Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow: The following content contains spoilers!
Pliable Truths is a Star Trek novel, a TNG book authored by Dayton Ward for release in May 2024.
Description[]
- A thrilling new Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine adventure from New York Times bestselling author Dayton Ward!
- 2369: Shortly after Starfleet thwarts a Cardassian attack on a Federation star system, the Cardassian government orders an end to its fifty-year occupation of the planet Bajor. As a result, a newly installed Bajoran government requests immediate assistance from the Federation to mediate how the withdrawal will proceed and what recompense, if any, Bajorans are owed from their brutal oppressors. Captain Jean-Luc Picard is ordered by Starfleet Command to oversee these tense negotiations on Terok Nor, the massive Cardassian space station still orbiting Bajor, even as he still deals with his own recent trauma as a prisoner held and tortured by a Cardassian interrogator.
Docked at Terok Nor.
- As these critical peace talks get underway, Ensign Ro Laren receives a call for help from a friend thought long dead, exposing an insidious secret from inside Cardassian space. Now, Picard and the crew of the starship Enterprise must act to prevent an interstellar incident from reigniting deadly hostilities between the Federation and the Cardassians, and shattering any hope of justice for the Bajoran people…
References[]
Characters[]
- Arrir • Winona Bailey • Lindsey Bridges • Cebal • Beverly Crusher • Data • Delon Par • Drizu • Skrain Dukat • Elim Garak • Sonya Gomez • Havrel • Tamiko Hayashi • Heslo Artun • Ijok • Ilson • Irvek • Jae • Kalem Apren • Kijam • Kira Nerys • Geordi La Forge • Lemec • Locin • Lubak (guard) • Sarah MacDougal • Madred • Meeju • Morn • Alynna Nechayev • Nesha • Novari Jahn • Keiko O'Brien • Miles O'Brien • Odo • Alyssa Ogawa • Opaka Sulan • Panat Hileb • Jean-Luc Picard • Quark • Ranar Ehu • William T. Riker • Ro Laren • Trina • Deanna Troi • Tropp • Wonar • Worf • Yectu Sheeliate • USS Enterprise-D personnel
- Referenced only
- Decar • Hugh • Edward Jellico • Leland T. Lynch • Akellen Macet • Molly O'Brien • Rom • Sarek • Selar • Zajan
Starships and vehicles[]
Locations[]
- Terok Nor (Nor class space station, orbiting planet Bajor, B'hava'el star system, Bajor sector, Beta Ursae sector block, the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant)
- Satera III (Satera star system, the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrant)
- Referenced only
-
- Arvada III (Arvada star system, the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrant)
- Bre'el IV (Bre'el star system, the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrant)
- Cardassia Prime (Cardassia system, Beta Ursae sector block, the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant)
- Celtris III (Celtris star system, the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant)
- Mount Hanaoka/Kumamoto (Japan, Earth, Sol star system, sector 001, treaty boundary quadrant 0, the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant)
- Minos Korva (Minos Korva system, the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant)
- Starbase 375 (Kalandra sector, Beta Ursae sector block, the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant)
- Starbase 364 (Amir II, Amirii star system, the galaxy's Beta Quadrant)
- Shackleton Expanse (the galaxy's Beta Quadrant)
Space station sections[]
- Terok Nor
- docking pylon • habitat ring • docking ring
Shipboard sections[]
- USS Enterprise-D
- saucer section • stardrive section • warp nacelle
Races and cultures[]
- android • Bajoran • Betazoid • Cardassian • Changeling • Denobulan • Ferengi • Human • Klingon • Lurian
States and organizations[]
- Bajoran Provisional Government • Bajoran Militia • Bajoran Republic • Cardassian Central Command • Cardassian Diplomatic Service • Cardassian Union • Detapa Council • Federation Starfleet • Obsidian Order • Starfleet Command • United Federation of Planets
Science and classification[]
- astronomy • biology • cartography • communications • matter • measurement • technology • weapon
Astronomy[]
Biology[]
Anatomy and medicine[]
Lifeforms[]
Materials and substances[]
Cartography and measurement[]
Technology and weapons[]
- docking port • phaser • phaser array • space station (Nor class mining station) • starship • warp drive • warp nacelle
Occupations and titles[]
- captain • command division • crew • ensign • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2360s-2370s) • flight controller • gul • interrogator • mediator • officer • rank • tailor
Other references[]
- Battle of Wolf 359 • boot • clothing • death • dock • emotion • government • hair • intel • jumpsuit • mediation • negotiation • occupation • pants • peace • prisoner • races and cultures • science • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2366-2373) • state • title • torture • tunic • uniform • withdrawal agreement
Chronology[]
- 24th century
-
- 2310s–2320s decades: The Occupation of Bajor by the Cardassian Union.
- The book description notes this as "fifty years" previous to novel, circa the late 2310s decade. Although first contact took place in 2318, the occupation wasn't official until 2328 according to TLE - Terok Nor novel: Day of the Vipers.
- 2360s decade:
- 2368: Ro Laren joins the Enterprise crew. (TNG episode: "Ensign Ro")
- 2369:
- stardate 46360.8: Captain Jean-Luc Picard is captured by Cardassians and tortured by Gul Madred.
- In TNG episode: "Chain of Command, Part II", referenced as being shortly before Pliable Truths.
- The Enterprise-D travels to Bajor.
- stardate 46360.8: Captain Jean-Luc Picard is captured by Cardassians and tortured by Gul Madred.
- 2310s–2320s decades: The Occupation of Bajor by the Cardassian Union.
Appendices[]
Related media[]
- Star Trek: The Lost Era
-
- Terok Nor:
- TLE - Terok Nor novel: Day of the Vipers: Bajor is occupied
- Terok Nor:
- Star Trek: The Next Generation
-
- TNG season 5
- TNG season 6
- TNG episode: "Chain of Command, Part II": Picard is tortured
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
-
- DS9 season 1
- Prequel to DS9 episode & novelization: Emissary
- DS9 season 1
Background[]
Preliminary cover.
- Preliminary cover art depicted a Galaxy-class starship, presumably the USS Enterprise-D. However, the image shows a modification seen during the Dominion War with phaser arrays mounted atop the warp nacelles. The Enterprise-D was never shown to have these. This was corrected in the final release version of the art, although that version changes to shape of the front of the warp nacelles to be more stylized and less accurate to the Enterprise-D model of that era.
Preliminary cover Galaxy-class.
- Although the description refers to this as both a TNG and DS9 story, the cover is branded as part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation series. Indeed, this story begins before the name "Deep Space 9" was assigned to the station. That occurred at a point in time before the story picks up in DS9 episode & novelization: Emissary.
- The novel continues the plot of TNG episode: "Chain of Command" and acts a s a prequel to DS9 episode & novelization: Emissary.
- It makes references to events depicted in TNG episodes: "The Inner Light", "I, Borg", "The Best of Both Worlds", "The Wounded", "Ensign Ro", "Déjà Q".
- In an interview Dayton Ward explained he was appoached by the publisher to write a story set between episode which he has never done before. Since Worf meets the Deep Space 9 crew in DS9 episode: "The Way of the Warrior" for the first time, he had to set him on a separate plot line, so that he would not have any contact with Deep Space 9 in this book.
Images[]
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Shadows Have Offended |
TNG novels | Next novel: to be announced |
| Previous story: Somewhere to Belong |
Stories by: Dayton Ward |
Next story: to be announced |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: Dawn of the Eagles Epilogue |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: Emissary |
External link[]
- Pliable Truths article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.