A Light in the Darkness

Fanfiction
Title:	A Light in the Darkness
Author(s):	Deborah Cummins
Date(s):	2006
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:	A Light in the Darkness (slash version)
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A Light in the Darkness is a Kirk/Spock story by Deborah Cummins. It was a winner of a 2007 FanQ.

It was first published as gen in Lone Star Trek #3 (1991), reworked as slash for T'hy'la #26, and later published online.

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  title page from LoneStar Trek #3 (gen version)

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  art for this story in "LoneStar Trek", by Chris Soto (gen version)

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  art for this story in "T'hy'la" #26, artist is T'Guess (slash version)

Summary

"Feeling like a third wheel after Spock invites him along on his and Kirkʼs shore leave, McCoy decides to return to town from their campsite — in the only means of transportation they have."

Reactions and Reviews

The aforementioned art is like a window leading us into an enchanting tale. I was about to meet intriguing characters who interact importantly with our friends.

Set on Delta Auriga IV, a pastoral, peaceful planet, it is the destination of Kirk and Spock, who are looking forward to a three-week shore leave there. Spock is eager to view a phenomenon indigenous to that planet: the strange "rocks that "grow" at certain times of the year. The process is called Shamar and Spock is anticipating researching the scientific explanations of the causes and effects he's heard so much about. This seems like as good a reason as any for shore leave to Kirk, He, of course, wishes to get out in the open and be completely alone with his bondmate.

McCoy wants shore leave too, but finds he's barred from the planet due to a medical condition he contracted months before. He is unhappy and disappointed, he has only one place to go--Starbase 12.

Naturally, Jim and Spock can't leave their best friend high and dry. But it is Spock, with is understanding of McCoy's loneliness, who invites the CMO to come with them to Drosina. This despite Jim's wish to be alone with his lover for these deliciously duty-free weeks. And it's just like Kirk to rein in his ruefulness and agree with his lover's decision. Kirk is nothing if not a good sport and he gets his reward for it soon enough.

Lucky for us, we do too. Their agreement leads to a steamily romantic love scene to seal their promise to take McCoy along. This remarkable loving, as Spock made it up to some Kirk with intensely erotic love-play, plunged me right into the swing of things. I was hooked and more in love than ever with these two sweet men. Yes I said sweet. In any case, my hopes sky-rocketed. I didn't know then the fearful danger, the pain that was in store for our heroes.

Heroes they turn out to be, too, throughout this thrilling story. It is fraught with peril, yet full of right-on- target characterizations of Jim, Spock and McCoy.

While Jim and Spock are settling into their camp, McCoy gets a case of the guilts. Sensing that they want to be alone, he realizes he shouldn't have come along. By way of atonement he rides back to the city of Mersin in the only vehicle available to his fellow officers. This action on McCoy's part, while altruistic, made me raise my eyebrows. Anyway, Jim and Spock are left there alone and the unimaginable happens.

I'm not going into details. (Do I hear you saying, Thank you!)? but it is a harrowing experience most of the way. An old man, Jonah D'Ceren, who's bitter and cynical, angry at the world that has taken his beloved wife from him, is one interesting dude. He's also a bigot, which I don't like. Yet he's the character who saves the day. Reluctantly, but in the end he's a vital element in Kirk and Spock's survival. And they in his. He's the one I liked because he's interesting, yes, but also because of my identification with some of his feelings. Others may not feel so sympathetic.

Distinctive characters are brought vividly to life. There's Dr. Morrian, a selfless physician McCoy aids in Mersin's hospital, first in a difficult birth, then when the casualties come pouring in. Even through his worry about his friends, McCoy is a humanitarian through and through. He suffers guilt too, which I thought was highly warranted.

Most of the action takes place outdoors in the rugged beauty of the country. (Before appalling events start to happen, though, there is a juicy, sensuous pre-love scene with Spock shirtless. No sex but hot and wonderful I was elated by it.)

I keep thinking of Jonah, lonely on his mountain, no one to discuss intellectual matters with, ready to throw in the towel and rid himself of the cold world. When Jim and Spock reach the shelter of his house and their friendships began to form, I kept clinging to his every thought and word, hoping to find some chink in D'Ceren's mental armor. In the end, Spock finds one and Kirk does too. It takes a while but the old man's admiration for the two lovers wins him over. In the end they find common ground and Kirk and Spock had planted a seed they were confident would grow and bring Jonah back to life. There really was a light in his darkness

Inspiring? Yes. Challenging? Indeed. Grueling? Damn, yes! Rewarding? Unquestionably! But if you like hurt/comfort, thrilling adventure, romance and finely-wrought philosophical and psychological themes, then take this fabulous journey. Be touched and moved as I was. You won't regret it.

According to the editor's notes, this was originally published back in 1991 as a gen story. I have to say, now that it has been rewritten as a K/S story, it's hard to tell such wasn't the case to begin with. Both portions have been blended together beautifully and the final result is something that is a rarity in K/S - a story that stays with you long after you've read the last page. Even after all these years, there are still only a handful of stories I can place in that category, and this one definitely qualifies.

The story starts out peaceful enough - Kirk and Spock, already in an established relationship, are looking forward to leave on Delta Auriga IV, where they plan to spend to do nothing more than "watch rocks grow, lie by a lake somewhere, make love all day long, as naked as children in the sunshine..." Their plans change somewhat when McCoy comes along, through no fault of his own, but the good doctor soon realizes his presence is proving to be a deterrent to his two friends' enjoyment of their leave and each other, so he comes up with an excuse to leave. That decision proves to be costly in nature, as with their only means of transport gone, Kirk and Spock find themselves in the middle of a natural disaster, from which there seems to be no escape. What follows is a harrowing tale of survival and sacrifice that is guaranteed to keep the reader on the edge of her seat. Even when they eventually find sanctuary, they still cannot quite relax their guard as the being providing such harbors his own feelings of prejudice and hatred. Yet even he is not immune to the charms of his two uninvited guests and in the end, finds his time with them has helped to heal some of the anger and resentment festering inside his heart and soul.

In my opinion, this story has it all - lots of action and adventure, great hurt/comfort, and most important - a lesson learned that no matter the difficulties we all must face in life, no matter the bitterness and grief that can grow and fester as a result of those difficulties, acceptance and love will always conquer all.

These guys should really stop taking shore leave, because it always ends in badness. This is a very sweet novella in which Kirk and Spock's hopeless devotion to one another has a profound effect on their reluctant helper. Written in third person omniscient, which I'm not fond of, but still an engaging story.