- You may also be looking for the comic book adaptation.
| Cover image. | |
| Author: | William Shatner, with Judith Reeves-Stevens & Garfield Reeves-Stevens |
| Publisher: | Pocket Books |
| Series: | Pocket TOS |
| Published: | 27 June 1995 |
| Pages: | 309 |
| Year: | |
| Stardate: | 9854.1 |
| Reference #: | ISBN 0671520350 (hardcover)
ISBN 0671520369 (paperback) Audio CD ASIN B00005QK7M |
Summary
In the 24th century, Spock arrives on Veridian III to pay his final respects to his former captain, and greatest friend, James T. Kirk. Kirk risked his life to bring back Spock, but there was no way to bring back Kirk.
In the 23rd century, shortly after the Khitomer Conference (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country), James T. Kirk decides to resign from Starfleet as his old Starfleet Academy nemesis Androvar Drake is appointed commander-in-chief of Starfleet Command. Lacking any drive in his life, Kirk accepts a last chance for adventure with the seductive young Teilani who wants him to protect her paradise planet; so Kirk and Scotty take the mothballed USS Enterprise-A and head for Chal where a secret Starfleet cabal seek to exploit the planet for all its fountain of youth properties. The rest of the former Enterprise crew hitch a ride on Hikaru Sulu's USS Excelsior and together the crew once again save the Federation. The Enterprise-A is destroyed while defending the Excelsior from Klingon battle cruisers under the direction of Admiral Drake.
Back in the 24th century Spock is preparing to escort Kirk's body back to Earth, when a ray of light emerges from Kirk's grave. Spock approaches it to investigate, and finds, Kirk is gone...
Background
- Co-written by William Shatner, along with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens. This is Shatner's first Star Trek collaboration. DC Comics released a comic book adaptation of this story.
- Several points in the novel violate later established canon.
- Chekov refers to Klingon Birds-of-Prey as secondhand Romulan junk, probably referring to the often-held notion that the Klingon Bird-of-Prey is a Romulan design. (Chapter 2)
- It is implied that Zefram Cochrane's first warp flight took place prior to World War III. (Chapter 11)
Characters
- James T. Kirk
- Spock
- Leonard McCoy
- Scotty
- Hikaru Sulu
- Pavel Chekov
- Uhura
- William T. Riker
- in charge of removing USS Enterprise-D wreckage, Kirk's body and other items from Veridian III in accordance with the Prime Directive
- Carol Marcus
- Androvar Drake
- New Starfleet C-in-C, former Academy classmate and USS Farragut crewmate of Jim Kirk.
- Galt
- Ensign aboard the Farragut, killed by the Dikironium cloud creature on Tycho IV
- "Jade"
- undercover Starfleet Intelligence officer
- Kort
- Klingon smuggler
- Faith Morgan
- Farragut weapons officer and Kirk's lover, killed by the Dikironium cloud creature on Tycho IV
- Teilani
- Young Klingon/Romulan hybrid who becomes romantically involved with Kirk.
References
- USS Enterprise-A
- Retired Federation starship. Jim Kirk found the ship taken out of mothballs and sold to Chal, he and Scotty command the vessel with a crew of Chal natives.
- USS Excelsior (NCC-2000)
- Federation starship.
- USS Farragut (NCC-1647)
- Federation starship.
- The ship's registry was seen in the comic adaptation, despite having previously been depicted as the same vessel, but numbered NCC-1702, in "Debt of Honor" and the Star Fleet Technical Manual.
- Chal
- Planet, homeworld of a colony of Klingon/Romulan hybrids.
- Dark Range Platform
- Ancient space installation, probably from the time of the Preservers. Used as a base for smuggling and other illegal activities.
| Previous novel: Federation |
Novels Pocket TOS |
Next novel: The Return |