Kista

Zine
Title:	Kista
Publisher:
Editor:
Author(s):	Jane Land
Cover Artist(s):
Illustrator(s):
Date(s):	March 1986, posted online in 2009
Series?:	the sequel is Demeter
Medium:	print zine, fanfic
Size:
Genre:	adult het
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:	Open Doors Project On AO3, as part of the Open Doors Project
Cover art
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Kista is a 1986 Star Trek: The Original Series zine novel by Jane Land, focusing on the pairing Spock/Christine Chapel. The story follows the characters Spock and Christine after they are kidnapped by Orion slave traders. A sequel, Demeter, also written by Land, was released in 1987.

Kista is notable in the Star Trek fandom for its minimalist black and white cover art, and Land's depiction of Christine and her relationship with Spock. Many fans praised Land's characterization of Christine, describing Land's deception of Christine as intelligent and strong, often in contrast to other fanfiction written at the time and the source material. In an editorial for Kista, Land described the novel as "an attempt to rescue one of Star Trek's female characters from an artificially imposed case of foolishness."

In 2009, the Organization for Transformative Works' Open Doors Project archived Kista and Demeter both as PDFs and on Archive of Our Own.

Themes, Tropes, and Inspiration

The theme of isolation and fending for one's self in a new setting that is cut off from the Enterprise and crew is a common topic in may fandoms. It allows fans to explore relationships, and motivations, and imagine many what ifs. In the Star Trek fandom, pon farr is an added element.

The 1980 blockbuster novel, Clan of the Cave Bear, likely added extra interest to the topic and setting.

A another example of Spock and Christine alone, struggling for long-term survival, is the 2006 novel by Cheree Cargill: The Castaways.

Topic for Acafans

Henry Jenkins wrote a chapter on "Kista" and Demeter in his 1995 book, Science Fiction Audiences! Watching Star Trek and Doctor Who.

Original Author's Notes

Spock and Christine are kidnapped by Orion slavers and stranded on a Stone Age planet. How will they adapt to a culture, both innocent and barbaric, where much of their knowledge and skill is useless? A story of change and growth. Some adult material.

So just why does an outwardly sane and ordinary woman spend the better part of a year writing a Star Trek novel? Anyone who is interested in the answer, or expects to be mentioned in the acknowledgements, should read this introduction. Everyone else can go straight to Chapter 1.

Two years ago, I was a normal person. Isn't that how we all start? Then I re-discovered Star Trek, and discovered fandom. Most of you can probably fill in the details. It's a familiar tale of addiction... I started buying zines. Oh, did I buy zines. I now have five linear feet of zines on my bookshelf. That's... excuse me while I count... 106 zines. And somewhere along the line, I decided that if I was crazy, so were a lot of other people... and it was fun. Eventually, I got up the courage to start writing. Or, rather, I had no choice. My mind kept offering up plots and snatches of dialogue. And there were the zines. The good ones inspired me, and the bad ones were, in their way, even more encouraging. I thought, "I can do better than that!" Whether I did or not, only you can tell me.

Kista is the culmination of a plot idea which kept nudging at me, and getting more complicated the more I thought about it. It is also an attempt to rescue one of Star Trek's female characters from an artificially imposed case of foolishness. Try to think objectively for a minute about what we know of Christine Chapel's background, education, accomplishments... and you will come up with a far more interesting character than she was ever allowed to be. The Christine I found when I thought about her was neither wimp nor superwoman, but, I hope, an intelligent, complex, believable person. I like her. I hope you do too.

Fannish Appreciation for the Archival and Preservation of "Kista"

Some fan comments from fans who appreciated Open Doors' preservation of this fanwork:

2013:

So good to see this wonderful piece of writing published here, and now easy to read!

