Thy Gracious Dews of Solace

Fanfiction
Title:	Thy Gracious Dews of Solace
Author(s):	Juanita Salicrup
Date(s):	September 1977
Length:
Genre(s):	het
Fandom(s):	ST:TOS
Relationship(s):
External Links:	Thy Gracious Dews of Solace,
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Thy Gracious Dews of Solace is a Spock/Uhura story by Juanita Salicrup that was originally published in the The Sensuous Vulcan.

art by Alice Jones for "The Gracious Dews of Solace" -- from The Sensuous Vulcan

art by Alice Jones for "The Gracious Dews of Solace" -- from The Sensuous Vulcan

art by Alice Jones for "The Gracious Dews of Solace" -- from The Sensuous Vulcan

Reactions and Reviews

"Thy Gracious Dews of Solace" by Juanita Salicrup, is a kind of get-Spock/lay-Spock story, is one of the first "slavery" stories, and has a somewhat anti-K/S premise. Prior to the beginning of the story, Spock is captured by Klingons, tortured to the "edge of his reserves", drugged, and sold to a wealthy Orion with an exotic taste for dark male sex slaves. Chained, but not yet mind-wiped, Spock is raped by his owner. To Spock's final shame, he responds sexually to the rape. A visiting Federation trader sees his plight, learns his identity, and of the impending mind-wipe. Appalled, he manages to spirit Spock away to a Starbase, where he is debriefed and hospitalized. In a few days he is reunited with his friends and returned to the Enterprise. (All of this takes place in flashback.) Five weeks later, Spock is still plagued by a recurrent dream wherein he rapes another male only afterward discovering that it is Kirk. Work and mental discipline are ineffective at stopping the persistent dream. Because of its content, he finds it impossible to confide in Kirk or McCoy. In the ST universe of this story, humankind still feels revulsion toward homosexuality (well, it is possible, after all), and on Vulcan "it was invested with even greater horror and shame than the joining of man and woman", and perpetrators are ostracized from society. And so Spock, to whom "the entire subject of his sexuality was still a rankling agony" ever since pon farr, is now on the verge of a breakdown. After he is rude to Uhura on duty, they talk; she can see how disturbed he is, and offers to help, but of course Spock claims he is all right. The grew take shore leave on Argelius. Spock stays aboard, but he is restless, plagued by the dreams and by doubts about his sexuality. He finally beams down, walks the streets aimlessly, and is accosted by a prostitute. Absently, he allows himself to be coaxed in accompanying her. She offers "a bed for the night." In spite of his distaste, he nearly talks himself into having sex with the woman, but finally pushes her away... Uhura, meanwhile, has canceled her triste with a lover who proved crude and inconsiderate, ripping her gown in his unseemly haste. Furiously, she leaves and runs into.....Spock. She helps him to the rustic cottage which she had rented for her ill-fated triste, tends his wounds, gives him tea, comfort and understanding, and finally gets him to confess everything. She offers him help, gently allays his fears, and seduces him. Spock reacts with enthusiasm, his fears and uncertainties gone. (There is a nice sex scene at this point if your taste runs to heterosexual love.) They plan to spend the remaining two weeks of shore leave together in the cottage "convalescing."

Spock has returned to the ENTERPRISE after being severely abused and injured by the Klingons and the Orions. The trauma had caused several mixed experiences and misplaced conclusions in Spock's mind, conclusions which were slowly undermining Spock's health, sense of self, and his sense of masculinity. Although he tried to resolve his own problems, he found himself taunted by an uncaring woman, and he fled in total mental collapse. Enter Uhura, who cared for his immediate needs for shelter and nourishment, then listened to him with compassion. And what followed such love as that? What else? Therapeutic sex, of course. Doesn't everyone need a therapist like Uhura?

About "Thy Gracious Dews of Solace" by Juanita Sailcrup... get out your dictionary that lists superlatives. That woman can write! This story Is beautiful: the writing, the situation, the characters even down to the two-bit whore on Argelius, everything contributes to a wonderful piece. I am in awe.

Right of Statement: I would remind all of us that no theme is any more valid an extrapolation than another. Salicrup presents her story with complete attention to detail, which includes setting up the emotional conflict with some reverie on the subject of sexual prejudice in history and the present.