Date: 30 Jun 2013 15:26 Title: Interlude - Reconciliation
Can see why this won the challenge.
A believable argument between two people of different cultures, like it took someone else to tell Nizeri to go talk.
The forgiveness was just right and real.
Date: 05 Jun 2013 05:03 Title: Interlude - Reconciliation
Very believable argument between the two. Well done. :)
Date: 03 Jun 2013 06:52 Title: Interlude - Reconciliation
Oh yeah. We definitely need to find a new word for "gasped." (; Still love how you've captured both of their points of view-- how he's very obviously moved past it, yet how the pain is fresh for her because she's only just discovering it, and what they have to do together to heal and move forward. *nod* good job, you. (=
Date: 02 Jun 2013 19:41 Title: Interlude - Reconciliation
This was really an awesome piece, TS. About forgiveness, and jealousy, and insecurity.
Reading jespah's review made me wonder if maybe the insecurity didn't go both ways? Maybe Wirst was wondering if Nizeri would leave him, too - end things between them for someone better as his wife was preparing to do. That may have been part of the reason he was reluctant to tell Nizeri about his previous family - would she take her cue from Wirst's wife and move on as well? Granted, the circumstances are far different, but still...
Very interesting take on the alien culture and rituals/reasons behind marriages of contract and convenience. With such a shortage of women, guys must have to be something really special to capture the eye of one.
Curious about how he got here from the Andromeda Galaxy in such a short amount of time. Given the vast distance between it and the Milky Way, speculation is it would be a multi-generational journey even at blinding warp speeds. Do/will you address this curious event in Wirstowx's past? It would definitely make for interesting reading. ;-)
Date: 01 Jun 2013 01:32 Title: Interlude - Reconciliation
Ah, forgiveness - which is what I was looking for with this challenge.
It's a very alien culture you've come up with, and it's a bit sad that there probably can't be a lot of looks into it unless you want to post Wirst's origins story/stories. Maybe you do.
The logic of a temporary marriage with a set shelf life and a set end date makes sense when a population is trying to rebuild itself and, at the same time, the women are not prone to menopause or any other issue where aging = inevitable decline is childbearing ability, chances or the quality of the offspring. Of course as humans we know all too well what aging does to women when it comes to bearing children.
For Nizeri, it's a shock and clearly some fear that there may be other things he's hiding from her - and she's still not fully emotionally resolved at the end, which makes perfect sense. I don't think she was being unreasonable, and I don't feel she was flying off the handle. Rather, I feel her objections were pretty reasonable. Because the fears that she's got to be having are - he could do this before, maybe he'll do it again; along with, maybe he doesn't love me as much as he loved her?
For Wirst, it's the pain he's been suppressing forever, and it's become natural to just sweep it under the rug. And for a two-year relationship, he's obviously kept Nizeri from getting into his quarters. Guilt? A cover up? A desire to not have to explain? Or maybe just not wanting to reopen the old wounds?
Forgiveness is a gift that goes in both directions, from the giver to the recipient and back again. I feel that these two have made their even exchange. Thank you for another glimpse into your fascinating world.
Date: 30 May 2013 11:08 Title: Interlude - Reconciliation
Quite a backstory Wirstowx has! Though at least Nizeri forgave him!
Date: 30 May 2013 07:26 Title: Interlude - Reconciliation
Ah, love. Full of ups and downs, lefts and rights, it’s a crazy thing and one that has even the greatest minds in the galaxy confused. It’s a feeling as much as an action and here, we see both in motion. Wirst gets caught here in a classic man problem: something we think is not a big deal is actually a big deal. And we get busted for it. Big time.
Nizeri finds those pictures and then finds the truth and … well, she’s hurt. It’s understandable and in some ways expected. When someone that close to you hurts you by holding back secrets, it’s hard to forgive them. It’s damn near impossible to think clearly for awhile and Nizeri’s distress is felt here. Two years of dating and he ends up keeping this big a secret from her?
The blow up and the awkwardness afterwards was well done. I’ve been there. I’ve done that. I hate thinking about it and it must have sucked for both of them to be there in it. Jess plays the role of diplomat here as she’s, essentially, bringing two warring parties to the table. It made me laugh to see her just point at the door and say “GTFO Wirst” and he did.
The convo she had with Nizeri pretty much cut to the core of the issue: she needed to talk with him. It sucks having to do that but Nizeri stepped up and did it. The conversation between them was money. Not only did it address forgiveness, but it also addressed imposing one culture’s views on another. The way Nizeri saw things wasn’t the way Wirst did and assuming that it was a constant was wrong on her part, but we all do it.
The revelation about Wirst’s past was layered and a stark reminder that, yes, even in Trek, even people from another galaxy, all have to make sacrifices. For Wirst, to leave he had to leave behind a great deal of things. A wife (soon to be ex or not), children, and a way of life. He had to leave these behind so he could take this opportunity and Nizeri came to the realization that, in many ways, their relationship is more important than him than her. She’s one of the few things he has in this galaxy. Their love is one of the few things he can hold onto here.
The forgiveness at the end was sweet, but the deeper themes of loss, sacrifice, and assumptions really stick with me. Well done.