Sunday Snippet: Wounded Birds

Had a much calmer week and got caught up on almost everything—including laundry. I can honestly say that hasn't happened for a long time. Multiple work projects are churning along and I'm also getting some writing and creative endeavors accomplished. I've been sleeping a lot better and I'm pretty sure that's playing a big role in lighting the spark.

Or the planets are aligned in a specific pattern and helping me along. Either is possible.

Had a semi-decent viewing week. I got two MasterClass with Roxane Gay lessons viewed and I really like listening to her. She's got some terrific things to say.

Finished up the first season of the Babysitter's Club and thoroughly enjoyed watching. I'm glad there's another season to dive into.

Caught another episode of the Ready Room. Ethan Peck had some great things to say about playing Spock and I'm excited to see him on the new Trek.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med and hope to finish watching a crossover episode to find out what happens.

Enjoyed another episode of The Snoopy Show. I think I have one more for the first season and then I'll start on the second.

Finished Signora Volpe and loved the first season. I really hope there's more of this show. If not, at least I like where they left things.

Watched the beginning of a Silent Witness two-parter. Loved the setup on this one. Looking forward to finishing up the second half.

Started season twenty-five of Classic Who. The daleks are back and we'll see how things play out in this arc.

Caught another episode of Most Terrifying Places in America. Weirdly, I'm not horrified by any of those locations after this week. Living in my own house is scary at the moment.

Watched another episode of The Mandalorian. I loved this one. Smart heroes make me happy and Mando is very smart. I also enjoyed a few laugh out loud moments and that's a bonus.

Harrow had an interesting episode and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet. I hate that Harrow has been betraying Nichols and it's going to bite him on the ass. I really like the growth they've had over the past two seasons and I'm not going to be thrilled if they trash that.

Caught another episode of Blue Heelers and finished up a two-parter. I liked the conclusion and the way they resolved the hostage situation.

Also enjoyed two more episodes of Classic Rugrats, both had moments I'd forgotten and I loved catching little details.

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

Here's the mini-blurb:

When weeping sickness hits a space carrier hard, pilots Minka Kovak and Channing Santclar are two of the first to go down, which creates a problem since the fleet relies on them to keep the planes in the air. But when the duo gets through the worst of the virus—without killing each other—they end up working from their isolation alcove to shuffle the schedule and fill the flight roster.

And a sneaky peek…

"Where are they?"

Minka winced at the tone of their commanding officer. Shit. We're in for it.

Colonel Gordon Trask entered the alcove wearing a mask. "I want to know how you two brought back a highly contagious bacterial agent thought long eradicated." He pinned both Minka and Channing with his gaze.

Minka stepped up. "Sir, it was my fault." After explaining what happened, the CO made a garbled choking sound.

Minka grimaced. Yep, he's less than thrilled. She wisely kept her mouth shut and didn't share her observation.

Channing made an effort to shoulder some of the responsibility. "Look, sir. We didn't make the best choice down there, but we were allotted thirty minutes of downtime for every two hours of data retrieval."

A good point. But probably not one Trask wanted to hear about right now.

The colonel waved a hand. "So, you two can't keep your hands off each other and used your break time to hook up. Great." He flung his arm outward. "And where did it land you—possibly the whole ship—exactly?"

Minka sighed. "In the shit, sir." No doubt about that one.

Trask snorted. "You're damned right." He glanced up when a masked Doc Nameth poked his head into the alcove. "Everything ready?"

Nameth lifted his chin. "It is. We can move them now."

Trask motioned for Minka and Channing to precede him out of the alcove. A med tech, in full hazmat gear, led them down the empty corridor. Nameth fell into step with Trask behind them.

Trask asked a terse question. "What happens now?"

Nameth had a ready answer. "We get them into isolation, decontaminate the ship to minimize the outbreak then see where we are in twenty-four hours." He paused then added the bad news. "But the contaminate is going to have an effect."

Trask heaved a sigh. "You can't stop it?"

Nameth shook his head. "No. It's going to have to run its course through whoever ends up infected."

Minka turned. "No meds?" Another notch of guilt pierced her conscience.

Nameth snorted. "Oh, yeah. Antibiotics could clear it up but it's not fatal, just a pain in the ass."

The CO gave a nod. "And if you administer antibiotics to the whole crew, there's a chance we'll run out if we need them."

The doc grunted. "Exactly." He shot Minka a look. "You two can suffer without aid, no matter what. Anyone who ends up with severe symptoms will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis." He shrugged. "We'll use what we have to, but not unless it's absolutely necessary."

