jespah

Shuttlepod pilot, fan fiction writer, sentient marsupial canid.
Shuttlepod pilot, fan fiction writer, sentient marsupial canid.
29
Jan
2016

Progress Report – January 2016

Progress Report – January 2016

January 2016 Posted Works

January 2016 kept catching up to me.Barking up the Muse Tree | Janet Gershen-Siegel | jespah | Quill | January 2016 I started another year where, I hope, to not be quite so burned out as I was at the end of last year. School, work, and writing were all really beginning to catch up with me.

On Wattpad, I continued adding to the anthology, Later Days. As a result, On the Radio, We Meet Again, The Play at the Plate, Legends, All You Need is Love, The Best Things Come in Pairs, and Complications were added. I also added Saturn Rise separately.

On Fanfiction.net, I finished A Long, Long Time Ago and I then started to post Ohio.

On the G & T Show forums, I kept adding to Reversal.

Milestones

See the Stats page for individual read and review counts.

WIP Corner

I continued to work on perfecting the story of the Enigmans and also a new idea, a very tentative idea about aliens in nineteenth century Boston. That one already has a short wiki as I am beginning to do the necessary background research. It may eventually become my NaNoWriMo project for this year. We shall see.

Prep Work

I worked on getting Ohio in shape for posting on Fanfiction.net. I worked with beta readers on The Enigman Cave. That story went through several revisions and I fully expect revisions will continue for much of the early part of this year.

This Month’s Productivity Killers

January 2016 signaled some changes. The start of the semester and the return to work made for busy times for me, as did work for the G & T Show. This is my last full two-course semester. I’ll graduate in May but I will still need to complete my capstone project over the summer.

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Posted by jespah in Fan fiction, Progress, 0 comments
26
Jan
2016

Review – Colleagues

Review – Colleagues

Colleagues brings together a doctor and a not quite yet veterinarian.

Background

For a monthly prompt about mentors, I decided to visit and put together two characters who had met before, but not under these individual circumstances. Joss and Dr. Morgan had met in Fortune,  but Joss was a rather young child at the time, and Morgan was just settling on Lafa II for his retirement. I was pleased to have the opportunity to trot out Dr. Pamela Hudson as well.

Plot

Barking up the Muse Tree | Jespah | Janet Gershen-Siegel | Later Days | Colleagues

Later Days

As much a story of identity as it is of growing up and imparting wisdom to a new generation, the story opens with Joss asking Pamela if he can interview her.

She acknowledges that her life has gotten busy since she married (Treve). Plus she has a plastic surgery conference to attend. She instead suggests her Uncle Cyril, noting that he is a retired orthopedic surgeon and would probably love the company and welcome any questions Joss might have. Joss agrees, but not before accidentally calling her ‘Pam’.

When Joss gets to Cyril’s, he’s got a cake baked by Lili. The elder gentleman welcomes him in and they have cake while the doctor’s cat, Mimi, does figure eights. Joss asks about practicing medicine. He allows that veterinary medicine is different, but he is still looking for some guidance and advice.

Cyril, who asks Joss to call him by a childhood nickname of Skip, tells of a time when he failed to help a patient. It was not due to a lack of education or supplies or time. Instead, it was a treatment during the Earth-Romulan War, when a Xindi ally was injured. Morgan did not treat him as expeditiously as he should have, and the Xindi lost an arm. Morgan instructs Joss to be fair and as impartial as possible, and to not just treat cute animals or those where the owner is pleasant or wealthy.

Story Postings

Rating

The story is rated K.

Upshot

I like this story. It gave me a chance to shout out to some characters that I like, and to provide some more depth for Morgan. There is even a brief shoutout to Tommy Digiorno-Madden and his on-again, off-again relationship with Cyril’s granddaughter, Cindy. My peers agreed, and they liked the story enough that it won the monthly challenge at Ad Astra.

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Posted by jespah in Fan fiction, In Between Days series, Review, 1 comment
22
Jan
2016

Portrait of a Character – Lorian Tucker

Portrait of a Character – Lorian Tucker

Origins

This canon character has to be a part of any E2 timeline.

Portrayal

Portrait of a Character – Lorian Tucker

David Andrews as Lorian Tucker

As in canon, Lorian is played by actor David Andrews.

Personality

As in canon, Lorian is dutiful to a fault, and works hard to assure that the prime timeline’s Enterprise can get through and complete its mission in the Delphic Expanse.

Relationships

Jill Lattimer

Lorian marries the daughter of Mario Lattimer and Susie Money. Their daughter is Jolene Tucker. Their grandchildren are Stephanie and Steven Hodgkins. Their great-grandson is Jay Hodgkins.

