Introduction (blurb)[]

The sword was the ultimate symbol of Romulan power, tradition, and pride. It lay in the Senate Chamber of the Romulan Star Empire, revered and untouched for centuries, until the day Dr. Leonard McCoy was tried for treason -- and both were stolen during a daring attack on Romulus itself.

Now, to avenge that insult and save face in the eyes of their deadly enemies, the Empire must recover the sword at any cost. Their envoys to the Federation demand the return of the sword and the extradition of the Romulan renegades who aided the Starship Enterprise in McCoy's escape. If diplomacy fails, the Romulans will trap the Klingons and the Federation in open war.

In such dangerous times, the Starship Enterprise is assigned the most valuable -- and volatile -- element of all: the fugitive Ael, her stolen Bird-of-Prey • Bloodwing, and the sword they carry. Ael will undoubtedly attempt to use ship and sword to foil her enemies and play her hand in the dangerous game that she's begun. But she will do it all under the watchful eyes of James T. Kirk, the Federation starship captain who knows her dangerously well....

Summary[]

References[]

Characters[]

Pavel Chekov • Terise Haleakala-LoBrutto • Khiy • James T. Kirk • K's't'lk • Leonard McCoy • Dai Mehkan • Dahai Iohor Naraht • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nveid tr'AAnikh • Eveh tr'Anierh • Hwiamna i-Del t'Ehweia • Kul t'Ehweia • Niysa tr'Ehweia • T'Hrienteh • Giellun tr'Keirianh • H'daen tr'Khellian • Aidoann t'Khnialmnae • Ahrm'n tr'Kiell • Urellh tr'Maehhlie • Ael t'Rllaillieu • Nyota Uhura

Referenced only

Jono Danilov • Dickinson • Wassily Kandinsky • Shaashin • T'Kelan • Vriha t'Rehu • Tafv tr'Rllaillieu

Starships and vehicles[]

ChR Bloodwing • USS Enterprise

Locations[]

15 Trianguli • 33 Trianguli • Ahadi • ch'Rihan (Avenue of Processions • Ra'tleihfi) • Colleges of the Great Art • Earth (Avenue Albert de Mun • Eiffel Tower • Palais de Chaillot • Paris • Seine River) • Eilhaunn • Gamma Arietis • Hamal • Romulan Neutral Zone • Starbase 20 • Sunside Station • Ur-Metheisn

Referenced only

ch'Havran (Theijhoi) • Centaurus • Levaeri V • Mesarthim

Races and cultures[]

Horta • Human • Romulan • Vulcan

Referenced only

Mesarth

States and organizations[]

Grand Fleet • Imperial Senate of the Romulan Star Empire • Klingon Empire • Klingon High Council • Praetorate • Rihannsu Intelligence Service • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet • Starfleet Command • Tricameron • United Federation of Planets

Science and technology[]

DNA • fog • space • Sunseed

Ranks and titles[]

captain • doctor

Other references[]

Articles of the Federation (document) • Awhn • Black Stone • Constitution of the United States of America • Crown Jewels • daishelt • ehlfa • Ehsadai • Elements (religion) • Empty Chair • Holy Grail • Magna Carta • Mnhei'sahe • November • prayer • Romulan language • Ship-Clans • The Song of the Sun • Sword of S'task

Appendices[]

Background[]

• Although the Pocket Books chronology places this story in the 2270s decade, following the previous books in the series, those stories make repeated references to uniforms of the TOS style. The texts describes uniforms resembling those of the mid-2260s decade, rather than the Star Trek: The Motion Picture-era uniforms that were in place circa 2271, which is also an issue with the cover art, like Duane's previous novels before this one. This indicates that Starfleet used uniforms matching this description, of an intermediate style, for a time before changing again to the later maroon uniforms in use by 2278 (as established in TNG episode: "Cause and Effect").
• The book states that Arrhae last saw Nveid tr'AAnikh when he was following her on a shopping trip, but she saw him a second time in TOS - Rihannsu novel: The Romulan Way when he and Llhran tr'Khnialmnae came to House Khellian to speak to Leonard McCoy.

Images[]

Cover image.

Cover art.

Diptych combined cover art.

Enterprise and Bloodwing.

Kirk.

Ael.

Bloodwing.

The Sword of S'task.

Ael.

External links[]

• Swordhunt article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.

Timeline[]