Long Way Home (Star Trek: TOS story by Ellen Thacher)

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Long Way Home
Author(s):	Ellen Thacher
Date(s):	1985
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Long Way Home by Ellen Thacher is a K/S story.

It was published in the print zine First Time #3.

Summary

From the publisher: "While visiting his farm, Admiral Kirk and a young drifter he hired are attacked after leaving a party."

Excerpt

"Nothing, just talk." "Right, but what talk?" Kirk was going to insist. "You know. After all, you do hang around with the Vulcan an awful lot," he said in a melodramatic voice. He stopped to see if Kirk would let it go. He wouldn't. Scott swallowed a groan and continued, knowing that to keep on avoiding the subject would only cause Kirk to think the worst. He spoke quickly, attempting to keep his voice light, not wanting to give the rumors more credence than they deserved. "Okay, rumor has it that there might be something between you and Captain Spock. You know, you save his life, he saves yours. And then Genesis. . . . "

Reactions and Reviews

This novelette may be one of the best pieces of fiction about fag bashing that I have read anywhere. Admiral Kirk is fag-bashed after returning to the family farm in Iowa. He blames the incident on his gay hired hand, who was attacked along with Kirk. This blaming the victim is a sign of internalized homophobia in Kirk. There is a fag basher inside Kirk who believes that homosexuality deserves punishment. Kirk must defeat this side of himself in order to recover from the incident, and accept his love for Spock. Spock helps him in the healing process — which is very well handled. Some fans may not be willing to accept the idea that Kirk could be homophobic, but Ellen Thacher makes it convincing. We are given a situation in which Kirk and Spock have gone through the events of the first three movies and have still not seen the true nature of their relationship ten years after those events. In order for such a colossal evasion to take place, there must be some mental barrier to K/S, and homophobia would certainly fill the bill. I am always delighted when I see a story, like this one, in which characters confront homophobia and overcome it. It gives me more hope for the future than the K/S stories that never acknowledge homophobia.

This story was unusually honest in confronting homophobia. Admiral Kirk is a victim of a "queer-bashing" simply because he is seen with an openly gay man. Ironically (but in typical style) the bashers sexually assault the two, all the while asserting their own heterosexuality. Kirk is not only forced to face social homophobia but his own internalized homophobia as well. Kirk at first blames his young, gay companion -- but Spock helps Kirk accept his same-sex capability of love. The story also doesn't fall in to the familiar "trap" of asserting that sexual assault isn't traumatic unless "rape" i.e. anal penetration occurs. A masterful, gripping story.

This was an interesting story of Kirk freaking out and Spock pulling him through. They are at the farm, and Kirk has had an ugly experience with ugly locals in connection with a gay whore he was hanging out with.

The nature descriptions were done so nicely — vivid, pretty realistic. And there was a beautifully done meld scene including gorgeous anguish and h/c. However, a later meld scene was one of those where I couldn't grasp or envision, so it felt like just words, accomplished though they were.

I found the town unbelievably old-fashioned for the 23rd century. Like these people had never known one single person who'd been in space? It seemed like the 1920's. rather than the 2220's or so. But what I really wanted to comment on is a line I just loved, one of those lines that so charmingly expresses our characters, which it seems this author has a flair for... Kirk has been physically sick, is recuperating. and Spock has been taking care of him. They are not lovers yet, by the way; not quite close to physical expression yet. They're out on the front porch, Kirk in the chair with a blanket, with Spock mother-henning him. He tests Spock by saying he wants to get up and take a walk or something, which he's in no shape to do. Spock adamantly refuses him. So Kirk says, "Okay. I was just checking." -Checking - "To see if you still love me." I can really picture Kirk saying that, picture the look on his face; and it's one of those wonderful moments where a charge definitely passes between them which they can't deny. Spock is probably quite flustered beneath his words, "My feelings for you are the same as they've always been."