Eye of the Firestorm

Fanfiction
Title:	Rumors
Author(s):	JS Cavalcante
Date(s):	1993
Length:	26 pages
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Eye of the Firestorm is a K/S story by JS Cavalcante.

It was published in the print zine First Time #35.

Summary

From the publisher: "After being rejected by TʼPring, Spock feels himself going back into the fever and asks Kirk to accept his resignation so he can return to Vulcan."

Excerpt

"A tall silhouette, black on the starry black of space. It would have been carved in obsidian from Vulcan's famed L-langon hills. Kirk stood for a moment in the spill of light from the open doorway, watching his first officer and closest friend stand staring out at the stars, unmoving. He stepped inside. The door shut, sealing both men into the profound darkness, the profound light. Kirk stayed rooted to the spot for an eternity as his eyes adjusted."

Reactions and Reviews

1993

Sometimes I can tell from almost the very first line of a story if it's going to be good or not. This time I knew for certain. As the story opens, the author reveals each detail slowly as the scene is set. Then

when we get to the lirpa-caused wound on Kirk's chest, we know. Absolutely beautifully done.

The scene: Spock looking out the observation port to the stars and Kirk comes into the room. So well-defined with such vivid images:

"Together, they faced the stars."

Taking place right after "Amok Time", Spock wants to leave the Enterprise in case Port Farr returns. What a great idea to name the 'paired fingers gesture" that Spock does. I'm not certain I can accept the premise put forth here that Vulcan male lovers c a n t help during Pon Farr and also later w h e n Spock reveals that he is a homosexual. It may not have been necessary to the overall story, but more on that later.

"The answer dropped into silence, a stone into a bottomless chasm: 'Rape." Spock is afraid he will be drawn to Kirk during his impending fever and he tells Kirk that he loves him.

Spock is tormented by the memories of that time on Vulcan: The bells. It was the bells that stole his concentration. The sound of the bell-banners with their eerie desert musk, and the jade chimes clicking against each other in the hot wind. The music of madness, ft would not leave him alone." Also a very good description of TPring as seen from Spock's POV.

A small, but for me a very important detail: Spock is described in Kirk's thoughts as "lanky" - how refreshlngl Instead of "skinny*. Also, "green fire" and "green desire" to describe Spock's passion. So original. The author created such a vivid, atmospheric world of Vulcan, such as when Kirk enters Spock's quarters: "Kirk stepped through the door into Vulcan."

It was such a poignant scene when Kirk cant get close to Spock because of the imminent Pon Farr. Kirk says: "I love you, and this is the package you came in." and "I've never kissed a man before, and right now I want to more than anything in the galaxy." And a wonderful exit line as McCoy warns that Spock might try to rape Kirk and he answers: "Kirk interrupted. 'No, he couldn't. You cant rape a willing partner."

The one thing mat kept bothering me and that I realty didn't understand was if A.) Spock is u homosexual. B.) He only thinks he is, or C.) Kirk and McCoy think he isn't. In truth, this whole discussion wasnt necessary to the story.

Also, it was a little awkward having dialogue in the middle of the fever. There's really no need to explain everything and it interrupted the flow of the story, somewhat.

Very, very exciting beginning to Spock's Pon Farr as Kirk sees in his eyes: "Naked desire, plain as hunger." Absolutely beautiful, along with a wonderful fine of Kirk's: "Come, my love." Great idea: during mind meld, they exchange places and see themselves as they see each other. I loved Kirk's realization of surrender.

Truly a beautifully written piece that is becoming de rigor for this wonderful author.

A powerful pon farr storyl The two of them were so vividly portrayed that I suddenly found myself in Kirk's place, having fear whether I can stand it or not! I felt trapped, I thought: "What shall I do now? I didn't imagine it this way! But like Kirk, of course I would have surrendered!

Vivid writing. An excellent premise, that Spock is misinformed about the whole illogical mess of pon farr. Beginning scene is very satisfyingly strong and tense. Spock is so vulnerable after "Amok Time." Kirk is a friend, but not more; Spock wants to leave, knowing the fever will return. He admits he is bisexual, admits he loves Kirk. Kirk can't quite accept it at first.

Kirk is on Altair 6 being shown around by a lovely female tour guide who offers him more, but all he can think about is Spock. Although it seems too quickly for this to happen, that in one afternoon Kirk's feelings about Spock would turn around and become so clear to him, the scene feels very real nonetheless. Simply a moment in Kirk's usual life, but he finds his mind is elsewhere — I could really feel that - and in that soft, open space he realizes he can love a man, he can love Spock...

This Kirk feels very genuine to me. I love how he is with Spock when he does admit to his feelings. He wants only to kiss him. Spock still wants to leave, not wanting to risk physical contact.

