Series:	The Original Series
Author(s):	Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels
Publication information
Publisher:	Pocket Books
Published:	paperback - 26 December 2007
Pages:	496
ISBN:	ISBN 1416547169 ISBN 1416554726 (eBook)
Chronology
Date:	2173, 2218, 2248, 2269, 2289-2290, 2293, 2295, 2363
Stardate:	8988.2-9592.2

Captain Sulu become involved in the treachery of a Klingon criminal.

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Summary 3 References 3.1 Characters 3.2 Starships and vehicles 3.2.1 Klingon starships 3.2.2 Federation starships 3.3 Locations 3.3.1 Planets and planetoids 3.3.2 Stellar locations 3.3.3 Planetary locations 3.4 Races and cultures 3.5 States and organizations 3.6 Klingon culture 3.7 Other references 3.8 Timeline 3.8.1 Years 3.8.2 Klingon months 4 Appendices 4.1 Related stories 4.2 Connections 4.3 External link

Introduction

A vicious pirate known as the Albino is cutting a deadly swath across space, creating turmoil in the Klingon Empire that threatens to spill into the Federation. But this criminal also has a secret that could shake the halls of Imperial power, and his genocidal plans against the race that bore him will have consequences even he cannot imagine, as several unlikely allies join swords to bring the Albino to justice: Hikaru Sulu of the USS Excelsior; Klingon captains Kor, Koloth, and Kang; and a hotheaded young Federation diplomat named Curzon Dax. Tempered in the flames of their shared adversity, a captaincy is forged, a blood oath is sworn… and a hunt begins that will stretch from one generation to the next.

Summary

Hikaru Sulu, recently installed as first officer of the Excelsior, encounters a dying woman while on shore leave on Galdonterre, who tells him that someone is trying to disrupt peace talks between the Federation and the Klingons at Korvat colony, the same someone that infected her with a lethal biovirus. Feeling that his captain, Lawrence H. Styles, is not taking the matter seriously, Sulu contacts Sarek and pulls a few strings, getting the Excelsior assigned to escort the Federation delegation.

Despite their precautions, the conference is bombed, killing Styles and several others and injuring both Sarek and the Klingon ambassador Kamarag. Kor, Kang and Koloth, the three Klingon captains present at the conference, decide to pursue the culprit deeper into Klingon space. Sulu is refused to permission to join them by both Starfleet Command and the High Council so Curzon Dax, Sarek's deputy, accompanies them instead.

The culprit turns out to be Qagh, an albino Klingon and distant cousin of Kor's, who was abandoned to die at birth because of a number of defects. He was found and raised by two Orions, only to kill them and take control of their criminal organisation. He has been raiding scientific outposts in both Federation and Klingon space, both for the gene therapies he needs to stay alive and for bioweapons, and fears an alliance between his two enemies.

Qagh briefly captures Kor, Kang, Koloth and Curzon and destroys Koloth's ship, the Gal'tagh, before taking refuge in the dangerous Qul Tuq system. Sulu disobeys orders and takes the Excelsior to assist, helping capture Qagh's ship. Sulu, Kor and Koloth pursue Qagh to the surface where Sulu defeats Qagh in a duel but he escapes thanks to the intervention of his followers. Starfleet attempt to court martial Sulu for his actions but when Kamarag makes it clear such an action would end the peace talks he is instead made captain of the Excelsior.

Some years later, a retrovirus implanted in the three Klingons when they were held prisoner causes their newborns sons to die. A similar attempt is made on the life of Sulu's daughter Demora but she survives thanks to an inherited immunity to the Omega IV virus that is a key component of the retrovirus. The three Klingons and Curzon swear a blood oath to avenge the murders.

This article or section is incomplete
This article is marked as lacking essential detail, and needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.

