4th November 2022 Writings

 4^th

 

Excerpt from: The Engineer and the Time Lady

“It's still within the terrestrial network,” Eta said.

 

“Still, I'll help,” Alpha decided.

 

 

In Engineering, Gamma checked over the Warp Core. It was working perfectly, without any problems. All the systems were working fine. She was tempted to deactivate herself again, but Alpha had decided that at least one Hologram would be on duty in Engineering at all times. She didn't fault her reasoning. She walked over to a panel and brought up the scans from Octavius' experiment again. There were many reasons why it had gone awry. “OK, replay it in real time.”

She watched as the experiment unfolded, and listened to the commentary Nina had recorded. 'Something...' she thought as the she watched the magnetic field increase. Maybe it was the fact that Octavius was using Tritium? Or was there something with the Tritium. 'OK, did Nina scan the Tritium container specifically? She checked, and saw that she didn't. 'It is a mystery then,' she thought. Or were there other such containers? “Gamma to Alpha.”

 

 

Alpha listened to Gamma's proposal. It seemed like a good idea. “We'll use the probes to scan the planet for more concentrated Tritium.”

 

“There's certainly something there,” Gamma said again.

 

“We're doing it now.”

 

 

“SHEILD is giving us the runaround,” Aialah said a while later.

 

 

Words: 212

 

 

Excerpt from: Artifact in Lawndale

“Agent Myka Bering, with the Secret Service,” she said, holding out her badge. “There was a report of a strange occurrence at this school earlier today.”

 

“I don't think the Secret Service has juristiction here!” Angela said.

 

“The School District will beg to differ,” Agent Bering said, just before the phone rang.

 

Li picked it up. “Hello?”

 

“Ms. Li. We have received a request from the Secret Service to investigate today's strange events at your school. You are ordered to cooperate.”

 

“I will get to the bottom of this!” the principal exclaimed.

 

“Bye.”

 

She slammed the receiver down.

 

Words: 98

 

 

Excerpt from: An Aquatic Second Contact

USS Cerritos NCC 75567

“Captain’s Log Stardate 59063.3. The Cerritos has completed repairs after the Battle against Buenamigo’s Folly. We’re now on route to the Theta Aquarii System, home to a recently first contacted species, close to Klingon Space. We hope to get back into a routine of professionalism.”

 

Captain Carol Freeman reflected that she and her crew were lucky to have got out of the situation with the Aledo with the Cerritos more of less intact. She emerged onto the Bridge. “Time to system?” she asked.

 

“Two hours, 47 minutes,” Commander Ransom reported.

 

 

T’Lyn entered the conference room and saw that she was the first there.

 

Words: 107

 

 

Excerpt from: Chasing Time

“Yes,” the Doctor said.

 

“Cool.” Lauren then thought for a moment. “So, we’re going back to when I heard the sounds?”

 

“Yes,” the Doctor said again.

 

“Is that a good idea?” Clara asked.

 

“We’re not going to cross paths with Lauren’s past self,” the Doctor said.

 

 

Clara still wasn’t sure it was a good idea. “Probably not, but…”

 

“Don’t worry,” the Doctor said, as he set the TARDIS in motion.

 

 

A Week Earlier

The TARDIS materialised after Lauren’s past self had gone into the house.

 

Words: 85

 

 

Excerpt from: Mystery Incorporated in Lawndale

Daria, Velma, Jane and Daphne followed him across, leaving Shaggy, Scooby and Trent on the other side. “After you,” Shaggy said to Trent.

 

“It’s OK to be afraid,” Trent said. “Just don’t look down.”

 

“That’s what the others say. I always look down.”

 

“Hmm. I’ll be right behind you,” Trent said.

 

“Right…” Shaggy steeled himself with a glance at Scooby and then looked at where Velma was encouraging him from the other side.

 

Words: 73

 

 

Excerpt from: Merry and Estella

They sat there, next to each other, for a while, before deciding to head back into the Smail, holding hands.

 

 

“Merry!”

 

Merry turned, it was one of his cousins. “Mimosa? What is it?”

