BERGER, MARGARET: "Tipping The Scales."
01/03/04	VOYAGER:
36kb	Paris/Chakotay. Q appears to Paris and tells him he's not getting any sex 'cause he's in a Paris/Chakotay universe and needs to widen his horizons before the Paris/Kim universes start to outnumber the Paris/Chakotay universes!
	The rest of the holocharacters froze in place, but Sandrine merely stood still and crossed her arms, an expression of pique settling on her face. "You know what your problem is, Helmboy?" she said, all trace of a French accent long gone. "Your problem is that you don't know how to relax and have a little fun."
	Helmboy?" Tom repeated, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Oh god, don't tell me ..." He groaned as a flash of light illuminated the room, and Sandrine disappeared, to be replaced by someone younger, prettier, and a whole lot more lethal ... "Q."
	This is a wonderfully funny satire of the slash genre and I enjoyed it hugely. There are now 6 stories in this series but nothing is as good as the first one, IMO.  The second one deals with the inevitable get together of Chakotay and Paris in this universe - and is okay, but the rest don't grab me at all.
	FISH, LESLIE: "This Deadly Innocence."
01/11/04	ORIGINAL SERIES:
217kb	Kirk/Spock. McCoy has noticed a deadly habit forming in  the Spock/Kirk relationship and he acts swiftly to eradicate it: the two are sent for an extended  rest on a planet that contains a plethora of fascinating small animals.
	Just as the last of the solar disk disappeared, there came a faint rustling among the low bushes and a troop of little horse-shaped animals emerged. The two held perfectly still, and after a moment the shy creatures ventured down to the water's edge to drink.
	"Look," Kirk whispered. "They're unicorns."
	Spock shook his head slightly. The tiny equines actually possessed two horns, though they were very closely set and tightly spiraled together. Nor were the beasts the snowy color of legend; their coats were a remarkable dark green, spotted with pale blue.
	This is one of the very first slash stories of any sort in any fandom and, apart from its historical importance, it's still a fascinating read.  It's interesting to note that this story isn't as sexually explicit as a lot of current slash stories but I loved the many different cute little animals that were part of Spock and Kirk's world in this story.  Some readers may find the characterisations a little hard to swallow - I found both men to bemore innocent then I found entirely believable - but all in all I enjoyed this story thoroughly.
	GREYWOLF: "The Other One."
01/11/04	ORIGINAL SERIES:
126kb	Spock/McCoy. Both Spock and McCoy have had unfortunate experiences with each other's doubles in the mirror universe - and together they begin to help each other heal.
	For the first time in his life Dr. Leonard McCoy was eager to feel the transporter effect. They couldn't get out of this snake pit fast enough for him.
	He wasn't really in pain any more; the lidacin had taken care of that. But he was dizzy and disoriented, worried that he was going to collapse if he relaxed even the tiniest bit. He was afraid he was going to be sick right here on the transporter pad. His vision was blurring in and out of focus; he was still in shock from the forced meld. He hadn't dared take a stimulant-- his hold on consciousness was fragile enough now, without adding that to the mix.
	This is very much your bread and butter variety of hurt/comfort and it hits the spot very well.  It's also good to read fiction that deals with the Spock/McCoy pairing, which I enjoy just as much as Spock/Kirk.
	KILLASHANDRA: "Turning Point."
01/03/04	ORIGINAL SERIES:
212kb	Kirk/Spock. When Kirk is promoted to Admiral and grounded, he takes Spock to New Orleans.
	It was no more than he had wanted to do for years.
	That truth came home to the Vulcan in the instant before Kirk turned, met his gaze. They stood like that for a long moment, speaking in the silence things long left unsaid. Then Kirk smiled, small upturn of the sensual lips. "Come on, Spock," he said softly, the words filling the silence as if they had been shaped long ago, for just this moment. "We've waited long enough."
	I love all Killashandra's writing.  It has an emotional intensity that I love and she writes some of the hottest sex in fandom. I love this Spock and the atmosphere of New Orleans is captured effortlessly .
	KILLASHANDRA: "Full Circle."
01/03/04	ORIGINAL SERIES:
388kb	Kirk/Spock. This is the sequel to "Turning Point. "  After their time apart, Kirk and Spock meet again but has their separation changed them both too much for their relationship to have a chance?
	The surface of his thoughts, as he waited there on the ancient stones, shone clear and laser-bright with the precision of his control. He did not need to think of what might have been. He certainly was not thinking of him. No, not now. Not after he had come so far.
	Spock knelt, and waited, and did not think of him. Not his name, not his face, not the memory of his body or his voice. Most especially not the memory of the aching oneness that owned him whenever their minds touched.
	As he had a thousand times in the past, he made the denial a weapon against the longing and need. He turned his face to the sky, did not look to the west, to where the light of a small and unremarkable yellow star could sometimes be seen. It was a test. As he had a thousand times, he conquered the compulsion; he did not look.
	I love this story, although only slightly less than the "Turning Point", which is my favourite of the two. This story has more plot and is set around the action of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.   There is more angst in this story but I love the ending and the return to New Orleans is a sensual delight for the reader.
	KILLASHANDRA: "Ghost In The Machine."
01/03/04	VOYAGER & ORIGINAL SERIES:
107kb	Tom Paris/ 'Jim Kirk'; Paris/Kim. Paris is in love with Harry Kim but afraid to tell him.  While searching through his things he finds an old simulation he made long ago for Spock.  Curiously, he tries it in the holodeck.
	Sometimes the things we do come back to haunt us.
	If there's one thing prison teaches you, it's this: in the end there's always a payback, and nothing we do comes free. The shadows of the choices we've made never entirely disappear, even on the brightest day. Call it kismet if you want. Whatever you call it, it's something  we've all had to learn, out here seventy thousand light years from home. Your ghosts will follow you no matter how far you run.
	And sometimes it's the ghost you least expect.
	I must admit that looking at the pairing of this story almost turned me off reading it when I first discovered it, but Killashandra makes this pairing work in original and wonderful ways.  This story is extremely well written and full of pathos, as one would expect from this brilliant writer.  I'll read anything by Klllashandra, who is one of my favourite writers.
	TORCH: "Stating The Obvious."
01/03/04	VOYAGER:
66kb	Paris/Kim. Paris Introduces Kim to one of his holographic programs but instead of playing the game their talk becomes personal.
	"Tom..."
	"Yeah?"
	"Have you ever had sex with a holographic character?" Harry stared down into his glass, appalled at what he'd just said. The perfect line to throw into a casual conversation. But he was curious. "It's none of my business," he said quickly, "forget it... I just wondered..."
	This is a very sweet love story.  I love the conversation, I love the characterisation, I love the emotional intensity of this story.  Very soothing and romantic.