Alejandro's Reviews > Pliable Truths

Brilliant idea for a Star Trek novel!


This is a stand-alone prose novel, situated right after “Chain of Command” Parts One & Two episodes from ST-TNG and before “Emissary” from ST-DS9.


Captain’s Log:

The USS Enterprise-D is assigned to arbitrate the negotiations between the Cardassian Union and the Bajoran Provisional Government, after the unexpected annoucement by the Cardassian Civilian Detapa Council ordering to release the planet Bajor and all its population in that world and any other world in the Cardassian Union, along with retiring all military personnel. The diplomatic talks are celebrated at Terok Nor, an uridium ore processing space station orbiting Bajor.

The USS Oceanside, a California-class starship, is assigned to support assistance to the Enterprise-D in the additional mission of giving maintenance to the Terok Nor station and bringing medical help to the Bajoran population at the surface.


Senior Staff:

Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Commanding Officer)
Cmdr. William T. Riker (First Officer)
Lt. Cmdr. Data (Operations Manager & Second Officer)
Lt. Cmdr. Deanna Troi (Ship’s Counselor)
Lt. Worf (Chief Security Officer)
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (Chief Engineering Officer)
Dr. Beverly Crusher (Chief Medical Officer)

Support Crew:

Ensign Ro Laren (Helmswoman)
Chief Miles O’Brien (Chief Transporter Officer)
Ensign Sonya Gomez (Engineering Officer)
Ensign Lindsay Bridges (Transporter Officer)

Oceanside Crew:

Capt. Tamiko Hayashio (Commanding Officer)
Dr. Tropp (Chief Medical Officer)
Cmdr. Sarah McDougall (Chief Engineering Officer)

Guest Stars:

Constable Odo (Terok Nor Chief Security Officer)
Kira Nerys
Garak


LOST CHAPTER

This is indeed a “lost chapter” since this prose novel gives a link between ST-TNG and the beginning of ST-DS9 since it’s situated right after Capt. Jean-Luc Picard was tortured by Gul Madred during the events of Chain of Command and before that Terok Nor would become a Starfleet administered station and be called Deep Space Nine, which I think it’s a great idea for a prose novel in the Star Trek universe.

Where you have the introductions of known characters of Deep Space Nine before of taking their roles, along with reading about the decision of Chief O’Brien of leaving the Enterprise-D but also old minor characters of The Next Generation will return doing priceless cameos, and even character from the “future” of expanded universe prose novels.


PEACE SOMETIMES IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN WAR

After the debacle at Minos Korva where a Cardassian fleet was stopped by the strategy of Capt. Edward Jellico (at that moment in command of the Enterprise-D) the Civilian Detapa Council in Cardassian gives a totally unexpected order of retiring all military presence of the Cardassian Union in the Bajoran system and liberating all Bajoran population in any other Cardassian sector…

…however that order isn’t comply as smooth as you could hope, since the Cardassian Central Command gives indications of damaging all possible Bajoran resources and any Cardassian technology left behind…

…but the worse is that there are secret labour camps in other planetary systems where the liberation order will be changed to extermination process.

It’s up to the Enterprise-D and Oceanside crews to do their best in repairing Terok Nor station, finding the source of a provoked decease in Bajor’s surface, but also finding out about one of those secret camps where an old friend of Ro Laren is kept captive along with many other Bajorans.

Capt. Picard will have his hands full not only dealing with Gul Dukat but also with the now Legate Madred, a very uncomfortable reunion right after their previous torturing meeting.
I would wish to have more presence in the story by Ro Laren, and while she does pivotal things in the novel, still I’d love to have her in a more relevant role.

Also, while Garak is on the cover along with Picard, they didn't share any scene and Garak isn't doing really much in the story. (I'd prefer a photo art cover instead of this artistic representation that I guess they don't need to pay to the actors to use them in the cover)

This is a The Next Generation novel but you will have the birth of Deep Space Nine too. Highly recommended for fans of both spin-offs of Star Trek.