#Gul War Stories

[williamrablan]

Free Kindle Read: The Cross and the Badge

Right about now, someone is saying those immortal words, “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.” There isn’t you know. But for five days, starting Christmas Day and going through the 30th if December, and if you have a kindle account, you can read “The Cross and the Badge” for free. After that, it goes back to its regular price. It’s, of course, a bit of marketing with hopes that if you…

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

Who cares about Celeborn? There's only one character I really want to see included on Galadriel's character arc in future seasons of "Rings of Power":

Sauron and Galadriel are now bound together, merged souls, and he, most likely, transferred some of his powers onto the her in the process. This will come into play in Season 3. So, we might yet see Galadriel spiral down into darkness before emerging, victorious, as the “Lady of Light”: to find the light, we must first touch the darkness.

I would love to see Gandalf involved in this process. Especially since his arc parallels Sauron’s in “Rings of Power”, and this would explain Gandalf and Galadriel's friendship, and mutual admiration and respect for one another, in the future (+ the Elves, in general). We know Galadriel completely trusts Gandalf, even when other characters don’t (Elrond and Saruman, for instance).

In book canon, Gandalf wasn’t supposed to be in Middle-earth at this timeline, but the show changed that, so my wishful thinking can be a possibility.

And helping Galadriel deal with her bound with Sauron would be a very interesting way to connect these characters and both Sauron/Gandalf parallels: while Sauron wants to bring Galadriel to the darkness, Gandalf would provide guidance for her to stay in the light, and help her control her new-found powers. 

The “Rings of Power” Season 2 has established that Gandalf’s mission is to stop Sauron, but in book canon, he never actually faced him, directly (even though he was probably the only one who could be a match to Sauron’s power, with both of them being Maiar);

Galadriel didn’t face Sauron, personally, throughout this timeline, nor was she a direct part of the War of the Last Alliance, working against him for afar (which will remain her course of action throughout the whole story);

This would provide an explanation as to why Gandalf gets his ring of power, Narya (who belonged to Círdan).

In canon, the showdown at Gul Guldur is the only known interaction of Galadriel vs. Sauron, and the only reason she’s there is because of Gandalf. 

And Gandalf tells Galadriel: “You shouldn’t be here, my Lady” 

The potential! The possibilities! Gandalf being the only one who knows of Galadriel’s “dirty little secret”?? Of her being bound together with Sauron!? Yes, please! Amazon: I have this headcanon on my wishlist!

[trekbait]

Cardassia’s Gay Venues - Ranked

Cardassia’s strict gender roles and focus on family have meant for much of the past few hundred years the queer community there, while tolerated, has lived in the shadows. Post-war, it’s all change on Cardassia and we’re proud to report on some of the hottest queer venues (or "tailor shops" in the local slang) on the planet!

#1 The Blue Spoon

Officially a 300-year-old private members club for women excelling in science and engineering (Cardassia’s traditionally female-dominated careers), this club has been a haven for Cardassia’s sapphics away from prying eyes. Those in the know of course might recognise the name; “blue spooning” being a slang term on Cardassia for a lesbian relationship. But they’ve maintained an air of deniability and exclusive privacy.

Reluctantly opening their doors to a new generation, we joined one of their latest parties with these finely dressed women, often with very masculine cuts, dancing to an all-female orchestra. From our conversations with patrons, it seems those women who do serve in the military are in exceptional demand now they’re allowed in, particularly among the younger patrons. One older Gul was seen carrying two young women around on her shoulders before vanishing towards the powder room.

#2 The Hot Rock

With their preference for the heat and dark, relative to many humanoids, it’s no surprise how popular saunas are on Cardassia. That holds true for gay Cardassians too. The Hot Rock is the biggest gay sauna in the capital and a meeting place for much of its community. Over 4 floors deep under Lakarian Way there is no end of dark corners to arrange a semi-private rendezvous in temperatures passing 90 degrees Celsius in places. 

The upper floors are dotted with dancers, bars and various entertainment. Not being able to handle the heat downstairs, we talked to a few of the patrons. One ex-tailor we spoke to told us of how prior to the war it was very much a “don’t ask, don’t tell” situation on Cardassia. The primacy of the family always had the understanding of affairs on the side, but on the understanding they were kept discreet.

These days, it seems, the old ways are out along with the old leadership. We asked the patron if there were any prominent gay Cardassians in this new society. He replied, “my dear, they’re all gay.” When asked if that included the government, he added “Especially the government.” The patron himself says that he is just visiting for the sauna and was not gay at all, but his friend Elim used to date a human doctor for a few years who was “ravishing.” He grinned as he went back to watching the dancers. Let’s hope this ‘Elim’ finds new love on this new Cardassia.

#3 Dom In Me Cabaret

What was previously an underground satirist group of drag performers during the war is now an ongoing headline show with a full musical comedy based around the Dominion leadership. The king playing the Vorta 'Why-Ooo' steals the show with his sycophantic solos dedicated to his unrequited love for the abusive Changeling.

We lost count of the number of times different characters killed Why-Oooo but the audience cheered mercilessly without fail. The group is currently working on a new act around Tain and the Obsidian Order, something unthinkable a few years ago!

#4 The Ending Sacrifice Bookshop

For a quieter atmosphere, turn to The Ending Sacrifice which now openly sells literature deemed inflammatory to the Cardassian sense of “Family Is All.” Stories of powerful people forsaking arranged marriages to elope with their true love stock the shelves in defiance of the prevailing ideology. The owner, Manek, explains how they how to challenge the monoculture on Cardassia imposed by Central Command over the past 100 years.

“Historically,” they say, “the early Hebitian civilizations were far more liberal and pluralistic. We valued our differences and our culture above military conquest. We want to return to that openness. So much of our society has been suppressed. Did you know that, like most reptilian-like humanoids, Cardassians have the capacity to change sex in certain circumstances? Under the Central Command, this is an unspoken medical disorder to be fixed rather than a natural function of our biology.”

The bookshop hosts literary and academic talks on a number of topics which are free to attend. Drop in and speak to Manek for more.

#5 Obsidian Eyes

Tucked away on the outskirts of Lakat is a BDSM club that only recently opened. For some, the end of the Obsidian order and their eternal monitoring of the whole of Cardassian society (especially it’s queer members) must be something to be missed. Because here, patrons can meet in cold metal interrogation rooms and be watched through “secret” one-way mirrors by “agents of the Obsidian Order”. At a certain point during their liaison, the agents will barge into the room and place the lovers on trial. 

We asked staff if the “agents” were real, or more accurately former, members of the Obsidian Order or just actors. Each person we asked gave an entirely conflicting account of the whole operation and one just quoted lines from Enigma Tales at us. So we’re not sure what to say at this point other than this is an exhibition and humiliation kink we didn’t think we’d see on our trip.

[datasoong101]

When I first started watching DS9, I listed each character and my impressions of them here. Now that I've finished the show and had time to sit with it, I'm gonna do that again.

Spoilers under the cut!

Benjamin Sisko:

A truly inspirational character with a beautiful and meaningful arc. Sisko is one of the best examples of a healthy father figure I can think of. He's funny, he's responsible, he's kind, he makes hard choices. His arc as the emissary was remarkable. He went from a reluctant star fleet officer to a transcendent being who's destiny was written before he was born. He's the best.

Jake Sisko:

You got to see him grow from a little kid to a remarkable author. His relationship with his father was beutiful and tragic. I would love to see where he is 10 years after the last season.

Kasidy:

Her character wasn't super detailed, but she seemed like a bad ass. A good partner for Sisko.

Sisko's Dad:

Just felt like including him. He's awsome.

Quark:

I love that little rat bastard freak. I love him and his freak little self to death. He's actually the fucking best you don't get it. His gay ass wanted Odo so bad. His arc was just right, changes in perspective but mostly shenanigans.

Rom:

The silliest and goofiest little guy. He's so damn sweet. Best grand nagus ever.

Nog:

I actually cried over Nog joining Statfleet. He is an incredible person. It's really tragic that he had to see the worst of the war so young. Love him too.

Leeta:

Such a badass.

General Martok:

A cool dude.

Worf:

I honestly didn't like Worf that much in TNG. That changed REAL quick. You get to see so much more of his character in DS9. He's just the best.

Jadzia Dax:

OH MY GOD DAX AGAGAGAGAG I cannot express how much I love her. She was absolutely incredible. Her and Worf were actually the sweetest ever. Her death pissed me the fuck off.

Ezri Dax:

When she came on, I tried not to like her. I failed. She is beutiful cinnamon roll too good for this world.

Keiko:

Wish you got to see more of her. She's awsome.

O' Brien kids:

:3

O'Brien:

I LOVE HIM POOR GUY!!! Him and Julian are the best grumpy sunshine ever.

