N-Vector, Chapter 3

"N-Vector, Issue 2" was the second issue of WildStorm Comics' 2000 N-Vector miniseries of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine comics. The issue consisted of 22 pages edited by Jeff Mariotte, written by K.W. Jeter. The art was penciled by Toby Cypress and inked by Jason Martin and Mark Irwin.

Summary
The damage inflicted to the station has all miraculously healed without any of the engineering staff lifting a finger. This vastly confuses Kira and Nog since damaged equipment is not generally known to simply heal itself. Commander Jast arrives to tell Kira she has finished her investigation and confirms Nog’s report, that there is no longer any sign of deliberate damage to the station. Kira is irritated, again telling Jast she has no business running her own investigation as she commands the ‘’Defiant’’, not DS9. Jast clarifies that her orders to do so came directly from Starfleet Command, as they have been raising questions about the manner Kira is running DS9 and there will likely be more due to this recent incident. Jast then warns Kira that if she doesn’t find out why this damage disappeared, she will be the one under suspicion.

Bashir releases O’Brien from his holding cell, informing him that since the evidence of sabotage has disappeared, the charges against him have been dropped. It doesn’t take long for O’Brien, along with Ezri, to realize that something is different about Bashir, he seems much more remote, colder, and almost evil. They bring this to Kira’s attention, but she dismisses it as stress on the part of the crew and doesn’t want to start up another round of accusations so quickly. As O’Brien and Ezri exit the Commander’s Office, Mos Senay approaches them to explain the situation and offer his help.

Quark and Viqtor have left the station aboard Viqtor’s ship, though Viqtor still refuses to tell Quark exactly where they are headed. They soon arrive in a remote sector of the Alpha Quadrant. Quark frantically tries to explain to Viqtor that they can’t do business here, since there is no one present to buy the junk from the storage lockers. Ignoring him, Viqtor says everything is going according to plan and empties out the cargo bay into space. Quark watches in confusion as the scrap metal, along with the coffin of goo that previously emulated his form, come together to form a haphazard replica of Deep Space Nine.

After deciding on a plan, Senay and O’Brien board the ‘’Defiant’’ with use of Senay’s diplomatic pass. O’Brien comments that this is the stupidest thing he’s ever done, after just being cleared of sabotage charges, he now prepares to commit sabotage. Meanwhile, Senay enters the ‘’Defiant’’ conference room and interrupts a conversation between Bashir, and a Romulan dignitary. Soon thereafter, a main power failure occurs on the ‘’Defiant’’, causing Bashir to panic and run out of the room. He catches up with O’Brien and the two begin to fight. Senay enters soon thereafter and injects Bashir with the “therapeutic death” serum.

A few hours later, Bashir wakes up and is brought back up to speed by Ezri. Senay was successful in bottling up the virus that had been plaguing DS9, however the main viroid itself was successful in leaving the station.

Characters

 * Julian Bashir • Ezri Dax • Tiris Jast • Kira Nerys • Morn • Nog • Miles O'Brien • Quark • Mos Senay • Viqtor

Keiko O'Brien

Starships and vehicles

 * USS Defiant

Locations

 * Deep Space 9 • Gamma Quadrant

Races and cultures

 * Bajoran • Bolian • Ferengi • Human • Romulan

States and organizations

 * Romulan Empire • Starfleet • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Internal Affairs • United Federation of Planets

Other references

 * gold-pressed latinum • Ferengi Rules of Acquisition • uniform

Information

 * A year prior to this series, Mos Senay, a Romulan, was given permission by the Federation to set up a research facility on Deep Space Nine.
 * After Odo's departure for the Great Link, Kira made Nog acting chief of security aboard Deep Space Nine.
 * Starfleet Command decided to leave the USS Defiant dispatched to Deep Space Nine, giving command of the vessel to Commander Tiris Jast, who would also serve as Deep Space Nine's executive officer.
 * Shortly after arriving on Earth, Miles O'Brien was forced to return to Deep Space Nine to answer charges of sabotage.
 * At this time, the Bajoran Wormhole was ordered off limits for general travel by Starfleet.
 * N-Vector was reprinted in the trade paperback Other Realities along with All of Me and Double Time.