Tiger by the Tail (Star Trek: TOS story)

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Tiger by the Tail
Author(s):	Cordelia Naismith
Date(s):	1996
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Tiger by the Tail is a Kirk/Spock story by Cordelia Naismith.

It was published in the print zine Within the Mirror #11.

Summary

"Spock leads the rebels in the takeover of the Enterprise and then must contend with Kirk as his prisoner, who he loves and is unable to kill."

Reactions and Reviews

I'm aware that some people don't particularly care for the darker personas of the Kirk and Spock of the Mirror Universe, but I implore you not to let that deter you from reading this thoroughly enjoyable story.

Ms. Naismith has crafted an absorbing character study of the Mirror Spock, torn between his belief in the rebels' cause and his loyalty to his human captain. That, plus the question of how to control a tiger in your midst without killing him, forms the basis for this exciting yarn. The dialogue is perfect..so crisp and completely in character. I can just hear Spock in this little exchange with an underling; "Indeed," Spock said. "Perhaps you have been caught up in the egalitarian spirit of the rebellion and have confused my orders with a request." Don't you just love it?

Kirk is at his scheming, feisty best as a prisoner on his own ship fighting to regain both his freedom and the Enterprise. He never gives in for a instant and I could literally picture him kicking the appropriately nasty Gary Mitchell in the balls.

And as for the kiss.... It would be absolutely criminal if I failed to mention the kiss. It was simply exquisite. Definitely one of the best kisses I have ever read. Oh, boy, talk about butterflies. Hmmmm....

Sorry, I got lost there for a minute. Now where was I? Oh, yeah...the writing is clear and definitive and I always knew where the characters were and who was saying what to whom. I loved the author's use of the command codes. It was so innovative and completely believable. I can't say enough about this story...it's just so damn good. Read it and see what I mean.

I just have one teensy, weensy, weensy, little request for this author's next story...MORE SEX!!!

Subterfuge and rebellion are afoot on the ISS Enterprise. Spock has escaped, nasty and nefarious Gary Mitchell is engaging in nasty and nefarious deeds, and Kirk has been robbed of command, but not before initiating some sabotage with the ship's computer that only Kirk can solve. All this and Spock's growing desire for Kirk and this is one good story.

The scene of their first-ever kiss really knocked my socks off... 'I feared you,' Spock whispered. 'I feared for you.' They were a heartbeat apart. Spock could resist no longer. Almost beyond his will his lips were dragged downward like a meteor trapped in a gravity well. Contact was an impact sending shock waves coursing to every nerve ending imbedding in his soul."

And then, be still my heart, after the gorgeous kiss, Kirk asks Spock why he's doing this and Spock answers "Because I have always wanted to." Kirk tells him he's crazy and Spock says: "If it is madness to want you, then I will gladly declare myself insane."

Then, rats! The ubiquitous comm line interrupts the budding romance.

Terrific sarcastic banter between Spock and or Gary M with a great description of Gary's visage: "The smile was an oil slick across his face". (See how equinanimous I'm being when faced with such terrible put-downs of poor misunderstood Gary? Well, okay...this is mirror Gary....)

ALERT! If you haven't read this story yet and you don't want to know what happens, quit reading this LOC now. Okay? Are you out of the room?

The scene of confrontation where Spock kills (poor misunderstood) Gary is very exciting and very well done with positioning a whole group of people and keeping track of them in one scene—no mean feat. What a beautiful moment when Spock holds Kirk in his arms and experiences terrible regret that he hadn't told Kirk he loved him.

Okay, one minor thing. I know, I know I shouldn't want it all the time but...I would have liked a smidgen more sex. Just a smidgen. Well, a bunch. But a small bunch. The kiss and declarations of love were so good, I wanted it to go to its logical conclusion. That's just the kinda gal I am.

However this is neat: "I've loved you for a long time, Spock. I just never believed that someone like you could love me back.' 'With all my heart, with all I have, for all my life.'" Sigh.

I adored this description; "...with his hands on the muscled silk of Kirk's body...."

This story is quite different in tone and style from this author's first story which was fun and frothy so this shows her versatility. Now the next step will be writing that carpet-thrashing sex scene that lurks just below her thin veneer of discreet civility.

I'm not usually a fan of Mirror stories. I much prefer the "kinder, gentler" Kirk and Spock of our own universe. When Kirk calls Spock"... a man of integrity in either universe," I always took that to mean that the basic core of the characters would remain the same. Yes, the world they inhabit was different. Harsher. More violent. But I always saw the Mirror characters as trying to survive in that world with their decency intact as best they could. Many Mirror stories seem to twist the characterizations far beyond that point making both Kirk and Spock into some sort of unrecognizable (to me, anyway) monsters.

This story doesn't.

