To Protect and To Serve
06 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Drabble, Star Voyage, Team Omicron Tags: Carlisle, Schuyler
Carlisle carried Schuyler’s bags as the made their way to the ship. His gaze locked on a small, red-haired man standing at the base of the ramp that led onto the ship. There was something dangerous about the man. Carlisle tensed.
“That’s the Chief of Security,” Schuyler murmured. He stepped forward, extending his hand towards the stranger. “Master Kenneth, I presume.”
“Yes,” Ken said, taking the offered hand. He looked at Carlisle briefly. “You’re on my security team. Who’s your companion?”
Schuyler gave Carlisle a sidelong glance. “He attends to my needs and protects me.”
Carlisle smiled and nodded. “Indeed.”
Uncertainty
05 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Drabble, Star Voyage, Team Omicron Tags: Carlisle, Schuyler
Schuyler frowned as he stared out the porthole at the Lady Sarah. “She’s a beautiful ship,” he said. His single eye flicked to Carlisle. He was as silent and unreadable as always. He sighed.
“What’s wrong, Master?” Carlisle asked, his voice low.
Shaking his head, Schuyler said, “I’m just not sure I’m doing the right thing. My parents won’t approve, I know that.”
Carlisle made a curious sound. “It’s unlike you to express self-doubt,” he said. “Do you want my opinion?”
Nodding, Schuyler said, “What do you think?”
“That you want to help people,” Carlisle said, “and, now, you will.”
Returning to the real world
21 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
in Fox Hunting, Mini-story, Team Alpha, Team Theta Tags: Connor, Cyrus, Schuyler
Connor sighed softly. Some part of him felt as if the last month or so – being kidnapped by Keller’s men and meeting his brother, leading the kidnappers on a merry chase through the port cities of Shynia – was all make believe.
Now, as he stared at the letter his brother had written him, he felt as if he were returning to the real world. His brows furrowed and he looked up as the agent that approached him. “You have my brother’s dog?” he said.
“Yes,” the agent said, blinking. “You wouldn’t…”
“I have no idea where Finian is,” Connor said, his tone brisk. He handed the letter to the agent and said, “He just asked me to get his dog from you.”
The agent read over the letter and then nodded. “All right,” he said. “Cyrus,” he called, “get the dog.” He gave Connor a sharp look, then, and added, “If you happen to hear from your brother, Master Connor…”
“I’ll let you know,” Connor said, his tone bitter. These people were part of the reason his brother was in hiding in the first place. They should have done a better job protecting him.
Something Lost
21 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Fox Hunting, Mini-story, Team Theta Tags: Cyrus, Schuyler
Prompt: look underneath
Cyrus sighed loudly as Schuyler came into the room. “Thank God!” he said, bouncing forward to grab him by the arm. “I have torn this place apart and he’s just not here! What am I going to do when Sweetin gets back? How’m I gonna explain it?”
“Take a breath,” Schuyler said, rolling his eyes. He pulled away and then started moving through the flat where they were pretending to hide the missing artist. “If you didn’t let him out, he has to be here. Right?”
“I suppose,” Cyrus said, not sounding convinced.
Schuyler rolled his eyes again. He finished checking the sitting room and moved to the bath, then each bedroom. He ground his teeth when he found the object of his search. Then, he turned and headed back to the sitting room. “Next time you panic, try checking under the bed.”
“The bed?”
“Sweetin’s dog is under the bed, Cyrus,” Schuyler said, his tone one of exaggerated patience. “He’s in that room, curled up and sound asleep underneath your bed. Which you have known, had you but looked underneath it, rather than panicking.”
“Right,” Cyrus said. As Schuyler headed back outside, he called, “Thanks, mate!” The door slammed rather solidly and he flinched. “Well,” he mused, “don’t I feel a fool.”
Every time you go away you take a piece of meat with you
06 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Mini-story, Star Voyage, Team Omicron Tags: Alexander, Carlisle, Ryan, Schuyler
Ryan frowned. Schuyler didn’t look like the type to eat so much. “Who’s all that for?” he said, shaking his head and pointing at the plate of food.
Schuyler looked around, seeming a bit uncomfortable. “What makes you ask that?” he asked, adopting the aire of an offended noble.
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Ryan said, “You’ve been up to the buffet four times and you don’t look like you can pack the food away like that.”
“It’s also quite a bit of meat,” Alexander pointed out, nodding. His eyes seemed to twinkle with mischief as he asked, “Got a wooden leg?”
“It’s… for Carlisle,” he said, nodding at the bird that was perched on the back of his chair. It’s dark eyes flashed like glass beads at the mention of its name. “He’s rather hungry.”
“He doesn’t look like he can put that much meat away either,” Ryan said. Was there more to Carlisle than met the eye? He might have asked. However, Schuyler chose that moment to hurry away, back to his own table.
“What a weird guy,” Ryan murmured.
Are you going to starve an old friend?
02 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Mini-story, Star Voyage, Team Omicron Tags: Al, Kit, Robin, Schuyler
“How long do we have to wait?” Alexander said, his brows furrowing together at the center of his forehead. His stomach made a sound of protest and he sighed.
“Moaning and sighing will not change things,” Kit said, rolling his eyes. He looked at his watch and shook his head. He chewed his lip for a moment. “We’ll give them another ten minutes to get here and then we’ll start without them.”
No sooner had he said the words, when the doors slid open and Robin and Schuyler came into the room. “Sorry,” Robin said, immediately. He shrugged. “My fault entirely.”
“He was making things difficult for the doctor,” Schuyler said, as he took his seat.
Alexander grabbed onto Robin’s arm and smiled. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he said. “Now, we can eat!”
the ants are my friends
01 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Mini-story, Star Voyage, Team Omicron Tags: Carlisle, Schuyler
“We’re so high up,” Schuyler said, frowning slightly.
Carlisle made a noise of agreement. “I wanted you to be safe, young master,” he said, his voice faint. He banked to one side and started circling two small forms.
Schuyler blinked. “They look like ants, we’re so high up,” he marveled.
“They are members of the away team, young master,” Carlisle said, as he descended.
it only takes a few seconds to die
30 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in Mini-story, Star Voyage, Team Omicron Tags: Carlisle, Schuyler
Schuyler knew, with absolute certainty, what had become of the colonists. All it took was one look at the creature standing before him and it was crystal clear. These aliens – the unknown natives of the world – had killed them. It was only a question of why, now.
Well, others would search for the reason behind the attack. Schuyler would just be glad if he survived. He gave ground as the creature advanced on him. It looked like something out of a nightmare – like a demon from the lowest hell. It was horrifying and Schuyler could see no escape.
His back met with a wall and he gasped. He didn’t dare take his eyes off the advancing beast. All it would take was a single swipe from it’s clawed hand and his life would be over. Some part of him thought that it wouldn’t kill him while he was looking at it. It would wait until he hid his face or looked away.
He startled when his communicator crackled to life. “All members of the away mission: finish what you are doing and prepare to leave,” the captain said. “There may be hostile aliens here.”
“You think?” Schuyler breathed. The captain’s sudden call had served a purpose, however. The creature was looking around, seeking the speaker. That delay was all Schuyler would need.
“Carlisle,” he cried. “Protect me!”
In a flurry of feathers, Carlisle appeared. His blade caught the beast in its throat. It slumped to the ground, greenish blood spilling from its wound. Carlisle didn’t hesitate. He caught Schuyler around the middle and took to the air. The creature, however, was already dead when Schuyler looked back down at it.
