Fic: UNIT - End Game

[thisbluespirit]

Story: UNIT: End Game
Author: lost_spook
Rating: All ages
Word Count: WIP
Characters/Pairings: 1980s UNIT OCs - Nat Webber, Tilly Webber, Sgt Kennedy, Captain Evered, Anna Taylor, Colonel Ashcombe, Angela Morris.
Warnings: Lots of OCs? (There are telephone calls to actual canon characters in places...)

Summary: October 1987: UNIT's scientific advisor is desperate to leave at the end of the week, but first the world needs saving yet again - and this might be one time too many for everyone.

*

Not okayed onto Teaspoon yet. And, only ch1 so far - in which Nat annoys everyone. It's all very dramatic...

(And I've not really been busy today - I've been hunting things out from my hard-drive and sorting things mainly. Very lazy, in fact...)

Comments

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

And so it begins...

*fears for all of them*

[thisbluespirit]

Um... And when the Teaspoon updates, you'll be disappointed, because Nat annoys people is all that's happened so far. Soon there will be trouble, and aliens, and Torchwood, but not in ch1. *looks guilty*

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

Heh, well I've read it now, and yes Nat annoys people is a pretty good description of the story so far. ;D It's still all very ominous, though; what's that thing in the shed, for instance??

[thisbluespirit]

Well, since I posted that, I posted Ch2, otherwise, it really would have been all Nat annoys people... :-)

Good question.

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, help. Is it really THAT bad?

:-(

I know there's not much in the very first ch, but ch1-3 are really the same chapter, only it would make a very long entry, so I split it. And there really is a reason for starting like that.

Oh, well. I hope you find the rest improves a bit.

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

Oh no...no...I didn't mean I didn't like it or anything! I did like it! Nat annoying people is actually kind of entertaining you know, and I liked Tilly's refusal to be in any way swayed by his nonsense (although I think his misgivings will turn out to be shockingly close to the truth...). I haven't read Ch 2 yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes and how you tie up all of that stuff you raised in the previous fics.

But no, I didn't mean Nat annoyed _me_ or that I didn't like it or anything like that. I'm sorry if you thought that. :(

[thisbluespirit]

Yes. I was just very, very worried by my pm and then I found you hadn;t left reviews. You often don't read things, which is perfectly understandable, but you always review the things you do, so I panicked a bit. I thought with your ref to the shed, you;d got through it all & that was it. (As in: Either I've really, really gone and done it now with my nasty pms, or it was so awful JJ couldn't find anything worth saying about it. Eek.)

I'll go away and calm down before we reach some sort of ridiculous apology and foot-in-mouth fest between us. (I had to go back to work today... That explains everything. :lol:)

Like two people endlessly unable to get through the door: "You first." "No, no, after you..." "No, after you".

Anyay, I extracted a review of sorts there, so I should go to bed, either happy or badly guilty, but definitely should shut up and go...

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

Oh, no need to be worried about the pm - I didn't think you were having a go or anything and, well, I hope my answer hasn't scared you off...

What happened with this fic was that I read it in work this morning (sneaky, I know, but we're not busy right now), but I didn't get a chance to review, and I was going to do it tonight, but I haven't had a chance tonight either (due to answering pms in a very involved and long-winded manner, among other things :D), but I'll read Ch 2 when I can and let you know what I'm thinking so far. As I say, though, I like what I've read so far. I'm a bit concerned for Miss Taylor and a bit worried that Nat will be proved right, and to be honest I side with Kennedy on the whole issue of scientists' contributions to the violent 20th Century (but I would, wouldn't I, because it's Kennedy!). But yes, well up to the standard of the previous stories (which I mean as a compliment, I hasten to add!) and I wonder where it's all going and hope that at least one or two of the characters survive because I'm a softie like that. ;D

[thisbluespirit]

No, no. I'm sorry I didn't have time to edit it when I cut it out of the comment and make it, well, less generally. :lol: And not scared by you. ;-p

I don't want to go back into the constant apologies of last night, but I'm afraid I was literally jittery over work (I think it might not be an exaggeration to say I was slightly in shock over some stuff - I can't go into detail), but I don't like to even go so far as to ask people to read things, let alone making you feel you ought to go write reviews, so I'm not pleased with myself to say the least.

