The Tribulation of Spock
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| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Tribulations of Spock |
| Publisher: | Bristol Star Fleet Registry |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | Patricia Thompson |
| Cover Artist(s): | Mark Whitfield |
| Illustrator(s): | Mark Whitfield |
| Date(s): | August 1983 (200 print run) |
| Medium: | print zine, fanfic |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | gen |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: TOS |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Tribulation of Spock is a gen Star Trek: TOS 43-page novel by Patricia Thompson. It has four full-page illos by Mark Whitfield.
Summary
From the zine: "In the 1st story…, we learn of the traumatic experiences Spock had to endure during his first year of isolation on ‘Marcus One’. Unfortunately, his rehabilitation into the life he lead before proves, if anything, only more traumatic and is only finally accomplished with the help of … Saavik. In this second story we find that Spock’s troubles are far from over. The assistance given by Saavik has left him with an impossible, physical desire for the young Lieutenant, a desire that he knows can never be fulfilled – or can it?...”'
The Trilogy, Created that Way for Lack of a Bigger Stapler
Sample Gallery of Art, all by Mark Whitfield
Author's Comments
How the trilogy came to be written. I saw TWOK for the first time at 14.00 on 4th August 1982. I had already read the book. By midnight on 6th, the outline and draft of 'Restitution1 were completed. For 48 hours, I worked solid in order to get down on paper what seemed to me AN obvious way out of the difficulty of having killed off Spock. I have never asserted that it was the ONLY way; that would have been silly. I gather that 'Paramount' has used a different way but certain details are familiar: Saavik at the coffin; 'emanations' from the planet; the (thought of) hi-jacking the Enterprise. There were tears on my cheeks at The Death; they had dried by the end of the credits. I KNEW Spock wouldn't stay dead. HOW I knew, I have no idea. McCoy would call it 'intuition'; Kirk, inductive reasoning (he does a lot of it); Spock would call it guesswork. However I knew, I was certain Spock would live again. Paramount had left themselves a loophole you could drive a bus through- How I would have used the loophole is set down in 'Restitution'. How 'Paramount' have used it is set down in ST3- I thought I could live with TWOK, content to wait, with faith, for ST3. I was wrong. By the time I got home on the 4th, the possibilities for the sequel were sloshing around in my brain. As I let go of the steering wheel, I grabbed a pen and I didn't stop by day or night until it was all committed to paper. (This IS literal: I was unemployed, had an absent spouse and no children. I didn't sleep and hardly ate for two days and two nights.) Naturally, the story was polished more carefully but the basic structure didn't change from the way it appeared in my brain in those frenzied, exhilarating hours. David Gerrold teaches us to be wary of saying 'I was inspired/the Muse was with me,' but there are occasions when that is the only way to describe what happens: for 48 hours, I BURNED!... I hope the above account answers the criticism that once Spock was dead, [but that] I didn't care about the rest of them. I did, and I do care, greatly, especially as I KNOW Spock wasn't lost forever. I wouldn t be here, slaving away at the old grindstone, if I didn't CARE. Nobody has to like ALL the characters; hardly anyone drools over ALL of them. Each of us has a preference or three... P.S. For logistical reasons (we haven't got a stapler big enough!), 'Tribulation' and 'Vindication' couldn't be published All-In-One, but they were written continuously a little while, and only a little while, after 'Restitution.' They were conceived as a whole and divided for practical, not artistic, reasons. Apologies, and I hope 'Vindication,' (the funeral, etc...) will explain some of the things that may not have been clear at the end of 'Tribulation.' [1]
Fan Reactions and Reviews
I enjoyed Pat Thompson's trilogy very much, a good story and the illustrations are among the best in British sines. 'Restitution' was the story with which I felt the most comfortable. By the time Spock was vindicated the characters I knew changed almost beyond recognition. Then again, we all see the ST 'family' characters differently so perhaps that is not a fair comment. Spock's characterisation bothered me most (no doubt the journey from life to death to life again would change him as much as the encounter with V'ger apparently did), however he disappointed me in his reconstituted form,> Would the Spock who saw beauty in the horta, who enjoyed discussion with the Medusan ambassador, who follows IDIC not just because of his intellect but his very genetic makeup recoil so at the sight of a pregnant female - especially one he admits to love? His response (on the 'Enterprise') was almost hysterical and would indicate that Saavik had become someone gross and hideous. My picture of Saavik's expectant form would not warrant such shock on Spock's part. I've seen some fairly fit and sprightly pregnant women, why not Saavik? The Vulcans get a fairly rough deal in this story. Regardless of Saavi::' s parentage, would the Vulcans not give thoroughly excellent care and attention to her and the unborn child? Ante-natal care or. Vulcan would surely be comprehensive with an ever-riding concern for the physical and mental health of mother and baby. All life is sacred to Vulcans. I was surprised that the healers could mistake Spock for Saavik's husband- Spock must be famous enough on Vulcan to be quickly recognised and the name of Saavik's husband must have been known to the medical team. Inefficiency? during Saavik's pregnancy she would have met other women in a similar condition and formed relationships of some kind. Such complete isolation is hard to envisage, the mutual support women would seek through the voyage into the unknown would break down some barriers. Spock's sharing of the labor was quite a nifty idea. Many are the times I lay there thinking a mind meld would be handy. Just to let all the hovering males know what it reallv feels like! (Ah sadism!) Perhaps such an experience shared with men would enhance our care for life as a species. But it is not that bad. As Saavik's pregnancy, gestation, onset of labor, etc ... so closely paralleled that of a human female, I assume the sensations of labor and delivery would also. The Spock who suffered in 'Operation Annihilate', who bore the mind-sifter, who spoke through PIak-Tow and who faced the agony of radiation bums and death would surely not be so devastated by childbirth (I mean shock and sedation?). Having got through that three times myself relatively unscathed I would still think twice before volunteering for a bout with the Klingon mind-sifter. That we were dealing with life on an alien planet was brought sharply into focus through the child - I wish my two year old was so reasonable! Logic means little to him, where are the Vulcans when I need them? [2]
Thanks for the 'Tribulation' and 'Vindication' zines. I see what you meant when you warned that 'Trib' was the weakest of the three stories - I must admit I didn't enjoy it at all, I couldn't feel comfortable with it, though I was amused by Salak's character. However, 'Vindication' was a vindication (pun intended) of 'Trio'. It was a much more enjoyable story and did wrap things up neatly - and I'm a sucker for happy endings. All in all, I found the 'series' interesting in its ideas and enjoyable in the telling.[3]