One Night (Star Trek: TOS story by Jenna Sinclair)

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	One Night
Author(s):	Jenna Sinclair
Date(s):	2002
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
External Links:	online here
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One Night is a Kirk/Spock story by Jenna Sinclair.

title page from the zine

It was published in the print zine Beyond Dreams #4.

Series

• Sharing the Sunlight
• Reflections on a Lunar Landscape
• Pursuing Hyacinths
• Heart's Delight
• Primal Scream
• Parallel Courses
• Double Trouble
• Son of Sarek
• Promises to Keep
• Setting Course
• Jagged Edges
• Manna
• Journey’s End
• One Night
• In the Shade

Summary

"The five year mission over, Kirk is forced to make time for him and his lover between engagements made by Starfleet until their new orders come in."

Reactions and Reviews

Finally!!! Jenna has finally written another story in her Sharing the Sunlight series AND is working on the third novel! I know some of you have been waiting much longer than I have for the continuation of this series, but I love this series so much that it has seemed like forever to me, too. I just love Jenna’s writing, and her portrayal of Kirk and Spock in this series. None of the dialogue ever sounds wrong, and her Spock in particular is so right. Spock is hard to get right, I think. Sometimes dialogue for him in otherwise well written stories just sounds a little off to me, but never in Jenna’s stories. I completely believe in the characterizations of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy she has created in her series. I also love the secondary characters she invented on the ship (not seen in this story, however), even though I usually prefer that the focus of a K/S story be on the regular ST characters. I have reread the STS stories many times since I first discovered them almost 2 years ago. When I am feeling down, or sick, or stressed out, I often pull out one of the novels, or the collected stories, and escape into her wonderful universe.

I absolutely adore this story, which is told from Kirk’s POV as he joins Spock for, as the story title tells us, “One Night”. The five year mission is over, and 8 weeks later Spock and Kirk are both on Earth busy with various duties for Star Fleet Public Relations while awaiting permanent assignments. They are not living together, and haven’t even seen each other for three weeks when Kirk beams in to try and spend a few hours alone with Spock. Jenna hasn’t often done the first person POV in this series, but it’s very effective here. I loved reading Kirk’s thoughts about Spock, while he is waiting impatiently to get his Vulcan alone for the evening. They provide nice insights into both Kirk and Spock. The story opens with two wonderful, wonderful paragraphs of Kirk thinking about why he loves Spock so much. I never would have thought of the analogy of a comet, but when I read it, I thought it was perfect: “Don’t ask me why I love him. Do you ask why a comet rockets towards the sun and glory? That’s how I think of him; my glorious lover is a comet streaking through the universe, he’s aflame with the fire of life, glowing with integrity, intelligence, honesty, and those banked flames of passion that he releases only for me. Only for me. No one else has ever seen him as he truly is. No one could tell just by looking. Comets are dark and icy, most of the time, in their faraway, solitary orbits. Their splendor is hidden.” Isn’t that wonderful? What a perfect description of Spock’s character, and his relationship with Kirk in the STS series. And that’s just the first two paragraphs! Kirk also tells us how Spock joined Star Fleet because he is an adventure seeker. This was such an interesting idea for me, that I had never considered before, but which caused me to really think about how I see Spock. Jenna also has many other wonderful moments in this story - Kirk thinking about how he misses his life on the ship was another one, I thought, or Kirk discussing with several Star Fleet officers why Spock served as both his Science officer and his First officer. One of these Star Fleet officers is named Webster and he figures out the nature of the relationship between Kirk and Spock and helps them to get some time alone together. I thought this character was also very well written. Jenna has a gift for writing secondary characters, I think. (Well, she has a gift, period!) And once Kirk and Spock are alone together, the conversation between the two of them as well as the love scene is just wonderful - so tender, so intimate, and such a beautifully erotic love scene.

Well, I think I’ve given away enough of the story so won’t describe it in any more detail. Hey, it’s by Jenna, it’s a new Sharing the Sunlight story—what further recommendation do you need? Go read it!

