Wayback Exchange Letter
24 Feb 2019 07:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kangeikoHello dear Wayback exchange author! I am very excited about this fest because so many of my favourite shows qualify, and it has been a nostalgia trip for me to even go through nominations. So rest assured, any fic in these dead (or merely resting!) fandoms would be welcome and you are guaranteed to make me happy. Some thoughts/ideas are below, and you can also get a sense of the stuff I like/am excited about by having a look at my sign-ups for previous fests (tagged by the fest name). I've included some broad category likes/DNWs below the cut.
Likes:
1. Gen, slash, het, whatever. I'm fascinated by conflict and I tend to focus on the relationship that has the most conflict, the most uneven power dynamics, or the most changes in the dynamic. If you want to stick to canon and focus on gen drama, that will make me just as happy as managing full-on shippiness. And yes - for all the characters/relationships I've requested, I would be thrilled with shippiness, if you feel inspired.
2. Plot! I do love me some plot. Failing that, angst! Banter! Snark! Characters being their usual selves makes me happy.
3. First-times in shippy fic. I tend to be less interested in a couple after they have been happily settled or wrapped up in each other, and a lot more interested in how couples get together. If it's an established relationship, I like the conflict in the relationship - maybe something unresolved between the couple, or some bone of contentious that could drive them apart.
4. Conflict. I like change in fic - change in relationships, change in preconceptions, change in situation, good old-fashion action-adventure - and having characters disagree or take opposing sides.
5. Protectiveness / family / team / squad feelings. People having each others' backs.
6. The 'enemy mine' trope - enemies forced to work together, enemies being attracted despite their history, one character forced to look after someone they hate, everything along those lines.
Do Not Wants:
1. Chan, shota, underage, however you term it.
2. Non-con, rape. If you want to go down the dub-con route (sex pollen, intoxication, uneven power dynamics) that's perfectly fine and welcomed, but please no straight-up rape scenes or characters brutalising each other.
3. Character-bashing. If I've nominated a fandom I tend to love all the characters.
4. The common sex-based squicks - chan as mentioned, also scat, watersports, snuff, brutality, etc. I'm also not a fan of alpha/beta/omega fic, knotting, mpreg, heavy BDSM, etc. If you are going down the shippy, smutty route, you can refer to my more detailed smutswap letter for more smutty DNWs and likes.
5. Universe-altering AUs, e.g. everyone is a merman, rule 63, no powers, history has been changed significantly, high school settings etc etc. This is primarily because the conflict between the nominated characters is so situation and history-specific, that moving them to another setting would mean it's difficult for me to engage with them as the same characters with the same messy history. I'm perfectly OK with canon divergence AUs though (e.g. what if character X makes choice Y instead of choice Z), the closer they are to when the fic takes place, the better.
To the requests! These are just prompts/ideas, please write what works for you! I love all of these characters/pairings so I will be thrilled, whatever you come up with.
Babylon 5: Alfred Bester / Michael Garibaldi, Alfred Bester & Michael Garibaldi
So... it turns out I am not alone in my over-whelming love for these two? Hence me unapologetically adding them to a lot of my sign-ups. There needs to be more fic about their nightmare relationship!
1) The power dynamic between these two is firmly tipped in Bester's direction. I was rather dissatisfied with what the books did to play this out after the show ended, so I'd be interested in a fresh look at that. Does Garibaldi go after Bester immediately? What would have happened if the block was lifted fairly early on while Bester was still in power - and on Mars? In fact, how does that post-B5 Mars political landscape work - presumably Psi Corps would have remained as a presence on the planet rather than leaving it to the Mars-born, and if that's the case Garibaldi might well have ended up around a conference table with Bester for one reason or another. With or without the block, having them interact with forced civility would be fascinating to see. Maybe Garibaldi decides to wait out the block and go after Psi Corps on Mars, figuring that it'll piss Bester off? Maybe circumstances keep throwing them together? Maybe Bester gets more and more pissed off with Garibaldi sliding back into alcoholism and decides "what's one more fix" and Garibaldi really objects? Whatever you like!
2) There was a moment during S3 where I was convinced that Bester would have ended up working with B5 more overtly. Show me that option! Does he stay on the station? Does he go back to Psi Corps but have Garibaldi as his B5 contact? Having those two running covert ops around Clark's men would be fascinating.
3) I was also rather astounded by the gaping plot hole in S3, around Dust to Dust, where there is a big song and dance about drugging Bester so he doesn't scan the crew. Except... Psi Corps could have sent a plainclothes spy there any time they felt like it and gathered all the intel they needed. So... maybe they did? The spy gathers all they're supposed to, and reports back to Bester, who has to decide what to do with this information in early S3. Would he choose that time to intervene? Is Carolyn kidnapped at that time, or can he smuggle her to B5? Does Bester decide to throw in his lot with B5 and patch up their intelligence leaks so their rebellion can succeed? (I mean, yes. Please don't have him go with Clark, this would make me sad.)
4) The Dust smuggler figures out that Bester has been dosed with sleepers and figures that a P12 would sell for a lot. Cue Garibaldi having to rescue him! How would he deal with this rather stark evidence that at least some of Bester's paranoia/dislike of normals is justified?
5) Give me moar Bester & Garibaldi bickering and solving crimes! Maybe they have to solve some moar crimes? Oh no, they must leave the station and go Elsewhere and be on a Road Trip! Alas, there is only One Bed in the room. Woe, they must Pretend To Be Married. Any ridiculous trope to get them to interact and bicker (and idk, bone) will make me happy.
