star trek fanfiction kirk tarsus

• Readability

If this type of authorization does not work for you, convert your account using the link

ST TOS Fanfiction--- "A Moment on Tarsus IV"

Summary: The anniversary of the Tarsus IV Massacre rolls around. Kirk tries to forget what day it is, Spock and McCoy refuse to. Discoveries are made that give us a glimpse of the past that helped shape James T. Kirk into the man he is.

Warnings: I didn't put anything too terribly violent in it, but the subject matter is a Massacre. Thus the rating. Also a tongue-in-cheek comment about what McCoy plans to do on Risa. Bones honestly means he is going to go stuff his guts full of food (trust me, I'm the Author). And it just wouldn't be our Enterprise if there wasn't *some* drinking.

If you haven't watched "The Conscience of the King" you will probably be slightly lost. But there aren't any real spoilers for that episode.

Nerd Talk: Details such as Vulcan veggies and Kirk's age are from Memory Alpha. They know more about Star Trek than I do; argue with them if you take exception to any of it. Other than that, the elements and events are just my opinions and ideas.

Author's Note (Not to be confused with Nerd Talk although I could easily understand the mix-up): This idea has been floating around in my head a while, along with half a dozen others, of what little Jim Kirk must have gone through on Tarsus. This is a tad more angsty than my other stuff, I tried to keep Kirk reasonably in character (not bawling his eyes out) but if any of it is "over-the-top" let me know. Also hope the flashbacks aren't too disjointed, but memories are often like that. I'm trusting in your intelligence to figure out what is the NOW and what was the THEN. The lines drive me crazy. Wanted to use something else for the real "scene changes" and the lines for the memories. But naturally the computer has fought me every step of the way. So this is what you get.

Disclaimer: Don't own Star Trek. If I did TOS wouldn't have been canceled after just 3 seasons… not to mention it would have a better final episode than "Kirk has a sex change"

Vorik was my creation, but you can play with him if you ask nicely… and you promise to keep him a good guy.

Kirk lay on his bed analyzing the shadows on the ceiling. He wasn't scheduled for Bridge Duty for the entire day. He wished he would have noticed the change on the Duty Roster sooner. He would rather have kept extra busy today of all days.

He glanced over at the monitor and sighed. He had been putting this off for weeks, and he knew it. He felt slightly guilty for not even responding to the Historical Society, but… they of all people should have understood why. All he really wanted to do was forget, but he knew he couldn't. Not ever, really, but certainly not today.

Just then the door chimed.

Kirk snatched a book off of his night table before calling, "Enter!"

Spock walked in, "Captain."

"Spock, what can I do for you?"

"I merely came to…" Spock shifted for a moment, "see if you were alright."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Spock was expecting this, and knew the best way to tackle Kirk's defense was with sheer Vulan-style directness:

"Because, Captain, today marks the anniversary of the Tarsus IV Massacre."

"I'm fine, Spock," Kirk was trying to keep the edge out of his voice, "Really. I'm fine. I didn't even realize today's date! Just been reading this book, and enjoying my day off. I honestly haven't even thought about Tarsus or Kodos… in quite some time, in fact. I'm fine."

"Jim… Your book is upside-down."

Kirk turned red as he glanced at the incriminating page. Just then Dr. McCoy came in the room, without even bothering to buzz first.

"Jim… Spock…. Jim, you okay?"

Kirk grumbled. He was about to tell them to butt out, to just leave him alone, to just let him get to the Bridge and work. Then he looked at them. Spock was standing completely stiff, which meant he was *incredibly* uncomfortable and did not quite know what to do, but his eyes were practically bursting with compassion. Bones had a bottle of Jack in one hand, and his face radiated both concern and understanding.

He was in a room with the two people in the Universe he was truly close to…and they only wanted to help.

"Well," he sighed; making up his mind, "Since you both are here and you both want to talk about Tarsus IV we might as well watch this thing that I haven't gotten around to; been too busy."

Kirk walked over to his desk and pulled up the communiqué.

"I got this from the Historical Society of Tarsus. They have been going through all of the old surveillance and traffic cameras. Most were destroyed or damaged beyond salvaging, but apparently they have managed to extract some images and video from… then."

"A most worthy endeavor," Spock said, "The victims should be memorialized, and the unfortunate events learned from, so that they will not be repeated."

"Yeah…" Kirk sighed, "Well, I guess they got some footage of… me… they need me to view it and then sign a thing that says they can use it in some sort of Documentary."

McCoy and Spock looked at each other. They quietly pulled up two chairs and sat behind their Captain as he accessed the video.

"I don't want… I don't know if it will be graphic or gruesome for you guys… I mean, I really have no idea what it is. Could be anything. Heck, it could even be before…" He tried to chuckle, "It's probably just the back of my head or my butt or something,"

"Your butt would definitely increase the number of female viewers if they put it in their Documentary," Bone chimed in, knowing that Kirk needed to hear a joke to feel "normal." He then laid a hand on his friend's shoulder, "Let's just watch it and get it over with. Then we can see if Spock handles Jack Daniels any better than Hot Chocolate."

Kirk smiled, and then took a deep breath. "Here goes."

The screen came to life with a static-filled and somewhat garbled image. It slowly cleared to reveal a pile of rubble. The camera was focused on what had been the intersection of some airway. It was impossible to tell which one. There was smoke in the background, and the noises indicated that looters were close by.

Kirk felt his heart pound. He should have turned the volume off… the sounds…

The scene did nothing for a moment. The only movement was the smoke. Then suddenly… there he was. 13 year old James Kirk. His face was definitely recognizable, though considerably younger looking. His hair was in complete disarray, and he had a cut on his forehead. He was thin to the point of emaciation.

