#cmo guide

[pulp-strategy]

The CMO’s Guide to CX in 2024: Navigate Turbulence and Drive Growth - Pulp Strategy

Explore the CMO's Guide to CX in 2024, navigating economic turbulence for brand growth and customer loyalty. Uncover key trends, strategies, and the imperative shift towards customer-centricity for success in the evolving marketing landscape.

[rare]

Chicago the center of everything

[9151967]

The thing that is still getting to me about TMP is how it as much about Spock's acceptance of himself and the unknowable (because logic is that which can be known, logic seeks to know but not necessarily understand) as it is about the Triumvirate learning that they cannot be separated, that they each need each other to be at their best, both as civilians and within Starfleet.

Kirk accepts a promotion out of active service and into the admiralty and the trio falls apart. McCoy protests his decision and Starfleet's choice to offer/push the promotion and leaves the service entirely. Spock leaves the service as well and returns to Vulcan to undergo the Kolinahr as a means to protect himself - from a future pon farr, prove his Vulcan nature rules out over his hybrid status (his main point of conflict/shame, always), and forget those illogical humans that brought emotions out of him now that he will be living among other Vulcans. It was a logical decision for him to make, but he has been irrevocably changed from the five year mission more than he would like to admit (another point of shame and regret).

Kirk doesn't fully come back into the captaincy until Spock returns. He is still mired by doubts owing to the Enterprise's new design, his years out of space, and Decker's presence as a living symbol of Kirk's own decision to leave the Enterprise as Kirk chose Decker to be his successor. (There's a lot to be said about how Kirk projects these fears and doubts onto Decker, how Decker is a parallel to Kirk as Ilia is a parallel to Spock, but that's ultimately what Kirk is struggling against - he chose to leave (albeit with a healthy dose of manipulation as per Roddenberry's novelization; I'm torn about how Roddenberry wrote that in because while it does make sense for how Starfleet could still operate if humans on Earth are so open-minded and peaceful, it detracts from making it Kirk's own choice when TOS has shown that Kirk has made mistakes, has acted selfishly, cannot stand being told what to do or have his authority challenged, not even by McCoy or Spock). He chose his successor. But he was miserable in an Earthbound life and trying to come back to it all - to "return home again" or repeat the past - is something that is not possible to do, no matter how much one wants it. Even the ship he knew and loved is no longer the same. The Enterprise Kirk knew exists only in his memories.)

McCoy acts more as Kirk's doctor than his friend until Spock returns, and rightfully so given the profile he had compiled on him, in addition to Chapel's profile when she acted as the CMO (I love that the novelization makes it clear that she happily gave the position back to McCoy because it meant handing Kirk over to someone who knows how to get through to him, lol. Pour one out for Christine Chapel for taking on the worst job). There are moments that show they have made up or at least called truce, but this McCoy is through with using alcohol to loosen Kirk up to his suggestions and just presses forward with his observations and recommendations, no matter how harsh they may be, to the point of outwardly saying that Kirk may not be fit for command due to his obsession with returning to and keeping the Enterprise. They've bucked heads before in the series over Kirk's behavior and decisions, but this is occurring after they haven't seen each other in years. Time may have passed but the wounds heal slow. (I wonder how much of it felt like a betrayal to McCoy for Kirk to go his own way - a betrayal of McCoy's expertise, a betrayal of Kirk's own skills, a betrayal of their relationship because neither McCoy or Spock can follow him into the higher ranks.)

There's a lot to be said about Kirk acting as the fulcrum that links McCoy and Spock together - who else could bridge that gap between their guiding philosophies, unite two people who are ultimately the same coin but working from different sides (doctor versus scientist) - so when he leaves, the other two leave as well. But TMP shows Spock bringing them back together to the way they were, even before he melds with V'ger and learns that logic is not enough. Spock brings out their humanity, be it by the memories he conjures or in reaction to his new Kolinahr-inspired distance.

[dangraccoon]

Untitled Spreadsheet - PRIVATE

Chapter 4 - Return

Word Count: 464

Content: gay disaster Cody, idk if that's how the force works (I just remember reading something like it somewhere, let me know if it's someone else's hc) slightly snarky Cody

For @literallyjustanerd, based on this post

Mando'a Guide: Jetii'dral - the Force

The first time General Kenobi had lost his lightsaber in the middle of a battlefield, Cody had hesitated to retrieve it. Something in the back of his mind told him no, no, not yours, no. But Kenobi rarely even touched blasters and wasn’t the biggest fan of not leading from the front, so returning his only weapon to him far outweighed his own momentary discomfort as far as Cody was concerned. 

Each time after that became less awkward. After the seventh or eighth time, Cody recalled the General speaking with Commander Tano–imparting a lesson about the weapon being her life that made Cody grateful his helmet’s mic was muted–and discussing the crystals at the core of their sabers. They were somewhat alive with the Force.

The next time he’d plucked Kenobi’s lightsaber from the ground after remembering that, he lifted it closer to his face. He felt a little foolish but knew better than to doubt the jetii’dral. 

“Your jetii is very good at losing you,” he told it–quietly so his brothers wouldn’t hear (and mock) him. “But I will protect you until I can return you to him. And I will protect him until you can.”

Having the weapon on his belt clip–that he’d gotten specifically for this reason–no longer felt strange or wrong, but instead pushed something akin to pride and gratitude into his mind. Kriffin’ jetii’dral.

Of course, when he’d picked it up today, it had been just before their plan to split up. He shook his head, brushing away the dirt that had gathered near the emitter. He’d see it returned soon enough.

Now, the dust was finally settling on Ryloth. The Republic and twi’leks’ victory was hard won, and Cody dreaded having to look through the list of brothers he had lost.