"One Night" is part of the Sharing the Sunlight series and the first story Jenna has written in that series since 1996. I hadn't realized it had been that long. I read the first novel but have forgotten it. The second novel I bought but never got around to reading before I sold my old K/S collection a few years ago. This story is set before the events of the third novel which is now being written.

This is first person Kirk. The five year mission has recently ended. There is now a two year on the ground rule after long missions so Kirk and Spock know they won't get back in space real soon. They have been together as lovers for two years, but are keeping it secret from what I can tell. It's really impossible for me to evaluate this story as part of the STS series. I suppose for people who remember what has already happened that this story will make more sense. Or perhaps it's simply intended as a lead-in for novel number 3 and thus is setting up the scene for what is to follow. As a standalone story, it is confusing. Or, at least, I was confused. This is a 28 page story which takes place approximately in a six hour time span. Kirk and Spock talk with some other people for the first sixteen pages of this story. And you rather wonder what the purpose of all the talk is --when you're not that familiar with the STS universe. Then we get to some nice hot sex. After that the story ends, and we know something about Kirk's plans for the future but not quite what will happen to Spock. They do plan on being together though. As a standalone, this story drags a little because of the long conversation at the start of the story, but I am assuming that all the talk was necessary in the overall STS context.

Everything is well written, of course. There are the usual nice bits of dialogue and good descriptive passages which we expect from Jenna Sinclair.

This is another chapter in the author's "Sharing the Sunlight" series, a series that is quickly becoming a classic anthology in the world of K/S and this particular tale is told

from a first person point of view, that person being Kirk. In this story, Kirk and Spock are temporarily separated, with Kirk giving a lecture in Melbourne and Spock attending a conference in New Dehli. After three weeks of not seeing his Vulcan, Kirk has news he decides simply cannot wait, so he beams himself to the hotel where Spock is staying. His hopes for a private reunion, however, are quickly dashed when he discovers the Vulcan dining with three other Starfleet officers. He soon regrets his surprise visit, for instead of the private, intimate time he envisioned spending with Spock, he instead finds himself in the middle of a scientific discussion he has little interest in participating in. Instead, he indulges himself in thoughts and memories of his beloved Vulcan, all the while anxiously waiting for the meal to end so he can get Spock alone. Those hopes are quickly dashed, however, when he learns that Spock needs to attend a social function immediately following dinner. But thanks to the quick thinking of one of their dinner companions, who comes to realize exactly why Kirk is there, they soon find themselves alone. The weeks of separation are soon forgotten as they reaquaint their bodies and hearts with each other in a masterful scene filled with love and tenderness. In several of her previous stories, including the magnificent "Pacing the Cage", this author has demonstrated an understanding of Spock and who he truly is that is almost unmatched in the world of K/S. Well, in this story, she proves that she has just as good at understanding of what makes Kirk tick, as well. Her characterization of an older, more mature Kirk in this story is nothing short of brilliant. I found him completely believable and her portrayal of Spock is, of course, perfect. It is this understanding of these two complicated men, more than anything else, that makes her "Sharing the Sunlight" series such a delight to read and I for one cannot

wait for the next installment.

Although this was a well written piece concerning Kirk’s desperately trying to get some time alone with Spock while they are both very busy with debriefing after the Enterprise’s five year mission and working with Starfleet public relations, I found it a little disappointing. This may stem from the fact this is one of a series of stories which I have not read any other part of, so my knowledge of the previous events was a bit limited.

Having said that, there is nothing wrong with this particular story in its own way, it was an interesting look at Kirk and Spock interacting in a social setting. They both have news they wish to impart to the other and are impatient to be alone, and end up having to spend most of the evening at various public/social occasions. Kirk’s frustration, as he sees his very few, very precious hours to be with Spock disappearing in front of his eyes is well described as is their eventual reunion (with some help from a very unexpected source!).

It is also apparent from some of the things mentioned, that as a result of an event at the end of the five year mission, when Spock once again saved the ship, that the Vulcan has lost all his Vulcan telepathic abilities. In spite of this, he and Kirk don’t seem to have too many problems communicating with each other, once they are finally alone, which leads to some very hot lovemaking, once they finally get the chance!