Season 2 Mini-Episode 01: "Lonely"
STAR TREK: PHOENIX
S02ME01
“Lonely”
Between the reconstruction work and the impending war, almost every room inside the saucer formerly called Enterprise was reconfigured to one degree or another.
Almost every room.
Nestled in the forward section of Deck Two was a small lounge that had miraculously survived the reconstruction effort with little more than a mild refurbishment. On the surface it looked like a miniaturized version of Ten-Forward, from the furniture to the shape of the bar. Other than the junior officers who had quarters on Deck Two, very few people on the Phoenix seemed to be aware that ‘Two-Forward’ even existed.
And at the moment, the sense of loneliness that filled the intimate, dimly lit space was exactly what Doctor May wanted. She slumped back in her chair near the windows, sipping on the replicator's attempt at a faux gin and tonic. Stars streaked by, the endless display of the ship at warp speed causing her to tune out reality around her. A glum frown pulled at her cheeks. Every so often she let out a quiet sigh and took another small sip of her beverage.
Then she shifted her head as her ears caught the sound of footsteps approaching her. “Whoever’s behind me, I was wantin’ to be left alone,” she said, her Scottish brogue especially thick. “Why else would I be sittin’ in a lounge hardly anyone ever uses?”
“I was wondering why I found you here, instead of Ten-Forward,” said Belle Hendricks as she stepped into May’s line of sight. The half-Vulcan counselor, resplendent as ever in her floor length royal purple dress, pulled up a chair and plopped herself down in it. She held up a drink of her own, some rainbow-colored confection in a wide brimmed glass. “Mind if I join you?”
May scowled at Hendricks. “I should think I just said no.”
Hendricks beamed at her, tipped her glass to her, then drank. “Oh come now. Surely some company would do you some good? Besides, I want to get to know you. There aren’t a lot of women our age aboard the ship.”
May’s scowl softened considerably. One corner of her mouth turned up for just a moment. “I suppose there aren’t, are there?” she admitted. She shifted in her chair, grabbing another one with one foot and tugging it over so she could prop her feet up. “Well, what would you like to know, Counselor?”
“Belle, if you would,” Hendricks replied, an easy-going grin decorating her face. “Counselor is for the office, and I’m not in the office.”
“Fair enough I suppose.” May peered over the rim of her glass for a moment, casting a wary look at her guest. Finally she took a deep swig of her drink and set the glass down with a sigh. “Doctor Sarah May.” She stuck a hand to Hendricks. “Nice to be meetin’ you, Belle.”
“Likewise.” Hendricks took May’s hand, causing May to shiver. Hendrick’s hand was ice cold next to hers, and even though May knew it was because of Hendrick’s Vulcan physiology, it nevertheless left her feeling like she’d just shaken hands with an iceberg. Worse, Hendricks noticed May’s reaction. “Sorry about that. I run pretty cold even for a half-Vulcan.”
May’s smile tightened considerably, and she tried to ignore the warmth filling her cheeks. “Not a problem.”
A few moments of companionable silence passed as they watched the stars slide by together. “So, Sarah,” Hendricks said, “what brought you to the Phoenix?”
May shrugged her shoulders and sipped at her drink. “Wanted to escape being stuck planetside after six years. I’ve been itchin’ to get back onto a starship.”
“Oh yeah?” Hendricks chuckled. “This is my first time aboard one, to be honest with you. Still feels pretty strange. I can hear the engines humming beneath us. The sun never shines outside. It’s… different.”
“If you don’t mind me askin’,” May replied, “what brought you aboard, then? Wee bit of a rarity for a civilian to be takin’ a shipside position with Starfleet at all, much less at the start of a war. And hurtlin’ right into the deep end as ship’s counselor too? No offense, of course.”
“Oh, that you can lay squarely at the hooves of our esteemed first officer,” Hendricks said with an exasperated roll of her eyes. “That mare’s got a gift for words, I’ll say that. She could sweet talk a Nausicaan.”
May leaned closer to Hendricks, intrigued. “She twisted your arm too, hmm? Do you know her personally?”
