A Matter of Trust (Star Trek: TOS story by Joanna Cantor)

Star Trek TOS Fanfiction
Title:	A Matter of Trust
Author(s):	Joanna Cantor
Date(s):	March 1976
Length:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
External Links:	A Matter of Trust, Archived version
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A Matter of Trust is a gen Star Trek: TOS story by Joanna Cantor.

from "Warped Space," illo by Marty Siegrist

from "Warped Space," illo by Jane Clinckenbeard

from "Warped Space," illo by Jane Clinckenbeard: "Why didn't someone choke her until she took MAD out of the illo on p.13, though? That kind of corniness does not go with the delicacy of the story, or the sensitivity of the Spock illo."

It was published in Warped Space #15 and is online.

Reactions and Reviews

1976

...oh, what an improvement in your serious tales, particularly Johanna Cantor's "A Matter of Trust." Cantor and I both seem to be working on the question of why Vulcans are so hung up about sex that they'd rather die than let humans know about Pon Farr — possibly the most illogical thing we know about Vulcans. Tying it in with the whole concept of trust between races, with the story beautifully done from Spock's point of view, is a marvelously logical explanation of the problem. And the illo by Clinkenbeard on p.8 is perfection. Why didn't someone choke her until she took MAD out of the illo on p.13, though? That kind of corniness does not go with the delicacy of the story, or the sensitivity of the Spock illo.

'A Matter of Trust,' is a sort of 'after' story for 'Balance of Terror' and a 'before' story for 'Amok Time' and rather hard to follow.

There were some good things going for this story -- specifically our insight in 'the early Spock' from the time of BALANCE OF TERROR, an alien rather unsure of his acceptance aboard an all-human ship. There were problems tho — I didn't quite understand Spock's long illness. The show itself did not indicate such & thus I was disturbed by Spock's convalescence. Why wasn't Stiles likewise affected? Also, this was not one story — it was two. At least, it seemed that way to me. Neither one was especially climatic tho, so I suppose each needed the support of the other. They both concentrated on the same theme, Vulcans among humans, an interesting theme, certainly, but something was lacking ... I haven't quite put my finger on it yet will you take my word for it now?

"A Matter of Trust." This is my definite favorite entry in this issue [of Warped Space]. Have I seen Johanna Cantor's name before? If this is a first effort it is even more remarkable. The characterizations are excellent, particularly Spock. At New York con last month I listened to a panel of fanzine editors discuss the typical problems of fan fiction, lumped under the heading "Don't make him say that!" Well, in this story, to mi' mind, we see a lot of people saying just what they would say. That's perceptive characterization. Perhaps Spock is a trifle too humanized — he is concerned about human reactions, thinking about humans, concerned about his own reactions This is a valid interpretation, and, I suppose, the one I favor, but it is not the only one. In the book I AM NOT SPOCK, Leonard Nimoy quotes Spock: " ... you want me to be like you. TO value the things you value and to give support and credence to your life style." Spock goes on to explain that he sampled love and happiness, much as a foreigner samples an American hamburger, but that doesn't mean" he has to react to the experience the way an American or a human would. Whenever I read that passage, I must confess my resistance, my pain, if you like. We do want Spock to approve of us; we can't help it. Anyway, in this story Spock's dealings with humans, whatever we think of them, are nicely balanced by his interactions with Vulcans. And I must commend Jane Clinkenbeard's illustration on p.8, it was truly beautiful: an incredible mixture of pain and peace on Spock's face.

"A Matter of Trust" was also good — a helpful view of the growth of trust and understanding between Kirk and Spock — Kirk must have learned from the Stin-Svev episode to be always completely frank with Spock; off the top of my head, I can't remember him keeping Spook in the dark for 'his own good' as the either captain did ... ... the case of Snov's brain tumor shows an interesting view of the early development of the Spock-MoCoy relationship. Dr. Piper is certainly shown as a disagreeable cuss (a little overdone, perhaps, unless he was getting irascible in his old age!)

After reading "A Matter of Trust" I still like it a lot. The comparison of the way some humans act with Vulcans and the way other humans act with Vulcans is perhaps a bit too obviously drawn and maybe the good guys were a little too good. I'm not so sure Spock would graciously accept being generally helped and assisted by so many humans—but we each see the son of the house of Xtraproqzntwlfb differently. There have to be as many Spocks as there are trekfen. Anyway, it was a nice statement of prejudice against the ever-virtuous Vulcans ...