All of this, though, was not the reason Spock visibly flinched and leaned forward…

It was the second figure. A young child, a boy, with an equally heart-wrenching appearance. The little child could have been no more than 5 or 6, and he had a death grip on Jim's hand. This child had pointed ears.

The image of young Jim turned and held up a hand to the boy in a "wait here" motion, then made his way down the rubble pile. He looked around a bit before he picked up something. He climbed back up. Moments later there was an explosion.

Captain Kirk jumped backwards in his seat and swore under his breath. Spock leaned in closer to him, eyes fixated on the children.

The image was filled with static again then cleared in time to see Jim pick up the child and begin to run.

The screen went dark.

"Jim…" Bones whispered, "Who… who was that with you?"

Kirk grabbed the bottle of Jack and took several swigs. He wanted to squash the torrential downpour of memories…

Young Jim tried to coax the child away from the body.

" What's your name?" he asked. The child said nothing.

" I'm Jim. Are you alone?"

Still nothing.

Kirk swallowed hard then said hoarsely, "I don't know."

"You have no recollection of this event?" Spock asked.

"No. I remember all of it. I meant that I never knew who he was. The boy couldn't talk. I never knew his name."

"How did you find him?" Spock asked after a long moment.

"I found him next to…" he paused, "His mother."

The two nodded in understanding.

"She was already… and the boy wouldn't answer me. He was injured… I tried to get him to talk, but… I think he had seen her… had been there when she… so I picked him up because he wouldn't have lasted long alone there. People killed each other for clothing, and there was no food. He was too young to take care of himself."

Jim finally found a smashed E-ration pack at the bottom of the rubble pile. Tearing it open, he found a half soggy protein bar. He handed it to the child.

" Come on, eat! I been lookin' all day, that's all you get!" He said angrily. He was hungry and tired. He didn't know anything about taking care of little kids. Let alone Vulcans.

" I wish Mom were here. Or Dad. Or Sam. They'd know what to do…"

Jim turned and pretended to throw the bar in his mouth and chew it up. He then handed it back to the child, who slowly took a bite.

Spock lightly touched Kirk's arm, "What happened to the child?"

Kirk sighed, "He was with me for a few days. I tried to find food for us, but it was hard. I didn't even know if he understood me when I spoke to him. I couldn't tell what he needed, and I didn't know how to help him."

" You thirsty?" Jim asked.

The child stared at him.

Jim cupped his hand and pretended to drink from it. The child just blinked.

" I don't know how much water Vulcans need. I don't even know how much I need. But I'm thirsty, so I'm gonna bet you are too."

"So… after a few days, we ended up spending the night in an abandoned farmhouse where several other refugees had hidden…"

Jim picked up the child, who had already fallen asleep, and carried him through the crowds of people to a dark corner of the room. He sat down and wrapped the kid up in his arms.

Vulcan was a hot planet, he was pretty sure it was anyway, so it made sense the kid was probably cold all the time. And the nights were getting very chilly…

He leaned his head back and had almost fallen asleep when he heard a mocking voice, "I somehow doubt that is YOUR child."

Jim's eyes snapped open. A man was leering at them from across the room.

" So?" Jim asked in the arrogant tone that only 13 year olds can get away with.

" So why bother? Looks like the kid has a nice warm jacket… big too. Big enough to fit me."

" It's HIS!" Jim snapped.

" Sure, son. Sure."

" I'm NOT your son!"

" Neither is that kid."

Jim decided he wouldn't sleep that night. He leaned hard against the wall and wrapped his arms tighter around the child.

The night dragged on… it was hard to stay awake… maybe if he just closed his eyes for a minute…

Suddenly he felt his arm being moved. He jerked awake and saw the same leering man trying to peel away the jacket.

" HEY!" Jim yelled. The kid woke up and squirmed out of his lap.

The man turned to walk off, but Jim Kirk was going to have none of that. He leaped onto the man and brought him down with a crash. The man swore and rolled over, effectively tossing Jim off of him. A moment later there was a knife raised above Jim's head. He covered his face with his arm and braced himself. A second later he heard the man grunt. He looked up to see a Vulcan holding the man's shoulder as he sank unconsciously to the ground.

Jim scrambled up, "Thanks."

" Where did you find this child?" The Vulcan asked bluntly.

"I met a Vulcan there, who basically ordered me to give the boy to him. I wasn't sure what to do. I hated to just leave the child, but I knew it was best. I figured another Vulcan would be better suited to take care of him…"

" Where are you going?" Jim whispered as the Vulcan gathered up the child to leave. It was early in the morning, and they were the only ones awake.

" South."

" You shouldn't, it's bad. Really bad. A lot of people are dead there."

The Vulcan ignored him. It made Jim mad.

" Look Mister, I been to the South. The Governor is there. I've heard there's food up North. The famine wasn't so bad there."

" The famine is planet-wide. The direction you head is irrelevant."

Jim said no more. He thought about asking to tag along, but knew that the Vulcan probably didn't want another kid to watch after. When the sun finally came up he turned Northwards and continued on by himself.

"I don't know what happened to the child… I used to think about him a lot. I wondered if I did the right thing... I still do."

"It was the logical course of action to take, Jim" Spock said, his hand still hadn't moved.

"I know," Kirk swallowed again, "But after that… I was alone…"

They both understood.

They were together for the rest of the day. Bones and Kirk drank up, Spock sat and watched. Kirk and Spock played chess, Bones sat and watched. Spock and Bones started arguing, Kirk sat and watched. Nothing more was said about Tarsus IV. They discussed everything from their upcoming mission to what color they ought to paint the Mess Hall. It was exactly what Kirk needed; to remember a moment and then get back to life.

