Review: Star Trek - Last of the Red Shirts, by @Darrell_Pitt

Crewman McDonald is in a bit of a fix. Sure, Mr. Spock told him that Star Fleet doesn't send people on suicide missions. And sure, Captain Kirk told him that the Enterprise leaves no-one behind. But McDonald's been stuck on Ritaris Three for three years, four months, and two days. He's pretty sure that nobody will ever come for him - and he's beginning to lose hope that he can survive on his own.

I know what you're about to say. You're about to say "Star Trek? That's Space Opera, not Military SF! This is the Military SF issue! Darn it all, where are my space marines?!" My answer is that Star Trek has more Military SF credentials than you've realised. Star Fleet, the organization to which all our Star Trek heroes belong, is essentially a military, specifically naval, organization. Star Fleet's stated aim may be peaceful exploration, but its vessels are armed to the teeth, and regularly pick fights with the Romulans, the Borg, and anyone else who proves to be a threat. As for those space marines, well, the humble red shirt experiences as much interstellar danger and pure drudgery as any space marine, and his self-sacrificing sense of esprit de corps can't be beat. @Darrell_Pitt's Star Trek - the Last of the Red Shirts allows one such red-shirted Enterprise crewman the opportunity to demonstrate those military-style credentials in spades.

Last of the Red Shirts is a fun short story to read. The plotting is pretty tight; nearly every sentence either furthers the story or gives us insight into the main character. The author effectively evokes the setting without bogging the reader down in too much detail. The writing gets across everything we need to know without any forays into bad grammar or poor spelling.The one action scene is handled beautifully - I was able to follow exactly what was happening at every moment, and wince appropriately at Crewman McDonald's injuries.

Although several canon Star Trek characters make cameos, McDonald is the star, and we get to learn a lot about his personality. Despite the dangers of his position, McDonald is proud to wear a red shirt, and this pride colours his actions and reactions throughout the story. He remains a consistently sympathetic character; in just over six pages, we get to see McDonald move from the depths of quiet desperation, into moments of great joy, and into a state of utter confusion. This last emotion is brought on by a neat little twist that will delight any Star Trek fan.

McDonald's determination and self-respect, as well as @Darrell_Pitt's ability to realistically portray McDonald's emotions, make this story one which I believe anyone will enjoy. My only complaint is that this story is crying out for a sequel, but it doesn't look like any sequel has been written. McDonald may be the last of the red shirts, but it seems that there should be many more adventures ahead of him.