To Joni: I can never tell you how much I appreciate all those late nights helping me edit this beast into something close to a story.

To James Blish and Alan Dean Foster: The adaptations you did of the original Star Trek and the Animated Series reintroduced me to the series and got me back into reading science fiction/fantasy again.

To Gary Huggins: Thanks for all the help with naval terminology and for putting up with this old Army guy’s questions.

To Steve Roman: You introduced me to the concept of writing professionally, and after all these years, you still put up with me. That, dear people, is friendship.

To Keith R.A. DeCandido: Thanks for taking a chance with me and letting me play in the Star Trek sandbox. (Psst…got any more work out there?)

And finally, to Mom and Dad: See, all that time I spent on the couch reading finally paid off. Thanks for always being there.