Crash of the Enterprise-D and Death of Kirk

In 2371 Tolian Soran, an El-Aurian rescued from the Nexus seventy-eight years earlier, sought to return to that timeless realm at any cost. Since flying into the energy ribbon was fatal, he planned to alter its course by destroying stars, first at the Amargosa observatory and then in the Veridian system, where the resulting shockwave would wipe out the inhabited world Veridian IV.

The Klingon sisters Lursa and B'Etor, who supplied Soran with weapons, obtained the Enterprise-D's shield frequency and attacked the ship over Veridian III. The Enterprise destroyed their Bird-of-Prey, but a warp core breach forced the crew to separate the saucer, which crash-landed on the planet's surface. The star drive section was destroyed.

On Veridian III Soran launched his missile, and Picard was swept into the Nexus. There he found James T. Kirk, lost since 2293, and persuaded him to return. Together they arrived moments before the launch and stopped Soran, who died with his probe, saving Veridian IV. Kirk was mortally injured in the effort and was buried by Picard on the planet.