Future Imperfect (Star Trek: TOS zine)

Zine
Title:	Future Imperfect
Publisher:	Kathy Resch
Editor:
Author(s):	Elise Madrid
Cover Artist(s):	Lorraine Brevig
Illustrator(s):	Virginia Sky
Date(s):	Summer 2010
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:	online at AO3
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cover by Lorraine Brevig

Future Imperfect is a slash K/S Star Trek: TOS novel by Elise Madrid. The art is by Lorraine Brevig and Virginia Sky.

Artwork has been uploaded to Fanlore with the publisher's permission.

Summaries

Summary from the publisher: "In the ruins of one world, two men of different planets meet. One looks to the future, one to the past. But as their lives intertwine, they find that their happiness is dependent on the past that one seeks and the future the other fights for.

Summary by Gilda F: "Spock travels to Earth to discover how the planet managed to save itself from ecological devastation."

Reactions and Reviews

This new AU novel is hot off the presses so I will have to be very circumspect in my loc. I know there are many who don‘t enjoy alternate universe stories, but they should make an exception in this case because it‘s exceptional for several reasons. First, rest assured that these are our heroes; their characters remain the same though the situations where they find themselves are different. Jim Kirk is a young captain; he sails rivers of water rather than rivers of stars, but he is as brave, as filled with integrity, and as drawn to adventure as his alter ego. Spock is a young scientist still torn by his dual heritage, insatiably curious, and as attracted to the charisma that is Kirk‘s essence as always.

The world this author has created takes center stage in the novel. Earth, but not the life-sustaining planet we have known. This earth has been damaged by greed and overuse. Can it be made vital and life- sustaining again? The author has created a wondrous landscape for Kirk and Spock to explore. Elise makes this world-building look easy, but it most certainly is not. Spock has come to investigate. He is truly ―a stranger in a strange land‖ and each step he takes is fraught with danger. Another aspect of the novel that impressed me was the tremendous amount of research that went into the crafting of the novel. The many and varied details serve to flesh out the story, create background and lend realism and depth. They never overwhelm the tale Elise has to tell, but make each scene come alive. Never does the reader have to guess where the characters are or what they are doing. It‘s also a joy to read a story that is written so cleanly. There are very few errors to distract the reader and take her out of the story‘s flow. Well-written and clean—two traits, that while not essential for a great story, nevertheless can divert attention if missing. Both are present here.

Finally, I have always loved Star Trek for commenting on the important events and causes of our times, for being the socially relevant beacon of light it has and will continue to be. Elise Madrid has written a novel that can claim a place in that proud legacy.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. "Future Imperfect" is a TOS AU Story in which Kirk grew up on an Earth that had suffered severe damage due to changes of environment caused by a thoughtless population about two centuries ago. Declining to take the steps of using alternative energy resources the erstwhile leaders lead the planet into catastrophe and chaos, making it impossible to let the people and technology develop further and pushing them back into a pre- industrial era. No space flights, no Starfleet, no First Contact, no awareness of alien worlds.

