William Ross

Template:Sidebar character

For the Star Trek Generations orchestrator, see William Ross (orchestrator).

William J. Ross was a senior Starfleet official in command of military operations during the Dominion War. As Vice Admiral, Ross commanded Starbase 375. He led the Allied forces during the Battle of Cardassia, and presided over the signing of the Treaty of Bajor, which ended the war.

Career

As head of Starfleet forces during the Dominion War, Ross coordinated battle plans from Starbase 375. (DS9: "A Time to Stand")

After Captain Sisko and his team returned to Starbase 375 after successfully destroying a Dominion ketracel-white facility, Admiral Ross asked them to report to the conference room for a full debriefing. (DS9: "Sons and Daughters")

Captain Bennet served as his adjutant during the early days of the war. When Bennet transferred to command the Seventh Tactical Wing, Ross assigned Captain Benjamin Sisko as his new adjutant, and gave command of the USS Defiant to Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax. (DS9: "Behind the Lines") He supported Benjamin Sisko's plan for Operation Return. (DS9: "Favor the Bold")

After Sisko refused to return the Reckoning Tablet to Bajor, Kai Winn Adami lodged a protest with Starfleet and Ross ordered Sisko to return it. (DS9: "The Reckoning")

In late 2374, Ross presented Sisko with the Christopher Pike Medal of Valor for his actions in retaking Deep Space 9 and forcing the Dominion into temporary retreat. He then ordered Sisko to command the first strike into Dominion space in the First Battle of Chin'toka. General Martok made a promise with Ross and Sisko that in one year, they would defeat the Dominion and drink bloodwine in the Cardassian Central Command. (DS9: "Tears of the Prophets")

After the Romulan Star Empire joined the war effort in 2374, Admiral Ross came to station Deep Space 9 to help with the establishment of a Romulan contingent on the front lines. (DS9: "Image in the Sand")

After it was discovered that the Romulan Star Empire had established plasma torpedo launchers on the Bajoran moon Derna, Ross at first refused to get involved, as he felt it could destroy the Alliance with the Romulans. He later relented and told Senator Kimara Cretak to remove the weapons from Derna. (DS9: "Shadows and Symbols")

Ross temporarily aided the covert Federation organization Section 31 in 2375. Ross helped Section 31 agents infiltrate the first Starfleet - Romulan conference on Romulus, and helped to place a mole at the highest levels of the Romulan government. (DS9: "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges")

Ross performed a wedding ceremony later that year on Deep Space 9 between Captain Sisko and Kasidy Yates. (DS9: "Penumbra", "'Til Death Do Us Part").

He delivered the USS São Paulo to the station in late 2375, following the destruction of the Defiant, and gave the orders that transferred command to Captain Sisko and allowing a special dispensation to rename the new ship "Defiant". (DS9: "The Dogs of War")

During the Battle of Cardassia, Ross led the Starfleet wing of the assault fleet. Soon afterward he presided over the signing of the Treaty of Bajor, and gave a speech to the delegates at the signing ceremony. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")

Appendices

Appearances

• DS9:
  • "A Time to Stand" (Season Six)
  • "Behind the Lines"
  • "Favor the Bold"
  • "Tears of the Prophets"
  • "Image in the Sand" (Season Seven)
  • "Shadows and Symbols"
  • "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges"
  • "'Til Death Do Us Part"
  • "The Changing Face of Evil"
  • "When It Rains..."
  • "The Dogs of War"
  • "What You Leave Behind"

See also

• List of Starfleet admirals
• Starfleet personnel (24th century)

Background information

Barry Jenner made his first appearance as Admiral William Ross in "A Time to Stand". After Jenner finished shooting, Ira Steven Behr took him aside and said, "We've had other admirals on this show. We're glad we've found you. Sorry it took five years!" Behr also says of Jenner, "He brings a gravitas to the role, and yet you can see there's a man behind the uniform. I think that Barry Jenner is one of the unsung heroes of the show, one of the pieces of the puzzle that might not be readily apparent to the audience. But he's part of the glue that makes our job easier." (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)

The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion notes that Ross' first name was given as "Cliff" on several diplomas seen on Starbase 375 in the early episodes of season six. However, Odo's (joking) reference to Ross as "Bill" in season seven's "Image in the Sand" was taken literally by other writers and the name stuck.

Apocrypha

William Ross has become a popular character in various novels set after Deep Space Nine. He is a main character in the Articles of the Federation novel and has also been featured in Star Trek: Gateways, Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers, Star Trek: A Time to... and Star Trek: Titan. His middle name was given in The Future Begins as "Johannes".

According to "Articles of the Federation," Ross was forced to retire in 2380 after the President discovered his actions in the death of the former Bolian Federation President Min Zife.

In the DS9 novels Avatar, Book One and Avatar, Book Two, his flagship is the Template:ShipClass USS Cerberus.

External links

• Template:NCwiki
• William Ross (Star Trek) at Wikipedia