Mindmelds

If Steve MUST finish the series with a love interest/dating someone, I think they should introduce a new character for it, and they should be Vickie's super weird mindmeld bestie.

So Robin and Vickie start dating. Steve and Vickie's best friend are like hell yeah high five good game buddy *Gatorade cooler dump on each other* after successfully matchmaking like they won the fuckin Superbowl in the apocalypse.

Vickie says she's so glad Robin and Steve are just as close as if not closer than her and [best friend] because they get it, her last boyfriend thought they were freaky weirdos for some of the stuff they do, but Robin and Steve do the same! It's great! And Robin is like "omg yes I was so worried you'd be freaked out because everyone else thinks we're so weird! Like, sorry, people, you don't have a best friend like us!"

Anyways this leads to Vickie's best friend and Steve spending more time together just from sheer "our possibly codependent platonic soulmates are dating each other but we are also here" and because they are two pairs mindmeld besties these end up being what are essentially double dates that no one thinks are weird because, again, super mega platonic soulmate mind meld bestieisms. And that's how Steve and Vickie's best friend can accidentally date.

shockingly i have an Actual Question for Jeff is Steve's Bi Awakening AU - how does Jeff feel about being the bi awakening, especially since this has happened with multiple different people now?

Also, on the off chance you've already talked about this and I've missed it, I will happily hear about Stobin Soulmate AU instead because I am SO NOT NORMAL about soulmate AUs :D (or you could always say something about both....... yknow if you want....... please i don't want to sound pushy but also i am so interested in both of these concepts)

you are not being pushy at all!! I am happy to answer both

Jeff:

I think Jeff is mostly baffled?? 😅 Gareth comes out to him and tells him he has a crush and he's just sort of flattered and confused? But also he knows how scary it must be for his friend to come out so he's mostly just doing that awkward straight ally friend of trying to figure out how to be supportive without being overbearing or putting his foot in it. (He's a teenage boy in the 80s, though, so he Definitely Does--it's alright though, it works out.) I don't think he'll necessarily know that he's Lucas and potentially Patrick's bi awakenings. I think with Lucas they mostly bond over being nerdy black boys in rural Indiana, and the sexuality aspect of it kinda takes a backseat.

Except then Steve tells him about his crush and Jeff is like what??? is happening??? Again???? But he and Steve become bros and then it just kinda becomes funny. [Eddie re-comes out to him as bi after flirting with Chrissy and for a split second Jeff is like AGAIN??? before realizing that 1. that makes no sense and 2. he already knew Eddie was into guys]

Stobin Soulmate AU:

I have definitely posted snippets before, but I don't think I've really talked about it yet! The soulmate premise is that you feel your soulmates emotions and injuries throughout your life, and then when you "bond" with your soulmate you're able to share their thoughts. The bonding moment is one of intense emotional trust and connection--i.e. the bathroom scene, for Stobin.

I love soulmate AUs, but I also sometimes struggle with them when they still take place in a world that has homophobia. Because like...if everyone acknowledges that soulmates are an Actual Natural Thing why the fuck is homophobia still around?? So this one is also gonna kinda be a deconstruction of the trope, in which soulmates are actually kind of rare, and carry a kind of stigma with them (people with soulmates are essentially viewed as being "broken" and "incomplete"). Robin also knows she's queer, so she spends most of the fic assuming her soulmate is a girl.

Also due to the nature of the soulmate premise a lot of the early bits of the fic explore how confusing it is to not really be able to reliably pick apart your own emotions from someone else's.

The fic is from Robin's POV fic and will start with baby!Robin, and run through the events of 4. For seasons 1 and 2 she remains an outsider to the Upside Down plot, but keeps feeling herself drawn to Steve Harrington for Some Reason (she convinces herself she's actually being drawn to Nancy for a bit). Also every time her soulmate gets injured Steve comes back to school with a black eye? Weird. Also what the fuck is going on between Steve, Nancy and Jonathan? (This fic somehow developed background Stoncy when I wasn't looking.)

By the time Season 3 rolls around Robin is just Fully In Denial about Steve being her soulmate, because it just doesn't make any sense. Sure is weird that her soulmate seems to be having a pretty emotionally identical summer to her, though! What a coincidence!

This fic is currently sitting in a metaphorical drawer to stew because it is very messy and I've got a lot of other WIPs going on, but it does live really close to my heart so I am definitely planning to come back to it.

also tagging @blueskiesandstarrynights bc this soulmate AU is also my (eventual) stobin mindmeld fic!

Tough as a Tardigrade: Space-dwelling lifeforms in Star Trek

By Ames

Star Trek spends a lot of episodes going where no one has gone before (except where someone definitely already has), and that includes just floating around in the vastness of space itself. But time and again, we find creatures who can survive even out here in the void, who don’t need a ship, a suit, gravity, oxygen, air pressure, or really any resources at all. And also who can survive cosmic radiation and all the other death traps even the Enterprise has trouble dealing with.

These are some resilient critters, so this week A Star to Steer Her By is shining a spotlight on the extremophiles of the cosmos! From lowly amoebas to much bigger amoebas, space-dwelling lifeforms come in all shapes, sizes, and tangibilities. Prepare to spacewalk with us as you read on below or listen to our chatter on this week’s podcast episode (discussion starts at 1:29:44) as we befriend these noble creatures and run away from the scary ones.

[images © CBS/Paramount]

Spore flowers – “This Side of Paradise”

You almost miss this reference in an early episode of The Original Series, but it’s stated that the spores of the motivation-draining flowers traveled through space until they settled on paradise planet. Make them a mint julep for their tenacity!

Dikironium cloud creature – “Obsession”

Kirk’s white whale… er, cloud in “Obsession” definitely travels about through space on its own, even getting into the Enterprise itself through some duct or other. You may want to keep your hemoglobin to yourself if you come across this sucker.

Space amoeba – “The Immunity Syndrome”

We almost lose Spock to this massive version of a lowly single-celled organism, which drains the energy from the ship. Unlike the Moby Dick cloud above, this one seems to have a taste for Vulcans! Must be that tasty green blood.

Beta XII-A entity – “Day of the Dove”

The angry little pinwheel we meet on Beta XII-A also likes to flap around in space to follow the crew back to the Enterprise and piss everyone off. No really, all it wants to do is piss everyone off and feed off their hate. These things should get into politics.

Zetarians – “The Lights of Zetar”

Another flashy flashy light that follows people around through space, these colorful beings are just looking for a place to live… and that happens to be inside crewmen of the Enterprise. If they’d succeeded, they probably would have gone on our character possession list!

Matter-energy cloud – “One of Our Planets Is Missing”

I remember really liking this episode from The Animated Series, which is a rarity, because of the big sentient cloud that Spock gets to mindmeld reminding me of A Star to Steer Her By’s first fanfic day! And happily, both live on today!

Q – “Encounter at Farpoint” et al

When we first meet Q in the TNG premiere, he’s just a chain link fence in space. Shortly afterwards, we see him chase the ship as some kind of translucent ball. Basically, the Q are so powerful, they can exist wherever, whenever, and as whatever they want.

Space Jellyfish – “Encounter at Farpoint”

One of my personal favorites because of just how alien these things are. Kicking off The Next Generation with a pair of space jellyfish at the center of a mysterious test got things off to a great start. The rest of season one on the other hand…

Beta Renner cloud – “Lonely Among Us”

This highly forgettable episode did at least feature some interesting creatures who bring Picard’s essence with them to live in space and do whatever it is they like to do. It doesn’t last long, but it did happen.

Crystalline Entity – “Datalore” and “Silicon Avatar”

There are few creatures as spangly and stunning as the crystalline entity. Like all the pretty ones, it just happens to also like mass murder quite a bit, and also hanging out with psychopaths like Lore. Who can blame it though?

The Child – “The Child”

When Troi gets knocked up in the season two premiere of TNG, it’s by none other than some kind of space-dwelling light being. Little Ian Andrew just wants to learn more about the human race, from the inside out.

Nagilum – “Where Silence Has Lease”

In literally the next episode, yet another space-dwelling weirdo also wants to learn more about the human race, though this one is less innocent in how he goes about it. Let’s count how many different ways people can die. You know, for science!

Subatomic bacteria – “A Matter of Honor”

Our Benzite friend Mendon spots some subatomic bacteria on the hull of the Klingon vessel Pagh and doesn’t report it until another batch is found on the Enterprise. Who knows how many other infestations of this space-dwelling scum he hasn’t reported!?

Calamarain – “Deja Q”

Many of the lifeforms in space whom we meet are just incorporeal, and that includes the Calamarain who hold a grudge against Q for some infractions over the years. They nearly get their revenge in the brief time Q is human too.

