The Doctor and the Enterprise

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Zine
Title: The Doctor and the Enterprise
Publisher: Jean Airey and Prydonian Renegades (1st edition)
Pioneer Books (2nd edition)
Editor:
Author(s): the author is Jean Airey, the editor is Robert St. John
Cover Artist(s): Gail Bennett (1st edition)
Illustrator(s):
Date(s): 1981 (R&R XIII)
1982 (1st edition)
1989 (2nd edition, unauthorized)
1991 (online version of 1st edition)
Medium: print zine, fanfic
Size:
Genre: crossover
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS/Doctor Who
Language: English
External Links: Introduction
The Doctor and the Enterprise (original 1982 version)
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

The Doctor and the Enterprise is a gen Doctor Who and Star Trek: TOS crossover novel by Jean Airey.

This zine's first edition (1982) was a special edition of Zeta Minor.

A fan in 1993 commented that the planet this fic took place on "was essentially a Darkover-clone...."[1]

From an ad in Universal Translator #24: "What happens at the end of Kirk's first command of the Enterprise? Why did Spock retreat, McCoy become a hermit and Kirk take a desk job (and change his hair)? Why is Spock worrying about bus drivers, and what will the mysterious stranger do when he finds out that Kirk has lost his yo-yo? This original novella was a 1983 Fan Q winner."

The author wrote a het sequel to the novella called "The Lieutenant and the Doctor", which was published in R & R #13 and reprinted in the adult Doctor Who zine The Blue Guardian #13 (1982).

Publication History

It is possibly the most reprinted (sometimes without permission, and often quite altered) fan fic. The story was originally printed in the 1981 ST zine "R&R XIII." It was then published as a stand-alone zine by Jean Airey with a cover by Gail Bennett in 1982.[2]

In April 1984, the first part of the story was printed in Enterprise #1.

A second edition was then released in 1989 by the American publisher Pioneer Books (which specialized in unofficial reference books based upon various franchises including Doctor Who and Star Trek) as a trade paperback edition.[2] It was illustrated by Tom Holtkamp and Mahlon Fawcett and it was edited to remove all references to copyrighted characters and races. Captain Kirk became simply "The Captain", while Spock became "The Scientist". The editing was not perfect and in some cases the characters names can still be found in the second edition.[2] Some fans claim that Paramount threatened to sue the fanzine at which point it was the editor, Jean Airey, who released the second version with "all proper names from the story" removed.

Some Comments by the Original Author

In February 1990, the author wrote a letter about the unauthorized version being sold in book store chains:

"Anything that is being sold commercially is not with my approval -- and I'm the flaming author of the thing. This is really ridiculous... I'm going to write [the publisher] but I'm also going to ask Paramound and Lioheart to send them a cease and desist as well. The story is fun but is sure isn't worth $14.95! And how come they can get away with clear violations of the copyrights of two previously copyrighted universes without having their head choppe doff? Especially with Paramount's well-known tetchiness (new word!) for violations of "their" Trek universe. Urrrgh. Please let folks know that I have no part in this scam -- and my offer to send a Xerox to anyone who sends me a large SASE, marked First Class with $1.45 postage on it. Don't pay the rip-off folks anything! [3]

To counteract these unauthorized versions the author released the zine in online format in 1991.[4]

SYNOPSIS of "The Doctor & the Enterprise" (TOS) (h/c): Prologue: In 1979 I started writing a *fanzine* story in which the Doctor (from the "Doctor Who" universe) met up with the crew of the "original" "Star Trek" series. It was the first thing I'd written since graduating from college fifteen years before, and, with the assistance of an excellent author and very good friend, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, was able to finish it. The result turned out to be an enjoyable reading experience to a number of people. The story was not intended to be a satire, it was intended to be an honest representation of what might happen if these two particular universes met. It was intended as a fanzine in the most classic tradition of that particular genre. Unfortunately that popularity resulted in the ultimate "ripping off" of the story without my permission into a highly priced "book" format (in one version) and to a complete travesty of the original in yet another. For some years now, I had been offering to make copies available at the cost of postage -- and was willing to "post" copies to the electronic networks. However, I did not want to rekey the whole rather lengthy document. After a recent discussion of the 'zine on the network, Marc Barrett offered to scan the original into an ascii file. (Many thanks to him!) With some editing (Proportional Space type resulted in some unique versions of McCoy's name! along with some other anomalies.), the following files are being posted to the net. The following are the rules for use of these files. A) You may read it -- FREE. B) You may print it to a printer -- FREE. C) You may make copies for your friends -- FREE. D) You may redistribute to other electronic networks and databases, including ftp archives FREE. E) The text carries my copyright from the date of original publication and "publication" of these files in this format does not grant anyone anywhere permission to make copies either electronically or in print which carry *any* charge to anyone of any type for that copy. F) Any reproduction of the text (print or electronic) must carry this notice with it. An individual editing for a single copy for their own records is not bound by this requirement and may edit this paragraph out. Paper copies with the original artwork (including the marvelous cover by Gail Bennett) are available from me. SASE for details. Some dealers may also have appropriately priced *authorized* copies available (STARTECH is one of them). Not everyone is on a computer network! With regrets for being so picky -- but I've been burned on this enough. Read and enjoy! [4]

