“Crossroads of the Force” [PG-13] – Chapter Four

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“CROSSROADS OF THE FORCE”

CHAPTER FOUR

THE VELM SYSTEM

Han and Anakin stood near the Javian Hawk’s boarding ramp, while they observed Mako converse with the Dreadnought’s captain. Both the Hawk and Mako’s ship, the Alastian Star, stood inside the Imperial cruiser’s shuttle bay, surrounded by stormtroopers. Han glanced at his partner’s face. Despite Anakin’s stoic expression, the young Corellian could sense the older man’s unease.

“Don’t worry,” Han whispered. “Mako seems to know what he’s doing. He probably knows this guy from the Imperial Academy or something. They seem a little friendly.”

Anakin muttered back, “I hope so, for our own sake. Because if this Captain Skafte insists upon inspecting our cargo, be prepared to run for it.” A sharp sigh escaped from his mouth. “I should have stayed aboard the Hawk. We both should.”

Han could not help but privately agree. It worried him that an Imperial ship had finally been able to catch them after ten years of smuggling. Perhaps Anakin had a right to complain about Mako’s route to Maldore. He stole another glance at the older man. Anakin’s expression now looked intense. The former Jedi seemed to be concentrating on Mako and Captain Skafte. “I wonder what they’re talking about,” Anakin commented in a dark tone. “Do you really think Spince will be able to convince the captain to let us go?”

With a shrug, Han replied, “I don’t know. Like I said, they seem to be a little friendly with each other.

“Right now, I don’t sense anything amiss,” Anakin continued. “But the moment I give the signal that something’s wrong, get aboard the Hawk as soon as possible. And start shooting at anyone who moves.”

Han saw a flaw in Anakin’s desperate plan. “Shouldn’t I at least wait for Mako to board his ship?”

Anakin shot a dark glance at Han. “Why bother? You honestly think he would make it in time?”

Slowly, Han turned to stare at his partner. Was Anakin actually willing to sacrifice Mako in order to escape from the Imperials? Before he could comment, his eyes fell upon a handcuffed Wookie entering the shuttle bay with flanking stormtroopers. “What’s he doing here?” Han whispered.

“Who?”

“The Wookie!” Han indicated the newcomer with a nod of his head. “Looks like he’s a prisoner.”

Anakin mumbled, “I’m not surprised. After Kashyyyk, the Imperials have been using captured Wookies as slaves.”

“Slaves!” Han felt a stab to his stomach. The idea of any Wookie being a prisoner sickened him. And this particular prisoner reminded him of Dewlanna. He wondered if she would have faced a similar fate if she had returned to Kashyyyk following her husband’s death. One glance at Anakin told Han that the former felt equally disgusted. After all, the two partners had endured some form of slavery during their respective childhoods. “I wish we could free him,” Han added. “The Wookie, I mean.”

“Right now, we should be worried about us,” Anakin muttered.

At that moment, Mako and Captain Skafte approached the partners. “So,” the latter commented, “you’re friends of Mako?”

“That’s right,” Han replied with fake cheerfulness.

Mako added, “I had just informed Captain Skafte that we’re shipping power converters to Maldore.”

Anakin asked, “Are you two familiar with each other?”

“Captain Skafte used to be one of my instructors at the Imperial Academy,” Mako explained. He added sheepishly, “Before I was expelled.”

The captain added, “Now that Mako has explained everything, you’re free . . .”

A loud roar filled the shuttle bay. The four men diverted their attention to the stormtroopers struggling with the Wookie captor. A frown darkened Skafte’s countenance. “Now what?” he muttered. “Treece! What is going on?”

A blond-haired junior officer replied, “I’m sorry sir. The Wookie is being difficult. Being an animal, I guess he can’t help himself.”

“You have a Wookie as a slave?” Anakin asked, surprising Han, Mako and Skafte.

The captain regarded Anakin warily. “Do you have a problem with this . . . uh, Captain . . .?”

“Horus. Set Horus.” Anakin shook his head. “No sir, I don’t. In fact, slavery is very common where I come from. I’m merely surprised that you would use Wookie labor. I’ve heard rumors that they can be difficult as slaves. Not that I actually believe such rumors.” Han noticed that Anakin had refrained from mentioning his homeworld by name.

A cool smile touched Skafte’s lips. “They’ve made pretty good slaves since the fall of Kashyyyk, ten years ago. And this slave,” he nodded at the Wookie, “happens to be a talented technician and pilot. The Trandoshans had captured him some three months ago. This Wookie tried to escape before he could be sold, but he failed and served under another Imperial commander before he was transferred to me.”

Anakin’s face expressed interest. “Really? A pilot and a technician? How long have you had him aboard this starship?”

With a shrug, Skafte replied, “Oh, about a week. I’m transporting this . . . creature to the Maw, where he is to work on one of the Empire’s new projects.”

“How much are you willing to sell for this . . . creature?” Anakin’s question surprised Han.

Apparently, Skafte also seemed surprised by Anakin’s request. He frowned at the former Jedi and asked, “You’re interested in buying this Wookie? Why? Didn’t you say that they don’t make good slaves?”

“I said that most people don’t consider them to be good slaves,” Anakin corrected. “I also said that I didn’t believe such nonsense. According to you, he’s a good mechanic and I can certainly use one.”

Han struggled to contain his excitement. Did Anakin actually plan to help free the Wookie? He noticed that Skafte had become pensive for a few minutes. Then the officer stared at Anakin. Han wondered if his partner had gone too far.

“How do you plan to keep him in line?” the Imperial officer finally asked.

A cruel smile curved Anakin’s lips. For the first time in years, Han could imagine him as a Sith Lord. “Let’s just say that I plan to use a more effective method other than a blaster or taser,” he coldly replied.

As the two men walked away to discuss the enslaved Wookie, Mako leaned forward to whisper in Han’s ear. “What’s going on?”

Han tried to play dumb. “Huh?”

“The Wookie!” Mako hissed. “Why is Horus suddenly interested in the Wookie?”

Han murmured back, “We need an extra mechanic for the Hawk.”

“Who are you kidding?” Mako retorted. “Horus could probably fix that ship of his, blind-folded. Or else he could simply buy a droid.” Realization gleamed in his eyes. “Oh no! Horus is trying to . . .” He broke off momentarily, as an officer passed by. Then he added in a lower voice, “He plans to free that Wookie, doesn’t he?”

Keeping his gaze fixed upon Anakin and Skafte, Han merely replied, “Why would any of us be interested in freeing some slave? Let alone a Wookie?”

At that moment, Anakin and Skafte returned to the younger men. The smiling Imperial commander was saying, “. . . to be of service, Captain Horus. I only hope that you realize what you’re going to be dealing with.” He turned to the blond-haired lieutenant. “Treece! Bring the Wookie over here! He will be leaving with our new friends.”

Lieutenant Treece and two stormtroopers forced the Wookie to join Han and Anakin. As Treece began to remove the Wookie’s shackles, Anakin barked, “What are you doing?”

Treece blinked several times. “Uh . . .”

“Treece, you idiot!” Skafte retorted angrily. “The Wookie is now Captain Horus’ property! Not some member of his crew! Keep the shackles on! And hand him over to the Captain’s co-pilot, so they can be on their way.”

The red-faced Treece handed the chains to the Wookie’s shackles over to Han. Who led the Wookie aboard the Hawk. The moment the pair were safely out of sight, Han unfastened the shackles. “Welcome aboard the Javian Hawk,” he greeted. “I’m Han Solo. And the captain . . .”

