Worlds Apart (Star Trek: TOS slash zine)

You may be looking for the non-fiction zine Worlds Apart by Jenny Elson.

Zine
Title:	Worlds Apart
Publisher:	Kathy Resch
Editor:
Author(s):	M.E. Carter
Cover Artist(s):	Shelley Butler
Illustrator(s):
Date(s):	July 1996
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:	online at the K/S archive on AO3
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

cover by Shelley Butler, titled Our Eyes of Starlight

Worlds Apart is a K/S slash 206-page novel by M.E. Carter. It is an Alternate Universe. The cover is by Shelley Butler.

This zine was the winner of a STIFfie Award.

Artwork has been uploaded to Fanlore with the publisher's permission.

Summary

A K/S alternate universe novel. Kirk and Spock live on a planet where humans and Vulcans distrust each other. Kirk is the son of a wealthy landowner. Spock is the poorest of the poor Vulcan farmers, reviled by all because of his mixed blood. And he has a desperate secret he has hidden for years. What forces are set in motion when love grows between them?

The colonists on Albion IV, both Human and Vulcan, had turned their backs on technology, and the two groups remained strictly apart. There should never have been an opportunity for Jim Kirk and Spock to meet...yet they did. Through rumors and mistrust, watch as love begins in a slow trickle and becomes a roaring torrent, unstoppable, unswervable, unrelenting -- meant to be.

Reactions and Reviews of the Story

I have a new favorite K/S novel. This isn't just a good story about Kirk and Spock coming together against great odds, though it can certainly be read that way. On a narrative level it's a wonderfully romantic story. But there is far more to WORLDS APART than the story line. I really appreciate it when a Trek novel deals well with themes that are significant to me. There are those who believe that fans should never stray into social commentary, but the series certainly did. It seems to me that fan fiction is the way we can make Star Trek ours by writing what is important to us as individuals. This doesn't mean that I think K/S should be nothing but propaganda. I want an intense story, involving characterization and ideas that interest me. WORLDS APART has it all. It is extraordinarily rich.

One way it can be read is as a novel dealing with the oppression of an underclass. The underclass could be any group that has lived under the heel of a dominating class in human history. It's so easy to read Vulcans as oppressed humans in this context because these Vulcans have lost their heritage. They don't know their history and they have abandoned the mental gifts that make Vulcans what they are.

This is why Shokan, the healer, is such a pivotal character. Kirk's family initially regard him as inferior to a human physician because he treats impoverished Vulcans. On contemporary Earth the Western influenced Third World has also relegated their traditional medical practitioners to the poor. These include the Southeast Asian shamans, the Mexican curanderas, the Chinese barefoot doctors and the African medicine men. They preserve the traditions of their cultures just as Shokan does. Yet Shokan is even more extraordinary. He awakens telepathic gifts in patients and initiates the lost Vulcan capacity for healing trance. Shokan represents the only hope that these Vulcans have.

The Vulcan situation in WORLDS APART is parallel to that of many contemporary Native Americans. They don't know how to recreate the life that their ancestors lived and they can't fully participate in the 20th century because they lack the necessary education and skills.

Reading Vulcans as African-Americans works even better. The society described in WORLDS APART strongly resembles the American South after the Civil War. There are plantations, aristocratic plantation owners and poor tenant farmers. Like the newly freed African-American slaves, the Vulcans have very little beyond their freedom and no heritage to build on. If you see the novel from this perspective, the K/S relationship becomes miscegenation. Spock is a "tragic mulatto" out of the African-American literary tradition, and Kirk is the aristocratic white youth who dares to transgress against the color barrier.

The gay thematic cluster is even more significant because WORLDS APART goes further than any fiction anywhere to establish the legitimacy of a gay relationship in the face of homophobia. There are plenty of gay novels in which the central character comes out to his family as Kirk does here. The usual situation is that one family member learns to accept the gay relationship, but that's as far as it goes. Never before have I seen a family rallying to the defense of a gay relationship at such a tremendous risk. Many real gay men and lesbians have had to turn their backs on their families, and for many others communication with their families is very troubled. That's why Kirk's family in WORLDS APART is positively awe inspiring. This is a vision that I want to believe in.