Julian:

AGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAG THE TWINKIEST TWIK WHO EVER TWINKED I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM YOU DON'T GET IT YOU'LL NEVER GET IT!!! He feels so real. His arc is remarkable. From bright eyed "frontier doctor" fresh from Star Fleet Medical to the tragedy of the war and his family and being discovered as genetically modified, his friendships. All of it. He just needed to kiss a lizard.

Garak:

I LOVE THAT TRAGIC ASS HORNY ASS FUCK ASS LIZARD ASS FUCK I LOVE HIM TO DEATH HE JUST NEEDED TO KISS A TWINK.

Kira:

SHE IS SUCH A BADASS. Her character development? Incredible. She just. I don't know. I just love her. She's quite literally hanging on my wall.

Odo:

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHH I LOVE HIM. HE'S JUST SO. AHAHAHAHAHAH. His story is one of the most tragic. I love him and Kira. I cried when he went home. Also him and Quark were fucking.

Kai Winn:

I hated her and then someone changed my mind so I hate her less. Her arc was wild.

Gul Dukat:

FUCK HIM FUCK HIM FUCK HIM FUCK HIM FUCK HIM FUCK HIM FUCK HIM HE'S A PIECE OF FUCKING SHIT

Ziyal:

Maybe the most tragic casualty of the occupation and the war. She deserved so much better.

I LOVE DS9 SO FUCKING MUCH ACTUALLY INSANE I LOVE THEM SO MUCH LIKE YOU DON'T GET IT LOVING THEM IS NOT ENOUGH I NEED TO BITE THEM THAT SHOW WAS EQUAL PARTS ME CRYING AND ME LAUGHING I CAN'T WAIT TO REWATCH

[hessdalen-globe]

I’ve always been a Star Wars fan over Star Trek, but let me just say that Gul Dukat is one of my favorite villains ever.

A couple years ago I watched the Star Trek movies and shows up until Enterprise, just to give the franchise a shot and see what it was really about compared to Star Wars. And out of the TV shows Deep Space Nine was my favorite.

DS9 had some political themes that I was attracted to, like the occupation of Bajor (the system that the series takes place in just after the occupation ends) by the Cardassians (Dukat’s species) and the Dominion War.

Being a high ranking official in the Cardassian army Dukat was a major part of both of these events. He was essentially in charge of the occupation, and is the one responsible for selling out his people to the Dominion. So his connection to these events is probably partly why I enjoyed his character.

But Dukat is a perfect example of being the hero of his own story. The most believable antagonists aren’t villains in their own mind. Dukat truly believes, outwardly at least, that everything he has done is good. He was on Bajor to help the Bajorans, so he says. Ignoring the suffering, the labor camps, and cultural genocide, he reiterates this belief time and time again right in the face of Bajorans that he oppressed.

Marc Alaimo portrayed the character perfectly and really brought Dukat to life. He was entertaining to watch and my little writing here doesn’t do him justice. I don’t think his ending in the show was fitting however, as he became obsessed with Bajoran legends for the entire final seasons and I think got possessed at the end? I think he should have seen the dominion war to the end and so we could see his spiral downward as his forces slowly lost. But that’s just my opinion.

Also one of my antagonists in Cozar, the main one actually, has some pretty strong inspirations from Dukat. I couldn’t help myself.

[deepspacedukat]

I hope you’re not all kinked out! Possible fic… Dukat tied to a chair, blindfolded, interrogated by a spy (obsidian order or tal Shiar??). They don’t get very far with the interrogation because he seduces them with his sexy words and has them fuck him instead.

Also thank you for all your stories so far!

Ooooooh, I love this! I hope you don't mind that I chose a Tal Shiar agent for this! The idea of a Romulan!Reader is just too intriguing for me to pass up. I hope you enjoy this, my friend! 💜

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

--

Melodramatic Vulcans

Dukat (ST:DS9) x Romulan!Reader

[A/N: This is smut, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Interspecies sex, Cardassian/Romulan sex, oral sex (female receiving), captor/captive sex, Dukat is an arrogant bastard even when restrained, implied torture, referenced mind probes.

~*~

"You'd do well to answer my questions willingly, Gul," I called from the opposite side of the small interrogation room. Pouring myself a glass of water, I acted as though his presence was barely worth nothing. Dukat had been a thorn in the Tal Shiar's side for many years. He enjoyed baiting us with his own pathetic attempts at espionage within our organization. Now, he found himself tied to a chair and entirely at my mercy. "I assure you, we have other much less pleasant ways of extracting information from our prisoners."

"Yes, well, you may be more expressive than your Vulcan cousins, but I am no more intimidated by you than I would be by one of their species," Dukat crowed, but I just smirked in response and turned to look at him as I dropped my voice to a lower register - one that never failed to make my prey cower.

Admittedly, seeing Gul Dukat cowering before me would be intoxicating. The hunger in his eyes mingling with fear...the low rumbles that would reverberate through his chest–

No. I needed to focus. I had a job to do. I couldn't afford to indulge in fantasies, no matter how attractive my prisoner might be.

"Then you clearly have no idea who you're dealing with," I murmured as I stalked slowly across the small cell toward his bound body. Even captive like this, he seemed obscenely relaxed, sprawling his legs out as if he was in a plush armchair rather than tied to a tiny seat made of unyielding, unpleasant metal. "In a few moments, you'll be so busy spilling your government's secrets and pleading with me to remove the mind probe that you'll have no time for your posturi–"

"Gespar or lyka berries?"

His question was so far afield that I could do no more than stare at him blankly for a moment as I tried to work out what he meant.

"In your perfume," Dukat clarified with a gleam in his eyes. "Is that gespar I smell? Or is it the scent of lyka berries?"

What?

"I'm not wearing perfume," I replied truthfully, too stunned to lie, and he grinned deviously.

"Well, then, your natural scent is much more pleasant than I'd been lead to believe about Romulans, my dear. Or perhaps that's more than just your normal scent," he said allowing his eyes to rake down my uniform-clad body. "Maybe you've been thinking about the same things that I have. After all, I am at your mercy. I couldn't exactly resist your advances should you wish to make them - not that I would ever turn down a willing partner when she's as lovely as you are."

Placing my hands on my hips, I was quite certain my incredulity was written all over my face.

"Your brain is about to be sifted through by our mind probes, and all you can think of is sex?" Forcing down the thought that I was being hypocritical given my own musings, I tried to coat my every word in as much condescension as I could muster. "No wonder the Federation made your people run back home with your tails tucked between your legs. You were too busy mating to bother with a war."

"Don't forget who you're addressing. I'm the Former Prefect of Bajor. I've quite mastered the skill of multitasking," Dukat boasted as he unabashedly tossed me a wink. Was I imagining things, or was there a bulge growing more prominent in the front of his uniform trousers? "Both business and pleasure are areas in which I'm thoroughly versed."

Suppressing a shiver of anticipation, I lifted an eyebrow in what I hoped he would interpret as disbelief. Truthfully, though, all I could think of was how the women in his bed had been treated. Was he all hot air, or was there some veracity in his bragging?

"There, you see? I knew you were curious, just not about how the specs of our cloaking devices differ from yours," he said as a grin stretched his lips. "I'd be more than happy to show you, if you like. Compare me to the men of your species - in skill, in size, however you wish - but I can assure you, you won't be disappointed or leave this room unsatisfied."

Not for the first time, I was glad that the walls were soundproofed and that there were no cameras in this particular interrogation room. They'd surely be picking up the slight emerald blush coating my cheeks by now if they'd been present.

What a pompous ass of a man!

But I couldn't deny that I wanted to test his skills on a personal level. Doubtless, he'd already taken my silence for the damning admission that it was. That smirk hadn't dropped even a fraction of a millimeter. He had me, and he knew it.

"Come now, Major. Surely we can come to some sort of mutual understanding...?" I couldn't deny that I wanted to know what the Gul's moans sounded like from between my thighs. "Perhaps an exchange?"

Hesitating for merely a moment, I crossed my arms over my chest.

"What did you have in mind?" As soon as the words passed my lips, I knew it was the wrong question to ask. He seemed positively gleeful.

"I'll answer a single question about our cloaks and satisfy your curiosity about Cardassian sexuality, and in exchange, you'll let me go without using those pathetic, primitive mind probes."

Well, he never specified when I needed to let him go, and he didn't rule out other forms of persuasion, so I thought it was a safe enough bet. Besides, though my species valued honesty, Romulans could still lie when the situation called for it.

No time like the present.

"Agreed," I answered tilting my chin up and moving to stand between his legs. "The question first. What do you use to shield the ambient radiation given off by your cloaking device's power source?"

Dukat gave me another smirk.

"Simple. A lead casing enhanced with neutronium." That wasn't physically possible. The cloak wouldn't be able to escape the field to protect the ship. Reacting to the glare that plastered my face, the Gul let out a laugh. "You really are just melodramatic Vulcans! Don't look so betrayed, pretty girl. If you recall, I never agreed to answer truthfully."