 

“Your father is looking for you,” Mimosa Brandybuck said.

 

“Oh!”

 

Words: 43

 

Total: 618

3rd November 2022 Writings

 3^rd

 

Excerpt from: The Engineer and the Time Lady

“I see.”

 

“Uh!”

 

“Uh?” Aialah asked.

 

“It seems an organisation called the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division is also involved. But I can’t find much on them either. Just the fact of their existence. Whatever data they have, it must be stored offline.”

 

“I’ll help you find out.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

 

Somewhere in a nondescript office in the District of Columbia, a phone rang. “Coulson here,” the man said.

 

“The hack is continuing. The Agency may be compromised,” the woman on the other end said.

 

“Have you traced the origin yet?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

“Keep me informed.”

 

“I shall.”

 

 

“Uh oh!” Eta said.

 

“What?” Alpha asked.

 

“SHIELD is tracing our crack,” Eta said.

 

“SHIELD?” Aialah asked.

 

“That's what the acronym spells in Federation Standard, or as it's usually known on Earth, English,” Alpha answered.

 

“Oh, right,” Aialah said. “I guess I need to know more of that language.”

 

“It would probably be a good idea,” Eta said.

 

 

“But the trace back?” Alpha asked.

 

Words: 162

 

 

Excerpt from: The Kelsington Conspiracy

“Are you sure?”

 

“I'm quite sure.”

 

“I admit that,” Elias said.

 

The agent stepped even closer and the smell of her perfume was threatening to be overwelming. “I did my research. I know you're different.”

 

'Great!' Elias thought. But that didn't mean that she knew him. Far from it.

 

“That you had difficulties early in life,” the agent said in a tone that was raising alarm bells in Elias' mind.

 

He knew what she was trying to do. “No!” He said with a step backwards. But she still had his hands on her shoulders. “I don't even know your name. Besides, it won't work. Please get out of my room!”

 

Words: 110

 

 

Excerpt from: The Remaining Immortal

Tabi thoguht about it as they left the village behind. She was a little anxious, but not as much as Ella, who was visibly fretting. Lady Me, on the other hand, looked stoic. 'She's done this a lot of times before,' she thought. She walked closer to the latter. “You know what you're doing right?” she asked.

 

“You heard me earlier.”

 

“But how much of it was Clara?”

 

“We were equals in our endeavours. We could both hold our own and bail the other out if they needed it,” Lady Me answered.

 

That was a reassuring. A little. “Thanks,” she said,

 

 

Ella trailed behind. She didn't really want to get in a fight. 'Maybe when we're finished, the TARDIS can take us home.'

 

Lady Me turned. “Come on, Ella!”

 

“I'm coming!”

 

 

They approached the end of the valley. Lady Me saw the encampment first. It was quite large. It was far from the largest the she had dealt with.

 

Words: 159

 

 

Excerpt from: Collaborative Arthurian Scenario

“I see,” Katherine said as she watched Nimue board the cart.

 

“We have little time to waste,” Nimue said while indicating the seat beside her.

 

“It’s going to take days to get to Londinium,” Katherine groused.

 

“Merlinus has planned for such quick trips to take place. We’ll have fresh horses every fifteen miles.”

 

Katherine climbed up and they were soon on their way.

 

Words: 63

 

 

Excerpt from: Mystery Incorporated in Lawndale

Fred crawled across to the neighbor’s window and carefully opened it. He shone his flashlight into the room beyond and saw that there was no one there, before clambering through it. He beckoned for the others to follow.

 

Words: 38

 

 

Excerpt from: Voyages of the Endeavour

Elias took stock of the situation. They were lost for sure, without a way back through. “Laura!” He called.

 

Laura was close by. “We’ll have to find another way back.”

 

“I know.”

 

Words: 32

 

 

Excerpt from: End of the Day

“Is it a mysterious force? Is it a coincidence? Is it something they came up with?” She paused again as she entered the dining room.

 

“What are you whining about now?” her mother asked in an exasperated tone.

