Star Trek: The Next Generation: Pliable Truths by Dayton Ward
Synopsis:
2369: Shortly after Starfleet thwarts a Cardassian attack on a Federation star system, the Cardassian government orders an end to its fifty-year occupation of the planet Bajor. As a result, a newly installed Bajoran government requests immediate assistance from the Federation to mediate how the withdrawal will proceed and what recompense, if any, Bajorans are owed from their brutal oppressors. Captain Jean-Luc Picard is ordered by Starfleet Command to oversee these tense negotiations on Terok Nor, the massive Cardassian space station still orbiting Bajor, even as he still deals with his own recent trauma as a prisoner held and tortured by a Cardassian interrogator.
As these critical peace talks get underway, Ensign Ro Laren receives a call for help from a friend thought long dead, exposing an insidious secret from inside Cardassian space. Now, Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise must act to prevent an interstellar incident from reigniting deadly hostilities between the Federation and the Cardassians, and shattering any hope of justice for the Bajoran people…
Review:
This story is set just before the Deep Space Nine series. There are multiple storylines set on both Terok Nor/Deep Space Nine and a hidden Cardassian planet, but all are easy to follow and weave a captivating web of suspense, intrigue, and drama. I loved these first interactions with Quark, Major Kira, Odo, and Garak – as well as the O’Brien family’s experience which leads them to transfer from Enterprise. But the thrilling events on the Cardassian-occupied planet made me want to read this novel in one sitting. Ward has written yet another must-read for Star Trek fans this year. With a wide array of characters and plot lines, this installment comes together in an impressive and satisfying way.