Preface

Several years ago, when Rene Auberjonois was starring on Broadway in City of Angels, I waited at the stage door after one performance and, when he came out, got him to sign my plush toy of Sebastian the Crab from The Little Mermaid—his nemesis in that film, since he had voiced the crazed French chef.

Who would have thought that my little autographed plush crab (notice I avoid saying “stuffed crab”) would suddenly, with the debut of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” be transformed from a novelty item into a valuable Star Trek collectible.

A lot of things have been surprising about “Deep Space Nine.” I’m surprised that I’ve been enjoying the series as much as I have, since I must admit the initial descriptions didn’t sound promising. But as of this writing, five episodes have aired and I’ve found them to be, by and large, rather entertaining. I’ve certainly liked it a lot more than the extremely uneven first season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

I’m surprised that I’m writing this novel. I figured I’d get around to doing one and had even been discussing a “Mr. Scott and Lwaxana Troi Visit Deep Space” novel because my last few Trek books have featured Lwaxana, and I figured I was on a roll.

But this isn’t that novel. This had its origins much the same way that The Rift did—namely, editor Kevin Ryan came to me and said, “How would you like to be the first writer to . . . ?” In the former case, it was “have two Trek novels out back-to-back?” In this case, it was “write the first original Deep Space Nine novel.”

How could I resist such an opportunity? Being offered the chance to work on a group of characters, using five scripts and the series bible for guidance, knowing full well that by the time the book comes out the characters might very well bear little resemblance to the way they’re being depicted right now? Knowing that I might have fans saying, “How come the book isn’t consistent with the way Sisko was portrayed last week?”

Well . . . ’cause I thought it might be fun. And besides, my car is breaking down and I need a new one. Two solid reasons as far as I’m concerned.

I wish to thank my wife, Myra, for her support as I once again put myself into one of these suicidal deadline-or-die positions. Myra, who can probably sympathize with Abigail Adams, wife of John, who proclaimed, “Think of it! To be married to the man who’s always first in line to be hanged.”

Likewise, the girls—Shana, age twelve; Jenny, eight; and Ariel, seventeen months—who stayed out of my way. Far out of my way.

Also, Mike Okuda of the Trek offices, who gave freely of his time to answer my many questions about DS9 in general and Odo in particular. For several days he fielded questions like “What about Odo’s mass?” and “Can Odo fly?” Little things like that.

(Note to sticklers: Throughout this novel you will see Odo do lots of stuff that, chances are, you won’t see him do in the series. Having covered my bases thoroughly and checked and rechecked, I will state here that the reason Odo hasn’t performed many of the stunts I have him doing is not because he can’t. Rather, we’re getting down here to the realistic TV constraints of budgets. The only way that Odo could pull off on TV the stunts he does in this book is if “Deep Space Nine” had a budget of $85 million, rather than $2 million, per episode. Novelists are not limited by monetary constraints. I don’t have to figure out how to make something work on screen; all I have to say is “It happened.” So if you’re going to be one of those people who say, “Gee, we’ve never seen Odo transform his arm into a spiked sledgehammer, so that means he can’t, well, in the words of Robin Williams, “I’m sorry  . . . I’d agree with you if you were right.”)

Likewise, to my intrepid editors at the various comic book offices I work for—which, by the way, is nothing like what you see on Bob Newhart’s new program, so stop asking, okay?—who were, once again, kind enough to cut me some slack—particularly Bobbie Chase and Joey Cavalieri. Thanks, guys.

Also many thanks to several people who influenced this book, including Agatha Christie, James Cameron, and Alan Young.

Oh . . . the tone of this book? For those people who like to be warned about such things?

Well . . . it’s . . . 

It gets kind of intense, actually.

There. Now you’re warned.

So . . . 

Let’s get deep.