Avenger (Star Trek)

"Avenger" is a "Star Trek" novel by William Shatner (ghost-written by Garfield Reeves-Stevens and Judith Reeves-Stevens), depicting the events shortly after the feature film "" and the previous "Shatnerverse" novel "The Return". It is a direct sequel to the latter, and forms part of the "Shatnerverse" collection of novels, being the third novel written by Shatner for the "Trek" series of novels. It was published in 1998 by Pocket Books.

Plot summary

The Federation must contain a plague that is eradicating the plant life on several vital systems that collectively supply food for the entire Federation. "Avenger" opens with the Federation trying to maintain a strict quarantine to contain the spread of the disease while the Federation's reserves run low. It is soon discovered that this outbreak was created intentionally by the Symmetrists, a group of eco-terrorists who have links to Captain James T. Kirk's past. The resurrected Kirk, along with Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and their respective crews, must unite to uncover the conspiracy that caused this before it undermines the Federation.

Ambassador Spock is on a mission of his own, and a deeply personal one at that. He is determined to find the murderer of his father Sarek, for that is what he believes the true fate of his father was. He and Kirk reunite to avenge Sarek's death. During this time, Spock lets go of all the self-control that makes him Vulcan. It is later said that his insides were sabotaged by the Vulcan Bendii disease, the one that supposedly killed his father. Kirk and Spock find out that the people who killed his father are now after him, infecting him with a disease very much like Bendii -- the same thing that killed Sarek. In the end, it is Kirk who avenges Sarek's death, while Spock is taken away for further treatments.