Chronology Of Written Star Trek Fiction
A timeline of Trek books, novels, and novelizations.
For more information about Star Trek books, try the official site, the Psi Phi database,
the Complete
Starfleet Library, the LCARS Book
Database or the Star
Trek Novel Rankings.
Update 1/13/2006 — Holy Zarquon! This thing hasn't
been updated in, like, forever! What's the deal???
That's a fair question.
See, here's the thing... I've actually been quite busy doing
Timeline research over the last year. As I had previously
mentioned, a few years ago I was given a fantastic offer to join
the group affectionately known as the "Pocket Books
Timeliners." These are the guys who provided the novel
timeline first printed in Mary P. Taylor's trade paperback Adventures
In Time And Space, and then again in Gateways:
What Lay Beyond. I came on board just as the second
edition was being submitted for publication, so up until now I
hadn't really played a role in any of the published versions,
though as a group we continued to painstakingly research the
inter-novel continuity and maintain a primary document for
reference.
Lo and behold, early in 2005 Pocket's senior Trek editor Marco
Palmieri informed us that our services would again be
welcomed. Pocket had greenlighted a reference book that would
come to be titled Voyages
of Imagination: The Definitive Star Trek Fiction Companion,
and the author Jeff Ayres had specifically asked that an updated
edition of our timeline be included as an appendix. We decided to
take the opportunity to radically reform the basic structure of
the document, improving the readability, adding footnotes and,
most importantly, breaking out all of the "secondary"
entries (backstories, flashbacks, time-travel segments, etc.)
into their proper chronological locations. The end result was a
very useful reference which, in my opinion, incorporates many of
the better qualities from my own web-based timeline. Voyages
of Imagination is currently slated for publication
in October of 2006.
So now the ten bazillion-dollar question is... where does this
leave my own timeline? Let me be clear that no one at Paramount
or Pocket Books has asked me to take it down (at least not yet).
But I do have to consider the wisdom of promoting a book that
contains all of this information while I'm still sharing it
freely on the Internet. Granted, this timeline still has some
fundamental differences of interpretation with the one in the
book. But many of those differences are slowly disappearing, in
no small part due to my own influence. Furthermore, given that
the fiction published over the last fifteen years or so has been
using the Okuda's Star
Trek Chronology as a primary reference for so many books
now, I'm beginning to grudgingly accept that the older fiction
must now be retconned to match the chronology of the new, and not
vice-versa. Which means, to put it bluntly, that my own separate
web-based timeline is rapidly losing its relevance.
For now, it remains up and running, though at the time of this
writing it hasn't been updated in over ten months. When I decide
upon its ultimate fate, I'll let everyone know on this very page.
In the meantime, place your pre-orders for Voyages
of Imagination now! It will be a stunning reference
book covering every Star Trek novel ever published. It
might possibly end up begin the coolest book ever. That's right,
order it now. There's a good lad.
- Geoff Trowbridge
Yes, I know that this file is very loooong. I
do plan to split it into more manageable chunks, just as soon as
I decide how to do it and find the time. This project is in a
continuing state of growth and evolution. Expect frequent and
sometimes radical changes! - Geoff
Trowbridge, updated 3/2/2005
The primary purpose of this project is to create a
chronological reference exclusively of the events narrated in
published Star Trek fiction. This means that only
the novels, adaptations and short stories from Pocket, Bantam and
Ballentine are to be considered as sources. (Imagine, if you will,
an alternate universe where Star Trek exists only in
published book form.) As such, inconsistencies can and will be
found with accepted canonical sources, such as the Star
Trek Chronology and the Star
Trek Encyclopedia, and with unofficial but well-established
sources in Trek fandom, such as the various Starfleet
Manuals or Goldstein's Spaceflight
Chronology. The canon of Trek history has become a
moving target, and therefore I do not by any means claim this to
be the definitive reference for the Trek fan.
I have chosen not to include the Young Adult books (with the
exception of Honor
Bound, part of the DOH
Omnibus) for a couple of reasons. First of all, I despise
the oxymoron "young adult." An adult is eighteen or
older; these books are for kids. Furthermore, I was reading
"normal" Trek novels at age twelve, and I see no reason
for otherwise outstanding authors to "dumb-down" the
stories to a point where it is difficult to envision the events
as historically valid. Note that the recently reprinted Mission
To Horatius falls into this category as well.
While the comic books have provided some interesting
background and occasionally some exceptional writing (the
original "Gold Key" comics notwithstanding), it would
be far too difficult to consolidate such a prolific series of
stories from so many different publishers. I have also opted not
to include the audio-only and eBook fiction, though if they are
ever released in print form, I will add them at that time.
Legend
- Black - events within the primary setting or framework
- Blue - events within a secondary
setting or flashback/forward
- Green - events experienced via
character time travel
- Red - events occurring in alternate
realities
- Purple - events referenced or
inferred but not narrated
Series Abbreviations
- TOS - The Original Series
- TNG - The Next Generation
- DS9 - Deep Space Nine
- VOY - Voyager
- NF - New Frontier
- ENT - Enterprise
- CT - Captain's Table
- SCE - Starfleet Corp of Engineers
It is, of course, well understood that the Star Trek
universe is constantly expanding as additional novels are
released each month. As a result, some errors of continuity will
never be adequately resolved, and the potential for future
contradictions is always present. The "official" stamp
upon the Okudas' Star
Trek Chronology further complicates matters, as future
authors will be obliged to conform to it despite the numerous
contradictions with currently published novels. In addition, the
overwhelming number of stories purported to have occurred during
the original "five-year mission" is dangerously close
to the point where we must assume that the crew never had
opportunity to eat, sleep, defecate, etc. Many readers will
simply assume that some of the stories are apocryphal, or
transpired in "alternate" universes or timelines.
