May We Together Become Greater Than The Sum Of Us by WG

[WarpGirl]

OK I have to admit I've got some reservations about posting a discussion thread of my story... 1. I don't usually follow trends. 2. It seems like everytime I do start a thread something bad happens. 3. I'm shy, about my writing.

Truth be told, I never expected to get this much feedback. I've only been around 1 year 26 days, and I never wrote any ST fic before in my life. So just what I've already gotten is beyond my wildest dreams. I certainly never expected it to be all good feedback, especially given the fact that I am A. Nuts. B. I don't tow the party line about ENT or TnT all that much. So to everybody who has ever left me a review thank you from the bottom of my heart.

As you know my updating is well... Awful! I appologize. 70% is health problems, 10% writers block, 5% busy, 5% lazy. I'm working hard on the last one.

My goal for this story is to show the life of TnT from two weeks after Terra Prime to the declaration of the Romulan War. It is an AU obviously but I am no Elessar, Transwarp, or Rigil Kent. I know writing war stories with battles and explosions will never be my area of expertice. I just don't have it in me. I do think I can handle, plotting, cloak-and-dagger, and espionage... So there will be plenty of that stuff coming. I also want to try and attempt some scientific discovery, engineering miracles, and Malcolm getting some fancier toys to blow things up with. And I intend to do some carnage as well, just not full-scale war. I'm no good at full scale war.

So any questions, comments, just don't like it, really do like it, requests I'm all ears... And I'm serious about requests I might not grant them but they do inspire me.

[WarpGirl]

OK nobody cares, but I got such a nice review from Cogito that my heart has broken the warp 10 barrier and I'm going to turn into a lizard! Oh happy day! Does anyone know if Transwarp's okay? I haven't seen him around, I worry.

[justTripn]

I thought I would apologize to you and to all the other authors whose stories I haven't read. Other than my beta-ing for Silverbullet and Alelou, I haven't been reading much Trip and T'Pol lately. My only excuse is I've been "here" (HoT and Triaxian Silk) since the series went off the air. I may have OD'd on the TnT fanfic, lol . . . But I am pleased to see all the newcomers busily writing, and discussing, having fun, and carrying the project forward!

[WarpGirl]

Um I don't think you have to appologize jT you're the one putting up with all of the chaos here. I'm certainly not offended if people don't read my stuff for any reason. But I think overload is a pretty darn good reason! I can't say I read all the authors here myself. So please don't feel bad on my account. I can't speak for anyone else, but I totally understand where you're coming from. I don't read much KOTOR fic anymore, because of guilt. Am I still "new"? I've been here over a year!

[Brandyjane]

I just started reading the latest chapter, and I was enjoying it, when I suddenly realized I hadn't read the previous chapters. I started out reading all of the latest stories posted on this site except for the multi-chapter ones, then I started going back and reading through the archives in alphabetical order. It would have taken a while to get to "WarpGirl," but since you started this thread I decided to go ahead and read it now.

[Brandyjane]

Sorry for the double post. I just finished the first chapter. I like how it's mostly from Malcolm's point of view. He's so closed up on screen that it's interesting whenever a story spends time in his head. Another thing I thought was really good is your description of T'Pol's behavior during the time Trip was aboard Columbia. I wish we'd seen some of what you described onscreen, particularly the Vulcan martial arts.

[WarpGirl]

Thank you Brandyjane! Sorry I couldn't get back here before, I had an awful night. Lots of pain. Malcolm is tragically underused in the show, and sometimes fic, unless its "Drown Malcolm Month" (which I haven't participated in). And I think he's a character with unlimited potential. To tell you the strict honest truth, every character on ENT (except Travis) I find intriguing to look deeper in. Even Archer to an extent, the problem with him is I don't always think I'd find pleasant things about him if I go too deep. So I try to avoid going to a place with him that's too dark.

But Malcolm and Hoshi are two characters where I get the sense that there is much more going on with them than we got to see. Neither of them seemed to have a great home-life, Malcolm especially seems to have a potential for having been abused in the past. Then there's his past in Section 31. And then he went from "no fratransizing" rule bound officer, to someone who became extremely personally, and emotionally, invested with his crew. He had quite a makeover. However, I think TPTB over-emphasized his tendency to be a bit of a drama queen...

