Sunday Snippet: Hard Call

September 20, 2020

Kind of a crazy week. Honestly, 2020 can hurry up and be done. Thankfully, only a few more months.

Not a bad week for television. I finished up the first season of Silent Witness and got a running start on the second. I'll have it finished up this week.

I got to catch the behind the scenes video for Dirty, Sexy Saint. Really enjoyed the actors in that movie.

Also started a series of videos about casting runes. It's a topic I've long been interested in and I'm having fun learning about the practice.

Last but not least, I finally got to watch the series finale of Strike Back. There's so much I want to say about this episode! First and foremost, a heist. Seriously. That was actually a lot of fun. The double cross was also a nice little wrinkle. Breaking things down from the beginning. I loved how Coltrane got out of the gulag. Having Wyatt there and their banter was so awesome. I mean, who else but Coltrane would take a detour during a carefully planned escape? And horses! Excellent. Having Novin take on the entire casino security force also proved to be a wild ride. I'm going to miss her a lot. Loved the beats between the characters when she got back to the apartment and almost took out Wyatt.

The heist itself ended up being an awful lot of fun, with the exception of Gracie getting shot. The boat ride out ended up being beautifully filmed. Then, to find out the big reveal about the, well, I guess it's not really a double cross for the section twenty team, more a double cross of the Russians and Albanians and I love the double meaning behind the comment, "They'll never stop looking for us." Anyway … probably in my top five moments is when Coltrane blithely takes Arianna out then strolls nonchalantly past the pool boy. But my favorite moment is at the very end when the trio heads out to go their separate ways. I mean there can't be a heist episode without the going-off-in-different-directions pan out. Very reminiscent of shows like Leverage or Hustle. Good stuff. Seriously good stuff.

Some final thoughts … the only thing I would have loved as much as the actual ending would have been Coltrane finding Zarkova and / or Wyatt and Novin heading out for lots of adventures. The shipper in me will definitely let my imagination run wild on that front.

Also thoroughly enjoyed the Strike Back Declassified for the series end. I love shows that put behind the scenes or inside looks together for their fans. Having those extras is always a lot of fun, especially when the characters have become like second family.

And … that's pretty much it for television. Tonight's post is from Hard Call, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Wiccam Kidder commands a space cruiser and wears the mantle of command with reluctance. When he makes a hard call and orders Valor Glynne to what may be a certain death, he wants to give up the burden and walk away. But Valor returns and Wic is faced with knowing she'll follow wherever he leads.

And a sneaky peek…

Majah snapped to attention. Valor and Wic didn't. If Cray wanted formality, he'd have announced his docking.

Wic shot his dad a glance. "Got anything better, old man?" He'd like to hear it if he did.

Cray kept his gave level for a moment before meeting first Valor's and then Majah's gaze. "Give us the room." His gruff voice echoed in the small room.

Majah gave a crisp salute before scurrying out.

Valor opened her mouth, but Cray jerked his head. "Don't even." He waved toward the door.

Wic stayed silent, a tactic he'd learned from the elder Kidder. His dad would speak when ready and not before. Besides, Cray would look at the sims and realize they had no other option. They'd run every possible scenario and—

"Wic." Cray's voice cut through the fog. "Find someone else." A note of desperate resolve snuck through.

Wic shook his head. "There is no one else, Dad." No one who had the skill and knowledge and ability to get into the cramped, confined area to plant the bomb.

Cray sliced his hand through the air. "I'll find someone on my ship to—"

Wic cut in. "No, you won't. How's that gonna look? I won't play favorites and neither will you. Morale's already low." Any lower and they'd have a mutiny.

Cray slammed his hand on the planning table. "You're sending her to certain death!"

Wic growled. "You think I don't know that? That I wouldn't give anything to go in her place? But I can't." He couldn't leave this ship without a command officer.

Cray pitched his voice low. "I made a promise to her dad..." He trailed off, unable to continue.

Wic nodded. "I know. To keep her safe. Right before you ordered him to his death." Wic paused but pushed forward. "He was your best friend, Dad, and he knew you might not be able to keep your word." Anyone with military experience would.

Cray frowned. "You don't understand..."

Wic sighed. "Yeah, I do. Why do you think I'd go in her place? But the burden of command means I can't. Something you taught me." A lesson Cray couldn't argue with, no matter how much he'd want to.

Cray's shoulders slumped. "This isn't over." He turned and walked away.

Wic shook his head again. "Believe me, I know." He'd pay for this decision for a long time ... because it would haunt him for the rest of his days.

But at least his father's wrath would fill the huge void losing Valor would leave behind.

I have to say this story is coming together in ways I didn't see happening. I still have a lot of work to do but the bits and pieces are in place and the flow is good.

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

ML Skye