#cornwells-couch

Thank you for tagging me @cornwells-couch! ❤️

currently watching: Only Murders in the Building

currently reading: the news (not recommended) and work emails

last song: "i like the way you kiss me" by Artemas (and I was actually going to rec that song to @cornwells-couch for fic playlist purposes so this game is now a two for one)

last song sang aloud: “Surface Pressure” from Encanto

currently craving: one of those vests with the built-in heat

coffee or tea: neither

earbud or headphones: earbuds (wired, no Bluetooth)

last place I went: school pickups for my kids

favorite chip flavor: n/a

colors that look good on you: green? maroon?

Thank you for asking, @cornwells-couch! ❤️

7. Navigate to your complete list of works on AO3. What are your top 5 Additional Tags

Love (33)

Post-Episode: s07e25 Endgame (Star Trek: Voyager) (21)

Established Relationship (15)

Kindness (14)

A three-way tie: Fluff (13), Prompt Fic (13), and Canon Compliant (13)

All of these make sense except for fluff. I constantly beat myself up for not writing more fluff. I’m surprised the tag ranked so highly.

8. Tell us your shortest and longest titles of all time

Going by instinct (as opposed to counting every word), I’m guessing my longest title is In This Place Where We Aren’t, We Weren’t, We Didn’t … Here You Are and Here I Am — With You, a Christine Chapel/Spock one-shot. I wanted the title to convey the twisty-turny multiverse in which our characters find themselves. There also ended up being a bit of a story behind the story in that it had to be swapped with another fic of mine for Star Trek Quarterly when Christine and Spock got together in canon, which neither my editor nor I expected.

Also, I might just like long titles for Christine since another of my lengthier titles is The Wounds, They Run Deep, But So Does the Healing, My Love, So Does the Healing, a Christine Chapel/Christopher Pike multi-chap in which I wanted the title to convey the characters’ complex emotions and the story’s lengthy time horizon (a quick prologue from not long before Chris’ accident, then most of the story set around The Motion Picture timeframe, then an epilogue sometime after The Voyage Home timeframe).

My shortest title might be Saviors. I wanted the title for this Mirror Pike/Mirror Una one-shot to have vibes like a quick punch, even though the love is so deep, and I also wanted readers to possibly think the title references Chris saving Una or Una saving Chris … then to read and learn it’s both of those plus the person represented by the “surprise character cameo” tag.

27. Share a random sentence from a WIP. The less context, the better. Be confusing.

No context line:

You’re really going to do it. You’re going to join Starfleet.

High context line:

“Sure, kid,” you tell him, trying to stretch out the few years between your age and his, not so many years except you were stupid, married a woman you shouldn’t have, your fascination with medicine a balm to cope with your own paranoias and fears, an almost primal yearning for stability in an inherently unstable existence that led you to the altar and misery before yielding to divorce court.

Odds of finishing this one-shot:

Not great.

I would love The Comprehensive History of “After All This Time, a Beginning, Real and True.” What was young Curator’s thought process behind this fic?

Oh my gosh, I’ve been eyeing some of those fic writer asks. I didn’t reblog, but it’s as if you knew and asked anyway! I’m so happy—thank you, @cornwells-couch, you just made my day! ❤️

Okay, so, the history for my beloved Christopher Pike/Lwaxana Troi and my one-shot for them, After All This Time, a Beginning, Real and True:

When I was a little girl, I so much wanted Deanna Troi to hold up a picture of her parents and have it be a promo shot of Jeffrey Hunter and Majel Barrett from The Cage (with Majel Barrett’s blue eyes darkened to be Betazoid black). Even as a kid, I figured the studio should have the rights to the image, and it just made sense to me that they would use it. My idea was that Number One somehow became Lwaxana (I didn’t have the details worked out, so I can’t claim any foresight on Number One having a secret species) and, of course, Number One loved Captain Pike so, of course, they had to be Deanna’s parents.

It was more than Majel Barrett’s dual casting, though.

