Sunday Snippet: Victory is Hollow

It's been a wild and busy week! I'm buried with work projects, which I'm thrilled to have—even if I could use about four more hours in each day. Good problems to have.

Had a slower than normal television viewing week, but I kind of expect that when I'm trying to keep plates spinning with work and only have a small wobble here and there.

I caught two episodes of Hawkeye and I'm kind of bummed there's only one left. I'm loving this show a lot.

Caught the season three premiere of Harrow and I already intensely dislike the new boss. That said, I kind of love the shifting dynamics of the character relationships. Fern could grow up just a little, but I like where everyone else is for the most part.

Watched another episode of Blue Heelers and liked the way everything played out. Really good case of the week on this one.

Enjoyed another MasterClass lesson with Neil de Grasse Tyson. Learned about cognitive bias and have a much better understanding of how that works.

Caught another episode of Young Wallander: Killer's Shadow. Poor Kurt gets his ass kicked on a regular basis. Glad to see Reza get bumped up to detective. Poor Rusk has a lot going on at the moment.

Got two more episodes of Classic Rugrats in and thoroughly enjoyed. I love the call outs to stuff from my younger years. That's why the original show is genius. Enjoyable for parents and kids.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med and things got interesting at the end. Not sure I'm down with Will possibly hooking up with Agent Lee. Really kind of squicked out by Nat's involvement with the dad of her former patient. But I love the whole saga of Daniel's ex and everything that's going on with that.

Enjoyed another episode of The Snoopy Show. I like how the short vignettes are themed around a topic. This one had Halloween stuff and it was a lot of fun.

Caught another episode of Loch Ness and I'm kind of amazed how things are moving forward but at what seems like a maddeningly slow pace. A couple of big reveals in this episode.

Finished up season seventeen of Silent Witness and should start eighteen this week. Have to say I quite liked how this one ended. Glad Jack will be sticking around.

Watched another episode of Classic Who. Poor Seven just doesn't have a lot to work with. That said, I'm kind of enjoying this arc.

Enjoyed another episode of The Laundry Guy. I think I could honestly watch multiple seasons of this show. Patric needs his own YouTube channel. I'd totally subscribe.

Also watched another episode of The Hardy Boys and have a lot of love for this show. It's so much fun to talk to my brother about the episodes after we see them. Brings back a lot of eighties memories.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Victory is Hollow, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Patience Clew and Del Mindhapel are elite arms instructors for their training academy and have a lot of tension bouncing back and forth. When two of their cadets go head to head in an illegal duel and one ends up with an almost mortal wound, the top teachers are confined to quarters and that's when the tension really goes out of control.

And a sneaky peek…

Del paced the length of their quarters, pissed off and ready to rumble.

He stopped and faced his counterpart. "I told you a duel was a stupid idea." More like colossally insane.

Patience shrugged. "How should I know one of the weapons had live rounds?" She flipped the latest issue of the Cutting Edge, a newsletter dedicated to promising advances in military technology.

Her lack of giving a shit kicked his anger up a notch.

Del flung out a hand. "Not you, Patience. We." He waved his hand between them. "Neither of us bothered to check." A rookie mistake when neither of them had seen newb status in a long while.

Her shoulders slumped. "Yeah. You're right." She shoved the publication aside. "Basic stuff and we miss it." Her gaze met his. "Not our best moment."

Nope. Not by a long shot.

He pulled out a chair and settled across from her. "Understatement. We have a cadet who's lucky they pulled through the surgery. And we're responsible." The weight of that wouldn't leave him.

And he needed to wrap his head around the reason Patience always did the opposite of the smart thing. Maybe if he understood they could get past constantly butting heads and never make the mistake they made earlier. At the very least, his blood pressure might not rise and fall on her whim.

He leaned forward a little. "Why do you always push boundaries and bump up against the regs? And I'm not judging here. I really want to understand where you're coming from."

She actually took a moment to answer. "To garner change. The status quo should always be tested." She listed a bunch of discoveries and new technology found when someone pushed hard at normal. "This newsletter is filled with great ideas, but genius isn't always foolproof."

Del couldn't argue. "Gotta admit, I'm impressed with your knowledge on the subject." She knew her stuff.

She rolled a shoulder. "Yeah, well, better to discover potential problems in a controlled environment like the academy than out in this field where a whole platoon could be lost." Her voice dropped and wobbled a little.

A light bulb went off for Del and any residual anger drained away. "Sounds like you're speaking from experience." Maybe he'd get a handle on what made her tick after all.

