Watching the Clock

Watching the Clock is a Star Trek novel by Christopher L. Bennett, published by Pocket Books in 2011. The novel is the first in the Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations series.

Description[]

There's likely no more of a thankless job in the Federation than temporal investigation. While starship explorers get to live the Human adventure of traveling to other times and realities, it's up to the dedicated agents of the Federation Department of Temporal Investigations to deal with the consequences to the timestream that the rest of the galaxy has to live with day by day. But when history as we know it could be wiped out at any moment by time warriors from the future, misused relics of ancient races, or accident-prone starships, only the most disciplined, obsessive, and unimaginative government employees have what it takes to face the existential uncertainty of it all on a daily basis… and still stay sane enough to complete their assignments.

That's where Agents Lucsly and Dulmur come in—stalwart and unflappable, these men are the Federation's unsung anchors in a chaotic universe. Together with their colleagues in the DTI—and with the help and sometimes hindrance of Starfleet's finest—they do what they can to keep the timestream, or at least the paperwork, as neat and orderly as they are. But when a series of escalating temporal incursions threatens to open a new front of the history-spanning Temporal Cold War in the twenty-fourth century, Agents Lucsly and Dulmur will need all their investigative skill and unbending determination to stop those who wish to rewrite the past for their own advantage, and to keep the present and the future from devolving into the kind of chaos they really, really hate.

I[]

Stardate 58188.4 - 58193.8

At the San Francisco branch of the Department of Temporal Investigations, Special Agent George Faunt suffers a breakdown, and holds researcher Rani Mohindra hostage, a situation resolved by Special Agents Marion Dulmur and Gariff Lucsly.

The USS Everett arrives in the Regulus System to rendezvous with the Verity, a civilian transport ship that had arrived in the present, having unwillingly travelled fifteen years into its future. During their investigation, Dulmur and Lucsly discover that upon discovering the devastation of the previous Borg attack (ST novel: Lost Souls), the crew and passengers decided to travel back to their original time, in an effort to warn the Federation of the attack. Teresa Garcia is beaten by the others in an attempt to sabotage the return journey, being the only one onboard who voted against it. Adding to damage the Verity had already sustained during its initial time-travel, Garcia was successful, and the ship and those on board remain in their future.

II[]

Stardate 41697.9 - 41906.7

Dulmur, working as a detective for the Chandra Detective Agency on the Nehru Colony, is thwarted in his efforts to catch a thief named Daisen Hamor by the effects of a temporal experiment by Dr. Paul Manheim, and as a result was fired by Chandra. Dulmur sets out to find Manheim and ensure he is brought to justice, but he is intercepted by DTI agents Borvala and Lucsly. When Dulmur learned of the DTI's mission, he expresses his interest in joining.

III[]

Stardate 58281.1 - 58365.9

Clare Raymond, works as a counselor for DTI's Temporal Displacement Division. As someone displaced from her original time, this makes her ideal for the job. She and Teresa Garcia are discussing their experiences.

Garcia is now a recruit training to join DTI. She is taking classes with other recruits at DTI's headquarters located at Greenwich, UK, at the Royal Observatory.

After a period of time, other recruits have dropped out, but Garcia remains. Apparently humans are a minority in DTI. Her training covers temporal physics, investigative techniques and combat. The Temporal Cold War is touched upon as well.

IV[]

Stardate 42692.8 - 42704.5

Dulmur, now a junior agent, is paired with Lucsly to investigate an incident at Warlock Station.

The station experienced a temporal event and later was destroyed. It was located in the sector with a singularity called the 'Black Star' which is suspected as the cause for multiple temporal events in the past. The station's purpose was to monitor the anomaly.

The incident that happened at Warlock Station, also happened to the USS Enterprise-D in the past.

Later on, they find a way to predict when another of the temporal events will happen. Dulmur realizes the common connection: The Enterprise was involved in the temporal event caused by Paul Manheim and his temporal experiments. In that experiment and the later incident affecting the Enterprise, both Manheim and Picard reported a consciousness of some kind.

Dulmur thinks that Manheim's dislike for certain people was 'impressed' onto whatever consciousness his mind was touched by during his experiment, and this consciousness has now begun attacking those people. Dulmur is proved right.

V[]

Stardate 58699.8 - 58738.9

VI[]

Stardate 58699.8 - 58738.9

VII[]

Stardate 43731.5 - 43738.6

VIII-IX[]

Stardate 58746.7 - 58806.9

X[]

Stardate 45703.8 - 46008.2

XI-XII[]

Stardate 58923.8 - 59046.6

XIII-XIV[]

Stardate 49572.0 - 50912.6

XV[]

Stardate 59061.4 - 59087.2

XVI[]

Stardate 55049.0 - 55089.5

XVIII-XXIV[]

Stardate 59087.2 - 59155.0

Epilogue[]

Undisclosed date

Lucsly meets with agents from the temporal agencies of the Typhon Pact, Klingon Empire, Vomnin, Sheliak and Regnancy of the Carnelian Throne in secret. Dulmur has by this point been promoted to a desk job. At the meeting, Lucsly notes that the attendees are unimportant - they are not starship captains, presidents or heroes; they are middle-men, and so will be mostly ignored by history. This puts them in a perfect position to create and deliver a massive project - the Temporal Defense Grid - entirely in secret. It will be the work of decades if not generations he notes, but says that it can be accomplished - and kept out of the history books - by those who take a sufficiently long view of time.

References[]

Characters[]

DTI personnel[]

Loom Aleek-Om • Laarin Andos • I'stel Borah • Borvala • Marion Dulmur • George Faunt • Felbog Bu-Tsop-Vee • Teresa Garcia • Farimah Hamidi • Virum Kalnota • Gelim Kreinns • Gariff Lucsly • Rani Mohindra • Stewart Peart • Meyo Ranjea • Clare Raymond • Sanioth • Shelan • Sonaj • T'Viss • Teyak • Stijen Yol

Referenced only: Chall • Sornek • T'Lem

Starfleet personnel[]

Sagar bav Balkar • Juel Ducane • Emro Ganazeel • Kathryn Janeway • Mara Kadray

Referenced only: Jonathan Archer • Rif jav Balkar • Braxton • Data • The Doctor • James T. Kirk • Miles O'Brien • Seven of Nine • Benjamin Sisko • Spock • Hikaru Sulu

USS Bozeman personnel[]

Claudia Alisov • Morgan Bateson • Lloyd Boen • Cohen • Joaquin Perez • Heather Petersen • Shelithan ch'Riin • Siemaszko • Parvana Whitcomb • Zane

USS Everett personnel[]

Claudia Alisov • Heather Petersen • Preston • Ian Purvis • T'Manis

USS Enterprise-E personnel[]

Jasminder Choudhury • Dina Elfiki • Jean-Luc Picard • Worf

Referenced only: Adrienne Markham • Metta Tharys

USS Titan personnel[]

Ellec Krotine • Melora Pazlar • William T. Riker • Deanna Troi

Referenced only: Peya Fell

Temporal Agents[]

B'etath • Timot Danlen/Daniels • Rodal Eight • Korath • Meneth • Riroa Nadamé • Nart • Cyral Nine • Jena Noi • Revad

Referenced only: Gary Seven • Vuri

Verity crew and passengers[]

Falvin Dor • Teresa Garcia • Vorlis Klega • M'grash • Wataru Takizawa

Axis of Time members[]

Alenar • Damyz • Hariin • Lirahn • Oydia • Shiiem • Vennor Sikran • Temarel • Vikei • unnamed D'drauk'k

Other characters[]

Ajur • Avel • Nanietta Bacco • Boratus • Drash • Megumi Dulmur • Forzrat • Ghretch • Daisen Hamor (Dennis Harmon) • Jamran Harnoth • Kelia • Alan Manheim • Paul Manheim • Mogon • Naadri • Nijen • Ojav • Ranz • Louise Cara Raymond • Rodda • Ronarek • T'Pan • Vard • Vard (alternate) • Steven Wexler

Referenced only: Akorem Laan • Isaac Asimov • Chandra • Shaun Geoffrey Christopher • Wang Chunxi • Samuel Clemens • Sonny Clemonds • Zefram Cochrane • Wesley Crusher • Kal Dano • Arne Darvin • Skrain Dukat • Albert Einstein • Endora • Emory Erickson • Eris Samuel Estragon • Sigmund Freud • Gorkon • Guardian of Forever • Guinan • Vasily Hunyadi • Kes • Kira Nerys • Miliani Langford • Lant • Vaacith sh'Lesinas • Abraham Lincoln • Lee Majors • Erika Manheim • Jenice Manheim • Faith Martinez • Yvette Michael • Monak • Nog • Odo • Ralph Offenhouse • Piccolo • Esperanza Piñiero • Quark • Telek R'Mor • Darrell Raymond • Donald Raymond • Eddie Raymond • Jonathan Raymond • Mary Raymond • Thomas Raymond • Berlinghoff Rasmussen • Rom • Khan Noonien Singh • Surak • Gillian Taylor • James Thornhill • V'Ger • H. G. Wells • Jamshid Whitcomb • Christopher Wren • Min Zife

