Family Secrets Discussion Thread

[honeybee]

Okay, I'm very flattered by the lively comments in my super long NC-17 story Family Secrets that's a little more than half way finished posting here.

I've been fielding some PMs from people, so I thought I'd take the liberty of opening a thread for people to ask questions and whatnot.

I'm most happy that people are shipping Hoshi with my original character of T'Pol's brother over Malcolm, who is her main love interest in the story. Because I was determined that he be competition for Malcolm. I was determined that T'Pol's brother be a pointed eared dreamboat. So there.

Linda also asked me a question about Trip's brother having a hispanic husband in the books. I ignored that in my story and made Trip's brother in law Irish because I wanted it to line up with "Breaking the Ice."

Anyway, feel free to throw any questions or comments here as well is in the comment thread.

[Dinah]

Let me begin by saying that I've been thoroughly been enjoying your story. Your Romuland characters are really excellent, even Ston (I hope I got the name right), the black sheep brother. I need to get busy and leave a review on the lastest chapter.

The one character I am most unhappy with is Malcolm. I know he's just being his old stiff-upper-lip self, but sometimes it is just a bit much. I can buy his overlooking Hoshi's discomfort at participating in the questioning of Enme, after her torture at the hands of the Xindi. Malcolm then apologizes to Hoshi -- that's fine. But then, instead of working to be more sensitive to Hoshi's needs, he pulls a power play designed to eliminate his competition. And what is Hoshi's response: she goes to see Malcolm, pissed at his presumption to deny her the chance to see Enme and then for no apparent reason she decides she really likes Malcolm after all. Kiss, kiss. Hug, hug. Why? If I was Hoshi, I'd be running in the other direction -- fast. I think Malcolm's reaction was based strictly on jealousy, not the fact the Enme was a Romulan. What happens the next time Hoshi has to work on a project with a colleague and Malcolm decides they're spending too much time together? What happens if Reed and Hoshi get married and she makes the mistake of smiling one too many times at another man? Is Reed going to throw his weight around again in an attemp to eliminate someone he sees as a potential rival? (My sister once dated a jealous man. It is something to be avoided at all cost. )

Enme comes across here as a far more generous, sincere man. It would be interesting to see Enme and Hoshi, as a couple, play an instrumental role in bringing the Romulan War to an end.

[honeybee]

Ah!

Well, the story is finished and I confess not having the guts to have Hoshi permanently throw over Malcolm over for an original character. Though, I was sorely tempted because I like Enme, too. But he does pose a threat. Did I mention I pictured Cillian Murphy when I was writing about him?

And I couldn't very well turn Malcolm, who we all know is rotten in relationships, into a functional boyfriend right away. At this point in the story, he's making all the wrong choices for all the right reasons. He has no idea what he's doing or how messed up Hoshi is.

But I won't say anymore.

But it did feel very natural and organic to the character of Malcolm to have him be the confused object of her affection at first - then, turn around and be all possessive and jealous without noticing that the girl's got problems that don't have anything to do with him.

[Asso]

I don't know. Honestly I have to admit that I didn't pay much attention to Malcolm and, maybe, this could be took as a sort of not perfectly sketched characterization in regard to him (No offense, Honeybee ), because, usually, when you have nothing to say , it's possible that there's nothing to say.
But it's evident that this issue pertains only me, because the others, ACTUALLY, have found something to say.
The fact is that I'm particularly intrigued by the relationship between Trip and T'Pol.
We are in habit to see Trip as the subordinate and T'Pol as the field officer. Now the roles are inverted and, in addition, they are husband and wife, and even more, we are talking of a Vulcan wife and of a Human Husband
This is an explosive mixture, specially if you think we are speaking of Trip and of T'Pol (and the whole world knows how their characters are ).
VERY INTERESTING SITUATION.

[Linda]

I'm with Dinah on the subject of the Enme, Hoshi, Malcolm triangle. But if you have to have Hoshi end up with Malcolm, your Malcolm has some growing up to do. He has to learn to separate work from his love life and not use his authority in an unethical way. Maybe Section 31 has corrupted him too much. He has to shake that off! Hoshi should really call him on the carpet for not giving her access to Enme. I see her as being weak letting him kiss her and making the choice to be his girlfriend so quickly under the circumstances. She should have given him her own terms, like "give me back access to Enme and trust me if I tell you it is you I'd rather be with". Frankly, after what he did, if I was Hoshi, I'd be tempted to say "that was a mean trick and I prefer Enme to you!"