Gomtuu – “Tin Man”

Megafauna in space is less common, but we do see some good ones. Like Gomtuu, a perfectly sentient creature living out the rest of his days with his Betazoid inhabitant. Sadly, it does seem that he may be the last of his kind.

Two-dimensional beings – “The Loss”

When Troi loses her empathic powers, she’s unable to sense the two-dimensional beings that the ship comes across. They’re a fairly interesting alien race, since you can’t even perceive the dimension they live in whether you’ve got a functioning empath or not!

Junior – “Galaxy’s Child”

Picard wasn’t the only one devastated to see the Enterprise accidentally kill a space-dwelling mega-ravioli since it was a very cool critter to meet. Luckily, her child, dubbed “Junior,” survives, just a little bit al dente.

Quantum singularity lifeforms – “Timescape”

The aliens we meet on the Romulan ship are so hardcore that they raise their young inside a singularity. And like a typical outlandish Romulan scheme, Romulan ships are so convoluted they’re powered by an artificial singularity. Talk about a Black Hole Son! (Rimshot.)

Wormhole aliens and pah-wraiths – Deep Space Nine

We move on to the space hoppers in Deep Space Nine, starting with the series-wide plotline of the prophets who live in the wormhole and the pah-wraiths who live in the firecaves. But when they’re summoned, they basically go where they want.

Vash’s artifact – “Q-Less”

Quark and Vash try to sell what turns out to be the egg of a creature from the Delta Quadrant. When it hatches, it’s incredibly beautiful, but I gotta admit I don’t know what I’d do either if a million bars of gold-pressed latinum were on the line.

Rumpelstiltskin, et al – “If Wishes Were Horses”

Boy did we (as usual, mostly I) not like this episode, and most of that has to do with how contradictory these aliens are. Like some of the previous instances of aliens learning how humans work, their agenda is convoluted at best and confounding at worst.

Changelings – “Chimera” et al

Since Changelings can form themselves as whatever they want, that includes beings and objects you can find in space. We specifically see Laas swimming through the void as some kind of space whale, but certainly other Changelings must do it too.

Nucleogenic cloud being – “The Cloud”

Let’s now visit some of our outside pets of the Delta Quadrant. Early in Voyager, we meet the titular Cloud being that the ship accidentally ends up inside, and learn that, if there’s a cute animal in danger, Janeway must save it!

Komar – “Cathexis”

Another incorporeal alien we also brought up in our character possessions discussion, the Komar also can live outside the ship in space somewhere. These parasites usually reside in a nebula until a tasty-looking snack like Tuvok happens along.

Space sperms – “Elogium”

While Kes is having a sexual awakening in this rather uncomfortable episode, the Voyager herself is trying her best not to have one with these space sperms that are in the middle of a mating frenzy. What’s a nice ship like you doing in a quadrant like this?

Matrix species – “Coda”

We don’t get a good look at this actual alien species other than in the guise of Janeway’s dad, but it is insinuated that their matrix dimension they are trying to lure her into is in some kind of ethereal space. Captain, don’t walk into the light!

Species 8472 – “Scorpion” and “Prey”

Species 8472 is truly alien in many ways, including all the places they’re able to live. Normally natives of fluidic space, they can also survive in the vacuum of space, as we see when they get onto the Voyager in “Prey.”

Bioplasmic organism – “Bliss”

Like Captain Kirk’s cloud in “Obsession,” the big space pitcher plant proves to be a white whale to our new friend Qatai. This thing is huge and actually impressive to see since its CGI holds up pretty well! That is, when you can see it for what it is of course.

Bevvox – “Think Tank”

A similar (though smaller?) example of a bioplasmic organism is Bevvox, who we can only assume is some kind of space brainbox. He floated around in space for millennia before having the bright idea to form the Think Tank of the episode of the same name.

Species GS84 – “Context Is for Kings”

We now jump straight into Discovery, and season 1 had a whole bunch of space-dwelling lifeforms to appreciate. In an almost throwaway scene, these little light leeches start draining the energy of the shuttle and get the pilot killed before the Discovery picks everyone else up.

Ripper – “The Butcher’s Knife Cares Not for the Lamb’s Cry” et al

The standout star of season 1 of Discovery, of course, is Ripper and I’ll not be hearing any arguments otherwise. This massive tardigrade, first thought to be a menace, turns out to be a great pilot before being freed from the slavery of the ship and straight into space to thrive.

Gormagander – “Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad”

Unless you’re Jonah, you don’t typically travel via whale. Harcourt Mudd, however, travels in style inside an endangered Gormagander. The space cetacean is a beautiful creature, though it does make me wonder why whales have come up so much in this blogpost?

Ephraim – “Ephraim and Dot”

We see another tardigrade in one of the Short Treks, though this one is neither massive like Ripper nor microscopic like tardigrades we may find on Earth (or on the moon!). What Ephraim is is adorable and colorful, much like her entire animated episode!

Larval space creature – Lower Decks opening credits

Another animated lifeform we see out in space comes in Lower Decks. We’ve agreed that the opening title sequence of Star Trek’s comedy cartoon show has some of the best jokes of the whole series, and the big space bug sucking on the nacelle is one of them! Ha!

Verugament – “Grounded”

In the most recent season of Lower Decks, there’s a swarm of another space-dwelling organism, the verugament. And because it’s a silly jokey show, as soon as they come in contact with the Cerritos, it triggers a mating response and things get... squishy.

Murf – Prodigy

Last but certainly not least, we have everyone’s favorite mellanoid slime worm from Prodigy! Murf can survive pretty much anything! Little seems to be known about his species except that they will swoop in and save the day whenever called upon.

—

Come back inside before you get eaten by a space monster! As always, keep following this space for more great Trek topics, jetpack along with our watch through of Voyager on SoundCloud or your favorite podcasting application, tap the glass on our Facebook and Twitter pages, and save the space whales!

Terrigenisis (Part 10)

Pairing: Steve Rogers X Bucky Barnes X Inhuman!Reader

Words: 1669

Summary: After undergoing terrigenisis unwillingly your life is turned upside down when you are deemed too dangerous to return to life as a civilian. You are put with the Avengers team to train and rebuild. As you hone your powers and skills, you must also decide if you can find home and love again. Or is your curse to be a lonely wanderer forever?

Warnings: Fluff and SMUT (18+, NSFW)

Terrigenisis Series Masterlist       Divider by @firefly-graphics

As the months went by, the relationship between Steve, Bucky, and yourself became more and more solid. You talked about the future, made plans, and worked through the few issues that had arisen. There had been missions and you had become an integral part of the team. You were happy. You had a job you loved, two men you loved, a home, and a family in your team. It was idyllic. Which terrified you at times. When the fear began to overwhelm you, Bucky and Steve were there for you. They let you express your fears and helped you through them. 

You were gearing up for a mission to take out a large Hydra base that had been recently discovered. The intel on its existence was solid even though what was going on there was a mystery. Some information had been gleaned through surveillance but it was mostly pictures of  objects with an alien language. Thor and Loki were expected to arrive today to help and give some information on what these items could be. 

The team was awaiting their arrival in the conference room except Steve and Tony who were greeting them. You were going over mission details and making tactical plans with the available information.

“So, what are Thor and Loki like?” You ask the group in general. 

“Thor’s a good guy. Nice. A little terse at times. Intense.” Bruce replies.  

“What about Loki?” You look at Bruce. 

“He’s a bag of cats. He’s trying to be… different. Better, I guess. That’s why he’s coming. Thor is trusting him. I guess we’ll have to try, too.” Bruce shrugs as Natasha scoffs. 

“Be careful around Loki. There’s a reason he’s the god of mischief.” Natasha warns.

“Noted.” You say just as they walk in. You immediately smile when you catch Steve’s eye but turn your attention to the two Asgardians as they enter. Steve makes introductions as Tony pulls up the intel photos for the two gods. 

“This looks to be Kree.” Thor states. 

“It is.” Loki confirms as he swipes through the photos. 

“Kree?” You say bringing Thor’s attention to you.

“Yes. They-”

“Created Inhumans.” 

“Yes. You are familiar with the Inhumans?” Thor asks. 

“I am an Inhuman.” You watch the two for any reaction. 

“Ah, a fellow abomination.” Loki grins. “What are your powers?”

You stare Loki down for a moment. Interpreting no malice in his remarks, you reply, “Warging, understanding of all vocal communication, increased strength and stamina.”

“Interesting.” Loki narrows his eyes.

“Warging?” Thor asks and you give him a brief explanation. 

Going back to the available information, the team gleans all it can to formulate a plan. Afterwards, everyone moves to the common room to relax while Tony has a meal brought in. 

