Deep Elem Blues

Fanfiction
Title:	Deep Elem Blues
Author(s):	Greywolf the Wanderer
Date(s):	November 1996
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:	Kirk/Spock Fanfiction Archive
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Deep Elem Blues is a Kirk/Spock story by Greywolf the Wanderer.

It is an alternate universe slavefic. Kirk and Spock have been captured by Orion slavers and think the other is dead. There is much trauma and h/c.

This story was the winner of an ASC Award.

The Trilogy

It is part of a trilogy, all of which were later published in the print zine, Songs of the Dirhja where it has much art.

• Deep Elem Blues
• New Minglewood Blues
• Morning Dew

Summary

Spock has lived the life of a helpless, imprisoned slave for so long he knows no other, until the the day a voice and face comes to him as if in a dream. Another summary: After twelve years as a prisoner of the mysterious "Masters," Spockʼs long dormant memories begin to resurface when he makes contact with someone from his previous life.

Author's Introduction

This is the first of what may or may not turn into a series. It isn't sure yet what it wants to do... It's an idea that's been kicking around in my head forever and a day, kind of a "Well, Elements Forbid this should actually *happen* to them -- but what if it did?" sort of story. So I'm a bent little nutter -- so, nu, this is news?

Actually, when I first read "Beside the Wells", with Jess's eloquent description of why she thought *no-one* would ever tame a Certain Captain of our mutual acquaintance, a wee voice in the back of my head muttered, "well, never, *unless*... " And I was off and running. There aren't any naughty bits here, yet; sorry! I will call it PG-13, though, for violence and Other Unpleasantness...

ObDisclaimer: Paramount is God, Most Mighty and Puissant of Deities, and will squish us all flat if we piss 'em off enough. So don't. ;-)> In case of glass, break fire. The Trek Multiverse, and the characters of Kirk and Spock, belong to Paramount, and no infringement is intended; I just found these toys lyin' here, see -- I'll put 'em back, honest, Officer! This may be archived, if this disclaimer and the name of Greywolf the Wanderer is kept attached. It may not be sold for money in any way. Comments in NG or email are welcome; flames divert to alt.dev.null. Eris Protect and Pooh Ignore!

(This is for Jess, for writing "Beside the Wells", thereby giving me the balls to finally write *this* one down.)

Publication History

It was first posted to alt.startrek.creative in March 1997, and it is the fourth story the author had posted "on the 'Net."

Deep Elem Blues (TOS, 1/2) for Greywolf part one, original post; part two, original post

Several months later, the author revised it and posted it again with this introduction:

I am posting this tonight in anticipation of posting the sequel in the

fairly near future. Ideally a sequel should stand on its own; I have done my best to ensure that mine will, however I think it still is better to read the first story before the second one. In addition, having recieved [sic] greatly appreciated critique assistance from an offline friend, I made substantial changes which I hope clarify the plot a little <as well as fixing the inevitable typos, and no doubt adding a couple of new ones ;-)>

Sadly, this revised posting has disappeared off of alt.startrek.creative.

A third revision was published on December 28, 1997:

Okay, here is absolutely the last revision of this, I promise!!

I've been looking at it for several months, digesting comments various lovely folks sent me, and just thinkin' about it. And finally I realized that there was a piece missing, in the middle. Once I'd decided to go ahead and add that, I figured I might as well clean up a couple of continuity glitches and a phrase or two, while I was at it.

So. If ye want to read this again, the main change is a whole new chunk in the middle, that was told as a flashback before <because I couldn't See it, so I couldn't write it, if that makes any sense.> If

you don't want to, hey, that's cool.

The third revision: pt. 1, pt. 2, and pt.3.

In 2009, it was posted to Kirk/Spock Fanfiction Archive.

Reactions and Reviews

Many More Comments at "Songs of the Dirhja"

See many more comments at Songs of the Dirhja.

1997

Oh wow I got my own dedication! And the story is soooo good (and it agrees with me about a certain starship captain of our acquaintance - bloody and bowed and *still* out there punching.)

I was expecting hopelessness, I was expecting doom, I was expecting both of them to die horribly alone and instead you brought them out of the darkness and into the shadows where at least they can see the light.

If this is a first story I bow my head in baffled admiration and retire cursing.

You write more do you hear or I'll squeeze down the wires, over the Atlantic and bite you.

Greywolf, I love, love, love this story. It is a killer. You really know how to torture us in the best of ways! I have loved all your stories but this one really bowled me over, and I wish only to beg, plead and grovel for you to write more!!

