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Following his brutal attack on Kira and Ro, Taran'atar escapes Deep Space 9 aboard a runabout, taking Tenmei as a hostage; Vaughn commands the Defiant in pursuit.

Description[]

They were created to be killing machines. Highly intelligent, resourceful, and deceptively complex, the Jem'Hadar are a species engineered for war and programmed at the genetic level for one purpose: to fight until death as soldiers of the sprawling stellar empire known as the Dominion. No Jem'Hadar has ever lived thirty years, and not even their masters, the shape-shifting Founders, know what such a creature is capable of becoming were it to be freed of its servitude.
One Founder, however, has dared to wonder.
Appointed by Odo himself to learn peaceful coexistence aboard Deep Space 9, Taran'atar, an Honored Elder among the Jem'Hadar, had for months been a staunch, if conflicted, ally to the crew of the station, ever struggling to understand the mission on which he was sent… until something went horrifically wrong.
Consumed by self-doubt and an ever-growing rage, Taran'atar has lashed out against those he was sworn to aid. While Captain Kira Nerys and Lieutenant Ro Laren both lie near death aboard DS9, their assailant has taken a hostage and fled into Cardassian space, pursued by Commander Elias Vaughn on the USS Defiant. But as the hunt unfolds, Taran'atar's true objective becomes increasingly less certain, as the rogue Jem'Hadar leads the Defiant to a discovery even more shocking than his crime.

Summary[]

The planet Harkoum was once a major producer of raw minerals and refined alloys for the Cardassian Union, though extensive strip mining and industrialization depleted its resources within a century. It was also home to the Obsidian Order's secret Grennokar Prison, the final stop of many prisoners subjected to slave labor, torture, and medical experimentation. The Order also conducted secret gruesome experiments on many Jem'Hadar during Cardassia's alliance with the Dominion. When the Order finally abandoned the facility, they executed many prisoners and left the rest to starve. Now the planet is home only to a small population of traders who live off the grid. On Harkoum, a Cardassian woman evades several bounty hunters intent on killing her. Using traps, guile, and impressive martial skills, she dispatches each one—the Klingon Jonu, the Chalnoth Grauq, and the Nausicaan Savonigar—and continues on to Grennokar.

On Deep Space 9, Kira and Ro are rushed into emergency surgery following Taran'atar's assault. Ro faces permanent paralysis, with Quark ever by her side, but Dr. Tarses is able to treat her using genetronic replication and medical nanites. She faces a long road to recovery, but should heal fully. While undergoing an artificial heart transplant, Kira dreams that she's a general of the Bajora in the ancient past. She leads her army home to find their fortress of Parek Tonn, built into the side of Mount Kola, occupied by the Eav'oq. Their speaker, Opaka Sulan, claims that this has been the pacifistic Eav'oqs' home for generations and refuses to allow the armed Bajora entry. A massive Ascendant army also approaches, intent on eradicating all who sully the fortress with their heathen presence. Kira's attempt to parley with the Ascendants is violently rebuked. Instead, she vows to defend the Eav'oq against the Ascendants, asking only for their friendship in return. The Eav'oq open their doors to the Bajora, and Kira sees that it is indeed not her home. The fortresses of the Bajora and the Eav'oq only look similar because they are built on the same foundation (just like their two faiths). The Ascendants, with their superior numbers and weaponry and their merciless tactics, overwhelm the fortress' defenses, slaughtering the Bajora and the Eav'oq. Kira realizes that they needed more allies and better tactics, ultimately dying from an unexpected knife to her chest. She has a vision of the Prophets, who tell her that she is Their Hand and that she has a new path to follow. She will influence what happens when the paths of the Ascendants, the Eav'oq, and the Bajorans converge. Understanding her new purpose, her pagh returns to her healing body aboard DS9.

Taran'atar finds Prynn Tenmei preparing the runabout Euphrates for a test flight. He takes her hostage and flees. Prynn's planned flight prevents the station crew from immediately realizing Taran'atar's escape and the station is locked down while security searches for him. Major Cenn leads the investigation of Taran'atar's quarters and Nog finds evidence that the Jem'Hadar is the victim of subliminal mind-control, apparently by the Intendant. Nog and Bashir develop a neuroelectric pulse device to "reboot" his compromised brain, though they can only guess at its effectiveness. Realizing Taran'atar's escape, Vaughn takes the Defiant in pursuit of the Euphrates, but the starship is soon immobilized by a trap set by Taran'atar—the crew find Tenmei's signal on the rogue comet Nahanas, which explodes when they try to beam her up. Vaughn is overcome by grief and guilt, believing that he killed his daughter, and he spirals between duty and revenge, but refuses to give up command.

