Mission to Horatius

Introduction (blurb)
While exploring a new star system, NGC 434, Captain Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise find themselves in an adventure, from one planet to another.

They enlist the help of Grang, a local from NGC 434 to guide them through the system, all while attempting to find the runaway mouse "Mickey" on the Enterprise.

Summary
At the time of the story, Enterprise is due to return for a shore leave from a prolonged mission. The crew is beginning to get upset and prone to an outbreak of space cafard&mdash;a disease that is contagious and often deadly. The supplies and food are running low. However, the ship is unexpectedly diverted, instructed to pick up emergency supplies and to head to a remote section of space where Captain Kirk is to follow secret orders.

The ship is ordered to go to the distant Horatius system populated by anti-Federation colonists to check on a distress call. Upon arrival, the crew starts checking all three planets in the system. The first one, Neolithia, is the world free of modern technology and so low on development scale that its stone-age population is not even capable of sending a distress signal. The second one, Mythra, is a world populated by religious zealots and has normal radio level technology, but denies sending a distress signal. Both planets, however, report attacks by misterious "space raiders" who kidnap citizens and wreak havoc. Kirk decides to help, hopefully without breaking the General Order Number One, and is joined by Grang, a resident of Neolithia.

The Enterprise heads towards the third planet in the system, Bavarya, which turns out to be a technologically advanced world with unusually large population.

In the meantime, Dr. McCoy is trying to prevent an outbreak of space cafard. Also, Sulu's pet rat, "Mickey", escapes, and is seen as a possible carrier of bubonic plague.

Characters

 * James T. Kirk • Spock • Leonard H. McCoy • Montgomery Scott • Nyota Uhura • Hikaru Sulu • Pavel A. Chekov • Grang • Nummer Ein • Anna Shickle • Warren • Akrumba • Doris Atkins • Chang • Christine Chapel • De Paul • Dick • Freeman • Kellum • Masaryk • Peterson • Janice Rand • Taylor • Thomkins • Pater Delvin • Feldherr Jodl • Muel • Muller • Pater Stuart • Mickey

Referenced characters

 * Jesus of Nazareth • Christopher Pike • Laika

Starships and vehicles

 * USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) • Westmoreland

Locations

 * Asia • Bavarya • Earth • Great Britain • Horatius • Mars • Milkyway • Mythra • Neolithia • NGC 400 • Proxima Centauri • Space Station K-8 • Starbase 12 • United States of America • Venus • Vishnu • Vulcan

Races and cultures

 * Human • Klingon • Romulan • Vulcan

Governments and organizations

 * Klingon Empire • Romulan Confederation • Starfleet • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Command • United Federation of Planets

Other

 * 1001 Popular Games Down Through the Centuries • aspirin • Baal • Bubonic plague • chlorine • confinement syndrome • Doppelgänger • dog • Explorer 1 • LSD • Maripol • mile • parsec • rat • Scottish • Space cafard • Space strain • Sputnik 1 • tribble

Information

 * This novel was the first original story written in the Star Trek universe, but it was not the first book published, as it was predated by the first episode novelization collection by James Blish. Unlike this book, which was aimed primarily at the youth, Spock Must Die! is considered to be the first ever Trek novel aimed at both adults and children.