“Know her? I’m practically an aunt to her, and her sister.” Hendricks’s smile turned wistful. “I’ve been Sunset’s counselor since she first arrived on Earth, and when her sister arrived I began helping her adjust too. Sunset’s invitation still caught me off guard, but it makes a lot of sense why she’d want me on this crew.”
“Mm.” May sat back in her chair and closed her eyes for a moment, then knocked back the rest of her gin and tonic. “I know both of them well from their academy years. Sunset helped me better understand her physiology, and I saw Twilight in my infirmary nearly every week after her sparring sessions with her roommate. Sunset all but conned me into this job, though, to be honest.”
Hendricks frowned. “I thought you said you wanted to be back aboard a starship.”
“I did say that, and I do, but… well…” May sighed. “To make a long story short, my husband and I served aboard this ship almost ten years ago, under Captain Maxwell. My husband died. I didn’t.”
Hendricks worked her mouth for a moment, then set her glass down. “I can’t imagine it’s easy to back here of all ships. If you’d like to come and see me sometime, I–”
“If it’s all the same to you,” May cut her off, stiffening. Without meaning to, she scooted her chair further away. “I’d rather not. I’m not a big fan of gettin’ me head shrunk.”
Withering under May’s glare, Hendricks nodded. “Of course. My apologies, Sarah.”
“No, it’s… I–” A sour sensation crept into May’s stomach, causing it to churn. “No, I’m the one who should apologize,” she said, slumping into her chair. “I just had so many counselors talkin’ to me, after me husband died… what the hell am I doing?” She scowled at her empty glass before shoving it across the table. “I don’t know why I’m even talking about this right now. Counselor or not, I barely know you.”
Hendricks steepled her hands. “Sometimes, we just have to air what’s on our minds. And for what it’s worth… you looked pretty lonely when I found you.”
May narrowed her eyes and glared at Hendricks as a sudden thought occurred to her. “Wait. You said you were surprised to find me here. Were you lookin’ for me?”
Giving her a sincere smile, Hendricks replied, “No, I wasn’t, actually. Sunset told me about this lounge, said it’s one of the best kept secrets on the ship. Ten-Forward is too popular, and not a lot of people like being this close to the bridge when they’re off duty, so as you can see, it’s rarely used.” She pointed a finger up at the ceiling. “They’re right above us, you know.”
“So you were wantin’ to be alone too, I take it?”
Hendricks shrugged. “Sort of. Not so much alone as… wanting somewhere quiet. I wanted the lounge atmosphere without the crowds, if that makes sense. Ten-Forward isn’t exactly a frontier bar, but compared to this it’s as rowdy as a frat party.”
May’s suspicious gaze turned into an amused smile. “True enough. Well, then here’s to quiet lounge time.” She held up her empty glass and frowned. “One moment.” She got up and moved to the nearby replicator, returning a few moments later with a fresh drink. “Like I was saying…”
Hendricks clinked her glass against May’s. “I’ll drink to that, Sarah.”
About an hour and a few more synthetic drinks later, the two women had covered just about everything from their childhood memories to their reasons for choosing the professions they did. Doctor May was just about to retire to her quarters when Hendricks again posed to her the same basic question they had started with: “So why did you really come up here, away from everyone else?”
“I’m lonely,” May said in a hushed voice. She stared out at the stars, focusing on each individual point as it streaked past her.
“Oh? You don’t have many friends?”
May chuckled. “Friendship, I have plenty of. I’d like to be thinking you’re a new friend of mine, Belle. No, I meant… romantically. I haven’t been with anyone since me husband died. And being on this ship, it… it brought it all back. Took a few days before it hit me, but it did.”
“Aaaah, I see.” Hendrick’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “So why not go to Ten-Forward then? We can check out the people, see if anyone catches your eye.”
“Oh no, no no no,” May said with a quick shake of her head. “I don’t think so. I’d feel like a… like a…”
“A cougar?” Hendricks said as a wide grin stretched her face from ear to ear.
May cast her a flat look. “Not the word I’d use.”
Hendricks waved a hand dismissively. “Okay, fair point. But you really shouldn’t worry so much, Sarah. Everyone’s an adult on this ship.This sort of thing is bound to happen all over the place eventually. You never know. You might find someone who’s interested in a…” Her smile turned devious. “May-December relationship.”
