Burden of the Heart

Fanfiction
Title:	Burden of the Heart
Author(s):	Erin Tooley
Date(s):	2005
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Burden of the Heart is a Kirk/Spock story by Erin Tooley.

It was published in the print zine First Time #59.

Summary

"After an attack at a Starbase, Kirk and Spock are justifiably sceptical when their main suspect proclaims that he is from the future, sent back to prevent Kirkʼs assassination."

Reactions and Reviews

It is a sad fact the majority of the original K/S authors, whose often unforgettable stories gave rise to the popularity of this fandom, are no longer actively participating today. Their reasons for doing so are varied, yet one that is often heard is they felt they had exhausted all the possible storylines they could use. After all, how many times CAN you write a "Kirk and Spock are trapped alone together in a cave and Spock goes into Pon Farr" story or "Kirk is alone on the Shore Leave planet and conjures up an android Spock so he can have sex with it, only to discover the android is the real thing" story or "Spock is still in Pon Farr after his aborted wedding and only Kirk can save him from dying" story? Well, all I can say to that is through the years this particular author has been penning K/S stories, she has proven them wrong time and time again. There are still PLENTY of fresh ideas for K/S stories out there and she just keeps coming up with them. "Burden of the Heart" is

no exception. Like two of her previous works, "Atlantis Stars" in First Time 50 and "Sadness, Loss, and Love" in First Time 51, the author borrows from the plotline of a popular movie, in this case "The Terminator". Yet by no means does she just rehash the script while inserting Kirk and Spock, rather, she takes the idea behind the movie and turns it into something fresh and new, yet no less suspenseful and thrilling as the movie itself was. This story takes place immediately following the episode "Obsession". The Enterprise is temporarily docked at Starbase 36 while the upper echelons review Kirk's actions to determine if any disciplinary measures are needed. Kirk, however, isn't worried - he knows he made the right decisions and is confident Starfleet will see it the same way. Then several sudden explosions on the base and the appearance of a mysterious stranger lead to startling revelations not only about Kirk's future, but the future of his relationship with Spock, as well. Yet despite the disclosure he faces peril from an enemy not easily seen or detected, an enemy who uses time as a weapon and will stop at nothing to destroy him, Kirk is determined to keep his command, something he knows will not happen should Starfleet learn the truth about the stranger and more importantly, what he has revealed. That same knowledge also has a very noticeable effect on Spock, whose behavior as a result quickly becomes more than a little annoying to one starship captain. But it is the other truth imparted by the stranger that weighs most heavily on Kirk's mind. When he decides to act upon that truth, however, he soon discovers it results in a much more rocky relationship with Spock than what he'd been led to believe. Eventually that relationship deteriorates to the point of separation, yet both eventually discover they cannot deny their own destinies and while the cause for that separation remains, they soon realize that no matter what the future may hold, they will face it together.

Another incredibly original, brilliant story from one of fandom's best.