"Star Trek: Terok Nor" Trilogy Review (Spoilers)

[JME2]

(I was going through my hard drive and realized I’d written a review of this trilogy last year, but I forgot to post it.)

As I noted in my review of the short story “A Gutted World” from Myriad Universes: Echoes and Refractions, it is simply impossible to imagine DS9 without the Bajoran Occupation. The Cardassian Union's annexation of the planet and its aftermath was the catalyst for the arrival of Sisko and company, for the discovery of the Bajoran Wormhole, and for the eventual outbreak of the Dominion War. But its’ status as the series’ catalyst means that it is ultimately and perhaps unfortunately, just that: back-story. When we first step onto the station in “Emissary”, the Occupation has just ended and we would see the immediate aftermath in those early seasons, particularly the Circle trilogy. Similarly, we saw flashbacks in later episodes like “Necessary Evil” and “Things Past” and in novels like “Double Helix: Vectors” and “A Stitch in Time”.

But we never saw the initial stages of the Occupation and the circumstances that led to Cardassia annexing Bajor. Again, this was not a problem because the Occupation itself was DS9’s catalyst, not the events that led to it. But for those like me who love to explore the nuances and threads of the tapestry, this was an unexplored area of Trek history that deserved attention. I’d always hoped that The Lost Era – the book series set between the end of the TOS-era and the start of the TNG-era – would eventually explore this key period. In 2008, Pocket Books granted my wish with a new trilogy of novels dubbed Star Trek: Terok Nor.

British Author James Swallow kicks off the trilogy with “Day of the Vipers”, which begins in 2318 and runs through 2328. The Cardassian Union is simultaneously fighting off civil unrest and seeking to bring new resources into the fold. Likewise, Bajor is on the rise and in turn is eager to expand its own sphere of influence outwards into the Alpha Quadrant at large. Thus, first contact is made and the stage is set as political, military, and religious elements on both sides kick into motion a chain of events that will seal the fate of Bajor for the next half century.

Swallow’s cast is a combination of original characters and one-note/recurring TNG & DS9 characters, from Kubus Oak (“The Collaborator”) to Kotan Pa’Dar (“Cardassians”). The most familiar character is, of course, a young Skrain Dukat. Swallow’s characterization of Dukat is especially fascinating and welcomed. The familiar elements of DS9’s arch-foe are present – the charm, the arrogance, the cruelty – but this is a younger Dukat who is still rising through the ranks. It is a Dukat who even with the connections of his father Justice Procal Dukat, does not yet command the political and military clout that we see in “Emissary” and in flashbacks to the Occupation. It’s interesting to see that Dukat’s involvement with Bajor dates back to the start and to also see the beginnings of his obsession with the planet.

In addition, Swallow’s attention to detail is excellent as he explores two of DS9’s key cultures at this critical juncture in their respective histories. This is a Cardassia that has not yet entered into its border wars with the Federation, let alone made first contact with the UFP. It is a Cardassia that is not quite as secure as early DS9 portrayed it. Likewise, this is a Bajor that we never saw on the series: a Bajor pure and whole, where the D’Jarra caste system is still intact, and where the people possess a curiosity rather than hatred of their interstellar neighbors. As a longtime DS9 fan, it was strange to read the early chapters and see Bajor circa 2318. It’s even more tragic as we see how close Bajor almost came to dodging the bullet and avoiding the Occupation altogether. We know the outcome, yet you hope that it will play differently.

From here, the ball moves into another court as DS9 relaunch veteran S.D. Perry is joined by author Ritta Dennison for the middle and concluding installments in the trilogy. The second novel, “Night of the Wolves” begins in 2345 and runs through 2357. The Occupation is in full swing and construction on a familiar mining station is nearing competition. But the Bajorans are not to be deterred and slowly but surely, the famed Resistance begins to gain ground against the invaders. From here, the timeline jumps to 2360 for the finale, “Dawn of the Eagles” as we enter the final stages of the Occupation. We see how those final nine years unfolded against the backdrop of TNG, as the elements and players from the Bajoran Resistance to the Detapa Council bring Bajor out of it’s darkest hour – and into its ultimate destiny.

Because these two books are written by the same authors (and because of the 17-year time-jump), they are more connected than “Day of the Vipers”. The structure is different in that while the central story is the height and the end of the Occupation, it’s not just the major players that gain focus. That is not to say that Perry and Ritta Dennison don't touch on DS9 mainstays like Odo, Quark, Kira Nerys, and Dukat’s histories. Indeed, they are players in both books and we get to see little bits from the series expanded upon, such as how the Cardassians discovered Odo and how Quark set up shop in the Bajoran sector.

But the style is also similiar to the first season of Clone Wars circa 2003. We get to see the Occupation through differing perspectives, from economical to scientific to military to journalistic. The result is literally a cast of dozens, if not hundreds of TNG/DS9/VGR one-shot, recurring and main characters (though all three volumes contain appendixes for cross-referencing where characters appeared). Perry’s knack for characterization that was on display in the relaunch is still in full swing here. Despite the horrors and crimes that are inevitably linked to a military operation like the Occupation, it’s still fun to see characters like Natima Lang, Crell Moset, Shakaar Edon, Mora Pol, Corat Damar, Ro Laren, and even a certain, soon-to-be-ex-Cardassian spy expanded upon and to see how they arrived where they were on Tv. Indeed, seeing Bajor’s journey across this 51-years expanse, it becomes easier to understand why Kira, Jaro Essa, and so many others were furious at the Provisional government for seeking the help of more outsiders after all they’d been through.

