Introduction
From the back cover: Now begins the final battle of the Prophets and the Pah-wraiths within the nightmarish realm of nonlinear time -- as the greatest epic adventure in the saga of Deep Space 9 -- reaches its staggering conclusion....
As predicted in ancient Bajoran texts, the Celestial Temple has been restored, ending normal space-time existence for all except Captain Benjamin Sisko and those trapped on the Starship Defiant and the Klingon warship Boreth. But as apocalyptic war rages between the Prophets and the Pah-wraiths, one last chance for survival beckons -- a return to Deep Space 9.
Yet, in the realm of nonlinear time, it appears that there are two possible times at which Sisko and his allies can return to the station: on the day of the Cardassian Withdrawal, or on the day six years later when DS9 was destroyed. But which choice will lead to the triumph of the Prophets? And which to eternal victory for the Pah-wraiths? With time literally running out and the fate of the universe in his hands, Sisko now must confront his own personal inferno -- in order to change the past and restore the present, he must be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice... his future....
References
Characters
- Regular characters
- Julian Bashir • Jadzia Dax • Dukat • Vic Fontaine • Leeta • Morn • Nog • Miles O'Brien • Odo • Jean-Luc Picard • Quark • Rom • Benjamin Sisko • Jake Sisko • Weyoun • Worf • Winn • Elim Garak
- Other characters
- Arla Rees • Kilana • Dal Nortron • Lorem • Obanak Keelen • Rulan • Benny Russell • Ryle Simons • S'relt • Vash
- Prophet guises
- Marion Dulmur • Koral • Leen • Locutus • Gariff Lucsly • Martok • Jean-Luc Picard • Jackie Robinson • William Ross • Rulan • Satr • Lwaxana Troi • Vash • Kai Winn
- Referenced characters
- Ailam • Kosst Amojan • Harry Belafonte • Harry Blackstone • Data • Divine Nagus • Albert Einstein • Eris • Felix • Halberstadt • Keevan • James T. Kirk • Leen • Mardah • Marklar • Leonard McCoy • Ming the Merciless • Neeron • Q • Alexander Rozhenko • Satr • Rod Serling • Inger Stevens • Vash • Lewis Zimmerman
Locations
- Alpha Quadrant • Bajor • Cirran Mountains • Deep Space 9 • Rondac III
- Referenced only
- Alpha Centauri • Bourbon Street • Deneva • Ebbets Field • Gilgo Beach • Gre'thor • Hoboken • Kri'stak volcano • Las Vegas • McCarran International Airport • Moravian Lane • New New Orleans • Norpin colony • Pike City Stadium • Star of Bajor • Sto-vo-kor • Timbuktu • Venus
Starships and vehicles
- Alpha • USS Boreth • USS Defiant • USS Phoenix
- Referenced only
- USS Augustus • USS Destiny • USS Enterprise-D
Races and cultures
- Andorian • Bajoran • Cardassian • Changeling • Ferengi • Human • Klingon • Lurian • Pah-wraith • Prophets • Trill • Vorta
- Referenced only
- Borg • Breen • Bynar • Lauriento • Medusan
States and organizations
- Bajoran Ascendancy • Bajoran Militia • Starfleet • United Federation of Planets
- Referenced only
- Bamarren • Exalted Tellers • Federation Department of Temporal Investigations • Obsidian Order • Romulan Assembly • Rutgers University • Special Investigations Unit • Starfleet Institute Press
Science and technology
- atomic bomb • baffle plate • chroniton • De Sitter space • Dyson sphere • electromagnetic pulse • Emergency Medical Hologram • Feynman curve • inertial dampener • Moibius Effect • Operations situation table • protoplaser • slingshot effect • television • triox • verteron • verteron node
Ranks and titles
- centurion • cowboy • Emissary of the Pah-wraith • Gentleman Usher to the Romulan Assembly • gorr • kai • Kosst
Other references
- 1953 • 2375 • 2400 • Anslem • Antigod of the Spacewarp Passage • baseball • bat'leth • Borhya • cryodagger • Divine Treasury • Dixieland • Dominion War • "Efficiency level 729" • Great Material River • Ko'th • Lauriento massage holoprogram 101A • Life • marklar • Norellian eel hide • On Time Travel: Three Case Studies in Effects and Cause • popsnail • raktajino • Regulan phoenix • Risian Ear Clinic - The Jamaharon Continues • Saurian brandy • Sword of Kahless • Tiyerta nok • Tral • tuxedo • Venusian firebeast • Vulcan primate • Warrior's Anthem • The World, the Flesh and the Devil
Appendices
Background information
- A similar plot is present in the game The Fallen.
External link
- Inferno article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
Connections
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: The War of the Prophets |
DS9 unnumbered novels | Next novel: Hollow Men |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: The War of the Prophets |
Next Adventure: Fusion | |
| Previous Adventure: The War of the Prophets |
Deep Space Nine Adventures | Next Adventure: Tears of the Prophets |
| The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2374. The Pocket Books Timeline places events from this story in two other timeframes: | ||
| Previous Adventure: A Stitch in Time Part 3; Chapters 3, 5 |
2369 | Next Adventure: The Fall of Terok Nor Chapter 1 |
| Previous Adventure: Genesis Force Part Three |
2377 Epilogue |
Next Adventure: Exodus |