I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it, Nonni. 😀 Yes, I think that loss and grief is something that humans would be better at dealing with than Vulcans – what to us is an inevitable part of being human is something they would be unaccustomed to and even unprepared for. So in that respect, we can help them out for once. 🙂 (I don’t spell it out, but to me, Torak has been looking down a little on humans just a little because of their katra-lessness. I mean, if humans don’t have any katras to preserve, it seems logical that they can’t be as important to the universe as Vulcans, right?)
Did I ever tell you that back in the 1980’s, my mom, myself and my 8 year old son found a science fiction bookstore that sold used books and we collected every single book of the Original Star Trek series?
In spite of devouring those books and watching every show and movie, I did not realize that Vulcans thought humans were soul less (katra less) beings. That is a very prejudicial. I equated katra to be the same as a soul. Missed the Vulcan assumption completely.
Well, that Vulcans (and this Vulcan in particular) would look down on humans because we don’t have katras and think f us as soulless is just my own very broad interpretation/assumption. But I’ve always felt that Vulcans (even though I do love them) have this sense of superiority towards humans (and everybody else as well ;)), and for this story at least I’ve chosen to think that it isn’t just because we’re illogical and emotional. 🙂
I think “soul” actually is the best description of what the katra is, but that it’s also more than that. I’m basing this on what Sarek tells Kirk in “The Search for Spock”, that the katra is Spock’s “living spirit” and “everything that is not of the body” (yes, I quote this in the story. 😉 I actually quote most of what Sarek tells Kirk about the katra). By Sarek’s description, to me it sounds like the katra is more… tangible, for lack of a better word, than the human soul. But again, that’s just my interpretation. 🙂
I’m stunned both by the range of emotions you managed to capture in a single story and by the depth you give to your characters. I was floored when I read this. Amazingly captivating.
Have I ever mentioned that the screen captures are very, very, very awesome? I can appreciate how labor-intensive building even very basic sets can be. I can’t even begin to imagine how much work went into each of these. You rule, Nix.
Thank you, Jason! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it. This was one of those stories that I hadn’t planned, but that just barged into my head and demanded to be written. And I had lots of fun doing it. 🙂
It makes me very happy to hear you like the screenshots, because I do spend quite a bit of time on those. And my motto when it comes to sets is waste not, want not. Torak’s quarters are a redress of Irina’s from “Deliverance”; you don’t actually see her bedroom there, so I took advantage of that here. Sarah’s quarters are actually a set I had built for a scene in my upcoming Irina story, that I eventually decided to cut. I really really liked the set, so I was happy that I could find a use for it after all. And I had fun with adding details that would put Sarah’s personal touch on it – like all her ducks. (But I always end up building more set than I’ll actually use; for one thing, I had furnished Sarah’s entire bathroom – and then all you get to see of it is the back of her hair dryer. :P)
I’m going to post this story at SimTrek, too, now that people are back from their New Year’s celebrations. 🙂
Thank you. 😀 Like I said in the comments above, this story just barged in and demanded to be written NAO. And writing a grieving Vulcan was an interesting challenge, to say the least. 🙂
Nixed Sims 
Most enjoyable. I am so happy that you used human logic to comfort the Captain. Well done!
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it, Nonni. 😀 Yes, I think that loss and grief is something that humans would be better at dealing with than Vulcans – what to us is an inevitable part of being human is something they would be unaccustomed to and even unprepared for. So in that respect, we can help them out for once. 🙂 (I don’t spell it out, but to me, Torak has been looking down a little on humans just a little because of their katra-lessness. I mean, if humans don’t have any katras to preserve, it seems logical that they can’t be as important to the universe as Vulcans, right?)
Did I ever tell you that back in the 1980’s, my mom, myself and my 8 year old son found a science fiction bookstore that sold used books and we collected every single book of the Original Star Trek series?
In spite of devouring those books and watching every show and movie, I did not realize that Vulcans thought humans were soul less (katra less) beings. That is a very prejudicial. I equated katra to be the same as a soul. Missed the Vulcan assumption completely.
Well, that Vulcans (and this Vulcan in particular) would look down on humans because we don’t have katras and think f us as soulless is just my own very broad interpretation/assumption. But I’ve always felt that Vulcans (even though I do love them) have this sense of superiority towards humans (and everybody else as well ;)), and for this story at least I’ve chosen to think that it isn’t just because we’re illogical and emotional. 🙂
I think “soul” actually is the best description of what the katra is, but that it’s also more than that. I’m basing this on what Sarek tells Kirk in “The Search for Spock”, that the katra is Spock’s “living spirit” and “everything that is not of the body” (yes, I quote this in the story. 😉 I actually quote most of what Sarek tells Kirk about the katra). By Sarek’s description, to me it sounds like the katra is more… tangible, for lack of a better word, than the human soul. But again, that’s just my interpretation. 🙂
Yes, I think the word tangible is exactly the best description.
I’m stunned both by the range of emotions you managed to capture in a single story and by the depth you give to your characters. I was floored when I read this. Amazingly captivating.
Have I ever mentioned that the screen captures are very, very, very awesome? I can appreciate how labor-intensive building even very basic sets can be. I can’t even begin to imagine how much work went into each of these. You rule, Nix.
Thank you, Jason! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it. This was one of those stories that I hadn’t planned, but that just barged into my head and demanded to be written. And I had lots of fun doing it. 🙂
It makes me very happy to hear you like the screenshots, because I do spend quite a bit of time on those. And my motto when it comes to sets is waste not, want not. Torak’s quarters are a redress of Irina’s from “Deliverance”; you don’t actually see her bedroom there, so I took advantage of that here. Sarah’s quarters are actually a set I had built for a scene in my upcoming Irina story, that I eventually decided to cut. I really really liked the set, so I was happy that I could find a use for it after all. And I had fun with adding details that would put Sarah’s personal touch on it – like all her ducks. (But I always end up building more set than I’ll actually use; for one thing, I had furnished Sarah’s entire bathroom – and then all you get to see of it is the back of her hair dryer. :P)
I’m going to post this story at SimTrek, too, now that people are back from their New Year’s celebrations. 🙂
Possibly my favourite of all your stories, you capture grief so well.
Thank you. 😀 Like I said in the comments above, this story just barged in and demanded to be written NAO. And writing a grieving Vulcan was an interesting challenge, to say the least. 🙂