Harbinger is the first Star Trek: Vanguard novel, written by David Mack. Harbinger was published by Pocket Books in 2005 and centers around the introduction of Operation Vanguard and its characters.

Description[]

Returning from its historic first voyage to the edge of the galaxy, the damaged USS Enterprise journeys through the Taurus Reach, a vast and little-known region of space in which a new starbase has been unexpectedly established. Puzzled by the Federation's interest in an area so far from its borders and so near the xenophobic Tholian Assembly, Captain James T. Kirk orders the Enterprise to put in for repairs at the new space station: Starbase 47, also known as Vanguard.

As Kirk ponders the mystery of the enormous base, he begins to suspect that there is much more to Vanguard than meets the eye. It's a suspicion shared by the Tholians, the Orions, and the Klingon Empire, each of whom believes that there are less than benign motives behind the Federation's sudden and unexplained desire to explore and colonize the Taurus Reach.

But when a calamity deep within the Reach threatens to compromise Starfleet's continued presence in the region, Kirk, Spock, and several key specialists from the Enterprise must assist Vanguard's crew in investigating the cause of the disaster and containing the damage. In the process, they learn the true purpose behind the creation of Vanguard, and what the outcome of its mission may mean for life throughout that part of the galaxy.

Summary[]

In the year 2263, while exploring the Taurus Reach, Matthew Decker and the USS Constellation discover a mysterious meta-genome on Ravanar IV, an unexplored planet. Realizing the genetic structure is too complex to study with a starship's resources, the data is submitted to Starfleet Command for a more thorough analysis.

Two years later, after the confrontation with Gary Mitchell on Delta Vega, James T. Kirk is looking for a port to obtain repairs for the Enterprise. The most accessible location found is Starbase 47, also known as Vanguard, a Watchtower-class space station recently completed in the Taurus Reach. Kirk and Spock discuss how strange it is that this giant starbase was built in a remote location so quickly and seems to have facilities beyond what would be useful in the sector due to the Federation's limited interest in the frontier between Tholian and Klingon territories.

Meanwhile on Ravanar IV, Cervantes Quinn, a middle aged alcoholic courier is seeking to steal a sensor screen generator from a mining camp there for his debtor, an Orion merchant-prince named Ganz. He is discovered by the miners and escapes, damaging the generator in the process. The mining colony turns out to be a front for a Starfleet base doing covert research on the planet.

On Vanguard, journalist Timothy Pennington is having an affair with Starfleet officer Oriana D'Amato, helmsman for the Miranda-class USS Bombay. Pennington's wife is arriving at the station soon, as is D'Amato's husband who is an officer aboard the Enterprise. The Bombay is soon called away to deliver a replacement sensor screen generator to Ravanar IV, leaving Pennington and Oriana's husband mourning her earlier departure. When the Bombay arrives, it is attacked and disabled by several Tholian vessels who then begin bombarding the base below. Realizing the supply run has become a suicide mission, the Bombay attacks to defend the base, destroying a few Tholian vessels before self destructing to destroy another ship. To protect the secrecy of the base, Commodore Diego Reyes of Vanguard covers up that it was destroyed by Tholian vessels.

Grieving, yet trying to cover up his affair, Pennington gathers everything of D'Amato's in his quarters and goes to the base's storage facility to remove anything of his from D'Amato's storage unit. While there, he overhears intelligence officer T'Prynn confront Quinn for destroying the sensor screen generator and causing the destruction of the base and the Bombay. Wanting the truth of his lover's death to be known, Pennington leaks the information to the Federation News Service and the story goes viral.

Following the destruction of the Bombay, Reyes dispatches the Enterprise to Ravanar IV with Ming Xiong to recover anything left of the base. All that is left of the site is a crater but Xiong and the Enterprise crew are able to uncover some information that helps them begin unlocking the secrets of the Taurus Reach meta-genome.

