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Date: 25 Sep 2021 11:03 Title: Afterword
What an epic marathon of a saga you've created here, Star Trek or otherwise. A really impressive accomplishments. I may have been prolific over my years of writing my own niche of fan fiction, but I'm not sure I have undertaken anything on this scale, of such a consistently high level of quality over such a relatively short period of time.
That's really what impressed me the most. There is, no doubt, a lot of great, high quality fan fiction out there I admire greatly, but much of it is limited and takes a long time to develop, then there is a lot of writing produced quickly with mediocre results.
Hunter is truly the best of both worlds. As with any Trek fan fic, I didn't alway agree with your choices of what is or isn't canon or your interpretation of the Trek universe, but I respected all of them because, at the end of the day, you really made them work for the story you wanted to tell.
For me, when I read fan fiction my two most important ingredients are usually story and characters, and Hunter delivers on both, and then some.
Congratulations on this outstanding accomplishment and as to the question more from you in the future, either Hunter or other Trek, the answer is a resounding, yes please!
Author's Response:
Thanks for the kind words! It was (and unfortunatley remains) a bit of an obsession.
At the moment I'm developing a story around the blue wizards, but I'm far from beginning to set ink (or pixels) to it.
STH was a great learning exercise in how to develop a long form story. I'd really like to try to create something marketable - hopefully with some sponsorship. But the old model of geting an agent and a contract is probably no more viable in writing that it is in music. So I'm investigating going with the Patreon route.
I can't really do that with Trek - but unfortunately, I do have another Trek cast and story banging about in my head and probably more formed than any of my other writing ideas.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 22 Sep 2021 20:34 Title: Episode 28.8: The Covenant - Shall I Brush Your Teeth For You?
Oh Q you good old, incorrigible rascal, you. Savior of humannity or prankster and personal torturer? Who can ever tell.
Nice touch to go out with a little homage to one of Trek's most memorable adversaries. So memorable in fact, I hear TBTB had the same idea.
Author's Response:
"Savior of humannity or prankster and personal torturer?"
Yes.
Glad you enjoyed this bizarre little series!
I've been thinking about writing either a Scooby Doo/TAPS/Ghostbusters mashup (all original - just borrowing themes from those shows) or something about the blue wizards (again, all original.)
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 20 Sep 2021 20:22 Title: Episode 28.7: The Covenant - The Captain of the U.S.S. Hunter
Boles in the center seat? Yeah, I guess that makes sense.
Something I certainly wouldn't have said a half a den or so stories ago when we first met this brash half Bolian.
Great character development has been a hallmark of this saga.
Author's Response:
Thanks for the kind words - I definitely wanted each character to have a unique arc. People change. Change is the only constant.
If I were to continue the series, it would continue with Napoleon (it's Star Trek Hunter, not Star Trek Irons or Star Trek Dolphin.) He might be a more interesting character as he has far more pernicious demons than his predicessors (who both did have their demons.) Irons and Dolphin were both aristocrats. Boles is from an aristocratic family, but he's an outcast who attended the school of hard knocks.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 19 Sep 2021 10:52 Title: Episode 28.6: The Covenant - Same As It Ever Was
Not sure I mentioned this before, but I do really like this Borg origin story. The notion that a machine race is created to create some sort of massive structure and then over time forgets its programming, or maybe, it become corrupted, is both intriguing and believable.
Now, how to make sure it doesn't happen again? Invonovic knows that history likes to repeat itself.
Author's Response:
I'm really pleased that you like this thread - it's been listed as a ST no-no - never explain the borg...
Definitely valuable to have Ivonovic where he is - given his history he's not about to trust anyone - certainly not the newly crowned King of the Borg.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 18 Sep 2021 11:04 Title: Episode 28.5: The Covenant - New Assignments
Small chapter, big bombshells.
Not only is Dolphin moving on to bigger things, and possibly spelling the end of the Hunter series in its current format. But he's having offspring? With different people? That's gonna mean some possibly awkward family dynamics.
Author's Response:
It's enough to give a guy a nervous breakdown... And George Dolphin will be older than his uncles - that's never not weird.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 16 Sep 2021 20:26 Title: Episode 28.4: The Covenant - Rearranging the Deck Chairs
Talk about the long game.
