happy new year, 2084!

New Year's Eve, 2084 - Stephanie Day is 24, Justin Kim is 23, Sophie Phoenix is 61.

Soundtrack: "Drown," by Smashing Pumpkins.

Plenty of people are hosting New Year's parties this year, every year, all over the world. Aunt Sophie is hosting the usual party, and Stephanie's parents will be there, but instead Stephanie is here with Justin's parents. Because Justin's mom makes regular platters of food, sausage rolls in biscuits from the grocery store, nothing imported, nothing strange and gourmet like her Aunt Sophie serves. Stephanie is here because Aunt Sophie's house is always too crowded and noisy, because Corbin has a date which left Justin alone. She considered that they could spend New Year's in the quiet of her empty house, but she decided against it. Alone has grown on her, grown into her bones. But not tonight. She knows Justin doesn't like that much quiet.

Stephanie wonders how they're celebrating on base, or if they're even celebrating at all. Out there, tonight is just another date, a point on a calendar that's only significant to us because we make it so. Outside the Earth's spinning clock, a year means nothing. Out there, their ships whiz through the blackness and time is irrelevant except to their little electronic clocks, keeping home time like nostalgia.

extras, friendship picspam

Friends is the picture theme over at N99 this week, and I spent a bit of time putting this together, so I thought I'd share it here too so that you all could see it. Some of these friendships go back so far, and when you look at it all in sequence, it kind of even tells a story.

If I get around to doing some other groups of friends, I'll share those here too. I'd definitely like to get around to doing my Tyler/Beau/April/Summer/Lucy/Dallas group too, but I know I have many others as well.

extras, birthday spam

Just a few extras and outtakes from setting up Stephanie's birthday party. I found this bunch surprisingly photogenic while I was working on them, and I ended up with a lot more pictures than I could actually use.

happy birthday, dear Stephanie...

December 16, 2083 - Stephanie Day is 24, Willow is 16 months. (Justin Kim is 23, Lily is 10 months, Corbin Gray is 32.)

Stephanie turns twenty-four today. Her parents have spent the majority of the week packing and unpacking, making the 20-minute drive from here to the LCU campus several times. Her mother got the School Board President job, and she starts immediately following the holiday break. But she did make some time to take Stephanie out for a new haircut and a pedicure, to brighten her spirits, and then they met her dad for lunch.

Her mother also arranged for some help around the house. "You'll have a housekeeper once a week," she said to Stephanie. "And call your uncle over if you need snow shoveled. The mortgage is paid, and you have Jeremiah's stipend for groceries. Your father will bring over more, if you need it. So all you have to do is take care of Willow. You can handle that, can't you?"

Stephanie handles Willow just fine, and Justin's daughter Lily sometimes too. So she isn't sure what sticks more, the emphasis on "all," or that it's even a question?

picspam, like a peace offering...

Sorry, no story update ready for you this weekend. But before you get very disappointed, I'm going to make up for it with pictures of Dallas and Lucy... and a very cute toddler ;)

pressure points

October 2083 - Stephanie Day is 23, Willow is 1. (Jeremy Nova is 68, Riley Hathe is 34, Justin Kim is 23, Corbin Gray is 33.)

She feels looked after like a child. Her father drives back and forth from the city. He says he's just prepping for the move, but he never seems to be moving anything. Justin calls her almost every day after work, and he and Lily come over when they can. Her Aunt Sophie comes by from across the street. "Oh, honey," she says, frowning at Stephanie's scorched attempt at pork chops. "You should have let me bring you something."

And then there's the real, actual child. Willow. Aunt Sophie scoops her up in her arms. "Oh, isn't she just precious?" she says. "What a doll."

come undone, extras

Psst, Lara... that's not your husband...

After what was the longest "chapter" I've ever written for this story (totally got carried away there, lol!), I've decided to start doing these extras by chapter from now on, instead of by year.

Okay, so let's see what other extras, misfits, and outcasts we might have from the spring/summer 2083, "come undone" chapter...

one day, long-dreaded...

May 2083 - Cabe Deppiesse (41), Andy Bradshaw (56), Joel Harris (41), Alon Hutchins (27), Jeremiah Day (26), Keri Riley-Kim (22), Tyler Jackson (19), Stephanie Day (23).