He went through the motions–directing troopers to carry out all the tasks needed after battle and doing his level best to avoid the attention of their CMO because Cody has work to do, damn it, and the graze on his side can wait–all with the added weight of General Kenobi’s saber hanging from the clip on his belt.

“Hello Cody,” General Kenobi said, dusting himself off as he approached. “Hiding from Pulse again?”

“General,” he nodded back, holding out the lightsaber he’d snatched from the ground for the seventh time this week. “Missing something again?”

“Ah, yes,” the General grinned, somewhat sheepishly. “You’re a good man, Cody.”

Cody nodded, thankful that his helmet was hiding the deep red he was sure his cheeks had bloomed into.

“Now, shall we?”

Cody: Attachment: Untitled Spreadsheet - PRIVATE

Rex: what the kriff is that cody

Rex: …

Rex: you made several typos

Cody: I was typing quickly.

Rex: wait 

Rex: 74th time 

Rex: cody

Rex: you kept track??Cody: No comment.

Event: Upon taking back his lightsaber after the last battle on Ryloth, General Kenobi smiled at me and called me ‘good man’

Rational explanation: General Kenobi was appreciative that I recovered his extremely valuable weapon for the 7th time this week

Irrational explanation: The General is madly in love with me and desperately wants to confess his feelings but cannot do so beyond giving me vague (if incredibly endearing) compliments

Additional notes: This is the 74th time the General has referred to me as a ‘good man’

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Thanks for reading! - River

Untitled Spreadsheet - PRIVATE Master List DangRaccoon Master List Tag List Form Read on AO3

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[duckprintspress]

I saw your post regarding the em dash and spaces - have you done one on the ellipses? I often use them in place of an em dash to show an interruption in both dialog and narrative.

Thanks!

Hi!

Sorry it took me a while to answer this, it's hard to find the time to write long posts. :D But no, we haven't done a long post on ellipse usage similar to this post we did about em dashes and spaces. Similar to em dashes, using spaces with ellipses is a bit fuzzy. It can be hard to get solid guidance from CMoS on ellipses, too, because CMoS doesn't really have any examples that link to how we use them in fiction. Their examples focus on their use in academia. Even their definition of what an ellipse IS ( "An ellipsis is a series of three dots used to signal the omission of a word, phrase, line, paragraph, or more from a quoted passage.") doesn't even acknowledge the way they are generally used in fiction to denote a trail-off or hesitation. There's a single, brief section on ellipses in fiction and the hesitation/trailing off usage, but this section mostly just acknowledges this usage exists and doesn't give much guidance.

The CMoS doesn't use spaces around ellipses, but they do use some punctuation around it. For example, "What about...," said James. would be grammatically correct according to CMoS. However, ellipse rules are an area where the DPP style guide (available here! though it actually doesn't include most of the below detail on ellipses, oops...) deviates from the CMoS. Because there's so little guidance, and what there is seems more like an after-thought, we made some of our own decisions about ellipse usage, as like. we're fic writers. we fuckin' love ellipses.

Our punctuation rules for ellipses:

In general, we opt for an ellipse if a section of text is left intentionally incomplete, specifically in a "trailing off," "leaving the rest of what would be written implied," "hesitation," or other related usages. If the cut off is abrupt due to an interruption or some other "instant" reason the sentence ends, use an em dash instead.

If an ellipse is at the end of a sentence that would otherwise end in a period, we omit the period, because we feel this best indicates that the thought is left incomplete intentionally. Example: As for James, well...

If an ellipse is at the end of a sentence that would otherwise end in an exclamation point or question mark, we include the exclamation point or question mark, because we feel this best indicates the intended tone with which a reader should interpret the trailed-off thought. These should be omitted if the sentence looks like a question/exclamation but is not intended to be read with that inflection. Example: But what about...? Why would you...

If an ellipse is at the beginning of a sentence, we do not capitalize the first letter of the text that follows, because we feel this best indicates that some unwritten thought preceded it and what follows shouldn't be interpreted as an entire sentence. In this instance, we do not use any spaces before or after the ellipse unless other grammar would require it. Example 1: ...never mind, don't worry about it. Example 2: That's right. ...but maybe we should worry about it a little.

If an ellipse is in the middle of a sentence, and the thought before the ellipse and the thought after the ellipse are directly connected, we do a lower case (not a capital) as the first letter of the second half, with a hair space between the ellipse and the second half of the sentence (this becomes a full space in epubs due to formatting concerns), because we feel this best indicates that the two thoughts are connected. Example: But you said...I mean...you told me it'd be different this time.

If an ellipse is in the middle of a sentence, and the thought before the ellipse and the thought after the ellipse are not connected, in the sense that there's a full break in topic/thought denoted by the ellipse, then we use a full space, and the second half starts with a capital letter to denote that a new sentence has begun, because we feel this best indicates that a break has occurred. Example: I suppose I did... Anyway, we were talking about ellipses, not James, right?

(Regarding the previous two, obviously what counts as a new thought is subjective, there's no hard-and-fast rule, so there's wiggle on whether to capitalize or not.)

In dialogue cases, the above rules hold true, and also trump the "always use a comma with dialogue tags" rule, because honestly an ... followed by a , just looks funny and isn't any more or less clear than if the comma isn't there. Example: "But I want to talk about James..." I trailed off. "...but you don't, so I'll leave it alone."

Also in dialogue, if what follows the dialogue is a dialogue tag, we use lower case for the first letter outside the dialogue (Example: "Perhaps, since you're so determined to talk about it..." they answered.). If what follows the dialogue is a separate action, we use upper case for the first letter outside the dialogue (Example: "Must you be so..." Frustrated, I scowled.) This matches our usual rules for capitalization after quotation marks.

