Night Rose

Fanfiction
Title:	Night Rose
Author(s):	Jenny Starr
Date(s):	1986
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Night Rose is a Kirk/Spock story by Jenny Starr.

It was published in the print zine First Time #6.

Summary

"In his journal Kirk relates how on a diplomatic mission on Argelius, he finds Spock at a gay bar and how both confess their love for each other."

Reactions and Reviews

1990

How does the thought of Spock and Kirk confronting each other in a gay bar on a pleasure planet hit you? Lovely thought, I thought. Recounted in Kirk's private, handwritten personal log, the incident on Argelius II becomes an explanation of the forces in his back ground which psychologically prepare Jim Kirk for the true love of his life—Spock. While the story does not include the steamy physical description of their first consummation of love, it leads up to it skillfully and hold the interest of the reader. Sometimes leaving the explicit sex to the reader's imagination is more compelling than anything. I would perhaps have preferred a definite commitment as resolution, but then I do not like dangling in thin air at any time. Capricorn of me. Good story, worth reading, and beautifully illustrated. The drawings of Kirk, page 136, and Spock, page 140, by Jacqueline Zoost, and of Spock and the flower, page 147, by Barbara Walker, are gorgeous. I would love to have them framed on my wall! The illo which follows, on page 148, by Chris Soto, is poignantly beautiful, too.

1993

Structured as a captain's personal log, the story starts as K/S return to Argelius to soothe the natives after the events of "Wolf in the Fold". Kirk wants to enjoy the "pleasure palaces" of Argelius, replete with glowing fog, odoriferous flowers and belly dancers. Absolutely wonderful invention of the Argelian world: nights like our days and descriptive scenes of the people and life there. True to life feeling of language and expression for Kirk and Spock. It ends as a wonderful allegory of the Argelian Mistrose dying in the light and K/S love.

1996

Wonderful angst, told in first person Kirk. Love survives. Thank you Jenny.

1998

This is a beautifully written first person Kirk, his private, handwritten log. Excellent writing--smooth, expressive, succinct.

(As to my feelings about first person, I wrote this LOC before the one on "From the Heart" earlier in this issue.)

As to the first person, in this instance I had no problem suspending disbelief, whereas I'm always wondering, in first person stories, when and where the person is telling the story and to whom. Because this is actually written by the character (at a time just after the recounted events, with the story still evolving) there wasn't that snag for me. At the same time, though, I wondered if Kirk would write so expressively. But I put all that aside; and it was beautiful reading. Since Starfleet captains are not expected to lead private lives aboard ship, he writes this personal log, needing someplace to work out his feelings because...he's in love with his first officer.

The choice of setting here lends itself well to an expressive story. It's a unique idea, and I always appreciate when it's not some tortured scenario such as we can tend to do when trying to find something unique.

This takes place a while after the Jack-the Ripper incident on Argelius. The Argelians have been pissed-- they blame the new evils in their society on Starfleet and Federation visitors--so now Kirk and Spock are there on a diplomatic mission. Inventive details about the physical planet are given, with relation to how it has come to be a hedonistic society, such as about the 24-hour night, 8- hour day. It's a grossly hot planet during the eight-hour day so that's when they sleep. But there is a night mist that makes things so pleasant the rest of the time, and there is a phosphorescent energy in the mist, which figures into what occurs between Kirk and Spock. While Kirk goes about his pleasure pursuits during their off-time from the diplomatic business, he worries about Spock, presumably in his room every night meditating. A great scene when, after realizing he's tired of being the stud and that what he really wants is Spock's company, he goes to Spock's door but chickens out and goes away. He goes out wandering, ends up in the gay area of town. In here was some history about Kirk's past with men and also about the end of ostracism of gays back in history. I would think this is stuff Kirk just takes for granted and therefore wouldn't write about, but it was necessary for us the readers.

The men's bar scene was written really well-- the atmosphere, the guy trying to cruise Kirk, etc. And wasn't I quite as astonished as Kirk to find Spock in this bar! Their interaction here is really cool, lots of lovely and unique elements to it. (I wanted to know, however, what they were both wearing.)

Kirk settles into a long talk, as Spock listens, about his love life over the years, his lifelong search for...something. This might have felt too long, like a monologue, but it was written effectively with "beats" thrown in--small actions and reminders of setting/atmosphere, etc. Just for instance, one unique touch is how they're looking at each other in the mirror behind the bar as they talk, not directly at each other.

There is an important element to Kirk's revelations, about command and submission, about how he'd felt with other men, how he'd felt with women, versus how Spock might make him feel.

Finally Spock's feelings are revealed. Especially good was about him hanging out at the hotel by himself imagining Kirk out having sex. Now they are being very frank with each other, but it still doesn't happen easily, their coming together. Kirk thoughts are gorgeous, and so well written (and remember, he's writing them). It seems Spock is slightly over-the-top dramatic, but it's beautiful feeling and sentiment. And it's beautiful how Spock's courage and vulnerability bring out such honesty and action in Kirk. He will "swallow all doubts about such intangible vanities as command and submission" and gladly follow Spock's lead.

So, the love scene was beautiful...yet still it's not a bed of roses. This was so good, how perhaps the energy-mist of the planet had been what made them act on their feelings for each other...but back on the ship it's a bit more difficult to deal with.

The end passages are very poetic and dramatic, with lavish and monumental prose. And again, remember Kirk is writing all this. And, he writes, I will go to him now.... Beautiful.

2003

This is a magical mystery tour of the planet Argelius. That's the other pleasure planet. The one where Scotty was accused of murdering two beautiful female inhabitants, and acquitted. But this is not a mystery, just an engaging sojourn there by Kirk and Spock. They're on a diplomatic mission, ordered by the Federation to go and smooth over the scars left by the Jack-the Ripper episode.

Told in Kirk's personal and intimate log, it gives an endearing look into Kirk's character and his heart. And shows what a desirable and charismatic figure Spock is. In this clever author's hands, the mists of Argelius truly are magical, actually nourishing and enhancing the planet's flora and also heightening human and vulcan emotions and sensibilities. Ms. Starr does a clever job of giving color to all the shadows shown in the aired episode, building up the texture of the unusual conditions on that planet. "Night Rose" shines! I love Jenny Starr, the beautiful images she created—the ephemeral mistrose for one, so fragrant and fragile. I love her plays on words, her inventive reasoning for the existence of Argelia's night fogs/mists. The whole subtle metaphor is enchanting, the story a rare treat that should be tasted again, even if you have before.