The Gift (Star Trek: TOS story by Christopher Randolph & James Van Hise)

Star Trek TOS Fanfiction
Title:	The Gift
Author(s):	Christopher Randolph & James Van Hise
Date(s):	1979
Length:
Genre:	gen
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

The Gift is a Star Trek: TOS story by Christopher Randolph & James Van Hise.

It was published in Stellar Gas #1.

Summaries from Flyers

Would would you do if you suddenly been given the gift of immortality? Who would you share it with? Or would you dare impose such an item on another? What would you do, and how would you feel when you were still young, and your friends were old? Would you share it with just one person in the entire galaxy? Who would you choose... and what if that person refused?

THE GIFT is the story of immortality -- its blessings and its drawbacks. THE GIFT is a novella which takes place on an odd little planet, wherein a "little man" asks Kirk, "Do you have the gift? Has anyone given ye the gift, Jameskirk?" The question is, does Kirk want the gift... and can he handle the responsibilities which go with it. THE GIFT is also a thing to be shared only once... given to only one other person.

Reactions and Reviews

Christopher Randolph & James Van Hise. Kirk and Spock become immortal through a "gift" presented by an elfin alien. This leads to complications when a young officer demands to be included as well, and forces them back to the planet. He is killed by the aliens' "Watcher" - a dino-like critter - when he tries to phaser it. However, he has rigged the shuttle to explode, leaving McCoy to piece together the bits despite everyone else's assumption that they would be better off dead. McCoy discovers that they will regenerate, but it will take 5 years; he takes them to Talos to rescue their sanity for that amount of time. He is prepared to languish in prison for violating General Order Seven - the death penalty was revoked after the Pike affair - but the Talosians offer to include him in the illustrations they have prepared for the pair. The reliance on magical hoo-ha to place the pair in this bind can be forgiven in light of the good writing and very interesting ramifications of the situation. Sets up a good premise for K/S here - Spock does not wish to face pon farr every seven years for eternity.

"The Gift" is a curious blend of magic and science, which results in immortality for Kirk and Spock. And that's great, right? But what if they are blown into little bits --- and STILL live horribly. How can McCoy bear it? The interesting solution is a satisfying one, and one I won't give away. To the wide reader of ST zines the whole content of this one has a sexual undercurrent, but so subtle that it is unlikely to give offense to younger readers.