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ship_manifestoTitle: Stand, Speak, Man, Woman--Or How To Find A 'Ship From Waaay Between the Lines.
Characters: Reed/Sato of Star Trek: Enterprise
Author: Stexgirl2000
Spoilers: All of seasons 1,2,3 and the start of 4
Email: Stexgirl2000@yahoo.com
Notes: Thanks to all the folks over at Linguistics Database, the Hoshi fan's haven for fanfic and it's owner/web-goddess Judy and to Shi Shi 2525 who took a gander at this before I put it here.
First off, let me say that some of what I'm about to posit about this 'ship has been covered before in defense of other 'ship pairings and the whole notion of why people write fanfic in the first place. However I hope that I'm imbuing this essay with enough original insights and reasons that you, the reader, won't drop off to sleep before I get to the end.
For many people, fanfic is an extension of canon events or canon relationships from a show/movie/novel. Sometimes, in the case of slash pairings, there is canon subtext that can be explored. But for many of us who write and read fanfic, it's the extrapolation of the characters beyond what is considered canon that lights our imaginative fires. We don't just peel back the layers of subtext, we go for the grout that holds the character interactions together. We see a tiny spark of...well something between the characters in a scene and grab onto that moment. Sometimes that spark comes from actual lines the characters say, but usually it come from something much subtler than how the lines were said, or what the actors may do with a look or glance. It is spark of unintended chemistry and it makes us go “Hmmmmm...”
So when we see that moment of spark, we jump on it and volia! -- a new 'ship. It's not canon, not even remotely possible in the canon universe because there's usually another spanner in the works. What's more, those moments we grab upon happen between characters that could be so much more than what the script writers offer us. They are the characters who are more (and yet still a bit less) than secondary elements in a show.
Such is the case with Star Trek: Enterprise.
Enterprise, as you may well know, is the latest installment of the Trek Universe and it's a prequel to the Original Series. Set before the founding of the Federation, it was supposed to be about humans being to new to the whole “Let's Go Intergalactic” life that's been shown in the other Trek Series. Everyone old is new again for the Enterprise characters: The Vulcans, Andorians, Tellarites, Orions, Klingons—the folks on the Enterprise are getting to know them and other standard Trek aliens.
Thus there is supposed to be a fresh take on all the things that are taken for granted in the Trek Universe. Starfleet warp engines don't go above five safely. Transporter technology is still new and dangerous. Holodecks are not on Starfleet ships, phasers don't exist yet, nor does the Prime Directive. The Universe is still new and very dangerous territory—or at least it's supposed to be that way.
On Enterprise we've been given seven characters, four humans, two aliens. Jonathan Archer, the captain who is carrying the burden of making his late father's dreams come true and yet wants to explore on his own terms . T'Pol, the Vulcan Sub-commander who is assigned to these human explorers and grows to find friendship (and more) with them. Charles “Trip” Tucker the III, the Southern chief engineer who seems like a good old boy but is much more and is Archer's best friend. Malcolm Reed, the ship's no-nonsense armory officer, stereotypically the “stiff-upper Brit” who likes to make things go “boom”. Hoshi Sato, a young woman who was child prodigy in languages, now a full professor who is recruited by Archer to be his communications officer. Travis Mayweather, a young pilot who was raised on his family's cargo ship—a “boomer” who has more real life space experience than the rest of the bridge crew. Phlox, the Denoublian doctor who is part of a Medical exchange program for doctors and is very curious about humans.
(Oh, and there is Porthos, Archer's dog. Man's best friend gets to go into space too.)
Overall a selection of characters that should be fascinating for scriptwriters to play with.
However, the Powers That Be have decided that the “main” three characters (Archer—T'Pol—Tucker) be given the most development. Of the other four, we've been given an episode or two each season devoted to them in some fashion or one of them given a sort of “fourth wheel” status in many of the episodes. But the complex characterization and ensemble work that was found on Deep Space Nine, or the somewhat even-handed ensemble episodes that were found on The Next Generation or even on Voyager isn't the case. Such things don't happen as often as it could, or should, on Enterprise.
But that hasn't stopped many of us from finding the four “secondary” characters fascinating to build fanon around and 'shippable.
For me the Malcolm Reed and Hoshi Sato stood out as characters interesting enough to ship without twisting myself into impossible 'shipper knots.
During the first season, Malcolm Reed is presented to viewers as man totally devoted to his duty, somewhat more military minded than the rest of his Starfleet peers, and doesn't get along well with his parents, or more precisely, his father. (He also got one the greatest lines ever in Broken Bow when showing Archer the settings on the new phase pistol: “This one is for stun, this one is for kill, it's best not to get themconfused.”) As the first season progressed, we learned that Reed gets obsessed with his work (Silent Enemy), has allergies (various episodes), at one point thinks Hoshi Sato is coming onto him (Silent Enemy again), trains Sato to shoot weapons more accurately (Sleeping Dogs), can unwind enough to build a snowman on a comet with Mayweather (Breaking The Ice) and apparently bedded a string of women while on Earth that didn't lead to long term relationships (Shuttlepod One), and starts to form a friendship with Trip Tucker (Shuttlepod One and other episodes).
By the second season we see that he's willing do whatever is necessary to protect the ship and its crew (as in setting up a trap and later getting savagely beaten by the Suliban to help get Archer back from the future in Shockwave), isn't very comfortable with Archer's command style and suffers from aquaphobia (which we learn in Minefield), gets space sick in free fall and becomes cranky when not able to bathe (The Catwalk), is interested in Earth history and has a bit of a romantic streak (Future Tense) and apparently can be catastrophically forgetful (the episode “The Communicator, which I detest). We see him do his job in varying degrees (most notably planning an attack in Cease Fire) and gets to blow things up (Regeneration). He engages in a not so subtle dance of mutual seduction with an alien woman (Cogenetor) and gets to rescue Archer—too many times to really count. We see him having good relationships with the other members of the bridge crew, albeit in small, brief scenes scattered through out the year.
