Odyssey (Star Trek: TOS story by Rosemarie Heaton)
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Odyssey |
| Author(s): | Rosemarie Heaton |
| Date(s): | 1999 |
| Length: | |
| Genre(s): | slash |
| Fandom(s): | Star Trek: TOS |
| Relationship(s): | Kirk/Spock |
| External Links: | |
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Odyssey is a K/S story by Rosemarie Heaton.
It has a sequel called Once and For All.
It was published in the print zine Beyond Dreams #1.
Summary
"At the end of the 5 year mission, Kirk finds himself in Greece where he is surprised to find Spock, unaware that the Vulcan has used the link between them to call him."
Reactions and Reviews
There's a lot of very good writing in this pre-Gol story. The characters' emotions are complex and believable. In fact, the characterizations are great (although I think you may have to read the story a couple of times to get the full effect). In "Odyssey," Spock is portrayed as having had a life pre-Kirk. The few tantalizing glimpses we are given into Spock's earlier life deepen his ever-present aura of mystery and heighten our curiosity to deliciously unbearable levels. An integral—and very realistic—part of the story is Starfleet's not-so-thrilled reaction to the Kirk/Spock friendship. This is an issue which is often overlooked or pushed aside in fanfic and it was nice to see it being faced so directly. Being the Spock addict that I am, I loved it when one of the characters answers the question "You love him [Spock], don't you?" by saying "And who could not? [1]
Atmospheric and descriptive beginning with Kirk at a resort in Greece enjoying the night air when Spock shows up. Kirk thinks he’s there because Kirk is not the captain anymore and has no life after the Enterprise.A woman called Maria is there and Spock knows her. Kirk sees a resemblance and finds out they are related, but we don’t know in what way. This was unclear and never fully explained. But in a neat, emotional scene, Spock storms away and Kirk goes after him out on the rocky cliffs by the ocean. Kirk ponders why Spock is there in the same place at the same time. He walks up a steep path in the moonlight. Suddenly, Kirk sees Spock standing in the water. He goes to him and leads him back to the beach. This whole scene is so richly atmospheric and I loved the moment as Kirk experiences desire. “This close he could see the water and salt glistening on the Vulcan’s body and some primitive need pushed him on to where he could have licked at the salt crystals as they clung to the fine-textured skin.” They go to a boat in the cove and Spock is disoriented. Beautiful image of them on the moonlit water in the quiet darkness of night. They go to Spock’s family house where Spock sees Kirk with an erection and this allows them to reveal their feelings. A lovely first kiss. Spock sucks him and they have really hot foreplay. But afterwards, Spock is kind of distant. Spock is ultra-sensitive and Kirk says everything happened so fast. He realizes something is bothering Spock, but he doesn’t know what. At this time Nicholas, who’s an ex-lover of Spock’s, comes to the villa. Nicholas is a really good character—you can definitely see that Spock could have been with someone like him. Spock has been drawn to Kirk with a mind- link. They both know it’s impossible to live with it. Spock wants to go back to Vulcan and Kirk must let him go. Beautiful sad ending.
Spock doesn’t know for how long. But one of the best story endings ever—Spock plants a thought in Kirk’s mind. (See Best Of The Best....) Very cool! [2]
I'm left with a jumbled mass of emotions after reading this one—none of which is good. Confusion, anger, disappointment -- those are the things I feel after absorbing the account of Spock's leaving for Gol.It certainly does accomplish one thing—it sets the stage for what surely would have been the most unsettling years of two lives.
Even during the lovemaking I felt nothing but resentment. Spock resented Kirk for making him less than Vulcan. The human resented Spock for giving him the taste of a new beginning only to jerk it away from him. More than that, Kirk never seemed to have any feelings for Spock other than momentary lust and condemnation. Their encounter left both bitter and emotionally crippled, with no sense of resolution whatsoever.
For once, I agree with Spock's decision to attain the Kohlinar. This Kirk gave him no reason to change his plans. Passion without love is empty and dehumanizing. Why stay to experience more of it? Why not just go your separate ways, as they chose to do. Written as it was, this was their only choice. [3]
The way this began is very different and refreshing. The setting on a Greek isle, the unexpected appearance of Spock, grabbed my attention. Well-told as it may be it is sadly not a happy tale. Revolving around the end of the 5 year mission, it delves into the way Kirk is facing the changes in his life and the steps Spock has decided to take. Gol is the inevitable answer, dictated by the powers at Paramount. In this case, much interesting parrying takes place before that inevitable parting. Kirk and Spock even become intimate, knowing it is not a lasting relationship. I don't know if I care for that approach, but it was interesting reading. The love scenes were excellent, but hindered by the fact that the reader knows they are transitory. [4]
After the five year mission, Kirk goes to the idyllic Greek island of Corfu for a brief holiday and meets Spock there. Although Spock is aware (as Kirk is not) that Starfleet think they have become to close, too important to each other to work together in future, he and Kirk still become lovers. Although initially this seems a happy story, we soon realise that there are problems ahead for both Kirk and Spock, especially when an old friend of Spock’s turns up, which causes Kirk some jealousy at first before they both realise they both want what is best for Spock. We soon realise that this is not a story with a happy ending, as Kirk realises what Spock has already made up his mind to do and Kirk is wrestling with his conscience, torn between trying to persuade him not to go to Gol and realising doing so is in Spock’s own best interests, so there is a melancholy feel to this story, but nonetheless, it is well written and I enjoyed it in spite of the rather sombre theme. [5]