#The Abandoned

[quasi-normalcy]

The thing is that the writers of Deep Space Nine created the Jem'Hadar to subvert what they had come to think of as the Star Trek cliché of enemies seeming less frightening the more that you know about them (e.g., Hugh putting a cute and cuddly face on the Borg on TNG). But like...I don't think that this is a trope that urgently needed to be subverted? Like, I don't think that the risk in war situations is "people thinking that their enemies are too human." And I don't think that creating an entire race of, essentially, drug-addicted crack-babies and then revealing that they're actually irredeemably violent superpredators is a bold, deconstructive stance for a pop culture franchise to take in Clinton-era America.

[sshbpodcast]

Character Spotlight: Jake Sisko

By Ames

We’ve talked a bunch of times on A Star to Steer Her By about how Jake Sisko is the best. He’s one of the best child characters in the whole Star Trek franchise, in both writing and acting (second to maybe Mezoti and/or Rok-Tahk). His relationship with his father is depicted so beautifully in so many episodes, as we’ll surely discuss below. And that kid’s personal style bypasses Wesley Crusher’s in every single way.

So this week, we’re picking up a Jake Sisko holonovel to read as your SSHB hosts declare our favorite Jake-O moments and scrape up some bad moments to consider. Our definition of what a Worst Moment is – which was shaky at best to begin with – gets really stretched this week. So enjoy them all below, listen to our chatter this week on the podcast (jump over to 1:01:52), and prepare for Jake Sisko to make a deal for you to have great damn day.

[Images © CBS/Paramount]

Best moments

“A” is for Apple, “B” is for Best friend ever Jake is just a straight-up good kid. So good that we happily forgive everything on our bad list, and this early moment really established what a pure heart he has. When Rom pulls Nog out of Keiko’s school in “The Nagus” and Sisko is about to get all racist at the Ferengi for corrupting his son, we learn that Jake has been sneaking off to teach Nog to read, squashing all the jumped-to conclusions and being the example that everyone on the station needs right now.

Who wears the lobes in this relationship? Speaking of teaching things to Nog, when the two form the Noh-Jay Consortium in “Progress,” which is adorable enough on its own, Jake somehow schools Nog on the value of owning land when they start trading assets around. How a Ferengi doesn’t understand real estate is beyond me, but Jake knows a good deal when he sees one. Turns out Jake’s got the lobes!

My friend’s real sorry for what he did In our Nog coverage on the podcast, I mistakenly sullied Jake’s name, claiming he started a fight with the Skrrean kids in “Sanctuary.” Well I was dead wrong! Jake, the ever goody-two-shoes, actually tries to prevent the fight and then does one better by patching things up with Tumak in line for the replimat later. How I could think Jake would have a vicious bone in his body was my error.

I need to find what’s me While we gave Nog lots of props for pursuing his dream of being the first Ferengi to join Starfleet, Jake goes the opposite path, and we love him even more for it! You’d think with a father commanding a whole station, Jake would go the Starfleet route too, but in “Shadowplay,” he reveals he’d rather pursue something he’s more passionate about.

First let me get the hang of flying at impulse When the away team gets captured during “The Jem’Hadar,” Jake and Nog sneak aboard the runabout to escape. Despite not knowing how to pilot the thing, Jake is able to elude disaster and invaders long enough to be rescued. Add to that the fact that they were there to ensure Nog got a passing grade, and Jake comes out as the hero of this episode! (Sorry, Quark.)

If I go, you’ll be all alone Even though he wants to spend time with Leanne, Jake decides to accompany his father on the lightship in “Explorers.” This episode gives us some more of those patented lovely father-son moments of the two being honest and supportive of each other, as Jake expresses his interest in writing and also that he’s concerned about Ben coping without him if he went away to school.

Something called “Sliding into Second” An episode later in “Family Business,” Sisko relents to Jake’s insistence that he get a girlfriend by going on a date with Kasidy Yates based on his son’s matchmaking skills. And it turns out Kasidy is perfect for Ben! Now whether Ben is perfect for Kasidy is another matter altogether that we hinted at a little in our Ben Sisko post, but let’s just say Jake has solid taste.

To my father, who’s coming home I cannot overstate how beautiful “The Visitor” is, and at the center of it is Jake’s relationship with Ben, undoubtedly the strongest asset of all of Deep Space Nine. Jake’s love for his missing father is so strong and pure that he dedicates his life to getting him back from the white void. Is it what Ben would have wanted? Absolutely not. But is it perfect for Jake Sisko? Tremendously.

You may be a little rusty, but you’re still the Chief When O’Brien has gone through literal decades of torture after his brain adventure in “Hard Time,” who better than Jake Sisko to help reacclimate him to all his tools? Jake, who apprenticed briefly under the Chief earlier in the series, shows characteristic patience and empathy for the man who is clearly in need of much rehabilitation and therapy.

The line between courage and cowardice Cirroc Lofton gets his time to shine in “...Nor the Battle to the Strong,” providing an understandably terrified face to the front lines. Not only does he scrub up to help Julian and the other combat medics as injured soldiers start pouring in, AND thwart a Klingon siege by blasting out the ceiling, but he also reminds us that war is absolutely horrifying, in case we’ve forgotten.

You can always find something that’ll make you smile Yet another feel-good moment comes from Jake in the entire lovetrip that is “In the Cards.” While trying to cheer up his dad by getting him a baseball card, Jake and Nog find themselves running a series of fetch quests that add up to one thing: finding ways to make everyone have a nice day, even in the middle of the Dominion War. It was a breath of fresh air in a very serious season.

Let people read it and decide for themselves While Nog and the rest of Red Squad were entirely taken in by the opportunity to play war, Jake saw through Watters’s bullshit immediately in “Valiant.” He’s able to scrape Nog and Dorian Collins together and save them from destruction. And I’ve got to give him credit for endeavoring to write both sides of the story, without bias or condemnation, even if Watters deserves it.

—

Worst moments

Watch the wheel, not the girl Boy, that Jake Sisko has a type, and that type is older Bajorans. We first meet Mardah in the flesh in “The Abandoned,” and not only is she a Dabo Girl (whom we know have sex acts with Quark written into their contracts), but she’s also too old for him. I don’t know what age of consent laws are in the future, but when she’s 20 and he’s 16, it just feels on the wrong side of legal.

Stop calling her Nerys When things with Mardah don’t work out, Jake sets his sights on another Bajoran who’s definitely too old for him in “Fascination”: Major Kira. And sure, you could justify this one by saying that everyone on the station is affected by Lwaxana Troi’s Zanthi Fever, but out of all the uncomfortable pairings, it was this one that just felt kinda gross about it.

