Star Trek: Titan

Star Trek: Titan

Cover to Star Trek: Titan: Taking Wing, the 2005 debut Titan novel.
Author	Michael A. Martin Andy Mangels Christopher L. Bennett Geoffrey Thorne James Swallow
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Science fiction
Publisher	Pocket Books
Publication date	Book 1: April 2005 Book 2: October 2005 Book 3: January 2006 Book 4: December 2007 Book 5: March 2009 Book 6: November 2009 Book 7: July 2012 Book 8: February 2014
Media type	Print (Paperback)
Pages	Book 1: 370 Book 2: 364 Book 3: 382 Book 4: 384 Book 5: 368 Book 6: 400 Book 7: 358 Book 8: e-only
ISBN	0-7434-9627-2 (Book 1) ISBN 0-7434-9628-0 (Book 2) ISBN 1-4165-0950-X (Book 3) ISBN 1-4165-2694-3 (Book 4) ISBN 1-4165-9497-3 (Book 5) ISBN 1-4391-0914-1 (Book 6) ISBN 1-4516-6062-6 (Book 7) ASIN: B00F8KUJ7Q
Preceded by	Star Trek Nemesis

Star Trek: Titan is a series of Star Trek novels that take place after the events of the 2002 film Star Trek Nemesis, detailing the adventures of the U.S.S. Titan under the command of Starfleet Captain William T. Riker, who previously served for fifteen years as First Officer under Captain Jean-Luc Picard aboard the Enterprise-D and Enterprise-E on the TV show Star Trek: The Next Generation and the four feature films adapted from that series.

Concept

In the beginning of the 2002 feature film Star Trek Nemesis, Commander William Riker, who has served as First Officer under Captain Jean-Luc Picard for fifteen years aboard two different starships named Enterprise, marries his longtime on-again, off-again love, ship's counselor, Commander Deanna Troi. By the end of the film, Riker has been promoted to Captain, and he and Troi transfer to the USS Titan, Riker's first permanent command. According to the Titan series book description at Amazon.com, the series take place in what is regarded as a new era, following a decade of conflict between the Federation and enemies such as the Borg, the Cardassians, the Klingons, and the Dominion. Starfleet is renewing its mission of peaceful exploration and diplomacy, a mission spearheaded by the Titan, which in addition to Riker and Troi, is manned by "the most biologically varied and culturally diverse crew in Starfleet history." Their first mission, in the debut novel, Taking Wing, is to set up power-sharing talks among the various Romulan factions that, in the wake of Praetor Shinzon's death in Nemesis, threaten to plunge the Romulan Empire into civil war.^[1]

