2Cybernetic Cadet 4: Freshman Keg Party by Ventura33
This was a facinating little character study of a story. I look for more like it.
-- Stephen Ratliff - Tue, 01 Apr 2003 00:19:52 -0500

3Destiny's Renewal by Kevin Johnston
A fine opening to what I hope will be a regular feature of ASC for the next few years. The use of the Jem'Hadar Captain is one which I hope to be expanded on more, and enjoyed the unique prespective which it afforded.
-- Stephen Ratliff - Tue, 01 Apr 2003 00:25:29 -0500

4Double Dog Dabo by Chris DiPierro
A nice set up ... more please.
-- Stephen Ratliff - Tue, 01 Apr 2003 00:31:18 -0500

6Fleet Lark- In Search of Coffee by Raymond Gower
Raymond ... such laghter should not be permitted after midnight. That has to be the most disfunctional crew I've seen in years.
-- Stephen Ratliff - Tue, 01 Apr 2003 00:39:50 -0500

7Fleet Lark- Tuttenbeck to the Rescue by Raymond Gower
Some people shouldn't be put in command of a starship ... unless it's funny. Good work.
-- Stephen Ratliff - Tue, 01 Apr 2003 00:49:09 -0500

11You're Lucky I'm A Civilised Man by Paula Stiles
Great story, the 'politics' of Starfleet and, in particular, Starfleet Academy were captured wonderfully. An enjoyable peek at life for some of the lesser-used TNG and DS9 characters in the period after Voyager's return. The hot, Vulcan sex was great too.
-- Whoa Nellie - Thu, 03 Apr 2003 19:28:06 -0500

2Cybernetic Cadet 4: Freshman Keg Party by Ventura33
I didn't have a misspent youth. Honest. (Although I do admit it was so long ago, those memories may have been stored in some of the brain cells I've lost forever...)I couldn't help but flashing back on the days of keg parties, college roommates, and the casual cruelty one young person can have for another (no comments, please, about how the oldsters can be just the same way).But enjoyed it so much I chased down the website and read the previous stories, even though I really didn't have the time right then. I needed a lift in spirits, and Wilcox and his buddies did it for me. I laughed and laughed...
-- jamelia - Sun, 06 Apr 2003 00:27:18 -0500

2Cybernetic Cadet 4: Freshman Keg Party by Ventura33
Another interesting installment about the Borg who went to the Academy and how Starfleet's adherence to IDIC is somewhat shaky, at least on the part of the cadets. This one made me really ache for him, but it was good to see his resilience.
-- Rocky - Sun, 06 Apr 2003 09:50:33 -0400

11You're Lucky I'm A Civilised Man by Paula Stiles
It was nice to see Alex Sawalha in another story, and to get a better insight into his background. I enjoyed meeting his Vulcan wife (finally). Not a good situation for him to be in at the Academy nor one that was easy to handle but he managed. I'm not sure I accept Starfleet would really let Ro and Riker be so grossly irresponsible, but it was good to see Ro at least finally grow up a little and accept her duty at the end.
-- Rocky - Sun, 06 Apr 2003 09:55:01 -0400

2Cybernetic Cadet 4: Freshman Keg Party by Ventura33
Even months after having first read this, "Cybernetic Cadet 4: Freshman Keg Party" is a vivid and at times painful story to me. It evokes all the awful things that can happen to someone in high school or college or any social setting, things that happen because someone is different. Add to that a person's being Borg and you have a recipe for disaster the Ventura33 details so well here. The casual cruelty of some of Wilcox's classmates, the complicity of his roommate are all so real. I really felt bad for Wilcox after the kegger! But the ending was a note of hope and one that hopefully will bode well for our Borg cadet. I look forward to seeing how Wilcox progresses at the Academy!
-- Djinn - Sun, 06 Apr 2003 19:46:29 -0400