The med tech stopped outside and isolation chamber and the CO ushered Minka and Channing into the unit.

He stayed outside while the tech sealed them in.

He folded his arms over his chest. "Since you're already down for the count, you'll share this area. Get comfortable. No one is coming in or out until you test negative." The CO rolled his eyes. "Shouldn't be a problem since you like each other so much." Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away.

Minka shot Channing a sideways glance. He immediately grabbed a box of tissues and pulled several out then hopped up on a bed. His eyes were red, his face blotchy, and tears gathered on his lashes. She had no doubt she looked as bad or worse than Channing. Grabbing another box of tissues, she climbed up on the other berth.

Channing rested his shoulders on the upright portion of the cot and turned away from her. Minka didn't blame him. She'd gotten them into this mess … and she regretted talking Channing into getting hot and heavy on the outpost.

It's going to suck being stuck in here with no recourse.

I have a couple of stories where the main characters are stuck in isolation and I love writing them. Something about taking away outside influences and making them face each other and consequences makes me happy.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Words Not Necessary

Geez, what a week. Starting late Monday night, a super-cell storm blew through Ohio. Around 11:30 pm, the tornado sirens went off in my little village. We took cover in our bathroom, mainly because our two doggos will not go down the basement steps and the bathroom is the most protected interior room in the house. By 12:15 am, we got the all clear, but the power went out around 12:05 … and didn't come back on until Thursday at 5:30 pm. It's been … a wild week.

Thankfully, we were able to borrow a generator to keep our AC (temps in the mid to high 90s), fridge and freezers going. We had one light in our living room and a charging station to keep our devices charged up. Not that it mattered much. The storm damaged a cell tower and we barely had a signal. I literally had one spot in the house where I could get one. The joys of living in a rural area.

Spent most of my time keeping the generator full, checking on my neighbors, and checking out my dad's house—luckily for him, he'd left early Tuesday morning for a vacation—after rerouting to get to the airport. Downed trees were everywhere. All in all, though, we were very lucky that we didn't have a lot of damage. Unfortunately, my cousin had a tree fall on their house. Weirdly, we had another storm blow through on Thursday that caused three fires from lightning strikes. Mother Nature isn't messing around right now.

So … I had a very minimal viewing week. And I'm playing catch-up on my work projects. I don't mind being a little bit behind, mainly because I'm happy and grateful we still have a house and didn't lose our fully stocked freezers. A huge hat-tip to the linemen and workers who still have their hands full trying to restore power to other locations.

I did get an episode of The Snoopy Show in. I'm almost finished with the first season and I'll be checking out the second one after I'm done.

I caught the cast interviews for Loch Ness and enjoyed getting some insight into the characters and the actors portraying them. I'll be finishing up with behind the scenes sometime next week.

Finished up a Silent Witness two-parter and quite enjoyed the twisty turns the episode took. I'm very much liking the later seasons of this show.

Ended up completing season 24 of Classic Who. Mel is going off on her own adventure and it looks like Ace is going to be the new companion. I'll start season 25 this week.

Caught another episode of Most Terrifying Places in America. A focus on historical locations ended up being pretty interesting.

Watched another episode of The Mandalorian. Again, I love the pacing of this show. There are a lot of little moments that stack up to add great impact.

Got another episode of The Hardy Boys in and the plot is getting deeper. There's a lot of cat and mouse stuff going on and I kind of like it. The pacing is a little weird but I'm happy to overlook a few glitches.

Also caught another episode of Peak Practice to round out the week. Not sure if I'll be caught back up by my next post, but I'm only a little behind and can live with that.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Words Not Necessary, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Sometimes an outside observer can provide a lot of insight on a couple's relationship, even if they'll never understand it. London and Braun are so in tune with each other they rarely speak, yet their communication is evident for anyone to see.

And a sneaky peek…

Braun tucked an arm behind his head. He and London did have this weird way of talking without speaking. Sometimes, so in tune they just knew the other's thoughts.

And it's not always work-related.

Often while eating in the mess … they'd be casual and relaxed and he'd hand London the salt, even though he rarely, if ever, used it. Or, London would wrinkle her nose at the smell of the steamed greens and he'd have a smile on his face before she picked up the fork.

Her grimace said it all. "Smells like feet." She'd shudder and push the vegetables around.

He'd hand her the pepper. "It'll help kill the smell."

