NOVEL
The Best and the Brightest
Attribution
Series:	The Next Generation
Author(s):	Susan Wright
Publication information
Published:	paperback - February 1998
ISBN:	ISBN 0671015494
Chronology
Date:	2368-2372

The Best and the Brightest was a novel released in 1998 by Pocket Books as an unnumbered installment of The Next Generation series. Written by Susan Wright, the novel did not primarily focus on TNG characters, instead being centered around a Starfleet Academy class, although several TNG and DS9 characters appear.

Contents 1 Description 2 Summary 3 References 3.1 Characters 3.2 Locations 3.3 Starships 3.4 Races and cultures 3.5 States and organizations 3.6 Other references 4 Appendices 4.1 Background 4.2 Related stories 4.3 External link 4.4 Connections

DescriptionEdit

Every year, Starfleet Academy in San Francisco attracts many of the most talented and ambitious young people in the Federation. They come from all over the Alpha Quadrant, from hundreds of worlds and species, to prepare themselves for the challenges of the final frontier.

Meet a new generation of cadets: a newly joined Trill just beginning the first of many lives; a Bajoran vedek who finds himself torn between his vows and an unspoken love; a reckless young man fond of pushing the limits; a feline alien raised among Humans; a brilliant but immature young woman with a lot to learn; and a native-born Earth woman with a talent for engineering.

Together they will learn about courage, life, teamwork, and themselves. Their future is just beginning—but one of them will not survive!

SummaryEdit

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ReferencesEdit

CharactersEdit

Aston • Reginald Barclay • B'll • Boothby • Andrea Brand • Ho Campbell • Chapman • Beverly Crusher • Data • Jadzia Dax • Dontorn • Elma • Moll Enor • Guinan • Ijen • Jaresh-Inyo • Bobbie Ray Jefferson • Jord • Karol • Keethzarn • Kriss • Johnny Madden • Eto Mahs • Leyton • Yllian Mantegna • Meesa • Meg'han • Jayme Miranda • Marley Miranda • Raylin Miranda • Nev Reoh • Oxitar • Jean-Luc Picard • Puller • Qita • Reeves • William T. Riker • Sendonii • Starsa Taran • Maree Taran • Tho • Hammon Titus • T'Rees • Vestabo • Worf • Buck Wu • Lewis Zimmerman

Referenced only 

Joshua Albert • Bareil Antos • B'Etor • Tyler Brannigan • Brendenson • Wesley Crusher • Curzon Dax • Richard Galen • Rachel Garrett • Harry Kim • James T. Kirk • Nicholas Locarno • Lursa • Dani Miranda • Miles O'Brien • Ran Sisla • Ro Laren • Sito Jaxa • Tolian Soran • B'Elanna Torres • Deanna Troi • Winn Adami

LocationsEdit

Alpha Quadrant • Amargosa • Bajoran wormhole • Beltos • Beltos IV • Deep Space 9 • Deng Observatory • Earth • Jupiter Station • Oppalassa • Paris • Rahm-Izad • San Francisco • Starbase 3 • Station 14 • Starfleet Academy campus • Veridian • Veridian III

Referenced only 

Allora • Antaranan • Antwerp • Bajor • Browder IV • Canadian River • Cardassia • Cydonia • Deep Space 2 • Dytallix B • Gagarin IV • Gamma Quadrant • Indri VII • Karor • Kurl • Omarion Nebula • Rigel • Shunt • Sothis III • Texas • Trill • Ventax II • Veridian IV

StarshipsEdit

Belle Star (Pa'a transport ship) • USS Cochrane (Oberth-class) • Dilithium Node (shuttle) • USS Enterprise (Galaxy-class) • USS Gandhi (Ambassador-class) • Klingon bird-of-prey

Referenced only 

USS Copernicus • USS Defiant • USS Enterprise • USS Voyager

Races and culturesEdit

Antaranan • Bajoran • Bolian • El-Aurian • Izad • Klingon • Kostolain • Oppalassa • Orion • Pa'a • Rahm • Rex • Risan • Trill • Vulcan

Referenced only 

Borg • Cardassian • Ferengi • Horta • Jem'Hadar • Romulan • Ventaxian

States and organizationsEdit

Starfleet • Starfleet Academy • Trill Symbiosis Commission • United Federation of Planets

Referenced only 

Dominion • Maquis • Nova Squadron • Obsidian Order • Red Squad • Starfleet Medical School • Tal Shiar

Other referencesEdit

antara • Arcturian fizz • Bajoran religion • cadet • dilithium • dicosilium • eidetic memory • Emergency Medical Hologram • ensign • holosuite • Izad Revolution • kai • Kurlan naiskos • Orion animal woman • Parrises squares • seismic regulator • synchrotron radiation • tricorder • trilithium • vedek

AppendicesEdit

BackgroundEdit

• The Best and the Brightest suggests B'Elanna Torres was born in 2350.

Related storiesEdit

• Although it is a Star Trek: The Next Generation novel, several events from episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are mentioned, including "The Collaborator", "The Search", "Equilibrium", "Life Support", "Improbable Cause", "The Die is Cast", "Homefront" and "Paradise Lost".
• Some sections of The Best and the Brightest take place during Star Trek Generations.

External linkEdit

• The Best and the Brightest article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.

ConnectionsEdit

published order
Previous novel: Triangle: Imzadi II	TNG unnumbered novels	Next novel: Planet X
chronological order
Previous Adventure: Time's Arrow	Pocket	Next Adventure: Realm of Fear
The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2369. The Pocket Books Timeline places events from this story in five other timeframes:
Previous Adventure: Whatever You Do, Don't Read This Story	2370 Year Two	Next Adventure: Journey's End
Previous Adventure: The Search	2371 Year Three	Next Adventure: Pathways Chapter 12, Sections 2-5
Previous Adventure: Star Trek Generations	2371 Summer; Chapter 10	Next Adventure: Tribble in Paradise
Previous Adventure: Solemn Duty	2371 Summer; Prologue	Next Adventure: The Change of Seasons
Previous Adventure: The Die is Cast	2371 Year Four	Next Adventure: Faces