#odo is allowed to be a little creature

[deepestturtlepielover]

Odo has at least a couple times changed into a cat cause nobody can resist a cat also it’s a great way to gather information and stalk quark 👁️👁️

[constablegoo]

@memoryfaded filed a report .

aloe: how does your muse handle grief?

NOT WELL. oh he’ll certainly try to hide it, but it will crack through even when he’s not alone (he’ll be crabbier or touchier or more cynical and depressed) and then when he IS alone, there’s no stopping it. he succumbs pretty easily to really strong emotion and i think depression especially can really get to him, even twist some of his deepest values to worthlessness in his mind. he really IS so incredibly self-sabotaging, it hurts to watch. im talking abt crossfire and the scene with quark, im talking abt how easily mora dismantles him in the alternate, about his implied alcoholism after he initially becomes solid, about how viscerally shaken he is by his criminal mistake during the occupation / how he had gotten into that mindset in the first place -- and in contrast his complete 180 on wanting to be a parent when the sick baby changeling comes along / how jarringly ecstatic he is when it’s going right that quark is sure something’s seriously wrong with him. (and the fact that he goes to quark in his happiest hour!) he doesn’t believe good things happen to him without a catch. he can’t. events keep proving him right. but the really important and magical thing is that he learns from his problems and mistakes and he turns his grief into compassion and works to nurture the happiness that does exist in his life, finally investing on a deep level in the family he finds has grown with and around him.

...just to be more specific to the question i’ll just add that by the time he loses the baby changeling, he seems equipped enough to deal with what is probably his most personal and devastating blow of the Grief of loss, and you can see later in some subtle moments how it informs his relationships w kira and laas especially... even that brief stint of parenthood really changed and matured him.

belladonna: how does your muse respond to silence? do they take comfort in soundlessness, or seek to fill the void with noise?

odo is an introvert and as such, needs time alone and away from everyone else. i think he finds a great deal of solace and some measure of peace of mind in the quiet and the moments he has to just Be... or just Think... he’s a very introspective kind of person. but... he doesn’t want to be alone, alone. he dreads to walk out of the isolation of his quarters and feel just as alone everywhere else on the station. it’s so clear he goes to quarks because it is the social heart of the station and he NEEDS company, any kind of company he can get, he needs that cohesion or he’ll simply wither away. his job title protects him from the dangers of deeper friendship (yikes!) but he can watch it from afar, takes comfort in being acknowledged by quark’s (labeled “insufferable”) banter, a recognition that grounds him as a Person just like anybody else. he needs a bit of both.

hibiscus: how does your muse view the gentler, daintier things in life? as things worth preserving & caring for, or things only bound to wither & disappear?

i was really hoping someone would ask this because it has such a cute?? answer. odo has a lot of inherent value for life, all life -- he has a line of dialogue early on about not stepping on ants and the delivery on it is so stubborn and firm, it’s almost funny -- except it’s not, because he is the ant and he’s been stepped on before. crushed, actually. hes raw and vulnerable mere centimeters beneath his seemingly untouchable exterior -- emotionally, physically. he’s lost, no matter how hard he works trying to understand himself, but the only thing he’s certain he can rely on at that point is... himself. like most things with odo, it becomes a little tragic.

BUT HERE’S THE CUTE PART OK -- it isnt long at all before we get to see odo demonstrate that kind of compassion for small or vulnerable beings. maybe the first hard-hitting example really is how he interacts with this child... he’s soft, patient, even personal and vulnerable with her, and yet it doesnt feel like a deviation from the way he’s been up to this point. it fits. their mutual respect allows them to form a really cute kind of guardian-charge friendship. then we carry on and eventually odo gets his own quarters and we see him with a plant, we see him have the chance to sort of indulge in exploring the world and the more natural objects and life forms in it -- he becomes a hawk, he becomes a mouse, etc. he grew up in a lab, and while i like to think mora didnt completely keep the natural world from odo, i also think mora was so focused on his study and development (and he was under cardassian pressure, too) that odo didnt get the chance to be out in it NEARLY as much as he might have liked, or even needed. it would have been really good for his shapeshifting and his sense of self to be in an element that feels natural to him. so thats probably like the ONE really good thing that the founders do for odo: encourage him to work past his reservations and embrace this intrinsic part of himself that he tries SO hard to hide and subdue, yet absolutely loves. LOVES. he Loves being a changeling. and of course it really comes to light in the begotten. the way odo talks about shapeshifting, about being other creatures and objects and shapes... “the pyramid is such an interesting shape” wahh oh my god. his first love is the little details about the world. he’s built to observe them and to replicate them, to exist as them... and ultimately to understand the universe from even the smallest, most fragile pair of shoes.

[vortaesthetic]

Odo hadn't noticed the change right away. Of course, that probably had much to do with the fact that he had been actively ignoring Weyoun and his irritating staring. But eventually he became aware of his breathing deepening and evening out and looked over to notice the Vorta sleeping.

Given Weyoun Six's tendency toward paranoia, it was even more surprising that he would have allowed himself to surrender to sleep between the "god" next to him and the wolves at the gate. Odo sincerely doubts that sleeping in front of a god is considered meritous behavior in Vorta culture.

The skin around his eyes looks thinner, a little darker. He slept sitting ramrod-straight in his seat, the signs of rest so small and shallow that it was likely he'd been without rest for a while. He probably fell asleep by accident, but even so, it was apparent that he hadn't allowed himself to drift off very far. The jerks he made and the little, frightened noises that slipped from him speak of troubles on his mind.

How long has it been since this pitiable creature was able to close his eyes without disgust for the things he'd done? The things other people had done with his hands and his face?

How long had it been since he'd allowed himself mercy?

The Vorta punished himself for his transgressions more thoroughly than even his god would ever care to do. He wonders if Weyoun is even capable of appreciating the irony in that.

[weerd1]

Star Trek DS9 Rewatch Log, Stardate 1909.22, Supplemental: Missions Reviewed, “Treachery, Faith, and the Great River,” “Once More Unto the Breach,” “The Siege of AR-558,” “Covenant,” and “It’s Only Paper Moon.” (For Aron.)

“Treachery, Faith, and the Great River” begins with Odo receiving word from a Cardassian informant he thought was executed that they need to meet.  He informs Kira (while massaging out her sore muscles after spingball, godamighty) that he’s going alone, and take a Runabout to see if he can find the man. Meanwhile repairs are behind on the station and the Defiant, and Sisko demands O’Brien have them all completed when he gets back from a conference on Bajor. O’Brien is stymied, not having the parts he needs, when Nog offers to get them. 

He just needs Chief’s access codes to make the right trades to make it happen. Odo arrives at the rendezvous to find Weyoun, who wants to defect.  While they are heading back to DS9, they are hailed from Cardassia by…Weyoun and Damar. Turns out the Weyoun of the last couple of years died in an transporter accident. The Weyoun 6 clone is the defector, and Weyoun 7 wants him hunted down. Damar says they must destroy the ship, but Weyoung 7 knows the Jem’Hadar will never fire on Odo.  Damar mentions they don’t have to know he’s on board. Kira calls on O’Brien to explain why the Captain’s desk is missing, and Worf and Martok want to know why their bloodwine is gone. Confronting Nog, the Ferengi explains that the universe is governed by the Great Material Continuum, running like a river from places with too much of a thing to places with not enough of a thing.  He is counting on the river to get them their parts, with a little help from Ferengi trade practices. After one Jem’Hadar ship is defeated with Weyoun 6’s command, the Female Changeling confronts Weyoun 7 and Damar about what’s going on. Damar notices that the Changeling doesn’t look right, she looks dried out.  As soon as he mentions it, she changes and demands they get Weyoun 6. Six meanwhile, with Odo and cornered by Jem’Hadar reveals that the Founders are sick, all of them. He defected to make sure Odo was ok, and tell him that HE will be the last Founder, and de facto leader of the Dominion if the other die; and opportunity to reconstruct the Dominion as an organization of cooperation and peace. To Weyoun 7 to call off the attack, Six activates a built in suicide pill, and Seven is true to his word. Six asks Odo for his blessing as he dies, and indeed the clone dies in the arms of his God, his faith rewarded. 

