Star Trek The Original Series From History's Shadow (44 page)
Read Star Trek The Original Series From History's Shadow Online
Authors: Dayton Ward
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Science Fiction, #Media Tie-In, #Action & Adventure
“Saucer. Three cylindrical projections. It’s not Russian. Nothing like it.”
Frowning, Michael stepped closer. “Dad? Are you okay?” He considered alerting Stephanie, the nurse on duty tonight in this wing of the home’s assisted-living facility, but held off when it appeared his father might once more be settling down. His features seemed to relax, and he leaned back in the recliner. The only vestige of his abrupt change in demeanor was his expression, one of intense concentration as though he was struggling to recall some long-lost memory. After a few more seconds his features softened and he blinked several times before looking up at Michael and offering him a quizzical look.
“Michael? It’s getting late. Shouldn’t you be heading home?” Wainwright looked around before his gaze settled on the small clock sitting on the table next to his chair. “I
should probably get to bed, too,” he said, then grinned. “Send Stephanie in here to tuck me in, would you?”
“Sure, Dad,” Michael said, chuckling again. “Whatever you say. You sure you’re all right?” He gestured toward the television. “You were acting like you’d seen that flying whatever it was before. Was it a UFO?” Though his father discussed his time in the military only on rare occasions, Michael was aware of his work for the Air Force’s mysterious Project Blue Book back in the 1960s. The only thing Michael knew about the project was that it was part of a government effort to determine whether flying saucers and beings from other worlds were real. He could not recall his father ever talking about that part of his service career.
Wainwright shook his head, all indications of his earlier agitation now gone. “No. Just in the movies. Those things aren’t real,” he said, but Michael was certain he still heard a hint of doubt in his father’s voice.
“Those things aren’t real.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks very much to my editors, for taking a chance on this rather odd book. It’s been something of a “passion project” for many years, and I’m grateful that I finally got to get it out of my head.
I’d always wanted to tell a story in a vein similar to what Greg Cox accomplished in
The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh,
with its blending of real history and “
Star Trek
history.” They are among my very favorite
Star Trek
novels, and I’m grateful that Greg gave me his blessing to try my hand at a story that sort of dovetails with his books.
Thanks also are due to Christopher L. Bennett, for his Department of Temporal Investigations novel
Forgotten History,
as well as Ben Guilfoy for his short story “Mestral,” from the
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 9
anthology. Though I first conceived of this book years ago, I tailored a few aspects of the story so as to remain consistent with what Christopher and Ben subsequently established in their tales. Any mistakes or oversights in this regard are mine alone.
As one might imagine, I conducted a bit of research into the “UFO phenomenon.” These three books deserve special mention for the assistance and inspiration they provided:
Flying Saucers: The Startling Evidence of the Invasion From Outer Space,
by Coral E. Lorenzen;
The Case for the UFO,
by M. K. Jessup; and
Project Blue Book,
by Brad Steiger.
Finally, I tip my hat to the following episodes and their writers for their contributions to
Star Trek
lore, as they provided various points of “continuity departure” throughout this novel:
Star Trek
“Tomorrow Is Yesterday,” written by D. C. Fontana;
Star Trek
“Assignment: Earth,” teleplay by Art Wallace and story by Gene Roddenberry and Art Wallace;
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
“Little Green Men,” teleplay by Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe; story by Toni Mayberry & Jack Treviño;
Star Trek: Voyager
“Future’s End, Parts 1 & 2,” written by Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky;
Star Trek: Enterprise
“Detained,” teleplay by Mike Sussman & Phyllis Strong; story by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga;
Star Trek: Enterprise
“Carbon Creek,” teleplay by Chris Black; story by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga & Dan O’Shannon.
One last thing: I decided to set “McKinley Rocket Base” in Florida, based on the map we see Gary Seven studying in “Assignment: Earth.” Not wanting the base to take the place of Cape Canaveral in “
Star Trek
land,” I instead placed it more or less in the vicinity of what in the real world is Patrick Air Force Base, an actual installation in close proximity to the Kennedy Space Center. It’s a bit of a hat tip to
I Dream of Jeannie,
which was set in and around Cocoa Beach and the Cape. Patrick was never named in that series, but it’s the Air Force base closest to Cocoa Beach. So, there.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dayton Ward has been modified to fit this medium, to write in the space allotted, and has been edited for content. Reader discretion is advised.
Visit Dayton on the web at
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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ISBN 978-1-4767-1900-9
ISBN 978-1-4767-1901-6 (ebook)
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