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{{realworld}}
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:''For other uses, see the disambiguity page [[Final Frontier]].''
  
  +
{{Sidebar novel|
  +
| image = Stfinalfrontier.jpg
  ⚫
| Author = [[Diane Carey]]
  ⚫
| Publisher = [[Pocket Books]]
  ⚫
| Series = [[Pocket TOS]] giant novel #3
  +
| Published = {{m|January|1988}}
  +
| Pages = 434
  ⚫
| Year = [[2243]] (flashback), [[2267]] (framing sequence)
  +
| ISBN = 0671647520
  +
| AB = Yes
  ⚫
| ABReadBy = [[James Doohan]] with [[Leonard Nimoy]] as the voice of [[Spock]]
  ⚫
| ABRunTime = 90 Minutes<br />(1 Cassette)
  ⚫
| ABPublisher = [[Simon and Schuster Audioworks]]
  +
| ABPublished = {{y|1989}}
  +
| ABISBN = 0671670166
  ⚫
}}
  ⚫
''Space: Arena for man's greatest dream.''
   
  ⚫
In a story forever lost to history, Commander George Samuel Kirk must command the unfinished USS ''Enterprise'' NCC-1701 out of the Romulan Neutral Zone.
−
{| class="wiki-sidebar"
  
−
|-
  
−
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center" | [[Image:Stfinalfrontier.jpg|200px|Cover image.]]
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Author:
  
⚫
| class="even" | [[Diane Carey]]
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Publisher:
  
⚫
| class="even" | [[Pocket Books]]
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Series:
  
⚫
| class="even" | [[Pocket TOS]] giant novel #3
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Published:
  
−
| class="even" | [[1988 productions|January 1988]]
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Pages:
  
−
| class="even" | 434
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Year:
  
⚫
| class="even" | [[2243]] (flashback); [[2267]] (framing sequence)
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Stardate:
  
−
| class="even" | ''Unknown''
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Reference #:
  
−
| class="even" | ISBN 0671647520
  
−
|-
  
−
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center" | [[Image:Final Frontier.jpg|200px|Inside Cover Art.]]
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Publisher:
  
⚫
| class="even" | [[Simon and Schuster]] Audioworks
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Format:
  
−
| class="even" | Abridged adaptation
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Published:
  
−
| class="even" | [[1989 productions|1989]]
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Read by:
  
⚫
| class="even" | [[James Doohan]] with [[Leonard Nimoy]] as the voice of [[Spock]]
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Running Time:
  
⚫
| class="even" | 90 Minutes<br>(on 1 Cassette)
  
−
|-
  
−
| class="odd" | Reference #:
  
−
| class="even" | ISBN 0671670166
  
−
|-
  
−
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center" | [[Image:STFinalFrontierAudio.jpg|200px|Audio Cover image.]]
  
⚫
|}
  
⚫
''Space -- arena for man's greatest dream.''
  
⚫
:In a story forever lost to history, Commander George Samuel Kirk must command the unfinished USS ''Enterprise'' NCC-1701 out of the Romulan Neutral Zone.
  
   
−
==Summary==
 +
== Summary ==
 
From the book jacket:
  
From the book jacket:
−
:''This is the story of a hero - and a moment forever lost to [[history]].''
 +
:''This is the story of a hero &ndash; and a moment forever lost to [[history]].''
   
−
:''It is a tale of [[Starfleet]]'s early days, of a time before the ''[[Star Trek]]'' we know. The story of a secret mission gone horribly wrong - and an instant in [[time]] where [[the galaxy]] stood poised on the brink of one final, destructive [[military conflicts|war]]. It is the story of [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|a ship]] since passed on into legend, and a man we know only as the father of Starfleet's greatest [[captain]].''
 +
:''It is a tale of [[Starfleet]]'s early days, of a time before the ''[[Star Trek]]'' we know. The story of a secret mission gone horribly wrong &ndash; and an instant in [[time]] where the [[Milky Way Galaxy|galaxy]] stood poised on the brink of one final, destructive [[military conflicts|war]]. It is the story of [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|a ship]] since passed on into legend, and a man we know only as the father of Starfleet's greatest [[captain]].''
   