Taran'atar actually kept Prynn as a hostage, sacrificing only her combadge and the runabout's torpedoes to disable the Defiant, and continues his escape. Increasingly unhinged, he's driven to keep moving. He is haunted by Kira's hated visage and by visions that make him realize he's a slave, to the Founders and to a new unknown master. Prynn's efforts to stop Taran'atar fail—she sabotages the runabout near the IKS noh'Pach, but he kills the Klingon crew and hijacks the cloaked scoutship, destroying the Euphrates to hamper Vaughn's pursuit. The Jem'Hadar also recovers quickly from her massive electric shock trap, prompting him to lock her up.

Using his contacts, Vaughn realizes that the noh'Pach has gone missing and tracks it to Harkoum. Over acting XO Bowers' objections, he leads the strike team to the surface and prepares to face Taran'atar alone in the depths of Grennokar Prison. Prynn manages to free herself and also goes after the Jem'Hadar, arriving just in time to save her father. Vaughn appeals to Taran'atar's better nature, offering a path to redemption, but the Jem'Hadar ignores him and transports to the mirror universe. Father and daughter's tearful reunion is interrupted by the voice of the Intendant, who activates the prison's self-destruct. They run, but the injured Vaughn can't keep up; he tries to sacrifice himself to save Prynn, but she refuses to abandon him and falls as well. They are narrowly saved by the noh'Pach and its pilot—the Cardassian woman, (the mirror) Iliana Ghemor—and escape the prison's immolation.

In the mirror universe, the Intendant orders the destruction of all Terran bases in the Badlands, including Sindorin. She also hires Ke Hovath to build an improved cross-dimensional transporter, killing him immediately after delivery. All of the Intendant's moves are part of a larger scheme to take control of the Alliance and invade our realm with her new ally, the Taran'atar of our universe. However, Taran'atar is accompanied by the insane Iliana Ghemor of our universe, surgically altered to appear Bajoran. Ghemor kills the Intendant and takes her place. Armed with the paghvaram and with Taran'atar as her captive thrall, she prepares to kill every other Kira Nerys.

Notes[]

In her dreams of the past, Kira rides a large lupine mount, a zhom named Jayol (an anagram of the runabout Yolja). Her companions are stand-ins of her crewmates: Jamin (Benjamin Sisko), his zhom Denigarro (Rio Grande) Ghavun (Vaughn), Nathech (ch'Thane), Renla (Ro Laren), and Shirab (Bashir).

A vision of Sisko appears during Kira's communing with the Prophets, commenting on a plot hole of his backstory: "When the Prophets first met me, they didn't know what I was—they didn't understand linear time. But later they revealed that they'd set in motion a chain of events to ensure my existence. I was their creation in the past, but they were surprised to meet me in the present. They didn't know until they'd met me that they needed to create me."

Sisko recites the story of the "Three Brothers from Jokala" to Kira, just as she did for him "Starship Down."

Though Dax is pleased with her switch to the command track, she isn't fulfilled by station administration. Sisko suggests that she consider a transfer to starship duty.

A recent innovation in Starfleet hand phasers is the IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) circuit, which locks the weapon's trigger whenever the targeting sensor falls on a friendly ID transporter, such as a combadge. It reduced friendly fire incidents by more than 71% during the Dominion War.

The mirror Iliana steals two blades from bounty hunter Grauq, 23rd century Terran katana and wakizashi swords, each with a monomolecular edge.

Dr. Aylam Edeen replaces Dr. Girani as the resident Bajoran doctor. She's attracted to Dr. Tarses.

Starfleet's renewed exploration of the GQ continues. Three starships recently went through the wormhole

The noh'Pach is a Klingon Haqtaj-class scout with a crew of 5. The engineer has a human fetish. 

