Star Trek 1332: Chasing Shadows

1332. Chasing Shadows

PUBLICATION: Star Trek: The Next Generation - Intelligence Gathering #3, IDW Comics, March 2008

CREATORS: Scott Tipton and David Tipton (writers), David Messina (artist)

STARDATE: 45937.2 (follows the last issue)

PLOT: The Enterprise-D stops at starbase to unload their Romulan prisoners and get repairs. Soon thereafter, the respond to a priority message from the USS Jackson, but when they get there, the ship is in no danger. Its captain blames his new engineer, Lt. Commander Carrl, who claims the warp core is building up a deadly "Mantleau wave". No one believes him, however. Geordi and O'Brien investigate and they too find the Mantleau wave. As the ship evacuates, they find the cause: a piece of technology that simulates engine trouble. By the time they go to Picard, they've also found the same device on the Enterprise. Someone at starbase sabotaged both ships so they would put in for more repairs, but to what end?

CONTINUITY: Both Barclay, O'Brien and Ro all appear. The USS Jackson has an Edosian helmsman (Arex's people).

DIVERGENCES: None.

PANEL OF THE DAY - Steeples are for thinking.
REVIEW: Something of a multi-part story is finally developing though it's hard to say if it'll tie into every chapter to date (it probably won't). Chasing Shadows doesn't quite play right, unfortunately. The way Carrl's scenes are drawn, it makes him look guilty of planting the alien tech himself, and while that certainly adds to the suspense, I'm not sure it was meant to imply that. O'Brien's role is problematic for other reasons. Geordi pulls him out of the transporter room to help in this investigation, and the Chief's characterization strongly implies that this little excursion may be why he eventually leaves the ship for DS9. This O'Brien has little to no ambition, and that doesn't mesh well with the veteran Starfleet man with a long and varied career. Had this been about Mr. Kyle or something, I might have bought it. Not O'Brien. And of course, it's just a quest for [TECH] and nothing is truly revealed, so there is that.