Sunday Snippet: Damn the Torpedo Flu

WooHoo! I have a new roof on my garage and both porches. Our back porch actually includes our bathroom and laundry room and we’ve had leaks for the past five years. Here’s to not having those anymore! We went with a blue metal and it looks terrific with the slate roof of the house. I’m thrilled the job took, I’m not kidding, a day and a half. I figured it would take a week to get it all done. Glad I was wrong.

Busy week on the work front. Finished up a project and started two more. I did get some television viewing in but had a light week.

I caught an episode of Riverdale and enjoyed getting back to the regular timeline. I’m completely creeped out with Cheryl’s weird deal with her corpse brother but I love the battle of wills she’s having with the new principal. Loved having some story with Reggie. Also liked seeing Mad Dog join the group. I want Kevin and Betty to get back to their usual friendship and I’m happy to see him kind of wake up to the evils of the farmies. Here’s hoping Fangs comes back to the fold.

I watched The Will, a Passionflix original movie, and thoroughly enjoyed it! The casting ended up being spot-on and I had fun watching this one. I’ll be looking forward to the next release Passionflix puts out.

Caught another episode of Danger Man aka Secret Agent. I forever have The Prisoner in my mind when I watch these episodes even if they’re not technically related. Probably because I watched The Prisoner first.

Watched the third episode of Midsomer Murders. Enjoyed it a lot. It had some good twists and turns I didn’t expect.

Viewed another first season episode of Peak Practice. I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to think about Will. The character is, I think, the only one who remained for all twelve series. Right now, he’s kind of a petulant, whiny child most of the time and I don’t know if I’m supposed to like him or not. Since it’s only four episodes so far, I’ll reserve judgment.

Finished up Classic Who season ten with Three and the end of Jo’s tenure as a companion. The Green Death episodes were a pretty interesting arc and I like how Jo ended her time with the doctor. Looking forward to starting season eleven.

Strike Back is back, as noted in last week’s post. I’m currently watching the first episode of the season and, wow, Coltrane definitely has a big-ass chip on his shoulder. He kind of acts like he didn’t have his ass saved by his team not so long ago. That said, I’m not all the way through the first episode yet so I’ll reserve judgment.

And that’s pretty much it for television this week. Tonight’s post is from Damn the Torpedo Flu, a sexy short that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here’s the mini-blurb:

When the torpedo flu hits the space station, Paisley and Dale are practically the last ones standing. Working through the crisis will bring them closer together if they don't kill each other first.

And a sneaky peek…

::Pass the word. The number of torpedoed occupants is one-fourth of the station. Food services have been hit hard. Try to use the automated stations in the mess halls and avoid the galley. Pass the word. One-fourth of the station has succumbed to the outbreak::

Dale reviewed the schedule again. "So far, we're covered. Only one more pilot from orange squadron is down." He shuffled the rosters into a folder.

Paisley frowned. "I have a bad feeling about this whole situation. A quarter of the station has this virus? And it's already hit the galley crew?" She got up and paced back and forth.

Dale shrugged. "Not like we use the galley much anyway. Why does this have you so twitchy?" He got up and stepped in front of her.

She met his gaze. "Because we're not the norm. Most of our pilots meet in the galley and decide where to hang out for dinner. They don't do the whole grab something on the fly and find a quiet spot for some alone time." Her lips curved in a wry, suggestive smile.

And, okay, she had a point. But why the freak out?

He tilted his head. "I'm still not getting it. What's the big deal?" People had to eat and if the galley crew— "Ah… damn. The galley workers dropping like flies means they've already breathed all their germs on others. Shit." He backed up and started pacing.

Paisley gave a hard nod. "And now he sees the light." She reached back and snagged the flight roster file. "Look, we've got a backup to our main schedule. We are covered for now." Waving the folder, she caught his attention.

Dale paused and exhaled slowly. "But it's only gonna get harder from here. There's no way we won't have some flaming hoops to jump through before this is over." His shoulders slumped when the weight of what they faced hit him.

Paisley put the roster aside. "Okay, look, you didn't really think we'd get through this nasty virus unscathed, did you?" She grabbed his hand and tugged him down onto the small sofa in the office.

His head hit the back cushions. "No, not completely. But I really didn't think we'd have a full quarter of the station down so soon either." He straightened. "You haven't had anything from the galley lately, have you?" If he lost Paisley to this stupid ailment, he'd go insane.

