War in Space

"War in Space" was a Star Trek: The Original Series coloring book, one of three 17" x 22" giant-sized books published in 1978. Although originally set in the 2260s, Wanderer Books updated the setting to the 2270s for its reprinting in 1980.

In this story, the USS Enterprise was threatened by what seemed to be a spacial anomaly.

Summary

While en route to a diplomatic mission on Omega IX, the Enterprise was drawn off course by a massive gravitational field, one so strong that Spock suspected it could be a black hole. Debris drawn in by gravity rocked the ship. As they drew closer, Spock picked up life readings. Becoming suspicious, Kirk contacted Starfleet Command, who informed them that Klingon activity was reportedly high in the region, but their intentions were unknown.

Suddenly the Enterprise was hailed by Klingon Commander Jadar, who was proud to have ensnared the famous Captain James T. Kirk with the latest Klingon weapon, one which he claimed utilized similar principles to a black hole. The Enterprise would be crushed in less than four hours. After the crew researched options, Montgomery Scott climbed through a Jefferies tube and jettisoned some antimatter from the warp engines. The antimatter destroyed Jadar's gravitational field weapon, heavily damaging Jadar's ship but leaving the Enterprise with only moderate injuries and damage. Spock estimated that they could still reach Omega IX on time, and the ship resumed its course.

References

Timeline

Chronology

The appearance of the refit USS Enterprise and 2270s uniforms in the reprinted edition places this story during James T. Kirk's second five-year mission.

Production history

1978: First published by Parkes Run
1980: Reprinted by Wanderer Books as "Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Giant Story Coloring Book"

Appendices

Background

Story images were altered for the reprint edition to match the 2270s setting of TOS movie: The Motion Picture, which had just been released. The reprint featured a new watercolor cover painting with Admiral Kirk, Spock, Ilia, and the refit USS Enterprise. Within the story, Jadar was given a forehead ridge, but retained his 2260s uniform. Enterprise crew uniforms were updated to those of the early 2270s. The starship's exterior was redrawn in its refit configuration. Scott, Kirk and Uhura's faces were modified. However, the Starfleet admiral retained his 2260s uniform. Bridge stations and chairs were not updated, notably Kirk's command chair. Coincidentally, the sciences station was originally drawn more like its refit configuration.
Both editions were 17" x 22" with a soft cover, newsprint interior pages, and a blank cardboard back cover, bound with staples and tape.
The original edition's cover paintings were based on scenes from the story, except for the image of Kirk holding a phaser rifle, which did not happen in the story. While the Enterprise did face off against Jadar's ship, ship's phasers were not fired in the story itself.
Jadar's battlecruiser was shown only on the cover of the original edition.
Liza Hamill and Don Dyen also produced "Space Ark" and "The Unchartered World" in 1978.
The book did not contain crosswords, games, or extra pages to color.
In the story, Kirk and Spock accurately discussed the nature of a black hole, noting that it would not be visible on the viewscreen and that not even light could escape it. In TOS comic: "Siege in Superspace", Kirk professed to not have heard of a black hole, a story conceit so Spock could explain it for young readers.
Although he did not use the term, Jadar's weapon probably employed a microscopic quantum singularity, much as 24th century Romulan Warbirds would later harness them as a power source.
Jadar resembled Krell, particularly on the cover of the original edition.
The Enterprise has been to the Omega system several times. (TOS comic: "The Flight of the Buccaneer", TOS episodes: "The Omega Glory", "Requiem for Methuselah"). They also transported Omegan ambassador T'Ki there in TOS comic: "The Enterprise Mutiny".