For the purpose of this chronology, however, all
sources will be considered as part of a single timeline,
regardless of the inevitable problems this may create. The only
exceptions will be events that are explicitly framed in divergent
timelines (i.e., due to time travel), or events that, due to
problems that are inherently irreconcilable with accepted major
events, cannot be said to have occurred as narrated (i.e., Spock
Must Die! ). The reader may determine for themselves what, if
anything, to omit.
Also, we must accept that the entire Trek universe
exists in a timeline divergent from our own. For example, the
Eugenics Wars are purported to have occurred in the 1990s.
Obviously, this has not happened, nor were any Dixon Hill novels
written in the 1940s, nor was an orbital missle platform launched
in 1968, ad nauseum. Furthermore, in the Trek
universe, there was no man named Gene Roddenberry who launched a
mildly successful science-fiction television series in the 1960s.
The secondary (but perhaps equally important) purpose of this
project is to establish the greatest possible continuity within
the existing base of Trek fiction. The placement of each
event has been based upon specific references, either through
explicitly named dates or stated periods of time between events
for which a chronological setting had already been established.
Unavoidable contradictions have been noted. Every effort has been
made to take into account the subtle details of each novel to
assist in chronological placement. Of course, this includes any
references to events from television episodes (whether
transcribed in a novelization or not), and may even include the
given stardates as a last resort. Invariably, however, some
details will be missed that create glaring but resolvable
continuity errors, or that when properly considered may allow for
a more appropriate chronological placement. Feel free to bring
any such details or suggestions to my attention via email.
- Geoff Trowbridge
, 2/2000 (rev. 7/2005)
All dates are old Earth calendar.
c.4,000,000,000 B.C.
- The Preservers are the first of the
humanoid races to explore the galaxy. They receive a
genetically encoded hologram from Captain Jean-Luc Picard,
sent through a wormhole from four billion years in the
future. ("Reciprocity,"
Strange New Worlds II)
- A disasterous experiment with medical nanotechnology by
an unknown race results in the creation of the Borg. ("The
Beginning," Strange New Worlds VI)
Note: The time and place of Borg origins is
speculative and hotly debated. Placement here is based
primarily upon Peter David's assertion in Vendetta
that the Borg fought a war with the Preservers.
c.64,000,000 B.C.
- The Enterprise crew
witnesses the asteroid collision with prehistoric Earth,
causing the extinction of the dinosaurs. (First
Frontier - TOS#75)
c.27,800 B.C.
c.2700 B.C.
c.300 B.C.
79 B.C.
c.70 B.C.
- Stef is critically wounded in a
battle on the Ishaya plain. Prior to his death, he gives
the Ko N'ya stone to Surak, who in turn gives it to the
warrior Garamond. (The
Devil's Heart - TNG)
Note: As seen by Picard within a vision, this may be
historically unreliable. In Spock's
World , both of Surak's parents remain alive well
into his adulthood.
33 B.C.
22 B.C.
6 B.C.
- Death of Zakal the Terrible, a
Kolinahr master, on Vulcan. Nortakh continues the fight
of the Kolinahru against Surak's teachings. (The
Lost Years - Prologue)
30
60
c.500
c.578
c.830-870
c.1570
1594
1600
1746
1776
October 11
1864
1867
- Spock arrives on Earth from the
future to prevent the Klingons from altering history. (Ishmael
- TOS#23)
c.1873
- On Zondar, the prophet Ontear
leaves his writings to his student, Suti. (Martyr
- NF#5)
1889
July 21
- Arizona ranger John Dawson
discovers an ancient transporter within a Hopi ruin in
southwest Colorado. He leaves behind his Colt .45
Peacemakers on the planet Equinox. ("The
Peacemakers," Strange New Worlds V)
1929
June 19
1930
1938
October 28
- A science-fiction radio play written by Ben Russell is
broadcast. ("Captain
Proton And The Orb Of Bajor," Strange New Worlds IV)
Note: It is unlikely that this is the same Benny
Russell who worked for the magazine Incredible Tales
Of Scientific Wonder since he would only be fourteen,
did not write for radio, and did not yet have knowledge
of the Bajoran orb.
1940
July
- 16 year-old Benny Russell attends
the annual fair at Flushing Meadow, where he views a
strange orb allegedly of extraterrestrial origin. (Far
Beyond The Stars - DS9)
Note: It would appear that in Benny Russell's reality,
Star Trek is his own fictional creation. This
reality is experienced in a vision by Captain Sisko.
1942
October 26
1945
December 5
- Naval lieutenant Charles Taylor
leads a squadron of Avenger torpedo bombers on a training
mission into the Bermuda Triangle. All five planes vanish
into a spatial anomaly. ("Flight
19," Strange New Worlds IV)
1953
October
- Science fiction writer Benny
Russell pens the story of an alien space station called
"Deep Space Nine." However, due to issues of
racism, the story will not be published. (Far
Beyond The Stars - DS9)
December 14
1968
April 4
1969
July
1974
May
1984
November 1
December 2
1986
July 5
October 10
1989
November 9
1991
1992
June 14
July 10
November 5
1993
March 15
June 14
September 10
September 30
October 1
1994
February 7
April 21
August 16
October 2
November 14
1995
March 17
April 24
- The crew of the Russian aircraft
carrier Gorshkov is attacked by an alien entity. (Ghost
Ship - TNG#1)
September 5
1996
January 5
1999
2002
2003
June 21-22
- Captain John Christopher, whose
wife had left him following his abduction in 1969,
struggles with conflicting memories while in a
Massachusetts psychiatric ward, until this timeline is
eliminated by the Temporal Integrity Commission. ("Project
Blue Book," Strange New Worlds VII)
2018
2032
- Birth of Zefram Cochrane.
Note: Federation
gives the year as 2030, which contradicts the information
given in Broken
Bow and "Metamorphosis."
