Sunday Snippet: Out of the Box, Into the Burn

Ugh. Still feeling terrible and under the weather. The respiratory yuck that's going around in my area is awful. I think I'm through the worst. Fingers crossed!

Had a whole slew of new projects land in my inbox this week. I'm so thankful for the work and truly hope I can get back to a normal schedule where I don't crash several times a day and need to rest.

Slow viewing week, mainly due to the aforementioned rest periods. When I only got about two to three hours of sleep at a stretch, those nap sessions were super important.

I started the fifth and final season of Suspects. Wow, brutal opening episode and kind of a heartbreaker. I have a feeling Jack is going to go completely off the rails. And Charlie needs to have a moment to grieve and wrap her head around everything.

I finished the tenth season of Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this show so much. I'll look forward to the next season with lots of anticipation.

Caught another episode of Best in Paradise. I rather liked meeting Humphrey's dad and rewatching this episode ended up being a great reminder of how fierce Florence could be.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. I'd watched a little of this one and I'm glad I got to see it from beginning to end. Very twisty plot threads in this one.

Watched another episode of Elementary. Nice to see Mycroft again. Loved the new dynamic between the brothers. Gotta say I'm on the fence with the whole Watson sleeping with Mycroft deal, but we'll see if I come down on one side or the other later.

Caught an episode of The Batman and it's one I remember from my original watch. I liked seeing Dick in school and the double-cross by the Riddler ended up being fun. The ending, though, topped everything.

Enjoyed a Classic Rugrats episode that departed from the normal two to three vignettes. "Finsterella" was such a fun episode of the show.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Out of the Box, Into the Burn, a novella where the characters face a challenge of brining change to old-school ways.

Here's the miniblurb:

Parry Thrum, a superior pilot, is sidetracked with an injury and relegated to planning a mission on an enemy outpost instead of flying in to save the day. When one of her superiors rejects every parameter she comes up with, Blake Bradley, another excellent pilot, steps in and backs her up—the out of the box, into the burn approach is just the thing to take their opponent by surprise, and a very Parry plan.

And a sneaky peek…

Blake didn't bother changing into his uniform before heading for Commandant Wagner's quarters. "I'd like a quick word with the commandant." He made it a request, but he wouldn't take no for an answer.

The marine guard announced Blake then nodded for him to enter after Wagner gave the okay.

Wagner stood at the monitor, watching the gun camera footage. Blake didn't need to see the screen … the carnage would haunt his dreams for the foreseeable future. They lost another half of a squadron, which meant they would be a full one down.

Wagner didn't speak until the display went dark. "Captain, did you know the dual maneuver the pilots used out there is one your grandfather came up with?" He shot a quick look toward Blake. "And it's the first one I learned and executed under his tutelage?" His shoulders slumped a little.

Blake gave a nod. "I do, sir. Grandpa has a keen mind and isn't afraid to roll a hard run into something else." He chose his words carefully because he didn't like using the family connection.

But this situation justified pulling the card and putting it in play. Kip Wagner went way back with Thomas Bradley, first learning then serving under him. Blake also had a sneaking suspicion, the elder Bradley pulled strings to get his grandson a post under Wagner's command.

Wagner squared his shoulders and narrowed his eyes. "You saying I'm not capable of doing the same?" His tone suggested Blake needed to step with caution.

Blake shook his head. "No, sir. Not you specifically." He left the rest unsaid, letting Wagner draw his own conclusion.

Kip motioned for Blake to take a seat. "You've got something to say, so spit it out, Bradley." He propped his hip on the edge of his desk.

Blake settled in the chair opposite the commandant. "You've seen the carnage. What we're doing isn't working. We're down a full squadron now." He didn't have to tell Wagner, the man already knew, but saying the words kept the loss close to the surface where it needed to be.

Wagner grunted. "Why are you here, Captain?" He lifted his chin, indicating Blake should speak freely.

Blake unloaded. "If you don't want to lose more people, you have to let someone—anyone—else plan the missions. Colonel Carbine can't or won't see past standard tactics and procedures." When Wagner didn't bust Blake for insubordination, he kept going. "The biggest challenge we face is our enemy knows our maneuvers … because they learned from the same playbook. We're not fighting against unknown tangoes. We're fighting former colleagues and comrades in arms. They know exactly how to counter anything we use out there." He stopped because if he continued, Carbine would be next on the list and Blake didn't want to open that avenue right now.

