Reviewer: kaldon75 Anonymous [Report This]
Date: 13 Apr 2016 20:43 Title: Chapter 1

Damn, just as I really got involved in the series, it had to end, why so soon ? I even thought of suggesting a longer episode with a more complex plot, I do have a few stray thoughts on how it would look like, but connecting ideas into a finished plot is a difficult endevour.

Can I ask how you decide on a specific story plots ? do you take the insiration out of something you have seen in an episode or the story just pops into your mind, or some combination of different factors ? As I said in my earlier review, all of them are good, though my favorite is the 8'th one, with the mission to the outpost.

They insisted the outpost is creepy, but I kind of liked it. Ok, you didnt give to detailed a description, yet the things you did describe made sense, it was crude beacouse it wasnt meant for long term habitation, and yet it had everything needed for a few days stay of a small crew. I like writings where it appears the author has given some thought to the locations where the story takes place.

Infact i spent some time thinking of how starfleet remote outposts are designed, and what types and classes can be there and what the perpose of each can be.

My second favorite is the one where they transported the Marines. However, it's end irritated me a bit. I wished there was a short exchange of fire between the Orion and one of the enemy ships, this was going to be more dramatic then the single hit they sustained on their shields.

Also, after they unloaded the Marines, they simply parked themselves one light hour outside the system, and decided to watch and wait. Instead they could have come up with a plan, to load one or two of the shattles with antimatter or other high explosives, then program them to fly at high speed to the nearest Cardassian warship, and slam into it destroying or dammiging it in the process. Basicly a trick out of the Dominions own book. I know a plan like this could be risky, since friendly ships can be damaged in the explosion, but I think it could have been fitting to the impulsive character of D'Kehra. ( I am not complaining, just giving suggestions )

This last one was also good, though nothing was said ( unless I missed it ), on how and why the Orion ended in a battle against a Breen warship. The battle sequence was good though ! It was exciting yes, but also realistic. Again I have a feeling you have given it some thought of how much a ship like the Orion can last against a warship, so you didnt overdo its capabilities, but also you still gave it some chanse, well done ! Ah yes, thanks God, D Kehra, and Enan survived to fight another day and to star in some new future series.

Speaking of a new series, perhaps one taking place few months later, after the war has ended, but the quadrant is in shumbles. So Captain Ryhin and some of the former crew of the Orion are given a new ship, say, a Saber, or a Steamrunner class, and tasked with patrolling and dealing with problems as they crop up.

Wishful thinking on my part of course, in any case, thanks for the effort you put into writing this stories, reading them was fun.

Author's Response:

Sorry that it had to end, but I always thought this would be a mini mini-series (don’t worry there is one more little snippet and one last short story to come). I’ve got a few other longer stories, though they do deal with other crews, that I really need to edit and get posted here—including my novel-length first ever piece of completed Trek fanfic (the first chapter of “Underworld” has already been posted). Suggestions and ideas are always welcome—I’ve thought of another idea that would’ve fit in really well, though I might have to save that either for another ship or write at another time, though I don’t really like adding new stories out of chronological order (but that’s just me).

Sometimes there are elements from episodes that spark an idea that I’d like to see more of, other times it’s more ‘what story would I like this character to have, and how would that fit into the larger world’. Sometimes they’re just stray thoughts that cross my mind that I think would be cool to work on. All of these stories started off as just a single sentence, so I had no idea where they would go (for the most part, for example I always knew the likes of Baxx would die before the end and DuMont would give her life for the ship).

The base was really just ‘non-descript’ in appearance, boxy and utilitarian. Though given the covert nature of it I didn’t think it needed much by way of description. The main thing that was important was its isolation and claustrophobic nature, I wanted to give it a very “haunted house” feel.

The ending of “The Only Easy Day...” pretty much, for me, sums up everything I had in mind for the Orion when I thought it up. She is suited for combat (as this story proves), instead she has to rely on others for protection (risking their lives) so that she can finish the job she has been given. She could’ve tried to trade blows, but there’s no guarantee that a transfer conduit would blow leaving her crippled, just because she wanted to fire off an underpowered phaser bank. I always found Voyager and Enterprise had far too much focus on battles every week (granted DS9 had its fair share of battles, but that was war and not every episode seemed to be resolved with one) and I’ve written quite a few myself, so I wanted to go down a very different path, looking at how it would feel for those people standing on the sidelines, eager to do something but can’t because of circumstance.

How the Orion ended up in battle is covered in the vignette that I’ll be posting soon, whilst there is still a final story in the series to be written (my original idea for it wasn’t going anywhere so I’ve had to rethink it). D’Kehra almost died alongside Ensign Mecell, but I changed my mind at the last minute.

Watch this space. There will be one very short piece to come and then a longer one that will, hopefully, see them through to the end of the war and beyond.

Thank you very much for reading them and taking the time to comment.