−
:''His name is [[George Samuel Kirk|Kirk]]. [[Commander]] George Samuel Kirk. He is a warrior, born and bred to battle. Now destiny has placed the fate of a hundred innocent worlds on his shoulders.''
 +
:''His name is [[George Samuel Kirk|Kirk]]. [[Commander]] George Samuel Kirk. He is a warrior, born and bred to battle. Now destiny has placed the fate of a hundred innocent worlds on his shoulders.''
   
 
:''And put the power of the greatest [[weapon]] the galaxy has ever seen in his hands....''
  
:''And put the power of the greatest [[weapon]] the galaxy has ever seen in his hands....''
Line 66: Line 32:
 
{{review}}
  
{{review}}
   
−
===Prologue===
 +
=== Prologue ===
−
[[James T. Kirk]] has returned to his home in [[Riverside]], [[Iowa]]. The ''Enterprise'' has just returned from a mission; the [[Guardian of Forever]] sent [[Leonard H. McCoy]] to the year [[1930]], a painful scenario ending with the death of [[Edith Keeler]]. He finds a cache of letters his father wrote, nearly 25 years earlier, in his childhood posessions on the Kirk family farm.
+
[[James T. Kirk]] has returned to his home in [[Riverside]], [[Iowa]]. The ''Enterprise'' has just returned from a mission; the [[Guardian of Forever]] sent [[Leonard McCoy]] to the year [[1930]], a painful scenario ending with the death of [[Edith Keeler]]. He finds a cache of letters his father wrote, nearly 25 years earlier, in his childhood possessions on the Kirk family farm.
   
 
Shrugging off attempts by Dr. McCoy to discuss his preoccupation with the tragedy in 1930, Kirk begins to read.
  
Shrugging off attempts by Dr. McCoy to discuss his preoccupation with the tragedy in 1930, Kirk begins to read.
   
−
===Chapter 1===
 +
=== Chapter 1 ===
 
[[Commander]] George Kirk is the [[security chief]] on [[Starbase 2]]. The year is [[2243]]. While writing to his sons, Kirk notices trouble on the video monitor, in the public lounge area. [[Lieutenant]] Francis Drake Reed is in trouble, having attempted to hustle some players at the pool table. Kirk rescues him, and the two split Reed's loot, and discuss Kirk's letters to home.
  
[[Commander]] George Kirk is the [[security chief]] on [[Starbase 2]]. The year is [[2243]]. While writing to his sons, Kirk notices trouble on the video monitor, in the public lounge area. [[Lieutenant]] Francis Drake Reed is in trouble, having attempted to hustle some players at the pool table. Kirk rescues him, and the two split Reed's loot, and discuss Kirk's letters to home.
   
 
Commander Kirk regrets missing his young son Jimmy's upcoming tenth birthday. Reed, a West Indian creole with a quizzical manner, taunts Kirk for writing paper letters to his boys.
  
Commander Kirk regrets missing his young son Jimmy's upcoming tenth birthday. Reed, a West Indian creole with a quizzical manner, taunts Kirk for writing paper letters to his boys.
   
−
Suddenly, the two are jumped by a woman in a surgical mask, rendering them unconcious with cloths moistened with a powerful sedative. <!--
 +
Suddenly, the two are jumped by a woman in a surgical mask, rendering them unconscious with cloths moistened with a powerful sedative. <!--
   