References

Characters

Albino • Antaak • B'Lor • Baktrek • Bront • Lance Cartwright • Cheb • Choq • Christina Schulman • Christine Chapel • Curzon Dax • D'Jinnea • Darnell Renyck • Demora Sulu • Dmitri Valtane • Do'Yoj • Dostara • Edwards • Eric Braun • Ganik • Gertrude • Gherud • Gnara • Golag • Harburg • Heather Keith • Heihachiro Nogura • Hikaru Sulu • Horen • Hurghom • Janice Rand • Jek • John "Blackjack" Harriman • John Harriman • Joqel • Judith Klass • Kamarag • Kang • Kishlat • Koloth • Kor, son of Rynar • Korax • Korod • Lahra • Lawrence Styles • Leonard James Akaar • Leonard McCoy • Lojur • Ma'kella • Mara • Melinda Rebovich • Meredith Cutler • Messebs • Michael Thomas Paris • Miguel Darby • Moj'ih • Montgomery Scott • Nej • Nino Orsini • Pavel Chekov • Q'Lujj • Quv • Ramiro Marquez • Robert Bennett • Rod Michaels • Rynar, son of Kor • Sarek • Shimizu Hana Sulu • Spock • Sturka • Sulu • Terra Spiro • Thompson • Thraq • Tim Henry • V'Ger • Veret • William Smillie • Ylda • Yoqala

Referenced only 

James T. Kirk • Phlox • Kahless the Unforgettable • Morath • B'Etris • DaqS, son of Kang • David Marcus • William Shakespeare • Bishop of Carlisle • Ngoj • President of the United Federation of Planets • William Smillie • Margaret Sinclair-Alexander • Hunter • Fek'lhr • Kurr • Hiram Roth • Amanda Grayson-Sarek • Devil • God • Khan Noonien Singh • Arne Darvin • Cyrano Jones • bogeyman • Emony Dax • Christian Nestell Bovee • Daniel • Tobin Dax • Torias Dax • Lela Dax • Dax • Anais Nin • Jabilo M'Benga • Rynar • Dareel • Curzon Antrani • Kesh • Audrid Dax • Beta XII-A entity • Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben • George Washington • Hyman Rickover • Marcel Proust • Hembec • Zane Grey • Shahna • Flek

Starships and vehicles

Hegh'Tlhos • The Jade Lady • Chu'Hegh'TlhoS

Klingon starships

IKS 'Oghwl' • IKS Gal'tagh • IKS Ghobchuq • IKS Gr'oth • IKS Klolode cha' • IKS Klothos • IKS Mev'Luh • IKS QaD

Federation starships

USS Bozeman • USS Enterprise • USS Enterprise-A • USS Enterprise-B • USS Excelsior • USS Exeter • Shuttlecraft Nancy Hedford • USS Saratoga • USS Aerfen • Shuttlecraft von Steuben • Shuttlecraft Rickover

Locations

Spacedock

Planets and planetoids

Galdonterre • Ganjitsu • Korvat • Omega IV • Qo'noS • Praxis • Qu'Vat • Genesis Planet • Qav'loS • Donatu V • Sherman's Planet • SermanyuQ • Trillius Prime • Earth • Mempa II • Veqlargh • Qul Tuq II • Beta XII-A • Venus • Coridan III • Xarantine • Luna • Triskelion • Forcas III • Dayos IV

Stellar locations

Mempa sector • Beta Quadrant • Alpha Quadrant • Qav'loS sector • Briar Patch • H'Atoria system • Qul Tuq system • Star system 892 • Reydovan sector • Donatu sector • Dorla system • Dayos system • Nequencia • Archanis

Planetary locations

San Francisco • Starfleet Headquarters • Ishikawa Village • Kri'stak Volcano • First City • Janitza Province • Georgia • London • Tenara Cliffs • TlhIng Veng laboratory • Archer Auditorium • Quantum café

Races and cultures

Denobulan • Human • Gorn • Klingon • HemQuch • QuchHa' • Halkan • Orion • Organian • Trill • Vulcan • Bajoran • Horta • Romulan • Yang • Kohm • Hurq • Andorian • Augment • Capellan • Mempan • Regelian • Kaylar • Legaran • Triskelion • Tellarite • Balduk • Tagran • Bolian • Rigelian • Terrellian • Kriosian • Trafalmadorian • Miradorn • Pahkwa-thanh

States and organizations

Gorn Hegemony • St. George's University • University of Mississippi • Orion Syndicate • Romulan Star Empire

Klingon Empire 

House of Ngoj • House of Kang • House of Kor • Klingon Defense Force • Klingon Defense Force Command • Klingon High Council • Klingon Intelligence

