A Place of Red

Fanfiction
Title:	A Place of Red
Author(s):	Dovya Blacque
Date(s):	1987
Length:	42 pages - fanzine; 20,481 words - K/S Archive
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:	The Kirk/Spock FanFiction Archive on AO3
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A Place of Red is a Kirk/Spock story by Dovya Blacque.

It was published in the print zine Naked Times #13 (03/1987).

Summary

"Kirk and Spock wake up to find that they have switched bodies in their sleep and decide to go to Vulcan for help when they find that their personalities are merging."

Reactions and Reviews

1987

A PLACE OF RED (by Dovya Blacque)... is a wonderful tale of what might happen should Kirk and Spock exchange "souls" and become trapped in one another's bodies. Sound confusing? I thought so at first, but as I read on, I became more and more intrigued with the poetic style of the writing as well as with the poignant love story this writer had to tell." The dialogue is wonderful, and the "how we see ourselves in the mirror" attitude is a scream!

1999

A Place of Red is definitely an unusual story, suitable because it’s in the metaphysical issue, #13 of Naked Times. The first page tells the tale: Spock wakes up in Kirk’s body, and Kirk wakes up in Spock’s body. They are each astonished and find it difficult to adjust, but eventually find their way to each other to talk about what’s happened. McCoy, naturally, comes into the picture as well as they explore the possibilities for reversing the process.

The plot line presents a wonderful opportunity for each man to reveal how much he cares about the other; the story practically drips with gentle caring. I’m not objecting, I loved it! They decide to visit Vulcan where one of the arcane mind rituals might help them out, but first Kirk feels they must complete a mission which will seal a planet’s entry into the Federation. For that, Spock-in-Kirk’s-body must act as the captain, and Kirk-in-Spock’s-body must be his loyal supporter and second in command. An interesting challenge. Even more interesting was my continuing inability to keep straight who was where, who looked like what, who was truly speaking, Kirk or Spock. The nature of appearances....

Two very small details marred my enjoyment of A Place of Red. A big deal is made out of the fact that Kirk usually wakes up with an erection, and Spock’s need to control that when he, in Kirk’s body, experiences the same condition. It just didn’t quite ring true to me, since 1) morning erections often seem to point to a totally different bodily function than what we’re interested in, and 2) it surely isn’t that difficult to make little junior behave! A short contemplation of the evils of World War II, for example, is usually enough to get me totally out of the mood.... The second thing that bothered me is related to the first, and yet it functioned as the transition point to the very best part of the story. And that is, while on the planet masquerading as each other, Spock drinks more than he normally does, and Kirk gets an “inevitable” erection and an acute case of horniness. Kirk tells Spock that this invariably happens to him. It just doesn’t ring true to me.

Nevertheless, what happens next is priceless. Spock is hopelessly aroused, he wouldn’t dream of touching himself to relieve the condition since it isn’t his body, and Kirk’s compassionate nature leads him to suggest that he make love to his own body—since he’s accustomed to doing so. What a scenario! Expertly done, too, really good writing in this section.

That’s far from the ending, I’ll leave that for you all to enjoy on your own, a nice gentle settling down that’s rather typical of the way this author handles such stories. I recommend it!

2021

5/5: This one sure does jump right into it. The way they talk about each other's bodies with the whole swapping thing can get somewhat confusing, but that's literally the only negative thing I have to say about it. It's also incredibly funny at times, which is just a bonus.