#and she became the ripper of man but some explorers decided to try to change her

[hauntingmiser]

It's day 15

I made a selkie oc

[transxfiles]

A Roll Of The Dice by two_drama_nerds_in_a_boat | @homeworkforpigeons

Summary: Star Trek is an incredibly popular tabletop roleplaying game. Mostly gen with some Spirk at the end.

Word Count: 1822

Find this fic on AO3

Gliding through the stars would never get boring, he decided. Even at Warp Speed 9, with all the bright lights zipping past him so quickly they were nothing more than blurry spots in the sky, it was a simultaneously haunting and stunning sight. The Captain sighed, leaning back in his chair-

“Oh, do get on with it Jim,” muttered Hikaru from across the table, rolling dice between his fingers. “We don’t have all day.”

“But the monologues are important. For… character development.”

Nyota rolled her eyes. “Not when you spend an hour on them every turn. Besides, we already let you have the Captain’s Log thing. Now come on. I want to fight some hostile aliens.”

“Aren’t you supposed to stay on ship with Scotty in case things go wrong, Communications Officer?”

“Goddamit you two,” Bones said, fist slamming the table, sending papers fluttering and figurines toppling onto the board.  “We’ll never get anything done with the two of you fighting.”

“Come on Jim,” said Rand, shoving some dice into his hand. “Your. Turn.”

He looked at Spock, who just did that thing where he would raise only the one eyebrow, and sighed in defeat.

“Fine.”

He dropped the dice, watching them roll until they made their way a surprising distance from him, finally stopping by Scotty.

No one really knew how they’d all gotten together. Jim had to admit, they were an odd group.

In the end, they were all just sort of bored, and lonely, and they needed something to do after school. Originally, it had just been Jim and Bones. They took turns DMing, setting up short campaigns for the others to play, but it got incredibly boring very quickly. They got tired of it. They needed a permanent DM - so they’d found Spock, who, despite his attempt to put on mask of no emotion, seemed to take both happiness and pride in being Dungeon Master. And after that, everyone else had sort of fallen into place. Because once they had Spock, they at least a consistent location to play - his basement. Which, though still not ideal, was better than bouncing between Jim’s too-cramped (shared with his brother) bedroom and Bones’s tiny garden shed. So while Spock’s basement was a bit musty, it was honestly ideal, really, because though it was dark and sometimes damp, they made it their own. They had a little cooler with snacks and drinks it, and they’d put down a rug, and they had a little table, and every time a new person joined them they all went down to the local flea market as a group and helped pick out a chair for them, and ever so slowly the basement became theirs.

After Spock joined, Nyota was close behind him. She was new to their school that year, and she wanted friends, so she sought them out. She knew Spock through T’Pring, of course, and though Spock’s relationship with T’Pring was more than a bit strained, still, Nyota didn’t seem to mind. She wanted “Something amusing to do outside of school,” she’d said, something to “fill the time” and “make an afternoon more enjoyable.” A statement to which Jim had (nearly) replied with a few lewd, though somewhat humorous comments - though he did instead opt to stay quiet.  Somewhat due to Bones kicking him not-so-discreetly in the shin, telling him that “She won’t stay if you don’t play nice.”

And with Uhura came Rand, a new friend of hers, and with Rand came Chapel, a blonde girl Jim recognized from one of his science classes (he was taking a lot of those; it was one of the few things in school he actually enjoyed taking part in, and since he was on one of those advanced tracks, he was taking as many as possible) and it also drew a young Scottish kid, who was quickly nicknamed Scotty (because if you’re that goddam Scottish, James Tiberius Kirk is sure as hell going to give you some sort of nickname) and Scotty drew a kid named Hikaru, and Hikaru drew in the Russian exchange student, Pavel, and in some way or another, they managed to get together enough people to create a long-term campaign.

They named their ship the Enterprise, and decided on their mission: To explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life, and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before.

(That last bit used to be no man, but Nyota, Rand, and Chapel had all insisted that was at least a little bit sexist, and so they decided to change it to no one.)

