"After Darkness, Part 1" was the twenty-first issue of IDW Publishing's ongoing series of Star Trek comics, published May 2013. Colors and lettering by Stellar Labs and Chris Mowry, respectively. This comic was edited by Scott Dunbier, with Roberto Orci credited as creative consultant.
Summary[]
- After the events of STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, the USS Enterprise embarks on a new five-year mission of exploration. But far from Earth, across the cosmos, new threats to the security of the Federation begin to rise...
Qo'nos, the very heart of the Klingon Empire has been invaded. By Starfleet, specifically by Captain James T. Kirk. The Klingon war council declares that as a result of this insult, they will give the humans what they have wanted. War.
On Earth, Robert April tells Kirk that though the sleeper program installed in the mainframe of the USS Enterprise was his idea, it was Alexander Marcus, a man of seemingly infinite talent, who installed it and ensured it was duplicated onto the new USS Enterprise. As Kirk deduces, the plan was to use the new Enterprise as bait for the Klingons to distract them from an all out-attack on the empire. April insists that Kirk's ship was an expendable relic given the fleet Marcus was building. It is almost a certainty that Marcus had contingency plans that are operating even now, the man called "John Harrison" was likely just the beginning. Kirk waves him off. Harrison is gone, Marcus is dead, and Kirk has a mission to attend to.
A week later and ten light years from Earth, Kirk records a captain's log before Leonard McCoy walks in, disbelieving that Kirk could write anything so profound. Though Bones makes several attempts at conversation, he is forced to confess that he came to see if the transfusion of Augment blood into Kirk has had any lasting effects. Kirk assures he is well, which is worrying on its own, and tells the doctor to relax. Despite the long mission the Enterprise is about to embark on, all is well.
In his quarters, an enranged Spock violently attacks the walls and furniture before Nyota Uhura enters. Though Spock's mania pushes him into a rage when she gets too close, she is able to subdue him and bring him to sickbay. Kirk asks if anyone has noticed odd behavioural changes in Spock. Uhura notes the half-Vulcan has become more irritable while Carol Marcus reports the scientific division has reported Spock becoming more withdrawn. Spock awakens and McCoy wastes little time in saying that Spock's adrenaline levels are so high that he will die in two weeks time unless something is done. Spock reveals that what is experiencing is a Vulcan condition, one he had hoped his human heritage rendered him immune to. The term cannot be translated into English. In the Vulcan tongue it is known as pon farr. An insuperable hormonal imbalance that manifests itself every seven years and causes Vulcans to mate. Though Vulcan itself is gone, her people live on and Kirk orders a course set for New Vulcan.
Arriving above the colony, Kirk assembles an away team to board a shuttle down to the planet, allowing Marcus to tag along so she may view the research on the Helios device. Aboard the shuttle, McCoy has removed Spock's restraints trusting his friend (and an absurdly potent hypospray) to control his impulses. As the shuttle enters the atmosphere, Kirk only hopes they will stay in their own galaxy on this trip.
Touching down, the crew is greeted by Sarek and T'Pring, Spock's betrothed!
On the planet Romulus a senator speaks to an alien party. Normal protocol would be to kill the aliens but their proposal is intriguing. However there is the issue of a complete lack of trust between the two parties. Trust is beyond irrelevant to the aliens, they merely have a common enemy, the Klingon Empire. Starfleet has abdicated their responsibility to protect Earth but Section 31 remains committed to the cause.
References[]
Characters[]
- Robert April • Pavel Chekov • Kai • James T. Kirk • Carol Marcus • Leonard McCoy • Romulan senator • Sarek • Montgomery Scott • Section 31 operative • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • T'Pring • Nyota Uhura
- Referenced only
- John Harrison • Alexander Marcus • Mudd
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Enterprise • unnamed Enterprise shuttlecraft
- Referenced only
- Enterprise
Locations[]
- Central America • Earth • First City • Ki Baratan • New Vulcan • North America • Phaedus • Qo'nos • Romulus
- Referenced only
- Gorn galaxy • Vulcan
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
- Federation Starfleet • Klingon Empire • Romulan Senate • Romulan Star Empire • Section 31 • Starfleet Security
Technology and weapons[]
- Helios Device • helmet • hypo-spray • impulse engine • restraint • warp drive
Ranks and titles[]
- captain • chief engineer • doctor • engineer • father • lieutenant • science officer • smuggler
Other references[]
- adrenaline • appetizer • artery • bridge • captain's log • colony • conn • day • deathbed • fever • genocide • homeworld • interstellar • light year • minute • plak tow • planet • pon farr • prison • quarters • shuttle bay • sickbay • Sleeping Beauty • war • week • year
Appendices[]
Background[]
- The only title information given is on the cover, with the phrase After Darkness. The Part 1 is taken from solicitation information.
Related Stories[]
- TOS comic: "Vulcan's Vengeance" - The events of Vulcan's Vengeance are mentioned by the Romulan senator.
- TOS comic: "Countdown to Darkness" - Robert April appears at the beginning of the story.
- TOS video game: Star Trek - The Gorn are mentioned in passing.
- TOS movie: Star Trek Into Darkness - Khan Noonien Singh is mentioned by Robert April.
- TOS episode: "Amok Time" - Kirk's storyline is an adaptation of the episode.
Images[]
Cover gallery[]
Connections[]
| previous comic: IDW Star Trek, Issue 20 |
The Original Series (IDW series) | next comic: After Darkness, Part 2 |
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