Search Worlds Without End

Earth, 2065 A.D.: Destruction and confusion everywhere. Cities are deserted, the population is decimated, and the few humans who remain struggle to survive against an insidious alien presence that is consuming the very life energy of this wounded world. The presence is spreading across the planet, infecting everything in its path, killing the Earth one life at a time. Only Dr. Aki Ross, brilliant young woman haunted by dreams of death, may hold the key to saving the world.

For a vampire, saying goodbye to your mortal lover can be the hardest thing you ever have to do. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, a Nebula Award nominated story from USA Today bestselling author Dean Wesley Smith.

This story was originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, January 1996 and can also be found in Nebula Awards 32 (1998), edited by Jack Dann.

A former college professor turned bartender, Doc finds himself trying to save his friends from a ghost under a lake in the wilderness of Idaho.

From diving into a sunken ghost town to trying to stay alive on the sinking deck of the Titanic, this time-travel science fiction novel reads like a rollercoaster ride with all the twists and turns.

Contents:

• 1 - Ancient Blood - [Star Trek: Day of Honor - 1] - (1997) - novel by Diane Carey
• 255 - Armageddon Sky - [Star Trek: Day of Honor - 2] - (1997) - novel by Julia Ecklar and Karen Rose Cercone [as by L. A. Graf ]
• 445 - Her Klingon Soul - [Star Trek: Day of Honor - 3] - (1997) - novel by Michael Jan Friedman
• 631 - Treaty's Law - [Star Trek: Day of Honor - 4] - (1997) - novel by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith
• 833 - Day of Honor: The Television Episode - [Star Trek: Voyager] - (1997) - novel by Michael Jan Friedman
• 1009 - Day of Honor: Honor Bound - [Star Trek Deep Space Nine Young Adult - 11] - (1997) - novel by Diana G. Gallagher

The Day of Honor is celebrated throughout the Klingon Empire. But every tradition had to being somewhere... Signi Beta is an M-class planet ideal for farming. The Federation wants Signi Beta, but the Klingon Empire has the stronger claim. Captain Kirk hates to lose the planet, especially to his old adversary, Commander Kor. Their mutual antagonism turns into an uneasy alliance, however, when yet another alien fleet attacks both the Klingons and the "U.S.S. Enterprise." Now Kirk and Kor must rely on each other's honor -- or none of them may survive to wage their war again.

They are the self-appointed protectors of the Federation. Amoral, shrouded in secrecy, answerable to no one, Section 31 is the mysterious covert operations division of Starfleet, a rogue shadow group committed to safeguarding the Federation at any cost.

Someone or something is trying to kill Seven of Nine. As the crew races against time to save millions of refugees from an imminent stellar cataclysm, the former Borg becomes the target of several seemingly random but potentially lethal "accidents." The investigation reveals a truth more terrifying than anyone ever imagined, as Captain Kathryn Janeway and the crew of the Starship Voyager fight for their lives against the most unexpected enemy of all.

NO LAW. NO CONSCIENCE. NO STOPPING THEM.

Contents:

• 1 - War Dragons - [The Captain's Table - 1] - (1998) - novel by Julia Ecklar and Karen Rose Cercone [as by L. A. Graf]
• 195 - Dujonian's Hoard - [The Captain's Table - 2] - (1998) - novel by Michael Jan Friedman
• 387 - The Mist - [The Captain's Table - 3] - (1998) - novel by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 529 - Fire Ship - [The Captain's Table - 4] - (1998) - novel by Diane Carey
• 749 - Once Burned - [The Captain's Table - 5] - (1998) - novel by Peter David
• 915 - Where Sea Meets Sky - [The Captain's Table - 6] - (1998) - novel by Jerry Oltion
• 1111 - Biographies (The Captain's Table, Books 1-6) - (2000) - essay by uncredited

There's a bar called "The Captain's Table", where those who have commanded mighty vessels of every shape and era can meet, relax, and share a friendly drink or two with others of their calling. Sometimes a brawl may break out but it's all in the family, more or less. Just remember, the first round of drinks is always paid for with a story... even on the planet Bajor.

Do the people of the Mist have the ultimate cloaking device -- or a gateway to another dimension? Captain Benjamin Sisko doesn't know for sure, but the Klingons, the Cardassians, and the Ferengi Alliance will stop at nothing to obtain the device. Now Sisko finds himself in the middle of a deadly struggle that could change the balance of power throughout the entire Alpha Quadrant!

When Quark holds a poker tournament on "Deep Space Nine" someone from almost every sentient race -- Klingons, Cardassians, Romulans, Vulcans, Ferengi -- shows up for what is sure to be the highest-stakes game of all time. But when one player is killed, the stakes get higher than even these big-money players had counted on. With the station rocked by subspace waves that threaten its destruction, Commander Sisko and Security Chief Odo must hunt down the killer in time to save the players, a killer who has information that can save those onboard "Deep Space Nine" from the invisible enemy they do not even know they face, a killer who holds all the cards.

Centuries ago, the Supreme Ruler of the planet Jibet fled a democratic uprising, taking with him many priceless works of art. Now Quark's greed leads Commander Sisko and his crew to the lost treasures -- and to the Supreme Ruler himself, preserved in cryogenic suspension.

