driftvoid

[driftvoid]

OOC. Ed is the best thing I've ever created and I love him so much.

[driftvoid]

He had found himself wishing he had picked a different job, before. There had been days in the past, where he had wished he had simply found some occupation close to his family, that would have guaranteed he would never get involved with UNIT. Dark days. Days he had talked about with the therapist working for UNIT. It was the stress and the pressure that he had been working under for so long now, and that had left more than just one mark behind. Despite these days and thoughts, he knew he wasn’t unhappy in this job. A strange thing to say when you carried the world like Atlas on your shoulders – some days at least – but UNIT had given his life a new meaning. Not just a brother, a breadwinner, a husband or an adoptive father. A job like this, shaped you just as well. HE KNEW. It was important he knew and understood, because this organisation meant so much to Kate, that not understanding this, would mean the end of their happiness. If he didn’t see the value in UNIT and didn’t see a reason to stand back, knowing he could never the most important aspect in Kate’s life…

It was them against the world. Kate and him. UNIT UK and UNIT North America. All the divisions tried to fight the right fight. – Only that humanity, as it often seemed to do, made things more complicated for itself.

His gaze wandered to the files this time; the connections painted before his eyes like a red string. If Nick and he were right, this was one of the biggest operations in a while, and that meant, he struggled to remember one of this size. Perhaps working against the Nestene Consciousness had been of a similar size. Divisions around the world, trying to pick up part of the creature before it could manifest in its full form. But back then, and it felt like this was a lifetime ago already, the divisions had still operated mostly independent and the motto of SCIENCE LEADS hadn’t quite made it through to all of them. He remembered some of the Colonel’s Nick still had to deal with, arguing that they should just point whatever they had on hand concerning weapons, to the sky and shoot these damn things before they even landed. The tone of voice was still burned into his memory. A voice he also recalled still argued loudly for the remilitarisation.

“Captain Carter is one of our best. – I wouldn’t want to say this in front of him, in fear of inflating his ego even further, but he has the heart at the right spot and sees the value in our work. He'll do a good job digging around, without drawing too much attention to himself. He has a way with people.” A thin smile at his own words, because he could already see the beaming face of the young Captain in front of him. If he had even heard a single word of what he had just uttered, Ed would never hear the end of it. But that was the least of their worries if one word spoken between Nick and him, would make it out of this tent. While Kate was in charge of UNIT, and he knew he would not face any consequences from her, there were still others, who would take unofficial ways to make him pay. Morals and consciences he couldn’t rely on to stop them; not when it had been them who had sent an alien militia to the Tower to get rid of any opposition. – He They hadn’t lost Kate said day, but good men and women had still lost their lives. People, who had only been doing their jobs.

He raised a hand and washed the sweat off his brow. With the tent closed off, the air not only seemed to fill with tension, as Nick’s words echoed in his ears, but also with old, far too hot air. He shook his head, reaching for his bottle of water again.

“I know planning ahead is important, Nick, and having a back-up plan for your back-up plan can be the difference between life and death – but I think we need to see things with OPTIMISM and not already assume the worst. I know you worry. Honestly, so do I. But talking about going dark isn’t going to help us now. If it is worth anything, I promise you I will tell Kate and keep her in the loop, but we should focus on the operation at hand. If we do this right, there will be no reason for going dark and no opportunity for an intergalactic war.” Something, he didn’t even want to imagine. He had seen enough and been through enough. So had the small, blue planet they called home. They all never could catch a break.

  – Sadly, he thought that GOING DARK would not stop the government from starting a war with an unknown, extraterrestrial species. If they wanted war, they would find a way. Even if they knew they would lose. Ironically, a lot of wars had been fought this way. With victory out of reach, only madness had taken over. Too many history books read in the dim light of a torch in the old barracks he used to sleep in, and now, in the warm light of the lamp on his bedside table, had taught him that much. And of course, there was always the wars he had witnessed. War between nations on Earth. War dawning at the horizon, as a fleet of Cybermen, Daleks, and whatever was making their way towards them.

“Perhaps you were right, saying we are somewhat OPPOSITES, and I am here trying to uphold optimism.” Another hint of a smile, before he gently shook his head and it vanished. “This is not to say I am not taking you seriously, Nick because I am. This is to say, I hope it will never get this far, with our interference as well as help from the UK division.” There would be sterner words spoken, if Kate were here. Words of how they couldn’t let others win. About how going underground was not the way to go, since UNIT had only recently – not even five years ago! – re-emerged from having been forced into the shadows. As so many times before, Ed would have agreed with her, just as he was agreeing with the echo of her speech haunting his memory.

Turning from Nick back to the spread of maps, examining where they would go after part one of operation SANDCASTLE had been dealt with, he noticed, from the corners of his eyes, that Kate had replied. Another brief smile flickered over his face, before he reached for the laptop and clicked on her reply. SHORT. Professional. Just what he had expected. A team was currently being put together. – A quick reply was typed to her, requesting that Carter would be put on it and send straight to his current position. It would take a few hours, even with a private jet, but at least parts of their plan had been set in motion.

“We will keep this planet safe, Nick. AND YOUR FAMILY. – We’ve been dealing with this for over a decade now. We’ve dealt with people trying to dismantle UNIT, as it currently works, from the inside out. Perhaps it is British stoicism or stubbornness, but we persist.”

nick appreciated ed’s words more than he knew. there were conversations he’s had with helen in the past ⸻ nick never considered he’d make a great father, but she was always quick to dismiss the thoughts and made sure he knew he was the best father the children could ask for. it showed in the way they came to them to talk about whatever was bothering them. there has been a time or two where they’ve received a quiet knock on their bedroom door late at night when the children were supposed to be asleep, only to find one of the oldest three needing to talk about something that was bothering them about school, or an argument they had with a friend that just wouldn’t allow them to sleep. of course, they had no issue inviting them in and talking for as long as they needed to. 

that was something nick never had for himself ⸻ of course wilbur, his real father, and his mother were there but he had spent nights alone staring up at the ceiling trying to solve his own problems. 

ed’s words were just as reassuring as helen’s were and nick really and truly appreciated the man. one day nick will tell him the full extent and truth behind his childhood and birth but for now, there was more pressing matters at hand. when nick had requested ed’s presence on the project, he knew his background would be more than enough to cover for his reason for being there ⸻ they still lacked a head of personnel as well on nick’s side so it wasn’t too farfetched the major would be requested or offer assistance from the main headquarters of UNIT. 

“your past and experience with UNIT more than speak for the reason you are here.” he replies, giving a brief nod to confirm his own words. “if you trust someone, i have no reason to second guess it. i have to step carefully with this project, the data we find in there and the connections we’ve made. from what we have so far, given my own history with UNIT and stance in the past ⸻ it’s a loaded gun with the safety off.” pushing himself off the table, he rounds the opposite side of it, using his hands to lean over everything. “the alps, roswell, the small town, the sand castle and my encounter. if we can link them all to one species of unknown extraterrestrial origin, it means we have a lead on who has been visiting us and causing a number of sightings.” 

he sighs briefly. “however, they would use this data as a reason to say they are coming to study our technology to counter it. with this being so close to groom lake, it’s a reason and a half. we can prove they haven’t been hostile because there are no reported abductions surrounding these crafts or this unknown species. that’s not to say someone won’t dig up some sort of unsolved missing person case connected to each location.” brows crease as he looks over the map.

