Date: 22 Sep 2009 04:13 Title: Chapter 10
That's one hell of a game of chicken they're playing in space. I'm glad to see that these Bajorans may soon have a chance to catch up to the rest of the quadrant, but at what cost? Excellent cliffhanger chapter.
Author's Response:
Much obliged.
Date: 22 Sep 2009 03:58 Title: Chapter 9
There is a lot going on in this chapter. I'm glad that Sandhurst and Pell seem to be getting past what sounds like a very rocky episode in their past.
Loved the ambush scene and Pava's way of getting to the point (in more ways than one). Have to say, I'm liking these Son'a less and less, but the story just keeps getting better!
Author's Response:
Yes, Pava's a good one for ambushing the ambushers. ;) And the Son'a are reaping what they've sewn over many decades.
Thanks for reading.
Date: 05 Sep 2009 02:51 Title: Chapter 7
I had been wondering why those Bajorans seemed to believe that Bajor was still under Cardassian control. The Son'a are playing a really dangerous game here. Dangerous allies can become dangerous enemies at the drop of a hat.
Author's Response:
They can at that. Thanks again for the feedback.
Date: 05 Sep 2009 02:18 Title: Chapter 5
After hearing what happened to provoke all of this, I'm a little less inclined to have much sympathy for the Son'a. Unfortunately, a lot of the people caught in the crossfire are just Son'a pawns. "Briar patch" is a good metaphor for this entire situation, not just the physical area of space. I do love me a morally ambiguous tale. Very interesting development here.
Author's Response:
Too true, the Briar Patch is just filled to the brim with the good, the bad, and the ugly... and the completely innocent as well. As for moral ambiguity, you haven't seen nothin' yet! ;-)
Date: 03 Sep 2009 05:35 Title: Chapter 4
Klingon sarcasm. I love it! Excellent ploy to buy precious time. I always enjoy the tactical thinking in your stories. It rings very true.
Author's Response:
Much obliged. :) It was a fun segment to write, but only a taste of the chaos to come later.
Date: 31 Aug 2009 09:44 Title: Chapter 3
Poor Sandhurst can't seem to catch a break. I have to admit, though, I find myself siding with Ramirez in this, not in that they shouldn't be doing this, but that he should have at least gotten her input. It has been rewarding getting to see their working relationship grow over time and to see Ramirez grow as a person.
Author's Response:
Thanks for the review. Yes, given all they've been through up to this point, Sandhurst and Ramirez still have yet to find a comfortable balance in their working relationship at this point.
Date: 31 Aug 2009 09:31 Title: Chapter 2
Have to say, I enjoyed seeing Ramirez put Riker in his place. Not that I have anything against Riker, but he can be very arrogant at times.
R'Vor is a cunning leader. That was a creative use of the forcefields!
Taut pacing and believable characterization of Picard and Riker. You've got their voices. This was an excellent chapter!
Author's Response:
Much obliged! R'Vor is clever, no doubt, but not clever enough to have come out of that battle the victor.
Date: 29 Aug 2009 04:04 Title: Chapter 1
It feels good returning to the Gibraltar crew. I'm interested to see how Sandhurst has changed after his ordeal. Ramirez continues to come into her own as a force to be reckoned with.
They clearly aren't facing an easy road ahead. You set the stage perfectly for troubled waters to come. I'm looking forward to this new ride.
Author's Response:
Thanks, I'm happy you're delving into Gibraltar's third installment. :) It's going to be a wild ride!
Date: 30 Jul 2009 01:53 Title: Chapter 1
This is one of my favorite Gibraltar stories.
A small Constitution class starship taking on Alshain and Son'a ships of the line, very cool. Showed just how creative and effective a ship commander has become.
Keep up the good work.
Author's Response:
Thanks, it was tricky to write that sequence in such a way as to have Gibraltar come out on top without stretching believability beyond the breaking point. Ultimately, everyone else was so busy fighting each other, they forgot about the starship in the center of the storm. J
Date: 20 Jun 2009 17:36 Title: Chapter 3
This chapter should be called - getting your noise out of joint!
I simply cannot wait to read more!! Liana is lucky to have Sandhurst tolerate her agitation and while understandable to a degree Ramirez seems to be harboring some ill will.
A new CMO get the NP's nose out of joint? *grins* Well...go back to med school! (I'm such beyotch!)
And Pava's nose is literally out of joint! Poor baby. (I will always be overprotective of Pava.)
Author's Response:
Geez, Teri, Issara's growling at you from somewhere in Sickbay. ;-) As for Pava, this isn't the first time his nose has been broken, and I'm fairly certain it won't be the last. Nonetheless, he's grateful you're sympathetic to his boo-boo's. :-D
[Report This]Date: 17 Jun 2009 05:23 Title: Epilogue – Tidying Up
A sweet ending, even if there were a few clouds that passed over it. Overall, this story lives up to the usual impeccable quality you always produce -- swift, tense, but ultimately human and understandable and touching.
Author's Response:
Thank you for the terrific reviews! I very much appreciate your feedback and insights into the story. Like many fanfic writers, feedback is the fuel that keeps me going when the words just don't want to come...
Date: 17 Jun 2009 05:15 Title: Chapter 18
Oh, geez. And puppeteers behind the scenes. Is it bad that it pisses me off that our good people were all basically being manipulated?
