The Alternative Quadrant

Website
Name:	The Alternative Quadrant
Owner/Maintainer:
Dates:	2000 - 2001
Type:	f/f
Fandom:	Star Trek Voyager
URL:	http://alternative-quadrant.tripod.com/ http://alternative-quadrant.hypermart.net/ (Wayback link)
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

The Alternative Quadrant was a Star Trek Voyager webzine. Staff included April Grant, Gina Dartt, Virago, Captain Starbuck, LZClotho, Chuckie and Pooneh Forooghi.

Issue 1 - February 2000

• Just Between Us - Did TBTB miss the boat with Janeway and Seven? Gina Dartt thinks so, and not for the reason you might think. Read this well-written and insightful discussion of the friendship that should have been.

• Warped To The Core - A column where Capt. Starbuck asks thought provoking and sometimes disturbing questions. This month? What if Seven was a Borg boy?

• Jeri Ryan AOL Chat - On Feb. 16, 2000, Jeri Ryan, Voyager's Seven of Nine, fielded questions for about 30 minutes on America Online. Read the transcript here and the reaction by our very own Lara aka lzclotho.

• Why Do I Still Love Voyager? - Why does Chuckie still love Voyager? The babes, man, the babes!

Issue 2 - March 2000

• The Observation Deck - What's In A Name? Glad you asked...a flap over the name of this Zine got our editor in a tizzy and derailed her other topic. Read all about it in this months rant.

As Editor of the Alternative Quadrant I see a lot of mail come through my e-mail. I received one that I have to address. I am going to address it here and then it will not be mentioned again on these pages. The e-mail is below, though it does not have its facts in order. This was not what I had in mind for the column this month, but please bear with me as I can not let my reputation or that of this zine be perceived in this manner.

When the idea for this zine was born it was born on the "Captain's Quarters" message board. I did not feel that I was qualified enough to do it alone, I also wanted the input of the F/F Trek community. The title and content of the zine was discussed at length there. Now, when I say at length, I mean it. The threads took up plenty of space and lasted several weeks, with many, many people providing input. (some of whom are on the staff of the zine as we speak) The title was suggested by a poster who I have since not had any contact with, through no fault of this zine. I wish I could remember who that poster was. As far as permission goes, it was granted on the message board and any number of people (two of which are on the staff) can attest to that. I did promise to give credit to said poster which I have been unable to do for the simple fact of I CANNOT remember who it was. (I think it may have been Andrewsfan, but until I am contacted by that person, I can do nothing.) Maybe I am just getting old and senile, who knows, but it was not and is not intentional. If the person who suggested the name would like to step forward I would love to give them the credit they so richly deserve. Please, e-mail me or the zine and let me know who you are. I will not, however, respond any longer to anonymous e-mails which serve no purpose other than to enflame me and beg for attention. (when I did not post the first e-mail in this column, I got the second e-mail - see below) I cannot credit or respond to anyone unless I know who they are; I made an exception here responding to an almost anonymous e-mail, but that will not happen again.

The Alternative Quadrant is meant for all of us. I have done my very best to enlist the help of the very best the Trekverse has to offer in the form or poets and writers and gone out of my way to not censor or edit any of the writers on the staff. By that same token, I will not censor myself; nor will I allow the reputation of this zine to be dragged through the mud. We want to have open debate and discussion on the many issues which you , the fan, deem important. However, I don't think this issue merits any more discussion. If and when the actual person who suggested the name comes forward, they will be credited at that time. **

There is one last point I would like to make. I understand wanting credit for suggesting the name, but, the zine has been online for almost 4 months and this is our 3rd Issue. Why has no one come forward before now? And why, when someone did come forward, was it not the person who suggested the name but a coward, who gave no helpful information and wouldn't even sign the e-mail?

• Just Between Us - Moriarty tried to take over the ship, Vic Fontaine was a friend, The Doctor is a valued member of the crew and even Kathryn Janeway has gotten involved with one; but does that mean that holograms can achieve sentience, or is it just...silliness? Read what Gina Dartt has to say about Holograms in this months column.

• Warped To The Core - A column where Capt. Starbuck addresses thought provoking and sometimes disturbing issues. This month? In Defense of the Holo-Stud. Don't throw things quite yet...go read it first...

• Writin Gud - Advice column for writers of Voyager fan fiction. This month? Names and Spellings

• Poem of the month - Each month the staff will pick a poem, or poems, that touch us and it will be published here.

• Fan Fiction Pick of the Month - Our very first Fan Fic O' the Month. "Knowledge"

Knowledge by Fewthistle.

This is an amazingly well-written short story. It is told from Janeway's point of view during a late night interlude with Seven of Nine. The images that it evokes are those of comfort and great joy while at the same time being a very erotic piece as well.

Fewthistle has a very good grasp on the character of Janeway and the inner working of her mind and heart. This is one of the most powerful and moving short stories I have ever read. I knew that I was reading something very erotic but sensual, not sexual. She uses beautifully chosen metaphor to create a sense of reverence. I was moved to tears.

Be sure to check out her site, Endless Voyager, her characterizations and story telling skills are among the best in any genre.