Characters

• Captain William T. Riker is a human male, who served as the Federation flagship Enterprise-D's executive officer under Captain Jean-Luc Picard. As the vessel's first officer, Riker was offered his own command numerous times, but repeatedly turned them down in favor of remaining aboard the Enterprise, admitting to Picard in Star Trek Generations that he had always hoped he would take command of the Galaxy class starship. Following the destruction of the Enterprise-D, Riker transferred to its successor, the Enterprise-E, with Picard, and continued to serve as first officer for a continuing number of years, helping to defend Earth against the Borg, prevent the illegal relocation of the Ba'ku and destroy the Reman warbird Scimitar. Shortly before the Scimitar's destruction, Riker married his off-and-on lover, Deanna Troi, who thereafter transferred to the Titan with him to serve as the vessel's counsellor and chief diplomatic officer.
• Commander Christine Vale is a human female and executive officer of the starship Titan. Vale previously served as the Enterprise-E's chief tactical officer. Coming from a long line of peace officers on Izar, Commander Vale's family was gravely disappointed in her choice to join Starfleet.
• Commander Deanna Troi is a half-Human, half-Betazoid female. The wife of Captain Riker, Troi serves as the vessel's chief diplomatic officer as well as ship's counselor, a position she previously held on both the Enterprises D and E under Captain Picard, to whom she often served as a moral advisor. Speaking during Riker and Troi's wedding, Picard noted that Troi had been his "guide and [his] conscience" in her years on the Enterprises. Despite being only half Betazoid, Troi is a capable empath and has been shown to communicate telepathically with other Betazoids, specifically her mother, Lwaxana Troi. According to the non-canon novel, Imzadi, Troi joined Starfleet following a romantic relationship with Will Riker. (This is alluded to in "Encounter at Farpoint".)
• Commander Tuvok is a Vulcan male. Tuvok shares the cold and logical nature associated with his people. His first Starfleet assignment was aboard the USS Excelsior under Captain Hikaru Sulu, most famously during the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. During his service Tuvok became disenchanted with non-Vulcans and resigned from Starfleet, only to join again decades later, where he eventually settled aboard the USS Voyager under Captain Kathryn Janeway. In 2371, Tuvok was on an undercover mission infiltrating the Maquis when he became trapped in the Delta Quadrant. He was later re-united with Voyager and served as the vessel's head of security until its return home. Following his return, Tuvok worked for Starfleet Intelligence within Romulan space at the time of the Shinzon uprising, and was later rescued from imprisonment by the Titan crew, which he joined when their previous tactical officer became comatose as a result of battle. After Titan was briefly lost in the Smaller Magellanic Cloud, Tuvok's wife, T'Pel, came to live aboard the ship.
• Lieutenant Alyssa Ogawa is a human female. Like Riker and Troi, Alyssa Ogawa served for a number of years on both the Enterprises, having begun her Starfleet service aboard the Enterprise-D as an Ensign and nurse under Dr. Beverly Crusher in 2367. At the recommendation of Crusher, she was promoted to Lieutenant junior grade in 2370 and became a senior sickbay staffmember as Head Nurse. She would report to the command staff of the vessel in Crusher's absence. She also married Lt. Andrew Powell in the same year, and the two had a son. Powell was killed during the Battle of Rigel during the Dominion War, and though Ogawa did transfer to the Enterprise-E, she readily took the opportunity to leave the vessel with her son and serve within the Titan's sickbay.
• Dr. Shenti Yisec Eres Ree is a Pahkwa-thanh male. The chief medical officer of the starship Titan, Dr. Ree's friendly bedside manner is juxtaposed by his fearsome appearance. Standing over two meters tall, this bi-pedal reptile reminds Captain Will Riker of one of Earth's extinct, pack hunting dinosaurs.
• Lieutenant Commander Ranul Keru is an unjoined Trill male. The chief of security and tactical officer, Commander Keru was rendered comatose from injuries sustained during a battle between Romulan and Reman forces. Captain Riker subsequently offered the post to Tuvok until Commander Keru's recovery. Upon his awakening, Keru opted to remain security chief, leaving Tuvok as tactical officer. Keru had served previously on the Enterprise-E where he was romantically involved with the Star Trek: First Contact character Lieutenant Hawk.^[2]
• Lieutenant Commander Jaza Najem is a Bajoran male. He serves as chief science officer. Originally serving in the Bajoran Militia, he entered Starfleet when Bajor joined the Federation in 2376. He was briefly romantically involved with first officer Christine Vale. Jaza left the Titan when he stranded himself in the distant past of Orisha in order to get the rest of the crew back to their proper time period.
• Commander Xin Ra-Havreii is an Efrosian male. He worked at Utopia Planitia as a head designer of the Luna-class, holding a doctorate in warp field mechanics and a reserve rank of commander. Traveling with the crew on Titan 's first mission, he took over as chief engineer after Lieutenant Commander Nilani Ledrah's death.
• Lieutenant Commander Melora Pazlar is an Elaysian female. She is head of stellar cartography and succeeds Jaza Najem as chief science officer.
• Lieutenant Sariel Rager is a human female. She is senior operations officer and transferred from the Enterprise-E with Captain Riker.
• Lieutenant j.g. Aili Lavena is a Selkie female. She is senior flight controller.
• Ensign Torvig Bu-Kar-Nguv is a Choblik male. He had a long-distance graduation from Starfleet Academy aboard Titan and stayed on as an engineer.

U.S.S. Titan

In real life, the Luna-class was designed by Sean Tourangeau. Tourangeau entered his design into the Starship Titan Design Contest held by Simon & Schuster, Inc., which was held in order to obtain a ship design for the Star Trek: Titan series of novels.^[3] Because the Luna design has not been featured on-screen, it is not canon; however, the Titan's mention in Star Trek Nemesis means that the existence of the ship is. In Decipher, Inc.'s Star Trek Customizable Card Game, the Titan is identified as a Prometheus-class starship. However, the Luna class is in Star Trek Online, as one of three designs used for the Tier 5 Reconnaissance Science Vessel.

Novels

Taking Wing

Written by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels (April 2005)

Leading on from the events of Star Trek Nemesis, Taking Wing details the political and military situation in the Romulan Star Empire in the wake of the power vacuum caused by the death of Praetor Shinzon and his prior assassination of the Romulan Senate. The discord that stirs in the Empire could have disastrous effects for the entire Alpha Quadrant, and the crew is sent to help stabilize the region as competing factions vie for control of the Empire. Riker is ordered to facilitate peaceful talks between the leading factions, but his mission is placed in jeopardy by the remnants of the Tal Shiar, the feared Romulan intelligence service, who seek to further their own interests.^[1]

The Red King

Written by Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin (September 2005)

Once again finding themselves involved in Romulan affairs, the crew of the Titan are investigating the disappearance of a secret Romulan fleet when they are unwittingly propelled into another galaxy; the Small Magellanic Cloud, where they encounter the Neyel, offshoots of Earth-bound Humanity. Meanwhile, Commander Donatra of the Romulan vessel Valdore, also transported with the Titan crew, rescues a young Neyel; a survivor of an unexplained phenomenon apparently altering the space-time continuum. The Titan's science division soon discover that this is the unintended work of a dormant consciousness that is maintaining all life within the Cloud from one moment to the next, and showing signs of awakening. As the Titan crew consider the implications of their discovery, the young rescued Neyel forms a bond with Riker, who must now deal with ghosts from his past he has failed to put to rest.