 
===Chapter 2===
  
===Chapter 2===
 
''FURTHER SUMMARY GOES HERE'' -->
  
''FURTHER SUMMARY GOES HERE'' -->
   
−
===Hope and a Common Future===
 +
=== Hope and a Common Future ===
−
Nine years after the events of the ''Rosenberg'' rescue, Captain April makes an address to the [[UFP]] general assembly, announcing his retirement from command of the Starship Program. He mentions that there are now five [[Constitution class|''Constitution''-class]] starships in the fleet, with seven more under construction. He lists the examples of [[USS Potemkin (NCC-1657)|''Potemkin'']], [[USS Farragut (23rd century)|''Farragut'']] and [[USS Excalibur (Constitution class)|''Excalibur'']], mentioning that the military sounding names are overridden by the class name, taken from the [[United States Constitution]], speaking to the aim of creating "domestic tranquility while providing for the common defense" -- of ''all'' [[lifeform]]s. He announces passing on command of ''Enterprise'' to [[Christopher Pike]].
 +
Nine years after the events of the ''Rosenberg'' rescue, Captain [[Robert April]] makes an address to the [[UFP]] general assembly, announcing his retirement from command of the Starship Program. He mentions that there are now five {{class|Constitution}} starships in the fleet, with seven more under construction. He lists the examples of {{USS|Potemkin|NCC-1657}}, {{USS|Farragut|23rd century}} and {{USS|Excalibur|NCC-1664}}, mentioning that the military sounding names are overridden by the class name, taken from the [[United States Constitution]], speaking to the aim of creating "domestic tranquility while providing for the common defense" &ndash; of ''all'' [[lifeform]]s. He announces passing on command of ''Enterprise'' to [[Christopher Pike]].
   
−
===Epilogue===
 +
=== Epilogue ===
 
The epilogue lists the aftermath of the incident in the Zone and the fate of those involved. No log was ever filed or discussed relating to an encounter with Romulans. As far as Starfleet is concerned, there was no contact made by the unnamed starship on a mission to rescue SS ''Rosenberg''
  
The epilogue lists the aftermath of the incident in the Zone and the fate of those involved. No log was ever filed or discussed relating to an encounter with Romulans. As far as Starfleet is concerned, there was no contact made by the unnamed starship on a mission to rescue SS ''Rosenberg''
   
−
T'Cael takes to a life as a [[human]], in disguise as "Cale Sandorsen," a statesman who ends up setting many precedents and making detailed recommendations for Federation [[first contact]] procedures and [[ambassador]]ial ethics between races.
 +
T'Cael takes to a life as a [[Human]], in disguise as "Cale Sandorsen," a statesman who ends up setting many precedents and making detailed recommendations for Federation [[First Contact]] procedures and [[ambassador]]ial ethics between races.
   
 
George Kirk is assigned as Sandorsen's security chief, allowing him to spend more time near [[Earth]] with his family. Shortly after Jim Kirk becomes a junior [[midshipman]] at [[Starfleet Academy]], the ship George and Sandorsen are on vanishes with no trace on a diplomatic assignment.
  
George Kirk is assigned as Sandorsen's security chief, allowing him to spend more time near [[Earth]] with his family. Shortly after Jim Kirk becomes a junior [[midshipman]] at [[Starfleet Academy]], the ship George and Sandorsen are on vanishes with no trace on a diplomatic assignment.
   
  ⚫
== Background information ==
−
===Continuation===
  
  ⚫
* The full cover artwork to "Final Frontier" (as seen in the inside front cover of the original paperback release) depicts five main characters ([[James Kirk]], George Kirk, T'Cael, [[Robert April]] and [[Sarah April]]) as well as two "fly-by" shots of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}}. However, the front cover's large text limited the duplicated art to the depictions of [[James Kirk]], George Kirk and T'Cael. The "front cover" shot of the ''Enterprise'' is actually the picture from the inside front cover shown thanks to a "cutaway" top corner of the front cover. (Some later paperback and "book club" hardcover printings show this version of the front cover as a single piece with no cutaway or inside artwork.)
⚫
A second George Kirk story came from author [[Diane Carey]] three years later -- the hardcover novel [[Best Destiny]].
  