The discovery sparks unrest on Jibet, and launches an alien armada against Deep Space Nine. As Dr. Bashir struggles to keep the dying ruler alive, Jake and Nog uncover deadly evidence of lingering Cardassian treachery. Now, Sisko must somehow keep the mysteries of the past from destroying all hope for DS9's future

In their first few weeks in space, Captain Archer and his crew have already discovered several new species and explored strange new worlds. Each new planet brings new discoveries and new dangers: none more so than the curious planet half of which is inhabited by the Fazi, with their highly regulated culture in which strict protocols govern everything from their conversation to the design of their buildings. After a disastrous first contact with the Fazi, Archer must depend on the diplomatic skills of Vulcan science officer T'Pol and the linguistic talents of communications officer Ensign Hoshi Sato to help him mend relations with the people of this planet and unravel the mystery of the other beings with which they share their world.

Need a gigantic, marauding starship explored? Is your global computer system starting to break down? Call in the crack team from the Starfleet Corps of Engineers. Overseen by Captain Montgomery Scott from his office at Starfleet Headquarters, the S.C.E. can build, rebuild, program, reprogram, assemble, reassemble, or just figure out everything from alien replicators to doomsday machines. Just don't expect them to perform miracles -- unless they absolutely have to.

Captain David Gold, his first officer Commander Sonya Gomez, and the crew of the U.S.S. da Vinci put their lives on the line to save a colony world threatened by a deadly alien and rescue a ship trappedin the ravages of interphase.

Join Starfleet's miracle workers for a wrenching journey through the new frontier!

Contents:

• 1 - The Belly of the Beast - [Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers - 1] - (2000) - novella by Dean Wesley Smith
• 101 - Fatal Error - [Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers - 2] - novella by Keith R. A. DeCandido
• 209 - Hard Crash - [Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers - 3] - novella by Christie Golden
• 301 - Interphase: Book One - [Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers - 4] - novella by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore
• 393 - About the Authors (Have Tech, Will Travel) - essay by uncredited

Here's what you, the fans, have demanded for decades! An anthology featuring original Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager stories written by Star Trek fans, for Star Trek fans!

After a lengthy competition that drew thousands of submissions; these astounding stories, written exclusively by brand-new authors, were selected for their originality and style. These eighteen fantastic tales rocket across the length and breadth of Federation time and space, from when Captain Kirk explored the galaxy on the first Starship Enterprise, through Captain Picard's U.S.S. Enterprise 1701-D and Captain Sisko's Deep Space Nine to Captain Janeway's Voyager, with many fascinating stops along the way.

Table of Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Strange New Worlds) - essay by Dean Wesley Smith
• 3 - A Private Anecdote - shortstory by Landon Cary Dalton
• 13 - The Last Tribble - shortstory by Keith L. Davis
• 26 - The Lights in the Sky - shortstory by Phaedra Weldon [as by Phaedra M. Weldon ]
• 46 - Reflections - novelette by Dayton Ward
• 71 - What Went Through Data's Mind 0.68 Seconds Before the Satellite Hit - shortstory by Dylan Otto Krider
• 79 - The Naked Truth - novelette by Jerry M. Wolfe
• 100 - The First - shortstory by Peg Robinson
• 114 - See Spot Run - shortstory by Kathy Oltion
• 130 - Together Again, for the First Time - shortstory by Bobbie Benton Hull
• 149 - Civil Disobedience - shortstory by Alara Rogers
• 156 - Of Cabbages and Kings - shortstory by Franklin Thatcher
• 177 - Life's Lessons - shortstory by Christina F. York
• 195 - Where I Fell Before My Enemy - shortstory by Vince Bonasso
• 217 - Good Night, Voyager - novelette by Patrick Cumby
• 242 - Ambassador at Large - novelette by J. A. Rosales
• 264 - Fiction - novelette by jaQ Andrews
• 286 - I, Voyager - shortstory by Jackee C.
• 296 - Monthuglu - novelette by Craig D. B. Patton
• 317 - The Man Who Sold the Sky - shortstory by John J. Ordover
• 320 - The Girl Who Controlled Gene Kelly's Feet - novelette by Paula M. Block
• 353 - My First Story - essay by John J. Ordover
• 355 - A Few Words ... - essay by Paula M. Block
• 365 - About the Contributors (Strange New Worlds) - essay by uncredited

Award-quality short stories set in Star Trek universes, written by fans of the series. Culled from a second nationwide contest/author search, they represent some of the finest Star Trek writing available today.

Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Strange New Worlds II) - essay by Dean Wesley Smith
• 3 - Triptych - novelette by Melissa Dickinson
• 26 - The Quick and the Dead - shortstory by Kathy Oltion
• 43 - The First Law of Metaphysics - novelette by Michael S. Poteet
• 66 - The Hero of My Own Life - novelette by Peg Robinson
• 89 - Doctors Three - shortstory by Charles Skaggs
• 107 - I Am Klingon - novelette by Ken Rand
• 129 - Reciprocity - shortstory by Brad Curry
• 143 - Calculated Risk - novelette by Christina F. York
• 166 - Gods, Fate, and Fractals - shortstory by William Leisner
• 184 - I Am Become Death - shortstory by Franklin Thatcher
• 199 - Research - shortstory by J. R. Rasmussen
• 202 - Change of Heart - shortstory by Steven Scott Ripley
• 221 - A Ribbon for Rosie - novelette by Ilsa J. Bick
• 245 - Touched - shortstory by Kim Sheard
• 255 - Almost ... But Not Quite - novelette by Dayton Ward
• 278 - The Healing Arts - novelette by E. Cristy Ruteshouser and Lynda Martinez Foley
• 302 - Seventh Heaven - novelette by Dustan Moon
• 327 - Afterword (Strange New Worlds II) - essay by John J. Ordover
• 335 - About the Contributors (Strange New Worlds II) - essay by uncredited

Back by popular demand -- again! Our third anthology featuring original Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager stories written by Star Trek fans, for Star Trek fans!

