(no subject)

[bedlamsbard]

...so there's a possiblity I wrote cage-fighting Stella fic while at the basketball game tonight. This would be a great part of a bigger story, which I am not writing, seriously, except possibly as an original. Takes place immediately following "And Your Friends Which Are No More", would be called "The Dead They Do Not Rise" if it were being written, which it is not.

Stella spits blood out the corenr of her mouth, scuffing her boots against the floor. They're worn nearly to the point of holes, from the New York's stores; she'll have to rpelace them at the local market some time soon. The new pair won't be nearly as good, though.

The man she's fighting, what passes for human on this planet in this corner of hte galaxy, is still reeling back, heel of one hand pressed to his broken nose. God bless the U.S. military; her self-defense training gives Stella a chance to make a living on this hellhole of a planet she's stuck on. Hopefully she'll win enough tonight that she can refuel her starfighter and get on with her search.

It's a slow, laborious process -- Rim planet to Rim planet, each worse than the last, sticking to the neutrals and the Empire planets, away from any planets with Confederate troops on them, disputed or not. Even farther away from planets with an American presence; she doesn't want to risk getting recognized and hauled back to the New York. Not much chance of a court-martial here for anything except murder, treason, or desertion, but she's guilty of at least the last.

Stella bounced forward on the balls of her feet, fists up in front of her face. One good punch and she'd be set, a win by knockout -- getting your opponent carried out of the ring one way or another was the only way to win here.

He came at her again, angry bulk of pure muscle but no skill at all. Enough to win against anyone else on this rock of a planet, but not her. Not a trained Spaceforce officer who'd been fighting non-stop for the past seven years.

Spin-kick to the head, one fist lashing out to catch him in the throat. She didn't dare close enough to grapple with him -- he outweighed her by too much. Instead she snapped her foot up into his crotch and when he doubled over, caught him in the kneecap, sending him to the ground. She brought her booted foot down hard on his windpipe and pressed, hearing bone crunch as he struggled for breath and finally went limp.

Stella stepped back, wiping the backs of her hands on her pants -- the rough leather tore at her skinned knuckles, blood and flecks of skin coming off. A good win.

Comments

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

if it were being written, which it is not.

NYGH. Oh, but, but. It's Stella. Cage fighting. Kicking the crap outta this guy. And it's STELLA. And. Come on. It just screams "WRITE ME. WRITE ME!"

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

It's also Stella in leather pants. *nods* On the other hand, it's also a psychotic Stella --

...wait, why is everyone in this 'verse dangerously close to "completely fucking nuts"?

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

It's also Stella in leather pants. *nods*

Which is awesome on an entirely different level of awesomeness.

...wait, why is everyone in this 'verse dangerously close to "completely fucking nuts"?

Because it's more fun that way?

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

We should get Stella in leather pants on screen. Life would be so much happier that way. And Danny and Flack!

Because it's more fun that way?

Well, it's more fun to write. Man, they never are going to be able to go home, even if the U.S. does come for them.

...whoops.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

We should get Stella in leather pants on screen. Life would be so much happier that way. And Danny and Flack!

I would not complain about this. It might cause such irreversable things as death as my brain explodes from the pretty, but I would not complain at ALL. (ohgod Danny in leather pants and Flack and my brain just shut down a little).

Man, they never are going to be able to go home, even if the U.S. does come for them.

...whoops.

How would they survive, back on Earth, if they ever did go back? They wouldn't be able to fit into normal society, not after everything they've been through.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

There has to be some kind of way we can get the characters in leather. Like...they have to go undercover! In a club! That's always a good excuse. *nods enthusiastically*

How would they survive, back on Earth, if they ever did go back? They wouldn't be able to fit into normal society, not after everything they've been through.