Instead, I'll just thank you for yr kind reviews & I hope not to have a day quite like yesterday again. If I hadn't the transferred some of those jitters over to two potentially unwise comments I'd made (your pm being one), I might have gone off and done something more constructive, but there. One of these days i'll learn to not type daft things. Especially to people who have quite enough stress of their own to be going on with... (And don't worry, despite my despiairing posts in the recent past, I am, in me, a lot better, and much less likely to delete everything and run away to do the housework, so I'll cope with or without nice reviews. Nice reviews are always best, of course, but, sadly for my rl acquantances, I'm not about to tidy the house. Work's just not better in itself. I'm hoping it will be, at some point in about ten years.) And, so: how are you? :-)

And you're slipping back into yr old Kennedy/Tilly habits, aren't you? *shakes head* :lol:

*cancels the massacre*

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not in the slightest bit scary, to be honest, and I'm not sure I'd want to be, but it probably explains why I have icons like this bloke. I'm overcompensating for my general lack of scariness! ;D

Aww, sorry to hear about your day, and I thought it might be something like that. I know at moments like this I usually say something very unhelpful like I hope things improve for you soon, but I really do, even if it's easier said than done... But no, don't feel in the least bit sorry about it, because I remember when I was being a bit stressed-out a month or two ago and posting all kinds of bizarre ranting stuff basically putting the boot into people who didn't share my opinion of S5/Eleven, and I was pretty embarrassed about that even if a lot people on my flist basically agreed with me. So, er, I guess what I'm saying is I'm no stranger to posting comments etc and then instantly regretting them, and it sounds like you continue to have a lousy time of it and you have my sympathies. Really.

I'm afraid I draw the line at *hugs*, but you get my drift. ;D

How am I? Well, bizarrely, I'm sort of okay considering. I'm not imminently becoming redundant any more (although never say never...) so that's certainly something, but as for the longterm plans our new overlords have for us, who knows? At least they're such a big organisation that they seem to be perfectly happy to let 15 or so people sit around doing very little while they decide what to do with us (sack us, possibly...no, I really don't know, to be honest, but it's best to be prepared for the worst). So, while the uncertainty is still the killer, as ever, I'm taking it as a chance to catch up on my reading/fanficcing/original ficcing etc etc...

Yes, you noticed the strategic "one or two"...which two, I wonder? Hmm... XD

[thisbluespirit]

I thought you seemed a bit brighter, maybe. (Um. I don't mean taht intellectually, obviously. Cheerfully.) Good. And I hope they only have good things for you in their grand plan, or they just forget you're there. But I'm glad you're okay for the moment - hope the moment goes on, at least so you get your equilibrium back for a bit.

Hmm, only one or two to survive the UNIT massacre? Well, it's obvious which two it would be, because Miss Lonsdale is indestructible and things just bounce off Private Bagnell, but the rest of them would have had it, sadly.

And I never said there would be a massacre... You must admit my previous track record doesn't indicate likely massacres up ahead. (Although I suppose there is The Rime on The Spray...)

:lol:

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yeah, I've been generally happier these past few weeks. We could be living in a fool's paradise, of course, because we don't know what our longterm future is or even if we have one, but it is quite nice to have some breathing space. I only have to last for another couple of weeks, and then I'm off for a fortnight on my holidays, so that's nice. Hope to get some proper writing in - either more on The Bore, or killing off my current litter of bunnies to clear my decks for a redoubled crack at The Bore... Or maybe something else along the lines of Hob and Dragon - I haven't decided yet...

Yes, on previous form I don't think you'll really go through with the bloodbath...but then I think "maybe that's what she _wants_ me to think...", you know so when it happens it comes as a surprise. Regarding the survivors - okay, but only if you let me write Miss Lonsdale/Pte Bagnell sequel fic! XD

[thisbluespirit]

:lol: Your suspicious nature! It's more likely to be the other way round (i.e. only one or two dead...). But, yes, maybe it's all some cunning double bluff.

