The Dark Veil is the second original novel for the television series Picard, written by James Swallow, published in January 2021.
Description
- "As I utter the words now, we will conduct this tribunal in Federation Standard, in deference to Captain Riker's presence," continued Kastis, "and in the interests of openness with the United Federation of Planets".
- The judicator said the word as if it was sour to her, ashen and alien on her tongue. She indicated the three shadowy forms around her. "Tribune Delos will observe for Major Helek. Tribune Nadei will observe for Commander Medaka and the Romulan Senate. And our… visiting advocate will observe for the Human captain".
- Riker shielded his eyes, trying to peer past the light from the glow-globes to get a good look at the person assigned to him, but it was impossible to pick out anything. The shadow gave him nothing, no face, no hint of gender, only uncertainty.
- He knew little of Romulan legal practices. Was Riker's silent watcher his lawyer, his judge? Executioner, even? He banished that last notion with a grimace.
- Will Riker stood foursquare behind his every decision, even after everything that had happened over the last few days. What that would mean here and now in this place, he couldn't know. But there would be no obfuscation from him, no wordplay and clouding of the truth.
- And once again, something came back to Riker, something Picard had said to him, years earlier on their very first mission together. If we're going to be damned, let's be damned for what we really are.
References
Characters
Titan personnel and residents
- Cantua • Jonathan East • Macha Hernandez • Ranul Keru • Kono (Kelpien) • Livnah • Karen McCreedy • Phosia • Hanee Phosia • Ra'ag • William T. Riker • Talov • T'Pir • Deanna Troi • Thaddeus Troi-Riker • Christine Vale • Hal Westerguard • Zade
- Referenced only
- Brote • Mazone • Scoville
Other characters
- Benem • Dasix • Delos (Tribune) • Desseh • Felle • Friend • Garn • Hade-Tah • Sansar Helek • Hosa • Hutor • Kastis • Keret • Kort (Romulan) • Laris • Lebre • Maian • Joron Medaka • Moritz • Nadei • Jean-Luc Picard • Qaylan • Redei • Sabem • Shae • Shelsa • Spock • Tarsin • Umbran • Vadrel • Veyen • Yasil • Zhaban
- Referenced only
- Anij • Victor Bordson • Beverly Crusher • Data • Alidar Jarok • James T. Kirk • Geordi La Forge • Lore • Miles O'Brien • Shinzon • Kestra Troi-Riker • Worf
Starships and vehicles
- Armstrong • Coltrane • Ellington • Holiday • USS Titan (Luna-class reconnaissance science vessel) • IRW Othrys (Mogai-class) • D'deridex-class • Jazari generation ship
- Referenced only
- USS Enterprise • USS Enterprise-E • USS Lionheart • USS Patton • USS Robinson
Locations
- the galaxy's Beta Quadrant
- Jazari star system • Ochre Dome • Reclaim Zero Four
- USS Titan
- bridge
- Referenced only
- Andromeda Galaxy • Avenue of Right • Beta Stromgren • Deneva • Devolin • Galorndon Core • Ki Baratan • Lembatta Cluster • Mars • Praxis • Remus • Romulan Neutral Zone • Romulus • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards • Vega • Vulcan
Races and cultures
- android/synth • Antican • Betazoid • Deltan • Denobulan • El-Aurian • Garidian • Human • Jazari • Kelpien • Reman • Romulan • Taurhai • Trill • Tyrakhean • Vulcan
- Referenced only
- Aenar • Andorian • Bajoran • Ba'ku • Bolian • Borg • Cairn • Cardassian • Founder • Jem'Hadar • Klingon • Lurian • Makers (Andromedans) • Nausicaan • Norkanian • Pakled • Talarian • Tellarite • Tezwan • Vulcan
States and organizations
- Borg Collective • Cardassian Union • Dominion • Federation • Jazari Governing Sept • Klingon Empire • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet • Starfleet Academy • Tal Shiar • Taurhai Unity • Zhat Vash
Science and classification
- energy • lifeform • matter • neural sequencing • omega molecule • plasma storm • red matter • space • technology • time • universe • weapon
Lifeforms
Materials and substances
- atmosphere • blood • gas • metal
Technology and weapons
- android • combadge • command chair • EPS relay • plasma bolt • starship • synth
Ranks and titles
- captain • centurion • chief engineer • commander • commanding officer • crewman • decurion • ensign • Federation Starfleet ranks (2380s) • judicator • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • major • praetor • sublieutenant • tribune • uhlan
Other references
- Admonition • clothing • Condition Dagger • Condition Scythe • Earth-Romulan War • government • imzadi • insignia • Kelu • Le Petit Prince • nation-state • races and cultures • rank • rank insignia • ryetalyn • science • Starfleet uniform (2380s) • Starfleet uniform • title • tunic • uniform
Appendices
Related media
- Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Titan and Star Trek: Picard
- TNG movie, novelization & comic adaptation: Nemesis
- TTN novel: Synthesis: Previous appearance of McCreedy.
- Short Treks episode: "Children of Mars"
- TOS episode & Mudd's Angels novelization: I, Mudd
- Previous appearances of Ranul Keru:
Background
- The blurb for the book describes the novel as following the story of "a catastrophic incident on the Romulan-Federation border" following the destruction of the Mars shipyards in 2385. As such the novel begins around the same time the previous novel, The Last Best Hope, ends, and is another prequel to the Picard television series.
- Although this is branded as a Star Trek: Picard series entry, Jean-Luc Picard makes only a brief appearance and this book focuses on elements of the Star Trek: Titan series: Captain William Riker, Deanna Troi and the USS Titan.
- In accordance with continuity changes stemming from the renewal of the canon television franchise, several elements of previous novels are disregarded: Riker's promotion to admiral, Riker and Troi's daughter Natasha Riker-Troi, Picard's marriage to Beverly Crusher and their son René, and Data's return in B-4's body and concurrent advancements in synthetic lifeforms (including developments regarding the Andromeda Galaxy androids). Supporting cast members from previous Titan novels do appear, although in the case of Christine Vale, she retains her position as a commander (rather than her captain's rank as skipper of Admiral Riker's flagship from previous installments). It is expected that devlopments with alternate timelines described in the Star Trek: Coda miniseries will clarify a reasoning for these divergences.
Images
Connections
| Star Trek: Picard (PIC) |  
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| episodes | season 1 | "Remembrance" • "Maps and Legends" • "The End is the Beginning" • "Absolute Candor" • "Stardust City Rag" • "The Impossible Box" • "Nepenthe" • "Broken Pieces" • "Et in Arcadia Ego" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| season 2 | "The Star Gazer" • "Penance" • "Assimilation" • "Watcher" • "Fly Me to the Moon" • "Two of One" • "Monsters" • "Mercy" • "Hide and Seek" • "Farewell" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| prose (novels and stories) |
The Last Best Hope • The Dark Veil • Rogue Elements • Second Self | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| comics | Picard: Countdown ("Issue 1" • "Issue 2" • "Issue 3") • Picard: Stargazer ("Issue 1" • "Issue 2") | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| audio originals | No Man's Land | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Timeline
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: The Last Best Hope |
Picard unnumbered novels | Next novel: Rogue Elements |
| Previous novel: Fear Itself |
Novels by: James Swallow |
Next novel: The Ashes of Tomorrow |
| chronological order | ||
External link
- The Dark Veil article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
