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{{real world}}
 
{{real world}}
{{Sidebar novel
+
{{sidebar novel
| image = Worlds of Star Trek Deep Space Nine 2.jpg
+
|image = Worlds of Star Trek Deep Space Nine 2.jpg
| Author = [[Michael A. Martin]] and [[Andy Mangels]], [[J. Noah Kym]]
+
|author = [[Michael A. Martin]] and [[Andy Mangels]], [[J. Noah Kym]]
| Artist = [[Geoff Mandel]]
+
|artist = [[Geoffrey Mandel]]
| Publisher = [[Pocket Books]]
+
|publisher = [[Pocket Books]]
| Series = [[Pocket DS9]]<br />[[Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine|Worlds of DS9]] #2
+
|series = [[Pocket DS9]]<br />[[Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine|Worlds of DS9]] #2
| Published = {{d|25|January|2005}}
+
|published = {{d|25|January|2005}}
| Pages = 380
+
|pages = 380
| Year = [[October]] [[2376]]
+
|year = [[October]] [[2376]]
| Stardate = 53777.5 to 53785.4
+
|stardate = 53777.5 to 53785.4
| ISBN = 0743483529 (paperback)<br>{{ASIN|B000FCJYZA}} (Kindle)
+
|ISBN = 0743483529 (paperback)<br>{{ASIN|B000FCJYZA}} (Kindle)
 
}}
 
}}
  +
'''''Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume Two''': Trill and Bajor'' is a [[Pocket DS9]] novel &ndash; part of the {{DS9 relaunch}} and the second novel in the ''[[Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' series &ndash; written by [[J. Noah Kym]] and [[Michael A. Martin]] and [[Andy Mangels]]. Published by [[Pocket Books]], it was first released in {{m|January|2005}}.
The second of three novels focusing on six civilizations, Book Two focuses on the Trill and the Bajorans.
 
   
==Summary==
+
== Summary ==
 
;From the book jacket
 
;From the book jacket
:''Within every federation and every empire, behind every hero and every villain, there are the worlds that define them. In the aftermath of ''[[Unity]]'' and in the daring tradition of ''[[Spock's World]]'', ''[[The Final Reflection]]'', and ''[[A Stitch in Time]]'', the civilizations most closely tied to ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' can now be experienced as never before... in tales both sweeping and intimate, reflective and prophetic, eerily familiar and utterly alien.''
+
:''Within every federation and every empire, behind every hero and every villain, there are the worlds that define them. In the aftermath of ''[[Unity]]'' and in the daring tradition of ''[[Spock's World]]'', ''[[The Final Reflection]]'', and ''[[A Stitch in Time]]'', the civilizations most closely tied to {{s|DS9}} can now be experienced as never before&hellip; in tales both sweeping and intimate, reflective and prophetic, eerily familiar and utterly alien.''
   
 
:''[[Trill (planet)|TRILL]]: They are a people with secrets. For centuries they kept their true nature hidden, even taking disturbing steps to protect the small population of near-immortal symbionts with whom a privileged few [[Trill]] are joined, body, mind, and soul. They are a people who hold memory to be sacred, yet deny their own past. Now amid a whirlwind of scandal, accusations, and growing civil unrest, [[Ezri Dax]] must penetrate millennia of lies and deceptions, and rediscover what should never have been forgotten, before her civilization rips itself apart.''
 
:''[[Trill (planet)|TRILL]]: They are a people with secrets. For centuries they kept their true nature hidden, even taking disturbing steps to protect the small population of near-immortal symbionts with whom a privileged few [[Trill]] are joined, body, mind, and soul. They are a people who hold memory to be sacred, yet deny their own past. Now amid a whirlwind of scandal, accusations, and growing civil unrest, [[Ezri Dax]] must penetrate millennia of lies and deceptions, and rediscover what should never have been forgotten, before her civilization rips itself apart.''
   