“you know ⸻” he says tilting his head slightly to look at the map at a different angle. “that small town was located not too far from the extraterrestrial highway… over here.” map moved slightly to reveal more of it, he points out a location in the middle of nowhere. 

“the town doesn’t exist but it’s still a ghost town. the buildings were abandoned a long time ago, but some are still in dire condition. that would mean it still has a cemetery as well. we finish up here you and i can take a small trip to the old location and see what was left behind. i’m not marking the location in case we have eyes on us.” nick was more than certain there was, there were far too many factors that told him otherwise. 

taking a moment, nick mulls over the offer ed had given. there was very little choice they had. “i think we should do it, have carter do a little digging of his own while he is here for this operation.” it could give them everything and nothing at all. “we really have nothing left to lose on this. i will say one thing, ed.” gaze rising to the major across the table from him, the light above him gave him an ominous shadow across his features.

“whatever this all leads to, if it comes down to it, i know you will keep kate in the loop on things ⸻what im going to tell you, it’s best you don’t repeat it unless it’s to kate. as it stands she is the one we both answer to. i maybe a soldier in the air force but she is my boss.” 

there was far too much at stake for all of them, for both ed and nick, for kate and UNIT as a whole. nick would go as far as to say his loyalty lay more within the ranks of UNIT than it did the air force. “i will not hesitate to make my division of UNIT go dark.” the tone behind the words was a serious one, his words held a lot of weight to them. “no communication with our government, with other divisions until i can establish a division of UNIT not attached to military influence. and i know what you are going to say. the ramifications of such an action can be… devastating but i joined the military to protect the innocent and get away from my own past.”

holding his gaze on the other, nick didn’t turn away. there was no second guessing to his choices or his words.

“i refuse to allow anyone to create a world where war is the only future we have. it all starts here with the sandcastle and what it contains. I know… there would be no turning back, and yes, i’ve thought of my family’s safety. something isn’t right with all of this, you can’t tell me you don’t feel it too. i just ⸻ if it comes to it, i need you to be the one to explain to kate why a division dropped off the face of the earth.”  

[driftvoid]

💕💕💕

.🐝  *  ―  let’s bring some more positivity to the rpc by brightening someone’s day ! anonymously or not, send 💕 or ( ‘HEART’ ) for me to randomly pick one of my mutuals and write at least two things about why i love seeing them on my dash, writing with them, talking to them, etc. /always accepting

I'm gonna talk about one of our besties. ( it was gonna be two per ask but this got so long lmao )

@driftvoid Rina you are one of the kindest, sweetest, nicest people I have ever met. You are an absolute angel and you make everyone's day that much brighter just by being here. You are a joy to talk to and to plot with, and to laugh with. You're always there for Aaron and me and our little circle of shared friends, literally the first person to ask if someone's okay, the first person to jump to plot, the first person to celebrate your friends' wins and commiserate their losses. It's been a joy to build the UNIT rpc with you, because you're so welcoming to new people in our little server. <3 I wanna also talk a minute to talk about your writing too bc RINA !!! The love you pour into your characters and the care you take with them is unmatched. Ofc I'm going to talk about Ed first, Rina, he's literally so perfect, and that's a testament to how great a writer you are. He lives and breathes like a real person. You've mapped out his backstory so well, there are these little tidbits of who he is that might seem small, but they add so much. The trauma of having a father who gave away everything to others while leaving nothing for his family, the way Ed takes care of others but forgets to take care of himself, the way that he still itches for field work because he's been at it for so long, the way that you have thought about all of these small details shows so much thought. and so much love for writing.

But it doesn't stop with him; you pour every ounce of care into other people's creations too. Not just your canons like 8, whose adventures feel like I'm reading a transcript from an unreleased audio bc they sound so much like him !! But I think about Maddie and your AU!10 as well. Maddie was an npc, a literal bullet point list of traits posted in a server that you took and fashioned into a real character. Your AU!Doctor was Nadiya's original creation, who you gave a second chance to live again and you did that so well that the transition is seamless.

I also really love that you admit to your characters' flaws as much as you allow them to shine. Your plots too, are so creative and you're so willing to work with others to develop something that's new and exciting.

Basically, you are the best, we all love you, god bless. <3

[driftvoid]

OOC. Just me. Lying in bed. Singing the RHPS soundtrack.

[driftvoid]

A MOLE. It was, of course, a possibility, that Kate, and he had considered, too, after the Tower had been attacked, about ten years ago now. The alien militia that had nearly managed to… He didn’t like to finish the thought, feeling it was just an invitation for it to come true. All the blood was still burned into his memories; the feeling of warmth on his hands as he tried to stem the building with his jacket… He had thought it would be the end of Kate, and he had sworn revenge to whoever had done this. However, their only leads had slowly turned into nothing. The man they had seen as the scapegoat had been nothing more than that, but whoever had used him, was still a mystery to them. To this day. Their suspicions were, after all, not more than that and naming people now, would just turn into a fire they would never be able to stop.

But he still thought about it and the possibility that a mole in their organisation might have leaked information about the building, their security and when Kate would be in the building rather than somewhere else. It had all felt – TOO WELL PLANNED to be a coincidence of some sort. Especially because they had known too much about the building and where the Tower of London had had its disadvantages.

Ten years ago – and it was still as relevant as it had been then, while sitting in a hospital waiting room, hoping the blood transfusion had been successful and the surgery gone well. They were still facing the opposition, though, FACING might be the wrong word, with most of them keeping in the shadows of those loud enough to voice their opinion. But these weren’t the ones they really had to fear. It was the quiet ones, who played their games in said shadows, while others did the distraction and dirty work. – He could name half a dozen people from the top of his head who had spoken out against Kate and her new motto, and yet, he didn’t suspect any of them to be involved in this attack or following sabotage. Perhaps it was because the ones really pulling the strings were sitting here in the US? The cry for remilitarisation had always been older over here. Or they were somewhere in Geneva?

No answers had been gnawing at him for years. And now he was wondering about the soldiers he had met earlier; the men and women working outside in the heat. Was one of them really stealing information and sending it off to their secret superior?

He pondered the question, while he focused on the other part of their conversation; different, but not an easy topic, either. “ – I’m not sure if I am the best person to ask for advice when it comes to be being a father. Moira and Gordy were aware of UNIT before Kate and I started dating. But I think there is no harm done in keeping the lie alive for a bit longer. Not in this case. Your children love you, and they will understand why you kept it from them, when they find out. My family understood, when I finally told them. Sure, my mother and Ruth were angry, but – after the initial anger, there was understanding.” He remembered the tea towel his mother angrily threw at him, just to dash forward to wrap her arms around him, and call him something along the lines of a foolish idiot – the exact words he had forgotten, but not the feeling of relief of finally telling the important people in his life, which hadn’t known so far.

Surely Nick would feel similar at some point – but his children were still young and keeping their childish innocent intact and the feeling that nothing in the world or the universe could really hurt them, was important, too. REACHING OUT, he put his hand on Nick’s shoulder; somewhat of a breeze of his own motion against his skin, reminding him, just how unbearable the heat really was. It would not get better for far too long.

