#love Picards expression here as well

[yourbuerokrat2]

[gayelderstourney]

OLD MAN YAOI BRACKET ROUND 2

Propaganda:

Sheo/The Nailsmith:

It's really nice because you unlock it after the nailsmith asks you to kill him with the pure nail and you refuse and walk away. He then says he was wandering hallownest without purpose until he found sheo who helped him discover that there was more to life than just one calling. These two are probably the only characters in the game to have a genuinely happy ending

The nailsmith loses his purpose in life after finishing his ultimate masterpiece, his lifelong goal, the pure nail. He requests the protagonist to try the nail on him, but If you refuse, he will find sheo who helps him to find new meaning in life and realise that there is more to life by teaching him different crafts. They can then be seen sculping figurines together, and sheo is also painting the nailsmith.They share a common love for art and crafts and inspire each other. Sheo's story is that he was a nailmaster, but got tired of it, and put down his nail to pick up a paintbrush. I think it's beautiful that he could help the nailsmith realise what he himself did. They both also used to live in solitude without even realising how lonely they were, and I think it's cute tuhat they can do art together now :]

They are two bugs retired from their career and making better lives for themselves and they’re gay about it. Nailsmith believes at first that he has nothing left after creating the perfect nail and asks the knight to strike him down, and if you don’t, he meets Sheo, a retired nailmaster finding a new calling in painting and sculpting. They find a shared love in creating things and Nailsmith finds a new calling in art as well. The achievement you get for uniting them is called “Happy Couple”

Gay bugs gay bugs gay bugs (Cw mention of suicide) They both used to pursue their one passion in life: forging the perfect nail (sword) for the Nailsmith and the art of combat for Sheo. Sheo realized he could just leave that life when he lost his passion for fighting, and he found himself a new purpose in life: art. However, he always seemed very lonely, completely isolated by all other bugs in his hidden house in the middle of a thorn jungle. When The Nailsmith achieved his goal and forged the perfect nail, he lost his purpose in life and his will to live. He asks the player to kill him. However, if the player refuses, he can later be found in Sheo's house, modelling for Sheo or sculpting figurines with him. He thanks the player for not fulfilling his request, because he has found a new calling in life here, making art together with Sheo. They both express how happy they are to no longer be alone. This also gives you the "Happy Couple" achievement, confirming that they are a couple.

THEY'RE CANON!!! They're fucking canon!!! You can talk to them at one point after doing a Bunch of Stuff to get them to meet each other and you get an achievement called "Happy Couple"!!! Gotta love old man yuri

Jean-Luc Picard/Q:

theyre kind of the ogs. q fucked that old man for SURE. if they arent old enough for you in the next generation (1987-1984) they probably will be in picard (2020-2023). also when i went looking for the pic i included i googled “star trek picard q in bed” and there were actually multiple different instances of that happening that popped up

um it’s unclear what age Q is supposed to be in TNG but in Picard they’re both undeniably old as balls. Q has godlike powers that he just uses to hang out with this bald old man in increasingly strange and annoying ways. And call him “mon capitane” like a freak and materialize next to him in bed and say Good Morning Darling and lounge all over the Enterprise like a fruit anyways I think they’re abnormal and I like them

what if you were an all powerful nearly omnipotent being who has been worshipped as a god on planets across the farthest reaches of space and the first guy to just not give a shit about you makes you fall madly in love with him

I can’t get my thoughts clear right now but they mean so much to me. They’re meant to be with each other ok. the sequel to spirk. they would be canon if paramount werent COWARDS

if I were an entity as old as the universe itself and I kept visiting some old guy on a spaceship trying to justify the existence of humanity it would 100% be for gay reasons and Q understands this concept on an intimate level actually

[gallavichsreddie1128]

Over Protective (Data)

Description: Data is overprotective of Y/N

Word Count:853

Request:Could you please do a Data x Reader or Spock x Reader fan ficm. Preferably where he is protective of the reader. Smut or no smut is fine just have fun with it! But if you don't want to that's totally understandable, thank you!

Author’s note: I will post the Spock one tomorrow. Also Spoilers for S3 E13

Q was a human, the all great powerful Q was just a puny human. He lost his powers and had no idea what to do with himself. While Picard had a hard time believing that this was real and not just one of his tricks, Y/N was intrigued.

She was curious as to how Q would act now that he was powerless. “I think I’m going to go visit Q.” Y/N told Data as she ate dinner. Data looked at her with a worried expression. “I do not think that is a wise idea.” He stated. Y/N looked at him, “Why not?” She asked.

“Q is powerful and could hurt you.” Y/N laughed at his words. “Babe, he’s harmless right now.” “He could be tricking us.” Y/N looked at him with a “bitch,really?” look and sighed.

“Then you can come.” Data shook his head, “I have work to do with Geordi in engineering.” He said and Y/N shrugged. “Then I can just go.” Data stood up from the table. “I am sorry Y/N but that is not wise and if I have a say in the matter, you are not to go anywhere near him.” She stood up and wiped her mouth. She walked up to him, “Well good thing you don’t have a say.” and she went to the bathroom. 

While Data was in engineering with Geordi Y/N took it upon herself to visit Q. “What do you want?” He asked. Damn he sure was grumpy. “I came to see you and how you were doing as a human.” Q got up from the bed, “You are Data’s girlfriend, correct?” Y/N nodded.

“He is to help me understand humans.” Y/N raised an eyebrow. Data wasn’t even a human how could he help Q understand? “I know what you’re thinking. The android helps the all powerful Q understand humans. Well it was supposed to be you but Data offered instead.” “You’re lying.” He shook his head, “I am not. Looks like the android is very protective over you.” Before Y/N could say anything the door opened and there was Data.

“Y/N I thought I made it clear I was not okay with you being down here.” She turns toward her boyfriend. “And I thought androids weren’t supposed to lie.” He looks at her confused. “I did not lie about anything.” “You’re helping Q become more human?” She asked and he nodded.

“But that was originally supposed to be me doing this?” Data nodded at that as well. “So you took away a fun experience for me because you want to be controlling.” Data shakes his head, “I did not wish to upset you nor to control you. I just think it would be better if I were to show him.” “Why because I’m a weak little human?”

“Lover’s quarrel.” Q said as he watched them argue. “I do not view you as a weak little human. If things were to go wrong I would have a better chance at stopping him.” “Newsflash you dingus he’s a god! It doesn’t matter if you’re an android or not.”

Data actually looked offended. “I do not appreciate the name calling.” “Yeah well I don’t appreciate you being overprotective and controlling.” She yelled and walked out of the room. Q looked at Data, “You really messed up.” 

Y/N sat on the couch and thought about what happened. Did he really think that way about her? Did he really ruin a perfect opportunity for her? Sure Q was powerful and a god but he had no powers as of right now and even if he did she highly doubted that he would hurt her.

She loved Data but this really hurt her. She was a nurse for crying out loud. It was her job to take care of people. The door to their shared quarters opened and she refused to look up at him.