 

“You know what it is!” she shot back.

 

Her mother sighed. “Just set the table!”

 

Candace obeyed.

 

 

Words: 55

 

 

Excerpt from: Sixteenth Doctor Adventures

“And?” Xavier asked once she had gone through the lot.

 

“Wait,” the Doctor thought as she ruminated upon what she had just read, while twirling the end of one of her pigtails. (She wasn’t sure why she had picked up that habit.) She glanced at the Scanner screen and saw that the TARDIS was also analysing that data.

 

“For what?” Xavier asked.

 

“It definitely is something we need to stop,” the Doctor concluded. She was sure of that at least.

 

“But what is it?”

 

“Nothing less than a scheme to take over the world!”

 

“Really?” Xavier asked.

 

“Yes,” the Doctor answered. “Fortunately, it is still in the early stages, and still mostly contained to this building.” She brought up the plan of the building on the main screen again. An icon appeared on the top floor. “We need to get up there. That is where the CEO is. We need to at least talk about it first.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes. There are rare occasions where I won’t try diplomacy. Usually when I know it won’t work. Here, I have to give it a try.”

 

“OK,” Xavier said, clearly thinking about it.

 

A minute later, they stepped out of the TARDIS again. The Doctor whirled about, knocking the drones out of the air. Xavier then followed her towards an elevator.

 

 

The alarm wasn’t blaring in the elevator.

 

Words: 227

 

 

Total: 842

2nd November 2022 Writings

 2^nd

 

Excerpt from: The Engineer and the Time Lady

On Baffin, Aialah started her duty shift. As she entered the Bridge, she could see that Alpha was reading something from a PADD whilst sitting in the Command Chair and Eta was looking at something on Science Station 1. She also saw the Pilot make minor course correction. She looked at Earth’s Moon on the viewscreen. 'Quite interesting that it's tidally locked,' she thought, as those of her home weren't, although their rotations were in resonance with their orbits.

 

Alpha put the PADD down. “Good morning,” she said.

 

“Not sure why we have synchronized the shipboard time to American Eastern Standard Time,” she groused. Earth rotated a couple hours a day slower than her world.

 

 

“Given that Nina's there,” Alpha said.

 

“Right,” Aialah said. She went over to Eta. “You have found any further information?”

 

“Not much. It seems to have been classified by the National Security Agency,” Eta answered as Aialah sat at the other Science station.

 

Words: 158

 

 

Excerpt from: Marina

She soon meet the other agent, who was a member of an aquatic species that shared Earth with Humanity. She saw her waiting in one of the water openings in the main office.

 

Words: 33

 

 

Excerpt from: A Fellowship of 10

“I know the lands round about,” she answered.

 

“I know them better,” Strider said.

 

“And I have always wanted to know what’s out there. To see things. Beyond Bree and the Shire.”

 

Strider was then in thought. “I see that you’re persistent. You’re not in Bill Ferny’s confidence are you?”

 

She looked offended. “Of course not!”

 

“You may come along,” Strider said. “I see you’re prepared. I know who you are…”

 

The Hobbitess interrupted. “You do?”

 

“I know most in the Breeland.”

 

She wasn’t sure what to think of that.  “I see.”

 

“These Shirefolk don’t though,” Strider said.

 

“Oh! I’m Hanna Tunnelly.”

 

“Hi, Hanna,” Frodo said, warily.

 

The other three welcomed her more warmly.

 

Words: 114

 

 

Excerpt from: Troubles of Ronisaka

“We need to be ready.”

 

“Then we need a plan.”

 

“I know you will be making it up as you go along.”

 

“Maybe,” the Doctor considered. “But I can plan.”

 

“I haven’t seen it work out well.”

 

 

After Dinner, Clara looked up more information on the situation on the planet. All she could see was her earlier conclusion. She sighed.

 

 

The next day

The Doctor was first to the Common Room. ‘Of course, Clara is still asleep.’

 

Words: 77

 

 

Excerpt from: Chronicles of Time – Complications of a Pandemic

“Even so, there is still a risk of spreading COVID downtime.”