“Loki has been watching you the entire time we’ve been in here.” Natasha murmurs to you. 

“Novelty, I guess.” You shrug. 

“Maybe so. Are you okay?” 

“Just have a headache all of a sudden.” You say. 

“Want me to get you something?”

“No, I’ll-mmph! Ow. It feels like an icepick in my head.” You say. 

Natasha’s eyes widen and her head snaps up, “Loki, stop!”

You make eye contact with the god and feel another stab of pain. Realizing he is trying to get in your head, you push back at the feeling. 

��What are you doing, brother?” Thor grabs his arm. 

“I just wanted to see how far her capabilities went, brother. She began fighting me. Strong, this one.” Loki smirks. 

“Keep your mind games to yourself, Loki!” Steve growls. 

“No, it’s okay.” You say. “Try.”

“What?” Steve turns to you with a stern look. 

“I want to see if he can. I can’t know how far my abilities go if I don’t push them. Most of my powers have to do with my senses. I’m just curious.” You shrug.

“Doll, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Bucky warns. “It was obviously causing you pain.”

“It’s not a big deal. Will you try again, Loki?” You ask. 

“At your service, darling.” Loki grins and concentrates on you again. Your head aches almost immediately and the sharp stabbing pain returns but you fight back against it. Using the same thought process you use when warging you concentrate on Loki, pushing back against his mental invasion. The pain in your head increases the more you fight back but you aren’t willing to stop. You feel a surge from Loki and automatically push back at him with a mental force that suddenly turns your eyes green as the god’s and you realize you have entered his mind. Intense pain spikes through you bringing you to your knees as you grab the sides of your head. A scream tears from your throat before you black out. 

You wake in Bucky’s arms as he takes quick strides towards the elevator. 

“Bucky. I’m okay.” You say. 

“You passed out. You aren’t okay.” Bucky says firmly. 

“We’re just going to take you to get checked out, sweetheart.” Steve says from right beside you. 

“No, I’m fine. Put me down.” You squirm in Bucky’s arms. 

“Doll-” “Sweetheart-”

“Down! Now!” You all but shout. Bucky reluctantly lowers you to the floor and you stand, holding his shoulder for support. “Well, that was new.”

“What did Loki do to you?” Steve growls.

“I only did as she asked.” Loki defends himself. “She managed to fight my attempts. It was quite impressive. Not many can keep me out of their mind as she did. And then, she slipped into my mind. It probably overwhelmed her as she’s not used to such an exertion.”

“Agreed.” You say. “I’ve never been able to do that with a human before.”

“You were probably able to because I have to open my mind in order to reach out. That was admirable.” Loki says. 

“Uh, thanks?” You laugh lightly. 

“Did you see anything?” Loki asks with eyes narrowed.

“It was pretty jumbled.” You admit.

“That’s normal for a first timer. Come, let’s discuss our little experiment.” Loki wraps your hand around his arm and guides you away from your two supersoldiers who glare at Loki as the two of you sit on the loveseat. When dinner is ready, you sit at the table between Bucky and Steve. Loki is seated across from you with Thor next to him and the table is jovial as everyone enjoys the company and food. You notice that Loki retreats into himself during the meal. As soon as the meal is over, you approach Loki again to ask more questions about his abilities. Everyone drifts into the common room while you and Loki sit at one end of the table and talk. He has a great deal of knowledge regarding the Kree, Inhumans, and different abilities. You learn more in two hours than you had in the six months with your Inhuman team. 

“Hey Doll. We’re heading to the room.” Bucky approaches to say. 

“Okay, Love. I’ll be there shortly.” You smile up at him as he leans down to plant a quick kiss on your lips. 

Loki watches as Bucky leaves with a smirk, “So, you and Sergeant Bar-”

“Sweetheart, you coming to bed?” Steve interrupts. 

“Soon, Babe. Loki is giving me some history on the Kree.” 

Steve eyes Loki for a moment before leaning down to kiss you possessively “Don’t be too long.”

“I won’t.” You smile at him as he leaves. Turning back to Loki, it’s your turn to smirk, “Yes, Me and Bucky and Steve.”

“That was unexpected.” Loki raises an eyebrow. 

“I imagine not much surprises you.” You laugh.

“Very little.” Loki says. 

“You know, I was prepared to hate you but… you aren’t exactly what I was expecting.” 

“I was under the influence of other entities during the Battle of New York. It spoke to the basest part of me. I know I’ll never fully make up for it but I’m hopeful I can do some good to set it to rights.” 

“I’m sure you will. Do some good, that is. I should head to bed. Good night, Loki.”

“Good night.” Loki nods his head and joins his brother. 

You were impressed with him. Truthfully, you had planned on hating him. After all, he had killed Coulson but when you had slipped into his mind you had felt his remorse. You were honest when you told him that everything was jumbled. The memories and images that came through had been but his feelings had been loud and clear. Inferiority, remorse, contrition, fear, and hope had suffused you when your minds were joined. It had softened you towards him and you hoped that he could find some corner of redemption in all of this. 

When you get to the bedroom, you pause a minute to smile at Steve and Bucky cuddled up together in the bed. 

“Come join us, pretty girl.” Steve beckons. 

“What were you and Loki talking about that kept you so enthralled?” Bucky groused. 

“Careful, Buck. You almost sound jealous.” You laugh. “We were talking about the Kree and inhumans and different abilities. I learned a good bit from him. Loki offered to bring some information and writings when he comes again.”

“He doesn’t usually talk to any of us much when he’s around.” Steve says. 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah. Usually all we get out of him is sly remarks.” Bucky says. 

“Huh. Probably a defense mechanism. He feels he has a lot to make up for and know no one really likes him.” You offer.

“How did you find that out?” Steve asks.

“When we did the Vulcan mindmeld. I could feel what he was feeling more than anything else. It told quite the story in and of itself.”

“Loki is a master manipulator.” Steve warns.

“I understand.” You reassure them. “And we leave for mission tomorrow for who knows how long. Is there anything you'd like to do before that happens?”

“Yeah.” “Definitely.” They speak at the same time. 

“What would that be?” You ask. 

“You.” They say in unison.

Part 11

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Star Trek: The Motion Picture | Chapter 2 (with complete Kolinahr scene and Spock mentioning Kirk as "his t'hy'la"). Well worth reading.

This is the complete chapter 2 from Roddenberry's Star Trek The Motion Picture novelization, which covers Spock's Kolirahr scene, including his hearing Kirk's thoughts and calling him "his T'hy'la".

Worth reading. The whole book is. But this particular chapter is very important for understanding crusual thing about the relationship between Spock and Kirk and Spock's feelings about Kirk.

THIS IS HOW RODDENBERRY CREATED THEM TO BE.

From here: https://booksvooks.com/fullbook/star-trek-the-motion-picture-pdf-gene-roddenberry.html?page=6

Chapter Two

The stonework where Spock knelt was so ancient that its origins could not be traced in even the oldest Vulcan legends. Spock’s long robe bore the same patterns as those carved in the ancient stone. The meanings of these symbols were known only to the Vulcan Masters whose abode was here on the high plateau of Gol. Spock had come here not long after the starship Enterprise had completed its historic five-year mission.

It had seemed to Spock that he had no other choice. It was only through the Masters here on Gol that one could achieve Kolinahr. And it was only through Kolinahr that he could once and for all time unburden himself of his human half, which he believed responsible for his pain.

“Spock, son of Sarek of Vulcan and of Amanda of Earth, are thee prepared to open thy mind to us?”

This would be the closest human translation. The words were actually in Old Vulcan and spoken by the Master T’sai. To each side of her stood lesser Masters whose lips moved in an ancient chant in praise of reason.

“I am prepared.”

Spock gave the traditional and expected response. But he was troubled. Had his answer been the whole truth? As late as this very morning, he had felt fully prepared to be examined by the Vulcan Masters. During the past nine Vulcan seasons,1 he had not only survived the disciplines of Kolinahr, but also the harsh trials had taken him to those consciousness levels which are beyond the reach of confusion, fatigue, and pain. He knew that he had pleased the Masters, even the ones who had at first hesitated over permitting a mere half-Vulcan to become an acolyte in Gol. But no one doubted him any longer—no one but Spock himself.

Until this very morning, Spock had been certain that he had finally and fully exorcised his human half and its shameful emotional legacies. An hour before the rising of the Vulcan suns, Spock had made his way to the high promontory he had chosen as his own and there he had greeted the red dawn of this important day with mind-cleansing meditation. He had known that today he would face T’sai herself and that the High Master would invite him to enter with her into mindmeld so that she might place around his neck the old symbol which proclaimed his mastery of Kolinahr. In searching his consciousness this morning, Spock had been especially alert for any trace of pride in his accomplishments here in Gol. Kaiidth! What was, was! He had done only what he had been meant to do and had the good fortune to be able to do. With this thought, Spock had looked up at the red dawn sky in the direction where he knew Sol and Earth to be and had begun a respectful, but brief, farewell to his mother’s planet and the part of his life that it had represented. He had long ago decided that he would neither return to that place nor move among its people ever again.

