#avon flare

[theclinch]

National Velvet by Enid Bagnold

Art by Ted Lewin

Published in 1991 by Avon Flare

ISBN 9780380712359

#national velvet #enid bagnold #ted lewin #avon flare #horse count: 1 #damaged #incomplete #not romance

[bwthornton]

Poole Pottery Flare Asymmetrical Bowl 9cm in Height #Poole #Pottery #Art #Ceramics #StratfordonAvon

http://www.bwthornton.co.uk/poole-pottery.php

Poole Pottery Flare Asymmetrical Bowl 9cm in Height #Poole #Pottery #Art #Ceramics #StratfordonAvon

#Poole Pottery #poole #Flare #ceramics #b and w thornton #23 Henley Street #stratford upon avon #warwickshire #england

[suedesongs]

These Are The Suede Songs 003: The Drowners

1991. The University of London Union Ticket Office. Enter one Simon Gilbert, stage right. Gilbert, a twenty-five year old punk from Stratford-Upon-Avon, has just heard a demo tape from a band, supposedly one managed by, among a couple of other characters, his colleague Ricky Gervais. Gervais was, at this point, working at ULU and moonlighting in a band, as Brett Anderson recalls, called Son Of Bleeper. This was long before he would become better known for his “comedy” - and troubling views on transgender rights.

Gilbert asked Gervais if he could join, to which he was told he couldn’t “because he didn’t have flares and he didn’t have a fringe”.

Thank goodness, he would go on to ask another of Suede’s managers and secured a rehearsal. It would take six months of Gilbert believing he was on a trial period to realise he was officially in the band.

This was monumental in Suede’s musical journey. Gone was the faulty drum machine which would constantly break down, and here was a proper full-time drummer, and the final push to shake off the unpleasant spectre of Baggy forever, and to comfortably slide into something tighter, more violent, sexier. Gilbert’s drumming is melodic and calculated, whilst at the same time booming and tribal. It’s the kind of drumming that fills stadiums, and what a better way to introduce Suede to the world at large than with his iconic drum fill on ‘The Drowners’.

It was around this time, too, that Justine Frischmann would depart the band. Anderson recalls to Dave Thompson that, as Butler was increasingly developing his playing to incorporate both lead and rhythm at the same time, this, sadly, made her feel her place in the band was becoming somewhat redundant. Frischmann herself remarks that it was “better to be Pete Best than Linda McCartney.”

Another reason for her exit was the shift in the band’s musical direction. Frischmann increasingly felt that songs were becoming too long and overwrought. Though she would, fantastically, go on to create short, spiky post-punk with Elastica later in the decade.

On January 2nd 1992, Suede attracted the attention of Saul Galpern, the operator of Nude Records, whilst playing at The Venue in New Cross in a show under the name “On For ‘92”. He offered them £3,132 for a two single deal.

In April of that year, Melody Maker made the bold choice to place Suede on their front cover, proclaiming them the “Best New Band in Britain”. This cover has gone on to gain an almost infamy amongst Suede and their fans. Anderson, in the 2022 BBC Documentary Rock Family Trees: The Birth of Cool Britannia, refers to it in disparaging terms, likening it to winning a competition in school as a child.

However less discussed is the contents of the article itself. Not only were Suede described as ‘The Best New Band in Britain’, but as “the most audacious, mysterious, sexy, absurd, perverse, glamorous, hilarious, honest, cocky, melodramatic, mesmerising band you’re ever likely to fall in love with.”

And this leads us back, finally, to The Drowners.

Released on May 11th 1992 as a double A Side with To The Birds, The Drowners peaked at a not insignificant number 49 on the UK charts at the time of release, however it would later go on to hit an impressive Number 17 in July 2023 for one week as a thirtieth anniversary reissue, albeit in a time when chart positions don’t mean all that much.

Suede would often be touted as some kind of antithesis to the Grunge which dominated the airwaves in the early 1990s, however, The Drowners’ opening chords could, in some sense, be described as “grungy”. They’re hard and powerful and dirty. Not dirty in the greasy-haired grunge sense, but in a way that oozes sex. This is what truly sets Suede apart.