Orion's Hounds

Written by Christopher L. Bennett (January 2006)

With the Titan breaking new ground on the outermost reaches of chartered space, the telepaths in her crew become overwhelmed by an alien cry of distress which brings the ship upon a disturbing scene: a civilisation of "whalers" preying upon a familiar species of sentient spaceborne lifeforms. Though the scene appalls the crew, Riker is reluctant to rush to a judgement and orders an investigation which eventually leads to the discovery of a spatial ecosystem that plays home to a stunning array of diverse and giant lifeforms. Whilst attempting to negotiate an end to the whalers' hunt, the Titan crew inadvertently gives the creatures the means to defeat the hunters' purpose, only to learn that the prey are not exactly as they seem.

Note: The Orion of the title does not refer to the green-skinned humanoid species seen within Trek, but is an allusion to mythology and astronomy, likely inspired by the Orion constellation and connected tales.

Sword of Damocles

Written by Geoffrey Thorne (December 2007)

The USS Titan visits Orisha, a world where a mysterious body sits in the sky. It is referred to as "The Eye" by the planet's inhabitants, who worship the body. Titan answers a distress call that brings it to Orisha, and cripples the starship. An away team investigating the phenomenon is put in peril as they try to discover the mystery behind "The Eye" and its possible key behind repairing Titan. The mystery also holds the key to the past and future of one of Titan's own crew.

Star Trek: Destiny

Star Trek: Destiny is a crossover trilogy authored by David Mack. The books (titled Gods of Night, Mere Mortals, and Lost Souls) bring together the crews of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Titan, as well as characters from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise in a climactic confrontation with the Borg. The three books were published by Pocket Books in October, November and December 2008.

In a Star Trek Magazine feature "A Novel Approach" (issue number 47) freelance writer John de Gruyther discussed with Mack the inspiration for the books and in particular the inventive new alien created by Mack called the Caeliar.

Over a Torrent Sea

Written by Christopher L. Bennett (March 2009)

In the aftermath of the Destiny Trilogy, the USS Titan discovers the water planet Droplet, a planet with no land at all that bears life, even though it was thought impossible. Thanks to Aili Lavena, the ship's aquatic helm officer, the crew are able to make tentative contact with some of the local species, some of which turn out to be sentient, but the crew is put to the test when a calamity cuts off Riker and Lavena from the crew and threatens the planet below.

Synthesis

Written by James Swallow (November 2009)

The Titan encounters a civilization of machines locked in a seemingly endless war against a powerful subspace entity. However as they establish relations with the machines, one of them grants the Titan itself sentience!

Typhon Pact - Seize the Fire

Written by Michael A. Martin (November 2010)

The Titan discovers a powerful terraforming technology that could be a boon to Federation worlds devastated by the Borg invasion. However, the technology is also coveted by the Gorn, who desire to create new breeding grounds for their warrior caste.

Fallen Gods

Written by Michael A. Martin (July 2012)

The Titan continues its exploration of deep space in the Beta Quadrant. They encounter the planet Ta'ith, whose inhabitants may hold the secrets to terraforming technology that would significantly aid Federation worlds devastated by the Borg invasion. Meanwhile, Riker finds himself in a difficult situation regarding the fate of his ship's Andorian crewmembers in the wake of Andor's secession from the Federation.^[4]

The Fall - The Poisoned Chalice

Written by James Swallow (November 2013)

Following a heinous terrorist attack on the Federation, the Titan is recalled to Earth. Riker finds himself caught in investigations into numerous Starfleet officers he considers trustworthy friends while Tuvok is given secret orders into a world of gray. For the crew of the Titan, answers will not come easily.^[5]

Absent Enemies

Written by John Jackson Miller (February 2014)

Newly promoted Admiral William Riker and the crew of the USS Titan are ordered to race to Garadius IV—a planet Riker knows all too well from an unsuccessful peace mission when he was still first officer of the USS Enterprise. But this time, he finds a mysterious new situation: one with the potential to imperil the entire Federation.^[6]

References

1. "Taking Wing (Star Trek: Titan, Book 1); Book Description". Amazon.com. March 29, 2005.
2. Section 31: Rogue
3. Palmieri, Marco. "U.S.S. Titan Design Winner Announced", Slice of SciFi, October 9, 2005
4. "Star Trek Michael A. Martin Examines Fallen Gods". CBS Entertainment. 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
5. "Star Trek FIRST LOOK: The Poisoned Chalice". CBS Entertainment. 2013-09-06. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
6. "Star Trek Titan Absent Enemies". Simon & Schuster. 2014-02-13. Retrieved 2014-02-13.

External links

• Star Trek: Titan at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Book One: Taking Wing at Psi Phi