Hello August! So many things going on this month. School starts for my one and only daughter and one and only student this year. She's involved in the music and athletic departments and the fall tends to be very busy. She's already started her golf season and band practice started also. She had a busy week with band camp from 8 to 3 and then golf qualifying from 4 to 6. She's got the number three spot right now and is happy being there. They have almost twice the amount of girls this year and everyone is excited about growing the sport.
Teen Wolf's premiere didn't disappoint. I'm excited to see how everything wraps up. I loved the surprises and can't wait for more. Keep them coming!
Got a few more episodes of Killjoys in and really like how the season is shaping up. Here's hoping there's a renewal in the future.
I'm also almost caught up on Dark Matter. I continue to enjoy the interactions and character arcs.
Need to catch the last two episodes of Wynonna Earp and I hope I can get that done this week.
Seeing more promo for The Last Ship… looking forward to the premiere in two weeks!!
That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Keeping Up with Honor, a novella with a specific sci-fi prompt. Write the scenario when one character jumps away to another location and what happens next. My favorite thing… what if?
Here's the mini-blurb:
Honor Brock goes against orders and runs a fool's mission to find a lost artifact. Rush Masterson tests a theory and risks his life to track her down. Once he finds her, he has to keep up because Honor won't go back until she has what she wants.
And a sneaky peek…
Honor Brock hightailed it down the corridor of the Valeria with the sole intent of getting to the CAG's office for their weekly working dinner, which almost always dissolved into at least forty-five minutes of arguing. Then again, going over the flight roster to figure out how to cover their asses proved to be a challenge. Rush Masterson liked to make it overly difficult because he could.
Honor wouldn't have him any other way. He made sure she stayed sharp and kept her sarcasm and snark skills finely tuned. The fact they'd been practicing their verbal repertoire since the age of ten leveled the playing field.
She made a turn and started for the stairs down to the next deck.
"Honor Brock?"
She ignored the voice, not wanting to get waylaid by anyone.
"Lieutenant?" The tone became stronger, with more authority.
Honor kept going, making it halfway down the steps.
"Lieutenant Hibs!"
That one stopped her and she glanced upward to meet the gaze of the chancellor prime, Mellia Drake.
Well, shit. Honor jogged back up meeting the CP at the top of the steps.
She nodded in greeting. "Ma'am. Hibs is my call sign. No rank required." Smiling, she waited for the woman to give a clue what she needed.
Mellia frowned. "My apologies. I'm still finding my footing with the military codes." She grasped Honor's arm and led her to a small alcove. "And I'll try not to keep you too long. You look like you're in a hurry."
Well, yeah, definitely. Not that Honor would tell the chancellor prime to fob off. She rather liked the woman, for the most part.
She answered honestly. "I have a meeting with the CAG, ma'am. It's our weekly time to get the flight roster in order." Did she sound snarky? "Nothing that can't wait, ma'am."
Mellia smiled and her face transformed from lady in charge to co-conspirator. "In that case, I have something to ask you." She paused a moment then leaned in a little closer. "Do you believe in the mystics?" Her voice lowered to an almost whisper.
Honor blinked. "Is that a trick question?" Religious beliefs didn't belong in the military.
The commanding officer, Rod Masterson, enforced the hard line separation of civilian tenets and military professionalism. The code of conduct required the distinction.
CP Drake's lips curved upward. "No, dear. It's a simple one. A yes or no will suffice."
Honor snorted. "I'm sorry, ma'am. It's not that easy." Propping a shoulder against the bulkhead, she clarified. "I was raised on their teachings so I could answer yes. But… I won't." She met Mellia's gaze. "Not until you tell me why you, the CP, are asking a common soldier." Not backing down, Honor waited for a reply.
The woman huffed out a breath. "You don't mince words, do you?" A note of respect entered her tone.
Honor tilted her head to one side and back again. "I find honesty keeps things simple. Not a lot of room for misunderstandings that way." Unless, of course, one of the Mastersons got involved.
CP Drake studied Honor a few moments then moved in for the kill. "In that case, let me share some information with you." She pulled an old image from her skirt pocket. "My scribe came across this, buried inside one of the ancient texts." She handed the picture to Honor. "What does this look like to you?"
Honor perused the drawing in the photo, turning the four by four square in different directions. The detailed rendering almost looked like a star drive. But… Honor didn't believe it possible.
She met the CP's gaze again. "This can't be what it looks like." Her brain wouldn't wrap around the idea.
Mellia quirked a brow. "Why not?" She didn't mention the words star or drive.
Then again, she didn't have to.
Honor shook her head. "Because this technology is only fifty years old and a second generation unit." She paused, looking at the image again. "The scrolls date back to ancient times." Before science really existed and technological advances grew by incomparable lengths.
The chancellor crossed her arms over her chest. "That's true. But I'd like you to consider something… that isn't common knowledge." She leaned in again. "The commander has been making calculated guesses to this point about where our new home is located. The artifact in this picture could give us an advantage." Her gaze took on an almost fantastical glow.
Honor didn't like where the conversation headed, but she pushed for more information. "Why do you think so?" She could guess, but would rather have the CP spell everything out.
Mellia went all business again. "A prophecy. One that says the artifact can be used as a guide."
Honor got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "What are you aiming for here, chancellor?" Like Honor didn't already know.
Mellia laid it out straight. "We need that artifact."
Honor bit back a groan. "So, go to the commander. Let him know." Chain of command existed for a reason.
The chancellor let out a sigh. "I already have. He laughed me out of the room."
Honor's eyes widened. "Wow. Harsh." She paused a moment. "Do you really blame him?" They had a fleet of ships to get safely through uncharted space with the hopes of saving humanity.
Mellia's shoulders slumped a little. "No, I guess not. But I'm convinced we have to retrieve the artifact." Her voice filled with conviction.
Honor blew out a harsh breath. "What do you want from me?" She could try to speak with the commander, but her influence would only go so far.
The chancellor went in a completely different direction. "I want your incredible skill as a pilot."
Honor almost choked on her responses. "What? No. No way. Are you really willing to risk one of the fleet's top pilots on a possible suicide mission?" She'd be crazy to even consider Drake's suggestion.
Mellia countered. "I have faith it won't be suicidal." Again with the conviction thing.
Honor shook her head. "Lady, you're crazy." No wonder Masterson laughed her out of the room.
Drake's lips twitched. "There are many who consider you the same."
Honor lifted a shoulder. "You're not wrong." Rush accused Honor of being insane almost daily.
The chancellor pressed her point. "Can you honestly say any other pilot has the wherewithal to pull this off?"
Honor could only think of one—Rush—and he'd never, ever, go along with this crazy ass stunt.
Her lips quirked. "No, ma'am." Geez, would she actually lean toward attempting the chancellor's plan?
Drake nailed her with a bold stare. "Will you do it, Lieutenant? It might be our only true hope."
Honor snorted. "Gee, ma'am, how can I possibly say no?"
Who cared if she completely wrecked her life in the process?
I have this one all mapped and I'm excited about the direction my characters are taking.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
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