The Cleansing

Fanfiction
Title:	The Cleansing
Author(s):	Kay Wells
Date(s):	1991
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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The Cleansing is a Kirk/Spock story by Kay Wells.

It was published in the print zine Counterpoint #4.

Summary

"The Enterprise is sent to negotiate the admittance of a planet, one that hides a horrifying secret."

Reactions and Reviews

1991

I liked the plot of this -- that of forcing a culture to face itself through the courage of one of its members. And being a 'Spock' person I particularly liked the way he was used as an example of a superior being despite his 'imperfection'. I enjoyed this story all the way through and was surprised to realize at the end that it had covered 60+ pages, because I didn't feel like I'd read a long, involved novella. This in turn leads me to believe that it probably could have been quite a bit shorter and still made its point. On the other hand, it didn't drag at all and was a nice, leisurely read. In order for most first timers to be believable to me, the relationship has to develop gradually, and in this novella it went nice and slow and yet still managed to contain plenty of sexual action. I got a kick out of McCoy in this. As a character who didn't have much involvement, he sure seemed to get all the good lines.

1992

We are presented here with a very interesting culture clash that has great potential. An alien planet that wants to be admitted into the Federation has institutionalized infanticide of mixed race babies -- not because of any hostility between the races, but because both racial groups were frightened of the superior genetic make-up of these hybrids. This is a very realistic fear, and I think that it would not be seen as alien at all to Terrans who still remember the Supermen that precipitated the Eugenics Wars. For Kirk this wasn't only a historical problem. His adversarial relationship with Khan would have left Kirk with a few prejudices of his own against Supermen. If someone had reminded Kirk about Khan, Kirk would have had to think about his superior attitude toward these people. Maybe he could have come to realize that someone with his personal history might be just a tad hypocritical in being so judgmental about fear of Supermen. So if the author had thought a little more about the implications of her concept, she could have added a whole new layer of complexity to Kirk's characterization.

I should also add that the Terran history of extensive infanticide throughout the ages gives us nothing to brag about. Kirk and McCoy seemed to think that it never happened in Terran cultures. I beg to differ. Female infanticide as a population control measure during hard times was pervasive in many Terran tribal cultures. It continued to occur in Southeast Asia until very recently, and there are some indications that it could still be happening there. If the characters had been aware of this historical background, they could have compared and contrasted what happened on Terra with what was happening in this culture. I also wonder about the remark that the Cleansing is not a ritual. A ritual need not be religious in nature. Behavior becomes a ritual when it is repeated and institutionalized. What is an institution: It's anything that has culture-wide significance. The Cleansing certainly had great significance to everyone on that planet.

In short, this story would have benefited from some background in basic anthropology. The Cleansing is not the only aspect of this culture that I found interesting. There was a cultural approbation for homosexual relationships, but they made a distinction between those that had been announced, and those that had not. They had ritual phrases associated with such an announcement, and a ritual behavior associated with it -- cohabitation. They even had a word for "unacknowledged gay lover". I asked myself why there would be such a custom. It occurs to me that the distinction is made because these people believe that if something is not public knowledge it doesn't exist on a public level and may not be discussed. It would exist on a private level between the individuals involved and their families, but if it hasn't been announced everyone else would have to pretend that it doesn't exist. This has the positive effect of protecting people's privacy, but it also has the negative effect of allowing nasty situations to continue. It therefore occurs to me that children of mixed race were killed so very young so no one would have to acknowledge that they existed.

Since it was never public knowledge that these children existed, they didn't and the issue never arose in public debate. If one of the characters had noticed this cultural pattern, this too would have given the story greater depth and complexity. The other thing that occurs to me about the native woman asking about Kirk's "unacknowledged gay lover" is that the very fact that she mentioned it at all would indicate to me that she thought of Kirk and Spock as part of her family. I would have liked to see them notice this, and remark upon the honor of being regarded that way.

I was really concerned about Spock's failure to mention that melding during sex can create or strengthen a bond. Even though Spock had never experienced it, any Vulcan would know this fact. It's irresponsible to fail to mention it and discuss it in advance. I don't understand why Spock let Kirk go into a very serious change in their relationship totally blind to the implications. It outraged me that Kirk never spoke directly to McCoy about K/S. So McCoy did figure it out, but Kirk's failure to talk about it plainly bothered McCoy and caused serious problems in the friendship that we all know Kirk and McCoy share. I believe that Kirk seriously hurt McCoy by never speaking to him about K/S. McCoy would say to himself that Kirk didn't really care about their friendship. I'm under the impression that Kirk does value that relationship. I therefore don't understand why he would jeopardize it in this fashion. There is a point when stubbornness becomes insensitivity. A Kirk like this doesn't deserve to have a friend like McCoy. The Spock in this story seemed to find this trait endearing. That is incomprehensible to me. Spock is always very sensitive to the feelings of others, and should find insensitivity reprehensible. I also thought that Kirk might have taken a hint from what was happening on the planet.

When protecting privacy hurts anyone, it's time to re evaluate whether it should be private.

1999

Several elements combine to make this a very compelling read. There’s a mystery -- something about a Federation-candidate planet’s two native races that doesn’t quite add up. There are also answers to Kirk’s questions that really aren’t answers at all.

For quite a few pages there is only an easy camaraderie between K & S. Yet there’s enough intrigue that you don’t really notice you aren’t getting your expected dose of sexual tension. As for the mystery, everything seems quite innocent, after all, there’s nothing particularly unusual about two races who don’t intermarry. Somehow, though, you know there’s more to it than meets the eye, some sinister secret lurking.

The soul-searching that takes place when the secret is discovered is very, very revealing. Babies of mixed heritage are ritually drowned between the first and third month of their lives. Silent for hours as daylight passes into darkness, Kirk finally asks Spock, “What would it be like if you hadn’t been allowed to live?” Spock states he cannot theorize on this eventuality as, “I would not exist”. Kirk’s head drops and he finally manages to speak with great difficulty. “I wouldn’t either, then. I can’t imagine a universe without you in it, and I couldn’t live in a universe without you.” The last confession is buried in a sob.

They come together then, in a most profound and exciting expression of their love. In a place where many stories end, this one has much left to

explore. Kirk’s plea to this culture to reconsider its prejudices is filled with double meaning. It is as much an open declaration of his uncompromising love for the Vulcan as it is a statement on the benefits of a mixed gene pool. The looks and undercurrents fly like sparks.

One could criticize here, I suppose, because of the lusty encounter that follows, seemingly disregarding the useless and horrifying genocide Kirk and Spock have witnessed. One could be critical, but one would have to be very determined. Because the intensity and sincerity of the love that is evidenced in their sudden arousal and fiery passion clearly cannot be set aside. It is perhaps because of the magnitude of their horror and disbelief that they cling so desperately to each other. The author chooses not to cloud the clarity of their passion by verbalizing these concerns, and it is truly ingenious that she allows us simply to be swept up in a tide of adulation.

This reader is not turned off by the “oversight”, conversely, she is very much turned on. And I might add I read this while taking a morning off from work -- enjoying a break in the well-publicized summer heat wave. This did NOT lower my temperature! What it did do is cause me to shed tears for a supporting character in a K/S story -- possibly the first time that’s ever happened.

I’m out of words to convey how much I enjoyed this powerful story. I think I’ll go back to the beginning and immediately read it again. I can’t think of a better compliment.