Gallery of Publications in Which it Has Appeared

This story sure gets around!

  • it first appeared in R & R #13 (1981)

  • another version of the cover, this one by Robert Saint John, the Zeta Minor Special Edition (1982)

  • yet another version of the special edition of Zeta Minor, date unknown

  • the original issue, third edition, cover by Gail Bennett (1983)

  • The Doctor and The Enterprise was serialized in Enterprise #1-6 (Issues #1 and #4 shown here with cover art by Tom Holtkamp) the zine Enterprise #1 (1984)

  • cover of the New Media Books paperback, second edition

  • cover of the New Media Books paperback, first edition, (April, 1985)

  • the zine Enterprise #4 (1984)

  • alternate cover, (date unknown)

  • cover of second edition, Tom Holtkamp (1989)
    "... there are two covers in particular that make me wince when I see them. First, back to Hal Schuster, and a rare work of fiction from one of his companies. To avoid being sued, he made a lot of changes to the story (which did not please the author) and added "funny" art to make it look like a parody, which is protected speech, though it was never meant as a parody by the author. But the caricature of Tom Baker, looking suspiciously like a camel, misses funny and enters some world of evil." [5]

Serialized in "Enterprise"

ENTERPRISE #1 (April 1984) 2nd edition contains 52 pages. Part one of a serialization of THE DOCTOR AND THE ENTERPRISE by Jean Airey (illustrations by Tom Holtkamp). "Star Trek In Comics" featuring interview with Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Martin Paskow and Mike Barr. Star Fleet Assembly Manual (building a miniature of the Avenger class starship). See Enterprise for more.

2nd Edition

The cover of this second edition is by Tom Holtkamp and it was published by Movie Publisher Services. The second edition contains 129 pages. It is the only edition that contains Wizard of Oz references which were not part of the original story.

Second Edition Blurb:

Three universes in imaginative collision – with delightfully funny results. An underground classic, this tongue-in-cheek parody is an affectionate tribute by a fan of both Star Trek and Doctor Who who is also a professional writer. This cult favorite has already won thousands of fans in small editions. It is newly illustrated for the current edition. Take a Moebius trip into adventure as The Doctor and the crew of the Enterprise encounter the Wicked Witches and the Tin Woodmen in search of the Ruby Slippers with which to power their starship. Chuckle as the Doctor and the Wizard of Oz join minds with those unforgettable words, "Hello, anybody home...."[6]

Gallery

In September 2010, Jim Van Hise sold on eBay the thirteen original art pieces done in 1989 by Mahlon Fawcett. He described them as "... based on the fan fiction novel THE DOCTOR AND THE ENTERPRISE. Artwork is 8 1/2" x 11... [These were] done for a new printing of this Doctor Who meets Star Trek novel published by Pioneer Books." Samples of this art are in the gallery below.

  • inside art from Pioneer book edition, Mahlon Fawcett

  • inside art from Pioneer book edition, Mahlon Fawcett

  • inside art from Pioneer book edition, Mahlon Fawcett

  • inside art from Pioneer book edition, Mahlon Fawcett

  • inside art from Pioneer book edition, Mahlon Fawcett

  • inside art from Pioneer book edition, Mahlon Fawcett

  • inside art from Pioneer book edition, Mahlon Fawcett

  • inside art from Pioneer book edition, Mahlon Fawcett

Reactions and Reviews: The Story

1984

I sent for the special edition of "Doctor Who and The Enterprise". What a pleasure it was, when it came, yesterday, to read about old friends. I practically grew up with "Star Trek" and was introduced to the pleasure of the doctor's acquaintance when several episodes with Jon Pertwee were shown here in the Bay area quite a few years ago.

