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Embassy Brat -- story concept - Velorians

18 Apr 2009 17:10 #15469 by shadar
The following thread is taking place on the AUReaders group, and I thought I'd look for feedback here as well. There is an illustrative picture link at the end that stimulated my thoughts (at the bottom) on a story concept:

Interesting comments... indeed, are Velorians human at the core? We've largely said Yes, but their social conventions are sometimes bewildering.

In this case, I was referring to the fact that she was uninterested in complying with the usual laws of the land and customs. Not to mention contemptuous, in the the way energetic teenage girls can be, of the limitations of the people around her. In her case, the very frail humans, who exaggerate the usual teenage dilemmas. Clearly, her idea of fun and games involves activities that would vaporize a human. And there are no others Velorians on the planet, other than parents and the adults at the embassy.

Rules such as curfews, smoking tobacco or pot, drinking laws, age of consent for sex, etc. etc. are also "human rules" that don't apply to her.

But of course, her emotions and thought processes are identical to ours, given that aspect of Velorians is thoroughly human. So she has all the failings of poor judgement, lack of experience and wild emotional swings driven by out-of-control hormones that any human teenage undergoes. The difference is that the consequences of her misbehavior are likely to physically hurt others. She's new to being outside a gold field, so her profound strength is still a challenge. But importantly, she's just as subject to emotional trauma as any human.

The germ of the story is that she enjoys the company of one adult male, a teacher, who is trying to help her grow, both intellectually and emotionally. He, of course, is entering perilous territory by become close friends outside the classroom with not only a teenage girl, one of his students, but also a Velorian who has not learned how to properly suppress her pheromones. And who, at least at first, thinks the usual cultural and moral conventions don't apply to her. She doesn't understand their value, which is more to allow for proper emotional growth rather than physical peril.

The idea of the story is to explore how such a relationship could work, while still keeping the teacher honorable and proper (albeit with some unavoidable kinks) and to see how his steadying influence brings (or doesn't bring) this young super girl to the doorstep of responsible adulthood.

I'm collecting concepts along with feedback for a long period of being at sea and somewhat out of touch, where hopefully I can get some good writing done.

I'll toss a few more concept ideas out before I leave, and based on my own predilections and feedback on the concepts, will pick one or two to work on.

Shadar


On Apr 18, 2009, at 8:20 AM, ultrasybarite wrote:

"All of us human at the core." I like that.
There are those who disagree though.
Andy

--- In Aurora_Universe_Readers@yahoogroups.com, "cmryan58" <cmryan58@...&gt; wrote:

Calling her just a Brava is unfair to her. She is still immensely more powerful than an ordinary human. Once she understands that we all feel lonely, misunderstood, isolated I expect she will have turned the corner and started to grow up. And drop the Human rules don't apply schtick. All of us Supremis, Human and Diaboli are at the soul Human.

Bizarre fashion choices are normal for teens. At least as I get older and look at what teen agers are wearing I think they have to be outrageous or at least different.

That earring is probably a clip on.




--- In Aurora_Universe_Readers@yahoogroups.com, Shadar <shadar@&gt; wrote:

Anya is just a Brava, daughter of an embassy official, living with her
parents on an Enlightenment world. Sixteen years old and new to this
strange world of humans, she's trying to fit in with a bunch of human
classmates and teachers not doing so well. People call her an "embassy
brat".

Between her over-the-top views about sexuality ("Its only natural
after all") on one side, her bizarre fashion choices, her habit of
challenging everything and everyone, especially older men and her
teachers, along with her long runs along deserted highways -- which
melts down her sneakers -- she's a round peg trying to fit in a square
hole.

But Jason Edwards, a science teacher who has just managed to catch up
to Anya in his flitter, and who has a thick enough skin to weather her
intimidating "Humans are so fucking frail" shtick, who accepts her for
what's inside that pretty head and not just the bling outside, who
understands what she's going through and is trying to help, is going
to find that becoming friends with a Velorina has a unique set of
rewards and challenges.

Specifically, he's going to have to deal with her outrageous and
outspoken claim that every good day starts and ends with great sex
(frustratingly, she claims, with herself most of the time). Not to
mention Anya's insistence that human rules don't really apply to her
(which is obviously contrary to embassy policy), and her
indiscriminate use of her pheromones. A girl who thinks that boys her
age are incredibly boring and useless, and that men twice her age are
"not so boring".

This troubled teen is very much the challenge to reach and rein in, to
teach her to live within human norms, all the while making sure Jason
"paints within the lines", so to speak.

Fortunately, there are ocean bottoms to explore that are too deep for
their submarines, and holes to dig through the planet's crust to
examine the magma floes, not to mention satellites to place in orbit
and neighboring planets to explore -- any number of science projects
to keep a teenage Velorian busy and distracted.

Now, if only she wouldn't look so needful every morning and evening...
a man only has so much willpower.

velorian.org/embassy_brat.jpg

Shadar

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19 Apr 2009 13:13 #15477 by Lastleaf
Replied by Lastleaf on topic Re: Embassy Brat -- story concept - Velorians
This is an idea that should have been done a long time ago, I'm a bit surprised this hasn't been tackled with. Please keep us informed as I've left the AU readers group a long time ago.

A question, what does Anya see with Jason Edwards?

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19 Apr 2009 15:01 #15480 by shadar

This is an idea that should have been done a long time ago, I'm a bit surprised this hasn't been tackled with. Please keep us informed as I've left the AU readers group a long time ago.

A question, what does Anya see with Jason Edwards?


A few things that come to mind:

1) He's cute. He's got a hot girlfriend. As opposed to boys her age, who tend to be tongue-tied and falling all over themselves around her, Jason holds her at arms length. He's a challenge. She wants to test the portion of her super-powers that doesn't involve bending steel in her bare hands.

2) She's very bright and has a keen interest in science and exploration, and so does he.

3) He makes her laugh and he's fun. Beauty doesn't intimidate him.

4) Her parents and teachers and everyone else on this human planet have dumped all these rules on her, and she's rebelling. Hanging out with an older, human man, ever better, having an affair with him, would send a message to everyone that she's her own woman.

Bottom line, she's young and rebellious, and she's also the hottest girl on the planet, not to mention having all the abilities of Supergirl.

Here's how she looks when she shows up at Jason's house to prepare for a "collection mission" to a nearby planet. He's going to fit her with a heat-proof, air-tight metal backpack to bring samples home in.

You can tell by her expression that she's trouble. Especially when she makes a big deal out of the fact that she wears as little clothing as she does because "its going to instantly burn off anyway. I always arrive naked."

Which isn't exactly true, given she flew to his house. Slowly enough to merely shred her top and skirt a little.

velorian.org/anya_17.jpg

Shadar

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19 Apr 2009 16:46 #15483 by Lastleaf
Replied by Lastleaf on topic Re: Embassy Brat -- story concept - Velorians
I've figured as much :D He is a challenge.

In one of my muffled ideas, a "super girl" takes to admiring a "young handsome jock", because he's responsible, popular, passionate, handles himself well and has a hot girlfriend. Sounds like a catch right for a "super girl". But the guy sometimes loses some games and shows some failings. "Supergirl" gets conflicted because she doesn't really understand failure and therefore doesn't know how to console him unlike his girlfriend, more confusing to her is how he manages to rise up from those failings.

Basically, she is a little envious because he is able to "get backup to his feet", he has to make the effort and his victories are a little sweeter because of it. She is learning from him indirectly.

I realize this is quite far from what you wanted, but I just wanted to show another way of learning given Anya's lack of experience. Your premise seems to me about leading and teaching "by the hand", but given her lack acknowledgment or utter disregard with the rules and what they mean I find a somewhat alternative way may help.

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19 Apr 2009 16:50 #15484 by Lastleaf
Replied by Lastleaf on topic Re: Embassy Brat -- story concept - Velorians
Btw, since this involves Velorians what I exampled probably or should I say most likely would not work, since what I wrote was more of an introspection, rather than impulsive behavior of Velorians as you write them.

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19 Apr 2009 17:13 #15486 by shadar

Btw, since this involves Velorians what I exampled probably or should I say most likely would not work, since what I wrote was more of an introspection, rather than impulsive behavior of Velorians as you write them.


I'm open to any ideas... she doesn't necessary have to behave like a typical Vel, for instance.

She's in a unique situation... she lived on Velor for many years, immersed in that culture (which she may or may not have liked) without her powers, but now is living on this world were she's a super girl, and at the age where she's a lot to handle.

Velor is technologically backward and xenophobic world (the only tech is genetics), and now she's on a scientifically advanced world where people have a curiosity about what's "out there". This is an important element.

Shadar

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