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Publisher's description

An original novel set in the universe of Star Trek: The Original Series!
The Ephrata Institute is an intellectual think tank at the outer fringes of the final frontier. Dedicated to the arts and sciences, the Institute seems an unlikely target for an invasion, but it proves easy pickings when the Crusade comes from beyond, determined to impose its harsh, unbending Truth on all the worlds of the Federation. Armed with weaponized gravity, the alien Crusaders will stop at nothing to rescue the universe from its myriad beliefs . . . even if it means warping the mind and soul of every sentient being they encounter.
Responding to an urgent distress signal, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise soon find themselves in conflict with the Crusade, and facing individual challenges. When Kirk and Spock are transported to the Crusade’s distant homeland to confront the source of the invasion, Sulu finds himself trapped behind enemy lines, while Lieutenant Uhura is faced with possibly the most difficult decisions of her career.
As the Crusade sets its sights beyond Ephrata IV, it is up to the Enterprise and its besieged crew to keep freedom of thought from being crushed beneath the weight of worlds!

Summary

The Enterprise is sent to answer a distress call from Ephrata IV, one of the Federation's most important research posts. Arriving and receiving no response to hails, Kirk, Spock, Sulu and security officer Ensign Fawzia Yaseen beam down only to find the post staff have been brainwashed into serving a fanatical religion, the Truth. The outpost has been taken over by the Crusaders, the militant religious order of the Ialatls who have come from another dimension.

The landing party are quickly captured but one of the Crusaders, Maxah, is a member of a resistance group. He palms Kirk and Spock a phaser before they are transported through a dimensional portal to Ialat and saves Sulu and Yaseen from undergoing the same brainwashing procedure as the researchers. He then tricks the Enterprise into beaming him aboard but is unable to convince them to leave orbit, resulting in them being captured by a gravity cannon that holds them in place. Scotty is injured during an attempt to break free, leaving Uhura in command.

Kirk and Spock are met by Vlisora, the consort of the world's God-King Jaenab. However, she turns out to be a member of the resistance. She explains that until recently the Truth was a peaceful religion with most administration left in the hand of secular authorities. However, the opening of the portal to other universes shocked them with the discovery of life unaware of the Truth. Alone in their universe and with no cultural diversity, the Ialatls saw this as a sign of a coming apocalypse, turning away from any part of their culture that contradicted the Truth and seeing it as their duty to forcibly convert the new universe.

Sulu and Yaseen attempt acts of sabotage but are captured. Yaseen is brainwashed and the local Crusader leader, Sokis, threatens Sulu with death unless Uhura hands the Enterprise over. Maxah helps Uhura jam the control signal, freeing those who have been brainwashed. Weaponless and outnumbered, the Crusaders are easily overpowered and the gravity cannon destroyed.

Kirk and Spock try to destroy the portal but, wanting a confrontation with her husband, Vlisora allows Kirk to be captured. Kirk challenges Jaenab to a trial by ordeal, consisting of a zero-gravity ball game. Kirk bends the rules as far as he can, causing Jaenab to be injured by a contracting hoop, but Jaenab still refuses to submit. However, Spock and Vlisora manage to retrieve the helmet Jaenab uses to give his people telepathic instructions. Spock uses it to mind meld with Jaenab, presenting him with evidence that different cultures can co-exist by using his own childhood as an example through his memories of Sarek and Amanda Grayson. His belief shaken, Jaenab calls off the Crusade, entering into seclusion and leaving Vlisora to rule in his stead. Once everyone is returned to their own dimension, the portals are dismantled until the Ialatls are ready to accept other races' existence.

References

Characters

Paul AlvarezChristine ChapelPavel ChekovElena CollinsPhilip FerrariFisherGreenbergHevlasJaenabJames T. KirkJohn KyleLasemCharlene MastersMavMaxahLeonard McCoyElizabeth PalmerDagmar PolaskyMontgomery ScottSokisSpockHikaru SuluTabusNyota UhuraVlisoraSri WinchduFawzia YaseenYvete
Referenced only
ApolloJonathan ArcherBeleJohn CarterZefram CochraneD'ArtagnanRichard DaystromDeSalleDevilGalileo GalileiGodBob GrantGuardian of ForeverKabrolAurelan KirkGeorge Samuel Kirk, Jr.KirokLandruLazarusJanice LesterMan in the Iron MaskJabilo M'BengaMiramaneeMuhammadHelen NoelNomadOracle of the PeopleChristopher PikeSarekGeorge Bernard ShawPhineas TarboldeTrelaneTwelve Celestial MessengersVaal

Starships and vehicles

bullet trainUSS Enterprise (Constitution-class) • flyergliderIalatl cruiserroyal flyertram
Referenced only
busUSS Columbiahot-air balloonUSS ReliantRomulan Bird-of-PreyrowboatUSS Sally RideshuttlecraftYakima

Locations

bridgecockpitEphrata IVthe galaxyIalatPearl SquarePhlox LibrarysickbayTemple of PassageTrang Halltransporter roomuniverseWyvern system
Referenced only
Alpha CentauriAmerindArdanaAtlantaBeta IIIbrigBrubaker PrimeCapella IVCestus IIICheronDenevaDloggia PrimeEarthEminiar VIIengineeringFluidic spaceGamma Trianguli VIGeorgiaGothosHayak VIowaIshtar StationJanus IVLunaMarsMiddle EastMojaveMount OlympusMuddNew Coney IslandNew SonomaNova AmazoniaOmicron Ceti IIIPyris VIIrec roomSamaritan StationShawan VSigma Draconis VISistine ChapelSol systemStarbase 13StratosTiburonVenusVulcanYonada

