Spoilers TNG: Slings & Arrows Bk 6: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment Review Thread
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Summer 2022 Reading Entry #12. Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment (Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 6: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment) by Keith R.A. DeCandido (2008). The sixth of a six-book series of ebooks (still not available in print form as of this time) released in 2007-2008 as part of Pocket Books' commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" television series.
Each of the books in this series is written by a different author (or team of authors), and they all take place in the first year of service of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E (so, following the film Star Trek Generations, in which the Enterprise from the tv series, NCC-1701-D, was destroyed, and prior to the following film, Star Trek: First Contact, in which its replacement, the Enterprise NCC-1701-E, was introduced).
I will say right off the bat that I really enjoyed this installment in the “Slings and Arrows" series. Easily my favorite of the six, and if I had to say "if you can only read one book in the series", this would one hundred percent be it.
Part of it is that Keith R.A. DeCandido is one of those authors whose works (his Star Trek tie-in writing especially) very rarely disappoint. Truthfully, I've bought many more of his books over the years than I have so far had the opportunity to read yet but that's still a plus in my book as I know I still have so many really great reads of his to get to. Sadly (and frustratingly), the editorial powers that be at Simon & Schuster (the publisher of the official Star Trek novels) for unknown reasons haven't had DeCandido back to write a Star Trek tie-in novel since 2009 (A Singular Destiny), which is a crime shame. C'mon, Margaret Clark and Ed Schlesinger (and any one else who is editing the Star Trek novels at Simon & Schuster (formerly under their Pocket Books imprint, now under their Gallery Books one), get with the program! I know you already have lots of really good authors writing for you right now and only so many new novel slots per year, but DeCandido is one of your best authors and did a ton of work for you between 2000 and 2009, and now you haven't had him back in thirteen years! It really is a mystery to me as to why that is, and it should be rectified soon. (It's not like he doesn't *want* to write any more Star Trek novels.)
Anyway, as I said, I loved Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment, and large because it's one of those wonderful "crossover" stories between characters from usually separate series. Me being a lifelong comic book reader, I have always loved "team-ups" and "crossovers".
Here, we pick up with Picard and the Enterprise-E as they arrive at space station Deep Space 9 (the journey to which was briefly seen in the previous book, Slings and Arrows Book 5: A Weary Life by Robert Greenberger; these two books occur concurrently with each other, A Weary Life detailing Will Riker, Geordi La Forge, and Padraig Daniels' away mission to intercept a Maquis equipment transfer, which is why none of those characters are present in this book).
As seen on episodes of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" that take place around this same time, the Federation and the Klingon Empire have been in a state of hostilities with each other at the same time that the Dominion is threatening the entire quadrant (and, also out there, is the ever looming threat of the Borg).
One of the Federation's priorities is to resume their peaceful mutually beneficial relationship with the Klingons. To which, they have received a communique from a high ranking admiral in the Klingon Defense Force that Chancellor Gowron wishes to meet with Captains Jean-Luc Picard and Benjamin Sisko. Having worked with both of those particular Starfleet captains in the past, he will meet only with them and in person at a location deep in the dangerous area of space known as the Badlands (which is rife with powerful and erratic plasma storms; the Badlands is the region where the Starfleet vessel, the U.S.S. Voyager, had just recently been lost in).
Picard and Sisko both suspect it is a trap but still know that it is a risk they have to take if it can restore peace between them and the Klingons. So the two of them board Deep Space Nine runabout and venture off together to their meeting with Gowron. Which gives us the first real instance of Picard and Sisko having to interact with each other very much since their very awkward meeting in the first episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (titled "Emissary"), in which Picard gives then Commander Sisko his orders to take command of the station orbiting the non aligned world of Bajor, and Sisko confronts Picard with the knowledge that they had in actuality already met prior to that, "In battle" (Sikso having been the first officer of the U.S.S. Saratoga when it was one of the vessels sent to try to stop the Borg at Wolf 359, the assimilated Picard as "Locutus" leading the Borg against them; Sisko's wife, Jennifer, being on of the many who died in that battle).