I note with interest that M.E. Carter deals with both of the contemporary hot button issues—gay marriage and gays in the military. In fact, Kirk has to deal with both simultaneously as a cadet at the military academy. These are hot button issues because marriage and the military confer legitimacy in our society.

In the context of WORLDS APART, legitimacy is a particularly compelling concern for Spock. He is such a despised outcast that he needed the respect that is accorded the matrimonial relationship in order to establish his personhood. In the series Spock is seen as an alienated character, but he is much less radically alienated than he is in this novel. This Spock's deep estrangement from both Vulcans and humans speaks to any reader who feels marginalized and alone.

WORLDS APART is so very significant to me. I believe that over time it will garner an audience that will appreciate what a rewarding novel it truly is.

First is the brilliant way the author sets the scene in the opening pages. The novel begins with a panoramic view that deftly situates the physical and social setting of the story. The focus narrows to the two main characters, who are on a collision course, Kirk on horseback, Spock pulling a primitive cart. The two young men collide-Spock's cart overturns, Kirk's horse carries him past the scene by sheer momentum. Then Kirk slows down, turns, and rides back to Spock to make amends.

The scene is a metaphor that fairly summarizes the twin themes of the novel. The "inevitable" collision between the two youths turns Spock's life upside down. The impact on Kirk is less direct but equally profound. Meeting Spock halts his heretofore aimless dash through life and makes him turn toward caring for Spock, toward responsible adulthood. Thus, the images in the opening scene resonate throughout the rest of the novel.

I also admired the author's choice of narrative style. The story is told not by the characters but by an undramatized ("objective") third person narrator who is "privileged" to took into the characters' hearts and minds and is free to share information that none of the main characters know. An effective example of privileged narration occurs in the scene following George and Jim Kirk's meeting with Perry McKenna.

I appreciated the intelligent use of Shokanf the elderly Vulcan who lives on the Kirks' estate, as a sub-narrator who provides information about Vulcan and insight into Spock that none of the other characters, including Spock himself, is in a position to know. Shokan's "diagnosis" of Spock's emotional and psychological state is important to the story because it helps us understand how long and difficult the healing process will be for Spock. Shokan's diagnosis is authoritative because of who he is and because it is based on a mind-meld with Spock. It forestalls any illusion that Spock's problems can be resolved by the end of the story.

Just one thing that would have made the novel even stronger and more satisfying for me. Because the characters were vivid and clearly not simple (except perhaps for Saavadge), I hungered for a slightly deeper level of insight into the dynamics of Kirk's family and of the society around them. What accounts for George Kirk's open-mindedness? How did Jim Kirk come to feel so alienated from his society? How did the father-son conflict between Jim and George Kirk develop, and why was George able to set it aside so readily and become his son's ally?

I agree with many of Fiona James' comments about Saavadge and the impact of the abuse he perpetrated upon Spock, I was a little surprised to see Spock introduce the subject of that abuse so matter-of-factly on page 17. 1 longed to see something of what it had been like for Spock as a child who had just lost his beloved father when his uncle first began to touch him sexually. Had he at first mistaken Saavadge's touches for expressions of affection? Starved for love and warmth, did he deny to himself at first what was really happening? Instead, its Saavadge who speaksf on page 21, about how Spock used to climb up on his lap as a child. We get only a tiny glimpse of what Spock must have felt at the time.

I wonder if a commitment to durational realism, to "showing, not telling" kept the author from telling us more about the development of the characters and their relationships. Perhaps because I wanted so badly to know more about the characters and their history, I found myself longing for an occasional passage "telling" us things about them that would have been difficult to present in a dramatized scene or a flashback.

I also longed to understand more about the relationship between the Vulcan and Human communities in this sector of Albion IV. Why were the Humans apparently so much better-off than the Vulcans? Both communities appeared to sell agricultural commodities, and I saw no evidence that the Humans used a higher level of technology than the Vulcans. The two communities weredescribed as relatively self-contained and as having evolved separately, yet it felt as though they were part of a single caste or class structure, with the Humans at the top and the Vulcans on the bottom. Since in this type ot agricultural economy, about the only way to create wealth is through "primitive accumulation" I wondered if, in fact, the Humans had managed to glom onto the surplus value produced by the Vulcans. I also wondered, did some sort of ideological commitment keep both communities from availing themselves of space-age technology, centuries after the formation of the two primitive agricultural colonies?

