Author's Note:

It's always tricky writing fan fiction for a show that is still in production. This story was plotted and laid out just after "Level of Necessity" aired, and it broadly accepts as background canon everything shown in episodes up to that point, although I have slightly inflected a few details. Later episodes, however, flatly contradicted some of my grounding assumptions. I have blandly ignored these contradictions, while adopting some other elements of later canon. Moreover, this story takes place very early in the show's timeline. If it had happened in canon, some events after its end would certainly have transpired differently than as they did in the early episodes.

So this story is one of the minor kinds of AU. (There are, however, no elves. You have my word.) Readers disturbed by this prospect are requested to set it aside now and go watch an episode, where they may contemplate such canonical facts as that Hawkes was born in 2053 but was six years old in 2063; that skilled pilots are routinely used as infantry grunts; and that U.S. Marines under heavy fire never use the word "fuck."

Well, actually, they don't swear much in this story, either. I guess these are just kinder, gentler space marines. Enjoy.

Warnings, if any exist, are here.

Read Chains of Being here. (91,000 words, 516K)

Or read it in parts:

• I: In-Vitro Gestational and Educational Facility, Philadelphia, PA (11,100 words, 68K)
   • interlude: nightmare
• II: USMC Space Aviator Recruit Depot, Loxley, AL (21,000 words, 120K)
   • interlude: dream
• III: US Naval Carrier Saratoga, Fornax Sector (31,500 words, 184K)
   • interlude: twilight
• IV: US Naval Carrier Saratoga, Musae Sector (24,100 words, 144K)
   • epilogue: awakening

Chains of Being is copyright © 1996 by Shoshanna. This novel contains over 91,000 words, and includes explicitly sexual scenes (slash and straight); it is not meant to be read by natural-born humans under the age of eighteen, or by in-vitros under the age of two. This is an amateur publication, and is not meant to infringe upon copyrights held by Hard Eight Productions or by any other person or corporation. The Lieutenant has the utmost respect and admiration for the Colonel, and regrets any words or actions which may have insulted the Colonel's honor.

I want to thank everyone who helped me research and write this, including Karen, Paul, Nan, Carol, the Interlibrary Loan Department of the Johns Hopkins University Library, and the Baltimore recruiting station of the United States Marine Corps--may they never, never know. Special thanks to Jennifer, Christine, Laura, and Meg, without whom this novel would be rather shorter and a whole lot worse than it is now. And very, very special thanks to Lee, for being there from the beginning, and to Sarah, who is the only reason I could finish.