May couldn’t help but snort a bit as she got up and held her glass menacingly over the snickering doctor’s head. “Thinkin’ you’re pretty funny, don’t ya?”
Hendricks laughed and held up her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, jokes aside, there’s no harm in trying, right? Even if all you do is look.”
May knew the synthehol in her system was just that, synthehol, yet she felt a sudden surge of liquid courage all the same. She knocked back the rest of her drink and slipped it back down onto the table with a light thud. “Fine. Let’s be off then.”
May’s stomach fluttered as they rode the turbolift down to Ten-Forward. The thought of even looking the way Hendricks suggested stirred a nervousness in her she hadn’t felt since she was a schoolgirl. As they left the turbolift and stepped through the doors to the lounge, the sounds and sights hit her hard, and her stomach writhed and twisted like the butterflies were trying to break free.
Alpha shift had ended about fifty minutes prior, and the bustling lounge showed it. Dozens of people, including most of the bridge crew, were scattered around the room drinking, talking, or playing card games.
Hendricks picked them up a pair of fresh drinks and led them to an empty table near the middle, where they could view just about anyone in the room. “Well? See anyone interesting?”
May did her best to let her eyes wander without looking like her head was on a swivel. Her eyes stopped and stared at Rodriguez. The helmsman had swapped his duty uniform for a pair of dark pants and a snug t-shirt that left much of his beefy biceps on display. To her own dismay May found her mouth watering a bit at the sight. “He’s… big.”
“He sure is hunky,” Hendricks nodded, her own eyes locked on Rodriguez’s form. “Not a bad smile either.”
“But what’s his personality like? I like sophisticated men. Charming men.”
Hendricks considered that for a moment, then gently patted May on the shoulder. “Might be a bit disappointed with that one then.” She whispered something quietly into May’s ear.
May frowned. “Oh. Well, forget him then.” She glanced about the room, an unease settling into her system. “Starting to feel like a predator, looking at all these young lads.”
Hendricks giggled as she sipped at her drink. “Nothing wrong with looking, remember? They’re all adults, or they wouldn’t be here.” She winked at May and waggled her eyebrows. “Are you checking out the lasses as well?”
Arching an eyebrow, May said, “Afraid not. Strictly men for me.”
“Aw. Well, suit yourself then.” May watched Hendrick’s gaze track one Lieutenant’s shapely rear end as she walked across the room. "Cause there’s plenty of lookers here, let me tell you.”
“Have you no shame?” May whispered, mortified.
Hendricks blushed at that. “Sorry. I don’t… I don’t usually people watch with others.” She straightened up in her chair and schooled her face into a neutral expression. “I see too many of these people in my office anyway. First rule of any medical practice: don’t date your patients.”
May raised her glass to that and downed the rest of her drink. “Best hope not everyone here becomes a patient then,” she said. Despite the tone of the conversation, May found herself grinning. Hendricks had the right idea after all, she decided. She needed to be around people. Already her usual cheerful demeanor was reasserting itself.
“Oh, wait, look!” whispered Hendricks sharply as she pointed over to the doors on the right side of the room. “It’s Williams. I hear he’s pretty sophisticated.”
“Oh is he now?” May gazed at him, finding her eyes sliding to half mast. “And he’s handsome too.”
She watched him sidle up to the bar and order a drink. He was chatting amiably with the bartender, an older lieutenant in science blues filling in for the role, since they’d left spacedock without a civilian staff for the lounge. As she watched the two men, she found herself more and more intrigued.
Until suddenly Williams took the other man’s hand and kissed it.
“Oh of course… he’s gay. Why wouldn’t he be? Seems like everyone else on this ship is, anyway,” May snarked. “Are we sure this isn’t part of some grand plot by Sunset?”
Hendricks’ lips thinned as she cast a look May’s way. “I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration.”
“Weren’t meanin’ anythin’ bad by it,” May replied, sighing as she flopped her face onto the table. The plastic material was cool to her cheek, which helped soothe the frustration she felt. “But it sure don’t help much when the only real prospects my age are out of reach.”
Hendrick’s expression softened. “No, I know what you mean I’m on my own here too, don’t forget.” She glanced over to one corner, then her eyes widened. A soft giggle escaped her lips. “You know, there is one other person you might have a chance with.”