I'm having a lot of fun with this story. Del and Patience are pretty much polar opposites and getting them to see the advantage of that is making me happy.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Victory

To everyone celebrating a holiday, I hope it's incredible and lovely. To everyone not celebrating a holiday, I hope your weekend is incredible and lovely.

Had a crazy-busy week with a lot of distractions. I got a lot of work done but felt like I kept spinning my wheels, mainly because I'd get interrupted and have to review a lot so I didn't miss anything.

Kind of a slow week of television viewing. I watched two episodes of The Snoopy Show and rather enjoyed both. I'll definitely finish the season that's available.

Caught the second episode of Loch Ness and I'm pretty hooked. There's a lot going on and sometimes doesn't feel like anything is related, but I'm pretty sure there's one single thread that will pull everything together.

Watched two more episodes of Silent Witness. I like getting a little more information on Jack's backstory. He's an interesting character but kind of mysterious.

Finished up an arc of Classic Who and started a new one. Seven kind of gets a raw deal and I'm still not quite sure about Mel. The weird way she got introduced kind of throws me off.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Laundry Guy and have to say this is such a cool show. I don't know if they'll do more episodes, but I'm totally in if they do.

Caught another episode of Hawkeye. I'm very interesting in how they're exploring the Ronin angle. I haven't watched all the movies yet but I'm kind of current on what happened. Nice to see a little more detail about this aspect of Clint's character.

Watched the first episode of The Hardy Boys second season. A little disappointed they recast Fenton, but I love the actor who's taken on the role. I'm definitely interested in the new mystery and can't wait to watch more.

Started season eight of Peak Practice. A lot of changes with the move to the new building and a great case of the week. Feels like there might be a lot more drama with rescues and stuff this season.

Enjoyed another MasterClass lesson with Neil deGrasse Tyson. Asking questions is something I wish more people did on a regular basis, especially when mis or disinformation is now the standard.

Caught another episode of Young Wallander: Killer's Shadow. Kurt is kind of walking a fine line and I really do not like the new boss and how he's trying to get rid of Rusk. My one hope is Kurt's friendship with Rez better not go up in flames.

Watched another episode of the Ready Room and thoroughly enjoyed it. Getting to know the actress playing L'Rell was a lot of fun.

Enjoyed an episode of Chicago Med and I liked getting to see Daniel's ex-wife. I'm a little confused because it almost seemed like Robin is his only kid, but I'm certain he had another daughter in an earlier season. Maybe I missed something.

Caught another episode of Cuffs and, again, really enjoyed the character dynamics. I'm beginning to like Jo a lot and I'm still not quite certain what the hell the chief detective has going on in his life aside from the horrible relationship with his dad.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Victory, a sexy short that started with a writing community challenge.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Nevin Fram and Chase Barlow put everything on the line when they wager who can get the drop on the other first with a hot kiss. Nevin executes a plan to catch Chase during a sparring match but he turns the tables on her and wins. Nevin wants to go double or nothing, but first her brain has to start functioning again.

And a sneaky peek…

Chase's lips curved upward and he planted his ass on a crate. "Oh, I'll like it. Trust me on that, Nevin."

A lap dance from Nevin definitely topped his list of fun things to do.

He nodded. "You can start now. Or wait and do a full-on naked version in the showers later." If he got lucky, maybe she'd do both.

Nevin tilted her head, studying him for several moments. "I vote for later. You have a job to do first." Her voice took on the sexy rasp that never failed to get him primed for action.

He quirked a brow. "I do? Care to fill me in?" As if he didn't know.

She slowly unzipped the athletic warm-up jacket. "Oh, absolutely." She shrugged out of the garment. "You got me all hot and ready, you're not really gonna leave me hanging, are you?" She crisscrossed her arms and tugged her sports bra over her head.

Chase blew out a long breath then cleared his throat. "Uh, no. That would be rude." He rose, crossed the short distance between them, and drew her close. "And I'm nothing if not the epitome of manners."

A wide grin crossed her face and she popped the button on his fatigues. "You have your moments." She shoved the pants past his hips then cupped his ass. "Now take care of this business and I'll figure out a way to rock your world with the stupid lap dance."

Chase chuckled. "Yes, ma'am." His fingers dipped under her waistband. "I aim to please." Pushing the loose-fitting fabric downward, his palm skimmed over her stomach.

She worked one leg free and nudged him back toward the bulkhead. He yanked his shirt over his head then braced his shoulders on the cool metal surface. Nevin grasped his erection and moved to straddle his thighs. He slid home with one smooth thrust.