This was amazing... so very different from Blues for Allah or The Music Never Stopped (two of my absolute favourites). Though, it did remind me, in essence and style, of the understated brilliance of Saint of Circumstance (another gem from Greywolf... TOS-ers!). Oh, but it's so much more haunting and chilling! Thank you, Greywolf. Now get thee to the computer! <g>

Many thanks for posting this in its revised form. I loved it the first time and reading it again just reinforces the power.

Reading this, I can literally feel the emotional, psychic and physical pain of being owned and abused, and also I feel the immense power of loyalty and love. An amazing pairing. I am anxious for the sequel.

This was incredible - very powerful. The characterizations of Kirk/Spock were dead-on, and I thought Kirk's anguish for not having rescued Spock sooner and both of their shame about submitting to the masters was quite well-done ... wow. I'm practically speechless.

Kudos! for tackling a difficult subject and not turning it into a piece of gratuitous violence written merely to tittilate. [sic]

Please tell me there will be more! I want to know what happens next! Do either of them ever find any healing? Will Kirk be able to live without the wire? And what of their relationship?

Eeeyow! What a trip, Greywolf!!

I don't understand, however, why you call it slash. If I had written the same story, I wouldn't have. Although I can certainly see that once a writer has started thinking about those two as lovers, said writer wouldn't be able to think about them any other way again.

Elucidate, please?

It's all in the eye of the reader. While one person who thinks Spock and Kirk are lovers could see it as slash, another person who thinks they are nothing but good friends would not see it as slash. Hey, Greywolf's so good, he can write a story that both slash fans and non-slash fans enjoy and see as part of their favorite genre!

Well, I called it slash because in my head they are already together, even if the printed screen hasn't quite got there yet. The third one, when it is done, will definitely be NC17 -- but it looks like it's gonna take a while yet. But I've been a K/S fan all my life; I literally can hardly see them any other way...

1998

Also, although I personally find slash distasteful, I have read Greywolf's "Deep Ellum Blues" and "New Minglewood Blues." Again, because they received raves. And again I was surprised and delighted. I *did* skip over the slashy bits, and found his versions of Kirk and Spock nearly unrecognizable, but the writing itself was so powerful, vivid, masterful, and compelling that I *had* to read them once I started. And I'm glad I did, too.

2009

awww! this was my very first ever Kirk/Spock fic! god, I love this fic, there's so much to take in and it's so intense :shudders: I'm happy to have found it again :)

I first read Deep Elem Blues and its sequels many years ago, when I first discovered the joys of K/S and fanfic, and the series, particularly the first part, left a deep impression. Beautifully written, evocative, and utterly believeable as an AU for both characters.

Like many others, the recent release of ST XI has rekindled my interest in fanfic and K/S. And *the* first stories I went looking for, hoping against hope they were still floating around somewhere on the 'net, were those written by Greywolf the Wanderer.

And they were there.

Many thanks for the pleasure you have given me.

This is fantasitc, I can't wait to read what happens next! It was so heart wrenching to read about what had been done to them, hopefully there will be some resolution for them at the end of this series. (please?) Wonderful work!

I'm so glad to see Deep Elem Blues on the archive. You are a master of hurt/comfort, and this is one of my favorites.

hi,

this story was very sad, but also intriguing...

hope to read more soon... keep up!

One of the deepest, most sensitive, and most heart-breaking/warming portrayals of K/S in existence. Two men who love each other to the exclusion of all else. Fantastic.

2013

Part One, “Deep Elem Blues”, vividly depicts Spock’s suffering at the hands of slavers, pain and confusion his only true companions for the past 12 years. He questions why he still lives, and has virtually no memory of his past life because of the horrid head injury that facilitated his capture. One thing is clear. He knows he will die in this wretched place. Here is an example of the skillful writing you may expect:

Eyes opened, to darkness and pain. It was nothing new; he was in the world of pain now, and had been for a long time. He still dreamed, sometimes, of bright-lit rooms where it was always warm, and there was always enough to eat. He'd had a name, then, and duties. He'd still had pride, then, and strength to spare for other things besides simple existence. That world was his home; he remembered that sometimes -- but when he opened his eyes, it was always this one that he saw.

How could you not read further? And where was Kirk? Dead?

What has happened to Kirk in those long years is every bit as horrifying, and involves one of the most innovative and despicable pieces of alien technology imaginable. I thought only Stephen King was capable of something so unnerving.

In a way I was correct to assume this was not the Kirk and Spock we know from TOS. They have been inalterably changed by their incarceration, torture and debasement. But they remain very much the men you know, respect and love, even after more than a decade of imprisonment, each believing the other dead.

Through pure chance, Kirk’s master inadvertently brings her pet human near enough to Spock for the human to realize through a tenuous link that his friend still lives. The former starship captain’s legendary ingenuity forges a way for them to be together, to acquire a ship they christen “Dirhja” and a semblance of the freedom neither ever expected to regain.