Sunday Snippet: The Cockpit

The Last Ship continues to blow my mind. I love the words that come from Chandler's mouth. Is the man perfect? Hell, no. But I'd totally back whatever play he wanted to make, even if it blew up in our faces. Can't wait to see what Blond Ambition tries to pull this week. And I have to say, the whole building of a wall thing, making the regional borders permanent, haunts me a little. I'm very interested in how that whole thing plays out. And hey… I get to see a familiar face on this week's episode!! YAY!!

Killjoys stayed dark and twisty and I won't complain. I'm saddened by the loss of a character who became a favorite. I'm also really interested in finding out what the hell is up with the faux scarbacks Evil Delle has working with her. Because that's a snag I want to see play out.

Dark Matter dialed the tension back a little and I'm okay with it. I continue to be amused by the little callbacks to the Stargate 'verse—this week it was a personal shield—and hope the inside references don't get to be too much. We'll see how that goes.

No Strike Back this week, but I did finish up season two of Babylon 5. I'm taking a small break to start on some 80s movies with my daughter and I've also got season one of Killjoys on tap. I'm revisiting the first episodes to see if there are some seeds planted that I missed. J

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Cockpit, a novella started on the idea of a couple meeting after several years of being away from each other. I love working with reunions. J

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lark Fisher pulls R&R and hits the most happening bar on Virgo, The Cockpit. Imagine her utter stupefaction when she finds out its owner is not only an old friend, but the one who got away.

And a sneaky peek…

Lark Fisher walked into her CO's office. "You wanted to see me, Sir?" She prayed her little altercation with a fellow officer didn't warrant charges.

Colonel Belding Batz sighed. "Yes, Lieutenant. I've got some news for you." He stood up, went to his filing cabinet, and glanced over his shoulder. "Fisher, you're a pain in my ass." Pulling the drawer open, he went on. "But even my problem children deserve some time off." He yanked out file and slapped it on the desk. "You drew R and R, Lieutenant." He flipped the folder open and slid a pass out of the pocket.

Lark bit back a groan. A weekend pass on Virgonon? The rim planets didn't offer much variety. Mainly because most were still developing and building their infrastructures.

She pasted on a smile. "I don't mind going back into the rotation, Sir. If it's all the same to—"

His gaze snapped upward. "It's not." He slid the credential across the surface of the desk. "You haven't had a weekend in port for way too long. It shows." He glanced up and caught her gaze. "Trust me, you don't want to fight me on this, Fisher. I recommend you get the hell off my ship for forty-eight hours. No funny stunts." His eyebrow rose up on his forehead.

Lark slid her gaze sideways. Of course Batz would remember what happened the last two times she'd snagged R and R. She'd sold the first pass and the second she held a lottery for. She'd rather have cold, hard credits in her pocket than a permit to get into trouble.

Then again, she got in hot water on the ship, too. Hence the mandatory downtime.

Lark picked up the card. "Yes, Sir. I'll be on the first shuttle down tomorrow." No use arguing with the man.

Especially when he probably had her best interests at heart.

Batz gave a friendly nod. "You do that, Fisher." He came around the desk and walked her to the hatch. "And, Lieutenant. I recommend you take the time to think hard about what you want your career to look like in ten years. Understand?" He pinned her with a strong gaze.

Shit, the one thing she wanted to avoid.

But she faked a smile and gave a jaunty salute. "Yes, Sir. Thank you." After exiting the office, her shoulders slumped and she leaned against the bulkhead.

Ready or not, Virgonon, here I come.

I'm a huge fan of putting characters on the intersection of a crossroad and making them face their future. Lark get that opportunity while revisiting her past. LOL

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Clubbing on Space Station Delta

Well… Blonde Ambition finally showed her true colors on The Last Ship. About damned time. LOL I'm going to be really super pissed if anything happens to Kara because of Allison's machinations. I almost dread watching tonight's episode. Almost. :)

Killjoys. Wow. Took a very dark turn and I love it. The way the cast works together amazes me. There's tension, usually understated, and buttloads of chemistry with everyone. I hope this show lasts for a good long time.

Dark Matter had a very trippy episode with an alternate 'verse. The showrunners have crap tons of experience with the concept, coming from the Stargate stable. The possibilities of the blink drive makes for lots of interesting scenarios. Looking forward to seeing what they do with that.

My Strike Back and Babylon 5 rewatches took a nosedive. My schedule exploded last week and I had zero time to watch either. Hopefully I'll get to reconnect this week.

Looking forward to several new shows this fall and, obviously, my returning favorites.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Clubbing on Space Station Delta, a novella built on a prompt from a writer's group—a bunch of pilots have leave time and instead of just hitting the watering holes for drinks, they go clubbing to dance their asses off. I truly couldn't resist the pull of this one.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Macie Gunn discovers a very different side to Nix Handleman, her commanding officer, when they get some downtime on Space Station Delta. Macie likes what she sees, but wonders if Nix will keep the stick out of his ass once they return back to duty.

And a sneaky peek…

Macie Gunn slid into the last open seat right when Nix Handleman began his briefing.

