Date: 25 Jul 2014 14:14 Title: A Wrench in the Works
I thought this story looked familiar, skipping ahead a little I remembered why. I've read it before. It's still pretty damn brutal but a great companion piece to your Osprey spin off.
Date: 25 Jul 2014 14:00 Title: Pack your bags and deodorant.
My adventure in exploring your rich Watchtower universe continues.
Poor Liseth. Turns out just being in the Border Service isn't nonglamorous enough, it can actually get worse.
But Tanner is right, even if she doesn't have to such jerk about it. You don't sign up for the Border Service for the plush assignment.
Date: 24 Sep 2013 06:34 Title: Part of the Uniform
Wait, what?!? Holy bovine, did you just kill off Liseth? And are there some rogue Border Dogs involved in the slaver ring? Good grief!
Author's Response:
Yup. I killed Liseth. err... sorry...? Wanted a gut punch ending obviously but also to hint at a darker untold tale of corruption. As you figure, there appear to be rogue Border Dogs involved in the slaver ring. Not good, not good. And if interested TLR, these hints are followed up on in Osprey: Running the Gauntlet and a running plot in the Watchtower Universe.
Date: 24 Sep 2013 06:30 Title: Derelict
So Liseth finally gets to pull the trigger. Even though it's a 'mere' rat-trap, it's a provocative act. Hopefully their aim was true or they may receive a hostile reply.
Date: 24 Sep 2013 06:28 Title: Adrift
Uh oh. This doesn't sound good. Wonder who (or what) is in the stasis tanks?
Date: 24 Sep 2013 06:26 Title: Nebulous Command
Commander to Lt. Commander: Sink or swim, no one is here to hold your hand.
Nice pep talk!
Date: 24 Sep 2013 06:23 Title: The Blues
Armpit indeed! Perhaps Constantine should have heeded Commodore Tanner's advice and brought deodorant. At least she's motivated to stay busy.
Date: 24 Sep 2013 06:20 Title: A Wrench in the Works
"Park it yourself, lady. We ain't got no valet staff." Sounds like a Border Dog hang-out to me. And my, my, what a suave fellow in Commander Durant. Oh well, welcome time is done. Time to get greasy!
Date: 24 Sep 2013 06:16 Title: Pack your bags and deodorant.
Heh. I like Commodore Tanner. She's a no-nonsense type who expects an 'aye-aye' sir when she gives an order. Liseth better follow the Commodore's advice and learn to like the armpit.
Date: 28 May 2013 00:37 Title: Part of the Uniform
Boy, what a gut-punch of an ending. Just when you thought we're about to figure out who's behind it you pull the rug from underneath our feet.
Well, looks like Liseth found out. Too bad it was too late to safe her own skin.
Great story. Brutal ending.
Date: 26 May 2013 19:32 Title: Part of the Uniform
Good God! After rushing through a lot of events in these last two chapters, you bump off Constantine just like that!?!
Well, it's a way of ending the story but I think this one is ripe for some expansion here. Just who is the traitor? He/she the same person who murdered Constantine? And so forth...
Constantine's death would have been a lot more shocking if this were a bigger story though, so it's a good ficlet but it seems to be a story -- with a lot of potential -- stripped down into a ficlet and with many unanswered questions.
Good work.
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.
Date: 26 May 2013 18:46 Title: Adrift
It's a slaver dump truck running on auto or a booby-trapped vessel rigged with explosives... Fishy indeed...
Date: 26 May 2013 18:43 Title: Nebulous Command
Shepherd's Reach must have the most relaxed command policies and command structures in all of Starfleet! What a funny, queer little place!
Date: 26 May 2013 18:41 Title: The Blues
I'm half wondering if this mini-series of yours is a bona fide series which takes itself seriously or a comedy! There are some good laughs in these small chapters and that is one very clever way of incentivizing a reluctant officer (a newcomer as well) to carry out some additional tasks.