She shook her head. "Nope. You know I rarely have time to get there, through the lines, and back to whatever needs my attention." Sending him a sideways glance, her lips quirked. "Even when there's not a full-blown crisis going on."

Dale laced their fingers together. "Pretty sure I can't keep this—the schedule, the roster, everything—without you." He lifted their palms and kissed her knuckles.

Paisley snorted. "I know you can't. And I couldn't either." Resting her head on his shoulder, she sighed. "I'll make sure to stop by the infirmary and see if there's anything that'll stave off or delay symptoms. We have to keep as many pilots in the air as possible." Squeezing his fingers, she let go then turned to straddle his lap.

He put his hands on her hips. "I'm sensing we're done talking for now." He skimmed his fingers along her torso.

Paisley gave him a sexy smirk. "Never let it be said you can't state the obvious." Her head tilted forward and she kissed his jawline.

I can honestly say I’m having fun with this one. I didn’t know if having a story based around a viral outbreak would work well with romance, but Paisley and Dale are hilarious and snarky, which is always a treat to write.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Cupid's Folly

February 16, 2020

Ugh. What a rough week. I've been battling some wicked-bad insomnia lately and I hate walking around like a zombie and trying to catch some much-needed rest whenever I can. Not a fun time.

I did have a wonderful revelation on Thursday, which was my youngest's eighteenth birthday. To date, the husband and I have successfully raised three offspring to adulthood. Now to get her through prom and graduation then off to college. LOL

Slow week for television, mainly due to the insomnia. I caught a full arc of Classic Who and had a thought… the Daleks have been around for a long, long time. Just saying.

Got back into Gargoyles and watched a couple of episodes. The second season is super long and it'll be a while before I get through all of the various stories.

Watched a few episodes of Danger Man. This is pretty much a rewatch of the series for me, but it's nice to have a thirty-minute show to sink into while I'm doing dishes or cooking dinner.

Caught an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and finally discovered what would happen with the neighbors. I'd forgotten about the hotel detective and his mad vendetta against Murdoch. All in all, a satisfying wrap-up to the storyline. Sadly, the widow might end up rearing her vengeful head at some point in the series. That should be interesting.

I watched another episode of Arrow and I can honestly say I'm impressed with Stephen's performance. He brings the emotional element to the screen every episode. That said, he mentioned in an interview that Emily's decision to not be involved in most of season eight made the show feel kind of wrong (absolutely paraphrasing here) because Felicity is the heart of the show and no Felicity means no heart. I totally get that. But… it's kind of cool to see the reunions Oliver is having with people from his past. Talia and Thea teaming up could be a show on its own, especially if Nyssa got involved at some point. Just saying. Also really interesting to see what's going on in the futurescape, especially with the twist at the end of the episode.

Getting ready to start an episode of Riverdale and watch the premiere episode of Strike Back's final season. I also plan to watch the Passionflix original, The Will sometime this week. Looking forward to some great screentime.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Cupid's Folly, a novella that got a start with a brainstorming session with a fellow author.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jinx Jersey just signed on as the XO of the Cupid's Folly, captained by Alrick Cates and he's given her fair warning she picked the worst time to start her new post and develop an attraction for him. The pleasure ship is booked solid for the Valentine holiday and they don't have time for romance.

And a sneaky peek…

Captain Alrick Cates read through the pre-flight memos concerning the Cupid's Folly.

He lamented this run. "Gah, I hate the couples' cruises." Actually, he disliked pleasure cruises in general.

He longed to be back on a military ship. Missed the rank and structure, the precise need for people to be in a specific location doing important work. Civilian passengers could be fun sometimes but often they were nothing more than a huge pain in the ass.

He picked up the last document and growled. "What the hell?" The civilian board assigned him a new member of staff for a couples' cruise. "And not just any new member… but an acting XO. Oh, no way." His XO picked now to have surgery?

Okay, an operation the man had been putting off for several months, but the damned timing had been on purpose. Paton Barrick abhorred couples' cruises worse than Alrick. Setting the notation aside, he dug down and pulled out the personnel file.

Quickly reading the information on his new second in command, Alrick slammed the folder shut. "Brand fucking new. They're sending me a barely graduated newb to act as my XO." Is the civilian board trying to send me over the brink?