Starships and vehicles[]

USS Asimov (Nova-class) • USS Bozeman (Soyuz-class) • USS Brin (runabout) • USS Capitoline (Vesta-class) • Cincinnatus (shuttlecraft) • Deutsch (shuttlecraft) • USS Enterprise-E (Sovereign-class) • USS Everett (Nova-class) • in-system courier • interplanetary shuttle • timecraft • USS Titan (Luna-class) • tram shuttle • Verity (transport) • USS Voyager (Intrepid-class)

Referenced only: aircar • USS Aquaria • Betelgeusian argosy • USS Atlas • Cyrus • USS Defiant • Enterprise (NX-01) (NX-class) • USS Enterprise (Constitution-class) • USS Enterprise-D (Galaxy-class) • USS Enterprise (Starliner) • ECS Horizon • hoverbus • hovercar • Kreetassan ship • USS Kyushu • Phoenix • Quark's Treasure • USS Relativity • shuttlepod • time pod • time travel pod • timeship • Vorok's battle cruiser • Voyager 6

Occupations and titles[]

activist • admiral • agent • aide • ambassador • archaeologist • architect • assassin • assistant director • astrophysicist • bartender • bureaucrat • businessman • captain • cartographer • chief engineer • chief medical officer • chief of operations • chief of staff • Chief Overseer of the Temporal Oversight Administration • chief science officer • colonial • comedian • commander • cosmetic surgeon • councillor • counselor • country musician • crewman • curator • detective • dictator • diplomat • diplomatic officer • Director of the Department of Temporal Investigations • dissident • doctor • engineer • field agent • firefighter • first officer • geneticist • geophysicist • graduate student • guard • Head of Research • historian • homemaker • innovator • inspector • instructor • inventor • investigator • junior clerk • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • maintenance worker • mariner • medic • nurse • petty officer • philosopher • physicist • pilot • poet • preacher • President of the United Federation of Planets • prochronistic traveler • professor • prophet • record-keeper • recruit • referee • researcher • scholar • science officer • scientist • Secretary of Commerce • Secretary of Technology • Secretary of Transportation • security chief • security guard • senior historian • sensor technician • Shah of Iran • sniper • soldier • special agent • special agent-in-charge • specialist • spy • statesman • subdirector • subspace morphologist • subspace physicist • tactical officer • temporal agent • Temporal Cold Warrior • temporal investigator • temporal physicist • temporal refugee • temporal researcher • terrorist • tomb raider • trader • transporter operator • warden • weapons instructor

Science and classification[]

