A Choice of Futures

A Choice of Futures is a Star Trek: Enterprise novel.

Description[]

An original novel set in the universe of Star Trek: Enterprise!

A new nation has arisen from the ashes of the Romulan War: the United Federation of Planets, an unprecedented union of diverse species cooperating for the good of all. Admiral Jonathan Archer—the former captain of the Earth starship Enterprise, whose efforts made this union possible—envisions a vibrant Federation promoting galactic peace and a multispecies Starfleet dedicated to exploring strange new worlds. Archer's former crewmates, including Captain T'Pol of the U.S.S. Endeavour and Captain Malcolm Reed of the U.S.S. Pioneer, work with him to secure that bright future. Yet others within the Federation see its purpose as chiefly military, a united defense against a dangerous galaxy, while some of its neighbors view that military might with suspicion and fear. And getting the member nations, their space fleets, and even their technologies to work together as a unified whole is an ongoing challenge.

When a new threat emerges from a force so alien and hostile that negotiation seems impossible, a group of unaligned worlds asks Starfleet to come to its defense, and the Federation's leaders seize the opportunity to build their reputation as an interstellar power. But Archer fears the conflict is building toward an unnecessary war, potentially taking the young nation down a path it was never meant to follow. Archer and his allies strive to find a better solution… but old foes are working secretly to sabotage their efforts and ensure that the great experiment called the Federation comes to a quick and bloody end.

Summary[]

Admiral Archer is contacted by the Tandarans, who blame the abduction of several of their children on Suliban refugees given safe haven by the Federation. On his flagship the USS Endeavour, now commanded by Captain T'Pol, Archer is able to expose the abductors as the Malurians, hoping to drive a rift between the Federation and Tandarans, and rescue the prisoners.

The mastermind is Archer's old enemy Garos, who begins working with the Orion group led by Navaar. The Orions are hoping to undermine the Federation and see an opportunity when the Mute aliens that Archer previously encountered begin stepping up their attacks on ships. They hope to use the situation to make the Federation more militaristic. Garos joins a conference set up to combat the threat and, despite opposition from Archer and T'Pol who favour a less aggressive move, a combined fleet of Federation and non-aligned worlds is despatched to confront the aliens and locate their homeworld. Phlox also finds evidence that transporter usage has left Archer and Reed with genetic damage and transporters are suspended for lifeforms except in emergencies.

Meanwhile, Reed is given command of the new USS Pioneer and invites Mayweather aboard as his first officer. A group of engineers led by Tobin Dax come aboard to supervise the integration of various Federation systems but accidentally create a micro-wormhole that traps the ship in a decaying orbit of a gas giant. The ship's science officer, Reynaldo Sangupta, eventually saves the day by communicating with cloud whales living in the atmosphere, who hold the ship aloft until it can be repaired. Reed invites Dax to be his chief engineer.

Garos stirs up hatred against the Mutes by framing them for the destruction of an Andorian-controlled Starfleet vessel. However, when some Mutes are captured, T'Pol and Sato realise that their means of communicating by infrared empathy means they can't recognize other lifeforms as sentient and have been treating them as wild animals to be analysed. Meanwhile, Archer reluctantly works with Tucker, despite no longer trusting Section 31, to expose Garos and the Orions' involvement.

T'Pol and Sato return the Mute prisoners to their fellows, with T'Pol having mind-melded with them to convince them of other lifeforms' sentience. After a long process of negotiation, they are able to convince the aliens, Vertians, to modify their behaviour towards other species and bring the conflict to a peaceful end.

However, while this has been going on Soval and the crew of the USS Essex have been negotiating with the Saurians, a race Starfleet accidentally revealed the existence of other worlds to, for their mineral rights. They find that most of the world has formed into a Global League but the hereditary ruler of the most mineral-rich region, Maltuvis, presents himself as independent. He attempts to get Captain Shumar to provide him with weapons to take over the world but is forced to accept a peaceful treatment. However, he then signs a treaty with Navaar and Garos to provide him with the weapons, with the Orions knowing the Federation will be blamed for his conquests.