6) Smutty options... I've talked about this pairing at great length in my smutswap letter because, well, I have a filthy mind. If any of these prompts strike your fancy, have at it! Anything which would put the power firmly in Garibaldi's hands would make me happy.
Babylon 5: G'Kar & Londo Mollari, G'Kar/Londo Mollari
Oh, my poor beloved tragic ship! I love these two so much, even more so on rewatchings.
1) What happened after Londo apologised? Was everything... fine? I mean, it wasn't, right, it was awkward an strange and... yeah. Give me more of their weird S5 relationship please!
2) Their first time. When does it happen??? S5 on Centauri Prime? Back on Babylon 5? Earlier??? I need context! I need politics! I need tentacles! (No, seriously, feel free to go with consentacles, I will support you on this.)
3) Londo and G'Kar bickering ,sdjfjadlklks OH MY GOD. Yes, more please! Palace intrigue or Babylon 5 politicking, anything you like - as long as there is bickering going on.
4) How does G'Kar explain his presence on Centauri Prime to the rest of the Narn? Why do they think he's there??? Why do the Centauri think he's there??? THERE'S ONLY ONE BED.
5) But, seriously, THERE'S ONLY ONE BED. How can you ignore this gift? Surely G'Kar can't sleep on the floor? He can protect Londo much more easily if he's beside him??
6) aaaaaand then there's the mind rape. This is never mentioned again (except in Londo's mind during his heart attack). How does Londo feel about it? G'Kar is in the brig - briefly - and then, THEN, he's free! And around! And then conspiring with Londo to kill Refa?? WHAT. Explain, please!
7) ... the little red fruit really did mean they got married back in S1, someone has to break the news to them.
8) They're gonna do this! It's gonna be fine! Their relationship has always been weird, they can totally have a physical relationship as well, and no one has to find out. (Spoiler: people find out.)
Babylon 5: Michael Garibaldi/Elizabeth Lochley
There is so much potential here! They're no holds barred, in your face, unrelentingly hostile. I LOVE IT.
1) They yell, and then they bone. Seriously, have Lochley dom the hell out of Garibaldi and I will heart eyes over it. Garibaldi and Lochley making a surprisingly effective team, and getting on like a house on fire now that their corners have been rubbed off and Garibaldi is OK with letting her be in charge all the time. I'm not saying make them happy forever, but make them happy forever.
2) OTOH, quiet introspection also works! Lochley and Garibaldi's alcoholism conversation follow-up.
3) Does Garibaldi tell her what Bester did to him? Does he trust her enough for that?
4) Have them solve crimes! Or fight bad guys! Or bicker! Or bicker and then bone!
5) Alternatively... politicking in the new Alliance? Station decisions running up against Alliance decisions? Garibaldi backing Lochley against Sheridan, much to Sheridan's surprise?
Brimstone: The Devil/Ezekiel Stone, The Devil & Ezekiel Stone
Speaking of problematic relationships...
Oh, I love this show so much. And, again, it's a case of one character having all the power, so I would love to see them lose that power, or be dependent on the other in some way.
1) Ashur gets the upper hand, and the Devil is injured/made mortal and has to rely on Ezekiel.
2) Ashur gets the upper hand and Ezekiel is killed. Ooops? Only, the Devil doesn't seem content with leaving things like that.
... I am supposed to have more prompts, but honestly I'm pretty fixated on "character A is injured and character B looks after them" tropes for this fandom, so whatever you come up with here works for me! Maybe Ezekiel finds himself falling for the Devil and the Devil doesn't think this is a good idea? Maybe Ezekiel wins his freedom and the Devil... sticks around? Anything that strikes your fancy would work for me here. Extra bonus points for incorporating the tattoos somehow! How do the tattoos work? Are they just ink on the skin until they burn off, or can Ezekiel feel them? Does he have a connection to the Devil he can draw on (and if he doesn't know this yet, how does he learn about it)? Do any of the residents of heaven ever visit? Are the tattoos standard fare and something everyone in hell/heaven expects the Devil to do, or are they the equivalent of the Devil writing his name + MINE on Ezekiel in big letters? What happens if Ezekiel wins his freedom and chooses to go and the Devil misses him? Who are the other 100 demons???? Give me anything, I'm begging you, this show was cancelled far too soon!
Star Trek: Voyager: Kathryn Janeway/Tom Paris, Kathryn Janeway & Tom Paris
Next to the EMH, Tom Paris is the character that changed the most during Voyager's run, don't @ me. He started off as an angry young man and by the end of the show he was an upstanding husband and father and... look, he's my favourite, so of course I want him to be happy on the show and miserable in fic, that's just how it works.
1) Why is Tom sentenced to the brig AND demoted, oh my God, Tuvok disobeyed orders in like episode 2 or something and got a slap on the wrist, I am still so mad. This felt so uneven and so... out of left-field, somehow. Why does Tom get both barrels and everyone else is pretty much just told not to do it again? Why is Janeway so angry with him? How does she justify this to herself? How does Tom react to being back in prison again? Is he OK with it, or does it bring back uncomfortable memories?
