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| type = novel
 
| type = novel
 
| title = Prime Directive
 
| title = Prime Directive
| cover image = [[Image:PrimeDirective.jpg|220px|Cover image.]]
+
| cover image = [[File:PrimeDirective.jpg|220px|Cover image.]]
 
| series = {{ST|The Original Series}}
 
| series = {{ST|The Original Series}}
 
| date = [[2269]]
 
| date = [[2269]]
 
| author = [[Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens]]
 
| author = [[Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens]]
 
| format = [[hardcover]]
 
| format = [[hardcover]]
| published = September [[1990]]
+
| published = {{srcdate|1990|September}}
 
| reformat = [[paperback]]
 
| reformat = [[paperback]]
 
| pages = 404
 
| pages = 404
Line 15: Line 15:
   
 
==Introduction==
 
==Introduction==
:''[[Starfleet]]'s highest [[law]] has been broken. Its most honored [[captain]] is in disgrace, its most celebrated [[starship]] in pieces, and [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel|the crew of that ship]] scattered among the thousand [[planet|world]]s of the [[Federation]]''
+
:''[[Starfleet]]'s highest [[law]] has been broken. Its most honored [[captain]] is in disgrace, its most celebrated [[starship]] in pieces, and [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel|the crew of that ship]] scattered among the thousand [[planet|world]]s of the [[Federation]]...''
   
:''Journey with [[Spock]], [[Leonard H. McCoy|McCoy]], and the rest of the former crew of the starship {{ship|USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} to [[Talin IV|Talin]]—the planet where their careers ended. A world once teeming with [[lifeform|life]] that now lies ruined, its [[city|cities]] turned to ashes, its surface devastated by a [[radiation|radioactive]] firestorm—because of their actions. There, they must find how—and why—this tragedy occured… and discover what has become of their captain.''
+
:''Journey with [[Spock]], [[Leonard McCoy|McCoy]], and the rest of the former crew of the starship {{ship|USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} to [[Talin IV|Talin]]—the planet where their careers ended. A world once teeming with [[lifeform|life]] that now lies ruined, its [[city|cities]] turned to ashes, its surface devastated by a [[radiation|radioactive]] firestorm—because of their actions. There, they must find how—and why—this tragedy occured... and discover what has become of their captain.''
   
 
==Summary==
 
==Summary==
  +
The ''Enterprise'' crew have been disgraced and forced out of Starfleet, blamed for the disaster which has all but destroyed Talin IV. The ship remains in orbit around the planet, badly damaged, while repair work is carried out.
  +
  +
The ''Enterprise'' was summoned to Talin to assist the [[First Contact Office]]: The planet was on the brink of nuclear war because observation of Federation craft was mistaken for surveillance by opposing power blocs. Peace negotiations began just as an attack was ordered but an accidental detonation triggered an automated nuclear salvo. Kirk chose to take the ''Enterprise'' into the atmosphere and flood it with radiation to disable the warheads. Not long after, however, an even more extreme launch took place and an attempt to repeat the trick saw the ''Enterprise'' fired upon and forced to warp out of the atmosphere, causing severe damage. The Talins were devastated by the nuclear exchange and Kirk and the bridge crew were charged with breaking the Prime Directive, with the contention that if they'd allowed the first exchange to proceed the second would never have taken place.
  +
  +
McCoy, [[Hikaru Sulu|Sulu]], [[Pavel Chekov|Chekov]] and [[Nyota Uhura|Uhura]] hijack an [[Orion]] slave ship to return to Talin, while Kirk books passage aboard a cargo ship run by an ex-Starfleet officer. [[Montgomery Scott|Scotty]], left onboard to supervise repairs, comes to believe the ''Enterprise'' was crippled by a subspace pulse beyond Federation or Talin technology and is given permission to recall the ''Enterprise'' crewmembers still in Starfleet to help investigate. [[Spock]], who has associated with a student group opposed to the Prime Directive, addresses the [[Federation Council]] and uses a legal loophole to argue that Talin IV is a de facto Federation member and should be granted aid, presenting two Talin astronauts who left on a mission jointly organised by both nation states prior to the holocaust as ambassadors.
  +
  +
The former senior staff are granted access to the FCO office by the Talins and Spock quickly concludes the Talins were looking out for alien visitors long before the Federation arrived and that the rise in tensions was the result of deliberate external interference. He, Kirk and McCoy explore a cavern on the moon which turns out to be home to non-intelligent insectoid aliens known as [[the Many]], who have seeded the planet with algae that thrives on radiation. They give the trio co-ordinates that will lead them to something they call {{dis|The One|Prime Directive}}.
  +
  +
Under Scotty's nominal command, the ''Enterprise'' travels to the co-ordinates and discovers the One, a being from an older universe who feeds on the algae. Determining the creature is acting on instinct and had no malicious intent, Kirk takes no action against it, instead deciding to modify a lifeless gas giant in the Talin system as an alternative food source. The Prime Directive is ruled non-applicable and the ''Enterprise'' crew reinstated, allowing them to begin relief work on Talin.
 