This entire plan, from start to finish, was one of the most ambitious projects in galactic history, it seems, not to mention a prime example of the ends justifying the means.
Always a difficult proposition especially if you are one of the billions being sacrificed.
Tough pills to swallow all around.
Author's Response:
All based on vulcan ethics: The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few. The founding principle of Section 31.
Which sounds nice - until you put it into practice.
You can imagine what would be necessary to convince people living in Roddenberry's paradise to make such enormous sacrifices when we can't even get Americans to make the relatively painless sacrifices needed to ameliorate climate change.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 14 Sep 2021 20:22 Title: Episode 28.3: The Covenant - The Dolphins of Hawaii
All of a sudden the seemingly mostly theoretical notion of people turning into Borg for 20 years has become very real and personal for Dolphin.
Great little scene here despite it very nearly turning into a beer commercial in the end.
Author's Response:
Star Trek Hunter is brought to you by:
Corona: The champaign of beers;
And by the Traveling Breweries of the Romulan Star Navy, bringing a new generation of Romulan Ale to an appreciative galaxy...
Stay thirsty, my friend.
Glad you enjoyed this one - Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 12 Sep 2021 14:23 Title: Episode 28.2: The Covenant - King Prometheus
My first question here is: How? My second and third question are also, how?
I mean, that's quite something. Every single planet in the galaxy, no matter their level of technology? And the whole Organian you-can-no-longer-do-battle thing?
The technology and complexity to pull this off is mind boggling. The impact on countless societies is probably immeasurable. But, if this works, the galaxy survives. That's worth it.
It'll be a very different galaxy afterwards, however, I wager.
Also, sharing existential information in cartoon form? Hysterical. Reminds me of the recent Loki show. Although I wonder if there aren't societies out there who may consider cartoons, or any kind of filmed medium like that offensive or otherwise inappropriate.
Author's Response:
Another reader referred to this scene as "toon-splainin'.." The Doctor's new bedside manner...
Not every planet - just a majority of those in the Alpha and parts of the Beta quadrants - which are the only areas under threat. And only those innocents that are in Federation or other available databases and have sufficient technology for the borg to cannibalize.
The Collective Rannaisance happened about 3 months before the onset of the Klingon War. The Doctor has had 6 months to put partially assimilated (borg on the inside only) agents in place, infect viewers and ships with nanites and cannibalize local tech to create shield emitters where needed. Assisted by the ultra-fast Minerva and four people capable of instantaneous travel... It's not magic - just a LOT of work and creative use of borg-tech. The Borg Queen just didn't have the Doctor's diabolical imagination.
Of course, with no shortage of assimilated klingon and romulan engineers, it was easy to cloak the borg cubes so no one notice their arrival.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 07 Sep 2021 20:17 Title: Episode 28.1: The Covenant - Collective Renaissance
It's good to have a plan.
Also, about time the Borg came up with a more efficient way to assimilate. shudder.
Also, also: Giant vacccum cleaner in space? I'm not even going to say what that reminds me of.
Author's Response:
Another reader told me this scene gave her nightmares about the borg. The Borg Queen was a bit of a drama queen - she relished the terror the borg created. She loved toying with Data and Janeway - which ended badly for her in both cases.
This new Borg King means business...
Glad you got a kick out of the vacuum cleaner sequence - I was thinking of the Sea of Monsters sequence from Yellow Submarine.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 07 Sep 2021 20:09 Title: Episode 28: The Covenant
Loving these little philosophical snippets and this one courtesy Admiral Janeway is another good one. Makes sense that she would write a book about them considering her experiences.
Author's Response:
Thanks for the kind words! Glad these little intros hit. This one would have to have been written a few years before this story as we now know why the borg were created.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 04 Sep 2021 11:48 Title: Episode 27.22: Sword of Destiny - Su'
LOL.
I was thinking the Organians are at it again. But this feel more like something out of Hitchhiker's Guide.
Hysterical.
Author's Response:
Hang on to your hat...