2) OK, let's talk about Warp 10. I know we've all agreed never to mention it again, BUT. I can't help but notice that Tom wasn't involved in the decision-making about leaving the lizard-babies behind. OK, they were lizard-babies, but we have the fucking Horta as a sentient species, so if rocks can be treated as the sentient species they are, I feel it's not much of a stretch to demand that the same consideration be extended to the whatever-it-is the lizard babies are. Don't, for the love of God, bring them back, but do tell me about how Tom feels on this issue. Is he relieved to not have to make the choice himself? What about later on, when B'Elanna is pregnant and he's already technically a father? Is he resentful that Janeway didn't consult with him at all?
3) That time when Tom has false memories implanted in his brain in S1 and collapses, and Janeway cradles him. *points* Please give me more of that. More Tom sick/injured/unconscious & Janeway protecting him.
4) What if Tom and Kathryn had been infected with the virus and left behind rather than Kathryn and Chakotay? Especially after the Warp-10-which-never-happened?
5) Bride of Chaotica! Tom decides to invite the Captain for some holodeck time in a friendly fashion. Give me hijinks! Or, well, give me smut, I'm not fussy.
6) Post-show J/P or J&P! Janeway and Owen Paris talking about Tom? Or Janeway invited to the Paris residence for dinner and Tom is there? Or... idk, Tom is on Earth and unattached and Janeway is there and Things Happen... (If doing J/P, please don't kill B'Elanna, divorce is fine!)
Star Trek: Voyager: Icheb/Q Jr
I was unprepared.
1) Q Jr (or q, as he shall forever be known) is also unprepared. No one explained that his feelings for Icheb are THOSE feelings! What now? How does he go about trying to explain that he wants to be more than Icheb's friend? (If opting for smut, please set it after Icheb is of age, thank you.)
2) An Academy-bound Icheb runs into Picard, who is interested to hear about his friend, not realising who said friend is... until he turns up. (The family resemblance is... striking.) Feel free to xover with Picard/Q if inspired!
3) How does Icheb navigate Academy and life in Starfleet when he's friends with an omnipotent being? Will q just turn up and save him if he's threatened? How does q deal with his friend having a dangerous job if the Continuum forbids his involvement?
4) q, in time-honoured Q tradition, has stepped out of line and is being punished. How does Icheb react? What would he do if his friend was threatened? (I mean we know what he'd do, he'd do everything he can to save him, so let's do that again pls.)
5) Icheb & q being ridiculously adorable wandering about Earth and running into, idk, any of the Enterprise crew, and Icheb introducing q.
6) The Dominion war has finished by the time they get home, right? Er... some other war (I've no idea what war takes place afterwards, feel free to make one up and not be bound to the books) takes place and Icheb Goes To War. q... goes with him.
Star Trek: Voyager: The Doctor & Tom Paris, The Doctor/Tom Paris
Goddamit, Voyager, I missed you. Look at all the interesting relationships you have! Why, WHY is the EMH so hostile to the person he is trying to convince to be a nurse or medical student. I will never stop being fascinated by the wholly unnecessary hostility here. Does Paris like the EMH? Why does he play such nasty jokes on him? Why don't they like each other oh my god, tell me more.
1) But seriously, hurt Tom and make the Doctor have to look after him with improved bedside manner. Maybe it's a serious injury and he's confined to sickbay for some time? Maybe it's a chronic condition requiring on-going treatment? Make the Doctor start off brusque and become... less so.
2) One word: epidemic. All hands on deck as the Doctor battles to save the crew, and Paris is one of those hands. How do they work together? What happens when Paris succumbs to the illness?
3) Tom is VERY claustrophobic and kept climbing out of the statis tubes. That was sort of played for laughs, but what if his claustrophobia kicks in during his brig confinement, or during a medical procedure, or something else? Give me distressed Tom please!
4) Post-show EMH & P - maybe Tom decides to become a holonovelist and enlists the Doctor's help?
5) Combat!EMH! Or, well, EMH during combat, anyway. Give me battlefield medicine, please! Maybe the bridge is attacked and the Doctor has to deal with critically injured patients during the attack? Maybe he's having to defend Sickbay from, idk, marauding Kazon/Borg/whoever? Can the Doctor even administer the kiss of life as a hologram? Maybe an away team gets attacked and Tom and the Doctor have to work together to administer basic field first aid to the injured without any supplies.
6) Shippy/smutty thoughts - maybe Tom's having some erectile dysfunction issues, and the Doctor is trying to help? Maybe the annual physical ends up a bit more physical than originally intended? As long as consent is there I'm happy with whatever you go with!
Star Trek: Voyager: Kathryn Janeway/Jean-Luc Picard/Q
... I'm not ashamed.
1) Yes, I asked for this because... look. *runs out of words* Um... porn.
2) Alternatively, Q might have brought Picard on Voyager during Deathwish.
(Yes, I have offered porn or a story about assisted dying, there is no middle ground.)
3) There is totally middle ground. And that is the Q Civil War. Where is Picard in all of this??
4) Picard and Janeway comparing notes back on Earth. Q's ears are burning...
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Jean-Luc Picard/Q
*deep breath* This pairing, plus Kirk/Spock, are the first slash pairings I ever read. "Up Against the Wall, Jean-Luc" was literally the first smutty fic I ever read, yes I did imprint on it, why do you ask. *cough*
1) Give me a Q 100% in love with Picard and 100% terrified Picard will find out. What to do?
2) The! God! Damned! Q! Civil! War! *bangs fists on table* When does Picard find out about it? What is his reaction? Q is now a revolutionary! An activist! A lawmaker! A government official.
