Star Trek: TNG — Pliable Truths
{4.5/5} “If every Bajoran presented themselves as a model inmate, the Cardassians would likely assume there must be illicit activity taking place. Better for the laborers to offer the occasional misdirection in the hopes of keeping their overseers distracted from those things that needed to remain concealed.”
Star Trek: The Next Generation — Pliable Truths by Dayton Ward, published in 2024
Cardassia is abandoning Bajor and the Detapa Council has declared that Bajoran prisoners should be returned to Bajor. But on an unnamed world Gul Havrel has different orders — from the Obsidian Order. The Bajorans have asked for Starfleet’s help in mediating the Cardassian withdrawal. Admiral Nechayev sends the best person for the job — Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
Ward found a gap in the Star Trek chronology where there was a story worth telling. We see how Starfleet came to assist the Bajorans with running Deep Space Nine.
It takes place not long before DS9‘s “Emmisary” and leads right into it.
It’s about mediating between former enemies, escaping your enemies, and being free for the first time in a long time.
The regulars are joined by Ro Laren, and Miles and Keiko O’Brien on the Enterprise. As well as Odo, Quark, Gul Dukat, Kai Opaka, Elim Garak, and Gul Madred on Terok Nor. And Kira Nerys on Bajor.
I’ve read 13 books by Ward. I previously reviewed Star Trek: Discovery — Somewhere to Belong.