The Antares Maelstrom is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel by Greg Cox, and was published on 13 August 2019.
Description[]
- The final frontier erupts into chaos as vast quantities of a rare energy source are discovered beneath the surface of Baldur-3, a remote planet beyond the outer fringes of Federation space. Now an old-fashioned “gold rush” is underway as a flood of would-be prospectors, from countless worlds and species, races toward the planet to stake their claim. The galactic stampede threatens the stability of neighboring planets and space stations, as widespread strife and sabotage and all-around pandemonium result in a desperate need for Starfleet assistance. Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise are dispatched to deal with the escalating crisis…which lies on the other side of a famously perilous region of space known as the Antares Maelstrom.
Summary[]
The independent colony Baldur III discovers a rich vein of pergium. Federation assistance is requested in dealing with the massive influx of miners and claim stakers. This has extended out to the nearest Federation outpost, Deep Space Station S-8, which the Enterprise stops at en route. Kirk leaves Sulu there in charge of a small team to help out.
The Enterprise begins attempting to sort out small disputes among the Baldurians and the new arrivals. Spock identifies another problem: Kappia tea, which is beneficial in Baldur's thin atmosphere, is being smuggled from the nearby pre-industrial world Yurnos in violation of the Prime Directive. Spock and Chekov team up with the nearby cultural observers and manage to identify the smugglers and pass their details to Starfleet.
Sulu discovers that the base's commander, Tilton, has been exposed to a neural neutraliser by an unscrupulous merchant, Naylis, who is accepting payments to sabotage space captains' rivals. During the chaos, Lucky Strike, the ship on which Sulu's old flame Helena Savalas is a crewmember ends up heading into the dangerous Antares maelstrom, which no ship has ever crossed, having been sold a fake safe route by Naylis. Sulu ends up trapped on board the ship inside the maelstrom.
The Baldurians have attempted to deal with the energy crisis by using the engines of their old colony ship, Thunderbird. However, this causes its warp core to breach. As the city is evacuated, Scotty manages to fly the Thunderbird into space and jettison its warp core. Despite loss of life being prevented, the centre of the city is still devastated by the launch. However, after the Enterprise has resolved the immediate crisis, several of the newly arrived ships volunteer to help with relief efforts. This allows the Enterprise to rescue the personnel from the doomed Lucky Strike, who had discovered the maelstrom is inhabited by space-faring lifeforms who wish to be left alone.
Things begin to settle down on Baldur, who decide to apply to join the Federation, as the Enterprise crew assist with the beginning of the rebuilding efforts.
References[]
Characters[]
USS Enterprise personnel[]
- Carlos Alvarez • Jack Baines • Banning • Henri Camus • Christine Chapel • Pavel Chekov (Tocas) • Pran Desai • Lee Faust • Gonzalez • Frank Hamm • Johann • James T. Kirk • Peggy Knox • John Kyle • Martha Landon • Lewis (USS Enterprise) • M'Benga • Leonard McCoy • Lisa Nichols • Rick Painter • Elizabeth Palmer • Montgomery Scott • Singer • Spock (Fultar) • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Vance
- Referenced only
- Finch • Kumar • Charlene Masters
Deep Space Station S-8 personnel[]
- Max Grandle • Naylis • George Tilton
- Referenced only
- Trucco
Lucky Strike personnel[]
- Buzuz • Chen (Lucky Strike) • Mirsa Dajo • Dawson (engineer) • Liddia Fass • Carlos Perez • Helena Savalas • Schultz (Lucky Strike) • Yoder
Baldur III residents[]
- Wayne Burstein • Boyd Cahill • Cecil • Flossi • Pierre Fremont • Paul Galligan • Levity • Navvan • Margery Poho • Rixon • Belinda Sharikh • Sinclair (nurse) • Kate Spears • Oskar Thackery
- Referenced only
- Fanella Dandridge
Other characters[]
- Anwar Dryyde • Eefa • Jord • Zita Mansori • Mars (smuggler) • Mercury (smuggler) • Uco • Vankov • Venus (smuggler) • Woji • Yelsa
- Referenced only
- Tristan Adams • Albert Einstein • Landru • Harry Mudd • Sarek • Khan Noonien Singh • Solomon • Tyree • Vaal
Kyle.