{{incomplete}}
 
{{incomplete}}
   
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
===Characters===
 
===Characters===
:[[Artinton]] • [[Mario Cardinali]] • [[Christine Chapel]] • [[Alise Chavez]] • [[Pavel Chekov]] • [[Jorge Frietas]] • [[Anne Gauvreau]] • [[Glissa]] • [[Glynis]] • [[Penn Grossman]] • [[Hammersmith]] • [[Sukio Hirashito]] • [[James T. Kirk]] (aliases [[Sam Jameson]], [[Leonard Scott]]) • [[Krulmadden]] • [[John Kyle]] • [[Lasslanlin]] • [[Ed Leslie]] • [[Alexander Llorente]] • [[Marita Llorente]] • [[Jabilo M'Benga|M'Benga]] • [[Carole Mallett]] [[Leonard H. McCoy]] • [[Carolyn Palamas]] • [[Raycheba]] • [[Alonzo Richter]] • [[Montgomery Scott]] • [[Spock]] • [[Lawrence Styles|Styles]] • [[Hikaru Sulu]] • [[Sytok]] • [[Nyota Uhura]] • [[Zalan Wilforth]]
+
:[[Artinton]] • [[Peter Bloch-Hansen]] • [[Mario Cardinali]] • [[Christine Chapel]] • [[Alise Chavez]] • [[Pavel Chekov]] • {{dis|Fitzpatrick|cat}} • [[Jorge Frietas]] • [[Anne Gauvreau]] • [[Glissa]] • [[Glynis]] • [[Penn Grossman]] • [[Hammersmith]] • [[Sukio Hirashito]] • [[James T. Kirk]] (aliases [[Sam Jameson]], [[Leonard Scott]]) • {{dis|Komack|cat}} • [[Krulmadden]] • [[John Kyle|Kyle]] • [[Lasslanlin]] • [[Ed Leslie|Leslie]] • [[Alexander Llorente]] • [[Marita Llorente]] • [[Lowell]] • [[Carole Mallett]] • [[Jabilo M'Benga|M'Benga]] • [[Leonard McCoy]] (alias "[[Black Ire]]") • [[Orr ni'Li]] • {{dis|Nogura|cat}} • [[Carolyn Palamas]] • [[Alonzo Richter]] • [[Montgomery Scott]] • [[Seerl ti'La]] • [[Spock]] • [[Lawrence Styles|Styles]] • [[Hikaru Sulu]] • [[Sytok]] • [[Nyota Uhura]] • [[Zalan Wilforth]]
 
{{ref}} [[Buzz Aldrin]] • [[Apollo]] • [[Robert April]] • [[Neil Armstrong]] • {{dis|Chan|Rear Admiral}} • [[Michael Collins]] • [[Matthew Decker]] • [[Edward Fisher]] • [[Stephen Garrovick (I)|Garrovick]] • [[Phillip Green|Colonel Green]] • [[George Kirk]] • [[Sam Kirk]] • [[Winona Kirk]] • [[Lady]] • [[Gary Mitchell]] • [[Heihachiro Nogura]] • [[Christopher Pike]] • [[Raycheba]] • [[Mira Romaine]] • [[Sarek]] • [[Siryk]] • [[Hanson Smith]] • [[Glynis Kestell Tabor]] • [[Ronald Tracey]] • [[von Holtzbrinck]]
 
{{ref}}[[Buzz Aldrin]] • [[Apollo]] • [[Robert April]] • [[Neil Armstrong]] • [[Chan (Rear Admiral)|Chan]] • [[Michael Collins]] • [[Matthew Decker]] • [[Fisher]] • [[Stephen Garrovick (I)|Garrovick]] • [[Phillip Green|Colonel Green]] • [[George Kirk]] • [[Sam Kirk]] • [[Gary Mitchell]] • [[Christopher Pike]] • [[Sarek]] • [[Siryk]] • [[Hanson Smith]] • [[Glynis Kestell Tabor]] • [[Ronald Tracey]] • [[von Holtzbrinck]]
 
   
 
