(2250) Niagara Falls, in any universe, still manages to be a tourist trap.
A lovely moment. ::sniffs:: Those two didn't have nearly enough of those. Thank you for giving it to them.
Author's Response: Hee! Thanks. Yes, we don't get enough moments like this of those two. My thought was that there were quite a few during the round-the-world trip, but we didn't get to see that many of them.
I have nothing to say about this-I'll leave all comments up to you readers.I am... speechless. Not only this is a phenomenal interconnection between 4 of the 5 storylines, this is also one hell of a tribute. To Star Trek itself, I'd venture. In what is best in it. Infinite diversity tied together by family ties and senses of duty and love for this family, where no one can be spared and there are no strangers.
Thank you, this was incredibly poignant. On a technical note, I loved the rhythm of the narrating. And the imagery. Thank you indeed for this gem.
Spock reflects on a memory of his mother. Written for my friend Maguena.I have and always will admire your imagery. It's timeless. And so beautiful.
Author's Response: Thank you. I've never been thrilled with this one, but I think it has more to do with how uncertain I am writing Spock. Regardless, I'm always glad when people enjoy it.
Oh. Well, maybe it does give one's brain a sprain, but this was certainly worth the effort! Tragic. And original.
This --
"I believe it would be in my best interest, and in the interests of the Enterprise, if I retired."
--is Art. :-D
Author's Response: Eh, it's a silly piece but if it made people smile, then that's not all too bad a reason to be silly.
Love what you did with the place. ;-)
Author's Response: Thank you! I think. ::grins::
::wants to throttle McCoy, which is normal for her, but is too busy laughing her ass off::
:-D
Author's Response: ::grins:: Thanks.
Mothers... should be prohibited to write. LOL. Just kidding. ;-)
Such a shame their children never knew of this encounter. Might have been embarassing, of course. Then again... cute. ;-)
Author's Response: Why should we? :-P Thank you very much.
I don't think I'll be commenting on whether I learnt it at school... LOL. Good work on assembling it all together in a simple and understandable form.
Author's Response: Thank you!
You know, the love that I wish I could pour over ONOW is limitless. It's a heck of a thing to review though. See, telling you how brilliantly I believe you have captured Scotty would be about as presumptuos (or plain silly) as telling the Sun, 'I so like the way you send your rays down to Earth, I think you're doing it in exactly the right way and you've captured the procedure perfectly.' I don't believe you need to be told this, but it's still hard to check the impulse, because it's so, SO true.
More than *wicked* good characterization, you've created a whole new world in there. I know of many other attempts to make Starfleet Academy setting, both in canon, and in fiction. I have never come across a more defined, more fitting, more sensible way to do it. It echoes with the time it must have been there in the second quarter of the 23d century. In a way, it's reminiscent of the old Navy days, and it so rings true as well. But most importantly, this world of yours is so well-defined, the reader slips into it, like in their own skin, and feels immediately at home. Really, I was no stranger in those classes, quarters, even in Belfast. Not to mention South Bristol. ;-)
But the most amazing thing about this story is its unbelievable suitability for anyone who appreciates a very good read.
Doesn't matter if you're a Trek fan or not. Doesn't matter if you prefer TNG or VOY to TOS. Doesn't matter if you're not into sci-fi at all.
If you enjoy adventure, which might reveal certain things about yourself; character-driven storyline, with characters that are impossible not to immediately sympathyze with; a challenge to what's more important in life: Duty or bonds of friendship; if any of this stirs something within you -- cast out your doubts and read. It's as simple as that. And more rewarding than one can imagine.
Author's Response: Wicked, woman. But thank you very much. I don't know how you coulda possibly given me more to glow over than your original commentary on it, but then you went and did.
There's no easy way for a woman to part with her child, whatever the circumstances. This story is so deep on so many levels. And gender transposition was the last thing on my mind when I read it, not even the role of genders itself, but the choices people make, we make. Jane is very determined, a true captain indeed, and she was here at her best, especially when explaining why she could never, ever forget this baby. Thank you very much for sharing this!
Part One of The Quarterdeck Breed
Stardate 534441: When LCDR Richard James arrives on the Border Patrol ship Agamemnon, he clashes with his new captain's command style... and the crew borne of its fruit.
I liked the story a lot. I must admit that sometimes I find it difficult to become atuned to characters from expanded universes, or stay in touch with the action/adventure unfold. But this story is written so well, makes so much sense and is so engaging that I couldn't stop reading once I started. It is, like you say, from that very first paragraph, that one gets inevitably pulled into the storyline and eventually caught up with the plot.
