Date: 03 Aug 2014 16:35 Title: -T-
Is this it for hope then? Things appear to be pretty darn bad, judging by the chaos that seems to have ensued. No pun intended, but I'm holding out some hope. After all there's a second story you're teasing us with here, so at least somebody must have survived this inferno, maybe even part of the station itself? I won't presume too much at this point, as the news seems to be pretty bad.
It would of course be an incredible shame if all these fascinating characters only had this one brief moment to shine.
Excellent story, looking forward what can be salvaged for the next one.
Date: 03 Aug 2014 16:30 Title: 1
Wasn't enough to have the chapter titles in form of a countdown, was it? But this one is even more effective and I nearly ended up holding my breath as we got to one.
I don't have a clue what's going on here and who could be responsible. I'm assuming somebody on the station as the Betazoid could obviously sense something and Gordon seems to spot something as well. I haven't ruled out the Breen as possible suspects to whatever is happening here either.
The final moment with Tanner practicing her speech was somewhat touching. Are those her last moments alive? If so, how terribly tragic.
Date: 03 Aug 2014 16:25 Title: 2
The Breen are almost here and the tension is steadily risings. There is nothing too obviously out of place here but the sense that something very bad is going to happen soon definitely lingers in the air. That and a Tzenkethi publicly urinating must be a bad omen.
Date: 03 Aug 2014 16:13 Title: 3
Why do I get the feeling that these diplomats are like lemmings going over a cliff?
Taftner has the right idea here, just wondering if it might already be too late.
Date: 02 Aug 2014 22:53 Title: 4
Oh, bad omens right there. I've got a bad feeling paranoia may be called for and this might be the first sign of things going downhill.
And ouch. But a Cardassian and a Bajoran politician into a room together, and likely only one of them will emerge alive. Good thing they are in public and only sparing with words. But still: Ouch.
Feel bad for Meeare but Reddick is kinda right. She needs to show some initiative. Unless there is something to this situation that we're not seeing.
Date: 02 Aug 2014 22:48 Title: 5
Deleany's and Riv's little talk almost plays like a mirror version to TNT and the Vulcan's conversation in the previous chapter except of course the one here is very different in tone and a certain person is fairly distracted with ... well, people he shouldn't be distracted with, really.
I still like Taftner, she's a very focused kind gal, ain't she? Let me see my fighters and to hell with everything else. Let's see how well this attitude will serve her.
Date: 02 Aug 2014 22:43 Title: 6
Tanner is laying down the law. Hard. Doesn't Leyun realize that you don't mess with TNT? It has a tendency to explode. It doesn't help of course that this Vulcan, like many of his kinsmen, has a bit of a tendency to be a major douche.
I mean seriously, it's like every Vulcan ever needs to take some sensitivity classes at the Academy or something before being unleashed onto the universe. The call-it-like-I-see-it routine just doesn't get you very far these days, especially when dealing with people like Tanner who is fiercely protective of her people. As she should be.
Date: 01 Aug 2014 13:59 Title: 7
A lot of family dynamics at play here. I love the Santiagos, overbearing mother, possibly underachieving daughter and a husband/father who died doing the same thing his daughter is now doing.
And talking about tragedy, something bad split up the Graham family but apparently enough time has passed for them to have another go at being a family again. Sounds like it's going to be a rocky affair.
You know all this makes me very concerned that Watchtower apparently comes with a quickly approaching expiration date. I like these characters and their soap opera-y histories. No, no, I totally mean this in a good way. Honest.
Author's Response:
Well with the concept of playing with an entire space station, I figured that it lent to the exploration of families within the Trek universe some so I wanted very keenly to bring that to the story. With the Santiagos we get an older family dynamic but one that is rocky in lots of ways as daughter tries to find her own way in life. And a mother like Estefenia was never going to be easily impressed anyway.
Then the Grahams. A young family but one shattered by tragedy. You might guess what but the next chapter will tell you soon.
