Benjamin Sisko was first officer aboard the USS Saratoga at Wolf 359 when the Locutus-led Borg attack destroyed his ship. While Sisko managed to escape with his son Jake, he could not save his wife Jennifer. Afterwards, the bitter memories of that encounter manifested itself in uncharacteristic anger towards Captain Picard when Picard came aboard the Enterprise D. Sisko never forgot the loss of his wife, but he has since reconciled himself to the reality of the situation.
Sisko was unhappy with his reassignment to the commanding post of the far-flung Federation outpost Deep Space Nine and nearly resigned from Starfleet rather than submit to orders. He hadn't recovered from Wolf 359 and was wary of losing time with Jake, dearer than ever to him now that his wife had died. When he finally accepted the post, he took his son with him, apprehensive of what was in store. When chance allowed him to make contact with the Bajoran "Prophets" in the wormhole and consequently fulfill the Bajoran prophesy that made him an emissary in their eyes, Sisko felt alive again, a feeling he had lost for a long time.
Serving dual roles as a Federation officer overseeing the maintenance of Deep Space Sation and a religious icon rebuilding shattered Bajor came naturally to the strong-willed Sisko. His work during the last six years has ensured the safe passage of traveleres through the wormhole, safeguarded the Alpha Quadrant from the Dominion threat, and brought revitalizing hope to Bajor.
His Academy ambition of making captain by 30 and admiral by 40 has given way to the realization that he was more concerned with the execution of ideas and decisions than merely making them. This has contributed to Sisko's success in a place where Starfleet bureaucracy is not enough.
Sisko has his roots in New Orleans, where his father was a gourmet chef who insisted on a traditional family dinner so that everyone can try out his dishes. By 15, Sisko was working in his father's restaurant, Sisko's, during the summer. The family had a garden where the boys would pick vegetables and fruits for cooking purposes. Among his siblings he had one sister who currently lives in Portland, Oregan.
During his first week at the Starfleet Academy, Sisko was so homesick that he beamed back to New Orleans for dinner at 6:30 everyday to join his family. When his mother passed away, the elder Sisko insisted on working at his restaurant despite his son's concern over his health problems. With his father not overly fond of taking long trips to DS9, visits from him are few and far between.
Sisko was captain of the wrestling team during his Academy years and served his sophomore field study at Starbase 137.
As a fresh cadet just out of the Academy gates, Sisko met Curzon Dax, a Trill Federation officer joined with the symbiont Dax. They first met at Perlios Station, and from that point on Curzon became his mentor and friend for many years. They had wild times together, up until Sisko was in his late twenties, after he had married Jennifer and Jake had been born. Sisko met his future wife Jennifer on Earth at Gilgo Beach after his Academy graduation in 2354, and it was a case of love at first sight. Curzon attended his wedding and contributed to the atmosphere at his bachelor's party. They toured the Cliffs of Bole together, often visited Risa, and maintained a close friendship despite their disparate maritial status.
Sisko and Curzon served some months on the U.S.S. Livingston. By then Sisko was an experienced officer following the last UFP-Tzenkethi War during his term as lieutenant and lieutenant commander under Capt. Leyton on the U.S.S. Okinawa. Leyton promoted him in rank to become his first officer, and helped ingrain in Sisko something beyond a basic interest in engineering and ship design.
Sisko's next assignment aboard the U.S.S Saratoga was abruptly terminated by the battle at Wolf 359. The loss of his wife was still fresh on his mind when the jadzia that Leyton, an admiral at the time, had nominated him for the post of DS9 that opened upon Cardassian withdrawal. While considering a resignation to escape the post, Sisko considered directing construction of orbital habitats on Earth - the field of astrionics he was asked to teach at the University of Vasteras in Sweden. In the end, Sisko not only decided to stay but convinced Bajorans and Promenade merchants like Quark to stay and rebuild the economy on board.
He initially was at odds with Major Kira and Constable Odo, climaxing during a case where she went over his head to Starfleet. However, he soon learned to value their opinions and abilities as time passed. Sisko has stood by Kira during her battles with the Bajoran Provisional
Government and been aware of her discomfort at his status as her religion's "emissary." Likewise, he has defended Odo's performance and solo-streak from criticism by Starfleet headquarters, and refused to desert him more than once.
Sisko was very glad that Dax, though in the shape of Jadiza, was serving aboard DS9.
Though taken aback at first by the young and beautiful Jadzia, he soon found familiarity with her and resumed calling her by Curzon's "old man" nickname, a rare case for Trills who are barred from reassociation with a former host. He and Dax had lost touch after Jennifer's death early in 2367 wehn Curzon slowly slid into death and Dax was joined to Jadzia later that year.
When Jadzia had made up her mind to join the dimension-shifting Meridians, he was inwardly very regretful of her choice, but he valued their friendship enough to wish her the best. He thought he'd never get used to the "new Dax," but he developed a bond with her just as strong as he did with Curzon. He confronted the Trill Symbiosis Commission and threatened to turn Trill society upside-down by revealing the Joran scandal after the long quest with Bashir to save Jadzia's life. After taking the risk of embodying the murderous Joran for Dax's zhian'tara, he counseled her not to let Curzon manipulate her again in Odo's form. Dax may have a latent attraction to him, since under the effects of Lwaxana Troi's Zanthi fever she can't keep away from him.
Sisko has had moments of parental anxiety towards Jake. Early on he was wary of Jake running loose on the Promenade without supervision and banned his friendship with the Ferengi boy Nog until he got to know him better. The milestones of Jake's aging often left him confused or anxious, especially when he first dated with a Dabo girl from Quark's. He knew Jake was writing, though he'd try to hide it, and learned from his girlfriend Marta that he even wrote poetry and was quite a hand at dom-jot, a gambling game. Jake secretly did not want to be a Starfleet officer, but could not bring himself to face the dissappointment in his father's eyes.
The two Siskos have long shared a love for baseball. Benjamin brought a holo-program he brought to DS9 so they could hit it out in the holosuite with legendary sluggers such as his hero Buck Bokai. A baseball is kept on display on the commander's desk; and when playing, he's a right-handed pitcher. He also keeps up with soccer, but he is not much good at poker and is outclassed by O'Brien and Bashir in darts. He does play 2-D and 3-D chess, often with Dax. In keeping up to speed with the goings-on in the station, he's been reading up on the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition as of his third year as well as hosted a Gratitude Dinner during the same-named Bajoran festival in 2371.
Sisko occassionally prepared a meal for his staff, as he still loves cooking Cajun. He also cooks Hungarian food when in a good mood. His usual drink on duty is coffee - more specifically the Klingon variety, raktajino - first thing in the morning, and everybody, even Dukat, seems to know about it. Kira claims she could set her watch by it during his first year.
Sisko had settled into his role as a commanding officer of DS9 and the emissary for the Bajoran prophets by the third year. Backed by efficient and dependable officers, his work has been crucial to the stabilization of the sector he is in and the safety of the Alpha Quadrant in general.
However, his ease and tranquility were shattered with the start of Dominion hostilities. The tensions between the Federation and the Dominion, two powers in their respective Quadrants, rose steadily as the two eyed each other warily. When the Cardassians joined the Dominion, Jem'Hadar convoys began to come through the wormhole and converge in Cardassian space. This worried Sisko so much he applied to Headquarters to mine the entrance of the wormhole and stop shipments, which was granted. The War
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