#TAM FLEXING ON US WITH HER SKILL

[doppel-doodles]

Hi

:3

MING ANGST COMIC AT THIS HOUR???LOOK AT MY BOY SUFFERING AS USUAL- AHHHH TAM YOU AMAZING TALENTED LIL BEAN

[song-tam]

The Prince and the Thief - Chapter One: That Fateful Bag of Gold - Tam x Keefe

A/N: Yes it is back, I am back with the series, I’m finally publishing the first official chapter and not just the prologue. I’m way too excited for this and I can’t believe I actually finished the chapter, it dragged on forever. Oh, and yes, the girl in the glasses is Sophie, even though they don’t know it yet, and she will come into play later on in the series, so be prepared for that. 

Word Count: 1.3K

Warnings: minor curse words, being disinherited, mentions of and attempts at stealing, Tam’s a little bit angsty, being pinned down, mentions of being tied up, mentions of Cassius Sencen—I think I got them all, but tell me if there are any other warnings I should add!

Prologue | Series Masterlist

“Did you hear about King Cassius disinheriting the young prince? His own son!”

Crown Prince Keefe Sencen—or just regular Keefe now, he supposed—stiffened at the gossip from the passerby. He didn’t particularly enjoy being reminded that he’d been stripped of his royal title, his crown, everything he’d ever known. He’d never liked his father, sure, Keefe was glad to be away from him, but life in the palace… that was all he knew. He didn’t know how the outside world worked. He didn’t know how to survive on the streets. He didn’t know any skills that might actually be useful. And yet here he was—no protection, having only the clothes on his back and a small bag of gold. 

Here, without a crown, Keefe was about as wanted and important as a dead rat.

Keefe sighed and started making his way down the street, anxious to get away from it all, figuring he’d find a tavern to stay the night and figure it out from there. He had enough gold for that, right? Problem was, Keefe had no idea where the hell he would find a tavern, or really where anything was in the kingdom.

Keefe groaned softly, dragging a hand down his face. “I’m doomed.”

         ༻✦༺ 　༻✧༺　༻✦༺   ༻✧༺　༻✦༺  ༻✧༺

Tam Song had found a new target--and boy, was this one going to be easy.

The boy could have barely been older than Tam, maybe sixteen, seventeen at most. He was tall, blond, and completely out of place out on the streets. From the crisp white tunic and and clueless expression on his face, Tam could easily tell that he was a highborn. Maybe a count’s son, or even a duke’s.

What a member of high society would be doing in one of the worst parts of Erisdell, Tam had no idea, but so long as he got his money, he didn’t give a shit.

The boy had a bag--probably filled with some silver, if Tam was lucky, gold--strapped to his belt. He wasn’t bothering to protect it or even put up his guard. Typical.

“Highborns like you are just asking to get robbed in the slums,” Tam muttered as he started maneuvering through a crowd, flexing his fingers, ready to grab the loot and sneak away before the boy even noticed it was missing.

Tam reached for the bag, wrapping his hand around it, and--

“Oof!” A girl with blond hair suddenly bumped into Tam, who went flying into the boy and all three of them were sprawled into a pile on the ground.

“Watch it,” Tam hissed at the blonde, who nodded clumsily and started feeling around for her glasses, which had flown off her face when they’d all collided.

“I am so, so sorry,” the girl squeaked out as she scrambled to her feet, and promptly ran away.

Muttering to himself, Tam started dusting his pants and getting ready to make a narrow escape. The girl had complicated things, but he could still steal the money and get out of there. He’d be one step closer to getting Linh back.

A hand grabbed his wrist and Tam jumped, sure it was one of the kingdom patrols in charge of wrangling up Erisdell’s thieves. Tam was good at what he did and he knew how not to get caught, but he’d still had a few encounters with patrols and he wasn’t looking for one now.

But it was only the boy, still on the ground, but glaring at Tam and glancing at the bag in his hand. “That’s mine,” he said gruffly. “You’re a thief.”

Tam rolled his eyes. This was getting more complicated than Tam wanted, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. If he timed it right, he could still get out of here--and worst case, he probably could take this highborn, though throwing hands would draw more attention than wanted. “Obviously, I’m a thief.”

The boy seemed taken aback that Tam had admitted to it, but nodded curtly. “Well, now that I’ve caught you, you can’t steal my gold anymore. So give me my bag and go pickpocket someone else.”

