Kobayashi Maru (novel)

Introduction (blurb)
To protect the cargo ships essential to the continuing existence of the fledgling Coalition of Planets, the captains of the United Earth's Starfleet are ordered to interstellar picket duty, with little more to do than ask "Who goes there?" into the darkness of space.

Captain Jonathan Archer of the Enterprise™ seethes with frustration, wondering if anyone else can see what he sees. A secret, closed, militaristic society, convinced that their survival hangs by a thread, who view their neighbors as a threat to their very existence -- the Spartans of ancient Greece, the Russians of the old Soviet Union, the Koreans under Kim Il-sung -- with only one goal: attain ultimate power, no matter the cost. The little-known, never-seen Romulans seem to live by these same principles.

The captain realizes that the bond between the signers of the Coalition charter is fragile and likely to snap if pushed. But he knows that the Romulans are hostile, and he believes they are the force behind the cargo ship attacks. If asked, Archer can offer no proof without endangering his friend's life.

To whom does he owe his loyalty: his friend, his world, the Coalition? And by choosing one, does he not risk losing all of them? What is the solution to a no-win scenario?

Summary
Attacks on Coalition shipping have left Enterprise and Columbia on patrol duty, despite Archer's warnings that the Romulans are involved. Both ships defend Draylax, a world allied to Earth, from an attack by Klingon ships, which ends when three more Klingon ships arrive to destroy the attackers.

Meanwhile, Tucker is still on Romulus, posing as Cunaehr. An attack on the lab by the Ejhoi Ormiin (who are secretly working with Nijil) leaves Ehrehin dead. Despite suspecting him of being a Vulcan spy, Valdore sends Tucker with Centurion Terix to try and retrieve any information the dissidents may have gathered about the warp seven program.

The pair track the Ejhoi Ormiin to Taugus only to run foul of Sopek. Tucker is rescued by T'Pol and Reed, who followed him into Vulcan space without permission after T'Pol received visions of him in danger. However, he refuses to return with them and instead heads for Romulus.

Archer travels to the Klingon Homeworld to investigate the attack. After defeating Admiral Krell in a duel, he is entrusted with the information that the Romulans used a tele-capture device to remotely gain control of the Klingon ships that launched the attack. Thanks to a recording covertly made by Phlox, the Coalition Council accept the evidence.

More remotely-controlled Klingon ships attack the Horizon, Travis' family's ship, sending it on a course into a sun. Attacks on Alpha Centauri and Calder II are carried out by Vulcan ships, similarly controlled. Columbia defends Alpha Centauri with the aid of the Vulcans but is reported missing in the aftermath.

Tucker is nearly back at Romulus when he is captured by a Romulan ship commanded by Sopek, who is operating the tele-capture device for Valdore. The freighter Kobayashi Maru is disabled by a gravitic mine in the Gamma Hydra system while delivering supplies to a secret Vulcan listening post in Tezel-Oroko. Enterprise answers their distress call but Tucker realizes Sopek plans to use the tele-capture device on it and sends a warning. He then scuttles the ship and sets it to self-destruct, fleeing in an escape pod with an unconscious Sopek. With more tele-controlled Klingon ships attacking and systems beginning to shut down under the tele-capture, Archer chooses to take Enterprise out of the system and the Kobayashi Maru is destroyed.

With tensions at breaking point, Samuels advises the members of the Coalition to consult their own military on further action. Shortly after, Archer informs his crew that they are at war.

Characters

 * Reiko Akagi • Haroun al-Rashid • Jonathan Archer • Gregory Black • Bougie • Gannet Brooks • Mike Burch • George Casey • Ch'uihv • Anlenthoris ch'Vhendreni • Dagarth • Dekk'ven • Denak • Kalil el-Rashed • Eskren • Veronica Fletcher • Foyle • Samuel Gardner • Gora bim Gral • Karl Graylock • Grom'sH • Erika Hernandez • Russell Hexter • Hojlach • Matthew Kelly • •  • Kon'Jef •  • Kuvak • L'Nel • Jie Cong Li • M'Rek • Juan Marquez • Paul Mayweather Jr. • Travis Mayweather • Mack McCall • Nash McEvoy • Fiona McKenzie • Metzger • Nora Melchior • Nah'tan • Keisha Naquase • Nevahk •  • Charlie Nichols • Nijil • O'Malley • Donna O'Neill • Phlox • Porthos • Qapegh • Qrad • Ra'wI' Qeq • Malcolm Reed •  • Nathan Samuels • Hoshi Sato • Jacqueline Searles • Avaranthi sh'Rothress • Orana Shubé • Solkar • Sopek • Soval • Arturo Stiles •  • Sweba • T'Leikha • T'Luadh • T'Pol • T'Vak • T'Voras • Terix • Kiona Thayer • Ehrehin i'Ramnau tr'Avrak • Cunaehr it'Ra'tleihfi tr'Mandak • Albert Tucker • Charles Tucker II • Charles Tucker III • Elaine Tucker • Valdore • Sidra Valerian • Kojiro Vance • Vekk'r • Vesh'tk • Ya'Vang • Ych'a • Yekda • Charles Zeilfelder • Grethe Zhor