Anakin quickly boarded the ship. “Let’s go, Han!” he barked. “We’re out of here! Now!”

Han flashed an apologetic smile at the Wookie and followed Anakin to the cockpit. Less than five minutes later, the Javian Hawk finally left the Dreadnought, with the Alastian Star closely behind.

——–

Chewbacca stood in the middle of the starship’s narrow passageway and stared at the shackles near his feet. Why had the boy removed them? Why . . .?

The ship jolted before Chewbacca felt it move forward. He realized that the Corellian ship had just left the Dreadnought. At first, the Wookie felt a sense of exultation. After three months he had finally escaped his Imperial masters. Then he recalled the hard eyes of the ship’s captain. A nagging fear began to worm in the back of his mind that he had exchanged several masters for a new one. Once more, his eyes fell upon the shackles. If he was still a slave, why did the boy remove his shackles?

Slowly, Chewbacca began to move around. If he could find a weapon, perhaps he might force his new . . . companions to deliver him to the nearest inhabited system. And hopefully, he would find a way to reunite with the Drunken Dancer crew.

Ten years ago, Chewbacca and a group of fellow Wookies had been charged to aid a small band of renegade Jedi, led by Olee Sandstone, to find other Jedi being hunted by the Empire. Unfortunately, the mission led to disaster as Chewbacca, Sandstone and their band fled to Kashyyyk with the Empire and a Sith Lord named Darth Rasche, close behind. Following the fall of his homeworld, Chewbacca and the Drunken Dancer’s crew spent the next decade harassing Imperial ships and freeing any Wookie slaves they came across. Just three months ago, Chewbecca came across a fellow Wookie named Tvrrdko. Unfortunately, Tvrrdko’s son had been killed while fighting alongside Chewbacca during the Clone Wars . . . and blamed the latter for his son’s death. Seeking revenge, Tvrrdko betrayed Chewbacca to a Trandoshan slaver named Ssoh. A failed attempt to escape from Ssoh led the enslaved Wookie into the hands of an Imperial officer named Nyklas. The latter, a brutal and cruel taskmaster, set out to make Chewbacca’s life as miserable as possible. Once more, Chewbacca made another attempt to escape slavery. With the help of the Dreadnought’s crew, Nyklas managed to prevent Chewbacca’s escape. Captain Skafte, the Dreadnought’s commander had suggested he transport Chewbacca to one of the galaxy’s hell spots – the Maw – for work on one of the Empire’s new projects. One week later, the Dreadnought came across two Corellian freighters and Chewbacca no longer found himself in the hands of the Empire.

Quietly, the Wookie began his search for weapons. It did not take him long to find them in a storage cabinet near the ship’s port side. Not only did it possess blaster pistols and rifles, but also a Jedi lightsaber. Chewbacca frowned at the weapon. The sight of it reminded him of Olee Sandstone and the other former Jedi on the Drunken Dancer. The weapon also reminded him of the late Roan Shryne and the little green Jedi Master he had met during those last days of the Clone Wars. How did two smugglers managed to get their hands on a lightsaber? He reached for the weapon.

“I wouldn’t touch that if I were you,” a deep voice murmured. Chewbacca snatched a blaster pistol from the weapons cabinet and aimed it at the voice’s owner. Who happened to be the tall, blond pilot who had just purchased him from the Dreadnought’s captain. “Well, this is a new development.”

Chewbacca growled, “I want you to drop me off at the nearest inhabited system. Now!”

The pilot shook his head. “Sorry, but I don’t speak Shyriiwook or any other Wookie language.” Then he roared, “Han! Get in here! Now!”

Nearly a minute passed before the younger man – Solo – appeared. “What’s the problem?” The words barely came out of his mouth, when his eyes fell upon the blaster in Chewbacca’s grip. “Whoa! I mean . . . what the hell is going on?”

“This Wookie wants something . . .” the older pilot began.

Chewbacca interrupted, “I want passage to the nearest habitable system. Or else.”

“Or else what?” Solo shot back. “Why are you pointing that blaster at my friend?”

“Your friend had just bought me,” Chewbacca growled. “I don’t intend to hang around and make it worth his while.”

Solo contemptuously rolled his eyes. “My friend had bought you so that you can be free! Why else would I remove your shackles?”

Feeling slightly foolish, Chewbacca lowered the blaster. “Oh. I . . . Sorry.”

“What did he say?” the older pilot asked.

Solo replied, “He said that he was sorry.” He turned to Chewbacca. “Listen, we’re on our way to Maldore. We can drop you off there, if you like. Or perhaps take you somewhere else.”

Chewbacca had intended to search for the Drunken Dancer if he ever found himself free. Unfortunately, three months had passed since his capture. Since Sandstone and her crew were wanted by the Empire, he felt certain that the Drunken Dancer would remain on the move. Quite frankly, he had no place to go. Her wondered if the humans would allow him to join their crew.

The older pilot gave the Wookie a knowing look. “All alone in the world?” Chewbacca nodded. The two pilots exchanged a glance before the older one added, “I realize that this might be a spur-of-the-moment thing, but . . . you’re more than welcome to join our crew.”

The pilot’s offer took Chewbacca by surprise. The former seemed to have read his thoughts. Then he recalled the weapon in the locker. He wondered if the blond man was a former Jedi . . . or that these two were involved in activities against the Empire, like the Drunken Dancer’s crew. “Well?” Solo added.

Chewbacca nodded and growled, “I would be happy to.”

Solo translated his answer to the older pilot. Who broke into a grin. “Great! You’ve already met Han Solo and I’m . . . Set Horus.” He offered his hand. “Welcome to the Javian Hawk!”

——-

CORUSCANT

A loud buzz from the door announced a visitor. Darth Rasche switched off his lightsaber and ordered, “Come in!”

A stocky man of medium height entered the Sith Lord’s personal gymnasium. He wore the uniform of an inquisitor. “I have a report regarding Senator Dahlma,” the Inquisitor announced. “Yesterday, she and her aide boarded a transport for Maldore.”

Rasche sighed. “It looks as if she had been telling the truth, after all.”

The Inquisitor continued, “There’s more. The senator remained at her private home in Malag. She did not bother to travel to her family’s estate in the Dalgar region.”

“Interesting.” It looked as if the Emperor’s suspicions about a non-existent funeral might be well founded. “Tell your agent to keep an eye on the senator. See who goes in and out of her home.”

The agent bowed. “Yes, my Lord.” He immediately left the gymnasium.

Rasche took a deep breath and picked up his comlink. “Commander Abbas, summon the crew and prepare the Exactor for departure. I will be leaving for Maldore.”

END OF CHAPTER FOUR

“SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS” (2021) Review

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“SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS” (2021) Review

I might as well put my cards on the table. I have not fully admired the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since the beginning of its third phase. Nor do I believe that its Phases Four and Five had improved matters. With the exception of a handful of movies and television series. One of those exceptions proved to be the franchise’s 25th film, “SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS”.