If we did end up with a "scholarly" usage, for example in a found documents story where "outside materials" (still fictional, of course) were cited, I expect we'd follow the CMoS rules more closely, because they make more sense when an ellipse is being used in the way that CMoS clearly most expects an ellipse to be used - when citing a source that, for example, ends in a superfluous word as it's being quoted. In cases like that, following the ellipse with a period is reasonable because in the source material, the sentence DID end, it didn't just trail off into nothing. Like, if the original to-be-quoted line is "This is a sentence within a sentence." and I cite it as "This is a sentence...." the fourth dot makes it clearer that material has been omitted. Probably to avoid any confusion with our other usages, I'd do something additional, like maybe use brackets. "This is a sentence [...]." to indicate we're using the ellipse in the "omitted text" way and not in the "trailing off/hesitating" way. It hasn't come up yet, though, so I can't say for sure.

I think those are the basics of how we've decided to handle these cases? Sorry if I've omitted an obvious one, I'm running through actual ellipses in our latest manuscript to try to jog my memory lmao.

Anyway, much as with em dashes, CMoS leaves enough unspecified that there's room for an individual publishers and authors to make their own choices regarding ellipses and surrounded spaces and punctuation, and as long as whatever they choose is consistently applied, it's all about equally acceptable. The above aren't hard and fast rules, they're just the decisions we've made with the situations we encounter most often.

...hokay, that's everything I can think of right now. I hope this helps!

Did y'all know you can send us writing-related asks? We might be slow to reply, but we'll get to 'um eventually, so feel free to send 'um our way!

[adhd-coyote]

Jumping back in to ask for "Asset Allocation" please!

Hehehe, this is one of the ones I'm working on with @darknight-brightstar, my beloved Rat!

This doesn't have more than various snippets that hop around the timeline, as we're focusing more on other WIPs before we start actually writing it, but here's one of the snippets from when we'd first come up with this idea.

The air in the Negotiator was far different from the air in the Warren. The Warren, safe as it was, was always thick with underlying anxiety and stress. The halls of the Negotiator held none of that. It was relaxed, almost comfortable. And yet Thorn was more on edge than ever. “Here we are.” They arrived at Thorn’s quarters. Cody punched a code into the keypad. “Code is the default four zeros, I’ll show you you to change it in a sec. Only people with the override code are myself and our CMO, Helix, in case of emergencies.” Thorn filed that confusing information away and followed Cody inside. It was bigger than his quarters in the Warren, but just as sparsely decorated; a desk and a bunk with three blankets. “‘Fresher’s through there,” Cody pointed. “You’ve got the standard water ration for showers.” What was the standard ration for ships? Because whatever was normal for Triple Zero sure wasn't holding here, so far. Unless. "What did you have to do to get three blankets?" Something flickered across Cody’s face, but it was gone before Thorn could identify it. “Nothing,” he shrugged. “We had extras, and ships tend to be colder than most are used to." "Extra? Okay." He didn't believe it. Thorn knew the debt for them would be called in eventually. "What else do I need to know?" “I’ll show you where the offices are later, once you’ve had a chance to settle in. As for mess hall, I can take you now, if you wanna eat. Or I can send someone else to guide you later, if you'd prefer to rest.” Time to rest? To adjust? Was life on ships so comfortable? "I guess I could eat." He knew better than to give up free food. “To mess hall we go, then. You’re gonna love Spice’s cooking, trust me.”

This is one of our rougher ones, for Fox at least. After Commander Appo dies, much earlier here than in canon, Chancellor Palpatine decides that instead of promoting a Captain or sending a new Commander from Kamino, he'll just give the 501st one of the Corries' Commanders. And, while he's at it, he'll send two more to the 212th and 91st, to help out High Generals Kenobi and Windu. Thire goes to the 501st, Stone is given to the 91st, and Thorn is assigned to the 212th Which leaves Fox the only remaining Commander on Triple Zero. Poor guy.

[anxiously-going]

Consider with me for a moment an AU:

l. Leonard McCoy was one of several doctors pulled from bases outside San Fran to go on the Tarsus IV rescue mission.

l. (He kicks in Pike’s door demanding what the heck he thinks he’s doing recommending him for a mission like this, he’s fresh out of the Academy, he’s supposed to be a Earth based doctor, that was the agreement. Pike reminds him that he was top of his Psych class and he did exceptionally well working with trauma patients during his residency and that’s exactly the sort of doctors they need for this mission.)

l. So off he goes thinking he’s completely unprepared for any of this, and when they touch down he finds out that no one was prepared for any of this.

l. He’s just about ready to report to the CMO heading up the operation when he sees couple of red shirts wrestling with scrawny kid that couldn’t possibly be more than maybe fifteen and any thought of chain of command is gone.

l. He marches over and demands for the kid to be let go, there’s an argument and complaints of being bite, but as far as Leonard is concerned, he deserved to get bit, and finally they let the kid go.

l. Len catches him before he can bolt again, but he doesn’t try to restrain him, he just keeps him blocked off till he can get kid calmed down and talking.

l. His name is Tom.

l. “Can you tell me why you keep tryin’a take off, Tom?”

l. “JT’s still out there!”

l. That’s all Len needs to here before he’s running after this kid, hoping it’s not to late to get to Tom’s friend.

l. They get to a cave and Tom asks him to wait outside. Len doesn’t like it, but he agrees, the last thing he wants to do is make this kid more nervous. He’s trying to build up some trust with him and that goes both ways.

l. He can hear two quiet voices arguing and after a minute another kid comes out.

l. He’s maybe a year older than Tom and if Tom was scrawny then this kid was flat out emaciated.

l. “I’m JT,” he says with a faux confidence that might have been believable if he wasn’t trembling so badly. “Tom says your with Starfleet and that you’re hear to take us back to earth.”

