What is Honour?
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | What is Honour? |
| Publisher: | D. DaBinett |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | Doreen Dubois/The U.K. Group |
| Cover Artist(s): | |
| Illustrator(s): | |
| Date(s): | 1983 |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | slash |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: TOS |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
What is Honour? is a 315-page slash Star Trek: TOS novel in two parts by Doreen Dubois/The UK Group.
The art is by Barbara P. Gordon and Virginia Lee Smith.
According to an ad in Universal Translator #20, it was originally titled: "Savage Love."
Summary
Collaboration: The U.K. Group
[The U.K. Group's zines] were written as round robins. There was nothing plotted, just a situation from which the story started, and more than once one of the group threw in a twist that made the next writer do some very creative thinking - which of course kept the story from becoming too predictable. Inside the zines, the names of the writers were put in alphabetical order; in fact the order of writing was D Dubois, Jane Jones, Sara S Reynolds, K S T'Lan, Teresa Hewitt, Ann Kydd, then back to D Dubois. There was a minimum number of pages each one had to write each time the story reached them, but no upper limit. The story went round the group several times, then when it was finished one of the group went through it to smooth out any hiccups that might have arisen from the transfer from one writer to another (there were actually very few). [2]
From an fan in 1982:
My English and Scottish fan-friends are working on a marvelous K/S Round Robin story, which Doreen Dabinett will presumably publish — if it manages to fit in with her rather limited outlook on K/S. I am green with envy! It sounds like such fun. [3]
From the Editor
In any War past or present, both sides have always put out vast amounts of false information and-propaganda to mislead the enemy, and there is little doubt that this type of psychological warfare will be played in the future too, even though the methods employed will obviously be far more subtle in many ways.
In WHAT IS HONOUR?, much misleading information is put out by both sides , one of the most important pieces of propaganda being about
the 1 Death Command1. This, is a telepathically implanted command given
by Earth Control to key personnel, and to those more especially engaged
in espionage work etc.
This ’Death Command1 is only implemented if the enemy, either Vulcan or Romulan or others attempt to enter the Human’s mind to interrogate any of them telepathically.
The Humans of course believe that the Death Command is absolute and cannot be overridden. They must believe this because it is the only protection they have against the , enemies superior strength both physical and mental. However, the Vulcan hierarchy ’leak1 the news that they have been able, tp break the Command. Rumour is rife. If they have been able to do so, how are their victims affected? Almost certainly their personality must at the very least be changed. If so, what of their loyalties - and if allegiances can be altered, what about double agents? What is true, and what is not? No one seems to know for certain, and even those closely involved are uncertain as to what is actually correct, and what is exaggeration, and what of the Humans' themselves? They had always believed that under mind-interrogation they would die before they could betray their friends and planets - now there is, at the very least...uncertainty.
It is indeed a war of nerves, and against this background of doubt and intrigue - this story unfolds.
