Ugh, what a week. The crazy weather has me completely out of sync and my sleep patterns are trashed. Here's hoping spring gets here and I find my footing again.
I missed Legends this week and need to catch up. Same goes for The Flash, Black Lightning, and Riverdale. Seriously, my head wasn't into it at all. Gotham is also still on my catch up list.
I did watch two more DVDs of Chicago Fire. I'm really loving season five, through every heartbreaking moment even. And, man, there's been a lot this season. LOL
Also up to episode six of Jessica Jones. Gotta say I'm pretty happy with how the season is progressing. It's good to get the backstory of Jessica became "super". I will say I'm not quite sure about Griffin, friend or foe? The whole engagement think might be a red herring, yeah?
Got to catch the latest Passionflix movie The Matchmaker's Playbook. Loved it! I'm excited for the next installment, especially with W. Tyler Johnson. While I enjoyed him in Afterburn / Aftershock, he truly rocked in Matchmaker. Now if they'd only cast a few of my other fave actors, I'll be thrilled to death.
That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Out of the Box, Into the Burn, a novella that plays on the combination of thinking outside the box but potentially landing from the frying pan into the fire. It's a fun little story.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Parry Thrum, a superior pilot, is sidetracked with an injury and relegated to planning a mission on an enemy outpost instead of flying in to save the day. When one of her superiors rejects every parameter she comes up with, Blake Bradley, another excellent pilot, steps in and backs her up—the out of the box, into the burn approach is just the thing to take their opponent by surprise, and a very Parry plan.
And a sneaky peek…
Colonel Carbine growled. "Are you seriously signing off on this?" He pinned Blake with a harsh stare.
Blake folded his arms over his chest. "I am, yes." He braced for the explosion of temper.
Carbine didn't disappoint. "Are you insane? This is the stupidest thing"—he jerked his thumb over his shoulder—"she's come up with yet."
Parry pushed away from the wall but Blake held up a hand. He had her back. Always would.
He shifted his gaze to Carbine. "Actually, the plan is brilliant and it's time for you to dial back the bluster, shut up, and listen." Moving to the planning area, Blake set out the miniature mockups of the pieces involved.
Carbine snarled. "You're dangerously close to insubordination, Bradley and—"
Blake cut him off. "And you're dangerously close to dereliction of duty. We've got a limited window of time to get this done." He put several ships on the lit-up screen. "You've shot down every single parameter Lieutenant Thrum has suggested and we're now down to the wire." He paused and met Carbine's glare. "Your issues with her should've been checked at the door when Commandant Wagner gave her the order to plan the op." Setting up more of the layout, he went in for the kill. "Since you haven't put the animosity aside, I can only assume you either don't care about this mission or your reason is something more sinister, like deliberate sabotage." The accusation should get Carbine's attention and drive the point home.
They needed to nail the plan down and execute, regardless of Carbine's issues with Parry.
Carbine's face turned a mottled shade of red. "You're accusing me of wrongdoing?" He slammed a hand on the table, scattering pieces to the floor.
Blake shrugged. "Not directly, no. I'm trying to figure out why you're so goddamn set on trashing every single idea—good or bad—Thrum has. Because, from where I'm standing, you've not only delayed a critical mission, but you've also come close to making it impossible for Thrum to obey a direct order, which puts her in jeopardy of a reprimand." He pinned Carbine with a hard look. "With all due respect, sir, it's petty bullshit and it ends right now." Sinking down, Blake collected the miniature ships again then stood back up. "If you refuse, I'll have no other option but to invoke UC 832 and file a formal complaint that a superior officer is actively working to undermine his subordinates and keep them from doing their jobs." He shot a glance toward Parry who stood with her mouth hanging open.
Blake squashed the urge to laugh out loud. Not often he could stun her enough for a jaw drop. He'd held this part of his strategy back from her. And he'd put himself in Carbine's line of fire, which she would've nixed. Parry didn't like anyone to fight her battles.
Carbine blew out a long exhale. "Bradley, you've got a brass set on you. I'll give you that one. But I'm not gonna let you go with this—"
Blake shook his head. "You are, sir. And here's why." He launched into the overview of the mission. "Standard tactics won't work. The enemy knows our moves, because they trained at the same facility. If we don't go way out of the box, we're going to lose people due to our own stupidity. And you know where the blame is going to rest if we do?" He waited a beat. "At your feet and nowhere else. Even with your animosity toward Thrum, you have to recognize she won't be the one everyone looks to when the mission either fails or succeeds." The one and only appeal Blake had… directly to Carbine's ego.
Carbine opened his mouth then snapped it shut. He spun around, pacing back and forth. The man really couldn't refute Blake's words. Ultimately, no argument the colonel might make would hold up, not when the stakes were so high.
Parry finally came around to stand beside Blake. She began arranging the mockup of the first stage on the lit table. Carbine mumbled under his breath, but stopped pacing and joined them. Folding his arms across his chest, he gave a terse nod.
Parry, for once, didn't gloat.
She got right down to business. "Here's where we begin…"
Blake stepped back, giving her the floor. He couldn't be prouder of the strides she'd made with putting aside the past and her grievances with Carbine to work for the best possible outcome. She'd heard Blake's message to the colonel loud and clear.
And she'd taken his words to heart.
Progress. Again. Finally.
I'm so happy with how the preview scene turned out. I'm still plotting the full course of this story, but it's so much fun to work with these characters.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
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