Original Alternate Universe

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

We've had many discussions about Kara and Lee turning up in alternate universes. The majority of AUs seems to be variations on BSG itself or taking the characters of Lee Adama and Kara Thrace and putting them into a pre-existing universe, either as themselves (pilots in the Firefly universe) or as characters who take on the role of an existing literary or television figures (Lizzy and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice).

I'd like to challenge you create your own tiny AU, NOT based on any other story, show, movie, etc. Give us a snippet of Kara and Lee as archeologists, doctors, coal miners, lumberjacks, lawyers, whatever you like. Create your own universe and give us a snippet (a fic, a description, a few lines of dialogue, a manip, etc.). I understand that keeping the pilots as themselves will require keeping many of the same backstory dynamics - that's to be expected - pilots are pilots for many frakked up reasons.

(I understand of course, that NONE of this is particularly original - I have gotten lost in TV Tropes, after all. But see if anything gets sparked in your imaginary world.)

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Lee is a college professor, Kara is his student.
2. Kara is a veternarian, Lee has a sick puppy (hee. sorry. can't. resist.)
3. Kara and Lee are competing bounty hunters
4. Lee is a highly-ranked competitive poker player, Kara is a rising star
5. Kara is a scuba instructor in the Cayman's, Lee ended up there after his fiancee jilted him
6. Lee owns a bar and doesn't date customers (I know, lee owns a bar - but it's so cute!)
7. Lee is a local politician and Kara is a political activist, they're on different sides of an issue
8. Kara and Lee are firefighters
9. Kara is an award-winning chef and Lee is a food critic (hard to imagine, I know!)
10. Lee and Kara are competing swimmers at the Olympics (oh, those tiny swimsuits and swimmers bodies.....ahem)

Have fun shippers!

Comments

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

I don't mean to sound cavalier at all, but your post got me thinking about why I'm not a huge fan of "outside the series" AUs - I think one of the things that makes me love Lee/Kara so passionately is that they are trapped in this claustrophobic world of relentless war and flight from the Cylons. And somehow if they're not in those circumstances, I feel like they would probably just go get the therapy they need and part as friends ;P

That said, I look forward to reading everyone else's ideas! And I want to say a huge thank you to you for your inspiring leadership of the Fan Bus this week :D *smooch*

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

Awwww. Hee. I understand completely. I do think it's possible to make them Kara and Lee in different situations, but it takes a lot of creative thinking. Some of the scenarios I presented can take on a high-pressure situation, but yes, it is appealing to experience them in life-or-death scenarios.

I believe there are essential qualities about the two of them that would give them the same dynamic in any AU, given that they have substantial backstory and that there's enough pressure to keep the intensity going. BSG was a very well-told story (at least until s4+) and there is an enormous amount of pressure to keep things moving along at a frenetic and dark place. It does add to the spark and complexity.

You've given us such great contributions this week and I want to say thanks. And funnily, didn't YOU write a Casablanca AU? LOL. I guess there's a little bit about AUs that do turn you on. ;)

*MWAH*

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

it is appealing to experience them in life-or-death scenarios.


Yeah, I think the intensity of the situation adds something to the intensity of their connection. (I've read a lot of books about WWI and how the soldiers became closer to the people they'd known in the trenches for only a few months than they were to their own families, because they'd experienced this common horror together, which they couldn't really talk about with their families. So I think the high pressure situation and the camaraderie is part of what makes Lee/Kara so appealing to me!) I guess I'm thinking more of the quadrangle when I say that if they were living in a normal world, I feel like Kara would have settled in with Sam and Lee with Dualla because they'd never have to see each other again and that would have been the end of that - I'm sure they would have probably remembered one another either fondly or with bitterness, but they wouldn't have had the enforced proximity of the situation after New Caprica.

I do agree that there are some essential qualities in their personalities that make them Lee and Kara and not any of the other characters in the story and I agree about the backstory too :D

(And yes, I did do the Casablanca AU and I've sporadically done an FNL AU too :P So I am totally a hypocrite :P) I am really interested in seeing what people come up with too - so please don't take my comment as a downer or anything like that. I'm just curious and awake and feeling like rambling!