Touché.

"No, I suppose you didn't," I replied attempting to act as though I was partially defeated. It never hurt to throw your enemy off-balance every once and a while. "However, I believe it's time for you to hold up the second part of your agreement."

The Cardassian practically vibrated in his seat as I started to unfasten my tunic. Hunger rolled off him in waves with every inch of newly-exposed skin. Tangling my fingers in his dark, surprisingly silky hair, I tugged backward sharply so that he was forced to look into my eyes as I straddled his lap.

"Don't forget who's in charge, Gul," I murmured, but he just let out a low chuckle.

"Oh, believe me, Major..." he began, and within a blink I found myself on my back with Dukat kissing and biting his way down my chest, "I'm fully aware of who's calling the shots here. Are you?"

How had he manged to remove the restraints without me noticing?! Reaching for the distruptor on my hip, I found that he'd already torn it from its holster and tossed it across the room.

"Now, now, no need for that. I'm not going to hurt you, remember? Relax, Major," he crooned before swirling his tongue around one of my nipples and brushing my uniform to the side. "Give in to your curiosity. Let yourself experience what it means to be with the best..."

Dukat's continued arrogance was laughable, but the only sound that escaped me as he dragged my pants down was a moan. Beneath the sensation of his tongue dancing through my lower lips, I acknowledged somewhat vaguely that the Gul hadn't been exaggerating. If he was good enough, maybe I'd convince my superiors to keep him alive as a prisoner of the Tal Shiar.

~*~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes @emilie786 @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

[sshbpodcast]

Character Spotlight: Garak

By Ames

No one here but us plain, simple tailors this week on A Star to Steer Her By. We’re finally scrutinizing fan-favorite recurring character Garak, who’s definitely more complex and nuanced than even some main characters we’ve discussed before. As we assembled our classic Best and Worst Moments lists, we found that Garak has the most moments that somehow end up in both. That’s how morally (and physically) grey this guy is.

So let’s get our measurements taken as we spotlight DS9’s resident Cardassian spy, played so stunningly by Andrew Robinson (have you read his book yet? It’s amazing). Scroll on below or decode some ciphers with us on this week’s podcast discussion (jump over to 48:23). Of all the moments we’re spotlighting, which are the best and which are the worst? My dear reader, they’re all best moments. Even the worst moments? Especially the worst moments.

[Images © CBS/Paramount]

Best moments

Let us haggle Our very first introduction to Garak in “Past Prologue” sets him up as mysterious, sneaky, and downright sassy. It’s always nebulous just how far his covert information extends versus how much he’s ever just toying with Julian, but in this early episode, he helps the doctor uncover some shady dealings that the Bajoran terrorist Tahna Los has been engaging in. And it’s delightful.

Schemes within schemes Garak and Bashir team up again in the season two “Cardassians,” in which Garak sees through decades’ worth of Cardassian scheming (the best kind of scheming) to expose Dukat’s war orphan plot. The details are convoluted and Rube Goldbergy, but the tailor puts together all the pieces and concludes that Dukat is looking to undermine Gul Pa'Dar, some-freakin’-how.

Personally, I find this style a bit too radical Listening to Garak’s smoothtalking is always extra fun because he’s always saying more than is just on the surface. Even when he doesn’t have to! In his own way, he warns Quark that Natima Lang is in danger in “Profit and Loss.” By the end of the episode, he goes so far as to shoot Toran, saving Quark’s lady love and her students before they go “out of fashion.”

My best friend, Elim The first episode to appear on both lists is “The Wire” because it’s just so Garak. While he never tells Bashir the truth once, he’s at his most vulnerable when he’s telling his various Elim stories. In his own Cardassian way, he connects with his dear doctor and expresses things about himself that, though not empirically true, are him at his most real. And the shippers rejoice.

Major, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you looking so ravishing We give Major Kira major props for her role in the stunning “Second Skin,” but Garak plays a large part as well. When Kira and Ghemor’s backs are up against the wall, Garak comes through for the DS9 crew. And like when he killed Toran in “Profit and Loss,” he’s able to put his Cardassian patriotism aside to kill the hell out of Entek and quip about it at the same time.

The spy who loved me It’s no wonder people ship Bashir and Garak so much when there are episodes like “Our Man Bashir” to fan the fires. And when things go awry in the holodeck, Garak is able to quip his way through the Bond-style holoprogram that they find themselves trapped in, all the while mocking what Julian seems to think the spy world is actually like. And he pulls off a tux pretty well too!

Excuse me, my dungeon awaits So many times that Garak saved the day have seemed to just be convenient for the character, but he’s especially heroic in “By Inferno’s Light.” He fights through his fears to go into the claustrophobia closet in the Jem’Hadar prison and remote into the waiting shuttle. Without Garak doing what needed to be done, surely the Jem’Hadar would have killed them all.

I promise you I will come back While the relationship between Garak and Ziyal always seemed kind of one-sided to us, we must admit that it was good for both characters to have someone whom they could relate to on the station. We see between “In Purgatory’s Shadow” and “By Inferno’s Light” that they care about each other, though sadly Garak never understands why before her untimely death.

A very messy, very bloody business Another episode that belongs on both lists is “In the Pale Moonlight.” We already gave Sisko some guff for this one, so let’s start off by being impressed by the layers of Cardassian scheming Garak does. Sure, it’s unethical and kind of monstrous, but it’s also a thing of beauty watching all the pieces of Garak’s plan come together to trick the Romulans into getting into the war. Not only can he live with it, but he sleeps like a baby.

Alan Turing, eat your heart out Garak uses some of his Obsidian Order talents to do some code breaking for the Federation in “Afterimage.” His arc in the final season of DS9 is a hell of a journey because he knows the work he’s doing for Sisko and crew will hurt the Cardassia he loves, but he also knows it’ll be for the best in the end to rid the quadrant of the Dominion so they can start rebuilding.

We might have a revolution on our hands Speaking of the Cardassia that Garak loves, he joins Damar and Kira’s little resistance in “The Dogs of War” and goes down to the planet to incite a revolution against the Dominion. When even Damar has opened his eyes to the atrocities the Founders are commiting in the Alpha Quadrant, then you know that it’s got to be something worth fighting for.

The last Weyoun In the siege of Cardassia Prime in “What You Leave Behind,” Garak gets to be the one to shoot Weyoun 8 after the two chirp at each other first. Turns out this is the last of the Weyoun clones, which Garak has firmly put to rest as the Federation ousts the Dominion forces from Cardassia. Garak’s story finally complete, his exile has ended in time to return to the ashes.

—

Worst moments

Nothing to look forward to but having lunch with you We’ll also see later in the series that Garak isn’t one to prioritize his mental health, so his abuse of his feel-good wire in the titular “The Wire” portrays how bad he is at taking care of himself or getting help when he is at his lowest points. When he attacks his friend and doctor when he’s going through withdrawal, you just wanna see him get better because this isn’t healthy, Garak.

Initiating counterinsurgency program level four Though Garak apparently has access codes that no doubt Sisko revoked after “Civil Defense,” he still utterly fails to stop the station’s counterinsurgency program from locking out the Starfleet personnel. In fact, per the “Attention Bajoran Workers” protocol, he’s made things that much worse by insisting they have to shut down life support only for a laser ball to replicate in Ops.

You can’t waterboard a goo It’s hardest for us to forgive Garak from ruthlessly torturing Odo in “The Die Is Cast” just to get back in the good graces of Daddy Tain… but we’ll probably do so anyway. We see just what Garak is capable of with these glimpses into his Obsidian Order past. We can absolutely easily picture how he could torment someone with just his unblinking stare. His eyes. HIS EYES!

But have you considered… murder? I may have found it adorable for Garak and Bashir to play spies in “Our Man Bashir,” but he has no idea how holoprograms work. Garak is so fast to jump to the conclusion that they kill everyone that it leaves one’s head spinning. This isn’t real-life spying, Garak. This is Julian’s sexy adventure, so of course the answer is seduction, not murder, and you should’ve known that.

Is this a date or an assassination? Ziyal is looking for company and invites Garak to sunbathe on rocks like the lizards they are… and Garak spends the whole of “For the Cause” caught up in highschool drama of what Ziyal’s inventions are. Does she like him or LIKE him? Or does she just want to lure him in to present his head to her father later? It’s all below Garak, frankly, when he could just, I dunno, talk to her.

Something swift and painless and preferably bloodless I gave Quark most of the stink for this one, but I can’t let Garak off the hook either. It’s a complete missed opportunity for “Body Parts” to necessitate Quark asking Garak to assassinate him when instead he could have enrolled Garak into some even more nefarious scheme. Garak himself should have suggested faking Quark’s death and it would have been excellent.

