Clueless (Star Trek: TOS story)

Fanfiction
Title:	Clueless
Author(s):	Karen Dates
Date(s):	1998
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Clueless is a K/S story by Karen Dates.

It was published in the print zine First Time #48.

Summary

"On a diplomatic mission with Sarek and Amanda, Kirk is subjected to unwanted advances by the overbearing inhabitants, which helps to create a smokescreen for Kirkʼs real mission."

Reactions and Reviews

1998

Kirk, Spock, Sarek, and Amanda are sent to help the Federation set up relations with a planet populated by bigoted people who see humans as only sex objects. This plot would have been a good one, except it was dropped for another as Kirk and Amanda go on a secret mission—which was also a good idea for a plot It probably would have been a better idea to have used just one of the plots in this story. However. I thought it was really cool having Kirk and Amanda all dressed in black cat suits and going in a mini-submarine! And it was certainly a very cute title as Spock and Sarek are clueless because they cant know about the secret mission; Kirk and Spock are clueless about their love; Sarek is clueless about Amanda, and even McCoy is clueless. And besides, what could be a better ending than Kirk and Spock having sex and bonding?

1999

The alien culture in this story was imaginative, engaging interest and creating the backdrop for the story to take place naturally within it I did wonder though, why a Federation delegation was bothering with this culture, as they are patriarchal, misogynist xenophobic. I couldn't exactly tell, but I think this is a Romulan world.

So Amanda and Kirk are both really pissed, as humans are considered utterly inferior here. However, in this culture where women are only for breeding and owning, true love is only between (male) warriors, so this comes in handy for the story.

Kirk is being harassed, abused, almost raped by local warriors; and if Spock would only proclaim his love, Kirk would be safe. We learn later, however, that their link has purposely been disrupted for this mission. There is this and other satisfying obstacles to their finally getting together. Then there's the scheme Amanda and Kirk cook up-a rescue mission of some children (part human) that need relocating to Vulcan. I couldn't really follow the details of the royal intrigue going on, and I didn't get answers until the end of the story.

Also, during this scene it was all of a sudden in present tense. And there are those pesky apostrophe'd names again that all seem too similar, A POV comment: In Sarek's POV, you wouldn't say, "he placed his large, elegant hands..." and "folded his thickly corded arms around Amanda." There was some of this in Spock POV also.

The word "clueless" was used a number of times, such as when Spock and Sarek talk of humans. Maybe it was a bit overused, but not a problem. However, I wouldn't think "clueless" is "an ancient and obscure term" as it is spoken of in the story; it is loosely speaking a word now, and it seems will be just as much so in the future.

Also, there's something odd about using the word "male" so much instead of "man." It sounds biological, then, like we're speaking of animals. Anyway, all is well in the end; and it's satisfying that Kirk and Spock do finally bond after all the obstacles.

2004

Clueless is one of those guilty pleasures that amuses me, despite the rather far fetched plot (Kirk and Amanda on a secret undercover mission that Sarek and Spock don’t know anything about) and the at times out of character dialogue and actions in this story. (Sarek is a hoot! I don’t know if it’s very realistic, but it’s fun to read.) It’s charming and loving and funny, and I always enjoy rereading it.