Though I would like to point out that if the water system is not working properly, what about quarantines and hygienic requirements for the sickbay?
That or this station is rather badly managed by its commander...
Date: 26 May 2013 18:35 Title: A Wrench in the Works
Wow! I'm really not sure why Constantine thinks this is such a bad assignment. The station -- Shepherd's Reach -- seems so dilapidated it could be disbanded at any time. Thus Constantine gets reassigned to a more lucrative posting.
I also really like how the commander of Shepherd's Reach is so hand's on! It sort of reminds me of the Pakleds, except this station crew know what they're doing!
Date: 26 May 2013 18:31 Title: Pack your bags and deodorant.
"Get some deodorant, you're assigned to the armpit."
LOL!
I have one question though, are these stories in any way related to your Kestral series?
At any rate you've made a good start and right now I like how Constantine is a bit of snooty (perhaps even bitchy) Starfleet officer rising through the ranks. Perhaps working in the 'armpit' will cure Constantine of her being such a douche!
Date: 26 May 2013 17:41 Title: Part of the Uniform
Man! Didn't expect that ending AT ALL, MF! So whodunit? Obviously an inside job. Mata maybe? The reason she volunteered to go into the derelict in the first place - to destroy evidence. Why she was out of the infirmary without permission--to see if Liseth was making heads or tails out of the corroded file?
I must admit, I'm really frustrated and upset by this turn of events. I really felt like Liseth was making great personal strides, and understanding her reasoning for joining the Border Patrol in the first place (from the previous chapter) only made me root for her more.
Are you gonna expand on this at a later time? Let us in on who's responsible, and why? If not, that's really cold, dude. :(
Date: 26 May 2013 11:21 Title: Part of the Uniform
Oh. My. God! So not expecting that. How could they- Why did they- What the- Oh. My. God!
Poor Liseth. I was reading this thinking, so how is he going to wrap this up in this short ficlet. And then you did! Just awesome, man. Seriously! Great job.
Date: 26 May 2013 11:18 Title: Derelict
A nice build-up scene here, you really ratcheted up the tension. Liseth is slowly coming into her own and it was nice to get a glimpse into her motivations for joining and working with the Border Service.
Date: 26 May 2013 11:14 Title: Adrift
Nicely done, cool to see Liseth getting some respect from the crew. And a chilling discovery with the stasis tanks. Lots of questions raised here. A good scene indeed!
Date: 26 May 2013 04:33 Title: Part of the Uniform
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Damn you, MF. You killed an Andorian and one I liked! A traitor in the midsts, a murder ... you had best follow up on this story, MF. I need to know who should suffer my wrath!
Quite an abrupt and sad ending to this tale.
Date: 26 May 2013 02:35 Title: Part of the Uniform
In at the death the most unkindest cut of all. Gripping to the end with this almost dark side of Trek.
Date: 26 May 2013 01:54 Title: Part of the Uniform
Oh my. Well - I do believe it is (no spoilers!) let's just say a part of the reason why the area is the way it is. Keep it crappy, and the Feds won't send anyone any good to investigate. They were not counting on Constantine being as good (and as dogged) as she was. I suspect a conspirator as well.
Very well done.
Date: 26 May 2013 00:37 Title: Part of the Uniform
Oh, wow! I'm pointing the finger at Mata. Who else would know? I wonder how high up this goes, though. Did the person who assigned her this posting know it might be her last?
Poor Liseth. Nice twist ending there, MF. Unexpected and very well done.
Date: 25 May 2013 23:00 Title: Part of the Uniform
You.
You killed her?
You killed her. You killed Liseth. Why did you kill Liseth?! Oh my God.
Man, this looks like the setup for the awesome plot of plots, but I'm still reeling in shock. I mean, damn. Well woven, my friend. Very well woven. And if you meant that last line to be a kick in the chops, you totally succeeded. I never saw it coming.