Act of War

Fanfiction
Title:	Act of War
Author(s):	Seema
Date(s):	2002
Length:
Genre(s):
Fandom(s):
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External Links:	Act of War on FFN
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Act of War is a Star Trek: VOY story by Seema.

It was the winner of a 2002 ASC Award.

Reactions and Reviews

Tragic, beautiful, touching, and utterly unforgettable.

I knew Seema could write good character stories -- and now I find that she can write action, too. It's good to see B'Elanna and Harry together again, even if they aren't on Voyager.

I like how from the first lines, Seema puts us firmly in the middle of the action. You know from the first that this is going to be a very different story in tone than any of what has come before in the Glory Days series, though there are constants. Most of the series puts together two of the regular characters apart from the others, often meeting unexpectedly. Here it is Harry Kim and B'Elanna Torres, albeit unlike in the other stories in the midst of crisis. I like the banter between them even if the middle of that. I love how Seema handles these characters, both separately and together. Seema moves the action along expertly, never plodding or dragging the pace with excess technobabble, but giving just the right level of description to put us there and keep us in suspense. As in all of these "Glory Days" stories, even when she doesn't appear, Janeway is an overwhelming presence and I love how her character is evoked with her one word reply to a fiasco: "Damn." This is probably the most intense story of the Glory Days series--and one that both tied my stomach up in knots with suspense as well as a little misty-eyed. "Act of War" is a great read.

Even though I knew how this story was going to end, what was going to happen, I still found myself caught up in the sheer excitement of the narrative, the battle, the injuries, the increasingly grim scenario that the characters found themselves in. Seema conveys the sense of urgency, of impending doom, so very, very well. The wonderful descriptions set the tone from the very beginning and the mood and intensity are never broken. In addition to the action/adventure aspects, the dialogue, the interactions between Harry and B'Elanna are so *right*, exactly what you'd want them to say to each other at a time like this. I love how their bond of friendship, their deep and abiding affection, is portrayed. And the ending still makes me cry.

If the rest of the "Glory Days" stories are a bouquet of exquisite white roses, this one is blood red - the one that stands out in memory. Rarely have I read a story so powerful and moving. It captures the bonds of friendship, courage under fire, and serenity in the face of death...a lot to pack into one short story but this one does it flawlessly. The end literally left me gasping. One of my favorite stories of the year.

I remember being completely blown away the first time that I read Seema's Act of War. I'm going to try very hard not to spoil it for anyone, but that will make it difficult to truly pass on the impact of this amazing story. It hits like a ton of bricks going about 100 mph and dropped from way high up. Act of War is all about courage, and resolute refusal to surrender in the face of utter defeat. It's about friendships that have been allowed to drift but that in the end are stronger than anything. It's a gut-wrenching, smoke-filled ride through disaster and devastation. And it is the most intense moment of the Glory Days series. I still get emotional, even months after having read it, when I remember this story. It's that good and that powerful. This is amazing work. The dialogue, the cameraderie, the poignancy. And the ending. My god, the ending. Holy sh*t. I guess I'm still blown away. Well done, Seema.

One of the most dramatic story this year. It reads like an episode with a nailbiting ending. The conversation between Harry and B'Elanna remind me of Year of Hell.

This action-packed episode spices up the Glory Days series; the explosions and technobabble are a nice change from encounters over coffee. B'Elanna and Harry work well together in so many ways. Seema does their friendship justice.

I will admit it...I was afraid to read this "Glory Days" story at first because I'd been spoiled enough on a few mailing lists to know what this story was about, and that there would be losses, as there always are in war. (Boy, is that ever being proven true any time one looks at a newspaper or the television news right now). This is a too-timely story, in many ways, but it doesn't lessen its power and impact because of the quality of its writing. Well done, Seema!

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