Unsundered

Fanfiction
Title:	Unsundered
Author(s):	Kathy Stanis
Date(s):	2006
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:	on AO3
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Unsundered is a Kirk/Spock story by Kathy Stanis.

It was published in the print zine Bondmates.

Summary

"Kirk is troubled by the attention he feels Spock is paying to a visiting Vulcan female scientist, especially since he feels Spock has closed himself off from him and their newly-begun affair."

Reactions and Reviews

Again I am reviewing this story, because it is my favourite in the zine. I generally love Kathy’s fiction and this is no exception. Kathy is one of those rare writers whose bewitching prose can take me to unexpected worlds other K/S stories couldn’t lead me into. If someone had told me the plot of this story I would have said I’d hate it, but taken up with Kathy’s story telling I love it! Basically Kirk is seriously Jealous of Spock’s seeming attentions to a Vulcan scientist X’Ana and behaves like a shit over it! This is NOT the Enterprise or the Kirk of my imagination. Kirk gets drunk on the ship at a party and ends up shoving Spock about in anger and Spock, also a bit tipsy, gets seriously angry too. Now if you’re shaking your heads, you’ll just have to trust me, this IS a well written and convincing story. It has the drama and tension that seems to be lacking in a lot of established relationship stories, and this keeps me turning the pages.

I love the flash back first time scenario that Kathy imagines surrounding the Janice Lester incident. I particularly love the consideration implied in Kirk’s question to Spock “I want to know we are really talking about the same thing. You know maybe Vulcan’s mean something else by...” [Spock kisses him]. The man who says that is someone who does not take his lover for granted, someone who is basically considerate and someone who is just a little unsure of himself. Putting these things firmly in place helps the reader stay with Kirk, even as he behaves, as he himself admits, like a juvenile idiot. Kathy is particularly good at writing ‘atmosphere’. I am not sure how she does this really, perhaps adding small details and taking time with the prose gives a heightened sense of awareness. Also the short punchy sentences create a kind of tension which reflects the tension (both good and bad) between Kirk and Spock. Conversation is also punchy, no long winded explanations but plenty of communication. I’m trying to articulate why I find Kathy’s prose so bewitching that although her stories take turnings I don’t always care for, I follow avidly enjoying every moment. I think it might be something to do with the way the pattern of the language often echoes the mood of the piece. Moments of slow seduction have long sentences and lush descriptions, more adjectives. Moments of tension have a short quick staccato rhythm. In moments of passion, the prose is as disjointed as the passion- fogged mind. The story is like a piece of music – emotive and captivating, rising to a crescendo and dying away with lingering notes.

This story is not excellent because of its plot, or even its characterisation, it is excellent because of the way it is written. I urge you all to read it and enjoy. Kathy, I look forward to the next of your treats, ready to follow in whatever direction the muse takes you!

This author has a wonderful way of bringing our guys together and of showing the many facets of their love. One of those facets, like it or not, might very well be jealousy coupled with self-doubt. That’s what happens when a brilliant, beautiful and somewhat unorthodox female Vulcan scientist comes aboard the Enterprise. I hurt for Kirk as he felt those unfamiliar doubts creep in about his lover of the past three months. While I hurt, I read with rapt attention how they came to be lovers following the incident with Janice Lester. This flashback is written with such sensitivity and gentleness it draws the reader into that warm and comforting web of adoration that is just beginning to surface between the two men. But there is also a bit of frost in the air when we return to the present – with underlying red-hot anger and jealousy barely held in check. This is very well-written and has just the right degree of suspense regarding the effect of the enigmatic third party, X’Ana. However, its true value lies in the moments of pure love that shine the brightest in this author’s hands – and there is a wealth of them here.