2045
2048
- The Icarus discovers
sentient humanoid life in the Alpha Certauri system. (Strangers
From The Sky - "Author's Foreward")
Note: The Icarus was not a sleeper ship. The 30-year
duration of its voyage is a predictable consequence of
relativistic time distortion at very high sublight speeds.
2053
May 1
2055
2058
August 9
- During a warp field test by
Cochrane's Project Phoenix, the Vanguard colony is
accidentally transported about 200 light-years from Earth.
Less than one month later, the colony is attacked by
Naussicans, who kill nearly a third of the colonists. (The
Lost Era: The Sundered - Ch. 7-8)
2060
- Aboard the John Cabal,
Zefram Cochrane demonstrates warp capability to Brack
with a fluctuation superimpellor test sled. (Federation)
2063
April 6
- Zephram Cochrane is visited by the
crew of the Enterprise-D from 300 years in the
future, who implore him to continue with his warp flight
test despite a recent attack by the Borg. Meanwhile, the Vanguard colony continues
to practice radical genetic engineering so that their
children mature faster and are better adapted to their
environment. (The
Lost Era: The Sundered - Ch. 12)
April 7
2064
March 19
- Cochrane returns from his
interstellar trip to Alpha Centauri on the Bonaventure,
arriving at Christopher's Landing on Titan. The entire
journey had taken 243 days. Shortly after his return, he
departs again to flee Adrik Thorsen.
(Federation - Ch. 1-2)
Note: The given year of 2061 is incorrect, as this
would predate Cochrane's first manned test of warp drive.
2065
- The U.N.S.S. Amity rescues a
disabled Vulcan craft within the solar system. (Strangers
From The Sky - "Author's Foreward")
Note: The text claims this to be the first encounter
with Vulcans. Either the prior contact with Zefram
Cochrane was kept secret, or else the author meant the
first offworld contact initiated by an Earth vessel. This
particular event appears to have paved the way toward
diplomatic relations.
2068
2069
December
2071
- The planet Trill is attacked by the L'Dira for refusing
an offer of trade. Lela Dax, having communicated with the
L'Dira prior to the attack, is tried for treason. T'Pau
of Vulcan pays her a visit. ("First
Steps," The Lives Of Dax)
2078
June
- Cochrane flees the aftermath of
World War III and takes up permanent residence on the
Alpha Centauri colony. (Federation)
Note: Encounter
At Farpoint speaks of the "post-atomic
horror" in 2079. Therefore, it seems that Col.
Thorsen brought about a revival of the Optimum movement
and a second nuclear war in the 2070s.
2097
- Romulan androids from the future
assassinate Dr. Palmer, thus weakening support for space
exploration and ultimately preventing the formation of
the U.F.P. The Earth will eventually join the
Interstellar Alliance of Planets, founded by Vulcan. The
Romulans refer to this timeline as "Second History."
This timeline will be
eliminated when Captain Spock and Ensign Kirk from Second
History travel back in time to foil the assassination. (Killing
Time - TOS#24)
2119
- Zefram Cochrane speaks at the
groundbreaking ceremony for the Warp 5 Complex. (Broken
Bow - ENT)
April
- At age 87, Cochrane leaves his home
on Alpha Centauri and disappears into space. (Federation
, also "Metamorphosis,"
Star Trek 7)
Note: The text gives the year as
2117, which would be before Cochrane speaks at the Warp 5
Complex.
2121
2124
2135
2140
October 5
2151
April 9
April 16
- The Earth Starfleet vessel Enterprise NX-01 is
launched with Captain Jonathan Archer in command. Sub-commander
T'Pol is the Vulcan liason and science officer. Commander
Charles Tucker is Chief Engineer. Lt. Malcolm Reed is at
Tactical, Ensign Hoshi Sato at Communications, Ensign
Travis Mayweather at Helm, and Dr. Phlox is a Denobulan
member of the Vulcan Interspecies Medical Exchange. (Broken
Bow - ENT)
- Hoshi becomes ill from nurturing an unhatched Vulcan
firebird. ("Hoshi's
Gift," Strange New Worlds V)
- (By
The Book - ENT)
- On Beta Aurigae VII, a landing party led by T'Pol
discovers archaeological evidence of the Zalkat Union,
including documentation of the four deadly artifacts of
Malkus the Mighty. (The
Brave And The Bold, Book One: Discovery)
September 10
- Aboard the Enterprise,
crewman Daniels reveals himself to be an agent fighting a
temporal cold war against the Suliban. (Shockwave
- ENT)
2152
- (What
Price Honor? - ENT)
Note: The chronological references in this story are
wildly contradictory and have been mostly ignored.
- Archer and Mayweather are held
captive at the Tandaran detention complex along with
Suliban prisoners. (Shockwave
- ENT)
- Dr. Phlox, assigned to decontaminate crewman Daniels's
quarters, attempts time travel to save Xesophia, who
drowned on Denobula twenty-eight years earlier. ("Cabin
E-14," Strange New Worlds VI)
- (Shockwave
- ENT)
- The Enterprise rescues the crew of the Lost
Moon, an Earth colony ship. ("Remnant,"
Strange New Worlds V)
- Two crewmen from the Enterprise
are murdered by the Kolyati. ("The
Shoulders Of Giants," Prologue, Strange New Worlds V)
- (Surak's
Soul - ENT)
- On the planet Druzilum, Archer acts to preserve the
martyrdom of a man destined to become a religious icon. ("Savior,"
Strange New Worlds VI)
2153
2154
- The Articles of Federation are
signed at Babel. Participants include Earth, Andor and
Rigel, but not Vulcan. Initially, this is merely an
alliance, with planetary governments still retaining all
of their sovereignty. (The
Final Reflection - TOS#16 - Part Three, also The
Abode Of Life - TOS#6 and The
Romulan Way - TOS#35 - Ch. 12)
Note: This is ninety years prior to the events of The
Final Reflection Part Three. This is described as the
"incorporation" of the U.F.P.—a term also
used in Federation to describe the events of 2161.
