Sunday Snippet: Event Horizon

Well, April stillfeels like a mix of winter and summer but not spring. We have hot days thenplummet back to cold. I’m hoping May evens it out and we hold steady for awhile.

Had a crazy-busyweek with work. More projects coming in hot and needing immediate attention. I’mso happy that all of them are absolutely fun and exciting to work on. I lovethem!

I did have verylimited time for viewing this week. I don’t mind the trade off, because I usuallyhave an old standby on in the background like Perry Mason, Columbo,or Murder, She Wrote.

I did finish up StrangestThings and I ended up enjoying the episode.

I also caughtanother episode in my great rewatch of Battlestar Galactica. This upcomingweek, we’re going with a double header to round out season one.

I’ll be starting anew episode of The Mandalorian later tonight.

I also got tolisten to my daughter’s radio show. It’s finals week and they get to choosetheir music. My daughter and her co-DJ picked seventies hits for their timeslot. And they made great choices if I do say so. And I do.

That’s pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight’s post is from Event Horizon,a novella where the characters meet and hit it off but one of them has a secret.

Here’s themini-blurb:

Casey meets Oliver on a transport flight to celebrate hisdad's retirement. They hit it off, but Casey has a big secret … she's thereason Oliver's brother didn't pass the flight test and she doesn't want theold man to find out.

And a sneaky peek…

Alittle fissure of nerves cut through the coffee lining her stomach.

Ishe fishing for info? Wouldn't hurt to tell her side, right? Hell, she didn'tknow.

Tappingher fingers on her thigh, she slouched in her seat a little. "Uh, whichtime are you referring to?" She'd met Orin twice and both times she'druffled his feathers.

Oliverstirred his coffee. "When Orwen almost flunked out." He set his spoonaside and gave her his full attention.

Ohshit. "Well..." She could share some of the details of Orin's firstvisit to her office. "The first time I met your dad, I'm pretty sure hedidn't know what to make of me…"

She'dbeen in her office, grading papers when the space carrier commander walked intoher space without bothering to even knock. She recognized the familialresemblance to Orwen immediately but didn't give anything away. The man cut afine figure in his uniform with broad shoulders and medals lining one entireside of his chest. He removed his cover and set it on her desk then more orless hijacked her attention by looming over her until she met his gaze.

Sheset her pen aside. "Did I miss a memo? I don't have a conference scheduledon my calendar." Firmly placing the next move in his hands, she pushedaway from the desk and got to her feet.

Afterall, he did outrank her even if he broke protocol by barging in.

Theelder Stephas didn't mince words. "I just reviewed Orwen Stephas's marks.He's skating on the cusp, and I want to know why." Orin folded his armsover his chest. "My boy isn't stupid. He's got flying in his blood."His tone all but dared her to say otherwise.

Orwenreally didn't … he grasped the mechanics of handling the multimillion-dollarspacecrafts but had no natural feel for them.

But… Casey opted to partially agree. "Yes, Orwen has keen intelligence."Which he wasted on something he didn't truly love.

Orinflung an arm out. "Then what's the problem?" He stared her down."Maybe you're not very good at your job."

Caseyfought the urge to punch the elder Stephas. The man showed up, didn't bother toeven introduce himself, and tried to interrogate her? Or maybe he wanted tointimidate her. Didn't matter. She wouldn't cave under pressure.

Insteadof risking a trip to the brig for insubordination, she went to her file cabinetand pulled out her last two years of fitness reports. "You're welcome toreview my fitreps, sir." She sat at the top of the instructor list for areason.

Orinsnatched them from her hands. "You have a smart mouth, don't you?"But a gleam of respect entered his gaze.

He'dleft without bothering to read the hefty file.

Shecouldn't help but feel a little sorry for the old man. When reality hit itwould bruise hard. Orwen Stephas didn't have what it took to fly. She knew itdeep in her bones.

Hergut also said his dad would never accept the fact—unless he saw it with his owntwo eyes. And that day, she'd fudged Orwen's numbers on his final, giving himpassing grades when he'd been just shy of having the score needed forqualifying for test flights. Unethical and, frankly, a court-martial offense.And the one thing she held back when sharing the story with Oliver.

Buther dice move paid off. Orwen didn't make it past the first leg of flighttesting. He busted too many moves and got tagged with a failure.

MeetingOliver's gaze again, she lifted a shoulder. "I was disappointed when Orwendidn't make it through the first set of quals. And I even liked your daddespite the ballsy nature of his visit."

Andshe still liked him after their second meeting, which she wouldn't get intoright now.

I love writing alittle intrigue into the story. Casey is kind of stuck in a bad spot and she hopesnothing blows up in her face.

 

That’s it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye