Sunday Snippet: Call to Come Home

Whew. What a week. Between everything going on in the US, most of which is terrible, and the yucky weather, I'm exhausted. One of my goals for this year is to take better care of myself, so I'm making some plans to do that. Getting better sleep is topping the list right now.

Work projects are stacking up and I'm happy to be busy. February is shaping up to be another good month for editing! I also have two birthdays to prepare for and one of them is a big one!

Had a decent week of viewing. I made it through my usual shows even though I tried to get to bed earlier than usual.

Finished up my rewatch of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries regular season shows. I'll be hitting the movie this week.

Started the fifth series of Foyle's War and forgot how much of a banger the opener was. And a holiday episode to boot. But very glad to have the whole wife thing out of the way.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness and look forward to finishing it up this week. The two new characters are growing on me. I love the newest tech, and the new head of the Lyell is finally settling in.

Caught another episode of Poirot and thoroughly enjoyed the many twists and turns. Gotta say I miss it when Hastings and Miss Lemon aren't in the show, but it's fun to see Japp and Poirot on their own also.

Elementary didn't disappoint. I'm looking forward to seeing how the season ends and what the resolution will be between Sherlock and Joan, Moreland, and the offshoot of Moriarity's group.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond and it's one I didn't remember or only have a vague recollection. Ended up enjoying.

Also enjoyed another episode of Star Trek Lower Decks. I'm kind of feeling like the show finally found its groove. Or at least I found my groove with the show.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Call to Come Home, a novella that brings a couple back together after they went their separate ways.

Here's the miniblurb:

Hollace is on a mission in enemy territory to retrieve power cells to keep their temporary base station running. She bumps into a man she shares a past with the presumed dead son of her commanding officer. When Verge refuses to leave with her, ignoring the call to come home, she takes matters into her own hands to reunite father and son … and to pick up where she and Verge left off.

And a sneaky peek…

Verge Olafsson called a halt to a training exercise. "All right. Let's stop here for today." He waited until everyone huddled closer and gave out a list of assignments. "Marins, take a group of five out and scout for survivors and scavenge for more equipment. Maybe over by the campus? We haven't cleared all the buildings yet." Grabbing a clipboard, he started to read down the list of other things he needed to accomplish today.

Josh Marins held up a hand. "You want us to bring equipment back or take an inventory?" He tagged five people, a mix of his regulars and two new individuals.

Verge frowned. "For now, figure on an inventory. Unless you find other survivors and they're in good enough shape to help haul anything back." He'd give a lot right now to have more vehicles that wouldn't attract the wrong kind of attention.

Marins grunted. "You got it." He led his team out of the commons room in the abbey.

If anyone told Verge he'd be the de facto leader of a ragtag group of men and women, he would've laughed. That they'd become something of a resistance group and major thorn in the side of the enemy combatants trying to destroy the planet still blew his mind. But they wanted to throw sand in the gears, and they looked to him to help them do it. His old man would shit himself if he found out his son actually used the military training he'd gone through before he bumped to reserve status to pursue a degree in eco-preservation.

Verge snorted. "Guess it wasn't all for nothing." Not that he'd ever be able to tell his dad.

Or that the man would care.

Two of his female members approached, no doubt wanting a task for the day.

Layla flashed a quick smile. "Where do you need us today?" She bounced on her toes, raring to get started.

Verge checked a box on his list. "You and Rosario can harvest what's ready in the solarium." He'd created a makeshift greenhouse in the little room in the abbey's main house.

The women each nodded and headed for the exit.

Verge gathered the remainder of the group and led them to the chapel area where they'd help sort through clothing and personal items then store them for anyone else that joined them.

He made his way to small cottage nestled behind the larger church building and left the door open to let the weak sunlight stream in. He might as well take advantage of the first non-rainy day they'd had in over a week and save the candles and lanterns as much as possible.

The good thing about making their base of operations at the Abbey of Dawnton? Aside from being fairly easy to guard because of the circular perimeter of the buildings and the extensive stone walls surrounding the property, the place had a huge store of supplies to make candles, fill lanterns, and stoke fires.

But those things wouldn't last forever, and Verge had no idea how or even if they could hold up in this location, or if they could even survive on the planet with an occupying force set on destruction. At some point, he might have to consider finding a way to get off this rock and maybe evacuate to one of the orbiting anchorages. He shied away from that idea for now.

Settling in behind the desk, he leaned back in the chair. "More important to keep these people grounded and pull in as many supplies as we can." And survivors.

There had to be more out there. He wouldn't leave anyone behind … not if they had any hope of starting over somewhere.

Or remaining here … where all his memories of what could have been were all around him.

Pretty pleased with how this one is shaping up. Verge is a challenge but I enjoy writing him.

 

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

ML Skye