Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the finale of Picard and the continuations of Discovery, Lower Decks, Prodigy and Strange New Worlds, the advent of new eras in Star Trek Online gaming, as well as other post-56th Anniversary publications such as the new ongoing IDW comic. Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{spoiler}}, {{spoilers}} or {{majorspoiler}} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old. Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. 'Thank You

READ MORE

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Enigma Tales is a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel by author Una McCormack, released in June 2017.

Description[]

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Fall comes a compelling and suspenseful tale of politics and power set in the universe of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Elim Garak has ascended to Castellan of the Cardassian Union… but despite his soaring popularity, the imminent publication of a report exposing his people's war crimes during the occupation on Bajor looks likely to set the military against him. Into this tense situation comes Dr. Katherine Pulaski—visiting Cardassia Prime to accept an award on behalf of the team that solved the Andorian genetic crisis—and Dr. Peter Alden, formerly of Starfleet Intelligence. The two soon find themselves at odds with Garak and embroiled in the politics of the prestigious University of the Union, where a new head is about to be appointed. Among the front-runners is one of Cardassia's most respected public figures: Professor Natima Lang. But the discovery of a hidden archive from the last years before the Dominion War could destroy Lang's reputation. As Pulaski and Alden become drawn into a deadly game to exonerate Lang, their confrontation escalates with Castellan Garak—a reluctant leader treading a fine line between the bright hopes for Cardassia's future and the dark secrets still buried in its past…

Summary[]

A Cardassian report has recommended prosecution for war crimes committed during the Bajoran Occupation. Pulaski visits Cardassia with Alden to accept the Distinguished Impact Medal for her work on the Andorian reproduction crisis. During an interview, she favours the prosecution of war criminals, which is taken as a criticism of Garak. Relations between them are further soured by Garak's reluctance to let her visit Bashir.

Elima Antok, a researcher who worked on the report, discovers evidence of Project Enigma, an attempt to remove the Bajoran genes from half-Cardassian, half-Bajoran children. Natima Lang is among those who signed off on it. Despite threats, Antok reports the matter to the police and is promptly kidnapped. Pulaski is kidnapped by the same person but quickly released.

Pulaski is suspicious of Garak, who supports another candidate for the university chair Lang is favourite for, so refuses to co-operate with the Cardassian authorities. She manages to track down Antok at the same time as Mhevet and the kidnapper, who also killed Lang's aide who had been assisting him, is arrested. He admits to planting false evidence tying Lang to Project Enigma. However, the project is shown to be real when Garak is confronted in his home by a gul who was one of the subjects: The man is admitted for psychiatric treatment.

The murderer turns out to be a rogue Starfleet Intelligence operative who was abandoned in deep cover during the Dominion War. Alden arranges for him to be secretly extracted into Starfleet Intelligence custody; Pulaski suspects SI are covering up the fact that one of them informers authorised Project Enigma. Garak informs Lang that he hopes she will succeed him as castellan.

Later, Garak succumbs to visiting Bashir in the ward, and speaks to him despite his catatonic state. He reads to him, and while his eyes are on the words, Bashir's hand and fingers twitch slightly, showing movement. This implies that he may have physical movement returning, or at least reactionary.

References[]

Characters[]

Cardassians[]

AkretElima AntokEvrek AntokMikor AntokVelek AntokChenetDhrokMetok EfhenyFerisElim GarakNatima LangLetekEdek Mayrat • Arati Mhevet • Ista Nemeny • NevekKelas ParmakRenelServekTelekEnek Therok
Referenced only
CarnisUlan CoracCorat DamarSkrain DukatRakena GaranReta GhemenyAlon GhemorTekeny GhemorLim Pa'MarMeya RejalSayakEnabran TainTelekTora ZiyalTret Vetrek

Starfleet personnel[]

"Our man" • Katherine Pulaski
Referenced only
Jean-Luc PicardBenjamin Sisko

Others[]

Peter AldenJulian BashirT'Rena
Referenced only
Nanietta BaccoFranz KafkaKira NerysAudre LordeQuarkMaurita Tanj

Locations[]