References[]

Characters[]

Referenced only: Parrec-Sut

Saurians[]

Maltuvis • Moxat

Tandarans[]

Glith • Valk

Vulcans[]

Kunas • Selvok • Soval • T'Venri

Referenced only: Skon • Surak • T'Maran • T'Rama • V'Lar

Other characters[]

Tobin Dax • Edzak • Boda Jahlet • Garet Kadlin • Min glasch Noar • Orav Penap • Porthos • cloud whales

Referenced only: Lela Dax • Jamran Harnoth • Naarg • Phinda • T'Luadh

Starships and vehicles[]

administrative barge • USS Endeavour (Columbia-class) • Enterprise (NX-class) • USS Essex (Daedalus-class) • Grentra • inspection pod • Metsanu (light cruiser) • USS Pioneer (Intrepid-class) • Rigelian scout ship • Rivgor • shuttle • shuttlepod • USS Thejal (Sevaijen-class) • USS Vinakthen (Kumari-class)
Referenced only: ECS Bjarni Herjolfsson •'Bonaventure-class (schematic) • Columbia (NX-class) • Discovery (NX-class) • IGS Docana • escape pod • ECS Horizon • Hrumog • ECS Ibn Battuta • SS Intrepid • IGS Kumari • Noyrit • ECS Silk Road • Starfleet One • submarine • Suliban carrier ship • Suliban cell ship • telepresence drone ship • USS Vol'Rala (Kumari-class) • Wasp-class (schematic)

Locations[]

Deneva (Lacon City) • drydock • Earth (Federation Executive Building, Paris, Europe • Starfleet Headquarters, San Francisco, California) • Gamma Vertis IV • Hansen's Planet • Kappa Fornacis system • Orion (Pi-3 Orionis III) • Psi Serpentis (Psi Serpentis A • Psi Serpentis B) • Qhembembem Outpost • Raij'hl/Tau-3 Eridani • Rigel V (Rigel V Orbital Spacedock) • San Francisco Fleet Yards • Sauria/Lyaksti'kton/N'Ragolar (M'Tezir • M'Tezir One • Tai'sheku) • Unnamed planets • Vega IX (Vega Museum of Antiquities, Vega colony) • Vega system • Wolf 46-III
Referenced only: 10 Tauri IV (Kemsar Colony) • Akaali homeworld • Alpha Centauri • Alpha Centauri III • Alrond • Andoria (Dreshna) • Arken II • Axanar • Carina boarder region • Cetus border region • Cheron • Delphic Expanse • Delta Triangle • Deneb Kaitos system (Deneb V) • Denobula • Earth (Asia • Great Britain • India • Iowa • Middle East • Rome • Sanibel Beach, Sanibel Island, Florida) • Fesoan • Maluria (Malur) • Mars • Orion constellation • P'Jem • Rigel • Rigel X (Quintash Plaza) • Tandar Prime • Tandar sector • Tellar • Terra Nova • Trill • Verti constellation • Vulcan • Zeta Fornacis

Starship locations[]

bridge • captain's mess • engineering • launch bay • mess hall • sickbay

Races and cultures[]

Andorian • Axanar • cloud whale • Denobulan • Homo Hansonii • Human (American • British • Centaurian • Denevan • English • European • Japanese) • Ithenite • Klimasz • Malurian • Nuvian • Orion • Rigelian (Jelna) • Risian • Saurian • Tandaran • Tellarite • Tesnian • Trill (Trill symbiont) • Vertian/"Mute" • Vulcan • Wolf 46-III native • Xarantine
Referenced only: Aenar • Akaali • Antaran • Arkenite • Arkonian • Boslic • Denebian • Gosis' species • Human (French • Roman) • Humpback whale • Hur'q • Kantare • Klingon • Lorillian • Mazarite • Nalori • Nausicaan • Osaarian • Romulan • Suliban • Tholian • Valakian • Vegan • Xindi • Xyrillian

States and organizations[]

Alpha Centauri Concordium • Alpha Centauri Space Research Council • Andorian Imperial Guard • Cochrane Institute of Alpha Centauri • Confederacy of Vulcan • European Alliance • Federation Commission • Federation Council • Federation Starfleet • Global League • Orion Syndicate • Raldul • Section 31 • Smithsonian Orbital Annex • Starfleet Command • Tellar Space Administration • Three Sisters • UESPA • United Earth • United Federation of Planets • Vulcan Space Council
Referenced only: Andorian Empire • Anti-revisionist • Coalition of Planets • colonization board • Earth Cargo Service • Executive Council of the Saurian Global League • Guard Academy • Interspecies Medical Exchange • Klingon Defense Force • Klingon Empire • Klingon High Council • Lyaksti Empire • Maurya Empire • Military Assault Command Organization • Ministry of Security • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Engineering • Starfleet Intelligence • Starfleet Medical • Suliban Cabal • Syrrannite • Terra Prime • United Earth Starfleet • United Planets of Tellar • United States of America • Vulcan High Command • Vulcan Science Directorate

