Dear Spacer 2025 Letter
Mar. 15th, 2025 11:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hekaterasMy requests.
These are my fandom-specific prompts!
Citizen Sleeper (Video Game)
- I like Sleeper interacting with difficult and/or terrible people who may or may not be trying to become better people, and also Bliss. Who has done nothing wrong but her quest also requires you to put quite a bit of trust into her at at time when you're potentially very vulnerable and struggling
- For all these requested relationships, I prefer if they aren't completely hostile and antagonistic. I.e. I like a Sleeper who (despite themselves) still wants to see the best in Ethan, Ankhita, etc., even after being betrayed and disappointed. Similarly, I enjoy it if Ethan is Not Actually Dead even if the Maywick encounter does happen.
- Didn't think to nom it but if you want to throw in some Sleeper/Ankhita or Sleeper/Ethan, go for it! I'm all for the dramatic irony and juice. Or some DLC content and Sleeper/Peake if you like. (Sleeper can have a wholesome relationship. As a treat.)
- I would be hyped for anything involving the ending where Sleeper leaves the Eye with Bliss and Ankhita on the refitted Ambergris, leaning heavily into the Ankhita & Sleeper reconciliation, and Sleeper struggling to forgive her (while Bliss is potentially taking to Ankhita much more warmly). Maybe the A-plot is that at the start, the Ambergris is just supposed to be a way off the Eye (away from the corporate bounty hunters, especially if this is set just after Maywick), but by the end of the journey to the next stop, Sleeper changes their mind about leaving. Or doesn't! Who knows! You tell me.
- Alternately, if you prefer to keep the Eye as a setting, I would love the above scenario but as the backstory, with them now returning to the Eye (and all the feelings that may entail, especially if the Flux event happened).
- An ensemble cast thing with Sleeper, Ankhita, Bliss and Ethan onboard the Ambergris would be fun too. I love me a ragtag band of misfits several of whom used to be on very fraught and/or violent terms! But now they get along! Mostly.
- The characters dealing with a new threat to the Sleeper and rallying behind them to protect them from it (whether it's Essen-Arp hunting for them again or something else) would be great
- Sleeper Chooses An Actual Name: A Story of Freedom and Identity
Firefly (TV)
Give me some thoughtful Simon-centric nonsense and I'll be happy :)
- I would love something vaguely slow-burn-esque (as far as scope allows) for Simon/Mal
- I love the arc of the Tams and the relationship between them and Mal. Mal/Simon is my big Firefly OTP, but I don't have a preference for how shippy it should be - a lot of my own writing for them is basically tense pre-slash, and I'd looove to get something similar as a gift. But I also love slowburn getting together fic argh A;
- My big pitch for these two is that they are terrifyingly similar in their motivations and worldviews; Simon is a lot like a younger, more idealistic but already very angry version of Mal. I love that both of them are rabid about protecting the person/people they love and that is 95% of the reason they clash. I'm always down for more stories about that transition when they accept that the other person is an ally more than a threat, and the transition to found family or romance. I'm a sucker for stories where Simon risks his life to save Mal (or tries to, bless his lil noncombatant heart) or where Mal shows that Simon and River really are part of the crew. That's the good shit right there.
- Similarly good shit: The fun tension between Simon being a fish out of water and being really goddamn competent. I love fic where he gets to shine, and I love fic where he's understandably out of his depth. I love that he's a collected badass in Ariel when he's in his element and an awkward boob a lot of the rest of the time. (Speaking of which, if you want to throw some ND in there, be my guest!)
- Enthusiastic opt-in: explorations of setting-typical homophobia and internalised homophobia as long as it's not too heavy. I don't want heavy drama about bigotry and violence, but I'd love for these themes to be explored a bit. My own headcanon of Simon (and his interactions with Kaylee) is a heavily closeted gay man who on some level has probably known since early childhood that his romantic choices would be heavily scrutinised for being Respectable(TM) enough, just like everything else about him. He broke away from that when it was the only way to save River, but now he's free from those obligations and on the run, it would be interesting to see him process that change. At the same time, I think it's feasible to assume that the heavily rural and apparently quite conservative Christian culture of some of the Rim worlds (and by extension the culture of Mal, Zoe, Kaylee, etc.) isn't the very picture of progressivity, so it's not like the Firefly is some bastion of acceptance. (Mal's views on sex work certainly speak loudly there.) In short, I'd be down to see Simon and/or Mal struggling with the homophobia of the setting and the dangers of outing themselves as A) fugitive in precarious situation who's already highly dependent on the goodwill of people around him, B) backwater ship captain whose safety, not to mention that of his crew, demands on him commanding respect. However, the 'Verse is a big place of many cultures and views, so there's lots of room for characters' views to be challenged.
- Simon struggling between his loyalty to Mal and his loyalty to River will always be good, happy to read anytime
Original Works [prompts added belatedly on March 15, sorry I forgot OTL)
- Deserted Space Station and Haunted Spaceship WB requests: I do love a good ghost story! I love the feeling of unease of exploring places that probably should be abandoned but you just can't be quite sure, the tension of piecing together something terrible that happened (or trying to). I also enjoy ambiguity over whether that something terrible had supernatural elements or not. Feel free to interpret 'haunted space ship' literally or metaphorically or even leave it ambiguous. I love the trope of highly rational characters struggling to find rational explanations for something unsettling or wrong they're seeing, and it getting to them just a little bit.
- I prefer 'less is more' and fear of the unknown over grisly detail. I love mood and atmosphere and vibes peppered with just the odd hint of unsettling specifics.
- Sunshine (2007) is a good example of a scifi haunted spaceship (sorta) story that I love and that just works
- I enjoy the 'apocalyptic log' trope and written records sometimes saying so little and yet so much. I think this could be really fun as a full log format fill, or a mix of log/discovered records and prose.
- On the art side: perhaps Found Footage of some kind? A snapshot, or snapshots, of something unsettling being captured on camera? I would also adore a minicomic but I realise that might be a bit too much in scope
- On the IF side: look IF is perfect for some spooky text-based haunted spaceship exploration. Making things interactive really can help it feel that much more visceral!
- For the space merc request, and celebrated mecha pilot/grumpy mecha mechanic: how about something action-adventurey? For these requests I'm all about the contrast of personalities between the focal character and others in the story. I also love the Jerk with a Heart of Gold trope. Maybe the space merc is a grumpy individualist who finds himself unable to refuse an offer for help. A space or exocolony twist on the classic "samurai/cowboy defends town from bandits" trope would be fun! With the pilot/mechanic I'm all about characters having no choice but to trust each other - the pilot trusting his support, the mechanic trusting the person who keeps the team safe. I enjoy characters who are used to flying solo (and have convinced themselves it's better this way) being forced to lean on others.
- HOWEVER, I would also be down for a more subversive twist on that ship. Maybe the relationship isn't good, actually, maybe one of them trusts the other and finds that trust betrayed. Maybe the drama of the story is about having to Leave The Mech, actually, and figure out who they are to each other outside of that pre-determined dynamic. Maybe the mechanic is up to no good and was sent to sabotage the pilot, or maybe the pilot ultimately fails to keep them safe. Feel free to toss in some MCD and tragedy if you feel like it.
- HOWEVER x2, mixing the requests could also be fun! A deserted space station or haunted spaceship feels like it would make for a very interesting and unconventional backdrop to a story centering the space merc or the pilot/mechanic ship! I find this very juicy and would absolutely love to see it. A setting like that could be particularly interesting if it places these characters in a situation that is uncomfortable and unfamiliar to them. For example, having to navigate the haunted/abandoned locale with a mecha that's really not made for this and not the right size/build/design, having to jury-rig things to make it work, everyone a little on edge from having to improvise so much. All good shit.
These are my fandom-specific prompts!
Citizen Sleeper (Video Game)
- I like Sleeper interacting with difficult and/or terrible people who may or may not be trying to become better people, and also Bliss. Who has done nothing wrong but her quest also requires you to put quite a bit of trust into her at at time when you're potentially very vulnerable and struggling
- For all these requested relationships, I prefer if they aren't completely hostile and antagonistic. I.e. I like a Sleeper who (despite themselves) still wants to see the best in Ethan, Ankhita, etc., even after being betrayed and disappointed. Similarly, I enjoy it if Ethan is Not Actually Dead even if the Maywick encounter does happen.
- Didn't think to nom it but if you want to throw in some Sleeper/Ankhita or Sleeper/Ethan, go for it! I'm all for the dramatic irony and juice. Or some DLC content and Sleeper/Peake if you like. (Sleeper can have a wholesome relationship. As a treat.)
- I would be hyped for anything involving the ending where Sleeper leaves the Eye with Bliss and Ankhita on the refitted Ambergris, leaning heavily into the Ankhita & Sleeper reconciliation, and Sleeper struggling to forgive her (while Bliss is potentially taking to Ankhita much more warmly). Maybe the A-plot is that at the start, the Ambergris is just supposed to be a way off the Eye (away from the corporate bounty hunters, especially if this is set just after Maywick), but by the end of the journey to the next stop, Sleeper changes their mind about leaving. Or doesn't! Who knows! You tell me.
- Alternately, if you prefer to keep the Eye as a setting, I would love the above scenario but as the backstory, with them now returning to the Eye (and all the feelings that may entail, especially if the Flux event happened).
- An ensemble cast thing with Sleeper, Ankhita, Bliss and Ethan onboard the Ambergris would be fun too. I love me a ragtag band of misfits several of whom used to be on very fraught and/or violent terms! But now they get along! Mostly.
- The characters dealing with a new threat to the Sleeper and rallying behind them to protect them from it (whether it's Essen-Arp hunting for them again or something else) would be great
- Sleeper Chooses An Actual Name: A Story of Freedom and Identity
Firefly (TV)
Give me some thoughtful Simon-centric nonsense and I'll be happy :)
- I would love something vaguely slow-burn-esque (as far as scope allows) for Simon/Mal
- I love the arc of the Tams and the relationship between them and Mal. Mal/Simon is my big Firefly OTP, but I don't have a preference for how shippy it should be - a lot of my own writing for them is basically tense pre-slash, and I'd looove to get something similar as a gift. But I also love slowburn getting together fic argh A;
- My big pitch for these two is that they are terrifyingly similar in their motivations and worldviews; Simon is a lot like a younger, more idealistic but already very angry version of Mal. I love that both of them are rabid about protecting the person/people they love and that is 95% of the reason they clash. I'm always down for more stories about that transition when they accept that the other person is an ally more than a threat, and the transition to found family or romance. I'm a sucker for stories where Simon risks his life to save Mal (or tries to, bless his lil noncombatant heart) or where Mal shows that Simon and River really are part of the crew. That's the good shit right there.
- Similarly good shit: The fun tension between Simon being a fish out of water and being really goddamn competent. I love fic where he gets to shine, and I love fic where he's understandably out of his depth. I love that he's a collected badass in Ariel when he's in his element and an awkward boob a lot of the rest of the time. (Speaking of which, if you want to throw some ND in there, be my guest!)
- Enthusiastic opt-in: explorations of setting-typical homophobia and internalised homophobia as long as it's not too heavy. I don't want heavy drama about bigotry and violence, but I'd love for these themes to be explored a bit. My own headcanon of Simon (and his interactions with Kaylee) is a heavily closeted gay man who on some level has probably known since early childhood that his romantic choices would be heavily scrutinised for being Respectable(TM) enough, just like everything else about him. He broke away from that when it was the only way to save River, but now he's free from those obligations and on the run, it would be interesting to see him process that change. At the same time, I think it's feasible to assume that the heavily rural and apparently quite conservative Christian culture of some of the Rim worlds (and by extension the culture of Mal, Zoe, Kaylee, etc.) isn't the very picture of progressivity, so it's not like the Firefly is some bastion of acceptance. (Mal's views on sex work certainly speak loudly there.) In short, I'd be down to see Simon and/or Mal struggling with the homophobia of the setting and the dangers of outing themselves as A) fugitive in precarious situation who's already highly dependent on the goodwill of people around him, B) backwater ship captain whose safety, not to mention that of his crew, demands on him commanding respect. However, the 'Verse is a big place of many cultures and views, so there's lots of room for characters' views to be challenged.
- Simon struggling between his loyalty to Mal and his loyalty to River will always be good, happy to read anytime
Original Works [prompts added belatedly on March 15, sorry I forgot OTL)
- Deserted Space Station and Haunted Spaceship WB requests: I do love a good ghost story! I love the feeling of unease of exploring places that probably should be abandoned but you just can't be quite sure, the tension of piecing together something terrible that happened (or trying to). I also enjoy ambiguity over whether that something terrible had supernatural elements or not. Feel free to interpret 'haunted space ship' literally or metaphorically or even leave it ambiguous. I love the trope of highly rational characters struggling to find rational explanations for something unsettling or wrong they're seeing, and it getting to them just a little bit.
- I prefer 'less is more' and fear of the unknown over grisly detail. I love mood and atmosphere and vibes peppered with just the odd hint of unsettling specifics.
- Sunshine (2007) is a good example of a scifi haunted spaceship (sorta) story that I love and that just works
- I enjoy the 'apocalyptic log' trope and written records sometimes saying so little and yet so much. I think this could be really fun as a full log format fill, or a mix of log/discovered records and prose.
- On the art side: perhaps Found Footage of some kind? A snapshot, or snapshots, of something unsettling being captured on camera? I would also adore a minicomic but I realise that might be a bit too much in scope
- On the IF side: look IF is perfect for some spooky text-based haunted spaceship exploration. Making things interactive really can help it feel that much more visceral!
- For the space merc request, and celebrated mecha pilot/grumpy mecha mechanic: how about something action-adventurey? For these requests I'm all about the contrast of personalities between the focal character and others in the story. I also love the Jerk with a Heart of Gold trope. Maybe the space merc is a grumpy individualist who finds himself unable to refuse an offer for help. A space or exocolony twist on the classic "samurai/cowboy defends town from bandits" trope would be fun! With the pilot/mechanic I'm all about characters having no choice but to trust each other - the pilot trusting his support, the mechanic trusting the person who keeps the team safe. I enjoy characters who are used to flying solo (and have convinced themselves it's better this way) being forced to lean on others.
- HOWEVER, I would also be down for a more subversive twist on that ship. Maybe the relationship isn't good, actually, maybe one of them trusts the other and finds that trust betrayed. Maybe the drama of the story is about having to Leave The Mech, actually, and figure out who they are to each other outside of that pre-determined dynamic. Maybe the mechanic is up to no good and was sent to sabotage the pilot, or maybe the pilot ultimately fails to keep them safe. Feel free to toss in some MCD and tragedy if you feel like it.
- HOWEVER x2, mixing the requests could also be fun! A deserted space station or haunted spaceship feels like it would make for a very interesting and unconventional backdrop to a story centering the space merc or the pilot/mechanic ship! I find this very juicy and would absolutely love to see it. A setting like that could be particularly interesting if it places these characters in a situation that is uncomfortable and unfamiliar to them. For example, having to navigate the haunted/abandoned locale with a mecha that's really not made for this and not the right size/build/design, having to jury-rig things to make it work, everyone a little on edge from having to improvise so much. All good shit.
