Gulliver's Fugitives (Book #11)
by Keith Sharee
The Enterprise have been sent to th planet Rampart, in search of the missing
ship, the USS Huxley, which vanished a decade before. But when they arrived,
they were met with hostility from the planet's residents below; A colony of
humans that had fled Earth. Not only fled Earth, but all of Earth's technologies,
and learning facilities, particularly books.
A group of Dissidents however, living and hiding below the planet's surface,
live 'for' the books and their knowledge, even living their lives by the books,
especially mythology.
So intent are the Rampartian's refusal of the Enterprise's arrival, a group
of 'one-eyes' part human, part robotic, board the Enterprise, and kidnap Picard,
taking him back to the planet, in a valiant attempt to rid themselves of the
ship, and its dangers.
Riker, Troi and Data beam down to the planet to rescue their captain. When the
Enterprise first arrived in Rampart's orbit, Deanna sensed, or dreamt about
another alien life-force, and when she landed on the planet, they made themselves
know to her again. They were called, 'The Other-Worlders', and had lived along
side the Rampart's without their knowledge.
The away team get separated. Will and Data are captured by the One-eyes, and
Deanna escapes into the caves, and happens across the Dissident's. But unbeknown
to them, they are followed by a One-eye, who have been searching for the Dissident's
home for a long time, and soon after, they are all on the run, including Deanna,
taking their precious books with them.
When Picard befriends one of the staff just as he is about to be 'brain-washed,
a process the Rampart's use when they capture Dissident's. After an elaborate
show of false ignorance, Picard manages to free his comrades and they escape,
managing to rescue Deanna too when her party of Dissident's are captured.
As they are about to undergo a mass execution, the planet's creatures, huge,
mythological flying beasts, swarm the compound and free the captives. The crew
also discover that one of the Rampart's is in fact captain of the USS Huxley,
captured and brain-washed ten years before. The Enterprise takes him home.
There are no notable Imzadi moments in this story, but it is still a very good
read.
Thank you Carol for putting this together =)