On DS9, O’Brien expects to be derided when called to Sisko’s office, but Nog is there, as is the captain’s desk, and the repair parts are in the hanger. As they leave ops Worf and Martok appear. Somehow Nog as replaced their bloodwine with vintage 2309, far better quality than what they had before.  O’Brien is amazed, but Nog cites the Great Material River, HIS faith rewarded.

The A and B stories here almost get equal time, but there are a lot of great reveals here. The fact the Founders basically uplifted a group of timid tree apes to create the Vorta; the Vorta’s cloning practices; the fact the Founders are ill (there will be some more dire revelations about this later). All those heavy moments balance well with the Nog/O’Brien storyline.  Now, I have to tell you. This episode as a toy and nerd collector affected me deeply, and to this day, it is my policy that if someone really takes a shine to something in my collection, I pass it on to them. I like to call it, “casting it into the great material river.”  Whenever there is a hole on my shelf, something show up to take its place. I have faith my toys end up in the hands they should.

Kor comes to DS9 to ask Worf to help him go “Once More Unto the Breach.”  Kor has been marginalized in the war, and has not been able to seek glorious combat. Worf asks Martok if there is place for Kor, but Martok is incensed. Years before, Martok’s career was almost derailed before it could begin by Kor because the House of Kor was a great one, noble, and Martok was little more than a farm boy. Worf convinces him to allow Kor on as Third Officer in a mission to raid a Cardassian base. 

When Martok describes the plan, Kor states it was the same one he and Kang (last seen with Kor in “Blood Oath” way back in season 2, and before that on TOS) against the Federation in the previous century. The crew is overly respectful of Kor, D’Har Master, much to Martok’s chagrin. When the actual fight happens though, Martok and Worf are incapacitated, and Kor takes over, losing himself and thinking he is back in battle against the Federation and Kang is on his way to help. When Worf and Martok retake control, Kor is shamed and abashed, but their small fleet is also being pursued by ten Jem’Hadar ships. Worf devises a plan to stop them, but it will cost a ship. If that ship can stop even a few of the enemy ships, the others might escape.  Worf plans to take command, but Kor knocks him out with a hypo, beaming to the bird of prey that will face the Jem’Hadar. Martok monitors the battle, amazed at Worf’s bravery, but Worf appears on the bridge, informing him it is Kor in battle.

  They watch amazed, waiting for whatever ships Kor cannot stop to pursue them.  None do. Though it cost his life, Kor destroys all ten Jem’Hadar vessels, leaving Martok’s crew—and Martok himself—to drink and sing songs of Kor’s victory, knowing they will see him in Sto-Vo-Kor.

Another great Klingon episode, and a great end for the always entertaining, and slightly mad, Kor. This it turns out was also John Colicos’ final acting role, and what a note to go out on.  The heroic battle is pure Klingon here too. The tension between noble houses and minor houses on Qo’noS is interesting, as it will also factor heavily into “Discovery” in its first season, specifically with the House of Kor dealing with Voq, son of none. There are also a few nice moments between Kor and Ezri, who seems to immediately accept Dax as Dax. Perhaps he adapted better having already dealt with the change from Curzon to Jadzia, however even then he was rather quick to accept her.  An interesting quirk for someone so adherent to Klingon noble traditions.

“The Siege of AR-558” has the Defiant bringing supplies to a Starfleet outpost in the Chin’Toka system, which has not been easily held. The outpost has captured a Dominion communications array, and hope to crack it, but have been too busy defending it against repeated attacks. On the mission is Quark at the behest of the Nagus who wants a report on the state of the war. It isn’t good. These people have been defending this outpost for five months; two months longer than a tour is supposed to be.  They were 150 people, they are now down to about 40. They are constantly falling victim to “Houdini mines,” small floating explosives that hang in subspace and randomly appear and explode, perhaps somewhere you’ve walked a hundred times.

 Nog is impressed by the battle hardened humans here, but Quark warns him these are not the cuddly Earthers he knows.   “…take away their creature comforts… deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers… put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time… and those same friendly, intelligent, wonderful people will become as nasty and violent as the most bloodthirsty Klingon. You don't believe me? Look at those faces, look at their eyes…" When the Dominion attacks the Defiant, Worf pulls back, leaving Sisko, Bashir, Nog, Dax, and Quark on the surface to help defend the base. Ezri befriends Kellin (played by Lost in Space and Babylon Five’s Bill Mumy) who is trying to crack the mine problem, and they start to work. Sisko sends Nog out on a scouting mission with two of the Soldiers here, and though they get a good look at the Jem’Hadar base, one is killed and Nog loses his leg. Bashir plays Vic Fontaine music as they await the attack, but when Ezri and Kellin get control of the mines, Sisko uses them on the Jem’Hadar, thinning their numbers before the attack. One of the Jem’Hadar makes it to where Nog lies wounded, Quark himself shoots him down. 

When all is said and done, Kellin is dead, but reinforcements and engineers arrive, allowing the one survivor of the original group to leave with the Defiant.

A grim and powerful episode that aims to look war right in the face.  Quark’s speech I quote here is really fantastic, but comes back to haunt him when he too, put in the corner, is willing to shoot to kill, to protect. Ezri questioning Sisko’s decision to turn the mines they were just condemning on the enemy calls into question what is fair in war, but also leaves you as a viewer to decide if it was the right decision or not. The Starfleet trooper with Jem’Hadar Ketracel White bottles, ripped from his enemies’ bodies, brings to mind the Klingon was saw in “Soldiers of the Empire” with Cardassian neck bones as a necklace.  At least it isn’t body parts, but DS9 does not flinch here, and it is a better story for it.  Nog losing his leg will come into play again very soon as well.  Back on TOS, Kirk would occasionally refer to himself and other Starfleet members as “Soldiers.” Here we see that’s true; makes you wonder if they plan to bring back the Marines we saw in STVI: The Undiscovered Country (the Colonel of course was played by Rene Auberjonois!).

Kira is visited by an old friend, Vedek Fala, in “Convenant.” He gives her a gift which turns out to be a transponder that allows her transport across the sector to the previously abandoned sister station to DS9, Empok Nor.  There she finds her Vedek is actually part if the cult of the Pah-Wraits, who feel the Prophets turned their back on Bajor. In charge of the cult, she finds Dukat, who feels since he once housed Kost Amojan that he now has been touched by the Pah-Wraiths, and chosen to lead their people.

