1137. Requiem II / Hearts and Minds PreludePUBLICATION: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #9, Malibu Comics, June 1994
CREATORS: Mark A. Altman (writer), Gordon Purcell, Scott Reed and Larry Welsh / Rob Davis and Terry Pallot (artists)
STARDATE: 47295.3 (follows the last issue)
PLOT: In Requiem II, O'Brien and the station's old chief engineer Dulath continue to work on the generators when a bomb destroys the back-up. Dulath is suspected, but O'Brien needs him to restore the main generator even as the station loses artificial gravity and other systems. It is soon revealed that he was innocent of sabotage when the 10-year-old Ti Malor is found dead in a shielded part of the station, dead for months from radiation poisoning. After her parents were killed by the Cardassians, she planted a bomb that has only now been activated. Kira vows not to forget this girl who reminds her so much of herself. In the Hearts and Minds Prelude, after the Klingon captain Krek of the K'Tang has been to Deep Space 9, he is ambushed by Cardassians in a region of space called "the Abyss"...
CONTINUITY: Morn is seen floating on the Promenade, and arm-wrestling a Klingon in the Prelude. Rom also appears. Captain Krek has a monster dog just like Kruge's (The Search for Spock); the film's novelization calls this a Warrigul.
DIVERGENCES: See previous issue (Dulath). Qapla' is spelled Kaplow.
PANEL OF THE DAY - Who needs words?
REVIEW: Requiem has a strong finish, though O'Brien's change of attitude is less motivated than I would have liked. I admit to dozing off during some of the repair scenes (how much of this must there be?) and everyone tends to look alike in the radiation suits (especially under some of that less-than-stellar pinch hitter inking). Much better are the scenes with Kira, her flashes back to when she was 10 years old, and her heartbreaking bond with Ti Malor. The last page reminded me very much of the show, as "heavy lies the head" of Kira, in a complete breakdown. Here and in other moments, Altman trusts in the art to convey everything and doesn't over-dialogue his panels. The prelude of Hearts and Minds is merely set-up, though full of details in both art and writing. I guess I'll be taking a break from the main series and reviewing the Hearts and Minds mini-series over the rest of the week. As long as we're already there...
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