United Federation of Planets 

Federation Diplomatic Corps • Starfleet • Starfleet Intelligence • Starfleet Medical • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Command • Federation News Service

Klingon culture

bloodwine • The Change • bat'leth • Kot'baval festival • Hall of Heroes • Ak'voh rite • Sto-vo-kor • petaQ • Gre'thor • Ha'DIbaH • RomuluSngan • mek'leth • HoD • d'k tahg • targ • sabre bear • tuq Degh • Qagh • kilaan • QI'yaH • Ghuy • quelI'qam • klin zha • yIH • bekk • glo'meH • yuQjIjQa' • PujwI' • Barge of the Dead • Mok'bara • First Qu'Vat Plague • Second Qu'Vat Plague • NuqneH • bahgol • d'akturak • tup • Ylmev • jay'mu'quD • toy'wI • Mevyap • yur • jeghpu'wI • Veqlargh • jatyIn • Dor'sho'gha • N'yengoren • MajQa' • Qapla' • HIvje' • nIj • sea pochtoQ • ghargh • Battle of Klach D'Kel Bracht • Festival of Qu'batlh • leS • Qul Tuq • bregit • gagh • QiVon • darsek

Other references

anemia • biomimetic gel • cancer • diabetes • DNA • Gilbert and Sullivan • glommer • Levodian flu • tribble • duranium • universal translator • Banka • Shinto • Russian • Richard II • hand laser • ODN • Jefferies tube • fencing • Blazing Sunburst • beer • Romulan ale • ghost • Christmas • wizard • alchemy • Omega IV virus • Tennessee whiskey • mint julep • cowboy • Halloween • Spartan • Bussard manifold • spine boar • stasis cannon • Regulan bloodworm • quintotriticale • whale • Great Bird of the Galaxy • transwarp • neutronoscope • anabolic protoplaser • dermal regenerator • Eugenics Wars • Organian Peace Treaty • Gregorian calendar • iron • Ganjitsu • Japanese • duotronic • telomere • lion • dilithium • dragon • mind-sifter • clarinoxamine • gebatex • norepinephrine • plomeek • plomeek soup • disruptor • isomiotic hypodermic • chromadiacetine • cobalt • selenium • rhodium nitrate • osteoregenerator • Briar Patch conflict • magnetar • Gemini missions • Earth's First Space Age • Smith & Wesson • Colt's Manufacturing Company • Revolutionary War • Delvin cat trap plant • quail • apple • IDIC • hoverskimmer • Golden Gate Bridge • chardonnay • Stolichnaya • Andorian ale • latinum • holocube • mreker

Timeline

Years

• 2173 - 799 (Kahless)
• 2218 - 844 (Kahless)
• 2248
• 2269 - 895 (Kahless)
• 2289
• 2290 - 915 (Kahless)
• 2295 - 921 (Kahless)
• 2363 - 989 (Kahless)

Klingon months

Lo'Bral • Soo'jen • Merruth • Xan'lahr • Doqath • Maktag

Appendices

Related stories

• DS9 episode: "Blood Oath"

Connections

published order
Previous novel: Vulcan's Soul Epiphany	TOS novels	Next novel: Errand of Fury Sacrifices of War
Previous story: The Good That Men Do	Stories by: Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels	Next story: Kobayashi Maru
chronological order
Previous Adventure: The Tree of Life, the Branches of Heaven	Memory Beta Chronology	Next Adventure: Tests of Courage

Voyages of the USS Excelsior (NCC-2000) under Captain Hikaru Sulu
Captain Sulu Adventures (Audiobooks)	Cacophony | Envoy | Transformations
Novels	The Fearful Summons | The Captain's Daughter | The Ashes of Eden | Starfleet Academy | The Captain's Table: War Dragons | The Lost Era: The Sundered | Excelsior: Forged in Fire
Comics	Tests of Courage
Episode/Movies	Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country | Flashback
Characters	Hikaru Sulu | Pavel Chekov | Janice Rand | Devon Gabler | Dmitri Valtane | Leonard James Akaar | Lojur | Tuvok | Altos Viger

External link

• Excelsior: Forged in Fire article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.