Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes

Zine
Title:	Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes
Publisher:	Orion Press
Editor(s):	Randall Landers
Date(s):
Series?:	yes, see below
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:	Orion Press flyer Orion Online Archives page for 2283-2284 Interludes old website (archived)
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes is a gen and het Star Trek: TOS anthology that reprints content published in previous Orion Press zines in particular from Orion. Some of the later issues also reprint online fanfic. The early issues are numbered, later on the titles are organized by the fictional timeframe the zine takes place in (many Orion Press zines take place in a vaguely shared universe at least as far as the basic chronology of the Trek universe is concered. Their website offers timelines and such that the zines adhere to). Issues are still being released as of 2009, and there are also re-releases of older Orion Archives issues. A full list is available at the Orion Press website.

Summary from the flyer: "These stories are set between the events of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan and slightly beyond Star Trek: The Final Frontier. The primary crewmembers from the first and second missions under Kirk’s command are reunited for a series of adventures which end with a return to Vulcan for the Enterprise and Sulu’s subsequent departure for the captaincy of the science ship Cooper."

Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes 1 (anthology)

cover of issue #1, first edition

cover of issue #1, 2001 edition

Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes 1 contains 228 pages and artwork by Vel Jaeger, Heather Krause, David Lawrence, Jeanne L. Matthews, Christine M. Myers, Julie Nosal, Zaquia Tarhuntassa, Sherry Veltkamp and Marie Williams.

• You Are Not Alone written by Chris Dickenson (A Saavik story set between Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek: The Search for Spock which explains the changes in the character. A masterful examination of Saavik, her motivations, and her stormy relationship with David Marcus. Note: Sexual themes.)

• His Was the Most Human written by Rick Endres (McCoy comes to realize that Spock’s death has affected him profoundly.)

• All That He Was...All That He Knew written by Linda McInnis (McCoy’s dysfunctionality increases as he tries to come to grip with Spock’s katra. This story carries the story all the way to McCoy’s rescue from a Starfleet Security holding cell.)

• The Day They All Came Home written by Linda McInnis (Following Spock’s fal-tor-pan, the crew of the now-destroyed Enterprise finds waiting on Vulcan an enlightening experience as the friend they risked their careers for slowly evolves.)

• The Wounding written by Linda McInnis (This story is set during the novella, "The Day They All Came Home." David Marcus has died, and James Kirk knows he has to be the one to tell Carol, even if it means going to Earth undercover and risking capture.)

• Friendship’s Song written by Valerie A. Phillips (This Uhura story is set during "The Day They All Came Home." As Spock recovers from fal tor pan, Uhura seeks him out to return an old favor.)

• The Difference written by Chris Dickenson (While in 1986, Doctor McCoy comes across a terminal patient which prompts a particularly tragic memory.)

• Gillian Weep Not written by Linda McInnis (Doctor Gillian Taylor finds herself wishing to see her friends, George and Gracie again. Captain Spock, now recovered, offers her a unique method and opportunity to fulfill her wish.)

• Questions written by Rick Endres (Maltz has been imprisoned at the Starfleet Maximum Security Detention Center on Alcatraz. He is pondering about his life in captivity, and finds himself wishing for death. That is, until xenophile Security Officer Stacey Saint James arrives on the scene to make life a bit more interesting for him. Note: Strong sexual themes.)

• The Return written by Steven K. Dixon (Father Robert Welton, a heretic who aided Khan during the Eugenics War was cast into deep space as punishment for his crimes against Humanity. Now, awakened by an advanced life form, he finds a way of revenge on those who banished him from Earth: interference on the planet 892-IV in a way that shakes that planet’s religion to its very core. Can the Enterprise crew stop this madman in time?)

• On My Mind written by Chris Dickenson (A short sequel to Ann Zewen’s "The Music Box." It’s a nice look at how the Chapel-Spock relationship has changed over the years.)

• That’s What Friends Are for written by Ann Zewen (Uhura recalls the personal tragedy Uhura faced prior to the refit of the Enterprise, and of whom she turned to in her time of need: Montgomery Scott. The story is meant to explain the hitherto unseen relationship between Scott and Uhura we find in Star Trek: The Final Frontier. Note: Adult themes.)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

* All That He Was... All That He Knew / [rep: Orion 22; also Orion Archives 3] Events from Spock's funeral to McCoy's imprisonment by Starfleet, from McCoy's pov. Nice.

• The Day They All Came Home / [rep: Orion 25; Orion Archives 4] The interlude on Vulcan before STIV: Admiral Sheridan is out to get Kirk for his cowboy antics; McCoy inadvertently helps Spock recover his full self; Saavik struggles with Spock's awareness of how she saved him on Genesis, and forms a relationship with Sulu; Sarek takes on the task of rescuing the gang from Starfleet hardliners by Vulcan legal channels. Some nice bits. Unfortunately, it all finishes up with an unnecessary Klingon plot to eliminate Kirk & co. - they've been using Sheridan all along.

