Summary

• Chief O'Brien faces accusations of being a "war criminal" for his past actions during the Dominion War.
• The self-replicating mines O'Brien designed helped secure victory for the Alliance, but are now being misused.
• O'Brien struggles with the consequences of his technological contributions, as they are now being used for nefarious purposes.

Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #17!

galaxy spanning Dominion War. This necessitated the crew making hard decisions, some of which had dire consequences once the War ended. Now, in Star Trek: Defiant #17, Chief O’Brien learns that technology he designed to help win the War is now being used for nefarious purposes.

Star Trek: Defiant #17 is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. Chief Miles O’Brien, now an instructor at Starfleet Academy, is informed by one of his students that some view him as a “war criminal.” O’Brien is aghast at the accusations. The student continues on, invoking the self-replicating mines O’Brien and Rom designed during the War.

O’Brien justifies his actions by stating the mines kept the Dominion at bay.

The student, unfazed, informs O’Brien that the Romulans, Cardassians and maybe even Section 31 have used the mines to oppress former Dominion worlds–and nearly 5,000 have died.

Chief O'Brien Found Himself At the Forefront of the Galaxy's Biggest War

Chief O'Brien's Technological Contributions Helped During the War

After serving as the Enterprise’s transporter chief, Miles O’Brien made the leap to Deep Space Nine, where he became the station’s engineer. Tasked with bringing the derelict Cardassian station up to Starfleet standards, O’Brien was soon swept up in the excitement surrounding the discovery of the Bajoran wormhole, which elevated both Deep Space Nine and Bajor to major galactic significance. The joy was soon tempered by first with the Dominion, a massive galactic empire based in the Gamma Quadrant. At the war’s height, O’Brien helped design self-replicating mines which Starfleet used to keep Dominion reinforcements in the Gamma Quadrant.

While the Dominion eventually destroys the minefield, the technology proves irresistible to some of the galaxy’s shadiest players, such as the Romulans and Section 31.

The self-replicating mines were instrumental in the Alliance’s victory during the War. The Dominion kept reinforcements waiting on the other side of the wormhole, but they were unable to enter the Alpha Quadrant thanks to the mines. It took the Dominion some time to dismantle the mines, a testament to O’Brien and Rom’s ingenuity. The time the Dominion wasted taking the mines down allowed the Alliance to wear down their defenses. While the Dominion eventually destroys the minefield, the technology proves irresistible to some of the galaxy’s shadiest players, such as the Romulans and Section 31.

Is Chief O'Brien Really Responsible For What Has Happened After the War Ended?

He Cannot Control What Section 31 Does

The use of the mines after the Dominion War raises questions over Chief O’Brien’s culpability in said use, and whether he is truly a “war criminal.” O’Brien is correct in that the mines helped the Alliance secure a victory, and he is horrified to learn the misery they have brought on the galaxy since. O’Brien is powerless in this situation, having no control over the actions of Section 31 or the Cardassians. The Dominion War cast a long, dark shadow over the Star Trek universe, and it may cause Deep Space Nine’s Chief O’Brien to have a dark legacy.

Star Trek: Defiant #17 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!