In "Starship Down" Defiant struggles to keep Sisko alive as she herself faces death.
Defiant resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she listened to the Karta's ship whine. The trade agreement with the Ferengi was so far proving to be difficult for them do to all the taxes and terrifs in place.
"Defiant are you listening?" Sisko asked. "Hmm? Oh yes sir. Yes." She replied. "Then tell me exactly what our friend has just told us." Sisko crossed his arms and waited. "Um..." Defiant's hesitation was all the answer Sisko needed. "Defiant, we're supposed to be helping these people come up with a new trade agreement." He said. "I know, captain." She grumbled. "It is vital we maintain communication with the Gamma Quadrant and work our way to getting on the Dominion Empire's good side." Sisko continued. "I know captain." She sighed. "The Karta are a part of the Dominion, they can bring us one step closer to achieving that relationship." Sisko said. "I KNOW!" Defiant roared. "I know how important this mission is but dammit I'm a warship, not a diplomat!" "Take it easy, Defiant. No need to yell." Sisko made to stroke her helm. Defiant shook away from him. "Hmph." She grumbled. Sisko sighed.
Their spat was interrupted as 2 Jem'Hadar ships came in at high speed. "And here come the po-leece to ruin the party." Defiant grumbled. "Ah, don't run." She told the Karta ship. "I can't protect you if you flee. And of course, they never listen..." Defiant rolled her eyes as the Karta fled. Both Jem'Hadar ships chased after her and she led them into the atmosphere of a Class J gas giant. "Come on Defiant." Sisko said. "Oh hell no!" The starship growled. "I'm not going in there, no way!" "Defiant!" Sisko repeated a bit more harshly this time. "Oooh, you owe me for this one big time!" Defiant growled, grumbling about how going into this planet's atmosphere was killing her buzz.
The Jem'Hadar didn't care either way. They opened fire on her as soon as she entered. There was so much interference, Defiant's sensors were useless. She had only her eyesight and that didn't penetrate far through the swirling clouds. She groaned as she felt their hits. "Come on you little bastards, let's party." She growled. Her own aim was way off and their next shots knocked her forward. The blow drew the breath right out of her and the starship sat motionless for a few minutes as she tried to recover. She could make out the purple flashes of the Jem'Hadar's warp nacelles as they went by. Giving a low growl, Defiant lunged. Her bravado was met with two phaser shots right to her nacelles. Her engines were offline and she was knocked unconscious. She drifted helpless. The only good thing was the Jem'Hadar were as blind as she was and couldn't detect her as she didn't move.
Defiant came to an hour later, aware of her crew's state as well as her own. It wasn't good. She'd taken heavy damage and that had affected her crew as well. Most notably Captain Sisko who was drifting in and out of consciousness. Defiant could sense her connection with him fading. The man was dying. A distressed whine escaped her. She cared for Sisko. She cared dearly. "He'll be alright." Kira murmured. "He cannot die. He's the Emissary." Defiant was well aware of the Bajorian beliefs regarding the Emissary, the one chosen by the prophets to lead Bajor into a new age. She wasn't sure if Sisko was that man but she did know that she too could not allow Sisko to pass. "Pray with me." Kira murmured. Defiant nodded.
"J'kashe, Ten Toleran. La'Pol el'anico enar. Ta'ana talihor." Defiant whispered in a perfect Bajorian accent. Kira's voice matched hers. "J'kashe. Ten Toleran. La'Pol el'anico enar. Ta..." Defiant and Kira broke off when Sisko murmured "Kira." "Sir?" "Yes sir?" asked the human and starship respectively. "Tell me another story." Sisko said. Defiant chuckled. "Go ahead Kira." She told her. "Thank you for your help." The Bajorian officer said, patting her helm. Defiant purred. "Happy to be of service."
Defiant's phasers were down but with the generator still on line she could use her deflector dish to fire a phaser. But she'd only have one shot before it overloaded. One shot would be all she needed though. She spotted a Jem'Hadar ship that had locked onto the tachyon pulse emitted by her launched probe. Once it was in range, Defiant fired. The Jem'Hadar exploded. "Hi, I'm Defiant. Nice to meet you!" She laughed.
The starship returned to DS9 with the Karka's ship survivors and an overeager group of runabounts. "You were amazing Defiant!" squealed one. "The Jem'Hadar wouldn't dare mess with this place with you defending it." Squealed another. Defiant chuckled, enjoying the attention. "My dock 21:00 hours. I will tell you everything." She said, earning herself a cheer from the little ships. "Nice to be admired." Sisko said. "You did a good job out there today, girl. Well done." He stroked her helm affectionately. Defiant could only grin and blush in reply.