For Friendship's Sake

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	For Friendship's Sake
Author(s):	Gena Moretti
Date(s):	1989
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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For Friendship's Sake is a Kirk/Spock story by Gena Moretti.

It was published in the print zine Scattered Stars #1.

See some comments about this story at Some Fan Comments: Her Star Trek Fic.

Summary

"After crashlanding on an unknown planet, Kirk rescues a Vulcan stranded there and after repairing the ship they decide to become partners in Kirkʼs hauling business."

Reactions and Reviews

This story has my favorite A/U theme, our two guys running a small ship together. I applaud the imagination and concept, and was disappointed in the execution. My primary problem was in the awkwardness of the dialogue. Even AU characters should sound like real people talking. When Kirk asks, "....I would like it very much if you will not only share my bed, but all that goes with it," he is standing, "relaxed, his sailed hopeful yet unstrained." Not only did I feel as if the words were awkward, the situation itself seethes with awkwardness. The physical distance that Kirk establishes with his casual questions telegraphs the reply Spock must give. It's an intimate situation, described in a very unintimate way. Which brings me to my next problem. As writers in K/S, we must all figure out ways to get our two guys into bed together. Over the years, there have been some pretty fantastic, pretty hackneyed scenarios dreamed up. I give a lot of credit to the ones that are even marginally realistic. The one in this story doesn't qualify especially with Kirk warning Spock of his unconscious sexual activity while he sleeps. Is it cute? You bet! Did I smile? I have to admit it, I did. But afterwards I groaned, and said, "Oh, come on!" I was left with dissatisfaction instead of pleasure. Wouldn't it have been better if Spock had been awakened one night by Kirk's "nudges", and come to terms with it himself? Maybe later the two of them could have had a humorous discussion about it. This scenario strikes ae as being aore realistic, with the added bonus of letting the reader see into Spock's thoughts. Gena has a tendency in her stories, I believe, to explain things too thoroughly. She never just 'suggests' anything. This situation is a perfect example of that problem. Another example of awkward dialogue occurs when Spock finally indicates he's ready to accept Kirk's offer of a physical relationship. Kirk says, "Spock, I doubt that I've been able to hide how much I've wanted to love you physically as well as mentally." It's an emotional moment, Kirk is happy, he is literally perched atop his bedmate in an extremely intimate position, and not even our silver- tongued Captain would be likely to speak in such a stilted manner at such a time. I don't know how Gena does it. Despite all my 'quibbles', her stories consistently rank among my favorites, and this one is no exception.

Oh, another one of my favorite stories! In this alternate universe tale, Kirk has been released from Starfleet without prejudice because he is suspected in theft without proof. (A little complicated, but it's important for the end of the story.) He's bought himself a little two person ship that needs a lot of work, and on the way to a shipyard on another planet he barely manages an emergency landing on a very inhospitable planet. After four days of searching for food and water and other beings, he comes across...Spock! The Vulcan has been stranded there for five weeks and is at the end of his rope. But he's a computer expert, which is a good thing, cause Kirk can't even get into the food in his ship until ifs repaired, and Spock is the man, uh, the half-human, half-Vulcan to do it!

The two form a quick friendship as they each help the other out, and by the time they launch from the planet where they'd been marooned, Spock has determined to help Kirk earn the credits he needs to make the ship totally functional again.

Then comes the big shocker Kirk asks Spock, so sweetly, if he would like to share his bed with all that implies. Not just because there is only one bed on the tiny ship! Spock is shocked out of his sweet Vulcan mind and says: oh, course not! But deep inside he starts to think about it...

The rest, as they say, is history. I like the very straightforward approach of this story, I like how the author maintains character for both of them. I don't always care for the dialogue, which sometimes comes across quite stilted, but there's a wonderful air of intimacy that compensates. For Friendship's Sake is one of my favorite a/u stories.