They’re dead. You’re dead. Cardassia is dead. I always found Garak’s plan in “Broken Link” to be tenuous at best and contrived at worst. He tags along to the Gamma Quadrant for seemingly no reason, then it turns out he wants to ask the Founders if any of the Cardassians from “The Die Is Cast” are still alive (a possibility never alluded to before), then he straight up tries to destroy the Founders’ planet until Worf beats him into submission. Huh?

It looks like I’ve captured your last piece, Chief The pretty decent horror episode “Empok Nor” has got a lot going for it, but every single time they made the kotra metaphor more and more blatant, I started checking out. Dear writers, your metaphor stood on its own without you announcing it twenty-five times. Have a little confidence that your themes are working because it was a good one… until it wasn’t.

Do you feel lucky? Do ya, Chief? But that is far from the worst thing Garak does in “Empok Nor.” The psychotropic drug is mostly at fault here, but that doesn’t mean Garak feels completely innocent. He straight up murders the Cardassian sleeper guards AND crewman Amaro in cold blood, and then kidnaps and threatens Nog so he can get at the Chief, taunting him like a serial killer the whole time.

Star-crossed lizards The sweet friendship Garak strikes up with Ziyal belongs on our good list for sure, but frankly the romance between them never quite gelled for us. We see in “Call to Arms” that they kiss goodbye when she flees the station before the Dominion swoops in, and it just feels… unearned? Garak admits in “Sacrifice of Angels” that he doesn’t know what that was all about, and neither do we.

When the devil asks you to dance, you say yes I may have marveled at Garak’s precarious plan in “In the Pale Moonlight,” but that doesn’t mean I condone any of it. Even the writers make it clear in Sisko’s actions that he finds it reprehensible how many casualties there were to pull it off: the cold-blooded murder of Vreenak (and his innocent guards!), the assassination of Grathon Tolar, the deaths of literally all of Garak’s contacts. This one’s on Sisko’s list too of course, but he at least knows it’s wrong.

You’re not worthy of the name Dax One final episode that’s on both lists. Classic Garak, playing both sides. In this case, it’s more evidence that Garak does not seem to value his mental health because, when he’s suffering panic attacks and more claustrophobia in “Afterimage,” the first thing he does is lash out at his therapist, Ezri Dax, who certainly doesn’t deserve it! The poor thing.

—

Well I hope we got in some cutting remarks about the good tailor of Deep Space Nine. Next week we’ve got another frequent guest star of the station to spotlight: Keiko O’Brien! Stay tuned for that while also tuning in every week as we venture through Enterprise over on SoundCloud or wherever you podcast. You can also quip with us over on Facebook and Twitter, and remember: the truth is usually just an excuse for a lack of imagination.

[crowfootwrites]

Devotion & Diplomacy

I am nothing if not an impatient b, so I'm moving forward with posting! Tagging a few who asked/I think might be interested! This story is currently standing at 10 parts, so if you wanna be added to a tag list, lemme know! @horta-in-charge @deepspacedukat @bigblissandlove1 You can also read on AO3!

Daro doesn't make his first appearance until Part II because this first part is a lot of setting things up and getting to know our daring OC. We do, however, see some other familiar faces!

For some background, the Federation-Cardassian Armistice was signed in 2367; the Phoenix Incident occurred this same year, which helped settle the formation of the Demilitarized Zone. The Occupation of Bajor ended in 2369, at which time Cardassia withdrew from Terok Nor. There is a 3 year gap between when the armistice occurred and when the Federation-Cardassian Treaty was finalized in 2370 – this story will take place in 2367, with the understanding that our OC is basically traveling to and from Cardassia Prime frequently in order to broker peaceful relations and encourage the signing of the treaty.

Warnings: none really in this part; Jellico being a dick (canon-compliant) | Words: ~2,450

Anyway, without further ado:

Emrys sighed quietly and pinched the bridge of her nose as the voices of the men down the table from her increased in volume, desperate to be heard over one another. She’d been sitting at this table far too long for her own liking and it still felt as though everyone was talking in circles. It’d be a miracle if they accomplished anything today.

A familiar voice began climbing, adding to the chaos. Without looking, Emrys could identify it as her one-time communications partner, Varsek – a hulking Aenar with limited patience. How he’d managed a career in communications, Emrys would never know.

As had been the case over the two weeks, Emrys knew that once most of the Cardassians and Federation members present, Starfleet officers included, had descended into a rage-fueled argument, there’d be no progress for the remainder of the day. Out of the corner of her eye, Emrys spied the only person she could count on to always remain calm - another Federation delegate, the Vulcan, Romar - but even he was sporting a raised eyebrow. As the highest ranking Starfleet officer and only woman present, Emrys was disinterested in the prospect of another pointless day and opted, yet again, to put her foot down.

Placing her finger and thumb between her lips, she let out a short, shrill whistle. The yelling halted immediately, with all eyes suddenly on Emrys as she rose from her chair and planted the palms of both her hands on the long conference table before her.

“Gentlemen,” she began, before anyone could interrupt. “We are getting nowhere, and quickly.” She made eye contact with each participant around the table in turn, recognizing the importance of acknowledging everyone present, if only to soothe their pride. She found in the responding gazes of the Cardassians genuine frustration and hostility, but perhaps also some desperation there. And in her fellow Starfleet officers, exasperation and some retrospective shame.

“We’ve agreed that shouting will not solve the issues we’ve come together to discuss, but we seem to end up engaging in this behavior with every meeting,” Emrys continued. “It is unbecoming of us all.”

In her momentary pause, she was interrupted by the Cardassian Gul-Tar Ziven, who also rose from his seat. She met his gaze with a calm confidence that she hoped belied the feeling of overwhelm that had been slowly settling in her stomach. Failing in this mission could mean losing the peaceful relations between Cardassia and the Federation that had only so recently been won. And given everything that Emrys had lost in the Federation-Cardassian War, she couldn’t allow that to happen.

Stoic as ever, Ziven’s expression gave nothing away as he addressed the men and women, so recently enemies, gathered around. “Lieutenant Commander Beck makes a fine point,” he declared, his voice a peal of thunder across the table’s expanse. The lighting deepened the shadows beneath his eye ridges, his face a series of sharp planes in black and gray. He made for an imposing figure among the brutal Cardassian architecture of the room and clad in solid brown armor, and Emrys took a deep breath to try and remind herself that this head of the Cardassian Union was no longer her enemy.

“Perhaps it would be best,” he suggested, planting his clenched fists on the table before him, his widening stance reinforcing the power he commanded over the room, “if we took a recess.”

As Emrys opened her mouth to respond, Ziven held up a hand to silence her. “The short breaks we’ve been taking have clearly not had a lasting effect. I suggest that we adjourn for a few weeks, giving us all time to review proposals and consider our options individually. Perhaps when we reconvene afterward, we will all be more amenable to compromises.”

Emrys’ lips pursed into a frown as she exhaled hard through her nose. Although she agreed that a longer break might be more effective, she was loath to leave Cardassia Prime without anything set in stone. Peace was too tenuous at this point to feel confident that it would continue, especially without near-constant Starfleet presence to remind the Cardassians of what they’d lost in the war and why they had signed the armistice in the first place. The prospect of having to report yet another extended recess back to Captain Jellico and Vice Admiral Nechayev, without any results, also sat heavy on Emrys’ mind. They were sure to be displeased, and neither were known for mincing their words.

“I propose that we reconvene in three weeks time, so that our… esteemed guests,” he added with a hint of sneer that Emrys wondered if anyone else caught, “will have adequate time for travel in addition to this little hiatus.” Emrys glanced around at the various Federation members present, recognizing that some of them genuinely looked like they needed a visit to their homes. They had already been on Cardassia for two weeks, and for some, like Emrys, this was only the most recent in a long string of visits designed to soothe tensions with the Cardassian Central Command as they collaborated on developing a more formal treaty. 

“We are in agreement, Gul-Tar.” With a conciliatory nod, Emrys took her leave. She wound her way through the broad, windowless halls of the Central Command building lost in thought, and made for her temporary quarters. She hated the gloom of the capital buildings on this planet - it was much more pleasant outside, in the bright and balmy sunshine. But inside, surrounded by intense and inhospitable architecture, with dark halls and rooms bearing strange combinations of outdated construction and modern technology, she felt out of place and unwelcome. Like many of her fellow Federation members, she was eager to get off-world, although she would not have time to go home.

Not that she had a home to go to. 

In her quarters, she contacted Captain Jellico, trying to maintain composure despite her frustration as his face appeared on the viewscreen. 

He gave her a tense smile. “Beck. The negotiations?”

Emrys sighed. “Ziven has called for a three-week recess.”

“Three weeks?” His clasped hands on the desk before him tightened.

