- This article is about the manga story. You may be looking for The Art of War treatise by Sun Tzu.
"Art of War" was the first of four Star Trek: The Original Series manga stories in the 2008 anthology Uchu (Universe). It was published by TokyoPop, written by Wil Wheaton, and drawn by E.J. Su. In this story, Captain James T. Kirk and a Klingon Commander were on trial for their actions in a collapsed tritanium mine.
Description
- Wil Wheaton returns with a Klingon confrontation that may test Kirk's resolute hatred of them.
Summary
James T. Kirk and Klingon Commander Kring are being tried separately for their experiences at Angrena. Kirk is charged with violating a Starfleet directive applicable in wartime and threatened with the loss of his command. Kring is charged with cowardice and threatened with execution. During the trial, each describes what happened from their point of view.
- Captain's log, stardate 3905.7.
- We have received a distress call from the Federation mining colony on Angrena. Our scheduled visit to Starbase Six for some much needed rest and relaxation will have to be postponed until the rescue operation is completed.
An explosion of hydrogen reserves deep underground kills 89 miners and destabilizes the planet's tritanium mine. Facing imminent collapse, mining Chief Engineer Ripley issues a distress call and requests emergency evacuation. The Enterprise responds at maximum warp speed.
- Captain's log, stardate 3905.9.
- We have reached the mining colony on Angrena. I have assembled a medical and engineering landing party to treat any wounded, and prepare the survivors for evacuation. I have asked my chief engineer, ship's doctor, and first officer to accompany me.
Beaming down, Leonard McCoy rushes to care for the injured. Kirk and Ripley are wondering how the explosion might have happened when a Klingon landing party materializes and starts attacking everyone in sight. During the fight, the ground gives way and Kirk and Commander Kring fall into the mine, separated by rubble.
With radiation disabling their communicators, Kirk and Kring each follow directions to a way out. In the dark, each is being attacked stealthily, seemingly by the other, until their paths run into each other, and they realize their common enemy is a Jeru, a large, vicious creature that infests mines. They fight it together, with Kring killing it while seeming to save Kirk. "You're next," Kring says, launching into Kirk. The cliff edge gives way, and Kring holds on with one arm. Kirk pulls him up.
Saying Kring owes him a life debt and will not kill him out of honor, Kirk suggests they work together to get out of the mine. They construct a bridge with planks to climb out of the area to the lift. While climbing out, they see hundreds of Jeru eggs around the bottom of the mine and realize that the Jeru likely had inadvertently triggered the mine explosion.
When they reach the lift, Kring observes that Kirk seems to know a lot about Klingons. Kirk quotes Sun Tzu, which Kring called "rare Human wisdom," deciding he and Kirk had similar philosophies.
After arriving on the surface, both captains order fighting to stop. Spock reports that several Klingon prisoners are ready to be transported to Starbase 6. Kirk asks Kring if he is going to attack the Enterprise, which will trigger all-out war, but Kring says he has no interest in violating the cease fire. On that basis, Kirk releases the captured Klingons to Kring and both crews leave the planet. Before beaming up, Spock says that releasing the Klingons was a violation of Starfleet Directive 72, and that he will be forced to report it, leading to the court martial.
The court says showing mercy to the Klingons might help prevent war in the future and calls Kirk's actions unorthodox. Kirk is reprimanded, however, and is required to file a full report upon arrival at Starbase 6.
Meanwhile, Kring has been accused of cowardice. His judge says, "considering everything we know to be true about Human behavior," the events couldn't have happened as Kring said. Kring's subordinates, angling for promotions, do not support their captain. Kring stands his ground resolutely and proudly as he is killed.
- Captain's personal log.
- I told Kring "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." I didn't tell him the rest of that lesson: "If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat." We are so certain that we know the Klingons, and they are equally certain that they know us, but we haven't made much of an effort to challenge our mutual conviction. Just as I don't represent all men, Kring can't represent all Klingons, yet the symbolism of working together to build a bridge is not lost on me. I hope it was not lost on him.