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

I get what you are saying. I'd assume that a lot of AU would be about the romance and the UST, not necessarily about the r/l problems that might lead a couple like them to split up or just choose something easier. Backstory can be changed just enough to make it difficult for them to move forward, but circumstances can throw them back together nonetheless. BSG did it best, but there is a bit of room, I think, to see what other situations can push them into being together.

I also think there are many more and better ideas than the ones I've presented above. They do not include, for the most part, the high-intensity situations that would create a need for pilots to be thrown together time and time again. And frankly, I am TERRIBLE at AU. Terrible. It is my hope that other creative types, with AU talent can bring some life to the idea.

And when all else fails, there's porn. ;P

Hee.

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

I think the intensity of the situation adds something to the intensity of their connection. (I've read a lot of books about WWI and how the soldiers became closer to the people they'd known in the trenches for only a few months than they were to their own families, because they'd experienced this common horror together, which they couldn't really talk about with their families. So I think the high pressure situation and the camaraderie is part of what makes Lee/Kara so appealing to me!)

Hee...maybe someone should try to write Lee and Kara as contestants on Big Brother. ;)

ETA: And I can't imagine any universe where they wouldn't be hopelessly in love with each other. Parting as friends? Pffft. They'll never be (only) friends.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Agh. I wish I had more time to play today. Silly, RL, being all real and getting in the way. :P

I do think that part of the secret to AU is finding a way to work in the necessary elements (of character, backstory, relationship) in a appropriate and fulfilling way. Ratcheting down the drama without losing it entirely.

Character traits are pretty easy, since the Kara and Lee have pretty real life, identifiable issues. Child abuse, distant and difficult relationships with parents and trying to fall in love with the right person instead of the person you spark with but can't imagine a relationship with translate easily.

Maybe the AU situation wouldn't be as intense as war, but that doesn't mean they couldn't or wouldn't entail emotional connections, long hours, etc. Whatever creates the tight quarters, unavoidable UST and dependency between the characters, but that could be long hours in a office or stuck on boat. II don't think it has to be life or death.

In a way AU because an interesting exercise in picking the detail that make not just Lee and Kara tick. Does Zak have to die? In a less heightened reality maybe not. Maybe he and Kara break up amicably or he jilts her, but it still leaves Kara and Lee feeling awkward about a relationship. They date other people to avoid their feelings for each other, but they still work together or have other friends in common.

This is kind of fun. Wish I had time to flush out my whole burgeoning idea. grrr, RL.

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

I guess I base that on Kara seeming to be happy enough with Sam on New Caprica and Lee, well, he was evidently eating too many noodles, but I think they would have gone on being angry (Lee) or resigned (Kara) to the end of their relationship and made a life with their new partners had the Cylons not come to New Caprica.

So I think their characters make them fall in love but a lot of how the love story plays out has to do with the extreme situation that they find themselves in. Like, if they both lived in our current universe, as a friend, I would recommend lots and lots of therapy instead of enjoying the glorious train-wreck of their relationship onscreen :D

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Snapshots: Donatello AU

Kara’s only taking the art history class because she needs three foundations courses in order to complete her breadth distribution before graduation. She hates listening to the droning speakers who’ve never lifted a brush in their lives. Hates sitting in the dim amphitheatre and trying to keep up with someone else’s opinion of what is “good” art. It bothers her... the dull ingrained repetitiveness of it all. The bland indifference that has nothing at all to do with the elements which make her love art the way she does. The aching glory – ugliness or beauty or rage – given voice in the dark.

No, for Kara art is all about the wash of colour on canvas tossed up in a drunken fits of anger. Dark and brooding circles repeating in on themselves. Power. The gloriously lurid smears of graffiti on the train cars near the rat trap apartment where she grew up. ‘Freeze the cans before you sneak out and you can blend them like a Renaissance fresco.’ These illegal “canvases” her first forays into artwork.

But not today.

No, today she sits, her foot kicked up on the chair in front of her, listening to some falsely cultured fool tell her why this particular sculpture of a teenage David caused such a scandal... The claims that the artist had cast it from life. At that Kara snorts with laughter, breaking the silence of the room. The effeminate sculpture of the boy in the straw hat doing nothing to impress her. The professor glares at her, then continues talking, and the class moves on again.

An hour later, she’s walking away from the class, when another student jogs up beside her. Dark hair, blue eyes and the body of an athlete. He’s here at the university on a scholarship – like Kara – and she remembers him from the art history class. ‘Shit disturber,’ is the term that comes to mind. He is always arguing with the prof, giving him questions he cannot answer. ‘But how is the Renaissance patron system any less repressive than the current government supported art centers?’ Kara likes that about him, though the rest of him worries her for some reason. He’s intense, for one; writing his notes in a tight, narrow script. Kara, on the other hand, doesn’t write anything, just ignores most of the prof’s words and BS’s her way through the exams. He’s a sculptor for another, and though his studio is set up four stalls away from her, she doesn’t quite “get” the methodical need to work through a piece of stone. She’s all about the present. Paint and blood and lust. The now.

“I agree with you about Donatello,” the guy says without preamble. He’s frowning. Again the word pops to mind... ‘intense’.

“Yeah?” Kara answers without stopping. “How’s that?”

“It’s overdone, too finished... pretty almost. Can’t frakking stand it.”

Kara laughs loudly this time.

“And how do you really feel about it?”

He laughs with her, and then stops walking, and for some reason she does too. An echo of his movement. They are the only people stopped in the busy hallway, the rest of the world moving on around them. For a second, there is an awkward silence.

“Lee Adama,” he says, reaching out for her hand and shaking it. He has strong hands – sculptor’s hands – she notices.
She smirks at him, wondering what this young, intense young man who shares her dislike of Donatello would think of illegally spray-painting train cars by night. Part of her wants to test her theory.

“I’m Kara Thrace...” she finally answers.

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

But what about the circumstances that got them there? If it hadn't been the end of the world and the cylons hadn't captured Kara for their farm, she would've treated Anders like any other one-night stand probably. (There's a deleted scene from script of The Farm where she's a lot harsher to him their morning after, and keeps telling him she was only looking for a good lay, etc.) There wouldn't have been the guilt over leaving him there and thus probably no relationship IMO.

With Dee, I never felt that Lee was thinking about Dee when he was with her very much. She always felt like a rebound from Kara's rejections....so...

I mean obviously the script dictates everything, but assuming they were real people who lived in the real world, I find it just as hard to believe that if they had the kind of chemistry and connection that they do, the kind that seemed apparent from the second they opened the apartment door and their eyes met and apparently had them ready to frak on a table and betray brother/boyfriend the very same night? I think that would win out or destroy them or whatever.

Could they have made separate lives with other people somewhat happily? Probably....for a while. I think it would have imploded though for mostly the same reasons they implode in canon. Lee/Dee certainly (he wasn't the man she hoped/thought he was) and Kara/Sam probably because he didn't know her very well (I think about the deleted scene from Torn? where he wants her to muster out of the fleet and stop fighting things...proving he doesn't know her very well at all).

AU Take 1

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Lee Adama takes Kara Thrace, bane of his existence, by the arm and drags her away from the protest and into the alley. He’s rougher than he needs to be, but they have history, and everyone knows it. A blush rises in his cheeks as he thinks about the fact that everyone is staring at them.

“What is your problem, Lee? Do I not rate free speech anymore?” Her eyes flicker gold and green as the afternoon sun mixes with the shadows of the damp alley. Her fist slams into her hip as her illegible protest sign falls to the ground. It hits the edge of a puddle and splashes his pant leg. Lee grimaces before realizing he’s wearing jeans not a suit.

“No, that’s…” He rubs his forehead, trying to figure out how his could get any tenser. Although three come quickly to mind.

First is his younger brother, Zak, who still won’t fess up what happened when he and Kara suddenly broke off their engagement. Lee knows there’s a lot more to the story than anyone is telling him, but he can also think of host of really good reasons why no one would tell him the truth. He reminds himself to watch Kara’s eyes and not the angry heave of her breasts.

Then there’s Sam Anders, Kara’s current flame, a basketball player and lightening rod in the community for funding this opposition rally. Lee’s beginning to think that Sam’s paying to entertain Kara though because the jock endorses three video games only sold in the big box store that will fill in the burned out block across the street.

Lastly, his parents who have managed to put all of their animosity towards each other into the combined effort of supporting his brother, adoring Kara and driving him nuts. He doesn’t even care that they think politics if total folly. At least they leave him alone about it.

