IDW Star Trek, Issue 1

IDW Star Trek, Issue 1 was the untitled first issue of IDW Publishing's 2011 ongoing series of Star Trek comics. The issue consisted of a 22-page first part of an adaptation of Samuel A. Peeples's, as adapted from his screenplay by writer Mike Johnson. Issue art was by Stephen Molnar, with colors and lettering by John Rauch and Neil Uyetake, respectively. This series premire was edited by Scott Dunbier, with Robert Orci credited as creative consultant.

Summary

 * Chief engineer's log, Stardate 2258.2… 5…? .5… 6…? : Does anyone actually listen to these things?


 * It's been ages since we left Earth. Ages since the vintage champagne and the "thanks for saving the galaxy from the Romulan with the pointy ship". Ages since I told Starfleet that ye cannae expect a ship that just escaped the grip of a spontaneous black hole…


 * … ye cannae expect it to embark on a new mission without a thorough inspection and retrofit! This ship is a mess of broken parts and fried circuits. And yet, I've got to admit…


 * … she still looks pretty on the outside.

In the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (alternate reality)'s engineering section, Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott removes a damaged engine component, giving it to Keenser. He leaves the section intending to tell the captain the extent of the damaged technology, telling Keenser to keep busy, but not to touch anything.

Meanwhile, in the briefing lounge, Captain plays three-dimensional chess against his backup helmsman, Lieutenant. Mitchell checkmates Kirk, then jokingly apologizes to his friend, but Kirk orders Mitchell to a rematch after realizing he should have moved his rook. Asking why Kirk doesn't play, the captain responds that he thinks Spock might still be upset over the incident of Kirk's Kobayashi Maru scenario, where the captain beat Spock's test by cheating. Just then, the bridge call regarding an unexplained distress call. Spock requests Kirks presence, and Kirk orders his friend Mitchell and Ensign to accompany him.

The backup helmsman and navigator joke with their captain about how odd it is to be under the command of someone who was very recently an underclassman a year behind them at Starfleet Academy. Kirk insists that he brought them along on his prerogative because he judged their quality as officers during their time in school together. When Mitchell comments that they are merely backups to the senior staff helm and navigation crew, Kirk only says, with great conviction, that and  earned their places as well.

Mitchell and Kelso relieve Sulu and Chekov from the forward stations for a much-needed change of shift. Taking the science officer's station, Spock reports the recorder-marker of the SS is the source of the unexplained communication signal, identifying the ship being of Earth origination, a vessel. Kirk comments that the vessel had been lost around 200 years prior.

Spock begins to analyze the transmission of the beacon's computer memory banks. They indicate that the Valiant had encountered an unknown force in this region of space. Spock hears urgent requests for information regarding extrasensory perception (ESP), and then, shockingly, what appears to be the Valiant's captain giving the order to destroy his own ship.

Continuing on course to the galaxy's boundary, the Enterprise also encounters an unusual force field, the galactic barrier. Nine crewmembers die in the encounter, and another is injured—Kirk's friend, Lieutenant Mitchell.

Under the care of the ship's chief medical officer, Doctor, Mitchell begins to exhibit increasing powers. He is able to levitate objects, read thoughts and the ship's instruments with his own mind.

Characters

 * • Keenser • •  •  •  •  •  •  •

Starships and vehicles

 * USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (alternate reality) • SS

Locations

 * Milky Way Galaxy • galactic barrier

Aldebaran • Delta Vega I • Earth • Starfleet Academy

Shipboard areas

 * USS Enterprise : bridge • briefing lounge • briefing room • corridor • engineering • sickbay • turbolift

Races and cultures

 * Human • Vulcan

States and organizations

 * Earth Starfleet • Federation • Starfleet • Starfleet Academy

Technology and weapons

 * data recorder • deflector shield • distress beacon • force field • impulse engine • intercom • lithium cracking station • self-destruct • starship • turbolift • warp engine

Ranks and titles

 * captain • chief engineer • chief medical officer • commander • commanding officer • communications officer • doctor • ensign • first officer • helmsman • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • navigator • science officer

Other references

 * aperception test • chief engineer's log • Duke-Heidelberg Quotient • esper test • extrasensory perception • fire alert • galaxy • Kobayashi Maru scenario • log entry • mind meld • starbase • stardate • three-dimensional chess • warp factor • yellow alert