The Xondaii system-located in an area of non-aligned space near Federation and Romulan territory-is home to a unique stellar phenomenon: a spatial rift which opens every 2.7 Earth years, remains open for a period of approximately twenty-one Earth days, and allows access to a small planetoid that orbits in proximity to the system's fourth planet. During this brief window, the people of Xondaii undertake a massive interplanetary operation: mineral ore is ferried from the mining operation while supplies, crew replacements, and so on are transported from the planet. Also, communications with the mining colony on the planetoid are possible only when the rift is open. Science vessel U.S.S. Robert Ballardis severely damaged during its mission to the system, and the U.S.S. Enterpriseis dispatched to investigate and render assistance. But Kirk, Spock, and Sulu also collect the data about the rift, and the evidence they've gathered regarding its artificial nature is compelling. How has this not been discovered by anyone from Xondaii, especially when considering the extensive mining operations that have been in place for decades? And what can prevent enemies of the Federation from exploiting this newfound power?

Author Biography

Dayton Ward served for eleven years in the U.S. Marine Corps before discovering the private sector and the piles of cash to be made as a software engineer. He got his start in professional writing by placing stories in each of the first three Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthologies. He is the author of dozens of Star Trek novels, many written in collaboration with coauthor Kevin Dilmore. Still reeling from the knowledge that Star Trek was a live-action series before it was a Saturday-morning cartoon, Kevin Dilmore is continually grateful for his professional involvement on the fiction and the nonfiction sides of the Star Trek universe for nearly a decade. Since 1997, he has been a contributing writer to Star Trek Communicator, penning news stories and personality profiles for the bimonthly publication of the Official Star Trek Fan Club. (TM), (R), & (c) 2012 CBS Studios, Inc. Star Trek and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved.