Death ' s Angel Death ' s Angel is a Bantam TOS novel , written by Kathleen Sky . First published in , it was the last original " Star Trek " novel published by Bantam Books . While transporting Federation ambassadors to a Romulan peace negotiation , a series of unexplained murders takes place aboard the USS " Enterprise " – and Captain Kirk is the prime suspect . Summary . During an away mission to Delta Gamma IV , Captain Kirk and the crew encounters a field of blue flower - like organisms . These " Oz Poppies , " as they are nicknamed , reproduce by emitting a cloud of spores . The away team is caught in a cloud of these spores , and three of them perish before Dr . McCoy discovers a cure . The six remaining members of the away team ( including Kirk , Spock , and M ' Benga ) remain in an unexplained coma for ten days after the exposure . They awaken suddenly with no apparent side effects – except that four of the six crewmembers no longer dream . The " Enterprise " is routed to Starbase 7 to pick up a diverse group of thirteen ambassadors , led by Ambassador Sarek . The ambassadors are heading to Détente Station One for peace talks with the Romulans . Several days into the journey , Ambassador Agnatha is found dead of apparently natural causes . Two days away from Détente Station One , Ambassador Neko is found dead in his quarters , also of apparently natural causes . Both of the deceased ambassadors were among the most outspoken opponents of the treaty with the Romulans , so a suspicious Kirk asks Starfleet for help . Starfleet places the ship under quarantine and assigns a member of the Special Security Division , Colonel Elizabeth Schaeffer , to investigate the deaths . A mysterious creature known as the " Angel of Death " is visiting the remaining ambassadors , warning that if they do not support the peace treaty with the Romulans , they will die like Agnatha and Neko . This Death Angel appears to each ambassador in the form of the mythological bringer of death for their culture . Col . Schaeffer believes Ambassador Naja of Dalzell is the next likely target after he receives a warning from a glowing winged serpent . She spends the night guarding him in his quarters , only to witness the aged ambassador dying peacefully in his sleep . A fourth ambassador , Rovar of Hemiptera , is torn to pieces in his quarters after giving a vehement speech against the Romulan peace treaty . Guards were present outside his door during the entire attack , but no one is seen entering or leaving . Out of options , Col . Schaeffer turns to the supernatural for an explanation . Through interviewing the remaining ambassadors , she discovers that Captain Kirk was seen outside Ambassador Agnatha ' s quarters shortly before his time of death . Kirk remembers seeing the two witnesses in the corridor outside Agnatha ' s quarters – but he maintains it was only a dream and that he was never actually there . Of the six surviving members of the Delta Gamma IV away mission , only Kirk and Spock have retained the ability to dream . Col . Schaeffer interrogates Spock and discovers that he too has had a dream that was not a dream . In his case , he was engaging in sexual relations with a female lieutenant aboard the " Enterprise " while she was in a dream state . Dr . McCoy determines that the Oz Poppies reproduce by passing spores along to a race of mice with telepathic abilities , who then deposit the spores elsewhere in the course of their dreamed travels . He and Col . Schaeffer theorize that the ability to project the subconsciousness outside the body during REM sleep was unlocked in Kirk and Spock by the infestation of the spores from Delta Gamma IV . Of the six infected crew members , only Kirk and Spock have a high enough psi factor ( or esper rating ) to remember their spore - induced dream travels . They believe one of the remaining four crewmen may be projecting the Angel of Death apparition without being aware of it . During an onboard debate about the Romulan détente , Dr . McCoy gives an impassioned speech against the treaty . Col . Schaeffer is convinced that this will result in a visit from the Angel of Death , and stands guard inside Dr . McCoy ' s quarters that evening . She witnesses the appearance of a white - robed Terran Angel of Death , whom she recognizes as an astral projection of Dr . M ' Benga . Spock and Kirk are able to tap into their spore - derived projection abilities to create an image of a god - like being that convinces the Angel of Death to spare McCoy ' s life . M ' Benga is given treatment to prevent the reoccurrence of the projections , and the Romulan negotiations continue on schedule . Memorable quotes . " " There must be peace in the Universe , there must be a détente between the Romulans and the Federation , and eventually between the Federation and the Klingon s . We have had enough bloodshed . I am tired of bloodshed . I grieve at the bleeding bodies I must deal with day after day . I am the Angel of Death . " "