The Devil's Heart.
Description[]
- The Devil's Heart—a legendary object of unsurpassed power and mystery. Worlds that believe in magic consider it darkness's mightiest talisman; worlds of science consider it a lost artifact of some ancient and forgotten race. Some say the Heart enables its possessor to control people's minds and to amass wealth enough for a dozen lifetimes, while others think it capable of raising the dead, perhaps even changing the flow of time itself. But to all, the location of this fabled object has remained a mystery—until now.
- An isolated archaeological outpost has suddenly stopped responding to repeated requests for information. Sent to discover why, the USS Enterprise-D crew finds a devastated outpost and a dying scientist, whose last worlds fall on disbelieving ears: the Devil's Heart has been found.
- Now, as the quest for the Heart unfolds, Captain Jean-Luc Picard discovers the awful truth behind all the legends and age-old secrets: Whoever holds the Devil's Heart possesses power beyond imagining…
Summary[]
The Enterprise is on its way to Luxor IV so that work can be done on the ship's systems. The crew also wants to go there as there will be four other starships there - with five ships a fleet poker championship game can be held. These plans go awry when they are called to an archaeological dig at Atropos to take T'Sara - an elderly Vulcan woman believed to be suffering from Bendii Syndrome - back home to Vulcan. The crew arrives at the planet to find almost the entire archeological team dead, and only T'Sara left barely alive.
The crew learns that T'Sara had devoted a good portion of her life to discovering the Devil's Heart - a stone of immense power that had shaped many Alpha Quadrant civilizations, including the Klingons, Andorians, Vulcans, Romulans, Tkon, and Iconians. They realize that the Heart was more than a myth, and that T'Sara had found the actual Heart. When T'Sara's assistant Sorren let slip that they had found the stone in a message to Starbase 193, a corrupt technician passed it on to the El-Aurian Camenae. When Camenae in turn passed the information on to her underworld contacts, it touched off a deadly race to claim the Heart.
After leaving Atropos, the Enterprise is summoned by an automated Ferengi distress call to a wrecked Marauder. They discovered that the Ferengi had fought Orion mercenaries who sought to take the Heart from them - the Orion ship was destroyed and the Ferengi crew died when the Orion ship's weapons caused the electrical systems to overload. Picard beams on board and finds the Heart in the hands of the dead Ferengi DaiMon.
After Data attempts to analyze the stone, which raises more questions than answers, Picard keeps the Heart with him. The Heart tells Picard of its journeys by sending him the stories as dreams. The crew becomes more and more concerned about Picard's behavior, while others intent on regaining the Heart chase the Enterprise down. Picard becomes convinced that the stone has a mission to fulfill, and knows that if the Heart doesn't complete its mission, the Alpha Quadrant would face dire consequences.
References[]
Characters[]
- Abell • Akhanatos • Anlew-Is • Asadourian • Marte Brengle • Camenae • Keyda Chandat • Chiang • Beverly Crusher • Jack Crusher • D'Airo • Daramadán • Data • Deemus • Del • Dier • Dorgath • Drager • Durall • Duregh • Etrajan • Evalla • Garamond • Gareth • Thomas Grede • Guinan • Halaylah • Ikajadán • Kanda Jiak (Iconian) • Kanda Jiak (Ikkabar) • J'ross • Kajima • Kazago • Walker Keel • Kessec • Kieradán • Kiley-Smith • Krtakk • Kruger • Geordi La Forge • Lewis • Lorris • Maarc • Diat Manja • Asao Matasu • Estrella Miyakawa • Mohtr • Mycelli • Miles O'Brien • Oomalo • Orlev • Jean-Luc Picard • Pymer • Ramsey • Reyjadán • William Riker • Ro Laren • Sarek • Sathev • Seemus • Selar • Sendei • Shaav • Shagret • Skorret • Sohle • Sorren • Soth • Stef • Stemon • Surak • Surell • Taramuk • Taris • Taylor • T'Challo • Telegar • Telev • Tessin • Thorina • T'Leia • Tommas • Tork • Deanna Troi • T'Sara • T'Soron • unnamed Andorians • unnamed Benzites • unnamed Orions • unnamed Romulans • unnamed Vulcans • Vedoc • Viloff • Vitellus • Emm Wilkerson • Worf
- Referenced only
- Aghlarren the Mote • Conrad • Wesley Crusher • Ganin • Gowron • J.P. Hanson • Charles Logan • Nedec • Robert Picard • Roshamel • Senega • Spock
Locations[]
- Atropos • DiWahn • Do or Die • Due or Die • Dynassia • Iconia • Ikkabar • Ishaya • Isk'Kahr • Mount Seleya • Smelter's Hold • Starbase 75 • Starbase 193 • Vulcan
- Referenced only
- Luxor IV • Vaults of the Dead
Starships and vehicles[]
Races and cultures[]
- Andorian • android • El-Aurian • Ferengi • Human • Iconian (DiWahn • unDiWahn) • Ikkabar • Klingon • Romulan • Tkon • Vulcan
- Referenced only
- Architects • Belnarri
States and organizations[]
- Clan Ghe'Hara • Federation • Klingon Empire • Order of the Faithful • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet • Tkon Empire
Science and classification[]
- alien • astronomy • biology • cartography • communications • Devil's Heart • Guardian of Forever • matter • measurement • technology
Astronomy[]
Biology[]
Anatomy and medicine[]
Lifeforms[]
Communications[]
- The Ballads of Durall • distress signal • Legends of the Iconian Diaspora • Oral Histories from the Andorian Middle Kingdom
Materials and substances[]
Cartography and measurement[]
Technology and weapons[]
Occupations and titles[]
- ambassador • captain • command division • commander • counselor • crew • DaiMon • doctor • Emperor of the Romulan Star Empire • engineer • ensign • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2360s-2370s) • first officer • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • lord • medic • mercenary • merchant • nurse • officer • physician • rank • sciences division • scientist • technician • waiter
Other references[]
- Andorian Middle Kingdom • blackmail • book • boot • bridge • cabin • campsite • cloth • clothing • The Crossing • emotion • empathy • Festival of Moons • furniture • government • hair • homeworld • logic • mind meld • necklace • poker • ready room • races and cultures • robe • scholarship • science • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2366-2373) • state • title • uniform
Appendices[]
Background[]
- U. K. hardcover ISBN 0671718339; Braille edition available through Amazon under ASIN B0006QS0GE
Images[]
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Imzadi |
TNG unnumbered novels | Next novel: Dark Mirror |
| Previous novel: Grounded |
TNG novels | Next novel: The Romulan Prize |
| Previous novel: Best Destiny |
Star Trek hardcovers | Next novel: Shadows on the Sun |
| Previous novel: Doomsday World |
Novels by: Carmen Carter |
Next novel: Last novel |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: The Shoulders of Giants Three: Nyda |
Next Adventure: The Next Phase | |
| Previous Adventure: I, Borg |
Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) |
Next Adventure: The Romulan Prize |
| The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2368. The Pocket Books Timeline places events from this story in one other timeframe: | ||
| Previous Adventure: Spock's World Vulcan: Six |
200 AD Chapter 13 |
Next Adventure: The Romulan Way Chapter 2 |
Translations[]
- 1994
- French : Le Cœur du démon, translated by Bruno Billion. (Presses de la Cité)
- 1999
- German : Das Herz des Teufels, translated by Andreas Brandhorst. (Heyne)
External link[]
- The Devil's Heart article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.