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Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 23 Dec 2022 00:22 Title: Chapter 20

Zeischt: “Why are you explaining all this as if I’m not already aware of the consequences?”

A’lasha: "Plot exposition..." Points at the 4th wall...

Really interesting stakes and a quandry worthy of Section 31 - sacrificing thousands of innocents to save billions of innocents.

Looks like Raffele's intelligence is starting to pay off. Really superb political analysis and the best argument for taking the high road. 

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 20 Dec 2022 00:18 Title: Chapter 19

Holy Cybel unleashed! Now that was one big can of whoop-ass she opened on the slavers...

And finally a glimpse into Zeischt and what he's been up to all this time. And it sounds like he's been making rock soup. (What you do when you have nothing to eat but rocks.) He's really not been much of a happy guy. For a moment, maybe, with the Amon, but it looks like that moment is long gone.

So if Z and crew didn't invite Star Fleet into the LMZ... who did? And why? No doubt someone wanting to upset the apple cart Zeischt has been trying to build - and it looks like they've succeeded...

Very fun read - Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 08 Dec 2022 05:57 Title: Chapter 18

And fantastic critter design on Chen-Oo-Vu. I'm quite envious - you've really come up with a fascinating array of quite alien species and it marks yours as the most diverse Trek-verse I've encountered yet. COV is also a really interesting character in his own right without all the alien attributes. 

I'm glad to see Juneau return even as a quite gruesome ghoul to haunt Rameriz. I'm wondering if she's another feature of this LMC or something attached to Rameriz. Interesting that she chose this late moment to reveal herself. It is quite a ghoulish little galaxy.

I'm very much hoping there's more of this story. Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 08 Dec 2022 05:43 Title: Chapter 17

Looks like both halves of the Valhalla are in deep kimshi. Really liking the psychological angles of both Rameriz and Cybel as they take command. Clearly the best choice available in both cases, but far from optimal. There's also the cybel of three Cybels - going to be a busy reintegration. 

I suspect Zeist has spared the saucer further attacks for the moment, meanwhile something really quite nasty is bedeviling the other half. Another very interesting critter in this LMC environment full of rather nasty, desperate characters.

I hadn't remarked on it before, but it's an interesting coincidence that we both created new ship models on which the separated saucer can travel at warp 4 (you haven't encountered the U.S.S. Ark yet...) Great minds and all that...

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 29 Nov 2022 03:33 Title: Chapter 16

The best plans fall apart in contact with the enemy and Izawa's plan wasn't even a good one. He's going to have to come up with much better to justify remaining in command. And now Rameriz has come full circle - taking the post she was posthumously promoted to in extremis - after having been a renegade. Hers has been one wild ride.

Really nice critter design on the Kan-Uut and especially the Caezieg. Not a huge surprise that they were killing instead of simply enslaving for the benefit of the Amon - but which branch of the Amon?

Either way, Izawa has a whole lot of "I told you so" waiting for him when he wakes up...

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 16 Nov 2022 01:08 Title: Chapter 15

Izawa's judgement is definitely impaired. He might need more firepower than he thinks he does. 

At least he has two captains to watch what he does... That could turn out to be a far more valuable resource than all the weapons in Valhalla. 

Really enjoying seeing this side of Izawa and also the recovering Rameriz.

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 11 Nov 2022 07:57 Title: Chapter 14

Looks like Valhalla's crew woke something else along with Captain Abrahamson. 

Really enjoying how weird and random the LMC is - the setting lends itself to really odd encounters and experiences far outside of what the franchise has shown within the Milky Way. It's a place short on resources, but long on mysteries.

Very nice to get inside a Deltan's head - of course it's not just the reader that's in there with her..

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 08 Nov 2022 09:26 Title: Chapter 13

“Ssshit,” added Ressessk. .... Nicely done - you've been saving that one up with all the ssibilance of this character's speech patterns. 

“Schrödinger’s crew.”  - another knee-slapper... Liking the description of the anachronistic uniforms and personality style of the shipcicle's captaincicle. 

And the LMC coughs up yet another mystery - several, counting the return of Zeischt. He just keeps making mortal enemies wherever he goes...

I'm really liking the entire concept of the LMC. Nice weird little corner of the universe - sort of in the Milky Way's back yard.

Thanks!! rbs

 

 

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 05 Nov 2022 02:58 Title: Chapter 12

Really liking the personal growth in Maddox. I think Brian Brophy would really enjoy bringing this version of Maddox to life. Liking the relationship between Maddox and Raffaelle - an interesting character especially because of his flaws.

So Section 31's a goner? Yeah, I'm with Cybel on that one. Conspiracies that deeply rooted always come back. Except for the Knights Templar - those guys have been toast for centuries...

Izawa's tendency toward confirmtion bias regarding S31 has to be unsettling to Cybel. That's a particularly deadly intellectual disease.