“And you’re not boring nor bothering me with your bibliography either, just in case you think something like this. I’m sorry the man you believed to be your father was not a good man. I do, however, truly believe you have nothing to worry about on that front, Nick. You’re a good man and a good father. Your children know they are loved by both their parents and keeping in mind your own bad examples… You won’t make the same mistakes.” He truly believed it as it was also what he had clung to; that keeping in mind how you didn’t want to turn out, would guarantee you wouldn’t. At least as long as you worked for (or in this case: against) it, too.

Just like how he was NOT like his father. Despite the superficial similarities. Despite sharing some characteristics. He was nothing like him, and it showed in the way he always thought about his family – and his gaze flickered back to the screen, while knowing there would be no reply. He missed Kate already, and perhaps that was a sign he was, indeed, getting too old for these ADVENTURES.

Nevertheless, he had once become a soldier out of necessity and there was a necessity now, to be one now again, too.

“Major Reece, you and I. Sounds like a plan to me. Nothing that would seem unreasonable to an outsider, either. We don’t need more people with the small size of the entrance. – And while my presence might have already stirred some rumours, I am sure we can come up with a good enough explanation for why I am here. Haven’t seen, even just in files, similar and actually having the time should suffice for now. – I’ll keep an eye open for everyone who might ask too many questions and…” He lowered his voice again.  “We could think of sending in our own mole? Captain Carter might not look or sound like it, when you first meet him, but he’s proven himself in undercover work and what we cannot find out because of our positions or associations, he might hear about something?” 

It was not a fully fleshed out plan yet, but with his brows furrowed, he caught himself thinking about said half-thought-through plan. It was an idea. Not his best and not his worst either. Just something they could try as a desperate act to keep the organisation together and the world in one piece. “I cannot guarantee that we will find out anything this way, but I trust Carter with my life, and he’s one of those, who stand behind Kate’s motto of SCIENCE LEADS, even though he is also more of a soldier than a scientist. He might find some answers – or he won’t hear anything and we lose nothing. As said before, I would request that he is on this mission anyway because he saw the craft in the Swiss Alps…”

A sigh followed his words finally; sinking back against the table. “I know this is deeper than this, Nick. – This has been going on for YEARS now. I think ever since Kate proposed a change to the way UNIT worked. They’ve tried more aggressive forms of – I don’t know any other word that would describe it better than A COUP, but since getting rid of Kate hasn’t worked, they have switched tactics.”

Being married to helen, he guess he had an upper hand on having to explain to his family what he did. there was no need to explain to her what he did, she was part of it as well ⸻ she understood the work he did without needing a lie to cover up the truth. before helen, nick remained single ⸻ love wasn’t something that was in the cards for him after the very last break up he allowed himself to go through before he enlisted in the air force. a fling here and there, but he never allowed himself to commit to anyone. he didn’t want to go through the heartbreak and pain he had with the last woman he had committed himself to but helen, she had changed all of that for him.

“i guess… i’m always worried about the kids, and, i know, it’s my job as their father to do so. there is always this fear in the back of my mind that i would be a terrible father because of the example i had growing up. even if my real father was in the picture and i had no idea.” things were always lead by example, but the example he had growing up was a horrible one, he’d never treat his children the way he had been treated. 

“the way i see it; if they still believe in santa claus, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy ⸻ what we do for a living can wait a little while longer. they just know we are busy helping people, i think that’s good enough. ashley will be in the double digits soon, she’s almost a pre-teen but she knows her siblings still believe in santa so she doesn’t spoil the fun for them.” nick is quiet for a moment before he answers. “no, not the thou shalt not lie type. just the type who looked at you as if you were the scum on the bottom of his boot. i broke my leg falling out of a tree when i was a kid ⸻ he wouldn’t come back to the house, said i can walk it off, he had better things to do. the farmhands carried me back to the house before one ran for town to grab the doctor. i found out not too long ago, those farm hands are my father and my uncle.” 

nick also didn’t want to bother ed with his own life story ⸻ it was truly nothing but trouble, and spending long nights alone wondering what it was he did to deserve the way the man he thought was his father, hated him. maybe one day they could sit down at the house and have a long chat about their pasts. 

pushing himself off the table, nick’s gaze remained with ed. moving to the flap of the tent, he pulls it closed giving them a little bit more privacy ⸻ it was going to make it a little hotter in the space but he would deal with it for the time being. ed was right, he requested him specifically for this because he knew it was someone he was able to trust. “i know just the soldier to trust with the job.” he replies as he returns to the table, reaching above it to turn on the light hanging down that was powered by one of the base camps generators.

“you know i’d never keep anything from kate. it’s another issue the opposition has against UNIT. it’s specific to the fact that i report to her rather than some old general sitting at the pentagon. it’s a dual edged sword i’m sitting on.” a nod is given in agreement. “we’ve both danced on the edge of a galactic war for years. pushing back is only getting harder the more we find.” 

his attention moves to the map and the files on the table. “I don’t know.” he answers honestly to the question. what he did know what the data has been shared, they have details he hasn’t put in reports ⸻ things he didn’t understand. “they’ve managed to get their hands on details from cases we’ve purposely taken our time with writing the reports. i’ve gotten phone calls in the middle of the night asking questions about cases we haven’t sent to the pentagon yet.” he can recall a few of them that have woken helen up as well. all she needed was to see his face to know something was off. they’ve spent nights after those phone calls, discussing different ways they could have gotten hands on that information. 

“i think what we need to do is station major reece at the door while we take a first look inside the sandcastle. he’s one of the men i trust on this operation.” looking at the details of the photos and the maps on the table, nick knew they were on to something with all the connections. “all of this, everything that makes sense and adds up ⸻ if they get their hands on it…”

lifting his gaze to ed, he let his mind drift to a time before he was married and had children. “if this was years ago, i would have used all of this information; the theories, the connections of my own encounter and now your data about the alps to prove kate wrong. the advantage we have is i know how they think and how they would use all of this.” nick knew how deep it all ran, he wasn’t a fool ⸻ siding with kate, in a way sealed his fate as an enemy in their ranks.

a pointless battle was the proper definition of this fight between UNIT and those who want to turn it into a weapon against a war that doesn’t exist. “i don’t regret making the choice to follow the science. i have seen it for myself that it works. i don’t understand why they can’t and i’ve stopped trying to. they’re waiting for me to make a mistake to take over, I won’t let them. someone here is feeding them information, it’s another reason i asked you to be here. it’s far deeper than the sandcastle, ed. they want to dismantle UNIT from the inside out.” 

[driftvoid]

ship?

[driftvoid]

OOC. Justice for Alicia M.asters!

[driftvoid]

GOLF?! Offence was still written onto his features as though said sport, popular amongst said subgroup on Earth, was the most LOATHSOME thing one could have mentioned. Indeed, did he hold a certain grudge against a game, that was as boring as this one. How could a game be boring, after all, when the purpose of games was nothing but fun and entertainment? It was an oxymoron, that certainly led to another philosophical debate – or could be added to the topic earlier: COULD THERE BE FUN AND ENTERTAINMENT WITHOUT UTTER BOREDOM? Surely these concepts had to exist in a balanced state to keep the universe running smoothly, because they were all aware of what awful things happened if people (broad definition, stretching across galaxies and universes) experienced boredom.

This made it all just worse. If it really was a golf course out there – and part of him was refusing to check; refusing to believe Romana, even though he knew she wasn’t lying – then the balance was distorted and the scales slowly tipping. Was this the doing of their old opponent, who had, ever-present and omniscient, heard their argument?