I guess I just forgot you’re a Ferengi While we blame Nog for his terrible behavior during their double date in “Life Support,” Jake isn’t innocent either. First, how he let Nog weasel in is just a goofy plot device to make the episode happen. But also, Jake shows naivete on his part for not understanding that this is perfectly normal for a Ferengi, and blaming his friend for his upbringing isn’t a good look.

So you’re Jennifer Sisko, but you’re just not my mom Okay, this one’s a little on Ben too for trusting mirror Jennifer to be alone with Jake, like a fool, but Jake’s whole attitude toward his mirror mom in “Shattered Mirror” plays right into her trap. He is so blindsided by her presence that he doesn’t think rationally, even if he’s heard the stories about how nefarious everyone is in the alternate universe. Jake, don’t trust this imposter!

I can spot a creative soul a galaxy away Jake’s weird thing for older women shows up again in “The Muse” when Onaya easily manipulates the poor boy. This is just an episode after “Shattered Mirror,” when his mirror mom took advantage of his trusting nature and eagerness to believe people have good intentions. And this soul-sucker preys on him so easily because he lets himself get taken in.

How much laundry is too much laundry? One last one that’s on both Nog’s and Jake’s list somewhere, since the two are so intertwined: While Nog has become a complete square in “The Ascent,” Jake has turned into a slob so comically disorganized that it stretches credulity. Nog is literally gone for several hours and when he’s returned, Jake’s laundry coats their quarters. How is that even possible?

These visions, they’re not worth dying for This is one of those instances that’s more bad for Jake than bad for us at home. When Ben is catatonic from prophet visions in “Rapture,” it’s Jake’s responsibility as next of kin to decide his fate. He chooses for his father to live, partly selfishly, even though it’s not what Ben would have wanted. But really, I say they should have put this decision on Joe and not a teenage boy.

Just remember, Bashir is spelled with an I Consistently, it’s a running joke on the show that Jake’s spelling is poor. It comes up a couple of times! Nog has to correct all his spelling in “The Ascent.” Sisko points it out when he reads Anslem in “The Muse.” And clearly he spelled Dr. Bashir’s name wrong in his article from “...Nor the Battle to the Strong” because Julian reminds him of the spelling in “Call to Arms.”

This is where I belong After all the Starfleet personnel have abandoned the station in “Call to Arms,” Jake opts to stay behind to do some journalism work, hoping that his status as the Emissary’s son will keep him safe because the Bajorans will revolt if some harm comes to him. So he effectively makes himself a hostage of the Dominion just for a writing gig. Weird flex, Jake-O.

What about freedom of the press? And then the stories Jake writes about the Dominion occupation don’t even go anywhere because Weyoun keeps intercepting them in “A Time to Stand”! Jake, my dude, you can’t go writing clearly biased stories and thinking they’ll make it to your audience. You think Weyoun’s going to let you interview him when he knows your angle? Oh you sweet summer child.

Anything for a story I’ll admit that Jake’s actions and uncharacteristic ability to see through bullshit in “Valiant” were commendable, but his reasons for being there in the first place were thin at best. He weasels into Nog’s trip to Ferenginar to try to get an exclusive interview with the Nagus. Presumptuous much, kid? This after promising to Nog that he wouldn’t be acting as a reporter on his mission.

Please, no more Vic Fontaine! When Nog returns to the station in “It’s Only a Paper Moon” after his leg replacement and clearly suffering from PTSD, the support he gets from friends, family, and professional therapists alike is laughable. Even Jake. It strikes me as out of character that Jake fails at being tolerant of Nog’s wishes during a painful time. Maybe get the guy some comically large headphones instead of kicking him out next time.

—

Send this one off to the presses because we’re done! We’ve still got some more Deep Space Nine characters to spotlight coming up, so keep following along for those. We also hope you’re watching Enterprise along with us over on SoundCloud or wherever you get your podcasts. You can play some dot-jot with us over on Facebook and Twitter, and check your spelling before submitting because evidently there’s no Clippy on DS9!

[subatoism]

Inverse of “The Abandoned” where a group of Jem’Hadar deserters accidentally come into possession of a human baby

[brokehorrorfan]

The Abandoned will be released on Blu-ray on April 9 via Unearthed Films. The 2006 horror film was originally released as part of the original After Dark Horrorfest.

Nacho Cerdá directs from a script he co-wrote with Richard Stanley (Color Out of Space) and Karim Hussain. Anastasia Hille, Carlos Reig, Valentin Ganev, and Karel Roden star.

Special features are listed below.

Special features:

Interview with director/co-writer Nacho Cerdà

Interview with co-writer Richard Stanley

Interview with co-writer Karim Hussain

The Making of The Abandoned featurette

In the Den of The Abandoned featurette

Nacho Cerda: Facing Death featurette

The Little Secrets of Nacho Cerda featurette

When Buck Meets Cerda: A Dialogue Between Friends featurette

Deleted & extended scenes

Alternate sequences

Outtakes

Photo gallery

Trailers

Storyboard collection (BD-ROM)

In 1966, somewhere in Russia, a wounded woman drives a truck to an isolated farm with two babies. 40 years later, film producer Marie Jones leaves her daughter in California and travels back to her home land in the wilderness of Russia. Marie is one of the children and had received a phone call from the notary public Andrei Misharin, who told her where the farm of her family is located. Marie arrives at the abandoned house and meets the stranger Nicolai, who tells her that he had also received a call from Misharin and he is her twin brother. Weird things happen in the house and Marie and Nicolai are haunted by zombie-like ghosts of themselves. Further, they find that they are trapped in the house and cannot leave the place.

Pre-order The Abandoned.

[demon-blood-youths]

The Abandoned - Part 3, The Report || What If AU

Hi everyone! This is Part 3 of The Abandoned, a What If AU. This is a bit of drama, angst, and dark theme drabble. This is for my partner, @the-silver-peahen-residence

Part 1

Part 2 ---- Warning ---- Child Abandonment Neglect

Dark Themes

------ Summary -----

After meeting Taiwa Ueno aka Taz and finding out what happened. A report is now made and the students are trying to figure out on how to help Taz and how to find her older brother.

------

In the teachers' lounge, Gojo Saturo reads over the report made by Megumi and Kisho ( who is other alias is known as Daichi) . The two students are standing next to each other. Megumi had a blank look while Daichi had a concerned look, which wasn't every day to see.

"So that's what happened?" Said the teacher.

"Yes, sensei. The Shrine had little cursed activity when we got there despite the earlier report that there is a large amount." Daichi stated.

"And the girl? How is she?"

"She's fine. She just woken up and told us how she got there." Daichi said taking a pause.

"Taiwa Ueno." Gojo said her name. Maybe they should run through a directory to find her family including that brother of hers. Tidam Ueno "And on her mother's side is Australian?"

"Yes," Megumi said.

