Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind

[SLWalker]

So, who was it that asked if I wrote longer stories? You? Bet you're scrambling for that backbutton now!

Title: On the Nature of Wind
Author: SLWatson
Editors: KRWalker, Maguena, Sadisticerrorpi
Betas: TheBrimmstone, Smoke Glacken (Jen), Allenth, Sabby (other Jen), Ehzoterik, Merfilly
Rating: PG, mild cussing
Timeline: 2242 - 2243
Pairing: None
Words: 98,800+
Disclaimer: Star Trek, of course, belongs to Paramount. I'm only borrowing one of their main characters, a couple of cameos and a few of their concepts, but eh. As for the rest of the charries, they're mine. If by some small chance you want to use them, just ask. I'll probably jump for joy and say yes. And I'd be negligent if I didn't say it: This story is best read in its original format HERE.

Notes: All right. This story has something of a strange pedigree, so lemme explain it.

One: It was the very first one I wrote. I started it in October of 2001, wrote through the first four parts and then... stopped. Got blocked for the next six years. Could not write in it to save my life. Tried a dozen times. Worst of all, I got blocked at this really fricken important scene, too. I'd go back and edit and pick at things, but it took me until earlier this year to actually finish this story. There are definitely stylistic differences between then and now, and between the first four parts and the last part and Epilogue. This one's not as polished, though still entirely readable... so, be patient with the twenty-one year old I used to be? ;-)

Two: It was never, ever supposed to be a novel when I did start it. I figured it would be about 10,000 words, mostly humor, and that was it. I sure as heck never imagined, when I started, that it would end up 98,800+ words, let alone set the ball rolling on an entire story arc. Wanna know what question sparked it off? "Huh. Why did Scotty buy a boat for retirement in ST:IV?" Funny how stories go, isn't it?

Three: Even when I did realize this would be a novel-length story, I didn't realize that I would go and write the timeline before it and after it. And I sure didn't realize that the long gap between the Prologue and Part I would later beg for some fill-in tales to explain things, mostly because back when I started it, I hadn't even begun to ask questions about my favorite engineer. Needless to say, though, this story is where those questions started really sticking in my head bigtime.

And four: There's a pretty long gap (and a decent amount that happens) between where I left off on Distant Horizons and where this story picks up. Someday, I will go back and at least fill in one or two more stories to explain how Scott ends up from there to here, but today won't be that day. There's also a lot that happens between the Prologue and Part I on a more personal level that I knew, but hadn't originally deemed as important as I do now. Nonetheless, those stories remain separate from this one, and I'll post 'em later.

So...

This is meant to be a standalone novel; you don't have to read Distant Horizons to be able to enjoy it. Though, of course, you'd probably enjoy it even more if you did. It's a sort of sequel to the story 'In Theory' in the novel Kobayashi Maru. It takes place mostly in the year 2243.

No, you don't have to comment. Yes, though, it would be greatly appreciated. It has a bit of something for everyone. Humor, drama, friendship... piracy...

No, I'm not kidding. You wanna know more, you can read on. ;-)

 

[SLWalker]

Re: Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Prologue
Pulled for story control. The whole thing is available revised on Ad Astra.

 

[SLWalker]

Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 1
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[Nerys Ghemor]

Re: Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 1

Very good to see Scotty connecting with someone. For awhile, his inability to connect with others was affecting MY ability as the reader to connect with him.

Well done!

 

[SLWalker]

Re: Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 1

Very good to see Scotty connecting with someone. For awhile, his inability to connect with others was affecting MY ability as the reader to connect with him.

Well done!

I kinda wish I'd been able to write more of the space between the story Distant Horizons (and not just leaving the set with that one) and this one, if only to show that he took some pretty big steps in Basic Training towards settling. And I wish I'd known this would actually become a story ARC when I wrote ONOW here, because I would have shown the evolution of this particular friendship, instead of deeming it secondary to the plot. Because it is a good tale.

Still, I really hope that ONOW, despite that I was way younger when I wrote most of it, holds up okay. And thanks much for the comment; yes, Scott does get more personable. Corry's an awful influence on him, in the best ways a good friend can be. ;-)

 

[SLWalker]

Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 2
--

 

[SLWalker]

Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 2
--

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Re: Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 2

What a cantankerous set of friends. But considering how badly Scotty needed friends, this is definitely a good thing.

It's interesting...I end up picturing settings, in your work, that aside from Starfleet Academy, aren't the sanitized, futuristic look we saw even shipboard on TOS. Your settings come to me very much with traditional architecture and decor inside--things that probably would've made the historical register in the 23rd century. In general, your population seems to have clung to its tradition much more than later series like TNG and DS9 would let on (where people seem so unfamiliar with common idioms it's unbelievable). Would you say that's a fair assessment of how you perceive the Trekiverse?

