Deep Space Nine was one of the Federations single most strategically, historically and socially important outposts in the entire Milky Way Galaxy in the 2370’s.
Serving as a frontier starbase in major conflicts such as The Dominion War,
but what really happened in the later years of the Star Trek Universe?
Hello everyone, my name is Captain Jack and welcome to Trek Central!
We all know, and love, Deep Space Nine from the series of the same name! The adventures of Commander, later Captain Benjamin Sisko are well documented,
especially during The Dominion War which was a major conflict explored in the series.
As former Klingon Chancellor Gowron once put it in 2373,
5 years ago no one had heard of DS9 or Bajor, now, all our hopes rest here.
Today we’ll explore the fate of the once great station! SPOILERS AHEAD for Star Trek Extended Canon books!
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Let’s quickly recap with where we last left Deep Space Nine, of course, this means we’re going back to the last episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
2735 saw the end of The Dominion War, and DS9 was the location of the signing of the Official Declaration of Peace between the powers of the Alpha and Gamma Quadrants
. It was around this time that Benjamin Sisko disappeared while fighting off the pah wraiths in the Bajoran Fire Caves.
With the disappearance of the station's commanding officer, 2376 saw it under the new command of Colonel Kira Neyrys.
One of the major changes enacted, following the change of command and the conclusion of The Dominion War was a total upgrade and refit of the station.
Infrastructure upgrades on both DS9 and The USS Defiant took place, with the goal of replacing the stations forever with uncooperative Cardassian computer systems.
Additionally, new defense technologies like Quantum Torpedoes were added to the station.
Even though The Dominion War had ended, the threat of the soldiers known as the Jem’Hadar had not passed.
The Station would find itself attacked by a trio of rogue soldiers, who sought to change the result of the previous war by starting a new one.
Although the Jem’Hadar were all killed in action, the station's support starship, the USS Aldebaran was lost with all hands, but DS9 was saved from a fusion core overload.
Deep Space Nine frequently suffered problems with it’s Fusion power core. Newly appointed station Chief Engineer eventually designed a solution to the issue.
The Starfleet Corps of Engineers assisted via towing the abandoned Empok Nor station and transferring it’s fusion core to Deep Space Nine.
The station would see the assasination of Bajoran First Minister Shakaar Edon, who was killed by a joined Trill named Jiziki Gard.
This took place onboard DS9, as the First Minister was about to sign the papers that would officialt induct the Republic of Bajor into the United Federation of Planets.
This situation was partially resolved thanks to the revelation that Shakaar had been consumed by an Alien Parasite.
This parasite's race were mortal enemies of the Trill, who ended up using Shakaar for their own purposes. DS9 was locked down and quarantined.
It was around this time that Captain Benjamin Sisko miraculously retired from his stay with the Prophets.
September 26th, 2376 saw the crew of Deep Space Nine, past and present, attend the official Bajoran ceremony on joining the United Federation of Planets.
The turn of the 2380’s would see Deep Space Nine continue to be a major player in Starfleet’s galactic events.
With the Borg Invasion of 2380 taking place, DS9 saw the arrival of a task force led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise-E
along with united Kilgin and Romulan Fleets.
The Borg were soon defeated and fled the system.
2838 would see the last operating year of Deep Space Nine as we know it, during this year the Destruction of Deep Space Nine would take place.
A battle between the forces of the United Federation of Planets and the Typhon Pact would occur.
Federation Intelligence received evidence that Andorian terrorists were planning to destroy DS9,
giving cause for an investigation into the matter.
This was ultimately unsuccessful, as the station was eventually destroyed.
The real danger of the situation came when Deep Space Nine fell under attack, shortly after the return of the Breen Freighter “Ren Fejin'',
which was being escorted by the Romulan Warbird Eletrix.
With a battle breaking out, Breen and Tzenkethi warships decloaked and began attacking the station,
forcing the Federation to begin a mass evacuation after discovering antimatter charges attached to the station's Fusion Core.
While the station was being evacuated, explosions around the Fusion Core took place, crippling the station's ability to eject it’s fusion reactors.
Later investigation led to the discovery that the charges were designed to cripple the station, but not destroy it.
Long standing runabout USS Rio Grande rescued the station Operations staff, seconds before Deep Space Nine was consumed in an explosion which destroyed the station,
killing hundreds of Starfleet Officers in the process.
The Destruction of Deep Space Nine was a victory in some sense for the Typhon Pact, though the loss of the station itself was likely not planned in the long run.
The Federation was set back with the loss of this historic, strategic and socially important station. Total casualties came to almost 1100.
Although the station was consumed in an explosion, Emergency bulkheads were sealed in the habitat ring, meaning survivors could survive.
Notable individuals included Julian Bashir, Sarina Douglas, Kira Nerys and Kasidy Yates.
Though Yates would lose her starship, the SS Xhosa when it was rammed by an enemy starship focing a Warp Core breach.
Of course, we know the station survived in Star Trek Online, which takes place in it’s own storyline covering the events following the end of Star Trek: Nemesis.
STO sees the station still operating as a hub for Starfleet and the Federation in the 25th Century,
Even though the original station was destroyed, The Federation and Bajor recognized the need for a new starbase at the location of the Bajoran Wormhole.
By 2384, the Federation rerouted Construction Support Station 173 to lay the skeleton of the new Deep Space Nine.
Miles O’Brien, once Chief of Operations on the original station, would oversee the work on the new station, assuming the position of Chief Engineer.
While the project took it’s time, the station became partially operational in September 2384, and fully operational in August 2384.
Many important galactic dignitaries attended the opening ceremony for the station.
Such individuals included Federation President Bacco, Chancellor Martok and Grand Nagus Rome to name a few.
The adventures of the Second Deep Space Nine would continue well into the 2380’s, but that is a story for another time!
Now, with Star Trek: Picard taking place as a brand new modern-Star Trek series in 2399, it does have the power to override the fate of Deep Space Nine in the comic books.
Of course, this would require returning to the station, and exploring that aspect of the galaxy once again.
For now, we’ll need to wait and see if that ever comes around.
Let us know what you thought of the destruction of Deep Space Nine! Would this be something you would like to see in Star Trek one day?
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For now, I’ve been Captain jack, thanks for watching and we’ll see you next time! Live Long and prosper my friends!