:''[[Bajor|BAJOR]]: The honeymoon is over. Following the euphoria of Bajor's marriage to the [[Federation]], the real business of making that union work has begun. But even on a world where politics and religion are intertwined, conflicting visions of Bajor's role in the interstellar arena divide the planet's leadership. As newly minted [[Captain]] [[Kira Nerys]] sets the tone for the kind of [[Starfleet]] officer she will be, [[First Minister]] Asarem makes a bold move to define Bajor's voice in the Federation, while the returned [[Benjamin Sisko]] prepares for a future that only he, as yet, can see.''
+
:''[[Bajor|BAJOR]]: The honeymoon is over. Following the euphoria of Bajor's marriage to the [[Federation]], the real business of making that union work has begun. But even on a world where politics and religion are intertwined, conflicting visions of Bajor's role in the interstellar arena divide the planet's leadership. As newly minted {{Captain}} [[Kira Nerys]] sets the tone for the kind of [[Starfleet]] officer she will be, [[First Minister]] Asarem makes a bold move to define Bajor's voice in the Federation, while the returned [[Benjamin Sisko]] prepares for a future that only he, as yet, can see.''
 
{{review}}
 
{{review}}
   
=== Unjoined (Trill) ===
+
=== "Unjoined" (Trill) ===
[[Ezri Dax]], [[Julian Bashir]], [[Ro Laren]], [[Cardassian]] doctor Vlu, and Taran'atar are on an expedition on Minos Korva, as this is likely the place where [[Shakaar Edon]] was infected with the [[Neural parasite (24th century)|parasite]]. They find no living parasites, but an ancient ceramic shard which is identified as being from a planet called [[Kurl]]. Later, they are contacted by Kira Nerys, informing them that Ezri has to fly to the Trill homeworld immediately, as there is political unrest &ndash; the (unjoined and joined) population has heard of the parasite crisis and demands answers, and Ezri is to be interviewed about the recent events.
+
[[Ezri Dax]], [[Julian Bashir]], [[Ro Laren]], [[Cardassian]] doctor Vlu, and Taran'atar are on an expedition on Minos Korva, as this is likely the place where [[Shakaar Edon]] was infected with the [[parasitic being|parasite]] that led to his assassination. They find no living parasites, but an ancient ceramic shard which is identified as being from a planet called [[Kurl]]. Later, they are contacted by Kira Nerys, informing them that Ezri has to fly to the Trill homeworld immediately, as there is political unrest &ndash; the population has learned of the parasite crisis and demands answers, and Ezri is to be interviewed about the recent events.
   
When Ezri, who decided to have Bashir with her, arrives on Trill, things have gotten worse, there are violent outbreaks and demonstrations all over. Ezri and Bashir meet with Hiziki Gard and general Cyl; Ezri is to testify regarding the parasite crisis, but the situation gets even worse when some fanatics detonate neurogenic bombs placed around major buildings, killing hundreds of thousands of joined Trill and unjoined symbionts in their caves. Ezri decides to go to the [[caves of Mak'ala]] to search for answers, while Bashir is left to take care for the dozens of Trills injured during the violent demonstrations.
+
When Ezri, who decided to bring Bashir with her, arrives on Trill, things have gotten worse; there are violent outbreaks and demonstrations all over. Ezri and Bashir meet with Hiziki Gard and General Cyl; Ezri is to testify regarding the parasite crisis, but the situation escalates further when fanatics detonate neurogenic bombs placed around major cities and key symbiont caves, killing hundreds of thousands of joined Trill and unjoined symbionts. Ezri decides to go to the [[caves of Mak'ala]] to search for answers, while Bashir is left to take care for the dozens of Trills injured during the violent demonstrations.
   
 
In the caves Ezri meets Ranul Keru, a {{dis|Guardian|Trill}} &ndash; and one of the symbionts makes clear that she has to dive deep into the waters to find answers. She does so, and finally arrives at a place where very large and apparently very old symbionts dwell &ndash; the Annuated. These beings absorb the memories of all the symbionts that come here to die, and therefore know everything about the development of Trill society. Ezri encounters, and is nearly overwhelmed by, several stored symbiont memories. At one point, Ezri experiences the first joining of a symbiont (named Sef) twenty-five thousand years before, implanted into an ailing villager's post-birth incubation pouch (which both Trill men and women possess) by a Trill healer named Hodak. Hodak had noticed the symbionts, which he called "riverworms," occasionally riding animals and making them stronger, and hoped the symbiont could do the same for the villager.
 
In the caves Ezri meets Ranul Keru, a {{dis|Guardian|Trill}} &ndash; and one of the symbionts makes clear that she has to dive deep into the waters to find answers. She does so, and finally arrives at a place where very large and apparently very old symbionts dwell &ndash; the Annuated. These beings absorb the memories of all the symbionts that come here to die, and therefore know everything about the development of Trill society. Ezri encounters, and is nearly overwhelmed by, several stored symbiont memories. At one point, Ezri experiences the first joining of a symbiont (named Sef) twenty-five thousand years before, implanted into an ailing villager's post-birth incubation pouch (which both Trill men and women possess) by a Trill healer named Hodak. Hodak had noticed the symbionts, which he called "riverworms," occasionally riding animals and making them stronger, and hoped the symbiont could do the same for the villager.
   