Some absolutely beautiful intensity as the fever approaches again and Kirk offers himself. A classic stand-off: Spock trying to make him leave; Kirk stubbornly staying. Great scene, each moment shiningly vivid: from a passionless, crushing kiss to mutual flinging off of tunics.

Intense rucking (not lovemaking). Really good mind-stuff. The eye of the firestorm is the core of serenity amidst the flames...

Kirk is grateful to have learned surrender. But perhaps we needed more shown earlier of how surrender was totally antithesis to his nature (even though we already know this).

Nice story!

I really enjoyed this post-Amok Time story. Spock fears a return of pon farr and he sees his resignation as the only way he will prevent himself from raping Kirk now that his bond to T'Pring has been broken.

There is some lovely writing here, including Kirk finding "strength in surrender", the idea of the lirpa blade "whickering" across Kirk's chest -- (I fairly heard the sound of that!), and the comparison of Spock's voice to a "a beast, wearied of fighting the rope that bound it." Umm. Terrific.

Equally imaginative, is the use of Vulcan words that sound perfectly authentic, although I will admit to some confusion about the difference between T'ahn-Koon (heterosexual bondmates?) and T'hy'la (homosexual) ones, and why Spock thought a t'hy'la couldn't relieve the fever. Since lover is one of the definitions, are we to assume T'hy'la are not physical lovers, only mental or spiritual ones? Or is sexual release with someone of one's own sex not sufficient to relieve the fever? Turns out Spock is wrong in his assumptions, anyway. (Hooray!)

I did adore it when Kirk tells Spock he loves him and "This is the package you came in." And I liked the repetition of the first scene as the closing scene bringing them full circle.

Characterizations, dialogue, introspection all done very well, and a beautiful lyrical touch with the language. A very nice job. J.S.

1994

From the beautiful Parnes covers (breathtaking) to this story this zine was put together with love and care. Ms. Calvalcante has burst upon fandom with a flourish and finds herself immersed in good, solid literature. Above average writing told simply with the appropriate tension. Who noticed the plot?

This post "Amok Time" story contains a plethora of dramatic conflicts, plots, subplots and issues needing resolution, including the following:

1. As an unbonded male. Spock may be subject to a Vulcan tradition of casting out such persons to die in pon farr.

2. Spock is gay and will be drawn to Kirk in pon farr, but PF with a male partner is likely to get the latter killed.

3. Spock is gay and attracted to Kirk but Kirk has never even thought of a relationship with another man.

4. Spock loves Kirk and Kirk is actually in love with Spock but is too obtuse to realize it without the help of a) a beautiful and willing potential female partner whom Kirk uncharacteristically declines to bed; b) Spock himself; c) McCoy.

5. Kirk has difficulty with the 'submissive' role he must play during pon farr.

6. Spock is afraid ha will force Kirk into an involuntary bonding. Any one of these standard, off-the-shelf K/S plot lines would be an adequate basis for a story; two or three could have been accommodated gracefully. Six to eight, depending on how you count, is just too much for a story of less than thirty pages, large type. (It's a mistake, in my opinion, to assume that the drama in a story can be enhanced by increasing the sheer-number of conflicts. Rather, it is the sustained development of a single conflict that creates dramatic tension. Piling issue on top of issue does not enhance dramatic tension but dissipates it.)

The story begins with a poetic scene in the observation deck. It's beautifully written, though a bit too long and laden with too many of the aforementioned dramatic issues, which it is the task of this scene to reveal. Kirk has many things to learn in this scene about Vulcans, pon fan, bonding, and Spock's sexual orientation; consequently, he spends much of his time gaping in surprise, a posture that does not serve his character particularly well. The scene contains some exceptional phrases, e.g. "the profound darkness, the profound light" of the observation deck. Kirk's description of Spock's smile in Sickbay as "The of Kirk's "tour guide" to spend the night with him when she'd barely met him and we'd seen no signs that she was attracted to him was strange. Was she a diplomatic whore, or what? I mean, I know Kirk's charm is lethal, but I expect to see some evidence of its impact, at least.

Since Kirk leaves Altair thinking he's not in love with Spock, there's little dramatic justification for his announcement when we next see him, in a scene in Spock's cabin that seems to take place almost immediately afterwards, that he is in love with Spock. I re-read these scenes several times, thinking I had missed the passage in which Kirk experiences the feeling of being "in love" with Spock for the first time. Finally, I had to conclude that it happened when we weren't looking. I don't say this facetiously: I read the passage in which Kirk says he has "just realized" that he's in love with Spock, and I believe the author intended the experience to take place at that very moment. But all that happens at that moment is that Kirk says he has just realized it; we don't actually see it happen. Certainly, I don't disbelieve Kirk, but for the drama in this scene land the entire story) to work, I needed to experience what he experienced rather than having to take his word for it.