May picked herself up and looked in the direction of whatever had caught Hendrick’s eye. A fresh flush flared to life as she felt her pulse quicken. “Oh no, surely you must be jokin’, Belle.”
“I’m serious!” Hendricks leaned over and nudged May in the shoulder with her elbow. “Come on, what’ve you got to lose, huh? You’re both single, and I’ll readily admit he’s pretty sexy too.”
May didn’t really hear what Hendricks said, as she was too busy gazing upon her chosen target. “Maybe you’re right,” she whispered.
“Go on then,” Hendricks prodded. “No time like the present.”
May glanced over. “Is that logic talking there?”
Hendricks gave her a sly grin. “Probably not, but it makes sense to me. Now get over there!”
Hefting herself to her feet, May slowly put one in front of the other as she stepped towards the bar. Each step came with an increase in her heart rate, a steady drum beat that accelerated with each passing second. It wasn’t like her to feel so, so nervous, but she couldn’t help it.
She clenched her sweaty palms as she reached her target. Her voice shook, then died entirely as she tried to speak. Groaning under her breath, she backed away, only to hear a voice call out at the last minute. “Hmm? Oh, Doctor!”
May turned and flailed as Liang’s charming smile hit her like she’d been run over by a shuttlecraft, causing her to gasp. “What can I do for you?”
May swallowed, her throat far too dry all of a sudden. She glanced back at Hendricks, who gave her an encouraging wave of support. “Err, well, um, sir, I was wonderin’ if maybe you’d… you’d like have a drink with me?”
Liang arched one eyebrow, his smile firmly in place as he briefly looked over to where Ishihara, Zhidar, and Rodriguez were playing cards, then looked over to Williams, whose hands were locked around the male bartender’s. With a shrug he turned back to her and said, “Certainly. Seems my chosen company are a tad busy. What would you like?”
She almost blurted ‘you’ before managing to bite it back and instead reply with, “Gin and tonic.”
He nodded, got their order together, then carried their glasses over to a table near the port side of the room, not too far away from Hendricks, to May’s relief. “Here you are,” he said, handing her the drink she requested.
As she took the glass, a spark of nerves surged through her hand. She could feel the warmth of his fingers on the glass, right where he’d held it. Unlike hers, they were free of sweat. Because he wasn’t nervous like she was.
Or if he was, he certainly wasn’t showing it. “Thank you, sir,” she mumbled, immediately knocking back a large mouthful to give herself some liquid courage.
Liang held up a mug of cider and took a long pull “So, what’s on your mind, Doctor? Something seems to be troubling you.”
“Troubling?” May repeated, her voice hitting an octave higher than usual. She shook her head rapidly and coughed to clear her throat. “No sir, nothing… troubling.”
His smile waned as he looked her over. Now those piercing eyes were examining her, studying her, and she shivered. “I may be a bit behind the social times, but I think I know a crewwoman in distress when I see one. Whatever the matter is, I can’t help you if you don’t talk about it.”
“Oh way to go, May,” she said in a harsh whisper.
“Pardon?”
She cringed and shook her head. Clenching her fists, she closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and summoned up her professionalism. She was an adult, damn it. No, better than that: she was a Starfleet officer. She was not a little girl in high school going on a first date with her first ever crush.
So when she opened her eyes, a smile spread on her face, and confidence filled her once more. “Sorry about that, sir. I actually asked you over here in the hopes of getting to know you better.”
Liang pursed his lips and shifted in his chair. “Oh? In what sense?”
She batted her eyes and brought up one finger to curl her crimson hair. “Personally.”
Both of his eyebrows shot up to crest his hair. “...Doctor, are you flirting with me?”
Those words struck at her newly gathered confidence like a stone through glass, shattering it instantly. “I-I yes, well, trying to sir, I’m sorry, if that was inappropriate.” She scooted her chair out from the table and started to rise. “I’ll just go.”
Liang’s hand shot out like a rocket and took hold of her wrist, gently, with just enough force to give her pause, but without holding her in place. “Now now, my dear,” Liang said as a smile began to spread across his face. “Let’s not be so hasty.”
“Huh?” she gasped. Her heart hammered in her chest like it was trying to break out.