Ezri then learns that roughly five thousand years ago Trill was already a race capable of interstellar travel; at some point they reached the planet Kurl, which proved suitable for both hosts and symbionts. For many years, the Trill outpost there grew, but then an unknown virus killed ten percent of the fifteen million colonists. The Trill of Kurl then engaged in a series of genetic experiments to strengthen the symbionts' immune system, but the alterations resulted in mad symbionts that dominated their hosts instead of merging with them. When the Trills on the homeworld learned of this, an armada was launched to quarantine Kurl and secure the parasites' cooperation in finding a cure for the virus and their madness. The Kurl parasites refused to cooperate and attempted to launch four ships from the planet. After destroying the ships, the leader of the Trill armada concluded that the parasites would continue trying to escape and that genocide was the only viable option for safeguarding Trill. Kurl was then bombarded by biogenic and incendiary weapons, and the remaining four million colonists were believed to have been killed. The Trill people, ashamed of the parasites' creation and the genocide, abandoned space travel. Eventually, a massive cover-up of the events led to the space program and the colony of Kurl being forgotten, as records were destroyed and those with knowledge of the situation were murdered.
+
Ezri then learns that, roughly five thousand years ago, Trill was already a race capable of interstellar travel; at some point they reached the planet Kurl, which proved suitable for both hosts and symbionts. For many years, the Trill outpost there grew, but then an unknown virus killed ten percent of the fifteen million colonists. The Trill of Kurl then engaged in a series of genetic experiments to strengthen the symbionts' immune system, but the alterations resulted in mad symbionts that dominated their hosts instead of merging with them. When the Trill on the homeworld learned of this, an armada was launched to quarantine Kurl and secure the parasites' cooperation in finding a cure for the virus and their madness. The Kurl parasites refused to cooperate and attempted to launch four ships from the planet. After destroying the ships, the leader of the Trill armada concluded that the parasites would continue trying to escape and that genocide was the only viable option for safeguarding Trill. Kurl was then bombarded by biogenic and incendiary weapons, and the remaining four million colonists were believed to have been killed. The Trill people, ashamed of the parasites' creation and the genocide, abandoned space travel. Eventually, a massive cover-up of the events led to the space program and the colony of Kurl being forgotten, as records were destroyed and those with knowledge of the situation were murdered.
   
Meanwhile, Bashir does his best to help treat the casualties of the bombings. The neurogenic energy of the devices drives the symbionts into shock, and all that he and the other doctors can do is to separate them from their hosts &ndash; leaving the latter to die while offering the former a chance to survive. Bashir then remembers the medicine developed by Bethan Roa (see {{DS9|Invasive Procedures}}). Against the advice and resistance of his doctor comrades, Bashir applies the drug to one injured joined Trill &ndash; thus being able to separate symbiont and host without having the host to die.
+
Meanwhile, Bashir does his best to help treat the casualties of the bombings. The neurogenic energy of the devices drives the symbionts into shock, and all that he and the other doctors can do is to separate them from their hosts &ndash; leaving the latter to die while offering the former a chance to survive. Bashir then remembers the medicine that was used to separate Jadzia from Dax in [[2370]], which was developed by one Bethan Roa (''explored in "Reflections", the Jadzia short story in ''[[The Lives of Dax]]). Against the advice and resistance of his doctor comrades, Bashir applies the drug to one injured joined Trill &ndash; thus being able to separate symbiont and host without killing the host.
   
 
When the caves of Mak'ala are finally attacked by some violent groups, Cyl is fatally shot; he manages to jump into the water, when an unconscious Ezri appears from deep below with a broken environment suit. In one last act of sacrifice, he fixes her suit by taking vital components from his own, and then drifts down to deposit his memories with the Annuated before dying.
 
