- For other uses, see Avenger.
Summary
The Enterprise has been sent to oversee negotiations for a peace treaty between the Draqqi and the Iach'tui, a race who occupied their homeworld for four years. When two Draqii envoys are murdered and the evidence points to an Iach'tu, Kirk is asked to assist with the investigation and learns the Draqii security officer in charge is Orisa Jilain, a former lover. They discover the two victims were in the same labour camp during the occupation and a name inscribed at the murder scenes refers to another inmate, Estheen, who "disappeared" after falling pregnant.
Kirk and Osira speak to Ussata Dornic, the camp commandant, who is in prison for tax fraud. He reveals both victims and three other survivors of the camp were informants. He also identifies a suspect in the killings: Sanda, a guard who was helping the inmates and was betrayed by the informants. When another of the targets is killed, Kirk and Osira wait at the home of one of the remaining two, Nes Aavo. Sanda arrives but spares Aavo on learning he has been caring for Estheen's son, who he somehow saved from death, and is taken into custody.
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References
Characters
- Nes Aavo • Mani Begron • Deffen Jakol • Orisa Jilain • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Yor Praddic • Lurt Rebbis • Sanda • Heenin Vonakh
- Referenced only
- Felah Cuviq • Estheen • Idra • Lenore Karidian • Kodos/Anton Karidian • Thomas Leighton • Soren • Spock
Locations
- Draqqana (Tuyatt Bay) • Iach'tu Prime
- Referenced only
- Draqqana City • Iowa • Pelos Otryn • Sadj Monh labor camp • Tarsus IV
Starships
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class)
- Referenced only
- USS Farragut (Constitution-class)
Races and cultures
States and organizations
- Builders Guild • Starfleet • Starfleet Command • United Federation of Planets
Technology and weapons
- cargo vessel • computer • database • dataset • disruptor • phaser • sensor • space station • starship • transport • transporter • tricorder • weapon
Ranks and titles
- ambassador • captain • chief medical officer • commandant • commander • doctor • first officer • governor • lieutenant • officer • security chief • subcommander • Third Minister
Other references
- anger • animal • bar • bed • blood • chair • city • clothing • colony • communications • crime • emotion • finger • fish • forensics • freedom fighter • furniture • garden • glass • gods • government • hair • heart • history • labor camp • life partner • memory • musician • murder • negotiation • planet • pregnancy • prison • quarters • rock • sector • security • slave • space • species • star • stomach • treaty • tree • uniform • water
Appendices
Background information
- Michael Jan Friedman adapted this story from a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode story concept he had pitched to Ronald D. Moore. Friedman commented: "This follows the principle that nothing goes to waste. While DS9 was still on the air I pitched a story to Ron Moore. It was a murder mystery-type thing involving Kira. Ron said he liked the idea, but it was a little too close to an episode they were already working on. The episode was "The Darkness and the Light". I still liked my version of the idea, but obviously I couldn't do it as a DS9 story anymore. But here came this anthology, and I thought substituting recasting Kirk in Kira's role might be interesting. I really liked the idea of putting Kirk in an unfamiliar situation..He's not the captain here, he's a detective. I think fans are sometimes taken aback when you try to stretch the character. But I like doing that. And I think we owe it to them to try different things'"" (Voyages of Imagination)
Related stories
- Kirk mentions the events of "The Conscience of the King".
Connections
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous story: Conflicting Natures |
Enterprise Logs
|
Next story: Night Whispers |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: Foundations, Book Two Chapters 2-8 |
Next Adventure: A Taste of Armageddon | |
| Previous Adventure: Foundations, Book Two Chapters 2-8 |
Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (2264 to 2270) |
Next Adventure: A Taste of Armageddon |
