1:[5,#B],9:[2,#I],146:[2,#I],178:[20,#I]@1“The Mark of Gideon” (TOS)@2Stardate 5423.4. The Starship Enterprise, on a diplomatic mission to planet Gideon, reports Captain James Kirk missing while in transit to the planet’s surface. Investigation determines Kirk to have been abducted by the Gideon council, an attempt by Gideon prime minister Hodin to use disease organisms in Kirk’s bloodstream to help solve a serious overpopulation problem. Although Kirk declines to remain on Gideon to provide the disease organism, Hodin’s daughter, Odona, becomes similarly infected and thus is able to fill the planet’s needs.
• A Federation vessel makes first contact with a spacecraft from a race calling itself “The Children of Tama.” Attempts to establish communications are unsuccessful due to the unusually great difference between language types, although their behavior suggests a peaceable race. This is the first of seven such incidents over the next century, including contact by the Shiku Maru, whose commander, Captain Silvestri, described the Tamarians as “incomprehensible.” Accounts from the other contacts are similar. As a result, no formal relations are established between the Tamarians and the Federation.
“Darmok” (TNG). Data noted that Federation vessels had first encountered Tamarian ships a hundred years prior to the episode (2368).
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~1:[5,#B],9:[2,#I],47:[1,#I],71:[1,#I],108:[1,#I],139:[6,#I],178:[6,#I]@1“The Lights of Zetar” (TOS)@2Stardate 5725.3. The U.S.S. Enterprise is assigned to transport Lieutenant Mira Romaine to planetoid Memory Alpha, a massive archive for Federation cultural history and scientific knowledge. On final orbital approach to Memory Alpha, an energy phenomenon of unknown origin intercepts the Enterprise, resulting in serious neural impact on Romaine. This phenomenon subsequently attacks the Memory Alpha installation, resulting in the death of all station personnel. Enterprise personnel later determine that the energy is the embodiment of the survivors of the planet Zetar, destroyed many years ago. The survivors found Romaine to be a compatible life-form to serve as their corporeal body, but Enterprise personnel are successful in expelling the Zetar life-forms when it is found that they threaten Romaine’s identity.
• Lieutenant Mira Romaine returns to Memory Alpha to help rebuild the facility.
After “The Lights of Zetar” (TOS).
• A botanical plague threatens the vegetation on planet Merak II. The plague’s devastation is expected to leave the planet’s surface uninhabitable. The only known treatment requires quantities of the rare mineral zenite.
Prior to “The Cloud Minders” (TOS).
~1:[4,#B],8:[2,#I],88:[1,#I],109:[2,#I],126:[6,#I]@1“The Cloud Minders” (TOS)@2Stardate 5818.4. The U.S.S. Enterprise is on an emergency assignment to obtain mineral zenite from miners on planet Ardana. Delivery of the zenite is delayed by terrorist activity. Investigation reveals the terrorists to be driven by severe social inequities between the working class, living in the underground mines, and the upper class, living in Stratos, a cloud city. Stratos authorities defend the arrangement, citing evidence that the workers exhibit lower intelligence, but it is learned this mental impairment is due to environmental conditions. Enterprise captain Kirk negotiates with both parties for improved working conditions in exchange for delivery of the zenite consignment.
• The Starship Enterprise proceeds to planet Merak II to deliver the zenite for treatment of the botanical plague.
Just after “The Cloud Minders” (TOS).
~1:[5,#B],9:[1,#I],14:[1,#I],19:[1,#I],21:[1,#I],78:[1,#I],126:[43,#I],180:[2,#I],213:[1,#I],237:[7,#I]@1“The Way to Eden” (TOS)@2Stardate 5832.3. The Enterprise locates the space cruiser Aurora, reported stolen. Intercepting the Aurora, the Enterprise takes into custody several individuals led by Dr. Severin, a noted scientist. Severin reveals he is on a quest to find the mythical planet that is the source of the legends of Eden. Severin coerces ship’s personnel to locate a planet matching his criteria, using ship’s computer banks to correlate astronomical data. Severin then orders the Enterprise to those coordinates.
