This was a real Star Trek novel, wasn't it?

December 24, 2021 9:44 PM

Please help me win this very important Christmas argument. I could swear there was a Star Trek novel about either Klingons or Romulans or SOMEBODY growing Vulcan brain tissue (somehow? in vats??) for nefarious purposes, and Vulcans in Star Fleet could sense the pain of this tissue and had to rescue/destroy it. My housemates swear this novel does not exist, that I'm actually remembering fanfic, but I haven't actually read enough Star Trek fanfic for that to be the case (and I read waaaaaaaay too many Star Trek novels in my youth)(and some of my not-youth). So what was this novel?
posted by invincible summer to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

Best answer: Was it this one?
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:59 PM on December 24, 2021 [5 favorites]

Best answer: Concur: My Enemy My Ally was definitely the novel you're thinking of.

TL/DR teaser: Kirk must cooperate with the Romulan Commander to destroy a secret Romulan project harvesting kidnapped Vulcan for brain tissues, as Romulans wanted their telepathic mind powers.
posted by kschang at 11:12 PM on December 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thank you both! That is indeed the one. My reputation is saved!
posted by invincible summer at 9:21 AM on December 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

I remember really loving that novel as a teenager. Ael (the Romulan commander, a relative of the one from The Enterprise Incident) was such a strongly drawn character. Just found my old copy; guess it's time to revisit it!
posted by Pallas Athena at 11:06 AM on December 26, 2021

Diane Duane wrote a couple sequels or semi-sequels, which was repackaged as the Rihannsu mini-series a while back.

Rihannsu: The Bloodwing Voyages Ominibus, includes My Enemy, My Ally; The Romulan Way; Swordhunt; and Honor Blade
posted by kschang at 11:15 AM on December 26, 2021 [1 favorite]