She gripped his shoulder and met his gaze. "I take it this doesn't count as your lap dance, right?" Her hips rocked, drawing him deeper within her core.

His breath hissed out. "Nope. We won't last long enough for this to be considered a dance." His lips nuzzled her throat. "But nice try."

Honestly, I'm having so much fun writing this sexy short story. One of my favorite things is creating a fun scenario and letting the characters loose to decide how it will play out.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Vice

More weird weather this week. And some great news for the daughter. She ended up with three scholarships and two awards for her sophomore year. Amazing!

Solid work week with ongoing edits on two projects. I'm doing some new nonfiction work and I'm enjoying it so much.

Pretty good week of television also. I finished up the second season of Snoopy in Space: The Search for Life. I'd be happy if they did another run of episodes with this show.

Caught an episode of Cuffs and actually enjoyed it a lot even though the personal lives of the characters are all falling apart.

Watched two episodes of Silent Witness. I'm beginning to really enjoy Jack's tenaciousness. He won't let go when his hunches are biting down hard.

Enjoyed two episodes of Classic Who. I'd forgotten how the quality of the show suffered so much during Seven's tenure, which isn't a bash on the actors. They do an excellent job considering what they're given to work with.

Finished up Aliens in Alaska and really enjoyed the season. Wouldn't mind if they did more later.

Caught two episodes of Hawkeye and I'm sold. Love the interaction between the characters and enjoy the overarching plot point. Great show.

Finished up the second season of Harrow and I enjoyed it so much. One thing that really hits hard is the fact that Harrow has now murdered two people and as much as I love the character, I kind of want him to suffer some consequences for his actions. We'll see if season three offers any up for him.

Watched the Peak Practice season seven finale. Looks like some big changes for the next season with a new location for the practice. I'm looking forward to seeing where things go.

Started a quirky series with The Laundry Guy. Enjoyed seeing what he uses to bring stained items back to life. I'm definitely going to learn a lot from this show.

Caught an episode of Blue Heelers and enjoyed it. Really feeling the topic of the week vibes during this season, but it's not deal-breaking.

Consumed another MasterClass with Neil deGrasse Tyson and liked learning about the scientific method. As with Nye, Tyson has a way of putting information out there that doesn't make me feel stupid.

Watched another episode of Young Wallander: Killer's Shadow. I'm very invested in this season already and I kind of love where things are going.

Enjoyed two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. This rewatch definitely lets me find my happy place.

Also caught another episode of Chicago Med and I'm kind of still hating the new head of the ED. We'll see if that continues. I love that Rhodes is actually on to Ava and isn't really being duped … yet.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Vice, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Mercy Flynn and Bishop Hiller, two of Space Station Titania's brightest employees, have many vices, but the biggest one for either? Each other. They have to live and work together and avoiding the temptation to take things into personal territory wears on each, making the thin line of professionalism very blurry.

And a sneaky peek…

Mercy muttered under her breath. "Security detail, my ass. This is more like event coordination."

Bishop gave her the bullet-point details. Ivan Lemig, thirty-one, and newly elected as the youngest member of the Macrudite planetary delegation, the ultraconservative government of the planet Darbin. Coming from that background, Ivan spent two years dancing to the tune of the collective senate. Now he embarked a tour of the galaxy, starting with their space station.

Mercy shook her head. "And this particular dignitary is a flaming hedonist."

Ivan loved the sinful side of life—as he'd proven on the transport flight from his home world by engaging one of the flight attendants for a tryst. Being away from the prying eyes of his fellow elected brethren meant Ivan could spread his wings.

The man of the moment turned and faced Mercy. "Would you be available to spend the night in my quarters?" His tone left no room for doubt that sleep would not be on his agenda.

Mercy bit back a rebuke … no need to piss Lemig off and make her job that much harder.

Bishop made an angry sound and stepped in. "No way. Her number one priority is your security and protection, meaning she's not available for anything else." His hands balled into fists.

Mercy moved in front of her superior officer. "What he means is, as much as I'm sure I would enjoy spending time with you, I can't split my focus. It's much better if I blend in the background and manage your schedule instead of becoming part of it." She sent a narrow-eyed glance in Bishop's direction all but daring him to say more.

If he ruined the rapport she wanted to establish with Lemig, she'd punch Bishop.

He frowned but said nothing.

