Hell for Leather

Fanfiction
Title:	Hell for Leather
Author(s):	Anne Elliot
Date(s):	2006
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
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Hell for Leather is a Kirk/Spock story by Anne Elliot.

It was published in the print zine First Time #60.

Summary

"Kirk asks Spock to join him while he spends time on the Shore Leave planet, but with the strange proviso that he never leave Kirkʼs sight."

Reactions and Reviews

I found lots to like about this story, and I found Anne’s Kirk very believable. Not just his voice but his actions – in fact in my opinion Anne’s characterisation is better than her dialogue. Kirk on the shore leave planet conjuring up a cowboy outfit which is too tight (because he’s a touch vain) and galloping off impetuously despite his resolution not to let Spock out of his sight, is just Kirk all over. But certain lines of dialogue seem to lack Kirk’s voice for instance ‘I’ve addled more super-computers than you’ve had bowls of plomeek soup’ just does not sound like Kirk to me. Too casual? Too 20th Century? Too like McCoy? I don’t know. The premise of the story is interesting – Anne is very good at finding story ideas. I won’t spoil the plot, but I like how we figure out Kirk’s problem before Spock does – I love dramatic irony like this in fiction and I am certain it is very hard to write requiring a delicate balance, so all credit to Anne there. There is also Anne’s distinctive and subtle humour here. The scene in which Spock has to help Jim remove the too tight trousers is the highlight of this story – it could have been an unfortunate farce – but Anne seems to me to have handled the balance well, keeping it real, by having both characters keep a straight face throughout whilst leaving the reader silently chuckling at the mental image created. I also like the ending ‘Ride ‘em, Cowboy” he said... now this may not sound like Spock, but trust me the context is all!