Introduction[]
Alien attack!
Cadet Data is among a handful of first-year cadets selected to observe a super-Jovian planet ignition -- the collision of two huge gas-giant planets resulting in the formation of a new star. They will watch this occurrence from a safe distance aboard the Republic.
But a distress call from an alien space station draws their starship off course to an asteroid belt near the colliding planets. The rescue team soon finds itself under siege by deadly attackers, and Data and his group are separated from the main team.
Now, with time running out, Data must defeat the invaders and rescue the aliens before the collision destroys the space station... and the Republic!
Summary[]
A group of Starfleet Academy cadets are assigned to observe a super-Jovian collision, where two large planets collide to form a new star, aboard the USS Republic. Data's group is led by Glen Majors, an academically successful and charismatic senior cadet who Data sees as a role model.
While Data's group are on bridge duty, the Republic receives a distress call from an alien space station trapped in an asteroid field, which will be destroyed in the collision. With radiation levels high and few officers available, Captain Clark sends the cadets across on a shuttle with Commander Sierra and Dr. Steinberg.
Data is in Steinberg's search party, who are attacked by a group of lizards and then discover some comatose aliens, one of whom transforms into a lizard: The radiation has triggered a metamorphosis in the station's crew. Their only hope of saving them is to pilot the station clear of the radiation, a task Data is certain he can accomplish if he can reach the operations center and interface with the computer.
Steinberg is injured, leaving Majors in charge. He reluctantly carries on with Steinberg's plan but when Data realizes the only way to reach the operation center in time is for him to make a solo journey across the station's surface, Majors panics and decides to sit and hope for rescue, attempting to kill Data and Sinna to prevent them telling anyone of his cowardice. They overpower him and Data manages to make the crossing, piloting the damaged station out of danger seconds before the collision. Clear of the radiation, the alien Umiiga revert to normal.
References[]
Characters[]
- Margaret C. Clark • Data • Glen Majors • McCall • Piazza • Petros • Pritchard • Juan Sierra • Sinna • Steinberg • unnamed Pandrilite • unnamed Umiiga
- Referenced only
- Jon Jakob Thorsson
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Republic • unnamed Federation shuttlecraft
- Referenced only
- USS Tripoli • USS Yosemite
Locations[]
- Beta Arantialus • Earth • Umiiga space station
- Referenced only
- Jupiter • Omicron Theta
Races and cultures[]
- android • Human • Pandrilite • Umiiga • Yann
States and organizations[]
Science and technology[]
- airlock • communicator • computer • containment suit • electricity • force field • gas giant • hypospray • medical tricorder • phaser • positronic brain • radiation • space station • star • Super-Jovian planet ignition • thruster • tricorder • turbolift • viewscreen
Ranks and titles[]
- cadet • captain • commander • communications officer • doctor • first officer • navigator • science officer
Other references[]
- ape • asteroid • asteroid belt • boot • botanical garden • bridge • briefing room • cargo bay • command center • distress call • duranium • gymnasium • lizard • operations center • shuttlebay • sickbay • tree
Connections[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Mystery of the Missing Crew |
TNG books | Next novel: Starfall |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: Mystery of the Missing Crew |
Next Adventure: Deceptions | |
Translations[]
- 1996
- German : Das Echsenvolk. (Heyne)
External links[]
Secret of the Lizard People article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.