Alrick got up and paced back and forth. He could call and demand someone with experience. Someone who could weather a shitstorm of on-the-prowl men and women with a sole purpose of finding true love in five ports or less.

Sitting back down, he grabbed the handset. "No way am I dealing with a green officer who has zero experience." He grabbed the file again and propped it open.

The name caught his attention first. Jinx Jersey. The rating hit him next. She'd graduated at the top of her class with off the chart marks. Frowning, he hung the receiver back in the cradle. He needed to dig into her credentials—

A rapid series of knocks sounded on the hatch.

Alrick closed the folder again. "Enter." Meeting with this Jinx Jersey couldn't hurt, right?

I'm enjoying this story. I might end up shifting this away from a Valentine romance, but the main thrust of the plot won't change much if I do. Alrick is still going to be cranky about having a new XO on one of the toughest cruises to get through.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Crash and Burn

So, we finally have snow in Ohio. Not a lot but enough to remind people it's actually winter. This isn't a bad thing. I'm hoping that means we won't have blizzards in April or May. Just saying.

After a very slow January workwise, February is going like gangbusters. I'd rather be busy than not so no complaints here. I did have a slow week of television though.

I started with an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and enjoyed it. Fun to see a familiar face with Ruth's brother showing up. Should be interesting to see what happens with Henry now that Ruth has access to loads of money again. Also interesting happenings with William and Julia's neighbors. I'm still not quite sure what to expect with them.

Caught the Frankie Drake Mysteries finale for season three. Always fun when a character returns to stir up trouble for Frankie and the girls. I'm hoping season four continues to have a big focus on the friendships.

Arrow's second episode ended up being better than I anticipated. Interested to see what happens with Lyla. I truly love the mix of present and future in these episodes.

Caught another episode of Midsomer Murders and quite enjoyed it. It's fun when the case doesn't quite go where I think it will.

Also watched another series one episode of Peak Practice. I gotta say Will's wife is quite the piece of work. I have no idea how long she lasts but I'm thinking it's not through the end of the series. That's not a bad thing.

I saved the best for last. I finally watched the season four premiere for Riverdale. I'd be lying if I said there was no ugly sobbing involved. Because there was. A lot of it. I honestly didn't expect less, I mean I'd been warned by at least three people to have a box of tissues. Needless to say I did and used an undetermined amount of said box.

I can honestly say I can't imagine a better tribute to Fred Andrews. I loved how pretty much everyone put aside their grievances—Reggie and Cheryl in particular—and paid homage to a stalwart member of the community. Reggie's gesture with providing a hearse moved him up a notch on my like-the-guy meter. And Cheryl's conversation with Mary and her about face regarding the parade had a nice symmetry. I have no clue what the hell her deal is with CorpseJason but I don't need to know for this episode to work so well. Relenting on having a parade to celebrate Fred's life and put the focus on someone not a Blossom is big badass energy and I'm here for it.

FP taking on a role of filling big shoes also worked well for me. Figuring out where Archie was and what he planned to do when he found out who ended up being responsible for Fred's death and his subsequent response of calling in Archie's friends showed a good bit of foresight for the former Serpent leader. I also loved the way he handled asking Archie if he'd mind an escort home. I knew what was coming. I figured out what Cheryl wanted to do. And, man, I literally grabbed the box of tissues and pretty much sobbed through the whole thing. Throw in Jughead's obituary and the reaction shots of people reading—the focus being on the grown-ups, friends and enemies—and, yep, the tears flowed again.

Shannen Doherty's guest appearance was a nice touch. For those of us who are a certain age, the poignancy of having her involved in memorializing Fred and, in turn, Luke Perry packs a punch and creates a nice thread that goes from beginning to end.

The other part I found poignant is Betty at the cemetery by her dad's grave. Season three ended with Hal being murdered by Penelope and it's easy to forget that happened and have it eclipsed by Fred's demise. The trashing of his plot, while sad for Betty, serves as a solid visual reminder of where things left off.

Finally… the last scene of Archie in the garage sifting through memories of his dad, the only scenes that actually showed Fred in action, was extremely well done. Kudos to KJ, the writing team, and the film crew for what, I'm sure, had to be a difficult time.

