"You Can't Buy Fate" is a DS9 short story published in the digital subscriber supplement to Star Trek: Explorer, Issue 7. It first saw print publication in Titan Magazines' "The Mission" and Other Stories omnibus in 2024. Written by Keith R.A. DeCandido and released in May 2023, the story explored the relationship between Ezri Dax and Nog after the Dominion War.
Description[]
- A first contact mission doesn’t go according to plan.
Summary[]
Log entries[]
- Station log, Colonel Kira Nerys, Deep Space 9, Stardate 53018.4
- We've been contacted by the Orrelhod Confederacy, a small nation from the Gamma Quadrant. I've sent Counselor Dax and Lieutenant Nog through the wormhole to make first contact.
References[]
Characters[]
- Julian Bashir • Ezri Dax • Fnaxnor • Kira Nerys • Krande • Nog • Rona
- Referenced only
- Banerjee • Jadzia Dax • Lela Dax • Tobin Dax • Dax symbiont • Kor, son of Rynar • Quark • Benjamin Sisko • Jake Sisko • Worf
Starships[]
- USS Defiant (Defiant-class escort) • Orelhoddish starship • USS Sungari (Danube-class runabout) • unnamed Federation shuttlecraft (type-10 shuttlecraft)
Locations[]
- Bajoran wormhole • Beenserig system • Deep Space 9
- Referenced only
- Cliffs of Bole • Gamma Quadrant
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
- Federation • Orrelhod Confederacy • Starfleet
Science and classification[]
- antimatter containment field • biobed • biosynthetic limb • communications • computer • emergency transporter armband • EVA suit • genetic enhancement • hail • holographic display • holosuite • impulse power • medical tricorder • phase coil inverter • sensor • shields • technology • transporter • warp core
Occupations and titles[]
- captain • chief of operations • colonel • commander • counselor • Dahar master • doctor • lieutenant junior grade • physician • science officer • shipmaster • transporter chief
Other references[]
- alert status • alien • battlefield commission • beam • Dominion War • Down the River Light • Earth-Romulan War • emotion • Federation Starfleet ranks (2370s-2380s) • first contact • hospital • hour • kilometer • language • love • memory • minute • radiation • Raejin wave • space • station log, Deep Space 9 • tongo • transporter bay • warp factor (warp five) • year
Appendices[]
Background[]
- Author Keith R.A. DeCandido dedicated the story to actor Aron Eisenberg (Nog) who died in 2019.
- The title of the story is Rule of Acquisition #236, from The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition by Ira Steven Behr.
- The Danube-class runabout USS Sungari was depicted using the USS Rio Grande's registry.
Related stories[]
Images[]
Story image.
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous story: Scramble |
Short stories Star Trek Explorer |
Next story: Summer Days Can Last Forever |
| Previous story: The Victim |
The Mission and Other Stories | Next story: Summer Days Can Last Forever |
| Previous story: The Klingon Art of War: Ancient Principles of Ruthless Honor |
Stories by: Keith R.A. DeCandido |
Next story: The Kellidian Kidnapping |
| Previous story: The Victim |
DS9 short stories | Next story: Lost and Founder |