3) ... if... if Q is a government official... can he be the Q ambassador? Look, I know they don't have ambassadors or engage in that way, but what if they decided to, for Reasons? And so the Q send... Q. And the humans send... Picard. (This is just an excuse to have them both in formal robes in a formal function, I'm trying to dress it up as plot, but that's where we are.)
4) Alternatively, Picard is threatened. Q steps in.
5) Or... Q isn't made Q during Deja Q and remains a "lumpen human being". Picard doesn't make good on his threat to dump him at a starbase, at least not for the moment. How would Q take to humanity? (Badly.) How would he take to being powerless? (Even more badly.) What about being interested in Picard and having no idea how to go about expressing it? (Worse.) Just give me all the angst!
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip:
Jordan McDeere/Jack Rudolph/Danny Tripp
Jordan McDeere/Jack Rudolph
Tom Jeter/Jack Rudolph
Jack Rudolph/OMC
Jack Rudolph & Simon Stiles
Jack Rudolph & Danny Tripp & Matt Albie
You will notice... that's all the tags available. And yes, they all have Jack Rudolph in common. Jack was my favourite character on Studio 60, so pretty much anything with him will make me happy!
1) It's Jack's turn to face the press vultures. Maybe they want to talk about his divorce? Maybe he had an affair with a man in his youth and someone found out? Maybe something terrible happened to him and the press want to report on all the gory details? Regardless, make the S60 people defend him for a change!
2) Things go horribly wrong with the legal fight - or seem like they're going to - and Jack is ready to fall on his sword to protect the network. How would Jordan and/or Danny and/or Matt react to that?
3) Jack really does drink a lot. Maybe one of the others has to look after him? Maybe he's really insensible and maudlin and sad, and/or really wants a fight?
4) Jack really does drink a lot... and it's a problem. Who will have that conversation? How would he react?
5) Hurt Jack and make someone hug him please!
The West Wing: John Marbury/Leo McGarry
I don't know why I love these two so much, but I do! There's something about their antagonism, and also in the fact that Leo is so often the most powerful and capable man in the room, other than Jed, and then Marbury walks in. He's such a caricature of the worst elements English aristocracy, I shouldn't love him, but I do.
1) Politics! Give me politics. Um, made-up politics, please, not anything current and likely to upset me. But politics in TWW world. Make them conflict some more!
2) The British Embassy is hosting a reception for... something. And Leo has to be there. And Lord John Marbury is there of course, and he's in formal wear, and... you can take it from there.
3) Someone legit attempts to kidnap the British Ambassador, this is SO not good. OR Marbury is in Leo's office and someone scales the White House walls again and they have to go on lock-down?
4) But seriously. Leo is a recovering alcoholic and Jed keeps shoving him at a lush? I'm not saying that Leo's job is galaxy-level impossible, I'm just saying his days are probably made harder by having to deal with someone who enjoys himself as much as Marbury does.
5) ... idk. One of them is sick? They're trapped in the building and there's... only one couch? I just want them to be snippy and dismissive of each other, and then probably bone.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Odo/Quark, Odo & Quark
I have no explanation for why I love Quark, I can only say that I started hating the Ferengi, and then somehow I loved Quark and would fight to the death to protect him, and don't know when it happened.
1) Please make Odo feel the same, thank you. Maybe someone attempts to kidnap Quark and Odo is hit with FEELINGS? Maybe Odo suddenly realises he misses Quark and comes back to find him? But let Odo have that realisation!
2) ... S6. Make Odo APOLOGISE. PROPERLY. He was literally... and he would have... I mean... *waves arms* I am still SO outraged about this, holy shit. Please make Quark be as angry and as betrayed as possible, and have Odo realise - OH NO, he cares about Quark, and Quark is HURTING.
3) Odo wants to learn about sex! Quark is happy to oblige. But then Quark develops feelings, and suddenly... well, suddenly he's less happy to oblige, and Odo knows something has gone wrong but he doesn't know WHAT.
4) Hijinks! Another road trip or mission with just the two of them? Maybe Quark decides that everyone deserves to have a birthday, even Odo, and so he decides to organise a party for him. Odo, of course, thinks he's up to something.
5) I really loved the Fallen Heroes book, Quark turning up waving a bucket of melted Odo around, having saved the day. If you've read it, maybe something following on from that? Alternatively, I'd love to have Quark save the day - and Odo - and be recognised for it.
6) Quark is getting friendly with someone else, and Odo doesn't know what he feels about that, he only knows that clearly this Someone Else is a bad sort and must be watched, and Someone Else is probably going to hurt Quark somehow and should be kept away from him, and... aka Odo is jealous and doesn't realise it.
Blake's 7: Kerr Avon/Roj Blake, Kerr Avon & Roj Blake, Kerr Avon/Del Tarrant, Kerr Avon/Roj Blake/Del Tarrant
Another show I love fiercely and would be happy to see anything for!
1) Any spin on Avon being injured and needing to be looked after/rescued!
2) For the A/B/T, that's a fairly explosive mix. How does that work? How did they get together? Is it a stable arrangement, or just something that occasionally happens/happened just the once? (Please put Avon in the middle if going down this route, thank you.)
3) Yes, yes I am asking for a PGP happy ending, somehow. More adventures against the Federation, but everyone lives! Basically the show, but more of the same, and less depressing, thank you.
4) Alternatively... more of the same, but perhaps even more depressing? Avon PGP, trying to get back to sanity. How does his partner help? (Please do give him a happy/not depressing ending though.)
5) They are on a planet and there is ONLY ONE BED. OH NO. What will happen next? OR, they have to pretend to be married, OR... well, any other ridiculous fiction trope, all very welcome.
That's a lot of characters and fandoms and prompts! You can tell that I love all of these fandoms so much. Honestly, please write what you feel works best for you/the characters, and I am sure that I will love it!
Likes:
1. Gen, slash, het, whatever. I'm fascinated by conflict and I tend to focus on the relationship that has the most conflict, the most uneven power dynamics, or the most changes in the dynamic. If you want to stick to canon and focus on gen drama, that will make me just as happy as managing full-on shippiness. And yes - for all the characters/relationships I've requested, I would be thrilled with shippiness, if you feel inspired.
2. Plot! I do love me some plot. Failing that, angst! Banter! Snark! Characters being their usual selves makes me happy.
3. First-times in shippy fic. I tend to be less interested in a couple after they have been happily settled or wrapped up in each other, and a lot more interested in how couples get together. If it's an established relationship, I like the conflict in the relationship - maybe something unresolved between the couple, or some bone of contentious that could drive them apart.
4. Conflict. I like change in fic - change in relationships, change in preconceptions, change in situation, good old-fashion action-adventure - and having characters disagree or take opposing sides.
5. Protectiveness / family / team / squad feelings. People having each others' backs.
6. The 'enemy mine' trope - enemies forced to work together, enemies being attracted despite their history, one character forced to look after someone they hate, everything along those lines.
Do Not Wants:
1. Chan, shota, underage, however you term it.
2. Non-con, rape. If you want to go down the dub-con route (sex pollen, intoxication, uneven power dynamics) that's perfectly fine and welcomed, but please no straight-up rape scenes or characters brutalising each other.
3. Character-bashing. If I've nominated a fandom I tend to love all the characters.
4. The common sex-based squicks - chan as mentioned, also scat, watersports, snuff, brutality, etc. I'm also not a fan of alpha/beta/omega fic, knotting, mpreg, heavy BDSM, etc. If you are going down the shippy, smutty route, you can refer to my more detailed smutswap letter for more smutty DNWs and likes.
5. Universe-altering AUs, e.g. everyone is a merman, rule 63, no powers, history has been changed significantly, high school settings etc etc. This is primarily because the conflict between the nominated characters is so situation and history-specific, that moving them to another setting would mean it's difficult for me to engage with them as the same characters with the same messy history. I'm perfectly OK with canon divergence AUs though (e.g. what if character X makes choice Y instead of choice Z), the closer they are to when the fic takes place, the better.
To the requests! These are just prompts/ideas, please write what works for you! I love all of these characters/pairings so I will be thrilled, whatever you come up with.
Babylon 5: Alfred Bester / Michael Garibaldi, Alfred Bester & Michael Garibaldi
So... it turns out I am not alone in my over-whelming love for these two? Hence me unapologetically adding them to a lot of my sign-ups. There needs to be more fic about their nightmare relationship!
1) The power dynamic between these two is firmly tipped in Bester's direction. I was rather dissatisfied with what the books did to play this out after the show ended, so I'd be interested in a fresh look at that. Does Garibaldi go after Bester immediately? What would have happened if the block was lifted fairly early on while Bester was still in power - and on Mars? In fact, how does that post-B5 Mars political landscape work - presumably Psi Corps would have remained as a presence on the planet rather than leaving it to the Mars-born, and if that's the case Garibaldi might well have ended up around a conference table with Bester for one reason or another. With or without the block, having them interact with forced civility would be fascinating to see. Maybe Garibaldi decides to wait out the block and go after Psi Corps on Mars, figuring that it'll piss Bester off? Maybe circumstances keep throwing them together? Maybe Bester gets more and more pissed off with Garibaldi sliding back into alcoholism and decides "what's one more fix" and Garibaldi really objects? Whatever you like!
2) There was a moment during S3 where I was convinced that Bester would have ended up working with B5 more overtly. Show me that option! Does he stay on the station? Does he go back to Psi Corps but have Garibaldi as his B5 contact? Having those two running covert ops around Clark's men would be fascinating.
3) I was also rather astounded by the gaping plot hole in S3, around Dust to Dust, where there is a big song and dance about drugging Bester so he doesn't scan the crew. Except... Psi Corps could have sent a plainclothes spy there any time they felt like it and gathered all the intel they needed. So... maybe they did? The spy gathers all they're supposed to, and reports back to Bester, who has to decide what to do with this information in early S3. Would he choose that time to intervene? Is Carolyn kidnapped at that time, or can he smuggle her to B5? Does Bester decide to throw in his lot with B5 and patch up their intelligence leaks so their rebellion can succeed? (I mean, yes. Please don't have him go with Clark, this would make me sad.)
4) The Dust smuggler figures out that Bester has been dosed with sleepers and figures that a P12 would sell for a lot. Cue Garibaldi having to rescue him! How would he deal with this rather stark evidence that at least some of Bester's paranoia/dislike of normals is justified?
5) Give me moar Bester & Garibaldi bickering and solving crimes! Maybe they have to solve some moar crimes? Oh no, they must leave the station and go Elsewhere and be on a Road Trip! Alas, there is only One Bed in the room. Woe, they must Pretend To Be Married. Any ridiculous trope to get them to interact and bicker (and idk, bone) will make me happy.
6) Smutty options... I've talked about this pairing at great length in my smutswap letter because, well, I have a filthy mind. If any of these prompts strike your fancy, have at it! Anything which would put the power firmly in Garibaldi's hands would make me happy.