Oh my God, if he stays here in the slums, he’ll be dead within the week.

Tam didn’t care, though. Whether this boy lived or died didn’t matter to him. It may have been a coldhearted mindset, but it kept him alive. He couldn’t afford to worry about anyone but himself--he was just trying to survive, and maybe if just kept going, he’d find someplace better than this. He’d get out of the slums, if he was lucky out of Erisdell, and he’d make a new life for himself. Leave his past behind and get a better future than the present he was living in.

He’d find Linh again.

But for all of that to happen, he’d need money. And that bag was one step closer to everything he wanted.

Besides, a highborn like this boy didn’t know how to appreciate money. Tam stealing his gold might reflect badly on him, but at the end of the day, what did he care? Daddy probably had a vault full of gold somewhere in a fancy manor. This was barely a dent in his fortune.

“You’ve got plenty of money,” Tam muttered, trying to worm out of the boy’s grasp. “I need this more than you.”

“This is all I have left,” the boy replied, his eyes narrowing.

“You expect me to believe that? This time next year, you’ll probably be inheriting a fortune, a dukedom. This bag of gold is worthless--”

“It’s not worthless to me. I need it. It’s all I have left,” The boy wrenched the bag of gold from Tam’s grip, getting to his feet and glowering even harder.

Tam blinked--it had been a while since someone had gotten the better of him--but quickly regained his senses and dodged for the bag. The boy moved out of the way, and they kept at this dance for a minute or so, Tam trying to steal and the boy trying to avoid being stolen from.

Is this really worth it? A voice inside Tam’s head whispered. There are other pockets to pick. This’ll attract unwanted attention.

Yes. Tam gritted his teeth. Nobles like the boy, they didn’t show up in the slums often. Money like this, in this part of Erisdell… it was scarce. But if Tam had a chance to get his hands on some gold, no matter how small the amount, he sure as hell was going to take it.

Whatever it took.

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Keefe wondered why this guy was so adamant about stealing from him.

He understood the dude was a thief, but surely there were easier targets?

Then again, after living in the palace and being coddled for so long with no survival skills, he was easy a target as any.

Could he make a run for it? Or the patrols! There were many patrols that had been placed in the slum sectors of Erisdell, specifically to catch thieves and keep everything in order as much as possible. Problem was, there didn’t seem to be any patrols around.

“I--” Keefe started to say, but he was suddenly pinned to the ground. He thought it might’ve somehow been the boy, but Keefe turned his head to the side and noticed the boy was also on the ground, scowling.

“Who the hell are you?” the boy snapped.

Keefe heard someone cluck their tongue behind him, though he couldn’t see their face. “Now, that is no way to talk to your former boss, is it, Tam?”

All color drained from the boy’s--Tam’s--face. “You,” he hissed. “I told you I was done stealing for you, and I won’t do it again, not after--”

“Calm down,” the voice said relaxedly. “I wouldn’t take you back anyway. I’m just going to give you a warning--my targets are mine and mine alone. You can still scavenge like the street dog you were before I made you something, but those big targets… you don’t get to go anywhere near them.”

“Tie them up,” the voice commanded to whoever was holding Keefe and Tam down. “Leave them in an alley. If they’re lucky, someone will find them.”

“And if they aren’t, well… problem solved.”

Taglist: @stardustanddaffodils @dreaminq-out-loud @sunset-telepath @summer-waves9764 @thoserainyrainboots@thatonewhalewatcher @jenniecrushed @jaxtheshade @beautifuldaysahead​ @bianavacker-is-bi-as-hell @real-smooth@scribblesnsketches05 @the-sky-isnt-blueee@spreadyourwingsandfly @cadence-talle @linhamon2​ @xonar-verse​ @an-absolute-travesty​ @hershis-kotlc​ @turquoise-skyyyy​ @blxckh0les42​ @completekeefitztrash​ @gay-paladin-of-etheria​ @the-robins-chronicles​ @the-genius-behind-the-mask​ @the-angel-of-all-storms​ @bluemallowmelt​ 

[phoebehalliwell]

hi! do you have any headcanons abt henry jr. particularly as the only nonmagical member of the fam?

i most definitely do!! okay, so for starters, both kat & tam were raised “without magic”; they still went to magic school and paige definitely used magic around the house but they had no active powers, just like henry. and they were all raised on these grand stories their mom would tell of these amazing adventures of the charmed ones and how they were all going to have these great adventures of their own what i’m getting at was for like the first six or seven years of his life henry thought he was magical. it wasn’t until all three of the mitchell kids were with piper and piper was explaining certain elements of her power to the twins and telling them how to use it once their powers get unbound and all that and henry was like what about me what will my power do? and piper’s like you have the most special power of all because you’re really smart & good at learning : ) and then like immediately texted paige like honey you need to explain to henry he isn’t magical bc the longer you wait the harder it’s gonna get. 

it’s actually henry sr. who sits his son down and explains to him that he’s not like his sister or his mother, but how that’s not necessarily a bad thing. he’s mortal, but that doesn’t mean he can’t help people and do great things without magic. and henry sr. really tries to sell him on this whole idea of being a mortal, especially one that knows about magic, gives you a completely new viewpoint on the world, and allows you to see and understanding things in ways no one else will. (and uhh between you & me it doesn’t really convince baby henry that much but the fact that his dad takes him on fun little “mortals only” adventures helps)

uhh that being said henry still really Really wishes he was magical. uhh enter the reading phase. so, for starters, henry was already like smart and really good at / enjoyed reading. but in this sorta late elementary school thru middle school period he develops sorta two obsessions: 1) ya (specifically fantasy) novels. because all of these novels sorta follow the same basic rules of the plain protagonist becoming something great, being whisked away to this great world where they find out they have magic, where they find out they have this amazing destiny to fulfill, the nobody to somebody progression. and uhh henry really craves that. he really wishes that he is somehow magic, in some overlooked way, in some way that will manifest and prove him to be great enough to be a significant part of the charmed line, not some mortal afterthought. and then 2) magical texts/histories. and this is sorta the more shameful/secretive ones, the books he reads under the covers with a flashlight bc he just doesn’t want anyone to know that he spends hours scouring texts and stories of the charmed ones and various magical creatures desperately trying to find something he could be. no one knew who his biological parents were, it could be possible that somehow magical blood runs through his veins. he studies telekinesis and then and midnight hops out of his bed and spends an hour trying to knock a book off his shelf. he reads about orbing and it’s mechanics and tries to move himself across the room. his studies different creatures, and tests how high he can jump, how fast he can run, how long he can hold his breath underwater, trying to find some trait of him that could somehow be significant. (and of course, he keeps all of these trials secret to the best of his ability bc he would be embarrassed as all hell if it ever came out)

eventually, his studies of magical texts become less of a desperate search for something in his bloodline to more a flex on other witches. bc yeah, they might have magic, but he can still hold his head high knowing he will know more than they ever will. when tam & kat get their powers unbound and their practice moves from the hypothetical to the practical, henry still goes with his sisters to magic school, but instead of spending time in the classroom, he chooses to spend his time in the library.

he also loves studying the book of shadows. yeah, the library has loads more information on its walls then the book could ever contain, but the book has heart. it has this undeniable spirit and energy that ties to countless generations of the warren line, and he really likes to run his hands over the pages and pretend he’s really a part of the warren line (which his family is always ready to fight him on this and say he is a part of the line and blood doesn’t matter, but he’s just like come on guys. you’re my family and i love you but the warren line is a line of witches and i am undeniably not a part of that. but he still likes to imagine).

and y’know like henry’s like twelve or thirteen or something but he really has a lot of information and an insanely through knowledge of book and he’s just like flipping through it or minding his own business in the attic when wyatt (who at this point would be seventeen or eighteen) orbs in looking to id the demon he’s currently after and henry’s like oh you know like what’s it like and he really you know doesn’t want to be an asshole about it or imply he knows more than wyatt (though if you’re outside the family and questioned this kids intelligence he’s demolish you) henry really tries to pass it off as a casual curiosity/polite conversation. and wyatt’s like well im looking for this one demon with like x, y, & z and henry’s like have you thought about this demon? and he’s definitely right and wyatt can tell how much this w means for henry and really starts this sorta tradition of trying to incorporate henry into the research phase of demon fighting (which henry absolutely loves)

and it’s sorta like this self-feeding cycle he gets this role bc he knows a lot but he feels like because he has this role he has to know even more so if you feel like he was a voracious reader before,,,, whew boy are you not ready for now ( in my canon henry Can read latin). and i feel like he’s really close with wyatt bc wyatt is Also A Nerd and genuinely loves to hear henry ramble about this cool new thing that he learned and i feel like wyatt’s totally game to go get boba with henry and hear about all these things the kids been learning i feel like these two have a really close bond. 