I liked the immediate conflict, for there's hardly a better way to create instant tension and intrigue, right from the start. We don't know much about anything yet, but already one cannot help but start asking questions -- why is there sucn animosity? What prompts that attitude? Etc. I also loved the way it was handled technically -- no lengthy descriptions, just an easy and natural flow of the character's thoughts, which sound very real and fitting for each situation.
There are slight POV shifts in some chapters, but it's not confusing. Hardly my place to compliment the language, but I very much enjoyed the well-balanced pacing, with no pitfalls and acceleration in all the correct moments. The prose itself is flowing and acts as an intangible assitant to the plot, as well it should be.
Also, I have newly discovered a great deal of sympathy towards the Romulans in general, so one so charming was a cherry on the top here for me. ::grins:: Your description of her reminded me a lot of the one from Nemesis. That one was a beauty. ;-)
Thank you for thoroughly enjoyable read! If I may ask, though, perhaps you can recall how much time did it take you to write this story? I'm just curious. ;-)
Author's Response:
Agamemnon kind of wrote itself, actually. Way back in 2002, when I had finished the last three parts to my alternate universe novella, "The Misadventures of January McKenna," I had a lot of free time during my graveyard shifts working for PayPal in their network operations center. I think it maybe took two nights to do the first draft and about a week for revisions before I was ready to release it on Fanfiction.net. The version on Ad Astra is actually a more recent revision from 2007, because I intended to format all of The Quarterdeck Breed stories for eBook release by request and I never actually got around to doing that.
If you liked Agamemnon, you may also like the 'sequel' novella I'm working on, called "The Sacrifice of Agamemnon," which the first chapter is already here on Ad Astra.
Thanks so much for reading and I'm really glad you enjoyed the story!
Part Two of The Quarterdeck Breed:
Stardate Unknown: Sometimes, life at Starfleet Academy isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially for command cadet Randy Duke.
Well, I'm glad I was tempted into reading after finishing the Agamemnon. ::grins:: Kobayashi Maru is probably one of the damnest tests ever created, I'm not surprised it has such a long life in Starfleet. And you've written a perfect thriller with it, which wasn't an easy task considering the number of addresses to this subject in fiction and fanfiction. Had me on the edge of my chair, that's for sure. ;-)
I'm intrigued by the characters, however. I understand that I'm only at the beginning of exploring this universe and there is a great number of things I do not know as yet. My point is, I might be making a silly sort of remarks due to the lack of information. Which is why I am only speaking from the point where I stand now, having read two stories.
I was somewhat... annoyed with Cadet Duke. ::grins:: While I understand that his instructors were privy to the data on him I don't have, it still seemed to me that he was some sort of a favored boy. The way del Toro treated him, obviously, had a lot to do with that. See, in my view, she was most certainly right to reprimand Leanne for forgetting the primary function of an XO and her duty, however, there can be no denying that it was Duke's action or rather inaction that allowed her to form her little league in the first place. She obviously wasn't a power-crazed maniac who planned it from the start. He had taken his crew through four simulations, and had them frustrated enough to be eager (!) to jump at the chance of relieving him. In my view, he ought to have accepted some responsibility for leading them to that brink. I'm far from condoning the gang, but I think Cadet Duke had not been a mere victim of mutiny, but a part of it as well, however inadvertently. That's the way it read to me, anyway.
I was, I admit, kinda sympathetic towards Leanne at the beginning, even though I *knew* she would get a huge slap on the wrist. There is hardly anything more frustrating than being forced to watch incorrect actions or inaction and not being in a position to change that. So while she clearly deserved her lesson, her behavior was understandable, as well as her superior's choice to place her in the XO position. Obviously, they wanted her to get that message. Her behavior later felt somewhat... unnatural to me, when she was acting a pure bitch back in the simulator. I might not be a very nice person, I know, but I confess that when he snapped at her, what was going through my mind was this: 'Okay, and where was that little speech of yours earlier? Why did it take people threatened to be expelled to make you come to your senses?' So while it's still very nice that he's putting himself in the shoes of those captains of the past when writing papers in class, it's the actions that are actually telling. You say he's got great potential and as you're the author I believe you. I'm eager to see how his potential is going to unfold and his confidence to develop. Because at this point, nothing short for divine premonition would have convinced me that he belongs in Command.
