A contest of principles, p.38
A Contest of Principles, page 38
A phantom pain stabbed her as she flashed back to the would-be assassin’s spear piercing her body, but she didn’t let it show. This “unofficial” meeting was not about her.
“Your glowing assessment does not surprise me,” Komack said, “but the question remains: Given the caliber and experience of Kirk’s crew, would we be better off spreading that talent around by breaking them up and reassigning them to assorted other posts throughout Starfleet?” He peered out across the bay as though looking beyond today into tomorrow. “Judging from the official logs chronicling this recent assignment, the individual officers certainly seem more than capable of succeeding on their own if they have to.”
“True,” she granted, “but what you lose by breaking up this crew is the superlative teamwork and camaraderie forged by five solid years of exploring the galaxy together, while facing pretty much every challenge imaginable. That’s an asset that Starfleet should think twice about tossing away.”
“Point taken.” Komack’s practiced poker face made it difficult to determine what he thought of her advice. “So your recommendation is that we should keep the Enterprise’s present crew together? Perhaps even consider sending them off on a second five-year mission.”
Dare couldn’t think of a better decision.
“Why mess with a good thing?”
Acknowledgments
This is the first book I wrote since my faithful old laptop bit the dust, so thanks to that venerable device for its years of service, as well as to everyone who helped me get my new computer set up since, unlike Mister Spock, such things are hardly my field of expertise. In particular, thanks to my friends Ken Meltsner and Janice Eisen for helping me install Word on the new device, so that I could once again sit down at the keyboard and reenter the twenty-third century. And to the local miracle workers at Chimera Computers in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for successfully transferring all my old data to the new machine when others failed.
As always, thanks are also due to my editors, Margaret Clark and Ed Schlesinger, and my agent, Russ Galen.
And, of course, Karen and little Sophie, who are waiting patiently downstairs for me to finish this book so we can settle in and watch old monster movies for Halloween.
Finally, don’t forget to vote on every Election Day, no matter what planet you live on.
More in the Star Trek Universe
Vulcan's Soul #1: Exodus
The Sundered
Gateways #2
Vulcan's Soul #2: Exiles
Star Trek: The Original Series: Crucible: Spock:…
Vulcan's Soul #3: Epiphany
About the Author
Greg Cox is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous Star Trek novels and stories, including The Antares Maelstrom; Legacies, Book 1: Captain to Captain; Miasma; Child of Two Worlds; Foul Deeds Will Rise; No Time Like the Past; The Weight of Worlds; The Rings of Time; To Reign in Hell; The Eugenics Wars (Volumes One and Two); The Q Continuum; Assignment: Eternity; and The Black Shore. He has also written the official movie novelizations of War for the Planet of the Apes, Godzilla, Man of Steel, The Dark Knight Rises, Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Death Defying Acts, and the first three Underworld movies, as well as books and stories based on such popular series as Alias, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Farscape, The 4400, Leverage, The Librarians, Riese: Kingdom Falling, Roswell, Terminator, Warehouse 13, The X-Files, and Xena: Warrior Princess.
He has received three Scribe Awards, as well as the Faust Award for Life Achievement, from the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers. He lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Visit him at: www.gregcox-author.com
FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR:
SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Greg-Cox
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Cox, Greg, 1959– author.
Title: A contest of principles / Greg Cox ; based on Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry.
Other titles: At head of title: Star trek the original series
Description: First Gallery Books trade paperback edition. | New York : Gallery Books, 2020. | Series: Star trek: the original series
Identifiers: LCCN 2020028888 (print) | LCCN 2020028889 (ebook) | ISBN 9781982134709 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781982134716 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Star trek (Television program)—Fiction. | GSAFD: Science fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3603.O9 C66 2020 (print) | LCC PS3603.O9 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020028888
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020028889
ISBN 978-1-9821-3470-9
ISBN 978-1-9821-3471-6 (ebook)
Greg Cox, A Contest of Principles