 Fala shows her the Bajorans here are completely under Dukat’s sway. Indeed there is one pregnant woman, who with her husband have only been allowed to have kids because Dukat has allowed it. Kira is less than convinced, but Fala persists telling her the Prophets have lied about the Pah-Wraits and they are peaceful. Dukat meanwhile tells Kira he has changed, and he loves his people. She points out he has set up some weird simulation of what he lost, commanding a station like Terok Nor, with a horde of Bajorans who love him. This proves startlingly true when the pregnant mother gives birth to a half-Cardassian baby. Dukat claims it is a miracle and a sign, but there are some doubters. He meets with the woman, apologizing for the “weakness” that allowed him to father her child, but when she says no one else knows, he tries to flush her out an airlock. 

Kira and Fala come along and save her, but now Dukat must act. He locks Kira in her room and is going to take poison with all of his followers so they can “shed their bodies” to help the Pah-Wraiths enter the Celestial Temple. Kira breaks out and tackles Dukat just as he was going to take the first pill, knocking his from his hand. When Fala hands him just another one out of the box, Dukat won’t take it, and they all realize he was going to let them die and go on. He tells them it was what the Pah-Wraiths wanted, but they aren’t having it, and he has to beam away. Fala meanwhile takes his pill and dies in Kira’s arms, telling her it was because of “faith.”

Dukat going full blown cult-leader is right in line with his arrogance and his ego. It’s just another example to me though that one of the bets DS9 misses is having Kira kill Dukat at the end of the series.  Yes, this sets him to as a vessel of the Pah-Wraiths, an Anti-Emissary, but I thing all the personal grudges with Kira deserve a better resolution. And for those who freak out over Scotty building an interplanetary transporter in the Kelvin Timeline, here’s one at work with Dominion tech in 2374, 13 years BEFORE Spock will go back in time and teach KY Scotty how to finish his. For that matter, before the Voyager will show up in just a couple of years with Borg Transwarp tech too. The Kelvin Timeline works if you just look at the details.

Finally, fandom tonight watched “It’s Only a Paper Moon” as a tribute to Aron Eisenberg’s passing, so I made sure I got this far.  Nog returns to the station with his new bio-synthetic leg, but it hurts him and he must walk with a cane. All his medical checks show fine though, and he is interested in doing nothing but lying in bed and listening to Vic Fontaine sing “I’ll Be Seeing You,” the song Bashir played in “The Siege of AR-558.” When Jake can’t take more than three days of that song on repeat he confronts Nog, who leaves and goes to the Holosuite to hear Vic sing it.  Nog decides to stay and live in the holosuite for a while.  Ezri is skeptical, but Vic mentions he will take care of the kid. Indeed, Vic helps wean him off his cane, and gives him something to do by letting him do the casino’s “books.” Nog though seems so comfortable he won’t come out. Ezri asks Vic when he’s going to be done with him, and Vic seems to realize he too has become dependent on Nog; usually, he’s only on for a few hours at a time, but with Nog there 26 hours a day, he is now constant. 

 Realizing he’s putting his own needs first, Vic shuts down the program himself.  Nog tries to get it running again, but can’t, but Vic appears to ask him about it. Nog says he doesn’t want to go back to the real world because he’s afraid, as anything could happen. Vic tells him that’s life, and why you have to seize it when you can, and indeed why he was happy to have Nog there. It’s time though, time for Nog to seize it for real. Nog leaves without his cane, and reunites with his family. Later, back in uniform Nog visits and tells Vic he has a present for him. Nog has made a deal with Quark, and this holosuite will continue to run full time, allowing Vic a life. Nog knows it’s the least he can do since Vic helped him get his own life back.

Bittersweet to watch tonight, but a great episode that takes a long look at the trauma of war and the mental scars that can be far worse than the physical ones.  The continued development of Vic Fontaine as a sentient lifeform is interesting, able to control who does and does not use his program. Still self aware though that there are times he is “off.” Aron Eisenberg is of course terrific and this is an important episode for Nog, demonstrating why this was the episode his friends, fans, and family chose to commemorate him.  

NEXT VOYAGE: The Orion Syndicate has come back for O’Brien, and somehow the Tigan family is involved. The Tigans are Ezri’s family before she was joined; she comes home in “Prodigal Daughter.”

[fluffmugger]

introspectivenavelgazer replied to your post: introspectivenavelgazer replied to...  CYBORGS? WHAT? I AM SO CONFUSED. aconiteherbalist replied to your post: introspectivenavelgazer replied to... Yes? Explain? Please?

OK. This is gonna be full of massive fucking spoilers, ‘cos I’m gonna lay it all out rather than feed it to you piecemeal as the show did with the slow unfurling. also people are probably gonna yell at me on this and that.  

IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS LIGHT

ok, you probably noticed this show is huge on stealing from religious mythology. Chiefly abrahamic.

So: Progenitor species ( Yeah you could call them aliens, or celestial beings, it’s really down to whether or not you want to be religious or scientific or both, because the show allows for both and lets be honest the progenitor species fulfill all requirements for god.) sends out “seeds” to various planets.

One of these, called in the series Adam landed on Earth. Adam is known as the Seed of Life.    The seed of life creates god-like creatures, these were known as the Angels. 

However, later on (the First Impact) another seed hit earth.   This was the Seed of Knowledge and is known in the series as Lilith, which would create a species that in’t god like, but instead is co-operative and uses technology. This is the creation of the human species

 Two seeds aren’t supposed to hit the same planet because the combination of the two would result in god like powers on the same level as the progenitor species - this is what they called “forbidden knowledge”.  So Adam went dormant and the angels left Earth. 

Just to dogleg here - the seeds came via “moons” (FUCKING TRANSPORT MODULES) with a “lance of longinus” as their control system.  Adam came on the “white moon” and Lilith came on the "Black Moon" and lost her “spear” (control system). Since Adam’s spear (control system) was still active, it picked up Lilith’s arrival and shut down due to safety protocols to prevent a merging.  The “dead Sea Scrolls”  are actually a user manual, but seeing as we’re also talking about a species with PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER they're also prophetic and shit as perceived by piddly human brains. 

So humans ended up evolving and breeding and covering the planet and so you have our reality.  La di frickin’ da.

So you have SEELE who have been poking at this manual and realising what's happened and going HEY LETS BECOME GODS.  They already have Lilith - that big marshmallow fucker that's nailed the cross, it's basically a big Meaningful Imagery of a species progenitor kept in check, what's leaking out of her is Primordial Ooze - but they need the other Seed.    They fund an expedition (lead by Misato's father), who then goes poking around and finds Adam, its Spear of Longinus, and the White Moon in Antarctica. (The progenitor program, control system and space ship). They decide to poke it with a stick, and fuse some human (lilith-created) DNA with him, which created the Fifth Child / Angel (Kowaru).  This triggers a safeguard and causes the Second Impact because, you know, THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO MERGE.   (They also use the lance to reduce Adam to an "embryonic" state to try and stop the angels from reactivating and returning. )

 The "official" UN story is that the second  impact was a meteor strike.  Two billion people in the southern hemisphere were killed by tsunamis caused by the explosion, with more worldwide drowning in coast floods.  In the chaos that ensued wars broke out due to the destabilisation of many nation states, food supplies were fucked, it was catastrophic. Civil wars broke out everywhere, refugee crises, ethnic tensions, the whole shebang. India and Pakistan went full trump and nuked the shit out of each other, and finally 2 days after the disaster another nuke was detonated in "Old Tokyo" killing two million people. (and leaving that bloody huge hole)   Worldwide war broke out for a year.  Basically all the shit we're looking at in a worse case scenario with climate catastrophe happened.  Half of the human race and thousands of plant and animal species were wiped out entirely.

