- For other uses, see Doctor's Orders.
Description[]
- When Doctor McCoy grumbles once too often about the way the Enterprise ought to be run, Captain Kirk decides to leave the doctor in command while he oversees a routine diplomatic mission. Kirk beams down to a strange planet nicknamed "Flyspeck" to negotiate its admission into the Federation, leaving Dr. McCoy to enjoy his new authority.
- However, the doctor soon learns that command is a double-edged sword when Kirk disappears without a trace. Desperately trying to locate his captain, McCoy comes under pressure from Starfleet to resolve the situation immediately. Matters go from bad to worse when the Klingons arrive and stake their own claim on Flyspeck.
- Then another, more deadly power threatens them all, and suddenly, Dr. McCoy and the Enterprise find themselves pitted against an alien fleet in a battle they have no hope of winning.
References[]
Characters[]
- Pat Aiello • Aklein • Mark Blundell • Brandt • Lia Burke • Pavel Chekov • DeLeon • Devlin • Fahy • Helef • Don Hetsko • Hhch • Kaiev • Katur • Janíce Kerasus • Kesaio • James T. Kirk • Lawson • The Master • Leonard McCoy • Morrison • North • Parker • Theresa Renner • Montgomery Scott • Joe Siegler • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Tak • Harb Tanzer • Ingrit Tomson • Tee Thov • Nyota Uhura • Vehau
- Referenced only
- Santa Claus • Wes Meier • Wilma Meier
Starships and vehicles[]
Locations[]
- 1212 Muscae • 1212 Muscae IV (Flyspeck)
- Referenced only
- Aberdeen • Australia • Coalsack • East Coast • Montauk Point • Sirius B III
Races and cultures[]
- ;At • Delasi • Human • Klingon • Lahit • Orion • Ornaet • Vulcan
- Referenced only
- Alariin • Lusitanii
States and organizations[]
Science and technology[]
- alien • animal • arsenic • cell • communications • DNA • energy • fog • ice • kilometer • liquid • phaser • polar cap • polymorph • protoplasm • screen • space • star • temperature • time • universal translator • weather • wind
Ranks and titles[]
Other references[]
- amoeba • amphibian • Amphibian gelforms of Sirius B III • asteroid belt • bag • bridge • captain's log • city • colony • day • dendroid • engineering • forest • glass • Great White shark • helm • hive economy • holiday • island • language • log entry • navigation • parkland • planet • plastic • psychology • science • shark • sickbay • soil • summer • symbology • tabekh • tabekh sauce • table • tool • tree • vegetable • weapon • winter • year
Appendices[]
Background[]
- This first contact novel features original alien species created by Duane specifically for the text-based Star Trek computer game, The Kobayashi Alternative.
- Author Diane Duane said, "The original concept grew out of reading Starship Troopers, in which one of the protagonist's instructors discusses with him an unusual circumstance, in which a very, very junior officer crewman of a ship found himself in command of a naval vessel – and it was all perfectly legal. That sequence of events came to mind when, many years later, I was chatting with Robert Heinlein on the phone ... and he cited me chapter and verse of the naval engagement that had inspired the scene.... McCoy is trapped in a situation where he's short on military or strategic expertise, so is going to fall back on one of his great strengths: understanding what's going on in other people's heads.... There are writers who see him primarily as deeply compassionate and very emotional, and writers who see him as primarily crusty and cranky. The McCoy I work with falls evenly between the two extremes, most of the time, but occasionally swings way over to one side or the other, before recovering his inner balance." (Star Trek Magazine Issue 184: "Just What The Doctor Ordered")
Images[]
Cover image.
McCoy.
Spock.
Enterprise.
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: The Pandora Principle |
TOS numbered novels | Next novel: Enemy Unseen |
| Previous story: Spock's World |
Stories by: Diane Duane |
Next story: Dark Mirror |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: My Enemy, My Ally |
Pocket Books Timeline | Next adventure: Spock's World |
| Previous adventure: My Enemy, My Ally |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: Spock's World |
Translations[]
- 1994
- French : Sur ordre du médecin. (Fleuve Noir)
- 1995
- German : Die Befehle des Doktors, translated by Ronald M. Hahn. (Heyne)
External link[]
- Doctor's Orders (novel) article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.