I was thrilled and a little amused of course to see such an exotic Bridge crew in action, as Duke created for his simulation. :-D
This story is so exceptionally well written that it makes the readers think, developong their own sympathies and attitudes. While they might not always match the intended, I insist that it is a tribute to your writing that many different interpretations might arise from it and would all fit the picture. It is rare that the story makes me so emotionally involved that I want to sort things straight like that after I'm done reading. Thank you for this thoroughly enjoyable piece, and I hope you will not hold a grudge against me after all this rambling. The perception speaks more of a reader than it does of an author, so if I got you all wrong, it's because I am who I am. ;-)
Thank you for the story.
Author's Response:
I think it's always fascinating to read the different interpretations on my stories. :) In this series, the premise is to examine the different philosophies of command. As I stated within the Author's Notes of the story, I wanted to step toward a less experienced person after writing about Hank and his veteran outlook on command. In Randy's case, I attempted to write a character out of his depth and lacking the usual self-confidence we see in Starfleet officers. That timidity and less-than-inspiring ability would lead to others losing respect for him and therefore it would be an easy step to assume that they would subsequently hold him in contempt.
Leanne's reaction near the end of the story is that ultimate level of contempt when it turns into open hostility. For now, we have a cadet who is not only hostile to the idea of having this guy be her commanding officer within the simulator, but because she stepped up when it was necessary, she's being punished for trying to save her ship? You can bet she'll be an open bitch to him, now more than before. Suffering through a mock court-martial means a lot of time spent not studying and a lot of time at Starfleet Law while cadets kibitz her mistakes over and over again. That's enough to send most people over the edge, wouldn't it? :)
I had intended to write a sequel for this story, involving Lieutenant Leone and Lieutenant Duke (for the E-story), but I could never get my head around the premise/plot for that kind of story and in my mind, I think it's best left open to the reader to determine whether or not he actually succeeds in leadership.
Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you enjoyed the story!
-- MDg
Part Three of The Quarterdeck Breed:
Stardate Unknown: RADM Winslow did not want to be kicked upstairs, but he goes where Starfleet points. That is, until the advent of the Constitution-class starship.
Enchanting! That's the word for this one, definitely. ::huge grin:: I love this era, and your scrupulous attention to detail is marvelous. You know, it really is uncanny that with so little words, mostly in dialogue, you paint such a full picture of an *epoch*. And what an epoch, too.
Winslow is a darling, and I also liked your characterization of James Komack very much. It was great to see Robert April, too, he came up as very lively and engaging. I also loved the way you handled Winslow's fight to get 'back on horse'. It's never easy to ask, particularly when you know that those to whom you appeal are not exactly willing to grant your request. Takes a lot of integrity to do that.
All the referrences to the old Navy were balm to my heart, as I'm such a sucker for those stories and times. I had to laugh at the reporter's confusion over rank and title, and I must say, Winslow found a nice and short way of explaining things.
I might have a minor suggestion, maybe. Somehow, addressing a senior admiral as 'Misha' doesn't feel quite right when used in official capacity. I'm likely the only person who cares, but to me it sounds overly familiar. You say 'James Komack' after all, when introducing him, only later going to Jim. Perhaps Mikhail would have been more in place that first time than Misha. Just a minor note.
It was a fascinating look over one very curious period of Starfleet history and I'm very grateful you wrote it! Thank you for sharing.
Author's Response:
I /almost/ started a series centered around Winslow. But, I decided that I wanted to write the next Quarterdeck story. :) I also love old Naval tales, myself, so I try to incorporate them into my storytelling, as I see Starfleet as a successor to those times.
Thanks so much for reading. :)
-- MDg
Part Four of The Quarterdeck Breed:
Stardate 51901.4: Lieutenant Ushiyama handles a reconnaissance mission deep within Dominion territory... and his feelings for his captain.
LOL! I found this one to be touching and somewhat tenderly endearing. Ken's position is usually the one for a female character -- just laws of the genre, I presume. It was refreshing to see him developing deeper feelings and going through all those natural mazes of emotions. As a chain-of-command romance, this story totally wins. It's realistic, yet not cynical and not melodramatic. It's very clear that duty comes first and everything else later. And during a war, such attitude is probably the only one advisable.
It was bittersweet to see the usual gap of misunderstanding opening, when a casual conversation might be misinterpreted and lead to a fargone conclusion, of which the other party would be totally unaware of. People usually say that that's because men are from Mars and women are from Venus, but the truth is, just two different minds is enough to create a miscommunication, sad as it might be.