The novel ends with Spock's life right-side up and both men on course toward Spock's healing and toward meaningful adulthood for both of them. By its very nature, this story's plot extends out beyond the boundaries of the novel and into the future. The story's end is really a

beginning.

A simple premise, but not a simple story. I do want to reiterate the warning that Worlds Apart deals with incest and may be objectionable to some.

I found the writing to be excellent: flowing, lyrical, yet direct and vivid. In each of the three offerings I have read by this author I have been deeply impressed by her skill, and she handles the short story, the novella and the novel form with equal ability. Not an easy task. This author is also able to stay in the background. By that I mean she allows the story to unfold without the reader constantly being aware that someone is telling the tale. Her 'voice" is submerged, and the events of the story take center stage, as they should.

I do agree with Jenna and Fiona's comments that the latter third of the novel tails off without a strong dramatic climax. I would have liked to see Kirk and Spock's love make some sort of lasting impression on the world of their birth; some resolution that made Albion better for their having lived and loved there. This author, however, is a realist, and sometimes the best thing about a place (either a literal or figurative one), is leaving it behind and having the courage to do so. And it does take courage to leave behind all you've known, even if much of it is unpleasant.

I very much appreciated the completely unified depiction of an alien backwater society. It's familiar enough so the reader isn't bogged down in details and explanations, yet different enough from our own to be intriguing.

There were several scenes so memorably drawn that they stayed in my mind long after I finished reading them. The scene where they first make love in Kirk's bedroom is a good example. I could feel the coolness of the room where the fire's heat had not managed to make it up the stairs, the softness of the bed. the utter astonishment that Spock felt to be accepted and loved so completely. The marvelous detail that Spock couldn't wash with the scented soap Kirk normally used for fear that Saavadge would question him about it brought a lump to my throat And when TSirah told her father she had seen Kirk and Spock kissing I actually gasped, and I'm sure I turned pale. (I think that's about when I started talking back to the novel).

I'd like the author to know I've read Worlds Apart cover to cover three times now. (I really must get a life!), and am ready and eager for more.

To enjoy this alternate universe K/S novel, a reader must be able to do two things. First, she must accept a characterization of Spock that is very weak, surely the weakest of any novel in our genre. This Spock breaks into tears, has hysterics, and even, God forbid, faints. However, given the milieu in which this character operates, a plausible case can be made for his actions. I certainly was willing to suspend disbelief and accept them. Second, a reader must be able to read about incest/sexual abuse and their consequences. Especially given the months- long conversation that took place in CT about the "under-age" sex in Fetish, I think a warning should come with this novel. There are graphic depictions of violent incest, although the under-age sex portion is mostly implied except for one troubling, brief scene. If you can't read about this without being truly disturbed, don't read Worlds Apart. I was able to get over both these hurdles, and I'm very glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed Worlds Apart, specially the first 130 pages. I found it exciting, thought-provoking, and very well-written... The novel takes place on a world that has been humans. From the beginning the groups separated, with the Vulcans creating a poor, agrarian community, and the humans doing much better whether through commerce or agriculture. There is real prejudice between the groups, very little contact, very little understanding. There is minimal awareness of the great Federation that spans the galaxy, and less interest. Certainly the situation on this planet is not affected by the ideals that may be espoused by the inclusive Federation. As the story opens Kirk is seventeen years old, Spock not much older. Kirk is the son of a wealthy landowner, Spock a very poor agricultural worker. In the first chapter they meet, and the rest flows from there... I must say that despite my genuine enjoyment of Worlds Apart, and my admiration for the author, the novel was not entirely successful. The reason for this has to do with theme and structure and the way I believe the last eighty pages or so violated both... Worlds Apart is a solid novel. It is compelling, thoughtful, well-written. Even when it fails on thematic levels, it is still well-done and entertaining. Characterizations are crisp, plotlines well realized, the story flows. And I haven't even mentioned how the author manages to make a whole new world come alive with ease. As long as you can accept Spock's characterization, and endure the incest, I would highly recommend this novel by M.E. Carter.

