Socialator
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A socialator is a courtesan within the upper crust of society of The Twelve Colonies.
The socialator is a 4,000 yahrens old profession sanctified by the elders, wherein a person obliges the desires of others. It is not without its detractors, as those who practice this profession are scorned by members of the Otori Sect of the Gemonese.
Cassiopeia was a socialator prior to the Battle of Cimtar (TOS: "Saga of a Star World").
In the separate continuity
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The content in this section is considered separate from the primary continuity (often called "canon"), for it is a part of the Richard Hatch continuation universe.
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Socialators are men or women trained and educated to be the perfect companion, both sexually and socially[1].
Passenger ship Adena within the Fleet is known for its complement of socialators[2] (RH: Armageddon).
Profession and tradition
Commander Cain describes socialators as "an ancient occupation with a tradition of great respect," asserting that socialators are "women of exemplary manners, diplomacy and education" who serve as "the perfect companions"[3]. This characterization reflects a cultural view of the profession as legitimate and respectable within Colonial society (RH: Warhawk).
However, the sexual component of the profession remains central, as evidenced by Cassiopeia's bitter observation: "Particularly when the lights are out"[3]. Despite Cain's defense of the profession's respectability, Cassiopeia expresses regret about her past as a socialator, though she never attempts to hide it[3] (RH: Warhawk).
Cassiopeia's experience
Before becoming a med-tech, Cassiopeia was trained as a socialator. While there was "a certain glamour to that life, it was a lonely one"[4]. Her training in the profession made her skilled at listening and understanding what her clients wanted, an ability that later proved valuable in her medical career[5] (RH: Armageddon, Warhawk).
Cassiopeia successfully transitioned from socialator to med-tech, eventually becoming "the primary bio-research tech" aboard Galactica[3]. Commander Cain acknowledges this accomplishment, noting that while being a companion "would never have been good enough for" her, she "was meant for finer things"[3] (RH: Warhawk).
Social stigma
Despite the profession's purported respectability, socialators face social stigma within the Fleet. Athena initially thought Cassiopeia was "cheap" because of her socialator background[6], reflecting broader prejudices against the profession (RH: Resurrection).
Cain had a romantic relationship with Cassiopeia approximately twenty yahren before the events of Richard Hatch's Warhawk, during her time as a socialator. He treated her "with a respect I've rarely known, even though I was a socialator back then," according to Cassiopeia[7] (RH: Paradis).
Tie-in Material Information
- According to Encyclopedia Galactica (a non-canonical piece of merchandise published in 1979):
- A socialator is a woman who is dedicated to the entertainment and pleasure of others. They are skilled in music and the dance and can speak easily and with intelligence on nearly any subject. On the planet Scorpio, members of this caste are looked upon with special respect and admiration. [8]
- Cassiopeia's home world is given as Scorpio, not Gemoni. [9] On her homeworld, Cassiopeia was a Socialator, one of a caste whose function was to entertain and give pleasure to others. Socialators were skilled in music and the dance, and could speak with intelligence on nearly any subject. [9] As for her change in profession, it is mentioned that since her arrival aboard Galactica, she "trained as a medical corpsman and now pursues that profession exclusively". [9]
Notes
- A common mis-understanding with "socialator" was that it was likened to a prostitute or "space hooker," the latter term being used by actress Laurette Spang herself in Sciography.
- Glen A. Larson noted that the presence of socialators in Colonial society were "an attempt to try and be a little more sophisticated," and that socialators were "like a geisha, in that tradition. It wasn't purely sexual."[10]
- The legality of prostitution under Colonial law was maintained in the Re-imagined Series, as noted in the episode "Black Market."
References
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1997). Armageddon. Byron Preiss, p. glossary.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1997). Armageddon. Byron Preiss, p. 132.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1998). Warhawk. Byron Preiss, p. 75.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1998). Warhawk. Byron Preiss, p. 51.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1997). Armageddon. Byron Preiss, p. 117.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Timmons, Stan (1999). Resurrection. Byron Preiss, p. 46.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Linaweaver, Brad (2004). Paradis. Tor Books, p. 66.
- ↑ Kraus, Bruce (1979). Encyclopedia Galactica, p. 52.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Kraus, Bruce (1979). Encyclopedia Galactica, p. 26.
- ↑ Altman, Mark A.; Gross, Edward (2018). So Say We All: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Battlestar Galactica. Tor Books. ISBN 9781250128942, p. 75.