As a female captain, Emoni rocks. :-D No, really. She strikes me as a curious mix of qualities attributed to both Kathryn Janeway and Jadzia Dax, and also quite a share of her own. She comes in as a little bit too forceful at times, perhaps, but it also rings true. Women doing what had been considered men's jobs for centuries often tend to overcompensate. I believe it would still be true three hundred years from now.
I loved how well developed the rest of the crew is. While maintaining your focus, you bring the rest of them in and give everyone a moment to shine. I was touched particularly by Lieutenant Kirk's misfortunes (starting with his name, obviously) and a reappearance of the medical hologram. It's nice to know those are well distributed. ;-)
Despite the thrill of the action and breathtaking reality of the battles, I'd still call this one lovely. ;-)
Author's Response:
This was the second most requested story in The Quarterdeck Breed for a sequel story. The first was Agamemnon.
I guess Emoni resonated with a lot of readers, in particular the way she handles herself and Ken. She's aware of his aims to win her heart, but she's also aware that with a war on, it makes little sense to invest any more than you have to, especially when the officer is your direct subordinate.
Thanks for reading!
-- MDg
Part Five of The Quarterdeck Breed:
Stardate 53285.81: After the long fight in the Dominion War, Lieutenant Commander Indira Sukihija must take the battered USS Exeter back to port... for decommissioning.
Sad at the beginning, rewarding at the end! Great story. It would have been damn difficult, I imagine, to get used to a Gorn in command. ::grins:: But it certainly is good to know that Starfleet has made such a big progress in a hundred years, when aliens were regarded as some sort of peculiarity at best.
Wow, you do like your ship history, don't you? ;-) You write it incredibly well, too.
It was very touching -- the farewell to the ship and crew seen through the eyes of a seasoned officer who survived a terrible war with honor and distinction. The nostalgia she would feel would indeed sink into bulkheads and stretch to every little would-be insignificant detail. And of course, people. What Indira went through was not only saying good-bye to the ship and crew, but more than that, it was saying good-bye to an epoch in her life, to all the sorrows and joys, pains and light moments. It's never easy to know that a part of your life has come to an end. I'm very happy she got promoted and now has something to be looking forward to! :-)
Author's Response:
I do like ship histories a lot. I read a lot of old stories about WW1, WW2, Civil War, War of 1812, and the Revolutionary War naval battles and outcomes. It's interesting to read how some of today's Navy ships treat their forebears/namesakes. Read up on the HMS Enterprize some time :)
I really like Gorn-as-officers. I always felt they were misunderstood, beyond their appearance in "Arena" (TOS). And since they were fighting for the Alpha Quadrant, I was certain that a couple of Gorn would end up in Starfleet. He was from one of the previous stories I tried for the E-ship. A science officer.
Thanks for reading! :)
-- MDg
Part Six of The Quarterdeck Breed (finale):
Stardate 43999.1: Just prior to the Battle of Wolf 359, a call went out to any and all available starships. Captain Krystine Leone and the crew of the USS Farragut race to render aid, but will they make it in time?
Well, this is a sort of a pessimistic note to end this wonderful anthology, but author's prerogative are not to be disputed, I guess. ;-) This one was haunting. Start to finish. I didn't expect Necheyev to be quite such a bitch (I mean, I know she is, but this is a new extent), particularly in view of so many line officers lost and the motivation, but I guess some do go by the book at all times.
I particularly enjoyed Leone's conversation with Caryn and the conversation between three captains. And of course, Andy's final checkmate move on both Leone and Necheyev. He acted in the true spirit of real command officers, those who are in command by nature. Loved the scene with the admiral. Masterpiece.
Now, that I'm done with this series, I can say that this is one pretty fascinating anthology. The stories are very different, yet somehow the warm feeling one gets upon reading them is the same. It was very well written and plot-wise downright incredible -- realistic and head-spinning at the same time.
Thank you very much for sharing, and I'm looking forward to explore your other works. ;-)
Author's Response:
Thanks for hanging in there and reading through the whole thing! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Yeah, Caryn Johnson is a character I stole from Peter David's Q-Squared. See, Caryn Johnson is the birthname of Whoopi Goldberg, who plays Guinan on TNG :)
The cool thing about TQB is that I had intended it for other authors' to add to. So, if you ever feel like writing an 8k-15k story about a G-ship, let me know. :)
-- MDg
Season One, Episode One of Star Trek: Full Speed Ahead (Series Premiere/Pilot)
Stardate 43224.74: Newly-promoted Captain Krystine Leone is appointed to command the recently-refitted Nebula-class starship USS Farragut, after only fifteen years of excellent service to Starfleet. Her arrival at the Antares Ship Yards is met by friends she's made throughout her career, and of course, she is excited by the prospect of her first command. While she enjoys the festivities of assuming command, two strangers work feverishly within the ship's navigational deflector room toward some unknown purpose. As they ready the ship for warp speed trials, the ship finds itself going on a journey deep into the final frontier!