References[]

Characters[]

Aylam EdeenJulian BashirBoehmSam BowersRon BroekingCaprilCardokCenn DescaJeannette ChaoFranz CortezEzri DaxEtana KolGreg ForteFrazelliDarrell GervasiIliana GhemorGrauqQuin HeinsHollim AzahnMichael IngbarJaidJarmus LennJonuJull ZeharKira NerysKothMikaela LeishmanLorghMalkMinecciStefka MerimarkCalvin MooreMornLisa NeeleyJang Si NaranNogOrrukQuarkQuragTariq RahimKrissten RichterRo LarenSalmakSavonigarSelznerSergozBenjamin SiskoStathamStovMichael StrangTaran'atarSimon TarsesAlberto TaverasPrynn TenmeiThronTreirElias VaughnAmy Zucca
Mirror universe characters
Iliana GhemorKe HovathKira NerysKlagKurnL'HaanAkellen Macet
Characters in visions
Bareil AntosJadzia DaxDenigarroSkrain DukatErisFemale ChangelingGhavunTekeny GhemorJaminJayolKitana'klanKira MeruKira TabanAamin MarritzaMokata'klanNathechKeiko O'BrienMolly O'BrienOdoOpaka SulanRenlaBenny RussellShakaar EdonShirabSindorin FirstJake SiskoTora ZiyalElias VaughnWeyounYevir LinjarinZeir
Referenced only
Dante AlighieriBeverly CrusherGowronLisanne HexterJobKall DennaKe HovathAkellen MacetMartokKirayoshi O'BrienMiles O'BrienRolocRebecca Jae SiskoRuriko TenmeiThirishar ch'ThaneShathrissia zh'CheenWinn AdamiKasidy Yates
Mirror universe references
GorkonMartokMiles O'BrienWorf

Locations[]

Almatha sectorAlpha QuadrantBajoran wormhole/Celestial TempleDeep Space 9GeilodGrennokarHabitat ringHarkoumIljarInfirmaryKalandra sector (Mirror Universe) • NahanasOperations centerPromenadeQuark's
Referenced only
Ananke AlphaAndorAnkaro systemBadlandsBadlands (mirror)BajorBajor-B'hava'elBetazedBetreka NebulaBurning SeaChalnaCoridan IIIEarthEuropa NovaFields of BerzelFire CavesFirst CityGamma QuadrantGallitep labor campGamma QuadrantGula RiverHedrikspool ProvinceIdran systemJo'kalaJotunheimKatuluLonar ProvinceMempa sectorMount KolaMusilla UniversityNausicaaPanoraParek TonnPelagia PrimeQo'noSRegulonTamulnaTanglor ice chuteTower HillSidauSindorinTarluk V'helTerok Nor (mirror)TrillUtopia Planitia

Starships[]

USS Euphrates (Danube-class) • USS Defiant (Defiant-class) • GithzaraiIKS Gorkon (Regent-class) • IKS Negh'Var (Negh'Var-class) • IKS noH'pach (Haqtaj-class) • OtamawanTrager (Galor-class) • IRW Verithrax (Romulan warbird)
Referenced only
KamalLuna-classUSS Rio Grande

Races and cultures[]

AndorianAscendantBajoranBaldukBenziteCaitianCardassianChalnothEav'oqEfrosianFerengiHumanJem'HadarKlingonLurianNaloriNausicaanOrionPah-wraithProphetsThallonianTiburonTrillVulcan
Referenced only
BetazoidBorgBreenChangelingRomulanUllianVorta
Mirror universe races and cultures
BajoranCardassianKlingonVulcan
Referenced only
TerranTzenkethi

Technology[]

anti-personnel mineartificial heartcloaking devicecommand modulecortical stimulatorcybernetic supportdelta-wave generatorduotronicdynoscannerfusion corehoverbikehyposprayinertial dampenerinterphase cloaking deviceisolinear rodmedical tricordermicrotorpedomultidimensional transporternaniteneuro-pulse deviceosteofuserPADDphaserphaser rifleproximity detonatorpulse rifletargeting sensortricorder

States and organizations[]

BajoraBajoran MilitiaDominionFederation AllianceKlingon Empire (Klingon Defense ForceImperial Intelligence) • Klingon-Cardassian AllianceRomulan Star EmpireStarfleetUnited Federation of Planets
Referenced only
Bajoran ResistanceFoundersGreat LinkJanirKlingon Defense Force CommandNavotObsidian OrderPaquSidau College of PhysicsStarfleet MedicalStarfleet Medical BoardTerran Rebellion

