#andorian fairy tales

[indignantlemur]

Hello! I have a bit of an odd question, do andorians have any fairytale stories? If so, what kind?

Thank you.

Andorians do have fairy tales! In Emigre, Dagmar spends an inordinate amount of time translating some for the Andorian embassy, in fact.

The following is, of course, my headcanon lore rather than anything based in canon sources. Since, you know, there are none. (Do better, ST writers. Do better.)

Most Andorian fairy tales and folk stories tend to be more like the original Brothers Grimm stories rather than the newer, sanitised stuff peddled to children these days. Most of the stories are dark and are meant to serve as grim warnings to avoid or abstain from certain behaviours, or suffer the consequences. The foolish child who wanders off while their parent is distracted and falls through the ice, to be very graphically gobbled up by a sea monster, for example, is very popular with new parents trying to corral their unruly offspring. It's also remarkably effective.

Some are more fanciful, certainly, such as the tales of Andorians who wandered far from home and came back years later with eerily spectre-like Aenar wives, seemingly having never aged while decades had passed for everyone else. Others depict the Aenar as little better than fog-Spirits, melting in the presence of fire - which is a a thin metaphor at the best of times but especially telling when one considered that Andorians call themselves the people of fire.

Others still are tales of heroic adventures, often of young, enterprising heroes who set out to face challenges and change the status quo. The ones that live are hailed as heroes. The ones that don't are object lessons.

The less well known stories often feature heroes of previous tales who, rather than resting on their laurels, continue throughout their lives to step up to challenges and right wrongs in a continuous narrative from birth to death. Most of these lifelong heroes tend to die in a self-sacrificial move that benefits their families and Clan in some way, which should surprise absolutely no one familiar with the culture.

There are some points of contention between the different regions of Andoria regarding some of these stories, as it seems as though each region has a slightly different version of events recorded. All will agree, for example, that there was a Hero who may or may not have been young or old, who may or may not have been male or female, who may or may not have been a child of this Clan or that Clan or no Clan at all, who may or may not have faced these monsters but not those ones, slain these foes and formed alliances with those, and so on. It has been an absolute nightmare for historians who specialise in the preservation of ancient folklore to sort out, and most of them are locked in vicious debates with one another over the tiniest of details.

Thanks for the ask! <3

[thenorsiest]

Star Trek Ears

Due to recent Klingon Ear discourse I’m going to be ranking Star Trek Ears based on species, and no I will not be accepting criticism.

Human: 5/10 The base line. The mundane. They’re still round and nice and we understand them. But we didn’t go in to space to find ourselves. We went to space to get kinky with aliens! 

Ocampa: 7/10 Points for style! Points for cuteness! They’re exactly the type of thing you’d expect to see in science fiction and they satisfy a human size need for both pretty and approachable.

Ferangi: 3/10 Cursed ears. Low in style but high in function. Actually argued with my partner over this ranking. They thought it should be higher, and i’ll grant you this- There’s something about knowing you could satisfy their baser instincts with with a little ear massage. That’s all you want babe? Consider it done! I’ll wash my hands afterwards because I ‘feel’ dirty, not because ‘am’ dirty.

Vorta: 4/10 Kinda creepy but kinda intriguing. They’re unique and I wanna touch them (I be human like that) but why no lobe? What’s the deal with the ridges? How far back do they go into the hair? I’ve too many questions and frankly I’m not sure I want all the answers.

Romulans: 8/10 Let’s face it, we love our space elves. We love the pointiness, the curve and the fairy tale like imagery. There’s something very human about comparing them to mythical creatures. We’ve assigned ears like these to everything from demons, to Fey, and even gods. Multiple cultures have depicted them as something otherworldly. And they weren’t wrong to do so. The biggest downside here is who they’re attached to. Let’s just say you gotta be real careful what you whisper into these beauties, otherwise you might destroy humanity.