In the Channel 4 Documentary Opening Shot, Everett True, at the time assistant editor at Melody Maker, explains: “the critics loved them [Suede] (...) because they are exactly the same as everything they grew up with. They hark back to an era of rock and roll that critics understand, 1993 down the front at the Hammersmith Odeon watching David Bowie.” I feel that this perspective, whilst it may have some truth to it, is rather an oversimplification and focuses primarily on Suede’s image (cobbled together from charity shops and largely consisting of whatever they could find). Suede only have as much in common with Bowie as any of their contemporaries, it feels like a rather lazy comparison.

Anderson’s vocals have once again assumed new inflections and has a great deal more character, not to mention confidence. Listening to the Rocking Horse Demo, which is a much rawer, grittier take, the first thing that sticks out are, indeed, the vocals. They’re sung in near falsetto, they’re a little girlish and coquettish. Inviting, sexy. If there’s one way that The Drowners can be described, it’s certainly sexy. The rhythm of the guitar line, the pounding drums, the pleading of Anderson’s vocals.

There’s the ambiguity of it all, too, as Anderson describes how “we kiss in his room”. Is this the room of a third party? A male partner? Or is he singing from a woman’s perspective? It’s kept completely open, and this ambiguity is something that will become a theme throughout Suede’s catalogue.

Interestingly, two music videos were shot. One for the UK market by Lindy Heymann, which depicts the band flouncing around a white soundstage intercut with footage of Anderson and an unnamed girl walking around a manky railway bridge in Camden (now a pilgrimage spot for avid Suede fans, complete with an unofficial blue plaque), and another for the US market, depicting a kind of frantic gig scene with fans, real fans, clamoring for a piece of the boys on the stage, before it devolves into a foam party. I feel the latter captures the song considerably better. It's so thrilling, sexy, dirty and primal. It's everything Suede are, and everything that drew me to them.

At the time of writing, this is the song that Anderson uses as his excuse to do his crowd walk, wading through a sea of adoring fans. It's fitting, with the use of the “we” pronoun (another characteristic of Suede lyrics), creating a convivial experience. Whilst the power dynamic between band and crowd will always place the band upon a higher footing, oftentimes literally, at this moment he becomes one with his audience. It's also a chance for Mat Osman and Richard Oakes to really shine.

Although, the production on The Drowners, and Suede’s back catalogue as a whole, I feel does Osman rather poorly. He's a truly accomplished bass player who creates some truly incredible baselines which compliment and tie together the songs so perfectly, and combined with Gilbert’s ferocious drumming, it's truly a match made in rhythm section heaven. The bass, though is so often disappointingly low in the mix, and so can only be heard with the highest quality headphones.

Anderson admits part of this would likely be due to how he listened to music throughout his adolescence, on a cheap sound system which cut out the low tones. The recent remasters rectify this somewhat, but it still rather feels a shame.

All in all, The Drowners is a delightful, sleazy, beautiful introduction to the world of a band who still aren't given the credit they're due.

If you enjoy what I write, please consider buying me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/suedesongs

#suede #suede band #simon gilbert #brett anderson #bernard butler #justine frischmann #mat osman #90s #the drowners

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Tastes Like Shakkar Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❝ "As a wedding planner, I have learned to appreciate blunt honesty. I mean, what's sexier than that? Being completely transparent and straight with another person takes a kind of fearlessness, doesn't it?" ❞

❓ #QOTD What's your favorite Shakespeare play (or retelling)? ❓ 🦇 Bobbi Kaur is eager to plan a blow-out, unforgettable wedding for her best friend. Unfortunately, she's paired with Benjamin “Bunty” Padda to complete the task; the groom's best friend and man who derailed her career as a wedding planner. After Bunty refuses to cater a previous wedding for her, Bobbi's boss and uncle loses his faith in her ability to one day manage the business. The Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) wedding could be her chance to prove herself and win an account with one of the biggest venues around. To make matters worse, someone is trying to sabotage the wedding. Despite their constant bickering and the shaadi saboteur's best efforts, can Bobbi and Bunty call a truce and (with the help of a few sleuthing, meddling aunties) turn the Vermann wedding into a happily ever after?

