Learning Curve (Star Trek: TOS story by Anne Elliot)

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Learning Curve
Author(s):	Anne Elliot
Date(s):	2013
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Learning Curve is a Kirk/Spock story by Anne Elliot.

It was published in the print zine Bondmates #2.

About

"What do you do when you've been betrayed by the one you loved the most? Your career down the turboflush. Your friends turned against you. Finding his life in stasis, until someone from his past extends a hand to help him out. " -- "I haven't kept a personal log for nearly a year now, not since they tried to use it against me at the court martial. Having all my secret thoughts and feelings pored over by the prosecution team was one of the worst experiences of my life. However, the habit is hard to break and sometimes I need to talk to something, even if it just an inanimate pile of circuits (no offence, Computer). And, of course, today is the perfect time to start a new log; the last day in this God forsaken hell-hole of a Starbase and the day before my new posting - my new life, you could say."

Reactions and Reviews

Now this is a clever story: very clever indeed, and I think fairly important that I don't give too much away: it's a first person story, written as a series of personal log entries. We do not know the identity of the narrator, although it is possible to make assumptions, of course. At the beginning, following a court martial, the protagonist has been assigned to the Enterprise. We gradually learn why, and their feelings about this. The logs are easy to read, intimate and compelling, revealing the story carefully and thoroughly. We see life aboard the Enterprise, work and relaxation, from the point of view of a lieutenant, and a very jaded one at that. The Enterprise 'family' have a tough time with this one! And Kirk and Spock have parts to play, especially Spock. The narrator gradually, very gradually works out that they are a couple, as the rumours suggest, but it isn't the focus of the story: more to the point, the crew move from curiosity about their new member, to acceptance and support. This is very cleverly done and we really feel for all involved. There's a wonderful, pivotal scene where Spock talks about the essential elements that he "now understands" about the concept of love: he talks of 'trust and mutual support' and we KNOW that he's learned about these from his relationship with Kirk! It's very powerful, not least because of the effect it has on the Narrator. A few more log entries and we are finally made fully aware of the identity, and see how much growing and maturing there has been since Day one on the Enterprise. Don't miss this Skilful story!