  +
*The both flyby shots of the Enterprise seems to have the nacelle struts emerging from the ship where they emerge on the refit Enterprise of the movies and not the TV series.
  +
* The picture of George Kirk on the cover bears a noticeable resemblance to [[Chris Hemsworth]], who two decades later would play the character in {{film|11}}. This is, of course, a coincidence, as Hemsworth was only four years old at the time of the novel's release.
  ⚫
* The framing sequence of this story is a series of events occurring shortly after {{TOS|The City on the Edge of Forever}}.
  ⚫
* The dating scheme of this novel is based on the ''[[Spaceflight Chronology]]'' rather than the ''[[Star Trek Chronology]]'' by [[Michael Okuda]]. Dates corrected for [[canon]] are linked in this article. The book had an original start date for the past sequences, around 10 May, [[2183]] &ndash; but later ''Trek'' [[canon]] has established the ''Enterprise'' was commissioned in the [[2240s]], not the [[2180s]] as the earlier ''Chronology'' assumed. The date of 10 May is also questionable, since later works generally treat Kirk's birthday as being in March. The relationships of time still make sense with the new dating system &ndash; Kirk was born in [[2233]], so his tenth birthday in 2243 fits as being within a few years of the as-yet-unnamed ''Enterprise''{{'}}s commissioning in [[2245]] &ndash; and also falls about 25 years before the events of {{e|The City on the Edge of Forever}}, in [[2267]] &ndash; just as the novel notes. April's farewell address on 2 October (Given date 2192, or nine years after the events in the Zone), would probably take place in [[2252]] &ndash; a logical date for Pike to be taking command of ''Enterprise''.
  ⚫
* There are mentions of George and Lt. Reed, in 2243, wearing red [[Starfleet uniform]]s. Since the dominant uniform style has only beige, gold, and blue tunics in "The Cage," circa [[2254]], we must assume that a previous uniform style is in effect where the [[operations division]] wears red, as they did in the [[22nd century]] [[Earth]] [[Starfleet]].
  ⚫
* The [[audio]]book adaptation was performed by [[James Doohan]] and [[Leonard Nimoy]], and was released on cassette and as part of the ''[[Star Trek 25th Anniversary Audio Collection]]'' CD set.
  ⚫
* A second George Kirk story came from author [[Diane Carey]] three years later &ndash; the hardcover novel ''[[Best Destiny]]''.
  ⚫
* The repercussions of this story have plot ties to several early [[TOS]] and [[TAS]] episodes {{e|The Cage}}, {{e|Balance of Terror}}, and {{e|The Counter-Clock Incident}}.
  +
=== Cover gallery ===
  +
<gallery>
  +
File:Final Frontier.jpg|Inside cover art
  +
File:STFinalFrontierAudio.jpg|Audiobook cover
  +
</gallery>
   
  ⚫
=== Characters ===
⚫
The repercussions of this story seem to have plot ties to several early [[TOS]] and [[TAS]] episodes:
  
  ⚫
==== 2267 ====
−
* "[[The Cage]]"
  
  ⚫
[[File:Edith Keeler and Jim Kirk.jpg|thumb|Edith Keeler and Jim Kirk. ({{TOS|The City on the Edge of Forever}})]]
−
* "[[Balance of Terror]]"
  
−
* "[[The Counter-Clock Incident]]" <!--
  
−  
−
==Memorable quotes==
  
−
QUOTES -->
  
−  
⚫
==Background==
  
⚫
* The full cover artwork to "Final Frontier" (as seen in the inside front cover of the original paperback release and depicted above as the center picture) depicts five main characters ([[James Kirk]], George Kirk, T'Cael, [[Robert April]] and [[Sarah April]]) as well as two "fly-by" shots of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|''Enterprise'']]. However, the front cover's large text limited the duplicated art to the depictions of [[James Kirk]], George Kirk and T'Cael. The "front cover" shot of the ''Enterprise'' is actually the picture from the inside front cove shown thanks to a "cutaway" top corner of the front cover. (Some later paperback and "book club" hardcover printings show this version of the front cover as a single piece with no cutaway or inside artwork.)
  
−  
⚫
* The framing sequence of this story is a series of events occurring shortly after [[TOS]]:"[[The City on the Edge of Forever]]."
  
