The Apothecary

So, I am hoping I am not in the minority here, wherein I have several fictional worlds I love, but the main protag is meh? Not the character I click the strongest with. If you have such, please share.

I could take the easy way and say "Miles Vorkosigan" but I don't need the essays on why I Am Wrong, LOL.

(seriously, please don't)

HP doesn't count because I never could with the books, and I have been told many times how wrong the movies are.

So I will give you my oldest, longest running 'no really I am here for everyone else' canon.

Luke Skywalker. Yes, I know it is a coming of age journey with him. Yes, he is SUPPOSED to be annoying in IV, whiny in V, and just starting to be worth watching in VI, but even as an adult... I watch it for everyone else. Do you know when I finally fell in love with Luke Skywalker?

Somewhere in Heir to the Empire. Thank you, Mr. Zahn, for realizing the Farmboy as an actual adult with goals and focus that wasn't just about his evil dad and Force ghosts. And now, perhaps, you all understand a little better why Luke was AGAIN my least favorite protag (even if he was secondary) in the Sequels.

I don't want "misunderstood villains" or "trying for redemption". Tell me a villain that is THE VILLAIN, they did do all that, and you absolutely hope the heroes get the upper hand every time!

The first one that defined this concept for me? J. R. Ewing of Dallas. When I compare Babylon 5's Bester to him, I mean it as a solid compliment. I don't want tragic stories pasted on, other characters 'fixing' them, or any of that. I want them to be as bad and as nasty as they do so well... and I will cheer any and every person that gets the upper hand on them.

Because, my lovely friends, heroes ARE measured by what they overcome, and that includes the antagonist.

What is it: A song fest
When is it: July
How does it work: Pick up to 5 songs, albums, or artists. Try to create up to five creative works (your choice on style, media, min/max). Share with everyone!

Longer form:

1. Post a comment to this post with up to 5 selections of songs, artists, or albums. You then use these as inspiration to create a thing, any thing, something NEW!
2. In July, I will put up a post for people to drop links to their creations (please include the inspiration as a note!)
3. On August 1st (ish) I will create a master list!

NB: if you post on AO3 or one of the other non-profit archives, please remember that lyrics cannot be quoted in more than a couple of lines. Provide a link instead, to Genius or A-Z Lyrics, if we need the full lyrics.

Examples:

You claim Prince or David Bowie. I'd be looking for art or meta or fic centered on gender fuckery or other aspect that the artist used as a trademark in their career.
You claim "Freebird". I'd be looking for a creative work that centers the theme, the title, or a lyric (including using a line from the song) in its concept.
You claim Operation: Mindcrime. I'd be looking for something that furthers the concept of the dystopic anarchist assassination rock opera.

No minimums. No maximums. Please share the idea around and redirect them here. If you want to participate without commenting here, that's fine too.

Brought to you by me doing both front and back yard (I try to split days on them) all today to beat the rain:

If you are responsible, directly, for the upkeep of a yard, do you do it your self or have a service?

I used to have a service. Then they started either coming too often or SAYING THEY CAME and trying to bill extra. And then I had a pair of older ladies supplementing retirement. But then when one of them moved, I got myself an electric lawnmower and I've been doing it since.

What's the first movie you actually know you saw in theater?

As possibly a warning to all parents out there, unexpected runaway hit sci-fi movies can imprint themselves on toddlers brains.

Star Wars, retroactively Star Wars: A New Hope, was the first movie that I formed conscious memories around. This was tested at a re-release, when I began telling my dad what was going to happen next. Granted, I was also 'helpfully' translating for Artoo, as I imprinted strongest on him.

I was not quite 2. I know it was not the first I saw in theater; my mother bemoaned the fact that I slept through a re-release of Sleeping Beauty EXCEPT for the dragon.

I do not have the memory of seeing SW in theater myself NOW. But it was family lore that I did know the full plot and character names at that re-release, so I accept it as the first I formed memories of.

So I am being a sap. As today is the 20th anniversary of my now wife and I exchanging contact information and starting on the road that led to here.