The 2021 movie is not an exact adaptation of the Marvel Comics superhero, who had debuted in the comic books back in 1973. However, director-screenwriter Destin Daniel Cretton and his fellow screenwriters, Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham, used elements from the comic books to create not only an interesting backstory for the leading character, but also a solid narrative for the film. “SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS” began with a warrior named Xu Wenwu, who discovers a set of ten mystical rings that gave him power and immortality. Utilizing the rings and his army, Wenwu (who acquired the name of “the Mandarin”) created the Ten Rings criminal organization that conquered or toppled many governments throughout the centuries. In 1996, Wenwu engaged in a search for Ta Lo, a village said to harbor mythical beasts. While traveling through a magical forest to the village entrance, he was stopped by one of the village’s guardians, Ying Li. The two fell in love, and when the Ta Lo villagers rejected Wenwu, Li chose to leave with him. They married and conceived two children, Shang-Chi and Xialing. Wenwu abandoned his organization and locked away the ten rings.

The Xu family’s happiness did not last very long. Wenwu’s old enemies, the Iron Gang, murdered Li in an act of revenge when Shang-Chi was seven years old. Wenwu used the ten rings to massacre the Iron Gang members and resumed leadership of his old organization. Then he forced Shang-Chi to undergo a brutal training in martial arts but prevented Xialing from being trained. When Shang-Chi was fourteen, Wenwu sent him to assassinate the Iron Gang’s leader. After completing his mission, a traumatized Shang-Chi ran away to San Francisco, California and adopted the name “Shaun”. During his time in the United States, “Shaun” learned English, and eventually became a valet at an exclusive San Francisco hotel along with his best friend, Katy aka Chen Ruiwen. While riding a local bus, Shaun and Katy found themselves under attack by members of the Ten Rings organization. Wenwu had ordered them to steal Shaun’s pendant, given to him by his late mother. Despite a brutal fight that left most of the assailants unconscious and the bus seriously damaged; one Ten Rings warrior, Razor Fist, managed to steal Shaun’s pendant. Suspecting that his father might also want the pendant given to Xialing; Shang-Chi and Katy travel to Macau to warn his sister. And the trio eventually found themselves swept into a situation in which a threat larger than Wenwu, loomed ahead.

Many fans have declared either 2022’s “SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME”, “BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER” or “SHANG-CHIAND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS” as the best movie of the MCU’s Phase Four. My choice? None of them. But I will admit that I enjoyed all three films. Especially “SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS”. The latter film struck me as a poignant family drama at the heart of a movie filled with humor, pathos, action and magic. In fact, it occurred to me that the movie reminded me of the STAR WARS saga’s Skywalker Family Saga – at least the six films produced and directed by George Lucas. Seriously. The Xu Shang-Chi character is basically Luke Skywalker, his sister Xialing could be Princess Leia Organa (only not adopted) and his parents Wenwu and Li – Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala. Only the Xu family’s family narrative differed . . . somewhat. Wenwu’s inability to recover from his wife’s death led to the family’s breakup, and an even more dangerous Big Bad to exploit his grief. Sounds familiar? However, the poignant flashbacks of Wenwu and Li’s courtship, those happy years before Li’s death, along with the drama that surrounded Shang-Chi and Xialing’s resentment and fear toward their father really cemented “SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS” as a family drama.

However, the movie did have its share of action sequences. I had nothing against Shang-Chi’s reunion with Xialing, which resulted in a funny fight scene inside her Macau fight club; or the siblings’ attempt to prevent the Ten Rings from taking her pendant on the construction site outside of her club (a scene that produced memories of another from the 2001 movie, “RUSH HOUR 2”). Also, Shang-Chi’s fight against Wenwu in the movie’s final action sequence struck me as pretty solid. But I had to choose two sequences that really impressed me, they had to be the one in which Wenwu and Li first met, when she prevented him from entering Ta Lo; and Shang-Chi’s fight against the Ten Ring operatives aboard a San Francisco bus. What I really enjoyed about Wenwu and Li’s fight is that it started out as a serious confrontation and slowly developed into a sly, yet romantic dance between two people who had become attracted to one another. I believe Tony Leung and Fala Chen’s performances made this transformation both believable and very entertaining. For me, the movie’s most thrilling fight scene – hell, action scene – was Shang-Chi’s fight against some of the Ten Rings operatives aboard a moving San Francisco bus. I would say it was one of the best action sequences I have ever seen in a MCU film. Not only did leading man Simu Liu and the fight choreography team led by Andy Cheung and the late Brad Allan created an exciting fight, but leading lady Awkwafina and cast of supporting performers, cinematographer William Pope and especially director Destin Daniel Cretton all contributed to the sequence’s action, thrills and some very sharp humor.

I certainly do not have any complaints about the performances in “SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS”. The latter featured solid performances from Randolph Fields, Charlotte Leonie, Jodie Long, Jayden Zhang, Arnold Sun, Wah Yuen,
Kunal Dudheker, a very imposing Florian Munteanu and Stephanie Hsu. The movie also featured cameos from the likes of Benedict Wong (as Wong), Tsai Chin (whom I have not seen since the Marvel series, “AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Tim Roth (or perhaps I should say a CGI image of Abomination aka Emil Blonsky), and a surprising and funny Ronny Chieng. It was nice seeing Michelle Yeoh, who portrayed Shang-Chi and Xialing’s aunt Ying Nan. But if I must be honest, I found her performance solid and serviceable – nothing else.

The performances that stood out for me came from the likes of Meng’er Zhang, who portrayed Xu Xialing, Wenwu and Li’s only daughter. I thought Zhang did a first-rate job of conveying Xialing’s anger and resentment toward both her father and older brother. She also did an excellent job of revealing how the Xu family’s break-up had affected her family. Not many people approved of Ben Kingsley’s return as Trevor Slattery, the actor who had been hired to impersonate the Mandarin in 2013’s “IRON MAN 3”. I had no problems seeing Kingsley in the role again. He was funny as ever and it felt nice to see Slattery express remorse for his false portrayal of Wenwu and come out of his situation as a better man. Fala Chen gave an elegant, yet slightly sly performance as Ying Li, whose warmth and strong will kept the Xu family together, while she lived. Awkwafina proved to be as hilarious as ever with her portrayal of “Katy” Chen, Shang-Chi’s somewhat witty best friend. Not only was Awkwafina funny, I thought she did an excellent job of conveying Katy’s difficulty in finding a solid direction in her life and reactions to her friend’s past and the world of the Ten Rings and Ta Lo. If I had to give the award for the film’s best performance, I would hand it to Tony Leung’s portrayal of Xu Wenwu, Shang-Chi’s father and leader of the Ten Rings. Leung did a masterful job of portraying a complex man, whose decisions led him toward a path of a loving family man, feared parent, villainy and convenient tool for a bigger villain. More importantly, I found Leung’s performance skillful, subtle and worthy of a major acting award. You know, looking back at Leung’s portrayal of the “Mandarin”, I found myself wondering why Marvel Films/Disney had originally thought that casting an European actress was the only way to avoid any Asian clichés of the Ancient One character in 2016’s “DOCTOR STRANGE”.

Some film critic had expressed disappointment that actor Simu Liu’s portrayal of Xu Shang-Chi was not as charismatic as his true self. I found this criticism rather ridiculous, if I must be honest. Since when was Shang-Chi supposed to be a “charismatic” or extroverted personality in the first place? I certainly did not get that impression of the character as a young boy. Following my viewing of “SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS”, I came away with the impression that Xu Shang-Li was a reserved child forced to tap into his aggression by a grief-stricken father, obsessed with revenge. I also came away with the impression that Shang-Chi’s time in the U.S. and his friendship with Katy gave him an outlet to forget his past and just enjoy life. But the return of Wenwu and the Ten Rings in his life forced him to realize he had to face his past. THIS is what I came away with Simu Liu’s portrayal of Shang-Chi. And I thought he did an excellent job in conveying every emotional beat of the character’s adult life through most of the film.

