Reviewer: Miranda Fave Signed [Report This]
Date: 23 May 2009 12:57 Title: Birth Of A Notion

A really well written story. A wonderful examination of Eddington's choice to betray his oath and why he made the move to support the Maquis cause. Furthermore, you didn't beat it over our heads. Instead, through Eddington's eyes we are introduced to Sullivan and her world.

Great scenery setting of this colony world, struggling to make an honest living and being determined to hold on to their way of life despite the shoddy treatment by the Federation. Such a tale interests me and it is nice to see womeone explore it in part.

Nice too how we see the Federation as painted through these people's eyes. From their perspective, they are given short thrift by the Federation's decision to cede these worlds to the Cardassian Union. Knowing all too well the possible dangers it will entail for any settlers who decide to remain.

For the hard working, tough and gritty people of this world, like Sullivan, the fact they have invested so much means to say they would find it inordinartly difficult to up sticks and leave all they have worked so hard to create behind. Even with all of the obvious dangers they would face by remaining. Sullivan talks about how they were ready to fight for their right but only at the end does she realise the cost of that belief. A belief that brought much death and destruction to her world.

For a story dealing with the messy politics and morality surrounding the decisions of the Federation to cede this world, the Starfleet crew to try and impress upon the settlers to leave and yet abandon them at the same time to their fate, the decisions and actions of the settlers themselves, and the actions of the Cardassians, it avoided being wordy and bogged down in such mire.

The conversation, or heated exchanges, between Eddington and Sullivan, first of sounded real and convincing. This made them immensely readable and moved the story along at a neat pace and yet allowed for rumination on the matters raised. The conversation was clipped and sharp and made some very exacting point scoring against the Federation.

As Eddington tried to rebutt Sullivan's charges, his answers failed to convince Sullivan, nor do I think he convinced himself very much as he continued. So even before the caves at the end I think Eddington had started to doubt Starfleet's line and questioned a different calling. I like that the transformation however was not immediate. It took a year for him to dwell on matters, to see how well the Federation's policy had worked out and then to see the devastation wraught by the Cardassians on Panora.

So again, a well written story with a lot of thought and heart in it. The examination of Eddington's choices and the Maquis cause was enlightening. The Maquis were always a rich vein of material and helped to show the Federation and Starfleet in all its colours. Both good and bad. Similarly, Eddington can be shown as a betrayer but similarly is upholding the ideals of trying to protect htose unablet o protect themselves. Dark with light, good with bad. The exploration of the grey areas and this difficult issue always requires a deft handlling and a compassionate heart but one that sees the rights and wrongs of all parties involved. I believe you did so very well with skill and subtlety. We done.

Author's Response: Thank you so much for your very thorough analysis of the story! It's always nice to see that a reader really *gets* the points we're trying to make.

Reviewer: Gibraltar Signed [Report This]
Date: 20 May 2009 17:43 Title: Birth Of A Notion

A troubling look at the aftermath of the Federation's decisions and the Cardassians' betrayal.  After having to stomach such horrors, Eddington's joining the Maquis makes more sense.  I was glad to see Sullivan survived, and it wasn't until I looked her up on Memory Alpha that I remembered that she had married Michael shortly before her capture.

Well written, visceral, and compelling.

Author's Response: The whole Maquis story, and their betrayal by all The Powers That Be, is a really hard-hitting series of events. I'm glad I was able to capture that for you.