Evolution of the Bajorans

Racing Excitement

To a casual observer, it might look like a prelude to war. To the inhabitants of Deep
Space Nine, it was a chance to see who the better pilot was. Captain Sisko, commander of Deep Space Nine and Emissary was piloting his ship, the beautiful and deadly, Defiant. Major Kira Nerys, first officer of Deep Space Nine and Bajoran liaison to Captain Sisko, was piloting an updated version of a Bajoran fighter, called Bajor Spirit. Kira actually did much of the work to make it very sleek and fast herself. She oversaw the update. Kira smiled, everyone had rallied around her. Rom had helped add much to the engines and propulsion units.

The “drag race” was around the wormhole and Bajor and back. One time. There would be no second chances.

The Deep Space Nine inhabitants turned out in droves. Even Garak, came out. He volunteered to read the rules at the beginning of the race. Quark, actually started a betting pool on who would win. But then, everyone knew Quark would try to make a latinum bar on anything.

As the two ships readied themselves for the race, Captain Sisko, reflected on how interested everyone was in the outcome. He was surprised. Kira realized quite quickly that the race seemed to be so important to everyone, because the Deep Space Nine population considered the winner the de facto leader of the space station—at least the most skilled and fearless one.

Garak hit the button. The lights went off. The two ships were off! Sisko immediately took the lead…after all, his ship was state-of-the-art, totally ready for war. Kira decided to build up to her top speed. She saw the big lead that Captain Sisko and her heart fell. But she stayed calm. Took some deep breaths, and carefully engaged the engine and afterburners. The Spirit jumped. It took only a few seconds for her to catch Sisko. She smiled. They turned behind the wormhole at full speed. However, just as the turn ended, Kira engaged Rom’s baby, the new supplemental engines. Sisko’s mouth dropped. He saw Major Kira and the Bajor Spirit shoot ahead. He tried to get more out of the Defiant, the Defiant sped up, but it was too late. Kira and her souped-up ship crossed the finish line a few thousands light-years ahead of the Defiant and Sisko. She whooped with joy. Bajor had won.

In DS9, the Bajorans (and a few Cardassians) were bursting with joy. Quite a few people evidently, wanted to see Captain Sisko go down in flames. There was an enormous shout of elation at the end of the race. Sisko came out into the station from the parked Defiant and immediately saw Major Kira, who was talking to Dax. It seems that the race had also represented male versus female. He took a deep breath and walked over to Major Kira and Jadzia Dax. Dax smiled. “Congratulations Major on your win. I concede to the better pilot.” They shook hands. Kira smiled, too. “Thank you, Captain. I wasn’t sure I could beat you.”

At that point, the alarm went off. Captain Sisko, Major Kira, and Dax headed out to find out what was going on. When they walked into the command center, Sisko asked for the update. Worf said 6 Cardassian warships had appeared. “Hail them.” Sisko replied. The Cardassians did not respond immediately but headed at full-speed towards the station. Sisko readied the cannons. The Cardassians must have read the action because they finally responded, “Captain Sisko, Major Kira Nerys, we come with the most peaceful intentions…” Kira rolled her eyes and stopped herself from making a noise. “…we are asking for official help. Our planet is in trouble. We are in complete chaos. Our planet has fallen under some unidentified ailment that has undermined our society. We are falling apart. We are asking for help from the Federation, and even Bajor.” Kira clenched her teeth and balled her fists. “Where are you, Gul Dukat,” asked Sisko. They heard his voice but did not see him. The screen remained black. “Of course, we want to help. But I must confer with the Federation and Bajoran leaders. What specific help do you want and what can you tell me about the affliction.”

Finally, the screen turned on, but it was not Gul Dukat, they saw. They only saw a non-corporeal, globule of light. “I think it may be a poison.” The voice came from the entity. For they could tell it was an entity. As Dukat spoke, he changed colors to reflect his mood. He could not lie, as he usually did. It looked like he pointedly eyed Kira. Kira in turn, gazed intensely at Dukat. “Say what you mean, Dukat.” Kira sounded dangerous. “We have no weapon like that, and certainly we would never use it against the Cardassians…even if they deserve it.” Dukat looked away. Once again today, Kira won a contest. This time, she didn’t even notice. Even in her anger, her curiosity outweighed the normal ill feeling she had for the Cardassians, especially Gul Dukat. Sisko tried again, “What is going on Cardassia?” Gul Dukat was silent for a while, “We need help, will you help or not?” Gul Dukat was impatient but he didn’t want to lose the help of the Federation, he even welcomed the help of the Bajorans. Dukat finally said something, they thought no Cardassian woulde ever say, “I apologize Major Kira. Of course, the my race inflicted irreversible harm to Bajor and its people. I, also, personally want to apologize to you and to Captain Sisko, for all that we’ve done to Deep Space Nine, the Federation, and its people. As for the ailment, it seems that it makes us…not ourselves. We have no way of reversing the process. No one knows who is in charge. Our whole fabric of our society has been undermined.” Finally, Sisko said, “We’ll talk about it.” He ordered the screen off. He turned to Kira and Dax. “Looks like he’s hiding something but it seems like he’s really shaken by it.” Sisko said. Kira blurted out without thinking. “We need to help.” She was surprised at herself. She, a Bajoran underground fighter, wanting to help her past, bitter enemy? Why, in the Founder’s name, is she thinking that? She shook it off. She looked at Sisko, who looked totally astonished. She nodded her head signaling Bajoran help.

