Whither Thou Goest (Star Trek: TOS story by Carolyn Spencer)

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Whither Thou Goest
Author(s):	Carolyn Spencer
Date(s):	1991
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Whither Thou Goest is a Kirk/Spock story by Carolyn Spencer.

It was published in the print zine First Time #31.

Summary

"Kirk is used as bait for the Romulan commander to get Spock to go with her where she has Spock tortured, not knowing of the link that he and Kirk share."

Reactions and Reviews

This is a forty page hurt/comfort story that is very interesting. It involves the Romulan Commander and Tal. It nicely characterizes the two Romulans, and even makes Tal likable. Tal loves her, she loves Spock, Spock loves Kirk, and Kirk loves Spock... BUT he, of course, never realized it was THAT KIND OF LOVE until.... This sounds hokey as well as being the plot of oodles of K/S stories before. Spencer (is she really a new writer or a new pen name for an old reliable?) does a wonderful job taking this worn plot and giving it life. She makes the pain palpable. Also, she manages to give minor characters a lot of individuality with just a few details. I recommend this story.

Ahhh, I like this story. Mind you I admit to bias -- this is one of my favorite authors, we share views on many things Vulcan.

But I think this is good anyway, even aside from that. The Enterprise is investigating interference with Federation transmissions in a particular area. They track it to a planet that reads as uninhabited and Kirk beams down with some redshirts to investigate. The first thing Spock knows about what's gone wrong is when he feels several of Kirk's ribs being broken, while Spock is sitting on the Bridge. McCoy wants to send him to sickbay but he refuses, telling McCoy, it's not my pain. About then a transmission comes from below; it is Sub Commander Tal. He shows them Kirk being held by several Romulans, and demands Spock beam down alone and unarmed or they will kill the Captain. McCoy tries to stop Spock and Spock just looks at him and says, you don't want to do that Doctor. Time is of the essence. It is the Romulan Commander, back and looking for revenge. She forces Kirk to watch while her guardsmen brutalize Spock; she insists they keep their eyes open so Kirk tells Spock, just look at me, this isn't happening don't think about it. She is infuriated and sends Kirk back alone, taking off with Spock. They can't track them, not until Kirk feels Spock break their link in an attempt to protect his friend does Kirk know which direction to go in. The commander is in love with Spock, of course, and only after many bad things are done to him does she realize it was hopeless from the git-go. She orders Tal to alert Kirk where Spock can be found, and forbids her guards to kill him even though she lets them have one last bit of fun. When the Enterprise arrives Kirk finds Spock only barely alive. They get him to Sickbay and McCoy throws Kirk out telling him I'll let you know, now go I got work to do. When he comes to find Jim on the observation deck he has to tell him that Spock is dying, there's nothing more they can do. Kirk refuses to accept that. He goes to Sickbay and puts Spock's hand on his face and tries to get them to meld. It works; Kirk finds himself in the darkness alone and has to go looking for Spock, it takes along time to find him and his life is very weak. He is huddled in a corner, naked and broken, his back to Kirk. He tells Jim he should go, that Spock has to face his death now. Jim refuses to go. He tells Spock that lovely quote about "Entreat me not to leave thee, or return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge. Thy people shall be my people, and thy god, my god. Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried." I've always loved that quote. It's one of the few things in the Bible I really like and approve of. I don't mean to diss anyone's religion here ok? It's just, not for me. But this quote, and at this time in the story, really is powerful.

Spock has to think it over but finally he does make a move toward Kirk. What follows is gorgeous. Kirk slowly and thoroughly loves him, touching all his injuries with delicacy and love, sending his own life force to his beloved, trying to heal him through the power of what he feels for him. And it begins to work, Spock's life grows stronger and he begins to respond. All this is within the meld. Finally Kirk turns and offers himself, saying please, Spock, I need you, take me. And he does, and that too is powerful and lovely in how it is written. McCoy has been hovering, seeing only the two of them melded, Spock in a biobed and Kirk leaning over him. He sees both of them have an orgasm, though not what caused it; he catches Kirk when he collapses and lays him in the bed next to Spock. The last thing he sees, as he notices Spock has finally gone into the healing trance, is that both of them, even though unconscious, are holding hands. I dunno. Maybe not everyone feels like I do; IDIC and all, it's a great big Trekiverse. But for me this is a beautiful example of a talented author's work, and I hope that the Muse is ever kind to her.

Peace and long life, y'all.

By the master of angst, a story about love winning over pain, torture and even death. Having developed a mental link after repeated melds, Kirk and Spock both live agony as the Romulan Commander tortures first Kirk, then Spock who came to rescue him, then disappears with the Vulcan, leaving Kirk desperately searching for the man he loves. Lots of h/c, may be hard to bear, but the connexion between the two men is so amazingly beautiful, deep and powerful that it carries you through all the hurt to Kirk's last-hope attempt to bring Spock back - a gorgeous and moving scene.