Do you have an oh moment you would be comfortable sharing?

Mine was almost definitely in the month after I moved here, and a perfectly normal conversation where I was watching this bright, lovely woman who had offered me freedom... and I knew I could not see a future without her. Just... had to grow into what it wished to be from there.

AO3 Link | Not In My Head (1211 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Babylon 5, Star Wars: The Clone Wars [2008] - All Media Types
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Characters: CT-7567 | Rex, Alfred Bester [Babylon 5]
Additional Tags: Crossover, Walk Into A Bar
Summary:

Bester escaped the island, but ran afoul of something else taking him to the GFFA for better or worse.

Not In My Head

Escaping the island had been easy enough, ahead of the trap that the leader of the resistance was. He'd have to regroup, but the PsiCorps lived in him, would be the salvation of all in due time. Telepaths under strict rules, laying down the foundation of society for the others to live in? One way or another, that would be the reality of life, just as soon as Alfred Bester found his feet planted on solid ground again.

His mistake, though, was in thinking the galaxy as a whole was done throwing curve balls.

Maybe it was a remnant of the Shadow War. Maybe it had been a nascent threat brought fully to life from the Vorlon meddling in humanity. Either way, when Bester reached the coordinates he'd memorized from a very early memory of meeting the Director, it was not the haven he'd made himself believe it would be. His genetic code, delivered in a drop of blood, activated the technology without any hesitation.

The device that came up around him pushed through every shield he'd ever built more effortlessly than Ironheart could have done. What it saw and recorded rendered a judgment to his helpless mind, his body frozen, before triggering a random implosion of quantum events to shunt the catalyst of so much suffering into a time/place far from this one.

---

Captain Rex, formerly of the 212th, currently in command of the 501st without either of his Jedi for back-up did not like the look of the ridged ovoid with a panel missing. At least he had found the 'meteor' they had tracked before finally breaking the Separatist stranglehold on the system.

"You deserve a light mission. Just scout it out, figure out if it's a weapon, and then get the legion back up. Snips and I will handle this thing for Master Tiin and be right back."

The skepticism Rex had felt then was nothing like the bad feeling he now had. This thing had been occupied, based on the scans. And no one was visible.

"Jesse, get the unit formed up and prepped for return to the Resolute," he called over his comm. "My squad and I have a tracking task now."

"Yes sir, Captain." The man waited a beat, then continued on personal frequencies instead of the regimental one. "Keep yourself alive, little brother."

Rex snorted. Jesse liked throwing around that he was a very early decant, but it did help unwind Rex's nerves.

"Alright men, let's find where the being went, probably headed for that town over there. Light jog, eyes and ears out!"

---

Bester had staggered his way to what passed as civilization, felt more than understood an overpowering relief in the locals. They seemed human, but the language was not any of his. Fortunately, he could filter through minds swiftly, accommodating his needs nearly as fast as he'd acquired clothing that let him blend in better.

There were a few non-humans present, and those, he avoided. He'd paid enough attention to other species to know that telepathy came in varying degrees, that the senses of a human were considered disadvantaged by many, and that just lifting the language wasn't going to let him pass as a local.

The idea that there were many worlds, that technology was so far in advance of this particular place elsewhere, gave him a yearning to find such. Rifling more minds told him to stake out a cantina, and he should be able to find a pilot and ship… once the newer military that had run off the other military left the system.

The people he'd taken information from were skeptical that they hadn't just exchanged one yoke for another, and Bester wondered if he might do better by using his abilities on a member of the occupying army to get away from here.

---

There was a lot of frustration building in the back of Rex's mind as the locals were the most unhelpful sapient species he'd seen in quite a few systems. No one had seen anything strange, couldn't point to strange arrivals, or anything… outside of making back-handed mentions of the G.A.R. troops.

It was enough to make him wonder why they even bothered to break places like this out of Seppie control.

"Alright, we're going over to that cantina, and I have enough credits to get us all one drink," Rex told the four men with him. "Nurse it, listen, and if you do start talking, try to keep it nice and calm. They don't seem to like us any better than their former occupiers, but we have to know who was in that pod, in case it's a bio-weapon or something else the Seppies dreamed up."

