Star Trek 1134: Working Vacation

1134. Working Vacation

PUBLICATION: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #7, Malibu Comics, February 1994

CREATORS: Len Strazewski (writer), Rob Davis and Terry Pallot (artists)

STARDATE: Unknown (between Melora and Rules of Acquisition)

PLOT: When she becomes a pest during negotiations with the Cardassians, Kira is sent "on vacation" to vet the Gamma Quadrant world of Zaria 5 which is offering its services as a pleasure planet. Kira soon discovers the Zarians have a servant class, the contract of which is annually "negotiated" in a televised power suit duel. Of course, the servants aren't trained in combat and so can never turn the tables on the master class. Failing to convince the servant "negotiator" to fight for his people, she ties him up and secretly takes his place in the arena. She wins, which begins real negotiations between the two races of Zaria 5.

CONTINUITY: Dukat makes an appearance.

DIVERGENCES: Kira is able to see Bajor from a window on Deep Space 9.

PANEL OF THE DAY - What happens when an inker doesn't think much of your penciling.
REVIEW: Len Strazewski has never been a favorite writer of mine (despite his fun take on the Fly), but neither has Mike Barr. However, both of them are handing in good DS9 comic book scripts. This spotlight on Kira is fun fluff that's nonetheless true to the character. It's almost like Sisko knew a non-Starfleet solution was best and sent Kira to do exactly what he knew she would. The power armor fight is well handled, with Kira's presence inside one of them revealed with the kind of see-thru effect the Iron Man movie made shorthand. Seeing it in '94 is pretty cool.