Sisko had Odo, Worf, Major Kira, Dax, and Dr. Bashir start preparations to go to Cardassia and find out what was going on. This would put a big strain on the station, but it was necessary. Normally, Sisko wouldn’t send his entire command staff but preliminary scans did show a lot of chaos on the planet. Small groups engaged in war with each other. The government had fallen. Mlitary dictators were the norm. Major players needed medical help. Plus, Dr. Bashir needed to find out what ailment had done this kind of damage. Most of all, Sisko didn’t trust the Cardassians. He wondered if they had unleashed some weapon on themselves accidently, and that it would soon affect DS9. He also asked, that is, begged the 2 Cardassians he knew. He rounded up Garak, who did it reluctantly, and Damar, who welcomed the chance to help his people. Obviously, an affliction that changed beings into non-corporeal entities would seriously cause chaos. Kira had pointed out that for a naturally violent, less than advanced civilization to go from that stage to a more advanced, less humanoid race would cause chaos because established social norms would be smashed to pieces.

Kira piloted the Defiant to Cardassia. “Whew. This is fantastic. I’m glad Sisko couldn’t use the full power of this ship. He would have won. This is wonderful.” Kira said to Dax.

On the planet, the Defiant’s crew were met with a Cardassian armed guard. “Gul Dukat asked us to help you.” “I’m surprised Gul Dukat knows what help is.” Kira replied. “But thank him anyway.” “Since when has Gul Dukat been in charge of all of Cardassia?” Worf growled. “He is the supreme ruler now.” “Seriously?!” Dax and Kira said together. “Why?” asked Dax. He has the powers, the understanding, he is one of the special ones.” “Special ones?” Dr. Bashir asked. “Yes. He is the leader of the elite.” “What makes him one of the elite?” Kira asked cautiously, afraid of what they said. She felt that it could make a very big difference for Bajor. “The way he looks, the way he thinks, the powers he has.”

They looked at each other. “This is all up to you, Doctor.” Kira said calmly.

As they made their way to the Cardassian capital, they received an urgent message from Bajor via Sisko. “Major Kira, I’m afraid you must come back to the station and report to Bajor.” “Is it bad?” her concern evident. “Yes. Evidently, Cardassia is not the only planet affected by this ailment.”

Kira looked at Julian Bashir. “Please, Doctor. Find out what’s happening and how to stop it. For me and for the people of Bajor.”

“Kira to Sisko. I’m ready.” “Major, we’re sending your Bajor Spirit to pick you up.” “Be ready.”

On Bajor, the situation was as bad as on Cardassia. The only difference was that it was a little less violent. Just a little. The spiritual leaders were no longer the spiritual leaders. They were toppled and became followers or they were killed. The reason for that was as simple as it was with the Cardassians—the new spiritual leaders were those who became the non-corporeal beings that Gul Dukat had become. Major Kira tried hard to keep those spiritual leaders from being killed. Kai Opaka relied on Major Kira. She alone of the spiritual leaders had kept her position, because, of course, she had also become one of the “special ones.”

Back on Cardassia, Dr. Bashir had a chance to examine Gul Dukat. He had the help of Dax and her science expertise. “Well, this is interesting.” Bashir said. “It seems like you are barely a Cardassian anymore. No offense.” He said to Dukat. “Yes, it’s true,” Dax said. “You have evolved. Become a higher being. So it seems you ARE more than the average Cardassian.”

“Bashir to Major Kira,” Dr. Bashir called. “Yes, Doctor. Please say you have good news. I could really, really use some.” “We know what is going on with Gul Dukat. With the help of Jadzia, we have found that Gul Dukat has become something special…he’s the evolution of Cardassians. He’s the higher being you’ve been wanting from them.” He joked.



As Major Kira stayed on Bajor trying hard to keep Bajor from falling into chaos, she began to feel different. She had headaches that wouldn’t go away. Her head felt like it was exploding. Her eyesight was going. She was beginning to see things differently. She saw energy flowing. She saw energy from each object, each person. Kira was worried. She contacted Sisko. “Captain, I may need help soon. I feel like I…” “What?” said Sisko concerned. “…I may have contracted the ailment. I don’t know what will happen to me. I don’t believe I will become an evolved being…and I’m not sure I want to be that anyway.”

One of the problems on Cardassia, Dax noticed, was that the ailment didn’t just help the afflicted evolve. Sometimes, it might have made them devolve. They became more violent. Their thinking became more primitive. They actually became dependent on others because they didn’t have the capacity to be social anymore. It was this behavior that led to the constant, many, violent clashes. Jadzia wanted to tell Kira what they learned, but she hesitated. This would actually really upset her. Then something happened that made Jadzia have to tell Kira. Kira, herself, became one of the affected. “Major Kira, we are working on an antidote."