Well, they wouldn't be able to. How can you limit yourself to one backwater planet in a corner of a galaxy after you've seen Paree! the stars? I mean, theoretically they can go home again, but they'll never be able to fit in. They'll always be watching their backs. They'll always be looking up, because they know what's out there -- what's up there. And they might not even want to back away from the rest of the galaxy, because once you're in, you can't come out again.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

Like...they have to go undercover! In a club! That's always a good excuse. *nods enthusiastically*

It's NYC, it's TOTALLY realistic... *shifty eyes*

because once you're in, you can't come out again.

But can't that also work the other way? Once you've seen everything that's out there, all the bad and horrible and terrible and death and destruction and slavery and the other bad stuff that I can't think of to list, wouldn't you maybe WANT to go back to quiet little Earth? Where it's safe and quiet and there's nothing to fight and no great evils to face? After they've seen so much and been fighting for so many years, I can understand them not being able to fit in, but I also wonder if maybe they'd crave the solitude and peace... maybe they'd crave it, but find that they couldn't accept it once there? *shrugs*

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Or one of them could get called to a scene from a night out! After all, we've seen Mac in a tux and Lindsay in an opera dress, it could totally be leather time next. Very realistic, see! And it would be excellent for ratings!

maybe they'd crave it, but find that they couldn't accept it once there?

That's what I was trying to say. I mean, on one hand, it's "score! I never have to worry about being attacked by evil aliens again!" but there are some habits you just can't shake, especially after so many years. And just...no one on Earth really knows, yeah? What they've been doing.

Which makes me wonder what the hell the President and the Pentagon told the families. And the public. Because everyone knew the US was fighting, but then the troops in Rokasa just disappeared...

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

And it would be excellent for ratings!

After the nice little scene with Danny changing shirts, I think it's pretty obvious that the producers are aiming for good ratings from the female viewers of the show :D.

but there are some habits you just can't shake, especially after so many years.

Yes, without a doubt yes. Because you're so used to living on a certain schedule, putting your life on the line day after day, and living under a totally different set of rules. I think for a while they'd be thinking "Hey, this isn't so bad" and trying to relax, and they'd wake up in the middle of the night afraid because they don't know where they are, trying to find their gun and gear or whatever. And after a while they'd start to get this itch in the back of their mind, because it's TOO normal, too calm, and their minds just can handle that anymore.

Which makes me wonder what the hell the President and the Pentagon told the families.

What the Pres told the families of the people who died on the Florida? Probably something like "died honourably in the line of duty, blah blah blah", some sprawling BS that they can twist to their own needs. Unless you're talking about the troops that didn't return to Earth and decided to stay and fight despite orders? Because that could go two ways: either the President lables them all traitors and deserters or whatever, or lables the entire thing Classifed and ignores it. It's not something they can condone, really, is it?

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

I am down with that. Come on, leather pants! Club scenes! Hey, I'm even down with Danny and Flack playing basketball, because that can be pretty hot...er, I think my brain just broke, I'll get back to you.

And after a while they'd start to get this itch in the back of their mind, because it's TOO normal, too calm, and their minds just can handle that anymore.

Especially after the events of the novel-length, because the Big Bad? Didn't just "create" Rokasa -- it did Earth, too, and they never know if there are more of them out there, and if they're coming for Earth. Especially the command-type officers. Especially because the US won't believe them. But, I mean, even beyond that drama -- too quiet. Too calm. And how can the US, how can Earth, compare to everything they've seen? There are whole other worlds out there -- and our Earth's moved on.

Unless you're talking about the troops that didn't return to Earth and decided to stay and fight despite orders?

That one. I think I might run a subplot about a Spaceforce starcruiser -- not one of the original Rokasa ones -- that comes looking for them two years later, because someone highranking in NASA/the Pentagon finally thew a fit about leaving twenty-thousand troops to die or God knows what.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'm even down with Danny and Flack playing basketball, because that can be pretty hot...er, I think my brain just broke, I'll get back to you.

I was trying to write a Danny and Flack gen fic for you with them playing basketball a couple of days ago, but it turned to slash way too quickly.