💜 How do I bottle up all my love for Nisha Sharma, Bobbi, and Bunty in a concise review? Oh, let me count the ways... (whoops, wrong play). "There's a skirmish of wit between them" is far more accurate. Tastes Like Shakkar picks up from the scene we missed in Dating Dr. Dil, when Bobbi and Bunty speak alone at Kareena's birthday party. A moment of misunderstanding flares into hostility, even though Bobbi and Bunty have more in common than they realize. Sharma does a stunning job of pulling from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing while staying true to her Punjabi-American characters. So many books are categorized as romcom more for the situational comedy than actual laugh-aloud moments, which Sharma brings in spades. Bobbi and Bunty have all the wit and sass of their Shakespearian counterparts, but they bring the heat, too. This sweet, sassy story has a flare of spice that's bound to get your blood pumping. Whether Bunty is cooking up a storm in the kitchen or not, there are plenty of mouthwatering moments to spare.

💜 Bobbi's independence and ferocity are inspiring, while Bunty's foodie notes, text, and willingness to SHOW he's falling first are heartwarming. The layers of similarity between them—taking on familial obligations while trying to prove themselves—bring Bobbi and Bunty together when internal and external forces try to drag them apart. The aunties are, as always, a hoot, and Bobbi's curvy representation (and better yet, PRIDE) warmed my heart.

🦇 As much as I loved the story's mystery element, I pegged the shaadi saboteur the moment Bobbi chooses her first suspect. Sharma leaves plenty of little breadcrumbs for readers to follow. Though there's a TON of sizzle and spice (I'm fanning myself at the thought of that throne scene), I do think it was rushed, almost entirely resolving the animosity between them with smut.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Shakespeare retellings, @sonali.dev / Sonali Dev's The Rajes series, or @saradesaiwrites / Sara Desai's The Marriage Game series! Any rom-com lover is bound to fall in love with Bobbi and Bunty!

✨ The Vibes ✨ 💞 Enemies to Lovers 🤏🏽 Forced Proximity 📜 Shakespeare Inspired 🔍 A Dash of Mystery 🪷 Desi/Punjabi RomCom 💐 Chef x Wedding Planner 👗 Plus-Sized Female Lead 📚 Second in a Series 💜 Contemporary Romance 😂 Banter & Humor

❝ "My body says 'let's go on an expedition!' while my brain is shouting 'evacuate mission!'" ❞

🦇 Major thanks to the author Nisha Sharma and publisher Avon Books/ Harper Voyager US for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

#book lover #book review #book blog #shakespeare #mystery #book: tastes like shakkar #author: nisha sharma #romcom #romance books #romance novels #romance #shakespeare retelling #battyaboutbooks #batty about books

[snuh]

Tim Hildebrandt: The Science Fictional Dinosaur - Avon Flare #77974, February 1982

[telomereschronicles]

Hello tout le monde !

En ce dimanche, voilà la présentation de l'équipe de super-héros de Nova, les Supernovas !

Créée officiellement en 1987, l'équipe des Supernovas est constituée de 6 grands héros choisis soigneusement par Nova pour protéger le nord-est des Etats-Unis ainsi qu'une partie du Canada. Très fidèle à leur corporation, ces héros sont des exemples pour la société, travaillant en équipe constamment et intervenant un peu partout. Les Supernovas sont menés par Solar Flare, secondée dans sa tâche par Wraith. Les apprenti.es sont choisi.es pour leurs capacités et leur force de caractère ainsi que pour ce qu'ils pourront apporter à l'équipe à l'avenir. L'équipe se compose actuellement de 6 membres officiels, des héros entraînés et connus du grand public, ainsi que de 4 apprenti.es, des membres encore en train d'être entraînés par les Supernovas et leurs équipes. A l'heure actuelle, seuls 2 membres des Supernovas ont été envoyés à Atlanta : Hachiman et Scorched Earth. Ils sont accompagnés de 4 apprentis qui sont là pour se former autant que prouver leurs capacités.