l. “That’s right. I’m Doctor Leonard McCoy, I serve in a base in Atlanta, Georgia back on earth.” Len keeps a professional tone, trying to let JT lead the conversation in hopes of getting him to come back to base.

l. “Do you have any identification?”

l. And Len obliges him.

l. JT stares at is, gnawing anxiously on his lower lip, conflict clear on his face.

l. And Len takes a risk. “Kid,” he says gently, “I just wanna help you and your friend get home.”

l. “What about Kodos?”

l. “I heard they found a body. I don’t know if they’ve confirmed the identity, but there was a body where he was last known to be,” Len answers honestly, still not sure if the kid trusts him, but hoping he will.

l. “Wait here.” JT goes back in the cave and comes out with eight other children, Tom among them, none of them older than JT, and the youngest maybe four, he carries on his hip.

l. Len guides them back to camp, JT keeps a watchful eye the whole time.

l. Everyone is immediately on them when they get, a few of the kids go running to adults they recognize, and when someone rushes at JT and the kid pulls the younger boy closer to him with a warning snarl Len jumps in, standing between the officer and JT.

l. Len diffuses yet another confrontation and begins wondering when he became a negotiator. He has no idea what he’s doing. He’s a doctor for crying out loud!

l. Fast forward a bit and literally no one can keep a handle on JT, except for Len who seems to be the only person who understands that this is a scared kid and not a feral cat.

[ajhediting]

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Copy editing includes proofreading and checking the formatting and style. This would include making sure everything follows the style guide you’re using, such as APA, MLA, or CMoS. I recommend this more for academic writers because professors and journals are usually very strict about following style guides.

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[isagrimorie]

i forgot that tilly was asked to be the first officer of discovery in the third season. and, I think how mind-blowing that is. i like discovery a lot but sometimes the writers make truly mind-boggling choices.

i forgot that tilly was just a cadet in s1 and then an ensign.

making her an (acting) first officer, while still an ensign, was a bizarre choice. (harry kim is crying somewhere)

especially since nilsson and rhys take control of the bridge when the command team is out.

unfortunately, the way discovery is configured we don't really know most of the bridge crew.

or, maybe it would have been better if a new character was introduced as their 32nd-century guide and as a temporary XO.

but also, who is the senior staff of discovery? do we know?

i assumed that culber was CMO all this time only to find out from interviews he wasn't the CMO.

stamets can't be the chief engineer since he's science division and he mans the spore drive function and not the whole ship. i assume its jett reno.

who was the head of security when nhan left? is it rhys??? why is booker (who I really like) memory alpha listed the head of security of discovery (season 4)??? he's not starfleet.

i just realized the whole problem why they got tilly as acting first officer is because I don't think any of the writers in seasons 2 to 3 of discovery sat down and solidified the hierarchy on the ship other than captain.

it's so nebulous and it doesn't need to be nebulous.

it's like how inconsistent the ranks are on SNW uniforms.

i know these are nitpicks but these are details that help build out the world. and it's such an easy thing to address too, it's frustrating they don't.

and this is on the discovery writers for not taking the time to iron it out. i understand they want to focus on different people and keep the heroics away from the bridge, other than saru and michael. but that doesn't excuse how lazily they went about it.

anyway this is just a bug bear that I stumbled on when I remembered how tilly was made into acting first officer of discovery. it didn't niggle at me back then but somehow rewatching voyager and a lot of other trek made me realize, I can actually pinpoint the line of command on each show but stumble on it when it comes to discovery seasons 3 and 4.

again, i think this is why season 5 is doing a great job. wilson cruz said that by season 5 he might as well be the CMO, so I'm taking that as canon.

this is what happens when every season and episode is just one story of crisis situations without any standalone downtime episodes.

(this is also a problem for picard s3. it's the single story and 10 episode thing. it ties the hands of writers.)

what i wouldn't give for a discovery episode where the ship is just doing routine maintenance. follow an engineering team down a jeffries tube, watch them have a boring senior staff meeting where all department heads report to michael.

(wait, have we seen discovery do a senior staff meeting scene?)

have rayner sit down and manage personnel.

honestly, i think the trek that does the best in doing personnel, handling extras, and making a realized world is still ds9.

[existentialcrisistime]

Nic's AOS McKirk fic recs part 1:

longer (mostly 10k+ and/or multi-chapter), more plot-focused works

There are SO MANY excellent McKirk fics out there, and I'm only scratching the tip of the iceberg with these ones, but these are ten of my top favourites (you know, the sort of fics where you have to either yell in the group chat or stare into space for a bit afterwards, then think of it constantly for the following week?), so I hope some of the ones in here become your favourites too.

And remember, be kind, leave kudos/comments where you can, and enjoy!

In no particular order, we have:

jim kirk's guide to starship management: how to work with people you don't like by espressohno (E, 23k)

Jim has an anonymous hookup (read: the best sex of his life) with who else but the one and only Leonard McCoy, who's scheduled to start as the Enterprise's CMO the next day. Hijinks (emotions and miscommunication) ensue. A great exploration of Leonard and Jim's relationship, based around the question of: what if they met under slightly different circumstances?

unscrew the stars by espressohno (E, <10k)

Jim, lamenting his inability to pursue personal relationships due to being Captain of the Enterprise and under Starfleet's fraternisation rules, believes he's found a loophole that allows him to sleep with his CMO. Leonard, however, wants something more. Another one by espressohno, and honestly I'd recommend pretty much anything by this author.

Ask me again in the morning by @torsamors (G, 26k)

Time loop fic: Bones is stuck in a time loop. This fact upsets Jim every time he finds out, but Bones definitely isn't having a fun time either. An excellent getting-together fic told from the perspective of Jim outside the loop, with plenty of hurt and comfort.

