The Glory of Love

Fanfiction
Title:	The Glory of Love
Author(s):	Patricia Laurie Stephens
Date(s):	1990
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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The Glory of Love is a K/S story by Patricia Laurie Stephens.

It was published in Charisma #10.

Summary

"A/U: After VʼGer, Kirk and Spock together try to find Sarak and Amandaʼs murderers while at the same time try to resolve the fear and resentments that are keeping them apart."

Reactions and Reviews

1991

This novella left me with the feeling that it really wasn't a K/S story, and not even a Star Trek story. There were people named Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Finnegan, but they behaved so differently from the characters whom I'm familiar with that I was left wondering who the author was imagining while writing this. On top of that, almost all the characters behaved exactly alike. They all constantly made wisecracks and never ran out of cockiness, one-liners, or sarcasm. I didn't know where one character ended and the others began. It got to be a little tiring.

And, yet, I did enjoy reading this bizarre story. I didn't understand why no one seemed to express much grief or concern about Sarek and Amanda's deaths -- as well as the deaths of the other Vulcans -- and if it hadn't been for those deaths, and the little torture scene, I could have labeled this novella as simply a fun read. But because they were killed, and no one suffered much angst about it, I found myself furrowing a brow at the same time I was laughing at the witty dialogue.

The story was almost completely devoid of emotion — including between Kirk and Spock -- and yet its dry "deadpan" aura was part of its appeal. These characters didn't need any emotion to play detective, and on that level the story was successful.

The climax was satisfying, and I enjoyed the little subplot about the neighbor's cat. I also liked the way the relationship between Kirk and Spock — underplayed as it was -- was woven in with the main plot. I thought I knew what I was getting into whenever I saw this author's name. Wrong! With this story, she's proven rather shockingly that humor is also part of her repertoire. I just wish that humor would have gone along with characters whom I recognized.

Hurray for plot! This novella's plot is off the wall, but it's meant to be, and as pure and delightful fantasy it succeeds wonderfully. The whole story is an intelligent, rapier poke at evangelists, featuring Spock's preacher half-brother Sybok from STV as the dupe of a nefarious bunch of money-grubbing arch-villains.

The story is also a witty parody of the 1930'8 genre murder mystery, ala the Sam Spade mysteries of Dashiell Hammett. It begins with the murders of Spock's parents, which, clearly, are not to be taken seriously. Like the murders in one of Hammett's whodunits, they're simply the plot device that propels the events that follow.

And yet, at one point, in a totally graceful shifting of mood, the author steps away from the humor and allows Spock to suddenly cry for his dead parents when he and Kirk, after a lengthy period of celibacy, make love. The effect of this juxtaposition — love-making followed by tears — is dramatic in the extreme, and yet the shift from the prevailing lightheadedness is so smoothly accomplished, as is the return to the mood of comic farce, that it isn't the least bit jarring.

One of the story's greatest assets is the Humphrey Bogart-like dialogue. I love it when, in reply to the flirtatious bar waitress who says that her aching muscles need the touch of a real man, Spock answers, "Find a real man then." In fact, the dialogue is at times so sparkling, so brilliant, as to be worthy of an Armistead Maupin. Admittedly, the dialogue doesn't sound like the characters I know, and yet the characters as presented were very much the characters I know, so maybe, in the right circumstances, they would talk like this. Certainly the author made me want to believe so.

Another of the story's strong points is its interesting angle of vision on the K/S relationship. The story appears to take place shortly after the events of ST I. Spock's departure for Gol is explained as resulting from an affair with Kirk that Spock felt was incompatible with his Vulcan heritage. Now Spock is back and wants Kirk, but Kirk wants only a resumption of their former affair, not a bonding. Spock, on the other hand, wants a bonding, a total commitment, and until he gets it he is determined to be gently "difficult." Translation: Kirk ain't gettin' any. The scenario makes for character interaction that is different from the usual and thoroughly enjoyable.

Are there any flaws in this story? A few if you look hard enough. It would, for instance, have added interest to the subplot involving Kirk's neighbor's lost cat if "Fluffy" had turned out to be the source of the bad smell that saved the day. McCoy could have said to Kirk, "Well, Jim, I found this dead cat up on your roof..." and then the solution to the mystery of what had happened to Fluffy would have nicely dovetailed with the main plot.

Another nitpick: the author ends the story with a slapstick scene, and then, to make sure her readers get the humor, she has her characters laugh. Bad form. Like the laugh track in a TV sitcom, having your characters laugh too uproariously at their own jokes, foibles, etc. is unnecessary if they're really funny, and if they're not all that funny, comes across as manipulation of the reader that can spoil any true humor in the situation. Enough for nitpicks.

This is easily one of the five best stories I've read this year. The interweaving of plot and subplot is excellent, even the minor characters are memorable, and if the author could sell her gift for dialogue, I'd offer her my Leonard Nimoy hair clippings.

These two men are not Kirk and Spock, but the brittle dialogue is entertaining. The plot is interesting, if a bit far fetched.

2009

This is an author most fen have definite opinions about, both pro and con. I tend to be on the pro side. She’s an excellent writer, and if her characterizations of Kirk and Spock don’t exactly jibe with the aired versions we all know and have fallen in love with, well…I usually can at least accept them for the duration of her story.

This one starts with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy on their way to the Vulcan Embassy in San Francisco for dinner with Spock’s parents. Spock has returned from Gol and is finally ready to forge a lasting, committed relationship with Kirk, but it’s the admiral now that finds he has doubts. He loves Spock dearly but is afraid to give up his lifestyle, the way he attacks problems. He and Spock have argued over what Kirk considers a “necessary” risk. They bicker back and forth throughout most of the story.

Kirk has been alerted by Mark Komack to the presence of a young Vulcan woman who works at the embassy and might be a Romulan spy. Since Kirk is going to be there anyway, he asks Kirk to check her out. As they arrive, they see her leaving…and she is smiling. Definitely suspicious. As the elevator stops at the appropriate floor, an explosion occurs. Spock slumps with the realization that his parents have been killed.

His friends do what they do best—take care of Spock—and within an hour he is put to bed back at Kirk’s apartment. The admiral now has a mystery to solve and he is off and running.

Add in some truly despicable villains, the Church of Sybok the Teacher, Spock’s exiled brother himself, and the return of Kirk’s nemesis Timothy J. Finnegan, and all the elements are in place for an intriguing tale. I love the humor in this piece. Kirk is at his sharp, cynical and sarcastic best. For example when Kirk enters Sybok’s church looking for the young Vulcan woman he is tracking, he is greeted by Teacher T’Prin: “Welcome to the Eternal Present,” she says. Everything is here and everything is now.” “I’m looking for T’Rine,” he tells her. “T’Rine is here,” she replies. Kirk responds: “And now. Can someone tell her I’m also here? Now?” (This always makes me laugh for some reason.)

All right, I’ll admit a Spock that dances with police groupies is a little beyond belief, but when the bad guys have captured Spock, Kirk turns deadly serious: “If you’ve hurt him, I’ll kill you.” Pure Kirk.

When a story combines McCoy and a dead cat in the resolution, you know you’re not reading just any K/S tale. If you’re looking for something a little different, this might fit the bill.