Duty, Honor, Redemption (Star Trek: All) (Paperback)

by Vonda N. McIntyre (Author) "Mister Spock, in his old place at the science officer's station, gazed around at the familiar bridge of the Enterprise..." (more)
Key Phrases: Admiral Kirk, Jim Kirk, Mister Scott (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Cadets that enter Starfleet Academy have two mantras drilled into them from their very first day. They must do their duty for the Federation and Starfleet, and they must strive to honor their oath as Starfleet officers. Among those who have best embodied these guiding principles and who have strived to live up to the coda "to boldly go ™" are those who once served aboard the Starship Enterprise under the command of Captain James T. Kirk. Who then, was better to guide the next generation of officers? After Kirk became an admiral, the officers of the Enterprise were promoted, and several became Academy instructors. Transformed from a ship of the line to a training vessel the Enterprise's days of active duty are behind her -- until a frantic message from a distant outpost interrupts a training exercise and pulls the ship back into action.

Admiral Kirk is forced to take command of the Enterprise in order to stop an old nemesis from commandeering what could be the most deadly weapon ever devised. In the course of his actions, the crew will find itself facing death...and life -- as they deliberately violate their Starfleet oaths, travel through time to save Earth, and ultimately earn redemption in the eyes of the Federation.

Now, for the first time ever in one volume here are the novelizations of three Star Trek® films: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,® Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,® and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,® all by award-winning author Vonda McIntyre.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Prologue

Captain's Log: Stardate 8130.5

Starship Enterprise on training mission to Gamma Hydra. Sector 14, coordinates 22/87/4. Approaching Neutral Zone, all systems functioning.

Mister Spock, in his old place at the science officer's station, gazed around at the familiar bridge of the Enterprise. The trainees, one per station and each under the direction of an experienced crew member, were so far comporting themselves well.

It was a good group, and the most able of them was the young officer in the captain's seat. Spock expected considerable accomplishments from Saavik. She was young for her rank, and she enhanced her natural aptitude with an apparently inexhaustible capacity for hard work.

Spock listened with approval to the cool narration of the captain's log. Saavik, in command of the Enterprise, completed the report and filed it. If she was nervous -- and he knew she must be -- she concealed her feelings well. Her first command was a test, but, even more, every moment of her life was a test. Few people could understand that better than Mister Spock, for they were similar in many ways. Like Spock, Saavik was half Vulcan. But while Spock's other parent was a human being, Saavik's had been Romulan.

Mister Sulu and Ensign Croy had the helm.

"Sector fourteen to sector fifteen," the ensign said. "Transition: mark." He was a moment behind-time, but the information was not critical to their progress.

"Thank you, Helm Officer," Saavik said. "Set us a course along the perimeter of the Neutral Zone, if you please."

"Aye, Captain."

Sulu watched without comment, letting Croy do his own work and make his own mistakes. The data streamed past on Spock's console.

Spock had not failed to notice Saavik's progress in the use of conventional social pleasantries. Trivial as they may have seemed, learning to use them was one of the most difficult tasks Spock had ever tried to master. Even now, he too frequently neglected them, they were so illogical, but they were important to humans. They made dealing with humans easier.

Spock doubted that Saavik would ever use the phrases with warmth, any more than he would, but she had modified her original icy disinterest, which had come dangerously close to contempt.

Saavik gazed calmly at the viewscreen. She was aesthetically elegant in the spare, understated, esoterically powerful manner of a Japanese brush-painting.

"Captain," Uhura said suddenly, "I'm receiving a signal on the distress channel. It's very faint..."

Saavik touched controls. "Communications now has priority on computer access for signal enhancement."

Uhura's trainee worked quickly for several seconds.

"It's definitely an emergency call, Captain."

"Patch it through to the speakers."

Communications complied.

"Mayday, mayday. Kobayashi Maru, twelve parsecs out of Altair VI..." The voice broke up into static. The trainee frowned and stabbed at the controls on the communications console.

Spock listened carefully. Even computer-enhanced, the message was only intermittently comprehensible.

"...gravitic mine, lost all power. Environmental controls..."

"Gravitic mine!" Saavik said.

"...hull breached, many casualties." The signal-to-noise ratio decreased until the message slid over into incomprehensibility.

"This is U.S.S. Enterprise," Uhura's trainee said. "Your message is breaking up. Give your coordinates. Repeat: Give your coordinates. Do you copy?"

"Copy, Enterprise. Sector ten..."

"The Neutral Zone," Saavik said.

Mister Sulu immediately turned his attention from the speakers to his console.

