InsaneJournal

Current mood:	accomplished
Current music:	Plumb, "In My Arms"

what i'm up to lately
for the non-fandom stuff, see my LJ. in fandom, well...

last fall, Katesfire came to me asking for some help with a sequel to her J/C story Rejection. Cori had asked for a sequel because Janeway was pregnant at the end and she just wanted to see those baby twins.

with my famous last words being "have it be ON Cardassia!", we ate, breathed and slept the plot and produced the dramatic adventure that came to be titled Retribution. as we were coming down off our high and enjoying the feedback of happy readers, KF wondered aloud if there might be a followup to this. the word "redemption" popped into my head. all i could think was here we go again....

Redemption is now slowly in the works. i have finished the prologue and i'm attempting to pull chapter one out of the muse, piece by piece. when she isn't chewing on her OTHER tangents.

the latest: i decided for Redemption that it was high time that Shakaar be married. i thought for the hell of it she should be human and not Bajoran and named her Cady. mentally adding that she had a xenophobic family that disowned her for being involved with Shakaar gave the muse something to run with....and in a direction i was NOT planning in the least.

i'm now writing the Shakaar/Cady backstory in addition to Redemption.

me....who used to loathe Shakaar (well okay, that was my Odo/Kira fangirl pitching a bitch). and i'm now writing a fic about him?!

hell has got to be freezing over.

i don't expect anyone to read it--i'm mostly writing it to get the muse to shut the flying fuck up about it, but if anyone else enjoys it when it's done, i'll take that as a bonus.



Prologue


Under the once crystal-blue skies of Bajor, her people lived peacefully, prospered and followed the Prophets. Then the invaders came, people of a forsaken world, reaching out for the help offered to them with one hand while the other held the blade that was used to stab their new allies in the back. Blind to this deception, the once-peaceful people became enslaved, their land torn apart, desecrated and burned. There were several individuals who even turned their backs on the Prophets and their own--giving aid and information to the invaders, who took delight in the suffering they'd unleashed.

But it was not long before the people began to fight back. Strength was found in numbers and, despite working separately, the Resistance cells all had one common goal--drive the invaders from the land--or die trying....




and a sneak peek into the muse's crazyness too.

background plot: Cady's family is run by her grandfather Nelson, a hateful, xenophobic type. Cady is working for two months as an aide to Melisande Dumas, who is hosting a (reason undecided) diplomatic summit somewhere in the French countryside at an ancient villa/palace with huge grounds attached. Melisande is a friend of the family that Nelson can't afford to offend, hence he has no choice but to allow his granddaughter to work for two months around aliens. one night after dinner, Melisande gets drunk and pisses Cady off. she leaves to go take a walk....




Melisande's drunken laughter trailed behind her as she hurried out into the corridor. Finding the nearest door into the gardens, she tapped the panel and slid through the second it opened.

Once outside, Cady drew in a cleansing breath. It was almost too bad Melisande was drunk or she might have dared to voice her agreement. Grandpere's xenophobia would someday be his downfall, and more than likely in the very fashion he feared--at the hands of some alien he was bound to offend.

He'd deserve it anyway. There's no place for that kind of thinking in today's universe. She wandered aimlessly down the path that led into the south gardens, letting the cool air and the perfume of the night-blooming flora soothe her anxiety. Maybe she could find that little gazebo she'd spotted on the flitter ride in--or one of the many little clearings with their old-fashioned stone benches. Have somewhere to just sit, relax and look at the stars....

"Halt!"

A blinding light hit her face and she let out a cry of surprise, throwing up a hand to shield her eyes.

"Identify yourself!"

"C-cady Traylor. I'm aide to Melisande Dumas, co-host of the summit." As she spoke, the light was removed from her face, pointed instead near her feet. Cady blinked rapidly to clear her vision and, as her eyes adjusted to the moonlit dim once more, she could see the two men. Both were close to two meters in height. The one holding the palmlight had wavy light-colored hair, the other was dark-haired. Both appeared to have dark eyes and were dressed in the same uniform--she vaguely recognized it from the banquet three nights ago. Squinting for a closer look at their faces, she finally saw the distinct little ridges across the bridge of their noses. Bajorans.

"I recognize the name--and face--from the banquet." The one with the palmlight spoke the other.

"Doesn't mean she is who she says she is, Darrah."

"She is. Like I said, I recognize her." Darrah turned his attention back to Cady. "You will need to turn back, Miss. This area is currently off limits."

Normally, Cady would have acquiesced, but the mood Melisande had put her in resurfaced. "All the gardens are public space. I have as much rights to be here as you two."

"This area is not for the time being," the dark haired Bajoran snapped.

"And did you gain special permission to do so? I think not," Cady snapped back. "Miss Dumas would have informed me of any such limitations so that they could be provided to all attending the summit. In fact, any such requests would have come through me to be submitted for her approval. So I suggest you move out of my way. I was having a pleasant walk until you two showed up."

"You will simply have to come back another time--"

"Look, Mister....Darrah, wasn't it? Would you rather let me be on my way--or do you prefer I bring this up to Miss Dumas and see what she has to say about unauthorized cordoning off of the gardens?" Cady shot back. "I don't think she'll be very pleased--" Just then, a third figure stepped out of the shadows, startling them all. Cady had to force herself not to jump out of her skin. The two Bajorans weren't so fortunate.

"Sir--"

"First Minister--"

"Is there a problem, Lieutenants?" The new arrival's voice was quiet, but Cady could hear the faintest hint of a steely undertone.

"We told her this area was off-limits, but she has thus far refused to leave," Darrah stated, giving Cady a pointed look.

"She claims to be Miss Dumas' aide," the dark-haired officer put in.

"I do recognize her, sir," Darrah continued. "Despite Sureta's concern, I can see she is who she says she is."

When the third man finally turned towards her, Cady got her first good look at him. He was half a head taller than either of the soldiers and dressed in some sort of long robes. The moonlight glinted off the chain of his earring and gilded his dark blond hair the color of old gold. His eyes were a pale color, mostly likely blue. As she watched, they slowly assessed her from head to toe and back again. She couldn't help the blush that burned her cheeks and prayed that it was hidden by the dim light.

"I don't think it's any problem to let her continue on her way, Lieutenants. She looks harmless enough."

"But First Minister--" Darrah's protest was cut off when he received a sharp look and he let out a sigh of irritation. "Aye, sir."

Recognition was fast setting in Cady's mind--the face was only vaguely familiar, but the voice was distinctive. Her eyes widened in horrified shock as it finally sunk in. First Minister.... This was Shakaar, Bajor's leader! No wonder the two officers had been so insistent upon her leaving!

"I--I'm sorry." And with that, Cady turned and fled, catching only a glimpse of the surprise on their faces.