Sunday Snippet: Napalm at Night

Happy St. Patrick's Day! It's been a chaotic week with work projects and life stuff going on. And my distraction levels are making me frustrated. But … I'm still getting stuff done so I can't really complain.

I definitely didn't make a full round of shows this week. Just didn't have the bandwidth with my focus being all over the place.

I did catch an episode of The Batman and had vague memories of watching this the first time around. Joker episodes are hit and miss in the version of the dark knight.

Watched an episode of My Life Is Murder and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm almost finished with this show, and I'll miss it when I'm done. Such a fun cast of characters.

Caught another episode of Midsomer Murders and again enjoyed the mystery. I'd seen something of a similar nature of the plot based on a true story, so this episode ended up being a lot of fun.

Finished up the final episode of Silent Witness season twenty-five. I'll be starting season twenty-six this week. Ended up really enjoying the limited episode run.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Napalm at Night, a novella that mixes a Viet Nam War vibe into the plot.

Here's the miniblurb:

Napalm at night is dangerous stuff. Jensen Wallis, an extraordinary helicopter pilot, makes her fair share of early dawn rescues after enemy forces unleash the potent explosives on her fellow soldiers. She comes to the aid of Rip Rafferty's squadron and gets them to safety, but not before the enigmatic man sets her curious nature on fire.

And a sneaky peek…

Rip spun his empty shot glass on the table, trying to decide if he'd order another. A shadow fell across the surface, but he didn't glance up. He hadn't made up his mind yet and the private would wait a few moments before heading back behind the bar.

The smoky voice that haunted his dreams broke the quiet. "Can I buy you a drink, Gunny?"

Rip's gaze shot upward, and he blinked … not quite certain the vision standing before him wouldn't disappear. She still invaded his dreams every night but, of course, never stuck around when the light of dawn broke every day. When her smile spread slowly across her face, his heart kicked hard against his ribs. She's really here.

And a decision to have another suddenly appealed greatly.

He couldn't contain a grin. "Damn. You're an incredible sight to brighten the surroundings." He remembered his manners. "And a welcome distraction." He pushed the chair opposite him away from the table then held up his glass. "Another drink sounds great."

She turned toward the bar, but the private already had two shots on a tray and headed their way.

Jensen smirked and settled across from him. "Terrific service. You don't even have to get the bartender's attention to place an order." She tilted her head, her gaze roaming over Rip.

He didn't mind, because he looked his fill, too. She surpassed his fantasy dreams. Of course, she'd opted against the standard-issue ponytail. Still damp hair grazed her shoulders, and the fresh scent of something light and airy tickled his nostrils. His body reacted more to her than the entertainment troop full of gorgeous women that pulled out yesterday.

Something extremely sexy about imagining what her fatigues covered instead of a full-on display of her assets.

His lips curved. "It's really good to see you. In person, I mean."

She shot him a confused look.

He dropped his chin. "Uh, apparently when my fever kept spiking, you were in my dreams." The part about her not leaving them could wait.

Her eyes widened. "I heard you insisted on waiting until your men were treated and your wound got infected." She shook her head. "You're lucky sepsis didn't set in."

Rip grunted. "They were in worse shape. But it got a little sketchy for a while." More than a little, but he'd survive.

She placed her hand on his. "You're pretty damned amazing."

Rip didn't agree, but he wouldn't ruin her compliment by arguing. Not when he craved her company so badly. Something about Jensen Wallis intrigued the hell out of him.

So far, this story is chugging along at a wonderful pace and the characters are following their expected trajectory. We'll see if that holds.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Napalm at Night

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. We're having some unseasonably chilly and rainy weather but it's nice to have my youngest home for the weekend.

Had a weird mix of editing work and a bunch of stuff I needed to catch up on this week. I did manage to get some solid writing time in also, which makes me very happy. I finished up a manuscript I've been working on for a long time and got it ready for some beta readers! I also finished a sexy short and have it ready for some critique as well.

Not a bad week for television. I started a new to me show on Hulu with The Hardy Boys. The first episode had a lot going on but I enjoyed it. My brother highly recommended the series because he liked it a lot. We remember the original Hardy Boys from way back in the day so I'll go with his recommendation.

I started a Master Class series on graphic design. I'm not going to win any awards, but I have an interest in the topic and I like to know what goes into making things like book covers and media for marketing purposes. I have several more classes to watch and I'm looking forward to them.