When the caves of Mak'ala are finally attacked by some violent groups, Cyl is fatally shot; he manages to jump into the water, when an unconscious Ezri appears from deep below with a broken environment suit. In one last act of sacrifice, he fixes her suit by taking vital components from his own, and then drifts down to deposit his memories with the Annuated before dying.
Line 40: Line 40:
 
During their flight back to DS9, Bashir and Ezri have some lengthy talks &ndash; by the end of which it becomes clear to both of them that, in light of all the recent events, they both have grown and developed &ndash; but not in the same direction. They split, ending their relationship, but both promising to remain friends.
 
During their flight back to DS9, Bashir and Ezri have some lengthy talks &ndash; by the end of which it becomes clear to both of them that, in light of all the recent events, they both have grown and developed &ndash; but not in the same direction. They split, ending their relationship, but both promising to remain friends.
   
=== Fragments and Omens (Bajor) ===
+
=== "Fragments and Omens" (Bajor) ===
While [[Benjamin Sisko]] and [[Kasidy Yates]] go on living their life on [[Bajor]] with their newborn daughter Rebecca, [[Jake Sisko]] feels restless. He finally goes away, wandering around Bajor. During his travels, he meets the artist [[Korena]] and falls in love with her. After traveling with her to her home city and overcoming obstacles of her former life, the two marry. When Jake introduces Korena to Ben, he recognizes her as Jake's wife from an alternate timeline (see {{DS9|The Visitor}}). It also becomes clear that Ben knows quite a deal about the future, but he can't express himself properly. Something big is about to come...
+
While [[Benjamin Sisko]] and [[Kasidy Yates]] go on living their life on [[Bajor]] with their newborn daughter Rebecca, [[Jake Sisko]] feels restless. He finally goes away, wandering around Bajor. During his travels, he meets the artist [[Korena]] and falls in love with her. After traveling with her to her home city and overcoming obstacles of her former life, the two marry. When Jake introduces Korena to Ben, he recognizes her as Jake's wife from an alternate timeline (''see {{DS9|The Visitor}}''). It also becomes clear that Ben knows quite a deal about the future, but he can't express himself properly. Something big is about to come…
   
On Bajor, a village is completely destroyed (the same village in {{DS9|The Storyteller}}). [[Captain]] Kira Nerys orders to chase the spaceship responsible for the attacks, only to learn that she has been fooled; when the {{USS|Defiant|2375}} reaches the ship in the [[Badlands]], they are first attacked by Cardassian and [[Dominion]] weapons. After beaming on the hostile ship, they find nothing but dead people &ndash; and a missing escape pod. On the hostile ship, [[Hovath]] was a prisoner of someone he apparently knows &ndash; but it remains unclear who she is. Both Hovath and the mysterious woman were not found by Kira's team. Hovath was doing research on the celestial temple, and Ro Laren finally assumes that the enemies were after the [[orb]] fragment used to summon the [[Dal'Rok]]. It also becomes clear that there must be a mole on DS9, as nobody knew of this and it was only logged in DS9's personal logs of Julian Bashir and [[Miles O'Brien]].
+
On Bajor, [[Unnamed settlements#Faren Kag's village|a village]] is completely destroyed. {{Captain}} Kira Nerys gives chase to the vessel responsible for the attacks, only to learn that she has been fooled; when the {{USS|Defiant|2375}} reaches the ship in the [[Badlands]], they are attacked by Cardassian and [[Dominion]] weapons. After beaming on the hostile ship, they find nothing but dead people &ndash; and a missing escape pod. On the hostile ship, [[Hovath]] is a prisoner of someone he apparently knows &ndash; but it remains unclear who she is. Both Hovath and the mysterious woman were not found by Kira's team. Hovath was doing research on the Celestial Temple, and Ro Laren finally realizes that the enemies were after the [[Orb]] fragment used to summon the [[Dal'Rok]]. It also becomes clear that there must be a mole on DS9, as nobody knew of this and it was only logged in Julian Bashir and [[Miles O'Brien]]'s personal logs.
   
Meanwhile, the political situation around Bajor now being in the Federation begins to emerge; Ro proposes the re-establishment of a permanent militia liaison officer on DS9, and Cenn Deska, a Bajoran [[major]] is appointed &ndash; although reluctant, he finally accepts. Also, prime minister Asarem Wadeen appoints a new Bajoran representative to the Federation council, as the original one dies due to natural circumstances &ndash; it will be her former husband [[Krim (General)|Krim Aldos]], a former follower of the [[Circle]] (now back for good).
+
Meanwhile, the political situation around Bajor now being in the Federation begins to emerge; Ro proposes the re-establishment of a permanent militia liaison officer on DS9, and Cenn Deska, a Bajoran [[major]] is appointed &ndash; although reluctant, he finally accepts. Also, prime minister Asarem Wadeen appoints a new Bajoran representative to the Federation council, after the incumbent dies of natural causes &ndash; it will be her former husband {{dis|Krim|General|Krim Aldos}}, a former follower of [[the Circle]] (now back for good).
   