“Do sit down,” Liang ordered, if gently.
May obeyed without thinking, planting her rump squarely back in her chair. She brought her other hand up and set it on the table, while fighting off a furious blush. “Yes sir,” she murmured.
Liang tapped his combadge. “Computer, what is the time?”
“1701.”
He smiled and plucked his combadge off his chest, setting it down on the table. “No need to call me sir, not right now. We’re just two adults getting to know each other. No pesky ranks to get in the way.”
She swallowed, then nodded. Taking the hint she removed her own combadge and set it down next to his. “R-right, si–I mean, um…”
“James.” Liang, ever the charmer, brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. “Enchanted to meet you, my dear mademoiselle.”
Her vision swam momentarily as she found herself swooning, “S-Sarah. It’s nice to meet you… James.”
"Hey ya'll, it's a color with a quick AN. It's absolutely boiling here, so I likely missed some things when editing and such. Apologies in advanced for that.
Anyway, this is the first mini episode, we will be doing two mini episodes between each main one. For reference, this will be the tentative release dates for the next few weeks.
June 25th - Season 2 Mini¹ <== you are here
June 30th - Season 2 Mini²
July 5th - Season 2 Ep¹³
July 9th - Season 2 Mini³
July 14th - Season 2 Mini⁴
July 19th - Season 2 Ep¹⁴
July 23rd - Season 2 Mini⁵
July 28th - Season 2 Mini⁶
August 2nd - Season 2 Ep¹⁵I gotta get back to packing (for the first move) and boiling. There will likely be more to mention with the next mini episode.
Hope you enjoy getting to know some of the cast and crew!"
Thanks Blue!
As for my comments on this one?
Liang and May are continuing a proud tradition aboard ship that Picard and Crusher started: Captains and their Doctors. 
Regarding Two-Forward: this is one of many things we never saw on show that comes from the Enterprise-D blueprints. Given that the saucer section here, while refurbished, comes from that ship, those blueprints still apply. Somewhat, at least.
You can see an example of what it looks like here, along with a few other things: https://forgottentrek.com/the-unseen-enterprise-d/
And if you'd like to see those blueprints, they're here:
https://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/ed-whitefire-enterprise-ncc-1701d.php
Now if only I had similar blueprints for the Phoenix.
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Heh. I was going to comment on the potential for the Doc and the Cshrink to synergize on resolving the Sunny-Twilie problems, and/or the Surgeon and the Counselor reaching a happy medium on treating the patients they share, or even Sarah May, MD buddying up with Belle Hendricks, DPsy...
But I find myself utterly distracted by the shipping of May-Liang. Helluva distractor...
What does that refer to? What plot exactly?
Really fun chapter As soon as we saw May looking for a date I hoped it would be Liang as he is just so charming and cool, I think he might be favorite OC so far
I am absolutely on board for these mini chapters, great pallet cleansers from the main story and nice character moments and world building, even more eager to see the next one in a few days
10876103
It's a joke about how often I write queer characters, masquerading as a joke about Sunset bringing only queer people to serve aboard the ship.
AKA it's me making fun of myself.
10876104
Daww, thanks. Liang is easily one of my favorites to write for when it comes to the OCs, outside of Cadeneza and May. He's great.
Getting character moments is the idea at least. There'll be a diverse range with these mini episodes. Plus they're bite sized compared to the main ones so I'm sure that's satisfactory for some folks.
Nice chapter! I wonder if when Liang leaves May will as well? It would be interesting to see the EMH doctor for Voyager assigned over after they get back and given an actual rank. Plus I feel that he would fit well with this motely crew.
10876113
What's to make fun of? If anything you and everyone else should be excluding the straights entirely.
This is interesting to get some focus on others besides exclusively Sunset and Twilight.
well both this chapter and that forgotten trek link were nice reads.
10875305
EXACTLY. And real people in the real world do this very often.
In terms with sexuality with this story. I'm like gay, gay, gay, wow that's a lot of gay till the Doc meet's the Captain then alright now there's something that that will turn some heads.
Keep it up bub.
10876186
That wouldn't make for a very immersive story now, would it?