"All right, people, we're docked at Delta for the next seven days." His gaze scanned twenty-two expectant faces. "We're on mandatory leave while the ship undergoes repairs. Get your gear and report to Echo Sector for room assignments." Nix closed his folder and tucked it inside the podium.

A round of cheers went up in the briefing room. Macie fist-pumped the air. Seven freaking days of rest and relaxation. Okay, not a full week—everyone would have to pull watch shifts while the ship remained in dock. Still… a four-hour stint once or twice couldn't be beat.

Nix motioned for everyone to quiet down. "Okay, okay. Lock it up or no one gets to leave." When the room settled a little, he flashed a grin. "Daily watch schedule will be posted on your panels. Make sure you check them. If you don't show up for your shift, you'll be confined to quarters or serve time in the brig when we ship out." Stepping out from behind the podium, he propped an elbow on the side of the surface. "Have a great time… but stay out of trouble." With a lift of his chin, he finished. "You're dismissed."

Another round of raucous noise and whistles coursed through the room. Macie snorted. Nix Handleman wouldn't know a great time or trouble if it bit him on the ass. She hopped up and made a beeline for Jenna Blu, one of Macie's fellow pilots and closest friends.

She nudged Jenna's shoulder. "Seven days of freedom. Ready to get your debauch on?" Falling back on their old code word for drinking and being up to no good, Macie laughed.

Jenna crinkled her nose. "How can you even ask? I'm always ready." She glanced over her shoulder. "Think the CO will be joining us for merriment and mayhem?" Her gaze did a slow once-over of Nix. "Could be fun to see if he'll loosen up a little."

Macie rolled her eyes. "Are you serious? Nix has had the stick up his ass for too many years. No way." She shook her head. "Mingle with the masses? Uh-uh. Not gonna happen."

Jenna quirked a brow. "You might be surprised, Mace." She slid Macie a sideways glance. "Yeah, who am I kidding? You're right."

Macie smirked and exited the briefing room. "Usually am, Jenn." Too bad.

Nix Handleman, drop-dead gorgeous and a former bad boy, could melt hearts all over the station. But he'd probably hunker down and remain in his room, doing boring Nix things, for the duration of the trip. The man had uptight down to an art form.

What a waste of a truly hot man.

Yeah, so Nix might have a few surprises he'll pull out on Delta. Can't wait to see Macie's reaction.

And that's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Close Quarters

August 14, 2016

Wish I had commentary about The Last Ship. Looking forward to the new episode tonight. Where's Rachel when we need her to figure out the science? I'm actually wondering if her former flame has something to do with the green mist stuff. Can't wait to find out who's behind that.

Killjoys continues to intrigue me. I'm so excited to see where this season ends up. I love how the various factions all seem to have pieces to a puzzle but no one knows what the puzzle looks like yet.

Dark Matter had a terrific episode. Great to see Five get some screen time to remind us of her mad skills. Three and Four make a fun team. I'm interested in finding out what else is going on behind the scenes.

Babylon 5 has two episodes left in season two… I think. Can't remember if they did a standard twenty-two episode season or not. I'd forgotten how much of an impact Talia's betrayal had, even if she had no idea what happened.

No Strike Back this week. Had way too much other drama going on to be able to watch. *sigh* Maybe I'll get to it this week.

That's the TV update for this week. Tonight's post is from Close Quarters, part two of the Molly / Sloan saga. I really need to come up with a name for this series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After trying to out maneuver their crew mates who bet on whether they'd ever hook up, Molly and Sloan discover an abiding love and embark on a committed relationship. Their biggest problem? Trying to figure out how to live in close quarters without making each other insane.

And a sneaky peek…

Battlecruiser MacGregor—Command Quarters—Last Dog Watch

Liam MacNeill sat behind his massive desk, thoughtfully sipping an aged scotch. He marveled over how much things had changed, yet somehow still stayed the same. Life, laughter, love—even under trying circumstances—all were possible.

Bullet points. Sloan and Molly were a bona fide couple… and hadn't killed each other yet. Early stages of the relationship, but Liam hoped they'd stick together. Couples who spent time in the brig usually found creative solutions to anything dramatic going on.

Relaxed regs. He honestly didn't know how it would turn out. He didn't disagree with the need for the new protocol, but change didn't always settle well with folks used to certain structure. For every pro Lena Cunningham listed, his XO, Fergus Quinn, had a con. Liam thought it might be interesting to put the two of them in a room and let them duke it out. Liam would probably put money on the feisty president to come out on top. The woman got things done when she set her mind to it.

Her focus split in so many directions, but she maintained a very delicate balance between seeing to the needs of civilians, working with the military to protect their last assets, and digging deeper into the reasons the Aschen continued to give chase. Liam would give his commander pips to know the answer to that burning question. He had no doubt Cunningham would start pushing Dr. Barton for concrete data instead of pithy, vague conjecture. Now that the fleet had settled into something of a routine and had a general direction to travel, she'd start a plan to keep several steps ahead of their enemy. Or try to. MacNeill's respect for her grew with each passing day. She kept a lot of irons in the fire and maintained a quiet dignity while doing it.