Babylon 5: G'Kar & Londo Mollari, G'Kar/Londo Mollari
Oh, my poor beloved tragic ship! I love these two so much, even more so on rewatchings.
1) What happened after Londo apologised? Was everything... fine? I mean, it wasn't, right, it was awkward an strange and... yeah. Give me more of their weird S5 relationship please!
2) Their first time. When does it happen??? S5 on Centauri Prime? Back on Babylon 5? Earlier??? I need context! I need politics! I need tentacles! (No, seriously, feel free to go with consentacles, I will support you on this.)
3) Londo and G'Kar bickering ,sdjfjadlklks OH MY GOD. Yes, more please! Palace intrigue or Babylon 5 politicking, anything you like - as long as there is bickering going on.
4) How does G'Kar explain his presence on Centauri Prime to the rest of the Narn? Why do they think he's there??? Why do the Centauri think he's there??? THERE'S ONLY ONE BED.
5) But, seriously, THERE'S ONLY ONE BED. How can you ignore this gift? Surely G'Kar can't sleep on the floor? He can protect Londo much more easily if he's beside him??
6) aaaaaand then there's the mind rape. This is never mentioned again (except in Londo's mind during his heart attack). How does Londo feel about it? G'Kar is in the brig - briefly - and then, THEN, he's free! And around! And then conspiring with Londo to kill Refa?? WHAT. Explain, please!
7) ... the little red fruit really did mean they got married back in S1, someone has to break the news to them.
8) They're gonna do this! It's gonna be fine! Their relationship has always been weird, they can totally have a physical relationship as well, and no one has to find out. (Spoiler: people find out.)
Babylon 5: Michael Garibaldi/Elizabeth Lochley
There is so much potential here! They're no holds barred, in your face, unrelentingly hostile. I LOVE IT.
1) They yell, and then they bone. Seriously, have Lochley dom the hell out of Garibaldi and I will heart eyes over it. Garibaldi and Lochley making a surprisingly effective team, and getting on like a house on fire now that their corners have been rubbed off and Garibaldi is OK with letting her be in charge all the time. I'm not saying make them happy forever, but make them happy forever.
2) OTOH, quiet introspection also works! Lochley and Garibaldi's alcoholism conversation follow-up.
3) Does Garibaldi tell her what Bester did to him? Does he trust her enough for that?
4) Have them solve crimes! Or fight bad guys! Or bicker! Or bicker and then bone!
5) Alternatively... politicking in the new Alliance? Station decisions running up against Alliance decisions? Garibaldi backing Lochley against Sheridan, much to Sheridan's surprise?
Brimstone: The Devil/Ezekiel Stone, The Devil & Ezekiel Stone
Speaking of problematic relationships...
Oh, I love this show so much. And, again, it's a case of one character having all the power, so I would love to see them lose that power, or be dependent on the other in some way.
1) Ashur gets the upper hand, and the Devil is injured/made mortal and has to rely on Ezekiel.
2) Ashur gets the upper hand and Ezekiel is killed. Ooops? Only, the Devil doesn't seem content with leaving things like that.
... I am supposed to have more prompts, but honestly I'm pretty fixated on "character A is injured and character B looks after them" tropes for this fandom, so whatever you come up with here works for me! Maybe Ezekiel finds himself falling for the Devil and the Devil doesn't think this is a good idea? Maybe Ezekiel wins his freedom and the Devil... sticks around? Anything that strikes your fancy would work for me here. Extra bonus points for incorporating the tattoos somehow! How do the tattoos work? Are they just ink on the skin until they burn off, or can Ezekiel feel them? Does he have a connection to the Devil he can draw on (and if he doesn't know this yet, how does he learn about it)? Do any of the residents of heaven ever visit? Are the tattoos standard fare and something everyone in hell/heaven expects the Devil to do, or are they the equivalent of the Devil writing his name + MINE on Ezekiel in big letters? What happens if Ezekiel wins his freedom and chooses to go and the Devil misses him? Who are the other 100 demons???? Give me anything, I'm begging you, this show was cancelled far too soon!
Star Trek: Voyager: Kathryn Janeway/Tom Paris, Kathryn Janeway & Tom Paris
Next to the EMH, Tom Paris is the character that changed the most during Voyager's run, don't @ me. He started off as an angry young man and by the end of the show he was an upstanding husband and father and... look, he's my favourite, so of course I want him to be happy on the show and miserable in fic, that's just how it works.
1) Why is Tom sentenced to the brig AND demoted, oh my God, Tuvok disobeyed orders in like episode 2 or something and got a slap on the wrist, I am still so mad. This felt so uneven and so... out of left-field, somehow. Why does Tom get both barrels and everyone else is pretty much just told not to do it again? Why is Janeway so angry with him? How does she justify this to herself? How does Tom react to being back in prison again? Is he OK with it, or does it bring back uncomfortable memories?
2) OK, let's talk about Warp 10. I know we've all agreed never to mention it again, BUT. I can't help but notice that Tom wasn't involved in the decision-making about leaving the lizard-babies behind. OK, they were lizard-babies, but we have the fucking Horta as a sentient species, so if rocks can be treated as the sentient species they are, I feel it's not much of a stretch to demand that the same consideration be extended to the whatever-it-is the lizard babies are. Don't, for the love of God, bring them back, but do tell me about how Tom feels on this issue. Is he relieved to not have to make the choice himself? What about later on, when B'Elanna is pregnant and he's already technically a father? Is he resentful that Janeway didn't consult with him at all?