At Severin’s planet it is learned that although beautiful, the planet’s environment is severely toxic to humanoid life, and Severin is killed from exposure to the planet’s flora. Captain Kirk recommends that no legal action be taken against the remaining members of Severin’s party.
Editors’ Note: An earlier version of this story was written by Dorothy Fontana under the title “Joanna.” The Irina character (Chekov’s love interest in the aired episode) was originally Dr. McCoy’s daughter, Joanna, who caught the interest of Captain Kirk in Fontana’s version.
• A serious epidemic of Rigelian fever breaks out onboard the Starship Enterprise, causing the death of three crew members and threatening the lives of 23 others. The effects of Rigelian fever resemble those of bubonic plague, killing its victims in a day. The Enterprise diverts to planet Holberg 917-G in the Omega system in order to obtain sufficient quantities of ryetalyn necessary for treatment of the epidemic.
Just prior to “Requiem for Methuselah” (TOS).
~1:[4,#B],8:[1,#I],48:[1,#I],183:[1,#I],214:[37,#I]@1“Requiem for Methuselah (TOS)@2Stardate 5843.7. An Enterprise landing party attempts to gather raw ryetalyn from the surface of Holberg 917-G, a class-M planet previously believed to be uninhabited. The ryetalyn is critically needed as an antidote to Rigelian fever, now threatening the lives of the entire Enterprise crew. The planet is discovered to be the abode of a reclusive individual known as Flint, who is later discovered to be a nearly immortal man, originally from Earth. Flint offers assistance in obtaining and refining the ryetalyn, but is later learned to be deliberately detaining the landing party personnel to provide experience with human interaction to a sophisticated android of Flint’s construction. The android, designed as a human female called Rayna Kapec, proves incapable of withstanding the stresses of human emotions and suffers a total systems failure.
Flint, who is learned to have had many identities over his lifetime, claims to have been Leonardo da Vinci, Reginald Pollack, Sten from Marcus II, Brahms, Alexander, Merlin, Solomon, Lazarus, Abramson, and other historical figures. Flint ultimately provides refined ryetalyn for the successful treatment of the Enterprise crew, and is further discovered to have sacrificed immortality when he left Earth’s ecosystems, but indicates a desire to devote the remainder of his life to improving the human condition.
Editors’ Note: Rayna Kapec was apparently named for Karel Capek, the Czechoslovakian writer who first coined the term “robot” in his short story “R.U.R.” The spelling of the medication “ryetalyn” is indicated in the script as “vrietalyn.”
~1:[4,#B],8:[2,#I],86:[1,#I],128:[100,#I]@1“The Savage Curtain” (TOS)@2Stardate 5906.4. The U.S.S. Enterprise conducts scientific studies in orbit around planet Excalbia and encounters a life-form claiming to be the late President Abraham Lincoln of Earth. Captain Kirk, intrigued by the nearly perfect image of the historical figure, accepts an invitation to transport to the surface of Excalbia with Spock, where similar recreations of numerous other historical figures are encountered. Among these recreations are Surak of Vulcan, Colonel Green of Earth, and Kahless the Unforgettable from the Klingon Homeworld. The Enterprise crew discovers the entire situation to have been engineered by the inhabitants of Excalbia, so that they may observe and learn about the concepts of “good” and “evil.” Upon completion of the drama, the Excalbians return Kirk and Spock to the Enterprise.
Editors’ Note: In “Reunion” (TNG) and “New Ground” (TNG), Worf tells Alexander about Kahless the Unforgettable, the leader who united the Klingon Homeworld, describing how Kahless fought his brother Morath for twelve days and nights because Morath had broken his word. A sculpture in Worf’s quarters of two figures wrestling depicts this heroic struggle. More bits of the legend of Kahless were told in “Birthright Part I and II” (TNG), and we actually met a clone of Kahless in “Rightful Heir” (TNG). Oddly enough, Kahless in “The Savage Curtain” (TOS) looked nothing like Kahless as seen in “Rightful Heir.”
~1:[4,#B],8:[2,#I],106:[1,#I],119:[2,#I],145:[2,#I],157:[6,#I]@1“All Our Yesterdays” (TOS)@2Stardate 5943.7. The U.S.S. Enterprise investigates planet Sarpeidon, hours before the predicted explosion of its star, Beta Niobe. Although earlier reports indicated Sarpeidon had been inhabited by a civilized humanoid species, sensors indicate no inhabitants remain. Investigation reveals a sophisticated time portal called the atavachron, which was used by the inhabitants to escape into their planet’s past. Unfamiliarity with the atavachron results in the accidental transport of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy to various points in Sarpeidon’s past, although all three are recovered by Mr. Atoz, the atavachron operator. Atoz subsequently escapes into his chosen past time, and the Enterprise departs Sarpeidon just prior to the explosion of Beta Niobe.
• The U.S.S. Enterprise receives a distress call from a Federation archaeological team investigating the ruins on planet Camus II. The ship, on course to rendezvous with the Starship Potemkin at Beta Aurigae for gravitational studies, diverts to Camus II.
Just prior to “Turnabout Intruder” (TOS).
~1:[3,#B],7:[2,#I],35:[1,#I],164:[51,#I],217:[1,#I],224:[56,#I],282:[2,#I],286:[2,#I],292:[5,#I],304:[2,#I],309:[46,#I],357:[26,#I],400:[11,#I],414:[1,#I],432:[45,#I],478:[20,#I],500:[18,#I],519:[34,#I],562:[10,#I],602:[18,#I]@1“Turnabout Intruder” (TOS)@2Stardate 5928.5. The Starship Enterprise conducts a rescue mission at Camus II, aiding survivors of the Federation archaeological team suffering from a serious radiation exposure accident. Upon returning to the ship, Enterprise captain James Kirk is discovered to be exhibiting severely aberrant behavior, resulting in the convening of a hearing to evaluate Kirk’s command competency. Investigation reveals the fact that Kirk, while on Camus II, had been the victim of an abduction by Dr. Janice Lester, a member of the archaeological team. Lester had evidently employed an ancient device discovered in the ruins to transfer her consciousness into the body of James Kirk, and Kirk’s consciousness into Lester’s body. This mental exchange by the emotionally unstable Lester is determined to be the cause of Kirk’s irrational behavior, although the transference is later found to be temporary, and both Kirk and Lester revert to their original bodies. Lester is placed in the medical care of former archaeological expedition leader Dr. Coleman.
Editors’ Note: Starfleet has been accused of sexism because of Janice’s speech to Kirk complaining that “your world of starship captains doesn’t admit women.” While it is indeed possible that Starfleet did not have female captains at this point (chronologically, the first female captain we saw was the commander of the U.S.S. Saratoga in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home), we chose to interpret Janice’s line as meaning that Kirk’s personal world, revolving around his career as starship captain, left no room for a lasting commitment to a woman. (Gene Roddenberry apparently disagreed with this rationalization, admitting in later years that the line was simply sexist.)
“Turnabout Intruder” (TOS) was the last episode of the original Star Trek television series.
• The U.S.S. Enterprise goes to Starbase 2.
Just after “Turnabout Intruder” (TOS).
• Kirk’s five-year mission ends and the Starship Enterprise returns to spacedock.
Date is conjecture. Assumes the pilot episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before” (TOS) was about a year into the five-year mission and that the first season was about a year after that episode.
Editors’ Note: Although this chronology does not use material from the animated Star Trek series, Dorothy Fontana suggests that she would place those stories after the end of the third season, but prior to the end of the five-year mission.
• Renora is born on planet Bajor. As an adult, she will become a highly respected jurist.
“Dax” (DS9). She said she was 100 years old in 2369.
• The asteroid/spaceship Yonada reaches its promised land, and the Fabrini, under the leadership of high priestess Natira, begin to disembark.
“For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky” (TOS). Kirk noted that Yonada would arrive at its destination some 390 days after the episode, set in the latter half of 2268.
Editors’ Note: Kirk promised McCoy that he would arrange for the Enterprise to be there when the Fabrini reached their promised land, but since this would have been after the end of Star Trek’s third season, we have no way of knowing whether or not McCoy actually managed to make it. Although Yonada’s arrival is, by our reckoning, after the end of Kirk’s five-year mission, there is certainly enough margin for error in the timeline that the arrival could have been before the end of that voyage.
• Keiko Ishikawa O’Brien’s mother is born on Earth.
