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The extraordinary new novel based on the blockbuster pilot episode for the exciting television series.

The novelization of "Emissary" is an adaptation of "Emissary", written by J.M. Dillard. A Pocket DS9 novel – #1 in the numbered series – published by Pocket Books, it was first released in February 1993.

Summary[]

From the book jacket
It's been over twenty-five years since the original Star Trek television series debuted on network television – and today, the universe first seen in that show is more popular than ever. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was a huge box-office hit, and Star Trek: The Next Generation is now entering its sixth incredible season as the most popular hour of syndicated entertainment on television.
Now comes Deep Space Nine, a thrilling new addition to the Star Trek universe. Commanded by an embittered Starfleet officer and populated by a myriad of exotic aliens, the mysterious space station known as Deep Space Nine hovers on the edge of a wormhole, a doorway that leads to the galaxy's farthest reaches – and beyond…
Commander Benjamin Sisko is just recovering from the death of his wife when he is assigned command over the former Cardassian, but new Federation space station, Deep Space 9. This space station is strategically located not only because of its orbit about Bajor, but also because of its proximity to the only known stable wormhole in the galaxy. After meeting the other Bajoran and Starfleet personnel assigned to the station, including a former Bajoran freedom fighter and a shapeshifter, Sisko finds himself in that very wormhole and in the midst of a metaphysical experience as the alien inhabitants of the wormhole question the concepts of time and love. Sisko, filled with humanistic hubris, begins to explain these experiences, and resolve his painful past.

Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.

Background information[]

  • This novelization was written using Michael Piller's initial episode teleplay. J.M. Dillard wrote the novelization in eight weeks, basing it on a final draft version of the "Emissary" script from June 1992. "I received only occasional spotty updates," she noted. Because of the security involved in the creation of the DS9 TV series, Dillard wasn't able to view the as-yet-unaired pilot episode while she was adapting it. (Trek: Deepspace Nine, p. 61)
  • This novelization reflects the fact that the initial teleplay for "Emissary" included story elements that did not figure into the aired version of "Emissary" but were presented in later episodes of the first season, most notably in "A Man Alone". Including this material in the novelization was deliberate on J.M. Dillard's part. She clarified, "The origins of the scenes in the book that weren't in the broadcast: Some came from (a) scenes which were cut from the script; and (b) my fertile imagination." (Trek: Deepspace Nine, p. 62)
  • While writing the novelization, J.M. Dillard struggled to adapt Sisko's interaction with the wormhole aliens. "The unique challenge presented by the novelization of Emissary was most certainly the writing of the scenes where Sisko deals with the wormhole's inhabitants," she said. "His experience was 'stream of consciousness,' with the scene and characters constantly shifting every second. It took some conscious effort to write such a scene without confusing the reader as to what was happening." Dillard found, during the writing process, that she liked all the characters, especially Sisko and Kira, and that they as well as Picard were the ones which translated most easily from script to novel. (Trek: Deepspace Nine, pp. 61 & 62)
  • In J.M. Dillard's opinion, this novelization and the creation of it were successful. "I think it makes for a brilliant novel [….] I was very happy to be offered this project; I can say with perfect frankness that Michael Piller's script was […] a joy as well as a creative challenge to novelize," Dillard enthused. (Trek: Deepspace Nine, pp. 62 & 63)
  • The audiobook version was abridged by George Truett.
  • The novel goes into some detail regarding the rank Miles O'Brien holds on Deep Space 9, explaining that upon his transfer from the Enterprise, O'Brien accepted a commission as an "Ensign Junior Grade". The rank of Ensign Junior Grade is never mentioned nor seen in any other Star Trek production, but does appear in the reference manual Star Trek: The Next Generation Officer's Manual with the same insignia that O'Brien wears for the first three seasons of Deep Space Nine. (See here for other problems and confusion regarding O'Brien's rank.)
  • James Van Hise wrote: "Emissary by J.M. Dillard remains true to the Rick Berman/Michael Piller script. The author adds background to the characters with an emotional look into what they are feeling. Sisko has not gotten over the death of his wife, Jennifer. His inability to grieve puts him at risk of losing his health and career. By protecting the Bajoran wormhole prophets, he saves himself, as well as the Bajorans. Kira's antagonism is abated when Sisko is called to Kai Opaka. Likewise, the story of Dax is spelled out in considerable detail. Some sections of the book differ from the scenes in the televised episode, some fall close and others correspond. J.M. Dillard makes the premiere on paper as satisfying as the film canvas director David Carson used to create the televised two-hour episode. O'Brien's accent as he fusses with the computers brings back fond memories of another miracle worker." (Trek: The Printed Adventures)
  • The image on the cover is flipped.

Cover gallery[]

Characters[]

Canon characters listed below are linked to the main article about them. Non-canon characters are not linked, but those that recurred, appearing or being mentioned in more than one story, are defined further in Pocket DS9 characters.

