Reaching Eden

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Reaching Eden
Author(s):	Kathy Stanis
Date(s):	1997
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Reaching Eden is a Kirk/Spock story by Kathy Stanis.

It was published in the print zine First Time #46.

Summary

"Spock is accidentally given a mind-altering drug that causes him to go to Kirkʼs cabin in order to confess his feelings for him."

Reactions and Reviews

This author continually amazes me. How is it possible to come up with delightfully new and unique K/S plots time after time? I really believe I could identify the "Stanis flair" with a story even if it didn't carry her name on it, but I'm always glad to view the table of contents of a zine and see it there nonetheless. It is my guarantee of an intriguing story told with talent and skill.

This one captured me immediately with a wonderful description of Spock in his regulation black t-shirt and blue jeans. (I've always thought Spock looked so incredibly sexy in the first sickbay scene in Amok Time. Tight black t-shirt, uniform pants. Ummm. Not a huge leap to imagine the pants wisked away and blue jeans magically there instead.)

The plot is relatively simple. Adam — from The Way to Eden — has unintentionally passed on a recreational drug to Spock by playing the Vulcan's lyre right before Spock does. This works so well as a plot device, first because it's a scene straight out of the episode and second because since Vulcans use their hands to meld, and because they are touch telepaths, it stands to reason their hands would be incredibly sensitive. Logical and extremely well-done.

I loved the way the author shifted POVs, especially the first one. Spock calls his captain to ask if he may come to visit. We are treated to the ensuing conversation from Spock's point of view complete with his thoughts of the way it makes him feel when Kirk says his name, the look in Kirk's eyes. Then there is a scene break and we now hear the exact same conversation but from Kirk's point of view. How gorgeous he thinks Spock looks, the "soft, velvety brown" of Spock's eyes. This is a great technique, and is repeated later in the story.

I adored Spock on a drug high. This is still essentially Spock — make no mistake about that — still the analytical, introspective Vulcan we all know and love, but more relaxed and open to his feelings than he's ever been before. And so sweet and vulnerable I was just melting, and yes, there was a lump in my throat. Try this on for size: " There are some feelings.... ' Spock was staring across the room. The words do not come easily.' He turned to face Kirk, eyes full of that Spockian irony Kirk loved so much. 'But it is not necessary to know the words to feel the feelings.'" Oh, yes! Spock returns to himself at precisely the right moment in the story to avoid the perception that Kirk is taking advantage of him, and a perfectly lovely sex scene follows. Thanks for writing this one, Kathy, and if I may paraphrase a line from the story: "Don't stop, Kathy—don't you dare stop."

A very simple, unadulterated Stanis story of Spock being accidentally drugged by one of those wacky, but lovable Edenists from that episode we love to hate. As usual, this author has taken a subject and added a wonderful, never-thought-of-before twist, something that she is truly a master at doing (or is that mistress?).

So poor Spock, in his attempt to "grok" the Edenists, gets all fucked up with an LSD-type drug. But the results are wonderful and life-changing when he goes to Kirk's quarters. Spock under the influence is beautifully shown—he wants to fight it, but at the same time understands the relatively benign nature of the affects. So he doesn't fight it, but joins it.

What a way with words! "He pressed his hands to the swelling between his legs, closed his eyes and breathed deeply and just felt his animal maleness, his warrior urgmgs—sacred and barbanc, and fascinating." "It felt so good—the smile and the erection." "...put his stockinged feet up on the desk, thinking about large feet and large penises, making a mental note to put on shoes before he left...".

Such an inventive name of the drug: "XenotetrahydrocannabinoT! (I can't imagine what my Spell-Check is going to make of that!)...

Beautifully done as Spock thinks more and more about Kirk as the drug goes through his system. Then he goes to Kirk's quarters and Kirk is wowed! "He might as well let his jaw drop. Might as well just stare at Spock's crotch, for all he was fooling anybody." Their entire conversation is filled with understated passion. I just loved how on the surface their words were ordinary, but beneath the words were all the seething lust and feelings.

And a neat touch was that even though it was Spock on the drug, it was really Kirk who had to fight for control.

This is a slow, careful build-up of feelings as they search each other out dance around each other, and finally, with exquisite detail, reveal their secret desires. It's so damn beautiful.

Here is an example of a successful switching of POVs. There was a good balance with just enough of each to give us a full picture without confusion or too much explained. As an example, one scene ends with their coming together in a kiss and it's from Kirk's POV. The next scene opens and it's the same kiss, but from Spock's POV...

Another terrific story from one of the most inventive of K/S writers.

This story left me with such a warm glow. I said "ahhh," as I finished the last sentence, and felt as if I truly appreciated the beauty and the passion of the love between Jim and Spock. I was also left desperately wanting more, and as I mulled over how gifted a writer Kathy Stanis is, I had a brainstorm. Wouldn't it be wonderful if she were to write a novel? It sure would satisfy, at least in part, the hunger that her beautiful stories have created in needy K/Sers like me.

No missteps in this simple little story that lacks the depth of much of Kathy's other recent works, but Reaching Eden is nicely constructed, has some beautifully handled pov shifts that add flavor and interest, and provides such insight into the characters that the story zooms into the out-of-the-ordinary K/S realm. Spock inadvertently is exposed to a drug during the The Way to Eden episode. It will dissipate in a few hours, it's not harming him, so we are treated to a "trip" from Spock's point of view.

And then, of course, he goes to Kirk and the dialogue is delicious. With an inevitable conclusion, with Spock reaching reality and control over his actions at just the right time. Ahhhh. Nobody writes beautiful, loving K/S like this author does.

Reaching Eden by Kathy Stanis is about a 14 page first timer in First Time 46. The story is set in The Way to Eden episode. Stanis has given her story a delightful spin. Her dialogue is superb. You’ll like this story. I don’t know how to explain it, but Stanis has made this story very rhythmic — very poetic. It’s one of the better written K/S stories I’ve read recently.

There’s a Shelley Butler Spock on page 81a that illos the story. It’s nice to look at, and it fits the story.

And NOW, I will use this story to get a PET PEEVE off my chest. I simply HATE those effing stupid little computer stock graphics that some editors/publishers are just tossing about in a very misguided effort to make their zines prettier. For instance, on page 90 as Spock and Kirk are engaging in some highly erotic verbal foreplay, Kirk mentions Spock reminds him of a panther. I was incensed by that damn juvenile panther graphic that was stuck in. I KNOW what a panther looks like. If publishers want to put graphics in, I wish they’d at least, leave the interior of the text alone — and especially so, the erotic passages!

What would have happened if the group of 23rd Century hippies on their search for Eden had slipped Spock a little something to loosen him up a bit? Kathy offers her version as Spock picks up the substance accidentally and suddenly begins to see everything with a clarity he had believed impossible. The effect on him is interesting—he keeps thinking of how Kirk would look in thigh high boots!

He's Vulcan enough to use the tricorder to discover what's causing his altered state, but human enough to decide to make the most of it. A very appealing idea. His trip to Kirk's quarters interrupts the Terran's current daydream about his First but Kirk doesn't care. He finds the inebriated Spock quite interesting. Of course the fact that Spock is wearing blue jeans (and the author's description of how he carefully tucked himself into the tight fabric) has both Kirk and I going without the help of any drug. I thought I'd laugh aloud when Spock casually inquired if Kirk had any thigh high boots. Seems the tendency is to loosen one's tongue as well, making for such a great conversation between them—tap dancing as they do around the real topic of discussion.

This story is a great little high.