The Pandora Principle

The Federation faces extinction from an awesome new weapon.

Summary

 * From the book jacket:
 * A Romulan Bird-of-Prey mysteriously drifts over the Neutral Zone and into Federation territory. Admiral Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise investigate, only to find the ship dead in space. When Starfleet orders the derelict ship brought to Earth for investigation, the Enterprise returns home with perhaps her greatest prize.


 * But the Bird-of-Prey carries a dangerous cargo, a deadly force that is soon unleashed in the heart of the Federation. Suddenly, the only hope for the Federation's survival lies buried in the tortured memory of Commander Spock's protégé, a cadet named Saavik. Together, Spock and Saavik must return to the nightmare world of Saavik's birth, a planet called Hellguard, to discover the secret behind the Romulans' most deadly threat of all.

Background Information

 * This is the only Star Trek novel written by Carolyn Clowes.
 * The introduction, which presents the Vulcan expedition to Hellguard, is set a few months after . The main story is set after Saavik enters Starfleet Academy and some years prior to.

Characters

 * James T. Kirk
 * Spock
 * Leonard McCoy
 * Montgomery Scott
 * Uhura
 * Hikaru Sulu
 * Pavel Chekov
 * Saavik
 * Robert Harper
 * Obo

Chronology

 * 2260s : Four Vulcan ships are captured, their crews are used by the Romulans as test subjects for the Hellguard weapons. Some of the Vulcans are raped, their children are left behind when the Romulans abandon the planet.
 * Mid-2270s
 * The Enterprise intercepts a craft originating in the Neutral Zone, with a Vulcan woman on board. Spock mind-melds with her as she dies, learning of the horror of Hellguard.
 * Shortly thereafter, a team of Vulcan scientists follow Spock to Hellguard and find many Vulcan children abandoned there, their ages ranging from 5 to 14 years.
 * Spock takes a year's leave to educate Saavik so she may return to Vulcan.


 * Early 2280s
 * Saavik becomes a freshman cadet at Starfleet Academy.
 * The Enterprise discovers the Bird-of-Prey, Nogura orders Admiral Kirk to return to Earth.