I just adore the Doctor of Tom Baker, and enjoyed seeing the interplay of Doctor and Kirk, and Doctor with Dr. McCoy. Jean Airey put across the essential alienness of the doctor well. It was intriguing seeing him a step more removed from his presentation in the Doctor Who books and fan stories. An unusual experience to see a familiar character through another character's eyes, I liked how the Captain's suspicions of the Doctor gave a sinister undertone to D's actions on the Enterprise and his relationship with the crew.

At the end, the Captain's invoking of Article 110 was touching; I don't seem to remember the Doctor ever receiving a tangible thanks for his help. The 61,725 percent probability of the Doctor's arrival in "our" universe sounds like a great idea.

With the exception of a new book by C. J, Cherryh, or Kevin O'Donnell, I rarely get as enthusiastic as I did over this, a truly enjoyable melding of two of my favorite science fiction creations on T.V.[7]

1992

I must admit I am not a Dr Who fan (no bricks, please!).

Which is the more logical and reasonable - a universe in which an entity plays with a Starship and its crew as if they they were dolls, creating play settings at will (Q and others before him) or a universe in which an entity travels though time and space but has little in the way of 'supernatural' powers?

The concept is not that odd really - the Starship Enterprise once more enters a different universe, and an odd box-like device materialises on the transporter pad. In this universe there is no Federation, the Vulcans have wiped themselves out in a bloody war: however there is a very nasty race of beings who really enjoy killing - Sontarans.

Enterprise again has need of dilithium crystals - to return it to its own universe - and a planet is round with the necessary. Within 15 minutes of landing Kirk insults a local and picks up a quickly lethal virus. Kirk receives medication, but has to atone for the insult by facing a 'challenge', assisted by The Doctor.

The virus Kirk picked up helps him to use psi powers to assist the Doctor in defeating the Daleks once more 'the Sontarans having already been dealt with).

The Doctor in this story is the one with the very long scarf and the robot dog K9. He appears to have no other companions at this time.

This story is well written, and works much better than it should do. There is a comic element, well picked up in the illustrations, which are great.

Serious Star Trek it may not be, but it is a jolly good read.[8]

2001

I read Jean Airey’s The Doctor and the Enterprise recently. :)

The Doctor and the Enterprise (tDatE) is frivolous fun. I’d slot it right after “The Deadly Assassin” and before the Doctor picks up Leela, but there’s a reference to K-9, so perhaps it would be best after Leela and before Romana I, so right before “The Key to Time”? Anyway, the story isn’t anything to write home about. It doesn’t have a plot, just a series of interconnected scenes (sounds like Doctor Who, doesn’t it?) that seem to happen. But it’s handled well enough that you can forgive the story for that.

There’s not any sort of sensible plot, instead there’s a series of events that just seem to happen one after another, and it doesn’t really all hang together. The Enterprise gets tossed into another universe, they fight the Sontarans, the engines are going to blow, the dilithium burns out, they visit a world under attack by the Daleks, there’s some tribal ritual, etc. Not exactly a linear progression. But it’s done with some style, rare enough in fanfic.

I’ve sometimes wondered if the reason the story seems to wander as it does is related to the fact that Jean Airey stumped during the writing of it and put it away for a time. It’s certainly possible, to lose the initial muse, then to go back months or years later and try to figure out where the story was going when it was stopped.

I had some problems with Kirk’s characterization. He seemed way to diffident and dismissive towards the Doctor. I admit it’s the reader bias creeping in–we know that the Doctor’s one of the good guys, but Kirk obviously doesn’t. However, you’d think that once the Doctor had done some good for the Enterprise and proved his worth that Kirk would have come around, rather than at the very end. I mean, saving the Enterprise from the Sontarans has to count for something, don’t you think?

I’ve discovered that Trek/Who crossovers are fairly common on the Internet. Most are forgettable, thankfully. There’s a sequel to tDatE I’ve found that’s positively wretched. The Fourth Doctor remembers the events of tDatE when the TARDIS lands on the Enterprise-D, but he’s travelling with Sarah Jane. (Uhm, no, because he’s travelling alone and with K-9 in tDatE, and K-9 didn’t show up until Leela’s day.) And then when the Doctor leaves the TARDIS throws the Enterprise-D into a confrontation with the Cybermen and the Seventh Doctor appears. It’s a dreadful story; about the only useful thing in it is the suggestion that the Celestial Toymaker was Q. (Random observation. I’ve seen pictures of Michael Gough as the Celestial Toymaker, and I’d be damned but he looks like Leonard Nimoy way back in the day!)