and while i’m on the subject of relationships, i feel like henry was definitely one of those kids who had more girl friends than he did guy friends bc a lot of his formative years were spent with his sisters who in turn spent a lot of time with melinda and pj as all four of of those girls were born in 07. so like you know henry would do movie nights with mellie, tam, kat, pj, & parker (and then peyton when she was old enough to watch movies without getting nightmares)

and you know right now he’s like seventeen and a senior in high school and i feel like he’s pretty settled into who he is. he and his dad definitely still to their little “mortals only” adventures, and like a part of him will always sorta be bummed that he isn’t magical, but he’s come to terms with who he is. and he’s not gonna let the fact that he is a mortal you know like hold him back or diminish him, because he is a part of the charmed legacy and the warren line, and he is carving out his own role for himself. and everyone else in the family definitely recognizes him as capable and yeah sometimes he does get left behind bc it’s objectively too dangerous to bring a mortal along and he’s gotten pretty good at being okay with that (or telling himself he’s okay with that). he knows who he is and who he is is undeniably self made. he didn’t coast by on some unearned, hand-me-down skill, and he wears that fact with pride. he may be mortal, but he doesn’t let anyone look down on him for it.

[rebelsofshield]

Star Wars Resistance: “The New Trooper” -Review

When a chance encounter with the First Order becomes an opportunity for espionage, Kaz goes undercover as a Stormtrooper in a fun and surprisingly humorous episode.

(Review Contains Spoilers)

The First Order’s presence on The Colossus is now in full swing. Regular inspections are now routine and TIE fighter patrols are a constant in the skyline. While some may feel safe with the added security, others like Tehar refugees, Kel and Eila, quickly find themselves under increased scrutiny. When an interaction with a Stormtrooper on patrol goes awry, the two enlist the help of Kaz to help get themselves out of trouble. However, an unconscious Stormtrooper presents opportunity in addition to danger and Kaz jumps at the chance to get more out of the First Order.

Like last week, the best aspect of “The New Trooper” continues to be seeing how the different citizens of The Colossus approach the presence of the First Order. Its strongest sequence actually occurs right towards its start. Resistance is such a high energy show that zips along through different characters, plots, and goofy set pieces that simply getting to see our central cast sit down to have dinner together is a refreshing change of pace. It also helps in that it contextualizes the larger themes of this latter half of the season well with its characters. We have already established that Kaz has reasons to distrust The First Order and Jarek is a war veteran who gave up a lot in his fight against The Empire. While “The First Order Occupation” showed that Tam welcomed the added sense of safety that The First Order offers, writer Paul Giacoppo goes a step further here. Tam reveals that her father supported her family by working in an Imperial Factory. Jarek’s assertions that The Empire was purely evil offend her and doesn’t ring true to her own experiences with the former regime. It’s a smart exchange that provides a more nuanced approach to how fascist governments like The First Order can win over regular citizens. With Synara out of the mix for the moment, this stands as the most intriguing dramatic thread at the moment and Resistance would be smart to continue to pull at it.

The accidental capture of a First Order Stormtrooper and Kazuda’s undercover work are less dramatic, but certainly entertaining. There is plenty of fun slapstick in seeing the Tehar kids and Yeager’s crew drag around a barely conscious trooper about the station. There’s plenty of Weekend at Bernie’s-style sight gags and Neeku’s unexpected talent at knocking out the hapless soldier is pretty hilarious. Resistance can be pretty funny when it nails the timing of its jokes right and “The New Trooper” shows this series flexing its funny bone more than most so far.

Kazuda going undercover proves to be similarly entertaining. While we may not learn a whole lot more about The First Order or its plans (final moments with Yeager aside), getting to see Kaz really get to put his spying skills further to the test makes for a fun episodic plot. While the First Order at times maybe seems a bit too easily fooled by a trooper acting so out of character, it makes for some fun moments of subterfuge and trickery. It also comes with the revelation that mental reconditioning is apparently a fairly common practice used to keep erratic troopers in line. It adds a further layer of horror to the lives of these men and adds an extra layer to character’s such as Finn who may have been subjected to these acts in the past.