 

Demi sighed. “I know. I’ll just have to wait until after Uni I suppose.”

 

“Yes,” Danica said.

 

Demi then went back to the time vehicle. She paused. “Wait…”

 

“What?”

 

“The station is connected to the interstellar network, beyond the Collapse, right?” Demi asked, referring to the Collapse of Civilisation on Earth, in the middle of the 24^th century.

 

“Not really. It has reached Alpha Centauri and the other nearby Star systems in the past decade.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“It would take a while. The relay stations are sluggish.”

 

“Right.”

 

 

Demi then left, leaving Danica to consider repairing those relay stations. She did want to have helped Demi in some way.

 

 

2 November 2511

Danica hadn’t heard the last of the Pandemic. She awakened as a temporal traveller arrived.

 

 

Words: 137

 

 

Excerpt from: Struggles

Elias (or was it Ellie?) re-entered his (or her) room. Confusion was the order of the day and the looks that some classmates had given them didn’t help matters. They grabbed a book and re-read a passage they had been reading over and over that year. There was still confusion. They looked in the mirror. What s/he saw was androgenous. That was fine, as she was pretty much always androgenous. She twirled some hair as she considered that. She then shook her head. She wanted to focus on her studies, not her confusion.

(Her goals after Uni were one thing she was sure about.) This reverie was interrupted by the room phone ringing. She picked it up as she threw her hair back. “Hi,” she said.

 

“Ellie! Are you OK?” It was Janara, one of her friends.

 

“I’m fine,” she said.

 

“Or is it Elias?” Janara asked.

 

“You can call me Ellie,” Ellie said, pitching her voice high.

 

“Sure,” Janara said. “That’s great. How was class?”

 

“It was mostly good.”

 

“Mostly?”

 

“Just some looks,” Ellie admitted.

 

Words: 176

 

 

Excerpt from: Consequences

At some point she did manage to nod off.

 

However, not long afterwards, she bolted awake from a nightmare. “Oh great!” she moaned. “I suppose I can write about the overworked psychologists in a month or two…” That wouldn’t be a great situation.

 

 

It wasn’t a good night.

 

Words: 48

 

Total: 740

1st November 2022 Writings

 1^st

 

Excerpt from Party at 111 Howard

“I see,” Dani said.

 

“So, I'll see if I can talk to them tonight.”

 

 

Words: 14

 

 

Excerpt from: The Engineer and the Time Lady

“The Harris has docked,” Lu reported.

 

“Back behind the Moon,” Emerson, ordered. “Steady as she goes.”

 

“Aye, sir,” Andersen said as she input the commands for Baffin to take off.

 

The storm was still an issue, but the ship took off and left the atmosphere without trouble.

 

They were back behind the Moon a minute later.

 

 

20. Nina and Spider-Man

Nina thought more about the rescue. There was certainly more to it than that. She then checked the console and saw that the TARDIS didn’t see anything unusual in that data. ‘I’ll look over it this evening,’ she thought.

 

Betty showed Nina the room where the archives were stored. “That is a lot,” Nina said, seeing that there was only a small amount of walking space in that room.

 

“Yes,” Betty said. “The Bugle was founded early in the last century, and Jameson bought it nineteen years ago. He wants you to build the archive in reverse.”

 

“So, literally backwards?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I can do that.”

 

“Good,” Betty said in an encouraging tone.

 

She soon, got to work. Some of the information was interesting.

 

Words: 183

 

 

Excerpt from: Friday the 13^th

“So, you think something happened there?” Johanna asked once Bronwyn had filled her in.

 

“Well, something did fly over the college from that direction and an ambulance came a few minutes later. I’m sure that’s more than a coincidence.”

 

“Well, strange things are happening today, but I don’t think the two events are linked.”

 

“But will you help me investigate what happened?” Bronwyn asked.

 

Johanna thought for a moment. “I’ll come.”

 

 

A few minutes later, they were outside the building.

 

Words: 80

 

 

Excerpt from: Brittany

“Not really. I needed the break from the monotony of lesson planning.”