Starships and vehicles[]
- air-truck • Allegra • Arcturian cruiser • buckboard wagon • USS Enterprise (Constitution-class) • Fleetness (Zephryte shuttle) • Galileo • groundcar • Kazarite escape pod • Lucky Strike (Midasite cruiser) • shuttle • submersible • Therbian transport • Thunderbird • Tigris (freighter) • wagon
- Referenced only
- Ali Baba (Coridan scout ship) • carriage • Celestial • USS Farragut (Constitution-class) • flyer • Gamma 337 • hospital ship • Industry • Klingon battle cruiser • USS Potemkin (Constitution-class) • USS Pretorius (research vessel) • Romulan bird-of-prey • sailing ship • USS Shenzhou • sky-yacht • Solar Wind • submarine • Tarkalean shuttle • USS Yorktown
Locations[]
- Antares maelstrom (Antares Passage) • Baldur III (Pergium Palace/Pioneer’s Pavilion; Town Hall, Jackpot City) • Deep Space Station S-8 (promenade • Security chief's office) • the galaxy • Yurnos (Wavebreak)
- Referenced only
- Alfa 177 • Alpha Centauri • Andor • Ardana (Stratos) • Argelius • Atlantis • Berengaria VII • Beta III • Camus II • Capella IV • Collu S'Avala • Deneva • Earth (Aberdeen • Baghdad • Europe • Havana • Mombasa • New Orleans • Saint Petersburg, Russia) • Enkidu Nebula • Federation-Klingon border • Gamma Canaris • Gamma Trianguli VI • Habah VIII (Habah) • Izar • Karis Prime • Mars • Neural • New Helsinki • Pyris VII • Romulan Neutral Zone • Romulus • Serpentine Belt • Sha Ka Ree • Shangri-La • Sigma Iotia II • Sol system • Talbot system • Tantalus V • Tranquility Base • Troyius • Vulcan • Wrigley's Pleasure Planet
Races and cultures[]
- Andorian • Ardanan (Troglyte) • Baldurian • Bolian • Denobulan • Human (British • Canadian • European • Russian) • Hydrathi • Ithenite • Kaferian • Ktarian • Meraki • Midasite • Nausicaan • Orion • Rhaandarite • Rigelian • Saurian • Tellarite • Tiburonian • Trill • Troyian • Vernalian • Vulcan • Yurnian
- Referenced only
- Arcturian • Argelian • Aurelian • Betazoid • Caitian • Capellan • Coridian • Gorn • Horta • Izarian • Karisian • Kazarite • Kelpien • Klingon • Melkotian • Neuralese • Romulan • Tarkalean • Therbian • Vegan • Zellorite • Zephryte
States and organizations[]
- fire department • Karisian Shipping Authority • police department • Starfleet • United Federation of Planets
- Referenced only
- Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Medical • Troyian royal family • United States Air Force • University of Catulla
Ranks and titles[]
- administrator • adventurer • anthropologist • aristocrat • astronaut • barber • bartender • belly dancer • bureaucrat • captain • chief engineer • chief helmsman • colonist • combat medic • commander • communications officer • communications specialist • concert pianist • constable • copilot • crewman • dealer • deputy superintendent • diplomat • doctor • engineer • ensign • first officer • foreign trading partner • fortune-teller • fungus farmer • governor • helmsman • hermit • host • judge • junior technician • lawyer • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • magistrate • manager • mayor • medic • merchant • miner • navigator • nurse • observer • offensive lineman • opportunist • orderly • physician • pilot • pilot first class • pioneer • prospector • psychiatrist • relief communications officer • relief worker • restauranteur • revenue agent • ringmaster • saboteur • science officer • scientist • scoundrel • security chief • security officer • server • skipper • smuggler • sociopath • space-traffic controller • specialist • station manager • tax agent • tax collector • tea merchant • technician • trader • traffic cop • transporter chief • transporter operator • vegetarian • vocalist • volunteer • yeoman
Science and classification[]