Mercy took that as a good moment to duck out and start setting up arrangements for Ivan's itinerary. "We're going to let you get settled for the night and I'll check in with you in the next hour or so. If you can get a list together of anything you'd like to experience on the station, I'll make the arrangements tomorrow." She paused. "The galley staff will bring your dinner whenever you're ready."

Ivan waved a hand, clearly unhappy with the idea of eating alone.

Mercy nudged Bishop toward the door and made a quick exit.

Once outside, she whirled to confront him. "What the hell, Bishop?"

His brow furrowed. "Meaning?"

Mercy quirked a brow. As if he didn't know. Being a dick to a visiting delegate didn't look good.

Bishop lifted his chin. "Oh, I see. Hey, if you wanted to stay, you could've said something."

She could do without the snarky tone.

She sighed. "Geez, Bishop. It's not about wanting to stay. I'm a little tired of you riding my ass." She put her hands on her hips. "Why pull me in if I'm such a problem?"

He paused mid-step. "You're not the problem. I trust you to get the job done." He continued forward. "I'm sure you'll handle Lemig, but I don't trust him not to try sneaking out to find some company."

Okay, he didn't doubt she could do the job. So … what had him in a lather? Eh, she'd figure it out later.

She gave a nod. "Look, I'll find some nubile companions and make sure Ivan is happy for the evening. Then I'll take a post outside the door." Wouldn't be the first time she'd literally played guard dog for the job.

Bishop grunted. "Make sure whoever you use, they're certified and locked into a confidentiality agreement." He made a left at the juncture but angled his head around. "Seriously, Mercy, tread carefully with him."

She didn't get a chance to respond because his comm unit buzzed. They parted ways and she studied him for a long moment before his warning sank in.

Then the light bulb went off in her mind. "He's worried about my stints in the dome. Probably wonders what I might do with Lemig if given the opportunity."

Wouldn't Bishop be shocked to know Ivan stood zero chance of ever gaining a foothold in her fantasy world?

I'm pretty pleased with how this story is coming together. I had several scenes that sort of came to me but they needed to be stitched together with some cohesive threads that pulled everything together. So far, so good.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Viable Options

Nothing like starting April with snow flurries and chilly weather. Prom weekend for the high schoolers ended up being very brisk. Brrrr.

Had a very busy work week but I made a ton of progress on a difficult edit. It's something kind of new for me and I'm thoroughly enjoying the project. Had a couple of great calls for some possible new work also. All in all a productive week.

Had a decent week of viewing television also. I'm more or less back on my regular schedule, which makes me happy.

Caught two episodes of Silent Witness. I'm very much liking the new season. Clarissa is fast becoming a favorite and they're not shoving the new guy in my face all the time. All in all, I'm still loving this show.

Finished up season twenty-three of Classic Who and started season twenty-four. I'd forgotten the weird way they morphed from Six to Seven. I actually might not have seen that one. Almost finished with the original run and then I have to decide if I'm going to start a rewatch of New Who. I might wait a while.

Watched two more episodes of Aliens in Alaska. I have one more to watch then it's on to something new. I might dive into something more space-related again. I'm not sure yet.

Enjoyed two more episodes of Muppets Now. I should have this finished up this week then I'll have to decide what to watch next. I might dive into the Marvelverse. I've been wanting to watch Hawkeye.

Caught two episodes of Harrow. Man, this season is a roller coaster. I have no clue what the hell is going on with Maxine but I'm not liking it. I love, love, love the kind of new dynamic with Fairley and I like the new assistant. I also enjoy the whole Daniel and Grace being unable to find their footing. Good stuff.

Watched an episode of Peak Practice and enjoyed it. I'll have this season finished up this week and should be ready to start season eight.

I started a new MasterClass with Neil deGrasse Tyson. I'm enjoying the way he explains things. Should be a very interesting class.

Finished the first season of Young Wallander and started the second. I gotta say I shouldn't have been surprised with how the first season ended but I was. That said, I loved the opening episode of season two. Kurt is a magnet for strange cases.

Enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. One of my favorites with Grandpa moving out followed by the legend of Satchmo made me really happy. One of the best things about the original show is how much grown-ups could enjoy the episodes right along with the little ones.

Caught two episodes of Chicago Med and, sadly, Will is beginning to annoy the crap out of me. Ethan is probably my favorite doctor even if he's a bit rigid sometimes. Not sure I like where they're taking April, but I'll hold judgment on that front for now.

Watched an episode of Snoopy in Space: The Search for Life and I'm down to having one more left. I'll have to decide what to watch next once I finish this series.