Jim! Good-bye my . . . my t’hy’la.2 This is the last time I will permit myself to think of you or even your name again.

It was at this exact instant that a shockingly powerful consciousness imposed itself unexpectedly into Spock’s mind. It was almost as if some powerful entity had been searching the galaxy for some long-needed answers about Earth and humans and had become aware of Spock’s mind at the very instant he was saying his farewell to Earth and Kirk. Although Spock had no idea at the time what it meant, he felt himself being examined almost as if he were a living “Rosetta stone,” capable of understanding both logic and human irrationality, and thus a possible key by which a totally logical entity might understand Earth and humanity.

Most shocking of all, it had frightened Spock. On the morning of the very day that he was to be pronounced free of emotion, he had felt . . . fear. Fear, not so much for himself, but for Earth and for those Earth humans whom he had known for so long and so well.

How was it possible that he felt this? Not only was fear indisputably an emotion, how could he feel that emotion for a planet and a people which he had already exorcised from his consciousness and from his life!

“Here on these sands, our forebears cast out their animal passions, hence forever devoting their minds to logic. . . .”

The chant of reason was coming to an end and a troubled Spock remained kneeling before the High Master T’sai. Whatever the entity which had invaded Spock’s mind this morning, its presence seemed gone now. Perhaps he had misunderstood and had not felt fear—perhaps it had merely been surprise. Even a full Vulcan might be forgiven feeling some surprise over so powerful a consciousness touching his mind. Spock reminded himself that he had met every test of Kolinahr; the Masters themselves were acknowledging this by their very presence and participation in this ancient ceremony.

Spock could feel that T’sai was turning toward him as the ceremony approached the invitation to mindmeld. He knew that he must accept, and then enter T’sai’s mind, and she his. As part of her mind, Spock would be able to view himself and his place in the universe with the wisdom of a Master. And T’sai would become part of the consciousness that was Spock.

Forget Earth; think only of Vulcan. You were born here of a Vulcan father, raised here as a Vulcan son . . . and Vulcan children, like children everywhere, can be unthinkingly cruel. Strange, I have never been aware until now that it was my boyhood on Vulcan which had ultimately driven me into Starfleet. I had to prove to myself that those times of tears and laughter had been only a child’s errors. It was to prove my mastery over myself that I went out among humans and defied them to make me less Vulcan than I am.

But what was it that Jim Kirk had once said? “Spock, why fight so hard to be a part of only one world? Why not fight instead to be the best of both?”

“Spock!”

This from one of the lesser Masters. T’sai herself was looking down at Spock, puzzled.

“Spock, our minds also have felt that far-off ‘presence.’ Has it special meaning to you?”

There was nothing Spock could do but to nod . . . and to feel shame. Here, now, in the very midst of the Kolinahr ceremony, the mysterious alien consciousness was returning to probe his mind again. Again, he felt its interest in Earth . . . and then again he felt fear! And he felt shame too. As if struck by a bolt from an unseen ambush, Spock knew in this instant that the human half of him was far from extinguished. That half had simply been capable of human guile and had learned to hide itself even from his own notice. He had foolishly and carelessly underestimated it and believed it to be gone. But like the enemy it had always been, his human half had merely lain in wait in order to assault him while he was defenseless.

“Spock, your thoughts. Open them to me.”

Spock could not refuse the High Master T’sai, not even at this moment of shame. As she touched him, Spock let his mind open, in the giving and receiving of mindmeld Oneness. Kaiidth! What was there was there, and it was T’sai’s right to learn the complete truth of it.

The Klingons weren’t destroyed. It feels like . . . like they’ve become “wall exhibits in Hell.” And it’s headed for Earth. Spock, I wish you were here to help me understand.

Spock looked up, puzzled. That had felt like Jim Kirk’s thoughts. And yet it was T’sai who was standing here and to whom he had opened his thoughts. She was now releasing Spock’s consciousness and retrieving her own. Then her lips opened, and before she spoke Spock already knew what her words would be.

“Your answer lies elsewhere, Spock.”

PicardPositivity Day 4: Commodore Oh

So. Oh. Commodore Oh. She definitely does connect to Rios but I wouldn't exactly say it's "Positive" (and I know, the "positivity" part isn't strict in that sense. Just, not bashing/complaining, really. Praising and discussing). I must say I love the concept of a Vulcan/Romulan hybrid, I've always been interested in Vulcan/Romulan reunification and I am fascinated to learn more about her, if they ever get into it? Was her Vulcan parent involved with the Zhat Vash, somehow think it logical to help prevent the spread of AI technology knowing the way it usually turns out? Did they make her in a lab? Did they find a Romulan/Vulcan baby and raise her to live as a Vulcan and infiltrate Starfleet to serve out the Zhat Vash's goals? Does she otherwise believe in Starfleet's ideals and she's just Zhat Vash or is she completely Tal Shiar?

I am fascinated to find out what the ramifications will be of Starfleet having their head of security for at least ten years end up being a Romulan spy. How do they get around that? Do they cover it up? Will Starfleet lose the trust of the people? I mean, all those ships with Riker saw her. They probably weren't broadcasting to the entire fleet, so technically not saw her, but they were there, and Riker knows, and there really isn't a good way to get out of this one.

As for her connection to Rios, obviously she is responsible for his trauma, and I think it makes for an interesting dynamic, the fact that she is also responsible for Agnes's. The situation with Agnes must really remind Cris of Vandermeer. Rios speculates that Vandermeer must have been told that Jana and Beautiful Flower were synths. It's not the same as having the Admonition mindmelded into his head without his consent but they might even have told him some things about what they thought they knew from the Admonition. Vandermeer and Agnes both murdered for this, when they were otherwise good people who would never murder someone. And they were both suicidal (although, luckily, Agnes just tried to disable the tracker, not tried to kill herself, so the "suicidal" part was purely comforting herself in her head, which is still devastating).

PicardPositivity Day 4: Mars

Alright. So, Mars. The attack on Utopia Planitia. I am fascinated to know what Rios was doing at the time. It probably didn't effect him directly. But he would certainly remember what he was doing when the news broke out. The Romulan Supernova and the synth attack on Utopia Planitia was a generational-defining event. It changed a lot of things for a lot of people. He might have even known people who were hurt or killed in it. And it definitely affects him in the future. It, and the subsequent synth ban is a strong contributor to what happened with Vandermeer, although he doesn't find this out until in Picard.

Now my question is: how did the synth ban affect the holos? Obviously, holo technology is everwhere in Picard. Maybe it helped the development of holo-technology, maybe that's where everyone started to go when they abandoned cybernetics, they started putting their focus into holo-technology. Or maybe it hampered some advancements. Maybe there are stricter rules about AI in general. Obviously, sophisticated programs like the EHs are normal now, but are there rules for how to operate them? For how long they can be active at a time, since we know years of nearly continuous activation (from Doc) lead to their adaptive programming really adapting and learning and changing and growing into sentience. I have questions about the rules and the capabilities of AI in Picard and I really hope they explore it more. And now, with the synth ban lifted, maybe it won't be as much of a danger. But will it affect the development of holo-technology? Will Agnes suddenly get more cyberneticists and will they lose holographers? Will they develop side-by-side now?

PicardPositivity Prompts My PicardPositivity Tag The General PicardPositivity Tag

Your death is a number but I cannot count that high (10/16)

In which Obi-Wan’s day gets worse. And worse.

Zombie Savage AU | 3k | warnings for body horror, mention of sexual assault

Obi-Wan’s troopers are staying mostly out of sight, aside from the few of them doing key maintenance or still manning the helm to enable quick escape if necessary. He knows they disapprove of the fact that he’s leading Savage Opress, renegade Sith apprentice and apparent undead creature and slayer of uncounted of their brothers and two Jedi, onto their small reconnaissance spaceship. He can’t see them, but he can still feel the worrying glares.

He also knows it’s necessary.

Identifying Darth Sidious is of utmost priority.

For the war effort. For the Republic. For the Jedi Order. For Obi-Wan himself, who’s lost so much to the machinations of this Sith, from Qui-Gon a decade ago to friends and soldiers daily right now.

He doesn’t quite know what breaching into the zabrak’s head will entail, but Obi-Wan will be likely out of commission for some time, which should be much safer on the ship. Plus, they are going to leave Entralla anyway. Once they know who Sidious is, they’ll make for his location posthaste—with an optional detour to Coruscant, should he decide he needs reinforcement. If everyone’s already on board, it will speed up the process. And the zabrak isn’t currently hostile.

