AAG - Chapter 65!
Added 2026-01-06 00:54:16 +0000 UTCHappy New Year to all of you! I hope this next year brings you even more happiness and joy than the last.
To all you guys wanting Gothic to leave Kessik IV at slipstream speeds, your wish has been granted! Unfortunately, because you've been reading my story for a million plus words now, you know I can't help myself but put in a plot twist. I hope you find it interesting as I lay the groundwork to jump into the events of a TNG episode. How much effect this will have on the future of the story and Gothic's life in the Star Trek dimension, well, that's something even I don't fully know yet.
As always, thank you for your continued support, enjoy the new chapter, and let's discuss in the comments!! :-)
Comments
Joe you about mate?
stephen lyman
2026-02-12 20:47:33 +0000 UTCI’m surprised the Dominion aren’t more worried about the Collectors showing up across the Galaxy I feel like this is a bit railroaded forcing a war between them when they are both facing a Greater threat in the Collectors
stephen lyman
2026-01-13 11:35:56 +0000 UTCWe're going back, promise. But it might be just a little longer. Part of me has resisted returning to the station because I'm going to be railroaded a bit by canon. Canon is a well worn path that you can't help yourself from naturally falling into. An SI fic can be really fun writing, but there is a balance to preserving the underlying much loved events and story versus telling my own unique story. I may put a poll up on Patreon in the coming weeks asking what episode in the canon timeline we should be returning to. I'm still not sure. Thanks for your support! :-)
Joseph Orlando
2026-01-10 02:19:36 +0000 UTCLol, you and a whole lot of other people. Gothic's decision to stay on Bajor, to become a citizen, and take a government position didn't really make sense to them, but it wasn't out and out crazy. There are stories even in the modern day of soldiers fighting in various foreign lands that fall in love with the place and decide to make a life there. That's a common story, actually. But they're probably wondering if Gothic knows a lot more than he's saying. That will only get worse as the threat of the Dominion gets fleshed out. Thank you for your longtime support, my friend! :-)
Joseph Orlando
2026-01-10 01:56:20 +0000 UTCWeaponized FOMO! I love it. That's a great way to put it. People are funny like that. So am I. I have a rough idea for the station, but I need to re-watch the episode and see what strikes me. Thank you for your longtime, support!
Joseph Orlando
2026-01-10 01:52:59 +0000 UTCThank you for your support! :-)
Joseph Orlando
2026-01-10 01:51:09 +0000 UTCYou’ve got that right. Gothic doesn’t mind being dominant in the bedroom, but ruling a whole planet?? That sounds like a lot of work and whole lot of trouble for very little reward. He doesn’t get off on having that kind of responsibility or ruling over others beyond the sex stuff. And given he’s an Augment, he knows it would be inviting a whole lot of headaches into his life. Being the rich inventor and CEO of his company with indirect power and influence on galactic events sounds like a lot more fun than ensuring the trains run on time and government services are available to people. Writing the Risian reaction to stuff Gothic did for fun and profit has been a lot of fun for me. He’s accidentally developing quite a devoted following on that world. I’m going to try to work the blue glow into future chapters. I’m glad you liked the small talk with Picard. I think I write scenes that many other authors wouldn’t. Some of my readers like that, others hate it. I’m glad you liked it! Thank you! Since we had that long chapter-length interview, I wanted to show Gothic basically selling the GODS net in the same manner as a press junket for a new movie. Each world has their own unique culture and quirks and Gothic was trying to adjust his pitch based on the audience. Shorter interviews allowed me to show a montage-like series of them while he was traveling to the meeting with Section 31. The Klingons respect a warrior. With General Martok basically saying he likes Gothic, I think the Klingons are going to be very confused and have very mixed feelings considering the oversized impact the augments had on the Klingon race 200 years ago. Every interaction with Sloan and Section 31 is one where Gothic needs to be wary. They’re useful allies and pay him well, but he knows they could turn on him given the right set of circumstances. Me too! I’ve often wondered how I would flesh out Darwin Station if I wrote about it in my story. The last chapter kind of naturally and organically led me there. I have a few ideas, but I’m still working it out in my head. Canon really didn’t give us much to work with. Other than some silent telepathic dialogue, I don’t think any of the children ever even spoke in the episode. Gothic acknowledged in the chapter that while there is a possibility the Dominion might have an interest in the station and the disease, he is outright guessing. There is just as likely a chance that the Dominion only learned about the station and the augment children there when Martok opened his mouth. Those would be spoilers…and just between you and I, not something I’ve fully decided on. Thank you for your longtime support!