Cardassia PrimeCardassia City (Assembly HallBarvonokCoranumFederation Embassy on CardassiaLiberation BridgeMunda'arPaldarPerokTain residenceTarlakTorr (East TorrNorth Torr))
Referenced only
Ab-TzenkethArawathBajor (Rakantha Province) • Brigadoon • Cardassia (Central ArchiveCulatHeadquarters Allied Reconstruction ForcesLakarian CityMetenokOrlehnyVeletur) • Cardassia IVDeep Space 9 (Garak's Clothiers) • Earth (BerlinCambridgeEuropeLondonMount OlympusParisRome) • Tzenketh

Starships and vehicles[]

Athene Donaldshuttlecraftskimmer
Referenced only
USS Enterprise-DPerektram

Races and cultures[]

BajoranCardassianHumanVulcan
Referenced only
AndorianFerengiJem'HadarProphetsTrillTzenkethi

States and organizations[]

Cardassian AssemblyCardassian Guard (Cardassian Fourth Order) • Cardassian UnionpressFederation Diplomatic CorpsStarfleetStarfleet IntelligenceUnited Federation of PlanetsUniversity of the Union
Referenced only
Administrative Committee of the Office of the AcademyCardassian Central CommandCardassian Intelligence BureauCardassian Second RepublicDetapa CouncilDominionFoundersFriends of BajorNaziObsidian OrderOffice for Bajoran Racial EquityPeople's Artistic FundProject EnigmaSection 31Tzenkethi Coalition

Ranks and titles[]

admiralagentaideambassadorarchitectarchivistassassinAssemblypersonAutarch of the Tzenkethi CoalitionbodyguardcaptainCardassian Ambassador to BajorCardassian Ambassador to the United Federation of PlanetsCastellan of the Cardassian Unionchief academicianchief of constabularycomfort womandiplomatDirector of ResearchdissidentdoctorEmissary of the ProphetsFederation Ambassador to the Cardassian UniongardenergulhistorianhousekeeperinterviewerjournalistlegatenestoroperativepoetprefectPresident of the United Federation of Planetsproducerprofessorresearcherscientistsociologistsoldierspystudentsurgeontailorteachertorturervedekvendorwriterxenosociologist

Science[]

communicationsgenetic engineeringgenomic therapyholographysoil reclamationwarm-bloodedxenosociolinguistics

Materials and substances[]

analgesicDNAinoculantnucleotidesedative

Lifeforms[]

humanoidmammalUraei

Technology and weapons[]

chronometercombadgecommunicatordermal regeneratorfiltration systemholo-cameraholo-recorderholodeckisolinear rodkeycardmedical tricorderpaddphaserreplicatortransparent aluminumtransportertricorder

Other references[]

Age of EmergenceAndorian fertility crisisarchitecturearchiveartart galleryautumnBajoran earringBajoran templebaroquebasketbookboulevardcafecakecanapécandlecankacarociceramicchairchampagnechopstickscoffeeCongregation Hallconstabularycontemporary literaturecountry housecoup d'etatcurrencycurryDante's InfernodemocracyDistinguished Impact MedaldoctoratedocumentaryDominion Wardress uniformdust stormeateryEdosian orchidThe Ending of the Never-Ending SacrificeEnigma taleettaberryettaberry teaeulogyextraditionfabricfactoryfashionfast • "the Fire" • fish juiceflowergardengelatgeletagenocidegraffitigrantGreek mythologygymnasiumHa'marahatholding cellhound-racingiced bunikri bun • iscaithian treekanarkotraKukalakalabor campleya fruit • Liberation Daylibrarylilyliteraturelondubmansionmarketmediamedical ethicsmeklamemorialmeya lilymilitary basemobamurder mysterymusicThe Never-Ending SacrificenewsnhemeninoodleOccam's razorOccupation of Bajorpaintpaintingparrises squaresperek flowerpoetrypoolPrime Directiveprotestraperation cardred leaf tearefugee campreligionreplicator plantRiddle Runnerrokassa juiceropeshoeshowersiloslaverysnakesoap operasoccersofaspaceportsports and gamesspringsummersunglassestapestryteatechnical collegeteddy bearthesistown housetuxedoUniversity of the Union MassacrevigilwarehousewaterwinewinterWorld War II