One Little White Lie by laughter_now (M, 71k)

Jim lies about being married to Leonard after an accident which leads Leonard to losing his memory, which quickly spirals out of control. An incredible, emotional exploration of the fake marriage and amnesia tropes, becoming so much more than the sum of its tags. Another one for the fellow fans of Bones Having a Real Bad Time, with plenty of Jim angst in there too.

A Wish in the Dark (for a bulletproof heart) by drmcbones (T, 18k)

Without giving too much away: one close call too many for Jim has Leonard at the end of his tether. Somehow, a mysterious medical/magical ailment links the two of them together - how long can they keep it secret from even each other? I say this about every fic on the list, but this one is absolutely excellent - a really interesting plot I hadn't read much like before.

Catching Fire (The Firehouse AU) by kel_1970 (E, 46k)

21st Century fire department AU. Paramedic Leonard McCoy flees a disastrous break-up in Savannah and ends up working at a fire department in Iowa where he meets Jim Kirk. I know this one is on pretty much every McKirk rec list, but for good reason! A beautifully-written, emotional rollercoaster of a fic with rich settings and side characters. Will rip your heart out and stamp on it, then carefully piece it back together again. I read this one over a year ago and still I think of it on a regular basis, it hurts so good.

I Will Hold As Long As You Like by @excavatinglizard (T, 18k)

The Lighthouse fic. Set post-Into Darkness, Leonard takes Jim to a lighthouse to convalesce. Together they learn to weather the storm. A beautiful, emotional character study with rich settings that paint such a picture in the mind. Also comes with (beautiful) art and a playlist to really set the scene. Another one that I read over a year ago, as it was being published, and still think of on a regular basis.

Take a Bite of My Heart Tonight by EntreNous (T, 26k)

Vetenarian Bones AU. Jim Kirk and Leonard McCoy get off on the wrong foot as soon as they meet. So if Jim wants another shot with that gorgeous but grumpy veterinarian, he had better get his hands on some pets who need vet appointments, right? Such a fun, sweet, mostly fluffy fic of Jim getting up to some absolute (mostly unsuccessful) antics to win Leonard's heart

three sundays by espressohno

The fight club AU. Not Fight Club the film so much as a literal fight club: Leonard goes to fight club to get his anger out. Jim goes to fight club to get hurt. Leonard realizes this, and decides he doesn't want to hurt Jim anymore, but he doesn't want to stop seeing him, either. Plenty of hurt/comfort, and a whole lot of aftercare.

palimpsest by @fireinmywoods (E, 61k)

What can I say about this one that hasn't already been said? Such an incredible story, even if the final chapter did make me yell out loud the first time around (and I mean that in the most affectionate way). I've read this one twice now and got something completely different out of it each time - an enjoyable read the first time but even richer with hindsight, so cleverly constructed. As for the plot - the Enterprise is sent to negitiate readmission to the Federation with an isolationist religious group known as the Kindred. While there, Jim notices that some of the children seem to be gravely ill. The Kindred do not allow a doctor to be brought in, and so Jim... well, he improvises. + 9 (so far) further, shorter works to flesh out the whole Palimpsest verse, which I enjoyed just as much as the original story - especially aganorisis (E, 15k), which I guarantee you'll want to read right after. Can mostly be read out of order, but you gotta read Palimpsest first, I promise!

And that's it for now! Thank you for reading, please tell me which ones you enjoyed the most (or your own favourite longer/plotty McKirk fics), and keep your eyes peeled for part 2

[twinkboimler]

August Fic Recs

people seemed interested, so here are some recs from the trek fics I read in August! I reread a few old favorites this month but I figured I'd still recommend them even though they're already incredibly popular.

MCKIRK

jim kirk's guide to starship management: how to work with people you don't like by espressohno. AOS mckirk. Explicit, 23,352 words. An anonymous hookup while on shore leave turns complicated when the Enterprise picks up their new CMO the morning after. Enemies to friends to lovers. So, so good.

Instinctive by laughter_now. AOS mckirk. Explicit, 9,066 words. Classic case of miscommunication - Leonard and Jim have sex for the first time, but they probably should have talked some things over beforehand. I was losing it the entire time, kicking my feet and shrieking. Very, very sweet.

SPONES

Eyeshadow by Lokak. TOS spones. General Audiences, 1,222 words. Fluff with some classic spones arguing and insulting each other. They do each other's eye makeup. Exactly what I want in a TOS spones fic.

MCSPIRK

My World is No Longer Hollow by existentialcrisistime. TOS mcspirk. Teen and Up Audiences, 2,097 words. Fluff, first kiss, and bedsharing. Post-episode "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" - Leonard is feeling exhausted and lonely. Established spirk to mcspirk, so sweet.

SPIRK

Beautiful James by spirkme. AOS spirk. Explicit, 8,742 words. Post-Star Trek Beyond. Yearning and accidental bonding. This fic re-contextualizes all three movies. Jim and Spock were so vulnerable with each other in this and it gave me so many feelings. The smut at the end was romantic and sweet, I really enjoyed this one.

Send Me the Moon by lily_winterwood. Tagged as both TOS and AOS Spirk. Teen and Up Audiences, 5,911 words. AU - 21st Century, Canon Divergence. Major Character Death. Vulcan is sixteen light years from Earth. Jim becomes pen pals with Spock, with a 32-year wait between each letter he receives back. Once I started crying, I didn't stop. Very good if you need a cry.

out of obscurity into the dream by spectralPhobia. AOS spirk. General Audiences, 87,794 words. A Tangled AU that did a really good job of building off of the plot of the movie but doing something new with it. I liked the world-building and how this fic used Nero.