“Aye, sir. As I’ve mentioned, there has been significant opposition to the points presented in the last couple of weeks, and today’s session was devolving into absolute chaos, frankly. I will have to rethink our approach for when we reconvene. I believe we can still make progress, but there are some items that I don’t believe the Cardassians are willing to compromise on, such as their continued contact with the Xepol-”

“Commander, it sounds as though you might be losing some control here,” he cut in, sounding aggravated.

Emrys opened her mouth to object, but he continued on. “If you cannot bring the Cardassians to compromise on the Federation’s priority points, we will need to bring someone else in. This peace was too hard-won and is too precarious for us to allow the Cardassians to continue drawing this process out.” The edge in his voice had Emrys’ hackles up and she took a deep, discreet breath to calm herself. Jellico might be her superior, and one of the people who had helped initiate the truce in the first place, but he could still be an ass. Emrys knew from experience.

“Sir, with all due respect, you say that as if we have the power to pressure the Cardassians into meeting our demands.” She hinted at what she knew the captain wouldn’t say out loud, wouldn’t confirm, not to her anyway. “We don’t have that kind of power right now and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cardassians knew as much.”

“Enough,” he snapped. “That is beyond the scope of your rank. Your job is to follow orders and they have already been given to you.” Emrys sat back in her chair, aware of the ticking in her jaw. 

“You were selected for this position for a reason, Lieutenant Commander. Arbitrate, make them settle. Preferably in short order,” he demanded, glancing away from his screen for a moment, as though someone had come into his office.

Given a direct order from her superior officer, there was little she could say or do next.

“Aye, sir,” she replied through clenched teeth.

She watched as Jellico was handed a PADD by someone off screen. He reviewed it for a moment, then turned back to Emrys.

“The USS Enterprise is currently passing near the Cardassian border on a mapping survey before returning to cross Federation space. I am arranging transport aboard for you - their findings may be useful in nailing down some coordinates on the Demilitarized Zone,” he said almost dismissively. “They’ll be in touch to pick you up.”

Emrys sighed, barely managing to suppress the desire to roll her eyes. “Thank you, sir.”

Jellico ended the transmission without another word and Emrys tossed her head back against the top of her chair, heat rushing to her face as Emrys vacillated between wanting to scream and wanting to cry. She settled for neither, instead hanging her back over the deeply uncomfortable chair and gazing around at the temporary quarters she’d been assigned - a room that reminded her a little of a prison cell.     

— — —

Emrys clasped her hands tightly behind her back, her shoulders drawing upwards instinctively as she rematerialized aboard the Enterprise – transporting always made her stomach turn. With a deep exhale, she glanced around at the familiar faces gathered in the transporter room and smiled. 

“Welcome back aboard the Enterprise, Lieutenant Commander,” Captain Picard announced, and Emrys stepped eagerly off the pad to shake his hand. 

“It’s been a long time, Captain,” she replied. “It’s wonderful to see you again.” Without waiting for a reply, Emrys glanced to the Captain’s side and her smile grew into a grin as she launched herself into the waiting embrace of Counselor Troi. 

“Deanna!” she exclaimed, pressing her face into her friend’s shoulder, letting her excitement run rampant, knowing that Deanna would feel the wave of it and realize just how much she’d been missed.

“It’s so good to see you, Emrys,” the counselor murmured, squeezing her tightly. The two women had attended the academy together and been fast friends ever since – but their veering career paths had led them away from each other for far too long. 

As Emrys withdrew, she noticed Captain Picard tempering a grin of his own as he cleared his throat and moved to introduce the other crewman present. He motioned to the handsome human man with striking blue eyes standing beside him. “You know my first officer, Commander William Riker, I presume?”

“Of course!” Emrys exclaimed with a firm shake to Will’s hand. “Good to see you again, Will.”

“Good to see you, Emrys. Glad to have you on board,” he said with a wink. 

Deanna ushered Emrys into the hall, the captain and Will lingering back in the transporter room. “I’ll show you to your quarters, and then perhaps we can grab some dinner and catch up,” she offered. Although she and Deanna corresponded regularly, Emrys was excited for the chance to catch up in person, and eagerly agreed.

After tossing her bag atop the bunk in her quarters, she and Deanna headed for Ten Forward, grabbing a table near one of the large glass windows. Emrys’ shoulders relaxed at the sight, glad to be back in space and off Cardassia Prime for a while.

“So, how have you been?” Deanna asked eagerly, a spoonful of chocolate ice cream halfway to her mouth.

Emrys groaned. “I’m better now,” she muttered. “But long stretches on Cardassia listening to men argue about exact coordinates of the Demilitarized Zone hasn’t exactly been pleasant.”

“I take it the peace talks aren’t going well?” she murmured, glancing to make sure no one could overhear her. Emrys appreciated her consideration. The last thing the Federation needed was more worried citizens.

Emrys shook her head behind her glass of Alvanian brandy. “We’re a little… stuck,” she said quietly. “I think it will turn out alright, I mean, negotiation is an art, you know? We have to cycle between slow and quick progress. If everything happens too quickly, or we push too hard, the Cardassians may find themselves having misgivings. We could wind up right back where we started. But my superiors don’t seem to agree - it’s like they expect progress at warp nine.” 

Deanna patted her hand empathetically. “Yours is a difficult spot to be in. I certainly wouldn’t want to do your job.”

Emrys snorted. “They’d shit themselves if you offered. They’d consider your abilities to be giving them the upper hand.”

Deanna smiled around a spoon full of ice cream. “That’s why I’d never offer,” she muttered. She paused thoughtfully before pinning Emrys with a meaningful stare.

“Have you been home recently?”

Emrys sank back into her seat. A pang of guilt settled below her heart. “I haven’t had a lot of time to make it all the way back to Earth,” she muttered, not meeting her friend’s eyes. “And… with Silas gone, there’s really no reason to.” She shook her head slowly, trying to clear the dull ache that was forming behind her eyes as she thought about her brother. 

Deanna, perhaps sensing Emrys’ discomfort, changed the subject. With a sly grin, she sat back and crossed her legs. “And have you been… seeing anybody lately?”

Emrys laughed harshly, the sound carrying in the mostly unoccupied Ten Forward. “Yeah, a whole bunch of angry Cardassians.”

Deanna snickered, but doubled down, wanting an actual answer. She waited, gazing at Emrys with a raised brow.

With a sigh, Emrys shook her head. “This post has been taking all my time and energy. I go where they tell me, leave when they tell me - I’m always working or on my way to work, essentially.”

“What about that Vulcan on your team? What was his name? R-”

“Romar,” Emrys groaned after another pull of brandy.

“Romar!” Deanna repeated excitedly. “What about him?”

Emrys shrugged, trying not to call to mind her efforts to become closer to Romar, only to be brutally (for a Vulcan) rebuffed. “He wasn’t interested.”

With a frown, Deanna grasped one of Emrys’ hands. “I’m sorry, my friend. It seems like you don’t have a lot of time for yourself right now, and I can’t imagine how difficult that must be,” she fretted. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Emrys pulled her hand from under Deanna’s, only to place hers on top and pat Deanna’s hand softly. “Let’s just talk about you, hmm?” She gave her friend a small smile. “I’ve missed you, you know?”

With a hum and smile tinged with heartache for Emrys, she nodded. “I’ve missed you too.”

[fast-moon]

DS9 Season 6 Thoughts

On the previous episode of "Terok Nor", Gul Dukat re-took the station and the station crew is on the run. Now it's time to go to war with the Dominion, which I'm sure will be a quick and easy fight.

1. A Time to Stand: Dukat insists to Kira that a second Cardassian occupation won't be so bad and she'll learn to like it. But Weyoun doesn't like the term "occupation" and forbids any media to depict the Dominion in an unfavorable light because otherwise it's fake news. And after the American elections today, I am just banging my head at this.

2. Rocks and Shoals: The crew crash land on a planet, but there's conveniently a similarly-marooned Jem'Hadar troupe on the planet who has just what they need to get off, provided they kill them all first.

3. Sons and Daughters: The Dominion War has left everyone so short-staffed that Alexander is assigned to Worf's ship despite having zero training or competency. Meanwhile, Ziyal is back to give her dad some pictures to hang on his fridge.

4. Behind the Lines: Kira and Rom have a plan to stop the Cardassians from re-opening the wormhole, but Odo gets Linked and loaded right before the mission and is too high to do his job.

5. Favor the Bold: Sisko gets tired of working a desk job and decides to launch a plan to re-take Deep Space 9 before they lose the rights to the name of the series.

6. Sacrifice of Angels: Sisko defeats the Dominion by deus ex wormhole. Meanwhile, Damar takes the opportunity to shave Garak's beard.

7. You are Cordially Invited: Dax unilaterally reschedules Worf's wedding and then proceeds to stomp all over his cultural traditions because he's selfish to expect her to respect anything he holds dear. The entire rest of the episode centers around contrived drama, and all of the actual valuable content -- Odo and Kira reconciling about Odo's betrayal during the occupation, Dax learning her lesson and winning over her future mother-in-law, and O'Brien and Bashir beating the shit out of Worf with clubs -- is left off-screen.