Pennington's story is soon publicly debunked due to false evidence T'Prynn had Quinn plant to undermine Pennington's credibility. Due to the scandal, FNS fires Pennington. Next, his wife discovers his infidelity and leaves him. Feeling guilty for his role in destroying Pennington's life, Quinn offers the journalist a job working on his small freighter.

T'Prynn reveals that many years earlier while engaged in kal-if-fee with her psychotic fiancé, he implanted his katra into her mind while he was dying. Since then, he continually tries to cripple her psyche with mental attacks and cries of "Submit!". Meanwhile, when T'Prynn is in search of relief, she visits her lover Anna Sandesjo, an attaché in the station's diplomatic office who is actually a Klingon agent named Lurqal.

References[]

Characters[]

Vanguard personnel and residents[]

al-Jazaar • Raymond Cannella • Charles (Lieutenant) • Jon Cooper • Rana Desai • Judy Dunbar • Isaiah Farber • Suzie Finneran • Ezekiel Fisher • Geller • Toby Greenfield • Jetanien • Akeylah Karumé • Kulor • Elizabeth Langlois • Peter Liverakos • Lugok • Jabilo M'Benga • K. Malik • Manón • McKee • Israel Medina • Gom glasch Moar • Holly Moyer • Mugavero • Tim Pennington • Pozrene • Zharran sh'Rassa • Diego Reyes • Roy • Anna Sandesjo (aka Lurqal) • Sesrene • zh'Shalas • Sihanouk • Sovik • Sozlok • Adam Stotsky • T'Prynn • Tashrene • Thelex • Turag • Ivan Vumelko • unnamed Vanguard personnel • Wallingford • Ming Xiong

Referenced only

Jake Cooper • Jen Cooper • Haniff Jackson • Katrina • Roderigo Medeira • Rory Meeker • Dietrich Meyer

USS Enterprise personnel[]

Robert D'Amato • Scott Danes • James T. Kirk • Leslie • Varsha Mahtani • Luke Patterson • Mark Piper • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura

Referenced only

Daniel Alden • Elizabeth Dehner • Lee Kelso • Gary Mitchell • Lisa Pawlikowski • Christopher Pike

USS Bombay personnel[]

Brett Anderson (engineer) • Daniel Berry • Tory Castellano • Oriana D'Amato • Donna Ford • Hallie Gannon • Stewart Greisman • Jean Guerin • Imelio • Kevin Judge • Steve Kashuk • Hua Sun Lee • Nem chim Loak • McCarthy (Lieutenant) • Vondas Milonakis • Susan Nave • Donna Robertson • Thanashal ch'Sonnas • Vanderhoven

Referenced only

Hayes (USS Bombay)

USS Sagittarius personnel[]

Mike Ilucci • Adelard Nassir • Clark Terrell • Vanessa Theriault

Referenced only

Lisa Babitz

USS Endeavour personnel[]

Atish Khatami • Steven John Klisiewicz • Jeanne La Sala • Anthony Leone • Bonnie Malmat • Paul McGibbon • Bersh glov Mog • Zhao Sheng

Referenced only

Walter Stutzman

USS Constellation personnel[]

Matthew Decker • Guthrie • Guillermo Masada • Ponor • Hiromi Takeshewada

Referenced only

Lawford (Yeoman)

Ravanar IV Outpost personnel[]

John Ott • Dean Singer • T'Hana • Miguel Velez

Starfleet personnel[]

Referenced only

Stephen Garrovick (I) • Leonard McCoy • Friedl Segfrunsdóttir

Omari-Ekon personnel[]

Ganz • Morikmol • Zett Nilric • Reke • Zulo

Tholian Ruling Conclave[]

Azrene • Eskrene • Falstrene • Narskene • Radkene • Velrene • Yazkene

Klingon High Council personnel[]

Alakon • Argashek • Duras • Glazya • Gorkon • Grozik • Indizar • Kulok • Molok • Narvak • Sturka • Torr • Veselka

Others[]

Broon • Lora Brummer • Larskene • Qoheela • Cervantes Quinn • Shedai Wanderer • Tegor