"And she has two yellow-orange marks on the right side of her cheek?" Gojo asked.

"She said it's a birthmark," Megumi said.

"And where is her brother?"

"We don't know where he went. But what we know is that her brother came with friends intending to use Sukuna Shrine as a hangout." Megumi said. "He vandalized-"

Gojo sighs. "Oh boy! And he got killed?"

"No." Megumi answered.

"Tiawa...Taz tries to stop him from vanadizaling it further. Her brother stopped, but there was a fight between them. The brother stormed off. She tried to fix it, and then her brother locked her inside the shrine as relitation." Megumi tries his best not to show emotion.

"I see." Gojo's lips became thin, "How long has she been there?"

"Since...Thursday...." Daichi frowned. "Almost the weekend."

Gojo pauses for a moment hearing that. It's like he stood still. Daichi never seen Gojo-sensei this serious. He is usually laid-back and always goofing off. Right now, he is quiet. He wonders what he is thinking right now. It makes Daichi nervous for the first time. The first time he was nervous when he first met him and was told to take responsibility for his actions before coming here with a smile. He remembers his cursed energy and how it felt. But...there is something else. Or rather it should be something. Is Gojo mad? If he is, he is good at hiding it.

"Is that so? Then she can stay with us for a few days." He said it. There is no jolly in his voice or rather no emotion in it at all. In a way, it unnerved the flame sorcerer. Megumi just like Daichi sweatdropped a little.

"Got it. I guess we need to give her a room and board just in case." Said Daichi. "I mean, she can't stay in infirmary too long. How about Taz rooms with Nobara or a room right next to her?"

"Good idea, Daichi!" Gojo's smile returns. "Since there is a lot of open space. I think it's a good idea." His carefree happy attitude has return.

This guy makes it hard to tell what he's thinking.

"Also....Taz?" Gojo asked.

"Huh?" Daichi blinked.

"As in Taz...like the cartoon character? A Tasmanian devil who turns himself into a twister?" He asked.

"It's a nickname given her background from her friends." Megumi answered.

Gojo nods, acknowledging that. " She sounds like a handful." He added with a chuckle. Both boys nodded. Megumi then adds, "There is also another thing. She can see Eito." He said.

"As in..oh...oh..." Gojo said, realizing. "Poor thing must be scared to death when she sees the curses at that shrine especially Sukuna's."

"Well... that's the thing. She wasn't. She thinks today is Friday. She told us she was sleeping when we got there." Daichi said, frowns.

"So either the curse that manipulates time inside the shrine. It's not the first time." It reminds him of when Uthahime and Mei-Mei went on a mission where they would be gone for a few days while the two girls thought it had been a few hours.

Still, the fact that she survived there for a few hours or three days while sleeping is amazing. Or rather a miracle that doesn't happen every day. The girl is lucky indeed.

"In the meantime, we are going to check the shrine one more for clues. Ichiji and Nitta can handle that. In the meantime, make the girl feel right at home." He said.

"Understood." Daichi and Megumi said unison.

-----

After leaving the teachers' lounge, Daichi had to ask.

"Hey.....Fushiguro...." He begins. Megumi lets out, "Hm?"

"Is Gojo-sensei mad?"

"What makes you think he isn't?" Megumi asked. Daichi bit his bottom lips and responded, "Well...the way he reacted when Taz was stuck there for almost three days. It's like he's hiding it."

"He is," Megumi replied. "If I were him, I probably hunt down the brother and tear him a new one." He said. "Right now, he is considering calling the children's services after hearing that but..."

"But?" He asked.

"We need to keep Taz under observation. We need to figure out where the cursed energy went or the curses went" He said. "We need to make sure Taz isn't cursed." Megumi gave his thoughts.

"Right." Daichi nods as he follows Megumi.

---

In the meantime, Yuuji is looking after the girl. She is asleep. She must be sleeping a lot. Nobara said that she was going to find clothes for her in her room. So he and Eito are looking after him while Kisho ( Daichi ) and Megumi are giving their report to Gojo-sensei.

Yuji sighs.

You know....she is very lucky that she is alive much less sleeping like nothing has happened. Sukuna begins. 'She is like what? What do you brats call that brief time? The weekend? She slept there for three nights when the curse could of ripped her to shreds and eaten her insides..during that time.

Yuji frowns upon hearing Sukuna's voice. You bet you would like that.

Not all the time. Usually, I get offerings in exchange for favors back at my lovely adobe and when I get displeased, I rip them to shreds." Sukuna chuckles. Yuji frowns but he can sense Sukuna now scowling.

But I do not like to be someone's amusement or be used as an OBJECT as some discipline over some petty sibling argument. Especially my own shrine.

You call that discipline?! Yuji said angrily in his head.

'What else to call punishing your younger sibling for chiding an older sibling? That usually happens back in my time. Although I do not appreciate the fact that they made a mess there that is made for me. The girl had more sense than that idiotic brother of hers to fix it before locking her inside.

That much is true but he didn't like the fact her brother left her alone during the weekend. And that is the fact, Taz is....okay with it. It wasn't right! Or maybe she's saying that because of some reason.

'Anyway...it matters not. I do wonder what are you lot going to do with her. I assume you keep her under surveillance? After she's fine, she will be given back to her family."

Yuji frowns.

'I suspect you don't like that. I mean the girl can see that turkey. You should ask her if she sees anything out of ordinary?'

No way! I will traumatize her more! I mean....who knows what she saw!

'From the looks of it, she probably slept there not realizing the days past. Probably a curse manipulating with time inside the shrine. It's rare but not that uncommon.

"But why?" Itadori asked. Sukuna arches a brow, "Hm?"

"Like you said, it kept her for three days and it did nothing so what's up with that? You said curses would of.... done something to her but didn't." Itadori doesn't want to say that the curses would eat her but it doesn't seem the case. Sukuna thought. That's a good question, why didn't the curse do something to her. But there is a feeling that Sukuna couldn't describe it.

but he doesn't tell his vessel that he doesn't know.

"Who knows? It's your job to figure it out, brat." Sukuna huffed. Itadori grumbled at that part before Sukuna went back to sleep. Then the teen blinks to hear Taz yawn.

"Hmmm?" Taz blinks, "B..."

"Hey..Taz. How are you feeling?"

"Better. I think I ate a lot. Thanks to the lunch you guys got me" Taz said. It made sense because she had been there for three days. "To be honest..I don't feel it has been over the weekend..." Taz said. "Is it really true?"

"Uh..." Yuji doesn't know what to say but he has to say the truth. Because he wouldn't lie to her, "Yeah. You did."

"Oh." Taz said. "I guess....brother forgot about me."

Itadori bit his bottom lip. Taz smiles, "That's okay! My brother has been working hard. He has been working a lot so it happens." Taz said.

