Date: 17 Nov 2009 05:02 Title: Chapter 1
"Ham and Dregs"...yes, that sounds like something the cocky-as-hell AOS Kirk would say! AOS Kirk, to me, is a very broken and tragic character--he could've been so much more, as we know, but he is WAY behind in character development compared to his TOS self.
I also think you nailed AOS Pike and all the reasons I love him, too. I could SO picture him saying, "We have got to stop meeting like this!" and that knowing little smile on his face. And that comment about what a great way Kirk had of making friends and winning people over. (Though I keep thinking, "make friends and influence people. ;-) )
I like how you present Pike as able to match Kirk tit-for-tat, too. Kirk may be this supposed intellect, but Pike's every bit his match and a hell of a lot more mature as a person, too. (To me, it wasn't just his gravitas that got my attention. If I am not mistaken, he got a doctorate. In the ACADEMY. While everyone else was on their bachelor's!)
A shame Kirk didn't seem to have listened very hard to this conversation. (If ANYBODY in that entire movie got through to him, though, it was TOS Spock...I think maybe the mind-meld did him a little good by forcing him to take a good, hard look at who he should have been.)
Author's Response: The first time I watched the movie, what bugged me most was precisely Kirk's attitude--that arrogance! Sure, TOS Kirk was all that (and more), but *he* deserved to be, considering where he was and what he'd accomplished so far. But Young!Kirk? Nah. He definitely needed a good talking-to, and who better than the Resident Grownup, Captain Pike? Thanks for the feedback!
Date: 03 Jun 2009 20:00 Title: Chapter 1
Flying leg kicks. You funny. Good tale that covers some interesting ground in kirk's development. You seem to be staking out the Abramverse for yourself and doing well at it.
Author's Response: Thanks! After a recent fallow period, I do seem to be finding a lot of inspiration in the movie (although I still think of myself primarily as a VOY writer). I'm glad you liked the story.
Date: 02 Jun 2009 17:55 Title: Chapter 1
Heh heh! Gibraltar's right on the money about that last line being a classic. I liked too, the other allusion to TOS, when Pike speaks of Mitchell for example. Another example of how this timeline is distorted. Means interesting things can happen.
Pike has Kirk nailed. He knows this kid's potential to do great and his potential to screw it all up. The dialogue is smart, witty and quick and very much I could picture Pine and Greenwood saying those lines. So it has the feel of the new movie and yet also adds depth and further character to Kirk and co. As have your other Alternate Original Timeline stories.
Hope to see more of them, as such writing and world building helps to validate the movie and the whole fan warfare over it. More of it to this standard will right a lot of wrongs. But asides from that, a terrific tale in its own right. A story to stand by its own merits, the character dialogue and interaction and the importance of Pike on Kirk's career is more than interesting to read.
Author's Response: I'm a long-time fan of TOS (since it was the only game in town) and I liked the movie for the loving homage they displayed toward the grand originals (the dialogue, so many other little touches) while at the same time truly updating and making it more accessible. I understand a lot of fans have been pretty upset, but for me it's opened up a lot of possibilities. I find the similarities/divergences fascinating to play with, and I'm glad to hear I've been successful so far! This new Kirk *does* have a lot of potential, and at the same time he needs someone to deliver a smack-down, give guidance as needed so he can develop into the hero he's meant to be. And Pike fills that role admirably. Thanks for your feedback!
Date: 02 Jun 2009 13:48 Title: Chapter 1
The second Come-to-Jesus meeting with Captain Pike that Kirk's recklessness demands. You've captured him perfectly here, the cocksure swagger, the self-absorption, the holier-than-thou attitude, all the things that were tempered and channeled in his original universe counterpart.
Here's for making up lost time. Pike's line about Kirk having any real friends really hit home. 'Yeah, aside from the burnout divorcee, do you have any friends?'
Oh, and that last line... freakin' classic!
Author's Response: That's the one thing that really bugged me about the new Kirk, the incredible arrogance and swagger but with very little reason for it. What has he done up to now to deserve to have this kind attitude, after all? And who better to deliver the smack-down than my new favorite captain. Glad you liked the last line! That's also something missing in this new Kirk, at least so far...