure routing protocol to our design, we must take into account AN on-demand routing protocol. We must allow a base station to reply to any Route Discovery; but, because there are a restricted range of base stations and their keys are easily pre-distributed, they will simply send and demonstrate RREPs. We should additionally adapt the prevailing protocols to settle on routes which will traverse  a base station; in hop-by-hop routing, one technique is to own  a node forward the packet to the nearer of the destination node or the  nearest base station, unless the packet is distributed by a base station, in  which case we tend to neer route it to a base station. once a base station receives  a packet, it forwards it to the suitable base station supported  the destinations geographical address. the bottom station with that  the destination is associated then encapsulates the packet so forwarding  nodes apprehend that the packet has already traversed the bottom  station. Periodic protocols will use constant forwarding logic. UNLINKABLE WRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS: In this section I propose a transaction based model in which any send and receive functions are not co-related to each other which preserves the location privacy of the user hence our goal is accomplished. Location can only be tracked if the senders address is the same for a period of time. We create a phenomena called random silent period for a node. In that time the sender will not send any thing. The mobile node keep on changing its addresses between different transactions it performs. It can be in synchronization with the base station and mobile station. When a user starts data exchange between other node, it keep on updating the change of address for every send and receive operation and it also makes aware of the new change in address with the receiver. For this system implementation, we should make changes in everything like user registration with the base station and addressing and giving the access to the mobile users. For addressing these nodes we completely change our ip addressing scheme from ipv4 to ipv6. If we use the ipv4 addresses, they are limited in number and hence they may cause collisions. These ipv6 addresses comprised of base station addresses and a reference variable to the users identity. A legitimate user generates variety of public keys, each of that we have a tendency to decision AN identity. The user blinds them so the network supplier will sign them while not seeing them, and presents them to the network supplier. The network supplier signs these keys and returns them to the user, UN agency unblinds them. Every key signed in this method could be a certificate that proves that the identity corresponds to a legitimate user, although the actual user cant be determined. REFERENCES: http://www.comm.toronto.edu/~kostas/Publications2008/pub/proceed/133.pdf http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~wouyang/Received%20Signal%20Strength-Based%20Wireless%20Localization%20via%20Semidefinite%20Programming.pdf http://www.ee.washington.edu/research/nsl/Imote/vanderstoep_thesis.pdf http://jeroendoggen.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/ecumict2010presentation.pdf

Developing Trust and Cohesiveness in Multidisciplinary Team

Developing Trust and Cohesiveness in Multidisciplinary Team XNB172 Nutrition and Physical Activity Assessment item number 1 – Case Study Part B Reflection Template Team Strength Identified: High Level of Cohesion, Communication Trust Team weakness identified: Lack of Goals Collaboration References Andersson, T., Liff, R. (2012). Multiprofessional cooperation and accountability pressures.Public Management Review,14(6), 835-855. Atwal, A., Jones, M. (2007).The importance of the multidisciplinary team. British Journal of Healthcare Assistants,1(9), 425-428. Bernthal, P., Insko, C. (1993). Cohesiveness without groupthink: The interactive effects of social and task cohesion. Group Organization Management, 18(1), 66-87. doi:10.1177/1059601193181005 Ellis, P. M. (2012). The importance of multidisciplinary team management of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. Current Oncology (Toronto, Ont.),19(Suppl 1), S7-S15. doi:10.3747/co.19.1069 Erdem, F. (2003). Optimal trust and teamwork: From groupthink to teamthink. Work Study, 52(4/5), 229. Greene, C. (1989). Cohesion and productivity in work groups. Small Group Behavior, 20(1), 70-86. Kleingeld, A., van Mierlo, H., Arends, L. (2011). The effect of goal setting on group performance: A meta-analysis.The Journal of Applied Psychology,96(6), 1289. Melis, A. P., Tomasello, M. (2013). Chimpanzees (pan troglodytes) strategic helping in a collaborative task.Biology Letters,9(2), 20130009. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2013.0009 Nahrgang, J., DeRue, S., Hollenbeck, J., Spitzmuller, M., Jundt, D., Ilgen, D. (2013). Goal setting in teams: The impact of learning and performance goals on process and performance.Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes,122(1), 12-21. doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.03.008 Offermann, L. R., Rosh, L. (2012). Too close for comfort?: Distinguishing between team intimacy and team cohesion. Human Resource Management Review,22(2), 116-127. doi:10.1016/j.hrmr.2011.11.004 Vosmer, S. (2012). The usefulness of group analysis in the conceptualization and treatment of ‘Personality disorders’ and ‘Complex/Post-traumatic stress disorder’.Group Analysis,45(4), 498-514. doi:10.1177/0533316412462526 Weinstein, B. (2003). Conduct successful team meetings.Chemical Engineering Progress,99(11), 71. Appendix (Reference: Southern Cross University Division of Teaching and Learning (2013) Southern Cross University Teamwork Guide. Downloaded from scu.edu.au/teachinglearning/download.php?doc_id=12945 on 18th February 2014) 1 Claudia AmouzandehSemester 1 2014