Klingons: ?/10 I’ll let you know when we find them! (See Klingon Ear discourse of 2020)

Changlings: 1/10 they can literally shift into anything. Sure, Odo set a standard and he had a hard time taking humanoid form. I can’t fault him, but the rest of these guys? You’ve got a universe of options and you go with that! So flat, so dull. For shame doc, for shame.

Special mention, Andorian Antennae: 6/10 While not ears (because they have human ones) these things have character. We don’t exactly know what they’re for, and it doesn’t seem the Andorians know either. But they are expressive! They twirl, they twitch and they catch your attention. They pull at my human curiosity and honestly, that’s worth something.

Special mention, Bajorans: 9/10 While exactly the same as humans the bling makes all the different. That jewelry might be a representation of faith but they’re also stylish as heck! The dangly chain, the shimmer, the fact it’s one sided. Major points for one-upping the entire human race.

Vulcans: 11/10 Let’s face it, you were waiting for this. I know it. Don’t deny it. We love these ears for all the same reasons of the Romulans. The biggest difference? What they’re attached to! I don’t think any of us Trekkies can claim not to love our Vulcans. They’re strong, smart, loyal, stylish and they bring the sass like no ones business. We love seeing them in love. We love their stoicism and their bravado. They might annoy us at times with their clinical speech or their cold demeanor but we don’t care. They stole our hearts a long time ago and they haven’t exactly returned them. And their ears? We envy them. We adore them. And let’s face it, we wanna nibble.

[littlewalken]

Nov 28

Randomly random round up to get some thoughts out so other thoughts can get in.

Take basic plot nots for any of the Spider-man comics you read for the thing that makes your brain hurt. Remember general Green Goblin and Osborn shit only or we’ll be here until the 2030s. 

For the ‘With great power comes a big electricity bill’ (ponder variations on big that sound good) have a fine mix of red herrings and real shit. Never watch any of the Andrew Garfield movies, keep it to Wiki summaries and opinion pieces about his Peter Parker not being all that Peter Parkery. 

SWF seeks SWM who enjoys wearing leotards and being screamed at. Is that my prom night dumpster baby? My imaginary friend is up there!

Let’s see if we can get thru one of the study of fairy tales/myths books before we get to any heavy writing. Especially things like the Spidey story and some of the G2 and for some reason the Duncan story has come to mind.

Go thru the art reference pics and look for some that need to be printed bigger or lighter or whatever. Those that are replaced go to the scrapbooks. 

Today’s half assed writing idea is Marko Lost Boys’ back story. Much thanks to whomever posted the clips of just him on You Tube because now I don’t have to see the movie any time soon. Never liked or got into it in the first place although I was at the younger end of the right age. 

Always thought Alex Winter was cute and liked Bill and Ted. He’s still cute. I like non conventionally handsome masculine people who are smart and interesting and seem fun to be with. 

Thinking a bit about how I’d handle Cardassian tails in my art.

Was up at about midnight and saw a Jeffie as Shran Star Trek, Andorians vs Telurides (sp?) and someone all bit picks Jeff Combs up to break up a fight. Didn’t catch the name of the goddess he mated with but I’d totally understand fan art of her tucking him udner her arm and carrying him like a hand bag. 

And the whale tail costume. He’s like Martin Gore in space. 

I remember seeing  Shran with the ice cave version of the Andorians, I think ENterprise fans know who I mean, and watch his foot. It’s old fashioned Hollywood for ‘I’m very happy to see you’ and fiction writers should take note. 

I know I did stuff and things yesterday and want to do them today but it’s all dependent upon what the tension in my neck wants to do :/

[sshbpodcast]

Tales from the Holodeck: Star Trek/Star Wars Mashup: Caitlin’s Story

In celebration of A Star to Steer Her By’s second anniversary, we broke out the “Tales from the Holodeck” fanfic again and wrote up some mashup stories combining Star Trek and Star Wars! We picked our series and allowed the force to guide us where we went from there. You can listen to all the fanfic on the podcast, or read them here! This is Caitlin’s short story written out. Live long, prosper, and may the force be with you.

