Assimilation², Issue 3 is the untitled third issue of Assimilation², the Star Trek: The Next Generation—Doctor Who crossover comic series from IDW Publishing in 2012. It also included a crossover between Star Trek: The Original Series and Doctor Who. The story is by Scott Tipton, David Tipton and Tony Lee, and the art is by J.K. Woodward and The Sharp Brothers.
Publisher's description[]
- The true horror of the Borg-Cyberman alliance has been revealed, but what course of action will Captain Picard and the Doctor agree upon? And will the Doctor’s recently resurfaced memories shed new night on the dilemma?
- After narrowly escaping a combined Borg-Cyberman fleet, the Enterprise has found cover in a nebula. The Doctor has shared his knowledge of the Cybermen with Captain Picard, who now seeks the counsel of his trusted friend, the mysterious Guinan.
Summary[]
The USS Enterprise-D discovers a combined Borg/Cyberman fleet near Delta IV. The fleet attacks, and Jean-Luc Picard orders a quick retreat into the Paertes Nebula. Being familiar with Cybermen, The Doctor describes their intent to dominate through cyber-conversion. Data discovers a historical record of Cybermen in a 23rd century log entry made by James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise. As Data reports, the Doctor has a spasm, during which he is suddenly able to remember these events.
- Captain's log, stardate 3368.5:
- Mister Spock, Doctor McCoy, and Commander Scott are accompanying me to Aprilia III, site of a long-abandoned relay station built by an alien civilization centuries ago.
- A Federation archeology team been stationed here for several months, attempting to glean any knowledge from the mysterious and unworkable technology, but has failed to make its last three scheduled reports.
- Subspace communication has gone unanswered. It's most likely a simple communications breakdown, but best to be certain. The planet's unique radiation also prevents the use of the transporter, necessitating our visit via shuttlecraft.
Galileo II touches down on a landing pad near the relay station. The landing party is met by project manager Jefferson Whitmore, who thought that their communications had been fixed. He shows them around the facility, confessing that they'd been unable to learn how to operate it yet, then sees them out. Neither Kirk nor Scott are satisfied, however, and that evening they try to break a lock and sneak into the facility. They are approached by The Doctor, who severs the lock with his sonic screwdriver and offers them jelly babies. They enter to find the archeology team standing upright, but unresponsive. Spock and McCoy discover earpieces have disabled the people, and when McCoy removes Whitmore's earpiece, he awakens.
Before they can revive the others, a door opens, revealing a trio of cyborgs. The Doctor recognizes them as Cybermen and suggests urgently helping everyone leave. Kirk aims his phaser, but a Cyberman crushes it, they grapple, and the Cyberman throws Kirk against a wall. The cyborgs are impervious to regular phaser fire, but Spock and Scott are able to use maximum power to disintegrate two of them. The Doctor asks Kirk if he has any gold, and Kirk offers his communicator. The Doctor flakes some gold from its flip antenna with his screwdriver and throws it at the Cyberman, which momentarily stuns it, and Spock then disintegrates it.
The facility is searched to make sure all the Cybermen are gone. While Kirk and Spock are talking to Whitmore and his associate Paula Zarlenga, The Doctor slips away outside to his TARDIS. But when nobody is paying attention, the facility quietly activates. Kirk expects that a Starfleet security garrison will protect the archeologists from further trouble.
Back in the 24th century, there is no longer any sign of Borg cubes or Cyber-ships outside of the nebula. Picard uses the momentary break to introduce The Doctor to Guinan in Ten Forward.
References[]
Characters[]
- Cyber-Controller • Data • The Doctor • Guinan • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Jean-Luc Picard • Amy Pond • William Riker • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Deanna Troi • Jefferson Whitmore • Rory Williams • Worf • Paula Zarlenga
Starships and vehicles[]
- Borg cubes • Cyber-ships • USS Enterprise-D (Galaxy-class explorer) • Galileo II (class F shuttlecraft) • TARDIS
- Referenced only
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser)
Locations[]
Stars, systems[]
Planets[]
Astronomical bodies[]
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
Science and technology[]
- archaeology • archeology • communications • communicator • cyber-conversion • phaser • radiation • communication relay station • scanner • sensor • shields • sonic screwdriver • subspace communication • technology • transporter • tricorder • viewscreen
Ranks and titles[]
- captain • chief engineer • commander • doctor • first officer • professor • surgeon
Other references[]
- alert status (red alert) • alien • asteroid field • bow tie • bridge • captain's log, USS Enterprise, 2268 • century • civilization • emotion • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • Federation Starfleet ranks (2360s-2370s) • fish • fleet • gas giant • gelatin • gold • grass • history • jelly baby • lizard • log entry • minute • month • mountain • nebula • planet • radiation • radiation belt • registry number • respiration • respiratory system • scarf • security • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • Starfleet uniform (2366-2373) • subspace • suit • Ten Forward • tree • year • zombie
Appendices[]
Background[]
- The image for Cover B is based on a promotional poster for the movie Star Trek: First Contact. The cover image features the Doctor in the place of Picard, Rory Williams in the place of Data, and Amy Pond in the place of the Borg Queen, with the Enterprise-E being replaced by the TARDIS. Also, the Borg army at the bottom of the poster is now outnumbered by Cybermen.
- The shuttlecraft flown being Galileo II sets the 23rd century flashback no earlier than 2268, when that shuttle debuted following the destruction of the Galileo in TOS comic: "Day of the Inquisitors".
Images[]
Related stories[]
The Fourth Doctor also appeared in:
The Doctor's TARDIS also appeared in:
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous comic: Issue 2 |
TNG comics (Star Trek: The Next Generation—Doctor Who) | Next comic: Issue 4 |
| The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2368. The Memory Beta Chronology places events from this story in 1 other timeframe(s): | ||
| Previous adventure: Uhura's Song |
2268 (Pages 8-19 flashback) | Next adventure: The Ultimate Computer |
Connections[]
| Assimilation² crossover series | |
|---|---|
| Volume 1 | Issue 1 • Issue 2 • Issue 3 • Issue 4 |
| Volume 2 | Issue 5 • Issue 6 • Issue 7 • Issue 8 |
Production history[]
- 25 July 2012
- First released by IDW Publishing.
- 26 September 2012
- Collected in Assimilation², Volume 1. (ISBN 9781613774038)
- 5 November 2013
- Collected in the Assimilation² hardcover. (ISBN 9781613777824)
External links[]
- Assimilation², Issue 3 article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Assimilation², Issue 3 article at iFanboy.com.