937. HomeworldPUBLICATION: Star Trek Annual v.2 #3, DC Comics, 1992
CREATORS: Howard Weinstein (writer), Norm Dwyer and Arne Starr (artists)
STARDATE: 8467.5 (between #29 and #30)
PLOT: Some time ago, the dispersed Kitarans found a new homeworld with the help of the Federation. Now, they're about to enter that august body with the help of Ambassador Sarek, an old friend of Kitaran leader Lar'tok. But she's dying, and is meant to telepathically "blend" her experience with Kitara's next leader, except the new leader now refuses the position. Kitara must reject old traditions and start fresh as a Federation member. Things get more complicated when an old Kitaran sect (yes, another faction), the Sancti, finally return to the new world claiming they should lead it. They kidnap Lar'tok, Sarek and McCoy, steal some old artifacts and follow their clues to a world where their sacred animals, "Peacegivers", are said to live. The Enterprise follows. Lar'tok dies on the way. The Sancti find their sacred animals, alien wildebeest with a shared consciousness who are anfry and disappointed that no one wants to follow their doctrine of peace, certainly not the Kitarans. They've given up, and without the expected answers, the Sancti agree to let Sarek mediate a new leadership structure with the unblended leader-in-waiting of Kitara.
CONTINUITY: Lar'tok was the one who convinced Sarek it was logical to marry Amanda.
DIVERGENCES: The stardate predates the Enterprise-A.
PANEL OF THE DAY - Spock, the Pigpen of the Enterprise
REVIEW: Though Homeworld continues Weinstein's predilection for factional politics and worlds created through exposition and lots of it, the Annual benefits from its longer page count. With more room to breathe between explanations, it feels more like a mini-novel. Weinstein throws in a lot of detail about the Kitarans, not all of them necessarily relevant to the story, but it does add color. Sarek is especially well used, and his friendship with Lar'tok is an emotional high point. Dwyer's art suffers from stiff likenesses, but his guest characters are quite expressive and his alien designs rather fun.
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