#Janeway: [scientist] I have to gather data!

[bumblingbabooshka]

How many times do you think Tuvok used the Tarkalean flu excuse before Janeway started going "Hmm..." Seven years is a long time and I'm certain that the first few times Tuvok got the 'flu' Janeway didn't remember or think much of it. Especially depending on how common the Tarkalean flu is (it'd be much less notable if it was the equivalent of being out sick with 'a cold') At what point do you think Janeway went "Let me make a note of this..." and then the next time his 'flu' rolled around, seven years later, she went back to confirm that note. But a good scientist needs more consistent results than that - so it really took a third period of seven years to fully cement this knowledge as fact in her mind. Meanwhile Tuvok's making detailed psychological notes on her. They're a perfect team!

[thresholdbb]

S7's The Void is vaguely reminiscent of s5's Night, but they show Janeway in a much better mental state, and how much she has learned to ease up on the distance she maintains from her crew as captain.

The openings of the two episodes have a much different tone. In Night, there's a distinct lack of Janeway. She's MIA, and crew is anxious and antsy because of their situation and missing leader. In The Void, they open on a scene of the senior staff enjoying their time together. They're laughing and sharing a meal, teasing each other like a family. Then they're thrust into the anomaly. Both instances of "the void" lack stars, both are potentially long-term situations without a clear means of escape besides getting through it. Night has a tone of uneasy calm, but there are other ships and adversaries in The Void, adding an element of urgency.

When we finally see Janeway in Night, she is kicking herself for her decision making:

CHAKOTAY: We were faced with a difficult choice. We had the means to get home but using it would've put an innocent people at risk, so we decided to stay. JANEWAY: No. No, no. I decided to stay. I made that choice for everyone. CHAKOTAY: We're alive and well, and we've gathered enough data about this quadrant to keep Starfleet scientists busy for decades. Our mission's been a success. JANEWAY: The very same words I've been telling myself for the past four years. But then we hit this Void, and I started to realise how empty those words sound. CHAKOTAY: Kathryn. JANEWAY: I made an error in judgment, Chakotay. It was short-sighted and it was selfish, and now all of us are paying for my mistake.

In The Void, Janeway and Chakotay have a similar conversation, but she accepts her error and her support network with less resistance and less self flagellation. With the urgency of the other attacking ships, there is less mental space to become concerned with mistakes, but her dialogue shoes that it is still a thought that is ever present in her mind.

JANEWAY: Impulsive and self-righteous? Is that what you think? CHAKOTAY: You did what you had to do. JANEWAY: Still, I made a mistake. ... JANEWAY: Maybe not. But if I'd listened to my doubts in the first place, we wouldn't have lost the other two ships. ... CHAKOTAY: B'Elanna and the other engineers are working around the clock to build one. She thinks they'll be ready to test in a couple of days. JANEWAY: So everyone's pulling together to make up for my mistake. CHAKOTAY: They have to. It says so in the Federation Charter.

Granted, it helps that she has some rules to point to for accepting Chakotay's insistence that they're in it together, but the situation in The Void very well could have had her fall back into old patterns we saw in Night. One of the reasons she fights so hard to create and alliance and get the ship and crew out of their situation and back into normal space is because there is an "echo of the void." This time, she isn't as inwardly focused. She is listening to her crew, even when they're being critical. You can see the impulse towards blaming herself for the whole situation, but she's pulled out of her pattern of thinking much easier this time.

[ltbroccoli-archive]

Verses (Mobile)

CHILDHOOD baby broccoli

Pre-canon, headcanon based. FC: Liam Aiken & Louis Hynes. Reg is a timid child, growing up in Cleveland. This childhood is not a happy one; Reg’s mother is particular and controlling, his sister is caring but often gone, and his father is completely out of the picture.

STARFLEET ACADEMY seclusive tendencies

Pre-canon. After entering the Academy at age 17, Reg follows the operations track, with a specific focus in general engineering and systems diagnostics. He is a good student, but noted for his tendency to keep to himself.

ENTERPRISE flagship of the federation

TNG canon. Reg is a Systems Diagnostics Engineer aboard the Enterprise D, holding the rank Lieutenant Junior Grade. At first he struggles to fit in, turning to the holodeck to cope and eventually succumbing to full-blown holo-addiction. However, with help from Chief Engineer La Forge and Counselor Troi, Reg recovers from this and slowly but surely finds himself a place aboard as one of the crew’s top engineers. He also participates in some of Dr. Crusher’s theater programs, and is the preferred cat-sitter for Data’s cat Spot.