In any case, Spock is back in pon farr, and the author has set up a real humdinger of a problem; see plot 2 above. However, she ducks the ball. In an armchair discussion of what little [extremely little) they know of pon fan and bonding. Kirk and McCoy conclude that fifty million Vulcans must be wrong and pon farr should work between two males after all. Actually, Kirk decides rather smugly that he has caught Spock in a logical contradiction: Spock first said that a Vulcan in pon farr would kill a male lover, then said he would (merely?) rape the other man. It's a good thing for our heroes that Kirk stopped short of considering the possibility that being raped and killed could also be an option.

The real problem here is not logic, however, but dramatic structure. The author has posed a major dramatic problem and instead of telling that story, she decides that it is not a problem after ail. I realize how difficult the premise that pon farr is potentially fatal to men is for any K/S fan; that's probably why so few stories on this theme have been written. However, the solution to this difficulty isn't to announce the problem at the beginning of a story and then walk away from it. If you're going to tackle this theme, then do it, for the Great Bird's sake. Tell the story!

The pon farr scene was vivid and realistic. Since I find dominance, rape and "submission" a complete turnoff, it was wasted on me as erotica, but these are matters of taste. I re-read this scene several times trying to figure out why it was so important that Kirk "submit," why submission was "exactly what [Spock's] proud, pigheaded captain needed," and couldn't. There must be a premise here, never made explicit in the smile that broke my heart, and mended it." There are lovely descriptive touches, such as Kirk's shout "swallowed by solid, anacoustic walls" and the way the characters' faces are illuminated and shadowed by the changing light from Altair Six.

The poetic style of the first scene is not sustained in the rest of the story, which is written in more ordinary prose. That's not in itself a flaw, but it adds to the impression that a few too many stories are being told here. In contrast to the slow pace of the first scene, the scene on Altair Six is inordinately rushed. Its purpose seems to be to give Kirk an opportunity to reflect on what he's just learned and move him toward an understanding of his true feelings for Spock through a casual encounter with a woman (see subplot 4(a) above). However, Kirk explicitly concludes at the end of the scene that he loves but is not "in love" with Spock, which led me to expect that this scene would be followed by others in which Kirk continues to explore and wrestle with his feelings for Spock. Since it wasn't, I'm a little puzzled why the scene was there. The offer story that I just don't "get." Is there a unique ability of Vulcan women to "submit" that is somehow the key to the puzzle why Vulcan men cannot be partners in pan farrl If so, since "submission" is a learned behavior, not a genetically ascribed trait, why hasn't anyone figured out that men can learn how to do this too? Is "submission" a particular problem for Kirk, and if so, why wasn't this issue raised earlier in the story? Those are just some of the questions I asked when I read this scene.

A moment during a nice description of Spock's orgasm made me think that Kirk was going to start enjoying the particular activity at hand, but I was disappointed. Fortunately, since the story ends with the lovers bonded and happy, we can be confident that the future will hold much pleasure for Kirk despite a rather rocky first time (no pun intended).

One minor point: The time difference between the ship's time and the time in the Altair capital was a nice touch; however, I couldn't figure out why the story began in the wee hours of the night and moved on from there. Kirk went down to Altair when it was almost 3:30 AM ship's time and "early evening" Altair time, stayed an hour and a half at the banquet and then went to visit the falls, twenty minutes away. There was no suggestion in this scene that dusk was falling. I suppose the sun must set late in this particular latitude and season on the planet; however, it would have been reassuring to have been told that so we didn't have to wonder whether Kirk is going to see the falls in the dark.

But there is still the fact that the characters had to deal with the monumental events and changes in their lives in this story on NO SLEEP. I have as much stamina for all-nighters as most people, and I pull them with some frequency at my job, but the hours these characters kept made me feel exhausted. Maybe sheer lack of sleep was to blame for Kirk's and McCoy's uneven logic as discussed above.

Another minor point: In the opening scene, Spock tells Kirk he is gay, or rather bisexual with a preference for men, using a Vulcan term that he translates as "homosexual," and gives Kirk the (tiny) percentage of Vulcans with this orientation. Spock's flashback to T'Pring's reaction to his first sexual experience with a man reinforces the notion that the term means "homosexual." Later, however, Spock says that the word means only "one who mates outside the traditional parameters of marriage," and McCoy tells Kirk that maybe Spock isn't really gay, just drawn to one man in particular. This isn't a major inconsistency, just the source of a slight loss of focus. Focus is a more general problem for this story, however, due to the large number of issues that are raised and not necessarily resolved.