I have just read this novel. It was a good enough story, but I felt like I was reading an old-fashioned romance novel. It could have been written by Barbara Cartland, with only a change of sex on Spock's part (and the removal of the sex acts).

You will hear different opinions of 'Worlds Apart' depending on whom you ask, and for that reason alone I find it one of the most interesting of our K/S novels. It seems that this zine, and most of the work by this author, stirs pretty passionate feelings. You either love 'Worlds Apart' or you really don't... Each time I read this story, I'm struck by the author's ability to make such an unfamiliar world come totally alive. She didn't have any of the typical conventions upon which to rely, there is no Enterprise here, no familiar roles of captain and first officer, and yet within a few pages I am always immersed in Albion and all the people who live there... I find that this novel is a brilliant example of what an alternative universe story should be. The author places our Kirk and Spock in a totally different environment, even portrays them at different ages than we usually see them, and yet they are each, to me, totally recognizable.

I recently was lent this by a friend and I would recommend it to anyone else who hasn't read it already. To me part of the charm of this a/u story lies in its hurt/ comfort elements. I often wish that hurt comfort stories included K/S and I nearly always enjoy it when these two elements are merged. I am sure many of us have read stories where the two elements are poorly integrated, along the lines of every bone in Kirk body is broken but he can still manage to seduce Spock, or such serious injuries that you wonder that the sex didn't finish them off for good! However worlds apart makes none of those mistakes. The K/S relationship develops gradually and convincingly and not solely as a result of the dreadful things that have happened to Spock. The characterisations, often so hard in A/U's are well handled and I found my self really caring, not just for Jim and Spock, but for others (particularly Amanda) as well. The ending is really nice, my only very, very minor criticism is that the action slows down towards the end, which is none the less very satisfying. Oh and I like the horses and the fact that Spock can ride this frisky stallion that Kirk can't really handle, I always thought Spock would be a good horseman because of his natural empathy. So many thanks to ME Carter for this excellent novel the planning and writing of which I fully appreciate must have been a tremendous job - thanks It gave me a whole week of evening enjoyment as I read it!

I cannot say that I enjoyed this novel. No, it occupied me, it captivated me for quite some time. And having finished I adored it!

For those of you who have not read this novel yet and are planning to do so; don't read further! I don't want to destroy your pleasure!

In the beginning there is a lovely love story. I did not know at all what awaited me. Because I have not read many AU stories until now it took some time for me (not very long) to realize that this was one. It was beautiful to read how Jim's love began to grow, how he became aware of this love. I felt safe and sheltered within the story.

So it was a shock to discover where the story went! You see, in my country and in our neighbour country Belgium the police expose terrible crimes against children each week. Organized gangs are discovered who abused, tortured and killed children. Being a mother myself those things are terrible to hear and to read about. My reaction was ;"No, you can't do this to Spock, the dignified, proud Spock! Don't make him feel small, worthless!" It was hard to read and it hurt!

But between there was this new love with just beautiful love scenes, the safety of Jim's family and this dream coming true of a great, endless love. The tension was very hard to bear. After each sentence there could appear Saavadge of whom I was nearly afraid as Spock. I was not relieved before the two of them Jim and Spock were aboard the starship which took them to earth, away from this terrible uncle, away from racialism (which remembers sometimes to the conditions of today's earth between black and white) towards a happier fortune. My tears were flowing plenty! M.E. Carter, wherever you may be, don't leave me, leave us this way! You created a new universe which could be continued on and on. I can understand that this would be boring to an author if it is too outstretched. But, please, let us know how it will go for Jim and Spock at the Starfleet Academy, whether they will reach the Enterprise and what it will do to their love to become Captain and First Officer (if they will become)!

I can't finish writing about this novel without mentioning the beautiful cover by Shelley! I have to look at it again and again. This is the truecoming dream of love, trust and safety! Shelley, you are a great artist! Thank you both!

