#kashyk

Let's just say I usually go with my instincts and sort it out later at the Board of Inquiry.

I love Kathryn Janeway because I think she's a beautifully deep and rich character, with a lot of complexities. I also love that, because of her many different facets, she'd be very different with different partners which is a great joy to explore.

So, how do I like my beloved Captain to be shipped?

× Chakotay: The spirits be thanked, I'm not alone on this one, so I've got a lot of fantastic fics to read. I enjoy J/C most as a really healthy ship. They truly love and respect each other. They're equals. They have their issues but overall, it's a wholesome coupling.

× Paris: I really like fics that are set in the early Voyager seasons before J/C and P/T are established (as I also enjoy these ships and don't like to see them broken up). I imagine them as fuck buddies out of desperation over their situation (of being stranded in the DQ) who quickly fall for each other. Tom is one of the few people who isn't afraid of interacting with her as a woman/human, and not just as this larger-than-life captain. She's a good ten years older than him, but Tom has been through a lot, so that never played a huge role for me.

× Seven: I think Janeway would never make a move on Seven as she's so young and inexperienced and would feel quite guilty for indulging in her feelings. In this relationship, it's definitely Seven who calls the shots, which is a nice variation of the usual. Janeway is deeply touched by Seven's vulnerability. I like it best when the "problematic" side of their relationship isn't swept under the carpet but genuinely explored. Bonus points when Chakotay opposes the relationship as he's jealous and hurt.

× Kashyk: Perfect ship for everything dark. Let Janeway explore her own precipices. There's nothing cute about this ship.

× Q: Call me crazy, but I think there's something there. She's intrigued by him (who isn't?), and Q would really enjoy showing her the wonders of the universe. In the end, I think it's a very bittersweet ship. She's a mortal, he isn't. He'd probably gift her another lifetime, so she can spend one with him and one amongst humanity. When she's died, he keeps visiting younger versions of her as time isn't linear for him.

When you write a 73k Voyager story and people start removing their kuddos, comments, and bookmarks like they're purging a warp core breach...

You know you’ve touched a nerve when people aren’t just quietly stepping away from your fic, they’re actively reverse-engaging. We’re talking un-Kuddoing, unbookmarking, and maybe whispering, “Computer, erase all evidence I was ever here.”

Look, I get it. I brought back Kashyk, a character with a complicated past, and gave him an arc. And yes, I even let him kiss Janeway. If you made it 73,856 words into this chaos and that’s your line in the sand, I understand. Not everyone’s here for the redemption of a character like him, and that’s okay.

What’s not okay? Sending hate DMs over a fictional character. I appreciate the passion, but not the cruelty. If you didn’t like the choice, you’re always free to click away.

For those who are still on this ride: THANK YOU! I see you, and I appreciate you. There’s a JC moment coming. So if you’re still here, still reading, you might just get exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

Happy Reading!