“I realized that you are upset at me because you wanted to be the one that showed Q what it was like to be human and I took that away from you.” Really? What gave that away? “Yeah you did.” She mumbled. He sat next to her on the couch. “I apologize. I did not mean to make it seem that you are weak or below me in any way.” She sighed and looked up at him.

“Data, I love you but you can’t hide me from pain or reality. I’m a nurse, it's my job. I love that you care about me and you want to protect me but this was too much.” “I realize that now and I am sorry. I came here to see if you wanted to join me and Q in Ten Forward.” She looked at him surprised, “You want me to go with you?” He nodded and she smiled, “Okay.” They got up and got Q before they headed to Ten Forward.

“Glad you guys made up. You guys do make a cute couple.” Y/N was surprised to hear Q say that. “Thank you.” Data said. Y/N wrapped her arm around him and smiled. Yeah they sure do. 

[deepspacedukat]

So, like…..what’s the consensus on Q insisting on dressing his S/O (w/their permission ofc!)? I personally think he’d be really into it lmaoooo. He’d completely replace their wardrobe (and possibly all of their “distasteful” starfleet uniforms. Good luck explaining to Picard why you had to go to your shift on the bridge dressed in a sparkly purple and gold evening gown). I also think he’d be a little confused by human gender norms around clothes; I don’t think the Qs as a species really have that the way humans and other mortal species do. In other words, he’d see no problem with putting a masc s/o in a fancy ballgown or a fem s/o in a stylish tuxedo, unless they expressed to him that it made them uncomfortable.

My justification for this: He sees mortal species as lesser beings, so obviously he finds their sense of fashion lesser too. So it’s only natural he step in and save his poor, lovely S/O from the peril of the drab clothes the rest of their species insists they wear! (He dresses them in nothing but gaudy silk fabrics, rhinestones, and glitter…..the only three things humans ever got right about fashion, in his opinion.) And also I read a line in a fic where he called mortal clothes boring and my mind chased that plot bunny down like I was running a marathon lmao.

OMG I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT MAKEUP!!! That man can fucking ROCK a sexy red lip, and he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to do matching, coordinating, or at least complimentary makeup looks with his S/O (Again, unless they expressed they don’t like it).

Matching lingerie? Probably.

The inspirational fic in question: https://www.tumblr.com/unknownfacelessfanfictions/755468839619280896/i-have-an-idea-for-a-q-x-reader-specifically-the

🌑

Ooooh, honestly, given all of the knowledge that the Q have about the galaxy, they'd probably be pulling fashion inspiration from species Humans haven't even heard of.

"Where'd your dress today come from?"

"Oh, y'know, I have no idea. Q said it was some species inn the Gamma Quadrant? I think?"

Personally, I think Q would love having a cute Human partner to dress up like his own lil doll. He'd be so insufferable about it, too. "Darling, you simply must try this neon green lipstick from [Insert Random Planet Here]! It would pair excellently with your bone structure! And oooh! It would go so well with this whole ensemble that I just happen to have right here!" *snaps his fingers and an obviously planned out and not-at-all-spontaneous outfit appears*

OH MY GOD AND WITH LINGERIE. That man/entity would be absolutely unstoppable. He'd have soooooo much lingerie set aside in lil universe pockets for his partner.

Obviously, if they really didn't like him doing that, I think he'd stop, but if his partner enjoyed it, he'd become an absolute menace.

And Ooooh, coordinating looks? Abso-fucking-lutely! After all, in his logic, what higher compliment could a mortal get than having a god want to play dress up with them? To match their appearance?

[eveningspirit]

I am pleasantly surprised by this week's episode of The Ark. I will reiterate that the writers of this show are abysmal when it comes to the science of this sci-fi. They are however really good, when it comes to the characters and their arcs.

So, one of the main trio died last week. However, a few weeks back, his clone joined the show. So, you know, the actor stays. I was apalled by this development, especially considering the developing will-they/won't-they with another one of the main trio, as well as the friendship between the now-dead guy and my fave.

The friendship thing was dealt with by obvious grief my boi James expressed. You know, being withdrawn and drinking maybe too much.. Although not in a way that would be noticed by anyone, you know. I could like this storyline, although, let's be honest, I'd rather his illness recurred, than have yet another substance abuse story. Whatevs. We'll see.

I still want to see his feelings toward Ian, the clone.

Now, the romance... For most of the episode I was rolling my eyes, but as they say, they ending can ruin the story, or lift it to excellence. This one was definitely on the excellent side of the scale.

Sharon and Ian got locked in a shared coma dream, where they lived onboard Ark One for decades, all alone. They slowly, over time developed mutual respect, friendship, then, of course, love. We didn't witness it, like we did with Sharon and Lane, over the course of nearly two seasons. It felt like cheating the audience. I was a little less mad at them, than I was last week, when I was sure they would try to force Sharon and Ian together, despite them not sharing the same history that Sharon and Lane shared. I was proven right, although this week I was kind of ready to fogive it. In a *hand-wave it* way.

But then, that ending totally changed my impression into *great job!*

Throughout the episode -- or actually starting more or less in the middle and then repeated more often toward the end -- a concept of "this is a dream, none of this is real" was seeded (at first the whole thing could have been interpreted as a physical phenomenon (like Picard in one Star Trek episode -- he really lived through the experience and had trouble readjusting to his reality afterwards), but later it became clear, it was strictly psychological). And, you know. When you wake up from a dream that feels very real while you're dreaming it, the true reality takes over and the realness of the dream fades. The same thing happened here. Sharon woke up and remembered(tm). She asked Ian that they never talk about it. And then she cried over Lane, as she marked his personal file "deceased". She mourned him. She even said "It should have been you".

It's a storytelling technique called "lampshading". The author is telling the audience, "Yes, I know this idea has problems. Many problems. This is problem number one, this is problem number two, this is number three and these are some more. I am aware of all of them. I still want to tell this story, though. Will you bear with me? (please take my hand as I lead you into the unknown)" And, well, it worked for me.

Would I like to see the story of Sharon Garnet and Spenser Lane? Sure I would (bear in mind I'm not really a shipper). I get why it had to be reset, though, too. It got to a point, where they were on a "yeah, we would trajectory". And telling a story of a couple that just gets to build a life is considered boring in some circles. I'm now okay with seeing the story of Sharon Garnet and Ian (noname).

What I most regret is the relationship between James Brice and Spenser Lane. They had a juicy conflict going on, that will now remain unresolved (although, it seems it will be a source of angst for Brice, so, okay-ish?). James has a few other friends, I guess? Sasha? Alicia? Angus? (although the latter two are more like his proteges, than friends). He might get closer with Felix. He's friends with Sharon, of course. Although, his friendship with Lane was special. So yeah, I will miss that. But I guess I'm not quitting this show, like I threatened last week (to myself). I'll watch the remaining eps of S2, and I'll hope for a season three.

[stellarred]

Hide n' Q Observations!

It's been a long time--counting in years here--that I've watched Hide n' Q.

But, I managed to catch it tonight, and there are things that I thought were interesting.

