Romulans board the Enterprise—and Kirk joins forces with his deadliest enemy!
Description[]
- Ael t'Rllaillieu is a noble—and dangerous—Romulan commander. But when the Romulans kidnap Vulcans to genetically harness their mind power, Ael decides on treason.
- Captain Kirk, her old enemy, joins her in a secret pact to destroy the research laboratory and free the captive Vulcans.
- When the Romulans discover their plan, the Neutral Zone seethes with schemes and counter-schemes, sabotage and war!
Summary[]
Ael i-Mhiessan t'Rllaillieu, a Romulan commander, ponders her situation and that of the Romulan Empire. Due to her objections to an immoral scientific project being carried out at Levaeri V, she has been assigned command of the vessel ChR Cuirass, on Neutral Zone patrol, as a form of exile. She receives a message from her son, Tafv, now commanding her former vessel, Bloodwing, covertly informing her that he is ready to implement their plan. Ael receives word of the arrival of a new Federation patrol group at the Neutral Zone, which includes the USS Enterprise.
Aboard Enterprise, Spock has been investigating the increasing severity of ion storms in the part of the galaxy they are currently exploring. In Recreation, Kirk and Spock play a game of 4D chess. As Kirk is about to resign, McCoy steps in for him and wins the game when pieces Kirk had "timed out" reappear in the playing area. Kirk receives orders from Starfleet Command to lead a task force consisting of Enterprise, USS Intrepid, USS Constellation and USS Inaieu to the border of the Neutral Zone. The reason for the mission is not specified. Kirk requests a report from Uhura on any information in recent Fleet dispatches that might provide insight into what Starfleet is concerned about. When Kirk reads the list in Uhura's report of Romulan ships patrolling the Neutral Zone, he is startled and concerned by the absence of Bloodwing.
Ael takes her personal gig, Hsaaja, on an inspection tour of the other three ships in the small fleet she is commanding, all of which were purchased from the Klingons. She discovers that all four ships' ID signals still identify them by Klingon names, and realizes that Command's intent is to order her across the Neutral Zone to fool the Federation into thinking the Klingons are attacking them and start a war between the two enemy powers. She returns to Cuirass to prevent the orders to cross the Zone from arriving, on the way launching a small probe that will carry a message to Tafv on Bloodwing.
Enterprise meets the other three ships of the task force in the sigma-285 Trianguli system. Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Scotty attend a briefing with the senior officers of the other three ships aboard Inaieu, a destroyer crewed primarily by natives of the Deneb system. Kirk is especially interested to meet Captain Suvuk of Intrepid, famous for his heroic actions during the most recent conflict with the Klingons. The four captains agree on their patrol pattern and guidelines for the conduct of the operation.
References[]
Characters[]
USS Enterprise[]
- Amekentra • Athendë • Roz Bates • Brand • Lia Burke • Christine Chapel • Pavel Chekov • Eisenberg • Feder • Edward Fisher • Jerry Freeman • Harrison • Hwavirë • Janíce Kerasus • James T. Kirk • John Kyle • Lihwa • Robbie London • Mahásë • Harry Matshushita • Colin Matlock • Jabilo M'Benga • Leonard McCoy • Dahai Iohor Naraht • Paul • Remner • Rotsler • Satha • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Harb Tanzer • Nyota Uhura
- Referenced only