With one last glance at the screen, he took a step backwards and then hurried towards the doors leading outside, to follow Romana, who had already stepped across the threshold.

Of course, he had not expected Romana to lie about their surroundings, but the unnatural green was still a shock; hitting his senses with the smell of grass that also felt off. Artificial. Violent even. A smell like an intrusive perfume carried to a place, where serenity should reign. Or at least a quaint village, that surely would have offered them distraction with the local politics, delicacies and problems they liked to share with charming strangers.

Wrinkling his nose at the smell, he listened to Romana’s scientific explanation only with one ear, while trying to hear anything that might sound like civilisation with the other. BUT THERE WAS NOTHING. Not even a cricket chirping comically. A quietness that, in contrast to PEACE AND QUIET, felt as wrong as everything else about this place, making one wonder if it wasn’t just the calm before the storm. Yet, the sky, to which he had turned his gaze, was clear. A default screensaver, Romana had called it, and he could see the striking, eerie resemblance.

“You’re quite right about the fauna in this part of the galaxy.” A small nod, as he broke the silence, half expecting his voice to echo over the endless green – or to get swallowed completely by it. “ – And you seem to be quite right about GOLF, too. But this is not right. This part of the galaxy should never succumb to this atrocious sport.” Brows furrowed, as he held out a hand, expecting Romana to hand him the golf club as though it was evidence in a murder case. Worse than that, even, if his intuition was right this time. Reconsidering his movement, he put his hand back into the pocket of his jacket for a moment, just to hold it out again, covered in a simple, white handkerchief.

“ – I think, my dear Romana, we’ve just been handed our next mystery.”

criticize him she will, because darkness & hatred are the oils that keep the great gallifreyan wheel spinning, the substances that the doctor ran away from so very long ago & why romana has decided to rejoin him. it's a very tempting debate on the range of broad spectrum emotions, but she'll save it for an incarnation that's less unfeeling, or a time further down the line where her hearts are laid bare. right now there's a quite a lot to hide, a lot of repressed sentiment that will spill through the cracks of her latest body, & a mystery for them to solve.

“ nope, ” another swivel of her head back & forth, the latter p stretched out to a comedic popping sound, as if expecting some invisible audience's laughter to accompany every pause between her sentences. that's what the guardians always were, after all, an audience of two baring witness to the doctor & romana's ever expanding game of cosmic one upmanship. but instead only the echo of an endless spring morning greets her ears, & romana learns how eerie it can be in the right context. her brows furrow in frustration & confusion, of course their first landing spells out danger. “ it's rather like a default screensaver, factory settings. ” she says, stepping through the dimensional threshold between interior & exterior.

the lush greens truly were without an end in sight, unnatural to the trained eye of a time lord, even if their precise temporospatial location is a mystery. romana pops a finger in her mouth & out to feel the wind on her moist skin, a trick she learned from the doctor, one he'll surely note as an example of his expert tutelage. “ fauna in this part of the galaxy is supposed to be purple, isn't it? ” the question is rhetorical, because romana isn't allowing the doctor a chance to phrase the answer in his usual long winded philosophical soliloquy, no, this is her time to show off, “ the sun in this system is an y-type main sequence star, the light it produces is green, therefore any plant-based lifeforms that use it for photosynthesis reflect back the red & blue ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. hence, purple. ” the science is rather simple, but romana shines with pride nonetheless. she's not a botanist.

“ either nature is being stubbornly defiant, or... ” her eyes spot a glint between the blades of glass, & romana lets the pause hang to build intrigue as she runs over to their very first clue. she crouches down, her hands parting the green bristles away to find a thin metal rod with a blunt end, every edge rounded. a golf club, picked up & displayed to her companion, “ we bare sight to the most dangerous game, doctor. ”

were their adventures serialized, this is where she imagines the intro would play.

[driftvoid]

31 Days of Rina Challenge; 2025 Edition!

So here we are! It's the 31st of July, and I've spent a whole month celebrating my wonderful friend Rina ( also known as @driftvoid ) and her fantastic collection of muses.

Rina, I love you so much. You make my day when you pop in for a chat or to yell headcanons, and whenever I get a notification of a reply on a thread of ours? I run to Tumblr to read it twice through.

Happy birthday month, Rina. I hope it's been a good one ❤️

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Walking past Bambi’s desk, he had just told her to get the usual for him – whatever that was, he wasn’t sure either, but he wouldn’t complain -, before he had pushed open the doors of his office overlooking the Stark Industries facilities. Anything, from the warehouses to the buildings where they had once assembled the weapons the name had gotten big for, could be seen through the bulletproof wall of glass. And he had always thought he’d prefer an ocean view, just like he had at home. At least these days, looking down at the buildings didn’t fill him with as much anger and regret as it once had. All thanks to a CHANGE OF HEART.

“– something tells me, you’re gonna tell me your thoughts on that, no matter whether I wanna hear them or not.” A grin sneaked back onto his lips and hid the truth. Did he want to hear the other’s (professional) opinion? He wasn’t sure about it. The last few months had proven, that it was better he just listened to his heart and live with the consequences, than to listen to advisors and men, he had once trusted, who had played him like a chess piece. – Paranoid? Perhaps.

Another shrug of his shoulders and then a hint of surprise flashed across his face as Bruce stepped closer; eyebrows raised, he caught his own reflection in his eyes – saw how his own face turned back into a grin and then LAUGH at the proposal made. “ – and here I was, thinking talkin’ ‘bout a crazy proposal meant you were going down on one knee. Oh, the disappointment. Everyone always just wants me for my genius.”

Taking a step and performing a half-turn, he stepped behind his desk; letting himself fall into the large, black leather desk chair, before he turned him attention back to Bruce. “You need a suit. To go to the moon? – Mars? I wouldn’t advise visiting any other planets in our solar system. – Come on! Spit it out. I hate it when people do that; starting with something and then not getting to the point. Especially when you start like this!”

For some reason or another, he finds that response amusing. And it props up a smile on his face as he turned slightly to Bambi to whisper about his preferred drink. Giving her a thankful wink as an afterword as he followed behind Tony. Not really sure if he was asking his opinion in that regard or not as someone who was, to some degree, mostly CEO in name. 

Trusting a good man, or in Tony’s case, a good woman in that position has freed him up to focus on his other proclivities while ensuring that the business wouldn’t stray from their aligned goals. A lot easier said and done even within his range of influence. 

“ You want to hear my thoughts on that? “ He asked, trying his best to keep his tone casual and forth coming without meaning to impose. It’s his business after all. If he refused, then he’ll leave it at that. 

Another smile propped up at the way his laugh seemed to bounce off the walls. Despite how the media may portray the two of them, one thing he felt certain anytime he’d get in a room with the Stark Inventor, he was as full of life as his brain was full of genius. He can’t blame the barrage of fans he hoarded over on his side of the country. Shoulders shook and his own little posturing dulled as the staff dwindled behind them.