Caught the second episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. So far, I'm still in. I like looking at the world through Sabrina's eyes and watching how everyone reacts with her. I'm split down the middle with the aunts and I love her cousin. Harvey and Sabrina's friends are fun also. The jury is out on the teacher. I have a bit of a hang up about the actress because she played a character I really didn't like on Doctor Who. That's not her fault, it's part of the Moffet era that I didn't enjoy.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice and it was a tough one, but I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to seeing the next one even though Beth and Jack are kind of going through the wringer right now.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. It's interesting to see how witness protection works in another country. I also love to see how the small-town heelers have a better grasp on how things work than the big city guys.

I finished the first season of Picard and, wow, I did not expect to be a sobbing mess. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the show. It took me some time to really get into the series, but I ended up getting pretty invested in the core group. I am left with a couple of questions, which isn't a bad thing. I'll look forward to seeing if those get answered in the second season.

Caught another episode of Chicago Med and it's part of a crossover event I remember watching. I'm ready for the next episode, hopefully this week.

Last but not least, I caught another Passionflix holiday Quickie with Just Say When. It was on the shorter side but didn't suffer for it. A nice little bit of angsty merriment.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Napalm at Night, a novella that's actually one of my favorite stories to write.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Napalm at night is dangerous stuff. Jensen Wallis, an extraordinary helicopter pilot, makes her fair share of early dawn rescues after enemy forces unleash the potent explosives on her fellow soldiers. She comes to the aid of Rip Rafferty's squadron and gets them to safety, but not before the enigmatic man sets her curious nature on fire.

And a sneaky peek…

Jensen smoothly landed the helicopter at the mobile hospital and shut everything down. The hospital staff came and offloaded the three soldiers she'd brought in. Two wounded, one dead. He'd died during the flight because she hadn't been fast enough to get him here. The loss settled on her shoulders.

Her head slumped forward. "At least I have forty-eight hours downtime." Two days and then back out to death and carnage and mysterious soldiers that somehow defied the odds and managed to get under her skin.

She couldn't stop thinking about the gunnery sergeant. Rip Rafferty. He'd taken up residence in her head for the past two weeks.

Sliding out of the bird, she grabbed her maintenance log. "Maybe I'll ask about him … and his men." She hoped they'd all recovered or were on their way to doing so.

Dropping off the log, she gave a brief rundown of several repairs she'd like to get while on leave. The mechanic on duty assured her they'd get to her helicopter before she left. Jensen thanked him and headed for the command center to check in with the quartermaster or the clerk, Marie Bider.

The much cooler interior had goose bumps rising on her skin. "Wow, it's so much cooler in here." She sent a smile in the clerk's direction.

Her lips curved in return. "I know. The guys in the motor pool devised what they're calling swamp coolers." Her finger crooked and she gestured for Jensen to come around the desk.

She eyed a bucket with a fan on top and holes cut in the sides under the brim. The fan blew over water soaked pads and the air expelled blew cool and breezy out of the vents. Jensen glanced up and found one in each corner of the squared space.

She chuckled. "Ingenious. And it really makes a difference." Going back around the desk, she handed the clerk her papers. "I've got forty-eight hours of downtime. Do you have any quarters?" If they didn't, she'd have to hop a ride to the next mobile unit.

Marie smiled. "You're in luck. Had a group of entertainers ship out last night. Their quarters are available." She snagged a clipboard and jotted Jensen's name on the page. "Sign here and you're set. You can get your gear and head over."

Jensen scribbled her name on the line. "How far are the showers from where I'm staying?" She couldn't wait to wash the grit from her skin.

Marie laughed. "About two units down on the opposite side." She grabbed a shower kit and handed it to Jensen. "Got these from those entertainers. A group of singers and, man, they had a butt load of supplies. The soap is to die for."

Jensen tucked the kit under her arm. "Terrific. Thank you." Might be nice to not smell like military issue blandness.

Marie nodded. "You're welcome. I'm happy to share." She settled back down in her seat.

Before Jensen headed for the door, she paused. "Hey, I brought a group of five marines in a couple of weeks ago. The commanding officer is Rip Rafferty. How are they doing?"

Marie's face fell a little. "They're all right, but it was a close call for Gunnery Sergeant Rafferty." She huffed out a breath.

Jensen's eyes went wide. "But he didn't seem badly injured. What happened?"

Marie shook her head. "He demanded that his men get triaged first. By the time the med team got to the gunny, infection had set in. What should've been a simple procedure turned into a race to get him pumped full of antibiotics and keep his fever down." She tsked. "He's lucky. Really lucky."

Jensen didn't have to make much of a leap to imagine how things played out. "So, he's going to be okay?"