===Starships and vehicles===
 
===Starships and vehicles===
:''[[John Burke (shuttle)|John Burke]]'' • {{USS|Constellation|NCC-1017}} • ''[[Daedalus (ship)|Daedalus]]'' • {{USS|Defiant|NCC-1764}} • ''[[Apollo 11|Eagle]]'' • ''[[Claw of the Vindicator]]'' • {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} • {{USS|Excalibur|Constitution class}} • {{USS|Exeter|NCC-1672}} • {{USS|Farragut|NCC-1647}} • ''[[Galileo (2271)|Galileo]]'' • {{USS|Hawking|NCC-618}} • [[UNSS Icarus|''Icarus'']] • {{USS|Intrepid|NCC-1631}} • {{USS|Intrepid II}} • ''[[Robert E. Lee]]'' • {{USS|Monitor|NCC-1713}} • {{pre|RRV|Queen Mary}} • ''[[Rhode Island (ship)|Rhode Island]]'' • {{pre|SS|Ian Shelton}} • ''[[Surak (ship)|Surak]]'' • {{USS|Yorktown|Constitution class}}
+
:''[[Apollo 11|Eagle]]'' • {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} • {{USS|Exeter|NCC-1672}} • {{USS|Farragut|NCC-1647}} • {{ship||Galileo|2271}} • {{USS|Hawking|NCC-618}} • ''[[Heart of the Storm]]'' • {{pre|SS|Ian Shelton}} • {{USS|Intrepid|NCC-1631}} • {{USS|Intrepid II|Oberth class}} • {{ship||John Burke|shuttle}} • {{USS|Monitor|NCC-1713}} • ''[[RRV Queen Mary|Queen Mary]]'' • {{ship||Rhode Island|ship}} • [[Rigellian Registry Vessel|RRV]] • [[workbee]] • {{class|Wraith}} [[shuttlecraft]]
  +
{{ref}} [[DY-500]] • [[Class J starship]] • ''[[Claw of the Vindicator]]'' • {{USS|Constellation|NCC-1017}} • {{ship||Daedalus|Centauran ship}} • {{USS|Defiant|NCC-1764}} • {{USS|Excalibur|NCC-1664}} • [[UNSS Icarus|''Icarus'']] • [[Mark II shuttlecraft]] • [[Mark 12 shuttlecraft]] • {{ship||Robert E. Lee|troop carrier}} • {{ship||Surak|ship}} • [[Vulcan probe ship]] • {{USS|Yorktown|Constitution class}}
:[[Class J starship]] • [[Mark 12 shuttlecraft]] • [[Vulcan probe ship]] • [[workbee]] • {{class|Wraith}} [[shuttlecraft]]
 
   
 
===Locations===
 
===Locations===
:[[892-IV]] • [[Arms of Avalon]] • [[Asteroid Tessel]] • [[Avalon]] • [[Base One]] • [[Centaurus]] • [[FCO Outpost 47]] • [[Gamma 7A system]] • [[Hanover]] • [[Intrator II]] • [[Luna]] • [[Lunar Hall of Justice]] • [[Mars]] • [[Memory Alpha]] • [[Meridian (Alpha Quadrant)|Meridian]] • [[Miracht]] • [[Oceanview]] • [[Paris]] • [[Pollux IV]] • [[Pyris VII]] • [[Rigel VIII]] • [[Sarpeidon]] • [[Siberia]] • [[Starbase 29]] • [[Talin IV]] [[Tholian Annex]] • [[Titan (moon)|Titan]] • [[Tranquility Park]] • [[Triton]] • [[Venus]]
+
:[[Arms of Avalon]] • [[Asteroid Tessel]] • [[Base One]] • [[Earth]] • [[FCO Outpost 47]] • [[Federation Council Chambers]] • [[Hanover]] • [[Intrator II]] • [[Iowa]] • [[Luna]] • [[Lunar Hall of Justice]] • [[Mars]] • [[Minotaur Cluster]] • [[Oceanview]] • [[Rigel]] • [[Rigel II]] • [[Rigel VIII]] • [[San Francisco]] • [[Starbase 29]] • [[Talin system]] ([[Talin IV]] • [[Talin VIII]]) • [[TNC-5527]] • [[Tranquility Park]]
  +
{{ref}} [[892-IV]] • [[Aldebaran]] • [[Antares]] • [[Avalon]] • {{planet|Centaurus}} • [[Delta Triciatu]] • [[Eisner's World]] • [[Gamma 7A system]] • [[Hudson's World]] • [[Kera]] • [[Memory Alpha]] • {{dis|Meridian|Alpha Quadrant}} • [[Miracht]] • [[Paris]] • {{dis|Phinda|moon}} • [[Pollux IV]] • [[Pyris VII]] • [[Sarpeidon]] • [[Sherman's Planet]] • [[Siberia]] • [[Tholian Annex]] • {{dis|Titan|moon}} • {{dis|Triton|moon}} • [[Venus]]
   
