The wormhole relay station was a Starfleet communications relay that was deployed in the Gamma Quadrant in 2371. The relay allowed communications from the Gamma Quadrant to the Alpha Quadrant via the Bajoran wormhole.
History[]
Communication was achieved by accident, when fragments of a comet entered the wormhole, leaking silithium, which kept the wormhole continuously open in a way small enough to allow communication through. (DS9 episode: "Destiny")
In 2372, during the dispute between the Bajorans and the Ferengi over the Orb of Wisdom, Shakaar Edon approached the Yridian Xillius Vas to obtain starships for Bajor to use against the Ferengi. In exchange, Vas was to be provided with all of the information that came to Deep Space 9 from the Gamma Quadrant from the wormhole relay station. Vas intended to sell the information to the highest bidder once he obtained it, but Quark suggested that by providing the information encrypted in such a way that Vas could not access it would allow the Bajorans to not renege on their contract. (DS9 novel: The 34th Rule)
The relay was destroyed by the Dominion prior to the Dominion War. (DS9 episode: "In Purgatory's Shadow")
A new relay station was deployed after the war. (DS9 novel: The Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko)
First Splinter timeline[]
In 2376, a new relay station was deployed but it was later destroyed by the re-emergence of the Eav'oq's planet. (DS9 novels: Lesser Evil, Unity) A new relay station had been deployed by 2383. (DS9 novel: Plagues of Night)