8. Resurrection: Mirror!Bareil shows up and sweeps Kira off her feet with a sob story, but he's just there to steal the orb for Mirror!Kira, who also somehow transported there without anyone noticing. Not sure why they think having the orb in the Mirror Universe would make them like gods since their Bajorans don't worship it (despite still wearing the earrings) and it doesn't really do anything useful.

9. Statistical Probabilities: A group of genetically-enhanced individuals run an analysis that gives the Federation no chance of winning the war and the best option is to surrender. Sisko insists that even if he knew an outcome with 100% certainty, he would never force everyone to give up their autonomy for it... except for in "Children of Time" where he did just that.

10. The Magnificent Ferengi: Quark has to go on a mission to rescue his mother from the Dominion and puts together a Ferengi crack team to help. Unfortunately, they accidentally kill their prisoner and have to "Weekend at Bernie's" their way out of it.

11. Waltz: Sisko and Dukat crash land on a planet, where Dukat really just wants senpai to notice him.

12: Who Mourns for Morn?: Morn fakes his death and Quark inherits all his assets... and liabilities.

13. Far Beyond the Stars: The makeup department took the week off, so Sisko has a dream where you were there, and you, and you! But there's no space like home.

14. One Little Ship: Honey, I shrunk the runabout.

15. Honor Among Thieves: O'Brien is tasked with going undercover and infiltrating a crime syndicate because... I guess Starfleet is just that short-staffed right now. But at least he gets some pussy out of it.

16. Change of Heart: Sisko figures out after the fact that it probably isn't a good idea to send a married couple on a secret mission together where they would need to prioritize their target over each other.

17. Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night: Dukat calls Kira in the middle of the night for a "your mom" joke, so she gets back at him by going back in time to blow him up.

18. Inquisition: A Starfleet black ops group does "Second Skin" with Bashir to give themselves an excuse to point out all the plot holes in previous seasons.

19. In the Pale Moonlight: How many war crimes can Sisko commit in a single episode? The answer is "all of the war crimes". Deal with it. Also, delighted to discover this is the source of the "It's a faaaaake" meme.

20. His Way: Odo gets a holographic mojo tutor, finally hits pay dirt with Kira. While I still prefer Odo and Kira as platonic BFFs, if this means the end of dumb love triangles, then to quote Sisko from the previous episode, "I can live with it."

21. The Reckoning: Sisko channels the British Museum and steals an ancient artifact because he's more qualified to take care of it than the people it belongs to. He then ends up breaking it, causing a DBZ beam struggle between two gods on the promenade. Also, Odo and Kira respect each other even when they disagree, and that is such a breath of fresh air compared to the Dax/Worf relationship.

22. Valiant: Jake and Nog get picked up by a ship crewed entirely by headstrong teenagers who decide to go YOLO against a Dominion battle cruiser, with predictable results.

23. Profit and Lace: The only takeaway I have from this episode is that I'm glad that sex reassignment surgery is a fast, easy, and readily-available process in the future.

24. Time's Orphan: The O'Briens find out that Molly is going to grow up to be a homeless ruffian, so go back in time to try again. Also, glad to see they still have the mobster's kitty.

25. The Sound of Her Voice: The crew gets therapy from the disembodied voice of a ghost. Meanwhile, Odo lets Quark get away with a scheme as thanks for his role in getting him together with Kira.

26. Tears of the Prophets: Sisko ignores the Prophets' warning because that's always worked out so well in the past. So while he manages to conquer some Dominion territory, Dax gets the axe.

Only one season left!

I am honestly... not at all torn up about losing Dax. Especially since it sounds like she'll just be coming back in a new body later. Although, it took like 4 seasons for the show to give her any kind of consistent personality (even though that personality ended up being insufferable) and there's only one season left, so I'm afraid that a new iteration of her is going to show up and be just as cardboard as she was in season 1, and won't have the time to really develop any individual identity.

Also not sure how Replacement Goldfish Dax would work, anyway, since I'm pretty sure Jadzia still had to go through Starfleet Academy rather than simply inherit Curzon's rank and position. We'll see.

Was also disappointed that the last episode decided to fall into the "love means petty bickering" trope with Odo and Kira that's plagued the Dax/Worf and Miles/Keiko relationships. That writing habit was my main reservation about pairing those two romantically, since I worried that it would lead to character assassination by making them both act like idiots. They managed well for a few episodes, then fell right back into "This show was written by people who were children before no-fault divorce and women's financial independence were legalized (1970's), therefore most of them grew up assuming that all relationships eventually turn toxic and all you can do is normalize it because there's no way out." I hope it's not a sign of things to come.

Meanwhile, Dukat seems to be struggling to stay relevant. It feels like he should have been killed off a while ago, but I guess Damar is too boring for a Big Bad, so they needed to make Dukat go full chaotic evil to compensate.

On to the final season! Where I can only hope we get a new and improved Dax, a decisive victory over the Dominion that isn't a complete ass-pull like the deus ex machina at the beginning of this season, and that Odo and Kira don't devolve into a squabbling lovers sitcom trope like all who came before them.

[the-worst-bracket]

The Worst Bracket Begins!

Polls are going up starting Wednesday, April 19th, 32 per day! Bracket and list under the cut.

Round 1

Bracket A (4/19-26)

Mineta Minoru (My Hero Academia) v  Anglerfish from Dark Bramble (Outer Wilds)

Iago (Othello) v Barbas (Skyrim)

Brendan (Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald) v Mimic (Dark Souls)

Dan (Dan vs) v Pink Diamond (Steven Universe)

Jurgen Litner (The Magnus Archives) v Lily Tucker-Pritchett (Modern Family)

Lonnie Byers (Stranger Things) v Zeus (Greek Mythology)

Lemongrab (Adventure Time) v Steve Cobs (Inanimate Insanity)

Alex Eggleston (Yiik) v Larry Butz (Ace Attorney)

Jerry (Undertale) v Po (Teletubbies)

Billy Hargrove (Stranger Things) v Old Man Who Snitches on Haru (A:TLA)

Kai Winn (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) v Ashfur (Warrior Cats)

Mr. Burns (The Simpsons) v Boscha (The Owl House)

Octavian (Heroes of Olympus) v Makoto Teruhashi (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K)

 Robbie Valentino (Gravity Falls) v Gendo Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Walter White (Breaking Bad) v Guy Mortadello (Papa Louie)

Medusa Gorgon (Soul Eater) v Snowball (Pinky and The Brain)

Bracket B (4/19-26)

Rohan Kishibe (JJBA) v Jin Guangshan (The Untamed)

Agravaine (Merlin) v Michael (Wii Sports)

Scout (TF2) v Mitsuhiro Higa (Danganronpa)

Creek (Trolls) v Berdly (Deltarune)

Manfred Von Karma (Ace Attorney) v Jeff Winger (Community)

Nazeem (Skyrim) v David (Animorphs)

Simon Laurent (Infinity Train) v Mayuri Kurotsuchi (Bleach)

Kikimora (The Owl House) v Cronus Ampora (Homestuck)

Michael Tritter (House MD) v The Director (Red v Blue)

Eridan Ampora (Homestuck) v Lila Rossi (Miraculous Ladybug)

Skadge (Star Wars: The Old Republic) v Lord Henry Wotton (The Picture of Dorian Gray)

Claptrap (Borderlands) v Jodie Foster (Dungeons and Daddies)

Bill Hawks (Professor Layton) v Carcer (Discworld)

Bender Bending Rodríguez (Futurama) v Izaya Orihara (Durarara!!)