Issue 3 - April 2000

• The Observation Deck - Just when you thought there were no more good ideas left....the writers surprise us with a "haunting". See what our editor thought of this week's episode as she observes "The Haunting of Deck Twelve."

• Just Between Us - Chakotay and Icheb, Harry and Mezoti, Tuvok and the twins. Has Voyager missed another opportunity with the Borg Children? Would they be better off with Father figures than mother figures? Read this month's insightful column by the ever-relevant Gina Dartt and find out what a great addition the Borg Children could have been.

• Warped to the Core - A column where Capt. Starbuck addresses thought provoking and sometimes disturbing issues. This month? In 'A Little Knowledge', The good Capt. tells us just why all these rumors and "spoilers" may do more harm than good.

• Writin Gud - Advice column for writers of Voyager fan fiction. This month? Names and Spellings

• Poem of the month - Each month the staff will pick a poem, or poems, that touch us and it will be published here.

• Fan Fiction Pick of the Month - Our second Fan Fic O' the Month. "She Who Hesitates is Lost"

• Should TPTB Take a Chance? - Do we really TPTB to take a chance on Janeway and Seven, and if so, how do we go about getting our way? Pooneh gives us a reason and a rant on the subject in a special article this month that really puts it out there. As usual, it is worth the read.

• A Match Made in Hell? - Are Janeway and Seven the only couple on Voyager? What about Torres and Seven? Could all that animosity really just be thinly veiled desire? Maybe, Maybe not, but Virago makes a great case for it and gives us all something to think about.

• Voyager's Reflection - Is Voyager really a reflection of today's values? Star Trek always has been but does Voyager really carry on the tradition, like they seem to think, or does the mirror still not show our true face? An insightful and intelligent discussion of an issue that touches us all.

• Fan Fiction Review - "Sustenance"

Issue 4 - June 2000

• Warped to the Core - A column where Capt. Starbuck addresses thought provoking and sometimes disturbing issues. This month? In 'A Little Knowledge Part II', The good Capt. tells us just why a little knowledge about the people who make our show may be all we really need or want...

• Writin Gud - Advice column for writers of Voyager fan fiction. This month? Apostrophes

• Poem of the month - Each month the staff will pick a poem, or poems, that touch us and it will be published here.

• Fan Fiction Pick of the Month - Our third Fan Fic O' the Month. "Epiphany"

Epiphany By Angela McNelly

Sometimes an idea makes so much sense that you wish you would have thought of it your self; and sometimes you read a piece of fan fiction and it is so good that you wish you had written it yourself. This month's pick of the month is just such a story.

Angela has written a story that actually makes "Safe Haven" and "Spirit Folk" hurt just a little bit less. She has also created a character that I wish was canon. In Epiphany, Voyager finally gets a ships counselor, and that addition changes the lives of our Captain, her Borg, and the crew in ways that none of them could have even hoped for. Daynar is exactly the kind of person who could make these changes happen and just the kind of therapist I wish I had. I don't want to say anymore for fear I will ruin the experience for the readers. Suffice to say, read the story, you will be glad you did.

Be sure to check out her other stories as well, she is a fantastic author who writes for both Voyager and DS9. Might I recommend Safe Haven, another excellent story.

• Janeway is Hot - Come on. . .admit it, we like to read about Janeway having a sexual relationship. Love is good. Romance is great. But what we really like to read about is Janeway having sex. What Chuckie tells us is why?

• Totally Opinionated Reviews By Angel - We love it when fans care enough to send us their thoughts, and when they are this detailed and well thought out....we give them their own feature section. This month, Angel. Do you have a few reviews that you have written? Send them to us, and you could be here next month!

Issue 5 - August/September 2000

• Janeway...Naked...In a Tub - Got ya thinking huh? But sorry, Chuckie's article isn't about what you think. It is about the Voyager men. What? You say they're boring? EXACTLY.

• Seven Hopes for the Seventh Season - Whatever you think of the preceding six seasons every fan has hopes about what they want to see or not see in the last 22 episodes. Voyager is coming to an end and our own LZClotho found out what you, the fans, would like to see.

• Fair Haven Revisited - We love it when fans care enough to send us their thoughts, and when they are this detailed and well thought out and opinionated....we give them their own feature section. This month, Vivien, who shares her thoughts on Fair Haven among other things.

• Someone to Watch Over Me: A Commentary - Vivien turns her powerful introspection to this much discussed episode. Find out what the people on the Alternative Quadrant message board already know about this ever controversial, always interesting, Voyager fan.

• Fan Fiction Pick of the Month - And a Child Shall Lead Them By JCayan for J/7 and Guilty by DiNovia for T/7

• Poem of the month - The poems of diNovia

Issue 6 - November/December 2000

• Warped to the Core - A column where Capt. Starbuck addresses thought provoking and sometimes disturbing issues. This month? In a companion article to LZClotho's Seven Hopes, Capt. Starbuck explores what we all have to be afraid of in 'Seven Fears for the Seventh Season.'

• Stewing Up a New Season - Chuckie has plenty to say about Voyager, the seventh season and getting home. Read it in this month's piece but be warned, Chuckie's pissed!

