Nightmare Road

Zine
Title:	Nightmare Road
Publisher:	FireTrine Press
Editor:
Author(s):	Patricia Laurie Stephens
Cover Artist(s):
Illustrator(s):	Alexandra Vincent
Date(s):	August 1991
Medium:	print zine, fanfic
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:
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front cover

Nightmare Road is a slash K/S 174-page novel by Patricia Laurie Stephens. It was illustrated by Alexandra Vincent.

The editor stated:

This novel is a special issue of TWILIGHT TREK; I guess you could call it TWILIGHT TREK 1.5....

Patricia Laurie Stephens is one of fandom's most popular authors, and is rapidly becoming known (notorious?) for her unusual plot angles. No matter what the storyline, her name on a story is a guarantee of a fascinating read. NIGHTMARE ROAD is one of her most unusual and intriguing tales to date.

It was not submitted as a novel; that was my idea. I have enough of a start on TT 2 that there wasn't really enough room to fit it in. And, although it is a perfect example of the TT format, it had to stand by itself.

After you've read it, I think you'll understand why.

S'Kandari

The author employs the term S'Kandarai, a fanon word to describe the traditional ancient bonded warriors on the planet Vulcan.

From the Editor

Patricia Laurie Stephens is one of fandom's most popular authors, and is rapidly becoming known (notorious?) for her unusual plot angles. No matter what the storyline, her name on a story is a guarantee of a fascinating read. NIGHTMARE ROAD is one of her most unusual and intriguing tales to date.

It was not submitted as a novel; that was my idea. I have enough of a start on TT 2 that there wasn't really enough room to fit it in. And, although it is a perfect example of the TT format, it had to stand by itself.

After you've read it, I think you'll understand why.

Summaries

From The Monthly: "An alternate universe novel where the Empire rules and the S'Kandari Warrior Tradition has survived as an elite group of professional 'protectors'. Spock, member of this select crew, meets young Imperial Starfleet officer James T. Kirk for the first time when he is assigned to rescue him from an impregnable island owned by a wealthy corrupt outlaw. With his mission accomplished, however, Spock's ordeal has only just begun."

From Gilda F: "From Vulcan warrior to Protector for hire, Spock is almost killed and then his next assignment is to rescue a young Starfleet officer being held prisoner, who turns out to be only one of two life-altering surprises."

From GAZ: "Action packed psychological cliff-hanger in the best Hitchcock tradition."

Sample Interior

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Reactions and Reviews

1989

This was the most absorbing novels I've read in recent memory. It drew me in from the first scene and didn't let up until after the final climax. All the various sub- branches of the primary mystery were clearly presented and I found myself amazed at the plotting. There wasn't a single wasted word nor any idea left hanging. The descriptions were detailed enough to make the story easy to imagine; yet the narrative moved things along quickly. The feeling of "being there" was very strong, especially near the beginning when Spock was trying to breach Andropol's property. I also appreciated that major plot twists were revealed to the reader throughout the story, yet everything doesn't come together until the very end. The characters of Spock and Sakir behaved in a consistent manner. However, even as for as a/u stories go, I wasn't sure who Spock was. He was a Vulcan/human hybrid, considered himself Vulcan, studied with Vulcan warriors, and yet he behaved and spoke in a human, almost casual manner. I found it puzzling and think I would have accepted him more easily if there had been some explanation — say, a rejection of Vulcan adherence to logic -- that would have accounted for him being so different from the Spock of mainline Trek. Also, I found Kirk to be different than I would perceive him in any universe. I couldn't quite accept him voicing so easily his desire to have Spock 'protect' him; I think his pride would prevent his expressing such desires. Nevertheless, since his presence was actually a minor part of the story, his 'off characterization wasn't as distracting as Spock's.

1991

This is a very well written novel. It could be a pro novel — and that, oddly enough, is my criticism of it. The characters from Star Trek don't have to be the characters from Star Trek for the novel to work. Indeed, Kirk is superfluous. If he had been H-236, the story would have been a K/S story.

It is to the author's credit that the reader doesn't come to that conclusion until the very end. The novel has a crisp pace, great descriptions, and a tightly woven plot. It grasps the reader's interest immediately and keeps it throughout.

The implausibility of the ending is in keeping with the Twilight Zone tradition. All in all, I'd say it was worth the money.