I wish I could end this review with a declaration that “SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS” was a perfect movie. Or even one of the best in the MCU franchise. But I believe the movie possessed enough flaws for me to not come to that conclusion. My first complaint centered around the Wong-Abomination fight at Xialing’s fight club. What on earth were they doing there? Why did Wong break Abomination/Blonsky out of prison for a match in the first place? The Disney-Plus series, “SHE-HULK: ATTONEY-AT-LAW” actually provided an answer and it proved to be pretty lame in my eyes. However, I believe most of the film’s problems had materialized in the film’s second half – when Shang-Chi, Katy, Xialing and Slattery arrived at the mystical realm of Ta Lo. At this point, the film into the typical MCU film finale. The major protagonists prepare for a fight against a deadly foe. A battle ensues – first against the Ten Rings and later, against the film’s real Big Bad. And yes, the battle had its moments of the usual MCU humor – especially from Ben Kingsley and Awkwafina. I am only thankful that audiences were spared the usual Marvel wit. There is the issue of Katy’s participation in this battle. The movie had hinted her talent as a skillful driver. But can someone please explain how she had become a talented archer within a space of a few hours (or days)? You know, a part of me wishes Wenwu had turned out to be the film’s main villain. Unfortunately, the “the Dweller-in-Darkness” (which had originated in Marvel Comics) was no Emperor Palpatine. Instead of a demon, the Dweller-in-Darkness turned out to be a mystical soul-consuming dragon that used Wenwu’s grief and ten rings to break free and enter Ta Lo. And the battle between Dweller-in-Darkness, the main protagonists and another dragon called the Great Protector. Needless to say, I was not impressed by this final action sequence. I found it clumsy, overwrought and at times confusing. You know . . . the typical MCU grand finale.

I would never regard “SHANG-CHI AND THE TEN RINGS” as one of my favorite comic book movies or MCU films. But I still believe it was definitely better than average, thanks to director Destin Daniel Cretton. After all, the film did feature some top-notch action sequences, a decent narrative and first-rate performances from a cast led by Simu Liu.

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TV TROPES on Grant Ward and Bobbi Morse

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TV TROPES ON GRANT WARD AND BOBBI MORSE

I have been aware that for years, a good number of Marvel fans have been in a tizzy over the Grant Ward character from “AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.”. But I had no idea that this “celebration of masculinity” would lead to some misleading views or “facts” about him.

What brought about this article in the first place? It all started with the website known as TV TROPES. While reading the website’s page for “AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.”, it had this to say about Ward and his encounter with S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Bobbi Morse aka Mockingbird in the series’ Season Two episode called (2.22/2.23) “S.O.S.”:

“(Ward) Has killed the most named protagonists on the show, including Victoria Hand, Eric Koenig, and Rosalind Price. Furthermore, he successfully tortures and comes very close to killing Bobbi, likely the team’s biggest badass (and Hunter as well, for that matter). While he ultimately fails in killing her, he succeeds in heavily injuring her to the point of breaking her morale in her job. It’s unlikely Bobbi has ever faced anything else like that in her career.”

Wow! Talk about a worship of uber masculinity! Apparently, the writer of this passage failed to remember that Ward who great difficulty with torturing Bobbi, let alone handling her. At least on his own. TV TROPES had also failed to recall that despite being a beaten prisoner, Bobbi managed to take Ward by surprise and attempt an escape from her imprisonment. Ward had great difficulty in putting her down and she nearly kicked his ass. He needed the help of his brainwashed girlfriend, former S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Kara Palamas/Agent 13 to finally defeat the wounded Bobbi during their fight. Aside from Melinda May, Ward probably never met anyone like Bobbi Morse. And TV TROPES failed to realize this.

I do not know if the TV TROPES passage had been written by a man or a woman. Whoever wrote it, was obviously impressed by Ward’s testosterone level . . . to the point that it led to memory loss.

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Toad-in-the-Hole

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Below is an article about a traditional English that may (or may not) have been created in the mid 18th century called Toad-in-the-Hole:

TOAD-IN-THE-HOLE

Created as a cheap comfort dish, Toad-in-the-Hole originated Alnmouth in Northumberland, England. Toad-in-the-Hole is basically a dish that consists of sausages in Yorkshire Pudding batter. Ironically, the first recipe for the dish consisted of pigeon, not sausages. And that recipe was found in Hannah Glasse’s 1747 cookbook called “The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy”. She called the dish “Pigeon-in-the-Hole”.

How did the dish acquired his name? Well . . . here is an idea. Alnmouth has a golf course which can at certain times of the year be overrun with Natterjack toads. It was at just such a time, that a golf tournament was being played and the leader made his putt, only to have the ball ejected by a toad that had been quietly asleep in the bottom of the cup. Who created the dish? Well . . . on hearing of the players misfortune, a chef at the town’s hotel where the players were staying, devised the dish, thinking it would resemble a toad rising from the eighteenth, and served it that night. Is this really the truth?

The dish with sausages may have first appeared in 1769. Toad-in-the-Hole became very popular with members of the Royal Philosophers. They enjoyed the dish at least once or twice a year at the Mitre Tavern, the dining club’s chosen dining venue. Toad-in-the-Hole was served alongside such delicacies as venison, fresh salmon, turbot and asparagus.

Below is a recipe for “Toad-in-the-Hole” from the Simplyrecipies.com website:

Toad-in-the-Hole

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1 scant teaspoon Kosher salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb of bangers (an English sausage made with pork and breadcrumbs), or good quality pork or beef sausage links (in casings)

Preparation

Whisk together the flour with the salt and a pinch of pepper in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour. Pour in the eggs, milk, and melted butter into the well and whisk into the flour until smooth. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.

Coat the bottom and sides of an 8×12 or 9×9 casserole dish with vegetable oil (we use high smoke point grapeseed or canola oil). Place a rack in the bottom third of the oven. Put the empty dish on the rack. Preheat the oven with the dish in it to 425°F.

While the oven is coming to temperature, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet on medium high. Add the sausages and brown them on at least a couple sides.

When the sausages have browned, and the dish in the oven hot, pull the oven rack out a bit, put the sausages in the casserole dish, and pour the batter over the sausages. Cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the batter is risen and golden.

Serve at once.

“THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN” (1974) Review

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“THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN” (1974) Review

What can I say about 1974’s “THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN”? It is not the worst James Bond movie I have ever seen. I can think of at least two or three of which I have a lower opinion. But I do believe that it is the worst Roger Moore film in the franchise.

Apparently screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz believed the same. He made the decision to bow out of adapting Ian Fleming’s 1965 novel, before the script could be finished. The plot for “THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN” focused on the Solex Agitator – a device which can harness the power of the sun. Before Bond could investigate the death of scientist who was thought to be in possession of information crucial to the creation of the Solex Agitator, he has to find out why hitman Francisco Scaramanga had sent a golden bullet to him.

It turns out that Scaramanga’s long-suffering mistress, Andrea Anders, had sent the bullet to Bond, hoping that he would kill the hitman. Eventually, Bond teams up with MI-6 agents Mary Goodnight and Lieutenant Hip against Francisco Scaramanga – The Man with the Golden Gun and his employer, billionaire Hai Fat. Eventually Scaramanga kills Hai Fat and become the sole possessor of the Solex Agitator. He also kills Andrea and kidnaps Goodnight. Bond tracks Scaramanga to an island of mainland China, where the action finally culminates in a duel between the two men – Bond’s Walther PPK against Scaramanga’s Golden Gun.