By the third season, we see him acting to counter his Captain's darkness (Anomaly), at times puts forth a different point of view in strategy and helps carry out a great many attacks and away missions (too many episodes to list for season three but I have to say that Impulse stands out for me) and tries to be a good friend to Trip Tucker (The Xindi) We,see his more angry and petty side as he deals with challenges to his authority or lack of it (Harbringer), bonds with T'Pol over Archer's behavior during different episodes (The Xindi, Hatchery), has another unforgettable moment when he shoots T'Pol as she's being held hostage in “North Star” (his expression is priceless). He has a poignant moment of sadness when it's revealed that he might be doomed to be alone is he doesn't learn to commit (or something) in E2. We find out that he can beat the crap out of a highly trained MACO (Harbinger), and considers Hoshi Sato a good friend and tells Major Hayes this before the MACO and his team rescues her in Countdown. In Zero Hour he gets to have a big speech with the surviving MACO members and a big fight while helping to destroy the Xindi weapon.
So far in season four, not much is happening directly to Reed, although he's in the thick of things and gets to be in a bar fight to protect Phlox in the episode “Home.”
As for Hoshi Sato, her character development has been as hit and miss as Malcolm Reed's. During the first season we learn that Hoshi was a language prodigy and is a full professor who has helped with the development of the new universal translator. She is on leave from Starfleet when Archer charms/tempts her into joining the crew of the Enterprise. We get some idea that Archer knows her in some way, but it is never fully explained as much as his relationship with Trip Tucker is. She is shown as not being fully comfortable being out in space, has claustrophobia and struggled with her fears and insecurities during the first two episodes. (She screams a great deal in Broken Bow and Fight or Flight.)
As the season continued, we see her going through more training to improve her shooting and self-defense skills, is able to “find things out” according to Archer (he sets her on the task to find out Reed's favorite food for his birthday in Silent Enemy), begins to bond with the other crew members and isn't afraid of having a one night stand while on shore leave (Two Days and Two Night—best known for her getting laid while Tucker and Reed get rolled by shape shifters as if they were teenaged virgins from the Porky's movies).
By season two, Sato's development is still hit and miss. She gets to overcome her claustrophobia by crawling to Reed's quarters to get him out of confinement--by the way losing her top in the process and saying to a very surprised Reed “Don't say a word” in Shockwave. In other episodes we learn that she and Mayweather are friends who pull practical jokes on each other (Dead Stop) , is able to cook (Singularity) continues to go on away missions to pre-warp worlds (The Communicator), has become quite adept at using phase pistols and rifles—enough to show off her skills (Mauraders), practices her Denobulan with Phlox and seems to have bonded with him somewhat (Stigma), and gets a whole episode devoted to her character—Vanishing Point.
As plots go, Vanishing Point does have to be a lot to be desired but Hoshi gets many stand out moments: we see her fear of being not appreciated by her fellow crewmates, her struggle to be noticed, her ability to overcome her fears and stay calm and collected to do something proactive when she thinks the ship is in danger.
I wish I could say that Hoshi gets more of a spotlight in other episodes for the rest of the season, but she really doesn't. She is possessed in “The Crossing” but it's not really her that we get to see. We see her horror about the attack on Earth at season's end, but nothing more than that.
By the third season Hoshi is shown to have quite the range of computer skills, being able to hack into various Xindi computers and databases through out the season. We see her somewhat mutated by an alien virus, and Mutant Sato is a strong person who doesn't want go off track from her quest to find her “home.” We get a Hoshi centric episode in “Exile” which gives us more insight into Hoshi.
In it we see a woman who is strong enough to insist that she be left alone with an alien who has contacted her telepathically for the good of mission to save Earth. A woman who wants to do all she can to help to save Earth. (Although, one of the complaints about the episode is “What were they thinking! How could they let her go down to a mind invading alien’s lair wearing her skimpy best and can’t spare even one Redshirted MACO to protect the only linguist who can crack any of the Xindi languages and database? Are they all on crack?)
During the rest of the episode we learn that Hoshi is most likely a latent telepath (something that is unfortunately not delved into too deeply during the episode) that she had a close relationship with her grandfather and spent a great deal of her childhood cut off from others as she was tutored in languages. It is revealed that she still feels somewhat cut off from her crewmates and a bit of loner, even though she confided to both Phlox and Reed at the beginning of the episode, clearly has the trust of Archer, and cherishes her friendship with Mayweather.
By the end of the episode Hoshi has figured out that the alien, Tarquin, is trying to trick her into staying. Instead of the fearful woman who screamed a great deal in Broken Bow, we see a seasoned officer who manages to take the one object Tarquin cannot live without and threaten him with its destruction to send her back to the ship.
Other highlights for Hoshi come at the end of season three: She helps in fooling the Xindi Degra in Stratagem. In E2 we find out that her possible future self has two children but doesn't want to know who the father is. She is key in communicating with the Aquatic Xindi in The Council, gets kidnapped by the Reptilian Xindi in Countdown and fights their efforts to brainwash her. She manages to add a layer of encryption and tries to kill herself to stop the Xindi when her ruse is discovered. After she is rescued she performs bravely while helping Archer decode the launch sequence on the Xindi weapon and stays at her post once she and Reed return to the Enterprise.
For the start of season four, Hoshi has only had a few moments, most notably a scene with Phlox as he gives her the last treatment to rid her of the parasites the Reptilian Xindi used to control her at the end of season three. When he decides not to go to dinner with her and Mayweather, she gives Phlox a pep talk about not giving in and letting the xenophobic fears that caused the bar fight he was in earlier in the episode stop him from visiting Earth.
So what does all of the canon bits and pieces get us? On the one hand, some inconsistency. Reed is supposed to be very professional and picky about his work, and then he has a hissy fit and bitch fight with Major Hayes over pissing rights as to who is in charge. Sato is shown to be warm and a people person in season one, but then is shown to be more distant in season two and three, but close friends with Phlox and Mayweather. (Actually, we see more interactions with Phlox, but that's another bone to pick with the writers.)
Looking over the past three seasons, one can make the case that if you look at both characters, Reed and Sato are people who on the one hand feel isolated from the fellow crewmates and tend to do a great deal of that isolation all by themselves. Yet both have forged friendships with their fellow command crew members. Both of them seem to want intimacy, yet haven't been able to have long term relationships. Both struggle with insecurity about their abilities and the regard their crewmates have for them, yet try to rise to the challenges put before them. They both have trust issues when you distill it all down to its essence.