Ultimately, Star Trek: Terok Nor is a worthy addition to The Lost Era, a must-read for any hard-core DS9 fans, and even for the casual fans who want to see this pivotal era of Star Trek history finally explored.

[Steve]

So many books, so little time. Currently slogging my way through Robert Massie's excellent Dreadnought: Britain, Germany, and the Coming of the Great War, so it'll be a while before I can refocus on TrekLit.

Of course, the newer TrekLit I have seen has already completely soured me on TGG Multiverse and my ultra-cynical approach to the UFP, so reading more may further kill my creativity there.

Still, sounds like something I should check out.

[CaptainChewbacca]

I'm curious, how did Bajor 'almost dodge the bullet' with the Cardassians?

[JME2]

I'm curious, how did Bajor 'almost dodge the bullet' with the Cardassians?

The Federation almost intervened on Bajor's behalf 41 years earlier than they did.

Starfleet Intel is suspicious of Cardassia's interest in Bajor, particularly after a 9/11-style attack is launched on Bajor by the Tzenkethi. The pursuing Bajoran fleet is destroyed and the Bajorans, fearful of future attacks, seek further Cardassian aid and integration into the planet's infrastructure.

Of course, the attack is a sham engineered by Dukat. Cardassia's original plan was to slowly integrate themselves into the planet's infrarusture rather than outright conquer it. As Progress was slower than projected, Duakt comes up with a method for speeding it up by hijacking a Tzenkethi ship and launching the attack.

Problem is, Starfleet Intel is suspicious as intercepted communications prove that the Tzenkethi are innocent and, acting on intel from defector Keeve Falor ("Ensign Ro"), a young Alynna Nechayev is sent to Bajor to find evidence of military build-up. She manages to convince several dissidents of the truth behind the attack and they set off to try to locate the Tzenkethi wreck (which Dukat scuttled light years away and whose flight recorder proves the farce). They fail and just as Nechayev makes it off-world with her evidence, the take-over happens.

And because the final take-over is to all appearances a legitimate hand-over of power from the Bajoran government, Command shrugs their shoulders and writes off Bajor, ignoring her evidence. Nechayev is furious and makes it a point to keep an eye on Bajor, doing everything she can to make Command change its mind over the next four decades.

[CaptainChewbacca]

The story reminds me of the episode where Worf is shifting between realities. In one of them the Bajorans had co-opted/overthrown the Cardassians and were now calling the shots and were well on their way to becoming a belligerent power. Imagine a religiously motivated interstellar empire with a rigid caste system and a chip on its' shoulder...

[JME2]

The story reminds me of the episode where Worf is shifting between realities. In one of them the Bajorans had co-opted/overthrown the Cardassians and were now calling the shots and were well on their way to becoming a belligerent power. Imagine a religiously motivated interstellar empire with a rigid caste system and a chip on its' shoulder...

Yeah, it's somewhat unnerving to imagine the Bajorans as antagonists. The closest we've gotten in the Trek EU was the Bajoran Ascendancy from the alternate future of the Millennium trilogy.

[Covenant]

I always enjoyed the deep shades of gray they used to paint the DS9 corner of the TNG-era Trekverse. The Cardassians in the occupation were hideously cruel, but the backstory to them sounds like the beginnings of a heroic venture into the stars--peaceful, introspective, but crippled by a resource-strapped planet. The Bajorans on the other hand have a large, beautiful world and a backwards caste and religious structure sitting on top of many, many years of advanced science and technology. Seeing the Bajorans end up looking like fundamentalist terrorists battling Cardassian genocidal fascists, and the notable exceptions to both that we do see in DS9 episodes (Duet being just one of several to come) really made them interesting. It would have been so easy to make one side the evil empire of torturers and the other side the righteous liberators of their world and just be done with it.

Frankly, I've always loved the Cardassians for their nuanced villainy, and because they seemed like bad guys worth saving, as compared to Klingons. Of the TNG-era badguys they seemed closer to the menacing, evil, but empathetic Romulans from TOS' Balance of Terror. The first good look at them, in Chain of Command, was so important because Picard's interrogator revealed that bit of past about himself, growing up hungry and terrified, beaten until his arm was broken to steal his rather disgusting meal of eggs. It's the idea that they had a wonderfully benevolent, enlightened culture that became a cruel, militaristic torture state from nothing more complex than a desire to feed their starving people that made them such appealing villians. Their actions are not excusable, which is good--this isn't being misunderstood. But it's believable.

And they never had to resort to things like "oh we wear your skin and steal your organs" to make them menacing. I swear they made the Major and other Bajorans such gigantic assholes (such as most Bajorans in DS9 who survive longer than 4 episodes) just to help keep people from getting too comfortable in a black/white duality.