Description
- A series of vicious attacks by the enigmatic M'dok Empire has devastated the planet Tenara—bringing the Enterprise and another Federation starship, the Centurion, to the planet's aid. The Centurion's captain is Lucius Sejanus—a powerful, magnetic man who favors taking a far stronger stance against the M'dok than Captain Picard. And as the conflict escalates, Sejanus's instincts seem to be correct… for it appears only extreme measures can stop the murderous raids on Tenara.
- Now the people of Tenara must decide which path they will follow—the way of peace, or the road to war. But unknown to any, one of the Centurion's officers has made that decision for them—and plans to provoke a full-scale war between the Federation and the M'Dok Empire!
Summary
In 2364, the planet Tenara came under attack from the M'dok Empire. The Federation deployed the USS Centurion, a ship manned solely by Magna Romans, to ward off the threat, but the Centurion is attacked by a M'dok battleship. The Centurion issued a distress call and the USS Enterprise-D responded.
When the Enterprise arrived it discovered that the Centurion was victorious and the M'dok warship was destroyed. Starfleet Command then assigned both ships to protect the planet and Captains Picard and Sejanus soon learned that the M'dok have been eating the villagers from villages they have raided. This discovery led to the deployment of a planetary defense grid that includes satellites and ground based weaponry.
As the security forces deployed the weaponry, Sejanus sent his cousin, Marcus Volcinius, to Tenara to reeducate the population and turn them from a peace loving society into a warlike one. This began with Volcinius taking over a small schoolroom and teaching the children Magna Roman history. Volcinius was eventually discovered by Gretna Melkinata but he convinced her that he had the approval of the government, leading her to turn against the Federation presence on Tenara.
In the meantime, two M'dok warships had arrived in orbit of Tenara and were being followed by the Enterprise to ensure that they didn't attack the planet. Eventually, one ship left and then Sejanus grew impatient and attacked the remaining warship. The ship was destroyed, but another M'dok ship had snuck onto the planet. The crew from this ship went on a rampage and attacked Zhelnogra, the Tenaran capital, killing many people.
After the battle, Gaius Aldus, first officer of the Centurion, discovered Volcinius's illicit activities and confronted Captain Sejanus. Sejanus killed Aldus and claimed that Aldus had committed suicide. Sejanus then attempted to use Aldus's close confidant from the Enterprise, Jenny de Luz, to gain access to the Enterprise's prefix code, but instead she arrested him. At the same time Worf discovered Volcinius's activities and arrested the Magna Roman. Captain Picard planned to have Sejanus court martialed, but the man was able to escape custody and leave aboard the Centurion.
References
Characters
- Antonia • Gaius Aldus • Julius Apius • Antonius Appius • Anka • Arkanka • Claudius Caecus • Marcus Claudius • Appius Cornelius • Beverly Crusher • Wesley Crusher • Data • Howard Delapore • Hjalmar Foch • Ingerment • Julius • Klamnin • Geordi La Forge • Larten • Jenny de Luz • Marius • Melkinat • Gretna Melkinata • Nadeleen • Miles O'Brien • Jean-Luc Picard • Yavam Poroviki • Quillen • William T. Riker • Marius Secondus • Lucius Sejanus • Julia Sicania • Deanna Troi • Tullius • Yoolka • Marcus Volcinius • Worf
- Referenced only
- Belisarius • Napoléon Bonaparte • Julius Caesar • Zefram Cochrane • Domin Hame de Luz • du Plessis • Mahatma Gandhi • Phillip Green • Adolf Hitler • Kahless • Claudius Marcus • Brutus Nothus • Rousseau • Saladin • Sari • Lucius Sejanus • Lucius Sejanus • Servado • Surak • Tiberius • Tiberius • Volcinius • Tasha Yar
Starships and vehicles
- USS Centurion (Constitution-class) • USS Enterprise-D (Galaxy-class) • Restoration • shuttlecraft
- Referenced only
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class) • USS Intrepid (Constitution-class) • USS Slisha
Locations
- Carda • Tenara • Zhelnogra
- Referenced only
- Adhara • Africa • Alps • Atlantic Ocean • Asia • Castle de Luz • Carthage • Earth • England • France • Germania • Hispania • Londinium • Magna Roma • Meramar • Mont St. Michel • Regia Republicae • Starbase 16 • Tamesis River
Races and cultures
- Andorian • Betazoid • Human (German • Greek • Norse • Roman) • Klingon • M'dok • Magna Roman • Tenaran
- Referenced only
- Ferengi • Preserver • Romulan • Tellarite • Vulcan
States and organizations
- Central Council of the Great Saavta • Federation Council • Great Saavta • M'dok Empire • Starfleet • Starfleet Command • United Federation of Planets
- Referenced only
- Christianity • Library of Alexandria • Magna Roman Empire • Roman Empire • Republic of Magna Roma • Senate of Magna Roma • Starfleet Academy • Young Romans League
Science and technology
- Android • communicator • holodeck • phaser • phaser cannon • phaser rifle • sensor • television • transporter • tricorder • turbolift • VISOR
Ranks and titles
- admiral • captain • Chairman of the Central Council of the Great Saavta • chief engineer • chief petty officer • commander • counselor • doctor • Emperor of the Magna Roman Empire • ensign • first officer • general • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • Magister Navis • Proconsul
Other references
- Anglo-Saxon language • Battle of Britannia • Celtic language • court martial • cow • Dark Ages • English common law • English language • Fascism • Federation Standard • gens • German language • gladius • goat • Hodgkins' theory of parallel planetary development • hummingbird • javelin • jhafre • latifundia • Latin • liquamen • pig • pilum • prefix code • Prime Directive • Punic Wars • saavta • senatorial scholarship • Servado's Agony • shield • spear • sword • thrush • Volcinii
Appendices
Related stories
The depictions of the Magna Roman civilization's inclusion into the Federation Starfleet is a sequel to that race's introduction in TOS episode & Star Trek 11 novelization: Bread and Circuses.
The depiction of the M'dok as a meat-eating felinoid civilization previously defeated by the Federation is very similar to the backstory of the Kzin that was presented in TAS episode & Log Ten novelization: The Slaver Weapon.
Timeline
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Masks |
TNG numbered novels | Next novel: A Call to Darkness |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: Survivors Chapter 12 |
Next Adventure: We'll Always Have Paris | |
External link
- The Captains' Honor article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.