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Deep Space Nine

Old Cardassian mining station built in orbit of planet Bajor during the Cardassian occupation. Deep Space 9 was built in 2351 by the Cardassians, who called the station Terok Nor, to exploit Bajor's rich uridium deposits. In 2362, Gul Dukat was the commanding officer on Terok Nor. He retained that position until 2369. In that year, the Cardassians relinquished their claim on Bajor and retreated from the region. Starfleet assumed control of the facility shortly thereafter, at the request of the Bajor an provisional government. Though administered by the Federation, the station fell under the jurisdiction of the Bajoran government, and was subject to its laws.

Starfleet officer Benjamin Sisko was placed in charge of the station, and his staff included Bajoran Liaison Kira Nerys, Security Officer Odo, Chief Medical Officer Julian Bashir, Science Officer Jadzia Dax, and Chief of Operations Miles O'Brien. Shortly thereafter, the station assumed great commercial, scientific, and strategic importance when the Bajoran wormhole was discovered, linking the Bajor system with the distant Gamma Quadrant. Commander Sisko ordered station moved near the wormhole in order to solidify the Bajoran claim on this remarkable phenomenon. This placed the station three hours from planet Bajor.

Major features of the station include the Operations Center (from which all station functions are managed), the Promenade (a main thoroughfare containing numerous service facilities and stores, including Quark's bar), three massive docking towers, and several smaller docking ports on an outer docking ring. Incorporated into the docking towers were several massive ore processing facilities designed to refine uridium ore. The extent of the defensive shields around the station was almost 300 meters. There are normally about 300 permanent residents on the station, not counting visitors and crews of ships docked at the station. Weapons are stored in the Habitat Ring, Level 5, Section 3. The station has the capacity to accommodate about 7000 people. Access conduits on the station were shielded with duranium composites, making the interior of the conduits impervious to sensors. All Federation and non-Bajoran personnel were briefly evacuated from Deep Space 9 in early 2370 when Circle forces threatened the station's safety. In 2370, Commander Riker contacted Quark at DS9 concerning the whereabouts of the Duras Sisters.

In 2371, Ben Sisko began a major program of upgrading the station's defensive systems in anticipation of a feared Dominion invasion. These preparations paid off handsomely a year later when they enabled the Deep Space 9 to defend itself against a massive Klingon fleet, when Chancellor Gowron suspected that Dominion agents were controlling the Cardassian government. On stardate 49904.2, upper docking pylon three was serverely damaged in an attack by renegade Jem'Hadar. The pylon was subsequently repaired. In 2373, a new treaty between the Federation and te Klingon Empire resulted in the assignment of a detachment of Klingon warriors to Deep Space 9 to help defend against Dominion aggression. The move was designed to counter the alliance of the Dominion with the Cardassian Union. General Martok commanded the detachment.