I must admit that the movie’s plot seemed interesting. It certainly did not seem like the disappointment that “LIVE AND LET DIE” turned out to be. I thought it was a lot better than the plot created by Fleming for his 1965 novel. The problem with “THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN” is that it was so poorly executed . . . especially by director Guy Hamilton. There seemed to be a lack of style or substance in how the movie was directed.

Roger Moore’s performance did not help matters. After his impressive debut in his previous movie, many Bond fans made a fuss over the fact that Moore’s Bond seemed nothing like Connery’s Bond. Which led to Moore being forced to attempt a recapture of Connery’s style. And it did not work. He came off as false and almost wooden. Only two scenes saved Moore’s performance from being a complete bust – his encounter with the Macao gunsmith, Lazar (“Speak now or forever hold your piece.”) and the Bond/Scaramanga confrontation during luncheon on the assassin’s island when Bond expresses his dislike of Scaramanga’s suggestion that the British agent is nothing more than a fellow assassin.

Speaking of Scaramanga, EON Productions had the good fortune to cast Christopher Lee (the future Count Dooku and Sarauman) as the movie’s main villain, expert assassin Francisco Scaramanga. The scene that featured Scaramanga’s recollection of a pet elephant produced a very poignant performance from Lee. In fact, only Lee and South Korean actor, Soon-Tek-Oh (who portrayed MI-6 agent Lieutenant Hip) seemed to be the only two cast members who gave consistently excellent performances throughout the entire film.

I certainly cannot say the same about the other supporting cast members. Herve Villachaise (four years before “FANTASY ISLAND”) simply annoyed me. Maud Adams seemed to be her usual wooden self. Britt Ekland, although a good actress, had the bad luck to portray the annoyingly clumsy Mary Goodnight. Bernard Lee seemed a bit over-the-top in his constant annoyance toward Bond and Hip. Even worse, I never understood M’s willingness to blame an innocent Bond for the death of government scientist Dr. Gibson. Desmond Llewellyn’s portrayal of Q struck me as equally annoying as M seemed to find him. I do not even recall the quality of Lois Maxwell’s brief performance as Moneypenny.

I must admit that cinematographers Ted Moore and Oswald Morris beautifully captured the exotic allure of Southeast Asia. It seemed a pity that John Barry could not produce a memorable score and that Don Black wrote what I consider to be the second worst Bond theme song (performed by Lulu) in the franchise’s history. Oh well. Nothing is perfect. Unfortunately for “THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN”, it was far from perfect.

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TIME MACHINE: Mary S. Peake

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TIME MACHINE: MARY S. PEAKE

One of the least known historical figures from the 19th century an American educator and humanitarian named Mary S. Peake. Along with her husband, Mrs. Peake was a member of the African American elite community from Hampton, Virginia before the U.S. Civil War.

In 1823 Norfolk, Virginia; Mary Peake was born as Mary Smith Kelsey to a light-skinned free woman of color and an Englishman. Her mother sent Mary to live with her aunt in Alexandria (then part of the District of Columbia), so that she could attend school. Mary spent another eight years attending a primary school operated by Sylvia Morris. Since Alexandria was part of the District of Columbia until 1846, when it was retro-ceded to Virgina. A new U.S. Congress law prohibited free people of color in Virginia and several other Southern states from being educated. This prohibition came as a result from the Nat Turner Rebellion in 1831. When Alexandria was retro-ceded back to Virginia in 1846, all schools for free people of color were closed due to this law. However, Mary had completed her education at age sixteen by 1839 and returned to her family in Norfolk.

Not long after her return to Norfolk, Mary secretly taught some of the city’s slaves and free blacks to read and write in defiance of the law that prohibited African Americans from receiving an education. Her widowed mother married a free man of color named Thompson Walker in 1847 and the family moved to Hampton, Virginia, where they purchased a house. In 1850-51, Mary married Thomas Peake, a freed slave who worked in the merchant marine. The couple had a daughter named Hattie, whom they nicknamed “Daisy”. As she had done in Norfolk, Mary began teaching some of the neighborhood’s slaves and free blacks in defiance of the law prohibiting their education. Kelsey also founded a women’s charitable organization, called the Daughters of Zion, whose mission was to assist the poor, the sick and enslaved fugitives who managed to reach Hampton. She supported herself and her family as a dressmaker and continued to teach in secret. Among her adult students was her stepfather Thompson Walker, who became a leader of Hampton’s black community.

A few weeks following the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War, Union forces assumed control of the nearby Fort Monroe. The fortification became a place of refuge for enslaved fugitives seeking asylum. The Union defined them as “contraband”, a legal status to prevent their being returned to Confederate slaveholders. They built the Grand Contraband Camp near, but outside the protection of Fort Monroe. Her classes moved inside Fort Monroe, after Confederate forces torched Hampton in August 1861. After Mary Peake began teaching the fugitives’ children, the American Missionary Association (AMA) hired her as its first paid black teacher. Mary taught her first class and many others under a large oak tree on September 17, 1861; in Phoebus, a small town nearby in Elizabeth City County.

Eventually, the AMA provided Peake with Brown Cottage, which is considered the first facility of Hampton Institute (and later Hampton University). Mary’s school taught more than fifty children during the day and twenty adults at night. Due to her classes being held at Brown Cottage, Mary became associated with the AMA’s later founding of Hampton University in 1868. However, Mary never enjoyed this distinction during her lifetime. Before the war, she had contracted tuberculosis. The illness struck her again in February 1862. And on February 22, 1862 – George Washington’s birthday – Mary Peake died of tuberculosis.

For more details on Mary S. Peake, I recommend the following book:

“Mary S. Peake, The Colored Teacher at Fortress Monroe” by Rev. Lewis C. Lockwood

“Breath of the Undead” [PG-13] – 9/15

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“BREATH OF THE UNDEAD”

Chapter Nine

Darryl leaned back into his chair and sighed. “Murdered. Cole thinks that Ronald Wong may have been murdered before becoming a vampire? By someone else?” 

“That’s right.” Olivia sat down in one of the empty chairs next to her partner’s desk.

Shaking his head in confusion, Darryl remarked, “I don’t get it. Didn’t you and Scott say that a Chinese vampire can’t turn his victim into another vampire?”

Olivia sighed. “European vampires can turn their victims into vampires through a blood transfusion. It’s different for Chinese vampires. They can’t. A chiang shi is created in other ways. If a person suffers from a violent and sudden death, lack of proper burial or a curse, he or she will become a chiang shi. Ron Wong was in good health right before his . . . death. He didn’t die from an accident. His car was found in his driveway. So, Cole and I came to the conclusion that he may have been murdered. By someone other than a vampire.”

Another sigh left Darryl’s mouth. “Well, that’s just great. That means that we’ll definitely have the FBI breathing down our necks.”

“Yeah, I heard that he was one of the Department of Justice’s prosecutors for the Curt Decker case.” Olivia paused. “I guess you know who Curt Decker’s father is – Maxmillian Decker of Decker Enterprises. The family owns the Lange Vineyards not far from the Giovanni Vineyards, near Oakville.”