We end “The New Trooper” with a warning from Yeager that The First Order may be looking to turn the Colossus into a crucial stop on their wartime supply line. It’s a revelation that makes sense and offers a temporary explanation for why they would spend so much effort into taking control of this station. That being said, with a fleet as large as The First Order’s it seems likely that they would need more than just this one station. Maybe others have folded easier or less well defended? Maybe Pyre and Vonreg aren’t as important as we thought? Who knows, but the pieces are starting to fall into place.

Score: B

[ask-de-writer]

GONE TO SEA : World of Sea : Science Fiction : Part 3

GONE TO SEA

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

WORK IN PROGRESS (Word count unknown at this time)

copyright 2018

Writing started 2005

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form, physical, electronic or digital is prohibited without the express consent of the author.

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Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact.  They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions. All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

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Chapter 02. Colony

All thousand of the new colonists of Sea stood in the largest recreational plaza to wish the crew of the ESA 14 farewell.  Captain Alain wound up his speech by saying, “We have done our best to ensure that this colony has as good a start as it can have.  You know that we would have been willing to take you all back with us if it were possible.  The laws governing the physics of the Crossover drive will not let us.  

“We will see that an expedition is sent to see how you are doing as quickly as the ESA can do so.  You will be on your own until then. Sometime between forty two to fifty years from now they will arrive. Until then, may you be blessed by whatever Deity you choose to pray to.

“I hope that the relief expedition finds you well and prospering.  May that vessel need only take back whatever unique and wonderful trade goods and ideas you have found to contribute to the community of mankind among the stars.”

To somewhat subdued cheers, the crew of the ESA 14 filed aboard their Slowpoke shuttle to return to the orbiting starship.  Lifting with the silence of any well functioning Crossover device, the shuttle dwindled into the sky and was gone.

Giles Willon turned to Marcus Angerson and observed, “Got to say, this planet is a bit of a disappointment.”  He flexed his elbows out from his body and finished with a grin, “Expected more elbow room. Know what I mean?”

Marcus snapped back, “Are you mocking me?  You know that I am a soils engineer!  The services of my specialty have been vital to the very survival of all twenty three other ESA colonies.  Why did the ESA even bother sending me here?  There is no land to bring to the needs of mankind.  No soils to engineer at all!  This is a travesty!”

Giles raised hand placatingly.  “There is no need for such anger, Marcus. We all know why we are here.  None of us is suited to a world like this.  The probe that found this planet was programmed incorrectly but nobody knew it until we got here.  

“Its program assumed that any planet with an atmosphere like this one meant that it had significant land masses and that some form of photosynthetic plant life had to exist.  That is all.  We all knew that no matter what we found here, it was a one way trip for us.  It was a gamble.  We sort of lost.”

Small, black haired and eyed Pele Barant interjected, “Maybe we did win but just haven't realized it yet.  The gods can be really sneaky that way.”

With a sneer, Marcus turned his back on her, muttering, “False gods!”

Giles looked down a bit to Pele's usually cheerful Polynesian face and said, “Don't mind him.  He is just disappointed with his situation, that is all.

“By the way, I enjoyed working on the truss work of this station with you. You did a great design job.  We are lucky to have someone with your civil and mechanical engineering skills and marine architecture experience with us.”

Pele flashed Giles a ready smile and said, “Thank you.  I appreciate having someone who can look down to my face and up to my work at the same time.”

/////////

As the weeks passed into months, the station began to settle into a routine as people got used to the strange situation that they found themselves in.

/////////

In his quarters, Marcus Angerson closed the door of his study to shut out the sounds of his wife Trisha and their two children Benjamin and Lora while he brooded on the wrongness of his situation.  He pulled the blinds to seal away the glare of the sun and the vile sight of the endless ocean, with not so much as a sandbar above sea level anywhere on the entire planet.  

There is no reason to it!  All of my years of study on how to adapt alien soils to the needs of mankind have been wasted.  Instead of being one of the most vital men for the colony's survival, I am now very nearly the least. What should I do?

His eye fell to the Bible on his working desk.  Sourly, he picked it up and began to read.  Somehow, it did not give the solace that it used to in times of difficulty.  Doggedly, he went all the way back to Genesis and began at the very beginning.