- Abernathy • Ahrens • Austin • Bischoff • Brassard • Canfield • Carver • Claremont • Khalifa • Korren • Tom Krejci • Langsam • Azrieh Lee • Litt • Diane Maass • Donald Maass • Malkson • Miñambrés • Morris • Mosley • Muller • Norton • Oranjeboom • Sjveda
Starfleet personnel[]
- USS Constellation personnel
- Aline MacDougall • Iwao Sasoaka • Raela hr'Sassish • Mike Walsh
- Referenced only
- Randy Cross
- USS Inaieu personnel
- Nhauris Rihaul • Lahiyn Roharrn • Syill • Lellyn UUriul • Aroun Yihoun
- USS Intrepid personnel
- Sehlk • Setek • Si'jsk • Sobek • Suvuk • T'Kiha • T'Leiar
- Other personnel
- Referenced only
- K. Malcor • T'Kaien • K. Willson
Romulans[]
- Nniol t'AAnikh • Ameh • Dhiemn • Dhiov • Dhisuia • Ejiul • Gehen • Gwiu t'Laheiin • Haehwe • Hei • Helev • Hilae • t'Hrienteh • tr'Iawaain • Lyirru tr'Illialhae • Ireqh • tr'Jaihen • Ndeian tr'Jelai • Giellun tr'Keirianh • tr'Khaell • K'haeth • Hvaid t'Khaethaetreh • Khiy • Aidoann t'Khnialmnae • Khoal • Lhair • Liha • t'Liun • Llaaseil • Lyie • Mrian • N'alae • LLunih tr'Raedheol • Rai • Rhioa • Ael i-Mhiessan t'Rllaillieu • Tafv ei-Leinarrh tr'Rllaillieu • T'maekh • Triy
- Referenced only
- V. Raiuhes Ahaefvthe • tr'Arriufvi • t'Kaenmie
Other characters[]
- Referenced only
- Aesculapius • Apollo • Samuel Barber • Ludwig van Beethoven • Marlon Brando • Liviana Charvanek • Frédéric Chopin • Devo • Gorgan • Amanda Grayson • Inaieu • John Lennon • Sarek • Igor Stravinsky • Ralph Vaughan Williams
Starships and vehicles[]
Starfleet spacecraft[]
- USS Constellation • USS Enterprise • USS Excalibur • USS Hood • USS Inaieu • USS Intrepid • USS Intrepid II • USS Potemkin
Klingon spacecraft[]
Romulan spacecraft[]
- Arakkab • ChR Arien • ChR Battlequeen • ChR Bloodwing • ChR Courser • ChR Cuirass • ChR Eisn • Ehhak • ChR Helve • Hsaaja • ChR Javelin • Kenek • ChR Lahai • ChR Rea's Helm • ChR Wildfire • Ykir
Locations[]
- 15 Trianguli • 40 Eridani A • 56 Arietis • 128 Trianguli • 218 Persei • 415 Arietis • 766 Trianguli • 780 Arietis • 2450 Trianguli • Airissuin • Alpha Quadrant • Altair • Andromeda constellation • Arcturus VI • Areinnye • Baltimore Harbor • Beta Andromedae • Beta Pavonis IV • Beta Quadrant • California • Canada • Cassiopeia constellation • Cygnus constellation • Deneb • Deneb V • Earth • Eisn • Eta Trianguli • Ha-Suiwen • Heathrow Airport • Hihwende • Iota Andromedae • Janus VI • Jupiter • Lacerta constellation • Levaeri • Levaeri V • Los Angeles • Mexico • New York Harbor • North America • Oklahoma • Oklahoma City • Phi Trianguli • Regulus • Remus (ch'Havran) • Rocky Mountains • Romulan Neutral Zone • Romulan Outmarches • Romulus (ch'Rihan) • Romulus II • Russia • Sagittarius Arm • San Francisco • Seattle • Sespe • Sigma-285 Trianguli • Sol system • Sydney Opera House • Triacus • T'Saien Clinic • Vega • Vulcan
Races and cultures[]
- !'hew • Andorian • Deirr • Denebian • Elaasian • Eseriat • Eyren • Horta • Human (Roman) • Klaha • Klingon • Organian • Orion • Rihannsu • Sulamid • Tellarite
States and organizations[]
- Federation • Federation Intergalactique des Échecs • Romulan High Command • Romulan Praetorate • Romulan Senate • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet • Starfleet Academy
Foods and beverage[]
Other references[]
