Kirk denies the request and has Piper, while still in visible contact with the terrorists, arrested for conspiracy, as an act to prompt more action from them. The terrorists on board request a party consisting of no more than three members, consisting of Piper, at least one Vulcan, and one other member. Much to her surprise, one of the terrorists turns out to be Brian Sylania, her former lover whom she departed with just prior to accepting her assignment on board the Enterprise. Lieutenant Piper is unaware of how she fits into any of this.Īt the requested meeting place and time, Piper is summoned to the bridge to decode the transmission. Kirk requested Lieutenant Piper to be assigned to the Enterprise, as they had already received a communique from the terrorists detailing a time and location for a meeting, and that a further message would require Piper's biocode to open.

The USS Star Empire, the prototype of the new dreadnought starships, is stolen by a group of rogue officers lead by Commander Paul Burch, former assistant to Admiral Rittenhouse, who had commissioned the dreadnought and had her built in secret.

Also posted on board, a couple of weeks prior, is a former friend of hers: a Vulcan named Sarda. Kirk for posting as a lieutenant to the USS Enterprise. Upon graduation, she is requested by James T. Piper, a cadet at Starfleet Academy, undergoing her Kobayashi Maru examination. The story is told from the point of view of a young Ms. The crew of the Enterprise and the hijackers must work together to foil a plot by the admiral to use this new ship to begin a military coup of the Federation. An admiral insists on taking his personal flagship and accompanying the Enterprise to apprehend the stolen starship, where it turns out that the new starship was stolen not to start a war, but to prevent one. Now Piper must discover why her friends from Starfleet are among the terrorists… and why they insist the ship was stolen not to attack the Federation – but to save it!Įxcerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.Ī prototype starship is stolen by a conspiracy of Starfleet officers who are old friends of a young new lieutenant named Piper, who was recently posted to the Enterprise. On the eve of her maiden voyage, Star Empire is stolen by terrorists who demand a rendezvous with the Starship Enterprise – and with Lieutenant Piper, stationed aboard James Kirk's ship on her first training cruise. Summary From the book jacket Star Empire is the Federation's most powerful new weapon – a dreadnought, first in a class of super- starships – capable of outgunning a dozen Klingon cruisers, or subduing a galaxy.

Star Trek by Diane Carey