by Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath
“The two Vulcans moved as one. Spock began chopping into the no-mouths with great double-handed blows that no flesh could stand against. Savaj picked up a no-mouth and used it as a battering ram. Rand stiff-armed the cone-noses with the heel of her hand. Scott found some way of heaving them over, and McCoy was making some effort to come up over the top after Kirk.”
So, Marshak and Culbreath. We meet again.
Who knows what the hell these two ladies are trying to say?
Following an increase in the levels of violence and chaos in the galaxy, it is discovered that the universe is being experimented upon by superior beings who are investigating the Promethean Flaw. The Flaw seems to be that sentient beings that strive for greatness are also aggressive and ultimately destroy themselves and others. So, the ‘Designers’ are experimenting with human life in order to solve the problem. The humans and other sentient beings in the galaxy are lab rats.
The Enterprise crew’s incredible rapport is considered crucial to stop the experimentation, so a Vulcan Admiral, Savaj, is sent to the enterprise to lead the mission. He relieves Kirk and makes Spock the captain of Enterprise. (Thereby effing up the legendary rapport.)
After much hand-to-hand-combat, many scenes of torture, nakedness, sex, lofty conversation, repeated references to lab rats, submission, logic, noble gestures, Kirk and crew convince the ‘designers’ that we aren’t going to fight today and they go away.
Random Thoughts Written Down as I Read:
There is a Vulcan language glossary in the back.
The experiments explain the Alien Abduction experience.
The planet this all occurs on is Helvan. It looks like Hell. As in red skies, stone spires, and horned inhabitants. Before beaming down, the landing party has horns applied to their foreheads. Spock’s are never removed throughout the whole ordeal. Feast on THAT image.
Spock carries Kirk in one arm.
Kirk awakens from a nightmare into Spock’s terribly strong arms.
Chekov has an accent, in that he pronounces his ‘V’s like ‘W’s.
Kirk is removed as Captain because he is “possibly unfit to command,” but he is allowed to be 1st officer. But if he’s unfit…nevermind.
Kirk can’t remember something and it immediately becomes a mental block that must be broken. I have several mental blocks a day… Anyway, no one else can remember the same thing, either.
Once again, Kirk must submit to Spock in order for them to prevail.
Vulcan strength is so much greater than Human strength, Kirk would find it difficult to even PUSH BUTTONS on a Vulcan Ship.
It is wrong for Spock’s superior mind to be under Kirk’s command. It is unjust to subordinate the greater to the lesser.
Kirk and Spock perform a fight/gymnastic/dance routine in the rec room while the entire crew watches. It involves several lifts, with Kirk the one being lifted.
Uhura looks like a jungle huntress.
Scotty has a brogue. *sigh*
Hey look! There’s Chapel! And Sulu! And Transporter Chief Rand!
Savaj in his Helvan horns is “the Son of Darkness made flesh—his dark Satanic Majesty.”
Kirk and Spock are abducted. Spock is bound naked and spread-eagled and he calls Kirk a “disobedient fool-whelp.” Kirk is also bound naked and spread-eagled and face-down. Experiments proceed…
Did I tell you the experiments are callous and unfeeling? Because they are callous and unfeeling. They also lack empathy.
It is unjust to subordinate the greater to the lesser.
Spock as captain invokes ‘Vulcan Rule of Command.’ Instant, unqualified, unargued obedience.
Kirk spends most of the novel anticipating Spock punishing him.
The bad guys finally appear in the form of a female ‘angel’ named Belen. She and Kirk immediately start eye-fucking each other.
Another female ‘angel’ appears, with copper skin and dressed in fluttering reds and oranges. Her name is Flaem. She and Kirk immediately start eye-fucking each other.
Then Kirk and Flaem have sex, which I think is pretty gross. I mean, what scientist has sex with the lab rats?
Then Kirk and Belen have sex. While it’s not a threesome, each female watches the other’s tryst, unbeknownst to Kirk. He is shocked by this.
The male ‘angel,’ Trath, IS grossed out by all of the sex with lab rats. So he takes Kirk away and starts experimenting on him. If you know what I mean. And I think you do.
The angels decide they will trade the galaxy for Kirk. He must be an extraordinary lay. Spock won’t agree to the deal.
So the Angels turn Savaj and Spock into 10-ft-tall giants and make them fight.
After the fight, Spock is in AUGMENTED COMMAND MODE.
Kirk’s gonna get in trouble! Kirk’s gonna get in trouble!
Kirk submits to Spock and the galaxy is saved!
The female angels consider visiting Kirk in the future.
WTF:
“There is both the god in man, which reaches for fire and stars, and that black-dark streak, which steals the fire to make chains, extracts a price from the fire-bringer, and lets loose the dogs of war and the vultures of destruction.”
(I’d just like to point out that MAN didn’t punish Prometheus; the GODS did.)
