Boldly Reading Book Club #3 – ST Restoration Volume I – Redemption

Boldly Reading Book Club #3 – ST Restoration Volume I – Redemption

Our next Boldly Reading Book Club selection is Captain Sarine’s ST Restoration Volume I – Redemption. The story is rated T.

Introducing Redemption

It is 10 years since the end of the Dominion Occupation. The Alpha and Beta Quadrants are fractured, the powers of the former centuries broken and seemingly powerless. The United Federation of Planets has been destroyed, replaced by a much more fragile Federation of Allied Worlds. Yesterday’s friends have become today’s enemies, while yesterday’s enemies may yet become today’s friends.

Launched into this volatile new order, the USS Redemption is the flagship of a new age. Captained by a half-human, half-Romulan former freedom fighter, the Redemption is manned by the best crew that Starfleet can assemble, in a ship that though a shadow of former glories has the most advanced technology available.

But when the Laurentine Hegemony, a former ally who may yet become the Federation’s latest enemy, offers an olive branch of peace, the Redemption is sent to conduct negotiations for a possible treaty of cooperation. Even as the first few steps towards an understanding are taken, though, a new enemy appears on the very edges of the galaxy, ready to launch a devastating attack…

Whoa. Let’s back up a second.

Half-human, half-Romulan?

Ba’el Sarine is at home, watching the news. There are little reminders, little bits of exposition. A story about something called the Laurentine Hegemony. Scars. The Occupation.

Wait another second. Who’s this?

Next we see Kalara, a Klingon commander for the Federation, and her human husband, Damien. Isn’t she supposed to be getting the Redemption?

But politics wins out, and there’s no forgiving the Klingons for backing away during the Dominion War. Is it prejudice? Whatever it is, Kalara doesn’t like it. It seems she’s being leapfrogged, and the plum assignment that she wanted is being given to another.

The Characters

In addition to Sarine, Kalara and Damien, there’s Jasto Dax, the current in the long line of Dax joined Trill. And Ianto, a Data-class android. Astrid Williams, the primary helmsman doesn’t much care for Dax. As for Dax, he’s got his own troubles, with the voice of a psychotic earlier host, Haebron, in his head.

But then, who are Zoraya, and Admiral Qwert? And what does Ambassador Benjamani have to do with things?

Read on.

Talking Points

As might be expected, a part of the story is the bringing together of a crew. But, truth is, the crew is already together. It’s just Sarine and Kalara who are being added, with Damien coming along for the ride because of Kalara.

The first drivers of the story are the connections to the new Laurentine Hegemony and their insistence on dealing with Sarine. But the crew has been preparing for Kalara. How does the crew respond? Do they accept the change, or are there issues? What about Kalara? How does she bear the disappointment? Does her Klingon biology decide how she is going to behave? Does she counter it? Embrace it? Accept it in part?

What about Sarine? He’s being pulled out of mournful retirement and some physical recovery. This has got to be a major change for him as well. How does he take it? Does he regret the decision he makes to go along with things?

Do you think that command made the right decision in selecting Sarine over Kalara? After all, even with the Hegemony insisting, maybe they could have tried harder to stick to their original plans. Was Kalara successfully appeased? What would you have done differently? Or does Kalara just have to sit back and take it?

What about Dax? At this point, with Haebron’s voice being so active, is he a danger to himself and others? Should he be relieved of duty? Is he trustworthy?

What was the climax of the story? Did it devolve to a satisfactory conclusion?

What happens right after the curtain comes down on the story? Where would you take these characters – and this ship – next?

Author’s Commentary

While there are no specific sources for commentary, the story has spawned several sequels. Volume II begins three weeks after the end of the first volume. Volume III – Onyx brings the story into Laurentii space. Volume IV (WIP) picks up later, as events at Onyx Station did not work out as they were supposed to.