I am looking forward to diving into the "people" part of the intrepid crew and their influences in TnT's world and life. Travis however gives me nightmares (on rare nights that I do sleep and dream) he's got so little going on, that I find I have no muse with him at all. I think he's nice, he's certainly HOT, but other than that as a writer, I got ziltch!

Oh I have to thank you for your comment of my "creating an interesting 'world'" That is exactly what I'm trying to accomplish here!

I admit to loving TnT fics where its just them and nothing really goes on in the outside. But I can't write that way. I get bored. The ST universe is a huge, diverse, complex, facinating place. And I don't think I could write about any couple being at the center of it. Not even Paris/Torres... Not that I would write for them, aside from some continuity issues, I think they're just about perfect. Why mess with that?

[justTripn]

WarpGirl, I think of you you as "new." I guess that makes me old in more ways than one.

[WarpGirl]

You... Old? Not possible! But I'll take being younger... My birthday is in a few short months and I DON'T WANT IT! Every one of my siblings is either gainfully employed, married, or married with kids. What do I do with my life? Write! Because I'm not healthy enough to: go back to school, or get a job without losing my medicade. And nobody will put up with me to even date, let alone marry.

[WarpGirl]

OK anybody reading this I appologize in advance for being a whiney baby. Really I do, but this might be the worst week my body has put me through in the past 3 months. So I'm a bit cranky...

Normally, I am not one who gets obsessed with the number of reviews I get. There are several reasons for this...

1. I cut my teeth in a fandom where people weren't "gushing" about the authors they liked.

It just wasn't a place where people did it. Occasionally if someone did something completely mind blowing (which I kinda did) you'd get one or two people to fawn over you. But for the most part, the only time people were particularly vocal was when you ticked them off (did that too) or when your updates took a long time. My last KOTOR update was 5 years ago.

2. I was young when I started the fic thing. Only 20, and reviews and whether people liked me was the number 1 goal.

Now not-so-much. I don't care if people like what they read, as much as I want to know I wrote it well. I wanna be a real author. I wanna know what will make me do better. Whether or not people like a plot point is almost irrelevant for me at this point. I can't stand Earnest Hemmingway, not my cup of tea. But I study him because he's good. I like getting reviews that say "Hey WG what were you doing? None of this makes any sense! Explain yourself! This is what I need to know... I can learn from that and fix things... Then if someone does say "I don't like it. But you wrote it well..." Well that's better than whiskey!

So why am I whining? Simple I wrote the longest most complicated chapter that I've probably ever written in my life, and I started scribbling stories in the 1st grade... But it feels like the last kid to be picked out for dodge ball. Truth be told this fandom, especially this site is VERY, VERY gushy when something is good. When it's not, not-so-much! Added to the fact that life has made me insecure all week... And you've got a whiney, needy, cranky, WG. Again I appologize.

[Brandyjane]

I finally finished reading the first five chapters. (I accidentally read chapter five first, whoops!) I enjoyed it very much. Unfortunately I don't really have much to say that might help you improve your writing. I like your writing. You do a good job of setting a scene and describing it fully. Now I know some readers might say they prefer a little less description, but I'm one of those readers who likes to have the little details filled in for me. While I'm perfectly capable of filling in the gaps with my own imagination, when I read one of your stories, I want to "see" the world that you are creating. Does that make sense? I guess it's a long-winded way of saying keep doing what you're doing.

Your original character, S'Tal, is just plain cool. Your first description of him in the all-black dress with a knife at his hip drew me in right away. I hope to learn more about his mate.

I like your take on the evolution of Trip and T'Pol's relationship. It is far more mature than what we saw onscreen. Most authors have them going at it pretty hot and heavy early on. Now I certainly won't deny that I enjoy reading those stories. However, it's kind of nice to have a different take on it. Your flashbacks of the early neuropressure sessions give us some of the best conversations I've ever read between Trip and T'Pol. It did make me wonder how these two couldn't realize that they're obviously more than just friends, even that early on in in season three. But then again, even if they recognized their own feelings, they wouldn't think the other reciprocated.

Another thing I enjoyed was the scenes you wrote from Malcolm, Archer, and Phlox's point of view. I know how much you dislike Archer, but you're handling his character well despite that.

[WarpGirl]

WOW! You'll give me an ego if you keep that up Brandyjane. Thank you kindly. Now I have to say this right here makes me teary with happiness...

I want to "see" the world that you are creating.