 

[RobertScorpio]

Re: Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 2

What a cantankerous set of friends. But considering how badly Scotty needed friends, this is definitely a good thing.

It's interesting...I end up picturing settings, in your work, that aside from Starfleet Academy, aren't the sanitized, futuristic look we saw even shipboard on TOS. Your settings come to me very much with traditional architecture and decor inside--things that probably would've made the historical register in the 23rd century. In general, your population seems to have clung to its tradition much more than later series like TNG and DS9 would let on (where people seem so unfamiliar with common idioms it's unbelievable). Would you say that's a fair assessment of how you perceive the Trekiverse?

I agree with where you are going with your reply to Mr. Watson's story. It definately seems he has his eye on that past. I like it...I hadn't read this story yet and decided to so after his McCoy story in the monthly challenge...keep it up my dear watson

Rob

 

[SLWalker]

What a cantankerous set of friends. But considering how badly Scotty needed friends, this is definitely a good thing.

It's interesting...I end up picturing settings, in your work, that aside from Starfleet Academy, aren't the sanitized, futuristic look we saw even shipboard on TOS. Your settings come to me very much with traditional architecture and decor inside--things that probably would've made the historical register in the 23rd century. In general, your population seems to have clung to its tradition much more than later series like TNG and DS9 would let on (where people seem so unfamiliar with common idioms it's unbelievable). Would you say that's a fair assessment of how you perceive the Trekiverse?

::nodnods!:: Believe it or not, that was intentional. In Belfast, where the Engineering Academy is, there are quite a few new and modern areas where cadets work, but those are often in newer parts of the city. The actual location for the Academy proper, as in classrooms and dorms, is where Queen's University currently is, a historic sector of Belfast even now and would doubtless be by then too. So, rather than forcing the surrounding history to adapt to them, the Engineers adapted to the surrounding history.

They're also very close to the traditional shipbuilding area of Belfast, on the Lough, and there are still shipbuilding operations even in the 23rd century -- there are still ocean-going cargo carriers, the dynacarries, that haul goods across the ocean. And, who knows? Harland and Wolff may indeed still build the occasional passenger liner, too.

South Bristol is... supposed to be timeless. Absolutely, emphatically, it's supposed to be something eternal. I have a lot of reasons for this, too, both practical and personal. Especially given where it is.

But I tend to definitely take the view that the 23rd century isn't some unrecognizable wonderland of gadgets. ;-) I think some things have changed for the better -- on Earth, anyway, I think that there's education for those who want it, and that food is plentiful, and that most of the cracks towards homelessness and desperation have been done away with by any number of means. But, not all. I think humanity still has its issues, as does Earth.

But I think a lot of things would still be the same. For instance, instead of water laundry units and dryers, you probably have sonic laundry units that make it quicker and easier to wash clothes, without the inherent effects water takes on fabric. But, even though it's established that there's such a thing as sonic showers, I think most of humanity probably still has a good, old-fashioned water shower. Because really, who wants to bask in the warm streams of... uh... sonic waves?! after a long day. ;-)

It's just a matter of balancing the old and new in a way that makes logical sense. It's doubtful that most people have a personal transporter in every home (just look at how much trouble a transporter sometimes could be on a starship!), and it's doubtful that people still don't have to clean their houses, wash their dishes or cook their food. Some things change... but some things are timeless. And, really, should be.

And that's... a really long answer to a simple question. Sorry!

I agree with where you are going with your reply to Mr. Watson's story. It definately seems he has his eye on that past. I like it...I hadn't read this story yet and decided to so after his McCoy story in the monthly challenge...keep it up my dear watson

Rob

Heya Rob! Yeah, I really do keep an eye firmly on what comes before when trying to write what comes later. A whole lot can happen in 300 years, but some things remain fixed -- everything gets smaller, or more efficient, at least those things that need to. But I don't see everything changing so dramatically and completely that the world no longer looks or even acts anything like it does today. Better, certainly, in a lot of ways. But an ideal we can reach, instead of a magical wonderland that seems impossible to achieve.

Does that make sense?

-Steff

 

[RobertScorpio]

What a cantankerous set of friends. But considering how badly Scotty needed friends, this is definitely a good thing.

It's interesting...I end up picturing settings, in your work, that aside from Starfleet Academy, aren't the sanitized, futuristic look we saw even shipboard on TOS. Your settings come to me very much with traditional architecture and decor inside--things that probably would've made the historical register in the 23rd century. In general, your population seems to have clung to its tradition much more than later series like TNG and DS9 would let on (where people seem so unfamiliar with common idioms it's unbelievable). Would you say that's a fair assessment of how you perceive the Trekiverse?