Cathedral Analysis Paper: Milan Cathedral -- Architecture Churches

All over the world, people still come to admire the beauty of European cathedrals. Many of the cathedrals are fragile due to age, neglect, pollution, and insufficient funds available to restore these historical and magnificent buildings. Nevertheless, visitors to these architectural masterpieces are fascinated by the design and structure of these churches. The cathedral builders using their own ingenuity, expertise, and limited resources were able to defy the laws of gravity and time. (Icher 30) There were two main types of architecture during the middle ages, the Romanesque style and the Gothic style. The Romanesque period took place approximately between 1096 and 1270 (the eleventh and twelfth centuries) and the Gothic period took place approximately between 1150 and 1450 (the thirteenth through the fifteenth centuries) (Bersson 383). Evidence of both styles of architecture emerged throughout Europe. The political landscape had changed and the Christian church provided a measure of unity throughout the centuries of this medieval era (Stalley 13). The Romanesque period was a time when the interest in religion intensified. The church was a place that all people could belong to regardless of their status. It was during these times that big churches called cathedrals began to emerge. The age of the Crusades took place emphasizing the need for places of worship and a place for the community to gather together. People sought the churches not only to see the relics housed in the church brought back from the Holy Lands by the Crusades, but also to seek redemption as well. This influx of seekers brought in money to help the community pay for the churches. This allowed for the emergence of new towns in addition to increased exchange ... ...brams, 1998. Print. "Italian Gothic." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2010. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . Keyes, Zachariah. Personal Interview. Denise Keyes. 21 Nov. 2010. "Middle Ages." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. . Stalley, Roger. Early Medieval Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print. Tyler, Ellen. "Milan Cathedral - Symbolizing the Gothic Structure." 14 May 2010. Ezine Articles. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . Wilson, Christopher. The Gothic Cathedral: The Architecture of the Great Church. New York: Thames & Hudson, 1990. Print.

The Importance of the Origin of the First Quarto of Hamlet Essays

The Importance of the Origin of the First Quarto of Hamlet Ofel: Alas, what a change is this? Ham: But if thou wilt needes marry, marry a foole, For wisemen know well enough, What monsters you make of them, to a Nunnery goe. Ofel: Pray God restore him. Ham: Nay, I have heard of your painting too, God hath giuen you one face, And you make your selues another, --HAMLET, Prince of Denmarke, The First Quarto The title page of the second quarto of Hamlet claims that the text beneath it is "Newly imprinted and enlarged to almost as much / againe as it was, according to the true and perfect / Coppie." Taking this at face value, three facts necessary follow: That there is at least one earlier edition (or else this one could not be "newly imprinted...again"); that the earlier edition was shorter (or else this one could not be "enlarged"); and that this quarto does not include some lines from the "perfect Coppie" (since it is "almost as much"). Indeed, a First Quarto exists dated a year earlier (1603); Q1 is shorter some 1600 lines; and the Folio does restore certain seemingly authorial passages. It appears as if "I.R.," the printer, or "N.L.," the publisher, is correct on all possible counts. We cannot even condemn I.R. or N.L. for self-interested advertising. They admit that their copy is "almost," but not quite, "perfect."* Thus we might wish to take seriously one further point that the tit le page tries to make, namely, that the earlier quarto was neither "true" nor "perfect," and therefore is corrupted not simply in its brevity, but also in the presentation of the text which it actually does contain. This would mean that Q1 did not use the "true and perfect Coppie" as its copy-text. It does not seem preposterous to rephras... ...ay. The strategic early placing of the "To be or not to be, I there's the point" monologue gives it less weight than it has in Q2, as if it were the beginning of Hamlet's train of thought as opposed to the turning point we often think it is when we read a modern edition. Indeed, "the point" is more absolute than "the question." Hamlet does not fight with himself to solve a problem, but merely expresses what that problem is. To argue that this is oversimplification is to oversimplify: it is a revision. It is an Elizabethan argument, positing that a truly revengeful Hamlet would definitely shy away from suicide for hope of salvation, while the confused avenger Hamlet would probably shy away from suicide for fear of punishment. That in itself sheds light on the pop psychology of the day, and thus how we ought to read Hamlet's psychology in the context of its time.