Sisko and Picard begin their long journey in the runabout still very awkward with each other but gradually become more comfortable in each other's presence (first keeping conversations to details of their current mission and instances involving Starfleet officers that both have worked with like Chief O'Brien and Worf). But, eventually, their history with each other and with the Borg does come up, too. As does the realization, when they arrive at the Badlands, that, indeed, things are not as they had been led to be in regards to their planned meeting with Gowron. Almost immediately, Picard and Sisko find themselves in a dire situation where they must count on each other to survive long enough for help (in the form of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E under the command of Lt. Commander Data) to arrive.
Not wanting to into any more specifics than that, plot wise, I do want to say that Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment also gives us an excellent "epilogue" scene. Namely, the much needed moment when Captain Sisko and his officers at Deep Space 9 are informed that a fleet is being mobilized to defend against another Borg invasion, and that the U.S.S. Defiant has been assigned to join that fleet. But under the command of Worf, not Sisko. Sisko, in a scene very much like what we saw in the film Star Trek: First Contact, is ordered to remain at the station, along with the rest of this senior staff, as he is deemed too personally involved with the Borg (having had lost his wife to them at Wolf 359) to be in command of their most powerful warship in another battle against them. Angry, Sisko realizes, however, that orders are orders and wishes Worf well as the Klingon prepares to depart. Sisko also brings up a list of the ships assigned to the defense of Earth and takes note that Picard and the Enterprise-E have also been purposely sent away from the action (as seen in First Contact). Sisko muses that both he an Picard have essentially been "benched" as Starfleet prepares once more to make a defensive stand against the Borg. (And we all know how that ended up in regards to Picard and the Enterprise-E.)
Again, I highly recommend Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment to fans of both "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and also "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine". DeCandido is an expert at capturing the voices of just about any established Star Trek character (and the actor portraying them) and does so again here with Picard, Sisko, Worf, Dax, Data, et al. He is also one of the top "Klingon authors", having written stories featuring the Klingons extensively (including the short lived "I.K.S. Gorkon" series, the only Star Trek novel spin-off series entirely focused on Klingon characters). I gave this book four out of five stars on GoodReads.
(Summer 2022 Reading Entries: #1: Star Trek: Avenger by William Shatner (1997; novel); #2: Batman vs. Ra's Al Ghul by Neal Adams (2019-2021, six-issue comic book limited-series; 2021 collected hardcover edition); #3: Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Wu, and Gerry Alanguilan (twelve-issue comic book limited series; 2003 to 2004; read on DC Universe Infinite, also available in hardcover and softcover editions); #4: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows Book 1: A Sea of Troubles by J. Steven York and Christina F. York (2007); #5: The Orville Season 1.5: New Beginnings by David A. Goodman and David Cabeza (2019, four issue comic book limited series; 2020 collected trade paperback edition); #6: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 2: The Oppressor's Wrong by Phaedra Weldon (2007); #7: Superman: Secret Origin by Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, and Jon Sibal (2009-2010, six-issue comic book limited series; 2019 "Deluxe Edition" collected hardcover edition); #8: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 3: The Insolence of Office by William Leisner (2007); #9: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 4: That Sleep of Death by Terri Osborne (2008); #10: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Section 31: Rogue) by Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin (2001); #11: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 5: A Weary Life by Robert Greenberger (2008); #12: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 6: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment by Keith R.A. DeCandido (2008); #13: The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe by Tara Bennett (2021) (two volume slipcased hardcover set; book one read June 12-July 24; starting on book two next now, in mid August).
This will be the end of my posting these reviews specifically as "Summer 2022 Reading Log" entries (which is why I'm going ahead and including the Making of Marvel Studios on the final completed list now since I started it in the June and have finished reading the first half of it). It's now the middle of August and I, a high school teacher, am now back back to work at students here are back to school (so, for me at least, "Summer 2022" is officially over.)
—David Young
Each of the books in this series is written by a different author (or team of authors), and they all take place in the first year of service of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E (so, following the film Star Trek Generations, in which the Enterprise from the tv series, NCC-1701-D, was destroyed, and prior to the following film, Star Trek: First Contact, in which its replacement, the Enterprise NCC-1701-E, was introduced).
I will say right off the bat that I really enjoyed this installment in the “Slings and Arrows" series. Easily my favorite of the six, and if I had to say "if you can only read one book in the series", this would one hundred percent be it.