===Species and cultures===
+
===Races and cultures===
:[[Andorian]] • [[Centauran]] [[Human]] • [[Klingon]] • [[Orion]] • [[Preserver (race)|Preservers]] • [[Rigellian (humanoid)|Rigellian]][[Talin (race)]] • [[Tellarite]] • [[Vulcan]]
+
:[[Centauran]] • [[Human]] ([[Europe]]an • [[Maori]] • [[Native American]])"[[the Many]]" • "{{dis|The One|Prime Directive}}" • [[Orion]] (''[[Ur'eon]]'') • {{dis|Rigellian|humanoid}}{{dis|Talin|race}} • [[Tellarite]] • [[Vulcan]]
  +
{{ref}} [[Andorian]] • [[Horta]] • [[Klingon]] • {{dis|Preserver|race}} • [[Romulan]]
   
 
===States and organizations===
 
===States and organizations===
:[[Antares Corona Worlds]] • [[Babel Conferences]] • "[[Browns]]" • [[Centaurus Concordium]] • [[Cochrane Institute]] • [[Federation Council]] • [[First Contact Office]] • "[[Greens]]" • [[Information Office]] • [[Interworld Construction]] • ''[[La Légion étrangère]]'' • [[Orbital Transfer Control]] • [[Resource Management Board]] • [[Richter Institute]] • [[Russia]] • [[Space Safety Board]] • [[Starfleet]] [[Starfleet Academy]] • [[Starfleet Command]] • [[Starfleet Engineering]] • [[Starfleet Justice Division]] • [[Starfleet Operations]] • [[Starfleet Technology Support Division]] • [[Stellar Institute Press]] • [[Students for Stars for the People]] • [[T'Prar Foundation]] • [[Technology Support Division]] • [[United Federation of Planets]] • [[United States of America]]
+
:[[Antares Corona Worlds]] • [[Berkeley University]] • "[[Browns]]" • [[Centaurus Concordium]] • [[Cochrane Institute]] • [[Federation Council]] • [[Federation General Council]] • [[Federation Resource Management Board]] • [[First Contact Office]] • [[Greenpeace]] • "[[Greens]]" • [[Interworld Construction]] • ''[[La Légion étrangère]]'' • [[Lloyd's of London|Lloyds]] • [[Orbital Transfer Control]] • [[Planetary Society]] • [[Richter Institute]] • [[Russia]] • [[Smithsonian Institution]] • [[Space Safety Board]] • [[Starfleet]] ([[Starfleet Academy]] • [[Starfleet Command]] • [[Starfleet Emergency Rescue Office]] • [[Starfleet Engineering]] • [[Starfleet Information Office]] • [[Starfleet Justice Division]] • [[Starfleet Operations]] • [[Starfleet Technology Support Division]]) • [[Stellar Institute Press]] • [[Students for Stars for the People]] • [[T'Prar Foundation]] • [[United Federation of Planets]] • [[United States of America]]
   
