Date: 14 Sep 2011 19:10 Title: And Tomorrow I Shall Light the Flame
I enjoy conspiracies and writings about them. And you can see a slow, steady progression forming here. The sign language to the unthinkable word, to the memory of the state broadcasts that everyone is forced to watch to the request for a clandestine meeting to the meeting itself to moving from wondering if Yejain would come in with a weapon to beginning to work together.
The smallest bits of a revolt like this are going to come during these kinds of meetings and reflections.
The imagery of the broadcasts, and of making everyone watch - that you cannot simply look away, or keep it on as background noise, but you must watch - it is a government engaging in brain washing. It is very reminiscent of 1984, the dumb witnessing of whatever the hell is on the viewer, and being spoon-fed what are supposed to be your own thoughts, beliefs, loyalties and, eventually, dreams.
Well done indeed.
Author's Response:
You are so right about what Central Command and the Obsidian Order--especially the Obsidian Order--want to accomplish. The fortunate thing is that their dictatorship is not quite as ironclad as the one in 1984. There are gaps in the system and leaks, if you know where to find them.
As for the sign language, that is actually a much larger part of my two Cardassian cultures (the main Sigils universe and the SigCat AU), because of the fact that they don't hear as well as humans. I figured given that, the way they regarded sign language might be different and it might be a more "normal" part of the experience of some hearing people, depending on their occupation. (The interesting side effect is that a deaf or mute person is less likely to be cut out of their society because of a larger pool of signers...it also means that "Deaf culture" does not exist in the *same* way as it does on Earth. The interaction between deaf and hearing populations is fundamentally different.)
[Report This]Date: 04 Aug 2011 20:00 Title: And Tomorrow I Shall Light the Flame
While I haven't read your Thirteenth Order story yet, I think this is a very good prequel for it. I especially like how conflicted your Cardassian officers are at the notion of rebelling.
Author's Response:
Thank you so much for reading...I'm glad you enjoyed it. :-)
I felt that beings as hierarchical as Cardassians would have a tough time with it even if they know in their intellect that it's the right thing to do. I'm glad that came across.