Double, Double (Star Trek: TOS story)

Fanfiction
Title:	Double, Double
Author(s):	Karla Kelly
Date(s):	1993
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Double, Double is a Kirk/Spock story by Karla Kelly.

It was published in the print zine First Time #37.

Summary

"Spock is split in two, one male, one female, during an ion storm and finds his desire for Kirk is the needed catalyst to reunite him."

Reactions and Reviews

1993

Spock goes through the transporter during an ion storm and appears with a duplicate of himself as a woman. This short story becomes a mix of ideas as Kirk and McCoy struggle with what has happened.

First, Spock actually doesn't think he needs to go to sickbay... then McCoy tells Kirk that Spock is effectively "ignoring" what happened! Can you imagine? Then there's something about missing X and Y chromosomes.

There are some nice moments, such as Spock kissing Kirk and telling him : "I am Spock! You are mine," and the female Spock's name of "T'lmpara".

But this plotand premise need much more than just nice moments. It's such an excellent idea -- a male and a female Spock for Kirk to contend with, that I was frustrated by the brevity of the story.

Think of all the potential here -- Kirk's feelings for Spock along with his feelings for Spock as a woman. The powerful aggressive nature of the male and how Kirk feels about that. Spock not wanting to hurt Kirk, but needing him sexually. What about the female Spock? This is only a small part of what could be explored from this premise. But each idea is tossed off with just a line or two.

Karla. Karla. Karla....

A great idea for a PWP (Plot, What Plot?) story! A transporter malfunction causes the beam-up of two Spocks, one of whom is female and entirety unclothed. And Kirk is of course standing right there. Wow! Unfortunately, though, this story didn't work for me. Spock gives the woman his shirt - calmyly (I can't believe that) - but has no other reaction. And she smiles — why?

Further, the entire premise is scientifically shaky. For example, McCoy says the male Spock has “no X chromosomes.- (Men have XY; women, XX.) And if Spock has been split * biologically * and ended up this way. I imagine he must have been a hermaphrodite originally. I'd have believed it more if the author had tried for a less technical explanation, and just made it “magic," like many Trek episodes. How Spock gets back together is also unclear.

This story could have been super-erotic and isn't; the whole thing feels rushed. The characters are undeveloped, we're given no good reason why Kirk and both Spocks are overcome with lust, and I didn't find the sex scene particularly sexy. This author typically writes damn fine sex scenes, Pd love to see her go back and try this again and take her time with it. This is a fantastic idea that deserves to be fully exploited.

1994

In an ion storm, Spock comes through the transporter with another of himself, a female! Why would she be naked? Why would she have long hair? Illogical. She smiles at Kirk; he covers her with his jacket with no reaction. Spock's eyes blaze at Kirk also, arousing him. The female Spock has no Y chromosomes; the male no X, so each is a pure version of male or female supposedly. Lovely thought Kirk has, that maybe this female Spock was "the half that loved me, the half I could love". I liked that when Kirk touches female-Spock in Sickbay, male-Spock in his quarters feels it. Kirk goes to Spock's cabin, where the male Spock aggressively claims him. The female Spock comes in; both think they can claim Kirk. Kirk of course asserts that he is not an object to be claimed and that he loves only one Spock, the whole one. I liked the three-way sex a lot. It doesn't make sense that Kirk had a sort of out-of-body experience when the two Spocks were reintegrating.