A Wing and a Prayer

You may be looking for the MacGyver letterzine, On a Wing and a Prayer.

Fanfiction
Title:	A Wing and a Prayer
Author(s):	Charlotte Frost
Date(s):	1990
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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A Wing and a Prayer is a Kirk/Spock story by Charlotte Frost.

It was published in the print zine First Time #27.

Summary

"When Kirk is rude to a merchant while on leave with Spock, the man turns him into a winged horse and it's up to Spock to find a way to return him to his true form."

Excerpt

"Jenrae's bulky frame sank into the chair behind the counter. Two more minutes. Then he could close and begin his vacation. The distant clouds had promised a storm all day and business had been slow, de spite having a Federation starship orbiting above. But Jenrae's disappointment at the small number of customers wasn't as great as his anticipation of returning to his family's castle. There would be much work to do, but it was work he enjoyed. His whole family had taken pride for generations in the raising of the Bulos."

The Art Came First

• 

  front cover of issue #27, Marilyn Cole: "Marilyn and I see eye to eye on the way a man's body should look, especially as long as you're dreaming and can have everything you want. Although, come to think of it, with the model she uses, she doesn't have to do much dreaming or compromising. She does a mighty fine horse."

• 

  back cover of issue #27, Marilyn Cole. The front and back covers illustrate the story, "A Wing and a Prayer." -- "... for those of you who haven't already seen FT 27's covers, they are wonderful. Spock on Pegasus i.e. Kirk reflects the power and energy of both rider and horse."

From the Author

A unique story for a number of reasons. 1) The zine covers associated with the story (which came before the story) were gorgeous and to die for. 2) This was the only time I’ve written a story “on request”, so to speak. The editor of the zine it appeared in had a plotline all figured out, based upon the gorgeous covers, but she didn’t want to write it. She asked me to do the writing and relayed her plot idea over the phone. I had fun with it, but… 3) This is a blatant story where the slash aspect made no sense. Even as I was writing it, I was aware that there really wasn’t any reason for Kirk and Spock to have sex with each other. But the idea of writing a non-slash story was appalling to me at that time. (My, my, how times have changed!) I was impressed that one reader did pick up on the fact that the slash aspect didn’t “follow” with everything else that was going on.

Reactions and Reviews

1991

This is the story that goes with the covers and they are a perfect match. I'm not sure I buy the manner in which Kirk expressed his feelings over the rough voyage, but I understand that he could be curt and rude as a result. The story had just the right amount of whimsy.

Although I'm usually not partial to stories with this plot device, I found this one to be an extremely likeable and humorous story. I don't want to give away the plot but I will say that I found myself laughing out loud at certain points. This story had a nice slow pace to it. Very enjoyable.

This story was -- in a word — wonderful! While on shore leave on a planet of people with magical powers, Kirk is turned into a horse, and, what's even better, he knows it and yet can't control his horsy behavior. He has to rely on Spock to take him "off to see the wizard" so he can be turned back into a proper starship captain. Only problem: Spock isn't much of a horseman (particularly not when the horse is a winged flying horse) and is even a little scared of horses. And no matter how much Kirk promises he won't buck -- he bucks anyway. This plot made for one of the most fun scenes I've read, with Spock and Kirk getting downright peevish with each other as they try to work out their equine/Vulcan conflicts. The descriptions of the horse's behavior were perfect -- like seeing it on film. And I loved Spock's tired and then exasperated response to having to deal with and even take orders from a horse, although eventually the reins of command do slip away froa Kirk, quite literally. The characterisation in this story was unusually pleasing. Both men seeaed somehow so fresh and innocent. The dialogue was natural, the author's sense of timing as she unfolded her plot was excellent, and the writing had poise. My vote for best in the zine.

This has got to be one of the most ORIGINAL story ideas I've read in ages. I LOVED it. It's inspired by Marilyn Cole's great cover pictures — but it's still an achievement on the writer's part to come up with the story. There were parts I thought delightful, especially Kirk's problems adjusting to his new "body". At the end when he and Spock talk about how one would "log" the experience, I was touched and amused. This has to be one of the best stories I've read recently, and I read a lot.

2007

The front cover of First Time 27 is by Marilyn C., and it depicts Spock, with long hair, riding a winged horse. I don’t know which came first, the picture or the story it illustrates, “A Wing and a Prayer” by Charlotte Frost. But it’s an amusing story about how while on shore leave Kirk sort of insults a shopkeeper who just happens to be a magical person, and he turns Kirk into that winged horse that Spock is riding. Now, if that doesn’t conjure up all sorts of interesting ideas in your head, you aren’t the K/Ser I think you are! I love the ill-tempered, impatient person/horse Kirk is in this story, and Spock’s persistent attempts to help him, because he really doesn’t think there is room in the captain’s chair on the bridge for all of Kirk’s magnificent horsey self.