- For other uses, see Deadlock.
Mutual destruction assured! – "Deadlock" was the 77th issue of DC Comics' 1989 ongoing series of Star Trek comics, written by Kevin Ryan. This is a prelude to The Chosen story arc, with art penciled by Rachel Forbes-Seese and inked by Mark Heike.
Description[]
- Ordered to the edge of the Romulan Neutral Zone, the Enterprise is sent to investigate a series of raids on Federation facilities and outposts. What Captain Kirk discovers is that the Romulans are not behind the attacks, but only after the Enterprise is disabled by a Romulan attack and left to the "tender" mercies of this new, unexpected and deadly threat.
Summary[]
The ion trail of a ship that destroyed four freighters and a scout leads the Enterprise near the Romulan Neutral Zone, where it engages a cloaked Romulan battlecruiser in battle. The ships disable each other in combat. Eventually the Romulan ship's commander hails the Enterprise via radio to indict Starfleet for attacking Romulan starships. When Captain James T. Kirk tells him they are investigating similar attacks, the commander launches a probe armed with an antimatter charge, wiping out what remains of the Enterprise's shields.
Hours later, long range sensors pick up a Romulan freighter under attack by an unknown alien starship, and Spock realizes its patterns match the mysterious attacks on Federation shipping lanes. Realizing they have a mutual enemy, Kirk and the Romulan commander agree to a truce and to jointly aid ship repairs. As the mysterious intruder approached, technicians from both ships trade components so that the Romulan ship can have working phaser banks and the Enterprise can maneuver on impulse power.
When the intruder approaches, the Romulans shoot at it. Shuttlecraft NCC-1701/4 is blown up, temporarily disrupting the enemy's power. As the Romulan's engines overload, it rams the intruder, destroying both ships. The battle is over, but the identity of the mysterious intruder remains unknown.
Log entries[]
- Captain's Log Stardate 6121.8
- The Enterprise is investigating harassment of Federation shipping that has culminated with the destruction of four freighters and one Starfleet scout class ship.
The investigation will take us extremely close to the Romulan Neutral Zone.
- Captain's log, supplemental.
- We are proceeding with repairs on the Enterprise, but it is clear that our task will not be an easy one.
Scotty maintains that it is an impossible task, and he may be right. However, we have no choice but to succeed-- and I'm counting on the fact that the Romulans don't have Mister Scott.
- Captain's log, supplemental.
- Three hours into the repairs, we still have none of the major damaged systems on line.
- Captain's log, supplemental.
- We are now sending personnel and equipment over to the Romulan battlecruiser as we await the arrival of the Romulan team.
As we embark on the first recorded joint effort of any kind between Federation and Romulan personnel, I have my doubts about our chances of success.
However, I have no doubt that this dangerous path is our only hope of our survival. It is that hope we are clinging to.
- Captain's log, supplemental.
- Mister Spock and the remaining crewmen are returning from the Romulan vessel.
Scott is finishing up repairs and making adjustments to the Romulan components.
We have very little time left before the alien ship arrives. The limited capabilities of both ships will probably not be enough to defeat the alien vessel, yet there will have to be.
References[]
Characters[]
- Pavel Chekov • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Montgomery Scott • Shaal • Shaal's commander • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • unnamed USS Enterprise personnel • unnamed Romulans (bridge crew, technicians)
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • Galileo II (class F shuttlecraft) • NCC-1701/4 (class F shuttlecraft) • unnamed D7 class starships (Shaal's battlecruiser) • unnamed starships (unidentified alien vessel)
- Referenced only
- USS Aquila (Hermes-class scout) • Federation freighters • Romulan freighter
Locations[]
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
Science and classification[]
- anatomy • atmosphere • blood • cloaking device • disruptor • evasive action • gas • hail • helm • hull • humanoid • impulse engine • ion trail • Jefferies tube • lifeform • long-range sensor • matter • oxygen • phase coil • phaser • phaser bank • photon torpedo • power converter • probe • radio • remote control • sensor • shields • space • star • starship • subspace communications • subspace transmitter • technology • transporter • turbolift • universe • viewscreen • warp engine
Occupations and titles[]
- captain • commander • commanding officer • doctor • engineer • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • first officer • mister • officer • scientist • science officer
Other references[]
- alien • antimatter • assignment patch • boot • bridge • briefing room • captain's log, USS Enterprise, 2269 • clothing • diplomacy • engineering • Federation members • five-year mission • government • hangar deck • hour • jumpsuit • language • log entry • memory • meter • minute • nation-state • pants • peace • quadrant • races and cultures • rank • second • shipping lane • space • starbase • stardate • Starfleet uniform (2260s) • technology • title • treaty • tunic • uniform • weapon
Chronology[]
- prior to 2269
- Romulans obtain Klingon cruisers. (prior to issue)
- stardate 6121.8, 2269 (2260s chronology, Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), Year Four)
- Enterprise investigates the Romulan Neutral Zone.
Appendices[]
Background[]
- The story provided rare views of engineering, including the interior of large machinery as well as technicians crawling over the conduits seen behind the work grille.
- NCC-1701/4 was previously seen in TOS comic: "Revolt on Dak-Alpha". Its destruction made way for an armored lander shuttle to have that registry in 2270, as seen in TAS episodes: "Once Upon a Planet", "Mudd's Passion".
- The destruction of an unnamed Federation scout in this story would be explored in more detail in TOS - The Chosen comic: "Blood Enemies", in which Admiral Springer assigned the Enterprise to investigate the incident, providing the vessel's identity as the Hermes-class USS Aquila.
Images[]
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| Published Order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous comic: #76: Prisoners |
TOS comics (DC's 2nd series) |
Next comic: #78: The Hunted |
| Previous story: Prisoners |
Stories by: Kevin Ryan |
Next story: Resistance |
| Chronological Order | ||
| Previous adventure: The Time Stealer |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: The Hunted |
| Previous story: The Time Stealer |
Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), Year Four | Next story: The Hunted |
External links[]
- Star Trek Vol 2 77 article at DC Comics Database, the DC Comics wiki.
- Deadlock (comic) article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.