by Alyn Walsh

In one of my many secret identities I engage in online roleplaying in the Star Trek universe. We create characters and then exchange small e-mail posts to create a group story that progresses as we continue to add to it, basing our sequences on reactions to previous posts and on the agreed-upon universal rules. Recently I decided to add a bit more depth to my characters, both to make them more engaging to the readers and to make them more fun to write. I began to add sexual preferences and as I boldly declared in my mind that my main character was seriously dominant, a thought suddenly struck me:

Would submission still be a viable lifestyle choice in a universe that values individual self-worth and responsibility above all?

I've put quite a bit of thought into the subject and I can safely state: hell, yeah. It's already there.

My problem was that I didn't want my posts to become explicit. I want my characters to grow and surprise me and I don't want to have to spell it out. This is an important phase in any fictional character's development, and a tricky one. I can add a religious belief to a character and it gives them a bit more life, a bit more history. The character's religion, even if I never specifically state it, helps me plan what the character will and won't do and helps determine their reactions to various stimuli, as well as giving the readers something to identify with and think about. I don't have to list guidelines for their religion or make a point of mentioning that they just came from church; the readers gradually build their own idea of the character's beliefs as I portray them.

So why can't I do that with their fictional futuristic sex lives?

Well, that's a bit misleading since in the enlightened 24th century I sincerely hope that anything goes behind closed doors. But how can I portray a 24/7 BDSM lifestyle realistically in the Star Trek universe? In this future setting of total equality despite race, species, color, or creed, would personal power sacrifice be allowed and condoned or would it be seen as sick? If a crewmember was visibly subservient to another, would anyone noticing just let it slide or would they assume that it was symptomatic of alien mind control and report it? Could the medical staff be convinced that some bruises are earned? Would the Ship's Counselor accept the situation or would she advise heavy counseling? Would such a preference be listed in the crewmember's medical history? Would it be seen as a security risk? Would it be "cured"? What if the Sub were human and the Dom something else -- a Romulan, perhaps? Would that be seen as a personal relationship or racial discrimination? These things just aren't covered adequately at the conventions.

As in so many other puzzling Star Trek dilemmas, I returned to the source. I watched the original series and reviewed some of the Blish adaptations, and I came to the conclusion that it's already been done. At no point did the writers, cast, or crew of the series ever come out and state any specific character tendencies but look how easy it is to winkle them out when you try:

James T. Kirk - Closet submissive. No, really. How else would you explain the constant need to prove himself, the posturing, the rebellious attitude towards authority figures? Any experienced Dom/me would recognise this immediately as an unruly Sub who was asking to be slapped down, if not necessarily by Spock (as many, many fan fiction writers have suggested) then by one of the many strong, level-headed women Kirk is always gravitating toward. Sub all the way. Go look at the picture of him in the leather fighting harness in "The Gamesters of Triskelion" and see if you don't agree with me.

Spock- Probably neuter, or at least he'd like to be. For some reason most of the alien races in the Star Trek universe tend to treat their females as subservient and the Vulcans are no exception, although they do have a matriarch who would look perfect in a tight, tight corset and heels.

Dr. Leonard McCoy- A fine Southern gentleman. McCoy couldn't possibly understand either the desire to cause another living being pain or the desire to voluntarily place yourself in such a situation. He'd be courtly and a fun weekend, but ultimately vanilla.

Uhura- Switch. She could be a Top tonight and a Bottom tomorrow, but she would be (mostly) all business on duty. I'd think Uhura would be up for most anything anyone could think of that involves pleasure.

Sulu- Dom, definitely Dom. It doesn't show as much in the earlier episodes (although the swashbuckling scene is an obvious hint) but in the later movies the whip of command in his voice as captain of the Excelsior just gives me shivers.

Chekov- A Sub waiting to happen. He'd be a sullen slave at first, true, but that boyish eagerness to please would win out in the end. Just imagine him bent over a chair...

Scotty- Vanilla. He might help a few crewmembers out with some personal engineering difficulties, but Montgomery Scott would want no more than a comely lass and a quart of fine Scotch, and who can say him nay?

Nurse Chapel- A submissive, obvious enough to show up on short-range scanners. Even a stranger to the show can tell that she's just waiting for the day when Spock opens his Vulcan toy bag and produces an elegantly carved device...

Yeoman Rand- So submissive it hurts, which is wasted on the object of her desire since Kirk is also submissive (see above). If she only knew that striding into Kirk's stateroom and ordering him to his knees would be much more effective than constantly handing him PADDs and simpering all the time.

Klingons- Sadists, every one. Every Klingon relationship is a constant power struggle since even if bested the Klingon female would continue to test her mate's control to prove his worth as her master. The male Klingon would have it no other way since how else is she to earn his respect? Besides, the scars are great to show the guys afterwards.

Romulans- Definitely a D/S society. Every bit as power-oriented as the Klingons but without the sadism and with much more style.

Orions- The stereotypical master/slave society with a genetically designed basis. All Orion men are masters and all Orion women are slaves, which may explain more about science fiction writers and their personal fantasy lives than they care to reveal.

Characters from The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, and Voyager are left as an exercise for the student.

While an amusing diversion, did this help me at all? Certainly, if I could make these assumptions about fictional characters when their creators didn't mean to imply anything of the kind (as far as I know) then the addition of just a few minor traits should suit me fine. My goal was to cause my readers to occasionally wonder about my characters without ever receiving hard and fast evidence. Are they or aren't they? I present my suggestions here to help other writers who wish to add a sensual depth to their creations without having to write about throbbing things. This is obviously not the only way to manage the trick but these tips helped me handle my particular situation.

Your characters should have agreed on their relationship privately. You may wish to write it out for yourself to refer to, but there's no reason to make it public since that would ruin the effect anyway. Go ahead and decide which aspects could be visible to others.

Your characters should agree on codewords. Not just the "slower" words or "safe" words, but words they can use in public to reinforce their D/S relationship without alerting anybody else. Did the navigator add just the slightest emphasis on "Sir" when he reported to the First Officer? If the engineering officer tells you that the warp core "seems" to be all right, does that mean that someone's in for a whuppin'? Only you need to know. Tone of voice and body language can go a long way, in fiction and in real life. Why do you think Spock is so good at that arched eyebrow?

There are many items that can be worn inconspicuously to reinforce the relationship. Clips, rings, straps, plugs, harnesses, as long as it won't hinder your job performance anything goes. Collars would be a bit too obvious, but you could have your character request their uniform to be just a little too small. Certain rope techniques can be hidden beneath clothing and there are always tattoos and branding if Sickbay is alerted ahead of time.

Discipline, especially but not limited to any involving pain, should be kept in your rooms. This is even more necessary if the sub is a superior officer, for obvious reasons.

Make sure your sub has an ongoing excuse for rope marks or bruises. Martial arts studies are always good. Also, keep in mind that working out in the gym carries excellent reasons for marks and bruising. You don't need to write it, just keep it in mind as a handy excuse waiting to happen.

The holodeck can provide a remarkably realistic dungeon, along with all the toys you can dream up. Just be sure to set the permitted pain levels before you start. Remember, too much data will give it all away to your readers. One tactic I used was a hiking trip. Effective and subtle with innuendo and common sense safety tips that had to be obeyed without question or hesitation.

Currently I have found myself written in a pickle by the other writers. They have taken my Romulan (Dom) and had him captured and sold. An interesting twist and possibly an intriquing psychological angle but it does put the sub into an unfortunate position. What will his master do when he comes back, and who will bear the brunt of it? And how will they keep it away from their careers? I can't wait to find out.