Lwaxana impishly reads minds and announces what she finds. Number One seemed annoyed but not surprised to have her mind read and for what was found to be announced.

Lwaxana dives in headfirst and loves fiercely. Number One sheared off the top of a knoll and was ready to overload her laser pistol so she could—fiercely—do her duty.

Lwaxana is lonely, puts on a brave face, and is bossy as all get-out. Number One felt left out for not getting to go on the landing party, let Captain Pike try to comfort her, and proceeded to be in charge of the crew for most of the rest of the episode.

I had less Pike canon to work with at the time, but I knew he was a human Starfleet officer who loved horses, and I also knew Deanna’s father was a human Starfleet officer who inspired in her a love of the Ancient West (a time period known for horses).

And, even as a kid, I couldn’t bear the idea of Captain Pike being stuck on Talos IV. So he had to have his happily-ever-after with Number One who would become Lwaxana. And, honestly, if we didn’t have the Una canon we have now, I would have written it that way. At this point, though, it made more sense to make Lwaxana fully Lwaxana (and for Chris to notice the resemblance in passing) so they could fall in love and literally give birth to The Next Generation.

I’m not sure why I wrote the story recently instead of when I was a kid or earlier in my time in fandom. The timing just seemed right, and immersing myself in a love that was new to them but old to me was a very cozy, wonderful place to be. I still sometimes listen to my playlist for that fic (with kid-me inspired music choices including Madonna’s “Cherish” and “Crazy for You”).

All of which means that story has a special place in my heart not just because I wanted the pairing since I was a little girl, but also because I really do think I somewhat channeled the kid in me as I wrote. (Love at first sight. An effortless kind of “secret language” of telepathy. Sharing is caring through the sensation of food. Slow dancing in a soft rain of flower petals. Ever since I was little, I have believed Disney’s “Once Upon a Dream” from Sleeping Beauty is so, so romantic … which made it a perk beyond the canon lushness of Betazed for Chris and Lwaxana to mosey over to the ship’s arboretum for a not-quite-but-almost Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip moment of dancing among the greenery.)

Ahhhhhhhhhh, what a lovely and meaningful compliment!!!!! 🥹🥲😭 This means so much, @cornwells-couch. Thank you, my friend, thank you. ❤️💗 ❤️💗❤️

Ahhh, thank you for asking, @cornwells-couch! ❤️

I have lots (and lots and lots) of fic playlists with songs for various characters and character combinations. Since I know you love Christopher Pike, I figured some Chris songs might interest you? (And maybe you’ll forgive my very pop music tastes?)

Okay, so in The Light Before Dawn (Pikeuna, M, modern AU), poor Chris had such a tough time through and after his divorce from Vina that I felt “Mony Mony” by Billy Idol worked well for Chris falling in love with Una. Not only is the fic set in New York and the song is somewhat about New York (“MONY” for the Mutual of New York Insurance Company), but also the lyrics from “Hey, she give me love and I feel all right now” to the pony references just worked.

Other songs on that playlist for Chris include “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang (which Chris hums in the actual story) and “King Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas because Chris fights through his fears (and I cut a part of the story where they go to Little Italy, which is next to Chinatown in New York and the song mentions Chinatown).

In Ain’t No One but You (also Pikeuna, M, but this time a Western AU), I had to include “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses for Chris living in Enterprise City, plus “Black Balloon” by the Goo Goo Dolls and “My Happy Ending” by Avril Lavigne for Chris’ sadness when Una turned down his marriage proposal. Oh, and “Secret Smile” by Semisonic for Chris recognizing how Una’s love, even though she’s deeply private (until she finally fully trusts him), helps him find his way out when his mind takes him to dark places.

Oh! And “Sunshine” by One Republic is very much Chris in This Time: A Love Story (Pikeuna, E, a complement to s2e3 “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”).

Okay, okay, last playlist snippet, I promise.