The next day the usual confident and smiling Captain Kirk sat on the Bridge satisfied in his element. Only Spock's perceptive eye could see that a part of his mind was still back there...

"How long are we gonna be in orbit, Jim?" McCoy asked with a sigh.

"Just one day. I promise we will get to Risa as soon as we have all the supplies on board."

Bones huffed.

"They are your Medical Supplies, Doctor," Spock stated simply, "You can not take exception to the delay, since it was your oversight that lead to the supply being depleted."

"Not my fault you go through Vulcan pills like an old lady! I hope you told them to order us a double case this time!"

"You could always take Shore Leave here ," Kirk piped in.

"On Vulcan? That would be the day. Now if you'll excuse me," Bones scowled sauntering off, "I have to get back to filling out all these blasted forms. Vulcans! I swear they want the exact dimensions of my entire Sick Bay! Can't just believe me when I say I need 'em…"

Kirk chuckled then turned to look at Spock, "Will you be beaming down to visit your parents?"

"Ambassador Sarek and the Lady Amanda are away on a diplomatic mission."

"Pity."

"However… I was planning on beaming down to oversee that the supplies are satisfactory."

"Ah," Kirk said playfully, "A sensible precaution Mr. Spock. You ought to go enjoy to some real Yon-savas while your there."

"A logical suggestion… Captain… would you care to join me?"

The Bridge Crew shifted in surprise at Spock's invitation, but they were not at all shocked by Kirk's gleeful response, "I'd love to Mr. Spock… just to help oversee the supplies of course."

"Of course, Captain." Spock responded with a nod.

Kirk squirmed under the intense heat. He was kicking himself for not remembering the Sunblock Hypo. Spock seemed completely relaxed as he looked over all of the storage containers and talked with the personnel loading them onto the transporter pad. He seemed content to stand out there and soak up the sun.

"You about done?" Kirk called out.

"Affirmative. Captain, I would advise you endeavor to stand in the shade from now on. Your skin has started to turn red indicating it has reached its UV exposure limits."

"Yeah well, I thought we were going to go find a nice air-conditioned restaurant. Didn't think it would take you that long to look over supplies."

"Some minor complications, due to the Doctors illegible handwriting. We may take refreshments now, if you are ready."

"Quite," Kirk grumbled, he could almost feel his skin cells turning extra crispy.

The two walked down the street a ways before turning into a small restaurant. Kirk stepped in and tried not to sigh. It was still hot inside, but at least cooler than out there.

There was hardly anyone else in the place.

"You sure they serve good food here? Seems kind of devoid of customers," Kirk whispered. Spock merely gave him the "I'm-a-local-trust-me" look.

He shrugged and followed Spock to a rather large table.

"What would you like, Captain?"

"Something cold to drink, extra sweet if possible."

Spock nodded and did the ordering. Kirk picked up the menu card and tried desperately to make sense of the Vulcan phrases. He finally gave up and decided he would just order whatever Spock got and hope for the best.

Moments later he was guzzling down his iced tea, completely oblivious to the stranger that had approached the table.

"Jim," Spock said softly.

He looked up.

"I am Vorik," the Vulcan said.

Kirk glanced at Spock then back at Vorik, "Uh…Hello…I am Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise … uh… and this is my First Officer, Mr. Spock."

Vorik raised his hand in greeting. It was then Kirk saw the scar on his arm.

" Hold Still," Young Jim Kirk said, "You got a nasty cut."

The child flinched.

" I know Vulcans don't like being touched, but you're bleeding. Hold still."

The child scrambled away. Jim held up the cloth and pointed to his arm. He mimicked wrapping it up. He then beckoned the child forward and tried to look as welcoming as possible. The child finally moved closer and held absolutely still as he tended the jagged cut.

Kirk felt the glass drop from his hand, and saw Spock's quick reflexes catch it before the tea spilled all over the table. He knew his mouth was open, but he couldn't quite get it to shut nor could he make any words come for at least a full minute.

Finally he whispered, "You…. You're… alive."

"For which I am indebted to you, Captain Kirk."

"But I don't understand. How did…?"

"Mr. Spock contacted me. After he explained who you were, he made arrangements for us to meet again."

Kirk gave Spock an astonished look then gestured Vorik to a chair, "Please join us. I'd like to know what happened… after."

"You placed me in capable hands, Captain, the Vulcan Healer's name was Taurik. He helped me in a great many ways. Regrettably, he was killed after. You were right to try and prevent him from traveling South. It was more dangerous than he had anticipated."

"You remember that?"

"I remember much of that time. Particularly I remember you sacrificing food to nourish me, and risking your life to protect me. My most vivid recollections are of your efforts to communicate by gestures. Some of your expressions were… interesting."

" Look, you need to wait here and hide while I look for food, Ok?" Jim said.

The child clung to his hand and wouldn't let go.

Jim shook it off and gestured for him to wait. He got two steps away before he realized the child was still standing in plain sight. How was he supposed to get the idea of "hide" across?

Jim took his hands and covered his face, then opened them "Peek-a-boo!"

The child gave him a comical surprised and confused look.

" You know, you Vulcans are kind of cute when you're confused… Peek-a-boo!"

Jim then pointed to a crate. The child walked over to it and climbed in. He looked at Jim again

" Peek-a-boo!" Jim grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.

" Maybe I can find a stinking Vulcan dictionary," he mumbled as he walked off.

Kirk smiled.

"Your adaptability was most impressive," Vorik said. Then silence fell over the table.