Referenced only

Breg • Hannah Fisher • Noah Fisher • George Gershwin • Amanda Grayson • Gene Harris • L'Nel (22nd century) • Archibald MacLeish • Amy Quinn • Denise Quinn • Molly Quinn • Sarek • Sivok • Sten • Tantalus (myth) • Paul Tillotson • Tolrene • Unez • Jeanne Vinueza • Arlys Warfield • Kenneth Wescott

Starships and vehicles[]

USS Bombay (Miranda-class frigate) • cargo loader • SS Chichén Itzá • USS Constellation (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • Discovery-class • DY-500 • USS Endeavour (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • Kil'j Tholis • maglev tram • Meriden • Nov'k Tholis • Omari-Ekon (merchantman) • Rocinante (Mancharan starhopper) • USS Sagittarius (Archer-class) • Sek't Tholis • Tas'v Tholis • Tik'r Tholis • Vel'j Tholis

Referenced only

boat • USS Dauntless (Pyotr Velikiy-class) • Epimetheus • USS Exeter (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • USS Farragut (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • lifeboat • shuttle • USS Yorktown (Constitution-class heavy cruiser)

Locations[]

Erilon • the galaxy • Gonmog sector/Shedai sector/Taurus Reach • Kessik IV (Anzarosh) • Qo'noS (First City) • Ravanar IV • Ravanar system • Tholia • Vanguard (Watchtower-class)

Referenced only

Barolia • Beta Lankal • Cait • Deep Space Station K-7 (K-class) • Delta Vega • Earth (Alabama • Edinburgh • Kunming, China • Liverpool • London • Louisiana • New Jersey • North America • Paris • San Francisco • Tennessee • Texas) • Federation-Klingon border • G-class space station • Gallonik III (Gallonik) • Gariman sector • Getheon • Gre'thor • Jemonon • Kalandra sector • Kilosa • Korinar • Luna (New Berlinj • Martian Colonies • Sector 116 Theta • shipyard • Talagos Prime • Tamaros III • Trinay III • Tycho IV • Vulcan (Hall of Ancient Thought, Mount Seleya • Vulcana Regar)

Vanguard station locations

Café Romano • cargo warehouse • enlisted men's club • Federation Embassy • Fontana Meadow • the hub • Manón's • operations center • Stars Landing • Tom Walker's • Vanguard Hospital • wardroom

Referenced only

Buddhist temple • Christian chapel • officers' club • quartermaster's office

Races and cultures[]

Andorian • Bolian • Chelon • Deltan • Human (American • Indian • Italian • Korean • Scotsman) • Klingon • Nalori • Orion • Shedai • Silgov • Tarascan • Tarmelite • Tellarite • Tholian • Vulcan • Yoçarian

Referenced only

Gallonikan • Loperian • Scoridian

States and organizations[]

Buddhism • Christianity • Federation Diplomatic Corps • Federation News Service • Great Castemoot Assembly • Imperial Intelligence • Islam • Judge Advocate General • Klingon Empire • Klingon High Council • Political Castemoot • press • Ruling Conclave • Tholian Assembly • Starfleet • Starfleet Corps of Engineers • United Federation of Planets • Warrior Castemoot

Referenced only

Adepts of Gol • Federation Council • First Assembly • press corps • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Command • Starfleet Criminal Investigation Division • Starfleet Medical • Starfleet Research and Development

