Rock of Ages

Fanfiction
Title:	Rock of Ages
Author(s):	Kathy Tipton
Date(s):	1987
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
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Rock of Ages is a Kirk/Spock story by Kathy Tipton.

It was published in the print zine First Time #11.

Summary

"Spock begins to rapidly age after the ship passes through an unknown energy wave."

Reactions and Reviews

1987

ROCK OF AGES deals with Spock becoming ill, Kirk's guilt and McCoy coming to temrs with their new-found relationship. It is rather heavy in places, but is short enough and hopeful in its tone, which smoothes out the rough spots.

1996

Nice, rich writing. Deep into the moments, close-in and immediate, the feelings between the actions.

I don't need to talk about POV being all mixed up, and some odd word usage.

A nerve-racking tension on the bridge, some dangerous anomaly, violent turbulence; Adm. Kirk calls for Spock's status and..,no response. Dreadful flashback to the other time....

Spock is in trala kat, a Vulcan hormonal irregularity; he is aging rapidly, similar to when one bondmate has died, and the other goes to death quickly. Are the effects left over from Genesis, or from the recent anomaly?

It's absolutely beautiful, how Kirk is so certain of what they will do: he will drop everything and take Spock away to spend his last days together. McCoy will meet them on Raima; at the house Kirk got Spock finds himself feeling relieved, to not have to make these decisions; following Kirk is much better than going to Vulcan alone to die.

I realized at a certain point I was having ideas about how marvelous this story could be if.„. And I wasn't disappointed. I love this scenario, where we know (because it's a Robin zine) that there will be a happy ending, yet we get our hearts wrung out experiencing Spock's dying with Kirk. Hurts so good.

Lots of interesting detail, about the house, and just descriptions of their journey or this and that This was done really nicely; vivid details, not scrimped on. I suppose in a scenario like this, where the main thing happening is the emotional drama, then the surroundings, and the little moments, take on more relevance. Whereas sometimes in some stories so much detail feels unnecessary.

There are some places where a setting wasn't made ciear so we didn't know, for example, where McCoy was in relation to where Kirk and Spock were. And odd things like the three of them working in their lab (on a cure for Spock) for 14 hours without noticing the time passing or taking any break? (You know me and the bathroom; at the least, surely one of them had to go before 14 hours.)

Anyway, of course the depth of their feelings for each other comes out in this situation. It was so beautiful, so swooningly romantic I was just melting.

It all felt very real, the sweet talk, the sensible talk, only just enough, along with all the body-talk. Then, they start in with the banter But that's my personal non-preference.

Oh but what beautiful scenes, I just love when they're older; I love what feels almost shocking, the first kiss between these older men—what a marvelous picture. And it felt very real and heart-warmingt how it was all acknowledged between the three of them. It brought tears to my eyes.

And after all this gorgeous depth of feeling, and beautiful sex. not only is it a happy ending, but with an unique twist a good solution to one of the glitches we come across in K/S; a beautiful certainty about the rest of their lives together. Emotional riches, this story; and a fine example of the essence of K/S at its best.