The crew of the USS Enterprise arrive on a remote Klingon planet and soon discover that the crew of the USS Gagarin, which was viciously attacked by Klingons ten years ago, have been held prisoner there ever since. With the assistance of the brave and honourable Koloth -- the Klingon captain from the viewer-favourite original series episode, "The Trouble with Tribbles" -- Captain Kirk sets out to rescue them, knowing that, should he fail, the Federation will deny all knowledge of his mission. What's more, powerful factions in the Klingon goverment are determined not to give up the prisoners, even if it means obliterating every last one of them -- and anyone who attempts to save them!

Undeterred by the odds that are stacked against him, Kirk proceeds with his audacious plan. In the course of the rescue he discovers the secrets behind many Klingon mysteries -- mysteries that Star Trek fans have been waiting to find out. Why, for instance, did the Klingons originally encountered by Captain Kirk appear physically different to those encountered by later Starfleet crews? For the first time IN THE NAME OF HONOR answers the question that has puzzled the Star Trek universe for years.