Star Trek 1169: Genesis Denied, Part I

1169. Genesis Denied, Part I / Mudd's Pets, Part I

PUBLICATION: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #26, Malibu Comics, July 1995

CREATORS: Chris Dows and Colin Clayton / Randy & Jean-Marc Lofficier (writers), Rob Davis and Jack Snider / Keith Conroy and Larry Welch (artists)

STARDATE: Unknown / 48597.4 (both between Prophet Motive and Visionary)

PLOT: A Cardassian ship is destroyed near DS9 and its escape pod brings Gul Akha to the station. Soon, his pursuers, in a gigantic Varaha ship from the other side of Cardassian space, arrive, and then a couple more Cardassian battleships. Akha turns out to be mad for revenge against the Varaha who have more than once postponed his ascension to Grand Gul. The Varaha ask for Bashir's help in healing the protective bio-suit of their "controller". Sisko agrees, but as they come on board, the Cardassians pounce on their escorts and head the Varaha at the pass, and a curious Jake is also caught in the crossfire... In Mudd's Pets, Horace T. Mudd comes aboard DS9 and tries to sell some "Meeps" to Quark. Some of these cute bioengineered animals have escaped however and shown their true colors. They start eating through the station, dissolving bulkheads as they go. Now Sisko and crew have 36 hours to stop them before they have to evacuate DS9...

CONTINUITY: Horace T. Mudd is Harry Mudd's descendant (Mudd's Women, I, Mudd). The T stands for Tiberius (a reference to Kirk).

DIVERGENCES: None.

PANEL OF THE DAY - "Now that is one big ship..."
REVIEW: The start of two very fun stories! I'm very interested in the aliens from beyond Cardassian space (with the Gamma Quadrant so near, few have tried expanding on the Alpha Quadrant in DS9), and Gul Akha is a right jackass--I mean, an interesting character. There's danger, cool visuals, and intriguing aliens mixed with solid classics. Mudd's Pets is more of a comedy, but where the plot is fairly ordinary (think of lame episodes like Evolution and Cost of Living, for example), the way it's told more than makes up for it. The story is ironically narrated by Mudd at a judicial hearing, so what he says isn't quite what's on panel. Witty stuff (I love the phrase "Tribble torture farm"). The likenesses are a bit rough however.