Collateral Damage (Star Trek: TNG story)

Fanfiction
Title:	Collateral Damage
Author(s):	Djinn
Date(s):	2002
Length:
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Collateral Damage is a Star Trek: TNG story by Djinn.

It was nominated for a 2002 ASC Award.

Reactions and Reviews

This story contains all of the scenes I wish had been in "Nemesis"! The character's reactions were so true--I can actually see these taking place. For some reason, Data's death didn't have much emotional impact on me while I was in the theater. Maybe because I knew it was coming, maybe because I was too conscious of the many parallels to Spock's death in TWOK, maybe because B-4 seemed to be a 'reset button' waiting to happen. But reading this story made me feel *something*--Geordi's scene was particularly poignant, both his interaction with Spot ("he's not coming back, girl") and his final comment to B-4 ("I just don't think I can do this again.")

Djinn has a really nice way with these TNG characters and I love this look at all of them at the end of Nemesis. I especially enjoyed the parallels between the damage done to Picard and that to Deanna. Djinn manages to get under their skin and really show how these characters are coping with their loss.

I loved "Collateral Damage" for how it nailed the voices and personalities of the Next Generation crew. This story dealt with the aftermath of the events in the latest Star Trek movie Nemesis, giving us scenes I wish I we could have seen. All the characters and the effects of the events on them are handled sensitively and poignantly and I appreciated each and every point of view. The story drew me in right form the beginning and never let me go until it was finished. The way Geordi La Forge was drawn was particularly vivid, especially notable since he's a character I don't often see in fan fiction at all. Djinn really made me feel for him here. I also loved the way the relationship between Picard and Beverly Crusher was drawn. I found it poignant how she ruthlessly pushed whatever romantic feelings she had aside in order to help her captain. I also feel that Djinn really evokes Troi strongly in "Collateral Damage," giving her strength of character while not making her unrecognizable in order to do it and making her as plausible in her role as counselor as in her personal relationship with Riker and her professional one with Picard. Like all of Djinn's stories this is great writing, smoothly narrated and with fine characterizations. A pleasure to read and my favorite TNG story posted this year.

Djinn does a marvelous job at filling in the emotional gaps left by Nemesis. I especially appreciated the nod to Ten-Forward and the touching tribute to Jadzia. Djinn has such a lovely way with these characters, and her affinity for them is apparent in her handling of them in this story.

"Nemesis" didn't do very well at showing us the aftermath-- aside from one scene people barely grieved for Data. This is one of the best answers to that problem that I've read. Everyone's reactions to the traumatic events, from Deanna reacting to her psychic rape to Geordi grieving for his best friend, are vivid.

An excellent post-Nemesis story. I always love stories that examine the same event or person from different character's perspective. They really challenge a writer to find each speaker's voice. Djinn does a fine job with all the voices here.

Djinn shows the damage from Nemesis in a more realistic light than is usual for Trek. She weaves the individual scenes and characters together marvelously; I especially liked Geordi's annoyance with B4 and the Search for Spot.