Love Slave's Song

Fanfiction
Title:	Love Slave's Song
Author(s):	Barbara P. Gordon
Date(s):	1981
Length:
Genre(s):	K/S
Fandom(s):
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Love Slave's Song is a very controversial Kirk/Spock story by Barbara P. Gordon.

It was published in 1981 in Duet #3.

It has a highly controversial sequel called Loveslaves that was published in her own zine Alien Brothers in 1987.

Description

A/U Kirk captures a Vulcan scientist and then keeps him as a slave.

The Sequel to This Story Was the Subject of MUCH Controversy

There was to be a sequel, called Loveslaves, published in "Duet" #4, but the of "Duet" refused to print it in her zine, citing unacceptable content: mainly fisting.

Because of this, there was much back-and-forth between the Gordon and Dabinett regarding censorship and the role of editors.

In the editorial to "Duet" #5 in 1982, the editor restated the acceptance guidelines for her zine: 1) (no death stories, 2) no sexual abuse of children, and 3):

Whilst I am fully aware that sex, by its very nature (excuse the pun) whether heterosexual or homosexual can be highly dangerous...there are, nonetheless, certain acts that if indulged in could cause very serious physical disability, and I will not print stories of this type. Again, I see no reason to defend this decision, except to say that I do have a fair number of young 'gay' readers, (of both sexes),and whilst I understand that these people are highly 'experimental,' I do not wish to be the cause of any serious injury, simply because they tried to emulate any physical act written about in Duet. I am sure other Editors will take the opposite view, and this of course in the spirit of IDIC is their prerogative ... and equally is a matter for their conscience, not mine!**

My reason for giving these guidelines is two-fold; as I said above, to let potential contributors know exact[ly] what I am looking for, and secondly because the sequel to LOVE SLAVES SONG will not now be appearing in Duet; at least, not unless a basic difference of opinion can be resolved, which unfortunately, at the moment, seems highly unlikely. One of the scenes falls well outside one of my guidelines, and Barbara feels that she cannot alter it, as it is an important part of her story, and I respect her decision... as I trust she also respects mine. I was given the option to print, leaving a gap in the story where the particular scene should have appeared. I did not feel I could do this, and I am very sorry for the undoubted disappointment this will cause to a lot of my readers, I have suggested that she approaches various Editors in the States who may not hold the same views as myself, in which case you may still be able to read the sequel, but not unfortunately in Duet.

One final point. My respect for Barbara's work as a writer and artist are limitless, and in the true spirit of IDIC we have agreed to differ, with, I trust, no recriminations on either side. I felt a full explanation of why the sequel was not appearing was due to you, the readers, and whilst, as all my contributors know, I am not a hypocrite, or a hard-line Editor where a matter of principle is involved, I have to exercise my prerogative, as Editor, and not print... ** (So that there is definitely no doubt in anyone's mind; I am of course referring to 'fist-fucking' and 'foot-fucking' - and there is no other way of saying that is there?)

Gordon refused to alter Loveslaves, and she stated several times that this story would now appear in a different zine: In a letter to fans in Datazine #21 (Autumn 1982), Gordon said:

I would like to make it clear that the information in the editorial in [Duet #5] is inaccurate. I'll gladly clarify the situation to anyone who writes directly to me. Cynthia C. Drake of Final Frontier now plans to publish the entire story, complete and uncensored.

Also in Autumn 1982, Gordon said:

My first story, "Love Slave's Song", was published in DUET III, and since then I've had dozens of requests for a sequel, "the first part of which I did write, but which Doreen wished to censor. If you are curious, write and I'll tell you the whole story behind that; Doreen's editorial in DUET V was NOT accurate. (Cynthia Drake will publish my complete tale.)

In February 1985, Gordon wrote:

I told everyone that it would be in FINAL FRONTIER 3. Well, I guess it won't be. After sitting on it for over a year, and just speaking to me about publishing it in FF3 in mid-July, Cynthia recently informed me that she would not be using it due to a "change in editorial policies". She didn't say what particular "editorial policy" it was that had changed, if indeed there was any such. Well, the unfortunate thing is that, since I gave it to Cynthia, I missed getting it into several other zines that were very interested. I haven't even received the manuscript back; maybe she deep-sixed it.

And, now I am going to have to write to UT, DATAZINE, COMMUNICATOR, and NTS explaining that my story won't be appearing, and trying to explain, without sounding accusatory, that all the SASE's that went to FF3 from people interested in "Love Slave Lost" [sic] are now useless, and will have to be resent...this is going to make all the people from Great Britain & Germany very unhappy, what with the IRC's they sent and all. I am afraid that this certainly drives home the point: never trust a zine editor.

Someday someone will have the courage to print "Love Slave Lost". Someday someone won't want to censor it. I have a couple editors interested now, but I'm getting very leery about sending it out to anyone. Also, I have decided not to let anyone else read the story until it is published in a zine. Certain fans have "borrowed" ideas from it without even knowing. And I can't afford to xerox it anymore.