Description[]
- The U.S.S. Enterprise, under the command of Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, is returning from a mission to deliver medical supplies to Deep Space Station C-15, one of Starfleet's most distant installations. All is routine until the Enterprise comes within a light-year of the planet Mu Arigulon, when the ship is suddenly thrown from warp and suffers a momentary power cut, having run aground on a spatial distortion not revealed in previous scans of the system. When the pride of Starfleet hits another, much worse distortion, Dr. Leonard McCoy has his hands full caring for officers who have suddenly fallen into comas for no apparent reason. The Enterprise medical team soon discovers that the dying officers are espers—humans with a rare and abnormal level of telepathic and psychic ability. With no choice but to link to the officers' minds in order to come to their aid, McCoy is plunged into a nightmarish dream-world . . . with the end result being nothing short of the possible destruction of the Enterprise and all aboard her. . . .
Summary[]
An outbreak of anatid flu means the Enterprise has to transfer medical supplies to Deep Space Station C-15 and McCoy has to stay onboard to supervise while Kirk and Spock take two shuttlecrafts to explore Mu Arigulon, leaving Sulu in command. On the return journey, the Enterprise hits a series of subspace distortions that cripple the ship and leave all the espers onboard in a coma.
Kirk's team are exploring the apparently deserted Mu Aurigon V when one of their number, botanist Fatih Yüksel, goes missing. The party explore an underground chamber and realize the planet is home to the Farrezzi, a race who once traded with the Orions but went missing centuries ago. They discover the race has been in suspended animation but a rogue group, the New Planets Cousins, have arranged so they will be revived first and are planning to sell some of the sleeping Farrezzi, and now Yüksel, into slavery. Chekov is also captured and Kirk and Giotto stow away onboard their ship.
McCoy is bothered by hallucinations of people he has let down and discovers some of the other medical staff are having similar problems. It becomes clear that the subspace distortions are providing gateways to another universe and telepathic contact with the different physical laws has caused the espers' comas. The hallucinations are the result of their attempts to call for help. McCoy and Sulu formulate a plan to throw a shuttlecraft into one of the distortions, with the resulting explosion throwing the Enterprise clear. The espers recover, except for one who died during the journey.
The remaining members of Kirk's team join up with Spock's party. Together, they defeat some fighters sent after them by the slavers. They discover the Farrezzi entered suspended animation to avoid an environmental catastrophe, setting up satellites to restore the atmosphere. The distortions are a defence mechanism set up to prevent warp ships approaching but they never anticipated anything as large as the Enterprise and the distortions have got out of control. Spock manages to deactivate the mechanism.
Kirk manages to revive the Farrezzi aboard the ship and together they retake it from the slavers. An encounter with the distortions and Chekov managing to use the satellite as weapons sees a second ship disabled as well. With the slavers in custody and the faulty revival mechanism triggered by the Enterprise's arrival, the Farrezzi reclaim their planet.
References[]
Characters[]
- Robert Abrams • Andrea • Neff-Bironomaktio-Frerish • Olivier Bouchard • Clifford Brent • Carriere • Christine Chapel • Pavel Chekov • Connors • Jocelyn Darnell • Vincent DeSalle • Ducey • Cron Emalra'ehn • John Farrell • Nanase Fraser • David Galloway • Salvatore Giotto • Isbell Golaski-Lawrence • Jana Haines • Ali Harper • Harrison • Luke Hendrick • Huber • Jacobs • Karl Jaeger • Benshor-Ka-Morafe • Rogelio Kelowitz • James T. Kirk • Mariella Kologwe • Kotchian • John Kyle • Tina Lawton • Ryan Leslie • Lewis • Jabilo M'Benga • David Andrew McCoy • Joanna McCoy • Leonard McCoy • Magaly Messier • Zainab Odhiambo • Homi Padmanabhan • Gaetano Petriello • Polk • Manjula Rahda • Niall Rawlins • Rellik • Kevin Riley • Rix • Rizzo • Esteban Rodriguez • Ryerson • Rammal Salah • Antti Saloniemi • Hanna Santos • Horr-Sav-Frerin • Montgomery Scott • Karen Seven Deers • Hayden Singh • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Cheryl Thomas • Y Tra • Nyota Uhura • Dierdre Watley • Yocum • Fatih Yüksel • Zahra
- Referenced only