Marie got up and came around the front of her desk. "He will be, yes. He's still in limited quarantine because the doctors don't want him back out in the battle yet. He's still too weak for extended action."

Jensen had doubts about that. He'd proven to be almost superhuman.

She lifted her chin. "So, he's still here then."

Marie's lips quirked. "He is. Right now, he's probably in the canteen, the one that serves alcohol. He gets up to six hours a day of light exercise before he has to go back to quarters." She leaned in. "From what I hear, he's stir-crazy and pushing to be released so he can meet up with his men."

Jensen snorted. "Not surprising. From my brief experience with him, he wouldn't want them out there without him." But at least she'd have a chance to maybe see him again.

The man intrigued her a lot.

Marie jerked her head toward the door. "You're not wrong. And you have about an hour before he's back in mandatory confinement." Her lips twitched.

Jensen laughed. "Better get that shower in pretty quick, huh." She waved and headed out to do exactly that.

I'm hoping I can work on this a little more in the near future. I'm excited about Jensen and Rip's journey.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Napalm at Night

Season's Greetings!

As usual, I'm running around like a crazy woman finishing up everything at the last moment. I'm only halfway through Operation Wrap Shit Up but I'll get it all done. I always do… even if it's not until four a.m. Christmas morning. LOL

Slow week in television, which isn't a bad thing because I had a few editing projects to finish up and I didn't need the distraction. I did manage to finish the first season of Chicago Fire and I can't wait for the second season to start arriving in my mailbox.

I have the Murdoch Mysteries holiday special ready to watch while we're decorating our tree later tonight. I'm looking forward to the Doctor Who special if only to watch the regeneration into a new doctor. Sadly, I never warmed up to Capaldi as the Doctor and I'm ready for a new face.

I still have the Riverdale winter finale to watch and I'm hoping to finish up my wrapping while viewing that episode. Considering I'll probably be going nonstop until the wee hours, I might even watch it more than once. LOL

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Napalm at Night, a novella that started as a prompted fanfic where the requester asked to have the female character working as a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam and the male character as a soldier behind enemy lines. I liked the concept and wanted to put a sci-fi romance spin on the story.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Napalm at night is dangerous stuff. Jensen Wallis, an extraordinary helicopter pilot, makes her fair share of early dawn rescues after enemy forces unleash the potent explosives on her fellow soldiers. She comes to the aid of Rip Rafferty's squadron and gets them to safety, but not before the enigmatic man sets her curious nature on fire.

And a sneaky peek…

Rip thrashed on the cot, his mind filled with grisly images of men falling and the world around them burning. The cloyingly acrid stench of napalm surrounded him, stinging his nostrils and choking the air from his throat. The shit sticks to everything else, why not my insides?

A cool, wet cloth bathed his face. Is someone coating me with the stuff?

No, napalm burns even when it's not on fire.

He struggled to break free, wanted to get away from the reeking perfume of gasoline and detergent stink. His body rebelled. No… strong hands held him down. Caught between a nightmare and reality, Rip did what instinct demanded.

He fought.

Wrenching an arm out and up, he caught his captor by the throat. "Get off. Now." When he couldn't move his legs, he bucked his hips and arched his back. "Get away from me."

"Shhh, gunny, take it easy. You're not in a battle right now." The female voice spoke in soothing tones then turned commanding. "Let him go. If he reopens the wound, Doc Cassidy will bust us all down a rank." The damp cloth swished over his face again.

"But, corporal, he won't stay still—"

The last vestige of nightmare melted away and he remembered what happened. Hospital. An image of a cool brunette filled his mind and he relaxed, picturing her smile. Jensen. Right. A helicopter-flying angel, waiting on the horizon to rescue him and his men.

Saving him from death.

"See, he's calming down. You each should know what he's going through. Not so long since this was you lying on a cot trying to recover only to be caught in the throes of a nightmare." She took on a stern tone again. "Go on, get moving. There's plenty to do out there." Placing a hand on Rip's forehead, she spoke quietly. "Get some rest, gunny. You'll be okay now." Her footsteps echoed on the wood planks.

Rip tried to wake up. He wanted to ask about his men. Instead, the image of Jensen flashed in his mind and he gave up the ghost. If he couldn't be more than semiconscious, spending time with an angel might chase the dark dreams away.

And hopefully keep me on the right side of sanity.

