Mercy (Star Trek: TOS story by Mara-Lyn Cade)

Fanfiction
Title:	Mercy
Author(s):	Mara-Lyn Cade
Date(s):	1987
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Mercy is a K/S story by Mara-Lyn Cade.

zine art for this story is by Dragon

It was published in the print zine First Time #10.

Summary

"Kirk thinks heʼs killed Spock when they are taken prisoner and Spock is surgically mind-wiped, but after being rescued, he finds that Spock is alive but still a slave."

Reactions and Reviews

1990

I liked this story's dramatic intensity, but I began to have trouble with it toward the end. The problem started with McCoy. I was at first very pleased with his professionalism in recognizing that he couldn't remove the pleasure slave implants from Spock's brain himself. McCoy has been just too amazing in his surgical capabilities at times. I find it more believable when he has to call in a specialist. Nevertheless, as the man responsible for Kirk's and Spock's mental health, McCoy committed malpractice when he arranged for those two to share quarters while Spock was still under the influence of those implants. He knew Spock's condition, and that Kirk has poor impulse control when it comes to sex. There is a great deal made of the fact that Spock needed to be able to make his own choices. Placing him with Kirk in circumstances where Spock couldn't make an informed choice for K/S, essentially meant that his choice was removed. It would have been far more responsible to have placed Spock in McCoy's own quarters where McCoy could keep an eye on him, and care for him as a physician if necessary. Since McCoy pushed Kirk and Spock together at the wrongest time possible, he is partly culpable for what happened later. Yet at no time does McCoy show any awareness of this, or take any share of the blame. Of course, Kirk was also guilty. He shouldn't have allowed himself to be seduced by a pleasure slave with the mind of a child. I certainly don't blame Sarek for being outraged and looking at Kirk as a "'child molester". Kirk told Sarek that Spock had fucked him rather than the other way around, and seemed to think that this was a mitigating factor. It is not. That's still sexual exploitation. It wasn't sufficient that Kirk rebuked himself for it later. On the other hand, I was impressed by Amanda's strength in "Mercy". Kirk's behavior didn't deserve to be defended by anyone, but Spock definitely needed Amanda as an advocate so he could get the surgery he needed. I would actually have liked to see Amanda challenge Sarek before the Vulcan elders. It's a shame to waste such an opportunity for high drama. Rarely have we seen Amanda in such fine form. I wish Kirk had exhibited as much strength and moral rectitude as Amanda. If he had, I wouldn't have had such qualms about the happily ever after ending to this story.

1997

Kirk and Spock are being held captive and enslaved on some planet by its brutal ruler, a nasty guy named Raetivar in this terrific and exciting story.

Spock has had implants put into his brain which have made him a slave to whoever is his master. Kor. my favorite Klingon from the Organian episode who lusted so openly after Kirk, is there, too, and he wants our captain in the worst way.

In front of an audience, Spock is made to engage in fellatio on Kirk. This scene is well shown as Kirk battles his disgust along with his pleasure.

Except, boy! Here, Spock inexplicably has the longest tongue this side of the Gorn! He is able to suck Kirk and lick "the anal ring" at the same time. I don't know....

Spock's torture is particularly well-portrayed as he is forced to remain in an heightened state of arousal with no relief in sight and is strapped to a leather table (!) and whipped until Kirk agrees to be penetrated by him.

Kirk must deal with his tumultuous emotions and it's so sad when he kisses Spock and says: "I'm sorry...I wish it could be different."

I thought his conflict of wanting to resist and yet wanting to feel the sexual pleasure was very good. I loved how Kirkian he was — he knew what he had to do to save Spock and he would do whatever it took.

Then, in a marvelous surprise, Kirk strangles Spock to spare him further agony and torture. This was an excellent scene, really powerful in its simplicity, although if you really think about it, Kirk putting Spock out of his misery at this point wasn't such a rational idea. But I didn't want to look too closely at this, as it would have ruined the story if I had.

Kirk is rescued and is in a catatonic state. McCoy gets Sarek to mind meld with Kirk in order to bring him out of it. Sarek succeeds, but finds out what Kirk did to his son.

Kirk goes through psychotherapy and wants to return to duty. McCoy has a talk with him and asks how it felt to love Spock. Kirk says: "Whatever I felt died with him" which isn't the truth and he eventually confesses his love for Spock.

Later Kirk and another ship go to the planet to find Raetivar. They arrest him and I really liked how they read him his Miranda rights (or at least the future version of Miranda).

Raetivar tells them that Spock is really alive after all (yeah!) and Kirk and company go to rescue him. He's been raped, mind altered with the implants and generally not in good shape. The scene is very effective with Kirk's relief and compassion and McCoy's stoic medical attention.

When they beam back to the ship, Spock mental condition is excellently shown, especially when he's so disoriented and thinks his master will be displeased and angry. To placate him, Spock thinks he'll have to have sex with all the people there.

Spock is confused and scared and thinks Kirk is his master. What a wonderful scene as he tries to understand what's happening. Kirk's emotions are shown very well as he tries to deal with his feelings when he has to share quarters with Spock until they reach the starbase.

I loved Kirk's emotional dilemma when he wants to have sex with Spock but only wants him on his own free will. But that doesn't mean he ain't tempted!

They're alone in the dark in their quarters and Spock begs Kirk to have sex with him. What's a guy to do? So they engage in mutual fellatio and it's so beautiful with Kirk's caring and love.

A little too bad that we didn't get to see the real thing, and Kirk tells McCoy about it the next morning. Talk about your cut-to-the-crashing-waves....

They meet Sarek and Amanda at the starbase and Spock doesn't know his parents. A very nice touch when Spock doesn't know how to respond to Amanda's "traditional crossed-palms greeting appropriate among close family".

Raetivar gets his just desserts and will be taken to Vulcan and mind-wiped of his "memories, the intent, the need to commit such evil".

Very satisfying justice.

Terrific scene when Spock is taken to the Vulcan healers and Sarek confronts Kirk with evidence that they had sex. Sarek is horrified because he thinks Kirk took advantage of his very weak and vulnerable son. I loved Kirk's response: "But if your doctors care to examine me, they'll find my ass full of Spock's semen!"

Kirk tells Sarek that he loves Spock, but that doesn't cut the mustard with the dad and the parents take Spock home to Vulcan. Sarek doesn't want the implants removed and Amanda eventually confronts him with his need to keep Spock with them.

Spock does have the surgery and there's a wonderful, happy ending (goody!) to this really fine story.