*note: box of tissues warning!*

They felt it coming, there were rumors, there was an atmosphere in the news reports of preparation. They're getting ready for the first contact. They've built up the bases to support a troop surge, so now they need the troops.

Protect the planet is their mission, their first and most important order. They need all the help they can get, and they'll take it from every available unit around the globe. As far apart as they might be in culture or distance, they are all in this one together. Some units went ahead of them, and later more followed. Then last week, one long-dreaded day, there were these pamphlets in the mail: Your Loved Ones on Active Duty.

Soon after, Lake County unit 212 was called to duty.

LCU, life in present tense, part 3

LCU, spring semester, 2083 (part 3 of 3). Part 1, part 2, part 2.5.

*soundtrack (for all three parts), "Lifeboats," by Snow Patrol*

She was supposed to have an appointment with a recruiter, but instead it's General Deppiesse who walks into the room. He is confident, casual, and so eased in his stride she wonders if he actually knows she's sitting here. He finally says a simple, "Hello," without even looking her way. She figures he must be talking to her since there's no one else in the room.

This is her mother's doing, isn't it? When Keri wanted to study abroad, her mother wouldn't step in to help, but now that Keri wants to join the military, she's all over it. Keri is convinced her mother is dead-set against everything she ever wanted to do with her life. She's surprised her mother didn't somehow step in to call off her wedding. In fact, for all she knows, her mother probably tried.

LCU, life in present tense, part 1

LCU, spring semester, 2083 (part 1 of 3). Last semester, fall 2082.*soundtrack (for all three parts), "Lifeboats," by Snow Patrol*

Her mother said she wasn't cut out for this, that she was spoiled rotten, that being in the military would hit her like a brick wall. Keri knows that she's been spoiled, and she just couldn't resist throwing back, "Well whose fault is it if I am spoiled!?!"

Her mother didn't speak to her after that.

They had one terrible spat about it, and then her mother went silent. Keri knows this silence doesn't mean acceptance, and it certainly isn't approval, but instead it is coldness and waiting. Waiting to see what will happen, what will she choose to do? After all, Keri Riley-Kim is a full grown woman now, and entitled to make her own decisions, among everything else she's entitled to.

But she only gets her father on the phone these past couple of months, and surely her mother, when she is home, is seeing a name on the caller ID and handing it straight over to Bryson each time. Keri wants what she wants, but it doesn't stop her from feeling icky inside. Keri says, "Maybe you might send mom this time, if she's home?"

"You know she's busy," Bryson says. But she needs him to come watch Lillian so she can go to her yoga class, and then real class, and could he pick up some diapers on the way?

"Daddy, please," she adds, and Bryson comes running.

here on dirt

March 2083 - Jeremy Nova is 67, Alice is 61, Jeremiah Day is 26, Stephanie is 23, Willow is 7 months. (Justin Kim is 23.) Last update, June 2082.

He's at Fort Bluewater, and he has an appointment with General Deppiesse. Of course, he didn't give his real name. This is where they had him wait, a library of sorts, not a typical waiting room. Outside there are soldiers playing basketball, but that isn't even the interesting thing. Jeremiah doesn't wonder why he isn't waiting in the perfectly good waiting room. He doesn't worry about the fact that he is an army deserter waiting to speak with a top military general. What's killing Jeremiah, more than anything is, what is that thing on the table?

something she can do

January 2083 - Bryson and Madison Riley are 60 (Mariah and Micah Buchanan are 24, Quinn is five months. Justin Kim is 23, Keri is 22.) Last update, January 2081.

"Ally Schultz," Madison says. "She's running against me this fall. Can you believe it?" Madison can actually believe it. That Ally was always a go-getter, whether it comes to men, or her career. "And if I recall correctly, wasn't she the one who stole my niece's boyfriend?"

"I wouldn't know," Cabe says.

"Anyway, not even thirty-five and she thinks she's going to run for Governor. Apparently she even lost that louse of a boyfriend to help her public image."