Oh, and Dee. He has a girlfriend. A girlfriend with a kid, he still doesn’t know how that happened, but he remembers with a sharp stab to the temple that they’re all, ALL, having dinner later. Dee and Gianna, his dad and step-mom, his mother and her fiancé, Zak and Kara and Sam. His head spins with the horror.

With a shuddering breath, Lee is brought back to the present by a flash of Kara’s hair across his cheek. “I’m on your side, Kara. But the cops have been called and I don’t want you to get arrested.” He grits out.

“I don’t need your help, Lee.” Kara leans down to pick up her sign showing off very well fitting jeans. “I’m dating someone who’s more than happy to bale me out and call attention to the cause.” She smirks as raises her head again. Their eyes catch and hold. It’s uncomfortable for a moment, but better then checking out her ass.

“Just…” He sighs. “For me Kara. For my dad’s dinner tonight. Please.”

“Fine, but next time I get to get arrested.” Her eyes are afire as she stands victoriously.

“By all means, get arrested next time, Kara.” As she walks away he seriously considers banging his head against the brick wall of the alley until he passes out.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

*claps*

Re: AU Take 1

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

INTERESTING!!! Now that's a lot of backstory. I love that you picked up on the politician/protester angle. I can't wait to see what you do with it.

Hee. YAY!

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

Oh. my. frakking. gods. I. love. this.

I WANT MORE. RIGHT NOW. THIS IS YOUR NEW LONG FIC!!! You MUST!!!

Oh, you are the best. <3

Lumberjacks, just for SFS

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

;)

Re: AU Take 1

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

I would do this all day if I could, but RL beckons. I will try to come back to it at some point though. I have more blanks filled in and I'd hate to waste that. *giggles*

I can front load backstory, like nobody's business. :D I learned a lot of very odd skills in the theatre and one is in a quick scene you need to get out, as quickly as possible, the relationship, the action and the place. So that was what I was thinking.

Re: Lumberjacks, just for SFS

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

YAY!!! Not only lumberjack lee and kara, but a lumberjack baby! Thank you, bb. I am grinning so much!! Eeeeeeeeeeee!

[amaliak.livejournal.com]

Hee...maybe someone should try to write Lee and Kara as contestants on Big Brother. ;)

HUNGER GAMES. Talk about mutual horror.

Or, Survivor. On SAW Island. (wait, that is the Hunger Games, isn't it? Haha.)

Re: Lumberjacks, just for SFS

[amaliak.livejournal.com]

*dies of laughter*

GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love that the kid has a mustache.

Re: Lumberjacks, just for SFS

[koolaidmom11.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha...the baby has a moustache. Is that spelled right? Hahahaha

[thegreenkitty.livejournal.com]

*raises eyebrows at #2* I am so not writing that. :P

Now, #1, I could write...if only real life weren't keeping me busy. Sigh. Maybe later.

[thegreenkitty.livejournal.com]

Spray painting pilots!! The world needs it! Please?

Re: Lumberjacks, just for SFS

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

LOL! Hysterical!

Best friend next door.

[amaliak.livejournal.com]

Kara hugged Lee as tightly as her young arms could.

He was leaving in a few minutes (she's seen Mrs. Adama loading up the last of the boxes in the car), and she didn't know if she'd ever see her best friend again. Mr. and Mrs. Adama had been fighting a lot, and last week Lee had told her about the divorce.

She pulled away from him and gave him the most serious look an eight year old could give. "You're my best friend, Lee."

Lee nodded. "You're my best friend too, Kara."

"So we have to make a pact," she went on. "We're going to be friends forever." She spat in her hand and stuck it out for him to shake. Lee immediately spat in his hand as well and met hers, holding it firmly as they shook on the promise.

There was a car horn from the driveway, and they knew he had to go.

"Bye, Kara Thrace."

"Bye, Lee Adama."

He let go of her hand and ran off to where his mother was waiting. Just before he got into the car, he stopped and waved at her.

She waved back, and as the car drove off, she ran into the middle of the street, watching the car become smaller and smaller until it disappeared.

She angrily rubbed her face of the tears that were falling and started running as fast as she could towards the woods.

**END**

(or is it? should I continue?)

[damao2010.livejournal.com]

This is so great! You need to go on with it! Pretty please!!!!!

Re: AU Take 1

[damao2010.livejournal.com]

Oh... you got me hooked. Please tell me there will be more. :)