Occupations and titles[]

aide • ambassador • anthropology and archaeology officer • architect • assassin • assistant • assistant chief engineer • assistant chief medical officer • astrophysicist • athlete • attaché • attending physician • attorney • barkeep • bartender • bodyguard • boss • brother • cadet • captain • cargo chief • castellan • Chancellor of the High Council of the Klingon Empire • chief defender • chief engineer • chief medical officer • chief of dentistry • chief petty officer • citizen • commander • commanding officer • commissioned officer • commodore • communications officer • communications supervisor • computer engineer • concubine • corporate scout • courtesan • councillor • crewman • criminal • customs officer • customs inspector • damage-control officer • dancer • department chief • diplomat • editor • enforcer • engineer • enlisted officer • ensign • envoy • executive officer • father • firefighter • first officer • flight-control officer • foreign-service officer • gangster • general • geologist • grief counselor • handler • helmsman • henchman • High Epopt of Tamaros • historian • imam • imperial guard • impulse drive assistant supervisor • intelligence officer • interlocuter • intern • investigative reporter • JAG officer • jazz pianist • journalist • junior officer • lab technician • lawyer • liaison officer • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • lieutenant junior grade • master chief petty officer • mechanic • medic • merchant-prince • midshipman • miner • musician • navigator • non-commissioned officer • nurse • officer • fleet operations manager • physician • pianist • politician • President of the United Federation of Planets • press liaison • proconsul • prospector • psychiatrist • quartermaster • rabbi • reporter • saboteur • science officer • scientist • security guard • security officer • senior attaché • senior chief petty officer • senior communications officer • senior editor • senior engineering officer • senior geologist • sentinel • ship's surgeon • sniper • specialist • spy • supervising officer • supervisor • swimmer • tactical officer • technician • Tholian Ambassador to the Klingon Empire • throg • waiter • war correspondent • warrior • witness • yeoman

Science and classification[]

acoustic dampener • airlock • alarm • amputation • antenna • anthropology • antigrav circuit • antigrav skiff • architecture • atmosphere • audio file • automated pad • automated security device • autopsy • barrier protein • battery • binary system • biobed • biochemical matrix • bioengineering • bioreading • biosynthetic limb • biosynthetics • black hole • blood • bone • brain • breathing mask • camera • capacitor • carbon • cargo pallet • cargo tracker • central nervous system • chemical analysis • chemical base pair • chronometer • class M • class N • class P • combat medicine • communicator • computer • Conduit • control pad • coolant coil • coolant manifold • coordinates • data card • data display tablet • data packet • data recorder • data slate • diode • disease • DNA • duotronic cable • dynospanner • ear • eardrum • energizing coil • engineering • entropy • envirosuit • esophagus • EVA suit • eye • Feinberger • femoral artery • fingernail • fire • food dispenser • food slot • frequency • fuselage • galactic barrier • gene-sequence scan • genetic engineering • geology • glacier • gravitic caliper • hailing frequency • hair • headache • heat exchanger • hydraulic lubricant • hydraulics • impulse drive • impulse reactor • inertial dampener • intercom • jamming signal • jaw • jugular • key card • keypad • kilometer • lamp • landing gear • Lattice InterLink • laws of physics • library computer • life support • lifter • light-year • lighter • liquid nitrogen • log buoy • lung • magnetic bolt • magnetic gear • magnetic launcher • Mark II computer core • mathematics • medicine • Meenok's disease • memory core • meter • microphone sensor • mining • mold • molecular scan • molecule • moon • moorings • motion detector • muscle • nausea • navigational system • nose • obstetrics • ocillator • optimization cycle • ozone • pager • pediatrics • phaser capacitor • phaser generator • photosensor • physical therapy • plasma cutter • plasma relay • plumbing • power cell • power distribution system • power generator • power main • power module • power pack • power shunt • power-supply cable • pressure point • pressure suit • propulsion system • pulse • radiation suit • radio headset • refrigerated storage unit • regulator crystal • rib • Rorschach • saliva • sanitizer • scanner • scientific method • screen generator • security camera • security remote • self-destruct • sensor • sensor hood • seizure • sensor array • sensor log • sensor screen • Shedai artifact • shield • shield emitter • shield generator • shower • Sigma Seven utility • sinus cavity • skin graft • skull • sodium lamp • software • sonic drill • sonic screwdriver • speaker • spotlight • star • stem bolt • stylus • stomach • SubLink • subspace dimpling • subspace radio • subspace radio jammer • subspace receiver • subspace relay coil • subspace thoughtwave • subspace transmitter • surgical tool • survey probe • Taurus Key • telekinesis • telepathy • thruster • tongue • tool • tooth • trachea • tractor beam • tractor beam emitter • transmitter • transporter • tricorder • tuQloS • turbolift • universal translator • universe • ventilation • viewscreen • warp coil • warp drive • warp geometry calculus • warp nacelle • warp reactor • white dwarf • wire • xenology • xenophysiology