In The Wounds, They Run Deep, But So Does the Healing, My Love, So Does the Healing (Christine Chapel/Christopher Pike, M, set mostly during The Motion Picture era), “Take on Me” by a-ha speaks to Chris’ complicated emotions about being “saved” from Talos IV, while “If She Knew What She Wants” by The Bangles looks to that as well as his confusion and hope over what he and Christine are becoming to each other.

So, yeah, I am the cliche of hearing a song and holding up a character to see if there’s a fit (“Broken and Beautiful” by Kelly Clarkson is Kathryn Janeway as far as I’m concerned), and I hope you like these Chris-shaped songs.

Ahh, thank you so much for asking, @cornwells-couch! ❤️

17. what is your favorite line you’ve ever written?

Okay, so I actually have no idea. But I’ll share the first one that entered my mind (with the caveat that I truly don’t know and this answer will probably change if I’m asked the question again, even though the answer will always be true to my thought process for that moment in time).

This is from The Haze, a Pikeuna one-shot in which Una has a form of amnesia. In this part of the story, Una is in sickbay with Pike and Chapel:

The man’s pink-lipped frown deepens. But the woman made of white’s head tilts like a bird interested in a worm. Her white sleeve bends as she holds up a cylinder. “What’s this?”

Una’s irritation intensifies. “A scanner, the information-gathering component of a medical tricorder, a diagnostic device for assessing a patient’s condition and potentially determining a diagnosis.”

The nice-but-bossy man holds out his rectangle. “Una, what’s this?”

A sound of aggravation escapes. Why don’t these people listen the first time? “It’s a rectangle with a waterfall inside.”

The man and woman look at each other. 

“We’re gonna scan your brain.” The woman made of white steps to one of the reddish-brown beds and pats it. “Will you come over here, please?”

I just love Una’s irritation as she doesn’t comprehend a communicator (that she earlier heard issue the waterfall-like sound of interference). She has no idea what’s going on, but she’s not going to let that stop her from surety that the people she’s dealing with aren’t paying sufficient attention and should be more conscientious in their duties.

89. sarcastic narrators: entertaining or overdone?

Overdone, but I feel like Marvel has brought that to us … and I think if a character is naturally sarcastic (like Cornwell), then some sarcasm almost has to be included for characterization.

98. what don’t you like about your writing style?

I worry that my writing can be blocky when I want to be lyrical and organic, if that makes sense.

Thank you again for asking these questions, @cornwells-couch! ❤️ I’m so glad “the doctor is back ‘in’” on Tumblr. 🥳

I know you talked about Youthful Exuberance in another post, but I’m going to ask again for The Comprehensive History, specifically about Cornwell’s role in the story and her relationship with Una, along with anything else you want to share.

Oh my goodness, I’m so excited to talk more about Youthful Exuberance (Some Kind of Love) and Cornwell’s key role within the narrative. Thank you for this ask, @cornwells-couch! ❤️

Okay, so with this wonderful gifset as a reminder, let’s remember Una and Kat’s last canon interaction … that “wait” … that look … that lingering elbow hold.

I choose to believe that these two have history.

Let’s also remember Una saying in “Ad Astra Per Aspera:”

When I was five or six, I remember a Starfleet crew visited. They were all so different from one another. So many crew members from so many planets.

And, finally, let’s also remember that La’an—after being hunted by the Gorn that killed her family and anyone else on the SS Puget Sound, then being sent into space alone on a life raft to be eventually rescued by Una as an ensign on the Martin Luther King Jr.—was able to get into Starfleet Academy despite what must have been extreme psychological distress.

So … what if a certain person was a member of that Starfleet crew and helped a little Illyrian girl?

What if that same person noticed when that no-longer-little girl managed to join Starfleet?

What if that same person decided to protect that no-longer-little girl by becoming her first captain—the trained psychologist captain of the Martin Luther King Jr. who was able to not only help another little girl who needed guidance but also encourage the two to form an important bond of friendship?