Bitter Dregs by kinklock. TOS spirk. Explicit, 9,707 words. Spock's POV. This fic is for the episode "Plato's Stepchildren" - very poetic and just SO good at getting inside of Spock's head. Really nails the character voices for TOS Spock and Jim.

Sha Ka Ree by ThereBeWhalesHere. TOS spirk. Explicit, 180,505 words. Survival + time travel. Jim is a lieutenant on the Farragut and Spock is a science officer on the Enterprise, captained by Pike. After coming together for a landing party, Jim and Spock have to fight to survive on an alien world. Had to give this one another reread - there's a reason it's such a popular fic in the fandom, and it's because this fic is SO good. The plot is fantastic, and the slow build of their relationship hits every time.

Heated Consummation (AOS) by Gimmemore. AOS spirk. Explicit, 2,326 words. Porn Without Plot, established relationship, shore leave. Sex in front of a fireplace. This fic is a part of a series where each fic has the same set up, just for AOS, TOS, and TOS Movies. All are good, but this one was my favorite.

Halloween by BisforBread. TOS spirk. General Audiences, 2,300 words. Mutual pining, first kiss, fluff. Spock goes to the Enterprise Halloween party dressed as Jim. Fun and cute.

love is a drunk man's tale by BisforBread. AOS spirk, past Jim/Carol Marcus. General Audiences, 6,962 words. AU - Jim is a country singer and Spock is his manager. Mutual pining, angst, drunken love confessions. I enjoyed this, it's always fun to read an AU for something you don't see very often.

One on a Side, Two Together by JackHawksmoor. TOS spirk. Explicit, 17,108 words. Must be logged in to read. The accidental bonding in this is SO good. This was a reread - I really love this fic, especially how Spock really, really doesn't want to explain what the hell is up with the bond.

[witchofthesouls]

I'm wondering what his team is going to think when they realize Tarn accidentally discovered his Voice could bring la petite mort as well as garden variety death?

And Nickel going "you just apologized for giving them the best overload ever?!" Tarn is geting the Talk. He thinks his medic's giving him the shovel talk but no it's the how to use your aray in a competent manner talk. He'd have preferred the shovel talk to be honest.

Tesarus would be inwardly dying because there are mechs, even online, that discuss the other uses of Tarn's abilities and their extent. And holy hell, they were right!

Vos would be insufferable. He would lay in wait across a surface like a painted French girl, waggling his unseen eyebrows because the gunformer would love to guide a lost, little lamb into the Pits of sadomasochistic debauchery. "Pain and Pleasure until you can not tell them apart. Sex without pain is food without flavor, life without zeal."

Kaon would be interested as well. He would love to see what kind of noises Tarn could wrench out of a spark from a lovely doll/pet. Bad pets get pain, but good ones are rewarded. Imagine someone trembling and teetering between heaven or hell with a mere word? Kaon would be delighted.

Helex is Helex. He shrugs it off but thinks it's a deep shame his boss is too much a tightwad to join the brawling orgies or do an OnlyVans. Tarn could make a killing on that platform.

Nickel will be pissed because "Tarn, you had one job! One!" And because he accidentally triggered his ability, she checks if her newly acquired nurse didn't have a scrambled brain module, spark palpitations, or any damage to the developing newsparks because by Prion's shadow, she will take his kneecaps and get a device to nullify his ability because of his idiocy. Nickel has plans for the "donor collar."

She also has Enough. As the CMO of Idiot Sandwiches, she will sit her "unreconstructed killing machine" and get all the damn diagrams and holos for a fully comprehensive sex education for this stupid fucker because she lets it go on for far, too long. Tarn tries to fight at first, but then meekly accepts his fate when Nickel gets the full details of the sessions and his reasons and the Prion medic proceeded to bash over his head that 1) porn, no matter the media, has unrealistic standards, and 2) sex and intimacy is different for everyone. Tarn has questions, so now she needs to be a sex therapist because there's no way she trusts the rest of the mechs on this ship to give this one reliable advice.

[digitaldetoxworld]

Best DSLR Cameras for Professional & Beginner Photographers

 If you're serious approximately images, investing in a incredible DSLR camera can extensively enhance your competencies and image great. DSLR cameras provide versatility, higher picture sensors, interchangeable lenses, and manual manipulate over settings. Whether you're a newbie or a professional, there may be a DSLR camera that suits your needs. In this guide, we will discover some of the great DSLR cameras to be had today, thinking about elements like performance, functions, and rate.

Best budget DSLR cameras for photography enthusiasts

1. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Why Choose It?

The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is an tremendous choice for expert photographers who call for high resolution, surprising low-light performance, and rapid autofocus.

Key Features:

Sensor: 30.4MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor

Autofocus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF with sixty one-point AF system

ISO Range: 100-32,000 (expandable to 50-102,400)

Burst Shooting: 7 fps

Video: 4K video recording

Connectivity: Built-in Wi-Fi, GPS, NFC

Pros:

✔ High picture resolution and element

✔ Excellent autofocus and occasional-mild overall performance

✔ Great dynamic variety

✔ 4K video functionality

Cons:

✖ Expensive

✖ Heavy body

✖ Crop element in 4K video mode

2. Nikon D850

Why Choose It?

The Nikon D850 is an extremely good all-rounder, offering a excessive-decision sensor, speedy capturing velocity, and brilliant dynamic range, making it best for both landscapes and action photography.

Key Features:

Sensor: forty five.7MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Sensor

Autofocus: 153-factor AF system

ISO Range: 64-25,six hundred (expandable to 32-102,four hundred)

Burst Shooting: 9 fps

Video: 4K UHD recording at 30 fps

Connectivity: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

Pros:

✔ Exceptional picture satisfactory and sharpness

✔ Long battery life

✔ Fast and accurate autofocus

✔ High ISO overall performance

Cons:

✖ No built-in flash

✖ Large and heavy

✖ High price tag

3. Canon EOS 90D

Why Choose It?