 Corrin (Fire Emblem) v The Dark Lord (Miitopia)

Cybelle (Carole and Tuesday) v Jasper (Steven Universe)

Bracket C (4/20-27)

Gul Dukat (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) v Admiral Zhao (A:TLA)

Hordak (She-Ra) v Rachel Berry (Glee)

Book (Battle for Dream Island) v Darth Maul (Star Wars)

Jessica (The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself) v Lester Papadopoulos (Trials of Apollo)

Pong Krell (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) v Aaron Burr (Hamilton)

Armand (Vampire Chronicles) v Gamzee Makara (Homestuck)

Dorodoron (Futari wa Precure Splash Star) v Weiss Schnee (RWBY)

Christopher Taub (House MD) v Tate Landon (America Horror Story: Murder House)

Izzy Hands (OFMD) v Princess Daisy (Super Mario Bros)

Spike (MLP:FIM) v Atlas May (Lackadaisy)

Clutch Powers (LEGO Ninjago) v Orin Scrivello (Little Shop of Horrors)

Thanos (MCU) v Minecraft Skeleton (Minecraft)

Frank Burns (M*A*S*H*) v Lieutenant Nolan (Star Wars: The Bad Batch)

Carter Pewterschmit (Family Guy) v Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars)

Miyo Takano (Higurashi When They Cry) v Borsolino (One Piece)

Hiyoko Saionji (Danganronpa) v Pennywise (IT)

Bracket D (4/20-27)

Pierce Hawthorne (Community) v Ren (Ren and Stimpy)

Whirlpool (Wings of Fire) v Cinder Falls (RWBY)

Thaddeus Campbell (Dishonored) v The Grabber (Black Phone)

Takumi Ichinose (Nana) v Heimskr (Skyrim)

Gale Weathers (Scream) v Lee Kiyoung (Regressor Instruction Manual)

Ianthe Tridentarius (The Locked Tomb) v Alvin Marsh (IT)

Director Ton (Aggretsuko) v Angelica Pickles (Rugrats)

Pencil (Battle for Dream Island) v Odalia Blight (The Owl House)

Kyubey (Madoka Magica) v Newman (Seinfeld)

Jacob Hill (Abbott Elementary) v Gregory House (House MD)

Rachel (Tower of God) v Monkey D Luffy (One Piece)

Dame Alina (Keeper of the Lost Cities) v Miki Kawai (A Silent Voice)

John Winchester (Supernatural) v Kyouichi Saionji (Revolutionary Girl Utena)

Magikarp (Pokemon) v Hippeux (Animal Crossing)

Elmo (Sesame Street) v Saint Charlos (One Piece)

Melli (Pokemon Legends: Arceus) v Dr. Janet Lubelle (WTNV)

Bracket E (4/21-28)

Martin Blyndeff (Epithet Erased) v The Blue Border (Scott the Woz)

Calico Jack (OFMD) v B.E.N. (Treasure Planet)

Doogal (Doogal) v John Gaius (The Locked Tomb)

Crawlings (The Mysterious Benedict Society) v Liza Lotts (Scott the Woz)

Zolf J Kimblee (FMA) v Baron Draxum (Rise of The TMNT)

Kaito Momota (Danganronpa) v Nandor the Relentless (What We Do In the Shadows)

Logan Roy (Succescion) v Mike Wheeler (Stranger Things)

Fermet (Baccano!) v Seymour Krelborn (Little Shop of Horrors)

Emperor Belos (The Owl House) v Taylor Kelly (9-1-1)

AM (I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream) v Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars)

Stuart Little (Stuart Little) v Vinsmoke Sanji (One Piece)

Bibble (Barbie: Fairytopia) v Dennis Nedry (Jurassic Park)

Byakuya Togami (Danganronpa) v Grima Wormtongue (LOTR)

Moe (Calvin and Hobbes) v Balloon Boy (FNAF)

Felix (Red vs Blue) v Klorgbane the Destroyer (Regular Show)

Bro Strider (Homestuck) v Jughead Jones (Riverdale)

Bracket F (4/21-28)

Count Olaf (A Series of Unfortunate Events) v Mort (Madagascar)

Mantle (Dr Stone) v Phillip Anderson (Sherlock)

Eisuke Hondo (Detective Conan) v Drosselmeyer (Princess Tutu)

Hiram Burrows (Dishonored) v Chat Noir (Miraculous Ladybug)

Vriska Serket (Homestuck) v Prince Diamond (Sailor Moon)

Marty (Steven Universe) v Hibiki Shikyouin (PriPara)

White Diamond (Steven Universe) v Norman Osborn (Marvel)

Stregabor (The Witcher) v Cedric Jeanne Elmir (I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss)

Barney Stinson (HIMYM) v Charlie Bradbury (Supernatural)

Griffith (Beserk) v Chloe Valentine (Be More Chill)

Scott Pilgrim (Scott Pilgrim) v Lionel Luthor (Smallville)

Lydia (Skyrim) v Shadow Weaver (She-Ra)

Rand Ridley (Inside Job) v Jun Kawanakajima (Ultra Maniac)

Krusty the Clown (The Simpsons) v Fire Lord Ozai (A:TLA)

Joseph Sugarman (BoJack Horseman) v Huey Emmerich (Metal Gear)

Anti - Pops (Regular Show) v Kylo Ren (Star Wars)

Bracket G (4/22-29)

Ross Geller (Friends) v Akito Sohma (Fruits Basket)

Henry Bowers (IT) v Junko Enoshima (Danganronpa)

Winner Sinclair (Chibi Vampire) v Evil Do-er/Dark Blue (Animation vs Minecraft)

Clint (Stardew Valley) v Luke Castellan (Percy Jackson)

Kokichi Ouma (Danganronpa) v Colin Robinson (What We Do In The Shadows)

Spy (TF2) v Ghetsis (Pokemon)

Billy (The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy) v Queen Vanessa (A Hat In Time)

Doofus Drake (Ducktales) v Servantis (Ben 10)

Elias Bouchard (The Magnus Archives) v Francisco Guerra (Paranatural)

Tingle (The Legend of Zelda) v Hawt Saus (Chikn Nuggit)

Trishna (Papa Louie) v Mark Brendanawicz (Parks and Recreation)

Unparalleled Innocence (Rain World) v Morgana (Persona 5)

Lady Gisela Sencen (Keeper of the Lost Cities) v Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts)

Suzy Johnston (Phineas and Ferb) v Kaidou Shun (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.)

Souichi (Junji Ito) v Dr Hotti (Ace Attorney)

Morgoth (LOTR) v Sarah (Ed, Edd, and Eddy)

Bracket H (4/22-29)

Han Sooyoung (Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint) v Barney the Purple Dinosaur (Barney)

Andy Bernard (The Office) v Lars Barriga (Steven Universe)

Dio (Zero Escape) v Caillou (Caillou)

Gideon Gleeful (Gravity Falls) v Balgo (Burn the Witch)

Joshu Higashikata (JJBA) v Toby Flenderson (The Office)

Touga Kiryuu (Revolutionary Girl Utena) v Teledji Adeledji (FFXIV)

Chairman Rose (Pokemon) v Donnel Udina (Mass Effect)

Father (FMA) v Harumi (LEGO Ninjago)

Akio Ohtori (Revolutionary Girl Utena) v Richard (Requiem of the Rose King)

Miranjo (Ranking of Kings) v Kray Foresight (Promare)

Xander Harris (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) v The Worst (Ben 10)

Hisoka Morrow (Hunter x Hunter) v Doc Scratch (Homestuck)

Tony Stark (MCU) v Sakura Horuna (Naruto)

Sir Tristan the Cold (Penumbra Podcast) v Clay Puppington (Morel Orel)

Bling Bling Boy (Johnny Test) v George Constanza (Seinfeld)

Quiche (Tokyo Mew Mew) v Enji Todoroki (My Hero Academia)

[reyturnofbensolo]

“She has the most incredible story because her husband is her partner and her champion!”

That’s so Reylo❣️😍 It sounds like the real life story that has inspired Sharmeen the most could be very good for Rey and Star Wars!!

[williamrablan]

Event Horizon - Chasing Ghosts - A few stories from the paranormal

First and foremost, let me get one thing straight. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN GHOSTS! And despite being from the San Luis Valley, a historical hot bed of UFO activity, I have yet to see one of those. While everyone else is seeing fleets of these things promenading across the sky, I haven’t seen a thing. I guess I was looking in the wrong direction. But, it’s an area that has a rich lore of ghost…

[jimintomystery]

DS9: "Defiant"

During a visit to Deep Space Nine, Commander Will Riker charms Major Kira into offering him a tour of the facility. But this is all a ruse to steal the Defiant and invade Cardassian space. Because it's not Commander Riker at all--it's his transporter-duplicate, Lieutenant Tom Riker, and he's leading a secret mission for the Maquis.

The use of Tom Riker here is so wild, since he's essentially a plot device from a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode ("Second Chances") that barely makes sense outside of that context. It'd be like if Abraham Lincoln from 1969's "The Savage Curtain" sidled up to Quark's bar, and then after the commercial break Commander Sisko gives a debriefing on what the hell is going on.

The story gives no indication that "Will" is an imposter until he shoots Kira. However, I knew he was Tom from the start, because this is one of those episodes where the TV Guide synopsis gave away the twist. I was more stunned by the Maquis angle, which TV Guide neglected to mention. Either version of Riker would seem like an bad fit for the Maquis, which would almost be a plot hole if this episode didn't do such a good job exploring why the fit is bad.

My dad did not read spoilers in TV Guide, so he was utterly baffled when Tom dismisses O'Brien as if they had some bitter falling out. Dad assumed this trick wouldn't work unless Tom was referencing an actual beef between O'Brien and Will, but since Miles (and the audience) don't know what Tom is talking about, it should have been a red flag. Basically Dad was seeing all the reasons this trick shouldn't work, whereas Tom is willing to take a huge risk on a pretty flimsy bluff.

