Star Trek: Seasons of Light and Darkness
{4.5/5} “By deciding to throw out the Prime Directive, and disobeying your oath as a Starfleet officer, you are deciding the fate of all those millions of topaline-dependent Federation colonists. Only you can decide whether or not to throw your career away. But take a moment and think: How do you suppose the people closest to you will take the news that you’ve been demoted for insubordination? Or even cashiered?”
Star Trek: Seasons of Light and Darkness by Michael A. Martin, published in 2014
After visiting James T. Kirk on his birthday, Dr. Leonard McCoy goes to visit his old friend Spock to tell him he’s worried about their mutual friend. McCoy thinks back to a time before he joined the Enterprise, when he was a young lieutenant a year out of Starfleet Academy and on a mission to Capella IV. He tells Spock the story in order to illuminate Jim’s current situation.
This is a short story only available as an ebook.
The framing story takes place during Star Trek II and the older part takes place just prior to The Original Series.
The Capellans were introduced in the episode “Friday’s Child.”
It’s about being true to yourself. It may be short, but it contains a defining moment in the life of McCoy.
I’ve read 5 books by Martin plus 7 he wrote with Andy Mangels. I previously reviewed Star Trek: Excelsior — Forged in Fire.