Teaser

Rejected by Starfleet and without a place to call her own, Seven of Nine seeks a new life for herself upon arriving in the Alpha Quadrant. It is a search that will lead her into the arms of the Fenris Rangers, and bring her into conflict with those she once called friends . . .

Review

Star Trek: Picard may have come to an end after three seasons, but in literature the voyage carries on. David Mack’s contribution to this canon is Firewall, which most closely ties in to the events of Picard‘s first (and best) season. More than that, however, it also serves as a successor to Voyager, establishing what Janeway and Seven of Nine did upon returning to the Alpha Quadrant. I’d even argue it’s a better Voyager novel than it is a Picard one.

One aspect of Picard‘s first season that saw little development as the show progressed was the idea of the Fenris Rangers – vigilantes who stepped into the gap left by Starfleet in the wake of the Romulan supernova disaster. Firewall is all about how Seven of Nine became involved with that organisation, by way of her seeking a purpose in the wake of Starfleet’s rejection of her application. What I like most about this line of narrative is that it builds on the ideas presented in Picard that Starfleet is not the only path for people to choose. There are plenty of independent organisations and freelancers out there fighting the good fight. Of course, this is because there is an even greater number of less-than-idealistic individuals out there who need to be fought. Later seasons of the show walked back on this, but there’s something fascinating about Seven and Picard turning their backs on a Starfleet that has failed them, but not shirking from their perceived moral duties at the same time.

Seven’s story is, as Mack said in my recent interview with him, that Seven’s personal journey is an analogy for the unfair treatment of minorities. Even the openminded Federation will not welcome Seven with open arms unless she renounces her Borg identity, effectively demanding she change her very nature in order to appease their morals. Though ostensibly a security matter (on account of the org being an existential threat to the Federation), these demands tap into more universal human experiences, as all good Star Trek does. Who among us has not been pressured to change some aspect of ourselves in order to fit in? Granted we may not have been forced to remove cybernetic implants or change our names, but those are simply science fictional ways of thinking about everyday pressures. If your place of work has demanded you cover up a tattoo, shave your beard, or dress and speak a certain way, you can begin to appreciate the foundation of Seven’s journey.

On a broader scale, Firewall also dovetails nicely into the wider story of Star Trek‘s future history. It sits in the transitional period from the naïve optimism of The Next Generation and Voyager, and the war-weary and cynical worldview seen in the latter half of Deep Space Nine and Picard. This is not a dark story, but it shows the fading of idealism, and the failure of the Federation to cope with its self-imposed moral duty to the galaxy. We see the charitable organisations scrambling for supplies in the wake of the Romulan crisis, and the impossibility of logistics over such a vast operation. The newly-minted Admiral Janeway plays a key role in this, showing how, even with the best of intentions, some things are simply beyond our ability to help. Unless, perhaps, we allow others to help in their own way, rather than insisting that our path is the only righteous one.

A fantastic piece of character development mixed together with Mack’s signature flair for big action scenes make Firewall a hit for those interested in Picard, with more than enough to appeal to fans of classic Voyager as well.

Star Trek: Picard: Firewall is available from tomorrow in the UK, and is already on sale in the US. I received a free digital review copy from the publisher.