The Secret of the Amethyst

[CoffeeCat]

It's really hard to get into a fan fiction when you're not familiar enough with the characters to care.
Thanks for reading it anyway, I really appreciate it.

[JadziaKathryn]

Voyager was my first Trek exposure (and B'Elanna is my favorite VOY character) so I really like using it to fix *the_abomination*.

[Asso]

I am not young and I grew with Kirk and Spock (since to Enterpise).
Voyager is not my favorite thing, but if it can put right "the Abomination", for me it goes well.

[CoffeeCat]

Well, technically it was not intended to be Voyager. I don't forsee using any more Voyager characters except maybe Tuvok when they realize P/T went awol and Janeway wants a trusted "detective" to go find them.

It uses the characters I thought best suited for the task. Since it involves a badly written holoprogram I immeadiately thought of Tom Paris, the Doctor and Reginald Barclay. It was perfect because of the Pathfinder project and Deanna Troi's connection to them all. An added bonus was when I realised that *the_abomination* had a child abduction and I thought it would be cool if I paralled the storyline with Miral. So yeah, I guess it is partly Voyager, but I'm planning some more Riker involvement with the Titan and the possibility of a Spock guest appearance once this sucker hits Romulan space.

So it might actually be a Voyager/TNG/Enterprise/TOS crossover.

Heck. I can't call it a crossover. I call it a "I'm usuing whatever the hell characters I feel like, so kiss off" kinda story

Oh - and nothing I just said is written in stone, I'm using those examples to show that I'm remaining open to any character possibilities (as long as they remain in character and the plot remains character driven) and I'm not going to limit myself with the "series mentality".

[krn]

just wanted to chime in and say I've been enjoying your story. I'm curious to see where this is all heading. The last chapter was a bit confusing as I had to reread it to figure out who was double crossing who.

The idea that there is more information within the holoprogram is interesting. You just have to ask the right questions.

[CoffeeCat]

^ There's going to be more double crossing in the future.
I have lots of fun ideas for my "Evil Admiral Twins" and the witless Kalegra (who may turn out to be smarter than she looks).

Anyhow, is there any possibly way that I can edit the story to make it more clear?
Should I make it more clear?

[krn]

I guess - for me - Porter, Kalegra and Flemming were just sorta thrown into the mix all of a sudden. And then we find out they all, including Janeway, have their own agendas that were different from what they started out doing. Everyone's on a different page - even people you'd think would be on the same one.

Maybe I'm the only confused one. It is a possiblity.

[CoffeeCat]

When I was writing it, I remembered something when I was studying the biblical apochalypse: that's just the way evil works; everyone has their own adgena and will use each other until they're no longer needed and then discard each other when they're through. My observations of the world around me often confirm that teaching.

So, I know it's confusing, but that's the effect I was going for. Flemming, Porter, and Kalegra all have their own adgenda and if you want a big fat spoiler about it: Flemming was lieing through his teeth about what Kalegra's agenda really is because he has his own. The real idiot in the whole matter will most likely turn out to be Porter.

[CoffeeCat]

Need your opinion guys - I wrote a prologue involving Shran as the main character.

Beta one says: "No - you've written three parts (thirty pages) centering around Voyager/TNG characters and it might be a little awkward to leave the reader hanging for three or more parts without him.

Beta two says: "Awesome, love it - didn't like one adjective you used - seemed OC, but it works with the plot"

The question is, should I tack on the prologue or not?

June, 2158

"They came in the middle of the night and took her as I slept," Shran frothed. He slammed the data PADD on the desk, hard; causing the General to point his antennae forward obstinately.

"I blame you," Shran pulsed with fury; all the years serving under General Thallek had finally come to this.

"You've become lax and insensate, Shran," Thallek castigated. "You'd jump into bed with any Vulcan who'd raise an eyebrow at you."

Shran shook with unkempt rage. He was tired and his head thrummed with all the unpleasant memories of the past fifteen hours. "What does this have to do with Vulcans?" His face contorted and his hands balled into fists.

"Everything and nothing."

At the tone of the General's voice, realization dawned.

"You took her." Shran was braced, ready to crawl over the General's desk to rip his antennae off.

So he did.

With one swift movement he tore one out by the root, causing Thallek to shriek at the stark horror - the dishonor - of being laid low by such a small amount of flesh. He writhed in agony; his eyes rolled back into their sockets.

Shran found himself kneeling on the desk, holding the disgusting, bloodied appendage in his fist. He opened his palm, watching repulsed as it twitched from being wrenched from its life source.