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 04 Sep 2021 11:46 Title: Episode 27.21: Sword of Destiny - vIt
One sword to rule them all ...
It's amazing how many LOTR themes you've incorporated in this story. Wittingly or not. Maybe that's also a reflection on the many great, and universally true themes in Tolkien.
And talking about critical themes. Let's all just stop fighting each other and face the true environmental crisis that threatens us all.
Author's Response:
I did deliberately include a lot of Tolkien themes - in part to avoid accidentally including them. There's an awful lot of DUNE in STH as well (starting with my imaginary book quotes at the start of each episode).
Those gamma waves have been the story all along...
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 04 Sep 2021 11:36 Title: Episode 27.20: Sword of Destiny - jolpat
This was pretty intense. Couldn't help but feel immensely sorry for poor Hopper. I mean, you just practically invented new types of pain this chapter. Hair pain? That's not even a thing.
I guess it might be if you're using a centuries old, poorly calibrated molecular transporter. I'm with Bones. I'll take a shuttle, thank you very much.
Author's Response:
She'll be telling her grandkids... Forget walking uphill barefoot in the snow to get to school...
In the background of this story is the truce that Messick negotiated that has the klingons taking over the Regar Sea enviornmental restoration project in the middle of a war - so while they're killing each other on the battlefield at the same time klingons, romulans, vulcans and humans are working together to try to save an ocean...
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 02 Sep 2021 19:49 Title: Episode 27.19: Sword of Destiny - chal
Ah, Love and War. I like this b-plot. Filled with good humor and a nice reprieve from the slaughter and death taking place all around.
Author's Response:
Glad you enjoyed the respite - it was definitely time for it. Ep 27 is some heavy sledding.
The story gets a little stranger from here...
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 01 Sep 2021 20:02 Title: Episode 27.18: Sword of Destiny - 'Iw
Well, that deescalated quickly.
Bit of a tough read there at first, with things looking rather bleak, unti a rather unexpected and unconventional beheading.
Did not see that coming.
Author's Response:
Neither did Mor'rgoth. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy...
Glad you stuck through for the dismount - Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 31 Aug 2021 19:52 Title: Episode 27.17: Sword of Destiny - 'ul
This is the story for old school aviation enthusiasts. First we have ultralight gliders and now blimps? Da Vinci would be proud.
Glad to see Hopper back and hopeful she makes it out of yet another jam she finds herself in.
Author's Response:
Things that can fly low and slow... Glad you're enjoying - and thanks again for the reviews! rbs
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Date: 30 Aug 2021 14:00 Title: Episode 27.16: Sword of Destiny - puv
Gotta give the Klingon kudos for amending their battle strategy so quickly.
Although ultralight aircraft versus huge birds with fricken laser beams mounted to their beaks? Sounds like no contest to me.
Never count out Klingons though, I guess.
Where are those handy interceptors when you need'em?
Author's Response:
Using interceptors would be like hunting peregrin falcons with a Harrier... It might be possible, but it would get rather frustrating. Especially if the falcons were shooting back.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 30 Aug 2021 13:55 Title: Episode 27.15: Sword of Destiny - Qo'noS luchenmoH
I'm gonna go ahead and admit that I'm not a huge fan of Klingons but:
“We killed our gods. They were troublesome.”
Is an awesome line and so perfeclty encapsulates them. I wonder if that sentiment is based on any real life cultures or societies.
Also enjoyed the point of view of the Klingon guard here, an unlikely hero of this story.
Author's Response:
Glad you enjoyed my klingon heroine... l'SaH will return...
Not sure if any human culture claims to have killed their gods, but the reference comes from the klingon wedding ceremony in DS9 "You Are Cordially Invited." Easily my favorite highlight of klingon culture.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 30 Aug 2021 13:49 Title: Episode 27.14: Sword of Destiny - pum Hegh
It's Star Trek but with Orcs.
Or maybe Lord of the Rings: Star Trek Edition. Complete with a last-minute save by the Eagles .... I mean the nikamsitiri.
And while I have to say, I appreciate a bit of drama, methinks Hokitha could've just come out and shared the most important part of the plan with the lowly humans.
