Lester's Complaint

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Lester's Complaint
Author(s):	Leslie Fish
Date(s):	1979, 1982
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
External Links:
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Lester's Complaint is a Kirk/Spock story by Leslie Fish.

It was published in the print zine Naked Times #2 (art is by Kathy Carlson) and reprinted in K/S Relay (art by Ann Humphrey).

This story has a sequel called Kirk's Defense by Wendy Rathbone.

Summary

"While not strictly a K/S story, Leslie's sense of humor and excellent ability to tell a story make this one a delight to read and give a new view of Kirk's womanizing past."

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  art from K/S Relay issue #4, Ann Humphrey, portrait of Janice Lester

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  art by Kathy Carlson from Naked Times #2

Reactions and Reviews

Unknown Date

Janice Lester gives her life story in explanation / justification of her actions. It's a long series of repression and being stomped upon by the male-dominated society, and multiple betrayals by Jim Kirk. Leslie's usual compelling writing.

1979

The only story I really had trouble accepting was "Lester's Complaint." Rather than being a good study of Kirk's character, it became an attack on men in general. Kirk is sometimes obnoxious concerning his relationships, but the guy in Leslie's story was so rotten that it became impossible to relate to Kirk in him at all.

I feel this one needs a companion piece; the events at the Academy given from Kirk's POV. Granted, it does give one a feeling of sympathy for Janice Lester -- most women have, at some point in their lives (if not all the time), felt they were simply being used by the men in their lives, and Leslie got the flavor of that bitterness very well indeed. At the same time, Kirk was depicted in 79 episodes as a man of honor who -- granted -- used men several times, but when he did it it was as a weapon to save his ship. (Granted, it shows a considerable lack of imagination on his part if the only weapon he can think up is seduction -- but that's a script writer for you -- makes a fine labor-saving device. It's easier to write a few kisses and meaningless seduction than a reasoned, logical argument why-the-hell-should-she-help-an-enemy.) As I say, a companion piece where Kirk points out that he did try to encourage her to the work he honestly thought she would be best at, but she kept changing her mind?

This story left a bad taste in my mouth. I felt I should sympathize with Lester, but I can't. I just cannot see Kirk as an insensitive, career-wrecking clod for one thing. For another, though I realize that women have all had the things she talks about done to them by men, I find it hard to believe she had all that dumped on her. She gives the impression of a professional victim. This is probably very unfeeling of me, but I just cannot seem to work up any amount of sympathy for her. A very unsettling story.

"Lester's Complaint" -- Very well developed. I actually found myself sympathizing with Janice. But I wonder what happened to those other two women in Command training? Did either of them make it? Or did the males in Starfleet Command reject them on false pretenses?

An excellent Leslie Fish story called 'Lester's Complaint' which makes it abundantly clear that the fault was not all on Janice Lester's side in 'Turnabout Intruder.'