Fic Update: Starchild Finale
Dec. 7th, 2014 07:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mark_asphodelUh, yeah.
So I finally finished "Starchild." Since it had its own tag here on DW I figure I'd better mention that it's done even though I suspect anyone who did care stopped caring three years ago.
Basically, I kept waffling on the ending.
I had it all plotted out with endings for all the main characters that were IMO appropriate but in a "the system won" kind of way. But something in me just really wasn't happy with that-- not happy enough to just run with it and post the damn thing. I kind of wanted to blow shit up. As I got more into Jugdral (I'm pretty sure this AU was my first serious attempt to even touch Jugdral, what with blandly competent Celice and hapless pawn Leaf) I realized I really didn't want the system to win. There had always been a backstory under the surface about the shitty way that Jugdrali and Tellian refugees were exploited and purged by the government--even more so than everyone else-- but it never came into the forefront because a) Eirika wouldn't know about it and b) it was 2011 and I was all "how do I Jugdral/Tellius?" Anyway, long story short, I decided I really did want the Ministry of Truth-- aka Levin (Lewyn), aka Chief Designer L, the unseen member of this little group of god-men running the Human Spaceflight Programme-- to win. And that meant blowing shit up. But to blow shit up in a tremendous act of sabotage, L needed some help from the Chief Engineers, and honest to pete I couldn't decide if Chief Engineer Innes was on-board with the entire plan or not. Eventually I decided Innes didn't need to be-- it's the rockets that get sabotaged, not the capsule, and for that L only needed the assistance of Merric and Finn.
So after Eirika, Marth, Roy, and the dragon loli make their escape, poor Innes may be left alone in the wreckage of the launch complex, atypically confused and not a little pissed off about the whole debacle. But that's OK-- can't have my favorite character win every time, can I?
Afterward:
Pilot 002: Alm Rudolf commanded the second mission to the lunar surface, which brought back many interesting things for the scientists. He continues to serve with the Human Spaceflight Programme.
Pilot 003: Cellica Rima has never been assigned to another mission, but she works on behalf of the Programme as a political advocate.
Pilot 005: Celice Chalphy remains with the Programme as an active pilot, and served the senior pilot on the third lunar mission. He and his wife Rana have two sons.
Pilot 006: Leaf Faris retired from active duty shortly after the Peace mission. He now has a desk job with the Ministry of Defense; he and wife Nanna have one son and one daughter.
Pilot 007: Roy Gilleroth was offered the chance to command his own lunar mission but turned it down, saying he wanted to serve the UFN in other ways. He wrote a book on his experiences with the Programme and travels from continent to continent promoting peace between nations.
Pilot 008: Eliwood Laise remains grounded. He was made the official leader and trainer of the newer generation of pilots and has experienced great success in that role.
Pilot 009: Lyn Hassan-kizi has never been allowed to resign from the Programme. She and Eliwood have a daughter, Lilina, who looks very much like Hector.
Pilot 011: Ephraim Sieglind commanded the third mission to the lunar surface, then accepted a transfer to the top-secret “space plane” programme. Rumors of a marriage between Ephraim and his junior pilot Micaiah have never become reality.
Pilot 013: Ike Greil traveled to the moon as Alm’s junior pilot, then took part in a special joint mission between UFN and Lopt pilots. Afterward, he resigned from the Programme and is reportedly in Lieberia, living as an ordinary citizen.
Pilot 014: Micaiah Kirsch remains on active duty as a pilot; reportedly she will soon become the first female mission commander.
Pilot 001: Marth Anriou returned to his life as a “traveling museum exhibit.” His warm relationship with Premier Hardin is said to have cooled recently.
Pilot 012: Eirika Sieglinde married Marth, as expected, several months after their return to Terra. They have two daughters, Nadia and Alyca. Eirika works as an “ambassador from space” for the Programme...
I must admit I do kind of like authoritarian!Alm in light of his FE13 portrayal.
So I finally finished "Starchild." Since it had its own tag here on DW I figure I'd better mention that it's done even though I suspect anyone who did care stopped caring three years ago.
Basically, I kept waffling on the ending.
I had it all plotted out with endings for all the main characters that were IMO appropriate but in a "the system won" kind of way. But something in me just really wasn't happy with that-- not happy enough to just run with it and post the damn thing. I kind of wanted to blow shit up. As I got more into Jugdral (I'm pretty sure this AU was my first serious attempt to even touch Jugdral, what with blandly competent Celice and hapless pawn Leaf) I realized I really didn't want the system to win. There had always been a backstory under the surface about the shitty way that Jugdrali and Tellian refugees were exploited and purged by the government--even more so than everyone else-- but it never came into the forefront because a) Eirika wouldn't know about it and b) it was 2011 and I was all "how do I Jugdral/Tellius?" Anyway, long story short, I decided I really did want the Ministry of Truth-- aka Levin (Lewyn), aka Chief Designer L, the unseen member of this little group of god-men running the Human Spaceflight Programme-- to win. And that meant blowing shit up. But to blow shit up in a tremendous act of sabotage, L needed some help from the Chief Engineers, and honest to pete I couldn't decide if Chief Engineer Innes was on-board with the entire plan or not. Eventually I decided Innes didn't need to be-- it's the rockets that get sabotaged, not the capsule, and for that L only needed the assistance of Merric and Finn.
So after Eirika, Marth, Roy, and the dragon loli make their escape, poor Innes may be left alone in the wreckage of the launch complex, atypically confused and not a little pissed off about the whole debacle. But that's OK-- can't have my favorite character win every time, can I?
Afterward:
Pilot 002: Alm Rudolf commanded the second mission to the lunar surface, which brought back many interesting things for the scientists. He continues to serve with the Human Spaceflight Programme.
Pilot 003: Cellica Rima has never been assigned to another mission, but she works on behalf of the Programme as a political advocate.
Pilot 005: Celice Chalphy remains with the Programme as an active pilot, and served the senior pilot on the third lunar mission. He and his wife Rana have two sons.
Pilot 006: Leaf Faris retired from active duty shortly after the Peace mission. He now has a desk job with the Ministry of Defense; he and wife Nanna have one son and one daughter.
Pilot 007: Roy Gilleroth was offered the chance to command his own lunar mission but turned it down, saying he wanted to serve the UFN in other ways. He wrote a book on his experiences with the Programme and travels from continent to continent promoting peace between nations.
Pilot 008: Eliwood Laise remains grounded. He was made the official leader and trainer of the newer generation of pilots and has experienced great success in that role.
Pilot 009: Lyn Hassan-kizi has never been allowed to resign from the Programme. She and Eliwood have a daughter, Lilina, who looks very much like Hector.
Pilot 011: Ephraim Sieglind commanded the third mission to the lunar surface, then accepted a transfer to the top-secret “space plane” programme. Rumors of a marriage between Ephraim and his junior pilot Micaiah have never become reality.
Pilot 013: Ike Greil traveled to the moon as Alm’s junior pilot, then took part in a special joint mission between UFN and Lopt pilots. Afterward, he resigned from the Programme and is reportedly in Lieberia, living as an ordinary citizen.
Pilot 014: Micaiah Kirsch remains on active duty as a pilot; reportedly she will soon become the first female mission commander.
Pilot 001: Marth Anriou returned to his life as a “traveling museum exhibit.” His warm relationship with Premier Hardin is said to have cooled recently.
Pilot 012: Eirika Sieglinde married Marth, as expected, several months after their return to Terra. They have two daughters, Nadia and Alyca. Eirika works as an “ambassador from space” for the Programme...
I must admit I do kind of like authoritarian!Alm in light of his FE13 portrayal.
no subject
Date: 2014-12-08 01:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-12-17 03:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-12-16 08:04 am (UTC)What I did want to ask regarding this fic was how you come up with the surnames for the characters (aside from the obvious references, of course)! I play around with AU ideas and that's something I always have trouble with.
no subject
Date: 2014-12-17 03:55 am (UTC)Actually! I have a whole entire post about name headcanon right here: http://mark-asphodel.dreamwidth.org/85232.html#cutid1
:D
no subject
Date: 2014-12-17 06:59 am (UTC)