Bright Promise

Fanfiction
Title:	Bright Promise
Author(s):	Pandora H.
Date(s):	1994
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Bright Promise is a K/S story by Pandora H.

It was published in the print zine First Time #39.

Summary

From the publisher: "TʼPau orders the healer to hold back Spockʼs memories of his 7 year affair with Kirk during the fal tor pan, which causes complications for McCoy."

Excerpt

"She moved away knowing these two friends had a lot to catch up on. The Vulcan looked well, she thought. Better than a resurrected person had a right to. Better than the man who had rescued him. She glanced at Kirk and blinked. The expression on his face made her eyes water and her heart beat faster. It was there only for a brief second then gone, as, with a pleasant nod of recognition, Spock walked straight past to where his father stood with McCoy."

Reactions and Reviews

1994

Detailed, interesting story of Admiral Kirk dealing with Spock's loss of memory after the fal-tor-pan. Lots of shenanigans from old T'Pau and poor McCoy becomes an unwilling victim.

Nice characterizations, especially Amanda, who is truly the eternal caretaker. Lots of good angst from Kirk, but relatively tame sex, mostly just heavy breathing.

There are lengthy conversations among various characters, but this is still preferable to being told what everyone feels.

This is a nicely explored story of all the emotions surrounding this event.

I like the strong Amanda in this story but doubt she would say "You bet your butt.' Nonetheless, it was good that she took the lead in correcting T'Pau's meddling. The only thing I didn't like was the easy dismissal of McCoy at the end. I would have liked at least a Vulcan acolyte to be available to offer him comfort. But you can't have everything.

I liked this unique, and oblique, took at the refusiom. This author seems to have a very thoughtful understanding of Vulcan mind ways, and expressed very clearly here, T'Pau's machinations; her tampering with the refusiom. How Spock's example (both in choosing Starfleet and in not bonding traditionally) is causing ripples in a system which isn't working all that well anyway. The problem seems to be that same sex pairings are difficult to repress, to the detriment of the Vulcan status - quo. Actually, this last is not perfectly thought out- It is illogical that population decline should be a problem because of same sex pairings, because there is artificial insemination. And presumably artificial gestation. And presumably people who are willing to raise these little rug - nerds. But I digress...

So is it the Vulcans who are being illogical, and not the author?

The story is set in that period of time on Vulcan after the fal-tor-pon, I always like this setting. The mystery we are seeing woven through our characters lives was revealed just right. Nobody quite understands what's wrong. Kirk's pain - his feeling ignored, the forgotten lover - was well written. As was the strange juxtaposition of affections. It seems McCoy has Spock's emotions left in his mind. McCoy is experiencing Spock's emotions, i.e., very strong desire. But whereas these strong emotions of Spock's would be directed at Kirk if he remembered them, the manifestation of them in McCoy comes in the form of the hots for Spock! Poor Spock is mostly in the dark, his memories having been improperly restored.

Kirk's emotional breakdown was an intensely beautiful scene. Lovely all's - well - that - ends - well ending.