 

Words: 12

 

 

Excerpt from: Quinn and Stacy

O’Neill looked at his seating chart. “Oh! Sorry, you looked like someone else. What do you have to say about last night's horrible event?”

 

Words: 24

 

 

Excerpt from: Mariana

20 minutes later, she got a message. It was from another agent who wanted to meet her. ‘Of course.’

 

Words: 19

 

 

Excerpt from: Daria’s Voyager

“There’s no need for concern. I am capable of treating any injury or disease,” he scanned a patient. “No concussion. You’ll be fine. Clean him up.”

 

Tom wasn’t sure what to make of the hologram.

 

 

In Engineering, they had stabilised the warp core.

 

Words: 43

 

 

Excerpt from: Galactic Crises

They soon came to the closest of those other locations. Again, there was nothing visible. “There’s that feeling again,” Dani commented.

 

“Blimey!” Clarence exclaimed.

 

“And as odd as the other place,” the Professor added. “Still not sure what to make of it. Better take another scan.”

 

The other two nodded.

 

“Inconclusive again!”

 

“Same!” Clarence said.

 

“The same here,” Dani said.

 

“We’ll go a third location and see if there’s anything different,” the Professor decided.

 

“Sure,” Clarence said.

 

“I hope it isn’t a waste of time,” Danielle groused.

 

“We’ll get more data and hopefully we’ll make some sense out of it,” the Professor said.

 

 

“Do you usually do this much running around?” Dani asked Clarence shortly afterwards.

 

“Quite often,” Clarence answered with a smile on his face.

 

“You must like the exercise,” Dani mused.

 

Clarence nodded.

 

 

They met the same kind of disappointment at the third location. “Hopefully Ranger will be able to make sense of it,” the Professor groused.

 

“You don’t come across something you don’t understand often?” Dani asked.

 

“More like, all too often,” the Professor  responded.

 

“I’m not tired. I’m used to being on my feet all day,” Dani murmured.

 

Clarence overheard. “Without a break?” he asked.

 

Words: 199

 

Total: 484

Tron Legacy rating

 23.      Tron Legacy

Rewatch. The previous rating is still valid. 8.5/10.

Tron (1982) rating

 22.      Tron (1982)

Rewatch. The previous rating is still valid. 9/10.

2nd February - Part 2

 

Before Kevin could try again, Mr. O'Neil started the lesson.

As soon as the lesson finished DariaBrittany rushed out of the classroom...

Jane and BrittanyDaria found her near the library. “I think I know why you don't want to be with Kevin, amiga,” Jane said.

“As far as he is concerned, I am Brittany Taylor. The fact that something has happened will go over his head!”

“I agree,” BrittanyDaria said.

“So you know that he's dumber than a box of rocks,” DariaBrittany said.

“Of course I do!” BrittanyDaria said, whilst twirling the end of one of her pigtails.

“The next thing, Brittany. How suspicious was Quinn?”

“A little. I, like, waited until she had gone to breakfast before sneaking into her room. It took me a while to find these clothes,” BrittanyDaria answered.

“But did she see you before you left?” DariaBrittany asked.

BrittanyDaria twirled her hair again. “Probably. I saw your Dad, but he said that your Mom had already left for work.”

“He wouldn't notice something different.”

“Huh? I think he would.”

“Not straight away.”

“Right,” BrittanyDaria said.

“And there's still Quinn...”

“Jane knows.”

“But I can believe that this happened,” Jane admitted. “But others would think that this is either a massive prank, or that you both have gone crazy.”

“You're right,” BrittanyDaria said.

“So, What's the plan?” Jane asked DariaBrittany.

“I have no idea,” she said.

“Eep!” BrittanyDaria said.

“No idea yet,” DariaBrittany clarified.

“You'll have to come up with one soon,” Jane added.

“Of course.”

They talked for a short while longer before they needed to go back to class.

When class finished, DariaBrittany decided to talk to Jane and BrittanyDaria again. 'It is as I said. Others will think it's an elaborate prank, or we will both be committed.' She found them at the same place near the Library.

