My Enemy, My Ally

Romulans board the USS Enterprise – and Kirk joins forces with his most deadly enemy.

Summary

 * From the book jacket:
 * Ael t'Rllaillieu is a noble – and dangerous – Romulan commander. But when the Romulans kidnap Vulcans to genetically harness their mind power, Ael decides on treason. Captain Kirk, her old enemy, joins her in a secret pact to destroy the research laboratory and free the captive Vulcans. When the Romulans discover their plan, the Neutral Zone seethes with schemes and counter-schemes, sabotage and war!

Ael t'Rllallieu is one of the Romulan Star Empire's most decorated military generals, but she has become increasingly disillusioned with her Empire as they throw away honor (mnhei'sahe) for riches. She has spoken out in front of the Senate one time too many and sent out on an "honorable" tour of duty to the Neutral Zone. Ael soon escapes from the broken-down warbird Cuirass and its disloyal crew and returns to her own ship, Bloodwing. She and her crew, including her son Tafv and close confidant Aidoann, cross the Neutral Zone and destroy Cuirass using Klingon-augmented gunnery circuits. She purposely initiates the conflict between Bloodwing and Cuirass close to where Captain Kirk and the Enterprise are patrolling the Zone with the starships USS Constellation (NCC-1017), USS Intrepid (NCC-1631), and Inaieu. In Federation space, Ael meets Captain Kirk face to face for the first time. She tells him about two secret projects currently under way in her home space: Sunseed, a device to destabilize a star and create ion storms, and a project to harvest Vulcan genetic material to enhance the telepathic abilities of the Romulans. Kirk sympathizes with her, but says he cannot in good conscience order the Enterprise across the Neutral Zone. That changes, however, when the all-Vulcan crew of the Intrepid is captured and taken into Romulan space. Kirk accepts Ael's plan to have Bloodwing "capture" the Enterprise and take her into Romulan space – coincidentally passing right by Levaeri V, the station where the mind research is going on.
 * Summary

Bloodwing and Enterprise succeed in breaking away from the escort sent to meet them, and launch their attack on Levaeri V. However, while nearly half of Enterprise's crew is on Levaeri, Tavf stages an attack of his own – on the Enterprise. With the help of the loyal Romulans still on board Enterprise, including Khiy and Eriufv, the crew manages to repel the invaders. Tafv, though, is mortally wounded. After the Interpid crew is rescued and Levaeri V destroyed, Enterprise, Bloodwing, and Intrepid successfully battle several Romulan ships sent to destroy them, by seeding Levaeri's primary with Sunseed. Ael sees Tafv in Enterprise's sickbay, but McCoy tells her that no matter what, he will die. When Ael asks him why he betrayed her, he responds that it was mnhei'sahe, his loyalty to his cousin who had been exiled for losing the cloaking device to Kirk. Ael releases him from life support, doing what mnhei'sahe requires of her.

Before Ael beams back to Bloodwing, she tells Kirk that she is now exiled from her home. She tells him that they will burn her name, essentially saying that she no longer exists, for "A Rihannsu without her name is nothing". She tells Kirk what all three parts of her name mean, and then giving him the greatest gift of all, she tells him what her fourth name means – "The name by which only one closer than kin may know her". On Earth, Kirk hangs a pennant with Ael's first three names on it in a secluded valley, ensuring that the Commander and her memory will live on.

Memorable Quotes
"... Entirely too many ion-flux measurements, according to Mr. Chekov, who has declared to the bridge at large that his mother didn't raise him to compile weather reports. (Must remember to ask him why since meteorology has to have been invented in Russia like everything else.)

''However, even Spock has admitted to me privately that he looks forward to solving this problem and moving on to something a little more challenging. His Captain agrees with him. His Captain is bored stiff. My mother didn't raise me to compile weather reports, either.''"
 * - Kirk, recording his log

"Mr. Naraht, are you quite sure of that figure for the iridium?"

"To six decimal places, sir! Zero point three zero four one four one two two."

"That is eight decimal places, ensign."

"Oh. I'm sorry, sir!  I thought you might like some more."


 * - Spock and Naraht

"Aha! The truth will out!  That's it! You only like that boy because you knew his mother the Horta – and she liked your ears!"
 * - McCoy, about why Spock likes Naraht

"I was thinking of capturing the Enterprise. Would you mind?"
 * - Ael, proposing her plan to get the Enterprise across the Neutral Zone

"I suppose I'd better get down there and see how Scotty's doing with 'blowing up' his engines..."

"I bet he's doing most of the 'blowing up' himself."

"Amen to that, Mr. Chekov."
 * - Kirk and Chekov

"What use is a word that means only one thing?"
 * - Ael

"The translator is having problems. You have little round flying insects on Earth eating a ship named Intrepid?  And you ask me about the danger of names?"
 * - Ael

"How's Lieutenant Sjveda's music appreciation seminar coming along?"

"''Classical period still, sir. Bethoven, Stravinsky, Vaughan Williams, Barber, Lennon, Devo. Head hurts."
 * - Kirk and Athende

"I beg your pardon," the man said merrily in a British accented voice, apparently looking right at Jim, "but is this Heathrow?"

"Brother, have you ever taken a wrong turn!" was Jim's first thought.
 * - 3D hologram of the 4th Doctor Who and Kirk

"HEUOPIK EEIRWOINVSKY SHTENIX GFAK HU MMHNINAWAH!"

"What the devil was that? Sounds like you've got a problem down there, Lieutenant.  A malfunction that shouts."