**Warning: Lengthy post**

1. We already know that in Q Who, Q focuses all his attention on Picard in scenes, like in Ten Forward. Riker is a total afterthought. So is the crew in the Bridge scene with "I need You!"

It's Picard vs Q. In Encounter at Farpoint,

Q stares at Picard quite a bit when he appears on the Bridge near the end of the second episode. A lot in fact, for an alien, who is supposed to judge and condemn Humanity. Humankind is screwed but, this human's safe. He's bald and so special.

In Hide n' Q, Q spends a lot of the scene before transporting the crew to the planet, looking at Picard. He even asks Picard, "Oh, come Picard. Why do you distrust me so?" What about the crew? Why does PICARD'S lack of trust matter? If there's anyone Q wants to talk to, it's Picard. If there's anyone who matters, it's Picard. The crew? Who needs 'em.

2. When Q transported Riker, Tasha, Worf, Data, and Geordi to the planet to play a game, he left Picard behind, alone and trapped on the Bridge. Why? Is it possible that

A. Q separated Picard from his crew to observe him, as one observes a fish in a fishbowl? "Hmmm. This one is interesting. He's worth taking a look at."

B. Could Q have kept Picard on the Bridge because he didn't want to risk Picard getting hurt or killed in his game? True, Picard was on the planet for the second round, but by this time, Q knew that Riker could use the power of Q in case something happened. The first round? Q hadn't even introduced Riker to the Q powers yet.

3. "Consorting with lower-ranking females, captaine?" said Q to Picard when Picard was comforting Tasha. Q doesn't like Picard engaging with females, like Tasha, Vash, Beverly...

4. When Picard says to Q that Riker will defeat him just as he did at Farpoint, (for which Picard is only too happy to take full credit, when his crew also helped him) and Q makes a wager with Picard, he wagers Picard's *command* against his staying out of out of Humanity's path forever. Picard's command? Why would Q want Picard to lose his command, his position and authority over the Enterprise? Because if Picard loses the wager, he's kinda free from Starfleet, is he not? Free for Q to get ahold of Picard, aaannnd?...Picard will do whatever Q says?

5. Immediately after making the wager with Picard, Q saunters off to Picard's Ready Room, but not before turning and casting a lingering gaze at Picard, who's looking elsewhere. That entity was SO beginning to feel love for Picard! Riker's the Continuum's target and Q's mission. But outside of Q Continuum duties, Q is focused on Picard, for sure!

6. We know this scene well:

Q is really into learning and knowing more about Picard, isn't he? He reads his mind to get inspo for the French Revolution decor, occupies his chair, reads his Shakespeare book, and who else knows what Q studied and touched in his Ready Room? Gathering information, and getting insights into the things that make Picard who he is is what people do when they are deciding how interested they are in someone. They talk to people about their romantic interest, look at their social media, find out likes/dislikes, etc. If not for deep attraction, why else would Q do that?

7. Did you see Picard's little expression immediately just after the moment when Q vanished from the Ready Room? To me anyway, it looked almost like a, "Oh, Q, come back here! I was enjoying the back n' forth Shakespeare!

8. When Q shows up as a monk, and tries to pressure Riker into accepting being a Q, Picard tries to convince Riker not to accept the power of Q, Q accuses Picard of being jealous. Jealous, Q? Of what? Jealous of Riker getting powers, perhaps? Or, knowing about Q's budding feelings for Picard, also jealous that Riker is the target of Q's "interest" (Remember, Riker is only an assignment for Q.)? Given that Picard is steeled to being the moral one here, Q is accusing Picard of jealousy when there is none. Wishful Q.

Q was immediately attracted to Picard in Encounter.

Q was both interested and increasingly attracted to Picard in Hide n Q. But, he most likely couldn't understand his feelings for him.

Qcard has its origins all the way back to the beginning!

Q may be under orders to prove Riker's worthiness to become a Q. But, Q doesn't care. Not really. He's just towing the company line here.

But, Q saw something attractive in Picard from the very beginning. For Q, Picard changed everything for him.

Yes, Q has his duties cut out for him, courtesy of the Continuum. But off duty, Q has his own pursuit. It isn't Riker. It's isn't anyone else except one person.

And this person bested him not once, but twice.

At least Q knows they both appreciate Shakespeare and French things.

[annikasevenshots]

Seven and Raffi in Picard S3: What We Know

So Matalas has hinted that Saffi will be addressed “during one of [his] favourite moments of the season”, but explained during interviews that their relationship would probably better explained once the entire season was over and we’ve seen the whole arc. When asked about Saffi on Star Trek Day, Jeri and Michelle had giggled coyly, saying, “You just have to watch the season!” This leads me to believe that Saffi will have an arc, so I’m just going to track what we know, week by week, to see how it’s been designed to unfold.

Episode 1: Seven and Raffi are both in Starfleet, but living very different lives. In No Man’s Land, Raffi had said that “the only thing harder than loving a civilian is making it work with a fellow officer.” So that’s a promising start :^)

In Raffi’s psych eval (which I think was done between S2 and S3, before she returned for undercover duty), she states that she is currently single, and expressed regret about her relationships. She also says “my girlfriend left me” to an Orion, but many have suspected that this is part of her undercover story.

Seven is serving as commander on the USS Titan and is evidently struggling to reconcile her identity and her loyalties. Reminder here that Raffi was the first in this series to note that Seven would make a wonderful captain - Seven attributes Picard and Janeway to pushing her to join Starfleet, but would Raffi have said anything for or against that? It’s important to remember as well that last season, it was Raffi who helped Seven come to accept her Borg side and to stop running from it. Will Raffi help Seven again? Will Raffi give Shaw a good bop on the nose?

Bonus: Before Raffi met Seven, Raffi had stalked Janeway and gotten court-martialled for it. This is just funny to me.

[jesternene]

Unexpected Circumstances

Please forgive me for how long this chapter took! A lot happened to me over the last few months and I really wanted to be in the right head space to get these scenes right. I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 5, please go here

CHAPTER 6

The next month felt wonderful for Beverly. Picard and she had been spending more time together, having breakfast, dinners, and any social functions, as they tried to discover just what this new beginning really was for them. Beverly was 26 weeks and the closer it got to this child making his entrance, the more butterflies she felt in her stomach. She hoped Picard and she could figure out what this next chapter in their life really meant before the baby arrived.

As Beverly had a slightly late start to her morning, she was walking as fast as her pregnancy would allow, heading to Picard's quarters for Breakfast. She didn't have to open that morning so she decided to dress more casually, and comfortably, donning a sky-blue sweater and black maternity slacks. The sweater was far too large for her tiny frame and her shoulder peeked through at times, but it was large enough to encase her belly, which she swore was growing by the second.

As she finally reached his door, she chimed. Fixing her hair as quickly as she could before he opened the door. When the door finally opened, she greeted him with a smile.

"I'm sorry I'm late…" she started to say, but when she noticed the blood drained expression on Picard's face, she paused for a moment and noticed they were not alone. A beautiful brunette was occupying the same seat she would be sitting, as the woman smiled at her and slowly sipped her coffee. "Oh. Excuse me. I didn't realize you had company" Beverly said, slightly in shock of what she had walked into.

"That's all right. Er, allow me to introduce you. This is Beverly, Doctor Beverly, Doctor Beverly Crusher. This is Vash. She's a friend of mine from the Archaeology Council'' Picard stuttered. Beverly walked in and slowly reached her hand out to shake the mysterious woman's hand, and gave him a look as he awkwardly introduced her.

"I didn't mean to interrupt. The Captain and I often share morning tea together" Beverly politely explained.

"Yes, I know. Jean-Luc has told me all about you" Vash said with a smile.

"Really?" Beverly asked, slowly taking Picard's seat at the table. "When was that?"

"On Risa, where we met" Vash explained. Beverly looked to Picard with a questionable look.

"I see. That must have been during your vacation last year" Beverly questioned. Picard swallowed hard and didn't know how to respond.

"No. Yes" Picard again stuttered. He smiled nervously before he finally answered "Yes"

Beverly and Vash began to make Picard feel very uncomfortable at that moment. Beverly let out a loud sigh before turning to Vash. "Well, I'm surprised he never mentioned you" Beverly said.

"So am I" Vash said unamused as she glanced over to Picard. She then turned back to Beverly and leaned a bit forward from her chair. "Doctor, are you busy?" Vash asked.

"Not at the moment" Beverly responded, just before she sipped the Captain's tea. Vash can sense how nervous Picard was and even though she didn't fully understand why, she decided to take advantage of the situation.

"I was wondering, I would love to see some more of this marvelous ship" Vash smirked maliciously.

"I would be delighted to show it to you" Beverly said enthusiastically. Picard began to protest before Beverly cut him off as she stood up from her chair. "That is, if it's alright with you, Jean-Luc"

"Of course" Picard winced and showcased a not so convincing smile. Beverly was surprised by his answer and smirked back to Vash, understanding exactly what she was doing. Beverly began to head to the door while Vash stood up.

"Don't worry, I promise to behave myself" Vash leaned in and whispered to Picard. Picard's face dropped in worry, unsure what they were up to. As Vash exited, Beverly stared at Picard before the door shut.

Picard sat harshly in his chair and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. His time with Vash was an adventurous fling, a private matter he never wished to share with his crew; especially Beverly. Clearly, Vash didn't notice the growing child that Beverly was carrying, but he worried she would soon find out. Picard always kept his life private, even to those closest to him. It isn't that he was ashamed of the pregnancy or Beverly, but he didn't feel Vash needed to know the details of his life.

___________________________________

After tending to the bridge and making sure everything was in order for the Archeology Council's symposium, he heads to Sickbay to find Beverly. When he enters, she is in her office looking down at a PADD as she stands next to her viewscreen. He hesitates for a moment before walking in.

"Beverly?" he says softly so as to not startle her. Beverly looks up for a moment before looking back to her PADD.

"Captain" she gives a short greeting, showing that something is indeed bothering her. Picard sighs before speaking. Unsure of exactly what to say.

"I think we need to talk" Picard says.

"About?" Beverly looks to Picard, placing her PADD on her desk.

"About Vash. I feel the need to-" Beverly raises her hand, cutting off what Picard is trying to say.

"No need to explain. I know how much you value privacy and you didn't feel the need to tell me about her or your trip. I understand" Beverly said in such a tone that Picard knew she didn't understand and was hurt by his choice. Beverly sits down at her desk and continues to do her work, which gives Picard a moment to collect his thoughts and sit at the chair in front of her.

"I know I don't need to but I want to. If you would just listen for a moment. Please?" Picard pleaded. Beverly closed her eyes and sighed, afraid of what he might say. Honestly, he didn't do anything wrong and she knew that, but since his vacation was around the time of her interaction with the Verpellian, she was having conflicting feelings. She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms defensively, and waited for him to speak. Picard felt the lump in his throat and swallowed hard, hoping to say the right thing.

"My vacation wasn't exactly how I expected it to go. I got sorta mixed up in Vash's dealings on Risa and since I knew she was an Archeologist, I couldn't resist the adventure" Picard started before Beverly spoke.

"You never were one to turn down a mystery" Beverly half-smiled at her comment. Which causes Picard to soften a bit.

"No, definitely not" Picard smiled. He waited a beat before continuing. "Vash and I did grow close on my vacation, but I didn't feel the need to say anything because I didn't think I would ever see her again" Picard explained.

"You're acting like she was just some one-night stand" Beverly questioned, arms still tight across her chest.

"In a way, she was. She and I had an experience that I will always cherish, but It was nothing more than that. Seeing her again, It brought up mixed feelings because I am not the same man she was with. And I don't want to give her the wrong impression, which is why I acted the way I did when you showed up for Breakfast" Picard finished. Beverly took a moment to let his words sink in.

"Do you love her?" Beverly asked, which surprised Picard.

"What?" Picard questioned.

"Do you love her?" Beverly asked again but this time in a more persistent tone. Picard sighed and hesitated to answer. Beverly was unsure what Picard's mind was racing with and it scared her. She almost didn't want to know the answer but she knew it had to be asked, especially under the circumstances of their current situation.

"Do I care for her? Yes" Picard said. "Do I love her? … No" Picard sincerely answered.

"Would you tell her about the baby?" Beverly hopefully asked. His deep sigh was all he could answer and she sighed herself in disappointment. "Of course not. You do like your privacy"

"Beverly…" Picard tried to speak but again, Beverly stopped him.

"It's fine, Jean-Luc. You're not tied down to the baby… or me" Beverly said defensively, holding back tears that were threatening to escape. Picard stared at her for a moment, saddened by her sentiment.

"But I am" Picard spoke. Beverly was surprised by his answer and this time didn't stop him from explaining. "The feelings I have for Vash are not the same as the feelings I have for you. I am proud about becoming a father and I am not ashamed of that. I just don't feel it is anyone's business of my feelings, past lovers or otherwise" Picard blurted out. This was the first time Picard admitted how he truly was feeling over their son, or her for that matter.

Beverly couldn't hold back the tears she felt and let one escape. She quickly wiped the tear away, trying to be strong at this moment, but her hormones were fighting against her and she couldn't help it.

Picard stood up and walked to her side. He kneeled down in front of her and took her hand.

"I'm sorry It has taken me this long to admit that to you. I just wanted you to know where I stood when Vash was concerned" He then took her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

Beverly took his face into her hands, which caused Picard to stand up with Beverly and hug her tightly. The only thing standing between them was their son. She then placed her forehead on Picard's and let a few more tears fall. "Thank you" she said in almost a whisper.

Picard leaned back and looked at her, wiping the tears off her face. "No need" He smiled.

Beverly stared into his eyes lovingly. Picard felt the urge to do something he had only dreamed about, but as he slowly began to close the distance between their lips, Will Riker interrupted.

