Whew. What a busy week leading up to my son's graduation tonight. Looking forward to watching him accept his diploma and start on the next phase of his journey.
I missed Gotham and hope to catch up after the craziness calms down.
The Flash's finale ended up being pretty good but I'm actually kind of hoping there won't be as much time travel shenanigans in the next season. Honestly, I like the ripple effect from Flashpoint but I'm hoping it's pretty much wrapped up.
Arrow. What a season-ender. I pretty much sat and blinked at the screen for a few seconds in stunned silence. Even seeing how the end would play out, I still ended up being shocked. LOL I really want the hiatus to fly by so I can find out who made it and who didn't.
I got through the first season of Iron Fist. I'm something of a completest and wanted to watch before The Defenders started. I don't know… I kind of like the setup for the next season with Joy and Davos possibly teaming up but I wouldn't mind seeing Madame Gao go down in flames.
I'm really struggling with Doctor Who. I'm looking forward to a new doctor and a new showrunner. I kind of long for the format Davies started and hope the new person goes back to something similar. I'm disappointed in the way everything is either overly convoluted or completely discombobulated. I shouldn't need a set of show notes to get all the nuances, right? Eh… here's hoping the next season is awesome.
And that's it for television. Orphan Black starts in two weeks and I'm excited!
Tonight's post is from Shaken Alliances (Technorati Book One), a novella that started to unfold with random snatches of imagery and conversation.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Janna Allgood, a corporal in the Alliance, is the best at what she does, bringing Technorati deceivers to justice. But when she's assigned the task of tracking down the notorious leader of the rogue technomancers, she discovers a new calling, one that puts her life in danger because it may bring down the Alliance she works for.
And a preview snippet…
Paxton Teller relaxed in front of the fire in his makeshift quarters. On the move for the past six months, he finally made it to a place he could rest and regroup for longer than forty-eight hours. He needed some down time to plan ahead.
Staring into the flames, the nuances of another presence touched Pax's inner being. One that nudged along his consciousness. He'd been expecting the visit and opened his mind, inviting entrance.
The old one gracefully melded his thoughts with Pax's and settled in for a long conversation.
Pax used his skill to slip the bolt on the lock, making sure they'd have complete privacy. No one would overhear the discussion going on in his mind, but interruptions sometimes leaked information into the conscious recesses of those around when it happened.
Pax would take no chances. The old one meant too much to him.
He reclined back, lifting a lager of wine to his lips. "You have news?" He drank deeply, letting the mellow flavor play along his taste buds.
The old one heaved a sigh. "They're sending the best." He stopped, throwing up a block.
Pax understood immediately. "This troubles you." The old one wouldn't try to keep him out if it didn't.
His mentor stayed silent, the blank visage of his mind telling Pax more than his thoughts would. Patience didn’t come easily for Pax, but he respected the old man too much to prod him along. Pax had a very good idea who'd be gunning for him.
Janna Allgood.
He welcomed the challenge she'd present. Out of all the files he'd acquired on the technomancers, hers fascinated him the most. She had a perfect record. Each and every person she'd been assigned to bring in either ended up in custody or self-terminated. Pax couldn't wait to meet her face to face, mind to mind, and see what happened.
His suspicion would be sparks flying in all directions. Janna's beauty, evident from the Alliance ID, spoke to him. But more than that, her high level of intelligence intrigued him, made him want to test how far she could go.
After several more contemplative moments, the sage finally opened his block. "She's a particular favorite of mine. I don't want to see her hurt."
Pax frowned. The possibility of pain and heartache abounded with this task. But he'd do his best not to have it occur on his end.
He reassured his counterpart. "She won't be." He paused and added a disclaimer. "Not by me." The Alliance, on the other hand, could and would do as they saw fit.
The old one kicked back a retort. "It's a dangerous game you play. And she's a pawn."
Pax couldn't deny his master's words. "For both sides." He clarified the facts, something he'd never done before with the old one.
Rennick warned. "Choose wisely, my son. The path you travel is not an easy one. Be very certain before bringing her into the plan."
Pax loved the old man for worrying. "I vow to exercise caution. You've prepared the way? Planted the seeds?"
Rennick nodded. "You know I have. As much as I could."
He walked a very fine line, one Pax didn't envy. Rennick worked in the deepest shadows. His position as the preceptor for all technomancers gave him access to any and all Alliance activities.
Pax took major amounts of heat, but he got to do so in the open. He didn't have the concern and burden of being found out. Instead, he got to drop trou and moon the Alliance nits whenever the mood struck. He liked it that way. Drawing fire upon himself left his Technorati brethren free to advance their cause.
Smoke and mirrors. Illusion and subterfuge. Progress. One world at a time.
A failed deal here, an unexpected outcome there, and the Alliance left twisting in the wind. His people did a good job of countering the technomancers… without them knowing it. He'd trained them very, very well.
He wanted to bring Janna over to their side. The technorati would be unstoppable with her talent working for them.
"Tread carefully, Pax. Push too hard and Janna will dig in hard and cling to what she knows. All your work will be for naught." The wise one cautioned. "Our freedom lost."
Pax reassured him. "Don't worry, old one. I'll keep my emotional distance. No matter how attractive I find her."
If all goes as I hope, there should be at least three books in this series. Fingers crossed!
That's it for this week.
Cheers!
Skye
