Fifty Shades Of Grey is the novel phenomenon making pop culture ripples around the globe. The best selling novel – soon to be a big Hollywood film – captured the imaginations of readers and the curiosity of those unfamiliar with the erotically intensive subject matter. You may not be interested in the book from British author E. L. James, but the news coverage surrounding it has been hard for anyone to escape for long. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the syndicated spin-off to Star Trek: The Next Generation, may not seem as having anything in common with the dark romance novel, but the sci-fi show handled complex sexuality maturely for seven seasons. DS9 deals with a wide variety of uncommon sexuality – including Ferengi Ear Massage, the morphing, gelatinous Founder race and a way to consistently swell your military ranks by trading humanoid, biological intercourse for the laboratory test tube.
Deep Space Nine – Deep Romance
Created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller from the foundation of both classic Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation, DS9 cut an original path in the Star Trek mythos in both look, tone and even physical proximity and space. Instead of warping around the galaxy in starships looking for new lifeforms and new civilizations, it boldly pretty much stayed put on a massive space station, orbiting a stable wormhole.
By the time the U.S.S. Defiant – a relatively tiny starship which operated more like a battleship – was stationed on the former Cardassian station of Terok Nor, fans had gotten so involved in the engaging stories of the crew and visitors, that the starship, though certainly welcome, was more protector and defender than exploration craft. The Cardassians, Klingons, Romulans and Founders found themselves all embroiled in an interplanetary war with the Federation, and since all that’s fair in love and war, memorable stories involving both pastimes followed.
Holosuite – Lust and Love In Laser Light
Mighty Federation starships like Picard’s spacious Enterprise 1710-D may have had enough dilithium crystal power to run those huge holodecks, but when you aren’t backed by an enormous quasi-military group, you make do. Good things come in small packages, and the smaller holographic playpens on Deep Space Nine makeup in content for their lack of space. DS9 holosuites, run by entrepreneur Quark, the profiteering Ferengi, are little rooms fully equipped with enough holographic happiness to satisfy most any visitor from any planet.
Unlike the more restrained Starfleet tastes and models of decorum, Quark’s laserlight dens of fantasy fun welcome an unlimited range of outlandish tastes and desires. Many ‘scenes’ were played out during the show’s seven year run, but one of the most flamboyant were the “Our Man Bashir” adventures with Dr. Julian Bashir and Chief O’Brien. Complete with James Bond kind of gadgets – and don’t forget the sexy Bond girls – the holo-novels were a way for the crew to unwind and de stress.
Ferengi Erotic Ear Massage or Oo-mox
In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Captain Kirk, after being confined to a rough and rowdy Klingon prison planet, kicks an attacker in what he thinks is a knee. After the humongous alien falls to the ground moaning in agony. Kirk quips, “I was lucky that thing had knees.” To which Marta, the mysterious alien retorts, “That wasn’t its knee. Not everybody keeps their genitals in the same place, Captain.” It’s something to remember in the far out world of intergalactic aliens, and while the Ferengi may not have ears for genitals, they surely derive great sexual pleasure from getting them rubbed. The technique is known as Oo-mox and when a female performs the act on a Ferengi male, it’s a safe bet the two are far more than merely friends. Friends with benefits? Indeed. For the profit loving Ferengi it seems, anything in the galaxy can be had for a price.
Founder Sex
Odo, the passionate security chief and Constable of DS9, is a changeling from the race of Founders who run the brutal Dominion. These awesomely powerful beings are composed from a biomimetic gelatinous substance which can mimic the appearance of nearly anything imaginable. Shape shifters of the Dominion reside in the Great Link and are a race of collective beings who share all memories and feelings with one another.
Founders are still mired in mystery in practically all things relating to their culture, including their biology and sexuality. However, it’s been well documented with the poignant romance of Odo (Rene Auberjonois) and Kira (Nana Visitor) that Changelings can make formidable lovers, as their shape shifting offers all kinds of tantalizing possibilities in completely pleasuring a partner.
Clone Zone
Vorta and Jem’Hadar warriors are the effective administrators of the vast Dominion empire. Vorta are intellectual and technically advanced humanoids who coordinate operations, while Jem’Hadar are the insanely strong and eternally loyal soldiers and grunts who get the work done. Instead of a more normal – or at least standard – society where procreation is achieved with male and female coupling, here, the laboratory test tube is employed to keep the races numbers hearty. Using advanced genetic technology, the Founders are able to crank out nearly an unlimited supply of these aliens in so called ‘birthing chambers’. Since the more physically hardy males were what the Dominion needs to train the most formidable fighters, no females are crafted in the lab.