- allergy • annular confinement beam • antibiotic • antimatter • antler • arm • artificial plasma • asphyxiation • asteroid barrage • atmosphere (magnetosphere) • atom • aurora • biology • bioluminescence • biometrics • blood • blood pressure • blood-type • body chemistry • botany • brain • brainwashing • brainwave • centimeter • chemistry • Class M • coagulant • communications • concussion • coordinates • decompression • dentistry • ecosystem • electrical fire • electricity • electromagnetic current • electromagnetic flash • electromagnetic transmission • emotion • energy • energy discharge • evolution • exoskeleton • eye • feather • fish oil • frequency • fur • galactic barrier • genetic drift • genetics • genome • geosynchronous orbit • gravity • gravity well • hair • harmonic • headache • heart • heart rate • herbal medicine • horn • hydration • infection • infusion • invertebrate • ion trail • ion storm • ionization • ionized particle • kilometer • laws of physics • life sign • linguacode • litre • lung • magnetic field • main sequence star • mane • mass • mathematics • matter • medication • medicine • memory • meter • mile • millimeter • mining • moon • neurosynapse • neurosynaptic therapy • Newtonian physics • oil • operation • orbit • parsec • pharmaceutical • photon • physics • pincer • planet • plasma cascade • plasma eddy • plasma stream • plasma swell • posthypnotic suggestion • psychology • pulse • radio wave • research • restoration algorithm • rib • running light • sanitation • scale • science • self-heating ration • singularity • skin • social evolution • solar wind • sonic vibration • sonic wave • space • space-sickness • speed of light • star • subspace • subspace communications • sunspot • sympathetic vibration • tail • temperature • tentacle • three-dimensional space • time • tooth • transportation • unsequenced protein • vacuum • vein • warp core breach • warp signature • weather • xenocryptozoology • xenomedicine
Weapons and technology[]
- airlock • all-purpose door opener • antenna • antigrav lift • antigrav sledge • artificial gravity • artificial respiration • astrogator • automated assayer • automated circuit breaker • automated mine • back up system • battery • beam projector • biobed • blast shutter • brain scan • brake • breathing mask • bypass circuit • cage elevator • Capellan triblade • cargo transporter • charge • cloaking device • communication circuit • communications array • communicator • computer terminal • control panel • core-temperature gauge • coupling • crane • data slate • diagnostic board • diagnostic monitor • director coil • disruptor • docking clamp • EM shield grate • energy screen • engine • environmental control panel • environmental suit • EPS grid • EPS relay • fabricator • fan • filter • fire-suppression • flintlock pistol • floodlight • food processor • food slot • forcefield • globular visual monitor • gravity boot • gravity plate • gyro • hand scanner • hazard suit • hologram • homing signal • hydroelectric generator • hypospray • impulse engine • inertial damper • intercom • ion drive • Klingon disruptor pistol • landing gear • landing strut • lantern • laser pistol • laser torch • life support • lock • long-range sensor • magnetic constrictor • magnetic lock • matter-antimatter generator • matter-antimatter injector • matter-antimatter reactor • mechanical lock • mechanical scale • medical scanner • medical tricorder • microassayer • microphone • microtape disk • mind-control device • minefield • mobile phaser drill • modular mechanism • moorings • motion detector • multipurpose wrench • neural neuralizer • nuclear fusion reactor • oil lamp • oven • phaser • phaser battery • phaser drill • phaser welder • photon torpedo • plasma coolant system • plasma transfer conduit • power generator • power grid • power relay • probe • propulsion system • protein resequencer • protoplaser • public address system • pump • rifle • rodinium-tipped drill • satellite • scope • self-destruct • sensor array • sensor bubble • sensor bulb • shield • signal emitter • site-to-site transport • snowblower • software • software patch • solar panel • sonic