Actuellement, 2 membres des Supernovas sont jouables, les autres sont des PNJs qui ne se trouvent pas dans Atlanta. Voici tout de suite la liste des personnage, leurs pouvoirs et avatars !

Solar Flare (PNJ) - 45 ans, leader des Supernovas, contrôle de l'énergie solaire, Morena Baccarin

Wraith (PNJ) - 49 ans, second des Supernovas, mimique de pouvoirs, Benedict Cumberbatch

Siren (PNJ) - 42 ans, manipulation des émotions, Angela Sarafyan

Ironclaw (PNJ) - 38 ans, contrôle du métal, Janelle Monáe

Hachiman (PV libre) - 33-38 ans, combattant surdoué aux capacités augmentées, Andrew Koji

Scorched Earth (PV libre) - 28-33 ans, pyrokinésie, Will Poulter

Et en plus, nous avons 4 places d'apprentis au sein des Supernovas que voici !

F/M/NB, 23 ans, pouvoirs libres Originaire de Boston, apprenti.e de Nova depuis environ 2 ans après s'est fait.e remarquer en étant vigilante dans sa ville natale, envoyé.e à Atlanta pour lui faire connaître de vrais combats contre des criminels

F/M/NB, 19 ans, détecteur de mensonges Originaire de Detroit, apprenti.e lae plus récemment arrivé.e chez Nova, quelques mois à peine, pouvoirs basés sur la détection du mensonge et autres capacités télépathiques, envoyé.e à Atlanta pour utiliser ses pouvoirs sur les criminels appréhendés

F, 25 ans, contrôle du fer Originaire du Canada, est apprentie depuis 5 ans, formée directement par Ironclaw pour prendre sa succession, capacités en lien avec le contrôle du fer et de ses alliages, envoyée à Atlanta pour la tester et l'entraîner en condition réelle

M, 21 ans, pouvoirs libres Origines libres, placé sous la tutelle de Hachiman un an plus tôt pour lui permettre de s'entraîner et devenir potentiel partenaire de combat d'Hachiman, apprenti depuis un an seulement, envoyé à Atlanta pour suivre son mentor

#forum rpg #forumactif #french rpg #joker #powers #projet rpg #rpg #rpg français #superhero #supervillain #personnages

[vtgbooks]

NICOLE DAVIDSON Crash Landing 1996 Vintage HORROR Avon Flare Book 1990s Retro

#bluemelodybooks #vintagebook #bookaesthetic #bookseller #reading #readingaesthetic #academia #bookcore

[400legends]

Shotgun Shocks (Day 162)

"The Commander, huh?" Iota grinned at me. "A couple of missiles to get things started." With that, she flung her hand out and three dark purple darts flew straight at the Luon Tua officer.

Sara fired right on the heels of the missiles but missed. Requiem muttered, "That one is bleeding." She aimed at one of the soldiers, fired, and he crumpled to the floor.

Dr. Quant seemed to glide out of our sheltered area and toward the battle. She raised her arms and four spectral guardians appeared in a circle around her. She came to a stop near the damaged turret; she looked like an easy target, and I hoped those guardians could stop gunfire.

The commander and one of the two remaining soldiers moved their barrier forward, as if in response to Quant. They were almost to the Cosmic Peanut's hiding place when a centaur appeared directly in front of them. The commander flipped up a shotgun, shouted something, and blasted the creature with a hail of shot.

In the moment of silence after the brutal force of the blast, I keyed the hacked comms and growled, "Movement behind us. Protect the flank." To my surprise and delight, the lone soldier at the rear did as I hoped and turned around, training his rifle at the empty doorway.

From my vantage, I saw the captain slide from her hiding place and position herself at the wall just out of sight of the enemy. With a quick flick, she fired her pistol and ran back to the doorway, not even checking if she'd hit the target.

