Pan-Demonium

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K/S Fanfiction
Title: Pan-Demonium
Author(s): Emily Adams
Date(s): 1993
Length:
Genre: slash
Fandom: Star Trek: The Original Series
External Links:

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Pan-Demonium is a K/S story by Emily Adams in the zine KaleidoScope #1.

Series

Summary

"When Spock snubs Kirk after returning from a mission on a colony planet, Kirk at first believes that Spock has decided against them having an affair but slowly discovers that things are not as they seem."

Reactions and Reviews

Super beginning that introduces the cat Pan and all the crew from his POV. It's so clever as he identifies each person by a name such as "Gruff" and we can guess who is who! A very suspenseful ending to the scene as Pan knows it wasn't really Spock who beamed aboard.

Carefully crafted and easily readable, this story follows the further adventures of "Calm's" cat. But one doesn't need to read the first one to enjoy this. Ms. Adams truly gets inside the character of the cat! I found myself relating as a cat owner (no, make that owned by a cat). Even though the cat POV was generally well-done, especially in the perfect naming of the people, it was a little off that he was able to identify the place where he was as a "starship" and he knew "bathroom" and "bridge", etc. But very good use of Pan being able to pick up and send thoughts. It was delightful when Kirk found himself wishing he could ask Pan to check out the reality of the security guards and right when he mentally chastises himself, Pan does it!

Excellent structure of scenes, ending with actions that leave the reader waiting for the outcome. Also, very good mystery of the tree-people.

Kirk's predicament as he searches for Spock down the cliff is nicely atmospheric and detailed. Also adding to the reality is a little mention of "tri-D movies" that add to the sense of time and place.

Satisfying ending of K and S starting their relationship. [1]

"No cat is just a cat,” Spock tells Kirk at the end of this delightful installment in the Pan series. And indeed, the main character, a Siamese cat with extraordinary abilities, is not just any cat, or just any being, for that matter. "Pan-Demonium" is a sort of retelling of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" with two major alterations: one. much of the story is seen through the vertical pupils of a cat. and two, there's a happy ending. The author also deftly manages to allow Pan to save the day without taking away Kirk's heroism in the process, At the same time she weaves a gentle, budding K/S relationship thread into the mystery plot I love Pan's names for the main characters, including a new one in this story. SHARP, who I assumed was Dr. M'Benga. Pan's name for Kirk—ONE—needs no explanation, of course, but the author gave us one anyway, and I loved it: "ONE… was the undisputed head of everything that happened on the ship." The characterization is great throughout. I love Spock's tacit understanding that the cat belongs to no one, but is merely Spock's friend. And Kirk, though he doesn't realize Pan's mental capabilities, is flexible enough and a good enough commander to know wisdom when he hears it, even when it comes from an unexpected source. The trees on the planet were not particularly original, being lifted straight from the Body Snatchers idea; however, the author gives us a nice twist: the humanoids who are "snatched" are not immediately killed, but instead seem to exchange places with the trees, at least psychically, and they find the process enjoyable. The scene where Kirk almost undergoes this transformation reminds me a lot of the classical myths in which people were turned into trees by the gods: almost a beautiful, transformational experience. I'm still not clear on exactly what the trees' methods were. They threw Spock into a waterfall because he resisted them, but didn't really do much to McCoy other than to make him dream that he was a tree and replace him. The idea of the Enterprise dealing with a threat from body-snatching trees is so interesting that I'm almost sorry the author didn't save it for a novel But never mind. The writing's great. Pan has got to be one of the most original characters ever to appear in fanfic, and the story has a really beautiful K/S subplot that I'm eager to see unfold in future Pan installments. All in all, another enchanting romp through Enterprise life from Pan's perspective. The Pan stories are absolute treasures, and I hope Emily will write many, many more! [2]

I love cats, but will admit that when faced with a "Pan" story I thought it might be just "cute." (in which case I still would have liked it.) But this was more satisfying; an intriguing plot standing by itself, and then even more so through'this character's eyes. I liked the brief history of how Pan came to be thought of as Spock's cat.

A really great mystery set-up. Pan waiting in the transporter room for CALM to return. "Spock" beams back to the ship; Pan is still waiting for CALM. Ah ha—the game's afoot.

Before Spock's absence for some weeks with the colony on the planet. Kirk and Spock had almost gotten together, had gotten as far as kissing, twice. These memories in Kirk's head were really sweet, mouth-watering. Eager to get back to where they left off, Kirk brings this up, but the Spock who came back to the ship doesn't remember.

Kirk, McCoy and Pan go to the planet to investigate, to find the real Spock. Turns out there are tree-beings (tree-beings are my favorite kind of alien) who take over people's consciousnesses and make duplicates! These beings had already taken over the colony, would have taken over everyone on the Enterprise, and beyond, if not for Pan alerting Kirk that Spock was not Spock.

Of course I love that our brilliant and talented Mr. Spock had a way of beating the game; he purposely shielded part of his memories to make sure the tree-beings didn't make a true clone of him.

A good rescue scene. Kirk at his resourceful and single-minded best. What an enjoyable story. [3]

References

  1. ^ from Come Together #4
  2. ^ from Come Together #20
  3. ^ from Come Together #16