He’s following Obi-Wan onto the ship without another word, head slightly bowed and apparently incurious.

He follows him into a small unused cabin.

He stands there, unmoving except for the metal insectoids in his cheek.

“How do you want to do this?” Obi-Wan has always been a courteous host. Even facing the undead creature that watched Satine die, it’s hard to shake the instinct.

Opress glances around the room. Only the wriggling of his cables betrays his nerves—if that is what it means.

“You suggested this. I know the Jedi ways of entering a mind—” in theory, and it was never Obi-Wan’s focus of study, though as unexpectedly easy as interaction with the grunting and brutal Sith is turning out to be, he mustn’t expose any lack of surety without reason— “but I assume you know your own techniques for mindmelding. Your familiarity might make this easier.”

“The cot.” Opress pulls at it until it’s dead center in the small room, then strips off the bedding and tosses it into a corner. “This ship is not earthen, but at least it is currently touching the soil, even if it’s not the soil of… It should be darker here. Can you locate braziers?”

“No.” Open fire? Inside a spaceship cabin? It would take a skilled engineer an hour to even shut off the smoke alarms because they are so elementary for safety.

“Then the electric light will serve in its place,” Opress rumbles. It’s hard to work out whether he’s disappointed. “I will strip—” he touches his shoulder pad, the one that was a clone’s helmet an hour ago, and shies away as if burned— “I will lie down now. You will stand behind my head.”

Obi-Wan follows his direction. The earth, the fire, the dark, and their arrangement—it seems deeply ritualistic, and although the Sith tend towards the dramatic he’s never thought them this primitive. In a less dire situation, this would be interesting.

“You will raise your hands. I will close my eyes.”

From the vantage point right above the supine zabrak, Opress looks even more wretched than he appeared on the battlefield. Occasionally, Obi-Wan can see straight through one of the holes in his chest before thick wriggling cables block his view. The other’s filled with an emitter guard—with Opress’ saber’s emitter guard. His torso is well-covered with junkyard debris, and where skin peeks through armor or trash it only seems slightly discolored. The arms are a different matter: the left forearm is prosthetic, of course, dull and lifeless compared to the rest of him, and the upper arms are sore-ridden and blistering and shiny with blaster burns. There is a deep gash all the way lengthwise down his right forearm, stuffed with crap, and the skin at the edges is swollen and purpling black. Flecks of trash move across the gash restlessly like misshapen ants. Despite Savage Opress’ size, somehow, he looks small.

“And then?”

Ridiculously, Opress looks offended. He rumbles, “You do magic.”

“Magic?”

A deep sigh heaves Opress’ metal-studded chest. His brows bunch. He bites his lip. Then, he rumbles, almost monotonously, “I gave myself up for my brother. Brothers. I am here now, and I will not resist. Picture it. I gave myself up. I will not resist. I paid the price for his life. I offer myself for my brother. I am here, Mother, Your Weapon, and whatever Your magic—"

Obi-Wan almost chokes on his vomit. The acid settles, uncomfortably, in his esophagus. Hunts have been lean recently, and there’s not much more to bring up. What hunts—The acid resists being swallowed because he’s lying down. He’s flat on his back and it’s dark outside his closed eyelids and he is terrified. He can feel the musty air on his bare chest, and he wishes he had something to cover himself. Anything. Only this isn’t what he’s been brought here for, he knows, he will soon be bred and—he’s lucky he still has his skirt. It won’t be long now. Maybe She will accept his lack of experience, and despite the tales She will be gentle. Only some Sisters enjoy causing pain.

It won’t be long, he thinks, trying to swallow back bitter spittle, trying to even out his breaths, it won’t be long, and the green that flashes behind his eyelids and seeps deep into his bones is no more vivid than the stone under his back. It won’t be long. It won’t last. It won’t be long.

He sinks.

He—there was a purpose here. He had a purpose. He is… He is Jedi. He’s Obi-Wan.

He’s Obi-Wan, and he just entered this mind.

This isn’t real, or rather—

It isn’t now.

He needs to find out a way to navigate these memories. Find Sidious. Find the Sith’s face. The fate of the Republic depends upon it. He can’t dwell on these… revelations about Opress, disturbing though they are, for all their sake.

Sidious, Obi-Wan tries thinking. Darth Sidious.

He’s still on the slab.

Savage might not care enough about the other Sith, he decides. This seems like a traumatic memory. Maybe it’s easier to access these, and what did Savage say…? The monster slaughtered him. Killed his brother. Maul’s death.

Maul’s death, he thinks. Maul is dead. Maul gets dismembered. Maul—

The crib is the only thing upright in this room. All other scarce furnishings have been torn asunder, searched and searched and searched and turned over as if something could possibly hide under a thin strip of linen.

The crib is an altar, and he kneels before it. He’s been kneeling for days.

The crib is empty.

He failed.

The baby is gone.

No, that’s not what Obi-Wan needs. Maul is dead. Maul is—

Maul is everywhere here, suffusing the air, a green tether—

Maul is dead. Maul is dead.

“What have they done to you, brother?” Obi-Wan can feel his mouth form the syllables, mournful and hard. “How could anybody do this? Hurt you, brother?”

They left the cave the day before yesterday, and finally, finally the brother in the cargo hold gave in to exhaustion and fell asleep. Finally, finally he can inspect him, from the safety of the door’s window, in bright shiplight.

Maul is on the floor curled into a quarter circle, though it’s obvious he would have taken a fetal position if his body allowed it. His metal arachnid abdomen sticks straight down, awkwardly.

His horns are far overgrown and rough, making him look friendless and undignified, but that’s the least pressing issue.

He’s emaciated.

He only got a few tossed pouches of reconstituted spiced meat because eating too much after starving makes you sick, and he wolfed them down. He emptied the hydrosacks much more carefully, sticking his tongue into the opening after so as not to waste a single drop. Water must have been scarcer than food on Lotho Minor.

Food and drink, that’s all he could give Maul. It’s not all his brother needs: companionship, perhaps, solace and sanity, and above all healing and care. Whoever fitted his grotesque prosthetic held no love at all for Maul, for they did nothing to protect his flesh. Maul’s stomach skin is inflamed all over, in places even gangrenous or with open sores smearing pus and blood all over the floor. It’s a miracle he still lives. But he does.

Someone cut him in half and he lived and someone screwed a spider’s ass into him and he lived and someone cut him and he lived and someone screwed it in and he lived and some monster cut Savage’s little brother in half and—

Maul’s dead, Obi-Wan thinks. Maul’s dead. Maul’s dead.

He’s tiny and feverish, and Savage got him just a fortnight ago and it’s already going wrong, he’ll fail his baby brother and—

I didn’t know, Obi-Wan thinks. I didn’t. But I still need to find—

The crib is empty.

It swings, slightly, in the storms.

The body he wears is sobbing.

Maul’s dead.

Maul is worrying his lip thinking of his brother right this moment in the bright green air—this doesn’t feel like—he’s kneeling in his room, but even knowing he might be able to feel the force connection will not allow him to settle into meditation. Savage is in the grasp of Sidious. Savage has been in his grasp for weeks while Maul idled—this isn’t the Maul of these memories—and any liberation might come too late. If they succeed, which they won’t. But still, his brother—this is real. It’s not a memory. Maul’s alive—his brother survived and Maul tried so hard to keep him and—what did Maul do?!—

Focus. Sidious. Sidious’ face. Maul’s... injury?

He never thought there was anyone more powerful than his brother in the galaxy, and he was wrong. Simple hero worship, he was dimly aware, and gratitude and adoration, and he hadn’t followed Maul for his strength anyway, but still, sometimes, he’d glanced sideways and thought, You could wipe the floor with Master Dooku. If he wanted to electrocute me now, you’d kill him, because I’m with you now. I’m your apprentice. He hadn’t thought, you could take on the Mother. But he also hadn’t not thought it.

The twin disasters against Kenobi hadn’t changed his mind. Kenobi might have had the upper hand those times, but he still was a gnat. Hey what…

He’d thought that there was no-one more powerful than Maul, and he’d been happy. Maul would live. Maul’s alive. Obi-Wan just felt his presence but—

He’d thought that there was none more powerful than his brother.

And then, the monster came.

The monster who stole the toddler Savage should have raised and tortured him instead, who is just as supercilious and cruel and ugly as Savage suspected. He wears a heinous purple hood robe—he’s hiding his face but Obi-Wan needs to see it—and he just kills Miks and Jema. Maul, immediately and obviously terrified, tries to placate him with lies of servitude. Getting smashed against the wall hurts less than hearing Maul call the creep Master.