Without some kind of lampshade, like a single-gender world where people reproduce using advanced biotech, sexuality in series like Star Trek follows the real-world probability distribution.
10876301
Ya know... seeing the word single-gendered just gave me the idea of adding in the Asari, which would be hilarious... and Cadeneza would be geeking at the implications.
Awww, Sarah's so akward. How cute.
10876356
Unfortunately, it's exponentially harder to cross more than two series because the reader's intuition only gives you one free hand-wave. (The initial event which causes the crossover. It's hard to get away with excusing more than two stories never having met each other before that way and feels less immersive even if you do.)
Everything else is supposed to naturally follow from that starting event (like ripples after a pebble has been thrown into a pond), without invoking the chaos theory hand-wave, which reader intuition says "Yeah right. You're just lazy/cheating." to. (i.e. The reader's intuition needs to feel that, even if they can't quite figure out what it is, there is a clear and plausible causal connection lurking just out of sight.)
Basically, after the first one, "Why did these people never meet in canon?" becomes exponentially harder to answer satsifactorily.
10876204
Yep! Which is why we have a small pile of these short stints planned. Helps fill in some of those 'meanwhile, back over here' type moments.
Neat chapter. This Two-Forward seems like exactly the kind of lobby I'd set up some personal gaming equipment in, just to chill out and play games while enjoying food and the company of anyone who wishes to join me. I always have been the sort to enjoy a table by myself in cafeterias and restaurants if I have no friends or like-minded people around to sit with.
I have been watching some of Star Trek as you recommended, in addition to digging through wikis for some extra lore details and context, and I found a few things. For one, you are probably already aware, and I know it makes little difference either way, but apparently there was already a Phoenix in Star Trek lore. It was the first ship to achieve FTL, and was likely named for not only it's "flaming" speed for the time, but also for being constructed out of the shell of a nuclear missile. I recall a quote in the wiki that was something like "Ironic, that a weapon of mass destruction would be converted into a vehicle of mass expansion." Or something like that.
For two, as pointed out years ago in a review of MLP by JoshScorcher, Discord is voiced by the same man who played the role of Q in TNG, and also shares many similar qualities in not just attitude, but powers. It would be quite interesting to see those similarities become some sort of plot point in this crossover. Perhaps Q and Discord are friends, or even share some sort of familial relation. Alternatively, they are the same entity, but alternate versions or at alternate points in time (Plot Twist: Sunset and Twilight finally find Equus, only to discover that the events of this human society are far in the past of their own world and in a whole other galaxy. Along the way, they meet more than one Q, and name the chaotic one from the show "Discord" to differentiate between Qs during conversation. The Discord Q takes a stronger liking to their kind than to humans, and so when Equus is discovered, he takes on the name as his own and chooses a new body to better suit life on Equus).
The last thing to note is that Geordi seems a lot less "in charge" and a lot more like just a general big-time nerd in the show than this story made me think he'd be. Still, I like him, and for all I know, he'll gain more of an authoritative presence later on (I'm still in Season 3). I just thought I'd point out that observation. X3
10875622
Well, maybe I don't leave enough comments saying it, but 1) I am picking up what you're putting down and 2) I like the choices you're making about what kinds of people to put in the story. So there.
10876418
I remember reading somewhere that, while Discord was always inspired by Q, when they got John de Lancie rather than their hoped-for "someone who can impersonate John de Lancie", they adjusted the scripts to make Discord more Q-like.
All those variations have been done many times already, but that's because it's a bit of a disappointment if you don't address it in a Star Trek crossover.
...so, if you don't want to wait, start checking out other Star Trek crossovers.
10876186
I find this comment appalling, assuming I am understanding it right.
10876422
This chapter was pretty adorable. Nice work.
10876384
It was more of a joke. Like, Cadeneza would be in heaven with all the sexy alien women. Nothing to take serious. Lol
Liang's pretty entertaining sometimes. Skating along riiiiight on the cheeseball line with the ladies, but with the looks and the command presence to get away with it.
Hope you can stay cool in the summer heat good author.
I enjoyed this short little chapter. Was a nice change of pace and a way to give other characters more screen time.
10876486
I wasn't intentionally trying to shoot it down. I agree that it'd be fun... it's just hard to pull off. That's why I said "unfortunately".
