Star Trek 976: Bait... and Switch

976. Bait... and Switch

PUBLICATION: Star Trek v.2 #65, DC Comics, November 1994

CREATORS: Howard Weinstein (writer), Rod Whigham and Arne Starr (artists)

STARDATE: 8668.2 (between #60 and #61)

PLOT: The Enterprise is to ferry a Vulcan ambassador to sign a time-sensitive treaty with the easily insulted Nara'gi, but the ship keeps being delayed by Romulan-made emergencies in an attempt to foil the mission. When they arrive late, the ambassador's aide reveals she is with Starfleet Security and arrests the ambassador as a Romulan spy who fed his allies information on the mission, a mission that is completely bogus, the real negotiations having taken place months before. The Enterprise then intercepts a stolen Nara'gi vessel and the two young thieves inside, including the daughter of an old rival of Spock's...

CONTINUITY: The same gas used by the Romulan-allied Maroans in #35-40 is used again. T'ariis is the daughter of Stonn and T'Pring (Amok Time).

DIVERGENCES: Oddly, the stardate puts the next few issues between #60 and #61.

PANEL OF THE DAY - Words Kirk isn't used to hearing.
REVIEW: Though the ambassador's aide is a hoot (I hope her over-stern demeanor wasn't just an act and that she sticks around through the next arc), she's the one you think will be Romulan mole. Even if she isn't, this is a whodunit with only two suspects, and the whole thing comes off like the A-plot from Data's Day. So just buying time before T'ariis is brought on board as a continuity guest star.