Part of it is that Keith R.A. DeCandido is one of those authors whose works (his Star Trek tie-in writing especially) very rarely disappoint. Truthfully, I've bought many more of his books over the years than I have so far had the opportunity to read yet but that's still a plus in my book as I know I still have so many really great reads of his to get to. Sadly (and frustratingly), the editorial powers that be at Simon & Schuster (the publisher of the official Star Trek novels) for unknown reasons haven't had DeCandido back to write a Star Trek tie-in novel since 2009 (A Singular Destiny), which is a crime shame. C'mon, Margaret Clark and Ed Schlesinger (and any one else who is editing the Star Trek novels at Simon & Schuster (formerly under their Pocket Books imprint, now under their Gallery Books one), get with the program! I know you already have lots of really good authors writing for you right now and only so many new novel slots per year, but DeCandido is one of your best authors and did a ton of work for you between 2000 and 2009, and now you haven't had him back in thirteen years! It really is a mystery to me as to why that is, and it should be rectified soon. (It's not like he doesn't *want* to write any more Star Trek novels.)
Anyway, as I said, I loved Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment, and large because it's one of those wonderful "crossover" stories between characters from usually separate series. Me being a lifelong comic book reader, I have always loved "team-ups" and "crossovers".
Here, we pick up with Picard and the Enterprise-E as they arrive at space station Deep Space 9 (the journey to which was briefly seen in the previous book, Slings and Arrows Book 5: A Weary Life by Robert Greenberger; these two books occur concurrently with each other, A Weary Life detailing Will Riker, Geordi La Forge, and Padraig Daniels' away mission to intercept a Maquis equipment transfer, which is why none of those characters are present in this book).
As seen on episodes of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" that take place around this same time, the Federation and the Klingon Empire have been in a state of hostilities with each other at the same time that the Dominion is threatening the entire quadrant (and, also out there, is the ever looming threat of the Borg).
One of the Federation's priorities is to resume their peaceful mutually beneficial relationship with the Klingons. To which, they have received a communique from a high ranking admiral in the Klingon Defense Force that Chancellor Gowron wishes to meet with Captains Jean-Luc Picard and Benjamin Sisko. Having worked with both of those particular Starfleet captains in the past, he will meet only with them and in person at a location deep in the dangerous area of space known as the Badlands (which is rife with powerful and erratic plasma storms; the Badlands is the region where the Starfleet vessel, the U.S.S. Voyager, had just recently been lost in).
Picard and Sisko both suspect it is a trap but still know that it is a risk they have to take if it can restore peace between them and the Klingons. So the two of them board Deep Space Nine runabout and venture off together to their meeting with Gowron. Which gives us the first real instance of Picard and Sisko having to interact with each other very much since their very awkward meeting in the first episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (titled "Emissary"), in which Picard gives then Commander Sisko his orders to take command of the station orbiting the non aligned world of Bajor, and Sisko confronts Picard with the knowledge that they had in actuality already met prior to that, "In battle" (Sikso having been the first officer of the U.S.S. Saratoga when it was one of the vessels sent to try to stop the Borg at Wolf 359, the assimilated Picard as "Locutus" leading the Borg against them; Sisko's wife, Jennifer, being on of the many who died in that battle).
Sisko and Picard begin their long journey in the runabout still very awkward with each other but gradually become more comfortable in each other's presence (first keeping conversations to details of their current mission and instances involving Starfleet officers that both have worked with like Chief O'Brien and Worf). But, eventually, their history with each other and with the Borg does come up, too. As does the realization, when they arrive at the Badlands, that, indeed, things are not as they had been led to be in regards to their planned meeting with Gowron. Almost immediately, Picard and Sisko find themselves in a dire situation where they must count on each other to survive long enough for help (in the form of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E under the command of Lt. Commander Data) to arrive.