“ You’re actually not that far off. “ He explained, his turn to laugh. “ You’re gonna think I’m crazy with this proposal actually. And it’s really more of a personal…trip. “ He added, finally moving, walking ahead slightly so they were face to face again and he could watch his expression either falter or laugh in his face at his ask. “ I need a suit. “ A short pause. “ Well, kind of. “

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OOC. Since my dumblr still hates me, the best way to find me, is on disco! northern.powerscouse

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“ – No, I don’t think any child deserves to grow up feeling…” He left the exact wording to Nick and how he had felt as a child in a complicated situation. It didn’t sound easy to understand, nor did it sound as though it had been easy. Very different to what he had grown up with, and yet, he also always had a complicated relationship with his father, even until the day he had died. In his opinion, his father had cared more for the church and the community than for his own family. Always gone. Never presented. Even when he had been physically there, his mind had been planning the next mass or stuck with problems of other people. In some ways, they shared more similarities than just the superficial ones, one would easily recognise holding a picture up next to Ed, of his father. A carbon copy. Except for the eyes, which had always been as blue as his mother’s.

It had taken Ed years to get comfortable with the idea that he was somewhat like his father – and in the end he had only managed, because he was SO DIFFERENT from him, too. While his mind was always with other people’s problems, he had never ignored a member of his own family; putting them always first and going so far, to put his own needs last. Kate sometimes commented on it. How he could forget to have lunch, but remembered to remind her to have hers. How he got involved in things, he didn’t have to care about and yet did. Not too dissimilar from now, was it? He was here because he was curious – but also because he cared about Nick, and so he had come, when the other had asked him to.

He gave nick a soft smile, that only broke to turn into a laugh again. “I know I’m not actually boring you, Nick, but I can talk your ear off, if you let me. Family trait. – But I would never think something someone wants to share is boring or unimportant. I don’t always understand what Miss Tam is talking about or even Moira, when she’s mentioning something on social media or some new singer she likes… But I always make an effort to listen.” He also listened to the things unsaid. Sometimes they were even clearer than what was being said. In the example of Moira, it was nice to just know she felt comfortable to share what she was excited about, and it was nice to know she cared about his opinion, too. In Nick’s case: He knew what the other saw in him, and it was somewhat mutual, after all. Extended family, that defied expectations of blood relation. But then, it was often a misquote what people believed about blood being thicker than water, or wasn’t it? He remembered reading about it, before he turned his attention back to Nick, with the former smile returned to his lips.

“ – I would say it makes me good with people, which is why I got this job in the end. It made me rubbish at being a soldier, because you’re not really expected to LISTEN but to follow. Commands don’t require you to think about what someone says. DO THIS is just to be understood and executed.” A small shake of his head. He wondered if Nick’s not-father had been this type of man, he had met many of, in the form of higher-ranking soldiers. His own father had never been this type – he had only been the type to preach one thing and do another; for him, it hadn’t been DO THIS and FOLLOW, but do as I say and not as I do.

Still reminiscing of the past, wasn’t he? Amused, he pushed the thought aside, before his gaze flickered back to the laptop screen. Still unread. Perhaps Kate had gone home on time today? Of course, part of him hoped so, while part of him knew it was rather unlikely.

“You know, I didn’t tell my family about what I had been doing for nearly three decades until… 2015. I didn’t know what to tell my mother or my siblings. I was afraid of them asking questions I couldn’t answer or – scaring them of what was out there, because they have seen films and read books and one of my nephews is really into video games, he even plays them for a living… When Kate and I got together, it didn’t seem fair to lie any more. Because I would have been lying on her behalf, too. – What I’m trying to say is, there will be a right time to tell the children. They are still young and telling them lies, for now, isn’t reprehensible. Well, perhaps a little, if you grew up as the vicar’s son, who kept preaching about THOU SHALT NOT LIE.” Life couldn’t be lived in black and white, and while he struggled with his own faith still, he knew that RULES like this, weren’t always easy to follow. There could be more harm done with the truth than a lie, for example.

And their jobs required more than a few lies to keep the public safe. “ – I’m afraid, I haven’t seen that movie, but it doesn’t sound like something Kate and I would choose the few rare occasions we actually sit down to watch something. It sounds, however, as though…” It could happen. It sounded like a nightmare, he would wake up from, drenched in sweat, with his heart beating away. It also sounded like another reason why the public often reacted with FEAR towards anything extraterrestrial; most of them would be able to name you dozens of horror films about aliens, but not one where aliens weren’t the enemy. For a moment, he struggled to come up with an example himself.

When Nick lowered his voice, he furrowed his brows – putting a serious expression back on the previously relaxed face. A small nod was supposed to show he was listening – and agreeing – with Nick, before he answered, with his own voice lowered, too. Just in case there was someone listening to them. “ – I suppose that’s another reason why you asked me to join this operation.” Not a question, but a simple statement. “I will only report back to Kate, and I am sure we can limit the amount of people who will set foot into our sandcastle out there, once the doors have been opened. You, me. One of the soldiers you trust isn’t involved with the opposition. It should be enough, since we don’t expect anything hostile. – I don’t want to start a war, either. I’ve been standing on the edge of it more often than I ever needed, and sometimes I wonder how our opposition can forget how that feels.” Or he couldn’t understand how they could LIKE said feeling. A hunger for power, he had never understood.

“I doubt a team from our division would make it here until we’re ready to open this thing up, but you know your men best, Nick, and I do not doubt you’ll pick someone on our side of this pointless battle we’re still fighting amongst ourselves. We’ve made it this far, and I might be a foolish optimist, but I think we will persist against the force to remilitarise. So far, we’ve always managed to keep most of the technology safe, too. I say MOST because I know there has been different cases, but…” A shake of his head, before his serious eyes met Nick’s again. “– do you really expect a MOLE in this troupe?”

nick could relate to ed in terms of his mother not being happy he had made the choice to enlist in the air force. he can remember sitting at the table late one night with coffee on hand talking to his mother about why he made the choice he had and the reasons behind it all. mildred understood but at the same time, it meant her only child was leaving home and would be for a long while. as much as she tried to convince him that she was alright with his choice, he can see it in her eyes, she was lying ⸻ trying to make him feel like his choice wouldn’t affect her when he knew more than anything it would.

he didn’t care what his father thought about it, the man never cared much for him to begin with. if only he knew then, what he knows now about everything, life would be far different for him, and for helen and the kids. 

the way the major had been watching the laptop, he knew he was waiting for a reply back from across the pond. checking his watch, it was mid afternoon on the west coast of the states. it meant it was nearing late night in london. if kate was anything like himself, she’d be working late or doing something else ⸻ much like the late night meetings at the pentagon. that was one part of the job he wasn’t fond of. didn’t matter if the kids were asleep or dinner was on the table, when the call came, he had to go and deal with it. the government never understood that for some, family time was important. 

having to miss out on bed time stories or movie nights because he was on a call or at a meeting late was not his idea of a good time. luckily for him, he had a wife who was understanding and knew it was out of his hands. 