Essay --

A provisional title Making the State, War and Enemies in Israel/Palestine, 1948 Hypothesis The labeling of indigenous communities as dangerous enemies is not a static expression of a belief, but an ongoing communicative process within the settler society. I am predicting that as each of the hypothesized technologies mentioned below developed, the dissemination of critical counter-categorizations declined. H1) Expulsions were carried out by specialized armed units in a routine fashion soldiers critique declined as the war progressed H2) the absorption of competing militias within the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) as a newly formed national army lessened reciprocal criticism of the treatment of the Palestinians; press editorials of the main militias criticized each other’s treatment of the Palestinian communities, decreased as the war went on H3) it became easier to shield the army’s actions from scrutiny as fighting spread away from the bigger cities critical reports by non-army affiliated civilians decreased as the fighting spread wider H4) the political leadership minimized their resistance to covert decision-making within the security establishment as the war continued, there was a decrease in criticism of the decision making process that led to the expulsions. The main aim of my PhD research This research investigates the dynamics within settler colonial societies that reproduce struggles with indigenous populations. Specifically, I ask how the formation of the colonial settler state enables the pernicious labeling of colonised communities during periods of conflict. The case is the War of 1948, during which some 80% of the Palestinian population was expelled from the area that became the State of Israel. For this to happen, P... ...rch There are many resources that I am planning to use for my studies: Cohen, Hillel. 2008. Army of Shadows: Palestinian Collaboration with Zionism. Ehrlich, Avishai. 1987. â€Å"Israel: Conflict, War and Social Change† Esber, Rosemary M. 2009. Under the Cover of War: The Zionist Expulsion of the Palestinians. Flapan, Simha. 1987. The Birth of Israel: Myths and Realities. Halbrook, Stephen. 1972. "The Class Origins of Zionist Ideology" Masalha, Nur. 1997. A Land without a People: Israel, Transfer and the Palestinians McClintock, Anne. 1995. Imperial Leather: Race, Gender and Sexuality in the Imperial Contest. Ram, Uri. 1995. The Changing Agenda of Israeli Sociology: Theory, Ideology, and Identity. Zureik, Elia T.1979. The Palestinians in Israel: a Study in Internal Colonialism. More books and researches by Tom Pesah and Illan Pape are also sources to my studies. Essay -- A provisional title Making the State, War and Enemies in Israel/Palestine, 1948 Hypothesis The labeling of indigenous communities as dangerous enemies is not a static expression of a belief, but an ongoing communicative process within the settler society. I am predicting that as each of the hypothesized technologies mentioned below developed, the dissemination of critical counter-categorizations declined. H1) Expulsions were carried out by specialized armed units in a routine fashion soldiers critique declined as the war progressed H2) the absorption of competing militias within the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) as a newly formed national army lessened reciprocal criticism of the treatment of the Palestinians; press editorials of the main militias criticized each other’s treatment of the Palestinian communities, decreased as the war went on H3) it became easier to shield the army’s actions from scrutiny as fighting spread away from the bigger cities critical reports by non-army affiliated civilians decreased as the fighting spread wider H4) the political leadership minimized their resistance to covert decision-making within the security establishment as the war continued, there was a decrease in criticism of the decision making process that led to the expulsions. The main aim of my PhD research This research investigates the dynamics within settler colonial societies that reproduce struggles with indigenous populations. Specifically, I ask how the formation of the colonial settler state enables the pernicious labeling of colonised communities during periods of conflict. The case is the War of 1948, during which some 80% of the Palestinian population was expelled from the area that became the State of Israel. For this to happen, P... ...rch There are many resources that I am planning to use for my studies: Cohen, Hillel. 2008. Army of Shadows: Palestinian Collaboration with Zionism. Ehrlich, Avishai. 1987. â€Å"Israel: Conflict, War and Social Change† Esber, Rosemary M. 2009. Under the Cover of War: The Zionist Expulsion of the Palestinians. Flapan, Simha. 1987. The Birth of Israel: Myths and Realities. Halbrook, Stephen. 1972. "The Class Origins of Zionist Ideology" Masalha, Nur. 1997. A Land without a People: Israel, Transfer and the Palestinians McClintock, Anne. 1995. Imperial Leather: Race, Gender and Sexuality in the Imperial Contest. Ram, Uri. 1995. The Changing Agenda of Israeli Sociology: Theory, Ideology, and Identity. Zureik, Elia T.1979. The Palestinians in Israel: a Study in Internal Colonialism. More books and researches by Tom Pesah and Illan Pape are also sources to my studies.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 20. New