She always had a straw ready before he had to ask for one. And, he'd never told her how he liked his coffee, yet she always gave it to him with two creams and one sugar.

Even when something awful happened, they often had a form of nonverbal communication. After running an operation that went sideways, they lost a good pilot. After the service, both ended up at the memorial wall after their next shift.

London gave him a sideways glance. "He died too soon."

Braun put his arm around her. "Yeah, he did."

She put her head on his shoulder then turned into him. He held her and didn't blink when she lifted her chin and squarely met his gaze.

Her eyes said everything. "I need you."

He stroked a finger along her cheek. "I'm yours." He grasped her palm, twining their fingers together. "Let's go."

They made their way to their quarters and spent the entire night wrapped up in each other, focusing on living in the moment because one or both could be the next to fall.

London shifted in her sleep and pulled him from the memory. His heart kicked hard against his ribs for a moment. He didn't think he'd ever have a connection with anyone else like the one he shared with London. Frankly, didn't want one with anyone but her.

Maybe you should tell her that…

He would. Soon. But right now, he needed some shuteye. Pulling a throw up over them, he yawned and finally drifted off to sleep.

I'm approaching this story from a bit of a different angle and I like where it's going. This is a fun one to write.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Wires Crossed

We had some rain that gave us mild temperatures, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I don't mind hot weather but there's something about being able to be outside with a nice breeze and sunshine that makes me happy.

Solid work week. Had a few small projects that I cleared off my desk and had a new one arrive in my inbox. My plates seem to be spinning nicely at the moment.

Good week of viewing. I did the same thing as last week and only tried for one round of my usual streaming services. I might be adding one more to the list after talking to my sibling. He made some good recommendations.

Watched another episode of The Snoopy Show. This one had a vignette on using the library and happiness being a good book. I feel that sentiment all the way to my toes.

Caught another episode of Signora Volpe. I love this show. I truly hope there will be another series because there's only one episode left.

Viewed the first of a two-part Silent Witness and ended up being very intrigued. Very much looking forward to the second part of this one.

Enjoyed the second part of a Classic Who arc. It's nice to see a familiar face from a previous incarnation. The third part will be the end of this season, I think. I'm not sure if there's another one after this. If not, I'll be starting a new show before I dive into New Who.

Watched another episode of Most Terrifying Places in America. I'm fascinated by the legend and lore revealed in the sequences. I'm not sure I'd be cool with trying to stay somewhere that's known for being haunted but I love hearing about the stories.

Caught another episode of The Mandalorian. Gotta say I'm thoroughly enjoying this show. The pacing is excellent and I'm excited to see what happens next.

Viewed another episode of Harrow and I truly dislike the new boss. I'm also not thrilled with Grace's ex being in town. If there's another season and things get really convoluted, I'm done. As much as I love the cases, I don't want the other drama.

Enjoyed another episode of Blue Heelers. I liked seeing how another country handles the wildfires that tend to rage at the worst possible time. Not really into the whole taking the hospital hostage thing, mainly because the two characters are a little too over the top for me. We'll see how the second part goes this week.

Started a new MasterClass with Roxane Gay. I'm very much looking forward to her lessons.

Watched another Babysitter's Club and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. It's nice to see more of the sibling relationships and the way the parents interact.

Viewed two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. One was a favorite and the other was one I thoroughly enjoy.

Caught another episode of Chicago Med and discovered something I didn't know about one of the Chicago Fire characters. Good information. Also can't wait for Nat to discover she's being completely gaslit by her new fiancé. Here's hoping the fallout from that doesn't do too much damage.

Started the PassionFlix movie Tangled and I'm having fun watching it. I didn't know if I'd like this one but I'm so glad I'm watching.

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

Here's the mini-blurb:

Vanessa Twill and Justin Hardwick don't always see eye to eye and the tension between them is thick and taut. When a training exercise goes bad, the duo is grounded until they get their act together. Forced to communicate, they work out some issues and realize they didn't have their wires crossed … a saboteur did. Literally.

And a sneaky peek…

Justin exited the medbay and headed for the hangar deck. He'd built up a heady steam of anger and needed an outlet.

He spotted Vanessa coming in through the hatch of the briefing room and unloaded on her. "Five. Five trainees are injured. What the hell happened out there, Vanessa?" Her bullshit about hearing he'd changed the action plan didn't sit well with him.

Vanessa came rushing toward him. "You know what happened. Half the class got a last-minute update—from you." Her voice rose and several members of the deck crew looked their way.