==Background information==
+
== Background information ==
  +
* Mangels and Martin's brief for their story was to resolve the connection between the [[parasitic being]]s and the Trill; the other elements, such as the loss of the symbionts and the end of Dax and Bashir's relationsip, were their own. Mangels noted that the story was "''the most action-packed and grittiest [of all their books], with lots of danger, violence, consequences, and intrigue''". ({{VoI||273-274}})
* There will be no more Trill joinings until announced otherwise, because the Trill symbiont population has decreased dramatically; currently joined Trills might be unjoined by means of the procedure initially discovered by Bethan Roa.
 
 
* This is the only ''Star Trek'' work by author [[J. Noah Kim]]. The full story behind the attack on the Bajoran village is revealed in ''[[Warpath]]'' and ''[[Fearful Symmetry]]''.
* There are big and very old Trill symbionts, the Annuated, dwelling deep within the waters of Trill &ndash; accessible by, for example, the caves of Mak'ala.
 
 
* Cover art by [[Geoffrey Mandel]], with design by [[John Vairo, Jr.]].
* The parasites were initially created by Trill medics when they tried to cure a virus that was infecting the symbionts &ndash; they failed and furthermore helped the evolving of the symbionts.
 
* Trill were an interstellar race in very ancient times &ndash; due to the horrific events on Kurl, these memories were subsequently "buried" and forgotten.
 
* Bashir and Ezri are no longer lovers.
 
* The Trill story completes the [[parasitic being]] story that was last seen in {{TNG|Conspiracy}}.
 
* An unknown ship destroyed the village depicted in {{DS9|The Storyteller}}. The full story behind this attack is revealed in ''[[Warpath]]'' and ''[[Fearful Symmetry]]''.
 
* Ben Sisko knows something about the future, but he can't put it into words.
 
* Opaka Sulan has no desire to run for the Kai again, but [[Vedek]] Solis might.
 
* Jake Sisko is now married to [[Korena]] &ndash; she is the one Ben Sisko encountered in an alternate future in the episode {{e|The Visitor}}.
 
* Cover art was done by [[Geoff Mandel]] with design by [[John Vairo, Jr.]].
 
   
===Characters===
+
== Characters ==
 
{{non canon characters|Pocket DS9}}
 
{{non canon characters|Pocket DS9}}
==== Unjoined ====
+
=== "Unjoined" ===
 
;[[Ezri Dax]]
 
;[[Ezri Dax]]
 
;[[Julian Bashir]]
 
;[[Julian Bashir]]
 
;[[Renhol|Dr. Renhol]]
 
;[[Renhol|Dr. Renhol]]
;Ranul Keru :Unjoined [[Trill]], serving as {{dis|Guardian|Trill}}, on leave from [[Starfleet]] and formerly assigned to {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-E|-E}}.
+
;{{mb|Ranul Keru}} :Unjoined [[Trill]], serving as {{dis|Guardian|Trill}}, on leave from [[Starfleet]] and formerly assigned to {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-E|-E}}
::''Keru previously appeared in the [[novels|novel]] ''[[Rogue]]'', where he and Lt. [[Hawk (Lieutenant)|Hawk]] were possibly the first ongoing [[homosexual]] attachment to have appeared in the ''[[Star Trek]]'' franchise. Keru later became a character in the ''[[Star Trek: Titan]]'' series, as {{USS|Titan}}'s [[tactical officer]] and [[security officer]], though he splits the job with [[Tuvok]] in ''[[The Red King]]''.''
+
::''Keru previously appeared in the [[novels|novel]] ''{{dis|Rogue|novel}}'', where he and Lt. {{dis|Hawk|Lieutenant}} were involved. Keru later became a character in the ''[[Star Trek: Titan]]'' series, as {{USS|Titan}}'s [[tactical officer]] and [[security officer]], though he splits the job with [[Tuvok]] in ''[[The Red King]]''.''
; Hiziki Gard : joined Trill, special agent who shot parasite-infected [[Shakaar Edon]] (see ''[[Unity]]'')
+
; Hiziki Gard : Joined Trill, special agent who shot parasite-infected [[Shakaar Edon]] in ''[[Lesser Evil]]''
 