For those who want a flexible APS-C DSLR with high-pace overall performance, the Canon EOS 90D is a first rate choice, mainly for flora and fauna and sports activities images.

For those who want a flexible APS-C DSLR with high-pace overall performance, the Canon EOS 90D is a first rate choice, mainly for flora and fauna and sports activities images.

Key Features:

Sensor: 32.5MP APS-C CMOS Sensor

Autofocus: 45-factor all-go-type AF machine

ISO Range: one hundred-25,600

Burst Shooting: 10 fps

Video: 4K UHD without crop

Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Pros:

✔ Excellent decision for an APS-C sensor

✔ Fast and reliable autofocus

✔ Great battery life

✔ Uncropped 4K video recording

Cons:

✖ No in-frame stabilization

✖ Limited dynamic range in comparison to full-frame cameras

four. Nikon D7500

Why Choose It?

The Nikon D7500 is a first-rate mid-range DSLR with superb photo pleasant, proper autofocus, and sturdy battery life, making it ideal for lovers.

Key Features:

Sensor: 20.9MP APS-C CMOS Sensor

Autofocus: fifty one-factor AF system

ISO Range: one hundred-51,2 hundred (expandable to 50-1,640,000)

Burst Shooting: eight fps

Video: 4K UHD at 30 fps

Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Pros:

✔ Great low-light overall performance

✔ Fast and accurate autofocus

✔ Lightweight for a DSLR

✔ Good battery life

Cons:

✖ Only one SD card slot

✖ No vertical grip choice

five. Canon EOS Rebel T8i (850D)

Why Choose It?

For beginners looking for an affordable but characteristic-packed DSLR, the Canon EOS Rebel T8i is an extremely good entry-stage choice.

Key Features:

Sensor: 24.1MP APS-C CMOS Sensor

Autofocus: 45-factor all-cross-kind AF machine

ISO Range: one hundred-25,600

Burst Shooting: 7 fps

Video: 4K at 24 fps

Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Pros:

✔ Affordable fee

✔ Easy-to-use controls

✔ Good autofocus for an access-degree DSLR

✔ Vari-attitude touchscreen

Cons:

✖ Limited dynamic range

✖ No in-frame stabilization

✖ Slow burst price in comparison to higher-quit models

6. Pentax K-1 Mark II

Why Choose It?

The Pentax K-1 Mark II is a unique full-frame DSLR that gives climate-sealed construction and built-in stabilization, making it ideal for out of doors photographers.

Key Features:

Sensor: 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor

Autofocus: 33-point SAFOX 12 AF system

ISO Range: a hundred-819,2 hundred

Burst Shooting: four.Four fps

Video: Full HD 1080p at 30 fps

Connectivity: Wi-Fi and GPS

Pros:

✔ Excellent build nice with climate sealing

✔ In-body stabilization (uncommon for DSLRs)

✔ High ISO variety for low-mild images

✔ Unique AstroTracer function for night time sky pictures

Cons:

✖ Slower autofocus as compared to competitors

✖ Limited lens selection

✖ Lower video satisfactory than competitors

Choosing the Right DSLR for Your Needs

For Professionals: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV or Nikon D850 are first-rate picks.

For Enthusiasts: Nikon D7500 or Canon EOS 90D gives first rate balance in charge and capabilities.

For Beginners: Canon EOS Rebel T8i is a splendid entry-level digital camera.

For Outdoor and Adventure Photography: Pentax K-1 Mark II with its rugged frame and stabilization is good.

[wickerwax]

Raincoat outtake

Helix had that tick in his eyebrow that said he didn’t need the Force to sense falsehoods. “Then you also know my opinion on mealy-mouthed generals using rest instead of sleep for a yes-no question.”

“I was opening a dialogue, my dear.”

“You’re allergic to simple answers, you mean, sir.”

He squinted at Helix but decided frowning would only get lost in the immensity of his CMO’s rather inspiring glower. He hitched his smile wider instead. “I’m quite sure I don’t know what sort of accusation that’s supposed to be, Helix, but I was meaning to swing by the mess now...?”

The hand still on his shoulder squeezed and he had to rock into the soles of his boots to not simply go boneless in the warm weight and easy strength contained therein. Helix ignored the shift of his weight to say, “That sounds like a wonderful idea, General,” and swept the two of them into motion.

His feet were, luckily, accustomed to doing their job effectively without much input from up top. Thank you, many hundreds of hours in the salles. My dignity would not be intact without you. He couldn’t even really complain about the manhandling, as once Helix had him in motion he had dropped his hand down to a respectful elbow guide. Difficult to shake off politely, that. Especially of a determined medic.

[that-fall-guy]

Em dashes without spaces are an American grammar thing, in the UK it’s with spaces

Ok I'll bite!! You've got me curious about a variety of details. Is this a widespread UK vs US issue? Have I been lied to my entire life? Is it just because I went to weird schools? Is it simply a difference in the primary style guide used in most American vs UK schools? So I've done a good bit of research. It seems to be a style guide difference, from what I can tell.

The 1984 edition of the MLA Handbook claims writers should use two hyphens in place of a dash--like this. There are no spaces before or after. The 2009 edition gives the same advice, but points out that a word processor will likely transform two hyphens into an em-dash. It does not mention attempting to revert this change, but rather maintains the change in the examples that follow the passage, like so: "The colors of the costume—blue, scarlet, and yellow—acquire symbolic meaning in the story" and "Ruthlessness and acute sensitivity, greed and compassion—the main character's contradictory qualities prevent any simple interpretation of the film." I am unable to find a more recent edition of the MLA Handbook that is available for free. If anyone has a copy of the 2021 edition or later, I would love to see the section on punctuation, specifically those regarding hyphens and dashes!

