Year Four, Issue 3 was the third of a six-part comic book miniseries written by David Tischman and published by IDW Publishing in 2007. The story took place during the fourth year of the five-year mission of Captain James T. Kirk aboard the USS Enterprise.
Publisher's description[]
Captain James T. Kirk becomes suspicious of his crew after returning from the devastated colony on Phi-11. Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy try to reassure him that nothing's wrong—unless Kirk's two most trusted friends are in on the plot, too. What has infected the crew, and how—and who's left to help Kirk regain control of the ship?
Summary[]
- Captain's log, stardate 4173.15. The Enterprise is in orbit of the colony on Phi-11, a remote planetary system at the edge of the galaxy – the frontier of known space. Just like the first settlers of the American west in Earth's early 19th century, man is alone out here – on his own… and life among the stars can be dangerous. I only hope our fears are unfounded.
The landing party discovered all of the colonists to be dead after having unearthed a corpse buried in an escape pod for a millennium. While reviewing Pampla's paranoid-sounding log, Spock heard a strange sound just before Pampla died. Spock brought the recording to Kirk and McCoy, but before he could replay the log, Kirk was called to the bridge. Sometime later on the bridge, Hikaru Sulu diverted the ship's course, claiming it was on Kirk's order. Spock assumed command, announcing that Kirk had been infected with a virus on Phi-11, and ordered security to take him to sickbay. When Kirk resisted, Spock knocked him out with a Vulcan nerve pinch.
In sickbay, Kirk appealed to Christine Chapel, saying that everyone else had been infected but them. Chapel, having observed unusual behavior from M'Ress and Kevin Riley in the mess hall earlier, believed him and helped him knock out security officer Brad Collins. Out in the corridor, as they were confronted by Sulu and Ryan, Kirk ordered her to flee. Over the loudspeaker, Spock announced that their journey was complete — Kirk and Chapel had to be found and transformed. Aimed at Kirk, Ryan and Sulu generated the same strange sound heard on the recording. Shortly thereafter, Kirk and Leonard McCoy broke into a locked shuttle where Christine Chapel had been hiding.
Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Chapel beamed down to a planet and simultaneously generated the strange sound.
- Captain's log, supplemental. The Ur is a viral life form with a communal sentience, infecting its carriers through sound. It lay dormant in the body of the alien pilot on Phi-11 for over a thousand years. Unfortunately, its unfamiliarity with human physiology killed the colonists… I have submitted my report to Starfleet, and the colonists' families have been notified.
References[]
Characters[]
Regulars[]
- Christine Chapel • Pavel Chekov • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • M'Ress • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura
Others[]
- Brad Collins • Pampla • Ryan
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class) • class F shuttlecraft
- Referenced only
- escape pod
Locations[]
- Phi-11 • Ur homeworld
- Referenced only
- American West • Earth
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
Science and technology[]
- decontamination • escape pod • orbit • phaser • record tape
Ranks and titles[]
- captain • chief medical officer • doctor • nurse • pilot
Other references[]
- 19th century • brain • galaxy • log • paranoia • sound • Vulcan neck pinch
Appendices[]
Information[]
- This issue was scheduled as the September issue of the miniseries, but was actually released a few days into October.
- This issue is available in three covers, two of equal general availability, one each by Steve Conley and Joe Corroney, and a more limited photomontage cover.
- Instead of artwork by Steve Conley, who produced the art for most of the miniseries, this issue was drawn by veteran Star Trek comic book artist Gordon Purcell.
- Of the ten pages of editorial content in this issue two features adverts for other Star Trek comics, Issue 4 of the Year Four miniseries, and the Vulcan issue of the Alien Spotlight miniseries.
Related stories[]
- TOS audiobook: The Crier in Emptiness – A creature composed of sound visited the Enterprise.
- TOS comic: "Taking Shape" – Shape-changing Manarkites duplicated Enterprise crew and took over the ship.
- TOS comic: "Quarantine" – A life-threatening plague infected Chapel.
Images[]
Connections[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous comic: Year Four, Issue 2 |
TOS comics Year Four |
Next comic: Year Four, Issue 4 |
| Previous comic: Year Four, Issue 2 |
Comics by: David Tischman |
Next comic: Year Four, Issue 4 |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: Year Four, Issue 2 |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next Adventure: Year Four, Issue 4 |
External link[]
- Year Four, Issue 3 article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.