“if it helps any, i enlisted to get away from utah and the small town life. my father… well ⸻ he wasn’t actually my father but he wasn’t a good man. blackmailed my mother with my birth and used it against her and my real father. the man hated everything that i was. i thought… he was my father and never understood what it was i did wrong for him to hate me so much. it’s… something i never want my kids to experience, the questioning. henry has been through enough of that with helen’s ex ⸻ kids… don’t deserve to grow up with questions that don’t have answers.” a sigh follows his words, if there was one thing nick was grateful for; his real father being a part of the children’s lives and spoiling them. he’d never have to answer ‘why doesn’t grandpa love us’ because he wouldn’t have an answer for them. 

nick didn’t have siblings, neither did helen so the children didn’t have an uncle around or cousins to really speak of.  with ed, they have someone they can call when they have questions their mum and dad can’t answer for them. henry, the history lover of the boyd family, really takes advantage of that. there has been a time or two where his phone has gone missing, only to find his six year old on a call to london. “by the way, it’s not boring to learn about people you care about.” he says after a moment, offering ed a small smile. nick quietly wondered to himself, if the man before him knew exactly how much nick admired him. it’s not something he’s really voiced, but ed has made him feel as if he. his wife and his kids were just another part of his family ⸻ it meant a lot to him and ed was always there when he needed advice. 

“there are also people out there who believe the earth is flat and donut shaped. how the donut shape idea came about, i have no clue but it’s… not exactly the worst thing i’ve heard. you can tell the public until you are blue in the face that there is something more out there but they wouldn’t believe it. too many hollywood movies, books, video games ⸻ media in general that has changed how people think about the unknown as a whole. i’m not sure what im going to tell the kids when they ask what daddy really does for work. as far as they are concerned, mummy works in science and a lab and daddy works for the air force.” that’s as simple as nick likes to keep it with the kids for now, until they are old enough to truly be able to handle the answers to their questions. “for all i know one of them will end up working for UNIT.” a chuckle easily follows his words. the kids all had their own interests as it was ⸻ aside from the youngest two but oliver was beginning to show interest in things already. 

ed wasn’t entirely wrong, the government hardly listened to a word they were being told. the idea that they’d listen to someone or something from beyond their own universal borders was ⸻ well, nick wasn’t exactly holding his breath. “have you ever seen the movie indenpence day?” nick asks. “you know bunch of people gather on the rooftop of a los angeles building under this huge,” using his hands to emphasize, he continues. “alien ship with signs, green alien signs, all the bells and whistles, only for this ship to open this bright light and incinerate everyone and everything in the greater los angeles area. anyway, my point is, it’s things like that; movies and such, that fuel this mass paranoia of everything unknown wants to take over for world domination.” 

gaze shifting towards the open flap of the tent momentarily, his voice lowers. “i’m not saying if we find anything we shouldn’t report it. of course i have to report to kate as much as you do, however ⸻i think it’s best if we do find some means of communication we keep it to a trusted group for now. i can’t guarantee there isn’t eyes and ears everywhere.” nick’s own position on remilitarization was also an issue with many who were above him.

“listen, ed. i need to level with you ⸻my stance on kate’s motto is the real issue they have with my division. they were hoping to have someone in their corner who sits on the front lines. whatever we find in that ship… we need to be careful about it. the opposition is at every turn and within UNIT ranks. if they get their hands on any technology that can speak to who or whatever left the sandcastle behind… it’s not only about protecting the earth. it’s about protecting them as well.”

 nick knew exactly what he was saying, he only hoped ed understood him. “i joined UNIT not too long after my encounter in the atlantic. i joined to make a difference and to protect the innocent. Whoever owns these ships,” his hand motions over the photos on the table across the map he had drawn on. “they’re just as innocent as we are. they deserve to be protected as well from a hostile threat.” and that threat was the agencies that held governance over UNIT. 

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OOC. I still need to make Alicia's icons... But I love her.

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Luke managed to stop spreading the tiredness back to him; the yawn stopped by hand from jumping back and forth like an odd game of tennis. It really just had been a long nine days, and as long as there wasn’t a real routine in his days yet, they would all feel long and exhausting. It was sort of funny, really, because he was used to having hardly any routine and now the lack of it made things difficult. Odd, how life worked sometimes.

“I’d appreciate some help with brainstorming. You know Clyde’s mother better than I do, and I really want to avoid awkwardness. I think it’s probably already difficult enough for them to get used to me now.” Despite the underlying implications, he still managed an amused smile, focusing more on the here and now, than the past. For once. He was already thinking enough about Sarah Jane’s legacy and the shoes he tried to fill. It would be impossible – he couldn’t make up for what Luke had lost, nor what his friends and their families had found in Sarah Jane, too. Nobody, of course, was outright expecting him to do so, but there was always comparison and wondering WHO he was.

The sound of the microwave being done with the first round of warming up dinner, pulled him out of his thoughts, and he turned to open one of the kitchen draws to help himself to a fork, with which he stirred in the spaghetti, just to put them back in the microwave for another few minutes. Surely Luke could explain to him which the food never warmed through completely, but he didn’t have the head for scientific explanations now.

“ – I’m sure Ruth would be DELIGHTED to teach you some things.” He said instead, turning back to face Luke while the humming of the microwave continued. “Second-best cook I know, after our mother, so… I’ll ring her later and ask her what she thinks of it. Would be nice to have her over anyway. Or we – could visit her? Could be a bit much with her children, husband and the dog, though.” Brows furrowed in an asked question, before he nodded. “Games night sounds good, too. Snacks usually don’t require cooking, and I could organise some board games. Either we are best friends at the end of the night, or end up hating each other, over a broken Monopoly board?”

“If you struggle to think of something, I can always brainstorm with you. It doesn’t have to be something big. I can be small gestures showing your appreciation.” Small gestures could build to have a big impact, at least that made sense logically. It was all about finding gestures that meant something.

The hiding of the yawn did nothing to stop it spreading to Luke. In an attempt to prevent it from spreading back to Ed, Luke did the same thing, covering his yawn. “School’s much the same…You have to sit there and listen, then do tasks, all without being able to get up and walk around. Though I do have the advantage of having different lessons. I get time to stretch my legs!” He sighed with a shake of his head. He wanted to avoid an office job in the future. It sounded boring.

“If your sister does come over to cook, do you think she’d teach me? I know some basics, but cooking is a skill I want to master. I could impress my friend with more than my brain.” Dinner served multiple purposes. One, it brought people together; two, he could learn a thing or two; three, he could get to know Ed’s sister.

“Oh, I’ve heard of people having ‘game nights’. We could invite people over to play board games, video games, card games…Just games! And we can have snacks, of course.” A cheeky smile spread across his face.

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31 Days of Rina Challenge; 2025 Edition!

Days 29 & 30; Maj. Motoko Kusanagi!

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“ – at least I’m no longer thinking about the fact that we’ve missed lunch.” Nothing but a BAD joke to keep his mind off the fact that Nick was right. If they were dealing with a reptilian like species, they would have found at least SOME traces left behind from there missing personnel. But there was nothing. Which led to the conclusion that they were dealing with more of an insectoid species, using the whole body. – His stomach was turning, too, and he tried not to think about food after having just mentioned it. Working for UNIT might make you less squeamish, but there were still some things left, that could make him sick. Their personnel turned to soup for whatever creature there would surely encounter sooner or later, was one of those things.

And what happened if they ran straight into said creature? They didn’t know how many there were, and they didn’t know whether these creatures would attack them straight away, seeing them as a treat to their nest, or – would they flee? He was hoping for the latter, of course, because it was just Nick and him, armed with nothing but the weapon Nick was holding, and the small pistol strapped to his leg. What could they do, that the mission people hadn’t been able to do? Perhaps their only advantage was, that they were expecting an attack, while the others had not even been sure that there really was something they needed to fear. – His heart was beating in his ears and he knew the feeling too well. He had always told himself that losing fear, would mean he had lost himself and had lost what was just entirely human, but right now he wished he could switch off the feeling just for a moment. Did that mean he really was getting too old to throw himself into these situations? That he had spent too much time just in his comfortable office, at his desk, where rarely anything could harm them? He knew that wasn’t entirely true with the history UNIT had, but in theory the job he had chosen over a decade ago promised a (false) sense of security.