===Other===
+
===Science and technology===
:[[Articles of the United Federation of Planets]] • [[artificial singularity]] • [[askor]] • [[Battle of Ghioghe]] • [[Big Bang]] • [[bloodrinds]] • [[Blue Season]] • [[Blue Season Miracle]] • [[cat]] • [[Civil Conversation]] • [[Clone|cloning]] • [[dancerknife]] • [[Danylkiw Limit]] • ''[[destin]]'' • [[diburnium]] • [[dog]] • [[Eugenics Wars]] • ''[[f'deraxt'la]]'' • [[Federation Rules of Order]] • [[first contact]] • [[Fitzpatrick (cat)|Fitzpatrick]] • ''[[flaxt'a]]'' • [[Fundamental Declarations of the Martian Colonies]] • [[Ganymede Green]] • [[General Order Number One]] • [[Gornaran archosaur]] • [[herbarium]] • [[Herbert]] • ''[[A Historical Analysis of the Five-Year Missions]]'' • [[hologram]] • [[IDIC]] • [[ironwood]] • [[karate]] • ''[[karskat]]'' • [[Karunda coroner beetle]] • [[Kera]] • [[kevas]] • [[Komack (cat)|Komack]] • ''[[kreldan]]'' • [[lacrosse]] • [[Lady]] • [[Lagrange colony]] • [[Mark IV Tractor Web]] • [[medic booth]] • [[Meridian housecat]] • [[molecular fusion sunball]] • [[mutual assured destruction]] • [[Nobel Prize]] • [[Nogura (cat)|Nogura]] • [[nuclear weapon]] • ''[[nyeem]]'' • [[Patahk|''patak'']] • [[particle curtain]] • [[Phinda]] • [[plaser]] • [[quartz]] • ''[[razfelsin]]'' • [[Richter Scale of Culture]] • [[Earth-Romulan War|Romulan Wars]] • ''[[rostonagon]]'' • [[rubindium]] • [[S-type asteroid]] • ''[[sal'tasnii]]'' • ''[[sateen]]'' • [[Siryk Variations]] • ''[[skrak]]'' • [[slamboxing]] • [[Speaker of the Council]] • [[Special Advisor to the First Contact Office]] • [[Standard Tongue]] • [[Starfleet General Orders and Regulations|Starfleet Command Regulations]] • ''[[stator rel]]'' • ''[[tak (food)|tak]]'' • ''[[tarfel]]'' • [[television]] • [[tenday]] • ''[[tesare]]'' • [[Third World War]] • [[Trader Tongue]] • [[Trader's Measure]] • [[Trader's Script]] • [[transtator]] • [[trillium]] • [[Vulcan Ambassador to United Earth]] • [[whisky]] • [[Zee-Magnees Prize|Z. Magnees Prize]]
+
:[[antigrav]] • [[artificial gravity generator]] • [[artificial singularity]] • [[autokitchen]] • [[Big Bang]] • [[cargo transporter]] • [[chronometer]] • [[Clone|cloning]] • [[dancerknife]] • [[Danylkiw Limit]] • [[dilithium]] • [[ear]] • [[hologram]] • [[inertial dampener]] • [[Lagrange colony]] • [[Mark IV Tractor Web]] • [[medic booth]] • [[mesosphere]] • [[microtape]] • [[fog|mist]] • [[molecular fusion sunball]] • [[Nomad]] • [[nuclear fission]] • [[nuclear weapon]] • [[particle curtain]] • [[photon torpedo]] • [[plaser]] • [[Richter Scale of Culture]] • [[rubindium]] • ''[[sateen]]'' • [[subspace pulse]] • [[television]] • [[Trader's Measure]] • [[transporter]] • [[transtator]] • [[viewport]] • [[viewscreen]] • {{dis|Voyager|probe}} • [[Wortham unit]]
  +
  +
===Ranks and titles===
  +
:[[A & A officer]] • [[astronaut]] • [[captain]] • [[cosmonaut]] • [[Federation Council President]] • [[quartermaster]] • [[Speaker of the Council]] • [[Special Advisor to the First Contact Office]] • [[Vulcan Ambassador to United Earth]]
  +
  +
===Other references===
  +
:[[Articles of the United Federation of Planets]] • ''[[askor]]'' • [[asteroid belt]] • [[Babel Conferences]] • ''[[barge g'l]]'' • [[Battle of Ghioghe]] • [[beard]] • [[birthday]] • [[blockade]] • [[bloodrinds]] • [[Blue Season]] • [[Blue Season Miracle]] • [[cat]] • [[Civil Conversation]] • [[coffee]] • [[command module]] • [[court martial]] • ''[[destin]]'' • [[diburnium]] • [[dishonorable discharge]] • [[dog]] • [[Eugenics Wars]] • ''[[f'deraxt'la]]'' • [[first contact]] • [[five-year mission]] • ''[[fladge]]'' • ''[[flars]]'' • ''[[flaxt'a]]'' • [[Fundamental Declarations of the Martian Colonies]] • [[Ganymede Green]] • [[Gornaran archosaur]] • [[herbarium]] • [[Herbert]] • ''[[A Historical Analysis of the Five-Year Missions]]'' • [[IDIC]] • [[ironwood]] • [[jumpsuit]] • [[karate]] • ''[[karskat]]'' • [[Karunda coroner beetle]] • [[keva]] • ''[[kreldan]]'' • [[lacrosse]] • [[Meridian housecat]] • [[mutual assured destruction]] • ''[[narflin]]'' • [[Nobel Prize]] • ''[[nyeem]]'' • [[observation lounge]] • ''[[PetaQ|patak]]'' • [[Prime Directive]] • [[Quaker]] • [[quartz]] • ''[[razfelsin]]'' • [[roller whip]] • [[Earth-Romulan War|Romulan Wars]] • ''[[rostonagon]]'' • [[S-type asteroid]] • ''[[sal'tasnii]]'' • [[Siryk Variations]] • ''[[skrak]]'' • [[slamboxing]] • ''[[snorled]]'' • [[Standard Tongue]] • [[Starfleet General Orders and Regulations|Starfleet Command Regulations]] • ''[[stator rel]]'' • ''{{dis|tak|food}}'' • ''[[tarfel]]'' • [[tavern]] • [[tattoo]] • [[tenday]] • ''[[tesare]]'' • [[Third World War]] • ''[[tislin]]'' • [[Trader's Tongue]] • [[Trader's Script]] • [[tribble]] • [[trillium]] • ''[[vrelq]]'' • [[whisky]] • [[Zee-Magnees Prize|Z. Magnees Prize]] • ''[[ziq]]''
   