“Any further thought?” Jane asked.

“Not much,” DariaBrittany admitted.

“We have to think quickly,” BrittanyDaria said. “Someone else will be suspicious.”

DariaBrittany thought more on the matter as she drove back to Crewe Neck. She still had no idea what caused the swap. 'Maybe we would change back tonight,' she thought. But she knew it wouldn't be that simple.

There was a surprise when she got back to the Taylor mansion. Kevin was waiting. 'Of course!' she thought. She took out her phone and called the Lanes. Jane answered. “Hello?”

“Daria here.”

“That is still quite strange. Is there a problem?”

“Kevin is here.”

“I'll put Brittany on then.”

“Thanks.”

Brittany came on quite quickly. “He is there?” she asked.

'Sounds very much like Quinn,' Daria thought. She dismissed that thought. “That's what I said to Jane.”

“There are ways into the house he doesn't know about,” Brittany said.

“That would be helpful,” Daria considered. “But not if he sees me.”

“Where is he parked?”

“In the drive in front of the door.”

“Go around to the back of the house,” Brittany began. “And there are two hatches to the basement at either end of the back wall.”

“Around the back you say?”

“Yes. That should be easy.”

“Thanks, but where shall I park?” Daria asked.

“He shouldn't be able to see you in the garage, and there is a door at the back.”

“Got it.”

DariaBrittany found one of the basement doors behind the house. She looked around to see if Kevin wasn't anywhere nearby. She quickly entered the basement and found that the Taylor's had put a lot of their disused items there. ''Of course.” Then there was the smell, as if some animal had crawled in and died somewhere. 'Wouldn't surprise me.'

She found her way to the stairs up to the ground floor. She hoped Kevin wouldn't be in the lounge room. She emerged into the lounge room to find that he wasn't there. 'Now up to the room,' she thought. She still needed to prepare for the evening's festivities. More of Lawndale's new Groundhog Day Festival.

“Brittany?” Ashely-Amber asked from outside the bedroom door. “Kevin wants to see you!”

“Tell him I'll see him there!” DariaBrittany said, she she finished putting on one Brittany's more fancier dresses.

“Sure!” Ashely-Amber said. “But he's being insistent!”

“Then hold him off!”

“I shall.”

As she emerged from Brittany's room, Daria could hear Ashley-Amber arguing with Kevin somewhere downstairs. 'He certainly is peristent,' she thought. But she didn't know where he was. She decided to risk it. She crept along the hallway to the main stairs, then listened. It sounded like Kevin and Ashley-Amber were in the kitchen.

“I know she's here, Ashley-Amber. Does she have another guy up there?” Kevin asked.

'Uh oh!'

“No, Kevin, she doesn't!” Ashely-Amber shot back.

'I can make it back through the basement,' Daria thought. She decided to go for it and quickly bounced down the stairs...

Having escaped the mansion, she left Crewe Neck and headed towards Casa Lane. She needed to talk to Jane and Brittany before going to the festival.

Brittany answered the door in response to her knock. “Hey, Daria, Jane's waiting.”

“So, what are we doing at the festival?” Jane asked.

“What has Ms. Li have planned?” DariaBrittany asked BrittanyDaria.

“Not much. It's really the City Council,” BrittanyDaria answered.

“Of course,” DariaBrittany said.

“So we'll just be hanging out?” Jane asked.

“Mostly,” BrittanyDaria said. “But I'm sure Ms. Li has something planned for you, Daria.”

“This morning was, strenous, but I'm sure I can cope with whatever she has planned.”

It was then that Trent entered. “Hey, Janie, Daria,” he said. He got a drink of water and left.

“Doesn't seem he has noticed,” DariaBrittany murmured.

“I haven't said anything yet,” Jane said.

“I wouldn't recommend it,” BrittanyDaria said.

“I guess not,” DariaBrittany said.

Shortly afterwards, they left in Brittany's covertible, with BrittanyDaria driving. They didn't know what would be happening next.