A Question of Balance
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | A Question of Balance |
| Publisher: | Pon Farr Press |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | Alexis Fegan Black/Della Van Hise |
| Cover Artist(s): | |
| Illustrator(s): | |
| Date(s): | February 1980 |
| Medium: | print zine, fanfic |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: TOS |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
A Question of Balance is a K/S slash 80-page novel by Alexis Fegan Black writing under the name Della Van Hise.
The interior art is by Mike Verina and Vel Jaeger.
This story is a sequel to "Though This Be Madness" published in Naked Times #2.
Its Place in K/S History
It is one of the first Kirk/Spock full standalone novels published -- Mirrors of Mind and Flesh and Nightvisions were two novels published in 1979.
All three of these novels were preceded by Alternative: The Epilog to Orion in 1976.
Thrust was the first all K/S anthology published.
From a Flyer
A QUESTION OF BALANCE is the K/S novella-1ength sequel to THOUGH THIS BE MADNESS, which appeared in Naked Times 2. Set in pre-Reform Mirror Vulcan, A QUESTION OF BALANCE deals with the struggle of both Spocks to regain their captains after a disastrous accident which leaves the Guardian dead... and both Kirks trapped on the other side... with no memories... no knowledge of the world they now inhabit... and no hope.
The zine will be approximately 85 pages, printed non-reduced, offset printing. It will be available in February 1980. This will be a very limited press-run, so please place your order well in advance, and include an SASE in the event it is sold out.
Due to the extremely explicit nature of this zine, an age statement is required. Do not order A QUESTION OF BALANCE if you are offended by same-sex relationships.
Summaries
Summary: An accident with the Guardian of Forever brings Kirk and Spock and their Mirror Universe counterparts together in Pre-Reform Vulcan. Spock and Kirk meets Lucifer which test their relationship in intriguing ways.
Summary from an ad in Not Tonight Spock! #11: "AQ0B is story of how "our" boys as well as their "mirror" counter parts must learn to live & work together as they are trapped in Vulcan's pre-Reform past. Twists & turns, as well as in-depth character exploration."
Excerpt
Spock dragged himself back to consciousness some time after the meld, ignoring the stabbing pain in his head. He knew now why Tybereus had seemed so distant, so strange, so completely like his own Jim. Although his initial reaction was to find his own Kirk immediately, he knew he dared not leave Tybereus alone now. Some inner knowledge told Spock that the Dark One wouldn’t harm Jim… and he could only hope there wouldn’t be a similar incident as had happened once before – on that blessed/frightful night when he and Kirk had become lovers as well as brothers. Then another thought struck him. The waves of passion he’d sensed the night before must have been bleeding over through the bond – his own bond with Jim. Conclusion, inescapable and horrifying: Jim had been with Lucifer. Instantly, Spock dragged himself awake, biting his lip to keep himself from crying out at that knowledge. He had never before realized that he was capable of jealousy… or of feeling such hurt which permeated every cell.He was forced back to the immediate problem as Tybereus began to stir. But the human didn’t awaken instantly. Forcing his eyes to focus, Spock gazed down at the unconscious man in his arms, forcing a twinge of unbidden sorrow he felt for his own Dark twin. It seemed unfair in a way; simply because they had been destined to be born in opposite universes, it meant the painful difference between happiness and loneliness. Though he knew Lucifer had learned to ask for nothing more of his Kirk than what was offered, he couldn’t help feeling as if there had to be some alternative for his counterpart. He wanted, in some illogical way, to feel anger toward Lucifer for taking Kirk again… yet he couldn’t seem to maintain it. Like it or not, Lucifer was Spock… in another world, another time. And he wanted that part of himself to be… fulfilled… complete as he was complete with Kirk.