- Armstrong • Bannock • Bellos • Nancy Bierce • Andrei Chekov • Harding-Cyzewski • Elizabeth Dehner • Demick • Irina Galliulin • Gees • God • Cyrano Jones • Roger Korby • Laverne • Roger Lemli • Chasinthrof zh'Mai • Marys • Mauracher • Gary Mitchell • Mark Piper • Shran of Andor • Vijay • Villach • V'v • Mr. Yüksel • Mrs. Yüksel
Locations[]
- Atlanta • Bradley's Café • Capella IV • Earth • Emory University Hospital • Farrezz • Forsyth • the galaxy • Georgia • Høyland 5900 sector • Mu Arigulon • The Other Universe • San Francisco • Starfleet Headquarters
- Referenced only
- Alpha Centauri • Andor • Argelius • Baten Kaitos sector • Berengaria • Centaurus • Cerberus • Deep Space Station C-15 • Dramia II • Federation-Klingon Neutral Zone • Heaven • Hell • Moscow • Neu-Stuttgart • Omicron Ceti III • Phi Kappa • Plesetsk Cosmodrome • Russia • Sector 006 • Starbase 7 • Tomogren • Vulcan • Waycross
Starships and vehicles[]
- Columbus (Class F shuttlecraft) • USS Enterprise (Constitution-class) • Farrezzi fighter (fighter) • Farrezzi vessel • Hofstadter (Class G shuttlecraft) • hovertrain
- Referenced only
- aircraft • USS Constitution • USS Feynman • hovercar • USS Koop • USS Lantree • USS Newton • Orion raider • USS Republic
Races and cultures[]
- Arkenite • Capellan • Deltan • Farrezzi • Human (Indian • Russian • Terran • Turkish) • Saurian • Vulcan
- Referenced only
- Guidon • Haradin • Human (Cossack • Mongolian) • Klingon • Orion
States and organizations[]
- New Planets Cousins • Starfleet • United Federation of Planets • University of Mississippi
- Referenced only
- Emory University • Federation Ministry of Science and Space Exploration • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Medical
Science and technology[]
- adrenaline • alien • anabolic protoplaser • anatid flu • android • animal • antenna • antenna grid • antigrav • antigrav cart • antimatter • antiperspirant • artificial gravity • astrophysics • atmosphere • automated probe • autopilot • autosuture • bacteria • benzopyrene • biobed • biofilter • biology • biopsy • black hole • blood • blood sugar • bone • bone knitter • brain • brain wave • bulkhead • carbon dioxide • cardiac arrest • cargo transporter • centimeter • coma • command chair • communicator • computer • computer bank • computer terminal • cordrazine • core sampler • cryopod • dalaphaline • database • data packet • data slate • deck plate • deep brain stimulation • deflector • dermal regenerator • detector • dimension • drug • Duke-Heidelburg quotient • duotronic • earpiece • electronic • electron • elevator • energy • engine • environmental suit • eyestalk • Farrezzi weapon • feedback loop • Feinberger • flashlight • food slot • force field • fourth-dimensional permeation • fur • fuselage • fusion microreactor • fusion reactor • Gamma Hydran hyperaging syndrome • gas • geophysics • Glasgow scale • global warming • glowstrip • goniochronicity factor • gravity • gravity well • grenade • groundquake • gun • hail • hair • heads-up display • heart • hematoma • hibernation • hologram • hour • humanoid • hurricane • hyperbonded matter • hypersleep • hyperspanner • hypospray • impulse engine • inch • indicator • inertial damper • insect • intercom • invertebrate • kilometer • kinetic energy • landing gear • laser scalpel • library computer • lifeform • life-sign monitor • life support • lightning • light-year • lung • math • matter/antimatter reactor • medical computer • medical tricorder • medicine • medkit • meteorology • meter • microreactor • millicochrane • minute • mobile sensor • molecular bond • monitor • musket • negative energy • neural stimulant • neural stimulator • neural suppressant • neuron • nova • nuclear weapon • Omicron Ceti III spore • orbit • pain killer • paracortex • particle field • particle weapon • pentamerian • phaser • phaser emitter • phaser rifle • photon grenade • physics • plant • plasma • plasma cutter • pneumothorax • polyaromatic hydrocarbon • power conduit • power generator • power node • prefire chamber • probe • projected electrical energy • projective weapon • protoplaser • psycho-tricorder • pyrrhoneuritis • quantum consciousness • quantum entanglement • quantum physics • quantum superposition • quantum waveform • quarantine • rain • reaction control system • reactor • reactor network • real-space bubble • regenerator • remote • reptilian • rib • rifle • sampling kit • satellite • scanner • scope • second • sedative • sensor • sensor sweep • shield generator • shields • shock wave • situation monitor • skull • solar flare • somnetic inducer • sonambutril • space • space elevator • space sandbar • spaceship • space-time continuum • spatial distortion • spatial physics • speaker • spine • star • starbase • starship • stimulant • subspace • subspace distortion projector • surgery • surgical arch • surveillance sensor • suspended animation • tentacle • thruster • thunder • time • tonsils • torpedo • tractor emitter • transporter • transporter pad • transtator • tricorder • tri-ox • turbolift • tweezers • universal psionic field • universal translator • universe • viewport • viewscreen • virus • volcano • warp bubble • warp drive • warp factor • warp field • warp generator • warp nacelle • warp reactor • water • weapons platform • weather modification satellite • wheel • whirlwind • wormhole • zero gravity • zoology
Ranks and titles[]
- archaeology and anthropology officer • astronomer • ballerina • bioresearcher • botanist • captain • chief • chief medical officer • chief of security • commander • commanding officer • communications officer • crewman • doctor • engineer • ensign • executive officer • exobotanist • expense accountant • fireman • geophysicist • helmsman • hunter • junior medical officer • junior officer • justice officer • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • lifeguard • medtech • navigator • neoanarchist • noncom • nurse • officer • petty officer • phaser officer • physician • physicist • pilot • quartermaster • receptionist • science officer • scientist • security guard • security officer • senior chief petty officer • senior officer • slave • slave trader • spacer • special envoy • tactical officer • tactician • teacher • technician • throat singer • yeoman • zoology specialist
Other references[]
- 20th century • 21st century • access hatch • album • anteroom • anthill • anthropology • apartment • archaeology • asteroid • auxiliary control • backpack • bairn • bandage • beach • bell • belt • birthday • board game • book • boot • Bormanis Theory • bosun's whistle • bridge • briefing room • brig • bureaucracy • bush • café • camouflage • campus • cargo bay • cart • catwalk • cavalry • century • city • clothing • colony • command center • command uniform • communications center • concrete • continent • corridor • crab • crystal • cuneiform • cupola • day • decade • Deep Burrow Project • demon • diamond • dilithium • dinosaur • diplomacy • distress call • divorce • dog • doll • duck • duty roster • elementary school • elephant • emergency cart • emergency pack • emitter crystal • emotion • empathy • engineering • esper • extinction • Farrezzi language • Federation-Klingon War of 2267 • fireworks • first contact • The First Song of S'task • funeral • ghost • giant • glass • glyph • government • gowk storm • graduation • graffiti • hail • hangar • haunted planet • healing trance • helm • helmet • high school • highway • history • hobgoblin • holding cell • holiday • homeworld • hospital • hull • internship • Introduction to Extraterrestrial Philosophy • kahs-wan • kindergarten • Klingonese • landing party • launch pad • leather • library • logic • magic • map • marriage • mashed potatoes • medical drill • medical school • metal • metropolis • micrometeorite • military • mind meld • mint julep • month • morgue • moss • mountain • mugato • nanoweave • needle • octopus • Old High Vulcan • orbital skydiving • Orion slavery • Orion trading creole • Osmotic eel • painting • paper • pasta • pepper • perfume • phaser control • philosophy • pictograph • pig • piñata • planet • plastic • plum • poem • poncho • ponytail • Pop Goes the Weasel • post-surgery recovery unit • preschool • Prime Directive • psychic • quadrant • quarters • rec room • red alert • ring • rock • roller coaster • Russian language • sailing • salad • salt • sandwich • saucer section • Saturday • school • science • science station • scroll • sector • shuttlebay • sickbay • slavery • smoothie • song • spaceport • space walk • spear • sponge • squid • stardate • starfish • Starfleet General Orders and Regulations • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • steel • stretcher • suicide • summer • Sunday • Swiss cheese • t-shirt • technology • telepathy • tertiary control room • tether • three-dimensional chess • toad • toothpick • torture chamber • toy • transporter room • tree • Turkish language • The Universe Within: Neurological Quantum Effects in Telepathic Brains • vegetable • vine • Vulcan lute • warehouse • waterfall • weapon • weather • wedding • wedding ring • whip • winter • wood • year • Yrevish
Appendices[]
External link[]
- A Choice of Catastrophes article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.