The loss of fellow pilots still burned, and the stench of defeat lingered.

Wagner shifted slightly from his perch on the desk and pinned Blake with a steady stare. "You're laying all this at the XO's feet then? What about me? What's my responsibility here?" He folded his arms across his chest.

Blake didn't flinch. "If I may speak freely, sir, we're all at fault here. With the possible exception of Lieutenant Thrum. She's been banging the drum of alarm for weeks now." And Parry suffered the consequences of her actions.

Wagner's brows rose. "Why am I only hearing of this now?" He pushed up to his feet and paced back and forth. "I haven't been informed of any pushback regarding the mission ops." He stopped and gave Blake another questioning glance.

Blake sighed. "I have to assume the XO is leaving that out of his reports to you then. Because Parry has been very vocal during the mission briefings." Not to mention she'd nailed the problem on its head.

The commandant lifted his chin. "So, what's the solution?"

Blake shook his head. "Sir, it's not my place—"

Wagner cut him off. "Don't give me that, captain. You didn't come here without an action plan or use your family connection for nothing." One eyebrow arched, daring Blake to refute the statement.

Blake winced. "You're right, sir. I didn't." He exhaled on a slow breath. "If you want me to offer a suggestion … we need to think way outside the box here."

I love this story. Parry and Blake are a great team in the air, and they'll be excellent strategists when planning a mission also.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Out of the Box, Into the Burn

August 1, 2021 

So … I can't believe it's already August. I'm kind of not ready for the summer to be waning down and fall to gear up. Because once fall hits, the holidays are around the corner and I'm not quite ready for that yet. LOL

Had a decent week of watching television again. I finished up the last two episodes of Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. They were set around the holidays but the Christmas one only hinted about the season. The finale took place on New Year's Eve and I loved it. LOVED IT!! Even Percy the Putz didn't annoy me overmuch. And Peregrine and James are kind of back on track and that makes me very happy. I'm very much looking forward to a third series and crossing my fingers that it happens.

Caught both episodes of Silent Witness's season twelve opener. I should have remembered these but I didn't. Enjoyed the cases and look forward to more. Twelve is a little longer than usual so there's that, too.

Finished up season seventeen of Classic Who and started season eighteen. I'd forgotten Four got a different scarf but rediscovered that fact in the first arc of eighteen. I like the first one the best.

Watched two more episodes of UFO Witness. These episodes feel a little staged but they're interesting. I'll finish out and see where it ends up.

Started season three of The Muppet Show and got four episodes watched. The guest stars were Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson, Leo Sayer, Roy Clark, and Gilda Radner. I like the small changes to the opening and the show set-up. Looking forward to more.

Began a new documentary series with McCartney 3, 2, 1. I watched two episodes and loved both of them. I'm excited to see the rest because it's not focused only on the Beatles. It looks like we'll see a full scope of McCartney's music.

Caught two more Peak Practice episodes. So far, season four is pretty solid. I'll look forward to seeing the rest of the season.

Was able to catch two more Master Class lessons with LeVar Burton. He spoke about authentic storytelling and connecting with your audience. I got some good information from both lessons. I also enjoy listening to him speak; he's very eloquent without being stuffy.

Ended up watching two episodes of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I thoroughly loved the Doctor Cerebus episode and I'm going to keep all the scenarios in mind for later seasons. I have a feeling several easter eggs were dropped in that one. Not as much of a fan of the dark wedding episode. I absolutely loathe Blackwood and I'm hoping it's not going to become a case where my dislike of him ruins the show like it did with Hiram and Riverdale. I literally can't watch any scene he's in without hating it.

Watched two episodes of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Finished up the first season and started the second. Nice to see and learn a little more about Breen. This show is just quirky enough to really hold my interest. I got annoyed with one of the detectives in the finale, but I'll reserve judgment because I love her otherwise.

Caught the second episode of Star Trek: Discovery. It went in a direction I totally didn't expect but I'm down for being surprised. So far, I'm enjoying the show and look forward to a redemption arc for Michael.

Finished up season one of Chicago Med and truly enjoyed the finale. Colin Donnell continues to be amazing to watch. I loved him in Arrow and really enjoy him in Med. The opening episode of season two is very entertaining.