Not wanting to into any more specifics than that, plot wise, I do want to say that Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment also gives us an excellent "epilogue" scene. Namely, the much needed moment when Captain Sisko and his officers at Deep Space 9 are informed that a fleet is being mobilized to defend against another Borg invasion, and that the U.S.S. Defiant has been assigned to join that fleet. But under the command of Worf, not Sisko. Sisko, in a scene very much like what we saw in the film Star Trek: First Contact, is ordered to remain at the station, along with the rest of this senior staff, as he is deemed too personally involved with the Borg (having had lost his wife to them at Wolf 359) to be in command of their most powerful warship in another battle against them. Angry, Sisko realizes, however, that orders are orders and wishes Worf well as the Klingon prepares to depart. Sisko also brings up a list of the ships assigned to the defense of Earth and takes note that Picard and the Enterprise-E have also been purposely sent away from the action (as seen in First Contact). Sisko muses that both he an Picard have essentially been "benched" as Starfleet prepares once more to make a defensive stand against the Borg. (And we all know how that ended up in regards to Picard and the Enterprise-E.)
Again, I highly recommend Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment to fans of both "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and also "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine". DeCandido is an expert at capturing the voices of just about any established Star Trek character (and the actor portraying them) and does so again here with Picard, Sisko, Worf, Dax, Data, et al. He is also one of the top "Klingon authors", having written stories featuring the Klingons extensively (including the short lived "I.K.S. Gorkon" series, the only Star Trek novel spin-off series entirely focused on Klingon characters). I gave this book four out of five stars on GoodReads.
(Summer 2022 Reading Entries: #1: Star Trek: Avenger by William Shatner (1997; novel); #2: Batman vs. Ra's Al Ghul by Neal Adams (2019-2021, six-issue comic book limited-series; 2021 collected hardcover edition); #3: Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Wu, and Gerry Alanguilan (twelve-issue comic book limited series; 2003 to 2004; read on DC Universe Infinite, also available in hardcover and softcover editions); #4: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows Book 1: A Sea of Troubles by J. Steven York and Christina F. York (2007); #5: The Orville Season 1.5: New Beginnings by David A. Goodman and David Cabeza (2019, four issue comic book limited series; 2020 collected trade paperback edition); #6: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 2: The Oppressor's Wrong by Phaedra Weldon (2007); #7: Superman: Secret Origin by Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, and Jon Sibal (2009-2010, six-issue comic book limited series; 2019 "Deluxe Edition" collected hardcover edition); #8: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 3: The Insolence of Office by William Leisner (2007); #9: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 4: That Sleep of Death by Terri Osborne (2008); #10: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Section 31: Rogue) by Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin (2001); #11: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 5: A Weary Life by Robert Greenberger (2008); #12: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book 6: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment by Keith R.A. DeCandido (2008); #13: The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe by Tara Bennett (2021) (two volume slipcased hardcover set; book one read June 12-July 24; starting on book two next now, in mid August).
This will be the end of my posting these reviews specifically as "Summer 2022 Reading Log" entries (which is why I'm going ahead and including the Making of Marvel Studios on the final completed list now since I started it in the June and have finished reading the first half of it). It's now the middle of August and I, a high school teacher, am now back back to work at students here are back to school (so, for me at least, "Summer 2022" is officially over.)
—David Young
The phrase is “a crying shame,” but I’m not sure your version is worse.
Huh. Have we really never had a review thread for this 2008 novella?
The idea was basically to fill in what the Enterprise crew was up to during this eventful year established by DS9.
I kind sort of understand Sisko being ordered not to command the Defiant against the Borg, but why did Jadzia not go with Worf? Or O'Brien? Worf gets a crew of extras, and Adam Scott a decade before Parks and Rec.
I didn't know that was Adam Scott at the Defiant's helm until a few months ago, when it came up on Conor Ratliff's Dead Eyes podcast. Scott, IIRC, said he wasn't a Star Trek fan, but it was a job, and he read for Hawk.
As for the rest of this -- why was no one else familiar with Worf on the Defiant -- this is an area where production realities raise storytelling questions. In-universe, there's no obvious reason Dax and O'Brien shouldn't be there. In our universe, they'd have had to pay the actors, and then they would have had to give them something to do, and the film already has a large and underserved cast as it is. On top of that, the thinking of Rick Berman and the rest is that the casual audience might not be up to date on Deep Space Nine and wouldn't care.
