Devil World

A new Star Trek adventure by Gordon Eklund based on the award-winning television series created by Gene Roddenberry. — Devil World was a 1979 Star Trek: The Original Series novel by Gordon Eklund. It was one of a series of original Star Trek novels published by Bantam Books and has subsequently been reprinted several times by Bantam and other publishers.

Publisher's decription

 * From the original 1979 edition back cover : Voyage to Heartland.


 * Heartland… a mysterious planet populated by a small but terrifying race of demonic beings.


 * Heartland… where Captain Kirk falls in love with a beautiful, mysterious woman with a fatal secret.


 * Heartland… where Kirk, Spock and the rest of the USS Enterprise crew will be challenged by an awesome disembodied intelligence, more powerful than any other force in the universe!

Summary

 * Captain's log, stardate 4231.2 : With the Enterprise now undergoing general maintenance here at Starbase 13, I've decided to take advantage of the opportunity by issuing an order for full shore leave commencing at once and continuing until further notice. After the lengthy duration of our last voyage, the crew has shown no hesitancy in taking complete advantage of the superb facilities available here for rest, recreation, pleasure, and delight.


 * James T. Kirk and company attend a magic show. Kirk is noticeably worried that the girl sawed in half will not recover.  Kirk is then frightened to the point of disgust by images of devils.  Kirk notices a masked girl screaming about her father being abducted by devils.  The girl is a Jain, and therefore eats very little and wears a mask to avoid killing microbes.  Her name is Gilla Dupree, and she is a famous performer whom Spock describes as 'awesome'.  Kirk notes that it took him three hours to compose himself after he witnessed a recording of her acting.  She convinces the Captain to help look for her father, a reputed traitor.  The starbase commander allows him to go in search of her father, so long as Kirk promises to make a man out of his lay about son.


 * Captain's log, stardate 4246.7 : Upon our arrival at Heartland, I ordered my helmsman to place the ship into orbit around the planet. An immediate full sensor scan of the surface will commence as soon as a stable orbit is achieved. From the viewscreen, Heartland appears to be as reported: a lush M-type planet, with large oceans and considerable continental vegetation, an excellent prospect for Human colonization. While here, I intend to investigate the question of continued quarantine and make a recommendation upon our departure. Our passenger, Gilla Dupree, remains under observation in sickbay. The exact nature of her illness—if any—is as yet undetermined.


 * Kirk and company arrive at a planet inhabited by a people who look remarkably like the Devil. They are all that remains of a once great race, and their species is dying out.  Previous colonists on this planet were driven mad and evacuated forty years before, but one stayed and retained his sanity by hiding from the locals.  The locals have accepted Gilla's father as one of their own.  He insists that the USS Enterprise leave immediately.  Kirk stays the night in a hut, and finds a crewman has gone mad the next morning.  Kirk is again told to leave.  Kirk insists on staying.  Gilla gives up wearing the mask and eats local fruit.  Spock senses an angry mental presence in the area.  That presence is commanding the locals and Gilla's father.  Kirk becomes romantically involved with Gilla and professes his love for her.  The presence will not allow the crew to transport off the planet.  Spock is driven catatonic by the presence.  Gilla makes a deal with the presence requiring her to remain provided the others are allowed to go free.


 * Captain's log, stardate 4257.1 : … and so my recommendation remains that the quarantine of the planet Heartland be not only maintained but more strictly enforced in the future. The mysterious machine intelligence that inhabits the planet will continue to present a clear and present danger to the general well-being of the Federation only as long as the Danon race survives. Since extinction appears to be only a matter of a relatively few years away, the situation does not appear to warrant an offensive response. Time is the ally of the Federation. I am further pleased to report that Mr. Spock continues to make substantial progress toward a full recovery and is expected to resume his normal duties within a few days. Our passenger, Jacob Kell, is also much improved. As for Gilla Dupree, I have not mentioned her in my previous log entries because—


 * Kirk laments leaving Gilla behind. Dr. Leonard McCoy explains that she had an inoperable tumor and would die rather soon.  Kirk promotes the wayward son of Starbase 13's commander to a recently available post in security.  Spock recovers from his experience, but the insane security guard does not.

Characters

 * Pavel Chekov • Gilla Dupree • Faustus • Jacob Kell • James T. Kirk • Radly Marcus • Leonard McCoy • Merkle • Mosley • Albert Schang • Aurora Schang • Wilhelm Schang • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel

Jesus Christ • Devil • Ivan the Terrible • Mahavira • Satan • William Shakespeare • Leo Tolstoy

Starships and vehicles

 * USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) ( heavy cruiser) • USS Tresher

Races and cultures

 * Danon • Human Hindu • Jain • Klingon • Russian • Torga • Vulcan

Locations

 * bridge • commander's officer • Earth • the galaxy • Heartland • Heartland colony • Herbarium • Kentucky • Moscow • NC513 • recreation deck • Russia • sickbay • Starbase 13 • Starfleet Academy

States and organizations

 * Klingon Empire • Starfleet • Starfleet Command • United Federation of Planets

Other

 * bear • Birth of a Living Star • captain's log • cards • civilization • clay • colony • court-martial • demon • distress call • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • fog • game • government • ham • Kentucky bourbon • log entry • rank • religion • senso-drama • shore leave • spacerigger's delight • stardate • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • title • uniform • zoo

Science and technology

 * atmosphere • berryclass M planet • communicator • computer • continent • flower • grain • Great Machine • holographic projector • humanoid • hypospray • leaf • lifeform • nut • ocean • orbit • oxygen • phaser • planet • plant • rice • root • second planets • sensor • star • starship • star system • technology • Tri-Di visual • viewscreen • vitamin • warp drive • water • weapon • universe

Ranks and titles

 * captain • commanding officer • first officer • science officer • commander • helmsman • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • chief medical officer • commodore • flag officer • officer • emperor • navigator • ensign • crewman • cadet • communications officer

Chronology

 * Circa 7700 BCE : 10,000 years prior to the 2260s, the Danons rule a sizable portion of the galaxy. Their visits to Earth and their saturnine appearances help to contribute to the mythology of the Humans' Devil. During this period, the Danons encounter the Torgas, beginning millennia of war, after which the Danons retreat to their homeworld on the planet Heartland, where they build a Great Machine and worship it. (Cited as an approximation, taking place 10,000 years prior)
 * 6th century BCE : Mahavira founds the Jain sect of the Hindu faith. (Mentioned by century)
 * 2269, shortly before stardate 4231 : Enterprise arrives for a layover at Starbase 13. (This would have taken place shortly before the first scene of the novel)
 * Stardate 4231.2 : Enterprise continues to Heartland with new crewmember Albert Schang and Gilla Dupree as a passenger.

Related stories

 * The USS Enterprise also encountered an ancient, dying race protected by a non-corpreal intelligence in.
 * The Danons are said to have contributed to the mythology on Earth regarding the Devil. This is something they share in common with Lucien.

Publication history

 * 1979, November: Original Bantam Books edition. Cover by Enric Torres featuring Gill Dupree and the Danons before the Heartland tower.
 * 1985: Bantam Books reprint. Cover featuring Captain Kirk.
 * 1985, March: Corgi (UK) reprint. Cover featuring movie-era USS Enterprise.
 * 1994, October: Titan Books (UK) reprint as #8 of the Star Trek Adventures series. Cover by Alister Pearson featuring Dr McCoy.
 * 1995, November: Bantam Books reprint. Cover by Kazuhiko San featuring Sulu, Dupree and Kirk.