Materials and substances[]

acetylene • adrenaline • aluminum • carbon • copper • crystalline silicon • dilithium • duranium • iron • methane • polymer • radiation • sodium • sulfur • sultritium • Taurus meta-genome • thracium • transparent aluminum • triceron • ultritium

Food and drink[]

ambrosia • Anejo • beef • beignet • breakfast • Brie • broth • Brunello Riserva • burrito • Chateauneuf-du-Pape • cheese • chocolate • coffee • cookie • deep-fried chip • Deltan champagne • espresso • green tea • grilled fish • Irish coffee • Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse • jam • lamb stew • latte • liquor • Macallan single malt scotch • meat • milk • Montalcino • N'v'aa • pastry • pickled keesa beetle • raktajino • Reelkot • salsa • sauteed green beans • scrambled eggs • soda • sour fruit cocktail • sweet coffee • tandoori chicken • Tarkalian ale • tea • tequila • toast • waffle • whiskey • wine

Weapons and technology[]

ahn-woon • d'k tahg • dead-man switch • detonator • disruptor rifle • knife • lirpa • phaser • phaser bank • phaser pistol • pistol • plasma torpedo • sentry gun • stun pistol • photon torpedo • yosa blade

Lifeforms[]

alien • amoeba • amphibian • arthropod • bacteria • Brahma bull • cedar • clam • Denevan dogwood • egg • feline • flora • flower • ghewpu'tIn • grass • hemlock • humanoid • insect • insectoid • jasmine • Kaferian apple • keesa beetle • lawn • mosquito • peppermint • plum • poison ivy • sea bass • simian • targ • vine • Vulcan seaweed

Other references[]