The first time they’d all played a campaign on their own had resulted in some of the most fun Jim had in months. Spock DMed (of course) and they got to go down to a planet for shore leave and Scotty got with some prostitute (or planned to, at least) and then she was murdered and they all needed to work together to solve the mystery, and it turned out that the entity that had murdered the woman was actually Jack The Ripper (a reveal that had prompted many of them to ask Spock what exactly he was on when he wrote this) who was an immortal alien who basically ate fear.

“The crew of the Starship Enterprise is once more face to face with the hostile Klingons,” Spock said, hiding behind his notepad.

Jim grinned. “I walk past the Science Officer, our hands brushing as-”

“Oh shut up,” said Nyota, obviously suppressing a giggle. “You’ve tried to seduce him, what? Thirty times now?” She looked to Chekov. “How close am I?”

“Well, it’s a bit higher than the thirties,” he said. The bastard was reaching into his backpack for a notebook, no doubt to add another tally to some list he’d made for keeping score.

“I’m getting closer every time!” Jim said.

Spock raised an eyebrow in his direction. “Roll for charisma,” he sighed.

He did, tossing the die across the table. And, as was the usual, he rolled a two.

“Oh come on,” Jim groaned. “Can I try again?”

“Jim, we have discussed this before. You cannot spend the entire game attempting to seduce your Science Officer.”

“Now that we have gotten that over with,” Spock said, “I feel as though I must inform you that, due to a yet unknown technical malfunction, you now find yourself stranded in uncharted space, and, as I previously stated, surrounded by Klingon warbirds.”

After that, the game resumed as usual.

There was, of course, a miraculous victory from the crew of the Enterprise (with only a few casualties, mostly in the NPC department) and somehow Jim’s player character had ended up shirtless again, but they defeated the Klingons and saved the day. And then, soon enough, it was seven in the evening.

Time to leave.

Jim made his way over to the sofa, picking up his backpack where he’d dropped it earlier that evening. He slipped it over his shoulders before turning to his friends.

“Psst,” Jim said, careful to be quiet as he beckoned Nyota and Bones over to him. “Guys.”

Bones looked confused at first, but after a glance at Jim’s face, he knew exactly what was going on. “Oh no. No, nope, no way, not gonna happen.”

“Jim,” Nyota said, trying a different approach, “come on. Just wait a little longer if you’re nervous. I told you I could coach you if you wanted, and that offer still stands.”

“I don’t know… I just. Ugh. I have this gut feeling that I have to do it now.”

“Then just do it!” Bones said, voice getting gruffer with each passing moment. “You don’t need us with you to ask him out.”

“Well, it would be helpful?”

“Helpful,” Nyota deadpanned.

“Like… cheerleaders?”

"Cheerleaders?" Bones made a face.

“You’ve never actually asked someone out before have you.”

“Sure I have!”

Nyota and Bones gave each other a look.

“Please,” he hissed, voice still held at a whisper. No one could really explain why, but Spock had excellent hearing. He was just kind of like that. And Jim wasn’t willing to let him overhear this conversation. “You don't have to be right next to me, just nearby? In case something goes wrong. Or I catch on fire. Or Spock catches on fire…”

“I’ve got a date with T’Pring,” said Nyota. “I can’t help you with your love life right now, Jim.”

“Bones looked up. “Sorry Jimmy Boy. I’m busy too.”

“What? No excuse Bones? At least Nyota had something prepared.”

“Oh shut up.”

“You shut up.”

“You-”

“-are both acting like toddlers,” Nyota finished. “Come on Jim, get it together. Ask him out.”

“On what? A date? Does Spock even do dating?”

“You’ll never know until you get your shit together.”

With that, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and left, saying goodbye to them all on her way up the stairs.

Jim groaned.

“Well, that’s one way to do it,” Bones muttered.

“Bones…”

“Come on Jim, it’s not that hard. You just go over to him, tell him you like him. Ask him if he wants to go out with you.”

“And what do I do if he says no?”

“Say that it’s okay, you understand. Smile. Hold it together until you get somewhere you can cry safely.”

“Bones.”

“What? It’s solid advice.”

“Okay.” Jim took a deep breath. “What if he says yes?”