Writing Kat as the embodiment of what Starfleet should be: grit, wisdom, care for others, thinking ahead, pivoting as needed, and always striving to be better … it was my love and appreciation for her character with every word. When the King Jr. was mapping the sector and Kat got to lead treaties, soothe planetary infighting, allocate resources, and more? That was me reveling in seeing Kat captain a ship, yes as a model for Una of what a great officer can be, but also for me, me, me, and my admiration for what Kat becomes as a leader and how she may have gotten there.

I have this theory in writing: I believe that every story should have the capacity to be compelling if told from any main character’s point of view.

This story from Kat’s point of view compels me:

Kat felt guilty for not doing more to help the little Illyrian girl. (I think that guilt is somewhat misplaced, but people are people.)

Kat kept her cards close to her chest and didn’t want to overwhelm or scare Una once Una arrived on the King Jr., a caution that speaks to Kat’s care and respect for Una.

Kat approached La’an absolutely beautifully (imo) both to help La’an and to get the information Starfleet needed about the Gorn as a new enemy.

Kat had a plan waiting for the if/when of Una getting caught by Starfleet.

Kat stuck up for Chris and Una as captain and first officer, yet also knew when to tell Una to recognize that not everything was about Una and to step back and follow orders.

I love her, your honor, and I love the idea that Una could have her as a mentor and role model who was fiercely protective but also knew when to let go (e.g., agreeing to Una’s transfer to the Antares).

If the story had been written from Kat’s point of view, there would have been all of the above plus more about Gabriel Lorca, Kat’s “friend” (they be bangin’) who became unusually reedy yet flinty at the end of the story (when Chris couldn’t have known that Gabriel had returned from time spent in the Mirror Universe). There also would have been a lot more interaction between Kat and La’an that’s suggested but wasn’t possible to detail given the third-person limited point of view on Una and Chris. But it would have been made clear that:

Kat continued to comfort La’an in the King Jr. sickbay. (Of course.)

Kat accepted the promotion to commodore in part to be nearby while La’an was at the academy. (Parents’ Weekend? Kat and Chris’ mom would be La’an’s “parents,” most definitely.)

Kat helped La’an process the kindness and understanding Neera showed La’an at Una’s hearing. Yes, people had been kind to La’an in the past. But immediate, clear, unapologetic understanding for the depths of La’an’s self-doubt? La’an hadn’t gotten that in a long, long time.

One more thing: Maybe it was obvious, but Kat’s conclusion to Chris and Una’s wedding ceremony:

Lieutenants Christopher Pike and Una Chin-Riley. With the power vested in me by Starfleet Command and the United Federation of Planets, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You can kiss, high-five, shake hands — whatever you want. You’re married!

was an homage to Janeway’s conclusion to Tom and B’Elanna’s wedding ceremony in “Course: Oblivion:”

Lieutenant Thomas Eugene Paris. Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres. With the power vested in me by Starfleet Command and the United Federation of Planets, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Now, Tom.

because Kat is part of the pantheon of awesome, badass, soulful, wonderful Trek women, and it was an absolute honor for me to write her as an integral part of that story.

thank you so much for the ask @cornwells-couch! sorry i'm a month late on replying lol

9. Thoughts on cliffhangers.

I don't mind them as long as they're not, like...shoehorned in just for the sake of having something end in a cliffhanger. I'm the kind of person who will happily read an abandoned/unfinished fic because I'm happy to come up with a satisfactory ending in my head, so not knowing the rest of the story doesn't really bother me. I don't like the kind of fic where every chapter ends in a cliffhanger just so that people will comment, though. It's gotta be natural.

10. Top three favourite fic tropes.

Cohabitation! I know the tag is technically "forced cohabitation" but I actually like it when they end up deciding to cohabitate on their own lol. Even more idiocy!

Mutual pining! Self-explanatory. It's just the best.

Fake relationship! Bonus points for fake marriage :)

30. Describe a fic that almost happened, but then it didn't.

I think my list of fics that almost happened is much, MUCH longer than fics that actually did happen. I guess my best answers for this are some of the SG1 collab ideas I had many years ago with @carothepoet? We had one about the security guards at the SGC watching the Sam and Jack show via security feeds that was really fun.

Thanks again for the asks!