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To Defy Fate is a Star Trek: Picard novel by Dayton Ward, published by Gallery Books on 28 April 2026.

Description

"Those are Romulan ships."

"This is Admiral Pulaski. All hands, report to evacuation stations. Repeat, all hands to evacuation stations. The main power core has been damaged and will go critical in less than five minutes. Get to your escape pods immediately." A new round of weapons fire punctuated the admiral’s order, and this time the entire station seemed to protest the latest attack.

Musiker said, "We need to get out of here." She held up her wrist so the others could see her compensator bracelet. "It’s a safe bet we can’t operate an escape pod or shuttle like this."

As if in response to her comment, she heard the sound of rushing air as a circular portal of white light spun into existence before them, its boundary defined by trails of blue-black smoke. A familiar and welcome figure appeared in the new opening.

"Come on," said Wesley Crusher, waving for them to accompany him.

"Wesley," said Picard. "What’s happened?"

The other man repeated his gesture. "There’s no time. Come on!"

His mother was the first to join him, followed by Musiker. Glancing over her shoulder, she caught sight of Picard giving the Romulan ships one last look before she grabbed his arm. "JL, let’s go!"

Pulling her with him, Musiker stepped through the portal and into the light.

Summary

Quatation

USS Enterprise — NCC-1701-D stardate 41263.3, Earth year 2364

Prologue

USS Enterprise — NCC-1701-D stardate 47755.3, Earth year 2370

Chapter 1

Elsewhere…

Chapter 2

Agua Dulce, California stardate 78248.5, Earth year 2401

Chapter 3

Los Angeles, Earth

Chapter 4

McKinley Station, Earth

Chapter 5–6

Starfleet Medical Annex, near Jupiter stardate 78249.3, Earth year 2401

Chapter 7

Elsewhere…

Chapter 8

Starfleet Medical Annex, near Jupiter, Earth year 2401

Chapter 9

Elsewhere, Elsewhen…

Chapter 10

Starfleet Medical Annex, near Jupiter, Earth year 2401

References

Characters

Beverly Crusher • Wesley Crusher • Garak • Guinan • Edward Jellico • Likara • Mestral • Raffi Musiker • Alynna Nechayev • Jean-Luc Picard • Katherine Pulaski • Seven of Nine • Elizabeth Shelby • Benjamin Sisko • Kore Soong • The Traveler • Tropp • Vreenak • Tasha Yar

Referenced only

Vadic

Starships and vehicles

USS Enterprise-D (Galaxy-class explorer) • USS Titan-A/USS Enterprise-G (Constitution III-class cruiser) • Romulan starships

Locations

the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrant

• the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant
  • Deep Space 9 (Denorios Belt, Bajor system, Bajor sector, Beta Ursae sector block)
  • Earth (Sol star system, sector 001, treaty boundary quadrant zero)
    • Agua Dulce
    • 10 Forward Street, Los Angeles, California

Referenced only

Bajor

Races and cultures

Borg • Human • Romulan

Referenced only

Bajoran • Changeling

States and organizations

Federation • Starfleet

Referenced only

Dominion

Science and classification

astronomy • biology • cartography • communications • matter • measurement • technology

Astronomy

galaxy • planet • quadrant • space • star • star system • time • universe • portal • light

Biology

lifeform • medicine

Lifeforms

humanoid

Materials and substances

air • atmosphere • gas • liquid • metal • smoke • solid

Cartography and measurement

century • day • minute • quadrant • timeline • year

Technology and weapons

compensator bracelet • shuttlecraft • starship • evacuation station • power core • escape pod • space station

Occupations and titles

admiral • captain • command division • commander • crew • doctor • engineer • ensign • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2270s-2350s) • Federation Starfleet ranks (2350s-2360s) • Federation Starfleet ranks (2360s-2370s) • Federation Starfleet ranks (2386-2400s) • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • lieutenant JG • medic • operations division • physician • officer • rank • sciences division • scientist

Other references

alternate reality • boot • clothing • Dominion War • emotion • government • hair • Kelvin timeline • races and cultures • science • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2278-2350s) • Starfleet uniform (2350s-2366) • Starfleet uniform (2366-2373) • Starfleet uniform (2400s) • state • title • uniform

Chronology

24th century

• 2340s decade:
  • 2344
  • 2345
• 2360s decade:
  • 2364
  • 2366
• 2370s decade:
  • 2370
  • 2373
  • 2379
• 2380s decade:
  • 2381
  • 2387

25th century

• 2400s decade:
  • 2401

Appendices

Related media

• Star Trek: Coda
• TNG episode: "Where No One Has Gone Before"
• TNG episode: "Yesterday's Enterprise"
• TNG episodes: "The Best of Both Worlds", "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"
• TNG episode: "Journey's End"
• DS9 episode: "In the Pale Moonlight"
• PIC episode: "The Last Generation"

Images

Connections

Star Trek: Picard (PIC)
episodes	season 1	"Remembrance" • "Maps and Legends" • "The End is the Beginning" • "Absolute Candor" • "Stardust City Rag" • "The Impossible Box" • "Nepenthe" • "Broken Pieces" • "Et in Arcadia Ego"
	season 2	"The Star Gazer" • "Penance" • "Assimilation" • "Watcher" • "Fly Me to the Moon" • "Two of One" • "Monsters" • "Mercy" • "Hide and Seek" • "Farewell"
	season 3	"The Next Generation" • "Disengage" • "Seventeen Seconds" • "No Win Scenario" • "Imposters" • "The Bounty" • "Dominion" • "Surrender" • "Võx" • "The Last Generation"
prose (novels)		The Last Best Hope • The Dark Veil • Rogue Elements • Second Self • Firewall • To Defy Fate
comics		Picard: Countdown ("Issue 1" • "Issue 2" • "Issue 3") • Picard: Stargazer ("Issue 1" • "Issue 2" • "Issue 3")
short stories		"Jack of Diamonds" • "Confirmation Bias" • "Freeblade"
roleplay modules		Children of the Wolf • Synthetic Diplomacy
audio originals		No Man's Land

Timeline

published order
Previous novel: Firewall	Picard unnumbered novels	Next novel: latest in series
chronological order
Previous Adventure: The Last Generation	Life and times of Jean-Luc Picard	Next Adventure: latest in series

External link

• To Defy Fate article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.