"What?" Itadori blinked, confused by this. Taz nods, "He doesn't come home often...only on the weekeds."

"Wait...why is he working?" Yuji can't help but ask. Taz looks sad before answered, "Welll...we..."

-----

"She lost her parents in a car crash?" Nanami read the report, frowning at this. Gojo sighs, "Yeah. Happened on their way to Okinawa for vacation."

"It's not uncommon but it made sense." He said, leaning back in his chair. "It sound like the eldest must of have pressure to look after his little sister but I guess he wouldn't take it and take it out on her."

"Not only that, the brother refuses any help from the mother's side of the family and the dad's side is way out in Wakayama." He sighs. "It's like the older brother doesn't want to do anything with the family or have trust issues." He reads. "Not only that, his brother got problems in school and is mixed up in a bad crowd."

"Not working?"

"Not working. Although...he must be in something shady sooo...I need you to go down to the Uneo residence." Gojo said to which Nanami sighed.

"Look..I know but there is something I need check on Taz."

"Taz?" Nanami questioned. Gojo shrugs, "That's what her friends call her." Nanami Kento looks down at the address, "Fine. I will check the residence and see what's going on. Don't do anything stupid."

"Don't worry! I won't!" Gojo smiles. Nanami doesn't believe it but he needs to visit the Ueno residence first. ---- Ueno Residence ----

Ichiji Kiyotaka, the manager drove Nanami to the address that is Uneo residence. It's out on the outskirts of Tokoy. This seems like the place. It's ordinary modern home within the neighborhood. He hears the cicadas and the crows chirping. He enters through the gate and goes to knock to see if anyone is home. As he did, nobody is there. Nothing. Kento sighs and goes to turn the knock again, to his surpise, the door creaks opens. Frowning, he takes a step inside and sees trash bags that fill one side of the hallway. There is stairs at the front the hall next to it is a the kitchen that leads to another room like the washing machine. He is thinking of placing his shoes down at the entrance since he doesn't know if Taz's older brother is here or not. But something tells him it's not a good idea. A gut feeling. The older brother must be nearby if the house is opened. He steps in to which he passes a room, he sees that is connected to the kitchen but this room had a home shrine known as the butsudan. He takes a step inside and sees a picture of a couple. A happy Japanese man in glasses and another who is a foreigner with caramel skin, she has waving hair as she also looks like the girl that the school is looking after. They look like they were celebrating with paint on their faces. There were objects on there. Some of them are mementos from both of their backgrounds. Nanami did take a closer look but didn't want to disturb any of the items placed there. He did see handprints on the piece of paper. But around the hands, there were dots and swirls of natural colors. Most likely from the mother's culture. While there is a box of Japanese characters that is written in ink by the father. A memoir for both of their parents. Nanamin wonders if the passing of their parents made life difficult for the siblings. Maybe causing a rift between them. Continuing on further, he passes the kitchen and sees piles of dishes in the sink, unwashed and neglected. He also sees trash bags. He sees a few papers on the table. Will. Inheritance. Family contacts. He goes to pick them up as there were a few copies of them. He will take them for notes. He hears a noise from the living room. Nanami goes to investigate it. He sees empty cans of soda on the low table. He sees a game controller and stacks of video games along with some papers on the floor in front of flat screen tv. He sees a cushion where someone sat in where an opened soft beverage can is there. If he had to guess, it must be the brother from what he assessed. He went upstairs to check out the rooms. The one with the kings bed is mostly likely the parents' room. Then the rooms down the hallway. On the right side with the window, there are a bunch of plushies along with a few flowers. This must be Taz's room. On the left side, there are wallpapers of video games and a computer with a server, it's a bit messy. Though there is something concerning, both of these rooms have average amount of energy in it. Outside the brother's window, he sees a small backyard with a small garden, but some of the flowers are wilting as there are a few flies. He went back downstairs to check the living room and the backyard. He sees there is stairs but he came across a open door that leads to the basement. He senses there's cursed energy down there. There is something down there. He needs to see what it is down there but something tells him that something is dangerous down there. REeardless, he must come down there and.... "Grrrr..." A growl is heard behind him as something is shadowing him. Claws and teeth. "!!!" Nanami quickly reacts the moment the creature attacks.

----- Jujutsu Tech - Nurse's office ----

Taz is asleep as she is resting easy. Yuji and the others were at their classes. Although it is weird. They refer to one of their classes as a mission. Still, she never thought that she would be so hungry. She never thought that she stayed at that shrine like the rest of the weekend.

Does....her older brother not want her anymore? Or did he just forgot? Such questions made her wonder almost giving her anxiety at the thought of it. She closes her eyes for a brief moment, trying to calm herself. No, no, no. He just a had bad day. It didn't mean to take it out on her. It must be work and his boss is being hard on him. Slowly opening her eyes, Taz looks up to see a glowing blue eye staring down at her. She freezes in place with her eyes widen. The blue eye belongs to a very tall man with white hair in black clothes. Taz seeing him, his blue is glowing in the dark. It's like looking up at the clear skies.

"Huh?" "Hmmmmm...." He smiles. "Hi there! My name is...huh?" "Eeeek..." Taz sniffles making the other blink as there are tears swelling in her eyes. "Uhh-" Taz let out a cry of terror that it got some of the students barging inside. Miko and Yuria were the first ones to hear the cries and call for other students to arrive.

---- 30 seconds later ---- "What is wrong with you?!" Megumi scowled at Gojo after dragging him outside of the nurse's room. Taz is being consoled by Yuji and Miko as she is crying and sniffling. Both were calming her down. Daichi and Yuria were judging Gojo-sensei in the background. "She has been in that shrine for the entire weekend and you pulled this?! Do you want to give her more trauma?!" Nobara yelled angrily. The duo is chiding a poor Gojo who is pouting. "I said I'm sorry! I didn't know she would wake up!"

"Okay but why are you hanging over her like some boogeyman?!" Daichi ( Kisho) asked incredulously.

"I-I mean...I just need to get a better look at her." Gojo asked with a chuckle, holding his arms up.

"That's so creepy!" Yuria cried, rubbing her own arms in disgust.

"Okay, okay, okay! Would it help my case that I was going to bring her sweets so I can talk to her?" Gojo holding up a bag of sweets. The four are scowling at him. "You should of done that instead of scaring her, you idiot." Megumi growled.

"Umm..." The four look towards Taz after wiping her eyes, looking at Gojo with concern.

"Oh! Taz, don't worry about him!" Nobara assured her, "Our dumb sensei won't be bothering you anymore..." "Oh um...thank you. I just want to say sorry to him. Yuji told me that he's your sensei and I was kinda rude and-"

"You weren't....he's an idiot and he has no respect for personal space," Megumi said.

"Hey!" Gojo pouted. "And he's acting a creep!" Yuria yelled. "HEEY!" Taz looks nervous but then says, "Still....if he's your teacher, I wanted to say sorry to him because I kinda overreact and-"

"Oh you're fine! I'm happy you forgive me, little Tazzy." Gojo said.

"Little Tazzy??" Megumi stared at Gojo with a frown while Daichi, Yuria and Nobara are side-eyeing him. Gojo chuckles as Taz doesn't notice this, "Yep! Just came up with it!" Then he presents the sweets to Taz, "Do you like dorayokai, Taz?" Taz's eyes lit up. "Yes! I love them! Especially when you put maple syrup on them." Gojo grins, liking what he hears, "Riiiight?! They taste so good if you do! Finally, someone who gets it!" Gojo laughs. "Anyway...you kids got to give your report to the Principal Yaga about your mission?" Taz blinks. Daichi quickly says, "It's an assignment! We call it missions because it sounds cool!" Daichi explains to Taz. "Oh okay." Taz quickly accepts it. Nobara and Yuria nods at what Daichi. Good one, Daichi.

"Now, now! I need to talk to Taz alone." "You better not do anything weird!" Nobara told him with the two girls; Yuria and Miko nodding in agreement. "I will stay with him. You guys go and Daichi, you better not leave anything out!"

"I won't! Let's go Yuji!" Daichi said.

"Okay! See ya, Taz." Yuji waved at her with a wave.

"See ya!" Taz waves at them. ------ 2 minutes later ---- "So Tazzy. Do you remember your time at the shrine?" Gojo asked as he shared his sweets with her. Taz took a bite as she thought, "I told Megumi and his friends what I know." She said to which Megumi nodded. "Yes. My students informed me of what happened. Is there anything else? Is there anything that is out of the ordinary?" "Out of the ordinary?" Taz looks confused. "Anything that stands out?" "Welll...I do hear sounds but it's normal..." "Normal as in?" "Like crickets and boars but sometimes there's weird sounds. Like uh..hssing and a bit of laughing. I see shadows." Taz said.

Okay so that confirms it.

"Did you see anything that creeps you out at the shrine?" "Inside? No. I feel safe there." Taz asked. Gojo hums while Megumi raises a brow. Someone who feels safe at the Sukuna Shrine? Most of the time, it gives sorcerers the heebie-jeebies so to hear someone that they felt safe it is strange. Gojo chuckles, "Why? Does the statute not scare you?" "No. I mean it does but I don't feel scared by it. It's a shrine after all. Ryomen Sukuna's Shrine.,..." "The King of Curses." Gojo added. "Yes. I thought the name sounded scary but I think he knows curses so he keeps them away since he knows so much about curses. That's what I think. And I don't want to get in trouble so I want to apologize to him so I offer my dark chocolate bar and some onigiri on the offering along with some coins." He said. Then Gojo laughs out loud, which startles Taz, "Oh sorry! I didn't mean to laugh at you. The way you thought about him is pretty funny.." The idea of Sukuna getting an offering like that. He might not like that. He doesn't think a chocolate bar and onigiri would appease him but who knows! Maybe he should tell them. "I mean...I don't want him to curse me, my brother and his friends because of the mess we did."

"Don't you mean your brother? I don't think you should apologize for what your brother. That wasn't nice of him." Gojo asked. "Still...." Taz said, looking sad a bit.

"It's okay. Your brother won't get in trouble." Yet. "Right now, we're tracking him down."

"Ah I see..." Taz looks sad for a moment. Megumi clears his throat, "Taz...sorry. You said you feel safe inside? But what about outside?" "Outside....is...creepy. Not safe. I....I can't explain it."

"Because you see them, right?" Gojo helps to answer this, "Tell me, Taz. Do you see things that most people can't see? Something that you can only see but you can't tell anyone?"

"I'm not sure." Taz looks hesitant on saying. Megumi sees this all the time with people who are unfamiliar with jujutsu and cursed spirits in general. There are two kinds. People who are born sorcerers and people who aren't sorcerers but can see spirits. There is little chance that people can control their own cursed energy.

"You saw Eito and most people don't see him."

Taz froze. "I-I..."

"It's okay, Taz. You're not in trouble. I'm here to help and I know you see things. We're similar."

Taz's mouth moves but no words but then, "So you can see them too? The flying green things?"

She must be talking about the Flyheads. Megumi thought. Taz continues, "They weren't fairies so I call them flying globins or imps."

"Hahahaha! That's the right word for them!" Gojo smiles, "We can call them Flyheads and what you saw are cursed spirits."

"Cursed spirits?"

"Gojo..." Megumi warns, not wanting to reveal too much information to Taz since it can be overwhelming for her. "It's fine," Gojo assures him. "Taz, yes. What you saw are cursed spirits." "It's because they became cursed? Are they like spirits who are sick from being cursed?" Taz asked. What a nice kid. Gojo chuckles, "Not exactly. They are born from human emotions. Negative emotions. So they are aggressive towards humans and they can hurt people or rather inflict curses on them."

"So we! Sorcerers; people who deal with curses and cursed spirits. We exorcise them and help protect mankind!!" Gojo smiles brightly. Megumi shakes his head, wondering if it's a good idea. Taz is in awe at this.

"So...like...Ghostbusters?" Taz whispered. "Yes! Exactly!" Gojo laughed, clasping his hands together while Megumi couldn't help roll his eyes. Taz smiles brightly but then she thinks. "So...are there different kinds of spirits?"

Different kinds? Megumi thought, "What do you mean?" Megumi asked.

"Like....if those imp or Flyheads are cursed spirits. What about the ones that are pretty big that look greenish-gray and sometimes scary looking? Are those cursed spirits too? The ones that look creepy." Taz asked.

So she's like Miko. Megumi thought. "Yes. They are cursed spirits."

"Oh okay!" Taz nods, "Are there...any good spirits?"

"Good spirits?" Megumi questioned.

"Like ones that protect you from the bad ones? The cursed spirits?"

"Uhhh..well.." Megumi needs to think on how to answer that. But Gojo answers that, "Oh I know that one! What are you thinking, shikigami, Taz!" He smiles.

"Shikigami?" Taz repeated. "Like....grim reapers?"

