Dark Matters (Star Trek: TOS story)
| K/S Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Dark Matters |
| Author(s): | Cordelia Naismith |
| Date(s): | 2006 |
| Length: | |
| Genre: | slash |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: The Original Series |
| External Links: | |
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Dark Matters is a K/S story by Cordelia Naismith in the zine Within the Mirror #15.
Summary
"Now Spockʼs lover and co-conspirator, Kirk must discover who is the traitor in the Rebellionʼs midst, while dealing with the belief of some of its members that it might be him."
Reactions and Reviews
Please don’t let any prejudice against Mirror stories stop you from reading this terrific, well-written and exciting story. “Dark Matters” is a gripping tale of a wildly crazed Vulcan, a brooding and secretive yet powerful Kirk, and of Spock’s quest to discover the truths of two mysteries—one concerning a bizarre relative (we can all relate to that) and the other concerning his lover—Kirk, of course.Cordelia gives us hints of Kirk’s terrible and painful past as we follow Spock’s deep desire to find out what lies beneath Kirk’s smoldering rage. All these elements come together beautifully woven around the strange and mysterious Stonn and his orchids. There’s also fine detail of the environment and especially of the colorful secondary characters. But one of the best features of this story is Kirk and Spock’s dialogue. It absolutely sizzles. Kirk has a razor- sharp wit and Spock eats it up like candy. And I won’t give it away here, but there’s a scene where Kirk reveals himself to Spock that will take your breath away. And the love will take your breath away—Spock’s love for Kirk, a love that he must not totally reveal, and one that is intense and consuming. And very few can write such an on-target, exacting portrayal of Mirror Kirk. He is so feisty, so wild, so...out there, yet he is totally in command and everyone knows it. But he is still the Kirk we know and the balance between the two is perfect.
One more thing—don’t let the bad type and the weird spacing stop you from reading this either. You’ll just have to sacrifice easy readability for a way-cool K/S experience. [1]
This is a sequel to the excellent “Tiger by the Tail” (WtM 11) by the same author, but it can definitely stand alone. In this episode, Kirk and Spock are committed lovers and firmly in rebellion against the Empire. The captain begins to smell a rat when several supply ships meet with disaster before the Enterprise receives the goods they carry. Kirk suspects a traitor lurks in the rebel hierarchy, and off our heroes go to ferret him out. On the way they meet an amazing cast of assorted characters. Some are known to us (Miranda Jones) and some are not (Ortiz Fisk), though that last name does have a familiar ring to it somehow. There is danger and humor and adventure galore, all told with the trademarked wit that is Naismith’s particular forte. I hesitate to tell more of the story since this is a new zine hot off the presses.I will say I love Naismith’s take on the Mirror Kirk and Spock. Kirk, especially, comes across as both beautiful and dangerous in equal measures. This is not a man one would wish to have as an enemy. And Spock, while desperately in love with Kirk, finds it difficult to understand the man. Kirk does not trust easily, and when he finally allows Spock to see and share his pain we rejoice with both of them. Naismith is equally proficient at description as she is with dialog. The small-story- within-a-story of the lemsur is told with such crystal clear depiction that I could practically feel the heat and dryness of that dusty street. I also enjoyed the concept of V’leka, ”the thing undenied.” What a great invention! Part logic, part madness, and all Vulcan. Lastly, I always enjoy the special turns of phrase that are unique to this author. How is this for a distillation of the Kirk/Spock relationship? Spock is remembering how his universe had changed with his first sight of Kirk: “The bottom had gone out of his world. Kirk was his and he was Kirk’s and everything else was negotiable.” Wow!
I totally enjoyed “Dark Matters” and hope to read the next installment very soon. [2]
I love a good Mirror universe story. It seems such a challenge, to show that ruthless, unforgiving environment, and yet still portray a love relationship between Kirk and Spock, have them vulnerable to each other.... How can they ever let down their guard? Remember how long it took in the amazing Flora Poste Mirror Stories in the Nomes? Years, both in real time, as I waited for each zine, and in the author’s own timeline.Sigh... But I digress. I really enjoyed this story. Apart from a little scene setting, it’s told from Spock’s point of view entirely. There are lots of images of heat and ice throughout, which add to the atmosphere created.... Spock has been in a relationship with his Captain for 3 months. He’s uncertain of Jim’s motives, but we can see that he enjoys this aspect of their union. ‘Love and lust balanced on a knife’s edge of fear’...Isn’t that just perfect in a Mirror story?! The plot concerns Spock taking Kirk to meet the other prime movers behind the rebellion, including Stonn and Ariel Shaw. I like it when counterparts of characters we may not expect show up in this type of story. Makes me think about loyalties and just who would join the rebellion. There’s a scene where he has to justify his choice to Sarek, who is adamant that Kirk is not to be trusted. I love how Spock never doubts Kirk, even when his father tries to make him do so and when events certainly seem to implicate him. We see a Kirk who seems to be as committed to Spock, and then there are moments of truth when we know. This can be very satisfying: at one point, when Spock has been injured, Stonn says that the ‘accident’ may have been devised to end a line of enquiry. “Believe me Spock’s death would not be the end of anything,” Kirk said, his hazel eyes glinting coldly.’ You see what I mean? I love that line. I can just hear the mirror Kirk saying it and it makes me shiver! Without giving too much of the plot away, Kirk is able to help Spock to see that some rebels are not what they seem, but in doing so has to reveal much of his past, which is horrific. This only makes Spock love him more, of course, and there’s an amazing moment where he realises that Jim really does trust him now...
The sex scenes in the story are mainly told in retrospect as Spock remembers them. They are not especially explicit, but do not need to be. The impression is of Spock still being overwhelmed by each one and committing them all to memory. The only slightly unsatisfying part for me was that at the beginning, Spock was longing for a bond, ..’to throw light on.. the darkness.. between them.’ Back on the ship, they are certainly closer, but there’s no further mention of a link. Ah well, maybe Cordelia is planning a sequel? I could live with that! [3]
I've always preferred Mirror stories in which Kirk and Spock are only harder variations of the originals, where their differences, though many, still allow us to see the men they could have been if fortune had favored them more kindly. These are the men presented in this story.As it begins, Kirk and Spock are already lovers and Spock had recently brought Kirk into the rebellion. But things are going awry for the rebellion ship "Enterprise." Supply ships bringing them food and munitions are constantly being intercepted by the Empire. Kirk smells a rat. Kirk talks Spock into taking him to the leaders of the Rebellion, sure that there is a traitor in their midst. So, over the objections of Sarek, who does not trust Kirk, Kirk and Spock journey to the Rebellion's headquarters on a small, dark chuck of ice known as Budhulum Four. While there, Kirk must discover who the traitor is, all the while dealing with the Rebellion's distrust of him. The plot is great, with many a twist and turn, and revelations about both Kirk and Spock's pasts that all manage to tie in together as the story reaches its climax. All the characters are very recognizable, especially Sarek, whose concern for his son is couched in terms that are so very him, no matter the world they inhabit. That only one scene of many little scenes that fill in background and give the reader, and the characters, insights into who these men are.
Even if you're not a Mirror fan, I think you'll find this a story well worth reading. [4]
(Who was it at Shore Leave who got the attention of everyone at breakfast and made us promise to write something for the newsletter? Thank you for being so determined. I never sent anything before but the reasons were: I don't feel literary, would people feel left out, was it already reviewed? Not such good reasons...)This story put me into the Mirror Universe so swiftly and maintained it so well, that it was never an effort to believe that that universe is out there and our alternate characters reside in it. The words, actions, and descriptions of Spock, Kirk, and the others are completely believable. It takes place after Kirk and his crew have thrown their allegiance over to those resisting the Empire. An attack on their ship leaves Kirk with a bad feeling there is a leak or traitor somewhere, but they continue on their rendezvous to their "allies'" stronghold with the goal of further plotting the Empire's demise. These allies out to be, among others, Kor, Areel Shaw, Stonn, and Ben Finney. Imagine: how would you feel landing your shuttle on their hidden turf—when your hail is met with silence—when a malfunction nearly kills you—when you realize a former tormentor is still alive— and you hope to negotiate with these people? This story has a clever, forward-driving plot; twists that throw Spock, Kirk (and you) off-balance; and it never lets you forget the unrelenting pressure they're under to watch their backs. It's reinforced by how they talk—short, to- the-point, and never revealing more of their hand than they think wise. It feels like Empire. I particularly like lines like: "How can you truly love what you could not truly trust?" and "Only Kirk could produce that smile of honey-coated steel." And how they stay in character, with Spock's caution and Kirk's sometimes infuriating bravado. I also like how Spock and Kirk are lovers, but their interactions are without cruelty. And I'm so tempted to quote how Kirk keeps insulting Kor, but that would spoil the delight in reading it for the first time!
In short, you will like this if you like a tight plot, good characterization, clever turns of phrase, and the tension of the Mirror Universe. [5]
...kick-ass.... This is a mystery story set in the MU. The best scene was when they got to the rebels headquarters on an ice planet. The rebels don‘t trust Kirk so they kept them waiting in communication silence in the freezing shuttle for almost half an hour. This was hell o‘ cool. Kirk says, I‘m not waiting anymore. He fires up the phaser cannons. The rebels read the build up in energy level and tell them to power down. Kirk has a shit-eating grin on his face while he and Spock waited for docking codes. When they finally get them, Kirk powers down the phasers. That‘s why she is one of the best writers in K/S. She always keeps the guys in character and never, ever feminizes them in action, emotions, or dialogue. The stories are always consistent whether it is a first time or a mirror story. She is versatile in writing action, comedy, and adventures in her stories. Whenever one of her stories come out, you always to know what you are going to get. Now that is a rarity. I‘m so looking forward to her next story. I hope it will be a long one. You go, Girl. [6]