Author's Response:
Not at all. I'd rather be worried if it didn't piss you off. A lot of good people on all sided died because of this scheme. However, perhaps the most damning thing of all is that it worked exactly as intended.
Date: 17 Jun 2009 05:00 Title: Chapter 17
Shelby's move was awful and brilliant all at once; Taiee's moment to shine was likewise good. It was nice seeing Picard feeling some kind of hesitation. I know that I'm not always fair to that cast, despite that they are good people. But excellent stuff.
Date: 17 Jun 2009 04:49 Title: Chapter 16
Oh, shit. I wanna comment on Guinan and Pava's talk, and I wanna comment on how cool it is that Donald slapped Picard a few times there, but the War Council? Holy CRAP!!
Author's Response:
Desperation breeds horrific plans, and the Alshain are pretty damn desperate right about now.
Date: 17 Jun 2009 04:34 Title: Chapter 15
Seeing Picard come up to find Sandhurst holding onto the enemy ships made my night. Because, well... I agree with Donald. And I like how they're more capable of dirtying their hands than the TNG cast.
[Report This]Date: 16 Jun 2009 21:07 Title: Chapter 14
Oh, Donald. He owns my SOUL. Seriously, his line: "Welcome aboard the newly rechristened SS Bitter Irony, gentlemen," made me laugh outloud and startle everyone in my living room. The whole coup he pulled. Everything.
Date: 16 Jun 2009 20:59 Title: Chapter 13
Yet more suspense. Sam, you're a cruel man. Pava's hanging to life by threads, tensions are high, the Gibraltar's bridge crew getting their asses handed to them... geez, man! How do you DO this? And for that matter, can I hire you to write something so plotty and suspenseful for me? ;-)
Author's Response:
:blush: Aww... shucks. T'wernt nuthin' ma'am.
Much obliged for the kind words, Steff. :)
Date: 16 Jun 2009 20:46 Title: Chapter 12
Oh, intense. Absurdly intense. The suspense is a killer here, Sam!
Date: 16 Jun 2009 20:39 Title: Chapter 11
Oh, Liana. Her badassery is off the scale too; hopefully, these dopes will listen. I can't picture you killing off Pava, but it should still be awesome how it plays out. I was kinda hoping Sandhurst would go through with his plan regardless, but I can understand why he backed down. Talk about a cluster of a situation here, diplomatically.
Date: 16 Jun 2009 20:22 Title: Chapter 10
More suspense! I love how Donald's handling this approach, and you sure know how to imbue a serious anticipation quality to every chapter you write. Lar'ragos's kind-of regret was nice to see, and naturally, interactions across the board were excellent.
Date: 16 Jun 2009 17:19 Title: Chapter 9
Oh, yes, continued awesome. Pava's badassery was just so cool. The ambush was well done. I fear for our good-guys, because you never pull punches, but it was still just neat to see Pava go badass like that. The first part with Pell and Donald was touching, too; I still wish poor Sandhurst wouldn't have gone through quite all that.
Author's Response:
Much obliged. Yeah, the away team has really stepped in it, and things aren't much better for the ship. And yes, Pava can really be something when sufficiently provoked.
[Report This]Date: 15 Jun 2009 16:40 Title: Chapter 8
Some really excellent moments in this chapter -- Liana and Lightner's exchange made me smile. Screwed-up families indeed. Pava, naturally, was aces; it's good to see him settling back in after his dive into darkness in Geometries. T’Agdi's clever maneuvers (and thoughts) were a treat. Overall, you know how to keep the pace up to something that makes this extremely readable, but also know when to insert a little breather, either by letting us explore the minds of your stellar cast, or stepping back to look at the broad picture.
Author's Response:
Thank you. It was a challenge to juggle the various plot threads and charactes in this piece, but I felt that overall I gave the major players their due... at least that was my intent.
Date: 11 Jun 2009 04:39 Title: Chapter 7
I love the back-and-forth of the Gibraltar's crew. After reading two whole books of them, they start feeling like old friends to me, as well as to each other. So, naturally, the last section of this chapter made me thoroughly happy.
Author's Response:
I'm glad to hear that. That kind of comfortable back-and-forth is what I was aiming for. Thanks.
Date: 11 Jun 2009 04:31 Title: Chapter 6
Wow, that was some real diplomatic pissing contest there, wasn't it? And it was clear who won it, too. More excellent inter-character and inter-species relationships. And for some reason, Pava's humming at the end gave me the chills, and not in any good ways.
Author's Response:
The Federation's walking a very delicate line here, and in the wake of the Dominion War, the UFP is hardly in any position to be dictating terms to the Alshain (or anyone else). That doesn't stop them from the occasional diplomatic maneuver or posturing, though.
Yep, when Pava's humming there's definitely a strong possibilty that ugliness is soon to follow.
Date: 10 Jun 2009 21:53 Title: Chapter 5
Well, it doesn't look like things are getting much better. I was glad to see Juneau, if only because I have a strange fondness for her. Also fascinated by what Taiee was about to go through, what with the simulation. The whole planet destruction thing was badass, in an awful way. And, as usual, the intrigue is high and the writing extremely professional.
Author's Response:
Thanks! And yes, there's both drama onboard Gibraltar here, as well as in the scope of the larger confrontation with the Alshain. I tried to balance those two, but the readers will have to be the judge on how well I pulled it off.