Science and classification[]

adozineanesthesiabiogenic weaponblood typecardiac replacementd'k tahggenitronic replicationtrioxventilator tube

Other references[]

Aldebaran whiskeyallied protectorateAttainderBajoran historyBajoran prophecyBajoran religionbaseballbloodbloodwineborhyabounty hunterCardassian languagechronitoncometcoyotedaboDominion WarEmissary of the Prophetsexplosive decompressionFek'lhrFerengi languageFerengi Rules of AcquisitionflayerFour Windsgraviton spikeGre'thorHand of the ProphetshasperatheartHeart of the SkyHippocratic oathintendantkatanakavakava treekelbonitekellipateketracel-whiteKing LearKlingon Civil Warkullothliaison officerLissepian honeycomblopamagnesiteNausicaan languageneurocineneutrinoOccupation of Bajororborb experienceOrb of Memoryorb shadowpatepolaronpostganglionic nervepreganglionic fiberProgenitorReckoningroot beershroudSirahStarfleet Medical JournalSto-Vo-Korsurface operations blackstegolTholian silktransparent aluminumtribbletube grubultritiumvisionwakizashiwindsurfingzhom

Appendices[]

Related media[]

Background[]

  • On the epigraphs at the start of the novel, David Mack commented "the quote from Milton's Paradise Lost is meant to evoke Taran'atar's state of mind; the line from Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel speaks to Vaughn's wrath; and the passage from Wordsworth's "She was a Phantom of delight" is intended to foreshadow Kira's storyline in Warpath and beyond". [1]
  • Warpath won the 2006 Psi Phi Award for Best Star Trek novel cover. Marco Palmieri commented: "I recall thinking that I wanted Taran'atar to appear dangerous and vulnerable at the same time. To that end, I had the idea of him looking really pissed off as he stared back at the reader through crosshairs. We went with an amber wash over the whole thing because that was the color we'd established for Jem'Hadar blood."
  • This novel contains an excerpt of the Star Trek: Vanguard novel Summon the Thunder.

Reception[]

  • David Mack commented: "On many levels, I am very happy with the work that has taken shape in the manuscript of Warpath. I feel like I'm starting to achieve a synthesis of the muscular prose I've used for my action oriented tales—such as Failsafe, or the TNG novels A Time to Kill and A Time to Heal — with the more introspective tones of my first novel, S.C.E. Wildfire. Thanks to the consistently astute input I receive from Marco, and from my wife Kara, and from other Star Trek authors such as Keith R. A. DeCandido, Dayton Ward, and Kevin Dilmore, I feel like Warpath is one of my best works so far". (Voyages of Imagination p 278)
  • In 2008 and 2009, Robert Lyons of Trekmovie recommended Warpath as an essential novel of the DS9 relaunch. [2], [3]
  • In 2013, Empire Magazine recommended Warpath as a "If you only read one" novel of the DS9 relaunch in an article about Star Trek literature. [4]