“Dax” (DS9). Keiko’s mother celebrated her 100th birthday in 2369.
• James T. Kirk is promoted to admiral and becomes chief of Starfleet operations, accepting the promotion against the advice of his friend, Leonard McCoy.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Kirk said he’d been chief of Starfleet operations for two and a half years prior to the film.
• Spock retires from Starfleet. He returns to Vulcan to undergo the Kohlinar training in an effort to purge the remaining emotional influences from his intellect.
Leonard McCoy also retires, returns to Earth, and enters private medical practice, swearing he’ll never return to Starfleet.
Date is conjecture. Both left Starfleet after the original Star Trek series, but before Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
• Starship Enterprise, in San Francisco orbital dry dock, begins major refitting process. Will Decker promoted to Enterprise captain on Kirk’s recommendation.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Scotty noted he’d spent eighteen months working on the refit project, so this is that long before the movie.
• Felisa Howard is born.
“Sub Rosa” (TNG). She was a hundred years old at the time of her death in 2370.
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• Star Trek Motion Pictures I - VI
~1:[5,#BI],42:[2,#I],60:[1,#I],102:[31,#I],135:[110,#I],255:[12,#I],268:[3,#I],274:[16,#I],295:[12,#I],308:[2,#I],318:[12,#I],332:[3,#I],338:[21,#I],360:[10,#I],372:[52,#I],451:[10,#I],527:[10,#I]@1Star Trek: The Motion Picture@2Stardate 7412.6. Three Klingon starships and Starfleet’s Epsilon 9 station are destroyed by a massive machine/organism called V’Ger. Sol sector placed on alert when V’Ger is found to be heading toward Earth at warp 7.
Refitted U.S.S. Enterprise returned to service to investigate the threat. Starfleet Admiral Nogura temporarily reinstates Admiral James Kirk as Enterprise captain, assigning former captain Decker to serve as executive officer. Commander Spock and Dr. McCoy both return to Starfleet duty.
Kirk is successful in averting the V’Ger threat to Earth, although Commander Decker and Lieutenant Ilia are reported missing in action.
Editors’ Note: Decker’s line about Kirk not having logged “a single star-hour in two and a half years” suggests the film is set that long after the conclusion of the first Star Trek series. Kirk’s line about his having spent five years out there, dealing with unknowns, would seem to confirm that it is indeed the five-year mission they are referring to.
This film marked the first appearance of the “new and improved” Klingons, using latex makeup appliances to create their distinctive forehead ridges. Makeup artist Fred Phillips created the new designs. Phillips explained that this is what he had always wanted to do for the Klingons, but could never afford on a television budget. Phillips and Roddenberry reportedly joked that the difference was because only “southern” Klingons were seen in the original series, but those seen in the movies were “northern” Klingons.
• Demora Sulu is born. Her father is Hikaru Sulu.
Conjecture, assuming she was 22 years old at the time of the Enterprise -B launch in Star Trek: Generations. It is not at all clear whether she was born before or after the events in Star Trek: The Motion Picture or the start of the conjectural second five-year mission under Kirk’s command.
• U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on Kirk’s second five-year mission of exploration.
Conjecture.
Editors’ Note: Paramount Pictures had at one point planned a second Star Trek television series (entitled Star Trek II, not to be confused with the movie of the same name) which would have depicted a second five-year mission of the Enterprise under the command of Captain Kirk. Most of the original Star Trek cast had agreed to return for this series, and new additions would have included Will Decker, Ilia, and Vulcan science officer Xon, who would have been played by actor David Gautreaux. However, just before production started, Paramount decided not to go ahead with the series and the first episode was turned into Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
• Klingon forces, under the command of Kor, win a stunning victory over the Romulans in the battle of Klach D’kel Brakt.
“Blood Oath” (DS9). “Almost a century” before the episode (2370).
• The terraforming project at planet Caldos is completed with the installation of weather controls and fusion systems. It is one of the Federation’s first ventures into the massive engineering required to change a planet’s climate. The colony that is later built on the planet employs architecture closely patterned on buildings from the Earth cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and other parts of the Scottish Highlands.
“Sub Rosa” (TNG) Nearly a century before the episode (2370).
