Star Trek 947: Betrayal

947. Betrayal

PUBLICATION: Star Trek Deep Space Nine #6, Pocket Books, May 1994

CREATORS: Lois Tilton

STARDATE: Season 2, possibly between The Maquis and The Wire.

PLOT: As if Sisko didn't have his hands full when terrorist bombings on the station threaten a trade conference, the Cardassians come for a visit on behalf of the newly elected Revanche Party to claim the station and Wormhole. Things are further complicated by one of the Cardassian crewmen, an abused member of the former party in power named Berat, seeks refuge aboard DS9. He helps identify the latest bomb as Cardassian, exposing their plot to destroy the station and blame it on Bajoran terrorists, thereby weakening their position as a productive member of the interstellar community. With Berat's help, the crew move the bomb to the Cardassian ship where it eventually explodes after its Gul refuses to stand down. The Revanche Party discredited, Gul Dukat returns to a position of power and takes Berat home.

CONTINUITY: The Kohn-Ma (Past Prologue) seem to take credit for the bombing of Garak's shop (a precursor to Improbable Cause). Gul Marak has a meeting with the Klaestron ambassador (that world's Cardassian connection is from Second Skin, though they first appeared in "Dax"). The momentary rise of the Revanche Party and fall of Gul Dukat could have resulted from events in The Maquis.

DIVERGENCES: Gul Macet is on the cover as Gul Marak, which wouldn't be so bad if Dukat, also played by Marc Alaimo, didn't also appear. Klaestron is mispelled Klystron. A 72-hour ultimatum contradicts DS9's usual 26-hour day convention. The terrorist subplot is so close to The Circle's, it makes Betrayal hard to place in the timeline. Words not used anywhere else in Star Trek include the Cardassian Subofficer rank and the curse word "frack".

SCREENSHOT OF THE WEEK - Stock footage from the teaser
REVIEW: Lois Tilton has claimed in interviews that writing tie-in novels just wasn't for her, but she avails herself of the opportunity pretty well. Bajoran-Federation-Cardassian politics are well rendered, with the Revanche Party getting its own identity, one that taps into the brutish side of Cardassian personality. The book's highlight, for me, was Berat's POV. It gives us a chance to learn about life on a Cardassian ship, where fear and paranoia are the order of the day. Less interesting is the identity of the agent aboard Deep Space 0, whose betrayal is pretty much telegraphed. A minor plot point, in any case. Good use of Jake and Nog (surprisingly), as well as Sisko, Kira, Odo and O'Brien.

Next for the SBG Book Club: Invincible Part I (SCE), Invincible Part II (SCE), Planet of Judgment (TOS), Power Hungry (TNG), Warchild (DS9).