////////

Hugh Barant raced his wife Pele and daughter Mala'klea to their quarters. His long legs could have easily overtaken them but young Mala'klea loved beating him in races, as long as he didn't make it too easy for her.  Mala'klea's small hand hit the door frame only a tiny fraction of a second before Hugh's.  Flashing her father a high-spirited grin, Mala'klea ducked into their apartment.  Pele was already drawing wide the blinds to allow the generous sun of Sea to shine into their rooms and let them see the wonder of a rolling ocean that had no end.

There were some of Sea's many kinds of birds perching on the railing of their balcony.  They were waiting to see if the people inside had something that they would share with the birds . . . or that the birds could steal for that matter.  The birds apparently didn't see much difference.  Besides, Pele or Mala'klea always set out a plate of something for them to squabble over.  Today was no exception. Pele produced a fresh plate with a roasted fish that she had speared the other day while diving on the reef.  A small bird-storm developed around the plate.  The Barants sat on their side of the glass and watched with laughter and hugs.

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Down in the Bio-safety and Nutrition laboratory, Kaim Hawadie told his many assistants, “Now that things are finally together, we need to got on the stick.  While we were helping to build this place we did get some reports out.  Just the construction area, less than one tenth of this reef complex, has yielded us a backlog of over three thousand samples to analyze.  

“To help out, we have devised a report cover page that lists the following items.  1. Toxic, 1a. Useful Y/N, 2. Edible- no nutritional value, 3. Edible- contains ______,  4. Pharmacological value ______, 5. Other useful features _______.

“Our job is to get the reports out as quickly and accurately as possible. Of course, we are watching for the thymine, lysine and missing vitamins in every organism or sample that we test.  If we find them, those reports will get a special red flag cover.

“Other experts will be trying to make sense out of our reports.  Our job, and it is a big one, is just to get them the data.  Now let's get to the analysis.”

/////////

Mister Torres sat back in an easy chair and watched his son Jason playing on the living room carpet.  It was a Periodic Table game.  His lovely and talented wife Mikhala was sitting opposite Jason, taking her turn at the game's cards.

Sadly he wondered, Will this place last long enough for you to grow up, Jason?  Mikhala, will we live to see grandchildren?  I really had no choice in doing this.  What we have here is the best that I could give to you all.  It is simply a hope.  In the end, an empty hope.

Perhaps, Mikhala, my love, your knowledge of Slowpoke drive systems will let us move into space.  I will need to ask you about the possibility of building us another shuttle.  We can't risk such a move with only one shuttle.  Farms in orbit or under domes on Wotan might actually allow us to survive.  Down here those monster Coriolis storms doom long term farming or pretty much anything else.

I wish that I had someone that I could open up to about these things.

Mister Torres went back to studying his tablet computer.  Immersing himself in the multitude of tasks needed to keep the colony running as smoothly as possible provided relief from his fatalistic ruminations.

/////////

Molly Miken called Mister Makle on the video link and invited, “Hey, Bronnie!  Me and my structural maintenance crew are planning a barbecue cook-out and pot luck down on dock A.  Want to come?  Bring Tam and your son Mark along.  We requisitioned one of the work boats for the afternoon to play about.”

A grin on his face, Mister Makle replied, “We will be there.  We will have to stop by the Commissary to get something, though.  Tam just got off work and Mark is on his way back from school.  By the way, please don't spread my first name around, I took a lot of ribbing in school over it.”

Molly promptly shot back, “Don't worry about that, Boss!  Your secret is safe with me!  Unless I need to blackmail you for better working conditions . . . Bronnie.”

///////////

Marcus Angerson laid aside the Koran.  In his shuttered den, away from the detested sight of endless ocean and the glare of the sun that could spawn such an abominable world, he glared at the books as if his problems were their fault.  He thought, Months wasted.  None of these, not the Bible, Koran or any of the other religious texts that I can find sheds any light on the real problem.  

Once again, the small voice that had been prodding and guiding him for the last month or so offered, ((Of course they don't.  Those books were written on Earth and, though they might provide some guidance, they were for the Earth.  You are not on Earth.  I do have a Plan for you, but the time is not yet ripe.))

Why am I so unnecessary?  By all rights I should be the most important single man in the colony!  In spite of my vital education, I remain utterly worthless. A mere teacher of children!

((At least that little pagan Barant got what she has had coming to her. In the end, all must come to Me.  Before that happens, you may need to be brought lower still.))

