Star Trek Explorer Presents A Year to the Day That I Saw Myself Die and Other Stories

Star Trek Explorer presents a fully illustrated deluxe collectors' edition anthology featuring 14 illustrated stories situations from across the Star Trek universe, including Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

For the first time ever, the book will collect stories including characters from Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: The Animated Series, and Star Trek: Picard!

The Star Trek 'A Year to the Day That I Saw Myself Die' and Other Stories collection hits shelves December 10; pre-order now on Amazon, Forbidden Planet, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, or wherever you purchase your books.

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 Picard's Jack Crusher, Annika Hansen/Seven of Nine, and Captain Liam Shaw.

Thanks to our friends at Titan Magazines, we have an exclusive excerpt of the short, "The Trouble with Jones," by Greg Cox, with art by Andy Walker!

"Captain Kirk! Friend Kirk!"

Kirk groaned. He'd been enjoying shore leave at a tropical beach resort on Siduri, an independent world only loosely affiliated with the Federation, until he recognized an all-too-familiar voice.

Cyrano Jones, interstellar trader and general nuisance, beamed at Kirk from a beachside shack roofed with crimson palm fronds. The portly merchant seemed genuinely pleased to see Kirk, which was rather puzzling considering their history.

"Jones." The captain approached the shack warily. Hand-lettered driftwood signs advertised fruity drinks, clams, and trinkets – at suspiciously reasonable prices. Kirk was pleasantly surprised to see no tribbles in evidence. "What are you doing here?"

"Enjoying the good life, captain!" Jones stepped out from behind the counter in front of the shack. Given the balmy climate, he had swapped his usual olive coat for a gaudy floral-patterned shirt, knee-length shorts, and sandals. He gestured grandly at sand, sea, sun, and sky. "Who could ask for anything more?"

A pint-sized Andorian girl, no more than seven years old, interrupted the reunion, tugging on his arm.   

"Excuse me, Mister Cyrano?" She held up a small wooden carving of an Aquan mer-princess crowned with polished seashell fragments. "How much is she?"

"A mere two credits, little darling," Jones said. "And a bargain at that."

Her antennae dropped. "Oh. I only have half a credit. I spent the rest of my allowance on kelp frosties."

The girl's forlorn expression had Kirk reaching for his own local currency, but Jones spoke up first. "Hold on. Did I neglect to mention my shiny-smile discount, available only to the best little girls? A big grin knocks the price down to… exactly one-quarter credit!"

Bemused, Kirk looked on as the delighted child wandered off, clutching her prize.

"That was… unexpectedly… generous of you, Jones." The Cyrano Jones he knew was always out to make a fast credit, even if it meant playing fast and loose with the law and public safety. Granted, Jones had once provided Uhura with a complimentary tribble, but only with an eye to drumming up sales. Kirk couldn't see any long-term advantage to essentially giving the carved mermaid away. "Business doing that well?"

He found it hard to believe that the unprepossessing snack shack could be all that lucrative. Jones wasn't going to get rich off it.

Jones shrugged. "I make a modest living. Clam-digging, beachcombing, and the like. But what more do I truly need? Credits aren't everything after all."

Kirk was still trying to process that when a middle-aged couple in beach attire strolled by. They waved cheerily at Jones.

"Hi, Cyrano!" the man called out. “Thanks again for helping out at the reefs the other day! We really appreciate it!"

"Always a pleasure to assist my friends and neighbors!" he replied.

"You coming to the glow-tide feast tomorrow night?" the woman asked?

"Wouldn’t miss it for a dozen worlds! Can’t wait to partake of your famous anemone punch!"

Kirk felt as though he’d accidentally beamed into yet another mirror universe. Cyrano Jones, an asset to his community, getting by as a genial beach bum, not conniving to make a killing?

He didn’t buy it. "What are you up to, Jones?"

What is Jones up to? You'll have to pick up Star Trek Explorer Presents 'A Year to the Day That I saw Myself Die' and Other Stories – on sale December 10 – to find out!