"Mayday, Enterprise, we're losing our air, can you help? Sector ten -- " The forced calm of the voice began to shatter.

"We copy, Kobayashi Maru -- " The communications trainee and Uhura both glanced at Saavik, waiting for instructions.

"Tactical data, Kobayashi Maru. Helm, what does a long-range sensor scan show?"

Sulu glanced at Croy, who was understandably confused by the screen display. It had deteriorated into the sort of mess that only someone with long experience could make any sense of at all. Sulu replied to the question himself.

"Very little, Captain. High concentrations of interstellar dust and gases. Ionization causing sensor interference. A blip that might be a ship...or might not."

The viewscreen shivered. The image reformed into the surrealistic bulk of a huge transport ship. The picture dissected itself into a set of schematics, one deck at a time.

"Kobayashi Maru, third-class neutronic fuel carrier, crew of eighty-one, three hundred passengers."

"Damn," Saavik said softly. "Helm?"

Sulu glanced at the trainee, who was still bent over the computer, in the midst of a set of calculations. Croy shook his head quickly.

"Course plotted, Captain," Mister Sulu said, entering his own calculations into the display.

Spock noted with approval Saavik's understanding of the support level she could expect from each of her subordinates.

Sulu continued. "Into the Neutral Zone." His voice contained a subtle warning.

"I am aware of that," she said.

Sulu nodded. "Entering Neutral Zone: mark."

"Full shields, Mister Sulu. Sensors on close-range, high-resolution."

Spock raised one eyebrow. Gravitic mines were seldom deployed singly, that was true, but restricting the sensors to such a limited range was a command decision that easily could backfire. On the other hand, long-range scanners were close to useless in a cloud of ionized interstellar gas. He concentrated on the sensor screens.

"Warning," the computer announced, blanking out the distress call. "We have entered the Neutral Zone. Warning. Entry by Starfleet vessels prohibited. Warning -- "

"Communications Officer, I believe that the mayday should have priority on the speakers," Saavik said.

"Yes, Captain." Uhura's trainee changed the settings.

"Warning. Treaty of Stardate -- " The computer's voice stopped abruptly. The static returned, pierced erratically by an emergency beacon's faint and ghostly hoot.

"Security duty room," Saavik said. "Security officers to main transporter."

"Aye, Captain," Security Commander Arrunja replied.

"You may have to board the disabled vessel, Mister Arrunja," Saavik said. "They're losing atmosphere and life-support systems."

"The field suits are checked out, Captain."

The intern accompanying McCoy on the bridge hurried to open a hailing frequency.

"Bridge to sickbay," she said. "Doctor Chapel, we need a medical team in main transporter, stat. Rescue mission to disabled ship. Field suits and probably extra oxygen."

McCoy looked pleased by his intern's quick action.

"One minute to visual contact. Two minutes to intercept."

"Viewscreen full forward."

The schematics of the ore carrier dissolved, reforming into a starfield dense and brilliant enough to obscure the pallid gleam of any ship. Ionization created interference patterns across the image.

"Stand by, transporter room. Mister Arrunja, we have very little information on the disabled vessel. Prepare to assist survivors. But..." Saavik paused to emphasize her final order "...no one is to board Kobayashi Maru unarmed."

"Aye, Captain."

"Coordinate with the helm to open the shields at energize."

"Aye aye."

Spock detected a faint reflection at the outer limits of the sensor sphere. The quiet cry of the distress beacon ceased abruptly, leaving only the whisper of interstellar energy fields.

"Captain, total signal degradation from Kobayashi Maru."

"Sensors indicate three Klingon cruisers," Spock said without expression. "Bearing eighty-seven degrees, minus twelve degrees. Closing fast."

He could sense the instant increase in tension among the young crew members.

Saavik snapped around with one quick frowning glance, but recovered her composure immediately. "All hands, battle stations." The Klaxon alarm began to howl. "Visual: spherical coordinates: plus eighty-seven degrees, minus twelve degrees. Extend sensor range. Mister Croy, is there a disabled ship, or is there not?"

The viewscreen centered on the ominous, probing shapes of three Klingon cruisers.

"I can't tell, Captain. The Klingon ships are deliberately fouling our sensors."

"Communications?"

"Nothing from the Klingons, Captain, and our transmission frequencies are being jammed."

"Klingons on attack course, point seven-five c," Spock said.

Saavik barely hesitated. "Warp six," she said.

"You can't just abandon Kobayashi Maru!" Doctor McCoy exclaimed.

