Serpents Among the Ruins

Introduction
"There is an old Romulan saying that tells that if all around you lies in ruins, either fault yourself, or seek the serpent. Are you the serpent?" -Aventeer Vokar

The three major powers in the Alpha Quadrant are in a state of tension. The Klingon Empire has been severely weakened by the destruction of Praxis eighteen years ago, and has been receiving Federation aid since then. Meanwhile, the Romulans have been expanding their empire, pushing their borders closer to that of the Federation every day. Most Admirals in Starfleet believe that a second Federation/Romulan war is inevitable. To make matters worse, there are those in the Klingon Empire who believe that they have been at peace for too long, and seek to regain the former glory of their Empire.

This story focuses on the crew of the USS Enterprise-B, which has been serving as the Federation Flagship for the last eighteen years. It is assigned to the patrol the Foxtrot sector, along the Romulan Neutral Zone, and at the forefront of a brewing war.

Summary
The story opens with members of the USS Enterprise-B senior staff on a duck blind mission on Planet Koltaari. Disguised as natives, they attempt to discover the source of a planet-wide dampening field that the pre-warp natives should not have the technology to create. It is then revealed that the Romulans are responsible for this when their flagship descends into the atmosphere and begins bombing the planet. The Enterprise crew tries to rescue as many natives from the fire as they can while they meet and prepare to return to the ship. After a brief skirmish with Aventeer Vokar, the crew is able to return to the Enterprise. It is noted that Planet Koltaari is a resource rich planet in disputed territory, and its occupation by the Romulans greatly increases tension in the region.

The story then jumps forward a few months and the Enterprise is making a routine rendezvous with the USS Agamemnon and Space Station KR-3, under the command of Captain Harriman's love interest Amina Sasine. Crew members are constantly being rotated on and off the thirteen outposts in the Foxtrot sector and the Enterprise is transporting classified equipment to the outposts. The Enterprise is then ordered to escort and supervise the testing of the new prototype hyperwarp ship USS Universe.

Meanwhile, tense negotiations are underway between the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans. A new Federation/Romulan war is thought to be inevitable, however both sides are considered evenly matched and assistance from the Klingons will be necessary in order to ensure a decisive victory. The main topic at this point is banning the use of a metaweapon or isolytic subspace weapons, one of which was responsible for the destruction of the Romulan planet Algeron III some time ago.

The Enterprise arrives in the Bonneville Flats, and along with the USS Ad Astra and USS Canaveral, proceeds to supervise the USS Universe as she makes the jump to hyperwarp. Unfortunately, something goes wrong and the ship appears to explode right after hyperwarp is achieved. The explosion also damages the USS Ad Astra, critically injuring Admiral Blackjack Harriman. The Romulan flagship IRW Tomed, under the command of Aventeer Vokar, is cloaked within sensor range, detects the explosion of the Universe, mistakes it as the testing of a Starfleet metaweapon, and rushes news of this back to Romulus.

News of a Starfleet metaweapon shakes up the negotiations quite a bit, and the Klingons declare that they will fight for peace; meaning that they will declare war on whichever side makes the first strike. Meanwhile, Captain Harriman attempts to cope with what seems to be the inevitable death of his father.

The story than jumps back probably about 20 years to when John Harriman held the rank of Lieutenant and served as the helmsman of the USS Hunley. Hunley is responding to a distress call from the freighter SS Dakota, which has accidently crossed into Romulan Space and struck a mine. Hunley arrives at approximately the same time as the Romulan Cruiser Daami, under the command of Admiral Aventeer Vokar. Hunley asks to repair the ship and tow it back into Federation space, and Daami responds by firing on the Hunley. The Hunley is severely outgunned by Daami and a hull breach eventually kills most of the senior officers. While Vokar lowers the shields of the Daami in order to beam over a boarding party to capture the remaining Hunley crew, Lt. Harriman beams to the bridge of the Daami and holds Vokar at gunpoint. Harriman is succesful in capturing the Daami crew and recovering the Hunley. Due to his failure, the ambitious Vokar is demoted all the way down to Sublieutenant.

Back in the present, two Starfleet Special Operations Officers, Drysi Gravenor and Elias Vaughn, arrive in order to join Captain John Harriman on a mission into the Neutral Zone. Harriman orders the Enterprise to proceed to the Neutral Zone and rendevous with the Tomed, which will escort Enterprise to the peace negotiations where the specifications of the USS Universe will be given to both the Romulans and Klingons to prove that the project was never intended for use as a metaweapon. Harriman then temporarily relinguishes command of Enterprise to Commander Demora Sulu, saying only that he will be staying behind at Algeron, and also that he keeps thinking about Iron Mike Paris.

While leaving Algeron and being escorted from Romulan Space, the Enterprise suffers a radiation leak due to an impulse engine failure. Tomed lowers shields and prepares to help evacuate the ship. At this point, Harriman, Gravenor, and Vaughn beam over to Tomed in order to begin their covert mission, a sabotage and seizure of the Romulan Flagship.