"Not exactly!" Gojo chuckles, "They are considered familiars of sorcerers. Think of witches with black cats and wizards with owls. But they help protect you from cursed spirits by fighting them." Gojo said this, breaking this down for her. Taz nods with eyes of understanding this. "Oh okay!" Taz smiles. Looks like she's getting it. "They help their masters against cursed spirits by aiding them or fighting for them in battle," Gojo explains this to them. Taz nods, understanding this. "I see." However... "Ueno. What would you ask that question? If there are good spirits?" Megumi asked her gently. Taz then dwindles her thumbs, "Well...uh....I have a spirit at the house but he protects me from the bad spirits all the time. It's scary and looks like uh...a big black werewolf. Sometimes...he eats them and my brother doesn't see it." "You have a spirit....at your house?" Megumi slowly repeated. Taz nods. Gojo had that realization look on his face, "Oh. Well...guess I need to tell Nanam-kun about it." "What?" "I send him to her house." "Wait you did what?!" Megumi exclaimed. "My house?!" Taz cried, now looking worried. ------ The Ueno Residence ------ "Tch?! What is this spirit?" Nanami is defending himself as he is tackled onto the floor with the cursed spirit on top of him. A humanoid beast. If Nanami had to describe it, it's a black-ashen werewolf with a long snout with eye whites and white pearly fangs. It series to snap its jaws at Nanami but he kicks it away, sending it crashing against the wall. Nanami fixes his tie as he gets up. He never thought a cursed spirit like this in the house. Is the brother a curse user?

The beast is growling as it is now on fours with its fur bristled. He had never seen a cursed spirit like this before. This one is strong as a Grade 2 or 1. But that's nothing that Nanami can handle. The curse charges at him to which Nanami sidesteps not before slashing a piece of the curse with his cursed tool. The beast hits the wall and slides down as it is howling in pain, holding its side. It growls and decides to take something out of the box and it takes out a baseball bat. The beast grips in its hands. Nanami is taken aback by its intelligence. It is using something as a weapon. So it has to be a Grade 2 or 1 given its ambush and the way it tries to push him down the stairs before closing the door behind it.

No doubt, this curse is a difficult one.

"Very well. I must say I never faced a curse like you." The curse is growling as it lowers its body almost into a lunging position.

"However....you are no match for my cursed technique; Ratio," Nanami said, with the use of the binding vow; Revealing One's Hand. Explaining his technique to the target while increasing the output of his cursed technique; Ratio. "It divides the target with ten lines and forcibly creates a weak spot at the ratio point of seven to three. It doesn't matter regardless of the wingspan or length even if it doesn't match. I can choose which part that is your weakness." Nanami explains. This got the curse baring its fangs at him and snarling, widening its bare teeth. The curse lunges and just as quickly, the curse is cut down as it passes Nanami, crashing into the boxes. The curse is coughing as it thrashes around before collapsing due to the blood pooling under its body.

That was that. The curse must be coming from the creature. Nanami sighs. This house... "I need to report this to Gojo." Nanami said, walking back up the stairs. After walking out of the house and closing the gate behind him. "HEY!" Hm? Nanami turns to see a boy no older than 17. He has a sienna skin tone as he has an orange mark under his left eye. He has black medium-length spiky hair and wears a purple jeresy with yellow highlights with his white school uniform underneath. He is carrying a black bag. However, he looks disheveled as if he got roughed up due to the dirt on his jeans and sneakers. He takes note of the slight bags under his eyes. "Are you Ueno Tidam?" Nanami asked him. "Who wants to know?" The older teen scowls at him while shifting the strap of his bookbag. Nanami answers, "Are you aware that your little sister, Tiawa Ueno is at the shrine that you and your friends went there." "Yeah, She was at the shrine." Tidam shrugs, "I know she got back here no problem, right?" Tidam asked. Nanami scowls. Seems like the boy doesn't know. "Actually...she has been found since yesterday." He sees the slight widening of his eyes before frowning, "And!? She's fine! Nothing happens there. She probably got found, hasn't she?"

Nanami makes sure not to let this affect him but the boy is really ignorant and is completely irresponsible.

"Yes. She's fine. Or rather she's lucky to be alive. Are you her legal guardian?" Nanami asked firmly. Tidam huffs, "Yeah. If you read our file, our parents are dead." He crossed her arms.

"How old are you?"

"17." Tidam answered. "Old enough to know better that you can't leave your sister who is younger unattended at a place that is private property and-"

"Hey! It's punishment! She didn't listen to me so she got just punished. I was trying to scare her. It's discipline. She is fine, right? The monks at that shrine found her, didn't they? What's the big deal-""

"She has been at that shrine over the weekend or are you not aware of this?" Nanami cuts him sternly, making the boy quiet at his words. "I-I mean..I was working over the weekend, okay, so I thought she was here or at her friends' house." Tidam quickly said. Working, right? Does working include drinking and playing video games? Nanami thought while frowning mentally. "Look, tell the monks at the shrine I'm sorry about that. We didn't mean to cause trouble or anything. She didn't say anything stupid, did she?"

Nanami became silent. Tidam narrows his eyes, "Look! If you want to keep her at the Child Services, fine! The door is always open if she wants to come back! If she doesn't want to, then it's whatever." Tidam said angrily before going to his house and slamming the door close. Nanami sighs as he looks back at the house but then he sees the same spirit in one of the windows, watching him from there inside Taz's room. Nanami doesn't know what to think. How long has this spirit been there? He needs to go back and report this.

[busylazy]

Ethan Juan in Fated to Love You (2008) and The Abandoned (2022).

Aging like fine wine. 🍷

[winter-rp-memes]

Am I that unimportant?

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Am I so insignificant?

[dragontamerno3]

DS9 S3 E6 - The Abandoned (Another bit of me binging while I tried to feel better)

My thoughts on this episode were that it was fairly decent though I found myself comparing it to "I, Borg" a lot, which I think did impact my overall "rating" of it. I'm not denying that I was a good episode to watch and there were some interesting parts all around but I kept wanting it to have a similar meaning/weight and it never delivered.

I really enjoyed Quark buying a baby unknowingly and the way he reacted was entertaining. I also enjoyed Sisko cooing over the baby when he first saw it, plus Jadzia reminding him that babies aren't just the cute stuff made me laugh.

Odo getting a room upgrade was a nice touch and I thought it was super adorable the way he put Kira's plant in the bucket he no longer needs.

The age difference between Jake and his girlfriend though gave me major ick. And any time the Jem'hadar kid was on screen it felt like I was bashing my head against a wall.

6/10

DS9 S3 E7 - Civil Defense

This one was another one for the shippers lmao

Locking Odo and Quark together? AND locking Garak and Bashir together (even if Garak shows up later)? Definitely one for the shippers.

Once again, I adore Jake's character so much, he's grown a ton since the beginning and each time he's in an episode I know his parts are going to be well played and impactful. The fact that he was willing to risk himself for Miles? And the "if you don't tell, I won't" little joke to ease the tension was fun.

Garak and Bashir weren't on screen much, at least together, but it was all flirting from where I sat. And I need more of this. lol

The Odo/Quark banter is always some of my favorite moments but as they were walking away and Odo was roasting Quark, I was actually laughing at how scandalized Quark sounded.