[On My Mind]: Two offerings by Chris Dickenson ("Unexpected Sparks" and "On My Mind") were, as always with her stories, finely cut gems, showing her readers new facets of familiar characters. It is always a delight, when you think you know all about someone, to be shown that they have depths that you may not ever have suspected were there.

[On My Mind]: Chris Dickenson's "On My Mind" was, well, nice. The narrative was clean and concise, yet not sterile, either. The descriptions of visuals, the phrasing of a character's actions, the entire mood was evoked with well-chosen words and a nice rhythm to the sentences, a certain cadence to the paragraphs. The ending was nicely done...not overblown. Just the right amount of quiet disappointment and regret on Spock's part. I enjoyed this one a lot, and the bit with the music box made me curious about the story that inspired this one, but the story stands on its own quite well. I was surprised, because I pretty much loathe Chapel....Chris, I was particularly taken with the way chose to describe Spock's absent fiddling with the music box. Not too many words, just enough to deliver an instantaneous and very strong visual image!

[On My Mind]: "On My Mind," by the prolific Chris Dickenson, ties in well with its predecessor story, but I don't think it would work as well for someone who hasn't read "The Music Box." Still it was interesting to see Chapel from Spock's point-of-view (myself having always empathized with Chapel).

[On My Mind]: I find the quality super and the writing top-notch as always in Chris Dickenson's story "On My Mind." It was very well written, if poignant. It was so very true to character, even if we wish (almost like Spock at the end) that it had not turned out so.

Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes 2 (anthology)

cover of issue #2, Christine M. Myers

Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes 2 contains 292 pages and artwork by Danaline Bryant, Bobbie Hawkins, David Lawrence, Jeanne L. Matthews, Christine M. Myers, Gennie Summers, Zaquia Tarhuntassa and Patricia Wright.)

• My Gift written by Cathy German (Spock’s final recollections as he succumbs to death in the reactor room.)

• No Refuge written by Cathy German (At the end of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Uhura comes to a sudden realization that things may never be the same again.)

• Intermezzo written by Ann Zewen (Jim Kirk and Carol Marcus come to an understanding following the events of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Note: Sexual themes.)

• The Listening Stranger written by Mary Lee Boyance (While the Enterprise undergoes makeshift repairs, James T. Kirk encounters a rather unique listener on the surface of Pacifica.)

• Contempt of Council written by Selek (Sarek’s point of view of the events relating to Spock’s death, the return of his katra to his body and the trial of his friends before the Federation.)

• Russian Winter written by Patricia Wright (Following the return of the Enterprise to Earth from the Genesis planet, Chekov finds himself under scrutiny from his old mentor at Starfleet Academy, his friends like Sulu, and most importantly, himself...)

• The Decision written by Marnita Howald (With his forces depleted and his strategy failing, Admiral Kirk faces a tough decision...)

• Where or When written by Michelle Arvizu (also in Interludes) (An exploration of the relationship between Jim Kirk and Gillian Taylor, while taking a somewhat more serious look at other emotional issues confronting the former admiral. If you like a good, old-fashioned romance combined with an indepth character study, then this one is for you! Note: Strong sexual situations.)

• Rapids written by CarolMel Ambassador (Following the events of “The Return,” Jim Kirk, Spock and the Enterprise are diverted to Betazed. An investigation into the disappearance of one of Captain Kirk’s old friends place both Kirk and Spock in jeopardy. But their escape leads to even more potentially serious consequences and the discovery of a betrayal.)

• Let Me Help written by Ann Zewen (After the missions to Tellus and Betazed, Jim Kirk has suddenly realized just what he is he has lost. Grieving for his son, his command performance is ebbing, and it’s because of help from an old friend that he suddenly realizes that he is not alone. Note: Sexual situations.)

• Captain's Bars written by Rick Endres (Hikaru Sulu finds himself receiving the captaincy he has long since deserved. Unfortunately, it’s not quite what he expected...)

• The Trainer written by Jim Ausfahl (The senior officers of the Enterprise find themselves evaluating a new teaching tool under less than academic surroundings.)

• Blindside written by Carol Kummer (The Enterprise is sent to the Edam star system which is ending its ties with the Federation. But soon Kirk and Spock learn from the expelled ambassador Carlysle and her son of that that there’s more to the situation than the Federation suspects!)

Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes 3 (novel: "Keeper of the Katra")

cover of issue #3, first edition

second edition cover of issue #3 by The Italian Star Trek Club

Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes 3 is a 159-page novel called "Keeper of the Katra" written by Chris Dickerson. Artwork by Jim Boursaw, David Lawrence and Gennie Summers. The cover is by the Italian Star Trek Club.