 And so we have the world of Eva, the result of the Second Impact.  Pretty standard "mankind meddling with things he was not meant to know and now we're all fucked" trope.

 Misato was at ground zero, but her father managed to place her in a protective capsule, so she survived, but the injuries left that massive scar on her chest, and massive psychological scars which is why she's a raging drunk.

 AAAAANYWAY  Seele aren't done with the befucking however, because as we all know humans are garbage and groups of men in darkened rooms sitting around a table even more so.  So they keep right on fucking.

  Seele embark on the "Human Instrumentality Project", which is to use a controlled third impact to force the evolution of humanity to the same level as the original progenitor species - a fusion of Knowledge and of Life seeds.  This would also result in the erasure of individuality, with all human souls fusing into a single "being" for want of a better word, the physical forms goopifying and creating a sea of primordial soup, known as LCL. I don't know if you've ever watch DS9, but the Great Link of the Founders (Odo's species) is a pretty close parallel.

 Problem is, the Angels are awake.

 The Angels are attempting to return to Earth, to basically initiate their own second impact, except in this case it would involve re-activating Adam which would erase all humans.  This would be done by an "AT field" clash  - basically AT fields are what binds a life form together - not just the physical form, but psychological, so essentially an unmaking that would revert all non-angel life to primordial goop. An Adam-generated "Angel" life form template would goop a Lilith-based "human" template.  (for the majority of the series, Lilith  is actually misidentified as Adam if that helps. If anything helps. It's a h o t mess).  Particularly where Evas utilise their AT fields, think of it as an EM field + extras.

 And so  you have Adam's "Children" (Known as angels,  but also referred to as apostles) start hitting earth one after the other, and this is where you get the Evas pulled into production and the Big Robot Battles

 NOW TO THE EVAS

  Unit 01 (Shinji's) was actually generated using genetic material from Lilith itself. It's also known as a clone.  As  a result it tends to go batshit fucking insane ("Beserk") on occasion. It's a living being in an armoured suit with a lot of intertwined mechanics - the Evas are in fact, cyborgs.    There are indications that Eva was an attempt to create a controllable Lilith - Lilith (progenitor program that created humanity) having lost her "spear of longinous" (Control module) is essentially unusable.    Shinji's mother and Gendo's wife Yui initiated a contact with this eva unit pre-series, but in fact merged with the eva - her body goopified, but her soul remains inside the unit. This is why Unit 01 runs so well with Shinji (her son) as pilot, and goes beserk in battle situations where he is threatened.

 Unit 02 has a similar deal, except it went wrong. Only part of Asuka's mother's soul was absorbed, the resulting schism driving what was left of her insane ,and she commits suicide.  The part of her that still resides in Eva-02 is what makes Asuka her pilot, but without the same level of integration and control that Yui has in 01, having fully melded.  Asuka, honey, I know you're pissed that Shinji is a better pilot than you, THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT.

 Evas are cyborgs with merged human souls.  Once they worked out it made the fuckers work, they really went to fucking town on it, so every Eva is a human soul, preferably one who was the mother of the pilot if they can get her (weaponising maternal instincts yooooo)

 Go, take a break, take a walk, try and digest it for a bit.

So to give us the cliff notes at this point:  Eva is about a battle between two species over who gets to become god, with humans using genetically engineered monsters that have absorbed human souls.

 Now to REI what the fuck is up with Rei

 Rei is a clone.  She was an attempt to retrieve Yui from Eva 01 using what they could scrape up of her DNA, but Yui basically told them to go fuck themselves she wasn't coming out.  So Rei is used as a vessel for Lilith's "soul" - she's basically an attempt to first rescue Yui, then later an attempt to create a control system for Lilith.  This is why she can pilot 01 so readily, and why she's so disconnected from reality.  There are at least three Rei's in the series:

 REI I:

The first attempt, the little girl in the red dress who got strangled by Akagi. Seen in flashbacks she was very different from the others, and seemed to have more of a personality. To this end there are theories that her soul was used for EVA00, which would explain why it seems to hate her, and hate all of NERV because she's fucking well aware of what the cunts did to her, and being part Lilith has the full capability to express this.

 REI II:

This is the one we see throughout the series as a teenaged girl, who is killed when she self-destructs her Eva unit to kill Armisael.

  REI III:

Fresh clone right out of the vat and seemingly more involved and aware. She rejects Gendo's attempt to control her, giving the complete control of the third impact to Shinji instead (SHINJI TAAAAAAKE THE WHEEEL) 

RIGHT, NOW TO SKIP FORWARD A BUNCH TO THE THIRD IMPACT

The idea behind it:

Seele wanted to initiate Third Impact to bring about Instrumentality. They would use an Anti A.T. Field to neutralize the A.T. Fields that separate human beings from each other, causing all of humanity to revert into a giant ocean of LCL, freeing their souls. All the souls of Earth would then be collected inside the Adam/Lilith hybrid being.  Basically we goop, then Great Link as mentioned above.

Gendo doesn't really give a shit about humanity, he just wants his wife back.  He approaches Rei III (the most lilith-like and most human of Rei clones) with the Adam embryo, and she rejects him, takes the embryo, then returns to Lilith to fuse with her.   After assimilating Lilith, the inchoate form begins to merge with Evas and with all of humanity, causing everyone to go sploosh as they approach "the divine", seeing their loved ones and going all religious ecstasy.

Thing is, at the end of the day, Lilith and Adam, as advanced as they are, are created functions.  They have control software and with the introduction of Rei, Shinji becomes the pilot.

And shinji is realllllllly fucked up, hence that whole wtf ep where it's basically the destruction of his ego, the exposure of his self loathing, jacking off over Asuka, trying to choke her, facing all the fucked up parts of himself then learning that everyone else is as fucked up as he is and no dude, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE FUCK THEY'RE DOING.  It kinda derails for a lot of people at this point as it's a confusing montage of imagery, but basically that's a big ol' trip through a teenage boy's psyche, and reflective of the mental issues Anno himself had at the time. 

 But it ends in a breakthrough.

SERIOUSLY WATCH “THE END OF EVANGELION” ITS BASICALLY THE SERIES END REWRITTEN AND SANER AND OH MY GOD 

 And so Shinji rejects instrumentality.  The process is left in a state where everyone has the option to *choose* - to remain linked in the singular being, or be individual, which in and of itself isn't really a failure as the ability to control your own physical forms was part of Adam's lifeform archetype.    Hence the sea of LCL, with dotted humans.  Shinji and later Asuka return to human form, but the fate of everyone else is left open.

 OK I'm gonna take a break for a bit here because holy shit this is tolstoy here and I’m actually at work, so please PM me with further questions and I shall do up further posts, but this should be enough to get you going.  No one gets Eva on the first watch, it's a fucking glorious mess and even after years of watching you're gonna pick up some new shit.

[randomnessunicorn-imagine]

The prompt A finds B crying in a corner, in which A is Odo and B is reader + “The doctor ordered me to smoke”. Reader cries over his crush that don't share their same feelings them and Odo is there to cheer them up or help somehow. Odo can understand reader's feeling because he also loves Kira but she ignores his sentiment.

{ This one is very intense, long and a little angst, just how I like it. }

Share and like if you appreciate my job, please!

> Everyone can ask for a PROMPT, send only detailed requests!

💔 ODO 💔

Love was a strange feeling.