NTH DEGREE the person i’ve always wanted to be

TNG canon for the episode “The Nth Degree”, subverse of above. After an encounter with a Cytherian probe, Reg’s intelligence, confidence, and artistic abilities have all been vastly increased to far beyond that of a typical human. His personality has also been altered, driving him to integrate himself with the ship’s computer via the holodeck. As the computer, he initiates a deep space jump into unknown space, where the crew meets the Cytherians themselves, who are peaceful. Reg is then returned to normal.

JUPITER STATION the only engineer i trust

Canon, between TNG & VOY. Due to his expertise in holographic technology, Reg is briefly assigned to Jupiter Station to assist Dr. Lewis Zimmerman in the creation of the Emergency Medical Hologram. Though their natures seem direct opposites, Reg and Zimmerman remain friends well after this short assignment. By now, he holds the rank of Lieutenant.

PATHFINDER how lonely that must be

VOY canon. Reg is assigned to the Pathfinder Project on Earth, based in StarFleet’s headquarters in San Francisco. Their main object is to locate and contact the starship Voyager, lost in the Delta Quadrant. Reg has a bold idea to contact the ship, which is turned down; determined, he breaks into the project headquarters and implements his plan anyway, risking his entire career. It is successful, and Reg is able to maintain semi-regular communication with the starship, befrending a good number of the crew.

PROFESSOR no different than the borg queen

VOY post-canon. Years after Pathfinder Project, Reg, now a Commander, returns to StarFleet Academy as a professor. Though he mostly sticks to engineering and astrophysics classes, he enjoys a special class on the Borg co-taught with Admiral Janeway every few years.

MIRROR ( TERRAN EMPIRE ) making an opportunity

Mirror universe, based on the TNG comic series “Mirror Broken”. The great Terran Empire has fallen to the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance… mostly. A handful of ships survive at the edge of Klingon-Cardassian space, gathering their forces and hoping to one day take back what was theirs. After years of serving aboard the I.S.S. Stargazer as an engineer, Reg finally seizes his chance for greater power by assassinating Security Chief Tasha Yar. Now appointed the new Chief of Security, he is part of Picard’s senior staff as they take over the Terran Empire’s newest starship, the I.S.S. Enterprise.

MIRROR ( TERRAN RESISTANCE ) the world turned upside down

Mirror universe, inspired by DS9 canon. Reg���s mother is a Terran collaborator, willing to trade in her own people for a few basic comforts. Growing up, Reg learned very quickly that anxiety and timidity wouldn’t cut it – he had to learn to defend himself. His sister Jax helped him a great deal, teaching him how to fight. At times, the siblings even dare to trust each other.

However, when Jax overhears their mother’s plans to trade Reg into slavery, they take matters into their own hands, killing her in her sleep. After that, they flee to the other side of the quadrant, joining the Terran Resistance. Reg quickly proves his usefulness as an engineer, while Jax struggles to prove anything at all. Finally, she goes alone on a dangerous mission… and never returns. She is presumed dead.

VOYAGER CREWMAN set a course for home

Voyager based AU. After serving aboard the Enterprise E, Reg briefly transfers to the starship Voyager for what is meant to be a three week repair of the ship’s systems. However, it turns into far more than that when Voyager is thrown 70,000 lightyears away into the Delta Quadrant. Now a permanent member of the crew, Reg is in the running for Chief Engineer, losing the position to former Maquis B'Elanna Torres. There are few hard feelings, however, and he does all he can to assist her and be one of her top engineers.

MODERN welcome to the world of tomorrow

AU set vaguely during modern times. Year range is flexible anywhere from the 1960s to present day. Reg’s mother is a very rich lawyer in Cleveland, Ohio; his father is out of the picture, kicked out of the house during his childhood. After going to community college for a few years, Reg moves to a small town to become a mechanic, working for Geordi La Forge. He lives in a tiny, dirty trailer half a mile away from his work, where he has essentially adopted all the stray cats in the area.

HARRY POTTER draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

AU based on the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. A full detailed timeline can be found here. For Reg/Liz specific verse, info on their children can be found here.

