Spock's Argument

Star Trek TOS Fanfiction
Title:	Spock's Argument
Author(s):	Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Date(s):	1971
Length:
Genre:	gen
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Spock's Argument is a Star Trek: TOS Kraith story by Jacqueline Lichtenberg.

It was published in T-Negative #12 and #13 (1971) and Kraith Collected #1 (1973).

The theft of a Kraith chalice leads Vulcan's governing councils to propose that Vulcan secede from the Federation. Readers also learn of the existence of T'Uriamne, Spock's half sister by Sarek's first wife, T'Yuzeti. Spock and Tanya, now bonded, plan to use an ancient Vulcan art form to illustrate their argument against secession.

Reactions and Reviews

Spock's Argument: Following the events during which the Kraith was lost and, recovered, the Stovam report is issued. This confirms that the Vulcans are affronted by the Federation's implied insult in not affording the Kraith better protection in the first instance. It is suggested that Vulcan will withdraw rom the Federation. This view is upheld by T'Uriamne, Spock's half-sister, and he decides to register his opposition along, with the help of T'Ruel's 'Motek'. This is a dance which by its movements conveys meaning to Vulcans as would words in sentences. Tanya is persuaded to perform it in front of all Vulcan before the vote occurs on the proposals made in the report. Subsidiary goings on are; Tanya's refusal (her right as a Vulcan citizen) to have a subcutaneous contraceptive implant, and the arrival of ten parentless Vulcan children on the Enterprise, which, in turn, (I think) precipitates Spock's bonding/marriage to T'Aniyeh. Here, Spock maintains that to produce calm amongst the children, he must have his own inner peace.

Spock's Argument, which should really have been called SPOCK AND T'ANTYEH'S ARGUMENT except that it's admittedly unwieldy, runs into The Tanya Entry for second. Tanya suffers from being too short, but is, despite a couple nauseatingly cute lines like "HE was thinking like a psychologist, but I was thinking like a woman" much more sensitive than most of the other stories in the collection. It's also the only one written in first person, and it was also not written by Lichtenberg; it owes its existence to Pat Zotti. It shows the Kraith Spock struggling to relate to his chosen fiancé, a human telepath raised on Vulcan as a Vulcan, as well as Tanya struggling to accept her feelings and reconcile them with her self-image in an echoing of Spock's conflict. Spock's Argument, like most of Jacqueline's Kraith stories, is long on plot and short an character motivations, with the exception of her handling of Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, which was excellent, full of insight, and quite in character.