AAG - Chapter 62!
Added 2025-06-30 23:38:44 +0000 UTCAt 23,376 words this is the longest chapter to date, guys. It's also an experiment of sorts. I wanted to challenge myself, to stretch my writing skills, and what started off as a single scene in this chapter became the ENTIRE chapter. Once you read it, I think you'll understand why I couldn't and shouldn't cut it off early, given the implications this chapter will have stretching years into the future, well into the Dominion War years.
As always, I welcome your thoughts. Let's discuss in the comments. Enjoy!
Comments
Love you guys for even asking, just overwhelmingly busy. My goal is to get the next chapter out next week. Been working on it all weekend.
Joseph Orlando
2025-08-31 18:43:20 +0000 UTCI am sure he is fine; I will admit some communication would be nice. For years his updates have been very consistent. I know he has a lot going on right now with staring a new law firm and all but knowing if he expects this to be a short-term issue with less chapters or a longer term or even permanent thing would be nice.
maddsloth II
2025-08-22 07:15:18 +0000 UTCJoe, send us a sign your still there brother?
War sage
2025-08-21 14:07:57 +0000 UTCJoe... you've really got us worried buddy let us know you are alive would ya!
stephen lyman
2025-08-20 16:16:05 +0000 UTCJoe you doing okay?
War sage
2025-08-14 09:31:37 +0000 UTCCome on Joe it's the 12th you still alive mate?
stephen lyman
2025-08-12 16:30:48 +0000 UTCStill alive boss?
War sage
2025-08-09 19:48:17 +0000 UTCStill alive buddy?
stephen lyman
2025-08-08 08:14:33 +0000 UTCany updates on chapter?
dreadlord
2025-08-05 21:11:44 +0000 UTCI like that. And Gothic would too. He knows the future, but is wiling to chart his own path in this AU Star Trek universe. Part of him, maybe even a part that he's unconscious of, doesn't want to go back to DS9 so soon because he's going to be thrust back into canon episodes and he's having fun going off script.
Joseph Orlando
2025-07-26 18:49:59 +0000 UTCGothic would have no desire for either, especially as the two positions, for the Federation and Bajor (who will become an eventual part of the Federation), have a lot of restrictions on them, both legally and culturally, term limits, etc. In my mind's eye, I see Gothic as likely to become an accidental King. Essentially, he gets ownership of a planet and maybe in time more and more people choose to come live on it or visit it and he just so happens to be the owner/king of his desolate world and then, kind of accidentally, those numbers get higher and higher when he's busy doing other things and suddenly he's a King of a substantial number of people with total power. In some ways, you could argue that he's already the absolute ruler of the Earth in the Walking Dead dimension. One day he'll get out of his highly filled bed, beautiful naked women draped over him, and he'll step out onto the balcony and realize he quite accidentally has millions of people who are his citizens, who obey his every command and whose lives will be directed and changed by his choices, in multiple dimensions. I think it'll be a surprise to him, one that he'll just shrug off and go back to having fun and adventures.
Joseph Orlando
2025-07-26 18:46:01 +0000 UTCYeah, Id like to know this before renewal time.
Durdens Wrath
2025-07-26 05:55:32 +0000 UTCWill there be a chapter for August? Also I really appreciate your consistent use of a minimalist S31. The one we got in ST:Dis annoyed the ever loving crap out of me. Especially with the evil AI
James Lector
2025-07-22 21:54:15 +0000 UTCWill gothic become president of the federation or first minister of bajor at all?
Awesomesauce
2025-07-19 16:35:25 +0000 UTCFinally got a chance to read and catch up! The story goes where it goes! Still I do enjoy how well Gothic takes the hand he is dealt and just works it to his advantage! Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome! Hahaha! Thank you for the chapter!
James Wise
2025-07-14 20:41:15 +0000 UTCI hope you see reaction to this interview and humans being called out because of their bigotry to Augment human and this will help Bashir down the road. We get some of reactions from friends and his enemies to the interview.
jeff027
2025-07-07 00:31:38 +0000 UTCGreat chapter. Im so ready to head back to DS9. Will Gothic be implementing that shielding of his power conduits on his island? And are we on a bi monthly update schedule?
Durdens Wrath
2025-07-03 03:26:36 +0000 UTCI'm not so sure about that I feel like the Collectors are way more of a threat than the Dominion and fighting either of them would require a updated Starfleet also I doubt the Dominion is being left alone by the Collectors they are likely fighting the same threat in their part of the galaxy if you think about it the Dominion war might never happen in this universe
stephen lyman
2025-07-02 10:22:31 +0000 UTCExactly what Sloan would say.
RegularReplacement
2025-07-01 23:49:06 +0000 UTCOh boy, I know Section 31 and Starfleet Intelligence are going to use that interview to fill out the psycographic model. Hell, the other Polities are going to get to underst5and Gothic better out of this too. I think this is a turning point chapter. Where Gothic starts the transition from the Collectors to fighting the Dominion, and since fighting the Dominion will require an updated Starfleet he outlined everything that needs to be done. Makes me wonder how many of those watching have the ear of the Federation President? I'll bet more than a few. I can see S31 encouraging Starfleet ship building doctrine based on what they know and what Gothic knows. Maybe a few subtle upgrades here and there. Better iso-liner chips, better data compression, maybe some US Navy inspired 'leave room for upgrades', even Sisco's canon Rotary Torpedo launchers. Just enough to make the new ships a bit better, but not enough to be a threat to Gothic. I do wonder what kind of back lash he might have to deal with in time? Certainly having his enemies know his mind just a bit better will be a danger in the future.
RegularReplacement
2025-07-01 22:10:03 +0000 UTCI must say I'm really curious about the potential reactions. As while those like Pressman will likey ignore what gothic said or twist his words it is the opinions of the hundred millions then billions and whatever number comes next. Thought the amount of people outside will certainly be interesting the Federation watching the broadcast as the Romulans and the Cardassians sure as hell don't want Starfleet to change, though the Klingons will be interested.
War sage
2025-07-01 21:56:36 +0000 UTCI have NOT forgotten to thank Moss. :-) There will be a reception at some point with an old fashioned signing. WW2 played differently in a few ways in Star Trek, so I think Gothic was hesitant to engage much there. Plus he was already hitting them pretty hard. She really did. Picard, rightly or wrongly, was the one who felt the brunt of that. I considered having Pressman there for the interview, but it felt like more trouble than it was worth and I wasn't sure I could believably sell that Pressman would agree with Gothic there. I think you're right about that. Starfleet keeps their ships way too long. In an age of advanced replication and manufacturing/assembly, there is no excuse. Thank you. I fixed it all the things you mentioned. It never ceases to amaze how I find my eyes have glossed over stuff like that, even when I spend a lot of time proofing things. Thank you for your longtime support!
Joseph Orlando
2025-07-01 21:13:06 +0000 UTCI don't see that. Can you give me a page number?
Joseph Orlando
2025-07-01 21:05:34 +0000 UTCIt's a crazy number of viewers, but he's definitely interested in seeing how many watch in the days and weeks ahead.
Joseph Orlando
2025-07-01 21:03:52 +0000 UTCWow Gothics got to love that many people watching Live! and I have to wonder how many people will watch this later when it's not live Gothic should keep an eye on that metric I'd expect it to spread extremely far and he can probably expect requests for interviews from the major New organisations soon they'll want a slice of that pie lol
stephen lyman
2025-07-01 16:51:20 +0000 UTCInteresting
Fortunis
2025-07-01 11:30:21 +0000 UTCI don't know if this has been reported or not, but one of the "Open Hailing Frequency's" is "Open Healing Frequency's" not sure if it was intended as that, but it is there.
Chris
2025-07-01 10:17:51 +0000 UTCGreat chapter, I expected a return to DS9 really liked the interview, and there is still the need to ‘thank’ Moss for all her hard work. I honestly expected some connection to be drawn between Bajor and WW2 and how that forced him to act. Tessa really went for the jugular with Picard I am sure that felt nice for her to demand some accountability after her grandmother’s death. It would have been hilarious if she asked “Captain, can you guess how many ships are still commissioned that were inspected by Kirk when he was an Admiral?” My guess is that the number is not zero. Page 32 viewership was now over 1.3 billion Page 43 Viewership was now at 1.3 billion Page 45 The room was silent - aren’t they still on the black flats? Page 46 “After analyzing all the data, but both my government…” - Not sure but the but does not seem to belong there. Admiral Martok - General Looking forward to more.
maddsloth II
2025-07-01 07:08:34 +0000 UTCnice
Marius Petrauskas
2025-07-01 05:05:41 +0000 UTCa really great chapter!! i love it and i wonder what the reactions will be to this show across the Federation and other powers, and i also can't wait to read what might happen in the next chapter whenever it comes out :-)
maben00
2025-07-01 03:53:15 +0000 UTCI must admit when I fought the interview was the whole chapter I was a bit concerned, but damn you did a damn great job. Gothic hit on some really great point like with the treatment of Augments like Lauren and the flaws of Starfleet and the Federation and ways to fix them. Lol looks like Gothic has some fans among the dancers. Damn the viewership numbers jumped and that was just the live broadcast and I have no doubt it will continue to grow Can't wait till see the reactions to the interview.
War sage
2025-07-01 03:34:47 +0000 UTCI hope you remember you asked for that next chapter, as that will probably delay the story's return to DS9! ;-) Glad you liked the chapter! :-)
Joseph Orlando
2025-07-01 02:56:46 +0000 UTCHe's going soon, I promise. Next chapter will probably wrap things up with a bow unless my muse takes me someplace completely unintended. Great spot!! That is definitely on purpose. Gothic is in a weird place, he wants to emphasize he's not a Federation citizen when it suits him, but he will play on the "I'm a human just like you and thus maybe a Federation citizen???" card when it would enhance his credibility. He's definitely trying to play it both ways and being a little shameless about it. Are you surprised at our boy doing that??? :-) Yes, maybe a slight upturning of the corner of his lips! I suspect that Gothic's words will be well received amongst the ranks of Section 31 who are probably really tired of putting out fires left and right that Starfleet probably should have or that could have been prevented altogether if they didn't look like pushovers. They're clandestine operations. They're not supposed to be handling that kind of crap. Thanks for the review/comment! :-)
Joseph Orlando
2025-07-01 02:54:32 +0000 UTCGlad you liked it! Hope you feel it was worth the wait.
Joseph Orlando
2025-07-01 02:47:47 +0000 UTCGreat chapter. Reactions would be great to see soon.
Talsen
2025-07-01 02:21:05 +0000 UTCI thought I was going to be annoyed with this chapter because Gothic *still* hasn't left Kessik IV, but this has been good for Gothic dropping a lot of hard truths on the Federation that he's been thinking about or saying in private venues, directly to the people. I did notice Gothic calls the Federation "we" and talks as though he's a citizen. Mistake, or intentional? Either way, next call with Sloan he should ask for money, lol. Sloan's probably cheering watching this interview (on the inside -- his face will be stoically neutral).
John
2025-07-01 01:53:36 +0000 UTCSuch a good chapter! I really want to see other people's reaction to this verbal beatdown Gothic delievered 🙏
Odd676future
2025-07-01 01:08:33 +0000 UTCLove it thanks for the update
Austin
2025-07-01 00:37:58 +0000 UTCGreat chapter. Now let's see Pressman protest the big bad Augment monster trying to take over the Federation with his nefarious augment intelligence and plans.
Shane Cawley
2025-07-01 00:30:41 +0000 UTC