"I'm glad you made it," Kirk knew it was lame, but he hadn't realized until that moment how much he had needed to say that.

"It is gratifying that you survived as well."

More drinks were ordered. Spock sat quietly back watching Jim and Vorik interact with each other, this time without the barriers of language and hardship. He reflected back on the image of the two unfortunate children. One had grown to become a distinguished Vulcan Healer who specialized in Pediatrics, the other to become one of the most remarkable Captains in Starfleet.

Spock couldn't help but acknowledge that he was… pleased… that two such special children had survived Tarsus IV.

"Well, other than his skin being flame broiled, sounds like it went off without a hitch," McCoy grinned at Spock.

"Affirmative."

"And Jim wasn't too "highly emotional" like you thought he'd be. See? You warned Vorik for nothing."

"On the contrary, Jim reacted exactly as anticipated. I warned Vorik because he is not as accustomed to irrational Human reactions as I am."

Bones snorted, giving that remark the attention he felt it deserved. He then sobered, "It's good Jim finally got to have closure. I still can't believe you called each and every one of those names."

"To the logical mind, Doctor, it was really not so unbelievable a task. I simply narrowed down the names to those who would have been in the appropriate age group."

"Uh huh… and how many names did you get after narrowing them down?"

"879"

"And you called the families of all 879 names?"

"No, I was on the 634th when I at last contacted Vorik's family."

McCoy shook his head, "Well… you'll be happy to know we have a lifetime supply of your vitamins (which you hardly ever take) no need to thank me for making myself look like a fool and giving up a whole day that could have been spent on Risa."

"It was the only believable and viable excuse to make a stop on Vulcan, Doctor."

"Believable! You think I would ever let my medical supplies run out? I am surprised Jim fell for it. By the way, I stored the extra bins in your room. Seems only fair since they're your blasted pills! Your great great grandchildren will probably still have cases left!"

"That should enable me to stay completely healthy despite your substandard medical skill."

"Don't bet on it! You are as bad as Jim when it comes to getting in trouble. You best be glad I'm so patient. And believe me, next time you are in for a physical I'll show you what substandard is! Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to be beaming down for my "sensualist pleasures" in a few minutes."

Spock gave him the appropriate humans-are-disturbing look then returned to his quarters.

Immediately his eyes fell on a VidDisc placed conspicuously on his desk. It was labeled: Famine and Fury; a Documentary of the Tarsus IV Massacre.

Attached was a note:

The Historical Society sent this. I told them they could use the footage, but I also told them they needed to ask Vorik for permission, too. I have to say, it felt good to tell them that. They were pretty surprised. They had tried to figure out who it was, but had failed. I guess they aren't as persistent and dedicated as some I know.

I decided not to watch it. Seeing it all once was enough. But as you said, those lost should be remembered, and we ought to learn from the mistakes made. Someday, perhaps, I will want to see it. And when that time comes, I want both you and Bones to be there.

I know you will. You two always are.

Thanks. For everything.

Because I need to

St tos fanfiction--- infinite diversity and combinations 13/13.

A Letter from the Author: It would be impossible for me to list every single person who has helped me finish this fic. But to everyone who…

ST TOS Fanfiction--- Infinite Diversity and Combinations 12/13

Dear Lady Amanda, First of all, Thank You for all your hospitality as we stayed at your house. It was nice being mothered the whole time, and…

Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal

• Anonymously

Your IP address will be recorded 

• Post a new comment

Recommend this entry Has been recommended Send news

Skip to main contentdfsdf

Julie B's List : Star Trek: Tarsus Fic

Gone_ashore - slings and arrows (1/6).

Five times Jim felt something other than fear in the face of death.

gone-ashore.livejournal.com/20207.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:shoreleave character:Jim_Kirk character:Chris_Pike trope:backstory trope:Tarsus_IV

born with a prophet's curse - fic: run into the bright lights (janice rand, xi)

A brief (alternate) history of Janice Rand

ever-obsessed.livejournal.com/384959.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:ever-obsessed character:Jim_Kirk trope:backstory trope:Tarsus_IV genre:character_study character:Janice_Rand

Scribbling ever onward... - Indelible

Bones plays "I Never" with Jim, Gaila and Nyota. Somewhere between the first round and the walk home, he figures out that some marks have more meaning than he ever thought.

badwolf36.livejournal.com/45097.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:badwolf36 character:Jim_Kirk character:Gaila trope:backstory trope:Tarsus_IV trope:secret_past character:Leonard_McCoy character:Uhura era:academy

Dust In My Eyes, a star trek: 2009 fanfic - FanFiction.Net

It's not too long after they meet that Leonard McCoy begins to realize something bad is lurking in Jim's past. And he becomes determined to find out just what it is.

www.fanfiction.net/...Dust_In_My_Eyes fic fandom:Star_Trek author:pathera character:Jim_Kirk trope:Tarsus_IV trope:abused!Kirk trope:hurt_comfort theme:friendship character:Leonard_McCoy

Strength of Men - Chapter 1 - 1lostone - Star Trek (2009) [Archive of Our Own]

While a deadly disease incapacitates the Enterprise, an old enemy of Jim's forces him to remember his time on Tarsus IV. Spock finds Kirk's pain unacceptable.

archiveofourown.org/...547586 fic fandom:Star_Trek author:1lostone character:Jim_Kirk character:Spock pairing:Kirk_Spock trope:Tarsus_IV trope:torture trope:backstory trope:rescue character:Leonard_McCoy

