How Much for Just the Planet? was a Star Trek novel written by John M. Ford.
Description[]
- In crystalline form, the most valuable mineral in the galaxy. It powers the Federation's starships...and the Klingon Empire's battlecruisers. Now on a small, out-of-the-way planet named Direidi, the greatest fortune in dilithium crystals ever seen has been found.
- Under the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty, the planet will go to the best side able to develop the planet and its resources. Each side will contest the prize with the prime of its fleet. For the Federation - Captain James T. Kirk and the Starship Enterprise. For the Klingons - Captain Kaden vestai-Oparai and the Fire Blossom.
- Only the Diredians are writing their own script for the contest - a script that propels the crew of the Enterprise into their strangest adventure yet!
Summary[]
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In Space, No One Can Fry an Egg[]
The novel opens with three separate instances of breakfasts on board three different starships, each with it's own minor replicator malfunction. On board the Enterprise, Kirk discusses the testing of the new Deployable Practice Target over blue orange juice with Spock, Scotty, and Bones. Elsewhere, on board the Imperial Klingon cruiser Fire Blossom, the captain and his crew are breakfasting on green battertoast when they detect a small vessel. On board the Exploratory Vessel the Jefferson Randolph Smith, the small crew of human Captain Trofimov, bird-like First Officer Tellihu, and Science Officer T'Vau (a rare instance of a sloppy Vulcan) also breakfast over blue orange juice and ponder the dullness of their tour and the possibility that the ship's computer has gone mad when they detect a high amount of Hecht radiation, indicating they've found a large quantity of dilithium.
Educational Short Subject: Useful Facts about Dilithium[]
An educational short subject on the nature of Dilithium from the Deneva Mining Consortium, featuring Dr. Wallace Thaumazein of "Dr. Wally's Kitchen of Wonders".
The Dilithium Crystal as Big as the Ritz[]
Historical Interlude[]
Organian Jumpball[]
Overtures[]
All's Fair in Love and Dilithium[]
The Dawn Patrol[]
Afternoon Matinee[]
All Through the Night[]
Come Up and See Me Sometime[]
Dilithium Split[]
References[]
Characters[]
- Aperokei • Arizhel • Askade • Christine Chapel • Pavel Chekov • Dee Dee • Ross Flyter • Ilen the Magian • Kaden vestai-Oparai • James T. Kirk • Maglus • Leonard McCoy • Orvy • Owens • Charlotte Sanchez • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Tellihu • Thedd • Tatyana Trofimov • T'Vau • Uhura • Esther Vicinanzo
- Referenced only
- Ralph Meeker
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • Fire Blossom (D7C-class battle cruiser) • USS Jefferson Randolph Smith (Sulek-class surveyor)
- Referenced only
- USS Dawson City (mining ship) • escape pod • USS Robert Moses (planetformer) • Sopwith Camel • unnamed Klingon starships (Kaden's B5-class destroyer) • unnamed Klingon starships (light attack cruiser) • unnamed starships (Tellarite freighters) • warship
Locations[]
- Direidi Hotel • Miskatonic University
Shipboard areas[]
- USS Enterprise
- bridge • officer's mess
- IKS Fire Blossom
- bridge • officer's mess
- USS Smith
- bridge • officer's mess
Stations and outposts[]
Planets and planetoids[]
Stars and systems[]
- Pi Pharosi • Sol
- Referenced only
- Reynaud
Astronomical regions[]
- Cygnus-Carina Fringe • the galaxy • Organian Treaty Zone
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
- Black Fleet • Federation • Klingon Defense Force • Klingon Empire • Starfleet (Starfleet Command • Starfleet Exploration Command • Starfleet Psychological Division • Starfleet Resources Division)
Science and classification[]
- computer • deployable practice target • disposal cubicle • food synthesizer • magnetic bottle • starship • warp drive
Substances and energies[]
- antimatter • chromium • dilithium • Hecht radiation • liquid • metal • oil • polymer • rubber • sugar
Lifeforms[]
- lion • yeast
Food and beverages[]
- bacon • battertoast • birdseed • butter • Canadian bacon • coffee • cream cheese • eggs • English muffin • fried fish • fruit juice • grape • grape juice • grapefruit • grapefruit juice • grilled cheese • grits • ham • kelp • kipper • liver • mayonnaise • milk • milkshake • mushroom • n'gaan • oatcake • omelet • orange juice • Romulan ale • sandwich • soya salad • soya wafer • spinach • steak • strawberry jam (strawberry) • sugar • syrup • toast • vinegar • waffle cone • watercress sandwich • wheat toast
Ranks and titles[]
- admiral • captain • chief engineer • chief medical officer • commander • commanding officer • communications officer • ensign • first officer • force leader • helmsman • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • navigator • princess • science officer • tactical officer • zan
Other references[]
- animal • Art Deco • astronomy • beverage • chess • cislunar orbit • credit • energy • food • government • hull • "I Got Plenty o' Nothing" • Klingon language (cha'puj • g'day't • iraltu cha'puj) • lifeform • Macmain • The Maltese Falcon • moon • nation-state • newsfax • orbit • photosphere • Plan C • planet • plant • space • star • starbase • Starfleet Institute Proceedings • star system • technology • Wars of Internal Dissension • weapon
Appendices[]
Background[]
- The novel is written in the style of a musical comedy, with various numbers throughout which are set to the tune of existing songs [1], including the "Theme from Rawhide," "Falling in Love Again," and "Just a Gigolo."
- A number of characters in the book are based on Ford (stage manager), Neil Gaiman (Ilen the Magian) [2], Pamela Dean Dyer-Bennet and her husband, David [3], and Ford's fellow Star Trek authors, including A.C. Crispin, Diane Duane, Janet Kagan (and her husband, Rick), and Peter Morwood.
Images[]
Connections[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Rihannsu, Book 2: The Romulan Way |
TOS numbered novels | Next novel: Bloodthirst |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: Spock's Brain |
Next Adventure: Is There In Truth No Beauty? | |
| Previous Adventure: Spock's Brain |
Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (2264 to 2270) |
Next Adventure: Is There In Truth No Beauty? |
Translations[]
- 1992
- German : Was kostet dieser Planet?, translated by Andreas Brandhorst. (Heyne)
External links[]
- How Much for Just the Planet? article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- How Much for Just the Planet? article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.