Rereading this story and I enjoy it so much. I love how Picard tries to fit into his new life, but can't stop being "the captain" because it's so ingrained in his very being that even his subconscious reactions betray it. I like Deanna and Data being the ones to figure out the truth, and the way you worked in other episodes from around that time. And of course, the awful paradox of (perhaps?) only being able to be with Beverly if he was *not* the captain. Great story.

omg! *bows*

this is even better than tapestry (and that's one of my favorite episodes of the franchise)

Very well done. Keep on writing.

Fantastic story - I just rewatched the relevant episode in fond memory. Loved the portrayal of all character, and the subtle threads - data noticing the captain references, Diana's emotional observations, the use of canon events as tells, the revised moral Q is trying to convey . . . I thoroughly enjoyed this entire story. Thanks for writing!

I'm still grinning at Riker's bitter comment ('another prissy, by-the-rulebook officer') and speechless at how easily I recognized Data in his logically flawless line of argument to support a downright lie... Leffler's taunt of Lieutenant Picard, j.g., about Heisenberg-condensators suggests that you did a thorough research for the story. I also enjoyed imagening her tantalizing him about his well oppressed, yet prominent strike of arrogance after she quotes Hedios. I could go on for quite a while like this... a great story after all, in my opinion. Thank you.

Awesome. You do Picard so well. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Especially clever was Picard thinking Data *didn't* notice anything and yet Data was the one to figure it out. And Riker being volatile pretty much the whole time? Accurate.

How the heck did I miss this freaking story? I have got to start checking more frequently before stories start falling off the first page! LOVE IT! Love that Robin is so blase with an officer that outranks her, that Q is up to mischief...and that Beverly brings down the hammer the first chance she gets! L-O-V-E IT!

Well I miss another story again...Fave author...problem solved!

P.S. "Wesley is guilty of no sin..." yeah except for whatever he was doing with Robin in that room after the Poker game!

Loved this story! You got Picard perfectly!

Wow what a different version. ;). Thanks for writing and sharing.

"Tapestry" remains one of my favourite episodes of all Star Trk. It strikes so many chords with me... Our potential, random events and circumstances, wasted opportunities and strokes of luck determine our lives but do not contitute our essence... And then there's the theory of multiverses that says that all possibilities do happen in some other dimensions, that whenever there's a fork in the road, there's no such such thing as a road-not-taken, and yet in our little lives we're always experiencing limitations, we become flattened-out, reduced to just one possibility, one possible outcome- we become our profession, our income bracket, even our social circle... on the one hand it may give us a sense of identity, but on the other it feels suffocating when one realizes just how confining, restraining, and... ridiculous it really is.

Now, the story;-)
I love the story, it made me revisit this great episode, it made me think, and it read really well.
So thank you for putting it up here for us to enjoy and forgive me that my comment took form of a digression hehe ;-) it's just that the subject matter is rather really thought-provoking...
Cheers:-)

Fantastic read! I liked the minute differences of the AU reality's characters, and Picard's changing perspectives of them. Also, it made a lot of sense that Deanna noticed the changes in "Lieutenant Picard" first, and made for a very striking beginning. The rest of the story was great, showing how Picard adjusted to his new life.

Q's meddling was the right mix of humor and exasperating events. He knows exactly how to rile Picard. I also like how Q waited to switch Picard back to his own reality, so that the Picard in the AU switched at the exact time that the true Picard did. It gave the entire time loop a "closed" feeling, as if coming full circle.

You're writing is great, and I am not surprised in the least that you got your works published. Congrats on that (how exciting!), and thanks for sharing them on also. I appreciate getting a chance to read your wonderful stories.

Such a good story! I very much like the idea of making Captain Halloway the direct oppsite to Picard, his disgusting demeanor, derrogative behaviour, etc. You also portray the characters of the TNG-series very similar, yet not too much. Only Beverly Crusher seems a bit ... distant to you. I would have liked their relationship be a bit less self-evident, as they struggle so hard in CPT Picards reality.

Yet your dramatic irony in the beginning, when Riker claims about "another by-the-book" officer, is worthy that of a Shakespeare.

yours, serenidad

Great Story

Epilogue?

I hope, at least, you're working on a new fic!

Great story! I kinda wished Picard had stayed in that reality and some how slowly undermine Captain Halloway's authority with the other bridge officers. It would have been such fun. Maybe some day you could write a short story where this did happen. I would love to read it. Keep up the good work and take care. :D

Now that was a fantastic read, very well done :D