−  
⚫
* The dating scheme of this novel is based on the ''[[Spaceflight Chronology]]'' rather than the ''[[Star Trek Chronology]]'' by [[Michael Okuda]]. Dates corrected for [[canon]] are linked in this article. The book had an original start date for the past sequences, around 10 May, [[2183]] -- but later ''Trek'' [[canon]] has established the ''Enterprise'' was commissioned in the [[2240s]], not the [[2180s]] as the earlier ''Chronology'' assumed. The date of 10 May is also questionable, since later works generally treat Kirk's birthday as being in March. The relationships of time still make sense with the new dating system -- Kirk was born in [[2233]], so his tenth birthday in 2243 fits as being within a few years of the as-yet-unnamed ''Enterprise''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> commissioning in [[2245]] -- and also falls about 25 years before the events of "City on the Edge of Forever," in [[2267]] -- just as the novel notes. April's farewell address on 2 October (Given date 2192, or nine years after the events in the Zone), would probably take place in [[2252]] -- a logical date for Pike to be taking command of ''Enterprise''.
  
−  
⚫
* There are mentions of George and Lt. Reed, in 2243, wearing red [[Starfleet uniform]]s. Since the dominant uniform style has only beige, gold, and blue tunics in "The Cage," circa [[2254]], we must assume that a previous uniform style is in effect where the [[operations division]] wears red, as they did in the [[22nd century]] [[Earth Starfleet]].
  
−  
⚫
* The [[audio]]book adaptation was performed by [[James Doohan]] and [[Leonard Nimoy]], and was released on cassette and as part of the [[Star Trek 25th Anniversary Audio Collection]] CD set.
  
−  
⚫
==Characters==
  
⚫
===2267===
  
⚫
[[Image:Edith Keeler and Jim Kirk.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Edith Keeler and Jim Kirk. ''({{TOS|The City on the Edge of Forever}})'']]
  
 
;[[James T. Kirk]] : Captain of the ''Enterprise'' in [[2266]]. In [[2243]], he was a young boy approaching his 10th birthday, reading letters of his father's exploits in Starfleet. One of the promises young Jimmy's father made to him was that he would find out what his middle initial stood for.
  
;[[James T. Kirk]] : Captain of the ''Enterprise'' in [[2266]]. In [[2243]], he was a young boy approaching his 10th birthday, reading letters of his father's exploits in Starfleet. One of the promises young Jimmy's father made to him was that he would find out what his middle initial stood for.
−
::''The story lists Kirk as approaching his tenth birthday while the ''Enterprise'' is undergoing [[prototype]] shakedown testing -- this indicates a date of 2243, two years before the ship would be commissioned.''
 +
::''The story lists Kirk as approaching his tenth birthday while the ''Enterprise'' is undergoing [[prototype]] shakedown testing &nash; this indicates a date of 2243, two years before the ship would be commissioned.''
 
; [[Spock]]
  
; [[Spock]]
−
; [[Leonard H. McCoy]]
 +
; [[Leonard McCoy]]
−
; [[Uhura]]
 +
; [[Nyota Uhura|Uhura]]
 
; [[Pavel A. Chekov]]
  
; [[Pavel A. Chekov]]
 
; [[Hikaru Sulu]]
  
; [[Hikaru Sulu]]
Line 126: Line 86:
 
; [[Edith Keeler]]
  
; [[Edith Keeler]]
 
; Ron Oliver : [[Admiral]]
  
; Ron Oliver : [[Admiral]]
−
; Taroyan : [[Captain]] of [[USS Kongo|USS ''Kongo'']]
 +
; Taroyan : [[Captain]] of {{USS|Kongo}}
   
−
===2243===
 +
==== 2243 ====
−
; Kirk, George Samuel Sr. : '''George Kirk''' was [[Starfleet Security]] personnel, holding the rank of [[commander]] in 2243.
 +
;[[George Kirk|Kirk, George Samuel Sr.]] : '''George Kirk''' was [[Starfleet Security]] personnel, holding the rank of [[commander]] in 2243.
−
[[Image:Robert April, young.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Robert April. ''({{TAS|The Counter-Clock Incident}})'']]
 +
[[File:Robert April, young.jpg|thumb|Robert April. ({{TAS|The Counter-Clock Incident}})]]
 
; [[Robert April]]
  
; [[Robert April]]
−
[[Image:Sarah April, young.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Sarah. ''("The Counter-Clock Incident")'']]
 +
[[File:Sarah April, young.jpg|thumb|Sarah. ("The Counter-Clock Incident")]]
 