“You tell him that you’re really happy, and you like him a lot. I’d say give him a hug or something, but this is Spock we’re talking about, so avoid physical contact for now. And whatever you do, don’t say ‘cool’.”

“Don’t say cool?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Just don’t do it.”  

“Mm-hm. That’s how you charmed Miriam?”

“Oh shut up.”

And then, as though following in Nyota’s footsteps (probably purposefully, the bastard), Bones grabbed his backpack and ran up the stairs. Leaving Jim alone with Spock in the basement.

“Fuck,” Jim muttered.

“I fail to see a reason for such language,” a cool voice said from behind him.

Jim almost jumped out of his skin.

He spun around, face-to-face with the boy himself.

"Hi Spock!" Said Jim, voice jumping an octave from nerves.

Cue signature eyebrow raise. "Jim."

Jim took a deep breath. "I was wondering..." he felt his hands drop to his pockets as he tried to get the words out. "Well, you see... I like you-"

"I should hope so. We spend a fair amount of time together, in school and outside of it."

"Spock-"

"I am messing with you, Jim."

Jim looked up.

Spock was smiling.

Jim looked up the stairs, eyes tracing the paths Nyota and Bones had taken, then looked back at the ground at his feet, then looked back at Spock. "Did you overhear-?"

"Your entire conversation?" Spock shrugged. "Perhaps."

"Do you want to-?"

"Yes."

"Oh... wow, I...."

"Jim?"

"Spock?"

"Do not say 'cool'."

[michelles-garden-of-evil]

Episode 6 Review, Part I: Dream a Little Dream of Me

{ YouTube: 1 | 2 | 3 }

{ Synopses: Debby Graham | Bryan Gruszka }

{ Screencaps }

Even though this is one of my favorite episodes, it’s taken me a while to get motivated to write this. I don’t want to get into detail about my personal life because it’s irrelevant to this blog, but last week was very busy and hectic. With the holidays coming up, things are also likely to get really wild really soon, so odds are I will be progressing even more slowly through this show. Yes, this is going to be another two-parter and yes, in the second part, I plan on doing another deep dive into the contents of the flashback.

We start out with Jean Paul bitching again at the portrait because, at the end of Episode 5, he finally figured out that making a deal with the Devil was a bad idea. Shortly after Raxl has had a chance to air her grievances towards Jacques as well, they meet up in the crypt downstairs. There she tells him of Dr. Menkin’s death, including Jacques’ explanation that Menkin was drunk. “Dr. Menkin never drank,” he says, and she responds, “Yes, I know. But you told me yourself that he had been drunk.”

In this shot, you can clearly see a camera on the right-hand side of the screen.

Considering that she knows that Jacques likes possessing him, one can safely conclude that she is feigning ignorance. After some exposition for the new viewers about the conjure doll and the silver pin, Raxl gives some new background information about Jacques’ crimes:

Raxl: “Three hundred years ago, Jacques Eloi des Mondes ceased to care for his wife and she was dead. After that, her younger sister, then she was dead. There is a sister of your wife under this roof. Is she younger than my mistress?”

Jean Paul: “Yes.”

Raxl: “Then get her out of here before she is dead! Please, M’sieu! It is all we can do! We must fight!”

Jean Paul: “Against whom? A man of three hundred years ago?”

Raxl: “The Devil is eternal!”

Really, Jean Paul? You need to be reminded whom you’re fighting against? You need to be reminded that Jacques Eloi des Mondes is a threat and possibly the Devil himself? Look, I know that you were born sometime in the mid- to late 1930s and grew up in a world where most people didn’t believe in the supernatural and viewed voodoo and similar religions as superstition, but the spirit of Jacques has already started messing with your life! He’s possessed you! He’s killed Dr. Menkin! He talks to you all the time through his portrait! He even changes your clothes sometimes and gets you drunk while he’s in your body! And besides, I’m going to assume that Jean Paul was raised some variety of Christian, so most likely he already believed in the Devil before the beginning of the show. I could see him being skeptical if Raxl one day decided to proselytize to him about the Great Serpent, but, in this case, he just has no excuse for not believing her.

Jacques poncily inspecting Jean Paul’s fingernails right after possessing him. I suspect that many real-life 17th-century fops liked making this sort of gesture.

Anyway, Jacques possesses him and tells her to go away, then reveals while talking to the cryocapsule that he has no intention on reviving Erica until after he’s had his fun. I’m sure that this is not surprising, because why should he want to return to Hell when he can stay on Earth for the time being and wreak havoc on the residents of Maljardin?

In the Great Hall, Jean Paul--who is himself once again--meets up with Alison. She can’t sleep because she is still trying to recover from the shock of Erica’s death and can’t accept that Jean Paul has frozen her with the intent to bring her back to life. He starts to comfort her, but then...well...I think you can guess what happens next...

As of this episode, Colin Fox hasn’t yet mastered the sexy evil smirk, but he is still hot as Hell.

If you guessed “Jacques possesses him again,” you’re right! The early episodes get predictable quickly, and, although I have no evidence to support it, I suspect that was one of the things Robert Costello* criticized about the show when he became producer. But predictable doesn’t always mean boring, and the sequence coming up is an interesting one.

Jacques dropping a hint about his true identity to Alison, who--fortunately for him--refuses to believe that Jean Paul is possessed. Note that the portrait is still visible in the background. Continuity error or inconsistency?

While pretending to be Jean Paul, Jacques gives Alison a history lesson on himself in the third person: “Jacques was a very active man. He was a chevalier, he was renowned of royalty and he was a scholar, an engineer, a navigator, an explorer, and a free-looter. He was the beginning of the family's true wealth. Legend has it that in the coral caves beneath the island of Maljardin, he buried a king’s ransom, which still lies hidden. To tell you the truth, I’m a secret admirer of his.”

So many BISSITS!

Alison is intrigued, but still not convinced that Jacques was a good person (perhaps the “free-looter” bit tipped her off?), and is still worried about him. “You do identify with him,” she says. “He frightens me.” To reassure her, Jacques goes on to draw some comparisons between himself and Jean Paul, taking the opportunity to try to seduce her:

Jacques: “Look at our history. He had a wife that he adored who died, as I did. He brought her to this château, as I brought Erica. He lost a princess, a woman he loved.”

Alison: “As you lost Erica.”

Jacques: “Well, you could say the connection has a ring of witchcraft about it--but only in theory, of course.”

Alison: “That’s a comfort.”

Jacques: “But I will add one more thing. Jacques’ wife had a sister. And her name was Rahua.”

Alison: *falling under Jacques’ spell* “Rahua? A pretty name.”

Jacques: “The name of a goddess. And her hair was like ripened wheat. Her skin was as white as goat's milk and as soft to the touch as the morning mist on the water of the lakes.”

Alison: “Sounds lovely. So real. You describe her almost as though you knew her.”

Jacques: “History to me is real and so romantic in spite of the tragedy.”

A man after my own heart.

Alison interrupts Jacques’ attempted seduction to ask about the death of Jacques’ wife. “Huaco was her name,” he responds. “They climbed to the headland alone to watch the sunset. They didn't realize that the terrible force of the trade winds would be a danger to them, the terrible force at the cliff edge. And when they reached there, Jacques Eloi’s cries of warning were drowned out by the wind that plucked her from the cliff heights and threw her into the sea like a rag doll.”

Soon after, the conversation shifts to Jean Paul’s plans to revive Erica, but Alison doesn’t want to hear about it. Then the handsome devil decides to drop another hint:

Cue another flashback in the form of a dream that Jacques gives Alison about Rahua. I will write about the flashback in more detail in my next post, so I will just summarize it for now. Huaco has just given birth to Jacques’ son and leaves dinner early to see him, but her sister Rahua (who, like Alison, is played by Dawn Greenhalgh) stays behind. Jacques kisses and tries to seduce her, but she is reluctant to accept his advances because she is his wife’s sister. To persuade her, he says, “The right [to happiness] belongs to those who take it,” and they kiss. It’s a great scene, if slightly reminiscent of a cheesy bodice-ripper in its execution--but, frankly, if someone were to write a cheesy bodice-ripper starring Jacques, I would probably love it. I’m a big believer in the Reader’s Bill of Rights; I am under no obligation to defend my tastes.