2014:

I am so pleased that this story was rescued and could be shared. It was wonderful and I enjoyed every word of it/

2020:

this is one of those stories i like to re-read every six months, and i love that it was written so long ago and still seems like it was written yesterday.

i’m so pleased it’s archived here for future generations to enjoy. x

2022:

I remember reading this way back when. It was wonderful being able to read it again! Thank goodness it got uploaded here for more fans to read. Thanks again!

2023:

Holy flaming cow, this is fantastic! I'm so grateful that stories like this have been archived here. I'm just old enough to have been an obsessive fan when it was written, but young enough not to have had the resources to find and acquire the zines in which it was published at the time. I'm so happy I got the chance to experience it!

Reactions and Reviews

Comments on the Print Version

1986

I'm not going to reveal many details of this novel, because I don't want to spoil any of the surprises. I'm not even going to identify one of the major characters, because that character hasn't received the best of treatment at the hands of fans. But I will say that the other primary character is Spock, and that I would have read this novel in one sitting had I the sufficient free time. This is a story of survival, both in traditional and nontraditional meanings. Just when I thought I had the outcome second-guessed, the plot would take a twist (justified though, not arbitrary convolutions) and leave me guessing and clawing at the pages to discover the resolution. KISTA has my vote for best fiction I've read yet this year.

This is a prime example of a fanzine not having to spend a small fortune in production costs -- there is no artwork, except for the cover graphics (which are striking): the print is clear and neat, and the book is perfect bound (in signatures, yet!). The only fault I could find in this work was the occasional need for minor editing -- very minor, and things probably no one but a nit-picker such as myself would even notice. I'm very much anticipating more work by Jane, and will plunk my money down sight unseen for anything else she has for sale -- especially Demeter|the sequel that is already in first draft form.

A word of caution -- this is a story for the mature reader: don't share KISTA with the young Trekkers in your household, especially not young female teens. There are some scenes which, while necessary and true-to-life, are very intense and powerful. I'd rate the book PG-13. And keep the box of kleenex handy for the last third of the book: you'll need it (and no, this is not a gory hurt/comfort story).

One of the most neglected genres in the zine literature is that of stories dealing with Christine Chapel. This is not to imply there are not authors that include her as a lesser or even major character. Rather, the treatment of Christine as an intelligent, mature woman is lacking. Too often she is portrayed as a sniveling, love-sick puppy perpetually mooning over the unattainable First Officer. KISTA endeavors to present Christine Chapel as a woman capable of surviving and adapting to a hostile environment as well as coming to terms with her fellow survivor, Spock. Kidnapped from Wrigleys by Orion slavers, they are soon discovered to be Federation officers and stranded on an uncharted planet.

The zine is rich in detail as their lives become entwined, first through necessity, then by choice. In plot, KISTA bears resemblance to CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR as a small indigenous tribe shelters the two outworlder and then absorbs them into its numbers. Males dominate as a rule, however, and Christine achieves her own status by assuming the role of healer and priestess. Spock does not readily accept what fate has dealt him, gradually acclimates.

This is, I believe, Jane Land's first novel. It is a laudatory first effort and deserves the sequel currently in process. Her development of Christine is the stronger of the two main characters. Spock is not as well-defined and tends, after a time, to blend with Christine's personality, especially after the melding of their minds. I am confident this tendency will resolve itself with further writing experiences.

KISTA is not a sappy romance novel. The story concerns the physical and emotional survival of two beings stranded on a primitive planet. That those beings are Dr. Christine Chapel and Mr. Spock encourages our caring about the events and their reactions to their situation. I especially enjoyed a Chapel who doesn't brood about Spock and has an appreciation for the positive effect loving somebody, even if unreturned, has had on her life. This acceptance of the situation doesn't mean she does not want him, only that she is not waiting for him to change.