1992

This novel takes place in a universe only a few centimeters to one side of the prime Star Trek universe. The Empire rules the galaxy, the S'Kandari Warrior Tradition has survived into the 23rd century, and Spock is one of the elite professionals of the Warriors. He is assigned to rescue Imperial Starfleet officer James Kirk, who has been abducted by Andropol, a powerful, corrupt, and sadistic underworld boss, and is imprisoned on a supposedly impregnable island. Spock has recently recovered from a disastrous mission during which his Vulcan partner and childhood friend Sakir was killed in a particularly grisly manner; he is still plagued by nightmares about it. During Kirk's rescue and subsequent flight from Andropol's hired assassins, clues began to unravel a mystery leading back into the past -- straight to the failed mission which is the source of Spock's nightmares. When Spock's 'dead' partner turns up, with identical memories of a massive ongoing plot to overthrown the government of Vulcan -- and ultimately developing their own relationship in the midst of chaos. 'Nightmare Road' is tightly written and suspenseful, with a surprise plot twist at the end that won't be soon forgotten by anyone who reads it. I don't usually like AU stories, but I couldn't put this one down. Well worth your time and money.

Nightmare Road (a special issue of Twilight Trek) by Patricia Laurie Stephens, published by Jean Hinson. Yes, this is a K/S novel. But it's one hell of a read. The author doesn't pull any punches and we wind up with a roller-coaster ride for a novel that just can't be put down. Extremely well-written and presented, it certainly has my vote for the best new novel last year. Twilight Trek itself is certainly nothing to sneeze at, either, with its "Twilight Zone meets Star Trek" flavor.

This was the most absorbing novels I've read in recent memory. It drew me in from the first scene and didn't let up until after the final climax. All the various sub-branches of the primary mystery were clearly presented and I found myself amazed at the plotting. There wasn't a single wasted word nor any idea left hanging. The descriptions were detailed enough to make the story easy to imagine; yet the narrative moved things along quickly. The feeling of "being there" was very strong, especially near the beginning when Spock was trying to breach Andropol's property. I also appreciated that major plot twists were revealed to the reader throughout the story, yet everything doesn't come together until the very end.

The characters of Spock and Sakir behaved in a consistent manner. However, even as for as a/u stories go, I wasn't sure who Spock was. He was a Vulcan/human hybrid, considered himself Vulcan, studied with Vulcan warriors, and yet he behaved and spoke in a human, almost casual manner. I found it puzzling and think I would have accepted hit more easily if there had been some explanation — say, a rejection of Vulcan adherence to logic -- that would have accounted for him being so different from the Spock of mainline Trek. Also, I found Kirk to be different than I would perceive him in any universe. I couldn't quite accept him voicing so easily his desire to have Spock 'protect' him; I think his pride would prevent his expressing such desires. Nevertheless, since his presence was actually a minor part of the story, his 'off characterization wasn't as distracting as Spock's.

This a/u novel actually had little to do with K/S, but I found it to be a fascinating, fulfilling read. In short, it was a novel with a genuine plot that was worthy of investing my imagination in.

1998

This is a story set in the mirror universe. Spock is a Protector in the Empire. He and his shieldmate Sakir have sworn to guard and protect the clients they serve. They make part of a select band of men, raised and trained as S'Kandari-warriors, out of Vulcan's past. One day, Spock receives an assignment to rescue an Earthman from his kidnapper, and that Earthman happens to be James Kirk.

This seems to be the major story, but it isn't. It is rather easy for Spock to locate Kirk and to rescue him. The human is bruised, but not in a bad shape. By running away towards safety Spock finds out that a ghost hunts him from the past: his shieldmate Sakir.

Then begins the main story. It tells how Spock and Sakir are raised and trained by Nogura and became shieldmates. They get an assignment together to protect the Vulcan ambassador, who is also Spock's father Sarek. Their assignment fails and both Sakir and Sarek are killed and Spock is severely injured.

That's why he is so astonished when he finds out that Sakir is still alive and assigned to the man who has kidnapped Kirk. Sakir is as astonished as Spock, because he is sure that he saw Spock die. Sakir doesn't want to work for somebody who is a kidnapper and decides to take Kirk as a principal, a client, too. So Kirk has two Protectors, now. Against who and why they have to protect him is not quite clear, nor is the reason why Kirk was kidnapped in the first place.

Spock and Sakir decide to investigate the strange events that had happened. Because they have to protect Kirk they take him with them. What follows is an art of horror-tale. It is quite thrilling, but what exactly Kirk is doing there is not obvious. The major story-line has nothing to do with Kirk's rescue.

In my pov Kirk is only there to make it a K/S story, there is no real role for him in the play. It could have been a story of Spock only.

For some mysterious reason Kirk falls in love with Spock (we know, of course!), thus the story ends with a sex scene. Kirk can get a ship and Spock will be his second in command and together they will lead a rebellion against the Empire. At least it is a nice explanation about how the mirror Kirk and Spock came to serve together.

Summarized, it is an interesting story with a rather complicated plot, but not a story I would choose for our two friends. The story is well written and - constructed.