title: Star Trek 101: A Practical Guide to Who, What, Where, and Why
author:  Terry J. Erdmann 
description: Terry J. Erdmann (with Paula M. Block) have jointly written two previous Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ebook novellas: <i>Rules of Accusation</i> and <i>Lusts Latinum Lost (and Found)</i>. Their most recent nonfiction work, <i>Labyrinth: The Ultimate Visual History</i>, was the recipient of the Independent Publisher Book Awards 2017 bronze medal for best coffee table book. They also are the co-authors of the nonfiction titles <i>Star Trek Costumes: Five Decades of Fashion from the Final Frontier</i>, <i>Star Trek The Original Topps Trading Card Series</i>, <i>Star Trek The Next Generation 365</i>, <i>Star Trek The Original Series 365</i>, <i>Star Trek 101</i>, <i>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion</i>, <i>The Secrets of Star Trek Insurrection</i>, <i>The Magic of Tribbles</i>, and <i>Star Trek: Action!</i> Their additional titles include <i>Monk: The Official Episode Guide</i> and <i>The 4400 Companion</i>. During his lengthy career in film publicity, Terry authored <i>The Last Samurai Official Companion</i>. They live in Southern Oregon with their two collies, Shadow and Mandy.
zlib_text: STAR TREK (R)
  
  WINDOWS ON A LOST WORLD
  
  Chapter One
  
  Captain's Log, Stardate 5419.4
  
  The Enterprise is approaching the
  
  Dulciphar star cluster, once the most densely
  
  populated region in this sector of the galaxy.
  
  Our mission routine archaeological inventory
  
  of the ancient civilizations in the cluster. To that
  
  end, ship's personnel has been supplemented
  
  by a twenty-person team of researchers from the
  
  University of Nexqualy on Perren IX,
  
  led by Dr. Abdul Ramesh Kaul. Dr.
  
  Kaul is the Federation's foremost authority on the
  
  Meztorien culture, whose ruins are widely
  
  scattered throughout this quadrant. It is a distinct
  
  honor to be associated with such eminent scholars
  
  as Dr. Kaul and his team.
  
  "Why me?" Ensign Pavel Chekov
  
  demanded, breaking his stride to lift his arms toward
  
  the ceiling as if imploring some unseen deity
  
  to answer his question. "Why do I have to be the person
  
  who gets stuck with the Djelifan? To listen to her
  
  talk, you would think that God Herself was from
  
  