Unfortunately, those issues really haven't been explored very deeply in canon, but for using the characters in fanfic, it's a goldmine.
Given the under use of Reed and Sato, one may ask, why anyone would ship them when there isn't a lot there in the first place?
Three Reasons: Looks, Chemistry, and Character Flaws
One: The actors who play Reed and Sato are really good looking people who just look spectacular together. Look at any of the official cast pictures or any scene where Reed and Sato share the same shot. They just look “right”. They'd make make a smashing couple. They're practically the same hight, which would make sex much easier a proposition. Really. I mean, any more than a four inch difference means getting creative or sticking to some tried and true sexual positions.
Trust me on this people. :grins:
Two: Going beyond this shallow reason, the characters, when they've been allowed to interact, show great chemistry. Unfortunately, most of those moments were in season one. Two episodes standout for most Reed/Sato shippers: Silent Enemy and Sleeping Dogs, although there are lots of small moments scattered through season one as well. In Silent Enemy we have Sato, under Archer's orders to find out about Reed's favorite foods for his birthday, going to great lengths to contact his family and friends back on Earth. She does do an inadvertent come on (a line about trying her Enchiladas) which Reed turns down, but one gets the sense very reluctantly because of his chain of command issues. In Sleeping Dogs, they are going through target practice together and there is a sense of ease between the two. They work well together on the Klingon ship and at the end of the episode, they sit very close to each other in the decon chamber, leaning against each other. (And if you look at the screen caps, they give each other some very heated look all through the episode, but especially in the decon room.) For 'shippers who look for the little signs, that's a big one.
And let me just say, the screen caps for that scene...they're nice. Very nice. Go look for yourself: http://www.lingdata.net/listings/archives/cat_captures.html
In season two there are moments as well, the scene in Shockwave where Sato frees Reed from his quarters after loosing her shirt, Reed's concern for Hoshi when she gets hurt in Minefield (when reporting injuries, he says her name directly), the easy banter at the beginning of The Communicator and during The Catwalk, the looks they give each other in Mauraders as Hoshi shows off her phase rifle skills to the aliens they are training (one thinks that Reed is ready to shag her there and then after she confidently explains the best way to handle the rifle), Reed's concern for Sato at the end of Vanishing Point.
In season three there is a small but telling interaction between the mutated Reed and Sato where he lets her get away with stealing his “maggot egg” and eat it. He shows some concern about her in Exile, and makes a point of talking to Major Hayes in Countdown about her rescue and says that she's his friend.
Little moments like those let 'shippers read between the lines.
Three: As I pointed out in the first section, when you get right down to it, Reed and Sato are characters that have a lot of issues about trust. They both show signs of feeling like outsiders/marginalized within the community of the Enterprise. (I'd say in Reed's case, considering how many times Archer's gone off without back up or gotten himself kidnapped, I'd say he should feel marginalized with good reason...but that's another essay for another group!)
I'd say that without a doubt, the two of them could very well be the most fucked up people on the Enterprise, beating T'Pol's trellium addiction, Archer's moral quandaries, and Tucker's grief over his sister. That's because for Reed and Sato, their problems are more long term, while for the “Big Three”, their angst has been due to more recent events and not from a long term outlook on/expectations of life.
They both have issues with their families. From the first season it's established that Reed is estranged from his family. Sato never mentions hers and only seems to be fond of her Grandfather. The one time we see one of her parents is in Vanishing Point and considering that the whole episode ends up being in her head, her father comes off a cold and distant. There's more: Sato was raised in relative isolation because she was a prodigy, Reed was told that he let his tradition bound Royal Navy father down by being aqua phobic and wanting to explore the stars in Starfleet. They have commitment issues: He's had a string of meaningless affairs, she didn't want to know who the father of her children could be. All of those are fun little bits to play with, especially if you like angst with your romance and/or porn.
Or as one of my friends more simply put it: “Reed can be an uptight sleaze while Sato can be an emotionally distant bitch. What's not to love?”
In the end, I ship Reed and Sato because as underused characters go, they're the most interesting. More interesting than the “Big Three” of Enterprise. More interesting because they have the most potential for deep angst and deep love.
That being said, if you're intrigued by my assertions, but not convinced, I have some story recommendations that I hope will convince you that Reed/Sato is good 'ship, a rockin' 'ship, a het 'ship that makes sense in the Enterprise universe. A 'ship that is fun.
My first recommendation is the story that really got me hooked on Reed/Sato as a ship and inspired me to write fan fiction myself: Shi Shi's The Protector's Lament
This story has it all, great characterizations of both Malcolm and Hoshi. It's got action, adventure, angst, as well as sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. I'm not kidding about the last part—it does, but trust me, it's different than what you might think.
Once you read the Protector's Lament, you'll want to read all of Shi Shi's follow up Protector stories. Do so, but know that they go into more alternative universe territory, but not so much so that you're totally out of canon. The rest of the Protector Stories be found at the Linguistics Database, which is linked below, although in the future the final versions will at her Coffeeslash site.
(And yes, if you noticed my thank you at the top of the page, you'll see I thanked Shi Shi for looking over this. I got to know her waaaay after I read The Protector's Lament and I loved the story and was recommending it to read before I knew her.)
No matter what fandom or pairing, for fanfic that is subtle, complex and often leaves one gaping in awe there are Nostalgia's stories. Her Reed/Sato stories are usually not happy, but they are really satisfying in a way that defies description. She makes the characters painfully imperfect at times, but in a good way. My favorites are as follows:
Etymology
Ensign
Vergessen
Downinnewyork (DINY) has three stories that are full of emotion and bring out many facets of Reed/Sato:
Breaking Circadian Rhythm
Solstice
Three Moons
She also co-wrote with Taryn Eve Darling It's a must read. If you are not moved by this story there is something wrong with you.
Taryn Eve has several Reed/Sato stories that have a wonderful mix of whimsy, wonder and melancholy, often with a dash of sex and twisted humor thrown in for good measure.
My favorites are: A Summer's Day
English Breakfast
Desert Isle
Miera writes both het, gen and slash with wit, humor, a flair for rueful angst and sexiness. Her Reed/Sato stories are no exception.
