The Ladies of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Penny Johnson as Captain Kassidy Yates

Return to Deep Space Nine

Captain Kassidy Danielle Yates, a commercial freighter captain who passes through Deep Space Nine frequently, was introduced to Commander Benjamin Sisko by his match-maker son, Jake.  He mentions over dinner that the freighter captain, Kassidy Yates, that he previously mentioned (Explorers) is back on the station and thinks his dad should meet her (Family Business).  Benjamin meets Kassidy and they agree to have coffee together on the Promenade.  He learns that her brother is a colonist on Cestus III, on the opposite end of Federation space, and is a member of a baseball team.  Benjamin  Sisko was not aware that there was still a place where the game is still played; he and Jake are baseball lovers, but they can only enjoy the game on the holodeck in simulations.  Soon, Commander Sisko and Captain Yates walk off together, deep in conversation about baseball,  to listen to a delayed subspace transmission of a recent game in which her brother was a player.  Kassidy returns to the station after a freight run and has dinner with Captain Sisko (The Way of the Warrior), and gives him a baseball cap from the Pike City Pioneers, her brother's team.  A call from Operations interrupts them before dinner; there is a large Klingon fleet near the station, on its way to invade Cardassia.  The Federation disapproves and there is a falling out with the Klingon Empire.  Kassidy departs on a supply run, is intercepted by a Klingon ship, and sends a distress call to the station.  Captain Sisko takes the Defiant out to her assistance.  She then proceeds on her way and he returns to Deep Space Nine.  The station receives a call from Cardassia requesting assistance with the evacuation of the new D'Tappa Council.   Captain Sisko prepares to depart just as Kassidy returns.  They meet in the corridor, kiss, and he's gone; but she has to leave the next day for an extended trip.   Kassidy returns from the trip and tells Benjamin that she may soon be working for the Bajoran Ministry of Commerce (Indiscretion), and would be able to live on the station.   She tells him over dinner later that she has been selected for the job, but they have an argument because he lacks enthusiasm; so she tells him she won't take the job.   Captain Sisko looks for her later and finds her in a cargo bay preparing to leave again.  He apologizes and asks her to take the job.  She then tells him she has already accepted it, and that he has a lot to learn about women.  Some weeks later, Odo and Lieutenant Commander Eddington, a federation security officer, tell Captain Sisko there is reason to believe there is a Maquis agent on Deep Space Nine; his girlfriend, Kasidy Yates (For the Cause).  He denies them permission to put her under surveillance, but allows a search of her ship, if there is a justifiable reason.  Later, Jake asks his father and Kassidy about a species of animal native to a planet near the Badlands, Captain Sisko takes the opportunity to probe question her about her regular cargo runs to another nearby planet.  Her responses indicate that she avoids going anywhere near the Badlands.   Odo later goes to Kassidy Yate's ship to make a health inspection, but she complains to Captain Sisko that the inspection will make her miss a rendezvous with another transport ship waiting for her cargo.  He allows her to depart, but orders Lieutenant Commander Worf to follow her in the Defiant.  She heads straight into the Badlands, where she has a rendezvous with a Maquis ship.  The Defiant arrives back at Deep Space Nine, and Captain Sisko receives a briefing on Kasidy's activities.  He does not let her know what he knows; but when she says she has another cargo run to make later that evening, he orders Worf to follow in the Defiant and, if she again meets the Maquis, to detain both ships arrest their crews.  Captain Sisko goes to the docking bay where Kassidy is preparing to leave and suggests that they go off to Risa for some Rest and Relaxation.  She declines and says she has commitments to meet, but she could meet him on Risa later.   Kassidy Yates leaves on her cargo run, and he takes the Defiant to follow.  They arrive at the Badlands and sit in wait under cloak while Kassidy circles for hours waiting for a rendezvous that never happens.   Captain Sisko realizes that she has been used in a ploy to get him and the Defiant away from Deep Space Nine and they head back at maximum speed.  Commander Eddington is in the process of stealing some replicators destined for Cardassia, and he later contacts Captain Sisko and pokes fun at hime for his loyalty to the Federation.   Captain Sisko is surprised when Kassidy Yates returns, without her crew, to face whatever charges are to be brought against her.  She tells him that she doesn't want to give up what they have between them and says that she'll be back, he says he'll be there.  Six months later, Captain Sisko, Major Kira, and Lieutenant Commander Dax are inspecting a painting of the legendary Bajoran city of Ba'Halla, recently recovered from Cardassia.   He points out that the carvings on an obelisk in the city's center are supposed to provide the coordinates of the city's location (Rapture).  He goes to a holosuite to recreate the obelisk and study it and is hit by a power surge.  Doctor Bashir examines him and finds nothing wrong.  Jake reminds his father at dinner that Kassidy Yates will soon be back on Deep Space Nine, after completing her 6-month prison term for aiding the Maquis.  He seems distracted, and Jake finds him forming Bajoran symbols with his food.  Captain Sisko later gets a subspace call from Admiral Watley informing him that Bajor's application for Federation membership has been approved and that the signing ceremonies will be held on Deep Space Nine at Bajor's request.  Major Kira later goes to the holosuite, where Captain Sisko is again working on the symbols on the ancient city's obelisk.   She finds him in a deep trance and physically shakes him awake.  He tells her he has just been to Ba'Halla, and describes some of the sights and sounds he experienced.  Chief O'Brien interrupts to tell them Kai Winn will soon arrive on the station for the signing ceremony.  Captain Sisko gives Kira the "honor" of welcoming the Kai aboard.  He stays in the holosuite, obsessed with figuring out the mystery of the obelisk, and Kassidy Yates enters.   They kiss passionately, and he asks her to go with him to Bajor, saying that he thinks he has found the location of Ba'Halla.  They take a runabout to the planet and beam into underground caverns.   He announces after a short walk they have arrived at the place, but all she sees is a rock wall.  He fires his phaser at the rocks and the wall melts away, revealing a huge chamber with the ancient obelisk at its center.  Admiral Watley later visits the site of the ancient city, where Captain Sisko and others are carefully excavating the covered ruins.  The Admiral expresses his concern over Sisko's seeming obsession with the city and orders him to report to Doctor Bashir the next morning for a complete physical.  