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 05 Nov 2022 02:45 Title: Chapter 11

So it looks like Sandhurst is leaving interesting messages in interesting places.

The namulkai strike me as this weird sort of super-evolved pakled - evolved into energy signatures but somehow still dumber than electric fenceposts. If that's their actual nature, it would be a rather biting commentary on our traditional views of evolution as advancement. Perhaps more poignant as our culture seems determined to devolve before our eyes.

Cybel seems to be laying some interesting groundwork with Rameriz. Lots of interesting threads advancing in this scene.

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 03 Nov 2022 19:37 Title: Chapter 10

Well that's a bundle of news... Here's hoping Rameriz doesn't relapse into her baroness alter-ego. Very much liking Izawa's character as you reveal him, one decision at a time. Old characters are fun to write, given the layers of experience and richness of learning over such time.

Really nice job with both Cybal's and Rameriz's grief - well emoted.

Thanks!! rbs

 

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 28 Oct 2022 23:09 Title: Chapter 9

Not so surprisingly amenable... This galaxy seems to run on scant resources. Really liking the idea that - since the Trek Milky Way is filled with lots of humanoids living in very similar environments, this dwarf galaxy operates by different general rules. And loving the descriptions of the various striking aliens:

"an orange stalk of asparagus atop a terran octopus"

Oh - and a captured baroness - I'm sure she's no more dangerous than the captured Lar'ragos turned out to be...

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 22 Oct 2022 06:21 Title: Chapter 8

I'm wondering how old those romulans are - could they be native to this galaxy? 

Several things to like here in the setup - particularly scarcity of resources. If our heroes are to get on here, they need to determine what the economic limiter is. And watch out... Desparate people can go through cultural and technological change very quickly. 

Valhalla's precarious political position is interesting too. 

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 16 Oct 2022 10:00 Title: Chapter 7

Talk about being married to your work...

Really nice detail about the constantly evolving language. Languages evolve. Any language of an AI species that can communicate at machine speeds should, logically, evolve at those speeds. From the Venerable Bede to Shakespear in a weekend.

And a chuckle at the XO reprimanding the chief engineer - one partition of the computer to another.

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 13 Oct 2022 03:27 Title: Chapter 6

Really nice detail regarding the holo-Cybel vs. android-Cybel. In this circumstance, having that option becomes very useful, but it's interesting that such an extravagance was considered. Of course, it provides her unique options for remote operations.

The critter design for the cyber-aliens is even more interesting. So now they're going to back off and be cautious... Does that mean the aliens will be?

Quite enjoying the Raffaele character - definitely adds spice to this menagerie.

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 11 Oct 2022 06:05 Title: Chapter 5

Underestimating an apparently pre-warp civilization... Yeah, Star Fleet doesn't do that every Tuesday. Quite a scene with the Cybal android - maybe some new failsafes need to be built into the next upgrade. Here's hoping the sarcastic Raffaele isn't harmed too badly.

Interesting critter design with the cyber-aliens. As complex as they are, it seems a bit of a coincidence they chose just this moment to retrieve a shuttle.

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 10 Oct 2022 04:01 Title: Chapter 4

"But our mandate was to seek out new life... and there it was, aboard our own ship." Nice echo of Measure of a Man - with the antagonist of that episode just a few meters away in the next room.

“Oh, goody,” enthused Raffaele, clapping his hands. “Fun with the Prime Directive!”

Always up for a PD storyline. There has to be all sorts of blowback from the attack on the Shul'Nazar station. To be diverted away from it so quickly - it's really odd that it doesn't seem to have reqcted to their presence. Quite the mysterious place.

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 05 Oct 2022 20:51 Title: Chapter 3

Really enjoying the political angle. Shame about Ebnal rotting in prison, but at least he made it back to home base. Also likeing the theme that some people will bend and break the rules to do what must be done. That sort rarely does well when the rule of law reasserts itself.

Also quite interesting Raffaele's reflection on the ship's soul.

Seems that few SF captains fancy the title Rear Admiral (Lower Half). The seem to long for the title Commodore instead. 

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 27 Sep 2022 08:50 Title: Chapter 2

A cybernetic avitar instead of a holographic one... interesting congruity between Cybel and Hunter. There's got to be a hell of a backstory here...

Liking these shorter installments (thought I suspect that may be primarily for these introductory chapters.)  Also liking the badinage between the bucket of bolts and the carbon meat sacks.

Thanks!! rbs

Reviewer: Robert Bruce Scott Signed Liked [Report This]
Date: 27 Sep 2022 08:38 Title: Chapter 1

Interesting way to start the story - We leave the battle at the end of the previous installment and show up years later with a new cast of characters (including one that is apparently an android?) to investigate the remains...

Thanks!! rbs

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