His jaw clenched. "I told you, I didn't make an adjustment. We agreed on option A and I had no reason to change it." Even if he didn't care for that scenario.

Her mouth dropped open. "And you think I did? I'm the one that wanted option A in the first place. I wouldn't go with—"

"Enough!" The CO's voice echoed through the room. "You two. My quarters. Now." He didn't wait for a response, stalking out of the briefing area with quick steps.

Vanessa followed directly beside Justin, neither willing to give an inch. The angry tension stretched taut between them and didn't dissipate when they knocked shoulders entering the colonel's quarters. Justin finally conceded briefly and turned to the side until they were through the opening.

The colonel moved behind his desk. "Sit, both of you." He paced back and forth. "A shouting match that can be heard on the entire deck? I expect better from you." He paused, placing his hands on the surface. "You're both grounded and out of training rotation until you get your shit together." He yanked his chair out and sat down. "This juvenile back and forth is ridiculous. I'm ordering you two to stop pointing fingers at each other for this latest debacle. I don't care who did what. The cost of your stupidity is three downed birds and five of your trainees on the injured list. You're not flying again until you're on the same page." His tone became terse and clipped. "I've had it with both of you and I don't want to see or hear from either of you until you have your issues worked out." He paused a moment. "For real this time."

Vanessa shrank a little in the chair and Justin resisted the urge to hunch his shoulders forward. The blistering setdown stung—probably because they deserved it. The heat traveling up his neck had more to do with letting the colonel down than still being angry with Vanessa. Being mad wouldn't fix their situation.

The colonel waved a hand. "You're dismissed. Don't let me see or hear another argument. Got it?"

Justin stood and gave a nod.

Vanessa lifted her chin. "Yes, sir." She got to her feet and headed for the hatch.

Justin followed this time … he had to find a way to reach through the shroud of distrust and get to the truth.

This story has a little intrigue and I have fun writing it. Vanessa and Justin will end up finding some common ground once they get out their own way.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Wings Get Clipped

Welcome June! Seriously, I feel like I'm still floating around back in March. The months are flying by right now.

Had a weird week of struggling to focus and I couldn't tell you why I ended up being so distracted. That drives me insane.

Decent viewing week. I only went through one round of my usual streaming services again and I'm actually kind of okay with that. Sometimes I need a bit of a break and can use the quiet time.

I did get another episode of The Snoopy Show watched and enjoyed it. I like to think the whole Peanuts gang has a special place in the hearts of GenX. At least it does for me.

I finished up Loch Ness and actually quite enjoyed the series. The twists and turns ended up panning out better than I'd hoped. Definitely glad I watched this one.

Caught the second part of Silent Witness and loved the twistiness of this two-parter. I also love that there wasn't a shiny bow on the end. Good stuff.

Started a new arc of Classic Who and I'm kind of interested in how this one plays out. Again, I notice how much Mel ends up screaming. It's a thing.

Watched another episode of Most Terrifying Places in America. At some point, I'd love to see a series where the ghosts and ghouls are actually friendly and helpful. That said, I love seeing the interviews with people who experienced the creepy creatures. Pure gold.

Enjoyed another episode of The Mandalorian. I love the pacing and the little bits of information that turn up and reveal themselves. Good stuff.

Caught another episode of The Hardy Boys. Gotta say Joe is beginning to annoy me but I'm hoping there's a reason he's being such a prat. Fenton's storyline is getting interesting and I love that the grown-ups get some random fleshing out.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice and enjoyed the storylines. It feels like some groundwork is being laid for future seasons and I'm liking that.

Finished up a MasterClass series with Neil deGrasse Tyson. While it wasn't as in depth as I thought it would be, I did get a lot of his lessons. Not sure what I'll start next, but I'm leaning toward Roxane Gay's series.

Caught another The Babysitter's Club and thoroughly enjoyed. I'm glad they're adding another sitter to the club and I really like how they're featuring the members.

Watched another episode of the Ready Room and liked the interview with James Frain. I like his character and it's nice to get some insight into the complicated relationships he has with his family.

Started season five of Chicago Med and I'm sad to say good-bye to Connor. I do love how they sent him off, especially the farewells he had with Goodwin and his mentor. The Will and Nat storyline is one I'm a little on the fence with. I'm really not down with the interloper making conflict, but I'll reserve judgment. Maggie is breaking my heart.