Recognition

Kevin knew the first moment he saw him. The eyes were unmistakable. Alternate location: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5411435/1/Recognition

archiveofourown.org/...703244 fic fandom:Star_Trek author:JadeMac2442 character:Kevin_Riley character:Jim_Kirk trope:Tarsus_IV trope:backstory trope:reunion character:Leonard_McCoy trope:secret_identity trope:secret_past

Depth, a star trek: 2009 fanfic - FanFiction.Net

Nyota Uhura always thought Jim Kirk was a simple man, easy to read.

www.fanfiction.net/...Depth fic fandom:Star_Trek author:David_J_Knight character:Jim_Kirk trope:Tarsus_IV trope:backstory trope:abused!Kirk character:Uhura

Danahid - FIC: Contact (STXI, PG13)

The only thing we've found that makes the emptiness bearable is each other.

danahid.livejournal.com/10281.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:danahid trope:Tarsus_IV trope:backstory trope:abused!Kirk character:Jim_Kirk character:Spock character:Leonard_McCoy

(Parenthetical Heart) - Mulled Cider, Turkey and Madeleines

Jim and Leo are stranded on a planet at Christmas-- Leo's memories of Christmas are bittersweet. It turns out Jim's are just bitter.

blcwriter.livejournal.com/29761.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:blcwriter character:Jim_Kirk pairing:Kirk_McCoy trope:backstory trope:Tarsus_IV trope:stranded character:Leonard_McCoy era:academy

Pure Imagination - ST: Doctor My Eyes (Master Post)

moogsthewriter.livejournal.com/74375.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:moogsthewriter needs_summary character:Jim_Kirk trope:backstory trope:Tarsus_IV character:Winona_Kirk trope:recuperating character:Leonard_McCoy

the Dalaverse - Fic: A King of Infinite Space (Kirk/Sulu)

Kirk, Sulu, and Tarsus IV.

the-dala.livejournal.com/686920.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:dala character:Jim_Kirk trope:Tarsus_IV trope:ptsd trope:backstory trope:secret_past character:Sulu character:Leonard_McCoy

Switch - Chapter 1 - Ceres_Libera - Star Trek 2009 [Archive of Our Own]

If Leonard McCoy's life could get any fucking weirder, it would be … Jesus, he didn't even want to think what that could possibly mean, because it's already been too fucking weird to make any kind of rational sense.

archiveofourown.org/...245158 author:ceres_libera fic fandom:Star_Trek character:Jim_Kirk pairing:Kirk_McCoy character:Spock character:ensemble:Star_Trek trope:Tarsus_IV character:Leonard_McCoy character:Uhura

The Adventures of Mr. Wubbles & Yum@ - FIC: And The Band Keeps Playing On (STXI, Gen, PG-13) 1/2

Jim asked five questions about Tarsus. He received five answers.

mrwubbles.livejournal.com/38567.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:yuma character:Jim_Kirk character:Spock character:Chris_Pike trope:hurt_comfort trope:Tarsus_IV trope:secret_past trope:backstory character:Leonard_McCoy character:Uhura

Danahid - FIC: The Things You See and The Way You See Them (STXI, PG13)

The art of observation

danahid.livejournal.com/10199.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:danahid character:ensemble:Star_Trek character:Spock character:Jim_Kirk trope:outside_pov trope:Tarsus_IV trope:rescue trope:hurt_comfort trope:backstory trope:secret_past

Two Genocides That the Doctor Didn't Stop (And the One That He Started) - kyrilu - Doctor Who, Star Trek (2009) [Archive of Our Own]

Or: three revolutions that didn't fully come into realisation.

archiveofourown.org/383548 fic fandom:Star_Trek fandom:Doctor_Who author:kyrilu character:Tenth_Doctor character:Eleventh_Doctor character:The_Rani character:Jim_Kirk character:Eighth_Doctor trope:Tarsus_IV theme:genocide character:Ninth_Doctor trope:Time_War genre:crossover

Waterworks, a star trek: 2009 fanfic | FanFiction

The five times that James Tiberus Kirk cried about Tarsus IV and the one time he actually felt closure.

www.fanfiction.net/...Waterworks fic fandom:Star_Trek author:The_Kobayashi_Maru character:Jim_Kirk trope:backstory trope:Tarsus_IV era:academy

nw_fic: Making Connections

Lieutenant Jason Mathews couldn't decide if he respected Jim Kirk.

nw-fic.livejournal.com/5306.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:northernwalker character:Jim_Kirk character:cupcake trope:Tarsus_IV trope:backstory trope:competent!Kirk theme:grief theme:friendship character:Leonard_McCoy era:5yr_mission

Spock's unfamiliar with Tarsus IV, understanding it only in the abstract through the lens of distant history, and so it's difficult for him to understand the uproar over a man long-thought dead coming forward to proclaim his culpability in the killing of half a population of colonists.

st-xi-kink.livejournal.com/2494.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:anon trope:Tarsus_IV character:Spock era:post-movie character:Leonard_McCoy character:Jim_Kirk character:Scotty character:Uhura trope:backstory era:5yr_mission

deadly sin? - trek 09

Jim Kirk and Tarsus IV. " They don't talk about it while it's happening, of course, though Tommy's always moaning and clutching his belly, his face tight; though Kevin's white-knuckled and nauseous, always pestering Kodos, asking, Have you found them yet, do you know where my family is?"

sloth.dreamwidth.org/6554.html fic fandom:Star_Trek author:sloth character:Jim_Kirk trope:Tarsus_IV trope:backstory pairing:Kirk_McCoy trope:kobayashi_maru character:Spock trope:starvation character:Leonard_McCoy era:pre-series era:academy trope:ptsd character:Kevin_Riley era:5yr_missi

Green, a star trek: 2009 fanfic | FanFiction

The captain of the USS Yorktown receives a call from the captain of the USS Enterprise and remembers the day that she first met him.

www.fanfiction.net/1 fic fandom:Star_Trek author:CSO_Spock character:Jim_Kirk character:Number_One trope:Tarsus_IV trope:backstory genre:missing_scene

22 items | 21 visits

Updated on Oct 12, 12 Created on Jul 14, 12

Category: Entertainment & Arts

• Twitter This
• ©2024 Diigo, Inc.
• Pricing & Plans
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy

Star Trek: The Tarsus IV Incident, Explained

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Iconic Star Trek Star Is Willing To Reprise Franchise Role, Even If It Involves AI

Star trek: discovery - the emerald chain, explained, star trek: who are the kellerun.