alternate reality • amplifier • ansible beacon • ansible transmission • anti-time • antigrav suit • archaeology • architecture • artificial intelligence • astronomical unit • atmosphere • Bars gauge symmetry • binary system • biocircuitry • biotemporal regression • black hole • blood • bomb • brain (parietal lobe) • Casimir Effect • Cauchy horizon • cause and effect • causality • chemistry • chromosphere • chroniton • chroniton field • chroniton signature • chroniton torpedo • chrono-deflector • chronometer • chronometric sensor • circulatory system • class-8 probe • Class-N atmosphere • clock • Coleopteric warp drive • combadge • cometary disc • comlink • communications • communicator • computer • computer programming • coolant • cosmetic surgery • cryogenics • crystal matrix • Cygnian flu • Darwinism • database • defense grid • deflector array • deflector shield • depression • dermal regenerator • detector satellite • dimension • disintegrator • DNA • dwarf planet • ecliptic plane • eigenstate • embolism • empathy • entropy • EPS grid • EVA • Everett equations • evolutionary drift • exobiology • feedback loop • Feynman curve • galvano-magnetic clock • gene • gene therapy • generator • Genesis Wave • geodesic • gravimetric distortion • gravimetric sensor • gravity • gravity well • gravity-lensed distortion • Guardian of Forever • harmonic • Hawking radiation • headache • HIch • holocommunicator • holodisplay • holo-emitter • hologram • holophoto • holoscreen • holosuite • holo-system • holovid • hydrosphere • Iconian gateway • impulse drive • indium nuclei • inhibitor • injector manifold • interdimensional rift • interference pattern • interphasic rift • Jovian planet • Kerr loop • Kerr singularity • kilomaloc • Koa pyramid • Ky'rha Artifacts • lava bubble • laws of probabilities • lidar • light • light-day • lightspeed sensor • linear time • macrorealm convergence • Manheim Effect • Manheim Event • Manheim loop • Manheim manifold • Many-Worlds theory • memory engram • microcamera • mildew • mobile emitter • Möbius structure • modulating plasma pulse • multidimensional cosmology • multidimensional temporal field • multidimensional transporter device • multiverse • nanotechnology • navigational deflector • neuron • Nexus • nonlinear quantum physics • nuclear blowtorch • nuclear fusion • nuclear weapon • Null • Omega particle • Orb of Time • orbital period • orthogonality • padd • paracausal event • paradox • parsec • phase discriminator • phase resonance • phase-shield • phaser • pheromone • physics • plasma injector • polarity • polarization • predestination paradox • prochronistic incursion • propagation rate • protomatter • protoplaser • psionic amplifier • psychology • pulse • quantum ansible effect • quantum antibodies effect • quantum black hole • quantum collapse • quantum convergence • quantum entanglement • quantum fissure • quantum flux • quantum gravity • quantum history • quantum information theory • quantum lock • quantum merging • quantum palimpsest • quantum phase inhibitor • quantum physics • quantum resonance • quantum slipstream drive • quantum stabilizer field • quantum superposition • quantum temporal physics • quantum theory • quantum-tunnel • quantum variation • quantum wave equation • quantum wormhole • radiation • Red Orbs of Jalbador • red star • replicator • retrocausal influence • retrocausally generated history • satellite • scanner • sensor • sensor array • servo • Shanial Cabochon • Shepherd Gate Clock • shield • short-range probe • singularity • slingshot effect • sonic shower • spacetime • spacetime warp • spectrum • spontaneous quantum divergence • star • stasis device • subatomic particle • subspace • subspace communication • subspace entanglement • subspace fissure • subspace fracture • subspace pulse • subspace radio • supernova • tachyon field • tachyon resonance signature • telepathy • temporal defense grid • temporal displacement • temporal displacement metric • temporal displacement vortex • temporal disruptor • temporal distortion • temporal drive • temporal incursion • temporal limbo • temporal narcosis • temporal physics • temporal psychosis • temporal rift • temporal stasis • temporal theory • temporal transporter • temporal tricorder • terminator • tidal force • time • time dilation • time dilation field • time perceptor • time portal • time travel • timeframe • timeline • Tipler spacetime • track-jumper • transdimensional chroniton vortex • Turtledove anomaly • type 3 singularity • type 4 singularity • universal wave equation • universal wavefunction • verteron • vortex • Weinberg-Polchinski entanglement • X-ray flare

Astronomy[]

white dwarf

Biology[]

Plants and lifeforms[]

Aldebaran shellmouth • aloe • ape • bulldog • cat • cosmozoan • crustacean • cyborg • deer • fern • fruit • herbivore • hominid • humanoid • lemur • Megaptera novaeangliae • ostrich • shapeshifter • strawberry • tribble • Vulcanoid

Materials and substances[]

benamite • carbon • chroniton • energy • fire • food and drink • monofilament • neutronium • polymer • quasicrystal • tritanium

Food and drink[]

apple danish • bourbon • Ongilian caviar • orange juice • pastry • sausage • waffle • whole grain • yogurt

Technology and weapons[]

thruster • Tox Uthat • transporter • transporter emitter • tricorder • warning buoy • warp core • warp drive • warp reactor

Other references[]

album • anti-imperialism • anti-vivisectionism • assassination • away team • background check • bankruptcy • baseball • Batman • Bayer designation • Bewitched • Bindi • bridge • bureaucracy • California lowball poker • canteen • cavern • chakra • clothing • coffee • coin • concentration camp • Coup d'état • culture shock • The Dead Past • déjà vu • eatery • The End of Eternity • equal rights • espionage • extinction • fashion design • Federation-Cardassian Armistice of 2367 • first contact • floodgate • foot-binding • geological assay report • gin rummy • Gordian knot • grotto • history • honeymoon • hotel • import shop • The Invaders • investment market • jamaharon • jumpsuit • kaftan • The Light of Other Days • Lissepian Lottery • Lost in Space • meditation • medkit • mind meld • monastery • money • mug • mural • necrophilia • oath of celibacy • Official Secrets Act • orgy • picture • piracy • poker • police state • Prime Directive • Prime Meridian • puritanism • quarters • racism • record • red alert • refresher • refugee convoy • Regulan flag • riot • robe • Roladan wild draw • Roman numerals • sculpture • serfdom • sexuality • Simperian civet • slippers • middle class • social justice • spaceport • species profiling • Starfleet uniform (2373-2386) • Starfleet uniform (29th century) • suicide • Temporal Accords • Temporal Prime Directive • Terellian keyboard • terra cotta pot • terrorism • Third World • Tipler slingshot maneuver • treaty • Truth or Dare • TV Guide • Victorian house • voyeurism • war • water • wedding • yarn