• What is Kate Mulgrew Afraid of? - We love it when fans care enough to send us their thoughts, and when they are this detailed and well thought out and opinionated....we give them their own feature section. This month, Vivien again shares her thoughts. This month? Why does it seem like Kate Mulgrew is afraid of subtext?

• J/7: Voyager's Great Unspoken Romance - In a companion piece to What is Kate Mulgrew Afraid of?...,, Vivien turns her powerful introspection to "Imperfection", a much discussed episode. Find out what Vivien has to say about all the talk and speculation over an episode she has yet to see.

• Fan Fiction Review - A more in-depth review of a fanfic story, with a writer-to-writer perspective. "Dubious Honor"

• Fan Fiction Pick of the Month - Each month the staff will pick a piece of fiction that we feel is exemplary among Voyager fan fiction.

Each Issue the staff of The Alternative Quadrant has been choosing a fan fiction story that we feel exemplifies the best in Voyager fan fiction. So far, all of those stories but one has been a Janeway/Seven story. In order to facilitate more diversity in Voyager fandom and to encourage more writers to share their work, we will now pick 2 stories for fan fiction of the month, one from the J/7 faction and one from the T/7 faction. We will also consider stories about other pairings as they are brought to our attention. Please let us know what you thought of our picks and feel free to nominate/bring to our attention stories that you feel deserving. The only stipulation is that they be complete.

Now, without further ado.....

The Editor and Staff of The Alternative Quadrant is proud to present this issue's choices for Fan Fiction of the Month.

For J/7: Permanent Scars By Ellen Milholland

This is quite simply one of the most powerful and erotic stories I have read. Ellen has taken Janeway and Seven into very dark territory indeed and has emerged with a beautifully erotic and haunting series that will be in your thoughts long after you finish reading it. I only hope that we have not seen the last installment in the series. Maybe I can convince her to write something for the zine...yea..that's it....

For T/7: Course: Redemption by Wyldchilde

Inspired by the episode Course: Oblivion, this story is the conclusion many of us would have liked to see in order to get the nasty taste of that Tom/B'Elanna wedding out of our mouths. Wyld is one of the few men who write Voyager f/f fan fiction and a welcome addition to the fold and the mesage board. He is getting more talented and skilled with every story he writes. I can only hope to be able to say I knew him when...

And this Month we also have a special selection

For inventiveness and for the fact that this is Halloween and also because she is truly one of my FAVORITE authors who I am sure will grace these pages many more times.....

Bloodfire by Lisaof9

I am not going to say anything other than, Lisa has done it again. Go now and read this story.

• Poem of the month - Each month the staff will pick a poem, or poems, that touch us and it will be published here.

Issue 7 - 2001

• The Observation Deck

• Repair Crews - What could the TPTB have done to make the episodes better? This column is currently looking for a new writer. Do you feel you have what it takes to add a little spice to an otherwise dull ep? Please contact [email protected]

• Trailer Talk Now including (yak) Human Error!! - Star Trek: Voyager promos (which in the biz are called "trailers") have always been beyond description - until now. Do they tease us with tantalizing shots of next week's show, making us writhe in anticipation of The Best Episode Yet? Or are they a fanciful rendering of nothing much at all, using cute clips cut from the show. Now there is a place where you can read Just Exactly What Happened in the promo: Trailer Talk!

• Warped to the Core - A column where Capt. Starbuck addresses thought provoking and sometimes disturbing issues.

• Reviews and Streams of Consciousness - Reviews and random thoughts (and the occasional rant!) from the always relevant, Pooneh. Check her to see what she thought of the most recent Voyager episode, a rant or two or what her favorite eps are and why.

• The Writers' Padd - This section focuses the spotlight on the fiction for Star Trek Voyager. You'll find in-depth story reviews, fan fic pick of the month, poetry, interviews with authors, and links to collections (see reference below). It will grow with advice for writers, and eventually e-mail addresses of readers willing to offer their services beta editing. Featuring a NEW fan fiction pick of the month for both J/7 and B/7! Also, new poetry.

• Episode Guide - You asked for it and now we are giving it to you. A comprehensive episode guide in the same style as the syndication schedule below. With overall, subtext and tape-worthy categories all addressed, this is a feature that should help all Voyager fans. This feature is still under construction and will be added to daily until all episodes are represented. For now, seasons four, five and what we know of seven are complete.

• Syndication Schedule On Hold - This is our way of helping you navigate the strange world of late night Trek! This list will help separate the chaff from the wheat. With synopsis from the Official site and ratings for overall content, subtext and tape-worthiness, it is an invaluable resource for the rabid Voyager fan.

• Message Board Soon to be moved to a new home. - A place to discuss J/7, B/7, Voyager, other sci-fi shows and the people who create them, Trek in general, this zine, our stories, fan fiction and/or anything else your minds can think up. Think of it as a cyber living room.

• Links - Here you can find all kind of links, from the Official Site to the best fan fic sites. If we have missed a link, please feel free to let us know.

• Imperfection Close to Perfection - A new writer to the Alternative Quadrant but hopefully not her last submission. A very thoughtful and thorough review of one of our favorite episodes of the season.