No, if you can't do anything about it, you might as well just enjoy the breathing space while you have it. And, yep, I'm also looking forward to my hols. They're a bit more random than they were going to be, but I do have a week in August.

And you should write The Black Bore first while you have a stretch of time. (This is me bullying you, as requested. I want a word count before and after the holiday, and the first draft in by Monday, or else. Or something. :lol:)

Oh, and it'd be worth writing a massacre just to see that! :-D

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

My suspicious nature has always served me well... Always expect the unexpected etc etc... :D

Yes, breathing space! And yes to The Black Bore! You have just decided my wavering mind on the matter, so yay for you! XD I think you're right - I've been a bit stop-start with it since the start of the year, distracting myself with other things, but if I get to concentrate on it for a length of time and get some decent wordage down, that might be what it takes to get me back on track. I'll post some extracts etc on lj, just so you know I'm really doing it and because the feedback and stuff got me through the Hob story, so hopefully they'll do the same with this one. Yes, bullying encouraged!

Well, I've noticed your tendency to pair off your OCs - we've had Nat/Tilly, Kate/Kennedy and now Anna/Evered - but no love for Miss Lonsdale?! XD

[thisbluespirit]

Good! I mean, I have no clue what you're doing, obviously, but if you're really serious (and I hope you are, cos I want to read this book, thanks), then a bit of space to coentrate on it sounds like a good idea. Of course, rl will immediately be awkward, I'm sure. :lol: But i'll look forward to that. :-)

Yes. I have to slap on my tendency to be cute, pair off people etc etc. It's just too tempting when you realise how well it'd work. Miss Lonsdale? Oh, but sadly Cpl Leonards got killed. :-p

(Oh, and completely random but just got round to watching the commentary for Don't Lose Your Head and was totally distracted to find that one of the 18th C ladies chatting up Charles Hawtrey was Servalan in disguise Jacqueline Pearce. Heh. If ever I manage to write a lot again, there'll have to be more random Carry On crossovers in the world.)

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm sure something will no doubt crop up to derail my plans, but I'll give it my best crack over the fortnight. The real problem is that while I know the basic story and how it ends, my idea of how to get there keeps changing all the time, but hopefully just writing something down will make it fall into place or something,

Poor old Cpl Leonards...I was forgetting about him. Awww, poor Miss Lonsdale... :(

Heheh - yes! I was thinking the other day about Delgado!Master randomly showing up with Doctors other than Three (I mean, he had a fully working TARDIS - it could happen!) I sort of imagined him in swinging London of the late 60s, with a medallion and a kaftan, acting as some sort of mystical guru to the rich and famous as part of his latest scheme... Yes, mainly it was just because I thought Delgado!Master and Polly would be kind of cool together... :D

[thisbluespirit]

Your random idea was even more random than mine. 8-o But Polly is always cool.

You're not taking me seriously there, are you? :lol: If Miss Lonsdale has a private life (and I suppose she must do), she likes to keep it that way - private.

Hmm. Whenever I write something longer, or have done, I always have an idea of where I'm going, but not how I'm getting there. I think seeing where you go when you write it is always worth trying. Depends how you work, though, and I'm not a shining example. ;-)

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

Yeah, pretty random, but I've been watching quite a bit of Three lately, and Delgado!Master has been very much on my mind (and why not?)

And it's probably for the best - she did have a bit of a soft spot for Leonards, though, didn't she? Or am I remembering it as more significant than it in fact was? :D

Well, the way I work is...well, look at the lovely icon you made for me! :D I do sometimes write plans, more like bullet points than synopses, but they generally don't last long once I actually start putting words down, because bright ideas will occur to me in mid-story etc (might be why I don't finish original fiction very often!) I am thinking quite hard about it right now, though, because I want to know where I'm going so I don't waste any of that fortnight on trying to decide what I'm going to write etc. I figure that really it's a question of throwing stuff at the wall at this stage and seeing what sticks; there'll be time for editing it down a bit later!