Connections[]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine relaunch publications and stories
Novels A Stitch in TimeAvatar, Book One‎Avatar, Book TwoAbyssDemons of Air and DarknessTwilightThis Gray SpiritCathedralLesser EvilRising SonThe Left Hand of Destiny, Book OneThe Left Hand of Destiny, Book TwoUnity • "Cardassia: The Lotus Flower" • "Andor: Paradigm" • "Trill: Unjoined" • "Bajor: Fragments and Omens" • "Ferenginar: Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed" • "The Dominion: Olympus Descending" • WarpathFearful SymmetryThe Soul KeyThe Never-Ending SacrificeThe MissingSacraments of FireAscendanceForce and MotionThe Long MirageEnigma TalesOriginal Sin
Miniseries and anthologies The Lives of DaxDivided We FallMission GammaWorlds of Deep Space Nine (Volume One, Two & Three)
Short stories and novellas "Horn and Ivory" • "The Officers' Club" • Lust's Latinum Lost (and Found)Rules of AccusationI, The Constable
Comics N-Vector • "Crossfire" • "No Quarter" • "All Fall Down" • "United We Stand"
Omnibuses Twist of FaithThese Haunted Seas
Related Star Trek: Section 31Star Trek: Terok NorStar Trek: DestinyStar Trek: Typhon PactStar Trek: The FallStar Trek: Coda
Stories featuring the mirror universe
Enterprise episode: "In a Mirror, Darkly" • prose: Age of the Empress • "Nobunaga"
Discovery episodes: "Into the Forest I Go" • "Despite Yourself" • "The Wolf Inside" • "Vaulting Ambition" • "What's Past Is Prologue" • "Terra Firma" • comics: Succession ("Issue 1" • "Issue 2" • "Issue 3" • "Issue 4")
The Original Series episode: "Mirror, Mirror" • comics: Hell's MirrorThe Mirror Universe Saga ("... Promises to Keep" • "Double Image" • "Deadly Reflection!" • "The Tantalus Trap!" • "Masquerade!" • "Behind Enemy Lines!" • "The Beginning of the End..." • "Homecoming...") • Fragile GlassMirror Images ("Issue 1" • "Issue 2" • "Issue 4" • "Issue 5") • "The Mirror, Crackedprose: SpectreDark VictoryPreserverThe Sorrows of Empire • "Ill Winds" • "The Greater Good" • video game: Shattered Universe
Kelvin timeline comics: Mirrored ("Part 1" • "Part 2") • "Parallel Lives, Part 2" • Live Evil ("Part 1" • "Part 2" • "Part 3")
The Next Generation comics: "Mirror Images, Issue 3" • Mirror Universe Collection (TNG - Mirror Broken comics: "Origin of Data", "Prelude", "Issue 1", "Issue 2", "Issue 3", "Issue 4", "Issue 5" • TNG - Through the Mirror comics: "Issue 1", "Issue 2", "Issue 3", "Issue 4", "Issue 5" TNG - Ripe for Plunder comics: "Chapter One", "Chapter Two", "Chapter Three", "Chapter Four", "Chapter Five" • TNG - Terra Incognita comics: "Issue 1", "Issue 2", "Issue 3", "Issue 4", "Issue 5", "Issue 6") • ST: The Mirror War: "Issue 0", "Issue 1", "Issue 2", "Issue 3", "Issue 4", "Geordi", "Issue 5", "Issue 6", "Issue 7", "Issue 8" • ST: Warriors of the Mirror War: "Data", "Geordi", "Sisko", "Troi" • prose: Dark MirrorThreeThe Worst of Both Worlds • "The Traitor" • "The Sacred Chalice" • "For Want of a Nail" • Rise Like Lions
Deep Space Nine episodes: "Crossover" • "Through the Looking Glass" • "Shattered Mirror" • "Resurrection" • "The Emperor's New Cloak" • comic: "Enemies & Allies" • prose: Dark PassionsWarpathSaturn's ChildrenFearful Symmetry • "A Terrible Beauty" • The Soul Key • "Freedom Angst" • Disavowed
Voyager prose: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent • "Bitter Fruit" • comic: "Mirrors & Smoke"
New Frontier comics: Turnaround ("Part I" • "Part II" • "Part III" • "Part IV" • "Part V") • prose: Cutting Ties • "Homecoming"
Klingon Empire prose: "Family Matters" Titan prose: "Empathy" Vanguard prose: "The Black Flag"
Miniseries and anthologies RPG sourcebook: Through a Glass, Darklycomics: The Mirror Universe SagaTurnaroundMirror Imagesprose: Mirror Universe TrilogyMirror Universe (Glass EmpiresObsidian AlliancesShards and Shadows)


Timeline[]

published order
Previous novel:
Worlds of Deep Space Nine
The Dominion: Olympus Descending
DS9 novels
(Post-finale)
Next novel:
Fearful Symmetry
Previous novel:
Worlds of Deep Space Nine
The Dominion: Olympus Descending
DS9 novels Next novel:
Saturn's Children
chronological order
Previous Adventure:
Unimatrix Zero, Part I
Pocket Next Adventure:
Unimatrix Zero, Part II
Previous Adventure:
Worlds of Deep Space Nine
The Dominion: Olympus Descending
Deep Space Nine Adventures Next Adventure:
Fearful Symmetry


Translations[]
2013
German : Kriegspfad, translated by Christian Humberg. (Cross Cult)

External links[]

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