My Enemy, My Ally
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder | Diane Duane |
| Products | Science fiction book |
My Enemy, My Ally is a science fiction book authored by American writer Diane Duane, set within the Star Trek: The Original Series universe.
Plot
The USS Enterprise receives communication from Ael i-Mhiessan t'Rllaillieu, a Romulan commander disenchanted with the Romulan Empire's internal affairs. She discloses a covert operation involving captured Vulcans subjected to medical experiments aimed at enhancing Romulan psychic abilities. Persuading her crew, Ael leads them across the Neutral Zone into Federation territory, where the Enterprise is on patrol alongside the starships Constellation, Intrepid, and the Denebian Defender-class warship Inaieu. She requests Captain Kirk's assistance in attacking the clandestine laboratory.
Initially, Kirk refuses; however, following the disappearance of the USS Intrepid amid an ion storm, Ael convinces him that Romulan forces have seized the vessel to exploit its Vulcan personnel for their experiments. Consequently, Kirk consents to a recovery operation, deploying both the Enterprise and Ael's ship, the Bloodwing, into Romulan space. Their strategy involves Ael's ship simulating the capture of the Enterprise, enabling them to approach near the research installation undetected.
Complications arise when Ael's son, Tafv, attempts to betray them by facilitating an actual capture of the Enterprise. The treachery is prevented, leading to the successful rescue of the Intrepid and its crew as well as the destruction of the facility. Afterward, Ael and Kirk part ways—he resumes his duties while she faces exile as a traitor within Romulan society. Before departing, she imparts all her personal names to Kirk, a profound Romulan gesture reserved for those considered "closer than kin," symbolizing her removal from official Romulan records. Upon returning to Earth, Kirk honors her by hanging a pennant inscribed with her names in a secluded valley, symbolically restoring her identity.
Reception
In 2015, My Enemy, My Ally was acknowledged as a well-crafted addition to Star Trek literature, resonating with both new readers and devoted followers of the franchise.