- For the DS9 short story, see "Fear, Itself".
Fear Itself is the third original novel based upon the television series Star Trek: Discovery, written by James Swallow. It will be published in June 2018.
Description
- Lieutenant Saru is a Kelpien, a member of a prey species born on a world overrun by monstrous predators... and a being who very intimately understands the nature of fear. Challenged on all sides, he is determined to surpass his origins and succeed as a Starfleet officer aboard the USS Shenzhou. But when Saru breaks protocol in order to prove himself to his crewmates, what begins as a vital rescue mission to save a vessel in distress soon escalates out of control. Forced into a command role he may not be ready for, Saru is caught between his duty and the conflicting agendas of two antagonistic alien races. To survive, he will need to seek a path of peace against all odds, and risk compromising the very ideals he has sworn to uphold...
Summary
The Shenzhou detects a damaged ship in the buffer area between Tholian and Peliar space and, despite receiving no response to hails, Georgiou elects to head into the zone to offer assistance. Saru accidentally volunteers to join an away team led by chief engineer Johar who manage to stabilise the Peliar ship's warp core.
Saru discovers the ship's cargo hold contains several Gorlans kept in primitive conditions. The ship's commander, Nathal, states they are refugees, the survivors of a colony decimated by the Tholians who claim to the two Peliar moons and are being relocated to a suitable planet. The Gorlans appear to confirm this but Saru remains suspicious and decides to investigate on his own without authorisation. However, the Gorlans then seize control of the ship, taking both the Peliar crew and the Starfleet team prisoner. Johar is injured saving Saru's life, leaving Saru in command of the landing party. He reluctantly helps the Gorland disable the Shenzhou without loss of life.
However, it soon becomes clear the Peliar ship is on a pre-set course to the intended Gorlan planet. Saru meets with Ejah, who acts as the focal point for the Gorlans' low-level telepathic link. Saru suspects this affected the Peliar, making them feel fear and anguish around the Gorlans. They arrive at the colony planet only to find it is barren and barely habitable. The Shenzhou crew encounter a Peliar ship commanded by Nathal's father, Admiral Tauh, who intends to use deadly force against the Gorlans.
Tauh tracks down the captured Peliar ship but the next arrivals are the Tholians, who claim the area of space as theirs. Tauh intends to evacuate Nathal and her crew and leave the Gorlans and Starfleet party behind to die, but not only Nathal but also Tauh's own crew refuse to go along with it, relieving him. The three groups work together to defend themselves against the Tholians, with Saru's tactics helping keep them at bay until the Shenzhou arrives to help out. With his ship damaged and his crew evacuated, Tauh sacrifices himself in a kamikaze assault on the lead Tholian ship and the surviving Tholians withdraw. The Peliar promise to find the Gorlans a more suitable world.
References
Characters
- Michael Burnham • Danby Connor • Keyla Detmer • Ejah • Philippa Georgiou • Hekan • Troy Januzzi • Saladin Johar • Kijoh • Madoh • Nathal • Saru • Subin • Tauh • Sonnisar ch'Theloh • Troke • Vetch • Britch Weeton • Yashae • Zoxom • Zuzub
Starships and vehicles
Races and cultures
States and organizations
Ranks and titles
Science and classification
Other references
- planet • predator
Appendices
Images
Connections
Timeline
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Drastic Measures |
Star Trek unnumbered novels | Next novel: unestablished |
| Previous novel: Sight Unseen |
Novels by: James Swallow |
Next novel: unestablished |
| chronological order | ||
External link
- Fear Itself article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.