Can you Believe? by Shadesiren

SHADESIREN'S BLOG

Shadesiren

Can you Believe?
Tuesday, April 19, 2005

So, yeah, I watched this show, Firefly.

Then it was canceled.

Then I got the DVD, and watched it. A LOT.

Then I had this daydream.. me, translated into a firefly character, aboard my own ship. There was only one name for it, Oberon. I'd thought of that before - my ship would be named Oberon. I don't know why.

Then I tried Fan Fiction. I really don't LIKE fan fiction, as a general rule. But this character, and this ship, wouldn't go away. So I tried it. I got into the story, I still have this idea for another scene, which I know I will have to write.

Then, I thought... what if I opened it up, to other people? What if they were my crew, instead of me writing it all by myself? So I tried a yahoo group. I said I needed at least one other person, a mechanic. Maybe a pilot. I'd see who showed up.

And they showed - and showed. A First Mate. A Pilot. A Hired Gun. A Doctor. A Mechanic. Even a Cook! Passengers arrived. My ship was full to bursting me with people!

I even had to turn a few away, because I just couldn't fit any more people on board! We wrote together, and it was amazing! Everyone was sooo wonderful! They wrote so well, so sweetly together. I got to know my First Mate, and he became a wonderful friend. No romance stories here, just a new best friend.

Then he was in a terrible car accident. Eleven broken bones, and two months of near silence. I thought I'd lost him. The holidays were upon us, and everyone was busy. Posting was so slow, it seemed the ship might die.

But I refused. I kept in touch with everyone, I kept posting. Then, miraculously, he didn't forget us as he got better. The First Mate returned, stronger than ever, and the Holidays were over, and everyone came back.

Then, another miracle. The First Mate found a deal on webhosting - and bought us our own domain! Then, ANOTHER miracle. He took the basic website I'd designed for us - just a place to act as an archive, and a general knowledge bank - and he turned it into the CORTEX! It is SO beautiful! I would look at it, touch the screen in awe, and just sigh over it. I still can't believe that's OURS. He installed a PHP forum for us, and we managed to EXPAND!

Things were going so well, I had to open up a second group, so that I no longer had to turn new people away, or make them wait.

There were bumps along the way. The Mechanic had a new baby, and couldn't post, and had to drop out. The Docotr was busy with work, and had to drop out. Both positions were quickly replaced - and the new people were wonderful!

Everyone worked together to create our story - we had an outline to follow - no blind random posting and cross-posting and stepping on each others toes... we had an outline to follow! Everyone knew what was expected - but not to the point of losing their creative ability over their own posts. The details were still up to the indivdual.

And it worked!

The new group decided they wanted to be unique, different. In the tradition of DS9 and Deadwood, they created a city. Ok, ARE creating a city. They only have a few people still, and the First Mate - though I loathe to see him leave my ship, will be going to live there. He's going to give them leadership and guidance, and I know it's the right thing to do. With growth, there is often pain. But it's for the greater good, and I don't mind so much anymore. It's not like he's leaving ME or leaving the group - he's just posting in a different location.

We've become this big family, and it makes me so happy to see how they all work together. They have a special thread just to comment on particularly good posts or lines. Everyone has the opportunity to propose the next episode - I started the first one, where we all met and left Persephone. Then our second episode, the First Mate proposed the Great Grain Heist - ok, that story got a little sidetracked as he was gone for a good part of it, but I tried to stick to his original plan - and our next story was proposed by the Wanted Man (who has departed, alas, but we will still be following his story idea). Already, the new Mechanic has proposed are NEXT adventure - and we are starting on the plan for that one. We'll have an Outline for it soon enough.

Sooo.. from my daydream (ok, so yeah, I had a little crush on Mal, and he was, at one time, involved in the daydream ), came the idea for The Oberon. A Firefly ship, owned by a woman who had lost her past, and was determined to build her own future. Crewed by an assortment of damaged goods (as my husband calls them), seeking solace and their own little home in the 'Verse.

And Friends. I've made real friends, and I love them. They are all so talented. So willing to cooperate, to share the limelight. They're are willing to take the time to work together to create something wonderful. I love them for it. I love them for making Obie so much more than I ever thought he would be. He's not just my daydream anymore. He's a dream we all share.

Oh.. and seriously.. we made Credits. Actualy credits, as if we were our own show. They are so beautiful. I made the slides, and remixed the theme song. The new Doctor put together the "film" and we're probably going to premier them May 1st. We're hoping to have an IM "Premier Party", and show them to everyone!

So.. I just had to tell this story. I wish everyone could know what it's like to part of a group like this. I WISH we could all get together and go see the premier of Serenity together. Unfortunately, that would mean flying people from Washington, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, and ENGLAND, to one central location. I doubt any of us has the money for that. I know I don't. But we'll all meet on IM after we see it, and we'll all type our fingers off about how wonderful it was.

Anyway... that's pretty much our story. To read the actual story of the Oberon, go to http://Http://www.oberonrpg.com and look in the archives for the back story. The forum has the current story.

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