AR-558

AR-558 is a planet in the Chin'toka system. It was the site of a Dominion communications array. After the Federation Alliance took the system in late 2374, the United Federation of Planets took control of the planet and stationed the 117th Ground Forces Company there.

History
The Starfleet forces were led by Captain Loomis and Commander Parker. They held the planet well into 2375, fending off constant Jem'Hadar attacks, as the Dominion were worried the Starfleet forces would be able to infiltrate their entire communications system using it.

The initial Starfleet force consisted of one hundred and fifty personnel. The Jem'Hadar attacks reduced that number, and only forty-three were still alive five months later. Captain Loomis and Commander Parker were killed, and command of the post passed to Chief Nadia Larkin.

Ten days later, Captain Benjamin Sisko and the crew of the USS Defiant arrived at AR-558 to deliver supplies. Seeing at how desperate the situation had become, Sisko, Ezri Dax, Julian Bashir, Nog and Quark remained on the planet to help fight off the Jem'Hadar. The Defiant was forced to leave due to attacks by Jem'Hadar warships.

To ascertain the number of Jem'Hadar troops, Captain Sisko sent Nog, Larkin and Reese to gather intelligence. After finding the enemy camp, they were attacked by the Jem'Hadar. Larkin was killed and Nog's leg was hit by the Jem'Hadar weapons. Reese managed to get Nog back to the camp, but Doctor Bashir was unable to save the leg.

Thanks to Nog's efforts in locating the camp, Kellin and Ezri had the Houdini mines detonated near them, killing many of the enemy troops. The remaining Jem'Hadar launched their attack on Sisko's forces. They breached the Starfleet lines, where Kellin was killed saving Ezri and Vargas was stabbed with a Jem'Hadar knife. Sisko himself was hit by the butt of a Jem'Hadar rifle, losing consciousness for a few moments. He was saved by Reese and the battle ended soon after.

Aftermath
Later, the Defiant arrived to assist the survivors. The USS Veracruz also arrived and beamed down troops replacements, as well as an engineering team to study the array. The Veracruz itself was then to take the injured troops to Starbase 371 for treatment.

Commander Worf assured Sisko that the battle had been worth it and was worthy of song. Sisko was less convinced as he thought it had cost enough. As they were preparing to leave Reese saw the new troops take their positions. He thought they were just children, although Sisko told him "not for long".

Back on Deep Space 9, Colonel Kira Nerys informed Sisko that the combined losses of AR-558 and the others killed in the war at that time was one thousand seventeen hundred and thirty. Kira added there were a lot of names on the latest casualty report, although Sisko told her "They're not just names... It's important we remember that. We have to remember..." (DS9 episode: "The Siege of AR-558")

Assigned crew

 * Loomis
 * Parker
 * Nadia Larkin
 * Reese
 * Kellin
 * Vargas
 * McGreevey
 * Billy

Further references

 * "It's Only a Paper Moon"
 * "Requital"
 * "Cathedral"
 * "The Good That Men Do"
 * The Dominion War Sourcebook: The Fires of Armageddon