It would still be interesting to see it, though, the progression from want to accept the peace to realizing that they're changed too much to do so, and that they just can NOT fit in anymore.

I think I might run a subplot about a Spaceforce starcruiser

Does this imply that you're writing more in this AU 'verse? :)

because someone highranking in NASA/the Pentagon finally thew a fit about leaving twenty-thousand troops to die or God knows what.

Good to know that someone on Earth has a conscience!

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm always up for good Flack/Danny!

See, one of the things I really like, and that I almost never see in fiction is "after" stories, because you really can't go home again. Things change too much. You change (not you personally, clearly, but the characters). But you almost never see a lot of this, because the story always ends once the battle's won and the kingdom's saved, ladida. I really like "Freedom's Just Another Word for Nothing Left to Lose" because it's one of those stories (and I'm sure there are other ones, because fandom does what profic doesn't, but I can't think of any off the top of my head right now).

Does this imply that you're writing more in this AU 'verse?

No, I mean in the original novel. Also, I have this really nice image of the Mac character -- Hannibal Sherman? -- storming into a room and throwing the commander or political figure aboard up against a wall and yelling at him. While he's, you know, in the middle of a conference with the Confederacy leaders.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

I can't think of any other fics like "Freedom's Just..." either, though I'm sure there are some. But I think the realization that you can't go back, and that sense of loss and despair that you'd realize at that very moment is one of those things that makes an "after" story totally worth it.

And that scene with Mac (the name is entertaining, though wasn't Sherman a general in the Civil War?) would be hilarious. It's also a split from canon-CSI:NY-Mac, who wouldn't ever do something like storming into a room like that, which I think is good because it gives your OC that originality.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

There's...I mean, I know there are sections in other fics like that, but "Freedom" is the only fic where that's the primary focus. rageprufrock had a WIP on her LJ that was one, actually.

Right, because you just want to go home and relax, or what not, and you can't. ...eh, I'm not very coherent right now, I'll get back to you tomorrow.

Yes! Sherman was the general that the South hated most -- Sherman's march to the sea/march through Georgia. It's a very deliberate choice of name. And Hannibal Hamlin was Lincoln's first VP, but I don't think he actually did anything. Of course, Hannibal was also some famous general for something ancient history related.

Well, my Mac would do something like that -- hey, canon Mac did do that, in that one ep where Hawkes was in a holding cell and he stormed through the station.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but Mac did that because they were being totally unreasonable and it was HIS CSI in the room. I guess it depends on the reason for storming into the room :)

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

The U.S. has sent a Spaceforce cruiser with some kind of politico/ambassador through the wormhole to Rokasa, and he's in a meeting with the Confederacy leaders -- a meeting that Sherman's supposed to be in, and they started earlier. Sherman basically storms off the New York, into the room, and throws the politico up against a wall because he obviously doesn't trust the U.S.'s motives for showing up in Rokasa again after all this time. He's a little stressed.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

He's a little stressed.

Really? I couldn't tell AT ALL! ;)

Are you planning to write your characters (like Sherman) on a sort-of parallel to the CSI:NY characteristics? Like, use Mac as a basis for Sherman (though, I assume, branch off from there) and the like?

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

And pissed. I mean, the government -- well, the new administration -- handled Rokasa so well last time, in that the president campaigned on a platform of getting the US troops out yesterday and got them pulled out as soon as he could.

More or less, I think. I'll just have to see what happens.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

I think I like your Sherman more than I like the canon-based Mac... much more action and rage :)

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

On second thought, I may have to revamp the characters entirely, give them their own personalities. I'm excited now. I can finally use Shelton McAuliffe, the Spaceforce physicist that's been waiting in my brain forever. (I have been waiting for an excuse and a good reason to use Spaceforce. Finally, I have one!)

Did you see the "Freedom's Just Another Word" sequel?

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

I'm getting really excited for your OC fic, even if you don't put it online, because it looks like you're having such a good time mapping it out :D!!

There's a sequel? Huh, cool!