All in all, a terrific sendoff for Fred and Luke. Next week, I'll dive back into the normal batshit crazy world of Riverdale and enjoy the hell out of it.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Crash and Burn, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Pepper Strand met the wrong brother first and when her personal feelings get in the way, she takes the easy way out. When it leads to the death of Bax's sibling, she drowns her guilt with alcohol and Bax decides to make her crawl out of the bottle and into his arms.

And a sneaky peek…

Baxter Loman loosened up, tilting his head from side to side. He loved going round for round in the ring.

A knock sounded on the door and Preble poked his head inside the changing area. "Yo, Bax. I've got another eager brawler ready to work off some stress." He took in Bax's sweaty countenance. "She might just give you a run for your money." Preb gave an exaggerated wink.

Bax quirked an eyebrow. "She? I love having female sparring partners." He reached for the tape. "Give me a few… I'll be right out."

Preble lifted his chin and smirked. "Good luck, buddy." His tone indicated Bax might need it.

Bax didn't waste time, getting his hands taped up in record time. He jogged down the corridor leading to the sparring area and got his first glimpse of his opponent facing away from him. Hot damn. If she didn't race on the circuit, she could. Toned and cut muscle in her shoulders and back showed her physical prowess shouldn't be underestimated.

When she turned to face him, lightly hopping up and down on the balls of her feet, he barely bit back a hiss of appreciation. Immediately attracted, he swung up into the ring and made a slow circle around her.

Once he completed the task, he thrust his palm forward. "Who are you and where the hell have you been?" A wide grin split his face.

Her lips curved. "Pepper Strand." She gave his hand a firm shake. "Been right here in town for the past six months." She let her whereabouts before that hang in the air.

Shit. He didn't need the details. Her racing record spoke for itself.

She taught an advanced racing course and put new and requalifying members through their paces. And his brother loved to throw her name around. About her teaching skill and other talents she had.

His grin fell. "Brad's latest and greatest." How did Brad always manage to worm his way into convenient relationships?

Pepper frowned and shrugged. "Not so great right now." She clapped her hands together. "Are we gonna do this or what?" Her head cocked from side to side.

Bax fed off her angry tension. "We're definitely doing this." He waved toward Preble.

The bartender gave him a thumbs-up and pressed the starting buzzer.

Pepper crouched into a low stance and barely hesitated before she launched forward with a sweeping kick to Bax's hip.

He countered with a hard shove to her shoulder and liked how she barely moved. They'd have a great round.

But he'd be hard-pressed to spar at his best when his hard dick might get in the way.

I'm having a lot of fun writing this one. Normally, I go for military in my sci-fi romances, but I enjoy leaving my comfort zone and getting into something a little different. Pepper and Bax are a challenge and I love a good one.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Covert Heart

Hello, February. An extra day in the month probably won't make much difference, right? Eh, January already felt like an entire year, so here's hoping February doesn't.

Another slow week for television viewing, but not a bad one. I finished up season three of Riverdale and, whew, what an ending. Talk about jamming a crap-ton of stuff into forty-three minutes. That said, wow. I'm still processing all the crazypants. I'm very glad I can start season four this week. I'll be dreading the first episode but can't wait to see what happens from here. Hopefully something utterly horrible for Hiram is on the horizon but I doubt it. Sigh.

Midsomer Murders had a good opener for series twenty-one. One down and three to go. Then I have to find another show to start. I have a few on my list to check out.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice. I went back to the first season again. I'll watch another of the final season this week.

Watched another full arc of Classic Who and have one more set before starting the last season with Three. Looking forward to Sarah Jane episodes.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Covert Heart, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

An impossible task. A couple sworn to carry it out or die trying. One big test of the depth of their courage and love.

And a sneaky peek…

"I'll have more coffee." The Saskitet delegate nodded toward the mug on the desk and resumed her heated vid conversation.

Rick McBride lifted the carafe and filled the cup to just below the brim. Six weeks undercover taught him the exact preferred spot. Going too low or high resulted in a verbal tongue lashing that could be heard in the adjoining suites. Minister Marlena Hix didn't fear a "difficult" label.

In fact, she welcomed it. No one went against her wishes. The more who knew that fact the easier things went.

Ruffling feathers had become her trademark. It also made Rick's presence necessary. He assumed the role of her domestic aide to keep a close watch on her activities.

