- This article is about the Captain Sulu Adventure. You may be looking for LD episode: "Envoys".
Envoy is the third and, to date, final release in the Captain Sulu Adventures series of full-cast audio dramas.
Description[]
- While on the USS Excelsior, Captain Sulu receives top priority orders to proceed by shuttlecraft to Starbase Three. He is to act as the Federation's envoy to a historic peace ceremony between the Krikiki and the Den-Kai – the two dominant, warring races in that sector. The Federation has made it clear to Sulu that it is vital that this mission be successful.
- Sulu's role is to hand over a young Krikiki prince to the Den-Kai as a symbol of peace. But once Sulu learns of the physical hardships and isolated life that are to befall the prince, he is faced with one of the most difficult choices of his career: carry out his orders and protect another being's life only to see it taken away, or interfere and risk destroying the fragile peace...and violate the prime directive in the process.
Summary[]
The Krikiki and Den-Kai have a long history of war, with the latest conflict having lasted thirty years. With the Krikiki having the upper hand, their commander, Era'Quell, has offered his surviving son Ru'Krell to the Den-Kai as a hostage to ensure peace. The exchange will take place at Starbase 3, since it neighbours the two races' territories and since Starfleet is hoping the peace will enable them to explore the area.
Sulu is sent to participate in the Asraba, a ceremony of remembrance where he will be required to hand Ru'Krell over to the Den-Kai. He is uncomfortable with the task when he learns that, according to tradition, Ru'Krell has had his legs broken to prevent him escaping and the Den-Kai will sever his vocal cords to prevent him speaking. He eventually accepts Ru'Krell is a willing sacrifice.
Members of a Den-Kai splinter group, the Kasrag, attack the starbase intending to kill Ru'Krell and halt the peace process. Sulu locates Den-Kai and helps him escape his quarters through various service shafts, but they get separated and Den-Kai is captured. Sulu stops them by rigging the space station's tractor beam to reverberate within the station, causing a high frequency sound that renders everyone unconscious.
After he has taken part in the Asraba, he is relieved that the Den-Kai decide a vow of silence will be sufficient for Ru'Krell, hoping that one day he will be set free.
Log entries[]
- Captain's log, stardate 9029.2, recording on tricorder.
- I am taking advantage of the delayed arrival of the Krikiki transport to record this from Docking Ring Alpha on Starbase 3, where I have come to officially represent the Federation when Ru'Krell, the Krikiki prince, arrives. It will be odd to meet someone and not be able to extend even casual words of greeting, but Admiral Tsubar was adamant.
- My body temperature's dropped as I stand waiting for Ru'Krell and his retinue, in the middle of a docking facility almost big enough to swallow the Excelsior whole. I would rather be back aboard the bridge of my ship, overseeing the transfer of those emergency medical supplies.
- What I'm here to do is not very pleasant. I accessed the computer's archives for the protocol in regards to the Asraba. It's an ancient ceremony that ensures the truth be heard and documented for future generations. It seems that after the rulers of the Den-Kai and Krikiki tell their versions of what happened during the great war, there is to be an exchange, and I am to be the agent of it. As part of the cease fire agreement, I will hand over Prince Ru'Krell to the Den-Kai. Era'Quell is giving his son to Queen Mey'Gley to allay the suspicions of the Den-Kai.
- What disturbs me is that Era'Quell is sending his son into exile, into a society so restrictive that he'll never again be allowed to see daylight. And daylight means everything to the Krikiki. He will be restricted to the Queen's cavernous palace, and worse, be shunned as a pariah, like all Krikiki deemed unclean, and never be allowed to speak again.
- As the neutral envoy, I represent the interests of both the Den-Kai and Krikiki, and because the prince is unclean to the Den-Kai, the prince cannot speak to me, and of course I'm not supposed to speak to anyone on either side. My mission is to make sure Ru'Krell passes into the hands of the Den-Kai. The Federation is dedicated to preserving each culture's traditions. I believe in this. I approve. Yet it feels wrong to be party to someone else's slavery. When I've handed over a boy's freedom to strangers who hate everything he is, am I supposed to console myself with the knowledge that I carried out my duty to the Federation? Does duty truly excuse any action, even when I know in my heart that what I'm doing is wrong?
- Is committing these thoughts to record my informal way of registering an official objection with the Federation? Yes, I guess it is.