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

I am? *laughs* I'm percolating, right now: letting ideas spin in one ear and out the other, trying to figure out what to do. I've got the bones for a good scene with Sunstark and McAuliffe that I might write sometime.

Here! "and the band's playing 'Hail to the Chief'" (http://synecdochic.livejournal.com/99159.html#cutid1), for the period in time meme.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

See, that's what I mean! You're percolating! :D *laughs* It's really cool to watch, because it's always neat to see another writer piecing together a story.

I read it during tonight's NY repeat.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Writing the Sunstark/McAuliffe scene (in which the Big Bad is introduced!). Oh, Berin, your mental unstability is...occasionally oh so obvious. And Sherman separated him from Ke'ane again, no wonder he's freaked.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

What exactly is between Ke'ane and Sunstark? I mean, apart from the obvious, there's a bond there that's deeper than lovers/soul mates/best friends/whatever... because it seems like Ke'ane really grounds Berin... which I guess has to do with when they were slaves?

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure. I'm not even sure how much older Ke'ane is than Sunstark -- there's a possibility Ke'ane trained Sunstark, but I'm not sure I want to go that route. They definitely are partners, though, and they have A Bond. I'm pretty sure they're not lovers (yet), but...yeah, I basically don't know.

which I guess has to do with when they were slaves?

*shakes head* No. They were separated pretty quickly after they were captured; the Ixra'ii kept Berin and Ke'ane was sold to the Confederacy...which I guess implies he was older, or better known, or something, but... *waves hands* Something?

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

Wow, that just shifted my entire view of the Berin/Ke'ane relationship. I totally thought they were lovers. Or something. Maybe just because I automatically assumed that there had to be a physical relationship that helped to explain how Ke'ane grounds Berin so effectively? Or something. Crap, sorry, I really make NO SENSE once midnight comes and goes.

That's another thing I'd be intersted in seeing, the relationship that the two of them have, even if it's not sexual at all, because there's something there and I'm intrigued!

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Excellent, it's working. That's what people are supposed to think -- all the characters certainly think they are. That's why Sherman's first question to Danny is if they can use one against the other, and then immediately separates them and uses one to threaten the other (Ke'ane is with the New York, Berin is with the North Carolina/originally-Washington with Lieutenant Colonel Drew and Dr. McAuliffe).

As soon as I figure out what the hells' going on with the two of them, I will let you know. All I have right now is three-quarters of a page of when Berin was rescued on Ixradic:

He must have been a slave, more likely one of the Haraj's houris. His dark hair fell in thick curls around his narrow face, his skin painted gold and red with the paint starting to smear and run. He wore a slave's collar and cuffs, but the chain binding his wrists had been broken, the links dangling loosely as he held the blaster with the grip of someone who knew how to use it. His green eyes were blank and wild and utterly mad.

This is right after he's shot the Haraj, after the way, and from the point of view from a Vira named Noonan.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

Holy crap, he seriously is UTTERLY MAD. I love him so much more with this portrait :).

But IS there something between them? Would Sherman's separating them be effective? Because they seem really dependent on each other (well, Berin on Ke'ane, I don't know if that goes the other way around?), but if there's no bond there then maybe...? *shrug*

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

And then you remember that at this point in time he's a seventeen year old kid that's been in captivity for two years, probably drugged for most of it, possibly...well, we know he's pretty, you can guess. And then you add in the fact that he's just killed at least two people, possibly more -- and that makes it worse. Also? Right now? Not sane AT ALL.

But IS there something between them?

Yes. They're partners. And there is the weird, semi-mystical/magical thing the Vira have going (which I have to work out sometime). Remember that even two years after they'd been separated, after everyone else thought they'd been dead and Berin had been pretty insane for most of them, Berin still went after Ke'ane and found him, too. That was after two years apart, when either one of them could have been dead. A paltry separation, where they both know the other's alive? Bah. Nothing.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

The more you tell me about Berin, the more I like him. He's such an awesome guy, and I adore his character, insanity and all. I hate him, just a wee bit, but I love him so much more. Hate to love him? Love to hate him? Who knows!