3) That time when Tom has false memories implanted in his brain in S1 and collapses, and Janeway cradles him. *points* Please give me more of that. More Tom sick/injured/unconscious & Janeway protecting him.
4) What if Tom and Kathryn had been infected with the virus and left behind rather than Kathryn and Chakotay? Especially after the Warp-10-which-never-happened?
5) Bride of Chaotica! Tom decides to invite the Captain for some holodeck time in a friendly fashion. Give me hijinks! Or, well, give me smut, I'm not fussy.
6) Post-show J/P or J&P! Janeway and Owen Paris talking about Tom? Or Janeway invited to the Paris residence for dinner and Tom is there? Or... idk, Tom is on Earth and unattached and Janeway is there and Things Happen... (If doing J/P, please don't kill B'Elanna, divorce is fine!)
Star Trek: Voyager: Icheb/Q Jr
I was unprepared.
1) Q Jr (or q, as he shall forever be known) is also unprepared. No one explained that his feelings for Icheb are THOSE feelings! What now? How does he go about trying to explain that he wants to be more than Icheb's friend? (If opting for smut, please set it after Icheb is of age, thank you.)
2) An Academy-bound Icheb runs into Picard, who is interested to hear about his friend, not realising who said friend is... until he turns up. (The family resemblance is... striking.) Feel free to xover with Picard/Q if inspired!
3) How does Icheb navigate Academy and life in Starfleet when he's friends with an omnipotent being? Will q just turn up and save him if he's threatened? How does q deal with his friend having a dangerous job if the Continuum forbids his involvement?
4) q, in time-honoured Q tradition, has stepped out of line and is being punished. How does Icheb react? What would he do if his friend was threatened? (I mean we know what he'd do, he'd do everything he can to save him, so let's do that again pls.)
5) Icheb & q being ridiculously adorable wandering about Earth and running into, idk, any of the Enterprise crew, and Icheb introducing q.
6) The Dominion war has finished by the time they get home, right? Er... some other war (I've no idea what war takes place afterwards, feel free to make one up and not be bound to the books) takes place and Icheb Goes To War. q... goes with him.
Star Trek: Voyager: The Doctor & Tom Paris, The Doctor/Tom Paris
Goddamit, Voyager, I missed you. Look at all the interesting relationships you have! Why, WHY is the EMH so hostile to the person he is trying to convince to be a nurse or medical student. I will never stop being fascinated by the wholly unnecessary hostility here. Does Paris like the EMH? Why does he play such nasty jokes on him? Why don't they like each other oh my god, tell me more.
1) But seriously, hurt Tom and make the Doctor have to look after him with improved bedside manner. Maybe it's a serious injury and he's confined to sickbay for some time? Maybe it's a chronic condition requiring on-going treatment? Make the Doctor start off brusque and become... less so.
2) One word: epidemic. All hands on deck as the Doctor battles to save the crew, and Paris is one of those hands. How do they work together? What happens when Paris succumbs to the illness?
3) Tom is VERY claustrophobic and kept climbing out of the statis tubes. That was sort of played for laughs, but what if his claustrophobia kicks in during his brig confinement, or during a medical procedure, or something else? Give me distressed Tom please!
4) Post-show EMH & P - maybe Tom decides to become a holonovelist and enlists the Doctor's help?
5) Combat!EMH! Or, well, EMH during combat, anyway. Give me battlefield medicine, please! Maybe the bridge is attacked and the Doctor has to deal with critically injured patients during the attack? Maybe he's having to defend Sickbay from, idk, marauding Kazon/Borg/whoever? Can the Doctor even administer the kiss of life as a hologram? Maybe an away team gets attacked and Tom and the Doctor have to work together to administer basic field first aid to the injured without any supplies.
6) Shippy/smutty thoughts - maybe Tom's having some erectile dysfunction issues, and the Doctor is trying to help? Maybe the annual physical ends up a bit more physical than originally intended? As long as consent is there I'm happy with whatever you go with!
Star Trek: Voyager: Kathryn Janeway/Jean-Luc Picard/Q
... I'm not ashamed.
1) Yes, I asked for this because... look. *runs out of words* Um... porn.
2) Alternatively, Q might have brought Picard on Voyager during Deathwish.
(Yes, I have offered porn or a story about assisted dying, there is no middle ground.)
3) There is totally middle ground. And that is the Q Civil War. Where is Picard in all of this??
4) Picard and Janeway comparing notes back on Earth. Q's ears are burning...
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Jean-Luc Picard/Q
*deep breath* This pairing, plus Kirk/Spock, are the first slash pairings I ever read. "Up Against the Wall, Jean-Luc" was literally the first smutty fic I ever read, yes I did imprint on it, why do you ask. *cough*
1) Give me a Q 100% in love with Picard and 100% terrified Picard will find out. What to do?
2) The! God! Damned! Q! Civil! War! *bangs fists on table* When does Picard find out about it? What is his reaction? Q is now a revolutionary! An activist! A lawmaker! A government official.
3) ... if... if Q is a government official... can he be the Q ambassador? Look, I know they don't have ambassadors or engage in that way, but what if they decided to, for Reasons? And so the Q send... Q. And the humans send... Picard. (This is just an excuse to have them both in formal robes in a formal function, I'm trying to dress it up as plot, but that's where we are.)
4) Alternatively, Picard is threatened. Q steps in.