Allah • Gracie Allen • Beaton • Biggs • •  • Charles Dickens • Douglas • Duras, son of Toral • Erebus • Dorothy Gale • God •  • Hephaestus • Kahless the Unforgettable • Klaang • Rianna Mayweather • Morpheus • Old Scratch • Owen •  • John Frederick Paxton • Tinh Hoc Phuong • Pierce • Stewart Rivers • Miguel Salazar • Sisyphus •  • Surak • Syrran • T'Karik • T'Les • T'Pau • Hravishran th'Zoarhi • Cunaehr it'Ra'tleihfi tr'Mandak • Elizabeth T'Les Tucker • V'Las • Vrax • Orville Wright • Wilbur Wright • Yoc

Starships and vehicles

 * RMS Titanic • motorcycle

Coalition of Planets

 * Enterprise (NX-01) • Shuttlepod 1 • Shuttlepod 2 • Columbia (NX-02)  • Challenger (NX-03)  • ECS Kobayashi Maru  • Ni'Var
 * D'Kyr type • Sh'Raan-class

Klingon Defense Force

 * •  •  •  •  • PeD NIHwI'

Romulan Star Empire

 * ChR Nel Trenco • Scoutship Drolae

Locations

 * Sto-Vo-Kor • San Francisco Fleet Yards • Sataghni II fuel depot • Calder II science outpost

Stellar

 * SuD'eng Nebula • Gamma Hydra system • Gamma Hydra sector • Sigma Iota system • Denobula Triaxa • Rator system • Draylax system • Gama Virginis system • Gamma Equulei system • Taugus system • Devoras system • Calder system • Alpha Centauri system • Sei'chi system • Isneih system • Eisn system • Qu'Vat system • Tezel-Oroko system • Alpha Centauri sector

Planets, moons, and planetoids

 * Adigeon Prime • Alpha Centauri • Alpha Fornacis • Altair VI • Andoria • • Centauri III • Coridan Prime • Deneva • Denobula • Draylax • Earth • Mars • Narendra III • Porrima V • Praxis • Qo'noS • Rator II • Remus • Rigel X • Risa • Romii • Romulus • Rura Penthe • Sigma Iota • Tau Ceti IV • Taugus III • Tellar • Trilan • Vulcan • Yeq

Planetary

 * New Samarkand • Australia • San Francisco • Vulcan's Forge • Takarath Sanctuary • Dartha • Government Quarter • Hall of State • Apnex Sea • P'Jem • Chicago River • Darro-Miller settlement • Caribbean Sea • • Alaska • New Zealand • Madame Chang's Mandarin Café • Montgomery • Alabama • Qam-Chee • Great Hall • Saith • Talvath • Florida • Israel • Palestine • Shi'Kahr • Kansas • Grangeburg

Races and cultures

 * Andorian • Human • Klingon • Romulan • Tellarite • Vulcan • Aenar • Xindi • Denobulan • Orion • Breen • Fri'slen • Iotian • Draylaxian

States and organizations

 * Coalition of Planets • Coalition of Planets Security Council • Confederacy of Vulcan • Eagle scout • Earth Cargo Service • Earth Cargo Service Central • Earth Starfleet • Ejhoi Ormiin • Klingon Defense Force • Klingon Empire • Klingon High Council • Military Assault Command Operations • Romulan Fifth Legion • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet Academy • Syrrannite sect • Tal Shiar • Terra Prime • United Earth • United Earth Space Probe Agency • University of Oxford • Vulcan High Command • Vulcan Security Directorate

Weapons

 * bat'leth • disruptor • tricheq • phase rifle • phase pistol • Excalibur • honor blade • d'k tahg • sword • knife • Ushaan-Tor • bō • laser • gravitic mine

Animals

 * bregit • dog • goose • cricket • Sehlat • le-matya • raven • mogai • nei'rhh • toQ vulture • gagh • kekla-gnat • parrot • set'leth • guinea pig • targ • shellfish • elephant • lion • qogh • qa'Hom • fly • bear • rabbit • ant • cat • scorpion • frog

Foods

 * Gruyére cheese • carallun • Altair water • cake • rum • coffee • Romulan ale • Skagaran Lone Star Tequila • tea • vanilla • orange • mocha • waffle • strawberry

Other

 * Arrenhe'hwiua • artificial gravity plating • AU • baakonite • Balkan • Barge of the Dead • buccaneer-style boots • Bussard collector • Ceremony of Respect • Charge of the Light Brigade • chess • Chicago Mobs of the Twenties • A Christmas Carol • Coalition Compact • datanet • deuterium • DNA • duct tape • eye patch • flux capacitor • Fourth of July • Frenchotte • Gordian knot • grekekla tree • holocam • ice trucker • Japanese • K'ri'Brax • katra • kilaan • Kish'altriq • Kolinahr • "Lazarus" • lup • Martian • Missouri Compromise • Morse code • Niagara Barrel Roll • pinball • pirate • pon farr • qelI'qam • Qu'Vat virus • Rite of Ascension • Romulan data module • Romulan travel robe • Saint Patrick's Day • Scottish • sedmah • Starfleet Charter • sulfatriptan • Suus Mahna • Swiss • Syrian • telecapture system • Third Analects • transparent aluminum • trayatik • trellium-D • uniform • V'Shan • Whiskey Tango Foxtrot • waist sash • The Wizard of Oz • World War I • Year of Kahless

Appendices

 * Andy Mangels released a teaser cover on his website prior to the official art's release. The alien text featured is apparently a cryptogram in Romulan characters.