Summary[]
Takes place in early 2265, prior to completion of Starbase 47.
The USS Sagittarius is scouting Traelus II, a resource rich planet on the edge of Tholian space. Theriault says, "I've got half a mind to retire early and build a house down there" which is a code phrase used upon discovery of the Taurus Meta-Genome. The discovery shows the genome's creators had influence across the entire Taurus Reach.
At Vanguard, Diego Reyes is frustrated with the numerous bugs in the station's systems as he awaits the arrival of his first officer, Jon Cooper. Rana Desai visits Reyes for the first time and he is smitten with her. They butt heads as Desai presents grievances from civilians that Reyes is rudely dismissive of them in an effort to keep construction of The Vault secretive. After a brief and pointed conversation, Desai attempts to leave Reyes' office but is locked in due to a malfunctioning door; Reyes is thankful.
Anna Sandesjo (Lurqal) confronts another covert Klingon agent for his carelessness before vaporizing him with a disruptor. She later joins a meeting with Reyes, Jetanien, and T'Prynn. Sandesjo and T'Prynn are immediately attracted to each other.
As the Sagittarius' landing party completes a survey, a Klingon scout ship enters orbit. A battle ensues and damages both ships; the Klingons call for reinforcements. The Sagittarius is hiding on the planet when a D-5 Battlecruiser arrives in orbit to look for it. Reyes is worrying over the Sagittarius when Desai arrives to discuss Reyes refusing to allow the Omari-Ekon to dock. Though neither trust the Orions, Desai argues that Reyes can't legally refuse a non-enemy the right to dock. She also tells him that he cannot forbid Starfleet personnel from visiting the vessel nor does he have jurisdiction over the ship as it is sovereign Orion territory. Reyes grants the Orion request conditionally and asks Desai to dinner.
T'Prynn and Sandesjo begin flirting in the Officer's Club. T'Prynn has dual motives of gaining Sandesjo as a lover and finding evidence that she is a Klingon spy. Reyes suspects there is a spy aboard. Jetanien has also uncovered that Sandesjo is a spy but doesn't reveal this in hopes of manipulating her covert activities to benefit the Federation.
The next morning, T'Prynn visits Sandesjo in her quarters. After a mental attack by Sten, T'Prynn engages Sandesjo sexually. In the throws of passion, Sten causes T'Prynn to perform a mind meld with her lover. T'Prynn then knows for a certainty that Sandesjo is a Klingon. Sandesjo and Sten combat each other in a desert landscape which ends with her snapping his neck. The two women are now aware of each other's secrets. T'Prynn is ashamed of the violation she committed but Sandesjo is understanding and accepting.
The Sagittarius escapes the planet by carving a piece of sensor-obstructing ore from the planet and hauling it into space to mask their presence and appear to be a random asteroid. Their presence is detected but after a brief firefight and evasive maneuvers, the ship is able to escape.
Reyes and Desai become intimate during their second date.
References[]
Characters[]
Vanguard personnel and residents[]
- Curtis Ballard • Raymond Cannella • Rana Desai • Judy Dunbar • Ronald Hanagan (Komaleq) • Jetanien • Diego Reyes • Anna Sandesjo (Lurqal) • T'Prynn
- Referenced only
- Jon Cooper • Lauren Everett • Ezekiel Fisher • Haniff Jackson
USS Sagittarius personnel[]
- Celerasayna zh'Firro • Mike Ilucci • Bridget McLellan • Adelard Nassir • Clark Terrell • Vanessa Theriault
IKS Zin'za personnel[]
- BelHoQ • Kutal • Qlar • Tonar
Other characters[]
- Sesrene
Starships and vehicles[]
- Bacchus Plateau (freighter) • Klingon scout ship • USS Sagittarius (Archer-class) • IKS Zin'za (D5 class) • Workbee
- Referenced only
- USS Bombay (Miranda-class) • D6 class • D7 class • USS Endeavour (Constitution-class) • Omari-Ekon
Locations[]
- Vanguard (Watchtower-class) (Federation Embassy • Officers' club • Operations center) • Gonmog Sector/Taurus Reach • Traelus II
- Referenced only
- Borzha • Dorala • Earth (New Jersey) • Gamma Tauri • Korinar • Palgrenax • Ravanar (Ravanar IV) • Sensor control center • Shangri-La • Starbase 11 • Stars Landing • Typerias • Vault • Waste extraction
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
- Federation Diplomatic Corps • Imperial Intelligence • Judge Advocate General • Klingon Empire • Klingon High Council • Starfleet • Starfleet Intelligence • Tholian Assembly • United Federation of Planets
- Referenced only
- Adepts of Seleya • Federation Council • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Command • Starfleet Security
Science and technology[]
- antimatter containment system • asteroid • communications array • chronometer • communicator • data card • deflector shield • dilithium • disruptor • disruptor array • DNA • environmental suit • food slot • impulse engine • inertial damper • intermix chamber • mine • P-38 • pergium • phaser bank • phaser pistol • rodinium • sensor array • sensor-scattering field generator • subspace relay • tactical grid • Taurus meta-genome • telepathy • thallium • tractor beam • tricorder • tritanium • warp drive • warp nacelle
Ranks and titles[]
- aide • ambassador • Archaeology and anthropology officer • captain • Chancellor of the High Council of the Klingon Empire • chief engineer • chief medical officer • commander • commanding officer • commodore • communications officer • ensign • executive officer • first officer • Fleet operations manager • helmsman • intelligence officer • Kolinahr master • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • master chief petty officer • quartermaster • science officer • second officer • security chief • skipper
Other references[]
- 2213 • cargo bay • coffee • credit • crowbar • evasive maneuvers • Federation Standard • glenget • gymnasium • iced tea • jaj qeylIs molar mIgh HoHchu'qu' • kal-if-fee • katra • Kolinahr • mind meld • Operation Vanguard • petaQ • Plak tow • Pon farr • Prime Directive • qelI'qam • red alert • rice • Siren • Starfleet Hymn • steak • tea • terrestrial enclosure • tlhIngan Hol • Vaj Duj chIj • vegetable
Appendices[]
Related stories[]
| Stories featuring Starbase Vanguard | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: Vanguard novels | Harbinger • Summon the Thunder • Reap the Whirlwind • Open Secrets • Precipice • What Judgments Come • Storming Heaven |
| Short stories and novellas | Distant Early Warning • The Black Flag • Declassified (Almost Tomorrow • Hard News • The Ruins of Noble Men • The Stars Look Down) • In Tempest's Wake |
Connections[]
| Published Order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Precipice |
Vanguard novels | Next novel: What Judgments Come |
| Previous story: Paths of Disharmony |
Stories by: Dayton Ward |
Next story: What Judgments Come |
| Chronological Order | ||
| Previous adventure: Myriad Universes: A Less Perfect Union |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: What's Past: Distant Early Warning Translations[]
|