Power Hungry (Book #6)

by Howard Weinstein

On a mercy mission to Thiopa with 5 cargo ships in tow full of much needed supplies, and Ambassador Uldrun, the Enterprise soon encounter trouble when they are attacked by two Nuaran ships. They destroy one of the cargo ships.
The planet Thiopa, now almost inhabitable, destroyed from adverse weather conditions and over mining by the Nuarans back in a time when slavery was rife is on the brink of starvation and pollution.
Captain Picard, Data and Troi are invited to a feast by the Sovereign leader, Stross, but the festivities are interrupted by a protester from the Sojourners, a rebel group intent on disrupting the Thiopans peaceful life. That is until Commander Riker is kidnapped by the Sojourners and taken to Stone City and sees where the true famine and disaster lies.
Taken to the Sojourn leader, Lessandra, Riker attempts to try diplomacy, but the hatred between the races runs too deep. During the night, Riker is kidnapped again by two other Sojourns who think that the Federation can help and want to use Riker against their leader. But then Riker is kidnapped again by Mori, a Sojourn who has been desperately seeking her father, Evian who had been a teacher until the Sovereign shunned him and his growing band of followers, banishing them to the desert and Evian to prison.
Riker eventually persuades her to let him contact the Enterprise in return of help to locate her fathers grave to determine if it is truly him buried there. Much to her distress, it isn't and so her search continues.
Picard tries to negotiate a treaty between Lessandra and Stross, but fails and so does the only humanitarian thing he can do; divide the supplies between the two warring people, much to Stross's fury.

There are no notable Imzadi moments in this book, but it is still a very good read.

Thank you Carol for putting this together =)