crack_van | Advice From a Caterpillar by Pat Foley (PG)

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Gen
Length: 22,000 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Pat Foley's FanFiction Web site

Why this must be read:
Almost five years ago, Pat Foley was one of the very first authors ever recommended in the Man From U.N.C.L.E. section of

crack_van, and rightly so. The story was "Partners". Since that time her stories "Pawn to Kings Two", "Intrinsic Natures" and "Alternate Endings" have all also been mentioned here.

"Advice From a Caterpillar" is Part Three of her Wonderland series (Part One was "Pawns to Kings Two", mentioned above. Part Two is Shadows).

Illya Nickovetch Kuryakin has been sent to New York as the Soviet Union's first representative to U.N.C.L.E. Before he even gets in Del Floria's someone tries to assassinate him. Another organization wants him to remain detached from Soviet contacts. Illya is caught between the KGB, the GRU and Solo, who frankly just does not like him. In addition, he's adjusting to a different lifestyle, one where he does not have to supplement his food allowance by foraging in Central Park

Excerpt One
"What sort of opportunities are you speaking of?"

"Not the business sort. Just companionship, beauty," the Chief Enforcement Agent beginning unwrapping the frozen meat. "Wine, warmth, pleasure.In this business, you grab all you can, when you can, since you can never be too sure of tomorrow." Solo continued. He glanced at his companion's tight mouth. "I can see you're not convinced."

The Soviet agent didn't shrug, but the flick of his eyebrow lent the equivalent meaning. "Your philosophy is not consistent with my service."

"You forget, your service is U.N.C.L.E., now. Though I can't say my philosophy is exactly consistent with theirs either. Mr. Waverly will probably warn you not to take me too completely as a guide," Solo smiled slightly. "He doesn't always approve of my activities, though, judging from what I've heard, he's had quite a past himself."

"You are very frank, Mr. Solo."

"Napoleon."

Kuryakin didn't respond to the overture, staring at Solo forbiddingly. "Or you like to give the appearance of frankness. Do not think I am so naive I will be induced to trade actual confidences for apparent ones. Your lack of reserve doesn't obligate me to respond in kind."

The tone was even but the words were cold enough that Solo blinked, momentarily non-placed. The easy smile didn't leave the CEA's face, but his eyes hardened. "You're very blunt, Mr. Kuryakin. I don't wonder that you were traded to U.N.C.L.E. It doesn't seem to me, with your manners, that you'd make much of a recruiter."

"Perhaps you know less of my training than you might think."

"Or maybe you just don't care to show it. To me."

"I assure you my training was very thorough in what you Americans call 'small talk'. But I didn't suppose, as a colleague, you would wish to have such practices employed on you. Unless you are interested in evaluating them?"

"I was making conversation," Solo demurred, declining the challenge. "Not testing you. I haven't been ordered to do that," he raised an eyebrow. "Yet."

Excerpt Two
He was going to die. Illya Kuryakin walked the streets of New York City and felt all the injustice of his fate. He had hardly expected, in his profession, to survive for many years. But to be picked off at the outset of his career, for the poor luck of being chosen for this rogue enforcement agency. To have every Soviet intelligence officer out for his throat. To be tarred with the same brush as a bunch of bourgeois capitalists with whom he shared not the slightest political or sociological tenet. Men like that Solo, who lived such a dissipate, self-indulgent life. No, he had not merited such a fate as this.

That made the justice of it all the more Soviet of course.

He had no doubt that Kir in Moscow was well amused.

He stood in the center of a crowd of people, all pushing past him and wanted --

He didn't know what he wanted. He'd been taught not to be self-expressive, to keep his feelings within until he felt at times he'd almost explode from the pressure.

He sighed, very deeply and deliberately, relaxing every muscle, at least all that he could relax and still walk down a public street. Aivasovsky was correct that he had a tendency toward temper and impatience. He struggled hard to conceal it, behind as blank a front as possible. Some cautioned him for that, saying the less a man revealed, the more he was concealing. But he used what worked for him. Survival. An agent had to survive. To be ready for future adversities, he had to take what opportunities lended themselves to rest, refuel and regroup.

He had to go back to U.N.C.L.E., where an interrogation no doubt waited for him. But he did need to think of what and how he was going to respond to that interrogation. He also needed to relegate Kir's message to its proper place in his mindset. And he needed lunch. If he were going to be interrogated this afternoon, he didn't want it to be on an empty stomach.

Ahead of him, flashed one of New York's ever present signs, winking in sequence. Bar! Jazz! Food! It sounded good to him. A sandwich, a little vodka, and some music.

He could always say he'd gone out for lunch. After all, Solo did.

Advice From A Caterpillar

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Psst, you might want to tag your post so it's easy to find it by fandom. With so many recs, it's easy to get lost and would be a shame.

Off to read. Thanks for the rec.

Thanks for let me know the tag didn't show. I'm working with an unfamiliar client.

You seem to have added some extra html coding to your entry that's preventing me from being able to tag your post. Please fix.

sorry - I'm working blind as my laptop is down and I'm using an old MAC

Not a problem. :)

So, I decided to leave a post that actually has to do with the story and not the post . I've been mostly a one-fandom gal but through CV have been dipping my feet in the Man from U.N.C.L.E. pool. When I read this post and you said it was the third, I went to Pat's site. At midnight, I realized I didn't want to start a series so chose instead "Cost Accounting". Wow. Very, very good. If the Wonderland series is anything close, it's going to be a great read.

Thanks for turning me onto this author. I already sent her some feedback. There's aren't any dates to indicate when they were written. Do you know if she's actively writing in the fandom? I'd love to see the next story after "Cost" to see where the guys end up.

I don't know if she's still active.I think she's great, isn't she? I'll ask at

mfuficfind. Someone there should know.

So, I'm back. I couldn't read Caterpillar out of order, so I put aside the time to read the whole series (except for the prequel, but I'll get to it). Really, really terrific. Each one was so chock full of action, suspense, but so in tune with the original show. No over-the-top angst -- why would you need it when you have the Soviets and Thrush always ready to do their worst?

I can imagine many ways Illya made it to U.N.C.L.E. - I've thought of a few myself. But this was highly believable and sucked me right in. A perfect accompaniment to the DVDs, buying of which is an indulgence I just accorded myself.

Thanks so much for turning me onto this author. Although I have to say that this series really does finish quite definitely, I would love to see her continue her other universe or come up with more.

I can imagine many ways Illya made it to U.N.C.L.E. - I've thought of a few myself.
I also like that Napoleon isn't immediately all warm and fuzzy about Illya coming. I agree that it's very agreeable.

Advice From a Caterpillar by Pat Foley (PG)

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