Introduction (blurb)[]
When an abandoned space habitat is found within a distant asteroid belt, the Starship Enterprise is sent to investigate. Captain Kirk and his crew discover an artificial world full of technological marvels -- and unexpected dangers. But wonder and curiosity give way to fear when the habitat's shifting orbit sends it on a collision course with an inhabited planet within the same solar system. Now Kirk and Spock must find a way to save the planet without destroying a treasure trove of alien science, and time is running out....
Summary[]
A computer virus has destroyed the databases of many Federation worlds and the Enterprise has been assigned to help restore them. En route to the last planet, the isolationist human colony Tyrtaeus II, they detect an unknown object travelling through the solar system.
After completing their mission, the Enterprise crew turn to investigating the object, which appears to be a mobile worldlet and is on a collision course with the sun. Kirk leads a landing party inside the object where they try to track down lifesign readings but they keep moving and when a shield briefly encases the mobile, they elect to return to the ship rather than risk being trapped.
Worried the shield may damage the sun and cause a climactic disaster on Tyrtaeus II, the Enterprise tries to divert the mobile but fails. Spock returns in a shuttlecraft to try and find a control panel but is trapped onboard when the shield comes back on. An attempt by the Enterprise to destroy the mobile fails and it plunges into the sun.
However, the mobile actually entered the sun to recharge and is safe aboard a sun-core station, located inside a fold in space. Spock uses a control panel to enter the artificial reality where the alien inhabitants exist, having shunned the physical universe in favour of their own reality. They are uncomfortable about the intrusion and fear further investigation.
Kirk and McCoy enter the sun in a shuttlecraft and the aliens allow them onto the mobile when they realize they only intend to retrieve Spock. The three officers promise they will be left in peace and shortly after the mobile exits the sun and the sun-core station is left to be destroyed. Kirk makes a show of pursuing the much faster object in order to conclusively demonstrate to the aliens that they are safe from further curiosity.
References[]
Characters[]
- Tonia Barrows • Christine Chapel • Myra Coles • James T. Kirk • Kyle • Tristam Lund • Aristocles Marcelli • Ali Massoud • Leonard McCoy • Janice Rand • Kevin Riley • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Cathe Tekakwitha • Nyota Uhura • Wellesley Warren
- Referenced only
- John W. Campbell • Elliste • Karenina • Lazarus • Lopez • Marais • Christopher Pike • William Shakespeare
Starships and vehicles[]
Locations[]
- Arrian Mountains • Callinus • Cynur IV • Doretta's Cafeteria • Earth • Egypt • Emben III • Euniss Mountains • New Paris colonies • Redann's Tavern • Romulan Neutral Zone • Talos IV • Teresis • Tyrtaeus II
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
- Federation • Lurissan Guides • Starfleet
Other references[]
- anthropology • archaeology • aurora flower • communicator • computer virus • court martial • exile • impulse booster • kahs-wan • koon-ut-kal-if-fee • neutronium • Occam's Razor • phaser • probe • shore leave • shuttlecraft • Spartan • spider • suicide • subspace communications • tractor beam • transporter • tricorder • Ulysses • virtual reality • Vulcan harp • worldlet
Connections[]
- Heart of the Sun article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
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TOS numbered novels | Next novel: Assignment: Eternity |
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| Previous Adventure: Shore Leave |
Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (2264 to 2270) |
Next Adventure: The Squire of Gothos |