Introduction (blurb)
The Devil's Heart -- a legendary object of unsurpassed power and mystery. Worlds that believe in magic consider it Darkness's mightiest talisman; worlds of science consider it a lost artifact of some ancient and forgotten race. Some say the Heart enables its possessor to control people's minds and to amass wealth enough for a dozen lifetimes, while others thing it capable of raising the dead, perhaps even changing the flow of time itself. But to all, the location of this fabled object has remained a mystery -- until now.
An isolated archaeological outpost has suddenly stopped responding to repeated requests for information. Sent to discover why, the U.S.S. Enterprise crew finds a devastated outpost and a dying scientist, whose last worlds fall on disbelieving ears: the Devil's Heart has been found.
Now, as the quest for the Heart unfolds, Captain Jean-Luc Picard discovers the awful truth behind all the legends and age-old secrets: Whoever holds the Devil's Heart possesses power beyond imagining...
Summary
The Enterprise-D is on its way to Luxor IV so that work can be done on the ship's systems. The crew also wants to go there as there will be four other starships there - with five ships a fleet poker championship game can be held. These plans go awry when they are called to an archealogical dig at Atropos to take T'Sara - an elderly Vulcan female believed to be suffering from Bendii Syndrome - back home to Vulcan. The crew arrives at the planet to find almost the entire archealogical team dead, and only T'Sara left barely alive.
The crew learns that T'Sara had devoted a good portion of her life to discovering the Devil's Heart - a stone of immense power that had shaped many Alpha Quadrant civilizations, including the Klingons, Andorians, Vulcans, Romulans, Tkon, and Iconians. They realize that the Heart was more than a myth, and that T'Sara had found the actual Heart. Others also learn of T'Sara's discovery, and race to claim the Heart.
After leaving Atropos, the Enterprise is summoned by an automated Ferengi distress call to a wrecked Marauder. They discovered that the Ferengi had fought Orion mercenaries who sought to take the Heart from them - the Orion ship was destroyed and the Ferengi crew died when the Orion ship's weapons caused the electrical systems to overload. Picard beams on board and finds the Heart in the hands of the dead Ferengi DaiMon.
After Data attempts to analyze the stone, which raises more questions than answers, Picard keeps the Heart with him. The Heart tells Picard of its journeys by sending him the stories as dreams. The crew becomes more and more concerned about Picard's behavior, while others intent on regaining the Heart chase the Enterprise down. Picard becomes convinced that the stone has a mission to fulfill, and knows that if the Heart doesn't complete its mission, the Alpha Quadrant would face dire consequences.
Characters
Regulars
Others
T'Sara | J'ross | Surak | Telev | Kessec | Dullad | Garamond | Senega | Vitellus | Stef | Surell | T'Leia
References
Starships
Locations
Vulcan | Isk'Kahr | Mount Seleya | Ishaya | Iconia | DiWahn | Dynassia | Ikkabar
Races and Culture
Vulcan | Romulan | Human | Andorian | Klingon | Iconian | Tkon | Architects
States and Organisations
Ghe'Hara clan | Tkon Empire | Romulan Star Empire | Klingon Empire | Order of the Faithful
Other
Ko N'ya | Guardian of Forever | Festival of Moons | The Crossing | Gateway | The Ballads of Durall | Vaults of the Dead | Emperor of the Romulan Star Empire | Scourge | Counsellor | Sehlat | Andorian Middle Kingdom | Oral Histories
Information
- U. K. hardcover ISBN 0671718339; Braille edition available through Amazon under ASIN B0006QS0GE
Related Stories
Reviews
Connections
- The Devil's Heart article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Imzadi |
TNG unnumbered novels | Next novel: Dark Mirror |
| Previous novel: Grounded |
TNG novels | Next novel: The Romulan Prize |
| Previous novel: Best Destiny |
Star Trek hardcovers | Next novel: Shadows on the Sun |
| Previous novel: Doomsday World |
Novels by: Carmen Carter |
Next novel: Last novel |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: The Shoulders of Giants Three: Nyda |
Next Adventure: The Next Phase | |
| Previous Adventure: I, Borg |
Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) |
Next Adventure: The Romulan Prize |
| The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2368. The Pocket Books Timeline places events from this story in one other timeframe: | ||
| Previous Adventure: Spock's World Vulcan: Six |
200 AD Chapter 13 |
Next Adventure: The Romulan Way Chapter 2 |