How Much for Just the Planet?

Did You Know?

• The USS Jefferson Randolph Smith is named after nineteenth century con artist and fraudster Jefferson Randolph Smith, alias Soapy Smith.
• The Klingon language in the novel combines Marc Okrand-developed Klingonese with Ford's own invented Klingonaase.

Plot

Large deposits of dilithium are detected on a colony planet. Delegations from the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire are sent to negotiate mining rights, unable to openly fight due to the Organian Lightbulbs. The planet Direidi's inhabitants behave strangely, occasionally breaking into song or appearing to attack. Both crews and the three-person crew of the Federation prospector that found the planet become involved in adventures. It is eventually revealed that the inhabitants orchestrated everything according to Plan C—Comedy, designed to prevent full-scale mining and encourage cooperation.