My favorite moment, though, I think was Dukat realized that he played himself by coming aboard the station. He tried to gain an upper hand only to fuck himself over. Beautiful karma.

6.5/10 - the episode was a fun ride from start to finish, kinda meh in story but definitely fun to watch

[midnitetears]

YND,YWJA #112

You’re not damaged, you were just abandoned .

The love you gave , fought hard for just up and left you there.

Drowning in pain , and tears.

A hurricane of emotions swept over you , spinning you in this constant loop,

So what you sensitive ,

So what you an emotional person,

No matter how much they hurt you emotionally , you can’t seem to walk away - why ?

Because you CARE ! , LOVE THEM .

what you felt that moment they looked at you like you were the only person they could see , when their lips collide with yours that rush of energy through your body- a warm buzzy feeling and at that very moment you knew that they were the one because not just anyone can make you feel that way it takes someone special and you got your special and then they up and left when you needed them the most , still with you but just gone … like you just have a shell in front of you and everything that was inside has just left...

Everything turns into a fight though they did wrong , they make you out to be the one that did wrong and now you left to feel more pain and frustration - the blames on you.

Because of you this relationship isn’t working , because of you nothing is progressing, because of you , because of you , because of you nothing just ever goes right ...

You feel worthless when all you want to feel is adored - why are they doing this to you ? Why don’t they love you anymore ? Why don’t they care ? Why are they still here with you when everything else of them is gone for you? Everyone gets them but you .. you always just left with pieces sometimes nothing at all - left waiting, hoping , but that break through never arrives at your door.

You’re not damaged, you were just abandoned.

Yours faithfully🌻

[movies-tv-more]

Movie Releases for April 9, 2024

[rhonze79]

You maybe done with the past…but the past may not be done with you… best to forget… better not to know.. best of all… to be abandoned…

[filmjunky-99]

s t a r t r e k d e e p s p a c e n i n e created by rick berman, michael piller [the abandoned, s3ep6]

'I don't use the bucket anymore. I've kept it to reminder of how I used to be. But now, when I need to regenerate, I simply revert to my gelatinous state anywhere in these rooms. Here, I can experiment with different shapes and textures. I can bring in various forms to emulate, and I can do it in private.' - odo

'I'm sorry if I intruded. Maybe I should leave.' - kira

'No, please. You're always welcome here, Major.' - odo

[sshbpodcast]

Character Spotlight: Odo

by Ames

The security chief of Deep Space Nine is a lot of things: a bird, a tripwire, a glass, a bag… The list goes on and on (though our favorite is usually when he’s a cute little rat), and all of them add up to a whole that is greater than the sum of his parts. In a world full of solids, Odo fills in that Outsider Character™ whose quest to shape his identity makes for a truly engaging character journey, though many stops along the way do dabble in fascism. But we love him anyway.

So kick back in your bucket and get ready to melt as your hosts at A Star to Steer Her By explore the many, many faces of Odo, even ones for which he can’t quite get the ears right. We’ve got our favorite moments and a whole bunch of times he messed up royally below and discussed this week on the podcast (jump to 1:05:53). Harumph!

[Images © CBS/Paramount]

Best moments

No one has ever seen me like this before We’ve brought up this one before in our fan-favorite Lwaxana Troi post, but it’s always worth dipping into again. Forever the tightass of the station, Odo lets himself be vulnerable with our hot Betazoid mama in “The Forsaken,” and it’s such a thing of beauty for these two polar opposite characters to show each other the hidden sides of themselves.

Do holograms dream of holographic sheep? We really liked the little hologram girl Taya in “Shadowplay” when we did our Children in Star Trek post, and apparently so does Odo! Who’d have thought that the station’s chief wallflower would have such a soft spot for kids? And then he sticks up for Taya and all of the holograms because, real or not, they still qualify as people to him.

You flatter me, sir, you flatter me! Last week, we marveled at how often Miles O’Brien gets to suffer across the series, and in “Tribunal,” Odo really does his darndest to keep the chief alive. By acting as nestor in the sham Cardassian trial, Odo at the very least slows down the inevitable enough for Sisko to reveal the corruption inherent in their awful, awful legal system. O’Brien’s lawyer sure wasn’t any help!

From one laboratory specimen to another Like he did with Taya in “Shadowplay,” Odo identifies with the Jem’Hadar child in “The Abandoned.” When he realizes that Starfleet is probably going to subject him to the same kinds of tests Odo underwent as a baby blob, he takes the kid under his wing to try to treat him more like a person. It doesn’t do much good, but at least Odo got to return him to his people.

You won’t be turning against them. They will have turned against you. We joke a lot on the podcast about how much of a fascist Odo can be. And he sure can, as you’ll see in the Worst Moments list, but he does a great job not succumbing to the draw of oppressing human rights in  “Paradise Lost.” One of our favorite Evil Admirals, James Leyton, masterminds a military coup and Odo is there to work with Sisko to stop him in his tracks!

One raktajino, extra hot, two measures of kava Before Kira starts boringly pining after that dullard Shakaar in “Crossfire,” we get treated to some sweet scenes of Odo and her going about their morning briefings. And it’s downright adorable! Every morning, Odo replicates up a mug of raktajino just how Kira likes it and prepares for his chat with the major in a way that gets things off on the right foot. Cute!

Before I met her, my world was a much smaller place We have one more great Odo-Lwaxana moment to extol. It is just the tenderest, most selfless act for Odo to marry Lwaxana to get her and her baby out from under the rule of her Tavnian husband Jeyal in “The Muse.” When Odo declares all that Lwaxana has done for him and how she changed his life, we are amazed at how honest the speech is. Here’s to the happy couple!

Hardly the words of a Klingon Odo also proves to understand Klingon culture better than other Changelings (and probably some Klingons, for that matter!) in “Apocalypse Rising.” When Martok isn’t acting at all honorably about dispatching Gowron, Odo figures out that it’s Martok who’s the Changeling and exposes him to a crowd of the most honorable Klingons on Q’onos. And Gowron. Qapla’!

Well that’s fine with me, because I hate you too How could we complete a Best Moments list without mentioning his complex relationship with Quark? Their natural opposition and trademark snark make them excellent foils for each other, and though they claim the opposite in “The Ascent,” you can tell that under their sarcastic words, they really do love each other as they keep each other alive on the freezing mountain.

Now Mister Pyramid, here comes Mister Cube Watching Odo caring for the baby goo in “The Begotten” is downright adorable, but at the same time deeply sad. Odo reveals that he doesn’t want to see the baby poked and prodded like when Mora Pol was assigned to him, and he truly empathizes with the infant Changeling in a way that is so parental and personal. It makes the ending all the more heart wrenching.