"No, doctor. It's taken us the last half-hour to get it to do that."
 * -The modified holography console, McCoy, and Uhura

"Daisemi'in rhhaensuriuu"

"  meillunsiateve"

"    rh'e Mnhei'sahe yie ahr'en:"

"Mnahe afw'ein qiuu;"

"  rh'e hweithnaef"

"    mrht Heis'he ehl'ein qiuu."
 * - Of the chief parts of the Ruling Passion, only this can be truly said: Hate has a reason for everything. But love is unreasonable. (V. Raiuhes Ahaefvthe)

Background Information

 * Although the Romulans considered attempted suicide a crime by 2372, Ael's enemies in the Senate hoped that if she received orders to cross the Neutral Zone, her honor would force her to kill herself.

Characters

 * Enterprise captain
 * Enterprise exec and science officer
 * Enterprise surgeon
 * Enterprise chief engineer
 * Enterprise communications officer
 * Enterprise helmsman
 * Enterprise navigator
 * Green, scaly, Enterprise crewwoman who served in the dietary department.
 * Sulamid officer assigned to the maintenance department
 * Roz Bates
 * One of McCoy's nurses, helping him in sickbay while Christine Chapel works on her doctorate
 * Roz Bates
 * One of McCoy's nurses, helping him in sickbay while Christine Chapel works on her doctorate
 * One of McCoy's nurses, helping him in sickbay while Christine Chapel works on her doctorate
 * One of McCoy's nurses, helping him in sickbay while Christine Chapel works on her doctorate
 * One of McCoy's nurses, helping him in sickbay while Christine Chapel works on her doctorate
 * One of McCoy's nurses, helping him in sickbay while Christine Chapel works on her doctorate
 * Enterprise officer who was injured in the assault on the Levaeri station
 * Sulamid ensign
 * Enterprise linguist
 * Enterprise ensign
 * Horta ensign serving on the Enterprise, he earned the nickname "Ensign Rock" from Ael and participated in the mission to recover the Intrepid's crew
 * Starfleet lieutenant and Enterprise's chief of recreation, he participated in the battle to re-take the Enterprise from Tafv's forces
 * Romulan, commander of the Bloodwing, aunt of the Romulan commander the Enterprise previously met
 * Romulan, Uhura's "guard" on the bridge and "took over" her station, also was Ael's third-in-command
 * Romulan officer
 * Dhisuia : Romulan officer who Ael ordered to warn the crew about possible communication leaks
 * Eriufv : Romulan officer
 * Romulan chief engineer of Bloodwing
 * Helev : Romulan officer
 * Romulan officer
 * K'haeth : Romulan officer who Ael ordered to warn the crew about possible communication leaks
 * Khiy : Romulan officer
 * Romulan officer
 * Lhian : Romulan officer
 * Romulan, commander of the Javelin who has earned the intese dislike of Ael
 * Lyie : Romulan officer whom Ael ordered to warn the crew about possible communication leaks
 * Lyirru tr'Illialhae : Romulan, commander of Battlequeen
 * Ael's martial-arts expert
 * Romulan officer serving aboard the Bloodwing, he had a sister on the destroyed Javelin
 * t'Liun : Security officer on the Cuirass
 * t'Viaen : Engineering officer on Bloodwing
 * tr'Khaell : Romulan communications officer on the Cuirass, he was loyal to security officer t'Liun and Ael's enemies
 * tr'Iawaain : Romulan officer on the Cuirass
 * Tafv Ei-Leinarrh tr'Rllaillieu : Romulan Subcommander and Ael's son, he betrayed her and tried to take over the Enterprise as revenge for his cousin
 * Triy : Romulan officer
 * Raela hr'Sassish : Tellarite Constellation first officer
 * Aline MacDougall : Constellation chief surgeon.
 * Nhauris Rihaul : Denebian captain of the Inaieu, she was old friends with Kirk
 * Iwao Sasoaka : Constellation chief engineer
 * Sehlk : Vulcan Intrepid first officer
 * Sobek : Vulcan Intrepid CMO
 * Suvuk : Vulcan captain of Intrepid
 * T'Kiha : Vulcan Intrepid helm officer
 * T'Leiar : Vulcan chief engineer of Intrepid
 * Captain of the Constellation; Walsh had previously served with Kirk aboard the Excalibur
 * Romulan officer serving aboard the Bloodwing, he had a sister on the destroyed Javelin
 * t'Liun : Security officer on the Cuirass
 * t'Viaen : Engineering officer on Bloodwing
 * tr'Khaell : Romulan communications officer on the Cuirass, he was loyal to security officer t'Liun and Ael's enemies
 * tr'Iawaain : Romulan officer on the Cuirass
 * Tafv Ei-Leinarrh tr'Rllaillieu : Romulan Subcommander and Ael's son, he betrayed her and tried to take over the Enterprise as revenge for his cousin
 * Triy : Romulan officer
 * Raela hr'Sassish : Tellarite Constellation first officer
 * Aline MacDougall : Constellation chief surgeon.
 * Nhauris Rihaul : Denebian captain of the Inaieu, she was old friends with Kirk
 * Iwao Sasoaka : Constellation chief engineer
 * Sehlk : Vulcan Intrepid first officer
 * Sobek : Vulcan Intrepid CMO
 * Suvuk : Vulcan captain of Intrepid
 * T'Kiha : Vulcan Intrepid helm officer
 * T'Leiar : Vulcan chief engineer of Intrepid
 * Captain of the Constellation; Walsh had previously served with Kirk aboard the Excalibur