; [[Sarah April|Sarah Poole]]
  
; [[Sarah April|Sarah Poole]]
 
; [[George Samuel Kirk|George Samuel Kirk, Jr]]
  
; [[George Samuel Kirk|George Samuel Kirk, Jr]]
−
[[Image:Pike1.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Chris Pike. ''({{TOS|The Cage}})'']]
 +
[[File:Christopher Pike, The Cage.jpg|thumb|Chris Pike. ({{TOS|The Cage}})]]
 
; [[Christopher Pike]]
  
; [[Christopher Pike]]
 
; Francis Drake Reed : [[Lieutenant]]
  
; Francis Drake Reed : [[Lieutenant]]
Line 150: Line 110:
 
; Tr'Poll
  
; Tr'Poll
   
−
==References==
 +
=== References ===
 
[[redshirt]]; [[Romulan Star Empire]]; [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]; [[Romulan]]s
  
[[redshirt]]; [[Romulan Star Empire]]; [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]; [[Romulan]]s
−
[[Image:Enterprise(XCV-330).jpg|thumb|150px|right|USS ''Enterprise''. ''({{ENT|First Flight}})'']]
 +
[[File:Enterprise(XCV-330).jpg|thumb|USS ''Enterprise''. ({{ENT|First Flight}})]]
−
; [[USS Enterprise (XCV 330)|USS ''Enterprise'' (XCV 330)]] : Earth—warp 2?—starship.
 +
; {{USS|Enterprise|XCV 330| (XCV 330)}} : Earth&ndash;warp 2?&ndash;starship.
−
; [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'']]
 +
; {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}}
−
[[Image:Laser.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Hand laser. ''("The Cage")'']]
 +
[[File:Laser.jpg|thumb|Hand laser. ("The Cage")]]
 
;''Experience'' : Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander h'Daera
  
;''Experience'' : Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander h'Daera
 
;''Future Fire'' : Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander Tr'Poll
  
;''Future Fire'' : Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander Tr'Poll
 
; [[laser pistol]]
  
; [[laser pistol]]
−
; [[USS Kongo|USS ''Kongo'']] : [[Federation]] [[starship]] of Capt. Taroyan
 +
; {{USS|Kongo}} : [[Federation]] [[starship]] of Capt. Taroyan
−
; USS ''Patton'' : Romulan War Era [[Earth Starfleet]] ship
 +
; USS ''Patton'' : Romulan War Era [[Earth]] [[Starfleet]] ship
 
;''Raze'' : Romulan Swarm flagship of Commander Idrys, under Field Primus T'Cael Zaniidor Kilyle.
  
;''Raze'' : Romulan Swarm flagship of Commander Idrys, under Field Primus T'Cael Zaniidor Kilyle.
 
;''Raffish'' : Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander Larl
  
;''Raffish'' : Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander Larl
Line 167: Line 127:
 
;''War Thorn'' : Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander Zayn Z'ir
  
;''War Thorn'' : Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander Zayn Z'ir
   
−
===Chronology===
 +
=== Chronology ===
 
* [[2243]]
  
* [[2243]]
 
* [[2252]]
  
* [[2252]]
 
* [[2267]]
  
* [[2267]]
   
  +
== External link ==
  +
* {{mbeta|Final Frontier}}
   
  +
{{Novel nav
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{| table class="browser"
  
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|series = [[Pocket TOS]]<br />Unnumbered novels
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|-
  
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| class="previous" | Previous novel:<br />[[Strangers from the Sky]]
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|prev = ''[[Strangers from the Sky]]''
  ⚫
|next = ''[[Spock's World]]''
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| class="topic" | [[Novels]]<br />[[Pocket TOS]]
  
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}}
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| class="next" | Next novel:<br />[[Spock's World]]
  
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|} [[Category:Novels|Final Frontier]] [[Category: Audio|Final Frontier]] [[de:Die letzte Grenze]]
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[[de:Die letzte Grenze]]
  +
[[Category:Novels]]
  +
[[Category:Audiobooks]]

Revision as of 03:51, 4 April 2016

Template:Realworld

Space: Arena for man's greatest dream.

In a story forever lost to history, Commander George Samuel Kirk must command the unfinished USS Enterprise NCC-1701 out of the Romulan Neutral Zone.

Summary

From the book jacket:

This is the story of a hero – and a moment forever lost to history.
It is a tale of Starfleet's early days, of a time before the Star Trek we know. The story of a secret mission gone horribly wrong – and an instant in time where the galaxy stood poised on the brink of one final, destructive war. It is the story of a ship since passed on into legend, and a man we know only as the father of Starfleet's greatest captain.
His name is Kirk. Commander George Samuel Kirk. He is a warrior, born and bred to battle. Now destiny has placed the fate of a hundred innocent worlds on his shoulders.
And put the power of the greatest weapon the galaxy has ever seen in his hands....

Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.

Prologue

James T. Kirk has returned to his home in Riverside, Iowa. The Enterprise has just returned from a mission; the Guardian of Forever sent Leonard McCoy to the year 1930, a painful scenario ending with the death of Edith Keeler. He finds a cache of letters his father wrote, nearly 25 years earlier, in his childhood possessions on the Kirk family farm.

Shrugging off attempts by Dr. McCoy to discuss his preoccupation with the tragedy in 1930, Kirk begins to read.

Chapter 1

Commander George Kirk is the security chief on Starbase 2. The year is 2243. While writing to his sons, Kirk notices trouble on the video monitor, in the public lounge area. Lieutenant Francis Drake Reed is in trouble, having attempted to hustle some players at the pool table. Kirk rescues him, and the two split Reed's loot, and discuss Kirk's letters to home.

Commander Kirk regrets missing his young son Jimmy's upcoming tenth birthday. Reed, a West Indian creole with a quizzical manner, taunts Kirk for writing paper letters to his boys.

Suddenly, the two are jumped by a woman in a surgical mask, rendering them unconscious with cloths moistened with a powerful sedative.

Hope and a Common Future

Nine years after the events of the Rosenberg rescue, Captain Robert April makes an address to the UFP general assembly, announcing his retirement from command of the Starship Program. He mentions that there are now five Constitution-class starships in the fleet, with seven more under construction. He lists the examples of USS Potemkin, USS Farragut and USS Excalibur, mentioning that the military sounding names are overridden by the class name, taken from the United States Constitution, speaking to the aim of creating "domestic tranquility while providing for the common defense" – of all lifeforms. He announces passing on command of Enterprise to Christopher Pike.

Epilogue

The epilogue lists the aftermath of the incident in the Zone and the fate of those involved. No log was ever filed or discussed relating to an encounter with Romulans. As far as Starfleet is concerned, there was no contact made by the unnamed starship on a mission to rescue SS Rosenberg

T'Cael takes to a life as a Human, in disguise as "Cale Sandorsen," a statesman who ends up setting many precedents and making detailed recommendations for Federation First Contact procedures and ambassadorial ethics between races.

George Kirk is assigned as Sandorsen's security chief, allowing him to spend more time near Earth with his family. Shortly after Jim Kirk becomes a junior midshipman at Starfleet Academy, the ship George and Sandorsen are on vanishes with no trace on a diplomatic assignment.

Background information

  • The full cover artwork to "Final Frontier" (as seen in the inside front cover of the original paperback release) depicts five main characters (James Kirk, George Kirk, T'Cael, Robert April and Sarah April) as well as two "fly-by" shots of the USS Enterprise. However, the front cover's large text limited the duplicated art to the depictions of James Kirk, George Kirk and T'Cael. The "front cover" shot of the Enterprise is actually the picture from the inside front cover shown thanks to a "cutaway" top corner of the front cover. (Some later paperback and "book club" hardcover printings show this version of the front cover as a single piece with no cutaway or inside artwork.)
  • The both flyby shots of the Enterprise seems to have the nacelle struts emerging from the ship where they emerge on the refit Enterprise of the movies and not the TV series.
  • The picture of George Kirk on the cover bears a noticeable resemblance to Chris Hemsworth, who two decades later would play the character in Star Trek. This is, of course, a coincidence, as Hemsworth was only four years old at the time of the novel's release.
  • The framing sequence of this story is a series of events occurring shortly after TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever".
  • The dating scheme of this novel is based on the Spaceflight Chronology rather than the Star Trek Chronology by Michael Okuda. Dates corrected for canon are linked in this article. The book had an original start date for the past sequences, around 10 May, 2183 – but later Trek canon has established the Enterprise was commissioned in the 2240s, not the 2180s as the earlier Chronology assumed. The date of 10 May is also questionable, since later works generally treat Kirk's birthday as being in March. The relationships of time still make sense with the new dating system – Kirk was born in 2233, so his tenth birthday in 2243 fits as being within a few years of the as-yet-unnamed Enterprise's commissioning in 2245 – and also falls about 25 years before the events of "The City on the Edge of Forever", in 2267 – just as the novel notes. April's farewell address on 2 October (Given date 2192, or nine years after the events in the Zone), would probably take place in 2252 – a logical date for Pike to be taking command of Enterprise.
  • There are mentions of George and Lt. Reed, in 2243, wearing red Starfleet uniforms. Since the dominant uniform style has only beige, gold, and blue tunics in "The Cage," circa 2254, we must assume that a previous uniform style is in effect where the operations division wears red, as they did in the 22nd century Earth Starfleet.
  • The audiobook adaptation was performed by James Doohan and Leonard Nimoy, and was released on cassette and as part of the Star Trek 25th Anniversary Audio Collection CD set.
  • A second George Kirk story came from author Diane Carey three years later – the hardcover novel Best Destiny.
  • The repercussions of this story have plot ties to several early TOS and TAS episodes "The Cage", "Balance of Terror", and "The Counter-Clock Incident".

Cover gallery

Characters

2267

Edith Keeler and Jim Kirk

Edith Keeler and Jim Kirk. (TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever")

James T. Kirk
Captain of the Enterprise in 2266. In 2243, he was a young boy approaching his 10th birthday, reading letters of his father's exploits in Starfleet. One of the promises young Jimmy's father made to him was that he would find out what his middle initial stood for.
The story lists Kirk as approaching his tenth birthday while the Enterprise is undergoing prototype shakedown testing &nash; this indicates a date of 2243, two years before the ship would be commissioned.
Spock
Leonard McCoy
Uhura
Pavel A. Chekov
Hikaru Sulu
Montgomery Scott
Edith Keeler
Ron Oliver
Admiral
Taroyan
Captain of USS Kongo

2243

Kirk, George Samuel Sr.
George Kirk was Starfleet Security personnel, holding the rank of commander in 2243.
Robert April, young

Robert April. (TAS: "The Counter-Clock Incident")

Robert April
Sarah April, young

Sarah. ("The Counter-Clock Incident")

Sarah Poole
George Samuel Kirk, Jr
File:Christopher Pike, The Cage.jpg

Chris Pike. (TOS: "The Cage")

Christopher Pike
Francis Drake Reed
Lieutenant
George Samuel Kirk, Jr.
Winona Kirk
"Scratch" Jones
Anita Zagaroli
Captain of SS Rosenberg
Idrys
T'Cael Zaniidor Kilyle
Zayn Z'ir
Larl
H'kuyu
h'Daera
Tr'Poll

References

redshirt; Romulan Star Empire; Romulan Neutral Zone; Romulans

File:Enterprise(XCV-330).jpg

USS Enterprise. (ENT: "First Flight")

USS Enterprise (XCV 330)
Earth–warp 2?–starship.
USS Enterprise
Laser

Hand laser. ("The Cage")

Experience
Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander h'Daera
Future Fire
Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander Tr'Poll
laser pistol
USS Kongo
Federation starship of Capt. Taroyan
USS Patton
Romulan War Era Earth Starfleet ship
Raze
Romulan Swarm flagship of Commander Idrys, under Field Primus T'Cael Zaniidor Kilyle.
Raffish
Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander Larl
SS Rosenberg
Seidman-class colony ship of Capt. Anita Zagaroli
Soar
Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander H'kuyu
War Thorn
Romulan Swarm patrol ship of Commander Zayn Z'ir

Chronology

External link


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