This novel made a liar of me from the first page I turned. Most of you have heard me express my lack of interest in anything taking place in an alternate universe. “Worlds Apart” blasted this theory into atoms. Having just read a novella by Ms. Carter, I felt her novel could be no less than a wonderful and lengthy indulgence. I could not have been more right.

Yes, Kirk has a horse instead of a starship. And, yes, Spock is a member of a lowly working class on a serf-like colony planet. But, no, it didn’t matter. Because these characters are so sharply, warmly, wonderfully alive and compelling, their re-casting is of no importance.

Every breath of air on this planet is felt, every sharp bite of wintry wind tingles the nerves, every ray of sunshine soaks deep into your skin as you read. Each detail of Spock’s hovel is etched in your mind until you can smell the damp straw on the floor and feel the chill creep into your bones. And the love -- the unexpected acquaintance, the friendship transformed into stunned disbelief as it blooms into true affinity of souls.

There is talent here by the armload! Where are all the agents looking for new talent when there are writers with these skills among us? This truly is remarkably well done. Regardless of who the characters are, this is a captivating love story that never slows its pace. The heroes are ageless. That they are Kirk and Spock makes it doubly special to me, and I place it on a scale with “The Thornbirds” for sheer unforgetability. The vividly scripted scenes are indelible!

I felt the pain and humiliation of every vile thing the peasant Spock endured. My heart ached with every downcast gaze and every spiteful, uncaring word. That such daily rejection can be much more painful than a single violent act was brought painfully to light. Do not misunderstand -- this is not a story of sadness and despair, although they are present. It is a story of triumph over those awful things with quiet moments of joy seized at the least expected times.

It seems a contradiction to say that a story of such deprivation and desperation can be called upbeat, but it is -- oh, it is! Gloriously triumphant is the human spirit when driven by love! This is what made it perfect K/S for me even without starships and expanding novas. Undying love, unquestioning all-encompassing, all-powerful love is what makes it K/S. Not an adventure of universal proportions, but an adventure of humanity soaring in victory over oppression.

Three-fourths of the way through this epic and almost drained of emotion, I found myself wondering how Ms. Carter could keep up this momentum another 70 pages, and if she does, how can I stand it? Trust me, it never faltered.

As a K/S week treat, I could not have chosen better. As a novel to always have on your bookshelf, you could not choose better.

First of all, I have to say that when it comes to K/S, I personally prefer stories that are set in the TOS universe much as we saw on TV and in the movies. I don't like Mirror stories as a rule and A/Us also do not hold much appeal for me. There are always, however, exceptions to every rule and out of the many A/U stories I have read over the years, this is one of two fitting that genre that I have made it a point to read not just more than once, but many times over. And what I personally think is rather ironic, this story, along with the other A/U I love, is set as far apart from TOS as you can get. The fact that this author can place these two men in a setting that is so vastly different from how they were portrayed in the series and movies and yet generate a story that I consider one of my all-time faves is due in no small way to her incredible talent as a writer.

In this novel, Vulcans and humans exist together on the same planet, but do not live as equals. While the humans definitely hold all the advantages, opportunities and wealth their world has to offer, the Vulcans' lives are exactly the opposite. It is in this setting that this story begins. Kirk, the son of a wealthy landowner, is riding his rather spirited stallion at full gallop down a country road. As he rounds a turn at top speed, he sees a Vulcan teen struggling to pull a heavy cart that is going out of control. As the cart overturns, Kirk, seeing he will be unable to avoid a collision, manages to get his stallion to jump over the cart. After he gets the animal back under control, he rides back to make sure the Vulcan is okay. That first meeting sets the tone for a story that is emotionally gripping, at times disturbing, yet always compelling.

As Kirk pursues his friendship with Spock with daily meetings on the stretch of road where they first met, he soon learns that the Vulcan is hiding a terrible secret, one that is slowly destroying him. Kirk is at first horrified, then determined to find a way to get his friend away from the nightmare he is living so that they can spend the rest of their lives together. Even Spock, who has been living with nothing but misery and helplessness for so long, finds reason to hope that his future may be much brighter than he could ever begin to imagine.