• Written as a sequel to Star Trek: The Final Frontier, Chris introduces to Spock’s bondmate, T’Liba, and explains why the name of Sybok has not been spoken in decades. The Vulcan political intrigue, Kirk’s anger toward Spock, McCoy’s mediation skills, and Sarek’s family history are all fully explored so that the readers can actually read this story and make sense of what we see in Star Trek V. Note: Sexual themes.

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

Fine writing & characterization as Spock carries Sybok's katra and Kirk confronts Spock's neglect to reveal himself Keywords: Lyre; share the pain; containment; IDIC vs logic, Gol vs. Sarek; ; words vs. deeds

Trying to get back to more Vulcan-related subjects: McCoy's comment in [a story posted in this newsgroup] reminds me of the IMHO excellent Star Trek fan fiction work Keeper of the Katra by Chris Dickenson. An important part of this story, set just after the film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, is the "relationship" between Spock and his half-brother Sybok. There is a delightful scene where Amanda reads "The hunting of the Snark" to the two young brothers... I very much recommend this story -- it makes for some very interesting reading, including glimpses of Spock's (very) private life and how this was affected by his "death" and "resurrection".

I wanted to send you a note and tell you that I finished reading Keeper of the Katra. You gave me a copy a couple weeks ago in the store. It was hard to put down. You were right, it was excellent-excellent. It was a great bridge to Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. The writer captured all of the characters perfectly. I thought Kirk was written a little strange, but I guess that was the point given his relationship with Spock.

Chris Dickenson's Keeper of the Katra is one of the best fanfics I've ever read. Better than a hefty portion of the professional novels. Aside from the somewhat strange way the chapters are divided up, it's excellent in every way. It takes place immediately following the bulk of Star Trek V, during the time the Enterprise leaves the "center of the galaxy" (please) and Kirk, Spock, and McCoy return to Yosemite. An excellent character piece and good history surrounding Sybok. Now, just because it has a connection to Star Trek V, don't discount this. Great stuff.

I want to start off by thanking you again for Chris Dickenson's Keeper of the Katra. It's one of the best fan fics I've read in some time.

Chris did a wonderful job in creating Sybok, and the relationship between him and Spock. In The Final Frontier -- which I thought was the worst of the movies. We did not get a sense of what Sybok was all about, other than some insane Vulcan. Nor did the film give any indication that there was any bond between the brothers.

Chris created a story of Spock's family. His Vulcan family and his Enterprise family, and entwined them together into one. I thought the characterization of Kirk was dead on. In the film he came across as a spoiled child, demanding to know everyone's business. Yet at the same time he refused to share himself. Keeper of the Katra explores Kirk's vulnerable side, and explains why he became so reckless.

I also like the fact that Spock has a wife in the story. And I'm curious to know if Chris had written any other stories involving T'Liba?

Well, I can go on and on about why I thought this story was so great. But I don't think you want to be up all night reading my phrase.

So I'll just sat thank you to you and Chris Dickenson, for sharing the story.

THANK YOU!!!!!

I just read Keeper of the Katra, by Chris Dickenson. I've read other stories that you've posted on line, though not all of them. I wanted to say that, as stated in the intro to this wonderful story, this one, Keeper of the Katra, is the best of the lot, at least of the lot that I've read. Anyway, I enjoyed it so much that I was wondering if you had others to offer in the same vein.... I'll admit it, my favorites are mostly of the hurt-comfort vein, especially those that lean heavily in Spock's direction.

Chris Dickenson's Keeper of the Katra has to be just about the best fan fiction story I've ever come across. This writer truly "disappeared" into her story, which is a rare enough thing in professional writing, let alone amateur. My compliments to the author!

On the whole, Chris Dickenson's Keeper of the Katra was outstanding -- enough to recall my love and respect for the Classic Star Trek characters, which have been all but trampled by the likes of The Motion Picture, The Search for Spock and The Final Frontier. Chris explained the "brother" bit very well. Watching The Final Frontier, I was extremely bugged by the idea that Spock had a "brother" and had never said a word about him. Well...there were a lot of things in that movie which bugged me extremely, but Chris' story certainly made the character Sybok easier to swallow....I think Chris did a great job of tying up every single loose end. Even Nimoy's ancient appearance was explained (and here I had thought Spock had taken up cigarette smoking!).

Scenes I particularly enjoyed and found moving:

Sybok and Spock at the fruit stand and in the square -- truly touching when Sybok made his gift to Spock: "Two joys for the price of one," made all the more poignant by Sybok's passionate personality.