Regular and recurring characters[]

Benjamin Sisko
Starfleet commander, the CO of Deep Space 9. In 2367, then a lieutenant commander, Sisko had been among the survivors of the USS Saratoga at the Battle of Wolf 359. Subsequently, Sisko attempted to be assigned to Earth, but the closest he came was the Utopia Planitia shipyards on Mars, where he served for almost three years. A week before his posting to DS9, he halfheartedly applied for an astrionics professorship at Vasteras University. Sisko recalled failing an unannounced emergency drill because of an attack of nervousness during his first year at Starfleet Academy.
Kira Nerys
Bajoran Militia major, liaison and XO of DS9.
Odo
Deep Space 9's security chief.
This novel claims Odo was found in the Denorios belt in 2319 and treated by the Bajorans "as one of their own" (p. 57). However, Dax later informs Sisko of an unknown vessel being found with a shapeshifter inside in the year 2337 (p. 136). At the time this novel was written, Odo's origin was still very much a mystery.
Julian Bashir
DS9's CMO. Bashir is noted as being a specialist in multi-species medicine.
Jadzia Dax
DS9's science officer. Jadzia mentions to Sisko that Dax met Kai Taluno at a peace conference while serving as a diplomatic apprentice.
Since Taluno lived during the 22nd century, it was probably Lela Dax who met Taluno.
Jake Sisko
Formal name Jacob identified in Starfleet records. Helps Nog extinguish a fire in Quark's during the Cardassian attack.
Miles O'Brien
DS9's chief of operations.
O'Brien is repeatedly identified as an ensign, but this is clearly contradicted by his remark in "Past Tense, Part I", "That's why I never became an officer."
Quark
DS9's Ferengi bartender.
Nog
Ferengi child, nephew of Quark, who meets Jake for the first time.
This novel was written before it was determined that Jake and Nog would first meet in "A Man Alone". Nog informs Jake that Ferengi males do not live with their mothers as males do not live with females. This was contradicted by information later established in "Family Business".
Dukat
Dukat tells Sisko that he vacated Bajor two weeks prior to his initial visit with Sisko.
Jean-Luc Picard/Locutus
Jennifer Sisko
Opaka
Kai
Keiko O'Brien
Molly O'Brien
Storil
Vulcan captain killed in action aboard Saratoga.
Hranok
Bolian tactical officer who dragged Sisko to safety before a warp core breach destroyed Saratoga.
Curzon Dax
The last time Sisko saw Curzon was at Utopia Planitia, where the Trill mentor nagged him to leave the shipyard.
Macet
Cardassian gul noted as being a part of Dukat's warship squadron.

Other characters[]

Jas-qal
Nog's accomplice, a member of an alien race called B'kaazi, in looting mineral samples from the Promenade during its reconstruction.
In the episode, the looter accomplice was a Markalian.
Enterprise-D operations lieutenant 2

Suarez

Suarez
The watch officer on the bridge of the Enterprise-D when Chief O'Brien was ready to disembark permanently to his new assignment aboard Deep Space 9.
Lamerson
Jake's schoolteacher at Utopia Planitia.
Taluno
Kai, described by Dax as a "rather dour, dogmatic man" not prone to exaggeration.
Jhakka
A Promenade vendor who attempted to apprehend Jake Sisko after Nog stole food from another vendor.
Drak
A Ferengi pit boss at Quark's Bar.
The character credited as "Ferengi pit boss" in the episode was later revealed to be Rom, the father of Nog and brother of Quark.
Jasad
Gul.
Majut
Jasad's second-in-command. He informed his commander of Deep Space 9's armaments, which were actually false duranium shadows.
Other USS Rutledge personnel present during the Setlik III massacre
Rendell
Lind
Garcia
Maria Huxley
The wife of Rutledge captain Benjamin Maxwell. She lived on Setlik III with their children only to be killed during a Cardassian raid.
Ty Cobb
Born Tyrus Raymond Cobb, he was considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Cobb was manifested by the Prophets during Sisko's encounter in the wormhole.
The Alien Batter in the final episode was changed to avoid rights payments. (The Making of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine [page number?edit])

Saratoga personnel[]

USS Saratoga personnel at the Battle of Wolf 359:

Delaney
Conn ensign (KIA).
Tamamota
Operations manager ensign (KIA)
Garcia
Command division officer (KIA)
Doran
Jennifer Sisko's closest friend aboard the Saratoga. Her family's quarters were located next to the Siskos.

References[]

Bajor; Borg; Cardassian; Celestial Temple; Denorios belt; Enterprise-D, USS; Federation credit; Ferengi; Gage, USS; Gamma Quadrant; Gilgo Beach; Idran system; Kayden, Will; Kyushu, USS; Maxwell, Benjamin; Melbourne, USS; "Minstrel Boy, The"; neutrino; pagh; Phoenix, USS; Prophets; Quadros-1 probe; Rio Grande, USS; runabout; Rutledge, USS; Saratoga, USS; Setlik III; Tolstoy, USS (spelled Tolstoi); Trill; Utopia Planitia; Wolf 359; wormhole; Yangtzee Kiang, USS

Denorios belt
This area of space is constantly referred to as the Denorios Asteroid Belt in the novel, which contradicts Dax's statement of it being a charged plasma field in the episode.
Bajoran sand dragon
This animal was likened to a Terran crocodile.
Garis Five
A planet Dax visited where light is an art medium. The Bajoran Orb reminded Jadzia of the art there.
Vasteras University
An educational institution located on Earth. Sisko ultimately turned down an invitation to teach there to remain on Deep Space 9.
The location of the university was not provided in the novel, but there is a university located in the city of Västerås in Sweden.
Chrondrite echo
A sensor echo caused by a meteor rich in water and organic material. Chief O'Brien warned Jadzia Dax that the high proton counts encountered in the Denorios belt could just be a collection of chrondrite echoes.
Chondrites are an existing type of meteorite.
Astrionics
The development and application of electronic systems and components for spacecraft. Benjamin Sisko is offered a position as professor of astrionics at Vasteras University.
Hadas IV
A desolate planet marked by violent thunderstorms.
Szagy Park
The park where Benjamin Sisko proposed to Jennifer.
Droli
A Bajoran baked good similar to a Terran biscuit. It is seasoned with herbs and has a distinct aroma.
Class six starship
O'Brien considered a starship of this size to be the only means of transporting the station to the mouth of the wormhole until Dax suggested an alternate method.

External link[]


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