Description[]
- The disappearance of Andorian scientific genius Muav Haslev fuels tension between the Orions and the Andorians - tensions that come dangerously close to full scale war. Captain Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise are called to Starbase Sigma 1, located on the edge of Andorian-Orion space, to patrol the sector as a deterrent to hostilities.
- On arrival, the crew encounters an inexplicable series of events, beginning with missing equipment and shipboard malfunctions. After a deadly transporter accident, Kirk suspects sabotage - suspicions that are confirmed by the mysterious murder of three Federation officials. Now, Kirk and crew must put together the fragmented pieces of the puzzle, before the Starship Enterprise faces destruction and the galaxy faces interplanetary war.
Summary[]
After a stopover at Space Station Sigma One, the USS Enterprise is deployed to the Orion-Andorian border in order to prevent hostilities from breaking out over the defection of Muav Haslev. On this mission, the Enterprise's crew is joined by a team of Federation efficiency auditors bent on making the ship's operation more "efficient" by enforcing regulations to the letter.
As the Enterprise travels to the border, a series of murders and incidents take place on the ship, forcing Pavel Chekov to investigate them. Over the course of the investigation, Chekov discovers that there is an Orion spy aboard the Enterprise searching for Muav Haslev, who has also snuck aboard the ship.
As these discoveries are made, the Enterprise is also forced to deal with Orion ships that are attempting to recapture Haslev. Eventually, the Enterprise is forced to engage the Orions in combat, but is aided by the ATS Shras, an Andorian Reserve Fleet ship. This battle results in the destruction of one Orion ship and the retreat of the other and Haslev is then turned over to the Andorians, allowing the Enterprise to continue on its way.
References[]
Characters[]
- Barrasso • Bhutto • Brahmson • Chaiken • Pavel Chekov • Davidson • Roberta Gendron • Goldstein • Muav Haslev • Howard • Hrdina • Jagr • John • Pov Kanin • Aaron Kelly • James T. Kirk • Lemieux • Leonard McCoy • Mullen • Ondarken • Paek • Maxwell Petersen • Lindsey Purviance • Recchi • Samuelsson • Montgomery Scott • Shandaken • Spock • Dennis Sweeney • Hikaru Sulu • Tate • John Taylor • Nyota Uhura
- Referenced only
- Robert Cecil • Coffey • Christopher Dailey • Constance Duerring • Robinson • David Stein • Tocchet • Trottier
Starships and vehicles[]
- Brahe • Clarke • USS Enterprise • USS Exeter • gravsled • Hawking • Kahoutek • USS Kongo • Mecufi • ATS Shras • Umyfymu (T-class)
Locations[]
- Beta Herculani • bridge • hangar bay • sickbay • Space Station Sigma One
- Referenced only
- Andor • Canopis sector • Deneb • Orion nebula • Perseus • Procyon • Rigel VIII • Spica
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
- Andorian Reserve Fleet • Starfleet • United Federation of Planets
- Referenced only
- Starfleet Academy
Science and classification[]
- antimatter • blood • bone • communicator • distress beacon • food processor • gas • hair • impulse drive • intruder alert • liquid nitrogen • lung • meter • neutron radiation • nitrogen • phaser • photon torpedo • radiation • radiation shield • rib • sensor • shields • star • sweat • time • torpedo • tractor beam • trans-shield anode • transparent aluminum • transporter • tricorder • turbolift • viewscreen • warp core • warp drive • warp nacelle • warp trail
Ranks and titles[]
- admiral • Auditor General • captain • chief engineer • chief of security • commander • commodore • criminal • efficiency auditor • engineer • ensign • first officer • helmsman • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • officer • physicist • scientist • security chief
Other references[]
- Arcturian yoga • brandy • bread • Elysian cloud-apple • haggis • hail • Halkan fire-lilies • Halkan water chameleon • Haslev incident • hull • Iotian crystal • mammal • medallion • military • money • mouse • red alert • Russian roulette • self-destruct • shrapnel • technology • weapon • yellow alert
Appendices[]
Background[]
- Based on the book's publication date, it appears the author referenced the Pittsburgh Penguins of the era when creating security characters; referencing players such as Lemieux, Barrasso, Jagr, Recchi, and others.
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Sanctuary |
TOS numbered novels | Next novel: Shell Game |
| Previous story: Ice Trap |
Stories by: L.A. Graf |
Next story: Firestorm |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: Shell Game |
Next Adventure: The Prometheus Design | |
Translations[]
- 1997
- German : Der Saboteur, translated by Harald Pusch. (Heyne)
External link[]
- Death Count article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.