Wagon Train to the Stars

Real world article

(written from a production point of view)

Exploring the final frontier is one thing. Making a home there is another…

Wagon Train to the Stars is a Pocket TOS novel – #89 in the numbered series, and the first book in the Star Trek: New Earth series – written by Diane Carey. Published by Pocket Books, it was first released in June 2000.

Summary[]

From the back cover: After saving Earth from the threat of V'Ger, James T. Kirk is called again to the final frontier. His new mission: to lead a valiant group of settlers to a distant world, to defend the struggling colony from alien threats, and to explore the diverse mysteries and dangers of a strange new Earth!

Far from the Federation, a newly discovered M-class world has been eyed as a potential home by a group of hardy and determined colonists. Starfleet can spare only one starship to escort the would-be settlers on their perilous voyage, but that ship is none other than the legendary Starship Enterprise, commanded by the most well-known captain in the quadrant. Now Kirk finds himself responsible for the lives of 60,000 men, women, and children – a task that grows all the more difficult when the expedition is caught in the middle of an ancient feud between two dangerous alien races!

Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.

Background information[]

According to various sources, when Gene Roddenberry was deciding what to call what came to be known as Star Trek, "Wagon Train to the Stars" was one of the names he toyed with.
This novel contained Chapter Eleven of the serialized novel Starfleet: Year One.
A promotional copy of the novel was given away free with Star Trek Monthly issue 67.

Characters[]

James T. Kirk: Rear admiral.
Montgomery Scott: Commander of Starfleet engineers, assigned to the tender vessel Colunga.
Pavel Chekov: Lieutenant.

Other[]

Ray Austin

Starfleet captain of USS Beowulf.

Branch

Captain of Lakota.

See Branch for similarly named characters.

Burch

Captain of Northwest Passage.

Battersey

Captain of Yukon.

Anton (Tony) Desalle

Starfleet captain of USS Republic.

Mitch Dogan

Captain lost with the Kensington Taylor.

Geglio

Captain of Comanche

Gillespie

Privateer captain of Royal York.

See Gillespie for similarly named characters.

Harvey: Captain of Promontory Point.
Katt: Captain of Sacajawea.
Michael Kilvennan: Privateer captain of Hunter's Moon.
Maitland: Captain of Lewis and Clark.
Daniel Merkling: Starfleet captain of USS Impeller.
Nickle: Captain of Hampton Roads.
Rampion: Captain of Mandrake Anachronae.
Sheppard: Privateer captain of Zevada.
Sunn: Privateer captain of Rattlesnake.
Trautner: Captain of Oregon Trail.
Vellyngaith: Battlelord commanding the All Kauld battlebarge Tonclin.

References[]

colony;

Belle Terre

Planet.

USS Beowulf

Starfleet combat support tender of Captain Ray Austin, seriously damaged in action.

Named for Beowulf.

Colunga (ECC-989)

Graymark Eng.-owned "mule roundhouse", HQ of Commander Scott.

Comanche

UFP-owned Conestoga-class colony ship of Captain Geglio.

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Federation starship commanded by Starfleet Rear Admiral James T. Kirk.

Graymark Engineering

Company which operated the "muleship" Colunga.

Hampton Roads

Privately-owned Conestoga colony ship of Captain Nickle.

Hatteras

lightship.

Hunter's Moon

Enforcement privateer ship of Captain Michael Kilvennan.

USS Impeller

Starfleet cutter of Captain Daniel Merkling.

Kensington Taylor

Survey ship of Captain Mitch Dogan which was destroyed.

Lakota

Corporately-owned Conestoga colony ship of Captain Branch.

Named for the same Native Americans as the USS Lakota.

Lewis and Clark: Privately-owned Conestoga colony ship of Captain Maitland.
Mandrake Anachronae: Privately-owned Conestoga colony ship of Captain Rampion.
mule vessel: The mules were heavy-engined vessels designed to carry the barges of the fleet.
Northwest Passage: UFP-owned Conestoga colony ship of Captain Burch.
Oregon Trail: UFP-owned Conestoga colony ship of Captain Trautner.
Promontory Point: UFP-owned Conestoga colony ship of Captain Harvey.
Rattlesnake: Enforcement privateer ship of Captain Sunn.
USS Republic: Starfleet cutter of Captain Tony Desalle.
Royal York: Enforcement privateer ship of Captain Gillespie.
Sacajawea: Corporately-owned Conestoga colony ship of Captain Katt.
Yukon: UFP-owned Conestoga colony ship of Captain Battersey.
Tonclin: All Kauld battlebarge of Battlelord Vellyngaith.
Zavada: Enforcement privateer ship of Captain Sheppard.
Polynesian: UFP-owned Conestoga tender of Captain Dan Marks.
Mable Stevens: Privately-owned VIP transport of Captain Ned Chalker.
American Rover: Privately-owned pathfinder ship of Captain Brook Smith and Colonel John Glass.
Twilight Sentinel (SCCM-99): Privately-owned coroner ship of Captain Nelson.
Brother's Keeper (SCCM-778): Mercy ship of Captain Skaerbeck.
Pandora's Box: Privately-owned industrial transport of Captain Felix Blaine.
CP Crystobel: Privately-owned pilot ship of Captain Helen Webb.
Webb One through Webb Nine: Factory drones autopiloted by Crystobel.
Macedon: Corporately-owned towing vessel of Captain Walters.
Iroquois: Corporately-owned industrial transport of Captain Israel.
Red Barn: Corporately-owned cattle ship of Captain Kej.
Quincy B. Hobbs: Privately-owned dairy cattle ship of Captain Sempati.
Normandy: Privately-owned botanical farm ship of Captain Maxmillian.
Uncle Jake's Pocket: Privately-owned hotel vessel of Captain Durant.
Norfolk Rebel: Privately-owned tugantine of Captain Briggs.
Kaleonahe: Privately-owned mining ship of Captain Folster.
Foggy Dew: Privately-owned dairy barge of Captain Meko.
Heidi: Privately-owned ranch barge of Captain Dvorak.
Annie B: Ranch Barge – private – Forsmark.
Charger: Privately-owned equine stable vessel of Captain Brown.
Black Swan: Privately-owned garden ship of Captain Gaines.
Olympian: UFP-owned organ lab of Captain Gue.

External link[]

Wagon Train to the Stars at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works

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