However, it is well established that a "Federation"
existed in some form during the First Romulan War. In Strangers
From The Sky, the date is given as 2087, which
contradicts "Metamorphosis" and Broken Bow.
- The Federation vessel U.S.S.
Carrizal makes first contact with the Rihannsu
homeworlds. They receive no reply to standard friendship
messages. The planets are designated Romulus and Remus,
and the inhabitants are called "Romulans." (Rihannsu
#2: The Romulan Way - TOS#35 - Ch. 12)
2155
August 9
- The Vanguard colony, whose
residents have now evolved into a quadruped race known as
the "Neal," falls into an interspatial rift and
emerges 210,000 light-years away, in the center of the
Small Magellanic Cloud. (The
Lost Era: The Sundered - Ch. 13)
2156
2159
- Romulans capture the Heisenberg in an attempt to
obtain Terran warp technology. Tobin Dax and Skon of
Vulcan reclaim the ship with the aid of a transporter
prototype. ("Dead
Man's Hand," The Lives Of Dax)
2160
- The First Romulan War ends with the Treaty of Algernon.
Vulcan pledges to join a new, amalgamated Federation. (Starfleet:
Year One, also Federation)
2161
- In the aftermath of the Romulan
conflict, the U.F.P. Constitution is signed and Starfleet
is commissioned as the armed services via the Paris
Charter. (Federation)
2162
- Captain Lucien Murat and the crew
of the U.S.S. Verdun are stranded on Torgu-Va
during a war with the Tarn. They and their descendants
will remain stranded for 204 years. (The
Forgotten War - TNG#57)
Note: The descendants of the Verdun claim
knowledge of the Enterprise, which obviously must
refer to the NX-01, though Riker mistakenly calls
it "Constitution-class."
2164
2169
2175
2182
- The Romulan cruiser Scorah
abducts a Reyan exploratory vessel and kills everyone
aboard. (The
Great Starship Race - TOS#67)
Note: Though this occurs in the interim after the
Romulan War, the text indicates that the Romulans view
the war as ongoing. This is not surprising, given that
the Romulans continued to build and mobilize their forces
during peacetime.
2204
2214
- Following twenty-five years of
continuing hostility, the Romulan Neutral Zone is
established by the Treaty of Trianguli, negotiated via
subspace without any representatives ever meeting face-to-face.
No contact will occur between the races for the next
fifty years. (Rihannsu
#2: The Romulan
Way -
TOS#35 - Ch. 12, also "Balance
Of Terror," Star Trek 1)
Note: Blish's novelization of "Balance Of Terror"
contradicts the teleplay, which states that over a
century had passed since the war. Duane's novel follows
Blish's record of events, including the assertion that
the conflict lasted 25 years. Therefore, we must assume
that a protracted conflict resumed following the major
war and was not conclusively resolved until this time.
Negotiation of the treaty was urged by "Ambassador"
Sarek. Though not yet Ambassador Plenipotentiary,
according to Spock's
World he was likely posted to the Vulcan Embassy
at this time.
2218
- The U.S.S. Sentry meets with
the Klingon vessel IKV Devisor. (The
Final Reflection - TOS#16, also Federation)
Note: Described as "first
contact" between the U.F.P. and the Klingon empire.
This may be the first formal contact with the Federation,
although Broken Bow establishes that Klingons had
contact with Terrans prior to the founding of the U.F.P.
One may assume that this is the incident that touched off
fifty years of hostilities according to "Day Of The
Dove."
2219
2223
2226
- Birth of Leonard H. (E.) McCoy.
2228
- Sarek returns to Vulcan following
an extended internship as a cultural attaché on Earth
and is appointed Ambassador Plenipotentiary to the U.F.P.
Shortly thereafter, he meets Amanda Greyson. (Spock's
World - Vulcan Seven)
Note: The year is given as 2212, and the length of
Sarek's stay on Earth is said to have been 50 years. Both
are problematic.
2229
June
Sept. 16
2231
November 12
December
2233
- A secret faction within the Klingon
Empire attempts to forge a treaty with the Romulans. Once
discovered, Vrenn Khemara assumes a new identity (Krenn)
to avoid assassination. (The
Final Reflection - TOS#16 - Part One)
Note: This takes place six years prior to Part Two.
Considering that these events are all framed within a
novel read by Kirk, they may be apocryphal.
- Birth of James Tiberius Kirk.
2236
2237
Dec. 7
- Young Spock runs away from home. (Sarek-
Ch. 6)
Note: The story is internally inconsistent, giving
Spock's age here as seven. (Perhaps in Vulcan years?)
- An adult Spock arrives from the
future to prevent his own death. ("Yesteryear,"
Star Trek Log 1)
2240
- Upon developing dilithium-focused
warp drive, Captain Krenn sutai-Rustazh serves as the
first Klingon ambassador to the U.F.P. in the 22 years
since "first contact." While on Earth, he plays
a game of chess with young Spock, age eight. (The
Final Reflection - TOS#16 - Part Two)
2243
- The Federation's first starship,
the U.S.S. Enterprise, is secretly commissioned
early to rescue colonists stranded aboard the Rosenberg.
Captain Robert April commands the mission, accompanied by
George S. Kirk, Security Chief of Starbase Two and father
of George Jr. and James (age ten). Wishing to avoid yet
another major war, Field Primus t'Cael Zaniidor Kilyle
helps April to escape from Romulan space. (Final
Frontier)
Note: A letter from George Sr. to his children is
dated May 10, 2183—obviously a little off the mark.