- admiral • anabolic protoplaser • antecenturion • Battle of Organia • biomathematics • centurion • cesium • class N star • class R star • class S star • commander • commander general • communications • cryotherapy • dilithium • enzyme • erein • four-dimensional chess • fvai • gallium • gender • gold • Greek • Hilaefve's Paradox • Hippocratic Oath • hlai • hnoiyika • hyponeutronium • interactional mesophysics • intradermal translators • USS Intrepid (CV-11) • ion storm • iridium • Irish • iron • kahs-hir • kan-sorn • khre'Riov • Lays of Ancient Rome • lead • LIhrei'sian • Llaekh-ae'rl • M-5 • matter-antimatter converter • mercury • meson • mnhei'sahe • Moira • mother hen • multistate equivocator crystal • Murphy's Law • neodymium • nickel • NZRM 4488 • NZRM 4486 • On the Waterfront • palladium • Pentares Peace Commendation • planet • psychiatry • psychology • recreation deck • rhodium • Romulan language • rubidium • samarium • S'harien sword • shuttlecraft • silicon • simulpericardium • sonic grenade • Starfleet regulations • Steinway • strontium • Sunseed • susse-thrai • sword • Taer'thaiemenh • tantalum • thrai • three-dimensional chess • Thrice written and thrice burned • Titanian two-step • tribble predator • Trojan Horse • ulna • voder • Vulcan language • xenobiology • yttrium
Appendices[]
Related media[]
Background[]
- This novel and The Romulan Way were reprinted in 2000 as part of the Rihannsu mini-series.
- Although the Pocket Books chronology places this story in the year 2275, based on the experience of the crew and the level of technology described, the narrative makes repeated references to uniforms of the TOS style. The text describes uniforms resembling those of the mid-2260s decade, rather than the Star Trek: The Motion Picture-era uniforms that were in place circa 2271, which is also an issue with the cover art, like The Wounded Sky (Duane's previous novel) before it. This indicates that Starfleet used uniforms matching this description, of an intermediate style, for a time before changing again to the later maroon uniforms in use by 2278 (as established in TNG episode: "Cause and Effect").
- A holographic representation of a television character bearing resemblance to The Doctor (from Doctor Who) is shown, in the context of watching a program that is a work of fiction.
- Ael's implication that Kirk's mother is dead at this time agrees with TOS short story: "First Star I See Tonight" and the Crucible trilogy, but is contradicted by TOS novel: Time for Yesterday.
- This novel's descriptions of the Deneb system and its native species were subsequently contradicted by TNG episode: "Encounter at Farpoint", in which Farpoint Station is located on Deneb IV. Star Charts explained this discrepancy by stating that the "Deneb system" described in works earlier than the Farpoint episode was the Deneb Kaitos system, while Farpoint Station was located in the Alpha Cygni system (orbiting the "true" Deneb). This retcon, however, does not explain the passage in the book's epilogue in which Kirk smiles at the sight of "Deneb" in Earth's sky, in a context indicating he is looking at Alpha Cygni.
Images[]
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: The Search for Spock |
TOS numbered novels | Next novel: The Tears of the Singers |
| Previous novel: First in the series |
Rihannsu miniseries |
Next novel: The Romulan Way |
| Previous story: The Wounded Sky |
Stories by: Diane Duane |
Next story: The Kobayashi Alternative |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: The Wounded Sky |
Pocket Books Timeline | Next adventure: Doctor's Orders |
| Previous adventure: The Wounded Sky |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: Doctor's Orders |
| Previous novel: The Wounded Sky |
Continuing voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) | Next novel: Doctor's Orders |
Translations[]
- 1988
- German : Der Feind, mein Verbündeter, translated by Andreas Brandhorst. (Heyne)
- 1994
- Portuguese : Meu Inimigo, Meu Aliado. (Editora Aleph)
- 1996
- French : Ennemi, mon frère. (Fleuve Noir)
External link[]
- My Enemy, My Ally article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.