A Shattered Mind

Fanfiction
Title:	A Shattered Mind
Author(s):	kira-nerys
Date(s):	2002
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:	online here, Side by Side Collection on AO3
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A Shattered Mind is a Kirk/Spock story by kira-nerys.

It was published in the print zine Legends #2 and subsequently in Side by Side #12.

Summary

"Kirk and Spock’s shuttle crashes and Spock becomes seriously ill. The Vulcan’s reaction to a native creature – and to the loss of that creature – tells Kirk what’s truly wrong with his first officer."

Reactions and Reviews

I thought this was a terrific story with an intriguing plot. Having said that, I can’t say too much more about it without giving away the secret of the plot, and that would ruin the story. Kirk and Spock are returning to the Enterprise when an energy surge hits the shuttlecraft they are traveling in, and throws them into some sort of parallel dimension. They are forced to land on a planet and wait for rescue. During the landing Spock starts to feel nauseous, and soon becomes ill. Kirk can’t help him, and can’t figure out what is wrong with him. At first Spock seems puzzled by what is happening to him, but then Kirk think Spock figures it out, but won’t tell him. The author does a very good job of showing Kirk’s care and concern for Spock, and Spock and Kirk’s growing intimacy. This is something that both pleases Kirk and dismays him, since caring for Spock when he’s ill (and sleeping close together to conserve body heat) require a certain amount of contact. Kirk is afraid of revealing to Spock that he is in love with him, and has been from the moment he first saw him. I loved how the author describes Kirk’s reaction to Spock when he first sees him. In fact, the story starts out with Kirk saying "I think I fell in love with him the very first day." Kirk is as mystified as the reader as to what is happening with Spock, and why he falls ill, seems to recover completely, and then becomes ill again. This was an intriguing puzzle that I never really completely figured out until the author disclosed it. It will take a more talented LOC writer than I am to say anything more without spoiling the story. I can’t figure out any way to do this! Sorry to be so mysterious, but you’ll have to read the story yourself to find out more. I think you’ll enjoy this story a lot. I certainly did.

This is one of those stories in which Kirk and Spock end up all alone together with no immediate hope of rescue, but in this case, the “stranded alone together” cliche is integral to the plot, so it’s entirely forgivable. The central premise of the story is absolutely great—it involves an idea that is not completely original—I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it used for a non-Vulcan alien species in pro Trek writing. Still, I’m not sure if it has ever been applied to Vulcans and I absolutely loved seeing it used here!

Unfortunately, there are some sections of this story that read like a very condensed summary of events being narrated by a somewhat emotionally detached Kirk. Opportunities for drama are missed, as potentially upsetting events (like Spock’s injury during a shuttlecraft landing) are summarized in a few lines, leaving the reader feeling as if she is listening to a report, rather than being drawn into the actual events of the story.

But despite the summarizing, I definitely enjoyed reading “A Shattered Mind.” There are some lovely moments in this story, like the part when Spock and Kirk discuss Spock’s tendency to come to the aid of stray animals. And, as I said above, I’m extremely impressed with the premise used by this author. Too often, the aliens in Star Trek come across as humans who happen to have blue skin or pointed ears; it’s far more interesting to treat them as real aliens, whose needs and customs are not identical to those of human beings.