Seven’s Reckoning is a four-part series published by IDW between November 2020 and February 2021. Writer Dave Baker tells a new classic Star Trek tale – just add a B-story and you’d have a new Voyager episode! Artist Angel Hernandez and colorist Ronda Pattison bring the tale to life on the page.
The plot is textbook Trek. While helping a new species called the Ohrdi’Nadar to repair a damaged warp core, Seven of Nine learns that one half of the species is oppressing the other half of the species. In this case, the Kz’ar (who have two arms) are the ruling class, exploiting the Vesh (who have four arms) for their labor… and something more sinister. Still new to the Federation and the Prime Directive, Seven feels she has no choice but to help the mistreated Vesh.
While most of the storyline is centered on Seven and the Ohrdi’Nadar, Baker eases you into it with introductory scenes between Tuvok and Janeway (discussing Janeway’s new short hairdo) and an away mission including Chakotay and Ensign Wildman. Harry Kim and the Doctor also make appearances. There’s lots of dry humor from Tuvok to enjoy, as well as a creepy new ship full of cryogenically suspended aliens. Septa, the Kz’ar leader of the Ohrdi’Nadar, wakes up and immediately demands to speak to the manager. I found that to be an accurate gauge of their character.
Turns out the Ohrdi’Nadar are in a similar situation as Voyager, and are willing to barter for Seven’s help. This leads to Seven spending a good deal of time working with a Vesh named Greeb, and learning of their plight. Without spoiling the plot, matters escalate and Seven and the Vesh have to make difficult choices, and face the consequences.
The Ohrdi’Nadar are humanoid, but with their extra arms they never could have been portrayed on the show they way they are here. They speak of everything in literary terms – a person’s life is a story, each person is a protagonist, and so on. Baker and Hernandez did a great job creating a new species and making them believable.
Janeway’s Federation viewpoint on the Vesh situation is unsatisfying, but personally I find the idea of leaving entire races to be exploited by other races due to a principle of non-interference to be a bit… privileged for my tastes. And the comic gets a little too on-the-nose when the phrase “riots are the language of the unheard” is used by an alien who just met humans for the first time.
Nevertheless, Seven’s Reckoning is an enjoyable rendition of what Trek does best – examining our humanity through a sci-fi lens.