::nodnods!:: Believe it or not, that was intentional. In Belfast, where the Engineering Academy is, there are quite a few new and modern areas where cadets work, but those are often in newer parts of the city. The actual location for the Academy proper, as in classrooms and dorms, is where Queen's University currently is, a historic sector of Belfast even now and would doubtless be by then too. So, rather than forcing the surrounding history to adapt to them, the Engineers adapted to the surrounding history.

They're also very close to the traditional shipbuilding area of Belfast, on the Lough, and there are still shipbuilding operations even in the 23rd century -- there are still ocean-going cargo carriers, the dynacarries, that haul goods across the ocean. And, who knows? Harland and Wolff may indeed still build the occasional passenger liner, too.

South Bristol is... supposed to be timeless. Absolutely, emphatically, it's supposed to be something eternal. I have a lot of reasons for this, too, both practical and personal. Especially given where it is.

But I tend to definitely take the view that the 23rd century isn't some unrecognizable wonderland of gadgets. ;-) I think some things have changed for the better -- on Earth, anyway, I think that there's education for those who want it, and that food is plentiful, and that most of the cracks towards homelessness and desperation have been done away with by any number of means. But, not all. I think humanity still has its issues, as does Earth.

But I think a lot of things would still be the same. For instance, instead of water laundry units and dryers, you probably have sonic laundry units that make it quicker and easier to wash clothes, without the inherent effects water takes on fabric. But, even though it's established that there's such a thing as sonic showers, I think most of humanity probably still has a good, old-fashioned water shower. Because really, who wants to bask in the warm streams of... uh... sonic waves?! after a long day. ;-)

It's just a matter of balancing the old and new in a way that makes logical sense. It's doubtful that most people have a personal transporter in every home (just look at how much trouble a transporter sometimes could be on a starship!), and it's doubtful that people still don't have to clean their houses, wash their dishes or cook their food. Some things change... but some things are timeless. And, really, should be.

And that's... a really long answer to a simple question. Sorry!

I agree with where you are going with your reply to Mr. Watson's story. It definately seems he has his eye on that past. I like it...I hadn't read this story yet and decided to so after his McCoy story in the monthly challenge...keep it up my dear watson

Rob

Heya Rob! Yeah, I really do keep an eye firmly on what comes before when trying to write what comes later. A whole lot can happen in 300 years, but some things remain fixed -- everything gets smaller, or more efficient, at least those things that need to. But I don't see everything changing so dramatically and completely that the world no longer looks or even acts anything like it does today. Better, certainly, in a lot of ways. But an ideal we can reach, instead of a magical wonderland that seems impossible to achieve.

Does that make sense?

-Steff

it certainly does, which is why I think TOS is still,after all these years, the TREK most people are attracted too.

Rob

 

[SLWalker]

Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 3
--

 

[SLWalker]

Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 3
--

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Re: Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 3

Hmm...given what we know about Scotty's family, something tells me this trip might not go well...

 

[SLWalker]

Re: Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 3

Hmm...given what we know about Scotty's family, something tells me this trip might not go well...

LOL! We'll, they're dysfunctional, but not exactly psychotically so. I'll probably post the next chapter either tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Re: Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 3

Hmm...given what we know about Scotty's family, something tells me this trip might not go well...

LOL! We'll, they're dysfunctional, but not exactly psychotically so. I'll probably post the next chapter either tonight or tomorrow.

Yes, but even so, it could prove embarrassing. I know how it feels to be a visitor in a household that's not running smoothly--ouch.

BTW, odd comment: I really like the title of this episode. I enjoy archaic-sounding titles for some reason...for the same reason I really liked the name of the Voyager episode, "Concerning Flight."

 

[SLWalker]

Re: Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 3

Yes, but even so, it could prove embarrassing. I know how it feels to be a visitor in a household that's not running smoothly--ouch.

Well, yeah. Definitely. ::laughs:: Been there myself.

BTW, odd comment: I really like the title of this episode. I enjoy archaic-sounding titles for some reason...for the same reason I really liked the name of the Voyager episode, "Concerning Flight."

Thank you! Most of my titles are pretty simple, and probably archaic. And I don't remember which Voyager episode that is, but you're right -- the name is awesome.

 

[SLWalker]

Arc of the Wolf: On the Nature of Wind - Part I, Chapter 4
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[SLWalker]

--

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

AAAAHAHAAHAHA! What an epic night! That'll teach 'em to think going out and "getting stupid" is a good idea...

Ohhh, and you know, you CAN get arrested for DUI for riding a horse intoxicated. Seriously. It's happened.