Trekipedia

Rihannsu, Book Three: Swordhunt

A deadly game puts the fate of an empire at stake!

• Stardate Unknown
• Released October 2000

The sword was the ultimate symbol of Romulan power, tradition, and pride. It lay in the Senate Chamber of the Romulan Star Empire, revered and untouched for centuries, until the day Dr. Leonard McCoy was tried for treason—and both were stolen during a daring attack on Romulus itself.

Now, to avenge that insult and save face in the eyes of their deadly enemies, the Empire must recover the sword at any cost. Their envoys to the Federation demand the return of the sword and the extradition of the Romulan renegades who aided the Starship Enterprise in McCoy’s escape. If diplomacy fails, the Romulans will trap the Klingons and the Federation in open war.

In such dangerous times, the Starship Enterprise is assigned the most valuable—and volatile—element of all: the fugitive Ael, her stolen Bird-of-Prey Bloodwing, and the sword they carry. Ael will undoubtedly attempt to use ship and sword to foil her enemies and play her hand in the dangerous game that she’s begun. But she will do it all under the watchful eyes of James T. Kirk, the Federation starship captain who knows her dangerously well . . .

Written by Diane Duane

Cast:

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

Guest Cast:

• Commander Ael t’Rllaillieu

Excerpt

“Eighteen seconds, Captain.”

It felt like eighteen years. “Preparing for warp eleven,” Sulu said. “Accelerating out of the gravity well now.”

“Back in a moment, Bloodwing,” Jim said. The ship was cooling again, but that would not last. Out they went into the dark, and three of the seven ships came after them.

“Warp two. Warp three. Pursuit is in warp and accelerating.”

“Ready on the aft phaser banks, Mr. Chekov. Prepare a spread of torpedoes.”

“Ready, Captain.”

“Warp five,” Sulu said. “Warp six. Turning.” Everything slewed sideways: the ship was groaning softly now, the skinfield complaining about the stresses being applied to it . . . and worse was to come.

“Aft view,” Jim said. The screen flickered. Jim saw two of the pursuing Romulan vessels trying to turn to match, but not doing as well: turning wide, losing ground. The third one, the biggest of them, was turning and gaining on them, and firing.

“Clean misses. Warp eight,” Sulu said. Suddenly 15 Trianguli was swelling to fill the screen, flashing toward them. “Warp nine—”

“Mind that helm, mister,” Jim said softly.

“Warp ten. She’s steady, Captain,” Sulu said, while the ship began to shake and her structural members to howl in a way that suggested Sulu’s definition of steady was a novel one. “High phtosphere. Warp eleven!”