Distantly, Obi-Wan catalogues the fighting stances used by the body he’s inside and the two others, though focusing mostly on trying to get a clear view of Sidious’ face. That chin seems oddly familiar. Too familiar. Who is… The body—Savage—has other priorities, glancing back and again at Maul. Maul, who has to live. Maul’s unconscious now, and Savage won’t win, but maybe in his struggle and death he will buy enough time for his baby brother to get away—a blurred view of the face but it’s clear enough and—Maul has to get away—Palpatine—the monster whirls around—the Chancellor?!—and pain, pain—the Chancellor—pain—the Chancellor, Obi-Wan left Anakin so often alone with him and the Chancellor is the Sith Lord—pain—the—

Floor, far away, for a minute. Not long left. Only time for—a hand, grasping his, and Maul. Oh, Maul. Oh, brother.

“I am an unworthy apprentice,” ground out with the last of bis breaths. An apology. A goodbye, because he’s leaving Maul here with his old nightmare and if Savage were better, if he were just a little bit better, he could have protected… “I never—”

Maul doesn’t accept. His hand is hot against Savage’s mouth. Savage bites down on reflex and the green light rises—Obi-Wan’s seen too much of this light, what does it mean—the green light rises and Maul forces it deep into his brother, with his own body and his mind unheeding the brutality or material reality, while the vortex of magic swirls and swirls around them. Debris sticks like static to his skin—Obi-Wan can feel it and he can feel Maul giving in to anything that may grant power, and oh, Savage outside these memories is crafted and reinforced with trash and does that mean—the light pulls shrapnel and detritus left on the battlefield inside and forms—and Darth Maul forms an undead behemoth out of the almost-corpse of his brother.

Darth Maul did this.

A technobeast.

That’s what they are called, amalgamations of organic and machine matter.

Obi-Wan read of mechu-deru, and mechu-deru vitae, after the reappearance of dismembered Darth Maul when a sai tok should have ended him. A prosthetic lower body is within the remits of the eccentric darkside art of mechu-deru, but Savage the undead machinistic creature extends far beyond that and into sheer barbarism. Mechu-deru allows its practitioner to understand and influence inanimate and robotic constructs. On the lowest end…

The technobeast.

Metal and flesh intermixed to create a weaponized cyborg. A willing slave.

Darth Maul was willing to lobotomize his own brother.

He made a weapon of his brother.

That Maul could sink so…

And still, pervasively, poor Opress loves him.

Obi-Wan’s seen enough.

He’s seen the face of Darth Sidious—seen Palpatine—and he now knows the true depths of Maul’s depravity. He only has to wake up and inform the Jedi Council now. He must wake up.

He must wake—

A finger touches his forehead. It feels strange, as if his body had never before been touched. He opens his eyes in the dark musty Temple, and soon his eyes land on the Sister who won him. Who will breed him. He wraps his hand around Her neck, and distantly he is surprised both that he is angry—that he dares resist—and that his hand dwarfs her neck, but still he chokes Her and She begs, “Let me go,” but he won’t because he hates Her and then the Mother says, “Calmly, Sister,” and She repeats, “Let me go,” and he stops.

He stops.

Stops.

He stands up.

“Now, for the final test,” She who is Power says.

And They carry in a brother he thinks he should know and She who is Power orders him to kill the brother and, wrapping his hand around another neck and feeling like he should remember every single meal and every hunt and every night and every tear and every word and every laugh they ever shared, he does.

He kills the brother.

It’s Feral.

He killed Feral—

Obi-Wan sicks up his lunch. And his breakfast, for good measure.

“Did you find Sidious?” Opress rumbles from his cot.

He appears completely impassive, as if Obi-Wan hadn’t just seen him mourn the baby he lost and choke another of his brothers to death and skewered through the hearts by Darth Sidious—by Chancellor Palpatine, and they are doomed, doomed, how could this just slip by, how could Obi-Wan entrust his padawan to a monster for hours upon hours, how could the Republic just fall to his sway and if he commands Dooku then what does this mean for the war that has been destroying all of them for years—seen Opress killed by Sidious and then turned into a machine slave by Darth Maul, who’s meant to be Opress’ brother and Obi-Wan always assumed that he felt at least a modicum of comradeship for his kind, but if he’s ready to plumb these moral depths… Maul, who apparently, is also still alive.

It’s a bit much.

Obi-Wan feels faint. He pulls a chair out with the force and sits.

Opress, meanwhile, sits up on his cot. The cables on his chest wave and wrap tightly around him—a sickening testament to Darth Maul’s malice. They jitter. “You—recognized him?” Opress asks.

“I did,” Obi-Wan replies tonelessly. “It’s Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.”

“Good. Where does this Chancellor live?”

“Where does—” Obi-Wan doesn’t have the energy for this. “He lives on Coruscant.”

“Then let us go and kill him.”

“We can’t just kill the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic—” Something dawns upon Obi-Wan. He laughs hysterically. “You have no idea who that is, do you?”

“I don’t.” Savage Opress doesn’t appear any less buoyed by his gross ignorance. Maybe that is a result of the brain damage caused by Darth Maul’s ritual. “It doesn’t matter. I am the last weapon of the Mother. She resurrected me, and I shall avenge Her, and then I’ll die.”

Obi-Wan should probably tell him that Darth Maul used mechu-deru to enslave him and that’s why he’s an undead machine-contaminated monster now. He will. He will, soon, but his first duty is to the galaxy and the Jedi and the Republic, and Sidious is the most dire threat by far. He can’t afford the time to explain what he just found out to this hapless creature, and technobeasts according to the book were renowned for their power. Perhaps Opress will be instrumental in taking down the Sith Lord.

It’s not even deception. A lot of deception, anyway. Opress wants to kill Darth Sidious. That’s why he accosted Obi-Wan. The man killed him, after all. There’ll be time for truth later and—

The comm system whirrs alive. “General, we’re being boarded!”

It turns off, like there’s not even time for another missive.

Kriff.

Who could it be but Sidious?

Obi-Wan hasn’t even commed the Jedi Order.

And if he already found out then…

Obi-Wan sprints towards the door. Opress pushes himself off the cot. The air grows thicker, and thicker, and both keel over.

Alt-Maraunders snippets since I hadn’t written them in awhile! Warning for violence against Haven in the first one...yes, that should be a warning in it. Also warning for a lack of Pyro and Maddie, which is CRIMINAL