 
==Appendices==
 
==Appendices==
  +
===Inconsistencies===
  +
*This novel states that the Andorians and the Tellarites did not name their starships prior to contact with Vulcans or Humans. This was later contradicted canonically in ''Star Trek: Enterprise''.
  +
* The depiction of the composition and operation of the Federation Council in ''Prime Directive'' differs markedly from that of other novels, including ''Articles of the Federation''.
  +
*"Horta" is spelled with a lower-case "h".
  +
 
===Background===
 
===Background===
This novel, published in [[1991]], predicted the discovery of fossilized [[lifeform]]s on the planet Mars. [[1996|Five years later]], scientists announced discovery of evidence of bacteria fossils in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Hills_84001 an asteroid] believed to have originated on Mars.
+
This novel, published in [[1990]], predicted the discovery of fossilized [[lifeform]]s on the planet Mars. [[1996|Five years later]], scientists announced discovery of evidence of bacteria fossils in [[wikipedia:Allan Hills 84001|an asteroid]] believed to have originated on Mars.
  +
 
Robert Orci, one of the screenwriters of the 2009 ''{{dis|Star Trek|2009}}'' film, lists this as one of his two favorite ''Star Trek'' novels. Scenes from this book were used as readings for casting-calls for the movie. He reported that there would be nods to some of the lore in this novel in the movie. (http://trekmovie.com/2008/09/19/orci-kurtzman-trek-very-true-to-canon-even-books/)
   
  +
===Images===
Robert Orci, one of the writers of ''[[Star Trek (2009)]]'', lists this as one of his two favorite ''Star Trek'' books. Scenes from this book were used as readings for casting calls for the movie. He reported that there would be nods to some of the lore in this novel in the movie. (http://trekmovie.com/2008/09/19/orci-kurtzman-trek-very-true-to-canon-even-books/)
 
  +
<gallery>
  +
prime directive cover art birdsong.jpg|Cover art by [[Keith Birdsong]].
  +
prime directive.jpg|Cover image.
  +
primeDirective.jpg|Reprinted edition cover image.
  +
audioPD.jpg|[[Audiobook]] cover image.
  +
ent1701-prime-directive-9780743546621_hr.jpg|{{uSS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}}.
  +
talin4.jpg|[[Talin IV]].
  +
spockPD.jpg|[[Spock]].
  +
mccoyPD.jpg|[[Leonard McCoy]].
  +
jtkPD.jpg|[[James T. Kirk]].
  +
Die erste Direktive.jpg|Star Trek Classic "Die erste Direktive" (reprint german cover)
  +
</gallery>
   
 
===Connections===
 
===Connections===
'''Note:''' Though the [[Pocket Books Timeline]] (and Memory Beta) places this novel in [[2269]], between the end of [[The Original Series]] and the start of [[Star Trek: The Animated Series|the animated series]], the compilation ''[[Worlds in Collision]]'' specifies the date as [[2271]], at the end of the first [[five-year mission]].
+
The [[Pocket Books Timeline]] (and Memory Beta) places this novel in [[2269]], between the end of [[The Original Series]] and the start of [[Star Trek: The Animated Series|the animated series]]; however, the compilation ''[[Worlds in Collision]]'' specifies the date as [[2271]], at the end of the first [[five-year mission]].
   
 
{{Timeline
 
{{Timeline
Line 59: Line 94:
 
| before1 = [[The Lost Years]]
 
| before1 = [[The Lost Years]]
 
| after1 = [[Probe]]
 
| after1 = [[Probe]]
| prevpocket = [[Memory Prime (novel)|Memory Prime]]
+
| prevpocket = {{nov|Memory Prime}}
| nextpocket = [[Beyond the Farthest Star]]|
+
| nextpocket = [[Beyond the Farthest Star]]
 
}}
 
}}
   
 
===External link===
 
===External link===
 
* {{memoryalpha}}
 
* {{memoryalpha}}
[[Category:Books]]
 
 
[[Category:Hardcovers]]
 
[[Category:Hardcovers]]
 
[[Category:TOS novels]]
 
[[Category:TOS novels]]

Revision as of 22:09, 22 September 2020

Starfleet's highest law has been broken!

Introduction

Starfleet's highest law has been broken. Its most honored captain is in disgrace, its most celebrated starship in pieces, and the crew of that ship scattered among the thousand worlds of the Federation...
Journey with Spock, McCoy, and the rest of the former crew of the starship Enterprise to Talin—the planet where their careers ended. A world once teeming with life that now lies ruined, its cities turned to ashes, its surface devastated by a radioactive firestorm—because of their actions. There, they must find how—and why—this tragedy occured... and discover what has become of their captain.

Summary

The Enterprise crew have been disgraced and forced out of Starfleet, blamed for the disaster which has all but destroyed Talin IV. The ship remains in orbit around the planet, badly damaged, while repair work is carried out.

The Enterprise was summoned to Talin to assist the First Contact Office: The planet was on the brink of nuclear war because observation of Federation craft was mistaken for surveillance by opposing power blocs. Peace negotiations began just as an attack was ordered but an accidental detonation triggered an automated nuclear salvo. Kirk chose to take the Enterprise into the atmosphere and flood it with radiation to disable the warheads. Not long after, however, an even more extreme launch took place and an attempt to repeat the trick saw the Enterprise fired upon and forced to warp out of the atmosphere, causing severe damage. The Talins were devastated by the nuclear exchange and Kirk and the bridge crew were charged with breaking the Prime Directive, with the contention that if they'd allowed the first exchange to proceed the second would never have taken place.

McCoy, Sulu, Chekov and Uhura hijack an Orion slave ship to return to Talin, while Kirk books passage aboard a cargo ship run by an ex-Starfleet officer. Scotty, left onboard to supervise repairs, comes to believe the Enterprise was crippled by a subspace pulse beyond Federation or Talin technology and is given permission to recall the Enterprise crewmembers still in Starfleet to help investigate. Spock, who has associated with a student group opposed to the Prime Directive, addresses the Federation Council and uses a legal loophole to argue that Talin IV is a de facto Federation member and should be granted aid, presenting two Talin astronauts who left on a mission jointly organised by both nation states prior to the holocaust as ambassadors.

The former senior staff are granted access to the FCO office by the Talins and Spock quickly concludes the Talins were looking out for alien visitors long before the Federation arrived and that the rise in tensions was the result of deliberate external interference. He, Kirk and McCoy explore a cavern on the moon which turns out to be home to non-intelligent insectoid aliens known as the Many, who have seeded the planet with algae that thrives on radiation. They give the trio co-ordinates that will lead them to something they call The One.

Under Scotty's nominal command, the Enterprise travels to the co-ordinates and discovers the One, a being from an older universe who feeds on the algae. Determining the creature is acting on instinct and had no malicious intent, Kirk takes no action against it, instead deciding to modify a lifeless gas giant in the Talin system as an alternative food source. The Prime Directive is ruled non-applicable and the Enterprise crew reinstated, allowing them to begin relief work on Talin.

This article or section is incomplete
This article is marked as lacking essential detail, and needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.

References

Characters

ArtintonPeter Bloch-HansenMario CardinaliChristine ChapelAlise ChavezPavel ChekovFitzpatrickJorge FrietasAnne GauvreauGlissaGlynisPenn GrossmanHammersmithSukio HirashitoJames T. Kirk (aliases Sam Jameson, Leonard Scott) • KomackKrulmaddenKyleLasslanlinLeslieAlexander LlorenteMarita LlorenteLowellCarole MallettM'BengaLeonard McCoy (alias "Black Ire") • Orr ni'LiNoguraCarolyn PalamasAlonzo RichterMontgomery ScottSeerl ti'LaSpockStylesHikaru SuluSytokNyota UhuraZalan Wilforth
Referenced only
Buzz AldrinApolloRobert AprilNeil ArmstrongChanMichael CollinsMatthew DeckerEdward FisherGarrovickColonel GreenGeorge KirkSam KirkWinona KirkLadyGary MitchellHeihachiro NoguraChristopher PikeRaychebaMira RomaineSarekSirykHanson SmithGlynis Kestell TaborRonald Traceyvon Holtzbrinck

Starships and vehicles

EagleUSS EnterpriseUSS ExeterUSS FarragutGalileoUSS HawkingHeart of the StormSS Ian SheltonUSS IntrepidUSS Intrepid IIJohn BurkeUSS MonitorQueen MaryRhode IslandRRVworkbeeWraith-class shuttlecraft
Referenced only
DY-500Class J starshipClaw of the VindicatorUSS ConstellationDaedalusUSS DefiantUSS ExcaliburIcarusMark II shuttlecraftMark 12 shuttlecraftRobert E. LeeSurakVulcan probe shipUSS Yorktown