Darryl nodded. “Yeah, and I also know why Curt Decker is on trial. He’s facing charges of drug manufacturing and trafficking. The Feds believe that he had a small operation on his daddy’s ranch. Mr. Decker might be involved, as well.”

A thought occurred to Olivia. “If Ronald Wong had been murdered, is it possible that someone in connection to the Decker case had killed him? Of course . . .” she paused, “. . . I don’t see how. I mean, Ron wasn’t the primary prosecutor. Right?”

“John Reyes is,” Darryl answered. “Wong was merely a . . .” 

The police lieutenant broke off, as a grim-faced Scott appeared in the doorway. “Guess what? Another body has been found. In the parking garage near the Monadnock Building.” Scott paused dramatically. “Same M.O. as Jai, Remar and Alamdar.”

Both Olivia and Darryl rose to their feet. The latter grabbed his overcoat. “Look, Scott, Carlotta and I will check this new body,” he said to Olivia. “I want you and Marcus to look into Ronald Wong’s disappearance. Maybe one of the neighbors saw something.”

“Sure thing,” Olivia replied with a nod, as she followed Darryl out of his office.

————– 

Clutching his backpack, Alonzo Giovanni slowly walked out of Stanford University’s Green Library and nearly collided with a man and a woman dressed in dark suits. He flashed a brief frown at the pair and stepped aside to continue his trek. To his surprise, the pair again blocked his path. Only this time, they did it deliberately.

“Excuse me,” the young student retorted. “Do you mind?” He tried to continue walking, but the pair refused to step out of the way. “What the hell?”

The woman, a light-brown haired woman in her late thirties flashed a badge. “Pardon me, Mr. Giovanni. I’m Special Agent Alicia Black of the FBI. This is Special Agent Roger Hamill. We need to talk to you about the Curt Decker case.”

Panic struck within Alonzo’s chest. For several seconds, he wondered if the FBI had discovered his investment into Curt’s little operation . . . like the mysterious caller, who has been blackmailing him. Projecting a coolness he did not feel, Curt sardonically replied, “Sorry, but I don’t follow the news that closely.”

“That’s odd,” Agent Hamill commented. His dark eyes bored into Alonzo’s. “Considering that Curt Decker happens to be a close friend of yours.”

Coolly, Alonzo shot back, “Not anymore. I don’t hang around with drug dealers. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” But the Federal agents refused to move. “Look, if you don’t let me go, I’ll call my attorney and sue your ass for harassment!”

“Mr. Giovanni, we would simply like to ask you a few questions,” Agent Black merely said.

Alonzo struggled to maintain his temper and not panic at the same time. “Look, I don’t know anything!”

Agent Hamill shot back, “I suppose that you don’t know anything about Decker’s attorney, Dean Corbin?”

“What about him?”

The two agents exchanged wary glances before the female agent answered, “His body was found near his car, earlier this morning.” Alonzo stared at Agent Hamill in shock. “Are you able to answer a few questions, now?”

———— 

Around the same time, a pale-looking Janet Hui entered Cole’s office, carrying two thick accordion files. “I’m sorry that I took so long, Mr. Turner. I was in Mr. Kline’s office.” She paused before taking a deep breath. “He, uh . . . it was about Ron. I guess that word had got around.”

Cole nodded. “I understand. You can put the files on my desk.” Janet did as he had suggested. The half-daemon continued, “Right now, I have a few matters to clear up before I can begin on the Macmillan case. However, I would like you to set up an appointment for the both of us to see her, tomorrow.” He paused, as he glanced at Janet with concern. “Are you up to it?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Janet flashed a wan smile. “I think I need work to get my mind off . . .” She let out a gust of breath. Her eyes flickered momentarily. “To get my mind off Ron.” Shaking her head, she added, “I just can’t believe that he’s a vampire.” She frowned at Cole. “And you . . . are you a . . . witch? Like Harry and his family?”

Cole contemplated an answer to the question and wondered how Janet would react to the truth. “Uh, no. No, I’m not. However . . . I do know magic. Some would call me a sorcerer, instead of a witch, since I’m not an initiated priest.”

A hint of unease gleamed in Janet’s dark eyes. “So, you know all about magic? Do you . . .?”

“. . . use magic to win cases?” Cole finished, fully anticipating the junior associate’s question. His face grew hard. “No, I don’t. If I did, I would have never lost the Fujikowa case.”

Repentance softened Janet’s expression. “Sorry. I should have remembered about Harry. I had once asked him the same question about his dad’s business. He nearly bit off my head.”

“It’s okay. I can understand why you would ask.” Cole reached for one of the accordion files. One of his telephone lines buzzed. He answered it. “Yes?”

His legal assistant replied, “I’m sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Turner. Alonzo Giovanni is on Line Three.”

It took a great effort on Cole’s part not to heave a loud sigh. “Exactly what does he want to speak to me about?” As if he did not know.

A pause followed before Eleanor answered, “Uh . . . he said that it was a private matter.”

“Well, tell Mr. Giovanni that I’ll talk to him, later. I’m in the middle of an . . .” He flashed a knowing smile at Janet. “. . . important meeting with another client.”

Eleanor mumbled, “Yes, Mr. Turner.” And the telephone line went dead.

Janet frowned. “Was that Mark Giovanni’s son?”

With a contemptuous roll of his eyes, Cole answered, “Unfortunately . . . yes. He probably wanted my help in maintaining a bad habit of his – spending too much money.”

“It’s funny,” Janet continued, with a shake of her head. “Ron had suggested to Reyes that they should subpoena Alonzo Giovanni for the Curt Decker trial.”

Her words took Cole by surprise. “Wait a minute. Ron? You mean your . . . uh, boyfriend? The one who’s missing? He was involved in the Curt Decker trial?”

Janet nodded. “He is . . . was one of the prosecutors. So you know that that your client’s son . . .”

“. . . Alonzo was friends with Curt Decker?” Cole nodded. “Yes, I do. I had to accompany that little sh. . . Giovanni’s son to the local FBI office, last October. John Reyes wanted to question him about Decker.”

Janet asked, “Do you think that Alonzo Giovanni knew about Decker’s drug operation?”

“Who knows?” Cole replied with a shrug. “He seemed surprised about Decker’s arrest and the charges. But if your friend is . . . dead, there is a possibility that the Decker case might be the reason.” Janet stared at him with wide eyes. “Just a thought.”

————- 

Inside the semi-lit parking structure, the three police officers watched the paramedics load the dead body upon a gurney. Just as the two medics prepared to wheel the body toward a van marked CORONER, voices echoed throughout the lot. Darryl glanced up and saw two men rush toward the body.

“Wait! Wait a minute!” cried one man. Darryl recognized him as FBI Special Agent Lee Alvarez. The other man, he decided, must be Alvarez’s partner, Jay Ruhl.

His hands tucked inside his coat pockets, Darryl asked in a nonchalant manner, “May I help you fellas?”

“We’d like to see that body,” Alvarez replied in a hard voice. “Now.”

Sneering, Scott retorted, “Why should we bother? I have a feeling that you guys already know who’s underneath the sheet.”

Ruhl fixed Scott with a challenging stare. “We don’t have time to deal with local cops who are out of their depths. I suggest you stand back and let us handle this.”

“We will ‘all’ handle this,” Darryl firmly added.

Alvarez took a deep breath. “Look Morris, I’m sorry but this is now a Federal case. Especially since we believe that this victim might be Dean Corbin, the defense attorney in the Curt Decker case. Which happens to be Federal.”