“Get out of here, Ms. Dastoor,” Shaw commanded. Verendi was coming, and they would be a match for him this time, very likely. They had adjusted their weaponry, their defenses. They were very close to almost making this a fair fight. “I won’t leave you,” she said, and she might have protested further, if he hadn’t decided that he didn’t have the time for an argument. Instead he simply took one of her hands in his...and crushed it. She cried out in pain and shock as her bones were pulverized under her skin and her blood seeped out from between his fingers. “If you do not,” he said calmly as he released her, “I will break much more of you. You will be dead at my hands before you fall into theirs.” This time, she ran. He knew she would be safer for it---and, he hoped, smarter, like an animal that has stepped once into a trap and now knows to avoid them. Then again, Shaw also knew what it was to be an old dog that couldn’t seem to get the hang of new tricks. *** “Hello, Claudine,” said Haven as the other woman lifted the wreckage easily from overtop her, as though this were a mere social call. “Thank you so much for the assistance, I do appreciate it.” Claudine, standing over Haven, put her hands on her vest-accentuated waist and smirked, just a little, though not unkindly at all, and asked, “Like the view?” “I’m very pleased for the rescue, Claudine,” said Haven, taking Claudine’s offered hand as the latter knelt down to offer it. “Come on, I know you can’t be that obtuse,” Claudine said in an indulgent tone, pulling her up, “I know for a fact you’re not. You’re a lot LESS obtuse than the average person. We’ve had this discussion.” “I suppose it’s not that I do not see it,” Haven replied, getting her footing, “Only that I do not recognize it for what it is, just as I may see a flower but not be able to identify its exact taxonomy.” “What you mean is, you’re not used to a woman hitting on you, so even when you pick it up you don’t realize what it really is,” Claudine took her arm, though only to help her pick her way over the debris. “I suppose. But I think it’s because I also know it’s not sincere from you. You’re...gauging me, I think, to see what I do and don’t perceive, and what I do and don’t react to. What would be the scientific term, responding to stimulus?” “True, I know you’re not going to turn around and reciprocate, and that is probably why I do it.” “That’s interesting, Claudine. Tell me, what do you do when you do want someone to reciprocate?” “...you know, I’m still trying to work that out myself.” *** "I’m sorry, okay?!” Shinobi ejected, throwing his arms out to the sides. “Are you?” Mindmeld asked coldly, her arms crossed over her chest, neither turning to look at him nor getting up from the luxurious couch, “Or are you sorry for how I’m getting back at you now?” She didn’t get an answer, just a whimper. “Doesn’t matter,” she said, and this time she did turn to look at him, “I’m gonna keep doing it AND doing your dad.” “Aw come on,” he whined, looking like a puppy in the rain. Good. “I am,” she said, “With Sebastian.” ** “Now, now, Red...I thought all bygones were bygones now?” Sebastian mocked as the young martial artist came at him, “Everything behind us now in this beautiful mutant paradise?” “That means nothing to me!” Red Lotus continued his strikes, trying to get a hit on Shaw’s pressure points, something his kinetic absorption had not defended him from in the past, “This is about MY FAMILY!” Sebastian smiled as he caught the leaping assailant by the throat, “So nice to hear someone sees things my way.” He lifted poor Red Lotus off the ground, his feet dangling in the air, “I quite agree with you, young Paul. Species loyalty is something I only espouse under duress, myself. Safety in numbers, I understand, but in an ideal situation, a “mutant identity” should be as asinine as a community based on eye color. But family loyalty...while it also makes little logical sense to me to align oneself based on an accident of blood, it was a weakness I can...understand. But I must ask---you realize, of course, your desire for vengeance is complicated by the issue of resurrection? That’s the only reason I don’t bother killing you now---you’d be back in my hair tomorrow anyway.” “There are worse things,” Red Lotus choked out, hate filling his eyes, “Than death. Again, Sebastian smiled, "That’s the spirit.” *** The Serpent Society girls and Skein were not the only friends that Mindmeld had made on Krakoa. Another was Regan Wyngarde, Lady Mastermind. She was the best kind of friend---the kind that was terrible, just like Mindmeld herself, and understood where they stood. That is, all fun, no loyalty. Each knew other would fuck each over in a second for shoes and leave the other the second it looked like there was trouble. Mindmeld comfortable with that. It was the same reason she was more comfortable with Sebastian than his son. And speaking of his son... “Your stupid slutty boyfriend is wearing my costume!” Regan shouted in outrage. “Wow, he fits?” Mindmeld replied in her typical can’t-be-shocked-tone, “That skinny bitch.” *** “So, your sister is safe? There is no one I have to trounce in her honor?” Fabian asked. He and Monsoon had at last made it back to Krakoa after their missions. Monsoon had been incessantly concerned about the welfare of his older sister throughout, and Fabian did understand that---he was a gentleman himself, and if he’d HAD a sister WORTH defending he’d certainly have looked out for her too--though he thought at times that Monsoon should look out for him, Fabian, more. Not that LORD CORTEZ, THE SUPREME MUTANT, needed any protection, just, it was the principle of the thing! “Yes, it seems all’s well,” Monsoon replied, “I was right to be concerned, I think---two of the crew are, erm. extremely rowdy fellows, maybe not BAD, but....but...” “But Haven is a lady,” Fabian finished. “Yes. But, the third, I think he was in charge---I got that impression, anyway---he was very serious. Older. Very respectable. I’m sure Radha was fine with him there to supervise things.” “Who were these two miscreants?” “Shinobi Shaw and Pyro, St. John Allerdyce...do you know them?” “That I do! Shinobi is absolutely a danger to a woman’s virture, but Pyro ah...is not. Who do I have thank for keeping that fop in line, though?” “His father, Sebastia---what?” Fabian was staring at Monsoon in PURE HORROR . *** “Wait, Shinobi,” said Haven, “I think I had better tell your father.” “What?” said Shinobi, then considered, “Oh, yeah...yeah. He’d probably um, take it better than you.” “I’m sorry, Shinobi,” Haven said gravidly and sincerely. “What?” “Shinobi, I...I would never deliberately pry or snoop. But I...I was born with a sort of sensitivity. It’s not a mutation, I am just...attuned to others. And I...can feel when something is amiss. When someone has been hurt.” “What are you saying?” Shinobi’s thin brows furrowed. His voice was defensive, his posture aggressive. He took a step forward. “I am saying,” said Haven, calm as ever, her large dark eyes gentle, “That if there is ever something you wish to tell, but are hesitant and ashamed...don’t be. I have probably already guessed it. And I would never, could never, look down on your for it.”

Starfleet Command Captain Jean Luc-Picard and Captain James Tiberious Kirk. Synonymous with success. Need I say more. The Legends continue to sweep the Galaxy. Go to Amazon

Lots of fun! Makes Picard seem more real. There are fun connections to other Star Trek shows, and a lot of the missing pieces of the Picard story are filled in very well. The occasional "Editor's Notes" at the bottom of the page are a fun way to make the book seem more real. The "editor" even corrects Picard if he makes a mistake, like when Picard wrote that a building was named after Captain Archer, when it was really named for his father Henry Archer. Touches like that add a layer that is surprisingly engaging. The full color photos in the middle are really cool. Fun read, and well written. Go to Amazon

If you loved Star Trek: The Next Generation you will love David Goodman's "The Autobiography of Jean Luc Picard... If you loved Star Trek: The Next Generation you will love David Goodman's "Autobiography of Jean Luc Picard". Having also read David's "The Autobiography of James T. Kirk" from the original Star Trek series, I couldn't wait to get his new book. "Picard" was every bit as good and paints an exciting history and background to the character and also to a lot of the other characters on TNG. It's adventurous and moving with all of the detail and good natured, exciting and optimistic view that Star Trek has always been famous for. David Goodman is an excellent writer, who was actually a writer on "Star Trek: Enterprise" and is currently a writer/Executive Producer on the new Seth MacFarlane sci-fi series "The Orville". He has the rare ability to expand and build on the Star Trek universe that we love and still surprise us with new offerings. If you or someone you know loves Star Trek you have the chance to get that person an amazing holiday gift this year. Go to Amazon

A great read, hope they do more! Last year I read and reviewed ‘The Autobiography of James T. Kirk’ and greatly enjoyed it. So when I found out that a new volume on Picard had come out it was a must read. Now I must admit, growing up I was a huge Kirk fan, I remember watching the animated series and the original series in syndication. By the time The Next Generation came out was late high school and early university. So my watching was not as consistent. And to be honest I felt a greater pull to Riker or Worf. And yet that being said going back and reading this book was like stepping back in time, and reminded me of a younger me, and a different time and place in my life. I could picture myself at Skydome in Toronto watching the series finale on the Jumbotron. So in part this book was like a trip down my own memory lane, let alone the journey through Picard’s past. Go to Amazon

Almost perfect, minor complaints. Although not as good as The Autobiography of James T. Kirk, this was a thoroughly enjoyable book that I couldn't put down. My only objections are minor. I can't believe that the elderly Admiral McCoy was so curmudgeonly that Captain Picard wouldn't want to spend some time with him when welcoming him to the Enterprise, and even if he were, surely later, after Picard had mind-melded with both Sarek and Spock, he would have second thoughts about his earlier decision to shunt McCoy off to Data (although that did result in a lovely scene). Another objection is that after Picard and Crusher FINALLY get married, they spend hardly any time with each other! The romantic in me wants to believe that these two found each other too interesting to do that. My third objection is the attempt to tie in the Kelvan timeline. I am not a big fan of the Kelvan timeline movies, so this is more personal opinion than a failing of the author. The positives in this book far outweigh the negatives. I like the way the author explains the family dynamics of the Picards. I also thought it was very clever of the author to use Picard's mindmelds with Sarek and Spock as an explanation for how he could recover mentally and emotionally from such devastating experiences as being assimilated by the Borg and tortured by Cardassians. The author successfully enters Picard's thoughts and feelings and we get to really know the man. Good job! Go to Amazon

Make it so! A great read. Just like the author's previous book about Kirk, this book fills in all the blanks of a character I already thought I knew pretty well. Goodman doesn't contradict what we've already seen, but adds welcome depth and detail. I think if you've heard of Jean-Luc Picard you will like this book. Go to Amazon

If you're a Star Trek fan you will enjoy this. If you don't know much about Star Trek, you will still enjoy this. If you're a Star Trek fan you will enjoy this. If you don't know much about Star Trek, you will still enjoy this. Go to Amazon

A very good book. But.... Five Stars Good read that fleshes out some of the early years of the 24th Century's greatest Captain. Exceptional read Loved it! Five Stars Who as Jean-Luc Picard? A decent look into the life of Starfleet's 2nd greatest captain A very good read

(I wanted to write about Mindmeld coming back on Krakoa. It ended up having less of the personality I envision for her, and actually being more about Emma, to my surprise, even though Emma isn’t a character I consider myself capable of writing. But, tagging @badmusesdoitwell for Emma and @sammysdewysensitiveeyes @esteicy-blog since I know you guys like Mindmeld!)

