{4.5\/5} “‘When nothing goes as planned, the world is in balance.’ It was an old Trill saying, and Curzon Dax found it circling through his mind every thirty seconds or so, like an annoying insect that couldn’t be chased away. Though the mantra didn’t accurately reflect his high hopes for the Korvat peace conference, by midway through the first day he had to concede that it was apropos.”<\/p>\n
Star Trek: Excelsior — Forged in Fire<\/strong> by Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels, published in 2008<\/p>\n When Hikaru Sulu was a child, an albino Klingon raided his mother’s lab on Ganjitsu — and tried to kill them. Decades later a woman died right in front of him, after claiming to be a slave of an albino Klingon who created a virus specifically to kill her. The woman warned that the albino will try to disrupt a n upcoming Federation-Klingon peace conference. Captain Styles is skeptical of this information without more evidence, but Sulu knows he has to do something.<\/p>\n The main part of this story takes place between Star Trek V<\/strong> and VI<\/strong>, and shows Sulu becoming captain of the Excelsior.<\/p>\n The characters Curzon Dax, Sarek, Christine Chapel, and Janice Rand are all key players. As are the Klingon captains Kang, Kor, and Koloth.<\/p>\n It’s a great story, written by authors who know the Star Trek<\/strong> characters and universe very well. It’s about those who engage in blood oaths, and those who don’t.<\/p>\n