Darryl nodded. “You’re right. The victim has been identified as Dean Corbin. However, we believe that his death may be linked to the body found in Ronald Wong’s driveway.” He paused dramatically. “Along with two other bodies found earlier this week. All four deaths have the same M.O.”

“In that case, we’ll handle this case,” Alvarez coolly replied. “So, if you and your detectives will just . . .”

“Not so fast,” Darryl insisted. The two Federal agents bridled with impatience. “Whomever is responsible for Dean Corbin’s death and the body in Ronald Wong’s driveway, is also responsible for the deaths of Kenneth Jai and Bernard Remar. Are those two connected in any way with the Decker case?” When the two FBI agents failed to answer his question, Darryl continued, “I see. So, either we all work together on this case or we’ll conduct our own investigation. Whether you like it or not.”

While Ruhl began to grind his teeth, Alvarez heaved a large sigh. “Fine. We work together. But if we do find out that Jai and Remar are connected to the Decker case, we will assume full jurisdiction over this case.”

“Fine,” Darryl replied with a nonchalant shrug.

The two agents responded with curt nods and walked away. As the three police officers watched their retreating figures, Carlotta said, “I noticed that you didn’t mention anything about Olivia and Marcus digging further into Ronald Wong’s disappearance.”

Darryl allowed himself a brief smile. “Must have slipped my mind.” Then he turned on his heels, leaving behind two gaping subordinates.

———— 

Olivia handed a sheet of paper to her colleague. “Here. This is a list of four addresses on this street.”

“Four?” Marcus stared at the sheet of paper in his hand.

“We had tried to interview as many neighbors as we could when Ron Wong was reported missing,” Olivia continued. “But eight of them weren’t home at the time. Maybe we’ll have better luck, this afternoon.” Both she and Marcus climbed out of the car parked on Tenth Avenue. “Good luck.”

Ignoring Marcus’ grumbling, Olivia walked across the street. She approached a two-story, gray clapboard house and knocked on its front door. Nearly a minute later, the door swung open. A tall, elderly woman with steely gray eyes stared at her. “Good day, Mrs. . .?”

“Who are you?” the elderly woman demanded sharply.

Olivia flashed her police badge. “Inspector Olivia Turner, San Francisco Police. I’m investigating the disappearance of one of your neighbors – Ronald Wong. He lives across . . .”

“I know him,” the woman curtly interrupted. “The young Chinese man, in the dark green house, across the street. He lives with his girlfriend.” Her eyes narrowed. “He’s disappeared, you say?”

Smiling politely, Olivia replied, “Yes, Mrs. . .?”

“Mrs. Jamelia Kolchek,” the woman finished. She relaxed slightly. “I heard that a body had been found in his driveway.”

Olivia nodded. “That’s right. A Mr. Jan Alamdar. He also lives on this street.”

“Maybe Mr. Wong had killed Mr. Alamdar and disappeared,” Mrs. Kolchek suggested. “Ran off with another woman.” She gave Olivia a cool stare. “But you don’t think that, do you?”

After a brief hesitation, Olivia decided to be discreet. “I suppose that’s possible,” she said. “However, Mr. Wong’s car is still in the driveway. I guess I can’t see him leaving his car behind after killing Mr. Alamdar or running away with another woman.”

Mrs. Kolchek shrugged her shoulders. “I guess you have a point. Mr. Kolchek didn’t leave his car behind when he left me.” She sighed loudly.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Olivia immediately changed the subject. “Speaking of Mr. Wong, did you see him on the day before yesterday?”

“No, I didn’t,” Mrs. Kolchek primly replied. “But then I’m not nosy like some people.” She sniffed.

O-kay. “So, do you have a nosy neighbor on this street?”

Mrs. Kolchek sniffed again. “Well . . . I don’t like to speak ill of anyone, but . . .” She paused dramatically. “I think that Mr. Shea is something of a Peeping Tom . . . if you know what I mean.”

Olivia frowned, as she checked her list of addresses. “Mr. Shea? Where does he live?”

“At 6015,” Mrs. Kolchek answered. “Two houses to my left. And his name is Thomas Shea.”

“Thomas Shea.” Olivia gave the older woman a quick nod. “Thank you for your time, Mrs. Kolchek.”

The elderly woman sniffed one last time. “Glad to help. I hope that you find Mr. Wong.”

Olivia smiled and turned away from the woman. Next stop . . . the home of Thomas Shea. She rang the doorbell of a two-story tan Victorian manor. After three rings, the front door finally opened. Olivia found herself facing a pale, balding man in his mid-fifties of medium height and protruding pale blue eyes that regarded her with barely concealed lust. “Thomas Shea? I’m Inspector Turner of the San Francisco P.D.”

A sheen of sweat broke across Mr. Shea’s large forehead. The lust in his eyes disappeared. “The police? Oh! Uh . . .” His eyes shifted nervously. “Um, did someone call about . . .”

“I’m investigating the disappearance of one of your neighbors – Ronald Wong,” Olivia explained. “He lives across the street at 6012.”

Mr. Shea’s rounded shoulders sagged with relief. “Oh yes! Mr. Wong. When I heard about his disappearance, I meant to call the police.”

“Oh?” Olivia wondered if she had hit pay dirt. “Why?”

After clearing his throat, Mr. Shea continued, “I didn’t exactly see what happened to Mr. Wong, you understand. It was at night. But I recall seeing a strange car parked near his home. A silver Lexus. It had been parked there for nearly forty minutes. Then I saw Mr. Wong’s car pull into his driveway. A blond man climb out of the Lexus and approach him.” He paused.

Olivia frowned. “What happened next?”

Mr. Shea took a deep breath. “Uh, the phone rang. It . . . it was my brother, Ritchie. Our aunt, who lives in San Jose, had a stroke. When I returned to the window, I saw the Lexus drive away.”

“Why didn’t you tell the police about this?” Olivia demanded.

“My aunt. I had just returned from San Jose only a few hours ago.”

Olivia scribbled the last of Mr. Shea’s information on a notebook. “By the way, Mr. Shea . . . did you notice anything unusual about the Lexus or the blond man?”

Mr. Shea squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. “Well . . . he was rather tall. The blond man. About at least six-feet one. And I saw just a little of his license plate as he drove away.”

A suspicious thought entered Olivia’s mind. “You saw all this at night? You must have x-ray vision.”

Looking slightly embarrassed, Mr. Shea murmured, “Um, more like infra-red binoculars. I had ordered a pair from this . . .”

Olivia held up one hand, interrupting the man. “Please, Mr. Shea. Let’s not go there.” She sighed. “You said that you had seen part of the license plate?”

“Yes,” the older man said with a nod. “Um . . .” He closed his eyes again. Then . . . “I got it. Six-seven-two.” He opened his eyes. “That’s all I saw.”

After scribbling the information on her notepad, Olivia replied, “Thank you, Mr. Shea. You’ve been very helpful.”

“Of course.”

Olivia paused, as she turned to walk away. “Oh, one last thing, Mr. Shea.” She gave him a piercing stare. “I suggest that you consider using those binoculars of yours for less private matters. Like bird watching. Understand?”

Mr. Shea’s face became deathly white. “Ye-yes, of course. Of course. Thank you. For the suggestion.”

The redhead shot one last smile at the man and walked away. She caught up with her colleague, as he was about to approach another house. “Hey Marcus! How is it going?”