The next morning, he is late for his appointment, but soon arrives to the acclaim of the Bajorans gathered on the station.  He suddenly collapses from a strong headache.  Doctor Bashir tells Sisko that his neural pathways deteriorating, the problem can only be corrected by surgery, and that he will die without it.  Sisko, however, refuses to undergo the operation when he learns that it will cause him to stop having his visions of Ba'Halla.   Jake and Kassidy try to convince him to undergo the surgery but he refuses, saying that just as he held newborn Jake in his arms and studied his face, he must now hold the universe in his mind and study its face.  Kai Winn comes in to help Sisko on his journey.  Jake protests, but Sisko says he trusts Kai Winn, to which Jake angrily responds, "since when do you trust her?"  Captain Sisko then departs with the Kai.  She prays to the Prophets and takes him to the Orb of Prophecy.  Sisko sits in front of the Orb's cabinet holding the Orb and opens the door.  Sometime later, Admiral Watley is angry that Captain Sisko is an hour late for the signing ceremonies.  Kai Winn tells him that the Emissary's encounter with the Orb may last hours or even days, and they agree to proceed without him.  Captain Sisko staggers in at that point, saying, "the locusts are headed toward Bajor", and that "it is too soon.  If Bajor joins the Federation now, it will be destroyed."  He then collapses. Doctor Bashir tells the others that the Capatin's only hope of survival is the surgery he had earlier recommended.  Since he did not consent when he was conscious, only Jake, as his closest relative, can give consent to the surgery.  Jake goes to his unconscious father and asks his forgiveness, but sayes he still needs him.   Jake then tells Doctor Bashir to proceed with the operation.  Kai Winn tells the Admiral that the Bajoran Ruling Council has decided to postpone accepting Federation membership.  Captain Sisko awakens from the surgery and is distraught at having lost the visions.  He tells Bashir he was almost to the point of "understanding it all" but now it's gone.  Admiral Watley later tells him his recent activites could be grounds for court-martial, but acknowledges that any action taken against the Emissary would probable lose Bajor forever as a possible Federation member.  He tries to reassure the Admiral, saying he knows Bajor will eventually become a Federation member, but when the time is right.  Captain Sisko returns to his quarters, and is warmly greeted by Jake and Kassidy.  The three of them hold hands, and Kassidy tells him that although he has lost something important to him, he has held on to something important as well.  Some weeks later, a Vulcan Captain named Solok brings his ship to Deep Space Nine for repairs required by recent combat (Take Me Out to the Holosuite).  He is convinced his all-Vulcan crew is the finest in the fleet, and challenges his former Starfleet Academy classmate and longtime rival, Captain Sisko, to a baseball game in the Holosuite.  The training sessions are grueling.   Captain Siskoo's team is plagued by injuries and inexperience.  One injury sidelines Chief O'Brien, and he becomes a coach.  Captain Sisko enlists his traveling girlfriend and baseball player, Kasidy Yates, as a replacement.  The Deep Space Nine team loses, but does manage to score a run, and later celebrates the spirit of teamwork.   Captain Sisko purchases a piece of Bajoran land, where he plans to build his dream house (Penumbra).  He shows Kasidy a model of his dream home that evening and asks her to marry him.  She joyously accepts, and he asks Jake to be his best man.   Captain Sisko and Kasidy Yates plan a simple wedding, but they soon discover that may not happen; the Bajorans expect the their Emissary to hold a lavish ceremony.    He has a vision and the Sarah Prophet warns him not to marry Kassidy.   He protests, and she announces that his greatest trial is about to begin. Captain Sisko later tells Jake about the Prophets' warning (Till Death Do Us Part), and he of course isn't happy with the news.  Kai Winn comes to see Captain Sisko and interrupts the discussion.  She tells him that she, not Deep Space Nine's on-station vedek, will perform the Emissary's marriage ceremony.  He tells her the Prophets have revealed that he will face many trials in the coming days.  She leaves his office and has a vision; she is told that "The Sisko" has faltered and that she must lead the restoration of Bajor with aid from a guide who will come to her.  Kai Winn believes the vision is from the prophets, but we soon learn it is from the Pah-Wraiths.  Kassidy has returned from a cargo run and Benjamin breaks the news to her that the Prophets told him he and she can not travel the same path.  He tells her he cannot act against the Prophets' wishes.  Kassidy, devastated, silently takes off her engagement ring, puts it on a table, and walks out of his quarters.  Quark goes to Sisko's quarters to deliver the specially-made wedding ring Captain Sisko had ordered for Kassidy, and Quark tells him that it's a shame to let something of such beauty (the ring or Kassidy?) go to waste.   Captain Kassidy Yates is in one of Deep Space Nine's cargo bays preparing for another cargo run when Captain Sisko comes in and tells her that he wants to marry her regardless of what the Prophets say.  He then drags her off to be married immediately.  Admiral Ross is drafted to perform the ceremony in the station lounge where Cpatin Sisko's friends are quickly gathered.  They exchange vows and Captain Sisko receives another vision from the Prophet he knows as his mother.  She warns him that if he goes through with this marriage, he will only know pain, but he is not deterred.  The Prophet cradles his head to her shoulder and lovingly says, "Be careful, my son."  The vision ends and he places the ring on Kassidy's finger to complete the ceremony.  Kassidy Sisko finds it difficult adjusting to her new role as the Emissary's wife (Strange Bedfellows).  She feels frustrated when her husband asks her to preside over a special blessing ceremony.  She discusses her situation with Colonel Kira, and finally agrees.  Kassidy tells Benjamin that she's pregnant, and he silently shares her concern that the Prophets may not react favorably (The Dogs of War). Captain Benjamin and Kassidy Sisko join the Deep Space Nine crew in the holosuite to celebrate the Federation's victory over the Dominion when he suddenly leaves, telling her there is something he has to do alone (What You Leave Behind).  He goes to the Fire Caves on Bajor where Kai Winn, now a follower of the Pah-Wraiths, and Gul Dukat, who is possessed by one of them, are attempting to free them from their prison in the Fire Caves so they can destroy the Prophets reclaim the Celestial Temple.  A short one-sided skirmish follows between the Emissary and Gul Dukat.  Captain Sisko is defeated, but lunges at Dukat and takes them both go over the edge of a cliff into the fire below.  Gul Dukat is consumed in the fire and the Emissary joins the Prophets.  He later appears to Kassidy in a vision and tells her he will return; maybe in six months, maybe yesterday.