The stuff with Riker and Kira comparing their approaches to terrorism is cool, but frankly the real meat of the episode is Sisko and Gul Dukat working together to catch the Defiant before it starts a war. The scene about Dukat missing his son's birthday goes a long way to make the character sympathetic, which will be important in seasons four and five (and feels a bit off in light of seasons six and seven). And of course the intrigue about the Obsidian Order hiding a secret fleet at Orias III is a perfect tease for "Improbable Cause," a few episodes down the line.

In the end, Sisko convinces Tom to surrender and accept a life sentence in a Cardassian labor camp. Kira's promise to get him out of there is very noble, but seems almost insubordinate after Sisko had to haggle so much to get the death penalty off the table. To my knowledge, we never learn if Kira was able to make good on her promise, although I'd like to think so. I'm a little surprised Tom still hasn't made it back onto TV; you'd think he'd at least get a cameo on Star Trek: Lower Decks...

[westworldparty19]

Strange New Worlds is so crazy. (I’ve always been a non believer in Pike and this episode feels like vindication). So they bring a war criminal turned peace negotiator on board and Pike forces the veterans to interact with him with seemingly no regard for their feelings…I thought Pike was the

sweetie captain who loves his wittle crew 👉👈

Anyway so we have Spock who is really excited? To talk to this war criminal. Spock. Who’s sister STARTED THE KLINGON WAR?! Right!! That was the whole point of Disco? Michael started the Klingon war. So all of Spock’s “friends” and his “girlfriend” are personally traumatized by a war caused by his literal sister and he like doesn’t stop to think about it at all? No one does? Why put Spock, Una, and Pike in Disco if they’re never ever gonna make a connection at all??

This show is so weird!! And not in a good way! The characters are all over the place so so traumatized but they never actually deal with the trauma!!!

M’benga seemingly getting away with murder….come on. Personally have complicated feelings about saying someone deserves to die but like this was just so crazy. The only push back he gets is Pike saying “come one bro you can talk to me? Did you do it? It’s okay if you did?” WHAT! You can’t just murder people!! I know Pike says something like that but in the most milquetoast way possible and then the episode just ends?

What was the point of this episode? Murder is okay if you have a good reason, also your friends will help you and you won’t face any consequences? Wait I didn’t even touch on that M’benga is also a war criminal….I think I would be more okay with this if he turned himself in or felt any remorse or if any character had anything of substance to say to him.

Compare M’benga to La’an in the Khan situation. (I equally hated that scenario but) She’s like following her moral code and is shown having complicated feelings about her decision. I’m trying to be nice by comparing the show to itself but honestly both episodes were so messy and have no actual moral that it’s hard.

So let’s compare to any number of TOS episodes where Kirk is faced with the choice to murder an enemy, or to let them face the consequences of their actions. Kirk could kill Karidian but chooses not to and when he learns that someone else is trying to kill him he actively goes out of his way to save him. Kirk could kill the Romulans in Balance of Terror but instead offers them rescue, he could kill the Gorn captain but offers mercy, could kill Khan but offers him a new life, I could go on. Of course basically none of these solutions work out for the antagonist of the episode but they are punished by consequences of their own actions and in spite of Kirk’s humanity.

Maybe this episode was to say that war irrevocably changes a person. But who doesn’t already know that? What new story or perspective is being shown? I feel like a great way to show progress for his character would be to stab the guy and then save him. Right?! He lets his base, traumatized instincts win but then snaps out of it and realigns himself to his current goal of saving lives. Maybe it’s different in Starfleet but healers take an oath!!

And if we want to compare this to something more tonally similar than there are DS9 episodes that explore this situation much better. I’ve only seen up to season 4 so I’m sure I’m missing a bunch and I’ve only seen the episodes once so if I’m wrong please feel free to gently correct. But there’s an episode where Kira and Gul Dukat get stuck in danger together. I believe they are each faced with the opportunity to abandon each other in danger but even though they were enemies during the war and are still opponents, they save the other. Kira’s sense of what is morally correct overrules her need for revenge. I know there’s a war crimes episode that I haven’t seen yet lol.

Anyway. This season is such a mess. The highs are high but they are few and far between and the lows are so low. I think my biggest problem is that none of the characters have a moral backbone or any real principles that follow from episode to episode. The thing about episodic tv is if you want it to be episodic you have to keep the characters pretty consistent. Or if you want it to be serialized and have characters change, then they need to learn and grow episode to episode or at least arc to arc.

I think La’an should have been more heavily featured in the episode. I think a convo of her and Ortegas on one side and Spock and Uhura on the other would be a good way to actual explore the concepts they were trying to? La’an and Spock both have tangential experience (La’an being a victim of alien war crimes and Spock’s sister starting the war) and Ortegas has direct combat experience and Uhura has none. Uhura can get to be a little naive with Spock backing her with pursuit of knowledge reasonings. La’an and Ortegas can push back on trauma grounds. Spock and La’an can come to some kind of resolution and Uhura and Ortegas come closer to understanding the other side.

I did love that Chapel got a plot that didn’t really involve Spock.

Ok I’m done for now.

[singlecrow]

ooh, director's commentary for war songs? that one might be my favorite ds9 fic ever

Ah I had completely forgotten this one, thank you for the reminder! War Songs - I wrote it during my first watch of the show in 2014, and it's set during the Dominion War. The basic premise is that the Bajorans have gone months and months without a public holiday and everyone is cranky, so can Sisko, the Emissary of the Prophets, please invent them a new one.

And he does. The thing is, who I am as a person. That's the thing that's a problem. I think I wrote this quickly, all in one go, as a prompt meme fill, and the prompt was I'm sure something like "DS9 crew fluff". And it is! Sisko invents a new public holiday! They all give each other presents! Presents for the people who shaped you! Sisko makes jambalaya! Quark acquires booze from the vineyards of Ferenginar, at cost! All is well on Deep Space Nine.

Except, they give presents to the people who shaped them, their friends and partners and mothers, except for Miles O'Brien, who believes the man who shaped him most is Gul Dukat. ("I don't hate you. I hate what you made me become.") And at the end, the gang sing "Minstrel Boy", the war song from the last war: one faithful harp will ever praise thee. I've used this in more than one story, because it strikes me so deeply, that some of the characters on DS9, who live in a peaceful communist utopia, are on their second war.

So that's what happens when you make me sit down and write fluff. I'm not good at it. I don't like it. I'm not kidding when I say everything I ever write is about grief.

[the-lunar-library]

The Escape of Lady Aigle

Lady Charmian Aigle's life is supposed to be predictable, privileged. Safe. Raised in a lonely manor, educated at a famous girls' school, and married to a war hero, she should be protected from the violence overtaking the kingdom. But Charmian steps out of line, befriending commoners, questioning her parents' wisdom, falling in love, and – most reckless of all – participating in risky magical experiments.

Even as she wonders whether she wants to be safe, the choice is suddenly taken out of her hands. Can a lady who's never known freedom finally take it for herself?

An adult, standalone fantasy novel (148K words, 430 pages)

What's it got? (short version)

Lots of girls front and center, including a female protagonist.

Snarky humor, a slow burn romance, some introspection and angst, action and suspense, a focus on friendship, especially among girls.

An unusual boarding school. But don't worry, we're not at Hogwarts, and this isn't a school story.

Unconventional magic.

Fights, stabbings, kissing, swearing, some horses.

A heroine with many expectations and few options trying to find her place in the world.

Warnings: violence, non-explicit sex, issues surrounding arranged/forced marriages, political unrest, and kidnapping

What's it got? (long version)

What kind of fantasy is it?

It's what's called a low fantasy, meaning it centers on the life of an individual rather than deep lore and epic quests to save the world. Our heroine Charmian faces the world for the first time and has to see if she can stand up to it. A lot of it is character driven, but there's some action and suspense. There's also humor and some romance.

Who is the audience?

The story spans quite a few years, with Charmian starting at age 12 and ending at 18. However, this isn't a book for young teens. I consider this an adult novel, though I think older teens could also handle it.

Is it a sequel to The Price and Prey of Magic?

No, it was written before The Price and Prey of Magic and takes place in a different world.

Is it part of a series?

It's a standalone novel. No need to buy any additional books to get the whole story.

Does it have a cute nickname like The Price and Prey of Magic/Papom?

I guess we're going with Eola.

Is it similar to Papom?

Yes: It's somewhat similar in setting, as I give my fantasy world an early twentieth-century feel. Like Papom, much of the story is driven by female characters, and their overlapping relationships form a large part of the conflict.

No: It's more suspenseful than Papom, with more action scenes – there's still a lot of focus on characters, but they're running around more, getting into more trouble. The magic system is entirely different. And it's a completely original story, not based on any fairy tales.

How do you pronounce the heroine's name?

However you'd like to. I pronounce it KAR-mee-an EYE-gul. But if you land on some other way, that's fine.