; General Taulin Cyl : joined Trill; the Cyl symbiont was joined with the daughter of [[Audrid Dax]] a few decades ago
 
; General Taulin Cyl : joined Trill; the Cyl symbiont was joined with the daughter of [[Audrid Dax]] a few decades ago
 
; Lirisse Maz / Lirisse Durghan : Trill president
 
; Lirisse Maz / Lirisse Durghan : Trill president
; Memh : ancient Trill symbiont; a "caretaker" of the even more ancient, big Trill symbionts (the Annuated)
+
; Memh : An ancient Trill symbiont; a "caretaker" of the even more ancient Annuated
   
==== Fragments and Omens ====
+
=== "Fragments and Omens" ===
 
;[[Benjamin Sisko]] : The emissary
 
;[[Benjamin Sisko]] : The emissary
 
;[[Kasidy Yates]] : The emissary's wife
 
;[[Kasidy Yates]] : The emissary's wife
Line 83: Line 75:
 
;Asarem Wadeen : Bajoran prime minister
 
;Asarem Wadeen : Bajoran prime minister
 
;[[Lenaris Holem]] : Bajoran general
 
;[[Lenaris Holem]] : Bajoran general
;[[Krim (General)|Krim Aldos]] : Former husband of Asarem Wadeen, now Bajoran representative to the Federation council
+
;{{dis|Krim|General|Krim Aldos}} : Former husband of Asarem Wadeen, now Bajoran representative to the Federation council
 
;Cenn Deska : Bajoran major, now militia liaison officer on DS9
 
;Cenn Deska : Bajoran major, now militia liaison officer on DS9
 
;[[Hovath]] : Former {{dis|Sirah|title}} &ndash; unknown whether he is still alive
 
;[[Hovath]] : Former {{dis|Sirah|title}} &ndash; unknown whether he is still alive
   
===References===
+
== References ==
;USS ''Nile'' : DS9 runabout.
+
;{{USS|Nile}} : DS9 runabout
   
 
== External link ==
 
== External link ==
Line 94: Line 86:
   
 
{{Novel nav
 
{{Novel nav
|series = [[Pocket DS9]]<br />Relaunch series<br />[[Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine|Worlds of DS9]]
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|series = [[Pocket DS9]]<br />{{DS9 relaunch}}<br />[[Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine|Worlds of DS9]]
|prev = ''[[Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume 1]]''
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|prev = #1: ''[[Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume One|Cardassia and Andor]]''
|next = ''[[Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume 3]]''
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|next = #3: ''[[Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume Three|The Dominion and Ferenginar]]''
 
}}
 
}}
 
[[cs:Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume 2]]
 
[[cs:Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume 2]]

Revision as of 16:26, 21 December 2019

Real world article
(written from a Production point of view)

Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume Two: Trill and Bajor is a Pocket DS9 novel – part of the Deep Space Nine relaunch series and the second novel in the Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine series – written by J. Noah Kym and Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels. Published by Pocket Books, it was first released in January 2005.

Summary

From the book jacket
Within every federation and every empire, behind every hero and every villain, there are the worlds that define them. In the aftermath of Unity and in the daring tradition of Spock's World, The Final Reflection, and A Stitch in Time, the civilizations most closely tied to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine can now be experienced as never before… in tales both sweeping and intimate, reflective and prophetic, eerily familiar and utterly alien.
TRILL: They are a people with secrets. For centuries they kept their true nature hidden, even taking disturbing steps to protect the small population of near-immortal symbionts with whom a privileged few Trill are joined, body, mind, and soul. They are a people who hold memory to be sacred, yet deny their own past. Now amid a whirlwind of scandal, accusations, and growing civil unrest, Ezri Dax must penetrate millennia of lies and deceptions, and rediscover what should never have been forgotten, before her civilization rips itself apart.
BAJOR: The honeymoon is over. Following the euphoria of Bajor's marriage to the Federation, the real business of making that union work has begun. But even on a world where politics and religion are intertwined, conflicting visions of Bajor's role in the interstellar arena divide the planet's leadership. As newly minted Captain Kira Nerys sets the tone for the kind of Starfleet officer she will be, First Minister Asarem makes a bold move to define Bajor's voice in the Federation, while the returned Benjamin Sisko prepares for a future that only he, as yet, can see.

