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"The Veteran" was a 20-page TOS comic that appeared in the eighth issue of Marvel Comics' anthology series Star Trek Unlimited along with the TNG story "The Boy" and the DS9 story "The Warrior". In this story, Kang and Hikaru Sulu visited a planet after hearing rumors that James T. Kirk was alive there, following his death on Veridian III.

Publisher's description[]

Letter column teaser
The Klingon Day of Honor! A day on which all Klingons are to put aside their differences with a hated enemy to battle a common foe. Featuring three tales with the most popular Klingons in all of Star Trek lore: Worf, his son Alexander and the legendary Kang.

Summary[]

In 2371, rumors persist that James T. Kirk survived dying on Veridian III, with sightings reported on the planet of the Metrons where he once battled a Gorn. Kang has heard the rumors and takes a week's leave on the planet. Longing for battle, and regretting a promotion to govern a colony, Kang hopes to fight Kirk one last time. Meanwhile, the USS Excelsior beams down Captain Hikaru Sulu, who has heard the same rumors. Kang spots him and attacks him, thinking he might be Kirk, but they fall off a cliff, with soft jungle brush breaking their fall.

They resolve to search for Kirk together, and after a jungle hike and some rock climbing they spot Kirk. But it's a booby trapped hologram that triggers an automated weapons battery. They evade energy beams and destroy the array, then see several more Kirk holograms.

Suddenly Sulu is stunned and Kang hit by a spear from the Gorn S'alath, and the two warriors battle. Before S'alath can mortally stab Kang with a spear, Sulu stuns S'alath with a phaser. Sulu recognizes S'alath as the Gorn who fought Kirk in 2267, and discovers a message node on him. It explains that S'alath suffers from a degenerative mental illness that drives him to madness and battle lust, and has been placed on the planet along with the Kirk holograms and a weapons training system so that S'alath can die an honorable death per Gorn tradition.

The phaser stun was too much for him, and S'alath passes. Kang and Sulu bury him on a plateau, then share hopes for a good future.

References[]

Characters[]

KangS'alathHikaru Sulu
Referenced only
GanymedeKahlessJames T. Kirk

Starships and vehicles[]

USS Excelsior (Excelsior-class heavy cruiser) • unnamed Klingon starships (Klingon bird of prey)
Referenced only
USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • USS Enterprise-B (Excelsior-class explorer)

Locations[]

Metron planet
Referenced only
Cenotaph

Races and cultures[]

GornHumanKlingon
Referenced only
Metron

Science and classification[]

bat'lethdisruptord'k tahghologramphaserspearstarshipstarstar systemtricorder

State and organizations[]

FederationGorn HegemonyGorn Space CommandKlingon EmpireKlingon Defense ForceStarfleet

Ranks and titles[]

administratorcaptaincommandercommanding officerFederation Starfleet ranksFederation Starfleet ranks (2260s)Federation Starfleet ranks (2270s)Federation Starfleet ranks (2270s-2350s)Gorn ranksgovernorhelmsmanofficerwarrior

Other references[]

binary starcliffdayflowergas giantghostGorn languagegrasshonorjunglemeternationorbitplanetQapla'races and culturesrankrockrock climbingshore leaveStarfleet uniformStarfleet uniform (2265-2270)Starfleet uniform (early 2270s)Starfleet uniform (2278-2350s)statestuntargtechnologytitletlhIngan Holtreetrial by combatuniformuniversewaterweaponyear

Timeline[]

Chronology[]

2293
2371

Production history[]

March 1998
First published by Marvel Comics.
17 September 2020
Reprinted in Graphic Novel Collection #130. (Eaglemoss)

Appendices[]

Background[]

Related stories[]

Images[]

Connections[]

Star Trek Unlimited comics
#1 ("Directives" & "Dying of the Light") • #2 ("Action of the Tiger" & "The Unkindest Cut") • #3 ("Message in a Bottle" & "Sins of the Fathers") • #4 ("None But the Brave" & "Inheritance") • #5 ("Secret Lives" & "As Flies to Wanton Boys ") • "Heart of Darkness" • "An Infinite Jest" • #8 ("The Boy", "The Warrior" & "The Veteran") • "Trekkers" • "A Piece of Reaction"
Media featuring the USS Excelsior (NCC-2000) under Captain Hikaru Sulu
episodes/movies The Undiscovered CountryFlashback
novels The Undiscovered CountryThe Fearful SummonsThe Captain's DaughterThe Ashes of EdenStarfleet AcademyThe Captain's Table: War DragonsThe Lost Era: The SunderedExcelsior: Forged in FireFlashbackThe Lost Era: One Constant StarBurning Dreams
comics Tests of Courage (The Tabukan Syndrome)A Wolf in Cheap Clothing (1234) • Captain's Log: SuluThe Undiscovered CountryThe Veteran
Captain Sulu Adventures
(audiobooks)
CacophonyEnvoyTransformations
games Shattered Universe
characters Hikaru SuluPavel ChekovJanice RandDmitri ValtaneLeonard James AkaarLojurTuvokAltos Viger
Published Order
Previous comic:
#7: An Infinite Jest
TOS comics
(Unlimited)
Next comic:
#9: Trekkers
Previous comic:
#8: The Warrior
Star Trek: Unlimited Next comic:
#9: Trekkers
Previous story:
The Warrior
Stories by:
Dan Abnett and Ian Edginton
Next story:
Trekkers
Chronological Order
Previous adventure:
Federation
Part IV, Chapter 3
Memory Beta Chronology Next adventure:
The Ashes of Eden
Framing story

External link[]

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