"Prior Claim" was the third issue in the four-part TNG miniseries The Modala Imperative. Released by DC Comics in August 1991, it was collected in an omnibus in October 1992. This story was written by Peter David and drawn by Pablo Marcos.
Summary
- Captain's log, stardate 44397.7, First Officer Riker reporting.
- The Enterprise is answering a distress call from the freighter Tornado, which has come under attack by person or persons unknown. We are on our way to render assistance. We have left the Captain, Counselor Troi, Admiral McCoy and Ambassador Spock on Modala so as not to interrupt their 100th anniversary celebrations but intend to return to them at our soonest opportunity.
Tran reiterates that Modala belongs to the Ferengi according to their law of sticking to a deal, laughing at Captain Jean-Luc Picard's point that the deal violated Federation law. Like a sniper, Owz shoots at the invading soldiers from above, creating an opening for the away team and Stroyka to escape and for the crowd to flee in a panicked stampede. Tran beams down reinforcements that shoot back at Owz, with debris raining down on the crowd, and a large brick concusses Picard. Subcommander Krag is about to capture Picard when Krag suddenly falls unconscious, a victim to Spock's Vulcan nerve pinch. Spock carries Picard to safety, with Owz leading them into disused sewer tunnels under the city.
Tran is furious about the escape, as the whole point of disabling the freighter and diverting the Enterprise was so that they could have hostages in hand. Krag presents Troi and McCoy as prisoners, but Tran is not impressed, particularly when he realizes Troi is the daughter of Lwaxana Troi, of whom he'd heard Picard was besmitten. Krag insists that this is to their advantage, and the prisoners are secured in holding cells in the city's justice building.
While Owz's group sneaks into the justice building, Stroyka leads Spock and Picard through tunnels to the lower levels of the building. They shoot their way through a wall, but the blast is too loud, and they come upon Troi and McCoy being held at gunpoint.
References
Characters
- Beverly Crusher • Data • Krag • Lacey • Geordi La Forge • Leonard McCoy • Owz • Jean-Luc Picard • William T. Riker • Spock • Stroyka • Tran • Deanna Troi • Worf
- Referenced only
- Lwaxana Troi
Starships and vehicles
- aircar • USS Enterprise-D (Galaxy-class) • Tornado (freighter)
Locations
- Modala
- Referenced only
- Qapmoc
Races and cultures
States and organizations
- Federation • Krisaia • Starfleet
Science and classification
- android • computer • cudgel • distress call • energy whip • phaser rifle • transporter • tricorder • weapon
Ranks and titles
- admiral • ambassador • captain • commander • counselor • daimon • first officer • guard • hostage • officer
Other references
- away team • bridge • captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) • century • concussion • diplomacy • emotion • Federation law • Federation Starfleet ranks (2360s-2370s) • hour • law • lifeform • log entry • logic • minute • sewer • ship's log • Starfleet uniform (2366-2373) • trial • Vulcan nerve pinch • warp factor (warp six • warp nine) • water
Appendices
Background
The exterior of Tornado was drawn like a shuttlecraft, rather than as a freighter carrying so much cargo that it would take substantial time to move it over to the Enterprise.
Images
Connections
Timeline
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous comic: Lies and Legends! |
TNG comics The Modala Imperative |
Next comic: Game, Set and Match! |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: Lies and Legends! |
DC Comics Timeline | Next adventure: Game, Set and Match! |
| Previous adventure: Lies and Legends! |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: Game, Set and Match! |
External links
- Prior Claim article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.