Occupations and titles[]

admiral • aide • ambassador • archaeology and anthropology officer • armory officer • asteroid miner • Basileus • butterfly dancer • captain • Centaurian Defense Minister • chef • chief of communications • chief engineer • chief medical officer • chief of staff • commander • commander-in-chief • commissioner • commissioner for science and technology • commodore • communications officer • councillor • crewman • diplomat • doctor • Earth Defense Minister • engineer • ensign • entomologist • emperor • executive officer • Federation Commissioner of Defense • Federation Commissioner of Foreign Affairs • first officer • Fleet commander • general • governor • helm officer • historian • insect tamer • instructor • judge • legislator • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • linguist • major • Mars Defense Minister • maskwright • medic • merchant • merchant princess • minister • naturalist • navigator • orderly • physician • pilot • pimp • politician • President of the United Federation of Planets • Presider • Prime Minister of United Earth • prizefighter • protocol officer • quartermaster • used-car salesman • science officer • scientist • security advisor • senior officer • shock troop • sociologist • soldier • spy • tactical officer • United Earth Secretary of Defense • weapons officer • xenobiologist • yeoman

Science and classification[]

airlock • antenna • anthropoid • arrenhe'hwiua • asteroid • atmosphere • atmosphere processor • atmosphere suit • autopilot • baleen filter • binary star • bio-signature • biology • bioluminescence • biosphere • blood • bone • brain • breathing mask • Bussard collector • camera • cancer • carbon • carbon dioxide • cell • centimeter • Cochrane-style warp field • coma • communications beacon • communicator • computer • cooling fin • crater • data tablet • database • decontamination chamber • deflector • deflector shield • Denebian fever • dermal camouflage • dilithium • distress beacon • DNA • drug • dwarf planet • Einstein-Rosen bridge • EM band • EM field • emitter array • energy • engineering • environmental suit • evolution • fingernail • force field • fusion initiator • G class star • gamete • gene • genetic engineering • geometry • Global warming • grappler • gravimetric distortion • gravimetric gradient • graviton beam • gravity • gravity plating • gunpowder • hair • helium • hibernation • hologram • holorecorder • humanoid • hydrogen • hypercapnia • ice giant • imaging chamber • impulse engine • inertial damper • infrared • intercom • intermix formula • interstellar medium • invertebrate • ion storm • ion trail • ISM • jamming signal • K class star • kilometer • lacertilian • lamp • lantern • lensing • light-year • linguistics • magnetic compass • magnetic field • magnetic pulse • mammal • mathematics • medicine • methane • microbe • micro-warp drive • mine • mining • Minshara class • monitor • moon • Napoleon Complex • navigational deflector • neurology • neuron • night-vision eye-piece • nocturnality • nuclear winter • orbit • oxygen • parasite • particle • particle beam • particle rifle • pharmaceutical drug • phase cannon • phase pistol • pheromone • photonic torpedo • photosynthesis • physics • planet • planetoid • plasma • plasma cannon • polarized hull plating • probe • quantum mechanics • radiation • RCS quad • red dwarf • reptilian • repulsor • Rorschach test • scanner • sensor • shield equation • shield generator • siren call • solar radiation • space-time geometry • spatial anomaly • spatial distortion • star • subspace • subspace density gradient • subspace field coil • subspace geodesic • subspace geometry • subspace transceiver • super-Jovian planet • telepathy • terraform • Theory of General Relativity • thruster • time dilation • time travel • tractor beam • tractor beam generator • transporter • transporter pad • trellium-D • tritanium • turbolift • veridium • vertebrate • viewscreen • virtual display visor • Vulcan ring drive • warp bubble • warp coil • warp drive • warp equation • warp factor • warp field • warp-field detection grid • warp nacelle • warp reactor • warp trail • waste reclamator • wormhole • wormhole equation • Xindi vortex • Xyrillian simulator