Other Fanworks Inspired by this Story
- See What is Truth? by Jane Carnall
Sample Interior
Barbara P. Gordon
Barbara P. Gordon
calligraphy by Dagmar Buse
Virginia Lee Smith
Virginia Lee Smith
Virginia Lee Smith
Barbara P. Gordon
Virginia Lee Smith
Virginia Lee Smith
Virginia Lee Smith
Reactions and Reviews
Before discussing this particular zine, let me tell you where I'm coming from. Item: the most well-thumbed pages in my zine collection are the auction scene from Captives and "The Pleasure Slaves" from Duet VI. Item: the most well-worn strips my videotape collection are the transporter room fight from "This Side of Paradise" and the interrogation scene from "Patterns of Force." Item: when I mailed my SASEs for Kirk Enslaved and Whips and Chains, I didn't lick the envelopes, just drooled on then. Bearing all this in mind, back to the review... What Is Honor? is an alternate-universe fantasy; a hedonistic wallow in sex, violence, rape, dominance, and sado-masochism. I absolutely adored it! (Are you surprised?) The plot is as follows: Earth and Vulcan are at war. Brilliant young science officer Lt. Kirk is captured, becomes the personal slave of the notorious Capt. Spock, escapes and is recaptured several times. Several favorite characters show up in unfamiliar guise, including - besides the regular crew - Sarek and Amanda, Gary Mitchell, Miranda Jones, and various aliens. By the time the war reaches its unexpected conclusion, the tables have been neatly turned - on almost everybody. This novel is long - 315 fun-filled pages, each more degenerate than the last. It is also expensive - $22.50 by air. It is worth it. [4]
This zine was originally entitled "Savage Love," and the old title certainly fits. This is K/S not for the faint-hearted. In the vernacular of the gay world, "What is Honour"is definitely "rough trade." This two-volume novel is set in a very different ST universe. Earth and Vulcan have been at war for years. Spock is Captain of a Vulcan ship; Kirk is a scientist, a Lieutenant, a prisoner of war on Vulcan. The incorrigible Kirk becomes Spock's slave. Part of the fascination of the book is the way in which the characters from Star Trek appear in different guises and are subtly brought together so that, by the middle of the second volume, they are in some semblance of the 'real' ST universe. Sarek, Amanda, Sulu, Scotty, Uhura, are all there, as are Gary Mitchell, Miranda Jones, Elizabeth Dehner, T'Pau, T'Pring, the Orions, the Gorns all there, but all different. Kirk repeatedly escapes from Spock; Spock repeatedly captures him. They come close, only to drive each other apart again and again. This is a very unhappy and frustrating tale of Spock determined to hold and break his slave; Kirk determined to be free, demanding equality; both trying to hurt and humiliate the other because neither can come to terras with the fact that they love each other and belong together. Kirk is brutally raped by an enormously endowed alien (with Spock's consent) and almost dies. Later, he is injected with a treatment that causes his breasts to produce milk, for some sort of perverted pleasure. Kirk becomes Gary Mitchell's lover, and becomes involved in espionage and intrigue. After awhile, one wants to shake both of them and say "C'mon, kids, let's kiss and make up and stop all this hurting each other." This was a very interesting story, and I noticed this collaborative effort did not contain the British colloquialisms of other British zines and was the better for it. [5]
This is an A/U novel where Vulcans and Humans are engaged in violent conflict. Kirk is a young scientist , captured by Vulcans. He is sexually and violently abused by Spock, a Vulcan Commander who hates humans. Kirk suffers terribly at the hands of a very cruel psychotic Spock. He seems to have very few redeeming features, if any. There are lots of very graphic and horrific rape and sexual torture scenes that Spock inflicts on Kirk, but Kirk is still attracted to him. Huh? Kirk defends his behavior to others and ends up bonded to him. I suppose you could call it a happy ending but I found it hard to believe that Kirk would forgive him all the abuse and still love him. Despite the stomach churning scenes in this novel it was a gripping read and I couldn't put it down. However if you want loving K/S, this is not it. [6]
A4, offset, 315 pages in two parts for ease of handling. An alternative universe K/S story where a warrior orientated Vulcan is at war with Earth and her colonies. Once past the early rape scemss the twists and turns of the plot kept me rivetted. The question of the title is the very effective basis for this zine - and it is put forward in a thought-provoking manner. Many characters from the series find their way into the plot - keep an eye out for them. Virginia Lee Smith's artwork is excellent and helps to keep this zine in the 'value for money' tradition we have come to expect from the U.K. Group. Recommended. [7]
References
- ^ summary from Gilda F
- ^ from an email by Bluewolf to Mrs. Potato Head, September 2014
- ^ from Barbara P. Gordon in K/S & K.S. (Kindred Spirits) #3 (November 1982)
- ^ from Not Tonight, Spock! #3
- ^ from Not Tonight, Spock! #4
- ^ from The K/S Press #103
- ^ from Beyond Antares R-Rated #5