Still curious about Harriman's words, Sulu looks up Paris' personal record. She is confused when the record lists that he still serves as executive officer on the USS Agamemnon as she watched him die a year ago on covert mission to Devron II. Demora takes this information to Admiral Mentir, suspecting a Romulan spy is at work. Mentir reveals that there was a spy on Enterprise, Lt. Grayson Trent, chief computer scientist. However, Harriman discovered this soon after Trent set foot on the vessel. Mentir then decides to recruit Sulu and the Enterprise for the covert mission Harriman is currently on. While here, Demora stops by to check on Blackjack, barely concious, who chides Sulu's father for breaking regulations and refers to his son as weak and ungrateful. Meanwhile, General Kaarg warns Azetbur that Gorak is planning to challenge her and offers to defend her were that to occur.

The sabotage is succesful and Tomed suffers a containment field breakdown in the quantum singularity powering her warp drive. Tomed's engineers note that the containment field breakdown can be slowed but not stopped. Vokar orders Tomed's course to be changed so it is not heading towards any populated systems and then gives the order to abandon ship. The entire crew departs save for Vokar, Linavil, and three engineers, who try to slow down the containment field breakdown and apprehend those that sabotaged the ship, as Vokar is convinced they must still be on board. The special ops team is met with resistance by the romulan engineers, but is still succesful in capturing the cloaking device, a shuttle, and gaining control of the vessel. Vokar and the engineers are captured while Linivil is killed in combat by Elias Vaughn. After altering the course of Tomed to the Foxtrot Sector, Harriman gives the Romulans the option of captured or remain on the Tomed, two of the engineers agree to be captured, and are then killed by Vokar and Akeev. Harriman stuns both of them, and only Vokar has recovered by the time Harriman, Gravenor, and Vaughn plan to depart in the shuttle Liss Riehn. Harriman and Vokar share a few parting words, and Vokar stays behind on the Tomed.

Enterprise detects Tomed heading towards the Foxtrot Sector with the failing containment field, but neither Enterprise or Agamemnon is able to stop the ship. The field finally collapses in the system, resulting in a subspace shockwave that destroys all thirteen outposts and the USS Agamemnon, a total loss of four-thousand lives. Apparently. In truth, no one was actually present on any of these outposts or on the Agamemnon. All Starfleet personnel had been rotated off and replaced officialy by officers who had died in covert missions, and thus their deaths were not recorded. The same was true for the USS Universe as well. Just before the shockwave hits, Demora Sulu carries out her part of the plan, which was beaming the special ops team off the shuttle before it was torn apart by the shockwave.

Nevertheless, the Tomed Incident is recorded as an act of terrorism initiated by Aventeer Vokar with the attempt to start a war with the Federation. In the aftermath, the Federation and Klingons begin massing ships at the Romulan Neutral Zone. The Romulans propose the Treaty of Algeron: they will agree to leave the planet of Koltaari if the Federation agrees to abandon research on cloaking technology. The treaty is signed and the Romulans withdraw into their borders.

Back on Qo'noS, the attack Azetbur was warned of finally occurs. General Gorak attempts to assassinate Azetbur, but is killed by Morahg, one of Kaarg's men. It is then revealed that Morahg is actually Ditagh in disguise, and murders Azetbur in order to ensure that General Kaarg will rise to the position of Chancellor.

Finally, the crew of the Enterprise is throwing a party for Borona Fenn as she will soon be departing for the Frunalian homeworld. Captain Harriman announces to Demora Sulu that he will relinguish command of Enterprise to her and suggests that she choose Xintal Linojj as her executive officer. Harriman then departs Enterprise and proposes to Amina Sasine while Enterprise departs on a mission to explore an uncharted region of space, the Röntgen Wall.

Characters
Akeev • Alira T'Sil • Amina Sasine • Anner'namin • Aventeer Vokar • Azetbur • Bexx • Borona Fenn • Demora Sulu • DeYoung • Ditagh • Drysi Gravenor • Elias Vaughn • Elvia • Esteban Rodriguez • Gabe Márquez • Gell Kamemor • Gorak • Gorreg • Grayson Trent • Grinager • Hiren • Jack Breshar • John Harriman • John "Blackjack" Harriman • Kaarg • Kage • Kanchumurthi • Kest • Kuron • Latasa • Linneus • Los Tirasol Mentir • Merken Vreenak • Morahg • Morell • Murray Sperber • N'Mest • Paulo Endara • Rafaele Buonarroti • Ramesh Kanchumurthi • Ranek • Renk • Renka Linavil • Rennis Valin • Rentikin Voldat • Revik • Rinla • Tenger • Tolek • Uta Morell • Van Riper • Verant • Vinok • Vorex Ontken • Xintal Linojj

Referenced
James T. Kirk • Susan Ling • Spock • Michael Paris • Civita • Roneg • Margaret Sinclair-Alexander • Surak • Greer Garson • Frank Capra • Hikaru Sulu • Saren-Sah • Orville Wright • Wilbur Wright • Neil Armstrong • Buzz Aldrin • Verna Mitrios • Zefram Cochrane • Adrienn Kuwano • Doris Seaver • Alexei Chernin • Benzon • Kahless the Unforgettable • Morath • Ravent • Raban Gedroe • T'Prel • Zultu Bini • Claudine Robinson • Creyn • Victoria Santos • Cole Paris • Aerel • Ventin • Gorkon