Also, I'm still debating the wisdom of naming your combat unit after a race of creatues who usually get routed. Are we sure these marines have actually read Tolkien?
Author's Response:
Marines are more into badass World of Warcraft hero orcs than wimpy D&D orcs... I totally didn't get the connection of the nikimsitiri with the eagles - that's a complete forehead-slapper. I suppose I should have added a pack of feral klingon targs and it would have been the battle of 5 armies...
Yeah - Hokitha's no fan of humanity and totally frosted by this alliance thing.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 24 Aug 2021 19:54 Title: Episode 27.13: Sword of Destiny - may' tlhop
That's some valuable insight into the state of the Klingon Empire and it's new leader.
I hope th'Stavin wasn't keeping these nuggets of wisdom and intelligence to himself. At least Chekov seemed to have been fully aware of the situation.
Author's Response:
You caught me red-handed expositioning... Yeah, Ivonovic would probably have gotten this analysis much earlier in the game. It was just the right moment to reveal it to the reader for narrative purposes.
I've thought about trying to present it a better way - but evidently not hard enough..
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 23 Aug 2021 19:59 Title: Episode 27.12: Sword of Destiny - HIv chegh
For a moment I thought that maybe the tide of war may be turning. That ominous final sentence made me reconsider.
I like the idea of a battle between Romulans and Klingons being an essential stalemate with no real fighting going on, since both sides wold constantly coak.
It also reminds me how unKlingon the whole clocking device thing seems for a race so obsessed with honor.
Author's Response:
I can't remember if it was Julian or Dax who made that observation in DS9, to which Worf responded, "There is no greater honor than victory.."
Glad you appreciate the stalemate - and now, thanks to the romulans, Star Fleet can play that game too.
The klingon heroes emerge in the 3rd act of this episode... They're not the ones cloaking and decloaking.
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 22 Aug 2021 11:05 Title: Episode 27.11: Sword of Destiny - yav raD
Can't wait for the USS Hobbit and the USS Mordor to make an appearance.
Don't think I like these odds. Conventional military wisdom tends to favor a shock and awe approch with superior numbers. Advantage: Kilngons. At least for now.
Author's Response:
Alas, there is no shortage of marines to send, but woefully inadequate resources to safely land them... The orcs have one big advantage they don't know about yet...
I came up with the idea when looking at galaxiy names (as all the Milky Way's sister ships are named for galaxies) and stumbled across the Eye of Sauron galaxy. I had already named General Mor'rgoth, so it seemed appropriate to send Sauron's Orcs to challenge him..
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 19 Aug 2021 19:51 Title: Episode 27.10: Sword of Destiny - weq 'ej qet
Is it plunder if it's one of your own?
Regardless, tense battle scene. Taking down the Klingon heavy was a good victory but it came at a high price. Not sure if that strategy is sustainable.
Liked the bit about the Orion vixen bewitching Alstars. There ought to be some regulations around that.
Author's Response:
I'm really gratified that the hopelessness of their victory comes through.
Also glad you enjoyed Auqa’rh’lth. Not sure the vanagraxiline is working if she can get an 80 year old man to stand up. And she is right about the size of his.. brain...
The orcs are about to show up...
Thanks again for the reviews!! rbs
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Date: 17 Aug 2021 19:36 Title: Episode 27.9: Sword of Destiny - T'May
RIP Enterprise.
Not exactly the most glorious end for the 7th ship to bear that legendary name.
Author's Response:
Destroyed 6 klingon war ships in one running battle and birthed a star. Not much fun for her crew, but memorable...
Thanks!! rbs
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Date: 16 Aug 2021 19:18 Title: Episode 27.8: Sword of Destiny - 'aj
If you can't count one one thing in Hunter, besides the top notch writing and unexpected narrative shifts, it's promotions.
Actually, I halfway expected this to be much more drastic after the way the commandant set up her little speech. Perhaps something along the lines of take no prisoners, fight to the last man, and a total war approach. Well, day's young.
Author's Response:
Fighting to the last man isn't really Old Possum-Chicken's style. But he is about to make his captains do something they really don't want to do... And infuriate just about everyone in the process.
Thanks for the plug about the writing quality! rbs