The story starts with Spock returning to the Enterprise as leader of the rebel faction determined to overthrow the Empire. He had had to leave three months previously in fear for his life. He discovers a message ordering his arrest. A message Kirk allows him to "overhear." But now he's back; Kirk is his prisoner with command codes he will not divulge, codes necessary to move the ship to safer space, and Spock wants to know why Kirk allowed him to escape.

From the first glimpse we have of the captain: "With his hands bound behind him, barefoot and disheveled, Kirk looked young and powerless. Spock was not deceived," I was drawn to this Kirk. A nice touch there, having him barefoot. Raises an image of vulnerability somehow, and this Kirk is vulnerable but never broken or cowed.

How he finally learns to trust Spock, to believe in the Vulcan's love for him, to believe in love at all makes for a totally intriguing story.

There are some wonderfully unique descriptions here such as that of an ensign "with hair the color of scrubbed carrots" and this one of Kirk; "A fine tremor moved the shine of sweat on the fair skin like a shake of silk." Or "Kirk's expression was in a language with which Spock was not yet fluent." Or how about this description of Kirk's eyes; "Hope and fear could be seen darting like golden fish in an emerald pond." This is really good writing! This whole story has a sharpness, a bite to it that I found very refreshing, and it's not only in the uniqueness of the descriptions but in the wit of the dialogue as well. The story bears up well to rereading because it's well-crafted and very tightly written.

I understand a sequel is in the works. I wouldn't miss it for the world!

Nice beginning—strong, atmospheric writing; tense, dramatic, clear.

Mirror-Spock had fled, is now returning to the rebel ship Enterprise. Really good Scott dialogue; we learn from him how rebels on board managed to take over. But the former captain Kirk is not among the rebels; he has sabotaged the engineering computers, and Spock must fix this. So Spock is captain and Kirk is in the brig. There is another rebel ship involved, too, the New Hope great name. There is effective jeopardy throughout the story; their having to stay one step ahead of the Empire forces, with serious ship problems yet.

Lots of good stuff, involving Gary Mitchell and also the captain of the other ship. We start to see things aren't exactly as they seem—we don't know who is really on which side.

Some brief history at first felt stuck in like exposition-once-removed, but it worked because Spock was at that moment just sitting contemplating the turn of events. So we learn how the rebellion got going; also what effect the other Kirk had had on Spock; and his feelings about his own beautiful, intriguing, enigmatic Kirk. I love his realization that Kirk, having had orders to turn him in, had let him escape.

Here's an example of little touches that make such powerful images; and this author does this nicely. Kirk ends up attacking Mitchell, a scene with strong dynamics anyway, but what was so cool was how Kirk could overcome Mitchell even though bound and barefoot. I loved this barefoot part. We don't see this done much, but it certainly is an effective means to add to a prisoner's powerlessness. Not Kirk, however.

And later, this; Spock thinks, even "half-dressed and weaponless, Kirk could never be considered unarmed." Indeed.

Gorgeous, dangerous tension between them. Kirk is confined in Spock's quarters. During these scenes when Spock is trying to get through to Kirk and Kirk is totally resistant, lots of really beautiful, strong images and dialogue, and exquisite expression in Spock's head of his desire for Kirk.

There's something quite interesting about the way his small physical advances toward Kirk are usually soft, gentle touches. Reminds me of how the most powerful can afford to be gentle; that it's the powerless who more often flex their aggression. Abo, this softness of touch might well be more effective with Kirk, to whom rough-stuff is undoubtedly common and thus nothing special.

Anyway, Cordelia has written this Mirror Spock as a particularly compelling character. Throughout the story he is shown to be perfectly clear about feeling love for Kirk, and he feels it so masterfully I could just die. "With all my heart, with all I have, for all my life."

Good fight scenes (especially when the struggle ends with Spock on top...), intense heroics and a life-death drama when the rebellion plot elements all come to a head.

Until I contemplated it a bit afterwards, it felt too sudden when at the end Kirk finally gives up and acknowledges his love, after resisting Spock through almost all of the story. But I realize there were a couple scenes which were apparently to be seen as turning points, so that by the end, it's dramatically feasible that he realizes he might as well just admit it.

Nice ending. No sex, but love acknowledged. A lovely story.

Hard to believe this is only the second story by this author. It's smoothly written, aside from a few dicey transitions, populated with well-drawn characters, and has a complex plot that had me alertly reading every sentence, making sure I didn't miss any nuances. I really liked Tiger by the Tail.

Spock is a strong character, returned from fleeing the Empire to take over command of the Enterprise. Or is that really why he's returned? Perhaps there's something else that draws him.... And Kirk, he's mad as blazes that his ship has been wrested from him by the rebels. Or is that all that is fueling his anger? Perhaps there's something else that causes this hard-as-neutronium captain's heart to ache.... And Kirk is naturally allied with Gary Mitchell, right? But, which side is Mitchell really on? The author doesn't provide clear answers to any of these questions, but draws the reader on with mystery after mystery, which only reading the next page will reveal. This story has a whole lot more to offer besides seduction and sex.