I've been telling stories since before I could physically write or type. And in ALL of my stories that has been the main goal. Whether, I'm in the Imperial Russian Court, the Star Wars Old Republic, or in the ST universe: I want people to be there in the story, with my characters and be experiencing everything with them. So thank you.

I like your take on the evolution of Trip and T'Pol's relationship. It is far more mature than what we saw onscreen.

Well, I won't get too into how much what I saw onscreen disappointed me, (I am following the new rules) however, I could not wrap my head around the fact that a 34 year old man and a [biologically] 29 year old woman could behave like 14 year olds. I mean come on, neither of these people are stupid. Both of them are perfectly capable of interacting and communicating with people. I know people fall back on Trip being too heartbroken by Harbinger, (which I never believed he was) and T'Pol being Vulcan. But I think both of these viewponts sell both Trip and T'Pol short as people.

While T'Pol is Vulcan and does not know how to have a romantic relationship that we humans understand, she does know what loving someone means. She does know what a relationship between a man and woman should have in it. She had parents who loved each other, and she's been around 66 years. She's had a lot of time to observe successful relationships. I always believed she understood how she felt about Trip, but giving him what he needed, and trusting him to stay with her is another thing entirely. During the entire series Trip never gave her a concrete promise that he would be commited for life. So how could she proceed?

Trip, I'm sorry but the man was in no mental or emotional shape to start something in the expanse, and knew that T'Pol was screwy too, even if he didn't know why. So at that point, he should have brushed off the morning after. It's not like he hadn't had casual sex before. And even if it wasn't a casual experience for either of them, they had to get their acts together. That man pushed at all the wrong times, than ran when he should have pushed. He's not a kid, he knows the woman better than any person in her life, he should have paid attention to what he knew. Again he's 34 for cryin out loud!

So yes I admit objective #1 in my work is to have them act like the adults that they are, and behave accordingly. As for them beint "hot n' heavy" I don't write smut, but they'll be satisfied.

Your original character, S'Tal, is just plain cool. Your first description of him in the all-black dress with a knife at his hip drew me in right away. I hope to learn more about his mate.

Yeah he's my Vulcan bad***! In my brain he looks like a taller Channing Tatum, and T'Rai is Jenna Dewan (Channing Tatum's RL wife) I love the movie Step Up. I don't pretend S'Tal will be as awesome as Dinah's Torok, or Transwarp's Shalin... But he is dear to me, and so is T'Rai and their as yet unnamed son. And they are going to be very important to TnT. So get used to them.

I know how much you dislike Archer, but you're handling his character well despite that.

Well maybe I can help dispel the myth that anyone who dislikes the guy wants to turn him into a monkey's rear end. I have never in my life writing fanfic used a character I didn't like to bash them or abuse them.

I have made a character pure evil, but that's because I saw them as pure evil. Casuing the destruction of ALL life on a planet is evil!

Archer isn't evil. He's not the scum of the earth. He's not even as charasmatic as a great evil villian is. But I just don't care for him. I don't think on the show he's any type of a leader. Now in my story, he'll at least learn what he has to become. But his personality is just not one I'd ever warm up too. It doesn't mean I have to take that dislike into my story.

But don't expect his relationship with TnT to stay the way it was on the show. These people have different destinies, and sometimes that changes the dynamics. There isn't going to be any meltdowns, strife, or falling-outs. But life drags people in opposite directions all the time.

[Brandyjane]

Well, I won't get too into how much what I saw onscreen disappointed me, (I am following the new rules) however, I could not wrap my head around the fact that a 34 year old man and a [biologically] 29 year old woman could behave like 14 year olds. I mean come on, neither of these people are stupid. Both of them are perfectly capable of interacting and communicating with people. I know people fall back on Trip being too heartbroken by Harbinger, (which I never believed he was) and T'Pol being Vulcan. But I think both of these viewponts sell both Trip and T'Pol short as people.

I've always thought T'Pol should have been a lot younger. Given what we see on screen, her age makes no sense. Sure, it's kind of a fun idea to have the beautiful, young-looking Vulcan be the oldest member of the crew. But if they wanted to make her be 60+ years old, then they should have developed a really interesting back story for her, and they should have made her react like a mature woman to all the stuff they threw her way. If they didn't feel like going to all that trouble, then they should have at least hinted that T'Pol had led an interesting life, had lots of secrets, etc. From what I could gather from "The Seventh," she wasn't with the Ministry of Security(?) that long before she freaked out and had to be removed. We also know she served on the ship for "Impulse" for a while and was on Earth for a couple of years before Enterprise was launched. That leaves a whole lot of time unaccounted for.