after-action report • alcohol • alpha shift • apartment • aphrodisiac • astrocartography • athletic field • attack formation • bankruptcy • banner • bar tab • barracks • Battle of Ravanar IV • battlefield • bed • bedside manner • bell • belt • bereavement leave • beta-shift • bImoHqu' • black market • bleachers • blues • board of inquiry • boot • bottle opener • boulder • bowl • box • briefcase • bucket • bulwark • bunk • café • calendar • captain's chair • Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) • cargo • cargo bay • cassock • catacombs • chess • china teapot • chom • Christmas • cigar • cinnamon • city • civil rights • clergy • clipboard • clothing • coat • cockpit • coffee table • coffeepot • coin • Columbian blend • colonial operations • colonization • colony • commerce • commissary • conditioner • contraband • contract • corkscrew maneuver • counterintelligence • court-martial • cover-up • covert intelligence • credit chip • currency • curtain • cushion • dais • damage control team • data sheet • death certificate • debt • Denevan Mountain Roast • Denobulan Wild-card • dentistry office • deposition • diagnostic • Dictums of Logic • diplomacy • disinformation campaign • divorce • docking bay • dossier • dress • duffel • earring • election campaign • emergency room • eminent domain • engineering • eresh'tha • espionage • evasive maneuver • evidence • excavation • exploration • expose • extortion • eyeglasses • Farsi language • Federation Charter • Federation law • fez • first contact • five-year mission • flag • flask • flight plan • fountain • freedom-of-information petition • frisbee • funeral • fusion drive • galley • Gallonikan civil war • gamma-shift • gangway • garbage disposal • glenget • glue • god • goggles • gospel • habitat module • hammock • hatch • headdress • helm • history • hookah • hull breach • ice • infectious-disease wing • intensive-care unit • interrogation • investigation • isolation wing • Italian language • jacket • jay'va • jazz • Jefferies tube • jiQ • jIwuQ • journalism • jumpsuit • jungle • kata • katra • kitchen • kolinahr • koon-ut-kal-if-fee • ladder • landing party • latrine • lavatory • law • Laws of the First Assembly • legal folder • letter • lithium cracking station • lock-picking kit • loDmach • log sheet • lost-and-found • lullaby • mandisa • marriage • medical laboratory • medical kit • medical staff • meditation • mess hall • mind meld • military • milk run • mining camp • mining jacket • mining team • mirror • money • Morphine • mug • music • navigation station • navigational fin • Nemite Revolution • nutmeg • obelisk • observation deck • Occam's Razor • operating room • parka • parley • pass-chip • patriotism • patrol route • petition • pharmacy • phaser control • phaser-proof booth • philosophy • photograph • piano • pocket • podium • poem • poker • politics • pon farr • powder keg • press conference • private practice • propaganda • punching bag • raiment • recital • recreation deck • red tape • report • robbery • rock • rug • rugby • sabotage • salt • salvage bay • sandstorm • satchel • scalpel • science station • security clearance • security code • seppuku • sewer • shampoo • shipping lane • shoe • shore leave • shuttle bay • snow • snowshoe • sofa • solitary confinement • Spanish language • sport • staff • stairs • stakeout • star map • Starfleet Code of Justice • Starfleet regulations • Starfleet dress uniform (2265-2270) • Starfleet uniform (2240s-2265) • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • statue • stone • storage locker • subpoena • sugar • Summertime • surgical theater • survey team • swampwater • sweatpants • swimming pool • talking points • Tellarite etiquette manual • Texas Hold'em • tlhIngan Hol • toiletry • toolkit • torpedo bay • tourniquet • towel •transcript • transporter panel • tray • treaty of global alliance • trenchcoat • triage • tumbleweed • V'Shan • val'reth • viewport • vinegar • Vulcan medical ward • Vulcan salute • war • water • water goblet • whistle • wineglass • work order • yellow alert • The Young Dead Soldiers • yIntagh

Chronology[]

147 BC

20th century

2177

2212

2216

2243

2257

2259

2265

Appendices[]

Related media[]

• TOS episode: "Where No Man Has Gone Before"- the novel begins shortly after the events of this episode, and references those events.

Background[]

• The German translation of the novel was released by Cross Cult in 2008. It was translated by Mark Hillenbrand.
• Book includes a four-page color fold-out with diagrams of Vanguard Station.
• An appendix provides brief character sketches of several series characters introduced in this novel.
• The title page lists Stars Landing, Vanguard's civilian and commercial district, as a location of one of Pocket Books' offices.

Images[]

Connections[]

Stories featuring Starbase Vanguard
Star Trek: Vanguard novels	Harbinger • Summon the Thunder • Reap the Whirlwind • Open Secrets • Precipice • What Judgments Come • Storming Heaven
Short stories and novellas	Distant Early Warning • The Black Flag • Declassified (Almost Tomorrow • Hard News • The Ruins of Noble Men • The Stars Look Down) • In Tempest's Wake

Timeline[]

The novel's main part is set in November 2265.

published order
Previous story: (first in the series)	Vanguard novels	Next story: Summon the Thunder
Previous novel: Small World	Novels by: David Mack	Next novel: Warpath
chronological order
Previous Adventure: The Landing Party Sulu flashback Constellations	Memory Beta Chronology	Next Adventure: Enterprise Chapters 1–4, and 21 My Brother's Keeper
The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2265. The Pocket Books Timeline places events from this story in one other timeframe:
Previous Adventure: The Ashes of Eden Chapter 35	2263 prologue	Next Adventure: Foundations, Book One Chapters 2-7

Translations[]

2008

German : Der Vorbote, translated by Mike Hillenbrand. (Cross Cult)

External links[]

• Harbinger (novel) article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
• David Mack's annotations for Harbinger.