I started a new mystery, Loch Ness, and enjoyed the first episode. This one could go either way so I'm hoping it keeps my attention.

Also enjoyed another episode of Blue Heelers and liked it. I do not enjoy Monica but this one seemed to set up some stuff for the future so that might be fun to watch.

Began the Ready Room episodes for the second season of Star Trek: Discovery. Rather enjoyed the first one and I'll look forward to watching more.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Viable Options, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Karlin Hex and Jay Shaliman are trapped high in the mountains when their planet is attacked and left for ruin. Jay decides plan A is to find a ship, get off the planet, and find their way to the military fleet or a viable spaceport. Karlin finds the notion admirable but wonders what his backup option is. That's easy—plans B through Z are the same as plan A.

And a sneaky peek…

Jay traveled all night and finally came up on the remote outpost marked on his map. "I can probably restock on supplies and get more meds." He walked the perimeter and didn't see any vehicles. "Oh, well. Maybe I can find out what the hell happened once I get inside."

The eerie silence of his descent almost lulled him into thinking he could be wrong about the bombs dropping. But the quiet also reinforced the facts on the ground. Nuclear catastrophe pretty much eliminated technology. Even if he had a comm device, it wouldn't work at the moment. Maybe he'd get lucky at the outpost and find some old-school radios.

Dropping his rucksack outside the ramshackle building, he flung open the side door. "Hot damn." An all-terrain armored vehicle sat inside.

He poked around the garage area and stocked the truck with as many supplies as he could fit inside the back seat. Some MREs, anti-rad meds, bedding. He wanted some weapons and extra ammo, but he'd forage for that on the road. He grabbed the extra fuel cans, which—thank the universe—were full and stowed them in the bed of the unit.

He looked around for keys but couldn't find any on the work surface or in the vehicle. He also wondered what happened to the officer on duty. Possibly killed so they couldn't warn in advance of the attack? His stomach turned at the thought. Maybe he should check the interior rooms?

He shook his head. "It can wait. Better see if I can get out of here first." He'd have to see if his hot-wiring skills were still up to stuff.

He went back over to the all-terrain vehicle and crawled under the dash. He'd just turned his flashlight on when the cold barrel of a sidearm butted up against his head. Should've checked inside.

"Let's go. Come on out. Now!"

He slid out from under the dash, carefully avoiding the muzzle of the gun. His captor stepped back but took aim at his head. No messing around. She meant business.

Her brow arched. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Pitched low, her voice held a menacing tone, until she hiccupped. Hiccupped? What the hell?

His eyes narrowed and he moved fast, slapping the weapon away and grabbing it. "Are you drunk?" On closer inspection, she looked rough but more than capable of holding her own.

She snorted. "Hell, yes. The world just ended. Can you think of something better to do?" She finally clocked the dog tags hanging from his neck and grimaced.

She wore a Hendragon Galactic Forces uniform, a little rumpled but otherwise in pristine condition. Her ponytail hung crookedly, which made her question more audacious. Jay liked her on the spot, regardless of their less than stellar introduction.

Jay huffed out a breath. "I don't know. Get the hell off the planet and find survivors, or a habitable place to start over." He definitely didn't want to stay on the surface longer than necessary.

Karlin gave a weary nod. "Admirable plan A, but what's your backup idea?" Resignation laced her tone.

Jay shrugged. "Plans B through Z are the same as plan A. There are no other viable options." Not if they wanted to survive.

Something sad crossed her features but she rolled a shoulder. "Well, I hate to suggest this, but we'll need to wait until morning, because the bad news is … the enemy forces are between us and whatever spacecrafts are left on the planet." She gave him a wobbly smile.

For the first time, Jay slumped in defeat. He didn't want to wait, dammit. But he couldn't chance running into enemy forces with a drunk sidekick and limited resources.

His companion patted him on the back. "Yeah, I know. Sucks balls." She stuck her hand out. "Lieutenant Karlin Hex. Do not ever call me Karl."

His lips twitched and he grasped her palm. "Captain Jay Shaliman. Duly noted." He kind of wanted to meet the person who tried to shorten her name and probably had the scars to prove it.

She nodded to her right. "Come on. It's warmer inside." She entered the main section of the outpost and Jay followed.

Processing what happened to the planet wouldn't be easy but at least he didn't have to do it alone. If he didn't miss his guess, Karlin Hex would not let any moment become dull or boring.

I have this story all plotted out and really like where it's going. If it comes together the way I hope it will, there will be a sequel. Fingers crossed.

 

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

ML Skye