Jane Land writes about an adult relationship that is believable and logical as well as emotionally satisfying for the couple involved and the reader. The story covers a-period of four years, during which time the reality of living with primitive people and necessarily functioning as part of the tribe changes Spock and Christine; we find Christine training and acting as tribal witch doctor and Spock as a member of the male hunting team. Many of the situations are reminiscent of castaway cliches, but the action of the characters are not contrived and are logical and believable in their context. Jane Land has succeeded in making the story seem new and unused. The love scenes are romantically passionate without violating the characterizations we accept for Spock and Christine. Altogether an engrossing story and recommended for all readers who enjoy a romantic relationship story, a story with a positive mood, and an admirable female role model. Best of all, Jane seems to mail her zine out rapidly.

1987

If Spock and Christine Chapel were stranded on a planet of primitives, with only a 14.93% chance of being rescued, would he bond with her? Some readers cannot accept such a union under any circumstances, and this novel is not for them, but for those that are willing to concede the possibility, KISTA is enjoyable. Half of fandom seems to be eternally asking the question, "What is there to see in Christine Chapel?" Jane Land gives us an eloquent answer. Series Star Trek has only given us a few brief glimpses into Chapel's more positive qualities; her courage, loyalty, and humor. KISTA manages to incorporate and develop those qualities into a three dimensional character worthy of respect. The primitive society is more than a shallow background for a romance. The culture becomes a personal challenge, causing them to question their respective identities; Spock's as a Vulcan and a Starfleet officer, and Chapel's as a doctor and a woman. Interaction with the tribe is unavoidable, and when they ultimately decide to throw the Prime Directive out the window, the reader can certainly sympathize. The novel leaves a few loose ends which indicates a sequel is forthcoming. One can only hope that it will be as well written as this one.

I have just finished reading two wonderful novels... I would like to highly recommend Kista and Demeter, both by Jane Land. These novels will particularly appeal to those who believe in a capable, independent, self-reliant, and sensuous Christine...

Kista starts with the kidnapping of Christine and Spock and their subsequent abandonment on a planet inhabited by a primitive hunter-gatherer culture, known as the Domii. Kista is fundamentally a very beautiful love story, set primarily in a Jean Auel type environment. Land traces the development of the close inter-dependent relationship between Spock and Christine as they each try to adjust to the culture in which they have been marooned. The characterizations are very good. Christine adapts so well, that she is selected as the healer of the tribe. Spock has more difficulty adjusting and is portrayed as compassionate, vulnerable, and sometimes illogical. The plot is very well structured and much more complex and creative than I have suggested here.

I put off ordering ‘Kista’ for a long time because I was thoroughly turned off by blurbs which sounded something like: ‘Spock and Christine are kidnapped by Orion slave traders.’ Sounds deadly, right? Well, that does indeed happen but it take up only about 8 pages near the start of the novel -- and then we get to the real story.

My second fear was this would be a story in which Chapel and Spock ‘fall in love.’ I hate those. From my perspective, Spock is a Vulcan and therefore will never fall in love. I accept his ability to form committed and interesting relationships with others but, sorry, no gushing Vulcans for this girl. Land apparently agrees. To my delight, Land turned out a complex, beautiful, and emotionally-satisfying story about self-definition, responsibility to one’s self and one’s community, the joy and work of building relationships with others. While there is no single riveting plotline holding this novel together or propelling one through its pages, the novel doesn’t need one. The alien culture introduced is unique, the struggle to communicate believable, the series of conflicts compelling, and the main character’s growth and growing relationships involving.

As an aside, I’ll add that the sex scenes in the novel are about the most realistic I’ve ever seen in fan fiction. And I don’t just mean she figured out where all the parts go. The scenes are a believable and well-written mixture of dialogue, descriptions of physical and emotional and intellectual activity, and the interplay between the characters and their pasts and current environment. They are, additionally, reasonable outgrowths of the other exchanges between the characters – not just sex/love scenes arrived at by contrived plot devices.