Hanna Rosen

Because Vulcan hybrids live longer than humans, Lorian is widowed and remarries. He and Hanna (the daughter of Joshua Rosen and Karin Bernstein) do not have children. It is her second marriage, too.

Mirror Universe

By definition, Lorian cannot exist in the Mirror Universe.

Quote

“We were hoping to reveal some of these in a more private manner. There were some men who never wed, and died young. You were one. So were Daniel Chang, Christian Harris, Jay Hayes, Brooks Haynem and Malcolm Reed.”

Upshot

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Posted by jespah in Fan fiction, Interphases series, Portrait, 0 comments
19
Jan
2016

Review – Promise

Review – Promise

Promise works as, like a lot of other stories, a play on words. For that is because it means both vow and potential. It covers a meaningful moment during a kick back in time.

Background

I was asked several times, “When are you going to show Travis and Julie?” Well, here they are.

Plot

Taking place wholly within The Three of Us and the E2 timeline, the story covers the very beginning of their relationship.

Barking up the Muse Tree | jespah | Janet Gershen-Siegel | The Three of Us | Promise

The Three of Us

So Travis is ready to ask the lovely MACO out. But Julie is skeptical. She knows that being asked out is practically a marriage proposal in that generational ship. An with so many limitations, she wonders if she is compromising. Is she settling?

Well, she is, and so is he. But that is the nature of that particular beast. The timeline does not permit the picking up of too many passengers.

However, Travis is not only very good-looking, he’s also sweet.

Story Postings

Rating

The story has a K rating.

Upshot

I’m not so sure that I fully captured Julie’s reticence as well as I had liked. Travis is basically the happiest canon character on the ship, and I wanted Julie to share in his enthusiasm and optimism. But I also wanted her, at the start, to be cautious. However, I wanted her abundance of caution to spring from doubts as to who would be the best possible mate for her. They do not come from the characters’ differing races.

I do hope that fans liked what I wrote. I always hope that, but I particularly do here, as the story was written in order to satisfy an ongoing request.

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Posted by jespah in Fan fiction, Interphases series, Review, 0 comments
15
Jan
2016

Recurrent Themes – Soldiers

Recurrent Themes –Soldiers

Background

For Reversal in particular to work, there had a to be a number of people ready and able to go to war.

Barking up the Muse Tree | Janet Gershen-Siegel | jespah | DNA | SoldiersIn particular, as the Mirror Universe is so different from the prime universe, a lot of people would be soldiers there who wouldn’t be so here. Or they would be more violent and less disciplined than in our universe. As it is explained to Lili, the percentage of military personnel is deliberately kept very high over there.

There are more MACOs in particular than the group listed here, but these people are seen the most.

Appearances of Soldiers

Aliwev

This Calafan recruit drills directly under Doug and, in the Mirror, in one of the alternate timelines, assassinates the Empress Hoshi Sato during Temper.

Douglas Jay Hayes Beckett

Doug, a trained killer, spends much of Reversal trying to leave the practice of making war. When he can’t find anything else to do with himself in Together, he eventually becomes the captain of a defense unit on Lafa II, and instructs recruits.

Daniel Chang

Chang, a canon character, defends the Enterprise but, in the E2 timeline, commits crimes.

Tristan Curtis

Curtis is another E2 timeline criminal. In the Temper alternate timelines, he’s named Craig.

Brian Delacroix

In the prime universe, Delacroix is a security guard who becomes a chef. In the Mirror, he nearly kills Doug.

Tommy Digiorno-Madden

Unlike the other five kids, Tommy joins Starfleet and goes into Tactical.

Thomas Grant

In the deep future, Tom is assigned to the Breen homeworld before he joins the Temporal Integrity Commission.

Deborah Hadden

Deb works in Security in both universes. In the Mirror, she kills Brian before he has a chance to off Doug. But her victory is short-lived, and she perishes when he leaves that universe.

Jay Hayes

The consummate soldier, Major J. Hayes is so committed to defending the ship that he has nearly no time for people.

Gary Hodgkins

Yet another E2 criminal, Hodgkins often pairs with Curtis, particularly in the Mirror.

Chandler Masterson

Chip is wasted in Security and moves over to Communications. This isn’t possible in the Mirror, so he stays in  Tactical. In the prime timeline, he escapes the Empress, but in one of the alternates, he rises to become captain of the Defiant.

Travis Mayweather

Travis is a soldier in the Mirror Universe only. He’s a poor soldier, though, and an even worse leader. In the alternate timelines, and in the prime timeline, he is fragged by his own troops.

Andrew Miller

Like Travis, Andy is only a soldier in the Mirror. When the Empress taps him for somewhat earthy duties, he manages to get himself reassigned to Science.

Malcolm Reed

The other consummate canon career soldier, Malcolm is more ambitious and tries for a command as soon as he can get one.