Science fiction has a lot of common ground. Fans can find repeated tropes, character concepts, thematic notes, and narrative inventions across otherwise massively different franchises. Star Trek has countless iterations of this idea. The premise of a cruel leader killing half of a population in some misguided attempt to rescue the other half from a resource crisis might bring a certain purple gentleman to mind. Star Trek addressed a similar idea with a healthy dose of Macbeth when discussing the Tarsus IV Incident.

One of the strange things about Star Trek is the way it handles history . The series often tells stories without flashbacks, telling but never showing details about the distant past. It is, of course, not a show about the past. Time travel aside, many massive events in the timeline appear in the script with little more than a one-off description to go on. This leaves many fans wondering what a glimpse into the past might look like.

Nearly 6 decades after premiering in their iconic role, one Star Trek star has suggested a rather contentious way to return to the franchise renewed.

What was the Tarsus IV Incident?

Tarsus IV was an inhabited planet that held a Federation colony for humans from Earth. The original timeline offers little detail about its usual operation, but the films add some details. The Tarsus IV colony existed to enable agriculture on the harsh planet. The movies state that Tarsus IV became a safe home for veterans of the Earth-Romulan War . Those seeking peace after a period of struggle found a quiet new home. More than 8,000 citizens lived in the colony, many of them having found solace after fleeing a failed previous haven. Their previous home, Epsilon Sorona II, suffered a tragedy that ruined their food supplies. Unfortunately, that nightmare followed them to Tarsus IV in 2246. A hostile fungus or mutagenic virus attacked crops and food storage across the planet. The population faced a famine that could end life on the planet. One man came forward with a solution.

Kodos was the governor of the colony of Tarsus IV. When the mushrooms consumed their food storage, Kodos reverted to an old philosophy. As a eugenicist, Governor Kodos had strong opinions about who should and shouldn't exist in the human gene pool. He knew that Tarsus IV's remaining food supply could support half of the existing population. Thinking like Thanos , he believed that he would have to sacrifice 4,000 so that the other 4,000 could live. He personally selected 4,000 of his own people and executed them. The script mentions an antimatter chamber as his method, promising an instantaneous death for every victim. In a horrible twist, Federation supply ships arrived earlier than expected, providing more than enough food to save every person on Tarsus IV. His terrible philosophy and rash decision-making led to thousands of needless deaths. Earth Forces found a burned body in the governor's home and assumed Kodos died in the incident. Tarsus IV would later become a destination for various shipping vessels.

What happened after the Tarsus IV Incident?

Star Trek addressed the Tarsus IV Incident in the season one episode "The Conscience of a King." The episode features one of the great elevator pitches of the early franchise. James Kirk was one of many survivors who left Tarsus IV. Only nine of the 4,000 could positively identify Kodos, four of whom mysteriously died. Through the advice of an old friend and fellow survivor, Kirk finds Kodos living a new life as an actor in a traveling Shakespeare company. This leads Kirk to an encounter with Kodos, now going by Anton Karidian, and his daughter, Lenore. After attending a party for the actors, Kirk and Lenore find Kirk's friend dead.

Spock discovers that seven of the nine Tarsus IV survivors who could identify Kodos turned up dead. Only Kirk and Lt. Kevin Riley could still find the governor. Through an investigation, he discovers connections between all seven deaths and the traveling Shakespeare troupe . Suddenly, someone poisons Riley and rigs a phaser in Kirk's quarters to explode. Kirk confronts Karidian, and while he doesn't admit to being Kodos, he defends the decision to kill 4,000 people. A vocal scan proves a near-perfect match between Kodos and Karidian. Riley later overhears McCoy talking about Karidian and chases him down to avenge his family. Kirk defuses the situation but discovers that Lenore has been killing witnesses to Karidian's past transgressions. When Kirk moves to arrest them, Lenore steals a phaser to attack. Karidian throws himself in the path of the blast, sacrificing himself to save Kirk . The eugenicist monster, who unnecessarily killed thousands, gave his life to atone for his daughter's sins. Lenore suffered a mental breakdown, convinced that her father lived on and continued performing.

The Tarsus IV Incident is a lesson against several forms of terrible leadership. Kodos' decision would have been unthinkable even if it hadn't been immediately invalidated. With the benefit of hindsight, it's hard not to imagine him looking for an excuse to execute his citizens. Kodos bizarrely tried to redeem himself, and though the safety of one person hardly erases the Tarsus IV Incident, it's better than staying the course. Perhaps he learned a few things from his time on the stage. The King developed a conscience far too late.

This batch of space capitalists brings the subtext into the text for Star Trek: Discovery's most on-the-nose villain to date.

• Movies & TV

• Search forums

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

• Star Trek Fandom
• Fan Fiction

Tarsus IV Prompt

• Thread starter Dr. Selena Kirk
• Start date Nov 16, 2014

Dr. Selena Kirk

• Nov 16, 2014

http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Avenger Already done as an official novel. Captain Kirk learns why Tarsus 4 happened, how he was one of the few to see the Governor's face and live to tell about it.  