10876635
For what it's worth, as soon as Blue said it, my mind was scrambling to try to figure out how to justify the Asari being present. And I actually came up with a couple of ideas that work flawlessly with what we have planned much later down the line.
I have no intention of actually using them of course, since as much as I love Mass Effect, I'm writing a Trek story, not a Mass Effect story. But I did come up with some nonetheless.
10876418
Yup! There's actually been several Phoenixes. There's the one you're referring to, Zephram Cochrane's warp ship, humanity's first warp drive and the ship that caused us to make official First Contact (in this case with the Vulcans.) Then there's the one that the story talks about, the Nebula-class one, that this Phoenix is technically still the same ship, just with the Enterprise-D's saucer attached. So yup, no worries, I'm well aware.
So I see what you mean, and looking at the show I totally get it. I depicted La Forge as "in charge" in the way I did because I was showcasing things from the perspective of a junior officer, to whom he was their commanding officer. In other words, it's not at all the same perspective we get when watching the show. When we watch the show it's like we're part of the senior staff, getting to see and know everything. There's an episode of TNG you should watch that'll really give you a good idea of how and why I depicted things the way I did: "Lower Decks." It's season seven.
As for the whole Q aspect... all I'll say is we've been avoiding it for a reason.
10876576
Sounds about right, yup. Just enough charisma and swagger to pull off what would fall flat coming from the lips of most other men.
It's totally not because none of us know how to be suave.10876366
10876483
Hehe, that was the idea. Thank you.
10876606
I'm hoping so too. And that's good to hear. I'm glad to hear everyone seems to like the Mini-episode idea.
10876172
Huh. The Voyager Doctor joining the crew. Not something I considered. As for Liang and May... I suppose we'll see.
Noone ever meets up in the smaller lounge because,
They dont want to be seen as two forward?
10876356
Well, there's the J'naii. All you have to do is not imply they can be charmed into gender-conformity. Which is more than the show managed.
The more I read this fic, the more I want pitch my concept for the next star trek series to someone who'd listen.
10876831
Hahaha, that made me giggle more than it probably should have. Well done.
10876868
So... here's the thing about the J'Naii. When that episode was written, it was intended as an episode about homosexuality and homophobia, and in that vein it falls quite flat because it doesn't accomplish that at all.
But... if we look at it as a trans narrative? Suddenly the J'Naii become something deeply upsetting to me as a person, because they're the very definition of transphobic. They see anyone expressing any idea of gender (albeit in this case conflated with sex) as mentally ill and in need of "forced therapy and correction." Which when we see it happen to Riker's lover in the episode comes off very much as a gay conversion therapy sufferer, aka someone who's a lot more likely to commit suicide thanks to what's been forced upon them.
Basically what I'm saying is, I'd prefer to avoid them because the very nature of their society is abhorrent to me.
10877110
I'd listen. I can't do anything about it, but I'd listen.
10876646
Amusingly enough, I just watched the first episode of the cartoon "Lower Decks" this morning out of sheer curiosity. Sadly, it wasn't what I was hoping it would be. Looking forward to the TNG episode though, if I ever get that far before I get burned out. X3
On a different note, I found something out last night after posting my last comment. I read about the Borg and realized they were uncannily similar to the Cybermen. Found out shortly afterward that there was an official Doctor Who crossover with the Borg and Cybermen as the central villains. XD
10870682
For someone who seems to be a fan of both MLP and the most optimistic Star Trek series in the franchise, you sure do seem to have a complete disregard for every single message both shows try to teach.
Put in front of a firing squad for nothing more than being an angry brat?
Did you forget the entire main message of MLP is Love and Tolerate?
Or that the entire morality of the Federation in this Star Trek universe is fairness, equality, and tolerance for all, regardless of origins or beliefs?
10870682
Summary judgement?
Watch Encounter At Farpoint... just one more time, okay?
10877569
Love and Tolerate is a fan meme and a weapon bronies used to carve out a space for themselves in sometimes-unwelcoming communities. It's never been FiM's message. If anything FiM endorses conformity to, and cultural imperialism promoting, the "right" values, with harsh punishments including summary imprisonment, brainwashing, and execution for deviation. Star Trek is far more liberal, with an explicit message of tolerance.
