52

THE VULCAN SURVIVOR - Lucia Palude

Spock bent abruptly over his viewer, automatically inserting his earpiece for sharper audio. "The M'D0K, Lieutenant. A small freighter of Andorian registry. Lost without trace-some 16 years ago." Spock straightened to look at his captain. "There were Vulcan traders an board."

Kirk's full attention was on his tense First Officer. "How do you know that?"

"Family history. A distant cousin, his wife and infant son were aboard the M'DOK, traveling to one of the Rim colonies to establish a trading post. My cousin Skellar was a dealer of kevas and trillium."

WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN BETWEEN US--Helen

He believes I do not understand, Spock thought. 'Love is not written in my book', he said. Perhaps that was true, once, before a certain starship captain came into my life….

PERSONAL DEVILS--Deanna Gray

The black-clad figure paced the room. It didn't help, as it hadn't helped all night. He threw himself back into his chair. Reaching for his drink, he gulped down the remnants, welcoming the burning sensation that fired its way down his throat. But it faded too quickly, grim thoughts once again overtaking his mind.

"Shit!" Kirk flung the empty glass across the room. Its shattering demise did nothing to assuage him. His eyes slid to the viewer, as they had a hundred times since he had called up the image.

A VULCAN'S LAMENTS--Julie

"Spock…Spock! What's wrong?" Strong hands clasped the shaking shoulders, turning the tear-stained face toward the light of the cabin. The Vulcan opened his eyes and looked into the face of his Captain and his friend.

GOLDEN SILENCES-Autumn Hill

The silence lay thick around them as they left the bridge today. A silence that spoke volumes.

The silence had grown up slowly between the captain and the first officer of the starship Enterprise. Not a cold or unfriendly silence, which was what newly assigned crewmen would often confuse it for at first, assuming that here was a command team the functioned well together but weren't particularly close, not that uncommon of a thing in a military organization. But it never took anyone long to realize that it wasn't the case at all. Rather, this was the silence that only those friends who are completely comfortable with each other can share.

THE LITTLE THINGS--Rosemarie Heaton

It was strange how it was the small differences that made him realize that was Spock alien, Kirk thought. He laughed to himself. Just the little things! Pointed ears, slanted eyebrows, mind links and double ridges! He shifted in his chair. Those double ridges had been a whole new experience. He could still feel how they had stimulated his prostrate. His orgasm had been tremendous and he hoped only the first of many. Providing, of course, that Spock wanted a repeat performance.

PARADISE--Islaofhope

Kirk jabbed the button angrily to cut the circuit. Spock's voice had been eager when he'd first answered his captain's hail, but their conversation had deteriorated quickly into sharp words from him reminding his first officer of his duty to the ship and Spock responding with an edge of amusement in his voice. They weren't any closer to agreement. He was alone on the Enterprise, and Spock and the rest of his crew were spore-addled down on Omicron Ceti III.

DESTINY'S WAY--Jennifer Andon

It was the longest walk of his life. Somehow his control held, so he arrived at his quarters without any undue attention. The door slid shut behind him. His whole body began to tremble, reacting at last to the horrible aftermath of what he had done. He staggered to his bedroom, falling to his knees by his bunk and burying his head in his arms. And wept.

Covers: Fiona Graves & Marianne Müller Art: GOS, Sky, Müller & Soto

Poetry: Helen, Benjamin, Spock & Hood