Sara dropped to one knee, took careful aim, and shot the soldier at the barrier. She caught him in the moment after he'd been hit by the captain's pistol and before he could even react to it. He was down before he knew what had happened.

Now there were two - the one I'd fooled continued to stand with his back to us, intent on protecting against a non-existent attack and the commander.

The commander blasted the centaur again, and the creature dissolved in the wave of shot. He moved forward and pumped the gun. He aimed at Quant and hit her with the full force of the blast. Her shield shimmered and faded as the spirits around her all flared with red light.

Requiem and Iota both darted from our shelter, hugging the wall. Requiem hit the commander, and his own shield faded. Iota trained her pistol at the far soldier but missed.

"EDI," I whispered into my comms. "What's the situation out there? We are in a tough fight here. Give me good news."

"Hello, Fleur. The three factions are battling each other. The alliances are rather fluid, with the KGC sometimes firing with the Hanadarians against the Los Avons and sometimes shooting the Hanadarian ships if they get too close. There is a KGC transport on a trajectory with the station. ETA is six minutes."

"Thanks. Keep me posted."

While I'd been focused on EDI, the captain had left the safety of her hiding spot and was engaged in hand-to-hand with the commander. Her shock gauntlet flared as she landed a blow.

Sara had trained her rifle on the far soldier and hit him in the leg. He finally seemed to realize that the threat was not from the flank and limp-jogged to stand by his commander.

Just then a small white creature flew at the two Luon Tua. It blew a puff of white fog that seemed to grow and surround them. For a moment the soldiers were obscured from sight.

The injured soldier limped out of the fog with his gun pointed at Quant. One of Quant's spirits glowed red and white before turning into a giant fist that slammed the soldier to the floor. Another spirit became a spectral sword and sliced at the commander as he emerged from the white fog. A spray of blood hit the wall.

He seemed unconcerned about the blood as he pointed the shotgun at Quant. Once more he yelled out a few words and pulled the trigger. From this angle, I could see that the shotgun blast glowed with golden light as it hit Quant. She dropped to her knees and the guardians faded. The commander swiveled, aimed at the Cosmic Peanut and fired a blast at point blank range.

At this point, he seemed to realize that his squad was dead. Tucking the shotgun under his arm, he tapped a bracelet and a new shield materialized around him. The white creature flew at him with claws extended, but the commander ducked away.

Sara, Iota, and Requiem all trained their guns at him and fired. His new shield flared as the bullets hit but held. In a smooth motion, he snatched the shotgun from under his arm, pumped it and fired another blast at the captain.

I barely registered that the Cosmic Peanut had doubled over, arms around her stomach. I charged at the Luon Tua commander, intent on tackling him. He deftly stepped to one side and tossed me on my back.

"Blessings of my world upon you," said Quant as a pale yellow light seemed to sparkle all around the captain. With that. the Cosmic Peanut straightened up, bounced on her toes once, and launched at the enemy commander. She landed two blows to his midsection, and as he was still reacting to that, Sara seemed to blink into existence right beside the captain, sword in hand. With both hands, she slammed her sword right through him, to the hilt. He dropped to the floor dead.

"Is that all of them?" Sara pulled her sword free and wiped it on the commander's jacket.

"I think so." Iota still held the pistol in her hand. "Fleur?"

I stood and picked up my handheld. "Cameras are clear, but EDI confirmed that another transport is about 5 minutes from us. KGC this time."

Quant was on her feet and released a healing spell that touched all of us. The captain wiped blood from her face. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"Captain," EDI's voice came through the station's comms. "My tactical assessment indicates that there is a 62.3 percent chance that departure at this juncture will lead to capture. But the factions continue to weaken each other, and if you can maintain position here on MK3 for another 10 minutes, our chances of success rise considerably." She paused. "If my modeling is correct, of course."

The captain sighed. "What do you want to do?" she asked the group.

"We still have a turret." Iota shrugged.