Everything was so clear. Sharp. Defined. The brilliant light overhead was still blinding-bright, and yet I could plainly see the glowing strands of the filaments inside the bulb. I could see each color of the rainbow in the white light, and, at the very edge of the spectrum, an eighth color I had no name for. Behind the light, I could distinguish the individual grains in the dark wood ceiling above. In front of it, I could see the dust motes in the air, the sides the light touched, and the dark sides, distinct and separate. They spun like little planets, moving around each other in a celestial dance. The dust was so beautiful that I inhaled in shock; the air whistled down my throat, swirling the motes into a vortex. The action felt wrong. I considered, and realized the problem was that there was no relief tied to the action. I didn't need the air. My lungs weren't waiting for it. They reacted indifferently to the influx. I did not need the air, but I liked it. In it, I could taste the room around me – taste the lovely dust motes, the mix of the stagnant air mingling with the flow of slightly cooler air from the open door. Taste a lush whiff of silk. Taste a faint hint of something warm and desirable, something that should be moist, but wasn't†¦ That smell made my throat burn dryly, a faint echo of the venom burn, though the scent was tainted by the bite of chlorine and ammonia. And most of all, I could taste an almost-honey-lilac-and-sun-flavored scent that was the strongest thing, the closest thing to me. I heard the sound of the others, breathing again now that I did. Their breath mixed with the scent that was something just off honey and lilac and sunshine, bringing new flavors. Cinnamon, hyacinth, pear, seawater, rising bread, pine, vanilla, leather, apple, moss, lavender, chocolate†¦. I traded a dozen different comparisons in my mind, but none of them fit exactly. So sweet and pleasant. The TV downstairs had been muted, and I heard someone – Rosalie? – shift her weight on the first floor. I also heard a faint, thudding rhythm, with a voice shouting angrily to the beat. Rap music? I was mystified for a moment, and then the sound faded away like a car passing by with the windows rolled down. With a start, I realized that this could be exactly right. Could I hear all the way to the freeway? I didn't realize someone was holding my hand until whoever it was squeezed it lightly. Like it had before to hide the pain, my body locked down again in surprise. This was not a touch I expected. The skin was perfectly smooth, but it was the wrong temperature. Not cold. After that first frozen second of shock, my body responded to the unfamiliar touch in a way that shocked me even more. Air hissed up my throat, spitting through my clenched teeth with a low, menacing sound like a swarm of bees. Before the sound was out, my muscles bunched and arched, twisting away from the unknown. I flipped off my back in a spin so fast it should have turned the room into an incomprehensible blur – but it did not. I saw every dust mote, every splinter in the wood-paneled walls, every loose thread in microscopic detail as my eyes whirled past them. So by the time I found myself crouched against the wall defensively – about a sixteenth of a second later – I already understood what had startled me, and that I had overreacted. Oh. Of course. Edward wouldn't feel cold to me. We were the same temperature now. I held my pose for an eighth of a second longer, adjusting to the scene before me. Edward was leaning across the operating table that had been my pyre, his hand reached out toward me, his expression anxious. Edward's face was the most important thing, but my peripheral vision catalogued everything else, just in case. Some instinct to defend had been triggered, and I automatically searched for any sign of danger. My vampire family waited cautiously against the far wall by the door, Emmett and Jasper in the front. Like there was danger. My nostrils flared, searching for the threat. I could smell nothing out of place. That faint scent of something delicious – but marred by harsh chemicals – tickled my throat again, setting it to aching and burning. Alice was peeking around Jasper's elbow with a huge grin on her face; the light sparkled off her teeth, another eight-color rainbow. That grin reassured me and then put the pieces together. Jasper and Emmett were in the front to protect the others, as I had assumed. What I hadn't grasped immediately was that was the danger. All this was a sideline. The greater part of my senses and my mind were still focused on Edward's face. I had never seen it before this second. How many times had I stared at Edward and marveled over his beauty? How many hours – days, weeks – of my life had I spent dreaming about what I then deemed to be perfection? I thought I'd known his face better than my own. I'd thought this was the one sure physical thing in my whole world: the flawlessness of Edward's face. I may as well have been blind. For the first time, with the dimming shadows and limiting weakness of humanity taken off my eyes, I saw his face. I gasped and then struggled with my vocabulary, unable to find the right words. I needed better words. At this point, the other part of my attention had ascertained that there was no danger here besides myself, and I automatically straightened out of my crouch; almost a whole second had passed since I'd been on the table. I was momentarily preoccupied by the way my body moved. The instant I'd considered standing erect, I was already straight. There was no brief fragment of time in which the action occurred; change was instantaneous, almost as if there was no movement at all. I continued to stare at Edward's face, motionless again. He moved slowly around the table – each step taking nearly half a second, each step flowing sinuously like river water weaving over smooth stones – his hand still outstretched. I watched the grace of his advance, absorbing it with my new eyes. â€Å"Bella?