Chronology[]

1893 • 1947 • 1968 • 1969 • 1974 • 2063 • 2121 • 2141 • 2144 • 2151 • 2152 • 2153 • 2154 • 2161 • 2258 • 2266 • 2267 • 2270 • 2291 • 2305 • 2342 • 2351 • 2376 • 2379 • 2404 • 2500 • 2774 • 1990s • 2150s • 2320s • 2400s • 2770s • 2.8 million BCE • 74th century BCE • 6th millennium BCE • 17th century • 20th century • 21st century • 22nd century • 25th century • 27th century • 28th century • 29th century • 31st century • 36th century • Adar • Agrahayana • After Rebirth • The Aftermath • Andorian calendar • Année DXC de la Republique • Anno Hegirae • Anno Mundi • Anno Perisco • Anthropocene epoch • August • Battle of Wolf 359 • Blitz • Boomtime • Borg Invasion of 2381 • Breget • Bureaucracy • Caban • Calabrian age • Cardassian calendar • Chaos • Chicchan • Chinese New Year • day • Day of Release • Day of Sharing • decade • December • Deltan calendar • Discordian calendar • Dominion War • Earth-Romulan War • et'Khior • Eugenics Wars • Federation-Cardassian War • Fesoan Lor'veln Year • First contact • French Republican calendar • Frimaire • future • Great Psionic War • Greenwich Mean Time • Gregorian calendar • Haab • Hebrew calendar • House of the Heart • Indian National calendar • Ionian Age • Islamic calendar • January • Julian calendar • July • K'ri'lior • Kankin • Kanya • Kartika • Khordad • Klingon Imperial calendar • Kyushu incident • Late Season • Mac • March • Martian Darian calendar • Mayan calendar • Men • Middle Season • minute • New Year • Ninthmoon • Norkan Massacre • November • October • Orishan tesseract incident • past • Piacenzian age • Pleistocene epoch • Pliocene epoch • Prickle-Prickle • Pungenday • r'tas • Rabī al-Awwal • Rasmussen affair • Risan calendar • Romulan calendar • Saka era • Saturday • Season of the Inner Eye • second • Second Romulan War • Setting Orange • Solar Hejri calendar • stardate • Sunday • T'lakht • t'ved • Tandaran calendar • Tarantian age • Temporal Cold War • Thursday • Tigellan chronic hysteresis • Tuesday • Tzolkin • Unity era • Vien • Virgo • Vomnin calendar • Vulcan calendar • Week of Laughter • World War II • World War III • Xan'lahr • Xia calendar • Xindi crisis • year • Year of Consolidation • Year of Kahless • Year of Our Lady of Discord • Year of ShiKahr • Year of the Water Tiger • Zhēngyué

Appendices[]

Background[]

An early cover for *Watching the Clock*.

The book was first announced by the author in March 2010 with the working title Star Trek: DTI.^[1] The full title was announced in Star Trek Magazine #154; Bennett elaborated on his blog that he considered Star Trek: DTI on its own too vague and giving the full title Star Trek DTI: Department of Temporal Investigations - Watching the Clock too unwieldy, so he went with the acronym and subtitle combination as comfortable compromise.^[2] Despite that, the first cover released for the book did indeed sport the expanded title Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations - Watching the Clock.^[3]
Bennett's aims with the novel included generating a unified theory to explain the various ways time travel has been portrayed in Star Trek. To that end, he researched every instance of time travel in Star Trek and the use of time travel in other fiction.^[4]
The characters of Zane, Cohen, and Siemaszko are named for Billy Zane, J.J. Cohen, and Casey Siemaszko, the actors who played Biff's gang in the Back to the Future films.
At one point, Daniels angrily confronts Jamran Harnoth about the latter's 25th century experiments with omega molecules, saying that they caused a chain reaction that tore the Federation in half, sparked a war with the Romulan Star Empire, and left much of the quadrant inaccessible to warp drive. This is a reference to a never-produced new animated series, Star Trek: Final Frontier, which depicts this very occurrence. Daniels further says that this timeline was "isolated", presumably erasing it from history.

Images[]

Connections[]

Timeline[]

chronological order
Previous adventure: Not yet placed	Memory Beta Chronology	Next adventure: Not yet placed

Production history[]

published order
Previous novel: None	Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations	Next novel: Forgotten History
Previous story: Over a Torrent Sea	Stories by: Christopher L. Bennett	Next story: The Struggle Within

External links[]

Watching the Clock article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
Author's Annotations (part 1) (part 2)