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Living Memory is a TOS novel, written by Christopher L. Bennett. It was published in June 2021.

Description

While attempting to settle in as commandant of Starfleet Academy, Admiral James T. Kirk must suddenly contend with the controversial, turbulent integration of an alien warrior caste into the student body—and quickly becomes embroiled in conflict when the Academy controversy escalates to murder. Meanwhile, Captain Spock of the USS Enterprise and Commander Pavel Chekov of the USS Reliant are investigating a series of powerful cosmic storms seemingly targeting Federation worlds—unstoppable outbursts emitting from the very fabric of space. Endeavoring to predict where the lethal storms will strike next, Spock and Chekov make the shocking discovery that the answer lies in Commander Nyota Uhura's past—one that she no longer remembers….

Summary

The Reliant witnesses a mysterious "vacuum flare" which damages a shuttle containing three Academy inductees. Initially, it is assumed to be an incredibly rare cosmic event, but then similar events start to occur within other inhabited systems, including one that strikes a city on Denobula.

The Enterprise is assigned to investigate and conclude that the flares have one odd thing in common: They are backtracking along a route the Enterprise took early in Kirk's first five-year mission, and occurring in systems where Uhura took shore leave and spent time away from the crew. The Enterprise heads out to rendezvous with her current ship, the Asimov. Kirk wants to accompany the mission but is convinced to let Spock and a cadet crew handle it.

Kirk has another problem to deal with: Starfleet Academy has recently accepted a pilot group of "Warborn", genetically engineered soldiers created by the Arcturians. Although the practice was discontinued when they joined the Federation, a batch was created during the Klingon war and have been in suspended animation ever since. Commander Rakatheema hopes that entering Starfleet will give them a purpose, but not only are the Warborn themselves torn on what they should do, but several others disagree with their presence, including a protest group led by Doctor Ashley Janith-Lau, an old friend of McCoy's, who see it as a sign that Starfleet is becoming too militarised.

Uhura and Scotty come aboard the Enterprise but Uhura has no memory of the shore leaves, which occurred before her mind was erased by Nomad. To try and find answers, she has her first meaningful meeting with her family in twelve years. Together, they realise an old friend from the Academy, Rajendra Shastri, may have some answers.

Shastri reveals Uhura thought she heard music in subspace interference and together they theorised it might have been a communication from a civilisation that existed in the moments after the big bang, sent to them through wormholes. Starfleet refused to let them pursue it, worried it would disrupt history, so they began investigating on their own. They became lovers after finally getting an answer, but Shastri was hurt when Uhura claimed not to remember him, believing she was lying, and cut contact with her. The flares are the ancient civilisation trying to make contact again and are now clustering around Earth.

Events on Earth become more complicated when Rakasheema is murdered. The first suspect is Janith-Lau, but suspicion soon falls on Portia, a Warborn who has struggled to adapt to Academy life. Suspecting the pressure group are framing her, she leads some of the Warborn cadets in taking them hostage, hoping to get a confession.

The Enterprise, with support from the Reliant, approaches the flare cluster and Uhura and Shastri are eventually able to duplicate their experiment. They receive a reply and the flare strength is diminished. The aliens transmit a long stream of information, much of it incomprehensible but of potential use in the future.

Kirk is able to convince Portia to abandon the hostage situation and McCoy and Sulu realise the DNA evidence that pointed to her also points to another Warborn, the apparently reasonable Horatio. He has convinced the other Warborn who didn't take part in the siege to commit suicide with him, feeling they have no place and that Rakasheema would have forced them to fight for the wrong cause. Portia and the other cadets are expelled and Janith-Lau takes them to a Vulcan monastery, hoping they can find a purpose.

References

Characters

Michael Ashrafi • Rem Azem-Os • Ralston Beach • Benedick • Bertram • Erin Blake • Blune • Caliban (Warborn) • Lance Cartwright • Nensi Chandra • Christine Chapel • Pavel Chekov • Molly Chu • George Chung • Daibak • Anjani Desai • Asakeph sh'Deslar • Feliki • Marar Ferat • Gon Curi • Horatio (Warborn) • Jangura • Ashley Janith-Lau • Zirani Kayros • Kexas • James T. Kirk • Kozim • Kwan • John Kyle • Lawler • Monique Ledoux • Longo • Chab jav Lorg • Lysander • Matsuda • Leonard McCoy • Merck • Morning Nectar • Harry Morrow • Jason Nadel • Omar • Portia • Rakatheema • Joel Randolph • Conrad Reppert • Rider • Rogo • Rosalind • Sarhin • Yoko Sasaki • Montgomery Scott • Rajendra Shastri • Rhenas Sherev • Margaret Song • Spock • S'rrel • Lawrence Styles • Demora Sulu • Hikaru Sulu • Sunderland • Targeemos • Tarha • Clark Terrell • Titus • T'Lara • T'Sena • T'Vari • Malcolm Uhura • M'Umbha Uhura • Nyota Uhura • Vekal • Vheman • Viola • Bianca Wilder
Referenced only
Mahmud al-Khaled • Balok • Buzzelle • Vincent DeSalle • John Gill • Grodnick • Kate • Kesh • Bendes Kettaract • Kiran • Kodos • L'Rell • Maltuvis • Nomad • Phlox • Christopher Pike • Polonius • Resthenar sh'Prenni • Peter Preston • Redjac • Jackson Roykirk • Scott Saslow • William Shakespeare • Yongnian Shen • Bryce Shumar • Simok • Sitko • Sudo • Hikaru Sulu (mirror) • Surak • Thomas • T'Lesevek • Karen Tracy • Babu Uchawi • Alhamisi Uhura • Samara Uhura • Valentine • Vandenecker • Vaneel • Varian • V'Ger • Rosemarie Yeun

Starships and vehicles

USS Amazon • Ballou • USS Enterprise (Enterprise-subclass refit Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • USS Prospero • USS Reliant (Miranda-class Reliant-subclass cruiser)
Referenced only
USS Ahriman • USS Ark Royal • USS Artemis • USS Asimov • USS Azrael • USS Essex • ISS Enterprise • USS Farragut • Georges Lemaître • Meitner • Norman Mallory • USS Potemkin • USS Sacagawea • Starbase 32 • T'Viri • USS Xuanzang

Locations

Altair system • Arcturus • Arcturus IV • Argelius II Orbital Control • Denobula Triaxa • Earth (Golden Gate Park • Lower Pacific Heights • Marin Headlands • Presidio Heights • San Francisco • Starfleet Academy • Uhuru Park • United States of Africa) • Earth Spacedock • Iota Leonis • Kaleb sector • Kappa Fornacis system • Midoren City
Referenced only
Alpha Centauri • Alpha Proxima II • Andoria • Arcturus I • Argelius II • Basel • Basel (city) • Benecia • Bright Tree • Cestus III • Ceti Alpha V • Cheron • Cygnet XIV • Delta IV • Dramia • Ekos • Kaferia • Kitui • Lantaru sector • Makerere University Hospital • Makus III • Maluria • Mantilles • Memory Alpha • Mombasa • Nairobi • Organia • Penthara IV • Procyon • Renz Verus Shipyards • Romulus • Selvidge Archive • Starbase 11 • Starbase 12 • Switzerland • Terra Nova • Vega • Vulcan (planet)

Races and cultures

Altairian • Andorian • Arcturian (Warborn) • Arbazan • Argelian • Aurelian • Caitian • Cygnian • Denobulan • Edoan • elephant • Escherite • Human • Ithenite • Jelna • Kaferian • Saurian • Tellarite • Tiburonian • Vulcan • Zaranite
Referenced only
Augment • Catullan • Cygneti • Gorn • Horta • Icorian • Kelvan • Klingon • Naazh • Organian • Orion • Pandronian • plasma being • Preservers • Rigelian • Romulan • Sagara • Spectre (species) • Xindi

States and organizations

Andorian Imperial Guard • Federation Department of Temporal Investigations • First Federation • Partnership of Civilizations • Starfleet • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Medical • Starfleet Security • Terran Empire • United Federation of Planets

Ranks and titles

admiral • aide • captain • commandant (Commandant of Starfleet Academy) • commander • commodore • doctor • lieutenant • officer • soldier • superintendent • warrior

Science and classification

clone • cosmic storm • hair • minute • planet • space • star • time • vacuum flare • week

Technology and weapons

Casimir effect • chronometer • Sword of Renz Verus • Verteron Array

Lifeforms

atlirith • Denevan neural parasite • dikironium cloud creature • humanoid • Synthococcus novae

Other references

Altair water • Battle of Cheron • Battle of Klach D'kel Brakt • buffer time • caste (warrior caste) • coffee • colony • Earth-Romulan War • Hamlet • handshake • history • jacket • Kolinahr • military • Organian Peace Treaty • student body • tea • Two Moons • uniform • vid drama • waxwork sculpture

Appendices

Images

Connections

Timeline

published order
Previous novel:
Agents of Influence 		TOS novels Next novel:
to be announced
Previous story:
The Higher Frontier 		Stories by:
Christopher L. Bennett 		Next story:
to be announced

External link