What Spock had encountered in Tybereus’ mind made him shudder. The man was a completely functional paradox – a well of illogic and confusion which all meshed together to make him the man he was: to make him powerful, sometimes even invincible, it seemed. He shivered at the memories Tybereus had of his relationship with Lucifer; the human was merely taking advantage of a convenient situation… using his body to gain another ally aboard the ship. Which was, Spock reasoned, why Tybereus had constantly refused to meld. People were merely tools to be used by this animal… and once used up, to be discarded as mechanically as one would replace a fractured dilithium crystal…
From the Editorial
MIRROR, MIRROR, ON THE WALL -- WHO'S THE SLOWEST ONE OF ALL!?Well, folks, as you've probably noticed by now, this bugger is late. I won't attempt to make excuses, except to say that there have been a lot of personal hassles in my life recently which, unfortunately, have been taking up a considerable amount of time which used to be devoted to my Trek endeavors. Suffice it to say that the troubles seem to be nearing an end now, and I'm looking forward to getting back into the business of zines and things. Who knows? Maybe even a con or two... As yo also may have noticed, this zine is printed mimeo rather than offset as originally planned. The reasons for this are numerous. Firstly, the printer I've been using for NAKED TIMES has just raised his rates sky-high, and it would've been impossible to do A QUESTION OF BALANCE as on offset publication and have any chance of breaking even or offering it to you at a reasonable price. Since AQOB is a much smaller print-run than NAKED TIMES, and a smaller page count, I felt it would be a better compromise to do it this way rather than attempt to find a money tree with enough spare cash to print it offset. Like most of you, I'm not particularly fond of the mimeo format, but comprises somethings have to be made in order to get things done at all.
[MUCH snipped about Naked Times #4/#4-5, see that page.]
And now for a few comments on A QUESTION OF BALANCE. First, this is a sort of sequel to THOUGH THIS BE MADNESS, which appeared in NT#2. (If anyone wants a copy of NT#2, they're available for $13.50 as xerox and this includes postage. Or, if you just want a copy of MADNESS, it's available for #3.25, which also includes postage). At any rate, please keep in mind that BALANCE is an alternate universe story. The Vulcan on which K/S/K/S/M are stranded isn't necessarily the Vulcan of this universe or the Mirror universe -- nor is it meant to be. It's a paradox of time, created especially for this particular story. Also, AQOB is mainly for your reading pleasure; it isn't intended as a statement or comment on the "real" K/S relationship. This story was originally written back around the end of last year,[1] before the movie was released, so it doesn't reflect the changes in the relationship before and after the V'Ger incident.
As with all publications, there are a lot of people who deserve a special word of appreciation. To Sandra Gent -- for being there when I need her, and for being that special kind of friend which comes along once in a lifetime. To Wendy -- for hours of plotting and scheming, and for listening to all of my gripes, doubts, worries and general complaints. To Jim -- for keeping me moving when I wanted to quit, and for putting up with more out of me than I could've put up from anybody. To to Mike -- for Loop Trainers, Knotts Berry, Disneyland, and the past six months of friendship and a special kind of love.
Gallery
interior art by Mike Verina
Vel Jaeger
sample text
Michael Verina
Vel Jaeger
Reactions and Reviews
In my opinion this zine was a total sleaze. I knew it was going to be K/S, but I didn't expect to find Kirk/Kirk!! The plot sounded interesting about Spock and Mirror Spock going through the Guardian of Forever in search of the two Kirks lost back in pre-reform Vulcan. A requirement was that they take McCoy along to do something important but the plot fizzled once the author got caught up in sex. One scene actually had all four of them going "at it!!" This is just not my forte. If anybody out there really likes that sort of thing, mail me a large SASE and I'll send it to you! [2]
"A Question of Balance" is a novel continuing that story, which combines another K/S AU type, the love-slave universe, into the Mirror universe story. In it, the evil Spock and the good Spock must join forces to rescue their respective Kirks from pre-Reform Vulcan (cf. ``Amok Time), by travelling back in time through the Guardian of Forever (cf. ``City on the Edge of Forever). In Vulcan's past they find the good Kirk enslaved by the evil Kirk, neither of them remembering their original universes or history. Through a misunderstanding, the evil Spock ends up paired with the good Kirk and the good Spock with the evil Kirk.
After several sex scenes involving telepathic bonding, including a menage a trois, the memories are returned and the rightful pairs are established. [3]