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NOVEL
A Time to Sow
Attribution

Introduction

From the back cover 

More than two centuries ago, the Dokaalan sent an unmanned probe into the void, bearing a distress call for anyone who could save their doomed world. But the message reached Federation space too late to save the planet or its people. Or so it was believed....

Generations later, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-E are stunned to discover the last of the Dokaalan -- now only a colony fighting to stay alive in a decrepit asteroid mining complex. Although their home planet was destroyed long ago, the survivors hope to someday transform a nearby planet into a new home for their people. But bitter divisions exist among the Dokaalan, sowing the seeds of sabotage and terrorism -- and placing Picard and the Enterprise in the middle of an escalating crisis that can only lead to total destruction!

Summary

The discovery of a centuries old Dokaalan probe, containing a message relating to the imminent destruction of their homeworld, reminds the Federation of a similar probe recovered by the Vulcans two hundred years previous. At the time, it was decided that since the disaster occurred decades previous no further action should be taken. Now, Starfleet despatches the Enterprise to discover the Dokaalans' fate, an assignment many of the crew see as a means of getting them out of the way following the Ontailian incident.

Arriving at the asteroid field near the former location of Dokaal, the Enterprise picks up a distress call from a mining colony that is experiencing a reactor failure. Evacuation efforts begin but the reactor blows before La Forge and Taurik predicted, causing the deaths of twenty-five miners and two Enterprise crewmembers. Furthermore, their analysis suggests sabotage.

The Dokaalans have survived in mining colonys on the asteroids and now in a central complex created by attaching several asteroids together. Their ultimate aim is to "terraform" Ijuuka, one of the other planets in the system. Their council prove reluctant to accept Federation help, however, and two of the council members who support the offer are apparently eliminated by security minister Nidan.

Crusher discovers evidence that the Dokaalans have become dependent on the ambient radiation in the asteroid belt while a stranger, Kalsha, infiltrates the Enterprise using a camouflage net that lets him assume another's identity and disables Data. La Forge and Taurik travel to Ijuuka where they discover that someone has been tampering with the terraforming process to deviate from the original paramaters; soon after, they and their Dookalan guide Faeyahr are attacked by Nidan's men.

The Enterprise receives a report that a disaster has occurred at another mining outpost and there is clear indication of sabotage. With the rest of the senior staff either off ship or inactive, Riker takes the Enterprise to try and offer assistance.

Characters

Enterprise

Beverly Crusher | Data | Diix | EMH | Geordi La Forge | Graham | Leisner | Jarek Maxson | McPherson | Melorr | Alyssa Ogawa | Kell Perim | Jean-Luc Picard | William T. Riker | Taurik | Zelev th'Chun | Deanna Troi | Tropp | Christine Vale | Veldon

Dokaalan

Alerott | Creij | Faeyahr | Hjatyn | Nentafa | Nidan | Ryndai

Referenced only: Beeliq | Caesi | Dokaa | Rueq

2151

Maxwell Forrest | Serel | Soval | T'Lih | Taren | Vanik

Others

Kalsha | Worf | Giancarlo Wu

Referenced only: Henry Archer | Jonathan Archer | Zefram Cochrane | Yerbi Fandau | Glinn | Gowron | Kahless, Son of Kahless | Martok | Alynna Nechayev | A.G. Robinson | Alexander Rozhenko | zh'Costeth

References

Starships

• Enterprise (NX-01)
• Ti'Mur

Referenced only: IKS Ya'Vang

Other

P'Jem | Surak-class

Connections

• A Time to Sow article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.