[images © Lucasfilm, Disney, CBS, Paramount, etc.]

“The Day the Nerds Stood Still”

by Caitlin

Random Picks: Star Trek: TOS / Star Wars Original Trilogy 

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away… The battle between the Trekkers and the Warsians was reaching unimaginable heights. Attacks were launched by both sides: convention centers burned to the ground, Massive bonfires of DVDs, books, and action figures lit, Figures of key players from both sides Of the war, burned in effigy. And if that was not enough, cyber attacks were launched: Websites hacked and information erased, or worse - The ever-growing list of what is canon And what wasn’t Was meddled with, altered beyond recognition. It was during this increasingly deadly campaign of violence When, with no warning, a stranger from the stars Came down to Earth, to meet its people And judge whether they were ready To join the rest of the universe Among the stars….. 

“People of earth, my name is Klaatu - I come in peace,” said the extremely humanoid man who had stepped out of the unexpected spaceship. He watched with a grimace as a robe-clad figure swung a plastic light saber at a man seated in a strange wheelchair with a distant look on his face. The toy bounced off the wheelchair’s mostly cardboard and duct tape body with a pathetic thump. “This behavior is preposterous - why are you making violence against your fellow man?”

Every head in the crowd turned to stare at him, eyebrows raised in horror, some mouths agape. “Are you kidding? You don't know?” a man dressed in a too small Darth Vader costume asked, incredulously.

“There is much we don't know about your people,” Klaatu said, spreading his hands wide. “That is why I am here - your planet is being considered to join the universal community. But if you are unable to prove yourselves to be civil, you may suffer dire consequences.”

“Like what, cursed to watch nothing but Star Trek V for all eternity?” one Han Solo–garbed fellow joked to a group dressed as the band from Jabba the Hutt’s palace.

“Like your planet would be blown to smithereens to stop you from spreading your toxicity to other galaxies,” Klaatu replied coldly.

A gasp rose from the crowd, and each faction started chattering nervously amongst themselves.

Out of the crowd stepped one man, who said, “Listen, we’re all adults here.” The Trekker was dressed in a perfect replica of Kirk’s Wrath of Khan–era uniform. “If these bojos could just admit that Trek is superior, there could be finally be peace!”

“Fat chance, lame brain!” all in attendance gasped - for an impossibly tall young woman popped out of the top of a GONK droid to face the wannabe Kirk. “Everybody knows that Star Wars is the greatest thing ever!”

“Your beloved Star Wars is more a fairy tale than science fiction!” one red-faced, red-shirted Trekker shouted. “Imagine, weirdly dressed magicians running around using magic spells and calling it sci-fi!”

“Oh please, like mixing matter and anti-matter and using lasers to power dilithium crystals is so ‘scientific’? Sounds about as wibbly wobbly as a Stephen Moffat episode of Doctor Who!” cried an impressively outfitted Greedo.

“We didn't need movies to capture the imagination and love of our audience,” countered a young woman dressed as an Andorian, diddlybobs swaying.

“But you did need your audience to keep your garbage scow afloat for three seasons,” retorted a man clad in a storm trooper uniform. “Without that letter campaign you'd have been dead in the water.”

“Two words, rebel scum,” spat a Nurse Chapel cosplayer. “Christmas special.”

With a roar, a group of a dozen fully suited Ewoks charged ahead, bowling over a trio of Yeoman Rands. In response, a group of Gorn threw their styrofoam rocks at a genderswapped  C3PO (or was it just Joan Rivers’s character from Space Balls?), startling her and causing her to lose her balance from atop her golden roller skates. An exceptionally strong looking Uhura grabbed a pair of Princess Leia doubles and conked their heads together, Three Stooges style.