Loved Passionflix's season two episode of Driven. I'm thrilled there are two more eps to watch and another season to follow.

Last but not least, I got another episode of New Rugrats watched and I have to admit I love the new version. Definitely not the same as the classic version but the updates are spot on and fun to watch.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Out of the Box, Into the Burn, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Parry Thrum, a superior pilot, is sidetracked with an injury and relegated to planning a mission on an enemy outpost instead of flying in to save the day. When one of her superiors rejects every parameter she comes up with, Blake Bradley, another excellent pilot, steps in and backs her up—the out of the box, into the burn approach is just the thing to take their opponent by surprise, and a very Parry plan.

And a sneaky peek…

Parry Thrum shot a quick look in Blake Bradley's direction, the only warning she'd give for what would happen next. "All due respect, but you're wrong. Sir." She addressed Colonel Ernst Carbine, also known as the idiot giving the latest briefing.

Blake's shoulders slumped and he shook his head. He'd warned her to back off and not give the colonel any trouble. The man didn't appreciate when she interrupted him.

Colonel Carbine stopped talking and gave her a nasty glare. "No one asked for your opinion, Thrum. You got a problem you can speak when it's time to ask questions." He huffed out an angry breath.

Parry rolled her eyes. "Right. But only if you call on me … which you won't." He never did because she asked about stuff he didn't have answers for.

Carbine jabbed a finger toward the exit. "Get out. Now. Your buddy, Bradley, can inform you about this operation."

Parry sighed and got up. "He won't have to. Your parameters are straight out of our outdated protocols and we're going to get hammered out there." She shook her head and started for the hatch.

Carbine came around the podium and stalked after her. "Hold up there, Thrum. Who the hell do you think you are?" He grabbed her arm and gave her a shake.

Temper flaring, she jerked away and stumbled backward butting up against the row of seats and losing her balance. She went down hard, getting her leg stuck between the back of the fold down seat and the arm.

White hot pain shot through her knee and she winced, trying to wrench free. "Holy crap. That hurts."

Gasps sounded around her and everyone turned, climbing up to check on her. Blake's head popped up over the rest and he grimaced then shot Carbine a quelling glare.

He nudged one of the pilots on the end of the row. "Better call the medics. She's not walking out of here."

Filled with panic, Parry sat up then grabbed the back of the seat in front of her with one hand and the cushion of the seat behind her with the other. "No, don't. I'm fine." She pushed up, sucking in a pained breath before her vision started swimming.

Blake's hand clasped her shoulder. "You're so not fine. Stay down before you do more damage to your leg." He crouched down. "Not exactly the exit you were hoping for, yeah?"

She bit down on a snarky comeback and shrugged. "Maybe not, but someone had to say something. We've lost half a squadron." Because they kept using the same three maneuvers against enemy combatants that they trained, for fuck's sake.

Blake gave a brief nod then backed out of the way when two medics came rolling in with a gurney and their med bags. Parry tried to quell the nervous tension building in her shoulders but she didn't have to look at their faces when they rolled her pant leg up to assess her injury. She'd definitely sprained her knee, maybe worse. A loud buzzing filled her head when they immobilized her leg and got her loaded on the cot. She glanced up and met Blake's gaze then closed her eyes in defeat. She'd be a scratch for this mission and she could only hope they didn't lose any more pilots before someone finally came to their senses and tried something new.

I'm completely sure where this one is going but the scenes are clear when they pop into my head. Looking forward to diving a little deeper on this one and see where it ends up.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Out of the Box, Into the Burn

Ugh, what a week. The crazy weather has me completely out of sync and my sleep patterns are trashed. Here's hoping spring gets here and I find my footing again.

I missed Legends this week and need to catch up. Same goes for The Flash, Black Lightning, and Riverdale. Seriously, my head wasn't into it at all. Gotham is also still on my catch up list.

I did watch two more DVDs of Chicago Fire. I'm really loving season five, through every heartbreaking moment even. And, man, there's been a lot this season. LOL

Also up to episode six of Jessica Jones. Gotta say I'm pretty happy with how the season is progressing. It's good to get the backstory of Jessica became "super". I will say I'm not quite sure about Griffin, friend or foe? The whole engagement think might be a red herring, yeah?

