10 Greatest Fleet Arrivals In Star Trek

8. Kirk Brings The Calvary - A Quality Of Mercy

Star Trek Strange New Worlds A Quality Of Mercy Enterprise
CBS Media Ventures

In Strange New Worlds, the Alpha Quadrant was still a largely unexplored, wild place. The Beta Quadrant was even more so, though the Romulan border was a solid line that ran through space. In one possible 2266, Captains Pike and Kirk came face to face with a Romulan armada, ready to go to war.

A soft remake of the classic Balance Of Terror, A Quality Of Mercy sees Pike in the negotiator's seat instead of Kirk. Sadly for all involved, he proves to be the wrong man for the job, effectively starting a conflict that will result in the deaths of millions. 

This alternate version of James T. Kirk comes to the rescue with a fleet of automated 'Delta class' ships, effectively bluffing the Romulans into holding fire on the Enterprise. While the gambit initially works, it's a delay, rather than a total victory. 

The mining vessels, thankfully free of any actual crewmembers aboard, certainly strike an intimidating image, bolstering the Federation side of the border. Unfortunately, the only Starship with any real firepower is the Enterprise. Kirk's ship, the USS Farragut, was earlier severely damaged by a Romulan Bird-Of-Prey, leaving the Enterprise without any real backup, other than this impressive-looking fleet.

The Romulan Praetor calls Kirk and Pike's bluff, opens fire, and almost destroys the Enterprise. Though Kirk is saved by beaming aboard, Spock is gravely wounded, losing a leg and suffering burns to 40% of his body.

A sober Pike returns to the past, now certain that some fates truly are written in stone. 

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"