Author(s):	John Vornholt
Artist(s):	Todd Cameron Hamilton
Publisher:	Pocket Books
Series:	Pocket TOS Starfleet Academy #2
Published:	1 September 1996
Pages:	128
Stardate:	Unknown (2250)
Reference(s):	ISBN 0671000799

Can Spock and McCoy stop an earthquake?.

Summary Edit

From the book jacket

Leonard McCoy was a medical student at Starfleet Academy looking forward to the winter break. He was just trying to have some fun when a football game on Academy grounds got out of hand, and all thanks to that upstart cadet named Kirk. Now McCoy is stuck at the Academy during the break. If only Kirk hadn't gotten him into trouble. . . .

But it's too late for regrets. McCoy has been "volunteered" for the Disaster Relief Service Club. Now he and a humorless Vulcan named Spock are risking their lives to save earthquake victims on the planet Playamar. Constant aftershocks are hampering their efforts, though, and Spock and McCoy begin to wonder: Is this a natural disaster, or are more sinister forces at work?

Memorable Quotes Edit

"Let me tell you something, mister, there is nothing fair about Starfleet. Today you get mess duty, tomorrow you may be the youngest captain in the fleet."

- Vrena

Background Information Edit

• Second book in the young reader-oriented TOS Starfleet Academy series.
• According to the Pocket Books' version of the timeline of Star Trek (as printed in "What Lay Beyond"), this story takes place during Kirk's freshman year. Pocket's Star Trek Chronology places this date in 2250.
• Besides showing a Daedalus class starship (a type that would supposedly be obsolete at the time), the novel also depicts TOS-style Starfleet cadet's uniforms, but with a different collar than the uniform 2250s era cadets wore onscreen.
• Kirk calls McCoy "sawbones".

Characters Edit

Canon characters listed below are linked to the main article about them. Non-canon characters are not linked, but those that recurred, appearing or being mentioned in more than one story, are defined further in Pocket TOS characters.

Regular and recurring characters Edit

Leonard McCoy 

Starfleet medical student.

Spock 

Vulcanian Starfleet cadet.

James T. Kirk 

Starfleet cadet.

Kirk would be approximately 17 or 18 years old in this book, according to his 2233 birthdate referenced in the Star Trek Chronology.

Other characters Edit

David McCoy 

Leonard McCoy's father

Hibulta 

Delosian cadet.

Wainwright 

Starfleet cadet.

Ybarra 

Starfleet admiral.

Vrena 

Starfleet captain.

Raelius 

Starfleet captain, McCoy's trainer in the Disaster Relief Club.

Lisa Donald 

Starfleet cadet.

References Edit

Starfleet Academy