"The Third Party" was the 4th story arc in the UK comic strips series. It was released in four parts in 1969 within issues of Joe 90: Top Secret.
In this story, James T. Kirk agrees to mediate a dispute between warring planets.
Description[]
- Teaser summary, 10 May, 1969
- Trapped between the warring Hytar and Nuofo Aliens, Earth Starship USS Enterprise is seriously damaged and unable to move until repairs have been carried out. Suddenly, even as Captain Kirk speaks to his repairmen, they are attacked – and invaded …
Summary[]
Nuofo ships assaulted the Enterprise.
While investigating an unexplored star system, the USS Enterprise is suddenly shot at by missiles which breach the starboard warp engine. Hundreds of small interplanetary spacecraft approach, and one lands in the shuttle bay. Its pilot, General Ari of the planet Hytar, apologizes for the missile attack, having assumed the Enterprise belonged to their warring twin planet of Nuofo. Ari appeals for Kirk to mediate in their war. Spock suggests that diplomacy might buy time for repairs, so Kirk agrees. While engineers in repair wagons tend to the damage, Kirk departs for Nuofo aboard a small exploration rocket. Ari had provided neutral markings for the ship, but when Kirk approaches Nuofo, his ship is immediately fired upon, receiving a direct hit on its starboard propulsion unit. Kirk quickly ejects before his craft blows up.
In sickbay, Kirk is checked over by Leonard McCoy. Ari has departed, leaving a mystery as to why Kirk was attacked. Kirk beams a party of four to the surface of Nuofo to investigate, but the officers are seized and brought to General Irf, who tells them Kirk's ship had been attacked because it had Hytar markings on it. Kirk offers to mediate the war, but Irf rejects diplomacy and refuses to give up the landing party.
Repairs are interrupted from an assault by another fleet. Shots penetrate the hull and intruders board the Enterprise. Eventually the Starfleet crew is able to apprehend the boarders and repel the fleet. Kirk requests that Ari return. He does and cannot believe the prisoners are Hytarans despite being saluted by them.
Retaliatory strike.
Kirk has had enough. He proceeds to launch an all-out invasion of Nuofo. Repair wagons and space bugs launch from the Enterprise, scattering the Nuofo fleet, and Kirk captures Irf. But Kirk has an idea, and he brings Irf and Ari together to test it. The two generals realize that the recent attack ships originated from Desta, a mutual enemy from a third planet in their star system. Irf and Ari promise free elections if the Enterprise scatters the Destan ships. The landslide victor is Juf, a third-party candidate, who reunites the twin planets in peace.
References[]
Characters[]
- Ari • David Bailey • Bates • Irf • Juf • Kirby • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura
Starships and vehicles[]
- Destan spaceship • USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • Hytaran spaceship • Nuofon spaceship
- Enterprise shuttlecraft
- repair wagon • space bug • exploration rocket
- Referenced only
- rescue capsule
Locations[]
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
Science and technology[]
- airlock • bulkhead • communicator • docking port • generator • hull plating • laser • monitor • missile • rifle • shuttle bay • spacesuit • transporter
Ranks and titles[]
- administrator • captain • general • gunner • mediator • painter • politician • president • repairman • soldier • traitor
Other references[]
- alert status (action stations) • alien • blood • bridge • brig • city • civil war • coordinates • corridor • democracy • election • fire • fleet • hour • minute • orbit • oxygen • peace • planet • rat • rocket • satellite • shuttle bay • Starfleet General Orders and Regulations • transporter room • universe • war
Chronology[]
The presence of Bailey on the Enterprise places this story early in the year 2266, before the events of "The Corbomite Maneuver".
Appendices[]
Related media[]
- TOS episode & Star Trek 2 novelization: A Taste of Armageddon – Warring planets Vendikar and Eminiar VII attack the Enterprise, declaring Kirk a casualty of war.
- TOS movie: Beyond – The Enterprise is attacked by hundreds of tiny craft, with intruders successfully boarding the ship through punctures in the hull.
Background[]
- The story was not printed with a title, but it was given one ("The Third Party") for its reprinting in the omnibus The Classic UK Comics, Volume 1.
- Authorship of this story was attributed to Angus Allan. (ST reference: New Life and New Civilizations: Exploring Star Trek Comics)
- In one panel, a crewman shoos two young children out of the way as a boarding party approaches.
- Nyota Uhura appears in one panel as Kirk orders her to contact repair crews. Leonard McCoy appears in one panel as he tends to Kirk's injuries.
- The crew paints neutral markings on Kirk's space bug, a significant story point. While these marking are clearly visible according to the dialogue, no markings are visible on the artwork.
- Due to the creative team being unfamiliar with the layout of the Enterprise, the starship is shown launching space bugs and repair wagons from ports along the side of the saucer section, out of a bay wide enough to house four bugs and a repair wagon side-by-side.
Images[]
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous story: Beware the Beast |
TOS comics (UK comic strips) | Next story: The Children of Stai |
| Previous story: Beware the Beast |
Stories by: Angus Allan |
Next story: The Children of Stai |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: Beware the Beast |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: The Children of Stai |
Production history[]
- This story was published in two-page sections over four consecutive weeks in Joe 90: Top Secret magazine.
- 26 April: Pages 1-2 published in Joe 90: Top Secret #15.
- 3 May: Pages 3-4 published in Joe 90: Top Secret #16.
- 10 May: Pages 5-6 published in Joe 90: Top Secret #17.
- 17 May: Pages 7-8 published in Joe 90: Top Secret #18.
- April 2016
- Reprinted in the omnibus The Classic UK Comics, Volume 1. (IDW Publishing)
- 11 May 2017
- Reprinted in the omnibus Graphic Novel Collection, Volume 10. (Eaglemoss)
External links[]
- The Third Party article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.