I'm not sure I buy the story device of Starfleet not assigning a captain to a Borg incident because of their personal feelings making them too close to it. When I was researching the Stargazer court-martial for The Buried Age, I found out that under military law, someone assigned to be a prosecutor can't recuse themselves because of a personal stake (e.g. Philippa Louvois being romantically involved with Captain Picard -- which also goes for Areel Shaw and Kirk), because orders is orders, and saying "I can't follow that order for personal reasons" is dereliction of duty. You're obligated to put personal feelings aside and do the job regardless. I guess it's possible that some kind-hearted admiral might have preferred to spare Sisko the pain of having to face the Borg again, but it's just as likely that they would've expected him to just follow his orders no matter what he felt about it, because that's how duty works.
In the case of Picard in FC, it wasn't about his personal trauma, it was about the concern that his lingering connection to the Borg might compromise him and make him a security risk. That doesn't apply to Sisko.
In the case of Picard in FC, it wasn't about his personal trauma, it was about the concern that his lingering connection to the Borg might compromise him and make him a security risk. That doesn't apply to Sisko.
If I recall correctly, in Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment the reason given for keeping Sisko and co "benched" from the fleet was that Sisko had directly disobeyed orders during the episode "The Die is Cast" and his crew had gone along with it. Worf was not yet a part of the crew at this point. And so keeping Sisko at the station was not just because of his trauma from Wolf 359 but because he had already shown that he was totally willing to disregard orders for emotional reasons and his crew would back him up.
That makes more sense. In that case, maybe it was a punishment for not following orders, though you'd think there'd be harsher consequences for that (see my above mention of dereliction of duty).
I couldn’t find that any of the six “Slings and Arrows” ebooks had Review Threads. I would guess it was because of their relative age now and also because not very many people have bought them because of their high price per page count (and only once, in 2016, being part of a mark down sale, at $1.99 each).
At the time they came out, I’m sure there was discussion about them but probably single threads about the series in general, not individual “Review Threads” for each novel/novella.
—David Young
Here is the relevant passage…
[…] Worf—but he had his own history with the cyborgs. “The Defiant can be ready to go in minutes.”
“That’s what I want, Commander—but only you are to be on board. Choose a crew of personnel who have served on the station for less than a year.”
Sisko’s shock and anger subsided, replaced with rage. “Admiral, for what reason—”
“This is an order, Captain, and I’m under no obligation to explain myself to you,” Hayes snapped. Then his face softened. “But you deserve an explanation, so I’ll take time away from defending Earth to give you one. You have history with the Borg. You also have one of the greatest weapons in the Federation at your disposal, and I’d rather not have the finger of a man who lost his wife to the Borg on the firing button. The rest of your senior staff will also stay put—they’ve proved in the past that they’ll disobey orders out of loyalty to you, and I can’t afford that right now. The only exception is Worf—and that only because of his experiences with the Borg. Now, if you’re done questioning orders, Captain, I’ve got an invasion to fight. Hayes out.”
Sisko stared at the blank screen. At first, the only thing he could see was Jennifer lying dead in their quarters while the Saratoga fell apart all around them, Hranok Zar grabbing Jake and forcing Sisko to go to the escape pods.
Then he saw something else—his crew on the Defiant bridge, disobeying Admiral Toddman’s orders and traveling to the Gamma Quadrant.
Part of him was furious, livid at being denied an opportunity to take revenge for the murder of Jennifer, not to mention so many of his crewmates on the Saratoga.
But that part was tamped down in short order by the realization that Hayes was right.
He looked around. The crew was staring at him, almost as if they were expecting him to tell them to disobey orders. They’re going to be disappointed.
“You heard the man, Mr. Worf. Get the ship ready. And Godspeed.”
“Aye, sir,” Worf said, heading for the turbolift.
“That’s it?” Dax said. “Benjamin, this is the Borg we’re talking about.”
“Which is why it’s best that I remain here.”
“The Defiant’s your ship, Benjamin.”
“Worf’s capable of handling command just fine— and he knows the Borg better than any of us. He’ll be a valuable asset.”
Before Dax could raise another objection, Sisko held up a hand. “Enough, old man. We have our orders.”
With that, Sisko went into his office.
Back to me. Which is when Sisko looks up the assembled fleet and sees that Picard has been benched also.