Races and cultures

AndorianCaitianDeltanEdosianHuman (BritishCossackMohawkRussianScotsmanTerran) • IalatlOrionTellariteVulcan
Referenced only
AenarCapellanElasianGornHortaKelvanKlingonMedusanOrganianPlatonianPreserverProvidersRomulanTholianZa'Huli

States and organizations

CrusadeEnvironmental SciencesEphrata InstituteStarfleetStarfleet AcademyUnited Federation of Planets

Science and technology

adrenalineandroidantennaantigrav engineantigrav lifterantigrav stretcherarchaeologyartificial gravityatmospherebacteriabatonbayonetbiobedbloodbombbonebrainBrownian motioncentimeterchemistrychiselchronometerClass-J gravity wellclimate-control stationclubcomacommunicatorcomputerControllercontrol panelcordrazinecosmologyCrowncutlassdatabasedata slatedeflectordeflector shielddiameterdimensiondimensional barrierdimensional portaldimensional riftdisruptordrugelevatorenergyevolutionfencing foilfirst-aid kitforce fieldfountainfusion generatorgeologygravitygravity cannongravity projectorgravity lancegravity macehairhammerheartheliumHodgkin's Lawhologramhunting staffhyposprayimpulse engineinertial damperintercomkilogramkilometerklaxonkligatknifelamplancelaser scalpelLazarus corridorlirpamachetemedical scannermedkitmemory bankmeteorologymetermicrotapemicro-wormholemirrormonitornebulaorbitoxygenozonepalm-lightphaserphotonphoton torpedopistolpitchforkplasmaplasma conduitpower packprobepsionic resonatorpsychic receptorpulsarquantum filament distortionquantum singularityquasarradiationrapierreader tuberespiratorrifleroller coasterscannerscience logsensorshovelspacespace-time anomalyspace-time continuumspearspinal cordstabilizersteri-fieldStone of Golsubspace telescopeswordtelepathic amplifiertelescopetemporal lobetentacleTherbian feverTholian webtimetractor beamtransportertricordertrilaser connectorTroyian daggerturbolifttype-1 phasertype-2 phaseruniversal translatorvideo recorderviewscreenviruswarp corewormholewrenchxenoarchaeologyzero gravityzero gravity safety net

Ranks and titles

administratorambassadorarchaeologistartistastronautbiochemistcaptaincommandercommanding officercommunications officercosmologistcrewmandoctoremperorengineerensignfirst officergame-keepergeneticistGod-KingGod-SlayerhelmsmanHigh BrotherHigh-Priestesshistorianjunior officerlibrarianlieutenantlieutenant commandermechanicmedicmusiciannurseofficerpilotplaywrightpoacherpoetpresidentprofessorscholarscience officerscientistsecurity chiefsecurity officersenior officersoldiertechniciantheoretical physicistwarrior-priestyeoman

Other references

23rd centuryalienAntarean devil-hoganti-pastoapocalypseArcturian tapestryArgelian belly-dancingasteroid beltauditoriumautumnbaconbagpipesballballoonbasaltbatbilliardsbloodhoundbone flutebookcanteencenturychickenChristmascoffeecolonycoppercratercrustaceandecadeDenobulan show tunesdiamonddiplomacydistress signalDiwaliduraniumEnglish languagefencingfirefirst contactflyfossilfruitGeneral Order 24glassgraffitigraniteGravity RevolutiongymnasiumHanukkahhieroglyphicshistoryholidayhomeworkhorsehourhumanoidIDICinsectironivykal-if-feekamikazekarateKentucky bluegrasskinetic sculpturekiteKlingon operaKobayashi Maru scenarioKolinahrkoon-ut-kal-if-feeKwanzalanding partylibrarylimestonelizardlogicmagic wandmammalmarblemaskmastiffmercurymetalmeteormillenniamind controlmind meldminutemololo zammonthmoonmoray eelmountainmugatomuseummusicMuunian sand tortureNeptunian LotteryneutroniumNightingale WomanobservatoryOmicron sporeosmotic crystalpancakepaperphilosophypictographpigpinballpiracyThe Pit and the PendulumplanetariumplanetPlutonian marathonpoetrypokerpossumprejudicePrime DirectivepuppetpyramidquadrantquarantineracismrainRamadanrodentroperubberRukiltosi lizard-monkeySaint Valentine's DaysarcophagusSaturnian Blessing of the Ringsscrilatylscrollsea anemonesectorsehlatSenturan bansheeserpentshore leavesiliconsilversky scrapersnakespaceportstardateStarfleet uniformstarsteaksteelsurgerysurgical maskSword of Damoclestal-shayateatheologythermal blanketthermoconcreteThe Three Musketeerstransparent aluminumtreetribbletrumpetthe TruthuniformvegetableVenetian blindsVulcan lyrewaterxenophobiayearzigguratzombie

Timeline

Chronology

Appendices

External links

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