Suddenly, there came a gasp from the gathered crowd. Where once there had stood only the man known as Klaatu, two Force ghosts flickered into view - they were the ghosts of Yoda and Mr. Spock!

“It is illogical to disagree violently about your preferred form of entertainment,” said Spock, his eyebrow raised as he looked over the crowd. “From what I learned in the company of humans, it is what makes us unique and individual that is most special. Agree to disagree, but do not go to war over something so insignificant.”

“Live and let live, you must,” agreed Yoda. “Worth being excluded from the universal community, it is not. Laugh at you one day, your grandchildren would.”

And all the nerds who had gathered looked at each other, and realized: they weren’t so different. Sure, some of them preferred their science fiction a little more sciency, and some preferred it a little more magicky, but they both agreed spaceships, aliens, and defeating evil was cool, didn’t they?

“Live long and prosper,” said Spock, raising his hand in the memorable Vulcan farewell.

“May the Force be with you,” said Yoda, attempting with his tridactyl fingers to mimic Spock’s gesture. He struggled for a moment before muttering, “For the birds, this is! Prosper and live long…”

The Jedi Master was in the middle of a grumble as the legions of dorks, dweebs, nerds and geeks came together and embraced, and with a satisfied smile and a shake of his wizened head, Yoda and Spock started to fade away, back to wherever they had come from. Balance had been obtained, and would continue long, long into the future.

“This was a dumb war anyway.” The crowd turned as one to where a tall thin man in a floppy hat, frock coat and impossibly long scarf stood. “Classic Who is far superior to either of these lame franchises. Would you like a jelly baby?”

Thanks for reading! If you’re hungry for more, check back here for Ames, Jake, Chris’s stories, revisit our first batch of TOS fanfic here, keep listening to the podcast, and follow A Star to Steer Her By on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to tip your yeoman!

[indignantlemur]

The Directory!

Emigre: link

Pairing(s): Original Andorian Character/Original Human Character (Dagmar/Shral), Andorian/Andorian, Andorian/Human/Andorian/Andorian

Rating: Explicit (as of chapter 44)

Status: In-Progress, available via AO3

A tear in the fabric of space and time has consequences that echo across ages; an unexpected arrival from the twenty-first century challenges a nation's perceptions and sets a most unlikely precedent. An exploration of Andorian culture from a Human's POV.

The Stars Keep Watch: link

Pairing(s): Va'Al Trask/Original Human Character (Va'Al/Mira)

Rating: Explicit

Status: In-Progress, available via AO3

Mira Vos signed up for Starfleet only to find herself posted to hell. Undersupplied and overstressed, the fighting on J'Gal threatens to wear her down. The arrival of a special forces unit led by a handsome Andorian promises a break in the routine... A classic wartime romance - but In Space.

🎄🎁❄️Deck the Halls (and Not the Vulcans): link

Pairings: Dagmar/Shral (background)

Rating: Teen

Status: Complete, available on AO3

It's winter time in San Francisco, and the Andorian embassy has just been challenged to participate in a friendly competition between the Federation's founding species' embassies. The objective? To see who can best decorate a Terran Christmas tree. The prize? Nothing less than deeply coveted bragging rights for the coming year.

Dagmar Gunnarssen has never been so ready for anything in her entire life.

Hoarfrost: 🚧🛠️

Pairing(s): Dagmar Gunnarssen & Ambassador Thoris th'Kor, Background relationships from Emigre

Rating: Teen

Status: In-Progress, not yet available via AO3. (Pssst! Sneak peak available: link)

An unusually powerful ion storm forces Ambassador Thoris and his retinue to abandon ship over a largely uninhabited planet. Some of the last to make it to the escape pods, Thoris and Dagmar wind up separated from the others. Together, they must navigate a frozen, eerily barren landscape - and survive.