José Torres

José is another person who is only a soldier in the Mirror. He is not cut out for command at all and, in an alternate timeline, destroys his ship, the Luna, and everyone on board is killed.

Upshot

Star Trek fanfiction will always have a place for men and women (and other genders) in uniform.

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Posted by jespah in Emergence series, Eriecho series, Fan fiction, Hall of Mirrors, In Between Days series, Interphases series, Mixing It Up Collection, Themes, Times of the HG Wells series, 0 comments
12
Jan
2016

Review – Linfep Linfep Linfep

Review – Linfep Linfep Linfep

Linfep Linfep what? They are a lot like rabbits. Hence the title, and the subject matter. Once again, a play on words saves the day.

Background

I can’t recall the prompt for this one, but it was the first day of the month. This made for a good bit of backhanded inspiration.

I decided on a play on “Rabbit rabbit rabbit.” On Lafa II, linfep are the closest thing. Hence the story was not only about near-rabbits, but also about what rabbits do best.

Plot

Barking up the Muse Tree | Jespah | Janet Gershen-Siegel | Later Days | Linfep Linfep

Later Days

It’s the first of the month, and so Lili mutters the phrase as her kids get her up way too early and she stumbles in the general direction of the coffee.

She has been tasked with taking care of all five children as Malcolm is defending the Neutral Zone (so Declan is around). Melissa and Norri are on Earth for an occasion, and so Tommy and Neil are staying over. Doug is working with his recruits. Of course Doug and Lili’s two children together, Joss and Marie Patrice are there as they live there.

Lili and the kids all notice a number of linfep scampering around the yard, and she realizes they are going to get holes in the yard. She asks Doug to bring home tofflin leaves when he comes back, as those repel the cute but destructive invaders.

Then the kids notice that two of the linfep are ‘telling secrets’.

Story Postings

Rating

The story is rated K.

Upshot

For a little story about the ramp up to telling children the facts of life, I think this amusing little story works pretty well.

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Posted by jespah in Fan fiction, In Between Days series, Review, 1 comment
08
Jan
2016

Portrait of a Character – Emily Stone

Portrait of a Character – Emily Stone

Emily Stone shows up in all sorts of odd places.

Origins

Emily was originally kind of a reference character. During Intolerance, she’s really just an important mother of one of the medical students, Mark Stone. It wasn’t until I added her into the Achieving Peace story that she started to have any definition.

Instead of just being a character’s mother, Emily, a lawyer, became a part of the negotiation of the peace terms to end the Earth-Romulan War. In this endeavor, she worked with Soval and a Tellarite ambassador (canon character Gral), and a representative of the Xindi, Chara Sika. Sharp-eyed readers will recall that Chara Sika, another character who originated as an offscreen mother, was first mentioned in The Puzzle).

Also accompanying Emily is another lawyer, Laura Hayes, who works under the Andorian ambassador, T’Therin. By this time, Emily is an ambassador herself.

Later, when I wrote Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, I wanted someone to probate and read Jay‘s will. Laura was not an option (it would have been a legal conflict of interest). Hence I revisited Emily and gave the two of them something of a friendship. The friendship is also briefly mentioned in Together.

Portrayal

Melissa George as Emily Stone

Melissa George as Emily Stone

Emily is played by actress Melissa George. I don’t know too much about this actress; I mainly just liked the look of her. Emily is not exactly a bit part, but she’s not major, either.

Personality

Formal and conservative, but fair, Emily is the quintessential ambassador. Much like Laura (who becomes a judge), Emily takes her work for justice seriously.

Relationships

Mark has a father, so there had to have been someone. I suspect I’ll make her a widow.

Mirror Universe

Because Emily’s son, Mark, is in the Mirror Universe, Emily is there by definition.

English: Actress Melissa George

English: Actress Melissa George (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I kind of like the idea of her being a little sexy and vain and quirky. She could be rather different, and not the sober lawyer she is in the prime universe. Perhaps she’d almost be a court jester (although not in the main court. Empress Hoshi wouldn’t allow that).

Quote

“My niece is in Science and is in on the NX-01. My son is practicing medicine and is looking to get onto, maybe, a smaller ship as the Enterprise and the Columbia are already staffed. But they’re just going to be warriors if this continues. I just want to see young people have their dreams. Constant conflict will derail those dreams, I fear.”

Upshot

For a character who was first intended to be a brief mentioning, Emily has a bit of a storyline to her. She might see some action later, particularly if I write any more legal or diplomatic works.

