Star Trek: Strangers From the Sky
{4.5/5} “Spock sat while Kirk paced, listened as Kirk talked, provided as always the balance for everything Kirk was — shadow to his sunlight, coolness for his fire, calm against his agitation. Centered and impeccable, in contrast to Kirk, who was pale and tousled from the morning’s ordeal, Spock was simply there, focus for Kirk’s fears, center of his immediate universe.”
Star Trek: Strangers From the Sky by Margaret Wander Bonanno, published in 1987
Kirk is reading a new book about a previously unknown 1st contact between Vulcans and humans in the 21st century. A Vulcan ship, whose mission was to only observe, crashed and 2 survivors were rescued by agronomists. But the military are on their way. Kirk starts having dreams about the story — dreams in which he is part of the story.
The 1st part of the framing story takes place after Kirk has been promoted to admiral, and the 2nd is early in the 5-year mission when Gary Mitchell is still alive.
The basic premise is the same as Enterprise‘s “Carbon Creek” but the story develops in a completely different way.
It builds to a joyous conclusion.
This is the 2nd time I’ve read it.
I’ve read 4 of Bonanno’s Star Trek books plus 1 that was rewritten against her wishes. I previously reviewed Star Trek: Unspoken Truth.