Joseph Orlando
2026-01-10 01:49:17 +0000 UTCThank you, my friend!
Joseph Orlando
2026-01-10 01:13:52 +0000 UTCAt this point, they're teenagers/adults, but Father Gothic does feel some level of kinship with them and doesn't want them to die.
Joseph Orlando
2026-01-10 01:13:39 +0000 UTCReally enjoying this fic but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to getting back to Bajor and DS9. For me, thats where the narrative has been the strongest and most enjoyable. The occupation, the resistance, getting DS9 up and running, interactions between Gothic and the various people and factions at play in DS9, Kira..... damn how I miss Kira being a main player in the fic. I really want her to be part of the main cast again. I still reckon Gothic misinterpreted that Kira Prophet vision.
Dylan Pullock
2026-01-08 20:18:00 +0000 UTCIt seemed to me they basically created a virtual machine so they could watch the program in action.
maddsloth II
2026-01-08 16:22:04 +0000 UTCETA: We know Gothic's AIs are data pack rats, so they likely did keep the raw scanning data. They would certainly use it to refine the security scans in future use. Hence my hope.
RegularReplacement
2026-01-07 23:38:53 +0000 UTCI am just going to focus on a analysis of the Dominion for the moment, because they know a ton of stuff about Gothic. They will want him super dead. Since we now know that Pressman was likely replaced before the shake down of the FT, the Dominion has information on his Island, his Ship, the GODs Net, and his person. "Pressman" got scans taken by the Gunships and can use that information to estimate the shield strength, power generation, weapons, and his ability to manufacture goods with his replicator(Ch 35). The scans taken by Kessik IV, that showed the space battle, gave a lot of data on his ship. Number of torpedo launchers, number of DEW emplacements, shield strength, maneuverability, space frame, cloak ability, anti-fighter weapons, omnidirectional plasma wave, what the interior looks like, what engineering looks like, possible estimate on crew size based on LMDs vaporized. Details on the GODs Net like it's weapons, shields, sensors local/long/extreme ranges, tachyon net, cloak ability, cooperative firing mode, security measures. It's a lot. I'm not even touching on Gothic's personal abilities and capabilities and he is still a bad ass. Out of all the blood pressure inducting information there is one thing I am hoping for and that is the scans taken during the GODs Net testing. Sensor technologies, even what exists today in our world, take in a ton of information and it's the secondary processing that isolates the important data for analysis. It is my hope that the raw scans taken of Gothic scanned more of the room and the audience and perhaps got some scans in the raw data of the Changeling.
RegularReplacement
2026-01-07 23:35:04 +0000 UTCQuestion for Joe, with his AI there did the Founder get real data or was it fudged and looked good enough? And how did the founder escape with the data? Or why would Gothic let him see real data? Wasnt the point of the system they created to prevent the Founder from gaining real intel?
Durdens Wrath
2026-01-07 16:41:38 +0000 UTCSo glad to finally be leaving Kessik after a year and a half. Loved the interaction with Sloan. How Sloan thanks to his involvement with the future being probably knows that Gothic set himself up on Bajor just for this reason.