2244
2245
2246
October 10
2247
- Spock, along with a group of Vulcan
and human students, is taken hostage by Sered, a Romulan
sympathizer. Spock escapes with David Rabin, who will
later convince Spock to join Starfleet. (Vulcan's
Forge)
- George Kirk and his family are
forced to flee the Federation Embassy on Grex when racial
violence erupts in the streets. Due to interference from
the Janus Gate on Tlaoli IV, 14 year-old James Kirk
disappears and is replaced by his adult self from 2265. (The
Janus Gate, Book Three: Past Prologue - TOS)
2248
2249
- George Kirk Sr. allows young James,
age sixteen, to accompany him on an expedition to the
planet Faramond. They depart from the shuttle bay of the Enterprise,
where Jim Kirk meets Captain April and sets foot on the
bridge. Later, they are attacked by Roy Moss and the
pirate ship Shark, and are rescued by April. (Best
Destiny)
Note: This is 43 years before the framing story,
whereas the text claims 45 years.
2250
2251
- Kirk is awarded the Palm Leaf of
Axanar for his achievement on a peace mission following
Captain Garth of Izar's victory over the Klingons. ("Court
Martial," Star Trek 2, also "Whom
Gods Destroy," Star Trek 5)
- Ensign Spock graduates from the
Academy and serves as Assistant Science Officer on a
space cutter ship. (Vulcan's
Glory - TOS#44)
- Cadets James Kirk and Gary Mitchell
receive a commendation from Captain Bannock for their
actions during a patrol of the Klingon Neutral Zone. (My
Brother's Keeper: Republic - TOS#85)
Note: According to "Where
No Man Has Gone Before," Kirk was a lieutenant when
Mitchell joined the Academy. Friedman's story tries to
reconcile this by suggesting Kirk achieved the rank in
his second year as a student. A more reasonable solution
would be to place Mitchell's academy years a bit later.
2252
- After nine years, April announces
Christopher Richard Pike as his successor to the
captaincy of the Enterprise. (Final
Frontier - Epilogue)
2253
2254
2255
- Ensign James T. Kirk, age 22,
receives a Decoration Of Valor for his injuries sustained
while battling the pirates of Epsilon Canaris III aboard
the U.S.S. Farragut. McCoy oversees Kirk's
rehabilitation on Starbase 7, and later Kirk visits his
home on Centaurus (aka Alpha Centauri IV). McCoy's
daughter Joanna is nine years old. (Crisis
On Centaurus - TOS#28 - Ch. 3)
2256
- Spock is promoted to full Lieutenant and assigned Second
Officer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise under Captain
Pike. Lt. Montgomery Scott is assigned to Engineering. (Vulcan's
Glory - TOS#44)
- Yeoman Colt signs aboard the Enterprise. The
Federation negotiates a dilithium mining agreement with
the Eremoids. ("Conflicting
Natures," Enterprise Logs)
Note: The Enterprise is said to be only nine
years old.
- Captain Pike is captured by the
Talosians, who have incredible power to create illusion. ("The
Menagerie," Star Trek 4)
Note: According to the details
given in the televised version of "The Menagerie,"
the Talosian incident would be in 2253, while Spock's
assignment to the Enterprise would be in 2252.
However, these dates are incompatible with Spock's
service record in Vulcan's Glory .
- Pike's Enterprise makes
first contact with the Calligar after passing through a
temporal rift that opens every 33 years. (The
Rift - TOS#57 - First Contact)
- Pike backstory. (Where
Sea Meets Sky - CT#6)
- The U.S.S. Hood makes first
contact with the Rey. (The
Great Starship Race - TOS#67)
2257
2258
2259
- Kirk serves as Second Officer
aboard the Aeolus, and has a relationship with
Cecilia Simons. (Enemy
Unseen - TOS#51)
- Death of Hikaru Sulu's grandfather,
Tetsuo Inomata. Sulu survives the Kobayashi Maru scenario
by refusing to aid the distressed ship. (The
Kobayashi Maru - TOS#47)
2260
2261
2262
- While holding his three month-old
son David, Kirk informs Carol Marcus that he has been
asked to oversee the refit of the Enterprise. (The
Ashes Of Eden - Ch. 35)
Note: Several novels, including The Wrath Of Khan
and Faces Of Fire, contradict this account by
claiming that Kirk was unaware of his son. Given that
this scene is described as a dream, it may be
historically unreliable.
- Uhura serves as Jr. Communications
Officer aboard the U.S.S. Ahriman. (The
Tears Of The Singers - TOS#19)
- While serving together aboard the Lydia
Sutherland , Kirk and Mitchell are both seriously
injured in an incident at Ghioghe. (Enterprise-The
First Adventure)
- Chekov completes the Aslan training
scenario, surviving for three days in the midst of an
"assassin." (The
Kobayashi Maru - TOS#47)
2263
March
- Pike is promoted to Commodore. Just prior to his 30th
birthday, James T. Kirk is commissioned as captain of the
U.S.S. Enterprise. Commander Spock is chosen by
Starfleet to serve as First Officer over Kirk's
objections. Kirk selects McCoy to be Chief Medical
Officer. Montgomery Scott is Chief Engineer, Nyota Uhura
is Communications Officer, Hikaru Sulu is Helmsman,
Janice Rand is Yeoman with bridge duty. Ensign Chekov has
low watch on the bridge. Navigator Gary Mitchell is still
recovering from his injuries at Ghioghe. Kirk's
relationship with Carol Marcus ends. (Enterprise-The
First Adventure)
Note: McIntyre's novel stretches the limits of
credibility, forcing the reader to assume that the entire
bridge crew (except Spock) transferred elsewhere prior to
"Where No Man Has Gone Before," only to return
to their previous posts immediately thereafter. For those
who would eliminate certain novels to preserve continuity,
the storyline in Friedman's Brother's Keeper
omnibus is probably preferred.
- Sulu transfers to Astrophysics,
replaced at the helm by Lee Kelso.
- McCoy requests leave on Starbase 6
(perhaps to attend to his ill father). Dr. Mark Piper,
David Bailey and Dr. Elizabeth Dehner sign aboard. While investigating the planet Kapeshet,
the landing party is transported back in time to witness
a secret first contact with Vulcans on Earth. The party's
memories of the event are surpressed. (Strangers
From The Sky)
- Five months into the mission, the
Enterprise discovers a vessel in the Mandylion Rift which
had fled from the Totality in the Greater Magellanic
Cloud. Lt. Hounslaw Tanaka, in a competition to win the
vessel, becomes the first fatality under Kirk's command. (Captain's
Peril)
2264
- While on a secret mission along the
Klingon Neutral Zone, the Enterprise is commandeered by
renegade Klingons led by Commander Kang. (My
Brother's Keeper: Enterprise - TOS#87)
Note: Said to occur immediately
after the Dimorus mission, when Gary Mitchell is hit with
a poisoned dart. However, Captain's Peril
establishes that Mitchell left the ship for over three
months to recuperate. Must occur after Captain's
Peril given the deaths of two crewmen.
- Following the death of his father,
McCoy goes on a medical relief mission to Capella IV. (My
Brother's Keeper: Constitution - TOS#86, also "Friday's
Child," Star Trek 3)
- The Enterprise attempts to
cross the Energy Barrier at the outer edge of the galaxy,
where the disoriented and incorporeal being Q is
trapped.
(Q-Squared)
- Gary Mitchell, Elizabeth Dehner and Lee Kelso are killed
on Delta Vega following the encounter with the Galactic
Barrier. ("Where
No Man Has Gone Before," Star Trek 8,
also My
Brother's Keeper: Republic - TOS#85)
- Services for Lee Kelso are held aboard the Enterprise. Lt.
Daniel Alden, Yeoman Barbara Smith and Dr. Mark Piper
transfer off the ship. Lt. Hikaru Sulu is (re)assigned as
helmsman. (My
Brother's Keeper: Constitution - TOS#86)
Note: Kirk is surprised to hear Piper's request for a
discharge. However, earlier in Strangers
From The Sky, Piper's retirement date had already
been set.
- Uhura, Bailey and Rand are (re)assigned to the bridge
crew. McCoy returns as Chief Medical Officer. Kirk
delivers the eulogy at Mitchell's funeral. (My
Brother's Keeper: Enterprise - TOS#87)
Note: It is inferred that Uhura, Bailey and Rand are
coming aboard the Enterprise for the first time.
Also, McCoy claims to have served with Kirk previously
aboard the Constitution, but not the Enterprise.
- Audrid Dax participates in a
classified mission with Fleet Captain Pike. ("Sins
Of The Mother," The Lives Of Dax)
2265
- Having completely plundered the
planet of Oghen, the Neyel Hegemony sends forth a fleet
of ships to conquer and colonize additional worlds. (The
Lost Era: The Sundered - Ch. 20)
- Following a minor refit of the Enterprise
and changes in uniform design, the famed "five-year
mission" begins.
- The Enterprise investigates a self-imposed
quarantine of the planet Timshel, and discovers the
citizens are enslaved to a computer that produces an
artificial euphoria. (The
Joy Machine - TOS#80)
- The Enterprise rescues
member of the Anjiri and Nykuss, but does not log the
incident to protect the location of their homeworld. (War
Dragons - CT#1)
- McCoy's daughter Joanna turns
eighteen. (The
Better Man - TOS#72 - pages 62-63)
Note: The text states that this is near the end of the
five-year mission, which is inconsistent with all other
references to Joanna's age.
- Diplomatic relations established with the alien Balok of
the First Federation. ("The
Corbomite Maneuver," Star Trek 12)
- The Enterprise responds to a distress call issued
by career criminal Harry Mudd. ("Mudd's
Women," Mudd's Angels)
- A transporter accident splits Kirk into two entities. ("The
Enemy Within," Star Trek 8)
- On planet M-113, a creature capable of psychic disguise
makes its way onto the Enterprise and attacks the
crew for their body salts. ("The
Unreal McCoy," Star Trek 1)
- A virus contracted on Psi 2000 spreads throughout the
crew, causing wildly erratic behavior. A "cold start"
of the warp engines throws the ship back in time three
days. ("The
Naked Time," Star Trek 1)
- The Enterprise crew travels to Tlaoli IV to
retrieve a survey team, and discovers an ancient time
portal. Kirk is inadvertently exchanged with his own self
from the past, while Sulu is swapped with his future self.
(The
Janus Gate, Book One: Present Tense - TOS)
- (The
Janus Gate, Book Two: Future Imperfect - TOS)
- (The
Janus Gate, Book Three: Past Prologue - TOS)
- Thanksgiving day. The human Charles Evans, having been
raised by Thasians, exhibits extraordinary telekinetic
powers and is returned to Thasius to preserve the crew's
safety. ("Charlie's
Law," Star Trek 1)
- ("Elegy
For Charlie," The New Voyages II)
- The Enterprise and the Constellation
are sent to Alpha Proxima II to investigate a plague
caused by a Malkus Artifact. (The
Brave And The Bold, Book One: The First Artifact)
- The Enterprise is attacked
by a cloaked Romulan ship. The first visual contact with
a Romulan crew reveals their close relationship to
Vulcans. ("Balance
Of Terror," Star Trek 1, also The
Lost Era: The Sundered - pp. 208-213)
- Commander Spock and Lt. Sulu escort Prince Vikram of
Angira back to his homeworld. (Shadow
Lord - TOS#22)
- (Errand
Of Vengeance, Book One: The Edge Of The Sword - TOS)
- Dr. Roger Corby is discovered on Exo III. Nurse Christine
Chapel is permanently assigned to the Enterprise. ("What
Are Little Girls Made Of?" Star Trek 11)
- (Errand
Of Vengeance, Book Two: Killing Blow - TOS)
- (Errand
Of Vengeance, Book Three: River Of Blood - TOS)
- Dr. Tristan Adams is killed by his own "neural
neutralizer" at the Tantalus V penal colony. ("Dagger
Of The Mind," Star Trek 1)
- On a planet that has evolved parallel to Earth, an entire
population of pre-pubescent children is discovered. ("Miri,"
Star Trek 1)
- By this time, all survivors of the Tarsus IV massacre
have been mysteriously killed except Kirk and Lt. Riley,
both now aboard the Enterprise. Kodos the
Executioner, now going by the name Karidian, is brought
aboard with his daughter, Lenore. ("The
Conscience Of The King," Star Trek 1)
- Yeoman Vonda Figgs is nearly eaten by a carnivorous plant
during her first away mission. ("Yeoman
Figgs," Strange New Worlds V)
- Framing story, shortly before Pike's accident. (Where
Sea Meets Sky - CT#6)
- Fleet Captain Pike saves the lives of seven cadets aboard
a training vessel, but is exposed to massive amounts of
radiation. He soon loses all motor control and is
confined to a mobile life-support carriage on Starbase 11.
("A
Private Anecdote," Strange New Worlds I)
2266
- Commanded by Spock, the Galileo 7 shuttlecraft is
stranded on Taurus II. ("The
Galileo Seven," Star Trek 10)
- Kirk is forced to jetisson an observation pod occupied by
Benjamin Finney. The investigation reveals negligence by
Kirk, but he is absolved of wrongdoing when it is
revealed that Finney is alive and has doctored the record
tapes. ("Court
Martial," Star Trek 2)
- The Enterprise unwittingly spreads a computer
virus to five planetary systems. A "virtual"
alien civilization is discovered in orbit around Tyrtaeus.
Rand is still aboard. (Heart
Of The Sun - TOS#83)
- Yeoman Rand becomes pregnant and
takes a leave from Starfleet. (The
Captain's Daughter - TOS#76)
- Ensign Ingrit Tomson signs aboard. (The
Lost Years)
- Kirk investigates the murder of a Draqqi diplomat. ("Avenger,"
Enterprise Logs)
- Spock is promoted to full commander.
Pike is kidnapped by Spock, who diverts the Enterprise
to Talos IV without authorization. Spock's court martial
is dismissed when Pike chooses to remain with the
Talosians, who provide him the illusion of good health.
Note: According to Spock in the television episode
"The Menagerie Part I," this is thirteen years
after the incident on Talos IV. In "Journey To Babel,"
it has been eighteen years since Spock left home for
Starfleet. Subtract the one year between the episodes,
and we have only four years for young Spock to have
received all his academy training, promotion to full
lieutenant, and assignment as Second Officer aboard the Enterprise
. This is incredible, even for a Vulcan; plus, it
contradicts Spock's service record given in Dorothy
Fontana's Vulcan's
Glory . Fortunately, since the "thirteen
years" figure never appears anywhere in print, we
can ignore it in good conscience.
- The crew takes shore leave on Omicron Delta IV, a
planetary "amusement park." ("Shore
Leave," Star Trek 12)
- On a mission to Colony Beta VI, the Enterprise is
captured by the powerful but immature super-being Trelane.
("The
Squire Of Gothos," Star Trek 11)
- Jean-Luc Picard arrives on Cestus
III two days before the events of "Arena." (Requiem
- TNG#32)
- The Gorn destroy a Federation base, claiming that it
falls within their claimed territory. When Kirk pursues
the Gorn craft, both are captured by the Metrons, who
abhor violence. ("Arena,"
Star Trek 2)
- The stability of the space-time continuum is threatened
by an entity called Lazarus and his antimatter
counterpart from a parallel universe. ("The
Alternative Factor," Star Trek 10)
- The Enterprise is thrown back in time to 1969
following a near collision with a black hole. ("Tomorrow
Is Yesterday," Star Trek 2)
- A plague destroys a third of the Romulan population. (Web
Of The Romulans - TOS#10)
Note: Footnotes referring to "The Enterprise
Incident" and "The Gamesters Of Triskelion"
are incongruent with the stated time frame of the story,
which immediately follows "Tomorrow Is Yesterday."
- The Enterprise investigates the loss of the U.S.S.
Archon near Beta III almost 100 years earlier. ("Return
Of The Archons," Star Trek 9)
- Backstory. (Foundations,
Book Two - SCE#5)
- The Enterprise is declared a "casualty"
in a virtual war between Eminiar VII and Vendikar. ("A
Taste Of Armageddon," Star Trek 2)
- Khan Noonian Singh and the surviving crew of the Botany
Bay are discovered and revived by the Enterprise.
After an unsuccessful attempt to commandeer the ship, he
and his crew are left on Ceti Alpha V to begin a new
colony. ("Space
Seed," Star Trek 2)
- The crew is infected by euphoria-inducing spores on
Omicron Ceti III. ("This
Side Of Paradise," Star Trek 5)
- The silicon-based Horta are discovered on Janus IV. ("The
Devil In The Dark," Star Trek 4)
- Klingon battlecruisers destroy a
Federation hospital ship, killing the wife of Captain
Androvar Drake. (The
Ashes Of Eden)
- The Organians impose a peace treaty between the
Federation and Klingon Empire. ("Errand
Of Mercy," Star Trek 2)
- The Guardian Of Forever is discovered on the Gateway
planet. McCoy travels to Earth's past while under the
effects of an accidental cordrazine overdose. ("The
City On The Edge Of Forever," Star Trek 2)
- ("Triptych,"
Strange New Worlds II)
- Kirk and McCoy drink Saurian brandy as they lament the
death of Edith Keeler. ("Marking
Time," Strange New Worlds VI)
- The Enterprise returns to Earth for shore leave. Kirk
contemplates resigning from Starfleet.
(Final Frontier)
- Kirk resigns from Starfleet and
returns to Iowa. ("Reflections,"
Strange New Worlds I)
- Kirk's brother George is killed on Deneva by large flying
parasites. ("Operation:
Annihilate!" Star Trek 2)
- ("The
Winged Dreamers," The New Voyages)
- The Enterprise is caught in the gravity well of
a black hole while in warp. Chekov saves the ship by
plotting a spiral escape course. ("Indomitable,"
Strange New Worlds VII)
- Chekov is assigned to the bridge crew. Uhura temporarily
transfers to the U.S.S. Lexington. Rithrim mercenaries
raid several planets in the Xaridian system. (The
Disinherited - TOS#59)
Note: A reference to an upcoming landing party mission
on "Gamma II" invites the possibility that this
novel should be immediately before "The Gamesters Of
Triskelion." However, this seems inconsistent with
the untested relationship of Chekov to the rest of the
bridge crew.
- The Enterprise senior staff is kidnapped on Pyris
VII. ("Catspaw,"
Star Trek 8)
- Zephram Cochrane is discovered living on Gamma Canaris N,
his youth having been preserved by an entity called the
Companion. ("Metamorphosis,"
Star Trek 7)
- McCoy returns to Capella IV, where Kirk works to prevent
the Capellans from forming an alliance with the Klingons.
("Friday's
Child," Star Trek 3)
- A race known as the Furies arrive with an invasion force
from the far side of the galaxy to reclaim Federation and
Klingon territory, including Earth, which they claim was
once a homeworld. (Invasion!
#1: First Strike - TOS#79)
- A being claiming to be the god Apollo is discovered on
Pollux IV. ("Who
Mourns For Adonais?" Star Trek 7)
2267
- Spock begins to undergo the Pon Farr and is transported
to Vulcan for the koon-ut-kal-if-fee mating ceremony.
("Amok Time," Star Trek 3)
- ("Sonnet
From The Vulcan: Omicron Ceti Three," The New
Voyages)
- ("Soliloquy,"
The New Voyages II)
- (Gemini
- TOS)
- Commodore Matthew Decker, the sole survivor of an attack
by an enormous planet-eating weapon, is recovered from
the U.S.S. Constellation. Following Decker's death,
Kirk pilots his ship into the device to destroy it. ("The
Doomsday Machine," Star Trek 3)
- Kirk records a log entry concerning
Matt Decker's death. (The
Brave And The Bold, Book One: First Interlude)
- On Argelius II, Scotty is suspected in a series of
murders of women. ("Wolf
In The Fold," Star Trek 8)
- The probe Nomad is discovered, having been altered by
alien technology to destroy imperfect life forms. ("The
Changeling," Star Trek 7)
- The inhabitants of Gamma Trianguli VI are found to be
under the protection of an alien construction called
"Vaal." ("The
Apple," Star Trek 6)
- A transporter malfunction swaps Kirk, McCoy, Scotty and
Uhura with their evil counterparts in a parallel universe.
("Mirror,
Mirror," Star Trek 3)
- The Enterprise landing party suffers rapid aging
after exposure to radiation on Gamma Hydra IV. Kirk is 34
years old. ("The
Deadly Years," Star Trek 7)
- The Enterprise is hijacked to a planet where Harry
Mudd has created a race of androids. ("I,
Mudd," Mudd's Angels)
- The Enterprise transports Samuel T. Cogley to
Aneher II, a colony world jointly developed by the
Federation and the Klingon Empire, where Mak'tor, the
Klingon commander, stands accused of murdering Daniel
Latham, the Federation Administrator. (The
Case Of The Colonist's Corpse)
Note: The story is purported to occur in
December—an unfortunate reflection of the Okuda
timeline.
- Deep Space Station K-7, while holding a shipment of grain
destined for Sherman's planet, becomes infested with
tribbles brought by Cyrano Jones. The death of the
tribbles warns of the grain having been poisoned by Arne
Darvin. ("The
Trouble With Tribbles," Star Trek 3)
- The tribbles aboard K-7 contemplate the intellect of
humanoids. ("The
Trouble With Tribals," Strange New Worlds VII)
- Captain Sisko prevents Arne Darvin
from planting an explosive tribble on Deep Space K-7 to
kill Captain Kirk. (Trials
And Tribble-ations)
- Koloth and the crew of the I.K.S.
Gr'oth cope with a ship full of tribbles. (In
The Name Of Honor - TOS#97 - Ch. 5)
- The Enterprise crew members make the difficult
decision not to retain any tribbles as pets. ("Missed,"
Strange New Worlds IV)
- Captain R.M. Merik, formerly commanding the S.S.
Beagle, is found on planet 892 IV in a society
paralleling Earth's ancient Rome. ("Bread
And Circuses," Star Trek 11)
- Ambassador Sarek, age 102, is transported by the Enterprise
to an interplanetary conference. ("Journey
To Babel," Star Trek 4)
- ("Cave-In,"
The New Voyages II)
- The Enterprise encounters
the Enterprise-D in a time rift at black hole TNC65813.
(Federation)
- Ceti Alpha VI explodes, shifting
the orbit of Ceti Alpha V and destroying nearly all life
on the planet. (Star
Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan)
- Kirk returns to his childhood home
in Iowa, which was recently gutted by fire. Though
severely burned, his mother is expected to survive. ("First
Star I See Tonight," Strange New Worlds IV)
- The Enterprise attempts to increase the rotational
speed of the p