References
Characters
- Pavel Chekov • James T. Kirk • Keer • K'Ley • Kolos • Kring • K'Toth • Leonard McCoy • Reyes • Ripley • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Wellman • unnamed Starfleet personnel (court martial officers)
- Referenced only
- Kahless the Unforgettable • Montgomery Scott • Sun Tzu
Starships and vehicles
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • Kring's battle cruiser • mining vehicle
Locations
- Angrena
- Referenced only
- Starbase 6
Races and cultures
States and organizations
Science and technology
- axe • communicator • d'k tahg • deflector screen • disruptor • mining • painstik • phaser • scanner • sensor • transporter • tricorder • turbolift
Ranks and titles
- arbiter • captain • chief engineer • commander • commodore • doctor • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • first officer • lieutenant • philosopher • rank • seismologist • Starfleet ranks • warrior
Klingon phrases
Other references
- The Art of War • alert status (yellow alert) • assignment patch • beam • brig • captain's log, USS Enterprise, 2267 • cease fire • court martial • distress call • egg • execution • galaxy • honor • hour • hydrogen • Jeru • Kring's battle cruiser personnel • landing party • moon • ore • Organian ceasefire • quarters • radiation • reprimand • shore leave • sickbay • Starfleet Directive 72 • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • tritanium • war
Timeline
Chronology
- This story took place in 2267 shortly after the Organians prevented an impending war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire in TOS episode & Star Trek 2 novelization: Errand of Mercy, during the period of cease fire prior to the official signing of the Organian Peace Treaty.
Production history
- Printed in 5" x 7 1/2" format in the anthology Star Trek: The Manga - Uchu. (TokyoPop)
- First seven pages reprinted as a teaser in ST - Myriad Universes novel: Infinity's Prism. (Pocket Books)
- March 2009
- Reprinted in 6" x 9" format in the anthology Star Trek: The Manga - Ultimate Edition. (TokyoPop)
- 10 September 2020
- Reprinted in Graphic Novel Collection #129. (Eaglemoss)
Appendices
Background
- This story was named in honor of The Art of War, a treatise on military philosophy by Sun Tzu which created common ground between Kirk and Kring.
- One of the Kring's arbiters quoted Kahless the Unforgettable as having said, "The wind does not respect a fool." This quote was also referenced in 2369 in TNG episode: "Rightful Heir".
- Kring repeated Kahless' quote, "Great men do not seek power, they have power thrust upon them." This statement was also referenced by Worf, son of Mogh in 2375 in DS9 episode: "Tacking Into the Wind". The quote was similar to the phrase, "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them," which was written by William Shakespeare. (Twelfth Night, Act 2 Scene 5 at The Complete Works of William Shakespeare)
- Both trials took place in unidentified locations.
- Kring's battle cruiser was capable of beaming up nine people at once. The Enterprise beamed down ten people at once.
- During the period of cease fire depicted in this story, both sides believed that opposing starships were not allowed to attack each other, but individuals could still shoot at each other, at least on Angrena.
- Starfleet Directive 72 prohibited “willing failure to capture an enemy commander and freeing enemy prisoners without cause” during wartime. Technically Kirk could only have violated the directive because this story took place prior to the formal signing of the Organian Peace Treaty. From an Organian point of view, the state of war ended in TOS episode & Star Trek 2 novelization: Errand of Mercy.
- Montgomery Scott was cited in the captain's log as being included in the landing party to Angrena, but he was not shown in artwork. Pavel Chekov appeared on the bridge, but did not have dialogue.
Errata
- Kring stated that Keer lied for the sake of ambition and Kolos followed along. The larger of the two was congratulated for his act in court and promoted to commander, making him Keer, yet two pages earlier it was the smaller of the two who vowed to act against Kring.
- Mining chief engineer Ripley and the commodore presiding over Kirk's court martial strongly resembled each other.
- Promotional text referenced Kirk's "hatred" for Klingons, but his blind racism did not exist until after the death of his son David Marcus. In this story, both Kirk and the commodore hoped to build bridges toward improved relations with the Klingons.
Related media
- TOS episode & Star Trek 2 novelization: Court Martial – Established settings and procedures for a Starfleet court martial.
- TOS episode & Star Trek 2 novelization: Errand of Mercy – Defined the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty.
- TOS episode & Star Trek 4 novelization: The Devil in the Dark – Established background for large-scale Federation mining colonies.
- TOS movie: The Undiscovered Country – Established trial settings for a Klingon court.
- TNG episode: "The Last Outpost" – Sun Tzu's philosophy similarly impacted events in this story.
- ST reference: The Klingon Art of War: Ancient Principles of Ruthless Honor – Illustrated reference that aligns Klingon warrior principles with those of Sun Tzu.
- The Art of War by Sun Tzu.
Images
Connections
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous comic: Forging Alliances |
Star Trek: The Manga
|
Next comic: Bandi |
| Previous story: Cura Te Ipsum |
Stories by: Wil Wheaton |
Next story: latest story |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: Four Thousand Throats... Alien Spotlight, Pages 1-2 & 7 |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next Adventure: The Fire and the Rose Crucible, Chapters 2, 4, 6 (Section 1) |
External links
- Art of War article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Art of War article at Wil Wheaton's blog.
- Art of War review at TrekMovie.