"Riker to Picard"

Picard sighed in disappointment before tapping his combadge. "Picard here" he said in frustration, which caused Beverly to chuckle at the moment.

"The council is ready and is heading to Ten Forward" Riker explained. Picard then realized he was not ready and panicked.

"Oh, right! Thank you number one, I will be there shortly" Picard exclaimed and closed his communication. He then looks to Beverly sadly, "I have to get ready"

"I know. I'll see you at Ten Forward" Beverly smiled, letting him know it was okay. Picard smiled back and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll see you soon" he says before looking down and rubbing her stomach. "And I'll see you soon as well" he says to their son before hurriedly rushing out of her office.

Beverly looked down to her belly and caressed it softly. "I guess things are looking up"

___________________________________

The events that followed after Picard left didn't exactly go the way Beverly and Picard had ever imagined. The way Q handled the situation of Vash and Picard was not something Beverly was fond of. However, she put her feelings aside and knew they needed to do whatever they could to get out safely.

Once they returned and realized Vash did not return with them, Picard rushed out, to Beverly's dismay. As Picard enters his Ready Room, Vash appears in Safari type clothing and surprises Picard.

"Hello, Jean-Luc" Vash said with a smile.

"Well, this is a relief. I thought that perhaps Q had found…" Picard begins to say but gets cut off my Vash.

"Well, he had some things to discuss with me" Vash finished before sitting down on the couch.

"Indeed? Surprised he's not busy gloating over his victory" Picard said before sitting down next to her.

"He was right about one thing, you know. As ridiculous as it was, his game did prove that you still care" Vash said, leaning in closer. Picard smiled and sighed at the same time. He did care but not in the way she meant it.

"I may not show my feelings to my crew, but I do have them" Picard says.

"I'm going to miss you, Jean-Luc" Vash says, which causes Picard to raise a brow.

"So, where are you off to now?" He asks.

"I haven't made up my mind" Vash says before Q appears behind Picard.

"After all, she has the entire universe to choose from" Q says which startles Picard.

"Meet my new partner" Vash cautiously says. Picard instantly stands up in disbelief.

"Him?" Picard exclaims.

"Why not?" Vash questions.

"I'll tell you why not. He's devious, amoral, unreliable, irresponsible, and, and definitely not to be trusted!" Picard huffed to Vash. He was more worried about her safety than anything else and knew being with Q was a bad idea.

"Remind you of someone you know?" Vash playfully asks with a smile. Picard softened a bit, knowing that he was being overbearing and overprotective at that moment. Like he said to Beverly, he cared for Vash but he didn't love her and it wasn't his place to tell her what to do.

"As a matter of fact, it does" Picard says calmly.

"We're going to have fun. I'm going to take her places no human has ever seen" Q says with such delight that annoys Picard.

"Who can resist an offer like that?" Vash asks Picard.

"As payment in full for your debt to me, you will guarantee her safety" Picard asks Q, ignoring Vash's rhetorical question.

"She will not be harmed, Jean-Luc. I promise you that. Well, are you going to kiss her goodbye?" Q wonders. Vash and Picard just stare at him, giving him the hint to leave. "Oh, alright!" Q then vanishes.

"Well? Aren't you?" Vash wonders. Standing up and closing the distance between them.

Picard takes Vash's hand and looks deeply into her eyes. However, not of love but sadness. Vash begins to wonder that there is more to Picard's hesitancy and asks him "What is it?"

"I should have told you when you first arrived. And I am sorry if I gave you the wrong impression" Picard begins. Vash takes a step back but keeps quiet so Picard continues.

"My life isn't the same as it was when we first met…" Picard then takes a deep breath. "I'm going to be a father… with Beverly"

Vash is surprised by this and takes her a moment to understand what he just told her. "That is kind of important information, Jean-Luc"

"I know and I'm sorry. I was going to tell you, honestly. But then Q took us away and… well, you know the rest" Picard looked down, almost ashamed. Vash knew this was hard for him, being honest and vulnerable but was honored nonetheless. She stepped towards him and placed her finger under his chin so he was forced to look at her.

"I'm very happy for you, Jean-Luc. Really" Vash smiles. This close relationship with Picard was something she never had experienced in her life, but she knew it was never going anywhere, not as the free spirit she is. Picard smiles back in relief.

"Thank you" Picard says, taking her hand again.

"Do you love her?" Vash asked Picard, and he gave the same surprising look that he gave Beverly earlier that day when she asked the same question. "Beverly? Do you love her?" Vash asked again.

"Yes" Picard said without hesitancy. Vash smiled wide and nodded.

"Then I am very happy for you" she said sincerely. She places a kiss on his cheek before stepping back. "Good luck, Jean-Luc. Maybe one day I can meet that sweet baby of yours"

"I would like that very much" Picard smiles. "Goodbye, Vash"

"Goodbye, Jean-Luc" Vash then winks at him before vanishing. Picard was alone with his thoughts and knew he couldn't keep this in much longer. He taps his combadge and requests the computer to let him know where Beverly is.

"Dr. Beverly Crusher is in her quarters" the computer responds. Picard is out the door before the computer even finishes its sentence.

___________________________________

As Beverly was getting ready for bed, she heard her door chime.

"Come in" she answers. The moment the door opens she sees Picard standing there. "Jean-Luc? Did you find Vash?" Beverly wondered.

"I did" Picard answered, slowly walking towards her.

"And what happened?" Beverly asked. Unsure if she really wanted to know the answer but asked anyway. Picard didn't answer right away until he got so close to her she could feel his heart beating rapidly.

"I told her I was going to be a father… and that I was in love" Picard says, looking deeply into Beverly's eyes.

"You did?" Beverly asked with a shaky breath. Picard nods slowly, leaning in and kissing her softly. As the kiss became longer and more heated, she wrapped her arms around Picard's neck and they got lost in the moment.

Q did get one thing right, Picard was in love. Love is a dangerous game and Q felt he was ill-equipped to handle it, but this was their chance to get it right. Not just for themselves, but for their son.

[stargazer-sims]

Davian, Félix & Belle

They're the best looking family in Willow Creek (according to them)

I gave Davian & Félix a slight aesthetic update. They both got new hair. Honestly, I'm obsessed with changing Félix's and Dav's hair, though. I think they have at least 4-5 hairstyles that I rotate through for each of them.

I'm loving this new hair on Félix. It looks softer and more feminine without looking too feminine (His gender expression may lean towards the feminine, but his sex and gender are still male).

I also changed the skin overlay I was using for Davian. I like this one way better because it doesn't make his lips look weird.

Here's a closeup of them:

Belle got a makeover too:

(why aren’t there more Black hairstyles for kids? Or am I just not looking in the right place?)

Dav may be famous now, but the family still lives in their cozy flat above the flower shop.

Mrs. Picard retired from her career as a florist, and another florist has since taken over the shop. The difference these days is that instead of being tenants, Dav and Félix are the landlords.

