Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
I'm reading a new Star Trek series set in the classic era. Typically, Trek books are trash, but there are a few diamonds in the rough.
This is one of them.
It's a new series: STAR TREK Vanguard.
The first book is Harbinger by David Mack. Book #2 is Summon The Thunder by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore. Book #3 is due out in May, called Reap The Whirlwind, also by David Mack.
This is good stuff, people.
We're talking classic Trek here...but modernized a bit.
I call it "classic" because, not only is it set during the Kirk & Spock TV series, but it really captures that wonder and feel on the original series.
I call it "modernized a bit" because the books are darker than what you're used to in Trek. We're talkin' half crazed lesbian Vulcans (no kidding), backstabbing for positions in Star Fleet, Star Fleet officers committing adultry, the cold war with the Klingons, spies....
And all of this wrapped around an interesting "Trek" plot, the basis of which is:
The USS Constellation (Commodore Decker's ship--which will be destroyed in the classic Trek episode "The Doomsday Machine"), on patrol in the Tarus Reach near Tholian space, discovers something odd during it's routine exploration/mapping mission....
"Report," Decker said, cutting straight to business.
Masada reached behind his ear as if to scratch, then gave an almost absentminded tug on his ponytail as he straightened and pivoted toward Decker. "We were running a routine gene-sequence scan on the biosamples froom Ravanar IV," he said. "Most were nothing to write home about." He geestured for Takeshewada to look at the sensor data for herself. "Then we found this."
Decker tried to be patient, but at times like this it was hard. "Guillermo, please don't keep me in suspense."
"Sorry, sir. It's a gene sequence unlike anything we've ever seen before. My best uess would be that it has several million chemical base pairs, and it's more complex than simple G-A-T-C. It has molecules we're still trying to identify."
Takeshewada lifted her gaze from the blue-gray sensor hood. Her already fair complexion looke paler than normal. "That's incredible," she said.
Folding his arms across his chest, Decker said to Masada, "Where did it come from? Some kind of uber-life-form?"
"Hardly," the science officer said. "From a simple mold."
"Simple?" Decker shook his head, as much in disbelief as in sheer wonderment at the never-ending tricks the universe had up its proverbial sleeve. "That's a lot of DNA for something I'd scrape off my breakfast. Speaking of which--" He turned toward his yeoman, who happened to be walking past. "Lawford, get me some coffee, will you?"
"Lawford transferred to the Yorktown two weeks ago, sir," the yeoman said. "I'm Guthrie."
Decker squinted in disapproval. "And that has precisely what to do with my coffee?"
"Nothing, sir."
The commodore pointed the yeoman toward the food slot. "Milk, no sugar."
"I know, sir."
"Thanks, Lawford."
"Guthrie, sir."
"Whatever." Decker turned back toward the science station while the yeoman plodded away, muttering quietly. Returning his attention to Masada, Decker said, "Why would mold need that much genetic information?"
"I don't think it does," Masada said.
Decker was getting annoyed. "That's what I'm saying."
"No sir," Masada said. "What I mean is, I think only a very small portion of the genetic string has anything to do with the mold itself. The rest is...well, just there."
Takeshewada tilted her head in a way that implied she found Masada's answer less than satisfactory. "But what does it do, Guillermo?"
The science officer's eyes widened as his lips tightened into a thin line and his shoulders rounded into a shrug. "No idea. I can tell you that it's big, but other than that..." He just shook his head.
"And out tradition of excellence continues," Decker said with a sour inflection. His darkening mood was brightened by the arrival of his coffee. He accepted the mug from Guthrie, then turned immediately back toward Masada. "How soon can you finish some testsand get me a real report?"
"I'm not sure I can," Masada said. "Our lab's good, bu it's not this good. We're gonna have to send all of this--the samples, the scans, the whole kit and kaboodle--back to Starfleet Command and let them handle it."
Decker's shoulders slumped with disappointment. "Are you serious? We make a once-in-a-lifetime find, and you're telling me we have to punt?"
"I'm afraid so so, sir."
And, with that, we're off to an exceptional classic Trek tale.
It's just a damn good book, starting a damn fine series.
The main characters are brand new. Sure, Kirk, Spock and other characters from the original TV series make cameos (like Commodore Decker or Dr. M'Benga, the Vulcan specialist, from a couple of episodes in the classic series), but the focus is on all-new characters.
I highly recommend this book series. It's what Star Trek Enterprise should have been. It's definitely "Trek", but it's a type of "Trek" that would result if the writers of the new Battlestar Galactica got a hold of the franchise.
Good stuff.
Check it out.
Here's a link to the Amazon page for the first book in the series: Star Trek Vanguard - Harbinger
-S4
This is one of them.
It's a new series: STAR TREK Vanguard.
The first book is Harbinger by David Mack. Book #2 is Summon The Thunder by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore. Book #3 is due out in May, called Reap The Whirlwind, also by David Mack.
This is good stuff, people.
We're talking classic Trek here...but modernized a bit.
I call it "classic" because, not only is it set during the Kirk & Spock TV series, but it really captures that wonder and feel on the original series.
I call it "modernized a bit" because the books are darker than what you're used to in Trek. We're talkin' half crazed lesbian Vulcans (no kidding), backstabbing for positions in Star Fleet, Star Fleet officers committing adultry, the cold war with the Klingons, spies....
And all of this wrapped around an interesting "Trek" plot, the basis of which is:
The USS Constellation (Commodore Decker's ship--which will be destroyed in the classic Trek episode "The Doomsday Machine"), on patrol in the Tarus Reach near Tholian space, discovers something odd during it's routine exploration/mapping mission....
"Report," Decker said, cutting straight to business.
Masada reached behind his ear as if to scratch, then gave an almost absentminded tug on his ponytail as he straightened and pivoted toward Decker. "We were running a routine gene-sequence scan on the biosamples froom Ravanar IV," he said. "Most were nothing to write home about." He geestured for Takeshewada to look at the sensor data for herself. "Then we found this."
Decker tried to be patient, but at times like this it was hard. "Guillermo, please don't keep me in suspense."
"Sorry, sir. It's a gene sequence unlike anything we've ever seen before. My best uess would be that it has several million chemical base pairs, and it's more complex than simple G-A-T-C. It has molecules we're still trying to identify."
Takeshewada lifted her gaze from the blue-gray sensor hood. Her already fair complexion looke paler than normal. "That's incredible," she said.
Folding his arms across his chest, Decker said to Masada, "Where did it come from? Some kind of uber-life-form?"
"Hardly," the science officer said. "From a simple mold."
"Simple?" Decker shook his head, as much in disbelief as in sheer wonderment at the never-ending tricks the universe had up its proverbial sleeve. "That's a lot of DNA for something I'd scrape off my breakfast. Speaking of which--" He turned toward his yeoman, who happened to be walking past. "Lawford, get me some coffee, will you?"
"Lawford transferred to the Yorktown two weeks ago, sir," the yeoman said. "I'm Guthrie."
Decker squinted in disapproval. "And that has precisely what to do with my coffee?"
"Nothing, sir."
The commodore pointed the yeoman toward the food slot. "Milk, no sugar."
"I know, sir."
"Thanks, Lawford."
"Guthrie, sir."
"Whatever." Decker turned back toward the science station while the yeoman plodded away, muttering quietly. Returning his attention to Masada, Decker said, "Why would mold need that much genetic information?"
"I don't think it does," Masada said.
Decker was getting annoyed. "That's what I'm saying."
"No sir," Masada said. "What I mean is, I think only a very small portion of the genetic string has anything to do with the mold itself. The rest is...well, just there."
Takeshewada tilted her head in a way that implied she found Masada's answer less than satisfactory. "But what does it do, Guillermo?"
The science officer's eyes widened as his lips tightened into a thin line and his shoulders rounded into a shrug. "No idea. I can tell you that it's big, but other than that..." He just shook his head.
"And out tradition of excellence continues," Decker said with a sour inflection. His darkening mood was brightened by the arrival of his coffee. He accepted the mug from Guthrie, then turned immediately back toward Masada. "How soon can you finish some testsand get me a real report?"
"I'm not sure I can," Masada said. "Our lab's good, bu it's not this good. We're gonna have to send all of this--the samples, the scans, the whole kit and kaboodle--back to Starfleet Command and let them handle it."
Decker's shoulders slumped with disappointment. "Are you serious? We make a once-in-a-lifetime find, and you're telling me we have to punt?"
"I'm afraid so so, sir."
And, with that, we're off to an exceptional classic Trek tale.
It's just a damn good book, starting a damn fine series.
The main characters are brand new. Sure, Kirk, Spock and other characters from the original TV series make cameos (like Commodore Decker or Dr. M'Benga, the Vulcan specialist, from a couple of episodes in the classic series), but the focus is on all-new characters.
I highly recommend this book series. It's what Star Trek Enterprise should have been. It's definitely "Trek", but it's a type of "Trek" that would result if the writers of the new Battlestar Galactica got a hold of the franchise.
Good stuff.
Check it out.
Here's a link to the Amazon page for the first book in the series: Star Trek Vanguard - Harbinger
-S4
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