Kobayashi Maru ( novel ) Kobayashi Maru is a Pocket ENT novel written by Michael A . Martin & Andy Mangels . Published by Pocket Books , it was first released in . Captain Jonathan Archer ' s " Enterprise " and Captain Erika Hernandez ' " Columbia " become embroiled in the shocking events that became the infamous Starfleet Academy no - win scenario . Summary . The story begins with Captains Archer and Hernandez griping about their current assignment . Patrolling the space lanes between Earth and Draylax due to an increase in attacks on ECA ships , Archer is convinced that the Romulans are behind the attacks given their history of aggression against the Coalition . Unfortunately neither Starfleet nor the Coalition Council believe his " gut feeling . " Even an appearance before the Coalition to plead his case and to ask to be allowed to investigate possible Romulan involvement in the recent attacks does not convince them . Tucker , who was working under the disguise of a deceased Romulan scientist name Cunaehr , continues his mission on Romulus assisting on their warp seven program . In reporting back to his handler , who warns him of the danger of going native and even goes so far as to suggest that Tucker may have to kill Erehin i ' Ramnau tr ' Avrak , the chief scientist on the project . Later , Ejhoi Ormiin terrorists attack the research labs , steal warp seven drive data and kill Erehin . During Erehin ' s funeral , Tucker gives himself away by performing a Vulcan funeral ritual by accident and comes to Valdore ' s attention . As a test of loyalty for " Cunaehr , " Valdore sends Tucker and Centurion Terix to investigate a Ejhoi Ormiin compound and recover the stolen data . Admiral Valdore unveils and tests the next stage of his plan to divide and conquer the Coalition . A new device called " telecapture " has the ability to hack on board systems of any starship and put it under the control of the Romulans . Having secured three Klingon vessels , Valdore uses them to attack an allied planet , trying provoke the Coalition into action against the Klingon Empire . The " Enterprise " and the " Columbia " are unsuccessful in destroying the remote - controlled Klingon warships until real Klingons show up , destroy the attackers and promptly leave . With the Coalition ready to go to war against the Klingons , the " Enterprise " is dispatched to Qo ' noS to deliver an ultimatum to the Klingon Empire . Archer defeats Admiral Krell in a duel in order to secure video records that show the Klingon attackers were being remote controlled . During this time , T ' Pol begins having " psychic " visions that Tucker is in danger . She and Reed steal one of Enterprise ' s shuttles and sneak into Romulan space , with the help of T ' Pol ' s Vulcan spy contacts , to save Tucker . Tucker and Terix find the compound being run by Vulcan spy Captain Sopek , who also exposes Tucker ' s true identity . Terix dispatches the Ejhoi Ormiin soldiers and is about to kill Tucker when T ' Pol and Reed arrive just in time to save him . Sopek takes Terix and escapes . Tucker chooses to return to Romulus to continue his mission and T ' Pol and Reed , satisfied that Tucker is alive , return to " Enterprise " . During his journey , Tucker is abducted by Sopek , who is revealed to be a Romulan double agent working for Valdore and helping to test the telecapture system . While " Columbia " fights telecaptured Vulcan ships on the Coalition border , " Enterprise " is ordered to the Gamma Hydra sector to escort the " Kobayashi Maru , " a ship transporting equipment for a Vulcan spy outpost , which has struck a gravitic mine and is damaged and dead in space . Sopek plans to lure " Enterprise " into a trap with the " Maru " s distress call and telecapture it , but Tucker manages to send a covert message to Archer , warning him that the " Maru " can ' t be saved . Archer attempts the rescue operation but can ' t beam " Maru " s survivors aboard due to gravimetric interference . Telecaptured Klingon ships warp into the system and attempt to telecapture " Enterprise " ; reluctantly , Archer orders a withdrawal , and the Klingon ships destroy the " Kobayashi Maru " . While this is occurring , Tucker manages to sabotage Sopek ' s ship and rig it to self - destruct . He takes Sopek prisoner and they escape in a lifepod , only to be pulled towards a gravitic mine . The novel ends with news breaking all over Earth that the Coalition has declared war on the Romulans .