Minister Hix had declared war on secrets and stealth. Her goal to expose the nasty stuff agencies did to help maintain democracy and make it available for public scrutiny had the planetary governments in an uproar. She liked to shine a spotlight on any and all who tried to fly under the radar and work behind the lines and those participating didn't appreciate it.

The Condorian regime kept peace along their borders by supplying the Ramarians with minerals they refined to make fuel. The problem? The Condorian public voted against it.

Hix exposed the deal. And the Condorian senate scrambled to provide answers to their populace.

She didn't stop there. Other back room alliances had been outed. Under-the-table handshakes that kept several treaties intact, made public. Covert operations cracked and crumbled in each sector of the solar system.

If left unchecked, Hix would unravel the entire political system.

Rick silently backed away after refilling the minister's cup. He took his place by the entrance of the suite, standing vigil until Hix's assistant minister returned from his morning rounds.

She had the man skulk around the central hub every morning to catch any and all pertinent information regarding new alliances, agreements, or favor swapping. Rick had to admit the brilliance of the strategy. He actually admired her willingness to stand for the truth. But he also realized her underhanded tactics put her right on the level of any other delegate. Maybe lower, because Minister Hix masterfully turned facts to her own end and didn't care who got hurt in the process.

Bringing down the current democracy and putting an autocratic ruler in place served her ambitions. Especially since she'd deemed herself worthy of the job.

Hix waved him over to her side when she finished her vid conference. "Has Martin checked in yet?" She lifted the mug to her lips and took a large gulp.

Rick answered quickly. "No, Minister." The door slid open and Rick stepped back. "Ah, here he is, ma'am." He waited for Martin Helms to seat himself across from Hix. "Will there be anything else, ma'am?"

Hix nodded toward the assistant minister. "Get Martin some coffee then leave." She shot a venom-filled look at Helms. "Return back with lunch at 1300." She leveled her sharp gaze on Rick. "That's one PM. I keep forgetting you staff people don't speak military." She swung her eyes back to the assistant minister. "And make sure you're not one moment late. Or I'll have your position filled with someone more capable." Her words, meant for Helms, made the man twitch a bit.

Rick ignored the interplay, poured the coffee, and laid out two sugars, Martin's preferred choice. "Lunch. One PM." He tucked the carafe under his arm. "Yes, ma'am." He moved away from the desk and busied himself with clean-up, quietly stacking breakfast dishes on the cart. He excelled at this part of his job, using efficient movements to maintain his cover and gather intel. Minister Hix already forgot about him and demanded a report from Helms.

Helms briefly slid his gaze in Rick's direction, but didn't keep Hix waiting. "The Calderans have opened negotiations with the Velamites to do a guns-for-grain deal."

Hix hissed out a satisfied breath. "That's wonderful news. I needed something on the Velamites." She lowered her voice. "The populace voted against exporting. They want their crops to stay local." Marlena scribbled something on her notepad and handed it to Martin. "Contact this list and plant the seeds."

Martin tore the page from the tablet and tucked it inside his pocket.

Hix pushed him for more. "What else can you report?"

Rick couldn't stick around to hear the rest. He'd finished the clean-up and needed to leave. Pushing the cart toward the door, neither Helms nor Hix spared him a glance. He exited the suite and waited until he got on the elevator to activate his comm link.

"McBride for the chancellor. Message follows. Priority debrief in thirty. Location E." He switched off just in time for the doors to swish open and admit two low-level aides.

Rick smiled a greeting, but didn't engage either in conversation. Staff didn't speak unless spoken to, and his fellow passengers had a running dialog already in play. Interestingly enough, their topic happened to be Hix and the firestorm that always seemed to follow in her wake.

A tall, slim blond with chiseled cheekbones and a neatly trimmed goatee spoke in low tones. "Rumor has it Minister Hix has something big planned for the summit." He keyed in his destination.

The other aide, a voluptuous redhead with striking green eyes, nodded. "I've heard the same. Rumblings are rolling through the administrative branch. The holy terror plans to bring more truthful mayhem to the proceedings."

The two rolled their eyes and fell silent. A moment later, the elevator chimed and each exited, after ignoring Rick for the entire ride.

With more intel to share, his debrief couldn't come soon enough. And his bonus would be seeing Emma, after a long, dry spell.

I've had a lot of fun writing this one. All the pieces are in place but I need to get them all in order. The sages decided to feed me the story in little chunks and didn't stick to a linear timeline.

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

ML Skye