Hartzilla2007

Vice admiral.

• Nov 27, 2014

Count said: http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Avenger Already done as an official novel. Captain Kirk learns why Tarsus 4 happened, how he was one of the few to see the Governor's face and live to tell about it. Click to expand...

• Dec 13, 2014

Hartzilla2007 said: Count said: http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Avenger Already done as an official novel. Captain Kirk learns why Tarsus 4 happened, how he was one of the few to see the Governor's face and live to tell about it. Click to expand...

• General Trek Discussion
• Star Trek: Enterprise
• Star Trek - The Original & Animated Series
• Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
• Star Trek: Voyager
• Star Trek: Discovery
• Star Trek: Picard
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Star Trek: Lower Decks
• Star Trek: Prodigy
• Star Trek Movies I-X
• Star Trek Movies: Kelvin Universe
• Future of Trek
• Trek Gaming
• Trek Literature
• Fan Productions
• CSI (at Talk CSI)
• Science and Technology
• Sports and Fitness
• Web Sites/Design
• Miscellaneous
• Site Forums

Tarsus IV is a planet mentioned in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Conscience of the King".

"In 2246, Kirk was living on the planet Tarsus IV during a food crisis that was starving the colony of eight thousand people. Governor Kodos, sympathetic to old eugenics philosophies, tried to save a portion of his colony by killing the four thousand colonists he deemed least desirable or able to survive. Kodos was unaware of the imminent arrival of relief ships. The thirteen-year-old Jim Kirk was one of only nine eyewitnesses to the massacre." [1]

Canonical and Semi Canonical Events Related to Tarsus

• According to the Star Trek Into Darkness App, John Harrison is one of nine survivors from a 2246 attack on Tarsus IV. [2] According to the movie, however, John Harrison is only an identity fabricated by Khan.
• In the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II", a computer readout mentions that Hoshi Sato was killed on Tarsus IV. [3]

There are numerous different fanon theories and tropes surrounding the events of Tarsus IV. Common examples seen in fanworks include:

• Kirk as a leader of survivors on Tarsus. It should be noted in this case Kirk is commonly depicted as taking care of various children, and the remaining survivors, when they are rescued, become the Tarsus Nine.
• In some instances the canonical timeline for the Tarsus IV incident is lengthened, so that the massacre may take place over a series of days or even months.
• Various plot points are used by authors of reboot stories to get Kirk on Tarsus IV during the massacre. They may closely follow The Original Series canon, or use other issues such as a chaotic home life or punishment to achieve their goal.
• Kodos' view of Kirk also varies from fic to fic. In some fics, Kodos is depicted as almost loving towards Kirk in a kind of sick parody of a father-son relationship; other fics have Kodos treating Kirk harshly in an effort to break him.
• Darkfic - Torture , Rape , Non-Con , Starvation, Mass-Murder, etc, are all common themes seen in Tarsus IV fics.
• Tarsus IV is commonly used as the hurt element in hurt/comfort fic by both AOS and TOS authors. Exploration of the physical and psychological effects of Tarsus IV both during and after the incident are explored.

Characters Related to Tarsus IV

• Anton Karidian
• James T. Kirk
• "John Harrison"
• Kevin Riley
• Lenore Karidian
• Thomas Leighton

Tarsus IV Zine Fiction

In The K/S Press #15: a fan compiled a list of known fan fiction in zines that dealt with Tarsus IV:

• As I Do Thee #21, "Interlude" by Ida Vega (Lt. Kirk meets a Vulcan Musician on Tarsus IV and again seven years later.)
• Before the Glory , " Joyboy " by Syn Ferguson (Spock meets Kirk shortly after his rescue from Tarsus IV.)
• By His Side , "Decision" by Karen Rhodes (Jim and Tom Leighton survive the famine on Tarsus IV.)
• Companion #1, "Without Ceremony" by Christy Mathews (On a lawless planet, Kirk hunts for two of Kodo's lieutenants.)
• Contact #4, "Only Other Thing" by Ginna LaCroix (Kirk must kill an old friend from Tarsus IV who has become a rebel.)
• Duet #11 "Stock in Trade" by Tere Ann Roderick (A Vulcan ship trades provisions for slaves with Kodos.)
• Kirk , "Family Secrets" by Mary Louise Dodge (Kirk visits his aunt on Tarsus IV and finds his cousin is a follower of Kodos.)
• Log Entries #17 "Treffpunkt" by Sandy Sapatka (Kirk, on his way to Tarsus IV, meets a Vulcan boy on a space station.)
• More Missions, More Myths #1, "Another King's Conscience" by Natasha Solten (Kirk visits Lenore Karidian after her father's death.)
• Naked Times #11 "Small Voice" by Robin Hood (Kirk is obsessed by Lenore Karidian after her father's death, remembering Kodos.)
• Out of Bounds Overflow , " Joseph's Brother, pt.1" by Pamela Rose (Desperate to leave Earth, Sam Kirk sells Jim to Kodos.)
• Rigel #3, "Flight" by Jane Aumerle (Karidian's wife dies in childbirth and he and the child take refuge in a colony.)
• Rising Star , "Night Creatures" by Mandi Schultz (Kodos spares Jim and Sam Kirk's life in return for sex.)
• Sahndara #1 "Death Drops the Final Curtain" by P. Charlene Deaton (Kirk is found with his wrists cut and Lenore Karidian is in the area.)
• Vault of Tomorrow #5, "Call It a Feeling" by Laura Zipkin (On Altair IV, Lenore Karidian tries to kill Kirk.)
• The Voice #5, "To Be a Help Meet for Him" by Frances Rowes (After the Galileo loss, Kirk and Spock have to stop a plague on New Paris.)
• You Don't Have To (Say Yes) by luminousbeings -- A longfic where James Kirk was a Tarsus IV survivor in the Alternate Original Series universe. Features sexual assault at the hands of Governor Kodos and eventual Kirk/Spock
• Sound as Stone by starknjarvis— Summary: The three people who figured out that Jim was on Tarsus IV. Words: 14650, Gen , Outside POV, AOS ( Alternate Original Series ).
• Cupcake's Unexpected Evening by BotanyCameos. Words: 4878, Gen , Kirk Whump / Hurt/Comfort , Academy Era, AOS ( Alternate Original Series ), Warnings: Implied/Referenced Rape/Noncon.
• "Let me be clear, when I complain about Jim Kirk not going through Tarsus IV in the reboots, it’s not just because I love angst and want Jim to suffer as much as possible." , Archived version by dykekeit on tumblr (2017)
• Tarsus IV Fanfiction community on Livejournal
• Works tagged with Tarsus IV on Archive Of Our Own
• Inclusive list of Tarsus IV fic by shadowloverk
• ^ Memory Alpha , accessed 3.22.2011
• ^ [1] . accessed 6.9.2015
• ^ [2] . accessed 6.9.2015
• Tropes & Genres
• Trope and genre pages needing infobox image
• Examples Wanted
• Star Trek Tropes & Genres
• Star Trek Concepts