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

Here's the mini-blurb:

In the middle of a war, a long-standing personal vendetta comes to light against Schuler Grace and Gren Gambolina's commanding officer and it puts the two soldiers directly in the line of fire. Fighting the enemy within, while doing battle with their adversaries on the warfront, Schuler and Gren form an unbreakable bond to see them through their biggest challenge.

And a sneaky peek…

Schuler Grace sat next to her fellow squadron leader Gren Gambolina in their commanding officer's quarters. Commodore David Wharton spoke quietly into his comm set, the call interrupting their daily briefing.

She slid her gaze toward Gren. "Do you know what's up?" Wharton rarely let anything sidetrack him from his schedule.

Gren rolled a shoulder. "No idea. But it's important or he wouldn't have taken the call."

A valid and true point. After an active operation, Wharton literally scheduled time for outside calls and didn't deviate from that designated block unless something—or someone—took a top priority. Schuler didn't want to speculate too much, especially after they'd had a successful campaign and pushed the enemy raiders back behind the asteroid system. Wharton pulled a page from a very old playbook and the tactic worked.

Too much to hope his call came from the top brass with congratulations. The commodore wouldn't have taken it, not when he had his two top squadron leaders in a briefing.

Wharton replaced the handset. "Sorry for the interruption. We're going to have to shift topics here." Placing his hands on his desk, he took a moment before lifting his gaze to meet his two leaders' squarely. "I've just received word we'll have a new addition to the command structure. Admiral Marcus Shellan has been named the supreme commander of the Andromeda theater and will be headed our way."

Gren blinked. "I thought the admiral was commanding in the Triangulum theater. We're holding our own here. Why make the move now?"

Schuler echoed his question. "Yeah. We finally have the Mandanirs behind the asteroid system. If we hold them there, mining can start on the moon." Why bring in a top gun at this stage?

Wharton lifted his chin. "There's more to the maneuver than how well we're holding our own or not." He let out a sigh. "I'm gonna give it to you two straight. The admiral and I have a history and it's not one I like to revisit."

Schuler bit her tongue to keep a gasp from escaping. Wharton loved history. He conducted impromptu classes on the subject to anyone willing to participate. Saying he didn't like to meant something big had gone down between the men.

Gren held up a hand. "Look, sir, if this isn't something you want to get in to, we'll understand."

Wharton shook his head. "No, you need a heads-up. Things are going to get very tricky when Shellan arrives." He leaned back and folded his arms over his chest. "The admiral's daughter died under my command about ten years ago. We were stationed on a remote outpost and the Shiites launched a sneak attack." He frowned. "She got caught in the crossfire when she threw herself in front of me and didn't survive the trip home."

Schuler huffed out a breath. "Wow." A loss for certain. "That's terrible."

The Shiites were defeated not long after that attack on the outpost.

Gren went more practical with his response. "She remembered her training. Protect the command. We're all taught that's a possibility."

Wharton grunted. "Doesn't matter. Shellan blames me regardless of the fact we were shutting that anchorage down and moving to a new location or that Anni had just made lieutenant and volunteered to stay because she wanted the experience. He throws up every roadblock he can to hold me back or mess with my command." He straightened. "To that end, you two can expect new orders, and be prepared because he'll attempt to have you act as spies by giving him information about how I operate."

Schuler frowned. "Why us?" Did the admiral not realize Wharton had a loyal crew?

Wharton relaxed his stance. "Because you're my best and Shellan will use that."

Schuler already hated the guy. "He can try, sir." She slid her gaze toward Gren.

He had his eyes narrowed. "How long until the admiral arrives?"

Wharton snorted. "The communication liaison said TBD. Which means we'll know when he wants us to and not a moment before. He'll do a full inspection of the ship within five minutes of arrival."

Schuler's mouth dropped open. "In the middle of a war zone?" What kind of fuckery would that create?

Wharton shrugged. "He'll do as he pleases." He pinned them with his gaze. "And making me squirm pleases him. A lot."

Gren lifted his chin. "Then let's not give him the satisfaction of making you dance a jig."

Schuler agreed. "Exactly. We'll start getting everyone shipshape immediately."

Wharton got to his feet. "Much appreciated. You're dismissed."

Schuler had a list before they hit the hatch on the way out. Gren gave her a nod and they parted ways at the junction of the corridor. She loved how she didn't even need to confer with him. They'd meet in the training room after they gave their squadrons notice.

I like where this story is going … I finally found the thread I wanted to carry through the whole thing.

 

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

ML Skye