1293. CrossfirePUBLICATION: Star Trek: Divided We Fall #1, Wildstorm Comics, July 2001
CREATORS: John J. Ordover and David Mack (writers), Andrew Currie, Richard Bennett and David Roach (artists)
STARDATE: Unknown (between The Abyss and Gateways - DS9 relaunch novels; TNG crew is between Insurrection and Nemesis)
PLOT: Somebody is targeting Trill hosts. Many have been killed, and the Enterprise-E manages to save the Odan symbiont. It telepathically relates information to Troi, including confusing images of Riker bedding Crusher while the worm was in him. Meanwhile, former Dax lover Lenara Kahn is being ransomed on Trill, and Ezri (and the Defiant) try to get her back. It's only a ploy to lure the Dax symbiont into enemy hands, however. Turns out a faction of Purists is claiming symbionts are an invading species that has, since its introduction, placed itself at the top of Trill society. Now they want to eliminate all the hosts to free their world from this percieved occupation. Ezri is kidnapped and Bashir tries to follow, even as the Enterprise-E offers to rendezvous with the Defiant. Ezri discovers that one of the leaders of the Purists is Verad, who once tried to steal her symbiont...
CONTINUITY: Taking place after the DS9 novel relaunch, it features characters introduced in Avatar like Commander Vaughn and Shar. Similarly, Lt. Commander Bashir and an Ezri in command red have a difficult relationship, Nog is made chief of operations and Ro Laren is security chief. Perim is at the helm position on the Enterprise-E (Insurrection); she is now a lieutenant. Trill ambassador Odan first appeared in The Host. We find out transporters are now configured for "all Trill physiologies" explaining away divergences between TNG and DS9 Trill (potentially, see Divergences). Lenara Kahn first appeared in Rejoined. Riker and Troi have only recently rekindled their relationship (Insurrection). Verad was briefly joined with Dax in Invasive Procedures.
DIVERGENCES: Odan's comic book appearance (DC's TNG Annual #4) is completely ignored. Kareel Odan has Trill spots instead of forehead ridges.
PANEL OF THE DAY - About as gay as Dr. Crusher is likely to get.
REVIEW: A mini-series that could be really epic, attacking one of the starring species of DS9, interlinking with other Trill appearances in TNG lore. There's lots of action, but also personal drama with Trill-affected couples from both casts. Ezri is confused about her feelings for Bashir (as per the novels) and Troi finds herself jealous of Crusher because of a (hot) flash from the Dax symbiont. And while this new DS9 status quo could have been difficult for people who haven't read the relaunch books, they've kept continuity references to a minimum. If you've seen What You Leave Behind and are ready to take changes and new characters in stride, this is no more difficult than, say, Peter David's TOS series for DC, which had new "low-level" characters inhabiting it. A strong start. I wonder if they can actually effect changes in the Trek universe though. It'd be really cool if we had an uncompromising story here. Nice to see actual series writers doing the comics as well (Ordover and Mack wrote Starship Down and It's Only a Paper Moon together).
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