A feeling that the changeling still did not fully understand and Odo didnot know how the humanoids could live with this feeling inside of them. It wasunbearable.

For a while, Odo had ignored it, it was impossible that he was in lovewith Kira, this was not his duty nor need. He had always lived withoutthe necessity to breed or fall in love. He was not made for this. He was nothimself.

His responsibilities were others, his job was the most important valuefor him and this irrational, primitive and frivolous feeling called love wasblinding him, destroying him from the inside like a deadly virus. Nevertheless,when his eyes met Kira’s, all his fears faded away and a feeling of joy invadedhis entire existence. Nothing was so terrible anymore, he felt satisfied, contentand relaxed but when Kira was not next to him, his heart drowned into the abyssof agony and regret over and over again. As if he wanted to rip his own heartfrom his chest, if he had a heart but the only thing he had was an emotion of numbness.

Alternatively, when Odo saw Kira in the company of Shakaar, a newfeeling took possession of his soul. A feeling of anger, hatred andnervousness. Simply, jealousy. He was jealous because he wanted to be in thatman’s place. To kiss her lips, caress her skin, smell her perfume and play withher hair. Things that Shakaar already did. Odo could only savour this realityin his secret dreams.

Odo did not want to think about Kira or Shakaar or his broken heartanymore. He did not want to think about anything and anyone so he decided totake a walk through the promenade, maybe checking Quark out would havedistracted him but the bar was about to close and no one was around anymoreuntil he heard a strange sound. Sounds of sobs accompanied by a smoke, grey andunknown.

Was something going on fire in the station? Perhaps the situation wasnot as quiet as it seemed and then Odo ran towards that smoke. But what hefound made him even more confused because he found no danger. On the contrary,he found you in tears. Were you smoking? He believed it was so, an old bad humanhabit, he had read about it in some of the crime novels that O'Brian had lenthim. Odo could not believe you had that terrible vice.

You were his colleague, a member of security, an honest, trustworthy andkind person who had never disappointed him. Odo, on the other hand, was yourboss and you had a great respect for him. Odo was your role model but not the reasonyou were crying. Perhaps the changeling was not the only one here to have abroken heart because you were crying out of love. Unrequited love. An ingrate love,as ingrate as this life and universe.

“Smoking is not allowed in the station!” Odo said withseverity.

“I haven’t read any rules about it. I’m sorry.” You answeredin a cold tone of voice, a tone Odo had never heard from you.

You blew a cloud of smoke from your mouth, observing how it vanished in theair.

“You should know the rules better than anyone.” He said, warybut also worried about your behaviour, too weird to be realistic.

“The doctor ordered me tosmoke.” This was your unrealistic and absurd answer.

Then you took another taste of your cigarette, you felt the smokeburning in your throat. It tasted good and warm, you almost forgot your painbut then you remembered it when you tasted pure oxygen.

“Really? You could have invented a better excuse.” Odo sighedand he started finding all this smoke annoying. Luckily, he could not taste orsmell it since he had no sensory organs but he still did not like it. He wouldnever like it.

“Actually, it’s relaxing; it helps me to get distracted. Not tothink of anything. I know this attitude is bad but not as bad as others…” yes,something different from the pain you kept in your heart.

There were worse addictions in the world and you did not think smokingwas the most dangerous. Maybe falling in love was one of the worse addictionsbecause it also killed you slowly and miserably. No choice. No escape. You feltprisoned and hopeless.

“I do not think the Doctor Bashir would agree with your opinion. I donot understand why humanoids like destroying their bodies this way. I know thatsmoking can cause so many diseases but they seem to forget about this littlebut not so insignificance detail. Maybe they do not have all that self-respect,or, simply, they are so selfish that they want to be the cause of their own destruction.Humans are really devious and extravagant creatures. I will never understandtheir way of behaving, it is so irresponsible but I would never have expectedit from you.” Odo explained his opinion, he did not hate humans but he justfound some of their behaviours so odd and irrational.

“I am still a human being. I also make my mistakes. I can also beirresponsible and want to destroy myself slowly.” You confessed withbitterness in your voice.

“You are not yourself! What is happening to you? Yesterday you evenarrived late at job but I decided not to pay any attention, I can make amistake on purpose as well but, obviously, something happened to you and I wanta reasonable explication now.” Odo’s voice was severe and his sentence lookedlike an order.

“Nobody can hide you anything, Constable. I have always admired youbecause you always manage to be professional, cold and serious even in theworst situations. I would like to have your determination. I am very sorry. Butit’s true, something happened and I don’t feel fine.” You confessed,taking the last breath of your cigarette and then you threw it away, steppingon the cigarette.

“And what would be the problem?” Odo asked.

“It’s not about work and I don’t know if you can understand. It’s ahumanoid thing, a matter of feelings. A nuisance.” You confessed, keepingon stepping on that cigarette as if you were venting on it because you wereangry, sad and confused.

“I have always observed and studied the behaviour of men so it ispossible that I can understand those feelings even if they are a nuisance. Onthis we agree.” Odo has always found emotions as a bother, an obstacle, itdid not allow people to performance their job properly. Sometimes, he hatedhimself because of those feelings. He continued to hate himself for loving Kirathat much, he could not do anything to stop it and this was unacceptable. Aweakness. Even now, he felt weak because that thought was still there and didnot go away.  

“Well, it’s about *your crush name*. And I don’t even know how toexplain it.” you snorted.

“Do you like them?” Odo got to the point, he did not likewandering around things.

“Yes, but I have no hope or courage to confess my feelings to them.”

“A quality that I noticed in humans is their innate determinationand therefore you should not give up without even trying.”

“Reality is not so simple, constable Odo. They already love someoneelse and I’ve been so idiotic to give them a good advice. Since I’m a goodfriend, I told them to try and ask that person to go out to dinner. For amoment, I was deluding myself that they were talking about me. That I was theperson they were in love with but these things only happen in movies. I justpushed them into each other’s arms and I’m alone now. They’ve said that I amthe best friend of the universe. Such beautiful words.”

At that moment, Odo felt suddenly uncomfortable as if theblade of a sword had hit him. It was a lightning out of aclear sky. A realization. He hadalready heard this story and had already lived this experience on his own skin.He remained silent, unable to speak; he did not know what to saybecause he had not found the solution to this problem nether.

You sighed, giggling nervously, “I’m sopathetic. There are so many problems I should think about, like the security ofthe station, the threat of the Dominion but I’m still here crying like ateenager over stupid heart problems. You have the right to pity me because I ampathetic, a stupid sentimentalist.”

You just felt so miserable and you did not want to appearso weak, not in front of him. Not in front the person you estimated.

“You are not stupid or pathetic at all. You are onlyhuman and I do not believe that loving a person makes you a fool. Certainlylove makes people do silly things and in fact you were poisoning your body withthat cigarette’s smoke.” Odo said, his tone was calm and he actually didnot blame you because he knew the feeling, he understood you very well becausehe lived and was still living the same your sorrow.

“And doesn’t that make me miserable?”

“No, just human.”

“Thanks, constable Odo.”

“I know that my words will not cheer you up, but Iassure you that you are not the only one with a broken heart. Maybe workingharder can help you get distracted and use the energy you got inside forsomething useful instead of hurting yourself in that atrocious way.”

Odo did the same, he worked harder than his usual sincehe had realized the feeling he felt for Kira and how he also comprehended howhopeless and pathetic he was to keep thinking she could consider him more thana mere friend someday.