He spat on it; noting out of the corner of his eye that Thallek had lost consciousness. It didn't matter. Shran pitched the dead antennae at his old friend and jumped down from where he perched.

With arrant determination, he stormed out of Thallek's office to seek out all that was lost; for the love of the future; for his child.

It happened over a week ago; Shran recoiled at the memory, and I'm more bitter now than I was then.

"Commander," Lieutenant Shak turned from his console, bringing Shran back to the present. "We've picked up her trail."

Shran's mouth diminished into a thin line. "Adjust speed to overtake her. I want her now."

At his order, several of his bridge crew leered in his direction. It was suicide.

"Adjusting speed, Commander," Lieutenant Twil answered. "We'll overtake them in ten minutes."

"Then prepare for battle," Shran told them.

It was Shak who had the audacity to point out the obvious: "Even at our best we're no match for that kind of power."

Shran's glare burned Shak to his core. "It's worth it, Lieutenant. If it cripples them - if it stops them from what they're about to do - it's worth it."

"Commander," Silla snapped around from the tactical station, her urgent demeanor drawing in the attention of everyone. "The vessel has adjusted her course to intercept, full speed. Detecting a shockwave, bearing one five seven mark two five."

Shran stood as the screen filled with a light purple aura of destructive terror on a direct course.

"Raise shields!" Even as he bellowed, the ship lurched violently, throwing the crew haphazardly about the confined bridge. When they rode out the worst of it, Shran gained his footing and barked, "Damage Report!"

Silla scurried back to her console and read the display in front of her, "Aft shields are at fifty percent, hull breach in section four deck two. Three injured; one dead."

"Want to tell me what in Snella's name that was?"

"A subspace distortion, Commander."

"From the ship?"

"Affirmative."

Shran took in the information, eyeing the paragon shown on the screen while making a concentrated effort to anticipate her next move. "Twil, take us within four thousand kilometers of her. Silla, prepare the torpedo."

"Understood." With Silla, there was no effort to hide her concern as she left the bridge for the torpedo bay. They had one shot; one torpedo that had the capacity to render their enemy useless.

It was Shak who took her place. He was a good shot; an equal with Silla. After an ostensibly endless two minutes of watching the ship move dangerously close on screen, Shak finally reported, "Torpedo is loaded and locked."

"On my mark..." Shran held up his pointer finger to back up his verbal command; Shak had a tendency to be trigger happy. "Steady..."

As Shran's ship moved within range of the other vessel, all could see that she was powering up to do something; no one was sure what, and no console had the percipience to tell them; but she appeared to be in a very bad mood.

"Fire," was the last thing Shran remembered saying before the universe seemed to implode....

[evcake]

[CoffeeCat]

Thanks for the opinion guys! You've been a real help <g>
Beta one had a mind change so it looks like I'm in the prologue business. I'll tack it on to the story.

There's just something really cool about Shran ripping out someone's antenea...

[justTripn]

I just wanted to say I read chapter 1 of the Secret of the Amethyst and am intrigued! I really like the idea of a crossover. You seem to know your Voyager characters well. We need more mystery stories. I won't read the whole thread becauase I'm afraid of spoilers.

Since there exists a holographic version of Trip, there is great potential for other crossovers. Who would like to see Vic of DS9 handing out advice to Trip, a fellow hologram, about his love life? Vic is supposed to be very insightful that way. Maybe he can tell Trip why a guy with everthing going for him only had four serious relationships in his life and they were all disasters, (if you count the canon version of the T'nT relationship).

Why would Trip be in these? Engineers are always into the holodeck and Trip is a famous historical engineer. Maybe Nog or Barklay (as in the Secret of the Amethyst) would want them for some scenario.

OR an in AU version of Voyager, Barklay emails holographic Trip to Voyager to help with repairs.

[CoffeeCat]

I thought about having them extract Trip from the program with the Doctor's mobile emitter and having them fight over the blasted thing (which would probably be funny as hell) - but I don't think I could have that happen just yet. Maybe later

[CoffeeCat]

Part IV, Scene 1:

http://coffeecat77.livejournal.com/18974.html

I know - I've been slow (but not lax - just deleting about two scenes for every three I write O_o)

[blacknblue]

Looking gooder all the time. But you have GOT to add more background information. Who the heck ARE these people!?!?

I mean the OCs of course.

More filler please. More background. Lean and mean is good. But you are knifing it too close to the bone.

But I like what you are giving us. I just want more and richer. The soup is too thin. Spice it up and toss in another chunk of meat and two or three more spuds please.