As the time goes by, their plans for a future together begin to come together until Spock's secret friendship with Jim is discovered by the one person who could destroy that future. As a result, not only is Spock's future threatened, but also his very life. It is a combination of Kirk's timely intervention and a Vulcan healer's skills that saves his life and as a result, compels him to take the necessary steps that will lead to a permanent relationship with Kirk.

He is successful and soon finds himself living a life that not too long ago, he could not even imagine would be possible. Just as he and Kirk begin to live that life together, however, disaster strikes once again in the form of the one person Spock fears the most, but thanks once again to Kirk's actions, what could have been a life of degradation and misery instead becomes one of happiness and peace.

This novel can at times be difficult to read because of the rather disturbing elements contained within, but overall in my opinion is a brilliant piece of work. Despite the unusual setting and circumstances, I find the characterizations of Kirk and Spock to be totally believable and the story tightly woven. As is typical of this author's style, the pace is never hurried and the reader is not left feeling "cheated" when the end of the novel is reached.

This is one I definitely recommend every K/Ser read.

TOS teen AU. Warning for rape and incest. In the backwards colony world of Albion IV where Humans and Vulcans live in mutual segregation and distrust, a brash young Jim Kirk befriends a lonely and mistreated Vulcan youth. Incredibly vivid and detailed world-building. Lots of beautifully done h/c highlighting Jim's resourcefulness, Spock's resilience and the strength and fervor of their young love. Especially interesting and layered portrayal of George and Winona Kirk as well as Aurelan. Loved the ending and its possibilities. Am actively courting the author for a sequel.

Reactions and Reviews of the Art

I can’t stop staring at this picture. I was transfixed when I first saw it in the original propped up on a bed in [a fan's name] room during the Shore Leave party, and after four months, I’m still stunned. I’m not sure that it fits the novel, exactly, as it depicts the guys at an age we would consider them to be during the original series, and not as the youngsters they are in Worlds Apart, but who am I to quibble over such an unimportant detail? Give the WA fellows a few years to grow with their passion, and they’ll look like this. Sexy, determined, naked, holding each other, defying anyone to question their love and their right to each other...

This is one of Shelley’s best depictions of Kirk, especially within the last year. The shading on his face doesn’t make him look old, just a little sad. Although maybe the fullness of his cheeks is overdone a bit. The Spock is right on, in my opinion, especially his slightly parted, defiant lips, and the tension in the arms he has wrapped around Kirk’s waist The first thing I notice when looking at the picture are, of course, the faces. But then my eye slips down to Kirk’s arm, muscled, clearly defined, very strong. Although it is resting lightly on Spock’s shoulder, the overall impression that the arm gives to Kirk is strength and determination. The arm flavors the impression I receive from the face; it allows me to re-interpret Kirk’s expression so that the sadness is overlaid by will.

An examination of Kirk’s arm leads naturally to his hands. Darn, Shelley is exceptionally good at hands and fingers! and imbuing them with specific purpose. Kirk’s hand wrapped around Spock’s neck is gentle, and yet again, there is nothing tentative about the possession of very finger, or the absolutely delicious way the forefinger is slightly separated from the others so that it fits beneath the curve of Spock’s ear. As if Kirk were naturally trying to maximize the physical contact between them. Oh, that finger sends shivers through me, because it says so much about the man’s state of mind. A caress of the soul as well as of an ear. Who would have thought so much could be said by such a small element in this entire composition? Notice that the grip Kirk has on his lover is not a complete circle, there’s a space on Spock’s shoulder between Kirk’s hands that is open. By comparison, the grip that Spock has on Kirk is complete, one hand overlapping the other around the side of Kirk’s waist. Spock’s body language speaks of desperation, and a fierce determination Not To Let Go! Also, Spock’s gaze is turned outward, to some threat or person outside the picture. He is alert, ready to defend, ready to tighten his grip on his lover even more. Kirk’s gaze is turned down, with the hint that it’s turned inward; he’s perhaps contemplating all that he will do to ensure that the two of them can stay together, but he’s not worried enough to be constantly scanning the horizon for threats to their love. Kirk’s strength of body and will allows him to give Spock some space, he’s the surer of the two. And of course, that attitude, for both characters, fits beautifully with the novel the picture illustrates, but it also happens to work for me with the classic characters as well.