Got to catch the latest Passionflix movie The Matchmaker's Playbook. Loved it! I'm excited for the next installment, especially with W. Tyler Johnson. While I enjoyed him in Afterburn / Aftershock, he truly rocked in Matchmaker. Now if they'd only cast a few of my other fave actors, I'll be thrilled to death.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Out of the Box, Into the Burn, a novella that plays on the combination of thinking outside the box but potentially landing from the frying pan into the fire. It's a fun little story.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Parry Thrum, a superior pilot, is sidetracked with an injury and relegated to planning a mission on an enemy outpost instead of flying in to save the day. When one of her superiors rejects every parameter she comes up with, Blake Bradley, another excellent pilot, steps in and backs her up—the out of the box, into the burn approach is just the thing to take their opponent by surprise, and a very Parry plan.

And a sneaky peek…

Colonel Carbine growled. "Are you seriously signing off on this?" He pinned Blake with a harsh stare.

Blake folded his arms over his chest. "I am, yes." He braced for the explosion of temper.

Carbine didn't disappoint. "Are you insane? This is the stupidest thing"—he jerked his thumb over his shoulder—"she's come up with yet."

Parry pushed away from the wall but Blake held up a hand. He had her back. Always would.

He shifted his gaze to Carbine. "Actually, the plan is brilliant and it's time for you to dial back the bluster, shut up, and listen." Moving to the planning area, Blake set out the miniature mockups of the pieces involved.

Carbine snarled. "You're dangerously close to insubordination, Bradley and—"

Blake cut him off. "And you're dangerously close to dereliction of duty. We've got a limited window of time to get this done." He put several ships on the lit-up screen. "You've shot down every single parameter Lieutenant Thrum has suggested and we're now down to the wire." He paused and met Carbine's glare. "Your issues with her should've been checked at the door when Commandant Wagner gave her the order to plan the op." Setting up more of the layout, he went in for the kill. "Since you haven't put the animosity aside, I can only assume you either don't care about this mission or your reason is something more sinister, like deliberate sabotage." The accusation should get Carbine's attention and drive the point home.

They needed to nail the plan down and execute, regardless of Carbine's issues with Parry.

Carbine's face turned a mottled shade of red. "You're accusing me of wrongdoing?" He slammed a hand on the table, scattering pieces to the floor.

Blake shrugged. "Not directly, no. I'm trying to figure out why you're so goddamn set on trashing every single idea—good or bad—Thrum has. Because, from where I'm standing, you've not only delayed a critical mission, but you've also come close to making it impossible for Thrum to obey a direct order, which puts her in jeopardy of a reprimand." He pinned Carbine with a hard look. "With all due respect, sir, it's petty bullshit and it ends right now." Sinking down, Blake collected the miniature ships again then stood back up. "If you refuse, I'll have no other option but to invoke UC 832 and file a formal complaint that a superior officer is actively working to undermine his subordinates and keep them from doing their jobs." He shot a glance toward Parry who stood with her mouth hanging open.

Blake squashed the urge to laugh out loud. Not often he could stun her enough for a jaw drop. He'd held this part of his strategy back from her. And he'd put himself in Carbine's line of fire, which she would've nixed. Parry didn't like anyone to fight her battles.

Carbine blew out a long exhale. "Bradley, you've got a brass set on you. I'll give you that one. But I'm not gonna let you go with this—"

Blake shook his head. "You are, sir. And here's why." He launched into the overview of the mission. "Standard tactics won't work. The enemy knows our moves, because they trained at the same facility. If we don't go way out of the box, we're going to lose people due to our own stupidity. And you know where the blame is going to rest if we do?" He waited a beat. "At your feet and nowhere else. Even with your animosity toward Thrum, you have to recognize she won't be the one everyone looks to when the mission either fails or succeeds." The one and only appeal Blake had… directly to Carbine's ego.

Carbine opened his mouth then snapped it shut. He spun around, pacing back and forth. The man really couldn't refute Blake's words. Ultimately, no argument the colonel might make would hold up, not when the stakes were so high.

Parry finally came around to stand beside Blake. She began arranging the mockup of the first stage on the lit table. Carbine mumbled under his breath, but stopped pacing and joined them. Folding his arms across his chest, he gave a terse nod.

Parry, for once, didn't gloat.

She got right down to business. "Here's where we begin…"

Blake stepped back, giving her the floor. He couldn't be prouder of the strides she'd made with putting aside the past and her grievances with Carbine to work for the best possible outcome. She'd heard Blake's message to the colonel loud and clear.