agitator • sonic plow • sonic shower • sterile field • stone knife • structural integrity • stun grenade • subspace bypass circuit • subspace radio • subspace radio control circuit • suction funnel • surgical support frame • technology • thruster • thruster suit • time portal • timepiece • tractor beam • transfer coil • translation matrix • transparent aluminum • transponder • transporter • tricorder • type-1 phaser • triscreen viewer • tumbler • turbolift • universal translator • variable compression nozzle • viewscreen • warning buoy • warp drive • warp field • warp nacelle • warp propulsion system • weapon • weapons bank • weather-control network • wheelchair • zero-g stretcher
Lifeforms[]
- alien • amphibian • arachnid • avian • boar • Denebian glowfly • dragon • evergreen • fauna • fern • fish • flora • foliage • glider • Hibernian banshee • horse • Izarian fang-fish • humanoid • insectile • insectoid • lifeform • livestock • mammalian • manta ray • marmot • megamarmot • moss • nabbia • nonhumanoid • plant • Preebian sponge-hog • Regulan eel-bird • reptilian • rodent • squirrel • tree • whysser tree
Materials and substances[]
- adrenaline • analgesic • anesthetic • anesthizine gas • benjisidrine • Cherenkov radiation • cordrazine • deuterium • dilithium • duranium • granite • gunpowder • ore • oxygen • pergium • plasma • plasma coolant • sera • steel • tranquilizer • transparent aluminum • tri-ox compound • trillium • zenite
Other references[]
- 2168 • 2169 • 3-D backgammon • 18th century • 20th century • 23rd century • acre • Antarian glow water • Antarian music • antihijacking protocol B-2 • apron • aquifer • Argelian bazaar • astrosciences division • autumn • axel • bandana • bandolier • banner • bar • barn • barracks • barrel • barter • basement • basket • bath • beach • bearskin • bed • belt • bifocal • bin • black market • blackout • blanket • blood drive • bluegrass band • blueprints • body language • boot • booth • border patrol • botanical garden • bottle • boulder • bowling alley • bribe • brick • briefing room • brig • brine • brownout • bulkhead • business • buttermint tea • cafe • cake • candle • cane • canister • canvas bag • Captain's log • cargo • cargo container • carpentry • carpet • cart • carton • chain • chess • chimney • circus • clay • cliff • clinic • clock tower • codex book • coffee cup • colony • command center • commendation • communications station • concrete • conference room • continent • contraband • control room • coral pen • cot • court of law • cove • coverall • credit • creek • crowbar • cultural contamination • cup • currency • customs center • dam • dance • desk • diplomacy • dirt • distress signal • docking facility • domino • dowsing rod • drink • duck blind • ear stud • Earth folklore • eatery • economy • Edosian hula dancing • election • emergency ration • energy voucher • engineering • engineering compartment • entertainment • envelope • evasive maneuver • evidence • exam room • farmhouse • Federation-Klingon War of 2256-2257 • felt bag • fender • fertilizer • field trip • fire station • first contact • five-year mission • flask • flying carpet • food • Friday • funeral • furniture • gambling • gambling parlor • genie • glass • glove • glue • goggles • gold fever • gold rush • gravel • Greek Fury • grooming facility • guest quarters • gully • gymnasium • haggis • hand-to-hand combat • handkerchief • hangar deck • harness • hat • hay • headband • hearth • helm • herbal tea • hiking • hill • Hippocratic oath • history • Hodgkin's Law • holiday special • holding cell • homestead • homicide • honey • hospital • hot cocoa • house • hull breach • hunger • hurricane • hydroelectric plant • icebox • icicle • infirmary • inn • inspection • inspection report • interrogation • investigation • jacket • Jefferies tube • juggling • jumpsuit • karate chop • khaki coverall • kitchen • Klingon dagger • landing pad • leather • ledger • leggings • linen • lodging • log • log cabin • looting • lumber • lumber business • mantle • manure • map • matchbook • mattress • medal • medical academy • medical association • medical facility • medical school • meditation • medkit • mental asylum • mezzanine • mill • mind-meld • mining camp • mirror • Monday • money • mortar • mosaic • mud • murder • museum • music • music hall • mutiny • nabbia tea • navigation station • Nearer, My God, to Thee • neuralization chamber • nightclub • no-win scenario • ocean • Organian Peace Treaty • overcoat • paint canister • pallet • paper fan • parchment • park • penal colony • pendant • pergium fever • piano • pick • picture • pier • pipe • plastiform desk • politics • poncho • portico • postcard • potluck • poverty • power plant • Prime Directive • priority channel • private sector • profit • psychiatric hospital • public relations • quarters • ravine • rec room • recovery ward • recreation • rein • restraints • riot • river • riverbed • road • rock • rockslide • rounds • ruin • Russian language • sabotage • safety harness • safety razor • salad • saloon • sandwich shop • satchel • sawmill • scraper blade • scroll • seaport • seashell • seat belt • security • sensor station • shelter • shop • shore leave • shovel • shuttlebay • sickbay • silk caftan • silo • singing • single-malt Scotch • skeleton key • skirt • skyscraper • slave market • sledge • snack bowl • snow shovel • soil • spa • spaceport • Spican flame gem • spinning wheel • spore • stable • stairwell • star chart • Starfleet insignia • Starfleet override • stone • storage compartment • storage hold • storehouse • Suffusion • superstition • supply closet • surgical ward • survey • swab • swap meet • sweat pants • sweater • swimming pool • table • tablecloth • tactical station • talent show • tank top • tariff • tarp • tavern • tax • tea • temple • thermoconcrete • thermos • ticket • timber • tin can • tool belt • tool kit • trade route • traffic jam • transporter station • treasure hunt • triage center • trillium bracelet • trophy cup • trunk • tsuris • UFO • vacation • vapor • vest • vial • VIP suite • visor • Vulcan nerve pinch • wastebasket • water • water park • way station • wedding • well • wheel • windshield • wine • witch • wood • wool sweater • work belt • yellow alert • Yurnian language • zeel
Chronology[]
- August, 2270
- The Enterprise travels around the Antares Maelstrom to reach Baldur III, some two years, eight months and fourteen days after their visit to Neural.
Appendices[]
- Greg Cox watched The Wrath of Khan and noticed that Khan Noonien Singh mentioned a place Antares Maelstrom in a monologue. He naturally looked up the place name in Memory Alpha and Beta to find out that noone had invented a backstory for it yet, so he decided to set his gold rush story idea there. [1]
Images[]
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: The Enterprise War |
Star Trek novels | Next novel: Collateral Damage |
| Previous story: The Captain's Oath |
The Original Series novels | Next story: The Higher Frontier |
| Previous story: Captain to Captain |
Stories by: Greg Cox |
Next story: A Contest of Principles |
- ↑ The Young, Rash, Impetuous Russian: Well, I'm sure I don't need to tell you where I got the idea for that name. That of course, the Antares Maelstrom is mentioned by Khan in The Wrath of Khan. He's got his whole big monologue when he's vowing vengeance on James T. Kirk, you know, I'll chase him around the Antares Maelstrom and the ruins of Nibia, you know, and I must be watching The Wrath of Khan one night as I do often. And so what is the Antares Maelstrom? And I remember going upstairs and has anyone ever dealt with this? And to my surprise, you know, looking it up on Memory Alpha and Memory Beta and discovering that, oh, no one had ever actually written a book or a comic book about the Antares Maelstrom, which Khan famously name checks.