Locations
Izar's Shroud • Röntgen Wall

Colonies and Planetary Locations
Jennita • Martian Colonies • Africa • République de Côte d'Ivoire • Aboisso • Bonneville Salt Flats • Great Basin • Kill Devil Hill • North Carolina • Great Hall • First City • Wales • Hume Township • Rubicon

Outposts and Space Stations
Starbase 189 • Starbase Iridani • Foxtrot XIII • Foxtrot XII • Foxtrot XI • Foxtrot X • Foxtrot IX • Foxtrot VIII • Foxtrot VII • Foxtrot VI • Foxtrot V • Foxtrot IV • Foxtrot III • Foxtrot II • Foxtrot I • Space Station KR-3 • Helaspont Station • Romulan Space Station Algeron • Starbase 77

Planets and Planetoids
Koltaari • Marris III • Cort • Alpha Centauri • Pacifica • Devron II • Mars • Earth • Algeron III • Qo'noS • Praxis • Canopus Planet • Catulla • Askalon V • Luna • Romulus • Argelius II • Ganalda IV • Alonis • Altair IV • Terix II

Stars and Star Systems
Algeron System • Belak • Algorab • Achernar • Unroth • Devoras • Chaltok • Gasko • D'Deridex • Tranome Sar • Nequencia

Stellar Regions
Alpha Quadrant • Beta Quadrant • Foxtrot sector • Neutral Zone • Bonneville Flats • Arandra Entry • Echo sector

Starships
USS Ad Astra • USS Agamemnon • USS Canaveral • USS Enterprise-B • USS Universe • USS Enterprise-D • USS New York • USS Sea of Tranquility • USS Excelsior • Phoenix • IRW Tomed • USS Allegiance • Andoria • USS Hunley • SS Dakota • IRW Daami • USS Columbia • USS Mjolnir • Shuttlecraft Liss Riehn • Shuttlecraft Liss Ornahj • USS Aspire • IKS Nuh Bey'

Races and cultures
Koltaari • Romulan • Human • Orion • Boslic • Frunalian • Vulcan • Reman • Gorn • Tholian • Tzenkethi • Lorillian • Vedala • Lissepian • Otevrel • V'tosh ka'tur • Betazoid • Alonis • Benzite • Tellarite • Andorian • Nivochan • Deltan • Yridian

Organizations and Governments
United Federation of Planets • Klingon Empire • Romulan Star Empire • Antares Advanced Design Laboratories • Starfleet • Starfleet Academy • Klingon High Council • Klingon Defense Force • Romulan Senate • Beryk Institute • Youth Guard • Imperial Fleet Command • Starfleet Command • Klingon Internal Security • Imperial Intelligence • Romulan Intelligence Service • R'Mala Military Academy

Other
dilithium • pergium • cormaline • bilitrium • Sakuro's disease • Tri-ox • Ivarix-class • D'Vorix-class • Odysseus-class • Italian • La lotta continua • Foxtrot Outpost • Peragoit ruins • For Now and Ever • Algeron Effect • urukan tree • metaweapon • petaQ • isolytic subspace weapon • targ • bloodwine • Mrs. Miniver • Random Harvest • An Ancient Season • It's a Wonderful Life • The Shift • hyperwarp • transwarp • port • Khitomer Accords • Sto-Vo-Kor • d'k tahg • Temple of Rogax • Temple of Molgar • Ventarix-class • D7-class • hyronalin • Jolan tru • Romulan ale • carallun • IDIC • Still Life, with Philosophy • Jefferies tube • deuterium • sensor veil • Silver Palm with Cluster • Grankite Order of Tactics • Class of Excellence • Archer Ribbon for Conspicuous Bravery • Karagile Order of Heroism • body armor • mek'leth • Nivochan asteroid runner • Mary Celeste • voraant

Information

 * The USS Enterprise-B serves as the Flagship of the federation for at least 18 years after the events of Star Trek: Generations
 * The Tomed Incident, first mention by Data in the TNG Episode The Neutral Zone as a conflict in which 4000 lives were lost, was in the official records, due to a rogue suicide attack by Aventeer Vokar. In truth, it was a covert operation by Starfleet in order to avoid a Romulan/Federation War.
 * This novel marks the death of Harriman's father, John "Blackjack" Harriman, who initially appeared in the novel The Captain's Daughter
 * Elias Vaughn, a centenarian in the post-finale Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel series, is seen in this novel on his first field assignment for Starfleet Intelligence.
 * Vreenak, the senator from the DS9 episode In the Pale Moonlight, appears in this novel as a young aide already suspicious of Federation treachery. He is given the first name "Merken".
 * Demora Sulu assumes command of the Enterprise-B following the Tomed Incident.
 * Azetbur serves as Chancellor until 2311, when she is assassinated by Ditagh and succeeded by General Kaarg.

Connections

 * Amazon.com page for Serpents Among the Ruins
 * Amazon.com page for Serpents Among the Ruins