Kirk still being Kirk he does command an Enterprise though – a three-masted cargo schooner, biggest ship on the river - and Spock being Spock he is indulging in scientific and historical research missions given to him by the VSA. His current one is also a personal interest of his – it leads him to Earth in an attempt to find out what happened to the planet when the "Dark Times" began and why it did. When Kirk is on his way home to spend the next month on the family farm while his ship is being overhauled and Spock is undercover and on his way through the country to investigate what happened to earth, fate follows its path, no matter in which reality, and lets them meet. Spock ends up staying on the farm too, working first and then wading through the precious library Kirk‘s mother is sheltering in the house. One of my favourite scenes is the one in which Spock reveals his ears to Kirk during a trip, saying it‘s a form of mutation. It‘s ZOMG incredibly sweet and of course Kirk loves the ears and can hardly stop touching them and Spock is all squeeing fascinated. The pure emotional writing of this is overwhelming and I love this passage to pieces – even more so as it is accompanied by a breath-taking picture contributed by Lorraine Brevig showing Kirk in awe while exploring Vulcan physiology. Those two things combined are truly priceless. The way they got to know each other over the next days and weeks is one of the things I love most about the story. Because although they feel right from the beginning a certain attraction or ease with each other, it‘s only with time that they find out what they feel for each other and so their love grows by slow degrees. It‘s so wonderfully done and the reader can feel their need for one another developing. When Spock, injured and bleeding, finally has to tell the truth about his ancestry it gets tough for both of them – and for the reader, I‘ll tell you. But just hang on, it‘s still K/S we‘re reading about. And how superb K/S that is! Both are perfectly in character and very credible, the tone and mood created is warm and loving and the fact of just how much they belong to each other is undeniable. However, Spock had never planned to stay longer on Earth then for a couple of month, nor would he be allowed to. And Kirk has responsibilities to his ship, crew and his family on the farm. And so they have to part, and after a last night of shared love and closeness Spock leaves Kirk alone. Both try as good as possible to handle the situation (something I as a reader failed at utterly) and go on with their lives and duties. Again this balancing act is excellently captured by the author. Neither would just give up and yet it is like life lost the light, the joy, and most of all this feeling of belonging and contentment the pure presence of the other one had provided. The sorrow is palpable and I loved it, as much as it broke my heart. Especially because both try their best coping. But can just "coping" be enough for Spock anymore? Can he, once having met Kirk, once living on Earth, find harmony and peace back on Vulcan? (Ending spoiler!!) It can‘t and he won‘t. I think I read the re-uniting scene twenty times. At least. And I still feel it to be as exciting and overwhelming as the first time. Kirk standing on deck of his ship, strong, surrounded by a touch of darkness, ready to sail out, turning his head out of an impulse and seeing the very man he‘s missed every day for the last long eight month. It‘s such a powerful scene and again I‘m so grateful Elise writes K/S stories and gives us scenes like this. Further I admire her for having chosen such a difficult, such an contemporary earthly subject and having it handled so well. It worked perfectly together. Of course the whole story is much more complex that I ̳m capable to describe... I mentioned Lorraine Brevig already and she did also the magnificent cover of the zine. Her two pictures (together with the knowledge of the story) will always be amongst my dearest art pieces. Also Virginia Sky created a photo manipulation that isn‘t any less fitting and offers an heart-warming joy just looking at it.

―Future Imperfect‖ is a magnificent novel zine which I can highly recommend and which will be reread by me more than just once I foresee.

This is an AU novel by the very talented Elise Madrid. With wonderful art by Lorraine Brevig and Virginia Sky.

On earth, pollution, global warming and general despoliation of the planet has taken place. It is called The Dark Time and took place so long ago that no one remembers what caused the Dark Time to occur. No one on Vulcan knows either and the Vulcans are very interested in what happened to earth. So they send scouts to look for evidence of what befell a technologically advanced civilization and caused it to regress to near chaos. Jim Kirk is a captain of a boat on the river. He rarely visits his home in Riverside, Iowa but during a refit of his boat, Kirk decides to spend his down time with his mother helping out on the farm. Along the way from his ship to the farm, he encounters a stranger, a man who intrigues him from the very moment they meet. Spock has been sent, as a scout, to earth on a mission to discover evidence as to what happened to the planet from which his mother came. Amanda had horror stories of her life on earth, Spock has landed in a totally different area, one that survived with more resources intact than where Amanda grew up. When Spock encounters the riveting figure on a horse, a stranger who is willing to lend a hand, he is most grateful and fascinated. As time goes on, the two men become closer and emotions soon develop between them. Unfortunately, Kirk must return to the river and Spock must return to Vulcan. What happens next is a surprise so I won’t go into it.

What I can say is that “Future Imperfect” is a pleasant, sweet, emotional roller coaster of a read. I thoroughly enjoyed it; I can’t remember the last time a K/S zine – especially an AU K/S zine – kept me up until 2:00 a.m. to finish it. Its environmental message was not lost on me, either. Great read, highly recommended.