Like all the others, Mindmeld’s resurrection took place in front of a crowd of Krakoans to witness her rebirth. But all she saw when she spilled out of her golden egg was Shinobi Shaw, her former employer and ex boyfriend, standing in front of her, bending his knees, smiling and reaching down. ”Mindmeld,” someone said, “How do we know it is you?” The words didn’t even reach her ears above her own scream of rage as she launched herself from the ground on to Shinobi, clawing and kicking. ”Whoa!” he exclaimed in shock. “You left me!” she yelled, not ceasing in her blows,  “You bastard!” “Whoa, hey, calm down,” Shinobi pleased, shifting to his super dense state so she couldn’t hurt him, though she was still trying. “You left me to die!” “Mindmeld, baby, you knew the risks---” “You betrayed me!” “You were paid t---aaah not the hair!”

Even his super-dense state couldn’t ward off a good hair pull, something he would have enjoyed under different circumstances. Among those watching, Emma and Sebastian where at the front of the crowd. or two people who hated each other, they often were in close proximity. Insert that old adage here about where to keep your enemies. “I suppose you’re just going to let this undignified display go on?” Emma asked. “You don’t find it terribly entertaining?” “I’m very sure Shinobi deserves it, but does the young lady?” “Well, do something, then, if you have a problem.” “He’s your son and this was your recommendation for resurrection--you do something.” Sebastian squinted at her. Why did she care about this ‘Mindmeld’ person that his son had asked to be pushed to the head of the revival queue? She had an angle, he just didn’t know what it was. He seldom did. She’d become so much more unpredictable since she joined the X-men. He really hated her for that. But this was admittedly getting out of hand. As amusing as it was, Shinobi being the Black Bishop meant that his follies---especially the very public ones---reflected on the Hellfire Club as a whole, and more importantly, on Blackstone, Sebastian’s segment of it. So he sighed, and, hoping he wasn’t literally walking into some scheme of Emmas, strode to where Mindmeld was still walloping the beejeesus out of his idiot offspring in front of the laughing crowd. “Excuse me, young lady?” Mindmeld downright snarled in reply, a back-off warning if there ever was one. “Not that I’m sure my son doesn’t deserve this,” Sebastian continued, and indeed he was just as sure in that was Emma was, “But were you aware, in your ire, that you are on display?” “Wh--” Mindmeld realized, really realized, at that moment, that she was in front of crowd. She looked out at the Krakoans, and she stopped her assault. She shrank in on herself, confused and embarrassed and all too aware of her exposing nudity, a state that was for more vulnerable and humiliating and unsafe for her even than most. There was a sudden weight on her bare-no-longer shoulders; Shaw had dropped his overcoat over them. “I’d suggest you get up and come with me, Miss Mindmeld. I think we’re all satisfied it’s really you. Shinobi, get up, you’ve embarrassed ALL of us enough for today.” Emma did not follow the trio as they departed the scene, but she was watching. Sebastian could feel her eyes boring into his back like diamond drills. Had she put this idea in his son’s head to begin with, perhaps? He decided he’d keep an eye on this ‘Mindmeld’. *** “DON’T FUCK MY DAD!” These were the words that echoed down the hall of Blackstone that Sebastian Shaw was presently passing through, shirt off and coffee cup in hand. Well. That was interesting. Seemed Shinobi and Mindmeld were getting along about the same as they had before. “Well I might!” Mindmeld’s voice came now from behind the same door that Shinobi’s had ejected from,  “You don’t own me! I will if I want!” “Come on, you can’t do that!” “I can’t?! I CAN’T?! I could do it even if we WERE still together, which we’re NOT! You threw ALL THIS away, Shinobi, and worse! I should fuck your dad, just to fuck YOU! And I’m gonna go do it RIGHT NOW!” “You wouldn’t!” “Watch me! Literally, watch me!” With that, the door opened, just as Sebastian was passing by it, and the silver-skinned mutant waked right out into him. She paled as she realized who it was. “You heard,” she said in a small, oh-shit voice. “I did,” he said, closing the door behind her. “I, uh, I was...I was just...I didn’t really.” “We can, you know,” he offered calmly, “Or not, and just say we did. If you’d like that.” “That...would be great, actually.” She grinned in relief...and then much more wickedly.

*** “MY DAD IS FUCKING MY GIRLFRIEND!” “That can’t possibly surprise you, Shinobi,” said Emma. She had no idea WHY Shaw’s son had come to HER to complain, but then, she supposed the poor boy had no one else. Well, Christian, maybe... “You know your father.” “Yeah but why would SHE fuck him? That’s what I wanna know!” “Well darling, there’s money, there’s power, there’s a hard cock, and there’s sticking it to you. All very attractive things.” “Listen, just I because might have betrayed her horribly ONE TIME does not warrant this kind of treatment!” “I agree,” said Emma, hiding her shock that she could actually find common ground with him on anything, “Vengeance is worth a lot of things  but not degrading oneself in terms of bedroom partners. The poor girl. I’ll set her up with someone far more suitable. Meaning, someone who isn’t either of you.” “Hey! That’s NOT what I’m asking for here!” “I hope you weren’t expecting HELP with this.” Emma said coldly, knowing that it’s EXACTLY what he was expecting. “Aw come on, how can I win her back, Emma, please?” “How would I know?” “You’re blonde, psychic, stylish, and mean! You’re practically the same person! You would know!” Ah. Now Emma understood. Shinobi hadn’t brought Mindmeld back out of love, nor for some sinister plot to use her against Emma or Sebastian or anyone else. He just wanted his own shiny-skinned psychic with a sharp tongue and fabulous fashion sense, and succeed where his father failed by actually keeping her on his side.  A feat he’d botched before he’d even began it, clearly. “Grovel,” said the White Queen flatly. “That’ll get her back?” “No, but you should do it anyway, you owe it to her from what I understand.” Emma didn’t know WHAT Shinobi had done to that woman, but she had no doubt it was something typical of how this family treated its allies---one could just ask Sage about that. *** “You’re Emma Frost,” Mindmeld said in awe. “I am. And you’re better than them.” Mindmeld immediately knew who she meant. “Is that supposed to be an accomplishment?” she asked with a sneer, directed not at Emma but at the pair they were discussing. “Oh good,” Emma grinned, “I like you, I was so hoping that I would. Now tell me darling---how is it someone with such good taste in shoes has such poor taste in men?” Mindmeld put up her beautifully-manicured hands, “If you’re trying to get me to back off one or both, consider it done. I’m not getting in your way. Just because I was technically born last week doesn’t make me an idiot.” Emma nearly laughed, “Oh darling, you misunderstand me terribly! And here you seemed so bright. I’m about as keen to have one of those two inside me as I am an enema-by-Sentinel-canon. “Oh,” Mindmeld paused, “So, what do you care then? You hate them, so you’re cockblocking?” “I get the feeling you’re not used to anyone doing you any favors, are you Mindmeld?” Emma asked, her tone slightly softer. Mindmeld’s suspicious face at this told her all she needed to know. Emma didn’t need to be a mind-reader to know that the moment Emma had made herself seem like she was doing this out of genuine concern and not some petty schoolgirl agenda, Mindmeld had doubted her. It wasn’t anything personal, she didn’t know Emma--did know OF her, admired the hell out of her, what a QUEEN, what an ICON, she was everything Mindmeld wanted to be---it was just that was what she thought of people. Emma was right, no one did her any favors, not without wanting something in return, and she didn’t expect Emma to be the first. She would have been less defensive if Emma had come in quid pro quo because she’d see Emma as being upfront in her intentions, instead of hiding them as she now did. Not unlike Sebastian himself, Emma noted. She supposed the only way Mindmeld would trust her is if she met the other woman where she was at, meaning she must appear to be coming from a place of spite instead of altruism. “Well, I’m not in the habit of doing favors,” she amended, putting some of the customary ice in her tone, “Not unless they get done for me in return.” Now Mindmeld looked interested again. “Go on.” Inwardly, Emma sighed. This felt oh-so-regressive. Here she was, trying to be a better person, and yet the only way she could help this mutant---whom she didn’t even know but had an automatic sense of empathy for--was by pretending to be the manipulative bitch everyone thought she was. But, that was how it always wasn’t it? That she had to be the bitch to get things done. “Alright, Mindmeld darling,” she continued in her very best evil-plotting voice, “Here’s what you’re going to do for me...” (I don’t know what Emma suggests Mindmeld do but it’s probably hilarious and nasty! Mindmeld did not sleep with Sebastian, she just told Shinobi that, as he suggested.)