The Price of the Phoenix

The Price of the Phoenix is a Star Trek pro novel written by Myrna Culbreath & Sondra Marshak.
See List of Star Trek TOS Pro Books with Fan Connections.
==In a Prior Form==
See Never Mourn Black Omne, the fanwork that was the rough draft of "The Price of the Phoenix" and its sequel, The Fate of the Phoenix, combined.
==Summary==
From the book jacket: 
The story takes place on a world where Omne, a physical and intellectual superman of "overpowering masculinity" has established enclaves for people from many planets to live and re-enact their worlds' historical periods. He is opposed to the Prime Directive because it creates a nanny state situation. Having staged Kirk's death and ensuring that Spock sees it, Omne then creates an exact duplicate. Spock establishes a telepathic bond with "James", ensuring he would be able to recognize this duplicate Kirk in the future. Also on the planet is the female Romulan Commander from the Star Trek The Original Series episode "The Enterprise Incident". Omne believes that Spock's influence on Vulcan, and Vulcan's influence on the galaxy, is so great that if Spock were to denounce the Prime Directive, the Federation would eventually dissolve. An alliance with the Romulans would become possible, and Spock and the Commander could marry. The Romulan Commander breaks in to rescue James. They learn that the original Kirk is alive and well. Through their telepathic link, Spock and James search for each other and Kirk, who is engaged in a terrible physical and philosophical battle with Omne. Spock catches up with Omne and subjects him to a mind meld -- which proves to be a mistake, as Omne acquires all of Spock's abilities in the process. Upon returning to the ship, the Commander claims James as her property since she rescued him. He is surgically altered to Romulan appearance and biochemistry: but on Romulus, he will only exist as an ineffective princeling "from one of the matriarch colonies where men are properly treated as delicate creatures and not permitted to fight." Themes of physical strength and dominance, the "alpha male" and freedom of choice recur throughout the narrative.
==Some Covers from Other Editions==
File:Pricephoenixcorgicol.jpg|the UK Corgi edition, 1977
File:Pricephoenixhurtcomfortcover.jpg| an alternative cover echoing hurt/comfort fic themes, (1985, Bantam Books) 
File:PricePhoenixreprint.jpg|an alternative cover featuring the female Romulan Commander from "The Enterprise Incident" episode
File:PricePhoenixItalian.jpg|the Italian edition
==The Authors Comment==
A very lengthy, detailed letter about "Price of the Phoenix" by the authors was published in Interstat #20 -- some excerpts: 
==Inspired Fanworks==
* Balance of Terror/Reverse by Rebecca Ross ("This is the first of Miss Ross' MIRROR/MIRROR adatations of several major episodes, depicting the events of "Balance of Terror" as they happened aboard the ISS Enterprise." - printed in Southern Star #5)
* Bi-Lliam #2 (a zine written as a response) (late 1970s to early 1980s)
* Prime Directive, poem in Spock #45 (1986)
* The Price of the Phoenix: A Play by Jane Carnall, a circuit story
* Omne, poem by Marybeth Pospula in Tetrumbriant #15/16 (1980)
* Omne's Grief, poem by Melissa Lee in Alliance (1981)
* The Wrath of Ricardo Montalban, story by Bill Hupe and Anne K.M. Hupe in Abode of Strife #3 (1985), one of a series in which this story, plus "Kirk's Nightmare," "Khan's Revenge," and "Fantasy Planet Revisited" are related fanworks with a focus of punishing Kirk in horrible ways for loving Spock. 
 
 Image:omnepoem.jpg| Omne, poem by Marybeth Pospula in Tetrumbriant #15/16 (1980) 
 File:Beyondfiction1-4.jpg| from Beyond Fiction #1 (1981), artist is Sharron Crowson, poem inspired by "The Price of the Phoenix" and The Fate of the Phoenix 
==Reactions and Reviews==
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An exchange between Linda Frankel and Jacqueline Lichtenberg in A Companion in Zeor #4, May 1979:
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==References==
Category:Star Trek TOS Professional Works