Navigation menu

Tarsus IV was the inhabited fourth planet of its star system . This was the home of an Earth colony .

• 2 Inhabitants
• 3.1 Background information
• 3.2 Apocrypha
• 3.3 External links

History [ ]

In 2246 , an exotic fungus destroyed most of the colony's food supply, leaving the colonists, of which there were eight thousand, in serious danger of starvation . Governor Kodos made a drastic decision: he ordered the deaths of four thousand colonists, so that the other four thousand might live, selecting those to be killed according to his personal theories of eugenics . Supply ship arrived earlier than expected, but too late to save the four thousand people Kodos murdered . All that Earth Forces found of Kodos was a burned body , and he was presumed dead , until his chance discovery on Planet Q twenty years later .

Among the survivors of the Tarsus IV incident were James T. Kirk , Kevin Riley , and Thomas Leighton , who were three of only nine survivors who knew Kodos' face , and who would be able to identify him. In 2266, they were the only three of the original nine eyewitnesses still alive. ( TOS : " The Conscience of the King ")

In 2328 , Tarsus IV was the destination for passengers traveling from Gamma Trianguli VI via commercial transports . Zayra Cabot had traveled on the SS Manoa , Jack Litchfeld had traveled on the SS Kogin , and David Stipes and Lorine Mendell had traveled on the SS Wisconsin . ( TNG-R : " Inheritance ", okudagram )

Inhabitants [ ]

• See : Tarsus IV inhabitants

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

This planet was only mentioned in dialogue.

In the final revised draft of the script for " The Conscience of the King ", the Tarsus IV massacre was referred to as "the rebellion on Tarsus IV". In the final version of the installment, though, no such rebellion is established as having taken place on the planet. In the same script, Kirk also described Tarsus IV as " a colony which was disintegrating before my eyes! Starvation! Rioting! Disaster! " The method of execution Kodos used was said to have been an antimatter chamber , which, after he threw a switch, completely disintegrated the four thousand colonists all at once.

In the final draft script of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode " The Jem'Hadar ", Quark told Benjamin Sisko that the Ferengi had never had an incident like what had happened on Tarsus IV. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion - A Series Guide and Script Library )

According to Michael Sussman , a computer readout on the USS Defiant in " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II " stated that Hoshi Sato was among those killed by Kodos on Tarsus Four. However, the relevant section of the bio did not appear in the finished cut of the episode.

According to the Star Trek app accompanying Star Trek Into Darkness , John Harrison 's bio claimed he was one of nine survivors of a 2246 attack on the planet, his parents Richard and Sara perishing. It was not made explicitly clear if this "attack" was the same event that happened in the regular timeline.

According to the reference book Star Trek: Star Charts ("United Federation of Planets I"), in 2378 , Tarsus IV was a Federation member .

In The Conscience of the King a traumatic event in James T. Kirk 's life was the execution of 4,000 colonists of Tarsus IV; in the mirror universe James T. Kirk kills 5,000 colonists of Vega IX .

Apocrypha [ ]

In the Shatnerverse novel Avenger , the famine was an act of eco- terrorism , the testbed for a plague created by the Symmetrists ( β ), a radical environmentalist group who believed that the "cosmic plan" that formed the basis of the Prime Directive should apply to planetary ecologies as well – after the famine, they assisted Kodos in his escape and provided him with the name Anton Karidian .

In the Enterprise Logs short story "Though Hell Should Bar the Way", the USS Enterprise , under the command of Robert April , was en route to Tarsus IV with relief supplies when it was attacked by a Klingon vessel commanded by Kor – though the Enterprise was able to fight off the Klingon ship (and dishonor Kor by not destroying it), they made it to Tarsus only to find that the massacre had already taken place, leaving April haunted, wondering if, had it not been for the Klingons, he might have reached the planet in time to save the colonists.

The novel Drastic Measures , details the events of Tarsus IV. This takes place roughly 10 years prior to the Battle of the Binary Stars .

External links [ ]

• Tarsus IV at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Tarsus IV Massacre at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)