Warder-Liege

Synonyms:
See also:	Domestic Discipline, Kraith
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Warder-Liege or Warder-Liege Compact is a term created by Jacqueline Lichtenberg for her Kraith universe and stories.

The concept and practice was likely utilized by Lichtenberg first in the 1972 Star Trek: TOS novel, Federation Centennial.

Historically, a liege is an unconditional bond between a man and his overlord. In Lichtenberg's fanworks, the Liege (Spock) has total control over all the actions, and even over the life of his Ward (Kirk). The Ward is allowed no independent thought, is obliged to allow no harm or discomfort to come to his Liege, and must obey him in all ways.

As amateur author Sondra Marshak became involved with Kraith, she used the Warder-Liege to introduce more explicit D/s ideas along with other power kinks. Despite the spanking and BDSM-y elements, should be noted that Marshak insisted there was no slash in her work, one of which was the highly-popular The Price of the Phoenix.

Its Role in "Federation Centennial"

From a fan's much longer description and review of Lichtenberg's 1972 novel, Federation Centennial:

The avoid imprisonment and to enable Kirk and Spock to investigate the "murder" of which Sarek is a accused, Spock has to take the Oath of Honour which involves him, reluctantly ,in a warder-liege relationship with Kirk. Theoretically this limits their movements and by nature makes Spock's first duty to Kirk and no other (as if there was ever any other way). He and Kirk discover that there is a subversive group who, for various reasons of their own, wish to spread metal distrust and dislike among Federation members. They have been behind the assaults committed and all that remains is for Kirk and Spock to prove it to clear Sarek.

Utilized in Practice by Some Fans

It was symbolically practiced by members of the fan club, Society for Earthbound Vulcans. The club published what they called their "Warder-Liege Compact" in the form of the 1977 zine, The Worlds of 40 Eridani.

In October 1974, in the second issue of their newsletter, Mind-Meld, the editor describes it:

Since the last issue of MIND-MELD, I have received several requests to explain the Warder-Liege Compacts. I will endeavor to explain them to some extent at this time.

The WLC is a state in which both teacher & student, master & slave, and (in our case) Vulcan Elder & Terran agree to remain in each other's company until the appointed time of departure arrives. The Terran becomes the "Warder" and the Vulcan Elder the "Liege", During this time, the Warder becomes a student, follower and guard to his/her appointed Liege. The Warder must then study under the direction of his/her Liege, follow the Liege's every order, guard his/her Liege's life and preform any task assigned to him/her by the Liege. In return/reward, the Liege will instruct the Warder in the ways of Vulcan. The Warder will be taught the history, philosophy, customs, language and arts of Vulcan. When the Liege feels that the Warder has learned all that is required, he will inform the Council. The Council will then administer a test to the Warder. If the Warder successfully passes this test, he/she will acquire the right to a Vulcan name, the right to wear the IDIC, and most important, the right to walk among the citizens of the SEV as a Vulcan. On Vulcan, the WLC period normally covers the 8th thru 14th year of the young Vulcan's life. This period has been reduced to four months for the purposes of the SEV, Also, because of the great distances between the Warder and Liege, some requirements such as acting as a bodyguard will be modified. A further definition of the Warder-Liege Compacts as they are on Vulcan can be found in Berengaria II.

Lichtenberg was a member of Society for Earthbound Vulcans, and in the March 1975 issue issue of Mind-Meld, adds some clarifications:

I have one slight comment on your description of the Warder/Liege relationship, it is only a matter of wording. I am fairly sure you meant it correctly, but somehow it doesn't seem to me to read out correctly.

"The Warder must then study under the direction of his/her Liege, follow the Liege's every order, guard his/her Liege's life and perform any task assigned to him/her by the Liege."

All this is absolutely correct, but when you say, "In return/reward, the Liege will instruct the Warder" and this is WRONG.

The instruction is not done "in return" for anything. The Liege does in fact no instructing. The Warder/Liege relationship is more on the order of a post-graduate seminar, or rather a post-Ph.D. seminar or even "fellowship" would be closer. The Warder becomes the post-doctoral "fellow" of the Liege, but with a great big huge colossal and almost indescribable DIFFERENCE.

Whereas in the "fellow" relationship, the "student" is expected to learn by association and experience, by merely being ex- nosed to the Master, and is still in effect his own personal Master in his private affairs, the Warded/Liege relationship penetrates much deeper into a person's private mind.

The Liege accepts the RESPONSIBILITY for the Warded, and this is a moral commitment even greater than being a parent. It means that the Liege has rights, to be sure, but that is trivial. It is the responsibility that is the key to the relationship. For this specified interval, the Warded is NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN ACTIONS in any way shape or form. He is not considered legally, ethically or morally responsible for himself let alone anyone else. The entire weight of responsibility for the Warder’s ethical, moral and personal well-being rests entirely and unequivocally on the Liege. AND THE LIEGE GETS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN RETURN; nothing tangible that is, until or unless he can release the Warder in a state of ethical insight greater than he had before. Then his reward is the right to be "proud" of his handiwork, of his perceptivity in choosing a student he could be successful with and in the reflection of his own inward integrity which his student has be come.