You have my gratitude… and my blessing Speaking of heart-wrenching endings. Despite how much it troubles Odo that the Vorta all view him as some kind of god, Odo opts to try to help Weyoun 6 in “Treachery, Faith, and the Great River” as much as he can. And when Odo bestows the dying Weyoun with his blessing, it comes across as a kindness between people, regardless of whether he believes it or not.

Talk about a Great Link! Though Odo’s relationship with Kira Nerys started out squicky, as you’ll see in a moment, you can’t help rooting for them. And when Odo chooses being with this solid over someone of his own kind in “Chimera,” it feels like a big win. Odo may not be able to link with Nerys, but the equivalent he whips up in the closing scene is visually stunning and emotionally cathartic.

—

Worst moments

Elementary, my dear: I obviously did it! First and foremost, Odo’s first duty is to justice and he just can’t help himself from solving a good mystery. So in “A Man Alone,” he keeps accidentally proving that he committed the murder of Ibudan all along, even though he didn’t. After all, Occam’s razor teaches us that the most obvious answer is probably that Changelings are behind it.

Taking his bucket and going home If I had a nickel for every time Odo quit his chief of security job in a huff… well I’d have two nickels but it’s still weird it happened twice. First in “Move Along Home” when Odo has a little tantrum when Primmin comes onboard and then AGAIN when Eddington comes onboard in “The Search.” Odo, I have no idea how old you actually are, but grow the hell up!

Untie my hands before you start to blame me Let’s just clump all our “Odo is a fascist” moments into this example. In “The Maquis,” Odo makes it clear that he wishes he were given unbridled power in order to keep the station safe, but of course that comes at the expense of civil rights. When he states that Terok Nor was safer under Cardassian occupation, you see just how little he initially cares for the people he’s protecting.

So happy together… except for Jadzia When Odo merges with Curzon during Jadzia’s zhian’tara in “Facets,” what we get is just an asshole who doesn’t want to reabsorb back into the symbiont, leaving Dax feeling incomplete. And while a lot of that is Curzon’s fault, Odo is a part of Curzodo, and he claims that this is how they both want it to be. He entirely fails to consider Jadzia’s personhood. What a selfish jerk.

Solids and liquids just don’t blend It’s never a good look for a guy to get personally offended when a girl doesn’t like him, but Odo shows us a master class in incel behavior in “Crossfire” when Kira’s relationship with Shakaar gets serious. Dude, she’s just not into you. There’s no reason to go ballistic in your quarters and break all our hearts by destroying the plant that Kira had gotten you as a quarters-warming gift.

You don’t even belong here. I do. Try as he might, Odo cannot undo the mistake he made that gets revealed in “Things Past” because this isn’t actually a time travel episode. The Shyamalan twist of this episode is that it was all Odo’s fault that three Bajorans had gotten executed seven years prior because the constable was too lazy to do his damn job and see that they were innocent all along.

This is what increased security looks like? 90% of the time, Odo’s infatuation with security goes above and beyond what should be reasonable. And yet, when a serial killer is murdering off Kira’s friends in “The Darkness and the Light,” he doesn’t notice when a) Furel and Lupaza sneak onto the station, b) they get blown to smithereens, and c) Kira absconds with his list of suspects. You’re losing your touch, Odo!

What’s a nice woman like you doing with a dataport? We gave Geordi stink for getting romantically involved with the woman he was investigating in “Aquiel.” We gave Julian stink for all the patients he grossly seduces. And you’d better believe we’re going to give Odo stink for banging the woman in witness protection he was supposed to be protecting in “A Simple Investigation.” Dude! Gross! That is so not okay!

Tell Kira I want her to know it was me! An alternate timeline Odo gets away with blinking out an entire society of people – the descendants of his friends, no less! – to stop Kira from getting killed. What’s even more screwed up is that our Kira would have preferred dying so this planet of living, breathing people could continue existing in “Children of Time,” but Gaian Odo could only think of how it affects him.

Solids just wouldn’t understand Odo gets tempted by the Female Changeling at the top of season six of the show, and it’s agonizing to watch him totally get suckered in by her dangling the Great Link over him all the time. In “Behind the Lines,” he’s so busy linking with her while his friends in the resistance need him that it foils their plans and gets Rom captured.

Turn her no into a yes! I rag on “His Way” a lot, and for good reason! It rewards toxic masculinity by giving Odo what he always wanted after Vic has tricked him and Kira into a date. It’s not all on Vic though! Odo valiantly refuses to get involved with Lola Crystal, but he is more than okay with wooing one that was supposed to be like the real thing! That’s not romantic, guys. That’s creepy.

Anyone can always steal a shuttlecraft! We already gave O’Brien stink for releasing feral Molly into the wild last week, and we’ll probably do it again when we get to our Keiko spotlight, but when it comes to “Time’s Orphan,” Odo’s hands are dirty too! When one of his security goons catches the O’Briens stealing a shuttle, Odo just lets them go. Where’s your sense of justice this week, constable?

— And that’s all the security footage we have this week from the station. Keep following us here as we shine the spotlight on Odo’s better half next week – the magnificent Ferengi himself: Quark! You can also keep following along with our watchthrough of Enterprise over on SoundCloud or wherever you listen to podcasts, harumph with us over on Facebook and Twitter, and watch out for rats! They might be Changelings!

[ohsharethekmusic]

Song : The Abandoned

Artist : IU

Album : Last Fantasy

[stopthatbluecat]

Season Three Siskoshir: Julian's Infirmary

[leer-reading-lire]

Last read:

Title: The Abandoned

Author: Amanda Stevens

Rating: ★★★☆☆

First published: 2011

Read: 7 - 9 November 2022

Thoughts:

I really liked the first half, but the second felt rushed, which is a shame because I think this story had a lot of potential.

Ree Hutchins is a compelling protagonist.

I think Hayden Priest is a truly fascinating character and I wish Stevens had developed him more.

It was interesting to see Amelia Gray through other's characters eyes. I always had the feeling she didn't see herself clearly. But I guess we all are unreliable narrators.

I was enjoying the alternating narration between Ree and Hayden. However at the end a lot of the action was omitted because the writer decided to skip Hayden's point of view of the events and Ree was unconscious.

At the end, it didn't sit well with me that Ree was somewhat scared of Hayden. It was the ghost possesing him, nevertheless a great part of what happened wasn't explained to Ree.

I also wanted to know if Hayden and John Devlin knew each other already or how they got to trust the other and work together. There was plenty to write about and the story, although enjoyable, could have been better developed.

The most important criticism that I have is that this story can't be understood without having read the other Graveyard Queen's books and several remarks about Amelia or John are superfluous. Even though this is a prequel I think one should be able to read it and understand it independently.