Durdens Wrath
2026-01-07 16:39:55 +0000 UTCThanks for the chapter, loved every bit, especially the weaponised FOMO at the end of the Federation interview; Can't wait to see how Darwin Station shakes out
Mr Mouse
2026-01-06 16:43:43 +0000 UTCExcellent chapter thanks
Charlie Lawson
2026-01-06 15:40:23 +0000 UTCI am pretty sure the physically took blood in the shows (I could be wrong), but I think a smart guy would program every transporter to take a sample of blood from everyone who transports anywhere, would the changeling know it immediately, or not is the question? Also doesn't Gothic himself have a long-range transporter on his island, for transport to DS9? wouldn't he then have profiles for how it interacts with stuff (the quantum waveform, or whatever gobbledygook explains it) :)
Chris
2026-01-06 13:12:57 +0000 UTCAlso for some reason there is some high-lighted text on page 43 and 44, in the download.
Chris
2026-01-06 07:28:55 +0000 UTCPage 34, first paragraph, Revere should be Reverse, autocorrect every time :)
Chris
2026-01-06 07:24:21 +0000 UTCThis chapter was completely awesome I loved every bit of it. That during the sex scene it they lades start calling Lord and how there may be a few people or worlds that may not mind being under an honorable Augments rule made me laugh as thats the last job Gothic wants yet it seems not just Bajor would be that against the idea lol Also the blue glow of heavenly pleasure hahhah thats funny as hell man Also liked that small talk with Picard. The interview segments were very well done i must say and actually matched what I expected with each being there own flavor to them and it made them there own I do however believe that along with probably having alot respect among the Klingons, He may have more then a few admirers among the Vulcans lol And that end bit with Sloan, Perfect Gothic trying to let on just how much he knows even though Sloan knows he is holding back. Sloan offering assistance but it has the risk of compromising Gothic's operations security Gothic being forced to show hints of some of his technology and even his combat ability And finally, Darwin Station something I have been more then curious about and now Gothic is going there, however now Gothic is on the clock Not only on the clock s31 has started but also the possibility that a Dominion ship or even a changling is on there way there. Ohhhhh this is gonna be so exciting, can Gothic save the kids, while also possibly giving them a chance at a future, though likey with him or under his protection atleast, could this be the start of Gothic own mental abilities starting to emerge or something like that
War sage
2026-01-06 05:49:50 +0000 UTCVery glad to see an update!! Sloan just went to Threatcon Delta and it seems 31 has a lot of work to do. I am glad he went with full… ish discloser. Already it seems they have leads on several senior personnel who have deviated from their normal behaviors. It’s a shame he did not think to point out how based on how the hand reverted to go blood samples would probably do the same, It might be worth sending that along while he travels to Darwin. Hopefully if he has not already when he gets back to DS9 he will have very sensor he has studying Odo. Also 31 now having Odo’s data can now do sensor locks on suspected individuals to see how often a more skilled changeling can go before it has to turn to goo. Page 37 Officer below captain… - Technicality the agreement was for everyone below admiral so it is captain and below. Edit: I just remembered his name is Eric Pressman not William
maddsloth II
2026-01-06 04:58:52 +0000 UTCwow what a really great chapter joe!!! i love it and i can't wait to read what happens at the darwin station whenever the next chapter comes out :-)
maben00
2026-01-06 03:45:52 +0000 UTCHoly s*** that got heavy. I really hope he can save those kids. Father Gothic to the rescue.
TexanWarrior
2026-01-06 02:44:57 +0000 UTCEdit to add: Wow, just wow. I'm going to have to re-read a few time to give you my break down. But damn off to another adventure!
RegularReplacement
2026-01-06 02:43:24 +0000 UTCThis arc looks amazing cant wait to see how thjs fleshes out
Joe
2026-01-06 02:04:26 +0000 UTCAnd once again before reading, thanks for the chapter. Looking forward to what's to come.
RegularReplacement
2026-01-06 01:42:20 +0000 UTC