For this time, the Warder's own personal system of ethics, his "Parent" in the language of transactional analysis (GAMES PEOPLE PLAY and I'M OK, YOU'RE OK), is totally suspended and replaced by that of the Liege. The Warder learns operationally, in the "field", not the "lab" just what it means to have this new system of ethics, how to maintain it in the face of adversity and "real life", and what he can expect to get out of the painstaking trouble maintaining it will be to him. He learns not "do as I say, not as I do", but rather "do as I do and see why: I do it this way". When he is released, he may judge for himself the value of it and accept or reject the lesson on his own recognizance.

This temporary return to childhood is a tremendously powerful tool, and an expensive one - expensive as hell. It is a person al relationship. It takes a LOT out of both Warder and Liege. The results had better measure up to the price.

As any adult knows, there are complex things to learn in life, things which are DIFFICULT to learn, and which don't allow the student to see through to the accomplished goal before he gets half-way -- the smarter his is the sooner he'll quit -- if the cost of winning through to the goal doesn't seem worth the goal itself. There is no way a student can evaluate the real value of the goal; he just can't see it until after he's gotten there and lived it for a while.

It is this kind of thing: that the Warder/Liege is designed to teach - and it is most needed for the most intelligent. You can't tell that kind of person, "shut up and do as I say"; he just won't, that's all. You can only say, on the basis of your reputation and objective achievements, "I use this system and it works splendidly for me. Why don't you try it and see what it can do for you? Here, I'll show you how." And like a parent taking the child's hand and guiding his pencil through the curlicues of his first letters, the Liege guides the Warder through a series of "real life" decisions, displaying his reasons for making certain choices in given situations.

In Kraith, Spock accepts this role with respect to Kirk because he has accented the responsibility for risking Kirk's life unknown to Kirk and without his prior consent. He has meddled with Kirk's mind, knowing full well the probable results and risking them to save Kirk's life immediately and knowing Kirk would NEVER accent the possibility that he is a telepath. Now Kirk, still not totally convinced of the risks, is like a child learning to cross the street — he just can't see disaster COMING, and therefore Spock is using the Warder/Liege compact to "guide Kirk's hand” as he learns to make decisions like a telepath, not like a psi-null.

To complicate matters, Kirk is human and has the usual number of human psychological kinks, a bit different from most humans but still human in pattern. He's as suicidal as any 3 year old, and about as ignorant when Spock parks him in Dakainya.

What I have failed to convey to Kraith readers about Spock's attitude toward the Warder/Liege with Kirk is the distaste, the "fear and trembling”, the total rebellion he feels at this necessity. Kirk is far from the ideal student, and the Warder/Liege relationship could well destroy the friendship Spock values with Kirk —- which would about destroy his only reason for living at this point. The adoption into Spock's family could have preceded just as well without the compact, but in Spock's opinion Kirk wouldn't have survived long. And later, Kirk would not be entitled to Name Rights in the family, a privilege Spock foresees being of crucial personal value to Kirk.

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER IN PEACE AND DIVERSITY! -- JACQUELINE LICHTENBERG

Fanworks

• The Maze (1976), a Kraith installment by Joan Winston (Metamorphosis #2, 1976). Kirk, while studying on Vulcan, is in a "Warder-Liege compact" with Spock. This is "the most formidable tool for training the mind ... a highly artificial arrangement ... The Liege has total control over all the actions, and even over the life of his Ward. The Ward is allowed no independent thought, and is also obliged to allow no harm or discomfort to come to his Liege." Kirk is put in an impossible bind: he must disobey an order, to save Spock's life. In ancient times the punishment was being branded in the face, but the pair settle on spanking as a punishment that will not permanently harm Kirk but that he will never forget. One reviewer called this "either a ridiculously serious story or a seriously ridiculous story." A sequel by Mariann Hornlein, "From Both Sides" (Galactic Discourse #2), has Kirk attempting ultra-Vulcan behavior in order to show Spock and Sarek that this isn't what they want.

• Spock's Inflammation by Margaret Draper (printed in Deep Grope, 1977 and Menagerie #12, 1977) (One fan calls it a "a marvelous Kraith-parody, a must-read for anyone familiar with but critical of the Jacqueline Lichtenberg, et al, Kraith series. For a reader unfamiliar with Kraith, much may be confusing, but it's still an amusing story, & may encourage readers to sample Kraith. This story was to have a sequel, "Kirk's Constipation", in a later issue of GROPE. It is illustrated with marvelous Gordon Carleton cartoons--a perfect choice! There isn't too much of a coherent plot- but in this it resembles some of the more interminably continued aspects of Kraith. It begins with a non sequitur: Kirk has difficulties lighting the sacred Vulcan idlomputt (to make Spock's morning tea), & reflects that this Warder-Liege relationship is a tricky business.

• The Worlds of 40 Eridani by T'Pela (1977) ("A Warder-Liege Compact Unit Published by The Society for Earthbound Vulcans. Edited by Head Elder T'Pela. Approved by the Council of Elders.")