See Some Photos of Kassidy Yates Sisko

Penny Johnson is obviously best known as freighter Captain Kassidy Yates Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but she has an impressive string of movie credits, including Sylvia Guzman in Death Benefit (1997); Laura Simpson in Absolute Power (1997); Julia Rodriguez in Automatic (1994); Lorraine in What's Love Got to Do with It (1993); Re-Re in Fear of a Black Hat (1993); Maria in Molly and Gina (1993); and Darlene in Goin' to Chicago (1991).  Television credits include several made-for-television movies, including Geraldine in The Writing on the Wall (1994); Bailey Alford in Grace Under Fire (1993); Maxine Jarrett in the Columbo movie, Caution! Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health (1991); Luanne in Night Visions (1990); Paula in Kaleidoscope (1990); Michelle in The Impostor (1984); and Jill Hatch in The Files on Jill Hatch (1983).  She has also appeared as the regular character Debbie during the 1986 season of General Hospital; and the recurring character Lynette Evans in the ER episodes, Rites of Spring, Double Blind, and Hazed and Confused (1999), and the ER episodes, Stuck on You, Vanishing Act, They Treat Horses, Don't They?, and Split Second (1998); as well as Hannah in the Simon & Simon episode, Out-of-Town Brown (1985); and Jackie DeWitt in the Hill Street Blues episode, Blues for Mr. Green (1984).   Penny's talents are not limited to acting.  She was the Script Supervisor for Clubhouse Detectives (1996), and for the television movies The ButterCream Gang (1992) and Love Kills (1991).

See Some Photos of Penny Johnson

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