1988

I recall discussion lamenting the lack of lesser characters in fanfiction. This lack could be a result of a vicious circle—such stories aren't being written because there aren't many editors who'll accept any work that doesn't feature at least one of the Big 3 as a prominent character. Personally, I'm always looking for stories about the Lesser 5, and any other established characters. Jane Land's KISTA and DEMETER are prime examples of a good story not needing the Big 3 a focus — in her novels, Chapel is the focal point, though Spock is present also.

1989

KISTA and DEMETER - a combined story for mature audiences. Both novels involve Christine's life and marriage with Spock thru the years. And how she survives of pon farr, being kidnapped and death of her son and with coping of an alien adopted son. Both stories are wonderful in their own right.

1991

Now on to my two favorite zines [the other is Demeter] of all time. They are both by Jane Land and are novel length. The first is called Kista and I don't know whether it is still available. It is a Spock/Christine story, but it is unlike any other I have ever read. In it, for the first time, Christine Chapel appears as a real, multi-dimensional being. I loved it. In fact, I read it while I was writing my first ever piece of fiction, and Ms. Land's Spock kept trying to climb onto my computer screen! When I decided to write a second story, I gave in, wrote to Jane to request permission, and borrowed her universe to set my story in. If you are a Chapel fan, beg or borrow a copy of this zine (but you can't have mine!). It is worth the hassle.

2000

Have you read Jane Land's novels--Kista and Demeter?

Mm, no--had them described to me, though; I was warned off the former and had the latter recommended to me by someone who knows my tastes in S/Ch.

Comments on the Online Version

2009

The Organization for Transformative Works has recently made Jane Land's Spock/Chapel novel-length fan works Kista (1986) and Demeter (1987) available for download. Land wrote these novels with the intent of fleshing a character that was sadly underdeveloped during the series itself, and she does a wonderful job at it!

I urge you to run, not walk to download them! Warning: the file is a .zip of scanned .pdfs and is pretty huge. They are wonderful stories and it is entirely possible that I stayed up until 5:00 a.m. because I couldn't stop until I got to the end of Kista.

2014

This literally blew my mind. One of the best Christine's I've every read, nay, one of the best Christine/Spock pairings I've every read. What a story! Thank you Ms Land.

2015

I was first given your work, Kista, at some point in the late 1980s while attending university; I honestly don't remember exactly when. It was passed to me through a mutual friend for my enjoyment. As a young college student, I enjoyed your story, though the sex scans embarrassed me. The female "circumcisions" portion opeNed my naive yung eyes to a horrendous practice still alive and well in some parts of our world.

For reasons I cannot fully explain for I do not fully understand, I held onto your work for many, many years, rereading from time-to-time seeing if I still enjoyed it as I grew up and became less ignorant of the world around me. At some point, I clearly lost or gave the book away. I have no memory actually deciding to no longer own Kista, but I haven't seen the work in years.

[...]

This last week, I was reading a book on Amelia Eirheart, and something about one phrase brought your Kista again to my mind. Knowing, as I did, that your publication has not been seen in years (at my home anyway) I knew I wouldn't be able to read it. Then it hit me. I realized that, with our moder devices, your fanzine might just exist somewhere in cyberspace! So my search began. I couldn't even remember the title, let alone your name, but I still began to look. It didn't take me that long, either. Having never once explored a single fan site for ST, a quick Google search of "Star Trek fanfiction Christine and Spock" was all it took. From there, it was easy to find reviews and, not surprisingly, positive reviews of Kista. Armed with a name and some links, I was able to download a PDF of Kista! Amazing.

So, how does it compare to my memories? Fairly well, it seems. The plot holds up, the writing is solid and the sex....far less graphic or jarring than I had remembered (I don't believe I'm a prude [who ever does] but I do, generally, prefer things left to the imagination. Not in the golden age of Hollywood's use waves crashing on the cliffs exactly, but definitely in a "they gave themselves up to the joys of the marriage bed" or something of the sort). It is still a story to value and one I will come back to and enjoy again. I read it in a day! so, obviously, I still find it compelling. I love the character development and the descriptions. You clearly have a gift for word craft and I can only hope that you are still writing and able to take advantage of all the publishing options available today!

