Forward TO THE ROMULAN GAMBIT

Fifteen years ago, after four seasons, Star Trek: Enterprise was cancelled. Unlike the original series, where fans broadly agree it deteriorated with each season, Enterprise, rather like Next Generation, found its voice in the third season: it got better.

When it was cancelled two storylines beckoned: how the Romulan War came about and how to resolve the consequences of the relationship between Chief Engineer Tucker and the Vulcan T’Pol, who in a moving climax to the fourth season were the subject of a violation of their most intimate psychological and physical selves: their reproductive DNA.

“The Romulan Gambit” begins with the closing moments of their story and then moves forward with its own unique narrative momentum.

Finally, given my proofreader has not watched the Enterprise Series at all it should be made clear the story can be read in isolation. The themes of Loss, Reclamation, Loyalty and pervasive State Sponsored Behaviour are not unique to Star Trek; neither are wisdom, patience and sacrifice.

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Addendum

Notes for Deep Fans of The Series Enterprise

For those who know the series intimately the Prologue begins with the final scene of Season 4 Episode 21 and picks up the narrative thread developed in Seasons 3 and 4 around Commander Tucker and T’Pol and takes it forward. Both of the Fourth Season three episode arcs featuring first the Vulcans and then the Romulans are foundation stories.

Some episodes like “Balance of Terror”, “Amok Time” (from the original show) and “Unification” (in which Leonard Nimoy’s Spock joins the “Next Generation” cast in Season 5) contribute to the rule book by which the story is told. Other episodes like Enterprises, “Breaking The Ice.” and Next Generations “Face of the Enemy.” provide useful character texture.

Fans, whether professional or amateur, often try to emulate and reposition propositions from something they love and often with great skill.

My priority is to honour the series but to tell the story in a fresh and idiosyncratic way. And in the process challenge myself as a writer.

There is no attempt to replace the Fifth Season that might have been filmed though projected storylines and plot ideas can be found in the story. Instead, I deconstruct the way the stories were told in the series and focus on the themes of Star Trek and the characters that appeared without the rigours of the commercial realities of a Television Show.

Just one point of detail. I am well aware of the very final episode of ST: Enterprise but that only exists because the storytelling was ending. If they had made Season Five the final episode would not exist and I have applied the same logic.