AAG - Chapter 60!
Added 2025-04-05 01:36:28 +0000 UTCI know what many of you are going to say, without spoiling the reveal, all I can say is that the chapter took me places I had not originally intended and I can see the value of the delay long-term considering how important they'll be in the Dominion War years. I did not want to rush things and I'll just ask you guys to trust me that'll it'll pay off long-term in a lot of ways, big and small.
So, on this Friday, right before your weekend, enjoy the chapter! Let's discuss in the comments! :-) As always, I'm so very grateful to each and every one of you for supporting me and this story and for making all this even possible. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Comments
I just watched this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7XN1dp-Dlw Certifiably Ingame, I am hoping that the Bajorans at least get something like the Delta Flyer with a Gothic twist for homeworld defence, I know she is not a big ship, but she is rugged, and powerful, and I doubt the Bajoran Navy has the bodies for big ships. the DF has 1 to 6 crew, for Bajor maybe something a little bigger with 5 to 15 crew.
Chris
2025-04-21 02:21:03 +0000 UTCHmm, haven’t seen anyone talking about how Martok mentioned that leftover augment DNA, I wonder how this will benefit our Boi? Will Klingons be more disposed to serving such a strong Augment and Worrior like him?
Phoenix01
2025-04-13 15:43:34 +0000 UTCThat's a really interesting thought! Have the House of Gothic, a new power player in the Empire, attract those Klingons who don't necessarily fit into the current culture. I kind of like that idea. In the original story, Gothic was completely hands off on his Klingon house, basically leading the house in name only, but I kind of like the idea of him attracting the misfits that others don't value. Might also be the perfect way to tweak Worf's nose if he has Alexander join his house. Worf's son never wanted to be a warrior.
Joseph Orlando
2025-04-12 23:35:29 +0000 UTCI love hearing stuff like this! After 4 plus years and a million words, you may be late to the party (lol), but you're just as welcome. Thanks for your support and I hope you continue to enjoy the story! :-)
Joseph Orlando
2025-04-12 23:31:24 +0000 UTCJust came across your Fic in the last couple weeks (can't believe it took so long), and once i caught up i had to immediately come and support. From a New Fan, Excellent story!!
Bigbama
2025-04-10 19:04:36 +0000 UTCActually if the House of Gothic happens, could that end up attracting the few Klingons in the Empire that aren't all that enthusiastic about the warrior ways and are more interested in other professions like science, engineering, medicine, law and the like as the warrior caste seem to only have raised to power in the 22nd century, so it's possible there are a few who wished to study in other fields and they may swear loyalty to this new house. Again it depends if the House of Gothic happens
War sage
2025-04-07 00:28:53 +0000 UTCFight, fuck, feast!!! I love it! I'm going to have to steal that. It's true and I've made no secret of it. This is not your dad's SI fanfiction. It's right there in the story summary itself and has been for four years that Gothic wants to have fun and live well. He's not there to fix everything. At least that's not his main goal or the purpose of his actions, even though that often happens indirectly. He is living the dream of a Star Trek nerd, but is not so idealistic that he's out to fix everything. His time being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan burned that idealistic bent right out of him through blood and fire. I'm so glad you mentioned that!! I was wondering if I was being either too subtle or too fucking blatant about the blood on the sword. Martok really is a cool character. Gothic has his issues with Worf, but Martok is somebody you'd have a great night of drinking with. You can just tell. Which might be really fun to lean on. Let Worf become a part of House Martok, while Martok is buddy/buddy with Gothic. I can see the sniping now and Martok being really amused by being friends with two people who don't get along. Gothic wants to live well. He's using every advantage and opportunity that comes his way to best position himself for the future. He's already got fuck-you levels of money, now he just needs the fuck-you power to go with it. That maybe should be part of the summary, an SI trying to get fuck-you levels of power in the Star Trek universe. :-)
Joseph Orlando
2025-04-06 20:07:40 +0000 UTCThank you my friend, for your long, longtime support!!
Joseph Orlando
2025-04-06 19:58:55 +0000 UTCSigh....I understand how you feel. I've been consistent for over four years now, but real life has a way of getting in the way. I kept up my schedule during the birth of my youngest, being laid off twice, vacations and sicknesses, and even starting my own law firm, but these past few months have tested me. Please see my response to DarkestCalling.
Joseph Orlando
2025-04-06 18:56:33 +0000 UTCI love comments like this, from someone who has obviously thought deeply on all the events in the shows. The Klingons could be the scariest, most overwhelming adversaries in the Star Trek franchise, well, if we exclude the Borg. I believe that. That's why I added lore in-story and said that Section 31 was actually responsible for destroying Praxis. You've got to admit, that was a huge deal and ended the war with the Federation, the Klingons themselves came begging for peace. How convenient!! Gothic, as an SI, even knows what the result of a long drawn out war with the Klingons. He saw it in that TNG episode where after 20 years of war, the Federation was on its knees and was considering surrender. I have little doubt that if they were better managed, if there was less in-fighting, they'd be an even greater threat. I believe that Section 31 has probably even been fomenting that internal conflict, secretly helping the Duras family, for example, behind the scenes. Gothic sees the opportunity to strengthen the Klingons indirectly for the war with the Dominion. If a high value resource world or colony world no longer needed a fleet presence or patrols, that would allow them to redeploy or focus on other matters. This chapter and the Klingons being present for this, maybe even leasing the GODS net, is going to have seriously long-term implications for both Gothic personally and for the Dominion War to come. Thanks for your support!
Joseph Orlando
2025-04-06 18:52:45 +0000 UTCI'm sorry about that, but I want to make something clear. It would be the easiest thing in the world for me to very quickly, but superficially, wrap up the GODS net testing. So, I could make my readers and patrons happy, but simultaneously give you far less of a treatment of those events and reduce the overall quality. That's not my style. I have to tell the story I want to tell, in the way I want to tell it. Sometimes that means letting the chapter go where it wants to go, even though it's going to interfere with my original plan and timing. I had just as many readers complaining about the dimensional travel arc and wanting that to be wrapped up, as I did those who wanted to go to several different dimensions or only spend 1 chapter in each dimension. You can't make everyone happy and when an author tries it overwhelmingly is the cause for that story imploding in on itself because the author doesn't recognize their own work anymore and loses all desire to continue writing it. I'm very aware of that, very careful of that, so while many will be disappointed, I have to protect and carefully cultivate my love for this story and my willingness to devote a ridiculous amount of my free time to it each month. Thank you for your support.
Joseph Orlando
2025-04-06 18:44:09 +0000 UTCI'm glad you feel it's 10/10. Sigh...this is the most that I was capable of given everything else that going on. I still think it's a full chapter and adds quite a bit to the story, setting up arcs long into the future. It also stretches over 15k words. The average fanfiction chapter is 4-5k words and mine typically goes 2.5x-3.5x that. With that word count and even with my update schedule, I think I'm far ahead of probably 99% of other authors out there. I may have set some overly highly expectations in my readers and patrons...which is a big part of why you folks support my writing, but it is extremely hard to keep that up for years on end. Prior to last month, that was the first time in 4 years I hadn't put out a monthly chapter, so I beg your indulgence and patience.
Joseph Orlando
2025-04-06 18:35:33 +0000 UTCOverall I really enjoyed this chapter 10/10 however I feel like it should have been longer especially for two months of work especially as we have yet to see the end of the GODS testing phase which has gone on for quite some time
stephen lyman
2025-04-05 18:57:02 +0000 UTCReally disappointed that the gods net still hasn't been finished testing
DarkestCalling
2025-04-05 14:06:21 +0000 UTCYou were right, this will have major effects on Dominion war. If the Klingons can bring their considerable Navy to bear it'll be a completely different conflict. Especially if they have a human who's of the federation yet not technically associated with it who is also an undeniably honorable and skilled warrior, help facilitate a more tactical approach and what they normally do. well I'm just saying if the Klingon empire was better managed they would be few species in the quadrant who can stop them even the humans. Especially with how weak-willed they are
TexanWarrior
2025-04-05 09:06:51 +0000 UTCThis didn't feel like a mega chapter making up for a missed month. I'm rather let down by the lack of content for a total of two months of subscription. Additionally, another month added to not just getting through the test. Honestly, Id hoped the "mega" chapter would have had this plus the test considering there was a free month's donation.
Durdens Wrath
2025-04-05 09:00:50 +0000 UTCIf memory serves, although I'm about to do a re-read, so it may not, Bajor already has a Papa Echo System for emergencies; If he hides a cloaked GODS net up in orbit with the same proviso, of only being revealed in case of Cardassian/Dominion invasion, and he tells the PM about it like he did the PE, has him put out a story about not being able to afford one, and not wanting to accept even more charity from the guy who already bought their entire navy for them that should probably hold up to reasonable scrutiny
Mr Mouse
2025-04-05 08:57:47 +0000 UTCAnother nice chapter, though I think this does present a possible problem for 31. Will they need to approach Gothic about ensuring the GODS does not detect their ships? Since they don't control the tech they are in as bad a situation as Sloan ended up being when he died on DS9. Also It is kind of funny the Founders came up in this chapter because I was planing on asking if Gothic is using this time to study Odo and see if he can figure out how to detect changelings? Couldn't anyone just hire a Betazoid to look for minds that don't look right or are completely absent? I wonder if there was a line in that DS9 episode with Lwaxana about how Betazoids could or could not see Odo's mind. You also mentioned in the past about Gothic thinking Bajor's safety required then not to be a threat to the Dominion, How is Gothic going to explain why he won't lease Bajor a GODS, or will he? Edit: Memory Alpha says this about Betazoids and Changelings The thoughts and emotions of Changelings could not be read by Betazoids. (DS9: "Fascination" So the Federation had a whole planet of Changeling spotters and never used them... makes you wonder if that was the reason their planet was conquered.
maddsloth II
2025-04-05 08:05:20 +0000 UTCThe Klingon's do know. in Chapter 23. "The Duras started floundering immediately without their foreign assistance, many of their supporters defecting with the information once they realized the threat to the greater Empire. When the Klingons learned about the Romulan support and the return of the Hur'q the noble houses set aside their difference and gave Gowron their complete support, ending the civil war.
maddsloth II
2025-04-05 07:48:24 +0000 UTCI expect a planet to be blown up next chapter god damnit, just want some explosions for crying out loud. Did like the little bit with T'Maz and mention of Annika I have to wonder considering everything so far and not even taking in to account the rest of testing will kind of light a fire among some engineers and scientists to develop something similar to the planetary shield. Ehh while I get that blood sample is the only known way find out if someone is changeling, Joseph Sisko himself said 'there's no test that's been created a smart man can't find his way around' considering how long the founders have been at this game it's likey not the first time they countered something like blood tests. Yea it looks liked Gothic just actually realized the dangers of the new plot of this universe,the Alpha Quadrant is in the best state for the Dominion to launch an all out attack from the wormhole and it's even worse as many of the newer Starfleet vessels like the Defiant, Akira and Sovereign aren't even out of the design phase, heck I wouldn't be surprised if the Defiant would be approved for prototype stage as the Defiant was designed to fight the Borg but against the Hurq such a design doesn't make sense especially with the Collector's use of fighters which would shred such a ship. Luckily the appearance of the Collectors would give the Founders pause, that's if he hadn't have there own encounters, also the Dominion tend to try diplomatic means first if possible before they unleash horde's of Jem'hadar. The whole focus on food was a bit much for me, just not my style. Eh considering that Gowron is a political animal it could go either way. I feel like Gothic is overestimating his potential influence in the Klingon Empire especially if he wants to limit the numbers of defense nets he leases to them as he wouldn't be defensive technology supplier, he's supplying them a service.....wait this sounds like a PMC only he doesn't have ground troops or combat rated ships. Also Section 31 may approach Gothic again and give him a list of Klingon worlds they would like to have a defense net as I have no doubt Sloan while not knowing how, he is aware Gothic knows the value of information, as proven when during the Collector invasion Gothic requested access to the Federation/Starfleet entire sensor grid. And after Gothic lost access this defense net he is leasesing is a way to build his own massive intelligence gathering network while also offering protection and I have no doubt S31 has some worlds in the Empire they want to keep eye on, including if they can get a look at the Klingon-Romulan border as even if Gothic dosen't give them direct access he knows Gothic would know what would get there attention and then sell them the intelligence. I liked getting Martok pov and the Klingons view on Augments. I do wonder with this potential new relationship with the Klingon Empire will go, especially considering the potential storyline with a possible House of Gothic....I just had the thought if this happens and the Empire cause of defense nets goes on a wave of expansion would the House of Gothic do it as well? Hmm I'm curious if while Martok is a General he'll be Gothic main contact in the government. As Martok is the only Klingon to speed a decent amount of time with him besides the Duras sisters....but their time together was different lol ....hmm I hate to say this as Joe Lawyer said he had too many characters already but this is a way to bring the sister's back as like I said they are the only Klingons besides Martok to spend time with Gothic, though with them Gothic was just blowing there back out then anything else. The reason I say they could be brought back as secondary or reoccurring characters is while they were arrested they are in a bit of a better position then they could be as they technically didn't lose the civil war as the Hurq showed in the middle of the war and it just ended with the Empire uniting behind Growon and the Romulans pulled support as they had bigger issues but there support was never exposed like in canon and it's possible they may have a few supporters left. Any ideas what to do about V'Ren yet?
War sage
2025-04-05 06:10:31 +0000 UTCa really great chapter as always! I love it and I can't wait to read what might happen in the next chapter whenever it comes out next month :-)
maben00
2025-04-05 04:00:11 +0000 UTCWhat he said
Chris
2025-04-05 03:59:16 +0000 UTCWhen not geeking out over his personal tech uplift, Gothic really does default to Fight, Fuck, Feast, doesn't he? Really fun chapter, I'm guessing from the PoV at the end, especially the blood, it's really him, which is great 'cause he's an excellent character. Poor Gothic, he keeps rolling so well that he benefits hard enough to proc another random encounter
Mr Mouse
2025-04-05 03:48:39 +0000 UTCYeeesss. Finally!!!! The long wait is over!
Austin T
2025-04-05 01:37:32 +0000 UTC