Your Trip and T'Pol seem to be able to separate work from love life very well. If you are leaving Hoshi and Malcolm as a couple, Malcolm needs some counseling. I liked the scene where you had Trip gave Malcolm some advise before. I think Trip needs to do this again.

Oh, it would be nice if something good happened to Enme. You have him thinking he won't be forgiven by his father and Romulan society for being forced against his will to give the enemy some information. I'd like to see Daddy be estatic to get him back and realize it wasn't his fault. And it would be nice to see Enme grow a little from his experience among humans, and realize that maybe cooperation is just as effective as conquest - maybe even more effective than conquest.

You have written this story really well to get your readers to the point where they are emotionally effected by the characters. Great job!
Go, Honeybee!

[Asso]

Enme.
Well, maybe it is my "Italian Opera Soul", but I see in him the germ of a great tragedy.
He met Humans, he FELT something for a Human female. He has known his sister, a Vulcan, different from the other Vulcans, tied to a Human male. He - smokily - began to be DIFFERENT. But he IS Romulan.
There is an enormous amount of material, here. Might it be possible for him to keep on being the same?
I don't know: I can see him die - YES, die - crushed under something greater than him, a destiny of fight between his heritage and the dream of a love he won't ever know.
Which skimmed over him.

[Linda]

I like your idea too, Asso. We could call the opera "Enme" or we could call it "The Romulan Commander". Or do you have a better name?

[Asso]

Enme.
The Force of Destiny

[honeybee]

Well, I'm not giving you guys any spoilers. I've got plans.

Now I have to go pester Aquarius to post Chapter 19, which she has.

[Aquarius]

I wouldn't mind it if Malcolm and Hoshi remained a couple...obviously (?) she has no future with Enme, as he's a political prisoner and likely to either succeed in offing himself, or going home eventually. What I like is the contrasts here between the couples: Trip and T'Pol have finally matured as a couple and become quite functional, whereas Malcolm and Hoshi still have some growing to do.

[Linda]

Well, I strongly object to the way Malcolm used his professional authority to keep Hoshi from seeing Enme. To me, that would put a halt to Malcolm and Hoshi's relationship. Instead, she makes love to him which makes me see her as very weak. Now Malcolm knows he can walk all over her whenever he likes to. This was a real story breaker for me as far as Hoshi and Malcolm are concerned. I really don't like the way either of them is behaving, therefore I am not no longer very interested in either of them. I am continuing to read the story so I can see what happens with Enme. I am hoping his situation is resolved happily - like maybe he can return home.

[honeybee]

Well, I'm eagerly awaiting your reaction to the next chapter Linda - because your instincts about R/S are pretty correct. . .but Malcolm does get his head out of his rear end in the new chapter.

[Aquarius]

I agree that Hoshi sleeping with Malcolm there made her appear "weak", however even without chapter 20 it was pretty obvious she had some problems stemming from her capture and torture by the Xindi,. PTSD and clinical depression can make a person do some pretty crazy stuff, and for all intents and purposes, she IS weak right now. This has rather made me more interested in what's going on with them, not less, because I want to see her get better. Malcolm's a good guy, he just didn't understand, as do many real-life loved ones don't when people in their lives have such big problems that run so deep. He figured it out, though, and now he can be strong for her.

[honeybee]

That was the idea! I mean, Hoshi's been behaving oddly from the very beginning of the story - and Malcolm not being terribly quick on the uptake and was taking advantage of her problems without realizing it- it took an extreme incident to see the truth.

And might I add that on the show Hoshi did recover too quickly from what happened to her at the hands of the Xindi. I know she made up for it in Zero Hour, but I don't think it would have been that easy.

[Aquarius]

It's also often a matter of "good days" and "bad days" for people in Hoshi's situation. The appearance of a quick recovery can just be a matter of a few good days and people not knowing what's really on your mind.