When Mrs. Picard was planning her retirement, she asked the guys if they'd be interested in purchasing the building. At that point, they were in a financial position to do so, and they gladly agreed. It was a win-win scenario, as Mrs. Picard didn't have to worry about what to do with the property, and the family wouldn't have to move like they might have if the building had been sold to somebody else.

Belle is excited about her next world adventure! Will she be going back to the rainforest of Selvadorada with Félix to study ancient culture, or will she jet off to some big city with Davian where she'll meet celebrities and stay in a fancy hotel? Or maybe it'll be a family trip to someplace exciting where she'll get to try something new.

Whatever it is, Ms. Belle Fleur St-Jean Blanchet is ready for it!

Meanwhile, the family is off for an afternoon of shopping.

Davian has been nominated for an entertainment industry award, and Belle is going to the awards show too. It's her first time being allowed to attend something like this, and she wants to look her best.

If Belle knows anything, it's that being related to a famous person means she could find herself in the spotlight as well. Her parents have done a good job of protecting her privacy up to this point, but now they think she's old enough to decide whether she's comfortable being seen by the public or not.

She might not always feel like being seen by the world, but this time, she's ready for it.

[noitsbecky127]

rebecca watches ds9: the forsaken

oh god poor julian has to deal with diplomats

and poor diplomats have to deal with julian

actually this is perfect. let him talk their entitled ears off

julian is the galaxy’s worst liar i love him

LWAXANA????

LWAXANA!!!!

get the lady her brooch!

why can’t betazoids read ferengi minds? do they ever explain that?

odo’s very good at his job!

is ds9 ever not having technical difficulties

miles has a grudge against an ai. that’s so real of him

miles don’t be passive-aggressive

i love julian’s face journey in the background while the ambassador lady is complaining about her quarters again

i also love julian defending jadzia when the vulcan ambassador questions her level of experience

picard and odo are the same type of man. ig that’s lwaxana’s type

odo: help a betazoid lady is horny for me

“i don’t handle delicacy very well” i believe in you odo

i love odo trying and failing to flee lwaxana

oh god quark is never going to let odo hear the end of this

“i can swim” LWAXANA AKSKDKDS

trapped in the turbolift. classic

uh oh i’m guessing the probe fucked everything up

better get comfy in there!

lwaxana has an infinite amount of things to say i think

odo: how bad is electrocution really

i think julian is plotting ambassador murder

he’s so expressive i love him

the probe made the computer lonely???

what happens if odo isn’t in his bucket when he becomes a liquid? can he collect himself again once he stops being a liquid?

i wonder if his hair feels like hair. i wonder what odo feels like in general. is he like jello or smth

odo are you ok

odo’s little story about how he was entertaining to the scientists reminds me of when i was little and i was like a party trick to the adults at preschool. i could read and they were amazed

uh oh, one hour until we get liquid odo

so what’s the goal here? overload the computer for some reason?

whatever it was they seem to have done it!

PULL THE LEVER JULIAN

(WRONG LEVERRR)

yeah when my uncle got a puppy (cutest dog ever btw) she was super clingy

ah so odo’s safe, just very private about his liquid state

odo’s fucking melting lmao

i think lwaxana looks better with brown hair

oh she’s holding him in her skirt. that’s sweet. that was a nice moment ❤️

not entirely sure what miles just did but it appears to have worked!

a vulcan called julian logical. that’s high praise

cannot get over lwaxana’s type being Beige

miles has a puppy now! in a manner of speaking anyway

[curator-on-ao3]

Inspired by our conversation over at AO3 - Would you consider doing a fic for the "Do you ever hear yourself?" prompt with Hugh, Beverly, and Elnor? XD

Most definitely! Thank you for this great prompt, @northstarfan. 💕 I’ve enjoyed learning your thoughts on these three, as well as sharing my own. (Y’all know we love them, right?)

For those who prefer to read on AO3:

For those who prefer to read here:

Here and There

There are visits in person and by holo, conversations deep into the night — Hugh and Beverly, working to untangle an aspect of xB physiology, a chosen hive mind of two dedicated to healing and hope.

In some ways, this makes sense to Elnor. The xBs on the Artifact aren’t a Qowat Milat-style lost cause, but they can be a difficult puzzle and puzzles are part of Romulan society, too.

But listening to hours of consultations, Hugh and Beverly turning a particular problem around and around, potential solutions bandied, actions considered and rejected … it makes Elnor’s legs twitch.

One night, the talk is of an xB named Twelve-Paul who has developed an allergic reaction to vestigial implants. The implants can’t be removed without imperiling Twelve-Paul’s life. Beverly suggests treating the allergy, not risking worsening or further exposure. Hugh has concerns that Twelve-Paul will refuse medication, but Hugh pledges to ask, to include Twelve-Paul in the decision because that’s an important step for xBs, to be trusted to make their own choices, their value as individuals more important than an immediate or nebulous right or wrong.

And Elnor’s twitchy legs cant’t take it anymore, he paces, Artifact deck plating underfoot, Hugh and the holo of Beverly watching, and the holo smiles Beverly’s gentle smile of understanding, of knowing what it’s like to bottle up thoughts and feelings and not yet have learned how to express them without movement. Her dancing, his pacing.

“Elnor,” through the holo, Beverly’s gaze follows him, “what is it?”

He stops. “Do you ever hear yourself? Either of you. Both of you. Do you hear how you search for a truth for others, then bring them that truth once it’s become your truth? Truth is not for you to decide. Truth is not a gift you give. Truth is a constant to be found.”

Perhaps Elnor is being unfair, expecting Hugh and Beverly to understand Absolute Candor.

Perhaps not.

“Truth isn’t constant, Elnor.” The holo of Beverly flickers. “You know that.”

He knows that?

Hugh speaks softly, a name they all know, a name that means different things to each of the three of them: “Picard.”

Picard.

Picard was like a father to Elnor.

Picard abandoned Elnor, breaking promises — whether a promise is prison or a promise is a present — leaving Elnor to watch the night sky and wonder.

Picard came back, an old man somehow even older, the young-old man who left Elnor behind becoming an old-old man imploring Elnor to leave with him.

Picard.

One man.

A shifting truth.

Hugh must sense the cleaving of Elnor’s senses, mind unraveling only to knit anew — a new truth — because Hugh’s arms encircle Elnor, safety, kindness, love. And Beverly joins the hug, holo arms cold but still there, still there.

———

Send me an ask with character(s) and a prompt and I’ll do my best to give your people a hug. ❤️

✨ All prompted Picard ficlets are also available on AO3 as Decidedly Motley Stories. ✨

[yourbuerokrat2]

@sofpainterwriter

Absolutely in love with Picards pose here. So protective. Really digging the details and slightly different expressions on the different crew members. I think what makes this even funnier that a few if not all of the ones he is holding have a similar.. protective sentiment towards him as well (mostly Riker (mother hen), Beverly, Deanna and to some extent Q).

Datas confusion is so funny, meanwhile Geordi plush is smiling an dleaning into the hug a bit and Riker (well, of course Riker plush is having a great time what with Wills unresolved issues regarding a neglectful and absent father). Deanna plush having that cute little smile in the middle feeling everyones and Picards emotions.