With a sigh, Marcus replied, “Difficult. I had a close encounter with a forty-something widow, who wanted to do more than just talk.” Olivia held back a snicker. “However, one neighbor did see a silver Nexus parked in front of Miss Hui and Mr. Wong’s house that night.”

“I did better. A Mr. Thomas Shea had not only seen the silver Nexus, he saw the man who drove it, approach Ronald Wong. And he saw part of the car’s license plate.”

Marcus looked dubious. “He saw all of that at night?”

Olivia paused dramatically. “With infra-red binoculars. I’ll give you three guesses on what he used them for.” Judging from the way Marcus’ jaw had dropped and the look of disgust in his eyes, it seemed quite apparent to Olivia that it had only taken him only one guess.

END OF CHAPTER NINE

“THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING” (1995) Review

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“THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING” (1995) Review

When the 1995 adaptation of John Ehle’s 1971 novel, “The Journey of August King” hit the theaters, it barely made a flicker in the consciousness of moviegoers. In a way, I could see why.

“THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING” begins with widowed farmer August King traveling through the hills of western North Carolina in the spring of 1815, after selling his produce, making a final payment on his land, and purchasing goods at the local markets. During his journey, he learns about a hunt for an escaped slave. August eventually comes across the slave – a 17 year-old girl named Annalees. Although he is unwilling to expose her to slave catchers and her owner, a brusque farmer named Olaf Singletary; August wants nothing to do with her. But Annalees, sensing a sympathetic soul, follows August’s wagon until she literally forces him to help her. For the next several days, August and Annalees engage in a tension-filled journey in an effort to dodge Singletary and his slave hunters . . . and fellow travelers, whose curiosity or friendliness threatened to expose August and his new travel companion.

Earlier, I had stated that I could understand why “THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING” barely made a flicker in the consciousness of moviegoers. One, the movie was based upon John Ehle’s 1971 novel, which had been published 24 years earlier. And two, Miramax made little effort to publicize this ninety-minute film. I suspect the reason behind the lack of real publicity has to do with the film’s subject – American slavery. Aside from recent movies like “DJANGO UNCHAINED” and “12 YEARS A SLAVE”, the topic of U.S. slavery has not been that popular with moviegoers and television viewers in the past twenty years or so. I am not going to claim that “THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING” is a cinematic classic. But I do wish that Miramax had made a bigger effort to promote this film.

“THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING” had its flaws. There were times when the movie’s pacing threatened to crawl to a halt – especially during the second half hour. At the beginning of the movie, August claimed that it would take him at least three days to reach his farm. Yet, the journey to his farm and a nearby trail for escaped slaves seemed to take him and Annalees even longer to reach. Perhaps this is not surprising. I also got the feeling that most of the characters traveling on that road – including August and Annalees – were traveling in circles. There were times when the pair seemed to be ahead of Singletary . . . and there were times when he seemed to be ahead of them. Very confusing. I only had one final complaint. Thandie Newton gave an excellent performance as Annalees in this movie. But . . . there were times I found her Southern slave girl accent a little exaggerated. I guess I should not have been surprised, considering that the actress hails from Britain.

Thankfully, “THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING” possessed a lot more virtues than flaws. Despite her occasionally shaky Southern accent, Newton gave a first-rate performance as the extroverted, yet desperate fugitive slave, who took the chance to recruit the reluctant white farmer to help her. And Jason Patric was brilliant as the cautious August King, suffering from loneliness following the death of his wife. The actor did an excellent job in conveying his character’s development from the farmer who allowed his compassion and loneliness to overcome his caution . . . and at the same time, maintain his quiet nature. More importantly, both Patric and Newton produced a sharp, yet slightly sensual screen chemistry. Larry Drake (from “DARKMAN” and NBC’s “L.A. LAW”) gave a subtle, yet frightening performance as Annalees’ relentless owner, who is determined to recapture her. The movie also boasted a solid supporting performance from Sam Waterston as August’s neighbor and a local lawman.

“THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING” had more to offer. One, it featured some solid direction by Andrew Duigan. Also, the movie was filmed in – where else – North Carolina. Not only did the movie’s locations looked beautiful, its beauty was enhanced by Slawomir Idziak’s sharp and colorful photography. Although I would not view the movie’s setting as an excuse to provide eye-catching costumes, I must admit that Patricia Norris did an excellent job in re-creating the styles of Early America Appalachia through her costume designs.

I was surprised to learn that author John Ehle wrote the movie’s screenplay. I am usually wary of novelists writing the screen adaptations of their own novels. They tend to overdo it with over-the-top dialogue or protracted pacing. Granted, a third of the movie did suffer from a slow pacing, but I feel that Ehle did an otherwise excellent job in translating his novel into a movie. I was especially impressed by his portrayal of both August and Annalees. As I had noted earlier, August’s character was very well developed, without the loss of his core nature. Some film critics have complained that Annalees was portrayed as a passive character. I never got that impression. Granted, August helped her evade Singletary and his slave hunters. But critics seemed to have forgotten that Annalees had more or less forced August to help her. More importantly, she steadfastly maintained her own sense of individuality – even to the point of reacting violently when she believed August was expressing sexual interest in her during the movie’s first half hour. Ehle also provided a good deal of action and tension – surprisingly so for a movie that is basically a character study.

With the success of “DJANGO UNCHAINED” and “12 YEARS A SLAVE”, I hope that more film fans would consider taking the time to view “THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING”. It has its flaws, but I feel that it is a rewarding character study of two people during a period that is considered a dark part of this country’s history.

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Favorite Episodes of “STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE” Season Four (1995-1996)

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Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Four of “STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE”. Created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller; the series starred Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko:

FAVORITE EPISODES OF “STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE” SEASON FOUR (1995-1996)

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1. (4.08) “Little Green Men” – Deep Space Nine’s bar owner Quark and his brother Rom take the latter’s son Nog to Starfleet Academy on Earth. But a malfunction with the ship sends the crew back in time, to 1947 Roswell, New Mexico. Megan Gallagher, Charles Napier and Conor O’Farrell guest starred.

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2. (4.10) “Our Man Bashir” – When a transporter emergency turns the station’s command crew into holosuite characters in Dr. Julian Bashir’s James Bond program, the situation takes on a deadly reality. Ken Marshall guest-starred.

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3. (4.03) “The Visitor” – Sometime in the future, an aspiring writer named Melanie, wants to know why an older Jake Sisko stopped writing at age 40. Jake reveals how his father, Captain Benjamin Sisko, had died in an accident and then suddenly reappeared. Tony Todd guest-starred.

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4. (4.22) “For the Cause” – Sisko must face betrayal when evidence surfaces that his girlfriend Kasidy Yates is smuggling for the Maquis. Meanwhile, former spy/tailor Garak makes acquaintance with Gul Dukat’s daughter, Ziyal. Penny Johnson and Ken Marshall guest starred.

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5. (4.20) “Shattered Mirror” – When the Mirror Universe counterpart of Sisko’s deceased wife, Jennifer Sisko, lures Jake to the other side; Sisko must follow and help the Terran resistance against the Alliance forces. Felecia M. Bell guest starred.

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Honorable Mention: (4.26) “Broken Link” – Station security chief Odo is suddenly struck by illness and he is barely able to hold shape. Bashir and Odo see no other alternative than going to the Founders. Salome Jens guest starred.

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