''Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise'', written and illustrated by

Lora Johnson Lora Johnson is an American author best known for the novel ''Ice.'' Her works include numerous original novels and ''Star Trek'' reference books including ''Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise'', the ''Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical ...

, known as Shane Johnson at that time, is a book describing the post-refit USS ''Enterprise'' (with some information on the ''Enterprise''-A) from the ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

fictional universe A fictional universe, or fictional world, is a self-consistent setting with events, and often other elements, that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed, or fictional realm (or world). Fictional universes may ...

. It is written from the viewpoint of the ship's chief engineer, Montgomery Scott. The manual was first printed and published by Pocket Books in 1987. The ''Guide'' opens with a brief introduction by Mr. Scott and a description of the ''Constitution'' class refit. Following this, a chapter on general information, containing such data as Starfleet uniforms of the era, fonts used in

computer A computer is a machine that can be programmed to Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as C ...

displays and hull markings, and various graphics used aboard the ship. It goes on to describe the ''Enterprise'' deck by deck from the top downward and concludes with a description of the ''Enterprise''-A. Although ''Star Trek'' staffers such as Michael Okuda and

Andrew Probert Andrew Probert (born 1946 in Independence, Missouri) is an American artist. He is known for his work with the ''Star Trek'' franchise, most notably the designs of the USS ''Enterprise'' for '' Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' and the ''Enterpris ...

served as consultants for the book, it contains statements that were later contradicted. The book indicates that the ''Enterprise'''s original five-year mission ended on April 7, 2212, while later and more authoritative print ('' Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual'', ''

The Star Trek Encyclopedia ''The Star Trek Encyclopedia: A Reference Guide to the Future'' is a 1994 encyclopedia of in-universe information from the '' Star Trek'' television series and films. It was written by Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda, who were production staff o ...

'' and on-screen references (such as '' Star Trek: Voyager'' episode " Q2") put the end of the mission around 2270. It also refers to the ''Enterprise'' as being an "''Enterprise'' class" vessel after her refit, rather than the canonical ''Constitution'' class. The description of

transwarp drive The technology in ''Star Trek'' has borrowed many ideas from the scientific world. Episodes often contain technologies named after real-world scientific phenomena, such as tachyon beams, baryon sweeps, quantum slipstream drives, and photon torp ...

and other technologies are different from, if not outright incompatible with, later descriptions. Some of these contradictions stem from the book's use of some ''Star Trek'' role-playing game source materials, particularly the chronology, based on the earlier ''

Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology ''Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology'' is a 1980 book written and edited by Stan Goldstein and Fred Goldstein, and illustrated by Rick Sternbach. At the time of its publication it was the official history of the ''Star Trek'' universe. The first seas ...

''. Due to interference from Roddenberry's assistant/gofer Richard Arnold, Paramount revoked FASA's license soon after the book was published and at Arnold's urging began to contradict FASA's material early in '' Star Trek: The Next Generations run. However, Johnson also had access to set designs and production schematics that were used to create many places and devices that appear in the ''Star Trek'' films. This material largely informed the book's detailed schematics of decks, compartments, and equipment.

References

Star Trek reference books 1987 books {{StarTrek-stub