† he asked in a low, calming tone, but the worry in his voice layered my name with tension. I could not answer immediately, lost as I was in the velvet folds of his voice. It was the most perfect symphony, a symphony in one instrument, an instrument more profound than any created by man___ â€Å"Bella, love? I'm sorry, I know it's disorienting. But you're all right. Everything is fine.† Everything? My mind spun out, spiraling back to my last human hour. Already, the memory seemed dim, like I was watching through a thick, dark veil – because my human eyes had been half blind. Everything had been so blurred. When he said everything was fine, did that include Renesmee? Where was she? With Rosalie? I tried to remember her face – I knew that she had been beautiful – but it was irritating to try to see through the human memories. Her face was shrouded in darkness, so poorly lit___ What about Jacob? Was he fine? Did my long-suffering best friend hate me now? Had he gone back to Sam's pack? Seth and Leah, too? Were the Cullens safe, or had my transformation ignited the war with the pack? Did Edward's blanket assurance cover all of that? Or was he just trying to calm me? And Charlie? What would I tell him now? He must have called while I was burning. What had they told him? What did he think had happened to me? As I deliberated for one small piece of a second over which question to ask first, Edward reached out tentatively and stroked his fingertips across my cheek. Smooth as satin, soft as a feather, and now exactly matched to the temperature of my skin. His touch seemed to sweep beneath the surface of my skin, right through the bones of my face. The feeling was tingly, electric – it jolted through my bones, down my spine, and trembled in my stomach. Wait,I thought as the trembling blossomed into a warmth, a yearning. Wasn't I supposed to lose this? Wasn't giving up this feeling a part of the bargain? I was a newborn vampire. The dry, scorching ache in my throat gave proof to that. And I knew what being a newborn entailed. Human emotions and longings would come back to me later in some form, but I'd accepted that I would not feel them in the beginning. Only thirst. That was the deal, the price. I'd agreed to pay it. But as Edward's hand curled to the shape of my face like satin-covered steel, desire raced through my dried-out veins, singing from my scalp to my toes. He arched one perfect eyebrow, waiting for me to speak. I threw my arms around him. Again, it was like there was no movement. One moment I stood straight and still as a statue; in the same instant, he was in my arms. Warm – or at least, that was my perception. With the sweet, delicious scent that I'd never been able to really take in with my dull human senses, but that was one hundred percent Edward. I pressed my face into his smooth chest. And then he shifted his weight uncomfortably. Leaned away from my embrace. I stared up at his face, confused and frightened by the rejection. â€Å"Urn†¦ carefully, Bella. Ow.† I yanked my arms away, folding them behind my back as soon as I understood. I was too strong. â€Å"Oops,† I mouthed. He smiled the kind of smile that would have stopped my heart if it were still beating. â€Å"Don't panic, love,† he said, lifting his hand to touch my lips, parted in horror. â€Å"You're just a bit stronger than I am for the moment.† My eyebrows pushed together. I'd known this, too, but it felt more surreal than any other part of this ultimately surreal moment. I was stronger than Edward. I'd made him say ow. His hand stroked my cheek again, and I all but forgot my distress as another wave of desire rippled through my motionless body. These emotions were so much stronger than I was used to that it was hard to stick to one train of thought despite the extra room in my head. Each new sensation overwhelmed me. I remembered Edward saying once – his voice in my head a weak shadow compared to the crystal, musical clarity I was hearing now – that his kind, our kind, were easily distracted. I could see why. I made a concerted effort to focus. There was something I needed to say. The most important thing. Very carefully, so carefully that the movement was actually discernible, I brought my right arm out from behind my back and raised my hand to touch his cheek. I refused to let myself be sidetracked by the pearly color of my hand or by the smooth silk of his skin or by the charge that zinged in my fingertips. I stared into his eyes and heard my own voice for the first time. â€Å"I love you,† I said, but it sounded like singing. My voice rang and shimmered like a bell. His answering smile dazzled me more than it ever had when I was human; I could really see it now. â€Å"As I love you,† he told me. He took my face between his hands and leaned his face to mine – slow enough to remind me to be careful. He kissed me, soft as a whisper at first, and then suddenly stronger, fiercer. I tried to remember to be gentle with him, but it was hard work to remember anything in the onslaught of sensation, hard to hold on to any coherent thoughts. It was like he'd never kissed me – like this was our first kiss. And, in truth, he'd never kissed me this way before. It almost made me feel guilty. Surely I was in breach of the contract. I couldn't be allowed to have this, too. Though I didn't need oxygen, my breathing sped, raced as fast as it had when I was burning. This was a different kind of fire. Someone cleared his throat. Emmett. I recognized the deep sound at once, joking and annoyed at the same time. I'd forgotten we weren't alone. And then I realized that the way I was curved around Edward now was not exactly polite for company. Embarrassed, I half-stepped away in another instantaneous movement. Edward chuckled and stepped with me, keeping his arms tight around my waist. His face was glowing – like a white flame burned from behind his diamond skin. I took an unnecessary breath to settle myself. How different this kissing was! I read his expression as I compared the indistinct human memories to this clear, intense feeling. He looked†¦ a little smug. â€Å"You've been holding out on me,† I accused in my singing voice, my eyes narrowing a tiny bit. He laughed, radiant with relief that it was all over – the fear, the pain, the uncertainties, the waiting, all of it behind us now. â€Å"It was sort of necessary at the time,† he reminded me. â€Å"Now it's your turn to not break me.