“Or they’re simply hiding their teeth while awaiting an easy kill,” Vrax countered, his tone one of caution. “Regardless, we will not know one way or another until we take some much-needed first steps into the unknown.”
“Wise observations, Praetor,” Toqel said. “However, what of the Taurus Reach? There can be no doubt that it presents an alarming concern.”
Vrax could not disagree with that reasoning. Had the Federation found some new civilization, technology, or other resource that might give them an unprecedented tactical advantage? Maybe they had only found a clue to something unimaginable in its scope or power, unmatched by anything which currently existed, and with the potential to position whoever found it first as the undisputed rulers of the known galaxy.
For that to be anyone but the Romulan Star Empire was unconscionable. Regardless of the cost, no matter if it plunged the entire galaxy into war, Vrax knew he could not allow such change to come to fruition. The Romulan people would never subjugate themselves to anyone so long as life flowed through his aged, feeble body.
Of course, judging from the reports from the Bloodied Talon,the Federation might well have incensed a new enemy, one possessing enough power to stake its own claim, rendering all other considerations irrelevant.
Vrax knew that answers lay along only one path.
The path leading back to the Taurus Reach—and whatever secrets it possessed.
The saga of
STAR TREK VANGUARD
will continue
Acknowledgments
Sincere thanks are in order for editor Marco Palmieri, for inviting us to play in this new section of the Star Treksandbox and trusting us to meet the standard of excellence he has established for all of the other writers with whom he has worked. As longtime diehard fans of the original Star Trekseries, the chance for us to expand upon that universe and to stretch it in new ways was simply a temptation too enticing to ignore.
Thanks also to David Mack, who took head-on the challenge of writing the first Vanguardnovel as well as working with Marco to develop the series’ larger story arc and what we believe to be one of the most interesting cast of characters to come down the Star Trekpike in a long time. He also managed to set the bar quite high for intrigue, excitement, and just plain fun with the series’ inaugural volume, Harbinger. Here’s hoping we did you proud, Mack-Daddy.
And a high-five to the most honorable Dr. Lawrence M. Schoen, he of the Klingon Language Institute, for his invaluable assistance in helping us devise a few new Klingon words. No, we’re not going to tell you what they mean. Where’s the fun in that?
About the Authors
DAYTON WARD has been a fan of Star Treksince conception (his, not the show’s). After serving for eleven years in the U.S. Marine Corps, he discovered the private sector and the piles of cash to be made there as a software engineer. His professional writing career began with stories selected for each of Pocket Books’ first three Star Trek: Strange New Worldsanthologies. In addition to his various writing projects with Kevin Dilmore, Dayton is the author of the Star Treknovel In the Name of Honorand the science fiction novels The Last World Warand The Genesis Protocolas well as short stories which have appeared in Kansas City Voicesmagazine and the Star Trek: New Frontieranthology No Limits. Though he currently lives in Kansas City with his wife, Michi, Dayton is a Florida native and still maintains a torrid long-distance romance with his beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Be sure to visit Dayton’s official website at http://www.daytonward.com.
Still reeling from the knowledge that Star Trekwas a live-action series beforeit was a Saturday-morning cartoon, KEVIN DILMORE is continually grateful for his professional involvement on the fiction and the nonfiction sides of the Star Trek universe for nearly a decade. By day, he works as a writer for Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, Missouri; by night, it’s a whole different picture. Since 1997, he has been a contributing writer to Star Trek Communicator,penning news stories and personality profiles for the bimonthly publication of the Official Star TrekFan Club. On the storytelling side of things, his story “The Road to Edos” was published as part of the Star Trek: New Frontieranthology No Limits. With Dayton Ward, his work includes a story for the anthology Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion Waras well as one for the September 2006 anthology Constellationsto celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the original Star Trek; the Star Trek: The Next Generationnovels A Time to Sowand A Time to Harvest; and installments of the original e-book series Star Trek: S.C.E.and Star Trek: Corps of Engineers. A graduate of the University of Kansas, Kevin lives in Prairie Village, Kansas, with his wife, Michelle, and their three daughters.
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