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

"Unjoined" (Trill)

Ezri Dax, Julian Bashir, Ro Laren, Cardassian doctor Vlu, and Taran'atar are on an expedition on Minos Korva, as this is likely the place where Shakaar Edon was infected with the parasite that led to his assassination. They find no living parasites, but an ancient ceramic shard which is identified as being from a planet called Kurl. Later, they are contacted by Kira Nerys, informing them that Ezri has to fly to the Trill homeworld immediately, as there is political unrest – the population has learned of the parasite crisis and demands answers, and Ezri is to be interviewed about the recent events.

When Ezri, who decided to bring Bashir with her, arrives on Trill, things have gotten worse; there are violent outbreaks and demonstrations all over. Ezri and Bashir meet with Hiziki Gard and General Cyl; Ezri is to testify regarding the parasite crisis, but the situation escalates further when fanatics detonate neurogenic bombs placed around major cities and key symbiont caves, killing hundreds of thousands of joined Trill and unjoined symbionts. Ezri decides to go to the caves of Mak'ala to search for answers, while Bashir is left to take care for the dozens of Trills injured during the violent demonstrations.

In the caves Ezri meets Ranul Keru, a Guardian – and one of the symbionts makes clear that she has to dive deep into the waters to find answers. She does so, and finally arrives at a place where very large and apparently very old symbionts dwell – the Annuated. These beings absorb the memories of all the symbionts that come here to die, and therefore know everything about the development of Trill society. Ezri encounters, and is nearly overwhelmed by, several stored symbiont memories. At one point, Ezri experiences the first joining of a symbiont (named Sef) twenty-five thousand years before, implanted into an ailing villager's post-birth incubation pouch (which both Trill men and women possess) by a Trill healer named Hodak. Hodak had noticed the symbionts, which he called "riverworms," occasionally riding animals and making them stronger, and hoped the symbiont could do the same for the villager.

Ezri then learns that, roughly five thousand years ago, Trill was already a race capable of interstellar travel; at some point they reached the planet Kurl, which proved suitable for both hosts and symbionts. For many years, the Trill outpost there grew, but then an unknown virus killed ten percent of the fifteen million colonists. The Trill of Kurl then engaged in a series of genetic experiments to strengthen the symbionts' immune system, but the alterations resulted in mad symbionts that dominated their hosts instead of merging with them. When the Trill on the homeworld learned of this, an armada was launched to quarantine Kurl and secure the parasites' cooperation in finding a cure for the virus and their madness. The Kurl parasites refused to cooperate and attempted to launch four ships from the planet. After destroying the ships, the leader of the Trill armada concluded that the parasites would continue trying to escape and that genocide was the only viable option for safeguarding Trill. Kurl was then bombarded by biogenic and incendiary weapons, and the remaining four million colonists were believed to have been killed. The Trill people, ashamed of the parasites' creation and the genocide, abandoned space travel. Eventually, a massive cover-up of the events led to the space program and the colony of Kurl being forgotten, as records were destroyed and those with knowledge of the situation were murdered.

Meanwhile, Bashir does his best to help treat the casualties of the bombings. The neurogenic energy of the devices drives the symbionts into shock, and all that he and the other doctors can do is to separate them from their hosts – leaving the latter to die while offering the former a chance to survive. Bashir then remembers the medicine that was used to separate Jadzia from Dax in 2370, which was developed by one Bethan Roa (explored in "Reflections", the Jadzia short story in The Lives of Dax). Against the advice and resistance of his doctor comrades, Bashir applies the drug to one injured joined Trill – thus being able to separate symbiont and host without killing the host.

When the caves of Mak'ala are finally attacked by some violent groups, Cyl is fatally shot; he manages to jump into the water, when an unconscious Ezri appears from deep below with a broken environment suit. In one last act of sacrifice, he fixes her suit by taking vital components from his own, and then drifts down to deposit his memories with the Annuated before dying.

Ezri returns and briefs both Bashir and Trill president Maz on what she learned from the Annuated. The president delivers a planet-wide address in which she shares Ezri's discoveries and also reveals that she has undergone Bashir's new procedure to have the Maz symbiont removed and taken back to Mak'ala. The president also states that as she is now unjoined, her surname is no longer Maz but Durghan. Durghan then announces an indefinite moratorium on new joinings, as only ten percent of the symbionts have survived the bombing and they must be given time to breed and increase their numbers. Current hosts have the option of remaining joined until they die, or undergoing the new unjoining procedure; in either case, the symbiont will then be returned to Mak'ala to breed. Finally, President Durghan announces political reforms that will put more power in the hands of the unjoined.