Other references[]

adoption • Andorian ale • Andorian genders • Andorian redbat • Andorii • ape • art • Augment crisis • avocado • ball • bamboo • Battle of Cheron • black market • blackmail • boarding party • Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice • bribe • bronze • cat • chirini roast • chutney-grilled chicken • civil war • coffee • colony • commerce • concert • copse • court-martial • crystal • cultural contamination • cultural taboo • Declaration of Independence • democracy • demon • Deneva Conference • drill lubricant • diplomacy • distress call • dog • Earth-Romulan War • eau de vie • elf • elite lineage • eon • f'sherr-beetle • Federation protectorate • fire • firewasp • First Battle of Deneva • first contact • French braid • Gaval nek bor • gikkith • goggles • gorilla • grain pudding • grape • guerrilla campaign • guinea pig • Hail Mary • hammer • helmet • history • hlad root • hour • ice borer • iced tea • IDIC • insect • internment camp • Kir'Shara • kiss • klaxon • knife • landing party • leopard • lion • logic • Malurian mead • Mandarin collar • marsupial • massage • meditation • Mer palak • metal • mind meld • ministerial conference • minute • monarchy • month • mothball • mountain goat • movie • movie night • mural • mushroom • music • officer training program • pacifism • paper • parasol • philosophy • pig • pineapple • piracy • plant • plastic • poker • political asylum • political party • porcine • prejudice • pretzel • primary hull • Prime Ministers' Conference • rain forest • refugee • robe • rock • salad • Saurian brandy • Saurian music • scalpel • The Scream • sculpture • seashell • Second Battle of Deneva • secondary hull • second • security • serpent • service patch • sexuality • shark • sign language • silk • slavery • smuggling • snail • space boomer • spaceport • spear • Starfleet Charter • Federation Starfleet ranks (2160s) • Tandaran language • tattoo • Tellarite Civil Conversation • Temporal Cold War • Third Battle of Deneva • tin • torture • tree • vase • vegetable • Vertian crisis • water • winter • World War III • xenophobia • Xindi crisis • zhihal • zoo

Chronology[]

19th century
2018
2083
2088
2151
2153
2154
2155
2156
2157
2159
2160
2140s
21st century
25 September 2162 to 21 May 2163: Events of novel.
28th century

Appendices[]

Related media[]

Background[]

Acknowledgments[]

The author acknowledges the following people, works and organizations in the appendix of this book:

Pocket Books
ENT novel: The Good That Men Do by Andy Mangels
ENT novel: Kobayashi Maru (novel) by Michael A. Martin
The Romulan War by Michael A. Martin
Canon Star Trek productions
- ENT episode: "Broken Bow"
- ENT episode: "Civilization (episode)"
- TOS episode: "The Empath"
- TOS episode: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?"
- TOS episode: "The Time Trap"
- TNG episode: "Power Play"
- ENT episode: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II"
- Generations
VOY novel: Mosaic by Jeri Taylor
DS9 novel: Dead Man's Hand
TOS - Star Trek: The Manga - Kakan ni Shinkou comic: "Communications Breakdown" by Bettina Kurkoski
Ships of the Line 2011 Calendar by Doug Drexler
Drex Files blog at drexfiles.wordpress.com by Doug Drexler
ST reference: Star Charts by Geoffrey Mandel
StarMap site at whitten.org/starmap

Images[]

Connections[]

Star Trek: Enterprise prose publications
Novelizations		Broken Bow • Shockwave • The Expanse
Original novels	set during the series	By the Book • What Price Honor? • Surak's Soul • Daedalus • Daedalus's Children • Last Full Measure • Rosetta
Original novels	set after the series	The Good That Men Do • Kobayashi Maru • The Romulan War (Beneath the Raptor's Wing • To Brave the Storm) • Rise of the Federation (A Choice of Futures • Tower of Babel • Uncertain Logic • Live by the Code • Patterns of Interference )

Timeline[]

published order
Previous novel: To Brave the Storm	Enterprise novels	Next novel: Tower of Babel
Previous story: Forgotten History	Stories by: Christopher L. Bennett	Next story: Tower of Babel

Translations[]

2017: German : Am Scheideweg. (Cross Cult)

External links[]

A Choice of Futures article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
Author's Annotations

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki