Sinners

Fanfiction
Title:	Sinners
Author(s):	Deborah Cummins
Date(s):	2006
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Sinners is a K/S story by Deborah Cummins.

It was published in the print zine Legends #4.

Summary

"While on a diplomatic mission, Kirk and Spock encounter a level of prejudice against the Federation and aliens that involves them on a personal level, one they'd never expected or experienced before."

Reactions and Reviews

Filtered through the eyes of a 68 year old person on the planet Almira. Here same-gender alliances have been poison. Now, joined with the Federation, changes are taking place. There's more tolerance, openness, belief in science. But Marcus longs for the "good old days" when "people knew their places," though dirt, death and inequality had been the order of the day. A true bigot, Marcus observes with hatred the relationship of the Federation representatives, Captain Kirk and Commander Spock. Of course Spock, ever sensitive, spots Marcus and is aware.

I hope it's not true that prejudice is ingrained in all humanoid species. But we get clues as to just what a repulsive, opinionated fool Marcus is. Will he find redemption? I wondered. But uneasiness reigned and I knew bad omens were in the air when Marcus and his holy henchmen meet and plan to put a bullet in Kirk and Spock's heads. Oh nooooo!

I won't describe all the events but they're exciting and the reader will feel terror and horror that an unworthy scum can bring down such a regal being with ease. Find out how for yourselves, it's an exciting, sad, thrilling trip you should take.

There are two magnificently written scenes, one beautiful beyond my greatest hopes, of our heroes making love in the double moonlight coming through their apartment window. It is love in its highest form and it is professionally wonderful writing, an erotic portrait of their intimacy that I soaked up like a dried out sponge. The actions are thoroughly primal and transforming. Spock so dominant and powerful, Kirk full of his adoration and need for Spock, willing to give himself over to his possessive lover.

This scene, maturely finessed, had me swooning. Wow! "Muscles bulging." "Towering over him like a great, dark predator."!! Simply sensual writing not so simple to write. I got limitless satisfaction because their mental oneness is interwoven in this masterful scene of loving clear through to the soul.

The other scene is when Kirk proves just how far he will go, what he will sacrifice for his wounded lover. Tremendous, sensitive writing, done with wisdom and wholly with love. The story ends on a note of triumph, of forgiveness over vengeance, and it's a beautiful portrait—my personal portrait—of the values of our heroes and the Federation and how it works to end bigotry and hatred in our galaxy.

A remarkable rendering of redemption, acceptance and love. Highly recommended.

Prejudice and hatred—what a contrast these two emotions are to acceptance and love. This story shows us what happens when such opposites are in play. It’s very nicely told and held my attention from the beginning. Something of a routine mission is underway, Kirk and Spock working with a new civilization while the natives become acclimated to the Federation. There is time enough in this established relationship for us to see the wondrous beauty of the love that flourishes between Kirk and Spock, the acceptance that is as natural to them as breathing.

Lurking in the shadows are those other emotions— dark and sinister. This author conveys with frightening realism just how much hatred dwells in some men and how unaccepting mankind can be of change. Zealots can be unforgiving and evil and those emotions fuel their determination to rid their world of what they consider offensive. It is the love between Kirk and Spock that most inflames the faction on this planet, but they have no idea of the odds they are facing. This is a test of love in every sense of the word, and our heroes meet it as they do all challenges: head on.

Good writing, good characters, unsettling subject matter—a combination that will keep you reading.

In the not too distant future, where Kirk, Spock and the Enterprise crew travel almost as easily among the stars as we do on the highways in our cars, we are led to believe that the human race has, for the most part, finally overcome all of the shortcomings that are still very much present in our culture today. Shortcomings such as racism, prejudice, and bigotry, and although TOS never really touched upon the subject, we'd like to believe that the same applied to homophobia, as well. Yet there were glimpses, however brief, that these shortcomings could still rear their ugly heads from time to time. And as illustrated in this story, such shortcomings could also have potentially deadly consequences for those who might not even be able to comprehend how those same shortcomings could drive others to commit heinous acts.

Here Kirk and Spock find themselves on Almira, playing diplomats as they successfully negotiate a treaty with the ruling government body. Among their many duties are numerous public appearances with various government officials, attended by large crowds of the local populace. The natives for the most part are warm and welcoming, and all seems to go smoothly. But what Kirk and Spock cannot know is that they are being watched and that every interaction between them, however innocent, is being grossly misconstrued. Even though the watcher cannot know how close he is to the real truth, it makes little difference. He is determined to exact his revenge for what he perceives to be a perversion and it makes no difference to him which one pays for committing the ultimate "sin". Yet just as he is convinced he's met with success, he's shocked to learn from one of the two men he tried to destroy that such is not the case. He is even more shocked to discover the other has uncovered the truth behind his motivation, a truth he himself cannot even acknowledge. And what he cannot know is that those same two men eventually grant him what most others in their place would deny - forgiveness and understanding. And even if he did, the chances are it would have no impact. But there are others who are not consumed by hate, who do see those actions for what they are and use them as motivation to change their world for the better.

As with all her work, this author once again delivers a K/S story that stays with you long after you've turned the last page, due in no small part to her tremendous talent. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I love how very clean this story is, the writing tight, almost sparse. Yet at the same time there is such emotion evoked, emotions both good and bad.

At one end is James Kirk, the very best of what a man can be. At the other end, Marcus, an embittered old man who hates for hate's sake. When their paths cross, only tragedy can come of it. Yet, because there is always Spock when there is Kirk, tragedy inevitably turns to triumph. Kirk and Spock are on Almira for the signing of a new treaty. The Federation had come to this world twenty years before, bringing new technology, medicine, ideas—change. The story is almost all in either Marcus's or Kirk's POV, their thoughts in juxtaposition to each other. Marcus hates—aliens, his neighbors, children, but especially the change that has come to his world with the Federation. And because Kirk and Spock are the most visible symbols of the Federation, he hates them. That they are lovers only makes Marcus hate them more. He decides that he will kill them and that, perhaps with their deaths, the Federation will leave and Almira will return to the way it was. Kirk and Spock aren't difficult to approach; they've made themselves accessible as ambassadors of sorts. They encounter Marcus after leaving a state dinner and he manages to mortally wound Spock. But he hadn't counted on what Kirk and Spock can accomplish when they work together. Clumsily forcing a meld, Kirk manages to give Spock enough of his energy to allow him to survive long enough to enter a healing trance. Afterwards, once Spock has been seen to and is out of danger, Kirk goes to see Marcus in his cell. He discovers that Marcus's rage began years before when his son was beaten to death. Marcus has turned his grief to anger, to the point where he can now say that the boy 'got what he deserved.' Kirk departs, leaving Marcus with his hate. Later, when told by an Almiran lieutenant of the probable length of Marcus's sentence, Kirk asks that it be reduced. The Almiran is stunned. Seeing how devastated Kirk had been by the attack on Spock, he could not understand the desire for mercy or forgiveness. He leaves, pushing the thought away, but it will return. It would change his life. Indeed, in the long run it would change his entire world.

And that's a story that would be well worth reading.