So is Kira First Officer of the Defiant?

I've been watching Season 3 of DS9 on DVD, and this is the season where the Defiant is introduced. However, ever since I first saw Season 3 back in the early-2000's, I've wondered why Kira is apparently first officer of the Defiant? On the station DS9 I can understand, since in various episodes, especially Emissary & Dax it is mentioned that Sisko requested a Bajoran nationalist as first officer on DS9 which is a Bajoran space station (of course in Defiant it is also shown that she has to liaise with Starfleet as well as giving the Bajoran government updates, which makes sense as Sisko has also mentioned that he reports to both Starfleet and the Bajoran government due to Starfleet's administrative role on DS9.)

However, the Defiant is a Starfleet ship, which leads me to wonder why a Bajoran Militia officer is first officer on the Defiant, and as we saw in Defiant, apparently has the command codes necessary to unlock the Defiant's systems by herself. And even in Past Tense Part 1 it is mentioned that Kira does not need to attend "official" Starfleet events---even though she is apparently the first officer in that episode of the Defiant. Considering that we've never seen another situation like that (although I guess Chakotay on Voyager might qualify---of course he was Starfleet before he joined the Maquis, but he was Maquis when Janeway gave him the field commission of first officer of Voyager; and Kurn was on a special assignment between the Federaiton and the Klingon Empire). And in Past Tense Part 1, when Kira and O'Brien beam down to the different time's on Earth, it appears as if Odo is left in command of the ship rather than a Starfleet officer (of course no mention is made of Michael Eddington being onboard and being the Officer in command while Kira is gone or another Bajoran who actually went to Starfleet and has a Starfleet commission). So is the Defiant some sort of "UN/Nato" situation where Kira has authorization because she is the Bajoran liaison to DS9 where the Defiant is docked?

 

She was probably the de facto XO during season 3. There's Star Trek precedent of senior officers of foreign services serving in command. And since the ship was garrisoned at the station, I'm sure it was up to commander's discretion for it to follow the same chain of command.

For one thing, there weren't any other senior officers around at the time. But of course, once Worf showed up and Jadzia was promoted, that wasn't an issue. I think the only other time she sat in the char was Tribble-ations, but of course Nana was really pregnant at the time.

 

The way the Defiant was crewed doesn't really make much sense. They operated it more like a runabout, with no permanent crew or command, just assigning whoever seemed to make sense for a given mission. That could be Kira, or Jadzia, or Sisko if he was going.

 

It was pretty clear that Sisko was the captain of the Defiant as well as being CO of DS9. As such, he could turn over command of the ship to pretty much whomever he chooses.

Although I suspect that technically any time Kira or Odo were in charge there was actually a Starfleet officer whose superior had told him/her "Do what Kira (or Odo) says".
Did we ever see a scene where Sisko was commanding and got incapacitated and Kira took over?

 

"Starship Down" is probably the closest thing, though that was inconclusive.

 

I've always thought that Kira was probably given command authority on any Starfleet assets in the Bajor sector as part of the alliance between Bajor and the Federation.

 

Regarding Eddington not appearing in the "PAST TENSE" two-parter, since all the other senior officers were away, he was the highest ranking Starfleet officer on DS9, it makes sense that he was placed in command until Sisko returns.

 

Yes, Tears of the Prophets.

 

I think that Kira was probably the de facto XO of the Defiant during season 3. However I believe it was later established that Worf was later appointed XO of the Defiant over Kira with dialogue to the effect that "(in the absence of Captain Sisko) you may command the station, Major, but I command the Defiant"

Incidently, I would have prefered that they had kept/replaced T'Rul as a the Defiant's Engineer/Tactical Officer, and also added at least an assigned First Lieutenant/CONN, a Security/Boarding Officer or NCO and a medic(al officer).

 

How about this?

Kira is not just the XO on DS9, but she is the XO of Sisko's entire combined command? Combined command being DS9, the Defiant, all the runabouts, all personnel, all Starfleet equipment and assets availible to Sisko.

I don't think Sisko would have the authority to do that, he couldn't (one example) give command to his wife, even thought she a civilian freighter captain.

When was Odo clearly in command of the Defiant?

 

Never. He never commanded the Defiant. In fact, I never remember him giving an order to Starfleet personnel concerning anything outside his own duties.

 

Read the lines around it: they suggest that even if Worf is recognized as the XO of the Defiant, he doesn't enjoy autonomy to assign it as he wants. Kira can choose to deploy it or not.

 

Yes, it is like a runabout. It is an asset for the station to conduct missions that evolve naturally from Sisko's command. And to that end, the command structure is specific to the mission in progress.

 

During the third season the Defiant basically was mobile DS9, and as such Kira was XO on the Defiant because she was XO on the station. From season 4 onwards they make a separate distinction of Kira being the station's XO and Worf being the Defiant's XO. Indeed, if Sisko's not on the Defiant, Worf is in command, even when Kira is present. Though, strangely enough, in Tears of the Prophets when Sisko has to step aside, it's Kira who takes command rather than Worf.

 

In The Search Part 1 Odo mentions that he is a commissioned officer in the Bajoran militia. So he does have some sort of rank. And even in Babel Sisko (which I realize was a very odd circumstance) told Odo that he was in command of DS9 if Sisko fell victim to the virus.

 

Does this dialogue from Apocalypse Rising resolve this?

WORF: It would take a fleet of Klingon ships to breach the station's defences. I say we take the Defiant and go looking for them.
O'BRIEN: I'm with Worf.
KIRA: I'm glad the two of you are in agreement. But with the Captain gone, I am in charge of the station and I say we stay.
WORF: You may be in charge of the station, Major, but I command the Defiant.
KIRA: Mister Worf, the Captain has given us our orders and I intend for us to follow them until he issues new ones.

 

Never mind already mentioned :-)

 

Yes it does. The CAG may control the planes, but he can't take off without the ship captain's approval.

 

People use this exchange as proof that Worf was XO of the Defiant, but it's clearly specific to this situation. With Sisko off the station and the chance of a Klingon attack perceived to be high, Kira was given command of the station, but Worf would command the Defiant if she needed to be launched. Essentially Sisko didn't want his two most experienced officers taking off on the Defiant and leaving the station vulnerable under the command of Ensign Day Player.

Despite Worf's objections and the way the debate was cut off, it's pretty obvious that Kira would have won the argument. Did Worf ever command the Defiant when Kira was also present? I can't think of any times. Starship Down possibly, but that was an emergency situation and Kira was still essentially in command on the bridge. She was well established as Worf's boss.

 

This is a structure that re-adjusts at the necessity of plot.

In "Paradise Lost," Worf commands the Defiant even though Kira is aboard. Even though Kira was clearly left in command of DS9 when Sisko and Odo left for Earth.

In "Rules of Engagement," Worf commanded the Defiant while Kira was aboard.

In "Starship Down," Worf was left in command on the bridge, with Kira sitting with Dax in the rear of the bridge. Later, Worf ordered Kira to tend to Sisko while he went below to the engine room to regain control.

In "Sons of Mogh," Sisko assigns Kira to command the Defiant to investigate unusual Klingon activity, she asks if she should take Worf. Sisko refuses, but it would have put Worf under Kira's command.

Yet in "Tears of the Prophets," when Sisko is drained by the Pah-Wraith attack on the Wormhole, Kira takes command and Worf says nothing. She looks to him for his opinion on O'Brien's plan to destroy the power source of the orbital weapon platforms, but Kira was clearly in command.

It depends on the episode or the season. Season 4 they were making a bigger showing of Worf being a command officer, they backed off from that in later seasons.