Chains of Command
Commander Riker must either give up the USS Enterprise or sacrifice his captain's life.

Chains of Command is a Pocket TNG novel – #21 in the numbered series – written by Bill McCay and Eloise Flood. Published by Pocket Books, it was first released in .

Summary 
From the book jacket
While exploring a group of devastated class-M planets in a remote sector of space, the crew of the  is shocked to discover a group of Human slaves on a forbidding, glacial world. When the slaves revolt against their Human overseers, Captain Picard and his crew sympathize with the slaves plight but cannot interfere in the conflict.

After the revolt is a success, Captain Picard learns that both the slaves and the overseers were controlled by a mysterious bird-like race called the Tseetsk, who are coming to reclaim their property. With the time running out, the rebels kidnap Captain Picard and Counselor Troi – drawing the USS Enterprise into the middle of their deadly plan of vengeance.

Memorable quotes 
"There's a difference between fulfilling a function and bringing imagination to the job."
 - Jean-Luc Picard (p. 49)

"The away team that didn't get away."
 - Riker (p. 24)

"You cannot maintain a stable society based on slavery."
 - Riker (p. 245)

"You've shown that you're willing to die for freedom. Will you live for it?"
 - Vossted (p. 275)

Background information 
 This is the only Star Trek novel written by Bill McCay and Eloise Flood.

Characters 
Jean-Luc Picard  Captain.
William T. Riker  Commander.
Deanna Troi
Janet Kilsolving  Yeoman.
Akihoko
Iovino
Martinez
Jeremy

References 
Tseetsk  mysterious bird-like race

External links 
 
 

Novels

cs:Chains of Command
de:Ketten der Gewalt