LOL. Looks like shakedown cruises are more literal for some captains and ships than they are for others. Those aliens don't look like a friendly lot, not by far. Though I suppose the next part of the series will clear exactly to which extent. ::grins::
You make great visualization there. I have a feeling as if I have indeed watched an episode, not read some text. I don't know how you do it, but words don't get in the way at all. It's uncanny. And makes the story so much more enjoyable.
Loved the crew, and the comments on the ship's design. Looking forward to more reading...
Season One, Episode Two of Star Trek: Full Speed Ahead (Series Premiere/Pilot)
Stardate 43224.75: (Continued from the previous episode) Newly-promoted Captain Krystine Leone and the partially-assembled crew of the starship USS Farragut are vaulted across the galaxy into the space of a previously unknown force, the Tristnor Hegemony. Upon arrival, they're immediately ordered to forfeit their starship and become property of the Hegemony without condition or guarantee of their safety. Will Farragut ever return to Federation space? Will the Hegemony prove to be a formidable enemy? And who are the pair of intruders that brought them there in the first place? (This story will be concluded in Part III)
A rather dramatic development, but that of course is to be expected. So the two saboteurs turned out to be freedom fighters? That is indeed in Trek's best traditions. ::grins::
Ariel's way of making a point or saying thank you makes me think that she and Will Riker would have been fast friends... ::smirks:: Still, it was refreshing to see her confident stride all across. Though at some point I can't help but wonder if that ship has too many women aboard... LOL.
Powerful rhetoric in the end. Looking forward to the continuation now!
Season One, Episode Three of Star Trek: Full Speed Ahead (Series Premiere/Pilot)
Stardate 43232.5: (continued from Part II) With the Farragut en route to the Tristnor facility, Captain Leone and her crew, along with the Kasui batallion aboard, meet heavy resistance in their attempt to steal the Alpha device and make it possible for them to return to Federation space. A fierce battle ensues and the know-how of the skeleton crew works to gain the upper hand in the struggle! Meanwhile, Wilson tries to come to terms with the knowledge that their return to the Federation means he must say goodbye to his friends aboard ship, and Greg weathers pressure from the captain to seek the promotion he's been avoiding for the past four years.
Well, it's been one hell of a ride! LOL. Took me some time to get back to this, but gee, did I miss it. ::grins:: This last part though... It was really unexpected in a way but very pleasant to discover deeper-running feelings of certain people beneath the surface. Caught me by surprise, but then I started to think back and knew that I probably shouldn't have been. LOL. It was very well done. I also greatly enjoyed the reference to 'Picard Maneuver' and Wilson's words that it ended in losing the Stargazer. That was way cool. :D
Thanks very much for a thoroughly enjoyable read! ::sighs:: Wish someone would really shoot that instead of the new movie.
Beautiful. So much said in not so many words. Thank you for this wonderful moment. And for making Spock tell the tent joke. ;-)
Author's Response: Thank you so much! I figured Spock must have heard it somewhere -- it's supposed to be the funniest joke in the language, after all. Glad it worked for you!
Oh. Such painful moment. So incredibly well exressed. Succinct. Poignant. Real.
Thank you.
Author's Response: So many nice adjectives. :) Thank you! It was painful, but I'm glad it worked.
Unexpected and sweet. Alien invasion was priceless. ::grins:: Thank you for sharing this.
Author's Response: Thank you for reviewing! I'm so glad you enjoyed this fic. :D
You've taken stream of consciousness to the point of art here. I think Anton Chekhov would have been proud. He was a doctor, too, after all. ;-) Great job, Steff!
Author's Response: I don't know if the flow is honestly that good, but thanks for the encouragement on it!
Oh, hell, Cuppy, this is beyond brilliant. Thank you for this, it is so moving. I feel myself strangely drawn to Kirk's part, most of all. Those additions you made are so touching and spot on. Absolutely inspired. Thank you for this.
Author's Response: I am honored. Truly! Your story was the inspiration. I can't thank you enough for allowing me to play in your universe, even for a little while. ;-)