I know that Jacques is evil and likely planning on eventually killing her, but I want to be Alison in this scene. Why aren’t men my age this dashing?

Alison is distressed by the dream, crying “no” in her sleep, which makes me wonder if we the audience are missing part of it. Or does the thought of a romance between her and her brother-in-law distress her that much? When she wakes up, Jacques--who has been by her side the whole time probably implanting the dream into her head--pretends to comfort her (see above). Then he says his, echoing his line from the dream:

Yes, Jacques, I’d love to.

After she leaves, Jacques monologues to the audience about being the Devil, looking devilishly hot while doing so and flashing that gorgeous grin some more. (I will post separately, because this post is already a mile long.) By the end of the episode, the crew still hasn’t noticed the continuity error/inconsistency from earlier, and rolls the ending credits over the still-visible portrait of Jacques:

Stay tuned for an in-depth look at the first flashback about Jacques and Rahua, including my thoughts on the costumes. I can’t promise it’ll be finished this week, but I will try. Until next time...pleasant...dreams?

Notes

* Yes, the same Robert Costello who produced Dark Shadows left DS to work on this. So did two early DS writers, Ron Sproat and Joe Caldwell, who wrote some of the early Desmond Hall episodes. I will write more about them when they become relevant.

{ <-- Previous: Episode 5   ||   Next: Episode 6, Part II --> }

[red-panda-12]

A Year in Books

Since the end of June I’ve been in a bit of a slump regarding this post. I’ve just had no inclination to write it. Do any of my fellow bloggers ever feel that way? Anyway, better late than never! My reading in April started well due to lockdown but slowed as the summer months progressed. I’m bogged down at present with Catherine Taylor’s Beyond the Moon, I just don’t care for the characters or narrative. Have you ever read a book that you struggled with?

Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult  ✩✩✩

When a newborn baby dies after a routine hospital procedure, there is no doubt about who will be held responsible: the nurse who had been banned from looking after him by his father.

What the nurse, her lawyer and the father of the child cannot know is how this death will irrevocably change all of their lives, in ways both expected and not. Small Great Things is about prejudice and power; it is about that which divides and unites us.

Quite a hard book to get into at the beginning but once the story warmed up I grew to enjoy it. There were some parts regarding racism that were not easy to read but the court case was entertaining enough.

Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult

Silver Bay – Jojo Moyes

Silver Bay – Jojo Moyes  ✩✩✩

Liza McCullen will never escape her past. But the unspoilt beaches and tight-knit community of Silver Bay offer the freedom and safety she craves – if not for herself, then for her young daughter, Hannah.

Until Mike Dormer arrives as a guest in her aunt’s hotel, and the peace of Silver Bay is shattered. The mild-mannered Englishman with his too-smart clothes and disturbing eyes could destroy everything Liza has worked so hard to protect: not only the family business and the bay that harbours her beloved whales, but also her conviction that she will never love – never deserve to love – again.

This Jojo Moyes novel is definitely a book to read on a hot summers day. The characters were likable and I enjoyed the descriptions of dolphin and whale watching. With a heart warming ending, it made for a pleasant read.

The Five – Hallie Rubenhold  ✩✩✩

Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary-Jane are famous for the same thing, though they never met. They came from Fleet Street, Knightsbridge, Wolverhampton, Sweden and Wales. They wrote ballads, ran coffee houses, lived on country estates, they breathed ink-dust from printing presses and escaped people-traffickers.

What they had in common was the year of their murders: 1888.

Their murderer was never identified, but the name created for him by the press has become far more famous than any of these five women.

Now, historian Hallie Rubenhold finally sets the record straight, and gives these women back their stories.

Ever since I was young I’ve always loved anything to do with the mystery that was Jack the Ripper. This book is trying to give voice to his victims. Some of the information gathered is vague but what a revelation regarding Annie Chapman, who was a well do woman who sadly became down and out and faced her end at the sharp edge of a knife. A very thought provoking book.

