Date: 25 May 2015 10:18 Title: Unity and Perfection
Wow, I really loved the detail about Beethoven's 8th sonata. Another really sweet, touching scene.
Date: 18 May 2015 20:03 Title: Unity and Perfection
Awww .... If only it were all true and not just a lovely dream in Prime Maren's imagination or, you know, alternate universe. Same difference.
The ring sounds pretty cool. Only a total genius would be able to appreciate fractal patterns based on a mathematical representation of a Beethoven sonata. Wow, these guys are serious geeks. Love'em.
Author's Response:
*raises hand awkwardly* Um ... I appreciate fractal patterns based on mathematical representations of music (although I definitely can't identify them by sight!). I'm not sure if I'm a total genius (it's possible I killed too many brain cells in college for that), but I'm definitely a serious geek.
I'm glad you love them, and I'm glad you liked their happy little moment. Icheb and Maren wish this had been the way it all went down, too. Then they'd be facing the DQ together as a married couple, not as a pair of bickering, broken children.
Date: 18 May 2015 15:41 Title: Unity and Perfection
It was indeed perfect. Sometimes, Icheb just doesn't get humans. Sometimes, he doesn't get the emotional side of things given how stunted his emotional growth was. However, he gets Maren and she gets him. And that's why the ring is safe for her workplace environment, that's why it is not decorated with flowery lurid patterns but with fractals depicting her favourite piece of music. Because he gets her, gets that as much as she would love him and his ring, if she couldn't wear it in an enginerring lab or room she wouldn't. So he doesn't put her in that position. And if the aestetic of certain romantic overtures are a miss to him, he can understand music especially classical for the mathematical purity of it and like Maren sees nothing more beautiful than fractal patterns. Also the fact that they both can read it so easily is a testament to their skill and knowledge and an acknowledgement on Icheb's part to Maren's intellect.
And the thing is, he would have done this in the real world. He would have done this in TESS canon but because of his condition and because he made the decision he thought would serve to protect Maren at the time because he got her enough to know that she would stick with him no matter the life sentence handed down. Wonderful.
Of course, it is missing JQ in his leaderhosen but I suppose something must show up in Day 3 of the challenge.
Author's Response:
Well, he DID do this in the "real" world (I love that you call it that!). He did end up proposing to her with this very ring, it's just that they never made it to Risa and he proposed in the infirmary at Starbase 12 instead. Even now, she still has the ring. (It's actually on board the Tesseract.)
But as for the rest, as usual, you're absolutely right and you really understand them so well. It makes my heart happy.
As for JQ and his Lederhosen ... well, there's always the wedding toast ... but don't hold your breath. This is Icheb's and Maren's moment! (But feel free to write your own version of events, you mad shipper, you! ;-) )
Date: 18 May 2015 12:35 Title: Unity and Perfection
Of course he would know how to do this perfectly. Sweet and utterly right.
Author's Response:
They fundamentally understand each other. It's a shame they ever parted, in my opinion. Despite all evidence to the contrary, deep down, I'm an I/M shipper at heart. <3
Date: 18 May 2015 12:32 Title: Unity and Perfection
Awww! Icheb is such a romantic. I love the Beethoven sonata written in math - so perfect for Maren. I know I've said this so many times but you do such a wonderful job of creating these characters that when I read this I just knew this was exactly what Icheb would do and that it fit perfectly for Maren. A really touching engagement. Now, more happiness!
Author's Response:
Thank you so much, Joel! Icheb is a bit of a romantic at heart -- he just doesn't always know exactly how to show it. Luckily, Maren makes it easy for him -- she likes the same things he does. They're called "The Collective" for a reason. :)
Date: 18 May 2015 04:17 Title: Unity and Perfection
Is it bad that I know you well enough that I'm waiting for SOMETHING HORRIBLE TO HAPPEN? (Nothing horrible had better happen, dammit! EVERYONE LIVES, ROSE.) But I love it. I love the ring, it's so thoughtful, and I love the sheer sweetness Icheb and Maren show each other here, and just. Yes.
Author's Response:
I keep waiting for something horrible to happen, too, and I'm the one writing it. It feels weird to allow myself to NOT hurt them for once. I think there's something wrong with me!
Anyway, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. These two ARE sweet when they're not being tortured (and sometimes even when they are). I look forward to the day when I can indulge in a bit of this sweetness in the Tesseract story. Happier times are coming (and then more horrible ones, and then happy ones again), but it's going to take a while. It's a long, hard road these two have to travel.
Date: 18 May 2015 04:04 Title: Unity and Perfection
*FIST PUMPS OF FURY*
And Captain Picard said ... Engaged!
Payoff. Sweet, sweet payoff. Loved every second of this. Maren's precise words, Icheb's question, the Risa tourists doing what anyone would do (true love -- that's right, TRUE LOVE) in such a moment, all rendered with perfection.
Icheb, you done good. Now close the deal. *waits impatiently for wedding*
Author's Response:
First the crying kittens, now fury? What am I doing wrong?!?!?!
In all seriousness, I'm glad you liked it. As the undisputed #1 I/M shipper and team captain, it means a lot that you enjoyed the moment, even though it didn't end up happening this way in the "real" Tesseract universe. This, though ... this was the plan.
At least since this is the happy AU, you won't have to wait much longer for the wedding. :)