In my opinion, if they wanted her to be that old, then she should have spent part of that "missing" time back on Vulcan married and maybe even having a child or two. I don't buy for a minute that Vulcans typically wait until their sixties to get married. Even with the much longer lifespans, the math just doesn't work for me. T'Pol should have either been married when the show began, or been a widow, or something. If she had a husband and maybe even a child who had died before the events of Enterprise, it would sort of explain her reluctance to pursue something with Trip, if her heart had been broken before.

If they didn't want to create that sort of history for her, and if they wanted her to act inexperienced and confused, then they should have made T'Pol's age the Vulcan equivalent of Hoshi's age. That would, of course, make it difficult for her to have the rank of sub-commander, but maybe she could have been a young prodigy or something.

As for Trip...Yeah, he bugged me sometimes, too, and I LOVE Trip. You're right that he pushed and pulled back at all the wrong times. No wonder the poor guy's previous relationships all went bust!

I'm sorry, I realized I just went off on a rant that takes the focus off your story. Sorry! Back on topic...S'Tal.

Yeah he's my Vulcan bad***! In my brain he looks like a taller Channing Tatum, and T'Rai is Jenna Dewan (Channing Tatum's RL wife) I love the movie Step Up. I don't pretend S'Tal will be as awesome as Dinah's Torok, or Transwarp's Shalin... But he is dear to me, and so is T'Rai and their as yet unnamed son. And they are going to be very important to TnT. So get used to them.

I was hoping you'd say that. T'Rai seemed really sweet. I'm wondering how T'Pol is going to handle T'Rai's pregnancy. I mean, I'm sure she'll be happy (in her Vulcan way) for T'Rai and S'Tal, but T'Rai's advancing pregnancy and then the baby would be a bittersweet reminder of what T'Pol lost.

[WarpGirl]

Actually, T'Pol being so "young" wasn't really the issue for me I guess it's because years and years of reading the Starfleet Academy Novels for kids, helped me understand the Vulcan aging process. Here you have these Vulcan "kids" that are in their 30's and 40's. So I understood that part. I'm also not sure I needed her to have a husband or children to understand the concept of love. But I absolutely agree that they shafted T'Pol by making her the emotional quivilant of a young girl. Because even with the Vulcan aging process, she is not a young girl. She is mentally, and emotionally (in the Vulcan way) a grown woman. With experiences, knowledge, and wisdom, that should have gone beyond her human counterparts. TPTB have made it pretty clear that the Vulcan mind and psyche matures much faster than the Vulcan body. So I don't have a problem that she was in her 60's and unmarried. What did bother me was she was in her 60's and didn't have the mental and emotional maturity of Spock who biologically was only maybe 5 years older in TOS.

Trip... I don't know how to rationalize him either. His behavior with ALL of the women we saw him fall into literally or figuratively made absolutely no sense for a man in his 30's. At least not one of his callibar. My youngest brother is barely 25 nad he's got one of the most solid marriages I have ever seen and he got married at 21! So I give up trying to figure out why, and just focus on him growing the heck up.

Now about T'Pol/T'Rai-baby... I don't like to give too many spoilers, but I think you're going to be more interested in the fact that the baby isn't going to be as big of a struggle as one might expect. But there are issues with T'Rai herself that are more difficult to overcome... I hinted about it a little in the chapter. And yes while T'Rai is very sweet, she's definitely not mild. Something she and T'Pol have in common, whether that makes things easier or not, is going to be up to you as the reader.

[WarpGirl]

God this is turning into a blog about writing May We... So I'm flipping through channles and Troy is on AMC... Now Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, edited so not rated R what's not to love. But here's where the May We comes in, the opening scene with Achillies... Lo and behold Brad Pitt's "armor" all black leather with a curved knife. HELLO sound like something I wrote? I admit I like this movie, but I didn't realize I had subconciously put Brad Pitt's wardrobe on S'Tal. Still I think Eric Bana is now my Skon... If only I could find his T'Lyri I'd be set... Any sugguestions on who would be a hot Vulcan woman to pair with Eric Bana? I'm thinking maybe Aishwarya Rai...