However, Trek is not particularly forgiving of its protagonists' moral failings, when it bothers to give them any. Locarno/Paris was confined to a prison camp for endangering his crewmates, for instance. FiM depends on protagonist-centered morality and lets its heroes get away with murder if they can learn something from it. The latter is an abhorrent stance, and a backlash to it is only natural.
10877569
Watch some of the new stuff, especially "Picard"...
That sentiment goes straight out the porthole...
10878372
Among Starfleet top brass. The show is clear enough that Starfleet's inward-lookingness and meanness of spirit are bad things. It is also a perfectly natural course for them to take, especially after the Dominion War tested and broke them.
10878414
10878414
More like, "Dystopia sells!! Everyone but MLP G4 does dystopia, so we have to have a dystopic Utopia in Star Trek too!!!"
No wonder nothing is original...
10878828
Equestria was never plausibly a utopia, it practices ethnic cleansing and child slavery. Try again.
10878851
Your support for your assumptions?
10878889
Over a Barrel shows the ethnic cleansing, Spike is a child slave.
It's also pretty clear that before Hearth's Warming, Equestria was bovine land. The bison were pushed south to marginal desert land which is still being reduced to reservation by the time of FiM, the yaks were pushed north to marginal mountains and left to eke out a miserable existence, and the cattle in the middle reduced to dependence and subjugation if not outright forced agricultural labor. This remains the situation by the end of FiM.
10878908
Okay. If you think "Over a Barrel" is ethnic cleansing, Spike is a child slave, and Equestria bovine land before it was settled by anycreature, you are so far beyond hopeless that the metric, other than light-decades, hasn't been conceived of yet...
You really need to get out more into the sun, do something positive with your life, get a hobby, (other than writing), add fiber to your diet, volunteer, or any of a myriad series of beneficial interactions in society.
As a critic, you come off as a troll highly envious of everyone else that is at least getting off the bench into the game...
10878360
Okay, perhaps fair points, but that doesn't change the fact that having Twilight shot dead for being unstable is still brutal and uncalled for.
10878360
Okay, perhaps fair points, but that doesn't change the fact that having Twilight shot dead for being unstable is still brutal and uncalled for.
10879019
Trying to play the man is an admission you can't play the ball.
10879022
Were she planetside, absolutely. She's certainly not a traitor like Leyton and co. - if she was, she'd have been sounded out and joined their coup. But she's a danger to the ship, and as Sunset demonstrated no brig can hold her.
This was a nice little addition, great work
Love it.
10879059
So...you really don't have anything...
Gotcha.
You postulate the most incredible assumptions. "Incredible", as in "lacking credibility". Like the sanitary bilge holding that Spike is a child slave. Even though nothing is given to support that position. The 'child slave' leaving on his own to go to the dragon lands. Pretty much fail for you at that point...
(No sense in even bringing up Dragon Lord Ember and her support for Spike...and if anycreature could directly intervene in so called 'slavery', it would be her...)
There is no ball here, by the way. Along with spoons. Only you and unfounded, dystopian views. A Rex Reed or Roger Ebert who somehow thinks they know far more than everyone else that can actually create.
I feel sorry for you.
Should've had the time as 1701 to be more appropriate to the setting.
1710 is the Kongo.
It's someone's grand plot
Or am I wrong? 
Traditionally Star Trek was always skittish about that kind of thing. It was always the fanfiction though with their Kirk/Spock.
I've wondered about Drake Williams. My mental fancasting has Andre Braugher in the role. He's never been in a Star Trek either. I'm quite proud when I manage that. Anywho, I've wondered if he's a Haliian why is his name Drake Williams rather than something you know alien? Unless this is a Alexander Rozhenko kind of situation.
That's exactly what I thought!
Though I did suspect for a minute that Belle and May were going to hook up.
I see exactly why you went this route. If I had read in a regular episode chapter from Twilight or Sunset that May and Liang had hooked up, I'd want to know how that'd happened. Now we do. I'm always impressed when a fanfiction author manages to get you to care about the story's OCs as much as the canon characters. Hat's off to you. Certainly looking Two-Forward to the next minisode this week.
Keep up the great work. 