Virtual Season Update

Eric Paddon · October 7th, 2020, 11:41 PM

This section has not been updated in a long while but I wanted to take note of the fact that the series has continued in the yahrens since the last story posted here and has now reached Season 5, Episode 1 in terms of posting at the original Galactica fanfic site.

https://galacticafanfic.com/stories/season5.html

The total number of stories posted

Season 2-17 episodes

Season 3-17 episodes

Season 4-19 episodes

So this means that since 2004 when we first started, we have managed to churn out a continuum of 54 stories with contributions from seven authors. And we have managed to amazingly hold the overall continuity together and keep it on course for many more stories to come.

My own contributions to this effort were more in the beginning and then I fell away from the project for a number of yahrens but last year I returned to it and I've learned to discover all over again that the greatest therapy for the fact that we never had a true continuation/reunion or some worthwhile novels and comic books, is to let our own creativity come forth in the written word.

Logistically it's probably not feasible to get these stories up here as well, but the original fanfic site I think will continue to offer a good home for the new ones and the site is also worth checking out for the nearly 25 years worth of stories and crossovers contributed by so many other people.

BST · October 8th, 2020, 05:08 PM

Eric,

Good to hear from you again. I can upload the Season 4 and Season 5 stories for you, if you like. Do you have them in WORD format, by any chance?

Eric Paddon · October 8th, 2020, 05:59 PM

I'd be happy to do that! I'd need to convert the files in all likelihood but it can be done. Can you PM me so I can handle the e-mail address details?

Eric Paddon · December 29th, 2020, 07:37 PM

Glad to see the first wave of the updates to the VS here! More are to come and it's again nice to know there are multiple homes for what has been a group labor of love since 2004 and is still ongoing.

BST · January 30th, 2021, 06:48 PM

Just a note, to let the word go forth, that the discussion threads for the VS stories have been created and are available for use.

Eric Paddon · February 2nd, 2021, 02:31 AM

Thanks, Pete! At the very least, they'll be an opportunity to leave a permanent comment on the intent behind the stories.

BST · February 2nd, 2021, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Paddon

Thanks, Pete! At the very least, they'll be an opportunity to leave a permanent comment on the intent behind the stories.

Eric,

You're welcome!

It was my pleasure getting this updated. It brought back a lot of good memories, adding art treasures to the site, both literary and visual.

DrWho42 · February 24th, 2021, 12:06 PM

thanks for the update!

Gundark · May 23rd, 2021, 11:37 AM

I am into season 3 so far, and just finished reading episode 6 "Resolutions".

What an incredible project by this fine group of writers - I am tremendously enjoying the ongoing story, to the point of seriously neglecting continuing work on my own tale of the ragtag fleet !

Thank you so much for all who contribute - your efforts are truly valued !

Eric Paddon · May 23rd, 2021, 11:50 PM

Glad you're enjoying the stories! We thank you for your continued interest.

And by all means keep writing your own tales too.

Senmut · May 24th, 2021, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gundark

I am into season 3 so far, and just finished reading episode 6 "Resolutions".

What an incredible project by this fine group of writers - I am tremendously enjoying the ongoing story, to the point of seriously neglecting continuing work on my own tale of the ragtag fleet !

Thank you so much for all who contribute - your efforts are truly valued !

Thanks.

Are you thinking of contributing, at al?

Gundark · May 25th, 2021, 06:01 PM

Senmut - gosh, I don't know. All the contributors are so impressive, its rather intimidating, really. I think I would need a dictionary of Colonial terms, beyond units of time & distance, that you folks are using.

I have only written one piece of finished fan fiction, which was to fill in the angst ridden missing pieces from seasons 1-3 of Being Human (the UK version), from my certain point of view (you know, that old Jedi chestnut).

I started a new fic (BSG) a few months ago, picking up at the end of the season and am just fleshing out my antagonist, but stopped to go back and watch some episodes (don't you just hate that ?) to be sure I get canon details correct when I need to refer back to them. I'm willing to post it when its complete, methinks, but your Virtual Season project is such a juggernaut, I'm humbled !

