Tight Spaces

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Tight Spaces
Author(s):	Alexis Fegan Black
Date(s):	1987
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Tight Spaces is a K/S story written by Alexis Fegan Black.

It was published in the print zine As I Do Thee #8 and Speed of Light... & other K/S stories.

Summary

"Trapped in a tunnel, different and unexpected pressures come into play for Kirk and Spock, causing each to undergo his own type of metamorphosis... leading to a confrontation neither had ever expected."

Reactions and Reviews

TIGHT SPACES by Alexis Fagen Black is the first story in the zine. Kirk and Spock get trapped in a tunnel on a planet. Kirk acquires acute symptoms resulting from claustrophobia while Spock acquires a sudden problem with his 'biology'. Naturally, Kirk is the only available answer to the problem and the story goes on to tell about how both deal with the incident after they are rescued. The familiar Pon Farr premise is saved by Alexis' excellent writing talents, and offers some interesting insights into Kirk's personality

Kirk and Spock are on a war torn planet negotiating a treaty when they end up trapped in an underground tunnel after sheltering from a bomb attack. Kirk becomes claustrophobic in the tunnel but is trying his best to hide it from Spock. Although this claustrophobia is vital to the storyline, I do think, if Kirk had been claustrophobic, that it would have been discovered in early

training and would probably have stopped him getting into Starfleet in the first place. The weapons being used above the surface and the rocks above them prevent contact with the Enterprise. Spock has a minor injury to his head but does not appear to be badly hurt. Kirk almost admits to being frightened and Spock offers him his hand to lead the way with the excuse that "Vulcan eyesight is more reliable in the dark". After a while Spock becomes unwell and realises he has been poisoned through soil contamination in the cut on his head. He goes into a fever and becomes unable to travel. Spock begs Kirk to continue alone but Kirk refuses partly because he does not want to leave Spock but also because he is afraid to continue alone.

Spock starts to become delirious with fever and begs Kirk to leave him because he knows the fever will make him violent and send him into a type of false pon farr. Kirk stays though and they lie together in the tunnel. While he is delirious with the fever Spock grabs hold of Kirk and rolls onto him. This causes Kirk to panic and then he blacks out, from as we later find out, a neck pinch. When Kirk comes to he is back on the ship, the transporter interference apparently gone. McCoy tries to quiz him saying he knows he has had a psychotic episode and that he had been raped, but Kirk won't talk except to say that is wasn't Spock's fault.

Spock has withdrawn and is avoiding Jim. Kirk finds out from McCoy that Spock neck pinched him and he feels angry that he has no memories of what happened. Jim is still feeling resentful and angry when Spock comes to his cabin. Spock apologises to Kirk for hurting him but says that he warned Kirk not to stay with him. Kirk is still angry and snaps at Spock saying 'was he so repulsive that he had to be sent off into oblivion before he could stomach fucking him?'

Spock tells Kirk that he had been struggling against him and he had not been in a condition to reason with him. Spock had thought Kirk was fighting him when in fact he had been in a panic from claustrophobia. still angry, Kirk punches Spock and Spock grabs him and pins him down. Spock demands of Kirk 'Why did you stay?'

Eventually Kirk admits that it was because he was afraid to go on by himself, and they both begin to realise they have misunderstood each other. As they begin to realise this Kirk says to Spock that it should have been different and that he could have loved him there, if he had been given the chance. Spock asks 'Could you love me now?' and Kirk says he could but that he was still afraid to lose control or admit weakness. Eventually Kirk admits that sometimes it is easier when he is not in control and there is no choice. Spock then takes charge and makes love to him and Jim realises that it is all right not always to be in control. "With you", he said, "I'm not afraid any more."

Although I like this story, I still can't see Jim as panicking in the way he does here, and I'm still convinced nobody with this sort of condition would ever be allowed aboard a starship.