Title: First... Rating: PG, language Character: McCoy Timeline: Early 2250s Words: 607 Challenge: Survival Disclaimer: McCoy and his family belong to Paramount. Not me. Notes: Sometimes, you have to survive what happens to you in what everyone claims to be 'everyday life', too. -- Pulled for story control.
Wow very good story, and an interesting take on the challenge. My only quibble is you calling him Len McCoy. I just found that jarring, we never heard him referred to in that way, it was always Leonard.
I beg to differ-Len McCoy is how he was referred to in early Trek novels that reflected on his life before Starfleet. If I recall, it was also part of the (unused) script about his daughter from TOS that Gene himself wrote.
I didn't even catch it. I thought it was a different way say his name and I accepted it...but cool to see it has been used before too. Mr. Watson did his homework perhaps??? Rob
He wasn't always 'Bones', and I'm pretty sure that his wife wouldn't have called him 'Leonard'. But I'm definitely not the first person to write him being called Len over Leonard in his earlier life. Promise. Thanks so much for the comment! And it was a part of how he was referred to in Shadows on the Sun and other more McCoy centric novels. I love that nickname, myself. ;-) I think it's more warm and intimate than 'Bones' to be honest, though that has quite a history to it. Thank you! Mrs. Watson. Or, just Steff. And yeah, I tend to be a pretty obsessive researcher, but in this particular case, it just made sense to me that he'd go by Len. Thanks for commenting!
Well I've never read those novels, so to me TOS is the benchmark and I never heard him called Len, it just doesn't sound right to me that's all- my quibble
That's okay. ;-) You're allowed to quibble. But I just figured that Len would be what he went by before he was tagged as Bones, at least by those close to him.
You clearly have a thing for writing deep, character pieces which explore every aspect of the TOS characters. You also have a knack of making them quite depressing. Regardless, this flows very well and is really just beautifully written and composed. Kudos.
::laughs:: Believe it or not, most of what I write goes the other way, but when you've got a survival theme, it's kinda hard to pull fluff out of it. Thanks much for the comment!
A compelling, visceral story about hard choices that answers the fact of why Leonard McCoy went into Starfleet to begin with. Really nicely done!
I wish I could take credit for the idea that the divorce drove him to it, but I think it was either in the novels or in fanon. This is just one take on a fateful moment. Thanks for the comment!
One of the novels I think, not sure which one maybe Crisis on Centaurus. Great story. McCoy is one of my favourite characters, and it see some detail brought to his back story is wonderful - especially as it is so well-written.
I think Shadows on the Sun may have had it, too, but I can never seem to remember. Regardless, thank you so much for the comment!
Nice work. Very affecting. I don't think I've read any of your stories before. In any case, you've made a good first impression with me.