During their flight back to DS9, Bashir and Ezri have some lengthy talks – by the end of which it becomes clear to both of them that, in light of all the recent events, they both have grown and developed – but not in the same direction. They split, ending their relationship, but both promising to remain friends.

"Fragments and Omens" (Bajor)

While Benjamin Sisko and Kasidy Yates go on living their life on Bajor with their newborn daughter Rebecca, Jake Sisko feels restless. He finally goes away, wandering around Bajor. During his travels, he meets the artist Korena and falls in love with her. After traveling with her to her home city and overcoming obstacles of her former life, the two marry. When Jake introduces Korena to Ben, he recognizes her as Jake's wife from an alternate timeline (see DS9: "The Visitor"). It also becomes clear that Ben knows quite a deal about the future, but he can't express himself properly. Something big is about to come…

On Bajor, a village is completely destroyed. Captain Kira Nerys gives chase to the vessel responsible for the attacks, only to learn that she has been fooled; when the USS Defiant reaches the ship in the Badlands, they are attacked by Cardassian and Dominion weapons. After beaming on the hostile ship, they find nothing but dead people – and a missing escape pod. On the hostile ship, Hovath is a prisoner of someone he apparently knows – but it remains unclear who she is. Both Hovath and the mysterious woman were not found by Kira's team. Hovath was doing research on the Celestial Temple, and Ro Laren finally realizes that the enemies were after the Orb fragment used to summon the Dal'Rok. It also becomes clear that there must be a mole on DS9, as nobody knew of this and it was only logged in Julian Bashir and Miles O'Brien's personal logs.

Meanwhile, the political situation around Bajor now being in the Federation begins to emerge; Ro proposes the re-establishment of a permanent militia liaison officer on DS9, and Cenn Deska, a Bajoran major is appointed – although reluctant, he finally accepts. Also, prime minister Asarem Wadeen appoints a new Bajoran representative to the Federation council, after the incumbent dies of natural causes – it will be her former husband Krim Aldos, a former follower of the Circle (now back for good).

Background information

  • Mangels and Martin's brief for their story was to resolve the connection between the parasitic beings and the Trill; the other elements, such as the loss of the symbionts and the end of Dax and Bashir's relationsip, were their own. Mangels noted that the story was "the most action-packed and grittiest [of all their books], with lots of danger, violence, consequences, and intrigue". (Voyages of Imagination, pp. 273-274)
  • This is the only Star Trek work by author J. Noah Kim. The full story behind the attack on the Bajoran village is revealed in Warpath and Fearful Symmetry.
  • Cover art by Geoffrey Mandel, with design by John Vairo, Jr..

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.

"Unjoined"

Ezri Dax
Julian Bashir
Dr. Renhol
Ranul Keru (β)
Unjoined Trill, serving as Guardian, on leave from Starfleet and formerly assigned to USS Enterprise-E
Keru previously appeared in the novel Rogue, where he and Lt. Hawk were involved. Keru later became a character in the Star Trek: Titan series, as USS Titan's tactical officer and security officer, though he splits the job with Tuvok in The Red King.
Hiziki Gard
Joined Trill, special agent who shot parasite-infected Shakaar Edon in Lesser Evil
General Taulin Cyl
joined Trill; the Cyl symbiont was joined with the daughter of Audrid Dax a few decades ago
Lirisse Maz / Lirisse Durghan
Trill president
Memh
An ancient Trill symbiont; a "caretaker" of the even more ancient Annuated

"Fragments and Omens"

Benjamin Sisko
The emissary
Kasidy Yates
The emissary's wife
Jake Sisko
The emissary's son, a storyteller
Korena Sisko
Jake's wife, an artist
Kira Nerys
Captain of DS9
Ro Laren
Security officer of DS9
Elias Vaughn
COO aboard DS9
Asarem Wadeen
Bajoran prime minister
Lenaris Holem
Bajoran general
Krim Aldos
Former husband of Asarem Wadeen, now Bajoran representative to the Federation council
Cenn Deska
Bajoran major, now militia liaison officer on DS9
Hovath
Former Sirah – unknown whether he is still alive

References

USS Nile
DS9 runabout

External link


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