Gotta say I love writing this one. My goal is to evoke the idea of what Viet Nam might have been like but keeping the setting firmly based on a recently terra-formed planet.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Napalm at Night

Hello,

It's back!! Strike Back premiered Friday night and had me ready to throw things in the first two minutes of the episode. THAT'S a good show, folks. LOL

Tonight's post is inspired by soldiers Stonebridge and Scott. Rip Rafferty is a man who gets shit done, and Jensen Wallis falls hard for him. Napalm at Night is set on a different planet, but hopefully has something of a Vietnam War feel to it. I really wanted the vibe of not knowing exactly why the fight is so important.

Here's the tagline:

Napalm at night is dangerous stuff. Jensen Wallis, an extraordinary helicopter pilot, makes her fair share of early dawn rescues after enemy forces unleash the potent explosives on her fellow soldiers. She comes to the aid of Rip Rafferty's squadron and gets them to safety, but not before the enigmatic man sets her curious nature on fire.

And a sneaky peek…

Jensen landed the chopper, eyes scanning the dense underbrush for signs of life. Freaked her out when a head popped up in the open side door.

The mud-covered face spoke. "I've got five wounded. We have time to get 'em all loaded?"

She stared into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen, made more so by the dirt and caked on moss adhered to his skin. Even under all the grime, his chiseled features stood out.

"Lieutenant? Are we clear? Can I start bringing my men in?" He used her rank, snapping her back to the matter at hand.

She gave a jerky nod, trying to calm the rapid staccato of her heart. Good God, five wounded.

He took off, melting into the foliage, disappearing. She lost track of him completely until he trudged out, carrying a fallen comrade over his shoulders. She wanted to help get the guy in, but couldn't leave the controls. If they had to cut loose in a hurry, she'd be more useful if she stayed put.

A soft thud sounded behind her and she scanned the area, looking for the soldier. Again she couldn't find him, his stealth skill better than any she'd ever seen. Blinking, she shook her head. The guy had two more men, dragging them through the tall grass by their shirt collars. How the hell he managed when both were prone, she had no clue. Twisting around, she tried to get a closer look, but could only hear the rustling sound and grunt when he hefted first one, then the other up into the chopper.

Quickly facing forward, her gaze met empty field again. How did he melt into the surroundings? Narrowing her eyes, she breathed a sigh of relief when he emerged from the shadows, helping two more soldiers make their way to the copter. Neither looked completely conscious, but when she glanced back, one got in under his own steam and the other with a little assistance from his commanding officer. Each man sprawled where they landed and stayed put.

Her marine climbed up into the second seat and put the headset on. He winced and dropped his right hand.

She leaned forward and made an adjustment, catching sight of his wound. "You okay? You're bleeding a lot."

His fingers went to his shoulder. "It went through. I'll be fine."

He looked pale and winded—definitely not fine.

She eased the copter off the ground and headed for the MASH unit. "What the hell happened?"

He stared straight ahead. "Ambush. We spread out and got caught from both sides." A hard edge crept into his tone. "Napalm. Got cut off from the rest of the platoon."

Jensen wanted to hurl after catching a faint whiff of the unmistakable aroma. "Fuck." She jerked her head toward the back. "The first one you brought out? He gonna make it?"

The marine shook his head. "He's already gone. But I couldn't leave him behind. We were on the other side of the line."

Her eyes widened. "How far over?"

He shot her a sideways glance. "Three clicks."

She barely kept her mouth from dropping open. "You drug him all the way back?" The guy had to have a streak of insanity running through him.

He shrugged. "Him. Jeffs, Martinez, and Lambert. Dobbie crossed under his own steam, but dropped half a mile back." He winced and applied pressure to his wound.

Jensen huffed out a harsh breath. "Jesus. Are you human?"

His lips quirked. "I don't know." His mouth thinned and the life went out of his gaze. "Not sure I know what that means anymore." He leaned back, his eyes sliding closed.

Jensen concentrated on flying, leaving him to rest and maybe find some peace.

When she landed, she stayed out of the way while the men got unloaded. Her marine staggered out of the helicopter and started heading for the triage unit.

Jensen called out. "Hey, marine. Didn't catch your name."

He paused and angled his head around. "Rafferty. Rip Rafferty. Thanks for the lift." He touched two fingers to his forehead in a salute.

She nodded. "Jensen Wallis. And you're welcome." She swung back up into the pilot's seat. "Hope you don't have to hang out here very long."

He lifted a hand and turned back toward the mobile hospital. Jensen got another call and lifted off to head out for another run.

She had an eerie feeling she'd be seeing Rafferty again.

And she totally will be seeing him again and not under the best circumstances. L

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

ML Skye