5) Or... Q isn't made Q during Deja Q and remains a "lumpen human being". Picard doesn't make good on his threat to dump him at a starbase, at least not for the moment. How would Q take to humanity? (Badly.) How would he take to being powerless? (Even more badly.) What about being interested in Picard and having no idea how to go about expressing it? (Worse.) Just give me all the angst!
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip:
Jordan McDeere/Jack Rudolph/Danny Tripp
Jordan McDeere/Jack Rudolph
Tom Jeter/Jack Rudolph
Jack Rudolph/OMC
Jack Rudolph & Simon Stiles
Jack Rudolph & Danny Tripp & Matt Albie
You will notice... that's all the tags available. And yes, they all have Jack Rudolph in common. Jack was my favourite character on Studio 60, so pretty much anything with him will make me happy!
1) It's Jack's turn to face the press vultures. Maybe they want to talk about his divorce? Maybe he had an affair with a man in his youth and someone found out? Maybe something terrible happened to him and the press want to report on all the gory details? Regardless, make the S60 people defend him for a change!
2) Things go horribly wrong with the legal fight - or seem like they're going to - and Jack is ready to fall on his sword to protect the network. How would Jordan and/or Danny and/or Matt react to that?
3) Jack really does drink a lot. Maybe one of the others has to look after him? Maybe he's really insensible and maudlin and sad, and/or really wants a fight?
4) Jack really does drink a lot... and it's a problem. Who will have that conversation? How would he react?
5) Hurt Jack and make someone hug him please!
The West Wing: John Marbury/Leo McGarry
I don't know why I love these two so much, but I do! There's something about their antagonism, and also in the fact that Leo is so often the most powerful and capable man in the room, other than Jed, and then Marbury walks in. He's such a caricature of the worst elements English aristocracy, I shouldn't love him, but I do.
1) Politics! Give me politics. Um, made-up politics, please, not anything current and likely to upset me. But politics in TWW world. Make them conflict some more!
2) The British Embassy is hosting a reception for... something. And Leo has to be there. And Lord John Marbury is there of course, and he's in formal wear, and... you can take it from there.
3) Someone legit attempts to kidnap the British Ambassador, this is SO not good. OR Marbury is in Leo's office and someone scales the White House walls again and they have to go on lock-down?
4) But seriously. Leo is a recovering alcoholic and Jed keeps shoving him at a lush? I'm not saying that Leo's job is galaxy-level impossible, I'm just saying his days are probably made harder by having to deal with someone who enjoys himself as much as Marbury does.
5) ... idk. One of them is sick? They're trapped in the building and there's... only one couch? I just want them to be snippy and dismissive of each other, and then probably bone.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Odo/Quark, Odo & Quark
I have no explanation for why I love Quark, I can only say that I started hating the Ferengi, and then somehow I loved Quark and would fight to the death to protect him, and don't know when it happened.
1) Please make Odo feel the same, thank you. Maybe someone attempts to kidnap Quark and Odo is hit with FEELINGS? Maybe Odo suddenly realises he misses Quark and comes back to find him? But let Odo have that realisation!
2) ... S6. Make Odo APOLOGISE. PROPERLY. He was literally... and he would have... I mean... *waves arms* I am still SO outraged about this, holy shit. Please make Quark be as angry and as betrayed as possible, and have Odo realise - OH NO, he cares about Quark, and Quark is HURTING.
3) Odo wants to learn about sex! Quark is happy to oblige. But then Quark develops feelings, and suddenly... well, suddenly he's less happy to oblige, and Odo knows something has gone wrong but he doesn't know WHAT.
4) Hijinks! Another road trip or mission with just the two of them? Maybe Quark decides that everyone deserves to have a birthday, even Odo, and so he decides to organise a party for him. Odo, of course, thinks he's up to something.
5) I really loved the Fallen Heroes book, Quark turning up waving a bucket of melted Odo around, having saved the day. If you've read it, maybe something following on from that? Alternatively, I'd love to have Quark save the day - and Odo - and be recognised for it.
6) Quark is getting friendly with someone else, and Odo doesn't know what he feels about that, he only knows that clearly this Someone Else is a bad sort and must be watched, and Someone Else is probably going to hurt Quark somehow and should be kept away from him, and... aka Odo is jealous and doesn't realise it.
Blake's 7: Kerr Avon/Roj Blake, Kerr Avon & Roj Blake, Kerr Avon/Del Tarrant, Kerr Avon/Roj Blake/Del Tarrant
Another show I love fiercely and would be happy to see anything for!
1) Any spin on Avon being injured and needing to be looked after/rescued!
2) For the A/B/T, that's a fairly explosive mix. How does that work? How did they get together? Is it a stable arrangement, or just something that occasionally happens/happened just the once? (Please put Avon in the middle if going down this route, thank you.)
3) Yes, yes I am asking for a PGP happy ending, somehow. More adventures against the Federation, but everyone lives! Basically the show, but more of the same, and less depressing, thank you.
4) Alternatively... more of the same, but perhaps even more depressing? Avon PGP, trying to get back to sanity. How does his partner help? (Please do give him a happy/not depressing ending though.)
5) They are on a planet and there is ONLY ONE BED. OH NO. What will happen next? OR, they have to pretend to be married, OR... well, any other ridiculous fiction trope, all very welcome.
That's a lot of characters and fandoms and prompts! You can tell that I love all of these fandoms so much. Honestly, please write what you feel works best for you/the characters, and I am sure that I will love it!