Eric Paddon · May 25th, 2021, 07:50 PM

As the sort of unofficial "managing editor" of the VS project, we're always happy to see new potential contributors. We're at the moment in a bit of a lull waiting for the designated author of episode 2 of Season 5 to finally finish his story and then after that there are about six stories already finished that are waiting in line to follow. Once we get through that backlog and have our ongoing plotlines up to speed (I won't mention what one of them is since you're still in Season 3!

) that will open things up for any new ideas that I know we'd be glad to discuss.

Best in your current effort!

Gundark · May 26th, 2021, 04:35 PM

Thanks for holding back those spoilers, Eric !

I had spent 2 1/2 days avoiding the internet until I could get to the theatre to see Endgame. That was quite a trick !

Gundark · May 27th, 2021, 04:56 PM

As opposed to jumping over to the individual review threads for each episode, I'll just make my comment here (because I enjoy breaking rules) -- Episode 11 (What you wish for) was just....I'm at a loss for words, which for someone like me, never happens. I think I enjoyed that one the most so far - even being highly suspicious (and rightly so) that Iblis was behind the entire scenario. Painting the pictures in my head, from the story, brought me to the conclusion that this would have had to be aired on HBO or Cinemax or some illegal channel beamed from the Outer Rim.

Just a bloody right brilliant illusion, that. I don't know if I can re-watch (yet again) any episodes with Apollo & Sheba together and not look at them a little differently !

Senmut · May 27th, 2021, 09:13 PM

Well, all I can say is thanks, Gundark. I have had so little feedback from any of my VS stories. Yours certainly is most welcome. I hoped that I had captured the characters as they truly are. From your response, it seems I at least got close.
Anything you gonna write?

EDIT: The Galactica and the Fleet turn up in my collection of stories, Forever Alpha. Available (Shameless plug! Shameless plug!) on Lulu Press, and Amazon.

Gundark · May 28th, 2021, 05:18 AM

Senmut, I absolutely believe you hit on what the characters would evolve into, given that situation that they were manipulated into. The core strengths of Apollo and Sheba, in their real lives as Warriors, naturally would carry over into another dimension, or existence, from my viewpoint.

The story I am working on, I believe I noted previously, is set right after the end of the season, so I am clearly way behind you guys in terms of fleet time passed. That would be a great name for a band : Fleet Time Passed !

I have my antagonist, but have just come up a second character that opens up a whole can of new worms (not the bore worms), who is going to be instrumental in future stories. I banged hard on work all week, so I can attack some serious writing over the holiday since the weather in my part of Pennsylvania ain't gonna be so great the next couple days.

Eric Paddon · May 28th, 2021, 07:53 PM

Best with your writing! And we'll look forward to your thoughts as you continue through the VS.

Senmut · May 28th, 2021, 10:22 PM

Thanks, EP. Just gotta sell a million!

Dionysios · May 29th, 2021, 03:31 PM

Hello

Its been awhile since I've read the virtual seasons. I think the last one was season 4.
Enjoyed them very much. I recently have been reading Eric's episode adaptations.
Been there in the 70s when the series aired, and have all the novels. Love the adaptations. More detail in them than from what I remember. I like the effort to keep the terminology accurate. Must be my OCD.

Gundark · July 2nd, 2021, 04:34 PM

The VS project was tremendous - just a superb effort on the parts of all those who contributed. I really enjoyed it !! Oh, how I wish they had given us just one more season, at least (but minus some of the wonky threads that Larson was throwing out there, egad).

I have now dug into Eric's versions of the of the televised episodes, and am partway into WOTG. To jump back to Fire in Space, I think you really filled in some huge plot holes in a very detailed fashion, Eric. You wove in a lot of additional dialogue and situations that made it much more cohesive.

I've read a lot of comments about that episode being low on a lot of lists (and of course we're all entitled to our likes & dislikes), but I feel the entire concept was a very plausible idea. In fact the story I am working on has kamikaze strikes figuring into a part of it. I never said it was going to be pretty, folks.

Senmut · July 2nd, 2021, 09:57 PM

Glad someone is reading it! Writers dolike some feedback.

Eric Paddon · July 3rd, 2021, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gundark

The VS project was tremendous - just a superb effort on the parts of all those who contributed. I really enjoyed it !! Oh, how I wish they had given us just one more season, at least (but minus some of the wonky threads that Larson was throwing out there, egad).

