The Lorath

Fanfiction
Title:	The Lorath
Author(s):	C. Diane Mamaril and Zetta H.
Date(s):	1979
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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The Lorath is a Kirk/Spock story written by Ray Newton and illustrated by Michael Verina. It has a sequel called The Lo' Chin.

title page from Naked Times #3

art in Naked Times #3 for "The Lorath" by Michael Verina

Michael Verina for The Lorath

It was published in the print zine Naked Times #3.

In it, Spock "takes the veil." This story was subject of the article "Sexuality in K/S Fiction: Internalized Homophobia" an essay in Not Tonight Spock! #10 which discuses homophobia in K/S fanfiction.

Summary

... a story detailing what might happen if Spock should "happen" to find himself in a pre-Reform Vulcan era—a world where slavery was common, even revered... and where he himself feels far more at peace with his hybrid nature than in the world of Starfleet. But... Kirk is compelled to follow his fleeing companion into a world where he is truly unskilled and unprotected... and fair game for slavers who seek to exploit his unusual qualities.

The Author Comments on "The Lorath," Its History, and Its Trajectory

In January 1999, this The Price and The Prize was posted online by Foresmutters Project. An excerpt of the introduction to that post, which discusses "The Lorath":

As well as I can remember, The Lorath was the first slave story I wrote, for the Naked Times competition; that did seem to be the hot topic at the time. The line I took was that in a practical slave society, a beautiful, useful slave would be valued and cared for, so there would be a specific word to describe the relationship. Lorath was my attempt at a suitable word, and yes, it pre-dated t'hy'la - in fact, I remember thinking that Gene had come up with a word that was very necessary in the K/S universe (without the slave context, of course).

Most of the basic ideas about Vulcan warrior society were inspired by [Gayle F's] S'Kanderai; I took the view that a chaotic, disorganised society would neither work nor survive, so the rules and codes of honour were important.

I had in fact found myself writing several slave scenarios, most appearing in Duet under the name Jane Jones. There was quite a bit of debate at the time as to whether slave stories were valid - some people took the position that Kirk and Spock would never take part in such a relationship, whatever universe they were in, or that if they did, Spock would immediately want to free Kirk. I took the view that in a slave-based society, it would be so normal for Spock to own slaves (even Kirk) that it would take a considerable period of inter-relationship with someone strong enough to make him really think about the consequences of what slavery did to the psyche of the slaves for him to learn to change his opinion.

In "The Prize" I tried to show the evolution of the relationship and the process of learning through Spock's eyes. I also thought that in such a society simply freeing one member of a slave race would be very dangerous for that slave, since he would not have even the meagre protection that the rules of ownership afforded. First the individual had to change, then gradually society; as we know, such change can be led by one man...

We had some quite funny discussions at the time on the slave theme; a situation that was very common was Spock falling for this beautiful golden god. I thought that a vulcanoid race that had never seen a human before might think very

differently, and did a story for Duet (Eye of the Beholder) where the Vulcan in fact found this pale-faced, round-eared, clammy-skinned weakling a distinct turn-off - though Spock learns to love him, of course.

Reactions and Reviews

1992

This is the grandmother of the K/S slave formula -- a sub-genre which Ray Newton established. The reason why it looks so standard is because it is the standard that slave stories have followed. Some of these standard features are rather wonderful, in my opinion. I used to love the irony of Vulcan warriors "taking the veil" since they were neither chaste nor obedient. Since then. I've learned of a Moroccan tribe of male veiled warriors, and I wonder if Ray based these Vuicans on them.

I also loved Kirk and Spock drinking each other's blood during the Avowal. In this age of AIDS it's unsafe, but K/S is fantasy and the these of blood brotherhood still has tremendous power.

My only nitpick is that I wonder why Kirk was so astounded that the warrior who bought him turned out to be Spock. Didn't he recognize Spock's voice? It's rather unique.

1996

Spock went through the Guardian of Forever into Vulcan past history. Kirk goes after him to bring him back. However, Kirk is captured and sold into slavery — the term "lorath" means "pleasure slave" in ancient Vulcan. Spock is a warrior and he buys Kirk. Therein hangs the tale.

Neat and wonderful as they decide to bond and must make love—equally—both get to be dominate and submissive in order to seal the bond.

Lots of nice touches such as the cultural descriptions of the warrior caste, the Vulcans of the past and Spock wearing a veil.

The story really moves along with a good pace and is fun reading. An especially fine scene is when Spock has to avenge an attempted rape of his lorath, Kirk, and has to fight another warrior.

I loved all the talk about their bond and how they don't want to live without the other and that they don't fear death. Except for lots of "cut-to-the- crashing-waves-on-the-rocks" type of sex, a terrific story.

Could someone tell me about Ray Newton? Is the author of the male gender, or is it a penname?

1997

The idiot (pardon the expression) jumps through the Guardian of Forever without any preparation except for a first aid kit. Accidentally being pushed through—okay—but consciously stepping through wearing a uniform, no desert gear, hardly any food or water, and no knowledge of Vulcan’s pre-Reform age is beyond me. Beats me how he ever got to be a starship captain. There was one thing I had trouble with and it kept intruding all the way. It was Kirk’s meekness. I can’t put it any other way. If nothing else, Kirk is a fighter.