“It’s true. I understand, I’ll do my best. Thank youso much Odo.” You smiled, softly.

“Do not worry.” Odo nodded, proud as always.

“Odo, would you like to have lunch with me one ofthese days? I know you don’t eat but I also know that you are reading *your favoritebook’s title*. I would like to discuss with you about it. What is the point inreading a book if you can’t argue with anyone?”

After the conversation you had with Odo, you decided youwant to know him better and you were sure it would be worth it, even if he wascold, austere and severe, you knew he was also understanding and opened-mindedin his cynical way. You could learn a lot from him and maybe even Odo needed alittle company, a new way to distract himself and not to think about his brokenheart and illusions of love.

“Sounds reasonable. You humanoids care a lot aboutthese social rituals; you are able to discuss about every kind of topic.Impressive, a bit useless, but I may find it interesting.” Odo commentedyour idea in his usual skeptical way, but it was his way and he accepted afterall.

“You said you were an observer of the humanoids andso this is also an aspect that is worth studying.”

“Exactly.“

Then you and Odo decided to help each other, not to fall apart, not now, not until you could count of each other's friendship. 

Better days would come on DS9.

[kjaneway115]

Star Trek Voyager: Sacred Ground

Episode 3.7 “Sacred Ground” Stardate 50063.2

Kes is so enthusiastic walking around the Nakani world, so incredibly curious and doesn't know where to stop.  It is easy to forget how innocent she is, and how little she has experienced.

B’Elanna gets hostile when the Nakani say they have to leave.

The Nakani have a separation of church and state.

KJ requests to undergo the ritual on the basis that a captain is fully responsible for her crew.

Chakotay is surprised in a way, but understands when she explains her scientific purpose.  Chakotay says she needs a way to call for an emergency beam out.  She rolls her eyes.  Chakotay suggests that maybe she will meet the ancestral spirits.  Chakotay’s mother taught him about the science behind vision quests.  I would say there is a clear difference since “Resolutions” in their interaction with each other.  Tuvok suggests that she take a phaser but she refuses.

Spiritual guide: “You are fond of your little devices, aren’t you?” KJ: “They’ve always served me well.”  Ironic considering that this is right after Basics.  KJ says she can’t draw.  Her sister was the artist in the family.  She has to hold up a stone for a long time, until she sees something other than a stone, a glowing crystal.

The Doc tells Neelix not to wallow in useless remorse.  Neelix feels helpless, the Doc tells him he understands.

At the end of the ritual she has to put her hand into a box and gets bit by some sort of poisonous creature.  She says she’s not quitting.  She says her chest is burning after the creature bites her.  Then she gets sealed in a coffin.

Chakotay is going a little crazy with worry.  It’s been three days since she had any sleep and has been poisoned with an unknown toxin.  He’s obviously going through all the worst possibilities in his mind.  C: “Are you getting enough meaningful information to justify continuing this ordeal?”  The Doc says she’s experiencing the equivalent of a psychoactive drug.  Tuvok tells C that the decision is his but it would be the captain’s desire to continue.  C: “All right.  We’ll leave her there for now, but I’m not moving from this monitor until she gets back.”  KJ wants proof, the guide says it’s irrelevant, that everything she’s gone through is meaningless.  The whole ritual took 39 hours.

The Doc checks out the captain when she returns.  Chakotay is close by until he sees that she’s ok.  When it doesn’t work, the Doc says “everything you went through was meaningless.”  Then KJ goes back.  She says she doesn’t know what she’s seeking, and the guide says, then she is ready to begin.  

“Most of the challenges in life are the ones we create for ourselves.”  “And you’re particularly hard on yourself.”  “If you can explain everything, what’s left to believe in?” -Nakani spirits.  They mock her science, saying that she has faith in science.  They say there’s no rational explanation, she just has to act on faith and take Kes back into the biogenic field.  They tell her she can have no doubt or hesitation.  She says she wants to believe it’s possible.

KJ signals the ship, Chakotay replies they’ve been worried about her.  He and Neelix bring Kes down to the planet.  “Captain,” C says, but he reaches out to touch her, but doesn’t.  He suggests that she take some time to think about it, he says it isn’t like her.  He’s afraid that she will die.  Neelix says he can’t ask her to risk her own life.  Chakotay agrees and says it’s his responsibility to keep her safe.  He says he could relieve her of duty.  The guide says she doesn’t know the answers, but KJ does.  C: “Captain, I don’t understand this.”  KJ: “Neither do I.  That’s the challenge.”  And then he steps aside, trusting her. 

What did KJ see in the second she touched the shrine?  I think this is probably the first experience with genuine faith that Kathryn has ever had.

The Doc has a full scientific explanation for how Kes was cured.  Janeway says it’s a perfectly sound explanation, but she’s clearly not satisfied with this.  She leaves sickbay… does she go to see Chakotay?

Original Airdate: October 30, 1996

Production Number: 143

Episode Tags: J/C, Character Background

Meanwhile, back in the Alpha Quadrant...

Sisko, O’Brien, Worf and Odo go to the Klingon Empire to expose Gowron as a Changeling. Gowron agrees to fight Worf.  Martok helps them escape from prison.  Then Odo realizes that Martok is the changeling.  Gowron realizes the true plan.  Gowron says the Federation must allow the Klingons to annex certain worlds that they have seized.  He finally agrees to advise a temporary cease-fire.  Gowron thanks Sisko for his service to the Empire.  He tells Worf he should have killed him when he had the chance.

Another interesting note about the top of Season 3...

If the episodes at the beginning of this season are viewed in stardate order, rather than airdate order, the chronological order of events is:

Basics, Part II

Sacred Ground

False Profits

Flashback

The Chute

Remember

The Swarm

I think this is particularly interesting considering Janeway’s vulnerability in Sacred Ground directly following the events of Basics, and then the disappointment of False Profits following directly on that.

[albinokittens300]

Something New- Part Four

Rating: G/K

Summery: When unable to return to Hogwarts after his explosion, Newt is offered a place at Casteloobruxo. The South American Wizarding School that specializes in Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. What he learns there though is far more than he expects

A/N- So, yay. Last chapter, and the longest of them all. I know this is a little fic but it is very long for me XD. Will also admit I do kinda have a soft spot for it, because I was able to write finally when I came up this idea. Hope you all enjoyed it! Please like, reblog and comment if you would like :). 

“Keep up, all of you.” Professor Vera says. More stern than the patient and calm teacher usually is. But he counts the heads as they gather around, making sure all five of his students are present.

Newt is at the front of the group, with four others behind him. He was happy to find that Odo, his roommate, and possibly even friend was one of the other students chosen to go. There were also two girls, Agnes and Lorena. Newt had yet to meet them before this project but was growing to appreciate it as they worked together. The oldest and last of them was Gabriel, who would be using this to write his paper to graduate.

For the last two months, after class, the five of them had worked to hatch the egg Professor Vera had come across, intending to release it in the Andes when they planned set to travel here. The group had worked hard to keep the egg warm enough and ready the hatchling to go back into the wild, where it belonged. Despite this, the dragon seemed only to tolerate Newt, who now carried the young hatchling in a leather pouch around his side.

Several times Newt had itched to write Leta, to tell her about how the egg was doing, or how the hatchling was growing extremely quickly. But he stopped himself harshly every time, reminding himself Leta likely didn’t care anymore, and neither should he. It was much better, with Odo and the other three students who knew about the release and worked to care for the baby with him.

