Trekipedia

New Earth, Book Six: Challenger

A new world breeds new heroes…

• Stardate 4662.1
• Released August 2000

Far from the reaches of the Federation, the Starship Enterprise has been guiding the development of a once obscure colony planet upon whose fate the future of the galaxy may now depend. The Enterprise has been the sole representative of the Federation, fighting a constant battle to protect the colonists from enemy aliens and standing alone against all those who have their own designs on the colony world.

But all adventures come to an end. It is time for Captain Kirk and the Enterprise to turn over the guardianship of the colony to another ship and crew. The new ship arrives in the midst of a deadly attack on the colony—and is destroyed. With the Enterprise off fighting a new and powerful enemy that threatens the colony as well as its enemies, Commander Nick Keller, first officer and ranking survivor of the decimated crew, is marooned and at first alone—but he must find a way to complete his original mission and come to the aid of the Enterprise in what might be its most desperate hour.

Written by Diane Carey
New Earth concept by Diane Carey and John Ordover

Cast:

• Admiral James T. Kirk
• Captain Spock
• Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy
• Commander Montgomery Scott
• Lieutenant Commander Hikaru Sulu
• Lieutenant Commander Nyota Uhura
• Lieutenant Pavel Chekov

Guest Cast:

• Commander Nick Keller

Excerpt

“Kirk here. What’s going on?”

“Bridge, sir—hull breach on deck eight.”

“Alert security and damage-control teams. Get visual confirmation. Clear those areas and seal those breaches.”

“Aye, sir!”

“I’m heading to deck eight.” Kirk bolted toward the turbolift at the far end of the shuttlebay.

Spock didn’t wait. He crossed to the shipboard terminals and cued up the graphics of ship’s integrity. Even he couldn’t contain a reaction as the graphics showed him what was happening. Across the bay he called, “Rupture now on deck nine, Captain!”

Boots skidding under him, Kirk spun around. “Are you sure?”

“Another one . . . deck ten,” Spock called. “And deck eleven . . .”