| Cover image. | |
| Author: | Jeanne M. Dillard |
| Publisher: | Pocket Books |
| Series: | Pocket DS9 #1 |
| Published: | February 1993 |
| Pages: | 274 |
| Year: | 2367/2369 |
| Stardate: | 46379.1 |
| Reference #: | ISBN 0671798588 |
The extraordinary new novel based on the blockbuster pilot episode for the exciting television series.
Summary
- From the book jacket
- 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
This novelization was written using Michael Piller's initial episode teleplay. The initial teleplay 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."
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
- Lieutenant Commander (2367), Commander (2369). During his first year at Starfleet Academy, Sisko failed an unannounced emergency drill because of an attack of nervousness. Sisko attempted to be assigned to Earth, but the closest he came was the Utopia Planitia shipyards on Mars, where he served for three years. A week before his posting to Deep Space 9, he halfheartedly applied for an astrinonics professorship at Vasteras University.
- Kira Nerys
- Odo
- This novel claims Odo was found in the Denorios Belt in 2319 and treated by the Bajorans "as one of their own" (page 57). However, Dax later informs Sisko of an unknown vessel being found with a shapeshifter inside in the year 2337 (page 136). At the time this novel was written, Odo's origin was stll very much a mystery.
- Julian Bashir
- Bashir is noted as being a specialist in multi-species medicine.
- Jadzia Dax
- Jadzia mentions to Sisko that Dax met Kai Taluno at a peace conference while serving as a diplomatic apprentice. If this account is accurate, it would likely have been either Tobin or Emony.
- Jake Sisko
- Formal name Jacob identified in Starfleet records. Helps Nog extinguish a fire in Quark's bar during the Cardassian attack.
- Miles O'Brien
- O'Brien is repeatedly identified as an ensign, but this is clearly contradicted by his remarks in "Past Tense, Part I", when he says, "That's why I never became an officer."
- Quark
- Nog
- 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 seems to contradict information 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
Other characters
- Captain Storil, Vulcan captain (KIA)
- Ensign Delaney, Conn officer (KIA)
- Lieutenant Hranok, Bolian tactical officer who dragged Sisko to safety before a warp core breach destroyed the ship
- Ensign Tamamota, operations manager (KIA)
- Garcia, a command division officer (KIA)
- Doran, Jennifer Sisko's closest friend aboard the Saratoga. Her family's quarters were located next to the Siskos.
- Jas-qal
- Nog's accomplice in looting mineral samples from the Promenade during its reconstruction. His race was given as B'kaazi.
Suarez
- Suarez (see unnamed USS Enterprise-D personnel)
- Lieutenant Suarez was 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.
- Dr. Lamerson
- Jake's schoolteacher at Utopia Lanitia.
- Curzon Dax
- The last time Sisko saw Curzon was at Utopia Lanitia, where the Trill mentor nagged him to leave the shipyard.
- Kai Taluno
- 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.
- Gul Macet
- Noted in this novel as being a member of Dukat's warship squadron.
- Drak
- One of the many humanoid miners patronizing Quark's bar.
- Gul Jasad
- Majut
- Jasad's second-in-command. He informed his commander of Deep Space 9's armaments, which were actually false duranium shadows.
References
Wolf 359, Borg, Saratoga, USS, Kyushu, USS, Gage, USS, Melbourne, USS, Utopia Planitia, Bajor, Enterprise-D, USS, Cardassian, Ferengi, Tolstoy, USS (spelled Tolstoi), Denorios Belt, pagh, Gilgo Beach, Celestial Temple, Prophets, Setlik III, Benjamin Maxwell, Rutledge, USS, The Minstrel Boy, Will Kayden, Phoenix, USS, Trill, Federation credit, neutrino, runabout, Rio Grande, USS, Idran system, Gamma Quadrant, Quadros-1 probe, 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.
- 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.
- 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 Vasteras University 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.
- Chrondrites are real. The discovery of microscopic Martian lifeforms in 1996 came from a chrondrite that landed in Antarctica.
- astrionics
- The adaptation of electronics for astronautics uses. This is likely a study of starship systems by the 24th century.
- Hadas Four
- A desolate planet marked by violent thunderstorms.
- Szagy Park
- The park where Benjamin Sisko proposed to Jennifer. It's not clear if this park was located on Earth.
- 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.
- Ty Cobb
- Born Tyrus Raymond Cobb, he was considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
- An odd note about Cobb is that he was a rather vocal racist and his inclusion in this novel as the player Sisko encounters as a Prophet manifestation is questionable. The baseball player seen in the episode is most assuredly not Ty Cobb.
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