The shy boy couldn’t say they were all friends. But he knew it felt more like he belonged among them than he had with most students at Hogwarts.

“This is good enough, everyone. Newt, the hatchling?” Vera says, and Newt opens up his bag and allows the tiny creature to crawl on his hand.

He crouches down, followed by the rest of the students and the teacher as the baby dragon is placed carefully onto the ground. The wind of the mountains whips around them as they watch the little creature begin to look around and explore between them. All of them waiting for the hatchling to take off.

“Twenty years ago, creatures like this would have been killed. Now they are returning to their home here.” Professor Vera says. They all listen as he recounts how an explosion in the Peruvian Vipertooths population led to the near extermination of them.

For a moment, they watch the dragon rustle and play with the leaves. Odo laughs and offers his arm before Newt can tell him better; the little dragon lunges and bearly misses biting the other boy’s finger.

“Good thing.” Newt comments. “He’s teeth. They are developing his venom about now.” The words cause Odo to check his hand once more as the rest of them now watch the dragon scamper away, further up the mountain then they want to go.

For a moment, Newt thinks he knows how that must feel like now. Knowing you are where you are supposed to be.

[pursuingtheplanet]

Wanderings through Chania...

Arriving by bus to a bustling square, Chania at first could have been any town in Europe. But a few steps later, I was presented with a unique blend of old and new, mirroring the different cultures that have shaped its ancient history. Essentially the capital of Western Crete, Chania town is dotted with Ottoman, Byzantine, and Minoan ruins, suddenly appearing as I began to wander through the sprawling streets. 

Arriving at Platía 1866, there were three journeys I could have made: turning left, I would have found the more modern shopping district with wide streets and plenty of traffic; turning right I would have been wrapped up in yet more shopping, set in the narrower, rustic looking Moussouron, the cross-shaped indoor market sat at the centre. Instead I chose the third option, strolling straight ahead and entering pedestrianised Halidon. Dotted with souvenir stores, expensive jewellery shops, and gelato parlours, the route eventually leads to the Venetian harbour, after visitors are inevitably sucked into Odos Skridlof: the infamous Leather Street:

It was both the earthy smell and the bustling chaos that drew me in. Dark and narrow, the almost-alley was jammed packed with some of the best value leather goods in Crete. Bags and belts hung outside shops in a multitude of colours, owners ready to adjust them to length. Meanwhile purses, wallets and sandals were stacked on shelves, ready to be matched with whatever ever other goods customers were ‘urged’ to buy. I found the best prices sitting in the very centre, where the crowds were thickest and the canopies seemed to increase in number.

              Successfully emerging on the other side I was greeted by a square stuffed with bars and restaurants. Most of the crowds headed left to the Orthodox cathedral, but I continued forwards, finding yet more narrow streets. These ones though were canopy free, bright and airy, with very few people. Navigating between the rugged buildings and random ruins proved to be extremely peaceful, a few independent coffee houses providing lovely aromas while taller buildings allowed sporadic breaks from the sun. Crumbling buildings lined Agion Deka, yet restaurateurs had utilised the aesthetic, creating eateries in rustic, historical looking environments. And despite my delving deeper and deeper into the old town it seemed impossible to get lost, every alley, street, or walkway leading to the Venetian harbour.

              I heard the crowds of people before I saw them, suddenly appearing and darting between restaurants and street sellers like ants. Turning right would’ve taken me right to the water, but I decided to walk forwards again, entering the cut-ways sitting behind the harbour front and escaping the sun’s glare. These streets were a little busier, once again canopy covered with a lot more shops selling a variety of products: from jewellery to Moroccan-style glass lamps. Empty churches and synagogues added variety to the architecture, containing restaurants or ceramic studios, many offering classes and unique products. Kondylaki Ioanni contained the most variety, shops selling souvenirs or impressive religious icons giving way to t-shirts or foodie stories, before bakeries and tavernas shaded by radiant bougainvillea signalled the end of the street.

              Or so I thought. Moving out of the way of a speeding moped, I discovered a narrow walkway. Wandering down it, my meandering took me up and down several steps, each new corner revealing unexpected pockets of activity centred around tiny restaurants or hotels, hidden away from the main street and providing a perfectly quiet atmosphere for a meal or city break. Occasional walks across wider streets brought refreshing blasts of sea air as the harbour would flash into view, the sun gloriously reflecting off of it. Eventually I ended up at the top of the old town, by the old fortress with the coastline stretched before me. I decided to turn left, the daily market spread before me, familiarly accompanied by the yelling and rowdy negotiations between stall owners and customers over fresh fish, fruit, cheese, and honey. The scene was utter chaos, the laughter and screams of children in the school behind many of the stalls adding to the din, but give me that kind of scenario over a crowded shopping centre on a Saturday morning any day.

Despite being sorely tempted by the honey (I wish we could bring it back into the UK), I ploughed on; the clothing section was suddenly much quieter, the appliances and utensils part even more so. At the end of the market, I could see Chania’s tiny beach resort, tall hotels and bars blaring loud music lining the shore, worlds away from the labyrinthine streets of the old town. At this point I turned back, retracing my steps through the market to seek solace from the shaded streets once again. This time I went round the fortress and past the maritime museum: before me lay the entire Venetian harbour, its colourful buildings of all shapes and sizes thoroughly mirroring its namesake. The breeze off of the water was very welcome as I strolled past bars and restaurants sitting underneath hotels, many advertising ‘no stress’ and ‘we don’t speak much’. I wasn’t sure of the context of these signs until I ended up back at the entrance to the harbour, just before I had entered the maze behind it. Here, I was immediately bombarded by restaurant owners, telling me they had the best prices, the cheapest beer, and the ‘freshest menu’. Glancing at one, the majority of dishes seemed to be pizza or pasta based; not very Grecian.

By-passing the tourist-focused eateries, I followed the curve of the harbour, staying close to the water to avoid more pushy restaurateurs and the horse and carriage harbour tours that pushed through the crowds. A landmark of the harbour soon came into view: the Hassan Pasha mosque, or mosque of the Janissaries. Built in 1645 after the city fell to the Turks, its impressive dome is now like a shell used for small events. Stepping inside, I found a local crafts exhibition, while the blue and white Mihrab remained beautifully intact in the corner despite it being the oldest Ottoman building on the island, and Crete’s varied (and often violent) past.

              As the harbour curved further round, I began to notice how quiet the path had become. The early evening atmosphere was lulled, locals favouring later hours to eat, while most tourists were caught by the officious restaurant owners I had just avoided. I quickly realised I had entered the Old Harbour, leading on from its sister with a lighthouse guarding its entrance opposite the Venetian’s fortress. Here, the path was mostly lined with stylish bars and restaurants, with a few derelict buildings awaiting their fate as either option dotted in-between.  To my right, sleek and shiny yachts bobbed up and down on the water, cementing Chania as a town of modernity and Greece as a popular location of the more financially affluent, despite the nation’s problematic economy.

As I continued walking I could actually hear the water lapping against the rocks now that the bells of the carriage horses and the din of the crowd had faded away. The sight of a turtle conservation stand was very welcome to me, grimly juxtaposing with a ‘boat-stall’ selling sea sponges, shells, and sea creatures turned into decoration. I was thankful that they appeared deficit of customers. At the very end of the harbour, I finally decided to have a bite to eat, three impressive-looking fish restaurants standing before me. While the first two looked inviting, they had very large menus, which always makes me question their use of ‘fresh’. The third however offered much less fare, while boasting fair trade and ‘Hellenic approved’ stamps. Glossmites subsequently gave me the best squid and swordfish I have ever tasted, cleanly grilled with just a hint of lemon infused olive oil, allowing the flavour to really shine. This, and a good glass of local wine, were the perfect accompaniments to my first proper attempt at capturing a sunset, before the sky finally fell dark, the lights from both harbours twinkling on the still water.

Walking back through the town with a cone of gelato in my hand, the streets were full again as more locals came out to enjoy the cooler air. Their laughter added to the thoroughly social atmosphere the night brought to Chania, and while my evening was about to end thanks to a very early start the next day, I could see that theirs was just beginning.

[elgatounicornio]

starmaiden

a little script i wrote for a pilot story that connects odo’s journey and nebula: lore somehow, hopefully soon it will be finished in comic book format and even more hopefully someday i’ll be able to adapt it to animation format. 

~~~~~

INT. SPACE COMMUNE DASS NARRENCHYSFF

Deska, a 16 years old girl with green dreads wearing a gray-green jumper talks excitedly with an elder, healthy looking woman, Uliah, 318 years old, who wears a similar jumper in a different colour.  

DESKA One last thing... can I take Odo with me? Pleeease? It’s a M class planet, we won’t even need walkers! ULIAH Will you keep your eyes on her all the time? Will you ask the ship for help straight away in the first sight of trouble? DESKA Yes! I’ll be super ultra careful! She’s been so down since the last rite, I think it would really cheer her up. ULIAH Ok, but watch out. That little girl is nuts and the Singular is not the best at giving her boundaries!

INT. ODO’S QUARTERS Odo, 12 years old, is laying on her bed staring at something invisible in front of her, moving her hands in the hair with grace and a certain obsession. Deska knocks and comes in directly without waiting for an answer, seats close to Odo. DESKA So remember that book we’ve found at the second hand store at that station in Alpha Centauri? ODO The one with the cryptic writing about little salamander men? DESKA They were axolotl men, but yes! We’re just in the vicinity of the planet mentioned on the book. And Uliah allowed me to go check it out... and take you with me! ODO Oh, wow! That’s awesome! I don’t get why they’re always afraid something is going to happen with me while we have a super powerful AI watching out for us all the time. SINGULAR I see it as part of the inexorable tendency humans have to project their own limitations. They cannot fully grasp that I am completely able to multi-task. Plus older humans often tend to underestimate the survival instincts of their younglings. ODO And listening to us all the time as well..! SINGULAR Sorry, do you prefer if I pretend I am not here? ODO What if we want to have a private conversation? SINGULAR Then let me know and I will try my best to pretend I am not here. At least I will definitely refrain myself from interacting. You could always try holding the conversation in a soundproof cabin but that did not turn out well for humans last time. INT. SHUTTLECRAFT ODO This is so exciting to be in a journey just by ourselves! DESKA Yeah, it is! The scanners can already read the planet but it reads no signs of humanoid life whatsoever, just fauna and flora, no buildings. For what the book depicts I imagined it would be at least full of ruins. ODO Did you ever scan the book? DESKA Yes, it did encounter some unusual neutrino levels. ODO Well you know what that means! DESKA Yes, that this book may have time-travelled, or an Orgalorg farted on it! ODO Hahaha!

EXT. PLANET SOMA DESKA Oh wow it looks nothing like i expected! ODO It doesn’t look like there was ever a civilization out here... maybe the geography of the planet changed so much since then that all the parts that were built now are underwater? DESKA I find it highly unlikely.. The ship’s scan would have read it even if it was submerse. Still, this planet looks amazing. I’ll have a look if there’s any information on the book that I can relate to what we find here now. ODO How do you make it, Deska? DESKA What do you mean? ODO How can you deal so lightly with the rites? DESKA The rites themselves? Well it’s like an interesting game! ODO You know that is not what I mean... DESKA Well, I love the rites. I actually feel quite refreshed after them... enlightened! ODO But how can you deal with knowing how they’d have treated us back then? And just us! I mean... ok, it’s not like it would have been easy for Pêta or Kokolo... but for us specially, it just feels so random. DESKA Well, it took me a while to start feeling like this, it wasn’t like that when I was your age... for a while it just felt pretty shitty. ODO How did it get better? DESKA Hm... I think the more I’ve learnt about the past the more I understood that personally, each of those people thought they were doing the right thing and they didn’t learn that in one moment or another. It was everyday. Each misguided imbecile was taught everyday that he was doing something reasonable. And the system that created that imbecile also thought it was doing the right thing through its development... I mean... do you get where I’m getting at? ODO I guess so... DESKA We are privileged to have the opportunity to see this things from this perspective, to have access to all the information and the help of the Singular to see things with the clarity of distance. This helps me not get stuck on the anger I feel about the past... I guess at some point I just started feeling such a relief for not having to actually be there and deal with that reality that I stopped being upset about it having existed. And I can’t help feel revenged somehow, you know... we kept to keep going, they died without even... Odo? Odo? Odo rolls down a hill. ODO AHHHHHH..... I’m down here! I’ll try to find another way back up!

Odo walks around, looking carefully at the landscape around her. She looks inside a tree bark and finds a small, odd looking person-creature working on a tiny lab. This creature has no hands and moves around very little, looking carefully at the outcome of her experiments while little tentacles growing from the floor and from the table move all the apparatus needed for the experiments. If it wasn’t for her obvious facial expressions regarding the development of the process it wouldn’t be easy to assume she was in charge of everything, it could just look like the interior of a machine or an internal organ working without conscience.  

EXT/INT ODO OUTSIDE/MEENTHRA INSIDE TREE BARK ODO What are you doing? MEENTHRA Ugh you startled me. I am... creating something. ODO What are you creating? MEENTHRA Hm... Company I guess. ODO How come you can speak my language? Are you telepathic? MEENTHRA I can be if I choose to, but most of time time it just feels like... Why bother? It is just extra headache. I just know your language. I know all human languages. ODO How do you know I am a human? MEENTHRA I have been to your homeworld. ODO The Earth? MEENTHRA Yeah ODO I have never been to the Earth. MEENTHRA It is a lovely sight. Lots of fucked up shit happened there, but the longer you people are away from it the better it looks. ODO Are you the Starmaiden? MEENTHRA WTF is a Starmaiden? ODO Some sort of goddess I guess. My friend and I found a book about her, we came here to research. MEENTHRA My name is Meenthra. That is pretty much all I am certain about myself. What is your name, human child? ODO I’m Odo. DESKA (FROM OUTSIDE FRAME) Odo, where are you? ODO My friend is looking for me. I’ll be right back, she’ll be thrilled to meet you. MEENTHRA It was interesting meeting you Odo, the human child.

EXT. SOMA ODO Deska! I’m over here! DESKA What were you looking at? ODO You won’t believe what I’ve found, I think I just met the Starmaiden! DESKA But the computer didn’t read any sentient humanoids on the surface... ODO Well so how can you explain this! Odo points do the interior of the tree bark. DESKA What exactly? ODO What do you mean? DESKA Although it does look beautiful inside this tree bark I wouldn’t say this lichen looks like an all powerful goddess or something... ODO What?! No way! She’s in there with her tiny lab! DESKA Have you been eating any of this fungai? ODO I was not hallucinating! I’m serious! She was there! We talked! She spoke English and had been to the Earth! DESKA You do look a bit dehydrated...