She did a series of stories that started with this one: Rescue Operation It is followed by Seconds,This Tale, A Prayer For Malcolm Reed and Knots. They all can be found at Linguistics Database. Read them all.
And for sheer hot, sweet porn, you can't go wrong with this story by her: Home For The Holidays
She's not writing fanfic anymore, but Xenutia's writing is exquisite. That's the only word I can come up with. Her imagery is some of the best I've read. If she ever decides to finish the last story she was writing, I'll weep with joy.
You must read the following by her:
Under My Skin (It may be more Gen than 'ship fic, but it's got good Reed/Sato interaction)
Incentive
Starcrossed
Another writer who hasn't written in the Trekverse for a while is Mnemosyne. Her Reed/Sato stories can be sexy and funny or utterly heartbreaking. For those of you who like angst, horror and like to cry, I recommend Holy Angels Guard Thy Rest
If laughter is more your speed, then this by her will have you rolling on the floor:
Hearts and Arrows
This wonderful first time story by her made me green with envy. I wish to God I'd written it; it's just the most lush and bittersweet NC-17 story I've ever read. Ships In The Night
One of the funniest, sexiest, stories I've ever read, and mean EVER read is Jyorraku's and Chrysa's Kiss Me Once, Kiss Me Twice. If you do not laugh 'till you cry, there is something wrong with you. Both writers have other Reed/Sato stories over at Linguistics Database.
If you really like AU stories, one of the better writers is Paradox (or ZenosParadox as she's known over at ff.net. Her stories sweep you along with action, adventure and romance. My favorite of her AU's is her Alternate Views series where Reed becomes the linguist and Sato is the armory officer. Start with Dark Angel There are fourteen parts to the series, but if you read only up to part seven “Resting Place”, you'll get the full sweep and scope of the series. A very complete archive of her AU's can be found over at Linguistics Database.
One of the Queens of Sato-centric porn (and good porn!) is Dominatreks. She combines humor, angst and hot sex in a way few can match. In my opinion Strangers is one of the best NC-17 stories out there. It's a very plausable story about Reed and Sato meeting before the Enterprise's launch and what happens afterward.
If light bondage is more your game and you don't think it's a stretch that a guy as tightly coiled as Reed would need to find “outlets” for his tension, read Porno For Pyros.
CJ is known mainly for Tucker/Sato stories, but her story Nobody is a wonderful story about how Reed and Sato are taken for granted/disregarded by Archer.
Steph is a writer who is funny, romantic and just writes well. Plus she has Reed quoting John Donne. How can you not like a fic that does that? Start with Moments in Time and then read Close Quarters.
Vesper is a lovely writer, giving us quiet, introspective moments between characters and beautiful imagry. Her story “Sono” isn't finished yet but can be found at the MHExplosion group. Finished stories include In The Waiting and Permanence
Apocalypse is one of those writers that you read and wish they would write some more. Rose Among The Dandelions is a great story about Reed falling in love with Sato from afar.
KaliedescopeCat is a writer who really does some interesting things with Reed and Sato, often using classic works of fiction as a jumping off point. More Gen fics include Just A Dream and Frankenstein's Daughter.
However I think the best story that KaliedescopeCat has written so far is The Shadow Riders. It's a Lord of The Rings/Enterprise crossover. And don't give me that look of disbelief. It's good. Very good. She stays true to the Tolkien novels and the movies and manages to put Reed and Sato in that universe naturally. It's one of the best crossover stories I've ever read and you won't regret reading this.
Chibi-Kaz has written some of the sexiest, romantic Reed/Sato vignettes. Read Girl's Night and its companion Girl's Night 2. You'll want to learn to tango, if nothing else. There is also a great season three story Present Progressive Tense that gives an interesting twist to the fates of Reed and Sato in episode E2.
The Libran Iniquity is one of the most interesting writers over at ff.net. These Reed/Sato stories aren't all hearts and flowers, well written, and very interesting. Start with For The Sins Of Thy Father, go onto High On Lullabies and enjoy.
Michmak has written some lovely short stories about Reed and Sato. Bridge is the first, followed by Sato Voce, Strays, Drowning, and Stargazing.
Finally I've been told by Shi Shi and several of my LJ friends that I should mention some of my own stories. I'm a bit hesitant to pimp my own stuff, but I've been told that it's okay as long as I don't go overboard. So I did a poll and that's what being recommended, along with one of my favorites. I've written a great deal of Reed/Sato and there are a few stories I'm pretty proud of. You don't have to read them, but here are the links if you're interested.
First the stories that everyone can read:
Fallout -- A story about the consequences from decisions made.
Minding The Baby --pure fluff.
The Quiet Man -- Reed being silent in the face of losing it all.
Rubber Duckie -- Short, silly, sweet, this came from a challenge.
Of my NC-17 rated stories people recommend the following:
All The Wrong Reasons -- My take on why Reed/Sato is a wonderfully screwed up 'ship.
House of Blue Tides --An erotic quest for both Sato and Reed.
Voyeur -- This story deals with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in Sato and the dark sides of both Reed and Tucker. It's one of the darkest fics I've ever written.
Siren's Scent-- My mix of humor and sex. All the bridge crew gets laid in this, except for poor Phlox.
Silk and Silence This is one of my favorites.
I could go on forever rec'ing writers, so if nothing else, you should go over to Linguistics Database and just poke around. (www.lingdat.net) A repository of fan fiction devoted to Hoshi Sato, it has one of the most Reed/Sato stories out there, plus other Sato pairings and gen stories as well. Most of the stories and authors I've recommended are archived there. If you want to read newer stories or ones that are still in progress, you need to join the forums there. But it's worth doing so, because archive updates usually happen only a few times a year.
There is also the MHExplosion group at Yahoo. Lots of stories about Reed/Sato are posted there as well as lively discussion about the 'ship and Enterprise.
The EntSTCommunity (www.entstcommunity.org) has the Warp 5 Fan Fiction Archive (a goldmine of fic) and there are many Reed/Sato stories there as well.
I hope you take the time to read through the story recommendations and enjoy Reed/Sato as a pairing.
