Coals of Fire

Fanfiction
Title:	Coals of Fire
Author(s):	jat sapphire
Date(s):	2003
Length:	6 chapters; 30,291 words
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:	Coals of Fire at AO3
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Coals of Fire is a Kirk/Spock story by jat sapphire. It is a sequel to Still Amok.

It was published in the print zine Cyberdreams #1.

Summary

"After seeing Spock through pon farr, Kirk is afraid to allow himself the to commit to him until the Vulcan is injured in a fire."

Reactions and Reviews

Okay, I'm not a Original Trek fan. I haven't been a TOS Trek fan since...geez, 1991, when I found The Professionals. But Still Amok and the sequel, Coals of Fire, both by Jane (aka jat_sapphire) are warmly charming reminders of why I got into slash in the first place.

What a wonderful conclusion to the previous story! This time you see things from both sides as Kirk and Spock come to terms with their feelings and the adjustments they must both make. I liked that something else was going on as well, though there were times I grew impatient. I wanted to know what Kirk and Spock were thinking, so it got hard from time to time to care about their mission. But it felt right in the long run, because isn’t that the way it would be? Their duty to the ship is paramount, and both men are very much in character as they juggle their private lives around their public ones.

This story is a direct follow-on from the previous one, starting as the ship is on its way to the inauguration of the new President of Altair 6. However, things are not as they would seem (when are they ever on the Enterprise?). As Kirk and Spock both struggle to deny what has happened between them and go on as before, they learn the real reason why Starfleet Command felt it necessary to send three starships to the ceremony and it seems that the situation is rather more complicated than expected to say the least.

When the President and his somewhat strange entourage come on board the ship and he insists on pursuing a rather dangerous course of action to solve the mystery surrounding him, it is almost inevitable that Kirk and Spock get drawn into the events that follow. I enjoyed the way the author described the planet, with its wonderful goldenwood trees and the luxurious reception they attend there on their first evening – this wonderful setting really made the story and the characters come alive for me. I also enjoyed the portrayal of the new Altarian president – a man just as stubborn and with as much integrity as Kirk himself, which is probably why Kirk supports his idea of meeting one of the terrorists face to face by himself, something Kirk can understand even though Spock is more dubious and of course, he is the one who ends up paying the price for the President’s determination to see things through by himself, very much as Kirk might do if he was in the same situation. As the story progressed I enjoyed this particular author’s depiction of how Kirk and Spock continue to work together in spite of what has occurred, to solve the problem of who is threatening the life of the new president. At first Kirk simply wants to get back to how things were and forget what happened, but as the story progresses, so do his feelings for Spock, especially when the Vulcan is seriously injured and he comes to realise just how much he does care about his first officer and friend. The early scenes in Sickbay are very emotional, especially early on when it is not yet clear whether Spock will completely recover or not. After McCoy’s horrifying assessment of his injuries and the possible treatment options available to them, the author portrays Kirk’s anguish very well, especially the part where he keeps seeing mental images of Spock’s hands and all the various things he remembers Spock using his hands for, which he may not be able to do in future makes him realise just how important Spock is to him. This in turn leads to their finally talking about what has happened and their relationship in general finally giving them both the courage to admit how they really feel about each other.

The final scenes as they both examine the gift which the Altarian government has given them and their very different reactions to it, is a nice conclusion to a very well written and entertaining story in the best traditions of K/S fiction. In contrast, the author also manages to inject a slightly lighter tone with McCoy’s conflict with the officious Vulcan doctor who arrives to advise on Spock’s condition and promptly insists on taking over the case completely, without even bothering to consult McCoy on what is occurring, The description of McCoy spluttering with indignation as she tries to exclude Kirk from sickbay is a welcome relief to the rather serious tone of the rest of the story.

The sequel to “Amok Time“, thank goodness. Lots of Kirk’s POV and his conflicting feelings about the pon farr, and getting involved with someone under his command. An interesting plot (maybe a bit too much plot), wonderful hurt/comfort with Spock getting injured in a fire, a beautifully erotic love scene and a satisfactory resolution.

The sequel, "Coals of Fire", is a fabulous episode-length story that follows immediately on the events of "Still Amok". It has political intrigue, great original characters, an interesting plot, and some serious hurt/comfort...and the happy ending that is denied the reader at the end of "Still Amok". Both are well worth reading... Well-written and intriguing, these stories truly take you beyond the episode.

Because it is so incredibly hot and so beautiful. It's a sequel to Still Amok, the classic Pon Farr story, where Kirk had to "help" Spock. This has, understandably left them in an incredibly awkward place, neither of them sure how exactly to act around each other. Before they have a chance to properly fix it, they're wisked away on a diplomatic mission which then goes rather horribly awry. It should be a recipe for clichés and h/c but somehow it manages to be more than that. In addition, it has a great plot that will drag you in and keep you reading.