I get what you mean. There's soap opera histories going on here and no that doesn't necessarily mean a bad thing. Unless I end up handling it wrong. Hopefully, it is working to provide a context for the characters and showing that they have lives and famileis beyond their careers and duty hours. The fault will be if I end up treating it too much like a soap opera.
However, as you point out, time seems to be counting down here for Watchtower. Maybe the histories will help the reader invest in their stories because bad stuff is obviously going to happen.
Date: 30 Jul 2014 22:32 Title: 8
Watchtower's latest engineering recruits are a real pair of Einsteins, aren't they? Boy, these two give twins everywhere a bad name. Thankfully they are also incredibly hilarious. I suppose they'll be alright once they can get uses to how the base is soooooooo much bigger than they could imagine. I mean, dude, it's just sooo big, right?
And the arrival of the Breen has everyone on edge. That's to be expected. I just hope nobody's got an itchy trigger finger.
Author's Response:
I know. They really ellicit the same reaction they provoked in Eli. But hey, they provide some good humour and in a way - a weird way mind - their being so awed is actually sweet and endearing and maybe, just maybe it is akin to a country yokel getting to visit a city like New York or Singapore for the very first and despite having seen it on TV nothing quite counts for seeing something of its like for real. Besides, too many of our Trek canon characters were all too self-aware and cool with the stuff they saw. So with so many of my own world weary and experienced character filling the quotas to the brim it's nice to expand myself into noob territory once again! LOL.
An itchty trigger finger would indeed be a very, very, bad thing. This is a tense and delicate moment and one wrong move is going to scupper everything. And what then?
Date: 29 Jul 2014 23:26 Title: 9
Ah, the daily routine on a starbase. It can get tedious after a while so it's a good thing when something out of the ordinary happens. Like the Breen dropping by. That's gonna be fun.
Looks like Taftner is going to play the fish out of water part here. I bet she'll get along famously with TNT. Yeah, not so much.
Author's Response:
Yeah, you know how you sometimes have a neighbour who calls over to visit and you're like ... eh, how can I pretend not to be at home? Well I think this might be that on a whole other level.
As for Taftner, yeah, my gut feeling is like yours. Her and Tanner are not going to get along swimmingly.
Date: 29 Jul 2014 00:47 Title: Title Page and Information
MF, I do love a new series (it has quite an aroma, no?) and this looks to be a good one. I do appreciate the overview, but I absolutely laughed at this guy.
"Security officer – Tobias Mytell – troubled officer"
He is now my favorite character in the story. Whatever happens, from this point on, I'm excited to see him. I want him to live up to this. Don't disappoint me. ;)
Author's Response:
He's no Danny, but we'll see. Obviously, there's a ton of folk to be introduced but we shall get to Tobias. His first scene 'onscreen' should prove to be a ... memorable one.
Date: 28 Jul 2014 23:01 Title: 10
TNT - Dynamite Tanner indeed. And perhaps on this day more than usual. Looks like she's got a seriously full plate. Ah, the fun times of running a starbase, I guess.
Her little outburst in the turbolift was epic. But I actually loved her response to her Vulcan aid. Damn, those back talking Vulcans. Man, she ain't got an easy job, I bet. Good thing her kin don't usually complain.
Also liked Grem'waal who doesn't appear to fear TNT's wrath either. A brave man, that one.
Great start, looking forward exploring the rest of it.
Author's Response:
I imagine it has to be a major, major headache actually running a Starbase. Technically, her remit is not so much the starbase but the squadron and the sector it patrols and directing all of the Federation operations therein. It can't be easy and it is certainly high pressured and busy.
As for her aide, she needs someone unflappable to withstand her tirades. Grem'waal as master of secrets and knowing he's a vital lynchpin to her operations feels assured he has some wiggle room. That and he is not the most socially adept figure. Glad you like the start to things, here's hoping the rest continues in that vein. Thanks for reading.
Date: 28 Jul 2014 22:42 Title: Prologue
Oh, bad omens. Things are not going to go well for Watchtower, are they?
Author's Response:
Well it might get worse. LOL!