Jean Airey herself wrote a sequel to tDatE, entitled “The Lieutenant and the Doctor.” My guess is that Dorcy Stephens stowed away aboard the TARDIS when the Doctor left, and she traveled with him for some period of time before he dropped her off somewhere and then got on his with normal adventures. I haven’t read this one; I’ve never been able to find it, and I’ve been checking eBay regularly. Published in “The Blue Guardian,” issue 13 if you ever run across it.[9]

2005

I don't know when I first heard of Jean Airey's tale. It may have been an issue of Starlog, sometime in the mid-80s. I knew about it, but it wasn't until the mid-90s that, thanks to the Internet, I was able to read it.

In a way, I wished I hadn't.

I'd imagined for a long time how the meeting between the two universes would have gone, how Kirk would react to the Doctor and vice versa. "Having is not so great a thing as wanting," is how the saying goes, I think.

The Doctor and the Enterprise isn't a great story. It's just a collection of random events that happen to the Enterprise crew, and the Doctor happens to be along for the ride. Sontaran fleet? Visit to Lightunder? Daleks? It's all vaguely pointless. The characters don't feel quite right.

(Oh, and Lightunder. I always "heard" it as "Lie-tun-dur," while I recently discovered that the planet's name was meant as a Darkover homage. My misreading led me to not realize that for a decade.)

Through eBay I acquired two fanzine copies of the story a few years ago. One was, it turned out, the original Zeta Minor publication. Another was done by NBM Books, a collection of the serialization from Enterprise Incidents. This may be one of the most republished fanfic stories ever, and as often as not without the author's permission.

I've heard that Airey wrote a sequel, "The Lieutenant and the Doctor." I imagine it's about how Dorcy Stephens, the alien anthropology specialist aboard the Enterprise, stows away on the TARDIS and becomes the Doctor's new companion, probably in the gap between "The Deadly Assassin" and "The Face of Evil" (which is where I place The Doctor and the Enterprise). Not having read the story, I have no idea, though.[10]

2012

Earlier this year, after picking up the first issue of Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation from IDW Publishing. I decided to take a trip back in time and read what is probably the first Star Trek/Doctor Who crossover, a short novel written by Jean Airey, published in a 1981 zine. The Doctor and the Enterprise introduces the Fourth Doctor (played by Tom Baker in the long-running BBC television series) to Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the crew of the original series. The Enterprise finds itself in the Doctor’s universe, needing his help to get back home. Kirk is suspicious of the Doctor’s motives but is eventually won over after a series of adventures.

Airey tells an interesting tale, but her novel is mostly a character study of Kirk, Spock and the Doctor. I liked the story, but it never really goes anywhere, meandering a bit, just long enough for Kirk to get over his mistrust of the Doctor and part friends. Hardcore Trekkies and Whovians curious about the first crossover of these two fabled franchises might get a kick out of the story, but it’s not going to rock anyone’s world.[11]

Further Reading/Meta

References

  1. ^ Enterprise/PERN, by Christophe V. Nasipak, February 6, 1993
  2. ^ a b c Doctor Who Wiki. The Doctor and the Enterprise (Accessed 20 June 2011).
  3. ^ from Jean Airey in Tarrel Cell v.3 n.3
  4. ^ a b Stories by Jean Airey, Archived version (Accessed 24 October 2014)
  5. ^ Starfleet Library: Star Trek Books, Archived version
  6. ^ memory-alpha.org. Fan publications#The Secret Logs of Mistress Janeway, content no longer available at the Memory Alpha wiki. (Accessed 20 June 2011)
  7. ^ from a letter of comment in Zeta Minor #3
  8. ^ from IDIC #25 (1992)
  9. ^ On The Doctor and the Enterprise, and FOX: Allyn Gibson, Archived version (2001)
  10. ^ Comment by Ally Gibson, see comments: Starfleet Library: Star Trek Books, Archived version, 06 May 2005. (Accessed 20 June 2011)
  11. ^ TrekInk: Star Trek Doctor Who Christmas Special, Archived version
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