"Four additional Klingon cruisers at zero, zero," Spock said. Dead ahead. Warp six on this course would run the Enterprise straight into a barrage of photon torpedoes.

"Cancel warp six, Mister Croy. Evasive action, zero and minus ninety. Warp at zero radial acceleration. Visual at zero, zero. Doctor McCoy," Saavik said without looking back at him, "Enterprise cannot outmaneuver seven Klingon cruisers. It will, however, outrun them. If we lure them far enough at their top speed, we can double back even faster -- "

"And rescue the survivors before the Klingons can catch up to us again," McCoy said. "Hmm."

"It is the choice between a small chance for the disabled ship, and no chance at all," Saavik said. "If there is in fact a disabled ship. I am not quite prepared to decide that there is not."

The viewscreen confirmed four more Klingon ships dead ahead, and then the Enterprise swung away so hard the acceleration affected the bridge even through the synthetic gravity.

"Mister Sulu, Mister Croy, lock on photon torpedoes. Fire..." She paused, and Spock wondered whether her early experience -- fight or be killed -- could, under stress, win out over regulations and the Federation's stated object of keeping the peace. "Fire only if we are fired upon."

"Aye, Captain." Sulu glanced at the young ensign beside him. Croy clenched his hands around the firing controls. "Easy," Sulu said quietly. The ensign started, then forcibly relaxed his hands.

Another blip on the sensor screens: "Enemy cruisers, dead ahead." A third group of ships arrowed towa...

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Star Trek (October 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743496604
• ISBN-13: 978-0743496605
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #147,377 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #2 in

  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( M ) > McIntyre, Vonda N.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A treat for those who enjoyed Star Treks II, III and IV, July 10, 2005

By	Ian McLean (Penrith, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a handsome trade paperback which reprints Vonda N McIntyre's excellent novelizations for Star Treks II, III and IV ("The Wrath of Khan", "The Search for Spock" and "The Voyage Home").

The only changes to the original books are the correcting of errors, such as "McGivers" for "McGiver". Sulu also goes back to the rank of "Commander" (where McIntyre had promoted him to captain in her novelizations, as per the dropped scene from ST II that was never picked up on by the other movies).

If you've never read the ST II or ST III novelizations before, you are in for a treat. Heaps of great scenes and characters that were never in the movie! Lots of background on Saavik, Peter Preston, the Genesis Project scientists and even an explanation for why Spock's mother Amanda was not present at his Fal Tor Pan ceremony in ST III. The ST IV novelization doesn't add as much new stuff, but is still enjoyable.

The size of the print in this omnibus is very tiny and I feel sorry for people who order this book thinking it's an all-new novel, but there is so much to like about these "Signature Edition" books. I bought this even though I already have first editions of all the movie novelizations. The cover is eye-catching (the lower quarter of Kirk's colour portrait) and matches the other six books in the "Signature Edition" reprint series. Oh, there is one new component, too: a three-page essay on "Harve Bennett: The Man Behind the Movies" by Terry J Erdmann.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyable, March 21, 2007

By	Elim Garak (Australia) - See all my reviews

'Duty, Honor, Redemption' is the compilation of the novelizations of Star Trek II, III and IV. As with most Star Trek novelisations, it is well worth the read. Reading it made me feel like I was meeting up with an old bunch of friends that I hadn't seen in years.

The books are written faithfully to the films, obviously taken from the script, with extra scenes added here and there, most of which is I suspect scenes that never made it to the final film.

Vonda N. McIntyre does a mesterful job with all the characters she writes for, and, in particular, Saavik. Ms Mcintyre explores Saavik's Romulan side in much more detail than the films.

One of the most interesting aspects of these books, for me, were the sections detailing what the Enterprise did immediately after Star Trek II, in particular, the scene where Kirk, Estaban and Carol Marcus debate the future of the Genesis Project. Another fascinating section are Saavik's eerie premonitions of Mr Spock. Having recently rewatched Star Trek III, I found it to be a little too fast paced at time, and I think it could have benefited from some of this material.

This book is a thrilling and fascinating read. I highly recommend it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book!, May 14, 2006

By	Mark Lopa (Connecticut) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great way to get the novelizations of the three best Star Trek movies in one book. Tthese three movies came about at the end as a trilogy, and anyone who enjoyed the movies will love this book.

As far as Nan Lewis's several reviews with one star about buying books only to find out at home they were re-releases, a simple look at the back of the books would reveal this. Why would someone buy a book without knowing anything about it? That one-star reviews are not for the content, but the reviewer's foolishnes.