Michael Eddington

“All Human colonists were supposed to evacuate certain worlds in the DMZ as part of the treaty between the [Federation] and the Cardassians. 

Some colonists not only elected to remain behind, but also began 

a terrorist campaign against the Cardassians, 

 which then prompted retaliatory strikes from Cardassia 

which in turn threatened to ignite a new war between Cardassia and the [Federation]. 

The Cardassian strikes were hitting innocent Human settlements 

in addition to Maquis military camps, which forced the Fed to intercede. 

While not all the Maquis were living in Cardassian space, 

(some were in the DMZ and some were even on Federation worlds) 

the Cardassians certainly blamed the [Federation] for the Maquis raids 

just as the Feds blamed the Cardassian government for attacks perpetrated by Cardassian colonists.

That's the official rationale for the Fed campaign against the Maquis, 

but Eddington's statement that the real problem is that the Maquis have left the Federation 

and that no one leaves the Federation, 

has more than a kernel of Truth in it. 

There's a sense of betrayal associated with The Maquis in the minds of the people in the Federation, 

regardless of whether that's an irrational feeling or not. 

Add to that Sense of Betrayal the fact that the Maquis have harassed and attacked several Federation targets over the years 

and you begin to see why the Feds refuse to turn a blind eye to this group." 

 

Ronald D. Moore,

1997

[Runabout]

SISKO: 

Dinner. 


EDDINGTON: 

What about these? 


His handcuffs.

SISKO: 

What about them? 


EDDINGTON: 

It makes it a little difficult to eat. 


SISKO: 

You'll manage. 


EDDINGTON: 

Replicator entrée #103. 

Curried chicken and rice 

with a side order of carrots. 

Or at least that's what they want us to believe. 

But you and I both know what we're really eating. 

Replicated protein molecules and textured carbohydrates. 


SISKO: 

It's not that bad. 

 


EDDINGTON: 

It may look like chicken, 

but it still tastes like replicated protein molecules to me. 


SISKO: 

If you don't want it, don't eat it. 

 


EDDINGTON: 

Remember that Thanksgiving dinner 

you cooked for the senior staff last year? 

How many months did it take you to grow all those vegetables in the hydroponic garden? 

 

Every ingredient fresh, real. 

Though you did put too much tarragon in the stuffing. 

 


SISKO: 

I wasn't aware that you were a food critic. 

 


EDDINGTON: 

I wasn't, until I joined the Maquis and started eating real food. 

Food that I'd grown with my own hands. 

Fresh corn, sweet as a baby's smile. 

 

And tomatoes. 

Do you know how hard it is to grow tomatoes? 

There's always too much rain or not enough. 

It's too hot, it's too cold. 

I wonder what happened to those tomato plants? 

Probably burned to the ground along with everything else. 




SISKO: 

If we don't stop those missiles, a lot of things 

are going to burn to the ground.
And not just on Cardassia. 

 


EDDINGTON: 

You never give up, do you, Ben? 

Here we are, having a pleasant conversation about food, 

and all you're thinking about is the mission 

and how to get me to cooperate. 

 

You're wasting your breath. 

As far as I'm concerned 

my life is over. I'm dead. 


 

SISKO: 

For a dead man, you talk a lot. 


 

EDDINGTON: 

Then why didn't you leave me in prison? 

 


SISKO: 

Because I have a job to do and I can't do it without you. 

 


EDDINGTON: 

 You're going to have to. 

I told you when you dragged me out of my cell 

that I wasn't going to help you. 

I meant it then and I mean it now. 


 

SISKO: 

I am trying to prevent a war. 


 

EDDINGTON: 

You're the one who set the ground rules 

when you came after me, Ben. 

You're the one who made it personal. 

You could've looked the other way. 

You could've left the Maquis alone, 

but you didn't do it. 

 

You hunted us, hounded us, fought us every chance you got. 

And in the end, you set us up for the slaughter. 

I expected better of you than that. 

 

So did a lot of people. 

People like Cal Hudson. 

I bet you haven't heard that name in a while. 

 


SISKO: 

You're right about that. 

 


EDDINGTON: 

He told me the two of your were friends at the Academy. 

 


SISKO: 

And a long time after. 

 


EDDINGTON: 

Until he joined the Maquis. 


 

SISKO: 

He betrayed his oath to Starfleet. 

 


EDDINGTON: 

If it makes you feel any better, he paid for his sins. 

He was killed in a skirmish with the Cardassians. 

 


SISKO: 

He was a good man. 

 


EDDINGTON: 

He felt the same about you. 

He thought you were wrong about the Maquis, 

but he forgave you, which is ironic considering 

you never forgave him. 

 

You can't forgive any of us. 

And not because we betrayed 

Starfleet or the Federation, 

but because we betrayed you. 

 

That's what this is all about. Your ego. 

Where Benjamin Sisko leads, all must follow. 


 

SISKO: 

Is that what you really believe? 


 

EDDINGTON: 

It's the truth, isn't it? 

The Maquis were never much of a threat to the Federation, 

but we were a threat to you. 

 

We were a stain on your record and you couldn't have that. 

Not when you were so busy measuring yourself 

for an admiral's uniform. 


SISKO: 

You want to blame me for 

what happened to the Maquis? 

Fine. Go ahead, blame me. 

Blame Starfleet. 

Blame the Federation. 

Blame everyone except Michael Eddington. 


EDDINGTON: 

The Maquis won its greatest victories 

under my leadership. 


SISKO: 

“Your Leadership.” 

Your shining moment of glory. 

Michael Eddington gets to take off 

his gold uniform and play hero. 

That's what you always wanted, 

to lead troops in a glorious cause. 

Well, you had your chance 

and look where you led them. 

Right into their graves. 


EDDINGTON: 

They died because I wasn't there 

when they needed me most. 

Because you put me in jail. 


SISKO: 

They died because you filled their heads with false hopes. 

Sold them dreams of a military victory 

when what they needed was a negotiated peace. 


EDDINGTON: 

We had the Cardassians on the run. 


SISKO: 

And they ran right into the arms of The Dominion. 

End of story. 


EDDINGTON: 

Not quite the end. 


SISKO: 

That's right. A few survivors 

of your noble crusade have decided to launch a pointless retaliatory strike against Cardassia. 


EDDINGTON: 

It's not so pointless. If you can't have victory, 

sometimes you just have to settle for revenge. 


SISKO: 

Is that what you want? 

To be remembered as the man who helped 

bring about the worst war in Federation history? 

 


EDDINGTON: 

Not quite the legacy I had in mind, 

but I can live with it. 

 


SISKO: 

Can you?