Okay, so, a tad confused. The Vira? Is this one of those things that I missed that I should know about? They're a race? Or...

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

I love Berin. He's awesome and kickass and kind of nuts and utterly devoted to Ke'ane and he really doesn't understand the concept of morals, which is probably bad.

You know what other characters are cool? Dr. Shelton McAuliffe and Lieutenant Colonel he has a first name, really! Drew. You know what's even cooler? All three of them in the same room while Approaching Doom is drawing all of them in. The snark. Oh God, the snark.

The Vira are the warrior caste of the Empire, sort of -- most members are born in, others are abandoned or unwanted children (I think Ke'ane was one of these, I'm not sure). I need a really good excuse for why Berin got in so old. They can also do a couple of hand-wavey mystical things, like Ke'ane pulling English out of Danny's head, a little bit of foreseeing, a little bit of telekinesis.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

and he really doesn't understand the concept of morals, which is probably bad.

Yeah, probably. :D!

Oh. OH. Okay, you totally mentioned the Vira before and I forgot, but yes. Okay. Haha, yeah.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

But it makes him so much more interesting! See, he knows, technically, what morals are, he just doesn't understand them. There's no practical purpose for their existence, in his view.

S'okay. I need to explain myself sometimes anyway -- besides, there's still a lot about the Vira I don't know.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

I don't quite understand how he doesn't understand morals... is this a factor of his insanity? Because it seems like everyone knows right from wrong, some just choose to ignore the boundary, but I get the feeling that Berin doesn't even know that a boundary exists, which sorta baffles me :D

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

I have to think about this. (Which is a good thing.)

Part of it is, of course, that everything we see (so far) is from the Earthers' POVs, and of course there's a world of difference between what's socially acceptable in Rokasa and what's socially acceptable on Earth. Then there's what's socially acceptable for Rokasa and what's socially acceptable for the Vira, and they're trained as warriors, but they're also trained to be utterly loyal to the Empire, doing whatever needs to be done. The Empire part kind of passed by Berin; instead he fixated on Ke'ane. Then you add in the fact that he spent the first seven years of his life as a slave -- I'm not entirely certain what the Ixran standard is for right and wrong, but it's at least slightly skewed. Add in eight years with the Vira, another two years of slavery -- which probably really fucked up his head -- and then the fact that he's literally been fighting a war since he was twelve...

...actually, I don't know how much that explains.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

...actually, I don't know how much that explains.

It explains a lot and nothing at the same time :D. Sorry that I'm so fixated on Berin right now, but I really like him!

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

It's okay! Berin is awesome.

So, on second thought, it's not so much that Berin doesn't have morals, it's that his are different from most people's. The three areas in which he grew up (slavery, the Vira, and the war) really did have a huge impact on that: the Vira fixate on "do whatever you have to in order to protect the Empire" and the war only cemented that, especially since age isn't really a big deal with the Vira -- their only problem with sending children out to fight was that kids tend to be inexperienced -- so Berin went into combat probably within two years of the war starting officially. And then he was captured by the Ixra'ii.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

So are his morals (if you can call them that) basically to do whatever best protects himself and Ke'ane, at any cost?

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

More or less. I mean, the less part refers to the extension where he'll protect the Empire as well, although not so much for itself as for the reason that it's what Ke'ane would want, I think. And then it'll extend to the part where he'll protect individuals other than Ke'ane for whatever reasons. But, of course, he will give up anything for Ke'ane or to survive. I was about to say he doesn't connect well, but that's not entirely correct. He connects oddly -- for example, he did form some kind of attachment/fascination with Danny in "And Your Friends." He might have saved Danny from a threat, but if it came down to him or Danny -- or Danny or Ke'ane -- it would have been him and Ke'ane all the way. And I'm not entirely sure he understands concepts like peace or honor or even freedom.