References[]
Characters[]
- Era'Quell (Voiced by Theo Bleckmann) • The Interpreter (Voiced by Jenifer Lewis) • Krikiki Pod (Voiced by Meredith Monk, Dina Emerson & Janice Brenner) • Mey'Gley • Ru'Krell (Voiced by Howard McGillin) • Hikaru Sulu (Voiced by George Takei) • Tsubar (Voiced by Nan Martin)
- Referenced only
- Montgomery Scott • Thresh
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Excelsior • shuttlecraft • Prunow (Krikiki transport)
Locations[]
- Beta Myamid • Starbase 3
- Referenced only
- Earth
Starbase sections[]
- cargo bay • docking bay • docking ring • engineering • matter/antimatter core • quarters • sensor array • service shaft • sickbay
Races and cultures[]
- Den-Kai • Human • Krikiki
States and organizations[]
- Federation Council • Kasrag • Starfleet • United Federation of Planets
Science and technology[]
- airlock • chip module • communications • computer • containment field • data tape • hologram • image disk • intercom • monitor • phaser • radar • sensor • starbase • starship • subspace communication • tractor beam • translator • tricorder • universal translator • viewscreen
Ranks and titles[]
- admiral • ambassador • captain • civilian • commander • communications officer • heretic • high priest • highness • hostage • prince • protocol officer • queen • slave • soldier • technician • warrior
Other references[]
- alert status (red alert) • alien • Asraba • atmosphere • bird • bow • bridge • captain's chair • Captain's log, USS Excelsior • cave • concussion • corridor • crystal • culture • dance • day • Den-Kai language • distress call • exile • fear • forest • god • gold • green tea • hair • heretic • history • honor • honor guard • hour • Krikiki language • language • leather • life • meditation • memory • music • mutiny • palace • paper • peace • peace accord • prayer • Prime Directive • quarters • races and cultures • religion • savior • sector • security • singing • slavery • stardate • talon • tea • treaty • truce • vocal cord • war • water • year
Appendices[]
Related media[]
- TOS video game: 25th Anniversary mission: "Hijacked" – Hikaru Sulu previously visited the Beta Myamid system in 2269 while aboard the USS Enterprise.
- TOS novel: World Without End – Sulu previously visited Starbase 3 in 2269.
- TNG episode: "Loud as a Whisper" – Ambassador Riva spoke through a telepathic 'chorus' of three individuals, similar to the Krikiki Pod.
- TOS comic: "The Animal People" – Colonial Herculese surgically removed the vocal cords of native Yerba for centuries on Hercula to keep them as a slave race.
Background[]
- While the specific planet at Beta Myamid where Excelsior delivered medical supplies wasn't named in this story, a Federation supply depot orbiting Beta Myamid VIII was known to be attacked periodically by Elasi pirates.
Connections[]
| Media featuring the USS Excelsior (NCC-2000) under Captain Hikaru Sulu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| episodes/movies | The Undiscovered Country • Flashback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| novels | The Undiscovered Country • The Fearful Summons • The Captain's Daughter • The Ashes of Eden • Starfleet Academy • The Captain's Table: War Dragons • The Lost Era: The Sundered • Excelsior: Forged in Fire • Flashback • The Lost Era: One Constant Star • Burning Dreams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| short stories | "Dilithium Is a Girl's Best Friend" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| comics | Tests of Courage (The Tabukan Syndrome) • A Wolf in Cheap Clothing (1 • 2 • 3 • 4) • Captain's Log: Sulu • The Undiscovered Country • The Veteran | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captain Sulu Adventures (audiobooks) |
Cacophony • Envoy • Transformations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| games | Shattered Universe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| characters | Hikaru Sulu • Pavel Chekov • Janice Rand • Dmitri Valtane • Leonard James Akaar • Lojur • Tuvok • Altos Viger | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous story: Cacophony |
Captain Sulu Adventures | Next story: most recent work |
| Previous story: Caretaker (novelization) |
Stories by: L.A. Graf |
Next story: Time's Enemy Invasion! |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: Cacophony |
Pocket Books Timeline | Next adventure: Bloodline |
| Previous adventure: Cacophony |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: Bloodline |
| Previous story: Cacophony |
Voyages of the USS Excelsior | Next story: Captain's Log: Sulu |
External links[]
- Envoy article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.