Klee-Fah!

Star Trek TOS Fanfiction
Title:	Klee-Fah!
Author(s):	Quisim
Date(s):	1981
Length:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Klee-Fah! is a het Star Trek: TOS story by Quism.

It was printed in Storms #1.

Reactions and Reviews

1981

This issue contains 'Klee-Fan': this story is unusual on two counts. It is told in the second person, which is possibly the most difficult viewpoint to master, but handled admirably here. It is also a sensitive portrayal of T'Pring as one of the victims of the situation presented in 'Amok Time,' rather than a criminally selfish manipulator. The writer ties T'Pring's experiences to happenings 20th century Terran women will recognize and identify with, but the knows are so fine as to be invisible unless you are deliberately studying only a story's construction. A superior piece of fan fiction. Best of zine award.

1982

"Klee-Fah!" by Quism -- Technically, I like this story. It's fairly well-written and well-plotted. I find the somewhat detached observational mode of writing intriguing. How ever, the content is another matter entirely. The content of this story sets my teeth on edge. I resent, on behalf of the males I have known who do not fit the image, the attitude that all men see women only as sex objects and as"instruments of men's pleasure."This story is a thinly disguised vehicle for the author's opinion of men. Quism, if that's how you feel about men, fine. But why not set it here and now. In 20th century Earth. It would probably have more impact. ((No, it probably wouldn't. It would more likely fall on deaf ears, because of the same effect that allowed Roddenberry to use ideas in Trek that he never would have gotten away with in a non-sf show; people often will not accept radical change (to them) ideas set in their own time and place. The fact that this story affected you in such a strong way indicates that it was quite effective. Also, refer to Judith Gran's LoC later in this section. -- Editor)).

Quism's T'Pring story was excellent. I can't say I "enjoyed it" because "enjoyment" isn't the right word, but it proved to me that I could like and understand T'Pring's actions in a different light than that provided by the series. I was a little disturbed that the point had to be made at the expense of Spock -- who, I though, was far less sexist than dear old James T. He came across looking very unsympathetic in the story, and I'm not sure that's fair. He may be every bit as much a victim of his culture as T'Pring has been.

Actually, this brings up my biggest objection to the whole zine: in my opinion, feminism's tenets should apply to men as well as to women. It is as hard for some men to be strong, silent types this culture demands as it is for some women to be housewives and mothers. We are all a like crippled by the insistence on traditional roles. Actually, this isn't a criticism, but a suggestion: I'd like to see a little something o the relationship between women and men's lib. I'm not a radical feminist; I don't think the answer lies in disassociating ourselves from the other gender. I think it lies in working out gender problems and expectation between thinking, sensitive individuals of both genders.

"Amok Time" is one of the Trek episodes I saw once, eons ago, and read the adaptation several times. The story always bothered me -- hell, most of what I've picked up about Vulcans bothers me, as a feminist and a humanist. Quism's presentation of the story from the woman's POV is marvelous -- send copies to Roddenberry and Sturgeon immediately, if not last month! Not only is it a badly needed view from the other side, it's well written. Whoever Quism is, I hope there'll be more from this writer.

On the stories and articles: I liked "Klee-Fah!" by far the best. The second person PoV was unusual and there was a real depth of understanding for the character presented. I found the beginning scene the most compelling and it forced a good base on which to rest the remainder of the story. The author brought out quite vividly the feelings of a small, frightened, angry girl who can't understand what has been done to her or why. The correleation between this chi ldhood bonding and sexual intercourse (explained very well later on in the story) is never stated in this scene but it is very clear and ail the more effective because it is left for the reader to discover. I wish the same sense of discovery had been possible later in the story when T'Pring is becoming, aware of the injustice of her culture. Here we are told that the system is immoral flat out and it doesn't work as well. The relationship between the heroine and Stonn is treated well. iwish it had been dealt with in more detail. Certainly the treatment of T'Pring in this story is better than what I have seen in other stories. Actually I never did think she was wicked or stupid for doing what she did. I wouldn't want to be married to Spock either!

"Klee-Fah!" was certainly interesting stylistically -- made T'Pring seem more believable -- but personally, I still think she's just a plain bitch! If she doesn't want to marry Spock, find and good. But if she had any decent morals, or character, she would have told him so before the crucial moment. What she did was pure cruelty, and I don't think that there could be mitigating circumstances for such behaviour.

Oh, gods -- how do I begin to express my reaction to "Klee-Fah!"? I have pondered this since I read the piece -- fortunately, read last, or I may have been too furious to continue in the zine. I was livid after reading the story. Not because it wasn't well done -- it was. Not because I thought the author set out to annoy -- I'm certain she meant well. But because this kind of story is just what we don't need to future our cause. ((Don't use "our" so generally -- there are some feminists who disagree with you heartily on this. -- Editor)) As a fan of Trek and Vulcan, I protest because the imposition of Terran problems, reactions and history is irrelevant, insulting to Vulcan's singularity, and throughly inappropriate. I there had been some suggestion in Trek that Vulcan women feel about about their culture as Terran women might, I might have excused the story. But not as it stands. Put "Klee-Fah!" in a Terran time-frame, and I'll buy it.

"Klee-Fah!" was possibly the best T'Pring story I've read yet. I've read a lot of them from T'Pring's PoV, but in this case I could say: Yes. I know this is how it happened, how it felt. An expert job of getting inside a character.

While I've gotten a little tired of Trek over the last five years, nevertheless I found the events and rationale that led to T'Pring's challenge a fascinating (sorry, couldn't resist) bit of speculation. At first I had some difficulty accepting that all-too-mild explanation she gave in the episode; on further consideration however, I realized that Vulcan decorum would have precluded the telling of the whole nasty truth. Besides, even if something like this story had occurred to Roddenberry, the 1960's network mentality would never have let it on the air. what a jolt that would have been to the Spockies! I mean, what woman wouldn't want that Vulcan, right? Ah, but there's one who didn't, so there must be something wrong with her, right?

Let's start with the good news [about this zine]. (Don't blink.) "Klee-Fah!", by Quism, is a beautiful story. It is complete, moving, and the only piece of merit in the zine. A retelling of the Spock/T'Pring/Stonn story from T'Pring's point of view, it is a mirror reflecting the pain of a woman in a male-do-dominated society, as she discovers the little, limited and unpalatable spaces her world conspires to push her into, and her courage to live a life of her own making.