Beverly with that small 'Ah' is also pretty cute. And then there is Worf. Come on, Worf. You came on his ship as junior lieutnant of course he is a bit protective even though you are a Klingon and therefore 'don't need this'.

Q is just happy to be part of this even if he is the 'imposter' although I think if Q stayed human for longer (in a verse where PIcard actually saved the shuttle and Q he might also have genuinly joined this 'circle' even if he is the one where PIcard always has to ask 'where is Q? What is he doing now?' And even though this is not the exact sentiment Q is aiming from coming from Picard he will take it. besides, have Q save/help Picard a few more times and Data will say that this is how Q must be feeling about Picard.

Art therapy with Jean-Luc Picard and his babies is my everything 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

*Please, give this guy a "best dad ever" mug with Earl Grey*

(😍Q’s imposter, but I think one of his dream came true in Picard’s arms…he’s his “baby”, you know :3 )

[lonesomedreamer]

SNW Liveblog: Episodes 6 & 7

“Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach”

I do get the concept of having an interning cadet performing various duties across all divisions���I just highly doubt that said cadets would ever be entrusted with the ship’s phaser banks—for obvious reasons!

Now this look is what I’m talking about. Yeah, it’s tacky and cheap-looking, but it’s also geometric, iridescent, eye-catching…retrofuturism, baby!

“This is my Number One.” Is Pike allergic to the term “first officer”?

At least part of my question about M’Benga’s daughter was answered! She does know that her father is keeping her in the medical transporter.

Somehow, I doubt that this alien child with a genius-level IQ would say “Deal!”

Christine being good with kids is still canon. <3

Ah, yes, the condescending “our technology is so vastly superior to yours that you wouldn’t understand it” aliens.

52,000 times the speed of light? “Wow, that’s super slow.” Annoying!

Spock’s interaction with this kid is really cute, though.

“[My phaser’s] not on stun.” It should be! Jesus, Pike!!!

Oh, look: Sam Kirk, who might have been dead for the last three full episodes, appears out of nowhere! And no one’s even going to acknowledge that he’s been MIA for an undisclosed period of time.

I know a lot of people love Anson Mount’s Pike and find him to be the ideal Starfleet captain—but imo, he lacks both Kirk’s warmth and charisma and Picard’s eloquence and discipline. Though he’s had his moments, neither his lines nor the way he delivers them are doing anything for me. It usually seems like he’s doing just that: reading lines.

“Here, on Enterprise.” It’s THE Enterprise, dammit.

Pike finally expressing some genuine emotion is refreshing.

This plot twist is horrific and reminds me of Stephen King’s The Tommyknockers, in which aliens also use living beings as “batteries”.

Even acknowledging my deep bias in favor of previous installments, I feel like both Kirk and Picard would have caught on sooner and/or done more in an effort to save that little boy—done anything they could, in fact! Pike just struggles a little, then goes back to his cabin for a shot of liquor. I also don’t think Kirk or Picard would’ve listened to such empty excuses about how well, Federation children suffer, too! Because frankly, fuck that noise.

This episode did feel very Trek, like you could swap out the SNW cast with, say, the TNG cast (though imo, the outcome would have been different…or at least, the crew’s involvement would have differed). I’ve seen a few people suggest that this is a “needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few” situation, or call the scenario a “moral dilemma,” and I disagree in both cases, especially considering the technology and general knowledge of the featured alien society is shown to be wildly more advanced than that of the Federation. There’s no conceivable reason they should remain on a hostile planet on which their mere existence depends on a never-ending cycle of child torture. Are we meant to think that the “voluntary” disintegration chambers are ethical in “A Taste of Armageddon” just because humans are capable of killing, too? No! (That said, the episode does raise an interesting question about consent: obviously, the First Servant cannot consent to becoming a power source…so can M’Benga’s daughter consent to being kept in stasis in the medical transporter?)

The Good: Some good costumes—authentic Trek vibes—actually visiting an alien planet—M’Benga’s daughter.

The Bad: Holier-than-thou aliens who condescend and use whataboutism arguments—a lot of this episode is just illogical in many ways—the false moral dilemma/dichotomy.

“The Serene Squall”

Whyyyy is T’Pring back already, and why does she have a personal log that’s being used as narration to open an episode? Who’s asking for more T’Pring??

“I have been doing research on human sex.” Spock and I are on the same wavelength here.

Fortunately, the real power couple appears in the very next scene!

Christine, like me, is thinking: I really don’t want to talk about your girlfriend, Spock.

“I need a friend.” :( Hailing Kirk and McCoy—come to the rescue of this sad Vulcan boy!

This is another very cute Spockstine heart-to-heart…but the cringe dialogue strikes again: “Pro tip!” SNW is going to seem so dated a decade from now. It’s sad.

Starfleet calls Pike “their Boy Scout”? In his official file? That’s…weird—and it’s ripped off from Carol Marcus’ (deragatory) nickname for Kirk. It’s also going to be awkward when Kirk, who’s younger than Spock, takes over the Enterprise in the not-so-distant future. (I guess in theory it’s going to be ~8-10 years in the future, but since I know that a) they introduce Kirk in this series, and b) he’s probably not going to be 22 in-universe, I somehow doubt that he’ll be waiting in the wings to take over for years.

“It looks like a net…except, you know, made of lasers.” Once again, I am asking: who tf okayed this script? It’s so BAD.

What’s “playing fast-and-loose with the rules” about the captain leading a landing party? Pike’s done so multiple times already on this show, without taking the many times Kirk did it into account, of course—it’s only in the twenty-fourth century that it becomes frowned upon/against regulations (probably because of what happened in the twenty-third, lol).

Ahhh, I do love this—very close to the look of TOS!

Spock and Aspen got in the turbolift from the Bridge, went to another deck, and then run into…the Bridge crew being led into the corridor as prisoners??? Make it make sense.

Lmfao of course Aspen was married to a Vulcan, which at this time is so rare that surely Spock—the son of a human woman who’s also married to a Vulcan man—would already know about it, at least in passing, especially since Aspen is ex-Starfleet?

I see. She was lying…which Spock should probably have figured out based on her claim to be married to a Vulcan.

Unfortunately she’s not a better actress as “Angel.” Now she’s just really over-the-top.

“One of Vulcan’s favorite sons” Despite Sarek’s social rank, I really doubt that’s true of Spock yet. He’s also definitely not T’Pring’s “one true love” lol.

But that’s the thing: T’Pring doesn’t love Spock. We all know that! (Someone on this Bridge does love him, though!)

Angel’s threats to kill Spock are empty, because we, as the audience, know that there’s absolutely NO chance of him dying.

THIS is the context of their first kiss?? A fake-out?!? After 57 years, I guess I’ll take what I can get, but it’s still disappointing.

Christine hasn’t even had much of a chance to flirt with or pine for Spock. I’m only watching SNW for this ship, so I can’t believe I’m complaining, but where’s the build-up? The not-so-slow burn? It’s just bad writing. So, the norm for this show.