As far as Reg knows, he is a perfectly normal human – until Minerva McGonagall shows up at his home one day to explain that he is actually a wizard. All of the random occurrences and accidental cat summonings suddenly make sense. Alicia is determined that her son will not be any part of this nonsense, but finally agrees to let him attend Hogwarts School of Witchdraft and Wizardry, just so he can learn to control his abilities.

Reg’s sister takes him to Diagon Alley, where he gets his school supplies and his first wand, larch wood with unicorn hair core. When he arrives at Hogwarts, he is immediately sorted into Hufflepuff. Though he struggles with his magic at first, he grows stronger and stronger as his confidence increases, until he is one of the most powerful wizards in his class.

During his time at Hogwarts, Reg also discovers that he is not a Muggle-born, as he always believed; his father, whom he has not seen since age seven, is also a wizard, which technically makes Reg a half-blood. It takes several years for Reg to find and reach out to his father, but he eventually does. Both are Hufflepuffs.

After graduating, Reg moves to Hogsmeade, where he works for several years as a magical repairman. He discovers he has a knack for making magic and Muggle technology play along. Eventually, after the Second Wizarding War, he returns to Hogwarts as the new Muggle Studies professor. Several years later, he becomes the new head of Hufflepuff house.

STARGATE chevron one encoded

AU based on the Stargate television series. Can be based on SG-1 and/or Atlantis. Dr. Reginald Barclay is one of several scientists assigned to work at Area 51, studying alien artifacts brought back to Earth as part of the top secret Stargate program. Though he does good work if assigned to something small on his own, he struggles to make himself heard when in collaboration with his colleagues, though he is slowly getting better.

Eventually, he is pulled from Area 51 and sent to Stargate Command itself, where he works under Colonel Samantha Carter. Here, he struggles even more to fit in, as everyone else has quite the reputation and he is just… some nervous new scientist. But he manages to prove his worth.

When crew is being chosen for the Atlantis mission, Reg reluctantly volunteers, despite being terrified of the Stargate. Upon reaching the alien city itself, Reg is surprised to find that he loves it, all the strange spires and endless views of the ocean planet. He is less enthusiastic about his boss, Dr. Rodney McKay, but he tries his best regardless.

THE ORVILLE we have got to get better people

AU based on The Orville television series. Most backstory information is the same as main timeline verses. Lieutenant Reginald Barclay is a recent transfer to the U.S.S. Orville, working in the Engineering department.

POKEMON gotta catch em all

AU based on the Pokemon franchise. Mun is mostly familiar with the first three generations. Throughout all of his childhood, Reg dreams of being a Pokemon master, like most children. However, that is not to be. His mother demands that he find a sensible job, and forget that foolish nonsense. His only Pokemon for many years is a Meowth named Mira, who he found abandoned and injured and took care of. Mira eventually evolves into a beautiful Persian who will not leave her owner’s side.

Reg eventually becomes a mechanic and handyman in Cerulean City, where he makes a decent enough living. His older sister, meanwhile, pursues her dream of becoming a Pokemon trainer, finally settling down near Saffron City. As the years pass, Reg starts amassing a small team of Pokemon: his Persian, Mira; a Glitten with a mangled paw named Wrigley; and a Dragonite named Oscar.

FARSCAPE rattlers in the stomach

AU based on the Farscape television series. Reg is born on a small Sebacean colony near the Uncharted Territories, and he grows up knowing that he may one day be conscripted into Peacekeeper service. When the day finally comes, it’s all he can do not to cry as he is pulled away from his family and forced to live aboard a cold, harsh military vessel.

Soon enough, everyone learns that he simply isn’t suited for a soldier’s lifestyle; he is too hesitant and soft. To everyone else, sending him off to be a tech is a demotion, but for Reg, it’s perfect. It’s work he can actually do, and work that doesn’t require any actual combat. As long as he doesn’t think about what he may be supporting, everything is fine…

WARRIORS may starclan light your path

AU based on the Warriors book series. During a particularly harsh WindClan leaf-bare, two kits are born. Sparrowkit is named for the color of her fur, while Stammerkit is named for the odd way he shakes and trembles. Little did anyone know how accurate Stammerkit’s name would later turn out to be.

As apprentices, Sparrowpaw excels in all areas, particularly fighting, while Stammerpaw struggles with everything. Eventually, he grows into a good hunter, but his fighting skills lack. Sparrowpaw becomes a warrior, called Sparrowsong, before him, much to Stammerpaw’s dismay. After several more moons of hard work, Stammerpaw eventually earns his warrior name as well: Stammertail.

