Gaila-centric fics (Star Trek Reboot)
My policy on how I do my recs (including for things like warnings and spoilers) can be found at [ my post about my recs], for those interested.
When I first poked around fandom after watching the Star Trek Reboot movie, I was surprised to see fic about Gaila because she's onscreen so very little. But after reading a bit, I've found I quite like who Gaila is in fandom. So here's my Gaila character manifesto in fic rec list format.
Story: You're Gonna Make It After All
Author: igrockspock
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, Gaila, Uhura, Kirk, Spock, R, 1 LJ post long
Author's Summary: Two indecent exposure citations, one best friend, one amazing sex partner, one unexpected mentor, and a Starfleet-funded study of intercultural sexual norms. Sounds like a normal academic year for Gaila.
My Notes: If the author's summary doesn't make you curious, I'm not sure what else I can say. This story is beautifully done. The author has great control over the different character voices and shows how four so different people can come together (not always without miscommunications and disagreements). Spock has a mentoring role to the group, which I just love. (Because you know he spent a lot of time very logically trying to figure out how to interact within a human-dominated situation.) I could quite happily have this as canon.
ETA 15 July 2011; Podfic: jaebi-lit recorded this as a podfic and I recced it over here: [Rec of podfic of 'You're Gonna Make it After All'] /ETA
Story: Lunch and Other Obscenities [ on LJ]//[on AOOO]//[on author's website]
Author: rheanna27
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot. In spite of a whole lot of sex, nudity and people eating in public, this is firmly a PG-13. The main dish is Uhura & Gaila friendship, with a tasty side order of Spock/Uhura. 9,786 words
Author's Summary: Nyota liked her roommate just fine until she met her.
My Notes: This is a story about culture shock and taboos and fitting in and such. It's lovely and really well-written.
Story: The Ransom
Author: ninhursag (writing journal: vaingirlfic)
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, Kirk/Gaila, R, 1 LJ post
Contains: Discussion of child abuse and slavery. Not explicit.
Author's Summary: Pirate!Gaila kidnaps teenage!Kirk for ransom. Hijinks ensue.
My Notes: I love Gaila and Kirk together (either shippy or BFFy), they work so well together, and ninhursag has done a wonderful job of showing us this here. In this story Gaila has very little practical knowledge of Earthling behaviour and is thus constantly being confused in the way that Kirk and how he was raised does and doesn't line up with what she read in a book. The AU is well-done and feels real.
Sequels: Can be found at the [ verse tag].
Story: A Sexy Think Tank
Author: atomicskull
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, Kirk/Gaila, R, 1 LJ post long
Author's Summary: In which sex is had, dinosaur band-aids are dispensed, Uhura's bunny slippers are used as projectiles and Bones is plotted against.
My Notes: A silly little fic that does what it says on the tin.
ETA 24 Mar 2011: As the little line through the author's LJ implies, this story is no longer available at the above link. I'm looking for a current link to the story, if anyone knows of one. /ETA
Story: Redemption Song
Author: igrockspock
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, gen, R, 1.5 K words
Contains: rape
Author's Summary: No one is going to rescue Gaila. Except maybe herself.
My Notes: Possible Gaila backstory. Pull quote: Five years later, she is at Starfleet Academy, making good on all her promises. Every night she studies (or goes out drinking), every class she attends (or skips), every cadet she lies under (or on top of), her litany is the same: I choose. I choose.
ETA 15 July 2011; Podfic: jaebi-lit recorded this as a podfic and I recced it over here: [Rec of podfic of 'Redemption Song'] /ETA
Story: A Brief History of Lt (j.g.) Gaila Aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC 1701)
Author: ljc taraljc
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, PG, Gaila, Gaila/Kirk, Gaila/Scotty, Gaila & Nyota, Gaila & Keenser, 1 LJ post long
Contains: death of redshirts, attempted (but shut down) unwanted sexual advances
Author's Summary: Her first month aboard Enterprise, Gaila is put on Gamma Shift in Engineering.
My Notes: This is a great fic for showing Gaila growing into her role aboard ship. I love Gaila and Keenser bonding over the trials and tribulations of minding their adopted humans (Uhura and Scotty, respectively).
Story: The Proper Treatment of Sexorexia
Author: igrockspock
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, gen (Gaila & Uhura), Teen, 1 LJ post long
Author's Summary: Gaila does not get her new roommate at all. They've been at school 3 whole weeks now, and she hasn't had sex with anyone. Not even once. She wonders if she should do something. Sex is as important as food, after all. If her roommate were anorexic, she should definitely try to help. Sex anorexia (sexorexia?) is probably just as bad and life-threatening. Plus, it seems to put her roommate in a really bad mood. The situation definitely calls for action. But what should she do?
My Notes: Gaila and Uhura and roommates with culture shock and learning how to fit in together. One of the things that I love about this fic is Spock giving advice on humans and social mores. In this fic Nyota and Gaila end up more in that roommate-truce sort of place than BFF, which is certainly one possibility given how different they are.
Are your favourite Gaila fics not on this list? Feel free to drop links in comments! :) (This is such a prolific fandom that I'm sure I've missed many wonderful fics.)
As usual, if I've got inaccuracies, broken links, or missing info (especially podfics, DVD commentaries, and sequels/prequels), please let me know.
When I first poked around fandom after watching the Star Trek Reboot movie, I was surprised to see fic about Gaila because she's onscreen so very little. But after reading a bit, I've found I quite like who Gaila is in fandom. So here's my Gaila character manifesto in fic rec list format.
Story: You're Gonna Make It After All
Author: igrockspock
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, Gaila, Uhura, Kirk, Spock, R, 1 LJ post long
Author's Summary: Two indecent exposure citations, one best friend, one amazing sex partner, one unexpected mentor, and a Starfleet-funded study of intercultural sexual norms. Sounds like a normal academic year for Gaila.
My Notes: If the author's summary doesn't make you curious, I'm not sure what else I can say. This story is beautifully done. The author has great control over the different character voices and shows how four so different people can come together (not always without miscommunications and disagreements). Spock has a mentoring role to the group, which I just love. (Because you know he spent a lot of time very logically trying to figure out how to interact within a human-dominated situation.) I could quite happily have this as canon.
ETA 15 July 2011; Podfic: jaebi-lit recorded this as a podfic and I recced it over here: [Rec of podfic of 'You're Gonna Make it After All'] /ETA
Story: Lunch and Other Obscenities [ on LJ]//[on AOOO]//[on author's website]
Author: rheanna27
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot. In spite of a whole lot of sex, nudity and people eating in public, this is firmly a PG-13. The main dish is Uhura & Gaila friendship, with a tasty side order of Spock/Uhura. 9,786 words
Author's Summary: Nyota liked her roommate just fine until she met her.
My Notes: This is a story about culture shock and taboos and fitting in and such. It's lovely and really well-written.
Story: The Ransom
Author: ninhursag (writing journal: vaingirlfic)
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, Kirk/Gaila, R, 1 LJ post
Contains: Discussion of child abuse and slavery. Not explicit.
Author's Summary: Pirate!Gaila kidnaps teenage!Kirk for ransom. Hijinks ensue.
My Notes: I love Gaila and Kirk together (either shippy or BFFy), they work so well together, and ninhursag has done a wonderful job of showing us this here. In this story Gaila has very little practical knowledge of Earthling behaviour and is thus constantly being confused in the way that Kirk and how he was raised does and doesn't line up with what she read in a book. The AU is well-done and feels real.
Sequels: Can be found at the [ verse tag].
Story: A Sexy Think Tank
Author: atomicskull
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, Kirk/Gaila, R, 1 LJ post long
Author's Summary: In which sex is had, dinosaur band-aids are dispensed, Uhura's bunny slippers are used as projectiles and Bones is plotted against.
My Notes: A silly little fic that does what it says on the tin.
ETA 24 Mar 2011: As the little line through the author's LJ implies, this story is no longer available at the above link. I'm looking for a current link to the story, if anyone knows of one. /ETA
Story: Redemption Song
Author: igrockspock
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, gen, R, 1.5 K words
Contains: rape
Author's Summary: No one is going to rescue Gaila. Except maybe herself.
My Notes: Possible Gaila backstory. Pull quote: Five years later, she is at Starfleet Academy, making good on all her promises. Every night she studies (or goes out drinking), every class she attends (or skips), every cadet she lies under (or on top of), her litany is the same: I choose. I choose.
ETA 15 July 2011; Podfic: jaebi-lit recorded this as a podfic and I recced it over here: [Rec of podfic of 'Redemption Song'] /ETA
Story: A Brief History of Lt (j.g.) Gaila Aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC 1701)
Author: ljc taraljc
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, PG, Gaila, Gaila/Kirk, Gaila/Scotty, Gaila & Nyota, Gaila & Keenser, 1 LJ post long
Contains: death of redshirts, attempted (but shut down) unwanted sexual advances
Author's Summary: Her first month aboard Enterprise, Gaila is put on Gamma Shift in Engineering.
My Notes: This is a great fic for showing Gaila growing into her role aboard ship. I love Gaila and Keenser bonding over the trials and tribulations of minding their adopted humans (Uhura and Scotty, respectively).
Story: The Proper Treatment of Sexorexia
Author: igrockspock
Fandom, etc.: Star Trek Reboot, gen (Gaila & Uhura), Teen, 1 LJ post long
Author's Summary: Gaila does not get her new roommate at all. They've been at school 3 whole weeks now, and she hasn't had sex with anyone. Not even once. She wonders if she should do something. Sex is as important as food, after all. If her roommate were anorexic, she should definitely try to help. Sex anorexia (sexorexia?) is probably just as bad and life-threatening. Plus, it seems to put her roommate in a really bad mood. The situation definitely calls for action. But what should she do?
My Notes: Gaila and Uhura and roommates with culture shock and learning how to fit in together. One of the things that I love about this fic is Spock giving advice on humans and social mores. In this fic Nyota and Gaila end up more in that roommate-truce sort of place than BFF, which is certainly one possibility given how different they are.
Are your favourite Gaila fics not on this list? Feel free to drop links in comments! :) (This is such a prolific fandom that I'm sure I've missed many wonderful fics.)
As usual, if I've got inaccuracies, broken links, or missing info (especially podfics, DVD commentaries, and sequels/prequels), please let me know.