So, Hayes doesn’t say ordering Sisko to remain at DS9 had anything to do with disobeying orders, just the loss of his wife to the Borg. He does refer to his senior staff as having disobeyed orders in the past (to which Sisko makes the assumption which incident Hayes was referring to). However, it is a bit odd to think he would order them to stay back too because they have a history of being overly loyal to Sisko (to the point of disobeying orders) when Sisko isn’t going and Worf will be in command.
I do think it’s about was good an explanation as could be had as to why only Worf was on the Defiant in First Contact (although I’ve always just assumed the others had been ordered to remain at DS9 to protect Bajor just in case there were multiple Borg invasions elsewhere).
What I like here is that Keith once again shows the differences in how Sisko and Picard think and behave a lot of the time. Picard eventually disobeys orders again and takes the Enterprise-E to the battle (which turns out to be 100% the right decision). Sisko calms down, ponders it, and comes to the determination that as much as he may not like it the best course of action is to follow his orders and remain behind.
—David Young
Thanks for the review and the kind words about my work, @youngtrek!
As @Allyn Gibson said, I was trying to come up with a plausible reason why Worf would be alone on the Defiant in First Contact. I thought that Hayes's reasoning in the passage @youngtrek quoted, covered it nicely. Not 100% militarily accurate, for reasons @Christopher gave, but accurate enough for Trek purposes, I think, given the events of "The Die is Cast" and First Contact.
As for the story itself, it was great fun to pair up the DS9 and TNG crews, especially using Worf and O'Brien, as well as Data teaming up with Nog to help find flaws in the communique from the Klingons. And I thought that Sisko and Picard needed a proper team-up when Sisko didn't want to punch Picard in the throat.
As @Allyn Gibson said, I was trying to come up with a plausible reason why Worf would be alone on the Defiant in First Contact. I thought that Hayes's reasoning in the passage @youngtrek quoted, covered it nicely. Not 100% militarily accurate, for reasons @Christopher gave, but accurate enough for Trek purposes, I think, given the events of "The Die is Cast" and First Contact.
As for the story itself, it was great fun to pair up the DS9 and TNG crews, especially using Worf and O'Brien, as well as Data teaming up with Nog to help find flaws in the communique from the Klingons. And I thought that Sisko and Picard needed a proper team-up when Sisko didn't want to punch Picard in the throat.
Thank you both for the kind words. The radio silence from Simon & Schuster over the past (oy) 13 years is maddening, but there's not a hell of a lot I, or anyone else other than the editors, can do about it. But the fact that there are still people out there who enjoy my Trek fiction even after (oy) 13 years is heartening.
More specifically, the genesis of the Slings and Arrows miniseries was a combination of the release date of First Contact and the line from La Forge that the Enterprise-E had been in service for a year when the Borg invaded. Assuming the movie took place around the time DS9 switched to the new uniforms, that meant that the year La Forge referred to included:
- martial law being declared on Earth after the Dominion bombed a conference
- the Klingons at war with the Federation after pulling out of the Khitomer Accords
- Lwaxana Troi being pregnant
- general paranoia and worry about changeling infiltration
- the Maquis being a pretty constant irritant
This all struck me as great fodder for a miniseries.
BTW, my original conception for this was as a twelve-issue comics miniseries for WildStorm, but then they lost the license, so it never happened. The first two issues would have dealt with changeling infiltration on the Big E (as we saw in Book 1 of S&A), the next two would handle the "Homefront"/"Paradise Lost" storyline form the Big E's POV (Book 2), and then individual issues would focus on La Forge getting new eyes (Book 3), Troi dealing with her mom's pregnancy (also Book 3), Crusher dealing with a medical crisis (Book 4, though the original notion for the comic was closer to the story Jeff Lang & Heather Jarman wrote for Tales of the Dominion War, and by the time we did S&A, Terri Osborne took a different tack), Riker dealing with the fallout of Tom Riker's defection to the Maquis (Book 5), and the DS9 team-up (Book 6). Plus there would've been a story about the people left behind when Voyager went missing (that morphed into my story "Letting Go" in Distant Shores), a Spock-on-Romulus story, and a McCoy-and-Scotty story.
This is what fascinates me - the shows always had their own separate identity, they still do on Paramount+, but publishing this in 2007 you were doing this 10 years later, you know where the Star Trek Universe was at the time so you were able to take all these strands and tie them together. And obviously books and comics can do more than on film without Paramount budgets!
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