Review – Gratitude
Gratitude matters.
Background
Lili‘s killing of a Xindi Insectoid has been explored in Fortune (the act is shown) and The Mess (the immediate aftermath). Lili discusses the matter with Doug in Reversal, and with Malcolm during Together. There’s even a small foreshadowing in Protocols, where Captain Archer comments that she doesn’t have her sidearm with her, but she assures him that she’s pretty handy with a meat cleaver. The part that was missing from the story was the fairly immediate aftermath, where Lili would have to deal with what she’d done. She would have to dust herself off and work, too.
Plot
Before Days
For a prompt about being grateful, I chose the big gratitude holiday, Thanksgiving. But this is Lili O’Day we’re talking about, so it’s all about She Who Almost Didn’t Breed In Time.
As the Insectoid has pretty much just been killed, Chef Slocum is back in the kitchen and immediately puts two and two together. He orders Lili to Sick Bay.
Phlox is in attendance, of course, but so is MACO Frank Todd, as he’s sustained a minor injury. He talks to Lili about what it feels like to have done that, and how she can go on. That she will need to focus on being thankful for being alive.
Story Postings
- Gratitude on Ad Astra
- Gratitude on Fanfiction.net
- also, Gratitude on Fictionpad
- Gratitude on G & T Show forums
- In addition, Gratitude on Wattpad
- Gratitude in context
Rating
The story is rated K.
Upshot
I think the story is okay but not great. I know I had wanted to get it out there, and so it could have used some research. After all, Lili really shouldn’t recover from the act quite so quickly. Maybe I’ll revisit this, and have the weight of her guilt come down on her when she least expects it.
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