The Prodigal Vulcan

Fanfiction
Title:	The Prodigal Vulcan
Author(s):	Liz Clark
Date(s):	1985
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

The Prodigal Vulcan is a K/S story written by Liz Clark. The art is by Marilyn Cole.

art for this story is by Marilyn Cole, from As I Do Thee #3

It was published in the print zine As I Do Thee #3.

Summary

"Kirk goes after Spock a year after Spock leaves the Enterprise because of a high ranking officer's threat to destroy Kirk's career if he doesn't."

Reactions and Reviews

1998

I always re-read this story whenever this ancient zine surfaces to the top of the pile. It is such a sweet gentle story with an uncomplicated plot. But there is a requirement of the reader. That is, not to do an in-depth analysis of the events that have put Spock in his present circumstances.

The theory is sort of weak. This story opens with Kirk beaming down to the planet

Esslin B where Spock has been working as a geologist for the past year. This is a self-imposed exile and Spock is living the life of an ascetic monk hardly ever eating and in complete solitude with only some small furry animals for companionship. Here is what has led to all this: It seems like Starfleet Admiral Ferris, now deceased, harbored a deep hatred of aliens, Vulcans in particular, and he wanted to cleanse Starfleet of alien influences. Not being able to come up with something on Spock whose record is impeccable, he went after him another way and threatened Jim’s command using one of “Jim’s rare bad decisions.”

Their reunion initially does not go well and Spock wants him to leave. At this point, Spock does not know that Jim is aware of the truth. Also, he harbors an irrational anger against Kirk for somehow not discovering the truth sooner and coming to find him. Jim is also upset that Spock had not thought enough of him to come to him in the first place so they could form a plan together.

Of course, they eventually get all this sorted out and Spock agrees to return to the Enterprise. After this, and since they have another week to go on Esslin B, things follow a predictable course. After a celebratory dinner which Kirk makes, Spock gives him a massage, and that, as they say, is that. They return to the Enterprise as a bonded couple. A Marilyn Cole picture of Spock which accompanies this piece is most ... impressive.

I had mixed feelings about this one. I like it that Spock was willing to give up so much for Kirk, but I don't like it that he didn't tell Kirk or apparently try anything else but running away. I suspect we are supposed to accept that he tried and didn't succeed. I like Kirk fighting to get Spock back onto the Enterprise; I had trouble believing he waited so long. I like it that Kirk brings Spock's favorite food to tempt him. The love scenes are sweet, with both men apprehensive, but willing to work things out. Spock never having had an orgasm was a bit much to me, but rather appealing too. What an amazing event to get to share. And Spock worried about his haircut - I like that detail. I read it four times in the borrowed zine, and each one.

Though the author explains why Spock had to leave, I still don’t get it. One admiral threatening to take away Kirk’s command because of one of his bad decisions, surely isn’t severe enough? If it were Starfleet’s policy to take away command whenever a bad decision was being made, they would be without commanding officers in a very short time, either that, or hardly any captain would dare to make a decision anymore. If someone can explain it to me, feel free. Besides, no explanation is forthcoming as to why Spock left without telling Kirk, or why Kirk waited a year before trying to find Spock. No time?

In July’s letterzine, [name redacted] wrote an LOC on this story and presented a challenge: to explain how this story works, since it didn’t work for her. I’ll try to explain why I liked it, although I do see some of her points. This story doesn’t portray our guys as I prefer to see them—here, both have been too passive, and Spock too self-denying, for my tastes, at least before the action starts. Yet what I really enjoyed in the piece was the deep, sweet love between them. As the story opens, we see Kirk has been angry for a full year, too furious, devastated, and proud to chase after a Spock who has abandoned him (although we later learn Kirk intended to track down the Vulcan at the end of the five-year mission). All we know at this point is that Kirk has just been handed “a new bombshell” and is embarking on some sort of mission.

We next see him landing on a remote planet, deserted but for his former First Officer, now working as a geologist, alone in every sense. This is no joyful reunion: “There was no smile on either face; Spock’s was glacial with shock and Kirk’s was dark with what almost [my emphasis] looked like anger.” At this point, I wanted the mystery behind their estrangement unraveled, but Kirk refuses to tell Spock why he is there until the next day when both are rested. (Would they be able to wait? Not me! A little contrived dramatic tension here, I’d say.)

Later the next day, Kirk demands an explanation for Spock’s desertion, and Spock, of course, refuses. And indeed, given the set-up of the story, there’s no way Spock could have explained his departure to Kirk and still protected him: Kirk, like Spock, would face any ignominy or self-sacrifice for his friend. But Kirk, who has recently learned Spock’s reason, reveals, “ Admiral Ferris is dead, Spock” (and we remember slimy Commissioner Ferris from the Galileo Seven episode, although how he came to be an admiral is beyond me.) Spock, Kirk now knows, had left to protect Kirk: Ferris, wanting to purge all aliens from Starfleet, had blackmailed Spock into leaving, holding over him a threat to Kirk’s command. I agree that my Spock would stand up to such abusive authority, yet I have certainly read enough stories portraying a less forceful Spock, one who would be willing to martyr himself to spare Kirk even the hint of scandal or dishonor, to allow me to accept this premise. And we do know Ferris could make life at least unpleasant for Kirk, even if his actual command might have remained intact; Kirk has previously broken the Prime Directive and intentionally disobeyed orders any number of times.

If the reader can accept this premise, what comes next and all the details are lovely: Spock and Kirk’s immediately easy companionship, their tenderness and teasing, and the need to touch that leads, naturally, to more. As the two acknowledge their long-time love for each other and finally admit their physical attraction, they tentatively, slowly, and then passionately become lovers. After a year of Gol-like deprivation, Spock rejoices in pleasures of the flesh and mind, little ones like eating fresh peaches “so sweet that the juice ran down his chin,” and greater ones, like Kirk’s touch and sleeping in his lover’s arms. After a week they prepare to return to their former lives on the Enterprise, with one wonderful difference: they have bonded the night before and will never again be parted. I’m enough of a romantic, I guess, to be perfectly content with all this joy!