Locations

Arms of AvalonAsteroid TesselBase OneEarthFCO Outpost 47Federation Council ChambersHanoverIntrator IIIowaLunaLunar Hall of JusticeMarsMinotaur ClusterOceanviewRigelRigel IIRigel VIIISan FranciscoStarbase 29Talin system (Talin IVTalin VIII) • TNC-5527Tranquility Park
Referenced only
892-IVAldebaranAntaresAvalonCentaurusDelta TriciatuEisner's WorldGamma 7A systemHudson's WorldKeraMemory AlphaMeridianMirachtParisPhindaPollux IVPyris VIISarpeidonSherman's PlanetSiberiaTholian AnnexTitanTritonVenus

Races and cultures

CentauranHuman (EuropeanMaoriNative American) • "the Many" • "The One" • Orion (Ur'eon) • RigellianTalinTellariteVulcan
Referenced only
AndorianHortaKlingonPreserverRomulan

States and organizations

Antares Corona WorldsBerkeley University • "Browns" • Centaurus ConcordiumCochrane InstituteFederation CouncilFederation General CouncilFederation Resource Management BoardFirst Contact OfficeGreenpeace • "Greens" • Interworld ConstructionLa Légion étrangèreLloydsOrbital Transfer ControlPlanetary SocietyRichter InstituteRussiaSmithsonian InstitutionSpace Safety BoardStarfleet (Starfleet AcademyStarfleet CommandStarfleet Emergency Rescue OfficeStarfleet EngineeringStarfleet Information OfficeStarfleet Justice DivisionStarfleet OperationsStarfleet Technology Support Division) • Stellar Institute PressStudents for Stars for the PeopleT'Prar FoundationUnited Federation of PlanetsUnited States of America

Science and technology

antigravartificial gravity generatorartificial singularityautokitchenBig Bangcargo transporterchronometercloningdancerknifeDanylkiw Limitdilithiumearholograminertial dampenerLagrange colonyMark IV Tractor Webmedic boothmesospheremicrotapemistmolecular fusion sunballNomadnuclear fissionnuclear weaponparticle curtainphoton torpedoplaserRichter Scale of Culturerubindiumsateensubspace pulsetelevisionTrader's MeasuretransportertranstatorviewportviewscreenVoyagerWortham unit

Ranks and titles

A & A officerastronautcaptaincosmonautFederation Council PresidentquartermasterSpeaker of the CouncilSpecial Advisor to the First Contact OfficeVulcan Ambassador to United Earth

Other references

Articles of the United Federation of Planetsaskorasteroid beltBabel Conferencesbarge g'lBattle of GhioghebeardbirthdayblockadebloodrindsBlue SeasonBlue Season MiraclecatCivil Conversationcoffeecommand modulecourt martialdestindiburniumdishonorable dischargedogEugenics Warsf'deraxt'lafirst contactfive-year missionfladgeflarsflaxt'aFundamental Declarations of the Martian ColoniesGanymede GreenGornaran archosaurherbariumHerbertA Historical Analysis of the Five-Year MissionsIDICironwoodjumpsuitkaratekarskatKarunda coroner beetlekevakreldanlacrosseMeridian housecatmutual assured destructionnarflinNobel Prizenyeemobservation loungepatakPrime DirectiveQuakerquartzrazfelsinroller whipRomulan WarsrostonagonS-type asteroidsal'tasniiSiryk VariationsskrakslamboxingsnorledStandard TongueStarfleet Command Regulationsstator reltaktarfeltaverntattootendaytesareThird World WartislinTrader's TongueTrader's ScripttribbletrilliumvrelqwhiskyZ. Magnees Prizeziq

Appendices

Inconsistencies

  • This novel states that the Andorians and the Tellarites did not name their starships prior to contact with Vulcans or Humans. This was later contradicted canonically in Star Trek: Enterprise.
  • The depiction of the composition and operation of the Federation Council in Prime Directive differs markedly from that of other novels, including Articles of the Federation.
  • "Horta" is spelled with a lower-case "h".

Background

This novel, published in 1990, predicted the discovery of fossilized lifeforms on the planet Mars. Five years later, scientists announced discovery of evidence of bacteria fossils in an asteroid believed to have originated on Mars.

Robert Orci, one of the screenwriters of the 2009 Star Trek film, lists this as one of his two favorite Star Trek novels. Scenes from this book were used as readings for casting-calls for the movie. He reported that there would be nods to some of the lore in this novel in the movie. (http://trekmovie.com/2008/09/19/orci-kurtzman-trek-very-true-to-canon-even-books/)

Images

Connections

The Pocket Books Timeline (and Memory Beta) places this novel in 2269, between the end of The Original Series and the start of the animated series; however, the compilation Worlds in Collision specifies the date as 2271, at the end of the first five-year mission.

published order
Previous novel:
The Lost Years
TOS hardcovers Next novel:
Probe
chronological order
Previous Adventure:
Memory Prime
Pocket Next Adventure:
Beyond the Farthest Star


External link