"And 5 minutes to set some more barricades," added Esmae, who had transformed from the white flying creature back to their Maeshari form.

"I would prefer to increase our odds, Captain. I am embarrassed but uninjured," I said.

"That was tough. A tough, tough fight." Requiem looked at the fallen Luon Tua. "Next wave will probably be more of the same, but if Quant wants to stay, I say we stay the 10 minutes." She looked at her fellow Hanadarian who nodded.

"Let's slow 'em down right here." Sara gestured with her sword at the long open hallway. "Block the sides and make them fight their way toward us."

"Several doors are disabled, but I can still operate many of them. And Captain, perhaps this would be a good ambush spot?" I opened a door on the left just a few feet from the long hallway. "I will position myself just around the corner in case you need healing or other assistance."

"Alright people." The Cosmic Peanut clapped her paws together. "Let's make 'em regret showing up here."

[shasharishi]

🥰🖐🏾MAGIC MASSAGE🖐🏾🥰 Today I had the immense pleasure of a CBD wholistic massage from the lovely @beautifultrooth in Stratford-upon-Avon. I’ve been having a few little flare ups with the Fibro recently and I I have to say it is uncommon for a massage practitioner to be able to get ‘under the edges’ of the pain the way Jameela does so intuitively. You can see from my face how blissed out I am! 🥰🧡 #shashaspiritledlife #holisticmassage #stratforduponavon #CBDmassage #naturalhealing #naturalhealth #wellbeing #supportsmallbusiness #fibromyalgiaawareness (at Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg7A2phIpbb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#shashaspiritledlife #holisticmassage #stratforduponavon #cbdmassage #naturalhealing #naturalhealth #wellbeing #supportsmallbusiness #fibromyalgiaawareness

[bwthornton]

Poole Pottery Flare Asymmetrical Bean Vase #PoolePottery #Art #Ceramics #StratforduponAvon

http://www.bwthornton.co.uk/poole-pottery.php

Poole Pottery Flare Asymmetrical Bean Vase #PoolePottery #Art #Ceramics #StratforduponAvon

#Poole Pottery #poole #Flare #ceramics #art #b and w thornton #23 Henley Street #stratford upon avon #warwickshire #england

[avonsalesbyflormarie]

NEW! fmg CathyCat Arch Precision Brow Pencil (6 Shades) * Play All Day Mascara * Curl & Flare Mascara * Find them at www.youravon.com/floraromero * 928.287.0079 ***Mascara available in Blackest Black only #cathycat #avon #mascara #browliner https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf7HF6GPv1b/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#cathycat #avon #mascara #browliner

[retrogirlsbooks]

Silver by Norma Fox Mazer

ISBN 0-380-75026-0

#Avon Flare #1980s #1988

[snuh]

Tim Hildebrandt: The Science Fictional Dinosaur - Avon Flare #77974, February 1982

[vtgbooks]

Vintage ELLEN EMERSON WHITE Friends For Life 1983 Vintage HORROR AVON FLARE

#bluemelodybooks #vintagebook #bookaesthetic #bookart #oldbooks #reading #vintagebooks #readingaesthetic

[400legends]

Evolving Strategies (Day 162 continued)

"They can fly!" The Captain put her paws on her head. "How could I forget that?"

We'd just seen the Los Avan soldiers navigate Esmae's spike trap, and while one of them died and another was injured, the other 3 simply flew over the patch of barbed vines.

"I gotta rethink my plan, you know?" The Cosmic Peanut said this to no one in particular, but I replied. "I do know. It is an unsustainable strategy to allow these soldiers to destroy every door between us and them. If the Doctor is correct, we will face two more waves of enemy combatants, which means we need to keep some of the doors functional." My fingers flew across the handheld as I opened door after door.

Requiem shifted to the side as Esmae joined us behind Requiem's illusory wall. The central hallway of the space station was ready for the soldiers - as ready as we could make it with the 30 minutes we had before contact. Turret #2 stood primed to engage the enemy, and Quant's conjured Brasswatchers looked ready to fire on any intruders. Too bad their holographic rifles would only shoot holographic bullets.