It took a moment until he reacted to the pistol being handed to him. A blink. Surprise flashing across his face, just before he took it; a familiar weight in his hand, that also promised security. Not the same. But it was something at least.

His lips curled as a reaction to Nick’s joke – still trying to take some tension from the situation they were in, even if it seemed to be getting worse the further they walked away from the collapsed entrance. “ – I still manage to get on the internal scoreboard, I think I can handle it. Especially a standard issue. I thought you’d be carrying something else with you. An old-fashioned revolver, maybe?” Continued the joke, before he checked the magazine and that the safety was still on. Despite being a good shot, he still hoped it wouldn’t come this far. They should just find the exit and call for backup. He should just leave this to those, who were still on active service. – The voice reminding him, again sounded like Kate, and he swallowed thickly, feeling as though he just consumed another mouthful of dust, that was hanging in the air. However, this time he didn’t cough.

“But I’ll be fine. – I’ve said it before, but I’ve had worse injuries than this. At least I’m left-handed.” That wouldn’t help much if they really were in for an encounter with a species, that didn’t seem to be friendly and up for a chat, but he still managed to sound as though it meant something. It did. While he would still need both hands to shoot straight and not hurt himself more, his good arm was still in perfect condition – no scratches or nasty bleeding. His right side didn’t seem to be doing too bad, either. A quick glance told him, that the bandage wrapped around the injury was only covered in the all-pervading, all-consuming dust, but no blood seemed to have made it through the layers of gauze. A good sign, surely.

He really held onto his optimism with a stubbornness, that should be rewarded.

“I really hope next time I do you a favour, it’s going to be something easy – I say you owe me, when we get out of here…” Whatever he had wanted to say, was forgotten, when he heard something and froze to the spot. The sound of something sounded like the tools Nick had been talking about; the ancient hammer and chisel, people would have used to carve these tunnels – and yet it didn’t sound right. Not exactly like metal hitting the stone walls around them. Too soft. Too organic.

the hand on his shoulder, it was a comfort in a way nick couldn’t put into words. he’d been so used to going the world alone ⸻ being stuck in these situations alone, and having someone else was a comfort. it helped even further that it was ed who had been caught in the mess with him. that also meant he wasn’t going crazy with worry and hoping ed was okay with the rest of his team. for a brief moment, his hand moved to the pocket of his battle dress where he kept the picture of helen and the children.

it was something he carried with him when he went into the field, a silent and thin form of motivation should something go wrong ⸻ much like their current situation. the edges were worn, and the photo has changed over time from helen and the three oldest, to one that included rosie. from that to one that included oliver and now the newest which included amelia. photos on a mobile device were convenient but when the battery runs out, what remains of the motivation but a black screen? 

nick wondered quietly to himself if they were making their way to their doom ⸻ to the very end that his soldiers had met only weeks prior. leaving helen alone with six children … he didn’t want to consider the thought, didn’t want to make himself believe that was a possibility. they couldn’t turn back and dig their way out, they couldn’t sit around idle and wait for rescue. they had no idea if the rest of the team was caught in the collapse or if they were lucky enough to get away from it without injury. there were far too many factors for his liking, but for a moment his hand over the photo covered by the fabric of his battle dress told him they were going to get out, if it was the last thing he did. 

deciding to focus on the situation and not his own concerns, he offers a small chuckle as an apology. he's never turned down an opportunity to watch some documentary with the kids if they asked, this one the two of them had been waiting to see. what he didn’t know was that the information would become useful in the field. 

slowing his pace slightly, he allowed his light to sweep around the tunnel. “i’m not sure it was fully dug by… whatever is or might be in here. there are tool marks along some of these walls. could be an ancient system. if that’s the case, the home improvement these things are doing is making it unstable against its own weight. we are under a mountain ⸻ you dig your way through too much and it collapses on itself. really makes you question rockslides.” at the question of what these things may be, nick takes a moment to think. his boot kicking a small rock allowing the sound to echo off the walls as it skips in front of him. 

“between the two, i don’t think reptile is the options we are looking for. there are very few earthbound reptiles that dig a burrow, mostly tortoises, monitors. things like that. Something tells me we are looking for a bug variety of something. insectoid most likely. if it were reptilian like, we might have found ⸻ i hate to say it this way but; left overs.” simply saying it that way made his stomach turn. as the cave continues on, nick uses his free hand to unclip his service pistol from the holster on his leg, handing it to ed. “just in case anything happens to me ⸻ you need a way to protect yourself in here. the air is changing.” 

nick had noticed the change in temperature the further they moved down the tunnel. the air was becoming warmer and more humid. there was no guarantee he can protect both of them, he didn’t want to leave ed unarmed either. “i’m sure i don’t have to explain to you how to use that.” he jokes, trying to ease the tension he felt growing in his being with each step he took. if helen had heard him say something like that, he was sure he’d have gotten an ear full about it. “how’s the arm?” 

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Again his gaze flashed to the screen; still waiting for any response, he was a bit disappointed, that the message hadn’t even been read yet – just for a brief moment, until he remembered the time difference and also wondered whether there was anything happening in London or the UK in general right now. He had somewhat assumed he would have heard of it, if it were the case, but with their own hands full with operation SANDCASTLE it was possible that any information about international affairs were held back for now. Yet, surely there would be something in the system, if the UK was under attack, or if there was any other, important and urgent matter Kate was currently busy with? – Reaching out for the laptop, he checked his own messages again, before taking a step back and just, quietly, calling himself a paranoid, old fool. Surely Kate was just stuck in some late phone call again; some higher-up calling from Geneva, because they had more questions, that they could have sent an email for instead.

Turning his attention to Nick, he raised his eyebrows at the other man’s statement. “ – opposite ends? Did you think I was a career soldier, with a perfect record? You wouldn’t have thought that, if you’d known me – 15 years ago. Or 20… I joined the British Army because there were no other well-paid jobs in Liverpool in the 80s. Highest unemployment rate. Suffering the consequences of a government, which didn’t care for us, and a certain stigma… That’s probably a history lesson for another time, eh? But when I’d finished my A-levels, I really didn’t know what to do to bring in money. My mum did all she could, and we never had much, with my father being a man of the church, but I wanted to care for my mum and my siblings. With 18 I thought it was a smart choice; I thought my mum wouldn’t have to worry about me then, and I could send all the money I’d make home.” He chuckled at it now.

“ – My mum was furious when I told her about… two days before I left for basic training. ‘suppose we are somewhat opposites there. I was never a reckless kid. I always knew I had something to lose with my family, but, as I said, it was the only option I saw. And after I came in contact with UNIT and was recruited, I didn’t see a way out. Not because I couldn’t leave – I had opportunities – but because I didn’t – and still don’t – know how I should walk away from this life.”