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, slightly less random then! :lol: Just off the back of my musing on the need for more crazy crossovers, you bring me Polly, the Delgado Master and a kaftan, but that makes more sense! You left that bit out. :-D

Well, yes, but, much as I don't want to be prescriptive about things, there was a bit of an age gap - somewhere between 20-30 years or so. He just wasn't put off by her scary manner, and so she liked that. He's one of my 'I wish I hadn't killed X' characters, but you'll have noticed that. :-D

Everybody works slightly dfferently, but my experience is that most authors have some idea of where they're going etc and then just write, and for most people stuff happens, you just have to get where you were going still. Sounds like a plan - good luck! I think having a detailed plan at the draft stage would be incredibly restrictive, because characters do unexpected things, you 'learn' stuff along the way, and you need to allow for that. The sudden bright ideas midway - doesn't sound unusual to me. Just try them out, kill them if they don't work, or take away from things, or save them till the second part of the epic trilogy. :-D But there doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule, except that anyone who says there is, is lying. ;-)

(I suppose one thing to look at if you're worrying over that, is, can I put the resulting story down in a synopsis fairly easily? And if not, then you've got some serious editing to do of the 'newer' (or older) bits. Everybody has their own way of working, and all you need to finish is someone poking you with something sharp, and I'm happy to volunteer here. And, you know, there actually isn't a limit on the word count, if the story justifies it. But, um, remember the bit about being able to do a reasonable synopsis... :lol:)

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

See, look, now I've explained it, it makes perfect sense! XD And he also has a medallion - a big gold one like the one the War Chief wears, but more stylish, because he's Delgado!Master!

Yeah, poor old Leonards... I didn't really think about the 20-30 year thing, but of course it would be true. I suppose the new Colonel is happily married and everything..?

Yes, I don't really like starting off with detailed synopses, because I think the making parts of it up on the fly is one of the things that keeps me interested and engaged with a story, although it sometimes means it ends up a bit meandering plot-wise, but that's what the rewrites and editing is for! And that's good advice really; can you sum up your story relatively concisely when you have finished it. I shall bear that in mind.

[thisbluespirit]

Heh, I'm not sure that the Master isn't too cool for any sort of medallion, but I'm sure you can persuade me otherwise!

Erm, I have no idea about the new Colonel's marital status, but he'd run a mile rather than go out with Miss Lonsdale. Now, stop it, because it really doesn't take much to start pairing people off & it's already much too neatly tied up as it is. Not very realistic. Luckily, nothing else is, so... :lol:

Anyway, hope to write some more soon - I have tomorrow off. :-)

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

It's an Evil Alien Medallion with Mind Control Powers! He got it on some sort of evil alien teleshopping channel - send no money now!

Yeah, I'll stop now... :D

Look forward to reading it! I wrote a little bit of the Black Bore today, so that was nice.

[thisbluespirit]

:lol: In the 60s?

And, well done! :-)

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

Well, one of the advantages of being a Time Lord is that you take advantage of the better shopping opportunities in the future (and he probably got the money to buy it by buying cheap furniture in the past and selling it as antiques in the present...). :D

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Oooh!

[thisbluespirit]

:-)

[belantana.livejournal.com]

What is this doing nearly falling off the bottom of my unwieldy flist??? Argh! Definitely bookmarking this one for the weekend. :D :D

(It's weekly commentspam time again, you may have noticed, hiiii!)

[thisbluespirit]

Heh. I don't know about that! Don't forget, you need to read Silver Bullet first! :lol: (Well, unless you just want to skip that one).

Aw, yes - hi back!

[belantana.livejournal.com]

Chronological order? How oppressive! *g*

I never skip things, just... postpone them until I can postpone real-life...

[thisbluespirit]

What, living every day in the right order, eally slowly? Is this how it is? :-D

I won't oppress anyone into chronological order. I'm a librarian. I like to be tidy and put things in order so people can find them again.