Emigre Art:

Shral: finished

Thelen: finished with detail shots

Miraal: in-progress, in-progress update

Ambassador Thoris: finished (tentative)

Vrath: finished

'An Eventful Meeting' : finished

IndignantLemur's Very Serious & Accurate Antennae Expression Guide: here!

Dagmar's courting ring: here

Kelenthor the Clanless: here

Fancy Drinks and Fancy Duds: in-progress

Andorian Chitin Map Reference: Thelen, Thoris, Shral: here

IndignantLemur's Very Serious & Accurate Quad Marriage Diagram: here

Winter Holiday Series:

Dagmar/Shral: In-progress 1, in-progress 2, finished

Mermay Series:

Andorian Mermaids/Swimming with Dagmar: in-progress

CANON Fan Art:

Shran: here

Commissions/Gifts:

Serrin of Romulus: finished (@bigblissandlove1 commission)

S'Talon of Romulus: in-progress (silly) & finished (@bigblissandlove1 commission)

Gift commission: finished (@the-lady-general commission)

Emperor Georgiou: finished (@the-lady-general commission)

Lt Hemmer: finished (@nichestartrekkie0-0 gift)

Cmdr Ophelia Zubira: finished (@unknownfacelessfanfictions)

Andorian Headcanons:

Andorians and Food

Andorians and the Sea

Andorian Governing Bodies & The Role of Nepotism

Andorian Marriage Dynamics & Divorce

Andorian Proposals

Andorian Religion & Spirituality (And horror stories)

The Andorian Imperial Clan

Andorian Hair

Andorian Holidays

Andorian Courtship Ring Metallurgy

Andorian Medical Professionals

Andorian Awards and Commendations

Andorians and Figure Skating

Andorians and Dancing

Andorians and Currency

The Andorian Facepalm?

Andorian-Vulcan relations pre-ST:ENT

Andorian Language and Conlang

Andorian Weddings and Funerals

Andorian Attitudes on Interspecies Relationships

Andorian-Human Hybridization

The Am Tal and The Andorian Incident

Andorian Clan Identification and Chitin Patterns

Andorian Names

Andorians and Adoption

Clanless Andorians

Andorians and Rites of Passage into Adulthood

The Code of the Ushaan and the Holmgang

Andorian Fairy Tales

Kelenthor the Clanless and Watercolours

Human-Andorian First Contact headcanons

Andorian Fashion and Fabrics

Are Andorians Extroverts or Introverts?

Andorian Family Dynamics

Andorian Cosmetics and Perfumes

Andorian Arts: Theatre/Opera/Poetry/Etc

Andorian Quad Marriages vs Bonds

Temperatures on Andoria

Andorian Humour and Philosophy

The Spirits of Andoria

Andorian Blood Chemistry RE: Toxins and Cyanide

Emigre General Discussions:

Healing and Grief in Emigre

The Bulreeng Taal Beatdown

Author's Commentary: Chapter 41 - Grace and Poise

Author's Commentary: Chapter 37 - Connection

What Do The Andorians (and Dagmar) of Emigre Smell Like?

Author's Commentary: Chapter 43: The Star Thief

What Language Is Dagmar Speaking?

Author's Commentary: Chapter 46 - Face the Facts

Director's Cut - ask for a writer's commentary on a chapter, section, line, or scene in their work, or send a ⭐for free-range rambles!

Writer Ask Game - send an emoji, get an answer!

OC Emoji Ask Game - send an emoji, specify the OC, and get an answer!

Emigre Playlists:

Dagmar - I Don't Belong In This Club

Dagmar - All I Can Do Is Try

Dagmar/Shral - I Will Melt With You

Dagmar/Thelen - Shut Up & Dance

Anlenthoris th'Kor - The Old Warhawk

Emigre Atmospheric Mixes:

Dagmar At The Office

Hovercar Ride With Shral

Hoarfrost Atmospheric Mixes:

Walking Through A Blizzard

Waiting Out A Snowstorm In A Cave

Alien Aurora While Camping In The Snow

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