T'Liba, Sarek and Amanda at the concert. Only two oddities:

I find it odd that Vulcans would not be able to play Human classical music. On the other hand, Spock can quote the heck out of Shakespeare, but I'm not too sure he could act it, so perhaps they could have rendered a very sterile rendition of a romantic Earth piece, such as Tchaikovsky's or Rachmaninoff's, in such a sterile style that it would not be easily recognizable. My personal view is that Vulcans take great (secret) join in music and are fabulous musicians, except, perhaps for jazz, which is very idiomatic and very Human. I've always had a problem with Sturgeon's "chattel" concept -- puzzling in a logical (but tradition-bound ((I know, tradition is not logical)) society), and the idea that T'Pring would publicly humiliate T'Liba, while very dramatic (and a damn good read) seemed a trifle emotional on T'Pring's part. She publicly humiliated herself, if you ask me. Would T'Pring view this as acceptable Vulcan behavior?

'Sai breaking the news of Sybok to Amanda and young Spock.

The scene of Uhura and Spock, also the Scotty and Spock scene. Chekov's scene reflected back to many stories I had not read, and so lost a bit of poignancy, and Sulu's was rather neutral, although I saw that as an accurate depiction of their relationship.

Spock's bonding with T'Pring...the barrier and her rage.

Spock's relationship, particularly his reunion with T'Liba.

The whole gang in the gazebo at the end, when they released Sybok's katra.

Sarek, alone in the gazebo.

Writing like this: "...the patient, tender expression [Spock's] father would afford his mother when she lost her temper..."

All in all, a wonderful job, and a wonder, in that it almost made Star Trek: The Final Frontier bearable.

From such a disappointment as Star Trek: The Final Frontier comes Chris Dickenson's story of the Keeper of the Katra, so wonderfully fulfilling that I can't find anything to gripe about. And I hope that someday Chris will write a story that has T'Sai getting her just desserts. I also admire the use of a timeline that is in keeping with the known Star Trek universe. One of my personal peeves is the lack of cohesion in many zines and the professional published novels.

Enjoyed Chris Dickenson's Keeper of the Katra. In many way, I was disappointed with the resolution of Star Trek: The Final Frontier, particularly that Kirk was portrayed as somehow heroic for having refused to confront and come to terms with his guilt. I felt, as I think Chris does, that what Sybok offered was not a brainwashing technique to create a false sense of security, but an opportunity for individuals to deal with self-debilitating guilt, to free one's self from past failures in order to succeed more surely and live more fully in the present.

I sincerely enjoyed Chris Dickenson's novella, Keeper of the Katra, and I think it outshone its predecessor film by several hundred watts. Especially welcome were the plausible explanation offered for Kirk's uncharacteristic behavior in Star Trek: The Final Frontier and the intriguing look at Spock's and Saavik's reactions to the events in the Genesis cave. Also, the relationship between Spock and Sybok -- particularly the scene where Sybok spent all his credits on a present for Spock -- was touching. Shoot, there isn't a single scene in the whole story that's not a sparkler! The Final Frontier couldn't have been a total loss if it inspired Chris Dickenson to write Keeper of the Katra.

Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes 4 (novel: "Valley of the Shadow")

cover of issue #4, Christine M. Myers

Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes 4 is a 130-page novel called "Valley of the Shadow" by Donna S. Frelick. Artwork by Christina Kyle, David Lawrence, Jeanne L. Matthews, Christine Myers, Julie C. Nosal and Zaquia Tarhuntassa. It was first published as standalone zine novella Valley of the Shadow in 1997, then reprinted as part of the Orion Archives in 2001 (in a digest size) and re-released in 2008 (in full size).

• The Enterprise is ready for its first assignment following the events of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: a diplomatic mission to a war-torn planet with a most attractive Federation ambassador aboard to mediate the dispute. Unfortunately, a plague seems to be sweeping through the area, and one side is blaming the other for using biological weapons while the other side insists there is no plague at all!

The Orion Archives:

Note: Though it has a different title format, Hyperion 2296-2323 may also fit into this series

• Orion Archives: 2229-2265 The Beginnings
• Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission
• Orion Archives: 2270-2272 The First Hiatus
• Orion Archives: 2272-2275 The Second Mission
• Orion Archives: 2275-2283 The Second Hiatus
• Orion Archives: 2275-2283 U.S.S Reliant
• Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes
• Orion Archives: 2284-2323 Captain Sulu
• Orion Archives: 2285-2293 The Third Mission
• Orion Archives: 2292-2323 U.S.S. Chosin
• Orion Archives: 2293-2294 The Final Hiatus
• Orion Archives: 2294-2323 Chekov's Enterprise
• Orion Archives: 2294-2400 The Adventures Continue
• Orion Archives: 2295 The Sixth Fleet
• Orion Archives: 2296-2323 Project Potemkin