According to the 2017 edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, it appears an em-dash is again used without spaces, as clarified in a response to a user's question on the website: "It allows, in a manner similar to parentheses, an additional thought to be added within a sentence by sort of breaking away from that sentence—as I’ve done here." The source text itself clarifies the same thing in various other examples. If there is a more recent edition I am not aware of it, but if it says something different, again, I would love to hear it!

APA is much more difficult to locate. As far as I can tell, it seems to follow the same format as MLA, at least according to a source that cites the 6th edition. APA is currently, I believe, in its 7th edition, though, so there is a chance the proper use of an em-dash was changed between versions. "An em dash might set off a phrase at the end of a sentence—like this one. Or, em dashes may set off a phrase midsentence—a technique that really draws a reader’s attention���as they do in this sentence." Another source that draws from APA 7th Edition appears to give an example pulled directly from the APA stylebook: "‘Social adjustment—but not academic adjustment—was associated with extraversion’.(APA7, p. 157)"

According to the 2016 AP Stylebook's section on punctuation, em-dashes have one space before and one space after them, except in the case of dashes indicating a list, in which case they begin on a new line and have a space only between the dash and its subsequent word. An example of an em-dash as given in the stylebook is thus: "Through her long reign, the queen and her family have adapted — usually skillfully — to the changing taste of the time."

There's an interesting divide, then, between the Associated Press and the other common style guides. UPitt clarifies that, generally, APA style is used in education, psychology, and science fields; MLA is used in the Humanities; and Chicago is used in business, history, and fine arts fields. A separate source, the blog "CMOS Shop Talk," also mentions that AP style is used in journalism. Interestingly, AP is also the only one of the four major styles that does not utilize the Oxford comma.

Chicago style is the most common styleguide used by publishers, and is thus the styleguide which should probably be used by fiction authors (incl. fanfic authors). Of course, fanfic is much less patrolled and can be written however authors want; it's fun, and that's all it needs to be! I'm just very picky about my own grammar and you've prompted me to actually dig deep and research why I write the way I write. In the future I'll probably read up a bit more on Chicago style, and see if there's anything I should change in my own grammar when writing fics. It's also good to keep in mind when I write mixed media like newspapers or fictional thesis papers...!

To clarify, I didn't do all this research and write all this up specifically to prove you right or wrong or anything, nonny! I was just curious and figured I may as well write down my findings for my own future reference, and that of anyone who wants to read it : ]

[theelin-sea]

for the wip titles ask game!

I had a very hard time deciding these are all so intriguing!

How NOT to Poison Tea The Sundari Ballet Academy's No Good Very Bad Rehearsal

Bacta and Bleeding Wounds

How NOT to Poison Tea (Kaleidoscope Linage featuring Master Ivory Lorn and Padawan's Magubab Onlor and Kee Stoll)

Magubab does nothing to quell his dramatics by the time he  bursts into his master's room, the hanging beads on his belt clacking to announce his arrival. The familiar and comforting room is lit by the setting sun that bathes the room in an orange light that feels fitting for the occasion of almost being poisoned.  Master Lorn does not turn away from the large vanity mirror as she carefully cuts away the long loose strips of shedding velvet from her antlers, unconcerned at the orange blood dripping in the wake of the shedding velvet. It somehow makes her look regal like the Theelin portraits in the archives collection, Magu almost forgets his lamentations to tell her as much.  The first time Magubab saw antlers shedding he had been young and very concerned for the other theelin initiate but the sight does nothing to slow him as he rushes over to flop down at his masters feet and rest his against her legs as she raises a brow. “What ails you, young padawan?”  “Master, I believe Kee has finally decided to try and kill me.” The confusion in the force is palpable, prompting him to continue. “Kee brought me the worst cup of tea I have ever had, I think it may be an attempt on my life. I’m not sure I can recover from it.” 

The Sundari Ballets No Good Very Bad Rehearsal (Featuring Cel Escar, Amourath Terrick, and the rainbow core of the Sundari Ballet)

The second run of the dance appears to be going smoother, so Amourath, still carefully in the spot the choreographer had placed her to mark, takes her eye off of the moving dancers to look back at Cel. They stand poised to enter the stage, offering a quick wink and an almost smug smile when they notice her staring.  The combination of the two gestures is more than enough to keep Amourath from paying enough attention to notice the blunder happening around her until she finds herself flat on her back. She is familiar with having the wind knocked out of her though the sight of Cel hovering protectively over her, already yelling at the person who had knocked her over, was making it harder to catch her breath. The soft look of concern focused onto Amourath as Cel kneels beside her is a death she is ready to accept, unsure if anyone could ever breathe at such a sight.

Bacta and Bleeding Wounds (Featuring Odala Lesath, CMO Imanes, Aurune Hevil, B1 Medical Droid Sharps and other assorted regulars of the medical squadron)

Odala can feel the patient's arrival in the force before he can even hear the hum of the hover stretcher. It took fine tuning and practice to be able to filter most of the pain and fear of the infirmary out to search for the critical points in the force. The feeling of someone beginning to slip away into the force, but not yet claimed by it.  If Odala thinks about how easy it has become to filter out so much pain and fear he thinks the creature that prowls his mind, the unknowable shape of a force eater, waiting to latch onto everything to spiral, might dig its claws in and create so much guilt that he may never know peace in his focus again.  He doesn’t have time to think about anything other than the patient as the stretcher enters and Odala guides it to a clear spot. They had run out of proper separated bays maybe an hour ago. Odala doesn’t think the patient will complain. She doesn’t look particularly lucid which seems like a mercy considering the way her chest seemed to be caving in on itself.