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Best Defense is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel by David Mack. It is the second novel in the Legacies trilogy, and was released on 26 July 2016.

Publisher's description[]

From the back cover

Just in time for the milestone 50th Anniversary of Star Trek: The Original Series, an epic new trilogy that stretches from the earliest voyages of the Starship Enterprise to Captain Kirk's historic five-year mission — and from one universe to another!
A debt of honor: One brave woman ventures alone into a parallel universe to save her old shipmates, exiled there decades earlier by a mysterious device called the Transfer Key. She soon learns the alternate universe harbors not just an alien invasion force, but a secret that underpins its very existence.
A mission of peace: A long-awaited Klingon-Federation peace conference convenes, led by Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan and Councillor Gorkon of Qo'noS. But both sides have enemies who would prefer the two great powers remain at war—and who will do anything to make certain hate wins the day.

Summary[]

Sadira, the Tal Shiar operative who posed as Lisa Bates, forces a Romulan ship to take her to Centaurus, site of peace talks between the Klingons and the Federation. There, she uses the Transfer Key to transport Councillor Gorkon to the other dimension. The Klingons suspect the Federation have murdered him and call in their defence force, forcing Sarek to call in the Enterprise.

In the other dimension, Number One makes contact with the Enterprise crewmembers abducted by the Jatohr but discovers they have difficulty with the passage of time. They also appear not to need to eat or drink. Number One is captured by the Jatohr along with Martinez and Shimizu but is able to imagine an escape route, indicating they are not in reality.

The Enterprise crew uncover a plot by the Orion Syndicate to disrupt the peace talks but the Romulans continue their campaign, shifting a member of the Federation delegation. Kirk requests the Klingons' help in tracking down the cloaked ship and manages to hold the alliance together when Sadira tries to disrupt it by shifting Klingon general Kovor. The ships engage in battle and the Klingon ship is destroyed, with Kirk evacuating the crew against their wishes.

The Romulans begin bombarding the centre in an attempt to wipe out the Klingon delegation but the ship is badly damaged by the Enterprise. Sadira shifts a wounded Sarek and Joanna McCoy to the other dimension before the Romulan ship self-destructs, but not before the Enterprise has beamed the Transfer Key off. Kirk decides the only way to save the peace talks is to retrieve Sarek and Gorkon, so heads for Usilde.

References[]

Characters[]

USS Enterprise personnel[]

AlspachChristine ChapelChapmanPavel ChekovKalliope DaltoDehlerSeth DickinsonDowningDavid GallowayJana HainesBeggs HansenJames T. KirkL'NarLeonard McCoyRavi PatelPranResnickMontgomery ScottSpockJohn StilesHikaru SuluNyota UhuraWaid
Referenced only
Marina Frants

Other Starfleet personnel[]

James CambiasDylan CraigBruce GoldbergIngrid HolstineLe MayRaul MartinezNumber OneTim ShimizuCheryl Stevens
Referenced only
Robert AprilStephen GarrovickChristopher PikeJanice RandWong

IKS HoS'leth personnel[]

K'mgarKovorKowgonLomilaMargaRathnarUlgor

ChR Velibor personnel[]

BedisaCanokTevan CreelokKirilKuratJulius MiratNeviraPilusPralarRanimirSadira/Lisa Bates • ToporokValinor

Delegates[]

DurokCellinoor sh'FairohIsa FrainGempokAravella GianarisGorkonAmanda GraysonSaoirse LiuMardlMotasOrqomPrangSarekGesh mor TovBeel Zeroh

New Athens residents[]

Hollishaal th'CarinoorSullifeth ch'LaeraJoanna McCoyNettJennifer RockGustav WanakiNomi WreadeYutt
Referenced only
McAdamsMcAndrewsMcCall

Other characters[]

FenebJorncekRed ManElara SoathWoryan
Referenced only
Claude Debussydikironium cloud creatureDurasEljorFek'lhrGanzIllizarKahless the UnforgettableKor, son of RynarKoraxCarol MarcusDavid MarcusDavid Andrew McCoyJocelyn TreadwaySturka

Starships and vehicles[]

USS Enterprise (Constitution-class) • Galileo (Class F shuttlecraft) • IKS HoS'leth (D7-class) • hovercarJatohr transport podChR Velibor (Vas Hatham-class)
Referenced only
USS FarragutChR Gal Gath'thongIKS Gr'othIKS LoSgorOmari-EkonUSS Yorktown

Locations[]

