N-Vector, Chapter 4

"N-Vector, Issue 4" was the fourth 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
O’Brien and Ezri explain to Kira how they were successful in removing the viroid from Bashir’s body. Kira is somewhat frustrated with herself as if her crew hadn’t disobeyed her orders, Bashir would still be infected and DS9 would still be in danger. Kira convinces Jast that the situation has been resolved and orders O’Brien to return to Earth. Mos Senay then enters to Commander’s Office to remind them that the crisis is not over, and that he’s the only one who knows where to find the viroid and what exactly its plans are.

Quark and Viqtor enter the replica of DS9 and Quark immediately begins spouting off business propositions. Viqtor seems to fade out of existence leaving Quark alone and eventually a little frightened once he realizes this.

Mos Senay insists on having complete control on any expedition going after the viroid, but refuses to tell the DS9 crew what makes it so dangerous. They are however successful in convincing him to explain why he needs their help. He informs them that he actually gave the N-Vector viroid more powers by creating a morphetic substrate for the viroid that it could shape into any form. (‘’This is the coffin of goo encountered by Quark’’). While infecting this substrate, the viroid is not a true shape shifter. It can only hold one shape once it sets and then begins to slowly devolve until it is reabsorbed into the larger N-Vector viroid. Since the morphetic substrate, along with all the scrap metal left on the station, has disappeared, Senay infers that the viroid will join those two things together to form a massive infectious body (‘’the replica of DS9’’), and then split apart to infect anything it comes in contact with. Kira then allows Senay to assemble a team to track down the viroid before it spreads.

Quark is alone on the replica DS9 and attempts to depart the station. However, the transport he and Viqtor used to arrive there is now fused into one of the pylons. After he watches the station destroy the transport, Quark decides it’s time to send a distress signal and starts accessing one of the control panels.

On DS9, the crew becomes aware that Quark is missing and it doesn’t take them long to realize Quark probably thought he had some kind of business arrangement with N-Vector’s human form. Nog, Bashir, and Senay then take a runabout to go stop the virus. En route, the trio picks up Quark’s distress signal. Senay responds to him, warning him that he is in danger, which Quark retorts he is already aware of, Senay continues that it is not as bad as it seems, since because Quark has already been infected by the viroid, he is now immune to it. The transmission is then inexplicably cut off at Quarks end. Bashir tells Senay it wasn’t very smart to warn the viroid that Quark was immune to its control, as it will likely now try to kill him.

Sure enough, on the replica DS9, Quark notices the station appears to be coming apart. While he tries to make some quick repairs to the station, he is approached by what appear to Bashir and O’Brien, who assure him that they’re here to help but drag him away from the console he is working on.

The runabout now approaches the replica DS9, but is unable to find a place to dock. Bashir takes them in anyway and the three arrive in time to save Quark from the duplicate O’Brien and Bashir. Quark and Nog go back to the runabout. Bashir asks Senay what they should do about the viroid, and Senay suggests they do nothing. The viroid is not yet ready to produce spores, but with its location found, it must defend itself the only way it knows how, by going dormant. When Bashir disagrees, Senay threatens him with a disruptor and tells him to get back to the runabout. Bashir runs back on board and has Nog take them away from the replica station immediately. As the runabout departs, the replica DS9 falls apart, collapsing in on itself until nothing is left.

On Deep Space Nine, Bashir explains to Kira that since N-Vector was Senay’s discovery, when it imploded out of existence he chose to go with it. Ezri notes that the viroid is not really gone, and it could show up anywhere like a space anomaly, whereas Kira retorts she doesn’t care if it shows up again, as long as its someone else’s problem when it does. Quark overhears this, complaining that at least when the viroid showed up he had a dept collector, and now is left with only debts.

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.