Proof Positive

Star Trek TOS Fanfiction
Title:	Proof Positive
Author(s):	Sharon Emily
Date(s):	1975
Length:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
External Links:	online here
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Proof Positive is a gen Star Trek: TOS story by Sharon Emily.

It was first published in a different version in 1974 in the zine The Worksheet. A year later, it was published in Showcase #2, and is now available online.

The story was very well-known: A 1980 story by Leslie Fish called Sunset and Evening Star uses some of it as a springboard.

"Proof Positive" also sparked Paula Smith to write a parody called 100 Proof Positive, which was rumored to have caused Sharon Emily to leave fandom for a time.

Reactions and Reviews

Several years ago, Miss Emily wrote "Proof Positive," a story in which Spock, using the Guardian of Forever, seeks amid finds the "real" historical Jesus Christ. It's probably one of the most famous pieces in ST fan fiction (as is Paula Smith's devastating parody, '100 Proof Positive.

By fall, Paula Smith had written a satire on Sharon Emily's story, "Proof Positive." The satire, "100 Proof Positive," appeared in both Menagerie 6 and Warped Space 13 by the year's end. Sharon was married to a Methodist minister, and her story, "Proof Positive," mixed Star Trek and religion (a difficult task even for more experienced writers). The story was a reprint of a similar story appearing in a more obscure fanzine called The Worksheet. The premise of Sharon's story is that Spock goes back in time to meet a religious figure. In Paula's satire, Spock goes to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus. Paula's satire was funny and well-received by many fans; Sharon later commented that she found the satire flattering.

For some reason, there are people who seem to think that it was Paula Smith and her parody of 'Proof Positive' that influenced me to retreat. NOT SO!! As a matter of fact, Paula and Sharon Ferraro have both expended much time, effort, phone bills, and postage seek to get get me to change my mind about retreating. Let it go on record here that Paula sent a copy of her parody to me BEFORE she sent it for consideration by any editor, promising me that she wouldn't release it if I felt it would harm me in any way. Actually, to have one's work parodied is one of the finest compliments a writer can receive... Paula and Sharon are individuals that I'm honored to call Star Trek fandom friends, and I hope this statement will end the rumors.