11You're Lucky I'm A Civilised Man by Paula Stiles
Alex Sawalha is a wonderfully vivid and accessible original character and one that Paula Stiles brings to life in every outing. I love reading these stories! In "You're Lucky I'm a Civilized Man", we get to see some other characters come to life as Ro Laren and Tom Riker try to adjust to life after the maquis. There is a wry humor in this that I love and that is so characteristic of Paula's writing. But the action moves smoothly as well in this "week or so from hell" story, and the drama and romance is there too. Lovely story, Paula, really lovely. I'm looking forward to more stories featuring Alex Sawalha!
-- Djinn - Sun, 06 Apr 2003 19:46:49 -0400

6Fleet Lark- In Search of Coffee by Raymond Gower
What a hilarious parody of heroic Starfleet crews. These bumblers totally crack me up. Hee hee.
-- Ventura33 - Fri, 11 Apr 2003 11:21:47 -0400

7Fleet Lark- Tuttenbeck to the Rescue by Raymond Gower
Starfleet's most inept crew battles the Klingons with improvised weapons. Gotta love it.
-- Ventura33 - Fri, 11 Apr 2003 11:26:05 -0400

11You're Lucky I'm A Civilised Man by Paula Stiles
I'm glad Sawalha didn't get killed off -- as one of the more interesting original characters on ASC, he deserves a long life (and plenty of hot sex, of course) with his not-so-unemotional Vulcan wife. Yow, what a sizzling bedroom scene! The poor guy doesn't deserve the frustration of having to deal with slacker Tom Riker, but then, all of us have been stuck having to cope with co-workers like that at some point. The story's ending works well.
-- Ventura33 - Fri, 11 Apr 2003 11:40:21 -0400

2Cybernetic Cadet 4: Freshman Keg Party by Ventura33
In general, Ventura is better than any author I know at placing the reader into an alien mindspace. But I think Ventura has a particularly special way with the Borg. Her wonderful stories about a Borg daughter of Picard's are a revelation and this story, "Freshman Keg Party" part of the series "Cybernetic Cadet" was very fun though with a serious edge. I thought Ventura got the voice of her Borg cadet, Kevin Wilcox, just right. A Borg's voice is similar to, but not the same as a Vulcan's, a subtle difference often lost on TPTB, let alone authors of fan fiction. Wilcox's dialogue and his thoughts are a hoot. I could not help but laugh at loud at his encounter with beer. I had to love those error codes! Though of course not everything in the story is played for laughs and Ventura is deft at showing the cruelty hiding behind a lot of humor. This was a lovely story, well-told from beginning to end, and very enjoyable.
-- Rabble Rouser - Sat, 12 Apr 2003 14:50:52 -0400

3Destiny's Renewal by Kevin Johnston
This short story featuring an original ship and crew was based on an interesting premise for a post-Dominion War era mission. I thought the author made a nice parallel bet the Breen destructions of the Golden Gate and the World Trade Center. The character of the captain was interesting and despite it being posted in back in September, I thought there were interesting parallels as well in the political environment in the story to our current situation. A nice set-up.
-- Rabble Rouser - Sat, 12 Apr 2003 14:51:33 -0400

6Fleet Lark- In Search of Coffee by Raymond Gower
I thought this tale of a mixed-up crew very different from the usual stalwart heroes pretty funny. I enjoyed the description of a mixed-up replicator and a certain candle, as well as the encounter with the Ferengi crew and the motives in choosing to pick on them. The reasoning of the Ferengi captain was good for a laugh too.
-- Rabble Rouser - Sat, 12 Apr 2003 14:53:45 -0400

10Valley Of Peace by Kevin Johnston
Interesting premise for captain and crew.
-- Rabble Rouser - Sat, 12 Apr 2003 14:54:59 -0400