† He laughed again. I frowned as I considered that, and then Edward was not the only one laughing. Carlisle stepped around Emmett and walked toward me swiftly; his eyes were only slightly wary, but Jasper shadowed his footsteps. I'd never seen Carlisle's face before either, not really. I had an odd urge to blink – like I was staring at the sun. â€Å"How do you feel, Bella?† Carlisle asked. I considered that for a sixty-fourth of a second. â€Å"Overwhelmed. There's so much. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off, listening to the bell-tone of my voice again. â€Å"Yes, it can be quite confusing.† I nodded one fast, jerky bob. â€Å"But I feel like me. Sort of. I didn't expect that.† Edward's arms squeezed lightly around my waist. â€Å"I told you so,† he whispered. â€Å"You are quite controlled,† Carlisle mused. â€Å"More so than expected, even with the time you had to prepare yourself mentally for this.† I thought about the wild mood swings, the difficulty concentrating, and whispered, â€Å"I'm not sure about that.† He nodded seriously, and then his jeweled eyes glittered with interest. â€Å"It seems like we did something right with the morphine this time. Tell me, what do you remember of the transformation process?† I hesitated, intensely aware of Edward's breath brushing against my cheek, sending whispers of electricity through my skin. â€Å"Everything was†¦ very dim before. I remember the baby couldn't breathe___† I looked at Edward, momentarily frightened by the memory. â€Å"Renesmee is healthy and well,† he promised, a gleam I'd never seen before in his eyes. He said her name with an understated fervor. A reverence. The way devout people talked about their gods. â€Å"What do you remember after that?† I focused on my poker face. I'd never been much of a liar. â€Å"It's hard to remember. It was so dark before. And then†¦ I opened my eyes and I could see everything† â€Å"Amazing,† Carlisle breathed, his eyes alight. Chagrin washed through me, and I waited for the heat to burn in my cheeks and give me away. And then I remembered that I would never blush again. Maybe that would protect Edward from the truth. I'd have to find a way to tip off Carlisle, though. Someday. If he ever needed to create another vampire. That possibility seemed very unlikely, which made me feel better about lying. â€Å"I want you to think – to tell me everything you remember,† Carlisle pressed excitedly, and I couldn't help the grimace that flashed across my face. I didn't want to have to keep lying, because I might slip up. And I didn't want to think about the burning. Unlike the human memories, that part was perfectly clear and I found I could remember it with far too much precision. â€Å"Oh, I'm so sorry, Bella,† Carlisle apologized immediately. â€Å"Of course your thirst must be very uncomfortable. This conversation can wait.† Until he'd mentioned it, the thirst actually wasn't unmanageable. There was so much room in my head. A separate part of my brain was keeping tabs on the burn in my throat, almost like a reflex. The way my old brain had handled breathing and blinking. But Carlisle's assumption brought the burn to the forefront of my mind. Suddenly, the dry ache was all I could think about, and the more I thought about it, the more it hurt. My hand flew up to cup my throat, like I could smother the flames from the outside. The skin of my neck was strange beneath my fingers. So smooth it was somehow soft, though it was hard as stone, too. Edward dropped his arms and took my other hand, tugging gently. â€Å"Let's hunt, Bella.† My eyes opened wider and the pain of the thirst receded, shock taking its place. Me? Hunt? With Edward? But†¦ how? I didn't know what to do. He read the alarm in my expression and smiled encouragingly. â€Å"It's quite easy, love. Instinctual. Don't worry, I'll show you.† When I didn't move, he grinned his crooked smile and raised his eyebrows. â€Å"I was under the impression that you'd always wanted to see me hunt.† I laughed in a short burst of humor (part of me listened in wonder to the pealing bell sound) as his words reminded me of cloudy human conversations. And then I took a whole second to run quickly through those first days with Edward – the true beginning of my life – in my head so that I would never forget them. I did not expect that it would be so uncomfortable to remember. Like trying to squint through muddy water. I knew from Rosalie's experience that if I thought of my human memories enough, I would not lose them over time. I did not want to forget one minute I'd spent with Edward, even now, when eternity stretched in front of us. i would have to make sure those human memories were cemented into my infallible vampire mind. â€Å"Shall we?† Edward asked. He reached up to take the hand that was still at my neck. His fingers smoothed down the column of my throat. â€Å"I don't want you to be hurting,† he added in a low murmur. Something I would not have been able to hear before. Tm fine,† I said out of lingering human habit. â€Å"Wait. First.† There was so much. I'd never gotten to my questions. There were more important things than the ache. It was Carlisle who spoke now. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"I want to see her. Renesmee.† It was oddly difficult to say her name. My daughter, these words were even harder to think. It all seemed so distant. I tried to remember how I had felt three days ago, and automatically, my hands pulled free of Edward's and dropped to my stomach. Flat. Empty. I clutched at the pale silk that covered my skin, panicking again, while an insignificant part of my mind noted that Alice must have dressed me. I knew there was nothing left inside me, and I faintly remembered the bloody removal scene, but the physical proof was still hard to process. All I knew was loving my little nudger inside of me. Outside of me, she seemed like something I must have imagined. A fading dream – a dream that was half nightmare. While I wrestled with my confusion, I saw Edward and Carlisle exchange a guarded glance. â€Å"What?† I demanded. â€Å"Bella,† Edward said soothingly. â€Å"That's not really a good idea. She's half human, love. Her heart beats, and blood runs in her veins. Until your thirst is positively under control†¦ You don't want to put her in danger, do you?† I frowned. Of course I must not want that. Was I out of control? Confused, yes. Easily unfocused, yes. But dangerous? To her? My daughter? I couldn't be positive that the answer was no. So I would have to be patient. That sounded difficult. Because until I saw her again, she wouldn't be real. Just a fading dream†¦ of a stranger†¦ â€Å"Where is she?† I listened hard, and then I could hear the beating heart on the floor below me. I could hear more than one person breathing – quietly, like they were listening, too. There was also a fluttering sound, a thrumming, that I couldn't place___ And the sound of the heartbeat was so moist and appealing, that my mouth started watering. So I would definitely have to learn how to hunt before I saw her. My stranger baby. â€Å"Is Rosalie with her?† â€Å"Yes,† Edward answered in a clipped tone, and I could see that something he'd thought of upset him. I'd thought he and Rose were over their differences. Had the animosity erupted again? Before I could ask, he pulled my hands away from my flat stomach, tugging gently again. â€Å"Wait,† I protested again, trying to focus. â€Å"What about Jacob? And Charlie? Tell me everything that I missed. How long was I†¦ unconscious?† Edward didn't seem to notice my hesitation over the last word. Instead, he was exchanging another wary glance with Carlisle. â€Å"What's wrong?† I whispered. â€Å"Nothing is wrong† Carlisle told me, emphasizing the last word in a strange way. â€Å"Nothing has changed much, actually – you were only unaware for just over two days. It was very fast, as these things go. Edward did an excellent job. Quite innovative – the venom injection straight to your heart was his idea.† He paused to smile proudly at his son and then sighed. â€Å"Jacob is still here, and Charlie still believes that you are sick. He thinks you're in Atlanta right now, undergoing tests at the CDC. We gave him a bad number, and he's frustrated. He's been speaking to Esme.† â€Å"I should call him†¦,† I murmured to myself, but, listening to my own voice, I understood the new difficulties. He wouldn't recognize this voice. It wouldn't reassure him. And then the earlier surprise intruded. â€Å"Hold on – Jacob is still here?† Another glance between them. â€Å"Bella,† Edward said quickly. â€Å"There's much to discuss, but we should take care of you first. You have to be in pain___† When he pointed that out, I remembered the burn in my throat and swallowed convulsively. â€Å"But Jacob – â€Å" â€Å"We have all the time in the world for explanations, love,† he reminded me gently. Of course. I could wait a little longer for the answer; it would be easier to listen when the fierce pain of the fiery thirst was no longer scattering my concentration. â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"Wait, wait, wait,† Alice trilled from the doorway. She danced across the room, dreamily graceful. As with Edward and Carlisle, I felt some shock as I really looked at her face for the first time. So lovely. â€Å"You promised I could be there the first time! What if you two run past something reflective?† â€Å"Alice – ,† Edward protested. â€Å"It will only take a second!† And with that, Alice darted from the room. Edward sighed. â€Å"What is she talking about?† But Alice was already back, carrying the huge, gilt-framed mirror from Rosalie's room, which was nearly twice as tall as she was, and several times as wide. Jasper had been so still and silent that I'd taken no notice of him since he'd followed behind Carlisle. Now he moved again, to hover over Alice, his eyes locked on my expression. Because I was the danger here. I knew he would be tasting the mood around me, too, and so he must have felt my jolt of shock as I studied his face, looking at it closely for the first time. Through my sightless human eyes, the scars left from his former life with the newborn armies in the South had been mostly invisible. Only with a bright light to throw their slightly raised shapes into definition could I even make out their existence. Now that I could see, the scars were Jasper's most dominant feature. It was hard to take my eyes off his ravaged neck and jaw – hard to believe that even a vampire could have survived so many sets of teeth ripping into his throat. Instinctively, I tensed to defend myself. Any vampire who saw Jasper would have had the same reaction. The scars were like a lighted billboard. Dangerous, they screamed. How many vampires had tried to kill Jasper? Hundreds? Thousands? The same number that had died in the attempt Jasper both saw and felt my assessment, my caution, and he smiled wryly. â€Å"Edward gave me grief for not getting you to a mirror before the wedding,† Alice said, pulling my attention away from her frightening lover. Tm not going to be chewed out again.