He passed out the currency that General Kenobi had put in his keeping for discretionary maneuvers, and they headed to the building with live music and plenty of people to scout for their objective. Rex had to believe that the discipline would hold up, that there wouldn't be any fights with the locals.

None of his men would embarrass him to the General or Commander that way, after all.

---

Fate was smiling, if Bester was willing to believe in such mysticism. Five of the soldiers, wearing armor with blue markings against the white, all of it heavily scarred by the war they were a part of. A cursory search of the four that had shifted out among the patrons of this dive told him their purpose. They were seeking him, thinking him to be a potential threat.

The one who had stayed at the bar was the officer. That was the one Bester needed. He would not go into the introduction without understanding that one intently, and he prepared to slice through the man's experiences to best craft the story he would use to insinuate himself near something like a power, to begin pursuing his dreams in this far away place, away from Vorlon manipulations and Shadow plots.

---

Rex had survived having Asajj Ventress in his head, controlling him, and managed to still find a way to warn his Jedi that he'd been compromised. There might not have been a real reason for him to realize he wasn't alone in his head this time; whomever it was wasn't the witch, holding him against a wall by his throat after all.

But he did know. More, he knew where the source was.

Maybe it was working hand in hand with Anakin Skywalker so much, or honing his instincts to keep track of the padawan-commander.

Either way, his blaster was in his hand and he was turning before that intrusion caught the intent.

One clean shot, and the stranger — looked human — slumped at the table he'd been keeping between him and the world.

"Sorry for the mess," Rex said quickly, and put the last of the credits on the bar, as his people moved to acquire the body.

Turned out, with the body not belonging to a local, they didn't care all that much about the stranger's fate, leaving the G.A.R. men to do as they wished.

Rex decided they'd recover the ovoid, put the body in stasis, and turn it all over to the Jedi when they got back to puzzle it out.

Hmm, still not feeling the pull to create much in new fandoms. Still dabbling in Drizzt and Star Wars fics as the mood strikes.

Have fallen for House of the Dragon, and read the story collection. Yes, I know I will have my heart murdered this coming season. I just hope the creative team sticks the landing.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/84429766/chapters/222714561 - Have a rec for a fic that is Rhaenyra/Alicent and a delight to me. 5/7 chapters posted, trust in the author when she says the other chapters are being edited.

Was never solidly a Buffy fan, but Giles was dear to me, and many other roles ASH had touched me in some way. His memory is a blessing. (And in checking if his brother was still alive, I learned that ASH's daughter was Sofina the Red in DND: Honor Among Thieves.) (Yes, Murray is still alive.)

Hmm, not much else. HotD is too big a fandom for me to dive in on tumblr or AO3 (bad takes, not my cuppa in so many fics), so if you have writers/artists YOU trust in those fandoms, please enlighten me. (I learned my lesson in GoT of being VERY careful how I touched fandom.)

First: I am asking about musicians who either are queer, or are predominantly considered to be singing about queer motifs. (do NOT start flame wars about Gaga or Swift, please)

What musician rocks your queer little heart?

My most influential is NOT Freddie Mercury, Elton John, George Michael, or any of the others that dominated my early childhood because... I didn't yet have the questions they were asking fully formed in my heart.

No. Melissa Etheridge, who I found very solidly in the summer of '88 after I'd had my first realizations of being attracted to my best friend more than just the visual crush I'd had on lady celebs. She's my heart's queer anthem leader. The ambiguity of her early songs really just... wrapped around me so tight.

What character, in any kind of media, did you (if you ever did) have the kind of resonance with that is 'I see some of myself IN this character'? (Which is different from aspiring to BE like the character.)

For me? I think it hit me first and hardest with Nerilka. I know others vibe strong with Menolly, but in Nerilka I saw pieces of me. Abuse of neglect, wanting to find a place she could be herself and help others, too mature for her youth? She was very much a resonant character for me.