"The Footfalls of Tradition" is the second of four short stories from the water portion of the New Worlds, New Civilizations anthology released by Pocket Books in November 1999. It was written by Michael Jan Friedman and illustrated by Phil Hale, with a map by Alan Kobayashi.
Description[]
Summary[]
A Betazoid cadet chronicles the 2376 edition of the Academy Marathon on Danula II. Fifty-five racers follow a 42-kilometer furrowed path carved along the barren surface. During the race, the elevation drops 100 meters, then generally climbs 500 meters over the next 30 kilometers. At the 14-kilometer point, the cadet runs alongside Bolian cadet Manute seven meters behind the leaders. At 21 kilometers, Manute has slipped back, but the Betazoid can still see the leaders ahead.
At the 35 kilometer mark, they encounter Heartbreak Hill, a quick upward climb of 200 meters. The Betazoid has ingested five of six rejuvenating electrolyte capsules, but thinks the leaders are tiring. One, a Mikulak that the Betazoid passes, says she's ebullient for having gotten this far, a personal victory. But the Betazoid struggles to ascend Heartbreak Hill and ends up in seventh place.
Limping afterward, the Betazoid is aided by the Mikulak and also comes to see the "loss" as a victory.
References[]
Characters[]
- Baker-Bowles • Manute
- Referenced only
- Fergus McLeod • Jean-Luc Picard • Sharifi • Reggic Sipanos
Starships and vehicles[]
- Referenced only
- USS Enterprise-D • USS Enterprise-E • USS Stargazer
Locations[]
Danula system (Danula II • Heartbreak Hill • Sharifi Rescue Site)
- Referenced only
- Atalia VII • Beta VI • Cestus III • Corinth VII • Earth (Boston • Sports Center) • Gamma Quadrant • Luna • Qo'noS • Regulus II • Risa • Romulus
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
Science and classification[]
- beacon • electrolyte capsule
Occupations and titles[]
Events[]
- Academy Marathon • Boston Marathon • Dominion War • Khitomer Accords • Luna-Tyco 20K • Romulus-Chula 10K
Other references[]
- adrenaline • Cartographic Standards of 2336 • cranberry • dehydration • ion storm • kilometer • language • life • marathon • meter • meter • minute • peace • rock • running • telepathy • year
Appendices[]
Related media[]
- TNG episode: "The Best of Both Worlds" – Admiral J.P. Hanson recalled watching freshman cadet Jean-Luc Picard win the Academy Marathon of 2323.
Images[]
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous story: A Dry Day on Ferenginar |
New Worlds, New Civilizations | Next story: The Specter of Jamestown |
| Previous story: A Dry Day on Ferenginar |
Other short stories | Next story: The Specter of Jamestown |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: A Dry Day on Ferenginar |
Pocket Books Timeline | Next adventure: The Specter of Jamestown |
| Previous adventure: A Dry Day on Ferenginar |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: The Specter of Jamestown |