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Posted by jespah in Fan fiction, Hall of Mirrors, In Between Days series, Portrait, 0 comments
05
Jan
2016

Review – Gratitude

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

Barking up the Muse Tree | jespah | Janet Gershen-Siegel | Before Days | Gratitude

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

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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Posted by jespah in Fan fiction, In Between Days series, Review, 0 comments
01
Jan
2016

Portrait of a Character – Charles IV (Charlie) Tucker

Portrait of a Character – Charles IV (Charlie) Tucker

Charlie Tucker lives his whole life in the Delphic Expanse. Except in the MU. There, he founds a dynasty.

Origins

Since, in canon, Tripp Tucker has somewhat odd experiences with offspring and, in the prime timeline and prime universe, dies childless, a lot of people like to give him offspring. As a result, I gave him both a prime universe and a Mirror Universe version of Charles IV, although they are not counterparts.

In the prime universe, Charlie is a part of the first kick back in time during the E2 timeline, and his mother is T’Pol.  He has a twin named T’Les Elizabeth (other fan fiction writers have used that name). In the MU, Charlie’s mother is Beth Cutler, and his sister, Betsy, is younger and is not his twin.

Portrayal

Noel Fisher as Charles IV (Charlie) Tucker

Noel Fisher as Charles IV (Charlie) Tucker

As a teenager, Charlie is played by actor Noel Fisher. So as an adult, in keeping with the canon portrayal of Charles Tucker III, he is played by Connor Trinneer.

I like the teen’s look. He seems to be a reasonable mix of Tripp and T’Pol for the E2 storyline, and a mix of Tucker and Cutler for the MU storyline.

Personality

Both fellows are pretty easy-going, although the interphased Charlie ends up as the captain of the Enterprise after Jonathan Archer‘s death.

Relationships

Rachel Shapiro

In the first kick back in time, Charlie marries Ethan‘s daughter with the Ikaaran,  Bithara. Their daughter is Daphne Tucker, and their granddaughters  are T’Mir Ryan and also Yoshiko Tucker. Their great-grandsons are Aidan and Steven Khan (sons of Yoshiko).

Takara Masterson Sato

In the MU timeline, with few options, Charlie and Takara end up being thrown together, and they also end up becoming the grandparents of the heir to the Terran Empire, Charles VI, AKA The Emperor Charles I.

Theme Music

In the Mirror, Charlie’s theme song is Warren Zevon’s Trouble Waiting to Happen.

Mirror Universe

Charlie exists in the Mirror Universe in the prime timeline, and in the prime universe in the E2 timeline (first kick back in time only). However, the two men are not counterparts to each other.

Quote

“Captain, we didn’t make this. And neither did you. Or, rather, the other version of you. But it happened all the same. We did not think you would believe us. So we put together the notes that Charlotte has just sent you. Please, please, just open them and read them. And you will see that we are sincere.”

Upshot

So for a guy who isn’t supposed to exist at all, I like that Charlie gets some screen time. But I doubt I’ll write him much more unless it’s in the MU.

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Posted by jespah in Fan fiction, Hall of Mirrors, In Between Days series, Interphases series, Portrait, 0 comments
29
Dec
2015

Progress Report – December 2015

Progress Report – December 2015

December 2015 worked out well for me. I had a lot going on although it was not for Star Trek fan fiction.

December 2015 Posted Works

Barking up the Muse Tree | Janet Gershen-Siegel | jespah | Quill | December 2015December 2105 was a fairly quiet month as I was loaded up with schoolwork and it was burning me out something fierce.

On Wattpad, I finished posting Fortune. I posted Day of the Dead. Because longer stories with short vignettes work better there, I created Later Days. This included The Truth About Doug (from Eight) and To Wish, To Want, To Desire.

On the G & T Show forums, I continued to post Reversal.

And on Fanfiction.net, I continued posting A Long, Long Time Ago.

On Fictionpad, Clockworks was imported, so the following stories ended up on that site: A Lesson; Briefing; Candy; Desperation; Marvels; Pat the Bunny; Preparations; Recruitment; The Honky Tonk Angel; and Where O Where.

Milestones

See the Stats page for individual read and review counts.

WIP Corner

In December 2015, I continued to work on The Enigman Cave. I ended up with over 118,000 words and the story was sent to three beta readers before the holidays  began.

Prep Work

My main task was to work on the Enigmans and get that book in shape for beta readers. This included eliminating a lot of the extra words which I had added at the beginning of NaNoWriMo in order to make the word count requirement. I also attempted to tighten up the prose.

This Month’s Productivity Killers

Final papers! It seemed as if everyone wanted me to write one. I have also been working for a second blog, so that takes up some writing time. Also, I spent a lot more time in front of a screen than usual, and it took a toll on my creativity and sometimes on my patience. I was very glad to finish the semester so I could relax a bit. The end is in sight at Quinnipiac, and that is very encouraging.

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Posted by jespah in Fan fiction, Progress, 0 comments