Title: Of Sentinels and Anchors
Fandom: Star Trek XI
Pairing: Kirk/Spock
Categories: Alternate Universe, Romance, Angst, Drama
Length: Medium
Warnings: Some disturbing sexual imagery.

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a?

Review:
When Spock is raised on Earth with little to no Vulcan influence in his life, he struggles to learn control and find a place for himself in the universe.

‘Of Sentinels and Anchors’ is probably one of my favorite ‘what-if’ stories that has come out of the st_xi_kink meme thus far and with so many stories being produced, that’s really saying something. Beginning with the death of his father, this story explores Spock’s life and his struggles to maintain control of both his emotions and telepathic abilities while living on Earth with his mother. It’s a grim but not hopeless fic, with Spock constantly being faced with not only his differences from the humans around him but also his similarities, which can and are just a grueling to face as the differentiations.

The sense of isolation Spock feels, both from humans and from vulcans, is tangible throughout the entire story and makes your heart ache for him and his situation. Even when the story bridges the gap from pre-movie into the events of XI, you’re still left with a sense of separation and segregation, with Spock taking medication to try to ‘smooth’ out his telepathic abilities but still being adrift. This, in and of itself, is a huge factor to why the rest of the story is so much more rewarding and touching. When Spock finally finds his ‘anchor’ in Jim, it’s like a punch to the gut, making you breath a sigh of relief and hope for them both.

On a side note, fans of the television show, ‘The Sentinel’, will find quite a plenty of echoes in this story, though this is in no way a crossover or a fusion and shouldn’t be read as such. I highly recommend it, especially for those of you who enjoy angst with happy endings.

Of Sentinels and Anchors