A knock at his study door interrupted Marcus' brooding.  Trisha, his wife, put her head in and announced, “Honey, dinner is waiting.  Would you please join us today?  We know how hard you are working, what with all of those school papers to grade.  Ben and Lora have missed you these last few weeks.”

With ill grace, Marcus came out to the apartment's dining area.  The window was open to the lowering sun, setting in a glory of low clouds, gilding them with gold, red and purple.  A light breeze came in off the ocean outside.

Seeing the light and the sight of the endless sea that he had been studiously shutting out irritated him.  Marcus strode angrily to the window and slid it shut with a bang.  He pulled the blinds, plunging the cheerful room into the gloom that better suited his mood.

Marcus stamped back to the table and sat.  He was reaching for his coffee when he heard Trisha's voice begin, “Sweet Lord, we thank you for the company at this table and this fine fish that you have provided us . . .”

Rudely he interrupted, “What are you doing?  The blessing is my duty!”

Benjamin, hands still folded, said mildly, “We didn't mean to upset you, father.  You haven't been here to say it for the last several weeks. We have been taking turns.  It was Mom's turn today.  Would you please say the grace for us?”

As he started to fold his hands, Marcus' eyes fell on the fish that lay on the plate at the center of the table.  It lay on a bed of green and wrinkly sea lettuce.  There was a hole through it, just back of the gills.  His brows drew down in a rage.  He demanded, “You were just asking me to sign for household money!  How could you afford such a fish as this?  You lied to me about being out of money!”

As Trisha looked up in shock at the accusation, Benjamin spoke up.  “The fish didn't cost us anything, Dad.  The Barants went diving on the reef a few days ago.  Pele sent Mala'klea around with it as a gift.”

Marcus' lip curled in disdain as he demanded, “And what would you have made for our dinner if you had not begged from that, that . . . heathen?”

Lora gave her father a confused look and said, “Nothing.  The kitchen is empty.  The Commissary turned down Mom's card when we went to shop today.  They said that there was no money left in it.  That is why she has been trying to get you to sign the transfer.”

Ignoring his daughter, Marcus grabbed the plate from the table and hurled both it and the fish on it against the wall.  He yelled in outrage, “We will not bend the knee to those vile pagans!

“That false idol worshiping fiend is behind all of my, eh, our misfortune!  At every turn, she is put up on a pedestal and I am cast lower!”

Trisha, eyes wide in fear, was looking at her husband as if she had never before seen him.  Tentatively she extended her tablet and stylus, saying, “Please dear, just sign the transfer and I will buy you whatever you want for din . . .”  Her head rocked back as Marcus slapped her in the face.  Her tablet fell to the table and skittered to a stop against Lora's dinner plate.

His own face twisted into a feral snarl, Marcus withdrew his stinging hand. Blood mingled with the tears that trickled down Trisha's cheek. He raged, “I sign you money every week!  You should have plenty!  Use it!”

Cringing in fear after his father's outburst, Benjamin found the courage to say, “You haven't signed us any money for about a month.  You keep saying that you will do it presently but you haven't done it.”

Scrabbling to recover her tablet, Trisha extended it in another desperate attempt to get the money that they all needed.  “Please, Marcus. Benjamin is right.  It has been three weeks since we had a weekly transfer for the household funds.  We are behind on our bills.  We have the money in the bank to pay for everything.  All that you need to do is sign the transfer.”

Anger causing him to draw a separate breath for each word, Marcus growled, “I. Am. Going. Out. . . When. I. Return. There. Will. be. Food. Fit. For. A. Godly. Man!”

Confused, the slap that she received bringing her greater pain than the brutal physical impact, Trisha asked, “Marcus?  What is wrong with you?  I am doing my best to . . .”  This time, the now furious Marcus hit her face so hard that her chair went over.  The tablet went flying, bouncing from the wall and landing on the floor.  The back of Trisha's head hit the wall and then thumped to the floor as she fell. Benjamin and Lora ran for their room and locked the door.

Marcus drove his heel deliberately into the tough glass of the tablet face, shattering it as he strode to the apartment door.  Over his shoulder he snapped, “You have joined the many seeking to bring me, to bring God Himself down and lift up the pagan above all!  It must not be! You must uphold me, uphold God, with proper food or suffer the consequence!”  The door slammed behind his retreating form.

/////////

TO BE CONTINUED

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