Drabbles

by **Elentari** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:31 am

A bit gloomy this one. I got the idea after reading about companies who chose to fill a new position with people who have no actual experience in the job, but who the company thinks will better suit ‘the corporate image’, rather than utilising existing often older employees who already possess the talent and experience to do the work. I’m not basing this on personal experience BTW!

RENAISSANCE

Spectrum’s retirement age for field work was 55. Captain Blue was at that age. Having passed the operational, medical and fitness tests, he submitted a request to Human Resources that he be allowed to continue as a field agent. Truly, he didn’t want to do anything else. Now he just had to wait.

Finally the answer came, “We’re very sorry Captain, but Spectrum feels that this kind of work is better undertaken by younger operatives.”

Blue saw the finality of those words. Without a backward glance he walked out of the meeting - and Spectrum - into a new life.

by **Marion** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:02 am

Wow - a whole life changing experience in so few words - brilliant, Elentari.
Now, can I have the sequel? What new life???

by **Marion** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 12:03 pm

You Inspired me to have another go at a drabble - as you know 'concise' isn't my forte... :oops:

Here it is:

A sense of betrayal

The silence lengthened beyond comfort. They’d never bickered before.
He concentrated on driving; fuming inside.
He couldn’t believe Paul’d been so reckless; he wasn’t stupid. There must be something wrong; problem was getting him to admit it and explain.
Scarlet sat in silence, sensing Blue’s bewilderment. He would ask more questions – his compulsion to understand wouldn’t let him drop the subject.
The problem was keeping the mission secret; easy for the colonel to say ‘go and lose money gambling’ – and all too easy to accomplish.
He hoped Adam’d understand why he couldn’t tell him, when he found out the truth.

Website · by **Sage** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 4:31 pm

These are all so excellent

My take on Symphony's hair cut, inspired by Marion's 'that's what friends are for'.

A golden crown

It had been her pride and joy, ever since she was a little girl.
She was either the girl with lovely hair, or the genius with seven degrees.
Yet she stood in from of the mirror, not believing either to be true.
The hair, sliced with angry fervour, formed a golden halo at her feet.
How could someone so smart do something so dumb?
She stared aghast, at this woman in the glass.
Then a smile crept across her face.
Yeah, that’ll show him.
She was an adult, no need to pander to men
So she held her head high.

by **Marion** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:16 pm

Some things you can’t hide.

‘Aztecs, Incas – what’s the difference?’ Ochre exclaimed at Najama. “Either way, you’ll be camping amongst Temple rats, cockroaches and spooky cobwebs.”
“Like I’m gonna be bothered?” Blue replied at his supercilious best.
But once inside, he felt differently. What he knew about Pre-Columbian Civilisations was enough for the colossal statues, the darkness and the rustling of unseen creatures to make him edgy; a bat swooping overhead made him jump out of his patrician skin. When a statue toppled over, narrowly missing them, he had to stop himself leaving immediately.
In addition, Scarlet’s over-hearty reassurance proved he wasn’t even remotely fooled.

by **Lt Topaz** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 12:31 am

One of several crazy crossovers I'm working on. This one crosses with Disney's Gargoyles and was inspired by the multi-crossover series Urban Legends by Vathara.

Angels, Demons, and the Fey
"I still think this is a bad idea."
"You worry too much, Pat," Fraser replied. "They won't talk about you being at the club, not if it means saying they know someone who goes there too."
"I'm not the one I'm worried about, Rick," Donahue hissed back. "I have absolutely no problem with being seen anywhere while I'm off duty now. Being seen with you is another story, especially when you're in this state. Just out of curiosity, how did you get the wings?"
"It's a long story, Pat," the ochre gargoyle sighed. "The short version: I annoyed Alexander Xanatos."

by **Elentari** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:17 am

An idea from watching 'Model Spy':

HELGA
I died in the monorail crash and was reborn a Mysteron. Then the mission to kill Verdain failed.
So now we are driving very fast to I know not where – Captain Black and I.
Aren’t we to get new orders? I don’t understand. Why don’t They tell me what I must do?
We drive on…and he is ominously silent. I steal a glance then quickly look away. His face…so cold…it’s like stone.
What will happen to me now it has all gone wrong? The Earthmen are definitely gaining on us.
Where are we going? The road has suddenly vanished! I―

by **Marion** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:05 pm

Owwwwh - I thought you were going to tell us what did happen to Helga

I have often wondered. Maybe Captain Black doesn't have to go home to an empty hideaway?
The Mysterons are such romantics... :wink:

by **MMK** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:49 am

Wow!

That cliffhanger was really well placed Elentari... the drabbles was good too :wink:

by **Matt Crowther** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:24 pm

I must know what happened to Helga.

by **MMK** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:43 pm

I admit that I read the 2nd page before reading the 1st... :oops:

but...
I'm really loving all of these drabbles 8M-M)

which have been written by... ;-$

... talented poets... even if some of you will not admit being a poet... not naming names, Sage

by **Elentari** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 6:12 am

Matt Crowther wrote:I must know what happened to Helga.

Sorry Matt…no can do! I have my own ideas about the fate of Helga but the drabble was deliberately written for the reader to give it their own ending. :wink:

So the simple fact is - the fate of Helga is whatever you want it to be.

by **Matt Crowther** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:02 pm

Oh, okay. Well...I'll have an answer soon.

by **Mary** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:21 pm

Mary wrote:So there's a term for them then?

The writing competition at the Space City Fanderson convention in 1993 specified that entries (could be prose, poetry, filksong etc.) MUST be EXACTLY 50 words in length. I submitted a slightly altered version of the "waking-up scene" from Chance for a Lifetime as my entry. I'm happy to say it won the competition...

I was looking through some old stuff today and came across the exact text of the prize-winning entry. Apparently the limit was 100 words including the title, not 50:

CHANCE FOR A LIFETIME

Captain Scarlet's eyelids slowly opened. He blinked several times, his eyes adjusting to the brightness of the room, trying to focus on the faces above him.
"Dr. Fawn!" he finally whispered, his voice weak but coherent. "I'm on Cloudbase, then?"
Dr. Fawn nodded slowly.
His patient looked up at him blankly. "Why the long face, Doctor?" He frowned. "How's Brown?"
"Sorry?"
"Captain Brown, my partner. Did he survive the crash?"
Dr. Fawn and Colonel White exchanged glances. This man was behaving like a loyal Spectrum agent, not like the homicidal maniac Captain Blue had described.

by **Shades** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:16 am

This one's based off a plot idea that I've had hanging around for quite some time and just have not been able to coax into a proper story.

Rough Start

He knew it was going to be a bad day when he woke up hanging upside down in a tree minus his vest, hat and turtleneck. A cool wind ruffled the branches and he blinked muzzily, looking around to try and get himself orientated. "Scratch that..." He allowed himself a whimsical smile, looking up through the pine needles to the patch of dawn-pink sky framing his right foot. "No vest, hat, turtleneck or right boot...damn, that was my favourite sock too..."

He wiggled his toes, just to make sure they were all still attached, and that was when the yelling started.