Centaurus (New AthensNew Athens UniversityNew Athens University Hospital) • Korinar sectorLibros systemOphiucus sectorUsilde (Jatohr citadel)
Referenced only
Argus XAxanarBeta Rigel IVCatulla/Catullus • DenevaEarth (RussiaSan Francisco) • Earth Outpost StationK-7Kaleb sectorMempaMirror universeOrganiaQo'noSRemusRivos PrimeRomulan Neutral ZoneRomulus (Ki Baratan) • Sherman's Planet/Homog IIISto-Vo-KorTellarTiburonLocal space

Races and cultures[]

AndorianArgelianBolianCaitianCatullanHuman (RussianScot) • IllyrianIzarianJatohrKlingon (QuchHa') • RomulanTellariteTiburonianUsildarVulcan
Referenced only
OrganianOrionTalosian

States and organizations[]

Federation Diplomatic CorpsImperial IntelligenceKlingon Defense ForceKlingon EmpireKlingon High CommandKlingon High CouncilKlingon Imperial TreasuryOrion SyndicatePoliceRomulan Star EmpireRomulan Star NavyStarfleetTal ShiarUnited Federation of Planets
Referenced only
Federation Center for Disease ControlFederation CouncilJudge Advocate GeneralNalori RepublicOrder of the Bat'lethStarfleet AcademyStarfleet CommandStarfleet IntelligenceStarfleet MedicalStarfleet Research and Development

Science and technology[]

airlockagricultureanalgesicanesthetizeannular confinement beamantibioticantigrav palletantimatterantimatter containment podaquacultureastronomyAugment virusbatterybinary systembiometricsblack holecarbon dioxide scrubbercloaking devicecommunicatordata carddata nodedata recorderdata scramblerdata slatedeflector shielddermal regeneratordisruptorDoppler effectduotronicduraniumfire-suppression systemfrequencygastropodhologramholographic lenshypoglycemiahyposprayimpulse engineionizing radiationleptonlife supportmagnetic fieldmemory chipmethanenacellenavigational deflectornight visionnitrogenoptronicpharmacologyphaserphoton torpedophoton grenadeplasma knifeplasma relayplasma torpedopower-consumption monitorpower-transfer nodepsychiatryquantum surveillance devicerebreather apparatusred corpuscleretinal scansensorsensor scramblersentry globeshield generatorsolar panelsonic emissionsubaural implantsubharmonicsubspace communications relaysubspace signal relayTantalus fieldtau neutrinotractor beamTransfer Keytransfer-field generatortransparent aluminumtransport-scattering forcefieldtricorderturboliftultrasonic repellentultravioletwarp core

Ranks and titles[]

admiraladviserambassadorattachécaptaincenturionChancellor of the High Council of the Klingon Empirechefchief engineerchief medical officercommandercommunications officercouncillorcrewmandoctorensignFederation Surgeon Generalfirefighterfirst officergeneralgunnerhelmsmanlieutenantlieutenant commanderlordmagistratemajormarine biologistmechanicmedicmedical technicianmerchant princenavigatornursepetty officerPraetor of the Romulan Star Empirequartermasterscience officersecurity officerstudentsubcommandersublieutenanttactical officertechniciantranslatorwaitressyeoman

Other references[]

2249backpackBattle of AxanarbIjatlh 'e' pemevblanketbloodwinecaffeinecanteenchandelierchowIQpu'coffeecommodecourt martiald'k tahgdaggerdhaeldormitoryeconomies of scaleepoxyevasive maneuversface maskThe Four Years WarfungusgaghgauzeHamlethevam wikahImperial Code of Military Conductjudojuva patchloSpevmedical tapemedkitmorguenaDev vo' peghoSphilosophyobservatoryointmentOrganian peace talksOrganian Peace Treatypen lightpetaQpipius clawpiracyquadrotriticalerain forestraktajinorationRihansatchelsentient traffickingsmugglingsolitairestethoscopestretchersurgical kitsussethrait'liskataHqeqtenttentaclestheremintIq'lethtishaal rovukamtlhIngan HoltoDSaHtourniquettribbletweezerswaltzwateryIntagh

Appendices[]

Timeline[]

Published Order
Previous novel:
Captain to Captain
TOS novel Next novel:
Legacies
Purgatory's Key
Previous story:
Long Shot
Stories by:
David Mack
Next story:
Section 31
Control
Chronological Order
Previous adventure:
Obsession
Memory Beta Chronology Next adventure:
Legacies
Purgatory's Key
Translations[]
2020
German : Die beste Verteidigung, translated by Helga Parmiter. (Cross Cult)

External link[]

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