He knew the weight behind his words and the seriousness that didn’t match the light-hearted tone he had wanted, but after leaving the words hanging in the air for a moment, HE LAUGHED. A genuine, warm laugh echoed through the tent, before it slowly ebbed away with a shake of his head. “Boring you with my biography. I just find it interesting how very different starting points, have led us here. Working for UNIT. Living the life we’ve lived. – Perhaps I’d know there was a movie about emojis, if I had managed to get out at some point, but I wasn’t aware of that. Couldn’t tell you the last movie I’ve managed to watch.” But he’d be delighted to watch Nick and Helen’s kids having some fun. It really was fascinating, wasn’t it? How he considered them and their kids part of their family. UNCLE ED he was to them. He didn’t mind. How could he ever mind it? The only thing he did, was make him wonder what life would have been for him, if he ever had children. Even the sleepless night, he’d gladly have accepted. It was, however, a little late for this now and there was no point in pondering questions like this, when they still had a job waiting for them, and the heat already made everything more complicated than it had to be.

“Well, I am not available for trips to Louisiana. TECHNICALLY, I am not a field operative any more, and I’m sure there are men and women more suitable for the job. And the swamp. Sounds like the classic operation you sent all soldiers onto, that you want to teach a lesson. I had a Colonel like that in basic training. He’d threaten to send you to hell, if you so much as blinked at him.” He raised a hand as soon as the sentence was finished; an acknowledgement (even though still with an amused smile on his lips), that he was reminiscing about the past again. Telling his stories would surely be nicer over a home-cooked meal, with some wine, and fresh air blowing in through the open door, leading into the garden. While not new to him, to miss home as he had always done so, even (or maybe especially) as a young soldier, he couldn’t recall ever feeling so content in missing a certain place and person. Even if she gave him hell for getting involved again.

A smile still rested on his features, born from his own thoughts and then nourished by the images Nick drew up about visiting aliens on an intergalactic, history field trip. “ – and then there are even those to question whether we’ve even made it to the moon. Yes. I sometimes think, in our line of work, it can be difficult not to forget what the public really knows. Even the worst cover stories still work, because the idea of aliens visiting us regularly is so absurd for some, that it’s easier to just believe there was something in the water. Or that it was all just a publicity stunt for a company that went bankrupt just a few weeks later.” As long as you didn’t have to deal with a reporter, who had found a new obsession.

“ – whatever we find in that ship, it will at least give us some answers. I don’t doubt, that it will bring up more questions, too, but I like just taking one step after the other and any answer is better than none. If we just learn, they are here to laugh at us, for the way we handle things… We might be able to learn something from them. Though, what I doubt is, that a lot of people we have to work with, will listen to advice from any other species. As it is, they hardly listen to advice offered by their own species.”

“ – I’m aware I am not telling you anything new.”

nick wasn’t entirely sure if he had met the man that ed spoke of. he mulled the name over in his mind several times in an attempt to spark a memory or thought from his previous visits to london. there could have been a time or two where he had met the man the major spoke so fondly of, his mind was normally on his mission and what needed to be done to get back home to his wife and kids. it would seem silly to anyone else, nick was always in a hurry to get back home when his family didn’t accompany him on his trips to the united kingdom. however, the house there is too big and quiet when it’s only him and the kids were still so young, his biggest fear was missing out on important milestones ⸻ especially with amelia and oliver. they were milestones he now shared excitedly with the man standing opposite of him ⸻ a man who has become an important person in his life.

it’s nearly comical. had this been years ago, he would never have considered major edward southgate would become such a major part of his life or that of his children. 

“if i’m being completely honest with you, i could have sworn on a bible that you and i were at opposite ends when we first met.” then again, nick wasn’t really a talker and still wasn’t unless he had gotten to know the other person. he was beyond that point with ed, his kids looked to him as an uncle after all. with oliver being a carbon copy of his father, for the toddler to take to ed told nick all he needed to know. “joining the airforce… was an easy choice with the way my life had ended up before i made the choice to enlist.” he says through a small sigh. nick isn’t one to dwell on the past, but his past ⸻ it had left lasting scars that ran deeper than what can be seen on the surface. his childhood, his life experiences are what made him a man dedicated to making sure his children would never have to feel the way he had growing up. 

meeting helen was the one thing that had saved his life in so many ways, adopting ramon had saved his life in so many ways. his recklessness became something that had vanished the older ramon had gotten and the more they added to their family.  

“i enlisted to get away from the life i had growing up. most will tell you they wanted to see the world, wanted to do what was right for their country. i was ⸻ i ran from my past and what it had done to me. i was a reckless kid with nothing left to lose and not a care in the world.” attention turning towards the open flap of the tent, the sand reminded him of days long gone. days of combat and war, piloting through gun fire and anti aerial artillery. a time when he wasn’t afraid to take the orders others wouldn’t. it had earned him a name for himself on the frontline ⸻ he didn’t care what happened to him in the end… until ramon.  

it was those tours in war that made him realize that isn’t a life he wanted for his children. when science leads became the whispers in the halls of the pentagon ⸻ when unit occupied its walls ⸻ there were whispers of change coming to the organization. of course he didn’t agree at first because he was new to the division and still a reckless kid who didn’t see a need to take the easy route. becoming a father, he never wanted ramon to see the things he had seen during the tours in the war he had taken. nick had changed sides not too long after the motto began making its rounds. 

offering a smile, nick shook himself from his own thoughts and the past he had run away from decades ago. “i am not a fan of emojis. but the kids like the movie. little emoji guy runs around as a malfunction and has to get to the cloud to try to save himself. the kids really love doing the emoji pop dance. i have heard feel this moment more times than any man should. but if it makes the kids happy, i can deal with listening to it at least one hundred more times. i’ll have to show you the video of them doing the dance, you’ll get a kick out of it.” nodding in agreement to his next statement nick agreed.

“if they were this advanced eighty years ago, the advancements they’ve possibly made since then must be incredible. we landed on the moon in sixty-nine and still haven’t made it to mars aside from the rovers. it’s possible they haven’t made contact because we are the ones who aren’t ready for it.” 

it was a small possibility the species they were speaking about had morals of sorts, not to aid in any space race. “it’s something to consider. maybe they want us to discover what is in our own solar system before breaking out of SOL and finding out what is really out there. sure we have photos and theories but we haven’t been able to land humans on other planets in our own solar system. we are making strides but at the same time we haven’t gone very far in over fifty years.” his lips curled then, a humorous thought occuring to him.

“you know, we could be the one stop on a history field trip. ‘come see the primitive aliens as they fight amongst themselves stunting their growth into space exploration. and scientific advancement.’ wouldn’t that be something. we mean no harm and getting a reply back ‘yeah we know.’ while they snicker at us behind their little glass domes." 

chuckling nick uses his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his brow once again. “ed, i’m afraid i don’t know what the word sleep is. six kids, someone is always in our bed. be it nightmares, not able to sleep, hungry, sick ⸻ you name it. it’s all cute and funny until you get kicked in the rib or a toddler laying over your chest and a toe shoved up your nose.” laughing, Nick wished he was joking. “we are a little short on room service here. you will bunk in here with me, no need to bunk with the youngsters running around out there. they can get a bit rowdy at night.” 

humming momentarily, the smirk soon curled the edges of his lips. “didn’t i tell you? we were tracking an unknown species of serpentes in the Louisiana swamps? i heard they were looking for field agents to take over the case and track it down. i could always toss your name in the hat. i hear the food is great in new orleans. i’ve had the gator before.”