Date: 31 Dec 2011 02:31 Title: The Nature of the Beast
This was very dark, but still full of hope. Almost like predicted by Bashir and those other "enhanced "ones.
It might work as a horror-story as well; humans and cardassians turned into a new kind of Vorta-race...
Author's Response:
It was partly inspired by that prediction.
The Cardassians weren't affected by the Graft, though--only the humans. But the Vorta and such mistakenly thought they could use Cardassians and the...well, I guess you could call them Cardassiohumans...in the same way. Except they were wrong. Their supposed servants actually did still have their free will, even though they thought differently.
Glad you liked it, and thanks for the review!
[Report This]Date: 23 May 2010 02:38 Title: The Nature of the Beast
An interesting glimpse into a reality that would resemble a world where Nazi Germany won out. I'm curious as how much was inspired by the "Jack Pack's" projections in "Statistical Probabilities" that the Dominion would win the war one way or another, but then be permanently vanquished five generations later.
Author's Response:
Ahh, but the Jack Pack was still just as wrong as the Dominion was when they assumed that the Graft was going to permanently control their new subjects--both altered human, and Cardassian. ;-) The first generation (to which the narrator is a member) had adult children...in most cases though, their grandchildren would have been nowhere near old enough to fight. Only about 50 years passed between the Dominion victory and their defeat at the hands of the "Cardassiohuman" and Cardassian rebels.
Thank you for reading, and I'm glad you liked it! :-)
[Report This]Date: 15 Jan 2010 23:32 Title: The Nature of the Beast
(Copied from TrekBBS)
Wow! This is an amazing story, Nerys, a fantastic glimpse into a chilling universe where being human no longer means what it once did. I think you perfectly captured the voice of your narrator, allowing him to slowly unveil the horrors that had been perpetrated by the Dominion and yet still providing hints as to the moral dilemma they now face. I also love the little nods to other things, most especially the little throw away paragraph about the Romulans and how the Dominion actually saved Romulus where the Federation failed.
A truly chilling, beautifull written story, that I'm proud to imagine was inspired even a little by my story last month (although I have having read it that this is all you, all the way)
Well done!
Author's Response:
When I saw the conflict playing out in the mind of your Vorta, Peekar, I imagined the same thing happening across the entire human species, and that's where the idea of the Graft came from. And then, when I realized how long it was likely to take to defeat the Dominion, I then wound up with that dilemma...because what do you tell all of the children born since then, or who were too young to really remember what it was like before the Graft? Even knowing the human race is altered--it seems like there's a very real question of whether it would be doing the same thing in reverse if the older generation decided they wanted to reverse the Graft but not all of the younger ones felt like they actually had anything *wrong* with them.
The Dominion saved Romulus...but I am not sure if any ROMULANS even lived there anymore. Considering that star was sitting on a subspace rift (in my fanon explanation of how one nova could threaten an entire GALAXY), I figured they'd have to do something about it no matter what.
Thank you very, very much again. Seriously, this story would not have ever been born without you!
[Report This]Date: 14 Jan 2010 21:03 Title: The Nature of the Beast
That story was fairly horrifying and chilling, yet ended on such a note of hope (albeit a sad, bewildered kind of hope). Well done!
Author's Response:
Thanks...and wow, you really nail how the ending felt for me to write. They won, they've kicked the Dominion out...but they're not themselves by the old standards, anymore. And I felt like there was a very real ethical question, since the effect of the Graft has not actually hurt the generations born in that time, whether or not it's right to alter them against their will. Would it be doing what the Dominion did, but in reverse? After (about) 45 years, is it too late to go back?
Date: 14 Jan 2010 20:51 Title: The Nature of the Beast
Impressive Nerys. For a myriad universe this is even a take on the SigCat universe. Firstly, I was surprised at the human POV - Nerys doesn't write humans! I know a BIG generalisation and no-no considering our main hero in Unions and Sigils is Mike Spirodolus. However, it became quickly clear that this 'human' POV wasn't human but it was and then the graft comes into the picture. Wow. Now that's a clever take on what the Dominion would do. And it is feasible in that they do try such approaches and would see such value in keeping humans around. Quite a take on things. A unique and impressive take on things and therefore the POV is unique - a human seeing things and trying to explain things in a Cardassian way. I love how you explain the Cardassian instinct and then later how one can move beyond it by seeking a higher more legitimate authority. Terrific.
Apart from the perspective, it is just a sweeping tale, epic in the scale and breath of the story. Engaging and solid. One would almost want to see a further fleshed out version but similarly this tale captured it quite succiently that the need isn't there - only the want for one! Ha! Well done Nerys.
Author's Response:
Our hero in this story is definitely...very different. He remembers what he used to be, and in his memories and his habits from before the Graft he expects it--I imagine it kind of diminished over time as he had to live with the hierarchical instinct longer, but he's always going to remember that he was not born that way. It's a very odd, crossed sort of perspective to write from, that's for sure.
I imagined that if the Dominion was going to keep a species alive, they would for SURE want to have a control mechanism. That seems to be their way: they either kill, or they alter. Or at least what they THOUGHT was going to be a control mechanism...in this universe, I think Dukat hung on as a leader a lot longer, and Damar never went through his hero's journey--hence, no rebellion then, and the Dominion never really realized that they were in fact playing with fire.
As for our hero and the other people with him, I'd say they don't move beyond the Graft-caused instinct so much as they subvert it, turn it towards their purpose.
Thank you so much for reading! This was quite a trip--but I think after this, I'll be happy to go back to Sigils and SigCat! ;-)