"We should have visual contact in 5 seconds," I announced.

"The door to the AI Core is open?" asked the captain.

"As I stated, I have opened all the doors between us and the--"

"Catch you later!" The Cosmic Peanut grinned and hunched to sprint from our hiding spot.

"Peanut, what do you think you're doing?" Sara laid a hand on the captain's shoulder.

"I'm gonna hide and shoot 'em in the back."

"They can see you." Sara pointed at the far doorway, where 4 Los Avan soldiers crouched behind a shimmering energy barrier.

"And I can see them!" Esmae pulled out a bow, nocked an arrow, and sent it zooming at the soldiers.

Turret #2 fired several rounds and took return fire.

"I can give you approximately 6 seconds, Captain." I hit the command to close that one door.

"Taking it!" She took off with a burst of energy and made it about three-quarters of the way before she stopped to catch her breath.

Requiem stepped into the central hallway and yelled, "Don't stop now!" She mimed pushing the captain forward, and I don't know if that was magic or not, but the Cosmic Peanut seemed to fly to the safety of the side door.

Esmae rushed after the captain, bow still in hand. She got almost even with Turret #2, when a flare of flame showed at the door, and it flew open from the force of a shaped charge.

"That is not good," Iota muttered.

Esmae froze in place. She was too far to take cover behind the turret, too far to leap for the safety of the side hallway.

At least the captain was now hidden from view, just at the halfway point of the central hallway. But I hoped that she would not get her chance to shoot anyone on the back because that would mean that the soldiers had gotten entirely too close to our position.

"I welcome the chance to fire at these agents of hate." Dr. Quant shouldered a plasma rifle and fired at the now-visible soldiers. One of them flinched as the bullet hit.

"Are you good at everything?" Requiem sounded just the slightest bit exasperated as she aimed her own rifle and fired.

"I wasn't sure if I remembered how, to be honest."

"This is a good plan," Sara said as she stepped past Requiem's wall, fired. "Draw attention from Esmae." She hit one of the soldiers, nodded, and then stepped back behind the illusion.

The Los Avon soldiers were not distracted; they poured fire at Esmae, who crumpled to the floor under the barrage. She did not move.

Calculating the distance required to send the healing word spell to Esmae, I dashed out of cover, swirled the magic overhead, and sent it hurtling toward Esmae. She stirred as she absorbed the small healing.

Quant triggered the conjured Brasswatchers to mimic gunfire, and the enemy soldiers ducked for cover.

Requiem stepped beside me and raised the staff of healing. A bright green light bathed the injured Maeshari, and she rolled onto her stomach.

As Requiem and I hurried back to safety, I heard one of the Los Avans say, "It's just an illusion! Ignore those soldiers. Don't be afraid of fracking conjured bullets."

Esmae summoned a black dragon wormling to stand beside the turret. It screamed out a challenge, and the soldiers fired as it advanced on them, giving Esmae time to reach the safety of the side hallway.

"What are they saying that we can't hear?" I muttered and began to search for their comms channel.

Two alerts grabbed my attention. First, Turret #2 flashed critical failure, and second, the Los Avan ship was leaving the airlock. I swiped them away, intent on hacking the soldiers' comms.

Around me, Sara, Iota, and Requiem fired at the soldiers, keeping them pinned at the far door. From the corner of my eye, I saw Quant move past and out into the open space of the central hallway.

"I'm in!" I said triumphantly and tapped my ear.

"Get me in close, boys," a voice growled. "Get me in close, and I can mess them up. Mess them up good."

"The commander," I sputtered out the words. "Aim for their commander!"

[gayness-and-mayhem]

Leather flares are a rather...bold choice aren't they Avon? I suppose that's not exactly unusual though.

#He always has to stand out doesn't he? #Tbf though Paul Darrow appears to have the ability to make any weird space outfit look good #So I can't really judge #Blake's 7 #Kerr Avon #Paul Darrow #Text post #S2E7