I especially liked the character of Mirror Kirk, who is complex, sophisticated, mysterious, "more skilled with a computer than even Spock had realized," and who endures the physical depredations at Mitchell's hands with grim determination and a flying kick to the groin. (Love those flying kicks!) Even when he's tied up on Spock's bed (and no, this isn't a whips and chains sort of story), he retains his vibrancy and his will. Once we're introduced to this Mirror Kirk, we know that he will not give up his struggle for his ship, not ever. Which Spock apparently also realizes, since he concludes "I will not waste my time attempting to confine you in a brig of your own construction." I've never thought of that, that the Mirror Kirk would have foreseen being incarcerated on his own ship and would have planned an escape route.

I didn't really understand the part about the nineteen minute delay that Kirk set on the computers, nor was it clear to me why Captain Stem was not in certain command of his own ship, the New Hope, even given that he was playing both sides against the middle.

This story has very mild sexual content for a K/S tale, and yet I found it very satisfying, and a good example that sometimes a kiss can be more titillating than a full sexual encounter. Probably because the author limited herself to labial contact, there was more description of lips that there really needed to be.

Tiger by the Tail is a complete story that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Wowza. Before I say anything else, let me say those of you who ain't Mirror Universe fans, make an exception for this one. You won't regret it.

Naismith's writing is a bit like a shell-covered beach where you walk with your head down, looking for delicacies. You turn over a shell, and another, and always before you go very far you hit paydirt-some tasty morsel awaiting discovery. I say 'wowza' because that seems to sum up my reaction to reading this story-every few lines, I kept saying "Wow!" under my breath, as if I'd just found a beautiful anemone.

Spock is deliciously Spock, with that mirror-edge of danger so beautifully captured; Kirk is a gorgeous and wicked enigma worthy of Spock's fascination.

At the story's start, we discover that the Mirror Spock has made good on his promise to our Kirk, "I shall consider it." In fact, he's engineered a successful coup to take the Enterprise from his Kirk, and now finds himself in command of the rebel ship. There's just one big complication-Kirk is still alive, and even bound and under heavy guard, he's the most dangerous thing in this Spock's universe.

The dialogue crackles off the page throughout. When Kirk and Spock finally confront one another, it positively sizzles. I grinned with delight and anticipation at Kirk's first line to Spock; "Won't you need permission to board my ship, Vulcan?"

If you haven't read this story, you might wonder what I mean by 'tasty morsels.' How's this for a sampling?

— Kirk stood straight. No emotion passed his eyes. Suddenly he smiled. Spock basked in its brilliance even as he steeled himself against its charm. That charismatic smile had often been a prelude to dark acts." — Spock; "Are you injured?" Kirk: "Go to hell." Spock: "Could you not say that we are already in it?" Kirk: "Hell is where the heart is." — "This is pointless, Captain," Spock said calmly. "You cannot get out of this room. Do not make me use force." "Everyone uses force, Spock. You're no different." — "What now, Kirk? Where do you think to go?" Spock moved just out of range. Kirk's smile was acid tinged. "I've got nowhere to go. But that doesn't stop me from trying to get there."

What's so great about these exchanges, aside from the marvelous pacing and crystal clear characterization, is how much they say about Kirk's life and the universe that made him what he is. My murmured "wows" carried me from page to page as the author built well-paced tension with seeming ease. The climax of the story is beautifully timed and constructed, and I found it wholly riveting.

Sob. I didn't want it to be over! The aftermath scene, while well-written and moving, felt very short to me. I could have done with about twenty more pages. I think pertiaps it is only evident in this story because the pacing is so tight everywhere else. Am I a glutton? Yes, unquestionably. But, I do so love it when an author gives me time to wind down from a story before it's over.

Well, let's face it, I would have been happy if this story had been a novel. Maybe two. Hey, can't hurt to dream...

She... wrote some of her best dialogue in 'Tiger by the Tail' in “Within the Mirror” # 11. I so totally love her 'Within the Mirror' stories. No namby pamby guys. She writes them as hard and edgy except with each other only when the scene warrants it and always in keeping with their characters in that universe. One of my favorite and most memorable scene and dialogue is when Kirk was trying to escape from Spock‘s custody and all Spock wants to do is keep him safe. So Kirk is holding Spock at knifepoint in Spock‘s cabin.

'What now, Kirk? Where do you think to go?' Spock moved out of range. Kirk‘s smile was acid-tinged. 'I‘ve got nowhere to go. But that doesn‘t stop me from trying to get there.'

Man, that was the coolest line and so is Mirror Kirk.