The Maze (Star Trek: TOS story)

Fanfiction
Title:	The Maze
Author(s):	Joan Winston
Date(s):	1976
Length:
Genre(s):	gen
Fandom(s):
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The Maze is a Star Trek: TOS story by Joan Winston.

It is a Kraith (VE KCVI) Warder-Liege story and was published in Metamorphosis #2.

Summary

Kirk, while studying on Vulcan, is in a "Warder-Liege compact" with Spock. This is "the most formidable tool for training the mind ... a highly artificial arrangement ... The Liege has total control over all the actions, and even over the life of his Ward. The Ward is allowed no independent thought, and is also obliged to allow no harm or discomfort to come to his Liege."

Kirk is put in an impossible bind: he must disobey an order, to save Spock's life. In ancient times the punishment was being branded in the face, but the pair settle on spanking as a punishment that will not permanently harm Kirk but that he will never forget.

Kirk is humiliated in front of Sarek and Spock by this action. The end of the story has Kirk limping painfully to the shower. When Sarek and Spock become concerned for Kirk, they barge into the shower. The last lines of the story:

"Spock and Sarek ran for the arras unable to believe their elegant ears. It was laughter. Hard, raucous laughter. Then the laughter was joined by the sound of the shower. Spock entered the bathroom, forgetting tradition, forgetting manners; he had to find out what was happening. His eyes widened in shocked surprise. Kirk stood in the shower, roaring with unrestrained laughter, weakly holding his stomach as he pointed at Spock. "When you do a job, you really do it up brown," then laughing even harder, "No, not brown-RED!" With that he turned around and showed Spock his handiwork. Spock would never have believed flesh could attain that color. From behind him, Sarek's voice remarked, "Fascinating."

The story is gen, despite Spock spanking Kirk's naked butt and Spock and Sarek watching him in the shower. See domestic discipline.

Lichtenberg probably invented the Warder-Liege for the Kraith novel Federation Centennial, but it was Sondra Marshak who took time to explore its possibilities. It should be noted that Marshak insisted there was no slash in her work.

Sequel

A sequel by Mariann Hornlein, "From Both Sides" (Galactic Discourse #2), has Kirk attempting ultra-Vulcan behavior in order to show Spock and Sarek that this isn't what they want.

Some Rough Draft Samples

The editing notes may be by Frances Zawacky or Jacqueline Lichtenberg.

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From the Final Product

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Reactions and Reviews

'The Maze' is a Kraith Warder-Liege (Spock/Kirk) tale with some lovely Signe Landon illos. The story starts out well but takes an absurd turn of events, making 'The Maze' either a ridiculously serious story or a seriously ridiculous story. Take your pick.