Originating from the pages of “Star Trek Explorer” magazine, a premium publication that sadly delivers its final issue in December after a three-decade run, comes a brand new hardback collection of imaginative “Star Trek” fiction written by an eclectic crew of all-star science fiction authors paired with acclaimed illustrators.
“A Year To The Day I Saw Myself Die and Other Stories” beams into the holiday gift-giving season on Dec. 10 from London-based Titan Books as a 96-page edition containing 14 fully illustrated “Star Trek”-themed short stories collected for the first time and we’ve got an exclusive excerpt to share with fans.
This early look at writer Una McCormack and artist Louie De Martinis’ “Jack of Diamonds” finds the character of Jack Crusher on the run in a propulsive tale occurring during the events of Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Picard.”
Here’s the book’s official description:
“The short stories contained in the book feature characters and situations from across the ‘Star Trek’ universe, including ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Star Trek: The Animated Series,’ ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation,’ ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,’ ‘Star Trek: Voyager,’ and ‘Star Trek: Picard.’
“These self-contained stories include an adventure following the aftermath of ‘Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan,’ co-written by Mr. Chekov himself, Walter Koenig, a trip into Vulcan history, and, for the first time, stories featuring Jack Crusher, Annika Hansen/Seven of Nine, and Captain Liam Shaw from ‘Star Trek: Picard.'”
Now lace up your jogging shoes and check out our exclusive excerpt below:
“JACK OF DIAMONDS”
Written by Una McCormack with artwork by Louie de Martinis
(Set just prior to the events of “Star Trek: Picard,” ‘The Next Generation.’)
Jack Crusher, looking at the high fence rising up in front of him, was starting to entertain the possibility there was the slightest chances that very soon he might be in a spot of bother.
“What’s happening, Jack?”
Jack was nimble. Jack was quick – but tonight Jack was slowed down by the heavy bag on his back and Jack would be damned before he surrendered his treasures. He had put a lot of effort into laying his hands on them and if their previous owners wanted them back, they could prize them out of his cold… Well. Best not go there. Best not push his luck too far.
Jack considered the fence. On a good day, he could scale a fence like this with the agility of a long-legged Hylarian tree-frog. Tonight, however, he had to haul himself up like a lump of Tratian lead. In general, Jack preferred his getaways to be stylish, but since the point of a getaway was to… well, get away, he was going to have to be content with something considerably cruder. He paused, one leg either side of the fence, to catch his breath. Greasy, smog-filled air. This place was a dump. Why were these places always such dumps? Where was his Risian holiday?
“Jack! Talk to me!”
“Give us a moment,” Jack muttered. He peered back through the gloom and the grubby orange lamplight. Had he lost them? No such luck. There they were – covering the ground between the bar that Jack had lately visited and the spot where he was currently perched, and moving like a pair of gazelles…
Scratch that. Jack was the gazelle. Those chaps were the bloody cheetahs…
“Why,” mumbled Jack, pulling himself over the fence and dropping heavily to the ground on the other side, “are these people always so damn well fit?”
“Jack! What’s going on?”
Fit, and quick…
“Fine,” Jack lied, looking round – for a place to go or a place to hide. “Everything’s fine. Just… taking stock of the universe and my place in it.”
“You know, that doesn’t answer my question.”
Right. So. Nowhere to hide. Not here. Next option (actually, only other option) – run.
Jack ran.
“I was hoping… you wouldn’t… notice that…”
“I’m your mother. I notice everything. Like the fact that you’re now running.”
She did notice everything, that was true. She was like an owl, his mother, head moved around slowly, but covered one hundred and eighty degrees, and invariably caught him in the middle of some mischief or other… Not to mention annoyingly wise. Still, there were some things she had never seen (God, Jack hoped so), and some things he preferred not to mention. Like the fact that this little mission was – truth be told – swerving in the direction of becoming a bit of a disaster and Jack wasn’t yet sure if/how he was going to get himself out of this one…
“Who are you running from this time, Jack?”
“Just… trying to stay… fit…”
But he would get himself out of trouble. Definitely. Jack always got himself out of trouble.
“Do you need anything from me?”
More or less.
Jack, choosing his direction and running full pelt, thought, You could stop yapping for a minute.
“Jack, you were meant to be back on board Eleos by now. We can’t stay in one place for too long. We can’t hang around.”
Jack wasn’t hanging around: Jack was running like the clappers, down this alleyway, while behind him came the yells of his erstwhile friends and drinking partners. “This way! Come on! We can get him!”
Jack kept on running for as long as he could. Until: “Ah.”
“Star Trek Explorer Presents: A Year To The Day I Saw Myself Die and Other Stories” arrives in stores on Dec. 10, 2024.