Though not a gifted fighter, and not a good choice for a mentor, Stammertail is fiercely loyal to his Clan and serves them in his own ways. He is an excellent hunter and tracker, and often can be found helping the queens with their kits or helping the medicine cats gather herbs. However, he tends to freeze up during battles, and is often left behind to guard the camp.

REG & D'RORAH daughter of light

With drorah-walks. When an immortal being decides to relive a human childhood to rekindle her connection with humanity, she chooses Reg to be her father. He agrees, and D'rorah Philosophy enters his life as his five-year-old daughter, the result of a weekend on Risa who has just lost her mother. Reg has no memory of making this agreement, fully believing that this child is truly his daughter… until an accident in engineering causes amnesia. When his memories return, so do his memories of what D'rorah truly is. However, he decides to continue, unwilling to leave the child he loves without a father just because he’s afraid.

Reg and D'rorah are inseparable, even when she is grown up and moved out. D'rorah eventually adopts a Cardassian girl from a Bajoran orphanage named Rilla, who Reg loves to spoil rotten. When Reg dies, D'rorah’s memories of who she really is will slowly return, and she will have to live on forever without him…

REG & LIZ kidnapped

With nashforhire. Elizabeth Nash needs to hide from some former business partners. The best way to do that is with a bit of a human shield; she chooses Reg. After kissing him, running through Deep Space 9 with him while under fire, and taking him all the way to the Gamma Quadrant, no one would expect Reg to want anything to do with her ever again. And yet… he does. They slowly become unlikely friends, and then more, until Reg finally asks her on a date. While Reg is still stationed on the Enterprise, he and Liz have a long-distance relationship, seizing every opportunity to see each other that they possibly can. However, even that finally isn’t enough, and Reg transfers to DS9 to live with her and work for Chief O'Brien. Eventually they are married and have four children: Sofia, Oliver, and the twins, Charlotte and Victoria.

RUNAWAYS ( REG & LIZ ) partners in crime

With nashforhire. Reg and Liz have been best friends since they were children. Considering their respective childhoods, there are some days where they are the only good thing in each other’s lives. Eventually, at age sixteen, Liz decides she can’t do it anymore and decides to run away, leaving Earth behind entirely. After some hesitation, Reg agrees to go with her. It isn’t easy, and there are several close calls where StarFleet almost catches them to drag Reg back to his mother. But eventually, they have their own ship, the Nomad, and run their own shipping business together.

REG & AELLA she’s on my mind

With empathicstars. Reg slowly befriends a Betazoid communications officer aboard the Enterprise, Lieutenant Aella Moore. Eventually, he has a fairly serious crush on her, but before he has any chance of asking her out, the away mission from hell happens. The two are accidentally beamed into a warzone, and Reg throws himself in front of a phaser blast to protect Aella. The shot should have killed him. But Aella, trained in her telepathy by Vulcans, initiates a mind meld to keep him alive. The meld has strange effects on both of them, even after their return to the ship, and neither of them quite knows how to move forward…

REG & Q show me the stars

With qisforqaos. Q has always been a nuisance to Reg. Always. That is, until he starts taking a liking to Reg and showing him around the universe… befriending him… and perhaps even more…

REG & MURDOCK oh brother

With drowningvoices. Reg and his twin brother have always done everything together, until StarFleet. That’s when their assignments took them different directions, and while Murdock rose in the ranks, Reg barely made it past Ensign. Then one day, Reg got the news – his brother had been in a horrible accident, and his mind was no longer what it was. Now, Murdock lives full-time in a psychiatric hospital, where Reg visits as often as he can. The two are extremely protective of each other, even still.

REG & ALARA only fools rush in

With flightxless; The Orville AU. Reg and Alara meet during less than ideal circumstances, when they both have been captured and must escape together. A few weeks later, however, Reg transfers aboard the Orville, and upon realizing they are now on the same ship, he works up the courage to ask her out.

OHANA ad augusta per angusta

Group verse, AOS based. Primarily on Discord. After encountering a strange anomaly, Reg has been thrown back to the Enterprise A of an alternate timeline. With almost no chance of getting home, he does what he can to settle into this new life, primarily working with the ship’s prototype holodeck system.