Best of Innocence

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Best of Innocence
Author(s):	DVS
Date(s):	1990
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Best of Innocence is a Kirk/Spock story by DVS.

It was published in the print zine T'hy'la #9.

Summary

"Riley, having recovered from his prejudice against Vulcans, is now serving with the intriguing Skovan. Skovan, it appears, is an outcast from his people - and is such is willing to engage in a most unconventional relationship. A relationship that highly intrigues James T. Kirk."

Reactions and Reviews

1991

I really like the character growth DVS shows here. Andrew Stiles, the hater of Vulcans in "Balance of Terror", actually comes to love a Vulcan in this story. I'm not thrilled by the possessiveness in this relationship, and I'm dubious about courier ships whose top speed is warp three, but it's always a delight to see new and unusual combinations in a Trek context.

At first I thought there had been a slip up, and this story had gotten into a K/S zine by mistake. But near the end our favorite command team was there, trying to become a couple. I could visualize Kirk's "tiger grin." I really enjoyed this story. It was... refreshing! I would truly welcome more stories with a Star Trek frame, like this one, but centering on other people.

This is a story that I have read so many times I've lost count. Only indirectly about Kirk and Spock, it has Andrew Stiles, the lieutenant who baited Spock in "Balance of Terror," falling in love with the most adorable original character I have ever seen in a K/S story... a borderline retarded Vulcan named Skovan. The characterization is incredibly rich. The character of Skovan is particularly delicately and poignantly drawn. Here is another Vulcan, who, like Spock, has no place in Vulcan society, who can't be assimilated, who won't fit, who isn't the norm. I like stories in which love and happiness come to people like Skovan, that is to say, to society's rejects — people who are retarded, disabled, mixed race, homosexual, or, who , to paraphrase Skovan, simply "don't take the places assigned then." Skovanis such a sad character, such a lost soul, and yet love finds him, and he, with no precedent for it in his life, accepts it. The story also does a credible job of giving Stiles a full measure of humanity. And I liked the cameo appearance by Kirk at the end and his very personally motivated interest in Stiles and Skovan's relationship; it gave the story an extra resonance. All in all, this was a story that engaged my mind and emotions, which is what really good writing should do.

1993

An innovative story using the lesser known, seldom used character of Lieutenant Stiles who was the one inthe episode prejudiced against Vulcans because of their connection with Romulans. This takes him away from the Enterprise after that incident and onto a courier ship called the Cove.

Andy Stiles is a fully realized character - someone who is trying his best and has come to terms with his past mistakes. An interesting twist of character is given to Stiles in that he has a penchant for male companionship. I enjoyed this sort of ironic touch as even in the 23rd century there is prejudice against homosexuality.

But the main focus of the story is Stiles' roommate, a young Vulcan named Skovan. who enters their shared cabin during a rather indiscreet time while Stiles is in the act with another crewman. This precipitates a growing relationship between two unlikely men -- the once Vulcan- bigoted Human and a very reticent and withdrawn Vulcan.

I loved the age differential of Humans and Vulcans. There was a thorough-line of Skovan's 60-something Vulcan years and experience compared to his Human years of about 18. I truly appreciated reading this - it seems to be an aspect of Vulcans that is often ignored.

The story moves along at a fast pace as the reader and Stiles get to know the mysterious Skovan. The Vulcan wants to understand homosexuality and Stiles is quite willing to oblige. In a very unusual scene, in that the underlying sexuality is almost shocking, Stiles enters their cabin unannounced to find Skovan with a measuring device inserted in his buttocks. What could have been laughable or bizarre, wasn't either, as the author used great care and compassion in Stiles' response.

It becomes thrilling as Stiles realizes his attraction for the Vulcan, but continues to get no response. This thrill comes in part because the author has created a reality of passion using only the Human's POV. Then when it's inevitable that they engage sexually, there's wonderful moment as Stiles pleads with the Vulcan: "'Please consent.' Andy's voice begged for his body. He felt sweat break out between his shoulders, cold. The Vulcan said nothing. 'Please,' whispered the Human. 'Say it. You have to say it. Otherwise, if I go ahead, just assuming you agree... it's like rape.' Andy leaned forward, whispering into the wing-curve of the nearest ear."

As he begins to make love to Skovan, we watch as his passion and his understanding of the enigmatic Vulcan grows to love. It's a beautifully done scene -- with a good combination of sensuality and emotion and we, too, want Skovan to let go and enjoy himself.

In the original episode. Stiles was basically just a figurehead for a message about bigotry. Here the author has created a living, breathing person. Almost everything about this story was unexpected, hardly anything seemed common or overdone. This includes a poignant scene as Skovan reveals his so-called "defects" to Stiles. I was so moved by the Human's loving response. Plus the sex is really intensified as the Vulcan remains quiet while the Human explodes with passion. Realty beautifully done.

Now for the "buts" -- I had a really hard time accepting some of the explanations of Vulcan society. Such as Vulcan women are subservient to the men. I believe it has been established that Vulcan is to a large degree, a matriarchal society. In addition, it's told that Vulcans are not allowed to indulge sexually unless it's for reproductive purposes. This tenet is taken even further by the announcement that it would be "breaking the law* and subject to prosecution.

Another drawback to this story was its length. For two reasons: one. it became slightly repetitive as Stiles pursued and Skovan didn't respond. Nothing new was shown to us after a while and it robbed the tension of "will he-won't he?". Second. Stiles' character began to lose believability becoming so intuitive as to be saintly.

But the biggest drawback was the tie-in or lack thereof of K/S. Towards the end there's a brief scene where Stiles meets with Kirk who questions him about having a relationship with a Vulcan. This nod to K/S was most unsatisfactory in that it was too truncated, too cute, and did nothing for the story. Either this scene should have been greatly expanded or left out entirely. I understand the author's wish to have some mention of Kirk and Spock, but this didnt work for me. Besides, it only added to Stiles' award for sainthood and made Kirk seem out of character as he opens up to someone who is essentially only an acquaintance.

So if one can forget K/S for a while (no easy feat!) and enjoy this well-written story for what it is, as an exploration of other characters, one will find this quite lovely and poignant.

1999

Beautiful and unusual. The story doesn’t center on Kirk and Spock, but on Andy Stiles and Skovan and their evolving relationship. That growth gives us some inkling into Vulcan mores. Only at the end are we made privy, albeit indirectly, to Kirk’s wish to enter into a similar relationship with Spock. It is captivating and very intriguing.

2000

This is an odd story, not mainly about Kirk and Spock. Instead the main focus is a Vulcan Skovan and a human Andy—the Andy Stiles who is prejudiced against Spock in TOS. Andy is a very interesting character who is half likeable and half not, and well written to achieve this balance (he also gets more sympathetic as the story progresses.) Skovan is also an interesting character a Vulcan with some congenital defect who has been treated with hormones and is unable to function fully sexually. Kirk and Spock only appear briefly towards the end when Kirk questions Andy about Vulcan lovers, clearly interested in seducing Spock. However, unusually for stories about other characters, I like this story a lot. When I first read it I just though it was odd, but with further readings I have come to appreciate some of the lovely tender moments that there are in this story. I did wonder though if it was originally conceived to be about Kirk and Spock but was altered for some reason. Whatever, I like it.