Stardate not given: After the loss of a friend in the war, a despondent Sisko is considering giving up and leaving the fight to someone else – but then he begins having strange hallucinations, in which he is Benny Russell, a struggling black writer for a science fiction magazine, facing racism on Earth in the 1950’s. Inspired by a drawing of a space station, Benny writes a story called “Deep Space Nine,” about the adventures of Captain Benjamin Sisko – but the magazine editor, Pabst, refuses to run the story, believing that no one will want to read a story about a black captain. Will Benny’s dream of a better future prevail…or is Pabst right?
teleplay by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
story by Mark Scott Zicree
directed by Avery Brooks
music by Dennis McCarthyCast: Avery Brooks (Benny Russell), Rene Auberjonois (Douglas Pabst), Michael Dorn (Willie Hawkins), Terry Farrell (Darlene), Cirroc Lofton (Jimmy), Colm Meaney (Albert), Armin Shimerman (Herb), Alexander Siddig (Jules), Nana Visitor (K.C.), Brock Peters (Joseph Sisko/Preacher), Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun/Mulkahey), Marc Alaimo (Dukat/Ryan), J.G. Hertzler (Roy), Aron Eisenberg (Vendor), Penny Johnson (Kasidy/Cassie)
LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover