Shanelia
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Shanelia |
| Author(s): | Carol Mularski |
| Date(s): | 1980 |
| Length: | |
| Genre(s): | gen |
| Fandom(s): | Star Trek: TOS |
| Relationship(s): | |
| External Links: | |
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Shanelia is a Star Trek: TOS story by Carol Mularski.
It was illoed by Christine Myers.
It was published in the print zine Plak Tow #5 in October 1980, but the story was written long at least three years previously as drawerfic.
The author acknowledges that it contains a lot of personal fantasy and is a Mary Sue.
The story in "Plak Tow" was accompanied by several related poems.
Summary
Shanelia (which means "Welcome Companion") lives on Sarpeidon with her mother, Zarabeth. As Shanelia becomes older (12 years in Sarpeidon time which is about 17 "elsewhere), she becomes more curious about her home. Zarabeth keeps promising to tell her more of her origin and past, but doesn't until Zarabeth becomes ill.
Shanelia is, of course, Spock's daughter who was conceived in the episode, "Return to Tomorrow."
Zarabeth tells her daughter how to find the time portal, and to use it to find her father.
Shanelia does, tangles with Mr. Atoz, hides out and activates a distress signal.
The Federation Survey Ship, Lancaster, comes to her rescue, and she is cared for by the kind crew, which includes Lieutenant Commander Anson, First Officer and the ship's physician, Doctor Baines. At first they think she is Romulan, due to her appearance. They listen to her story, and take her to a Starbase Eleven, which is a five month journey.
The Enterprise is summoned to the Starbase, and Kirk, Bones, and Spock are informed of Shanelia's presence and history.
It is not a happy homecoming. Bones is caught in some lies of commission about the mission, and Spock is humiliated that he'd behaved in Pre-Reform Vulcan ways.
However, it is soon proven that she is Spock's daughter, extremely intelligent, but also emotional and doesn't take Vulcan customs seriously.
A Commodore makes plans for her, and gives Spock several options on how she should be cared for and by whom. The Commodore is making these plans as he has high hopes that she will become a Starfleet officer later.
Spock is not very welcoming to her, but she becomes a favorite of the crew, including Kirk and Bones.
Shanelia has trials and tribulations on the Enterprise; she and Spock clash, but then come to various understandings. She plays chess with Kirk, hangs out with Bones, Scotty, Uhura and other crewmembers.
Shanelia goes to live on Vulcan and there is much description of her time there. She is later admitted to the Vulcan Science Academy with her friend, T'Pari. When she graduates with honors, all of her Vulcan family, including Spock, comes to her graduation ceremony. Then she goes to Starfleet.
Shanelia also visits Earth with a friend to visit some of Amanda's relatives, and there she experiences racism and disapproval, most about being "illegitimate." There is lots of drama there, including trips to Palm Springs in a car, buying a bathing suit, and tangling with the natives!
She eventually become the Head Science Officer aboard the USS Exeter.
From the Editorial of "Plak Tow"
About Shanelia...I read this story...must be at least three years ago. Carol Mularski and I were writing back and forth, and she asked if I'd care to read this L-O-N-G story she'd written. I said yes...she sent it...I read it...and from that moment on, I've been after it for publication in PLAK TOW.
She refused, embarrassed by my enthusiasm, but being the persistent little devil I am, I continued to hound her about it, and finally she gave in. This story is fabulous, although Carol gives us a rather humble forward, and you're gonna' love it.
Author's Comments
The foreword to "Shanelia" in "Plak Tow":
It may seem somewhat...pompous...for me to write a forward to this story, since it is seldom done in fandom. However, I do feel it necessary to insert a sort of "Apologia", if for no other reason but my own peace of mind.
Having "Shanelia" printed after all these years seems very strange to me, and it took a lot of soul-searching to get up enough courage to offer it to Bonnie for PLAK TOW. You see, it's the first story I ever wrote. I was just entering fandom, in early 1976, when the idea for this story popped into my head — or should I say, took possession of me — while watching the Star Trek episode "All Our Yesterdays". Being a neo-fan's first effort, it is a little embarrassing for me to read it now and have the blatant, Mary-Sueish fantasies slap me in the face, so to speak. It's also embarrassing to see the fannish cliches in "Shanelia", things I thought were so very original in the days before I was introduced to fanzine fandom.
However, my friends who have read "Shanelia" are kind enough to say they enjoyed the story, despite the plot flaws, occasional faulty logic, and personal fantasy aspects of the story. Even the sketchy treatment of Part 3 (l had told the story I'd wanted to tell in Parts 1 and 2, and was simply tying up loose ends in 3) doesn't seem to bother them enough to make them turn their noses up at "Shanelia".
Well, I certainly hope that the readers of PLAK TOW will derive the same enjoyment my friends seem to get. If so, perhaps the many times I've restrained myself from tearing the manuscript up and throwing it away was worth the effort.
Some Excerpts
Shanelia describes some of her life on Sarpedion:
My mother taught me how to hunt, cook and sew as soon as I was strong and coordinated enough. Our main source of nourishment was the wild animal herds of the cold, snowy plateaus near our cavern home. Mother instructed me in silently stalking our prey, preferably a young lobear or glacier deer which had momentarily wandered from the herd. We had to crawl quite close in order to impale them with a long spear. We had laser guns Mother had brought with her from the Old Days, but Mother didn't like to use them unless there was no choice
Zarabeth tells her:
"To any question asked you, answer only with your name, that your mother was " a native Sarpeid and your father an off-worlder. Now that your mother is dead, you wish to find your father's people, and want to use the hyperspace radio in the Communications Center for that purpose. Otherwise act stupid or ignorant of what they mean. Even that explanation will sound fantastic, so do your best not to reveal anything. Let others draw their own conjectures, but give as little information about yourself as possible — until after the nova."
Some strife regarding keeping secrets:
Kirk was starting to understand — a little. McCoy had told him privately what had happened to Spock on Sarpeidon, but of course Kirk had not included any of that in his report.
"What does Zarabeth have to do with this?" McCoy snapped.
"Belay that, Doctor. I need a collaboration of Shanelia's story as further proof of the validity of her claim. Tell me exactly what happened during your stay in Sarpeidon's Ice Age, with all the details."
"Well," McCoy said, delaying, "I was sick with frostbite most of the time.." "Just tell me everything you can. Doctor...and that's an order."
Thus compelled, McCoy told the incident as he knew it; how Spock had been affected by the time lapse to revert to a pre-reform Vulcan, how he had fallen
in love with Zarabeth and become blind to her lies, how he had nearly killed the doctor when the girl's falsehoods had been exposed. Mendez listened quietly, nodding to himself from time to time. Kirk was putting two and two together, and couldn't avoid coming up with four. He was torn with worry and sympathy for his Vulcan friend — how was Spock taking this? When McCoy was finished.
Kirk said softly, "Bones, why did you leave them alone for so long?"
"Jim, I'm a doctor, not a chaperone. Besides, I was recovering from frost bite. And I still don't believe that this girl you spoke about is Spock's child.
Commodore," turning on Mer.dez, Kirk realized that McCoy was just as upset and worried as he was. "That was only seven months ago, and you said she was seven..."
"For Zarabeth and Shanelia, it was six thousand years ago," Mendez reminded.
"Doctor McCoy, you've told me exactly what Shanelia heard from her mother, allowing for different points of view, of course. Let me explain how Shanelia came to us. I think you'll find her story fascinating."
The Commodore makes some plans for the girl:
"But if she already knows so much, why make her go to school in Vulcan?"McCoy inquired. Kirk sensed that he wasn't crazy about the idea of leaving an emotionally human child on Vulcan. "Her grandparents are there, for one thing. And what's more important, she must learn more about getting along with others. She's got an attractive, out-going personality, but must learn some social ethics and attitudes. I agree with T'Plene — and I'd like to see Shanelia get into Starfleet Service in a few years. With her intelligence and perseverance, she'd rise through the ranks fast and be quite valuable to the Federation. But she has a lot more to learn first.
[...]
Spock can refuse to acknowledge that she has any claim on him, and then we'd have to send her to an orphanage... or he could accept official wardship, and send her directly to Vulcan. For Shanelia's sake, I hope he chooses neither. She's greatly worried that he won't want her, and if he really doesn't, it'll be a blow to her she might not be able to overcome. So there's a third alternative." Mendez reached for the Command Orders and showed them to Kirk. "Here is your schedule for the next six standard months. As you can see, in four standard months your duties take you to Altair VI. You have time for a stopover at Vulcan, if Mr. Spock requests it. If Spock wishes to become acquainted with his daughter during the next four months, this gives him the chance. He can take legal guardianship of her, and take her onto the Enterprise. Then he can leave her with Sarek and Amanda, so that she can go to school. You can see that this alternative does not interfere with Speck's duties, yet saves Shanelia's emotional health."
It seemed sensible to Kirk, except for two things. "Commodore, what do we tell the crew? Some of them are bound to notice her and her connection with Spock."
"That's already been taken care of. Shanelia knows that she must call her father, "Mr. Spock" in the presence of others besides you three. And she knows the reason, also. Shanelia's background is none of the crew's concern. All they have to know is that she's Spock's legal ward, en route to Vulcan."
It does not go well with Spock:
Shanelia disengaged herself after a moment, and looked down at the floor. "My mother had been very lonely before I came. After she died and before I got through the time portal I had some small experience of what she must have gone through. Just before she died she gave me a message for my father, if I should ever find him." She looked up at Spock. "She said, 'If you do find your father, tell him that Zarabeth is forever grateful to him for providing her with a companion." And the girl searched her father's face again, evidently expecting a reply.
Spock said nothing, and the awkward silence was broken by the Commodore's entrance. "Mr. Spock, if you're ready, please come with me. The papers you have to sign are waiting." The Vulcan nodded and followed Mendez out without a word.
Shanelia watched him leave, and stared at the closed door. Then she turned to Kirk, smiling but with tears swimming in her eyes. "Captain, the name my mother gave me means 'Welcome Companion'. Perhaps Spock will wish to rename me — 'Nemesis'?"
Her voice was so full of hurt and despair that the two men's hearts ached, and Kirk couldn't resist drawing her to him. "Now, Shanelia," he began soothingly, "this is all a big shock to Spock. Give him a chance to get used to you. How else do you expect him to act? He's just had a seventeen year old daughter he never suspected he had..." That wasn't the right thing to say.
Shanelia finished the sentence for him. "'Pushed on him', Captain? Well," she sighed, "I suppose you're right. I hope he'll be nicer to me soon."
"Don't count on it," McCoy muttered.
Spock has a birds-and-the-bees talk with Shanelia, who is feeling very rebellious and angry:
"Shanelia, it has come to my attention that you have been spending a great deal of time alone with Ensign Norton."
"What about it?" she challenged.
"You are only seventeen and do not know much about human males. A dangerous situation could develop."
Tell him! said her voice of reason. Tell him you've already broken off with Tom. Spare him the necessity of a personal speech. But she ignored it, and her rebellious side spoke. "How, Father?" she asked innocently, widening her eyes.
"I would much rather you spent the free time not occupied by your studies in the company of two or more people, publicly, in the Recreation Rooms."
"Do you mean I can't play the piano for Lieutenant Uhura any more?"
"No, that is permissible. I specifically mean that you should not be alone with a member of the opposite gender."
"But why? You haven't explained the reason."
"Because...after a time...I have been informed that you have been..." "Yes?" she prodded.
He tried again. "After a woman permits a certain degree of familiarity with a human male, he may become sexually excited to the point of pursuing consummation without through of...consequences. I have never been able to understand this tendency personally —"
Shanelia saw her golden opportunity. "Oh? My very existence is proof that you do understand it. Father."
Spock rose up quickly, staring down at his daughter, unable to mask his thoughts, Shanelia was frightened by Spock's drawn-down brows and angry, flashing eyes, but cutting through her fright ran the triumphant thought, "I've finally made him feel something toward me!"
Spock whirled and left. As the door swished shut behind him, Shanelia's fright and triumph fell away and she began to tremble with the strongest remorse she had ever felt. That was a terrible thing to say! shouted her logical side. Especially when he came to you in concern for your safety and welfare.
Shanelia burst into tears and looked around wildly, unable to bear the sight of the room where she had so insulted her father. She ran out into the corridor, not knowing where she was going but just wanting to get away.
Shanelia has remorse over how she has treated Spock, and Kirk counsels her:
"I've been looking for you," Kirk began.
"You know, Captain," she said, "when I was on Sarpeidon, still in the Ice Age and after my mother's death, I'd stand with my hands on the time portal and strain my eyes to see the stars through the clouds. And later, when I was sending out the distress signal, I'd go outside at night and admire the grandeur of all those beautiful twinkly lights, and wonder which one Vulcan revolved around.
It comforted me to know that somewhere out there, around one of those lights, were my relatives. 1 knew 1 wasn't really all alone. Somewhere my own father was traveling through that starry sky on a spaceship, and all 1 had to do was find him. It comforted me..." She continued staring out the port, her face still expressionless but tears beginning to flow silently down her cheeks. "So now 1 ran here to see the stars again, to feel comforted again — but this time it didn't work." She buried her face in her hands and said in a choked voice, "Oh, Captain, I've been so..so...terrible."
Kirk turned her around and put his arms about her, allowing her to cry on his shoulder. "Now, there," he said soothingly, "It'll be all right. Shh..."
"But it's not all right!" she cried violently, pulling away. Now her face was twisted in remorse, disgust at herself. "I've been so rotten to him, and after today I wouldn't blame him if he never came to see me again."
Spock and Shanelia come to terms:
"Father, you haven't told me if you've forgiven me for my rebelliousness."
"It is forgiven. To prevent a recurrence in the future, we must reach an agreement, an...understanding."
"Logical," replied Shanelia.
"I am honored," said Spock, his facial muscles relaxing. "For my part, I agree to accept the fact that, due to your upbringing, you will never act as a fully indoctrinated Vulcan. I admit that I was guilty of overlooking the implications of your situation in the past month."
"And for my part," Shanelia responded, taking a deep breath, "I agree to learn and apply your teachings and strive to acquire the outer calmness and the inner grace of logic which is so important to all Vulcans."
"Shanelia," Spock interrupted, "that is very poetic."
"I am honored," she said, smiling gently. "It is true that I will never learn to be emotionless, nor do I want to, but I can learn to put reason ahead of emotion in my thought processes. And I will."
"That is an acceptable compromise. However, you must work out your own personality integration, as a Vulcan-Human hybrid, in the context of your own environment and influences," he paused, and added, "As I did, and still do."
Shanelia reached out and took Spock's hand. She did not attempt to contact him telepathically, but sat contentedly in the first empathy and understanding she had ever felt for him. Spock, on his part, allowed the physical contact out of a new respect for his daughter's intelligence and insight. Her dignity and honesty impressed him.
The last paragraph:
Mendez recommended me as the replacement with a competency rating of 95% and the record of my performances at the two Academies.
I think the fact that Spock was my father favored me, too — family background never hurt anything. After a nerve-wracking waiting period, I received my new orders — Assistant to the Chief Science Officer, on the USS Exeter.
So, at present, I am serving aboard the Exeter, with T'Pari my roommate once again, and my "brother" stationed only a few decks below me. All three of us are considered competent officers, and are all due for promotion. I enjoy my duties as a Starfleet Ensign — a great advancement for a poor little half-savage from Sarpeidon's Ice Age.
I enjoy the friendship of the many fine people on the Exeter, from many far-flung places in the galaxy. I've continued to play piano and guitar for my shipmates. Our ship has gone through some trying times, emergencies, and outright disasters since I've been on her, but nothing ever shakes my core of serenity. I continue to keep my Vulcan demeanor and attitudes, but it hasn't made me reluctant to smile. I wish I knew if Father were as satisfied with life as I am. He's had to work out his own answers.
Of course, it is now well known throughout Starfleet that I am not just Mr. Spock's ward, and I regret to say that I didn't give humans enough credit for thinking logically. Very few people that I know of have changed their attitude toward me, or Father, which is encouraging.
I keep in contact with both Father, and my family on Vulcan, as often as subspace communications permit...which: isn't too often, unfortunately. But I do know that Father is still proud of me, and I am proud of him, proud to be Spock's daughter.