The Edge of the World (Star Trek: TOS story)

You may be looking for Last Stand at the Edge of the World, a Blake's 7 zine.

Fanfiction
Title:	The Edge of the World
Author(s):	Chris Soto
Date(s):	1999
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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The Edge of the World is a Kirk/Spock novel by Chris Soto. She passed away before she could finish it, and Kathy Stanis Robin Hood edited it as a short story.

It was published in the print zine Scattered Stars #12.

Summary

"In a dream, Kirk sees himself as a Celtic warrior in love with a Roman centurion, Spock. (p. 4-50 "This is the BEST and saddest story I have ever read. The slow and steady development of their relationship and the tangible sacrifice that Kirk makes for Spock. It was touching and tearful. What was even more sad was that this story was just a blurp from a novel that Chris Soto was working on."

Reactions and Reviews

She was one of the best K/S writers around. It is tragic that she was unable to finish it. This is definitely a great story not to be missed. I give it five hankies and a big sob."

This is one of the few stories that I enjoyed so much that I rushed to the computer to write this LOC the moment I had finished it. Somehow until I read this I had not known that Chris Soto had been a writer as well as an artist, and she was clearly as talented at each. The Editorial in this zine tells me that this was the last story she wrote, originally part of an unfinished novel, and that Kathy Stanis helped to turn it into the short story it now is, so thanks are due to Kathy too. This AU story is set in Roman Britain, not far from where I live, the Roman remains round Chester will have a special meaning to me from now on! Kirk and Spock despite being both Human are instantly recognisable, and the story contains such descriptions as 'for the first time in his life, Spock wanted to let go of all constraint' and from Kirk 'I have never run from an enemy or refused a challenge. Do you expect me to turn away from love for fear of a little pain?' So as you can see here we certainly have our well loved Kirk and Spock. The plot is simple yet moving, and rather sad, I recommend a handy box of tissues for the more sentimental amongst you. I shall not give away any more of the plot, I suggest you read ifs very good. If you've already read it I recommend reading it again!

Reading this story left me with many bittersweet feelings. There was sadness, of course, knowing we’ll never see another Chris Soto/Ciana Mitchell story again, but there was also vast pleasure in this

last story she had to tell. "The Edge of the World" is a finely crafted story, rich with no doubt (knowing Chris) accurate historical detail, and filled with her particular brand of loving K/S. The story tells the tale of two men, one a Roman soldier, the other a younger son of a Druid clan leader. Others have taken on the task of telling the former lives of our heroes, however, in Chris’s hands, this not-quite-unique scenario takes on new depth. Here they are not major figures in history. By that I don’t mean they are "ordinary" men—Kirk and Spock could never be "ordinary"—but they take roles that lend them a reality, a less-than-mythic proportion that only serves to make their eventual sacrifice all the more poignant. As was usual in Chris’s stories, her characters seem to take on a life of their own. Even supporting characters such as Kirk’s father Taran, Spock’s commander Luchus Pulius Piso, and the evil Druid priest Beric are fully fleshed out, emerging with their own strengths and weaknesses so apparent and so vividly shown with so few words. And, of course, the ending brought tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat. How I wish we could have seen the novel of which this story would have been part!

Thank you so much, Kathy, for the work you put into this. Certainly it’s not easy to edit another person’s work and yet have her voice come through so clearly. It’s because of you that we have this last gift from Chris, and I for one appreciate it deeply.

"At the Edge of the World" by Chris Soto is an A/U story slightly under fifty pages. This is probably Soto's last writing which was brought to us through the combined efforts of both Robin Hood and Kathy Stanis, who put the finishing editing touches on it. This was originally a chapter in an unfinished novel. Kirk is a warrior's son in Celtic Britain 60 A.D and Spock is a Roman tribune who is the son of a prominent Roman senator. Kirk's father, the head of the tribe, and Spock's respective commander have a truce so the people of the wolf (the Celts) and the people of the eagle (the Romans) get together briefly, just long enough for the two to meet and instantly be attracted to each other. They fall in love immediately. The story is fascinating and impossible to put down. The fifty pages just melt away, and you are done before you know it. BUY SS 12 and treat yourself to this story which, also, has a gorgeous illo by Chris Soto to go with it. I won't give the ending away to this story, but I'll warn you that it'd be good to have a hanky handy. Thanks very much to both Robin and Kathy for making this possible. I loved both the story and the illo. Chris Soto was an extremely talented writer and artist.