26 About Sulu

Automatic pilot are two words he really likes because that means he can spend more time talking to, or flirting with, Pavel even when they're on duty.

Botany could have been his career choice but he knew nothing would beat the excitement of being on the Bridge of a starship, especially the Enterprise.

Commander Spock is an excellent fencing opponent, but Sulu still wins about 60% of the time, slightly more often if the Captain watches their match.

Delicious is how he describes sushi to Pavel but he knows he will never convince him to eat it.

Every now and again, he dreams he's falling from the drill, and Pavel talks soothingly to him until he can go back to sleep.

Free-falling from the shuttle was exciting but if he never has to do it again, he'll be just as happy.

Getting assigned to the Enterprise is the best thing that ever happened to him, until he discovers how much he loves Pavel.

He knows that Pavel worships the Captain and because he understands, it will never come between them.

In his own way, he also worships Captain Kirk, but he's been around enough to know how to disguise it better than… some people can.

Jailbait – if he hears one more person use that term for his Pasha, he will run them through with his saber.

Kirk loves watching Sulu when he's fully involved in his duty as helmsman because Sulu becomes one with their ship, a feeling the Captain completely understands.

Leaving Earth wasn't the hardship for Sulu that it was for those who came from loving families, a truth he finally reveals to Pavel after a night of one too many drinks.

Mostly, he's gotten over his embarrassment of then-Captain Pike's question about the parking break, and is eternally grateful that his Captain wasn't on the Bridge to hear it.

Nyota is without a doubt the most beautiful woman Hikaru has ever met and he's glad he can finally talk to her without his color (or anything else) rising.

Occasionally, Commander Spock requests his help in the Botany lab and Hikaru feels a glow of pride that his work is appreciated by someone as smart as Spock.

Playing chess bores Sulu because you have to sit still to do it.

Quixotic – when Captain Kirk called him that, he didn't know whether to be insulted or pleased, so he finally broke down and asked Spock, who assured him that the Captain meant it in the kindest way possible, which made it okay.

Rushing in without thinking – maybe that trait (which he knows he shares with Kirk) is the reason the Captain used quixotic to start with.

Saving the Universe seemed like all in a day's work to Kirk, and Sulu tried very hard to be as cool and nonchalant about it, although he suspected he failed, because really, no one is as uber-cool as his Captain.

Thank you – he will never be able to say that enough to Kirk for risking his life by jumping off the drill to save him.

Universal translators have their place, but nothing is more beautiful to Hikaru than when Pavel says "I love you" in Russian.

Various crewmembers have voted Hikaru as the second coolest person aboard the Enterprise, a vote Pavel assures him is correct.

White people all look the same to me, he told Pavel once when they were drunk, to which Pavel responded that he was one of those white people, and they both laughed until they passed out.

Xtreme fencing – naked (except for mukluks) on a glacier field – he tried it once but never again.

Yield – a word he loves hearing from Mr. Spock when they are fencing.

Zebra stripes is a fencing term for the loser, a word that has never been used for Hikaru because even when he loses, he's too quick to have those type of bruises.