Cabe isn't normally the type for mindless gossip, but unfortunately Madison had to unload this bomb on somebody. But Cabe was scheduled to meet her for a military briefing, and they do have serious matters to attend to.

LCU, start a revolution (part 1)

LCU, fall semester, 2082 (part 1 of 2). Last semester, spring 2082. *optional soundtrack, "Volunteers," by Jefferson Airplane.*

Keri Riley-Kim is different from her big sister Mariah in many ways, most notably maybe in that Keri always knows exactly what she wants. She knows what she wants, when she wants it, how she wants it, and even who's going to give it to her. Some people might say this makes her a bitch, but Keri just thinks she's a proud, sure woman. There's nothing wrong with being sure. Keri has been raised to get whatever she wants, and she usually does, one way or another.

But there's one thing Keri knows she doesn't want, and that is to work retail! So when Justin suggests it as a possibility for her senior year internship, she says, "Do you see me putting up with all that 'customer is always right' bullshit?"

LCU, a lesson in biology

LCU, spring semester, 2082 (last semester, fall 2081)

Keri just HAS to see this house, all the way out in the freaking suburbs! She's still not over it all, and says, "I can't believe you got married. You, got married! Not even a year ago, you didn't even want to live with him, so you married him?"

"He grew on me," Mariah says. "What can I say?"

Keri says, "And I can't believe you got yourself knocked up, haven't you ever heard of birth control???"

LCU, "spring" break 2082

2082, LCU, "spring" break

The newlywed Mrs. Keri Riley-Kim says, "Check out the wedding ring, Blondie. This one's taken!"

LCU, reining bridezilla

LCU, fall semester, 2081

***Very long, but picture-heavy, mostly - it's a wedding, you know ;)

Justin gulps hard and says, "You hired a housekeeper for this tiny apartment?"

Keri says, "Well, yeah! You didn't think I was going to clean it myself!"

"You hired that housekeeper?"

Keri says, "Well, you don't have to stare." But Keri can't help staring either. And it's not that she even likes girls like that, but she has to admit, that's one hell of a bosom!

Justin says, "Can we get you an outfit like that?"

LCU, normal, simple, happy, part 2

LCU, spring semester, 2081 (part 2 of 3)

On the morning of their final exams, Micah comes upon a startling scene, his girlfriend sitting and having a conversation with Blossom, his ex-girlfriend from freshman year. "What are you doing here?" he says.

"Oh, you know, I was just spilling all your dirty secrets," Blossom says. "Just kidding! Dude, don't freak out or anything!"

Good thing Micah doesn't have any dirty secrets, he doesn't think. Or none that Mariah doesn't already know.

LCU, normal, simple, happy, part 1

LCU, spring semester, 2081 (part 1 of 3)

May starts out chilly this year, so with thoughts of warm apple cider in her head, Keri is inclined to plant an apple tree. Of course, Keri didn't actually plant the tree. She hired gardeners to do that. She just likes to lounge underneath it. And Mariah has some sun-ripened tomatoes in mind for a nice juicy salad, but she does plant those herself. Keri doesn't lift a finger. We really shouldn't be surprised at that.

LCU, a very dear friend

LCU, fall semester, 2080

*Long, as these LCU updates tend to be...*

Justin is exiled this semester, in what was supposed to be an exciting year of study abroad, instead he'll spend the year at Takemizu Academy without Keri. And it looks like he's going to spend the whole year beating off girls with a stick. He's never considered himself a dream-boat or anything. Not that he thinks he's ugly, and sure, he supposes he's kind of funny, but this desperate girl is just insatiable! She won't take no for an answer. But NO is the answer, since this man is very happily engaged - even if Keri is a world away. He's even thinking about hiring a hit-man.

LCU, packing up, moving on

LCU, spring semester, 2080

It's early one spring morning when Keri's sister calls, and this phone call is a warning. Mariah says, "Bella's coming over to see you. Just so you know."

Though Bella Bradshaw graduated last year, it hasn't been exactly unusual to see her finding her way back onto campus. What what is unusual about this is that she wants to see Keri. Keri's older cousins hardly ever give her the time of day, unless they want something. And Keri is sick of the way Bella thinks she's the center of the entire universe!