Publisher's descriptionEdit

Located perilously near the Cardassian border, the turbulent region of space known as the Badlands has been an interstellar hazard to navigation, for at least two generations. Many starships have been lost amidst its violent plasma storms, but the true danger may only be beginning!

Armed with Janeway's hard-won knowledge, Captain Benjamin Sisko must deal with the exposed threat once and for all. But first the U.S.S. Defiant must battle both the Dominion and the Romulan Empire for control of an unleashed power source that could devastate the entire Alpha Quadrant!

Synopsis Edit

2373, stardate 50502.4 (between "For the Uniform" and "In Purgatory's Shadow")—

Following the capture of Michael Eddington and the discovery of their hidden Terikof base, the Maquis threat is largely considered to be ended. Odo is still reeling following the death of the baby changeling and seeks answers to how it was lethally irradiated. He learns that the infant was found near the Terikof Belt and was struck by the tetryon shockwave and he fears for any other floating changeling infants. He convinces Sisko to undertake a mission to end this threat as well. The changeling who has replaced Dr. Bashir observes everything with keen interest.

Romulan centurion Seylok celebrates his rise to command of the scoutship Bokra. He is ordered to capture the rogue AQS and shoot it into the Bajoran wormhole, destabilizing the passage and thwarting any Dominion advances into the Alpha Quadrant. Both the Defiant and the Bokra arrive at the Badlands at roughly the same time, but the scoutship is heavily damaged by the usual shockwave, and the Defiant renders aid. The Bashir changeling learns of Seylok's mission and sabotages his containment device. Repairs to the Bokra are completed, and both ships attempt to complete their missions; the Romulans destroy the Defiant's free-flaoting graviton array, then use their own folded-space transporter to capture the AQS.

Weyoun journeys through the wormhole to finalize negotiations for Cardassia's entry into the Dominion. However, when he learns that Federation and Romulan starships have met in the Badlands, he fears a new alliance between the two powers and arranges to secretly observe them from within the nearby Kamiat Nebula. However, the Jem’Hadar ships are discovered when the Bokra retreats through the nebula and a battle ensues. The Bokra is destroyed, releasing the AQS on a trajectory through heavily populated Federation space, where it will cause widespread distortions and radiation. The Defiant salvages the Romulan transporter platform and delivers it outside of our galaxy where it is no longer a threat.



Julian BashirJulian Bashir (Changeling)Jadzia DaxDukatJabakJanokKira NerysLeetaMartokMikhailMiles O'BrienOdoQuarkRetalRomSandersSeylokBenjamin SiskoEnabran TainTeoVarakWeyounWorfKasidy Yates
Referenced only 
Torias DaxDeforMichael EddingtonElim GarakHabKathryn JanewayNilani KahnGeordi La ForgeMora PolKirayoshi O'BrienTomalakWinn Adami

Starships and vehiclesEdit

Bokra (Romulan scoutship) • USS Defiant (Defiant-class) • Jem'Hadar fighter
Referenced only 
USS Enterprise-DUSS LakotaUSS LaSalleUSS MalincheUSS NorthstarVetar


Alpha QuadrantBadlandsBajoran wormhole/Celestial TempleDeep Space 9Demilitarized ZoneGamma QuadrantInternment Camp 371Kamiat NebulaOperations centerPromenadeQuark'sTerikof Belt
Referenced only 
BajorB'halaEarthFounders' homeworldGamma 12 outpostGreat PulsarMeezan IVOmarion NebulaPelosis IIIRomulusStarfleet HeadquartersWormhole relay station

Races and culturesEdit

Referenced only 

States and organizationsEdit

Bajoran MilitiaCardassian GuardCardassian UnionDominionFounderGreat LinkRomulan Star EmpireStarfleetTal ShiarUnited Federation of Planets
Referenced only 
Bajoran Institute of ScienceBajoran Ministry of Commerce

Science and technologyEdit

artificial quantum singularityblack holecloaking devicecytoplasmelectroplasma tapfolded-space transporterfusion generatorgenetic resequencinggraviton generatorholosuiteisogenic enzymeketracel-whitemolecular scalpelmorphogenic matrixnebulaneutrinophoton torpedoquantum singularitysensor shadowsubspacesubspace inversiontetryontetryon radiationverteronvirtual display devicewarp driveweather control

Ranks and titlesEdit

centurionEmissary of the ProphetsfirstPraetorsublieutenant

Other referencesEdit

Antwerp ConferenceBattle of the Omarion NebuladabodartsFerengi Rules of AcquisitionlatinumLes Misérablespar'machkairaktajinoRomulan-Vulcan Warvorson


Related storiesEdit

External linkEdit


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chronological order
Previous Adventure:
The Second Star
Pocket Next Adventure:
In Purgatory's Shadow