And she'd taken his words to heart.

Progress. Again. Finally.

I'm so happy with how the preview scene turned out. I'm still plotting the full course of this story, but it's so much fun to work with these characters.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Out of the Box, Into the Burn

Hello!

So… Orphan Black? Who doesn't love this show? Seriously, it's so mind-bendy and twisty. Watching Tatiana play one clone as another never fails to blow my mind. This week having Sarah act as Rachel and Alison play Sarah… well… just so damned amazing. And Delphine? The woman kicks ass. That's all I'll say. LOL

I'm dying to get to know the Castor clones and then see if the boys can play as crazy as the girls. Saturday won't get here fast enough.

Arrow and The Flash continue to make me happy. Agents of SHIELD, too. Melinda May backstory? Yes, please. Maybe we'll get some Grant Ward flashback action in the future. Wouldn't mind seeing more of what made him so batshit crazy.

If you're not catching Bitten and Lost Girl on Syfy, you need to. Excellent shows!

Made it through the first season of Teen Wolf and gotta say, I cheered out loud when one of the characters bit the dust. Actually, two, but I have a feeling dead doesn't mean forever on this show. LOL. All in all, totally enjoying season two.

Will be starting Daredevil on Netflix in the near future. I hope.

That's it for TV related news. Tonight's post is from Out of the Box, Into the Burn, a sexy short bordering on novella length story.

Here's the tagline:

Parry Thrum, a superior pilot, is sidetracked with an injury and relegated to planning a mission on an enemy outpost instead of flying in to save the day. When one of her superiors rejects every parameter she comes up with, Blake Bradley, another excellent pilot, steps in and backs her up—the out of the box, into the burn approach is just the thing to take their opponent by surprise, and a very Parry plan.

And a sneaky peek…

Parry threw the pen across the room. "I'm out of ideas. I'm done." She got up and gathered her notes, tossing them on the floor. "Absolutely finished." Striding toward the door, ignoring the throb in her knee, her hand shot out to turn the lights down.

Blake's palm covered hers. "Hold up, Pare. You didn't even take the latest mission plan to Carbine."

She whirled around, forgetting about her injury, and almost went down hard. Brad swooped in and caught her, providing a steadying arm. She sucked in a harsh breath, a stabbing zing shooting straight down to her ankle. The urge to scream and throw more stuff barely contained, she eased slowly away from Blake and met his gaze.

She did a mental five count. "And I'm not going to. The man blasts every single parameter I come up with, and this plan is more bat shit than all the others." Her head jerked back and forth. "So yeah, no, I'm not gonna bother. He can let you plan the op." She winced, wishing she could take back the insult. "Geez, I'm sorry. I think it's way past time for another pain pill."

Blake tightened his grip and drew her close again, guiding her to the nearest chair. "And I think your crappy attitude has more to do with frustration than any kind of pain." He gave her a light shove and made sure she sat. "And I'm not going to bail your ass out. Wagner gave you an order and you're going to follow it."

Parry made a strangled choking sound. "I've tried! Carbine won't go for anything I've come up with. He's so by the book, he can't find his own ass without checking the regs to see if he's allowed without filling out the proper forms."

Blake snorted. "In triplicate."

Parry opened her mouth to continue her tirade, but Blake's words registered and she laughed out loud instead. Okay, she'd needed the bit of humor. Blowing out a heavy sigh, she propped her foot on an adjacent chair and motioned for Blake to sit with her.

Shifting lower, she got comfortable. "Thanks, you've been great and I'm being a bitch. But I'm fresh out of ideas and we have to think out of the box here. The damned enemy knows our playbook better than we do." And if they went in with any kind of standard operating bullshit, too many lives would be lost.

Blake reached over and picked up her notes from the floor. "Then give me the latest details and we'll figure out how to sell the op to Carbine." He snagged a pen from his pocket and handed the items her way.

Closing her eyes, Parry inhaled deeply. "You really wanna get sucked into the hellhole with me?" She blinked then met Blake's gaze again.

He held it, steady and true. "Absolutely."

Hot damn. If she kept Blake in her corner, she might get the mission planned and off the ground without shooting her superior officer.

Parry discovers a lot of common ground with Blake, which makes her push the boundaries and regs even further. FUN!

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

ML Skye