It is a great kiss, though.

And then T’Pring says she knew it was a ruse all along, and they just…get back together? Like nothing happened? When Spock and Christine’s mutual attraction is obvious (despite that I said about build-up)??? Thanks, I hate it.

“I know for certain there’s no feelings between us.” Except there clearly are, and this line is a total betrayal of Christine’s character. Again. She was always more than a lovelorn nurse, but she did always love Spock, from “The Naked Time” on, unashamedly! So for this Christine to say that she “knows” there are no feelings between herself and Spock after they made out in public, regardless of the reason…sure, fine, whatever!

Stonn is in the credits. He must be the guy T’Pring is with at the very end of the episode, I guess? And if so, hopefully that mean she’ll disappear from Spock’s storyline to carry on her own “affair” soon…?! (Not holding my breath.)

I have yet to watch any movie after Search for Spock, so I’m stuffing my fingers in my ears re: anything to do with Sybok. I’ve somehow avoided spoilers for 3+ years, so don’t need to be influenced by a bunch of retconning before I’m even properly introduced to the dude in canon.

So you can probably tell that I didn’t care about the pirate plotline at all. Was it good? Was it memorable? Was it at least funny? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I’m just here for the Spockstine, y’all. But I did notice Uhura wasn’t in this episode…which, tbh, is fine since she’d probably be wasted by the writers.

The Good: So much Spock/Christine interaction, especially that kiss! T’Pring breaking up with Spock. The writers remembering that Orions exist.

The Bad: Cringe dialogue—Aspen/Angel’s acting—the kiss being a fake-out—T’Pring immediately re-bonding with Spock.

[hermit-of-nokanguruland]

Star Trek Picard S3 Ep5

Late-ish? But I wanted to write my opinions as I watch. Will do S3 Ep 1-4 later (I hae seen them but not written anything down, so that will be a more classical review).

Starting out weird with J. Crusher murdering the bridge crew. Excuse me, why the fuck? Though, compliments on the shooting. Usually Star Trek firefights are lots of pew-pew and maybe someone getting hit, and here Crusher just hit everyone, no wasted shot. That clued me in that it's just a dream/illusion.

Oh my god, the first scene where I actually like Captain Asshole!

Picard tries to recrute his son for starfleet. He does so with the pathos of your grandpa asking you whether you might have considered following his footsteps.

I feel like Worf is the most consistent person of this series. His dynamik with Raffi is hilarous! They suit eachother in a co-worker type of way.

I do not care for the USS Intrepid's design. Sorry.

Ro Laren vs. Picard on treason: The pot calling the kettle black.

Jack, leave the yellow shirt alone. Props to the actor of the transporter chief, who has a concerned expression and voice. Not like "This is weird. He might be hostile. Should I report him?", but "My buddy-in-starfleet doesn't seem well. Do you want to go to sickbay? Should I escort you there? Or are you just low on sugar and need some chocolate?"

I was so certain that Ro was a changeling and then she isn't. I loved to hear the line "You broke my heart." in a platonic context. I feel like Season 3 is doing a lot in exploring (mostly fucked up) relationships.

LOL. They've just been arguing about about conditional trust and how they broke eachother and then Ro comes up and says: "Do you trust me?" Ma'am ... I don't know what to say here. XD

Also, Admiral Janeway is higher in rank than Picard? Good for her. By the way, what is she doing now? Her most recent batch of cadets should be adults now.

I can't believe I'm crying for Ro. She was never my favourite character by far. (Maybe she hit too close to home?)

Sometimes it's very american. "Who is coming for us?" Riker deadpan: "Everyone." Oooooh~. Spooky~. Mysterious~. Sigh. -.-

Oh, Picard&Riker and Worf are linked up now. That's good.

Is there no doctor's office where you can have some privacy with your son? Do you need to throw everyone out of sickbay?

So that's Episode 5. It was not bad, but also not very entertaining. It feels more like a setup episode and shit is going to start going down next episode or so.

[gnosticpriesthood]

anemone, chrysanthemum, peony

( I gave a single answer for chrysanthemum and peony as I feel they are perfectly entwined together! And for anemone, this one is here! However, since I only answered one: buckle up, 'cuz it's a long one! )

how does your muse express romantic love & view love as a concept?

Picard is exceedingly gentle with others. This veers slightly into his expressions of sex, which is separate from love, but -> most people write Picard as asexual, I don't, I write him as having endured extreme bodily violation on multiple levels and thus struggles with physical intimacy and vulnerability. And that leeches over into his romantic relationships, he struggles to bare himself in that way, and he's afraid of hurting someone unintentionally. He is a gentle soul, there was a quote, "Do you know how much violence it took to become this gentle?" that fits him to a T. He touches like fingertips skating over glass. He is tender. Forehead-to-forehead. Palm over cheek. His love language is quality time, for him, romance is of the mind. Repartee, wit, even a little joust at times - he can be playful.

Companionship is essential, sharing in activities, teaching one another new things, exploring the cosmos together, opening one another's perspectives, respecting one another. Ultimately what Picard craves is the easy, the peaceful, the serene. The joy. That's why I actually very much enjoyed his scenes with Laris -> "Today is glorious. And none of our tomorrows are guaranteed." And with Nella Daren, for whom he still remains in contact, and still holds deep, abiding love (I would daresay that Picard is actually polyamorous; he is capable of loving more than one individual at a time, and is not jealous -> rather he experiences compersion, which is happiness at another's pleasure, rather than possessiveness. For him, possessiveness is absolutely inviolable; he is the opposite of possessive. He views relationships as a tangible concept, a bridge, a tether, a living document that each person works to build layers upon layers.) For her to say, " Well, Captain, now that I'm on your ship, maybe you should start expecting the unexpected." He enjoys that, just having fun. In his old age, Picard has learned to prioritize the things in life that really matter. Joy, beauty, friendship, justice. That's what a happy life looks like to him.

[yourbuerokrat2]

@thymelessink

I love the details and the completely different levels of comfort and affection here.

In the first one with Picard clearly trying to back off as far as possible while also steadying himself with his right hand. While Q seems to push his body just a slightly bit closer to Picard with his right foot on the ground and also holding him a bit closer to himself as ell with that hand not only on the back but only the lower back (which is usally a more intimate spot) as well. Picard giving 'Get off of me right this instant. What are you doing here anyway, Q?' vibes while Q is clearly enjoying this.

I think the second picture can almost be a continuation of the first one with Picard having asked Q what 'this' between them even is and what it really is Q wants from him and why Q keeps coming back to him.

And well, let's just say that Picard is getting a rather obvious, undeniably clear answer. Love how that hold Q has on him in that scene looks almost possessive even if his expression is soft he still doesn't give Picard any sort of space to move away. Poor Picard is shocked while Q tries to get rid of every last bit of space between them. Considering it's shock and not anger or clear rejection maybe there is a small chance that it's not entirely unrequited.

Two little sketches of Q invading Picard's personal space by sitting on his lap.