Sunday Snippet: XO on the Warpath

Well… May is starting out with a crazy-busy schedule. I've got two new projects underway along with my regular work. That said, I love being busy so I won't complain.

I got to spend time with two of my best friends from high school. It's so much fun to catch up with them and we're hoping to make this a several times a year thing. Good food and terrific wine… a fabulous way to spend an evening.

Had a semi-decent week of television viewing. I started out with an episode of Blade: The Series and discovered I'd missed this one. Glad I caught up with it… it had several good pieces of information in it.

I caught the penultimate episode of Strike Back and, wow, as usual, it delivered. Gotta say I'm sad we didn't get to see Coltrane in action between the sheets, especially considering we've seen almost everyone else.

Also watched another episode of Classic Roswell and it's another episode I thoroughly enjoyed but didn't quite remember fully. I love revisiting this series.

Caught another episode of Arrow and got to finally discover Oliver's newest family member. The hits really do keep coming for Oliver and I love to watch him react to each one. Also starting to enjoy the futurescape a lot. I'm going to miss this show so much when it ends after the next season. But I'll look forward to having a dark Gotham to visit if Batwoman gets a pickup.

Watched the penultimate—a frequent refrain this week—episode of Murdoch Mysteries. I have to admit I'm disappointed with a couple of things. Miss Hart's seeming underhandedness is a big one and I'm holding out hope it's smoke and mirrors on that end. And, seriously, the character assassination of John Brackenreid makes my head spin. I truly hope the finale swings the pendulum back to normal.

The Murders had a terrific fourth episode. I like the little bit of mystery surrounding Kate and I definitely like Nolan's slow spiral. It looks like the next episode starts to address his issues and I'm totally there for it.

Caught the… you guessed it… penultimate episode of Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries and, man, I loved it! This show is so. Much. Fun. Seriously, I'm crossing every appendage I have that there might be a second season.

Watched the first part of Chicago Fire's crossover with Chicago PD. Haven't watched the police episode yet but really wanted to watch Cruz go undercover. I'm not quite sure what to think about Grissom's about-face with Severied. That might not go anywhere good. Just saying.

Caught episode seven of Iron Fist and actually enjoyed it a lot. I'm sad to view what's going on with Danny and Colleen but I also think it's an interesting wrinkle in their relationship. Davos, as usual, irritates the ever loving crap out of me. I'm totally hoping Joy is making a long play to get her hands on the bowl but won't hold my breath. As usual, Ward and Misty entertained just by being on screen. I'll miss not having new episodes after this season ends.

Watched an episode of Painkiller Jane and it's another one I didn't get to see on the first run of the series. Glad I caught it. I do like how Jane finally accepts being part of the team and starts to consider them family.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from XO on the Warpath, a novella that got its start with a two-word prompt of "take me". Honestly… how much fun is that?

Here's the mini-blurb:

Garrick Mellark, executive officer of the Methone, is on the warpath. His crew is bucking orders and he's not going to deal with it anymore. Shay Vamper gets elected to soothe the snarly XO into his usual jovial self, which shouldn't be hard considering she's his current flame.

And a sneaky peek…

Garrick stood at the podium, his hands gripping the edge with white-knuckled intensity. "This has been the worst week of fuck-ups I've ever seen." He pinned the entire room with a nasty look. "And that's for the entire history of the ship." He'd checked the numbers.

A group of pilots in the front row chuckled and Garrick nearly lost his shit right there in front of the whole assembled group. Since the CAG got put on medical leave, Garrick had pulled double duty and received an extra-large dose of sheer stupidity as his reward.

Everything went wrong—mistakes, errors, sheer dumb luck. In the air, on the deck, in the galley, the head, and everywhere in between. Time to read the whole crew the riot act and hold them accountable. And they weren't going to like it.

Too damned bad.

Shay sat in the back of the room. She'd be as surprised as anyone. They'd had maybe all of an hour together in the last week. But she'd been the one to nudge him to create an action plan because burning the pipe at both ends didn't look good on him.

No shit. The extra duty sucked balls. And she basically refused to make his nightmare worse by stepping in to the CAG role. The paperwork aspect alone gave her hives, which she freely admitted. No way would she add insult to the injustice of being the XO and the CAG simultaneously.

So, here he stood, calling the shots since he got stuck with the responsibility. "I'm not putting up with it anymore. You're all on notice." He raised his voice for the last part and a collective wave a silence met his ears.

Finally.

Sweeping his gaze through the room, he dropped the next bombshell. "Every mistake, error, lapse in judgment, or dumbass move will warrant brig time from this point forward." He stepped away from the podium and delivered his parting shot. "I suggest you all pay attention and make sure you're on your game because I don't care if every single crewman ends up in hack. This ends now." He paused one moment. "You're dismissed." He only just cleared the hatch before the room erupted into pandemonium.

Good. He'd bet his next pay grade he'd have no less than five people in the brig within the next hour.

Garrick is at his wit's end and he's not messing around anymore. I can't wait for Shay's plan of action to soothe his bruised psyche.

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

ML Skye