Dreaming in Binary by blackSparrow (PG-13)
Title: Dreaming in Binary
Fandom: Homestuck
Pairing: Eridan Ampora♦Sollux Captor, Past Eridan Ampora♦Feferi Peixes, Past Sollux Captor♥Feferi Peixes
Categories: AU - No Sgrub Session, Helmsman Sollux Captor, Hurt/Comfort, Brainwashing, Copious Computer Speak, Space Pirates, Rebel Leader!Karkat
Length: Epic (51,774)
Warnings: Violence, minor character death, some body horror of the helmsman variety
Author on LJ: NA
Author Website:
blackSparrow
Author's Summary: Five sweeps after a powerful young psionic yellow-blood named Sollux Captor disappeared from his respiteblock, a certain violet-blood recruit boards the prestigious service of the Condesce's foremost battleship after taking out the )(eiress. That certain violet-blood proceeds to fuck everything up.
Review:
I'm fascinated by helmsman AUs but often too much of a wuss to read them. This one has its share of body horror and disassociation, but there's a steady progression toward Sollux 's recovery and bid for freedom that keeps this well within my limits. Plus Eridan is so turn-on-a-dime sulky, hopeful, selfish and heroic, that his campaign to return Sollux to being more than the ship's operating system is a joy to read. Partial success, paradoxically, makes things less bearable for Sollux as he comes to terms with the terrible reality of his situation. But the other trolls become more involved when there's an attempt to reach rebel leader Karkat to both warn him that the Empire has discovered the rebel base on Veridia and to make plans to free Sollux.
The characterizations are all beautifully handled; Sollux at the beginning is (rightly) more computer than troll, and the progression of his personality and subsequent feelings are bang on. Even characters like Equius and Karkat who have much smaller parts are just right. In fact the only problem I had-- and maybe I've missed some reasoning -- was that I didn't buy the rebels staying on Veridia. Granted, they're not sure they're talking to Sollux, but there are only 2 options: either the warning about Veridia comes from a friend, in which case they should leave, or it comes from an enemy who knows their location, in which case they should still leave. That aside, I had a great time reading this. It's got some beautiful character development, relationship building, action, and suspense.
Dreaming in Binary
Fandom: Homestuck
Pairing: Eridan Ampora♦Sollux Captor, Past Eridan Ampora♦Feferi Peixes, Past Sollux Captor♥Feferi Peixes
Categories: AU - No Sgrub Session, Helmsman Sollux Captor, Hurt/Comfort, Brainwashing, Copious Computer Speak, Space Pirates, Rebel Leader!Karkat
Length: Epic (51,774)
Warnings: Violence, minor character death, some body horror of the helmsman variety
Author on LJ: NA
Author Website:
blackSparrow
Author's Summary: Five sweeps after a powerful young psionic yellow-blood named Sollux Captor disappeared from his respiteblock, a certain violet-blood recruit boards the prestigious service of the Condesce's foremost battleship after taking out the )(eiress. That certain violet-blood proceeds to fuck everything up.
Review:
I'm fascinated by helmsman AUs but often too much of a wuss to read them. This one has its share of body horror and disassociation, but there's a steady progression toward Sollux 's recovery and bid for freedom that keeps this well within my limits. Plus Eridan is so turn-on-a-dime sulky, hopeful, selfish and heroic, that his campaign to return Sollux to being more than the ship's operating system is a joy to read. Partial success, paradoxically, makes things less bearable for Sollux as he comes to terms with the terrible reality of his situation. But the other trolls become more involved when there's an attempt to reach rebel leader Karkat to both warn him that the Empire has discovered the rebel base on Veridia and to make plans to free Sollux.
The characterizations are all beautifully handled; Sollux at the beginning is (rightly) more computer than troll, and the progression of his personality and subsequent feelings are bang on. Even characters like Equius and Karkat who have much smaller parts are just right. In fact the only problem I had-- and maybe I've missed some reasoning -- was that I didn't buy the rebels staying on Veridia. Granted, they're not sure they're talking to Sollux, but there are only 2 options: either the warning about Veridia comes from a friend, in which case they should leave, or it comes from an enemy who knows their location, in which case they should still leave. That aside, I had a great time reading this. It's got some beautiful character development, relationship building, action, and suspense.
Dreaming in Binary