11You're Lucky I'm A Civilised Man by Paula Stiles
I loved Snowleopard's Sawalha stories. A supporting player in Paula's (Snowleopard) story "Triage," I've enjoyed seeing him take center stage in his own stories. Right from the beginning of "You’re Lucky I'm a Civilized Man" you know you're in the hands of a writer fully in control of her material. She creates such a distinctive voice in this first-person tale right from the whimsical beginning. I like how early on the author establishes for us where we are in time and space and appreciate this look at life post-Dominion War. Sawalha's Vulcan wife, T'Nar, and their relationship together are very appealing. I loved one line from Sawalha about her always being able to find a logical reason for a certain something and T'Nar's response! The story features an interesting take on Vulcan sexuality. Not just Sawalha is vividly portrayed, nor are we completely adrift in original character land. I enjoyed the portrayal of such figures as former Marquis members Ro Laren and Tom Riker as well as the familiar Deep Space Nine figures Miles O'Brien and Julian Bashir. The Snowleopard is deft at evoking their voices and personalities.
-- Rabble Rouser - Sat, 12 Apr 2003 14:58:32 -0400

2Cybernetic Cadet 4: Freshman Keg Party by Ventura33
Ventura33 did a great job in setting up the scene in this fic, and all of the descriptions and dialogue were exactly right-on. I did feel for poor Wilcox though.
-- Seema - Sun, 13 Apr 2003 22:56:40 -0400

11You're Lucky I'm A Civilised Man by Paula Stiles
I really like Paula's Alex Swalaha and always, she spins a good story that flows and featurings excellent dialogue. The characterizations of O'Brien and Bashir are done extremely well.
-- Seema - Sun, 13 Apr 2003 22:58:49 -0400

11You're Lucky I'm A Civilised Man by Paula Stiles
I love the tone of this story, personal and informal, but also very deep. Swalla is Paula's but I wish trek had had someone like him who's not superhuman or strange, just a guy who did what he had to and is now trying to find a little peace. I also like the paring with Miles and the very interesting meeting with Bashir.
-- Valerie Shearer - Mon, 14 Apr 2003 04:56:27 -0400

11You're Lucky I'm A Civilised Man by Paula Stiles
This story was great! I really enjoyed seeing Tom Riker and Ro Laren again, not to mention Sawalha. As usual, Paula showed us different sides of the characters we all know. But this time, she showed us a different side of Sawalha. I thought giving him a Vulcan wife was very interesting. The entire story made you want to read more. I can't remember details, but making it in first person really gave a lot of insight in to the character. Great job.
-- Meghan Elizabeth - Mon, 14 Apr 2003 14:35:11 -0400

8Mirror Images by David
A very nice Entery into the Marrissa stories
-- Stephen Ratliff - Mon, 14 Apr 2003 22:12:04 -0400

9A Royal Dinner (Marrissa short Story) by David Otaku (o.k.a.) Piccolo_VI
This is how to step into a series you didn't create and capture each character well in a short peice.
-- Stephen Ratliff - Mon, 14 Apr 2003 22:15:00 -0400

10Valley Of Peace by Kevin Johnston
Kevin's Destiny Crew grew on me with this story. I look foward to more.
-- Stephen Ratliff - Mon, 14 Apr 2003 22:28:54 -0400

5Endeavor's Begining by Stephen Ratliff
In my opinion, "Endeavor's Beginning" is definitely the best Original Cast story of the year. Though I will always have Suspension of Disbelief problems with interspecies halfbreed characters, Captain T'Gwen Washington is the most interesting fan-created half-Vulcan I've seen. But of course, Marrissa Picard is the real leader here, and she's characterized very well in this particular outing. Her long-suffering true love Jay Gordon makes a fun second-in-command, and also gets characterized well in this particular Marrissa Story. The fact that Chief Engineer Clara Sutter is Marrissa's cousin in Stephen Ratliff's continuity may make the upper ranks on the USS Endeavor look a little incestuous to some readers, I consider the familial atmosphere created by the trio's long history a bonus.
-- Michael Wallen - Mon, 14 Apr 2003 22:57:01 -0400

11You're Lucky I'm A Civilised Man by Paula Stiles
Ro, TOM Riker ... teaching. I really really pittied the other teacher and the students. Paula told the tale rather well, and I look for more original setting and crew works from her.
-- Stephen Ratliff - Mon, 14 Apr 2003 23:03:07 -0400