I have now dug into Eric's versions of the of the televised episodes, and am partway into WOTG. To jump back to Fire in Space, I think you really filled in some huge plot holes in a very detailed fashion, Eric. You wove in a lot of additional dialogue and situations that made it much more cohesive.

Thanks! Glad you've enjoyed the VS and hopefully in the next few months the logjam will soon be broken and we'll have seven new stories to run (at least one longstanding plotline will finally be resolved)

"Fire In Space" was the very first adaptation I did back around 1996 I think and it did help set a template where I wanted to "fix" plot holes in the episode as it aired, but at the same time to respect the basic continuity points of the episodes themself and not "reinvent" things the way the Thurston novelizations did where the Cylons were still reptiles etc. Doing the adaptations out of sequence also kind of helped give me a sense of where foreshadowing needed to take place etc. And even the episodes I didn't end up adapting (GOIPZ, Lost Warrior, Take The Celestra) I still made sure to acknowledge so that they still did happen.

Appreciate your feedback and I know we'll be looking forward to your story efforts too.

Gundark · July 6th, 2021, 04:53 PM

A couple quick questions, for verification, guys - and there is probably a proper thread somewhere for this, but I'm on roll writing this evening (when I should be writing appraisal reports).

Do we know where the Commander's quarters were in relation to the bridge ?

What was Cree's most recently known rank ?

What is the list of Colonial military titles, from lowest to highest ? Am I correct it starts with Cadet ?

I would just like to be sure I have these things correct, if possible, before I start tossing people out the airlock.

Eric Paddon · July 6th, 2021, 05:31 PM

I know what it feels like to get into a writing groove! Once you do, you just can't stop and it's great to keep riding the wave to completion.

Some things there isn't an established "canon" and you shouldn't feel bound by anything another author does with something. Cree for instance we never saw as more than a Cadet, so whatever rank he is now is kind of an open question based on how long is your story taking place after "Hand Of God?" Presumably he'd still be of enlisted rank, so he could be Corporal or Sergeant. I don't think personally he'd be an officer at this point because he probably wouldn't have had a chance to get that high up. OTOH, there's enough to suggest Jolly has been promoted from Sergeant to Lieutenant over the course of the series.

I'd have to check on how precise enlisted ranks are since there could be variants of "Flight Sergeant", "Wing Sergeant" etc. that I've never seen locked down. In terms of officer rank, these are the only specific ones mentioned in the series.

Ensign
Lieutenant
Captain
Colonel
Commander

Apollo as "Strike Captain" might fall in the category of rank higher than anyone else who is "Captain". Hatch novels and fanfic have invented the rank of "Major" in between Captain and Colonel but that's an optional type of thing IMO.

I know there's a set of blueprints of the Galactica around somewhere that could answer your other question probably but I think my assumption was the Bridge was the top most deck and that at least one or two levels down would be Adama's quarters/office though I was only plucking that out of the air. It would have to be relatively close but I think from a basic security/safety precaution it would not be on the same deck level.

Hope that helps and happy writing!

Gundark · July 6th, 2021, 05:45 PM

That is some great detailed information there, Eric - thank you for helping me with my questions. I was a little vague on the "Major" as well, I don't think I'm going to use that.

Eric Paddon · August 17th, 2021, 09:44 PM

Well, after too much idleness I can report that things are going to be changing in the VS in the next couple weeks. One way or another I intend to have Episode #2 and then Episode #3 of Season 5 ready and then the month of September is going to bring five more stories (four involving the parallel plight of the Pegasus) which will bring the total number of VS stories up to 62 total.

Punisher454 · August 18th, 2021, 12:43 AM

Sounds Great!
Ive enjoyed the VS project very much.
I noticed recently that S05E01 was out and have been anxiously waiting for the time to read it.

Eric Paddon · August 18th, 2021, 03:38 PM

Glad you've enjoyed them! Episode 1 is probably of all the VS stories I've personally written the one I most enjoyed doing.

Eric Paddon · September 13th, 2021, 07:36 PM

And at long last, episodes 2, 3, 4 and 5 of Season 5 are now up and ready for reading!