Appendices[]

Related media[]

Background[]

  • In September 2016, McCormack alluded to the upcoming release on a post for Uncanny Magazine. There, she wrote:

    It’s nearly fifteen years since I started watching DS9, and I can’t believe my luck that this show came to me at exactly the right moment, when I was ready for it, and ready to shift my writing from hobby to profession. I’ve been able to take characters and settings I adore and shape their future histories. My books have been best-sellers and my publications got me a much-wanted job teaching creative writing at university. And I still don’t feel these stories are done. Every so often, I hear a polite clearing of the throat behind me, a gentle tap on my shoulder, and I hear Garak murmur “Now, my dear, where did we leave matters…?” And round we go again, for Cardassia.[2]

  • Enigma Tales became the first novel since The Fall of Terok Nor to have an audiobook release.

Date[]

The novel's 'Historian's Note' identifies the novel as set in late 2386, weeks after Control. However, within the novel itself, the text continually refers to many years having passed since the 2385-set The Crimson Shadow. Garak has been Castellan for about "three years", during which time he commissioned an inquiry into the Bajoran Occupation which took over two years. Arati Mhevet remembers their first meeting (during The Crimson Shadow) as occurring "a few years ago". Furthermore, in Pulaski's interview with Cardassian journalist Edek Mayrat, her rhetorical point about Cardassia's superior infrastructure not being dependent on HARF, as it has been "gone a few years now", is not something to say 13 months after a withdrawal. Rather, later, it is mentioned that HARF left their headquarters on Coranum Hill "nearly three years ago". And Peter Alden has completed a doctorate in xenolinguistics since the end of the late 2385-set The Missing, although completed "in record time", a doctoral thesis and an examination in under a year would be exceedingly unlikely. Finally, it is never mentioned how long it has been in-text since Control, although at the novel's start, Dr Parmak notes to Garak that it has been some time since he visited Bashir. The year can therefore be 2388.

References[]

  1. 'Tragedy in Every Sense of the Word - Section 31: Control: David Mack', Literary Treks - A Star Trek Books and Comics Podcast 186. Accessible at http://trek.fm/literary-treks/186 (Date accessed, 9 April 2017)
  2. Una McCormack, 'All True, Especially the Lies—Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Cardassia', Uncanny Magazine 12. Accessible at http://uncannymagazine.com/article/true-especially-lies-learned-stop-worrying-love-cardassia/ (Date accessed 22 January 2017).

Images[]

Connections[]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine relaunch publications and stories
Novels A Stitch in TimeAvatar, Book One‎Avatar, Book TwoAbyssDemons of Air and DarknessTwilightThis Gray SpiritCathedralLesser EvilRising SonThe Left Hand of Destiny, Book OneThe Left Hand of Destiny, Book TwoUnity • "Cardassia: The Lotus Flower" • "Andor: Paradigm" • "Trill: Unjoined" • "Bajor: Fragments and Omens" • "Ferenginar: Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed" • "The Dominion: Olympus Descending" • WarpathFearful SymmetryThe Soul KeyThe Never-Ending SacrificeThe MissingSacraments of FireAscendanceForce and MotionThe Long MirageEnigma TalesOriginal Sin
Miniseries and anthologies The Lives of DaxDivided We FallMission GammaWorlds of Deep Space Nine (Volume One, Two & Three)
Short stories and novellas "Horn and Ivory" • "The Officers' Club" • Lust's Latinum Lost (and Found)Rules of AccusationI, The Constable
Comics N-Vector • "Crossfire" • "No Quarter" • "All Fall Down" • "United We Stand"
Omnibuses Twist of FaithThese Haunted Seas
Related Star Trek: Section 31Star Trek: Terok NorStar Trek: DestinyStar Trek: Typhon PactStar Trek: The FallStar Trek: Coda

Timeline[]

Published Order
Previous novel:
The Long Mirage
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Next novel:
Original Sin
Previous story:
The Missing
Stories by:
Una McCormack
Next story:
TBA
Translations[]
2020
German : Mysterien, translated by René Ulmer. (Cross Cult)

External link[]

Advertisement