So, thank you for a good, well written story that has stayed with this reader for over 25 years!

I just discovered this beautify written novel. I read it over the Shabbos, my son asked me twice: "What are you reading?" I told him that when we would be older I would let him read this book, and he will learn what mistakes he should avoid if we would like to be happy in his marriage. Immediately after Kista, I read Demeter, but I could not find the promised third story. I how that the story was written...

Dude this is depressing i love it

2016

What an amazing story. Knowing that Ms. Land wrote this before the omnipresence of the internet, and it's easy access resources, makes it even more amazing. The detail is amazing. The characters feels utterly natural, along with their growth. The scope of the original characters and their culture is splendid. I'd love to be able to pick Ms. Land's brain about how she made the creative decisions she made, where she did her research, etc. This is really everything good fiction, fan-based or not, should be. I admit to skimming over the sex scenes, but I don't think that detracted from my enjoyment at all.

2017

That was wonderful. To think it was written over 30 years ago and this is the first time I read it!

Astonishing. I had heard about this story years ago, but had given up on ever finding it.

I look forward to reading and re-reading this. Your take on Chapel and Spock are pitch perfect.

2019

I read this story when it was first published; I still have my hard copy around somewhere. It has held up beautifully. The story is compelling and flows beautifully, and the characterizations are very well done. I'm really happy this has been saved and posted for other fans to enjoy.

2020

This is a very interesting story! I struggle, though, with your depiction of the Domii. A group of 30 isn't enough to survive alone, because they'd be too inbred to survive within only a handful of generations. So there have to be other tribes, and the Domii have to marry outside of the group frequently. So there would be procedures for taking new people into the tribe.

You can conclude that your story has grabbed me enough for me to think about it. :)

While it's true that Spock is especially impassive when he's feeling emotional, it's also true that he does whatever he considers to be his duty, no matter how much it costs him. I doubt that Vulcans consider it to be the husband's duty to abandon the wife after a stillbirth, so Spock will do nothing of the kind.

I'm mostly loving your story, but Spock feels out of character in this chapter, and I'm afraid I felt so strongly about it that I had to mention it. But it's a lovely story otherwise!

but Spock feels out of character in this chapter, IMNSHO, I disagree. In this situation, Spock is SOO removed from anything he would consider normal - especially by Vulcan standards. He hasn't had a previous (full) 'marital' bond w/a Vulcan female, so he has no basis of comparison, let alone (I'm guessing) knowledge of what an expectant Vulcan father would do.

I doubt that Vulcans consider it to be the husband's duty to abandon the wife after a stillbirth, so Spock will do nothing of the kind. Again, as he is so far removed from a normal Vulcan existence, let alone a life on a starship, you can't expect him to behave in the same way in completely different circumstances. What he's had to endure on the planet, I'm guessing, has gone well beyond any anticipated behaviors he might have. For him to not conform to expected responses is more than understandable. Imagine yourself in his situation, having a deathly infected injury, having to put up w/the necessity to sleep w/a female who isn't your bondmate (which I'm guessing is not a preferred thing for someone who is a touch telepath) - all the things he's had to do, that would change very deeply held values, just to survive.

Spock withdrawing after the death of their child seems extremely in character to me. He's having a horrendously difficult time coming to terms with so many things in his current life that are beyond his control. For someone so regimented, ordered, logical, reasoned, & in control, the loss of his daughter was most likely the 'straw that broke the camel's back.' So, to see him react the way he did, did not seem out of the realm of possibility at all.

2021

Fantastic story and does Christine a world of good!

2022

I mean this put a lot of millennial fan girl fic to serious shame. I hope you’re enjoying Strange New Worlds. It’s going to bring a heckuva lot more people to your story. Get ready for internet fame.

External links

• Kista and Dementer on Open Doors
• Kista and Dementer collection on Archive of Our Own

References

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