Description[]
- Another exciting episode from television's most popular science fiction series.
- Complete in this volume.
- Bem
- It seemed like such a simple request.
- The Pandronians had petitioned to send a representative to observe a Federation crew carrying out a survey mission... precisely the type of mission the Enterprise had just been assigned.
- What could go wrong?
- So Commander Ari bn Bem joined Captain Kirk and his crew to evaluate aboriginal lifeforms of undetermined intelligence and accomplishment on the planet Delta Theta III.
- And that's when the trouble began…
Summary[]
Before and during the mission to Delta Theta III, Ari bn Bem is generally disagreeable, haughty, and disdainful of all other sentient races and cultures. He surreptitiously substitutes fakes for a landing party's phasers and communicators, with the result that they are easily captured by the planet's natives. After an encounter with the planet's ruling intelligence, however, he is greatly humbled, and becomes much more cooperative.
Following the events of the original episode, Bem receives a message from Pandro, one so shocking that he faints. After his upper and lower torsos dissociate and revive his head, he explains the import of the message: the Tam Paupa, which has been the source of peace and justice on Pandro for many generations, has been stolen, the Pandronian premier is dying, and Pandronian society is slipping into total chaos.
The USS Enterprise is immediately diverted to Pandro, and a landing party is sent down to assist bn Bem in recovering the Tam Paupa. What follows is a travelogue of Pandro, leading to a confrontation with a Klingon expedition seeking to exploit the weapons potential of Pandro's uniquely modular animal wildlife, and ultimately to a series of surprises from the Tam Paupa itself.
Log entries[]
- Captain's log, stardate 5537.3.
- The Enterprise, having concluded the Lactran affair and having returned officers Markel, Bryce, and Randolph to Starbase Sixteen Survey Headquarters, is proceeding according to directives on standard survey run.
- Captain's log, stardate 5537.3.
- We are taking up orbit around Delta Theta Three, a newly charted Class M planet — the last world on our current mission. The original drone scout reported the possible presence of aboriginal life forms on Delta Theta Three, life forms of undetermined intelligence and accomplishment.
- Upon entering orbit the Enterprise will proceed to carry out standard survey procedures and investigation, placing particular emphasis on a detailed study of the local sapient life form.
References[]
Characters[]
Episode characters[]
- Arex Na Eth • Ari bn Bem • James T. Kirk • John Kyle • Shiboline M'Ress • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Delta Theta III entity • Delta Theta III aborigines
Novelization characters[]
- ab Af • Arex Na Eth • Ari bn Bem • Camus • Christine Chapel • Dav pn Hon • Kau afdel Kaun • James T. Kirk • Kor, son of Rynar • Monty Kunjolly • John Kyle • Shiboline M'Ress • Markham • Leonard McCoy • M'degu • Namura • Lud eb Riss • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Delta Theta III entity • Delta Theta III aborigines • coryat • diccob • Tam Paupa • zintar
- Referenced only
- Randi Bryce • Matthew Jefferies • Tom Markel • Patrick O'Morion • Nancy Randolph
Starships and vehicles[]
Locations[]
- Delta Theta III • Pandro • Science Station 24
- Referenced only
- Lactra • Starbase 16 • Ursa Major Lacus
Races and cultures[]
- Caitian • Delta Theta III aborigine • Human • Klingon • Pandronian • Edosian or Triexian • Vulcan
- Referenced only
- Klingon • Lactran • Organian • Romulan
States and organizations[]
- Federation Diplomatic Corps • Federation Diplomatic Psychology Corps • Starfleet • Starfleet Science • Starfleet Command • United Federation of Planets
Science and classification[]
- biology • bolo • class M planet • club • communicator • coordinates • drone scout • force field • knife • medicine • message cube • phaser • sensor • spear • transporter • tricorder • turbolift • viewscreen • weapon
Ranks and titles[]
- admiral • captain • chief engineer • commander • doctor • engineer • ensign • first officer • guard • hunter • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • science officer • transporter chief • warrior • xenologist
Other references[]
- alien • animal • beam • brain • bridge • Brownian movement • captain's log • cat • cilia • civilization • code • command chair • crew • cryptography • culture • diplomatic relations • disease • English language • Federation law • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • fire • government • hangover • landing party • language • lifeform • Loch Ness Monster • log entry • logic • physiology • quarters • rock • sleep • Star Fleet Technical Manual • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • stun • taboo • transporter room • tribe • Vulcan nerve pinch • war • warp factor (warp four) • wood
Appendices[]
Background[]
This is the ninth of Alan Dean Foster's TAS adaptation collections which have been reprinted a number of times, often in omnibuses with other Star Trek Log books. Most recently in 2006 by Del Rey Books, an imprint of the original Ballantine Books publishers, as part of Star Trek's 40th Anniversary celebrations.
In fact, this was the last of the Star Trek Logs to be published under the Ballantine imprint before the Del Rey imprint was created.
This was also the first book in the series to feature the new cover art style with an image of the Enterprise rather than an image from the adapted episode. The last book in the series would also have this style of cover as would the following reprints of the earlier books.
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novelization: Log Eight |
Star Trek Logs | Next novelization: Log Ten |
| Previous episode: Once Upon a Planet |
TAS episode produced | Next episode: Albatross |
| Previous episode: The Pirates of Orion |
TAS episode aired | Next episode: The Practical Joker |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: The Eye of the Beholder |
Next Adventure: The Slaver Weapon | |
Translations[]
- 1994
- German : Ein fataler Fehler, translated by Lore Straßl. (Goldmann)
External links[]
- Bem article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Bem article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Bem review at TrekToday.
- Bem discussion at the Mission Log podcast.