Snakepit! (Star Trek: TOS story)

Fanfiction
Title:	Snakepit! (zine title), ("Snake Pit!") (title in Star Trek: The New Voyages)
Author(s):	Connie Faddis
Date(s):	1975, 1977, 1978
Length:
Genre(s):
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):
External Links:	available online at AO3
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Snakepit! is a Star Trek: TOS story by Connie Faddis.

Publishing History

It was first published in the print zines Universal Transmitter #1 (1975) and revised for Rigel #3 (1977). It was then printed in the pro book, Star Trek: The New Voyages #2 (1978).

The title in the zines was "Snakepit!" and in the probook was "Snake Pit!".

Star Trek: The New Voyages 2 Preface

From the preface of Star Trek: The New Voyages #2:

The women who go "where no man has gone before" also have to be in the where-no-man, out- side-the-square category, cast in no mold and stopped by no boundaries.

Star Trek recognized that with Romulan Commanders, Amazons, matriarchs and the like, but it remained for what we might call the second generation of Star Trek fiction to develop that kind of theme fully, particularly for Uhura and Christine Chapel. We have had many requests for stories featuring one or the other, or both, as they most really be.

Chapel, after all, is a doctor of research biology who trained as a nursing specialist in order to get into space to search for her lost fiance Roger Corby. She found him, lost him, then found an outside-the-square love for a Vulcan — and a profound admiration for the starship Captain who saw her through the search for Roger Corby.

In this story, Chapel isn't going to let that Captain down, and she certainly is not going to go back to face a certain Vulcan without him...

Connie Faddis is also a woman who is stopped by no boundaries. A talented writer, she also does magnificent artwork, and is the editor and publisher of a beautiful, well-produced Star Trek fanzine, Interphase.

This marks her first professional publication, but obviously not her last—and it is by no accident that she is represented here by two stories, "Snake Pit" and "Marginal Existence."

Art Notes

Gee Moaven is the artist for this story as it appeared in Universal Transmitter and Rigel.

"Universal Transmitter" includes two larger pieces of art, and some smaller illos. The art in Rigel reprints only the full-page illo.

Art and Text

• 

  first page as it appeared in Universal Transmitter

• 

  first page as it appeared in Rigel

• 

  art by Gee Moaven for this story in Universal Transmitter

• 

  art for this story by Gee Moaven in Rigel and Universal Transmitter

Reactions and Reviews

Unknown Date

...tells of Kirk and Christine Chapel’s visit to the planet Vestalan where a native uprising is in progress thus depriving the Federation of a badly needed serum. During the course of their visit, they find themselves prisoners of the natives with Kirk becoming a sacrificial victim to their gods. This story, written by Connie Faddis, is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats as Chapel tries to rescue the captain from certain death.

1979

While Snake Pit didn't tall us much about Kirk, it seemed entirely written to tell us about Chapel. That it was possible for her to be brave, to follow her own conscience, to risk her life for her Captain. While it didn't entirely follow the characterization we saw in the show, it was definitely telling us more about her, and her capabilities.

[...]

And of course it's a fantasy. 90% of Trek fiction is. Is there any special reason why you don't think Christine is capable of those actions? You've really got me curious!

Snakepit, by Connie Faddis, is a typical example of the "wish fulfillment" genre of fan writing, where the author is identifying herself with one of the secondary characters, in this case Nurse Chapel, whose role is then inflated so that she can perform great acts of heroism to save the Captain's life - at the expense of her own, naturally - to the universal admiration of the rest of the crew. Strong overtones of women's lib in this one, too, though the message is not handled with any great subtlety.

1985

I admit that the only portrayal of Chapel I've read that doesn't offend me is in "Snake Pit" by Connie Faddis (NEW VOYAGES 2) where Chapel was an active hero.

2018

On one hand this was entertaining and suspenseful story featuring one of my favorite female characters from the original series, on the other hand there are a few elements that feel racist to me.

Normally I wouldn't leave a review like this but this fanfic was republished on the day the migrant caravan was tear gassed by the United States.

Christine calling the story's indigenous Aztec expys drunken animals was probably the worst. And it portrays this world that has a culture that bet/gamble in a way that feels kinda shady and a horrible stereotype.

From my point of view, this is a story where the two main white characters go to a world and are described as physically stronger than the "natives". And unless Commander Domberwicky and Gehres are people of color, only the white characters are given names.

And coatl is the Nahuatl/Aztec word for serpent so I know this wasn't a random "space" word. Nahuatl is spoken by 1.7 million people today. It isn't a dead language. And the fact that this was originally published in 1975 shows just how little has changed when it comes to science fiction and racism.

[the author]: No argument. Racist. I didn’t think so at the time.

2020

Really enjoyed this story, Connie. I think I may remember the zine it was in, as well as Gee Moaven's illos. Good to read it again.

Backdated to 1975! Mind blown!

2023

I read this story in The New Voyages 2 and I had to see if you had uploaded it to AO3 so I could bookmark it. I love seeing Christine be smart and kick ass! She’s such an underutilized character and I’m always happy to see more of her. Thanks for writing this!