The Sky's the Limit

The Sky's the Limit is an anthology of fourteen short stories in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Summary
From the book jacket:
 * Redefining a familiar universe for a more modern time, Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the officers and crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), and the worlds of the twenty-fourth century to a new legion of Star Trek&reg; fans. In the two decades since, viewers and readers have embraced these heroes, thrilled to their personal achievements, their shared victories, their passionate loves... and mourned their painful losses.
 * Celebrate the twentieth anniversary of this landmark series by joining these now-legendary characters for all-new adventures: fourteen stories that span the time from before their earliest voyages through their missions on board the Enterprise-E – untold tales of intrigue, action, insight, and exploration, as told by:
 * Christopher L. Bennett - Greg Cox - Keith R.A. DeCandido
 * Bob Ingersoll & Thomas F. Zahler - David A. McIntee - Scott Pearson
 * Michael Schuster & Steve Mollmann - Susan Shwartz
 * Amy Sisson - James Swallow - Geoff Trowbridge
 * Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore - Richard C. White

Meet With Triumph and Disaster

 * By Michael Schuster & Steve Mollmann. Set in 2363.

During the commissioning ceremony for the new USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), Thomas Halloway - shortly to become captain of the starship - leads a group of dignitaries on a tour, and comes to a crucial decision regarding his future.

Acts Of Compassion

 * By Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore. Set in season one, shortly after .

An urgent call from a Cardassian acquaintance leads Beverly Crusher and Natasha Yar into a precarious situation aboard a destroyer, as mutiny and deception threaten the lives of three Starfleet Intelligence officers captured by the Cardassians.

Redshift

 * By Richard C. White. Set in season two.

Katherine Pulaski's attempts to develop a medical rapid-response team cause friction on board. But an encounter with an alien ship, and a subsequent assault on the Enterprise, could prove to be the making of both.

Among the Clouds

 * By Scott Pearson. Set during the latter half of season three.

A civilization's distress beacon transmitted from a dead starship leads Geordi La Forge into a dangerous encounter with a group of survivors living within the atmosphere of a gas giant.

Thinking of You

 * By Greg Cox. Set in season five, concurrent with .

A simple mission - transport Lwaxana Troi to a diplomatic summit - presents Reginald Barclay and Ro Laren with a unique holographic challenge when terrorists strike.

Turncoats

 * By Susan Shwartz. Set in season six, immediately after .

Stefan DeSeve contemplates his future after his return to the Federation, and when an unexpected complication from the mission threatens the Enterprise, the defector glimpses a chance for redemption.

Ordinary Days

 * By James Swallow. Set in season seven, concurrent with .

Wesley Crusher, standing against Cardassian oppression and Federation abandonment of his home on Dorvan V, considers his life to date, and is helped to see the possibility of another path by Lakanta.

'Twould Ring The Bells of Heaven

 * By Amy Sisson. Set between and .

Deanna Troi's first command mission develops unexpected complications when what begins as a simple astrophysics experiment in a gas giant's ring system results in serious damage to Data, and threatens to destroy a nearby outpost.

Friends With The Sparrows

 * By Christopher L. Bennett. Set several months after .

Data's newly-installed emotion chip causes problems as a xenoanthropologist attempts to develop a diplomatic relationship with the Children of Tama.

Suicide Note

 * By Geoff Trowbridge. Set between and, sometime after .

Jean-Luc Picard is given the opportunity to keep a promise, during an intelligence summit on Romulus.

Four Lights

 * By Keith R.A. DeCandido. Set between and, sometime prior to .

During the Battle of Ricktor Prime, Picard comes face-to-face with his past, when a distress beacon from a Cardassian ship leads to the capture of one Gul Madred.

'Til Death

 * By Bob Ingersoll & Thom Zahler. Set in the weeks prior to .

An attack during an archaeological expedition to a long-lost Fabrini colony leaves William T. Riker near death, and contemplating how to say "goodbye".

On the Spot

 * By David A. McIntee. Set during the epilogue of .

With repairs to the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) nearing completion, Spot deals with her new situation - as does Worf - and both encounter an attempt to sabotage the starship.

Trust Yourself When All Men Doubt You

 * By Michael Schuster & Steve Mollmann. Set during the epilogue after .

Picard considers the best wisdom to impart to the newly-promoted Captain Riker, and recalls the advice he was given upon taking command of the Enterprise - by one Thomas Halloway.

Memorable Quotes
"Omicron Theta. Tripoli. What? The crew on the bridge. When the Satarran scan occurred...Holmes in the drawing room. The Dancing Men. Sato with the Anticanna!"
 * Data, awakening after being programmed to think like a Tamarian

Background Information

 * The anthology contains a excerpt from the Tokyopop manga Kakan ni Shinkou - the complete story "Forging Alliances".
 * Fred Bronson was originally announced as a contributor, with a story title of "Now You See Her...", but was forced to withdraw due to other commitments.
 * Season four is the only era of TNG not represented in the book. Presumably, this slot would have been filled by Bronson's story.
 * In the novel's inner title page, the 5th city listed under Pocket Books is Farpoint, the location of the Enterprise-D's first mission.

Characters

 * : Upon the commissioning of the Enterprise-D, Halloway chooses to turn down the captaincy, in order to stay close to his family. Halloway later perishes aboard the USS Melbourne (Nebula class) at Wolf 359, after taking the ship out of Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards in a half-constructed state.

External link


The Sky's the Limit