The Five

Swimming Wild in the Lake District

Swimming Wild in the Lake District – Suzanna Cruikshank  ✩✩✩✩

An informative and inspiring book for both new and experienced wild swimmers, exploring the larger lakes in the beautiful Lake District National Park. It contains sections on getting started in wild swimming, how to look after your own safety and impartial advice on all the essential kit you’ll need.

Illustrated with stunning photography, and featuring overview maps, the book has all the practical information you need to plan your wild swimming adventure.

Whether you’re an experienced wild swimmer or just dipping your toes in the water for the first time you’ll find plenty to inspire your next adventure.

This book came out at exactly the right time. During lockdown I’d been itching for a wild swim fix and this book helped relieve that itch somewhat. With detailed chapters on access to all of the big lakes in the Lake District, there were only two in the book that I hadn’t visited. The information from this book helped me plan my first swim of 2020 in Coniston Water.

Reader, I Married Me! – Sophie Tanner  ✩✩

After breaking up with the love of her life, Chloe’s friends tell her she needs to get back out there, and find another man before it’s too late. But after a particularly disastrous date and one too many gins, Chloe has a revelation – she doesn’t need a man to make her happy. It’s up to her to do it herself.

Never one to do things by halves, Chloe decides to make the ultimate commitment to self-love – she’ll marry herself! But planning a solo wedding isn’t easy, and soon Chloe finds herself on a bumpy journey of self-discovery. Will she finally get her happy ever after?

Oh dear, this isn’t my kind of book and I don’t know why I even downloaded it! Looking for something to read during lockdown, I saw an advertisement for the book and well, I’m glad I managed to get through it. There were just too many stereotypes for my liking.

Reader, I Married Me!

Max, the Miracle Dog

Max, the miracle Dog – Kerry Irving ✩✩✩✩

In 2006, a traumatic car accident changed Kerry Irving’s life forever.   Suffering from severe neck and back injuries, Kerry was unemployed and housebound, struggling with depression and even thoughts of suicide. He went from cycling over 600 miles a month to becoming a prisoner in his own home.   With hope all but lost, Kerry’s wife encouraged him to go on a short walk to the local shop. In the face of unbearable pain and overwhelming panic, he persevered and along the way, met an adorable yard dog named Max. As the Spaniel peered up through the railings, Kerry found comfort and encouragement in his soulful brown eyes. This chance encounter marked a turning point in both their lives.   In Max, Kerry found comfort and motivation and in Kerry, Max found someone to care for him. This is their remarkable, inspiring story.

A lovely heart warming read about a dog rescuing a man. Max and Kerry, with Paddy and Harry in tow have a strong following on their Facebook page, Max out in the Lake District.

The Botanist’s Daughter – Kayte Nunn ✩✩✩✩

Present day: Anna is focused on renovating her late grandmother’s house. But when she discovers a box hidden in a wall cavity, containing water colours of exotic plants, an old diary and a handful of seeds, she finds herself thrust into a centuries-old mystery. One that will send her halfway across the world in search of the truth.

1886: Elizabeth Trebithick is determined to fulfill her father’s dying wish and continue his life’s work as an adventurer and plant-hunter. So when she embarks on a perilous journey to discover a rare and miraculous flower, she will discover that the ultimate betrayal can be found even across the seas…

Two women, separated by centuries. Can one mysterious flower bring them together?

I really enjoyed this book and will look out for more novels by Kayte Nunn. Both female protagonists were likable and the adventure to Chile was exciting. Nunn managed to weave an entertaining narrative with a sad and shocking end.

The Botanist’s Daughter

Holding

Holding – Graham Norton ✩✩

The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama; and yet its inhabitants are troubled. Sergeant PJ Collins hasn’t always been this overweight; mother of two Brid Riordan hasn’t always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn’t always felt that her life was a total waste. So when human remains are discovered on an old farm, suspected to be that of Tommy Burke – a former love of both Brid and Evelyn – the village’s dark past begins to unravel.

I’m sorry but I didn’t like this sedate bumbling novel by Graham Norton. I found the narrative rather boring and didn’t care what happened to the characters.

Have you read any good books lately, any recommendations?

Thanks for dropping by,

Christine x

A Year in Books 2020 – April to June Since the end of June I've been in a bit of a slump regarding this post. I've just had no inclination to write it.