† â€Å"Chewed out?† Edward asked skeptically, one eyebrow curving upward. â€Å"Maybe I'm overstating things,† she murmured absently as she turned the mirror to face me. â€Å"And maybe this has solely to do with your own voyeuristic gratification,† he countered. Alice winked at him. I was only aware of this exchange with the lesser part of my concentration. The greater part was riveted on the person in the mirror. My first reaction was an unthinking pleasure. The alien creature in the glass was indisputably beautiful, every bit as beautiful as Alice or Esme. She was fluid even in stillness, and her flawless face was pale as the moon against the frame of her dark, heavy hair. Her limbs were smooth and strong, skin glistening subtly, luminous as a pearl. My second reaction was horror. Who was she? At first glance, I couldn't find my face anywhere in the smooth, perfect planes of her features. And her eyes! Though I'd known to expect them, her eyes still sent a thrill of terror through me. All the while I studied and reacted, her face was perfectly composed, a carving of a goddess, showing nothing of the turmoil roiling inside me. And then her full lips moved. â€Å"The eyes?† I whispered, unwilling to say my eyes. â€Å"How long? â€Å"They'll darken up in a few months,† Edward said in a soft, comforting voice. â€Å"Animal blood dilutes the color more quickly than a diet of human blood. They'll turn amber first, then gold.† My eyes would blaze like vicious red flames for months? â€Å"Months?† My voice was higher now, stressed. In the mirror, the perfect eyebrows lifted incredulously above her glowing crimson eyes – brighter than any I'd ever seen before. Jasper took a step forward, alarmed by the intensity of my sudden anxiety. He knew young vampires only too well; did this emotion presage some misstep on my part? No one answered my question. I looked away, to Edward and Alice. Both their eyes were slightly unfocused – reacting to Jasper's unease. Listening to its cause, looking ahead to the immediate future. I took another deep, unnecessary breath. â€Å"No, I'm fine,† I promised them. My eyes flickered to the stranger in the mirror and back. â€Å"It's just†¦ a lot to take in.† Jasper's brow furrowed, highlighting the two scars over his left eye. â€Å"I don't know,† Edward murmured. The woman in the mirror frowned. â€Å"What question did I miss?† Edward grinned. â€Å"Jasper wonders how you're doing it.† â€Å"Doing what?† â€Å"Controlling your emotions, Bella,† Jasper answered. â€Å"I've never seen a newborn do that – stop an emotion in its tracks that way. You were upset, but when you saw our concern, you reined it in, regained power over yourself. I was prepared to help, but you didn't need it.† â€Å"Is that wrong?† I asked. My body automatically froze as I waited for his verdict. â€Å"No,† he said, but his voice was unsure. Edward stroked his hand down my arm, as if encouraging me to thaw. â€Å"It's very impressive, Bella, but we don't understand it. We don't know how long it can hold.† I considered that for a portion of a second. At any moment, would I snap? Turn into a monster? I couldn't feel it coming on†¦. Maybe there was no way to anticipate such a thing. â€Å"But what do you think?† Alice asked, a little impatient now, pointing to the mirror. â€Å"I'm not sure,† I hedged, not wanting to admit how frightened I really was. I stared at the beautiful woman with the terrifying eyes, looking for pieces of me. There was something there in the shape of her lips – if you looked past the dizzying beauty, it was true that her upper lip was slightly out of balance, a bit too full to match the lower. Finding this familiar little flaw made me feel a tiny bit better. Maybe the rest of me was in there, too. I raised my hand experimentally, and the woman in the mirror copied the movement, touching her face, too. Her crimson eyes watched me warily. Edward sighed. I turned away from her to look at him, raising one eyebrow. â€Å"Disappointed?† I asked, my ringing voice impassive. He laughed. â€Å"Yes,† he admitted. I felt the shock break through the composed mask on my face, followed instantly by the hurt. Alice snarled. Jasper leaned forward again, waiting for me to snap. But Edward ignored them and wrapped his arms tightly around my newly frozen form, pressing his lips against my cheek. â€Å"I was rather hoping that I'd be able to hear your mind, now that it is more similar to my own,† he murmured. â€Å"And here I am, as frustrated as ever, wondering what could possibly be going on inside your head.† I felt better at once. â€Å"Oh well,† I said lightly, relieved that my thoughts were still my own. â€Å"I guess my brain will never work right. At least I'm pretty.† It was becoming easier to joke with him as I adjusted, to think in straight lines. To be myself. Edward growled in my ear. â€Å"Bella, you have never been merely pretty.† Then his face pulled away from mine, and he sighed. â€Å"All right, all right,† he said to someone. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"You're making Jasper more edgy by the second. He may relax a little when you've hunted.† I looked at Jasper's worried expression and nodded. I didn't want to snap here, if that was coming. Better to be surrounded by trees than family. â€Å"Okay. Let's hunt,† I agreed, a thrill of nerves and anticipation making my stomach quiver. I unwrapped Edward's arms from around me, keeping one of his hands, and turned my back on the strange and beautiful woman in the mirror.