Characters: Reed/Sato of Star Trek: Enterprise
Author: Stexgirl2000
Spoilers: All of seasons 1,2,3 and the start of 4
Email: Stexgirl2000@yahoo.com
Notes: Thanks to all the folks over at Linguistics Database, the Hoshi fan's haven for fanfic and it's owner/web-goddess Judy and to Shi Shi 2525 who took a gander at this before I put it here.
First off, let me say that some of what I'm about to posit about this 'ship has been covered before in defense of other 'ship pairings and the whole notion of why people write fanfic in the first place. However I hope that I'm imbuing this essay with enough original insights and reasons that you, the reader, won't drop off to sleep before I get to the end.
For many people, fanfic is an extension of canon events or canon relationships from a show/movie/novel. Sometimes, in the case of slash pairings, there is canon subtext that can be explored. But for many of us who write and read fanfic, it's the extrapolation of the characters beyond what is considered canon that lights our imaginative fires. We don't just peel back the layers of subtext, we go for the grout that holds the character interactions together. We see a tiny spark of...well something between the characters in a scene and grab onto that moment. Sometimes that spark comes from actual lines the characters say, but usually it come from something much subtler than how the lines were said, or what the actors may do with a look or glance. It is spark of unintended chemistry and it makes us go “Hmmmmm...”
So when we see that moment of spark, we jump on it and volia! -- a new 'ship. It's not canon, not even remotely possible in the canon universe because there's usually another spanner in the works. What's more, those moments we grab upon happen between characters that could be so much more than what the script writers offer us. They are the characters who are more (and yet still a bit less) than secondary elements in a show.
Such is the case with Star Trek: Enterprise.
Enterprise, as you may well know, is the latest installment of the Trek Universe and it's a prequel to the Original Series. Set before the founding of the Federation, it was supposed to be about humans being to new to the whole “Let's Go Intergalactic” life that's been shown in the other Trek Series. Everyone old is new again for the Enterprise characters: The Vulcans, Andorians, Tellarites, Orions, Klingons—the folks on the Enterprise are getting to know them and other standard Trek aliens.
Thus there is supposed to be a fresh take on all the things that are taken for granted in the Trek Universe. Starfleet warp engines don't go above five safely. Transporter technology is still new and dangerous. Holodecks are not on Starfleet ships, phasers don't exist yet, nor does the Prime Directive. The Universe is still new and very dangerous territory—or at least it's supposed to be that way.
On Enterprise we've been given seven characters, four humans, two aliens. Jonathan Archer, the captain who is carrying the burden of making his late father's dreams come true and yet wants to explore on his own terms . T'Pol, the Vulcan Sub-commander who is assigned to these human explorers and grows to find friendship (and more) with them. Charles “Trip” Tucker the III, the Southern chief engineer who seems like a good old boy but is much more and is Archer's best friend. Malcolm Reed, the ship's no-nonsense armory officer, stereotypically the “stiff-upper Brit” who likes to make things go “boom”. Hoshi Sato, a young woman who was child prodigy in languages, now a full professor who is recruited by Archer to be his communications officer. Travis Mayweather, a young pilot who was raised on his family's cargo ship—a “boomer” who has more real life space experience than the rest of the bridge crew. Phlox, the Denoublian doctor who is part of a Medical exchange program for doctors and is very curious about humans.
(Oh, and there is Porthos, Archer's dog. Man's best friend gets to go into space too.)
Overall a selection of characters that should be fascinating for scriptwriters to play with.
However, the Powers That Be have decided that the “main” three characters (Archer—T'Pol—Tucker) be given the most development. Of the other four, we've been given an episode or two each season devoted to them in some fashion or one of them given a sort of “fourth wheel” status in many of the episodes. But the complex characterization and ensemble work that was found on Deep Space Nine, or the somewhat even-handed ensemble episodes that were found on The Next Generation or even on Voyager isn't the case. Such things don't happen as often as it could, or should, on Enterprise.
But that hasn't stopped many of us from finding the four “secondary” characters fascinating to build fanon around and 'shippable.
For me the Malcolm Reed and Hoshi Sato stood out as characters interesting enough to ship without twisting myself into impossible 'shipper knots.
During the first season, Malcolm Reed is presented to viewers as man totally devoted to his duty, somewhat more military minded than the rest of his Starfleet peers, and doesn't get along well with his parents, or more precisely, his father. (He also got one the greatest lines ever in Broken Bow when showing Archer the settings on the new phase pistol: “This one is for stun, this one is for kill, it's best not to get themconfused.”) As the first season progressed, we learned that Reed gets obsessed with his work (Silent Enemy), has allergies (various episodes), at one point thinks Hoshi Sato is coming onto him (Silent Enemy again), trains Sato to shoot weapons more accurately (Sleeping Dogs), can unwind enough to build a snowman on a comet with Mayweather (Breaking The Ice) and apparently bedded a string of women while on Earth that didn't lead to long term relationships (Shuttlepod One), and starts to form a friendship with Trip Tucker (Shuttlepod One and other episodes).
By the second season we see that he's willing do whatever is necessary to protect the ship and its crew (as in setting up a trap and later getting savagely beaten by the Suliban to help get Archer back from the future in Shockwave), isn't very comfortable with Archer's command style and suffers from aquaphobia (which we learn in Minefield), gets space sick in free fall and becomes cranky when not able to bathe (The Catwalk), is interested in Earth history and has a bit of a romantic streak (Future Tense) and apparently can be catastrophically forgetful (the episode “The Communicator, which I detest). We see him do his job in varying degrees (most notably planning an attack in Cease Fire) and gets to blow things up (Regeneration). He engages in a not so subtle dance of mutual seduction with an alien woman (Cogenetor) and gets to rescue Archer—too many times to really count. We see him having good relationships with the other members of the bridge crew, albeit in small, brief scenes scattered through out the year.
By the third season, we see him acting to counter his Captain's darkness (Anomaly), at times puts forth a different point of view in strategy and helps carry out a great many attacks and away missions (too many episodes to list for season three but I have to say that Impulse stands out for me) and tries to be a good friend to Trip Tucker (The Xindi) We,see his more angry and petty side as he deals with challenges to his authority or lack of it (Harbringer), bonds with T'Pol over Archer's behavior during different episodes (The Xindi, Hatchery), has another unforgettable moment when he shoots T'Pol as she's being held hostage in “North Star” (his expression is priceless). He has a poignant moment of sadness when it's revealed that he might be doomed to be alone is he doesn't learn to commit (or something) in E2. We find out that he can beat the crap out of a highly trained MACO (Harbinger), and considers Hoshi Sato a good friend and tells Major Hayes this before the MACO and his team rescues her in Countdown. In Zero Hour he gets to have a big speech with the surviving MACO members and a big fight while helping to destroy the Xindi weapon.
So far in season four, not much is happening directly to Reed, although he's in the thick of things and gets to be in a bar fight to protect Phlox in the episode “Home.”
As for Hoshi Sato, her character development has been as hit and miss as Malcolm Reed's. During the first season we learn that Hoshi was a language prodigy and is a full professor who has helped with the development of the new universal translator. She is on leave from Starfleet when Archer charms/tempts her into joining the crew of the Enterprise. We get some idea that Archer knows her in some way, but it is never fully explained as much as his relationship with Trip Tucker is. She is shown as not being fully comfortable being out in space, has claustrophobia and struggled with her fears and insecurities during the first two episodes. (She screams a great deal in Broken Bow and Fight or Flight.)
As the season continued, we see her going through more training to improve her shooting and self-defense skills, is able to “find things out” according to Archer (he sets her on the task to find out Reed's favorite food for his birthday in Silent Enemy), begins to bond with the other crew members and isn't afraid of having a one night stand while on shore leave (Two Days and Two Night—best known for her getting laid while Tucker and Reed get rolled by shape shifters as if they were teenaged virgins from the Porky's movies).
By season two, Sato's development is still hit and miss. She gets to overcome her claustrophobia by crawling to Reed's quarters to get him out of confinement--by the way losing her top in the process and saying to a very surprised Reed “Don't say a word” in Shockwave. In other episodes we learn that she and Mayweather are friends who pull practical jokes on each other (Dead Stop) , is able to cook (Singularity) continues to go on away missions to pre-warp worlds (The Communicator), has become quite adept at using phase pistols and rifles—enough to show off her skills (Mauraders), practices her Denobulan with Phlox and seems to have bonded with him somewhat (Stigma), and gets a whole episode devoted to her character—Vanishing Point.
As plots go, Vanishing Point does have to be a lot to be desired but Hoshi gets many stand out moments: we see her fear of being not appreciated by her fellow crewmates, her struggle to be noticed, her ability to overcome her fears and stay calm and collected to do something proactive when she thinks the ship is in danger.
I wish I could say that Hoshi gets more of a spotlight in other episodes for the rest of the season, but she really doesn't. She is possessed in “The Crossing” but it's not really her that we get to see. We see her horror about the attack on Earth at season's end, but nothing more than that.
By the third season Hoshi is shown to have quite the range of computer skills, being able to hack into various Xindi computers and databases through out the season. We see her somewhat mutated by an alien virus, and Mutant Sato is a strong person who doesn't want go off track from her quest to find her “home.” We get a Hoshi centric episode in “Exile” which gives us more insight into Hoshi.
In it we see a woman who is strong enough to insist that she be left alone with an alien who has contacted her telepathically for the good of mission to save Earth. A woman who wants to do all she can to help to save Earth. (Although, one of the complaints about the episode is “What were they thinking! How could they let her go down to a mind invading alien’s lair wearing her skimpy best and can’t spare even one Redshirted MACO to protect the only linguist who can crack any of the Xindi languages and database? Are they all on crack?)
During the rest of the episode we learn that Hoshi is most likely a latent telepath (something that is unfortunately not delved into too deeply during the episode) that she had a close relationship with her grandfather and spent a great deal of her childhood cut off from others as she was tutored in languages. It is revealed that she still feels somewhat cut off from her crewmates and a bit of loner, even though she confided to both Phlox and Reed at the beginning of the episode, clearly has the trust of Archer, and cherishes her friendship with Mayweather.
By the end of the episode Hoshi has figured out that the alien, Tarquin, is trying to trick her into staying. Instead of the fearful woman who screamed a great deal in Broken Bow, we see a seasoned officer who manages to take the one object Tarquin cannot live without and threaten him with its destruction to send her back to the ship.
Other highlights for Hoshi come at the end of season three: She helps in fooling the Xindi Degra in Stratagem. In E2 we find out that her possible future self has two children but doesn't want to know who the father is. She is key in communicating with the Aquatic Xindi in The Council, gets kidnapped by the Reptilian Xindi in Countdown and fights their efforts to brainwash her. She manages to add a layer of encryption and tries to kill herself to stop the Xindi when her ruse is discovered. After she is rescued she performs bravely while helping Archer decode the launch sequence on the Xindi weapon and stays at her post once she and Reed return to the Enterprise.
For the start of season four, Hoshi has only had a few moments, most notably a scene with Phlox as he gives her the last treatment to rid her of the parasites the Reptilian Xindi used to control her at the end of season three. When he decides not to go to dinner with her and Mayweather, she gives Phlox a pep talk about not giving in and letting the xenophobic fears that caused the bar fight he was in earlier in the episode stop him from visiting Earth.
So what does all of the canon bits and pieces get us? On the one hand, some inconsistency. Reed is supposed to be very professional and picky about his work, and then he has a hissy fit and bitch fight with Major Hayes over pissing rights as to who is in charge. Sato is shown to be warm and a people person in season one, but then is shown to be more distant in season two and three, but close friends with Phlox and Mayweather. (Actually, we see more interactions with Phlox, but that's another bone to pick with the writers.)
Looking over the past three seasons, one can make the case that if you look at both characters, Reed and Sato are people who on the one hand feel isolated from the fellow crewmates and tend to do a great deal of that isolation all by themselves. Yet both have forged friendships with their fellow command crew members. Both of them seem to want intimacy, yet haven't been able to have long term relationships. Both struggle with insecurity about their abilities and the regard their crewmates have for them, yet try to rise to the challenges put before them. They both have trust issues when you distill it all down to its essence.
Unfortunately, those issues really haven't been explored very deeply in canon, but for using the characters in fanfic, it's a goldmine.
Given the under use of Reed and Sato, one may ask, why anyone would ship them when there isn't a lot there in the first place?
Three Reasons: Looks, Chemistry, and Character Flaws
One: The actors who play Reed and Sato are really good looking people who just look spectacular together. Look at any of the official cast pictures or any scene where Reed and Sato share the same shot. They just look “right”. They'd make make a smashing couple. They're practically the same hight, which would make sex much easier a proposition. Really. I mean, any more than a four inch difference means getting creative or sticking to some tried and true sexual positions.
Trust me on this people. :grins:
Two: Going beyond this shallow reason, the characters, when they've been allowed to interact, show great chemistry. Unfortunately, most of those moments were in season one. Two episodes standout for most Reed/Sato shippers: Silent Enemy and Sleeping Dogs, although there are lots of small moments scattered through season one as well. In Silent Enemy we have Sato, under Archer's orders to find out about Reed's favorite foods for his birthday, going to great lengths to contact his family and friends back on Earth. She does do an inadvertent come on (a line about trying her Enchiladas) which Reed turns down, but one gets the sense very reluctantly because of his chain of command issues. In Sleeping Dogs, they are going through target practice together and there is a sense of ease between the two. They work well together on the Klingon ship and at the end of the episode, they sit very close to each other in the decon chamber, leaning against each other. (And if you look at the screen caps, they give each other some very heated look all through the episode, but especially in the decon room.) For 'shippers who look for the little signs, that's a big one.
And let me just say, the screen caps for that scene...they're nice. Very nice. Go look for yourself: http://www.lingdata.net/listings/archives/cat_captures.html
In season two there are moments as well, the scene in Shockwave where Sato frees Reed from his quarters after loosing her shirt, Reed's concern for Hoshi when she gets hurt in Minefield (when reporting injuries, he says her name directly), the easy banter at the beginning of The Communicator and during The Catwalk, the looks they give each other in Mauraders as Hoshi shows off her phase rifle skills to the aliens they are training (one thinks that Reed is ready to shag her there and then after she confidently explains the best way to handle the rifle), Reed's concern for Sato at the end of Vanishing Point.
In season three there is a small but telling interaction between the mutated Reed and Sato where he lets her get away with stealing his “maggot egg” and eat it. He shows some concern about her in Exile, and makes a point of talking to Major Hayes in Countdown about her rescue and says that she's his friend.
Little moments like those let 'shippers read between the lines.
Three: As I pointed out in the first section, when you get right down to it, Reed and Sato are characters that have a lot of issues about trust. They both show signs of feeling like outsiders/marginalized within the community of the Enterprise. (I'd say in Reed's case, considering how many times Archer's gone off without back up or gotten himself kidnapped, I'd say he should feel marginalized with good reason...but that's another essay for another group!)
I'd say that without a doubt, the two of them could very well be the most fucked up people on the Enterprise, beating T'Pol's trellium addiction, Archer's moral quandaries, and Tucker's grief over his sister. That's because for Reed and Sato, their problems are more long term, while for the “Big Three”, their angst has been due to more recent events and not from a long term outlook on/expectations of life.
They both have issues with their families. From the first season it's established that Reed is estranged from his family. Sato never mentions hers and only seems to be fond of her Grandfather. The one time we see one of her parents is in Vanishing Point and considering that the whole episode ends up being in her head, her father comes off a cold and distant. There's more: Sato was raised in relative isolation because she was a prodigy, Reed was told that he let his tradition bound Royal Navy father down by being aqua phobic and wanting to explore the stars in Starfleet. They have commitment issues: He's had a string of meaningless affairs, she didn't want to know who the father of her children could be. All of those are fun little bits to play with, especially if you like angst with your romance and/or porn.
Or as one of my friends more simply put it: “Reed can be an uptight sleaze while Sato can be an emotionally distant bitch. What's not to love?”
In the end, I ship Reed and Sato because as underused characters go, they're the most interesting. More interesting than the “Big Three” of Enterprise. More interesting because they have the most potential for deep angst and deep love.
That being said, if you're intrigued by my assertions, but not convinced, I have some story recommendations that I hope will convince you that Reed/Sato is good 'ship, a rockin' 'ship, a het 'ship that makes sense in the Enterprise universe. A 'ship that is fun.
My first recommendation is the story that really got me hooked on Reed/Sato as a ship and inspired me to write fan fiction myself: Shi Shi's The Protector's Lament
This story has it all, great characterizations of both Malcolm and Hoshi. It's got action, adventure, angst, as well as sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. I'm not kidding about the last part—it does, but trust me, it's different than what you might think.
Once you read the Protector's Lament, you'll want to read all of Shi Shi's follow up Protector stories. Do so, but know that they go into more alternative universe territory, but not so much so that you're totally out of canon. The rest of the Protector Stories be found at the Linguistics Database, which is linked below, although in the future the final versions will at her Coffeeslash site.
(And yes, if you noticed my thank you at the top of the page, you'll see I thanked Shi Shi for looking over this. I got to know her waaaay after I read The Protector's Lament and I loved the story and was recommending it to read before I knew her.)
No matter what fandom or pairing, for fanfic that is subtle, complex and often leaves one gaping in awe there are Nostalgia's stories. Her Reed/Sato stories are usually not happy, but they are really satisfying in a way that defies description. She makes the characters painfully imperfect at times, but in a good way. My favorites are as follows:
Etymology
Ensign
Vergessen
Downinnewyork (DINY) has three stories that are full of emotion and bring out many facets of Reed/Sato:
Breaking Circadian Rhythm
Solstice
Three Moons
She also co-wrote with Taryn Eve Darling It's a must read. If you are not moved by this story there is something wrong with you.
Taryn Eve has several Reed/Sato stories that have a wonderful mix of whimsy, wonder and melancholy, often with a dash of sex and twisted humor thrown in for good measure.
My favorites are: A Summer's Day
English Breakfast
Desert Isle
Miera writes both het, gen and slash with wit, humor, a flair for rueful angst and sexiness. Her Reed/Sato stories are no exception.
She did a series of stories that started with this one: Rescue Operation It is followed by Seconds,This Tale, A Prayer For Malcolm Reed and Knots. They all can be found at Linguistics Database. Read them all.
And for sheer hot, sweet porn, you can't go wrong with this story by her: Home For The Holidays
She's not writing fanfic anymore, but Xenutia's writing is exquisite. That's the only word I can come up with. Her imagery is some of the best I've read. If she ever decides to finish the last story she was writing, I'll weep with joy.
You must read the following by her:
Under My Skin (It may be more Gen than 'ship fic, but it's got good Reed/Sato interaction)
Incentive
Starcrossed
Another writer who hasn't written in the Trekverse for a while is Mnemosyne. Her Reed/Sato stories can be sexy and funny or utterly heartbreaking. For those of you who like angst, horror and like to cry, I recommend Holy Angels Guard Thy Rest
If laughter is more your speed, then this by her will have you rolling on the floor:
Hearts and Arrows
This wonderful first time story by her made me green with envy. I wish to God I'd written it; it's just the most lush and bittersweet NC-17 story I've ever read. Ships In The Night
One of the funniest, sexiest, stories I've ever read, and mean EVER read is Jyorraku's and Chrysa's Kiss Me Once, Kiss Me Twice. If you do not laugh 'till you cry, there is something wrong with you. Both writers have other Reed/Sato stories over at Linguistics Database.
If you really like AU stories, one of the better writers is Paradox (or ZenosParadox as she's known over at ff.net. Her stories sweep you along with action, adventure and romance. My favorite of her AU's is her Alternate Views series where Reed becomes the linguist and Sato is the armory officer. Start with Dark Angel There are fourteen parts to the series, but if you read only up to part seven “Resting Place”, you'll get the full sweep and scope of the series. A very complete archive of her AU's can be found over at Linguistics Database.
One of the Queens of Sato-centric porn (and good porn!) is Dominatreks. She combines humor, angst and hot sex in a way few can match. In my opinion Strangers is one of the best NC-17 stories out there. It's a very plausable story about Reed and Sato meeting before the Enterprise's launch and what happens afterward.
If light bondage is more your game and you don't think it's a stretch that a guy as tightly coiled as Reed would need to find “outlets” for his tension, read Porno For Pyros.
CJ is known mainly for Tucker/Sato stories, but her story Nobody is a wonderful story about how Reed and Sato are taken for granted/disregarded by Archer.
Steph is a writer who is funny, romantic and just writes well. Plus she has Reed quoting John Donne. How can you not like a fic that does that? Start with Moments in Time and then read Close Quarters.
Vesper is a lovely writer, giving us quiet, introspective moments between characters and beautiful imagry. Her story “Sono” isn't finished yet but can be found at the MHExplosion group. Finished stories include In The Waiting and Permanence
Apocalypse is one of those writers that you read and wish they would write some more. Rose Among The Dandelions is a great story about Reed falling in love with Sato from afar.
KaliedescopeCat is a writer who really does some interesting things with Reed and Sato, often using classic works of fiction as a jumping off point. More Gen fics include Just A Dream and Frankenstein's Daughter.
However I think the best story that KaliedescopeCat has written so far is The Shadow Riders. It's a Lord of The Rings/Enterprise crossover. And don't give me that look of disbelief. It's good. Very good. She stays true to the Tolkien novels and the movies and manages to put Reed and Sato in that universe naturally. It's one of the best crossover stories I've ever read and you won't regret reading this.
Chibi-Kaz has written some of the sexiest, romantic Reed/Sato vignettes. Read Girl's Night and its companion Girl's Night 2. You'll want to learn to tango, if nothing else. There is also a great season three story Present Progressive Tense that gives an interesting twist to the fates of Reed and Sato in episode E2.
The Libran Iniquity is one of the most interesting writers over at ff.net. These Reed/Sato stories aren't all hearts and flowers, well written, and very interesting. Start with For The Sins Of Thy Father, go onto High On Lullabies and enjoy.
Michmak has written some lovely short stories about Reed and Sato. Bridge is the first, followed by Sato Voce, Strays, Drowning, and Stargazing.
Finally I've been told by Shi Shi and several of my LJ friends that I should mention some of my own stories. I'm a bit hesitant to pimp my own stuff, but I've been told that it's okay as long as I don't go overboard. So I did a poll and that's what being recommended, along with one of my favorites. I've written a great deal of Reed/Sato and there are a few stories I'm pretty proud of. You don't have to read them, but here are the links if you're interested.
First the stories that everyone can read:
Fallout -- A story about the consequences from decisions made.
Minding The Baby --pure fluff.
The Quiet Man -- Reed being silent in the face of losing it all.
Rubber Duckie -- Short, silly, sweet, this came from a challenge.
Of my NC-17 rated stories people recommend the following:
All The Wrong Reasons -- My take on why Reed/Sato is a wonderfully screwed up 'ship.
House of Blue Tides --An erotic quest for both Sato and Reed.
Voyeur -- This story deals with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in Sato and the dark sides of both Reed and Tucker. It's one of the darkest fics I've ever written.
Siren's Scent-- My mix of humor and sex. All the bridge crew gets laid in this, except for poor Phlox.
Silk and Silence This is one of my favorites.
I could go on forever rec'ing writers, so if nothing else, you should go over to Linguistics Database and just poke around. (www.lingdat.net) A repository of fan fiction devoted to Hoshi Sato, it has one of the most Reed/Sato stories out there, plus other Sato pairings and gen stories as well. Most of the stories and authors I've recommended are archived there. If you want to read newer stories or ones that are still in progress, you need to join the forums there. But it's worth doing so, because archive updates usually happen only a few times a year.
There is also the MHExplosion group at Yahoo. Lots of stories about Reed/Sato are posted there as well as lively discussion about the 'ship and Enterprise.
The EntSTCommunity (www.entstcommunity.org) has the Warp 5 Fan Fiction Archive (a goldmine of fic) and there are many Reed/Sato stories there as well.
I hope you take the time to read through the story recommendations and enjoy Reed/Sato as a pairing.
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Date: 2004-11-12 07:17 pm (UTC)I've been a Malcolm/Hoshi 'shipper since the pilot episode, and it's nice to see someone else's view of the 'ship. :-)