He asked a lot of his crew and hoped they'd continue to rise to the challenges of protecting the fleet. He'd have to keep a close eye on everyone, make sure no one hit the breaking point. They still had a very long journey ahead.

This is the prologue for the second book. I'm hoping to maybe work in some dialog, maybe with Cunningham and MacNeill discussing the recent changes. The sages are pondering how they want to handle this idea. LOL

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Climate Control

August 7, 2016

Well… a lonely week without an episode of The Last Ship, but the previous episode gave me lots of fodder to make theories about. LOL. I seriously think Blonde Ambition has an agenda we have yet to see. A friend suggested Allison is in cahoots with Jacob the asshat reporter and I love the idea. On the Asian front, Chandler has his hands full. The green mist stuff may make me find a new favorite color. LOL

Killjoys keeps getting better and better. Truly love how lots of threads are working their way together and twisting around each other. This show continues to amaze. And guess what? It's got green plasma goo stuff, so, yeah, maybe orange is going to be my new favorite color. LOL

Dark Matter finally dropped some details about Nyx, one of the new crew members. Looking forward to seeing how the interaction with Four changes when she finds out what he suggested for her brother.

Babylon 5 rewatch continues and I'm almost at the end of season two. I'm looking forward to diving into three because the groundwork from the first two seasons starts building one of my favorite characters arcs of all time.

I viewed more Strike Back and remembered how much I loved all the mistakes they let Stonebridge and Scott make in season two. Seriously, the duo messed up on a pretty big scale… several times. LOL I think that's why it became one of my favorite shows.

And that's it for television. Tonight's post is from Climate Control, a sexy short I hope to make part of my Space Caper anthology. This will hopefully include several short works based around the loose theme of fun antics in space.

Here's the mini-blurb:

When the climate control on their ship goes haywire, Ned and Lakin have to heat things up and cool things down. During the wait for a fix, they discover a mutual attraction and the temperature goes from chilly to blazing in record time.

And a sneaky peek…

Lakin Pope slid out from under the mine-crawler and slowly got to her feet. She swiped a hand over her forehead then fanned her face.

Huffing out a breath, she blew stray tendrils of hair away. "Holy hells, it's like a sauna in here."

[Pass the word. Temperature is gonna rise. Climate control is stuck on hot. Ship's engineer is working on the problem. Pass the word.]

Lakin groaned. "Well that explains why you could cut the humidity with a knife in here." She unzipped her coveralls and shrugged out of the top portion. "Hey, Ramos, I'm done for the day. It's too damned hot in here already." And with over fifty crewmembers, the ship wouldn't cool down anytime soon.

The head mechanic waved her off. "Get out of here, Pope. I'm cancelling shifts until the engineer gets his shit together. Those crawlers aren't going anywhere and we won't need them until our return trip." He walked over to the comm station to make the announcement to the maintenance crew.

Lakin ducked into the small locker area and stripped down to her t-shirt and shorts. The cotton fabric already stuck to her skin and she yanked the shirt over her head, leaving her clad in a thin formfitting tank. Not exactly standard issue for the Galactica Mining employees, but the bigwigs could kiss her ass if they had a problem with her attire. Better yet, they could try making long hauls in their own ships. Maybe they'd realize comfortable clothing during downtime made their crewmembers happy.

Lakin beat the rush of maintenance crew and cleared the changing area before the others started rolling in to shed their heavy work clothes. She strolled through the corridor and went down one deck to the crew quarters. She didn't have a lock on removing as much as possible, meeting four other people in the residential section in various states of undress. Making her way to the senior staff section, she glanced inside the bunkroom then made a quick dash to the head.

Only to bump into Ned Carmichael coming from the opposite direction.

He'd gone down to his boxer briefs and had a thin tank thrown over his shoulder.

He flashed a grin. "Looks like you had the same idea." His head jerked toward the unisex bathroom. "Grabbing a nice, cool shower before it gets really steamy in here."

Lakin cast an appreciative glance in his direction. "Damn, you're looking good, Ned. Maybe the climate control should go on the fritz more often." She nudged her way into the head before him. "And, yeah, figured I'd get in before the mad rush." Grabbing the hem of her shirt, she tugged it up and over her head. "I don't mind sharing if you don't." She slid him a sideways look and laughed when he groaned.

He shook his head after giving her a slow once-over. "You're killing me, Pope. The least you can do is share." Moving past her, he yanked open his locker and flung his shirt inside.

Shooting her a quick glance, he shucked his briefs and strode into an empty stall. Turning on the spray, he stepped under the water and choked on a strangled gasp. With six shower heads, they'd definitely have to share sooner or later. Wouldn't take long for the whole crew to get wise and drop in.

Lakin chuckled. "Cold, isn't it?" She stripped her panties off and tossed them into her locker.

Ned crooked his finger. "Join me and find out." He moved to the side, giving her plenty of space to duck under the frigid blast when ready.

Taking a deep breath, she moved forward, sneaking another peek at Ned. The man had a gorgeous physique. How had she missed that?

And what did she have to do to get up close and personal with his hard, hot body?

Little longer than normal snippet, but I loved how this scene came together. If all works out, I'll introduce my Space Caper Shorts in 2017.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye