Beyond - Legends The Ugly Duckling

In a crowded cantina, you probably wouldn't notice him at first. For such a big guy, he can be surprisingly small.

People who know him tend to remember the times when he goes too far, when he makes an ostentatious fool of himself, and, by virtue of his exuberance, those around him as well. When he takes them by surprise, wearing silence like a cloak, he makes a joke about it, and they forget.

He feels they like the idea of him more than the reality, too - there's a certain shock-value to Jaina and Lowie's son, after all.

He's lost track of the number of times he's explained about the genetic engineering - how he was created by the Yuuzhan Vong at Myrkr, out of DNA from tissue-samples. He spares them the gory details, compares himself easily enough to a voxyn or a Massassi Sith or Tahiri Veila.

But he observes, more often than not, the way their eyes recoil, then how relieved they are to realise that he's not really the result of a human and a Wookie making babies the old fashioned way.

He's prepared to accept the sympathy that sometimes follows, though. He feels craven about it, but at the same time, he craves the transient comfort.

Because, of course, they're not quite sure what else to think or feel about him any more.

He sees them look at him, trying to see what's human, and what's not. He doesn't mention the five percent of him that's neither Jaina or Lowie, of course. The analogy to the grape-balance in the structure of a fine wine tends to go over most people's heads.

Or maybe it's just the way he tells it.

He sighs, and takes another mouthful of his beer.

He's not human, and he's not Wookie, and he's not quite enough of either for people to pretend he's one or the other.

He's not shy about his claws, for one thing - and that's as taboo for Wookies as walking about naked and happy is for humans.

But if the Wookie claw taboo confuses him, human prudishness about public nakedness simply amuses him. Most of the time, humans don't even notice that he's wearing nothing except a swordbelt.

Of course, it's as much to do with what you don't see as what you do. Nurture, as well as nature. He remembers his brief childhood nostalgically. In the crèche, it didn't matter who your parents were. They had been young, bright-eyed, and innocent.

After they encountered the reality of the wider Galaxy, though, things changed between them.

Reality, he wonders, and makes a sound that's almost a laugh. It seems an odd word to use for artificial prejudice.

Then his face falls, and he shakes his shaggy head, and goes back to his beer again.

***

[ ... and special thanks to LadyPadme for taking this little baby through the approval process and clearing it for posting!! ]

 

[First post, suckers!]

And yeah, when I read it before, it was really cool... Darn time difference...

Elena

 

I loved it! It was remarkable and so well written.

 

I'm not really a fan of mad scientists engineering life because they can so I find it a little sickening (Not the writing or the story, so much as the idea.) But the Vong did a lot of that, and I'm surprised we didn't see more of them experimenting on sentients. I know my stomach turned a bit when they were making the slaves with coral implants in the DT books (Why did they drop that storyline?! What a great moral dilemma for the Jedi!)

But yeah, this sort of seems like an attempt for shock value and a way to get around interspecies pairing/breeding.

I could be wrong though

 

Wow, that was so different! Nice idea Thrawn McEwok and insight on interspecies breeding/pairing.

 

: People who know him tend to remember the times when he goes too far, when he makes an ostentateous fool of himself, and, by virtue of his exuberance, those around him as well. When he takes them by surprise, wearing slience like a cloak, he makes a joke about it, and they forget. He feels they like the idea of him more than the reality, too

Injecting yourself into this, are we?

Interesting though, considering people's natural thinking... your character here is probably described by humans as being "half-Wookiee", and not "half-human" (and even the latter can be made to sound derogatory depending upon tone of voice). Not being incredibly familiar with Wookiee culture, I wonder what they would think of him.

 

Injecting yourself into this, are we?

I was wondering about that too

 

Yeah, I gotta agree. That sounds a bit too close to the mark there, my good friend.

Still an interesting way to get around that little hurtle. Very nice and introspective as well.

 

*almost chokes on his beer*

I lack the vocabulary to convey my true feelings on this. But, to put it short, interesting...

 

Nice. X-species hybrids are always my favs *looks to pile of Trek fanart portraying human/Vulcan hybrids*

 

Elena: And yeah, when I read it before, it was really cool...

But now...

Darn time difference...

Well, that's what you get for talking to a medievalist!

VaderLVR64: Thanks!

YK: I'm not really a fan of mad scientists engineering life because they can so I find it a little sickening (Not the writing or the story, so much as the idea.) But the Vong did a lot of that, and I'm surprised we didn't see more of them experimenting on sentients. I know my stomach turned a bit when they were making the slaves with coral implants in the DT books (Why did they drop that storyline?! What a great moral dilemma for the Jedi!)

You seem to be slightly in two minds here... but yeah, there's something queasy in some of it... though here, we have a character who was just born that way...

But yeah, this sort of seems like an attempt for shock value and a way to get around interspecies pairing/breeding.

I could be wrong though

Yep, you are! I had the idea of the character a while back, and I thought it would be interesting to follow it through... within the constraints of the TOS, if possible...

That's where the interest lies for me in this 'fic...

Idrelle_Miocovani: Thanks! But, just to make it clear, there's no "interspecies 'ship" in this 'fic...

Arin_Atona: Injecting yourself into this, are we?

Um... I've had moments when I've felt like that, yeah - I suspect most people have. But I'm not half-Wookie!

Interesting though, considering people's natural thinking... your character here is probably described by humans as being "half-Wookiee", and not "half-human" (and even the latter can be made to sound derogatory depending upon tone of voice). Not being incredibly familiar with Wookiee culture, I wonder what they would think of him.

Yep - bingo!

Striker: Still an interesting way to get around that little hurtle. Very nice and introspective as well.

Thanks!

Spike: *almost chokes on his beer*

Shh!! Herman might lock the thread!!

I lack the vocabulary to convey my true feelings on this. But, to put it short, interesting...

Hah! Thanks!

SilSolo: Nice. X-species hybrids are always my favs *looks to pile of Trek fanart portraying human/Vulcan hybrids*

Thanks - I think!

You seen my Trek crossover Unpaid Debts, btw?

- The Imperial Ewok

 

Brilliant Thrawn. I find 'him' an intriguing OC and would really like to see more of him. I like that he seems to enjoy being who and what he is without apology.

Reality, he wonders, and makes a sound that's almost a laugh. It seems an odd word to use for artificial prejudice. .. love that line.

 

What a hoot!

Well here's proof that where there's a will there's a way. Good for you

And how about that you even managed a naked human *ahem* Wookiee Human-Wookiee Yeah that's it!

You so smart.


~TKeira

 

Interesting. Do the Vong have to kriff with every piece of biology they find. Honestly, they're worse than Species 8472 (Of Star Trek: Voyager) and the Zerg (Of Starcraft) combined! Do Jaina or Lowie know about their Vong-induced offspring? If so, how do they feel about him? Nice Fic.

 

I have to say that when Thrawn PM'd me my jaw dropped for a second when I read of 'his' parentage. I did have a good chuckle on how he managed this. Very ingenious and a fun read!

 

You seem to be slightly in two minds here...

Hmm... maybe I did make that confusing. I was saying the idea of a Wookiee/human is a bit disturbing. I didn't mean it to sound harsh if that's the way it came across.

but yeah, there's something queasy in some of it... though here, we have a character who was just born that way...

Right, I wasn't suggesting that the character was evil It's sort of like the idea of human clones, only a step further.

Yep, you are! I had the idea of the character a while back, and I thought it would be interesting to follow it through... within the constraints of the TOS, if possible...

Glad to hear it

 

Very nice McE, very nice indeed. I'm glad that it was gene altering that created the "Ugly Duckling", because otherwise I would have a very bad mental image stuck in my head.

 

Wow. Definately not what I was expecting when I clicked on the link. Very nicely done within the confines of the rules of TFN.

 

Leona: Thanks! ANd I'm glad someone caught that side of his character - I'm not sure I'd even consciously articulated it, but yeah, it's definately there..

TKeira_Lea: Thanks!

ZebulaNebula: Interesting. Do the Vong have to kriff with every piece of biology they find.

Pretty much, yeah - since the natural world is the foundation of their tech-base, it's almost inevitable...

Do Jaina or Lowie know about their Vong-induced offspring? If so, how do they feel about him?

There's a 'fic in that...

And - thanks!

LadyPadme: Thanks!

YK: Hmm... maybe I did make that confusing. I was saying the idea of a Wookiee/human is a bit disturbing. I didn't mean it to sound harsh if that's the way it came across.

No, no, 'zactly the opposite - what it seemed like was more that a part of you (the YV part ) was rather intrigued...

Right, I wasn't suggesting that the character was evil It's sort of like the idea of human clones, only a step further.

Aye - the Vong themselves are a hybrid species, though, so it kinda makes sense to them...

Glad to hear it



StarFighter5: Very nice McE, very nice indeed. I'm glad that it was gene altering that created the "Ugly Duckling", because otherwise I would have a very bad mental image stuck in my head.

You mean this one ...?

L_J_C: Wow. Definately not what I was expecting when I clicked on the link. Very nicely done within the confines of the rules of TFN.

Thanks!

I should note that this isn't really a "way round" the interspecies 'ship... it just seemed that the rules themselves - and, in-universe, the social expectations of the SW Galaxy - would place the character in an interesting situation...

Glad you enjoyed it, though...

- The Imperial Ewok

 

You sneaky little ewok!

I just hope he doesn't moult...

 

Interesting.

I'm guessing the 5% is Yuzzhan Vong, but I'm not sure.

Keep writing!

 

Blended: You sneaky little ewok!

**Wookie_roar!!**

I just hope he doesn't moult...

Not much more than the average human. But he modified his astromech to clean up the hair...

Misti_Whitesun: Interesting.

Yub yub!!

I'm guessing the 5% is Yuzzhan Vong, but I'm not sure.

It's actually just a patch from Han's Y chromosome...

Keep writing!

I'll try - this is just a standalone, but I have some plans for the character, yeah...

- The Imperial Ewok

 

There is pretty much all said about that ?fic...

Interesting idea to let someone be bread from the Vong. Has your OC Jedi abilities or are they gone because of the Vong DNA addition?

well done





~Mag~

 

You mean this one?

Oh the horror!

 

The analysis (a half-fast job):

He?s a human/wookiee hybrid. He?s got a Y chromosome patch from Anakin Solo. There are others, and he?s the cover. Not known if his growth was artificially accelerated ? he would have been three when the war ended, and his speech indicates they were together quite a lot. Not known what he does for a living or if his ?parents? know who he is or even that he exists.

Why was he created? Is he still carrying out his purpose, or has he gone rogue?

Elena