Each Strange New Worlds competition draws a greater response than the last. The final selections gathered here were chosen from an overwhelming number of entries by virtue of their originality and style. With wit, compassion, and an affection for all things Star Trek, these brand-new authors take us where Star Trek has never gone before.

Their tales rocket across the length and breadth of Federation time and space, from when Captain Kirk explored the galaxy on the first Starship Enterprise, through Captain Picard's U.S.S. Enterprise 1701-D and Captain Sisko's Deep Space Nine, to Captain Janeway's Starship Voyager, with many more fascinating stops along the way. Find out what happens in the Star Trek universe when fans -- like you -- take the helm!

Contents:

• ix - Introduction: The Class of 2000 - essay by Dean Wesley Smith
• 3 - If I Lose Thee ... - novelette by Sarah A. Hoyt and Rebecca Lickiss
• 24 - Aliens Are Coming! - shortstory by Dayton Ward
• 39 - Family Matters - novelette by Susan Ross Moore
• 61 - Whatever You Do, Don't Read This Story - novelette by Robert T. Jeschonek
• 86 - A Private Victory - shortstory by Tonya D. Price
• 95 - The Fourth Toast - shortstory by Kelly Cairo
• 106 - One of Forty-seven - shortfiction by E. Catherine Tobler
• 110 - A Q to Swear By - novelette by Shane Zeranski
• 132 - The Change of Seasons - shortstory by Logan Page
• 138 - Out of the Box, Thinking - novelette by Jerry M. Wolfe
• 163 - Ninety-three Hours - shortstory by Kim Sheard
• 181 - Dorian's Diary - shortstory by G. Wood
• 189 - The Bottom Line - shortstory by Andrew (Drew) Morby
• 204 - The Best Defense ... - shortstory by John Takis
• 218 - An Errant Breeze - shortstory by Harold Gross and Eve Gordon [as by Gordon Gross ]
• 231 - The Ones Left Behind - shortstory by Mary Wieck
• 246 - The Second Star - shortstory by Diana Kornfeld
• 260 - The Monster Hunters - shortstory by Ann Nagy
• 268 - Gift of the Mourners - shortstory by Jackee Crowell
• 285 - jubHa' - shortstory by Lawrence M. Schoen
• 289 - Hints (Strange New Worlds III) - essay by Dean Wesley Smith

In the fourth year of its ongoing mission, the Strange New Worlds writing competition has once again sought out exciting new voices and imaginations among Star Trek's vast galaxy of fans. After scanning countless submissions for signs of style and originality, the judges are proud to report that the universe of amazing Star Trek writers just keeps expanding.

Strange New Worlds IV features more than a dozen never-before-published stories spanning the twenty-third and twenty-fourth centuries, from the early days of James T. Kirk and his crew to the later generations of Captains Picard, Sisko, and Janeway. These memorable new tales explore and examine the past and future of Star Trek from many different perspectives.

Join Strange New Worlds in its thrilling quest to uncover the most compelling Star Trek fiction this side of the Galactic Barrier!

Contents:

• 3 - A Little More Action - shortstory by TG Theodore
• 15 - Prodigal Father - shortstory by Robert J. Mendenhall
• 33 - Missed - shortstory by Pat Detmer
• 39 - Tears for Eternity - shortstory by Lynda Martinez Foley
• 49 - Countdown - shortstory by Mary Sweeney
• 59 - First Star I See Tonight - shortstory by Victoria Grant
• 66 - Scotty's Song - shortstory by Michael Jasper [as by Michael J. Jasper ]
• 80 - The Name of the Cat - shortstory by Steven Scott Ripley
• 101 - Flight 19 - shortstory by Alan James Garbers
• 120 - The Promise - novelette by Shane Zeranski
• 142 - Flash Point - shortstory by E. Catherine Tobler
• 145 - Prodigal Son - shortstory by Tonya D. Price
• 152 - Seeing Forever - shortstory by Jeff Suess
• 167 - Captain Proton and the Orb of Bajor - novelette by Jonathan Bridge
• 189 - Isolation Ward 4 - shortstory by Kevin G. Summers
• 209 - Iridium-7-Tetrahydroxate Crystals Are a Girl's Best Friend - shortstory by Bill Stuart
• 218 - Uninvited Admirals - shortstory by Penny A. Proctor
• 230 - Return - shortstory by Chuck Anderson
• 233 - Black Hats - shortstory by William Leisner
• 243 - Personal Log - shortstory by Kevin Killiany
• 262 - Welcome Home - shortstory by Diana Kornfeld
• 277 - Shadows, in the Dark - novelette by Ilsa J. Bick
• 301 - Contest Rules (Strange New Worlds IV) - essay by uncredited
• 307 - About the Contributors (Strange New Worlds IV) - essay by uncredited

The Fifth year of the Star Trek new author contest.

Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Strange New Worlds V) - essay by John J. Ordover
• 3 - Disappearance on 21st Street - shortstory by Mary Scott-Wiecek
• 11 - The Trouble with Borg Tribbles - shortstory by William Leisner
• 17 - Legal Action - shortstory by Alan L. Lickiss
• 33 - Yeoman Figgs - shortstory by Mark Murata
• 43 - The Shoulders of Giants - novelette by Robert T. Jeschonek
• 69 - Bluff - shortstory by Steven Scott Ripley
• 84 - The Peacemakers - novelette by Alan James Garbers
• 109 - Efflorescence - shortstory by Julie Hyzy [as by Julie A. Hyzy ]
• 122 - Kristin's Conundrum - shortstory by Jeff D. Jacques and Michelle A. Bottrall
• 143 - The Monkey Puzzle Box - shortstory by Kevin Killiany
• 162 - The Farewell Gift - shortstory by Tonya D. Price
• 177 - Dementia in D Minor - shortstory by Mary Sweeney
• 199 - Fear, Itself - novelette by Robert J. Mendenhall
• 223 - Final Entry - shortstory by Cynthia K. Deatherage
• 239 - The Difficulties of Being Evil - shortstory by Craig Gibb
• 244 - Restoration - shortstory by Penny A. Proctor
• 258 - On the Rocks - shortstory by TG Theodore
• 268 - Witness - shortstory by Diana Kornfeld
• 286 - Fragment - shortstory by Catherine E. Pike
• 296 - Who Cries for Prometheus? - shortstory by Phaedra Weldon [as by Phaedra M. Weldon ]
• 311 - Remnant - shortstory by James J. Swann and Louisa M. Swann
• 329 - A Girl for Every Star - shortstory by John Takis
• 346 - Hoshi's Gift - shortstory by Kelle Vozka
• 357 - Afterword (Strange New Worlds V) - essay by Dean Wesley Smith
• 361 - Contest Rules (Strange New Worlds V) - essay by uncredited
• 367 - About the Contributors (Strange New Worlds V) - essay by uncredited

In the sixth year of its ongoing mission, the Strange New Worlds writing competition has once again sought out exciting new voices and imaginations among Star Trek's vast galaxy of fans. After scanning countless submissions for signs of style and originality, the judges are proud to report that the universe of amazing Star Trek writers just keeps expanding.

Strange New Worlds VI features twenty-three never-before-published stories spanning the twenty-second to the twenty-fourth centuries, from the early days of Captain Jonathan Archer to James T. Kirk and his crew to the later generations of Captains Picard, Sisko, and Janeway. These memorable new tales explore and examine the past and future of Star Trek from many different perspectives.

Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Strange New Worlds VI) - essay by Dean Wesley Smith
• 3 - Whales Weep Not - shortstory by Juanita Nolte
• 18 - One Last Adventure - shortstory by Mark Allen and Charity Zegers
• 32 - Marking Time - shortstory by Pat Detmer
• 43 - Ancient History - shortstory by Robert J. Mendenhall
• 56 - Bum Radish: Five Spins on a Turquoise Reindeer - shortstory by TG Theodore
• 64 - A Piece of the Pie - shortstory by G. Wood
• 73 - The Soft Room - novelette by Geoffrey Thorne
• 96 - Protecting Data's Friends - novelette by Scott William Carter
• 117 - The Human Factor - shortstory by Russ Crossley
• 128 - Tribble in Paradise - shortstory by Louisa M. Swann
• 145 - Fabrications - shortstory by Brett Hudgins
• 149 - Urgent Matter - shortstory by Robert J. LaBaff
• 160 - Best Tools Available - shortstory by Shawn Michael Scott
• 179 - Homemade - shortstory by Elizabeth A. Dunham
• 187 - Seven and Seven - novelette by Kevin Hosey
• 209 - The End of Night - novelette by Paul J. Kaplan
• 230 - Hidden - novelette by Jan Stevens
• 254 - Widow's Walk - shortstory by Mary Scott-Wiecek
• 267 - Savior - shortstory by Julie Hyzy
• 286 - Preconceptions - shortstory by Penny A. Proctor
• 302 - Cabin E-14 - shortstory by Shane Zeranski
• 321 - Our Million-Year Mission - novelette by Robert T. Jeschonek
• 346 - The Beginning - shortstory by Annie Reed
• 359 - Contest Rules (Strange New Worlds VI) - essay by uncredited
• 365 - About the Contributors (Strange New Worlds VI) - essay by uncredited

Our seventh anthology features original Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise stories written by Star Trek fans, for Star Trek fans!

Featuring new stories by new writers and a few contest veterans, Strange New Worlds VII spans the entire Star Trek universe from the original days of Captain Kirk and throughout the tenures of Captains Picard, Sisko, and Janeway and back in time again to Archer. Each of these unforgettable stories explores the past and future of Star Trek from many different perspectives.

Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Strange New Worlds VII) - essay by Dean Wesley Smith
• 3 - A Test of Character - shortstory by Kevin Lauderdale
• 15 - Indomitable - shortstory by Kevin Killiany
• 27 - Project Blue Book - shortstory by Christian Grainger
• 40 - The Trouble with Tribals - shortstory by Paul J. Kaplan
• 42 - All Fall Down - shortstory by Muri McCage
• 58 - A Sucker Born - shortstory by Pat Detmer
• 72 - Obligations Discharged - shortstory by Gerri Leen
• 85 - Life's Work - shortstory by Julie Hyzy
• 96 - Adventures in Jazz and Time - shortstory by Kelly Cairo
• 103 - Future Shock - shortstory by John Coffren
• 110 - Full Circle - shortstory by Scott Pearson
• 126 - Beginnings - shortstory by Jeff D. Jacques
• 142 - Solemn Duty - shortstory by Jim Johnson
• 157 - Infinite Bureaucracy - shortstory by Anne E. Clements
• 166 - Barclay Program Nine - shortstory by Russ Crossley
• 179 - Redux - novelette by Susan S. McCrackin
• 202 - The Little Captain - shortstory by Catherine E. Pike
• 216 - I Have Broken the Prime Directive - shortstory by G. Wood
• 220 - Don't Cry - shortstory by Annie Reed
• 229 - Earthquake Weather - shortstory by Louisa M. Swann
• 247 - Guardians - novelette by Brett Hudgins
• 271 - The Law of Averages - shortstory by Amy Sisson
• 278 - Forgotten Light - shortstory by Frederick Kim
• 294 - Contest Rules (Strange New Worlds VII) - essay by uncredited
• 299 - About the Contributors (Strange New Worlds VII) - essay by uncredited

This newest volume of Strange New Worlds features original Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise stories written by Star Trek fans, for Star Trek fans!

Each of these stories features our favorite Trek characters in new and adventurous situations. In this anthology, we get to experience a new version of the Kobayashi Maru, feel what it's like to be inside the Borg collective, delight in tasting new foods, and encourage Starfleet's future.

Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Strange New Worlds 8) - essay by Dean Wesley Smith
• 3 - Shanghaied - (2005) - novelette by Alan James Garbers
• 27 - Assignment: One - (2005) - shortstory by Kevin Lauderdale
• 36 - Demon - (2005) - novelette by Kevin Andrew Hosey
• 61 - Don't Call Me Tiny - (2005) - shortstory by Paul C. Tseng
• 81 - Morning Bells Are Ringing - (2005) - shortstory by Kevin G. Summers
• 99 - Passages of Deceit - (2005) - shortstory by Sarah A. Seaborne
• 115 - Final Flight - (2005) - shortstory by John Takis
• 133 - Trek - (2005) - shortstory by Dan C. Duval
• 147 - Gumbo - (2005) - shortstory by Amy Vincent
• 155 - Promises Made - (2005) - shortstory by David DeLee
• 173 - Always a Price - (2005) - shortstory by Muri McCage
• 186 - Transfiguration - (2005) - shortstory by Susan S. McCrackin
• 205 - This Drone - (2005) - shortstory by M. C. DeMarco
• 215 - Once Upon a Tribble - (2005) - shortstory by Annie Reed
• 224 - You May Kiss the Bride - (2005) - shortstory by Amy Sisson
• 234 - Coffee with a Friend - (2005) - shortstory by J. B. Stevens
• 257 - Egg Drop Soup - (2005) - shortstory by Robert Burke Richardson
• 264 - Hero - (2005) - shortstory by Lorraine Anderson
• 268 - Insanity - (2005) - novelette by A. Rhea King
• 295 - A & Ω (Alpha & Omega) - (2005) - novelette by Derek Tyler Attico
• 318 - Concurrence - (2005) - novelette by Geoffrey Thorne
• 344 - Dawn - (2005) - shortstory by Paul J. Kaplan
• 359 - Contest Rules (Strange New Worlds 8) - essay by uncredited
• 365 - About the Contributors (Strange New Worlds 8) - essay by uncredited

The tales featured in Strange New Worlds IX, rocket readers across the length and breadth of the Federation, time, and space; from Captain Jonathan Archer's first exploration of the galaxy on board the very first Starship Enterprise through to Captain Picard's tenure on the USS Enterprise 1701-D -- and beyond. Here you can read a fresh and original take on Captain Benjamin Sisko's role on Deep Space Nine, Captain Kathryn Janeway's homeward journey with the crew of the Starship Voyager, Captain Archer's encounters with the Xindi -- and many more ports of call along the way.

Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Strange New Worlds 9) - essay by Dean Wesley Smith
• 3 - Gone Native - (2006) - shortstory by John Coffren
• 9 - A Bad Day for Koloth - (2006) - shortstory by David DeLee
• 20 - Book of Fulfillment - (2006) - shortstory by Steven Costa
• 28 - The Smallest Choices - (2006) - shortstory by Jeremy Yoder
• 41 - Staying the Course - (2006) - shortstory by Paul C. Tseng
• 57 - Home Soil - (2006) - shortstory by Jim Johnson
• 74 - Terra Tonight - (2006) - shortstory by Scott Pearson
• 87 - Solace in Bloom - (2006) - novelette by Jeff D. Jacques
• 111 - Shadowed Allies - (2006) - novelette by Emily P. Bloch
• 134 - Living on the Edge of Existence - (2006) - shortstory by Gerri Leen
• 148 - The Last Tree on Ferenginar: A Ferengi Fable from the Future - (2006) - shortstory by Mike McDevitt
• 168 - The Tribbles' Pagh - (2006) - shortstory by Ryan M. Williams
• 185 - Choices - (2006) - novelette by Susan S. McCrackin
• 207 - Unconventional Cures - (2006) - shortstory by Russ Crossley
• 213 - Maturation - (2006) - shortstory by Catherine E. Pike
• 225 - Rounding a Corner Already Turned - (2006) - novelette by Allison Cain
• 247 - Mother Nature's Little Reminders - (2006) - shortstory by A. Rhea King
• 255 - Mestral - (2006) - novelette by Ben Guilfoy
• 279 - Remembering the Future - (2006) - shortstory by Randy Tatano
• 291 - Rocket Man - (2006) - shortstory by Kenneth E. Carper
• 312 - The Rules of War - (2006) - shortstory by Kevin Lauderdale
• 321 - The Immortality Blues - (2006) - novelette by Marc Carlson
• 343 - Orphans - (2006) - novelette by R. S. Belcher
• 367 - Contest Rules (Strange New Worlds 9) - essay by uncredited
• 375 - About the Contributors (Strange New Worlds 9) - essay by uncredited
• [384] - First, Do No Harm (excerpt) - shortfiction by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore

Ambassador Sarek meets his future wife. Captain Ransom atones for his sins. T'Pol pursues a composer, after she is captivated by the human's music. Strands of DNA are woven together from four Starfleet captains, creating one man with one mission. An entity fights for its right to live, despite the fact that it is not alive.

From the ordinary to the extraordinary, all of these stories are embraced by the vision of Star Trek. When Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek, he also tapped a wellspring of human imagination. Viewers were transformed into fans, who embraced the show and turned the definition of "fan" on its ear. However, when what was on the screen was simply not enough, fans started writing their own stories, which they then shared among friends and family.

Ten years ago, Pocket Books offered Star Trek fans a unique opportunity to become a part of the Star Trek mythos. A contest was created in which the best stories submitted by nonprofessional writers would be published. And over the course of a decade, hundreds of pounds of submissions poured in. Many of the writers who submitted to Strange New Worlds went on to become professional writers.

Contents:

• vii - Introduction: Ten Years of Great Adventure - essay by Dean Wesley Smith
• 5 - The Smell of Dead Roses - novelette by Gerri Leen
• 29 - The Doomsday Gambit - shortstory by Rick Dickson
• 47 - Empty - shortstory by David DeLee
• 63 - Wired - shortstory by Aimee Ford Foster
• 85 - A Dish Served Cold - shortstory by Paul C. Tseng
• 101 - The Very Model - shortstory by Muri McCage
• 117 - So a Horse Walks into a Bar ... - shortstory by Brian Seidman
• 139 - Signal to Noise - shortstory by Jim Johnson
• 157 - The Fate of Captain Ransom - shortstory by Rob Vagle
• 175 - A Taste of Spam - shortstory by L. E. Doggett
• 191 - Adjustments - shortstory by Laura Ware
• 203 - The Day the Borg Came - shortstory by M. C. DeMarco
• 217 - The Dream - shortstory by Robyn Sullivent Gries
• 229 - Universal Chord - shortstory by Carolyn Winifred
• 249 - You Are Not in Space - shortstory by Edgar Governo
• 271 - Time Line - shortstory by Jerry M. Wolfe
• 289 - Echoes - shortstory by Randy Tatano
• 311 - Brigadoon - novelette by Rigel Ailur
• 337 - Reborn - shortstory by Jeremy Yoder

A clever, page-turning thriller in which the world of the Starship Enterprise and the holodeck world of 1940s San Francisco entertwine. "It was raining in the city by the bay. A hard rain. Hard enough to wash the slime out of the streets and back into the holes they crawled out of..." In the hardboiled style of a classic West Coast crime novel, HARD RAIN seamlessly blends the real world of the USS Enterprise with the fictional version of San Francisco 1941, as seen by Captain Jean-Luc Picard's own holodeck creation, detective Dixon Hill.

The story begins with the Enterprise stuck in an anomaly, warping both space and time so that for every minute the ship is trapped, a month goes by in normal time. The only piece of equipment that can get the ship safely home has been stolen by gangsters in the Dixon Hill holodeck program. Captain Picard, as Dixon Hill, ventures into this San Francisco world to confront the ruthless crime boss and retrieve the crucial item.

Soon after, the first of a series of murders on the Enterprise occurs and the murder weapon is found to be a revolver... from 1941 Earth. Who is behind the murders? All the clues are given. All the suspects are given. Readers will be engrossed in trying to figure out the answer... but only the very clever will guess the murderer's true identity before the final chapter.

Long ago, before the dawn of civilization, they were banished to the realm of nightmares. Now the terrors are real...

A generation ago, another Starship EnterpriseTM fought off a ship of exiled aliens intent on conquering all of the Alpha Quadrant. Starfleet thought the foe had been repelled forever -- until now. The Furies have returned in might warships even more powerful than before. But their weapons are more than merely physical, for these aliens are the origins of all the demons and monsters of ancient myth, and they have found a way to project fear directly into the minds of their enemies. To defeat the Furies, and save the Federation, Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. EnterpriseTM must first conquer the darkest terrors of their unconscious minds.

Like a strand of mutating DNA, a deadly conspiracy winds its way through the entire Alpha Quadrant, just as it stretches across several years of Starfleet history -- even to the Cardassian space station that will someday be known as Deep Space Nine.

A virulent plague has stricken Terok Nor, striking down both the enslaved Bajorans and Cardassian oppressors, who blame each other for the growing epidemic. Dr. Katherine Pulaski, late of the Starship Enterprise, must work with the tyrannical Gul Dukat, as well as a rebel spy named Kira Nerys, to discover the true source of an infection that threatens them all!

An entire solar system begins to disintegrate into cosmic rubble, and Captain Kirk suspects that rumors of a new Klingon superweapon are all too true. The Tautee system houses a flourishing pre-Warp civilization not quite ready to join the Federation, so the Prime Directive limits Kirk's ability to prevent the disaster, and to make matters worse his rescue efforts provoke an attack from four Klingon warships. But soon Kirk recognizes that he must get to the bottom of the forces at work in the Tautee system, because they could spill over into the rest of the galaxy.

The "Starship Enterprise" has embarked on its most ambitious assignment yet: to lead a courageous band of settlers to a far-off planet, to defend the fragile colony from alien threats, and to unravel the mysteries of a brand-new Earth!

Belle Terre a six-month distance from the Federation, the planet Belle Terre offers a new life to more than 30,000 families, pioneers, scientists, expatriates, go-getters, loners, and entrepreneurs, all under the watchful eye of Captain Kirk and his crew. But the would-be colonists have barely settled in the untamed wilderness of their new home when Spock makes a startling discovery: not only does the planet's moons contain a rare ore of almost inestimable value, that same moon is also violently unstable. Within months, it will inevitably explode -- destroying all life on Belle Terre!

Many light-years away from the safety of the Federation, the Starship Enterprise stands guard over an alien world whose unique natural resources could change the balance of power throughout the galaxy. The ship's crucial assignment: to maintain a Federation presence on the Planet below, to defend the world's newly arrived inhabitants from hostile aliens, and to fight a solitary battle against all who would claim the planet's riches for their own.

Against all odds, Kirk and his crew have preserved the struggling Federation colony on Belle Terre, but their heroic efforts may have been in vain In a last-ditch attempt to drive the entrenched settlers off their new home, the alien Kauld have contaminated the planet's atmosphere with a destructive biochemical agent that will soon render the entire world inimical to human life. With only weeks to spare, Spock races to find a scientific solution to their dire predicament, while Kirk takes the battle to the enemy, determined to wrest the secret of their salvation from the very forces out to destroy the future of this new Earth!

"Revenge is a dish best served cold." -- Klingon proverb For many years, Klingons have been the premier warriors in the galaxy. Regarded across known space with fear and awe, few beings understand the true depth and greatness of the Klingon culture. "Four thousand throats may be cut in one night by a running man." -- Klingon proverb Noted Klingon language and cultural expert Marc Okrand collects the wisdom of these great warriors, taking proverbs and quotes from some of its greatest thinkers and bringing Klingon philosophy to lesser races across the galaxy.

Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear when Real Men with ray guns and beautiful women in beguiling outfits battled hideous monsters from outer space! Return with us to the days when Captain Proton ruled the skyways!

When the queen of an evil space empire kidnaps Captain Proton's faithful secretary Constance Goodheart, it's only the first step in her diabolical plan to conquer the Incorporated Planets. It soon becomes clear that there is more to her plot than meets the eye when, on the very edge of death, Captain Proton is saved by a power Not Of This Universe. Caught in an eons-old fight between two alien races, who can Captain Proton trust? No one -- not even his sidekick, ace reporter Buster Kincaid. Can Captain Proton save the Galaxy from the forces of evil and save Constance Goodheart from the Giant Demon Squid of Greyhawk II?

Extra! Dr. Chaotica plots the Death of the Patrol, Constance Goodheart must find Captain Proton before she shrinks to a size too small to be seen, and Buster Kincaid faces the Swamp of Doom!

The "U.S.S. Voyager is in desperate trouble, her systems damaged, her warp engines failing. Without immediate repairs the starship and her crew will be trapped forever between the stars. Captain Kathryn Janeway must guide her ship to an ancient, deserted planet that could hold the key to their survival -- a planet that is hiding more than one deadly secret.

The U.S.S. Voyager finds itself in a system where a planet might have existed, but doesn't. Where the planet should have been, millions and then billions of people are appearing from nowhere and dying in the vacuum of space.

To solve the mystery and save billions of lives, Captain Janeway will have to face alternate versions of herself and the crew of Voyager -- not just one almost-mirror-image, but many. Janeway will have to find a way to work with her alternate selves, with whom she shares much but each of whom has a different agenda. At stake is the survival of Voyager and the lives of billions of innocent people.

2017: NEAR THE PLANET URANUS

After a deep-space satellite mysteriously stops transmitting, the Hubble III telescope picks up a startling image. Astronomers don't know what the strange object is--only that it orbits past Earth every two millennia.

Meanwhile, archaeologist Leo Cross has discovered peculiar layers of black residue at dig sites around the globe. Stranger still, these thin bands occur like clockwork every 2,006 years, coinciding with some of the world's darkest moments in history.

We have six months to prepare for the next arrival. This time we know something is coming. This time we have weapons to defend us.

This time we'll be wrong... again.

2017: BACK FROM THE SUN

For aeons, Earth has been ravaged by so-called natural disasters. Now we know the primary cause: overharvesting of our limited resources--not by humans, but by the residents of our solar system's tenth planet.

Since before the birth of humanity, every two thousand years, this dark planet has plundered our world. But in 2017, Earth fought back. Now thousands of aliens face starvation. To survive, they must harvest Earth when their orbit brings them back from behind the sun.

But the humans are not waiting for Earth to become as parched and barren as Mars. Every nuclear weapon has been aimed at the Tenth Planet. Their ultimate goal--to blow the Tenth Planet to oblivion.

In part two of the Tenth Planet saga, cutting-edge science and high drama combine in an adventure that questions humanity's history, our place in the universe... and our very right to exist.

2018: COUNTDOWN TO APOCALYPSE

Two worlds are locked in mortal conflict. The aliens of the Tenth Planet must harvest Earth's vast resources soon--before their world's elliptical orbit hurls them back into deep space for another 2000 years. If they fail, their species cannot survive the long journey into the void. This is their last chance to avoid extinction.

On Earth, scientists work frantically to stop the huge alien fleet, but even nuclear weapons have only slowed the attackers' dreadful onslaught. Now the ultimate battle for the fate of Earth--and all human life--draws near. And as more powerful weapons are brought to bear, winning the war may be more devastating than the invasion.

Torn from the universe by an insatiable cosmic vortex, Earth is trapped in the grotesque parody of reality called the Maelstrom -- along with thousands of other planets, millions of species, billions of warring creatures... all swirling toward ultimate destruction.

ALIEN HORROR

It materializes off the Oregon coast in a burst of devastation and tsunamis: an island containing an alien city... and perhaps the way for Earth to escape the Maelstrom. But the Union soldiers and civilian scientists sent to the strange ruins aren't the only ones who want the island's power. For the humans are soon confronted by unearthly monsters -- the walking-dead Pharons and morphing Sand. And these horrors intend to claim victims on their unholy journey through the Maelstrom, even as the entire island itself begins to disappear.

In the world of speculative fiction... Your favorite authors... Have selected the best new voices of the year. 24 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators

3 Bonus Short Stories by Kevin J. Anderson, L. Ron Hubbard, and S. M. Stirling

Art and Writing Tips by Lazarus Chernik, L. Ron Hubbard, and Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Edited by Dean Wesley Smith and Jody Lynn Nye

16-page color gallery of artwork and Cover art by Tom Wood

Check out the stories Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, Nnedi Okorafor, Robert J. Sawyer, Kevin J. Anderson, Jody Lynn Nye and others chose as the best of the best.

Be amazed. Be amused. Be transported ... by stories that take you by surprise and take you further and deeper into new worlds and new ideas than you've ever gone before....

Twelve captivating tales from the most exciting new voices in science fiction and fantasy accompanied by three from masters of the genre.

• A miracle? An omen? Or something else? One day, they arrived in droves -- the foxes of the desert, the field, the imagination.... -- "Kitsune" by Devon Bohm
• When a vampire, a dragon and a shape-shifting Chihuahua meet on a beach in Key West, fireworks go off! But that's just the background. -- "Moonlight and Funk" by Marianne Xenos
• Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I., faces one of his funniest and most perplexing cases ever -- an enlightened ogre, a salamander with low self-esteem, and a raging fire dragon terrorizing the Unnatural Quarter! -- "Fire in the Hole" by Kevin J. Anderson
• The Grim Reaper, trapped in an IRS agent's dying body, must regain his powers before he dies and faces judgment for his original sin. -- "Death and the Taxman" by David Hankins
• In a metaverse future, a woman who exposes falseness in others must decide what is real to her -- the love she lost or the love she may have found. -- "Under My Cypresses" by Jason Palmatier
• Vic Harden wasn't lured by glory on a daring mission into the reaches of outer space -- he was ordered out there by his editor. -- "The Unwilling Hero" by L. Ron Hubbard
• Dangerous opportunities present themselves when an alien ship arrives in the solar system seeking repairs. -- "White Elephant" by David K. Henrickson
• With her spaceship at the wrong end of a pirate's guns, a former war hero must face down her enemies and demons to save Earth's last best chance for peace. -- "Piracy for Beginners" by J. R. Johnson
• Years after the Second Holocaust, the last surviving Jews on earth attempt to rewrite the past. -- "A Trickle in History" by Elaine Midcoh
• When I said I'd do anything to pay off my debts and get back home to Earth, I didn't mean survey a derelict spaceship at the edge of the solar system -- but here I am. -- "The Withering Sky" by Arthur H. Manner
• High-powered telescopes bring galactic life to our TVs, and network tuner Hank Enos figures he's seen everything -- until the day an alien boy stares back. -- "The Fall of Crodendra M." by T. J. Knight
• Knights, damsels and dragons, curses and fates foretold -- the stuff of legends and stories, but unexpectedly perverse. -- "Constant Never" by S. M. Stirling
• Determined to save his wife, Tumelo takes an unlikely client through South Africa's ruins to the heart of the Desolation -- a journey that will cost or save everything. -- "The Children of Desolation" by Spencer Sekulin
• When a terrorist smuggles a nuclear weapon into London, a team regresses in time to AD 1093 to assassinate a knight on the battlefield, thereby eliminating the terrorist a millennia before his birth. -- "Timelines and Bloodlines" by L. H. Davis
• The Grand Exam, a gateway to power for one, likely death for all others -- its entrants include ambitious nobles, desperate peasants, and Quiet Gate, an old woman with nothing left to lose. -- "The Last History" by Samuel Parr

You will love this collection of the best new voices because, as Locus magazine puts it, "Excellent writing...extremely varied. There's a lot of hot new talent."

Get it now.